G. Turner: Three weeks. It's been three weeks since we've purchased anything even remotely game-related on our Saturday urban excursions. It all started with the July 4th weekend...

July 1st, 2006

G. Turner: We hit up a number of garage sales before making the thrift store rounds, but there was absolutely nothing worth archiving. I take that back - there was a quirky rug and some cookware.

G. Turner: We did manage to capture a rare moment: a thrift store selling a used console for a reasonable price. This was an especially decent deal given that it's bundled with a memory card and three games. Or taped, as in this case.

G. Turner: DANGER ZONE

G. Turner: A garage alley sale we stumbled on before heading home. The proprietor was also selling a motorcycle, right next to some tiling. Scintillating.

unitdaisy: Even more scintillating was that he was filling the lonely hours of his alley sale watch with music from a guitar he held in his own two hands.

July 8th, 2006

G. Turner: We had high hopes that the prior weekend was just a fluke, that people weren't up to organizing a sale because of the holiday and all. And on paper, the sales looked promising!

G. Turner: Terribly nice of them to detail exactly what they're selling before you walk down the alley to the actual sale! And look, over in the right-hand column: games!

unitdaisy: I am thankful I have never had to buy another person's mattress.

G. Turner: Sadly, the 'games' turned out to be a sole (and obnoxious) electronic ball that shouted questions at you. What's worse is, it wouldn't shut up.

G. Turner: They did have a free pile though: garlands & streamers, oh my!

unitdaisy: Shhh! I picked up free streamers in anticipation of the upcoming Dreamcast anniversary. I shall paint them orange in my spare time.

G. Turner: Look in the tunk trunk.

G. Turner: We're finding more and more obsolete Palm OS handhelds nowadays. You can see that $5 wasn't even their initial sticker price. It's a bit sad.

unitdaisy: Who has a garage sale open long enough to re-sticker items? Would it have been so difficult to remove the previous price?

G. Turner: Since it's European, why not?

unitdaisy: Much easier to drink coffee in.

G. Turner: Oh Pit. I'll never forget the many pages I read about you in The Game Makers.

G. Turner: Cripes.

unitdaisy: I don't understand why people find defecating children to be cute. If I have to hear one more story about adorable poopie diapers and babies inadvertently urinating on people I am going to outlaw childbirth altogether.

G. Turner: I had been waiting for unfettered access to the X-Files. It turns out that the wait was more exciting than the reveal.

G. Turner: Is that any way to treat a Genesis controller?

unitdaisy: I think he is practicing safe sex. I applaud you Genesis controller!

G. Turner: While this picture may look out of place, while it may appear to be a snapshot of an especially unkempt street from the early 1980s, this is actually someone's basement. We were assured that 'everything must go'.

unitdaisy: I hope for his sake there weren't any police officers garagesaling that day.

G. Turner: That's one healthy looking shoe.

unitdaisy: I don't think my feet are quite ready to be shod in iron.

G. Turner: After that especially harrowing experience, we called it a day and limped towards home, empty-handed.

July 15th, 2006

G. Turner: I was absolutely convinced this weekend would be fruitful as it was the weekend of my birthday, and last year's garagesaling birthday expedition with our friend Gus was one of our best ever (since he was the guest and all, he got to take Fallout 1 & 2 home). I knew in my heart that this week, things would turn out just right!

G. Turner: But no, I was just wrong. For one, this weekend was one of the hottest on record, with the temperature hovering close to 100, some awful humidity and an absolutely punishing sun, this was not a fun weekend to be outside. For two ... well, see below.

G. Turner: Not Simpsons Wrestling!

G. Turner: Like these games? You'd better, because they're all you're going to get.

G. Turner: I looked everywhere for something worth documenting, even in these birdhouses.

unitdaisy: Poor birdies were evicted and now roam the streets homeless.

G. Turner: Heeey, an accordion! But I can't play that. I hardly play the instruments I already have!

unitdaisy: Oh how I wish we had picked this up.

G. Turner: What a good day to be soaked in black label.

G. Turner: Ripe!

unitdaisy: Killer Tomato is ashamed of his lazy brother.

G. Turner: Portion control!

G. Turner: When will I learn that most people hear 'games', they think of 'board games' instead of 'video games'?

unitdaisy: Or mind games - but people usually give those away for free.

G. Turner: On the upside, if we hadn't ventured out this weekend, we never would have seen the world's largest Jelly Belly plushie.

G. Turner: Oh what a painful weekend (my apologies to fans of Heroes of Might and Magic IV).

unitdaisy: Though even more painful would have been eating a jelly bean that large.

Find of the weeks: I found a drafting table, but it didn't come with any controllers or cords.

Lesson of the weeks: Sooner or later, you're going to hit a dry spell and there's nothing you can do about it. Don't get discouraged - there's plenty of non-game related junk to sift through!