CRAIGSLIST -- IT'S POWERFUL STUFF

THIS IS A POWERFUL CLEANSING AGENT 

Don't kid yourself.  You put a small dose of this stuff into cyber space and in one hour your inner space will be as clean as a whistle.  It is just absolutely amazing.  We have been running to our computers and pounding out short notices about some of the clutter that we have been collecting around the house in San Diego.  One day, it took about one hour to clear the property of six twin size mattresses.  Start your announcement with the word, "FREE" and you can give up any hope that your telephone will be still for more than about 5 minutes in any give first hour.  One of my friends has a bunch of clutter that he and his spouse want to spin off into other far reaches of the planet.  So, instead of nailing cardboard notices on light posts, they hit the airwaves on Craigslist.org.  The stream of lookie-loos is endless and at the end of the day, they have $25.00 in their pocket after having converted a few of the sniffers into buyers.  Yesterday, [July 24, 2011] is the one that really got me going.  I had been working on and off at getting an antique collection of phonograph cylinders inventoried.  Along the way I had Googled a lot to see what it was that I had been trundling behind me for 50+ years.  What I found out was that the "treasure" that I had envisioned had shrunk to not much more than a day for two at Disneyland.  By that I mean, that what used to cost $0.35 in 1900 is now worth, on average, between $3.00 - $8.00.  So, at $3.00 the return on the "treasure" figures out to be about 8% per year.  Pretty poor,considering that the McDonald's stock that we bought 5 years ago has appreciated at an annual rate of about 12%, not counting dividends.  Therefore, boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, collecting stuff for the gain is useless.  So, guess what?  Yup, Craigslist, is what.  Why Craigslist?  Simply because it is there.  I followed the advice of at least two professionals to see what  the easiest way to get the best prices would be.  Sheesh!  It was like going back to university with the dissertations that they gave me.  But, I did try.  Ya know what?  NOT ONE SINGLE ANSWER FROM ANYONE of the gurus and high-tone collectors that they named, that's what.  So, I come home from Mass on Sunday morning at about 10:30.  I swig my coffee, chomp my fritter, swallow my Lisinopril, slink over to my magic box, call up Craigslist.org, ads...slide the mouse over to "Collectibles" and write the following:
<Collection of 198 black wax Edison phonograph cylinders; 12 blue amerol cylinders, 15> <"Indestructible cylinders" machine and horn.   $600.00   Linda Vista>
<Price is firm. Cash or cashier's check. Local sales only. Inventory upon request. Email or fax.> 
<No partial sales. (925) 784-0079> 
Enter.  Check the time, 11:06
Get a cup of coffee (Yeah,another one).  Go help a lady with a heavy package outside.  Brother-in-law says, "Your telephone rang."  In I go.  Check it out.  11:18 and a guy is looking for my stuff.  He asks a bunch of questions about which I have no idea.  I tell him to give me 30 minutes and I'll get back to him.  He says, "OK."  I know that he's interested.  He wants pictures.  The Voice from the Kitchen is a half world away in Georgia with the camera.  Kodak moments, goin....hey! just a minute here.  I got a 'phone.  [Notice the time warp here, folks.  I'm selling 110 year old stuff and taking pictures with a telephone, for goodness sakes!]  Anyway, I take the pictures, put them on the Internet for my buddy [He's not a "friend" yet, this is NOT Facebook, ya know!].  I call him up.  No answer.  I email him, of course with the pictures.  No answer.  Now I'm wondering if I have one of these Craigslist deviates on my hands.  It's already getting to be nearly 1:00 PM.  Oh well, relax.  There are a lot of stones on this shore. 
2:00 No contact.  No other bites.  
2:30 I have to go to the airport to pick up you know who arriving from Georgia.  I call the guy and say, I'm out of pocket for the next couple hours.  Hope to hear from you.
3:00 Nothing.  Phone rings.  Dr. Isabel M. Dion.  Should I tell her I'm selling the cylinders?  Naw.  There's no action yet anyway.  She tells me that she is at the baggage claim.  That's cool, I'm around.
4:30 We get home.  My phone is dumb as a giraffe.
5:30 KKKrrriiinggggg!!!   BbbbzzzzBssss, I have bells and vibes.  "Hi, do you mind of I come to see your collection."  
"Sure, come on down. "
"Good.  Give me 30 minutes."  He's coming from 18 miles away.
Where did I hear that before.?
He comes.  He looks. I conquer.   $600.00 slick as snot.  It is now 6:30 PM  He goes home.  I go and take the ad down from Craigslist.  110 years ago, it was easier to play music on a phonograph than it was to talk to someone over a telephone.  
The next time you have a moment to yourself with not too much to do, think about how many more things you can do in 6 hours than your grandfather could 110 years ago.  You'll be amazed.  
By the way, we are not finished with Craigslist.  We have so much stuff to throw to the winds, that Craigslist is going to be our "Perfect Storm."
For those of you who may be wondering what I have presented here, I offer this picture.

THIS IS A PHONOGRAPH CYLINDER -- BLACK WAX -- # 9459 ABOUT 1905

If you're interested, Google Phonograph Cylinder Player in the "images" section.