I have to say I just don’t understand why every selling transaction I have at Ebay is messed up. Usually, my main mistake is in estimating shipping costs too low. Then I end up spending my supposed profit on the shipping costs. Anything I earn is never sufficient to cover the time and frustration I put into the auction and shipping.
After I do a sale, I usually remember what a waste of time it is and vow never to sell anything again. Unfortunately, at some point I forget this vow and repeat the process. Don’t they say insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different outcomes?
Well, my last sale with Ebay was the worst. My loving husband gave me a voucher for a free round trip plane ticket for valentine’s day. I tried to think of a way to use it that did not involved spending more money I did not have. I could not come up with anything. Finally, I come up with a plan. I notice listed on Ebay are tons of these vouchers. I can sell my voucher and earn a good bit, enough to pay for the cruise I want to take for our Anniversary in September. I check out how to list such an item and go for it. During the auction, it seems like a great idea. The bid price slowly goes up and soon it is close to $400. Everything is great until close of auction. I pack up the voucher, go to the post office, and ship it out to her. I want to send it insured but am told I can’t because it is a voucher. I have to ship it registered mail, which costs me about $25, much more than I charged her for shipping. Then because it is going registered mail, it takes weeks to arrive. Apparently, this is the most secure level of mail so it is slow. From this point on, everything goes wrong. The buyer is pissed the mail takes so long. She accepts my item and I have to help her get voucher changed into her name for her use, which takes much time and effort. The buyer books her plane ticket and THEN reports me to her credit card company to retract her payment! So far, I am still out over $400. They buyer has a free round trip plane ticket and continues to claim, she told her credit card company that she cancelled the retraction but papal continues to state her credit card company maintains she disputes the charge. I do not know what to believe, but it appears likely she cheated me and I am screwed. I want to believe in the goodness of others, but with each day, Paypal asks me to repay them 400 and something dollars!
Showing posts with label insanity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label insanity. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
My Ear Piercing Tale from He**!
Okay, so I must recount the past two days of insanity caused by my tremendously poor judgement. So sometime on Friday, my oldest daughter began a campaign to convince me she needed her ear’s pierced. I should have figured out immediately this was a poor idea, but am thinking that since I have secretly always wanted my girls to have their ear’s pierced so I could indulge in buying more girly paraphernalia I just could not see this for the horrendous idea that it would be. You see, my oldest daughter is also afraid of pain. She has told me repeatedly in the past that she will wait until she is 12 to get her ear’s pierced and I know that was a fear-based decision. Yet, for some reason, I decide to plan a trip to the mall on Saturday to visit Claire’s and explore the ear piercing options.
All Saturday, my oldest harasses me to make sure I still plan to take her. We have a busy day and many tasks at hand because Carlos and his brother are working on the bathroom renovation and have decided me and the girls are at their mercy to pick up supplies, food, and beer throughout the day.
We finally make it to Claire’s a bit late in the day around 5 pm I think. As we enter the store and explore the earrings, my lovely first-born gets excited about the pretty earrings, but then quickly begins to have increased fear and ultimately decides she might want to wait until she is 12. I tell her that is fine but before we can leave, my youngest chimes in and says, “But mommy I want my ears pierced.” Again, I should have seen this as a very stupid idea as my youngest is only 4-years-old and why was I listening to the whims of a 4-year-old! But again, I think to myself, let me save this trip and waste of time by having one daughter pierce her ears and also perhaps help my other daughter with a wonderful example that may change her mind. Sofia excitedly picks out earrings (pretty pink flower crystal ones, by the way). We get her set up on the chair and the employee proceeds to pierce only one ear (major mistake #1, well probably the 4th or 5th mistake by then!). The earring goes in, Sofia begins to scream and cry about the pain! She refuses to have the second ear pierced. It takes me over an hour to calm her down and eventually bribe her to finish the other ear so I never have to come back and do this again! The entire time my older daughter is watching this with growing fear over ear piercing, yet starting to notice that her sister is acquiring cool things through my use of bribery. Oh the conflict! Around this time, I also start to wonder why the employee did not offer to have both ears done at the same time.
Anyway, once my youngest has both ears pierced, her tears disappear in like 10 seconds and she has no memory of any pain. Then Emma begins to complain that she needed me to buy her some treats at the store like her sister. I advise her she did not have to get her ears pierced today as it is her choice, but I did not plan to buy her anything. She becomes upset and then begins to negotiate for treats by promising to agree to have her ears pierced. I should have left the store then, but I fall for it. She picks out her earrings, agrees to sit in the chair and the staff finally help out by offering to do both ears at once. We get ready to go, but my darling girl decides to move and flinch with every attempt. The staff finally say after 20 minutes that they will not finish if she can not stay still, so I finally end the nightmare. Of course, by then,, Emma is mad at me for not allowing her to get her ears pierced (like she was cooperating). She then is more angry when she realizes I do not plan to buy her anything in the store. So we leave the store with a happy 4-year-old and an angry tantrumming 6-year-old. I get to hear her complaints the rest of the evening.
To finish off this long story, Emma spends most of Sunday telling me she really really wants her ears pierced and please will I take her back. (What she really wanted was the potential for bribe booty!) But alas, I cave. However, we drive one town over to a different Claire’s because I am embarrassed. However, we leave little sister at home and the staff are so much more helpful. Emma has her ears pierced in less than 10 minutes and then spends more than 30 picking out her rewards!
Some days I think I truly am a bit crazy.
All Saturday, my oldest harasses me to make sure I still plan to take her. We have a busy day and many tasks at hand because Carlos and his brother are working on the bathroom renovation and have decided me and the girls are at their mercy to pick up supplies, food, and beer throughout the day.
We finally make it to Claire’s a bit late in the day around 5 pm I think. As we enter the store and explore the earrings, my lovely first-born gets excited about the pretty earrings, but then quickly begins to have increased fear and ultimately decides she might want to wait until she is 12. I tell her that is fine but before we can leave, my youngest chimes in and says, “But mommy I want my ears pierced.” Again, I should have seen this as a very stupid idea as my youngest is only 4-years-old and why was I listening to the whims of a 4-year-old! But again, I think to myself, let me save this trip and waste of time by having one daughter pierce her ears and also perhaps help my other daughter with a wonderful example that may change her mind. Sofia excitedly picks out earrings (pretty pink flower crystal ones, by the way). We get her set up on the chair and the employee proceeds to pierce only one ear (major mistake #1, well probably the 4th or 5th mistake by then!). The earring goes in, Sofia begins to scream and cry about the pain! She refuses to have the second ear pierced. It takes me over an hour to calm her down and eventually bribe her to finish the other ear so I never have to come back and do this again! The entire time my older daughter is watching this with growing fear over ear piercing, yet starting to notice that her sister is acquiring cool things through my use of bribery. Oh the conflict! Around this time, I also start to wonder why the employee did not offer to have both ears done at the same time.
Anyway, once my youngest has both ears pierced, her tears disappear in like 10 seconds and she has no memory of any pain. Then Emma begins to complain that she needed me to buy her some treats at the store like her sister. I advise her she did not have to get her ears pierced today as it is her choice, but I did not plan to buy her anything. She becomes upset and then begins to negotiate for treats by promising to agree to have her ears pierced. I should have left the store then, but I fall for it. She picks out her earrings, agrees to sit in the chair and the staff finally help out by offering to do both ears at once. We get ready to go, but my darling girl decides to move and flinch with every attempt. The staff finally say after 20 minutes that they will not finish if she can not stay still, so I finally end the nightmare. Of course, by then,, Emma is mad at me for not allowing her to get her ears pierced (like she was cooperating). She then is more angry when she realizes I do not plan to buy her anything in the store. So we leave the store with a happy 4-year-old and an angry tantrumming 6-year-old. I get to hear her complaints the rest of the evening.
To finish off this long story, Emma spends most of Sunday telling me she really really wants her ears pierced and please will I take her back. (What she really wanted was the potential for bribe booty!) But alas, I cave. However, we drive one town over to a different Claire’s because I am embarrassed. However, we leave little sister at home and the staff are so much more helpful. Emma has her ears pierced in less than 10 minutes and then spends more than 30 picking out her rewards!
Some days I think I truly am a bit crazy.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Me and Mount Whitney???
I am having a bit of an anxiety crisis. During my recent weekend at Big Bear, one of the other moms asked me if I wanted to join a group hiking Mount Whitney in August. I thought, hey pretty cool. The other women going are all pretty cool and I have always wanted to do more cool outdoorsy things so I said sure, why not. Anyway, it is not until August so i have plenty of time to prepare.
However, once I started reserching Mount Whitney and hiking it, I started to realize this is a huge monumental hike!!!!! Oh my gosh! I have since discovered that this is an 11-mile hike most of it at high altitudes. Altitude sickness is mentioned in most of the websites I visited and I even read about a number of deaths on Mount Whitney (now I need more details on this major fact). Basically, you can't just decide to hike Mount Whitney and do it, there is tons of preparation and gear involved. Camping out under the stars, eating dehydrated food, pooping in the woods and saving it to bring back to civilization...am I crazy?
I would say that when I was younger I think I would avoid many tasks that i did not think I would succeed at ahead of time. I think now that I probably passed on some exciting opportunities. So, as of today, I am still committed to the hike. However, I see a lot of work ahead getting my body in shape for this 3 to 4 day hike!
So far, I have been reading up on the internet about Mount Whitney and hiking/camping. I already spent some money at Amazon.com on a few books as well on Mount Whitney. I have to start locating my gear, but luckily do have some more experienced friends who have promised to help. I think the toughest part will be convincing myself to work out more to prep my body! I can not believe I signed on for this.
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