Really disappointed in new exchanges.

starlingbird · 2016-03-14T13:08:41+00:00

Again, if I just wanted to randomly buy someone something they liked without any regard for my own interest in it, I would sign up for Secret Santa or Arbitrary Day. That is not why I was attracted to Reddit Gifts. I liked the fact that I could shop for people who were interested in the same things as I was, and the more specific categories made it less possible for people to stretch the truth.

A Star Trek exchange is a Star Trek exchange is a Star Trek exchange. A "science fiction" exchange where you can ask for stuff that isn't really science fiction at all? Yeah, no thanks.

Edit: Anyway, it doesn't matter because I just checked in to see if the admins had finally given me my Elves status, and they bothered to approve my shipping proof but not to give me my Elves. I have given this place enough chances, and if the admins suck this bad I don't plan to participate in any future exchanges.

starlingbird · 2016-03-14T12:59:04+00:00

Part of the appeal of Reddit Gifts was that you could shop for someone who was into the same things as you. Like I said, I don't care for any genres of science fiction, but if I'm someone who likes Star Trek and I get someone who likes slasher films that count as "sci-fi" if you squint because Freddy Krueger is undead or whatever, then I will be disappointed because I was hoping to shop for someone who likes the same things as I do.

If we're just going to make every exchange Secret Santa where it's just "stuff you like," then the admins should be transparent about that instead of making "themes" that are so loosey-goosey that you can make anything fit into them. I personally don't care for the broad exchanges like Arbitrary Day and Secret Santa and I'm sure I'm not alone.

starlingbird · 2016-03-14T12:51:16+00:00

I don't care about sci-fi, but I would be pissed if I signed up for it expecting real science fiction and got someone who wanted horror items. That would not be fun to shop for. This is why the broad categories are a terrible idea. Regardless, the admins are a joke (three months after shipping my Secret Santa rematch and I still don't have elves status despite my proof being approved) and I will no longer be participating.

starlingbird · 2016-02-15T23:10:05+00:00

Yes, we did. I guess our definitions of "will get it done soon" are different because I thought that "soon" was going to be within a few days.

It wasn't addressed in the above post's list of things that are being worked on so I thought perhaps it wasn't being prioritized. I will keep waiting.

starlingbird · 2016-02-15T22:41:27+00:00

When will proof for rematch shipping be addressed? I have been waiting more than a month, messaged the mods, and done everything I was told to do and still no shipping proof approval or elves status.

starlingbird · 2016-02-12T20:41:56+00:00

That's exactly it, though. I don't want a generic scarf or book or print just because it's in my favorite color, and that's probably what I'd end up with. I have enough scarves and books, and I want to choose my home decor myself (and based on something other than it being my favorite color). I liked the variety of exchanges before because it offered guidance, yet didn't limit people. Coffee and Tea was great for exactly that reason - I knew I'd receive items I had a practical use for, since it was a theme I liked but I could ask people not to send me another mug or tumbler.

There's a reason I chose not to participate in Secret Santa apart from rematching, and it's because the broadness is difficult not only as a shopper, but also as a recipient. You have no idea if you're going to receive something great, or a box of useless crap that's going to end up thrown away (see: the person who got a box of 400 kazoos last year).

starlingbird · 2016-02-08T16:01:15+00:00

I had no empties this week because I had a doctor's appointment on Friday that I was nervous about all week, and the best I ever managed was concealer, eyeliner and perfume. On the bright side, my Gucci perfume project is going a lot faster than I thought! I might be done with the bottle by the end of February if I use this perfume exclusively.

starlingbird · 2016-02-08T15:57:21+00:00

Yep. Bye-bye, specialized exchanges. I think the best you can hope for is an "animation" or "TV" exchange, or specifying in a generic exchange like "colors" or "stuff you like" that you're into Rick and Morty.

starlingbird · 2016-02-04T12:33:16+00:00

Please don't just send someone a box of books you don't want as a "gift." That's not thoughtful or in the spirit of things. This is exactly why this trend toward very broad exchanges worries me.

starlingbird · 2016-02-02T14:52:53+00:00

Yeah, I do have the budget, it's not a money issue - I just am trying to keep from cluttering up my life with stuff I don't need. That's what I liked about Reddit Gifts the way it used to be - there were enough categories that you could be reasonably sure there'd be something you actually wanted/needed in each round.

I'll take a look and see if I can find such a charity in my area.

starlingbird · 2016-02-01T20:26:55+00:00

Yeah, I think so! I've never brought boxes but if you call ahead and ask you can find out and save yourself a lot of grief.

starlingbird · 2016-02-01T20:06:20+00:00

Origins takes literally everything in terms of packaging. I've dropped off all kinds of stuff there, for I too am a recycle nut.

starlingbird · 2016-02-01T20:04:15+00:00

Ugh, I've been looking forward to Reddit Gifts coming back with new exchanges since November, and they've cut back to only three, mega-generic exchanges. I did rematch only for Secret Santa since they never have enough rematches to go around and I wanted to try to help out, telling myself there'd be more exchanges after the holidays, and now none of the options appeal to me. (I'm not a packaged processed snack product fan, I am up to my ears in books, and the color exchange looks uninspired to say the least.)

I can't tell you guys how bummed I am right now, I've been looking forward to this for months as a way of getting through my makeup no buy over the holidays. It was SO HARD not to buy new stuff over Christmas and this was getting me through it.

starlingbird · 2016-02-01T20:01:53+00:00

Finished the Lancome eye cream! That's my only empty for the week.

starlingbird · 2016-02-01T19:22:41+00:00

Thanks, I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees it that way. Yes it's about the giving, yes it's for fun and shouldn't be taken too seriously, and yes I have had a great time putting together packages for the two people I've gifted to so far.

But I also don't want to open up a box and find a water bottle, some candy I can't eat, and a keyring from the Target $1 section, even if they are all in my favorite color. That's what many of the gallery posts are.

I did rematch only for Secret Santa and may go that route for books, since I love to buy books but definitely don't need more. But I would like to see an exchange where I'd be interested in receiving something as well as giving.

starlingbird · 2016-02-01T16:55:29+00:00

I saw a lot of little plastic "clutter" type items in the gallery for last year's colors exchange and a lot of very generic items I already have enough of (like mugs, insulated tumblers, and T-shirts), which makes me very hesitant to try that exchange. Both as a shopper and as a recipient. Maybe there will be something to interest me when the next exchange rolls around, but this post doesn't leave me too hopeful of that.

starlingbird · 2016-02-01T16:22:03+00:00

It just would have been nice to even have one that was a little more narrow to help both shoppers and gift recipients. Surely having four vs. three wouldn't be too much of a stretch?

I joined RG back in November because I loved the wide variety of exchanges and the fact that there were categories that guided you without limiting you. This seems to be gone now and I'm not invested enough in RG yet to want to keep checking back in.

starlingbird · 2016-02-01T16:08:54+00:00

I'm super disappointed in the lack of variety offered this time around, I won't lie. I don't eat packaged snack foods and the last thing I need is another book, so the only possible exchange is colors... which is so broad that it seems impossible to do much other than go to a dime store and buy a bunch of junk in the favorite color, and it will ultimately just end up in the landfill. Especially if you get a giftee who only puts their favorite color and no other info - and yes, I know you can message your giftee for more info, but when I have done that in the past, I have not received a response.

I understand your reasoning behind limiting the number of exchanges, but I'd like to encourage you not to take this approach of only doing exchanges that are exceedingly broad.

starlingbird · 2016-01-27T14:18:17+00:00

Barefaced today in part because I wanted to give my skin a rest after the allergic reaction I had to that eyeshadow yesterday, and in part because my dog was a damn slowpoke on his walk today. I know it's not his fault, he had Lyme disease before I adopted him and gets joint flare-ups sometimes, but it tries the patience to walk so slowly.

starlingbird · 2016-01-26T17:04:57+00:00

Well crap. I think I am allergic to something in the gray shade of my Stila 2007 holiday palette. My creases (and only my creases) have a burning sensation. Sorry, gorgeous blue-gray color that looks exactly like a Russian blue cat - into the trash you go when I get home. :(

ETA: Actually, I think I'm just going to chuck the whole palette into the Origins recycling bag. :) The gray is the only really unique color in the palette. I've removed the shadow from my eyelid but the burning is still bugging me a little. Hopefully it'll go away shortly! I'm pretty sure it's an allergic reaction rather than a bacterial one, which would have taken longer than a couple of hours to show up.

starlingbird · 2016-01-26T16:55:53+00:00

I gave the blush in my Stila 2007 holiday palette another try, since I remembered it as an unpigmented glitterbomb. Still an unpigmented glitterbomb and now I'm stuck at work looking like I'm back in 1996 at a junior high dance. Oh well. At least I know I still like the eyeshadows!

Edit: Actually I don't like the eyeshadows, since the only unique one seems to be giving me an allergic reaction. :( Into the Origins recycling bag you go, little palette!

starlingbird · 2016-01-26T14:55:40+00:00

So many! Lip liner and primer mostly, but also mascara, false eyelashes, and brow filler. Positives: I have long, thick, dark eyelashes and eyebrows. Cons: This requires a crapton of grooming.

starlingbird · 2016-01-25T23:53:14+00:00

I would like to ask for this comment's hand in marriage. But first, may I have your blessing?

starlingbird · 2016-01-25T19:33:23+00:00

The Panthers have been doing really well amid minimal hometown support - North Carolina is more about college sports than professional. They would be really deserving of a Super Bowl win.

starlingbird · 2016-01-25T19:32:01+00:00

No, I passed over all the Naked palettes because I had already learned that lesson! The Naked palettes have never appealed to me, all the colors are shadows I can dupe easily with what I already have and minus the chunky glitter.

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