I'm Searchin'

I had a roommate, years ago, who got angry at me for dating my now-husband (she was a fundie, and thought my dating a Jew was 'just wrong,'). She kicked me out, and threw away most of my belongings. Later, a fire destroyed even more. As a result, I have little to nothing from my pre-aged-22 days.

But fear not! There is always eBay.

Yes, I am an eBay junkie. I use it for a number of reasons: to find things for my Arthurian collection, to add to my mushroom-themed kitchen, to buy the courting jewelry I collect, and to replace some of those long-lost items. After three years, though, there are still quite a few things even eBay hasn't been able to find for me:

BOOKS:

1) "Sister Safety Pin" by Lorrie Sprecher. This is a good book...I've found sites on the Internet that will claim to have it in stock, but I try to order it and it's a no-go. Apparently, the library's copy was stolen, which means I can't even borrow the damned book. It's a neat novel about a punk-rock lesbian in the late 1970's.

2) "Circle of Love," author unknown. This book seems next-to-impossible for me to find. It's a lovely book about a young German girl who escaped the Nazis and eventually comes to America. I've always thought this book would make a great movie...

3) "Tristant" by Eilhardt von Oberge. For my Arthurian collection.

4) "Death: The High Cost of Living" by Neil Gaiman. This is a graphic novel with a forward by Tori Amos. I have the three comic books...but I'd rather have the novel.

5) "Carol's Story," author unknown. I read this book as a teenager, and cried and cried. It's a true story about a young girl who is physically and sexually abused by her father. My Internet searches haven't turned up a thing on this book thus far.

6) "Roxanne," author unknown. Probably the only romance novel I ever really liked, mostly because it very vividly portrays what life was like for women in the Klondike during the Gold Rush.

7) "Beautiful Girl," author unknown. This was a teen fiction about a physically-attractive girl who doesn't have it as easy as most of the world assumes she does. I want this for my daughter; it's a good book about misconceptions, bullying and never judging a book by its cover.

8) "On Your Toes, Susie!" by Lee Wyndham. Another book I want for my daughter: it's the story of a young ballet student who struggles with jealousy when a rival from France joins her class. In the book, the girls get the mumps...my mother bought me this book when I was very young and had---you guessed it---the mumps. Wren is a ballet nut, and I know she'd love this book. I've found a few copies on the Internet, but they all had torn covers or pages.

9) "The Pendragon" by Catherine Christian. My favorite Arthurian book; I've long since worn out my copy. It's out-of-print, and I know it goes by another title as well but I can't remember what that title is.

MUSIC:

1) Ethel and the Shameless Hussies (title of album unknown). This is sort of a country parody band. I loved it, particularly the song "I Thought He Was Mr. Right But He Left." Trivia question: anyone know from which famous novelty song this band took its name? Leave a comment if you think you know the answer!

2) Ethyl Meatplow, "Happy Days Sweetheart." I have it on cassette, but am trying to find it on CD.

3) The Balancing Act, "Curtains" and "Understanding Furniture" (?). This is a sort of They-Might-Be-Giants type of band. Very funny, especially the songs "She Doesn't Work Here Anymore" and "Lost in the Mail."

4) Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper, "Bo-Day-Shus!" I love the anti-80's-era-MTV song "Stuffin' Martha's Muffin." Mojo rocks.

5) The Blake Babies, "Sunburn." Reminds me of days spent in my friend Chris' basement....

6) Corky and the Juice Pigs (title unknown). I want the album with the song "Eskimo." Anyone see these guys on their many MAD-TV appearances? Hilarious!

7) Bill Cosby, "Bill's Best Friend." I loaned this cassette to my stepbrother Larry...who quickly proceeded to lose it. It's an early Cosby album, with an absolutely hilarious skit on drugs. I've been looking for it for years with no luck.

8) Liquid Drano (title unknown, might be spelled "Draino" or "Drain-o"). This was a local Dayton band in the early 90's, headlined by a set of male twins. I casually knew the twins, but my copy of their album is long gone. It has the song "The Day Jim Henson Died" on it.

9) Giles Reeves, "Wunjo." Viking rune music. Better than it sounds.

10) Monty Python (title unknown). All I remember is a very funny skit involving a musician who says, "I've suffered for my music, now it's your turn." I love that quote...but it's not on either "The Final Rip-Off" or "Instant Record Collection."

MISC:

1) "I Survived the Miamisburg Train Derailment" T-Shirt. In 1986, a train carrying white phospherous derailed in Miamisburg, Ohio...where I happened to be living at the time (part-time, at least...my parents were divorced and had an early version of joint custody). I remember being evacuated, and then ending up in the hospital when my eyes, nose, throat and lungs began to burn. It was not a pleasant experience....but I survived it, and to date those of us who did are the only people (who didn't work with the substance) poisoned by white phospherous. I wore my shirt proudly....but it burned in the fire.

2) My perfume bottle necklace. This was a necklace I had and loved for years. I bought it at a store in the Dayton Mall in either '90 or '91...it had a long, gold-colored chain and the pendant was a clear perfume flask, with gold chain criss-crossed over it and a citrine-colored jewel on the bottom. The top screwed off and had a stick applicator. I used to put my favorite perfume in there, and had a lock of my friend Phil's green hair in there for months. Ah, memories....I've not been able to find anything even close to that necklace.

That's all I can think of for now. I've found many items I was searching for....my Beavis and Butt-head "Punks" T-shirt, my copy of "Stories From Japan" that I had loved as a child, many items for my kitchen that my mother once owned (she also had a mushroom theme). So I continue to search.....such is life.