i remember

[odims_sphere]

and phee dont poke  me you will not like the results, for that matter no one poke me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sarcasm on: Wow! Threats, that's a good way to get people to see your point. Sarcasm off

[phee]

Sarcasm on: Wow! Threats, that's a good way to get people to see your point. Sarcasm off

hah

[torn asunder]

and phee dont poke  me you will not like the results, for that matter no one poke me.

i'm reminded of a certain sgt. hulka, from the movie stripes...

"lighten up, francis!"

[Kiss The Midget]

did i threaten anyone? wow, i didnt see that!

i do "contribute" just not as often as others.

i never poked any one person or everybody on this board.

again if you have to ask yourself "is this about me?" than it probably is.

[Head Wreck]

tbh. peoples opinions are just that opinions.

i still like DGN. some weeks theres lots of threads i can participate in, others (like this week) i'm finding it hard to contribute to any.

way things go.

dont pick on the newbies unless they do an ohster.

i mean, who doesnt come here looking for hot chicks... did i just say that out loud?!?!

i'm coming up t something like my 4th or 5th year on here.

seen people come and go.

seen some users come, post once or twice and never to be heared from again, then theres some like miranda, brenda, sooth (yes he was a newbie once) come and fit in almost instantly.

its these new members that are the secret to a forums survival just as much as the older members, and its these new members that will eventually help the forum evolve.

it gets boring taking about the same old shit over and over. i like dgn because of the range of topics and people.

can people please stop getting defensive please. it eventually leads to flaming.

[Brenda Starrr]

then theres some like miranda, brenda, sooth (yes he was a newbie once) come and fit in almost instantly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I fit in! I fit in!

Sorry.

[AstralCrux]

Yeah, well I remember when most of us decided DGN sex/sexuality forms should be used to incite mass orgy. Then we realized that was what CC was for. Silly us! My point, however, is that the giant ball of DGN sexual frustration has calmed significantly and the board isn't causing near as much sexual drama. It just took time. There will always be drama, hell it's a goth board and according to Voltaire's "What is Goth" drama is inevitable in the gothic community. (big J/K there) Drama causes change.

(ok my turn to be poked with the that post sucks stick!)

[n0Mad]

I remember back when... when... shit, I forgot!

[Mikielikesit]

Yeah, well I remember when most of us decided DGN sex/sexuality forms should be used to incite mass orgy.  Then we realized that was what CC was for.  Silly us!  My point, however, is that the giant ball of DGN sexual frustration has calmed significantly and the board isn't causing near as much sexual drama.  It just took time.  There will always be drama, hell it's a goth board and according to Voltaire's "What is Goth" drama is inevitable in the gothic community. (big J/K there)  Drama causes change. 

(ok my turn to be poked with the that post sucks stick!)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I also thought some spanking was in order you bad bad little girl you.....

it's so bright and cheery in here today............................................lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalal

alalalalaaaaaaaaa

[Reaper]

My two cents. Indeed things have changed over time on this board. Its probably why I wasn't around as much anymore. Nothing particularly stimulated my mind to keep posting. Well, that and the fact that I cannot keep up with all the posts when I am gone a lot. Me in particular, I don't post much of my annoyances as I used to but tend to just "hit and miss" post on whatever I feel like posting to at the moment.

I can see Midgets point but we are both old schoolers and are used to a way that they board got along. Its been a few years since it was small when we were posting a lot and it was a lot of fun. Another factor that this site is missing is Troy. He always seemed to keep the board together with his presence. I miss the older board myself when we used to have outings outside the club. Hell, I miss the cabin outings we did as they were always fun and mostly drama free along with the movie outings.

Hate to hear how people are offended and whatnot because there is too much of it in the nation anymore. It goes as far as people suing others for dumb things like hot coffee and getting fat over a fast food joint. Now they start passing legislation for these dumb things just because a group of people are offended. This is looking at things in a bigger picture, but everything starts at a smaller level.

Anyway, I will continue my hit and miss posting cause I tend to ignore the posts that do not interest me.

[DeadBurgerKing (10)]

:confused *wonders if he fits in*

[paradox]

i just wanted to remind you all that i suck.

that will be all, thanks. :pirate

[DeadBurgerKing (10)]

i just wanted to remind you all that i suck.

that will be all, thanks. :pirate

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey paradox...u suck lol

[Kiss The Midget]

My two cents.  Indeed things have changed over time on this board.  Its probably why I wasn't around as much anymore.  Nothing particularly stimulated my mind to keep posting.  Well, that and the fact that I cannot keep up with all the posts when I am gone a lot.  Me in particular, I don't post much of my annoyances as I used to but tend to just "hit and miss" post on whatever I feel like posting to at the moment.

I can see Midgets point but we are both old schoolers and are used to a way that they board got along.  Its been a few years since it was small when we were posting a lot and it was a lot of fun.  Another factor that this site is missing is Troy.  He always seemed to keep the board together with his presence.  I miss the older board myself when we used to have outings outside the club.  Hell, I miss the cabin outings we did as they were always fun and mostly drama free along with the movie outings.

Hate to hear how people are offended and whatnot because there is too much of it in the nation anymore.  It goes as far as people suing others for dumb things like hot coffee and getting fat over a fast food joint.  Now they start passing legislation for these dumb things just because a group of people are offended.  This is looking at things in a bigger picture, but everything starts at a smaller level.

Anyway, I will continue my hit and miss posting cause I tend to ignore the posts that do not interest me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

*bingo* and thanx

[Onyx]

<snip> Another factor that this site is missing is Troy.  He always seemed to keep the board together with his presence.  I miss the older board myself when we used to have outings outside the club.  Hell, I miss the cabin outings we did as they were always fun and mostly drama free along with the movie outings.<snip>

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I miss Troy too. Hope he comes back soon.

We need you here, Troy.

I would like to do some movie outings again too. If it were on a weekend I could make it out now and again.

[Fierce Critter]

I also want to great, big "DITTO" Reaper's post.

He summed things up well for me, too.

Troy being gone is a major issue. He wasn't the be-all-end-all of the board, but he did give it it's general flavor. He steered it in a direction that I might not always have agreed with, particularly when I was a mod, but it had direction. These days, it seems so aimless. Hit and miss, just a big, confounding mess.

To be perfectly frank, and to voice what I think more than one person thinks/feels but has yet to have the balls to express - I don't think Troy is coming back. And thus, I don't know if that bodes well for DGN.

DGN may become something very different with someone else at the helm. It already has. But (oh gads, here's where she mentions how fucking long she's been on the board... :confused :doh :whistling ) some of us who have been around as long as Midget, myself, BlackMail and a few others maybe see what DGN once was under Troy's tutelage, and maybe we'll just not like it changing too much.

Change is, in my opinion, a good thing. But total change from one state of being to something very, very different may be more than some of us care for.

In my most recent time off from DGN, I've come to a big realization. There was a time when I needed an excuse not to be on DGN all day long. It kept me going, in particular, when going through some very, very tough times in NC. But now, I am finding less and less reason to be on DGN - period. For the first time in the almost 5 years I've been a DGN member, I can see a time when I definitely cease DGN altogether.

Reaper's final comment, in particular, struck me right now:

I tend to ignore the posts that do not interest me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm finding more and more ignorable posts. Specifics were asked for, here's just one.

I find it incredibly irritating at how nearly every single fucking post has to devolve into a great, big clever-fest. Yes, we have a lot of intelligent, creative, clever, funny people on DGN. But damn it - does every damned post have to become a cesspool of witty repartee? It is SO inconsiderate, in particular, where more serious topics are concerned. Do you think you're doing some kind of "feel good favor" when you attempt to "lighten the mood" in every damned post? Come on! Don't fear serious, controversial & intense discussion so much that you have to derail it into a big joke or flirt fest! It's not impressive - it's tiresome. And disrespectful.

"If you're going to complain about the content, then it's up to you to do something about it - post what you want to see posted." That sounds all well and good. But I for one stopped posting as much as I used to 'cause I anticipated the clever-fest any post would become.

I could go on about more, but it would start to branch off into areas that would become too off-topic.

I can see all sides of this issue. Yes, change is to be expected. Yes, sometimes we just want things to be a certain way, and remain that way. There is good and bad in both ways of looking at things. I don't think it's fair to fault either side of this issue, really.

It just may be that DGN is going a direction that some of us didn't anticipate. And it's up to us to either go with the flow and try to fit in best as we can, or lament something we wish had taken a different path, and act accordingly.

I would like to think there'd be some kind of meeting in the middle. But I don't think that's possible in this case - not without Troy back in control.

My two cents.  Indeed things have changed over time on this board.  Its probably why I wasn't around as much anymore.  Nothing particularly stimulated my mind to keep posting.  Well, that and the fact that I cannot keep up with all the posts when I am gone a lot.  Me in particular, I don't post much of my annoyances as I used to but tend to just "hit and miss" post on whatever I feel like posting to at the moment.

I can see Midgets point but we are both old schoolers and are used to a way that they board got along.  Its been a few years since it was small when we were posting a lot and it was a lot of fun.  Another factor that this site is missing is Troy.  He always seemed to keep the board together with his presence.  I miss the older board myself when we used to have outings outside the club.  Hell, I miss the cabin outings we did as they were always fun and mostly drama free along with the movie outings.

Hate to hear how people are offended and whatnot because there is too much of it in the nation anymore.  It goes as far as people suing others for dumb things like hot coffee and getting fat over a fast food joint.  Now they start passing legislation for these dumb things just because a group of people are offended.  This is looking at things in a bigger picture, but everything starts at a smaller level.

Anyway, I will continue my hit and miss posting cause I tend to ignore the posts that do not interest me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[LuluVox]

To be perfectly frank, and to voice what I think more than one person thinks/feels but has yet to have the balls to express - I don't think Troy is coming back. And thus, I don't know if that bodes well for DGN.

If I might interject for a second...I thought this statement was incredibly rude. Even if people have been thinking that Troy might not come back, to assess it the way you did was really self-serving and unnecessary. Oh yes, praise be to Critter for having the balls to say what we all feared most but kept hidden in our cowardly little hearts. Spare me. Maybe people are trying not to be presumptuous? Or, stranger yet, are trying to be optimistic? Gasp.

(Edited because I forgot a letter.)

[Fierce Critter]

I'm not looking for praise. Nor do I expect it.

I've been optimistic, concerned, and hopeful for over 3 years now. Ask anyone who really knows me and knows how I've interacted with Troy in the past - and doesn't just form negative opinions of me based on how they choose to view my posts. Troy and DGN both have, at times, been sometimes more of a concern to me than they should have been, to be perfectly honest.

To finally say something after that amount of time isn't presumptuous. It's finally voicing something that perhaps needed to be discussed a long time ago, yet seems to be swept under the carpet as if it doesn't matter. Yet another reason I stopped moderating when Troy's absence continued - DGN mattered to me so much, it pained me to see the increasingly un-Troy direction it took without him here.

Is this or is this not still Troy's board? If so, is it really being used according to how he'd want it to be? Do people even bother to read & heed HIS rules & guidelines anymore?

Even when I was a mod and disagreed with some direction he wanted to take, I went in that direction because DGN, like it or not, is Troy's. He had - and has - a staff of people whose input he, at least at one time, sought and valued. But in the end, DGN is a dictatorship, with Troy having final say in all matters. That was always my personal guide as to how I behaved both in moderating AND posting. It's hard after all this time to know what Troy would want anymore, but I still try. When in doubt - DGN Rules & FAQ's 3.0.

It wasn't until Troy's input was gone for a very, very extended period that I no longer felt I could steer DGN in the direction he would have wanted it to go. What I said above, simply put, was with certain exceptions such as Ginevra, Onyx, etc., people really seem to be taking a "While the cat's away, the mice will play" attitude towards DGN. Now that is what I would call self-serving.

I don't think that's fair, and I hate to think of what will happen to DGN should the worst-case scenerio play out - which, of course, we ALL hate to think about, and - duh - all hope won't be the case. But some of us don't seem to think about Troy at all anymore. And that I find very, very rude, sad, and disturbing.

Interestingly, it dawned on me while typing this that the people who seem to complain the most both on-board and in private about Troy's absence and the direction DGN has taken are people who were primarily active when Troy was also active regularly. Perhaps there's something to that.

[Shade Everdark]

So many questions, so few answers.

First off, I feel the need to point out: while DGn was and is Troy's creation, and we all respect him for it (and I hope, share a measure of gratitude for all the good DGn has done), it was never only Troy's, and I think that is a naive way of looking at it. DGn belonged, in part, to everyone who helped make it so enjoyable. So enjoyable, indeed, that many looked forward to their next chance to catch up on what was going on here.

Troy's direction, leadership, and charisma are sorely missed, I won't deny it. But maybe, just maybe, if Troy isn't in the place to do it--and I sincerely doubt anyone could fault him for it--then we need to find someone who will give us leadership and direction, if that's what this place needs.

Otherwise, maybe it's time for DGn to die, and something new to take its place.

[Guest Megalicious]

I'm not looking for praise. Nor do I expect it.

But some of us don't seem to think about Troy at all anymore. And that I find very, very rude, sad, and disturbing.

.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What I find disturbing is that some people dont realize that Troy prehaps has more important things to worry about for now. Not that I doubt he thinks that DGN is important, Im sure he will return when he sees fit. DGN becomes such an important part of peoples daily lives that they can't understand when it becomes trival to other things in ones life. I miss Troy. We all miss Troy.

It's finally voicing something that perhaps needed to be discussed a long time ago, yet seems to be swept under the carpet as if it doesn't matter

It's not that it doesn't matter, but its Troys choice . Why would we disscusse a choice that Troy has made for himself. If he has made the choice to just let DGN be .. .who are we to agrue? With what he has been through how could we possible expect him to worry about a message board.

It's silly really.

[torn asunder]

But some of us don't seem to think about Troy at all anymore.

...speaking of presumtuous...

i think of troy every time i come to this forum - troy *is* dgn, to me, even in hiatus... but whether or not troy is here, he chose the moderator staff because he believed we could keep things in check, as far as the dgn rules are concerned. yes, this was a "dictatorship" of sorts, and yes, we all miss troy's input and guiding voice here. his health is of primary importance, and personally, i'm very glad he's taking care of himself, board be damned. i was shocked to hear that people are assuming he's not coming back, because i firmly believe he will, when he's ready - in the meantime, i plan on keeping the board as jerk-free as possible. we do need troy's guidance, because only he knows where he wants to take the board, but since he is otherwise occupied, we've all been trying to follow his guidelines as best as we can. i, for one, would not presume to think or speak for troyat all, since i'm not him... honestly, do you know whether the board is being used according to his ideals? have you talked to him? if so, share, if not, then you're just puting words in his mouth, so to speak.

as always, if anyone has concerns about anything on the baord, please feel free to contact any member of the moderator staff - we'd all be glad to help, and if we can't personally, we'll try to direct you to someone who can. if you have constructive ideas, or thoughts about ways to improve/help the board, please share them! while we can't make drastic changes without troy's approval, i think the more input the moderators have about the board, the better.

thanks! =)

[Fierce Critter]

Shade - those are exactly some thoughts I have expressed to certain nameless ones who know what I'm talking about.

I want Troy back. I want - for his sake - DGN to carry on the way he'd like it to. Best case scenerio, by far.

I do think some people have done a damned good job of both running DGN via moderating, and maintaining the lifeblood of DGN by posting according to Troy's guidelines. I think those currently "in charge" are some of the best staff members we've ever seen on DGN. And some of the posters currently active are obviously wonderful and we all look forward to reading their input - whether funny, clever, serious, controversial, etc. I really don't view things as "all bad", not by far.

My opinion doesn't even matter, really. I am not vain enough to think I am the person who could run DGN totally according to what Troy wants. I'm not sure if anyone can, or, if such a person exists, who that person is. I would think it'd be someone close to Troy personally.

But though DGN is, definitely, nothing without the collective "everyone" you refer to - from moderator to newest member - it'd be nice to have a dictator in power again, really. Then it would be easier to judge whether this is a place that does or does not "work" for you, me and the next person who comes along. Right now, things are just so arbitrary, it's hard to know what is and is not "DGN" anymore, if you know what I mean.

By the way, I'm the last person to fault Troy for doing what he has to do to put his health & well-being first on his priority list. My own recent health experiences only make me that much more understanding of that - and more impressed & envious of that kind of resolve.

[Fierce Critter]

...speaking of presumtuous...

i think of troy every time i come to this forum - troy *is* dgn, to me, even in hiatus... but whether or not troy is here, he chose the moderator staff because he believed we could keep things in check, as far as the dgn rules are concerned. yes, this was a "dictatorship" of sorts, and yes, we all miss troy's input and guiding voice here. his health is of primary importance, and personally, i'm very glad he's taking care of himself, board be damned. i was shocked to hear that people are assuming he's not coming back, because i firmly believe he will, when he's ready - in the meantime, i plan on keeping the board as jerk-free as possible. we do need troy's guidance, because only he knows where he wants to take the board, but since he is otherwise occupied, we've all been trying to follow his guidelines as best as we can. i, for one, would not presume to think or speak for troyat all, since i'm not him... honestly, do you know whether the board is being used according to his ideals? have you talked to him? if so, share, if not, then you're just puting words in his mouth, so to speak.

as always, if anyone has concerns about anything on the baord, please feel free to contact any member of the moderator staff - we'd all be glad to help, and if we can't personally, we'll try to direct you to someone who can. if you have constructive ideas, or thoughts about ways to improve/help the board, please share them! while we can't make drastic changes without troy's approval, i think the more input the moderators have about the board, the better.

thanks! =)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You yourself like to point out when people seem to miss your own qualifiers when they respond to only part of your posts.

You quoted me directly - "Some of us...". Not all. I believe "All" would have definitely qualified as presumptuous. "Some" is a fact. It's up to "them" to speak publicly or not. For now, all you'll get from me is "Some...".

And as far as the current moderator staff - you won't hear any complaints from me. However, from day one, moderators have always disagreed with each other as to how DGN should be run, what's "best" for DGN. I can remember a time when EVERY moderator disagreed with something Troy insisted on - and things, of course, went his way. It's HIS board.

Point being, without one single person in charge, it's all open to personal interpretation with noone with a direct line to Troy having final say. Unless there's something we don't know. Not that it's any of our business, just saying.

Troy was never fond of hiring yes-men as mods. He often expressed to me how he liked having a staff of people with widly varying opinions of how things should be done. That worked, so long as he was around to have final say. There was a time when autonomy was not a word in a moderator's vocabulary - things had to be run by Troy before they could be enacted.

I have no real major point to make here. Just to repeat that this leads to the kind of arbitrary nature of goings-on on DGN that make it difficult for me, and perhaps others, to know what DGN's direction is anymore. It gets confusing and hard to know how to enjoy it.

[Kiss The Midget]

p.s. who is the sr. mod. right now?

[torn asunder]

to me, dgn is what it is "right now", and always will be - just as i am who i am, "right now", not who i was yesterday, or last month, or last year... it's always evolving, and will continue to do so as long as it exists.

and btw, to my knowledge, nothing about dgn, or the moderation of it, is arbitrary - the mod staff discuss the things that come up, and (as best we can) make decisions based on general consensus, and what we feel is best for the board, according to troy's guidelines.