Come out come out, where ever you are...

[bigbadwolf]

Sean, Quids and Keef have been discussing a few of the online persona's who've never showed their face yet. At first I thought the idea of meeting someone from this forum at a drinks event was about as sad as it could get, perhaps it still is, who knows.

After a while, I became interested in finding out who these people actually are i.e What they look like, they're attitude and whether they read the Guardian or not.

Admittedly I started stalking everyone on Facebook to sate my thirst. One day I recognised one of the faces from my extensive collation of mugshots. It was none other than SeanMacGabhan having a pint in the Bishop. I couldn't help but go over and say hello and you know what, he turned out to be a pleasant man afterall.

It didn't end there though. I bumped into Georgia whilst she was pissed out of her tree outside the EDT. Once I announced who I was she nearly fainted. Once she'd come around to the fact that she was in the presence of celebrity we spoke and she even gave me a little telling off for being such an odious little weasel now and again. She's got lovely soft little hand as well.

Anyway,

There's a few forum regular's who haven't shown their face's yet. Yes, that's right HonaloochieB, Ted Max and *Bob* I'm mainly talking about you lot. We're all dying to meet you so why don't you drop the masks and come along for a pint with us all one day. I've been to two drinks so far. The first one was a bit quiet but the second one was much more fun and lively.

I'm still waiting to meet,

Moos.

Brendan.

Annaj.

Bignumber5.

Keef.

Woofmarkthedog.

Daizie.

David Carnell.

Tillietrotter.

Jah Lush (there could be some fireworks).

So, why don't you come down soon and dispell the myth by showing us who you really are.

[matthew123]

Well BBW - I can tell you that at least 8 of those in your list were at the last drinks

[bigbadwolf]

Whoops.

I also haven't met Mick Mac yet.

Or RosieH.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

..........................

[bigbadwolf]

Shall we take that as a hint that you might be interested in running the gauntlet as well Tony?

[Keef]

Now that I would turn out for! I think I met Quids at the last drinks, but I was so twatted by the time I got there, I really can't remember much other than having The Fear!

[Keef]

And if it wasn't Quids, who was the surprisigly young looking bloke I was introduced to towards the end of the evening. I probably said something like "Hello, sorry, I'm drunk" before running away in order to avoid having to try talking.

[SeanMacGabhann]

To slightly contradict something I wrote elsewhere, I do totally get people wanting to remain anonymous and distinct from the online banter

However ! I also do think that if you are in people's face every day it helps enormously if you have met them. I drive keef nuts online on a regular basis but we seem to get on ok in real life

Quids and I used to go hammer and tongs at each other until we met at the Phoenix - now it's all family vacations in the Hamptons together (an example there of exaggerating for effect)

Online anonymity allows a lot of people to not have to think or respect who they are talking to - something that's a bit harder when you have met people in real life. The likes of Ted, *Bob* etc tend to have that level of thought already built in so it works for them

All of my opinions above tend to be specifically about the EDF mind - because it's a local community I think meeting people is part and parcel. I have no interest in meeting anyone from other national/global forums (forae?)

[SeanMacGabhann]

quids looks young for his age (git) - but the very young bloke I met at the end was jaybee22

[bigbadwolf]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Online anonymity allows a lot of people to not

> hrespect who they are talking toave to think or -

> something that's a bit harder when you have met

> people in real life. The likes of Ted, *Bob* etc

> tend to have that level of thought already built

> in so it works for them

Oh I understand that Sean and I also think that if you're grown up enough then you can shrug off the barbed comments and insults exchanged online. Fair enough, I've seen some pretty nasty comments bandied about with a lot of malice and I can see how that would cause a reluctance to meet up with other 'face's' from an online community.

I've met a lot of people who I find to be genuinely nice people in real life such as yourself Sean, Quids, Legal etc.. but that would never stop me from downright disagreeing with you online or from being rude and occasionally offensive.

It just depends how thick your skin is I suppose. Mine is very thick and I'd be more than happy to share a drink with one of my online foes, it just depends on them though I suppose.

[louisiana]

I have met David C at a previous drinkies.

Unless he was someone else masquerading.

[????]

It was me Keef - you were fine so have no fear. Thanks for the young bit (Keef and Sean)....I've a portrait in the attic.

Sean, I also found that thread from 'back in the day' when you were on my side...albeit reluctantly!

Actually, I think that most people on the forum I've met are pretty much as they are on here...which is generally interesting and fun, no-ones really surprised me .......The exception is BBW who was a very pleasant and polite young man in the flesh.

What interests me is there are (I think/presume) a few people with more than one registered user name...now who are they and do they talk to themselves in a Brendan like manner?

[Tony.London Suburbs]

bigbadwolf Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Shall we take that as a hint that you might be

> interested in running the gauntlet as well Tony?

Always up for a bit of banter Wolfie but the fact is that the drinks ( naturally and understandably) are on a Friday/Sat Evening which are two of the only 4 3-Hour Shifts that I have to work ( Sat Morning/Wednesday Evening being the others).

So,realistically, it won't be for a while though I have come tantalisingly close to popping in to 1/2 Pubs mentioned on here, regularly, to see if I can buy anyone a Shandy...B)

[bigbadwolf]

That smells suspiciously like a sick note to me Tony. Did you write it or did a relative do it for you?

[Tony.London Suburbs]

bigbadwolf Wrote:

That smells suspiciously like a sick note to me Tony. Did you write it or did a relative do it for you?

Just saying its relatively unlikely that one can attend, due to circumstances beyond ones control...:(

[????]

Porridge Tony?

[Tony.London Suburbs]

???? Wrote:

Porridge Tony?

How very dare you Quidsy...(6)

I'll have you know I'm a paragon of virtue...B)

[Keef]

Good post by Sean earlier (see, we can agree), and yes you do drive me mad online ;-)

[Jah Lush]

I'd go along with what Sean said.

What though, makes you think anyone would want to me you? Same goes for me too. If people want to remain anonymous that's entirely up to them and you should respect they're right to privacy. I think you're online stalking of people weird and your constant need for an ego massage sad.

I've enjoyed all the drinks I've been along to and I've met some very nice people and made a few good friends along the way.

Some people like yourself can be an obnoxious cheeky little fecker with no respect for other people's feelings. Whether you have a thick skin or not is irrelevent, we're all different and some people are more sensitive than others. I'm pretty damned sure you wouldn't talk to anyone on this forum in real life the way you do on here sometimes because you'd be liable to a smack in the mouth. But if you want to pass that off as your online persona that is also entirely up to you but some may take offence.

[bigbadwolf]

Fair enough Jah.

You're right of course that everyone's entitled to their privacy and far be it for me to suggest otherwise. I also fully appreciate that for a lot of users meeting me would be the last thing they'd want to do.

However,

I don't remember suggesting that anyone should want to meet me though but I suspect that you haven't read what I've posted correctly.

I suppose that the majority would agree that my admitting to stalking you all on Facebook is infact sad but I'm a curious soul who's simply interested in what the person I'm conversing with actually looks like. Brand me as a wierdo but I think it's natural to be curious.

I haven't asked for my ego (which admittedly does exist) to be massaged. I can only assume that you've miss read what I've written.

Or...

As per usual you're spoiling for a fight/arguement. You've spun my original post entirely on it's head in order to have a pop. By all means go ahead, but please make the effort of making your reply collerate mine without coming across as a bitter old fool who see's themselves as some sort of drinking nobility where as most see you as a cantankerous old git who's temper all too often get's the best of his sense of humour.

[Brendan]

What I don?t get is why people think that extending something like a local online forum into the real world is somehow weird or sad. It?s as normal as going for a drink with someone from your tennis club or meeting the people whose kids go to the same school as yours.

This is a local forum not one of these free for all rant fests that pollute the internet.

The idea that there is some kind of stigma because it?s ?online? is what is odd. Why exactly?

Choosing to remain anonymous but interacting within normal social parameters is understandable to a point. Choosing to remain anonymous so that you can be the cunt you?re afraid to be in real life is however not understandable.

It?s the equivalent of going to the pub with a mask on, calling everyone a cunt and then running off. So, you know, funny but probably borderline pathological.

[Jah Lush]

One word for you little boy - Bollocks.

[bigbadwolf]

Two words for you old man - Up yours!

[Jah Lush]

Err not you Brendan obviously because you're lovely.

[Brendan]

Oh I know. Like a basket of freshly picked honeysuckle I am.