Ebay, Ebay, Ebay....

3 years ago I found the world of Ebay. Since then, I've been hooked.... Buying and selling on Ebay has been my biggest hobby. But it's tough. Ebay is so competitive and shipping is a killer. So many people out there lower the price of their product and raise the price of the shipping. Maybe this works. I, on the other hand, am not out to make money on my shipping. I just want to pass along a deal. Kind of like an online garage sale. I'm always looking for stuff for sale. I even sell other people items (after I have checked it out of course) and offer them a piece of the profit.
There is no rhyme or reason to the stuff I sell. It's all over the board but it's what I find. I haven't found a supplier or a trust worthy drop shipper. I have found over the last 3 years that most wholesalers really aren't that cheap and most drop shippers are not trust worthy. I want my Ebay rating to stay at a 100% positive feedback so I just can't take the chance that someone else is going to send my customer a quality working product. Everything I sell, I inspect before it ships, I package it, I list it, I send it - it's the only way I know of to be sure.
If you're new to the Ebay selling world and are looking for advice - I'd say - research, research, research... Make sure what you're buying is a deal, check out the prospective item with brand name stores. Look on Ebay to see what other people are selling it for - but be careful - there could be a lot of listings there, you need to look at the ones that are actually selling. Check on items with bids or items with a sales history and don't forget to check out what their shipping charges are.
Yep the Ebay world is a tough competitive market. I'm still living under the dream that one I will be able to quit my job, take my kids to school, watch schools plays, get time off in the summer and all the while - sell stuff of Ebay - at a fair price!! Happy bidding - and don't forget to check out my items for sale - lol

Brother Trucker

 Did I ever mention my brother is a trucker? Yep.... he is..

 

I actually have 2 brothers, both older and I love them both very, very much but today is about my brother the trucker.

 

My brother and I are very close. Even as children, he was always my best friend. We would play cars together, (no wonder I got into cars..lol) and when I fell and hurt myself, he was always there to help me feel better.

 

Now, as adults, we still have so much in common. He's a trucker, and I work for a truck shop.

 

Over the years he has taught me a lot about sharing the road with a big rig and it's important stuff that I think everyone should think about on the road. Things like, not driving too close to the back of a rig. This should be common sense but pay attention next time you're on the highway - it happens a lot. A trucker can't see you when you're on his bumper. Good rule of thumb is, if you can't see his mirrors, he can't see you.

 

Also, don't cut a truck off. A loaded rig takes much longer to stop than a car. It would be like cutting off a train, it's so dangerous and most of the time an accident on the road gets blamed on the truck driver. There's only so much a rig can do to avoid you.

 

And, I know, its a bit of a pain but sometimes it's important to let a truck in..... My brother told me a story once about being stuck in the snow in the city and every time he had enough momentum to get going, a car would cut in front of him. He said it took almost 2 hours just to turn a corner. So let's cut those truckers some slack... lol

 

Below, I've included a link to my "soon to be sister-in law's" You Tube page. She made a great video of my brother trucker that I want to share....

 

Oh yeah, one more thing, (sorry guys) but ladies.... if you're wearing a low cut top and have an open sunroof, truckers can see right down your top.. lol. Just saying..

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/samualanta

 

 



Gizmo the Shih Tzu

Gizmo the Shih Tzu

Have you ever googled - Gizmo the Shih Tzu? I wish I had before I named my Shih Tzu Gizmo.. lol. I had no idea that 80% of the Shih Tzu's out there are named Gizmo.

I got my dog when he was 8 weeks old. I was told Shih Tzu's are the best. They're hypo-allergenic, small, and require very little exercise which was good for me because I wanted a lap dog not one that had to go for a "run" everyday. Don't get me wrong, I have a fully fenced backyard for the dog to run around in and I take him out back everyday but I don't have to walk him everyday, which is nice. 

What I didn't know at the time I got my dog was how high maintenance they are. They require grooming, ear cleaning, nail clipping, bathing, face cleaning and have delicate stomachs. In reality, I won't get another Shih Tzu but I have had Gizmo now for 4 years and would never give him up. Now I do all the maintenance because I love him - but if I had known......

Shih Tzu's are funny. They are the cutest ugly dogs out there.. lol. My Gizmo is so docile it is unbelievable and more loyal than any dog I've ever had, so the are some good qualities to Shih Tzu's. If you're retired and want a companion to take care of, the Shih Tzu is for you. For me, I work full time, work part time selling products online, I sell for Herbalife, I blog, I make music montage with Magix Movie Edit Pro and most importantly, I have 2 young children. My life is full but I love my Gizmo. I think one day I will have enough silly pictures of Gizmo to create a entire montage of him... One day...

If I had advice for people looking at Shih Tzu's? Love them no matter what and they will return the affection 10 fold, keep their ears clean and their face short (or in a pony tail)

The Truckmom??

Boy oh boy - What have I done?

 

I've been in automotive since I was a teenager. It wasn't until about 3 years ago that I stumbled onto a job that was both automotive and trucks - Hino trucks. Most people probably think of a cab over when they hear the word Hino but they make many conventional trucks too. It was very overwhelming at the start but over time, I picked it up just like everything else..... Funny thing is I won parts dept. of the year - first prize? An all expenses paid trip to Japan!

 

Probably one of the coolest things I have ever won in my life and possibly could only be topped by the lottery. I went to the top of Mt. Fuji, rode the Bullet Train, went to Toyko Tower, Hakone Mountains, even went to a Toyko Giants Baseball game. It was awesome. The culture is like night and day for what I'm used to but I have a whole new respect for Japanese people. Japan is a beautiful country and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to go.

 

Anyway, getting off track here...

 

I think when you're good at what you and you treat people fairly and with respect, people remember you. As was the case with a shop that called me and offered me a job. He had heard about me through more than one person and after talking to him for an hour or so, he made me an offer.

 

Only one difference...

 

 

It's big rigs....

 

They do business with some smaller trucks but Western Star is a whole new world for me. I'm looking forward to this new venture in life and to expand my knowledge... Who knows how many more doors will open with this under my belt.

This company looks good. It's big and clean and it's an opportunity I just couldn't turn down. I hate to leave my job, I'm a bit of an expert and I'm passing on another opportunity to go back to Japan and re-visit the people I met there...... I just had to....

 

Stayed tuned - Updates to come



Quitting Smoking???

So, I know I have to quit smoking... Don't we all already know that?? I hate hearing over and over again. It's the same thing, "Don't you want to see you kids grow up? Do you know what your doing to your body?"

No, I don't - Why don't you tell me about it and then I'll simply throw my cigarettes away..  Ahhhh, if only it were that easy..

I feel trapped by smoking, almost like I have some sort of handicap if I quit. I've tried almost every method out there and here are the results:

1. Cold Turkey - I quit for 30 days cold turkey, no smokes. It was hell. I almost felt like my head would explode. Then I sold my house, went to work the following day and was laid off.... Give me a smoke!!!!
2. The Patch - The patch was OK. It did take the edge off but I found it very difficult to curb the "hand to mouth" addiction... Failed again.
3. Zyban - I quit for approx. 36 days with Zyban. Worked great but man oh man did it give me some freaky dreams. I'd spend the whole day at work thinking about the alligator under my bed that tried to eat me last night.. I stopped taking the Zyban thinking I was strong enough to keep it together... Failed.
4. Celebrex - I was told Celebrex will stop the nicotine from attaching to the brain and hence stop the "happy" feeling you get from smoking. It did, in fact, do that. I felt like I had stuck my head in a camp fire and breathed deeply. Smoking sucked. Unfortunately, it made me sick and dizzy. I couldn't perform my job anymore...So... Failed.
5. Hypnosis - Very expensive form of quitting smoking and they guaranteed I'd be a non-smoker. Never happened... I did what they said but maybe I wasn't being hypnotized.. I don't know but I still smoked.
6. Nicorette Inhaler - This was my most recent attempt. I liked it. It tasted very similar to a cigarette and you are able to still "pretend" your smoking. I was a little concerned that the inhaler itself may be addictive but in the end, it still wasn't a cigarette and I failed. This one, I think, was partially my fault. I don't think I tried very hard.

Anyway, my quest continues... I would really like to be a non-smoker but I do not have the will power to conquer it. It's a defeating feeling that I'm sure I share with millions of people around the world.

Don't get me wrong, I know plenty of people who have successfully quit using the above methods. They just didn't work for me. I admire all those who have quit smoking and joined the "non-smoking" club. I'd like to be a member and one day I will be. I will continue to try...... But to all those ex-smokers out there who found it easy to quit and think it's all in your head, throw those cigarettes away, it's that easy..... Please try to take it easy on us cancer seekers.

Next step.... Laser treatment.

The Automotive Experience pt2

Being a woman working in automotive makes me a target..... for jokes, pranks and all around male fun....

Sometimes.... I was included in jokes on other people but mostly... the joke was on me.

Quite often I was the victim of the ultimate fart.. Yep, one of the guys on many occasions would come in my office, let one rip, leave and shut the door - and hold it shut of course.. Or they would find a reason to call me out to the shop just so one of them could jump out of a box and scare the life out of me.

One time they put a tire sticker on the top of my head which of course stuck like glue and then switched my tea with coffee.. Very funny guys..

When I was selling my car, I took pictures and created a listing on the auto trader. Moments later I received a call on my cell phone from someone who was interested in buying - said he'd be there in 5min to take a look at it. I went into the shop and told the guys how I already got a call on the car. One tech makes a bet with me that the guy wouldn't show up. I fell for it hook, line and sinker.... They had called me from the shop for a laugh and a free coffee..

They put a dead mouse on my desk and even set off fire crackers in my office.... Oh and let's not forget the hose incident? When I got soaked on my way to talk to a customer?

But I have done it to myself.

• It was really busy, the shop was full, the office was full and the phone was ringing off the hook. So, I answered the line and the customer asked to speak to "Luke". I put them on hold, picked up the next line and said "Thank you for calling Luke." Now, I'm quietly laughing to myself when I pick up the loud speaker mic with the intention of paging "Luke, line one" and in stead I said "Hello?" Figures the place was packed when I did that.
• I went in the shop one day asked very loudly if we had time to cut the nuts off this guys pipe?
• I told a customer once we would do a brake insextion on his car. He didn't hear me say it and was a little irritated when I wouldn't tell him what was so funny.
• Then there was the time I told another shop which dropped a car off that they could pick it up in the nude (instead of noon)
• Once, I called myself..... I worked between three shops in the same franchise so I sometimes got numbers mixed up. I was trying to call another shop but instead called the one I was at, so of course the other rings. I hit the other line so I could quickly say "please hold" and go back to the other call except when I did, whoever had called had already put me on hold.... Then it clicked...

You have to be thick skinned to work in a shop - especially if you're a woman... But I like working with men. They're not as sensitive as women, they can take a joke and they never stay mad at you. But it's not easy...Men tend to yell louder when they're mad and have a tendonsy to be obnoxious and rude. My advice is to take it with a grain a salt and above all else remember.... There's no crying in automotive. If you can't hack, get back in the kitchen.. lol...

Till next time...

The 13 Second Volvo...

My boyfriend is a Volvo man - He works at Volvo and owns Volvo's. It's his car that can do the quarter mile in just over 13 seconds.....

Yeah I know what your thinking..... How and Why would someone want to make a 13 second Volvo???

It's the reaction we get all the time. We own a 1998 Volvo S70 2.3L 5 cylinder engine. It's a 4 door sedan and doesn't look fast - at all!! So, there is a little enjoyment from that... To see the look on people's faces as you go screaming past them! lol. But in all seriousness lets look a little closer at the "how" and "why"

First - The Why???

Volvo has been making cars since 1927 and have owned their own accident research team since 1970. They invented the first 3-point safety belt system in 1959 and were the first to produce the side impact protection system (sips). They are the leaders in safety with a 5 star crash rating for front and side impacts. They're stylish and fresh.

I should also add that in spite of all this, they are expensive to buy and maintain but worth every penny. You'll ride in style and comfort with all the latest technology available.

On that note.... The How???

Here's the list..... The list of some of the modifications made on our Volvo.

• 18T Mitsubishi High Pressure Turbo (16-22Psi Boost)
• 3" Stainless Eurosport Tuning Exhaust from the Turbo back
• Silicone Vacuum Lines
• Forge Manual Boost Controller
• AEM Progressive Lowering Springs
• HID Conversion
• Rica Tuned
• P205/50R16 Maragoni Verso Tires

Of course, there were a few extras and a few things on our to do list but it gives you an idea of what we did.

Visit my U Tube channel - The Just West - To see a 13.82 run with the Volvo or click the Link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZQP6NvCGLQ