January 6, 2008

jack · Post by **jack** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:22 pm

qotd: hey where did everyone go? lord of oats wants to know......

still raining like a mutha here. at least my power stayed on today.

JonPorobil · Post by **JonPorobil** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 8:32 pm

QotD: Calm Down, Oats!

DRC: The dog actually seems to be doing better. My folks' new coffeeshop is opening tomorrow. I've been printing up signs for them and folding menus and stuff. Oh, and my brother and I saw Juno today, too. Liked it, but like Erik, I couldn't stand the twee-pop soundtrack.

Has anyone else noticed, by the way, that Roger Ebert has gone super-soft since his surgery? Restored joie de vivre does not make for an entertaining (nor very effective) film critic. Oh well.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:02 pm

Today I finally got around to watching Bender's Big Score. Pretty good, though I think it would do better as the four constituent episodes instead of one big weirdness-piled-together thing. Though I have no idea how they'll actually split it out into episodes.

Tomorrow I fly to Las Vegas for CES.

qotd: Calm down, Oats

king_arthur · Post by **king_arthur** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:11 pm

It's been... busy. The Mrs. has been on winter break the last three weeks and we've been watching lots of movies, doing house stuff, etc. She starts back tomorrow and I'm ready to hit the studio again... (where are the new titles?????).

We had a little bit of rain here today, but not a whole lot. Hopefully we'll be spared tomorrow, 'cause Arizona drivers don't know how to drive in the rain, especially on a Monday morning after a long holiday.

Happy happy, everybody!

Charles (KA)

Lord of Oats · Post by **Lord of Oats** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:28 pm

You assholes. Of all the stupid stuff I say that you could make fun of me for, you all have to go on about me asking where the people went. But I'm not even really that offended at it. It's just not a big deal, and if you thought I was making one, originally, that wasn't my intent. I suppose every online community needs someone to point at laugh at, don't they? So whatever. Have fun, fellows.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:45 pm

Well if there's something worse we could make fun of you for, go ahead and suggest it.

erik · Post by **erik** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:53 pm

Lord of Oats wrote:You assholes. Of all the stupid stuff I say that you could make fun of me for, you all have to go on about me asking where the people went. But I'm not even really that offended at it. It's just not a big deal, and if you thought I was making one, originally, that wasn't my intent. I suppose every online community needs someone to point at laugh at, don't they? So whatever. Have fun, fellows.

I'm sorry, the answer the judges were looking for was "hahahhahaha, calm down jack".

Reist · Post by **Reist** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 9:58 pm

Lord of Oats wrote:You assholes. Of all the stupid stuff I say that you could make fun of me for, you all have to go on about me asking where the people went. But I'm not even really that offended at it. It's just not a big deal, and if you thought I was making one, originally, that wasn't my intent. I suppose every online community needs someone to point at laugh at, don't they? So whatever. Have fun, fellows.

Dude ... don't worry. If you're stressed, just make music. Don't worry about forum disputes. It's just a computer.

Lord of Oats · Post by **Lord of Oats** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:38 pm

erik wrote:I'm sorry, the answer the judges were looking for was "hahahhahaha, calm down jack".

Yeah, see, you're right, but I'm not that clever. And that wasn't my first reaction. For whatever reason, I didn't find it very funny. Maybe I should have. But thanks; I'll try to keep this stuff in mind for the next time.

Reïst wrote:

Dude ... don't worry. If you're stressed, just make music. Don't worry about forum disputes. It's just a computer.

Yes, thank you, but I'm alright, really. I guess I forgot to put the smiley after assholes or whatever, so maybe that set the wrong tone. But honestly, my whole point was that I'm not letting it bother me. I understand that a huge percentage of communication is non-verbal, and so a lot gets lost in translation. So I'm trying hard not to get offended at things. But understanding how easy it is to be misunderstood and offend people on here when you don't intend to, it might be good to try to avoid having fun at someone else's expense.

But I'm sure I've been guilty of it, as well, among other things. I apologize for whatever obnoxious things I've said here. I'd like to think that it's some era that is now over, but I'm sure it's not. You'll have to deal with me saying stupid things as long as I'm here. But I will do my best to make it as infrequent as possible. I'm trying to fit in, really. I suppose it's not really working, but I'm sure it will, eventually. I'll need to acknowledge what this place actually is, and figure out what it means to me and what I can realistically expect from it. Give me a while.

I'm sure you don't usually have these kinds of problems with people, but I believe that once they start, they make themselves worse very quickly, and become a vicious circle. I just want to put the brakes on this train. I want an opportunity not to be judged so harshly, but I realize that, at least in part, that's just the nature of the community. That's nearly the purpose, I suppose. Maybe that doesn't seem like such a good match for me. But I've never come across a better place than this. I'll learn to coexist here, whatever it takes.

jack · Post by **jack** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:42 pm

calm down oats.

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 10:44 pm

You're not helping yourself here, Oats.

Caravan Ray · Post by **Caravan Ray** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:01 pm

Calm down Jack. Stop sowing wild Oats

Lord of Oats · Post by **Lord of Oats** » Sun Jan 06, 2008 11:49 pm

jack wrote:calm down oats.

Well, I thought it was funny, this time. Funnier still when you consider the irony that I was getting worked up about people telling me to calm down. Of course, I thought there was no need to in the first place. That was the whole thing I got upset about...I think. Yeah, whatever. We'll all float on alright already we'll all float on and shit.

fluffy wrote:You're not helping yourself here, Oats.

To quote the Flight of the Conchords out of context:

Why? Why? Why?
What?
Why exactly?
What? Why?
Be more constructive with your feedback, please. Why?
Why?

(Why, because I rap about reality?
Like me and my grandma drinking a cup of tea?
There ain't no party like my nanna's tea party.
Hey! Ho!)

fluffy · Post by **fluffy** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:06 am

There's an inherent contradiction in calling people assholes and then saying you're not offended, and then ranting about the thing you're not offended about.

Lord of Oats · Post by **Lord of Oats** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:22 am

Right, well, obviously, you can't infer my tone. Which could make it a mistake to say it at all. But to clarify, if I haven't already, I meant "asshole" in a joking fashion, as I would say to a friend, and often do. Roughly, with the same tone that I imagined everyone saying, "Calm down, Oats." Just kind of the 'let's give each other a hard time' attitude.

I really wasn't feeling particularly offended this evening, but I have in the past. I didn't feel I was ranting as much as exploring why I sometimes haven't gotten along with people here and trying to figure out how to solve it. Maybe that seems weird next to a completely different approach to the same subject matter. I'm sure it does. Like I said, communication on here can be very difficult.

erik · Post by **erik** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 12:40 am

Lord of Oats wrote:I didn't feel I was ranting as much as exploring why I sometimes haven't gotten along with people here and trying to figure out how to solve it.

If you want to figure it out for yourself, don't read on.

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

1) Admit that it's within your power to change how people perceive you, and then do things to bring about that change.
2) Type much shorter posts.
3) Type posts that don't read like they're transcripts from a diary.
4) Quit trying to prove that you are objectively right when someone says something that you don't agree with.
5) Give up on trying to be funny.

JonPorobil · Post by **JonPorobil** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 1:11 am

6) Calm down, Oats.

It's one out-of-context reference away from becoming our own Songfight! meme. Maybe macro it over the Quaker State guy?

You know, LoO, I was just looking back over my old Deadjournal entries (trying to figure out the exact dates I recorded my two AADs, but I guess that info is lost to the world), and your posts resemble them more than I ought to be willing to admit. Not the worst thing in the world; at least the writing is coherent and understandable. But the Songfight forum is not a blog, and even in the DRC, there's a difference between the two.

Seriously, though. You're not the first thing on anyone else's mind here. You're not even in the top fifty. We log on, we read (or, in some cases skim) your posts, and are either gratified and entertained, or we're annoyed. And I think, if you pondered for a second with your pointer hovering over the "Submit" button, you'll be able to tell which way most of the community members will go. Just about every time.

If all else fails, try hitting "Preview" instead and reading every one of your own words back to yourself before you inflict them on the board.

I only offer this advice because you seem a tad concerned with your own image here.

Ross · Post by **Ross** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 2:02 am

I was there (here?) for 24 hours. But now it's the 7th.

Billy's Little Trip · Post by **Billy's Little Trip** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 3:19 am

QOTD: Working on their GOM, maybe? I know I was, anyway.

More rain coming, woohoo.

Hoblit · Post by **Hoblit** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:52 am

I guess I'm late to the party, whats all this then?

qotd: Calm down Oats, I'm right here.

Seriously, whats going on? I can't find any reference to this...which is disappointing.

DRC: I drove to work with my windows down this morning. AHHHHH.

Paco Del Stinko · Post by **Paco Del Stinko** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 8:58 am

Hello, everybody. I've been doing some GOM, amongst other things. On the 1st, I shaved my head, including a cream and razor smackdown. Dang cold! Today however, the sun is melting the snow off of the roof in big roaring sheets. It may push 60 degrees later this week, when last week it was near zero. Ya gotta Mother Nature, she's funny.

jimtyrrell · Post by **jimtyrrell** » Mon Jan 07, 2008 9:02 am

I'm way overdue for a good head-shaving myself. It's supposed to be unseasonably warm today; maybe this is a good day to do it.