First, I go to place an ad in the paper under services, where I usually run my computer ad. I also want to place a music ad. Except the lady says that music ads cannot go under services. She says providing music is not a service.Second, I get a call from the dog place. Some deadbeat CPA on the line starts telling me what I have to do to make him happy. He’d like all my information so he can “do the taxes”, saying that he cannot declare what I did as an expense unless he has my ID number. Then he goes on how he’ll have to “start withholding taxes”. I told him where to shove it. (Real CPAs know you don’t declare expenses, you claim them. Plainly these people would hand anything over to strangers, so my wisdom of no information prevails. My system is not to prevent, but to expose. The real issue was that the guy had to ask instead of helping himself to the records and he didn’t like that one bit.)
Then I see that eBay is still allowing “reserves”. This reserve bid is a curious thing, it is like the minimum price a seller will accept, but won’t say. No doubt some people spend time bidding up 5 cents at a time to find that reserve. Rather than deal with the nonsense, I paid full price elsewhere and sent the money order to Maryland.
Last, I spent all day on-line trying to get a straight answer out of people. I do not want the hassle of setting up a web site to plug the few books I plan to write to test the water. I’d like a reseller to list my book on that site and my question was about the percentage (commission) for me. There may be no simple statement on that one. I know in my mind I’d like 40% of the purchase price, working backwards that I reckon that covers all their selling costs plus gives them a profit. It appears every ebook reseller on-line is some kind of shyster. The most common answer was “it depends”, which by itself is a non-answer.
Okay, now the key. All my troubles have a mutual connection. Do you see it? Hint, this is true about my entire life. No? Okay, the connection is that they are all caused by other people trying to get me to do things their way without paying me for the effort. This situation and I go back a long, long way, because when I was younger I actually used to blame myself when I ran into such people. There is actually no trouble until the point where they realize they will not get anything for free and try to insist.
Beyond that, it was a fine fall day, I got plenty done. There was a steady stream of customers into the shop, including that pack of 14 year-olds who can’t seem to understand my directions of what virus-ridden music not to download. So while their computer was being wiped, I sicced them on Craigslist because they absolutely despise the Runt, who has been posting his hate literature again.
The Cocaine Cowboy was in, the character who got 13 years for importing $120 million that they know of. (Yes, most people would take that kind of a deal.) You should see his girlfriend, what a knockout! I have a pending network at some deli with 8 computers, which would make my week. Fortunately my cold was very mild and I believe I may go out for coffee tonight. Congratulations have been pouring in on my 500th blog. I mention that those are only what I’ve published, folks. I’m considering placing a small ad for paying gigs, since other than equipment costs, I can undercut almost anybody in this town. Word of mouth isn’t working; all I got was a call from a Church that wanted me to drive thirty miles to do a puppet show for gas money. I’ll stick with pubs where at least the tips are good.
Next project is to build a small table so I can move the MP3 controls to my right instead of behind me on stage. I’ve got an extra tripod. Yuck, I thought after all these years I’d retry “the dreaded Folger’s” coffee to see if they’ve learned anything. Nope. There is nothing that can be done to make it palatable, and hey, I can drink almost any liquid that passes for coffee. Adding vanilla, orange, sugar, nothing works. P’tooey, Folger.
There was a golden lining. I stayed in to make all my backups, always a good idea, and who should call but Alain. Her birthday is December 11, so they are planning a supper and cake party for the previous Sunday. The 9th. It will be totally a family affair, and you know, I think I’ll take along my equipment just in case. Sadly, dad is in the hospital again and JP is standing six at the door.
Oh, before I forget, one of the brats called me over to the computer to see the Hippie’s post on Craigslist. Frankly, I don’t see myself traveling half-way into the next county to play a coffee house. (Those things kind of went out in the early 70s when most states lowered the drinking age.) They pointed out the heavy influence of my writing style all over his ad. I mean, come on guy, starting “8-ish” is utter plagiarism, although I agree I write good material. Hey, that’s show biz.
