Me too but I’m different in that it doesnt bother me, I get a kick out of it. I post here because I enjoy it, not to be popular. This is life folks and if being popular is what makes you tick, then you need a different outlook. I know I’m important to the people on here that I care about, thats what counts to me.
Another “ditto”. Sometimes it bugs me, especially when I turn into the GaWd of thread-killing! 
It bugs me with some threads, and I don’t care about most of them. C’est la vie!
-Sam
I was just going to mention handy, but saw that beth beat me to it. Anyway, this guy has over 5000 posts, Silo. Yet, I hardly ever see anyone acknowledging even one of them. So, if you think you got it bad, just think about handy.
vandal, I was going to mention that myself, but I guess you got to it first…
I would like to say that 90% of my communication for 28 years has been written communication. Yep, from 90% oral to 90% written. Which, in short, sucks big time. Written communication NEVER has the emotional inflection that I need in order to communicate what I want to. Some of the people from the Board have met me in person & I talk the same way & make them smile & laugh because I can get the emotional inflection through.
Still, nasty words spoken here are no where as scary as coming face to face with some major large waves in Monterey Bay.
I have always been told by people I am good at expressing myself with the written word, able to express what I am thinking and get some of life’s emotion into it. And in real life I am always wisecracking with people and taking conversation to the edge. But here on the board, the level of the conversation is such a high caliber that I am left sounding like a conformist dud. I find I am a terrible flamer, I sound preachy when I take a position with the underdog and none of my jokes work. Yet everyday I learn something I didn’t know before, often several things. So if I stay anonymous, so be it. This place is too good to pass up.
Alphagene, as I sit out here on the penthouse terrace, sipping a mai tai and enjoying the sunset, my thoughts turn to those souls who toil in the subterranean depths and I salute them for their dedication to their thankless task. But do not think that all is rosy in the land of the Eloi! We live in constant terror of attacks by the Morlocks, and our happiness has a fearful price.
And as I return to my dolce farniente, I again bow in respect and thank you for your help in slaying the dragons in CCC.
That you are one of my favorite posters…I may not respond to many of your posts but when I see your nick I always read what you have to say.
Sucking up again, aha, my best friend?
Sorry I didn’t read this thread earlier. I am only doing this for my newly adopted internet brother Silo then I am back to lurk/no post status.
People still give him shit, and I have seen the other side of him. Ah, he’s just like a little brother, I need to slap him around a little but I do know how he is feeling.
He fucked up, he admitted to it and yes people are hard to forgive for that.
He makes a comment that is related to the topic at hand in a chat session and he gets kicked and banned. I now protect him when I am in the chat room, I felt it was unwarranted given the topic. If I feel he is out of line I will tell him. If you feel he is out of line, explain it to me and I will discuss it with him if I feel it’s legit.
Do I expect that everyone act like he’s your best friend, NO, but I do request that people try to get to know the guy a little better.
I also notice a double standard here, madd1 is one of those posters that posts similar shit that Mike did before as Michael Masterson…but does this guy get shit for it? NO. Note:http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=28343 and http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=28357 These two threads are not that far from what Mike used to post. Granted Mike was persistant but no one has given this poster any grief over these topics, in fact they have seemingly been embraced. Both topics were out of line as far as I am concerned in the manner they were presented.
As for you Mike,
It will take time, I told you that. Don’t say:
This, little brother, makes you look whiney. You are making your way but you have to realize that there are people that may not get over it.
Instead, focus on what you can contribute and hope that is good enough. There are a lot of people out there that I see their user names and think “who the fuck is that” and only to find they have been on the boards since its full internet debut.
So, the entire board knows that Mike has worked his way into my heart. He is a nice “kid” and I have forgiven him for his trollish behavior. I know it hurts him and he feels terrible about his former behavior…yes we have discussed this.
If you can find it in your hearts, try to see him for the person he really is. I think he is a lot like me and needs acceptance and wants to be respected or things seem out of control.
If you think he’s out of line on something, call him on it but don’t slam him. He’s got potential but needs a little push in the right direction.
I say this because I was not that much different than Mike is at 21. Many of my actions and words were inappropriate and I was still trying to figure out who I am. Some of us a little late in this manner.
It took me a while and I still have my moments but overall with experience comes wisdom. When you completely shut people out you can’t help bring out the positives and I think with time Mike will have a lot to offer this board.
That’s my little 2 cents worth because I felt I had to say something.
I am back to lurker status now, go about your merry way. shooo, shooo
< Mr. Cynical is right, I do love this message board so it’s going to be very hard for me to do my own thing, sigh >
BTW, I learned some very valuable info from one of your early posts.
Whenever I travel to Borneo or New Guinea, I will make sure I carry plenty of make-up to put on in a hurry, since I found out that cannibals don’t eat clowns because they taste funny.
“Some people on the board get alot of feedback, some don’t.”
I have always got an answer & a fair amount of answers [fair=more than enough to answer the question] to any subject that I posted. One exception, which I really didn’t follow up on, was about the COPPA notice, which is a real law & ironically limits the age of people who can read the board.
I don’t mind ebeth referring to me as ‘boring’ because I know that the Board is archived for a long time & I would not like for someone to bring up something from here should I run for City Council or take some high profile job with a lot of press. So I prefer to keep things quite mild.
aha, I read all your subjects too. They are now more mature than your old ones & we would probably be laughing our socks off if we were talking in person.
Yeah, baby, talk dirty to me… 
Esprix
adam yaxfelcher wrote:
You’re right - I shouldn’t use yak.
I should use yax.
ATTENTION EVERYONE: From this point forward, “yak felcher” will now be replaced with “yax felcher.”
Thank you. We now return you to your regularly scheduled flame.
Esprix
Well, gee, Silo, I’m sorry I offended you by being blunt and honest. As MM you would have been glad to offend everyone else on the board, and now you’re a fucking sensitive guy? Puh-lease, Mary - get over your cheap sorry self. Now try re-reading what I posted without the martyr attitude and maybe you’ll get it.
For the record, I don’t “hold a grudge” - frankly, as MM, you never did a damn thing to me. But I’m not stupid, either, so forgive me for taking you with a grain of salt. As everyone here has said, it’s not that we don’t think you’re reformed, it’s just that this little bit of whining is just as childish as anything you did as MM.
Honestly, can you blame anyone on this board who knew you as MM for not taking you seriously after your reformation?
You wrote:
Gee, this was the same excuse you used as MM to explain away your trollish tendencies (“I was drunk” or something similar). Now you’re using it again? And you wonder why people doubt you!
Good, believe it or not.
Esprix
First off, techie, you know I love you. And Silo, you know I think you’re a great guy in person.
HOWEVER.
The comment last night in chat was WAY out of line. Even given the subject matter. I saw it. If Demo hadn’t kicked him, I possibly would have cut Silo a new asshole. Demo does NOT kick people lightly. Hell, IIRC, I got into a fight with him over letting Silo into chat in the FIRST place!
Are people having long memories? Yes. Do I think that’s unfair? In some cases, maybe. However, last night does NOT fall into that category. It was fair, it was warranted, and dammit, he should have known better.
Clue us in to please. I missed last night.
Falc:
What comment? A comment I made? or someone made towards me?
Exprix:
Don’t get me wrong I like you as a poster believe it or not. It may take a while longer for people to see I’m not going to revert back to that silly trolling. The board has become a somewhat personal place for me, as opposed to when I first came here (it was not).
I still wander why trolls get so much attension here. Oh well, keep up that ask the gay guy stuff, you’ve done a fantastic job.
When I first started this OP I was upset about a few things. But i’m not upset now.
-Mike
A few weeks ago I issued what is, really, my only flame. Silo was the recipient. As a flame, it wasn’t much; I don’t really like to do such things. It didn’t sit well with me then, still doesn’t sit well with me now. Several others encouraged me that his behavior welcomed my comment, and perhaps it did, but I do not like being mean to other people. And despite the fact that Silo’s current behavior still puts him on the questionable list, I still believe I hit below the belt (perhaps literally). So Silo, I’m sorry if it went a bit too far; it wasn’t fair.
But, a few things.
-
You’re a bit presumptious. You’ve alluded to my post count, suggesting that I’m a newbie who doesn’t know what’s going on. I have to admit I chuckled, hard, at that one. I’ve been around for nearly three years, since the AOL board days. I’m more of a lurker and occasional poster, rather than among the frequent posters. (However, if you added them all up, I’ve probably had close to 3,000 posts.) I’ve seen all variety of trolls, seen the Cyberian wars, seen a moderator get fired then banned. Anyway, I also saw the MM crap, as well as some of your chat room crap, and it really did not reflect well on you. It was, quite simply, juvenile. Your apology and retraction of previous antics did help your image, however, and you have made a more respectable presentation of yourself of late–at least on the boards. Chat room antics are less becoming. My advice–try not to assume so much, try not to try so hard, relax, and show a little humility.
-
You’re whining. That won’t win you any points with anyone. A thread like this started in the BBQ Pit is welcoming abuse.
-
I actually recommended to someone (aenea, was it you?) in the chat room a few weeks ago that if you came to the SDMB gathering, you should be asked to whip it out and prove your braggadocio wasn’t without merit. Why?Basically, to call your bluff. If it’s not a bluff, then fine, shut up about it already. Something I’ve learned–if someone says “I’m the life of the party!” they’re probably not. If a person has to brag, “I’m smart!” “I have a big dick!” “I’m the best!” then, well, it speaks of insecurity and usually means that the truth is counter to their words. I’m actually really amused that someone actually called you on it and wanted to see your cards, so to speak. Expect that kind of reaction when you act, or have acted, like that. Five months may seem long enough to you, but for many people it isn’t.
-
If you want respect, act respectful. And don’t whine about people not paying attention to your posts–it’s all part of SDMB board life.
M-kay?
Did anyone else notice that Alpha said:
And then the moderators proceded to turn this into an “aren’t we mods special” love fest? HMMM? Anyone??? Guess the air up in those ivory towers must be a bit thin.
Silo:
You’re fine. I don’t hold MM against you, I treat you just like anyone else. Stop worrying about it. That’s life, you learn, you grow. You’ve proven yourself man enough to do that. Many don’t. C’mere you!
< grabs Silo by the neck and give him noogies >
Oh, one final thing…If you ever DO go back to the way you were, I’ll flame your ass blacker than the inside of a republican landlord’s heart. Rest asured I CAN do it, too.
Yup, that was me.
At the recent gathering Silo was indeed called on his bluff, and would not whip it out, claiming modesty.
He’s actually a decent person face-to-face, or at least he was decent to me.
But then I would have continued tearing him a new one if he hadn’t been.
Silo, you said that you are not an asshole except when you drive and the net. You also said you would not be an asshole any more to us (on the SDMB), please keep that promise.