Meet Mark, the little bookmark who waits with you

I have an announcement. Someone new has been hanging around Favelist.

He's the exact color of our logo. He mostly floats, but sometimes he has legs (we'll get to that). He'd like to say hi, but he's a little nervous, so he's mostly just waving.

Who is Mark?

Mark is a bookmark. Not a metaphorical one. An actual bookmark, like the ribbon in our logo, except with googly eyes and feelings.

His job is simple: stand around looking friendly while you wait to buy things.

I'd love to tell you we ran a naming committee. We did not. I said "mark?" out loud once, he looked up, and that was that.

Why does an app about waiting need a mascot?

Favelist is quiet on purpose. No feeds, no "you might also like," nothing trying to sell you something else. I'm very proud of that.

But quiet can also feel a bit empty. Waiting is a lot easier when someone is doing it with you, even if that someone is a piece of ribbon with opinions.

So now, when there's nothing to show you, there's Mark.

His many moods

He gets around. A few places you might spot him:

• On your dashboard, stretching in the morning, waving in the afternoon, and pointing up at the moon in the evening. He has a schedule.
• In an empty collection, fast asleep. If there's nothing on your list, it's nap time. This is not a bug.
• When everything is decided, cheering with both arms up. You bought what you loved, passed on the rest, and left nothing waiting. He's very proud of you.
• On your way to the store, out for a walk. Yes, with legs. When you click through to buy something you waited for, he walks you there.
• On the Add item page, holding out one hand like a tiny, patient customs officer. Pass him a link.
• When a store won't let us read the page, sad, with one small tear. He takes it personally. (It's not you. Some stores just don't want to be read.)

A few things Mark is not

He is not telling you what to buy. Mark has opinions about waiting, and only about waiting. He has never once said "you might also like."

He is not guilt-tripping you. If you pass on something, he's thrilled. If you buy something you waited for, he's also thrilled. Mark is thrilled by most things.

He does not usually have legs. We tried giving him a pair full time. It was unsettling. He floats now, and he seems happier. But when he has somewhere to be, like walking you to the store after your wait is over, a pair of legs shows up. He puts them away again afterwards. We don't ask questions.

He is not a blob, although for a brief, fuzzy moment he was going to be. The bookmark won because it's the logo, and because blobs can't do a convincing wave.

Say hi

Next time you open Favelist, look for him. He's the one who looks like he's been waiting for you.

If you'd like a quiet place to keep your list (and a small bookmark to keep you company while you wait), that's what Favelist is for.

Sharon (and Mark)