RANTING/COMPLAINING ABOUT MOOCHES: CHAPTER 18!!!

Another chance to rant & complain about some of our justified frustrations with Mooches, books, the postal systems, miscommunications & general bad stuff!!

At the end of our last chapter, we were discussing whether or not we mark books mailed before or after going to the post office...

you may continue that discussion or start a new one or just rant....

or pass around the sympathy.

To cheer a good mooch, you can go to the "I just had a great experience on BookMooch!"

Here's to wonderful Mooches!!

Okay, continuing on the previous posts... I mark my books as sent as soon as I return from the post office.

My irritation today is this... Why do some book owners leave their mooches as requested and not mark them accepted or delayed? I don't understand this behavior. If you have the book and you are willing to send it, mark it appropriately. If you have to wait to send, then mark it delayed. Sheesh! If you can't find a book, communicate! There were books mooched the same day as mine and sent all around mine (a 5 book mooch) and not one word from the owner. I don't want to upset her, because they are all I need to almost complete a set, but why not at least acknowledge you will send, even if you have to delay?

>2 highdesertlady: That's happened with something like three or four of my last dozen mooches. I came really, really close to canceling them. Back In The Day, I think there wasn't an intermediary step, just requested and sent, but there's no excuse for it now.

It's not even a case of the behavior being annoying, it's a stupid move on the part of the sender because it risks negative feedback for long non-response.

She even accepted a mooch from 3 days ago and mine were 10 days ago!

I habitually mark sent before I go to the post office. Usually I post sent the night before as I address each package. I do it this way because when I go to the post office, I do it during my commute to work and I have a very small window of time (about 20 minutes) for success. The P.O. doesn't open until 9, and I have to be at work at 10, and I have to make my connecting bus, so if my 1st bus is late (as it likes to be) or if there is a long line than at the post office, I might have to try again the next day. Sometimes I can get onto Bookmooch while at work, but not always.

If something ever happened and it took longer than 2 days to get it mailed, then I would of course email the moocher and let them know, in case they wanted to cancel (and I would refund their points if they did.) But I think this is different from a case where someone marks sent and then doesn't send it for weeks. That breaks good faith, and I know I'm proud of the good feedback I've earned and don't want to jeopardize it.

Of the few 'receiving lost' books I have, most of them were ones where I suspect the person never actually sent them. I've got 6 books pending received now from a single person that I have reason to think were never sent and I am putting off marking them lost for that very reason. So I know people can and will abuse it.

Always the key is communication and acting in good faith and taking responsibility if something goes wrong on your end.

I have clicked reminders 6 of my pending mooches right now and have emailed 2 more. I also have mooched another 7 or 8 books which I do not expect a reply from as they are from inactive moochers.

I totally agree with #3 as it is a really stupid move on the part of the sender. On the plus side, many of these moochers will be placed on vacation when I cancel so their books will not be out there tempting others.

#5 - mac,

Just FYI, your moocher would not be able to cancel at that point, if you've marked the books Sent. Once they're Sent, there's no turning back - they can't be canceled!

I feel really bad, though this doesn't appear to be entirely my fault.

Someone just requested a book of me--that was mooched and mailed months ago. I apologized to the moocher, and looked at my inventory. Roughly 5 books I've mailed in the past were in my inventory! I quickly removed them, and my other books until I figure out what's going on.

Has this happened to anyone else?

#8...hasn't happened to me, but what a bummer...a Glitch is in there somewhere...probably not you...

regarding the Marking Mailed discussion...i don't mark books as "mailed" until I've left them at the Post Office...but...since I mostly offer older books (gently used) and ARCs..I am a stickler for Condition Notes...when I receive a request for an older book..i always restate the book's condition "just in case",in my Mooch Accept...ARCs the same...I have my Mailing Day in my Status...but still repeat in requests. Yes, I am Obsessive...but I've found that, if one does not Communicate on BM..one is up s**t creek (even if you do, you could be)...I like BM..have "met" some good people..but I also have a BOOK MOOCH SHIT LIST...for those folks who can't be bothered to communicate...or be civil..with whom I will never do business...and I have told them so, and why..

*rant over*
;-}

I don't usually complain...much...lol
but
People who are set to ask me first and then never respond to your will you send to my country request....fry my bacon....No chance to say no response or negative feedback. They just ignore your request until the automatic 7 day reserve expires...grrrr

Yes I do feel better now....:)

Unresponsiveness, in general, fries my bacon..one of my few beefs regarding BM.

.........bacon, do i smell bacon?.......

she drools

;-)

Great, now I want bacon. *sigh*

Wonders if there are any books on the subject of bacon that should be on my wishlist. Hmmmm...

Damn... me too. oooo... BLT on sourdough. *runs off to the kitchen*

>8 AmyLynn: Have you left a note for technical support? That's the sort of thing they should know about. I'm pretty sure it's happened before.

>10 Gerri007: There's one Doctor Who book that's been cycling through people asking first for like a month. I already have it, so I don't care much, but still!

All you bacon-eating people and your bacon. Pfft.

14> I DON'T have that Doctor Who book and that bakes my cake!**

**is cake better?

Now I want bacon AND cake. Shame on you all.

Yeah, what Mare said!

I'm going to go & bake some brownies!!

without bacon!

Okay, y'all may not like this, but here goes... Voodoo

>19 highdesertlady:: Oooooo I saw that visited on Anthony Bourdain's show.

Yeah, 'the Magic is in the Hole'. Personally, I want a bacon-maple bar.

Y'all see what i started?

is this still Book Mooch?

;-}

My oh my ladies I go off to get some work done & miss all the food.

Toasted BLT yummy and then big piece of cake then I'll report to tech support.thanks for that suggestion chelonianmobile

Gosh darn it. Is there a Foodies group? ...I kinda want access to one.

My brownies turned out nicely... in a few broken pieces when coming out of the pan, but they are DELICIOUS!!

anyone want some??

Brownies! Yes please!

19: Woooah donut paradise!

So, um, back on-topic... lol
I had my first ever run-in with a BM glitch, today. I got an email from someone about a 2-for-1 deal, saying they'd just mooched a certain book from me. I saw the mooch, and delayed, without really looking too much at the moocher (the person who emailed has mooched from me before). Then I get word that it isn't showing up on her pending... so I double-check, and someone *else* mooched the book. Going from the timestamps on the emails, it must've been within minutes of each other, and I have no idea why one didn't go through and... yeah. It's strange.

I've heard of it happening before, but it's the first time it's ever happened to me.

Bacon Maple Bar....I need...a Bacon Maple Bar.

26> That is odd but I had something similar happen to me once.

**Passes brownies around**

if you don't want or can't have, just pass them on to the next person... please do not keep all of them to yourself... share them!!!

Bacon might be good on a brownie...
*tries it*

Mmmmm....

#26 - Oh yeah, I wish I still lived over there. But I do have to take the Papa to an appointment over there 2 weeks in a row next month. I will be sure to have plenty of bacon-maple bars to go around.

#28 - Yes, Please skittles! *takes brownie and passes them on* mmmm mmmm!

(Wonders what the gluten free brownie mix I bought to take camping for da diabetic Mama will taste like?)

#29 - Bacon goes with Everything! (sorry if this grosses you out, chelonianmobile) ;-)

For being the redneck, junk-food-loving girl I am, I'm surprisingly picky about bacon. Only like it every now and then.

>2 highdesertlady: "Why do some book owners leave their mooches as requested and not mark them accepted or delayed? "

I do this!! But only if I am shipping within a few days, if it's longer then I use the accept or delay button.

The reason I do this is because I HATE the design of the pending page, how it lumps everything together. I mooch from a lot of questionable traders, and I am patient, so I ALWAYS have books I have requested that are waiting to be accepted and waiting to be sent to me.

If I hit "accept" or "delay" they get bumped down on my pending page and are a pain to find, I am more likely to overlook/forget them. If I don't hit anything, they stay at the top. When I go to my pending page, I want it to always tell me what I need to send.

But if it's going to be a bit, I make sure to let the other person know.

Hopefully the upcoming re-jig of the pending page is going to make a lot of people's lives easier in the very imminent future! (can something be very imminent, or is it one of those binary adjectives like unique and pregnant?)

>32 rainbowgirl28: I think what was meant by the complaint was people who just don't respond at all for, say, two weeks, even though they've been logging in. I know I don't particularly mind being "ignored" for up to a week, especially if it's an established moocher, but it's annoying when people leave it longer than that.

>33 readingwithtea: Maybe imminent is one of those words that should just be replaced by near if you want to say that it's very.

#32 - I don't mind waiting at all if there is communication. But to leave me hanging for 11 days now without a peep is rude. All of the books, and then some, that were mooched that day and after have been accepted and/or sent and received by the moochers! Aack!

I am waiting for a new bookmoocher to tell me whether she will accept my mooch- she just joined , listed two books and has not been back to the site for two weeks. I have already sent a nice email explaining the process and yesterday sent the " reminder" through bookmooch. I think that this person decided that she did not want to be in Bookmooch- I will wait one more week before cancelling.
I do appreciate prompt answers to bookmooch questions. I am also waiting for two books from a moocher who seems to have a history of giving a send date that does not happen. She has bad feedback from people who have received books one month after the send date with the books postmarked much later.
I just made some merangues-( while I am waiting) anyone interested?

oh my, yes, please! Yumm!

#36 You made my tummy rumble...Wahhhh

When I'm ready to send I accept books (usually means they are packaged), otherwise I delay them for multi-book parcels. To quickly find the books I accepted, I use the "find" function in the browser (Control + F) and type "to send". That finds them easily without having to scroll down the page. Then I mark them sent, usually just before going to the post office.

ACK ack!

Okay, this is partially my fault, since I usually specifically ask about condition if I'm angel-mooching for someone. The one time I don't ask, and I get a book (no condition notes were listed) with half the back cover torn off. Arrrghh.

#40: Doesn't it seem that those who know that there might be a problem with their books DON'T put condition notes on their books precisely because they know their books aren't in generally acceptable condition?

(does that run-on sentence make sense? I'm tired. I need to be in bed. g'night, all)

It makes sense, and yes, I've noticed that too. It's very annoying. (goodnight!)

Night John Boy.

I have noticed that; also some put something like the spine might be damaged, and it is a lot worse than stated (have received one like that).

Adding to say that on the other hand there are scrupulous condition note users (like me and a few others I know) who list the book condition as it appears. I haven't received any bad feedback because of it, as people know exactly what they are getting.

#41: Don't know skittles...
Especially when a book is not exactly 'in mint condition', I always carefully describe every single flaw of the book...
More often than not, the moocher's reaction after receiving the book will be that the book was in far better condition than expected.

If I am angel mooching a book, I expect the person I am angeling for to check the condition and decide if it's good enough for them. Usually it seems like they really want the book regardless of condition (unless in terrible shape).

I'm not sure this is a legitimate moan, but argghh. I've been waiting for a couple of books for about two months. There have been various hold-ups; first, I was moving house, and then the sender was moving house, and then it got to about a month after she was moving, and I hadn't heard anything. I went to her bio; she's on vacation and had changed her bio page to say that she couldn't afford to send anything out (until further notice). I've since found the books in a local library so am going to cancel, but don't know whether or not to mention it in the feedback.

I'm feeling grumpy because she didn't actively send me a message explaining what was happening, and also feeling grumpy because I'm wondering if I'm being too grumpy about this. Do bits of info posted on your bio constitute acceptable communication, or should I mention it in my feedback?

#47:

Do it if:

#1. It will change anything.
#2. If it will make you feel better.
#3. It will 'teach a lesson'.
#4. If you truly feel that he/she/it was taking advantage of BM or you.

BUT, if the person might be truly going through a rough patch, you might not be helping them... and you may drive them away from BM, never to return.

If you are accepting or reasonable in your feedback, then they may return when they are able and might bring a great batch of really wanted books!!

You could say something like: Person is in the middle of a rough move & since I was able to get the books elsewhere, I canceled so not to overwhelm them with more obligations...

or some such nice comment. perhaps said more simply.

Well said Skittles ...We sometimes forget life does get in the way.

>46 rainbowgirl28: - rainbowgirl28: Yes, you're right about that but... for books that are the only available copy, and who's owner doesn't send to my country, I don't know how to see the condition of that book...
Until now the Angel always let me know the condition of the book, just because that condition was maybe less than what I should expect.

(When there is only one copy, the condition notes are only visible for me when the owner is someone who will - maybe - send to my country. When there are more copies, and at least one of them is available for me, than I see the condition notes of all the different ones.)

#50: if you go to that person's inventory, then click the "see details" button, you can see condition notes... if they exist.

I don't have a lot of mooch experience but this bugged me. I found a book that I wanted (proper publisher, edition etc.) only to find a note that this person can't mail til the first of the year (2011) because they're so far behind in their mailings. Can't they "go on vacation" or find other ways to not advertise their wares until they catch up? Do they still accumulate points? Well, I feel better now.

>52 gordon361:

Yes, they still accumulate points, and can use those points to mooch books in the interim.

It's not responsible, but the system allows them to do this. I tend not to mooch from people who state that they either aren't sending books out for awhile or who have unfriendly messages, but you may be more tolerant.

I thought going 'on vacation' would remove some of the books from their inventory? If it were me I would put the type of note that appears whenever anyone tries to mooch a book so that everyone would be aware, and could make their own decisions. I would not set myself to on vacation, since I would still be checking in every hour for books I might want, and resetting myself back to 'on vacation' 12 times a day would get to be a little much :P

I've pulled my books when I can't send out within a reasonable time (more than 3-4 weeks.) I've done it a couple of times. Nothing wrong with it, but it can be frustrating to enter & remove the books. Well, it's easy to remove them. Not so easy to re-enter them & add conditions.

Next time, I'm doing a spreadsheet with my condition notes.

I definitely get annoyed with people who don't put their account on vacation when they can't/won't send books for a long time. Especially when they say they'll reject or not accept mooches during the interm. I mean, it's really not that much of a hassle to put yourself on vacation. It doesn't include any time-consuming action on their part. So I just don't understand it.

Awhile back I mooched, waited and waited, and then cancelled and left negative feedback, where the person's bio (eventually) stated she wouldn't even *acknowledge* any mooches until October (and this was months ago). In that situation, I really think it's irresponsible to keep your inventory up.

I guess everyone is different. That is part of what makes this world and site so wonderful :) In June I mooched a book from someone who said she would not be able to send until November. I was perfectly happy with that. Some people would find it rather annoying... For me it just gives me books to look forward to in the long term, and I have no problem with her having my point in the meantime. Others would. I was glad to have the opportunity to snap to book up, even if it means waiting. Both perfectly valid responses and choices. I would have more of an issue if a person did not have a choice of whether to mooch from someone who is thinking long term or not. Different strokes for different folks I guess :)

I often have to delay mooches for a month or more, due to mooch-backlog and budget, so it's not the wait I have a problem with. It's the... It's when someone won't communicate. Refuses to even accept the mooch, or says they'll send "sometime" and then months go by. It's the lack of communication that reeks of irresponsibility and really frustrates me. Otherwise, I'm fine with delays of any kind. As long as there is communication.

I agree with both 58 and 59. I will wait a very very long time for a book, as long as I know when it will be sent. And if it can't be sent at that time, that is fine too, as long as I know.

I am often guilty of having 1-2 month waits to send my books out because I have so many pending at once and have a limited shipping budget. I am glad that people are willing to wait for my books and I make sure that I communicate clearly what those time-frames are so that people can choose whether or not they wish to wait.

I would hate to have to put myself on vacation and then off and then back on again, every time I wanted to go and mark a book sent or received. On top of that, I think I always get more nervous when I have a pending mooch with someone and then they put themselves on vacation. I start to wonder if the book will go out at all.

Not a rant about BM, but about RL : the mailboxes of the appartment block where I live have been vandalized. No way you can close them securely now. Great.

^61, I sympathize. A (presumably) drunk driver took out three sets of mailboxes serving 50+ houses in my development. It took the post office TWO MONTHS to replace them -- and what was worse, we never got an update from the post office in all that time, even when we asked. Granted, it was not their fault that some idiot crashed his car into the mailboxes, but good customer service would suggest at least communicating with your patrons!

So we had to pick up our mail in person for two whole months. And I'm pretty sure some of my mail was irretrievably lost. (I hadn't started Bookmooch yet at that point, so at least I didn't lose any mooched books!)

#61: At an apartment I lived in a few years ago, the carrier would leave my book packages on top of the locked mailboxes, instead of going upstairs & leaving them in front of my door or taking them back to the post office. I had at least three packages taken, two had delivery confirmation, so I know that they were delivered.

I switched to a post office box after that. Yes, I have to go & pick up my mail, but it is secure from theft (I hope) and my books don't 'go lost'.

I don't think I'll ever go back to not having a post office box... much better IMHO. Even if I have to go out of my way.

I'm going to have to complain to my post office because I've had three or four thin, but large paperbacks now that have been folded so they would fit in my mailbox. I'd rather have them left on my porch than folded!

>64 Quaisior:: Quaisior

That happens at my address, too. I've gotten in the habit, when mooching really thin items and flexible items like picture books, of asking the giver to slip something inflexible, light, and cheap in the package along with the book to help prevent bending. Old pieces of cardboard have worked beautifully for this.

Oh yeah, I had that problem too, Quaisior. It got so frustrating, especially since packages would be shoved in their so tightly that they wouldn't come out without ripping the package, that I complained to the PO. Twice. Neither time made a difference. Finally I talked to the new delivery person for our route, and she now takes all packages to the front office.

I have a little quibble: I've just received the second BM in as many weeks that stinks of mold. They came from two different members (both in the east) and the smell of each has been bad enough that I have to put them in a stinkbox. They look fine though.

In one of my first apartments, we had a little note on the mail box saying that we would much rather go to the post office and pick up a package ourselves rather than having those packages folded or left outside. It worked for us.

>67I hope the stink box works!

I am so, so gutted. A new member mooched a book from me and after days of looking for it I still can't find it. I smooched her a point, but I'm still so shocked at how this happened :( There goes my perfect record

69: I have had that happen twice but the moocher didn't mind. Both books were in the most obvious of places. One was in a small box of books under my desk that were already read and I intended to give away. The other book was sitting right on the postage scale on my bookshelf!! I overlooked that book for three days and was baffled as to where it could have gone.

I've only ever had one book just completely abscond from my library never to be found again. Luckily that was not a bookmooch book. I'm sure the book will turn up once you stop looking.

It's bound to happen every now and then, that you can't find a book. Especially if you have a large inventory, or other people in the house that may move books without telling you. As long as it's not a common occurance, most people understand.

I am having that happen right now. It was part of the great purge of 2010, part one.

I know it is here. I just dont know where. Luckily Brenda is being very patient with me. I went ahead and sent her the other book she had requested with a freebie that was on her wishlist.

I am bound and determined to find that book, though. It cannot hide from me forever!

Message 72

The strange & mysterious ways of books.

*mental image of a book cowering in a dark corner with two huge cartoon-style eyes, looking shiftily around for Belladonna... maybe scampering to a different corner when it hears footsteps*

I just looked at my wishlist - using the new layout seems to make things clearer - and there were two copies available of one wishlisted book. However one belongs to an apparently inactive account and the other is a copy I have already tried mooching but the account holder couldn't find it. He/she seemed fairly confident that it would soon turn up but I waited about a couple of months and having got no reply to my reminder query decided to cancel. I'm rather cross to see it still apparently available.

#74 LOL, great image!! :)

I don't mind waiting at all, of course, I DO have about a year's worth of reading in the TBR piles (and piles, and piles, and OH, a bin!) If I ever get rid of this flu that I've had now for 11 days, I intend to rearrange things and maybe get some of the TBR piles into a bookcase or two. That way they can just all look at me and whisper...read me, read ME!

74> Actually it has Eyes Like Stars! *snort*

Since that is the book in question! :)

76> Thank you again for being patient with me.

75: For the inactive member, mooch, wait 7+ days, cancel if there's no response. *shrug*

#78 It's an Ask First for me so there's nothing to cancel if I get no response from that.

A few days ago, I received a small paperback that hadn't condition notes when I mooched it.
Me, I'm used to meticulously add condition notes about every book that isn't in mint condition, and expected that books without condition note were 'used books' of course, but not too badly damaged.

This one not only had a different cover from what was shown, but also a front cover that was badly creased and obvious water damage.
I send the previous owner a mail to tell her about my disappointment (didn't get an answer), but gave her a +1 feedback with the note that it was 'send quickly' and nothing about the condition of the book.

However, after a few days I started feeling bad about that positive feedback, because feedback is not only there to please the sender, but also the inform other moochers.
So today I changed my feedback (not the scores) into: "Thank you for sending this book so quickly. However, like I already told you in an email, it was really disappointing to receive a book with a different cover, a badly creased front cover and obvious water damage. It's a good 'reading copy', but not a book that should be in a BM inventory without condition notes."

The member had good feedback until now, although there had been another book that had a different cover from the one wanted. In that case there had been good communication, and the previous owner had smooched a point back. For that reason, it didn't feel very good to have to give negative feedback, but I really wasn't happy with this mooch.

>79 CDVicarage:

Once you have done the "ask first" you can immediately mooch the book. It is normally considered rude to do so, but if it's an international account that is obviously very inactive, it's unlikely they'll ever get the email, and that will start your 7 day clock sooner.

A rant about myself and a real life rant:

I've been a terrible Bookmoocher lately. I've been moving, going to school full-time and working part-time and bouncing back and forth between my house and my girlfriend's house and trying to see my best friend somewhere in between. School, especially, is kicking my ass. I had a couple of books that I promised to send within two weeks and didn't get around to for a week or so after. One person reminded me I'm pretty sure before two weeks was up, so I ignored it, and they cancelled a week later and said they felt "bamboozled" by me for not sending when I said I would. Valid. Also, I lost a book someone else was mooching. I don't know how that happened. Before we moved, I got a slip to go pick up a package at the post office, which I've never had to do before, and I didn't recognize the post office. I forgot about it and it's past the date now. I don't know what happened to it. It's probably being sent back, which will probably take a while.

I got another request for me to pick up another package, and I google mapped the address and went looking for it the other day and was walking around looking for it. After 20 minutes of searching and hauling around my school books and laptop, I gave up and went home. I wish I had some say in where the books got sent to be picked up, because this may be closer, but it's a lot more of a pain to get to, if I can ever find it.

I've put myself on vacation, but I thought I'd do a confessional here.

82: *HUGS!* Unfortunately, Real Life sometimes kicks our butts. BMers are usually very understanding about that. I hope things look up for you soon!

#79 Well the 'probably inactive' account isn't and has agreed to send the book! So thank you for your advice as I'd have probably given up.

*sigh* New member I was mooching 2 books from within the country waited a few days, then cancelled all her mooches because she couldn't send out until next week, and we should mooch them again then'. However she also left all the books up, meaning they were now appearing on other peoples wishlists. Sent her a nice note explaining things and promptly remooched the books.

AnneTanne, you did exactly the right thing. We try so hard to be nice that sometimes we forget that our feedback influences future mooches. I would like to know that books are sometimes in worse than expected condition when figuring out who to mooch from.

Hopefully, the book owner will respond to your feedback and you will be able to change it, knowing that they understand why condition notes are important.

I have two domestic mooches supposedly incoming that I'm pretty sure will have to be marked lost, and I hate marking books lost. Hate!

I have four months(?) before marking books from the US to Canada as lost. I'm sure that I have two that won't show up. Oh well- back on the wish list

Is there something in the water lately? I, too, expect to soon have to mark 6 books lost from the same user, and I have reason to believe they weren't sent at all. They're angel books too.

It's REALLY going to annoy me if I have to end up with 6 lost books on my record that were not actually lost.

I am hoping I don't have to mark a book lost. It is from Anniemod. I have had books from her take a while but this one was sent back at the beginning of June. She also has 2 books from me that were sent in July that haven't gotten there yet. It is just weird. I hate stuff just hanging out on my pending page forever.

I have one book from June on my list.. but it is coming from overseas so going to wait a bit. I have seen it at nearby bookstore for dirt cheap... if only I knew for sure one way or the other :P

#91: if it is a wishlisted book, then get it from the cheap bookstore & if your mooch arrives, then offer it!

Thats a thought!

I have another couple of books which I'm going to have to mark as lost, even though I don't think they were ever sent. It's a new moocher, who has supposedly sent out 13 books including mine, all within the UK, yet none of them have arrived despite their being sent over a month ago.

I am going to have to mark one lost as well.

I am pretty sure it wasn't sent either, but also that the giver couldn't help it. When it was marked sent, I also got an e-mail saying that the original giver went to hospital and several people tried to help him send the books, with the net result that now they didn't know whether this was sent but they hoped it was, and to let them know if it didn't show up. I sent them an e-mail 3 months after that to let them know they still weren't here, no reply, and one on the 4-month mark saying that if I hadn't heard from them in a week I would mark it lost. And that's nearly a week ago...

It makes me sad when mooches go like that (Or maybe I'm just grumpy because I haven't slept well).

I also have two UK mooches which are probably lost - one of them is from a moocher with a very patchy record and I'd be quite surprised if she actually sent it - I've emailed her politely a couple of times to ask whether she sent it first- or second-class, but she has completely ignored me.

However, when I emailed the second moocher in a similar vein, she responded immediately to say that if it didn't reach me within the week, she would track down another copy for me, which cheered me up no end!

That first moocher, however, is getting some seriously trenchant comments and -1 action once the waiting period for marking lost is over!

I have two requests that have not been accepted going on two weeks now. One of book owners has been logging on every day and still can't bother to accept the mooch. The other one sends out periodically and then ignores everything for months. I seem to have mooched right after he decided to go into hibernation again. Bleck.

94: Over a month ago? I wouldn't even start worrying till the 3 month mark.

>98 Bcteagirl: If I am reading Ygraine correctly, they're all domestic. I think the UK is small enough that for something to take over a month domestically is a bit bad.

98, yes, they're all internal UK post, hence I can mark them as lost in another five days because they should have been here long before now. Even second class doesn't take that long unless there's some sort of problem, and the odds of that happening to every single one of those 13 parcels is incredibly remote. This only ever seems to happen with books I'm really excited about getting hold of too *sigh*

97>

I too have wondered why an otherwise active user would persistently ignore one request.

Ideas:
1. Book is lost, trying to find the book
2. Added to Inventory prematurely, still reading the book
3. Family member borrowed book, waiting for them to return it
4. Doesn't want to send to you for some reason, waiting for you to cancel first
5. Inattention, missed the BookMooch email and doesn't look at Pending page
6. Procrastinator, always waits for the Reminder before doing anything
7. System error, you see the Pending request but they don't (hopefully this never happens)

others?

Happy days- I received the two books that I thought were lost. What really haapened was the book owner sent them at the end of Sept instead of the August 10th date that was posted. This person did state on her home page that several books were returned to her( her postage system was at fault) in Sept and she was resending them.

Yay! Glad you go them in the end :)

Hmmm, it seems it's my turn to have done something silly.

I bought a large box of virago books recently, one of which was a duplicate. I quickly listed the book on BookMooch without condition notes which I intended to add later once I got home from work. When I got back, the book had been requested and I accepted. However, when I went to parcel it up, I flicked through the pages and discovered that, although the outside and most of the book are in perfectly fine condition, the first 75 pages have highlighting and annotation. I've sent the moocher an apologetic email explaining and asking if they still want the book or if they would prefer to cancel, but they haven't replied.

Should I cancel the mooch so they can remooch if they want, or should I just send it anyway?

I'd send a second email telling the moocher that you'll hold onto the book until you hear from her and repeating the condition notes.

I had to do that yesterday, when I pulled a book out of the box to package and realized that it didn't have a dust jacket, which I hadn't mentioned in the condition notes. Luckily, the moocher emailed right back to say they didn't care.

Wait for response before making decision. Allow somewhere between 1 and 28 days for response.

8. John Dryden & Chosen have arrived in France. Therefore not posting off the ReaditSwapit books yet. Libertarians can wait a bit longer than 7 days. Meh! Also down to fact of sleeplessness & rehydrating since Sunday.

#104 - You could send a ‘delay’ message indicating that you'll delay shipping the book until they respond to your email message about the book's condition.

104: I just read a book that, too, has one page in about the middle of the book with highlighting and annotation. None of the others, though. That always puzzles me.

Why would someone highlight one page but no others? Was it a really special passage or something?

Little bookstore-rant here. My mom borrowed a friend's car for the day to go job-hunting, so while we had the car we stopped in at our favorite used bookstore. I have NEVER left that place with less then 8 books. This time I left with zero! It looks like they may have had a big clean-out recently, there were entire shelves with no books. I usually pick up at least a few books for Books For Keeps there, but this time there was nothing at all. Argh.

109: What an odd experience. I don't think that has ever happened to me. Even hearing about it makes me sad.

That happened to me recently when I went on holidays, going from charity shop to charity shop, even a secondhand bookshop, and not finding a single thing for days. I got my books within a few days of each other, finding 11 in my favourite secondhand bookshop. That was most unusual but ended up being fortunate luggage wise (so I could bring back other stuff bought!), and I brought back about 24 books, compared to about 50 last time!

not sure if this is a rant or a rave. I found myself in an unusual situation these last three months. Between angel mooches, regular mooches, I was spending about $100/week on sending out books at the rate of two trips to the post office a week. I started backing off in the beginnning of Sept. by deleting my entire inventory and now, the only books I am receiving are for ME. What I realize now, is that I have suffered a bad case of burnout!!! Without batches of books to send out, I have actually read THREE books this week from my TBR pile. When i get back from my annual trip to visit my family in Alaska, I'm sure i'll return to angel mooching and setting up my inventory, but for some reason, i just had a terrible need to back off for a while and take a breather.

I love bookmooch very very much, but it is so easy to get totally overwhelmed. I kept feeling like people needed me to help them. Now I need to learn to pace myself.

Kudos to all of you who are able to send out so many books, keep track and still find time to read.

112: I think I'm having much that same problem, lately. I actually get anxious/frustrated when I'm not actively mooching for someone else or book-shopping for someone. I'm always thinking "BookMooch, BookMooch, what can I do regarding BookMooch today?".

And I'm not reading as much.

But how can I step away from BM or LT?? Ack.

112: Everyone needs some me-time :) I hope you have a fabulous trip and get lots of books read! :)

Thank you for the suggestions. I've delayed the book with a note explaining the condition again in the comments just in case my email went to her junk box. Hopefully that should do the trick.

I've found I've been happiest when I'm strict about the number of angel mooches I take on. I love doing it, but need to keep it at a level where I can still keep to my BookMooch budget and not have too many books flowing in and out. Setting a budget does mean that I can enjoy angeling without feeling out of control.

thanks all for your comments, I don't feel so guilty now about my feelings. Guess we're never to old to learn life's little lessons.

... when you wake up in the middle of the night worrying that perhaps one of the8 or 9 books you packaged might be addressed to the wrong person. (I have actually opened and repackaged some, just out of fear)

...you obsess over the list of books you are waiting for, worrying that you might miss an "angel" mooch and put it in your own TBR pile instead.

... you stand in line for 30 min at the post office only to realize that one package weighs more than 4 lbs, and requires the longer customs form and you have to step out of line (with all those packages) to fill it out on the spot.

You know in your heart, it is time to take a breather!!

Now I'm reading more and able to concentrate on that.
I'll be pleased to start up again later, and I love ya'll, bookmooch and LT :-)

♥ @ Glenda!

@Glenda:

Allez, on respire à fond et on reste zen! Tout va bien! Et merci pour tous les livres que tu as envoyé ;)

Argh! Usually I write out condition notes beyond just "shelfwear" before posting and then copy/paste from a text document. But I thought I was okay! So I posted the book (thirty seconds), carefully wrote out the condition notes (two minutes), got a success message, and then found that the book had been mooched as I was writing the notes.

Which apparently makes the condition notes vanish into the ether, so that success message was useless.

Luckily, the text stayed in the textbox a few pages back so I was able to copy it, but I had to email the moocher to see if she still wants the book, and I'm afraid to go to sleep in case she decides to cancel because it's not the condition she wants (different cover just for starters) and then I won't have notes up and what if someone else mooches it in the meantime and I have to go through the whole thing all over again? It will probably be okay but . . . :(

>120 chelonianmobile: Put a note of the condition of that book in your status for the night so you can get some sleep but the info will still be there if someone goes looking for it?

>121 macsbrains: It's kind of prohibitively long, I think. If it goes at the top nobody will see the other important info, and if it goes at the bottom nobody will see it fullstop! Well, if something happens, it happens.

Just I also about five minutes ago put a massive crease in the cover of an otherwise pristine book while taking it out of the bag I was keeping my to-be-posteds. Should not have been so proud of mailing out all my pendings today, as it has made the rest of today's BookMooch activities kind of fail. HUBRIS! *shakes fist at sky*

If you just posted a book, try putting in the condition area a brief message like "WRITING CONDITION NOTES... PLEASE DO NOT MOOCH" or something similar, saving it quickly then sort your detailed notes out.

120: Now that was an eager moocher! That must be a record for the shortest post -> mooch time frame.

Just curious... what book?

>123 bookel: While that's a good suggestion, from timestamps I'm pretty sure that this one would have actually gone as I was in the middle of writing that I was writing condition notes! I've just gotten sloppy about pre-writing is all. I pre-wrote all my subsequent posts tonight, and no trouble yet. *knocks on wood*

>124 Mareofthesea: Ah, Things Fall Apart, so I really should have known better. I've had a few others go about that (or more) quickly, but, you know. I'd done the copy/paste. Funnily, I've just put up a book with far more wishlisters, and nobody has touched it yet. Weird how that happens.

Oh dear, it is getting a bit late. Bed it is. Good afternoon, moochers on the other side of the world!

I ordered a book from Ireland. It's part of a series, but the ISBN did not line up with the US editions, so I was hoping it was the UK edition.

Got it yesterday... nope. They didn't list by ISBN. But it was in great condition. I left +1 feedback, but noted that the ISBN did not match.

The sender wrote me back, a little huffy, said they couldn't find the ISBN in the system so they matched by title and author, and I got the book I wanted so what was I complaining about? I explained that I was hoping for the UK edition, and that they should have listed the ISBN difference in the condition notes.

If I get another huffy email I might change my rating to +0 :/

CONDITION NOTES people... use them!!!!!!!!

126: That's tied for my Biggest Pet Peeve (along with people who insist that it's a "free book" so I shouldn't complain, and people who simply don't communicate (accepting, delaying, etc)).

Condition notes take, what, three seconds? And can save both moocher and moochee lots of time/grief.

So. Way back in July I mooched a book. Lack of communication was had, but it was eventually marked Sent a month later. I got the package, and it was a completely different book in the series. Emailed the sender, and got a very nice apology email with a promise they'd send the correct book "in a few days". .... That was 2 months ago. No book, no communication. I emailed them 4 days ago, no response yet.

I received (what I thought to be, at least) a book I had requested about a week ago, only to realize that the sender had sent a totally different book instead of the one I had requested. This realization came at the end of a really, really long day; the capstone of a really quite terrible week. I know that receiving an incorrect book is really not the end of the world (I emailed the sender, to see if it could get resolved), and I don't like to make mountains out of molehills, but sometimes, little things can be so much more irksome when coupled with every other stressful thing that has been going on....

Sorry to rant-- bookmooch is usually wonderful. :)

128: *HUGS!* I hope your week starts looking up soon!

I just got a reminder email about a book the sender only mailed 10 days ago. They have also reminded everyone else they mailed books to on the same day. Personally, I would just think that those people hadn't received their books yet, not that they have all forgotten to mark a book received (or whatever other nefarious things the sender might think we are doing with the books they sent). And what really irritates me is that it took them 3 weeks to send the book with no communication whatsoever and now they are nagging me to see if I've received it after only 10 days (6 business days).

>130 Quaisior: Ugh! Hate that. I don't understand why anyone would send a reminder earlier than three weeks in larger countries unless they've sent everything first class/equivalent. I always reply to reminders with an email that unfortunately the book has not yet arrived, but I will let them know as soon as it has.

One of my current pendings was marked sent within a few hours of my sending a reminder (all I wanted was mooch acknowledgment!), and then I got a reminder from them about ten or twelve days later which to me felt kind of passive-aggressive. Okay, maybe I am projecting. But all of their other books are either delayed or not even responded to, and those were mooched earlier than mine!

ARGH! THAT GOSHDARN STUPID "NO FEEDBACK FOUND WITH THAT ID" ERROR!!!

I wanted to leave nice feedback, too! The book never showed, but the moocher was friendly, so I left a few sentences in the "explain yourself" box of the lost function, and then it didn't put anything in the actual feedback, so I went to put what I had said in feedback and it won't let me! :(

130-- I'd check the date the book was sent when you finally receive it. That happened to me; I was reminded to receive a book before I'd gotten it and only a little over three weeks after it was marked sent. I did get the book later and the postmark showed they'd pretty much mailed the book and reminded me to receive it simultaneously.

This is a postal service rant. I sent two biggish books to the Philippines at the beginning of May (first class international from the US) and they still haven't gotten to the moocher. She has an excellent history (and we've exchanged emails) so I'm confident that she would have marked them received if she'd actually gotten them. I know everyone says the Filipino post is balls, but I'm still irritated. I spent $32 on that package! Do your jobs sirs! Deliver my package!

/rant

So I've ranted here about the *censor* mailpeople bending my packages to fit them into my tiny mailbox, right? A few weeks ago I called and complained to the post office, TWICE (because the day after I complained it happened again!), and it actually stopped for awhile. ALL my packages were delivered to the office.

.... Now it's started again. Just had to pry out a folded-and-stuffed-into-the-box-as-hard-as-possible package. Thankfully the book wasn't damaged! I don't know what I have to do. I can't afford a PO-box, I've tried taping a sign to my mailbox but random people just take it off... I'm going to throw a fit one more time, and if it doesn't get better soon... I don't know. *sigh*

The frustrating thing is, I don't *care* if my books are damaged. I've repeatedly mooched books that are in iffy condition, because I like my books pre-loved. But I DO do Angel-mooches, and if those mailpeople damage an Angel-book I am going to be SO PISSED.

Heather, do you have a digital camera or cellphone camera?

Take a picture of the mailbox when you open it before you remove the mail. Then photograph the mail that you pull out. Use a date stamp or put the mail by the daily paper to date it (even though it can be rigged) Keep photographing it everyday for a week or two as a record of how your mail is delivered... good & bad... in the box & after it has been removed.... every piece that you pull out of the box. And make sure you have a picture of the empty box with a ruler at the bottom for scale & vertically for height. If there isn't remedy from the local postmaster, find out who the regional postmaster is.

If you keep a record of how your mail arrives at your box, the carriers will know & may treat your mail with more courtesy.

and INSIDE your mailbox put the note not to fold the mail so others cannot remove it. If the box is like most apartment mailboxes of the in-the-wall type, then they open at the top, place the note so it can be seen from the top and have to push the mail past it to put it in the box.

Good Luck....

>135 Heather19:

Can you tape a note inside the mailbox where the person delivering it will see?

>134 Zora5:

Philippines is the WORST. I wouldn't give up on the books yet, she might still get them. But $32 in postage... were they too big for flate rate envelopes?

I just had two mooches rejected with no reason after having them accepted and pending for about a fortnight. I went to check the user's history and it seems she's rejected all her pending mooches, despite being mooching merrily away with the points she's gained for the books she hasn't sent.

#139 I would email abuse about that account!

>138 rainbowgirl28: They were pretty large books, though paperback. With a padded mailer, the weight came to 3.99 lbs. Today I'd probably list them as US only, but that was my first week of active mooching. What's really frustrating is that I sent two small books, with very reasonable postage, to a different moocher in the Philippines later and she got her package in one month. The cockamamey post isn't consistent. Balls.

You can do a Priority Mail flat rate envelope up to 4 lbs overseas, and the cost is like $12.79 if you buy the postage from usps.com

Yes, but it only works if the books fit in the envelope. :/

Oh, believe me, I would've had to have taped two of those envelopes together into one mega-envelope to have had a hope of making them fit. I almost cried a little when I got to the post office and saw, having never looked at them before, just how small those mailers really are. A few slim paperbacks, sure. The bricks I had in my hand, no. Even the small box wasn't roomy enough. I was sad.

Must have been a big book!

I can fit 4 mass market paperbacks in one as long as they are not too thick, (I am an angel for several people who love romance novels). I can fit most regular hardbacks, even smaller textbooks. Obviously huge books like coffee table books don't come close to fitting.

I use lots of tape to seal the flat rate envelope shut... it's OK to use tape to seal it as long as you're no altering the shape/size of the envelope.

Wow, I can never find anything but the smallest paperback into that flat rate envelope. You are a bookmooching Houdini!

&($^@%(&@^!!!! I just got my first negative feedback!! ARGGGGGGGGGH!

It was for a MM copy of Outlander. She requested it on August 21st and marked it received on Sept 17th with a +1. Then she went in today and changed her feedback to a -1 and put not received.

I never got an email saying she didn't get it and if she didn't get it, why did she say she did almost a month ago? So, I sent her an email and we will see if she responds.

It really shouldn't bother me as much as it does. I knew it was bound to happen eventually but I was so excited about having perfect feedback.

Does anyone know why I had +527 feedback until she changed hers and now it is +525? Did it both remove her previous +1 and then add another -1? If so, what a bunch of junk!!!

Just the icing I needed on my already crappy (so far) week. Bleh.

147: "Did it both remove her previous +1 and then add another -1?"

Yes. Before she left her initial feedback, you had 526 feedback. Her +1 changes that to 527. Her -1 changes that to 525.

147: Hugs!

What on earth is this person doing? Why would she mark something received and then a month later change her mind? That seems really kinda fishy to me...

149> She responded back saying that she marked it received "in error" when she actually got a different book that she forgot to mark as received. THEN, she asked me if I actually sent it or just marked it sent.

I gave her a point back and asked her if she would change her feedback accordingly.

Gee, I must be lucky most books I obtain via BookMooch are thin. I've received those thin flat rate envelopes with nine, ten and eleven books in them, they're great! Now it is probably more economical per book to send in the bigger boxes.

OK, she was happy with her point back and she fixed the feedback. Plus one very sweet person smooched me.

You guys make even the junkiest days, better! ;)

151: Yeah, your books are _very_ thin compared to most of the ones I send. :)

152: *hugs!* Isn't that true? Sometimes LT-BMers can make even the suckiest days better.

I'm just having a bad week all-around. Nothing serious with BM, just... meh. People not responding to mooch requests, me being frustrated 'cause the holiday yesterday means an even smaller paycheck this time and I really want to get all my domestic mooches mailed by the end of the month... Meh.

I'm so glad that worked out, Belladonna1975! And sorry to hear about your week, Heather. I feel like I have been neglecting bookmooch recently... sigh.

Yeah, thinking back on it now, I might've (with some tape) been able to fit one book in each envelope, sent them separately, and come out at around $25. Hindsight is 20/20. I guess I was too fixated on trying to ship them together. Live and learn.

So, I've been getting the dread "Before you can use that feature, we need you to confirm your email address" and auto-vacationing for at least a month now. From what I can tell from the obsessive googling I engaged in for some information (any information!!) when this first happened, I hit some sort of velocity limit my first week when I was obsessively excited about this new webtoy -- which is fair enough. I sent multiple emails to tech support and admins asking for clarification (even if just the conditions on which my account would be released), with no response, not even a "sorry, we'd prefer not to tell you that". So I decided I'd sit on it and wait for all 11 books I sent out to be marked received. Well, the last one was marked received 2 weeks ago. Another email to admins, again no response. Then I thought, okay, well, maybe I have to mark all the books sent to me as received. That took until last Monday. Nothing happened. I thought, ok, well, maybe I have to give them time to review the account. But I'm still not released! So, what am I supposed to do now?? Cancel my two pending mooches (from someone I suspect will never return to the site) too, just so there is absolutely zero activity on my account? I really don't want to do that. This is driving me crazy. I've been frozen out for over a month now, after only one week of being an active member, with all 15 of my transactions both directions as +1s, and with no sense of the reason or what I have to do to get unfrozen, and no one responding to emails. I feel like I'm being punished. But why discourage active and well-behaving new members like this? djflkdsjfdsjlk!!!!

More a question than a Rant:

I sent a book on 9/14/2010....around the time the Moocher emptied her inventory...I sent a REMINDER on 9/28....and an email on 10/10....Moocher's account is now listed as Possibly Inactive....

My question: After 6 weeks from my Reminder I can "Force Receive" this book.....How do i do that???? I am assuming the book will not be marked LOST. Hate to be a dummy here...this is my first experience "forcing" anything on Book Mooch..

;-}

>158 jdthloue:

If you click the remind button, after 6 weeks a button will appear with the Received and Lost buttons saying Force Received (or something to that effect.) Basically it zeroes out the transaction. It's not lost, so you don't get your point back. You don't get a +1 for the receipt either, but your books sent/received remain equal. (For instance, if your stats say you sent out 56 books and you have +56 feedback, then forcing received will leave that the same. You won't be at 57 and +56.)

I've had to force receive a few, and I usually remind and email more than once to be sure. But each time you click the remind button it sets the 6 week counter to 0, so keep that in mind.

>157 pammab: There is absolutely no reason for you to have hit any sort of limit with the level of activity you're describing, and I think usually they'd have put the account on temporary hold status rather than the email address issue in any case. One more tech support try? Maybe with all the new stuff being rolled out they're getting more reports than usual to deal with.

Time to haul out the Mark-signal, I guess.

*waves around the Mark-signal on 157's behalf*

I have a question, 'cause I don't know how to deal with this one. I've ranted about it before.... Mooched a book back in July, no communication from owner but it was marked "sent" Aug. 6th. I recieved the package but it was a completely different book. Emailed owner, and was given a nice apology and told that the correct book would be sent Aug. 19th.

No communication since then. I've sent 1 email through BookMooch and 2 directly through my email, with no response. I really doubt that he has sent the correct book.

So what do I do? Do I mark it "lost" even though it isn't lost, but maybe that's the best option since I haven't recieved the book? Or do I mark it "recieved" even though I haven't recieved it? I feel frustrated because those are the only two options but neither one is correct in this case. I want to mark it lost because I feel I should get my point back, since I never got the book I paid the point for. But... I don't know. Help?

>145 rainbowgirl28: As far as taping Priority Flat Rate envelopes go, my post office doesn't allow it at all even if it doesn't alter the size and shape. Since I've been mailing books there we've had about 3 different postmasters and none of them have allowed it so you are lucky. The glue they use is pretty good though and I haven't had a problem with just using it.

My offices currently have the same policy as 162, although they allowed tape at one point earlier. I always put books in ziplock bags even before the no-tape policy started. I've had recipients notice that the envelope was in bad shape upon receipt, but the books were fine.

My post office questions the tape, but has never told me to repackage it. I wonder if you can tape the ziplock bag with book to the inside of the package. that way, in theory, the book will stay with the envelope even if the envelope breaks open :)

Heather19, mark the book as received, but give negative feedback and detail how the wrong book was sent and the promised replacement was not sent, nor was your point refunded.

edited to add that that has happened to me and it is frustrating. In my case, she was outraged that I would not just return the wrong book for free and she refused to send the correct book because she didn't like me. She also gave me negative feedback for the book she mooched back as it was incredible that I would ask for a point from her for her own book.

#164-I put the book in either a ziplock or wrap it good in saran wrap then I print out the name of book and address of moocher and tape that on it so if something does happen to the envelope the book still have moochers address on it.

166: Exactly.

Don't you love it when postal employees make up their own rules?

I would print this from their own DMM:

http://pe.usps.com/text/dmm300/123.htm

"Flat Rate Envelope and Boxes
Any amount of material may be mailed in a USPS-produced Priority Mail Flat Rate Box or Flat Rate Envelope. When sealing a Flat Rate Box or Flat Rate Envelope, the container flaps must be able to close within the normal folds. Tape may be applied to the flaps and seams to reinforce the container, provided the design of the container is not enlarged by opening the sides and the container is not reconstructed in any way."

I guess the IMM is more relevant here... oh wait it says the same thing...

http://pe.usps.gov/search/jsp/search/vv_docread.jsp?k2dockey=http%3A%2F%2Fpe.usp...

"232.1 Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope and Small Flat Rate Box

All items that may be sent with First-Class Mail International service (see 241) may be sent in the Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelope or Small Flat Rate Box provided the contents are mailable, they fit securely in the envelope or box, and they are entirely confined within the container with the provided adhesive as the means of closure. The flap must close within the prefabricated fold. Tape may be applied to the flap and seams for closure or for reinforcement, provided the design of the container is not enlarged by opening the sides and taping or reconstructing the container in any way. Refer to the Individual Country Listings for additional prohibitions for each country. Insurance is not available. Registered Mail service may be available — see 330 and the Individual Country Listings for Registered Mail service availability, limitations, and coverage."

I'm sorry your postal employees don't know their own policies. If you continue to have problems with them, you should consider calling USPS's 1-800 number... sometimes this leads to reeducation on their part.

I am mostly complaining because this nearly caused me to start hyperventilating . . .

Last week I sent a small book to Israel, and I was just clearing out my wallet and found the receipt, which drew my eye to the fact that it had me down as sending a book to Italy. The book should be fine as long as the address and customs form both say Israel, right? It's not like the postage would have been different. I mailed so many books that day I just wasn't even paying attention to the receipt.

Also I think my big mouth talked someone out of a mooch and I didn't mean to do that at all but I can't quite explain what I really meant for the person to take away from what I'd initially said, so I'm feeling stupidly anxious about it. Half my interpersonal communications this week have gone wrong. Sigh.

169: Breathe sweetie; in slowly through your nose and then out through your mouth (and I am being serious here cos I understand)

I had the same type of thing happen to me but here's the thing; the deliverer doesn't see your receipt, though my label has the destination country printed on it (very small) also, they only see the address on the package, so it will go where you packaged it to... mine did at least. The only problem I see (as in my case) is being charged more. I'm sure it will be OK.

The 2nd part of your message I don't understand; though the last part of it may serve as an explanation as to why I might not. LOL! *kidding*

And in the scheme of things: earthquakes, 33 rescued miners etc - don't stress yourself too much about a used book - at least that is what I try to tell myself endlessly. *sigh*
You are a great moocher. Full. Stop.

>169 chelonianmobile:

If you sent the book as FCI, it won't make a difference.

Priority mail gets both a PVI strip for the postage and a separate PVI strip for the country's barcode. In that case, the incorrect country code would misdirect your package to Italy, but eventually Italy would redirect to the correct address.

168: I did print out a copy. They didn't care.

infiniteletters, I have noticed that even post offices near each other can have vastly differing attitudes. I was going to the one near my house, but the clerks were so unfriendly and hostile about my packages (and I rarely have more than three at a time) that I tried the one near my parents, but they aggressively upsell to the point of telling me I should use new packaging and sneering at my recycled efforts. I finally found a post office where the clerks have all been there forever, are friendly and remember me and happily let me send things as cheaply and flexibly as possible. If it's at all possible, I highly suggest trying different post offices for the right one. I know that many people have no choice at all, but even UPS stores can send things via media mail.

There should be a "rate your post office" site.

A place where you can praise or condemn the service &/or the staff.

A place where you can praise or condemn your carrier or how good/bad the substitute is....

and a place where you can find alternate places to post your mail or get a mail box or buy stamps.

173: I know. I tried 3 different post offices to send out. :/

I did finally convince my local post office to leave everything at my apt complex office if it didn't fit in my mailbox, instead of leaving it at the post office itself.

Gaaah! Not a bookmoch rant but someone walked off with half the books from my box at the booksale.. including some I had picked out for you guys!! So mad I could spit. The staff figured out how it was, apparently this one guy is aggressive at the sales and you really have to keep an eye on your stuff. But he was gone. Ugh.

>176 Bcteagirl: - that's... that's so... ARGH. That's just wrong.

*sigh* Was too upset to go through all of the last night. It appears he took pretty much everything that wasn't exlibrary while he was there. So I still have the stuff from after he left as well, but Ugh.. I spent 2 1/2 hours picking out books.

#176 & 178

I had the same thing happen to me...at the last Library Sale i attended here...except it was a woman..and i was standing not 2 feet from her...while she picked through my bag-of-books...I, uh, alerted her to her faux-pas...she gave an ugly screech...called me a BITCH...and walked off with 4 of my books....given that our Library Sale offerings are heavy on Romance Novels and Dreck...my selections were pretty eclectic....The nerve of that cow....to walk off with 4 books she probably would never read...GAK!

I don't do Library Book sales any longer...mainly because of the Romance Novel proliferation...and the Greedy Cows!

I sympathize...next time, take a Taser with you
;-}

I have a family in Alberta who keep offering to mail me a cattle prod.. perhaps I will take them up on it. Heheh.

>180 Bcteagirl:

;-)

I waited three weeks before sending a reminder on an angel mooch. She has now marked it sent, but commented that she would try to get it mailed out soon. So now I can't cancel. Anybody think I'll actually ever get the book?

>182 RidgewayGirl: *shakes magic 8-ball* "My sources say no"

In that kind of situation my own experience is about 20% for receiving successfully.

I'll report her to abuse if she doesn't tell me she's actually, really sent it by Tuesday. I'm sure that's against the rules!

I've been waiting since July 27th for an angel mooch. I guess I have a lot of patience. She has 190 books to send out! Not sure what to do in this case as she says she's having personal problems...

>185 Weelass:

I'm guessing that we're waiting for the same angel, Weelass. My two from her have been sitting since June 5th and June 23rd (with no communication).

For the moment, I'm just waiting it out, but I've had a "feeling" about those mooches from the start, because it looked as if she was getting in over her head.

I'll admit that I'm a little tired of the excuse train on BookMooch. I've run into the money excuse, the health excuse, the life-is-busy excuse, etc... and they are all valid reasons to be unable to be a good BookMoocher. But we are all adults and wouldn't it be more responsible and, well, dignified, to remove one's inventory and get by on one's existing points than to post a long and only partially coherent self-pitying message and expect everyone to be fine with your fecklessness?

I really am fine waiting if given a choice and lots of communication. Marking sent, with a breezy "I'll try to mail it out soon, maybe" is not fair.

Im one of those who has all inventory posted and can only send out to a couple people each week. Depending on funds. Right now I have 50 mooches in waiting. However when someone mooches I do send an email explaining to them the delay and asking them to please go to my bio to check and see when their approximate mailing dates are and tell them to feel free to cancel if this is too long as it has been for some. But I give them the option. I do go ahead and accept it and put an extra note in there as well making sure they check my bio. I ask that they get back with me to let me know if this is ok and alot of times they do but generally I am finding that people just don't read. Which is funny since this is a reading site. They mooch without looking maybe is a better explanation. And I notice alot of times people forget that they have agreed to the delays and then turn around and send reminders which baffles my mind but I do understand being forgetful. I try to keep everyone updated on all my mooches.

> 186 What I don't understand is why on earth would she offer to be an angel when she had so many pending mooches to send out?! Did she not realize she was getting in over her head?? I think i'll send her an email to see when she might be sending the book to me.

edited to add:

> 187 I couldn't agree with you more!!

I get worried when I have to say, "can you wait until (two weeks) for me to mail this book?" (I hate having to be a slightly slow mailer)

I pulled my inventory when I realized I ran a little low on funds for mailing books. I still do a little bit of mailing, but it is mostly under control & less than $50 a month.

Right now, I'm sitting on 200+ books that I want to get rid of and I can't post them because I'm short of funds. I want to go through my books & purge a bunch, but they will still be sitting in my place waiting to get posted. It isn't fair to me & it isn't fair to you (BMers).

I've seen BMers with the money excuse & in most cases, I sympathize. I've also seen it where I've recognized the train was going to have problems before it even left the station!! and I'm not psychic!! (really, I'm not!)

I want to write another manifesto "How to make sure you don't get into trouble or over your head on BM!" similar to the Newbie thread, but that won't solve the problem because people don't always recognize themselves before there's a problem.

The health excuse? If it is a chronic condition & they've worked a way to get the books mailed, then I'm fine. Emergency health problems? We've all had them, but it is always a good idea not to have too many books to mail out anyway.

Life can get out of control much too easily... when it does we should always be willing to put the brakes on to prevent major 'challenges'.... but slowing down is hard for many of us who are used to running at faster than full speed.

190: "Right now, I'm sitting on 200+ books that I want to get rid of and I can't post them because I'm short of funds. I want to go through my books & purge a bunch, but they will still be sitting in my place waiting to get posted. It isn't fair to me & it isn't fair to you (BMers)."

Yes. This for me too.

I'm a little annoyed with a newbie. They mooched a book from me which I delayed. I wanted to see good faith, that was almost a month ago. So far they have mooched 5 books, recieved 2 and had all but one book on thier invintory requested. They haven't sent a single one out.

I want to give them the benifit of the doubt but when I considered joining I made sure I'd be able to send out books I was listing. And my first few I sent were enough to scare any new person off 2 over seas together at a high cost, then one within my own country that cost almost as much as the one that went over seas.

I'm wondering how much longer I should delay the book or if I should just contact abuse. They haven't gone on an extream mooching spree with the points they have earned but I'm still concerned that they won't be sending to those who've already requested from them.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
Cheers,
Missy

Contact "abuse", not because they are 'abusing' BM, but as a gentle reminder that they need to mail books out, too!!

Let's be nice & assume that they mailed the books, but haven't marked them mailed yet.

Missy, remember that abuse isn't just for reporting abuse, but it gives TPTB a heads-up on potential problems!!

190-191: One thing I have done lately with extra books that I couldn't afford to post as a single mooch is to see if they are on the wishlist of anyone that I am already sending to. A bit of work with 200 books (I only have about 50 here?) but you could stick to some of the more popular books.. That way the books get moved out, you get points, and usually a lower cost per point. Most people are thrilled if you find extra books they want :)

I've been really pleased at offering the BookMooching group an early preview of the books I intend to add to my inventory. Usually the people who are interested in the batch are interested in more than one at a go, and I love combining mooch packages to save money.

I've been going through my books & when I see a familiar name on the wishlist, then I let them know I have it available. It has been working out nicely & I'm going to be doing more soon..... if all goes well!

185, 186: I too was waiting on an angel book from this user. I ended up finding another copy of the book and then cancelling. I think my book was from the end of June.

> 197 I would cancel with her too if I was able to get my hands on another copy of the book she angel mooched for me. Unfortunately it is highly WLed and doesn't come up very often :(

In the meantime I've sent her a polite email asking for a time frame as to when I might be getting the book. We'll see what she says.

I am also in the 200+ books to give away but cant afford to put them all up on bm right now and then make people wait forever. That is why I have found that it is easier to put them into a "moochable" collection here on LT. That way, you guys can go in and call dibs on any books that you want, I mark them as reserved for you and then when I get some spare cash, I can post and reserve them and send them out. That way, your points don't have to be tied up waiting around for me and I can have multi-mooches to save on shipping. It has worked quite nicely so far.

You have a great system AND you have wonderful communication which is appreciated!! ...oh and awesome books as well!! hee! I don't mind a bit of a wait from someone as long as there is good communication :)

edited to add > 199

This wonderful thread is now over 200 posts

and

THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED!!!

please go to thread #19 at:

http://www.librarything.com/topic/100676

THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED!!!
THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED!!!
THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED!!!

thank you!