How Everything on eBay is Connected to Everything Else
After reading bits and pieces of Albert-Laszlo Barabasi’s Linked: How Everything is Connected to Everything Else and What it Means, I decided to see how far I could stretch the hard boiled logic of his ‘complexity theory’ in the big bad land of eBay. I started with the hypothesis that if I search for my last name on eBay, I’ll find things that are strangely unique and connected to my name and general outlook towards the world. What I found was astounding. Almost scary.

Actually what I found was a bunch of Skelton authors, most of whom I had never ‘connected’ with before.

First up was my name sake, John Skelton – Selected Poems. Sadly, as of this posting the starting bid on this masterful work is a paltry $3.99 and no one has bid on it yet. That’s criminal considering it’s one of my best works to date.

Next up we got some Russell R. Skelton with his heavy Route Surveys (First Edition). Not really sure what that’s all about but it’s cool to see your name in gold on a black binding.

Then it’s on to James Skelton with Niagara Days. This one is a total mystery and I may just have to bid on it one as I also feel a special connection to the minimalist light blue cover and the simple layout of the title type. Smooth.

Elizabeth Skelton, weighs in with her epic treatise on horses in Ringcraft. I’m digging the cover on that one too.

And then we come to my favorite. Skeeter Skelton. I feel a special kinship with this man’s prose deeper than I can fully express. I’ll let you peep his prose as these eBay auctions wont be up forever. From the incredibly titled, Good Friends, Guns, Whiskey:

“If I had known early on what a fascinating path handguns were going to lead me along and the intriguing experiences and people I would encounter, I might have hurried. But I’m not prone to hurry…and I’ve been able to savor every shot I’ve fired and every friendship I’ve made….”

More deft poetry from Skeeter, this time from a dusty tomb entitled, Hotlegs, Hipshots and Jalapeños:

“These men know guns, and how and when to use them, and (they) are a great comfort when you kick in a door and go in for the bad guys.”

So True. So True. Skeeter, you are a wizard with words.

Lastly we got C.L. Skelton with what looks like a romance novel called Hardacre’s Luck. Happy bidding folks.