Better safe than sorry: an early goodbye.

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

As you'll have spotted, a few people, myself included, have reacted to the news that ILX will be taking a two-week break with something close to relief. It's possible that I won't be returning when it gets back on, as I've been trying to kick the habit for a while. It's not good for me in work, and it's not good for me at home (just because it's time not spent reading/writing/watching videos/etc).

Something happened today, after I heard there was going to be a 14 day outage, I felt giddy, and when I saw other people creating alternatives, I actually felt nauseated. Partly because I felt the twitching of "something interesting could be happing over there right now!". I went back to being happy when one of them shut down and the other turned out to be, no offense, a standard ugly mesage board.

It isn't quite fair to say that ILX caused the erosion of my social life, just that it accompanied it. Most of my peer group of friends in Dublin are a little older than me, and are squarely hitting the marrying/nesting stage. Soon it'll be kids and "okay, see you when you're 50!". It's safe to say that I've seen a lot of my London (ie ILX) friends more than my Dublin ones this year, and this was especially clear over the weekend in Glastonbury.

This is all a bit dark for the purpose of this post, which was to say that I've met/known some of the best people in the world through ILX. Naming names is a slippery slope, but to hell with it:

I am eternally glad that I've been exposed to: Geeta, John Darnielle, Nabisco and especially (no-one says this enough) Mark S: Human first, Mekon second. He'd be my hero except I don't think he believes in that sort of thing, which is why he's my hero.

I am eternally thankful that I've met: The London Kru, Ally, Lara, and especially Tom Millar, the last good man on the planet.

As God is my witness, I will meet: Dan Perry, Teeny, Jess, Sam and especially Dee, whose life inside and outside this board over the last two years has been heartbreaking and wonderful.

ILX has also been the imperfect realisation of what I thought computers would be like in the future: you can ask almost any question and someone will know. If there's more than one point of view, you'll get two answers.

I'll definitely still be on AIM most evenings: I'm AndreFarrell, and as long as notification goes up in time I'll be over to some Club Freaky Trigger. Long term and further afield, dunno.

I will of course feel silly if I just slot back in in a fortnight, but I've always belived that it's better to get out things that have been rattling around your head and possibly look silly. It would be endearing, if it was endearing.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 00:37 (twenty years ago)

If you're going to use this thread for something, use it to tell ILX you love it. Adding "It's not you, it's me" is optional.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 00:38 (twenty years ago)

bye. sorry i've not met you. best

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Friday, 2 July 2004 00:41 (twenty years ago)

Hurrah for Andrew! Fine and kind feller, gracious host and all around spiff person. We'll yet talk more one way or another. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 2 July 2004 00:49 (twenty years ago)

http://www.maxis.musik-sampler.de/images/covers/2002-32.jpg

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 00:50 (twenty years ago)

Andrew (and ultimately everyone else):

I feel as though I've done a lot of growing up in the process of participating in this forum, and while some of you might think that quite odd, I don't. Being exposed to all sorts of points of view and so many different varieties of talent and creativity, such a well of truly gifted people, has given me a bigger and better model to work from. Every single contributor to this forum has given me something to grow on, from Ned's, Ally's, and Dan's incredibly welcoming arms, to Julia's, luna's, Nichole's, Sam's, Pinkpanther's, Archel's, teeny's, Di's, and Anna F's "beautiful souls" girls society, to Chris P's, Chris V's, Anthony E's, oops's, Tep's, Martin S's, NA's, Matos's, and your [addressing you here, Andrew] "beautiful souls" boys society, to stevem's, miloauckerman's, Martin M's, gygax's, Dave S's, John D's, Rob Bolton's, and so many other individuals' excellent (even if differing) viewpoints, to... you know what? If you're even an occasional contributor to this forum, I need to thank you. Even in this one particularly rough patch I experienced last year, some of you were thoughtful enough and concerned enough to actually try to reach out and contact me offline to see how I was doing. This does not happen everywhere online, I'm well aware, and is one of those signs this forum is so much better than any of the other ones out there.

You people care. Even when you don't think you do, you care.

You people are welcoming. There are no set cliques around here. This does not have the feel of high school about it. If you want to be in with one of the regional crews, all you have to do is be around them enough. There's a creative group that only demands its members be creative. Practically all the socialists on this forum have already shown how welcoming you are of die-hard capitalists such as myself. There is no "popular" group around here, no gang of individuals who insist on turning every single thread into their own person playpen.

For all of these reasons and for so many more, I am anxiously anticipating the return of this forum. Because all of you are beautiful. Thank you.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 2 July 2004 04:53 (twenty years ago)

Aw, ya rule, Dee. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 2 July 2004 04:55 (twenty years ago)

I would like to thank you all for putting up with my roommate tales, workplace drama, endless lapel shaking/spittle flying love of Saint Etienne/the Handsome Family/the Oblivians and their Memphis offshoots/Neko Case's solo career (no she's not boring and yes she's better than Tubby and Rich!), Chicago sports teams/pizza allegiances, lack of a clear photo, failure to show up at FAPs, ridiculous picture postings, Dr. Awkward, and making note of the stone-cold fact that the Windy City is better than Seattle and NYC combined!

also to my favorite posters Ned, gygax, deanomgwtflol&^%^, Mandee, the Alexes, Darnielle, oops, CUrtis, Ally for her email addresses, the ILB boys, the ILF crew, the Mods, the sods, the cods, and my never-met unnamed good friend to the slight west who keeps me entertained daily with non-sequitor emails about nothing in particular and whom I find to be a wondrous person.

well now I feel silly...

paging...

http://www.xoxmag.com/images/metem/dr_awkward_front.gif

― Gear! (Gear!), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:15 (twenty years ago)

As for me, when the board is back I'll be in Caracas relaxing and all, so I'll see you all collectively on Friday the 23rd or the like. Rah! :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:17 (twenty years ago)

I'd cook a meal for damn near any of you and never expect you to put out.

― Tep (ktepi), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:20 (twenty years ago)

I heart ILX because it's how I met JBR. I can't really say anything more than that.

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:21 (twenty years ago)

Aww gear, you're one of my favs too. Now let us engage in a manly embrace.

Have a great trip Ned! Are you gonna bring us back some photos?

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:24 (twenty years ago)

This place keeps me company sometimes when I am feeling sick or sad and for that, I am grateful. If any of you ever come to Melbourne, you're assured a good night out.

― Michael Stuchbery (Mikey Bidness), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:35 (twenty years ago)

I'd like to thank all the boys for giving me something to play with while at work.

Um... that really didnt come out the way I meant it to.

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:38 (twenty years ago)

Trayce I think I know you well enough to know that that came out EXACTLY how you meant it. ;)

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:41 (twenty years ago)

Andrew, take care, hon.

Dear ILx: you are still cute.

― cis (cis), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:44 (twenty years ago)

Curses, foiled by oops ;)

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:49 (twenty years ago)

You really shouldn't credit us, as I think you were born with that something you play with at work.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:50 (twenty years ago)

I'd swap my cock for builtin Tetris anytime

― Andrew Blood Thames (Andrew Thames), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:51 (twenty years ago)

I knew something was going down, that's why I couldn't sleep and got up so early! I'll probably have the entire Alice Cooper back catalogue by the the time ILX comes back. This is kinda exciting, like when we left Planet Greenspun, now planet ILXOR is also withering, off we go in our statis pods to Planet ILXOR II!!

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:54 (twenty years ago)

I'm waving goodbye for the moment too; work commitments have redoubled recently so I've been trying to spend minimal time here (and the recent weirdness of the atmosphere etc. etc. yes it's good we're all getting some time off); might be a while after it comes back before I do (or might not). But this place has been pretty great to me--my friends, who know who they are, rule.

― Douglas (Douglas), Friday, 2 July 2004 05:59 (twenty years ago)

I'm not very good at this kind of thing, so I'll just say that I love ILX and you can find me over on Mandee's Board during the layover. I hope you'll all join us there, the more the merrier, etc.

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Friday, 2 July 2004 06:03 (twenty years ago)

Be well, everybody.
Hope to see you here again.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Friday, 2 July 2004 06:37 (twenty years ago)

chris makes me want to slug him in the arm, goofy old romantic you.

I love everyone here i've become friends with, obv. If we've emailed each other off-board, we visit each other's blogs, we send snail (!) mail or we AIM then I mean you.

I like to hope I won't come back b/c like andrew suggests there are so many other things to be done. If I do. . .well you all knew I wasn't much for self-control. If I don't. . .look for my book about the past two years I spent in hell b/c ILx will be in there somewhere.

― Ask For Samantha (thatgirl), Friday, 2 July 2004 06:52 (twenty years ago)

Who knows? I may not even be here (This chair, this screen). But if no, I read that thread about growing up and although I am an old git (by comparison, getoutclause there), there is more conversation and viewpoint to be had and given. Oddly, a number of people I'd lost touch with have refound me by fining posts here.

Rock on till later.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 2 July 2004 07:09 (twenty years ago)

(which one's chris?)

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 07:21 (twenty years ago)

Though my so-called Real Life is somewhere else and I don't perhaps have such an emotional investment in this place as some of you have (perhaps because I don't know any of you personally), I've been digging this place ever since I first came here. ILX has offered me many wonderful insights, and it has been a true saviour in the dull patches of my life, like this summer when I'm (for the moment) out of a summer job. If anything, I've grown to understand that InterWeb communities can be like real-life communities, with both their virtues and their drawbacks. In ILX, the virtues have always outweighed the drawbacks, I think.

So thank you everyone. I will be back in two weeks, no doubt.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Friday, 2 July 2004 07:33 (twenty years ago)

Andrew I would've let you had my seat on the coach if I'd known ;)

Was very interested to read this and your view. Thanks.

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:05 (twenty years ago)

i'm thinking of trying to quit for a month rather than two weeks. it's only a message board. it's only a message board. it's....only...a message board?

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:08 (twenty years ago)

Yeah of course it's only a messageboard, but it's a way of keeping in touch with alot of friends all at once.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:10 (twenty years ago)

this sounds shitty and exclusive and past experience has shown me such moves are not good ones, but honestly I often feel like if I could distill ILx into the TITTWIS group, I'd be happy. Not that I don't love all of you. I just love you most when you're a regular there.

― Ask For Samantha (thatgirl), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:13 (twenty years ago)

Yup, Susan, you always did do better in an environment where no one ever disagreed with you. Perhaps a mental health support group would suit you better!

― My New Identity (kate), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:15 (twenty years ago)

Haha PP reminds me I never posted my semi-bon-mot about ILE changing from "down the pub with with your friends" to "down the pub with your friends: week 134".

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:16 (twenty years ago)

please stop, it's pathetic

(x-post)

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:17 (twenty years ago)

tho i'm not sure what TITTWIS means

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:17 (twenty years ago)

and now i'm thinking of 'titty twisting' - uhhhh school days...

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:18 (twenty years ago)

This is the thread where I say

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:18 (twenty years ago)

ILE changing from "down the pub with with your friends" to "down the pub with your friends: week 134".

hahaha, DEAR GOD, Perpetual FAP...(actually that would RULE)

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:19 (twenty years ago)

oops is OTM though yr first instance, steve, is what makes the acryonym so funny that we can't help but use it.

― Ask For Samantha (thatgirl), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:20 (twenty years ago)

ah, i really should've read those threads more

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:22 (twenty years ago)

i always just assumed it was people going 'god i hate my job'

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:23 (twenty years ago)

I don't think either of you would like them much, which isn't a slam on y'all or the threads.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:29 (twenty years ago)

THIS IS THE HOME OF THE VAIN!

get thee hence, or suffer the consequences!

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:31 (twenty years ago)

i've seen them a few times and thought 'awwww that's nice'. esp. compared to the rest of this shit going on. and i have been a bit of a twat lately...

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:31 (twenty years ago)

The TITTWIS threads are the main reason I stick around to be honest!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:40 (twenty years ago)

mostly me too pink. but like i said i realize i was naive to think it was just a cozy round-the-fire with the posters. there are peeping toms. they make me shut my mouth. i should've known better.

― Ask For Samantha (thatgirl), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:41 (twenty years ago)

I always forget that anyone can read those threads & I just blab about stuff. Then again, I dont post anything too personal on there anyway.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:42 (twenty years ago)

like i said on there earlier, i've learned to stop my mouth.

― Ask For Samantha (thatgirl), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:43 (twenty years ago)

So, Aaron, what do you think of the thread so far?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:43 (twenty years ago)

Lurkers are creeeeeepy! (yes I mean YOU)

― oops (Oops), Friday, 2 July 2004 08:43 (twenty years ago)

Skipping 103 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I thought it was really sad that the literary interests on ILX got sucked off onto another board, but the football just sat here stinking, but that's another story and another flamewar waiting to happen...

― My New Identity (kate), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:26 (twenty years ago)

(500 new posts in the next 20 minutes...)

― My New Identity (kate), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:27 (twenty years ago)

Vic- its no use arg. barry hates music.

xposts

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:27 (twenty years ago)

there should be more threads about food that has cheese in it.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:27 (twenty years ago)

FFS, shut down ILX now. Ppl like different things, why have you all got to argue about it so much? 'You're a c@#t cos you like ILM' 'No you're a c@#t cos you like ILE' I mean really what's the point?

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:28 (twenty years ago)

I agree w/ Kate: football shd go, and books shd return.

― Enrique (Enrique), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:28 (twenty years ago)

"I Love Football" should exist as a board. Not because I have any problem with the footie threads, more because it's a big enough subject to have one.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:28 (twenty years ago)

ILB has been growing steadily. There are still literature threads on ILE though. You probably don't know the books / authors.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:28 (twenty years ago)

x-post. Natch

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:29 (twenty years ago)

I really regret that I don't have time to follow ILB. I mean, I suppose I could give up ILM and follow ILB instead. Perhaps better still to give up ILE and follow only ILB and ILM!

― My New Identity (kate), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:30 (twenty years ago)

This is a wonderful thread to end it all. It shows why it all must end. Things fall apart. The centre cannot hold etc.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:31 (twenty years ago)

the fact i love about ile is that, whilst i can talk about bukkake, anal sex, food that has cheese in it etc. with my neighbour. my neighbour would never come knock on my door and ask

"QUICK! I'M PLAYING MARIO BROS. WHICH TUBE DO I GO DOWN??!?"

which would make me want to give them a hug (that maybe why they never come knock on my door)

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:31 (twenty years ago)

I'd love to spend more time on ILF, and don't spend nearly enough time on ILC as I should.

Was most disappointed at no takers for my food board suggestion though.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:32 (twenty years ago)

can there be a board for specifically food that has cheese in it?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:33 (twenty years ago)

Its more the ability to talk about those subjects ken c mentioned, without it totally going into bragging/bullshit/advertising.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:34 (twenty years ago)

people who don't love music should just ignore i love music and let it be.

if you don't actually love everything, you really shouldn't post on i love everything.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:34 (twenty years ago)

No, but there can be a special thread just for that mad Cypriot maggot filled cheese, if you like? :-)

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:34 (twenty years ago)

Okay but how many of you have actually tried here to talk about bukkake with your neighbor ? I mean, you might be missing out. But chances are your neighbor doesn't have as much musical knowledge stored up as all of ILM's archive////why am I continuing on with this again?

― Vic (Vic), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:35 (twenty years ago)

I'll be back in 2 weeks, and I hope everybody nice is as well. fuck the motherfucking h@t@z

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:35 (twenty years ago)

sounds great! start the board now!

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:35 (twenty years ago)

dave b otm

― benito mussolinington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:35 (twenty years ago)

ILB is a decent mix of ILE strayers and new people who are blissfully unaware of the existance of other boards. And strange Italians who think each thread has a 25 word limit.

ILE fills the gaps at work for me, although there are some great discussions. The amount of football knowledge among posters is astounding.

― Mikey G (Mikey G), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:35 (twenty years ago)

but does your neighbour give good bukkake ken?

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:36 (twenty years ago)

i bet my neighbour knows more about music than bukkake

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:36 (twenty years ago)

hahaha xpost

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:36 (twenty years ago)

what about simon le bon's neighbour?

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:37 (twenty years ago)

egg whites and icing sugar. xpost

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:37 (twenty years ago)

is that what they told you it was mark g?

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:38 (twenty years ago)

Those ten blokes?

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:39 (twenty years ago)

come on the point of the whole boards was always to call people cunts for not liking things

― Ronan (Ronan), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:39 (twenty years ago)

The stuff that drains off pasta, when congealed, is strikingly similar.

― Dave B (daveb), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:40 (twenty years ago)

i think you've over elaborated that point ronan by 4 words

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:41 (twenty years ago)

yer cunt

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:43 (twenty years ago)

Is that what 'c' is short for Ken?

When ilX returns I want to start people using cnut more.
THIS IS MY NU ILX RESOLUTION.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:44 (twenty years ago)

try cunts more

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:45 (twenty years ago)

Vic: I have pretty much every ILXor bookmarked on Friendster, because bookmarking means what we want it to, and I want it to mean "you are part of the ILX massive". I can remove it if you want.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:45 (twenty years ago)

yes.

so why don't we all just sign our name now onto this list here of "more people who don't intend to return" ? go ...start someone

― Vic (Vic), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:45 (twenty years ago)

cnut? is that like a C-Man?

― AaronHz (AaronHz), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:46 (twenty years ago)

ken c-man

― benito mussolinington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:46 (twenty years ago)

http://zoom.cafepress.com/4/2827134_zoom.jpg

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:47 (twenty years ago)

I said this before, it feels like im leaving summer camp. Im pretty sure I'll be back, mostly because I feel that all my "live" friends and I are going are seperate ways these days and I'm losing them. And I honestly don't need to lose anymore friends, so i'll be back for my online friends if I got any.

― Velveteen Bingo (Chris V), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:47 (twenty years ago)

As shown at ATP every year, I have a rather nice 'miserable cnut' fake fcuk shirt.

It tests the 'ooh, aren't I rude' mettle of people who wear fcuk stuff the rest of the year.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:49 (twenty years ago)

Done! And let this be ILX's testimonial.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:50 (twenty years ago)

That was an x-post up above - Andrew, no don't remove me. I was just curious. I'm now going to add you WE SHALL NEVER PART etc

― Vic (Vic), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:52 (twenty years ago)

NOOOO!! that was a misunderstandign - i was saying "yes" to ken c!!!

― Vic (Vic), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:53 (twenty years ago)

I feel the need to utter these final, parting words (before I move onto the temporary boards, that is). The only reason I participate more on ILE than I do on ILM is because I have more to offer at ILE. I'm still trying to learn as much as I can musically, and so almost every single time I go to ILM I go there just to lurk around, to see what's being discussed. If I saw a sudden proliferation of threads I feel I could contribute to at ILM, I would contribute. But as for now, all I can do is just observe and listen over there, whereas at ILE I have so many more chances to speak my mind, to exercise my fingers, to hear the click clack of the keyboard instead of the silent hum of the computer.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:53 (twenty years ago)

Let that x-post not be a final word on ILX's misunderstandings ....prescient, though.

― Vic (Vic), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:54 (twenty years ago)

Arse! Okay, fixed now. And let this bNO CARRIER

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:55 (twenty years ago)

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/spiritof76/mark_owen.jpg

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:56 (twenty years ago)

HAIL TO KAMP KRUSTY

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 2 July 2004 10:57 (twenty years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.