Typical Trail Talk Day

“Good Grief. Basketball isn't even a real sport.”

“No - you mean baseball Tilt ;o)”

“Woooooo Hooooo!

You're for it now, Boyo!”

“Why would anyone waste time on a basketball thread when it's obviuos that Uconn is the greatest, coolest, root-toot-tootenist team in all the land (men or women!), and will kick the bejeezus out of any corn-fed, inbred, givin' head to uncle Jed team from the midwest? Just asking.”

“Dunadan, I agree. I used to assume all the banter was not personal as well.

It used to be these threads were more like sitting around the campfire, a lot of joking, some zingers, good natured.

Now it seems more like a heated family reunion, the levity seems to be lessened.

Again, this observation is IMHO. I just don't see the same sort of zip here as used to be present.”

“Good natured stuff like this, I suppose:



I didn't reply to your email because you annoy me beyond all barriers of my personal tolerance for annoyances.”

“Well tb, that is what I am talking about. That isn't a zinger, that is like throwing a brick.

Hell, I thought stevehiker should have been shot, but I used to take extra time to tell him how wrong he was. Now it seems we just say "#&%!$ off".”

“I will give you that, Chili. Creative retaliation would be more cerebral than just a knee jerk reaction. Yes, this place has been known to spawn some severe emotional outbursts. As for SH, I never knew of him. Actually, I think I remember the name from when I started on here, but not enough to tell you anything about him. Doesn't sound like a nice guy.”

“Maybe not a great guy, but he provoked critical thought. I think that is what is missing.”

“Chili, I just went back and read your original post. I think that there are several reasons why what you say really does stand to reason. 50 to 75 posts about a piece of gear is not bad. I know you are putting it in perspective by comparing it to how many posts a more sophomoric thread might generate, but that makes sense to me. The latter type threads, although more surface type mental masturbation, provoke the desire in a lot of people to say something that will make someone else laugh. By nature, that will bring about a countless number of posts. Now, a thread about a certain store bought item is more in line with what this place was set up for, but is limited in scope with what can be said about it. I find it kinda self defeating to talk about them in the same breath and compare them using #s. It's one board, but there is a lot of diversity in the conversation here.”

“That's the best explanation I've heard in response to this topic Treebeard.”

“tb, I am referring to quality as much or more than I am quantity”

“If you take a close look at network TV, you will have your answer. The lowest common denominator threads pull in more comments than the specific threads. As far as quality of the threads, well, a lot of times it's a case of everything that can be said about a topic has been said. We get a lot of topic repeat here.

How often does a new backpacking-related topic come up? Something that would actually instigate new ideas or discussion? Not often.”

“so if youre dissatisfied with the site, improve it. be our role model for good behaviour and cerebral zingers. thatll show us”

“You guys didn't get the memo?

The internet died some time ago. We're just ghosts who refuse to go away.”

“Actually stormbringer, I have reviewed this thread, my feelings and my life and decided this:

from here on out, I am only going to say positive things about people here. No zingers. No snide comments. No pointless barbs.

I grew up in the south where I was taught to be respectful and courteous. I think that over the past few years I haven't expressed that as much as I should and shame on me.

From here on out, I intend to improve myself with my actions.

Sometimes this place caused me to think, that is why I like it here.”

“be part of the solution, not the problem....hmmmm
Wouldn't the world be a much better place if everyone took that stance more often?

That's what i liked about meeting backpackers on the trail....you are accepted as who ya are, not what you do at work.

All of us need to be accepted for ourselves...including our opinions
(for the most part)
Thanks for lettin me put my 2 cents worth in.”

“As far as quality of the threads, well, a lot of times it's a case of everything that can be said about a topic has been said.

By the regulars, that is. It's an all too common phenomenon - a bbs starts up and there's plenty of insightful on-topic discussion and a welcoming of new people. Then the regulars run out of on-topic insight and turn to fluff. But the regulars don't 'retire' and find other forums. They don't go away like they should. They just hang around and become stale, because by this time the regulars have become friends and the inevitable clique is firmly entrenched. This results in newbies being shunned and a stagnation of the conversation dynamics. "Search the f***ing archives" becomes the regular's mantra to every newbie question. With such inertia firmly in place, the regulars start to bore each other and lash out. This attracts trolls. Newbies are further shunned, as they are summarily labeled "troll." Then comes the ubiquitous "boy this place sure used to be better when it was just us good-old-boys." (Chili, this would be you, more or less).

What really needs to happen is for the regulars to leave trailtalk for a couple years, and then come back and bask in the light of the phoenix that rises from the ashes. You just need to GO AWAY.”

“Thanks mutt, it is always insightful to get feedback on other points of view. I really couldn't see it that way, but getting your perceptions tells me I need to work harder at being a better person.”

“getting your perceptions tells me I need to work harder at being a better person

Loosely translated, I believe that means "bite me."

The idea that you need to behave better is a ludricous nonstarter, as you are already one of the most gentle talking people here. Try again.”

“BTW, mutt. That's not really what I said. I said it used to be better. The people who are here are not as much of the problem as the way we communicate among those who are here now. However, my opinion is as subject to be flawed as anyone else on this subject. My goal is to start examining my own beliefs and opinions to determine if I hold them because they are right? or because I don't want to say they are wrong?”

“I am sorry that your perception differs so greatly from my intent. I am not really sure I could say what I mean any more clearly.”

“translation: Mutt, STFU.”

“Mutt yer killing me here!
LOL!”

“Mutt, I really like your subtle sense of humor. It is refreshing here.”

“IMHO, now it seems like the originator of the post acts like the host and tries to keep the thread alive or near the top rather than allowing the "natural rythym" of the board to govern the response level. Semms to me there are alot more, albeit briefer messages.”

“There once was a man, Dunadan
Whose wit was the best in the land
Monkey girl is Tarpy's filly
And Chili is just plain silly
But Dunadan is the man who rocks the band!”

“I agree”

“yes, well said”

“STFU

;-)”

“LMAO”

“Try another board
If your wit has turned to sh-t
Word from the master”

“Got it?
Good.”

“Violin doesn't have the balls to try haiku, and that is why the quality of this board has remained so high. Mutt is high, too.”

“Hey, Fly! I like you, I really really like you.
LMFAO”

“Violin is one string short of a banjo.”

“Your meter has problems, Tuna.”

“Well sometimes flyguy, I have to realize that despite my best intentions and most feverent attempt, I don't hardly seem to communicate what I mean.

After a while, even hard headed people like myself begin to at least consider the problem is perhaps not with reality, but with my perception. At times like those, the decision must be made to either (A) make an attempt to change what I see or (B) view what I am seeing from a different angle.

As circumstances have it, I choose the latter.

I do note with interest that Dunadan's wit has remained constant and my issues of change seem to be lost on him, much for that reason.”

“Chili36, nice words about the upbringing thing. Not common sense, but better: GOOD sense. I don't know you (yet), but I already like you.

Hey Mutt, here's a useful purpose for the long-time members: helping clueless newbies like me to acclimate to the site. Sometimes we might bring a fresh perspective or new knowledge or something. Or we might be total wankers, and you can make fun of us. It's win-win situation! LOL”

“Is it just me, or is Chili taking this forum way too seriously?”

“No, smw, just taking a more serious look at myself for a change.”

“I really do support whatever direction you want to head, Chili. I trust that you will end up where you need to be.
As for myself, I am too full of it at this juncture in my TT career to start being nice. Maybe someday, when people like Tilt, (who criticizes my meter), and Violin are gone from this forum, I can then be a sweeter kind of guy. Until then, I'll haiku and limerick with impudence.”

“Dunadan, why don't you try some Iambic Pentameter? That's always good for a chuckle or two.”

“Sluggo, you're the Elizabethan around here. LOL”

“As one of the former regulars here I can say that some comments here ring true. Since the beginning of the site, the idea was that it would be a "virtual campfire". It doesn't have to be backpacking-related. There used to be lots of good threads that were backpacking-related, lots of stuff to help newbies, and lots of mindless fun. Over the years, people, as they often do, come and go. Some have taken breaks and returned. One thing that has changed, and I think it's a sad thing, is the attitudes that seem to pervade at the site.

I see in more and more posts antagonism from the start, either the first post is intended to raise the ire of the others, or a post shortly after the initiating post is intended to do it. What results is a thread, possibly one that had potetial to be a really positive thread, possibly one that was just utter bull#&%!$ digress into a mudslinging pissing match between a few members.

I think Mutt has a good point that some of the site members have become a bit stale and could use a break. Or, maybe they need places elsewhere to take out their aggressions.

Lots here doesn't interest me. There's an occasional thread that does hold some interest. I think I'll just keep cruising through for the occasional flake of gold mixed in with all the pirite in the river that is Trail Talk.

Chili, not that you need my approval, but I like your plan to be positive in your postings. I have made a similar promise to myself with respect to other forums.”

“Marmot. I think you just said what I was trying to. Thank you.”

“as long as there's a giant can of tuna hanging out, stinking the place up, i'm still on the warpath!

but for real, i hate it when people here are negative too. well actually, i think it's more that i just can't like everyone. i get bad vibes from some people, and maybe it's really more that our personalities just don't mesh. oh well, what ya gonna do!”

“Sorry Dunny, but reading a faulty limmerick is like walking down stairs where the treads aren't uniform. You can bust your ass like that if you're not careful!”

“Most, but not all, of the mean sprited comments are on the political threads, or else from those too full of themselves. I avoid the political threads, they all wind up as 4 lefties and 1 rightie throwing turds at each other.

The ignore button works wonders for me.”

“Chili, my comment wasn't intended to be about you, just an observation on my part about many of the threads with really high counts. You know, big hat, no cattle.”