If you are a denzien of the internet, perhaps you have heard of Etsy.com? The site is a global marketplace sort of thing where people post handmade, vintage, and wholesale crafty things on the internets for people to buy. With a seller account, you can post whatever the hell you want, unlike Amazon.com, freaking amazon, which only lets you post known items, for whatever price you want. You upload your pictures, add a title and description, and wait.
In my case, I type in a search term and spend hours and hours looking at stuff I don't need, and favoriting all of it. You can follow people and see their favorites.Yes, favorite is a verb; I favorited that item, I am favoriting things, I favorite the items that I like.
I got my iphone case, which has a cool owl picture on the back, from a reputable seller with good reviews and feedbacks regarding the style of case I got.
Anyway, where I was going with this is the use of "vintage" by sellers. The beauty of etsy, the ability to post whatever, means that you can call anything "vintage" and get away with it. My main issue is with people who seem to think that items from the 1990s count as "vintage."
This is not exactly true. Vintage (in the sense of items, not wine), according to Wikipedia and Merriam-Webster online, is not actually a thing. I know, right? It just means "from a time" but in popular culture can refer to retro or antique.
Let's start with retro. The officialish websites say that retro is "an outdated style that has returned to fashion". By this definition, I suppose that the 90s could be retro, especially given wikipedia's 15-20 plus year range. Still, I would maintain that the 90s styles went out of fashion for a reason and should not come back, with the possible exception of a few elements of certain sub-styles, such as punk, grunge, and goth. And for me, retro just makes me think of poodle skirts and diners.
If "vintage" means antique, the 90s are way, way too recent. I am not 102 years old, okay? To be an antique by the US customs law, a thing must be 100 years old. In antique shops, the rule is usually 50. The late 90s is only 13 years old or so, so I would maintain that a thing from the mid-nineties would just barely qualify for "retro".
NB: I am also not yet 52.
Another problem with categorizing "vintage" is that it's so widely used
and yet undefined by authoritative sources as far as the popular
definition goes. I've heard that hipsters like "vintage" everything, so I
guess this makes sense. "I liked vintage before it was defined" and all
that. It kind of seems like vintage just means "used stuff that's pretty old that isn't produced any more or is indicative of a bygone era." For example: a vintage star trek shirt that was produced for a few seasons of the original series (or, in 20 years, shirts from Doctor Who or Heroes or Lost or any other show playing now), or a vintage phone with a rotary dial (or anymore, a landline), or a vintage poster from when a movie came out 20 years ago, or a hat that you found in a thrift store that you've never seen anywhere else. A vintage bike would be one that was made years ago, although updated models may be made currently. A vintage scarf would be one that you found in your mother or grandmother's closet that she's had since before you were born.
As far as retro goes, I'd like to submit that it implies that high-up people are mass producing and selling an old style again. For instance, Nordstrom and Sears and JC Penny's are selling garments composed of geometric color-blocked knit and woven fabric, such as were worn somewhere between 1960 and 1980 (the Op Art era on this page, there's a picture of it about three quarters of the way down if you click the title). People were mass producing peasant blouses for a few years, which I think would count as retro, although if you could find a vintage peasant blouse, you were a lucky girl. For men, I'd say that fedoras and pea coats/great coats/overcoats can be vintage or even antique but are currently mass produced, making them a retro trend.
So, the conclusion I make is this: it's okay to call some stuff vintage, like my dad's university shirt from 1978-1982 (30+ years old) that I wear all the time because the fitted style looks good on girls nowadays, or the chair that I swiped from the neighbor's front lawn (garish yellow/green/tan floral print with orange accents) that probably came from the 70s or 80s because I sincerely doubt anyone produced items with this color scheme between 1990 and 2005 on purpose; these things are old enough to have belonged to this generation's parents when they were our age (by which late teens to early 30s). Although, I would actually argue that my chair is just garish and not vintage.
This means that the definition of "vintage" is changing all the time. In about 10 years, even I will not be able to complain that the 90s is too recent, and it will fall solidly into the realm of vintage for kids younger than 15 as of today. What I think of as vintage now, at age 22 in 2012, will all too soon become "antique" (if it isn't already; I freely admit that my definition is fuzzy).
The main thing I'm getting at with this whole post is that the 1990s aren't vintage, they're just old and typically out of style.
Damn kids.
03 September 2012
School is starting back up -- Eighty Second Post
I find myself in an oddly familiar state: Denial.
I get like this every time a big life-changing event comes around. I was in denial up until two weeks before high school graduation.
I can't afford denial this time around; I have to register to graduate (occurs in May) by late November. I have to take the GRE, which is not stuffed down my throat like the SAT was. I have to apply to grad schools, which will be considerably less easy than my "apply to one school with a special no-essay-no-fee early application, get in, and don't apply anywhere else because that's where you wanted to go in the first place" method from high school. I researched schools for about twenty minutes over two months that time around; I've been looking at schools far more intensely for a little while longer this time.
This is my last year of undergrad, come hell or high water. If I don't graduate, well, I'm out of money. So.
Anyway, this was all brought on by wandering around campus and seeing all the freshmen. It suddenly struck me how young they all look, and I realized that everyone on campus except the 1990 summer-born seniors and the odd fifth-year senior is younger than me. That's about five eighths of the university population. A lot of people are still the same age as me, but it's still so weird. SO. WEIRD.
I feel like this warrants a "what I wish I had known" post, but I honestly enjoyed my period of learning. For the most part. Except for the first half of first semester freshman year...
So here's the things that I would go back in time and tell myself.
1. You do not have to eat all the food in the cafeteria. I know there's a lot of food, but you just became vegetarian. You can't afford to get all your protein from cheese. Try for a salad with beans, even though you don't like cold beans. Just try it once a week. Maybe then you won't be crippled by a dislike of salads FOUR YEARS LATER.
2. College is harder than high school. I know you were the smart kid in high school. You coasted through and didn't actually pick up any study skills. Sure, you can write a decent essay and do some pretty good math, but your college professors aren't teaching classes of ten or twenty people. Lots of first year science classes are packed with non-majors, including yourself, and they aren't going to make review sheets with everything you need to know. You have to study, and you'll still get Bs. In fact, you'll fail some tests regardless of how hard you study. Get over it, princess. If you don't just roll with it and summon the willpower to do better on the next test, you'll have a breakdown in your adviser's office.
3. Study abroad. You already want to, now just do it and don't look back. Go with an open mind and a fairly empty suitcase and come back laden down with memories.
That one was cheating, because I actually did that. But you should, too.
4. Make sure you clean your hair out of the shower every time you use it sophomore year. You have really long dark brown hair, and it bugs the crap out of other people when you leave it on the floor. It's just polite to clean that up, if only so they don't blame you instinctively for the clogged drains.
There are lots of things I feel obligated to add, like "open up more in class" and "relax around other people" but I really don't want to. I like who I am and who my friends are now, and I look back fondly on the years before I met my current close friends. I'm kind of the quiet one in class; my housemate said she mentioned me in conversation with other chemistry majors in our year and had to describe me as "the quiet girl with the really long brown hair." This elicited an immediate "oh, yeah," response from everyone.
I'm okay with this. It might bother a lot of people, but I don't go to class to socialize. I'll sit with people I know and chat before and after class, and I'm friendly with people in the class, but I don't need my friends around to feel comfortable.
Introverts of the world, nothing is wrong with you. You don't have to be BFFs with everyone in your class, and you don't have to relax around large crowds if you don't want to. It's okay to be "the quiet one" as long as you're happy and comfortable in your skin. You do still need to learn how to deal with an extrovert-focused world, but you don't have to change who you are.
I get like this every time a big life-changing event comes around. I was in denial up until two weeks before high school graduation.
I can't afford denial this time around; I have to register to graduate (occurs in May) by late November. I have to take the GRE, which is not stuffed down my throat like the SAT was. I have to apply to grad schools, which will be considerably less easy than my "apply to one school with a special no-essay-no-fee early application, get in, and don't apply anywhere else because that's where you wanted to go in the first place" method from high school. I researched schools for about twenty minutes over two months that time around; I've been looking at schools far more intensely for a little while longer this time.
This is my last year of undergrad, come hell or high water. If I don't graduate, well, I'm out of money. So.
Anyway, this was all brought on by wandering around campus and seeing all the freshmen. It suddenly struck me how young they all look, and I realized that everyone on campus except the 1990 summer-born seniors and the odd fifth-year senior is younger than me. That's about five eighths of the university population. A lot of people are still the same age as me, but it's still so weird. SO. WEIRD.
I feel like this warrants a "what I wish I had known" post, but I honestly enjoyed my period of learning. For the most part. Except for the first half of first semester freshman year...
So here's the things that I would go back in time and tell myself.
1. You do not have to eat all the food in the cafeteria. I know there's a lot of food, but you just became vegetarian. You can't afford to get all your protein from cheese. Try for a salad with beans, even though you don't like cold beans. Just try it once a week. Maybe then you won't be crippled by a dislike of salads FOUR YEARS LATER.
2. College is harder than high school. I know you were the smart kid in high school. You coasted through and didn't actually pick up any study skills. Sure, you can write a decent essay and do some pretty good math, but your college professors aren't teaching classes of ten or twenty people. Lots of first year science classes are packed with non-majors, including yourself, and they aren't going to make review sheets with everything you need to know. You have to study, and you'll still get Bs. In fact, you'll fail some tests regardless of how hard you study. Get over it, princess. If you don't just roll with it and summon the willpower to do better on the next test, you'll have a breakdown in your adviser's office.
3. Study abroad. You already want to, now just do it and don't look back. Go with an open mind and a fairly empty suitcase and come back laden down with memories.
That one was cheating, because I actually did that. But you should, too.
4. Make sure you clean your hair out of the shower every time you use it sophomore year. You have really long dark brown hair, and it bugs the crap out of other people when you leave it on the floor. It's just polite to clean that up, if only so they don't blame you instinctively for the clogged drains.
There are lots of things I feel obligated to add, like "open up more in class" and "relax around other people" but I really don't want to. I like who I am and who my friends are now, and I look back fondly on the years before I met my current close friends. I'm kind of the quiet one in class; my housemate said she mentioned me in conversation with other chemistry majors in our year and had to describe me as "the quiet girl with the really long brown hair." This elicited an immediate "oh, yeah," response from everyone.
I'm okay with this. It might bother a lot of people, but I don't go to class to socialize. I'll sit with people I know and chat before and after class, and I'm friendly with people in the class, but I don't need my friends around to feel comfortable.
Introverts of the world, nothing is wrong with you. You don't have to be BFFs with everyone in your class, and you don't have to relax around large crowds if you don't want to. It's okay to be "the quiet one" as long as you're happy and comfortable in your skin. You do still need to learn how to deal with an extrovert-focused world, but you don't have to change who you are.
30 August 2012
Running -- Eighty First Post
Dear reader(s), I have a confession. It's terrible, and it makes me a bad interneter. Sharing this will, in fact, have the potential to move this blog from its solid "random tidbits about my life that have little interest for anyone else (except that craigslist thing)" position to something more like a "fitness blog".
I know. Terrible. However, this blog also solidly reflects where I am in my life, and where I've been, and where I would never like to be again (in the case of a whole lot of my earlier posts). So here goes.
I've taken up working out to stave off the boredom of an exceptionally boring summer. Since I didn't have a job for most of the summer, I was pretty much stuck at home filling out job applications. All. Day. Long.
I turned to the internet, since I could take internet breaks from filling out applications and switch back in a heartbeat. Or not. Whatever. In the midst my pintresting, facebooking, and tumblring, I came across several workout blogs. I pinned a few workouts, did fewer, and then started reading the blogs.
This was a mistake. I was no longer content to just sit on the couch and watch Doctor Who all day. Instead, I picked up Buffy the Vampire Slayer because there was a "workout game" on my current favorite tumblr, Back On Pointe. Also, I ran out of seasons of the revamped Doctor Who and I'm stuck in the middle of the second Doctor because of missing episodes. Life in the first world is rough, let me tell you.
Anyway, I joined Fitocracy, which not only tracks your workouts for you (including compiling you a history for each exercise that you've done since joining) and has a thriving community of "fitocrats", but also has a points system that lets you level up, complete with challenges that give you extra points and allows you to "prop" other people's accomplishments and workouts. You can join groups made up of potentially like-minded people whose accomplishments and comments encourage you to work out more. It also has a cute little robot image that calculates your workouts; to close the dialogue box, you have to click the "I'm Awesome" button. Working out is both a game that can be won and a self-esteem booster.
Anyway, one thing led to another and I got into running. And it's not my fault. I tried at the beginning of the summer, and then I got shin splints from wearing heels when I went to The Dark Knight Rises as Catwoman. Admittedly, I was a slightly pudgier catwoman than Anne Hathaway, but still. Shin splints? Running was clearly not a good idea. Besides, I couldn't even run down my very short street without gasping and wheezing for breath. So I gave up on running "for the time being", figuring that I would try again when I was in better shape, with stronger legs, a stronger heart and lungs, and less flab to lug around.
I'm not an unhealthy weight: according to both my doctor and the internet, I have a perfectly healthy BMI. What the internet chart told me that my doctor didn't is that I'm right at the upper limit of healthy. I've been about the same weight, give or take 10 lbs, since ninth grade, and I haven't grown more than half an inch since eighth grade. The thing is that I'm not happy with the way my body looks. Don't get me wrong, it's a great body. It's taken me through a lot without too much griping, and it's put up with a lot of crappy food and piercings over the years. It's just that it could look better if I gave half a fuck.
Besides, I'll never be a Doctor Who companion if I can't even run down the block. Have you seen how much running they do?
So the summer went on, and I kept reading about workouts and working out. Eventually, I found my way to the "Couch-to-5K" (or C25K) site and realized that I could do that. It eases you into running and stresses the importance of not doing too much too soon. Running is hard on your body. It's very good for your body, but that's partly because it's so stinking rough on it. The thing with the body is that to make it stronger, you have to break it down. Muscles get big when you do strength training because the exercise breaks down your muscles just a tiny bit. The body repairs them when you rest, and they grow back bigger and stronger. Running builds up your bones because it's a high-impact activity, meaning that your bones jar against each other and break down a little. As long as you're not running all day, every day, your body will build those bones back up stronger. The problem is that people start too fast, run every day, or just run too much the first day, and hurt themselves. Most of my friends that run regularly enjoy it a lot, so why is it that I hate it so much?
According to the internet, it's because I get myself hurt. I start too fast and expect too much of my body. If I were to ease in, only run a few days a week and for shorter distances at a time, then I'd have a better shot at actually enjoying it. My little brother is on a cross country team, and he loves it. Clearly, running is hiding somewhere in my genes. Now it's my job to convince my body that this running thing is okay. So far, C25K is the best way I've found. Just reading about running, especially trailrunning and minimalist/barefoot running, will make me want to bolt out the door for a lap around the city, but I have to stop at the end of the street. I need self control, will power, and a strict plan to follow. You can buy a C25K plan for your smartphone, which would be nice if I had one, or just keep track of where you are on your own for free, which is what I do. I log my distances and approximate times to fitocracy and run on monday, wednesday, and friday, which should work well for school. I have easy tuesdays and thursdays, so I guess I could run tuesday, thursday, and saturday, but I'm not good at working out on weekends when everyone's around all the time.
N.B.: The people at C25K did not pay me to say all this.
So here's my tip to you: find a workout plan that you can stick with. Make it up yourself or find it on the internet, or both, but stick to it. Work out every day or every other day or even just once a week, but stick with it. Don't let a change in your life like moving or going back to school throw you off. And don't even worry about running if that was your least favorite part of those long-ago PE classes. There are lots of ways, impact or non-impact, indoor and outdoor, to get your cardio done.
I've been tracking my progress since july, and, quite frankly, nothing much has changed. I lose an inch here and there, then gain it back the next week. Granted, I'm more motivated now, but those love handles ain't goin' nowhere. I still can't do a real pushup, although for that I mostly blame my screwy shoulders, since I'm pretty good at tricep dips, knee pushups, incline pushups, and wall pushups, all of which put my arms at different angles but still use the same main muscle groups as real pushups.
That won't stop me from keeping on working out, though. I like working out. I like the way I feel after I've worked out, and I like logging my progress on fitocracy. I like being a part of the internet communities that work out, and I like the smell of my own hard-earned sweat. I like having an excuse to buy yoga pants and a new sports bra. I like giving a fuck about the way my body looks.
Also, I don't mean that I like the smell of not showering for three days, just that I like proof that I worked hard enough to break a sweat.
I know. Terrible. However, this blog also solidly reflects where I am in my life, and where I've been, and where I would never like to be again (in the case of a whole lot of my earlier posts). So here goes.
I've taken up working out to stave off the boredom of an exceptionally boring summer. Since I didn't have a job for most of the summer, I was pretty much stuck at home filling out job applications. All. Day. Long.
I turned to the internet, since I could take internet breaks from filling out applications and switch back in a heartbeat. Or not. Whatever. In the midst my pintresting, facebooking, and tumblring, I came across several workout blogs. I pinned a few workouts, did fewer, and then started reading the blogs.
This was a mistake. I was no longer content to just sit on the couch and watch Doctor Who all day. Instead, I picked up Buffy the Vampire Slayer because there was a "workout game" on my current favorite tumblr, Back On Pointe. Also, I ran out of seasons of the revamped Doctor Who and I'm stuck in the middle of the second Doctor because of missing episodes. Life in the first world is rough, let me tell you.
Anyway, I joined Fitocracy, which not only tracks your workouts for you (including compiling you a history for each exercise that you've done since joining) and has a thriving community of "fitocrats", but also has a points system that lets you level up, complete with challenges that give you extra points and allows you to "prop" other people's accomplishments and workouts. You can join groups made up of potentially like-minded people whose accomplishments and comments encourage you to work out more. It also has a cute little robot image that calculates your workouts; to close the dialogue box, you have to click the "I'm Awesome" button. Working out is both a game that can be won and a self-esteem booster.
Anyway, one thing led to another and I got into running. And it's not my fault. I tried at the beginning of the summer, and then I got shin splints from wearing heels when I went to The Dark Knight Rises as Catwoman. Admittedly, I was a slightly pudgier catwoman than Anne Hathaway, but still. Shin splints? Running was clearly not a good idea. Besides, I couldn't even run down my very short street without gasping and wheezing for breath. So I gave up on running "for the time being", figuring that I would try again when I was in better shape, with stronger legs, a stronger heart and lungs, and less flab to lug around.
I'm not an unhealthy weight: according to both my doctor and the internet, I have a perfectly healthy BMI. What the internet chart told me that my doctor didn't is that I'm right at the upper limit of healthy. I've been about the same weight, give or take 10 lbs, since ninth grade, and I haven't grown more than half an inch since eighth grade. The thing is that I'm not happy with the way my body looks. Don't get me wrong, it's a great body. It's taken me through a lot without too much griping, and it's put up with a lot of crappy food and piercings over the years. It's just that it could look better if I gave half a fuck.
Besides, I'll never be a Doctor Who companion if I can't even run down the block. Have you seen how much running they do?
So the summer went on, and I kept reading about workouts and working out. Eventually, I found my way to the "Couch-to-5K" (or C25K) site and realized that I could do that. It eases you into running and stresses the importance of not doing too much too soon. Running is hard on your body. It's very good for your body, but that's partly because it's so stinking rough on it. The thing with the body is that to make it stronger, you have to break it down. Muscles get big when you do strength training because the exercise breaks down your muscles just a tiny bit. The body repairs them when you rest, and they grow back bigger and stronger. Running builds up your bones because it's a high-impact activity, meaning that your bones jar against each other and break down a little. As long as you're not running all day, every day, your body will build those bones back up stronger. The problem is that people start too fast, run every day, or just run too much the first day, and hurt themselves. Most of my friends that run regularly enjoy it a lot, so why is it that I hate it so much?
According to the internet, it's because I get myself hurt. I start too fast and expect too much of my body. If I were to ease in, only run a few days a week and for shorter distances at a time, then I'd have a better shot at actually enjoying it. My little brother is on a cross country team, and he loves it. Clearly, running is hiding somewhere in my genes. Now it's my job to convince my body that this running thing is okay. So far, C25K is the best way I've found. Just reading about running, especially trailrunning and minimalist/barefoot running, will make me want to bolt out the door for a lap around the city, but I have to stop at the end of the street. I need self control, will power, and a strict plan to follow. You can buy a C25K plan for your smartphone, which would be nice if I had one, or just keep track of where you are on your own for free, which is what I do. I log my distances and approximate times to fitocracy and run on monday, wednesday, and friday, which should work well for school. I have easy tuesdays and thursdays, so I guess I could run tuesday, thursday, and saturday, but I'm not good at working out on weekends when everyone's around all the time.
N.B.: The people at C25K did not pay me to say all this.
So here's my tip to you: find a workout plan that you can stick with. Make it up yourself or find it on the internet, or both, but stick to it. Work out every day or every other day or even just once a week, but stick with it. Don't let a change in your life like moving or going back to school throw you off. And don't even worry about running if that was your least favorite part of those long-ago PE classes. There are lots of ways, impact or non-impact, indoor and outdoor, to get your cardio done.
I've been tracking my progress since july, and, quite frankly, nothing much has changed. I lose an inch here and there, then gain it back the next week. Granted, I'm more motivated now, but those love handles ain't goin' nowhere. I still can't do a real pushup, although for that I mostly blame my screwy shoulders, since I'm pretty good at tricep dips, knee pushups, incline pushups, and wall pushups, all of which put my arms at different angles but still use the same main muscle groups as real pushups.
That won't stop me from keeping on working out, though. I like working out. I like the way I feel after I've worked out, and I like logging my progress on fitocracy. I like being a part of the internet communities that work out, and I like the smell of my own hard-earned sweat. I like having an excuse to buy yoga pants and a new sports bra. I like giving a fuck about the way my body looks.
Also, I don't mean that I like the smell of not showering for three days, just that I like proof that I worked hard enough to break a sweat.
28 August 2012
Craigslist Scam Tip Site -- Eightieth Post
Since this blog is getting some nice ratings on Google for searches craigslist scammers Ashleigh Loudon and Scott Doyle, I'd like to alert you all to a website dedicated to craigslist scams. It's called "Let's Get the Craigslist Scammers" and consists of posts regarding the various and sundry scams that people( lots of people all over the world) run across, not just the ones that I personally run across in my particular area in my particular interests (jobs, namely).
I'll still be posting any information I run across that seems scammy, especially screenshots of emails, but this blog is not dedicated to that. It's dedicated to my life, in all its boring glory, or at least the bits that I feel like sharing with the internet.
Happy Interneting!
I'll still be posting any information I run across that seems scammy, especially screenshots of emails, but this blog is not dedicated to that. It's dedicated to my life, in all its boring glory, or at least the bits that I feel like sharing with the internet.
Happy Interneting!
24 July 2012
Craigslist Scam! The Saga Continues with Robert Choice and Scott Doyle -- Seventy Ninth Post
So you thought that the medical-type reception job posting scam was over? You would be wrong, at least if you're me.
That posting is impressively linked to not just one, but three scammers, by my count. Ashleigh Loudon was probably the worst, but Robert Choice and Scott Doyle could probably do some damage. I'm holding out for a Nigerian prince.
I've taken screenshots of the emails for your convenience, but you'll want to click on them to actually read them. They're long enough that they're huge pictures. Also, I got these within a day of each other, although they were days almost two weeks ago. Sorry 'bout that. I got on a workout kick and couldn't be asked to blog.
I should point out that none of the scammers I've run across so far have actually related their replies to the job posting, which is in fact the subject of the email. Robert and Scott actually have the exact same letter, with slight differences. The gist of it is that they want you to deliver stuff to foster homes "in your area" which will be paid for by money order or something as soon as you give him your mailing info and suchlike. Unfortunately, you can't meet Robert or Scott (or, presumably, their "lovely Wife and 2 Beautiful daughters") because Robert and Scott are both out of town for the month. Bummers!
Both use gmail accounts and want you to email them back with contact information, and Robert wants you to email it to "krgiggs@googlemail.com". The job sounds, you know, too good to be true, with $600 from Scott and $700 from Robert weekly, full benefits, etc., all for a part-time job where you work from home. The emails are almost identical (the only notable differences being the salary and where the contact info should go), as mentioned, with some alterations that are pretty obvious, as they didn't change the capitalization. It's interesting to note that they don't want PO boxes, which seems like a good place to send a money order if your house isn't your mailing address. Hmm.
I feel kind of angry that they use "FOSTER HOMES" as a hook for soft-hearted suckers. I'm incredibly grateful for my parents being sane, not on drugs, and alive through my childhood, and I think that losing or being taken away from your parents would be just about the worst thing ever. Being stuck with strangers would make things even worse, especially when you're a kid or teenager. Helping out kids in foster homes is a great thing to do. I rate it just below curing cancer and AIDS, sending vaccines to underdeveloped countries, and stopping child marriages in improving the welfare of the world. Doing away with One Direction is next.
I'm not really sure how this scam would work. How would they use this information against me? I guess that just proves that I don't have a criminal mind. If they were legit, the email wouldn't be a minimally-altered form letter and it would be listed under something more closely resembling "Help out foster kids" instead of "Vet Receptionist and Front Desk".
To report the scam, go to the craigslist main page, click "about craigslist" and then "contact form". See if you can find the original postings so that you can report the post ID, found at the bottom of the page. I found this out from "Anonymous" who commented on my post about Ashleigh Loudon.
Here's the link in case you get lost: Craigslist contact form
I've already reported the post as a scam for Ashleigh, so I'm not going to bother posting again. Unless I get really bored tomorrow, and then who knows? Crazy things happen when I get bored.
EDIT: If you're looking for more information on craigslist scams, try Let's Get the Craigslist Scammers.
That posting is impressively linked to not just one, but three scammers, by my count. Ashleigh Loudon was probably the worst, but Robert Choice and Scott Doyle could probably do some damage. I'm holding out for a Nigerian prince.
I've taken screenshots of the emails for your convenience, but you'll want to click on them to actually read them. They're long enough that they're huge pictures. Also, I got these within a day of each other, although they were days almost two weeks ago. Sorry 'bout that. I got on a workout kick and couldn't be asked to blog.
 |
| Robert used too many line breaks, and I couldn't fit the whole email onto my screen. He finished with 'I will await your prompt response" and his name. |
 |
| Other than line breaks and some minor details, it's the same thing. Eerie. |
I should point out that none of the scammers I've run across so far have actually related their replies to the job posting, which is in fact the subject of the email. Robert and Scott actually have the exact same letter, with slight differences. The gist of it is that they want you to deliver stuff to foster homes "in your area" which will be paid for by money order or something as soon as you give him your mailing info and suchlike. Unfortunately, you can't meet Robert or Scott (or, presumably, their "lovely Wife and 2 Beautiful daughters") because Robert and Scott are both out of town for the month. Bummers!
Both use gmail accounts and want you to email them back with contact information, and Robert wants you to email it to "krgiggs@googlemail.com". The job sounds, you know, too good to be true, with $600 from Scott and $700 from Robert weekly, full benefits, etc., all for a part-time job where you work from home. The emails are almost identical (the only notable differences being the salary and where the contact info should go), as mentioned, with some alterations that are pretty obvious, as they didn't change the capitalization. It's interesting to note that they don't want PO boxes, which seems like a good place to send a money order if your house isn't your mailing address. Hmm.
I feel kind of angry that they use "FOSTER HOMES" as a hook for soft-hearted suckers. I'm incredibly grateful for my parents being sane, not on drugs, and alive through my childhood, and I think that losing or being taken away from your parents would be just about the worst thing ever. Being stuck with strangers would make things even worse, especially when you're a kid or teenager. Helping out kids in foster homes is a great thing to do. I rate it just below curing cancer and AIDS, sending vaccines to underdeveloped countries, and stopping child marriages in improving the welfare of the world. Doing away with One Direction is next.
I'm not really sure how this scam would work. How would they use this information against me? I guess that just proves that I don't have a criminal mind. If they were legit, the email wouldn't be a minimally-altered form letter and it would be listed under something more closely resembling "Help out foster kids" instead of "Vet Receptionist and Front Desk".
To report the scam, go to the craigslist main page, click "about craigslist" and then "contact form". See if you can find the original postings so that you can report the post ID, found at the bottom of the page. I found this out from "Anonymous" who commented on my post about Ashleigh Loudon.
Here's the link in case you get lost: Craigslist contact form
I've already reported the post as a scam for Ashleigh, so I'm not going to bother posting again. Unless I get really bored tomorrow, and then who knows? Crazy things happen when I get bored.
EDIT: If you're looking for more information on craigslist scams, try Let's Get the Craigslist Scammers.
09 July 2012
80-Day Challenge -- Seventy Eighth Post
This is an 80-day health/weight loss challenge that I've found on tumblr, and I'm thinking about giving it a shot. I'll be skipping some days probably, since we don't have a scale at my house and I'm rotten at guessing my weight. I'm Raeann lbs, you know? There's a chance that I'll measure in waist circumference, since this is about me wanting to look good and live a healthier, more considered lifestyle, not me wanting to lose a bunch of weight and be skinny. If there's one thing the internet and my mom have taught me, it's that I'm more than a number. Also, I weigh less than Tyra Banks. If she's considered gorgeous at over 150 lbs, I can be gorgeous too.
I'd like to emphasize that this is not me thinking I'm "fat" or "ugly" but rather me thinking that I need to take control of my health. I'm vegetarian and try to be healthy, but my workouts and eating habits always fall apart during school. As such, I've decided that if this is going to change in this last, most jam-packed, stressful year of university, I will have to be very firm with myself about it.
I especially like this challenge for being very long term. It seems to be more about making you think about your lifestyle, asking questions about your goals and eating habits, and why you want to lose weight. It brings up new ideas for people who are used to boring, processed food that's all the same color and comes in a bag or box. To me, it seems to be encouraging people to take charge of their diet, be it disordered or just lazy. As someone who buys her own food all the time and is too poor for lots of pre-made junk but also too poor for lots of fresh stuff all the time, I already kind of think about what I'm eating. Unfortunately, it is mostly with regret, since boxes of pasta and jars of sauce are cheaper than fresh foods. So, I'm hoping that this can galvanize my flabby abs and equally out-of-shape willpower in time for me to be in full swing when school and work hit.
Without further ado, here's the 80-day challenge, found in various places by googling "80 day challenge":
1st week
1. Write your current stats: height, current weight and goal weight. Why are you losing weight?
2. Describe your dream/goal body.
3. Is your UGW in an “unhealthy“ range of BMI?
4. Have a vegan day today. No meat, no eggs, no dairy, no animal products whatsoever. Give it a try!
5. What is your favorite healthy food?
6. What is your favorite unhealthy food?
7. What is your least favorite healthy food?
2nd week
8. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
9. What is your favorite type of cardio?
10. Do you count calories? If so, what is your daily limit?
11. Today you will be cooking for your whole family. Find a healthy recipe online that they will also enjoy and show them how tasty healthy food can be!
12. What is your least favorite type of cardio?
13. What is your favorite type of strength exercise?
14. What is your least favorite type of strength exercise?
3rd Week
15. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
16. Which part of your body do you wish to change the most and why?
17. Do you have a special event/date you want to lose the weight for?
18. Try to use as little salt as possible today or maybe even none! Don’t buy microwave meals and don’t eat foods high in sodium.
19. Are you losing weight the healthy (<2lbs/week) or the unhealthy (>2lbs/week) way?
20. Who is your biggest weight loss inspiration and why?
21. Do you focus more on getting „lean and mean“ or „tiny and fragile“?
4th week
22. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
23. How much water do you usually drink in a day?
24. Have you ever had an eating disorder?
25. Today you will try a new smoothie. Find a new healthy recipe online and mix & match fruits and veggies and enjoy! But it must be totally new and adventurous!
26. Do your friends know about you wanting to lose weight? Do they support you?
27. Does your family support you in your weight loss?
28. What is your favorite type of snack?
5th week
29. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
30. Are you a vegan or a vegetarian?
31. What are your favorite workout clothes you own?
32. Try a new fruit today. Learn how to cut/eat it and enjoy! How was it?
33. Are you on a diet or are you making this a lifestyle?
34. Do you take your meals from home to work? If so, what do you usually prepare?
35. Have you ever „fasted“? What was the reason for it?
6th week
36. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
37. Have you ever purged? If so, how did you feel afterwords?
38. Have you ever binged? If so, what is your “binge food“?
39. Try a new veggie today. Learn how to prepare it and enjoy! How was it?
40. What is your body frame? Small, large or medium?
41. Where are you from? Is your country’s diet healthy or unhealthy in general?
42. How many meals do you usually have a day?
7th week
43. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
44. Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend? Does (s)he know about you losing weight? Does (s)he support you?
45. Do you have a rest day when you don’t work out? Which day is it?
46. Try changing your routine today. Don’t do the same exercises as the week before, learn a new move to cinch that waiste or to tone those thighs!
47. Have you forbidden yourself any type of food?
48. Do you reward yourself when you reach your short-term goal? What are your rewards?
49. What do you usually have for breakfast?
8th week
50. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
51. Do you have a cheat day?
52. What do you enjoy the most in your weight loss? What makes you happier than ever before?
53. Try to eat nothing but raw food today. No cooking, no baking, no grilling. Eat raw carrots, canned tuna or smoked salmon, maybe even sushi! Just eat fresh, non-termal processed food. It might be weird and „unnatural“ but that’s actually the healthiest way to eat. Enjoy your healthy day!
54. What is your favorite weight loss blog?
55. Will you continue to write your blog after you reach your UGW?
56. Have you ever been on a low-carb diet? How was it for you?
9th week
57. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
58. Do you believe in restriction or in moderation?
59. Describe your dream outfit, the one you imagine yourself wearing once you reach UGW.
60. Ditch sugar and ALL sweets today. For just one day promise yourself you won’t eat any candy, sugar, sweets or any similar food.
61. Write your usual meal plan for one day.
62. When watching TV, do you usually watch the „food channels“ or movies/TV-shows/series?
63. What are your fitness goals? (Splits, hand-stands, push-ups…)
10th week
64. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
65. Post a picture of your goal body or a person you strive to look like.
66. Do you have short-term goals too? What are they?
67. Today is „no tumblr day“. That’s right, you will try just one day to be off tumblr, post your progress/food log/training schedule tomorrow, because today, you are going „back to basics“!
68. What is your least favorite unhealthy food?
69. Which part of your body do you like the most and why?
70. Were you ever obese or underweight?
11th week
71. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
72. Do you eat the same meal as your family or do you eat specially prepared food?
73. What do you usually order when eating out in a restaurant or at someone else's house?
74. Today you won’t count calories. You won’t look at food labels. You will try to eat intuitively. What does that mean? Eat when you’re hungry, don’t look at the clock! Eat whatever your body desires! Just make sure it’s healthy. If you crave anything sweet, eat it! But a healthy amount. And remember, today you must forget all about calories!
75. Do you have a „trigger food“? A type of food that is impossible for you to say no to or stop eating?
76. Do you drink smoothies? If so, what is your favorite recipe?
77. Do you enjoy eating healthy or do you find it being too expensive or that it takes too much of your time?
12th week
78. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
79. What was the most recent compliment/comment about your body?
80. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week? + Today is the last day of this challenge. After writing your stats, describe how you’ll continue eating/exercising from now on!
Lots of people post each day on tumblr, which I might do. I might make weekly posts here with the answers to each day's question, or I might not. I won't be doing daily posts, since there's no way I can keep that up, and weekly posts would require more commitment, in some ways. So, we'll see. Hopefully this isn't just another project that I start and promptly lose interest in.
For old times' sake, I would like to add that "eighth" is the weirdest word ever.
I'd like to emphasize that this is not me thinking I'm "fat" or "ugly" but rather me thinking that I need to take control of my health. I'm vegetarian and try to be healthy, but my workouts and eating habits always fall apart during school. As such, I've decided that if this is going to change in this last, most jam-packed, stressful year of university, I will have to be very firm with myself about it.
I especially like this challenge for being very long term. It seems to be more about making you think about your lifestyle, asking questions about your goals and eating habits, and why you want to lose weight. It brings up new ideas for people who are used to boring, processed food that's all the same color and comes in a bag or box. To me, it seems to be encouraging people to take charge of their diet, be it disordered or just lazy. As someone who buys her own food all the time and is too poor for lots of pre-made junk but also too poor for lots of fresh stuff all the time, I already kind of think about what I'm eating. Unfortunately, it is mostly with regret, since boxes of pasta and jars of sauce are cheaper than fresh foods. So, I'm hoping that this can galvanize my flabby abs and equally out-of-shape willpower in time for me to be in full swing when school and work hit.
Without further ado, here's the 80-day challenge, found in various places by googling "80 day challenge":
1st week
1. Write your current stats: height, current weight and goal weight. Why are you losing weight?
2. Describe your dream/goal body.
3. Is your UGW in an “unhealthy“ range of BMI?
4. Have a vegan day today. No meat, no eggs, no dairy, no animal products whatsoever. Give it a try!
5. What is your favorite healthy food?
6. What is your favorite unhealthy food?
7. What is your least favorite healthy food?
2nd week
8. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
9. What is your favorite type of cardio?
10. Do you count calories? If so, what is your daily limit?
11. Today you will be cooking for your whole family. Find a healthy recipe online that they will also enjoy and show them how tasty healthy food can be!
12. What is your least favorite type of cardio?
13. What is your favorite type of strength exercise?
14. What is your least favorite type of strength exercise?
3rd Week
15. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
16. Which part of your body do you wish to change the most and why?
17. Do you have a special event/date you want to lose the weight for?
18. Try to use as little salt as possible today or maybe even none! Don’t buy microwave meals and don’t eat foods high in sodium.
19. Are you losing weight the healthy (<2lbs/week) or the unhealthy (>2lbs/week) way?
20. Who is your biggest weight loss inspiration and why?
21. Do you focus more on getting „lean and mean“ or „tiny and fragile“?
4th week
22. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
23. How much water do you usually drink in a day?
24. Have you ever had an eating disorder?
25. Today you will try a new smoothie. Find a new healthy recipe online and mix & match fruits and veggies and enjoy! But it must be totally new and adventurous!
26. Do your friends know about you wanting to lose weight? Do they support you?
27. Does your family support you in your weight loss?
28. What is your favorite type of snack?
5th week
29. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
30. Are you a vegan or a vegetarian?
31. What are your favorite workout clothes you own?
32. Try a new fruit today. Learn how to cut/eat it and enjoy! How was it?
33. Are you on a diet or are you making this a lifestyle?
34. Do you take your meals from home to work? If so, what do you usually prepare?
35. Have you ever „fasted“? What was the reason for it?
6th week
36. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
37. Have you ever purged? If so, how did you feel afterwords?
38. Have you ever binged? If so, what is your “binge food“?
39. Try a new veggie today. Learn how to prepare it and enjoy! How was it?
40. What is your body frame? Small, large or medium?
41. Where are you from? Is your country’s diet healthy or unhealthy in general?
42. How many meals do you usually have a day?
7th week
43. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
44. Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend? Does (s)he know about you losing weight? Does (s)he support you?
45. Do you have a rest day when you don’t work out? Which day is it?
46. Try changing your routine today. Don’t do the same exercises as the week before, learn a new move to cinch that waiste or to tone those thighs!
47. Have you forbidden yourself any type of food?
48. Do you reward yourself when you reach your short-term goal? What are your rewards?
49. What do you usually have for breakfast?
8th week
50. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
51. Do you have a cheat day?
52. What do you enjoy the most in your weight loss? What makes you happier than ever before?
53. Try to eat nothing but raw food today. No cooking, no baking, no grilling. Eat raw carrots, canned tuna or smoked salmon, maybe even sushi! Just eat fresh, non-termal processed food. It might be weird and „unnatural“ but that’s actually the healthiest way to eat. Enjoy your healthy day!
54. What is your favorite weight loss blog?
55. Will you continue to write your blog after you reach your UGW?
56. Have you ever been on a low-carb diet? How was it for you?
9th week
57. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
58. Do you believe in restriction or in moderation?
59. Describe your dream outfit, the one you imagine yourself wearing once you reach UGW.
60. Ditch sugar and ALL sweets today. For just one day promise yourself you won’t eat any candy, sugar, sweets or any similar food.
61. Write your usual meal plan for one day.
62. When watching TV, do you usually watch the „food channels“ or movies/TV-shows/series?
63. What are your fitness goals? (Splits, hand-stands, push-ups…)
10th week
64. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
65. Post a picture of your goal body or a person you strive to look like.
66. Do you have short-term goals too? What are they?
67. Today is „no tumblr day“. That’s right, you will try just one day to be off tumblr, post your progress/food log/training schedule tomorrow, because today, you are going „back to basics“!
68. What is your least favorite unhealthy food?
69. Which part of your body do you like the most and why?
70. Were you ever obese or underweight?
11th week
71. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
72. Do you eat the same meal as your family or do you eat specially prepared food?
73. What do you usually order when eating out in a restaurant or at someone else's house?
74. Today you won’t count calories. You won’t look at food labels. You will try to eat intuitively. What does that mean? Eat when you’re hungry, don’t look at the clock! Eat whatever your body desires! Just make sure it’s healthy. If you crave anything sweet, eat it! But a healthy amount. And remember, today you must forget all about calories!
75. Do you have a „trigger food“? A type of food that is impossible for you to say no to or stop eating?
76. Do you drink smoothies? If so, what is your favorite recipe?
77. Do you enjoy eating healthy or do you find it being too expensive or that it takes too much of your time?
12th week
78. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week?
79. What was the most recent compliment/comment about your body?
80. Write your current weight. Have you lost anything in the past week? If not, what are your plans for this week? + Today is the last day of this challenge. After writing your stats, describe how you’ll continue eating/exercising from now on!
Lots of people post each day on tumblr, which I might do. I might make weekly posts here with the answers to each day's question, or I might not. I won't be doing daily posts, since there's no way I can keep that up, and weekly posts would require more commitment, in some ways. So, we'll see. Hopefully this isn't just another project that I start and promptly lose interest in.
For old times' sake, I would like to add that "eighth" is the weirdest word ever.
03 July 2012
Craigslist Scam! Watch Out For Ashleigh Loudon -- Seventy Seventh Post
If you've been job-hunting on craigslist lately, you've seen the big scam warning that pops up before you get to the actual postings.
Guess what! I found a scam!
So far, it's come up on two medical-ish office jobs. They look pretty legit, but the email response sets off all the warning bells.
I took a screenshot of mine. My housemate, incidentally, got the exact same email response for a different job.
The first thing that got me was the bit about "a high financial environment". This is supposed to be a VET'S OFFICE. Sure, veterinary services are expensive, but not that expensive.
Second was the email address. What "head of the human resource department" uses her personal email for setting up interviews?
Third was the fact that they want me to fill out an online credit form, which involves a lot of my personal information. This was in the warning that craigslist put up.
So, I did a few google searches.
Ashleigh Loudon is common enough name that nothing came up for her. However, Numark Systems, LLC doesn't appear to be a real company. Numark Systems makes sound equipment. That link -- I clicked it in hopes that it wouldn't eat my computer, which reminds me that I should run a scan just in case -- redirects itself five times and drops you at a "get your credit rating FREE! It just takes a few seconds!" site.
I decided not to follow up on the job offer after discussing it with my dad, just to talk it out. I felt like my problem-solving skills had been proved when my housemate was wondering out loud (she conducts almost all of her thought processes out loud, actually, a concept that I kind of understand, but not really) about craigslist scams, and I excitedly informed her that I, me, her very own housemate, had received a scam email that very morning. [That was one hell of a sentence.] She demanded that I use my scam-spotting expertise and see if her email was a scam.
Lo and behold, she had the exact same email., word for word, from Ashleigh Loudon.
If anyone knows how to report scam job postings to craigslist even if no crime has been perpetrated against you, let me know. I'm too lazy to google it myself.
EDIT: To report the scam, go to the craigslist main page, click "about craigslist" and then "contact form". See if you can find the original postings so that you can report the post ID, found at the bottom of the page. I found this out from "Anonymous" who posted the first and probably only comment below. Thanks to whoever posted that!
Here's the link in case you get lost: Craigslist contact form
EDIT AGAIN: If you're looking for more information on craigslist scams, try Let's Get the Craigslist Scammers.
Guess what! I found a scam!
So far, it's come up on two medical-ish office jobs. They look pretty legit, but the email response sets off all the warning bells.
I took a screenshot of mine. My housemate, incidentally, got the exact same email response for a different job.
Second was the email address. What "head of the human resource department" uses her personal email for setting up interviews?
Third was the fact that they want me to fill out an online credit form, which involves a lot of my personal information. This was in the warning that craigslist put up.
So, I did a few google searches.
Ashleigh Loudon is common enough name that nothing came up for her. However, Numark Systems, LLC doesn't appear to be a real company. Numark Systems makes sound equipment. That link -- I clicked it in hopes that it wouldn't eat my computer, which reminds me that I should run a scan just in case -- redirects itself five times and drops you at a "get your credit rating FREE! It just takes a few seconds!" site.
I decided not to follow up on the job offer after discussing it with my dad, just to talk it out. I felt like my problem-solving skills had been proved when my housemate was wondering out loud (she conducts almost all of her thought processes out loud, actually, a concept that I kind of understand, but not really) about craigslist scams, and I excitedly informed her that I, me, her very own housemate, had received a scam email that very morning. [That was one hell of a sentence.] She demanded that I use my scam-spotting expertise and see if her email was a scam.
Lo and behold, she had the exact same email., word for word, from Ashleigh Loudon.
If anyone knows how to report scam job postings to craigslist even if no crime has been perpetrated against you, let me know. I'm too lazy to google it myself.
EDIT: To report the scam, go to the craigslist main page, click "about craigslist" and then "contact form". See if you can find the original postings so that you can report the post ID, found at the bottom of the page. I found this out from "Anonymous" who posted the first and probably only comment below. Thanks to whoever posted that!
Here's the link in case you get lost: Craigslist contact form
EDIT AGAIN: If you're looking for more information on craigslist scams, try Let's Get the Craigslist Scammers.
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