Just thinking about this message board....

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

On May 5, 2000 I registered on this board. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, I had never even SEEN a message board before I stumbled across this one, and I had no idea what a message board was all about.

Of course, being me, I dived in and posted my first few posts in GD…no cites, no way to validate what I was saying, just a need to shoot my big mouth off. Well, NOW I realize that the people who responded to me there were extraordinarily kind to me. I thank you all, by the way. Because I am kind of sensitive, and I would have retreated FAST and never come here again if they had lambasted me.

Since then, there have been some highs and lows in my life. I have asked for support, and gotten it. I have asked for practical advice and gotten it. I am a pretty private person in many ways, and one time (in November) when I was about at the end of my rope, I shared my feelings of hurt and despair with a good friend here. He knows me well, and he knew I would almost certainly not post a thread about it. Then, I wouldn’t have. Ever.

So, HE posted a thread, just asking for those of you who care about me to…well, just LOVE me, and say so. I would never have asked for this from you all at the time, but I have to say…it helped so much, more than anyone will ever know. (Thank you dropzone}

I am blest in my life to have a forever best friend. Her name is Cindy. She has been part of my life since I was 15 years old. I love her, and she loves me. Unconditionally. Without reservation. She is ALWAYS there for me. And, I am always there for her.

But…I have found people here who are just as faithful, just as honest, just as giving and loving.

So what I want to say is this. My good friend Beth (evilbeth to you} has said that this is NOT just a message board. There are people at the other end of the computer, and they are REAL. She is so right.

I have formed friendships here that matter to me so much more than I can even say. I have grown to love some of you, and I care about each and every one of you. Even the ones I have disagreed with. We are real people, and we share real feelings, real problems, real anger, real love.

So, thank you…all of you. You ARE my community, you ARE real to me. You have encouraged me to live my life with dignity and honor, and you have allowed me to love you. I am humbled and grateful to you, and I thank you.

Scotti

2

Oh yay!

Hi Scotti!

Sometimes I forget about this silly place and do other things and come back and check…

And I remember why I like this place so much. It’s because if people like you.

Thanks, this has been a boring day and you picked me up a bit.
Much hugs!

3

{{{Cheri}}}

This place, though it exists mostly online, is every bit as real as anything else. It causes pain, it feels pain, it feels happy and sad. Every bump in the grand range of emotion that is life can be found on here.

Just a message board? My left foot. This is a community.

4

The thing about this board, or any board, I guess, is that you get to know people without seeing what they look like first, if at all, with all your pre-conceived notions un-available to you, so to speak. The essence of each individual is what we get to see, for good or ill. Your essence has been unfailingly fresh and sweet, Scotti.

I dare not say more or they’ll throw me out of the Curmudgeon Club. Some of them are starting to eye me suspiciously as it is.

5

Hello…? This there any question out there as to why I love this woman?

Cheri, you have stated in so few words that which I could not say in a million. Thank you for your eloquence.
And thank you for being you: the epitome of why this board can be so wonderful. One of the dearest, most compassionate people I’ve ever had the pleasure of encountering.
One of these days, at some DopeFest somewhere perhaps, I will have the honor of meeting you, face-to-face, at which time, I will fall to one knee, kiss your hand, then rise up and give you the hug of a lifetime.

And to echo the sentiment, albeit much less poetically: You Dopers rock. Thanks to all for everything.

6

A community, and in some ways, even a family.

Not only that, but I can honestly say that this place has educated me, opened my mind, and, frankly, has made me a better person.

My sincerest thanks to those whose hard work and dedication keep this place running, as well as all those who make me laugh, think, hope, and, sometimes, shed a tear. And thank you Scotti for opening the door, because without you (and Kathryn) I likely would have continued to focus on the pure academic part of the board and missed out on the community you describe so well.

I’d also like to thank the Academy, Mom, Dad, my pet armadillo, Spike… :d&r:

7

Cheri… here’s just like a great big mental hug:

<great big mental hug>

You’re wonderful! :slight_smile:

I absolutely love this board… I haven’t posted much recently being as swamped as I am at work, and I find that I miss each and every one of you so very much if I don’t get to share in your humor, and your tradgedy, and your insight every day. I’m just sorry that I’m not nearly as eloquent or funny or interesting as all of you are.

Plus, and there’s an understatement of the year coming up, here is where I had the most incredible fortune of meeting the most wonderful woman I’ve ever known. The woman that’s everything to me… Had it not been for this board, who knows how long or how many times our souls would’ve graced this earth before we found one another. I love you, Jessica.

I guess I’m just trying to say thanks. Thanks to all of you for just being you.

And thank you Cheri for giving me a place to say that. I still remember when I first replied to one of your posts, I called you Scotchier.

And I thought that was a pretty cool name. :smiley:

8

Wow. The emotional-cosmic-karma waves must just a-poring over the Straight Dope server these days.

Up until yesterday, I too was the most tight-lipped poster you’d ever want to run accross. But, like Scotticher, I was at a point where I felt very close to the end of my rope, so I decided to open up here on the board. I thought as I was typing it how everybody would think, “Jesus, what a case. Who cares?”
Then you guys offered me support and advice. As much as I had reported being close to tears about my troubles, I felt again close to tears reading the responses. I never even considered there would be strangers out there not only sympathetic to my plight but willing to offer whatever they can.

All hail The Straight Dope!!

To paraphrase Roxanne … I’d rather be with The Straight Dopers than with the best people in the world.

:slight_smile:

9

CheriBabe, you always know the right things to say :slight_smile:

10

I couldn’t have said that better…and once again I am proud to know you Cheri…I hope you will get all the happiness you deserve and soon…

Keith

11

I have been the recipient of one of those caring responses, courtesy of your kind self, so let me pass some thanks on to you as well.

As for me, I have still not been able to completely bare my soul here, but as I continue to read, I feel that should I ever let go, I know there will be some kind people there to catch me.

Quasi

12

And yet, you have the best of both worlds, cause Dopers ARE some of the best people in the world.

I can’t express how much this board has meant to me over the past year, or how many people have truly touched me. But I WILL say that Scotticher, you are one of them. Your heart seems so unfathomable big that it puts most of the people I’ve actually met in my life to shame, and I don’t think I’ve ever talked to a more caring person. The OP in this thread just proves that once again.

So to you, Cheri, and to all of the true Dopers out there, I say thank you, from the bottom of my heart. I am proud to say that I belong to a community as wonderful as this. Thank you for being my friends.

13

Scotticheri: If the folks on this board give you back half of the swell heart-felt-groove you’ve given here, that still wouldn’t be quite enough.

You are the sweet bright hummingbird that graces the feeder. :slight_smile:

14

Thank you all for your very kind and sweet and loving comments.

Now see? You have just all proved my point! :slight_smile:

Much Love to ALL!

Cheri

15

Excerpted from an email I sent to our dear Scotticher in response to an email she sent me a while back thanking me for posting in a particular thread–I think this bears repeating to the SDMB community at large:

Needless to say, that passing along of experience, strength and hope is something you have been doing all along anyway. This place is home to so many of us because of the heart that you and others like you put into it.

Because I believe you can never get too many hugs, even the cyber-kind: {{{Cheri}}}

16

Well said and thank you.

17

Can I get an AMEN??

AMEN!!

18

Thank you, Geobabe!

I was touched by what you said when you emailed me, and I am touched all over again now.

You are one of the bright lights around here, and thanks for the hugs…I’m with you, a person can NEVER get enough hugs!

And Whammo? AMEN!

Scotti :slight_smile: