It took me almost 4 years to get here - my 1,000th post.

[Thickasabrick]

I joined DU right after the Kerry/Edwards loss in 2004. I was so despondent and needed someplace that I could go to feel like other people shared my sense of loss.

It was so different then - always squabbles but the sense of camaraderie was always overwhelming. I read more than anything - which is why it's taken me so long to get to 1000 posts.

I don't know for sure how things will go this year. I know this place seems pretty hostile right now for some, but after the convention I'm hoping the republican trolls will go back to their holes and we will be able to unite again in sharing the same goal - taking our country back from the most corrupt, vile politicians in history. Our party, which has it shares of scandals, corruption, etc., is still the closest party that will focus on the needs of everyone in this country - not just the affluent elite.

Thanks for reading and Victory in 2008!!

[sharesunited]

1. I'm determined to get there tonight.

[Thickasabrick]

2. LOL....really?

Welcome to DU :hi: ....and good luck with that!!

[Dogmudgeon]

3. Check out GD-P. Some people do it in five days.

It took me about a year -- and I joined in 2002.

To victory!

--p!

[Thickasabrick]

10. 5 days....??? LOL do they still pay trolls to post? n/t

[Dogmudgeon]

16. Maybe a few

There were a few notoriously excrescent Hillary trolls who racked up high scores, but the highest I saw was an Obama troll who literally posted 20-30 messages per hour, every hour of the day. Very obvious, too -- the "person" had pretty dramatic personality swings that could be best explained by shift changes.

I think two or three of these boiler-room sock puppets may still be active, but to be honest, I don't consider this forum to be worth a whole lot any more, so the trolls are of little consequence. I'm inclined to think the trolls are experiments in internet "social engineering," and the experiment is failing miserably. Actual campaign involvement is probably little to none; I think they may be Trustafarians (i.e., rich kids) with too much love for Machiavelli. I can't imagine either Hillary or Obama thinking that such an effort was worthy of anything more than their contempt. And John McCain would probably share that sentiment.

I'd been looking forward to the fact that we have two excellent (if imperfect) candidates and the dialogs that would be happening. But much of it is in the Naderite/anti-Gore mold. We Democrats are going to have to take some time to seriously address our persistent group neuroses.

--p!

[Zywiec]

11. It's easy to do when K&R are the majority of your posts

There should be a minimum length to justify a post IMO.

[ShaWee]

4. Congratulations...I'm kinda almost there too haha

[cliss]

5. Hi, Whutgives

and Congratulations to your 1,000th POST!!!!:cheers: Good job that's 1,000 articles read, or 1,000 posts.

Nice.

I came to the DU for the same reason. This was back in 2003 I think. I surfed in here on a wave of anger, and I've been here ever since.

[Thickasabrick]

7. Thank you Cliss - I think I might respond to 1 out of every 100 posts

I read. There is so much stuff to read now - you could spend all day just keeping up with stuff! I'm really hoping things will calm down after the convention - I think they will - it's still the best board on the net for democrats.

Thanks again

:hi:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Congratulations on reaching 1000

You do what I need to do--read more than write! Like you, I hope that we can rise about the distinctions and differences that divide us.

[Breeze54]

8. 4 yrs. and all that has gone down and ONLY 1,000 posts?

I, in no way, could keep my mouth shut for that long and I joined the same time as you... again.

The outrage would have driven me insane if I didn't talk about it. You must have quite the ulcer!

Congratulations. I hope you'll speak out, up and more often from now on!

:applause: :woohoo: :toast: :party: :bounce: :toast: :party: :bounce: :woohoo: :applause:

[Thickasabrick]

9. LOL...I was always afraid of offending people - it took me this long

to not worry about it anymore. Thanks

[zazen]

12. can relate to your fear of offending

I also have a fear of being flamed by vicious strangers. i don't want to see that aspect of humanity. too depressing. if I don't post, then I don't run the risk, and can delude myself that this is a generally safe haven. silly, I know.

many congratulations for overcoming your fear!!

[Breeze54]

13. "Ignore" or "Hide Thread" is for "vicious strangers" ...

Words can't hurt you. You'll be OK. You have plenty of back up. ;)
(But you really should 'unhide' your profile. It makes you more credible.)

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

14. After all the years

of eyes and ears glazed over by the corporate media failure, lying, imprisoning, killing, corruption, and generally damn depressing news, maybe, like me, you get numbed out and find it difficult to crawl out of bed in the morning.

Here's hoping with a new Democratic administration, we'll be posting about the grrrreat strides in hope, reason, and sanity in our country.

Congratulations on your 1,000th - a good one indeed.

[Thickasabrick]

22. Thank you - you sound like you feel what I'm feeling...real hope!!

:hi:

[Breeze54]

24. But those are the very reasons you should crawl out of bed!!

We need all the fighters and voices we can get!! ;)

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Mugu]

15. Congratulations on your 1,000th

Just got there myself.

Regards, Mugu

[Thickasabrick]

23. Thank you and congrats to you!!

:hi:

[lutefisk]

17. Congratulations! You're fast- it took me over 6 years to hit 1000!

:toast:

[Thickasabrick]

21. Thank you, I am so happy to know I'm not the only one who took

their sweet time getting to this "milestone".

:hi:

[Breeze54]

25. Don't you mean it was 'herb' that made you take so long, herbster? ....

:P

[orleans]

28. was it because of that crazy bug that keeps chasing you around

whereever you go?

or all the extra time you might have spent trying to swat it?

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/

[tavalon]

18. See, that's the thing,

you missed what happened during the Primary Wars that year. I'm reminded of what Bill Cosby said in his stand up routine, "dear man, thank you for your concern, but you do not understand. We cannot sleep through the night until we've had a good beating."

See my sig line. Yes, we will lose a few people but we will gain a few people and overall, the camaraderie will by back when the Primary bloodbath is finished. It is just our way.

Edited to add: Congrats on getting to 1000. Now you will have to be a royal ass instead of just expressing a contrary opinion to be called a freeper.

[Thickasabrick]

20. LOL....that was another thing I was afraid of...being called a freeper..

or worse...a troll if I said something too "against the grain". At the time I joined, people were getting banned quicker than they could post a second or third post.

You bring up a good point, I did miss the primaries around here then....was it as bad as this???

Thanks

[tavalon]

27. Pretty much, yeah

The main difference is that they didn't last as long. I think it's getting bloodier because it's more protracted. But, honestly, the most rabid have been quarantined in GDP and I don't go there anymore, so for me, it's not nearly as acrimonious as it feels for people who venture into that uncivilized land. I find it downright mellow out her in the rest of DU. I'm amused by the occasional leakage or attempt to subvert the rules to get out of GDP but for the most part, the quarantine is working well for me.

[orleans]

29. i absolutely LOVE your sig line! it's hilarious. n/t

[musiclawyer]

19. It also took me over 6 years

andI am very proud of that. I try not to post anything without thinking first , and have the most fun with the breezy lounge stuff

[Canuckistanian]

26. Congratulations

It's a big milestone.

:toast:
:hi: