It does seem strange, you are more than willing to discuss politics here, but dislike doing it in real life. Were you raised not to discuss issues like politics and religion and the SMDB anonymity allows you to bypass this taboo?
It is weird to me, as I am just as eager to discuss Politics IRL and here on the Dope. I would say, go enjoy a Dopefest and don’t worry about the politics. It might not come up anyway. I can’t think of any political debates at the Dopefests and get togethers I have been at. They probably happened, but nothing memorable.
Or you could just hang out with the MPSIMSy types who don’t read GD and the Pit – we have no particular preconceptions about whether you have horns and cloven feet or not.
Well, I do recall talking baseball at some of the get togethers, but it wasn’t for too long and the non-sports dopers smiled, shook theirs heads and walked away knowingly for a while.
Heh, what I usually do. I’m surprised, to be honest, that there are seemingly so few baseball fans on the boards…usually I’m surrounded by them, or football fans.
There are plenty of us. The baseball and football thread do well. In fact we keep begging for our own forum separate from the Café. The Admins are considering a Sports & Games forum. I hope they do so.
The Sports threads get kind of lost in the TV & Movie threads. However, if you take a look, you might be surprised by the number of sports threads scattered throughout the board. We just don’t bring sports up at random in other threads.
My understanding is our various game threads would go to the new forum and relieve the burden on the MPSIMS mods.
Of course the “Help me with my RPG” could be looking for game tips, game programmer coding tips, running a D&D style game or RPG is a IBM business Language, that I happen to be an expert in. So, far I think I have answered two questions on it. So, I still don’t know what forum that subject would go in, without looking at the OP itself.
For any detail questions concerning the chance of this new forum, I would recommend Email **Frank ** or TubaDiva. They are the ones that have dropped hints that we might get a seperate forum.
I went to my first UK Dopefest in the summer - really good fun! First time I’ve met people I’ve only come across online before.
Even took two of my brothers along - they were like “my god, can’t believe we’re going to meet a load of internet nerds”, but they had a great time too.
The conversation ranged from how best to serve fruit cider, to astrophysics, to how to speak like a valley girl, and much besides… something for everyone!
Actually, I have noticed that and I really appreciate it. You guys manage not to hijack any other threads for sports and that’s unusual and doesn’t go unnoticed.
Did they join? And if so, why haven’t you introduced them to the rest of us so we can introduce them to Mariah and her pals?
I’ve been to a number of Dopefests and had a blast at all of them. However, I’d already had experience with meeting strange people at random locations for food and/or fun, because I also attend sci-fi conventions and used to attend SCA and Markland Events, and the people who go to those tend to have mailing lists to keep in touch and arrange non-Event events. We refer to a get together like this as a ‘Foo’. Some have regular gaming nights, and boy do I miss that since moving to PA. All these games, no one to play with.
I’ve not only been to quite a few Dopefests, but traveled halfway around the world for one (Los Angeles to Amsterdam), where I actually snagged my husband!
I’ve met well over a hundred Dopers (“Dopetoberfest” alone had over 75 in attendance! Pics are still available here.), and for the most part, even the ones I cross swords with on the boards, are great to meet in person.
I count a number of Dopers I’ve met IRL as personal friends now. We’ve shared weddings and funerals together, helped each other move, dined and played together, and all the other various things friends do. Dopers Rock – you should meet some!
Ick.
