To expand or not to expand outside of eBay...that is the question

I used to be a HUGE Ebay fan. Huge. I've been selling on that site since 2002 with success and seemed like happy customers. Then a few years ago they did this restructuring since they were loosing out to other sites like Amazon.com, they were loosing market share and started implementing these "policies" to generate revenue. I get it, thats business. But you cant alienate the ones who pay the fees. The SELLERS.

All this "buyer Protection" has made it difficult for us who sell on eBay. We have no protection and eBay doesnt really back us up during a dispute, basically raising their hands and saying " we cant make the Buyer do anything". But they can make the Sellers jump through hoops, because we have more to loose. We have more at risk just by the fact we are Making money vs. Spending money. So automatically we have to be watched and scrutinized because how dare we want to make a buck! What I'm finding now is that since PayPal has been purchased by Ebay, the rotten policies are filtering over.

I had the "Feedback Extortion" happen to be and cause multiple negatives in a short time, or no feedback at all, and that PayPal look at my transactions and hold my money! So I had to be a good little seller, jump through the hoops, and spend the cash I had available to me, vs. the money for the item plus shipping to send out packages.Hoping of course for positive feedback to release the funds. They wanted to "VERIFY" that the buyer was happy, and that I had money to issue refunds if necessary.

The problem was, since the funds were in a "pending" status, you still had to use your own cash to issue the refund! Even if they're happy and they still don't leave feedback, you'd have to wait 21 days to get your money. Meanwhile, you've spend money shipping, you've spent time and energy, and you do't have the inventory anymore...you are working backwards, hoping that your buyer will take 2 seconds and leave feedback. Of the positive kind.

Ive NEVER held out on a return, ever, in 9 years on EBAY, Ive had 100% positive feedback and even a "Power Seller" status until these changes. And a couple of idiots who didn't read the listing, cause all this mess. I Loose my status, and my money isnt available and there NOTHING I can do about it.

"Yes, Ill bend over so you can do what ever you want. Thank you Sir my I have another"

So Im in the process of expanding to other sites as well as upgrading my personal site to a less "social" one and taking charge of this situation.A pre-built store format site? Or build your own adding a shopping cart? Hmmm? Im spending anywhere from $200-500 per month with eBay, what will that get me elsewhere?

I'm happy to say business is growing, but its still frustrating to know other people control your destiny.

So, I beg you. please READ the whole listing, ask questions and communicate with the seller. Be dilligent like you would if you were buying a car. Open your mouth, don't just bad-mouth.

Have "Pride"- Honda Civic Pride

OK peeps, here we go...if you've read any of my prior posts, you'll know of my mid-life crisis's.

Many, in fact that I have spoke of, and others I haven't. 2010 has been a hell of a year and I feel I'm on a path of redemption and rebirth. Joseph Campbell said "Follow your bliss", and I have been in a minor way up until now.

Its been a hobby, a passion a driving force in my life that brings me peace, and comfort, and most of all happiness. So now its bring me, and my family the livelihood we need to move forward in this life.

I've mentioned that I grew up in a bike shop, but what you didn't know is my passion for these little roller skates called Honda Civics. I've owned many and I have written about them on my other blog.

Since then, my father and I have moved this into a fledgling business called Honda Civic Pride. We have sponsored a car show, built a website, sold some cars and a ton of parts and we're learning more everyday.

So, you'll see in the coming months the new toys we pick up, the cool parts we aquire and tweaks and tricks we learn along the way.

Stay tuned!

Here we go AGAIN...

Well, as you've probably guessed, I'm busy. Busy doing stuff, lots of stuff. Legal stuff, property stuff, living stuff, renovationg stuff, tearing down stuff and wanting to build stuff.

Stuff, stuff and more stuff, but heres some stuff you may not know. I have eneavored with my mother to do some baking stuff. We both have been involved with baked goods for the general populous, but I'm talking for the masses, and yet a chosen few, virtual baking. Baking for a friend, a real need to be addressed, a desire to taste what we can make. as well as cooking for ourselves in the hopes of better health, happiness and well being. We are Convertible Cooking. To be found at our new site http://www.convertiblecooking.com/.

Yes, I'm still doing the motorcycle thing, I cant help myself there but, this, this feels right. My mom Carol, says the same thing, like we were made for this.

So check it out, comment, suggest, follow allong and tell us what you think. And please tell your friends who need help breaking the old routine with the same old stuff.

And know,
We're here cooking for you.

Noelle

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“Duh-vorce” the tail end of the fairytale

“Duh-vorce”
All the movies and fairy tale love stories don’t tell you what happens when that everlasting love fades, or life changes in a way you don’t expect and you end up not on that same path that you planned together anymore.

You thought you were “married” for all intents and purposes. Your friends and family treated you that way. You made plans that were supposed to be for the next “50 years”, but that’s all gone now. You’re alone dealing with the trappings of a life made together. Your plans don’t include your mate anymore, and you’re having trouble with the pronouns, the “we” vs. the “me”.

I call it the separation of church and state. It seems to be that kind of undertaking. “This is mine-That’s yours” , “No its not…I bought that for you and I want it back”. We seem to resort to being petty school children “Indian giving”, or being the brat who throws tantrums if we don’t get what we want.

You never think that you need to prepare to split up, in the beginning of the romance. Because that’s all you want to think about is the romance itself and how good that feels. How wonderful that person is, how they’re everything you could have asked for in a mate, we wont even talk about how good the sex was….We are told “don ‘t focus on the bad stuff”, because then that’s what will happen…well maybe so.

But if it does, then what? And what if you’re GAY? Sometimes you think “thank God there weren’t children, because going through the dishes and cook ware is hard enough.” terrible I know but its true. My parents didn’t prepare me for the break up after nearly a decade together. Hell, my parents are still together and in love…with each other! Can you imagine?
The fairy tales seem to skip the part about dealing with the yelling, the fighting and arguing about what’s fair and right, amicable and who “deserves” the castle when Prince Charming decides that Cinderella doesn’t suit his life anymore…Or better yet, let the bank have it because Princie doesn’t want to live there anyway, even though it was Cindy’s dream that she was beginning to make a reality.

When you’re in an alternative relationship they don’t tell you anything about how to deal with the fact you have no rights. You actually do know that going in, but it doesn’t hit home until things are bad. That you can make all the plans and preparations for the blissful life you expect to have and you still end up getting fucked. Even though you followed the letter of the law as much as you could, or were allowed to…Now, undo it all.

Most states especially North Carolina don’t have courts that help with domestic partnership separations. You can’t really just hire a lawyer and say “help me null this out so I can be done” There isn’t a paper that says the divorce is “final”. We don’t have the luxury of a date. It seems that we have to take the extra step to claim the day that its “final” over and done with. Great- another thing to add to the list!

So how do you get there without losing your mind, and your house? Good question.
The pain the second guessing the self esteem issues, the revisiting past discussions and arguments can’t be good…can they? They don’t feel good.

Trust me, I’m ready to be done, but I don’t want to walk away from years of hard work, time, effort, and money. I’ve been building something, and now I may have to walk away from it? Is that the best thing? To get a fresh start, is it fresh? Who knows, really, only time will tell.

Life, and Real Estate

Well it’s been a while and it’s been a wild ride so far. The last time I wrote my blog I was considering getting back into real estate. Well, it’s a done deal.
I have started Monster-RealEstate.com which ironically the first person I told that I was getting back in the game, coined the name before I said anything…The Monster Motorgirl sells “monster real estate”, and that’s all she wrote.

It’s been about 18 months since I’ve worked with any clients, I’ve been building websites and researching web marketing for other agents in the meantime, but I’ll tell you the climate has changed.

We all got spoiled I think. People were literally throwing money at us, any listing that was ½ way decent had multiple offers within 24 hours, and the sellers were likely to get 100% plus for their property. And usually the sellers had their cash within 15 to 20 days. Crazy!

Well-those days are past, and past is prologue. There is a moral to the story and the moral is this…appreciate what you have when you have it, don’t be greedy, things don’t last forever, and prepare for the rainy day…because inevitably even in the desert, it will rain.

I had it all really, a nice house, a beautiful car, money in the bank and a job that I enjoyed that I made some serious bank, but I lost myself. I could have had everything I had ever wanted if I had paid attention to who I really am- Not who I was perceived to be. I got lulled and dulled and bought the bullshit that I was selling, pretty much about all aspects of my life. I did things that you “should do”, “this is what you’re supposed to do”, “this is the best thing to do”, and “this will guarantee security and more” and now there is…nothing.

Actually that’s not true, there are some things left fortunately- an investment has turned into my permanent residence, the nice house is now the rental, which hopefully will help in the future. I have computers, tools, and a truck and miscellaneous other trappings of my former life. I have contacts from the business that have turned into friends, and friends that have turned into clients. I have a reputation for hard work and fair dealing and that I am a “natural” at this real estate thing, and I also have experience and knowledge, that will assist me on my new path of life.

So this new life is this…survival. I have had to sell things that were precious to me to survive; I’ve had to make hard decisions about “things”, what to keep and what to try to keep as necessities for survival. Things that seemed important became trivial and things that were forgotten became essential. Let’s call it downsizing on Crack.

This summer has taught me things about myself that I never knew, and things that I have forgotten. I have been happy in my solitude, and lonely amongst people. The true friends have emerged, old friends are found and perceived friends have fallen by the wayside-as well as the forgotten passions, talents and skills, which have resurfaced.

On the eve of my 42nd birthday, I am secure in the knowledge that I am a survivor, I can take care of myself and I am in control of my life. Well, it sounds good anyway. My moments of self doubt and uncertainty have a lot to do with my relationship of the last 9 years, tumultuous times that we have gotten through, one way or another-until now.

With many relationships there is give and take and you hope that there is mutual respect, understanding and love. And the hope that you don’t loose yourself in the pursuit of achieving some level of happiness with another person, but sometimes you do and you end up fighting to get yourself back. Fighting with yourself and fighting with your mate.

I’ve had the last 6 months to get back to who I am and be ok with that person, by myself, having to make decisions for both of us because my partner was in training after joining the Army. And now upon graduation, the life that we once had does not exist and the current one is very different than what was remembered, by each of us. That is causing problems.

We have been individuals, separated by distance and experience; and now it’s hard to be a couple again. One of us has been encouraged to be selfish as a means of survival and the other has been encouraged to do the same, but with great difficulty. One of us has been taken care of through their experience so that singular focus could be on getting through to the end, and the other has taken care, with no end in sight. And now the feelings have changed, circumstances have changed, and we have changed.

I have always had my partner in my head as I make decisions, about this house, our little family aka "the fur children", about which bills I have the money to pay to keep moving ahead and so on. Now that’s causing “pressure” on my mate because they don’t “feel the same” as before the Army. “Seeing through different eyes” is sometimes a good thing, and sometimes not. It will cause pain in others and maybe you, but hopefully in the long run you would hope for a greater good to emerge. Change brings new experience, experience gives perspective, perspective brings change, change is hard, hard builds strength and character, and Lord knows I’m a character…

The time is now to make decisions for my future, “my” future, not ours. If there is an “us” we will survive because we are each doing best thing for ourselves as individuals. The nest egg is gone and one day you end up counting change on the coffee table hoping to have enough to buy firewood since that’s the only heat you have. The income that was “rolling in” has slowed to a trickle, if that; and you realize a capacity for comfort in small things, a touch, a cuddle with a pet, a smile and kind word from a stranger. Baking and cooking smells in the kitchen bring warmth in many ways, family coming to visit and a fire that warms you twice, makes you appreciate the decisions you’ve made about your life, and your capacity for contentment.

I have regrets, but they are not as big as you may think. I should have put more money in a savings account instead of buying that house. I should have watched what I spent on the business, and I should have planned better, I should have talked about what I felt and thought more instead of holding it in. But, “shoulda, coulda, woulda” doesn’t amount to a hill of beans now, does it? Move forward; keep moving forward, and as my father says “what have you learned from this experience?”. Lots trust me but, I’ll tell you what, I’m tired of learning.


I can't seem to get the learning part to be "applied learning"...is there a problem here?

Perhaps, perhaps...perhaps

I am looking into my “next step” in life, or trying to find my way through something more widely known as a “mid-life crisis”. I of course have to have this crisis during the worst economic recession since 1929. So I’m looking at all things new and old and feeding my serial entrepreneurship.

I have been making my money in the real estate biz with Keller Williams Realty since 2003 and my family has been successful in real estate investing for many years prior to that. It’s what we know and we thought was , as many others have, safe, as the saying goes “safe as houses”. Well, that saying needs to be revised.

For those of us who have made a nice living in real estate, times have been tough, but fortunately things are on the upswing as I have heard. For me, I have many talents and many interests, real estate only being one of them. So when times got rough, I did as my father has always told me to do, be diverse. So I diversified, and diversified, and diversified again, now it seems, I’m spread too thin and I’m considering going back to Real Estate sales, to be aka “Realtor Extraordinaire” yet again.

I got out of real estate sales because I was burned by a client, and burned out in general. So I started teaching agents, building agent websites, concentrating on Ebay sales and motorcycles, using the phrase ”do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” as my mantra. It hasn’t been easy. And well, I’ve been beaten up and spit out of so many businesses in my life I’m uncertain of my passions, and what I love. I’m a little gun shy and afraid of the future. And that’s not really a good state of mind to be in when starting a new or old, as the case may be, business endeavor. But maybe hesitation is what I need, “err on the side of caution” and don’t be so gung-ho that you over enthuse yourself out of business, which seems to be the trend of my business career I have never been at a loss for enthusiasm.

I participated in a swap meet this past weekend at Blue Ridge Riders in Asheville, hoping to clean out some inventory from my shed and storage bin and put some cash in my pocket. It was fun; it was also a reminder for me how much I love the motorcycle industry, and riders of all shapes and sizes no matter what make the wheels are. It made me want to get my Honda CBR 600 F3 back together and actually ride in 09, which I haven’t yet-sad very sad. But I also realized I’ve done most things for the wrong reasons. Be it what someone said I should do, or for the money, or to feel important, or stroke my ego. I realized that I will be successful regardless of what I do if I feel passionate about it. I also see that I have always gone back to motorcycles when I was in trouble, needed a job, needed cash, or needed friends. And it has always saved me. Well, I need to be saved…again, but how to begin…again.

Real estate was a great payday, it was hard work but it was a good payday for good work. There are very few things that will do that. I think I got burned out for the same reasons I mentioned above.” You should” “You could”…whatever. I forgot what I wanted, and honestly I bought my own BULLSHIT. I made a fortune, and lost it as well. I bought and sold, leveraged and recruited, built and destroyed, and burned myself out, Big time.

So why go back? Maybe I miss the money? Maybe I miss being the “Mayor”? Maybe I miss being a rock star? Well…DUH! And hindsight being what it is, I need to stay out of the politics and do what I do best, and reap the rewards. Take my time and sock it all away, after of course I pay my school loans, back taxes, and overdue credit card bills…oh I’m sure there’s more…THEN I’ll sock it all away , and restore my bike to its original glory…how much time do I have before I'm in the black?

“So how come you’re talking about 2 different things” You may ask? Well, I live in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in one of the most desirable small towns in Western North Carolina, Hot Springs- population 625. During the summer the poulation bursts to a few thousand...motorcyclists.

Motorcyclists of every ilk come here 11 months out of the year to partake of the twisty-turnies and the mineral baths and a cold beer break. (A nice day trip is described well in this blog)If you decide you want to stay and camp that’s ok too. But what do you do if you want to stay, put down roots and own part of this indigo treasure? Buy Real Estate.

That’s where I come in. The “Biker Chick Realtor” that’s it! Let’s go look at property on 2 wheels and make sure that we can get up the driveway, wrench on the bikes and appreciate the views with a cold beverage after a hard day on the road. Maybe combining these two will give me what I yurn for and what I need, and provide a unique service to those chosen few what are like me? Hmmm?

Sometimes you have to be stripped down to bare nothingness to hear your inner voices screaming, or maybe its an 600cc inline 4 at 5000 rpm that you hear, that you must pay attention.

As the song says “Perhaps, perhaps… perhaps”. I’ll let you know.

A snake in the grass...literally

I’m having trouble right now-my partner is in training to serve in the Army Reserves. My life has been turned upside down, I think I'm a little depressed, and its been hard to find some equilibrium.

Business has not been great, it seems that I’m loosing more than I’m making, right now. The house renovation is a daunting task, and winter is coming on fast. So I’ve been a little out of sorts the past few days and really trying to find some focus.

So, the other day I am walking around my back pet enclosure, making sure that the hole that my dogs got out of is patched securely, and find a snake in my yard. Now it wasn't just a garter snake that I'm used to, ho no...its a copperhead. Ok, now I haven’t been talking about the snakes that have inhabited my space as I renovate this house, well, because I’m trying to focus on other things. But it’s hard to focus on other things when your heart keeps getting thrust up into your throat when you least expect it.

Did you say you needed FOCUS? Well, this was not the focus I was expecting...obviously!

This isn't the actual snake( found it on Google) since I didn't have the camera on me and I wasn't thinking about photo ops at the time...

First it was the black snakes or Rat snakes that have been living in the ceiling. We have opened up the ceiling to make it cathedral like since the house is so small it needs to feel bigger. The roofers said that we had a resident black snake, but I didn’t see him for a few weeks after I’d been living here. Needless to say it was startling to meet him the first time since he was about 3 to 4 feet long falling from the sky in front of me as I worked on installing a new window. Or the new juvenile that I met recently that swung from by bedroom doorway while I was watching TV one night. But today was a copper head.


Of course I’ve been a city girl for so long I wasn’t sure, but I’ll assume the worst since I’d rather err on the side of caution. So I run inside to see if I can identify the little bugger, who is about 3 feet long, and see if it’s safe to put my dogs back there so I can go to town. I plug in and wait for my dial up to get going so I can do a Google search to find pictures of the snake in question. Now as I wait, I’m thinking of how to get rid of this guy. Barbeque tongs come to mind a box a sack to move it etc…I can’t kill it. It’s not in me. I’m having trouble with the rats that have invaded as well and the decision of the “humane” way to get rid of them, and those suckers I shouldn’t have a problem killing off, but I do.


Now, I understand, inherently that the snakes would only be here if there is a food source, which are the rats-so you’d figure I should be happy with their presence. Well, I would be happier if they’d do their job! I still have the one rat living under my bathtub, I think. And now the copperhead under the utility room, I think I got rid of the snake in the ceiling by sealing every hole I could find with Great Stuff expandable foam, thats readily available at Home Depot or Lowes.


My real issue is my animals 2 cats and 2 dogs, and as I mentioned, being a city girl, these are city pets. Mind you they’re having a great time running around a very secluded 30 acres but they haven’t experienced the country, and that worries me. Bailey is the hound dog hunter/pointer telling Kashi, my striped “Pt-Chow!” where things are and to go get them, as if to say “OOh OOh Look, look there it is! Get it!” And Kashi will abide this and make this sound that is primal as if coming from her ancestors, not a bark and not a growl, but its excited in its tone and delivery. Bailey’s hound nature makes her bark incessantly and the same tone and repetition make it hard to tolerate for long. But you can’t deny nature. She will be out until all hours hunting something dark and unknown in the woods, while Kashi lays at my feet occasionally looking up then at me wagging her tail as if to say “ I think she’s a little obsessed, Momma”. To which I agree. This animal will rip siding off the house, move rocks that are at least 20 to 30 pounds out of the way to get to whatever it is. She’s even gone so far as to dig through the siding in the back and attempt to go through the new sheetrock in the kitchen to kill the rat, or whatever it was.
This is the fear, Bailey is an instigator, Kashi is the follower, both are very smart but Bailey is too smart for her own good and this is what I fear will get her killed by something she’s never encountered before, be it poisonous snake or large furry creature with big teeth and claws like a black bear.


So you see my dilemma do I put them in the back so I can go to Asheville for the day and risk a showdown with a Copperhead or do I keep them inside all day in the attempt to protect them? What’s a mother to do? Especially, since I'm doing this alone for the first time in 10 years. My partner is the knowing nature person who is experienced about the NC woods and its inhabitants.


Research- that’s all I can do find out the nature of the snake, is it aggressive or not, where they tend to hide what they eat etc. I saw an episode of “Dirty Jobs” which I never watch, but they had the exterminators on there and they had a simple and inexpensive way of dealing with snakes, mothballs. Apparently they don’t like the odor and will head for the hills. Since knowledge is power, that’s all I have right now, I’ll try anything. I found serpent repellent spray online, but its $50 bucks a bottle. Too much for a “maybe it’ll work” .



Living in a rural area has proved an education in itself, I go into town and tell of my dilemma or experience and these ol'country folk always have a remedy. "get one of these ol'country boys to getcha a king snake an' you ain't gonna have no more copperheads or ratt-lers", or "get you some motoroil an' pour it down the hole an' light a match, they won't come back". Too bad he's under my house...


I can’t protect my babies all the time, they have to experience life and the risks associated with it, and so do I. I make them sound like children, but they are, they’re my children, and I worry about them. perhaps I'm creating things to worry about so I don't worry about other things, like myself...