Ten years ago I found the Dope. I remember Googling something fairly obscure, and Larry Page and Sergey Brin brought me here. I’d never before joined an online forum of any kind, and I jumped right in. I wasn’t smart enough to lurk for awhile. I didn’t know that luring was the team to describe, well, lurking on a message boards. I believe the exact date was 4/12/2012.
I quickly got sucked into the @umkay fiasco, and I admit I was smitten by her claimed plight. I think that was in 2012. Anyone remember that? I had much to learn. I tended to wax naive, and that’s still the case.
Since 2012 I’ve learned sooooo much, and for that I thank you fellow Dopers. I’ve also learned much about boards/forum etiquette. I think I’ve improved a bit since 2012, etiquette-wise, and my remaining shortcomings (and there are many) fall entirely on my shoulders. For my past inadvertent brusqueness and rudeness, I apologize. I intended to state counterpoints but did not know how to do it civilly. Admittedly there were times that I came across as not just snarky, but downright assholey and assholier-than-thou. That was not my intent. I continue to learn and grow every day, and will continue to do so until God revokes my Earth License and calls me Home.
I was 50 back then and am 60 now. Life continues to be a wonderful journey with its ups and downs and twists and turns. I continue to be blessed with a wife who loves me dearly, and we’re still very much in love after 20 years of pretty easy wedded bliss. We often hold hands when we walk. She’s my best friend, my copilot when we’re on our long distance roadtrips (she often catches up on her sleep while I do all the driving), and the one who calls me on my crap when I step out of line. And I’m also blessed with three great kids who are in their 30s now. I love them dearly and they turned out to be very good humans despite my inadvertent efforts to mess up their lives. Although with kid #3 things are a little rough right now, and I don’t really know why. My heart is heavy about that. I haven’t shared that here. Maybe I will one day.
So, bottom line, thank you fellow Dopers for being part of my community here. Let’s continue fighting ignorance together, shall we?
Thanks for this thoughtful and evocative post. I enjoy and have learned from your posts, despite our differences, as indicated in part by our user names. I hope the issues with your son resolve quickly and well.
Go class of 2012! I joined that year as well, altho, I had lurked here for a number of years before building up the courage to join and post. For me, I was in the afterwash of my father’s death, and that of my mother a couple years prior, and I just got tired of waiting to do things, and being forced to do things I did not want to to. Joining this board is just one of the things I did for myself around that time.
I agree that this place builds ones debate skills, discussion skills, civility skills, and thinking skills: the board does not suffer the fool. The best part about this place is getting exposed to a wide variety of topics with info shared by smart people (some experts, as well as some dipsticks), and having things well monitored and moderated. I hope to be here for a while more.
Edit: Yes, I remember the whole umkay thing. Ugh - I think everyone learned something there.
I’ve been around at least as long (I know I was on this board prior to my move to my current apartment just shy of ten years ago) and do not recall this saga.
I joined in 2010. I remember back then I’d often read a term or phrase I was not familiar with in a post here, look it up on Google, and the #1 hit would be the very SD post where I saw the unfamiliar thing! The SDMB had a lot more Google juice back then.
Holy crap! I’ve been spending way too much time here for twice as long as Bullitt! Glad you found some Dope, man, and thanks to all the people here for making it feel like home.
(I’d echo that “I’ve enjoyed the time I spend here”, but is that really the right tone to use when talking about an addiction?)
I went through rough patches with two of my kids. With the youngest, it was because I divorced their mother. With the oldest, it was because his wife was a bitch who turned him against his family. All you can do is bide your time and hope that they process their anger or grief and come to realize that you’re not an ogre.
I have a good relationship with both of them now, but it took years to get there. The younger one just matured out of his butt-hurt, and the older one got divorced and married the woman he should have gone with in the first place. Good luck to you.
Coming up on 20 years for me here, net of occasioanl sabbaticals. Thanks for a wonderful OP. You’re a valuable part of our little society and I for one am glad to hear you’re still enjoying us all. And that your wife & life is going generally well, net of some inevitable and probably temporary strife.
Such is the human condition. We keep each other warm despite all.
Although with kid #3 things are a little rough right now, and I don’t really know why. My heart is heavy about that. I haven’t shared that here. Maybe I will one day.