Maggie's Doodles

The Joys of Bookselling

2010-08-22T16:58:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite things about bookselling is the people that you come in contact with. I was sorting through yard sale/flea market purchase looking for things to list for sale and came across this booklet:

It was privately printed in 1964 and contained three stories, one a "fairy tale" about the dragon and the others stories apparently about the author's childhood.

After reading the dedication -- "to my daughter Margie who heard these tales as a child" -- it occurred to me that this woman might have family somewhere who would like to read these stories, and so I did a Google search for Edith Young Ellis. I discovered a death notice on one page that mentions a daughter Margaret, and contacted the owner of that page who confirmed that I had, indeed, found the author of the book.

Edith Young Ellis was born in Norristown, PA in 1906 and apparently was very talented, teaching both painting and piano. So it is no surprise that she was also a very good storyteller. The stories in her "book" are just lovely -- memories of singing carols at Christmas, the thrill of a new box of crayons, making "hop toad houses" (what the heck are they?) and a trip to the seashore. She lived to the age of 101 and, hopefully, entertained quite a few generations with her stories which clearly demonstrate the pleasure that can found in the ordinary things of life. "Oh, how it is good to remember," she writes, "If today joys come to us less often and fleetingly it is because we demand too large a prize."

I will pass this booklet on to Edith's granddaughter, feeling fortunate to have "met" this lovely woman.

Snow in Philadelphia

2010-02-06T18:33:00.003-05:00

Another storm coming on Tuesday! Yikes!

The Joy of Re-Reading

2009-06-07T13:09:00.002-04:00

Somebody on one of my email lists sent along a New York Times article on the pleasures of being a re-reader.

I am an avid re-reader. My favorite activity in school was visiting the library, and I thought it so unfair that we couldn't visit the school library on our own but only on the designated day once every other week with the entire class. We were also limited in the number of books we could take out, so I was always torn between taking out old favorites and finding something new. The old favorites often won out.

It was thrilling to discover the local public library, which I could visit any time I wanted. What joy! I haunted the children's section of the library, withdrawing and re-withdrawing such classics as Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, Heidi, and The Secret Garden. In adulthood, I never paid money for a book until I had read it first and knew it was "re-readable"; thus my home library was full of well loved volumes. I don't still follow that rule to the letter -- I will buy books I haven't read before, but usually only if I've read something else by the same author.

There's something so satisfying about opening a book already knowing the friends who dwell in its pages. You don't have to bite your nails through the harrowing parts if you already know that everything will come out okay in the end. On the other hand, you can prepare yourself with plenty of tissues if you know the ending is sad. And you always discover something you never saw before.

As the author of the Times' article points out: "The characters remain the same, and the words never change, but the reader always does."

Book Review: Lottery by Patricia Wood

2009-05-30T18:26:00.003-04:00

Perry Crandall, as he is quick to make known, is not retarded. He knows that the standard of being retarded is an IQ of 75, and, since his is one point higher than that at 76, he doesn't want to be called retarded. He observes that some people treat him as if he were retarded, and this bothers him.

In his 30's, Perry lives with his widowed grandmother. He has rarely seen his mother or his brothers, whom he is told to call "cousins". He has a job and has made friends with his boss, Gary, and a co-worker, Keith, and has a crush on a girl who works at the local convenience store. All in all, it is a very pleasant life until the props are knocked out from under him when his grandmother dies. Suddenly, Perry has to find a life for himself with his limited resources. Since the rest of his family doesn't want to be bothered with him, Perry is looked after by Gary and Keith. His family becomes attentive again, however, when he hits the lottery for $12 million.

Torn by the demands of his greedy family and the admonitions of the friends who want to protet him, Perry is guided by the lessons learned from his grandmother. Told from Perry's point of view, the narrative is delightfully frank and open. His views on the people and the world around him are refreshing, and some of his observations remarkably insightful. Although the characterization is a bit superficial -- the "bad" guys are so irretrievably bad -- this is just a wonderful story about the real meaning of family.

Book Review: I Take Thee, Serenity

2008-12-14T20:10:00.002-05:00

Quite a few years ago, I discovered the Daisy Newman when I picked up a copy of "Diligence in Love" at a flea market or library book sale. This story of a driven businesswoman who encounters Quakers while researching an advertising campaign impressed me. I had heard of Quakers but never really knew anything about them or their religion. This gentle way of life appealed to me and I made it a point to search out other titles by this author. I just recently happened across "I Take Thee, Serenity" in my bookcase and re-read it, to be touched anew.

Written in 1975, the premise of this book would now be considered old-fashioned. Serenity Ross is an independent 19-year-old in love with Peter Holland and quite content to have a sexual relationship with him while away at college. Suspecting this, her parents decide that it is best to have the two young people get married. Feeling pushed into a wedding that is taking on circus-like proportions and inspired by the picture of a Quaker wedding hanging in her parents' home, Serenity flees to her father's old family home near Kendal, Rhode Island to step back and take stock. There, she meets her elderly Quaker cousin, Oliver Otis, and his wife, Daphne, who help her to look into herself and her relationship with Peter and realize that their marriage will effect not only them but all of the people who love them.

This journey of self-discovery can't help but touch the reader. The Quaker way, as presented here, is one of tolerance and understanding and reading this book gave me a sense of joy.

Warmth

2008-11-22T21:17:00.002-05:00

It was a frigid day here in Philadelphia. I slipped out the basement door to go to my "book barn" for a few books that had sold and was slapped in the face by a freezing wind. Brrrrr! So many people go cold in the winter, wearing sweaters and bundling up even in the house because they can't afford to pay the gas bill or have oil delivered. I thank God for my warm house.

We hit the shopping mall for a few things today and was surprised at how crowded it was. With all the news about the slumping economy, I expected the crowds to be lighter. But as crowded as the mall was, the thrift shop we visited earlier was even "crowdeder"! The aisles were blocked with people lined up to buy old Christmas decorations, clothes, glasswear, etc. I wonder how many were buying for themselves or, like me, buying for resale.

Let it Snow!

2008-11-21T23:06:00.003-05:00

I went out this morning and waited for the bus in a swirl of snow flurries. I guess it's a sign of my age that I put up my umbrella while I waited -- melting snow messes up the hair!

A Gripe!

2008-08-17T18:48:00.002-04:00

It was so exciting watching Michael Phelps win his eighth Olympic gold medal last night, but he didn't do it alone. It was so disappointing to watch the medal ceremony and not get even a glimpse of the other three Americans who also won gold in that race!

Phantom of the Opera

2008-07-19T20:02:00.003-04:00

As song by UnderAge, a Sweet Adelines quartet.

Beautiful!

Thought for the Day

2008-07-17T20:22:00.002-04:00

I've been reading a book called How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie (an oldie but goodie), and he gave the following quote:

"Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one the stars." -- Frederick Langbridge

It touched me and so I wrote it down to remind myself to always think positively rather than negatively. It must have really been meant for me, because the same quote came to me via a "quote for the day" email this morning.

So it is my resolution to always look for the positive in life!

365 Days in the Delaware Valley

2008-07-15T22:04:00.002-04:00

Some of my online friends have started "365 Days in ..." blogs showing photos from their cities and towns. So I'm joining in and showing photos from my area, just the things I see in my travels every days. Check it out at 365 Days in the Delaware Valley.

Check Out the Young at Heart Chorus

2008-04-15T21:46:00.000-04:00

I want to have this much energy when I'm their age!

Cactus Cuties - Another Great You Tube Clip

2008-03-03T20:11:00.002-05:00

I guess I'm just a sucker for the national anthem ... and cute kids singing it. I can't embed this one, but click here to see and hear the Cactus Cuties!

Death of Author Phyllis Whitney

2008-02-11T20:27:00.000-05:00

The New York Times reported today that Phyllis Whitney died at the age of 104. I feel as if I've lost a friend!

As a teenager, I was an avid reader and loved the gothic/suspense romance books. The first one I ever read was The Trembling Hills which was set in San Francisco at the time of the great fire in 1906. I was fascinated by the brooding mansion, handsome hero, dark family secrets, and a heroine who was less than perfect. Another favorite Phyllis Whitney book was Thunder Heights, set in a big mansion on the Hudson River. Although I eventually read every adult suspense novel written by Whitney, those two titles remained my favorites because they didn't have the modern settings of her other books.

Another favorite gothic suspense author during my teen years was Victoria Holt. It wasn't until I read her obituary in 1993 that I realized she also wrote under the pseudonyms of Jean Plaidy and Philippa Carr. I remember crying and telling Michael that three of my favorite authors had died that day and him asking if they had dropped a bomb at a writers' convention!

There was something so comforting about reading Whitney's books. Even though I didn't know where all of the twists and turns would take me, I could trust that she wouldn't take me anywhere I don't want to go. Secrets would be revealed and love would triumph in the end. In the meantime, the ride was pleasant and I learned about different places with a little bit of history thrown in.

So rest in peace, Phyllis Whitney, and thank you for what you brought to my life!

I think I'll go and dig out The Trembling Hills for a good re-read!

A Shameless Plug for Valentine's Day

2008-02-04T21:31:00.000-05:00

Each year at this time men (and probably women) all over start to worry about what to give their "special someone" for Valentine's Day. And each year at this time, barbershop quartets all over raise funds for their choruses by providing a unique and romantic gift -- singing valentines.

For somewhere between $40 and $60, you can arrange for a Barbershop Harmony Society (male) quartet or a Sweet Adelines (female) quartet to show up at your loved one's home or office, or even at the restaurant where you have a romantic dinner planned, and serenade him or her with two love songs in beautiful four-part harmony. It's the gift they never expect, and the one they talk about for years afterwards.

My first Valentine's day as a Sweet Adeline was two years ago and I went out with a group of about eight. We went from place to place to sing to both men and women -- a school, a doctor's office, a real estate office, a library. The men were embarrassed, but pleased. Some of the women cried. We sang two songs and presented the recipient with a gift of flowers or candy, along with a card from the person who bought the valentine for them.

Last year I went out with a quartet in the middle of an ice storm. Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night and all that jazz ... we delivered all of our Valentines despite the weather. And we had a lot of fun in the doing.

Singing valentines can be arranged by going to singingvalentines.com. Many choruses also advertise on Craiglist, so you can check there as well for a group in your area. You'd be giving someone a gift they'll never forget and supporting the preservation of the art of barbershop singing at the same time.

Book Review: Labyrinth by Kate Mosse

2008-01-27T20:47:00.000-05:00

The DaVinci Code brought the Holy Grail and the secrets of the early Catholic church back into popularity, and I have jumped right on that bandwagon, which is why Labyrinth appealed to me.

Alice Tanner, a volunteer on an archaeological dig in Carcassone, France, discovers a cave containing two ancient skeletons and other objects, including a ring with the symbol of a labyrinthe. She soon realizes that she has drawn the unwelcome attention of unscrupulous people who would do anything to get their hands on the objects contained in the cave. The narrative shifts back in time to the 13th century, where a young woman named Alais has been entrusted with the objects and pledges to keep them safe. This is played out against the backdrop of the Catholic crusade against the heretic Cathar sect in the French region of the Languedoc. As the story unfolds, the reader learns the nature of the Holy Grail, the books which lead to its location, and the people who have protected it throughout history including Alais in the past and Alice in the present.

This is the kind of book that makes you feel a bit self-satisfied in that you're reading pure fiction but you're getting a bit of real history as well, so that the next time the subject of the Albigensian Crusade creeps into the conversation (well, it COULD happen!), you'll remember this book and will be able to speak intelligently about it.

The pace was a bit slow, so much so that I was ready to stop reading in in the beginning, but it soon picked up and held my interest until the last exciting moments. All in all, I think it's a good read for anyone who likes to speculate on these ancient mysteries.

You Gotta Love YouTube

2008-01-20T14:33:00.000-05:00

If not for YouTube, you'd never get to hear this great rendition of the National Anthem by a 7 YEAR OLD!

Fee Changes for eBay?

2008-01-17T20:56:00.000-05:00

The buzz is that eBay will be announcing fee changes soon. I came across this entry in Scot Wingo's eBay blog:

"As I've covered since mid-Q4, eBay has been telegraphing some big changes coming to the fee structure. The only thing we don't know is what and when. It seems some top sellers are getting calls from TSAMs outlining in general the fee changes that are evidently going to be announced next week with eBay's earnings (eBay is set to announce 1/23 at 5pm EST)."

I've been hearing these rumors ever since eBay held it's month-long gallery promotion in September. It was my hope that a fee decrease would take the form of the current listing fee with gallery added in for free. It doesn't sound like that's what's coming, though:

"The tidbits I'm hearing:
Certain categories will go to low listing, high FVF for fixed-price listings - based on who is being told this, I'd say we're looking at BMV, auto-parts and other 'high density/low conversion' categories.
Bulk discounts - eBay is being vague here, but it looks like they are finally considering some kind of break for sellers that are doing a ton of listings."

I like the idea of lower listing fees, of course, but I fear that if they are too low it will just open the floodgates for a lot of low-priced junk on the site in the same way that the lack of listing fees on Amazon has resulted in thousands of books priced at a penny on the site.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

Book Review: Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon

2008-01-09T17:51:00.000-05:00

As I said in a previous post, I received the book Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon as a Christmas gift from my husband. I looked forward to a visit with my old friends from Mitford -- Father Tim, Cynthia, Dooley and the rest. It still saddens me to know that the books won't be set in Mitford anymore, and I wondered if Father Tim would still hold my interest without the cast of interesting characters that the Mitford setting provided. I was not disappointed.

Throughout the Mitford series, there are tantalizing hints about Father Tim's past -- his troubled relationship with his father, his friendship with Tommy Noles, and his love for Peggy who was like a second mother to him. In Home to Holly Springs, he is drawn back to his old hometown after receiving an anonymous note.

In Holly Springs we meet the usual cast of interesting personalities that make Karon's books so satisfying. There are some people he knew in the past, and others who become new friends. In visiting the people and places he had thought never to see again, Tim comes face to face with old hurts and discovers that the things he experienced as a child weren't really always as he believed them to be.

What I've always loved about the character of Father Tim is that the author doesn't make him perfect. He is a kind, loving and gentle soul, but he struggles with the human feelings of anger, hurt and unforgiveness that we all deal with. He faces but doesn't always overcome them with his faith. His very "realness" is comforting and makes him more believable.

Running through the book is a secondary theme of Tim's belief in the fact that everything happens according to God's plan. It's a familiar theme, and consistent with Tim's character, but the events that serve the theme are sometimes just a little too coincidental, giving an unrealistic feel to parts of the book.

All in all, though, this is a good that made me feel good. As Jan Karon's books always do, it made me look at my own life, my own past, my own grudges and hurts and misunderstandings. It is a story of connecting with the past and, most importantly, one of forgiveness. I highly recommend it.

Country Cottage Chic: Christmas Day

2008-01-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Here's a blog I visit when I want to see what life is supposed to be like!

Country Cottage Chic: Christmas Day

I'd post photos of my own Christmas day if I could find the camera memory card underneath the pile of stuff on my desk!

Ring Out the Old ... Ring In the New

2007-12-31T20:12:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am sitting here at my computer on New Year's Eve when many are out partying and drinking and celebrating. My little heater underneath the desk is warming my feet, my tired, beloved husband already snoozing in his chair upstairs, the cats curled up underneath the Christmas tree.

I put in a day's work, rode the el train for the last time this year, wished "Happy New Year" to people I passed on the street, and stepped over a homeless person in the subway with my usual quandry of not knowing whether giving him money would be good or bad for him.

I left the office after saying goodbye to a co-worker whose father suddenly passed away before Christmas, wishing there was something, anything I could do to let her know how heartfully sorry I was and how much she was on my mind and in my prayers. I didn't tell her -- just wished her a "Happy New Year". How stupid and inadequate.

I posted various messages in groups where I have online friends, some of whom I've never met in person but whom I feel closer to than people I see every day. Their messages are funny, sad, wacky, interesting, and informative. I learn from them, and I share with them, and just enjoy them. Some of them have sorrow in their lives in the form of family illness and I post messages telling them how sorry I am and how they are in my prayers. Also stupid and inadequate. Are my prayers really worth anything? In case they are, I keep saying them.

I talked to two of my Jersey Sound friends today -- two of the many wonderful people that Sweet Adelines has brought into my life. I think back over the last hectic month with performances every other night until a bad cold stopped me in my tracks. There is no sweeter feeling than standing in the middle of the Chorus singing beautiful holiday songs and feeling their music and friendship wrap around me like a soft, warm blanket.

Tonight the old year will slip away and a new one tiptoe in. I wonder what it will bring? I wonder what joys and sorrows it holds for me? I know that for all of my friends and loved ones I wish good health, happiness and more laughter than tears.

Goodbye, 2007!

A happy New Year! Grant that I
May bring no tear to any eye
When this New Year in time shall end
Let it be said I've played the friend,
Have lived and loved and labored here,
And made of it a happy year.
~Edgar Guest

Winter Reading

2007-12-28T21:05:00.000-05:00

I received a whole stack of books for Christmas from my husband, Michael, who shopped from my Amazon Wish List. First up will be Home to Holly Springs by Jan Karon.

I discovered Jan Karon and her Mitford books a few years back when I took the audiobook A Common Life out from the library. It told the story of a 60-something Episcopal priest on his honeymoon. After finishing it, I couldn't wait to start from the beginning with At Home in Mitford, which tells the story of Father Tim and his friends and doings in the small town of Mitford.

Having lived in a big city all my life, I ate up the description of the town and its varied personalities with Father Tim's gentle spirituality underlying it all. I hungrily read all of the books in the series, then went to Jan Karon's website, where I was horrified to learn that the author was planning to end the series! I felt as if a door was being closed in my face.

In At Home in Holly Springs, however, the Father Tim story continues, just in a different setting. I'll miss Mitford, but am looking forward to finding out what's next in store for the mild priest and his wife.

Remembering Heidi

2007-12-23T19:55:00.001-05:00

I just finished listing this book on eBay:

Of course, it brought back a flood of memories. My first acquaintance with Heidi was through the Shirley Temple movie. I didn't actually read the book until I was in my 20s and learned that there were two sequels -- Heidi Grows Up and Heidi's Children, written by Charles Tritten.

Not much has been written about Johanna Spyri. She herself refused to write a biography and, as she requested the return of letters she wrote to various friends and family, there wasn't a lot of personal writing for prospective biographers. She was born in 1827 in the village of Hirzel, Switzerland and later lived in Zurich with her husband and son. As was common for female writers, her works were first published anonymously.

Heidi was first published as two volumes -- Heidi's Apprenticeship and Years of Wandering -- then later combined into one volume under the single title of Heidi. She was a new kind of heroine in 19th century literature -- a strong-willed, independent thinker.

I think I'll have to dig out my copy of this classic for a good read over the holidays!

For the Cat Lovers

2007-12-18T20:49:00.003-05:00

Some photos of my kitties supervising the Christmas decorating! Here's Jack:

And Nick:

A Bit of Christmas Fun

2007-12-15T19:54:00.000-05:00

I've been way too busy to blog, but here's a bit of fun for Christmas:

We're Famous!

2007-12-04T19:54:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, a reporter from The Philadelphia Inquirer came with a photographer to visit my barbershop chorus. Her article was published the Friday after Thanksgiving. Click here to see it! Called "Harmony With Female Overtones", it talks about the fact that we are as much about friendship as we are about singing barbershop.

The Curse of Billy Penn

2007-12-03T08:49:00.000-05:00

Since I grew up in a house full of women (even our dogs were female), I knew nothing about sports until I was married -- and believe me, ignorance was bliss! Michael is a huge Philadelphia sports fan, so I, like a good wife, set about learning all about football, baseball and hockey (I still can't make heads or tails of basketball). Unfortunately, while Philly sports teams had great success in the 70's and 80's, a few short years after I was married, the city fell under The Curse of Billy Penn and have been suffering ever since.

What is The Curse of Billy Penn, you ask? A statue of our city's founding father has rested upon the top of City Hall since construction was completed in 1901. Philadelphia City Hall was the tallest habitable building in the world for the first seven years, until it was surpassed by other buildings elsewhere, but, under an unwritten agreement, it remained the tallest building in Philadelphia until 1987. Many people hailed the construction of One Liberty Place as wonderful progress, but others warned that breaking the agreement would only bring down the wrath of the founder upon us, as he could no longer overlook the entire city from his lofty perch.

But One Liberty Place was built and, woe unto us, The Curse fell. Not one of our professional sports teams has won a championship since that dark and dreadful day. There are those who hope -- the fools! -- and believe that this year will be the one. But, alas, all of their hopes and dreams are in tatters around them by the end of football season ... and baseball season ... and hockey season ... and basketball season. Our Philadelphia city motto has become "there's always next year" but those of us who believe in The Curse know better.

This YouTube video says it all!

Book Review - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

2007-11-18T12:42:00.000-05:00

There were some strange circumstances surrounding my reading of this book. It was listed in an email ad I received I thought that it sounded interesting. A few days later, someone mentioned it on an email list that I'm on and I became even more interested in reading it. Then I went home and found it sitting on top of a box of books in my living room. I have no idea how it got there, nor does anyone in my family.

So you would think that when I read the book it had some deep hidden meaning that I was just meant to read! Well, no. But it was a really, really good book that I would recommend to anyone who love a brooding, gothic-type mystery. And its setting of the main character in the world of antiquarian books was especially interesting for a book lover like me.

Margaret Lea is summoned to the home of a famous author whose life has been shrouded in mystery and who is known for telling far-fetched stories about her past. Vida Winter asks Margaret to write her biography, but Margaret is skeptical of the author's claim that she wants to tell the truth at last. As the story unfolds, however, Margaret is drawn in. As the plot moved between the telling of the story and Margaret's efforts to corroborate it with visits to the author's childhood home, I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat as I feverishly flipped the pages.

The Thirteenth Tale deals with secrets and their revelation and whether truth really does set people free. A very pleasant and satisfying read.

Project Runway

2007-11-17T21:12:00.000-05:00

I had set my DVR to tape the season opener of Project Runway and got a chance to watch it this afternoon.

I didn't discover this show until midway through last season and was very disappointed that Jeffrey was the winner, but was still excited when I saw the announcements for the new season. I don't watch much television, so you won't be reading too much about TV shows on this blog. Still, I love American Idol and I love Project Runway.

Warning: I know absolutely nothing about fashion and will display my ignorance with every word I write here.

I liked Christian's design, but agreed with Tim that he should have tried to match the fabric on the back (though the judges liked the back, so what do I know?) I didn't like the way the skirt was gathered up.

I was most surprised by the judges' comments on Victorya's dress. I thought it looked like a sack, and that the straps over the shoulder just looked as though the model couldn't keep her bra straps up, although I guess those gals don't wear bras! I didn't think it was the worst, but I was surprised by the judges' praise for the dress.

I did like Rami's dress and had no problem with him being the winner, but my favorite was Chris. I loved the purple and gold color combination and thought his dress was so elegant.

I would have ditched Elisa for her dress with what looked like rags hanging off the back and tripping up her model on the runway. I can see why Simone was sent home, though, since her dress was so poorly constructed.

It's a little hard to keep sorted out in my head when there are so many contestants. I'm looking forward to future episodes.

The Happiest Place on Earth

2007-11-16T13:42:00.000-05:00

We're just back from a short hop to Walt Disney World. My poor, aching feet!!!

We were awake bright and early for our 7:00 a.m flight on Monday. We reached the airport at 5:40 a.m. to find hundreds of people waiting in line at the security entrance, which hadn't opened yet! We were sure that we were going to miss our flight, but once the entrance opened it went fairly quickly. Since I had spent my last two Disney vacations without lipstick (see my eBay blog for that story), we didn't check our luggage and I was prepared with my little quart-sized baggies. The flight was on time and, before you know it, we were in Orlando.

We stayed at Disney's Boardwalk Resort -- Michael and I, along with my sister in law Kathy, her husband Hal, their son Brian, and Hal's sister Babs. Boardwalk isn't my favorite Disney resort, and our room was a very, very long walk from the lobby. But one big advantage is that it's just a short walk from the boardwalk to the back entrance of EPCOT. It's also a beautiful hotel, with it's theming taking from turn-of-the century east coast seaside resorts. There's also a boat to take guests to the MGM Studios, a nice change from those ubiquitous Disney buses.

We had a wonderful time, as usual. We spent the first day at MGM Studios, seeing the Beauty and the Beast stage show, the Great Movie Ride, the Indiana Jones Stunt Show and the Drew Carey attraction which was more fun than I had remembered it. While the braver members of our party rode on the Tower of Terror and the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, the rest of us browsed the shops along Sunset Boulevard. We had dinner at the Prime Time Cafe, a tradition for us -- we eat there at least once every trip. Our waitress wasn't quite as fun this time. On our last visit, I had to stand in the middle of the restaurant and sing "I'm a Little Teapot". On a previous visit, Kathy had to hold a sugar packet up against the wall with her nose. This waitress was tamer, so no "punishments" but we still laughed ourselves silly.

We ended up our first day by attending Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. Since our dinner took so long, we arrived late and missed a few shows, but it still was a great event. Cinderella's castle was gorgeous, draped in lights which made it look like it was covered in glittering icicles. Snow also fell on Main Street -- beautiful! There was a Christmas parade, which I couldn't see much of because I'm too short to see over the crowds. Michael and I took the opportunity to go on our favorite rides in Fantasyland which are usually too crowded during the day. We left the park at 11:00 p.m. and collapsed onto our bed back at the hotel. We had gotten up at 3:00 a.m. to catch our 7:00 a.m. flight, so it was a loooonnnng day for us.

We spent our second day at EPCOT. We ate breakfast at Spoodles, then walked through to the back entrance at EPCOT and down through the United Kingdom and Canada to get fast passes for Soarin'. We hit the Imagination pavilion for the Figment ride and Honey I Shrunk the Audience, which is still so much fun after all these years. After that, we popped over to The Living Seas to ride Nemo and see Turtle Talk. This was the first time Michael and I had seen Turtle Talk and we loved it. It was so cute, and of course we "Duded" each other for the rest of the day. Then it was back to Soarin', which I am ashamed to say I ride with my eyes closed. Yes, I am a chicken.

Michael and I stayed to eat lunch at the food court in The Land, while the rest of our party went to the Electric Umbrella for burgers. We met up with them, and Kathy and I browsed the store while the others rode Test Track and Mission: Space. We then headed around to the World Showcase. I was disappointed in the boat ride in Mexico, having heard that it had been refurbished and updated. All that was done was that Donald Duck was added to the ride, but it was still very boring for me. We wandered around the lagoon, hitting all of the countries and browsing the shops. We did the Maelstrom in Norway, which is one of my favorite rides. The crowds were very small, so it was a nice stroll. I was disappointed to miss the Voices of Liberty at the American pavilion, and we were running late for dinner so didn't get to see The American Adventure.

The best experience of our whole trip came in The United Kingdom, where we had dinner reservations at The Rose and Crown Dining Room. This is the only restaurant which has seating right on the lagoon, and we were thrilled to be seated right out on the deck. Our reservations were for 7:30, and we were seated at about 7:45. We joked about eating very slowly so we could still be sitting there for the Illuminations lights and fireworks show at 9:00. The service was done at a very leisurely pace, so we were just finishing dinner and getting ready to order dessert when the show started. It was glorious, and we were right in the middle of the action, with fireworks bursting right over our heads. We couldn't have asked for anything better. After it was over, we simply had to stroll right out the back entrance and back to Boardwalk. Even though not officially a "magical moment", it was truly magical for us!

We spent our third day at the Magic Kingdom, starting out in Tomorrowland with Buzz Lightyear, the Carousel of Progress (my favorite), the Wedway People Mover (I forget the new name) -- oh, it's the Tomorrowland Transit Authority -- and the Monsters, Inc. Comedy Show which we really enjoyed. While the others rode Space Mountain, Michael and I played pinball in the arcade. It's so hard to find pinball machines at the arcades here at home that we always enjoy doing so while in Tomorrowland.

The crowds were so light that there was only a five-minute wait for the Teacups in Fantasyland, so Babs, Brian and I rode that. We waited about 20 minutes for the Winnie the Pooh ride, but it broke down several times during our ride which took all the fun out of it. We walked onto Snow White's Scary Adventures and then took in one of our favorite attractions -- the PhilharMagic 3D movie. Peter Pan's Flight was too crowded, so we moved on to The Haunted Mansion, where we really enjoyed the new scenes and the reburbishment. The Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride in all of Walt Disney World. We did The Hall of Presidents and then strolled down to go on The Pirates of the Caribbean, which Babs had never been on before -- always an enjoyable ride.

We left the park then to attend the "Welcome Home Wednesday" meeting that is held for Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members. I need to brush up on my DVC trivia before attending one of those again! Michael and I took a needed two-hour rest back at the room, then met up with the rest of the group for dinner at Planet Hollywood. Great food -- horrible atmosphere. Call me old fashioned (well, just call me old) but I like to hold a conversation with my dinner companions. Screaming, loud, pounding music just doesn't do it for me. The appetizers were so good, though, that I could only eat half of my dinner. We walked from Planet Hollywood around to the Marketplace where we proceeded to spend too much money in the World of Disney store, even though I swore we wouldn't buy a lot of souvenirs this trip.

On our last day, the rest of the group decided to go to Animal Kingdom. Since that's not our favorite park, Michael and I went off on our own. We started out at MGM to buy yet more souvenirs (an Indiana Jones hat and whip) then moved on to the Magic Kingdom to revisit our favorite rides over there. There was a woman taking flash pictures all throughout the Pirates of the Caribbean, which was annoying but didn't elicit any comment from us until she turned around in her seat and set off the flash directly in our faces. People seem to get more and more rude every time we go, but what can you do?

You would think that, since we go so often, we wouldn't feel compelled to run from morning 'til night until our feet were sore and our calf muscles screaming! But no, we have to see and do everything!

Our flight home landed in Philly at 10:30 p.m and we were home in our own bed by midnight. Ahhhh! I'm going to have to start a physical fitness training program to gear up for our next trip!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

2007-11-03T08:58:00.000-04:00

Michael and I hit a few flea markets and thrift stores last Saturday and came across these:

and I took an immediate trip down Memory Lane!

I grew up in the 60's with my two sisters, Anne and Pat. Anne is older, and Pat is the baby. We spent countless hours playing with our paper dolls.

Summer time in Philadelphia was spent sitting out with neighbors, playing Freedom with all of the kids from blocks around, going up to Juniata Park for picnics (and sneaking away from parents to play in the forbidden creek which we pronounced "the crick") and generally being in the outdoors.

But the winter time was my favorite, being indoors with the cold wind whistling outside or snow beating against the windows and feeling as if I were inside a safe and warm cocoon. We would sit at the dining room table (after homework was done, of course) and pull out our paper dolls.

The dolls were stiff, with little pull-out notches so that they could stand. They were always girls, pretty with their pink cheeks and bow-shaped lips. And the clothes! Oh, the clothes! As children raised by a single parent (our wonderful mother), we rarely had new clothes of our own -- so we lived vicariously through our Barbies and our paper dolls.

One of our favorite activities was to create outfits of our own by cutting out paper in the shape of the doll (with the tabs on the sides) and coloring them with our crowns. We drew maxi-skirts and midi-skirts, and high-heeled boots and all variations of hairstyles. What fun!

I've listed the paper dolls we found at the flea market on eBay, but whatever I get for them won't be nearly as nice as that trip down Memory Lane!

Links for Book Sellers

2007-10-26T12:23:00.000-04:00

Thought I would share some links that have been helpful to me as an online bookseller.

First, the mother of all bookselling link sites:

The Little Yellow Post

Another comprehensive site:

Bibliomania

Other helpful sites:

Author Signatures
Book Sale Finder
The Bookologist
BookThink
Guide to Rare and Old Book Values
Identifying First Editions
ISBNs - Everything You Wanted to Know
Terms for Describing Condition

Other Fun Sites:

Book Sleuth (for when you can remember the story but not the title or author)
Stop, You're Killing Me (a website to die for ... if you love mysteries

Finding a Church Home

2007-10-21T19:55:00.000-04:00

Michael and I have been looking for a church home for a few years now. We have visited a few Lutheran churches in our area and none seemed quite right. Last week, we happened to see an ad in the local paper for a bazaar at the Calvary Lutheran Church of Bustleton. We didn't go to the bazaar, not needing any more "stuff" in this cluttered house, but decided to visit the church for services the following Sunday.

Since I don't do anything without checking the web first, I went online to the church web site. There, they had a link to their pastor's site. I was delighted to find that the pastor belongs to a barbershop quartet! As a Sweet Adeline, I'm rather partial to pastors who sing barbershop.

When we visited the church, we found that the barbershopping pastor had been an interim one and was no longer there. But we also found a welcoming community, a pastor whose sermons touched us, and a real sense of belonging.

Nick and Jack at Rest

2007-10-15T20:41:00.001-04:00

Here are my kitty cats having a snooze. Don't they have the life?

This and That

2007-10-15T20:23:00.000-04:00

Well, long time no blog. I guess I was in a funk after my poor Phillies crashed and burned -- and the Eagles haven't exactly made me cheerful, either. Oh well, I'll just repeat the Philadelphia sports fan mantra -- "there's always next year". Yes, we are an optimistic lot!

I spent a few days last week enjoying the Sweet Adelines International convention webcast and cheering on my region's competitors -- the Pride of Baltimore Chorus and quartets Capri, The Fource, and Pinnacle. We did very well, with Pride coming in 2nd, Capri 5th, The Fource 18th, and Pinnacle 25th.

In September, I had the extraordinary experience of attending FLASH, an educational event for the Atlantic Bay Mountain Region (Region 19). During the weekend, we attended classes on how to improve ourselves as barbershoppers. For instance, I attended a great session on "singing with the champs" with the quartet Capri, where we stood directly in front of our voice counterpart (in my case, tenor Nancy Disney) and allowed them to "sing through" us. Nancy's singing is pure vowel, something which I need to work on.

Now to get down to reviewing all of my chorus Christmas music. Jersey Sound has a ton of holiday performances coming up!

Just Have to Say It!

2007-09-30T22:20:00.001-04:00

GO PHILLIES!!!

Back From Busch Gardens

2007-09-24T19:18:00.000-04:00

I've been terrible at keeping up this blog! I need a more interesting life.

We're just back from a trip to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Michael is a sweepstaker, and won this trip in a contest. It included three nights' hotel at the Residence Inn Marriott, and seven-day vacation passes to Busch Gardens for Michael and me, Jason and Mikey, and Jason's girlfriend, Monica. We planned to get an early start for the drive down on Friday the 21st, but something came up and we didn't leave until about 1:00 in the afternoon, which put us into Virginia at rush hour. I have never seen anything like rush hour traffic in Virginia. We passed an entrance into "restricted lanes", but not having any idea what that meant, passed it by. After looking up "HOV-3" on my Palm, I realized that we could have gone into those lanes since there were five of us in the car -- but, alas, there is only one entrance into the HOV-3 lanes so we sat for an hour and a half in the high traffic lanes watching other cars whiz by.

We got to the hotel at about 8:00 PM, too late to go over to the theme park. The hotel was very nice and the room was a one-bedroom suite with a nice-sized kitchen and living room -- very spacious for five adults. We got up early to head to the park, but Jay and Monica got a call from their friend, Cory, who lives in Virginia and wanted to meet up at the hotel before going to the park. So Jay and Monica waited and Michael, Mikey and I went on to Busch Gardens. It was a very hot day and we were sweating buckets by the time we got to the park entrance. There was a little snafu with our park passes, but we got in after a little wait. Then Cory was delayed in traffic, so we didn't meet up with them for a few hours, but what a fun day! Just having had minor surgery, I wasn't able to go on most of the rides, but we saw a few shows in the Ireland section of the park. Michael, Monica and Cory rode "The Griffin", which Busch Gardens touts as the "first floorless dive coaster" featuring a 250-foot drop at a 90 degree angle. Jay, Mikey and I were too chicken.

On Sunday, Jay and Cory slept in while the rest of us hit the outlet malls. There were tons of brand-name stores, but somehow we ended up with ... six pair of shoes! We even bought a pair for Jay, who had worn a hole in his sneakers the day before. We stopped at the grocery store and bought chicken and burgers to cook on the hotel's community barbecue grill. Then we watched some football before heading back to Busch Gardens. This time, I had much more fun because the park was all set up for their Halloween celebration: "Howl-O-Scream". There were all kinds of creepy characters wandering the park with several scary mazes and some fun Halloween-themed shows. Michael and I left the park about 9:00 PM, while the kids stayed on to ride the roller coasters until park closing.

Today, we congratulated ourselves on getting through Virginia without getting bogged down in traffic, only to be held up in Delaware due to an accident. We got home about 4:00 PM and I was so glad to see my kitty cats and sit down to read my emails.

All in all, it was a great trip! Next up is Walt Disney World in November!

A Weekend Sing-in

2007-09-14T10:28:00.000-04:00

This weekend I'm off to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for a weekend of singing Sweet Adelines style. My SAI region is sponsoring FLASH (Fun, Laughter and Singing Harmony) where members of the Jersey Sound Chorus will meet up with members of other Choruses for fun and learning (and just a little bit of singing)!

Some Nifty eBay Tools

2007-08-28T20:33:00.000-04:00

My friend, Suzie, who is an eBay PowerSeller, posted this link for 50+ Tools for eBay Buyers and Sellers. I've used several of these tools, like eBay's Turbo Lister for creating and saving eBay ads, Toolhaus.org for quickly looking up a user's negative and neutral feedbacks, Terapeak for completed auctions research (I highly recommend it) and Endicia for printing postage.

By the way, isn't "nifty" a great word? It's an old fashioned word, but sometimes it just fits. My mother used it a lot, so I always think of her when I say (or write) it!

Death of a Bookselling Icon

2007-08-25T14:22:00.000-04:00

A few years back, I came across a book called Old and Rare: Thirty Years in the Book Business. In researching it to sell, I discovered the story of Leona Rostenberg and Madeline Stern, who ran an antiquarian book business for over half a century. Their contributions to the rare book world were many. It was Rostenberg who unearthed the racy potboilers Louisa May Alcott wrote under a pseudonym for popular magazines of her day. She and Stern oversaw the re-publication of these stories, showing the world another side of the "Little Women" author. They wrote several booksabout their bookselling adventures, well worth reading for any book dealer or book lover.

The New York Times carries an obituary of Madeline Stern, who passed away on Saturday.

Free Auction Tools for eBay Sellers

2007-08-19T17:26:00.000-04:00

I came across an interesting article on the Auction Software Review site. It gives an overview of free tools available for eBay sellers, from research tools to fee calculators to listing sites or software. I do use Auctiva for listing and can add my recommendation for it, but some of the other tools were unfamiliar to me and may be worth checking out.

Do You Kaboodle?

2007-08-16T10:11:00.000-04:00

If you're like me, you have a list of bookmarks a mile long. You need a search function to find that article you saved two months ago or that web site somebody sent you but you haven't had a chance to look at yet. If this sounds like you, then you need to Kaboodle!

In Kaboodle, you can save all of those web pages that you don't necessarily want to visit regularly but would like to put your hands on if necessary. You create categories -- such as "recipes" or "gardening tips" and add pages as you come across them. When you're on a page you want to save, click "add to Kaboodle" and you're done.

Try it, I think you'll like it!

Maggie

Cats Gone Wild

2007-08-15T16:01:00.000-04:00

I just had to post this video for other cat lovers:

Thanks to Deb from The Dock for a great laugh!

A Visit From a Fellow Sweet Adeline

2007-07-31T18:45:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago, the Jersey Sound Chorus had a visit from a fellow Sweet Adeline, who posted about the visit in her blog. She and her husband are RVing around the country and posting interesting updates along the way.

The Joy of the Brain Freeze

2007-07-21T09:29:00.000-04:00

I came across an article in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger about eating "icees" in the summer time:

"Yesterday, as I was making my way to our seats, I took a sip of my son's Icee. I hadn't had an Icee in years. It was good. I took another sip and another. I was instantly transformed to the hot summers of my youth, riding my Schwinn bicycle around the Hillendale neighborhood of Hattiesburg. I took another sip, this time a bigger and longer one. By the time I reached our seats the Icee was half gone and I had a brain freeze."

I don't remember hearing of the Icee until the 7-11 came into being in my neightobrhood my late teen years and started selling it under the colorful name of Slurpee. But I became familiar with the "brain freeze" long before that -- when eating that staple of carnivals and street fairs, the sno-cone. The sno-cone was simply ice shavings placed into a cone-shaped paper cup and over which your favorite fruit flavored syrup was poured. My favorite was cherry. Yum! Do they still have those today? I never see them anymore.

"The brain freeze, sometimes known as an ice cream headache, is a medical phenomenon that, according to my research (read: 10 minutes on Google) has no medical explanation. I never knew anyone who could get through a hot Mississippi summer without contracting at least one severe, but quickly dissipating, case of brain freeze."

There is nothing worse than a brain freeze while it lasts. The pain is intense and you swear never, ever to eat anything cold that fast again. But I never could keep that vow. There's something about ice cream, or an Italian water ice, or a creamsicle or any cold goodie that makes me want to devour it like a ravenous wolf. Maybe now that I'm middle age, I could cultivate a taste for the enjoyment of frozen treats in a slow, leisurely fashion -- but really, where's the fun in that???

Irrational Buyers on eBay

2007-07-17T19:48:00.000-04:00

USA Today has an interesting article regarding a study on the bidding habits of eBay buyers.

Some tidbits:

"Ms. Malmendier tracked 166 auctions offering CashFlow 101, a personal-finance-themed board game. During the seven-month trial, the game's designer sold the box set on his website for $195. Meanwhile, eBay sellers usually offered an opening price of about $45 and set a one-click, "buy it now" price of about $125. It looked like a great deal for buyers. They could pay less than retail to end the auction immediately or place bids in the hope of fetching an even lower price. But this is where eBay users fell prey to what Malmendier and her coauthor, Stanford University economist Hanh Lee, call "bidder's curse." Apparently, some bidders grew so enthusiastic about winning the auction that they lost sight of the "buy it now" price, sometimes offering more than $185."

I guess it's just the thrill of the hunt! I've often experienced this from the seller's standpoint -- setting a BIN only to have the item sell for much more.

Another aspect of the study was how shipping prices affected the business. You'd think that lower shipping would attract buyers, wouldn't you? Not so, according to the study:

""For example, he auctioned pairs of popular music CDs. One copy would start at $4 and include free shipping. The other would open at 1 cent but charge $3.99 for shipping. Either way, the initial cost was four bucks. But bidders didn't see it that way. On average, the low-cost, high-shipping auction attracted more bids, more bidders, and 25% more money."

Not good news for those of us who try to keep shipping low but compete against the high-shipping, low starting bid sellers! Hopefully, eBay's new Price + Shipping Sort feature will help in this regard.

Finally, an interesting note about the best time to end an auction. Convention wisdom says that evening is the best time to catch buyers when they're home after work. But maybe not!

"You would think it's a good idea, but it's in fact counterproductive," says Uri Simonsohn, a behavioral economist at the University of Pennsylvania. He compared the proportion of bids filed each hour to the proportion of auctions ending each hour. Yes, the number of bids jumps, but Mr. Simonsohn found that the share of auctions soared even higher."

I guess it's the same principle as listing on a free or reduced listing fee day -- there are so many auctions going that yours can get lost in the shuffle. Ending your auction when everybody else is kind of negates the impact.

Some things to think about for eBay sellers!

Coming Soon: 1-Click Bidding for eBay

2007-07-14T11:41:00.000-04:00

Good news for those who love to manually snipe eBay auctions: one-click bidding in the last 15 minutes of an auction. eBay is giving a Sneak Peak at this new feature.

eBay Feedback Percentages

2007-07-12T22:01:00.000-04:00

The eBay blog The Chatter had an interesting, if a bit confusing, article on how feedback percentages are calculated. It's interesting if you want to try to figure out how many positives you need to get back to 100%.

Westminster Chorus - Barbershop Harmony Society Champions!

2007-07-10T09:57:00.000-04:00

I was so disappointed not to be able to see the performance of The Westminster Chorus at the Barbershop Harmony Society's International Convention in Denver last week, but a video has been posted at YouTube. Check out this gold medal performance:

Harry Potter and the Middle-Aged Groupie

2007-07-08T15:47:00.000-04:00

Only 12 more days until the last Harry Potter is in my hands. I'm eagerly awaiting it, and I'm also dreading it. How dare J.K. Rowling decide not to write any more HP books! I'm still in mourning over the end of Jan Karon's Mitford series (can you think of any two genres that are more opposite?) and now this! It's like there's this world full of good friends that you've had the privilege of visiting and now you know it still exists and your friends are still there, but you are forever barred from going there again.

Excuse me while I go drown my sorrows in some chocolate ice cream. I plan to start my (1,456th) diet tomorrow!

On the Way to Cape May ...

2007-06-29T08:54:00.000-04:00

I'm off for a relaxing week in beautiful Cape May, New Jersey -- or, as we say in Philly, I'm going "down the shore". See you when I get back!

eBay Playground - Seek and Find

2007-06-28T10:21:00.000-04:00

eBay has just introduced the Playground, an area where users can go to check out new features that eBay is considering for the site. Right now, eBay is working on new ways to help buyers find what they're looking for so you can play with search, and see the way listings are returned and displayed. It looks like using gallery will be more and more important for sellers. It's a great way for users to see what eBay is thinking and give feedback for changes before they're implemented.

eBay Bid Assistant

2007-06-25T08:30:00.000-04:00

I was just reading an article about upcoming changes to enhance the buyer experience on eBay and found the following:

"EBay just added a “bid assistant” program that lets people put multiple items on a wish list. If shoppers fail to win an auction for one of the products, the software enters them in another. That tackles a longtime eBay bugaboo because it raises shoppers’ chances of actually winning an auction without increasing the prospect they bust their budget winning more than one."

Well, that was news to me. I don't remember seeing announcement for Bid Assistant. But a Blingo search brought me here:

http://pages.ebay.com/bidassistant/

I think I'll have to try it out! I hate getting outbid and then having to go and search all over again!

Feed Your Reading Addiction at Paperbackswap.com

2007-06-24T17:52:00.000-04:00

I can never do enough reading, which causes my house to be filled with too many books and my mind always looking beyond what I'm currently reading to the next book in my "to be read" pile. I've found a site which addresses both of these problems. At Paperbackswap.com, I can unload the books I've already read and earn credits towards books I haven't read.

Here's the way it works. I enter the ISBN number of a book I'm finished with. If my book is in a condition that's acceptable (generally any used book that's in readable condition and not falling apart), it is listed on the site. Any other user may request one of my books and, if they do, I put it into a bubble envelope and mail it (around $2.00) for media mail. When the other user gets the book, they report that to Paperbackswap and I get a credit towards any book listed.

So far, I've been able to get all of the mystery titles by Dorothy Simpson that I haven't read. Now I'm in the process of getting the Mrs. Jeffries mysteries by Emily Brightwell. It's better than trucking them to Good Will and interesting to "meet" other readers in the process.

My Dirty Little Secret

2007-06-22T17:50:00.001-04:00

I'll let you in on a deep, dark secret – I still read children's books.

One of my favorite books of all time is Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, and a few years back collections of her short stories were being published fairly regularly. I was in my local bookstore, looking to see whether the latest collection had been issued and another woman was there perusing the Montgomery titles as well. She murmured something about her granddaughter and, as I triumphantly pulled the book I was looking for off the shelf, I blurted out "I buy these for myself!" "Oh, so do I!" she cried, and we had a good laugh, followed by a great discussion.

There is just something about losing yourself in the pages of an old childhood favorite that is so comforting and satisfying. When I read a book I loved as a child, memories wrap themselves around me like a warm embrace – my cozy room on a cold afternoon, the dog curled up beside me, my mother's voice talking to a neighbor at the kitchen table. There's nothing like taking a step back in time.

Montgomery is a particular favorite of mine, and I read the first three books of the Anne series so much during my childhood I knew the characters better than my own family. It wasn't until I was in my 20s that I discovered that there were other books in the series, as well as other books written by Montgomery outside of the Anne series. Thus, I became acquainted with Emily, Pat, Jane, Marigold, the Story Girl, and – my particular favorite – Valancy. When the short story collections began to be published, I was in Avonlea heaven once again.

Also in publication are five volumes of the personal journals Montgomery kept during her lifetime. They made for fascinating reading – an insight not only into the creation of Anne and the other characters, but also about life in Canada from 1889 to 1942. Reading about her somewhat unhappy childhood to her less than satisfying marriage to her very troubled last years I was amazed that Montgomery was able to infuse her books with so much hope and happiness.

So now you know about my guilty pleasure. Try picking up one of your old childhood favorites and take a step back in time!

Maggie

eBay & MySpace

2007-06-20T13:05:00.000-04:00

Interesting article at Geek.com on a possible deal between eBay and MySpace allowing MySpace users to sell merchandise on the site. Many eBay dealers have a presence on MySpace -- having a MySpace page was recommended by several presenters at eBay Live.

http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2007June/gee20070620006406.htm

eBay Summer Promotion for Sellers

2007-06-20T10:23:00.000-04:00

As announced at eBay Live! in Boston, a summer promotion is underway. Final value fees have been cut for the first price level ($25.00 and under). I'd rather see a listings fee cut, but I won't shake my head at this!

Barbershop Harmony & America's Got Talent

2007-06-19T09:13:00.000-04:00

As a member of Sweet Adelines, I'm always interested in barbershop harmony in the news. I'm also a sucker for talent shows like American Idol. Those two interests will (hopefully) converge tonight because I hear that The Westminster Chorus auditioned for America's Got Talent and their audition will air on the show tonight.

Formed in 2002, The Westminster Chorus quickly rose to prominence in the Barbershop Harmony Society and captured the silver medal at the international convention in October, 2006. It is unusual among barbershop harmony choruses in that all of its members are young, and its sound is exciting.

In addition to its own web site, the Westminster Chorus has a MySpace page. You can preview the audition on YouTube. Even if you've never heard of barbershop harmony, it's well worth checking out.

eBay Live! and the Power of Blogs

2007-06-18T11:13:00.000-04:00

I'm just back from a trip to Boston to attend eBay Live 2007. The focus of my trip was to meet up with friends from Yahoo group I've been on for years, but I did attend a few seminars, one of which was on the power of the blog.

Some of the tips given:

Use photos to enrich your blog entries.

Blog entries are picked up by the search engines, so make sure to use keywords.

Use your blog to help your business by posting about the things you sell, referencing news articles, and showing your passion for your product. Inject your personality into your posts. Discuss your customer service policies and how you arrived at them. Let your buyers get to know and like you.

Use the sidebars and other blog features to highlight your product.

Make sure to keep your blog updated! An outdated blog can be a turn-off.

If you don't already have one, create a "My Space" account and duplicate your blog entries there.

Use RSS feeds.

If you're an eBay seller, make use of the eBay Editor Kit to keep your listings fresh on your blog.