I found this at Goodwill. It is a Batak Divination Calendar. Until I found and purchased it, I had no idea what a Batak Divination calendar was. These calendars were traditionally consulted by Batak ritual specialists (datu) to determine auspicious and inauspicious days for farming, travel, ceremonies and other important activities. How it ended up in a Goodwill in Western Washington I don't know. Perhaps the former owner consulted the Batak Divination Calendar.
I have listed the Batak Divination Calendar on eBay at a healthy price. I doubt there will be any takers but I'm in no hurry. I kind of enjoy owning a Batak Divination Calendar. At my next part I may figure out how to work it into the conversation. Perhaps something like, "The other day I was consulting my Batak Divination Calendar from Sumatra to figure out a good date for a colonoscopy." Of course I would have to be invited to a party to bring this up and that rarely happens (perhaps because I bring up colonoscopies).
But being a thrift store archeologist leads me to find cool things like the Batak Divination calendar and use AI to figure out what the hell it is. I have always enjoyed owning curiosities and oddities. I would have been fine working for Ripley and Ripley's Believe it or Not (believe it or not). I think I am much better looking than Robert Ripley the founder of Ripley's Believe it or Not.
Apparently having braces was something he didn't believe in. But it may have been why he became interested in freakish things and people. They made him look okay in comparison.
Believe, or not.
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