A Dubious Anniverserary

I've only done one thing for 55 years. And that's breathe.

Eh.

My longevity in other pursuits and aspirations...eh. I've never lived in any one place for more than 13 years. I've never stayed with one employer for 15 years, thanks to things like corporate downsizing. I've never had a love relationship last more than 2.5 years (and in that one, the 'love' part died well before I was willing to admit that I was the Titanic and she was....well...y'know...). I've never stayed with any one hobby for more than 10 years, save for the very spotty opportunities for storm chasing. And one other.

Even with online stuff...my website lasted 8 years. My blog...so far, working on 7.

But I just hit an anniversary. No; not just an anniversary, but an anniverserary. One that I rightly referred to in the title of this post as 'dubious'.

You see, I have been at one particular hobby now for....13 years. And yes, it amazes even me.

For the rest of you, well...while a number of you find amusement in my doing it, none of you would care to join me in it. In fact, many a friend over the years have commented so regularly with one comment in particular -- referring to me and my hobby -- that I'm not convinced that they're not doing this via email and talking points.

That comment: "You need to get a life...".

The most heard by me comment, when they ask, "what's new?", and I respond, "still playing with email scammers".

"You need to get a life...".

Yes, on or about this day in 2000, I tackled my first online email scam. And in the 13 years since, I have insulted, annoyed, baited, and re-written thousands of scammer emails. In terms of net worth alone, I should be worth more than Jimmy and Warren Buffetts combined.

Granted, most of the scammers -- once they realize that I'm not falling for their odious machinations -- just stop emailing me. Not before a few have attempted to threaten me with legal action, always a "why shore...have your bannister call my bannister and let's git 'er dun"). . Or with death threats (what I consider a trophy). I've taken scammers away from friends and colleagues who've been contacted and got sucked in, without being sucked dry before I got involved. And over the years, I've had a few emails and 'thanks' comments on my blog, from folks who were about to be 'had' by a scam that I'd successfully baited, and they found my post in a web search.

Those always make my day.

As for what the scammers think about it, well...I've had a lots of scammers suggest that I should sexually self-gratify. I've had a few actually compliment me for the way I played and fooled them into thinking I was being had, only for them to find out that it was them being played.

And I have several start out with a death threat...and end the same email by asking me to enter into a partnership with them.

You don't need much imagination to guess how I responded to such offers.

At any rate, this blog -- which co-existed with my web site until '07 -- has been more populated with a few of my favorite long play scambaits, and shorter run "scam mail rewrites", which I'm always happy to share with the scammers.

They're rather stingy with critiques; but when I get one, it's never "thumbs up". It's usually the digit that signifies someone lost the argument, and is pissed about it.

Eh.

Anyway, what's the big deal about having a "life"? This is my life. Baiting email scammers. It gets me all kinds of mail. All kinds of offers. And no end of wishes that I sexually self gratify.

I didn't get that many offers for sex when I was younger, had a little money, and "had a life". Oh well.

Anyway, feel free to congratulate me on 13 years of scambaiting and annoying email scammers. And if you choose to throw in "you need to get a life...", I'll understand.

I won't likely get one, but I'll understand.