What's with the "Hi Opal!" stuff/

[WSLer]

Being a relative newbee to the boards, I have noticed this phrase in a number of threads and am curious about the story behind it. Unless of course I have to learn the secret handshake and get branded before I hear it.

Thanks in advance.

[Saltire]

You desperately need to do a search on this question. I don't want to be rude to a newbie (heck, we all like newbies), but this question has been asked and answered at least 3 times in the last month or so.

[Quintas]

wouldn't it have been easier to just answer the guy's question if you know the answer? sheesh.

[Inky-]

Aaaargh!!! Make it stop! Make it stop!!!

[Kat]

OpalCat is a longtime board member who does not like lists with only two items. Two items could just be included as part of a sentence like this:
I like beans and potatoes.
As opposed to:
I like
1) Beans
2) Potatoes
If she ever found herself with a 2-item list, she would add an additional item that said "3) Nothing, I just don't like 2-item lists." Other people started doing the same thing, adding a "3) Nothing, but Opal doesn't like 2-item lists." It eventually degenerated into "3) Hi, Opal!" and people started putting "3) Hi, Opal!" into longer lists, too.

Someone probably beat me to this already. ;)

[barbitu8]

Opal's opposed to liking beans and potatoes? Well, some can like beans and potatoes all the time, and all can like beans and potatoes some of the time, but not all can like beans and potatoes all the time.

[TV time]

You guys hold WSLer down a little longer will ya? The branding iron isn't quite hot enough yet. And the only thing about the handshake is that it has to be done nude.

[bibliophage]

Since this is a question about this message board, I'll move this thread to ATMB

[MEBuckner]

Because this is where we keep the branding irons.

[rowrrbazzle]

from Opal herself: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=2116403#post2116403

[Doug Bowe]

The branding irons are from Ranger Jeff.

[White Lightning]

As strenuous a proponent of newbies doing searches as I am, this strikes me as a topic that it might be difficult to effectively find with a search. What could you possibly search for that would include inquiries as to the significance of "Hi Opal" and exclude examples of it coming up in regular posts?

[kabbes]

True indeed WL. It should be stuck in the FAQ instead.

Along with the following note:

THIS CEASED TO BE FUNNY AT LEAST TWO YEARS AGO. If you use it then actually you will, ironically, simply betray yourself as a clueless newbie desperate to get in with the non-existent clique (TINC). Please - just let it die

pan

[me-and-irene]

kabbes - apparently you aren't familiar with OpalCat's message boards, and http://www.teemingmillions.com and http://fff.fathom.org/forums/

On both of those, as recently as this weeks postings, you will find several "Fanatic" and "Uberfanatic" (i.e., high-count poster) lists with Hi Opal as number 3. There they have no cliques to worry about, so that part's never an issue.

[kabbes]

me-and-irene, apparently you aren't aware that I have a fancy pants status on that board too. I know Fathom of old - I just don't choose to post there very often.

What people do on Opal's own board is between them and Opal. In jokes are tricky things - in Opal's back yard there is bound to be a closer link between themselves and their board goddess.

Nonetheless on this board the "Hi Opal" is almost exclusively used by those with post counts in the low hundreds who've heard of the "joke" but have not yet realised just how tired it has become.

pan

[Crusoe]

Thanks, kabbes. Without wishing to turn this into a Pit thread, this joke is about as funny as 'I know you are, but what am I?'. No offence to Opal, who obviously didn't intend to start a trend, but can we please stop it?

[wring]

Originally posted by White Lightning
As strenuous a proponent of newbies doing searches as I am, this strikes me as a topic that it might be difficult to effectively find with a search. What could you possibly search for that would include inquiries as to the significance of "Hi Opal" and exclude examples of it coming up in regular posts?

the word 'Opal' in the title alone.

know thy search engine.

you'll also note, please that not everyone does this. FOr me, it's partly because I get tired of the once a month 'what's with the 'hi Opal' thread from newbies, which then generates this same predictable line of responses.

[PhiloVance]

As one who is in the low hundreds and uses Hi Opal quite a bit, I'll say this: Hi Opal!

Seriously, if it wasn't Hi Opal, it'd probably be 'lo Grinch or something else.


Personally, I think it's kinda cute ;)


and, yes, I asked about it when I was a real real newbie. :rolleyes:

[WSLer]

I'm sorry. Really I am. I'll be good.

Sheesh, that turned kinda nasty. Sorry if I got some old posters a little bent out of shape, but doing a search on the SDMB's, takes a long time, at least for my computer. By long, I mean upwards of 1/2 an hour. Which I could put to better use oh, I don't know cleaning my room.

[Arnold Winkelried]

Well, you can always clean your room while it's searching. ;)

[Kat]

Better yet, WSLer could clean my room while it's searching...

[Flamsterette_X]

Nah, while it's searching, WSLer could vacuum my place!:D

[John Carter of Mars]

Originally posted by Saltire
You desperately need to do a search on this question. I don't want to be rude to a newbie (heck, we all like newbies), but this question has been asked and answered at least 3 times in the last month or so.

This board is already unbearably slow. We have been told that use of the search function slows the board speed significantly. I would think that searches should be discouraged as much as possible, rather than encouraged. My .02.

[White Lightning]

Originally posted by John Carter of Mars
I would think that searches should be discouraged as much as possible, rather than encouraged.And on the other hand, having threads like this crop up periodically also contributes to server load.

wring, you are so right. I'm embarrassed now.

[Arnold Winkelried]

Originally posted by John Carter of Mars
I would think that searches should be discouraged as much as possible, rather than encouraged.I wouldn't go as far as that. Just because the search function slows down the board doesn't mean we want people to abandon it altogethere. Instead try and use it judiciously, and to good purpose. It is boring to see the same question over and over in GQ.
e.g. If you are looking for a thread of yours in which you discussed X, instead of just choosing "search all fora" for X, try and remember - what forum was the thread in? Maybe I should search just that forum? How old was the thread? Choose an appropriate date range and expand it later if necessary.
If you are searching for a new subject, try and think which forum would be most likely to have that subject?

[Polycarp]

I dunno -- I'm approaching 5,000 post and I still find it humorous when people attempt to find witty ways to include Opal as the third item in a list. Examples:

CJHoworth in the "What do you say to a naked lady?" thread, on use of hot tubs:

"I'm overdressed," said not only to a naked lady, but her equally naked husband, on not one, but two occaisions. {snippage}
"You look nice," said to me by another dear friend of the couple who own the hot tub at their place. {more snipping}
Hi Opal. What are you doing in this hot tub?


Octavia Smythe-Bunion in the "11 Reasons I'm Not Cool" thread:
1. My music collection features both Beethoven AND David Allan Coe.

2. Hi Opal!

3. I put the obligatory "Hi Opal" in #2 and not #3.

{snip}

11. I actually posted to this thread.

The idea of playing with the tired old joke furnishes fertile soil for the wittiness of the members here.

[scott evil]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Polycarp
[b]CJHoworth in the "What do you say to a naked lady?" thread, on use of hot tubs:

"I'm overdressed," said not only to a naked lady, but her equally naked husband, on not one, but two occaisions. {snippage}
"You look nice," said to me by another dear friend of the couple who own the hot tub at their place. {more snipping}
Hi Opal. What are you doing in this hot tub?


At the time, that one made me spew coffee all over my computer screen. (Well, figuratively.) Reading it again made me chuckle.

Interesting note regarding "Hi, Opal!": in the MST3K short "The Home Economics Story", as one of the girls descends the stairs, one of the MST3K guys says, "Oh, hi, Opal!" :D

- s.e.

[scott evil]

I have to add...

When I'm writing a numbered step-by-step list in my manuals, I'm always tempted to write "Hi, Opal!" when I get to step 3. :rolleyes:

- s.e.

[kabbes]

Of course, Poly, playing with it like that is a long, long way from merely typing bland "Hi Opals" every time you see the number "3".

That, I maintain, is like having someone tell you the same joke day after day after day after day after...

(Like? Hell - it is haveing someone tell you the same joke).

It makes me grind my teeth and roll my eyes so hard they'll be arriving in Soeul any time now.

pan

[heresiarch]

Originally posted by kabbes
It makes me grind my teeth and roll my eyes so hard they'll be arriving in Soeul any time now.[/B]Astroboy and I will keep a lookout for 'em.

[PunditLisa]

Well, I'm glad y'all straightened me out on the appropriate use of "Hi Opal." I just always thought it was used anywhere in a list. D'oh!

And I'm not even a newbie.