...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?

Elmer...Canadians to the rescue!!

Well here it is, Elmer has interested me enough to feel that a blog post should be written...also I am coming up short on new ideas about SST!  BUT, new member posts are always welcomed I suppose...

First off, Elmer is a great guy, how could one who loves Bear McCreary music not be awesome?! He is from Canada, and while Pete would warn you against the women there Elmer seems to be a nice example of the species.  He is fairly new as well, so it goes a lot towards his credit that he has stuck it out this long, found a place to fit and and perhaps make a few friends as well.  He was even asking for our facebook pages, its officials, we have been friended!!  He also has tested the waters with Istagi and his new Thanator pet Fluffmuppet, so again that is another good example of his strong character. Not many see the face of Istagi and live to come back to chat another day.  He is a friend of the cookie love, happy to have another cookie fiend in the grouping of course. It really does make me happy to see new people who become a part of that fixed chat presence. Most often they come, stay a few days, then not seen again, but Elmer really has made a name for himself.

I do not know much else about him, one of the non personal types, but that is peachy.  He is a BMCFC! member, a friend who loves good music, what else is there that needs to be known? I have not seen him get into the really silly stuff, but he is a working member so I suppose work chat does not get as crazy...though it has it's moments of course. He has shown that he can go with the silly turns as Istagi is unpredictable.  He has also shown a keen liking to LMarrese, but who doesn't? Besides Pete that is...The Canadians were bound to unite at some point, too bad (as mentioned earlier) Elmer has not met Arya...maybe their paths will cross one of these days...Canadians are not always represented in big numbers, but those few members that make themselves known are certainly sure to be unique elements in the chat...

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!

Istagi

I have neglected a prominent member of the chat crew, though I have mentioned him in passing a few times before, I thought that perhaps he deserved his own posting!  So here it is...*cues "Prelude to War" by Bear McCreary*

Istagi is someone who you do not want to be on their bad side;  heck, half the time you don't want to be in the chat with him for fear he may moon or let out excess gas from either end at any moment without warning.  But, regardless, he is always interesting to read, though irritating things may become.  Never one to hold his opinions back he will certainly make sure you understand the fact that hippie food was not meant to be eaten by normal human beings.  He is never far from his bow or medicine kit (yes, Istagi is a native and yes you are standing on his ancestor's land) and is having fun trying to figure out what to do with his new net tail! He is always never short on anything to say and will make sure all in chat know this fact as well.  He hates talking to stupid people, but yet that is his job which he cannot get rid of.  Sometimes, it is truly fascinating to hear the stories of stupid questions he gets asked, how do these people live?  Questions of the universe never to be answered I am afraid.

Though he is crass and certainly can be hard to like, many do find him likable, even known to give him a few huggings should the moment arise. Him and Lies surely can get things going, long term friends are hard to find on the net.  Although there are many things to  irritate some, he certainly does add his own unique presence to that chat.  Everyone adds something, though not always useful, mostly it is still found to be amusing and fun at times. Just as I would never wish him to leave, I get a good laugh out of him and I am learning to like him more and more as I get to know him longer. I like when he brings up stupid crap people do, random links to cats being rolled over by toy cars, endless stories of his life as he knows it.  Whatever it is, chat hold a special place for Istagi...and that is that...!