I noticed all the stuff written in the Treasure Chest recently and a new thread about rants. Rather than add any +1/-1's to either, and in case it might help someone, I thought I'd jot a few "rules" (both written and unwritten) that I try to follow in PIF. Just my 2 cents....take what fits and ditch the rest.
-If someone sends me something I make sure they know I received it. I do it because I'd like people to do the same so I know that what I sent made it there. The postal service has been known to make mistakes (don't we know lol) and I don't want people thinking I didn't do what I said I was going to do. Besides, it's common courtesy. I also thank them either by PM, the Positive Feedback thread or both because I appreciate the time, energy and expense they put into it.
-I never forget a kindness.
-If I'm too tired, busy, sick, don't have the postage available to mail something, <insert anything I missed>, I don't make an offer or gift anything I can't Promptly see all the way through to the end. I wait and do it as soon as I'm able.
-If I talk to someone new to PIF and tell them it's okay not to offer a lot...I Always include THE FIRST TIME (not in CAPS though lol). I do this because a User can spot a potential victim (or group of potential victims) a thousand miles away. I've seen a lot of repeated small PIF offers with the same people bragging about their new tattoo, mods, or 40 gazillion bottles of juice in the main thread. I'm all for stocking up on my dime in case of a ban or high taxation because I believe 'prevention is worth a pound of cure'. I'm just not up for someone else stocking up on any of our "dimes". Same goes for the people who are just plain cheap and looking to vape for next to nothing. We all remember the smokers who were pros at bumming cigarettes. Looks like some of them caught on to vaping now, too.
-I keep what I do in the classifieds totally separate from PIF. If I'd see something that I gave someone in PIF offered in the classifieds I'd mention it to a mod via PM...not repeatedly offered in the classifieds, but the first time. Anything beyond that is enabling Users to hurt us all.
-Same goes for anything that I've experienced that seems out of range for PIF. To date I've sent two "possible heads up" to a mod. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders, and in turn they had the info to weigh with what others have sent and could to do their thing if necessary. I don't see these people around anymore.
-I read old posts now if my intuition flags me. Learned it the hard way after I got burned on a sizable PIF right out of the gate. "The finger always points back to the self". The signs were all there, I just ignored them.
-I'm learning to recognize some of the clever ploys Users come up with to get free stuff. Accent on "I'm learning".
-I recognize that Great Mods are the key to a Healthy PIF, pure and simple. I am grateful for the excellent job they do.
-I cherish the friendships I've made in PIF. I truly love you guys and wouldn't trade you for the world.