"It’s All Inventory"
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007It’s funny how some times simple words or phrases can take on a new meaning when your perspective changes?
Over the last 10 years, whenever I may have rolled my eyes, or questioned the purchase of some strange trinket or thrift store find by my “roommate”, I was told that “Hey, it’s all inventory” - which was to dismiss any justification for buying the item. Made complete sense at the time since she is in the collectible business, and what may cost her a few dollars could in fact return 10 or 100 times more when sold online or in her antique store. She has a good idea for spotting the hidden treasures. And so the ever-growing “inventory” became a part of our home’s decor, and stuffing for our ever-decreasingly useful garage. All in the name of business.
Now that its coming time to put real market value to all of our belongings, it will be interesting to see the perceived value of this “inventory”. Because most of it was acquired after we became a legal entity, half of the “inventory” is suddenly mine. Not that I want any of it, but its worth needs to be considered as community property.
When I look back at EVERYTHING that I acquired in my life, I never once purchased it thinking of what it could be sold for later when it ended its usefulness. For example, I collect vinyl records, but have never sold a single one. Even though a few may have some unbelievable street worth, I have no intention of letting them go. Records, to me, are not inventory, but things with memories, meaning, value and permanence. Unsurprisingly, I entered into marriage with the same attitude.
Others, it is now apparent, considered a spouse just another piece of inventory.
What am I bid?
