Even the idea was odd enough...
Thanks to Li-jah for the contribution.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
A quick trip to my home town
Actually, I was in Orewa, New Zealand for two weeks, but rarely left my mother's abode.
Partly because I spent an unhealthy amount of time playing, cursing at and then repairing my ancient computer collection, but equally because Orewa is one whole giant Smooochest omninbus of the old, the used, the redundant and the just plain embrarassing. For sale.
But on the eve of my departure, I did take my camera out for just a wee glimpse of this quaint little cove of disappointment.
Ike's Emporium has been the home of smooch goods since forever ago. Even in the 80's it felt dated and brown and like a member of the family you'd hate a friend to encounter.
Just some of the things available for purchase at Ike's included....
Small vials of petroleum jelly found on a high shelf in a container you can't properly see into.
A basket of knobs, wooden.
The last container of a deodorant called "Be Yourself" even though the initials are truncated to "BU" for no readily explainable reason.
A plentiful amount of tiny racial soaps.
After Ike's I took a visit to the Orewa Hospice shop. Now, there are actually many fine second-hand stores in the general Hibiscus Coast region, but the worst stuff seems to end up in the Orewa establishments. The Hospice shop is staffed by many wonderful people, bright rays of sunshine on a slate-grey, chilly Coast day. However, I only wish they can find a few items of worth to stock their store with, so that people might want to buy them and then they can afford a new sign:
But it's not just the sign that's seen better days, take a look at some of the 'bargains'...
VHS tapes (mouldy).
Horrifying vinyl records.
A... a... er... whatever the hell that even is.
And a desk, which someone did buy, but apparently on the proviso that the store can find all of it.
And not to make myself appear to be anything other than my town's spawn, I took these photos with a camera purchased in 2002, and all the while holding a meat pie and a caramel slice (obtained from the ever-reliable Saigon Bakery).
Partly because I spent an unhealthy amount of time playing, cursing at and then repairing my ancient computer collection, but equally because Orewa is one whole giant Smooochest omninbus of the old, the used, the redundant and the just plain embrarassing. For sale.
But on the eve of my departure, I did take my camera out for just a wee glimpse of this quaint little cove of disappointment.
Ike's Emporium has been the home of smooch goods since forever ago. Even in the 80's it felt dated and brown and like a member of the family you'd hate a friend to encounter.
Just some of the things available for purchase at Ike's included....
Small vials of petroleum jelly found on a high shelf in a container you can't properly see into.
A basket of knobs, wooden.
The last container of a deodorant called "Be Yourself" even though the initials are truncated to "BU" for no readily explainable reason.
A plentiful amount of tiny racial soaps.
After Ike's I took a visit to the Orewa Hospice shop. Now, there are actually many fine second-hand stores in the general Hibiscus Coast region, but the worst stuff seems to end up in the Orewa establishments. The Hospice shop is staffed by many wonderful people, bright rays of sunshine on a slate-grey, chilly Coast day. However, I only wish they can find a few items of worth to stock their store with, so that people might want to buy them and then they can afford a new sign:
But it's not just the sign that's seen better days, take a look at some of the 'bargains'...
VHS tapes (mouldy).
Horrifying vinyl records.
A... a... er... whatever the hell that even is.
And a desk, which someone did buy, but apparently on the proviso that the store can find all of it.
And not to make myself appear to be anything other than my town's spawn, I took these photos with a camera purchased in 2002, and all the while holding a meat pie and a caramel slice (obtained from the ever-reliable Saigon Bakery).
The latest in the world of knitting.
Obviously struggling to reach the "youth market" to get into knitting, the wool boards apparently have taken two attempts (both worthless, and indeed laughable, but let's continue the hypothesis for now) to broaden the appeal of the hobby and its resulting product.
First, there's a the "push" strategy, hoping to make knitting appealing to the younger audience:
What an incredibly likely, and most assuredly, funky situation.
Their second approach was to hope for a "pull" strategy, where young people demand knitted products from their elders, increasing sales that way.
So what do "young people" like?
Obviously!
Youths are always skinning their jeans whilst skateboarding. And a smart brown padding of wool is the just the thing to solve that.
Honestly, you sense the creators of these items much resemble a set of Encyclopaedia Britannica, dusty and wizened as it sits in a corner of the attic, also rendered increasingly useless to the modern generation.
But there are still babies! Knit the days away for babies. Those cheery, fluid-emitting little buggers.
(A big thanks to Robin and long-time knitter Jena Nielcobb for the finds.)
First, there's a the "push" strategy, hoping to make knitting appealing to the younger audience:
What an incredibly likely, and most assuredly, funky situation.
Their second approach was to hope for a "pull" strategy, where young people demand knitted products from their elders, increasing sales that way.
So what do "young people" like?
Obviously!
Youths are always skinning their jeans whilst skateboarding. And a smart brown padding of wool is the just the thing to solve that.
Honestly, you sense the creators of these items much resemble a set of Encyclopaedia Britannica, dusty and wizened as it sits in a corner of the attic, also rendered increasingly useless to the modern generation.
But there are still babies! Knit the days away for babies. Those cheery, fluid-emitting little buggers.
(A big thanks to Robin and long-time knitter Jena Nielcobb for the finds.)
People WILL sell anything...
Even leftover sachets of noodle flavouring, which have no monetary value, regardless of the amount.
WHAT IT IS: "*123 maggi 2min noodle flavouring packets* "
DETAIL OF AUCTION: "Ever wish you had more flavour on your noodles? heres the answer....
My boyfriend eats about 3 packs of noodles a day with only 1 pack of flavouring.I started keeping them.
79 BEEF
44 CHICKEN"
(Thanks for the breakdown)
PRICE: $1. Yep. Oh and shipping is "$6.50 If its less than that i'll give it back." Give what exactly? A.k.a. "i'm too lazy to go to the post office".
QUESTIONS and ANSWERS: None, although i'm almost inclined to ask why this was in the "Gaming > Other" category of TradeMe.
A big 1UP to Dan Tanner for this unique find.
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