My normal routine used to consist of reading these wonderful webcomics, www.megatokyo.com www.penny-arcade.com just to name a few, in the wee hours of the morning before I actually went to classes. You could say that they were an addiction of mine. I used the past tense because I have become so involved in the boards that I completely forgot about them. I’m serious, SDMB has taken over my life, I get up and check the boards, in between classes I check the boards, after class I check the boards, etc. I don’t think my LAN access helps at all, either. I just can’t help myself. I blame Star Light Star Bright for this, because she’s my roommate and wouldn’t stop pushing the damn boards on me. No offense to the boards or anything. I’m not sure what to do, right now I am just hopelessly addicted to the Dope.
Yes.
I did it.
It’s all my fault.
::hangs head in shame and slowly walks away::
brushes hands together briskly
Well, that’s another soul claimed.
On to the next!
Just like any thing else, it will get old and you’ll move on to something else.
May I offer a little advice? First of all, resign yourself to the fact that, with the hundreds of messages that get posted here every day, you will never be able to read them all. It’s difficult sometimes, but you must pick and choose the topics with the most interesting subject lines and keep your fingers crossed that you won’t miss any gems. Most of the time the really popular threads will stay at the top of the forum for a day or two, so if the subject didn’t immediately capture your interest you’ll have a second or third chance to check it out. And there’s always Threadspotting.
Also, try to keep your read-to-post ratio as high as possible. I think 50:1 is the number most often cited around here. For every fifty posts that you read you should only post once. That way, you have personal stake in fewer threads and you can relax a little bit. I know that whenever I post to a thread I am tempted to check back every couple of hours to see if anybody has refuted, supported, or in some way acknowledged my writing. If I’ve posted to more than two or three threads in a day it can be a real headache. Also, by keeping your post rate low you will be more likely to say something thoughtful and gain the respect of the Regulars. That’s the theory anyway.
Most importantly, don’t expect to be acknowledged very often. It’s a real disappointment at first. You post something deep, intelligent, and personal – and nobody pats you on the back for it. It’s not like grammar school where you get a gold star every time you do something moderately creative. Thousands of creative, intelligent people pour their energy into this board to make it something singular. The best you can hope to be is a shining star among many.
One thing to remember is that a thread is “owned” by the original poster. Anything that you post to that thread can be safely ignored, since other posters are only obligated to respond to the original post. If you really want to get noticed, start your own topic. But I don’t need to tell you that.
Oh, and if it gets to be too much for you, take a break. It works for me. Every couple of weeks I get sick of the SDMB and take a little vacation from it. Nothing serious. Just a few days to collect my thoughts, interact with my human peers, and catch up on life in general. The board is always there when I come back.
Best of luck to you.
“it will get old and you’ll move on to something else.” they say… yeah, right. I’ve been lurking on these boards since they started. Before that, I was lurking in the newsgroup version of this board. It’s an addiction that may never stop.
Once in awhile I post… but there’s so much to read…
“This place is as addictive as caramel covered crack.” - the late Lexicon
Welcome, and remember you can always take the 12 Steps out of here if it gets too intense.
- NM
Yeah, it is definately the reading that gets me… I get overwhelmed, but it is a good kind of overwhelmed. I like it.
NM–
Lexicon’s was a nice turn of phrase, but I prefer the Shuttlecockian “More addictive than Ben and Jerry’s Crack and Tobacco Crunch.” Try it on for size. You’ll like it.
I am so addicted, that I can’t tell wher the SDMB ends and real life begins. Today in Histort class, we were listing advantages the north had over the south in the Civil War. I was the person who had to write them on the chalkboard. It liiked like this
[li]Better Railroads[/li][li]More People[/li][li]Hi Opal![/li][li]More Industry[/li]
I didn’t even notice it until someone pointed it out.
It comes under control gradually, kitty. Fortunately there are enough who don’t just move on when it becomes “old” to make a continuity and a happy sense of community.
But as an ten-monther, I have actually been happy to see some get over it and move on, to irritate others elsewhere.
My worst moments have been very late in the evening when I have actually read everything interesting in each forum. “Isn’t there something in, oh, ATMB?” I wail “Oh, read it read it, sounds boring, read it, hate her stuff, read it. Oh jeez. NOW what do I do?”
It’s a low moment when you have to face real life again.
Redboss