The Topic of Great Randomness

[Kathy Li]

tori--yeah, I can't figure out what triggered it either. Obviously, I've now approved and let it through.

My big christmas present was a Canon G9 digital camera. The funny part is that I've been shooting with my Rebel XT digital SLR for so long that using a point-and-shoot again took some getting used to. P&Ses are supposed to be easier but I was having a hard time mastering it. I think I've kind of got it, now. I'm thinking of going out and getting an IR filter for it and see if I can get one of those white-tree-type IR shots.

Oh, and just 'cause we were bored, a friend and I drove out to a neighborhood that had a lot of Christmas lights up on all the houses. They'd even put lights on their basketball hoops, and it was every house on the street, which made it fun and over-the-top kitschy. I think we saw six life-size light-up Nativity scenes. I took a pano, but I haven't tried stitching it yet.

[EricG1793]

Alla, you have not acknowledge the last thing I said in my last post. What if I stopped posting for three years? Then I'd be considered an oldbie. Nuh-uh! Don't say no. Because... like I already said, all that seems to matter to you people who have been here for a long time is the amount of time a member has been here. I have more posts than a lot of people who have been here for years. That's a FACT, not a reason that I would think that I'd be an oldbie. So... if I still had around 335 posts, the same posts I have now, but I waited three years, I'd be considered an oldbie, given the impression that you all are putting on me about the duration of time meaning the world. However, as I said, it wouldn't change the amount of thought I've put in to everything having to do with the forums. It wouldn't increase the amount of my contributions, in any way, to the forums. It wouldn't make any difference at all whether I've been a member for five years or five months.

You may say now, "Well, people who've been registered for longer have more experience and have seen more happen to the forums." However... how do YOU know what percentage of the time a person has been registered that they've actually spend USING the membership? Making posts, looking at other people's posts, going in the chat room.... They could have registered, made a few posts, and then forgotten about the forums for two years, and then came back.... What does that large amount of time being a member mean if they didn't do anything with the membership for a long time?

Not that the amount of time means nothing. It does mean something, but it doesn't make as much of a difference as you all seem to think it makes. Same with post counts; it does mean something, but it doesn't mean everything. It's 50/50.

EDIT:

Wow, that sounds like a really nice camera, Kathy! Congratulations. You seem like a real professional.

What kinds of pictures do you take?

[Tuttle]

Eric, I think they're saying it wouldn't make a difference. I know to me it wouldn't make a difference. It's not the amount of time or the post count. It's how much a person has grown if they understand how the forums work, and things like that. And people don't consider those who had been around for a bit, posted a bit, left for years and returned oldbies. There was Clone, who had registered before most of the oldbies but wasn't around, which meant he wasn't an oldbie. Oldbies have actually specifically said that its not the length of time you're here but the contribution and what you have gained from the forums. How have you grown while here, how have the other members seen you change. Tori is actually a good example for that. She was an annoying newbie which I think she'd be the first to say, and she matured into who she is now. It doesn't mean anyone agrees with all she posts, but she respects the forum now differently than she did as a newbie and understands the arguments that are going on to a higher degree. That's part of what is needed. It's not the time, its not the experience of what you saw. It's the experience of learning the forums as they learn about you. It's people being able to say 'yes I know this person because of his contributions.' even if those contributions are all on the topic of the books. It's people at the same time as that being able to say 'I've seen this person grow. I've seen this person learn about themselves and the people around them. I've seen this person do their part for the forums whether it is being active, giving suggestions, or whatever. And have seen the forums do their part for this person. Whether this is helping socialize, helping learn about how people work, helping understand the books better, helping understand the internet better, or helping understand themself better.' It's a give and take process.

I don't consider myself an oldbie though I'm pretty sure there are people who do. But even as a midbie, its been made clear to me through talking to people, through watching people, and through how my own process went that its more of a question of giving what you can and giving what you can than being active. It doesn't matter how long it takes or how many posts it takes. It is possible to move from newbie to midbie in two months, but its also possible to take years if you need that long to get to the stage of learning from here.


I know personally for me this is had to do with how to socialize, how people interact, and that entire aspect. I think this is a normal thing though not the only possibility. I have become a different person in some aspects by being here. I know some people have seen a noticable change in me.


To me, it almost seems like you need to understand that change in yourself to become a midbie and understand that change in others to become an oldbie. I don't see myself understanding it in others to the point of being an oldbie, but I'm continuing to try to help this forum as it helps me learn.

I do agree with Gryph and alla.

Try to keep a little modesty, lose the assumption, keep up the post quality, and there you have the makings of a good member. Nothing else needs to matter.

It's not the posts, its not the time, its not worrying about what you are, its just you, and you do have the ability to grow here. You just need to let us help you grow too. And the first step in that is often worrying not about what your status is, not worrying about how many posts you have posted, but worrying about who you are, and what your interactions with this forum should be.

---

Now for something completely different:

Awesome camera Kathy. Sounds interesting to try to do stuff with too .

Jono gave me my christmas present two days ago now. It's another handle for my laptop 'cause I wanted two on it. He modified it yesterday to fit on, so I have a handle in the back and a handle in the front now. Is nice . Just need a strap so I can wear it on my back. Probably need to either make one out of the webbing stuff or get a mandolin strap. Guitar straps are too big for me and it but it sounds like a mandolin strap would work.

High school reunion was interesting, lots of geeks/nerds standing around awkwardly . It was interesting though. The spanish/french teacher didn't show up which I think I'm glad of. Neither me not Jono really got along with him and he likes teasing people about relationships.

I'm really tired of these itchy legs. Took a shower this morning and put on sensitive skin moisturizer after and that helped a lot but its still being a pain.

I think that's all to say now. Off I go.

Tuttle teh turtle.

[EricG1793]

Ooooooohhhhh, so now that I prove my point to one thing, the dependent variable changes. Now it depends on how much I've virtually GROWN that makes the difference.

I can prove my point to that as well. When I first, first came on, I made several one-liners, and got yelled at for that. I learned my lesson. I never make one-liners anymore (if I can at all avoid it). A while ago, I've actually gone through and deleted several of my one-liners. And again, I don't make them anymore. Shortly before Chat was closed, the way I acted in Chat changed, at least I tried TO change it.

Yeah, I know the routine with all of you now.... Someone makes a defense and proves you wrong, then you come up with something else that goes negatively against them, then you move on to another thing... like I said, you're changing the independent variable.

*Mutters* Several posts ago I said to myself that I was done from here.... I'll just disable all Email notifications and I'll forget about everything eventually....

[tori]

Eric, you wish to have that attitude then have it by all means. But don't have it here.

With the way your acting now, and I can relate, everyone is still going to label you as 'n00b' or newbie. And you if you were to leave this wonderful forum and come back in 3 years and covetch about the same stuff, then you're going to be a 'n00b' for quite sometime.

Making one liners, and then not making one liners and then deleting one liners does not make you any more 'amazing', as you seem to think it does. Yes, it shows more respect for the forum, which is good, but it won't give you a free access card to 'OLDBIE-NESS!'. You have to earn, and not by means of posts and karma and time you've been here, but by mentally. Kennit? I hope it will some day make sense to you.

Tut, yup, I was an annoying n00b. Man, Andrew had transcripts from like ... back when I first came here, and ... Oh! They are scary. I don't know who I thought I was. -shivers- But, I grew up, from saying I was 14 to then admitting I was only 12 and ... heh heh. I was a messed up n00b. xD Some of you may remember. I remember some people coming into chat all new and fresh and saying 'Dai ****o!'. I believe I said it, too. :P Those days ... Seem so far away...

Anyways, let us see. I went to a birthday party yesterday for this kid turning 13. I was kinda like, mehhh, should I go? He's in 7th grade, I'm in 10th ... I'm the oldest one there ... Mehh, what the heck. So I went ... I played DDR and versed K like a bajillion times. We were just playing Max2. I should of brought my game but no one told me. Oh well. So then, around..

Ah, shot, they want me to help with building the fence. Grrrrr. To be continued!

[Emi]

*Stares at the last few posts* Alrighty then...

I had my last game of the tourney yesterday and guess what!!! I got to play! AND it was more than one or two minutes!!! I played every quarter for atleast six minutes max. I made four points and lots of steals. I also blocked two shots. Which if you could see how tall I am, (5' 1 3/4") It's pretty cool. I was so proud of how I played. Hopefully my coach will take that in to consideration and let me play more during the regular season. *crosses fingers*

My dog was a bad boy today.. We got home from a day of shopping (I won't bore you guys with the deets about that) and I found pieces of trash on the living floor. Two boxes of ice cream and a package of bacon. Tsk. Tsk. I feel bad at "yelling" (I don't really yell at him, just raise my voice) at him. He's such a cute dog. But he's starting to behave really bad. I mean this isn't normal. He's like 8 years old and he's acting like he's a puppy puppy. If you know what I mean. Like the untrained puppy. I don't know why he's starting up that. Hmmm....

Finished Eclipse in three days. Now I still have to finish reading about Holden Caulfield (catcher and the rye). It's an interesting book but I just can only take it in short spurts. Not really sure when we're supposed to be finished with the book, considering we still have a couple more pages to read in the the Crucible. I don't know... I just don't know..

I still need to finish writing in my Kaley Research Essay. It's dumbbbbbb.

Can't wait for this semester to be OVER. Seriously. Can't. Wait.

Oh and just a thought. Why can't we all just put the whole Oldbie Newbie thing to rest? It's starting to get really annoying. Just a thought. My opinion. I don't want to get in the middle of it. In fact I don't think I should have said anything. But whatev.

Dai all and Happy New Year if I don't come on.

[EricG1793]

I am defeated. I can't deal with you all anymore.... I'm going to suspend all my notifications and forget about here for a while....

[Kathy Li]

Eric, I do that, too. It's a very good thing to take a break every now and then. Boards are terrific, but they really shouldn't be the most important thing in your life--if you find that you're worried/anxious/upset about board business, it's a good idea to just go do something else and get your sense of proportion (aka "a sense of humor") back.

[Mousey]

N00b: A person who's been around long enough that they SHOULD know the unwritten rules, but doesn't. Sometimes extremely stubborn, and occasionally newish, but old enough that they should know most of the unwritten stuff. I.E.: Someone who posts a bit and is annoying, leaves for three years, and then comes back and is still annoying.

Newb(ie): A person who is NEW, and usually eager to learn, sometimes annoying, usually apologizes when they realize they've said something they shouldn't have. Occasionally irritating. I.E.: Me about... Two years ago? No, a bit longer. When I was still nine. I SHUDDER at what I said and did then... I still have some of that stuff, too.

I'm still insane as ever, though. WHEE!

*wanders off again*

[Sunshine]

Hm. I feel like posting today. =)

Tori, in reply to your earlier post on this page, don't feel weirded out about looking at school yours sophomore year. That's when I did. September of my sophomore year I was in St. Augustine looking at Flagler, having interviews with councilors. Any time during high school is a good time to look at schools - except, of course, maybe your last month of your senior year, unless you plan to take a while off...

I'm considering looking into FSU. They want me to go there -- I've talked with some of their reps and whatnot at a conference in my city. But unless it's an amazing school, or in/near Chicago, I don't really want to go into a big school. I'd rather go into a small school, like Flagler, or FSC. =) But good luck on picking a school. Let me know what you decide. Who knows, maybe we'll end up at the same place. =)


I'll edit and finish this when I get back from the store. =)


Edit: Yay for the store and batteries. =)

So YouTube is my hero at the moment. I've found two of the chick flicks that are guaranteed to make me feel better on there. It's pretty spectacular.

Classes are going okay. I need to make up all of my work for my English class this week before I come off of break.


Yay for two weeks vacationing time.

[tori]

Okay finishing the earlier post.

So the party ... I left at five and then they all said it was a camp out and I didn't know that; nobody told me. >< So, I had called my mom to pick me up and then she got there and Alis was all, I'm not ready! Mom got ticked cause it's 20 minutes to drive out to Zack's. So, in the end, Alison stayed and I went home.

I glad I didn't stay. They stayed up till four and I was more content talking to Tasha until 2, anyways. xD Her parents don't let her out much. They worry about her. Though she's a huge Samoan girl that I doubt, as does she, anyone would want to kidnap; she'd probably be bigger than the guy anyways. But shes got a great personality and doesn't care what people call her. (I still get irritated if people call me emo or goth girl... I'm not ... dark or super hyper sensitive and all 'Go away from me! You hate me anyways!'. It's more like 'Hi, I'm Tori, what'd your favourite color. Laugh laugh laugh.) (Confusionadadshf)

And so I continue to be my boring self. I finished the fence today. Well, actually, uhm, my dad did. I held the poles and stretched the fence out, got him tools, held stuff up. You know, handy work. But now it's finished! Only took 2 1/2 hours to make a 4ft high and 50ft long fence with poles and rail and all. We just need to finish the little gate on the other side. Delilah, the puppy, is happy. We can just let her out into the backyard now and she can do her bizz, and run around and be happy. Not on a leash. Still despise the thing.

You know one thing I hate on Opera? There's no spell check... It's kind of annoying cos I'm not sure if I'm spelling something correctly. I'm a bit relilable on spell check. -gasp-.
It makes things easier, you know?

Liiiiisa. It's been ages.
I don't feel as nerdy now. I would go to interviews and meetings for college apps, but ... Like, I'm in AmSam ... and it's 2K to fly to Florida for a meetings/interview. So, I may just try emailing them and see if they respond. I'm wondering if I should make a more 'offical/respectable' email address for this purpose. It's not like it's offense. Heck, it's fine. viva.la.art ... that's not bad. I'dbe majoring in Studio Art anyways, maybe it'd help show I'm focused in Art. Eye dee kay.

Heh, that'd be interesting. Are you thinking about starting next year? Cos, by the time I'd get in, you'd be senior. I like FSU. It looks really nice, and it's an 'In State' school. Weren't you from Florida, Lisa? I cannot remember ... maybe you're still there now. Been away too long, you know. FSU is big and all, but it's got good standards, the college over in Orlando, Central Florida one, it used to be dodgy but now it's got high standards, so look into that one. The website for it though is horrid. Horrible navigation and not much info.
I'm really kind of just aiming for FSU. I think I will email them and ask them if they will give me early acceptance and make it so that I go there and make sure I get the right stuff for them to make the acceptance sure by the time they get my SAT scores and GPA.

Say, if you're majoring in Art, do you need have at least a B in math to get into college still? The schedule thing for Art major isn't involving much math (thank god), but you know. I'm just panicing and thinking I'm going to fail again. I did that with the test, I was sure I was going to be placed back a grade, what happens? I'm bumped up. Ugggh. I'm horrible at waiting for a result. I get second thoughts.

Well, I think I will go tidy up my room, maybe clean it even. xD And then draw. Play on the computer. Come back on the internet... I don't know. I mean, it's like I almost prefer to be back in school being with friends everyday than staying home and building a fence and then having your friends not being allowed to do anything. I can go anywhere. And they cannot go outside their house. Rwar parents, rwar. =]
Payce~~

[seabiscuit1009]

I'm having a long day. It just won't end! I went over my aunt's house to visit my new baby cousin from out of town...she's really cute. Almost 2 months old, and she's just learning how to smile. I like babies, they're kind of fun...except for the whole waking you up in the middle of the night thing. I don't mind the diapers or anything (I'm used to that sort of problem from horseback riding)...but I loathe being woken up in the middle of the night. I guess if I had a baby, though, I wouldn't mind as much. Not that I'm planning on having a baby anytime soon or anything...that'd just mess life up a lot when it's going alright for once.

My dad bought mom a treadmill for Christmas, since she wants one to walk on (we joke that Mom's a delicate flower, who can't stand the weather that comes in off the lake. She hates cold...I think I got that from her, actually.) I hate running on treadmills, but I have to admit, it's useful on days like today, when I'm not really home during daylight hours. I don't run when it's dark outside-Mom's rules. I only ran 3.1 miles (or 5K) which isn't really that much, before I had to get off from boredom. I can't wait for good weather to come again. Either that, or it should snow a lot, because then I won't feel bad about not running. We haven't had any snow for almost 2 weeks, and definitely had a green Christmas. Hmmm...it's probably because I bought a pair of boots for the first time since 7th grade (since last winter was so horrible, I decided it might be a good idea.) My sister also bought new boots, and my Dad decided to replace his 15 year old snow blower as well. As a result, it probably won't snow all season. *shrugs* Annoying. I want a snow day when break ends.

Oh yeah! I won my basketball game yesterday! I love basketball, but I'm glad I don't play for my high school anymore. It was kind of like deja vu, actually, since the game was in my grade school's gym, which is way smaller than a regulation gym, and has special rules that make it easy to come up with plays that would be illegal in other gyms that are legal in ours. It was almost like 8th grade basketball again. In 8th grade, we had this weird play that we could only use in that gym, our home gym, since the out of bounds lines are really weird (the wall is out of bounds while playing, but when passing the ball in the painted line on the floor is out of bounds.) The play is one for when you're taking the ball out of bounds, and the person basically bounces the ball off of her teammates' butts, catches it, turns, and shoots. It really worked! I know, it sounds kind of weird...but it worked well.

Last night my sister and I went out to eat with my grandma and an aunt at this place that is supposedly like an English pub. I don't know if it really is or not, seeing as I've never left the North American continent, but it was a cool place all the same. And two of the male waiters were wearing kilts! (which is Scottish, but oh well. It was funny.) They had good food there as well...I think I've found a new favorite restaurant. Good coffee as well. But those kilts were so funny...XD I suppose I shouldn't laugh though; next year, if I go to a certain college, my school's marching band will be wearing kilts.

New Year's Eve is tomorrow. I don't really care about New Year's, probably because I never have plans. All my friends are either out of town or babysitting, so I get to sit at home and watch the ball drop on the...hey, I wonder if the ball drop is on one of the HD channels? That'd be kind of fun to watch. Anyway...what was I saying. Right. Even my younger sister is babysitting, and making a lot of money. Oh well. Maybe I won't even stay up until midnight-it's not as exciting as it was years ago, when my bedtime was 8:00.

Well...ice cream. I like that stuff a lot, even in the winter, when it's freezing cold outside. As a result, right now I'm eating peppermint ice cream, which is amazing. Dai all, and happy new year, since I'm not planning on being online for a few days, as far as I know.

[Garrett Fitzgerald]

Re-hi, all. :-) I went to visit my parents in Rhode Island over Christmas -- oh, darn, Tuttle, I forgot to wave as I passed Worcester. Sorry.

In any case, I'm still catching up on stuff at work -- I'll expand this post later. :-)

[wolf_wizard]

Wow. I was gone for a few days and TOGR grows two pages. but I have to post on the 555 page, you know? any way...

Mel: Thanks. I'm happy to know that you and EW are OK.

Gryph: my desk is really messy to. someday, I will clean it off... to probably just cover with stuff again. It's probably useless, but I can try...

Eric: My laptop will probably see a lot of use on the keyboard and mouse, but It's still new, and it must be nice to have a new one. I like my keyboard, as it's brand new, and has that feel to it.

Gryph (again): I like your ideas on what really matters in the forums, and agree; although I am definitly not perfect when it comes to that.

Emi: I hope it all works out OK with your friend. I keep on staying up reading books really late into the night- on break when I have the time anyway... I just can't help myself when I get really into one, you know?

Tori: wow. I would never be able to get away with talking really late into the night, but then again, my walls are pretty thin... it sounds pretty nice, although I think that I would rather read.(I know that it sounds really nerdy, but it is true.)

Everyone: can we please stop talking about newbie/midbie/oldbie status? it's kind of annoying... I guess I kind of started it, but I was just wondering why people were refering to me as a newbie...

Eric: It sounds like a good idea... I guess I might do that sometime if I get a little to much into the forums...

Tori: Who is Lisa? I think I prefer break, but what is break if you don't have anything to take a break from, you know?

Hungry: I love cold things year-round. It's odd, but nice, especially when it gets so cold that no one else in my family wants to eat ice cream. peppermint is good- especially around New Years.

Our heater broke last night. It wasn't really fun, but it was fixed today. And now it is finally warm- yay!!!!!!

Ok, well, I am not doing anything for New Years but staying home. I guess I'll read and play computer games until midnight. It's what I usually do. I know; it's really boring... but, unfortunatly, my life is that way often, mixed in with stress and homework and friends, etc.

Any way, Happy New Year everyone!

[Emi]

Wolfy: Yeah when it's a break I tend to read way in to wee hours of the morning. Especially last night (6:30 am).

Arg food is done, I'll be back to post more. I PROMISE!!!

Edit: I'm back. Wow that took longer than expected. Okay, so my new years eve was pretty interesting. My dad was hosting a party for his japanese class so I was sort of obligated to go. I played Mario party on Wii the whole time, it was my first time ever playing with a Wii. That was fun. We played Apples to Apples before that. I like that game, but it was sort of not as fun because there was some people there that I really don't know that well. Kind of stinks. My dad had planned these fun things but we never got to do them because people were like engrossed in the video games we had. Poor daddy.

I'm feeling sort of... weird lately. I don't know, the days are starting to be predictable? I want change, real bad. Maybe that's why I can't wait til the new semester. School is starting up tomorrow and I really need to finish this stupid essay I'm writing. I have two more paragraphs but I just can't seem to get it out!! Ah, it would be so much easier if it was creative writing!! I just want this year (school) to be over and I can be a senior. That way I can just get over high school and graduate. Haha.

Oh and Prom is coming around the corner.... Ugh. I really want to go, but it's supposed to be such a special night, and I don't have a bf, and I doubt I'd get one by then. Really stinks, but there is this one guy I think might go with me if I beg alot. We're friends, I used to like him a while back (sorta do still) but I know we're just friends. Maybe he'll say he will... The only way to find out is to ask him, and that's what scares me the most.

Alright I'm going to get a head start on my reading so I don't end up staying up really late like last night. I have to drive myself tomorrow, so it's going to be me against all the other non seniors fighting for a spot on West Street. Hahaha.

Dai