Why are we in love with Zero's?

        Let's go back a bit to take a look into the Marketplace culture say about 3000 to 4000 years ago.  Let's put ourselves into ancient Sumerian lands, what would be modern day Iraq and the Saudi Peninsula, where the Tigris ans Euphrates Rivers go out to the sea.  Here we would find some of the first constant and functional market places in the modern world, as people new it then.  Here one would be able to find everything that was needed for life.  Life would eased by the ability to share a commonplace for a common purpose of trading goods for their needs.  A new, more uplifted life was beginning to evolve.  Time was being spent pursue great endeavors, such as developing writing, art, sciences, city development and the improvement of commerce.  A settled life was taking hold and a new manifestation of daily life came into play, a need to amass wealth in the form of possession.  When I say possession, I mean the acquisition, display, and hoarding of people, places and things.  In this case we will only deal with the junk and stuff.   The ability to house and collect the triumphs of mankind has as many reasons as there is stuff.  What I am hoping to spark a thought about is why we believe that the effort one puts out today is so much different in todays world as it was then.
         In a period of time we live in today, where Need has very little to do with our lives today. We commonly show shallow pity to those who truly have needs, like food, clean water, shelter and health care by dropping a few coins into basket somewhere or giving a hour once a year to serve food in a kitchen.  In this way we justify our selfish lives by displaying our perception of successes to those who we perceive to not be successful at all.  Many of us do it more subtly by dropping hints to where we bought something or how much we spent on it. Even in that ancient marketplace, there was some proclaiming to be the best and you didn't get the right item unless you bought it from them, regardless of how that person lived their life or how they were able to deliver the item to you.  For the first time in our buying culture the average buyer is more aware of the nuances of the marketplace and the quality of our modern western life is pretty darn good and very complete. One doesn't need to be a Sultan or King to have ice in their possession these days.
           I spend my days searching the globe to bring merchandise into the marketplace for many people to buy and sell.  I do this in such a manner to help those acquire these goods to improve their life, either by giving them something they need for the home or to help provide a pathway to earn a living to help them get the what they need for their family or themselves or the involvements of their lives.  What seems to be the big question I  often get, is How do I know what to sell something for? or How do you know how what to pay for something?
          What this article is about is not what I do specifically but to help one think about why an item might cost what it does based on how it is delivered to you and by who.  Can you support someones effort to provide the service and pay what they ask.  Or can you choose another rout.  What about if one chooses to pay and acquire goods you would not necessarily have for yourself.  Maybe they paid more or you got a perceived better deal.  What's the difference.  I will tell - Can you truly be satisfied with what you have chosen for yourself or will you be preoccupied with what someone else did.   Please don't misunderstand, it is important to keep a level playing field in our culture so that we constantly are improving our lives so that we have can share in that as we leave this existence.
           Let me be honest with you, I buy and trade goods to make a profit.  This profit is making the way for me to provide for my family and contribute to my community and the culture in which I live.  I have been honest with myself about why I need to accomplish a certain financial goal.  Do I need to arrive there for the sake of the money or for the more noble ends of Family, Community, and Country.  Can I sleep well knowing that my efforts today move this forward.  Did I find myself angry or upset do to someones else having more zero's than myself?
               I offer this.  Take a moment a review your life.  Find that which you moves your life forward.  Consider how you contribute to yourself, your family, the community in which you live, and the society you participate in.  Mostly, I wish you to be thoughtful of  your actions and attitudes towards all people in the market place.  Never try to count another one's money or take stock of their possessions, for their endeavors are not yours.  Be aware of that which guides you and buy the junk and stuff you want for the needs you have.  See you soon and take care.

Permanance, A idea long passed its time

    My apologies friends, I had intended to get back to you sooner but I got caught up in, well, .....  Maybe this was the lesson here.  I started this deal as a commitment to myself and to those who wish to share their thoughts on Junk and Stuff and already I was moving on in life just after the first installment.  Really?..  This is indicative of a real problem we have in this society of consumption.  We buy something today and tomorrow its already served its purpose or we are bored with it or some new shiny bobble comes along with a new button or catch phrase and we are off to see the Wizard ( Sorry for the bad joke, but I think you get my point).
     The biggest reason I deal in secondary markets is simple, I am a misfit and live in the land of Misfit Toys.  So I take it upon myself to be like Santa and bring all the perfectly good junk and stuff to all the little girls and boys who understand a reasonable vantage point from which they live.  Kinda of cool , right!
      I am often asked, What is the best or What is worth the most,  questions I just hate to answer because there are so many right answers to those ideals.  I generally respond with: What are looking to accomplish with this purchase.  Then I recommend an answer based on the situation.  If you really want me to throw something out there, you will just have to wait a bit.  I will get to all that, I mean shucks, a guy has got to make a buck, don't He?
      Looking back over the last 20+ years of selling stuff and helping people I realized a few drastic changes to how we live in our world today, especially here in the good old USA. I have never lived in another country but have traveled to many to do what I do. We like now, and newest, and we like to tell people where we purchased it and for how much.  Oh, heres my favorite - I ran out this morning and bought a whole case of them, they are going to worth a bunch.  They already stopped making them and I need to be at the store next week to get the new stuff..  PATHETIC, if you ask me.  People we need to slow down and ask ourselves, do we really need 4 or 5 of something.  And really, how often should you be replacing the Sofa or the Dining Set or buy some new Tools.  Most of the time I go into a house and find that most of the junk and stuff is not even used or even better is the main issue here -  You bought cheap stuff based on a look,  and now its not worth any thing because not only you have moved on from the stuff, so has everybody else. You know , but wont admit it, because you stuff is worth more than the 100 other examples found on Craigslist or EBAY!
      People, slow down a bit.  Save up a few bucks and look deeper into what you really need and why you need it,  Look into buy a better quality for a more reasonable price.  Buy the things you need that will last you more than just this Fashion Season!  Please don't get me confused here.  I am all for progress and the trades. I just wish we were not so caught up in the big fiasco we seemed to have created.  Impersonal if you ask me,
      Try shopping at the local market, the neighborhood furniture store, small family run businesses that put the idea of permanence into all that they do.  You will be surprised at what a little cash money and some loyalty to the idea of buying things that make sense and still give the ability to say 'Look at this cool .." and "have you ever been to that store on...they are just awesome people and have just the best stuff, sure its used but who cares, I love it"  
      I love small business people and the people who support them.  Please help to create a bit of permanence here in the market place.  We need to be connected to others in more ways than just our junk and stuff.  Support those who will ultimately be there for us, the Customer and User of said Good or Service .When those Massive, Impersonal Big Box Retailers decide that its time for something new for you to buy, give it to them and send them a wave goodbye, because you cant go to breakfast on Saturday mornings with them.  Got to go, having lunch with the guy who owns this really awesome Cigar Store, He always makes time his friends!!

The World of Junk and Stuff

    A thought occurred to me as some friends were up to visit this last weekend.  We really do live in a world of junk and stuff.  To the similar extent that we live, breathe and go to work with friends, family and acquaintances.  What we want to have around us as possessions and triumphs these things that help define our lives.  My hope here is to really take a look at what we want and why we need to search out those items which help us express the life in which we live.
    For over the last 25 plus years I have traveled the globe, toured the country, and been in over 20,000 families lives buying and selling all types goods in all types of scenarios. In that time I took an interest in the commonalities and the very difference in how we live in relationship to junk and stuff.  Don't make the misconception here that all the things in this world is just stuff or just some piece of junk.  Probably about 1 percent of all merchandise and goods in this world fall into the category of true importance and art i our world as we know this world.  For an example, lets look at a well know person in world history,  Leonardo Da Vinci .  Considered by many a true Master of the Arts, Sciences, and Literary Works.  His works can bring millions of Dollars, Euros, and Pounds.  In contrast an endless assortment of trinkets and toys being offered in the great museums in which his works are admired, pure junk and just some stuff.  Even if it says 'Limited Edition' or 'Collector Series' any where on it.
    My point is simply this, we are consumers and we delude ourselves by saying to our selves statements like 'This is worth.....'  Truth be told, "it", whatever "it" is, holds no value unless someone is willing to buy it for what you want.  Only a few items in this world hold more than just a monetary value.  Some very special items in our life hold tremendous value for only two reasons.  One, it represents a lasting memory in our lives that recalls stories that will be told all night and all of our life's.  The second, the item itself represents a lasting memory in all the world's history.  Believe me when I say just because Da Vinci owned a simple chair does not make the chair a valuable and important item,  The ownership does, however, connect us to a piece of the World's history.  The Manuscripts He created and filled out imaginations with wonder hold a true value to all. The personal items left to his student, Salai also hold value, but only to him.  Just in that the belt buckle that my Dad left me is a nice sterling silver buckle but is really only worth something to me.  Believe me when I say this - There is no money in this world that could replace the memories held in that buckle.  Sure, I could replace it but that buckle would not connect me to memories or to the history of my family.
     Over the course of this discussion I hope to explore many facets of our lives.  Talking straight about the junk and stuff in all our lives and why we just have to search out this stuff.  So, to all the speculators, dealers, and consumers out there be on notice, the time has come to accept the true value of the junk and stuff we hold so dear.
      If there is any particular thing or item you want to discuss or you think is something to talk about please let me know.  I will try my best to reveal the real nature and divulge the real value of what we are talking about.
Next up, the short life span of whats hot and whats not and why is that.  Is there really no permanance to anything anymore?

      The Junk Man