Meeting the Kat...!

I got the privileged to meet Kat this past weekend...spurred by the desire to go see Harry Potter 7.1 with someone else I drove the 4 hours down to San Antonio and spent the weekend meeting another virtual friend.

Going into this meeting was a bit different from others, I was not entirely sure what to expect but I still had a wonderful time meeting the person behind the persona! In any sort of meeting, you go into it with a set of expectations, what the person was like online and how that will differ, or be similar to, their actions in the real world....If anyone knows Kat well, they know Kat is very playful and funny and extremely cute, very much a cat in the chat and sticks to that idea. Of course Kat is not really a cat ;o) sorry to burst any bubbles...but the real Kat was still fun, enjoyable and great fun to just sit around to talk with. We had fun seeing Harry, talking about the cute patronous for Umbridge (the blue cat was far too cute for her) and other random topics that came to mind...Kat was also a very good tour guide, we had fun walking the river of San Antonio and I learned more Texas history at the Alamo! Yay for learning!

The meeting with Kat further showed that no matter how much you talk to someone online it can never replace that face to face meeting and the real hugs one can give. But I was glad I still got the opportunity to go down there...now I can add what i know of the real Kat to all those conversations yet to be had in the SST chat room...

Loss of charm...

I have come to the conclusion that the longer you hang around and listen to the site, the novelty and charm of it wears off quick enough...or perhaps I've spent way too much time there so the charm left quicker for me...

Older members are rare to find on the site, sure some still come around Furyen is one of the oldest members (years on the site not years hes been alive) Andres and Pete count among those numbers too...I joined in 2007 and while that is not too long ago, most of the more active members are those that have joined the past few years. Again, just a general statement as Maddy, Istagi and Lies are oldies but still frequent the site.

What is it that makes SST not so appealing anymore?  I still follow the chat throughout the day...mostly...but I find I listen tot he music less and less...maybe that is because as my own collection expands I find i do not want to listen to random music that I may not like which others put into the queue.  Often enough there are scores I know I do not like so I avoid them consciously, but I have found that SST just doesn't hold the awe that it did when I first joined.  You now know how things work, you've been around the forums enough and you know enough people that things are just comfortable.  I guess you can compare it to any other relationship, things just get complacent.

What keeps you going back?  The people of course, it truly makes up the heart of SST and without it I doubt I would spend my entire day on there...new music is nice, updates are always appreciated, but again more often then not most of it I could care less to hear. Though it is nice on that rare occasion you do find something new that you really do enjoy and might not have heard otherwise. For that, SST I will still visit you and keep your page open at all times...

Finding something that has changed...

Well now I am sorry...but I was reminded by Lies, dear blog I have neglected you...I suppose it is my fault, run out of ideas, or I have been just lazy (or both?)

Have you read the chat log lately? Chat log

It is a fun read, and it seems most of the new posting have been made by the night crew!  A few of the Nessy ones are good too, her tour of the US has made her a limited time US night chatter.  I would like to note, that since i have met Nessy, I find that she is very much like her online persona.  I got to spend a little over a week with her, trying to find thing for her to do in lame Ft. Worth Texas...think I managed ok. Fury and I got to discussing the week and decided planning was not the sheep's strong suite.  But I understand, it would be hard to plan three months of traveling...She has gotten to meet a lot of other SST people though, I think that has made the trip more fun for her.

Now while Nessy was how I thought her to be from online chats, Exocet was VERY different.  He was in Dallas when Nessy was so all four of us met one night for dinner and walking adventures. You automatically form pictures of people in your head, be it as you read a book or chat to a friend online.  I cannot tell you how I thought he looked, but he looked different from what I imagined in my head.  He was also a bit older than I thought.  His SST online 'thing' is Star Trek II and III quoting and the love of certain women (notably Ziyi Zhang).  He has even copyrighted his statement in chat whenever a Movie score of hers comes on.  All for fun, yes, but it shows him as very single minded. But in person he is much different, maybe he does not feel the need to be 'that guy' or he likes being known for that certain thing.  Who knows why people do what they do.  But, where I am going with this is that he is a rather nice guy in person, not once was Ziyi brought up! I do not think the conversation lapsed really, so that is surely saying something.  We three were the first he had met from online, so hope it was a good first impression.

...The lesson? You never really know who that person sitting behind the screen really is!  But I suppose that was already known.  Sharing only that which you think make 'you' in the best chat light...

...and the winner is?

A silly thing happened in chat, a posting on how random things said lead to more random things and results that really mean nothing...

It is Elmer's fault, him and his goal of stirring up a sort of dead chat got me supposedly challenging him to who was 'better' than the other.  Nessy came up with the little idea of having a poll in the forums to see who other chatters though was better.  I thought it funny, Elmer put up a good fight by promoting the sillyness in the chat and I mostly let it slip by.  Turned out i got the most votes (though Elmer was winning at first) but I think that was the case only because more people knew who I was so Elmer had a bit of a disadvantage there.  Same goes for round two, which Nessy again started, who could get the most requests dedicated to them, double the points if the track had the person's real name in the title.  I thought Elmer had won that, but I won again (who knew?)

I just wanted to bring it up because I thought it amusing that Elmer would think of that or that Nessy would take the little idea and go to the forums, and request box, with it.  I honestly do not think I am better, just more known to other members than Elmer is.  I thought though that it is fun to see how nothing is ever really the same in chat.  Sure the usual people show up at their usual times.  Usual topics of conversation come through the chat. But sometimes, when things get slow or dead, people like Elmer who want things to  be a little more fun or are just bored at work, take things in a totally different direction. Now is that unique to SST? doubtful, but SST is unique in so many other ways, I doubt it would have gone so well otherwise.  Other willingly participated in the fun and Elmer I think enjoyed himself and is secretly waiting to call a rematch!

..I am sure Elmer is better at a great many things, but I win for being older than him on SST!

Associations

Thanks to my wonderful chat buddies bru and rukia for the suggestion :)

It was mentioned that real life occurrences, foods or items seem to remind some of SST people, I think that is common enough since you spend enough time with a certain person, unique characteristics develop that are distinctly associated with that person and when theat characteristic shows up in real life you cannot help but remember.  Levi started it with saying that eating a taco at lunch reminded him or rukia.  Of course, any night person would get this reference.  Rukia and Levi have a long history of tacos (another one of those mystical chat food items that demand the utmost reverence) and although rukia seems to still have a really old taco in her fridge, TQA, she usually treats the tacos with love.  So then Bru and Rukia went ahead and wrote other things that reminded them of chatters...

bruiser: i had root beer with lunch.
bruiser: and i thought of levi and ruk
bruiser: every time i see a tutu i think of Petey
Rukia: every time i see/smell coffee i think of andres
bruiser: and when i see a black kitty i thnk of jadey and sydney
Rukia: levi = Zim, buffy, rootbeer,tacos,bacon
Rukia: nate = when anything goes wrong
Rukia: jade = kitties,simba,nala
Rukia: Redjack = lego, bacon, sing along disney tunes
bruiser: BP - Indian food, Morricone
Rukia: bru = bale, future famous authors

Silly, but funny...I could add a few more...I think of bru and rukia, mostly bru, when anything Harry Potter comes up. Rukia is also the Lion King wife, so everything associated with that is a remembrance of her and the lines she must be citing when a song comes up from the soundtrack.  The coffee and Andres association are of course linked as well, he is such a connoisseur one can not but help to think of his expertly brewed coffee when seeing it. Also, tofu.  I saw it at the store, though of him and wondered if it had enough protein to suit his requirements!  I don't mind the stuff, but it is funny how something so simple can bring a thought.

Well thats all that comes to my mind...who and what do YOU think of?

Always in motion...

Change is always constant, I think this is an obvious point to everyone...Being on SST for a little over 3 years (short compared to many others) I find it interesting to see how little things have changed over that course of time, many in recent months it seems...

Little things on the site always seem to be added, was there a time before favorite lists?  How the heck did you remember what you liked? Or right, you had to remember them in your head!  Funny how you cannot see how things functioned well without such an add-on.  While many changes seem sort of useless (IN MY OPINION) such as little stars in the queue or scrolling forum box text thingamajig, I suppose they serve some additional site enhancing purpose in the eyes of they who own this joint. I Suppose the site has to by dynamic, if things never got added then things would get a little boring there. Sometimes its fun to find something new added to the site...then the novelty wears off, as with anything new and shiny.

Then there are the people changes.  I usually don't mind when people come and go, most of them I am not really attached to, it is the way of things on SST.  You get new people who hop into chat, you get others who never come back for some reason (I think some get rather intimidated by other chatters).  I suppose everyone has their reason to leave, but sometimes it is hard to not see that person there.  I will say, when they do come on it is nice to chat up a storm once again, maybe that is their purpose? They want you to miss them more so they leave for a month just to show how much you miss them!  Plan uncovered, I am on to you now!! *evil giggle*  Or others decide to change their roles on the SST crew. But again, life changes, things come around and you find your attachments to SST waning.  Such is life.  We see, we enjoy the times we have...and we have a nice chat with those lost friends who find their way back, if only for a brief period...

Please don't leave forever, you would be too greatly missed...

Finite Content

Well, as SST does change, it is not always a quick and sudden things, more glacial if I were to compare it to any sort of movement...what am I supposed to keep writing on?  What I see is still the same, silly, serious, nonchalant...how about the art of trying to be different?

How does one manage to stick above the crowds that *sometimes* fill the SST chat box, or even if it is not crowded, there are still quite a few people on the site who are regular.  How do you make out your little niche? I suppose each chat persona is at least a part of the real persona of the person.  It seems to me that those brave enough to even enter the chat take their time to figure things out.  Do I say this, or that?  Do I tell them I like those better than these?  Do I run with where this crazy chat is heading towards?  Am I brave enough to just run with the oddity? How much do I need to kiss to get ahead here?  Nothing against any of you on that site, I just find it humorous how some people choose specific points to emphasize, no one really seems to be the stiff upper lip type, but I suppose to survive long you have to have a sense of humor.  Anyways, why would you frequent a chat box if it reminds you just of the same life you have away from the computer screen?  I suppose when one chooses their screen name, that has a lot to do with it as well.  You choose the name Kellybug, you will be forever associated with bugs, but cute little ones because Kelly is a nice little name. You choose the name Rukia and you decide to be connected to that anime character who likes swords and freezing temperatures.

You choose how to show yourself to the chat box, obviously, so I suppose that is the point...was there a point? How do you pick your level of sillyness?  Or does it just come out without you really meaning it to? I find that others tend to bring it out in me, but I think those others have to either consciously do it or think they need to be that way in order to keep their niche. Do they go outside who they are in real life just to have a place in the chat box just for them?  I'd like to think that none of the regular chatters are in-genuine with who they are, they are just as quirky in real life as well. You have to be a certain type of person to last on SST, maybe that goes with being that certain type who loves soundtracks as well.  Not a large category, but larger than one first thinks...but everything has its limit...

The Uses Of SST

In regards to what people get out of SST, I have touched on that topic a bit with each member posting a then a little more in random general postings, but thought I would establish a single post about what I see people use SST for...

I think the majority of people use SST as a way to escape into a little internet world.  In regards to where a person logs on from (work or home) defines how deep that person needs SST.  Those that come on at work I think see it as a way to get away from the boring work day, while listening to great music along the way of course. They found the site through an interest in soundtrack music and stayed because somehow the company was so enjoyable that SST became a part of their lives.  Of course some leave for long stretches of time...some never come back...but I suppose sometimes real life can get in the way of things. To log on at home I think means you found something more.  You take up your free time and spend it with the online community and in the process become closer to all the regular members.  You find SST to be a more integral part of your life because you would rather be on the site than out conversing with other real life flesh and blood people.  the company is more enjoyable on SST perhaps, I think that is my main reason.  You become hooked, you want to keep up with other people's activities and daily life on the site.  To miss a week may mean a large gap in your knowledge base about these people. But there is no harm in that, obviously, I am not as attached as I once was, but I am online nearly the entire day...

Others, those in lesser numbers and those who do not stay long, use SST for their own gain.  Be it just to peeve other unknown people or take advantage of kindness so rare on the net these days.  No site is perfect, everyone has their issues, the large community base means SST gets more recognition than others sites I think.  Sometimes it is harder to figure out who these malicious people are, why would they take advantage of such a nice place?  Do not ask me, I can only guess. There are those that are too lonely and see the site as a cheap form of therapy or help. I suppose they figure 'friends' are supposed to give advice for free, but there is a line and few do not even care when they cross it.  To use others for this goes against what SST has become...If you assume something from this, take it as you like...

I write what I think I see, if you need to correct me please feel free.  I am just a blogger, what use am I? expose the wrongs and write the rights I hope!

The Art of Teasing

Go read some reviews i posted on SST! Miss Austen Regrets and The Young Victoria. Both excellent films as well!  Fall in love I suppose, or be like Jane and just look for money...

BUT that is not the subject of this posting! It takes a clever person to tease, its takes a bigger person to take the teasing!  The greatest example is my bad spelling that Rukia so kindly has taken to keeping track of!  I love a good laugh, no one dishes it better than the night crew of SST.  When the chat gets going with Levi, Rukia, Bru and even Nate and Andres if they are around, who knows the wild things that can come out of peoples mouths!  Or fingers as it may be...There was a lovely tease going on Thursday night with all the silly blogs that Jade could write about, my favorite was "Embracing my Inner Blonde"  thought up by Rukia...It goes back to that point of how much do you tell in chat?  Yes I cut a box where it was not supposed to be cut!  Yes I have my dumb moments, yes i wrote it in chat!  It was funny though, I like a good tease every once and a while. Squiddy would be proud that he is still noted in chat as well.

But it should be noted that teasing in chat is done in the sport of laughter and fun and should never really be taken seriously, Nate has taken a lot of chat teasing (why that man is picked on so much I have yet to full understand: research ongoing).  You pick out the sill things, you skew the facts a bit (or a lot) and you run with it!  There are no rules, there never are, just be big enough to take the teasing and do not let it get to yo, if you are on the receiving end that is.  I think it takes a close nit group to be able to get to that high level of tease, where you really like the person and are comfortable enough with them to be at that point where you can tease and know it is all just a joke.  You laugh at their expense, but you would have to know they would soon laugh right back at you if that point came.  I like to catch Rukia when she makes spelling mistakes, like she wrote "FRO" instead of FROM and I shot back at her with a little ghetto, FRO realz rukia?!?! I laughed, she laughed, who wouldn't laugh at my silly jokes? If you are not laughing then :P But then redjack proceeded to throw a fro at me which was not appreciated, but I still laughed.

Things may run out quickly, or they may go on for a while.  Some times the teasing can be long winded, they are still going on about silly blog titles!  The newest one is Bru: Blog 3: Bale in my Crawlspace - An Adventure!  -- Tank tops and Bawl Babies...Are you laughing yet?  Perhaps you would need to know Bruiser better to really get the tease, but it is worth it. Laughing so hard your side hurts, when was the last time you did that?  Smile a bit, it is all in good fun :)

The Great Game

This post idea came from Sockenfussel, thanks!  We were talking about chat dynamics and she brought up the idea that being in a chat room like SST is like role playing, in a way.  The chat room is the stage and you create for yourself your chat character, defined by that user name you chose when first coming on to the site and whom you will forever be known as....so play on dear chatters...

The member posts have sort of touched on the idea that each person has created for themselves a unique persona and that is how they are known.  They are loud, they are hug maniacs, they are deep composer thinkers and so on...just to generalize of course.  It would be interesting to meet everyone from chat just so I could compare them to their chat persona.  I have met two of the members I wrote about on here, I did write little comparisons between their two faces, but two is too small a number to really say if the persona played in chat is really who that person is.  I know to some degree, who you are in chat is a part of that real physical you (though I suppose some people do go so far as to be totally not themselves, but I'd like to think they are a small minority).  Perhaps those characteristics of your personality that are subdued in real life come to the front in your chatting life, you are quiet and reserved around people in real life but in chat somehow you cannot help but be loud and silly.

But regardless of the similarities, there are many things that you would never really do to someone if you met them in real life.  General chatting in a friendly environment would not likely produce some of the crazy antics that have occurred in chat, but that is because you are, in a way, more free in chat.  You have a virtual world at your disposal were reality doesn't necessarily need to come in to play at all.  the chat room, for example, has everything one could need...I even  made a cute little Shaun White snow man yesterday with virtual snow (his pretty red hair was made with licorice).  Istagi has a tail, brought on by Avatar of course, but he enjoys his virtual tail, except when Phire lights it on fire...Little pieces to create that unique chat persona apart from who you are outside.  I suppose you get the idea by now...be whatever you want to be...share as much as you want and keep hidden everything you can.  You are not really seen by anyone, so what would they know?

So we go into chat everyday, put on our username and play along with the rest of the group...hopefully you have fun with it because thats the point of it, to have fun (i hope so at least)

Much too Much?

How much is too much? I suppose its a valid observation to make about a chat community, SST certainly falls into that category.  I am not saying there is a right or wrong answer to that question, just throwing it out there to think on.  Just my view on the subject, what I've seen...

I think SST is a great place, lots of different sorts of people find their way to the site.  I've noted before how some members share more than others, not that any of them are wrong to do so.  But sometimes I wonder if there is a line somewhere when things should not be shared any further. You ask this person you know how their day was, they say it was awful and go into the details of the not so nice day at work, or whatever.  This person comes in, goes into great length about some family issues, how they cannot really cope and the people in chat are left to try and deal because you really don't like to see people down, but what can you do?  You are just an anonymous stranger who knows how far away.  Should you really indulge that sort of pouring out? Its nice to know details of someone's life, it helps you to get to know that person, but at some point it gets to be a whining thing and there should be a 'do not disturb' sign hung around that chatter's neck.

I suppose some feel that SST chat is one of the only outlets for them, they have no other friends really who would sit there and listen, or read as the case may be.  So they use what they have, in the hopes that someone will be able to comfort them. But what is truth?  How can you be sure of anything anyone says?  I guess that is taking it a bit too far, as you get to know these chatters you learn to trust them, you hope for the best in them.  You want what is best for them, even if you know them just through an online chat.

I believe though, there should be a point where one realizes their complaints and troubles are a bit too much for the chat to handle.  I believe people should be more aware of who the others are in the chat and what they really want to hear.  But i also believe that not everyone is so aware and not everyone really cares.  They just want to spew their troubles and that is it.  Care for me please!!! I am so lonely and so depressed!!!

Did I anger you?  Well these are my observations....take them at that....

Following and Creating a Train

So again with the long wait, no protests heard yet...! I thought a post about Trains would be nice, since Rukia and I had the fortune to have a fun go at it yesterday, though not a true train because there were songs in between, it was still fun.

It is amusing to note that most trains that I have done are usually just random thoughts and really had no pre thought of idea before it was begun, or it even may have begun on accident.  You selected a few songs that are similarly themed and decide to just run with that and see how many tracks or albums you can find with that theme.  Last night we ended up doing a curse word train, started with my razzing Rukia with a Cocaine Cowboys track that she laughed at the first time I requested, had the word motherfuker in it.  So she then proceeds to select another track with *** in lieu of a title and I followed suit.  it was a fun train, interesting to find how many tracks have swear words that were ***.  I made a comment in chat though, when Redjack noted that the Mickey Blue Eyes track really didn't coincide with the track title "Fuckin Cookies" It was a pleasant upbeat happy track, not the anger driven song one expected.  I thought it interesting that these track titles with their swear words astericked out don't necessarily reflect the feeling of that swear word. I guess that goes to show that titles do not always tell you what is in store for the song.  We had fun with the train, got some funny comments in chat asking why there were so many bad words in the queue, Rukia blamed it on too much sugar and I blamed it on her!  Only fitting I think.

I have not done a true train in a long while, usually the queue is too busy or I just do not stay up late enough.  I found in interesting that another member, LadyInque who is a scholar, is actually writing a paper on SST, trains and why members do them.  I am not sure entirely what the paper covers, but it is interesting because an academic thought it worthy enough to write about this little aspect of SST! I would be interested to read her paper when done, but when she asked me why I did trains I just said I thought it fun to try to get in as many tracks as you could without interruption and sometimes it is a good way to fill a small queue when you are unsure what to request.  I also admitted that I did like to see my name a bunch of times together in the queue.  I have not been lucky enough though to get an entire queue to myself, though others have and I applaud them for that!

It is just another aspect of SST that I think makes this place unique and fun.  Trains with another are great too because you get to compete, in a way, in who can find the most tracks or weirdest tracks in line with the train theme.  It is also a way to maybe find new music that you would not have requested otherwise.  It is also a challenge to find a unique theme to attempt.  It is another way to have fun and enjoy the site a little more...in my humble opinion...!

The Importance of Fan Clubs

Another general observation of the chat, there can never be too many fan clubs nor can there ever be too much enthusiasm for a single composer.  The fan clubs, generally abbreviated to FC play an important part in the chat room, it tells everyone who/what you love enough to shout out at every track that is a part of that grouping.

I believe the fan club trend started with Hisaishi and Morricone, both are the most popular fan clubs in the chat and seem to be the core fan clubs that are present throughout. There are random branches that people like to yell out, be it the VGFC or the HZFC, those members tend to just use the FC idea to express their love of a particular artist or genre as is the case for the VGFC which seems to be comprised of one member. The way this goes about is you yell out HFC...or whatever fan club it may be at the given time a track is played.  This lets everyone in the chat know what you like.  I think this is important due to the fact that you can associate with different members who you know like similar scores. Open up suggestions of other composers closely related or tell of the new score of said composer that you recently received.  It is just another tool really to add depth to the chat and give a little more info about people that make the place a more dynamic place to be.

While I noted above which were the original fan clubs, it is still fun to see random people make up random fan clubs.  Most notably to me is the VGFC, I suppose just by writing it here I give it far too much credit.  Just a random fan club started by ClassCE, one which for a while has not taken over the queue so that is good.  But when it gets going, beware of the potentially fatal video game tunes that may come up.  I love many composers, but cannot state that i proudly wear any fan club badge, I like to think I make my opinions clear just by yelling when someone picks a track/composer I enjoy.  Another side note of the FC yell is the Ned and BSG yells. While NED far exceeds many little fan clubs, it only has one score so it has fewer chances.  But it is still popular and always when a track plays from Waking Ned Divine, at least 4 members will yell out his name and even offer up a toast.  Not an official FC, but i would think it comes as close as one can get.  Battlestar Galactica is a smaller offshoot, not as many people yell BSG when it comes up anymore, there use to be a far bigger grouping.  I am among those, but what can I say, I love the music. But still, sometimes, often you will get the occasional yell in appreciation of Bear's music scoring.

Just another facet of a multi layered room, the fan clubs are fun to note and even more interesting to find who likes what. Just another way to let others know where you stand on certain types of music...

The Importance of Links

Well here we are in the general again.  Something that is ever important to the chat environment is the link, usually to pictures but often to other random pages be it news articles or various geek stuff out there to buy.  The link is important because it is able to say things that cant be said, express feelings or just share neat things one has found with the others of the chat, the link plays a unique role in bringing the people of the chat a little closer together.

I think the most common use of the link is to share funny/cute/ugly/funny pictures that are found by various chatters.  Maddy is known for her hug pictures, usually the cutest cats she can find cuddled up with each other.  Han is the 'Link King' having a random link for what it seems like every song or score there is in the playlist.  Sometimes very obscure references, but he most often has a link when you need one! Lieserl use to post the most random and weird picture links, sometimes you had to wonder who would ever put some of those on the internet.  People post links for films to stress a quote they are making or just to help other chatters visualize what they are trying to say. Picture links add to the quality of the chat I believe, giving a visual aid is always helpful, on or off the net.

Links of course are also most helpful to share random information or news stories.  Last night they were going on about Anime swords, links were abundant as they showed off the best reproductions they could find.  Linking to a site is the only way otherwise to really let others know what you are looking at, describing all those swords would of taken a lot longer. Links are the short way I suppose you could sum up, to get others interested in what it is you are looking at.  I have seen a lot of weird stuff as well to buy that I am sure I never would have found if it were not for some link posted by a chatter.  Youtube also proves valuable in linking, the power of videos and music is multiplied now with the ability to have it at quick access.  Little things to lighten up the chat, like the random Sesame Street video about the word Concentrate, brought to you by Elmo and Hugh Jackman. Had no relevance, but it was funny, made me laugh and I am sure brightened a few days. How else to see such nice looking people without links?

I suppose this is a pretty obvious observation about the chat, but I guess it was notable enough for its own posting...not as eloquent as the last I am afraid...

Birthdays and Other Ramblings

Well, I suppose those who read know it was my birthday yesterday, if you did not know, well thanks...!

Not sure what there is to blog about, but I thought a post on Birthdays was a little appropriate.  When one has a birthday on SST most often members request a track in their honor. it is a very nice gesture and with the added feature of Favorite Lists, the requesting is made that much easier.  It just mad me feel so happy and all I did was sit at the computer.  i did have a nice birthday indeed.  I was surrounded by friends, what could be better?  it is an interesting phenomena on SST, when the chat gears up and makes it 'YOUR' day.  They try to request things you like and try to make you feel welcomed.  I suppose that is not much different than any other day, minus the requesting bit. It is a comfort to know that if you are stuck home alone on your birthday, you will still most likely have a fun day.

Sock, the wonderful woman that she is, even wrote an Ode for me.  Who does that?  I have never had anything written about me in that manner and yet here, this woman I barely know found inspiration in SST and me to give me something so thoughtful on my birthday. I think that proves a good point, SST really does have a special group of people that would have no other home on the net if this station was not around. What brings such a unique group of people, who are able to be so friendly and kind to complete strangers?  Is the genre of score music that impressive that it plucks the best out?  Well, thats not entirely true since the site does get its jerks. Score music is unique in that it isn't as widely popular as other genres, with a select group actually buying into it.  But I think I've gone off whatever topic I had started...

Observations are subjective and are prone to change.  The more you get to know people the better your understanding of them becomes.  I know SST is a dynamic place, new members arrive, new scores get added...I think though some people do grow out of their need for SST.  In the short time I have been there, many people have gone and few have returned from long stays away.  What am I getting at?  Observations only go so far till there is nothing left you can observe from afar...Sorry for the ramblings...

Unexpected Love

 Well, some may know, I will hit that quarter century mark this Sunday and as a kind thoughtful, UNEXPECTED gesture, friends off of SST sent me a gift!  i know this is sort of off the whole 'observation' theme, but I think i can connect it...if you permit...

Receiving something from an online friend is a way, I think, to become closer to that friend.  The internet can only do so much, I think we all know this. It is funny too how when you seem to be a little down, those online friends are able to cheer you up with their silly antics, their virtual hugs or just lending an eye to read about your issues.  A long running joke at night in regards to me has been my enormous stuffed animal collect, virtual of course.  i use to throw them at Levi as I left, then i gave one to Kelly when she went to bed, I always had to come up with a new animal to send off!  It was fun, another one of those chat quirks that just make you closer with those who live so far from you. My 'favorite' animal soon became squiddy, the giant stuffed squid, original name yes i know...I'd drag him off to bed or offer him to Kelly if she wanted. I do not remember how it became him, just that somehow we got to talking about weird sea creatures and of course squids came up! Needless to say, it was a fun little thing and now I have my own real squiddy!  We had found this great website that has a ton of animals, basically every animal you can think of this site has it.  Levi, Bru and Kelly pitched in together to buy me the Squid :) how sweet is that?  it was so unexpected and so thoughtful.  It made me so happy when I opened the mysterious box! I think this observation proves that friends you make online are as good as real ones, if not better. I will forever cherish my squiddy and smile thinking on my friends I have that remembered.

I also had to make a further note about Rukia!  I know i had mentioned briefly her keeping a list, but yes, here it is officially.  If you are ever in the need to recount all the words i have misspelled (or at least those she remembers) Rukia is now keeping a running list!  They are called Jadeism, hah, and though its embarrassing to misspell, i was doing it a lot on my laptop, so i think i deserve the jest at least. I am ever thankful for spell checkers on Google Chrome and Firefox!! It is funny though when one of them catches on, like poaste. Shows that even little things can bring out a laugh and it is perfectly alright to laugh at yourself over silly mistakes in chat.

Also, had to share a poem of Sock's creation, our resident Shakespeare!


sockenfussel: so fierce a dragon never seen as levi the unyielding,
                        young maidens scream when he arrives.
                          His secret I'm a-shielding,
                    true bards have said of dragon folk
                      "beware his poisonous sting"
                   but I take cover from the world
                      beneath his guardian wing

..Sorry for the bad spacing, but there it is, hello random posting!

The Importance of Cookies

It may be silly, but cookies (as virtual as the may be) play an important part in chat.

When the mere mention of them is made in chat many members go bug-eyed. They are something awesome and undeniably good to eat, warm yummy thoughts always come to me when I hear their mentioned.  But it is funny because they can be used as a very good tool to get people to do things, or seen as the reason to do many things.  here is a little example from Chat today:

Redjack_Ryan: Building a LEGO model that functions with motors. And what's cooler than that? Same thing, but with actual lights  
kellybug: Building LEGO models while eating cookies..?
Redjack_Ryan: That too, kelly

I just saw that so I posted it, but of course there are other long past chats that had similar responses to the awesomeness of the cookie!   It is a very good way to get Leviathan to behave, if you dare mention them you'd better have enough for everyone.  Rukia's sword was turned into one that sprouted cookies, just cause that would somehow be more awesome than the usual ice it put out.

What is it about the cookies that creates such a response from so many? I know that cookies are good, I love to bake them, try new kinds and even send them to friends.  But virtual ones?  i suppose perhaps it is the knowledge of what they are in real life that the online chatter cannot help but get giddy about cookies in chat.  True, not all members are lured in by the offer of cookies, but a fair few are in that group.  Not that it is at all a bad thing, I love a cookie whenever I can get them.. It is just funny to see sometimes the reactions that come about due to cookies. Such a simple food item, yet no other can beat it out for most prized virtual food item (except maybe bacon, but I detest the stuff so it doesn't get my vote). 

Moral of the post, when bringing cookies, ensure there are plenty for all and do not abuse the power of the cookie on other members...

Chat Life

Not a member posting, just a general observation of the chat life dynamic.

You could say that a chat room is like a family, at least the sort on SST where only a certain type of individual find their way to the site.  I'll say that the SST chat is my online family, as cheezy or weird as that may be. As with every family, you have a wide variety of character...those you can stand and those you cant are the broadest categories to place the members in.  Needless to say, most members I can tolerate, the few I can't I try not to let bother me.

I have never been in a chat room quite like that on SST, everyone seems to be very close somehow.  I was intimidated at first to start chatting, took me a few weeks after I joined to say hello.  But I am glad I did.  I know of no where else where the people are so friendly, funny, random and entertaining.  A few words can bring about random silly acts, last night we remembered 'Talk Like A Pirate Day' where we set sail on the virtual high seas! No where else could I continually make a member laugh every time I misspell something, POASTE!!! (She has a running list now of my silly mistakes)

I have had the most fun in an evening, just hanging out on that site. People have set up their reputations, how they enter/leave the site, how they say hello to others, how they will react and act to different things.  Sit there long enough and you cant help but see patterns and create ideas of these people...