One Red Paperclip

I heard about this on the radio and thought I would share it with everyone because it is a pretty neat story. A guy named Kyle MacDonald really wanted to propose to his girlfriend. He wasn't going to do it though until he had a home for the two of them to live in. So, in an act of inspiration, MacDonald decided he was going to trade for a home. He went to Craigslist.com, a website that allowed you to barter for items and posted his trade: a single red paperclip. Over the span of a year just over a year MacDonald was able to trade the paperclip for another item (in this case a pen that looked like a fish), then another item (hand sculpted doorknob) and another (a Coleman camp stove) and etc.

To make a long story short, MacDonald was able to upgrade each of his trades until he was finally offered a house in Saskatchewan by trading the home owner a chance at a role in a Corben Bernsen film called Donna on Demand. It is a pretty neat story. To make it all the better, MacDonald signed the deed for his house and proposed to his girlfriend who accepted. The ring MacDonald presented her was shaped from the same red paperclip that had started the whole trading frenzy. MacDonald had contacted the lady he had traded for the fish pen and purchased the paperclip back from her.

This is a pretty neat story. I think I may have to buy the book (which you knew would be following after MacDonald's success) so I can find out how the guy actually pulled this whole thing off. If you get a chance visit his website: Oneredpaperclip.com

Neat stuff.