“Hi Opel” has become more about a thread reminding me of the kind she started or having former posters as a subject. That one was always more about having fun than being funny to me; now its just a reflection of how sad I can get sometimes remembering.
nm
FWIW, Opal herself actually hated the whole “Hi Opal!” thing and used to beg people to cut it out.
I believe I (and a lot of us) knew that at the time and I don’t know if I ever used it before her death. Since then its been sparing to say the least but there are just times (like zombie references) when it just feels right.
There are a number of threads about “Hi Opal!”, some having participation by its namesake.
Here, posters complained that the joke was getting old. c. 2002.
The practice apparently stretches back to the AOL days. Click the link for Opal’s description. At that date, Opal was fairly resigned about the whole thing.
I’d like to see a list.
2 quarts milk
1 lb. butter, salted
1 dozen eggs
oatmeal
mangoes
toilet paper
2 lbs. ground round
I’m rather perplexed by this, because I’ve never thought of zombie jokes as “name calling and mockery”. It’s not making fun of the person for bumping an old thread, it’s just using an inside joke to reference the fact that it’s an old thread. I can’t recall ever reading one that seemed to be attacking the person who did the bumping. And how is it “name-calling”? It’s the thread that’s the zombie, not the person who bumped it.
The cheesy inside jokes are, or used to be, part of what gave the board its charm. And having some in-jokes made the board feel more like a community. Even though I was a johnny-come-lately with a 2004 join date, knowing what they old-timers were talking about when they referenced the “Winter of our Missed Content” or something else from before my time made me feel like I belonged. (And it’s not like it’s that hard to learn these things; there’s a list.)
That said, I can’t say I personally make zombie jokes very often. I may have made one once. In 1960. It was funny for… let’s just say a little while.
But … Bobby loves mangoes.
I asked her about it at one of the Gettysburg dopefests, and at that time she said that she didn’t really mind it. I guess her opinion about it changed a bit over the years.
Yup and yup. You’ll have to take my zombie jokes from my cold, dead, and lifeless yet somehow still animated hands.
I started lurking the board about the time that “Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies” was big.
It took me quite a while to suss the real meaning.
Let’s compromise, lets have a new rule based upon my idea:*Look, if you post to add something worthwhile, but can’t resist a little zombie joke, fine. It’s stale and old, but meh.
But dont jump in JUST to post the zombie joke.*
That way, yes, you can make your joke, but you have to add something worthwhile also.
BRAAAAAIAIIIININNNSSSISESESSSES!!!
Sorry to zombiefy this hour and 15 minute old thread but I wanted to add something worthwhile and say that I am against DrDeths rule idea.
Thank you. Now I know my idea is fabulous!
I’ve wondered about this, and started another threadrather than derail this one.
Probably resigned about it, sort of like Hal Briston and sheep.
It doesn’t work that way. People only post zombie jokes in response to others bumping zombie threads.
Not necessarily true. When they bump an old thread, people often apologize for bumping a zombie. In that context, I think there’s no objection to it, since that’s just the board term for an old thread.
The problem is when someone just posts “ZOMBIE!” or “BRAAAIIINS” with no further explanation when someone else bumps and old thread, which is neither funny nor informs a newbie of what the problem is.