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| Collecting trainers - an interview with an expert |
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Thursday, September 6, 2007
In this first article of our new collectors series, we bring you an exclusive interview with New York collector Nick Gonzalez. New York is a hot bed for valuable trainers and Nick is one of the area's most famous collectors, a true expert in his field. TRAINERSHACK: How did you get in to collecting trainers? NICK GONZALEZ: The right sneakers are very important when you're growing up as a kid. I spent most of my leisure time on the basketball courts and if you weren't wearing Jordans you might as well not even show. I kept the first pair I owned and it went on from there. TS: How many pairs do you have in your collection? NG: I must have over 500 by now I guess. I only wear about five or six pairs myself, the rest are boxed up in the spare room. TS: Do you have a favourite pair? NG: I've always had an affinity to the Air Jordans but my collection is so vast it's hard to choose just one pair. I guess other than those, it would have to be a pair of the Air Force 1s. They have got me through a few scrapes on the courts. TS: Do you collect all the brands? NG: I was brought up with Nikes but I love anything as long as it's got some sort of appeal to me. I've got a good selection of Adidas Stan Smiths and have a soft spot for the Reebok Pumps I own – going back to my court days I guess. TS: What sneakers are you wearing now? NG: I woke up with no clothing direction this morning so I went for Superstars – they go with anything. TS: What has been your best find? NG: When I was visiting relatives in Chicago they took me to this store that was closing down. The owner had a pair of original Air Max 95s and he only wanted 35 dollars for them. They were in my size and I took them away. I gave him an extra 50 bucks for them though. Christmas Gift Ideas: The Treasures Under The Tree Hear ye! Hear ye! The 'ber' months will be here before you know it! When people start to hear about months ending in B-E-R, they all feel the clock sounding tic toc as it fast approaches the holiday season. Christmas is the season to be jolly…. Falalalalalalala! For the kids, it's the merry month where they get so overly excited about gifts and other stuff that Santa brings. And for most, it's the time of the year when all the streets are busy and filled up with traffic while people swoon over shopping malls to find the perfect Christmas gift ideas for their families and friends. Christmas gift ideas need not to be repetitive or monotonous. One might say "Oh, I know what I'll be getting this Christmas. If its from Aunt Jane, it'll be a north pole replica paperweight." Or "Mrs. Dunst will give me another box of her fruit cake. That has been her gift giving trademark for as long as I can remember." Hey, there are lots of Christmas gift ideas you can up with! Be creative, resourceful and imaginative! Don't you want people to remember you for the nicest and most unique Christmas gift ideas you send them every year? Here are some new and exciting Christmas gift ideas to help you out: 1. Chef Santa on the run! Cooking is not only a mommy's craft. This Christmas gift idea is a fun learning activity for the whole family. While all the ingredients are available in the grocery down town, it is also a perfect time to teach your kids or friends some cooking and baking lessons. Try experimenting on your home-made fruitcake, gingerbread house, and Christmas cookies. This is not only a classic Christmas gift idea, but a sure fun way to develop your craft for cooking. 2. Relive the sound of Christmas carols Everyone has a favorite Christmas song. But wouldn't it a nice Christmas gift idea to make a compilation of old and new Christmas songs sung by various artists? A perfect Christmas gift idea that sounds music to the ears! 3. Candies, anyone! No matter how candy canes are soooo last year, they are still a hit to all kids! Instead of the traditional white and red striped candy canes. Why not try on some chocolate candy cane? A strawberry candy cane? Or an orange candy cane? Have as many variety of candy cane as you can and try to come up with repackaged gift bags to make it more enticing. Kids, or even teens, will surely love this Christmas gift idea. 4. Christmas craft and decorations Surprise your pal with this personalized Christmas gift idea. If he is a die-hard music lover cut out some musical notes or his favorite icons that he can hang around the tree. I'm sure he'd love to have something that no one else has. This cool Christmas gift idea is so unique and adds a bit of your personal touch. 5. Frame it up! Want to bring your special someone in tears? No, I mean tears of joy. This cool Christmas gift idea will surely melt a snow. I mean, your sweetie's heart. Try to create and design a picture frame and draw yourselves as Mr. and Mrs. Santa. Or if you aren't artistic enough to draw, cut out some pictures and replace their faces with yours and your honey's and be sure to pick your best and sweetest shot. This will make him/her think how much effort did you exert to come up with a sweet Christmas gift idea like this. These are just some of the hundreds of Christmas gift ideas, you can come up with every year. Whether you bought it in a shopping mall or you've made it yourself, be sure to pick the right Christmas gift idea for the right person. After all, it's the thought that count! Mark Dietzel operates Santas-Wonder-Land.com a website dedicated to Ideas for Christmas Gifts Save hundreds on your next Dell purchase - Amazing secrets revealed Getting ready to buy a Dell computer? Before you do so, you had better read the following tips, because they can save you big on your next computer purchase. Before you get started, I would like to give you some background on Dell and their marketing/pricing strategy. Dell Computers is the largest manufacturer and retailer of computers in the world. They have about a 15% market share of all computers sold in America. Because Dell only builds a computer when it is sold, it enables Dell to keep very low inventories, and therefore, a very low price. Moreover, you can only buy a Dell at Dell. They have no retail presence. No middlemen! Dell utilizes many channels of advertising to get the word out about their low prices. You have probably seen their ads on TV or their full page print ads in the newspaper. You may have even received a Dell catalog if you have purchased from them before. What you probably haven't noticed is that the price of these seemingly equivalent systems vary greatly depending on where you saw the ad. This is the very first lesson on being "Dell smart." Dell is NOT transparent in their system pricing. This means, depending on where you learned about the computer deal can greatly impact the price you pay. Okay, so if Dell does not consistently price computer system ads, where should you go to get the best deal? That's simple -- the Internet. And by Internet, I do not mean going straight to Dell.com! To become "Dell smart," you need to choose a Dell computer that is right for you, one that suits your needs. Computer shoppers often overspend on options they will never use. Go to your favorite search engine and look for a buying guide. After you narrow your search, go back to your search engine (I use Google) and enter "model name + review." Read a few independent reviews about the model you've selected and find out what other people are saying. What are the system's pros and cons? Now that you know what you are looking for, let the real money saving begin! Go back to your favorite search engine and enter the words "Dell Coupon Codes." What you should get in return is a list of Dell affiliate web sites that supply FREE coupons from Dell. These coupons are not advertised, as Dell tries to keep these for the savviest shoppers. More often than not, Dell has a $750 off coupon that can be applied at checkout allowing you to save big! Sometimes, these coupons can even be stacked, meaning you can apply more than one coupon towards your purchase, or they can be used in combination with rebates or other instant savings. Check several coupon sites until you find a coupon that works for your model. Make sure you read the fine print, and verify that the coupon is not expired. Some coupon sites give step-by-step instructions on applying coupons so make sure to do your research! Once you have found the relevant coupons for the system you want to buy, you are ready to go to Dell to make your purchase. Purchasing a computer from Dell requires that you go through several pages of options and add-ons. This is where buyers typically get bogged down as they are overwhelmed by a number of options and upgrades. Be sure to use the buying guides you came across to identify which features and upgrades are right for you. And be aware that you can often down-grade from many of the default Dell options. For example, Windows Media Center and Windows XP Pro are practically the same operating system. However, Dell sometimes defaults to XP Pro in their options which costs significantly more than Media Center. So, downgrade whenever it makes sense for you and your needs. Once you have gone through the pages of options, you will be at checkout. This is where you will apply your coupons, select the cheapest shipping and pay tax. If you followed these steps, you should be saving hundreds of dollars for the computing system that exactly meets your needs. Let's recap: 1. Dell prices are not transparent, always search the internet. 2. Research the right model for YOUR needs. Use a buying guide. 3. Search for a review of the model you selected on a search engine. Use "model name" + "review" 4. Go back to your favorite search engine and enter "dell coupon codes." Find a good coupon site with current coupons and good instructions. 5. Go to Dell, select your model, and DOWNGRADE unnecessary options and add-ons. 6. Apply your coupon at checkout (stack whenever possible)! 7. Use the lowest priced shipping. Pat yourself on the back, because you have now saved BIG! Looking for Dell Coupons and Dell Coupon Codes? Visit http://www.cheapstingybargains.com/cheapster/dellpage.html |
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