Scour the news for an entirely uninteresting story. Consider how it connects to your life. Write about that.

This morning, buried deep in the “Oddly Enough” section of a news site, I came across a headline so boring I almost skipped it:

“Escalator in Midwestern Mall Malfunctions, Runs Backward for 22 Seconds”

That’s it. No injuries. No wild conspiracy theories. Just one lazy escalator deciding to rebel for less than half a minute before resuming its regularly scheduled programming.

But weirdly enough, I kept thinking about it.

Because honestly? That’s what reselling feels like sometimes.

One minute you’re climbing—new listings are up, sales are rolling in, your SEO is tight, and your Pinterest pins are actually converting. Then out of nowhere, your momentum reverses. Engagement dips. You’ve got stale inventory staring at you with side-eye. An offer comes in for $8 on a jacket you listed for $75.

Just like that escalator, you’re moving—but not in the direction you planned.

And here’s the thing: the escalator didn’t stay backward. It corrected. The system kicked back in. And maybe that’s the takeaway. Reselling isn’t a straight climb. Some days are slow, some listings flop, and occasionally, the algorithm feels like it’s working against you. But you don’t jump off. You hold the rail, recalibrate, and trust that the grind will move forward again.

So shout-out to the world’s most uneventful news story. Thanks for the unexpected metaphor—and for reminding me that even backward escalators eventually get their act together

As always, visit me on eBay