quote:Originally posted by katharina: If you ever want a community (and not an audience), Hatrack will be here.
There was a time when people would say
quote:Originally posted by Primal Curve: No one ever voluntarily leaves Hatrack. It takes a life-changing event to keep you away.
Those were the days when conversation here was fast-paced and lively. When there were topics to challenge your mind. People you wanted to interact with. Ideas and opinions expressed that either made you feel understood – or challenged to defend your own, conflicting viewpoint.
Those were awesome days. I wish I could have been here then! Alas, it wasn’t to be.
I am here now. And now, there are days when nobody posts on Hatrack whatsoever! It makes me very sad. There are other new people like me who come here with the highest hopes and motivation and sharp wit, and they unexpectedly stumble into a tomb. And I can only imagine the sense of loss that those of you must feel, who spent years of your life here, writing literally thousands of posts, and when you come here now, there’s just… not much. A dying ember.
Maybe – no, certainly – I hunger for that community promised by katharina so long ago. Maybe it’s just the core of my being to recognize suffering and demise [insert sad violin music I failed to provide] when I come upon it, and it does define me as a person that I find myself unable to resist the urge to help, even though it may seem a desperate battle…
quote: Originally posted by Centurion: You know, as well as I, that not being dead means more than breathing in and out. If you want to remain 'not dead,' go forth and live.
Right now, there is nothing here for me. But Hatrack can be a good place again, I am sure of it. I am so sure that I will try to resuscitate Hatrack, and if I fail, which is likely, I hope I shall do so with grace and dignity.^^
Some of you may think that everything worthwhile has been talked about. I will try to prove you wrong. For a while I will provide new topics daily for you to engage in. Some of these topics I'm truly passionate about, some merely curious, others will be purely for fun or getting to know you better. Bear with me if my attempts seem superficial at first. Step one on the “agenda” is to induce lively exchange once more. Community building. The depth will, in time, reveal itself, I believe, given the kind of people who come here. So don't expect brilliance. Participate. Humor me.
Some of you may just not have any time to spare. And I get that, truly, believe me I do. But you don't need to post daily, there are 10,000 users registered here! Even if half of them are spam bots and another quarter has never said a word here, that still leaves 2,500 human voices to fill this void. Hatrack is a huge sleeping dragon. Only that it's more like a gigantic centipede whose legs have fallen asleep, and each one needs to wake up on its own... The pins and needles! It may even be uncomfortable at first.
Lastly, please don’t’ feel I’m trying to impose anything on you. Some might argue that I AM trying exactly that, but there is really no way for me to force this. I can only provide wood and a little fuel. But with 5,000 potential sparks to consume it and feed into the flame, it should be possible to (re)kindle at least a cozy fire, don't you think?
[ August 30, 2016, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: PanaceaSanans ]
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
I got your email. They were in fact awesome days!
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Hello Jeni. Thank you for coming. Posted by Dogbreath (Member # 11879) on :
I, in turn, sent you an e-mail. Posted by Darth_Mauve (Member # 4709) on :
I have heard the siren's call and will attempt a return.
Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
Hi PanaceaSanans.
In my active days on Hatrack I became close friends here with people who shared a love of the same books I loved.
I'm not a big fan of Card's works from the Shadow series on, so as fans of those books joined I felt less of a connection. I don't have a lot of interest in telling fans why I don't like the books they love, so it seemed better to leave the site to the new fans.
I still check in sometimes, and will always have a soft spot in my heart for Hatrack and the Cards for what they provided here. But I really don't see myself becoming a frequent poster again.
Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
My essence is tethered here. I cannot leave. So I will always awaken when called, or the stench of spam disturbs my slumber.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: In my active days on Hatrack I became close friends here with people who shared a love of the same books I loved.
So which ones do you love? All(?) of the Ender-Series?
quote:Originally posted by dkw: I still check in sometimes... But I really don't see myself becoming a frequent poster again.
I do appreciate your kind answer to my efforts none the less.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Darth_Mauve: I have heard the siren's call and will attempt a return.
And a pleasure to meet you. Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
My first thought reading your message and seeing the names it was sent to was that you must have spent a lot of time reading old threads.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Because I have no life.
JK. Actually, I wish I had more time. And yes, it took a while.
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
Actually a lot of people would say you don't even have access to the best of Hatrack, since the old threads were purged in 2003. Also there was a very active Hatrack AIM chat that I wasted most college nights in...
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
quote:Originally posted by PanaceaSanans: Because I have no life.
JK. Actually, I wish I had more time. And yes, it took a while.
From what I saw in your email, you must have seriousl scoured the depths of the Hatrack archives. You have a good claim on being Hatrack's future Chief Librarian.
Since I've been called to serve, I shall faithfully execute my duties as a Lurker Reservist until such time as this post is no longer required.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jeni: Actually a lot of people would say you don't even have access to the best of Hatrack, since the old threads were purged in 2003. Also there was a very active Hatrack AIM chat that I wasted most college nights in...
Gotta work with what I'm given, no?
I heard about that. It's horrible. Library of Alexandria. I hate it.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: From what I saw in your email, you must have seriously scoured the depths of the Hatrack archives. You have a good claim on being Hatrack's future Chief Librarian.
^^ I wish. I merely scraped at the surface.
quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Since I've been called to serve, I shall faithfully execute my duties as a Lurker Reservist until such time as this post is no longer required.
Thank you. I appreciate it. Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
I too received your email Panacea. And, like others, one of my first thoughts was, "This person must have spent a whole lot of time reading through old threads!"
It made me wonder just what I would find if I did the same thing. Would I read my old posts and think, "What a foolish young man?" Or, maybe, "What a brilliant young man!" Or, "It's depressing that none of my beliefs have changed in over ten years, while my thinking about them has only become less nuanced and less complex over time."
Anyway, I miss this place, and the people, and the role Hatrack played in my life. I probably learned more about myself and the world via conversations here, than I did in any other aspects of my life. I learned how to think more clearly. I learned how to defend my positions more robustly. I learned how to interact with others in a way that wasn't about 'winning' or 'scoring rhetorical points,' but about having a rich dialogue about topics of interest. And as large as my social media network is, I think Hatrack was a place where I interacted with a far more varied slice of human life. There was also a lot of great silliness that went on here.
All that being said, I don't know how likely it is that I'll re-enter the fold.
On a side note, hey everyone!
Posted by zgator (Member # 3833) on :
I'm not sure how I feel about being compared to a centipede's leg. On one hand, it's great being part of a team. But it's a bug.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Strider.
The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
I hoped you would respond. I am so glad to meet you.
quote:Originally posted by Strider: Would I read my old posts and think "It's depressing that none of my beliefs have changed in over ten years, while my thinking about them has only become less nuanced and less complex over time."
It is one of my greatest fears, that with time I won't improve but merely harden...
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by zgator: I'm not sure how I feel about being compared to a centipede's leg. On one hand, it's great being part of a team. But it's a bug.
Sorry 'bout that. Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
I miss Hatrack.
This was the only place I had found online where you could discuss, even argue politics and religion and find people of opposing values and viewpoints who were happy to talk to you with respect and perception. It was almost magically troll-resistant for years.
It was during the Iraq war and the Bush presidency that we began to see cracks in the surface, I think. Our host's own non-fiction essays became gradually more strident, in my opinion, with more ad hominem attacks against a monolithic, almost comically evil leftist state. His writing toward the end of the Ender's Shadow series became more overtly didactic, and the first book in his Empire series was the first OSC book I didn't finish. Elsewhere, OSC had written some columns for Mormon audiences about homosexuality that became more widely known, and he had joined the board of the National Organization for Marriage that was busy campaigning against Prop 8 in California. It was getting harder to enjoy his work without dealing with his beliefs.
OSC's writing to that point was some of my favorite literature and it remains capable of entertaining and moving me in equal measure. OSC himself is incredibly intelligent and congenial, friendly and welcoming to fans; I enjoyed meeting him and talking to him. But I have been utterly disinterested in reading anything of his since "Empire." (I did read "Lost Gate" which I don't recall having any particular axe to grind but it didn't get my interest, either.)
I tried to continue reading his "Uncle Orson Reviews Everything" column but after it became obvious that he was bizarrely incapable of reviewing anything -- movies, books, desserts, restaurants -- without including a screed against leftists and Obama-the-Dictator I walked away from those as well.
Which didn't mean I had to pull away from Hatrack. It's his home, but he never dictated how anyone should believe or talk (other than be respectful). But that was also when we began getting people more interested in provoking reactions than discussing anything. Hatrack, much like the rest of the country at the time, became more intensely polarized. Middle-grounds were harder to find. There were more angry, contemptuous people here, people who could or would not admit mistakes or concede points, people who had to win an argument by any means.
Hatrack was no longer a fun place to talk.
I'd love to see it become so again.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I'm always glad to see a bit of the old passion. Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
And obsession.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Thank you for responding, Chris.
quote:Originally posted by Chris Bridges: I miss Hatrack.
This was the only place I had found online where you could discuss, even argue politics and religion and find people of opposing values and viewpoints who were happy to talk to you with respect and perception.
That is what I hoped for when I came here.
quote:Originally posted by Chris Bridges: Which didn't mean I had to pull away from Hatrack. It's his home, but he never dictated how anyone should believe or talk (other than be respectful).
Arguably it's not just his home, it's all of yours too. Or once was. You not only shared the place, you made it. All of you were the Hatrack River Forum.
quote:Originally posted by Chris Bridges: Hatrack was no longer a fun place to talk.
I'd love to see it become so again.
Oh, and you win my gratitude for "most hopeful take on the topic".
[ August 30, 2016, 08:23 PM: Message edited by: PanaceaSanans ]
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Added to the same time period: the rise of Facebook, where you could self-select the people you talk to and block the ones you don't want to engage with.
The last few years I've been mostly arguing on FB, and recently I've been posting on Reddit.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
quote:Arguably it's not just his home, it's all of yours too. Or once was.
I am honestly a bit uncomfortable with the central thrust of this assertion. While it's indeed arguably true, the truth is that there are other places on the Internet where we can all go that do not share the same complications. There is no particular reason that Hatrack must be the place we gather, and without a compelling reason to arrogate this specific site to ourselves, it's, well, arrogant.
Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
That sounds a good deal like what people say to those who want to leave the faith they were raised in.
As for myself, I can understand compelling reasons why one would leave to keep themselves safe, or stay so as to reform from within.
And the Cards are really not that far away. Who knows, with enough good will they may even become active participants again rather than caring onlookers.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
The above was in no way meant to be disrespectful of OSC's claim of ownership to this place. I am sorry that I failed to convey that.
What I meant to say was that if I had spent years of my life here, it would feel like home to me. The way a university dorm/ campus does after spending a comparable amount of time there. Obviously you have no claim to it. But you were essential to what this forum was. Which is the whole point of this thread: Without people, a forum dies.
[ August 30, 2016, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: PanaceaSanans ]
Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
I think Tom knows what you meant. Posted by dkw (Member # 3264) on :
quote:Originally posted by PanaceaSanans:
quote:Originally posted by dkw: In my active days on Hatrack I became close friends here with people who shared a love of the same books I loved.
So which ones do you love? All(?) of the Ender-Series?
Ender's Game and Speaker. Wyrms, Treason, Saints, Songmaster, The Worthing Saga, Lost Boys.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
Thank you for the email, PanaceaSanans.
Even though I no longer frequent Hatrack - the friendships I made here lasted much longer than my time here. I still keep up with many of the same people via other forums, Facebook, etc. (before Facebook, it was LiveJournal, and some of the earlier social sites)
Perhaps that is how it slowly changed - once we became friends, we 'met' and contacted through many other venues, as well, and Hatrack was no longer the only place we could talk.
Much like the evolution of the internet. Most everyone was a blogger until Facebook came along as a place to put our daily thoughts. Most everyone had some kind of photo share online (like Flikr) until it became easier to post them on Instagram or FB.
Some of us are 'still together' but we've just moved to other platforms. I still have a great deal of fondness for Hatrack, and for OSC and his writings, yet have also grown beyond it.
Thank you for taking time to read through our archives and get to know each of us :-)
Posted by Risuena (Member # 2924) on :
Panacea - even if your attempt at resuscitation doesn't work, I'm happy to see so many old faces pop up again. Some of them I still see regularly in other places, and some of them I haven't seen in years.
It's lovely. Thank you.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
By the way, PanaceaSanans - it was brilliant of you to use that particular line as the subject of the email you sent. You knew that in doing so, even the most cautious of us, against opening an email from an unknown source, would have to take a peek inside and read it :-)
Posted by Anna (Member # 2582) on :
Hello again, y'all. Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
Yo! Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
I still check occasionally, but life has claimed a huge toll on my time. Still have friends I keep up with mostly on Facebook and other social networking sites.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Hello, PanaceaSanans. It is absolutely a pleasure to see someone so passionate here again.
Hi, Farmgirl and Belle!
Hey, Jeni, Darth, Risuena,Lyrhawn, zgator, Strider (holy cow, so many names).
Chris, you wrote the post I could have, but you did it much more clearly. I still have an ache in my heart about this place. There were too many conflicting needs and drives, and it felt wrong to use the space when things were so, hmmm, powderkeggy? Or something like that.
My online homes are elsewhere now, and my presence is more fragmented. It feels safer in some ways, and definitely is a more adaptable and sturdy stance, but I do miss the joy and delight of those particular years here.
I hope you find your own, PanaceaSanans!
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Farmgirl: Thank you for the email, PanaceaSanans.
You are most welcome, Farmgirl. Thank you for coming here in reply to it.
quote:Originally posted by Farmgirl: Thank you for taking time to read through our archives and get to know each of us :-)
I have really not read much judged by how much there is to read. And I wouldn't exactly claim to know any of you... But what I read was enough to create a powerful desire to get to know you.
quote:Originally posted by Farmgirl: By the way - it was brilliant of you to use that particular line as the subject of the email you sent. You knew that in doing so, even the most cautious of us, against opening an email from an unknown source, would have to take a peek inside and read it :-)
I hoped it would, although I was worried it might just be a little bit too cheesy.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Good to meet you, Risuena.
quote:Originally posted by Risuena: I'm happy to see so many old faces pop up again. It's lovely. Thank you.
I am glad it makes you happy. That outcome surpasses my underlying goal, and so my effort has truly already paid off.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Anna, Belle, I'm glad you came by. Precious Hatrack fossils, you. Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by ClaudiaTherese: It is absolutely a pleasure to see someone so passionate here again.
CT - supposedly a colleague? Certainly a kindred spirit, from what I know. I was happy to read your response.
quote:Originally posted by ClaudiaTherese: I do miss the joy and delight of those particular years here. I hope you find your own, PanaceaSanans!
So do I. Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
quote:Originally posted by JanitorBlade: My essence is tethered here. I cannot leave. So I will always awaken when called, or the stench of spam disturbs my slumber.
As keeper of That Thread(tm) on the other side, I plan to outlast all the janitors. Maybe even spam.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by dkw: Ender's Game and Speaker. Wyrms, Treason, Saints, Songmaster, The Worthing Saga, Lost Boys.
I am quite ashamed to admit I had never even heard of any but Songmaster and Lost Boys - and delighted to know there are so many books for me to read!
Unlike many of you, I only read Ender's Game less than a year ago (and the other six Ender novels and the Shadow-Series in the subsequent months).
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Bokonon. I'm still a little awed by your and Tom's registration date. 1999 - That's another millenium!
Posted by Darth_Mauve (Member # 4709) on :
This is beginning to sound like a high-school reunion.
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Panacea, registration dates are overrated!
It was a fun time, and I still like to think of it as a confluence of good fortune that lead to the community you wish to bring back. Some of us check in out of respect, so while we may not post, we do still lurk
And you are quite fluent in "classic" Hatrack, for whatever that means, so kudos to you
Also ask Tom and some of the others (ScottR?) about the pre-hatrack forum days (AOL, not AIM, old-school AOL). Those are the downright Antediluvian Times for the Hatrack community. Even I am in awe of those folks.
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
I was on Hatrack before the switch to the current look, but only just; I wasn't around for AOL.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Scott.
quote:Originally posted by Scott R: I was on Hatrack before the switch to the current look, but only just.
So it has looked the same for sixteen years?
Posted by Strider (Member # 1807) on :
Bok, I've always been amused by the fact that the dude thread is on the Other Side.
quote:Originally posted by PanaceaSanans:
quote:Originally posted by Strider: Would I read my old posts and think "It's depressing that none of my beliefs have changed in over ten years, while my thinking about them has only become less nuanced and less complex over time."
It is one of my greatest fears, that with time I won't improve but merely harden...
Constant Vigilance!*
*Shame we can't post memes here.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Strider: Constant Vigilance!*
I'm trying. But even I need to sleep sometimes...
quote:Originally posted by Strider: *Shame we can't post memes here.
Yes, I thought so too. Blade, is there anything you can do about that?
Posted by Chris Bridges (Member # 1138) on :
Oh, please, no memes. One of the best things about Hatrack was the lack of pictures.
Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
You can always link the url. That's the best the forum software can handle.
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
quote:Originally posted by Scott R: I was on Hatrack before the switch to the current look, but only just; I wasn't around for AOL.
I was around as a lurker (maybe posted once) during the Big Mouth Lion days.
I was also on the original email list serv for what eventually became Virtual Battle School. I wonder if anyone else from that list is still around?
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
quote:Originally posted by Strider: Bok, I've always been amused by the fact that the dude thread is on the Other Side.
I bet it would get a lot more traffic if it were moved Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Hi
Narnia forwarded your email to me. It was like...Rip Van Winkle. Or walking through Venice, which its gracious, faded glory. Or suddenly being confronted with an old boyfriend, after long enough that any bad memories have dissapeared and only the memory of laughter and kisses remain. I feel a bit like Killashandra Ree. Or Dorothy in Return to Oz, with the menace drawn out.
Hatrack was everything I said it was, and it is knit into my soul.
I like you. Welcome. Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Oh my. Katharina. I am at a loss for words. Thank you so much for coming.
I have been asked why I am so determined about Hatrack. THIS is the reason.
People like you are why I care.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
Oh, wow. I am extremely, extremely glad to be demonstrably and specifically wrong in this case. Congrats, Pan.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Hi, katharina.
PS, I have decided you are magical, and nothing will ever change my mind about that.
Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
Oh my. So happy to see you again katharina. Posted by El JT de Spang (Member # 7742) on :
Hey, Katie! Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
Bokonon, Strider - The reason that thread is on the other side is because it was created by my (then) 13 year old sister who found Hatrack in my browser history and wanted to embarrass me by acting like a nut, and didn't exactly care about categorizing her thread properly. I told her the thread would die off in a day with no replies. So much for that!
Posted by Bokonon (Member # 480) on :
Oh I know, I just wonder why it wasn't moved over here? Probably because the forum software can't do it... Also not a bad case of reforming a poster, eh? It turns out she became a Hatracker (of a sort) too!
I kinda love that the thread has lasted half her lifetime!
Posted by Jake (Member # 206) on :
Kat! Good to see you. I hope your life is going well.
Posted by Pod (Member # 941) on :
howdy
Posted by Jake (Member # 206) on :
Ted!
Posted by Papa Moose (Member # 1992) on :
I didn't see the email originally (I'm hoping that's because my email wasn't visible at the time, not because I was left out), but it certainly made the rounds.
There was a time when Hatrack was an every day everyday thing for me. There were people here who helped shape me, shared in my achievements and were gracious with my failings. When I started (as Uncle Moose) I was newly married, as Papa Moose a new father, and wisdom oozed out of this place like a melting Zoo from Farrell's, with tons of different flavors mixing in unusual and unexpected ways, some delicious and some cringe-inducing.
Something changed, and I never saw a way to stem that particular change without making other changes I saw as still negative or even worse. I believed at the time (and still do) that the direction needs to be relational rather than programmatic, so only encouragement would work, not enforcement. Just what you're trying to do, really.
quote:Vision: Humans are odd. They think order and chaos are somehow opposites and try to control what won't be. But there is grace in their failings. I think you missed that. Ultron: They're doomed! Vision: Yes... but a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts. It is a privilege to be among them.
Hatrack doesn't need to be what it was before to be worthwhile, to be beautiful, to be a benefit and blessing to those who come. But I believe the people here need to desire that over other things (like being "right") for it to do so effectively.
Be the miracle, Panacea. Keep fanning the flame. But you don't need to resuscitate (or resurrect) Hatrack that was.
--Pop
Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
Yo. Pop speaks for me.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Papa Moose: I didn't see the email originally. I'm hoping that's because my email wasn't visible at the time, not because I was left out.
I can't believe myself... I literally forgot to add you. Because you felt so present while I was reading that I was sure you were still active, convinced I had actually talked to you myself. I have checked and know now that I was wrong. Forgive me.
quote:Originally posted by Papa Moose:
quote:Vision: Humans are odd. They think order and chaos are somehow opposites and try to control what won't be. But there is grace in their failings. I think you missed that. Ultron: They're doomed! Vision: Yes... but a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts. It is a privilege to be among them.
I loved that when I first heard it. Thank you for quoting it here.
I really wanted to make sure all you wonderful people knew I was trying and had a chance to participate if you felt like it. The outcome has far surpassed my hopes, to be honest.
quote:Originally posted by Papa Moose: Keep fanning the flame. But you don't need to resuscitate (or resurrect) Hatrack that was.
That's what's amazing about fire: it can burn while constantly changing. The flame can be split, or conjoin with another, without dying, as long as there is fuel, and enough oxygen to breathe, and the wind is not too cruel. I will tend it for a while now, and see what I can do.
[ September 01, 2016, 05:19 PM: Message edited by: PanaceaSanans ]
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Pod: howdy
I was wondering whether you'd show up, Ted. Glad you did. Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Wouldn't it be hilarious is PS got all this going as part of a multi-level marketing scheme? Or a recruitment drive for a religion?
No? Okay just me laughing at that then.
Anyway, waves at all the friendly Hatrackers.
Oh wait! It's like Pokemon Go! She's collecting us!
[ September 01, 2016, 05:29 PM: Message edited by: Bob_Scopatz ]
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Three years ago, I was recognized in the wild. During a trip to Philadelphia with a new friend I'd made in DC, someone else in the group mentioned Ender's Game, and I said that I'd loved it so much when I was younger that a big part of my early Internet experience was connected to it.
"That was when you were on Hatrack, right? As katharina?"
Someone had found Hatrack, lurked, never registered, read, connected the dots, and then completely flipped me out. We'd been party friends (aquaintances you see at the same parties so often you feel like you are friends even though you never talk one on one) for almost four years! We also never spoke of it again - we went back to being party friends, and it didn't come up again in conversation, and then I started going to different parties and we don't cross paths anymore.
I can never run for office.
-------
Added: Hey, Jake and CT and everyone. Life is fantastic. It's like the universe is making up for something and sending an embarrassing number of apology daisies. I will take it. Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
Katharina - your Killashandra Ree analogy was perfection!
Posted by Bob_Scopatz (Member # 1227) on :
Hey katharina!
Hey Belle!
Posted by Uprooted (Member # 8353) on :
Hi. I came in a bit later than the magic days, but this was an important place to me for a few years. I didn't see the letter but heard about it and it's nice to see some old familiar "faces."
Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
*fist bump*
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Bob_Scopatz: Wouldn't it be hilarious is PS got all this going as part of a multi-level marketing scheme? Or a recruitment drive for a religion?
I'm not that brilliant. What would I be selling, anyway?
quote:Originally posted by katharina: Three years ago, I was recognized in the wild. "That was when you were on Hatrack, right? As katharina?"
I guess living in the same area gives you an advantage that way.^^ Be reassured that I would recognize almost none of you if I were ever to happen upon you by chance.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
I know your name, Uprooted. Nice to meet you.
quote:Originally posted by Uprooted: I didn't see the letter but heard about it and it's nice to see some old familiar "faces."
You "heard" about it?
Posted by Jake (Member # 206) on :
quote:Originally posted by katharina: Someone had found Hatrack, lurked, never registered, read, connected the dots, and then completely flipped me out.
Wow! That would be utterly bizarre. I don't think that I could help bringing it up with them, were I to find myself in that situation.
Kristy (now my wife; she and I were relatively newly dating when you left the hatrackosphere) lurked on Hatrack a bit back in the early aughts, and considered joining, but never did. It's weird to think how close I came to knowing her a lot earlier than I did.
quote:Life is fantastic. It's like the universe is making up for something and sending an embarrassing number of apology daisies. I will take it.
That is just fantastic. I'm really happy to hear it.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
quote:Originally posted by PanaceaSanans: You "heard" about it?
Oh sure. We're talking about you and your letter, PanaceaSanans, on all the other boards and places we frequent. We're still in touch with each other, although probably not as often as the old Hatrack days. Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Farmgirl:
quote:Originally posted by PanaceaSanans: You "heard" about it?
Oh sure. We're talking about you and your letter, PanaceaSanans, on all the other boards and places we frequent.
I knew about some of that, but certainly not to the extent this makes it sound.
But by all means, do it. Whatever bad it might do to my personal "reputation", it can only further what I hope to achieve here. Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Hello Hatrack.
Hatrack was wonderful and formative for me, as it was for so many others in this thread. It's nice to see this bit of a reunion happening.
I had glanced at Hatrack well before I ever joined, but didn't see the attraction. Then I met Bob Scopatz and Chris Bridges and Orson Scott Card at a signing and Bob talked up the community here and I decided to check it out. For the first time, I found a place where virtually everybody was into the things I was into. I don't mean that to sound bitter about my real world experiences, but I was used to being a bit unusual as a reader, as a science fiction fan, as a science fiction reader, as an aspiring writer. I was used to having very few people to talk about those passions with, and I was used to what overlap I could find being very slight--people who were into Star Trek, say, but nothing else I was into. (I had met one person who shared virtually all my passions previous to Hatrack, and, reader, I married her.)
Beyond shared interests, I found peers who were insightful and witty and who inspired me and elevated my own discourse. I shared parts of my life--dark secrets, failed aspirations, fears, hopes, dreams--that I had never shared before, and I found kind listeners who made me believe that I was okay.
I used to call Hatrack my own personal Algonquin Round Table--a comparison, it occurs to me now--that seems even more apt as the years go by, with so many of us having gone on to do really cool things.
I was a failed aspiring writer when I came to Hatrack. Orson Scott Card was very gracious to me in this regard when I met him, telling me that if I write, I'm a writer, and that's that. Participation in Hatrack's fun side massaged my creativity. Watching folks like Scott Roberts have some success and reading David Bowles's breathtaking manuscripts inspired me to try selling my work again. Now I'm a regularly selling short story writer, and I have an agent who I am confident will someday succeed in selling one of my novels. I honestly believe that none of that would have happened without my time at Hatrack.
Meeting Hatrackers in person was a thrill to me every time I had the privilege. I was not fortunate enough to go to EnderCon, but I did go to BobAndDanaCon and to VegasCon, and I also got to hang out with many Hatrackers when I traveled to New Jersey and to Washington, and when Hatrackers traveled to my neck of the woods. Hatrack isn't a daily part of my life anymore, but many of the folks I met here still are, and they're as close to me as any friends I have.
It's true that my drifting off was made easier by a change in tenor with Hatrack conversations. But honestly, it was a choice I needed to make to take the next step as a writer--which is why I no longer post at the satellite fora either. I am neither a fast reader nor a fast writer, so if I was going to chase this dream, I had to sacrifice some things. In the pursuit of writing, I have given up video games, television, and yes, online fora. Kind of ironic that in inspiring me, Hatrack et al sowed the seeds of my leaving.
So for me I can only speak of Hatrack in the past tense. I won't be staying long, but thank you for reaching out to me and reminding me of a good time in my life. I wish you success in finding--or creating--your own version of what Hatrack was to me.
Everybody should be so lucky as to have one.
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Icarus, much love to you and Cor. So much.
And thanks for sharing a peek at an ongoing life so very, very well done. Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Thank you for coming here to answer my message, Icarus. I do really appreciate that even those who don't intend to linger decide to come by here and, in the kindest way, explain their decision. Yours is different, but equally fascinating to read.
And I would love to have a look at some of those short stories. Will you tell me how to find them?
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
My best-reviewed story is "Life in Stone, Glass, and Plastic." My most popular one is "Curse of Giants."
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: Meeting Hatrackers in person was a thrill to me every time I had the privilege. I was not fortunate enough to go to EnderCon, but I did go to BobAndDanaCon and to VegasCon,
Hi Icky!
Weren't you are KamaCon in Chicago, too? I thought you were. I remember you at BobAndDanaCon, but thought I had met you once before that..
You know one other thing that spending years of time on Hatrack taught me? To write out an entire post, review it, and then delete it without ever posting. Deciding whether something REALLY needed to be said or not. Does it help the conversation? Am I just trying to make myself sound important, or am I stirring up trouble that doesn't need to be?
Discernment. Hopefully I grew in my discernment about what is valuable to post, and when it is better to be silent.
(I post this because I just did that exact action - write and then delete - on another thread here tonight).
Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Great post. When you learn by doing -- and discernment counts here -- it really sinks in.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Hi Farmgirl!
No, I didn't make it to KamaCon. I did get to Chicago once for a Xena: Warrior Princess con, and had a meal with some Hatrackers.
Posted by Parsimony (Member # 8140) on :
I wasn't privy to this email. I haven't even looked at hatrack in years. I accidentally hit the link in my favorites tonight while trying to go somewhere else and saw this thread.
I remember what a stupid young 18 year old I was when I hit this site, and I remember what fun it was to be here, despite my frequent mistakes and obvious naïveté.
In particular, I am thankful for the ridiculous amount of time I spent in the hatrackchat room on AIM in 2002-2003, and the people who made me laugh. I also am thankful for being introduced to Mafia over on grenme. I miss myrddin fyre and I'm glad ak let me stay at her house that one time when I was passing through.
Hatrack was here when I needed it. I'm pretty sure I don't any more. I doubt I'll come back in to the fold, but it was nice to reminisce tonight by virtue of an accidental click.
--ApostleRadio
[ September 07, 2016, 09:33 PM: Message edited by: Parsimony ]
Posted by Heffaji (Member # 3669) on :
I never posted regularly in the past, but checking in on the discussions, arguments, and general fun of Hatrack each day played a large role in helping shape the lens that I view the world with.
Great to see all of the old names pop up once again and to have the memories flood back!
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
hi! Hatrack chat kept me out of trouble in college. Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
Is that good or bad?
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
Parsimony, Heffaji, it's nice to meet you.
quote:Originally posted by Parsimony: I wasn't privy to this email.
I want to expressly declare again that I did not mean to exclude anybody by the method I used to choose whom to contact. I'm glad that you came by anyway. And I love that chance seems to be working in my favor.^^
Posted by kmbboots (Member # 8576) on :
quote:Originally posted by Icarus: Hi Farmgirl!
No, I didn't make it to KamaCon. I did get to Chicago once for a Xena: Warrior Princess con, and had a meal with some Hatrackers.
It was Goody, AJ, and me and I don't remember who else.
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
quote:Originally posted by Parsimony: In particular, I am thankful for the ridiculous amount of time I spent in the hatrackchat room on AIM in 2002-2003, and the people who made me laugh and made my depression bearable. I also am thankful for being introduced to Mafia over on grenme. I miss myrddin fyre and I'm glad ak let me stay at her house that one time when I was passing through.
--ApostleRadio
Heya AR, loooong time no see.
[ September 07, 2016, 02:34 PM: Message edited by: Architraz Warden ]
Posted by Architraz Warden (Member # 4285) on :
quote:Originally posted by Architraz Warden:
quote:Originally posted by Parsimony: In particular, I am thankful for the ridiculous amount of time I spent in the hatrackchat room on AIM in 2002-2003, and the people who made me laugh and made my depression bearable. I also am thankful for being introduced to Mafia over on grenme. I miss myrddin fyre and I'm glad ak let me stay at her house that one time when I was passing through.
--ApostleRadio
Heya AR, loooong time no see (this is Feyd Baron).
Posted by Silentorb (Member # 13384) on :
Hello People!
I was a member of Hatrack a long time ago...
Is this relevant to making Hatrack popular again?
Posted by JanitorBlade (Member # 12343) on :
I mean, more populace means more popular, neh?
Posted by Silentorb (Member # 13384) on :
I have a large number of e-mails from people we used to write with in the Virtual Battle School. I don't know the status of their e-mails, nor have I contacted them in a while, but they would all be familiar.
I realize that this might not be something we can do anymore, but is there any chance of bringing back the Virtual Battle School?
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by Silentorb: I was a member of Hatrack a long time ago... Is this relevant to making Hatrack popular again?
Well... There don't seem to be new users really, so I guess it IS relevant.
Nice to meet you. Posted by Parsimony (Member # 8140) on :
Hey, Feyd. Long time indeed. Hope life has treated you well.
--ApostleRadio
Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :
I never made a Con, too young I guess, not into crowds. I almost went to one of Papa/Mama's kid's football games when we both lived in the same county, but I'm basically anti social so :shrug:
It took years of me lurking to get me in, and by then the golden age was mostly done for.
I probably directly contributed to its decline, though I am very thankful to quite a few here for their heartfelt advice.
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
I just remembered visiting a hatracker's house in Chicago and buying cleaning supplies at a store with Tom Davidson for them, but for the life of me I cannot remember who else was there.
Posted by SenojRetep (Member # 8614) on :
This is all really nice. Thanks PS for orchestrating it.
I've been mostly dormant for a couple of years. Yesterday I spent hours going through old threads, sort of mentally mapping my time at Hatrack. What I found was different than what I expected. I was argumentative from the get-go. Some of my first threads were my most face-palmingly, tone-deafly contentious. After awhile I settled in, participated in both arguments and fun, but that by 2009 most of my participation in fun threads died off. I don't know if that's because everything just got so political, or because I did.
Anyway, I still come to Hatrack from time to time, and I really have enjoyed the renewed interest by so many people who were here when I first joined 12 years ago. I hope some of you end up sticking around and bringing back some of the fun and personality that made me fall in love with Hatrack all that time ago.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by SenojRetep: This is all really nice. Thanks PS for orchestrating it.
You are most welcome. Posted by Silentorb (Member # 13384) on :
I've never been on this side of hatrack, i've really only participated in the Virtual Battle School.
Im not familiar with how this side works, are there any rules or anything like that?
Posted by Sean Monahan (Member # 9334) on :
Rule #1: You do not talk about Virtual Battle School.
Rule #2: You do NOT TALK ABOUT VIRTUAL BATTLE SCHOOL.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
I understood that reference! (Just saying. Because occasionally I do feel like him in that way around here.)
Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :
A group of highly individual thinkers...with an expectation of normality during social interactions?
Unlikely.
Posted by Farmgirl (Member # 5567) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jeni: I just remembered visiting a hatracker's house in Chicago and buying cleaning supplies at a store with Tom Davidson for them, but for the life of me I cannot remember who else was there.
Was this during KamaCon? Or some other visit to..BannaOJ (was that her screen name?)
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
We were all visiting Goody.
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
Is that what it was? Not being able to remember was annoying me. I was thinking it was xnera. Thanks.
Posted by Parsimony (Member # 8140) on :
If I count up the hours spent talking (typing?) to myrddin fyre, kwsni, celia60, Feyd, t, and a host of others in the hatrackchat on aim, I'm sure it would have been enough to master some skill, pick up a hobby, or at least read a bunch more books.
I wouldn't have wanted to spend those hours any other way.
My computer used to log all those chats and save them. Sadly, that was many computers ago. Its probably a good thing. im not sure it would hold up 12 years later.
--ApostleRadio
Posted by Jeni (Member # 1454) on :
I still have years worth of hatrack chats in my old aim logs.
Posted by Yozhik (Member # 89) on :
I did not post a whole lot, but I faithfully lurked for years.
Posted by PSI Teleport (Member # 5545) on :
Thanks to my husband's old-tech hoarding skills, I think I still have the computer with my Hatrack AIM logs on it.
Posted by sarahdipity (Member # 3254) on :
quote:Originally posted by Jeni: I still have years worth of hatrack chats in my old aim logs.
Oh I miss hatrack chats...not that I would have time for them now necessarily.
Posted by PanaceaSanans (Member # 13395) on :
quote:Originally posted by sarahdipity: Oh I miss hatrack chats...not that I would have time for them now necessarily.
Hi Sarah. Nice to meet you. And your screen name is awesome.
Speaking of which: it's so fascinating to me that more names keep appearing. While most of you knew each other, I am "meeting" each one for the first time here. And I'm glad you came.
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