For those of you who know Hannah, you know she's got a very favorite teddy bear, named Carterbear. He's been loved and loved and his terry cloth fur has been worn to nothing, much like the beloved bunny in the Velveteen Rabbit story. Many of you also know that he's been replaced once. It took the better part of two years of vigilant searching on and posting on every possible teddy bear website to find it. I was blessed to have someone email me; they found the listing on an auction site (to remain nameless, but you ALL know which I am talking about) and I paid $4 plus shipping for a replacement.
Well, Carterbear #2 is meeting the same fate as Carterbear #1, and he's wearing pajamas in order to prevent the wear on his body, but his face is getting worn too. So I once again have been searching for another replacement to this little bear. It's not been easy.
A few days ago, I tracked it down again on that oh-so-famous auction site. The seller wanted $30 for it, calling it "RARE"...well, yeah...it was made in 1999 and it's was branded by a well-known company (drop the "bear" from the name and you know who I mean), so it's not like there are a TON of these floating around, right? Yeah...right....uh-huh....
Well...I wanted to post to the "want it now" section, but have a good picture of Carter, so I right clicked and copied. Not like you haven't done that before, right? I wasn't trying to SELL the bear, I WANT the bear, but not for $30. The photo wasn't right click disabled, so I borrowed it. It's not like it was a copyrighted one-of-a-kind work of art or something. I really didn't think I was doing anything wrong.
I forgot which email account I had used (part of when my auction account got hijacked, and I had to re-start it all over - I changed pretty much EVERYTHING on it)...so I hadn't checked that account in a bit. I forgot! And when I checked my email, I got a notice from the unnamed auction site that I had violated their terms and my listing was removed. No big deal. But then I got the nastiest message from the seller about intellectual property rights and "you better remove that photo immediately or else..." and it's against the law to steal other people's work. Oh...ooops! Didn't realize the photo was VALUABLE. Sheesh. Had I known, I would have photographed the ratty old Carterbear we have and HOPED he would be recognizable enough.
Yeah, yeah...whatever. So I found a picture of Hannah with the bear (though he's got a sweater on now and I posted a new listing...and I toodled on over to the aforementioned listing. The seller is now asking SIXTY dollars for this bear. GIVE ME A FREAKING BREAK.
So, I'm going to post MY photo of Hannah with her little bear - the photo is many years old, and of course Carterbear's wearing a sweater over his colorful scarf. But you get the idea of what he looks like...and the scarf around his neck is red, blue, yellow and purple, with the brand-name on the yellow portion of the scarf. He's about 10 inches total, with red feet and ears, and stitched eyes and nose.
If, in your many travels around the world (or to flea markets, thrift shops and yard sales) you find this bear, buy him, and I'll pay you for it, your shipping and your time...but don't spend more than a few dollars on it, m'kay? I don't care if we end up with a few...maybe I'll sell them to the psycho who wants $60 for the one listed on that well-known auction site.
And if it seems like I'm talking in code, I sort of am...don't want the crazy lady to find me and stalk me!
Friday, August 24, 2007
some people....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
16 comments:
here from michelle and I have to say some people just are plain nasty
never seen a bear like that hope you can find a replacement
Ok that lady isn't just crazy, she's freaking insane!! I don't care if the bear actually WAS rare, paying that for a STUFFED animal is just crazy and she has issue's just because you right clicked on a picture of a teddy bear that you could probably have found a similar picture of other places. Sounds like this person needs to find ANOTHER hobby other than the one she has on the unmeantioned website! LOL
If I come across Carterbear, I'll grab him up for you!
Yikes! Sometimes I wonder about people - truly.
That's just NUTS.
I will keep a look out. One of my co-workers is VERY good at finding "rare" things; I will request her help.
If i find your bear, I will send it to you free of charge. This is a promise because a few months back I posted about a china cup that was precious to me and how it now had a crack. A sweet woman e-mailed me that she collects those cups and if she had it would send it on to me. She would not take a penny for it. It would be her gift. For me it was the sweetest, most thoughtful act and I promised her that if I had the chance, I would pass the gift of generousity forward. The cup arrived safely, and I drink my morning coffee from it every day.
Just remember for every old crab on the auction line, there is at least two beautiful people willing to be helprful. So I promise to keep an eye out for a CarterBear.
After all this writing, I almost forgot to say, I came by way of Michele.
You should read the story called, "The Velveteen Rabbit."
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/williams/rabbit/rabbit.html
I hope you find your bear. And maybe it would be a good idea to keep one or two back in storage in case it is needed later!
Michele says hi.
~K!
I had a velvet bunny, my very own Velveteen Rabbit. It was tiny, so it went with me everywhere when I was little.
I'm trying to invite you to my blog, but can't find an email for you... drop me a line?
....at slowlyturningleaf@yahoo.com, that is...
WOW oh my god...she has my teddy bear. I had one just like that. I loved it so much but I think it got chewed upon by our last dog or something either which way I don't have him anymore. I replaced him with an octopus from IKEA, isn't that sad?
Anyway, Michele sent me over to commiserate. Those particular bears are indeed very difficul to find.
I think I'm scared to even look at listings now...:)
Will keep a lookout for your bear.
What about making another bear that looks similar? Is THAT too crazy to even mention? It's like I don't even recognize this bear... lol even though you were talking in code, it's like I didn't even know what you were talking about from the beginning. Does that make me Canadian.
p.s-I sew. :)
people are so weird sometimes! i know how it is to hunt down a replacement bear. when my youngest was a baby she got attatched to that little bear that similac sends every new mother-to-be ... but we lost it at costco one day. i called the similac people and was finally able to get another one ... only to lose that one too. she finally settled on another bear ... which she still has 8 years later. his arm is barely hanging on ... we don't even touch him for fear that he'll fall apart. lol!
Unfortunately there are some very mean people on that site. How small minded to potentially deprive a little girl of a much loved companion.
michelle sent me to see if you updated :P ;)
Linda,
Good luck with finding a replacement bear -- but even if you do, don't assume that it will replace the currently much loved one!
Boo (approaching 5) still has her blankie to sleep with every night, and to comfort her often during the day: it is falling apart, looks awful, can't be washed any more (it would fall into several pieces at once) --- and all our attempts to find a replacement blanket have failed....
But good luck!
N.
Post a Comment