Who else left and came back?

[Lord Garth]

I was around a lot for the first 10 years or so of TrekBBS, then I stopped posting, then I barely or sporadically posted for the next several years, then starting a week-and-a-half ago, I've been back in full force instead of "here and there".

Some names are familiar, others aren't. Things seem less nutty or I'm just better at avoiding what's nutty now. But who else has stepped away for a long time and then came back?

What brought me back was wanting to talk about Discovery, then hearing about Quentin Tarantino. But, the reason I left (or just posted a lot lot less) was because of the dry spell and, with anything old, I felt like I talked about anything I'd wanted to talk about to death already. And, of course, that pesky thing called Real Life.

What prompted you to come back, if you were away for a while?

 

[GNDN18]

I was around a lot for the first 10 years or so of TrekBBS, then I stopped posting, then I barely or sporadically posted for the next several years, then starting a week-and-a-half ago, I've been back in full force instead of "here and there".

Some names are familiar, others aren't. Things seem less nutty or I'm just better at avoiding what's nutty now. But who else has stepped away for a long time and then came back?

What brought me back was wanting to talk about Discovery, then hearing about Quentin Tarantino. But, the reason I left (or just posted a lot lot less) was because of the dry spell and, with anything old, I felt like I talked about anything I'd wanted to talk about to death already. And, of course, that pesky thing called Real Life.

What prompted you to come back, if you were away for a while?

Twitter. I’ve been in and out of TBBS since 2013—I drop out when I become too wrapped up in the drama. This time, though, Twitter was dominating my days and nights, but to no good purpose. The national and global drama finally overwhelmed me.

So I’m back: arguing about Number One being human or not: noticing the paint jobs of the conference table in the Briefing Room: following the usual suspects in the Other Forum. Sadly, some of the suspects have disappeared; the ones that remain, though, seem more benign than I remember. Many of the old favorites are wiser and more fulfilled, actually.

Twitter created for me a false sense of community, when all it really was a funhouse mirror of my worst angels. It was a house of mirth of my own making and it was time to get off the merry-go-round.

This place, this very odd and eclectic place, has always accepted me. Or, perhaps I should say, it has allowed me accept myself and share whatever it is I have to offer.

Thanks for posting this. I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to explore this latest return to TrekBBS.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

Some names are familiar, others aren't. Things seem less nutty or I'm just better at avoiding what's nutty now.

You've sunk to our level of nutty maybe?

 

[MacLeod]

I did some posting or at best posting sporadically for a few years, I think in the early 2010's. I was working away a lot then so didn't always have the best internet access.

 

[ThankQ]

Of my 28k posts, probably about 26.5k came between 2003-2008. I pop up in TNZ around election time, otherwise I fade in an out as the mood strikes me. Back in the day I was kind of a big deal, okay modesty aside, I was total bossballs in the ENT forum for Seasons 2-3. Everyone hung on my every post. I kinda ruled the Summer of Sloth. I was cool being so worshiped, but it kinda made everyone else look tame and pathetic, so I had to skip.

 

[Kor]

I needed some time away, circa 2002-2003. Anticipation for the third Kelvinverse movie brought me back here in 2015.

Kor

 

[Gary7]

A familiar feeling. I was pretty active from about 2009~2013. In time as I exhausted all of the things I had curiosity about, I delved into avatar and caption contests, which boosted my Photoshop talent (making "spoof" images became a lot of fun, to include animated avatars). But in time I lost interest. The old franchise movies were long finished. The JJ Abrams remake contention debated veraciously and boiled dry (ultimately I chose to like it, but definitely treat it as "alternate universe"--don't get hung up on any continuity). My life got busy with other things and I faded out in the summer of 2013.

Later, I came back in 2016. Even in just 3 years, seemed like there was a lot of changes (including the whole site interface). Mainly what brought me back was TNZ. Political debates have been lively and informative in the past and with the extreme change upon the landscape I found TNZ to be a breath of fresh air. Forum sites that are purely political seem to be so extremely volatile and unforgivably polarized. Having a site where something else is the primary focus and political is a secondary *AND* tolerated, is extremely rare. TBBS seems to be the only one offering it, thanks to the Star Trek concept of "The Neutral Zone." In a world where it's nearly impossible to escape abrasive friction when political discussions involve left and right perspectives, going on-line seems to be the only safe, productive place to do so.

I was glad to see that some old timers have stuck around. But it is sad to see how so many people have drifted away. My feeling was that I was going to slip off again once a year had passed with no political upheaval (read "administration shake-up"). Star Trek Discovery really disappointed me in the beginning, and while it has improved this "spore drive" concept seems terribly hokey with the ship flipping about wildly, appearing/disappearing, not to mention inertial dampeners doing the impossible. That's just the beginning. So I've not engaged much in discussions... although maybe later on if I start taking to the show I'll step in. If not, then it may become another hiatus...

 

[Lord Garth]

I didn't post in TNZ but I still have battle scars from arguing about the 2016 Election last year. I must've unfriended 50 people. It was that bad.

I voted for Hillary, I even have an "I'm Still With Her" T-Shirt, so I took it from the Trump Side and the Bernie Side.

 

[Gary7]

I didn't post in TNZ but I still have battle scars from arguing about the 2016 Election last year. I must've unfriended 50 people. It was that bad.

I voted for Hillary, I even have an "I'm Still With Her" T-Shirt, so I took it from the Trump Side and the Bernie Side.

It is astounding what people are willing to lay aside in order to suit a personal philosophy or point of view. There are some things which should be sacrosanct in positions of authority -- that is, civility and respect. I do not think there's any merit in sacrificing those even in part as a means to an end. And yet, we've witnessed something I'd only expect of the highly ignorant and under educated, that being the support of a man like Trump. I've witnessed people I had respected and even admired willing to support him, despite his overt charlatanism. And willing to believe lies about Hillary Clinton. Sure, she is flawed and has been guilty of taking advantage of her positions of power, but so has everybody else. It's the degree. She never crossed certain lines. But she was the victim of a highly vindictive disinformation campaign the likes of which we've never seen before. And then having to face a pugnacious man so unsuited for public office, yet adept at playing people to his whims. Trump not only crossed the lines, he has paved over them with extreme arrogance. If there's any decency to our country, there will be a reckoning. This will not stand.

I wanted Bernie, but unfortunately he was making promises too "pie in the sky." They were lofty and noble, but not sufficiently grounded. He should have made them as long term promises, to get us on the road to achieving them, not making it sound like HE would deliver on them. No person could in just 4 years.

TNZ had Hillary and Bernie supporters, but mostly sensible people intolerant of Trump. Those who tried to argue in his favor failed. Some of them still putter around, trying to throw in a barb here or there to provoke others. And there's a couple of clowns who feel it's their duty to Trump to "keep it up." One of them is about to go down in flames. But otherwise, things are pretty civil all things considered.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

You can't blame me, I voted for Gary Johnson.

 

[Lord Garth]

If only Johnson could've siphoned more votes away from King Orange.

But anyway... TrekBBS, long time no see! I'm glad the dark color scheme is gone.

 

[ItIsGreen]

Despite being a lifelong Trek fan, I only actually found this place back when they announced the new Trek series which became Discovery. Since then I've popped in and out every few months. What brought me back this time was Discovery finally premiering.

 

[UncleRogi]

Me too, my story is in the other thread, the one about past folk.

 

[MacLeod]

TNZ had Hillary and Bernie supporters, but mostly sensible people intolerant of Trump. Those who tried to argue in his favor failed. Some of them still putter around, trying to throw in a barb here or there to provoke others. And there's a couple of clowns who feel it's their duty to Trump to "keep it up." One of them is about to go down in flames. But otherwise, things are pretty civil all things considered.

Hardly surprising given the makeup of people on this board who in US terms would fall on the US Political left.

 

[Lookingglassman]

Me

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

The cat came back.

(I thought he was a goner, but he just couldn't stay away.)

 

[Armus]

After last posting in 2011 I came back this year out of love for Star Trek, prompted by my recently acquired TNG blurays. It's fun talking about what you like, and I enjoy reading intelligent and informed comments by fans who enjoy Star Trek and its nostalgia.

 

[ichab]

Usually only post sporadically but Discovery brought me on more often than normal. Plus the science fiction forum has interesting topics. Try to avoid the politics these days because there isn't an issue that I haven't discussed to death in the last ten plus years and at this point I have no more patience for hard headed and stubborn people.

 

[Pondwater]

I had a lot going on offline and didn’t feel like coming around here. I just split. Although, I kept in touch with most of the people I like/love from here.

 

[Starbreaker]

I was banned from the internet for 6 months 15 years ago when I got caught looking at pornography if that counts.