Lois & Clark Forums Forums General Discussion Off Topic when and why did you de-lurk?

well, this one won't make a good poll, with set answers, but i wanted to ask...

since we all love it when someone de-lurks, i thought i'd see if i could get a few more of those de-lurking stories out of people...

so, when and why did you de-lurk?

Paul

Well, I delurked a few centuries ago, it feels like But I'm not sure "delurked" is the right word, 'cause I don't think I lurked much at all. At the time I got hooked on L&C, I was already very active in a discussion group for Babylon 5. And the same place had another section for L&C. So when I had a desperate need to know more about L&C... I jumped right in with both feet

I know that's gonna come as a shock

PJ
p.s. great topic, Paul! Can't wait to see everyone's stories...

Hm, tough question. I think I stumbled upon the archive some four years ago. After a year of reading (which went very slow) I found zoom's mb's. Forgot about them again. Got back half a year later. I think we're in the summer of 2001 by now. Yeah, must be, or else I can't count.

I started reading there frantically. It was a lot of fun. But I never found the courage to post, with me being very shy. And it didn't help that English isn't my first language and I thought I really sucked at it.

So we come in 2002. There was this thing about 'hugging' Clark. I thought it was funny and thought 'ah well, why not. It can't hurt.' I got a blast out of it and started posting more. And then one day I even found the courage to post feedback. That should have been from around May last year.

And now look where I am! I'm still shy, but I love playing on these boards! I figure it won't hurt to post (what's the worst you can do to me anyway? except shears) and my English ain't that bad.

So here I am! And I love to read some other stories as well.

Saskia

Why did I delurk? Well, I guess I've got a big mouth. Usually have something to say, but not the guts to say it. I often start replying to a thread, only to close the window halfway through because it sounds stupid. so if this post shows up, I didn't think it was stupid.

Yeah, that's a good answer Karen. If you can get me talking, I won't shut up. But I usually don't have the guts to open my mouth. I didn't de-lurk until the Archive Boards opened, and I guess I de-lurked mostly because I was starting to get to know a few people (i.e. giving feedback, story recs, etc.) so I feel okay opening my mouth without wondering exactly what's going to come out (just beware when it's after 3am ).

to quote the great monosyllabic orator of our times (keanu reeves)... whoa.

i remember that thread. i started that thread. it was a silly fun gag i did. i created a topic called "clark's warm embrace," and told people to reply with the message "i need a hug." while the boards were creating the post, there was a momentary message on the screen that said "sit tight, <username>. we are taking you back to clark's warm embrace."

like i said, it was just a silly gag, but it took off nicely for a few days or so. never thought much of it since.

and now, here you are... a section editor, one of our top posters, and one of the people in charge of bringing back the alt-kerths. you're saying that that silly gag is what got you posting, sas? coolness!

Paul

I read the message boards for about 6 months or so, reading comments etc.

What caused me to de-lurk was the friendliness of everyone, especially the authors. I think it was Wendy who had written it was alright to just post " me to" just to let the author know that someone was reading it.

So relieved of the burden of being brilliant, or even clever...I became more comfortable posting comments and am just now getting into starting topics.

I just recently "de-lurked" (about 10 days ago) although I didn't realize I WAS "lurking". I started reading message boards about 9 months ago and thought everybody posted TO be read, and didn't consider myself "lurking". Who knew??

Anyway, I've been reading off the archives for over 2 years now (and like I mentioned in another thread, after 400 stories I've downloaded and read it got so bad that I finially started to catagorize them, and that was MONTHS ago!!). I guess I knew I could post, but it seemed rather intimidating (boy was I wrong - coz everybody has been so freindly and welcoming!!!) and since I don't write (my 4 different bone-head enlish teachers in college would back me up on that one) I didn't think there was much I could contribute. When I saw the new boards on the archive, I decided that many of the authors might like to know that somebody IS out there enjoying their talents (and passion).

Now, I just have to get brave enough to do that on a one to one basis sometime. Coz so far, I've just posted in the general section, polls and off-topic -- I'm working myself up to saying something meaningful to many of the great authors I have enjoyed reading.

Well, I've told my story to anyone who will listen, but I love telling it, so I'll go through it again for anyone who has missed it. Prepare yourself, I'm sure this will be a novel.

In the Spring of 2001 I moved from DC to Raleigh, NC. I was planning to attend UNC in the fall, and in the meantime, I was working as a live-in nanny. I was dying of boredom because the kids' mom (single parent) was gone for weeks on end, leaving me with a five year old and twin two year olds for company. LnC was on at just the time I got back from dropping them off at school,and I quickly became addicted again. I even began writing my first fanfic, though I had no idea what that was at the time. Eventually I discovered Annesplace, the archives and then Zoomsboards. I read the boards voraciously, but couldn't bring myself to post. I was too scared people would either think I was dumb or just plain ignore me. It wasn't too hard to lurk because there was never really anything I felt I HAD to say because someone else would always say something similar.

Then Pam began posting Hearts Divided, and I just *had* to tell her about this quote from the book Dune. She was really nice and encouraging, so I posted some more feedback. Eventually I was posting occassional feedback, but I never thought I'd do any more than that. I certainly was not going to post my own stories or chat on IRC. <G>

I had IRC installed on my computer from when my sister had set it up, but I'd never used it and didn't really have any intention of doing so.

Then came Sept. 11. I was a scared, lonely student who had only been at my new school for three weeks, had no friends or family in the area and was coming from Washington DC where a plane had just crashed into the building where many of my friends and many or my friends' parents work. I was terrified and just really needed to be with people. I live off campus and couldn't tear myself away from my tv long enough to walk there.

Then I saw a post on the mbs saying the password had been removed temporarily and that anyone who wanted to come chat was welcome. I didn't know where else to go, so I decided to try it. There were dozens and dozens of people there supporting each other, updating each other and worrying about each other. I remember NYC folcs signing on and everyone cheering. It was so sad, but it was also really encouraging. It was exactly what I needed.

I stayed mostly quiet, talking to a few people I recognized. But after that I felt really close to people and I started coming on IRC more often. The more I chatted, the more I felt comfortable posting. And the more I posted, the more people got to know me.

Eventually I let it slip that I was a writer, and people began demanding stories. Since I secretly wanted to write stories, they didn't have to do much begging. A few months later, I began posting Anybody's Baby, and the rest is history.

Shutting up now,
Annie

/me tries to recall if she ever lurked...and fails to remember.

If I did it was a short one. <G>

Although online fandom was new to me when I discovered FoLCdom, I'd been a part of offline fandom for what seemed like eternity. I'd never met with anything but fellowship and instant friendship from the offline fans I'd encountered through the years, so it never occurred to me to be wary of online fans or consider that perhaps they would be unwelcoming.

And they weren't, so that was okay.

Some years further on I think I was probably fortunate to strike FoLCdom first. <g> Some of my experiences since in other fandoms have been less welcoming. I lasted three seconds on another mbs a couple of years back for committing the heinous sin of posting in the wrong folder, which I instantly got flamed for. And I remember my shock when I first encountered newsgroups.

LabRat

Yes Paul, it was that threat that I made my first post on. I can't believe what happened since then, how fast etc. It's only just a year ago! Time goes too fast.

So I guess I owe you a huge thank you!!! I love where I am these days.

Saskia

I've only recently de-lurked properly. In the past I posted occasionally on the fic list, but that was only ever feedback. I had been once or twice to Zooms boards, but had never posted until I posted feedback for F&AE:II, but that was it really. Then one day not long after the Kerths, I went to have a look the the IRC transcript for this year's Kerth Awards. As I was reading it, I saw that everyone there was having soo much fun! They seemed to know each other and all the little bits of news (like everyone was waiting for Erin to go into labour!) and having a great time.

It was only then (yeah, I know, I'm a slow learner! ) that I realised the enjoyment from Folcdom was not only all the fic, but getting to know everyone. I didn't do anything about it then, wasn't really sure how to go about de-lurking, but then I was saved! The new boards were set up and I came straight over to register! I then started my own thread (I was feeling very brave - I have never been a member of a message board before, or at least a particpating member, plus I was nervous about de-lurking) and introduced myself. It was fantastic, everyone came in and said hello and made me feel so welcome, I got talking to LabRat when we both realised we hailed from 'Sunny' Scotland and I even managed to reach a decent post count (only 20 - but that was good for me!), replying to everyone! Then the board crashed and my thread got killed, but I came on back, and I don't think I've stopped since!

Loriel (who realises that was probably more than you ever wanted to know, but, you did ask! )

Cool, Loriel

Yeah, I love fic and everything, but if it weren't for all my FOLC friends I might have wandered off to something else by now Mind you, it seems like a lot of the *names* of the friends seems to shift, as people leave and new people arrive... but hey, that's fun! I always assume I'll like a new FOLC. I'm only rarely wrong

PJ
who is always pleased to hear that someone enjoyed the transcript so, thanks!

Yeah, the enjoyment definately comes from logging on and seeing people you recognise posting and then wandering over to say hi. Or even being able to help someone with a problem.

And there is also the fic enjoyment!

Loriel (who never realsied that being on-line could be so much fun!)

Well, I can't remember why, or when, I de-lurked. It happened in stages, I remember. At first I only posted when it was directly related to fanfic. Either a story or a comment. Now I have joined the ranks of the blabbers who like to hear their own voi--er, see their words on the screen. :p

And, as Pam said, the friendships are wonderful. I'm so glad I de-lurked. When you're a lurker and reading fanfic, it's great -- you get fanfic! But when you get off the bleachers and start participating... It's just fun.

I do know that I participated with the boards and the ficlist way before I jumped in IRC. And now it's hard to remember what life was like pre-IRC. Lonely, I suspect.

Bethy

I have a confession to make...

<clears throat>

"My name is Helga and I was a serial lurker..."

I was a bad, naughty, naughty lurker. I was lurking since 1996/7 for about 5 years and I never posted feedback.

This is wrong.

There are lots of reasons why it is wrong, particularly because the authors in this fandom write amazingly good stories and the only thing they get in return are the readers commments... it's not too much to give.

But the reason why I de-lurked was more complicated than guilt about feedback...

About 2 years ago, as well as lurking here, I lurked on another email list as well, connected to an organisation I volunteer for. Lurking was more acceptable there because the list was mostly for passing information on to people who needed it. However, there was a core group of people who posted regularly, and would frequently post off topic, which was also acceptable there. One of these members was pregnant and the baby was overdue, and whilst she was waiting to go into labour she sent a lot of emails to the group, several a day. She was getting more and more impatient, and everyone else sent her loads of messages of support and suggestions that might encourage the baby to show it's face anytime soon. There were a lot of old wife's tales being thrown around, and it was all lots of fun.

Then her emails stopped and she wasn't heard from for a while. I guess everyone assumed that she'd had the baby and was too busy enjoying being a mum to send an email. A few weeks later she finally did post, the baby had died a few hours after being born.

Then I suddenly realised why lurking was wrong. Through their emails I had got to know the people on the group well, but they had no idea who I was. And now I wanted to tell this person how sorry I was to hear about her baby, but I was a complete stranger to her. Would I make it worse for her if I did send a message? I was a stranger intruding on a very personal, private moment. I didn't send an email in the end, I didn't want to take the chance that I could make it worse. As if it could be any worse. I still don't know if I did the right thing.

Well, I decided to stop lurking then.

Especially here... Lois and Clark was the first thing I looked up on the internet. I had been lurking online in the fandom for years. Since Zoom's boards were created I had got to know a lot of the people in the fandom, from their posts their discussions and the fics they wrote. But none of you knew me from Adam. And well, that's just plain creepy.

So I posted. And actually, it's not that hard when you start

And then one day I was bored so I downloaded IRC, and now I wonder why I never did it before.

Besides which, it was about time you all got treated to the wonderfulness that is Helga! You had been missing out for so long!

Helga

i've been reading fanfiction since 1999, but for some reason I never found Zoomway's boards. So I was always a little confused when I read fanfic writers' acknowledgements of FoLC ideas in the MBs.

Once I found the MBs late last year, there was no contest between choosing to continue lurking or to delurk. I never announced myself the way so many FoLCs did when they delurk. I think it's my personality. I'm a little wshy when it comes to this sort of thing. So I just quietly commented in fanfics until FoLCs noticed me. Which you all did, before very long.

--meclone2--

ROFL -- you're so kind, Helga <g> We appreciate your generosity in sharing your wonderfulness

I'm sorry to hear about that other lady and her baby; that's a terrible thing to go through for everyone around. It's hard enough to figure out what to say when it's a friend.

But I'm glad you've (finally!) introduced yourself

PJ

It's about two and half years since I de-lurked. For a few months before, I had been reading stories on the archive and Zoom's boards. One day a message appeared on the archive about giving feedback to authors. All of a sudden I felt quite guilty.
I didn't know anyone at all but at the time had been devouring Wendy's stories on the archive and also "Faux Pas' which she was posting on Zoom's boards. So I sent her a thank you email. To my complete shock I received a reply from Wendy suggesting that I post comments to the boards. So I registered for Zoom's boards and made my first comment on "Faux Pas'.
It didn't take me long to realize that I enjoyed making comments nearly as much as reading. I only wish that I had the time to make more detailed comments. One thing I have come to recognize is that most authors like any sort of constructive feedback &#8211; short or complex.

So it's all Wendy's fault! I would never have de-lurked without her encouragement.
Thank you!

Tricia

Wow! I'd forgotten about that, Tricia! And it sounds awfully forward of me, now, to have suggested that you post comments on the boards! But I'm so glad that I did.