I never give to the first person that responds. They are the gimme types. They either sell the stuff, or hord it all in their attic, that is if they bother to either to reply to your e-mail or come get it if they do. I think some have auto reply to all freecycle e-mails and sort through the offers later. Lame I say. That tactic does not work with me. I take e-mails for about 1 week and then give to the person that either needs it most of I feel is most appreciative, or just made me laugh in their response. "I'll take that" does not meet any of those requirements. I love it when folks say HI "my name" say what they want and a little about why they want it. And are polite enough to sign their name. I just posted a freecycle list of things. Subject was somthing like "102 misc items". I got over 40 replies. That was a month ago and I am still trying to sort it all out. I reply to 1 or 2 at a time, to not get too confused and offer the same items to more than one person. All seem very greatful for what I give them, and stay to talk a little, which is great for me, since I can not go into public due to severve chemical sensitivities. I usually drag them out to my garden for show and tell. I ask if they are interested in seeing my garden first though. The last lady that came, offered me tons of leaves from her propery when she heard I was allergic to the moldy hay I picked up from a farm. This lady is even going to chip up the leaves for me. I am so happy. I need the leaves since the ground under a few of my trees is bare either from the leaves blowing away, or me stealing them for mulch. She said she had like 2-3 feet of leaves under her masive trees. She is trilled to have found a home for them. I also learned a lot of useful gardening tips from her. She said that she has no fire ants due to the fact sugar ants eat fire ants. She said you can't kill your sugar ants if you want he fire ants gone. Wow, what a tip! Fire ants like poor dry soil and the sugar ants like the nice loose stuff. She said if you do not have that kind of soil, to leave out flower pots of good loose soil for them to live in. Due to her good gardening and ant control techniques, she has converted her whole street to organic. Major feat, since my whole street uses toxic chemicals that they do not bother to sweep off the sidewalk. I have to walk in the street to avoid the junk. She sets a good example, others are anxious to copy. I was so impressed. She offered to bring the leaves to me, since I can't drive due to car fumes, but I am eager to see her property and said my hubby will bring me over there. I said, I wish I had something to give you then I said, oh I just gave you a lot of things, including a brand new printer. I guess when you give someone something you no longer want it really does not feel like you are doing much. I feel the leaves are worth more to me than the printer, and other things. Free cycle is great despite the no shows, the rude e-mails from the demanding sort, the folks that want and never give, and the folks that make tons of appointments to pick up their things and still never come. I give um one chance now and move on, especially if the do not e-mail to say they were sorry they forgot. I have a list I keep with names and e-mails of no-shows, folks that came but took a long time to do so folks with auto e-mail replies, I'll take that" folks that do not bother to answer e-mails folks that show up folks that are very nice So if I get more than 1 request for an item, I can look through my list and stick with those that come and are pleasant. When I am more selective in who I offer stuff to, I have less problems with no shows. Mary

calamity, I have never mosaiced anything (just common grouting). When I see you mosaic artists I am MORE THAN IMPRESSED!!!! I just hope someday I will get enough courage to learn that art form. That fountain could be a true work of art if I just had 1 teaspoon of your talent! I believe the time must come when I try doing a step stone. I recently got all of the left overs from a lady who made step stones. Mold, concrete dyes in multiple colors, concrete conditioner, colored grouts etc. etc. No tiles though. (FREECYCLE!!!!) So I have been collecting slowly to begin such an endeavor. But instead of creating art KIRK has me writing Country Songs on the Conversation Side!!!! Ha Ha Ya got'a love this Forum. Do you have a photo gallery of your creations??? Susie

I have always had problems with Freecycle, I suspect the problem is actually with the Freecycle you are trying to sign up with. I suggest you try another Freecycle or two to see if you can get signed up OK. Besides the one 'local' one, I signed up with 3 or 4 others that are in the area (small towns) about 30-60 minutes away. Once you get signed up, you can get 'every' post emailed to you, or a daily digest of posts, or nothing at all. I just set my local one to send me a daily digest of the posts and opted to get nothing via email from the others. Sue

Isn't that just the most frustrating thing? We Freecycle and offer free on Craig's list quite a bit, with the same struggle, Patti ... NO_SHOWS! We live out of town, so I don't feel it's fair to people to just set something out on the driveway and say "first come gets it," but I'm about at that point. Tough cookies if they have to drive extra miles, I'm tired of penning up the dogs, sitting and waiting ... and waiting ... for someone who doesn't have the decency to show up when they say they will, or call and tell me they're running late or can't make it. Oh! and the ones who want me to DELIVER a free item to them, because they don't have gas money????? It's one thing to want something large and you don't have a truck ... but a bag of clothes? Will you bring it to me because I can't afford gas? GET REAL.