I’m Going Slightly Mad

Posted on by accordingtohoyt

So, here we are, and this post is just a little late…..

Er….

So, what happened was I slept late, then I was trying to figure out what could get done today, then friends called because they were waiting for us at the restaurant, which I’d completely spaced, then we had to go pick up packages for business stuff, then I went by pharmacy who mis-filled my prescription and this time they’d…. lost it? and then–

So. Hi. I still have most of my hair. Didn’t pull it all out. And we’re trying to figure out sort of “Potluck boxes” so we can sell some of the …. piles and piles of books and promo materials (most of it stuff like bookmarks and postcards) of my work, sitting around the house, and maybe finance the flooring (or part of the flooring) for the new place, because we think that would be better done up front, before we move all our crap in. Because current owners have cats. We have seen that movie, so….

I mean we’ll probably have the money after this house sells, but flooring will be much harder after.

And anyway, we have a ton of boxes of books.

So, we’re now going to figure out shipping, so we an figure out what to charge for what we’ll call “Boxes from Sarah’s Garage.” (Most of them were actually piled in the corner of the library. I’m not sending you stuff from the garage, because that would be gross. Dust and insects and stuff. Also most of what’s there are about a million copies of the same tool, because ADD. Lose tool, don’t remember buying it, buy again.)

Will post those Monday. Probably. And we’ll definitely have these books at low prices. (And yes signed. And signed postcards, coverflats, whatev. It’s just you can’t choose what particular books go in your box, because we can’t take time to track those, not right now. Later there will be a store, probably attached to the site, but that will be…. close to if not cover price per book. This is just a major simplification.

Anyway, that’s what I’m going to do next. Right after I take a deep breath. (Probably.)

Then I need to go get paint, but it might be tomorrow, because today I got to edit.

Uh. Doesn’t sound excitin, but you know. It’s just busy.

I go. Zooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom.

93 thoughts on “I’m Going Slightly Mad”

  2. Why go slightly mad? Go all the Way Mad! [Maniacal Laughter]

    Of course, I’ve heard this line that goes “You don’t have to be crazy to work here but it helps”. 😉

    Take Care Sarah.

  3. look at the post office flat rate boxes, they cost the same to ship no matter how heavy, so are great for things like books.

    1. the post office will even give you the boxes for free, and you can order them from the post office website in large bundles.

        1. once you take the weight into account, they can be surprisingly affordable. books may not be quite dense enough,but I order nuts and bolts and similar metal stuff online and much of the time the cheapest way to get it is these priority mail flat rate boxes.

        2. I also expect that some buyers are going to be international, so I wouldn’t get too hung up on ‘shipping included” pricing.

        3. Current cost for the large flat-rate Priority Mail is $21.90, and the inside dimensions are 12″ x 12″ x 5.5″. Depending on the zone you are shipping to, the break-even weight (the weight over which flat-rate is cheaper than retail parcel) ranges from a mere 4+ pounds for zones 8,9, to a hefty 18+ pounds for zones 1,2.

          Medium flat-rate box is 11″ x 8-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ and cost is $15.50. Break-even weights are only 1+ pounds for zones 8,9 to 11+ pounds for zones 1,2.

          So if you can stuff at least 18 pounds of books in the big box, or 11 pounds in the medium box, flat-rate is the way to go and allows you to set one price per box size that includes shipping for everybody. If the boxes aren’t that heavy, then you will probably want to calculate shipping separately.

          I found this neat site that shows a map of the zones based on the mailing zip code.
          www DOT simplfulfillment DOT com/usps-map

          Hope this is useful to somebody – I had to look it all up for my own purposes anyway. 😉

          1. The above are the retail prices. If you can get commercial rates, it looks like the relevant weights would be 13+ lbs for the medium box – $13.75, and 23+ pounds for the large box – $19.30. Don’t quote me on these, please. 😉

    2. Also media mail can be slightly cheaper. Sometimes. Takes a bit longer, though.

      1. Can only be for printed stuff. Not all of this is printed. Things we have a bazillion of: replica tiny dino skelletons, ninja ducks, tiny plastic carp….. etc.

    3. Having moved from the Midwest to the Pacific Northwest several years ago, I found that Media Mail (what used to be called book rate, just be sure the box’s contents meet the criteria) always beat out flat rate boxes for books. For heavy, dense things made of metal (i.e. tools) flat rate boxes are best, but as you approach the 70 lb upper limit, it is best to reinforce the boxes. I went on ebay and bought used dispenser that spits out a measured length of pre-moistened, fiber-reinforced, gummed, brown paper tape with the push of a lever. It greatly speeded up the packing process, turned out to be one of the better investments I’ve made. The paper tape sticks to the boxes better, and is stronger than the typical clear plastic shipping tape.

  4. It’s all good. We’re just trying to figure out which planet to strip mine for phosphorous or if we have to start smacking stars together for it.

  7. Enjoy your madness. Truly.

    I’m having my sad insane madness right now. Not fun madness like you. The realization that I’m running out of escape options.

    Enjoy your madness. What little there is that is enjoyable is hard to find once it passes.

          1. Ohio is slightly civilized. Unfortunately Cleveland is now woke, with the demise of the Cleveland Indians and their replacement with the Cleveland Guardians.

                1. From what Sarah has said earlier, she doesn’t want the location of her new home made public yet.

                  Remember, anybody can access this blog.

  8. As long as it’s only slightly, that’s okay. We all get a bit crazy sometimes, at least that’s what the platypus tells me.

  9. Oooh! I know what I’m putting on my Christmas list now! (No, the family won’t blink an eye at “I want boxes from Sarah’s garage.” Not the strangest thing I’ve ever had on the list.)

    You do realize, though, apropos of the discussion the other day, that you are going to be called the “Anti-Kondo” around here…

    1. Heck. My family would love to see (almost) anything on a list.

      Son’s default, last few years, has been chocolate (finally got the hint mom might not need that), and candles (sigh). I’m currently working on Christmas 2019 candles … But they are burning pretty fast. Might actually get into 2020 candles before Christmas 2021.

      Hubby’s option is to have me go cloths shopping … at this point I’ll bankrupt us if I use all the backlogged gifts. (I don’t go cloth shopping.)

          1. “The media could not be played.”

            Not really a surprise it was censored within minutes.

            That won’t save Macron, though. Do you have a clue how bad liquid shit stinks? It soaks in, too, so even after they clean it off the stench will linger.

            The only way they could have made it worse is by using liquid pig shit. Everybody would be compelled to abandon the house, along with all their neighbors within half a mile.

            I used to live on a farm. I know shit.

      2. Pretty sure it is. A quick search for articles about Macron and his security detail turned up one link to the supposed resignation… that quoted the same article you linked, and a story elsewhere talking about his security detail actually being beefed up in response to some possibly spying concerns.

    2. And I’m remembering most of the competition as worse. What is it with the French??!

      1. They established their idea of “good government” under Louis XIV who was an OCD control freak, and otherwise touched in the head. It’s been downhill from there.

  13. Good luck with the box thing. We’ll probably get one, pour encourager, etc., but we are now working on places to move. I wanted to live in a temperate rain forest, darn it.

    My governor just reinstated the mask mandate, making my protest against masking those who refuse to share personal info with the state moot. I actually had a bit of traction since folks remember the non-partisan stand against using libraries to spy on potential terrorists. Found two unexpectedly based USAians in the heart of progville.

    So… Any Nebraska or Dakotaans among the huns and hoydens who can reccy good state histories? My husband pointed out that picking ypur future home based on my friend Flicka is bogus.

    1. Having been hatched in North Dakota, I’m slightly biased… 😀
      https://www.history.nd.gov/

      My Friend Flicka was set in Wyoming, IIRC…

      East and west Dakotas are very different places, approximately delineated by the Missouri River. East is farming lowland and flat as a board. West is dry plains and badlands. ND is greener during the dry season. Bismarck still largely looks frozen in 1960, when last I lived there (my house and neighborhood are still almost exactly as they were then).

      So in a fit of nostalgia I go off to look at Bismarck streetview, picked two random spots, and TWICE GooMaps showed me Faith Lutheran Church. Ya know, for someone I don’t really believe in, Himself has a weird sense of humor.

        1. Wyoming, outside of upper corners, is mostly dry steppe with the most amazing wind. Not very romantic. OTOH Cody has a huge firearms museum that might be regarded as reflecting the tone of the entire state. 😀

      2. I loved the SoCal desert. And for the most part I liked Los Angeles. But circumstances didn’t like me. So here I am back home in the Northern Wastes, and turns out it was the right thing to do.

  14. Moving is hard … we did it last year and are still unpacking, finding places for things, getting rid of things we should not have moved. 100% agree on doing flooring before you move it. Would be a nightmare otherwise. Also, will plan on getting a box o books, even though we are still trying to downsize so we can fit into the new house.

    1. Too true; carport is still filled with a kit garage* and the last couple of loads of stuff from the albatross that is about to be jettisoned, Lord willing.

      *Turns out that kit garages do not self-assemble nor is concrete inexpensive; should have, could have, oh well.

  16. We all know that you are hardly busy. While riding that unicycle and juggling running chainsaws.
    One foot in front of the other foot, and you will get where you want to go. Just continue to move ahead.
    BTW I do enjoy your posts.
    Thank you and Best wishes.

  17. Bought a house reeking of cat urine. Soaked the floors with bleach. Nailed, screwed and glued particle board sub floor over all of it. No more smell.
    We did one room with cheraper Masonite. Bad idea; bubbled up later.

    1. yeah. We’re also doing that. THEN bamboo flooring over. (It’s cheap-ish right now).
      Look — this house doesn’t actually smell. TO US. But to the cats….

      2. And don’t forget that coating that’s specifically made to block the smell of cat urine. Probably best applied directly atop the affected layer, and a little way up the walls too.

        Real bamboo looks good and is durable stuff.

        Anything but effing Pergo…. and OMG the slippery when wet!!

      3. If you can put down one or two coats of shellac over the suspect surfaces, before the flooring itself, that should help seal the odor even from the cats. Shellac sealers are available that are quick drying and not terribly expensive.

  19. We have used Kennel Odor Eliminator to de stink floors before lating vapor barrier and laminate with good results.
    I hope your move goes as well as possible.
    John in Indy

  20. Also most of what’s there are about a million copies of the same tool, because ADD. Lose tool, don’t remember buying it, buy again.

    Oh, I feel this so much. Last time I organized I found I owned about three different sets of drywall-setting driver bits. And I have extra LED ceiling light fixtures because, dammit, I thought I remembered buying some but maybe I just planned to and besides I can’t find them anywhere; [buy more]; oh look, that’s where I stuck the originals…

    1. I keep finding packets of #2 Phillips screwdriver bits for the sheetrock gun and the general-purpose drill-driver. It looks like I have enough for a few lifetimes.

    2. Only three? Dear Lord. Son, in trying to figure out what all was staged in there filled a laundry basket with screw drivers. Nearly identical. In our defense, we both work crazy hours and home improvement projects are done on a week-long jag between months of not touching it. By that point we have no clue what we have or where it is.
      This is the reason we want to get as much as possible in the house done up front: the kitchen waiting till this house sells, because we expect it to cost 10 to 12k, which we can’t commit until we know how long we’ll pay double mortgage.
      BUT the other stuff. Up front. So we aren’t living in a construction zone for years, and feeling I should be three people.

      1. We each have a tool bucket. (OK, the front compartment of the fifth wheel is filled with tools). But our stuff has migrated from bucket to bucket so much it doesn’t matter any more.

  22. If at all possible, yes, get the “big” stuff done in the new house before moving in.

    Flooring, and absolutely painting! We’d planned to paint our new house before we moved in, got some of the spaces done, but getting the rest of the rooms has been a bit of a chore just because of the need to either move furniture to clear the walls, or having to work around things (which is why our laundry room is still unpainted.)

    Best wishes on your move, hopefully your current home sells quickly.

  23. “Also most of what’s there are about a million copies of the same tool, because ADD.”
    Sign them and sell them as “Tools from Dyce’s garage”.

  24. Another round of good luck from me and the kitties! The boxes sound interesting but I’m looking to cull a lot of stuff myself, hopefully for profit, regardless of what I end up doing so unfortunately I’m probably going to have to pass on one. Now, to actually try figuring things out on top of doing some overdue cleaning of my own today…

  25. A thought occurs: A box o’books would be a delightful thing to gift to the local public library. I’m already collecting a pile slowly culled from my bookshelves…

      1. Our county library system says they’ll sell, either in “The Bookie Joint” store in the main library or as rummage sale fodder at the branches. (Unless it’s a book they really want–I had some late Tom Clancys that got walled early on, and I think those went on the shelf in our branch. Poverty makes for creative acquisition.)

  26. I go. Zooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooom.

    :flashback:
    I’m on the supersonic boom
    Y’all hear the space ship zoom
    When when I step inside the room
    Them girls go ape ape, uh
    Y’all stuck on super Ate Ate
    That lo-fi stupid 8-bit
    I’m on that HD flat
    This beat go boom, boom, pow

    (yes, they did a very bad radio edit….but I heard the electronic guy yell zoooooom when I read that)

    1. I wonder who was the genius behind Black Eyed Peas, because subsequent solo stuff certain showed that Will I. Am … wasn’t it.

  28. Just checking: when you said “will post those Monday, probably”, you did mean here, right? And it hasn’t happened yet because things have been so hectic for you, but when it happens, it will be here, yes? It isn’t that there’s some other site specifically dedicated to this sort of thing where the listing *did* go up on Monday, and everyone else snapped up all the available boxes while I was waiting around here like an idiot? Because if that *is* the case, I’m going to go sulk for the rest of the day.

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