A-Z - My list of things to be thankful for in 2010

Today is the beginning of a new blogpost on our blog that is being written to be an inspiration, so please take it in that context. This blogpost will feature a post daily for the last 26 days of 2010, and will list something that I am thankful for in 2010 alphabetically (beginning with “A” and following thru to Dec 31st and the letter “Z”). Last week a former instructor of mine passed away, and in an article that he had written he challenged us to remember to live, so with this continuing blogpost, I am going to do just that - think of all the good things in life and all the things I have to be thankful for in 2010.
With that said, and beginning with the letter “A” for me this is a no-brainer. The first thing I am thankful for in life is my grandson, whose name just happens to begin with the letter “A” and who is also very awesome. Last week, he shot his first deer. He has gone deer hunting for the last two years, and now he can add this to his list of accomplishments. Added to his accomplishments that I have had the privilege of witnessing in 2010 are hitting an out of the park homerun in baseball; several baskets including a 3 point shot in basketball; and several touchdowns in football. My grandson has given me so many joyous moments that I can’t even count them, but about every great memory within the last 11 years has included him. So as I look back on my journey thru 2010, I am thankful for my awesome grandson (whose name also begins with "A").

Today is the 2nd day of our 26 days of 2010 blogpost, which leads us to the letter “B”. For today’s post, I am thankful for blogging. Although blogging began in the 1990's, I didn’t start my blog until a couple of years ago. If it wasn’t for the changes in technology (blogging, tweeting, texting, etc), blog posts like this one would not be possible. I am thankful that I have been able to blog in 2010 and am looking forward to the next new technological communication breakthrough.

Today is the 3rd day of our 26 days of 2010 post, and today’s letter is “C”. For today’s post, I have chosen to blog about changes. Changes make life interesting. Changes can be good or bad depending on how we view them. Changes can also be of our own making, or from things that we cannot control. Changes can help us find our way in life or get in the way of life. Regardless of how they are viewed, changes are an important part of life that (for the most part) I am thankful for.

Today is the 4th day of our blog post, and the letter of the alphabet is “D”. Today’s post is going to be about dreams. Dreams add spice to our life. Dreams can be the beginning of a goal, and can also help us to reach our goals. Dreams can also be a way to remember someone. Years ago, a famous speech began with “I have a dream”. Today most people still have some type of a dream. This is the end of the 4th post, except to wish you “pleasant dreams”.

Today is the 5th day of our 26 days of 2010 post and today’s letter of the alphabet is “E”. One of my favorite things in 2010 would have to be “entertainment”. I have enjoyed participating in many forms of entertainment including watching & participating in my grandson’s sports and academic activities, going to live shows & movies, shopping, dining out, watching tv, hosting and attending parties. All of these and many more forms of entertainment have made 2010 a much more enjoyable year.

Today is the 6th day of our blog post and today’s letter of the alphabet is “F”. When thinking about the letter “F”, I have double things to be thankful for 2010 - family and friends. Relationships with family and friends are one of the things I am most thankful for in 2010, and these relationships are a very important part of life.

Today is the 7th day of our 26 days of 2010 post and today’s letter is “G”. For today’s post, I have chosen to blog about goals. Goals help me to accomplish many things. I have set goals that can be reached easily, and others that take much longer time (months or years). One of the good things about goals are they can be changed as the need arises. This blog post is one of the goals that I have set to help me end the year on a pleasant note by acknowledging all the things I have to be thankful for.

Today, December 13, is the 8th day of our 2010 thankful blog post and today’s letter is “H”. For today’s post, one of the things that I think I am most thankful in 2010 is “heat”. Our weather during the summer and spring months included extremely high temperatures, even setting new records. This week has been extremely cold (wind chill factors today were below 0) so I am thankful for the heat that we had in the summer. Right now my house is pretty warm because we have a wood stove, but I am anxiously waiting for summer and spring to return.

Today is the 9th day of our 2010 thankful blog post and today’s letter is “I”. For the letter “I”, I have chosen to blog about independence. I am thankful that I live in a country that is independent, and that I can live a life that is independent. I am free to make my own choices and to live with the consequences of those choices. One of the greatest things about our country is the fact that we have our freedom and independence.

Today, December 15, is the 10th day of our 2010 thankful blogpost and today’s letter is “J”. For today, my blogpost is about jogging. Jogging is a great way to reduce stress, and is also a way to stay healthy. Jogging can also allows you enjoy nature and to be outside.

Today is the 11th day of our 2010 thankful blogpost and today’s letter is “K”. For today, I have chosen to blog about kindness. Kindness is a great thing to pass along to others. Kindness means being considerate to others. If more people in the world practiced kindness, the world would be a better place. Several years I followed a blog that practiced kindness Tuesdays where everyone was encouraged to do a kindness to someone without the person knowing. That is a practice that I need to continue daily.

Today is the 12th day of our 2010 thankful blogpost and today’s letter is “L”. For today, I have chosen to blog about life. Life is all around us. Life is our existence and all of the activities in it. Sometimes life is great, other times too short, and still other times, things happen that make us question the meaning of life. . Life is what you make of it, so roll with the punches, keep a positive outlook and enjoy life.

Today is the 13th day of our 2010 thankful blogpost and I are blogging about the letter “M”. For this blogpost, I am writing about miracles. This is the season for miracles. Many people are in giving moods and spirits, and they make miracles happen for others. Miracles can happen anytime, so we must believe in what we want to happen.

Today is the 14th day of our 2010 thankful blogpost and we are blogging about the letter “N”. For this post, I am writing about nights. Nights are one of my favorite parts of a day. When night falls, it is time to relax, and reflect on what has happened during the day. Night also signals a time for me to rest, forget about the current day and to prepare for the next day. Have a good night:)

Today is the 15th day of our 2010 thankful blogpost and today’s letter is “O”. Optimism is the word I have chosen to blog about and to be thankful for today. Looking at circumstances optimistically and believing something good will come out of everything that happens makes life enjoyable and makes the future much brighter.

Today is the 16th day of our 2010 thankful blogpost and with the letter "P", I am thankful for living in the present. Living in the present is existing here and now. Living in the present is also a gift so I guess at this time of year, it may also be considered that each present day is a gift to be used and lived as we desire.

Today is the 17th day of our 2010 blogpost and today’s letter is “Q”. For today, I have chosen to write about “quiet”. Sometimes, it is nice to just sit around and listen to nothing, to just enjoy the quiet around you. I am thankful for the chance to have the stillness and peacefulness of a few minutes of peace and quietness.

Today is the 18th day of our 2010 blogpost and today’s letter is "R". For today, I have chosen to write about rest and relaxation. At this time of year, it is good to take a few minutes out for rest and relaxation to be able to rejuvenate yourself. Changes in the weather, holiday celebrations and the end of the year is fast approaching, so a few minutes of rest and relaxation are something that I am thankful especially at this time of year.

Today is the 19th day of our Thankful blogpost and today’s letter is "S". For today, I am thankful for surprises. Surprises can happen anywhere and at anytime. For 2010, I am thankful for the all the great surprises I have encountered and also for the experiences and lessons that I have learned from the not so great surprises. Hope your surprises continue to be great!

Today is the 20th day of our Thankful blogpost and today’s letter is "T". For today, I am thankful for "today". Today is the first day of the rest of my life, so what better thing to be thankful for. I can begin each day thankful for what I have and for a new beginning or continuation of the rest of my life.

Today is the 21st day of our Thankful blogpost, and today’s letter is "U". For today, I am thankful for understanding. I am thankful when other people show me understanding and hope that I continue to show understanding to others. Understanding can help when dealing with many situations because there are several different ways of looking at all situations.

Today is the 22nd day of our Thankful blogpost and today’s letter is "V". For today, I am thankful for veterans. I am very thankful for our military veterans, but am also thankful for veterans of all types because they have knowledge and history that helps to shape our world. Without the knowledge and history of veterans, it would be hard to accomplish a lot of things.

Today is the 23rd day of our Thankful blogpost and today’s letter is "W". For today, I am thankful for warmth. With the changes in the weather over the last few weeks (and the fact that I have had a terrible cold with fever and chills), I am thankful for finally being able to feel warmth and to be able to stay warm. Even with the snow and cold temperatures, it is great to be able to sit in front of a warm fire, wrapped warmly in a blanket sipping a warm drink. So for today, I am very thankful for warmth.

Today is the 24th day of our Thankful blogpost and today’s letter is "X". For today, I am thankful for the symbol/letter "x". The letter x is one of the least commonly used letters, but the symbol "x" is used quite frequently. "X" is sometimes used as a marker (place to designate a signature, X marks the spot, etc). "X" can also be used in place of a signature for someone who can’t sign their name. "X" combined with "O" can be a way to end a letter XOXO. X’s and O’s are used to play tic-tac-toe. So for today, I am thankful for the letter "X" and it’s different uses as a symbol.

Today is the 25th day of our blogpost and today’s letter is "Y". For today, I am thankful for this "year". This year has brought many highlights and challenges. As the year comes to an end, I am thankful that I have survived this year, and am looking forward to beginning a new year filled with many new highlights and challenges.

Today is the 26th day of our blogpost, and for the letter "Z", I am posting about "Zero". There are zero days left in this year, zero letters left in this blogpost. Another good thing about the number zero is that with zeros tomorrows date will be 01/01/11. Have a safe and happy New Year. Happy 1/1/11.

Black Friday Sale - check out these deals

Hello everyone. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving. We are offering a discount on merchandise today - so check out our items available for auction. The sale is 10% off purchase price (item price only, shipping not included). To receive this discount, please enter code BLACKFRIDAY10 when you purchase your item and we will send a corrected invoice. If you are purchasing an item that does not end for a few days, the discount still applies when the auction ends, as long as you have made a bid today November 26th, 2010. Here is a link:

ebay ID deb6999 formerly Debonaire Flea Market

Stay safe and warm shopping from home. Have a great day!!!

What a way to end the year!! Being Thankful.

Looking back thru my blogposts, one of my firsts posts was one that was probably my most interesting. The post I am talking about is from 2008, and it was titled “Today I am Thankful For”. Each day from November 18 thru the end of 2008, I posted something that I was thankful for. The postings were a great way to start the day and it was a great way to remember how many things I had to be grateful for. When I didn’t post at the beginning of the day, I had the entire day to think about things that I was grateful for. To me, it was a very inspiring way to end my year. Hmmm, maybe I will end this year with a similar blogpost.

Breast Cancer Awareness Auction to benefit Susan G Komen Fund

October is Breast Cancer awareness month. To show our support for breast cancer awareness, we have listed an auction thru Ebay with all of the proceeds going to the Susan G Komen fund. The item we have listed is a small white bear dressed in pink. This auction also features a small wicker chair also decorated in pink. The bear can be removed from the chair or can set in it. Here is the link to this Bear Breast Cancer Awareness Auction

Halloween - then and now

Halloween is just around the corner, and little munchkins will be out begging for candy. They don’t have the chance to experience the freedoms that Halloween used to be associated with. Now Halloween is usually centered around a town square, or similar area where businesses distribute treats to the ghosts and goblins. Door-to-door trick or treating is almost unheard of - many people don’t even know their neighbors. When we were young, this was like a rite of passage for children. It was safe to go trick or treating door-to-door thru your neighborhood (or town for that matter) and you knew everyone. Treats included many homemade items like popcorn balls, baked cookies, and cupcakes. Children in the 21st century don’t have the freedoms we had, but will still have their memories of celebrating Halloween in their own special way. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Hosting a Foreign Exchange Student can be a rewarding experience

Have you ever wanted to know what another country was like? Ever wanted to know the different customs and ways other countries celebrate, and how their day to day activities vary from yours? In the 1990's we hosted several different foreign exchange students through a group called Youth For Understanding (YFU). The students we hosted were from Germany, Denmark, and Brazil. Each student left a lasting mark on our lives. We were very fortunate to have the opportunity to have these students in our home for 10 months each, and to learn about their cultures and for them to learn about ours. There were trying times (there always are when someone new comes for an extended stay), but we must say, the good times and memories outweigh the bad times. We have been fortunate enough for some of the students to have come back to visit. They have brought their spouses and we have had a great time visiting with them. The last visit was actually only a couple of months ago. We also stay in touch thru email. It is interesting to see them with their families and to see the wonderful adults they have become. It is also great because our daughter was an only child. She now feels like she has brothers and sisters. Her children have learned a lot about the different cultures, and countries thru their visits. They have also learned a few new words in different languages . If you ever have a chance to host a student from another country, it can be a very rewarding experience.

October Virtual Online Learning Blogging Challenge

Guess what? A whole month has passed since the last Virtual Online Learning Blogging Challenge, so here we are again. This challenge is for members of VOL to post five different blogposts in one day. It is a great way to keep your blog active. I have only been a member of VOL for a little over a month, but have learned a lot in the short time. VOL offers many different training sessions and challenges and you only participate in the ones you want too. There are many helpful people in the group, and there is also a message board if you have problems or need help. A few days ago, there was a training session on "Tweeking your blog". Although I did attend the session, I haven’t had a chance to implement all of the ideas I came away with. If you would like more info on VOL or interested in joining, check out the website. Virtual Online Learning

Check out our newly listed Ebay items - over 70 items in auction format

Hello everyone. Had a busy couple of days listing on ebay. Check out the items that are currently listed. For the first time in a long time, we have over 70 items listed at once. All are auctions, and some are ending within a couple of days, so scroll over and take a look. All items will be ending by next Thursday, October 7, 2010. We currently have some handcrafted, some new, some nearly new, and some vintage items listed so come on over and check them out. We still have groups of baseball collector cards listed - the season is almost over. Many of the listed items would make wonderful gifts so you can get a start on the holiday rush. Ready, set, go - use the following link and view the items we have for sale: ebay ID deb6999 formerly Debonaire Flea Market
Have a great day!

Welcome to new Etsy shop/final Virtual Online Learning blogging challenge post

Welcome to our new shop in our new location : Debonaire Flea Market. We are committed to providing our customers with a unique shopping experience. Grab a cup of coffee or tea, get comfortable, and enjoy scrolling through our shop.
Stop in anytime twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and browse through our inventory. Stop in frequently to see the unique one of a kind handcrafted, and hard to find vintage items that we carry. For the next few weeks, we will be adding new merchandise daily, after that time, we will continue to add items several times a week. All items are in our shop and ready for immediate delivery (most are shipped within 2 business days of receiving cleared payment). Many handcrafted items in the store can be personalized, so if you see an item you would like personalized, please contact us for more information.
This is the 5th and final blog post for today from the VOL blogging challenge. It has been a very interesting blogging day. Hope you have enjoyed the posts. Have a great evening!!!!!

Communication technology - Where will we be in the next 30 years???

Years ago, telephones and handwritten letters were the best way to keep in touch with friends and family. Some households were connected by a “party line”. A “party line” was when more than one household was connected on the same phone line (and other people on your line could listen to your conversations). With newer updated technology, it became possible for phone lines to be run to each household individually, and party lines became a thing of the past. Not too long ago, most households had one phone line, and today, most individuals have their own phone lines. Years ago, receiving a phone call or a written letter thru the mail was a great way to stay in touch with other people you didn’t see daily. Today, most people are in daily contact with others thru the use of cell phones, IM, email and other technologically advanced communication methods. Today, computers are used everywhere - schools, stores, hospital, banks, most private and public places and information is passed along at an unbelievably fast rate. This is my 4th blog post in the VOL blogging challenge. Years ago, blogging wasn’t heard of and the only way a story could have been distributed was thru a paper or news article, and today, we can reach millions of readers with just the click of a button. If communication technology continues like this, where will we be in the next 30 years?

E-Bay vs Etsy - any comments for casual sellers?

eBay vs Etsy - What are your thoughts for casual sellers?
We have been a member of eBay since 2005, and have also had a store. With the changes that eBay has implemented, we found that it was not feasible to keep the store open, so we closed it. We are still listing some items thru auctions, but haven’t been very successful. Thru this post, we are hoping to get a few new ideas about selling on these two venues. We have just signed up for a store on Etsy, and will be listing handcrafted and vintage items. Here are a few comparisons that we have already found regarding these two sites:

eBay
we have listed over 250 items in the last 90 days, and only sold 10
can list most items
100 auctions starting @ 99 cents or less free per month (if you don’t have a store)
auction listing length time - max 10 days
great groups to join & wonderful Bump sites
eBay has been running several auction listing promotions

Etsy
haven't had a chance to record listing/sales records yet
can only list handcrafted or vintage items or craft supplies
listing fees are 20 cents per item
listing length time - 4 months (or until sold or cancelled)
unsure about groups, but most members we have met seem to be very helpful


Anyone with any suggestions or comments, please feel free to post them. We are sure other people have experiences with these two selling venues, and we are trying to get a real perspective of both. Also, this is our 3rd post in a blogging challenge that we are participating in thru Virtual Online Learning. Interested in learning more about VOL, see the previous post

Virtual Online Learning

Virtual Online Learning (VOL)
I just joined a great group led by the one and only, Danna Crawford. I have been thinking about joining Virtual Online Learning (VOL) for over a year, but for one reason or another had not done it until last weekend. VOL is a virtual meetup online class that includes on all sorts of online topics such as Twitter, eBay, enhancing online presence, blogging, and ways to make money online. This group helps you to learn and understand many aspects of the internet world while motivating and challenging you
So far, within a few short days, I have already attended a very informative meetup session, and am now in the process of participating in a blogging challenge. There is also a listing challenge that I hope to participate in. According to the VOL calendar, there are many more training (informative) sessions already scheduled. From what I have seen, input from the members of the group also seems to be very helpful. There are also a lot of ideas posted to help get you get and keep motivated. I have not had time yet to check out all the information available to members of the group, but what I have already seen has been very impressive. If you haven’t checked out this group, below is a link to the site. If you have been thinking about joining, but for some reason or another haven’t, now is just as good a time as any to join.
Virtual Online Learning

Is this a sign or what???

Is this a sign????
For the past couple of months, we have been pondering about what to do with a lot of the inventory that we have had left over from days of collecting vintage items, and from our hobby, creating one of a kind handmade gifts. We had opened a store on eBay, but decided to close it due to an increase in fees. Lately, we have been listing items through auctions. Then last week, we decided to try our hand at opening a store at Etsy, a site we had heard a great deal about. We are in the process of opening our store, but do not have much inventory listed YET. During the process of trying to decide which way to go and what the best outlet(s) would be for reducing our inventory, we also received an invitation to join a group called Virtual Online Learning. This invitation came the same day we had decided to open a store thru Etsy. We decided to join Virtual Online Learning, and it was remarkable. One of the big obstacles that we were running into was trying to decide what to do with our blog and twitter sites, because we had not used them for a few months, and were not sure how to get them active and running again. Well, VOL has became our solution. This is the first of a set of blog posts that we will be posting today in an effort to participate in a blogging challenge. Now, is this a sign or what???
If you are interested in checking out our Etsy site, here is a link Debonaire Flea Market. Here is a link to our seller page on eBay ebay ID deb6999 formerly Debonaire Flea Market
Check back often because we will be adding more to our store and our auctions change weekly.
Have a great day - hope you enjoy today’s posts

New store opening - Etsy

Hello again everyone. Just a short update to let you know we are now in the process of opening a store at Etsy. In a few days, we will be posting about some of the new things we have going on. Stay tuned for more information:)

Store closed - now listing items and baseball collector cards in auction format with 99 cent starting price

Hello everyone. The first bit of news is we're still alive and kicking, and we're back. The second bit of news is that we are no longer running a store thru e-bay. Still trying to figure out if the news about the store is good or bad. Anyway, to bring everyone up to date: When the new fee schedules went into effect, we figured it wouldn't be profitable to keep a store going, so we have closed it down. On the flip side, we will be listing many items in auction format with the beginning price of 99 cents and no reserve. Currently, we have listed several items (including some baseball card lots from 1990 sorted by team). Some of the team lots included are the San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Philles, Oakland A's (Athletics), St Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and many more. These are not full team sets, but lots with different individual players per team. Check out these auctions at our new location e-bay ID deb6999 formerly Debonaire Flea Market. We will be listing new auctions frequently, so check back often. Most of the baseball cards that are listed today have an ending date within the next three to six days.