Do you enter contests?

Do you enter on-line contests? I do. I enjoy getting free stuff in the mail. I'm even more excited by the stuff I wasn't notified I won than the stuff I'm notified about and then worry about whether I really get it.

Now for the nonsense. I get it, folks! You've been told to get people to jump through hoops in order to win the prize you're giving away. O.K., so I have to go to the company's site and fish around for something everyone else isn't saying they'd want if they were given a choice of the stuff. I get the whole set-up. However, if you're giving away ONE paperback book or some other tiny prize, please don't ask me to become a member of

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL !

I don't mind jumping through a few hoops but let's get real!

Now I don't want to alienate myself with those of you who give away stuff, I'm just saying that some of you ask the world in order for one person to win a prize that's not that big.

If you are reading this and I just won a tiny prize, please understand that I understand that you have to jump through a bunch of hoops to give away your box of Q Tips or whatever and I'm not saying what you do is nonsense.

My point is that the companies that contract with you need to open their eyes and make the hoops a little easier to jump through if they aren't giving away a DVD Player or an iPad.

My next post will be about being a "mystery shopper". I'm currently a mystery shopper for two fast food establishments and did 9 of them this month. They pay for your food and pay you a little bit more. Believe me, there's nonsense involved!