Who has been here the longest?

[canesisters]

Been here since 2011. I was a regular on BYC and had an iris that changed color - so came here looking for info.

 

[ninnymary]

Returning only slightly off-center of the original question:

I joined another gardening forum, pre-TEG. There is a forum there that is worth a visit several times month, if that. It's that slow!

Years ago, it was quite an active forum and with one individual participating, especially. I'll call her DahliaQ. She was very knowledgeable about plants ... and, very no nonsense! She was suddenly gone, years ago.

I often have thought of DahliaQ, wishing she was there for difficult questions, ones that I would just look at and know that the person would wait and wait, maybe getting no response from anyone! Well, DahliaQ came back last week.

She responded to several threads and the first I read was from August. There were about 6 responses in that month and September. For some reason, a few more people kicked in a few ideas in mid-February. The OP had been mistaken on a plant ID. His question about it really made no sense and people helped him realize the error. Well, suddenly DahliaQ shows up out of the proverbial blue! I doubt if anyone who posted in that thread had any familiarity with her. What is her comment on this 7+ month old OP in a thread that fell completely dormant 6 weeks ago? She wrote that the OP shouldn't have bothered trying to grow the plants even if he hadn't made a mistake and had actually purchased the right one. Then! She said that she couldn't believe how "lenient" the respondents had been to him. Bam! A half dozen people slammed, all around.

This TEG thread prompted me to go back to that forum this morning and do a search to try to learn when DahliaQ had been around last. As best as I could determine (that forum has a different search capacity), her last post was in 2007. Okay. Then I decided to see if I could find her first post. I think I found it!

It was 2002 and the thread was one of the most bizarre things I have ever seen! DahliaQ was signed her first post on that thread with what might have been her real name. Let's say it was Betty. Well, it might not have been her real name because there was a Poster A signing Dahlia ..! And, a Poster B signing Wendy. Then, DahliaQ was signing Wendy! Then, Poster A was signing Betty! Some of these "persons" were cheerful and friendly. One said she was in the UK and referred to her Mum!

I was completely confused over this thread of just 8 or 10 posts! Who was who!! I realized that they all must be DahliaQ! She had assumed multiple id's, multiple personalities!

I never saw DahliaQ sign any name to a post after I got there ... I never really thought she was anyone other than Dahlia. But, that "active" forum I became involved with 12 or so years ago -- I now have to wonder how many of the people there were all the same person ..!

Steve !

All I can say is WOW (as I pull on my hair).

Mary

 

[seedcorn]

@icertuche, pix of flowers causes me no concerns. Now ripe, red tomatoes or okra, that gets me going......

 

[so lucky]

Occasionally I get the feeling a new member is just making stuff up as they go along. I remember one who seemed to be an expert at everything, and grew everything, and had experienced everything imaginable.
I don't remember her name, but she left as quickly as she appeared. I had a mental image of her sitting armed with plant encyclopedias and google, ready to do battle with us mere mortals, or at least put us in our place.

 

[seedcorn]

I'm sure of it. Behind computer, you can be whatever. Some are experts, some are tough guys, since no one knows who you are, you can make yourself whatever. Usually, if a poster stays long enough, you can figure them out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A lot of times that's a kid. I see that over on the chicken forum a lot. I can think of one specific poster over there now who is very active and claims to have decades of experience, but it's pretty easy to tell that it's a kid with limited experience. You have those that passionately believe their way is the only right way. They are not necessarily mean or malicious, they passionately believe they are right. Everyone needs a passion. You get all kinds of people on a public forum. You have to find your own ways to deal with it. I generally try to ignore them but if they say something I consider dangerous I'll give my viewpoint but try to not attack them. Sort of a "don't feed the trolls" attitude.

I'm not pointing this at anyone on this forum right now. There have been people here in the past that, to me, fit one of these descriptions. I try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt until they leave me little doubt. And I try to leave it to others to form their own opinions.

 

[digitS']

We know this: Some people equate being feared as being appreciated. That's a damn shame.

Everyone wants to be appreciated. It must be a normal psychological need.

Social values come into play. What do we value that if I provide it, I will be appreciated by those I see as significant, themselves?

Someone on TEG once called me "the weather guy." I'm sure that it was more than half in jest. I wish I could be and could make expert predictions, a week ahead, 2 weeks, a couple of months. I don't have the expertise to do any of that even if making the best guesses I can becomes real important to me, especially at this time of year. I would like to say on that "gardening note" thread how important a skill it would be ... without making it sound like I have finely developed skills or superhuman ability. I want people to value this part of their gardening. What's going on in their outdoors?!

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

That was me. I called you the weather guy because you are good at providing not only news about the local weather, but maps and detailed info on the broader geography. It was intended as a compliment.

 

[seedcorn]

@digitS' Don't fall for the trap.....she knows sarcasm..... Be afraid, very afraid.....

 

[Beekissed]

I just love you guys!!