Ask the guy who's been an SDMB board member for 10 years today

[Enderw24]

Yup. I joined on September 15, 2000. Just so you know, if you joined before me you're old and weird and clearly have no life to have been posting that long. If you joined after me, you're a youngish newb and really not worth my time.

But just for today, I make an exception to both those categories above and will allow all you to ask any members currently celebrating their Tin/Aluminum/Diamond anniversary with the SDMB (depending on which list you consult) any questions that come to mind.

[BMalion]

Why aren't you a charter member?

[BigT]

What got you started, and what specifically kept you here? What are some of the things you remember most? Oh, and were you involved (even tangentially) in any debacles?

[Enderw24]

Why aren't you a charter member?

I knew someone was going to ask me this. I was. For several years actually. Then I accidently let it lapse one day and...well, I never rejoined. I'm not entirely sure why I didn't. I just didn't. And apathy begat apathy begat...meh.

I'll probably rejoin one of these days. Missed the window to reclaim charter member status, though.

[Enderw24]

What got you started, and what specifically kept you here? What are some of the things you remember most? Oh, and were you involved (even tangentially) in any debacles?

In college I would read the Straight Dope all the time. I graduated in 1999 and then got a job out in the big bad Real WorldTM. One day I was bored and went to go search out some articles and stumbled across this message board. I lurked for about a few days and then joined up.

Right before I joined there was the infamous FreakFeely meltdown and I'm always sad I just missed out on that one.
The strange one I remember most was a thread I started thanking a bunch of people for being part of the boards. On a whim, I decided to thank literally the newest member of the SDMB so I checked the front page which, at the time, would tell you who the last person to join was. His name was Bronze Lion. So I included him in the thread.
Well Bronze Lion ended up being a very short lived but extremely entertaining character who started a thread discussing long lines at the doctors offices. Apparently those aren't because the doctor is running late. In reality, it's because the doctors are there having sex with all the women and the women have nothing better to do but stand in line getting...what's the gendered reverse of sloppy seconds? Sequential slammings?
Anyway, it was an entertaining thread and I'm sorry Bronze Lion couldn't make a go of it on these boards.

[kopek]

Are you frikkin nuts or just totally lifeless?

Well, someone had to ask. But congrats anyway.

[Enderw24]

Are you frikkin nuts or just totally lifeless?

Yes.

[OpalCat]

Newb.

[Enderw24]

Newb.

And herein I reference my OP

Just so you know, if you joined before me you're old and weird and clearly have no life to have been posting that long.

Fogey.

[Athena]

Get off my lawn!

[I can't believe I got to say that first on this thread.]

[Ellen Cherry]

Gosh, I remember when you showed up! Seems like just yesterday!

[Shagnasty]

Looks like its senior citizens day on the Dope. What is your favorite dinner special? I love the Old Country Buffet as long as you get there before 5 pm and it gets all crowded with with young people with their polyester pants all pulled up and stuff.

To the OP. I joined in 2000 as well. What do you remember in particular about that time? I remember it well but let's see if you can jar some more memories.

[conway]

Do you remember lights? I remember lots of lights. And screaming.

[Enderw24]

To the OP. I joined in 2000 as well. What do you remember in particular about that time? I remember it well but let's see if you can jar some more memories.

Well I remember people. Drain Bead and Satan (though Drain's still around). Rasa and Oldscratch. Oldscratch and I kept trying to top each other for the most surreal pitting of the other one night. Homer was still around as well and he lived in the same town as me so I met him once. He then dropped off the planet and I don't know what happened to him.

What I remember most about that time was how insanely slow the boards were. You youngfolk have it easy! Why, in my day, we'd open up 15 threads simultaneously in the hopes that in ten minutes one of them would load and we could start reading.
Not like today with your newfangled web 2.0 and turbocharged hamsters and whatnot. We'd have killed for whatnot back in the day.

[Enderw24]

Do you remember lights? I remember lots of lights. And screaming.

There are FOUR. LIGHTS!

Oh wait, that's a reference way further back than 2000. Scary that.

[robby]

Congratulations, fellow two-thousander! Wow, a whole decade! Where has the time gone? :eek:

[MeanOldLady]

Did you know that September 15 is Costa Rica's independence day? It's the independence day for most of Central America.

[Enderw24]

Did you know that September 15 is Costa Rica's independence day? It's the independence day for most of Central America.

Well in honor of that I shall now run Bill Pullman's speech from Independence Day through Babelfish

Buenos días. En menos que una hora, los aviones de aquí ensamblarán otros de alrededor del mundo. Y usted pondrá en marcha la batalla aérea más grande de la historia de la humanidad. " Mankind." Esa palabra debe tener nuevo significado para todos nosotros hoy. Nosotros can' t sea consumido por nuestras diferencias pequeñas más. Nos unirán en nuestros intereses comunes. Quizás it' el sino de s que es hoy el cuarto de julio, y usted lucharán de nuevo para nuestra libertad… No de tiranía, de la opresión, o de la persecución… pero de la aniquilación. Estamos luchando para que la nuestra derecha viva. Para existir. Y debemos ganamos el día, el cuarto de julio será conocido no más como día de fiesta americano, sino como el día el mundo declaró en una voz: " ¡No entraremos reservado la noche! " ¡No desapareceremos sin una lucha! We' ¡el re ir a vivir encendido! We' ¡el re ir a sobrevivir! ¡Celebramos hoy nuestro Día de la Independencia!

And now back again to English:

Good morning. In less than one hour, the airplanes of will assemble others of around the world here. And you will start up the greater air battle of the history of the humanity. " Mankind." That word must have new meaning for all we today. We can' t is consumed by our small differences more. They will unite us in our common interests. Perhaps it' but of s that is today the quarter of July, and you will fight again for our freedom… Not of tyranny, of the oppression, or the persecution… but of the destruction. We are fighting so that our alive right. In order to exist. And we must we gained the day, the quarter of July will be known not more like American holiday, but as the day the world declared in a voice: " We will not enter reserved the night! " We will not disappear without a fight! We' re to go to live ignition! We' re to go to survive! We today celebrate our Day of Independence!

[Rasa]

To the OP. I joined in 2000 as well. What do you remember in particular about that time? I remember it well but let's see if you can jar some more memories.

Well I remember people. Drain Bead and Satan (though Drain's still around). Rasa and Oldscratch. Oldscratch and I kept trying to top each other for the most surreal pitting of the other one night. Homer was still around as well and he lived in the same town as me so I met him once. He then dropped off the planet and I don't know what happened to him.

Ahahaha. I wish I didn't remember rasa & oldscratch! Man, I dated a lot from this board. What a floozie I was. *snort* Can I shatter a lot of old-timer images of oldscratch by telling you that he confessed to me that the dog anus story was totally made up for effect? It was.

Didn't you start off as Enderw23 and changed it when you hit 24? Isn't it time for another few changes? ;)

It's funny, a few of us old time former hardcore posters from back then have come back lately. I read a lot but rarely post because I feel like the creepy college kid visiting high school here sometimes, because everyone is "new" (though they've been here years).

But I made some of the very best friends here.

[Rasa]

Oh hey! My 10 year anniversary is in 5 days. Though after that whole Winter of Our Missed Content I pretty much left and didn't come back till maybe a year ago.

[Enderw24]

[QUOTE=Enderw24;12918173]
Ahahaha. I wish I didn't remember rasa & oldscratch! Man, I dated a lot from this board. What a floozie I was. *snort* Can I shatter a lot of old-timer images of oldscratch by telling you that he confessed to me that the dog anus story was totally made up for effect? It was.

Didn't you start off as Enderw23 and changed it when you hit 24? Isn't it time for another few changes?.

Heh. Yeah, I had a feeling it was completely made up. He just wanted to win the TMI thread that was rightfully mine for the taking. Well fine then. He gets the crown but now he's gotta live under its shadow :).

And yeah, I was EnderW23 to start off. Good memory. I changed it in January when it was my birthday. I have quite a number of EnderWxx floating around the internet.
When it came time to change it to EnderW25 I never did. This was in part because I think whoever I asked to change it the first time gently rebuked me saying she'd do it *this* time, but really didn't want to keep doing it year after year after year. So I never did.
I thought about changing it permanently to EnderBoy but, gah, I'm 33 years old now and I don't really feel like a boy anymore. I'm a man damnit. A man's man! Wait, that doesn't sound right.

ETA: newb.

[BMalion]

"Where you bombed in the war grandpa?"


"Sonny, I was so bombed I don't remember a thing!"

[NoClueBoy]

Over Macho Grande?

[Enderw24]

Over Macho Grande?

I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing NoClue.

[vix]

My join date was 08-08-2000. Damn, that seems like a long time ago.

[Rushgeekgirl]

Wow I hadn't realized the time either. A decade for many of us this year.

Jesus I gotta get out more.

[Celyn]

I missed my Doper birthday too. August 2000, apparently. Ah well, the old memory is not what it was. All must eat cake!


Um, that is, except anyone dieting, or allergic, or avoiding gluten, or eggs, or diabetic or anything. :)

[beckwall]

Just wanted to say hi and congratulations. My ten year anniversary is next January. Celyn, you are right about cake - and I suggest red velvet cake, unless you hate it then go ahead and have some chocolate cake (or carrot cake, or yellow cake, etc.). Cake for all dopers!

[Celyn]

I have never heard of red velvet cake. A'Googling I will go.

[Tripler]

Congratulations, fellow two-thousander! Wow, a whole decade! Where has the time gone? :eek:

Shoot ol' timer, I'm sure even a bubblehead like you can imagine how much can change in ten years.

Hell, I went from "wannabe" to "is a"--even if it took me ten years.

Tripler
25 May 2000

[UncleBill]

I am a mere babe in the woods compared to you old folk. Raise a toast of Ensure in celebration!

[Little Nemo]

Newb.All the cool kids don't have zeroes in their join date.

[OpalCat]

Yeah, and the REALLY cool kids have 2 digit user IDs.

[Alice The Goon]

Yeah, and the REALLY cool kids have 2 digit user IDs.


And the really special kids have two digit IQs.

[Annie]

We have user id's? Shit, the stuff I manage to miss in 10 years.....

[Little Nemo]

Yeah, and the REALLY cool kids have 2 digit user IDs.My original user ID was two digits. Then I changed my username and back then that reset your user ID number and your post count. But I'm still old school AOL forum.

[Tamerlane]

The five stages of acceptance...

If you joined after me, you're a youngish newb and really not worth my time.

:confused:

:(

:mad:

:rolleyes:

:cool:

[BMalion]

I feel so young!

[FairyChatMom]

Man, 10 years for me, too. Wow. Words fail me...

[CWN]

Newb.All the cool kids don't have zeroes in their join date.

OK,OK, calm down gramps :)
Don't worry folks the smell of Ben Gay gets him riled up every so often

[Cicero]

Man, 10 years for me, too. Wow. Words fail me...

With a post count like that they don't fail you often :)

[Munch]

I feel so old...

Question: How do you feel about joining on the same day as that legendary poster 11yo doofus (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?u=9566) (interests: looking up cheerleaders skirts)?

[Enderw24]

I feel so old...

Question: How do you feel about joining on the same day as that legendary poster 11yo doofus (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php?u=9566) (interests: looking up cheerleaders skirts)?

It appears he registered on Oct 16 so he's not really even in the same league as me.

But for a scary thought, consider this: He's now a 21 year old doofus.

[Munch]

It appears he registered on Oct 16 so he's not really even in the same league as me.

Join Date: 9-15-2000
Last Activity: 10-16-2000

You newbie... Don't worry, you'll get the hang of this board one of these days.

[NoClueBoy]

Ever been in a Turkish prison?




What do you miss the most about the preP2P era? (I know it's free to post again now, but I separate my personal eras of SDMB by the P2P crap)

What are you most glad about changing from then to now?

[MeanOldLady]

How do you feel about posting to this thread today, even though its premise is no longer accurate? Also, today is Mexico's independence day. Do you have any more speeches that you can translate poorly into Spanish, then poorly again back into English?

[XJETGIRLX]

Whatcha been up to lately?

[TruCelt]

What's with the whole "Hi, Opal" thing?

[cards]

What's with the whole "Hi, Opal" thing?

Skipped the whole indoctrination, eh? Well, as a 99er, I'll administer the usual punishment as soon as I round up the goats and the squid.

Here this should help:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=537416

[Enderw24]

Ever been in a Turkish prison?




What do you miss the most about the preP2P era? (I know it's free to post again now, but I separate my personal eras of SDMB by the P2P crap)

What are you most glad about changing from then to now?

No. But I have seen a grown man naked.

I guess I could say the ads, but they never really bothered me enough to even try to get ad blocker. Sometimes I find them amusing depending on the subject matter and how they match up with the threads.

What I miss most, honestly, is a post count! For everyone! I just liked seeing that number, even if it didn't necessarily lead any weight towards what the person was saying.

What I like that's changed is that there are now numbers for every post in a thread so you can easily reference what's been said before and track a thread as it goes along day after day.

And I have to give a shout out to the moderators/admins. Yes, it's basically a thankless volunteer job, and yes, they screw up from time to time. But they've kept this board from delving into a sea of anarchy. And let's be honest. Much as we rail against the strictness here, it's really, trivially easy to not get banned on these boards. It's called not being an ass-nougat.

Oh, and sometimes I miss Dopefests. We just don't have them like they were back in the day.

How do you feel about posting to this thread today, even though its premise is no longer accurate? Also, today is Mexico's independence day. Do you have any more speeches that you can translate poorly into Spanish, then poorly again back into English?

I thought about starting another thread called "Ask the guy who's been an SDMB board member for 10 years and one day today." But then I'd be an ass-nougat. So I decided against it.

And yes. Yes I do. Here you go!

¡Soy Guillermo Wallace! Y veo a un ejército entero de mis paisanos, aquí en el desafío de la tiranía. You' VE viene luchar mientras que son los hombres libres… y los hombres libres usted. ¿Qué usted hará con esa libertad? ¿Usted luchará? Aye, lucha y usted puede morir. Funcione, y you' ll vivo… por lo menos un rato. Y muriendo en sus camas, muchos años de ahora en adelante, usted sería willin' para negociar TODOS LOS días, a partir de este día a ése, para una ocasión, apenas una ocasión, de volverse aquí y de decir nuestros enemigos que pueden tardar nuestras vidas, solamente they' el ll nunca toma… ¡NUESTRA LIBERTAD!

I am Guillermo Wallace! And I see a whole army of my countrymen, here in the challenge of the tyranny. You have come to fight whereas they are the free men… and the free men you. What you will do with that freedom? You will fight? Aye, fights and you can die. He works, and you will live at least… awhile. And dying in his beds, many years from now on, you would be prepared to negotiate Every day, as of this day to that one, to an occasion, as soon as an occasion, to become and to say our enemies here who can take our lives, only they' ll never takes… OUR FREEDOM!

Whatcha been up to lately?

Whelp. I'm having a kid. First one. In November. So that's kinda exciting.
And I watched Whip It for the first time last week. I liked the modern retro feel where it was taking place in 2009 but it felt like it was 1982. Still, it was overall a rather mediocre film. I guess I'd rather see the real thing.

[Morgenstern]

Why is hot sauce hot?

[Ruby]

I was around in late '99 but didn't register until '01. I was a total newb to message boards and at first I just waited until I got my feet wet. THEN, all you early birds intimidated me with your clever usernames. I wanted to be equally as witty; but alas, it was not to be. I finally gave up in '01 and registered as Ruby.

My question to you, however, is why do I continue to pronounce your username "Underwear24" in my head?

[Enderw24]

Why is hot sauce hot?

Because it has failed to be quenched by my milkshake that brought all the boys to the yard.

I was
My question to you, however, is why do I continue to pronounce your username "Underwear24" in my head?

Because, like 97.5% of the Dope, you are functunally illiterate.

[Ruby]

functunally? func-tun-ally? func-tune-ally?

[NoClueBoy]

The Autotune of message boards!

;)

[NoClueBoy]

The Autotune of message boards!

;)

[NoClueBoy]

Whoa!


Just like the Old Days!

[Enderw24]

functunally? func-tun-ally? func-tune-ally?

It's actually short for Fun Canned Tuna Ally. It's a street that the editors of Harry Potter decided to eliminate.

[Cat Whisperer]

Do you have any idea who I am? I was on a really good streak of going almost 10 years without getting Pitted, then there was that unpleasantness with my big fat racism, but mostly I fly under the radar, as far as I can tell. Especially with my invisible posts.

Shoot, you'll probably just ignore this post because it's from a n00b. :(

ETA: I never thought of your username as Underwear24, but I will now! Thanks, Ruby! :D

ETA: Stoopit '99ers.

[Enderw24]

Do you have any idea who I am? I was on a really good streak of going almost 10 years without getting Pitted, then there was that unpleasantness with my big fat racism, but mostly I fly under the radar, as far as I can tell. Especially with my invisible posts.

Shoot, you'll probably just ignore this post because it's from a n00b. :(

ETA: I never thought of your username as Underwear24, but I will now! Thanks, Ruby! :D

ETA: Stoopit '99ers.

Yes. You are Cat Whisperer. You speak to the cats. You speak for the cats too.

And yeah, I know who you are. I mean, not personally. Not biblically either. But with 28K posts to your name it's hard not to bump into you once or twice, pittings be damned.

[Cat Whisperer]

I speak for the cats - you'd be surprised how much they swear. Kitties are little potty-mouths. "Where's my goddamned dinner? You call that food? Fucker." "Someone open this Christing door, or I'll kill you all!" Honestly, cats are the stevedores of the animal world.

[Andy]

I think I signed up in mid '99. I distinctly remember some of the evening on the very first Dopefest with the likes of Valerieblaise, Omniscient, Unclebeer, Ukelele Ike and others getting absolutely smashed on Honey Brown. Huh. Time flies.

[OpalCat]

The very first Dopefest was in California long before '99, back in the AOL days.

[BigT]

<snip>Anyway, it was an entertaining thread and I'm sorry Bronze Lion couldn't make a go of it on these boards.

Well, thanks. I knew about FreekyFreely from another thread, but Bronze Lion sounds quite interesting. It also helps me get a reference from a while back.

[Enderw24]

<snip>Anyway, it was an entertaining thread and I'm sorry Bronze Lion couldn't make a go of it on these boards.

Well, thanks. I knew about FreekyFreely from another thread, but Bronze Lion sounds quite interesting. It also helps me get a reference from a while back.

Oh yeah. They're entertaining. Just two posts in two threads, both locked. A double threat if I've ever seen one:

Workplace Secrets (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=80750)
Perhaps my last posting was a little unclear (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=80931)

Good stuff there.