Douglas,
Let me tell you, it is a slippery slope. No one understands this better
than I do. Just a mere four years ago, my entire OM kit consisted of an
OM-1, an OM-2, a 50/1.8 (fungusy) and two off-brand lenses.
That's it.
Then I found this list and then I found e*ay.
I told myself I could always stop. It's easy, they're just, uh, equipment.
I started slow -- bought one lens. Sadly, I don't even remember which one.
I am sure I overpaid. Then I found myself interested in higher number
bodies. It's a bigger number, it must be better, right?
It went slowly for awhile. A lens here, a flash there. I had it under
control. I didn't snipe, I never stayed up late, bidding alone.
Then it got bad. I started buying in bulk -- entire cases of the stuff. No
singles for me anymore, unless I could get the cheap stuff. I found myself
doing it alone. Often from work. Meeting, what meeting, I have to be here
when the auction ends.
Then the enablers kicked in. eSnipe. That satisfied me for awhile, but it
wasn't enough. I wanted my own system. Run it at home -- it sits there,
sniping for me, making it easier and easier.
For a long time, I convinced myself that it was OK. I was buying in bulk and
selling pieces to support the habit. I admitted my habit to my wife and the
stuff started coming to the house. But, oh I'm the salesman, I convinced her
it was a good thing that I was on a first name basis with the Postman, the
UPS driver and sometimes even, gasp, the FedEx man. We're close, we joke
around, we see each other at least twice a week. It's not cheating though,
we're just friends. It's business -- yeah, yeah, you've heard those words
before.
But it kept getting worse. I had to have the imported stuff. Europe, Asia,
everywhere. Not the best always, sometimes just the cheap stuff, but the
return addresses. England, Switzerland, Australia, Norfolk Islands -- yes,
even small islands in the South Pacific.
I couldn't even go retail anymore -- not with my habit. I started hooking up
with distributors, wholesalers, anybody that would feed my habit. The stuff
I craved couldn't be bought anymore, they didn't even make it. But I had to
have it. I needed bigger and stronger stuff. Found myself buying not one,
but TWO 180/2 lenses -- NIB. It helped, for awhile, but it wasn't enough.
Then came the 350/2.8. Ahhhhhh. What a rush. But it didn't last, the rush
never does. It's getting shorter. It use to last for weeks, then days, then
hours. Now I find myself sitting on the floor, peanuts all around me, the
box barely opened and I'm ready to move on to my next deal. I'm getting used
to it, I need it stronger.
Oh, oh, a 180/2, 250/2, 350/2.8 -- all at once. What can I sell? Do we
really need a car? Food? Kids? Wonder what a ten-year-old is.....no, can't
go there. Even I still have some convictions (no legal ones, just personal
ones).
But here I am, sitting here, waiting for the big score from the South
Pacific. Not 1 or 2 hits. Not 10 or 20. 229. Yep, 229 separate boxes, all
gold and black (my favorite blend). None of that used stuff here. All new.
Sigh.
But I know I'm fooling myself. I can't handle it, no one can.
Tom
P.S. this is what it looks like right now -- before the boxes arrive. And
this is just the big stuff -- the little stuff is still in various boxes
around the house.
http://www.zuikoholic.com/images/Now.jpg
----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas Tourtelot" <tourtelot1@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 12:24 AM
Subject: [OM] Dilemma
> This is NOT a sarcastic or flip question. I have a real problem and I
need
> some years of experience to help me out.
>
> I now own four OM bodies, and eight lenses. I love them all but I keep
> finding new deals on more OM stuff that I promise myself I will turn
around
> on *bay someday to allow myself the luxury of buying even more OM stuff.
>
> I did a nice clean-up on a chrome OM-2n, fixed the meter switch, put in a
> nicer viewfinder glass, made it all nice-nice. Takes perfectly exposed
> chromes. I also have a 135mm 3.5 that is really nice too, a silvernose
but
> beautiful. I don't ever use it (I love the 100mm!). I am thinking about
> putting them up. I am wondering how experience list members manage to
part
> with OM gear, even for more OM gear. I am having trouble thinking about
not
> having these great finds, even if I can net a good profit on their sale.
>
> What do you guys (are there any "gals" on this list??) do in a similar
> situation?
>
> D.
>
>
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>
>
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