# What's with the "Hi Opal!" stuff/ **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 30, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468 "2002-05-30T00:22:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/1 "2002-05-30T00:22:48Z")
Being a relative newbee to the boards, I have noticed this phrase in a number of threads and am curious about the story behind it. Unless of course I have to learn the secret handshake and get branded before I hear it. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/2 "2002-05-30T00:36:19Z")
You desperately need to do a search on this question. I don’t want to be rude to a newbie (heck, we all like newbies), but this question has been asked and answered at least 3 times in the last month or so. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/3 "2002-05-30T01:27:26Z")
wouldn’t it have been easier to just answer the guy’s question if you know the answer? sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Inky\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7feea3/32.png) [@Inky\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky_1)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/4 "2002-05-30T01:34:09Z")
Aaaargh!!! Make it stop! Make it stop!!! ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/5 "2002-05-30T01:36:33Z")
OpalCat is a longtime board member who does not like lists with only two items. Two items could just be included as part of a sentence like this: I like beans and potatoes. As opposed to: I like 1. Beans 2. Potatoes If she ever found herself with a 2-item list, she would add an additional item that said “3) Nothing, I just don’t like 2-item lists.” Other people started doing the same thing, adding a “3) Nothing, but Opal doesn’t like 2-item lists.” It eventually degenerated into “3) Hi, Opal!” and people started putting “3) Hi, Opal!” into longer lists, too. Someone probably beat me to this already. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/6 "2002-05-30T02:22:05Z")
Opal’s opposed to liking beans and potatoes? Well, some can like beans and potatoes all the time, and all can like beans and potatoes some of the time, but not all can like beans and potatoes all the time. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/7 "2002-05-30T02:40:00Z")
You guys hold **WSLer** down a little longer will ya? The branding iron isn’t quite hot enough yet. And the only thing about the handshake is that it has to be done nude. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/8 "2002-05-30T05:58:19Z")
Since this is a question about this message board, I’ll move this thread to ATMB ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/9 "2002-05-30T06:13:00Z")
Because this is where we keep the branding irons. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 6:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/10 "2002-05-30T06:25:51Z")
from Opal herself: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=2116403#post2116403](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=2116403#post2116403) ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/11 "2002-05-30T07:24:41Z")
The branding irons are from Ranger Jeff. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/12 "2002-05-30T09:24:15Z")
As strenuous a proponent of newbies doing searches as I am, this strikes me as a topic that it might be difficult to effectively find with a search. What could you possibly search for that would include inquiries as to the significance of “Hi Opal” and exclude examples of it coming up in regular posts? ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/13 "2002-05-30T10:00:50Z")
True indeed **WL**. It should be stuck in the FAQ instead. Along with the following note: > [@](#): > > THIS CEASED TO BE FUNNY AT LEAST TWO YEARS AGO. If you use it then actually you will, ironically, simply betray yourself as a clueless newbie desperate to get in with the non-existent clique (TINC). Please - just let it die pan ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/15 "2002-05-30T16:40:24Z")
**me-and-irene** , apparently **you** aren’t aware that I have a fancy pants status on that board too. I know Fathom of old - I just don’t choose to post there very often. What people do on **Opal’s** own board is between them and **Opal**. In jokes are tricky things - in **Opal’s** back yard there is bound to be a closer link between themselves and their board goddess. Nonetheless on _this_ board the “Hi Opal” is almost exclusively used by those with post counts in the low hundreds who’ve heard of the “joke” but have not yet realised just how tired it has become. pan ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/16 "2002-05-30T16:43:29Z")
Thanks, **kabbes**. Without wishing to turn this into a Pit thread, this joke is about as funny as ‘I know you are, but what am I?’. No offence to **Opal** , who obviously didn’t intend to start a trend, but can we please stop it? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/17 "2002-05-30T16:44:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > \*\*As strenuous a proponent of newbies doing searches as I am, this strikes me as a topic that it might be difficult to effectively find with a search. What could you possibly search for that would include inquiries as to the significance of “Hi Opal” and exclude examples of it coming up in regular posts? \*\* the word ‘Opal’ in the title alone. know thy search engine. you’ll also note, please that not everyone does this. FOr me, it’s partly because I get tired of the once a month 'what’s with the ‘hi Opal’ thread from newbies, which then generates this same predictable line of responses. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/18 "2002-05-30T18:23:10Z")
As one who is in the low hundreds and uses Hi Opal quite a bit, I’ll say this: Hi Opal! Seriously, if it wasn’t Hi Opal, it’d probably be \*\*'lo Grinch \*\* or something else. Personally, I think it’s kinda cute 😉 [sub]and, yes, I asked about it when I was a real real newbie. :rolleyes: [/sub] ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/19 "2002-05-30T22:34:24Z")
I’m sorry. Really I am. I’ll be good. Sheesh, that turned kinda nasty. Sorry if I got some old posters a little bent out of shape, but doing a search on the SDMB’s, takes a long time, at least for my computer. By long, I mean upwards of 1/2 an hour. Which I could put to better use oh, I don’t know cleaning my room. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/20 "2002-05-30T22:57:40Z")
Well, you can always clean your room _while_ it’s searching. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468/21 "2002-05-30T23:35:09Z")
Better yet, **WSLer** could clean _my_ room while it’s searching… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-hi-opal-stuff/111468.md?page=2)