Freecycle and I have a lov- hate relationship. I mean, who couldn't love a forum where people offer items for FREE?! It seems there are some...well...hiccups though. The forum itself is improving. Yay! At first it seemed antiquated, like dial-up internet or mile-high-aqua-net bangs-still around, but not the best. It's moving in the right direction now, what with all it's organized tabs. I feel like Post-it finally got a hold of them and gave them a talking-to. :) Wait. Back-up. Do you even know what freecycle is?? No??? Then check it out here at this nifty little linky and promptly return. :) Or just read the next paragraph.
Freecycle: (n.) an internet site where people can offer items they no longer need or ask for items they do need. a virtual garage sale with a price tag of free. yay.
Now this all sounds well and good, right? Not so much. Since we live a world of virtual EVERYTHING and communication for this awesome-tacular little site is via EMAIL you have to read your email. I tend to think of myself as a person who reads her email. My office is next to Sesame's room. So, after resting her in Seussian splendor I generally pop next door and glance at the screen. Two items are accomplished here: 1) I check my email and 2) If said babe should stir, I'm right there to resolve the issue before it escalates...something VERY worth my time. :) It appears that every living being involved with freecycle has an iphone glued to their palm. No. seriously. I have attempted to recover at least 35 items - I have been in communication about actually picking up 3 - all to have been lost to "another interested party."
I was so jazzed a couple weeks ago because I had procured our little household a fridge for the garage. A FRIDGE!? I mean come on, even the Beverly Hillbillies would be stoked about that one?! We had plans, that fridge and I. I even rearranged the garage in my head, sweeping out a small corner space. There were visions of 2 liters and frozen meat purchased on sale and shiny glass shelves overflowing with Thanksgiving leftovers. But no. TEN MINUTES after emailing me with the exciting Christmas-morning like news that I HAD BEEN CHOSEN for this glorious refrigerator I received a second email with that dreaded title...
[Freecycle-CountyState] TAKEN: refridgerator* (city)
*they spelled it this way...not I...except that I did to give you the full effect...or is it affect...one is a verb and one is a noun...right???? moving on...
Yes. It's true. APPARENTLY in freecycle-land you can be AN INDIAN-GIVER because it's free and you just want someone to come and take your crap. And APPARENTLY having someone less than a mile from your house that is jumping up and down in front of their computer because they finally snatched something on freecycle ready to pick up your crap is not close or fast enough. So APPARENTLY they had to change their mind in TEN MINUTES and give said crap to someone else. I mean the new picker-upper HAD to lived NEXT DOOR. Maybe they saw MY item sitting outside in solitary confinement, waiting on a loving home and felt sorry for the fridge, and thought to themselves, "Awww, poor fridge you need a home...let ME take you!" Must have missed the sign that said "FOR LETTERS MOVING!!"
That's fine.
It's okay.
Really.
I'm not bitter.
Alone in my festering bitterness for all things Freecycle.
Alone, alone. And bitter.
I did, however, have a good experience with freecycle. I was able to pass along old knitting items that I don't use now. I had some scrap yarn, etc. And Sharon (who knows if that is her real name!) met me at a Starbucks to pick them up because I was afraid Refrigerator Man's neighbor might find my porch and steal Sharon's knitting supplies to share my address. She seemed happy. :) Which made me happy. Which made me forget about my bitterness and start reading my Freecycle emails again. All is right with the world again.
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