Dedicated to the Millions & Millions of you out there! (Your online social life)

Member Name: marandina

Product:	Your online social life
Date:	18/07/02 (77 review reads)
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Well today could be a seminal moment for me. I think I’m about to turn a funny yellowish, gold colour on Ciao. This means I’ll have accumulated more than 50,000 points under the Ciao scoring system thus achieving a kind of senior, seniority if that makes sense? It would have been more appropriate to post on Ciao but, strangely, I decided to write another Dooyoo opinion I never thought I’d write i.e. my online social life. This does mean that anyone that remotely likes me, can you take this as an appeal to get me the half a dozen reads I need on Ciao to break that particular barrier? (worth a virtual drink at the bar you wonderful, warm human being, you)

Soooooo...here I am 7 months on. I joined Ciao at the beginning of December 2001 with Dooyoo membership following a few weeks later. Before that, the Net really only amounted to a few consumer finance sites (I am a Banker don’t forget), footie sites and general tomfoolery. If only I could remember why I started but I can’t. I do remember my first ever opinion being about the Harry Potter film. Boy, it was a load of poo and some would say I haven’t got much better since then!

I’m a bit of a fraud, really. There, I’ve said it. Thing is, you see, I love to write creatively. These sites were a sudden opportunity to write stuff and, oh gosh darn it; other people would actually read it. Mon dieu, they’d even rate and comment. As for product reviews then, well, you’ve maybe guessed by now that I’m not reeeeeeaally that interested after all (that doesn’t mean I’m not interested in your stuff, just the general shopping concept). I mean, I pretty much know how I feel about a bag of Tesco crisps without having to read a dozen reviews to make my mind up for me. Yep, creativity is the key. There’s no finer moment than when I read a very inventive piece about, say, Tesco crisps where the writer lets go and tries to be different. I
say, good on yer sport, let’s have some more.

Anyway, 2 months passed and all of a sudden I noticed a few spats. It was on Ciao and a writer I respect a great deal was getting low ratings from certain writers. I checked my pulse only to notice it racing. I was annoyed. So I posted an opinion on a Saturday morning (sheesh, I should have been watching Soccer AM for lordy’s sake!) about creators and destroyers. There were the majority out to create whilst a minority hung around to cause mischief through low ratings and off-hand comments. Whilst I wrote it a realisation suddenly dawned that the folks behind their PC screens were in fact real after all and not a few creations from The Sims. Up until then I hadn’t really taken people that seriously. After that, there was no way back.

Stranger still, I started dreaming up humorous profiles for Dooyoo. One day, I left a message saying that a certain Norwegian lovely was a Northerner. Shock upon horror, she e-mailed me to say "tsk at me, she was a Southerner from down Sarf!" I was aghast, somebody from the ethereal world of the WWW had e-mailed me. So I replied with a jokey apology followed by a virtual Valentine. She sent me one back and a friendship was forged.

Hmmm...this was all a bit much really. I didn’t anticipate anything like actually talking to folks. Anyway, I started to get involved with others too. They’ll know who they are as I’ve only e-mailed a few even now. They are all delightful people and you’ll find them in my COF.

Over the last few months, I can honestly pick out certain things that have turned me into the Net junkie I am today:

 My adventurous beer ops involving weird and wonderful(?) stories that caricatured Dooyoo luminaries. Thanks to the lovely Guidester who humoured me throughout this phase. A number were even crowned and I had loads of fun writing them.

 The lady that left
me an invite to write in "Bonking & Fun" category (Banking & Finance) which, whilst a bit of a Busman’s holiday, I did enjoy as that is/was my area of expertise. Possibly my first op was my favourite as it gave me the chance to reel off my top 10 savings tips followed by 10 finance related gags with me being able to feign being a stand-up comic even for just a few minutes.

 The Dooyoo regular who supported me through my funny turns when I got a few ropey ratings. These days I’m not so bothered but, at that time, I did and this particular person backed me up admirably without ever resorting to bringing his pet Giraffe into play.

 Landmark ops. So many really like a recent one about yoghurt and horses willies. Others about Scottish snakes; making drinks in dishwashers; Mr Giraffe and his shenanigans and so on.

 Those folks that have taken the time to write moving, deeply personal opinions, a number of which have touched me.

 A certain writer taking the time to e-mail a nomination on Ciao that got one of my pieces a diamond award. It wasn’t the award; it was the fact that someone felt that strongly that he bothered to send an e-mail via the rather cumbersome nomination system on Ciao. That whole episode blew me away and is probably typical of the Liverpool supporting, Oxford student who is one of the nicest guys on the site.

 How can I miss out the arrival of Monsieur Chuckle? Maybe, just maybe, he’s beginning to conform these days but has anyone not seen Chucklevision and all it entails? Here is a man who set’s himself up as an anti-hero but he’s just a kind, laughoholic really.

These are just a few of the things I can think of just now.

Of course, Dooyoo isn’t perfect. I’m still not sure whether crowns are ultimately good or not. An example might be the recent dedication to Jill. I honestly thought that we h
ad a wonderful situation where the site could be united for the first time in a while by writing about your favourite thing. I assumed that we’d have a special category and maybe forget about crowns for something that maybe transcended what amounts to a differentiation even for just one opinion. I was a little disappointed that crowns were still awarded when so many people had taken the time to bare their heart and souls in such a lovely way. Perhaps I’m just naïve after all although I am planning to contribute to the charity involved as a gesture. I know others have to. For anyone that did get a crown then I’m not having a go. I just felt that on this occasion it was inappropriate. Oh, I don't know, I just get confused from time to time. I am nearly 38 you know?

So, what have I realised? Well, it’s the people that matter. I’m as busy as the next man or woman and do think about freeing up time by ending my time on these sites. The reason I don’t is the thought of not being able to talk to all the different characters I consider to be friends. The unofficial guestbook – Tooyoo - has possibly become my favourite aspect. Would life be the same without Auldmac’s inane pondering or Jimblob’s extravagant poems? What about the flirtatious comments left in my GB by the various ladies on site or Deet’s tension before the latest England game. You are all dear people and invariably cheer me up (if I need it although I generally don’t).

Oh well, I’ve wittered on for long enough. Blimey, I’m even a Guide these days (God help you lot) and it looks like my life will never be the same. If I haven’t mentioned you then don’t be upset, there are a lot of special folks I haven’t had time to slip in. I’ll probably do a similar thing on Ciao if I don’t get my required reads today. Maybe I’ll do it anyway even if I do?

God bless Dooyoo and all w
ho sail on her!

Thanks darlings

Marandina

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