A Little Background in drab grey.

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WHY DID I GET BANNED FROM REDDIT?

There's a bunch of rumors out there, some outrageous, some plausible, most controversial. Just choose one you feel comfortable with and go with that, my internet feelings don't get hurt. OR you can have the actual boring reason which is...

I refused to remove a post which angered Reddit admin, they suspended me for 3 days, i made an alternate account which is "ban evasion", then i got suspended for 7 days then 21 days for not removing the post (and constantly evading the ban) I decided to offend the reddit admin for abusing their power, i got banned permanently for "admin abuse" no less. Hey i have a whole Youtube video about it.

They even went as far as banning anyone who queried them as to why i was banned, and people who commented on the said post for "doxxing" themselves.

That's it. kinda petty and stupid, but i don't like to be bullied.

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CHOOSING BEGGARS

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     Being one of the few guys in my line of work means I get most if not all the work. Great! You say. That means I'm overly busy, so I'm overly stressed, backlogged and have no time for family or winding down.

So expand Abs! nah, don't wanna. I'm too old for this shit

THEN there are those who want shit for cheap or free even, this is where the fun starts because i'm an old guy who really doesn't care anymore.

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ENTITLED PRICKS

     People who have an idea but don't want to pay. They think I should build it free, they sell it and we both make money from my hard work.

     Or guys that think they have the most innovative idea ever and they must be placed at the front of the queue.

     People who can't understand that I'm booked solid for 3 months and can't squeeze their job in.

     Then the lowballers. I fucking love the lowballers. $1000? Parts are only $150! why are you charging so much?

Because lady, it takes 2 days to build and i don't work free.

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BENDING OVER BACKWARDS

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     Like most people, I tried everything not to upset a customer. Even when they were being douchebags. Keep it professional Abs.

Then I got my first 1 star review from a guy I almost literally bent over backwards for.

That got me thinking....

     Did I even want this guys business? If I was rude back to him he still would've left 1 star. I wouldn't want a dick like him as a client anyway. Even if he was a big contract (which he wasn't) I'd be his bitch if I let him get away with his shit.

     So i wrote a witty retort to his review on Google. People loved it and it got me more work. He deleted his review. Score!

ENTER REDDIT and r/choosingbeggars

     I've been a redditor for 8 years under the nickname u/omegaweapon. (I'm permanently banned from Reddit now actually, i hurt an admins feelings) I was just a lurker who dropped the occasional comment. Then I discovered r/choosingbeggars and thought pffft! That's nothing compared to the shit i get. (I actually said pffft. It was a defining moment in my life)

     I posted my story. Front page. People loved the fact that i clapped back at that dickhead.

     I get a couple of choosing beggar customers per week. Most take the hint when i shut them down politely, but there's always one who just won't let up. I had to write the following in bold to stress a crucial point....

     I posted every week, sometimes every fortnight. This lead to a misconception that I was getting a CB every week. That's not the case though, these posts were posts that I've archived over a few years with the intent to start a blog and upload them. 

     I didn't want to spam the r/choosingbeggars channel with everything in one go.

The other misconception was that every one of my customer interactions had some spectacular outcome where I won. nope. I only posted the good ones that actually worked, that's like 1 in 6. The other interactions I had either flopped when a joke I had in mind fell flat, or the customer just disengaged immediately when I started being a smartass. So only posting the good ones gave the impression that all of my interactions were great.

     So I made it my mission to not block them like i used to, but to give it back to them as eloquently as possible. See how they like being on the receiving end for a change. Post after post made the front page of Reddit.

ADMITTEDLY I DO BAIT THEM SOMEWHAT

     I'm always polite and professional at first. Always. But the minute they get nasty or entitled, I'll say my goodbyes. If they don't quit, i feel I'm justified to hurt their feelings.

     Usually I'd try and turn their own words against them. It's more satisfying that way, watching them back peddle, then I'd go in for the kill. If it's worthy enough i might screen cap it and post it.

     The jokes sometimes fall flat though, no one's perfect and I'm not a comedian. But my point got across to them, 'don't fuck with people, especially ones you need shit from'

     But that's not professional! Some say.  I don't care. It's my business. I don't want to work for an asshole, take their money and you'll be a slave to their every whim.

THEY'RE ASSHOLES BECAUSE THEY'RE USED TO GETTING AWAY WITH IT

     I get asked constantly why i don't just ignore them. Why waste my time responding?

Because that's what perpetuates their behavior.      

     They get away with it. People concede, or just block them, or remain polite regardless and take the abuse. I can understand that you don't want negative ratings. Just respond to it and call out their bullshit, people are drawn to read that one star review. So there's your platform.

     If they've wasted my time, I'll waste theirs. If they insult me, I'll break out my arsenal of hurty feely words. If they get bitten hard enough they might just learn a lesson and change their ways.

BACK TO REDDIT...

     Post after post made front page on Reddit. It wasn't the karma score, I don't care for fake internet points, people laughed, I got literally thousands of emails from Redditors thanking me for the laugh, thanking me for brightening a bad day they were having. From frustrated sales people who were cathartic to finally see a difficult customer being shut down.

     That's why I post my posts. It feels nice when people get together and laugh over a shitty experience together.

RICHARD BÖHLSACH

     Back at Technical college in the early 1990's I created detective Richard Böhlsach (Dick Ballsack if you still missed it) as a detective noire short story. The name wasn't picked up on by my teacher so it stuck.

     In one of my posts below (Toby Tank Style) a guy threatened to sue me. So i gave him my "solictors" name. Richard Böhlsach from Böhlsach, Schlong and Taint Solictors. It's obviously a joke but it's surprising how many people miss it when i direct them to my attorney Richard_bohlsach@taint.net.au

     It's become an inside joke with some lawyers around the country who email Richard or refer people to him. I might post those.

DO I THINK I OVER DO IT SOMETIMES?

Of course! Sometimes I feel really bad like with Toby below. He was obviously not all there and I played him pretty hard. But i did reach out and try to make almonds with him. You'll get it once you read the saga.

 DO I FAKE THEM?

Seriously? I couldn't make this shit up if i wanted to. These are real idiots. As I stated before though, I do try and direct some of them into a gag I may have in mind if they piss me off enough. Most are pretty gullible as you'll see and take the bait.

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Am I David Thorne or copying David Thorne?

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I'd actually never heard of David till a few redditors asked if I was him. Then I checked out www.27bslash6.com and became a huge fan. 

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That's it guys

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That's it. That's the backstory all. I wasn't expecting it to be a rant that went on this long, but i thought I'd address the questions i get asked hundreds of times on Reddit.

I hope you enjoy my interactions below. Please direct all hate mail to Richard_bohlsach@taint.net.au

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