Hello everyone. I have been reading the message boards here for a long time now, but I never got around to subscribing. With the discount ending tomorrow, I guess now would be the best time. Its funny, the reason I haven’t subscribed yet isn’t because of the money, but because of the name. I don’t own a credit card (I’m 16), so I have to ask my parents before I use theirs. I am now dreading the conversation thats going to take place:
Me: Mom, can I use the credit card to subscribe to a website?
Mom: Well, how much is it?
Me: Only 5 bucks.
Mom: Whats the name of the web site?
Me: Erm, The Straight Dope.
From then on, it will probably involve me trying to convince her that The Straight Dope doesn’t have anything to do with drugs, and it really doesn’t help that its 4/20. I really hope she lets me though. I have grown obsessed with this website, and this will most likely be my last chance to join it.
Wow, that was much easier than I expected. As I was going to ask my mom, my dad came into the house, who would be much easier to convince. Luckily, he didn’t even ask for the name of the website. I guess my parents trust me more than I thought (I’ve never really done anything to go against them). He wanted me to pay through PayPal, which is great, since when he reads the email receipt he will be able to figure out on his own what the site is about. If he did ask me the name of the site, I had The Straight Dope opened up in front of me, so I was just going to show him rather than explain it.
I am now happily enjoying my new title. (Charter Member sounds so incredibly great.)
I’m reading all these posts about teens having to explain to their parents about the title. I’m picturing in my head you having to explain it to people like my parents and then I realize that you are all talking about ME. I’m the mother of a sixteen year old. I would let my son read anything here.
I never even thought about Dope in the title meaning pot, “the straight dope” is an old expression for the truth as far as I know.
