As those of you who have been around for a while know, I have been trading stuff for a while. Starting with the old skateboard here are the list of my trades.
1) I traded .50 cents for an old veriflex skateboard.
2) I traded the skateboard for a piece of Folk Art by R.A. Miller. The guy I traded with actually sent the R.A Miller and another piece of art I had admired by Willie Jinks called “Been long time sent take shit” I kept the Willie Jinks. (both artists are highly sought after folk artists)
3) I traded the R.A. Miller for over 70 rubies. (I also made an identical copy out of tin before sending the R.A. Miller off)
4) I traded fifty rubies for a sailboat.
5) I traded the sailboat back for 47 rubies and a sword when the guy realized he wanted the boat back but had ‘lost’ three of the rubies.
6) I gave one ruby to the little girl who lives next door so she would have something precious to put in her jewel box. It was probably the prettiest ruby of the bunch.
7) I traded four rubies to my friend the jeweler in return for him making silver jewelry with 12 rubies. So far he has given me two pieces. He is making the rest.
8) I gave Mink Hippie one of the pieces of jewelry for Valentines day.
9) I traded the other piece of jewelry for a moving company to provide a big truck and some labor when we moved.
10) I traded two rubies for a two hour session with a georgia psychic
11) I traded two rubies for something else that is pending but pretty cool
Not bad for .50 cents, right? So currently, as a result of this 50 cents, I have, a very happy girlfriend with a custom piece of jewelry. All of our stuff moved (truck rental and labor). The Willie Jinks painting and the R.A. Miller copy. A ninja sword and the offer to go sailing on the boat that was mine for a while any time I want. 40+ rubies. 10 rubies to be set in jewelry soon. A two hour session with a Georgia Psychic. Good Karma for making a little girl happy. And something else that I will reveal soon. So what is the problem with trading?
The problem is that I don’t really know what I want out of all this. Frankly, I guess I would rather just have the rubies than a piece of polluted land in the middle of hell or a tenement filed with rats in Detroit. The truth is, when I realized what an expensive proposition it was to have a sailboat, I was just as willing to trade back as the sailboat guy, the difference was that having made a deal, I would never ask to trade back. I admit it though, I was happy to take the rubies back even with a few of them missing.
The problem is that I need to figure out what I want at the end of all this. I will try to make a wishlist here:
1) A house or land in Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Madagascar, Europe, Turkey, Indonesia, the Philippines, or Mexico
2) An airplane and flying lessons
3) A round the world trip
4) A beautiful 1934 Convertible Packard Coupe
5) A lifetime supply of wine, coffee, or something else essential to my life
6) A funky little business
The problem is that I don’t really want to be saddled with a bunch of ‘stuff’. That’s why I am so attached to the rubies, they are small, pretty, fun, and valuable. So, if you have something that you think might help me to achieve the above dreams, make me an offer. Currently available are:
1) rubies (around 40)
2) psychic session
3) sword
and soon…..
4) something else
email me with any offer chris@fukn.us
It may be that there’s no problem–maybe being overly goal oriented would preclude some of the journeys you were meant to take on the trading route. For instance, you’re a great authority on housing or being houseless–do you really want a house, or what it represents?
I sympathize with you’re wanting to be a pilot. That’s what I wanted to be growing up, but my parents had other ideas. Now I think they wish they’d let me get my glider’s license at 14, when I was begging to soar. But later, I had a roommate who took lessons in Oregon, and I flew with him. It’s very expensive, and even though he makes a ton of dough now he doesn’t fly. It’s more hassle even than a boat–apparently.
My personal goal is self sufficiency–starting with solar airconditioning if I can get it. I think self-sufficiency puts you in the greatest position to do the most good in the world, if for no other reason you don’t need others fouling up their good intentions on your behalf.
I have to admit, a spit of land is a good basis for achieving it. Gotta have someplace to put the chickens…