# So what does "Hi, Opal" mean on these boards?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [December 20, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849 "2004-12-20T19:59:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/1 "2004-12-20T19:59:14Z")
I’m embarrassed to admit [it.Me](http://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…
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/2 "2004-12-20T20:07:07Z")
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. 😃
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### Author:  [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/3 "2004-12-20T20:09:30Z")
She’s still around, you know.
Hell, I just had her over for a party last summer.
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### Author:  [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/4 "2004-12-20T20:10:27Z")
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.
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### Author:  [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/5 "2004-12-20T20:12:03Z")
I thought Opal and OpalCat were two different posters.
Anyway, it is annoying and should stop. (The HI, Opal thing, I mean!)
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### Author:  [@Bendarr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bendarr)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/6 "2004-12-20T22:17:28Z")
> [@Munch](#):
>
> 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.
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.
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### Author:  [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/7 "2004-12-20T22:22:03Z")
> [@Bendarr](#):
>
> My apoligies to Opal if she’s reading this if I’ve irritated her.
We should replace the “Hi, Opal” phrase with an apology to **Opalcat** and continue this for 20 minutes.
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### Author:  [@Bendarr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bendarr)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/8 "2004-12-20T22:50:55Z")
> [@Greenback](#):
>
> We should replace the “Hi, Opal” phrase with an apology to **Opalcat** and continue this for 20 minutes.
Very well, consider this to be my first then.
“My apologies Opalcat if I’ve irritated you.”
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### Author:  [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)
#### Post date: [December 20, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/9 "2004-12-20T23:06:20Z")
> [@Greenback](#):
>
> We should replace the “Hi, Opal” phrase with an apology to **Opalcat** and continue this for 20 minutes.
That would be the style of the 1920s.
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### Author:  [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/10 "2004-12-21T01:01:21Z")
> [@Xema](#):
>
> That would be the style of the 1920s.
But it was done in the 1960s. Once. For 20 minutes.
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### Author:  [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/11 "2004-12-21T01:34:06Z")
> [@Gadfly](#):
>
> But it was done in the 1960s. Once. For 20 minutes.
But with a “death ray” that was 40 years out of style…
:dubious:
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### Author:  [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/12 "2004-12-21T01:49:10Z")
> [@Munch](#):
>
> 1. It has become extremely old and tired. All things must pass, let this one go as well.
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?)
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### Author:  [@sangfroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sangfroid)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/13 "2004-12-21T03:33:34Z")
Opal has her own forum and she is the God-Like Administrator. [Opal](http://fff.fathom.org/forums/member.php?s=&action=getinfo&userid=1)
Fear her… or be doomed .
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### Author:  [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/14 "2004-12-21T03:45:20Z")
> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> I thought Opal and OpalCat were two different posters.
>
> Anyway, it is annoying and should stop. (The HI, Opal thing, I mean!)
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. ☹ I’m sorry, don’t hurt me.
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### Author:  [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/15 "2004-12-21T04:04:47Z")
The funny thing is, I used to have a cat named Opal.
But then we changed it to Scrounge Rat.
It fit her better.
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### Author:  [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/16 "2004-12-21T04:24:53Z")
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.”
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### Author:  [@Gotterfunken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gotterfunken)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/17 "2004-12-21T04:47:40Z")
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?
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### Author:  [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/18 "2004-12-21T05:03:31Z")
Nope.
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### Author:  [@Regallag\_The\_Axe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Regallag_The_Axe)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/19 "2004-12-21T05:37:58Z")
> [@Gadfly](#):
>
> X But it was done in the 1960s. Once. For 20 minutes. X
This post has been X-ed by the X-ist!
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### Author:  [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)
#### Post date: [December 21, 2004, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-what-does-hi-opal-mean-on-these-boards/280849/20 "2004-12-21T06:33:36Z")
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_
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