Craigslist.

I love Craigslist.  It's such an efficient & simple way to do things.  Simple text.  Click here.  Click there.  And voila!  The world knows what you're selling/renting/needing.  I've saved thousands, and made thousands with this free service.

I hate Craigslist.  It's so easy to slip.  Simple text.  Click here.  Click there.  And voila!  Exactly the materials that I crave and it's all downhill from there.  What's worse, there are phone numbers and ways to actually get in touch with others with the same lust at that moment.  Scary.  I'm scared every time I think about it (when I'm sober).

I need Craigslist.  It has become the de facto marketplace for the type of business I conduct.  Consumers in need of my service flock to Craigslist to find out how to get it.  The second best marketplace is so way down the list that it's irrelevant.

So what did I do?

Safeeyes.com is the internet filter I use.  It allows me to create different profiles on my one account.  So I have one account with many profiles:

• The Regular profile.  Allows all websites except Craigslist (and a few others like Facebook, porn, youtube etc).  I set surfing times from  6am to 11pm.


• The Craigslist profile.  It allows ONLY Craigslist.  No other website is allowed.  I set surfing times for this profile from 9am to 11am - the time that I usually need to post my business.


• My wife's profile.  She can go on any website except porn (default).  She uses Facebook for keruv.  She can use her profile anytime. 


• My assistants' profile.  you get the point. 

One more thing.  Regardless of the profile, I set my filter so that no matter which profile is used, NO WEBSITE can be accessed if it contains certain words.  My slippery slope is adorned with the same phrases that get me all excited.  And safeeys allows me to add banned words with a right click on my taskbar.

The beauty of this rather complex system is that I don't know the administrative password to my safeeyes account.  So if at any moment I want to "take a break" - I will have to either:

1. call Safeeyes, press 1 for this, 0 for that, be on hold, answer questions, and fax my drivers license (who has time for all this meshugas?  I just want to watch some porn)


2. format my harddrive and reinstall windows, all programs, and documents (yes.  that sure turns me off)

In order to add stringencies (chumrot) you don't need any password.  Just right click on the icon on your taskbar (on your computer) and you can add a website to the block list of any or all the profiles.  Same with banned words.

Now that I'm thinking about it, it does sound kind of crazy.  I have created this complex web of labyrinths, g'mara fashion: in case of A if it happens at times of B then C but not if D, E , F, in which case G, unless H, go back to B, see Rashi. 

But the Yetzer is smart and persistent.  And guess who is smarter and more persistent?

Hi,

Thanks for the post, I like your attitude, you gave me a boost when I really need it.
I laughed at the "see Rashi" - I wonder what he would say about all this?

Keep strong

ToAdd

Sounds like you've got a good plan.  How is it working for you?

--Eye.

geonus!

wow!
good for you for doing so much to protect yourself

Spanon, you may want to check out if webchaver will segregate in its reports between problematic and non-problematic craiglist searches.  If it does, it can provide an added layer of protection.  Hatzlacha.

I hope you have a wonderful week, my friend.