So what does "Hi, Opal" mean on these boards?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m embarrassed to admit it.Me, a semi-experienced Doper, proficient in various acts of Doperdom. I even know the story behind the 1920’s Death Ray.
But I just don’t get it…

I’ m talking about posts that typically look something like:
“1. check this cite
2. try posting your questions on a different forum
3. Hi Opal!”

So what am I missing here? Should I be greeting Opal, too?
Can I continue living without knowing? Or will my life lose all its meaning?

I’m worried…Please help…before it’s too late,
or something terrible happens to Opal…

2

Opal was a Doper that was before my time. I guess she said a list had to always consist of at least three items, so people began to conclude their lists with “Hi, Opal!”

Now apparently, it’s “hack her to death with a kitchen knife”. As if that’s better. Me? I’ll just continue making my 2-item lists. Or 4. Or whatever I feel like. :smiley:

3

She’s still around, you know.

Hell, I just had her over for a party last summer.

4

It should also be pointed out that many (MANY!) people on the board (including OpalCat herself) are very much against the continued practice of it, for various reasons.

  1. People tend to use it in lists longer than 2 items, which makes it extraneous.
  2. It has become extremely old and tired. All things must pass, let this one go as well.
5

I thought Opal and OpalCat were two different posters.

Anyway, it is annoying and should stop. (The HI, Opal thing, I mean!)

6

I have used it myself in the relatively short time that I’ve been posting here. I didn’t know that the practice was being discouraged. I guess I used it in a effort to “Fit in”. I shall endeavor not to do this again. My apoligies to Opal if she’s reading this if I’ve irritated her.

7

We should replace the “Hi, Opal” phrase with an apology to Opalcat and continue this for 20 minutes.

8

Very well, consider this to be my first then.

“My apologies Opalcat if I’ve irritated you.”

9

That would be the style of the 1920s.

10

But it was done in the 1960s. Once. For 20 minutes.

11

But with a “death ray” that was 40 years out of style…

:dubious:

12

Would you go so far as to say it has perhaps, bounded over certain members of chondrichthyes?

True it’s old, but would you prefer 3) Hack her to death with a kitchen knife (isn’t this in the Pit already?)

13

Opal has her own forum and she is the God-Like Administrator. Opal

Fear her… or be doomed .

14

Now you tell me. The first and only time I’ve ever used it was today, I though it was just expected with a list of two. :frowning: I’m sorry, don’t hurt me.

15

The funny thing is, I used to have a cat named Opal.

But then we changed it to Scrounge Rat.

It fit her better.

16

I do believe I used the phrase in ignorance on the boards once or twice, but not in some years. I’ve since been privileged to hang some with Opal at the last ChiDope, so if I use the term “Hi Opal” again, I will actually mean “Hello, Opal.”

17

The thing is, Opal was right–an indented list really should contain at least three items. If you’ve only got two items, you should just leave them in a sentence, joined by an “and.”

Considering that I agree this strongly with Opal, I’d gladly volunteer the usage of my name in place of hers, because:

[ul][li]It would make vanity searches much more interesting for me (it’s not like I’m ever referenced outside of a thread I’m already posting in)[/li]
[li]It sounds much more pleasant than hacking someone to death with a kitchen knife.[/li]
Hi, Skopo![/ul]See how much fun it could be?

18

Nope.

19

This post has been X-ed by the X-ist!

20

Why don’t we try replacing Opal’s name with ours?

  1. I like lists.
  2. Here’s a list.
  3. Hi Kythereia!

It could be fun…

slinks off to corner