A Blast from the Past

[TheCalvinator24]

Okay, so 2700 was more like 3 months worth of posts.

And some things sure have changed. Particularly the tenor of our political discussions. I wonder if greater familiarity has led to less civility.

Subject: 9K 12 people have read this message  
 Author: TheCalvinator24 (All 3069 messages by this author) 11 people have recommended it  
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I realize that personal milestones are insignificant, and 9,000 is perhaps even less significant than most, but I want to pause to reflect on the past 10+ months of my Bored Life.

Since I first logged back onto the Bored (I actually came around back in the gusgerbils era, but i don't recall if I ever posted way back when), I was scheduled for a Round 2 and also was waiting for the callback week from the first set of auditions.

Had I not made it to the show from that Round 2, I might have fallen by the wayside early on.

In my time here, I've had the honor and privilege of running 2 1/2 QoD contests and one Bored Game (although I didn't really earn that one). I finally managed to win a Bored Game last month, so I may be running another one in November.

I've made a number of really good cyber-friends, and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting a number of y'all in person.

I do enjoy the witty banter here. I enjoy the occasional political discussions, as well. I particularly like the fact that those don't turn into all-out flame wars like they do on most internet forums.

I apologize for the times I know I have come across as a pompous ass (and I don't want anyone telling me I've never done that--I don't want you to lie to me).

I hope to be around for a long, long time. I hope the show is around for a long time, and I hope this Bored lasts as well.

I love you guys.

Posted: 1:00 AM, 10/14/2001

[franktangredi]

Okay, so 2700 was more like 3 months worth of posts.

And some things sure have changed. Particularly the tenor of our political discussions. I wonder if greater familiarity has led to less civility.

I was wondering that too, being much more guilty myself this time around. And yet, I also remember some pretty heated discussions around the time of the 2000 election recounts as well. The time you made that earlier post was a month after 9/11 -- probably a high point of political unity in the country and online.

I think the level of political rhetoric in general has heated up since then. Also, the recent election brought forth issues on this board that are calculated to arouse fervor on a very deep level: race, religion, abortion, gay rights. These are things that hit people where they live. Mix in economic uncertainty and I suspect that -- more than 'familiarity breeds contempt' -- may account for it.

At any rate, I apologize if I ever stepped over the line. I suspect other people may be feeling the same way.

[gotribego26]

I apologize for the times I know I have come across as a pompous ass (and I don't want anyone telling me I've never done that--I don't want you to lie to me).

I hope to be around for a long, long time. I hope the show is around for a long time, and I hope this Bored lasts as well.

I love you guys.

Posted: 1:00 AM, 10/14/2001

FTR, you have been a pompous blowhard, not a pompous ass

[Beebs52]

I apologize for the times I know I have come across as a pompous ass (and I don't want anyone telling me I've never done that--I don't want you to lie to me).

I hope to be around for a long, long time. I hope the show is around for a long time, and I hope this Bored lasts as well.

I love you guys.

Posted: 1:00 AM, 10/14/2001

FTR, you have been a pompous blowhard, not a pompous ass

Um, I think we got it the first time...

I've been a sarcastic blowhard since the beginning, so you had to expect this.

[a1mamacat]

I apologize for the times I know I have come across as a pompous ass (and I don't want anyone telling me I've never done that--I don't want you to lie to me).

I hope to be around for a long, long time. I hope the show is around for a long time, and I hope this Bored lasts as well.

I love you guys.

Posted: 1:00 AM, 10/14/2001

FTR, you have been a pompous blowhard, not a pompous ass

Um, I think we got it the first time...

I've been a sarcastic blowhard since the beginning, so you had to expect this.

nonononono

you have been an entertaining Whack!

[Beebs52]

FTR, you have been a pompous blowhard, not a pompous ass

Um, I think we got it the first time...

I've been a sarcastic blowhard since the beginning, so you had to expect this.

nonononono

you have been an entertaining Whack!

But, But, Tribe deleted his duplicate post and screwed up my reference!

[Beebs52]

Okay, so 2700 was more like 3 months worth of posts.

And some things sure have changed. Particularly the tenor of our political discussions. I wonder if greater familiarity has led to less civility.

I was wondering that too, being much more guilty myself this time around. And yet, I also remember some pretty heated discussions around the time of the 2000 election recounts as well. The time you made that earlier post was a month after 9/11 -- probably a high point of political unity in the country and online.

I think the level of political rhetoric in general has heated up since then. Also, the recent election brought forth issues on this board that are calculated to arouse fervor on a very deep level: race, religion, abortion, gay rights. These are things that hit people where they live. Mix in economic uncertainty and I suspect that -- more than 'familiarity breeds contempt' -- may account for it.

At any rate, I apologize if I ever stepped over the line. I suspect other people may be feeling the same way.

Frank, I'll second what you said. There just seem to be so many issues that are igniting folks' hot buttons immediately now, and we're hit with information so immediately now, in all arenas, with no let up unless we make time for let up, plus the ulcer-inducing state of real life financially that tends to skew everybody's reactions, that we're all lucky we aren't running screaming down the street naked.
At least, that wasn't me running down the street. Really. Trust me.