To whom are we more likely to broach the matter of "the board" -- spouses-significant others-partners, or non-board friends?

For all LooGAR, et. al., blather about the likes of FEMGAR not getting it, I have a feeling that, since they've already deigned to marry-cohabit-fuh you, it is more likely that board-goings are shared with spouse before they are shared with real-world friend.

I could be wrong.

So, feel free to share board-exposures. Whom did you tell? How did they react? Do any of your non-board friends know about this place?

Much more likely to discuss it with FEMGAR, though she treats the board and my music habits with pretty much the same amount of bemusement and disdain.

I have friends who would be shocked and appalled and never ceasing in their laughing, and pointing and laughing.

Of course, Scotty D thinks its cool, because it gives us a forum to "talk a gang of shit"

I don't know, I think people are rarely that understanding about it (not that they're brutish about it, but I mean I still get funny looks when I mention someone's adventures or opinions from here to a friend and then follow it up with "I know them from an online BB where I post" or soemthing to that extent.

the gf understands it just from sheer exposure, that or her demanding to ask chase if he was "a psycho or something" before she'd let him into our place. Still, it's never stopped her from thinking you're all serial killers or that I'm a complete dork, but she gets why I do it.

my wife still thinks it's wierd...but i'd be mortified if anyone in my real world knew how much time i spend here.

edit: actually a couple of my coworkers notice i'm always on this site, and one of the more innernet unaware of them always makes mention of this site being my "blog-thingy"

The wife knows about it, that's about it. And she has given me the 'what are you, crazy?' look when I told her I'm going to accompany her to ATL this October for her conference so I can take in some science and meet some folks I know from an online BB.

wife knows about it and has actually met several boardfolk at various events -- Wrens/Pilots show, Ryan's wedding, and HoP show once upon a time, I believe. In all, probably more OB folk than some of y'all have even met in person. She's liked everyone she's met.

Still doesn't totally "get it", but she knows that I consider y'all friends. And that's cool.

My wife thinks it's funny to tell my friends that I partcipate here. In which they all have a good laugh. I occasionally tell her about it but not often. I don't bring this up around my friends very often.

I probably talk about it more with my girlfriend but I'll talk to anyone about it. I usually avoid saying "Obner" but instead refer to it as "a message board I read online."

But, when you're lollering at something MEGA said, how do you refer to him? Is he synechdochal of "a message board you read online", and described as same? Do you refer to him as Mark, or as your law student brother's drinking buddy?

It's a weird feeling but this board has become a support system for me while I'm at work. It gets a bit stressful here and it's nice to come on to this board and relax a little. To me, it's equivalent to calling one of my friends up and talking to them on the phone.

It's also nice to see that everyone I've met in real life has been very nice and cool. I think my attitude about coming here would've been completely the opposite if I had met some of you and thought you were strange.

I like the board at work because I am not working.

So, your IT dept knows about the board?

When I met cotton I referred to him to Femgar and my other Philly friends as "cotton, this dude I know who used to live in Savannah"

When they found out I knew him from a message board, there was ridicule and scorn.

My roommates know, but one posts to a Carolina message board, so he understands.

my husband knows about it and has met some of the obners. i find it harder to say anything to my friends about it.

I can attest to this. maybe not the scorn, but ridicule most definitely.





I think it's funny how many of us have secret lives on the board.

Husband posts here. And know too many people because of the board outside the board now.

So most of my family and friends know about the board.

This poll needs a "good lord, I'm not crazy enough to mention this board to anyone" option.

my wife thinks it's retarded.

quite a few of my friends view it once in awhile to check and see if i'm still being a dick.

For you maybe, but there are people on here who have made lots of friends in real life and don't consider it an embarrassment.

My friends find out because I'm always playing unreleased shit for them that I get from here. They know it's more than a repository for free/unreleased music and understand that I'm a big dork for it and respect it as such, but don't quite "get it."

Haven't had a significant other to speak about it to yet, but that's gonna be an interesting exchange; "So, uh, there's this site..."

I don't think he considers it embarrassing. But he knows others perception of internet geekdom is unrefutable when trying to explain, "it's not like that."

well, a lot of my friends are huge internet & music geeks too... and they post on other messageboards. i met a few of my closest friends through another bb through shared interest of other music.

so, they don't really find it weird at all.

a s/o however, usually i don't mention it at all. unless it's brought up. *shrug*

it's really not that big of a deal to me. if you're embarassed to post on the internet, then why even bother?

I dunno, mentioning this board in public has gained us a few members (Derris=LooGAR=Bloor=Busty&Cap'n, not to mention Albion, Harry Monster and a couple others)...

The fiance thinks that the board is "cute" and to be quite honest is I think a little jealous. I think that in general people who arent involved in online communities are jealous of those that are.

That being said, outside of gay pron, this is totally the last place I thought I'd end up wasting my time. Blech.

My girlfriend loathes it, she hates when I discuss something interesting on a message board, especially this one. She occassionally accuses me of spending too much time with "Internet friends" and not enough time with real people.
I always say I only actually spend about two hours on the computer a day, and she is rarely at the apartment while I'm on the computer.

My brother knows about it too, but mostly he just finds it interesting when I know something before he does. He usually has more people leaking info to him or hears about internet rumors first.