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 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!!