Yeah, Matt, the cost of public transportation is the biggest downside. I'm pretty lucky in that my company actually subsidizes the full cost of my monthly train ticket (up to $100), AND the train stops are close to both my home and my work. I still wish I could work from home, though, because some of these train patrons obviously come from homes without running water (why else would they smell like that?)  

• 1. From age 9 to 23, I lived in Lucas' hometown (until I escaped to someplace a little less dead).
• 2. I know more about Star Wars figures than I do about the movies.
• 3. Up until November of 2002, I owned just about every loose figure ever made.
• 4. Over the past year and a half, I've sold just about my entire modern collection.
• 5. I have 25 MOC vintage Stormtroopers that I used to have on my wall in a Warhol-esque display.
• 6. I have a physical science degree that I really don't use.
• 7. I wish my degree was in fine art.
• 8. I am vegetarian.
• 9. I have a wife who's name is a region of the world.
• 10. My 4-month old daughter's name is also a geographical region...but different than my wife's.
• 11. I've broken my left pinkie finger at the knuckle, my right pinkie finger at the metacarpal, and my left hip (not all at the same time).
• 12. I'm halfway to 70.

:)

I've got about a 25-mile commute to work each day on northbound 101. If I left the house at about 5:30 am or earlier, I can drive to work in about 30 minutes--with fairly heavy, but swiftly moving traffic. However, this means that I would leave work at about 3 or 3:30 pm, and southbound 101 at that time is not good, as it would take at least an hour (probably 1 & 1/2). This is not good at all, since my sanity would be severely affected. So, I take the train to and from work. I leave the house at about 5:45 am, and arrive at work at about 6:35. Then, I leave work in the afternoon at about 3:20, and get home at about 4:15. No, not much difference in time spent traveling, but my sanity is definitely still there, which really does make all the difference. Not to mention the savings on gas, the environment, and wear and tear on the vehicle.  

I was so, so hoping that Ep. III would have at least a glimpse of the OT Stormtroopers. Looks as though it's just going to have these hybrid troopers. Really too bad, since I wanted the story to come almost full-circle to right before Ep. IV. These troopers probably still sound like Jango, too, and not the OT Stormtroopers.  

Much like everything else, I think being a "bad person" is relative to each individual's definition of what "bad" is. I've always tried to follow the Golden Rule -- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (or something like that  ) It's tough, but I think I've basically adhered to it my whole life...so far. However, as JediMac confessed, I too have become more and more pessimistic and mistrustful of others...basically as a defense mechanism to what others have done to me. This makes following the Golden Rule all the more difficult. Now, instead of being very outgoing and friendly, I'm more apt to just be quiet and reserved; waiting for others to show friendliness first. This is something I know I have to work on (admitting you have a problem is the first step...).  

And as far as that Dante test, I wonder how the hell I'm going to the 2nd level of Hell! For crying out loud, I'm a moral vegetarian and I've never even been pulled over for a traffic offense in 19 years of driving! What's the goddamn probl...Ohhhhh...okay. Nevermind.  

Another possibility is that your buyer is not receiving your emails regularly or at all.

I use my Yahoo! email address with eBay, and I've had numerous buyers never receive my "congratulations!" emails due to SPAM blockers, etc. In these cases, I email the winning bidder (or send an invoice) through eBay letting them know that I had initially sent them an email and just reassure them that I have tried to contact them previously. Always works out.

Or...

Like previous posters have suggested, could be a deadbeat bidder. No big loss other than time. Just make sure to file a non-paying bidder alert.