Friends on boards - have they transcended this?

Señor Fancy Pants · 03-04-2015 02:30PM

I've met a lot of people from this place. There have been one or two oddballs but mostly the people I have met have been really nice. Proper genuine, kind and funny people.

There have been others that I spent quite a lot of time with in the past. Went to festivals and weekend breaks with, etc. The type of people that make your life richer just for knowing them. The type of people where you can just be yourself and have fun with.

Boards isn't just a place for ranting and getting cheap digs in people with different opinions. I have found it to be a place full of very articulate, witty and interesting people with a dash of crazy mixed into it.

seenitall · 03-04-2015 02:39PM

pharmaton wrote: »

No. My introduction to boards was a bit psychologically destructive, it was a long time ago and boards was a different place back then but what happened has always stayed with me and effected my life in a lot of ways.

That sounds really bad.

Sorry to read, about whatever it was.

I joined boards at a really very low point in my life, in a year after a major trauma happened in my life, and immediately I set out on a path of having very opinionated, very heated arguments with people, writing protracted posts deploring the world and life in general, dishing out authoritative advice on people's personal problems left, right and centre, and generally exercising all of my demons in the state of perpetual furious determination and self-righteous indignation.

Boards has served me well, it has been practically a therapeutic experience through the years!

Being a poster here has thought me to argue my side more effectively, more pointedly and more thoughtfully, than even my ex-husband did, and that is saying something!

Oh yeah, I have made a couple of friends and generally met a few people through it.

I'm thankful for that, mainly because, being a foreigner, I have always had a slight sense of unease at living here, not because of the country (because it's fab for all its faults - definitely better to live than when I come from!) but because I carry a sense of isolation and misplacement wherever I am, and I have found it especially difficult to connect with the Irish people in any meaningful way.

So boards gave me an outlet for sating my curiosity about the Irish mentality and the way Irish people think and feel. Not to go into too many details, but there are many, subtle or not so subtle differences between Irish and my country's mentalities. Anyway, I feel like I know you guys much better now, all because of boards.

Thanks, boards!

03-04-2015 02:42PM

I'd stay away from any event with "beers" in the title.

And people who say "beers".

Señor Fancy Pants · 03-04-2015 02:43PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I'd stay away from any event with "beers" in the title.

And people who say "beers".

That's what I used to say. If I'd kept that opinion, id have missed out on quite a lot.

MRnotlob606 · 03-04-2015 02:44PM

I am grateful that boards gives me the opportunity to strike gold with the ladies.

The Moldy Gowl · 03-04-2015 02:44PM

When is the next after hours beers?

Fat Christy will be bullying everyone

arybvtcw0eolkf · 03-04-2015 02:50PM

I've made two mates from boards.ie ~ two legends in their own right, Degsy (whom I see a lot of, too much sometimes ~ as funny IRL as his many accounts on boards.ie were) and Snyper, a thick bogger and FF supporter but sound enough too and always a pleasure to hook up with (he's also a big bastard).

Have I learned anything from boards?... Sure, I've become a little more tolerant of some issues that I once held fairly rigid views on.

If boards closed tomorrow, honestly I wouldn't miss it.

seventeen sheep · 03-04-2015 02:50PM

I've met quite a few Boards members in the outside world. It's interesting to see who is just like their Boards "personality" in person, and who is completely different!

I do have quite a few friends/acquaintances I met via Boards, I guess mostly through the parenting forums etc. I also met my boyfriend through Boards - we actually got in touch through another website, but I don't think I'd have been comfortable meeting up with him except for the fact that I knew from his Boards posts that he was a "real" person, if that makes sense!

Having said that though, I wouldn't be all that interested in meeting those who I interact with these days ... maybe on a one-on-one basis, e.g. going for coffee with someone I was in touch with a lot, but I don't think I'd be bothered with meeting people en masse at beers etc. It's kind of like Novella said above, I'm just at a different stage in my life now really.

I've been using Boards for several years now (in one guise or another!), it's definitely helped educate me and shape my opinion on several issues. I'd like to think I've hopefully helped others, too, along the way.

crockholm · 03-04-2015 03:03PM

Boards is really something that I use when I am abroad,when I move home,I will in all likelyhood lose interest in the site as I will have things to do.
There are people here who I wouldn't mind going for a pint with because they are funny,interesting,share similar opinions,people who share opposite positions but come across as decent skins.

I Always respond to any PMs,but am very slow to initiate Contact with other posters,which is a shame,to Think that I probably won't meet the people I admire most on the forum.

Don't want to come across as a needy stalker either.

C'est la vie.

Tarzana2 · 03-04-2015 03:33PM

Haylee Shy Tenant wrote: »

I've made two mates from boards.ie ~ two legends in their own right, Degsy (whom I see a lot of, too much sometimes

TMI, man, TMI.

:pac:

lertsnim · 03-04-2015 03:36PM

I have no interest in ever meeting anybody on this website in real life.

The Moldy Gowl · 03-04-2015 03:38PM

lertsnim wrote: »

I have no interest in ever meeting anybody on this website in real life.

Wanna go for cans?

smash · 03-04-2015 03:41PM

Truffle Pig wrote: »

The type of people that make your life richer just for knowing them.

Don't start crying now :pac:

beks101 · 03-04-2015 03:42PM

Shocked at the amount of people who met their partners through boards! This place is like a dating service :pac:

I've mainly lived abroad since I first signed up to boards six years ago to ask a question about sports bras and got sucked into a vortex of silly debates and enlightening conversations on subjects I know nothing about and a steep learning curve on how to hold my own in an argument and when to know to walk away.

I've met a total of ONE person from boards in all that time - who was a sweetheart but whom I haven't seen since. Probably as non-committal as me when it comes to new friends and new faces as now in my late 20s life is busy and most of the gaps that boardsies could have filled in my real life are already taken.

Someone mentioned the anonymity thing - that's a big plus for me. I feel after all these years I am probably familiar in certain forums, as are the many regular characters to me, but I like that I can just be here to weigh in with my opinion and get embroiled in chat - or equally not bother because real life is busy or I'm just not aRsed for whatever reason. I'd say I'm non-committal to boards in that way and I like that not a single person has ever expressed that they know me in real life, it's got a certain freedom attached to it.

I'm not sure how similar I would be to my 'boards persona' in real life. I probably come across as a lot more wise around here, whereas in real life I'm a bit wishy washy and flaky about things. Otherwise, I'd say Beks101 is a pretty good reflection of the person I am and I've always thought, if anything ever happened to me I'd want my nearest and dearest to find this account and have a read through. I've been more honest about personal issues here than I often have been in real life and I'm not sure that would have been the case if I felt I was well known around here.

I'd say boards is where I come to figure out the world and decipher my opinion on certain things. It's where I come to understand what my own feelings on certain things are and I'd say I've gained a lot as a person as a result of being here. I'm probably more emotionally in tune with myself and definitely a better writer because of it.

And I have a great fondness for lots of posters around here, many I'd consider friends. But it's just not ever transitioned into a 'real world' thing and I'm totally OK with that.

Señor Fancy Pants · 03-04-2015 03:43PM

smash wrote: »

Don't start crying now :pac:

You know how much I love you, right? RIGHT??!!

Lyssa · 03-04-2015 03:46PM

Truffle Pig wrote: »

You know how much I love you, right? RIGHT??!!

smash is universally loved on boards, surely?

harry Bailey esq · 03-04-2015 03:48PM

Haylee Shy Tenant wrote: »

I've made two mates from boards.ie ~ two legends in their own right, Degsy (whom I see a lot of, too much sometimes ~ as funny IRL as his many accounts on boards.ie were) and Snyper, a thick bogger and FF supporter but sound enough too and always a pleasure to hook up with (he's also a big bastard).

Have I learned anything from boards?... Sure, I've become a little more tolerant of some issues that I once held fairly rigid views on.

If boards closed tomorrow, honestly I wouldn't miss it.

ah good old degsy,a font of knowledge on all things obscure,a little piece of boards died when he got banned.Think I spotted his mug around finglas a few times

whatismyname · 03-04-2015 03:49PM

I've never met any boards people offline, and I'm unlikely to as I no longer live in Ireland - but have virtually met some who I think are really decent people, and who I'm glad to know.

Is it just me though, who refrains from 'real life vs online'?

I deliberately say 'online vs offline' as for me, a lot of my online interactions are more genuine and real than a lot of what I get offline.

I know I'm probably just sounding pedantic about wording, but I do tend to be quite a literal person, and I do genuinely believe that you don't have to ever meet someone in person for them to be a friend, and that often what we do online is as real as anything else.

Lyssa · 03-04-2015 03:50PM

I've met an awful lot of fantastic people on boards, some of whom I chat with every day. Beers were always fun, nice to meet people outside of your normal circle of friends.
I'm not as active on boards as I used to be, but I still keep in contact with people from here.

03-04-2015 03:52PM

Truffle Pig wrote: »

There have been others that I spent quite a lot of time with in the past. Went to festivals and weekend breaks with, etc. The type of people that make your life richer just for knowing them. The type of people where you can just be yourself and have fun with.

That's cool to hear.

I'd love to make friends like that; not necessarily through boards, just in general. I need to do it before September so that I don't end up going to Electric Picnic all on my lonesome!!

smash · 03-04-2015 03:56PM

Deleted User wrote: »

That's cool to hear. I'd love to make friends like that; not necessarily through boards, just in general. I need to do it before September so that I don't end up going to Electric Picnic all on my lonesome!!

Easy now before you come across as being desperate...

03-04-2015 03:57PM

smash wrote: »

Easy now before you come across as being desperate...

That ship sailed long ago.
LOVE ME, LOVE ME!
say that you love me....

Maximus Alexander · 03-04-2015 03:59PM

Friends? Wait... you mean I haven't been taking part in a Turing test? But... you guys have failed every test scenario to date!

charlietheminxx · 03-04-2015 04:14PM

It's just never happened for me with boards. I went to a beers once, walked into the pub, didn't know how to approach anyone and walked back out. That was weird for me as I am not usually socially awkward.

I've made lots of friends online over the years, mostly through forums, but never through boards. I think it's easy for your voice to get lost here unless you dedicate a lot of time to posting, so I've become a bit of a lurker and mostly just read threads now. I can't imagine life without it though.

Hans Bricks · 03-04-2015 04:38PM

I dunno how you lot make so many friends / meet partners through this site. Maybe because I really just post on AH. Considering the drivel I've put up thus far, I don't think I'd like to integrate my online persona with real life. Boards for me is just a place to mostly vent, rant & rave.

Desolation Of Smug · 03-04-2015 04:42PM

Banjo String wrote: »

Sorry.

What

If we ever meet irl, I'll explain...:D

Crumpets · 03-04-2015 04:45PM

Met my housemate through boards. She's also one of my closest friends

KomradeBishop · 03-04-2015 04:45PM

I've known a few people off Boards, but I don't really look at the site that way

I'm mainly interested in Boards for debating topics I'm interested in and learning through that, and I bee-line to the more heated/controversial type topics, so it's not really conducive to making friends

(though there are plenty of people I'd be interested in having a beer/chat with)

I don't really like/'get' the more social/chat type threads - would rather chat with someone directly (PM) or in person instead.

Lyssa · 03-04-2015 04:52PM

Desolation Of Smug wrote: »

If we ever meet irl, I'll explain...:D

Nah, you'll just sit in the corner, observing

TallGlass · 03-04-2015 05:14PM

I am boards.ie !

Has served me well

Friends on boards - have they transcended this?

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