1st Annual Christmas Giveaway!!!

[Doll Knight XIX]

I liked the contest better when there was just one winner, personally. Yeah, more people 'win' this way, but the whole point was to allow someone to buy their dream doll, which they can't do with $1,000. In most cases, I doubt that $1,000.00 would do much to help those like myself who do not have the $6,000+ to spend on the doll of their dreams. I guess I'd rather see one person be able to have their dream doll, signed, sealed, and delivered, as opposed to a fifth, sixth, or whatever of its cost. That's just my opinion, though. I'm not even eligible for the contest.

[TJ347]

However, the price is for poor people not able to afford the doll of their dreams. The timely limit of being able to use the fund sounds fair enough, but maybe it isn't. If someone really has no money, so be a real "admirer" of dolls, so to say... and the doll he wants would be a Realdoll... then say he has a chance to use $1000 but will still never be able to collect the rest needed, in just a year of time. So would that mean this idea is still not perfect, or would it mean in this case, the winner had to settle down with a doll in the price range of what he won ?

Vanessa, you are 100% right in that the idea is not perfect. I was concerned with fraud from the beginning, but also worried about someone having to settle with a doll in a certain price range, the latter being something I mentioned early on when someone mentioned the idea of rewarding a second person should the primary winner select a doll that was well under the allotted budget. Ultimately, my concern with potential fraud won out over other considerations, and rightly so I believe.

As you know, Vanessa, there are a number of members who have been saving for years for a doll, and I think those who are at least trying to save are more deserving than those who aren't. Say, for example, Bubbles483 has been a member for three years (as I have), and really wants a Wicked RealDoll. Obviously, there was no Wicked RealDoll in 2008, so clearly Bubbles couldn't have been saving from one from the start. However, I don't think it unreasonable to expect that Bubbles, recognizing an interest in dolls, would have begun to save towards something. This is why when a hot new doll comes down the pike, some people can make a purchase within a few weeks to a year while others only begin saving at that point and bemoan the fact it will take them several years of saving to get that same doll. Anyway, if people complain $1,000 isn't enough to get them the PIB they really want, common sense should tell them that if they've only saved $500 towards it then they shouldn't participate in the contest unless and until it made sense to do so in their situation. They can try next year, or the year after, or the year after that, when they've got more money saved toward their goal, or bitch and moan right now en masse and have me instead put the money toward expanding my firearms collection.

Folks, I can't be all things to all people, and I'm not even going to try to, especially if people are going to whine about something I'm under no obligation to do to begin with. If I had $500 on hand for the Ruby13 I wanted and was on the outside of this thing looking in, at a minimum I'd remain silent and be happy such an annual event even existed. That's just me though. Some folks simply have to complain publicly, as if they'd necessarily have won to begin with. This whole thing is really becoming a pain in the ass, and had I not committed to it with Kharn and Midiman in good faith, I'd have backed out already. If anyone believes they can do this contest better than I can, I invite you to please step up to the plate and do it. Put up thousands of dollars of your own money to reward people who you could walk past in the street every day and not recognize, and shrug it off when they bitch here about how unfair or inequitable your rules are like they've got even a dime on the line. Then see how gung-ho you are about ever doing it again. I swear, I really don't get some folks on this forum. I know many appreciate the generosity that has been shown on the forum lately, but we hear early and all too often for my tastes from people who are so damned ungrateful I truly wonder why anyone here gives away anything. And then, as if that wasn't bad enough, to hear complaints coming from folks who aren't even eligible to participate... Why would you do that? What compels you to come into threads created for such noble causes and shit on the floor? You all in particular are killing me. I don't often do nice things for strangers, and from the start the whining of a few people has been a perfect reminder as to just why that is.

[sheboy]

I think this is just amazing, i know that i am not able to enter, and i have no problem with this rule as i have only been on here for a few weeks now, and i think this is fair, members who have been here for six months or more should have the chance more than a newbie.
Lets hope that there are no moaners out there with complaints at the end of this fantastic offer, and the winner is really greatfull of a very nice gesture, i take my hat off to you Sir
Sheboy

[dscorpion]

I am not sure anymore if I am eligible or not. Since the start of this thread (since it is not officially a contest). Because it sounds like this will not commenced until this fall (2011). You should agree that you have put in several thread comments that state that “this rule has changed too …” or something similar. I would like to see the rules as they have been set at this time so that it will bee easier to tell what the rules really are.

dscorpion

[john1972]

I have a feeling that a few Teddy Babes will be sold ..
In fact if I dont allready have one im going to enter this contest and
ill be saving up a few hunder bucks more so I can try and get a Deluxe TB ..
I said from the start that what TJ was doing was a good thing even if I couldnt join ..
He is an awesome person for wanting to do such a great thing for someone else..
I mean he could just take the 8 grand and go buy himself a brand new entertainment center and Big TV
for his livingroom ..

Thanks TJ man for such a great offer ..
I think it takes a great person to offer such a thing no matter how
the odds are or rules .. It takes a great person to do something like this and your good in my book

[B3F11dolly]

And then, as if that wasn't bad enough, to hear complaints coming from folks who aren't even eligible to participate... Why would you do that? What compels you to come into threads created for such noble causes and shit on the floor?

I don't guess that's what it was about. It's more like we all want to somehow help find the right mixture, just like I don't shit on the floor, although I said right away I disqualify for this in a dozen ways and don't even ask to participate. Such an offer, for many, must appear like they heard a tale of a fairy landing in front of people's noses, fulfilling any dream. While we all hear the same tale here, I will still imagine the fairy as a brunette, others will see something blonde in front of their inner eye. It would just be so nice if there was the perfect method to do this, the perfect fairy and rules being talor-made to be the winner...

As you know, Vanessa, there are a number of members who have been saving for years for a doll, and I think those who are at least trying to save are more deserving than those who aren't.

If you argue this way, then it should be right now to go by these rules. Anyhow and anyway, as I said right from the start, it is your offer and your rules. If there is too much moaning for you, the perfect additional rule would be that complaining disqualifies the poster for this year. It will cost the forum a few % of posting activity, but it wouldn't make it feel like

This whole thing is really becoming a pain in the ass

because that's really not what it should have to feel like for you.




P.S.:
People complaining about cheap things reminds me... With the houses here combined to one unit, in winter, we now have a company removing the snow. Theoretically. They get a few hundred € to even take over the job. Every time they come here, they get €50. They mostly come a day late, throw a bit salt somewhere where it doesn't belong, use some gadget to blow the snow to the other side of the driveway. There it piles up until the car gets stuck on the snow with the ground. But everyone is so happy with the company, saying they do such a fantastic job.
The 3 years before, I did the job. I had to be on "stand by mode" every winter day (potentially half of the year). I set the alarm clock at 6 am, just to look out the window, in case there might be snow. If not, my waste of sleep. If snow, I didn't get anything to be there and I wasn't paid by appearances but by time I needed to remove the snow, with just a stupid shovel. In 3 years, I earned close to 200€ with it, for having to be stand-by all the time. No cheaper winter service ever, but everyone complained about how stupid I am, why I can't remove the snow on the other side, put the heap of snow a centimeter more to the left or not just stand up a bit earlier...

It's just how people are if there is something cheap or even for free... Make another contest : People need to pay $10000 to participate and the one sigle winner will get $8000 from you to buy a doll. I guarantee no one will complain

!!!

[Fuzzy78]

tj just to clarify if you have a tb can one enter (imho tb's and rssd's are quite far off from high end dolls) ?

Well, since my last post on this subject, some major changes have been made all around.

May as well start with the biggest change right from the start... Instead of one person winning a doll of their choice, eight people will win $1,000 to be put toward the doll of their choice and will have one year to use those funds. Participants cannot own a doll with a retail price exceeding $500, but there is now no restriction as to the date a member joined the forum. After conferring with TDF management, this was agreed to be the best way to reward the most people, while also keeping participants in the contest honest. The last thing I want to do is give a doll to someone who has the means to buy one, but enters this contest simply to "play the odds". I know some people won't like these changes, but the fact is that these aren't the type of folks I ever wanted to participate in the contest anyway regardless of what the prize was.

In any case, I'll post the final entry information in the next few weeks, but there's still plenty of time so I'll leave it at that for now while I continue working out certain other details.

well tj i think i don't "love the changes, though they make a good point, i doubt i wont own any doll valued at less than 500$ by december, but in the end i hope the winners are people who really deserve it , tj all in all your contest your rules

[midiman]

Does anyone know what happened to TJ347? His last post was July 24

[Gypsy1]

I don't think I've ever seen so much complaining about rules
Everybody have a Wonderful Christmas!

[plasticrules]

Wow this is just fantastic but i qualify but thank you so much for your generosity some body will very lucky

Have a great Holiday season folks

[netwit]

Does anyone know what happened to TJ347?

'you mean, after this?

Not sure; he hasn't lurked for a while either. I think he'll check in again; maybe closer to the holiday.

[Bianca]

He was going to hold the contest this October. Got no response to my email either so it looks like this giveaway may not be happening.
More importantly I hope nothing serious has happened to TJ. He went into this as a memorial for Wetsuit.

[B3F11dolly]

Does anyone know what happened to TJ347? His last post was July 24

What I was wondering just 2 days ago, just couldn't remember the user name.
(and searching for "Hamburger avatar" is a little -- -- uhm well...)

[narcissus]

(and searching for "Hamburger avatar" is a little -- -- uhm well...)

I thought this member was ToyBox, didn't they have a cheesburger or something as an avatar at one time, too? I confused the two together, I see now.

[Bianca]

I think we have to assume this giveaway is no longer going to happen

Perhaps we can work on finding another philanthropist to give away a dolly