A thank you and a story worth reading about Facebook comper friends.

timmmers

Last year was a blinder for me, especially when it came to tech gear. Among the stuff I won was a Macbook Air worth well over a grand, a HP Envy lappie and external backup drives and a nice camera.

14th of March this year I was up really late and went to bed about 4am...and when I woke and came downstairs the room was a tip with paper and stuff everywhere...so I looked to the cats to blame.
Then I noticed what wasn't there..no laptops, no camera, nothing worth anything that was there when I went to bed. Burgled. :mad:

Worse, nothing to get online with. Just my phone. So I popped on Facebook and explained that I wasn't being rude and would be limited online for a while and why.

For a day or so I popped in to catch up and relieve the boredom that suddenly not having worthwhile internet (and comps to do) causes. A mate tagged me in a post talking about me but not about anything I knew about or understood...so I went to have a look at the conversation it was part of and found something really amazing.

A group had been formed by some Facebook friends to raise some money to buy me a new laptop...and it was well on it's way ..and they weren't taking no for an answer.

In the space of 3 or 4 days this secret group had over 500 members and had enough to send me enough to buy a new laptop. People were apologising for not being able to join in fast enough or only finding out too late....which is BS isn't it when the thought is what counts?

I found something out by losing over 2.5 grand of stuff, when you win it and don't have to save for it...it's not such a big blow if you lose it. IF you saved to buy this kind of gear ...you'd be gutted on a much worse way than losing prizes.

I found something much more important too...no matter what you win or don't win....you might find that the real prize isn't "stuff" at all but the friends you make along the way.

I'm typing this on a 400 quid Lenovo I bought a couple of days back, in practical terms I'm way down on gear. This little lappie is a cracker though, not because of the specs or it being a cool blue colour ....but because of how it came to me and the generosity and love that came with it.

So...if someone tells you that Facebook is full of cheats and fakers and you don't have real friends on there (or in here)....remember this. If it's not proof that there are some bloody wonderful people about on there and quite a lot of them I don't know what can be?

Thanks to all involved, you shouldn't have done it.
Special thanks to Chery and Rachel and Mel, but everyone involved was awesome and went way beyond the call of duty.
I won't forget it.

Love you all. xxx

Tim

Blulu

Wow, what a gorgeous story, and well told too. I'm so sorry you went through such a horrible thing. But what a fab attitude to come out so positive

bubbleyboo

Aww thats made me well up. I dont know you but had seen you around and had done some of the comps that you had done on facebook. I was a member of that group who along with many others helped to get you a laptop to get you back where you belonged, doing competitions I hope after the bad luck you had with the break-in that your luck changes and that you have a better year from now on. Theres a lot of lovely genuine people in the world of comping.

Lauren x

timmmers

That's a point too. Some members of that group weren't even on my friends list. They were helping a stranger.

independance

That's an amazing story, it restores faith in mankind.

NewLeaf_2

love this there are lovely people about

chloe1705

Well we just had to have you back, with all your stories and debates I was so taken aback by peoples generosity sometimes fb does seem like a horrible place to be,I helped as I know what it would be like to not be able to comp and interact. I am so glad to see you back with more tales about the kitties xx

tonkatol

This is the first I have heard/read about your terrible burglary Timmers, although I have seen posts etc from you in the past. Obviously, that shows I didn't contribute, not because I wouldn't have, but because I didn't know - glad to have you back and doesn't it show how, although most of us comping on MSE have never met each other apart from via the internet, not only do we win prizes by being part of MSE but we gain more real friends. Lovely story Tim - especially when all you hear about nowadays is how people are always out for themselves. Welcome Back!

ThinkingOfLinking

Again, I know your username and have seen your posts, but don't seem to know you on Facebook and this is the first I've heard of what happened to you. There are some truly lovely people on the MSE forums and the wider online community. Hope karma shines on you and all involved.

Squina

Restores so much faith in human nature. I'm so pleased for you.

Enigmatic_Me

So sorry to read you have been burgled, I cannot begin to imagine how you must have felt. Thieves really are just the scum of the earth and we should treat them like they do in Middle Eastern Countries and chop off their hands. What right has someone got to come into your home and steal your goods. Cannot comprehend that at all.:mad:

However, as you say some good has come of this and reading your story literally brought me goosebumps. Real feel good factor.

I am a great believer in "things happen for a reason". There are lots and lots of evil sick bad people out there but there are also an awful lot of people at the other end of the spectrum as well.

Enjoy your new laptop and hope you can win back some of those fabulous prizes.

As for the thieves, I hope what goes around comes around.