The Ebay Shuffle

Being snowed in has been bad for my pocketbook because I've discovered Ebay. OMG!

Years ago my daughter set up an Ebay account in my name to buy a baby gift. I never thought about it again until we had a blizzard and the snow held me captive for several days.

I just came off a stint of on line classes, one on psychic research that got my curiosity and my creative juices flowing. At the same time, I was in the process of having flooring laid in my bedroom. I retired all the old decor, painted the walls and ceiling, and bought a new bedspred with the tree of life woven into it. I dragged out all my dragons to display (I collect them). And inspired by the dragons and tree, I decided to make a macrame lamp and create a wall hanging to decorate the space behind my bed. I bought the twine and rings that I needed and started the lamp.

While working out the design for the wall hanging, I decided to use natural jute and black and green macrame twine. I have a tree of life in mind with a leaf design and amber colored tear drops dangling from the branches. That's when inspiration struck and I thought of Ebay. I could go on line and order something to use for the tear drops.

My first excursion into the Ebay realm was a wallet opening experience. They have everything!!! And then some. You could get lost for eternity just surfing the site. I think I spent a week there one day.

Typing in crystal was the wrong thing to do. Especially when I'd been doing research on Wicca, psychic phenomena, witchcraft, and the tarot. Why? Because crystal balls came up. All sizes, all colors, all types of quartz and crystals, and with all kinds of stands. And considering the direction my research and my new decor were taking me, I of course couldn't resist checking them out.

I've been doing meditation to try and relieve my stress, and trying to learn to stretch my psychic muscles, too. And I thought a meditation ball would help. I soon (after 24 hours of surfing) setttled on a clear quartz ball with a wooden stand that wasn't too terribly expensive. And no one had bid on it, yet. So, I posted my bid and sat back to wait and wait and wait.

I did not wait very well. The longer I waited for the auction to be over, the more anxious I became. Because---my daughter preceeded to inform me about Ebay snipers. Snipers are people who wait for the last few minutes of the auction to swoop in and post a bid higher than yours and win the thing on which, by that time, you've set your heart on owning.

GRRRR. Jump back, Jack. This crystal ball is mine!!

My anxiety level rose even higher. And it wasn't that I couldn't purchase a ball somewhere else. It was that I'd set my sights on that one. My stomach churned kicking up pizza like an Italian soccer player, I checked my email every few minutes to see if someone else had bid on the ball, and waited some more.

The next day, I got the green apple two-step. And I still had five hours to go before the auction ended. I popped Imodium like peppermints and hoped my suffering would be rewarded.

The last fifteen minutes were the worst. I hovered over the computer, watched the clock count down by seconds, and waited for the snipers to descend. When the numbers clicked down to zero I actually yelled. A message came into my inbox that said the auction was over and I had won my crystal ball. I was excited and relieved.

I've learned from the experience. I'll never apply for a job at an auction house, or even attend a real auction. If I had to bid in public, I'd have to see an internist. But every time I turn on the computer I find myself fighting not to go surf the Ebay site to see what else they may have that I just can't live without. It's exciting. And addictive.

And I didn't get my amber teardrops. They were more expensive than the crystal ball.

Write on,
Teresa R.