Articles written by Jim Thomason

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About me - Jim Thomason

A yard sale addict who can't resist other people's books. Always looking for a rare find-a first edition Hemingway, or perhaps a heavy tome on ancient history.

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Food & Drink > Cooking (Other) Cooking inexpensively on a student budget: 3 of 55
As you work the cramp out of your writing hand and toss the checkbook on the table, you notice a steady rumbling in the pit of your stomach. Tuition is paid. A semester's worth of books lay on the bed. You have a place to sleep and shower but how are you going to feed the beast growling in your belly on the meager balance rec... More..
Hobbies & Games > Card Games How to keep a poker face: 2 of 26
The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but at the poker table, the eyes are the windows to the hole. Hole cards, that is, and if you want a shot at the pot, you need to pull the blinds. Successful poker play is a combination of skill, luck, and the ability to read your opponent. The art of poker is to penetrate the veil of ... More..
Arts & Humanities > Arts & Humanities (Other) 10 things you can do in the library that will really annoy the other patrons: 9 of 90
How to Irritate Bibliophiles in Ten Easy StepsWhen the cable-vision goes out, and I'm stuck with nothing to do, I like to book on over to the library. I don't go there to read. I go there to bother the bookworms. The next time you lose your cable, instead of chunking the remote at the big screen, head for the library and try ... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Christmas Christmas disaster humor stories: You know things are going badly when...: 2 of 18
Our family sat around the artificial Spruce the night before Christmas. The tree was dressed, the twinkling lights reflected off the tinsel strands. Ornaments hung from branches and a star perched somewhat haphazardly atop the tree. We were listening to an Andy Williams CD, sipping Eggnog in our Christmas robes. Stockings hun... More..
Other Why did Mary have a little lamb?: 10 of 64
We all know that Mary had a little lamb. Children are taught from a very early age that the little fellow had snowy fleece and a penchant for stalking Mary everywhere she went. The lamb even followed her to school one day, but what most people do not know is why she had a little lamb. Mary actually wanted a kid, but the old g... More..
Entertainment > TV Networks & Industry Evaluating the worth of Netflix: Readers share their experiences: 9 of 47
A year ago, I signed up for a two-week free trial with the online DVD rental company, Netflix. I planned to cancel my membership prior to the end of the trial period. I figured I would watch a couple of free DVD's and cut them loose. I spent a few minutes filling my Queue with movie titles and ordered my first flick. The next... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Family stories and memories: 46 of 204
My dad's people are all Southern born and Southern bred. They are a self-sufficient lot, experienced in the rural arts of canning, farming, hunting, and making do with what is at hand. My mother's relatives are city dwellers, familiar with tenement living, bustling streets, and dealing with the dog what ate the other dog in t... More..
Other Readers share their best yard sale buys: 7 of 26
Readers share their best yard sale buyI spend Saturdays rummaging through other people's junk. It started as a way to save a buck on book purchases and has blossomed into a serious addiction.Three years ago, when I was 'chasing the horse', I stopped at a sale which didn't seem to hold much promise. They had a lot of clothes a... More..
Business > Sales Mistakes to avoid when selling on eBay: 3 of 11
As with any business, mistakes can cost you more than money. Make enough of them and they can cost you your business. When selling on eBay, consider the following pitfalls and take steps to avoid them. List your items as accurately, and as honestly, as possible. Nothing turns a potentially successful sale into negative feedba... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonies: My eBay experiences: 6 of 20
I have been an eBay seller for the past ten years. I began selling online shortly after buying my first computer. When I listed my first item for sale, an early copy of The Thin Man, by Dashiell Hammett, I did not know a jpg from an mpeg. Now, I write my own html code, designing fancy templates to spruce up my auctions. Among... More..