ThreadKillers Anonymous

Loam

To use one's powers for good is an altruistic desire most of us don't possess. I wish you luck - If a thread ever needed to be killed ASAP that was one of them. Don't forget TKAers along with a need for random, long-winded and often pointless posts, also have a desire for peaceful, calm and logical debate, or what I call the 'bucket of cold water' approach.

The bucket of cold water is really hard to follow up and thus the thread dies a quick and painless death.

But there are those die-hard posters who simply MUST have the last word on every matter.
:bash:

Those are the ones who are unflinchingly able to withstand your TKA powers Loam - like cryptonite to your thread killing abilities, they rise up no matter how many times you try to zap them.

Kudus for trying though! Let's hope it works and the thread stays dead.

Ummm....I just got dinged for EXCESSIVE QUOTING on that post!

Subject: EXCESSIVE QUOTING
from: Nerdling
sent: 10-10-2005 at 01:49 AM

A member of the forum staff, Nerdling, has noticed your use of excessive quoting in the thread, ATSNN: Just Another Propaganda Tool?.

Please review this thread:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

OK, someone help me understand that????

Edit: to fix link.

[edit on 10-10-2005 by loam]

Originally posted by nikelbee
Don't forget TKAers along with a need for random, long-winded and often pointless posts, also have a desire for peaceful, calm and logical debate, or what I call the 'bucket of cold water' approach.

That's it exactly!

That's the problem many of us TKA members have - on a daily basis, methinks.

Slap 'em with logic, facts (and heaven forbid you actually provide book or URL references), and BOOM. Dead thread.

But there are those die-hard posters who simply MUST have the last word on every matter.
:bash:

Yes indeed. Even on these remarkably well-nurtured boards, there are several severe cases of lastword-itis. I believe it's a terminal condition for most sufferers. A common symptom is "Yes...BUT....". Another might be more along the lines of:

"Yeah but yr sources are from professional/government agencies, and can't be trusted because they're all part of the conspiracy..."

Le sigh.

I thank you, wonderful Nik, for giving me both your TWATS and your coffee (and that sounded infinitely dirtier than was intended...oy); today I sign the lease on my hypercheap $270/month studio apartment and I'll be packing/moving over the next couple of days. So coffee and nice things are sorely needed

As for everyone else - WHERE ARE YOU PEOPLE?!??!?! It's not so much that membership fees are due (because we're free - I just use the money to buy more donuts and/or fancy cushions), but we miss you!

Besides, someone has to empty Fritz's litterbox....it's starting to smell...

They're all partying away at my B-day party! Oh wait, they aren't. Oh well, at least now we can have one Tinkle!

Hey now, the only reason it appeared to die, was that I didn't have internet this weekend, sorry. Cable doesn't work too well when it rains for 2 days....

I'm back!!!

Where was I, you ask? My sister got married on Saturday and the last week or so I have been consumed by last minute wedding details.

About the wedding:

My sister looked gorgeous, like a Supermodel! Absolutely stunning. I guess everybody that says we look alike was right!

Biggest laugh of the evening: When the bridal party made their grand entrance to the hall with the theme song from Indiana Jones blaring over the speakers. It would have been Star Wars if my sister didn't talk him down just a little.

Most of our family was there, which doesn't happen very often. The list:
Mom and her hubby
Three uncles and and aunts
Grandma - 94 and she doesn't look a day over 80!
Father of the bride - sitting at the back table since neither of us have spoken to him in over 3 years. My sis felt she had to invite him.
Seven cousins and their wives/dates

My cousins are insane. Highly entertaining, but insane. It was great to see them again but I remember why I stopped going partying with them. It was the fear of getting arrested or beaten up. :shk:

I had so much fun! It almost made me wish I could have another wedding. Almost. I could ramble on about it for hours! Pity the people who work with me. Bwahahahaha.....

The only problem of the evening: my dress.

Beautiful dress, black, floor length with beading, and fairly low cut. Apparently I have eaten too many donuts hanging out with you people and have gained *gasp* two whole pounds! Not something I care about in the slightest but this made a bit of a difference in the way the dress fit. In particular, the neckline.

I spent the next two hours monitoring The Girls in fear of them making an escape. My mother saved the day when she thoughtfully gave up (or had ripped off her neck ) a lovely pink pashmina which I artfully draped around my neck. The evening was saved and I could dance again!

I've been vindicated by the powers that be on this board.

No need to divulge the gory details. Suffice it to say all is well with the world again, and I shall NEVER willfully use my gifted TKing ability to do good!

From here on out, its all about the horror and dismay of the unintended death of those threads to which I post fully expecting a reply.

Good that you got it worked out!

TPTB do a pretty good job here. I've only had to deal with them once and the situation was resolved. I got no real explanation but since I got what I wanted, I decided that was good enough for me.



I've tried to do good here a few times, usually with horrific results. On one occasion I got crucified for complimenting someone. Appears I wasn't clear enough with my intent. I try to keep my good deeds limited to RL now. It's safer.

Is it just me, or do I have a weird tendency to post like some kind of news caster when I'm here...


Halloween is almost here, almost here, almost here. Sorry to say, I'm not much into the dressing up, more into the scaring people thing. As an FX fan, I got fog machines, laser lights, and currently being set up haunted house. I bought paintballs, new barrel for the gun, and filled up the compressed air tank. Havoc, ready set go! Oh and, I got a new camo shirt.

Time to scare the drunk party goers....

Is that sig in my honor?

Those paintballs hurt!!!

Can I get some advance notice of where you will be hiding so I don't get shot?

Duze: Just stay out of MD, at all times.

Loam: what?

Loam: glad things worked out well for you. At least they left your bones. It could have been worse, you could have been eaten by a giant python.

Kalapadea: Darn those nasty storms. Nice to see you back, hope you aren't too staticky.

Voidmaster: Happy birthday! Here are some nice cakey donuts with sprinkles for you.

Duzey: Nice to have you back as well! Your sister's wedding sounds fun. I'm glad a potential Girls situation was averted by your mom's quick thinking. Imagine the photo ops on the dance floor had it not!

A little update of my own. I have a big reading tomorrow night at a London bookstore (Borders in case you are in the area). I'm a little nervous as I haven't read a story before in front of strangers - poetry a few times, but that's different. I'm trying to tell myself it is no big deal and so far it isn't working.

Here is my quandry - I can't have a nice stiff drink in case I sound slurry - can't have too much caffeine in case I sound hyper. I speak quickly as it is and have to remind myself to s l o w down, otherwise it will be a breathless, squirrely rendition of me reading about time and space in a helium voiced pitch.

Luckily it is only 20 minutes I have to read for. But 20 minutes in front of a crowd sounds like a very long time. Although I am not the only one reading tomorrow - but the thing is - Long story short - I spilled my wine on the person who is coordinating the reading at an 'important' event last week. Not on purpose, it was an accident. I tried to help by dabbing her down with napkins, but the damage was done. Especially since she had to pick up an award about 2 minutes later and she had red wine stains all over her white blouse.

Thus she has put me on the first slot.



Any suggestions?

Had The Girls made an appearance I probably would have died of embarrassment and would not be typing this now. While not quite as hilarious as Tink's escapades, it still would have been quite traumatic for me.

Good luck with your reading! I wish I had some advice but I am one of those strange people who enjoys public speaking. I'm a bit of an attention whore. I LOVE giving presentations.

While spilling wine on the coordinator probably wasn't a good move, you can spin going first to be a positive. When you speak first, you set the tone. People are not comparing you to the last speaker and you have a clean slate with the audience.

If you do well, everyone else will be compared to you. If you don't do so well, by the end of the event everyone will have forgotten about it.

Have you been practicing at all? Taping yourself can be a big help.

(believe it or not I have stories infinitely more embarassing....trust me...)

Nik - here's what I'd do. Imagine your audience stark naked

Ok, it's an oldie but it sometimes works.

Today has been a smidge hectic. I signed the lease! $270/month. Sure, it's small. Sure, the shower is...uh..questionable. Sure, the kitchen isn't even big enough to swing a rat, let alone a cat...but it's cozy, it's safe, and it's mine. And my landlord isn't an arse, which always helps.

I also scored wonderfully at the thrift store. Get this!

Futon. Japanese style, all wood, with mattress: $25
Complete set of dishware: $4.49 (!)
Kitchen utensils: $2.99 for 10 items
Cutlery: $4 for 30 items

Yes, you read that right. And they will deliver everything ($10, but hey...).

I have a new hoooome, I have a new hoooome... *sings*

Ok, I'll calm down a bit. The only sucky thing is...I'll probably be offline for a good two weeks. Possibly even longer (money ran out, phone company wants deposit. Meh).

But, I'll be happy knowing you're all here, and you're all safe and doing OK.

Cos that's important to me.

/end sloppy mushy part.

I'll be around for a couple of days before I go incommunicado, and I want to hear about your reading, Nik, mkay? And I want to hear what (who?) everyone's been doing...

Hugs and kisses,

Twinkly

Originally posted by Tinkleflower
Nik - here's what I'd do. Imagine your audience stark naked

Won't that be a little... er... distracting? The last thing I need is too start giggling or being googly-eyed. Imagine it if you will:

Blahblahblahblah [insert reading here] blahblahblah... (peers off into the audience, per Tinkle's advice, imagines some of them naked) 'Oh Dear Lord, what is that thing??' (Borders and Waterstone's put up posters in bookstores: do NOT let this woman ever near readers again).

Today has been a smidge hectic. I signed the lease! $270/month. Sure, it's small. Sure, the shower is...uh..questionable. Sure, the kitchen isn't even big enough to swing a rat, let alone a cat...but it's cozy, it's safe, and it's mine. And my landlord isn't an arse, which always helps.
I have a new hoooome, I have a new hoooome... *sings*

I love that song! When you are all settled in, will you have a housewarming party? Will you invite us? We promise not to swing Fritz in the kitchen.

Ok, I'll calm down a bit. The only sucky thing is...I'll probably be offline for a good two weeks. Possibly even longer (money ran out, phone company wants deposit. Meh).

Noooooooooooooooooooooo. Yeah, but NOooooooooooo. Ok, wait let me adjust my inner mode from selfish to selfless... Ok. Better.

Take ALL the time you need Tinks. We will miss you of course, the place won't be the same without you. Who will tell Kalapadea to keep his feet off the teak tables and who will yell at us about the place being a 'complete state'? Zaph will buy inferior package donuts and Nescafe. And no one's stories will be as good (sniff) - sorry everyone but it's true! Seriously though, a few weeks off the computer will be a good chance for you to do your decorating and settle into your new place, which is always great

I'll be around for a couple of days before I go incommunicado, and I want to hear about your reading, Nik, mkay? And I want to hear what (who?) everyone's been doing...
Twinkly

I'll let you know how it went after tonight. If I'm not too miserable and/or drunk. Sure, I haven't even picked out what part of the story I want to read - procrastinating till point of paralysis - nor have I practiced before a mirror, on a tape, or on other humans, and I'm nervous as all heck, but I'm sure I will do well... right? right??

aghhhh........................

Duzey: Thanks for the advice We do have some very chatty extroverts and closet extroverts on TKA myself included ) I've done many, many presentations - I don't mind them at all and in my job they are mandatory (not to mention frequent and impromptu).

'Nikelbee, shows us the latest stats on Councillor so and so and her tree hugging agenda. And try not to get too technical.'
'Can I use 6 letter words?
'No. Remember, we support the government's new plain English proposal. Keep it to 4 or less
'In that case I have not come prepared... prepped... prep... rea-dy.'
'Wing it.'
'You mean I can make it up as I go along?'
'Sure, as long as you make it under 10 minutes and stay away from big words. Also, don't ask any questions. No one likes a smart ass.'
'Piece of cake.'

Reading my own work though... egads. Makes me feel like doing this:



[edit on 11-10-2005 by nikelbee]

Yea, I know I'm posting a wee bit late (yipe!) but, what book?
You gotta tell me even if you're drunk!

I'm outa here on next Tuesday. I leave the morning of the 18th, and get back on the morning of the 10th. I'll be occasionally checking in on things while I'm gone, but probably not every day. I have a lot of work ahead of me while I'm there, and while I'm bringing lots of shiny things with me, I still have to do a lot of work putting things back together again. I'll stop in every couple of days to say hi, and touch base with what's going on. Any official buisness that needs to be handled by me, needs to be done by Sunday night, as Monday will be running around getting ready to leave. I have to be at the airport at 630 Tuesday morning.

These are the presents I'm taking her. Her "official" engagement ring is part of it, but the other two set me back a pretty penny, but more than worth it. Sorry they're not better quality but it's not always easy to get pics close to little things with my camera.

Sparklies!

Wow Zaph, those are beautiful! I am in love with that bracelet. *drools*

Your good taste in jewelry more than makes up for your lack of shoe knowledge.

I hope you have a really great trip and get things back on track.

Go get her, Tiger!!!!