One of the things I spent the most time doing when I was down South for my high school reunion was bargain hunting at Goodwill locations within a reasonable driving distance.
The good news is, I found some cool things. My favorite find was a Y2K-era beige keyboard at a Goodwill Electronics store where nearly every keyboard is $9.99. The guy at the cash register looked at it then looked at me puzzled and said, “Don’t you want a better one?” but it was such a treasure to me. Then I asked how much and he said two dollars. Lucky for me, he didn't think it looked cool.
The last 10 things I'll say about this keyboard is, it's my second mechanical keyboard ever. I have the 40% Vortex because it has pretty beige retro colors but it is not practical. This keyboard is clicky *and* soft, which is a miracle. Like having the satisfying click but also the softness you can feel when you press all the way down. I didn't know that was even possible. Also my husband is falling asleep to the gentle sounds of an old keyboard typing away, which is likely soothing for him because his brain can work like a computer at times.
The SLEEP button works. Can you believe that? A SLEEP button for an iMac? And with a moon icon? I mean, this is next level. Old tech is giving me new features. I just need to press the moon button in the top-right of the keyboard then my iMac goes to sleep. Then I can press the button again for the display to wake up. It is sooo annoying to put an iMac to sleep. If you long-press, the iMac displays a window asking if you'd like to shut it down (along with the other native MacOS options). This is a serious benefit. The PLAY/PAUSE and FFWD/REWIND and LOUDER/QUIETER/MUTE buttons work too. That's more than enough for me. It's life-changing.
It was made by COMPAQ which no longer exists, first of all. It has these Y2K buttons along the top like a dedicated email button. (Too bad I accidentally rubbed off some of the icon paint during cleaning. I learned my lesson.) The keys are incredibly satisfying to press down. It just feels like quality. The overall look is in this vintage tech beige that I wish they still made things in. The keyboard is just new enough to have a USB plug-in into the computer.
Whoever used it previously literally never wiped it. They just kept using it every day, over and over again. How else would you get such a consistent blend of dirt across the keys?
After I cleaned the whole thing with isopropyl alcohol (and probably accidentally breathed in too much), the keyboard looked immaculate. (After using isopropyl alcohol to clean a large number of retro tech items the past couple of weeks, I admit I need to find a more ventilated area to work on these restoration projects.)
I can’t wait to plug it into my iMac. (Edit: I have now plugged it into my iMac and it's perfect. Typing on this old but sturdy keyboard and updating my Blogspot while wearing my Pokémon Crystal Version t-shirt. I know.)
best thing in my wardrobe
I also found two working Nintendo Wii consoles for $24.99 each. One to keep as a backup at home because it also plays GameCube games and in fact has the same hardware as a GameCube. (After disassembling 2 GameCube’s several times in one day, I’ve learned GameCube’s are monetarily costly to fix). And one to maybe sell in the future.
My conspiracy theory is, as GameCube’s continue to break down and are difficult to refurbish at a reasonable price, they will increase in price and Wii’s will be more in demand as they are allegedly easier to fix and simpler overall.
GameCube’s were only $25 when I was in college about 11-15 years ago. Now I can find a Wii at a Goodwill for $25. Now GameCube’s are $100-200+. Maybe Wii’s will get up there too. Just don’t tell anyone else, because then they’ll know our secret.
If you have a working GameCube right now, I’d recommend buying yourself a working Wii just in case the GameCube breaks. Much cheaper than buying a new and working (or refurbished) GameCube later when they are more expensive, only to realize the GameCube laser or capacitors will fail once again.
I also like bargain hunting online but it’s been tough. You have to really look in unexpected places. I’ve found some amazing Japanese Seiko watches in astonishingly good condition. (Seiko is like the Toyota/Honda of cars.) But it takes a lot of time.
I also found some very cute Y2K Coach items that will be up on our eBay some time in the next week along with other items from around my room in Florida. I made a vaporwave logo for the account that I'm pretty proud of, especially since it only took about 5 minutes to do. But I have to owe that to YouTube because I never would've had any vision and brand direction for it had I not spent the entire previous year trying to figure out my vision and brand direction.
It's nearly impossible to find bargain items in New York, but I guess it's possible. Maybe if we find and sell really cool t-shirts. I'm not sure. But I'll think about it.
I really need to fix the GameCube (or at least attempt to) one last time, then edit two new YouTube videos. Hopefully they won't be boring. I injured my back so as long as that's not stopping me, I'll be working.
Talk to you soon. Please come back. I'll miss you.
Listening: Fire Emblem: Blazing Blade - Theme Song
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