My experience with the free posting section of CL

My GF had this Pentium II computer sitting around our house for almost a year. We never could get a charity over to pick up the thing because either it was considered too old or they would only make trips for donations of multiple computers… so it sat, collecting dust under our dining table. I tried to sell it for 40 bucks for about two weeks and only got a few offers for the Harmon Kardon speakers or to have the monitor taken off my hands… for free…. cheap bastards on CL I tell you… parted out this thing was worth at least 50!!!

So I made the dive, posted my first free listing to CL at 9PM Tuesday night and went back to Battle Carrot … Iron Chef.

Next morning, I have about 50 emails for this thing and in a rush to get things done I didn’t have time to reply. By 4 PM, I had about 130 and decided to take my address off. I looked through most of them then, and realized how many of these people need an education first before they get a computer. A few were sappy, and a few were straight up – when can I get it!. I ended up giving the computer to two ladies that started a non-profit organization in Harlem called Two Grandmas, Inc. – they support the NYC community and provide donated art and educational supplies to disenfranchised families in the area. My good deed for the day. But here are a few ad replies that caught my attention – spelling left intact.

“Hey yo, when can i get it?” by a guy with an email address: yanksruleu2@…

“MY LITLE BRITHER COULD USE THE COMPUTOR” – looks like he may need EDU first

“I will pick it up now. What your address and number so I can come get you.” – uh ok.

“hi i need it bad can u call me chris” – uh Chris, NSAs are in a different forum

“Hi , Am email you regarding a free computer you was offering in and ad posted on craigslist in the free section, I will like to pick up item at your convenience, at the earliest possible time, if is still available and free.” – I liked the “Still Available?” responses better – GET TO THE POINT!

“do you still have your computer available? i don’t know much about computers, except that mine is broken and i desperately need a new one. I use a windows computer is a DELL anything like that? hope to hear from you!”

“I’d like it, can I pick it up Saturday?” when I explicitly stated must be picked up by Thursday.

“Hi I’m a poor family and could really use the computer to help give my 2 children a better education. Please let me know if I can pick it up from you” from a guy that works at Computer Wrecker Inc. (a computer dismantler and reseller)

“Where you live, I’ll come by to get it.” from a guy with an email address in2crock@ if crock is anything like Crack ROCK, this guy isn’t even getting near my address.

“God has sent you to me to help our church. We appreciate your patronage and I look forward to meeting you my son. ….” from theprophet@… whoa.. no I’m not contributing to cults.

“Our office could use addition computer resources, which boro are you located and I’ll have someone come by to pick it up.” from NYPDblu5@… didn’t know the police were so strapped they had to look for free resources on CL

“can it be shipped?” – sure for 1000$ jack ass…

“C Bass here from Queens…” – sorry, started laughing to read the rest, just picturing good old Sea-Bass from the movie Dumb and Dumber gesturing “over here!”

“Hi big boi, I would love to get a hold of that thing, and pick up the computer too of course. Please let me know when we can meet.” signed freakycamgurl392@… we have a winner!!!

Looking for an engineer that does sales?

Personal references have been light and far between lately on here but I thought its time I should give more of myself… I mean this is a personal journal that only I ever read right? So basically my job sucks. I came out to New York on expectations of another position and was rather fortunate to land a sweet job (so I thought) at a very large enterprise sales organization. I’m thinking structured training, large resources, marketing backing and all I have to do is develop the deals… Not so… quite the opposite and on top of that there was the micro-management. I would have to say my Regional Director is one of the sharpest sales managers I’ve ever worked for (he hired me didn’t he) but the team support left much to be desired.

So I’ve been reviewing other options and one I picked up on was Google. I’ve already had a few conversations with people that work there and the HR/internal recruiter there. This is no walk in the park to get a job here and those that get there, don’t leave unless they are pushed out. Google has a new enterprise search product and to me, it looks to be a rather easy technology to understand and sell – the only problem is I’d have to go through about 10 interviews to get to the hiring stages…

To make matters difficult, every interviewer is looking for an engineer that does sales. It’s obvious to me that the majority of the people in this area of the company are technical geeks and most have never heard of solution selling techniques. It’s quite unfortunate because I don’t think I’ll get the opportunity to work for in this environment:


Free Food!

Lazy nerds


More insider photos of the Google Empire

Happy New Year 2006!!!

What a year… I just completed my first year in NY… braved a “mild” winter by NY local standards, landed a job at a huge international electronics corporation, squandered insane amount of cash “living” in my shoe box, feeding on Ethiopian to Danish to Chilean to Korean food and everywhere in between, never drank n drove – but certainly failed to make it home with out a bruise or scratch on the walk home, broke my arm in the Ice “snowboarding”, walked through a transit strike and witnessed our country further depleted its economic, educational, and natural resources…

We picked up a hotel at the Argent near Union Square in SF with a nearly top floor view of the Union Christmas tree display. I gathered with a group of good friends and we hit DNA after some heavy pre-holiday cocktails at the hotel… The count down was botched but the music of Lee Colmes, Dylan Rymes, and Bassbin Twins was insane.

Here’s some pics from the galleria:







Full Gallery of NYE Here