Let's Go Haunting: You Are Getting Very Sleepy...

Advanced Techniques of Hypnosis Book, Philly AIDs Thrift $2 

I hope that you are enjoying the special October editions of Let's Go Thrifting Haunting. In the last installment of delightfully spooky secondhand entertainment, I busted out the vintage Ouija board.

But for this evening's entertainment, I suggest you gather a few impressionable friends for some good ol' fashioned hypnotism. Ladies, don't forget to  get glam for the occasion, Old Hollywood style. 

Some swear by the power of suggestion for the treatment of addiction. Some enjoy self-guided hypnosis for meditation. I just want to make my friends cluck like chickens and other equally embarrassing shenanigans. 

No Hypnosis disk? No problem. (If you have epilepsy and are prone to seizures, please do not risk your health for hypnotism).  

Everybody else, give it a shot! 

Who's sleepy? 

And who's ready to come to school in the nude and cluck like a chicken...?

Building A Better Thrifted Library

"Take a look. It's in a book"

If you're keeping it old school like me and prefer settling down with a cup of hot tea and a good book as opposed to firing up a Kindle, Nook or whatever new digital ebook device will be next, I have good news. Print isn't dead. It's alive and well at your local thrift store. And you could be paying a fraction of the price as compared to national book store prices.

Chances are, your typical Goodwill is stocked full of microwave cookbooks and dated computer software manuals, but don't write off the possibility of finding a good read just yet.

Building a better thrifted library can mean embracing the virtue of patience if you are looking for a particular title. But there are may be a few titles on your to-read list that you can find at the thrift.  Think about it. Between the thousands, literally thousands, of the same title from the bestsellers list that have circulated the masses, I'd bet a good percentage have found their way to the thrift store shelves. Add those Oprah book club reads and all the fodder from high school book reports and required college reading into the mix and you have a sporting chance at finding something that will catch your interest.

If you are ashamed of the fact that you've never read Moby Dick or maybe you're looking to rediscover some of the Beat writings of Kerouac, fear not. I've amassed a number of the classics for pennies on the dollar thanks to Goodwill. 

Here's my book shelf on Japan! 

Even if you're not looking for something in the classics category, you still may one day find something specific in a niche topic. Several of my books on Japanese culture were even bought secondhand, at both thrift stores and flea markets. 

Some Tips for Thrifting Books

1. Some thrift stores have taken the initiative to separate books be genre. If you have time, scan the entire section. You never know what bodice-ripping romance novel will end up in the children's books by mistake. 
2. Always check the binding. You can maybe tolerate a few dog-earred pages, but shoddy binding means eventually losing pages. Cracks in the spine, loose pages or a book that can lay entirely flat when opening at the halfway point are typical signs of binding ware.
3. Check the copyright and edition. If you are a re-seller, it's best to know these things and it never hurts to know otherwise. You could be thrifting something valuable!
4. Give a book a chance! Not sure if that sci-fi adventure will get your imagination going? Ah, for fifty cents, it's worth finding out. 
5. Spread the word(s). If you're reading to enjoy the story and aren't necessarily interested in keeping the book for your collection, donate it back to the thrift store. Think of the 50 cents as a mere rental fee for a good read. 

           Recall this thrifted book on...voyeurism...?

While I don't encourage reckless stockpiling of thrifted books, for fear of ending up on Hoarders, it's quite possible to build an enviable collection for your personal library. Classics, recent bestsellers, DIY craft books and even the occasional literary oddity like Body Watching is Fun can all be yours for less than the price of a pack of gum. Chew on that, you thriftin' leisurely readers! 

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Let's Go Thrifting recommends...

Perfect for displaying books and thrifted knick knacks!

Odds 'n' Ends Thursday: A Thrifty Read

"A high-powered novel about Public Relations experts--smart, brazen and ruthless."

Pocket Book Edition, 1952.

"This is a crackling, high-powered novel about Clint Lorimer, a smart and ruthless operator who had every qualification for success as a public relations expert except for a small, deeply-buried shred of self-respect. And about Anne Tremaine, an advertising agency expert who was successfully Clint's partner, mistress and boss. And about Harvey Holt Ames, an amiable nitwit who inherited a company he didn't know how to run until he got the build-up. And about Peggy Devon, a reporter who couldn't help loving a phony.

The Build-Up Boys is fiction but it has a solid basis in fact. It will tell you how the Public Relations business can operate and what it can do to itself and its clients."

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I just love the scintillating pulp cover.  And just maybe I'll learn a thing or two...on how to be brazen and ruthless, or how to not fall in love with a phony.

This is what the PR business is really about, folks.

Odds 'n' Ends Thursday: A Weighty Issue

Of course we all remember this creep show of classic literature. In honor of tonight's final competitive Weight Watchers weigh-in, I've decided to resurrect the fine art of body watchin'.

For the past thirteen weeks my dad and I have been competing in the annual Weight Watchers Battle of the Badges, a friendly weigh-off challenge between police and fire fighters and their families. Tonight is the last weigh-in. While I know I didn't win top prize, my now baggy jeans and ill-fitting pajamas are prize enough for now. I've decided to stick with the program beyond Battle of the Badges and hope to lose another 50 pounds in the next six months. But after tonight's weigh-in I'm treating myself to a hefty dose of crab fries with cheese and muscles in red. It will be...glorious.

But come tomorrow morning, I'll be back on track again. I need to be. Because apparently, in accordance with Body Watchin' author and self-proclaimed "Chief Watcher" John L. Shirley, I'm a classic Endomorph. And given this eye-opening illustration, I am also incidentally a bowling enthusiast in drag. Who knew?

"Endomorph: The Fat One" is a chapter dedicated to we fatties who are "awkward in movement and prone to stumble," we who "have a strong aversion to yard work." And word to the wise from The Chief Watcher:

"Never aggravate the endos over their need for food and drink." We might get volatile and chew your arm off for a midday snack.

But don't worry, readers. John L. Shirley loves looking at all body types. This thrifted read is dedicated "to all the bodies I've watched...the knowledge gained has made the writing of this book not only possible, but a lot of fun!"

So keep in mind that next time someone is sizing you up, they may very well be drafting a book on somatotyping... one that will someday end up on the shelves of your local thrift store.

The Thrifted Life: Take the Inspirational Tour

As a writer, I like to think that I see things just a bit differently. I suspect that other writers, artists, photographers and creative-minded folk feel the same. We observe the tiniest details and draw inspiration from unconventional sources. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that I find thrift shopping so appealing. Seeing and sometimes buying otherwise discarded items leaves me wondering about the previous owner. What did they gain from this book, this painting, this oddity that I now possess?

At the very least I know what I gain. I gain satisfaction and a sense of fate intervening when I find that one thing that just speaks to me that no one else unearthed. And in some small way I gain something immeasurably important: a muse, something to be inspired by.

After reading Thrift Core and seeing Van’s treatise on art, visual stimulation and productivity, I at long last know I’m not alone. It doesn’t hurt that we both share common devotion for zombies, robots, Japan, vintage wares and thrifting oddities.

What we own and what personal value we put upon certain possessions just speaks to our character. So here is my character study. This is the first of what will be several installments of my own virtual tour. This segment: My bookcase.

Of course the words and thoughts of other writers are of constant inspiration. And as you will see, I have varying tastes. On this shelf we have the macabre. Ever since seeing my first horror movie, I’ve had a dark love for the genre. I found a copy of All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned From The Toxic Avenger while thrifting in Canada and very nearly shouted the pride in my acquisition aloud.

 
…Then there’s books and zines on crafting. The Big Ass Book of Crafts is a must-have.

…And a few classics, mixed with a few oddities. Remember 202 Things To Do: Activities and Finger Fun  for Children… now how does that get shelved near Kurt Vonnegut?

Here’s my entire shelf of books on Japan…culture, fashion, language, lore and of course…Japanese horror cinema. That Domo-kun and Totoro are straight out of Tokyo. I bought so many toys I had to buy another piece of luggage to bring everything home. The antiquarian copies of Japanese Fairy Tales and Tales of Japan were both thrifted, as was that pink laughing Buddha statue.

Well that’s just some visual support of what intrigues and inspires me. In the future you can expect a whole mish-mash of interests and collections that will likely make you wonder if I have some strange variety of Attention Deficit Disorder when thrifting.

Feminism? Zombies? Gnomes? Owls? Killer dolls? What’s the connection? The connection is me... and my strange finds that I love.

The Spice of Life Part Two: Books, Records, Fashion Finds and More.

"The Complete Tightwad Gazette" Philly Aids Thrift. $4
"Color in Fashion" and "An Octopus is Amazing" Retrospect. $1 each.




Welcome back to the conclusion of the Let’s Go Thrifting! Spice of Life special. As you probably realize, that certain spice I am referring to is variety. And what better variety is there than the possibilities of the great unknown of the thrift?

Take these books above, for example. An adorable children’s book on  the octopus (my favorite marine animal), a book of color matching and contrasting with a ridiculous amount of 80’s fashion missteps and The Complete Tightwad Gazette, quite fittingly found at the thrift. Now that’s variety.

And again when it comes to music, my varying interests yield some interesting secondhand results. While the “Sixties Rebellion” garage rock LP wasn’t thrifted, but bought used from Repo Records, the wonderfully bluesy Phoebe Snow album was a thrifty steal for .99 cents

This afghan style woven belt from Lucky Brand was a great Goodwill find for $6. I originally intended it to be a gift for my sister, but damn if she isn’t too skinny. Now, the tails to tie the ends of the belt together are rather long, so I can get some wear out of it. But it just doesn’t look as good on me as it would on her.




Jane Fonda, eat your heart out.



 Well thanks to this totally 80’s workout wonder, I might get to belt-up no problem.

Look at that leotard…and the all-too-happy woman wearing it. She’s sure having a swell time with her Pull-Up Exerciser. Maybe I will too...But only if I find an equally flattering white leotard.

Until next time, stay thrifty!

Thrifty Reads

By now, I imagine some of you may have checked out the Let's Go Thrifting Resources page. It seems that thrifting and other means of shopping secondhand is a booming business, especially given the latest media attention. From American Pickers to Storage Wars, there's no shortage of secondhand television programming.

And when it comes to a good book, there are countless resourceful reads available. There are guides on antique collecting, how-to books to opening your own thrift store, collectives of crafty ideas and even fanzines dedicated to the secondhand lifestyle.

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to find two thrift-related reads, on clearance due to a bookstore closing its doors. (An event that, by the by, breaks my heart to see. A book store going bankrupt? Say, it ain't so!)

The first, which I've browsed for some brief information and to gaze at the wonderous photos is Hot Kitchen & Home Collectibles of the 30's, 40's 50's & Beyond.

While some of the finds in this colorful collector's book aren't particularly helpful in terms of manufacturer information, the collections themselves are enough to make a vintage enthusiast drool. Very kitschy!

The second read, which I'm taking in small doses is Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things. While this text is well-researched and written thoughtfully in layman's terms, this is a hard book to digest. But, that's just the nature of the beast. It's a topic that does fascinate me, this serious issue of hoarding. Where does collecting end and hoarding begin? Why do some objects have such a tremendous hold over some people and not others? Why do seemingly useless or unsanitary items have some significance to a person with this affliction? From a psychological standpoint, this book is interesting.  Though the average thrifter or  casual secondhand shopper may not have a particular interest.

In a related issue, we plan to tackle the issue of hoarding with a little more depth in a later post. Nothing too scientific, just some observations on the issue, some helpful advice on de-cluttering and that pesky but obligatory task of spring cleaning.

Now, back to the books. The book store that's soon-to-be-out-of-business hasn't closed yet, so I'm hoping for some more price reductions. Actually last I was there, I was so nearly overwhelmed by all of the titles they still had, I didn't even know where to look! So maybe next time, I'll make a list. Hmm. What to add?

Maybe some of you dear readers have a few suggestions.

So...what thrift-related resources are on your bookshelves?

A Portrait of Femininity

A Victorian beauty manual, Kabuki makeup brush, Revlon red lipstick, a brooch and a vintage copy of the Girl Scouts handbook surround a vintage-inspired frame.

This is my portrait of thrifted femininity.

The topic of what it means to be feminine has always been a bit contradictory for me. While I’m always educating myself on issues of gendered equality and resisting the advertising machine for body type and beauty expectations, I do admittedly spend a considerable amount of money on keeping up appearances, so to speak.

Sure, I find thrifted and bargain clothes and accessories that I love immensely. But when it comes to skin care and cosmetics, I find myself blissfully wandering the aisles of Sephora with glassy, wide eyes in amazement of all the pretty, pretty things.

And what’s so wrong with that, really?

Perhaps the money I spend on looking like a celebrity with a team of professional stylists is partially funded by the incredible savings on all of the awesome, kitsch, vintage oddities I have affordably bought secondhand.

Am I right?

From the Land of the Rising Sun.



A sleepy 'salaryman' on the platform of the Tokyo metro line. Worn out from a day of thrifting, perhaps?





I’ve always said that aside from ridiculously low prices, the appeal of secondhand shopping is salvaging cultural artifacts. Vintage, kitsch, ephemera, oddities…all of the items that could fall into these categories are marked by a time, a place, a person who was the previous owner…and perhaps a story.

The biggest chapter in the story of my life so far took place some five years ago. I was in my final semesters of college life and decided it was time for a change. I was so close to graduating. I had finished earning my minor accreditations, was working toward my final core classes for my major and was looking for one last hurrah before tossing the graduation cap in the air. So I applied for a study abroad opportunity in the summer semester. And lo and behold I was accepted and spent six amazing weeks living, studying and writing a column in Tokyo, Japan.

Ever since, I’ve been looking to relive the experience, to recapture it in some small way. And this is probably the reason I jump at the opportunity to snatch up all things Japanese when thrifting or trotting through flea markets. Books, art, toys, decor…everything! I love collecting cultural artifacts from this culture that is not my own, but one I adopted if only for a short time.



These are just a few of my favorite Japanese thrifted finds. I’m not quite sure how to describe this little wooden doll. He’s not a Kokeshi. But he’s great, and I love his little hat. That jar to his right is about the size of a jar of baby food. The design of the image and the slope of the lid reminds me of Japanese architecture.

While these three reads are more or less children’s books, I consider myself to have a childlike wonder and awe when it comes to Japan. Besides, the stories in Tales of Old Japan (1966) and Lafcadio Hearn’s Japanese Fairy Tales (1953) are filled with magic, nature and at times complete and utter dread.


In addition to taking a class on foreign journalism and Japanese contemporary culture, I actually based much of my academic study in Tokyo on the subject of Japanese horror cinema And Hearn’s Kwaidan: Stories of Studies of Strange Things was of great service. If you are interested in Japanese culture, folklore or horror, give it a read and you will not be disappointed.

Lastly, the book at the bottom of the pile was a thrifted gift from my best friend. And how fitting since Tokyo Friends (2006) is the most lovely little children’s book. It serves as a very basic, introductory level Japanese-English dictionary. Featuring a few Japanese and American children, the book teaches both definitions and cultural exchange in everyday life. And again, it’s adorable. Love it.


I took hundreds of photos while in Japan. Of nature. Of architecture. Of adults. Children. Students. Friends. Strangers. And I love looking back at them. Sometimes I need to look…to remind myself that it wasn’t all some incredibly lucid dream.



Remember this picture from the Collections page? This portrait of adults, children, strangers marked by a time and a place…of a culture that is not my own… was truly an amazing flea market find and one of my personal favorites.

It’s beautiful. And that little girl front and center? She reminds me of this little girl I photographed on my very first day in Japan.



She was too cute, wandering around the Shinto shrine we were visiting. Not knowing enough Japanese to properly ask her parents permission for her photograph I excused myself with a sumimasen, called her kawaii and pointed to my camera. Her mother and father were all too happy getting her to pose for me. I love that little smile and the positioning of her hands and her hair blowing in the wind. It was magical.

I desperately want to go back to Japan, even live there extensively. Maybe some day I will. But until then I have my photographs to look through, my dolls and decor to surround myself with and my fairy tales, both lived and imagined, all about the Land of the Rising Sun.

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Don't forget about The Big 5-0 Giveaway!