# What's the Best Way to Praise A Member? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 7, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706 "2012-08-07T06:09:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/1 "2012-08-07T06:09:25Z")
There is someone here on SDMB that I like a whole lot. I like the “cut of his jib.” I like what he says, and how he says it. He’s not set up to accept private messages! If he was, I’d simply write him and say, “I want to be a member of your fan club!” But he isn’t… What’s the best way to communicate this…or, really, is it so tacky and cloying and naive that it’s simply best not to bother? Is it best done in the Pit, as an “anti-Pit?” Or MPSIMS, or…just not done? Calling people poopy-heads and stinkards in, say, Great Debates, is verboten, but is saying, “Doggone, bub, I love your posts” a good idea, a bad idea, or…? ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/2 "2012-08-07T06:24:06Z")
You can always do like **zoid** did. 😃 [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15356097&postcount=5](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=15356097&postcount=5) ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/3 "2012-08-07T06:35:40Z")
Hey now! The love between dopers is a pure and natural thing. PS - I can’t believe I just ran across this at random - must be fate. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/4 "2012-08-07T06:38:44Z")
“Hey, that’s a mighty nice member you got there.” I did read the OP, I’m just ignoring it. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/5 "2012-08-07T07:30:00Z")
Flowers, chocolate, booze? Those all work for me. You could write a sonnet. You could sing a song, preferably under their window. You could just tell them so publicly. Let your freak flag fly! ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/6 "2012-08-07T09:50:35Z")
[Like this.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=120313) ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/7 "2012-08-07T09:55:18Z")
See, this is why we need the Happy Thoughts forum back. ---
**Author:** ![Molotok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Molotok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molotok)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/8 "2012-08-07T09:58:24Z")
Yeah, I thought Happy Thoughts was a nice counterbalance for… most of the rest of the board 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/9 "2012-08-07T11:13:53Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > There is someone here on SDMB that I like a whole lot. I like the “cut of his jib.” I like what he says, and how he says it. You don’t have to say anything further, I hear ya. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/10 "2012-08-07T11:50:18Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > [Like this.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=120313) That thread’s a beautiful thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/11 "2012-08-07T12:57:02Z")
Here I am! Go right ahead. _arms wide open_ ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/12 "2012-08-07T13:09:06Z")
\*\* elbows **Ellen Cherry** aside \*\* ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/13 "2012-08-07T13:11:15Z")
BTW, serious answer – start an MPSIMS thread. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/14 "2012-08-07T13:48:43Z")
Huh, my PM’s active and seems to be working. Maybe it’s just a board glitch… Try again… ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2012, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/15 "2012-08-07T17:04:32Z")
Cash never goes out of style. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/16 "2012-08-08T00:56:32Z")
[This](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5131840&postcount=4) is my fave. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/17 "2012-08-08T01:05:06Z")
I usually PM them, but sometimes I just straight up tell them. I ain’t shy. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/18 "2012-08-08T02:08:10Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > You don’t have to say anything further, I hear ya. > [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Here I am! Go right ahead. _arms wide open_ Grin! Yes, you guys also! > [@Anaamika](#): > > I usually PM them, but sometimes I just straight up tell them. I ain’t shy. Alas, they don’t receive PMs. Actually, I’m gonna use that as my clue. If they don’t want PMs, the sort of implies they aren’t very open to personal input. I also tried to think it through on a “Golden Rule” basis: would I want someone to say something like this to me? (I should be so lucky?) Dunno; it might make me feel just a little embarrassed. So… There exists a Doper, out there somewhere, whom I admire very much. Keep on keeping on. I’m your fan. 'Nuff said! ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/19 "2012-08-08T02:55:20Z")
How does one ‘turn off’ one’s PM function? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706/20 "2012-08-08T03:00:12Z")
Go to User CP and click on “edit options”. Scroll down, there is a check box to enable PMs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-praise-a-member/630706.md?page=2)