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ORIGINAL: sunshinemiss

Hello everyone,

As often happens, another thread has me wondering and thinking.

Having been on these threads for about 3 years now (the first little bit under a different name), I've noticed certain things have changed about me in real life. In the past I often would not argue until it got to the point where I felt like I was a cornered animal - and then I was pretty angry and desperate. I also was scared of rejection. I often thought things like "why would anyone want to talk to ME? I'm just not good enough."

I notice now that I don't do those things - not as much anyway.

Here are some things that I've noticed have changed about me:

I have become much more open about the negative aspects of my life and personality.
I flirt for the joy of flirting without any expectations.
I'm more willing to disagree with someone without fear.
I still generally maintain a fairly neutal manner and don't attack people.
I used to empathize with the "poor me" types. Now I call foul on them. And ooo does it irritate people!
I've become a lot more curious and a lot less defensive when disagreeing with people.
I'm more realistic about how things can come back and bite me in the ass and prepare myself and protect myself when possible.
I tease people a lot more.
I ask for what I want, knowing that I have every right to ask.

I don't think the boards are the be all and end all of why this has happened. I had to be ready to make the changes, I had to be in a safe place to make them. I had to choose to make them. But I do believe that to some degree the culture we are in (in this case the internet boards) has an impact on how we experience our worlds and our inner lives.

So the question to you

Has being on the boards changed or refined some part of your personality? Has it made a real difference in how you interact in the world around you (not just the boards)?

How? Is it a change you see for the better?

Can you give an example of something that has changed?

Are there things you've seen changes in other people that inspired or impressed you?

Best,
sunshine

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Have the boards changed you?

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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Have the boards changed you?

Yes. I have embraced my inner caribou.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

quote:

Have the boards changed you?

Yes. I have embraced my inner caribou.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

quote:

Have the boards changed you?

Yes. I have embraced my inner caribou.

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ORIGINAL: kittinSol

Thanks to moderatoreleven I learnt to keep my mouth shut and to seriously temper (and tamper with) my normal elocution. It was forced upon me, however, and I was mightily relieved when the insane restrictions she imposed on so many of us were lifted - she may have done a good job at moderating the boards, but on a human level, she sucked ass.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

If the snatch is stale at home, Rich, projection ain't gonna help.

Get out a little, have some fun.

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ORIGINAL: Dubbelganger

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ORIGINAL: kittinSol

Thanks to moderatoreleven I learnt to keep my mouth shut and to seriously temper (and tamper with) my normal elocution. It was forced upon me, however, and I was mightily relieved when the insane restrictions she imposed on so many of us were lifted - she may have done a good job at moderating the boards, but on a human level, she sucked ass.

No kidding. The $#@^% banned me for quoting a fucking newspaper article!

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ORIGINAL: OrpheusAgonistes

When I started posting on these boards, roughly a week ago, I was a callow, brash, arrogant young American in a shiny suit and a skinny tie with every intention of working his way up from the mailroom to the boardroom.  Now, as I peck languidly at my keys, sipping a gin and tonic (quinine, you know), I'm an elderly British gentleman, ensconced in tweed, surrounded by trophies from my big game hunting expeditions.  I remember with a poignant and startling clarity bits and pieces of my schoolboy days, particularly bowling a googly against those prigs from Harrow in their funny hats....

To be candid, I feel like posting here is helping me clarify a number of things in my own head simply because it's the only place I tend to interact socially with other people whose interests and kinks flourish in the same hedgerow as my own.  I have a horror of "scene" or "lifestyle" events and only go if dragged.  I occasionally run into friends of friends in real life who clearly have inclinations toward kink, sadomasochism and power exchange but even then everything always has to be so discreet.  The older I get and the more approximately bourgeoisie my friends become, the more crucial discretion becomes.

It's not hard to find people to play with, and of course I know those people socially and speak with them.  But it's nice to be able to be open with similarly wired people in the comfortable anonymity of the internet.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to read some Walpole while humming Carmen Etonense enthusiastically.

Orpheus Agonistes, KCMG

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ORIGINAL: divi
that it isn't nice to make fun of short people

quote:

Thanks to moderatoreleven I learnt to keep my mouth shut and to seriously temper (and tamper with) my normal elocution. It was forced upon me, however, and I was mightily relieved when the insane restrictions she imposed on so many of us were lifted - she may have done a good job at moderating the boards, but on a human level, she sucked ass.

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ORIGINAL: Musicmystery

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Have the boards changed you?

Yes. I have embraced my inner caribou.