# A modest suggestion for time-outs **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [February 6, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-suggestion-for-time-outs/227778 "2004-02-06T02:48:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-suggestion-for-time-outs/227778/1 "2004-02-06T02:48:40Z")
**Lobsang’s** thread here suggesting a delay period for SDMB addicts got me to thinking about a related topic: Getting oneself suspended from the board for a while, when it’s taking over too much of one’s life. I must confess to having considered doing that on a couple of occasions, when I was too heavily into reading and posting – yes, even more than usual. 😉 The trouble with that, though, is that simply having a mod/admin suspend posting privileges until return is requested means “Suspended” will appear under one’s username. This is likely to engender at least one thread asking what the heck is going on. Someone intending to take a vacation could always start a thread in MPSIMS declaring their intent, but (a) not everyone who’d care is guaranteed to see it, and (b) it seems rather egotistical. So I’m proposing that a new status term be introduced: “On sabbatical”. It probably wouldn’t need to be used much, but when it is applicable, it would forestall a lot of 😕😕😕 posting. No doubt this has already been proposed before, and rejected for some good reason(s). Nevertheless, let me toss it out for consideration. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-suggestion-for-time-outs/227778/2 "2004-02-06T04:00:56Z")
“Sabbatical” is possible. My understanding is that we could also impose a “suspension” without having any specific title appear, so that no one else would know. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-suggestion-for-time-outs/227778/3 "2004-02-06T04:01:17Z")
No, I recall there have been posters who have gone “on sabbatical”, and asked the mods and admins to suspend their posting privileges, without a change in title under their names. An “On sabbatical” title is interesting, but might in itself generate enquiries, I’d think. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-suggestion-for-time-outs/227778/4 "2004-02-06T04:02:50Z")
IANAMod, but I am pretty sure that your status is selected by the admins when they ban/suspend you, meaning that they can easily leave your status as Member even if you cannot post. You can request a time-out period - I seem to recall other posters having done just that. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-suggestion-for-time-outs/227778/5 "2004-02-06T04:03:26Z")
I didn’t see your post before I submitted mine, **C K Dexter Haven**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-suggestion-for-time-outs/227778/6 "2004-02-06T04:44:37Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > “Sabbatical” is possible. My understanding is that we could also impose a “suspension” without having any specific title appear, so that no one else would know. That would work unless the person were so prolific a poster that their absence from their usual haunts would be noticed and commented on. I chose “On sabbatical” rather than something like “On break” or “Vacation” or such, because, especially for the typical Doper (is there such a beast?), the implications would be immediately clear. At least, I think so. But sometimes I’m wrong. Occasionally. Once in a great while. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2004, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-modest-suggestion-for-time-outs/227778/7 "2004-02-06T09:12:31Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > That would work unless the person were so prolific a poster that their absence from their usual haunts would be noticed and commented on. I think a poster’s absence is likely to be noticed regardless. For example, I type this reply under the assumption that you will eventually see it and read it, but if you’re on sabbatical with no obvious indication then there’s no way for me to know that.