Tuesday, October 21, 2008

You want to trade WHAT?

Okay, so here's the story....

This little goodie:



Is a TI-83 Plus graphing calculator. Painfully obvious to anyone who is currently or has recently taken a Statistics class, or possibly even Trigonometry, Physics, or something else equally heinous. (In which case you have my deepest sympathy.)  There are newer, fancier models out now, but this one gets the job done, is on the list of models approved for use on SAT, AP, and other exams, and I've heard you can even load games onto it.  (Hey, now how's that for a selling point???)  It comes with a little USB cable and an instruction book that is bigger than the calculator.

As far as I know, it has absolutely no application for knitting.  Yes, I know there is math involved in knitting (I got the memo) but using this baby for simple calculations of gauge or pattern repeats is definitely overkill.  Kind of like turning on your laptop to check the date. (Oh, like you never did that?)  If there is knitting that actually requires the use of a graphing calculator, I don't think I want to know about it.  I certainly won't want to do it.

I am thankfully, blessedly, coming the end of my Statistics course. (Happy happy joy joy) I have the last "midcourse" exam next week, and a cumulative (hurl) final shortly after that.  And you know what?  I have TWO of these freaking calculators.  Why you ask?  Ummm...because I am a dumbass maybe?

Now, just to bring any newcomers up to speed - I live on an island approximately 26 miles off the coast, to go over to the mainland I have to get on a boat, the trip takes over an hour, and then I have to drive to wherever I want/need to be.  We square now?  Okay.  So, the last time I went to take an exam for this class, I'm on the boat, knitting and listening to the various conversations swirling around me, and suddenly it hits me - I have forgotten to bring my blankety-blanking, frick-fracking calculator!!!!  @#$%@#&%@&$%@!!!!  It's not like I can just turn around and go get it - the boat is chugging merrily across the ocean towards the mainland.  And taking the test without it is absolutely not an option, not if I have a prayer of passing.

So as soon as I was within cell phone range I called the testing center and told them I'd be a little late for my appointment. (This is the relaxed mellow testing center, the uptight super serious testing center probably would not have been so understanding. More on that some other time.)  Then I drove to a big box office supply store, one of the same chain from which I had purchased my oh so beloved TI-83 Plus graphing calculator months earlier.  I walked in the door, picked up a brand new TI-83 Plus, slapped down my credit card, and headed off to take my exam.  My rational was that A) I most certainly did not have time to figure out all the buttons and functions on a different model and B) since I only needed to use it once, I could probably sell it on our local bulletin board.

I did fine on the exam.  Selling the extra calculator - not going so well. I priced it under what the big box stores sell it for and when I put the ad up I thought it was perfect timing, back-to-school season in my town, when everyone's getting stocked up & buying supplies for the new school year.  But no takers, no interest at all.

Our local bulletin board is usually the primo spot for buying & selling random items, everyone looks at it. (Oh, now there's some blog fodder for NaBloPoMo!)  I suspect trying to sell it on eBay will be more trouble than it's worth.  So what are my options? Ideas anyone? Know any college students with healthy yarn stashes and less than healthy bank accounts? I'm open to suggestions!

5 comments:

Harbor Hon said...

Can't help you, my friend, as I am numerically challenged as I said in my tag post. I'm sure someone out there will snap it up though. It's a fine looking piece. Good luck. xxoo

Mia said...

I'm still just using my toes and fingers to add....

Logan said...

Ahh, that brings back memories. Those things go for what, $115? I would try selling it on amazon for $80. Or try again on your local ad board, but lower your price.

Now I'm curious about how it could be used for knitting. I still have mine from high school.

Anonymous said...

Is there a message board at school or the testing center? Or someother location where students taking the same class this semester or next would see it?

Emerald said...

Don't hate me, but... I loved stats!! Economics not so much. I was an accounting major tho, so numbers appeal to me.