I heard about the Straight Dope through my mother “Blue Mood”. It sounded intriguing, so I decided to join. My intuition was right - I have already read several really interesting threads. I am a fourteen-year-old from London, England, so I am probably one of the youngest members.
My interests are as follows: music (I love composing pieces and I play several instruments), reading, drawing, taking part in philosophical debates and Judo, so I am not exactly your average teenager. I also love studying birds. My favourite subjects at school are music, art, maths and physics. When I am older I hope to study architecture at Cambridge. My mother is American and my father is German, and I speak German fluently.
By the way, I may be smart (I am a member of MENSA), but I take direction well, so I would appreciate it if someone could notify me if I am breaking any Straight Dope etiquette!
Since you’re only 14 I’ll just say “Welcome”, and you really should spend your time conversing with people of your own maturity level, which is probably well above the level found here.
Hey SuperSmartAlex, nice to meet you! The main etiquette here is just to bring along cites for any claims you make do that and you’ll always be appreciated. Hope you have a good time here on the Dope, I do!
Ouch, tripolar. I’ll have you know, I’m totally mature, like a fine wine or super stinky cheese.
Welcome Alex. Historically, this board has not been kind to young posters who advertise that fact. I wish you well and hope you have a great time here.
Well, first of all, it’s “math”, not “maths”, you tea-swilling, silly-Queen-handbag-carrying, soccer-rioting, nanny-stating, spice-girling crumpet muncher!!!
My advice from when I first joined- try to avoid getting Pitted or ending up in the Pit for as long as you can. It helps if you avoid posting there. I tended to lurk for almost a year or so, just reading the articles and getting to know the people more. If you treat this like a community, you’ll get a lot more out of it, than just treating this place like a dojo or sparring room to display your own skills.
TriPolar - So most fourteen-year-olds have a higher maturity level than people who are fighting ignorance? Interesting.
gracer - Thanks!
Inner Stickler - In that case, I might attempt to change Straight Dope history. However, I don’t think I will post my age on any other threads. It will be interesting to see if other 'Dopers automatically assume that I am an adult.
MaxTheVool - I used to say and write “math” (I lived in New York for a while) but my teachers kept on helpfully “correcting” it. I tried to argue that the American spelling is also correct, but they would not listen. I just gave in as I figured arguing more would not help. The only English word I do not say is “Mum” or “Mummy”. I call my parents “Mommy” (American) and “Papa” (German). And, for your information, I hate crumpets and I drink coffee more often than I drink tea.
Nava - How old are they? Do they live in America?
Fear Itself - Just because you are older than me does not mean you can tell me what to do. Go clean your room!
ToeJam - Thanks. I have already noticed how people relate to each other in different ways according to where the thread was put in. I also find it interesting to see the different personalities here, especially in the “Great Debates” and the “Pit”. I will definitely not post anything in the pit for a while.
Baron Greenback - Do you also like birds? If so what type/s? My favourite types are European bee-eaters and hyacinth macaws, though I have only had a chance to watch European bee-eaters in the wild once, and hyacinth macaws in captivity a few times.
Sunspace - Thank you, thank you!
Khadaji - Thanks
AClockworkMelon - Do you think that, because I am fairly young and I am new to Straight Dope, I am naive? Or are you actually serious?
I am trying to think if I had a 14 year old daughter (or son, for that matter), would I want them to be a member of the SDMB?
Well, there is some foul language occasionally, and some subject material I might not be thrilled with them discussing with adults, but upon consideration, why not?
It is not like you haven’t heard “the bad words” and it is not like you have not read/seen things that might not be age-appropriate in other sites on the Internet.
The one thing I think you will find here is mostly honest answers to questions you might not otherwise be comfortable asking elsewhere. Like anywhere on the Internet, take things here with a grain of salt, but for the most part - I think this will be a good site for you to read what others think about subjects that might be somewhat foreign to you - and for you to ask questions.
So, welcome aboard!
So, what is a question that a 14 year old girl in the UK might like to ask to the teeming millions here?
Heh, it was just a lame joke on my part. Don’t worry about it. But I do like the avian sort of birds too, there’s been a big increase in the numbers of raptors here in Scotland. I occasionally see a Red Kite, and they were extinct here not so long ago.
Anyway, enjoy your time here, we are a decent bunch mostly. A tiny bit of advice - maybe change your user name?
There’s much more material available nowadays than there was when I was your age.