Last weekend I ventured into the frenetic world of live chat for the first time in several years. As a former net addict it was hardly my first time in a chat room but a strange feeling came over me as I hit the StraightDope room door. My palms got sweaty and my breath caught in my throat.
I entered and a strange feeling came over me. There were a few names I immediately recognised: posters who had over the post month or so become icons in my mind. I was even a bit nervous addressing TechChick (who is tres cool btw).
What’s with this feeling? I’ve worked with and for some incredibly famous personalities and politicians. Stars don’t affect me - they’re just humans like the rest of us.
So why did I feel this way? I never feel intimidated and yet here I was holding my breath addressing some of the big names of the Dope Board.
I can only speculate of course. I guess we build up expectations subconsciously and so many people here are not only very intelligent but seem to be very caring and genuine human beings.
So while the nerves may remain a mystery I just want to take a moment to be thankful to be part of such a fluid, diverse and wonderful community.
Hey, don’t feel so bad dpr, i did the same exact thing you did. Used to chat all the time a few years ago, never do now, and i wondered into the Dope Room. I sat there for like 5 minutes, never said a word. I just started to type something, and i got booted. Oh well, maybe next time.
Today is your lucky day… I am acknowledging you! :rolleyes:
See you in chat, dude!
Yer putz,
Satan :wally
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I just ran across the chat room a couple of days ago. I first did a live BBS chat back in 1985, so (apologies to the veteran posters) I got over the “awed by the old guard” feeling a long time ago.
I just hate being the new kid. If there are only a few people in there, yeah, it’s swell. The thing is, suddenly 4 or 5 people slam in who are all A) vets and B) seem to know each other (if only through the board), and suddenly anything I say gets lost in the shuffle.
It’s disheartening. Not that i’m expecting anyone to do anything about it, mind you. The whole “babbling madly until someone graces your thunderous roar with an offhand comment” thing is just a pain in the ass to get past.
I s’pose it would also help if I had posted more before I found the chat room. Unfortunately I only post when I have more to say than, “Word” or “You Go” or “You Suck,” so my post count isn’t exactly going to scream off the charts at a record-breaking pace.
I was nodding in agreement until I got to this part. I’ve never seen a post with a “Word” (of any kind) response. “You go” or “you suck” are almost always followed by witticisms of such brilliance that I have to put on my sunglasses to avoid being blinded.
I realize you’re exaggerating to make your point. (I think there’s a special word for that, but I’m old and can’t think of it.)
But I had to wonder for a minute if you were talking about this board.
There are seriously funny, intelligent people here. As a relative newbie, it still stuns me that I lucked into a group of diverse, interesting people who like me back! (Well, mostly. Naysayers will be smacked upside the head with a dead bass, even for that momentary Sally Field lapse.)
It’s a total honk, isn’t it? Amazing how much recognition by bright, interesting people can be, huh? And it’s even more amazing how genuinely tolerant they are when inevitable brain farts happen, or the mouth (fingers) outrun the mind.
It isn’t the post count; it’s the quality. Frankly, post count doesn’t mean much beyond “chance to get to know 'em”. (Hint: “knowing” doesn’t always mean “respect”, though it does give a certain, “oh that’s so-and-so” tolerance.) I still get a hard charge outta some of the folks here actually shootin’ the bull with the like of me.
But just on the offchance that some deluded soul includes me in that “oldtimers” category, I, too love chocolate chip cookies, but much prefer the batter to the baked product.
(Hell, if this scam works I’m gonna bag scruples and pass myself off as a board icon.)
Happy, expectant dog-gaze on potential goodies,
Veb
Another old timer! Though I guess you were on a couple years before me.
When I’m in a chat I always try to answer anyone who gets lost in the current, if I can. If you see me on chat, please say hi and we gals can talk amongst ourselves. Or mail if you care to.
BTW, I’m jealous! You have a cooler name than I do!
Isn’t it neat?!?!? I generally love it here. Smart, interesting, friendly, tolerant people, some of whom I’d heard of before coming here. I get so starstruck at times! Getting a thread I started closed by Ed Zotti himself because it had gotten annoying. I was so proud it brought a tear to my eye. And the Dopeville “famous,” too. It’s a small town but I’m still happy you folks let me play with you.
Then there’s the chat room. (See? I didn’t hijack it totally.) The need for fast wits and nimble fingers is sometimes overwhelming. I can’t visit for long.
I dunno, that sounds a bit too close to Dippy, as in Dippymonger. Or was it Dappermonkey? Dopeymuslim? Mondodinger? Well, you guys know who I’m talking about.
I can handle being called dipper if necessary but I want to disassociate myself with dippymonger who, although I disagreed with on a few points, I never actually had a problem with. ut apparently others did.
Yes we share a country (and even some consonants)but I would have thought my madness would differentiate me from monger’s attitude.
