Secret society

[masterofNone]

maybe you'd be better to remember another of his lines...

"brevity is the soul of wit..."

dipshit.

[lapietra]

:(

[trisherina]

Who's racing to meet 4000 at this point?

[masterofNone]

rune and chuckie were this morning when i dropped by.... go figure.

[lapietra]

Improving your self-esteem
Self-esteem isn’t something set in concrete; if you want to improve your self esteem you can. But it also doesn’t happen overnight. Finding the skills to manage your self-esteem takes time, patience, commitment, motivation, support, and sometimes professional assistance. Talking with a counselor or mental health specialist can be useful, particularly if your low self-esteem is accompanied by anxiety and depression. Ultimately, improving your self-esteem is about changing your frame of mind. The best way to do this is to consistently affirm yourself while acting in ways that you find praiseworthy and which support your idea of what makes a good person. Keeping a journal of your thoughts and feelings is an excellent place to start monitoring and altering your self-perception and behavior.

For inspiration and guidence on improving self-esteem we’ve come up with ten helpful steps. Dig deep with these; they may seem simple, but if you truly follow them, they will have a dramatic impact on your self-esteem.

Challenge your self-concept. How do you see yourself? List your five best qualities. Take a second to find three more good qualities. Now list your five worst qualities. Consider your lists: Would a best friend or someone you respect agree with these? It is likely that other people are more objective about you than you are about yourself. If it took you less time to list your worst traits than it did to list your positives, you are already on the right road. If the opposite it true, dig deep. Have you overlooked the fact that you are a good friend, co-worker, sibling or parent? Have you remembered your intelligence and humor or the way you smile?

Redefine yourself. Combine your lists of strengths and weaknesses into a description of yourself that is accurate and fair. Select positive aspects of your self-description and repeat these to yourself ten times a day. When a weakness or flaw rears up, decide if, in the grand scheme of life, it's worth the effort to change. Does it really make a difference to your character and your self-perception? If it's worth changing, set some goals and work on it. If not, stop hanging on to it as evidence to support your low self-esteem!

Listen to yourself. Pay attention to the needs and wants of your body, your mind, and your emotions. If you're exhausted, get a good night’s sleep. If you're tense, do some stretches. If you have something on your mind, try to resolve it. If you are feeling anxious, calm yourself with some relaxing music and candles. Remember that you are valuable and worth taking care of – don’t discount yourself and your needs.

Accomplish goals. Set goals and achieve them. Take note of all your accomplishments, no matter how small. This way, when you start tearing yourself down, you will have proof that you are wrong. And try getting something done that you have been putting off - wash that car, call that friend, read that book, plant those flowers.

Live right. Be honest and ethical. Be someone who can be trusted. Show active concern for others; do something nice, let them know you care. Then when you tell yourself how worthless you are, you will have concrete proof that your self-perception is inaccurate.

Be good to yourself. Being good to yourself means treating yourself as the valuable person you are. It means eating well, exercising often, treating yourself sometimes, relaxing when you need to, and doing things you enjoy and that are important to you. It’s helpful to write down at the end of each day how you have treated yourself in terms of your health, what you have done for yourself, and how you have affirmed yourself.

Be sociable. Even if you don't feel like it – do it anyway. Make an effort to put yourself in social settings and surround yourself with people who appreciate you, just the way you are. Being with other people can help lift you out of negative self-absorption. If you find large groups intimidating, only go to parties for a short time, but still go. Make an effort to visit friends and family when you can, and phone them or write to them when you can't.

Turn to others. We may be born alone, but we were not born to be alone. Other people are there to help and support you when you need it, just as you are there for others. Don’t be afraid of turning to someone when you have a problem, or of leaning on others when you need to. Being independent doesn’t mean cutting yourself off from others.

Accentuate the positive. Walk, talk, and dress in ways that accentuate everything that is positive about you. Avoid clothes, posture, and self-talk that emphasize your flaws. We all have flaws, but people with healthy self-esteem don't dwell on them.

Recognize your talents and abilities and use them. Everyone is good at something. What are your talents? Are you using them? Do you like to paint, write, garden, or play the guitar? Are you a good sportsperson? Do you enjoy the outdoors? Are you a good listener? A devoted friend? Do people look to you for support and encouragement? And don’t expect to be an instant Michelangelo or Mozart or Mother Teresa! Find the things you have a flair for, and do them for your own enjoyment and satisfaction – not to impress others.

[Coffee]

"brevity is the soul of wit..." dipshit

Noted...so i'll just say that aint me...and
I'm going with "This above all: to thine own self be true,"

[topcat]

that was a compromise that didn't suit anyone very well. i mean you bring up yourself and clytie... what you don't see are people like allegroNg or chuckie or trisherina or any of a number of folks who have the beauty of brevity. this was the big shame for me. there are so many folks who post these elegant comments every now and then, beautiful comments. and the compromise we ended up with doesn't reward those folks who have the kind of impulse control that i admire.



can you please explain?

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Coffee
Noted...so i'll just say that aint me...and
I'm going with "This above all: to thine own self be true,"
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955), (attributed)

Originally posted by topcat
can you please explain?
explain what?

[priceyfatprude]

Originally posted by topcat
that was a compromise that didn't suit anyone very well. i mean you bring up yourself and clytie... what you don't see are people like allegroNg or chuckie or trisherina or any of a number of folks who have the beauty of brevity. this was the big shame for me. there are so many folks who post these elegant comments every now and then, beautiful comments. and the compromise we ended up with doesn't reward those folks who have the kind of impulse control that i admire.



can you please explain? He means what you mean. Quality over quantity.

[bealeblues]

watch south park. drink beers or lemondrivers.

[priceyfatprude]

Originally posted by bealeblues
watch south park. drink beers or lemondrivers. Sending drunken text messages RAWKS!!!!!

[bealeblues]

my phone is evil and must be stopped

[zefrank]

Originally posted by topcat
not to be disrespectful but your explanation sucks

of course its disrespectful... and insulting.

"sucks" means nothing to me.

please tell me what you found confusing or wrong and i'll try and clear it up for you from my point of view.

[Coffee]

Hi Ze.

Vagueness is confusing for some, I think.
I know that lack of explicit guidelines has caused at least one person to leave the board, and possibly caused some others to experience some...er...stress, heh.

Frank-ly (pun intended), i've been enjoying the anarchy, and the mess and confusion that the "secret being let out" has caused.

Thanks for the site.

[moel]

how about coffee gets kicked out of the club and i get put in

[masterofNone]

wish i had a vote.

[topcat]

admit it. everyone one is waiting for nyc to come back.

[moel]

she's gone?

[masterofNone]

i like it when peg is here... she's not boring.

[trisherina]

I miss her chutzpah.

[moel]

yes, my comment was a joke. i think she'll be gone awhile

[lapietra]

I want moelie in the dark room.

And I want him in the secret room, too. :p

[moel]

is there always going to be another darkroom? what happens to you guys when 4000 posters have 4000 posts?

[priceyfatprude]

Originally posted by topcat
admit it. everyone one is waiting for nyc to come back. She's still lurking. You should wave to her.

*waves*

*uses all fingers*

[lapietra]

rooms within rooms within rooms...

[moel]

you don't have to wear a mask when you're in a darkroom

[Audreyvgs]

I just keep postin and postin, trying desperately to race for the room, and somehow, i keep having this feeling that someone has messed with my avatar and my secret password anyway! I can relax, just short of my goal, I too, have found something to live for.

[masterofNone]

HAHAHAHAHAHA!
nice avatar

[Gatsby]

I'm so far from the 4,000 mark that it's a mere speck on the horizon, a blip on the radar, much like GWB's brain.

*sigh*

It's my own fault for popping in and out so randomly, but now I feel so...

oddly driven? slighted?
left out? marginalized?
obliged to 'become'?

What might have been, what posts I could have accumulated (so odd that I now frame it that way in my head - 'accumulate') had I only known there was MORE! So much MORE!

Oh, the humanity!

[tsunamimom]

Well, you have a head start of this newbie here - I'll be drawing my old age pension before I get into the 'Special Place' - and then I'll be too bloody old to enjoy it...

[topcat]

gatsby, your life will neve be the same, poor dear

[Gatsby]

Thank you for the empathy, TC. I need a bit of propping-up-of-the-ego tonight, I think.

[topcat]

you will be fine my dear you have a good head on your shoulders

[Zaftig]

*stands up*

Hi, my name is Zaftig, and well, I must admit, I'm guilty of succumbing to the spam disease once.

I posted as I normally would and then realized I was approaching 500. The point in which I could have my very own avatar. *dreamily sighs* The time came. . . the suspense.. . .and then my 500th post turned into my 464th post and I must admit my inner spammer, which I didn't know existed, came out. The mystery had to be solved. ;) Then it happened. . I started shooting rapid posts anxiously crawling to my 500th post yet again. The need to spam was quenched. I haven't had the urge to spam again though it was quite fun and weird and awkward all at the same time. The mystery still hasn't been solved but it was cool! ;)

Anyways, I don't know everyone here closely. I don't have any sides to take or knowledge of past discrepancies among members. In fact I never sensed any tension among members until now. I'm still not going to lean towards anyone. I like to form my own opinions of people on how they treat me and others while keeping in mind I don't know the whole situation.

With that said this thread has brought out some true passion. It shows a raw reflection of this community. And now that I have seen tensions that I wasn't aware of before I find myself asking the question, "Is ignorance bliss?"

[zenbabe]

this thread is so stupid, I should have taken advantage when peg posted her password and deleted it....

[Magpie]

I'm curious why anyone (nothing personal Daver) who hadn't met the established entrance criteria was allowed access... and why the exception?

[Clytie]

interestingly enuff i knew about this secret place...before this thread...and i was ok with its exsistance... i didnt tell anyone... i didnt really care...it does seem kinda xclusive and a tad snotty...but kinda silly...it only has a few members since not everyone has hit that 4000 mark...but i am curious...why make an exception for one person and not for all of us...? thats my only thot. I still like everyone here... and i dun wanna see people leave. i like the dysfunctional ze board family...and i hate fighting... what can i say? im a peacemaker.

[Audreyvgs]

Originally posted by Zaftig
"Is ignorance bliss?"

Only if you promise that your heart won't be broken if you find out otherwise.

*mantra: Its only a message board, its not my whole life. It's only a message board, its not my whole life.*

[Avalon]

Originally posted by zenbabe
this thread is so stupid, I should have taken advantage when peg posted her password and deleted it....


<b>wish i had a vote.<b>(master of nothing)

Yeah, power is a beautiful thing in the right hands:rolleyes:
And yet, you wonder. pfft

[chuckie egg]

Originally posted by masterofNone
rune and chuckie were this morning when i dropped by.... go figure.

*smirk*

[daverbee]

Originally posted by Magpie
I'm curious why anyone (nothing personal Daver) who hadn't met the established entrance criteria was allowed access... and why the exception? No idea whatsoever.
ze emailed me yesterday and said that one is into the darkroom at 4000 posts regardless of whether one wants to be or not. I had thought after I got on that another requirement was to have been on the board for 18 months which would have disqualified me.
Take it up with ze.

[Avalon]

Originally posted by lapietra
What is self-esteem?
Self-esteem has to do with the way you perceive and experience yourself. It comes through in the attitudes, beliefs, and opinions you have about yourself. It affects all aspects of your life including what you think, how you act and feel, and how you interact with other people. If you have good self-esteem you believe that you are generally capable of producing the desired results of your goals and ambitions. You have confidence in your ability to think and make good decisions. You also value yourself and know that you are valuable to others. This shows in the way you take care of yourself and those around you. If you have low self-esteem you tend to doubt yourself and your ability to achieve. You focus on all your negative characteristics, while ignoring or invalidating your positive characteristics. This thinking often comes across in destructive behavior toward yourself and others.

Traits of high self-esteem

You respect yourself
You are tolerant of yourself and others
You seek healthy relationships
You trust your own judgment
You take responsibility for your actions
You take risks and handle criticism well
You see yourself as worthy of love, happiness and fulfillment
You have confidence in yourself and make confident decisions
You are honest with others
You believe you can achieve your goals
You take pride in your accomplishments
You take good care of yourself and others
You value yourself
You are self-motivated


Traits of low self-esteem

You see yourself as incompetent
You have a fear of failure
You have trouble achieving your goals
You have difficulty looking people in the eye
You may be prone to eating disorders, drug abuse, and violence
You think about yourself a lot, analyzing why you are the way you are
You are discontent with yourself
You disrespect yourself
You blame others rather than taking responsibility
You hold yourself in contempt
You lack confidence
You constantly doubt yourself
Other people can make you feel intimidated and uncomfortable
You focus on trying to prove yourself and impress others



What self-esteem is not
Self-esteem is not just about “feeling good”. Lots of things make us feel good for a while, but most of them are external to our selves and they pass. The euphoria from a drug, or a compliment, or falling in love, for example, is not the same as the consistent affirmation that comes with high self-esteem.

Self-esteem is also not just about thinking well of yourself; it extends to your behavior and thinking as well. Don’t make the mistake of confusing high self-esteem with simple egotism and arrogance. Any behavior that can be described as egotistic, egocentric, conceited, boasting, bullying, taking advantage of or harming others, is a defensive behavior indicative of a lack of self-esteem, or pseudo self-esteem. True self-esteem shows in the way a person thinks of and treats others, as well as themselves.

Thou dost protest too much

[trisherina]

I don't think it's a stupid thread, and I don't think it should be deleted, though I guess whoever holds the password might think differently.

There are consequences for actions, and whenever you take actions in secret the consequences involve the boundary that's created, and whether it's appropriate or not. More often than not, feeling discomfort about discussing your actions with peers implies that a boundary violation is taking place.

Was the boundary appropriate, or not? nycwriters thought it wasn't, and whether you like her or not personally, it takes a certain amount of integrity to expose a boundary you feel is inappropriate when there is a lot of pressure to maintain it. Think of doctors who expose peers who cross boundaries with their patients, and agree to keep it all secret. And I'm not even talking about egregious examples of boundary-crossing, like sexual abuse -- I mean things like accepting gifts, exchanging e-mail addresses -- things that seem mundane, but the key element making them less so is the fact of the secrecy among peers.

I enjoy playing here, and I enjoy playing here with everyone, even people who irritate me occasionally. I can tolerate whatever and work out whatever, with whomever. I think going off to have a private playground crossed a boundary that not coincidentally needed to be kept secret, and that the secrecy was for some more about its appropriateness than the "nice surprise" -- though probably not for everyone. The secrecy was to some extent about disliking people and situations outside the darkroom; that's very clear.

Regardless of message count or privileges granted, I won't ever open the darkroom. Feel free to hold me to it. It's just a message board, and I can gladly remain within the boundaries afforded to public posting and private messaging.

[Magpie]

Thanks for the info Lala but don't think self esteem has to do with any of this if you are implying that some people have self esteem issues because they have questioned or taken issue with the room.

A couple things that jump out screaming at me in the discussion about entrance requirements...

"quality of posts" As determined by who's standards of quality?

"serial posters, spammers" What exactly is this? A number of qualifying members are very heavy daily posters. Are they not considered a "serial poster" because their posts contain a certain level of "quality" that another member's don't?

Interesting.

[Frieda]

i do consider myself a spammer

[daverbee]

They serve Spam on toast in the darkroom.

[Avalon]

You always have the best Hasselhoff spam :)

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Magpie
A number of qualifying members are very heavy daily posters. Are they not considered a "serial poster" because their posts contain a certain level of "quality" that another member's don't?

exactly. precisely. a ton of gold is gold. a ton of crap is crap. it may be elitist. sue me.

[Magpie]

Originally posted by masterofNone
exactly. precisely. a ton of gold is gold. a ton of crap is crap. it may be elitist. sue me.
So you decide this?

[rmr]

Originally posted by Frieda
i do consider myself a spammer

me too

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Magpie
So you decide this?

for me. yes i do. i decide what i think is crap. you decide what you think is crap. isn't that the way the world works?

why are some folks for bush and some folks for kerry?

we're all making value judgements all the time.

[Avalon]

Sooo, one line of spewed venom is better than a paragraph of niceties?
Pfft.

I wouldn't brag about being an elitest if I were you; this speaks for itself

Elitest:

The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.

The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class.
Control, rule, or domination by such a group or class.

Small fish, big pond.

[dickieC]

I am really, really, REALLY FVCKED OFF about this.

And I am the most mild-mannered person on the board.

Some people can just go fvck themselves as far as I am concerned.

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Avalon
Sooo, one line of spewed venom is better than a paragraph of niceties?
Pfft.

I wouldn't brag about being an elitest if I were you; this speaks for itself

Elitest:

The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.

The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class.
Control, rule, or domination by such a group or class.

Small fish, big pond.

hell, aren't you enjoying the feeling of moral superiority right now? aren't you drawing a boundary between you and me right now? i'm not drawing a moral line, i wouldn't presume... i'm drawing one based on the ability to write.


i can judge the quality of writing. can you tell me you can judge the quality of my morals? if so, the republican party would love for you to join up.


besides... we didn't make the entrance requirements based on "quality" but on "quantity."

[melissa]

Originally posted by dickieC
I am really, really, REALLY FVCKED OFF about this.

And I am the most mild-mannered person on the board.

Some people can just go fvck themselves as far as I am concerned.


I'm in the same boat as you, Dickie.

[Avalon]

Originally posted by masterofNone
hell, aren't you enjoying the feeling of moral superiority right now? aren't you drawing a boundary between you and me right now? i'm not drawing a moral line, i wouldn't presume... i'm drawing one based on the ability to write.


i can judge the quality of writing. can you tell me you can judge the quality of my morals? if so, the republican party would love for you to join up.


besides... we didn't make the entrance requirements based on "quality" but on "quantity."

No, I am not enjoying this; you are equating my feelings with yours. I am sad for you.

[Magpie]

Originally posted by masterofNone
for me. yes i do. i decide what i think is crap. you decide what you think is crap. isn't that the way the world works?

why are some folks for bush and some folks for kerry?

we're all making value judgements all the time.
Sure. But this wasn't a general election where everyone had input. It was you (and a handful of others) attempting to use your own judgements of which member's contributions consisted of "quality" as a determination of admittance.

edited to add: MoN: "besides... we didn't make the entrance requirements based on "quality" but on "quantity."

But that certainly wasn't the only idea seriously discuss or considered, that's my point.

[sparticle]

God, this is all just madness.

A few weeks ago, I was looking at my birthday thread (the one, presumably, that holds my birthday suit together) and the one in support when we took my son back in, thinking, "I'm so lucky to have found this board. There are a lot of great folks on there, and it's so much nicer than that dumbass Neo-Con message board I've been trying to subvert/convert. How nice to have a little corner of cyberspace filled with interesting, open-minded people. We may all be different, but at least we all respect each other and most of them are very kind."

Not that you all aren't still. You ARE. Most of you are even people I would like to know in person.

It saddens me to see people divided like this. I guess this, if any, would be the most compelling reason I would have for refraining from having a secret, "off-board" board if it were my pop stand (which it most certainly is not). If the secret ever gets out (which it is bound to), there are bound to be misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and things said which can never be taken back, things which hurt and divide us.

I am sorry any of this had to happen. I do not think nycwriters was wrong to "out" the darkroom, and I do not think it's wrong to have it, either. I just think perhaps the way in which it was set up was a little shortsighted in terms of the inevitable blowup. This WASN'T going to stay secret forever, not in a group that likes to communicate as much as this one (obviously) does.

I don't think this thread is stupid, and I wouldn't want it deleted, but the bitterness and hostility are disheartening. That the same people who could come forward in such wonderful support when I went through all the crap with my son are now angry with each other kind of hurts. Not that my opinion is a goddamn hill of beans, but it would be better if we could discuss this without rancor.

Still, it's the nature of the situation. Nobody likes to feel left out. I can see why they can't help but feel that way. It's human nature.

Anyway. I am not angry with anyone and I don't even care if I was mentioned in there or not. I just think perhaps it could have been set up a little differently to avoid hurt feelings. (Trouble is, I don't know how it could have been better set up, so I'd probably better shut up while I'm ahead.)

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Avalon
No, I am not enjoying this; you are equating my feelings with yours. I am sad for you.
awww. thanks. i appreciate your concern.

but be careful. one day you might draw a distinction between yourself and someone else on this board and when you do... the whole board willl be able to call you on it.

i admit to drawing distinctions. i think everyone does it. i draw them based on kindness and humor and intellect and writing style and a whole range of things. i think it's natural to. it allows us to say "i like this person," and "i don't like that person." if you'd like to have a world where everyone likes everyone else... hmmm... i don't know where that would be... and i really don't know how they'd elect a president. but in this world we have likes and dislikes. and if there is a question of erecting an artificial threshold... i'm going to be the one arguing for a threshold based on merit over sheer numbers.

so if that makes me elitist. i'm completely okay with that.

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Magpie
Sure. But this wasn't a general election where everyone had input. It was you (and a handful of others) attempting to use your own judgements of which member's contributions consisted of "quality" as a determination of admittance.
see. we didn't decide to do it based on quality, we did it based on quantity and time served... see my post above for why i was arguing for "quality" over quantity....

[dickieC]

MoN: I don't believe any of that bullshit. You're trolling, and in a particular cause. I thought we'd grown out of that phase a couple of years ago.

[zefrank]

hmmm....

so i was just PM'd by topcat who informed me, and pardon my bringing this into the public eye, that the comment about my explanation "sucking" was meant to judge the communities reaction to dissing me.

that pissed me off.

to his/her defense topcat also stated that the the creation of the darkroom might reinforce the feelings of superiority, exclusion and social anxiety that I said already existed.

i'm going to post a few times here, addressing different things that have been brought up....

here's #1:

first off, from the perspective of a message board owner, people that contribute by posting are more valuable than lurkers when it comes to the long term maintenance of the board.

in particular, the fiction project needs posters rather than readers to remain vibrant. i agree that there are certain people who don't post very often, but whose posts are extremely valuable, but that is a very difficult quality to assign a metric value to. if the board had a voting mechanism, i could allow users to assign value to one another, i suppose....but the board doesn't support that sort of functionality.

regarding the notion that recognizing post count encourages irrelevant posts or board spamming. its true that certain people might do this. i'd argue that there are implicit social mechanisms already in place to keep this from happening. if someone is a spammer, the group will tend to devalue their posts and label them as such.

a few posts have addressed the idea of reward, implying that the darkroom is somehow a better place or a more desirable place.

the main social attribute of the darkroom is the fact that it is an exclusive environment, in that only people over the 4,000 post count can join in. no other criteria is considered in allowing access. one other member was invited in because she was present when i was first thinking about the idea. this right i reserve.

the main functional difference between the darkroom and fast chat is privacy: that the rest of the community and the general public can't read what is written. i would ask you all to evaluate your usage of the board at the moment and think about whether this is something you desire and if so, why.

in creating the darkroom i've created an exclusive and private area of the board for the people that have contributed the largest amount of content.

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by dickieC
MoN: I don't believe any of that bullshit. You're trolling, and in a particular cause. I thought we'd grown out of that phase a couple of years ago.
whuh?

[dickieC]

I'm off.

I may come back when I've calmed down a bit. But probably not.

[Willow Sylph]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Magpie
A number of qualifying members are very heavy daily posters. Are they not considered a "serial poster" because their posts contain a certain level of "quality" that another member's don't?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally posted by masterofNone
exactly. precisely. a ton of gold is gold. a ton of crap is crap. it may be elitist. sue me.

So you're saying you think a number of the qualifying members who are heavy daily posters post quality stuff? But others do not? That's just bullsh!t.

Most of the heavy users, whether part of the elite or part of the rabble, post about the same amount of quality and what you would call "non-quality" posts.

[bealeblues]

i dont care anything about the pro/con arguments that have gone on back and forth about the darkroom. everyone has their position, so be it. i'm just sad that dC is fvcked off.

and for once, i mean my sentiment in all sincerity.

and for the record, i consider myself a spammer 99% of the time-- just look at some of the bizarre shite that rimmer and i post at each other. i think it's fun, so label it at your whim.

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Willow Sylph
So you're saying you think a number of the qualifying members who are heavy daily posters post quality stuff? But others do not? That's just bullsh!t.

Most of the heavy users, whether part of the elite or part of the rabble, post about the same amount of quality and what you would call "non-quality" posts.

okay... in your opinion.

is it all right with everyone if i have an opinion about the quality of people's posts?

i think i've earned the right to have an opinion. i think we get that when we're breathing.

okay. so i'm done trying to defend the criteria we discussed before we arrived at the criterion we used. it was an open and lively debate. something i thought america was all about.

as far as the opinions of the few who feel i am somehow morally inferior for having an opinion about people. you are entitled to your opinion. but you are not entitled to me giving a rat's ass about yours.

[Avalon]

Originally posted by masterofNone
awww. thanks. i appreciate your concern.

but be careful. one day you might draw a distinction between yourself and someone else on this board and when you do... the whole board willl be able to call you on it.

i admit to drawing distinctions. i think everyone does it. i draw them based on kindness and humor and intellect and writing style and a whole range of things. i think it's natural to. it allows us to say "i like this person," and "i don't like that person." if you'd like to have a world where everyone likes everyone else... hmmm... i don't know where that would be... and i really don't know how they'd elect a president. but in this world we have likes and dislikes. and if there is a question of erecting an artificial threshold... i'm going to be the one arguing for a threshold based on merit over sheer numbers.

so if that makes me elitist. i'm completely okay with that.


IF that situation should ever arise, and I begin to act like you, I would deserve to have my ass kicked. I have enough friends that would take me aside and warn me first however, unlike you obviously.

[topcat]

i like being with the diverse group of people here as long as they are just like me

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Avalon
IF that situation should ever arise, and I begin to act like you, I would deserve to have my ass kicked. I have enough friends that would take me aside and warn me first however, unlike you obviously.
man, you just keep making my point clearer and clearer.

[lapietra]

Originally posted by Avalon
IF that situation should ever arise, and I begin to act like you, I would deserve to have my ass kicked. I have enough friends that would take me aside and warn me first however, unlike you obviously.

He has plenty of friends - he just doesn't listen to us :p

moosh moosh love love

cwajga?

[Audreyvgs]

Originally posted by masterofNone
so if that makes me elitist. i'm completely okay with that.



No, it makes you less intellectual than i thought, you talked shit on a message board, when you could have vented your elitism on the YIM, in a private selection of your peers. Bad Form, chap. A bit shortsighed when the peasants were shortly to be on your tail. You've failed the hat test.

[Magpie]

What was the purpose of that secret place again?

[Avalon]

Originally posted by Magpie
What was the purpose of that secret place again?

To post quality, elitest threads such as:
"Should I have sex with my cat?"

I am tired of not getting any pvssy.

This from the man who ragged on Coffee about the "raging boner" comment.

[Willow Sylph]

Originally posted by masterofNone
man, you just keep making my point clearer and clearer.

MoN - Since I came to this board, I have had a great deal of respect for you. I have always thought that what you posted was well thought out, sincere, and intelligent. I never took it for arrogant or prejudice, if you will. So you may not care what my feelings (and some others) are about your stance on this situation, but I am hoping that my perception of you has been correct all along, and if it is, I think you will care what I have to say.

You are right, you absolutely have the right to your opinion. And as Sparticle (and many others have mentioned time and time again) mentioned, that is exactly what makes this board so great.

It's true, there is a lot of less than thought-provoking, goofy, outright lame stuff posted on this board. But the people who post that stuff - which would include darn near ALL of us - also have quality things to say, and do say. I see this board as a huge family of people who come here to play together, to offer each other invaluable support (see Sparts problem with her son, Ava's loss of her brother, Lala's problem with her step-mother, Audrey's concerns about her young son, NYC's bad break-up with her boyfriend, etc.), to create and nurture friendships that do often transcend the board, a place to get advice from the whole spectrum of human social and educational backgrounds (all of which is useful whether it's because you learn which attitude doesn't work and which does), a place to use as a creative outlet (Fiction Project), and a place to just goof off, as well. I think that's a lot of good quality stuff. But that being beside the point, because it is, as you've said, just one person's opinion, I guess my point is that your attitude is so snobby and downright hateful in a lot of your recent posts. I know you've got to know, with your abundance of intelligence, that coffee is just trying to "git your goat" but you counter that with "intelligent" comments like "dick" and insults to his intellect and lifestyle. That's just wrong, and not becoming of the intelligent and thoughtful MoN I have been acquainted with over the past several months.

And just because some of us don't qualify to be in the darkroom yet, doesn't mean we don't also feel some of the frustration of wallowing around in a few less than quality threads. I and a few others have also commented on how the Fast Chat section of the board has gone down in "quality" threads in the past couple of months. But I don't blame that on new people or any specific people. The contributors have been MANY, including myself. But it's still all good fun.

So despite some of the "negatives" any one of us could note about this board, it's still a great place to meet really neat people that you'd never meet otherwise, a great place to get support, a great place to find creative inspiration, a great place to share your creativity, a great place to challenge ideas and opinions, and a great place to play - because of ALL of us.

[melissa]

Couldn't have said it better myself. Well-worded, m'dear.

[Audreyvgs]

wow, willow!

[Coffee]

2 cents...

No secret that moN picked me for his kicking (Hat) boy. It never made me angry though, and I certainly don't dislike him for not liking the quality of my posts...it made me laugh...at him...I spent a full day laughing at him, and half of another. High quality belly laughs with some photoshop laughs thrown in to make my point. ( I actuallly like many things about moN...the "elitist snob" aspect of him came as a surprise though... Who knew?? :( He seems fairly inteligent, I thought he would snap out of it)

My beef if any with moN is that he prefered terse **** off style replies to my inquiries as to why he was dealing with his dissasfaction with the quality of my posts by "flaming" me and another monkey, over there in his imagined "Private quality room"...rather than in PMs, or by taking it up with the board owner. Not a quality move (in my opinion of course).

Since my posting Clearly doesn't violate board "guidelines" (fairly hard for anyone to violate those guidelines actually...thanks ZE!!!)...his flames seemed innapropriate to me. I threw cream pies at him for it. :D

I proudly wear my Hat-Boy label (that moN gave me) as a sign that I really don't give a rat's crack about his personal issues about my posting. It is also a "salute" to moN since the hat was made for a different head, and a different finger...he knows which one. Since he brought his flames to this side of the elitist wall...the Hat-Boy salute will remain in front of moN till I get a public appology over here...I like my old avatar better...but this one is cute too.

I have also given up laughing at him...cuz he wouldn't laugh back at himself, nor apparently, can he get over his selfishness, yet...I won't give up hope for him though. But it is clearly not my job nor is it in my capability to fix anyone...esp if they don't think they are broken.

Coffee.

p.s...I am Not a spammer...in my eyes. I am having fun with people I like having fun with. If my post count bothers anyone...get over it...or not...I don't care.

<3 U All for various reasons.

[melissa]

Coffee, I think you're great. I like how your mind works.

[Coffee]

ya, but that's just your opinion... ;) :p

But I respect it.

[melissa]

Thanks, that's all I want.

[rmr]

you guys are having an argument that no one is going to win -- don't you see that?

my god -- once a year this crap happens (ok maybe twice) and it always involves the same people (ALWAYS).........i think they genuinely get some thrill out of this.........believe me this is not the first, second or third time this has happened and i guarantee it will happen again with a new topic but the SAME people. I’m only pointing this out because I think there are some very nice people that are taking this WAY too seriously but of course that’s just my opinion and I’m but a wee spammer so please keep that in mind.

[lapietra]

I'm a member of Beliefnet.com. I like to get all the different "thoughts of the day" from different religions/philosophies. Yesterday I got one that made my inner core relax and glow. It was:

"Don't let someone else's opinion of you become your reality." -- Les Brown.

Good thing to keep in mind. As much of a people-pleaser as I am, I need to remember that, when I decide to do something that I think is healthy and/or fun for me, but goes against someone else's wishes, and they decide to fling verbal poo at me in retaliation, I don't have to accept it.

I like both Coffee and moN very much - they have different styles, to be sure. Nobody's perfect. Both are wonderful people. Hope they can get along.

[bealeblues]

i really wish i liked you rmr

[masterofNone]

ahhh. a world where we must all get along.





pass the soma.




oooh. now that i'm stoned i really like coffee. he's really funny. and y'know? the grateful dead sound a lot better.



as i said earlier, i'm done trying to defend a debate that was held months ago in the darkroom by a number of good folks. and i don't need to defend my opinions.

[rmr]

Originally posted by bealeblues
i really wish i liked you rmr

what he said

[masterofNone]

won't you come down and eat chicken with me darling? it's soooo dark!

amf

[trisherina]

So the same people tend to engage in contentious discussion with peers.

The same people tend to show up again and again for political campaigns and rallies. I see the same people over and over again at church. The same moms volunteering at the school, over and over again. It doesn't mean those people expect me to vote for them, worship them, or bear their children. It's a matter of proximity based on values.

[Willow Sylph]

Originally posted by masterofNone
ahhh. a world where we must all get along.

pass the soma.

oooh. now that i'm stoned i really like coffee. he's really funny. and y'know? the grateful dead sound a lot better.

as i said earlier, i'm done trying to defend a debate that was held months ago in the darkroom by a number of good folks. and i don't need to defend my opinions. ahhh, there's my answer, I guess. No, we mustn't all get along, but we could sure as fvck make an effort.

[Spicy Jack]

When one chooses to live their life with a "non-religious", "do what feels good" belief/moral system, one will constantly be contradicted. If people choose to preach "no opinions" and "accept everybody", and that someone tells another with an opinion that their opinions are not okay, that someone is invalidated. Without limits, there is no concrete definition of right and wrong when interacting with a vast community of unique individuals.

This board has no rules. There is no defining belief/moral structure nor is there a government of sorts to set down limits as to what encompasses the content of the board. The board is loosely an artistic collaboration, but that definition is so broad that it does not set limits - as everything and anything can be considered "art.”

With that, there will never be a collaborative solution that will appease everyone. There will never be a solid definition of what is okay and what is not okay and toes will constantly be stepped on.

There will be no solution that appeases the whole community. People will choose to leave. Others will choose stay. No solution will come out, but merely a wearing out of arms. With choice, there will always be a war, there will always be unease, there always has been.

[Clytie]

this doesnt even seem to be about the secret forum anymore....

[zenbabe]

Originally posted by Audreyvgs

*mantra: Its only a message board, its not my whole life. It's only a message board, its not my whole life.*

[rmr]

Originally posted by Clytie
this doesnt even seem to be about the secret forum anymore....

welcome to the jungle ;)

[daverbee]

Originally posted by Coffee
2 cents...

I am Not a spammer...in my eyes. I am having fun with people I like having fun with. If my post count bothers anyone...get over it...or not...I don't care.

<3 U All for various reasons. I agree.
I come in here to entertain my friends and be entertained in return.
When a thread requires serious thought and words, I put thought into the words I use.
If I think a thread needs to be lightened up, I try and make someone, anyone, laugh.
I post a lot because I like it here.
If that twists somebody's manties that's not my problem.

[bealeblues]

originally posted by rmr
welcome to the jungle

what she said

[Willow Sylph]

Originally posted by daverbee
I agree.
I come in here to entertain my friends and be entertained in return.
When a thread requires serious thought and words, I put thought into the words I use.
If I think a thread needs to be lightened up, I try and make someone, anyone, laugh.
I post a lot because I like it here.
If that twists somebody's manties that's not my problem. No one here, I mean NO ONE, should be wearing manties. And that is the gospel truth. :p

[bealeblues]

the(n) dinz needs to get the fvck out. goddamn british.

[rmr]

Originally posted by bealeblues
the dinz needs to get the fvck out. goddamn british.

^^ what he said

[bealeblues]

^^ what she just did

[daverbee]

Originally posted by Willow Sylph
No one here, I mean NO ONE, should be wearing manties. And that is the gospel truth. :p Praise tha LAWD!
Ayyy mayun, Sistah Willow!

[rmr]

Originally posted by bealeblues
^^ what she just did


^^ what beale said


eta is this considered spam -- just wondering?

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Spicy Jack
When one chooses to live their life with a "non-religious", "do what feels good" belief/moral system, one will constantly be contradicted. If people choose to preach "no opinions" and "accept everybody", and that someone tells another with an opinion that their opinions are not okay, that someone is invalidated. Without limits, there is no concrete definition of right and wrong when interacting with a vast community of unique individuals.

This board has no rules. There is no defining belief/moral structure nor is there a government of sorts to set down limits as to what encompasses the content of the board. The board is loosely an artistic collaboration, but that definition is so broad that it does not set limits - as everything and anything can be considered "art.”

With that, there will never be a collaborative solution that will appease everyone. There will never be a solid definition of what is okay and what is not okay and toes will constantly be stepped on.

There will be no solution that appeases the whole community. People will choose to leave. Others will choose stay. No solution will come out, but merely a wearing out of arms. With choice, there will always be a war, there will always be unease, there always has been.

spicy you rock.

[Spicy Jack]

http://www.badgerwest.com/images/GreyGooseVodka.jpg Is this where the party is at?

[Avalon]

Originally posted by rmr
^^ what beale said


eta is this considered spam -- just wondering?

Spamination! Spaminators! HAHAHAHAHA!!

[rmr]

Originally posted by Avalon
Spamination! Spaminators! HAHAHAHAHA!!

^^^ what she said

[bealeblues]

^^^

[Frieda]

http://img30.exs.cx/img30/5825/KnightRider29.jpg

[Spicy Jack]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frieda has no control :p

[zenbabe]

dinz is british?

:confused: :eek:

[Frieda]

http://img30.exs.cx/img30/3069/albumeskimo2.jpg

[rmr]

Originally posted by Frieda
http://img30.exs.cx/img30/3069/albumeskimo2.jpg


^^^ what she said

[Avalon]

^^^^^

It's Spamilhoff!!

[lapietra]

oooo.... he looks warm and cuddly...

[lapietra]

Originally posted by masterofNone
spicy you rock.

I know, huh? :D

Be jealous. I live only a half-hour away from all that coolness. ;)

[Frieda]

:eek: EYEBALL!! :eek:

[rmr]

i wouldn't want to stick my hand inside that blanket that's for sure

:confused:

oh ^^^^ and what they said

[Avalon]

Originally posted by Frieda
:eek: EYEBALL!! :eek:

HAHAHA! It is only a pretend one Frieda
I would never post a real one.

[zenbabe]

http://www.mollen.net/hasselhoff%20swings.gif

[Willow Sylph]

Originally posted by zenbabe
"Zippity doo dah! Zippity aye! My, oh my, what a wonderful day!"http://www.mollen.net/hasselhoff%20swings.gif

[zenbabe]

I think he has small feet...and you know what that means!

[rmr]

Originally posted by zenbabe
I think he has small feet...and you know what that means!

small shoes?

[zenbabe]

top heavy...

[rmr]

Originally posted by zenbabe
top heavy...

pear shape?

[Frieda]

dammit zen

his videoclip gives a timeout

[zenbabe]

OOOGACHAKA

[Frieda]

ohhh i can't stop this feeling
deep inside of me
girl you don't realise
what you do to me

[Frieda]

hooked on a feeling
na na na na
ohh
high on believing
you're in love with me
i
i
i
i
i
got hooked on a feeling

[Willow Sylph]

Originally posted by zenbabe
OOOGACHAKA Nooooooooooo!!!!

[Audreyvgs]

Originally posted by zenbabe
dinz is british?

:confused: :eek:


Its like the beatles when they sing, dinz loses his british accent when he posts!:p

[zenbabe]

he is still a wanker...

[bealeblues]

^^^ what she said

[zenbabe]

http://www.davidhasselhoffonline.com/Aug1990.jpg

[Gatsby]

Are those jeans.... ACID WASHED???

[Madmack]

Hmm.. Away from the board for a while and arrive back right in the middle of a shitstorm..
So you hit a threshold of posts and gain access to a new area.. No worries about that. Like air miles I suppose. If you don't want to stand in the shorter check in line.. or use the lounge.. you don't have to. That's a personal choice..
But I certainly bear no grudge to anyone who posts enough to get there in the first place...
Ze has a point.. Not sure they've invented a bot than can determine the quality of a post yet.. so, until then a good indicator is the quantity..

[moel]

the proposition that appears in the title of this article may seem odd. and the reader will be entitled to demand, "what on earth do you mean by this? Surely you can't mean it literally?" before getting on to this weird proposition, however, i need to prepare some ground. i must try to persuade you that the foundations are sound, before asking you to consider what is built on them. therefore i shall illustrate the argument that i shall use to support this weird stuff, by applying it in an uncontentious case.

[moel]

consider the curious phenomenon of the pinkel triangle. this is a triangle that has four sides, rather than the usual three. of course, it has precisely three corners, otherwise it would not be a triangle at all. like the familiar three-sided triangle, it is classified by how many sides have the same length:

· the equilateral (all sides equal)
· isosceles (two sides equal - which can be neighbouring or opposing)
· tripodal (three of the four sides equal)
· irregular (all four sides different).

[moel]

you and i both know that the pinkel triangle is a fiction. but precisely how do you know? well, one route to that conclusion is to infer that the triangle must be a fiction from the fact that nobody could ever come across a pinkel triangle in the real world. you can never see a pinkel triangle; nor can you ever touch one or detect one with any instrument. there is no experimental procedure that anybody could ever carry out that could reveal the existence of a pinkel triangle. moreover, it is not merely impossible to do so, it is inconceivable: the concept of finding a pinkel triangle is logically incoherent. any claim to have perceived or detected a pinkel triangle is unintelligible; it is devoid of any substantive meaning. this is simply because it is self-contradictory. if a planar shape has three corners, then it must inevitably have only three sides.

[moel]

of course, people can pretend to find pinkel triangles.

[Gatsby]

Wow. Is this an analogy? My head hurts.

[zenbabe]

my soul hurts.

[melissa]

My feet hurt.

[Zaftig]

Too much dancing?

[Magpie]

Too much psilocybin?

[melissa]

I wish! To both of those options!!

[trisherina]

Psilocybin makes your feet hurt? You mean my rheumatologist secretly wonders if I'm Carlos Castaneda?

[priceyfatprude]

dammit, now I want to watch David singing HOOGA CHAKA HOOGA HOOGA.

Where is the link?

[melissa]

Originally posted by trisherina
Psilocybin makes your feet hurt? You mean my rheumatologist secretly wonders if I'm Carlos Castaneda?

No, sweetie. My feet hurt b/c I've been wearing my black boots and I need to get some other shoes that are more practical than cute. I need more shoe options.

[trisherina]

mmmm shoe options
these look very comfy (http://www.international-orders.com/shop/siteRouter.do?merchant=shoes&mallName=comerxia&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shoes.com%2Fcategory.asp%3Fse archsource%3DKEYSEARCH%26as%3D1%26keyword%3Dugg%26 c%3DWomens%26image.x%3D7%26image.y%3D17)
http://www.shoes.com/productimages/shoes_ia56281.jpg

[melissa]

I just saw those in the store the other day!! The color of the lacing is weird and I'm not too sure about the buckle across the top, but I think the shape is really cute.

[sparticle]

Originally posted by trisherina
Psilocybin makes your feet hurt? You mean my rheumatologist secretly wonders if I'm Carlos Castaneda?

OMG! HAHAHAHAHA!

Go Sox!

(And Shoes!)

[trisherina]

2004-10-20 02:18:15 Minnetonka Front Lace Hardsole Boot
Reviewer: Anonymous from NY
Overall: Comfort: Look:
Shoe Size: Felt true to size
Shoe Width: Felt true to width

Boots for a Queen! These boots are amazing! They look sexy, they show dominance, power and sex appeal. I've always loved, flat soles, knee-hi and lace-ups. When I put them on, do up the laces and stand up, I fell power running through me. I feel as if I am queen of the world and that everyone belongs to me

http://www.zappos.com/images/w/wMinne7/28466-d.jpg

[melissa]

I don't think I want to feel like the queen of the world.

[trisherina]

Originally posted by sparticle
OMG! HAHAHAHAHA!

Go Sox!

(And Shoes!)
Were I snake, you would see The Look about now.

[sparticle]

Originally posted by trisherina
Were I snake, you would see The Look about now.

Well, you're NOT, are you?! tee hee hee....

O-kayyy, that's it. Time for me to settle down from the post-game giddiness and get ready for bed! I bid you and your shoes good night. *bows*

[madasacutsnake]

<img src=http://images.andale.com/f2/116/113/7110171/1098381021682_liztrish.jpg>

[priceyfatprude]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[trisherina]

Holy CRAP ON A CRACKER!

[madasacutsnake]

Crap on a cracker. Ha.

[malarkey]

OMG! this is the funniest list ever!

i love how you guys are saying about how the board USED to be welcoming and now it's not because of a stupid darkroom. it wasnt ever welcoming to me.

and you all think you are better than me so mon is right about that too. you even think you are so good that you can get me banned from the whole place and you did manage to get me to be banned to one list so basically everybody here is a snob and a elitist. in monkeyland its all okay as long as you fit in but the minute you are a bit different its no way hose. and even if you have been nice to me or not said anything to me you have still made sure that you dont answer any of my posts so that you can still be part of the snob elitist gang. only zero has been really nice to me.

[masterofNone]

and with that malarkey comes off the ignore list and becomes one of my favorite "quality" posters.

see how simple it is.

[Avalon]

Originally posted by masterofNone
and with that malarkey comes off the ignore list and becomes one of my favorite "quality" posters.

see how simple it is.

Good news Malarkey, you are being voted into the Darkroom!
Oh wait..you're already there, never mind:rolleyes:

[masterofNone]

if that's true, i'd love it if you could identify who it is, cuz all us better people can't figger it.

[Avalon]

HAHAHAHA! Ever try just asking "him"? pfft.

[chuckie egg]

STOPPIT!

:(

[sparticle]

Originally posted by madasacutsnake
<img src=http://images.andale.com/f2/116/113/7110171/1098381021682_liztrish.jpg>

OMG! HAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

Scary sight, considering I'm going to Salem today..... :)

[Aphrodite]

Please oh Please oh please send me a postcard from Salem.

Not that I am begging or anything. :D

[Audreyvgs]

why does MlKY complain about havin to stay in his thread, when he's never in his thread when he complains?

I have already apologized to him, told both him and ze that i didnt care where he posted....wtf.

[malarkey]

because I keep asking if i can be off probation and nobody ever answers me!!! because you all just ignore me because you think i stupid!!!

[malarkey]

Originally posted by Avalon
Good news Malarkey, you are being voted into the Darkroom!
Oh wait..you're already there, never mind:rolleyes:

how did i get into the darkroom!!!? am i in it? where is it?

[rmr]

i say post away!!!

you're the boss of you!!

[malarkey]

it looks the same!

[Coffee]

Malarkey,

If I have a vote, I vote that you are taken off probation.
People were confused whether or not you were a real person or not, just because of your posting style.

You've been very nice to everyone despite being hammered for a long long while by the board spanking machine.

You rock.

Yes, be yourself.

[Frieda]

i did not hammer malarkey! :eek: ;) :D

[rmr]

Originally posted by Frieda
i did not hammer malarkey! :eek: ;) :D

no, but you'd like to hammer hasseholf, right?

[daverbee]

Welcome back, Malarkey!
Let's all hammer Hasselhoff. Into the ground. With spiked clubs...

[Audreyvgs]

If MLKY was Hasslefoof, i'd of clubbed him a lot sooner.

[Audreyvgs]

OH, and i've been asked politely to remove MoN from my avatar.

ok

[rmr]

Originally posted by Audreyvgs
If MLKY was Hasslefoof, i'd of clubbed him a lot sooner.

:)

[Frieda]

Originally posted by daverbee
Welcome back, Malarkey!
Let's all hammer Hasselhoff. Into the ground. With spiked clubs...
:mad:

[Zaftig]

It's so bad but every time I see the title of this thread the song "Secret Agent Man" pops into my head.

[daverbee]

Sorry, I couldn't help myself...
*drops to knees*
Oh, puh-LEEEEEEEEEEEEEze forgive me!
*sob*

[Frieda]

okay okay OKAY :rolleyes:

[malarkey]

i love david hasslehoff but i like justin timberlake and michael flatley more

[malarkey]

Yummy!

http://www.customcreate.com/lotd/images/flatley.jpg

[malarkey]

can we have a whole list just for michael flatley?

[dinzdale]

Malarkey (or however runs it) is a complete wanker. I wish whoever it is would just stop. It's not funny. It's not cool. It's not even worth the effort.

Now, please fvck off.



If I am ever told who it is, that person will be less in my humble opinion.

[malarkey]

i will tell you who it is myself. i am mark grey, you can find out all sorts of things about me in Malarkey's Thread. There are songs and a picture of me and stories from my day. I like your monkey picture, it's cool!!! but i am getting a bit tired of being sweared at all the time. You could just say please go away instead maybe? i probably wont listen to you though.

[zenbabe]

please go away.

[malarkey]

no. but thank you for asking nicely.

[trisherina]

I have no trouble whatsoever believing that malarkey is just mark grey. I won't vote on his probation, because a) I never asked for it in the first place, he wasn't bothering me particularly and b) since ze was the one to put it in place, I figured he had to be the one to take it away. Your mileage may vary.

[Coffee]

Originally posted by malarkey
no. but thank you for asking nicely.

RIGHT ON!!!
:D

[malarkey]

i am making it up to me and i say i am off probation.

[melissa]

Good for you, Malarkey.

[trisherina]

I just gotta say that Coffee has got to be one of THE MOST tolerant human beings on the face of Earth.

[melissa]

I wish we had more like him!! (except for the whole socks w/ sandles thing...)

:) :p ;)

[daverbee]

Especially when he wears the socks outside the sandals.

[melissa]

Exactly, Daver!

[trisherina]

What is up with Coffee's signature?

[daverbee]

Originally posted by malarkey
i am making it up to me and i say i am off probation. Good for you mal! Welcome back into the population.

[Wldchld]

Man, I've missed alot!!!!!! Darkroom? :confused:

[trisherina]

I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride

A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming

A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
That now I'm in a whole new world with you
Now I'm in a whole new world with you

Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky

A whole new world
Don't you dare close your eyes
A hundred thousand things to see
Hold your breath - it gets better
I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back to where I used to be

A whole new world
Every turn a surprise
With new horizons to pursue
Every moment red-letter
I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you

A whole new world
That's where we'll be
A thrilling chase
A wondrous place
For you and me

[malarkey]

thing is now that i have taken myself off probation i cant think of anything to say

[Avalon]

Malarkey...

You could start with a nice post to/about Coffee; he was one of your staunchest supporters. He could use some cheering up about now.

[daverbee]

Originally posted by malarkey
thing is now that i have taken myself off probation i cant think of anything to say Don't worry about it. For one thing, this board is so big, you can probably find something to talk about if you look long enough.
And, if you can't think of anything to say, stick around until you do!

[priceyfatprude]

Originally posted by malarkey
thing is now that i have taken myself off probation i cant think of anything to say That will pass. :)

[Deviate]

holy hell.

well i'm entering this very late in the game, but this trend seems to be more common as i'm just not around here much anymore. i've been playing somewhere else. maybe you've heard of it - it's called the darkroom. and it's a marvelous place.

let me reintroduce myself to all of those who haven't been around as long.

(about my ze history)
i've been here since day three of the creation of the board and, in the beginning, was one of the most frequent posters here. actually, for the longest time i was the reigning champion on the top posters list. i created the first "Fast Chat" thread. i was one of the only two people with double-digit posting rate and i was embarrassed. i've spammed and spammed and even spammed to be the first to hit 1000 posts (we thought the board would self-destruct back then).

but paradise gets f*cked up quickly. there was drama. and fights. and funny enough i just happened to be involved. and one fight encouraged me to bail. i stayed away for six months.

i came back to see that the board had exploded in popularity and post frequency. i couldn't keep a thread on topic for fifteen minutes before it became an image association thread, i couldn't stay in a story long enough before the focus and structure was disregarded, and i couldn't find anything i actually wanted to read if i stayed off the board for more than twenty four hours. people i didn't know (which were many by this time) disregarded most of what i posted and just passed my comments by. and all attention gave way to massive dramatic displays and those unwilling to spew tragedy to the masses were overlooked and, in some ways, forgotten.

then i found the darkroom. and i began posting again.

(about privacy)
i have posted things in that forum that i have NEVER posted here, nor feel comfortable posting here and things that are so troubling that i think about deleting them on a regular basis. but i left it up because i thought it was safe. now i worry who has read my private thoughts.

(about secrecy)
it was kept secret out of respect. we didn't want anyone to get pissed or wonder about how great it was or think they were being shafted or make a race to get past some ridiculous finish line. ze offered it as a secret to us, we just thought we'd continue that and keep it a secret. but some people don't like secrets, some people don't like surprises and some people just love to anger as many people as possible. (oh, but don't worry all - it isn't much different than this place was two years ago. but i miss how the board was two years ago and that's why i'm no longer around in Fast Chat.)

(about special access)
yes, it's elitist. but no, there are no other requirements beyond posting 4000. you want proof? several people in the darkroom dislike NYC and she as allowed in and was even welcomed with her own thread. is Coffee a spammer? maybe. maybe not. but he was also welcomed with his own thread.

i am incredibly sorry that we can just wish a lot of you beyond that barrier. but we wanted to make sure it didn't become a popularity contest which is why we chose one criteria for everyone. if it were based on time we would have a hundred members who have never posted. if it was based on posts you had the chance of spammers making it before long-time contributors. a combination only adds to the exclusiveness. the decision was voted upon and it's being held to strictly. and yes, there are many of you who won't make it for years. it took me two years to get there.

oh, and no one has posted wondering my whereabouts, but in case you happened to ponder this, now you know.

(about board fights)
yeah, these do pop up about every half year or so. and yes, a lot of the same people are involved. but notice they're also a lot of the same people who are strong willed, have passion for their convictions, and aren't afraid to voice their opinion. that's a lot of what makes this board great. but opinions clash and that leads to arguments and when it does they are often very loud, public fights. i don't like them, but they're bound to be expected.

(about DC)
Dickie - i'm so very sad. you are one of my absolute favourite people on this place and i'm sorry if you have been angered by the recent happenings. i sincerely hope that our communication continues. i greatly admire and respect you and your positive contribution to this space.

(about my zefuture)
i don't know how much i'll keep coming around here. it's lost it's shine. the monkeys have done plucked the tree apple-free and paradise is quite lost for me. but it doesn't really matter, i guess, because judging off the statements made in this MASSIVE thread, i'll be long forgotten soon. i'm tired of fighting to be heard. i'm tired of struggling to keep a thread on topic and being labeled a tyrant if i try to keep a thread on topic. i'm tired of having to shout to have real conversations. and i'm tired of feeling that my views, which greatly differ from the majority of the vocal board, will be disrespected and ridiculed if i express them.

(and to all of you)
this isn't a grandiose goodbye. but my attraction to the board had dimmed over the past six months. i'm not coming around much anymore, so many of you won't even really recognize that i'm not here much. perhaps it's better that way.

i would like to get to know each and every one of you. but please understand that i can't do it by sifting through the hundreds of daily posts for the gems that each of you have to contribute. those of you already in the darkroom and those of you to find it in the near future, i look forward to sharing voice with you there.

[masterofNone]

brilliant.

[Avalon]

Originally posted by Avalon
I read every post in the Darkroom; so all the fancy footwork and tripping over your own feet about what's in there..don't bother. Finding out who's shadow puppets were who's was the only enjoyable thing in there.

You should be jumping up and down with joy that Peg blew the whistle. You no longer have to keep it a secret! You no longer have to toss around who you don't like and who should be able to join. You can do what I found obvious: close the forum. It is perfect the way it is.

Must have been a real poke in the eye when Daver and Coffee got through the border patrol. From the arrogance and smug self-importance of the Darkroom, it is obvious you feel like you are superior; that you have graduated, so to speak. You seemed well satisfied with your core group of members, so, stop talking about locking the doors and just do it. Be fearless; take your one foot out of Fastchat and jump firmly with both feet into the muck and mire that is the Darkroom. Make it the truly exclusive "gift" you want it to be. By the time anyone hits 4000 posts and 18 months, no one will remember you.


Oh, and to the one to whom this means the most, do not forget your paper crown and remember: In the kingdom of the blind, the one eyed man shall be king. I think that suits you just perfectly.
Me, I like it just fine here with the commoners. So if I brought a furrow to your brow, relax. I like it in the light.

Take the second paragraph and run with it, please.

[Hermione]

wow deev. I remember when you left back in the day.. I didn't really know you.. but I was sad:(

[masterofNone]

Originally posted by Avalon
Take the second paragraph and run with it, please.

elitist.

[amanda]

very elegant answer to the many voices here. very well done, deev.

but, you forgot to mention the avatar collection.

[Hermione]

You know I have to agree with deev.. my love for the board is slowly diminishing..

Everyday there are just SO many new threads.. and soo many new members. I love new people but at the same time.. it's hard to keep track of everyone.

I miss the board the way it used to be.

[trisherina]

Be careful what you wish for.

[zenbabe]

Originally posted by Deviate
holy hell.

well i'm entering this very late in the game, but this trend seems to be more common as i'm just not around here much anymore. i've been playing somewhere else. maybe you've heard of it - it's called the darkroom. and it's a marvelous place.

let me reintroduce myself to all of those who haven't been around as long.

(about my ze history)
i've been here since day three of the creation of the board and, in the beginning, was one of the most frequent posters here. actually, for the longest time i was the reigning champion on the top posters list. i created the first "Fast Chat" thread. i was one of the only two people with double-digit posting rate and i was embarrassed. i've spammed and spammed and even spammed to be the first to hit 1000 posts (we thought the board would self-destruct back then).

but paradise gets f*cked up quickly. there was drama. and fights. and funny enough i just happened to be involved. and one fight encouraged me to bail. i stayed away for six months.

i came back to see that the board had exploded in popularity and post frequency. i couldn't keep a thread on topic for fifteen minutes before it became an image association thread, i couldn't stay in a story long enough before the focus and structure was disregarded, and i couldn't find anything i actually wanted to read if i stayed off the board for more than twenty four hours. people i didn't know (which were many by this time) disregarded most of what i posted and just passed my comments by. and all attention gave way to massive dramatic displays and those unwilling to spew tragedy to the masses were overlooked and, in some ways, forgotten.

then i found the darkroom. and i began posting again.

(about privacy)
i have posted things in that forum that i have NEVER posted here, nor feel comfortable posting here and things that are so troubling that i think about deleting them on a regular basis. but i left it up because i thought it was safe. now i worry who has read my private thoughts.

(about secrecy)
it was kept secret out of respect. we didn't want anyone to get pissed or wonder about how great it was or think they were being shafted or make a race to get past some ridiculous finish line. ze offered it as a secret to us, we just thought we'd continue that and keep it a secret. but some people don't like secrets, some people don't like surprises and some people just love to anger as many people as possible. (oh, but don't worry all - it isn't much different than this place was two years ago. but i miss how the board was two years ago and that's why i'm no longer around in Fast Chat.)

(about special access)
yes, it's elitist. but no, there are no other requirements beyond posting 4000. you want proof? several people in the darkroom dislike NYC and she as allowed in and was even welcomed with her own thread. is Coffee a spammer? maybe. maybe not. but he was also welcomed with his own thread.

i am incredibly sorry that we can just wish a lot of you beyond that barrier. but we wanted to make sure it didn't become a popularity contest which is why we chose one criteria for everyone. if it were based on time we would have a hundred members who have never posted. if it was based on posts you had the chance of spammers making it before long-time contributors. a combination only adds to the exclusiveness. the decision was voted upon and it's being held to strictly. and yes, there are many of you who won't make it for years. it took me two years to get there.

oh, and no one has posted wondering my whereabouts, but in case you happened to ponder this, now you know.

(about board fights)
yeah, these do pop up about every half year or so. and yes, a lot of the same people are involved. but notice they're also a lot of the same people who are strong willed, have passion for their convictions, and aren't afraid to voice their opinion. that's a lot of what makes this board great. but opinions clash and that leads to arguments and when it does they are often very loud, public fights. i don't like them, but they're bound to be expected.

(about DC)
Dickie - i'm so very sad. you are one of my absolute favourite people on this place and i'm sorry if you have been angered by the recent happenings. i sincerely hope that our communication continues. i greatly admire and respect you and your positive contribution to this space.

(about my zefuture)
i don't know how much i'll keep coming around here. it's lost it's shine. the monkeys have done plucked the tree apple-free and paradise is quite lost for me. but it doesn't really matter, i guess, because judging off the statements made in this MASSIVE thread, i'll be long forgotten soon. i'm tired of fighting to be heard. i'm tired of struggling to keep a thread on topic and being labeled a tyrant if i try to keep a thread on topic. i'm tired of having to shout to have real conversations. and i'm tired of feeling that my views, which greatly differ from the majority of the vocal board, will be disrespected and ridiculed if i express them.

(and to all of you)
this isn't a grandiose goodbye. but my attraction to the board had dimmed over the past six months. i'm not coming around much anymore, so many of you won't even really recognize that i'm not here much. perhaps it's better that way.

i would like to get to know each and every one of you. but please understand that i can't do it by sifting through the hundreds of daily posts for the gems that each of you have to contribute. those of you already in the darkroom and those of you to find it in the near future, i look forward to sharing voice with you there.

I can't believe you didn't bother to mention that you came back to the board after leaving for six months ONLY because I showed you my tits!

*pouts*

[sparticle]

Originally posted by Aphrodite
Please oh Please oh please send me a postcard from Salem.

Not that I am begging or anything. :D

I won't say I did and I won't say I didn't, but a postcard from Salem to Canada was fifty cents and I had to stick one of the stamps on myself because they're not self-adhesive. ;)

[sparticle]

Originally posted by Deviate

(about my zefuture)
i don't know how much i'll keep coming around here. it's lost it's shine. the monkeys have done plucked the tree apple-free and paradise is quite lost for me. but it doesn't really matter, i guess, because judging off the statements made in this MASSIVE thread, i'll be long forgotten soon. i'm tired of fighting to be heard. i'm tired of struggling to keep a thread on topic and being labeled a tyrant if i try to keep a thread on topic. i'm tired of having to shout to have real conversations. and i'm tired of feeling that my views, which greatly differ from the majority of the vocal board, will be disrespected and ridiculed if i express them.

(and to all of you)
this isn't a grandiose goodbye. but my attraction to the board had dimmed over the past six months. i'm not coming around much anymore, so many of you won't even really recognize that i'm not here much. perhaps it's better that way.

i would like to get to know each and every one of you. but please understand that i can't do it by sifting through the hundreds of daily posts for the gems that each of you have to contribute. those of you already in the darkroom and those of you to find it in the near future, i look forward to sharing voice with you there.

Sometimes when a place, an organization or a chunk of cyberspace grows explosively, the resultant chaos can seem like the loss of all that was good about the original.

Sometimes, though, things settle down and acquire a sort of renewed order. There are more groups, or more types of groups, but as things settle down, the new becomes acceptable and even desirable.

Most people don't like change initially. But maybe if you stick with it awhile yet, it will re-form into a place you enjoy once again.

I hope you don't drift off and vanish. I enjoy reading your posts, and as a newcomer some seven/eight months ago, I appreciated your wit and consideredness. If you don't stay "out here", the newbies will never know what they're missing, and the board will not benefit from your insights.

Still, you gotta do what's best for you.

[bealeblues]

i really wish i hadn't read this in the condition i'm in at the moment....

goddammit deev....

and you know what, for all the fvcking rabble talk and all the elitist talk and all the bullshite in between, you have just heard from the most original goddamn monkey that i've had the unique privilege of calling a friend.....

[amanda]

A real-life allegory
For several years, I worked in a traditional Japanese garden. Every summer, the staff would become watchdogs as the gardens swelled with visitors during vacation time. Visitors with young children, visitors who were skilled gardeners, visitors with half-a-brain and large shoes, visitors with PhDs in eastern philosophy, visitors with the consideration of highly trained turkeys- all of them pay their $6 to get in.

And as we allowed all of them to enter, we also walked the gardens with walkie-talkies and told people in authoritative voices to not walk on the moss. Please don't climb that. See that raked garden? It's not a sandbox for your child to play in.

Were we being elitist? Maybe.

But then, those visitors did not see that it took the better part of an afternoon with a 40lb rake to create that beautiful pattern in the gravel. They wouldn't see Sam, a wonderful smiley old man, stooped in the moss, pulling weeds out by tweezers in the early mornings. Those visitors would not know about the koi thieves and the shakahachi player in the surrounding hills, the quiet of the start of a snow in a deserted garden, the same sort of quiet we enjoyed after closing the gates every evening.

Or that beauty has a very ugly side- there were more internal fights in that organization than any other I've worked in. Each defender had their own history with the garden, their own ideas of beauty, and many of them would fight for those ideas, for that history. What it came down to was love- every single one of us had our own private love for the garden.

Over time, the garden is forgotten about by the longer-term staff. It becomes just another place in their world- traffic, home, beautiful garden that you have to have meetings in about overhead and taxes.

I went back a year ago to visit- one staff member recognized me. He laminated on the day when he too can just be a visitor again.

[Zaftig]

I just spent an hour typing up this huge post and Spart just said it much better than I ever could have. My version was pretty much the same. . . just long-winded. :)

[zenbabe]

http://zenmedia.org/Pics/random%20stuff/zeheads.JPG

[zenbabe]

GRAPES!!!!!!!

[amanda]

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2002-12/70708/MYIGXTDPUOMJMRUAFUTG-littleman%20grapes.gif

[zenbabe]

http://zenmedia.org/Pics/random%20stuff/domo.jpg

[trisherina]

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luke 18

[malarkey]

why does coffee need cheering up? is he okay.

Cheer up Coffee, you are really nice and you make the best hats ever and thankyou for being my friend and a nice person and i like coffee but my mom says i cant have it cuz it makes me go a bit crazy.

i really like the post that Deviate said but it made me quite sad because i know what she means about being ignored. its nice everyone isnt ignoring me now.

love love love you coffee even though i dont know you, but if i did i bet you would be my friend xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Hermione]

malarkey-- you make me laugh:)

[zefrank]

Originally posted by Avalon
Take the second paragraph and run with it, please.

no chance.

[amanda]

then are we not all the Pharisees?

us, mingling with others on here- the requirements for joining is a computer, stable internet access, free time, full tummys, and an eye for the odd?

there were several times this year that I could only fulfill one of the above requirements.

this board is a unique luxury- but it is a limited and sheltered space already. adding layers to that does not seem to me incongruent to the nature of this space.

Layers may enhance borders that already exist. but they do not create them. People do.

[tsunamimom]

Well, as someone who just got here, I just wanted to say this is one of the nicest, welcoming board I've ever visited. Personally, if the board old timers have a place of their own, it bothers me not one bit. It's sad to see people leave before I got the chance to get to know them properly, though...

[Zaftig]

I typed this all up right after Dev’s post, thought Spart said it all better. I still think so but I still feel the need to post this.

I didn’t feel passionately involved in this subject until yesterday, for several reasons. I didn’t feel passion about this because yeah, I’m new to all the older people but I am establishing myself here. I’ve been around long enough to get to know a handful of people. I said this in a previous post but I don’t know the sagas of the past so my words aren’t to take sides or diminish how anyone feels. After reading this thread and hearing over and over about how people wish things were the way they used to it feels like a personal blow even though I do know it’s not meant to be. Why doesn’t ze just stop letting new people in altogether so you people could have it the way it used to be?? I mean, I’m virtually new but I have begun building foundations of true friendships here. Friendships with members that have been around for a while. I’m thankful that they had room to let in a new friend. I wonder how ze feels about people bitching about how things have changed because his board has grown. Honestly, I could see how this might perturb people. The board where I met my husband has boomed by the hundreds. I joined at a point when it was just beginning to grow a little. Not quite the base people but just after that. I’ve stopped posting there for several reasons. One of them being I can’t keep track anymore and there are so many threads that just don’t catch my interest. I lurk occasionally and when I do go there I tend to read the threads of the people that I knew before that stuck around. So I can definitely see where you’re all coming from. But that isn’t the sole reason I left that board. I wouldn’t have left it or stopped posting simply because of that.

At first when I came to this board I was very overwhelmed. I actually wasn’t going to post at all once I saw how quickly things moved but then I started browsing threads and saw major post counts and thought, ‘Hey, there has to be something to this place for people to have so many posts and join dates from so long ago.’ So I started posting and believe me, that was something of a challenge. I’ve had people mock me but hey, I can take a ribbing. I feel it’s their way of sifting the wheat from the tares. And well, some people are just ass’ so I ignore them. New people get ignored but I could see how that happens because I’ve noticed quite a bit of people joining. . . posting to about 30 and then gone. I persisted because I knew there was something here. I saw intelligent posts, smart ass posts, caring posts, fun posts, etc. I saw real people behind those words. People worth getting to know.

Deviate, all of this isn’t to disrespect or argue your elequent words. I haven’t really had a chance to get to know you personally but there is an essence to the oldbies around here and so through that and what posts I have read of yours I can get a small gist of who you are. People usually get a feeling about someone in a short time be it “That persons annoying!” or “They seem genuinely kind hearted” or “Ok, that persons an ass, be careful what you say because they’ll chew you up for simply existing in a world where your unwanted.” I haven’t been around to see the things you may have been through in the past that you shared here and unfortunately were looked over. I know your not the only one who’s experienced that. When the feeling comes I share things quite personal. I worry that after I push that ‘reply’ button my cherished feelings and experiences that I consider sacred will be trampled. If they are so close to me then why do I share them? Simply because I felt prompted to. I have learned and been touched many times by other’s experiences. Sometimes I don’t respond to what they have shared because I feel like my words can’t live up to how I feel about what they have shared. Or that my words are inadequate and won’t come off the way I want them to. Kind of like now.

I think it’s a shame that I’m not going to get to know other’s that are fading as well that I did catch a glimpse of. People are disappearing left and right and I hope not forever. Good people that were major contributors of this board. Part of the essence that is this board.

Sometimes chaos and dissension leads to rebirth. I wasn’t here when things were paradise but like a forest that has been ravished by fire it leaves the soil rich and fertile for strong seeds to take hold and thrive in time. Or maybe perhaps like a phoenix that rises from the ashes the board will find life again to those who feels it’s gone.

[Gatsby]

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Nobody knows, anymore.

[trisherina]

Layers are definitely the way to go.

http://www.deeshaa.org/images/whyshesank.jpg

[Gatsby]

This is, hands down, in the most profound way, the saddest thread I've ever seen.

If someone starts singing "Nearer My God To Thee" I quit.

[priceyfatprude]

dC's so pissed he even took his blog down. :(

I have some more thoughts on this, of course. But I need to be up & dressed & wearing a halloween costume & leaving the house in about 5 and a half hours, so I will be back later.

[Gatsby]

New-ish Allman Brothers Band song, apropo for the thread:

"Noone to Run With"

Everybody wants to know where Jimmy has gone
He left town, I doubt if he's coming back home

Well Tony got a job, three kids and a lovely wife
Working at the commerce bank for the rest of his life

Nobody left to run with anymore
Nobody left to do the crazy things we used to do before
Nobody left to run with anymore

I'm gonna hit the road, adios my friend
Go someplace and start all over again

Don't know where I'm going, like a gypsy out on the road
I'll go someplace and join a traveling show

Nobody left to run with anymore
Nobody wants to do the crazy things we used to do before
Nobody left to run with anymore

Nobody left to run with anymore
Nobody left to run with anymore

I think Jimmy must have had the right idea
Packed his stuff and he got right out of here

I don't know where he's at but I'm sure that he's ok
Now I realize what Jimmy was trying to say

Nobody left to run with anymore
Nobody wants to do the crazy things we used to do before
Nobody left to run with anymore

Nobody left to run with anymore
Nobody left to run with anymore

[Hermione]

is dC upset about the darkroom?

Has he left?

I like him.. I don't want him to leave.

:(

[Deviate]

Sometimes chaos and dissension leads to rebirth. I wasn’t here when things were paradise but like a forest that has been ravished by fire it leaves the soil rich and fertile for strong seeds to take hold and thrive in time. Or maybe perhaps like a phoenix that rises from the ashes the board will find life again to those who feels it’s gone.

thanks Zaftig. i hope this is true, too.

do i wish things were back as they once were? sure. will i hate anything the board creates because it is not what it was in the past? no.

i truly hope that after this burn a new understanding and community will grow. i don't think it is impossible. and, as much as i'd like to claim to be a pessimist, i am a realist with leanings towards optomism. even though things aren't good now, things can become good, great, or better than they once were. and i'll keep poking my head around to see. i love this place. hell, i've met several of you in person, been to both annual reunions and can't wait for the next.

i try not to reveal my sappy nature to the masses. but this place has a very real, very strong, very large part of me. i love it in ways i never thought possible about an online community. it's taught me things about myself and about my surroundings. it's changed my views on the world and about myself. i attribute a bit of this to zefrank and the energy he's drawn, but mostly to the incredible spirit of the individuals who spend their time typing out the words that speak to them.

they're typed words on an illuminated screen. and i can't help but be fixated on the meaning, people, and lives behind them. will i be back? sometimes i'm embarrassed to say yes, but i honestly can't imagine how my life would be had i never stumbled upon this incredible unique society. it changes, it's volatile, it's explosive, but it's sometimes one of the closest things i have to family.

and those of you who have said you've wanted to get to know me - thanks. but i'm still alive and communicative. if this is something that interests you then establish contact. connection is still possible.

now excuse me while i go and hide my head in the sand - this post was way more personal than i ever hoped to be in this public space.

[Zaftig]

If you stick your head in the sand everyone is going to be staring at your butt.

[daverbee]

Keep in mind that this board will always be new to someone. When I first started posting I was welcomed. I still feel welcome here. Make the new folks feel welcome and run with whatever they create and this place will always stay dynamic.
If you go over all the old posts from way back when, I think you'll find that nothing much has changed other than your perception. If it remains boring or uninspiring, maybe it's time to move on. No big deal, you're just growing in a new direction.
I feel lucky in that I can always find something here to stimulate my brain. Maybe one day I'll get bored with this place. I'm not gonna blame anyone else for that, I'll look for other ways to stimulate my brain.

Edited to add: I just looked over the thread titles for the first year or so of this boards existence. From what I can tell, not much has changed at all. (I know, I should be getting ready for work. I'll do that now.)

[malarkey]

Originally posted by surbhi
malarkey-- you make me laugh:)

you make me laugh too!!! ha ha ha!!!

[Avalon]

Originally posted by zefrank
no chance.

Well, he has spoken, so I guess you will just have to keep browbeating and humiliating anyone new who would dare to enter your inner sactum. It is a tried and true measure.

[Deviate]

Originally posted by daverbee
Edited to add: I just looked over the thread titles for the first year or so of this boards existence. From what I can tell, not much has changed at all. (I know, I should be getting ready for work. I'll do that now.)
you're welcome to think so. perhaps it's best you do. but as someone who wasn't here at the time, you really don't have a lot to go on.

ciao.

[masterofNone]

^ what she said in spades.


just looked over the thread titles?! is it possible that it was the content not the surface that mattered?

you make the point clearer still.

[topcat]

ladies and gentleman. boys and girls. i now present to you the esteemed members of the darkroom.


freida
lapietra
zenbabe
dinzdale
rmr
priceyfatprude
malina
bealeblues
deviate
agentsmith
masteofnone
coffee
red princess
daverbee
and not by her own free will
nyc
and also a player to be named later

[chuckie egg]

you are really starting to annoy me dammit!

[RuneT]

oh gee, the conspiracy. Do you think they keep files on each and every one of us?

[chuckie egg]

ha!

[RuneT]

Stolen from the secret society:

Chuckie egg
She gets afraid when people talk about eating eggs. She has access to the zeboard during lunch hours. Beware of kung fu competence. Oh, and she has a nice ass.

[chuckie egg]

I knew it! Wait till I get in there!!

[RuneT]

Theres more chuckie, but you know I just couldnt post it. I mean you deserve some privacy after all.