Auction School Day 7: Quizzes and MORE Bid Calling

I´m super sorry for the delay in posting. My computer froze up at the hotel, then I met up with a friend that lives in Waco, and by the time I got back I needed to study for the final test Mr. Moon gave us. I started this blog, so I´m just going to leave it the way I typed it that day.

Hey! Hey! Everyone!! This Auction Class is coming to an end pretty fast here - which is a little overwhelming when you think about it. Now....I´ve learned all that any person can teach me about the laws, rules, regulations, codes, complaints, convictions, etc. It´s up to me to (first pass Mr. Moon´s test tomorrow) and the state exam - within the next week or so..... Then....once I pass that (I´m gonna study real hard and cross my fingers) I need to figure out how I´m gonna make all of this apply. You better believe it folks....IT´S TIME TO BUCK UP BABY!!!

We took a boo koo of quizzes and did more bid-calling. I posted a video of the last little bit of bid calling I did. I posted a couple of videos of some other classmates also. I´m the first and last video, my friend Samantha is the 2nd, Kevin from the Houston area is #3, Mr. Moon is after him, next is Randy (Antique fella from Missouri City).

Samantha and I were talking this morning, on the way to class, about just the way things happen in life. We would never know each other if it wasn´t for this. I don´t know if you guys have ever experienced anything like this, but when I got to class there were SEVERAL people that I felt like I knew from somewhere or we crossed paths somehow...it´s strange. I´m being serious about it. It was like you have this INSTANT connection with people and you don´t know´m from Adam. I´m thinkin´ A LOT of it has to do with the simple fact that we are all trying to be part of the Auction industry somehow, but (PERSONALLY) I think it´s a "God Thing" like Mike would call it. We are all placed in each other´s lives for a reason. Some of these folks are really going to help me along the way...whatever I decide to do - whether it be sharing their knowledge of antiques, the auction business, hiring me to call bids every so often, helping me run an auction, or just being a phone call away when I have a question about something. I do feel VERY blessed to have taken this class.

I also had the chance to meet up with my good friend Joe Wade (originally from Giddings). We used to run around dance halls together and have just stayed good friends over the years. Talk about some OLD memories. It took us a little while to figure out how we even met each other - originally. We reminisced about old times (over a couple of  "Big Os" (Margarita glass full of beer (it´s a Waco thing))) and got caught up on the goins on of us and our families.

Hangin´ Out @ George´s.

Well folks....another post is coming soon!! Thanks for stickin´ with me!

Auction School Day 6: The State has More Codes Than Morse! - Mr. Moon

Well let´s just say we talked about codes, codes, laws, rules, codes and more laws today. Did you know that "you can be an auctioneer and a coyote trapper-all at the same time?" Yes the state has someone that is in charge of catching coyotes. You also have to have a special permit to sell chickens (amongst other things), CAN NOT POSSESS AN EAGLE FEATHER UNLESS YOU ARE A CARD CARRYING NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN - and then you still can´t sell it, you can´t sell a stuffed turkey mount, selling mobile and manufactured homes have SO many guidelines (when it comes to an auction) that it makes my head hurt thinkin´ about it, and that there are a TON of rules regarding the selling of firearms, livestock, wild and exotic animals, birds, boats, military memorabilia, real estate, alcohol, food, and pretty much anything you can think of.... We learned about all of that AND MORE today.



Bubba gets a little short of breath sometimes and Mr. Moon thought if he held his diaphragm it would help. The sight is pretty humorous. I´m not sure why he thinks it helps...maybe he just felt like huggin´ somebody.

We also did MORE bid calling. Today the people that don´t have a chant started using filler words. For some it helped them get into more of a rhythm and for some it was hard because it was like re-training your brain to think a certain way. They also started actually catching bids. It truly is AMAZING to see the progress of everyone. It just takes lots and lots of practice.

The first video is of a pretty sharp fella named Kevin. He´s going to be in the Canton area. He´s a really nice guy and has a lot of knowledge. I look forward to maybe gettin´ a chance to work with him in the future.

The next video is Krueger. He has a really unique style. It´s almost like he´s rapping. From Day 1 he really put his personality into it and made it fun. Super nice, down to Earth guy (with a pretty AWESOME Momma)! I think his bidders are really going to enjoy listening to him...once he gets his chant down pat.

I remember when Uncle Mele told me I was going to help him at that auction in Plum. I practiced when I drove, when I was at the computer by myself, when I was around family (so I could get their input), recorded my chant into my phone, so I could play it back and hear myself...EVERY CHANCE I GOT. I still want to BE ABLE to chant a little faster than what I do now. That doesn´t mean that I´m going to always go that fast. I just want to be able to sell EVERYTHING and you have to be a little faster for some auctions than others. The only way I´ll get there is practice.

I do have more videos of bid calling today. We also had picture day today and Mr. Moon´s granddaughter Misty came in and got some shots of us.

The sun was in our eyes pretty bad, but here we are.



Here we´re just goofin´ off a little bit.

Well folks...I´m missin´ my baby and my husband. Samantha´s hubby and sweet little baby June came here yesterday for the rest of the week. That little girl is a DOLL! She´s 8 months. It´s kinda got me thinking about baby #2...

When I wrote my blogs last night, I had left my notebook in the car that has all of Mr. Moon´s quotes in it that I jot down during class. Here´s a few. If you hear me say them...you know where they came from.

"I´d rather be lucky than good. "
"We scattered that stuff out like a wild woman´s wash."
Someone asked him if his dog bit and he said: "I don´t know, but he´s got teeth."
"The only guarantee I´ll give you is if you drop it and break it - you´ll have 2 pieces."
"Bull Feathers!"
"The height of stupidity!"
"Well...you´ll wear out a Mercedes-Benz lookin´ for one of these." - Quote from his good auctioneer friend from Abilene that passed.
and maybe my favorite....
"I have no peers. I´m an auctioneer!"

Well..I¨ve learned a lot and have met a bunch of really AWESOME people. I may be tired and missin´ by family, but "I have no FEARS. I´m an auctioneer!" BUCK UP BABY and say a prayer for that sweet little baby of mine that is FINALLY missing me a little bit tonight.

GOD BLESS!!

Auction School Day 5: Opening Statements and a Dead Battery :(

So...I get up this chilly morning and walk out the door a little before 7:40 to go to class. I get in my car and what happens? The car won´t crank. I turn the key and click...click...click...click. Samantha was still there, so I had a way to get there.

Then we get there and Mr. Moon asks (amongst other things) if we practiced our opening statement. The answer to that was a big ole´ NEGATIVE. Luckily Bubba had it together and gave the rest of us a little time to write one up. You guys probably don´t realize it, but an auctioneer has to say A LOT right before an auction starts. I mean when I wrote it out it was over a page.... You´ve gotta do it though to cover yourself.

We did MORE bid calling today also. I have a video of Chad. He was SO nervous the first day. He´s come a long way and gets more and more comfortable up there.

If any of you guys have seen me when I auction...you know that I "dance" up there. I kind of rock from side to side. Well..."Big Bad John" (Mr. Moon gave him that name as we all broke into song) moves a lot when he gets up there. He does his bid calling really well and kind of walks around the whole time he´s doing it. Mr. Moon thought he´d stand by him to see if he could stand still.

Well folks...I´m tired and that´s about it for tonight. BUCK UP BABY! We have to dress up for some reason tomorrow. Hopefully my car starts.

Auction School Day 4: Runnin´ an Auction and the Table

Okay....so we didn´t ACTUALLY "run" the table, but me and Samantha did end the night with like a 5-0 record playing pool last night.

Me and Samantha havin´ some margaritas!

Yesterday (Day 4) and Today (Day 5) seem to be the most mentally straining days for me. I´m not sure if its the amount of information that is being drilled into us or what, but I´m just SO tired.

Yesterday we learned a lot about setting up different kinds of auctions and the type of help you´ll need to run one and the different qualities each person has to have. For example: most auctions whether they are Estate Auctions, Equipment Auctions, Consignment Auctions, etc - you will need 1...maybe 2 auctioneers, a clerk (and a good one), 2 cashiers, 2 ringmen, and you could need toters to run items to people and help them load up mechandise. It is also a good idea to have a back up to many of those positions.

We also did some more bid calling. I´ve added a few videos of classmates, so you guys can get an idea of what our days are full of. Mr. Moon has us going up by different increments all the time. Chance (first video) has so much energy. She is just entertaining when she gets up there. Chuck (second video) used to sell at a car auction. This guys if FAST. The next video is Randy. He´s an antique guy from the Houston area. He´s got his own style and is really good at incorporating different filler words.

Well...yesterday was also a classmates birthday. Me and Samantha (new friend from Nachadoches) and the two gold and silver fellas - Blondie (Chad) and Birthday Boy (Justin), and the rad guitar-playing auctioneer Mike went to this little steakhouse, ate good and had a few drinks. I don´t think I´ve laughed that hard the whole trip. Then we went to this little bar\pool hall type place and me and Sam wrecked shop :). Blondie MIGHT have scratched on the 8 ball two of the 5 times we won, but A WIN´S A WIN!

Birthday Boy...

The birthday party :).

I really am spent and a day behind, so you´ll get to read a couple of blogs this time. BUCK UP BABY!!

Auction School Day 2: Bid Calling

So...My Mom and Kylee just left :(. I´m pretty sad about that. Well...Chance and Pops came in to pick´m up. We had dinner at this nice little steakhouse in Bellmead (had a mural of Gus and Call from Lonesome Dove on the wall) with my new friend Chance (She´s a lady :)). I know my family really liked her...she´s good people!! You don´t even want to know about the commotion we had gettin´ there. Let´s just say we won´t forget it!

Well today we started bid callin´. I COULD HARDLY WAIT!! So Mr. Moon told the few of us that already had a chant (style of auctioneering) that he wasn´t going to make us change it up!! He actually said "I could hold ya´ll at gunpoint and you still wouldn´t change it, so it won´t do me any good to try." We all had to get up there and go up by increments of $1...all the way to $50. I´ve got a little video that I posted from me doing my thing. A few of those stinkin´ class mates of mine were trying to tell me to cut that $1 bid in half (hence the pause and look of nonacceptance I was giving :)). Just like every other auction I have EVER done....I got more positive re-enforcement. I asked Mr. Moon how he thought I did and he said "If I still had an auction house - I´d turn you loose and let you sell." You better believe that made me feel pretty stinkin´ good.

I really am amongst a group of stand-up individuals. Well amongst some of the things we learned today were making sure our contracts covered us in case of things like people abandoning items or buying something with warranties, how to advertise ourselves at certain auctions, red flags to be aware of and safeguard ourselves, etc. We also learned that Mrs. Moon will throw a "hobo fit" if Mr. Moon doesn´t take her bid and let her buy heavy pieces. He doesn´t like to carry anything heavy :).

He also said that you can´t get anywhere in this business sittin´ behind a computer. His exact words were "You can´t be a rock star if you don´t get out there." :) What if...you do both :)? He also told us about his very first auction for a 4-H club. He said there was a lady out there with a camera from the TV station and well..."He was as nervous as a whore in church.". LOL! I guess I must´ve been about that nervous in Plum :).

Oh my goodness! My mind is on overload and it´s only the end of Day 2! Well folks...like Mr. Moon would say you better watch out! Heather´s "comin´ out of the shoot wearin´ a tenny shoe and a boot!" And...like I´d say...BUCK UP BABY!! Get those arms astretchin´! I´ll be at an auction near you soon enough!!

I didn´t take many pics, but I do have a few to share....

Meet Blondie :). He´s the youngest in the class and that gives us no reason to pick on him, but we do :) He was a little nervous gettin´ up there to do his chant at first and Mr. Moon wanted to check his pulse to see how nervous he was...not that, that would make him MORE nervous or anything :)

Do you guys remember be blogging about my friend\cousin-in-law going into labor early a few blogs ago? Well...I´m happy to report that little Baby Andy has arrived weighin´ in at 5lbs. 3oz!! Mommy is in good shape too! God Bless the Noska, Diamond, and Ortiz families!!