Quitting/putting collecting on pause

If you've ever been laid off you become keenly aware of how little you meant to the organization regardless of how good your work ethic or performance was. No amount of platitudes or farewell cards or half-hearted handshakes by people who barely know your first name is going to make you feel valued. No one spends their final moments staring at the ceiling thinking "I wish I had spent more time at work."

Take ever day/hour of time off you're owed.

I'll never forget working one of my old serving jobs. I wouldn't say I was the top server, but I was pretty damn good, if I say so myself. Our daytime manager was a total hardass; no sense of humor, no sympathy or empathy, the whole shebang. Like a restaurant drill sergeant. I was still relatively new to the larger world- I'd only been living on my own for a couple years and building that foundation. Long story short, I was going through chemo at the time, and he'd make me come in to do my shift. I was young and stupid and paranoid about money- sure as shit didn't have any sort of insurance- so I always would. On the few occasions I'd try to call out, he'd scream at me over the phone, threaten my job, tell me how I was letting my coworkers down, you name it. So I went in, every time. Don't know how, but I never got sick during my shift, despite having just come from treatment. Must've been pure adrenaline. When I did finally leave the job for greener pastures, on my very last day, he pulled the whole "you're such a great worker, it won't be the same without you here" bullshit.

Don't get me wrong- sounds like the job situation is much better in this case, but still. I've known too many friends and loved ones who were told they were "invaluable" and "irreplaceable", yet when it came time to downsize, they were the first to go or be replaced with someone younger and cheaper.

joshsquash729 said:

I'll never forget working one of my old serving jobs. I wouldn't say I was the top server, but I was pretty damn good, if I say so myself. Our daytime manager was a total hardass; no sense of humor, no sympathy or empathy, the whole shebang. Like a restaurant drill sergeant. I was still relatively new to the larger world- I'd only been living on my own for a couple years and building that foundation. Long story short, I was going through chemo at the time, and he'd make me come in to do my shift. I was young and stupid and paranoid about money- sure as shit didn't have any sort of insurance- so I always would. On the few occasions I'd try to call out, he'd scream at me over the phone, threaten my job, tell me how I was letting my coworkers down, you name it. So I went in, every time. Don't know how, but I never got sick during my shift, despite having just come from treatment. Must've been pure adrenaline. When I did finally leave the job for greener pastures, on my very last day, he pulled the whole "you're such a great worker, it won't be the same without you here" bullshit.

Don't get me wrong- sounds like the job situation is much better in this case, but still. I've known too many friends and loved ones who were told they were "invaluable" and "irreplaceable", yet when it came time to downsize, they were the first to go or be replaced with someone younger and cheaper.

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My first job was a grocery store clerk gig. I did such a good job that they put me on as produce basically covering the whole dept in addition to the liquor area. My direct manager was the same type of hardass you described, but kept telling me about his previous high school football career, which was at least half a lifetime ago. So basically I worked for Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite.

I would get screamed at by the owner about how his 30-40 yr old produce coolers would break while I was on my lunch break, accused of "wanting time off" because I requested a week off to have my wisdom teeth removed over Spring Break (yes that's right, kids in HS usually have medical procedures done during school breaks, particularly when it affects their ability to function and appearance), and just generally blamed for whatever happenings were going on in their personal grocery career purgatory. They disliked me so much they offered to make me a manager...at 17. I said I planned to continue school and that was it. No more golden boy, more punching bag treatment for their own failing and neglected infrastructure. I used to have bad dreams that I still worked there and that every job I had since was just a dream itself.

The best thing anyone can do for their identity as an adult, particularly if you're male, is decouple yourself from this belief that you ARE your job and that your worth ends when no one can "use" you in some capacity. The most overlooked powerful word in the English language is "no."

That bit by the Joker about "discarding" you and "casting you out, like a leper" once they can no longer find a use for you rings truer the older I get. People show you who they are when they're interacting with someone "beneath them" status-wise or whom can't do anything for them.

Update on the gentleman from earlier.

First of all, thank you all for the kind words. I appreciate knowing that I have some of you to rely on as an ear. That means a shit ton to me, I really mean that. Because I'll be honest, I'm still seeing his face. I am in a very fucked up headspace right now.

When the adrenaline came crashing down, I began to shake uncontrollably and hyperventilate. That was certainly not on my bingo card for this year. And I almost told my wife that I didn't want to go for that walk after the gym, but she begged since it was so nice out and we had time before she left for work.

Right place, right time, I suppose.

I told her that I am so proud of her. That I could never do what she did, I could never do what she DOES. She did everything in her power to bring him back. This is her job, she is able to compartmentalize this, and distance herself from this. But for me...man, for me, this has fucked me up a little. I never expected to see it and I'm having trouble shaking it.

Regardless, it isn't about me. His name was Mark Stough of Barberton, Ohio. He was 72 years old. And I got confirmation that he sadly did not make it. I hope and pray that he is at peace.

Your wife did an incredible thing Rick. I hope she is alright, because when things like that happen and you don't get the outcome you are trying so hard for, it can definitely be traumatizing whether you realize it at the time or not. It sounds like you were pretty shaken up too. I hope you are both ok. I'll be thinking of you both and just know it was good you were both with that gentleman. He had a chance at least that he wouldn't have had if not for your wife, he wasn't alone, and your wife did everything that could be done.

And one way or another that gentleman is at peace now.

I definitely don't know what happens when we die, as no human does. But that's the thing, I don't think humanity actually knows what death, truly is. Geometry and Physics can only give so many answers, but it does tell us nothing is ever extinguished. And while you can't use the math or physics to tell what happens beyond that state when a body dies, we know matter and energy can never be destroyed.

I think the simplest way to put it; is everything is on its way somewhere. The Universe is perfect in its formation down to the particle. And that's where we come from and what we are in the hands of. So, whatever happens, is exactly what is supposed to happen.

Okay, I've dipped my toe into ebay listing some McFarlane DC figures. I have no bites after a week or so. Aside from paying ebay an even bigger cut to promote any ideas of things I could be doing better?

Things I imagine are pertinent:

I have zero history as a seller.
I'm undercutting others on price a smidge, but not a bunch.
I'm having ebay figure out shipping costs.
I have 11 listings.
I set a buy it now price and turned off negotiations.
I setup one lot which did get watchers faster.
I include 4 shots of each figure (Front, back, left, side)
I'm including stands, accessories, and card. (also pictured)
I use a ring light in front of a window with sunlight and a white posterboard background.
I wrote the title and descriptions succinctly using verbiage from the packaging (e.g. Bizarro - DC Rebirth) without explaining who Bizarro is.
I assume whoever is looking for open/used figures knows what DC Multiverse McFarlane 7" action figure means without explanation.
Example:

Cross list on Marketplace and Mercari.

Alt said:

Cross list on Marketplace and Mercari.

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^^^This is key! Mercari leaves you getting 90% of what the price was when you sold it, whereas with Ebay I get around 82%. Ebay sells faster typically, and the folks on Mercari like to haggle more. But Mercari is a smaller pond, so you can get higher prices in some cases because there are fewer sought after figures on there after a while. Each has their drawbacks, but I enjoy Mercari more in terms of the hassle involved with each.

I'm assuming there's no crosslist functionality between competitors, you're just doing it twice? Also, I guess you run into the possibility of it selling on both before you cam take the other listing down? I appreciate folks explaining this to me like I'm 2. I have never felt less equipped to do something after 48 years of only buying.

I think there are tools that will manage cross list? but I haven't used them... maybe someone has some recomendations

I cross list manually, but I also don't use eBay. As mentioned in prior discussions with eBay, I don't care for the middle manning and lack of control.

There's nothing wrong with your eBay steps, It's just an uphill battle between the not-recession and McFarlane DC interest waning as Mattel looms.

I would take a serious look at Facebook Marketplace and specific toy groups in your local area on Facebook.