Clayshaper

This guy is smoooth.

Clayshaper- thank you for the link from you for the Digital Scavenger Hunt- great photos (and well done for getting the Silver Branch! Woohooo!)

Clayshaper: We never had a chance to swap, but I feel that I got to know you a little bit thru your sensitive and humorous posts on the forums. What a sad loss for the Swap-Bot community. I hope you'll come back someday and reevaluate participating, if you feel things have changed. As for now, I totally understand your decision, and respect you for the way you have honored your commitments. Take care, Lisa F.

Hi David, I received your swap for the pressed pennies today. It was a lovely, thoughtfully prepared package that took a great deal more effort than to just toss a token in. This is the kind of package everyone hopes to receive. You are the kind of person everyone wants for a swap partner.

Mail in Phoenix seems to be on par with mail in Seattle. Some people just do not understand that some large cities are terribly understaffed at the post office and the service is really bad. I usually have to wait in line for over an hour to mail a package. But I do it so it won't get "lost in the mail" from my guessing the wrong postage rate. I do not expect others to totally understand what a saintly act it is to bear with an unbearably overstressed postal system. But it would be kind if everyone could have a little patience.

Your package arrived over two weeks after the swap date. We communicated. I waited and surely enough, your package arrived just as you said. Grownups do that sort of stuff. Talk, wait...

I understand your leaving. I did the same thing back in October. For the same reasons. I recently decided to give it another try. I'm still hoping to settle into some quality swaps with people with realistic expectations. Like the old Nervousness days. Before the fingernail polish exchanges... ; }

I like your idea of tracking the stats on the profile page. The other stats like, how many people you forgot to rate and how many you rated poorly. That would be a huge indicator of the character of the person I'm considering investing time and money in.

You are a "5" to me, David. I'd be happy to wait a couple extra days for a package from you. Anytime!

Sonora

There are no proper words to offer comfort here, ClayShaper... Just thoughts and wishes for healing... Wish I could offer more... Wish there was more to say or do or something...

Will you do private trades? ::looks hopeful::

Thank you for the kinds words. They really mean a lot to me. I'll be here to finish everything up, and I will leave this account, and not just delete it, so your words and my ratings (for what that's worth) will always be here and I won't lose touch with the friends I did make here.

If you want things to /change/, you might push for changes that hold raters accountable for how they rate: like putting in their profile not just how others rated them, but how they rated others, and how many swaps they have had, but how many swaps they have rated... suddenly, those perfect 5's will be seen through, if they are the kid who chronically do not rate at all, or rate people low all the time.

&hearts ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

words fail me

Blessed Be!
Please stay, brother, there aren't too many of us "enlightened" people around.

-Phoenyx

I'll have a little duet with teresa here for ya!

But even if that doesn't help, would you consider a one-on-one for your catalog swap? When I saw the cancellation notice in my inbox I was hoping it was lack of interest and not because of, well, people with poor communication skills. Else may I send you my technology-related catalogs anyway? Come on, you know you need a B&H Sourcebook! Heck, I have three sitting here! Hopefully my attempts to make you smile at least partially worked, drop me a note if you want, if not, I understand your disappointment with people, and hopefully some of us can help you regain your trust in the swap-bot community!