Thursday, October 30, 2008

I love office supplies. I want to marry Staples.

My brother sent about fifteen of his closest friends and family haring all over Laguna Beach on Sunday on a scavenger hunt for his birthday. I mainly just racked up a gnarly 4-1-1 bill, calling and getting the answers to stuff instead of going to find it.

That's just how I roll.

One of the bonus activities was to try to trade a paperclip for something better, so now we have a slightly used air conditioner in our garage.

Because my brother's friend John traded it for a pen.

And then he traded it for a jar of Gray Poupon from a No on Prop 8 sign waver which is clear proof they're not all evil. Evil people don't share Gray Poupon. Stuffy old guys in the back of chauffered cars do.

And then he traded that for a bottle of amoxicilin, which is probably illegal although I don't think there are any junkies out there jonesing for an antiobiotic fix so I'm guessing The Man is going to let this slide. (I know you're watching, Big Brother. Hi.).

And then he traded one single pill to some guy for an air conditioning unit he was trundling down the street behind him. A working air conditioner. Which is now in our garage.

And I should write something really profound about seeing the potential in the ordinary objects of life, or finding opportunities in even the most humble circumstances.

But I just think it's cool we got an air conditioner for a paperclip.

29 comments:

LisAway said...

Wow. What a bargain. And to think if your brother hadn't sent you off on such an unsabbathy activity. . .

Oh, and those No on Prop 8 people are just trying to get you to vote no. It doesn't mean they're not evil, it means they use Satan's evil tactics! :)

Anonymous said...

lol I haven't heard the word "jonesing" in a very long time :)

American Folder Company said...

Nice Article, But truly another way to save on office supplies is to seek out what your looking for and buy that item from a manufacture direct. This will save you big since you will not going have to then pay a retailers markup.

Case in point-I was shopping for file folders and came across a company named AmericanFolder.Com They are an great source since unlike other that sell everything else AmericanFolder.Com just sell folders and the prices I found were very low, plus no matter the size of the order they will ship it for free.

So Yes I agree that a superstore can save you time, but the money savings is seeking out manufactures that sell their items direct.

Annette Lyon said...

I was going to try to leave some pithy comment, but that folder troll's comment just made me lose my train of thought. What the?

Kristina P. said...

Better than Dooce? Shhhh. Don't say that too loudly. She might right a nasty, bitter post about me. ;)

Thanks for the comment!

I see we roll in some of the same blog circles. And that's how I roll.

I'm adding you to my Reader!

Jami said...

"bigger and better" = best game ever!

Oo! You have a new follower. American folder company. We can buy direct. We are so stinking lucky to know someone in the business!

Melanie Jacobson said...

Welcome, American Folder Company. I'm so honored by your presence!

Shellie: I live to revive dead slang. I'm bringing "totally tubular" back next month.

Dedee said...

That rocks!

And I agree totally with Annette. What the. . .?

{jen} iCandyhandmade said...

Thanks for your post, Melanie!

*MARY* said...

From now on please include me in your brothers birthday parties. I need a new microwave and I've got a blue colored pencil I'm willing to part with.

charrette said...

I love the whole list of swaps. It's amazing what some people perceive as more valuable than something else, and why.

And, sorry, I think my little sister is already married to Staples.

Jessica G. said...

So he's now a drug dealer...but only in antibiotics and he accepts only household appliances as payment?

What can I get for a toaster that only toasts on one side?

Anonymous said...

my first time to your blog and I was LOL at this post...so, I read on...and read the post about your parents being deaf.One of my best friends from my mission and then college (yes, I followed her to USU because I am a freindless stalker type that finds a friend and KEEPS them---always in my site--never too far...) anywhoooo...her parents are both deaf and the reason deaf education was my minor. Anyway...
I think you missed a few funny things kids of deaf parents do
and so, I shall reveal some interesting tid bits from a close friend of a deafy (until they learn otherwise..of course:) (Lucky you:)

1) fart out loud.
2) chew loud.
3) Are VERY loud at doing most household things that non deafies do a tad bit quieter. ie: clomp down the stairs, put things in sink, close and open drawers and doors...you get the idea.
4) and last but not least...
have the worst sneak out tactics ever as they cannot "sneak" for the life of themselves from years of not having to be quiet have caught up with them---ugh! Quietly Michelle, I said quietly!

Melanie Jacobson said...

I categorically deny the farting and I'm an awesome sneaker. The rest of it is all sadly true.

Heidi said...

If you score an air conditioner on the sabbath via unsabbathlike activity, is it still cool? (hee hee)

Anonymous said...

I just saw

Anonymous said...

back on the 19th

Anonymous said...

where you said

Anonymous said...

that when you got 20 comments

Anonymous said...

you would celebrate

Anonymous said...

and maybe it doesn't count if several of those comments are from one (new) reader,

Anonymous said...

but I figured it was worth a shot

Anonymous said...

(in case the commment from the american folder company didn't already make your day.

Anonymous said...

)

(Forgot to close that last parenthetical -- had to fix it.)

Hi, I'm Zina. I came here to see what Mary said that made you snort milk out of your nose (which is so much purer than snorting Diet Coke (out) of your nose, although that in turn is purer than snorting (regular) coke (into) your nose.) I'm even going to add you to my blogroll (which is kind of hasty of me, so don't make me regret it.) (I'm not normally that sarcastic; I think *Mary* may be a bad influence on me. Also I have learned not to drink milk while reading her.)

(Wow, that was a lot to say without saying anything. But, hi, nice to meet you.)

Kimberly Vanderhorst said...

I've never played that game because I'm such a whuss when it comes to asking people for stuff but wow...spiffy!

Amateur Steph said...

Hi! I was curious about your snort-out-the-milk comment too, so here I am blog stalking you.
We once got a toilet for a penny through this tried and true method. That toilet was too much fun.

Jewel Allen said...

That's awesome. I wonder what I need to trade to get a pink Jeep.

Folders! Folders!

Alison Wonderland said...

You do know about the guy who started with a paperclip and got a house right? maybe I need to get into this bartering stuff a little more. What do you think I could get for a 2-year-old car thief?

Anonymous said...

Interesting..! Staples is one of the best store to get office supplies.