When I first discovered the lounge......

[Bouncy Ball]

describe your experience when you first discovered the lounge.

When I first found it, I saw all these cryptic references to things. I didn't get a lot of the jokes, figured they were in-jokes.

I just read the lounge for a very long time. Then when I finally felt I had a handle on the absurd nature of it, I started posting.

It was a long time more before I started getting some of the jokes and to this day, there are STILL references to things I don't get--stuff that happened before I got here, stuff that happened while I was taking a break from DU here and there for a few days, etc.

I've posted a lot of responses that got no responses. I've posted threads that sunk like a rock. (Can't remember any? Of course not! No one noticed those!)

I think it's the same for anyone just discovering the lounge. I only found out the other day why people put "Robb is a dingbat" on polls. I never understood that one. And the relationships between people were even harder to untangle (I don't have them all completely untangled yet, either).

But I stuck around, kept reading (and laughing).

So...what was your experience of the lounge when you first discovered it?

[MissHoneychurch]

1. it was scary at first

people were so much at ease with each other I wasn't sure I could keep up with that. So I read a lot first (I loved the kitten threads) and one day I decided to join. And haven't regret it yet

[Bouncy Ball]

8. I wish people who gripe about the inside jokes would

understand they are only "inside jokes" because they've been "inside" the lounge for so long. ANY group does that. ALL groups do that.

But this place isn't exclusionary. We're always looking for fresh meat!

So if people would just hang out and read and not take everything personally, it'd be great. I didn't expect the lounge to go "oh hey, look at this new person we've never seen! Let's act like we're old friends with her!" when I first got here.

[MissHoneychurch]

15. I was amazed how open people are to newbies

you are taken in the group and it feels like home after the first shy attemps to post

[kick-ass-bob]

2. I was excrutiatingly glad I found it.

I had been reading around (and not posting much) in GD and getting more and more paranoid (lines in the sky kinda stuff).

I wandered over here after someone posted something funny and a reply said "This should be in the lounge"

I decided that's where I needed to be.

~8000 posts later...

[hunter]

93. Here you go!

Personally, I find the Lounge makes me more paranoid than GD.

[Mutley]

3. I think I'm still in the boat you're describing above

I'm still new to the lounge and still fairly new to DU all together. I still don't get much response. But I'm just glad to have a place like this to go and interact with people who think like me (well, for the most part anyway).

[kick-ass-bob]

5. .

[Mutley]

7. thanks

[Bouncy Ball]

10. Hi mutley!!

I love your screen name!

[Mutley]

16. Thanks!

I love yours too actually. As well as your posts!

[bertha katzenengel]

4. Woo hoo! A place to show off my cat pics!

[Bouncy Ball]

12. I LOVE 'EM!!!

Is one of those kitties Daddy?

[bertha katzenengel]

24. No, that's Richard (left) and Harry. They're littermates from CA, will be

eleven in July.

Want to see a picture of Daddy?

[Bouncy Ball]

30. DAD-DY!!! DAD-DY!!!! DAD-DY!!!!!

DAD-DY!!! DAD-DY!!! DAD-DY!!!!

[bertha katzenengel]

50. This is Daddy, Protector of Waldorf Cat House/Haven

Who's your Daddy?

[Bouncy Ball]

51. I LURVE Daddy!

Give him a kiss for me.

[bertha katzenengel]

60. He'll kiss me back for you.

He's very affectionate.

Dig the dog (?) in your sig line.

[CatWoman]

94. I just LOVE that cat

he's just dripping with personality!!

[bertha katzenengel]

96. we're lucky to have him

Remind me to tell you the story of how we got him sometime.

[Jamastiene]

18. Awwww.

They are adorable.

[bertha katzenengel]

26. badger badger badger

I like your sig line!

[Jamastiene]

67. LOL

I clicked the link. I like the web site with the pictures of the cats.

[bertha katzenengel]

72. Thanks. It's in dire need of updating. Actually...

now that we've switched to Comcast I'll have to move it. May as well redesign the whole thing.

Ahem... excuse me... you did ask for my life story, right? at self. Sheesh!

[Jamastiene]

73. I'm not complaining.

I like the site and love to hear details about web sites. I used to make them for fun years ago when I had access to enough server space to add music and loads of pictures. Now I don't have the files on my computer because my old one crapped out on me and I don't have access to enough space, so I just enjoy browsing.

[bertha katzenengel]

75. Me creating a web site is like watching someone w/ no fingers assemble

a jigsaw puzzle. That's not entirely apt but you get the idea. I don't really know what I'm doing and have to use those free "create a web site" apps. But it's fun to put up my pictures & captions!

May a new computer be in your future.

[Jamastiene]

78. Thanks.

I got one. I just gotta work out getting my old files back. I am not great at it or anything. I used to go to those script archives and do the "you can copy this but leave our name in the script" type deals. It was helpful for adding forms and buttons. Other than that, I just used Netscape. It's pretty simple and fun to use.

[Mutley]

20. and I love all the kitty posts and pics

and I enjoy being able to contribute my own. Unfortunately right now I am on a school computer so I can't post any of my puppy or kitty pics. But later.... oh yeah, later!

[bertha katzenengel]

28. yeah, later!

Post 'em, Mutley

[Mutley]

90. I finally got home

so here it is:

[bertha katzenengel]

97. Those eyes! Those ears! Those nose!

What a beauty! Thanks for posting, Mutley. Who is this gorgeous critter?

[MissHoneychurch]

23. Mein Gott sind die süß

uhmmmm .... I ment to say My gosh, they are too cute ..... *melting away*

[bertha katzenengel]

39. Well, I knew what "Mein Gott" was....

"du bist meine grosmom" -- you are my grandmother

That's the extent of my German! With my surname... I am ashamed.

[Jamastiene]

6. I was happy to take a break from GD

Once I decided to come here to find the people with a sense of humor about things, I just sort of set up camp and couldn't tear myself away for very long at the time. Now, I'm an addict. We need a DU Lounge addicts group.

[Bouncy Ball]

17. Very true.

There are some days I'm in a GD mood. Some days I'm only here for the lounge.

Just depends.

[Tsiyu]

9. I was APPALLED at all the sex threads

until I got them banned.



Only kidding, folks. I kinda miss some of the sex threads....

[Bouncy Ball]

14. SO IT WAS YOU!

[Tsiyu]

34. Please. Don't. Hurt. Me.....

Honestly, it wasn't me. I swear!

Oooh, I shoulda nevah started this rumour!

The'll alert on my every post now!

[Bouncy Ball]

37. I'll have to get out the ball gag, the whip, and the Crisco.

Turn around.

[Tsiyu]

53. Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Noooooooo!!!!!!!!!

*bhg* is a dot in the distance

.

[SmokingJacket]

11. I think getting comfortable in the Lounge would take a rather large

time investment.

I drop in once in a while, and only get half of what's going on.

But that's okay! It's still fun -- like standing on the edge of a party and eavesdropping on all the people flirting with each other.

I'll stand and eat all the dip, if you don't mind.

[Bouncy Ball]

13. That's exactly what I did!

I just stood around, observing. And that's pretty damn fun, too.

Heck, most of the time if you don't see me posting, you can bet I'm at least reading.

And probably laughing.



How's the dip? Have you tried the queso? Or the brownies?

[Hugin]

19. I appreciate you folks...

I've trolled and lurked on many many forums over the
years. But, the DU lounge has been my favorite by far.

In fact, I actually *started* posting.

[kick-ass-bob]

22. I tried hanging out on ESPNs forums for a while...

but it is unusable there. Trolling crap everywhere, no way to alert anyone, etc.

Utterly worthless.

[Hugin]

25. While we're outing ourselves...

The first forums which struck me as "pretty good" were over
at MSNBC.com. They were entertaining.

But, then one day a few years ago. They suddenly disappeared.

I missed them for awhile.

[Bouncy Ball]

29. Hey Prag!

How are you?

[Hugin]

36. I'm doing great!

Still looking for those elite avatars tho...

[Beware the Beast Man]

21. In a grand procession, I was showered with rose petals.

Thousands gathered in droves to welcome their new benevolent conqueror. Trumpets sounded, church bells rang, children sang songs of joy. Hail, hail, hail the Beast Man!!

Then I posted a sex thread and it got locked.

[Bouncy Ball]

27. You skipped the part where I licked your face

because I found you so adorable and then everyone immediately froze in embarrassment and the music stopped and there was just confetti slowly floating down through the air, landing on my tongue, which was still out, and I was just looking at you with huge dinner plate eyes and you were looking at me like "WHAT THE FUCK?" and that's when Mrs. Beastman s-l-o-w-l-y emerged from behind you and cracked her knuckles one. By. One.

I wanted to put my tongue back in my mouth, but by this time it was covered in confetti bits and I wondered if putting it back in then acting like a cat with the world's largest hairball wouldn't make matters worse, so instead I just turned and ran like a mofo.

What were we talking about again?

[Beware the Beast Man]

38. Yeah, I have that effect on the ladies.

Run, Bouncy, run!

[Bouncy Ball]

43. I ran and ran and ran

I ran in the rain, getting soaked to the skin, but at least it washed the confetti bits off my tongue.

Then I finally stopped running and huddled there in the cold and the rain, between two buildings, in the dark, recalling the strange magic that took hold of my body and soul when I saw the man they call "The Beastman."

I slowly made my way back to the train depot everyone was partying in and looked through the windows at all the lounge lizards, carrying you on their shoulders shouting "BEAST-MAN! BEAST-MAN! BEAST-MAN!"

Then there was something about a beer bong but I was too depressed to watch anymore and I caught a cab and went home, shivering and cold.

[sui generis]

62. frabjous

that twas absolutely brillig Bouncy, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe you know.

All mimsy were the borogoves, and the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

(courtesy of the Jabberwock)

[Bouncy Ball]

63. You kill me, sui.

Hey there's another poster named suigeneris with no space. Is that who I think it is? Because I asked him if he were any relation and he never answered.

How IS ya, big guy?

[sui generis]

89. Nope - Mr. Sui never set up a profile

He has a couple of published articles here though under his real name.

Oooooh I bet the curiosity is killing you now!

[Lavender Brown]

31. When I first started posting, it was really different in here

Not better or worse, just a different vibe.

Is that your dog BB?

[Bouncy Ball]

33. I wish!

(But don't tell my actual dog I said that!)

That's just some cute puppy picture I found. I could NOT resist his eyes. I want to drown in them. Oooooh, I could hug on that puppy.

[redqueen]

32. When I first discovered the Lounge

I had a lot of the same thoughts you did... wtf is going on?

However I stuck around and got to know the folks, and am quite glad I did.

When I first joined DU I never came in here. Then I burned out a little bit, and this place has been my favorite forum here ever since.

I still check LBN regularly, and GD and my local forum less often... but this is my favorite place, no doubt.

[Lavender Brown]

35. You were one of the first people to talk to me in here

[kick-ass-bob]

40. she was one of the first

whose ass I kicked!

[Lavender Brown]

41. I highly doubt you kicked rq's ass

Sorry.

[kick-ass-bob]

45. no its true.

she wanted it.

just ask her.

[redqueen]

46. He's my sparring buddy.

Just call him girl names, it's the only button I've found so far that works reliably.

[redqueen]

42. Really?

Coolness!

[progmom]

44. It was kind of like stumbling across a game of double-dutch.

I had to stand there and watch for a few minutes to get into the rhythm, then I jumped right in. Sometimes I get tangled up in the ropes, but then I step out for a bit until I can get my rhythm back.

[Bouncy Ball]

47. BEST ANALOGY FOR THE LOUNGE EVER.

By the way, do you worship the Beastman?

[progmom]

49. I worship the Beastman. Most intensely.

And I looooooooooved your post about him up there. You are high-larry-us!

[Bouncy Ball]

52. No YOU are high-larry-us!

There's only room in this lounge for one high-larry-us womyn so I guess I'll be going now.

Sniff.

[progmom]

55. don't go!

i'll stop being funny.
right...........



















































....now.

[Bouncy Ball]

57. OMG NO!!!

Then the others will accuse me of taking away your funny!

SHIT!

No, I must sacrifice myself on the altar of the exiled in order to SAVE THE LOUNGE!!!!!

[progmom]

58. check out my new thread

[Bouncy Ball]

48. This has been SUCH a

fucking happy thread.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

54. Two of the only people to respond to me in my first hundred posts

were Crewleader and Maeve. I was called a freeper in LBN for saying something negative about Al Gore...I threw my own "first hundred posts" party. In May of that year Sharon had surrounded the Palestinians in the temple and all hell broke loose..it was shortly before the I/P forum was created...this place used to be a HELL of a lot rougher on newcomers than it is now.

[Bouncy Ball]

56. Very true.

When I FIRST really discovered the lounge, some guys were using acronyms and laughing a lot over them and I actually PMed one of them to ask what they were talking about. A total newbie. PMing an old timer (can't even remember who). What ballsiness I had.

He didn't answer me at first, so I PMed him AGAIN. Gawd. I cringe when I think of that now. He finally answered me, it was sexual, I was embarrassed, I apologized.

I stayed away from the lounge for a bit after that, then decided to try again, only just OBSERVE this time.



You live and learn.

[kick-ass-bob]

59. probably matcom.

[katinmn]

61. ROTFLMAO!

Sounds like something I would do.

[Bouncy Ball]

65. It's one of those things that, at the time, you don't realize

you are breaking any protocol or violating any unspoken social rules, but later it REALLY embarrasses you.

Like when I said to my great-uncle at a family gathering when I was a kid "YOU MUST BE FILTHY RICH!"

I have no idea where I heard the phrase "filthy rich" but he and my mom and dad turned aobut seven shades of red.

[katinmn]

66. Haha!

[RevCheesehead]

64. The day I fell in love with the lounge -

was when a drunken poster named "Moonbeam Starlight" started posting election fraud haiku. As she got drunker, the haiku got funnier - and they were right on target!

I wonder if those haiku ever made it into the mainstream - they were brilliant!

To Moonbeam, wherever she may be:

[tanyev]

68. Moonbeam Starlight!

What ever happened to her? She used to be here a lot. Yes, for Moonbeam.

[RevCheesehead]

70. Trust me - -

She's around.

[Bouncy Ball]

69. I remember that.

Wonder if it's in the archives?

[progmom]

80. yup

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[Tsiyu]

71. Mooonbeam Starlight was one of my favorites

glad to hear from the CheddarRev that she is "around." I was just thinking about her the other day.

[RevCheesehead]

74. LOL

"CheddarRev" - will be my next alter-ego!

[Tsiyu]

83. You look so good in that Cheese!

Makes me want to be ordained in the Church of Cheddar, too!

[RevCheesehead]

87. thank you kindly

Rumor has it that I am delicious, too.

[progmom]

77. I remember that night!

I loved that! That was an early Lounge thread for me too!

[progmom]

79. here's the link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...


a magical night

[Bouncy Ball]

82. Ok GOPisEvil rocked in that thread.

here's one of his:

You're the worst ever!
No President has sucked more.
Congratulations!

And another:

Look, George - a pretzel!
Terrorists of the food world!
Jail Mr. Salty

[RevCheesehead]

84. Indeed - there was many a gem there

And progmom wrote some of the finest!

But my alltime favorite goes to:

GOP is evil!
Look, George - a pretzel!
Terrorists of the food world!
Jail Mr. Salty

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[GOPisEvil]

85. That was a FANTASTIC thread!

I laughed myself silly!

[NoSheep]

76. I still spend a lot of time reading in here-and laughing! I've gotten

some good advice and help with computer tricks. It always helps to come in here and post about my repuke boss who treats me like shit!
I think most everyone is friendly and welcoming. I probably have the most fun laughing at DS1's perennially gruff comments on just about anything! (is that calling out?) If so, I mean it in a positive way, so I think it's OK. OH...and thanks to all for the kitty pics and great graphics, games, etc

[LynneSin]

81. I didn't discover the lounge: When I help founded the lounge...

...many many years ago.

There use to be a private forum on DU ironically called "The UNderground" It was a membership only forum that you had to email the admins in order to get permission to join.

I was only a member for about a month (Yang joined the same day I did) until it was discovered that one of the Underground members was a troll. See, the underground was suppose to be a place where we could post and know that our posts would remain private - but thanks to the lurker that didn't happen.

So about a month or so later we complained because there wasn't really anyplace where we could just socialize and talk about stuff other than politics. Hence the lounge was born

[RevCheesehead]

86. I bow to your greatness.

"we are not worthy..." (insert bowing smiley here)

[LynneSin]

88. the lounge is our gift to everyone

We told Skinner: "If you build it, they will come:

And you all did!

And don't bow to me, it's all of us that make the lounge great

[SoCalDem]

92. "Ahh, hey-ulll-ped too :)

(sorry for the obscure Stuffing commercial reference)..

I remember the drama in trying to name the place

[CatWoman]

95. yes, you did

along with your fabulous felines

[Anarcho-Socialist]

91. I was exhausted by flame wars in GD and GD/P in the summer of 2004

and came to the Lounge. Before that time the Lounge seemed an oddity of a forum to me, filled with misbehaving types who copycat threads and post sex threads when the mods were sleeping.

As I came around to the feeling that I couldn't spend most of my time in GD any more I came to the Lounge and "got stuck in". There's lots of great, funny posters here and gives great entertainment-value.

[SarahB]

98. I thought, "What a bunch of perverts!"

These are my kind of people.
The Lounge of two years ago was a very different place. Anyway, some of whom turned out to be some of the most truly decent people I've ever known. Life's weird.

[JohnKleeb]

99. I dont remember

[Left Is Write]

100. I thought it moved too fast. I didn't get the "inside jokes" either.

It was like being at a party where everything is going a mile a minute around you, and you haven't even oriented yourself as to where the beverages and the bathrooms are.