05-04-03 @ 8:36 pm EDT

From: [e-mail address omitted for no other reason than because I'm polite that way]
To: tehuti_88@2die4.com
Cc:
Subject: (no subject)
Date: Sun, 4 May 2003 19:36:08 EDT


hey can you get me a code

Well...SHEESH. I would reply to this person, but...what good would it be to respond to them? They'd probably just reply again to tell me what a selfish jerk I am, when I have plenty of good reason to be annoyed. I HATE checking my e-mail, saying, "Yippee, I have a new message!" and then finding junk like this! It's gotten to the point that when I see e-mails from addresses I don't know, with "no subject" as the subject (c'mon, at least type SOMETHING in there so I can assume it's not a virus!)--or even WITH a subject I recognize--I tend to get more annoyed than anything, because chances are it will be Spam or some horny guy plugging a personals site. Why me?

I assume they're talking about either LiveJournal or Blurty, most likely the former as I believe it's the site that only accepts members who have codes; I'm pretty sure Blurty still accepts free members. I can't be 100% sure what they mean, however, because they asininely (I know that's not a word, sue me) don't MENTION what they're talking about.

I have three tips for this person in the slight chance they come across my journal again (though I doubt they will, they probably just clicked on it and crossed their fingers at random).

Mr./Ms. Whoever-You-Are (yes, I do not even know your gender or marital status), here are some tips for acquiring a journal code.

1. First of all, don't assume that somebody even HAS a code. For all you know I've given mine away. I actually haven't, not at LiveJournal, but how could you have rightly known that? It's not like I ever mention it in my journal. You were wildly jumping to conclusions.

2. Secondly, try some politeness. Don't just say, "hey can you get me a code," without any capitalization, punctuation, or explanation. Hey can I get you a code? Why would I want to when you just e-mailed me out of the blue and practically demanded one? What do I get in return? I'm inclined not to give you one, now.

And 3. If you need a code so badly, it's best to KNOW the person you're demanding one from, first. Even looking at your e-mail address, I have no clue who you are. I have no clue why you were browsing my journal in particular, or if you even did, or if you just clicked the random button. I have no idea how many OTHER journalers you might have hit up for codes. (What would you do if you ended up with more than one, BTW? This method seems rather scattershot.) I have no idea how well you know me. I have no idea why, if you didn't go asking a hundred other people as well, you targeted me as being a softie who'd give away my one code in the first place. I don't know these things because...well, all you said was "hey can you get me a code." The only things I know about you are that you don't know punctuation or tact, and apparently, from the sound of your e-mail address, you like hockey. I know hockey is not listed as one of my interests, so...why did you e-mail me in the first place? You couldn't even say, "Hi, my name is...my interests are...I was reading your journal because...and I really enjoyed/disliked...and I thought you might have a code because...would you mind giving it to me because I...?" You didn't even say, "Thanks for your consideration, and sorry for bothering you!"

So after all the above, do you really expect me to hand over my code? Just like that? Yes, you got one assumption right; I do still have my LJ code. But I plan on saving it in the slight chance that somebody I really KNOW and LIKE will need one someday. THEY are the person who will get that code, if anyone. (Oh, if we DO know each other, then I'm sorry for being so snarky, but please clarify! I have no way of knowing.) In the meantime, I suggest you either get to know somebody on LJ before you ask for something as unique and singular as their LJ code, or go and try out another journal service that doesn't ask for them yet. Like...Blurty or something! I just signed up at two LJ ripoffs the other day; one of them was apparently so new that the guy hadn't even bothered to change any of the link titles or images to remove the "LiveJournal" logo. If you're so desperate as to be hitting people up for codes, why don't you just try a place that doesn't require them yet?

FYI, LJ has instituted strict limits on free members, of which I myself am one, so by now I wouldn't be so eager to join them if I were you. I don't know why I care to give you such friendly advice when you were very brusque and rude toward me, but that's the way I am.

Thanks for your time, although you didn't even thank me for mine. >:/