I remember being a newbie. I remember first coming here from my joke site and lurking.
I do not remember my first post. what wasit that finally drew me out and made me open my mouth? (No, finding it won’t make me disapear and shut up, however much all y’all would like it.)
So I went on a little search. (Okay a big long, nasty eat server search. I’m sorry. Really. I’m also curious and self centered. Yell at me if you want.)
The earliest entry I have yet to find is May 24 2000, something about red_dragon being bored and wanting to AIM with someone and me being at work. (wow. exciting.) I don’t think its The First Post though.
What is amusing me is who I was. (catch that?) I was just done with all of the horrors of that whole year and I, at least, can see it. The glory and happiness to be alive and the timid baby steps back into living. The normal uncertainty of a newbie and a determination to live if it killed me.
Making friends, watching the big names and recognizing cool people…
I also can’t quite pinpoint when I felt like not a newbie. It wasn’t all that long ago, though, because I still felt like a newbie for my first DopeFest. Hmm…
Well, I remember coming here quite a while before signing up and reading the Straight Dope articles.
However, it wasn’t until quite a bit later that I signed up to the SDMB. The thing that drew me in was the “T-Rex: Predator or Scavanger” thread. It was very interesting, and I thought I could contribute (though I don’t know if I actually did). I recall posting some very long posts to that thread…and I’m pretty sure that’s when I was first welcomed.
I didn’t lurk much at all, I don’t think. I just jumped right in and learned as I went. Which also explains why my name is close to another poster (I use it everywhere, so I didn’t bother checking for similarities). That led to some confusion and controversy (not big controversy, but a little), at first.
It was a while after that when I started to get to know numerous posters. Some were nice to me on the boards, so I started talking to them off the boards. Then one started talking to me through ICQ, and that led me to talking to others through ICQ.
Hmm…I don’t know when I stopped feeling like a newbie. I still feel a little like one. But not as much, to be sure, as I know my way around and know quite a few people.
oh, wow. thinking back…jeez. i think i remember posting to something about…what? hey! stop that! look over here. come on, read this. NO! don’t look over there! ok, you caught me…just don’t tell anyone else, ok?
I remember wanting to stay away from any thread George (HpstrDufuz) was involved in. Later, I realized he wasn’t as bad a guy as I had imagined, but he made me nervous at first. I think he and OpalCat were having one of their vicious arguments about vegetarianism at the time, and I resolved to stay away from such a mean person.