I See...Caricatures of People

I've always been fascinated with comedians.  It seems like a very hard profession (I guess it's a profession).  The ones in particular that tend to always peak my curiosity (and the ones I critique the most) are impressionists.  Some are better than others, but the elites just blow me away.  I've always felt like I'm an amateur impressionist and because I've made at least 3 people laugh (and only 2 were immediate family members!!!), I think I'm pretty good.

The elite ones can do anyone.  I think my 6-year old could do John Wayne or Jack Nicholson but it takes a real artist to do Robin Williams or David Paterson (the blind New York Governor...try that impression at the next party you're at and watch your friends give a genuine sympathy laugh).  The key with the biggies is that they implement more than the voice.  As a famous Sea Witch once said, you can never underestimate the importance of body language (my kids can't watch that movie because the teenage heroine disobeys her father but that's fodder for another blog post).

My problem is, I do obscure people.  I'm not talking about B or C actors like Robert Pattinson (you heard me) or Zsa Zsa Gabor.  I do law professors and my grandmother.  One of my best impressions is of a foreign student, who I believe to be a pothead.  Maybe that one crosses some ethical line but it creates a good break from studying Criminal Procedure.  The real problem is context.  My audience is narrowed by my, (a) subject matter and (b) audience members who get the reference.  Bye-bye Radio City Music Hall.  

Oh, well I guess I will have to give up this dream and stick to making my wife snicker in public while telling me to stop when I mock the one-armed auctioneer scratching his head with his nub, while asking in his East-Tennessee mountain drawl, "Whatsamatter withit?" because nobody is bidding.

After that self-deprecating/self-awesomeness drivel, let's get to some Flea-Market Flippers

When last we left you, we had a baseball card, payphone lock and Sega video game cartridge vying for the top spot.  The results are thus:

Northern Electric Payphone Lock - paid less than $1.  Sold for $26.00.

Sega Genesis Contra Game - paid $5.  Sold for $32.26.

2012 BP Wil Myers Red Ref. - paid $3 (for the pack).  Sold for $44.00.

All the proceeds go to Feed the Children (mine).

Here are this weeks superstar items:

1963 John Glenn Orbit Thermos ($10 at the flea market)

Scary Game that is frustrating to control ($3 at a variety shop)

Wooden Color Wheel (Made in China, Folks! and only $1.75 at Walmart Clearance)

Ideas

I always like to have something witty, thought provoking or just entertaining (to me, anyway) to write about.  

Today is not that day.

I had a few ideas but they seemed rather blase.  Then I started thinking, 'do people even  read the editorial part or do they just skip on down to the FMF?'  With such limited time in folks' lives, should I scrap the side dish and just serve up the meat?

I always hoped the top part, what with my wit and charm, would win people over and they would say, "Boy that Piggy fellar sure does spin a good anecdote."  I could hear the guffaws in my mind from the low-brow crowd, could see the winks of those who got the high-end absurdity.  Repost after repost on social networks and micro blogs would expose my sarcasm to the masses.  I would be the next Garrison Keillor, Lewis Grizzard or Larry the Cable Guy!

But alas, I couldn't think of any ideas to put me over the top.  I guess we'll just have to give the uber-capitalist what they want.  So pause that episode of Pawn Stars or Storage Wars on Netflix and lets get on with Flea Market Flippers.  Yipp...ee.

While ya'll are enjoying it, I'll just sit over hear, basking in my awesomeness bubble made for one.

For any newbies, the rules are thus:

1.  I show a picture of something I've picked up at a yard sale or flea market, what I paid for it and any neat story associated with the item.

2.  The item goes on eBay.

3.  You speculate what it might bring, boom or bust (basic free-market economics).

4.  The winning speculator gets to gloat to their friends.

Western Electric 3-slot Payphone Lock (Box Lot of Padlocks $15 soooo around .75 cents)

When I saw this box of about 20 old padlocks, I didn't give these (there were 4) a second glance.  We'll see how this one does.

2012 Bowman Platinum Wil Myers Red Refractor #11/25 (Minty Fresh out of $3 pack)

I love finding shiny things in packs of cards.  Especially hot prospects with low-serial numbers.

 Sega Genesis Contra: Hard Corps Game ($5 at a variety store)

I could be wrong but this could be one of the first Mature Audience labeled games.