I’ve been reading the Straight Dope for years - ever since my parents bought the first book way back when. Never been able to get the syndicated column, but eagerly awaited the books. Then I discovered the website… read it for years and years… loved learning new things, on all sorts of areas. I’d search the archive for random words, just to generate a list of articles, and I’d then choose ones I’d not read in a while.
Never thought of going on the message board… always thought that it would be a pale shadow of the Perfect Master’s (and the SDSAB’s) writings. Then, the other month, I thought “Why not?” - joined up (and, being a message board novice, gave myself an unintentional name) and went straight to GQ. Very interesting… nice to see so many like-minded people striving to combat each other’s ignorance.
Moved to GD - very interesting… the people don’t seem to be as “like-minded” as I thought but most of the time they respect each other’s views, and I respect that. Didn’t bother with the IMHO and MPSIMS forums because I was looking for knowledge.
And now, having spent a little time here, I’ve discovered a few things I didn’t expect to:
I’m not as good at answering other people’s questions as I thought I was.
I’m not as good at putting my thoughts down in writing as I thought I was.
I am really, really bad at starting interesting threads that get everyone talking.
I enjoy the IMHO and MPSIMS much more than I thought I would, and in fact spend more time here than in GQ or GD.
I really wish I’d joined ages ago, and had got to know the people here sooner. Still, that’s a little bit of my ignorance that has finally been fought, I suppose.
There are probably some more, but see (2).
Has anyone else found that they frequent the SDMB for different reasons than those they originally joined for? Or learnt more about yourself than you expected?
I first ended up at the SDMB because a much, much smaller debate forum I was on crashed and one of the guys theie suggested we move it over here. So when I joined, I figured I’d spend all my time in GD. Hah. I almost never post there.
Then, I started reading GQ, the Cafe, MPSIMS and IMHO regularly. After a while, I stopped going into the last two very often. It was just GQ and the Cafe for a long time. Then I started reading the Pit on a regular basis (although I still don’t post there much). Recently, I’ve been going back to IMHO and MPSIMS a little more often and I now use the New Posts item which, brings up topics in all fora, so I ten to post more broadly than I used to. I’m sure that’ll continue to change over time.
My story is somewhat similar. I started out only reading the columns (online), and a while later finally decided to see what was in the message boards. I stuck to the boards on the columns for a few years, before looking at any of the others. Finally, curiousity struck and I decided to see why anyone would bother with MPSIMS and IMHO. A few hundred posts later, and hear I am!
Yes, back in the early eighties I worked with a bunch of folks who turned me on to the paperbacks and the whole mindset in general. this was the footing of my intro to eastern philosophy and quantum physics, and became the “back burner of my mind”. Now, just last year I learned of the SDMB and really wish that I wasn’t a washed up “Life long learner” who has spent way too much time whithout interacting with like minded folks.
I spent a lot of time reading the Pit threads, and some time in IMHO, MPSIMS and Cafe Society. Pretty much zero time in the serious or educational forums. Frankly, I’m probably a bit of a disappointment as a member. :o
Odd thing is, I’m not even that *fond * of the Pit most of the time. I’m not flame-retardant enough. But it somehow keeps drawing me back to watch the train wrecks.
I wonder how many, like myself, stumbled upon this board having never heard of the books or columns?
I dont remember how I found this board, it was a long time ago and probably the result of following a link from somewhere else. Or maybe a google search for a question led me to a specific post here.
All I know is I enjoy the fact that this board has the perfect mix of quirky/humorous banter mixed in with actual intelligent conversation. I have abandoned most all other boards because they are overrun with immature, uneducated drama kings/queens.
I am not a college graduate. Im sure anyone could find many grammer or spelling error in my posts, but I like to think I’m level headed and articulate enough to enjoy some thought provoking adult conversation.
I lurked off and on for a couple of years. I finally broke down and joined a few days ago. It only took me so long because I am a tightwad. I have never spent much time in staff reports so I’m still a little fuzzy about the whole origin of Straight Dope and this Cecil Adams person (please don’t flog me for my ignorance) but I do enjoy the overall atmosphere here and very happy to finally be a part of it.
Some people seem to just “have it”. Aside from that, it seems to be luck. My most successful thread ever was one of the omnipresent “sequential thread titles” threads, which doesn’t really count as “mine”. Aside from that, my most successful thread concerned the news about the T. Rex soft tissue discovery and that was primarily because I saw the news and posted about it first.
but most of the time they respect each other’s views, and I respect that. Didn’t bother with the IMHO and MPSIMS forums because I was looking for knowledge.