Second Hand, Second Thoughts

Yeah--I watched the video version of The Secret and kinda totally loved it. What of it? And yeah--I know it was a kind of pop-psych pap-so? But you know, when you start really buying it--when you start thinking " Yes! The Universe will align itself with my desires if I can just put out enough positive vibrations!! " Well, it can open up all sorts of cans of worms. Such as: why hasn't a dear friend's nasty, abusive ex husband had the decency to crash through a bridge guardrail while he was sending her nasty text messages while driving drunk when so many of us have believed it was inevitable? (And if he did, would the universe contact the police or the insurance company?) Or: where is my: Range Rover, criminally expensive string of horses, French chateau, face/boob lift, book contract??? Because, if you've watched the film, if the expression of the omnipotent power is to open up a more convenient parking spot for my shitbox Toyota Highlander, then to hell with it....

My mom was an antiques dealer--sort of like those two guys on that reality show on the History Channel.   http://www.history.com/shows/american-pickers I can tell you from here that bike is not worth it.   http://www.inherited-values.com/2010/01/american-pickers/  Mom had a great eye for really good stuff--collectible china, antique lace, pop art, weird, collectible dolls and toys, jewelry, artisan rugs, coins, watches, marble, novelty piggy banks, antique slot and pachinko machines, wood Norwegian racing sailboats, vintage juke boxes, neon beer signs and other beer-related advertising, roll-top desks, oil portraits of strangers, native American craft, creepy, 19th century German children's books, taxidermied creatures, etc. I don't think my mother made that much money as an antiques dealer, though she would have made an awesome subject for a reality show. Over the course of my childhood, it became easier and easier for her to lavish time acquiring stuff and more ...