Your personal A2K experience. Tell us about it.

I joined on 12/23/2004, I was 19 years old. I saw that people had a sense of humor here and jumped right in. I was going through a difficult time transitioning from being a teenager to being an adult. I was really trying to find myself at that time in my life. I was welcomed with open arms, given wonderful advice and able to have a place to come and talk when I didn't have the outlet in "the real world". Oh and I pretty much gave a soap opera of my relationships!

I got to meet some wonderful people, even though I got lost on the way, and hope to meet up again someday.

I left for a while when I got busy with life, work, marriage, kids etc, but I always thought of A2K and the amazing people here. So I just recently came back and was happy to see so many familiar people that are still here.

I am happy to be back and don't plan on going away again! This site truly helped me through a lot.

3 Replies

@Crazielady420,

I remember your early posts, crazielady. It was like following a serialized story. Many of us were entertained, but at the same time we worried about you. I remember A2K ladies giving you advice.

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@Sturgis,

Quote:

Now where's my bowl of borscht and plate stacked high with brown bread that I was sure I'd get for posting here thread in this thread.

Here you are, Sturgis.
Your reward.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/kitchen/2008_04_16-borschtbowl.jpg

http://www.breadexperience.com/image-files/rye-bread.jpg

In case you're wondering about the borscht & rye bread .... that refers to the Great Ukraine vs Poland debacle of 2044. The endless passionate argument between Ukrainians & Poles! It went like this:

I said:

Quote:

Your grandfather came from the same region as my parents. All my life I've heard Poles & Ukrainians here in Oz arguing about whether it's Poland or the Ukraine. These disagreements often get quite heated. Perhaps we should liven up this thread with a screaming argument about it?

Then Sturgis said:

Quote:

Poland I tell you! It's Poland gosh darn it, confound it, etc,

Poland now and forever, long live Lech Walesa! Solidarity for all!
Polska!

Then I said:

Quote:

What's the matter with you, Sturgis !!!!!!

That is the UKRAINIAN MOTHERLAND you have the nerve to call it Poland!!!

YAY, Ukraine!!!!!

The blue & the yellow forever!

Then farmerman said:

Quote:

The sky and the wheat, not the scrawny KFC chicken.

(that's the Polish flag)

then Sturgis said:

Quote:

That's not a scrawny chicken! and to think we gave the world a Pope! You'll notice Pope John Paul2 had no trouble stating he was POLISH! I think you need to realize it's Poland that matters! Who wants to listen to a frozen Ukrainian? Poland ought to stretch from sea to sea as in from the Atlantic to the Pacific Oceans.
Doesn't Poland just sing to your senses?

Etc.

You get the picture?
An extremely torrid nationalistic debate.
No stone left unturned, no feather left unruffled.
Unfortunately for Sturgis, he was outnumbered by fervent Ukrainians!
So he lost.
Ha!
Hooray for the Ukrainians! Razz

Do any of you have Ukrainian ancestry?:
http://able2know.org/reply/post-4562825

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@Crazielady420,

Not only did you remind us all of the 19-year old that we once were, you reminded us of how glad we were that we were no longer 19! I'm so glad to see you back, CL.

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Can I say what a pleasure it's been reading some of the thoughtful posts to this thread?
This is very interesting stuff!
Your comments & also following up the links to old threads which have been posted.
I hope there'll be more to come, from A2Kers who haven't posted yet.

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I was shanghai'ed last year, and awoke to find myself in the fo'c'sle of A2K.
Quite distressed and unhappy t'was I, to find myself in such dire straits.
Suddenly cast among such heathen'ess lot of scoundrel and wretch, I wavered and qualled at the very thought of my fate.
However, as time passed, I became somewhat enthralled with the drama unfolding before me, noticing the plight of my fellow wretch. I came to feel the life of the ship beneath my feet, to enjoy some camaraderie with my fellow travelers. I've watched the fights, and the kind gestures. Learned a bit of respect for the old hands. Grown accustomed to the creaks and groans of the old timbers. Generally begun to enjoy the journey in the company of my fellow A2Kers.

1 Reply

@wayne,

Nice post, wayne.
Pleased that you've managed to join the rest of us on this sometimes dramatic, perilous voyage. Smile

1 Reply

What a nice idea for a topic, MsOlga Very Happy

I enjoyed reading all the posts too....
October 13, 2004 (22,000+ posts so far) was the day I stumbled upon a2k - by accident! I was looking for a comedian on google and the very first link brought me to a2k. I read through some of the topics and liked what I was reading, so I joined!
At first, I used a picture of an old lady in rollers which seemed to be an instant magnet for gustavratzenhofer Laughing

I miss that old fart!!
I've met some genuine and very interesting people here and the "odd characters among us" have become good friends as well. Over the years I have come to appreciate people and see sides of them, I could not recognize at the beginning or was too neutral towards them, today I love to read them.

I did like the old format better for the only reason that it was more community oriented where the usual suspects could find each other easier, but we all have managed to get by with this design. I always will have a soft spot for a2k and many many members who have grown on me, and I terribly miss some of the ones who left us - either voluntarily or otherwise.
a2k is a good place!

1 Reply

@CalamityJane,

Quote:

At first, I used a picture of an old lady in rollers which seemed to be an instant magnet for gustavratzenhofer I miss that old fart!!

Ha, I well remember your first avatar, Jane!
Extremely flattering, I thought. Wink

It is indeed sad that Gus is so rarely with us these days.
I miss him, too.
And I always felt that you two were a match made in heaven! I envisaged romance in the future.
So sad it is not to be! Sad

2 Replies

Member since May 26, 2004
Answered Questions: 2
Posts: 31,708

I, like others, came here after finding the quality of discussion on other websites to be lacking. For the first several years I was here, I never really looked outside the politics forum. So this was a pretty contentious place for me. In retrospect this is a lot more apparent to me now.

But I've really grown to enjoy all aspects of A2K, and the switch to the new format has really broadened my horizons to a whole world of conversations that I never saw before. I still think that the quality of discussion here is generally very high, though we do have forays into bickering from time to time.

I should also say that it is a curious thing, that one could develop what amounts to an emotional attachment to folks that they have never met, and in most cases never will. But that's exactly what I've done, for I care about many of the posters here very much and think about them a lot.

Cycloptichorn

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@msolga,

No, there wasn't any romance - we were more like war buddies Laughing

but I am sure fond of him.

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@msolga,

I wonder who he means when he mentions the "groans of old timbers"?

Just kiddin' Wayne.

2 Replies

@msolga,

Hi msolga, what a splendid idea to come up with this thread. As a relatively 'newbie', I joined a2k during 2005, after searching for a crossword answer and being directed to here. I met some other keen cruciverbalists and have stuck around ever since.

I don't participate in any discussions, not my scene, but do read all what is going on around a2k and admire some of the great contributors to the various threads.

My forte is is the trivia and word games section, not much intelligence required here LOL, where I've met some wonderful and special people who have enriched my life greatly. You are one of them!

1 Reply

@roger,

Quote:

I wonder who he means when he mentions the "groans of old timbers"?

Well it couldn't possibly mean the likes of you & I, roger!
I suspect wayne was talking about the other old timber around here! Wink

1 Reply

@Dutchy,

Quote:

As a relatively 'newbie', I joined a2k during 2005

Dutchy, I could have sworn that you have been here longer! I can't recall a time when you weren't around.

All the same, that's six years. Definitely not to be sneezed at!

Quote:

My forte is is the trivia and word games section

For those of you who don't indulge in the "words" section, Dutchy is the undisputed king of word games. And he is incredibly fast at it! The speed of lightning!

Thanks for your kind words, Dutchy. Very nice of you.

1 Reply

@Crazielady420,

Quote:

This site truly helped me through a lot.

UH oh, now your in trouble.
You are not supposed to ever admit that this site helped, your gonna ruin all of our reputations...LOL

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@msolga,

Quote:

I suspect wayne was talking about the other old timber around here!

Watch it!!!
I resemble that remark, termites and all!

0 Replies

@roger,

roger wrote:

I wonder who he means when he mentions the "groans of old timbers"?

Hahaha, I figured someone would catch that.

1 Reply

@wayne,

wayne wrote:

roger wrote:

I wonder who he means when he mentions the "groans of old timbers"?

Hahaha, I figured someone would catch that.

Your personal A2K experience. Tell us about it.

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