#and buy more physical comics when my wallet allows it

[camifornilla]

I’m just saying,,,

This could’ve been the start of their incredible wlw relationship without dumbass Scott ruining it like he always does. Hangin out, realizing that the person most likely to understand them is the other. Teaching Jean how to serve c**t, teach Emma (nothing cuz she’s fucking great) humility? Maybe? Have them bond over their shared history of having clone relations. Have actual fun! Play mind games on other people together for funsies!

It’s not gonna happen but it’s happening in my brain and that’s great for me.

[shewhowantsmouseears]

wizards of mickey magicstone

Well the “aaaaays” have it. Before I begin, a little bit about Wizards of Mickey for those who are wondering what the hell that is and that is essential to understanding what I thought up.

Short version is, a short-lived Disney series about a fantasy AU where everyone's a wizard. Everyone's a wizard, EVERYONE, pluto's got magic, fuck even the dragons were wizards. Anyway, Magica and two original characters for the comic were recurring villains – Neraja, the hot tall one, who's boyfriend got turned into a beast, and Garma, the old short one, who just wanted power. Magica, no great shock, wanted money. These three teamed up to join a tournament but good lord they hated each other, pretty much constantly back-stabbing each other and making you wonder why they thought this was a goddamn good idea at all.

Anyway, as for Gladstone, he didn't really have a role, so far as I remember. Just a panel appearance where he tried to woo Daisy in a flashback, and that was about it. Thus, it lets me headcanon like hell.

Get it? Got it? Good, onto the ideas, under the cut because knowing me this is gunna get long.

Long after the tournament, the three witches are still looking for ways to obtain their goals, reluctantly sticking together. Traveling in the desert, Magica spots a body in one of the dunes, and heads on over, thinking maybe there's a wallet she can grab, with the other two witches following suit. But when she kneels down to check him over, he momentarily wakes, dizzily says “You're... beautiful” then passes back out.

(A few studio ghibli fans just squinted and look it's a cute as hell intro SUE ME)

Magica and Neraja are more than willing to just keep going, but Garma gives him a once-over with her magic and gasps in shock – this man is magically gifted with magicells! (“... with what” “OH MY GOD DON'T YOU TWO EVER LISTEN WHEN I TEACH YOU THINGS”) In other words, he can become a familiar! (“... a what” “GODDAMMIT COME ON”) Garma explains that the man has a rare magical anomaly called “magicells” where every single cell of his body is amplified with powerful magic, making him stronger than the average user. This kind of phenomenon is a one in a million chance, but as a result it can be hard to control and takes a physical toll on him. If a witch/warlock could make him their familiar, the witch/warlock's own magical power would increase ONE HUNDRED FOLD! HOT DAMN LET'S DO THIS -

Except, Garma points out, there are two conditions. First, a familiar can only be assigned to one person. Second, the to-be-familiar has to sign a physical contract willingly with their own blood, the name of the witch/warlock they will belong to. They decide to figure out how later and drag him to their makeshift home, each one planning to make the guy their own familiar. Magica tries to scheme – Neraja's a real beauty, so she can't beat her there (and assumes that when the guy was saying “you're beautiful” he meant Neraja), and Garma's the powerhouse, so she can't work there either. So, take away seduction and fear... pity and guilt, that's the ticket! Magica reads the man's mind, and poofs herself into his ideal woman (the matilda look!)

The man eventually regains consciousness, calling himself Gladstone Gander. He'd been heading to his uncle's kingdom when the magicells took their toll on him and he passed out sooner than expected. He's... very suspicious of these women who keep fighting over his company, though they don't tell him why. He's got a twisted ankle they refuse to heal, so he has to wait out. Neraja's seduction tactics don't work on him (helps that her beast boyfriend keeps getting jealous and dragging him away) and Garma doesn't scare him, since his good luck keeps saving his hide. In comes Magica, making up a sob story about how she's forced to work for those two in a Cinderella situation, which Gladstone only partially buys.

“I'll take such good care of you, poor dear~! How about a cup of tea~?”

“Hm, yeah, that'd be nice.” “Okay, I'll-”

“With a pinch of sugar, a dallop of milk, and you've got honey, don't you?” “... Uh, yeah, I can-”

“And don't forget the lemon squeeze, and then you can fluff my pillows, and how about getting some music in here?”

“... /URGE TO MURDER RISES/”

So, yeah, no surprise, Gladstone is a goddamn terrible houseguest, driving them all up the wall. But that allows him to see the 'real' Magica when she loses her temper, and bit by bit he actually does begin to feel sorry for her. When his leg is healed, he asks Magica why she doesn't just... up and leave these two. Magica pauses – why DOESN'T she leave these nutjobs? They keep trying to kill each other, and they constantly get in the way. So she slips Neraja and Garma sleeping spells in their drinks, and escapes with him. She's still determined to get him as a familiar, so she's not leaving his side anytime soon.

As they journey to Scrooge's kingdom, it's backstory time! Gladstone reveals he's been used time and time again for his “good luck”, a.k.a his magicells, so he's pretty much given up on having any meaningful relationships. (And having a job, but that's just because he's fucking lazy) Magica admits that she grew up poor, and her parents tried to marry her off to a rich man so they could move up in society. Young Magica said “screw this” and took off, deciding that if she was going to be rich, it'd be by her own terms and her own happiness. Gladstone is wondering why Magica is still sticking around him if he's not trying to use her, and she keeps lying, saying she wants to be his friend. Of course, day by day, it becomes a little less of a lie...

Kingdom get! While Magica is trying to think of a way to make Gladstone sign the contract, she spots Neraja and Garma in the corner of her eye! Crap, they must have chased after them to get Gladstone!! But if Gladstone knows they were followed, he'd suspect something was up!!! She has to distract him and make sure the women pass on by, WHAT DO?! In a moment of desperation, she does the classic trick, the Fake Out Make Out – yanking in Gladdy for a big ol' smooch while the women walk on by, oblivious to the couple. Magica will apologize later, once it's over... and... uh... why is it... not over yet...???

Little hard to do the Fake Out part when the other partner isn't faking – Gladstone is returning the hell out of that kiss, much to Magica's shock (and enjoyment let's be real here) and when they finally remember to breathe, he asks to see the REAL her – yeah, he put two and two together that the black-haired beauty and the blonde in front of him are one and the same. Magica flusters WAIT A SECOND I THOUGHT BLONDES WERE YOUR TYPE??? “a guy can have more than one type :3” well isn't this awkward. Gladstone still hasn't figured out the familiar deal and Magica's finding it harder to talk about it.

They stay in Gladstone's place, and Magica has to leave just to get her thoughts together and understand what's going in her head. But Neraja sees Magica leaving, and sees a chance to get Gladstone for herself! She magically disguises herself as Magica (except in super sexy clothes) and strolls back in to seduce Gladstone, who is VERY STARTLED BY AMGICA IN SEXY CLOTHES BUT NOT REALLY COMPLAINING BECAUSE HE'S THE WORST. Thankfully Poe, Magica's raven, notices something's amiss, especially with that familiar beast outside – he nicks a piece of fur from its back and flies for his mistress, who instantly understands and runs back! Gladstone, meanwhile, is starting to get an idea that something's not right (NOOO REALLY) but Neraja's got her magic set in him now, good and hypnotized, ready to sign the contract... when Magica bursts in GET YOUR HANDS OFF HIM and magic battle! Which... blows off a wall, sorry Gladstone you didn't need that, right??? But all this destruction catches Garma's attention, and she summons up painful vines to trap Magica, Neraja and Gladstone.

Pained consent is still consent, right? Details shmetails. Garma uses the vines to give Gladstone pain while telling him that Magica was using him all alone for the contract deal, much to Magica's anguish, since she can't really deny it. Gladstone hands his head... bitterly laughs... of course... why should this have been different? … Hey, Garma, whatever your name is... if I sign this thing of yours... can you erase my memories...?

Yeah sure, why not. Garma holds up the magic contract, pricking Gladstone's finger, watching him sign. Magica screams, having never been so angry in her life... why couldn't you two HAVE LEFT WELL ENOUGH ALONE?! In fact, she gets so pissed off she breaks free from the vines and begins DELIVERING THE PAIN TO GARMA. Neraja manages to catch a glimpse at the contract, and what a surprise – Gladstone spelled Magica's name instead! So his power is being shared with hers! Awww. Also oh fuck because she's nexy, with Magica finally kicking both of them out of the kingdom and threatening to RIP THE FLESH FROM THEIR BONES IF SHE EVER SEES THEM AGAIN!

… and once she calms down, uh, wait, why did you sign my name, aren't you mad as hell at me??? For using you??? Yes, yes he is, but he figured if hes going to be used by someone, it may as well be with the “cute one”. GOD GLADSTONE YOU ARE ANNOYING AS HELL she's not blushing shut the hell up. … oh and scrooge wants to know WHY HIS KINGDOM HAS A FUCKING HUGE HOLE IN IT so here come adventures where Magica and Gladstone have to travel around and pay him back oops.

… sometime later when reading Gladstone learns that the “familiar spell” wasn't originally called that, and thousands of years ago it was a ritual so that a witch/warlock could share their power with their significant other as a way to help those they loved most – in other words, it was a wedding ritual. Uh... let's not tell Magica that for a while...

(the end hope you enjoyed it, now off I go to think of a witch/incubus magicstone nonsense and mickeyminnie pinocchio au I don't know how to think normally)

[phanestechnology]

Decrypting NFTs

Every generation had their personalised currency. Millennials had Pokémon and wrestling cards, Generation X had baseball cards and mailing stamps and the baby boomers had their magic 8 balls and comic books. While we would like to believe we live in a single paper currency economy, this isn’t true. Children exchange video games for favours, adults offer old wine for reciprocity and retirees trade favours with cigars. It is not just the incarcerated who have parallel economies, we all do!

Why does the original near mint condition 1988 Spider-Man comic fetch thousands at the pawn store? And why not my reprint on glossy paper? Its ‘fungibility’ of the item which complement or moderate values. Since the barter system, we have agreed on the value of different commodities, based on their demand. Demand for consumption, hoarding or fashion-ability. Commodities which are replicated and can be exchanged for the same ‘value’ of the same item are called fungible.

A five-dollar note and 2 kgs Taj Mahal basmati rice bag is fungible. However, a five-dollar bill with Mohammad Ali’s autograph or the first basmati rice ever grown in outer space are ‘non-fungible’. The same applies to digital commodities, 1 cryptocurrency can be exchanged for another, making it fungible, but the first tweet ever is an ‘original’.

What is a token?

Non-fungible digital commodities have recently been making headlines for their commercial lucrativeness. Memes, social media posts, sports clips, gifs, images etc are sold for millions of dollars. There is an interesting difference between physical non-fungible items and digital non-fungible tokens. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT) don’t necessarily have to be intrinsically ‘original’, however the ‘token’ is unique. When you purchase a cat meme, a token is generated against that purchase, which is recorded under your name and identification. This token is unique and non-fungible, hence making your cat meme NFT!

To put it more simply, an NFT is a digital asset, even a digital version of a real-world occurrence, with a receipt which confirms your ownership. NFTs can be recording of ‘real-world’ art-form, soundbites, memes, tweets, painting or video clippings. One can cash on digitizing existing popular culture phenomena or create your own crypto art.

How to make Crypto Art or NFTs?

Making crypto art and putting it out isn’t too complicated nor does it require intricate knowledge about block chain technology. Your fist step will be to decide which blockchain you want to support and issue your NFT. While there are many including WAX, Cosmos Trom, Binaca Smart Chain etc., Ethereum is by far the most popular and robust choice at the moment.

The catch is here, how and where you sell your NFT is dependent on your block chain. It is the block chain which records and confirms your token giving you ownership of an NTF. Each blockchains have their ecosystems which allow you access to marketplaces and digital wallets. In other words, you can’t use the British pound to buy bread in Australia, your access to different platforms and markets is restricted by the blockchain.

Ethereum, which is the most popular blockchain for NFT. The Ethereum wallet gives you access to the thriving markets of OpenSea, Rarible, Mintable and Makersplace. Once your art is ready and you are prepared to sell it as crypto art. You should explore the different market space and decide on your appeal and personal preferences. From here, it’s quite straight forward. However, just as in an arcade you can only trade in their currency. Here the currency is ether! Ether is your cryptocurrency. You will have to link your wallet which has your ethers to your profile on NFT the marketplace. And you are good to buy or sell NFTs!

Mechanics of the crypto art market

So, first of all purchase some ether from Coinbase website and store it in your Metamask wallet. Coinbase and Metamask are the most reliable and popular platforms in the crypto world. However, they are the preferred choice for those who trade in larger volumes on cryptocurrency, hence can justify the higher operating costs. New users can explore alternatives to Coinbase, Liquid, Gemini, Binance, Bitstamp, Kraken, BitMEX. It is imperative to weigh the pros and cons of each of these. While initially a preferred choice for all users due to its user-friendly interface, increasingly Metamask is found to be expensive. Fortmatic, TrustWallet and Portis are other wallets which are compatible with Opensea.

Once your crypto wallet is set up linked with your Opensea profile, you can update your information. The Opensea dashboard is very professionally designed and easy to use. You can ‘create’ your collection and upload your art, name it, add description and detail, and link to the artist’s website. To add more value you can add properties, which demonstrates the uniqueness of the crypto and other details like levels and stats. However, these are popular largely within the gaming community. An important aspect is unlockable content. Which is a message you can deliver to the buyer, it could be pleasantries or contact details or links for more value in addition to the sale.

The money spinner, gas prices!

Now comes the interesting bit of gas price. Before that you will have to choose your selling model, from highest bid, set price and bundle. Affiliate boundaries to increase opportunities of sale. Schedule sale time for a future date and time. And you post a listing. Here comes the gas fee. Gas fees are a steep ask for most amateur content creators. It is the cost you pay for your listing. It does vary depending on your urgency, if you are willing to upload the art over a few more days, your fee reduces. If you want it uploaded immediately, you will have to pay the maximum set price. This cost varies depending on the day of the week and the time of day. It is said, cheaper costs are found during weekends. Further, when you go to buy an NFT you have to pay a smaller gas fee.

Hype or Future?

NFTs could be a bubble as crypto sceptics have claimed. But similar claims had and are being made about crypto currency, the crypto market has seen some recent downturn with dogecoin, but so, did Bitcoin and it has bounced back! Increasingly more and more countries are looking at ways to monetise this technology and users are increasing. Its acceptability moved past a fad.

NFTs future may not be created, but it has opened up a whole new world of content creators and artists. For example, Niio Art has demonstrated how users can rent art without owning it for a time period. Blockchain has used a new age to authentication, and this is set to continue revolutionizing creative business models. NFTs are a manifestation of this revolution, which will keep evolving hence investing in it may not be a bad idea.

[funnynewsheadlines]

159 Times People Couldn’t Believe Their Luck In Thrift Stores, Flea Markets, And Garage Sales (More New Pics)

There are incredible treasures and mind-blowingly weird objects hidden all around us—and all it takes is a trip to your local thrift shop, garage sale, or flea market to spot them. Not only is secondhand shopping good for your wallet and the environment, but it might even inspire you to join an incredibly popular online community that will have you giggling till the end of the year.

Welcome (back) to the Weird Secondhand Finds That Just Need To Be Shared Facebook group! With nearly 2 million members, this community posts some of the most bizarre and coolest thrift store finds on the net. Scroll down to check out their newest finds, upvote your fave ones, and let us know if you’ve had any success shopping secondhand, dear Pandas.

Also, read on for Bored Panda's interview with the Weird Secondhand Finds team about how buying things secondhand has changed recently, about the rise of digital thrift stores, and how to stay safe in physical stores during the pandemic. Oh, and once you’re done enjoying this colorful list, you can find our latest articles about the Weird Secondhand Finds group right here, here, and here.

More info: Facebook | Facebook (HQ) | Instagram (HQ)

#1 I've Collected These Pieces From Various Thrift Shops, Antique Stores, And Yard Sales Over The Years. Some Are True Depression Glass From The 30s And Some Are Mid-Century. It Makes Me Happy Every Time I Look At This Bookcase

Image credits: Collie McYeargan

#2 Found This Really Cool Giant Book Coffee Table On Facebook Marketplace Yesterday. The “Spines” Open As Drawers. Each Book Is Actually Leather Bound

"It’s HUGE and heavy as heck! It’s missing one leg but I think I’ll prop it up with hardcover books"

Image credits: Birdie Wood

#3 I Found A Morticia Chair!

"Y'all, I've been hunting for a peacock/manila/phillipines chair for ages. I spent countless hours of my childhood watching reruns of the classic 60s Addams Family show and reading the comics and I wanted so badly to live in their house. I often think that's where my quirky design style as an adult comes from. Usually I see the newer models for sale, which are nice, but when I came across this beauty on fb marketplace, I practically squealed with joy when I realized it was the same style from the show. The woman I purchased it from looked at me a bit strangely when I tried to explain my excitement over it, but I knew you weirdlings would understand lol

Now I just need to learn to knit 6 arm sweaters for Pugsley's pet, Aristotle"

Image credits: Elspeth Acacia Erickson

"The number of people buying secondhand has probably stayed about the same, but the way they are doing it has changed slightly," a representative of the Weird Secondhand Finds team told us about the changing face of secondhand shopping.

Though there are still plenty of eager shoppers looking for interesting and wacky items, the pandemic has affected things more than we previously realized.

"We've noticed that more people seem to be using online venues for their thrifting rather than going to physical locations, which given the current circumstances, we think is great. Thrift stores also seem to be embracing the option of going online just a bit more than they did previously. We encourage people to stay safe and use precautions if they do decide to go out, and we do not allow posts that show people not honoring precautions, such as not wearing a mask or with their mask pulled down while out in public," they said.

#4 So My Fiancé Found This At His Grandmothers Home In Louisiana. A Vintage Shopping List, Super Super Cool. Thought I’d Share A Awesome Find

Image credits: Juana Whitesinger‎

#5 Not Necessarily A ‘Find’ But Today My Uncle Gave Me This Chair, Which He Got From His Uncle Years Ago, Who I Believe Bought It In The 60s Or 70s. I’ve Loved This Chair Since I Was A Child And Was So Excited When He Offered It To Me

Image credits: Holly Murphy

#6 Got This Coffee Table At An Estate Sale Today! Ridiculously Excited About This. I Loooove Turtles!

Image credits: Marcy Medeiros Crocker

"As far as physical stores go, it seems they are experiencing the same changes as regular retail stores, such as occupancy limits, requiring masks in order to enter, keeping the fitting rooms closed, as well as plexiglass protectors at the register and some locations requiring the customer to bag their own purchase."

They continued: "Perhaps the biggest change is in the 'bin' type stores where they have had to significantly decrease the number of bins in order to allow for social distancing, as well as create a path for customers to follow rather than being able to choose their own path like they could previously. It's a lot less chaotic than it used to be at the bins."

#7 I Pulled Up To A Friends House And Her Neighbor Had This Thrown Out By The Road In The Rain. I Had To Swoop In And Save The Day With This Unique Unicorn Of A Flippy Chair Table

"The cushion is soaking wet so its propped up against the wall not pictured"

Image credits: Autumn Vaughn

#8 I Work In Public Health And Have Spent The Last 7 Months Of My Life Fighting Covid-19. When I Saw This “Plague Doctor” Mask At An Antique Store/Fruit Stand Today - I Knew I Had To Make It Mine

Image credits: Michelle Holshue‎

#9 Found Him By A Dumpster. My Daughter Who Is Special Needs Painted Him , He Looks Happier

Image credits: Shasta Nunes‎

One of the founders of the Weird Secondhand Finds group previously told Bored Panda all about how the community was created, how they got popular, and how they’re inspiring people to think differently about buying things secondhand.

“My family and friends have always had a love and passion for interesting and unusual things, and we had been texting each other photos of items that we saw (and often purchased) in thrift stores and at yard sales for years. My best friend and I were chatting on Christmas Eve one year and it occurred to us that it might be more fun to share our photos in a Facebook group, rather than via text so that it would be easier to go back and see what each of us had found, and to have a record of what we had seen through the years,” they said.

#10 This Is Why You Don’t Leave Your Husband Unsupervised Or Unattended. Hubby Came Home With This. It Is 5’ Long & 4’ Tall. It Was $1.00 At A Yardsale

"Banana for scale in case the picture leaning against a full sized truck isn’t enough to show its massive proportions. He plans to hang it up in his cubicle at work if it will fit. It looks like a photo print on canvas that someone painted over. It has a small tear in the upper left area that I will try to patch & then dab some black paint over."

Image credits: Billie Lynne Medendorp‎

#11 Found This Utterly Ridiculous Giant Hat At An Estate Sale In Milwaukee. Great For Confusing Prey Before You Spit Poison In Their Eyes

Image credits: Erin P Christie

#12 Found At Goodwill Santa Rosa. Did Not Come Home With Me

Image credits: Cara D'Arpino

“It really all started as a gathering place intended for our friends and family but we left it as an open group purely because it never occurred to us that anyone outside of our circle would share this odd interest we have.” People then started flooding in, the co-founder started panicking, but then thought it’d be intriguing to see what others had to share.

“Who knew that what we all thought was a niche hobby actually has a huge passionate community behind it that just needed a clubhouse to gather in? Witnessing how people connect in this group is what keeps us passionate about running it. I personally put between thirty and forty hours a week into moderating the group but every time I see how much joy it brings people, I’m reminded why it’s worth doing all the work it takes,” they said.

#13 It’s Six Feet Tall. Today It Begins Its New Life At My House

Image credits: Kyndall Williams

#14 This Amazing Monster Quilt My Mother And I Found At A Kids Thrift Store For $4.99

Image credits: Lucila Jackman

#15 Back Story I Lost My 4 Year Old Last Year And Her Favorite Color Was Red. My Husband & I Are Building Our House. I Saw This At A Local Antique Store. I Messaged My Husband Fast To Get It For Me. I Told Him It Would Be Perfect For My Office

He goes to the store and texted me saying “sorry I couldn’t get it. Someone came 30 mins ago and bought it”

Y’all I cried. For some reason it reminded me so much of my Princess Alaina. My husband then said . “I did get a night stand. Could you please pick up when you get a chance ?? “

I go today. I tell the lady.

Me- “Ma’am, I am here to pick up for my husband Javier”

Lady - “What are you driving? It’s big”

I said “truck. It’s a nightstand thou”

Lady, “no ma’am he bought a sofa”

Me, “no he didn’t! Is it a red one?”

Lady, “yes ma’am, you didn’t know did you”

Y’all I cried! 

The cupboard in Fyffe, Alabama.

Image credits: Lucy Olivares

The members of the online community are incredibly supportive of one another, embrace their quirks, and send each other gifts.

“Another wonderful side effect of this community is that it has renewed, and in some cases even sparked, an interest in secondhand shopping for a lot of people. They’re starting to see secondhand stores in a different light. We hear all the time from members who haven’t been thrifting in a long time or have never really been interested in it, and now can’t wait to go out treasure hunting.”

#16 Found This Awesome Dome On Fb Marketplace. It’s Approximately 16 Feet Wide And 10 Feet Tall. I Had To Have It! We Use It For Hanging Out, And Have A Couple Hammocks And Astroturf Inside

Image credits: Patti Rivera

#17 The Time I Gave My Mother-In-Law A Vintage Double-Sided Chippendale's Puzzle For Christmas

"My wife took this photo of her reaction. I'm the guy in the back looking quite pleased with himself."

Image credits: Michael Fairchild‎

#18 Bought A $4 Shirt And Found This Attached To It! Stamped 14k On The Bottom. I Like The Bumblebee Better Then The Shirt

Image credits: Carrie Barker Walker

#19 Found This Fun Chair On Facebook Marketplace! Now, Just Have To Find Some Comfy Pillows To Turn It Into My Reading/Animal Crossing Nook!

Image credits: Ashley Smith

#20 High Key Psyched About These- Found On Facebook Marketplace Unused For $10

Image credits: Nora Campiglia Baker

#21 Picked Up This Banana Dog At A Yard Sale Today... Banana And Dog For Scale

Image credits: Mike Sauder

#22 Found This Beauty For $20 At Those Were The Days In Warrensburg,mo I Love How Delicate Stained Glass Looks And That There’s All Color Kitties

Image credits: Kira Arechiga-Vo‎

#23 I Seriously Considered Buying But Ended Up Leaving It. It Was Funny Though. Found At A Local Consignment Shop In Columbus, Indiana

Image credits: JoAnna NeSmith

#24 We Purchased A Houseboat And Look What The Previous Owners Left! Perfect Condition Mustard Yellow Retro Dining Set! It Is Now Known As The “Lemonade Table!“ It Makes My Day Extra Sunshiny!

Image credits: Keri Kempster

#25 My Dad Passed First. My Mom, Not Wanting To Live Without Him, Just Gave Up And Succumbed To Leukemia Less Than Three Months Later. Heartbroken, My Brothers And I Sorted The Estate. Neither Of Them Wanted Mom’s Royal Doulton Balloon Lady

On one hand, I really wasn’t in love with the piece but on the other hand she sat in my mom’s curio cabinet for years and was a part of my childhood that made me feel connected to mom. After about 10 years, and embracing the journey of minimalism, I made the difficult decision to sell her. filled with doubt, I posted her on the Marketplace. If I let her go and regretted it, would I be able to forgive myself? Would mom? I nearly forgot that I had her listed and after months, I had an offer. I carefully packed her up and sent her onto her new home. I didn’t have time for doubt as The kind woman who bought her sent me this pic the day she arrived! The Balloon Lady is finally reunited with her Balloon Man.

Image credits: Alayne Torretta

#26 My Newest Thrift Find At Goodwill In Geneseo, NY. As Soon As I Saw It, It Called To Me! I’m A Big Fan Of Celestial Decor But I Have Never Seen A Leaf With A Face Before. I Absolutely Love It. It Now Protects The Outside Of My House

Image credits: ‎Liz Makowski‎

#27 When My Grandmother Passed I Ended Up With A Large Box Full Of Blankets And Needed One That I Knew I Wouldn’t Mind Getting Dirty. What I Didn’t Expect To Find While Digging Through It Though Was Her Wedding Dress!!! I Recognized It Immediately From An Old Photograph And Just For Fun Had To Try It On

Image credits: Jamie Wilke

#28 One Of My Greatest Goodwill Finds, It Came Home With Me For $0.50

Image credits: Ashley Norfolk

#29 A Couple Days Ago I Was Having “One Of Those Days” Where Everything Keeps Going Wrong Including Being Furloughed From My Job Of 20 Years. That Evening I Saw A Post On Facebook Marketplace Titled “Kitchen Stuff” And I Saw Green Glass In The Background. I Messaged The Seller Asking How Much She Wanted For The Green Dishes And She Said $4 For The Whole Set. I Didn’t Know If It Was Uranium Glass And Of Course I Forgot My Blacklight When I Went To Pick Them Up But At That Price It Was Worth A Shot. As Soon As I Got Home I Checked Them Out And Boy Did They Glow! Needless To Say It Made My Day

Image credits: Lynda Bitanga

#30 Found Today At King's Hardware In Shreveport, La. Came Home With Me Immediately! Nibbler The Cat Is Getting Properly Introduced

Image credits: Abbie Machowski

#31 "Release The Kraken" I Whisper To Myself Every Morning As I Take My First Sip Of Coffee. My Favorite Mug Was Thrifted From The Goodwill In Monroe, Wa. Someone Did A Really Nice Job On It And Especially With The Irredescent Glaze. Would Love See A Thread Of Everyone's Favorite And Unique Coffee Mugs

Image credits: Beth White

#32 I Always Seem To Find The Weird Shoes! Saw These At Goodwill Today. The Entire Top Unzips! They Were Too Big For Me, Ten, But I Thought They Were Neat

Image credits: April Tolliver

#33 Just Bought This Beauty Secondhand On Marketplace! Butter Knives/Fake Bananas For My Home.

Image credits: Shannon Christine

#34 Vintage Child’s Armchair £10 On Facebook Marketplace! Of Course It Had To Be Bought For My Cat, Romeo. Look How Fab The Celestial Pattern Is

Image credits: Sascha Byrne

#35 A Little Back Story: My Beloved Grandmother Passed Away June 2019. Her And I Were Very Close And I Adored Many Of Her Possessions. For Some Reason This Soap Bottle Apron Was My Absolute Favorite; It Just Spoke To Me. For Years I Admired It Adorning Countless Soap Bottles By Her Sink. When She Passed, I Asked My Grandpa About It And He Indicated That It Would Come My Way One Day. Well Yesterday Was The Day.

Image credits: Sarah Bearah‎

#36 I Couldn't Resist. Like Really You Need Those...those. Yes Oh Yes...don't Have A Clue What I Will Do With Them But There Coming Home With Me Lol. Saw These Kitty Butthole Cups? Vase? Pencil Holders? I Don't Know And I Had To Have Them. Just So Darn Hilarious. They Were $5 Dollars Each At The Asheville Goodwill And I Couldn't Leave Them Behind

Image credits: Rachael Ann Stewart Hall

#37 Found At Gw In Lou, Ky. I Laughed Out Loud But Left Behind

Image credits: Cathy Phillips

#38 Found This Matching Pair On Marketplace Yesterday! The Previous Owner Was Ready To Throw Them Out, Thinking No One Would Want Such Ugly Chairs. I Think They're Wonderful. Made In East Palestine, Ohio In The 1960s

Image credits: Brandon Emmert‎

#39 I Mean...come On! These Have Got To Be The Coolest Goddamn Things I’ve Found In A Secondhand Store So Far...clearly Handmade Too. Set Me Back 50$. Totally Worth It! They’ll Both Be Displayed At Taverne Cobra, Montreal’s Ultimate 90’s Dive Bar. Those Who Know, Know

Image credits: Anthoni Jodoin

#40 I Know I’m Late But Wanted To Share My Turtle Lamp!! I Absolutely Love This. Got For 5$ At A Yard Sale!

Image credits: Angel Marie

#41 I Snagged A Full Set Of These Dishes At Harrison, Oh Goodwill! One Of My Favorite Finds Ever!!

Image credits: Katie Dobbins

#42 Been Meaning To Share My Sons Rocking Dragon. My Father And I Found It On The Facebook Market Place Two Christmas Ago When I Was Pregnant

By the time I reached out to the seller it was sold. I was so bummed until Christmas morning and found out it was my dad who purchased it. I had no idea he even knew about it. He had no idea I also tried to buy it.

It is made entirely out of wood. The craftsman ship is remarkable. The previous owner said their grandmother won it at a church auction and it had been in their family for a long time and they know nothing about it or who made it. Not signed or marked anywhere. It is now our family’s treasure and will be passed down.

Image credits: Jamie Settell

#43 Guys. I Found A Toilet Seat Necklace At A Garage Sale Today. This Is The Best Find Ever. It Is Really Heavy And Apparently Pretty Old, But Other Than That I Don’t Know Anything About It. Can Anyone Share Any Info? Idk If There Is Any Info To Be Shared, It Is Just A Toilet Seat Necklace

Image credits: Loren Smith

#44 Picked This Guy Up At Goodwill In NYC A Few Years Ago For .99 Cents. He Has Held My Extra Roll Of Tp Since Then.

Image credits: John Ferrin

#45 I Found These Keys On A Trail I Was Hiking. The Irony Was Not Lost On Me

Image credits: Lesli Townsend

#46 My Mom And I Found These Sunglasses At An Antique Shop Years Ago!! Chain Sunglasses. I Have Never Seen Anything Like These. They Are Huge On My Face But So Cute. They Had An Awful Smell (Old Plastic Smell) So We Bathed Them In Newspapers For A Bit And It Helped, There’s Still A Smell But They Are Wearable! (Marked Out My Face So Y’all Could See The Glasses Worn, But I Didn’t Want To Get In Trouble For It Being A Selfie!!)

Image credits: Madison Turner

#47 She Was A Beautiful, Garish Table From A Defunct 1990s Subway, Sitting Forgotten In A Cellar. I Was A Girl In Quarantine, Longing Just To Sit In A Diner Booth With My Morning Coffee Again. When I Saw Her Picture On Fb Marketplace, I Knew: We Belonged Together.

Image credits: Leah Steuer‎

#48 My Daughter Wouldn't Let Me Buy This At The Goodwill. I Don't Know Why Not.

Image credits: Deborah Mathis‎

#49 A Wall Hanging Plate Made Entirely Of Iridescent Purple Blue Butterfly Wings. Found In An Antique Store In Wisconsin

Image credits: Olivia Destiche

#50 Restore Chalfont, Pa ...did Not Come Home With Me Because I Don't Serve Him Anything

Image credits: Barbara Zickler

#51 I Bought This Ridiculous Vintage Pink Swivel Princess Chair From A Seller On Facebook Marketplace. My Heart Wanted This So Bad. I Have No Idea What I'm Going To Do With It. Check Out Ecker-Shane Furniture Company...seems Like They Used To Make Some Really Cool Stuff In The 50s & 60s.

Image credits: https://www.facebook.com/groups/650812835102933/permalink/1734137903437082

#52 My Daughter Would Not Leave The Garage Sale Without These "Pickled Bums"

Image credits: Leslee Spicer

#53 This Is A Small Planter I Found At A Local Second Hand Store. I Planted A Plant Called String Of Pearls.

Image credits: ‎Penny Michalenko

#54 I Found This Giant Giraffe Wicker Planter At Goodwill In Marietta, Ga Today For $9. I Love Her

Image credits: Daphne Nicholson

#55 2 Yards Of This Found A Goodwill. It Came Home With Me But I Have No Idea What I’ll Use It For.

Image credits: Tristan Slagle

#56 Here's To Bob And Pam And Here’s To The Excitement That Comes From Sharing Memories

Buckle up, friends - because this is a story that even I have yet to fully comprehend. Today I was scrolling through Facebook Marketplace, because what else does one do when bored during a pandemic? As I was scrolling, I saw the following listing: ”Judy Garland Director Chair, Meet Me in St. Louis Film Premiere.” I literally gasped out loud but was a little skeptical...especially since the chair was listed with an asking price of $35.

I reached out to the seller and let them know of my enthusiasm for Judy Garland. I asked the seller if the chair was legitimate, and this was the message I received: “Yes, this director’s chair was made for the premiere of ”Meet Me in St. Louis”, which was held on November 22nd, 1944 at the Loew’s State Theater on Washington Avenue.” That was all it took - I asked for their address and how soon I could pick up the chair.

When I arrived at the seller’s house, Pam (the seller) met me on the front porch, handed me a photo of the man who originally owned the chair, and began to share his life with me. His name was Bob and he taught German and Theatre in St. Louis city and county schools for several decades. Bob didn't have an ounce of German in him, but he took a trip to Germany one summer and fell in love with the culture - so he majored in German and minored in Theatre. Bob never missed out on flying to Germany to attend Oktoberfest to celebrate and meet up with his native friends. When Bob wasn't teaching, he was working backstage at local St. Louis theaters as a stagehand.

In the spring of 1983, the beloved Loew’s State Theatre, with its polished brass balcony and gold leaf ceilings, was slated for demolition. Tucked away in the old theatre were the director’s chairs that had been used by the main cast members of ”Meet Me in St. Louis” at the 1944 premiere. Although the intricate theatre fell victim to a wrecking ball, the director’s chairs were saved. Bob learned of this incredible rescue and he, being an avid Garland fan, purchased Garland’s chair. The chair was made by ”Gold Medal” Fold Furniture Co. Judy’s name was painted onto the chair.

From the sound of it, Bob lived a fabulous life filled with countless adventures. A little over a year ago, Bob’s health began to fail. He didn't have any local family, so it was time for him to purge his memories and move closer to family.

Pam helped Bob clean out his apartment that was full of nearly 86 years of life. It sounded like quite the undertaking, and as a ”thank you”, Bob gave this chair to Pam.

After a life of adventure, Bob passed away at the age of 86 on December 24, 2019.

As Pam was sharing the fabulous life of her dear friend with me, her eyes became misty and she said ”I love this chair, but I have no room for it. I have many momentoes of Bob’s that I cherish, and I hate to part with this chair, but it does my heart good to know that it's going to a loving home - Bob would be pleased.” My eyes became filled with emotion and while there was much I wanted to say, I knew I couldn't say it without getting too emotional - so I just thanked her and handed her the $35. As I was loading the chair into my car, she handed me a photo of Bob and said ”I think you should have this.” My heart melted. In the photo, Bob is pictured on the left during one of his visits to Amsterdam. He’s pictured with one of his good friends that he met in Germany.

Here's to Bob and Pam and here’s to the excitement that comes from sharing memories

Image credits: Braden Tucker

#57 Extremely Heavy Toilet Seat Of A Vampire Skull With What Appears To Be A Bullet Hole In His Forehead For Only $4.99! Left At Goodwill In Culpeper, Va!

Image credits: Abbey Newton

#58 Oh Yes These Came Home With Me From The Goodwill In Monroe Wa

Image credits: Beth White

#59 I Am Beyond Excited I Scored This Awesome Cat Lamp From Fb Market Place! It Matches Our Calico Perfectly... She's Not As Excited As I Am

Image credits: Lisa English

#60 Look What I Just Got Off Marketplace For $20!!! She Was Selling It For $15 But I Couldn’t Resist. The Lady Who Wanted It Before Me Never Showed... How!!?

Image credits: Sydnie Alena Smith

#61 I Found My New Favorite Mug Today At The Flea.

Image credits: Emma Lynne Olson‎

#62 Went To Our Local Thrift Store Today. I Couldn’t Pass These Up! Only Problem Is....i Don’t Have A Cat! (Best $1.99 I’ve Spent In A Long Time!

Image credits: Pamala Evanatz-Judd

#63 I’m An Avid Pepperoni Pizza Fan. Was Going To Make A Bean Bag For The Kid Til Husband Said He Thought It Was A Table Cloth. Perfect Fit For Our Table. Now It Can Make Me Happy All Day Err Day

Image credits: Sammy Feenan

#64 My Mom Had These Dishes Growing Up. I Came Across Them While Thrifting In Jacksonville, Fl And I Felt Inspired To Get A Tattoo To Remind Me Of My Mother(Who Is Still Alive, Just Far Away). I Thought You All Might Appreciate It

Image credits: Amanda DenBleyker

#65 Absolute Perfection. Never Letting Her Go. Thrifted At The Value Village In Spokane, Wa. The Only Question - What Name Could Be Worthy Of This Voluptuous Merbabe?

Image credits: Allyson Tanzer

#66 A Total Stranger Just Messaged Me Via Fb To Tell Me She Found A Painting My Mom Did In A Goodwill In Vero Beach, Florida. She Searched My Mom's Name And Then Found Me On Fb And Asked Me If I Wanted It. How Cool Is That ?!! My Mom Was From Ohio And Lived There Her Whole Life Which Makes This An Extra Special Find

Image credits: Hallie Meek Tannous

#67 At A Garage Sale Last Summer A Man Told Me That He Thought I Should Have This Tablecloth(And Matching Cloth Napkins) That His Mother Made. Said They Suited Me. Im Pretty Sure It's The Opposite Of Everything I Am (It's Rather Loud And Flashy) But I Lowkey Love It..i Mean It Has Tassels! Nobody In My Life Likes It Though

Image credits: Eva Dot Hawk

#68 My Daughter Bought This For Me At An Estate Sale. The Artist Painted 3 Ladies. This Is “The Sound Of Music”. I Have Another One That Is Titled “The Secret”. I’m Trying To Find The Third.

Image credits: ‎Melba Wilson Hill‎

#69 My Grandmother Past Away Last Year And Was A Prolific Crocheter (Crochetist?). My Dad Was Cleaning Out Her House And Found All These Squares For 3 Unfinished Afghans. I’m So Lucky That I Get To Finish Her Work

Image credits: Heather Magill

#70 I Picked Up This Tea Light Candleholder At Goodwill. Just Got Around To Putting Alight I It And Am Just Blown Away By The Detail. Eta: The Bottom Is Marked Bernardaud Limoges France.

Image credits: Rebecca Perry

#71 A Month Ago I Said To My Husband It Would Be Cool If We Used Old Gym Flooring In Our House Since I Am A Principal And He Teaches Third Grade. A Few Days Later Someone Posted Part Of A Gym Floor For $150 In Marketplace. We Immediately Picked It Up Not Knowing If It Would Actually Work. Low And Behold The Guys That Do Some Yardwork And Odd Jobs For Us (And Are Trying To Get Started In Remodeling) Said They Could Do It For Us. We Took A Chance And They Installed It.

Image credits: Leah Dickey‎

#72 Found This Gem At Goodwill In Decatur, Ga. For $0.50 You Better Believe It Came Home With Me!

Image credits: Jamie Lane‎

#73 My Brother Got This In A Storage Unit Today, He's Been Riding Around Houston Texas With It

Image credits: Michele Mahler‎

#74 About A Year Ago I Was At A Car Boot Sale And I Saw Plush Backpack, Shaped Like Rocky From Chicken Run, But I Thought It Was Such A Ridiculous Purchase So I Said To My Partner (As I Always Do) "If It's Still There On Our Way Back, It's Fate And I'll Buy It"

so... about a year ago I was at a car boot sale and I saw plush backpack, shaped like Rocky from Chicken Run, but I thought it was such a ridiculous purchase so I said to my partner (as I always do) "if it's still there on our way back, it's fate and I'll buy it". So obviously, it was still there and when the guy told me it was £3 I snatched it up quicker than you could say "I don't want to be a pie!". Not long after, I decided to google it and see if it's a common find, I find out there is a Babs version, and I freak out!! I bought her in a set of Rocky and Babs and sold the spare Rocky to my friend. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I was scrolling through plush backpacks on ebay as usual and who do I see??? Ginger!!!! When I was researching I didn't see her anywhere!! So i was elated, and that's how I came into the possession of 3 Chicken Run backpacks that look absolutely terrified.

Obviously Babs is the most practical choice, look at that gut storage!!!

Image credits: Shannon-lea Stevenson

#75 I Was Given A Bag Of Clothes As Part Of A Buy Nothing Round Robin. The Contents Of The Bag Included This Scarf That Is Not Going To Be Moving On To The Next Person. It's Mine Now!

Image credits: Amy Howard

#76 I Received A Package Today In The Mail. It Had A Hand Written Address, And I Wasn't Expecting It. I Made My Husband Open It, In Case It Was A Bomb

Instead, the contents made me cry and cry!

This is a 2018 ornament from Hallmark, that my sister spotted on Amazon. She immediately called my mother, who bought it on the spot.

They sent it to me for my upcoming 40th birthday

Glo Worm was my LOVIE growing up! I just broke down!

(My teenage daughter is concerned for me)

Image credits: Lisa Connelly Freeman

#77 For The Vintage Lovers, 1964 Table And Chairs Found On Fb Marketplace A Few Years Back

Image credits: Carol Paul Mataruso

#78 Found This At A Goodwill In Rochester, Mn. Please Tell Me I'm Not The Only One That Gets It! If It Were A Size Bigger Would Have Gotten It

Image credits: Aubrey Rogers-Flick

#79 *walking Around Goodwill In Sacramento* Wife: What Do You See Over There? Me: Oh Nothing, Just The Ark Of The Covenant

Image credits: Jason Hackforth

#80 You Guys Recall The House Hippo I Found Last Month In My Local Charity Shop? Thought You Might Like The Upgrade

Image credits: Beka Calton

#81 Found This At Goodwill I Thought It Was Pretty Funny But I Left It There

Image credits: Dylan Cowden

#82 My Paternal Grandfather Was Killed In A Freak Accident In 1922 When My Grandmother Was Pregnant With Her 5th Child. He Was A Dentist And Made This Brooch From Dental Gold That He Poured Into A Holly Leaf. Being The Oldest Grandchild I Am The Very Proud Owner.

Image credits: Polly Dixon Dunn

#83 Acquired Today At Sunshine Acres Children’s Home Thrift Store & Boutique In Mesa, Az For A Mere 50 Cents! I Shall Never Be Without A Banana For Scale Again! Beautiful Beaded Banana... Banana For Scale

Image credits: ‎Janet Mc Gaw-Monroe

#84 This May Be My Most Favorite Goodwill Find Yet!

Image credits: Heidi Paulson

#85 Found This At A Thrift Store Yesterday, There Was No Way I Was Leaving This Beauty Behind

Image credits: Kelcie Shoaf

#86 Garfield Vintage Phone I Sourced Of Ebay Online Wanted This Cute Little Fella For Ages! & Finally Saw Him For £50 I Just Couldn’t Resist.. His Eyes Open And Shut When You Life The Phone Part Up Too! Can’t Wait To Plug Him In And Have A Chit Chat I’m From UK

Image credits: Georgie Rowe

#87 Multi Pass! Found At Goodwill Today.

Image credits: Caitlin Monroe

#88 My Very Weird And Morbid Secondhand Find. When My Grandma Died One Of Her Sons Entered Her Apt To Collect Anything Of Value. Diamonds, China, A Fur.....anything He Thought Was Of Value He Took. The Items He Left Behind Were Divided Among The Grandchildren. I Lived Several States Away So Nothing Was Given To Me. I Loved My Grandma So I Didn't Need Her Worldly Possessions. 6 Months After My Grandmother Died I Was At My Parent's House And Found Her Jacket. My Grandma Had Pinned A Note To This Jacket, Asking To Be Buried In It Upon Her Death. She Had Worn This Jacket For Several Of Her Grandchildren's Weddings And It Was Important To Her. Because Her Clothing Was Of Little Value It Was Looked Over As Was The Note. My Grandma Was Buried In An Outfit Picked Out By Her Daughter In Law With No Input From The Rest Of The Family. This Jacket Is Mine. I Have The Jacket Because No One Else Wanted It. It Is The Most Beautiful Jacket And It Hangs In My Closet. The Jacket Should Be 6 Feet Under On Grandma But Instead I Have It. Knowing She Wanted To Be Buried In It Makes It Even More Special. On The Days I Miss Her The Most I Wear The Jacket And Dance Around The House To Neil Diamond. It's Been 10 Years Since She Died But The Jacket Smells Like Her Each Time I Put It On. I Plan On Wearing This Jacket To My Grandchildren's Weddings.

Image credits: Jennifer McKee

#89 Went To Goodwill And Found The Most Perfect Coasters Ever For $3

Image credits: Kasey Erin‎

#90 We Finally Found Our House Hippo!!! My Fiancé And I Just Bought Our First Home And We Are So Excited To Proudly Display This Itsy Bitsy Little Hippo! Found In A Thrift/Antique Store In Glendale, Co. Where Should I Display Him, Since He’s So Tiny?! Didn’t Have A Banana, So Fingernails For Scale ? Also, I Don’t Know If This Counts, But My Engagement Ring Is Secondhand, It’s An Old Mine-Cut Diamond And Has Been The Family For Almost A Hundred Years!

Image credits: Alex Dennis‎

#91 Also Found At Next To New Thrift Store In Spokane Wa For $10! I've Been Wanting Oneeee And It Works!! I Got That D R I P

Image credits: Rebekah Hibler

#92 My Daughter Was Thrilled To Find This At A Goodwill Today For $9.99

Image credits: Meredith Weis

#93 Look At My Awesome Alley Find! Magritte's 'The Lovers' Printed On Canvas. How Timely

Image credits: Jodi Resch

#94 At A New Job I Started There Was A Sign On This Machine Saying It Was Goong For $5 And I Assumed It Was A Joke But I Called The Number And The Guy Confirmed And I Met Up And Got The Key And Brought It To My Apartment (I Didn't Keep The Candy Cause It Hadn't Been Changed In 10 Years) Anyways Thought I Would Share, Its 100% Fully Functional And Im So Excited Its In My Home Aha

Image credits: Matthew Curry

#95 Found At A Thrift Store In St Pete Fl. Creepy!

Image credits: Lisa Clark Brannon

#96 Long Story Short, My Husband And I Have Enjoyed Many Meals Around The Cherished Dining Set. I Absolutely Love It!

Buckle up, friends - because this is a story that even I have yet to fully comprehend. Today I was scrolling through Facebook Marketplace, because what else does one do when bored during a pandemic? As I was scrolling, I saw the following listing: ”Judy Garland Director Chair, Meet Me in St. Louis Film Premiere.” I literally gasped out loud but was a little skeptical...especially since the chair was listed with an asking price of $35.

I reached out to the seller and let them know of my enthusiasm for Judy Garland. I asked the seller if the chair was legitimate, and this was the message I received: “Yes, this director’s chair was made for the premiere of ”Meet Me in St. Louis”, which was held on November 22nd, 1944 at the Loew’s State Theater on Washington Avenue.” That was all it took - I asked for their address and how soon I could pick up the chair.

When I arrived at the seller’s house, Pam (the seller) met me on the front porch, handed me a photo of the man who originally owned the chair, and began to share his life with me. His name was Bob and he taught German and Theatre in St. Louis city and county schools for several decades. Bob didn't have an ounce of German in him, but he took a trip to Germany one summer and fell in love with the culture - so he majored in German and minored in Theatre. Bob never missed out on flying to Germany to attend Oktoberfest to celebrate and meet up with his native friends. When Bob wasn't teaching, he was working backstage at local St. Louis theaters as a stagehand.

In the spring of 1983, the beloved Loew’s State Theatre, with its polished brass balcony and gold leaf ceilings, was slated for demolition. Tucked away in the old theatre were the director’s chairs that had been used by the main cast members of ”Meet Me in St. Louis” at the 1944 premiere. Although the intricate theatre fell victim to a wrecking ball, the director’s chairs were saved. Bob learned of this incredible rescue and he, being an avid Garland fan, purchased Garland’s chair. The chair was made by ”Gold Medal” Fold Furniture Co. Judy’s name was painted onto the chair.

From the sound of it, Bob lived a fabulous life filled with countless adventures. A little over a year ago, Bob’s health began to fail. He didn't have any local family, so it was time for him to purge his memories and move closer to family.

Pam helped Bob clean out his apartment that was full of nearly 86 years of life. It sounded like quite the undertaking, and as a ”thank you”, Bob gave this chair to Pam.

After a life of adventure, Bob passed away at the age of 86 on December 24, 2019.

As Pam was sharing the fabulous life of her dear friend with me, her eyes became misty and she said ”I love this chair, but I have no room for it. I have many momentoes of Bob’s that I cherish, and I hate to part with this chair, but it does my heart good to know that it's going to a loving home - Bob would be pleased.” My eyes became filled with emotion and while there was much I wanted to say, I knew I couldn't say it without getting too emotional - so I just thanked her and handed her the $35. As I was loading the chair into my car, she handed me a photo of Bob and said ”I think you should have this.” My heart melted. In the photo, Bob is pictured on the left during one of his visits to Amsterdam. He’s pictured with one of his good friends that he met in Germany.

Here's to Bob and Pam and here’s to the excitement that comes from sharing memories

Image credits: Braden Tucker

#97 My Husband And I Have A Pact, Every Time He Buys A Boat I Get A New Tattoo

He likes to buy boats, a lot. About a month ago he surprised me with a,” guess what?? You’re getting a new tattoo!! And by the way, I have a new boat!” Well, with the pandemic I don’t feel comfortable leaving the house for anything but food and doctor’s appointments. I said I would rather get a dollhouse and turn it into a haunted dollhouse to help keep my mind off of the chaos of 2020. I found one on market place and my wonderful sister in law drove 3 hours to get it. I should have checked the measurements because to our surprise the house was too big to fit in her car. She had to rent a Uhaul trailer to bring it home, but it was still too big for the first trailer so the Uhaul company gave her a free upgrade to a bigger trailer. I had no idea how huge it was!!! So here it is!!! My giant beautiful soon to be haunted dollhouse!!! It’s become my emotional support dollhouse as I work on it whenever I need to calm my nerves from all the world craziness. I love it so much!! Ghost banana on the balcony for size.

Image credits: Jennifer McBride

#98 I Bought This Pie Lamb At A Garage Sale. Had Never Heard About Them Before, So I Tried It Out..its Supposed To Whistle When Your Pie Is Done To Avoid Bubbling Over. Obviously Didn't Work..but The Pie Was Delicious!!! Any Other "Pie Birds" Out There?

Image credits: Alanna Macrae

#99 Antiquing And Found A Bra Made From Brooches. It Did Not Come Home With Me Lol

Image credits: Lindsey Elliott Wilson

#100 Finally Found A Non-Perishable Banana So I Would Always Have A Banana For Scale. Banana For Scale. Goodwill, Okc

Image credits: Sabrina Wilson

#101 This Mannequin Came From My Grandmother’s House. She Had Her For As Long As I Remember. No One Else In The Family Wanted Her When My Grandmother Passed Away. I Think She Looks Great In My 100 Year Old House

Image credits: Jackie Litton

#102 When You Randomly Browse Facebook Marketplace And You Finally Find Exactly What You’ve Been Looking For. The Perfect Bathroom Art Piece

Image credits: Clayton Miller

#103 I Found This Charm Bracelet While Thrifting Yesterday. I Just Had To Bring It Home!

Image credits: Kayla Steeby

#104 Back In March My Mil Was Turning 90. But We Were Told No Fuss, No Gifts. Still, She Likes Crossword Puzzles And So When I Found This Cookie Jar At A Peddlers Mall In Lebanon Oh I Decided I’d Spend The $5 And Fill It With Homemade Cookies For A Non- Gift

You can use a dry erase marker & it even still had the answer sheet. Then the covid shutdown hit and none of us could visit her at her retirement home. So my husband asked all the siblings, nieces, nephews, grandkids, & great grandkids to make cards in crossword form for her to figure out. And we filled the jar with them. She had many days of fun working on them all while staying isolated.

Image credits: Sharon Murnen Heinrichs

#105 My Grandmother Is A Antique Doll House Collector, My Father Just Inherited This One. She’s Cleaning Out Her Home Due To Being Told She Has One Month To Live. I Wanted To Share This Special And Unique Part Of Her With You All

Image credits: Shawnda Frost

#106 Found At The Hairy Mosquito In Nw Minnesota Over The Holiday Weekend. Can’t Wait For My Guests To Be Flicked Off By A Turkey As They Enter. Our New Home Finally Feels Complete.

Image credits: ‎Kello Marie‎

#107 I’m A Recent Law School Grad And I’m Currently Studying For The Bar. I Found This Cat On Ebay And I’ve Never Related To An Inanimate Object More.

Image credits: ‎Courtney Quam

#108 Beautiful 1980’s Or 90’s Wedding Gown I Took Home Over The Winter For $40 At The Thrift Shop. Today Is Me And My Husbands 13th Wedding Anniversary, To Which I Wore A Dress Nothing Like This On My Actual Wedding Day. I’m Still Figuring Out What To Do With This Now That I Own It. It Reminded Me Of The Ball Scene In ‘The Labyrinth’ And 80’s Wedding Barbies. Open To Suggestions For What I Could Wear It To, How It May Be Improved With Alterations. We Got Married On A Friday The 13th, 13 Years Ago, Weirdlings We Are

Image credits: AnneMarie Nicolaides

#109 This Is My New Best Buddy! Found This Dude At A Yard Sale A Few Weeks Ago. He Was Peering Down At Me From A Top Shelf. I Love Rabbits And Anything Creepy, So He Is . I Don't Have A Banana For Size. But He About 2 Feet Tall. Of Course He Will Need A Name

Image credits: Sue Anderson

#110 Please Excuse The Long Story, But I Feel Like You Guys Might Understand Me With The Sentimentality Of The Story

I was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1986. The two cups in the photos originally belonged to my grandparents, and they sat on display in kitchen cabinets when I was a vey small child. There was once a full set. My father believes they had never been drank out of while in their possession. Fast forward to 1995 and civil war in BiH. We fled our home and became refugees. We lost all our possessions. There was a LOT of looting, and everything that wasn't nailed down got stolen, and the rest smashed and destroyed. We'd visited since, and all that was left of our homes were skeleton walls, and rubble. Fast forward to 2013. I was on holidays back there, and something called me to go inside the house. At this stage it was overgrown with weeds, there were trees growing out of the floors, and it had fallen in on itself, but I just had to go in. A few steps into what should have been our hallway - I saw a discarded plastic bag with broken bits and pieces, and amongst them these two intact cups. I cried like a child right amongst the stinging nettles that surrounded me. I couldn't save the rest of them, but these two travelled to Australia with me, and are now my most prized possessions. I had heard that people who had looted homes back in those times were getting a lot of bad karma afterwards, and getting sick, and all sorts of things, so lots of them had taken things back to the houses where they'd stolen from, to try and 'break the curse'. I don't know if they are necessarily second hand, but they definitely come with a story, and are such a beautiful reminder of my late grandparents. I wish I knew more about who had made them, how old they are, if there were more anywhere in the world, but I know I will cherish them forever

Image credits: Njegoslava Miražić

#111 Found The Tiniest Porcelain Mouse At An Estate Sale, It Needs A Name.

Image credits: Jen Wiley‎

#112 Alright, Check This Out, Product Of My Latest Thrifting Adventure - Alphonse Mucha Art Nouveau Zodiac Robe In Velvet Embellished With Sequins. I Almost Lost It When I Saw This Waiting Just For Me

Image credits: Eva Escalier

#113 Did Someone Order Delivery? I Was So Confused When I Saw A Dirty Pizza Box On The Goodwill Shelf. To My Surprise It Contained One Of My New Prized Possessions!

Image credits: Brenna Kay Monaghan

#114 We Stumbled Upon An Estate Sale At A Local Hobby Farm And In The Barn They Had A Bunch Of Vintage Hand Painted Signage From An Old Garden Center. We Scored This Whole Pile, About 14 Pieces, For A Mere Twenty Dollars! I’m Not Sure What Plant They Represent But I’m In Love With Them. They’ll Be Getting Coated In Sealant And Then Will Be Attached To The Fence In Our Garden.

Image credits: Malissa Franzen

#115 Found This Red Hearts Suit At An Op Shop In Hamilton, Nz For $30. It’s So Cheesy, It’s Lowkey Pretty Stylish. I Was Surprised How Well It Fit Haha

Image credits: JT Vineyard

#116 Found This Buried In $1 Bin At A Flea Market. Have No Idea How Old It Is.. Teeny Tiny Petoskey, Mi Postcard Book Keychain. Made In Italy. I Wonder If There Are More Of These For Different Cities.. I'd Love To Collect Them.

Image credits: Alyssa Halcomb

#117 Found At A Second Hand Store In North Dakota...giant Cutlery With Mushrooms!

Image credits: Maureen Healy

#118 Found This Amazing Sweatshirt This Morning At The Arc

Image credits: Hannah Rowton

#119 I Just Had My Best Yard Sale Story Ever

Saw an item that was posted on a neighborhood yard sale so decided to go check it out. I ended up not buying the thing I saw, but found a house with the most fun woman - she had these HUGE whimsical statues in her front yard, swore up a storm, claimed to be a mermaid, and repeatedly said that “brownies were life” (she was selling them at her sale and they were delicious!).

A man walked up and asked how much her mermaid statue was. Wait, what? It was part of her garden decor - they negotiated back and forth and she eventually sold this gorgeous metal mermaid for $25. I would have happily paid more and was heartbroken. I asked, “do you have any other yard items or outdoor decor? Will you sell your little gargoyle by the mailbox?”

“Nope, sorry,” she says, “he guards the mail.”

And then... a glimmer..... and you could see the lightbulb go off in her mind... and she says.... “OMG! Have I got the THING FOR YOU!” And she runs back into her garage and is moving stuff around, dragging boxes, making quite a ruckus and yells out to me... “I’ve got the best thing, but you have to commit to buy it - SIGHT UNSEEN! Once I bring it out, it’s going to cost more. Its $10 now!”

I peer into her garage and see the excitement all over her face and think, who am I to turn down a yard sale gambling opportunity?

“I’M IN! You’ve got yourself a deal!” I yell back.

And she lugs this dude out.

And I am deliriously happy.

Image credits: Drennan Lindsay

#120 Earlier Today I Saw This Large Copper Marlin At A Consignment Shop In Roseville, Mn. It Was $50 And I Don’t Need It, So I Took A Picture And Left It Behind. All Afternoon I Couldn’t Stop Thinking About It. It’s Totally Three Dimensional And Could Be Hung Facing Either Direction: So Cool And Versatile I Told Myself. Reminds Me Of Curtis Jere Mid Century Wallhangings. But It’s Ridiculous. I Live In Minnesota And Don’t Need A Big, Heavy Copper Marlin. I Showed The Picture I Took To My Husband, And I Asked Him To Tell Me It’s Ugly And Weird So I Can Stop Thinking About It...and Instead He Said “And You Didn’t Buy It?! Go Get It!” I Married A Person That Gets Me. ...and I Got The Fishy

Image credits: Mandi Smethells

#121 Random Pin I Noticed While Hiking.

Image credits: ‎Davey Ferry‎

#122 Most Excellent Painting Found At Value Vilage In Calgary. Titled (By Me): ‘I Will Shit On Everything You Love’.

Image credits: Leah Humphreys Peters

#123 A Blast From The Past At Goodwill! Only .99 Cents Each - I Bought Them All!

Image credits: Doris Urbaniak Britton

#124 Found On Fb Marketplace. $10. May I Present Supernintendo Chalmers.

Image credits: Jay Lingelbach

#125 Found At Sportswold Valie Village Kitchener. I Work In A Call Center. Left It Behind But Had A Laugh. (Long Time Lurker First Time Poster)

Image credits: Megan Michelle

#126 I Found This Manatee Skirt A Few Weeks Ago At Savers

Image credits: Allison Haile

#127 First Time Posting Found A New Friend Just Needs A Name. 3.00 Rummage Sale!

Image credits: Wendilee Bustamante

#128 I Saw A Facebook Post About A Neighbor Looking For A Good Home For This Tardis. Well, It's Now In My Driveway, Larger Than My Husband's Car And Will Be Taken Inside In Pieces So We Can Add Bookshelves And Make It A Game Cabinet

I saw a Facebook post about a neighbor looking for a good home for this Tardis. Well, it's now in my driveway, larger than my husband's car and will be taken inside in pieces so we can add bookshelves and make it a game cabinet. Yes, bigger on the inside. Now I need to make another trip about 2 hours to get the top with light and sound effects and the solid floor that may or may not be used. It was apparently built by a local band to use in a story telling competition and the drum major cane out once it was in the center of the field

Image credits: Jennifer Lovell

#129 Found This Peter Pan Snow Globe For $2.99 At A Goodwill In Atlanta!!

Image credits: Nicole Wallace

#130 When You See A Giant LEGO Head... You Must Buy The LEGO Head. Goodwill Jacksonville Does It Again $4.99 And It Sorts Your Legos. Throw A Cool, Flea Market Find Hat And Whhaaaaatttt... LEGO Indiana Jones

Image credits: Andrew Cassel

#131 I’m Driving Home, Minding My Own Business When Out Of The Corner Of My Eye I See Him Sitting There On The Side Of The Road, Looking Lonely And Dejected. I Turn Around Like A Scene From Dukes Of Hazard To Rescue Him From An Uncertain Fate. My Son Buckled Him In The Minivan And We Brought Him Home To Join Our Family And Start His New Life. Please Friends Help Us Name Our New Family Member. Cat Welcoming His New Brother For Scale In Comments.

Image credits: Amelia Green

#132 I Got This Amazing T-Shirt At A Second Hand Kilo Sale Today In Worthing UK. It’s A Bit Big But I Don’t Care, I Can Wear It To Bed. Chhhaaarrllliiee, We’re Going To Candy Mountain!! If You Know, You Know

Image credits: Miranda Leonie Washington

#133 I Love Ancient Antiques. The Old Stuff. But This Vintage, Tacky-Fabulous, Light On The Fb Marketplace For $25 Had My Number And I Gladly Drove A Total Of 1.5 Hours (Round Trip) To Make It Mine! Don’t Know Where I’ll Put It, Don’t Care

Image credits: Jennifer Walters

#134 I’ve Never Had Anything Worthy Of Posting To This Group. But This Weekend My Girlfriend And I Were Antique Shop Hopping When She Spotted This! It Did Not Come Home With Us Because I’m Pretty Sure It’s Haunted

Image credits: Astin Kirby

#135 When Do You Buy A 3 Foot Frank Sinatra Album? When You See It Of Course! $10 At A Yardsale Last Weekend. Now All I Need Is A Giant Record Player!

Image credits: Tom Diplock

#136 My Favorite Accidental Thrift Find! At A Second-Hand Store, My Daughter Found A (Rather Hideous) Embroidered Owl Pillow That She Had To Have. Based On The Colors, It Looked Like It Was Made In The 1970s And It Was Rather Flat And Uncomfortable. I Decided To Open It Up And Restuff It. To My Surprise, In Lieu Of Batting, It Was Stuffed With This Amazing Faux Denim Outfit! The Print Says "Everything Is Coming Up Roses." No Tags, I Assume It's Homemade. I Bribed My Son With An Extra Episode Of Paw Patrol To Model It For Me And It Fit Like A Glove!

Image credits: Ana Russo Pinkstaff

#137 My New Love ... My Families Not So Much. Found On Marketplace And Ran Over To Grab It .... Back Me Up Here! Husband Hates It. Green Spot Bot For Size And Obvious Reasons.... Have No Idea Where It Is From Or If It Is Old Or Newer. Frame Is Heavy And Chromalious!

Image credits: Petra Foo‎

#138 Goodwill Finds

Image credits: Sarah Martinez‎

#139 My Mother-In-Law And I Was Cleaning Out When She Moved, And Found This Amazing Weddingdress That Her Mother (My Husbands Grandmother) Used At Her Wedding. I Looked At It And Did Not Think It Would Fit At All. But Look! It Did! I'm Not Sure When They Got Married, But I Will Ask Her Tomorrow. Love These Treasures!

Image credits: Stine Sandstad

#140 Found This Hand Puppet At An Antique Store In Asheville. Yup, You Can Shove Your Hand Up Its Backside And Really Bring It To Life!! Looked Handmade. Stayed Right.where.it.was

Image credits: Katlen Joyce Smith

#141 This Lovely Lorax Chair Did Not Come Home With Me. Found At The Habit For Humanity Store In Allentown Pa

Image credits: Julia Stalke

#142 Went To A Thrift Store In Crawfordsville, Indiana Almost Came Home With Us Had My Husband Not Been Such A Pain

Image credits: Cyndi Graves

#143 We've Just Got Salvation Army Taste

Image credits: Adam Dickopf

#144 “Shoes” Found At The Goodwill In Plover, Wi Definitely Did Not Come Home With Me, So They’re Up For The Taking

Image credits: Sierra Nicole Sargent

#145 Look Who I Found At A Thrift Store Today For Only $3. Molly From The Big Comfy Couch

Image credits: Alejandra Flores

#146 50 Cents At A Church Resale Shop In Illinois And It Did Come Home With Me

Image credits: Andrea King

#147 I Just Picked This Up During My First Thrift Shopping Since Lockdown. I’m Kind Of Scared Of It

Image credits: John Broscoe

#148 Found Today At The Goodwill In Henrietta, NY. $2.99 Did Not Buy It, But It Gave Me A Good Laugh

Image credits: Wendy Welton Bennett

#149 Bought This Beast For 180 Well Spent Dollars Off Marketplace. Thrilled. Looks Like It Was Ripped Off The Set Of Gilmore Girls

4.7k

Image credits: Brittany Fisher Weigle

#150 Bought This Large Stuffed Camel Today For $10 At A Yard Sale. I Love It Sooooooooo Much I'm Looking For Name Suggestions. The White Bead Teeth Are My Favorite Detail

Image credits: Christopher Adams‎

#151 Covid Has Had Me In Hermit Mode For A While, But I Had Some Time To Kill A Couple Days Ago And Had To Get A Quick Fix. Good Thing I Went Out Or Else I Wouldn't Have Ended Up With This Beautiful Piece Of Art. They Wanted $10 But I Haggled Them Down To $6. I Love Cats, Wine, And Old Ladies, So I Would Have Paid $10, But I Guess It Appeared I Was Hesitant, So They Asked How Low They Could Go If I'd Just Take It. I Said $5, They Countered With $6, And I Said Yes. Hell Yeah!

Image credits: Rebekah McArthur‎

#152 I Love Butterflies And Tea...bought This From A Goodwill In Connecticut For 59 Cents, Couldn’t Wait To Get It Home To See What It Did. Wow! I’ve Never Seen One Of These Before But Apparently They Were A Thing In The Recent Past, Does Anyone Else Own A “Wonder Mug”?

Image credits: Karen Mack

#153 I’m Pretty Pleased With This Epic Secondhand Find! We Have A Local Online Auction Site Here In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, That I Often Use When I Need To Purchase Household Items For A Cheap Price. I Was On The Site Looking To Replace My Broken Kitchen Trashcan When These Funky Blue Men Caught My Eye. I Had No Idea What They Were, But After Googling A Bit I Discovered That They Were Called “Wall Climbers” and Could Be Found Hand Made On Sites Like Etsy For Around $40. I Discovered That This Art Form Was Originated By A Colombian Artist By The Name Of Ancizar Marin, Whose Original Works Are On Display In Musesms And Galleries Worldwide. So I Decided To Bid On Them, As They Were Only $10 At The Time. Unfortunately I Got Trapped In An Irrational Bidding War, Lost My Senses, And Bid All The Way To $93 For The 6 Figures, Which Was Way Over My $40 Limit. When I ‘Won,’ I Deeply Regretted My Impulse Buy As A Costly Mistake And Promised My Husband I Would Try To Resell Them Right Away. The Picture On The Auction Site Did Not Do Them Justice And I Really Had No Idea Quite How Gorgeous They Were Until I Picked Them Up. You Can’t Imagine How Excited I Was To Discover That I Had Bought Six Original Ancizar Marin Wall Climbers! i Found Several Galleries Selling His Climbers For $440 Each. (Did I Mention That I Splurged And Spent $93 For All 6 Of Them? ??) When I Brought Them Home, My Husband And Kids Loved Them As Much As I Did And They Are Now Proudly Hanging On A Previously Empty Stairwell Wall. (As A Side Note, It Turns Out That The Auction Company Was Selling Off The Physical Assets Of A Financial Company After The Sec Shut Them Down For Bilking Their Investors Of Over $100 Million Dollars In A Ponzi Scheme. Made Me Feel Less Guilty About Getting These Guys At Such A Deflated Price!)

Image credits: Mary DeVries Yager

#154 Came Across This Unique Piece Yesterday At An Antique Store . Fell In Love And I Had To Get It

Image credits: Karen Wright Elmore

#155 I Saw These Corny Shoes For $5.00 At West End Ministries Thrift Store In High Point Nc.... And Thought I Would Share Them With Y'all!!! ??? (((( Update Ok I Went And Bought The Damn Things... Now Wtf Do I Do With Them???)))

Image credits: Robin Jessica Varner

#156 Where Are My 90 Babies At?? Check Out These Gems I Found At A Yardsale!! Nickelodeon Was The Best. I Paid 1.00 For Both

Image credits: Haley Holland

#157 Going Thru Boxes Of Old Family Photos.... I Found These Of A Mermaid Sculpture My Grandfather Created

No idea if she is still out there somewhere. If so she'd be in the Chicago area. He never achieved fame but I have several of his pieces including a bust of my mother when she was 16 years old. I would LOVE to own this sculpture.... just not sure it exists anymore. (Pictures are of the pre-production piece in his workroom and the finished piece in place)

Image credits: April Langer Gibson

#158 I Finally Have Something To Share Here! Meet My Porch Lizard, Lizonardo Davinci! I Saw Him At My Landlord’s House And Fell In Love. She Was About To Get Rid Of Him And Said Her Husband Would Bring Him To Me! He Was Originally From The Mississippi River Museum, But They Got Him From A Friend Several Years Ago. No Idea How Their Friend Wound Up With Him. Lol I Have Caught My Neighbors Taking Pictures With Him And It’s My Favorite Thing. Someday I Will Repaint Him And Figure Out How To Get Him Properly Clothed, But For Now, I Love Him The Way He Is!

Image credits: Julia Frank

#159 Saved This Totally Legit “Plush Animatronic Baby Yoda” From The Trash Bin At My Brother’s House. The Ad May Have Over Exaggerated. It Looks Like It’s Made Of Latex Formed Around A Hastily Made Handmade Mould. At Least It’ll Have A Happy Life As A Halloween Decoration At My Place.

Image credits: ‎Laura Glaeser‎

from Funny – Bored Panda https://ift.tt/32s8PKD via IFTTT from Blogger https://ift.tt/35zVzoY

[sableaire]

I know KS is well you already know but I actually want to continue it just cause I'm curious on how it'll end /or who will end up dead first/ but the thing is... we are allowed to like what we like right? As long you know what's real and what isn't it?

I’m of the opinion that people simplify this issue too much. Consuming problematic media is not inherently wrong, but it’s not just enough to know “what’s real and what isn’t”.

Now, this is one particular issue in which I use my own behavior as a model, but note that I am not going to try and claim that my views are the ‘correct one’ or that my approach is better than others. However, I would just like to offer to everyone who worries about this some insight into a philosophy that isn’t quite so black-and-white as others I have seen.  

Basically, like every ask I ever receive, the answer’s going to be long, so hang on, Anon. Please note that Google Chrome ‘ran out of memory’ while I was writing this post, so if anything cuts off at a weird point, I just lost that portion and didn’t notice…

 More below the cut:

First thing’s first: I consume problematic media. As an aspiring writer, I enjoy experiencing stories that make me feel things, even if that feeling might be “dear god, this is what it feels like to watch a train wreck”, and as someone who thrives on new experiences, I enjoy being able to feel a broad range of emotions in a safe and controlled medium - either dreams or fiction. If there was a way to try psychedelic drugs and or ‘bad trips’ without risk of physical or psychological damage, I would try it. 

Heck, I’m the kind of person who tries to induce sleep paralysis and nightmares for fun because I get a kick out of the sheer terror. It’s inevitable that I sometimes like to read about the visceral horror and sickening dread that comes from highly dangerous and awful situations. (Of course, I also have my limits, but that’s not the point of this post)

That being said, I try to be mindful about my enjoyment of such content in many ways, and I’m of the opinion that everyone else should as well. Something I always say is that “people can’t help how they feel, but they can help how they behave,��� and through that behavior the feelings might change over time. However, you can’t blame someone for a reactive emotion, be it positive or negative. Humans don’t have control over their emotions.

As such, of course we’re all allowed to like what you like, but ‘liking’ something is not your ‘behavior’. Liking something is a feeling. Everything else you choose to do are actions, and you need to think them through because every action has a consequence, either on you or the environment around you.

Since you mentioned Killing Stalking, we’ll use it as an example. Although you’re allowed to like what you like, do you also know the reasons why some people are so vehemently against it? It’s not just the murder and it’s not just the depiction of abuse, and it’s not okay just to handwave it all under “haters will be haters”. These are people genuinely upset about this comic’s contents and consumption, and as someone who is choosing to enjoy it, I personally feel as though fans have a responsibility to first understand what these people are so upset about, and then make an informed decision whether or not to read it.

Once I learned that Killing Stalking was so negatively received by some individuals, I did my research. I read reasons why people dislike it. I specifically searched for primary sources, reactions of gay men and reactions of individuals with BPD. I went in with a neutral mindset - I had only just started reading the comic and I wouldn’t have minded giving it up at that point - and then decided what points I could empathize with and thought about how these viewpoints - different from my own - would affect my actions. Typically, there are three questions:

1) Will I continue reading/watching?

2) Will I financially support this content?

3) Will I socially support this content?

Question 1:In my opinion, only the first question depends on your personal likes/dislikes. Yes, you can like what you like. You can consume questionable content. However, if your answer to that is ‘yes’ or even a ‘maybe’, you absolutely have to ask yourself the next two questions.

Question 2:We live in an era of rampant digital pirating, and though yes, it is a crime and people are always encouraged not to, I’ve never personally met someone of my generation who hasn’t pirated a movie if they missed it in theaters and then couldn’t find it on Netflix and or Amazon Video. Popular books can be downloaded as PDFs or epubs. Foreign comic translation is a veritable unpaid industry of its own, on the internet (which is its own bucket of problems, but that’s not what this post is about).

So, ultimately, though the economic and moral implications are a bit hazy, you get to decide whether or not you financially support anything you watch or read. You can decide whether or not something that you find enjoyable is also something you think there should be more of in the world. In the modern capitalistic era, you as a consumer have the power to vote with your wallet, in a sense. I’m going to give an example of how this might work after this section.

I will say, however, if you plan to indirectly profit off your interaction with certain media, no matter how problematic, you have an obligation to support the author for their work. If you are going to write a movie review as an official film critic, you have to watch it in theaters. If you are going to write a book review in an official capacity, buy the book. This is partially because I believe that if you’re profiting off someone else’s work in any way, that someone should be compensated even if you hated it, and mostly because I believe that reviewers will be more accurate if they actually pay the money to see if something was “worth their money”.

This is also the reason why I bought Killing Stalking through its official channels. I had built up a surprising following for my lost-in-translation posts and even received a small sum of donations for my write-ups. As such, as an aspiring content creator myself, I could not in good conscience not pay for the webcomic when the official version was so easily accessible to me. This is also why once I felt too uncomfortable with the content and author’s comments that I stopped my lost-in-translation posts as well. I didn’t feel comfortable financially supporting her, and I didn’t feel comfortable profiting off someone else’s content for free.

Also I just didn’t want to read anymore, ahaha.

An example of something I would watch if I didn’t have to financially support it, though, is the new Ghost in the Shell movie. Even though I have pretty much vocalized everything I dislike about it, I am curious to see it for myself. If I really, really wanted to, I could easily watch the movie without providing financial support or official viewership. However, in exchange, I wouldn’t feel right writing a review about it, especially not a monetized one, due to my personal stance on creative content and also because a low-quality laptop-screen experience would greatly differ from a cinema-quality experience.

Question 3:And lastly, separate from the financial question, you have to ask whether or not you will socially support something. Word-of-mouth and fandom content are powerful, powerful forms of marketing, especially on Tumblr.

I read Killing Stalking and actively contributed to the fandom with my cultural / language translation posts. However, followers of mine might have noticed that aside from the first week or so, I never reblogged any fanart or other such content. This was because, although I personally was reading the comic with some interest, it was not content I wanted to actively encourage others to read. For the same reason, I assured all my followers that every post of mine with Killing Stalking content would be appropriately tagged so that they can blacklist it, should they feel it necessary.

There are some things that I read and enjoy that I choose not to support publicly or enthuse about. Some might call it disingenuous and others might tell me not to let others censor my behavior, but it is an intentional decision on my part. In the case of Killing Stalking, I had several reasons.

Firstly, I knew not all my followers were comfortable with it, and I want my blog to be a comfortable and accessible place for most people. This was especially true because I knew for a fact that I had some younger followers age 14 and 15 and so, and let me tell you, I remember being that age and feeling like I knew enough to make informed choices. I have learned more with age, enough to recognize that rather than controlling the media I consumed, the media I consumed was controlling me. I was young and impressionable, and I made some mistakes I’m not proud of.

I was especially careful after the first week or so to not post fanart, no matter how nice, because as a teenager, I was so, so, so easily influenced by good fanart. In fact, I am still so easily won over by good fanart and funny content, and this is a problem for me as a person, and it’s dragged me down some pretty questionable rabbit holes in the past.

Secondly, another reason I limited fandom participation outside of my lost-in-translation posts was because sure, Killing Stalking is an interesting story in some capacity, but it isn’t a story I would outright recommend to the general masses, like I would some other media. Killing Stalking is more of a story that people will end up finding if they’re interested in such content in the first place.

In fact, it’s something that I would have found worrying if it had become widely popular, because then it truly would become a social influence and start affecting people’s views of the world.

As an additional note, some people would argue that the ‘lost-in-translation’ posts that I made might have been a form of promotion for this comic. Perhaps that is true, I don’t know. However, the way I see it, the people who would have seen those posts were individuals already in the fandom, and how I saw it, the fandom needed something more than just the fanart and the fanfics. There were a lot of people explaining why fans of Killing Stalking shouldn’t support the comic, but the problem is - and I know this from experience - the vast majority of fans, especially younger fans, won’t read about people hating what they like.

More often than not, a diehard Harry Potter fan won’t read an article about how much the original Harry Potter books suck, except to judge the person who wrote it. Sure, Killing Stalking isn’t Harry Potter and honestly it’s laughable that I even made that comparison at all, but the nature of fans don’t change from story to story. Fans are fans. Killing Stalking fans either wouldn’t have read or wouldn’t have taken to heart some pretty harsh, legitimate criticisms of the comic, especially when they’re really into it.

If someone is already a fan of something and someone comes up to them telling them (often aggressively) that they are wrong to be a fan, those two individuals are already established as enemies. Heck, we see how heated sports fans get about their teams. It’s also pretty much proven human nature, especially in individualistic societies, that if someone tells you not to do something, you feel the need to continue in order to re-establish your autonomy.

So a large part of why I made those lost-in-translation posts was so that people already in the fandom had someone within the fandom they could engage with who could offer some perspective on some of the more dangerous elements within the story. And people have come to ask me for advice about it, you included, Anon! And I’m genuinely grateful that you value and trust my opinion on topics such as these.

Reasons why “I know it’s not real” is not an adequate excuse for unchecked fandom behavior:

This is a metaphor I spent some time developing, but I think it fits. Though, I did come up with the metaphor thinking of a gun-free area, so it might not apply to all parts of America, aha, but let’s just roll with it:

Say, for instance, you have a model gun. Anyone can tell that it’s fake if they take the time to look at it, but it’s still a pretty accurate depiction of a gun. You know it’s not real, and most adults can tell it’s not real. Saying “the content’s not real, so let people reblog whatever they want” is akin to saying “it’s not a real gun, so let people carry it wherever they want.” Sure, that may be a fair point… except, long-term, carrying realistic model guns wherever you want leads to two distinct but significant problems:

1) Children grow desensitized to the sight of guns.

2) It becomes harder to tell the difference between model and real guns.

Problem 1:If children become desensitized to the sight of guns, they grow desensitized to the true danger that comes with holding a gun. One of the most powerful moments of my life, to date, is the first time I held a big, sharp knife. Because I had never held a knife before, I felt the weight of the metal, saw the glint of the edge, and oh boy, I was a little terrified knowing that I held a potential weapon in my hand. It kept me wary. It kept me careful.

Children who grow up desensitized to guns wouldn’t have that with guns. They wouldn’t feel that same danger, and really, that means there’s just one less hurdle between them and real guns.

Problem 2:Where oh where to begin with this. First of all, if children grow up thinking all the model guns are real guns, they’ll end up getting a real gun instead of a model gun. What will they say when they get caught and in trouble? “Everyone else does it, though!” and it may or may not be true.

Secondly, if some people start carrying real guns around amidst the model guns, and the model guns look realistic too, we have difficulty picking out the real guns from the model guns. We know they’re out there, but we can’t tell which is which. It’s not like you could check every single person out there carrying a model gun.

Thirdly, it becomes more difficult to tell real danger from fake danger. In a model gun society, maybe it’s commonplace for people to point model guns at each other as a joke. Haha, it’s fake, we all laugh. But maybe there’s someone out there being threatened by someone close to them with a real gun, disguised as a joke, and we can’t tell.

The Explanation:Maybe I lost you a bit there. It’s a little difficult to see how this relates to problematic fictional media. But again, let’s take Killing Stalking and pretend it became widely popular and mainstream. If something gets super popular and mainstream, it becomes a fad.

I’ll be honest, I lost this entire section when the post restarted, so I’m going to just give you the cliffnotes version. I’m sorry, I’ll rewrite it at some point;;

1) Children get desensitized easily. Think of any drugs, even alcohol or tobacco. The more you take, the more your body builds a tolerance, the more you need to take next time to have the same effect. The human brain is one of the most changeable parts of the body, and it will do the same thing with fictional media. Repeated exposure to something will have an effect. That’s why exposure therapy exists. Simultaneous exposure is a whole different beast. That’s why Pavlovian conditioning exists.

2) Desensitized children grow up into desensitized adults who think that what they went through / the intensity / content of media they watched was the norm, and they will go on to raise children who might end up even more desensitized than them. Perhaps that would just make it ‘natural social change,’ but is is a desirable one?

3) Also, in the case of Killing Stalking, people wore cosplay with visible signs of abuse to conventions. Some conventions have children attending. I am of the opinion that children should not be exposed to fake signs of physical abuse as that is not something that should be normalized.

4) Just these last two weeks, two separate men in two separate countries Facebook Livestreamed the murders they committed. We are living in a technologically developing society that is simultaneously exhibitionist, voyeuristic, and Orwellian. If media like Killing Stalking became popular and mainstream and encouraged similar media to come onto the market, especially in live-action, it will become harder and harder to distinguish the ‘real’ from the ‘not real’. In the future, someone might livestream someone they keep locked in the basement, reassuring their viewers that it’s all ‘fake’ and just an ‘experimental storytelling’ thing. In a society where such media is commonplace, we just might believe it. 

In Closing:

I am aware that not everyone has the patience, energy, or desire to do this research with every controversial piece of media they choose to consume. That’s up to them. However, even these individuals have a responsibility to be mindful about their behavior. Even if you don’t research, if there are people criticizing the content of whatever you are reading/watching, acknowledge that there must be something that bothers some people. You cannot determine that you are right and they are ‘too sensitive’ without actually doing the research.

Be mindful that, no matter what measures people take, there are probably preteens in your fandom. I won’t tell you what to do with that information, but at least keep it in mind.

One person’s mindfulness changes little, but little changes build up. I would write more but it is long and I have a headache, good bye;;

[vex-bittys]

Bittybones Chapter 6: Adding to the Bitty Brigade (Buttons 4)

I suggested to Red that he should look around the shop, but as I swept the shop with my own gaze, I noticed that no other bittybones were visible. Red scurried excitedly down the counter to check out the various impulse buy items near the cash register. I had a feeling we’d be making some purchases for him before we left with Buttons. (i’m an impulsive guy!) ”Where are the other bittys?” I asked Gigi, knowing there should have at least been a Papy bitty manning the register. Gigi watched as the Kara bitty rubbed the smaller monster’s back, checking on the progress of his healing. She glanced up when I asked my question. “Buttons is very traumatized, and larger bittybones, especially Papyrus-types, frighten him.” Even the sound of the word “Papyrus” appeared to alarm the small skeleton. When Gigi said it, he clutched the bigger monster tightly. ”It alright, Buttons,” I said in a soft, reassuring voice. “I only have two bittybones, and they are Sans types and very friendly.” I reached out a tentative finger and stroked Buttons’ hunched back. He immediately leaned into my touch. As I petted him softly, he unfolded himself from Kara’s body and latched onto my hand instead, rubbing his small skull against my thumb.

I cooed happily at the affectionate little guy. “Well, he’s definitely a Blank bitty,” I proclaimed, in reference to his love of physical contact. Silence crept over the room with the exception of the rustling of Red pawing through merchandise, oblivious to the faux pas I had somehow unknowingly committed.

(well, excuse me for not eavesdropping!)

I guess shoplifting is more interesting than spying.

(i would never shoplift from Gigi)

...

(i would only shoplift a little bit from Gigi)

Meanwhile, Buttons regarded me with wide, sad eyes. “Miss Gigi and Mr. Kara said that too, but I don’t even know what a Blank bitty is... All I remember is being a Buttonberry... and Them...” I watched his expression transform as his focus turned inward. His eyelights seemed faded and worn as memories washed over him. “I don’t know how to be anyone else,” he concluded in a voice whisper soft with defeat.

My heart broke for this poor bittybones child who had no place in the world except the horrifying nightmare of his origins. I had to fix that for him. “You don’t need to be anyone but yourself,” I reassured him gently. “In our home, we love people and monsters for who they are, not what they are.” His big blue eyes blinked, and the trauma disappeared, replaced by wonder. I admired the little scamp’s ability to pull himself free of his sorrow, but I knew we’d have a lot of work to do before he could truly heal the wounds of his past.

As I went to collect Red, who was waist deep in a jar of monster candy, Gigi made a suggestion. “You might want to consider getting a Kara bitty. I don’t know how severe the damage to Buttons’ eyes was, but he will probably have headaches. A Kara bitty could also help your Brassyberry with pain management.” Hopeful of a bright future for Buttons, Gigi fell back into bitty shop owner mode. “In fact, there’s a bittybones convention in a few weeks, and the Kara bittybones’ creator will be there; you could adopt one from her directly.” Her excitement was contagious, and I promised myself that I would go to the event. I’d do it for Buttons. I’d do it for me.

I lifted Red out of the candy jar and set him on the counter next to Buttons. He clutched at armloads of monster candies which spilled comically out of his grip to roll across the counter and finally fall like hailstones onto the floor. “I guess we’ll be getting these,” I told Gigi as Red made his best puppy dog eyes at me. “What are they?”

Gigi laughed, surprising herself as much as it surprised me. “The small ones are for boosting or recovering magic,” she explained pointing as she bagged the candies that Red held as well as a few of the escapees. Monster candies to help magic recovery? That would be useful for Red except... I glared at him; he gave me a look of utter angelic innocence.

“Perfect. Now he won’t get so tired when he throws his tantrums.” I feigned excitement with a woo-hoo and a twirl of one finger, but I pulled out my wallet to pay. “And that one?” I indicated the much larger candy that Red rolled towards the cash register.

“That allows a bittybones to grow to full size for four hours.”

Oh. I could see where this was going, or rather, not going if I had anything to do with it. “Red, you don’t need to grow. I love you just the way you are!” I didn’t even allow him to protest as I scooped him up and placed him on my shoulder with Buttons beside him. As I picked up my purchases, sans (ha!) the growth candy, Gigi touched my arm.

“Please do everything you can for Buttons. I adopted out three Blank bittys to that man, and he was the only one left.” Tears welled in her eyes as I solemnly nodded. As the bell above the door tinkled its good-bye to the three of us, I saw her Papy bitty creep out from behind the cash register and give her a comforting hug on the arm.

PREV | INDEX | NEXT

Papy bitty by bittybones-au​

Kara bitty by bitty-fluff

Buttonberry bitty by button-tale

[cryptswahili]

A Look at Openbazaar’s Multi-Currency Wallet and Vendor Listings

On Jan. 17, the blockchain and cryptocurrency company OB1 released Openbazaar version 2.3 which provides users with the ability to use a multi-currency wallet within the marketplace. Since then, there’s been a large number of added listings and an increased amount of people trading cryptocurrencies in a peer-to-peer fashion.

Also read: Inspired by Unwriter’s Apps, BCH Developers Create Fountainhead Cash

Experimenting With Openbazaar Version 2.3 and the New Multi-Currency Wallet

With Openbazaar 2.3 now out, I decided to explore the recently added features to give readers of news.Bitcoin.com an insight into the platform. The Openbazaar marketplace has been out for a while now and OB1 released a 2.0 version last year. The latest protocol version 2.3 gives users a multi-currency wallet allowing them to store, send, and receive bitcoin cash (BCH), bitcoin core (BTC), litecoin (LTC), and zcash (ZEC). Before, Openbazaar users were once restricted to choosing a single currency to operate with on the platform.

The Openbazaar download page offers three operating system choices.

In order to experiment with the new version, I downloaded the 2.3.0 release for Mac OSX, but the application can be used on a Windows and Linux operating systems as well. I backed up my existing Openbazaar app and then opened the .dmg file I downloaded from the official landing page. After giving my computer permission to run the new file, Openbazaar opened as it usually does and I was greeted by my home page.

The multi-currency wallet supports four cryptocurrencies and OB1 developers say ethereum (ETH) will be added next.

The differences you will see from the prior version are in the wallet section, which reveals a BTC, BCH, LTC, and ZEC multi-currency wallet. Each wallet does basic operations like sending and receiving and there’s also a log for recorded transactions. The wallets also tell you the value of your cryptocurrency holdings using a local fiat currency. Inside the wallet section is a tab that allows users to create a cryptocurrency trade listing, which means they can swap cryptos in a peer-to-peer fashion.

After clicking the “view listings” tab it is noticeable that users are trading a bunch more coins than when I visited the platform during my last Openbazaar review. There are so many more listings now when you select trades for all four cryptocurrencies. Some trades I noticed were quite fair, set at only 2-5 percent above spot value, but there are other trades that were 995 percent above market value. Still, there are plenty of traders and listings available with a large variety of the 1,500 available digital assets enabled on the marketplace.

Since our last review, there has been a significant increase in traders buying and selling cryptocurrencies in a peer-to-peer fashion.

Many of the traders are rated and you can view some of their other listings as well to see if they are reliable. If people are in search for a place to trade cryptocurrencies without revealing their identity and going through the hoops of a KYC process, then Openbazaar might entice them. Moreover, if desired, they can run an Openbazaar node using the privacy-centric Tor software.

Connecting to a trader in order to swap BCH for XMR.

In order to make a trade, simply choose the kind of cryptocurrency you are interested in swapping. For instance, if you chose to trade BCH for monero (XMR), you will find the vendor W.H. Lewis who is charging 3 percent above spot rates for this trade. All of Openbazaar’s trade listings can be filtered by cryptocurrency. A trader will sometimes list how much they have in inventory and in this case Lewis’s XMR inventory says “unknown.” However, this particular vendor allows the trade to be moderated by a verified Openbazaar moderator. Purchasing and selling digital assets is not much different to checking out your items after choosing to buy physical goods. Traders have different rules on how they settle the crypto trade on Openbazaar and these will vary between vendors, especially with premiums and settlement times. Most trade guidelines are clearly stated on the trader’s listing page.

Traders explain how to execute exchanges with them and some offer a verified Openbazaar moderator to oversee the deal.

Marketplace Listings Increase

Moving on to the marketplace section where users sell other types of goods and services there’s been a noticeable influx of vendors selling wares. Four days ago the r/btc community noticed this trend when BCH listings spiked from 1,000 to 5,200. Another notable sight I saw on the marketplace was how litecoin listings had around 4,800 on the OB1 browser. Zcash listings hover at around 4,600 listings at the time of publication. BTC listings total 11,400 but while surfing through the listings on the marketplace, it clearly shows that many vendors have decided not to take the ‘maximalist’ route and have chosen to accept multiple cryptocurrencies since the upgrade.

Over the last week, BCH listings have spiked from 1,000 to 5,200. Listings include comics, music, books, clothing, art, and more.

Openbazaar 2.3 definitely adds more variety to the platform and the number of listings added since the release on Jan. 17 shows vendors like the fact they can accept more cryptos. The trading section could still use a lot more liquidity than what is offered at the moment. The platform may suffice for a person who wants to obtain some crypto in an anonymous manner, but won’t be good enough for someone looking for deep pools of liquidity. Still, there’s been a significant spike since the startup added all four cryptocurrencies, and OB1 says ethereum support is near completion and will be added soon, alongside other coins.

It seems many Openbazaar vendors have simply opted to accept all four cryptocurrencies since the wallet upgrade on Jan. 17, 2019. 

Overall, the platform continues to improve and its user base and a number of product listings have increased a great deal. It still needs to gain mainstream traction, which might not happen until cryptocurrencies themselves gain mass adoption. Until then, Openbazaar’s marketplace has seen slow and steady growth and the multi-currency wallet has opened the platform to more people.

What do you think about the new Openbazaar version 2.3 with the multi-currency wallet? Let us know what you think about this subject in the comments section below.

Disclaimer: This editorial should be considered Review or Op-ed material. During the review process, the opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. Bitcoin.com does not endorse nor support views, opinions or conclusions drawn in this post. Bitcoin.com is not responsible for or liable for any content, accuracy or quality within the review article. Review editorials are intended for informational purposes only. Readers should do their own due diligence before taking any actions related to the mentioned company or any of its affiliates or services. There are various steps mentioned in reviews and some of them are considered optional. Bitcoin.com and the author are not responsible for any losses, mistakes, skipped steps or security measures not taken, as the ultimate decision-making process to do any of these things is solely the reader’s responsibility.

Image credits: Shutterstock, Openbazaar, and Jamie Redman. 

Want to create your own secure cold storage paper wallet? Check our tools section.

The post A Look at Openbazaar’s Multi-Currency Wallet and Vendor Listings appeared first on Bitcoin News.

[Telegram Channel | Original Article ]