# When did you become Straight Dope material?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [July 26, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303 "2005-07-26T21:50:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2005, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/41 "2005-07-27T18:13:35Z")
I probably lurked for a good year before actually joining, and I’m sure if I went back and looked, the important first-push-to-register post would seem horribly inane.
(…can’t help it. Must look…)One of the first was [“What’s it got in its pocketses?”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=240517), wherein I described the contents of my pockets. (…yup. Brilliant start.)
I pretty well forgot the board in summer 2004, and my my post-per-day has suffered ever since.
Never really felt intimidated because I joined mostly for CS, MPSIMS, and IMHO. Occasionally I wander into the Pit when I’m pissed off, and read but rarely respond in GQ except when it is something in my limited list of thoroughly known subjects.
In other words, I am one of the community posters, not one of the intellectual ones. Showing others that you are smart is so much more work than self-satisfaction in the fact.
This board has led to a great online Thursday night poker game, and for a while, some online D&D. I’ve yet to get to a Baltimore/Washington dopefest, but it’s probably not too long before I do.
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### Author:  [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2005, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/42 "2005-07-27T18:24:35Z")
This is my first MB.
I’m spoiled for the rest.
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### Author:  [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2005, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/43 "2005-07-27T19:10:43Z")
As far as I know, The Master has not yet written an article about me.
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/44 "2005-07-27T20:33:18Z")
I remember my first post - I posted in some thread about toothpaste, I believe it was, and couldn’t find the thread that I’d posted in again. Posting my first OP was nerve-wracking; it’s like having a party and being afraid of no one showing up. How long until I was comfortable just yakking away? Maybe a year?
**eleanorigby** , I play around in the Pit a lot, and I don’t think the Pitizens would be _that_ cruel. Most ass-handings are pretty well deserved.
I like posting in the Pit - it’s easy to stay civil when the rules require it, and more of a challenge in a free-for-all.
Good rule of thumb - if you’re posting a criticism, take it back one notch before posting. You’ll probably be glad you did.
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/45 "2005-07-27T22:18:16Z")
> [@](#):
>
> When did you become Straight Dope material?
I posted what quickly became obvious was a really stupid question back on the AOL boards, and was subject to a somewhat amusing smacking-around. I migrated to the web when AOL closed the forum, and was a regular if somewhat reticent participant. And then, in the real world, the dot-com startup I was at failed, and I found myself unemployed for the First Time Ever, which put me in the proper state of mind to write what would become the Infamous Telemarketer Rant. At that moment, the Blue Fairy touched me, and I became a Real Doper, and y’all’ve had to put up with my shit ever since. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2005, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/46 "2005-07-27T22:46:48Z")
When I tattooed my forehead with **SDMB**
🙂
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/47 "2005-07-27T23:09:03Z")
And you newbies probably think she’s kidding.
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [July 27, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/48 "2005-07-27T23:44:06Z")
Heh.
I won’t tell them what I had inked on my…uhh…rhymes with Arabia.
::::titter:::::
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### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/49 "2005-07-28T00:30:43Z")
I believe it’s more a matter of when your posts and threads gain acceptance by others than your rising to some level of “worthiness” or “acceptance” as a person. I continue to have duds of threads and often my posts where I comment on some issue pass with no additional feedback. I have learned to accept that not everything I may have to say deserves response. I have had a few threads go with no comment at all. At least one was closed as being ridiculous. On the other hand, I’ve had some go for 100 or more replies.
It’s hard to predict how others are going to react, or what will strike the chord of the moment. Otherwise stupid posts can trigger a landslide of hilarity.
Just be ready for replies that contradict you, ignore you or make you feel small. Just don’t let them spoil your fun.
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### Author:  [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/50 "2005-07-28T14:37:49Z")
not sure what there is to be intimidated by… being contradicted or clarified by a group of virtual strangers who comprise your imaginary peer group?
(in my head I am hearing Fat Albert and his Cosby Kid friends singing “dope is for dopes…”)
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/51 "2005-07-28T15:08:30Z")
I think it was in elementary school, 4th grade maybe, when I finished an assignment way before anyone else so I went and got a grammar book. To read. For fun.
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### Author:  [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/52 "2005-07-28T15:38:15Z")
> [@Asimovian](#):
>
> Also, what suggestions might you veterans have to get me to relax around here? 🙂
Post while you’re masturbating like a motherf… It seems to be a very popular pastime here on the SDMB. 😃
What?
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### Author:  [@Crab\_Rangoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crab_Rangoon)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/53 "2005-07-28T18:17:29Z")
Well Hi!
I believe I am now a Doper. Oh I’ve been lurking for many moons - but I have now gathered the courage to POST a message _gasp_.
So let’s see if this thing works…
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### Author:  [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/54 "2005-07-28T18:33:58Z")
Bravo! And welcome!
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### Author:  [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/55 "2005-07-28T18:59:15Z")
> [@phungi](#):
>
> not sure what there is to be intimidated by… being contradicted or clarified by a group of virtual strangers who comprise your imaginary peer group?
> \
I’m not sure either, but it still affects us some times. One thing I saw here that really stuck with me; someone mentioned something about getting upset about an argument here, and a real life person told them, “Why get upset? You’re probably arguing with 12 year olds.” Yup. That sort of snaps it back into perspective.
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### Author:  [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/56 "2005-07-28T19:07:27Z")
> [@](#):
>
> “Why get upset? You’re probably arguing with 12 year olds.” Yup. That sort of snaps it back into perspective.
NUH-UH!!!
😃
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/57 "2005-07-28T19:14:59Z")
Another “99 lurker, 2000 joiner.”
I remember feeling very proud when someone asked “What is an obistrip?” and midst all the hijacks about nekkid geisha girls, I could provide an answer and a cite. Killed the thread.
I think I really felt like a Doper when someone quoted a post I made.
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### Author:  [@serious\_lark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/serious_lark)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/58 "2005-07-28T19:16:27Z")
Intimidated - no. Glad to converse with intelligent (and, okay, the occasional not-so-intelligent) people about things I do not know and things I do know - yes.
I watched my husband convert (to becoming a doper), then lurked for a while before signing up for the privilege of putting my 2 cents in, so I had gotten a pretty good feel for this board before starting to post.
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### Author:  [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/59 "2005-07-28T19:22:53Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> I think I really felt like a Doper when someone quoted a post I made.
This is the ultimate test as far as I’m concerned. It doesn’t take all that much to post (nor to start a thread). But once you’ve said something that others react to strongly enough to credit your post in the process, that’s a way of saying (in effect) “right you are, Doper.”
Feels good, too, eh, **Annie-Xmas**?
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### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [July 28, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-you-become-straight-dope-material/314303/60 "2005-07-28T19:26:20Z")
> [@Zeldar](#):
>
> This is the ultimate test as far as I’m concerned. It doesn’t take all that much to post (nor to start a thread). But once you’ve said something that others react to strongly enough to credit your post in the process, that’s a way of saying (in effect) “right you are, Doper.”
>
> Feels good, too, eh, **Annie-Xmas**?
You betcha **Zeldar**. Also feels good when someone mentions something that you posted in _another_ thread, like my knowledge of musicals or something.
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