Grumpy them and us type rant about Hitched

Only Nick has a spreadsheet ?

No, hazel has one. lilly too i think ?

Lilly's probably has pivot tables and graphs ?

Mine is just a dartboard with post it notes ?

And what do you mean by that!?!?

I gave up my spreadsheet. Wasn't here often enough.

I confused you with Lili. Although I'd like to think you have the definitive loon spreadsheet ?

I post on OT, (I'm the thread killer) ok not as much as I did on BT but my time on hitched as a whole I've cut back. I've never introduced myself here, I don't see the reason that I need to, why? To me its like having to prove/show that we are worthy of OT'ers replies, thats quite self obessed in my eyes and not on the part of the Original poster. Its not a gang, no one needs to ask permission to be here. Personally I use OT and ask on OT, OT topics, like I try and only post BT things in the BT box.

I think a group hug is required?

I had a thickies list at one point, but I never got to spreadsheet level with it all.

As for Lili - the one who lost her mind over a crack in the tiling her FIL was doing for free? I should think if she has a loon list, she's also on it ?

I lurk on BT and OT, I manage to post occasionally on both (as you can see from my high post count to length of time here ratio! ?). My problem now, having joined the ranks of BT, is that there's too many posts to read! I only get on once a day at most, quite often less than that, and there's so much to catch up on in the two boards that often I don't have time to post. I should be making a start on dinner just now, but I got distracted reading this thread and it's only on page one!

I have to admit that I immediately ignore dress/restaurant/dinner threads and other ones like that. I try to look out for any that might be relevant to me (twins, moving house, music, teaching for example) but they don't come up that often and so usually i don't have much to offer. Having said that, I did arrange a BT meet a few weeks ago! I have received some amazing advice and support from both boards that I will always be grateful and thankful for. People here can be amazing and that's what keeps me come back and reading.

I am afraid i tend to think i have been a needy me me me hitcher over the summer - on OT and BT tbh. I suppose i can get away with it on BT cos that is where i am mostly - but when the sh!t hit the fan for me i thought it was too.... erm..... emotional for BT which does have a lot of hormones flying around.

I did end up duplicating posts on both forums [or should that be fora?] to keep people posted......

I lurk a lot on OT but tend to post more on BT and am always worried that people on here won't know who i am ?

please forgive me for my neediness over the summer - i hope it was excusable given the circumstances...

Swampy darling, it is situations like yours that make me so glad that Hitched exists! The support you received re child no 1 was amazing - I really hope it helped you get through things.

I mainly post on BT although I lurk on both boards. I do post on OT sometimes but tends to be related to Dubai as we used to live there. Have been around here (hitched) a while and don't really see the need to introduce myself. It's an internet forum and no one needs permission to post wherever they want. I think this sort of thread just creates more of a divide a sort of 'íf you want to post on here you need to justify why you are here'sort of thing.

Completely agree with you decibelle. You have nothing to be forgiven about swampy. ?

I'd rather people didn't introduce themselves, if they do i feel the need to say hello back and i'm not that nice. i always thought - planning for weddings, BT for babies and OT for stuff not about wedding excluding babies. simple filing, didn't realise i had to introduce myself every time i posted about a different topic on a different board.

I echo what MrsMagic and TF say. I lurk quite a lot, but find it quite hard to post as well, so I either only post when I've got a bit of time (like today), or if I can help someone out or I've got my own idling question.

I've been on hitched since 2002 (I can't believe it). That was before there was an OT or BT - it was all about the planning. Soon after, OT started, and that was where I spent most of my time. Then I started thinking about a family, and I frequented BT a bit more. I now read both forums (haven't been to WP since 2003 probably), but thanks to the arrival of two kiddos, I honestly do find it hard to contribute. Plus, it's a lot more forgiving on BT if you respond quickly, and disappear for a while. On OT it seems to be a heinous sin to leave the board for a while. In the meantime, things can get pretty heated on OT, and I think that may put people off posting (it certainly does me - I don't come here to argue - altough other people's artguments, now they're fun!).

I think this is how I see myself, I started over on WP, then moved to OT, but when I had my first baby, I went to BT, I'm more of a lurker on OT now although if I think I can help someone I will post!

I spend more time lurking on OT these days. I am still on WP too but quite frankly, it's too full of 'hun' and text speak for my liking.Plus it's so quiet on there now, it's prety dull.

I generally only post on OT when I have something to add, and yes I sometimes start posts asking for info/experience. I've not done a formal introduction, although I did briefly contribute to an introduction thread that was on here recently

To be honest, the regulars on OT can seem a bit kleeky & I know my comments usually get ignored, but that's fine by me. I don't know anyone on Hitched in real life, so I don't expect to have chummy conversations with people. However, having said that, I've found the information on here invaluable, and respect the fact that the more regular posters don't know me, nor do I expect them to know me or even want to know me. I'm not having a dig at anyone BTW, so please don't think I'm having a flounce!

I like OT, I like the honesty and support it can provide. I will continue to be on OT, and hope that I am still made to feel welcome.

Mmm - interesting thread

my view is that there are just some right twonks - some flit on, some are here all the time

i wonder if some of the people that are annoying baron are just twonks generally - but their non contribution/introduction stands out as a pinpoint of why they are annoying?

where there are others that are not really on OT much but pop on now and again and dont introduce themselves who are not twonks so dont get up his back

i have been annoyed recently by a feeling that there is a natural 'graduation' from WP to OT where in fact the drivel could easily be kept to WP as an old has been married

I think my central premise is being slightly misunderstood. I'm not looking for formal introductions but given the distinctly separate nature of OT and BT for example (many purely post on one board) it seems a bit off that someone randomly pops up to ask something of OT only to go back to their 'home' board i.e. not participating or giving anything back to OT.

i see your point

i, on the other hand, am quite happy that they come and ask their question - i can ignore them, and they feck off again - greatly preferable

Did you introduce yourself in your brief forays onto BT? I can't remember

With 26,000 posts to my name, I shouldn't have to ? In all seriousness, I think my forays involved contributing to a debate rather than starting a new thread asking for pushchair recommendations or concerns about my health visitor. I think as a first post, that would be rather presumptuous.

I am probably guilty of this as I now spend more time on BT than OT.

I lurk more than I post and often start a post, get distracted by the baby wailing and by the time I come back, someone has responded. I could just do a 'wss' type post but that seems a bit pointless. Also, in my 'areas of expertise' there are quite a few people who are also very helpful, so by the time I have seen the post, they have already posted what I would have done.

I like to think that in the past I have given more than taken (ooo-err missus!) but unfortunately if people are strapped for time they can't necessarily be as helpful as they have been in the past. I would love to have more spare time to post on here but just can't find it at the moment. I am sure I will when I return to work?

RBH, you've been here long enough to build up that reputation and I think most Hitchers with more than a couple of thousand posts have contributed to all 3 main boards. Those people aren't the focus here.

Hmm, I can feel my ears (or is it scalp from my latest post) burning!

I do try and contribute when I can to OT posts, some are easier than others though, I dont know half the restaurants/areas/pubs/football teams you southerners talk about ?.

I have posted on OT since 2005 when I stumbled across WP, lurked here while slurping wine as I was too pissed scared to post , and still lurk and try post, although admittedly not as much as BT by any means, as BT is <-- way (or is it --> way) is a no no here, and a lot of every day things are unfortunately BT linked to a degree.

Anyway, apologies, and where can I buy a passport for here? ?

I joined hitched for BT really, as I didn't know about OT. I flit between the 2 and post on both but rarely start my own posts, juts contrin=bute to others.

TBH I didn't think to introduce myself here as I had done on BT and recognized a lot of names, so thought most people were the same.

I apologise for my appalling lack of manners ?

For reference, I am a 15 year old genius who is a qualified doctor working in a hospital. And my best friend is called Vinnie.

As a relative newbie to WP, I've never really introduced myself on OT or BT but I've posted on both.

I sometimes ask questions, other times I just rant... I know it sounds odd but I have posted on both because I felt that BT and OT would get me better, to-the-point, advice. For example, I asked for help about holidays yesterday or the day before on OT because I thought people would be more willing to help than planners getting married in 3 weeks and worrying about wedding lists etc...

I sometimes try to reply and get involved in other threads but it can be extremely intimidating when everyone else posting has dozens of thousands of posts and obviously "know" each other very well. It's hard enough asking for advice sometimes.

I appreciate the vein of the thread in that those that just 'take' can be annoying, however... I'm an OTer, I have never posted on BT because I have nothing to contribute, but I would hate to think that I couldn't. For example, my brother and his wife are about to start IVF, I would hate to think that I couldn't ask a question on BT (should one arise), but would be unlikely to be able to contribute to many other threads there (plus it's scary ?)

I think that's the first time I've ever posted without reading the whole thread. Sigh. Life must be getting to me.

Anyway, just to come back to a couple of points in an annoying way, I think there's actually loads of crossover. OT is still pretty dead but BT is gaining people from all over the place as far as I can tell.

I think it's irritating when anyone is all take take take but I don't think people should have to introduce themselves as long as they are polite. Having the boards full of "hi I'm boring betty from planning" type posts just because baron is feeling curmudgeonly would be reeeeeally annoying ?

What exactly do people mean when they refer to "giving back to the board"? this has been mentioned a great deal and TBH I don't understand exactly what you want.

Well basically there are some people who only ever post when they have a question. They don't seem to answer questions other people post, they don't seem to contribute to debates, conversation or anything else that goes on - even Big Brother threads! Noone is keeping a tally and it's fine to ask questions and stuff but it's just a bit draining when you only ever hear from someone when they want something.

You see, I don't agree - I don't think that going on to a board and making your first thread about a pushchair would be at all presumptous. I would quite happily go onto planning now and post, for example, "emergency, I need to find a make up artist in Essex immediately" without feeling the need for pre-amble.

I think it entirely depends on how you view the boards. I view them as a potential mine of information that I can access from a very broad cross section of people, and, or more likely, a place to browse and entertain myself when I have some spare time. Other people perhaps view them as more significant than that, more of a community that they are part of, and therefore perhaps feel a little bit territorial when 'incomers' don't follow their own perception of board etiquette. So I guess it's down to how you view Hitched as to how you feel about it.