Meh exchange update
14So are we going to have a meh exchange this year? Yes! I’m going to run it.
(I should get a special prize just for offering lol)
Here’s the dilemma, some people don’t want to use elfster but I can’t find another generator that lets me send out a link for people to sign up as opposed to emailing people to sign up bc that’s a lot of work and I’m not doing it (I’ll misspell everyone’s usernames, leave people out, it’s just a disaster waiting to happen).
So if anyone can find a better platform than elfster that, sends out an invitation link, has a wishlist (so you can get a sense of the person) and has a way for me to know when the person sent the gift, please let me know.
If no one comes up with anything, then I’ll use elfster and I plan to set up and send out the invitation link next week. I’ll go over all the rules and everything in that post. But I plan to have it up for about a week before we draw names so check back in the next week to sign up so we don’t have redraw name bc of your late sign up.
- 18 comments, 7 replies
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I’m certainly in. Thank you for stepping up. I do data security for a living, and I have no problem with using Elfster. There are much bigger data dumps about me on the internet that I also don’t care about. Heck, scrub my month as a goat and you’ll find more than you want to know
@capnjb is data security as much of an oxymoron as military intelligence?
@Cerridwyn Heh, not exactly. In my line of work, data integrity is actually paramount. But data security helps make integrity easier.
Audit trails for all the things! 
Isolated and encrypted data at rest is an entirely different tangent and I don’t want to travel that road today 
But I’m ok with Elfster.
@capnjb I get it. It’s just every time you hear about a big “hack” I start making the thought that we’re all going to get our data hacked at some point. Some days I sort of feel like just put it all out there and then it’s worthless
Yay! Count me in. Thanks for stepping up to do this.
I’m in- totally cool with Elfster.
I am in and have no problem with Elfster.
Yes, I am good with both (and THANKS!)
If you want me to do any of the side support things I talked about in a different post since you decided to run it please let me know. And you will never satisfy everyone so don’t worry about it. That I’m not then going to be exchanging because I refuse to sign on to elfster is not a big issue.
You can also “stalk” the meh user on meh and gather information that can be helpful in the exchange. You do need to require them to put their meh name somewhere in all the info elfster gathers. Someone running it in the past figured out how to do that/where to stash it on there. Inevitably several (or more) people will forget to put their meh name in the box they send and then the receiver has no idea who to thank. Since they are thanking under their meh name you will have to contact them (or they will contact you) to ask their (receiver) elfster name so you can then figure out who their sender is.
I’m in! I had a blast last time this happened. I actually just came across a bunch of things to put in the box. I’m not opposed to elfster.
@UpbeatDuck
Hey there… Still use any of the stuff I sent?
I enjoyed getting together the stuff I put together in your box. It was a fun challenge!
I’m in and agree elfster is the best option to save the sanity of the host/organizer even if it’s not perfect!
I’m still in. And I’ve never used Elfster, but I’ll give it a go.
What is this “meh exchange” of which you speak?
@trod1952 It’s a long-distance “secret Santa” kind of thing.
This sounds fun. What’s wrong with Elfster? I’ve been looking for a gift wish list add this was one the options in consideration.
Any update on a planned date for the post of the link?
I don’t want to miss it!
Oh!!! @star2236 check out drawnames. I think that’s what some of the other teachers at our school use instead of elfster. Also I’m in if @carl669 is….
Also @phrog you should get on this. I know you’ve got all kinds of happiness kickin round over there! 
@sillyheathen Oh noes!! Unfortunately, I don’t anymore
, I finally purged it all to the Goodwill gods just before summer and then the stuff since then just before Xmas! Really sucks, because I had like 3 or 4 large boxes overflowing!
I’m totally regretless!
@PHRoG @sillyheathen
Doesn’t have to be meh stuff. Last year I sent a 50lb box of cooking stuff. Pasta, nice oils, breads, soups, all kinds of crazy stuff. The person wasn’t into meh stuff and said they liked food so I hooked it up. You can send anything.
I think some of the best ones are when people send stuff (food/alcohol) their home area is famous for.
I’m fine with Elfster, and I certainly have plenty of meh to pass along!
in, elfster already has my info, they can have it again…
i’m in. I’ve had an elfster account for close to a decade now so I’m ok with it too.
Count me in, an elfster’s great!!