A couple days ago I decided to look deeper into the so-called 'free iPod' websites that pop up with some frequency if your pop-up blocker isn't as stringent as it should be. Once curiosity gets the better of you and your mouse cursor clicks on the "FREE!!!! NOW!!!!! NO WAITING!!!!!" (or similar) link, you are taken to screen upon screen upon screen of offers to complete, hoops to jump through, etc. before you can claim your 'prize'.
Then, and only then, is the real hook: you have to refer people (via their email address) and 1/2/5 people must complete the offers as well for you to receive your gift. They have to follow detailed instructions on using you as a reference or you won't get credit, they have to complete the same amount of offers and refer others, and it all has to be done WITHIN 60 or 90 DAYS!
Oh, those bastards! Now I know how the scam works, I vow NEVER to do any more of them... EVER! Good thing I assumed (correctly) that they would also share my email address with spammers, and I used my junk hotmail account.
Last night I actually attempted to complete some offers in the hopes of getting a $500 Futureshop gift card, and it took 6 applications at websites for various things before it said I was close to getting my gift. They have to wait for the websites I signed up for to verify that I wasn't just signing up and cancelling right away, then I also had to refer one person and get them to do 6 offers themselves, and THEN I would receive my reward in the mail. No where while I was looking at the offers available was it mentioned that I had to sign someone else up, and I blindly hoped that I wouldn't have to... nope, not a chance.
So I spent some time today cancelling what I could immediately, but I'm still stuck with a couple offers: I've got an Entertainment Book coming that my fiance and I might be able to use for romantic dinners and trips to the zoo, we are receiving a 7 day trial of a tooth whitening 'system', and I think we have some Entertainment Weekly magazines headed our way.
I call my experiment a total failure...
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Not enough hours in a day
I was thinking the other day about how much time and money I've spent on video games of all forms. I know I've easily got over 100 games for various systems at my house right now; some bought new, some used, some rented, a couple borrowed, some free (demos).
And the thing about that is I don't think I've actually finished more than 5% of them! I have great intentions to devote myself to playing through a game when I get in, but I always find something newer and shinier within a few days or weeks. Is that a sign of a short attention span, a sign that the game isn't good enough to keep me interested, or just a sign that I am like every other person in the world and never have enough time in a day to do everything on my plate.
For example, I received NWN 2 for Christmas 2006, and have put no more than 5 hours into it so far. I was drooling over it for the longest time, and played through the original more than once, but I haven't been able to devote time to it for any number of reasons. I love RPG's, loved the original, and yet... meh. (PS Cam, if you're reading this, I loved getting it as a present, promise!) ;)
The same story applies to almost every single game on every single console I own; a couple games I finish, most I play for 5 - 7 hours, and a few I hardly touch at all. It seems like every time I find a game I enjoy, different and equally enjoyable games seem to slowly draw my attention, withering it like a dying tree (okay, a little over the top)...
One of these days I plan to write in here as many games as I can think of and find that I have, have played, and have walked away from. Goal: don't know, but who cares!
And the thing about that is I don't think I've actually finished more than 5% of them! I have great intentions to devote myself to playing through a game when I get in, but I always find something newer and shinier within a few days or weeks. Is that a sign of a short attention span, a sign that the game isn't good enough to keep me interested, or just a sign that I am like every other person in the world and never have enough time in a day to do everything on my plate.
For example, I received NWN 2 for Christmas 2006, and have put no more than 5 hours into it so far. I was drooling over it for the longest time, and played through the original more than once, but I haven't been able to devote time to it for any number of reasons. I love RPG's, loved the original, and yet... meh. (PS Cam, if you're reading this, I loved getting it as a present, promise!) ;)
The same story applies to almost every single game on every single console I own; a couple games I finish, most I play for 5 - 7 hours, and a few I hardly touch at all. It seems like every time I find a game I enjoy, different and equally enjoyable games seem to slowly draw my attention, withering it like a dying tree (okay, a little over the top)...
One of these days I plan to write in here as many games as I can think of and find that I have, have played, and have walked away from. Goal: don't know, but who cares!
HOLY HELL, I'M A DOG!
How does one go through their ENTIRE life thinking their zodiac sign is the pig, when in fact it is the DOG! I missed the cut-off for the Pig by two days... Google and Wikipedia just told me.
What a paradigm shift.
Anyone know if I need to change my life in light of this development?
(just thought I'd share this with you, I just found out myself)
(except no one is reading this yet... I guess I'll go tell my woman.... except she's asleep... yeah, so lonely)
What a paradigm shift.
Anyone know if I need to change my life in light of this development?
(just thought I'd share this with you, I just found out myself)
(except no one is reading this yet... I guess I'll go tell my woman.... except she's asleep... yeah, so lonely)
The Beginning....
Sounds ominous.......
In reality all I'm doing here is getting something on the page. I decided to start a blog because everyone (and their dog and cat and fish) is blogging nowadays, and I want to join the crowd.
Not a leader, but strictly in the middle of the pack...
I want to focus on things that I like, things that are of interest and importance to me. We'll see what happens, but at the moment I'm WAY too tired to think of anything cool to say.
In reality all I'm doing here is getting something on the page. I decided to start a blog because everyone (and their dog and cat and fish) is blogging nowadays, and I want to join the crowd.
Not a leader, but strictly in the middle of the pack...
I want to focus on things that I like, things that are of interest and importance to me. We'll see what happens, but at the moment I'm WAY too tired to think of anything cool to say.
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