for the love of e-bay

Yesterday I won my first e-bay auction. I bought a set of Organic Chemistry Molecule thingies. You know, the tinker toys disguised as learning tools, with the price tripled?

I love e-bay. Though my relationship with it has been short, I am definitely head over heels. I checked the site constantly to scope out my competition and refine my strategy. I've heard snippets regarding addiction from various people, and I now I emphatize with them.

But my nascent affection is nothing compared to my fathers. He loves e-bay. More than his family. I often wonder whether he has put the rest of us up for sale. The following interaction, which took place a few months ago, sums up his unhealthy addiction:

Dad
So, I was looking on e-bay, and there is a horse ranch in Atlanta for sale. I was thinking it could be interesting.

Me
Um, what could be interesting? We don't ride horses, or you know, ranch.

Dad
Still, it could be fun to go there, maybe when I retire.

Me
You will never retire.

Dad
I might. And we could have horses.

While that's not the verbatim recap of the conversation, it gives you the general picture. E-bay creates a parallel universe, where all things are possible (and for sale). Time to look for some more books and my current e-bay obsession: an old-school nintendo.

I'm off to Cambridge on Saturday ... the reality of moving and school and career shift has not yet sunk in.