Facebook Marketplace has become one of the most popular platforms for buying and selling goods locally and nationally. While it offers convenience and a vast user base, it has also become a hotspot for scammers. Both buyers and sellers are at risk of fraud. Understanding the most common scams, and how difficult they are to spot, can help users protect themselves from financial loss, identity theft, and emotional stress.

Scams Targeting Buyers (from easiest to hardest to detect)

1. Counterfeit or Fake Products

Overview: Sellers list branded items like sneakers, designer bags, electronics, or collectibles at attractive prices. In reality, the items are counterfeit, damaged, or completely different from what’s shown.

Red Flags:

• Prices significantly lower than retail.
• Poor grammar or vague product descriptions.
• No returns or refunds.

Detection Difficulty: Easy. Buyers should compare pricing, check the seller’s profile, and look for official authentication if buying luxury or branded items.

2. Bait-and-Switch Listings

Overview: A seller advertises a popular item (e.g., PS5, iPhone, or used car) at an enticing price. When the buyer messages them, the seller says it’s “just sold” but offers a “similar” item at a higher price or with worse condition.

Red Flags:

• Item disappears quickly after listing.
• Immediate redirection to a different product.

Detection Difficulty: Moderate. This relies on psychological urgency. Reputable sellers rarely do bait-and-switch tactics.

3. Payment Outside of Facebook

Overview: Some sellers ask buyers to use platforms like Zelle, Cash App, Venmo, or direct bank transfers. Once payment is sent, the seller vanishes with no delivery of the product.

Red Flags:

• Refusal to use Facebook Checkout or PayPal Goods & Services.
• Urging you to “secure” the item quickly.

Detection Difficulty: Moderate. Legitimate sellers should accept secure payment options. Never pay before seeing or receiving the item.

4. “Not at home” Urgency

Overview: A seller responds that they aren’t at home, and says they’ve received a lot of responses and asks you to send them a deposit to hold or secure the item. They may even try to seduce you with responses like, “someone is already on the way but I like you. If you send a down payment now, I’ll save it for you.”

Red Flags:

• Buyer asks for payment to secure the item, especially if the payment is via a non-secure payment method, like Paypal Friends & Family.

Detection Difficulty: Moderate. While there certainly could be a time where this could genuinely happen, you are much more likely to get scammed.

5. Fake Shipping and Delivery Scams

Overview: The seller offers to ship the item after payment. They may even send fake tracking numbers or bogus shipping links. Eventually, nothing arrives.

Red Flags:

• Unusual courier services or untraceable tracking numbers.
• Pressure to pay upfront for shipping fees.

Detection Difficulty: Hard. Fake shipping confirmations can look professional. Always verify the courier and tracking URL independently.

5. Rental Property Scams

Overview: Scammers post fake rental listings using photos copied from Zillow, Craigslist, or other websites. They ask for deposits or application fees before the “tour” or “approval.”

Red Flags:

• Too-good-to-be-true rent prices.
• Refusal to show the property in person.
• Requests for wire transfers or gift cards.

Detection Difficulty: Very Hard. Scammers often mimic real landlords and may even provide fake lease agreements. Always verify ownership through public records and never pay before a physical walkthrough.

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Scams Targeting Sellers (from easiest to hardest to detect)

1. Overpayment Scam (Fake Check or Digital Payment Fraud)

Overview: A buyer offers to pay more than the asking price and sends a check or payment via Zelle/Venmo. They then ask you to refund the “extra” amount. Later, the check bounces or the payment is reversed.

Red Flags:

• Buyer insists on overpaying.
• Pressure to return excess funds quickly.

Detection Difficulty: Easy. No real buyer has a reason to overpay and demand a refund. Decline all such offers.

2. Phishing Links or “Verification” Requests, or fake payments

Overview: The scammer asks the seller to verify their identity or phone number using a code or link. These links may install malware or lead to phishing sites that steal login credentials.

Also, if you share your phone number or email address, they could send you a fake payment text or email. This fake “deposit” is by a fake “e-transfer” and they want you to log in to a site to receive it. The log in page is a scam.

Red Flags:

• Requests to “verify” your account via third-party links.
• Asking for confirmation codes sent to your phone.

Detection Difficulty: Moderate. Legitimate buyers won’t ask for verification codes. Do not click external links or share codes.

3. Fake Buyer “Out of Town” Offers

Overview: The buyer claims they’re out of town but will have a “mover” or “shipping agent” pick up the item. They ask the seller to pay for shipping upfront and promise reimbursement.

Red Flags:

• Offers to “handle” pickup and logistics.
• Requests for your email or personal information for “shipping arrangements.”

Detection Difficulty: Moderate. Shipping scams often come with real-looking emails. Never pay shipping costs on the buyer’s behalf.

4. Stolen Credit Card or Reversed Payment Scam

Overview: A buyer pays with a stolen credit card via PayPal or Facebook Pay. Days later, the payment is reversed, and the seller is left without the item or the funds.

Red Flags:

• Buyer insists on immediate shipping or delivery.
• Payment appears legitimate but account is new or unverified.

Detection Difficulty: Hard. The transaction may initially appear valid. Always wait for full payment clearance before handing over high-value goods.

5. Fake Escrow or Payment Protection Services

Overview: Scammers pose as buyers and suggest using a third-party “escrow” service to ensure trust. These services are often fake websites designed to look real. Once the item is sent, the seller never receives payment.

Red Flags:

• Buyer proposes their own “secure” escrow service.
• Website URL doesn’t match reputable payment processors.

Detection Difficulty: Very Hard. These scams often feature convincing branding and fake customer support. Always use official payment methods endorsed by Facebook or recognized services like PayPal Goods & Services.

Conclusion

Facebook Marketplace can be a valuable tool for both buyers and sellers, but it’s also a fertile ground for fraud. Scams targeting buyers tend to prey on desire for low prices and urgency, while scams aimed at sellers often exploit trust and eagerness to complete a sale. Knowing how to recognize these patterns is key.

For buyers, avoid deals that require upfront payment, you should always use secure platforms, and insist on meeting in public or using Facebook’s built-in checkout. Try a reverse-image search of the items you’re interested to see if the same photo shows up elsewhere.

For sellers, don’t ship before receiving cleared payment, avoid over-payment offers, and never click suspicious links or share verification codes. Better yet, only sell to local buyers when you can meet in person. Maybe even meet at a local police station.

Within the Facebook Marketplace messaging interface, click on the buyer’s profile icon to view their real Facebook profile to help determine if it could be a fake profile. Also, if the name sounds made up, exercise extreme caution. You may even begin to see a pattern of the types of names of the people who respond, especially if they respond very quickly after you posted the item for sale.

This is more advanced but if a seller shares an address with you, search the web for that address and the name of the buyer to see if any matching results are found. It could still be a fake profile from someone who did the leg work to set up a matching profile (at least by name) that matches an existing address but that takes a bit of effort on the scammers part.

Ultimately, the best defense is a healthy skepticism and due diligence. If a deal feels off, it probably is. And when in doubt, report the user to Facebook and walk away.

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Slide Away 2025 will take place in New York City and Los Angeles this April and May.

Limited presale tickets are available for purchase now through the link below with the code SLIDE25

www.slideaway.co

A portion of proceeds from each event will be donated to The Trevor Project & Anti-Recidivism Coalition

New York City (4/24 at Brooklyn Paramount)

• Her New Knife
• Lucid Exprexx
• Nothing
• The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
• Swervedriver
• Whirr

Los Angeles (5/24 at Hollywood Palladium)

• Luster
• Nothing
• Swervedriver
• Swirlies
• Vyva Melinkolya
• Whirr

A genre that lends itself to loudness can still be overheard from its origins in the 1980s. Shoegaze, Dream Pop, Ambient, or whatever you may call it, has carried itself gracefully through decades while inspiring countless subgenres and infecting all walks of music along the way.

The audience reflects back the legacy and continued impact with a feeling of mutual admiration and respect is palpable across generations and identities – no matter the coast.

SLIDE AWAY is a celebration of the genre and all artists who shape sound in the most unique of ways, all the while bridging the gap between the diverse cast of boundary pushing mavericks of yesterday with the genre bending savants of now.

What the hell is shoegaze? A scene? A movement? A sound? Back in the Nineties, many would have said the so-called genre was entirely fabricated. The term itself, an offensive piss-take given by the notoriously catty and scene-obsessed British music press, was plainly rejected by the absurdly small collection of bands to which it supposedly applied.

Today Shoegaze is undeniable. As a descriptor and as a source of influence, it is used in more ways and by more bands than anyone could have dreamed of 30 years ago. Between those periods of invention and ubiquity, the term, along with the bands it first described, all but disappeared off the face of the earth.

In this ambitious oral history of a genre that has eluded definition for three decades, Ryan Pinkard, in his book Shoegaze, (Genre: A 33 1/3 Series) unearths the first wave of Shoegaze, following the core bands, their sounds, their influence, and their journeys in and out of obscurity. His analysis is woven through dozens of original interviews with artists, label heads, and critics. What he discovers is the unlikely odyssey of this esoteric, experimental music form, which nearly became a mainstream entity, only to be viciously killed off, forgotten, and rediscovered by a new generation that regards it as one of the most influential alternative music events since the Velvet Underground.

Buy on Amazon (kindle or paperback)

Ryan also wrote a book on The National’s great 2007 release, Boxer. (link)

If you’re looking for a Shoegaze playlist, here is one that has the majority of Shoegaze artists, both classics and newer ones. Over 175 songs, and primarily only one song per artist.

Apple has enabled a new feature that allows you to use your Airpods Pro 2, or later models, as hearing aids.

They’ve made some of the functions unnecessarily confusing. Below I’ve outlined steps for some various tasks that you may be struggling with.

Also, here are some Apple links that may help but I find that Apple instructions can be a little confusing at times.

If you don’t have Airpods Pro 2, they are cheaper from Amazon than from Apple direct. You can get them (currently for $189) here.

Links To Below Sections

• Update your Airpod firmware
• Take a hearing test
• Switch between test results
• Delete a test result
• Thoughts & feedback for Apple
• Alternatives to Airpods for hearing aids

Update Your AirPods Pro Firmware

You need to make sure your Airpods have the latest firmware to enable this feature.

1. Put your Airpods inside the case and close the lid.
2. Keep the lid closed for about 30 seconds, then take out the Airpods and insert them into your ears. Keep them in your ears for about 20 seconds.
3. Put the Airpods back in the case and close the lid.
4. Charge the case via cable or a MagSafe charger.
5. Keep your iPhone near the case for about 10-15 minutes.
6. After 10-15 minutes, open the Airpods case lid and on your iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the “i” to the right of your Airpods’ name. The Airpods should have been updated to the most recent version.

Take A Hearing Test With Your iPhone Or iPad

Before you begin, make sure you’re in a quiet room. One good place is in a bedroom closet. The clothes will provide some sound insulation and it’s probably the quietest place in the house. The test takes about 5 minutes.

Wear your AirPods Pro 2, and make sure they’re connected to your device.

Go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tap the name of your AirPods near the top of the screen, tap Take a Hearing Test, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Switch Between Hearing Test Results

If you have more than one test result saved in your phone, you can switch to a different one like this. It’s unnecessarily lengthy but pretty easy. Apple just makes you step through a bunch of pages that explains the feature as if you’re enabling it for the first time.

1. On you iPhone, open Settings
2. Toward the top, tap on your headphone name
3. Tap on Hearing Assistance
4. Tap on Update Hearing Test Results
5. You’ll see, “Chose a Hearing Test Result”. You’ll see your test results listed. Just tap on the test result that you’d like to apply.
6. Tap on Next
7. Tap on Set Up Hearing Aid
8. Tap on Get Started
9. Tap on Next
10. Tap Turn On Hearing Aid
11. Tap on Done

Delete An Audiogram / Test Result

1. Open Health App
2. tap Browse
3. tap Hearing
4. tap Hearing Test Results
5. Scroll to the bottom and tap Show All Data
6. tap Edit
7. Tap the delete icon for the Audiogram you want to delete.

Thoughts – Feedback For Apple

I would like a way to duplicate an existing hearing audiogram and then would like to easily make adjustments to it. The process to manually enter a new audiogram is quite time consuming, and I assume the logic is, “your hearing loss is your hearing loss”, and it’s not really subjective. I know that it’s not supposed to work like an stereo graphic equalizer but if I test for one tone at 38 db, I may want to tune it down a tad to 35, as an example.

Some higher tones can create some loud popping, for certain hearing abilities, and I may prefer to roll those off just a touch. There is a Tone slider to make the Airpods sound darker or brighter but I don’t know how this is changing the audiogram or equalization. More visuals explaining what this is doing would be nice too.

Alternatives to Airpods

Now that over-the-counter hearing aids are allowed, there are more coming out in the market. Dedicated hearing aids will work better than Airpods because they have dedicated circuitry, and have a much longer battery life.

Sony now makes hearing aids

• CRE-E10
• CRE-C10
• CRE-C20

Jabra also makes hearing aids

• 50R OTC
• 300 OTC
• 500 OTC

A conversation with Rob Dickinson – singer/songwriter with 90’s Brit Rock/Shoegaze band Catherine Wheel plus solo projects, and founder of Singer Vehicle Design a company that remodels and re-imagines Porsche 911’s.

Dickinson shares experiences on songwriting inspired by the ocean’s horizon to escape a small English town, literally walking away from a pop career at it’s peak, and creating act two of life turning the passion for cars from a hobby into a business on the boulevards of West Hollywood.

It’s a nice interview that’s worth a full listen but here are 2 interesting quotes:

“When the band split up in 2000, we owed Columbia Records $1.6 million.”

“I think I will come back to it eventually. I think we’ll make another record actually before we all die.”

• listen to the interview

Spotify recently announced that they are increasing the monthly price from $10.99 to $11.99, which equates to $143.88 per year. Because of this, many are considering changing plans or music streaming providers. But wait! You don’t have to do that though in order to save a substantial amount on your total annual subscription cost. How?

You can buy a Spotify Premium 12-month gift card for $99 which brings the price to $8.25 per month. You can buy this for yourself and use it if you already have a Spotify Premium subscription!

This will save you $44.88 for a 1-year subscription.

Follow this link to purchase a $99 Spotify Premium e-gift card from Amazon.

After purchasing and receiving the gift card, go to the Spotify redeem page to redeem the code. Make sure you cancel your current premium subscription before entering the code, or else you may get a “something went wrong” error. You won’t lose any playlists, settings, etc unless you close the account. Canceling, which is the same as reverting to a free account, will save your data.

Steps to get Spotify Premium for $8.25 per month.

1. Purchase $99 e-gift card from Amazon
2. Once you receive the card, go to Spotify’s “Manage Your Subscription” page and cancel your current subscription (Note that this requirement may change if Spotify makes changes)
3. Go to the Spotify Redeem page and enter in the code from your gift card

While it’s not ad-free Spotify Premium for free, saving nearly $45 is a pretty good deal.

If you really want a deal, get an Amazon Prime Visa credit card here. You’ll get a $50 Amazon gift card. Then use the Amazon Prime Visa to purchase the Spotify gift card, and select the Prime delivery day, and you’ll get an additional 6% back.

A Nespresso machine doesn’t make true espresso but a lot of people use it because it’s cheaper and faster. When I’m at home, I like taking the time to make espressos and lattes.

When I’m out of town visiting family, I tend to drive to the nearest coffee shop, that isn’t Starbucks, and get a latte there. There is a good one nearby but sometimes I don’t want to make the drive every morning so I bought a Nespresso Essenza Mini. Nespresso espresso is passable, but it’s not as good as good espresso from a really good shop.

Below are how you can make various hot and cold drinks with a Nespresso.

Hot Drinks

Cortado. Extract 1 capsule on espresso (40ml). Froth/steam 60-80 ml milk to highest foam (you won’t use it all). Pour 20 ml of the hot milk onto coffee and spoon stiff foam into the cup for another 20 ml. This drink exactly fills a standard Nespresso espresso cup, which holds 80 ml. It looks nice in the clear espresso cups.

Flat white. Extract 2 capsules at ristretto (25ml) setting. Froth/steam 80-120 ml milk to low foam and pour onto coffee (plus or minus to your taste). You can make 1 capsule if you want (use about half the milk).

Cappuccino – small. Extract 1 capsule on espresso (40ml). Froth/steam 80 ml milk to highest foam and pour onto coffee (plus or minus to your taste).

Cappuccino – large. Extract 2 capsules on espresso (40ml). Froth/steam 150 ml milk to highest foam and pour onto coffee (plus or minus to your taste).

Latte. Extract 1 capsule on espresso (40ml). Froth/steam 100-200 ml milk to medium-low foam and pour onto coffee (plus or minus to your taste). Use 2 capsules and up to 250 ml milk if you want either a larger drink or a stronger drink.

Latte macchiato. Same as latte except it’s much foamier (maximum foam) and you pour the steamed/frothed milk in first and then extract the coffee into it. Excellent in a tall clear glass.

On Creatista Plus the default steaming levels are set mostly according to the above foam level recommendations. Some may prefer to increase the foam level above the default for cappuccino so the foam is stiffer. The flat white, cappuccino, and latte programs give the option to extract a second capsule after the milk if you need two. The only other setting that needs to be changed on Creatista Plus is to reduce the coffee extraction to the lowest level (25 ml) on the Flat White program.

When using syrups use about 1 pump (1/4 ounce / 7.5 ml) per capsule (or a bit less). Put the syrup in first and extract the espresso onto it so it mixes well.

“Extract 2 capsules” means use a second, fresh capsule for the second extraction. On Vertuo, you can use a double espresso capsule.

When making a latte with the Aeroccino, you can warm up 30-60 ml of milk in the microwave in your mug, then extract the coffee into the warmed milk, and then pour on a full batch of Aeroccino foamed milk.

Cold / Iced Drinks

Capsules to use

You need a concentrated punch of coffee flavor, which can easily get diluted as we add ice, milk, and syrup. So we use espresso shots (40 ml) for all of these drinks. If the drink is larger or has more dilution, you will likely need to extract more than one pod: use 2, 3, or 4 Original pods depending on the drink and your taste. In Vertuo, you can use the double espresso pods. For the drinks with milk or a lot of dilution, the stronger pods are best. For the less diluted drinks, you can really use any pod you like. The iced pods are designed to be chilled and keep some flavor and many people like them but the normal pods work just as well. Experiment to find what you like.

Chilling the espresso

This is the heart of making an iced espresso drink. These techniques will apply to almost all of the recipes below.

Ice cubes. The simplest approach is to fill your glass with ice cubes and extract the espresso(s) over the ice. The ice will melt and water down the espresso. This may be just the flavor you are looking for, in which case this technique works for you. Larger ice cubes melt less (because the center portion continues to cool the drink with less surface melting). Nespresso sells or gives away on promotion silicone ice cube trays with large cubes that work very well. You can also buy silicone ice cube molds online.

Coffee ice cubes. A way to combat the dilution is to make ice cubes (in the silicone trays) with cooled espresso or coffee. This is a good way to use up pod varieties that you ended up not liking. Then when the cubes melt, they are not diluting the iced drink.

HyperChiller. You can greatly reduce your use of ice and melting by purchasing a HyperChiller. You keep this unit in your freezer. It contains a collar of water that freezes. When you pour hot espresso into it, it will cool it significantly without any dilution. It will not chill it all the way to iced temperature so you will still need to add a few ice cubes (or coffee ice cubes) but the cubes will not melt so much.

Refrigerator/freezer. You can extract your espresso shots in advance, even the previous day and chill them in your refrigerator. You can also place a fresh shot in the freezer for a few minutes to cool it partially and then use ice cubes. Some people feel that the flavor of shots deteriorates if they are kept for too long but with the flavorings and milk in most iced drinks it may not be that noticeable. With my real espresso machine and a double shot, I usually put it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

Limiting dilution. Chilling the espresso even for a few minutes in the refrigerator will greatly reduce the amount of ice you need.

Syrups and sweetening

Many iced drinks are made with plain or flavored syrups.

One pump of syrup is 1/4 ounce or 7.5 ml. Iced drinks require more syrup than similar hot drinks because cold dulls the taste of sweet flavors. For a typical sized iced drink use 2-3 pumps of syrup. For a large size, even more.

When using ice cubes, put the ice cubes in the glass, pump the syrup on top, and extract the espresso over that. If you are using a HyperChiller, chill the espresso plain and pour the cold espresso over ice and syrup.

You can also use granulated, brown, or raw sugar, or artificial sweeteners. Dissolve the sugar well in the hot espresso before chilling.

Milk and foaming

Many of the drinks involve milk. You can use cow’s milk or any plant-based milk you like. The plant-based milks will impart certain flavors and you may find particular combinations with certain flavored syrups that work well.

If you have an Aeroccino 3 or 4 or a Barista Recipe Maker (or a non-Nespresso frother that does cold), you can make cold milk froth, if you like. If you have a Creatista, you can make partial froth by placing a couple of ice cubes in your milk and steaming it. Stop the steaming after it starts to foam because you don’t want the machine to steam the milk all the way hot.

Basic drink recipes

These are arranged from most coffee flavor to least. Following this list are ideas for specialty drinks.

Iced espresso. Extract espresso over ice (or other chilling method) and drink.

Iced caffe Americano. Extract espresso over ice (or other chilling method), add cold (preferably filtered) water to taste and drink.

Iced espresso tonic or seltzer. This is an iced caffe Americano made with cold tonic water or seltzer instead of water. This really showcases the flavors of some of the lighter or limited edition capsules. The tonic especially compliments pods with bright acidity. Not normally served with syrup, but of course you can make it however you like.

Iced caffe latte. Extract espresso over ice (or other chilling method), add cold milk of your choice to taste and drink. For a one pod drink, use ice cubes that partially melt plus 4-5 ounces (120-150 ml) milk. These are very commonly made with syrup, either plain or flavored.

Iced macchiato, cappuccino and iced flat white. These are essentially the same as iced caffe latte with less milk. You could use two ristretto shots (25 ml each) to make an iced flat white for some variety.

Specialty drink recipes

Frappuccino. This is an iced caffe latte made in a blender with ice. To get started, add two shots of espresso (preferably cooled a little) into a very good blender with ice cubes, milk, and syrup. Blend to smooth consistency and drink. (Note that some chains do not use fresh espresso shots to make such drinks. They use pre-made espresso-flavored concentrates that give a stronger, more consistent taste. Your version may not have quite the same intensity of flavor. It’s possible to purchase some of these concentrates if you really want.)

Iced caffe mocha. This is an iced caffe latte made with chocolate sauce or syrup or some other form of chocolate flavoring. A pump of vanilla or peppermint syrup can also help finish the flavor.

Put a serving of dark chocolate syrup in an espresso or shot glass, brew the espresso pod into the same glass, stir to combine the syrup and espresso.

In a separate glass (such as a mason jar) fill it 2/3 or 3/4 with ice, then skim milk to cover the ice.

By now, the espresso/chocolate has cooled and bit, so pour it over the iced milk and stir together. (For additional fun, add Bailey’s or Kahlua)

Iced caramel macchiato. This is an iced caffe latte made with a bit less milk, and adding flavorings. Put the vanilla syrup in your cup, adding ice (or use another chilling method), pulling two espresso shots, add 3-4 ounces (90-120 ml) milk, and top with caramel sauce.

Iced shaken espresso. This is an iced caffe latte made with less milk, and with plain or flavored syrup, and shaken in a cocktail shaker or closed jar. Pour the drink into your glass and enjoy. If you want to replicate the drinks from a major chain, check which types of milk, syrup, and any other add-ins they use and you should be able to make a very similar version at home.

Vertuo larger sizes and cold brew

On Vertuo, you also have the option of making iced drinks from larger coffee sizes.

Cold brew is totally different process, in which coffee grounds are extracted over many hours in cool water. It’s a great product but you can’t make it with Nespresso machines.

I live alone so some of these may not apply to you but most should be helpful. As with anything, follow your doctor’s orders.

It’s been four months since I had my right shoulder repaired due to a SLAP tear. Mine was caused by years of volleyball and overhand sports.

I read a lot of information online and watched a bunch of videos! Some were helpful but many rambled on and repeated the same information.

These are some things I discovered that I didn’t see mentioned anywhere else or at least rarely saw mentioned. Hopefully, you’ll find something helpful.

Good luck with your rotator cuff recovery. It wasn’t nearly as bad as I imagined, and I almost enjoyed the challenge.

Pre-Surgery Tips:

Get your home prepared so you don’t have to worry about any of this stuff after surgery.

• Laundry
• Clean, if necessary
• Stock up on food
• Open any jars of food that you might want to use

Jars are very hard to open with one hand! This goes for both new jars or jars you’ve already opened. (For example, salsa can dry around the rim and reseal on an already opened jar. I struggled with this post-surgery on a jar I had opened pre-surgery on one particular jar.)

• Supplies (see below)

Post-Surgery Tips

Sling Tips:

• Get your sling shoulder strap adjusted and then you can just slide it over your head versus refastening all the straps every time you want to take it off.

You really only need to undo the waist strap, and then lift the shoulder strap over your head to take it off.

Often times I left the waist strap undone anyway and just used the shoulder strap. That way I didn’t have to do anything to take it off and it took no time.

I tucked the waist strap into the area between the pad and the arm cup so it’s out of the way.

At night I recommend fastening the waist strap to prevent you from any unintentional movements while you’re sleeping.

• Your sling serves to not only support your arm but to prevent you from doing stupid things accidentally. Be very aware of this!

A few days after surgery you’ll gain confidence and might decide to leave it off. There is little risk when sitting on the couch, right? But then you’ll get up to walk to the kitchen or bathroom and think, “I’m just going over there for a second, I’ll be fine. I’ll hold my arm next to my body and I’ll be fine.”

You’ll accidentally stumble over something and instinctually move your repaired arm and yell a string of curse words from whatever bit of pain, hopefully minor, you just caused.

So, be incredibly deliberate with your steps or just don’t risk re-injuring yourself by moving around without your sling on.

I was in the kitchen making something simple to microwave when I dropped a fork using the hand on my uninjured, non-dominant arm. The fork bounced off the counter and I instinctually grabbed it out of the air with the hand on my sling-free repaired arm. Fortunately, it wasn’t a big movement but it woke me up to what could happen.

Ice Machine – “Polar Ice Machine”  –  My tip really only applies if you live alone, or want to do this when no one else is home.

To connect the hose joints, step on one end of the hose to hold it still to help connect the hose joints using only your good hand. (http://amzn.to/2xCvIbz) This can be quite hard to do with both hands because you likely won’t have the strength in your recently repaired arm, and probably shouldn’t be using it anyway. You need to provide a surprising bit of resistance with both hands and it takes more effort than you think with your recently repaired arm. I found it much easier to just stand on the end of the hose and use my one good hand.

Sleeping/Bed:

• Bed wedge (http://amzn.to/2hiYDgB) – The first few nights I mostly slept using the wedge but worked myself off of it as I grew more comfortable with my arm in a sling. Plus it comes in handy when you’re awake during the day, want to stay in bed, and don’t want to lay completely horizontal.
• Phone/tablet extender attached to your bed or night table with a long charge cable. You’ll spend a lot of time in bed and you’ll get sick of trying to hold it or get it to stand upright. This is a hands-free option that allows you to lay anyway you want. I still use this years later.
  • tablet holder: https://amzn.to/2T6yzGd
  • 10′ iPhone charge cable: https://amzn.to/3e8hnvU
• Light dimmer switch for bed http://amzn.to/2gA1MHA
  • I put this on the side of my bed so I could easily turn the light off/on or dim it without having to get up. Super handy!
• 4 pillows (one on each side to prevent you from rolling around, 2 for my head)

Showering:

• Liquid soap in a squirt/press bottle: https://amzn.to/3gXG1kG
• Removable Showerhead: https://amzn.to/336KpFI
• Washing Tips: To wash your repaired arm, lean forward slightly and use gravity in your favor.  Put the foot that’s on the same side of the repaired arm up on the side of the tub and just let your arm hang or rest it against your thigh. This way you can wash the repaired arm without having to use much muscle strength for resistance or support. Your leg will support your arm and provide resistance so you can wash without having to use your arm/should muscles on the repaired shoulder.
• This goes for anything really but if you need to do something that is a bit challenging, such as shaving (I shave my head with cordless trimmers), do the hard side first because your good arm will get tired. It’s easier to do the easier side second.

Getting Dressed:

• Putting on a t-shirt:
  • Because I worked from home for a couple weeks I lived in gym shorts and tees which are very easy to put on.
  • With your repaired arm held at your side in the same position as if the sling were on, slide the first sleeve of the t-shirt on over that arm and up over your head. Then put your good arm through the other sleeve second/last. That way you don’t have to move the repaired arm at all.

• Slip-on shoes (like shoelace-less Converse, Vans, slippers, etc)
• It’s possible to tie shoes w one hand but it’s hard. (look it up on youtube)  I gave it a shot but gave up because it wasn’t something I had to do.
• Putting on pants:
  • Completely fasten your pants with a belt before putting them on. It obviously helps a lot if they are slightly too big so you can pull them over your hips.
  • Then lay down on your bed and slide them up and on. Then stand up and tighten the belt. I used one of those D-ring belts that is easy to tighten with one hand once you have them on. (http://amzn.to/2ykZUv6)

Work:

It depends on kind of work you do, obviously, but if you work a desk job then a laptop is much easier to work on because your hands and arms move very little.

I used a laptop at work and used a Remote Desktop application to remote into my desktop which was right in front of me. This basically allowed me to use my laptop keyboard for my user input but still operate the desktop. I preferred it over the other small keyboards I tried but you may not. It was the best way to be able to both type and use a mouse with the smallest amount of elbow and arm movement. You’ll be surprised by how uncomfortable having to move your arm, even a couple inches, will be the first couple weeks.  You can also get wireless keyboard or mini keyboard if you think it’ll help (https://amzn.to/3nHYumH) but they are really quite cumbersome and frustrating.

Many of the below foods will suffice no matter your diet. Carnivore, herbivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, etc.

These are great options to have on hand for emergencies, like when there is a power outage, earthquake, or pandemic.

1. Potatoes

• Shelf life: 2 to 5 weeks

If stored in a cool, dry, dark place. Yukon Gold, red, and fingerling potatoes will last from 2 to 3 weeks. Larger white or russet potatoes can last for 3 to 5 weeks. Sweet potatoes have about the same shelf life. Do not store them next to onions, however as the two might go together well in cooking, but raw, each gives off gases and moisture that might cause the other to spoil faster.

2. Onions

• Shelf life: 1 to 2 months

As with potatoes, store these in a cool, dry, dark place for maximum longevity. And don’t store them with potatoes; both will spoil faster.

3. Peanuts

• Shelf life: 1 to 2 months

Peanuts in their shell, especially when kept cool and dry, are happy in the pantry for as long as 2 months.

4. Winter Squash

• Shelf life: 1 to 3 months

The various kinds of thick-skinned winter squash – including butternut, spaghetti, acorn, kabocha, and hubbard, among others – are among the most durable of fresh vegetables.

5. Apples

• Shelf life: 5 days to 6 months

Apples kept in a fruit bowl at room temperature will generally last 5 to 7 days. When stored in a humid place at a temperature of 30º to 40º F. However, they can stay crisp and fresh for as long as 6 months.

6. Tea

• Shelf life: 6 to 12 months past “best by” date

Dried tea leaves, whether loose (in a sealed container) or in teabags (in an unopened box) can easily last a year or more if they’re not subjected to moisture or humidity. The tea does tend to lose flavor over time, though.

7. Powdered Milk

• Shelf life: 1 to 1½ years

The color, texture, or flavor of powdered milk might change as it ages, but it will still be perfectly usable and safe for at least 18 months.

8. Jerky

• Shelf life: 1 to 2 years

Jerky was invented to last a long time!

9. Canned Fruits and Vegetables

• Shelf life: 1 to 2 years past “best by” date

Canning is an extremely efficient means of preserving food. Generally speaking, if canned foods aren’t subjected to intense heat, their contents should stay good for 2 years or more. Note though that dented cans, or those with swollen tops, may indicate the presence of bacteria inside.

10. Dried Pasta

• Shelf life: 1 to 2 years past “best by” date

Made with just semolina flour and water, then thoroughly dried, this pasta is fairly indestructible. Its richer counterpart, fresh pasta, usually made with eggs, is much more perishable and should always be kept refrigerated.

11. Bouillon Cubes

• Shelf life: 2 years

12. Peanut Butter

• Shelf life: 2 years

An unopened jar of peanut butter should last longer than a couple of years at room temperature, but with time, the oil will separate, the peanut butter might dry out, and the flavor may fade. 2 years is likely the maximum for the best quality.

13. Dark Chocolate

• Shelf life: 2 to 5 years

Because milk chocolate contains dairy, it will go bad more quickly than chocolate with high cacao content and little or no milk. Warm temperatures are the enemy of dark chocolate, and while it should last for a couple of years at temperatures up to around 75º F, it will keep for as long as five years if the thermometer rests between 60º and 65º F. Chocolate exposed to high temperatures can develop white spots, but these are harmless and don’t affect the flavor.

14. Canned Tuna

• Shelf life: 3 to 5 years after “best by” date

Tuna is a hardy fish and one that takes well to canning (and in more recent times, to vacuum-packing in pouches). For optimum flavor and texture, don’t keep it longer than five years after the producer’s “best by” date. Also, other canned meats like chicken, pork, etc.

15. Dried Beans

• Shelf life: Indefinite

Dried beans are virtually indestructible if they’re kept dry, though they begin to lose their moisture after a year or two. As they age, they will require longer pre-soaking and/or cooking times to become tender.

16. Honey

• Shelf life: Indefinite

Though honey is often sold with a “best by” date (usually somewhere between 2 and 5 years from the time it’s packaged), that’s because over time it may darken and form sugar crystals – perfectly harmless, but off-putting to some consumers. Pure 100% undiluted honey in an unopened jar (stored away from heat) will still be edible years, decades, probably generations down the road.

18. White Rice

• Shelf life: Indefinite

Brown rice may be healthier, but it has a high oil content and so can go bad in a few months’ time, while white rice, if kept dry, will last forever. The only possible problem, other than moisture, is the sudden appearance of tiny black bugs among the rice grains. These are rice weevils or flour bugs, and they’ve either found their way into the package through microscopic openings or their eggs were harvested along with the rice itself. Storing rice in thoroughly dried airtight containers will stop them from getting in. If they’re already there then the rice should be discarded.

19. Granola

• Shelf life: 3-6 months

Granola, if kept in an airtight container, should last for months.

20. Trail Mix

• Shelf life: 3-6 months

Trail Mix, if kept in an airtight container, should last for months. The options are also quite broad.

Please beware that when purchasing tickets to certain events via Live Nation (Ticketmaster) you are very easily being duped into a “bonus” or “complimentary” magazine subscription. Why is this a scam?

First of all, yes, Live Nation gives you the option to ‘opt out’ of this “complimentary” subscription but it’s listed under “Privacy Information”. It should be listed elsewhere with a different heading. Also, “bonus” implies free, no cost to you, and this is not the case. Also, you must check the box to opt-out versus checking the box to opt-in.
(Click on the image below for larger version)

Secondly, if you do decline this “bonus” offer, you are then eligible for a “refund” of $14.99 if you are thorough enough to read the fine print and follow a couple links. Why are you eligible for a “refund” if this is indeed a “complimentary” offer?!

“Ticket Special Bonus:
A one-year (52) subscription to Entertainment Weekly (a $14.99 value) is included in your concert ticket purchase today. Your first issue will mail in 8-12 weeks. You will not receive a bill for this magazine subscription. This offer is valid for new U.S. subscribers only and is limited to one subscription per household. Entertainment Weekly publishes eight double issues a year. Each double issue counts as two of 52 issues in an annual subscription. The subscription will be mailed to your ticket purchase order shipping address. If you would like to decline your magazine subscription you may request a $14.99 rebate. To request this rebate: please mail this completed form along with confirmation of purchase to Live Nation Rebate, Entertainment Weekly, P.O. Box 63440, Tampa, FL 33663-3440 within 30 days of your purchase.”

I, for one, didn’t read the fine print and received 2 issues of Entertainment Weekly in the mail. I had no idea why I was receiving this magazine until a friend, weeks later, asked me if I noticed this practice on Live Nation’s website when she was purchasing tickets for a different comedy show. That’s when it became obvious to me why I was receiving Entertainment Weekly. Of course this was 30 days after my “purchase” and too late to request a refund. I suspect this is intentional and part of the scam. By the time customers figure out what is going on, it’s too late. 6-8 weeks to receive your magazine, remember?

Here is the quote from Live Nation’s Privacy Policy:

“Newsletter and Magazine Subscriptions: When you complete the ticket purchase for our shows, you will be automatically enrolled in our newsletter. In addition, for some shows you may receive a complimentary subscription to a trade magazine. For this purpose, we will provide your name and mailing address to the magazine subscription fulfillment company. You may choose to simultaneously opt out of both subscriptions during the checkout process.”

You can see the entire Live Nation final ticket purchase page to the right. (click on it to enlarge) Notice how there is a timer on it at the bottom right? It forces you to rush through the page and not read everything because you’re afraid of losing your tickets.

Let’s put a stop to this practice by complaining directory to Live Nation. You can retweet this here.

-Chris Thacker
https://alternapop.com
http://twitter.com/indiesongaday

———————————-

Update: May 11, 2011

On February 18, I purchased tickets via Live Nation to see Kevin Nealon at Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco. Now that I’m aware of Live Nation’s duplicity when buying comedy tickets I was diligent enough to check the box to decline the “complimentary” magazine subscription and fill out the necessary paperwork to receive the $14.99 refund on said COMPLIMENTARY subscription. I mailed out the paperwork within a week.

On April 28th, I realized that I hadn’t received my refund so I tweeted this to @livenation and a specific Live Nation employee who follows me. She said she’d have someone look into it.

On May 2nd, Ben from Live Nation emailed me to assist. I told him that I hadn’t yet received my refund and was curious if Live Nation had a comment regarding my concerns about the nature of how these subscriptions are filled. He said he’d look into the refund and ignored my other point.

On May 4th he said that he learned that the refund had been processed and I received a voice mail that day or the next. I replied back:

“Hi Ben,
Thanks for your help with this.

So correct me if I’m misunderstanding this whole process but every time
someone orders comedy tickets online, they must opt-out of a “free”
magazine subscription yet are entitled to a refund if they both decline
the free subscription and fill out the necessary paperwork? LiveNation
expects customers to repeat this process over and over for every ticket
purchase?”

Again no reply.

Today it’s May 11th and I have yet to receive my refund. I emailed Ben, the Live Nation rep, and he replied back, “The check is on the way and you will be receiving it this week!”. This tells me that they didn’t send the check before, like he said they did, and they just got around to it. Really?

Additionally, I found this class action lawsuit against Ticketmaster (1)(2)(3)(4) from 2000! They have been doing this for over a decade.

———————————-

Update: June 1, 2011

After calling/emailing Live Nation numerous times I finally received my rebate check for $19.99. I have no idea why that was the amount versus the stated $14.99. So the three tickets I purchased totaled around $89 and I got $20 knocked off of that.