One of the reasons I like this site is because I am anonymous, well as anonymous as I can be after posting my photo and first name.
Anyway lil’ brother was telling me about some websites I should visit and this one was on his list.
You would think I would get excited and tell him that I already know about this website but I think it would be weird if he became a Doper only because we are in the same house and he would figure out that I was START and read everything I ever posted.
I found out that he does not have a screen name and I would rather keep it that way for as long as I can.
Is there any benefit to sharing a bunk bed with a Doper?
That is totally awesome START… especially that he discovered it all on his own and actually told you about it because he thinks it is so cool.
FWIW, I enjoy the Dopers I know IRL because we can be like, “Did you see the thread about…?” and “Check out the Dope for the thread about…” and post in each other’s threads.
YMMV, of course, since this is your little brother and you like anonymity! 
Of course, now he knows who you are, because he’s going to read this thread and realize that you’re talking about him.
My brother posts here. The only downside is I can’t lie as much as I’d like cuz he might read it and know… :dubious:
Maybe he already does, and wants to keep it anonymous from you.
If he does sign up, I think you should encourage him to register as FINISH. Because that would be kind of clever. 
How do you know he wasn’t lying because he wanted to remain anonymous?
I actually do share bunk beds with another doper (gfloyd). Then again, we’re not related, so it’s not quite the same, but you know. It usually works out pretty well for us… we’ll be like “Did you see that thread on sd?” “Oh i know!” and have long, excessive conversations about it. I can imagine that it’d be weird having a sibling read this. If I ever found out that one of my younger sisters read this, i’d probably be much more aware of what I say on here.
After years of lurking (and about seven posts) my husband became a “regular” when we went to paid subscriptions…it does change things.
It’s funny, but I’ve never been able to talk any of my friends into even reading the SDMB, let alone joining it. I can’t quite figure out why- I guess it’s so hard to find a good forum on the net, and so they don’t believe me when I talk about THIS one being really good.
A shame, 'cause I’d love to have several of my friends on here.
I know what you mean!
I’ve enjoyed reading this board for a couple years now and I try to share my love of it with my husband, telling him about various topics that are being discussed, and he shows no interest at all! He’s got his own interests on the computer and can’t be bothered with something I find fun!
It makes me sad.
Me too, Lightnin’! I’ve tried several times to talk my husband and several friends I think would enjoy this place into checking it out. They all look at me like I’m on crack … well, maybe it’s more like, “You want me to check out some stupid message board you hang out on all day? Yeah, right!” Ah, if they only knew.
There are only a very few people in my Real Life I’d be willing to share any of my message boards with. In fact, I can only think of one person who’d fit really well that I wouldn’t mind going back and reading my posts.
Me too. Half the appeal of interent communication to me is the anonymity. There are a lot of things I’d type, that I would sure never share with anyone. And likewise, I have posted plenty of things and gone back to think, “Why didn’t I delete that?” (Funny thing is, at least half the times I type a reply, I end up trashing it and moving on.) I have recommended SDMB to friends, but I do not give out my name, or even really suggest that I have one. If they asked, I’d probably even say, “I prefer to be anonymous online thanks”.
Of everyone I know, though, it is my brother who would most “fit in” on SDMB.
Heh. A good friend of mine, lives on my floor, is a big Straight Dope fan. We both know (as if by instinct) whether someone’s question has been answered by Cecil and never fail to mention it. Unfortunately she’s never ventured onto the boards - probably thinks it’s kind of nerdy.
The other evening I sent her a link to the Just Letters site and we were watching the various SDMBs and CECILs form themselves (“That stands for Straight Dope Message Board. It, uh, must have been a Weird Earl’s link…yeah…” “And do they worship Cecil? Weird…”). I caught sight of an SDM… and hastily grabbed the mouse and dragged a B.
“Why’d you do that?”
“No reason…how 'bout that weather eh?”
Like laurelann said, we share a bunk bed. I get the top because she would fall to her death, but I digress.
I found straightdope because my brother was reading it. I can’t get him to read the boards, and there are times I’m glad he doesn’t. My faimly doesn’t know that I’m not straight and I like being able to talk about it here. But I wouldn’t freak.
I think if anyone from real life showed up here and recognized me I would have to either change my name or quit the board altogether. (And I don’t even post anything that TMI.) I just don’t like the idea of my online world and my real life world colliding. I do think a lot of people I know would like this board, though.
I corrupted my ex-roommate into becoming a Doper. It was nice having somebody to gossip with about board stuff, but I can imagine it would be a lot weirder with a blood relative. (Come to think of it, some of my relatives would fit right in around here, but as far as I know they’re not really into the message board thing, and I’d just as soon keep it that way.)
Thinking of the thread headline: I am sleeping below a potential doper
me: wow, that was great
she: yes, it was
me: do you have fifteen bucks?
she: #$%&@!?
me: no, not for that, silly-to join SDMB 