I am checking with my BFF's brother who is a comic book collector who has online friends to see if he knows someone he trusts in LA who can assess ita's collection.

I also wonder if the io9 community might be able to help.

I am fat. I generally don't care, but I have a lot of hip pain that I am afraid to have assessed because I think I will be told to lose weight. But I have lost weight, several times, and gain that back plus 20. I think I just killed my metabolism by not really eating during high school to maintain 103 pounds, which was important to me then. Now, I really love to eat, although I do not eat much sugar/dessert type stuff.

My understanding of the cash for gold and we buy gold business model is that they are all scams. If you have the time, take it to a jewelers (they often can repurpose flawed bands into "new" products) or a pawn shop.

Yeah, it seemed cool, I just didn't think the name would actually play.

I wouldn't have bought it off just the name, it's true. The concept definitely has to be explained. But I guess they are doing that pretty well. The cabernet, ftr, not great. I might stick to the whites, which is a very peculiar thing for me to say.

Connie, I'm with, Zen. Probably anything else you can think to do with gold would be better than one of those Cash for Gold outfits, from what I've heard. Super shady business model.

So lovely that you found each other, sarameg, and so hard that you are going to be geographically separated.

Zen I mean, clearly I do it all the time. Just the transition is hard. Moving to this hood gained me a lot of super local good friends (next door! Around the corner!) and that was a new and welcome blessing. Like people I want to get old with. I'm losing that in the one I'm closest to.

I get it, sarameg. It just reminded me of the sitch with my BFF. We've never even lived in the same city, even.

If you have the time, take it to a jewelers (they often can repurpose flawed bands into "new" products)

I've done that. The shops here won't give any value for the stones, but they'll weigh out how much gold (and the type of gold - for instance, 14 karat, or 18 karat).

Allyson, regarding the comic book collection, if Colin is willing to reach out to Wil Wheaton, he's well connected to the local Pasadena comic shop, and I'm sure they would give him a fair pricing for the charity's behalf.

I'm thinking of jewelers or the place that sells rare coins and metals. I know the coin people, they've been around forever, but I don't know if they buy gold jewelry. I'll call around tomorrow.

ION, I tried out my yoga mat, did some basic floor moves--poorly, but hey, movement--and I discovered that housemate's cat is of the School of Hey, They're on the Floor, Sit on Them. The extra weight on the leg lifts was useful, but he was most reluctant to move. I rolled over, and he only walked over my hips to my butt. Sitting up seemed to settle that, at least.

I know the coin people, they've been around forever, but I don't know if they buy gold jewelry

If they don't, I bet they know someone who does.

Yoga With Cats is the best. Believe me, it's better if they're sitting on you than trying to get real close to your face. Downward Dog With Sudden Catfur in the Face in a whole new move.

Given I have one cat who rides my shoulders while I towel off and another who lies on me whenever prone, I could totally outdo that yoga with pets compilation. Hell, trying to use the foam roller gets my hair et and a cat under my ass.