(no subject)

"...and lots of magic smoke came out," I said to my therapist, talking about working on the UPS. "Do you know about the magic smoke?"

"No!"

"That's how electronics work. All the components have magic smoke inside. When it gets out, they stop working."

"Oh, I thought it was gnomes doing all the work in there?"

"Well, gnomes are known for smoking pipes, right? Maybe it's gnomish pipe smoke?"

"I'm glad we could find a mutually consistent explanation," they said.

"I'm pretty flexible!"

(no subject)

I have a few bits of old hi-fi gear I'd like to sell, as well as other electronics. Looking online, it kind of seems like I'd make more money disassembling certain things and selling a bunch of individual parts. But I honestly don't think I could do it; it would really hurt me to disassemble something old and unusual and functional and beautiful. But maybe I can take that into account if I go to one or two of the local hi-fi places (It's good to be in a city!) and ask about selling them.

I was talking in therapy about how intimidating it is to try to sell stuff or market myself. Trying to sell photographic prints at an art fair or online, for instance, is too intimidating to try. Similarly, selling used stuff; I always feel like I don't know what I'm doing, that my price is too high or too low and I'll look like an idiot, or that I'll be too willing to reduce my price and be an easy person to lowball and scam. I've had some negative experiences in the past that reinforce those fears. At the same time, I have some things that are worth selling, I want to learn electronics repair and selling things might get me a little money as I go, and I want to make some more room!

Trying to be confident enough (or able to fake it well enough) to try to sell a thing or two is now on my list of challenges for self-improvement.

(no subject)

Also, it's sad that Radio Shack's Evanston location closed just before I decided to start playing with electronics as a hobby.

(no subject)

I see postings like this one, selling a Marantz 2270 for over $1000, and that makes me anxious too.

Is it fair and reasonable for me to keep mine when Danae and I are worried about being on only one income? Are the high prices I've seen on Marantz gear for a while a temporary phenomenon that will make me wish I'd sold mine?

Also, 'top of the line' doesn't mean what this poster thinks it means. Marantz was making more powerful and more fully-featured offerings along with the 2270. But that's me being picky.

The seller also notes that the unit is "heavy and well-built." No kidding!? It's a Marantz. You know what you're getting.