Newbies

Re the newbies, they come here for help, they don't know the lay of the land yet.


As for the smiley, what about ?

I am of two minds. I think that some of those threads are spoofs. I remember "Dear Abby" always writing about how the guys from Yale would write her about the most farfetched, convoluted problems. It was almost as if they held contests to see who could write the goofiest letters.

On the other hand, I think that there are newbies, who are in serious quandries. They don't know where to turn, and want some advice from people to whom they can remain anonymous.

I would suspect that many of these people have little experience with the internet. That is why I believe that I can spot a newbie a mile off. Often they write in blocks, without paragraphing. They post much more detail than is necessary, to get their message across.

It used to annoy me when I saw posts like these. Now I realize that even if a person is "pulling our legs", often the problem stated is fairly common. So I figure that if the person who wrote the thread really does not need help, there may be someone out there who can benefit. So I usually take these threads seriously.

Phoenix, what makes you think people make up stories? I've never seen anything on here that sounded made up to me...and I can't think of any reason why a person would want to.

Thats so true.
My first post was a bit weird.

Stuh- I have seen a few members' first threads that were as I described. No paragraphs, long, convoluted, and usually having to do with a relationship issue. Often the thread starts, "Help Me!", but not always.

Our helpful members (including me) attempt to assist the person through the problem. A number of pages later, I realize that the member has never posted again. He/she is gone, back into cyberspace, never to be heard from again.

Why do they make up stories? I think that there are adolescent, (or adolescent minded) people who like to feel the power of creating a to-do about nothing.

A disappearing person does not necessarily mean the question was not legit. There are people who just can't find A2K again, or the problem is solved or the advice is no longer applicable and/or not what they wanted to hear. But that does not detract from its possible legitimacy.

There have, to be sure, been some not so legit inquiries, butI try to treat them all as real. Not for the sake of looking like I'm being duped, but rather because there's a possibility that someone out there could, for real, have the same problem. Might as well help that person.

I too cannot see any reason why someone would want to make stories up.

However i do want to ask pheonix: 'How do you make your writing green?'

After you have 16,000 posts it becomes green.

Like your ridiculous assertion that everyone "in school" was making funny of you because you didn't orgasm. Yeah. I believe that one. Not!

Voila

One never knows. Last year a newbie posted a schizoid, mispelled diatribe against the Texas death penalty.Lots of people ridiculed her but on a hunch i conversed with her over the course of a few days and found out she was the girlfriend of a man on Death Row and was just looking for some consolation. Although she disappeared soon after I'm glad that I was able to offer some consolation.

People make up stories all of the time on the internet. There are lots of reasons. Maybe they like to think they've made fools of the people who offer advice, or maybe they just want to feel that someone cares and to get some attention. Maybe its a power thing.

Recently on another board someone posted that one of the members had committed suicide and the current poster was her sister just letting everyone know what had happened. After an outpouring of sympathy and grief thay came back and posted that it was all made up including the original personality. Supposedly there never had been a young woman who had lost her mother and pm'ed to lots of other posters her thoughts of suicide and pain. It was all research to develop a character for a writing project.

It was quite an ugly thing to do. And who knows what the real truth is.

The Pentacle Queen- After I write my post, I highlight it. Over the response box, you will see "Font color" with a drop down box that says, "default". I hit the arrow next to the "default". One of the choices is green. I hit "green", except when my hand slips, and I inadvertently hit "yellow", and then no one can read my post. Then I scramble quickly to edit the post before anyone can add another response. After I hit "green" I also hit the "B" which is to the right of "message body". That makes the letters come out in bold.

Nobody asked, but if you want to know why I post in green, is because the color goes with my avatar!

Phoenix,
I always wondered about that! You posts are always so pleasing to the eye. And you created a 'trademark'. I see green posting: I think Phoenix now.

wow. I want a trademark.
ive been trying to find a gud avatar but they are all too big!

It's fairly easy to shrink them down. If you find one you want, store it somewhere and I can help you get it down to size.