Zed's '09 Finds!

[Zed Simon]

OK, I'm starting a little late with it, but I'm starting it because so many others of you have. Good idea.

Today was VHS Day. From the Salvation Army I never get to because it's so far out of the way:

Rock Video Monthly. You remember these? It was a tape of a bunch of music videos they'd send you each month, in your choice of musical taste. I passed on a bunch in Selden because they weren't half price. Today I got 8 of them. 2 Heavy Metal, and 6 Alternative, all from 1993-94.

The Substitute IV: Failure Is Not An Option. I'd seen and liked the original Substitute with Tom Berenger, but none of the others with Treat Williams. Basic premise is that an undercover cop poses as a teacher to break up a gang of white supremacists.

Keep The Change. Gil Grissom goes west. Ex-CSI star William Petersen feuds with Jack Palance over some land, and Palance's daughter, played by Lolita Dvaidovich.

Then to the Goodwill, where I found some real treats (and I don't mean Williams).

Another Rock Video Monthly, this one a sealed Pop version from 1/94.

Magic Eye: The Video. Another sealed one. You know those 3D stereograms you have to stare at for hours on end to find the picture they suposedly make? That's what this is. And this is the company  that made the video.

Computer Visions. My geek find. A video about computer graphics and the people who made them, circa 1991.

Charisma. Labeled in English as "Psychological horror." I'll have to take its word since all the other words on the jacket are in Japanese.

The Bad Sleep Well. The first movie independently produced by Akira Kurosawa. Corporate corruption gone bad as a son tries to avenge the death of his father, who jumped from his office window.

Chappaqua. A semi-autobiographical peek into writer Conrad Rooks's attempt to go clean. What a
cast: Ornette Coleman, Allan Ginsburg and William S. Burroughs. Music by The Fugs and Ravi Shankar.

[Mattie]

Interesting stuff there!  I've never heard of Rock Video Monthly.  In the early '90s I had a tiny black and white TV and I was oblivious to MTV and other cable stations, so I never saw videos back then.

I have never, ever been able to "see" those Magic Eye pictures.  I've given myself a headache trying. 

Are you keeping track of your spending totals for the year?  I think I'm actually  thrift-shopping less often this year because I'm aware of every penny I spend.  I was going to go to St. Vincent today then I thought, do I really need anything?  Do I really want to spend money today?  Gulp.  Nothing like self-inflicted guilt to keep me at home. 

[Zed Simon]

Kinda sorta. I have noticed I'm buying less so far this year. I actually passed up a few records today, making the decision to buy the tapes and records an either/or proposition.

I don't need the records, and frankly when you have as many as I do, you have to seriously stop and ask yourself how important each one is that you're buying. These I could do without. The Rock Video Monthlies took precedence since I was going to buy them at the other store I found some at, but somebody couldn't wait for them to go half price and bought them before I did...for $2 each instead of the $1 I got mine for. Now there's a novel way to save money!

[anastasiabeaverhausen]

yanno what Mattie,
I am  not sure if Im spending less..I am definately being more selective about what I buy though. and Im definately ONLY spending tip money, well and christmas gift money. I noticed last year I was dipping into gas and grocery money at times...and Im REALLY trying hard not to do that this year...not with the price of gas and groceries..and a hubby that likes to eat as much as mine!
I did notice at a flea mkt in Raleigh NC yesturday that the vendors would tell me a price, and before I could even haggle, they would drop the price..I actually had 4 vendors do that to me. I only spent 3 bucks yesturday...a pottery planter dark pink and black drip, marked chicago..not seen one this color or with that mark, 2 bucks and a little victorian shabby chic metal crumb catcher, green, with tiny roses, 1 buck.. That will definately be a gift for a friend! I love a whole day adventure for 3 bucks! <hubby bought lunch...lol>

[foutchie]

Magic Eye video??? I love the books, never heard of a video!

[Zed Simon]

New finds today!

Sony MZ-E40 MD Walkman MiniDisc player - $14.99:
I have an iPod, but so does everyone else. What's cool about that? MiniDisc is the real conversation starter. This is a nice portable player that's in practically MINT condition and even comes in a vinyl case. All I have to do now is find MiniDiscs to play in it!



Discs - $.99 each:
A couple LPs: Harmony by Ray Conniff. Always a sucker for weird matches between artist and song, I got this for Conniff's cover of Live And Let Die. Andreas Vollenweider: Down To The Moon. Because sometimes I just need a trip Out There.

On the Laser scene, a Heidi movie called Courage Mountain that stars Charlie Sheen, and a Pioneer demo called Laser Optics II with clips from a bunch of movies and lots of reasons for buying a LaserDisc player.

[Zed Simon]

All righty, gotta catch up a little here.

Friday: Vidicraft SEG-200 video effects generator. This is a fun geeky toy I can use to make all kinds of different wipes and fades if I ever do videos. It dates to 1987 and judging from the back of it, it looks like a high-end consumer dealie for the serious videomaker - the kind who'd be eagerly awaiting S-VHS camcorders in a year or two. $25.

Saturday: clothes! I never buy clothes at thrifts, but these two things got me to make an exception. A light twill jacket-type thingy that I discovered was actually a women's jacket. What made it so cool was the Commodrore logo (yes, the Commodore that made the C64) and the word "Commodore" sewn in back. Also a Famous Dave's t-shirt, just like their servers wear. It's got their logo in front and this one says in back, "It ain't barbecue unless ya get some on ya." Love to go to my Famous Dave's in that shirt and tell them where I found it!

Also got a great big fronkin' Coca-Cola cup. Pretty sure it holds 64 oz. It's one of those insulated hot-n-cold cups with the crazy lid. For 97 cents, a deal.

Today: Paperboy for Sega Genesis. In the case, with instructions! A great game I've never played...that I remember. $3.59.

And a Panasonic professional VCR. By professional, I mean heavy. It weighs about 25 lbs. and even has a label that says "For professional use only." I'm not one to buy used VCRs, but luckily there was a tape in another VCR near it, so I got the chance to test the transport. It passed! I'd seen this same model at a Goodwill with a remote recently, but it was $49.99. This one was only $27.99. I'm glad I waited!

[SplashsMom]

All righty, gotta catch up a little here.


Saturday: clothes! I never buy clothes at thrifts, but these two things got me to make an exception. A light twill jacket-type thingy that I discovered was actually a women's jacket. What made it so cool was the Commodrore logo (yes, the Commodore that made the C64) and the word "Commodore" sewn in back.

All you have to do, if you even care, is switch the buttons to the other side. Most people never notice anyhow. And if it is for display rather than wearing, Don't bother.

Good finds!

[valleythriftshopper]

Saturday: clothes! I never buy clothes at thrifts, but these two things got me to make an exception.

You frequent thrift stores & buy clothes retail?  Do they not have a good selection where you live?  That is one thing I don't have to worry about, there is an abundance of clothing at thrifts here, too bad that is not what I am usually looking for!

[Zed Simon]

Splashsmom: Can you flip a zipper?

Valley: I'm mostly into t-shirts lately, and new ones don't command much of a premium over ones I'd find in thrifts here.

[Big Daddy Audio]

And a Panasonic professional VCR. By professional, I mean heavy. It weighs about 25 lbs. and even has a label that says "For professional use only." I'm not one to buy used VCRs, but luckily there was a tape in another VCR near it, so I got the chance to test the transport. It passed! I'd seen this same model at a Goodwill with a remote recently, but it was $49.99. This one was only $27.99. I'm glad I waited!

Zed - You know that if they catch you using this VCR for non-professional use, you'll wind up in the same maximum-security facility that is used to house the miscreants whole pull those tags off the mattresses...

Great finds.

SYNT
BFN

[valleythriftshopper]

Splashsmom: Can you flip a zipper?

Valley: I'm mostly into t-shirts lately, and new ones don't command much of a premium over ones I'd find in thrifts here.

Your right about t-shirts, alot of them tend to be worn by the time they reach a thrift. 

[mccoysnina]

[

Zed - You know that if they catch you using this VCR for non-professional use, you'll wind up in the same maximum-security facility that is used to house the miscreants whole pull those tags off the mattresses...
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AAACCCCKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!  I make pillows all the time and cut those friggin' tags off the inserts cause they are always in the  way.  Please don't tell!  I don't think a soccer mom like me would last long in the Big House:)
Jeannie

[eddieb]

GREAT FIND! is it a player only? i to this day STILL use an MD recorder to record my practice sets... discs are not hard to find (at least not here in LA)

New finds today!

Sony MZ-E40 MD Walkman MiniDisc player - $14.99:
I have an iPod, but so does everyone else. What's cool about that? MiniDisc is the real conversation starter. This is a nice portable player that's in practically MINT condition and even comes in a vinyl case. All I have to do now is find MiniDiscs to play in it!



Discs - $.99 each:
A couple LPs: Harmony by Ray Conniff. Always a sucker for weird matches between artist and song, I got this for Conniff's cover of Live And Let Die. Andreas Vollenweider: Down To The Moon. Because sometimes I just need a trip Out There.

On the Laser scene, a Heidi movie called Courage Mountain that stars Charlie Sheen, and a Pioneer demo called Laser Optics II with clips from a bunch of movies and lots of reasons for buying a LaserDisc player.

[SplashsMom]

Splashsmom: Can you flip a zipper?

   Well, as a matter of fact....