# Newbie -- goofed already **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 19, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408 "2003-03-19T00:24:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Esmeralda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Esmeralda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esmeralda)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/1 "2003-03-19T00:24:14Z")
I thought I knew what I was doing, but apparently not. My very first post, and it got locked (in a nice way), and it was suggested that I re-post here. So I’ll try again: I’m venturing away from my two comfortable message boards ([JamieWhite.com](http://JamieWhite.com) and [SecondWivesCafe.com](http://SecondWivesCafe.com)) to meet some new people and hopefully read some stuff I haven’t read before. Hi. I’m Esmeralda. Four years ago, I married a man who had 3 daughters, and it’s the craziest fool thing I ever did :smack: . I love him, and the girls, who are now 11, 13, and almost 16, are great – no one could ask for better kids, step or otherwise – but I could sure do without his ex-wife :mad: . She’s a real piece of work, but I’ll reserve those observations for the Second Wives Cafe boards. So to escape when I need to, I take belly dancing classes 2 nights a week, and I recently joined a professional, award-winning belly dance troupe. My other escape is wallowing in the unconditional love of my dog, Snickers, and my cat, Missy. They’re my babies, and thankfully I don’t have to share them with their “real” mother :rolleyes: . I also love to go horseback riding; my plan is to belly dance until it’s no longer appropriate for me to do so, then I’ll buy a horse. Other things that get me through the week: TV (Friends, CSI, Law & Order, Scrubs, Nick at Nite, Discovery Channel, “I Love Lucy”), reading, making scrapbooks, going out for coffee with my mom or my girlfriends, and enjoying the home my husband and I have put together in the last 4 years. I love my job (textbook editor), but I often have long periods of down time between projects. I’m in one of those periods now, so here I am. Enjoy. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Roadwalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e19b73/32.png) [@Roadwalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roadwalker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/2 "2003-03-19T00:30:23Z")
welcome to the SDMB I would type more, but there’s a 15 month old in my left arm. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/3 "2003-03-19T00:34:06Z")
Welcome to the boards. Don’t worry about locking and stuff- everyone screws up the first few times, especially me. As long as you obey the “don’t be a jerk” rule, you’ll have a great time here. Good, and very smart, people here. What type of bellydance do you do? I do (when I can afford to take classes) Egyptian cabaret. ---
**Author:** ![BoBettie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@BoBettie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoBettie)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/4 "2003-03-19T00:45:56Z")
Hello! Welcome! ---
**Author:** ![hyperjes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@hyperjes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hyperjes)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/5 "2003-03-19T01:00:03Z")
Welcome! The SDMB is an interesting place. 😃 It’s great that you bellydance. I have always wanted to learn, but I have no idea where to go for “lessons.” ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/6 "2003-03-19T01:29:50Z")
Hi! Welcome to the sandbox. Say goodbye to any free time you used to have. Seriously. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/7 "2003-03-19T02:02:14Z")
[puzzled] Free time? Do you mean the four or so hours I’ve spent SDMBing today, **FairyChatMom**? Were they technically “free time”? You mean I can do something other than surf the Straight Dope with that time? Weird. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/8 "2003-03-19T02:27:38Z")
Hey! Another bellydancer! We should start a club or something! My style could best be described as modern/gypsy/cabaret/tribal fusion 😃 **hyperjes** - here’s my standard advice. Find a couple of clubs/restaurants where they have bellydancing. Go watch a few dancers. When you see one you like (well, whose style you like) ask her where she studies or if she teaches. That should get you started. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/9 "2003-03-19T03:09:20Z")
Oh, thanks **Zyada**. That’s really clear. :rolleyes: 😃 Right. we’ve got me, **Zyada** , **Esmerelda** , **HennaDancer** … there are other ones, too. Um, didn’t **Thea\_Logica** bellydance? ---
**Author:** ![FranticMad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c68b51/32.png) [@FranticMad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FranticMad)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/10 "2003-03-19T03:10:27Z")
Sooooo, this all means you’re single, do I have that right? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/11 "2003-03-19T03:17:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Roadwalker \* > \*\*welcome to the SDMB > I would type more, but there’s a 15 month old in my left arm. \*\* Kids can get into the wackiest places. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/12 "2003-03-19T03:22:12Z")
“The new ones always fall” [sub](or something, from the matrix)[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/13 "2003-03-19T03:24:12Z")
“The new ones always fall” [sub](or something, from the matrix)[/sub] (did I press submit? can’t remember. \) ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/14 "2003-03-19T03:25:40Z")
It seems I did. ---
**Author:** ![Shadez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Shadez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadez)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/15 "2003-03-19T03:30:08Z")
Hey Esmerelda! I saw your other thread – I was hoping you would post again here and not get scared away by suffering “lock down.” – We’ll save the scaring for later 😉 Don’t worry, I made three (minor) SDMB mistakes this week alone. But no one called me on it. Muhaha. But seriously: beware the addiction. Look forward to seeing your posts. /Shadez ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/16 "2003-03-19T03:35:41Z")
Hi, welcome aboard. It’s always nice to meet new people. There’s just two rules here. Actually, there’s just one, “don’t be a jerk.” This includes reading the forum rules and posting appropriately. I feel silly pointing this out, because you don’t look like you’ll be a “problem child.” The second one is just my own personal rule: “Read everything with **FairyChatMom** ’s name on it.” That’s a good rule of thumb for a newbie. And don’t be afraid to post. We’ll like you and encourage you, we promise. Unless you turn out to be a jerk. Which you won’t, so don’t worry about it. ---
**Author:** ![Phax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Phax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phax)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/17 "2003-03-19T05:35:01Z")
Hi Esmeralda! I just moved here from another board myself about a week ago. This one is more fun and a bit less anal. Don’t worry about posting in the wrong place. They moved me too. Have fun. ---
**Author:** ![maia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@maia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/18 "2003-03-19T07:39:52Z")
I’m not following you **Phax** , really. The best part is when you suffer like that at the beginning…things mostly get better from here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![dogchow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@dogchow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogchow)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/19 "2003-03-19T07:57:47Z")
Hello. Sorry you had a bad start, but if you aren’t a jerk you’ll be fine. Oh, and don’t give candy to strange kids or they’ll follow you around. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408/20 "2003-03-19T08:01:47Z")
Glad you are here, Esmeralda. Let’s see how long it takes before you start skipping belly-dancing lessons in order to read “just one more thread” at SDMB. You sound like you have really healthy ways of handling your problems. BTW, your step-children are the same age as my three oldest step-grandchildren! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/newbie-goofed-already/162408.md?page=2)