Goal of Houston Food Bank

The first thing I want to get squared away this morning (11 a.m.) is the charity marble auctions I started running on eBay two days ago.

I know so little about what I am doing, I do not even know how to link these auctions.

Let’s see here…

This is my eBay profile. Looking uncustomized. One problem at a time. The profile does show all my listings.

This is the first auction posted. A single marble. I didn’t realize that this marble wasn’t the greatest, and I didn’t really think about the idea of one marble not being a great enough prize for anyone to bid on.

This is the second auction posted (yesterday). I did figure out that probably three marbles are better than one. This auction was the first to receive any bids.

This is the auction I posted today. Like yesterday, this auction is also three marbles. I did get an opening bid within a couple of hours of posting.

Commenting on what’s good and bad so far:

It has started.
- Ideas are easy to have and difficult to start. I did manage to get myself started.
- However, ideas are easier to start than to maintain. It’s clear that my process at this point is far from maintainable. Probably, 30 days to get a leg under myself with this idea when it comes to infrastructure and management.
All items will sell.
- The goal of making money for the Houston Food Bank will be achieved. Absolutely. These items have bids. Ebay will collect, I will ship, and HFB will get the money.
- At this time, the best dollar per marble is $5, and the worst is $1.67 per marble. My life and career are in a ditch that is shaped like the math here. Retail price on these items when life and work were healthy was between $35 and $50 or more. I think these auctions will never reach these prices, which I find totally unsurprising and throughly depressing.

I have been thinking about what my goals are here, and I think I’m in for a hard time.

I have no way to help others. This idea is a way to do that.
- Math so far say I will only lose time and money with this idea, spending large amounts of time to sell twenty dollar bills for five dollars. It would be cheaper and faster to just give twenty dollars. But of course, I can’t give twenty dollars. I’m struggling to care for myself. Unsaleable marbles are what I have.
This is a way for me to communicate with the world. I don’t have or want social media, and this idea is a way for me to make up for that weakness.
- Ridiculous. I’m going to what, build my own community around these auctions? People will read my eBay auction descriptions like literature? This blog is supposed to grow to the point where it is generating customers for me? Maybe if the glass was unique and high-end. It’s unfortunately not; it’s not even close. Maybe if the idea of eBay auctions by artists was new and unique. Unfortunately, that was 15-25 years ago. And definitely the idea would work – did work – with a strong career. But yeah, buddy, I don’t have that.

This idea is going to take time, like both hours and months. And also, this idea is going to take money. Shipping supplies. Promotional materials. I owe eBay $1.50 because I accidentally pressed the button for a listing subtitle.

I’m not at all sorry to be doing this. I’m thrilled. This idea is healthy for me. I wish I had always had something like this going for myself.

My concern is that this idea won’t ever return the benefits I need:

A way to make a meaningful contribution to others.
A way to communicate with the outside world and bring awareness to my hopes and craft hustles.

Harold Williams Cooney