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PLEASE NOTE: As of  Mid-May, 2013, the Sweet Dreams by Tracy Site will cease to exist. As sad as it is for me to do, I won't be renewing the 'lease' on the site.
Thank You sincerely to all who have used & enjoyed the site & its content since 1997. Tracy 

Well- By now, we are all well aware of the dangers of the internet. Spam, Viruses, Hackers, Porno Spam (my personal least favorite!), Cyber-Stalkers- the list goes on & on! It was bound to happen, and we all need to find ways to combat it as best that we can.

Being that my site is pretty visible, and that I have (had) my email address as a link at the top of most every page, I have been absolutely inundated with computer 'issues'. My email (the webmall1.com one) has been taken & is being used to send out viruses- I have even received them from myself! I get LOTS of both kinds of Spam emails daily.

SO.....It may be equal to 'closing the barn door after the horse has run off', but I'm going to implement a change in the way my site handles email. I know it will make it a bit less convenient for you all, but it will only take one more step. Instead of the link at the top of the page opening your email program, it will bring you here. Then, you can click on this link to send me an email: Tracy@sdbytracy.com- It should automagically come up with the subject line filled in, hopefully. Please don't delete the subject, add to it if you wish, but I wanted to let you know that I don't even look at emails with nothing in the subject line.  (This way, I can weed out the Spam that say 'hi' in the subject!)
But wait- before you email me with a question regarding cake decorating, or a decorating technique, PLEASE post your wonderment on the Message Board. Here's a link. That way, I will see it along with all the other wonderful, friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable decorators that frequent the Board, and you will get MUCH faster help! I've been having a hard time answering emails in a timely fashion in the last few months and the guilt is about to do me in. If I can answer, I will, rest assured.   

I'm also going to ask for one more favor (demanding, aren't I?!)- Please do not add my email address to your email address book. I truly DO love getting emails from each & every one of you, but equally dislike viruses.

Please remember- NEVER open an email, whether it's from a return address you recognize or not, that has an attachment UNLESS the person sending it to you has placed a personalized message in the body of the email. For example:

Hey Betty!
I got this from my sister, and thought of you & your cats. It's way too funny! Hope Bob is feeling okay, e-ya later-
Gertrude

Don't use any of the "virus removal tools" that come your way via email- it's a trick to get you to download the virus!! Delete any email that promises 'this is a very powful tool- I expect you would like it' or 'This is a very funny game- I expect you would like it'.  Don't go to any site links on 'strange' emails- I got one the other day that said I had sent an online card to someone I have NEVER heard of, and had a link to view a copy of the card. Yes, it was bogus- No, I didn't go see the card. I did, however, use the online card service that it claimed to be (Blue Mountain), and sent a REAL card to someone to see what the email I would get looked like- Yep, way different. These people (and I use the term loosely) that write these nasty viruses come up with new tricks every day, so we have to try to think like they do & try to stop them in any way possible.

FINALLY- I will never send you an email without typing in a message specifically for the person or persons getting the mail. If you do receive something from Tracy @webmall1.com or @sdbytracy.com, and the subject or the text is odd----delete it, it's NOT from me. I can't think of any way to stop whomever has taken it, but I can sure warn everybody about them!!

~Getting down off my soapbox now-----Have a great day!~

Here's the text of an email I received lately, that I thought would fit well on this page- Thanks to Angela!:

Tracy -

I love the "anti-spam" page on your website!  Is that new?  I haven't noticed it before.  I have luckily not been hit by a virus yet (knock on wood)!  But I have gotten "chain letter" emails that warn you about some new virus that is sweeping the nation that tells you to delete some file on your computer ... usually one that is necessary to the functioning of your computer!  People unknowingly forward these emails to you when they get them thinking that they are doing you a favor.  However, lately I have been hit by a run of spam porno emails.  They just make me so mad!

The first time I ever got one of the "virus hoaxes", I forwarded it on to every one on my email list, including my Dad.  He had already heard of them because he subscribes to McAfee anti-virus & they were known virus hoaxes.  He told me this was a hoax & emailed me back with links to McAfee so I could check if a virus was real or a hoax in the future before I forward them to everyone whenever I get emails like that.  You can go to www.mcafee.com for virus information.  Anyway, I thought I would share this info with you in case you wanted to add it to your website.  Below is what he sent me on the 2 virus hoaxes that I had mentioned in the email to him :

Anyway - love your website, the message board, the cake recipes, and your cakes !!!  Thank you for sharing!

Angela Bartholomew

The following site is good for checking to determine if a virus alert is real or a hoax.
http://www.datafellows.com/news/hoax.htm