i just gotta say it....

[binxsmom]

my pet peeve is when people ask for stalking help. i mean, why not pm a few of your friends and just ask them to help. yes, you may really, really "need" this item but sheesh, i'm sure that are several other people who "need" the same item but may not be as popular or just aren't into public begging. there are threads like these practically everyday and i just cringe when i see them.

i'm stepping off my soapbox so bring on the flames.

[425lisamarie]

I usually see at least one person helping every thread I've ever seen. I don't see the problem with it.

[mom2orionplus1]

No flames. . .Mama!

Personally for me. . everytime I don't ask for stalking help, I wish that I did because I always suck.

I like the stalking help posts because then it helps me resist temptation and I can help someone else out-which is usually more fun anyway. Without the posts, I may not have any idea that this mama wanted something that maybe I had a chance at getting.

Or maybe I just have no friends to PM. Did you ever think of that? Man, I am such a loser. :LOL

[jennyriver]

i'd like it better if people posted an "i'm-available-to-help" thread, and then people could PM them. but you're right, not only do there seem to be a lot of these but often i see them causing bad feelings between people...it almost becomes a contest to see who "deserves" the item more. one person will say they'd like an item for ___ reason and another will say they need it for ___ reason and the next thing ya know, it's outta control. besides the fact that you said...one person asks first and then anyone else who wants something either has to ask second or not bother asking and...it's just a mess!

[zexplorers]

I've publically asked twice for something I *really* wanted and both times was helped out by someone I would not have known well enough to PM and ask for help. I try to repay the favor when I see others asking, especially someone who deosn't ask often. It's worked once or twice. I think it's fine to ask - I know it has helped me. Feel free to PM me and ask for help anytime

[imgr8ful]

i like them! if i can help out, it's nice to practice my hyena cart skills - which pretty much suck :LOL i like to help other mamas out too and maybe someday, someone will help me when i really want/need something.

i'm still kinda new here and while i consider everyone a diapering 'friend' i don't think i know anyone well enough to pm and ask for help - to me, it's all about the community, sharing, and helping each other out

[425lisamarie]

Originally Posted by jennyriver

i'd like it better if people posted an "i'm-available-to-help" thread, and then people could PM them. but you're right, not only do there seem to be a lot of these but often i see them causing bad feelings between people...it almost becomes a contest to see who "deserves" the item more. one person will say they'd like an item for ___ reason and another will say they need it for ___ reason and the next thing ya know, it's outta control. besides the fact that you said...one person asks first and then anyone else who wants something either has to ask second or not bother asking and...it's just a mess!

Maybe I'm missing something. People start disliking others because of this? Hmm, I dunno about that. This thread should get interesting. I think I'll stay out of it :LOL

[LoveBaby]

Originally Posted by imgr8ful

to me, it's all about the community, sharing, and helping each other out

[Sustainer]

No flames, but I think a lot of people appreciate the requests for stalking help, because they enjoy stalking but may not need a diaper themselves, or can't afford one at the moment. I think that giving them someone specific to stalk for will reduce the chances that they will end up buying an item they don't need or can't afford, only to cancel the order or have to sell it immediately.

[mom2orionplus1]

Originally Posted by imgr8ful

i like them! if i can help out, it's nice to practice my hyena cart skills - which pretty much suck :LOL i like to help other mamas out too and maybe someday, someone will help me when i really want/need something.

i'm still kinda new here and while i consider everyone a diapering 'friend' i don't think i know anyone well enough to pm and ask for help - to me, it's all about the community, sharing, and helping each other out

Perfectly said.

Yeah, I agree w/Lisamarie. I guess I am not so hardcore about the stalking that I would become upset if someone couldn't help me or if there was competition for something I wanted. Probability states that there is usually more than one person going for an item. I think stalking is a fun thing, not something that should cause hopelessness and utter despair. :LOL

[supercrunch]

I love stalking for "the thrill, but not the bill" as Claire says it

and some people have dial-up connections and can use all the help they can get on stockings so they feel like they stand a chance. Heck...I have a cable modem, and I can't even score on HC :LOL

[abbyskeeper]

"I'm a loser, baby, so why don't you kill me" - Beck

Sorry - Mom2Orionplus1 brought that to my mind, lol. I feel the same way sometimes!

I go back and forth on this topic.... I have asked for help once (unfortunately to no avail). I am reluctant to ask, as I don't feel like I really know people here, as many others do. I definitely would never write a sob story, though, as I find that truly annoying.

It's also a little deflating when you see people getting 2,3, or more helpers to get the item you're wanting, too. I would never ask after I've seen one of these go up. I just go ahead and try on my own, and hope for the best!

So maybe I just need to avoid reading the details of stalking threads to keep my optimism going (especially for Hyenacart!), and just offer my help whenever I know that I'm not in the market for my own babe!

[maggiemae]

I don't like the stalking threads either. I think it creates disadvantages for those who don't have the "help". I also think it is based on popularity. Just think if everyone asked for help each time they wanted to score something. I think the most "popular" on the board would get more help and the board would be swamped with this kind of post.

[mom2orionplus1]

Originally Posted by abbyskeeper

I definitely would never write a sob story, though, as I find that truly annoying.

My poor three legged dog needs a prostetic leg and my baby only has three CDs to her name. I try and wash as much as possible but I just can't as fast as she pees. Sometimes I have to CD her w/the Sunday news. Is that wrong? I usually pic the comics so she can entertain herself by reading them. Oh wait, babies can't read. Just add that to my list of terrible things that keep happening in my life. Not to mention that my husband has been laid off three times in the past month and our house is about to be repossessed. Oh no, now the cat is throwing up everywhere. I think I will feel so much better if I could score a custom slot at Mudpie Babies. My little girl looked at me and even said her first word today. . "Mudpie". See, that is a sign.

Whatever do you mean by sob stories?

[spatulagirl]

Sometimes I don't mind them. Sometimes I do :LOL I have asked for help publicly twice, I think, and PM'd privately a few other times.

But I know what you are getting at Steph. I hate that those threads might make someone feel bad. And I have seen threads turn nasty over begging people to help them. That drives me crazy. When people lose it over fluff.

[Spark]

Make Love , Not Flames

I can understand the concern for fairness when it comes to asking for stalking help. I like to believe that most people don't just stalk for their "favorites". If I see a Need for Stalking Skills, I count it as an opportunity to get to know someone better. I'd say the people that I've stalked for, most of them wouldn't "know" me well enough to PM me for help. But, if I see their HELP WANTED sign, I'm more than happy to oblige... whether I'm chummy with them or not.

So... how does that equal fairness... I'm free to stalk for whoever asks. It's totally first come first serve with me. Heck, I've ditched some of my IRL friends for people online that I don't know from Adam, but they asked me first. So, it's not at all a favorites thing with me. If there weren't the HELP WANTED threads though, I'd probably just be stalking for people I knew really well... and the rest of the time WISHING I had something fun to do!

Stalking for the thrill and not the bill (Janet, I hate to say it, but I think I stole that line from someone else, can't remember from whom though!) would still happen without the HELP WANTED threads. I just think the threads share the stalking wealth more. Who wants to help the same mama score a BUNCH more MM or KP or BBB when you could help a virgin that you never met before through a HELP WANTED thread?

I like to share my stalking powers and the HELP WANTED threads help do so.

[liam's mom]

Originally Posted by mom2orionplus1

My little girl looked at me and even said her first word today. . "Mudpie". See, that is a sign.

:LOL :LOL :LOL

I am trying ALL BY MY LONESOME for a mudpie today, and I am flipping excited.

[daysofelijah]

Yeah, I don't really like it either, but I don't mind helping out, because I like stalking!
I don't ask for help, because I don't really NEED anything I try to get. If there was something I was desperately wanting/needing I might ask. Otherwise I think it's more fair to let everyone have a chance.

[Leilalu]

Originally Posted by mom2orionplus1

My poor three legged dog needs a prostetic leg and my baby only has three CDs to her name. I try and wash as much as possible but I just can't as fast as she pees. Sometimes I have to CD her w/the Sunday news. Is that wrong? I usually pic the comics so she can entertain herself by reading them. Oh wait, babies can't read. Just add that to my list of terrible things that keep happening in my life. Not to mention that my husband has been laid off three times in the past month and our house is about to be repossessed. Oh no, now the cat is throwing up everywhere. I think I will feel so much better if I could score a custom slot at Mudpie Babies. My little girl looked at me and even said her first word today. . "Mudpie". See, that is a sign.

Whatever do you mean by sob stories?

AMEN!

:LOL That's really funny.

Why not a stalking sticky?Or a thread just for the purpose of helping others buy?

[spatulagirl]

oh yeah the sob stories drive me crazy.

Me, I want it cuz I want it :LOL