(no subject)
This last saturday I went to Fond du Lac with my father to attend an auction http://www.auction-specialists.com/fall/fall_pics.html for construction equipment, vehicles, and other misc. stuff people don't want anymore. We make this trek twice yearly, once in the spring, once in the fall. So we left the house around 7, clothed in about 4-5 shirts/sweaters and two pair of pants to ensure my warmpth for the day. As we pull over the bridge to where we can see the puffs of smoke enter the atmosphere you can tell we're not the first ones there ready to start everything up and see what runs good. In fact, as we pull into the driveway we can see the auctioneers driving over the bridge behind us-how many people are at a function before their hosts? seriously. We unload our 4-wheeled Mule http://www.rc-trucks.org/Utility-Vehicle-3.jpg and head on in to register and get our bidding number and breakfast. every year they have frosted cinnamon rolls, and oh. my. god. are they good. so good, in fact, that family members request that we bring some home since they were unable to attend themselves.
so off we go, prepared with our thermos of hot cocoa and handfuls of cinnamon rolls (seriously, why am I so fat? I can't figure it out) and we go bounding down the hill to the valley of construction toys WEEEEEEE!!
There are 3 types of men (I was one of maybe 10 females I saw there, and almost the most-butch-ly dressed one. hiking boots, flannels, blaze orange sweaters keeping me warm? yeah. but the girl with cat boots and a carhart jumpsuit beat me out. ) 3 types of men who attend these auctions.
1. The struggling Dan~the guy who's trying to make a living. he's come prepared with all the cash he can use, and a checkbook because if there's anything good he can 'pay those bills later'. You can tell these men by their unshaved faces, tired eyes, and bidding habits. they only go so far in the bidding war no matter what the purchase. they will run their hands through their hair when they hit that limit of "I can borrow some money from so and so" or "I'll just pay those other guys double next month. this is worth it................ I hope." They are most often beat out.
2. The average Joe~the ones who go for fun. they can always use something that's there, make it into something better, and see the best of a crumpled piece of tin. they have money to spend, in a sense. they pay their bills, but if they see the justification behind it they'll spend more than they should. their current lives/jobs afford them this luxury though. these men are mostly older, have been through hard times-like the ones who used to have a farm, before the city wanted the land. the ones who love to keep working. they won't bid on much, but when they do you can hardly tell because all they need to do is make eye contact with the auctioneer and the war is on. the slightest nod keeps them almost in a stealth bidding mode. these men aren't to be messed with on particular items.
3. The sleazy Mark~these are men who buy work boots for this expressed occasion. they haven't a spec of dirt on them, keep a clip board of all their purchases, and bid to win. they have the money to spend on things used to cut corners and gain on profits in their company. once they see something that can make a profit the bid is theirs. they will wave and not and eye down others just to get everything they want. these are the men who leave in their spotless nissan trucks (ha! they call that a truck?! look at this mother truckers! http://www.f650pickups.com/f4.jpg ) (ok, that truck is a little extreme, but c'mon!) to drive to mc'd's for lunch because they think it's cheaper thank what's sold at the concession stand (which by the way, they make decent cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and brats) Sleazy Mark is shady, mean, and an overall bastard.
Every year this saturday also turns into a "Mullet Expo" as well as one of my favorite people watching holidays, and also the "golf-cart-bumper-car games" (when we take the mule, rented golf carts, play bumper cars, and trespass over the hill onto the go-kart track and go racing during the lunch time lull in auction sales)
It was a windy and cold auction this fall, but I had hot cocoa so I did much better than the last time I was there-May 4th-the week before the wedding. it was so sunny I burned all over my face and was peeling badly the days before the wedding. With about 500 bottles of water, 20 bottles of aloe lotion, and a little bit of scrubbing I looked good for the day of, but I was lucky. It's all part of the experience, and I love it every time.
so off we go, prepared with our thermos of hot cocoa and handfuls of cinnamon rolls (seriously, why am I so fat? I can't figure it out) and we go bounding down the hill to the valley of construction toys WEEEEEEE!!
There are 3 types of men (I was one of maybe 10 females I saw there, and almost the most-butch-ly dressed one. hiking boots, flannels, blaze orange sweaters keeping me warm? yeah. but the girl with cat boots and a carhart jumpsuit beat me out. ) 3 types of men who attend these auctions.
1. The struggling Dan~the guy who's trying to make a living. he's come prepared with all the cash he can use, and a checkbook because if there's anything good he can 'pay those bills later'. You can tell these men by their unshaved faces, tired eyes, and bidding habits. they only go so far in the bidding war no matter what the purchase. they will run their hands through their hair when they hit that limit of "I can borrow some money from so and so" or "I'll just pay those other guys double next month. this is worth it................ I hope." They are most often beat out.
2. The average Joe~the ones who go for fun. they can always use something that's there, make it into something better, and see the best of a crumpled piece of tin. they have money to spend, in a sense. they pay their bills, but if they see the justification behind it they'll spend more than they should. their current lives/jobs afford them this luxury though. these men are mostly older, have been through hard times-like the ones who used to have a farm, before the city wanted the land. the ones who love to keep working. they won't bid on much, but when they do you can hardly tell because all they need to do is make eye contact with the auctioneer and the war is on. the slightest nod keeps them almost in a stealth bidding mode. these men aren't to be messed with on particular items.
3. The sleazy Mark~these are men who buy work boots for this expressed occasion. they haven't a spec of dirt on them, keep a clip board of all their purchases, and bid to win. they have the money to spend on things used to cut corners and gain on profits in their company. once they see something that can make a profit the bid is theirs. they will wave and not and eye down others just to get everything they want. these are the men who leave in their spotless nissan trucks (ha! they call that a truck?! look at this mother truckers! http://www.f650pickups.com/f4.jpg ) (ok, that truck is a little extreme, but c'mon!) to drive to mc'd's for lunch because they think it's cheaper thank what's sold at the concession stand (which by the way, they make decent cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and brats) Sleazy Mark is shady, mean, and an overall bastard.
Every year this saturday also turns into a "Mullet Expo" as well as one of my favorite people watching holidays, and also the "golf-cart-bumper-car games" (when we take the mule, rented golf carts, play bumper cars, and trespass over the hill onto the go-kart track and go racing during the lunch time lull in auction sales)
It was a windy and cold auction this fall, but I had hot cocoa so I did much better than the last time I was there-May 4th-the week before the wedding. it was so sunny I burned all over my face and was peeling badly the days before the wedding. With about 500 bottles of water, 20 bottles of aloe lotion, and a little bit of scrubbing I looked good for the day of, but I was lucky. It's all part of the experience, and I love it every time.