Value Village

March Madness!

Time: 2 days
Number of Value Villages hit: 15
Number of Salvation Army Stores hit: 3
Other: Talize (1) - coming soon to PTBO!, Buy n Sells (2)
Money spent: too much!

Findings:

Priciest VV: Thornhill
Cheapest VV: Rexdale
Crappiest Toy Selection: tie between Queen St E and Danforth/Woodbine
No parking in front of the Games store at Keele and Bloor between 4 and 6 pm (if you do the police will make their presence known and strangers will honk and you and wag their finger to admonish you)
There are awesome bakeries all over Toronto EXCEPT where we live!


It's Spring Break, and we did not go to Florida this year like we usually do.  So we decided to do something a bit different... visit every single Value Village thrift store in Toronto and Mississaga... 15 in all.

It took two days, and a full tank of gas, but we did it!  After about the sixth one, they all started looking the same, however the excitement at what we might find kept us pumped up.  Who knows... maybe we would find inexpensive Sega Genesis games?

Richmond Hill location

Lawrence & Markham Rd. location

Vaughn location

What is that in my hands?  Could that be Sega Genesis games for $2.99 - $4.99 each?  I wonder if there are any in there that the Sega Dude doesn't have?  Lets take a closer look shall we?!

Holy crap it is Michael Jackson's Moonwalker!  Before the king of pop died, this game went for around $10 - $20, but now stores are charging $40 for just the cartridge.  I guess it is a good thing that the one I found was complete.  True, there is a small tear on the instruction booklet, but the cartridge and case (with tab intact) are in mint condition.  If the Sega Dude wasn't such a dick, I would just give it to him.  

I've posted it on craigslist.  http://toronto.en.craigslist.ca/tor/vgm/3675189602.html

I'm not sure why we didn't buy this?  Maybe $2.99 was just too PRICEY! It is a knockoff Simon game from the '70s








Unfortunately this is not our new couch.  We didn't buy this only because we didn't have a way to take it home.  It has only one cushion, would make a great couch to sleep on

GOLD!  In these bags are G1 transformers.  I rarely see these anymore as every jerk in town collects them (it's a good thing my collection is almost complete, though the Sega Dude might say otherwise).  In fact I actually found a two pieces i didn't have.  The others are on craigslist.  I throw one in for free if you buy Moonwalker:)

The Value Village at the Thornhill location had the neatest toy shelves I've ever seen in a thrift store!  Usually the shelves are a disaster as people seem to enjoy watching their kids destroy the toys that they have no intention of buying.  Fortunately the things I like are made of metal (Tonka Trucks), or behind glass, so kids don't get their grubby snot fingers all over them.

These two finds are two such examples.  Behind glass, a collectors edition copy of both Elder Scrolls IV, and Dungeon Lords were found.  SCORE!  Both of these were fantastic games, but I think I enjoyed Dungeon Lords more as it had a much better ending.  Elder Scrolls games are good, but they just can't seem to end them well... very anti-climactic.

This last shot was actually not taken at a Value Village, but rather at a store called Talize.  This is a store that is a bit more expensive than a thrift store, but more upscale and classy.  This is where the billionaires thrift shop as the prices are about 50% more.  Anyhow we caved and purchased a working Fisher Price TV and record player.

All in all, a good time.  This is definitely not trip for everyone, and hardly matches that of the sandy Florida beaches, but it beats the 24 hour car ride home:)

Mega Man's List of Pathetic Robot Masters

I've been a fan of the Mega Man series on the Nintendo Entertainment System since I was a wee lad.  The premise of all 10 games in the original series is pretty much the same.  The evil Dr. Wily escaped from prison and built/programmed 8 robots masters to take over the world.  The hero of the series, Mega Man destroys must destroy all the robot masters in order to save the world.  What makes this game unique (at least for the time) was that not only do you absorb the robot master's power when you defeat them, but you could choose the order in which you wanted to challenge them.  This came in handy as the game built on the rock paper scissors scenario.  Each robot master had a weakness for one of the other master's weapons.  For example in the first game, I always started out against Bomb Man as his weapon was effective agains Guts Man, whose weapon was effective agains Cut Man, etc..  The real pros of the game however only use the hand cannon that you start out the game with.  I am not such a pro:(  There really is something special about cannibalizing enemy robots and stealing their powers.

Something has always bugged me however.  There was always one robot master in each game that was just really pathetic.  It made you feel kind of bad knowing that the other robot masters probably made endless fun of this afterthought robot.  Either that or the designers of the game decided to play some sick joke!  I've selected the one robot master from each of the 10 original Mega Man games that really stuck out above the others for how useless they were.  Ironically (I think I'm using that word correctly), the level you played while trying to reach these abominations had the best music?!

Cut Man - Probably the least pathetic on this list.  This robot walks around with a pair of scissors on his head

Bubble Man - This guy wears diving goggles and shoots bubbles at you.  Even the game designers must have felt bad for this guy as his weapon was the only one that worked against the last boss.

Top Man - It would have made more sense if it was a sexual reference, but sadly no; he just spins around really fast

Dust Man - Was counting on the fact that Mega Man might have a serious allergy.

Gyro Man - Originally from Greece but left due to the current economic downfall.  He throws sandwiches at you.

Plant Man - I thought my friend was lying to me when he told me about this one.  Sadly he wasn't.  I suppose he does fit into Robinsby Acres theme of making our planet greener... however even we would put this abomination down.

Junk Man - While I do like the Junkions in the Transformers series, this guy was clearly one of Dr. Wily's afterthoughts.  "Scheisse...  I only have 7 robot masters and a lot of spare parts left over. Vait I know... I have Junk Man."  Wily is German by the way.

Search Man - Kind of stupid as it's the other way around... you have to search for him.  After defeating him, you get equipped with the Olly Olly Oxen Free blaster which fires steaming cow dung at your opponents.











Jewel Man - Capcom was going to make Cash Man a robot master who throws bricks of one hundred dollar bills at his foes... however Russell Oliver had already patented this name.  "Oh YEAH!".  Russell Oliver can frequently be seen in the city of Toronto in wrestling bouts versus Harold The Jewellery Buyer.

Sheep Man - Yes... this is real.  He's pals with Gyro Man.








So there you have it!

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays

                Love Jonathan, Terra and Frye

HWY 127 - Day 4

Disappointing.  At approximately 11:30am, it started to pour and showed no signs of letting up.  We did manage to hit a few yard sales before the rain, but don't have much to show for it.  In fact, many participants had decided that since it was a forecast of rain, (and the last day of the sale), it wasn't worth opening up their yard.  At least half the tables were covered in a thick tarp to protect their junk.  The picture below is me stomping in a puddle some where in the middle of Kentucky trying to get the mud off my shoes.

This is a breakdown of the contents of all items to be found at the yard sales.  As you can see, there was an overwhelming amount of clothing and glassware.  The upside to this was that it was easily avoided, the downside was that it took up nearly 50% of all shelf space and resulted in many drive-bys as we had previously decided this would be under the "junk" category.  The mandatory Christmas decor ration per table was enough to make even the most optimistic person feel a little depressed.  While on the topic of Christmas, I never liked getting books as a present when I was a kid.  I mean there you were on Christmas Day in the middle of the winter break... and someone had the audacity to give you a book?!  Was I supposed to read this on my vacation from school?!  It seemed like cruel and unusual punishment, and as such usually the books (and most often clothes as well) ended up getting buried in my closet never to be seen again.  However, we did end up with many books (none which I chose). The tools and guns were pretty cool... though I wasn't allowed to buy any guns no matter how convincing my explanation for needing one was.  Lastly, came the "good stuff" which made up a mere 1% of all items at a yard sale.  These were items which warranted a request of "how much are you asking for this?".

This trip isn't for the amateur weekend yard saler.  You need to have the stomach to filter through all the junk.  On the plus side, you get to meet some real characters, and as long as you have an open mind and are just out to have some fun it can be a real blast.  We will definitely consider doing this trip again in years to follow.

Here is a picture of what we found before the rain came at 11:30am.    At 12:30pm, we turned the car around and headed home.  Currently we are in a motel near Toledo Ohio... about a 6.5 hour drive from home.

A few license plates, and some Strawberry Shortcake dolls.  A very anti-climactic end to a really fun trip.

In Summary:

Day four distance travelled (before we had to turn around): 70 miles
Total money spent: $35.25
Appalled to see: slave collar from 1852
Annoyed with: woman who wouldn't let me look through her small bin because it was "organized"

HWY 127 - Day 3

We didn't travel very far today as the Kentucky 127 stretch really knows how to do a yard sale!  Instead of acting as individuals, communities would band together and take over a vacant lot to make one HUGE yard sale.  Interestingly enough however it was our least productive day.  We also have some additional observations which must be stated.  There are three types of garage sale vendors in Kentucky.  The first type has a buddy who knows a guy who can get a decent deal on a certain item; lets use nail clippers as an example.  This type of vendor will order 40,000 of them thinking that if he/she manages to sell them all they could make a few thousand dollars.  However, what ends up happening is that most people don't really need an additional nail clipper as they don't often break.  He/she may sell a few, but then there are 39,975 left over.  Not being one to give up, this first type will store these for the next year, pull them out again and sell a couple more, store them a year and so one.  This pattern continues for the next 20 years whereupon they are pulling out a rusty box of nail clippers still trying to make to make that unattainable profit.

The second type actually has some cool stuff.  Unfortunately they store it all in miscellaneous boxes with no organization what-so-ever.  They don't even know what they have (which can be a good thing when it comes to negotiating... but good luck finding a complete item if there are several pieces).

The third type are my favourite.  These guys think every piece of junk they have is worth a fortune, and will back up their claim with a bunch of BS like, "oh that's really rare", or "I could probably get twice that on Ebay".  There is no point in haggling with these types because the won't budge.  If this type actually sold everything they had for the price that they were asking, they would be multi-millionaires.

  Today I did some personal reflection, and I'm quite angry at myself for passing up that Atari.  It was even the one that I wanted (with the fake wood siding).  The trouble was the $125 price tag which I'm sure I could have haggled down a bit.  I wish I could say that was the worst of it... but oh no... it would only get much worse..

What I have in my hands here folks is a genuine 1956 Chevy hood ornament.  The price was $35 dollars and I balked.  While in the shower that night, I realized what a mistake I had made.  When on Earth will I EVER FIND ONE AGAIN?!!  I am a moron, and henceforth I declare myself incompetent and am seeking a power of attorney to handle my monetary affairs.  I'm so stupid stupid stupid!

This is a shot of one of the busier sales.  This went on for at least 1 km all the way to the local elementary school where they let us use their washrooms.  It feels weird being in a strange place, and walking on people's property and schools as if it is a normal everyday thing, but you get used to it.

It is so bloody hot down here, and the humidity is killer.  It hasn't really rained here for months so it is really dusty and dry.  The picture above is of a candle set that has melted in the heat.

Some of the larger community yard sales have portolets.  We thought it was kind of funny that they felt the need to make them gender specific.  I guess it is important to only see your own genders poo.  There is probably a law about that down here.

Alas our days haul.  Not nearly as productive as previous days.  Of course the best find was a complete Tonka crane/scoop in decent condition.  The guy wanted $65 for it, but I offered him $40 and he took it.  I paid MUCH more for it than my previous Tonka purchases, but the other cranes that I have seen were in much worse shape, and not nearly as common as the mighty dump.  Also, this version is from 1965 (I think based on the smaller wheel size and silver clam shovel)

The Atari joystick and paddles were just a reminder of what I had a chance to buy.

Ask and you shall receive... those are genuine tupperware popsicle makers.  I'm not sure if these were what you had in mind as when I was a kid I remember we had the ones with orange tops?!

The Nintendo was purchased from a type 2 vendor.  He wanted $40 for it, I offered $10 and we agreed on $15.

That's all for today; tomorrow is the final stretch.  Not sure what we are doing after that.  Perhaps come home?!

In Summary:

Distance covered on Day 3: 71 miles

Money spent: $72.25 (all except $4.25 by ONE person)

Should have bought: Fraggle Rock drum, mounted buck head, ram skull

Appalled to see: 1920's KKK ceremonial dagger (ONLY $165)

Wanted to buy: cute baby chicks

"Sport" to try: Cornholing (get your your mind out of the gutter)

TIP of the day: do not park sideways on a steep incline. You might have to drive over three front yards to "escape" (after embarrassingly burning rubber and bottoming out)

HWY 127 Yard Sale - Day Two

Day two involved us making it just across the border into Kentucky.  I think we travelled a bit further than yesterday, but honestly we are splitting hairs on this.

In order to keep our sanity, we came up with some HWY 127 yard sale rules.  We came up with these while waiting for our dinner.  The rules are as follows:

1:  No crap/nothing junky.  In other words, no new toys, costume jewellery, clothes, crafts, and specifically no toilet paper comforters.

2:  We must both agree before we stop.  Each party has the right to veto, however each party also has the right to override the veto 3x per day.

3:  If one party has declared the yardsale a bust, or has cleaned it out of perceived value, then that party may invoke the "complete" clause.  At this time, the aforementioned party must inform the other party that he/she has 5 (five) minutes to vacate the yardsale or forfeit one of their 3 (three) daily vetos as aforementioned in rule #2.

Hopefully with these rules in effect, both parties will be able to traverse the entire 650 miles with their marriage still intact.  Both parties have both been sworn in by means of an affidavit and will find this contract legally binding in a court of law.

A few things are starting to become apparent the further south we go in the US:
1) Americans have a fear of lightning (multiple lightning rods per house with wire wrapping around the house and then leading to the ground)
2) English words often get shorter to the point that the English is nearly unrecognizable.  For example; tomatoes become "maters".
3) Americans (and sometimes myself since I'm half) really have no idea what the letter Z is when pronounced "zed".  Also, why did Dominoes Pizza need our postal code?  Apparently we were the first to EVER not give the standard zip code.

Yard Sale wise we are getting REALLY tired of all of the old/cheesy Christmas decorations.  Honestly it is like an incurable disease in that you must go through all 7 steps before finally reaching "acceptance".  All this junk makes Christmas seem like a nightmare that you can't wake up from... unless of course there is an extreme shortage of Christmas decoration.  If you ever find yourself needing some, look no further than heartland America.  It is really sick.

AND the Happy Meal toys still in the package!  Apparently people are deluded into thinking someone else might actually want one of these.  Please, after Sunday when the sale is over, put them into a landfill where they can rest in peace for the next 2000 years.  They are a horrible memory of humanity, and the sooner we can get their millennia long decomposition started as soon as possible! 

Some people REALLY don't like Obama.  This picture was taken in Ohio where some people don't like health care.  I can understand how that is wrong as Americans should be FREE to choose not to have healthcare.  It is what the forefathers had in mind when they wrote the bloody constitution!

Not as impressive as yesterdays haul, but I did pick up a Tonka payloader for $15.  I saw several others in the same condition for $80, which brings me to another point I feel I must make.  To all yardsale vendors:  by definition of a yardsale, people are looking to get things CHEAP!!!... not for you to take everything off Ebay and charge the same amount.  It isn't my job to put your kids through school.  Items must be priced so that the merchandise can move.  There is a reason you have a yardsale, because no one is buying your crap at the inflated book value.  Just because some jerk pulled one over on some clown in swampland Florida doesn't mean it is actually worth that amount!  There are 4000 other yard sales we have to hit... we want your crap cheap or we are moving on.

But perhaps the best find of the trip so far was this  Sega Genesis game that we purchased for the Segadude.  I hope he doesn't already have this, and if he does... well words can't describe my disappointment :(  I hope that you love Barney as much as he apparently loves you.  Have fun playing hide and seek.




In Summary:

Total Day Two distance covered: 141 miles
Total money spent: $45.85
Items we wished we could have bought: baby goats, whole watermelons, 1960s full size firetruck, Chinese RPG, bear trap (not to actually use)
Items we regret not buying: Grandizer, 1950s Buick hood ornament
Overpriced: Fisher Price Little People and related paraphernalia
Purchased, but authenticity in doubt: bottle of Holy Water for $1

Wish us luck on Day 3 as we make our way south.

HWY 127 Yard Sale - Day One

As we have emptied the Robinsby Acres coffers into our house, we were under the notion that there would be no exotic trips this summer; and then we heard about the 650 mile yard sale that takes place on HWY 127 in the United States.  That's right... 650 miles (Michigan to Alabama) through America's heartland; where everybody's junk shifts from one owner to the next, and in our case imported into Canada!

We thought we would be up to the task and might make it from end to end figuring that there would be a yard sale every 5 miles or so.  Oh how wrong we were!  In reality, there is more like 7 - 10 garage sales per mile, and at this rate we will be lucky to leave Ohio let alone make it to Alabama... especially since SOMEONE (my wife) must carefully rummage through each individual trinket in hopes of finding that one gem.  Meanwhile I'm either tapping my imaginary watch at her or complaining that i haven't eaten breakfast yet. Well that is a bit of an exaggeration, but as I'm the one writing this you will only hear my side of the story.

We took a lot of pictures, so this blog as well as the ones to come which document our trip will be more like a slide show with comments at the bottom of each picture.

Enjoy!

After I backed the car out of the drive way, we noticed that part of the undercarriage was loose (I had recently grounded it on a parking block)... so we made it about 20 feet before having to pull over for a pit stop.

We stopped at American Jewellery & Loan in Detroit which is the location of TV's Hardcore Pawn Stars.  I was hoping to get into a really obnoxious arguement with one of the owners like it seems to always happen on TV.  Unfortunately no owners were around, and you have to audition to sell your junk... so much for reality TV!

We just thought this was rather funny.  Beavis and Butthead come to mind.  Heh heh heh!

This is butter with a side of baked potato.  To quote My Cousin Vinny... "have you heard of the ongoing cholesterol problem in the country?!".  Holy smokes do they ever lay on the butter thick!

We saw this near the start of our day.  We thought it was kind of weird to be selling a tanning bed in the middle of summer... or to even sell one at all for that matter.

This was rather cool.  It was a six and a half foot tall Sonic, and it belongs with the Segadude's collection.  In fact now that I know this is out there, I'm not even sure you can call what he has a collection.  It was $750, but i'm sure you could get them down to an even $600.  Even if I could afford this, it wouldn't have fit in our car.  The Segadude owns an SUV (or rather his old lady does), and Sonic is waiting for you in Bryan Ohio!

Vintage Tupperware!!!!!!!!! For everyone who can't leave the 70s behind (and secretly wishes that they still held Tupperware parties - you know who you are).

















In Summary:

Total distance travelled on Day One - 76 miles
Total money spent - $48.75 (T - $21.75, J - $27.00) - see our haul below
Biggest observed price gap - Lite Brite ($1 versus $15)
Untapped market - baked goods for those who did not eat breakfast
Items we wanted to buy but could not for various reasons: puppies, rabbits, Corvettes, motorcycles, FULL ATARI SET with 25 games
"Advantage" over Canadian yard sales: guns... oh so many guns