What's your favorite thing about A2K?

Thanks Bill! If your company ever needs catering for a function in Toronto, you may just have the chance to meet me.

Occom Bill- Are you aware of the fact that every once in awhile groups of A2Kers meet in different places? Last spring a bunch of us met in Florida for a few days..............great. We are planning another gathering in the spring. They have had gatherings in London, Boston, New Mexico, and I think San Francisco. (If anybody can recall any others, please chime in).

http://www.able2know.com/gallery/index.php?cat=6

I've travelled to Salem, MA; Winter Harbor, Maine; Tucson, Arizona; the Catskills; Madison, Wisconsin; and Cambridge, MA to meet people I know from this site. We've also had one get-together here in Toronto. Then there are my trips to Columbus, Ohio.

Indeedy-doody, the people here are irresistible!

Annoying the bunny is merely the beginning... There is also ragging on 'k about her missing underwire, and witty banter with all present.

Well... Perhaps I'll meet some of you after all. I don't see me making it to Toronto, but I live in Florida, West Palm Beach to be specific. I'll keep an ear open for the next opportunity. Thanks for the tip.

The opportunity to personally deliver candy to the SealPoet, Swimpy, Sozobe, timber, peppermintpatiodog ... another great reason to be here!

Finding someone to exchange postcards with was also great!

I think there is a Florida gathering in the planning stages for april or may 2004; there is one zeroing in on time and place in San Francisco for April 9, 10, 11th.

The opportunity to personally RECEIVE candy from Her Fabulousness, of course!

(Ooh I just remembered something.)

(ehBeth can you please PM me your address?)

Other than the wonderfulness already described, what I like best is that there is always always always SOMEONE out there to talk to, and usually a great number of someones. Since my days are made up of playdoh, legos, and "Mama, tell me a story!!", with unpredictable short breaks in between when some adult conversation would really hit the spot, being able to amble over to the computer, sit down, read some great stuff, exchange some hellos, and generally commune has been lovely for my sanity these past three (gasp) years.

I picked meeting people. I made some very good friends on A2K. And I love to just sit and read for hours.

Occom Bill, BigDice and I are planning to spend our vacation in Florida next April/May. We have a friend who lives in Palm Beach so chances are good to hook up with you if you are interested.

Of course, we are planning to spend some time in the Cocoa Beach area, too. As I said - I made some very good friends here...

You guys (and gals) are too cool and I thank you for your consideration. Perhaps we'll develop some friendships between now and then. You know what's funny: I've been sitting in front of a computer now for about a decade and I've never really chatted before. I always kind of just assumed I wouldn't like it. I'm on a hiatus from my normally hectic schedule and I'm relishing the time I get to spend alone. It never occurred to me that I could meet interesting people and discuss interesting things all while I enjoying my privacy. Frankly, I'm amazed at how much I'm starting to like the online world. I'm wondering; does anyone else remember feeling like they just discovered another world when they joined? I guess I probably got lucky because this community is so friendly and I feel very fortunate to have stumbled across it.

Bill, when i first dived into such an environment, i felt much the same thing--and that was at AFUZZ, not nearly so civilized and friendly an environment as one finds here. It was a kinder, gentler AFUZZ then, but still not the kind of place this is.

I'm convinced that we are sitting around the virtual pot-bellied stove, which has grown to the proportions of the planet.

Yeah, I did. And it is ABUZZ.......bad doggie! I was new at the computer, and Abuzz opened a whole new world for me. When it turned sour, and A2K came along, I jumped right in. And am I glad!!!!!

Craven (who created the site), has done a superb job, and A2K just keeps getting better and better!

This is the first chat forum I've been on too, Bill. It's been a good experience to observe and participate in conversation outside normal circles. As you say, doing it while enjoying your own space is a definite plus.

I've heard about Abuzz a few times since joining. Invariably in a sentence that elevates this site above that, so I'm not even interested in looking at it. Glad to hear I'm not alone in my revelation about chat in general.

That Craven blows my mind. The other day I watched him effortlessly reduce a normally articulate, intelligent and well educated man, who was behaving very rudely, to a child making statements like; want a cookie, na na na and bla bla bla. He did so without insult or anger and switched gears as soon as the rudeness ceased. I was amazed. I have managed people most of my adult life. My seasoned employees generally hold me in high regard for being consistent, fair and predictable. New employees occasionally accuse me of talking down to them, which I don't intentionally do... but, I'm going to try to take a page out of Craven's book . I've heard him described as a very young man but that doesn't seem possible for one so wise.

Hearterly endorse those sentiments. ABUZZ was the first interactive thing I ever did on the Net, right place at the right time for me. Pity all those dickheads found it too.

Same here. A2K was a place for the sane Abuzzers to escape to.

I hated chat rooms. I could never follow what was going on. Then I found abuzz. It was great for awhile but I soon tired of wading through pages of political bullies and miserable threads.
A2k is like sitting around a huge dinner table and hearing snippets of conversations, interacting with the witty, smart, funny and creative people. The kind of people you'd want to dine with.
I get a kick out of the spats and appreciate the lessons I've learned from the civility and respect people extend to each other.
I can't tell you how many times I've laughed out loud at the jokes, humour and clever retorts the residents display.

Mostly though, a2k quenches my curiosity.

I too hated chatrooms. Abuzz was wonderful when it had a staff that cared. But A2K is the only forum of its kind now, so far as I know. I still visit Abuzz from time to time, but I don't fit in there anymore.

I like the fact that I am able to represent myself as a heavy metal rock guy with a bad attitude when in real life I am actually a 425 woman with bad skin and a flatulence problem...oops!