Craigslist Gadgets

I've been trolling Craigslist for odds and ends for my apartment. I just got a new 6' oak bookcase for $30! I'm looking for an inexpensive desk, and a couple more pieces of furniture for the living room, but most of that can wait. I have all the big furniture, now, and I'm willing to wait for the best deals for everything else.

Here's a tip for bargain hunters: there are several tools you can use to keep an eye out for a particular item on Craigslist. Right now, I'm using a Google gadget on my iGoogle homepage to look for tables. Take a look here for a gadget to monitor for specific items (you have to specifiy the item in the "edit" portion of this Gadget, and here for a general Craigslist search gadget (you have to specifiy the city in the "edit" portion of this Gadget). You can also use Craigslist RSS feeds to monitor for specific items. I did that for a while, and then just installed the first Gadget I mention, because it's easier to change the item you're searching for.

Postings have been slow, and probably will remain that way for the next couple of weeks. I went to my first class last night for my MFA in Writing at Hamline. The students are all serious about their writing, and many of them have a good background, so that's encouraging. We reviewed the syllabus and did some get-to-know-you activities. I couldn't get excited for some reason. I think I'm coming down with something, actually. That would explain my general malaise. My girlfriend has a cold, so I probably got that from her.