Category: Let's talk
If this thread has been created before, sorry. i don't keep uyp with old threads. This topic isn't meant to be simplistic or boring... I mean it. Why do you log on to the zone as often as you do. (This can be answered by anyone.) I ask because so many people throw stones at one another on here--Everyone talks about how the people who frequent this site aren't anything to write home about generally. Many people regard each other with pity, disgust, prejudice and indifference.. So if you're one of those that hates this site, why do you keep coming back. And if you love it, tell us why. I'll chime bakc in with my own answer soon.
Hmm, very good question, and I'm glad someone finally brought it up. I've been a member on here since May of 2004. I really miss those days back when the site was relatively young and less crowded. I made a lot of really amazing friends, many of whom I still chat with on a regular basis. Sure we had our share of drama, but overall the Zoners I hung out with seemed like a big, happy, far-flung and slightly crazy family. I can't really say when things started to change, and I know many of you still feel that way about your own groups of Zone friends. I think I started coming around less and less by 2007 or so, can't really pinpoint an exact reason why though getting hit on by 18-year-olds might've had something to do with it. I've heard the criticisms you've mentioned and I can't say I disagree with some of them. These days I spend a lot more time on Twitter where several of my old Zone buddies have migrated. But I still like popping in here once in a while. I still love kicking ass at Anagrams, and the convos in quicknotes and on the Boards can still be fun sometimes. This place has grown and changed a lot since I first joined 8 years ago, but itts overarching theme remains the same. We're a community with a diverse array of members from all sorts of backgrounds. There will always be those we dislike or pity and those who just log on to cause trouble, but I think the drama and discord is far outweighed by the friendships that've been forged, the couples and families that now exist partially thanks to this site. That's why I come here, and why I'll really miss this place if/when it eventually dies out. Hope that answers your question.
The topic probably has been created before, but if it has, I don't know where, so I'm glad you created it, Write away. I largely agree with Kerri. I joined the site in 2006, initially for the anagram games. I love anagrams, and I didn't know of anywhere else to play them accessibly. I started to get to know interesting people and make friends. However, I think I came on just as the dynamic of the site was beginning to change. I know the admins used to be more involved, as did the CL's when they had more power. I remember contests like Tune Trivia, and Icon, etc. I wish I'd joined the site earlier.
However, I come on because there are still features I like. I still enjoy playing the anagram games. I have continued to make friends on here. Not as many as I might once have, but just when I think I may stop coming around, I find someone interesting to talk to. I like reading and responding to board topics, as evidenced by my number of board posts. It's a great time-killer when I'm bored, or procrastinating. I tend to do what I'd call "drive by log-ins." Come on for a short time, either visibly or invisibly, look at boards to see if anything is new, play anagrams for a few minutes, then log back out.
This is a great topic!!! I joined the zone in 2005 when I was a young naive 14-year-old who was just curious about the sight. I soon began playing blackjak, anagramss, and conversing in public quicknotes, the boards, and grafiti!!! I made many interesting new friends and got closer to people I knew before. In 2007, drama occurred that I do not wish to discuss and in 2008-09, I decided that I needed to leave the zone and "Grow up a bit." I said I wouldn't ever come back, because at the time, I had numerous bad memories and associations, with the sight, a lot of , which were my fault. When I found out Aaron passed away in March, I returned for a weekend, and then I came back fully in June. I was honestly so surprised at the welcome I received from lots of people, who I hadn't spoken to in years. It really humbled me and reminded me that some aspects of this sight, such as a lot of the comunity that was formed, haven't changed much. Now that I'm back, I mostly play games, read the boards, and expand relationships with the friends I've made, old and new. These people are all so special to me, and I am glad that they, along with the zone, are a part of my life.
I've been on this thing since probably 2004. I mostly hang out in the boards, although I used to play some of the games. I just like having discussions with people and sharing thoughts. I mean no harm and do not see myself as some kind of low-life, and I really don't think most Zoners I know of in the boards are either. Do most people who get the idea that most Zoners are bad folks people that mainly do Quicknotes? I'm to understand that's where all or a great deal of this drama people talk about is. I wouldn't know, I turned the damn things off years ago.
I agree with post three. Sending QN's with people I've come to know well if they're logged in, playing anagrams and perusing the boards are the main reasons why I'm here these days. Oh, and I like meeting new people too, though lately, that hasn't gone beyond hi, how are you. I'm a pretty quiet person and I'm not here all the time. Generally, I stick to twitter, which is linked to my FB page.
I'll admit, this place used to be my weekend life when I was a bored 16-year-old with not much else to do and very few friends from school. Most of the friends I knew in person didn't live in my area, so going to hang out with them wasn't as simple as walking down the street or hopping on the city bus. Now that I've gained some of the freedoms/responsibilities that come with getting older, I'd say that for now, the board discussions are really what keep me coming back, though I'm not around here nearly as often as I used to be in 2007 and 2008. I've actually learned a lot from this site; particularly the boards, and I'm sure I will learn more as the weeks and months go on. I think the best thing for me is to view really old topics I posted to back when I was a teen. There are some nostalgic memories, and it's really amazing to see how much I've grown, just in the past four years or so. Of course there are always going to be people who will start trouble, but I've learned to avoid them when I can, and tune them out when I can't. Not to mention, depending who you talk to, I'm sure I've probably started trouble for a few people myself; not intentionally of course, but I've come to accept that nobody is going to agree and be happy with everything you do, whether online or elsewhere.
I joined the zone in 2004 after, someone on another chat programme told me about it. I came across all the drama mentioned though that was a few years ago. After all that, I left the zone for a while, then came back. It's very peaceful these days, at least that's the feeling I get. As for why I come here, it's out of habit and bordum. I mostly look at the boards, and see what the people are talking about.
It's of course a good question.
But the replies may differ person to person. Some of us may think it's for making drama, some of us may say it's an useful site which is giving more opportunity to meet more friends, or even some of them are special ones too. Also games to play, etc etc.
To say in short, this is a place for knowing various cultures, various people, pass the time and of course learning something new, in my opinion.
I do agree there are few minus points are there, like a few drama makers, a few fakers, and few attention seekers but that is everywhere though.
So let's take good things and leave the unwanted craps and enjoy the site and will try to brighten it up?
Raaj.
I think I joined in late 2010 or early 2011. I joined to play the games but discovered the boards as well. Since I'm a big mouth, I just couldn't resist jumping in.
I enjoy reading everyone's points of view on different topics and contributing mine. I've gotten some good tips on the geeks board, one of which actually saved my netbook. woohoo!
First, I think the whole "sitting on their ass" thing people talk about is probably a childish dramatic attention-seeking thing. I imagine most on here live full lives and to a lot. The other day, I was on and off most the day, from my iPhone and Braille display, doing other things around the house (typical weekend domestic stuff). To many, especially the younger ones, I bet that's old hat: you all are doing that all the time from any number of devices. Just a guess, but watching the nieces, daughter and friends and what they do with their shiny phones / devices, there ya go. Don't listen to them fools that say everyone's just sitting on their ass doing nothing.
Now, as to during the days? I am a telecommuter. In the office / cube city, it is normal that wile working people chat over the cube wall, someone stops by your office, that sort of thing. The telecommuters may do these types of chat places, and this place has served me that way, mainly because it's easy and the console just runs in the background unless you steal the window or reboot.
Also I have not known that many blind people so the tips I've gotten have helped a lot. Before this place I didn't ever really believe much in making friends online. But, a combination of virtual isolation and the rise of social networking in the past few years has changed that. By isolation I don't mean telecommuting, but I live out of the way where I cannot walk to stores or clubs or anything anymore, until the daughter finishes high school. That's this year so the Zone's Uncle Leo is counting down the days like the kids do when school is about to let out.
As a parent of a teen, I've deliberately read teen topics on here or teen perspectives,because it forces me to think differently. I'm personally pretty open-minded, but nobody is above getting tstuck in a rut, trust me. So I appreciate you teenagers' openness and honesty. Kidding around I may call you all lfao-textin' fools in quicknotes but i have learned a lot about what you all are going through, by you on here and the family on Facebook.
This site's pretty unique, at least from the perspective of one who never did any of the other chat systems or lines that many of you talk about. If I had still been living in the city, would I have spent as much time on here? I don't know: I might not have ever given social networking a try. But now I know how, plus how to do it with the iPhone and Braille display when out and around, so. Dare I say, those living in glass houses ought not throw stones. And thanks to those of you who've got to know me over the years on here.
I should add, I met Robert on here who introduced me to the idea a blind guy could volunteeer for the United States Coast Guard. Proof that one's so-called virtual life, and real life, often blend. Because my investigation into, and ultimately joining, the Coast Guard was very real and local. As real as the oath I took, the uniforms hanging in my closet, the ID card I carry, and most important, the work I do for and with them.
This place was probably the last gasp of my internet social life as a teenager, while college and travel slowly brought me up to speed in the real world. I was introduced to this place by a friend I met at a blind summer camp.
I come here for conversation. If I'm going to be online I may as well do some virtual people-watching, and whenever I can incite - or be incited by - a challenging topic, I feel as if anyone involved may benefit. I aim to make people think and invite them to do the same for me.
When I have any excuse to be away from the computer, I am, and many can remember times I've disappeared for long stretches - another one will come now with school. If I'm going to stuck home, I may as well be online, along with exercising, reading and whatever else I need to do.
I joined the zone in 2004, when a guy I went to school with told me about anagrams.
back then, I socialized with everyone I could, as I really had no friends in offline life, and was incredibly insecure in who I was.
now that both of those things are no longer an issue, I hardly socialize on here, am more interested in posting to the boards, and playing anagrams.
I honestly joined in 2007, due to the fact my marriage was on the rocks, and I wanted to meet blind women. I had dated, and had blind friends in college, but my life was completely full of sighted people. I thought maybe the next go around, a blind mate would be better, or different.
To find the Zone I did a search for dating sites with blind people, and it came up. After spending some time here I learned I could learn much, chat with people all over the world that were blind and disabled. I can give and help others, and I have learned much about being blind I haven't thought about before.
I don't pay attenchen to the drama, and offten times get a kick out of it. The Zone has become entertainment when I'm sitting around at home doing nothing. I find the boards a great source of information, debate, ideas.
Was I successful on the dating part? Once,and it has helped me understand a local blind woman I dated better as well.
My world is still pretty much sited, but the Zone offers me a chance to socialize with others like myself.
i come on because i like the games, talking in qns, and for the boards.
it's a very accessible site, and it's just nice to come on because it's so simple to us- yet so fun at the same time.
I joined my senior year of high school. back then I was gay and wanted to meet other blind peeppes like myself. I heard about it on freedom chat for those who remember that haha. Over the years I have went to school, worked, became a Christian, and got married. Now I get on barely and when I do it is to read the boards and maybe brows a profile or 2.
That's where I heard about the zone, on freedom chat, that is.
I joined in June 2004. I was new to the internet and admit coming here was just a novelty to me. I got involved in making friends and did a lot of flirting. As the years went by, the novelty wore off, and now I spend most of my time being invisible (my favorite premium feature), and I mostly play games and read and post to the boards. Occasionally I come out of invisibility and turn public quicknotes on, but I have to be pretty damn bored to do that. I usually get tired of the silliness pretty quickly and go back to being invisible. Yes, the zone has changed in the 8 years since I joined, but mostly I think I'm the one who has changed. I used to enjoy the drama and the silliness, and I just don't anymore. So reading the boards and playing the games are mostly what I do now.
hi i became a member of this site. in 2007. and i've came back. and left over the years. i like networking. and learning about the bord-topicks. and playing the fun games. i've made some awesome friends from this site. i still keep in tuch. with other- networking- sites. that's it. i've also met- my partner off of here. too. that's it. thanks. for reading. take care.
I mainly come here to interact with people, play games, and mainly read Board posts.
I come on here for the fake quicknotes and hilarious jaws noises!
Seriously though I wasn't much of an internet person before I joined this site. I didn't really believe that meaningful relationships could be forged on a computer. I couldn't have been more wrong. I've met some amazing people, many of whom are still in my life. I started chatting on here in 2007 when I was recovering from apendicitis.
As i've mellowed with age...or something, i've started to realise there is a lot to be learnt from everyone on here. Particularly on the boards. I like that we are an international community, and that we have our share of people that may be considered by many to be off the wall crazy. It all adds to the dynamic.
for a while I forgot about the zone, it did go down hill for a while. Particularly the quicknotes. But now I find myself back here quite a lot, and there are a lot of genuine and interesting people here who I really enjoy chatting with. So thank you all for your part in my zone experience. I'm openly weeping as we speak.
I came on here back in 2008 and 2009. I believe I had stepped in to a time of a lot of drama. I stayed about for a few months then dropt off because every time I turned about, some drama blew up. I poked my head in and out a time or two since. I have, in the last few months have wanted to come back and join the party again but do with hesitation. I don't want to step back in to drama vill.
I see though, that many of you, say it was a fad and has passed. WellI hope so.
There doesn't seem to be a lot going on here unless you spend your time chatting I guess, or playing games. So I find that this place doesn't hold my interest for hours a pond hours but that is fine. A few minutes through here and there will be good, since in all I am getting to wear I dislike staying on one thing for to long.
You can always turn off Publics, and just chat to one person, try doing that first, then slowly once you feel like you've known a lot, you can turn on your Publics then interact that way. I actually don't stay for long either, sometimes you'd get conversations here and there but when it's none of my interests, I tend to turn off publics and do my own thing.
I became a member in January of this year. A friend told me about the site and I thought I would check it out. I never had online interraction with people through online chat before joining.
I keep coming back mainly to talk to people. I've gained a lot of insight about myself based on other's opinions and points of view, and I feel more comfortable defending points and beliefs because of that. Plus, despite the dramatic bull shit that arises every once in a while, there are some great people to talk to. I'm guilty to adding to it every so offten, and depending on my mood I do enjoy just watching it unfold sometimes.
I used to be more in to the games like blackjack and high low but I've faded from them. I haven't really spent a lot of time with the annagram games.
Last but not least I do learn a lot from the boards.
I log in every day for the points. I don't know why since you can't really use them for anything at the moment and I end up giving a lot of mine away anyway, but yeah. *smile* Also, I like reading the Boards (both the regular ones and Graffiti.) If a Board discussion has an odd number of posts, I read them, and I only read the Graffiti ones on Saturday. I'm just weird like that. *smile* I like reading the Boards because I like seeing what people have to say on various topics and some of them are pretty informative, and sometimes I like posting to the discussions as well. i also like chatting one QuickNotes and have met some pretty cool people since being here. I also sometimes like playing the games, mostly the Anagram ones but I will sometimes play some of the other ones as well.
OceanDream brought up something interesting way back in post 7. I've gone back and read my past board posts before. Sometimes I smile because it brings back fond memories, other times I cringe because it brings back very bad memories. Sometimes I shudder to think I actually posted some of the stuff I did on a public forum, and wish like hell I could delete those posts. But it's always an interesting travel back through history, and often I can see the progress I've made from who I used to be.
Hold on to your points, because they might be worth something one day. Smile.
When I signed up I didn't know what this was. I was on very frequently for a while because I met a lot of people. I stopped going on for a couple of years but I still find the community and the boards very helpful.
got on this as a young teen with nothing to do. I heard about it from a friend on freedom chat. Yeah that was so long ago right? I use to be real chatty but now I just get on to read the boards. Things have changed so much and I have changed too.
I heard about the zone through a trainer I had for work. He said I might enjoy the games. I actually wound up enjoying all the chat and helpful hints too. Had to be about 5 or 6 years ago, maybe longer. I was a little hesitant at first about posting because I am a senior citizen, but that really has not been an issue at all.
I've been here for almost six years. I don't log in as frequently as I used to, nor do i look at old board posts. hell, I don't even remember where most of them are, but I can avoid the drama and still have fun. Thank God for the ignore feature.`
okay my response to this topic, this is going to be lengthy, but bare with me.
lets start from the very beginning, shall we? I was 11 years old, dad wanted me to use a computer he bought me one. I never used it, he tried to make me attend computer courses, I reluctantly attended and didnt practice I had no interest at all, by any means unlike most other kids to use the computer. I was a very ecentric old fashion kid. I was fine with reading braille books typing on the brailler, recording tapes, working on my braillenote, playing outside, I had much better things to do then the stupid metal box in my room. you want me to use a computer what a crazy idea! I still have better things to do and do them, I by no means spend all day on the computer or on here. I do not live on the zone, at all! I'll have you know that! then when I was 13 I found a friend and the group of friends I was part of talking in secret, because when I approached they ceased to talk about their topic.and I had to basically make my friend tell me what was so secret as I was in that big group of friends that I was not privelleged to know, that this information was withheld from me, and everyone else was. It turned out to be a website, my friend Jenna thought my friend nataly would be interested in this fanfiction site called fanfiction.net. I loved writing, that was my absolute passion and dream I read everything difficult, dickens, austin, tolkien, everything from back then, absolutely everything from the victorian era. I loved it, I was a storyteller since I was 2 years old! I was absolutely obsessed with the Harry Potter series. so, I was pretty upset and it ended up I stayed on that site for much more longer then my friend, in fact I am still on it and she has not used it in over 4 5 years. When I have time I swear I need to put another chapter up I have and had have a big fan following. So, anyway, onwards with my story. I was 13 and I started to learn how to use the computer I remember bits and fragments from the computer lessons but naturally since I did not practice I didn't really remember much at all! but anyway, what I remember I used and I crashed the computer on jaws 4.5 a million and one times and for the first few months I hhad jenna put up my chapters and she wanted to edit them down anyway. but I finally learnt enough to start putting chapters up and join a messsage board my friend and I created I was the main admin. it was suppose to be a writing site which didn't work out at all! so it became a general form it's still up named the willow grove. but anyway. I had just enough to do this I wasn't good at computers at all I didn't really know truly how to work one it was very primitive my knowledge, and I must admit I am not the best even now, no not horrible but it was never a main interest, I know a lot but not too much. anyway, we're finally ready to address this bord topic. now I was a girl of fifteen yes, still I was a huge harry potter nerd, occasionally participated in activities held by the braille institute, if I was involved in something more, that would have to be the foundation of the junior blind, and yet i was starting to detach myself from the blind community in real life. but one year that year when I was fifteen, I whent to the braille challenge. I met a young man who was in my grade, was from san diego and was in my category along with many others, in the braille challenge, His name is raymond or asian invasion on here. so we competed side by side and we got talking, we talked for quite a bit and during our conversation he brought up a site that he went on, and this site was called the zone, I was like okay what is this place and I found out. I was like, fine, I don't see anything wrong with joining it. I was literally like a member of at least 50 to 100 sites, hell, I didn't even keepe track of all of it but I joined everything, except for facebook and twitter which was later I think twitter was my 18th birthday and facebook was not long after but I was like this site is not harmful or bad in any way, so why the hell not, maybe I won't go on a lot but hey I'll just join it, so I did as stargazer777 my common name besides moongazer or rather moony. it was kind of cool so I stayed and I posted on the board, looked around and did all the things the zone offered. and I met some cool people on here which is still why I come on but like louisa I do it out of boredom and habit too. but for the longest time I could log on and I found older people blind people who kept me entertained some of which were very impressed with my knowledge and my opinions and said as some do now about potential. but what made me keep coming back was the companionship of these people. I got to debate, talk about things, life, matters with life, whatever, other things with these people one of which is reading all the words right here very carefully, you know who you are and I thank him amongst a few other who kept me sane when I was loaded with homework and especially when I was 16 and had a very tough year in school. It kept me sane, alive, looking forward to the next day, the next discussion, the next time I got to spend more time with them especially the one who is reading this one amongst all my other posts very carefully, but I missed him, and he missed me and every conversation was bliss and joy for that amount of time it usually stretched we have had very few short conversations. but I finally had friends who could match my intellect, and my thirst for this level of conversating. and these people could give me comfort so I did this for a while, and on and off they have helped me through hard times whether they knew this or not. and, I am very very grateful for this, and it means a lot, so for close friends and I know at least one is reading, thank you! to be completely honest I will admit and I didnt because I was too embarrassed to at the time but the few friends I made on here felt like my true natural family, the one reading this most probably was more like an older cousin or some sort of uncle who could relate to you and stuff. I mean for most of these my feelings of relationships have equaled out as I no longer have such childish dreams but nevertheless really close friends. there is only one I still feel like as he being an older grandfather but he is not on here and will never be. furthermore, I didn't have messengers and didn't use them and wasn't allowed to until I was 17, didn't get skype until I was 18. I came on also to especially talk to them before I gave out my cell number. and besides voice chat I used the zone the quicknote feature as my messenger and my main way to communicate with these people besides by the phone which would have been by voice. now as I am running out of room on to the present, I still come on for some of the previously stated reasons, I still come on to relieve stress mostly by meeting new people and reading the dramas unrelated to me on the boards for a good fun laugh and commic relief after a stressful day or after doing homework when I need a break, and I like to argue, debate, and prove wrong certain people as it amuses me and I like to do these as an intellectual and a cantankerous amature philosopher, orator, and advocate. It gives me the strength and energy and defeating people or seeing people burn up with anger because they can never be right just sort of, suits me, kind of my thing, the philosophers work. so I do, I like coming on here posting ideas, exchanging new ideas, make people think, prove people wrong, see people struggle logically, and challenge them. and to bug friends even though now we can do it over skype. So this very long answer is my story.
I am glad I found this board post. I came on to this site in March of this year, and I have to say that I've met some amazing people. I also came across a person who's influenced in me learning to defend an arguement, or to debate. My that was hard at first, but I'm ever greatful to this intelligent being. I love the bords, and sending quicknotes to people here, because I've learned so much on this site. I love coming here to meet new people, and reading all the helpful and entertaining board posts on the verrious subjects regarding blindness and daily life, family, relationships you name it! I hope to get to know you all a little more. It's so much fun. Thank you all so much, and feel free to PQM me. :) :)
Bernadetta, your answer? :)
Hmm, I didn't see this thread when it was originally created, so I'll take a moment to address it now that it's been revived.
Leo is right: the ridiculous things people say about those who frequent this site are incorrect for the most part. I live a reasonably active life, but I still log on here fairly often. I joined the zone in early 2011 at the recommendation of an acquaintance, and mostly played the games. I didn't like it here much though until I became actively involved in the boards, though I usually exchange a few quicknotes while I'm here. I haven't made tons of friends here, but I have made a few, and I met my partner here as well. Unlike the stereotypical zone relationship, it's lasted a long time, is still going strong, and has been relatively free of public drama.
People do talk a lot about drama, but mostly I don't see it. Arguments break out on the boards sometimes, but generally it's a pretty peaceful atmosphere. I think most of it must go on in publics (which I involve myself in only occasionally when I'm bored) and graphiti (which I don't have any interest in). I'll definitely miss this place when it goes, again, mostly because of the boards. It's nice to have a familiar, accessible place to post--one in which you know most of the other posters so you know which information to trust and which to take with about a half pound of salt.
I would also like to think that I have given back to this community in some small way. I try to be helpful when I can, give advice, etc. I also enjoy contributing meaningfully to the boards when I feel I have something useful or interesting to say.
I came here in 2009, but I might well have showed up in late 2008 if I'd taken the first Zone suggestion I got from a friend. This friend, who used to play a text-based RPG I was heavily involved with at the time, told me I should try the Zone. I looked, wasn't really sure I wanted to bother, and forgot about it. Several months later, a completely different friend from the same game started talking with me a lot on MSN, and in short order we decided we wanted to talk on the phone. Since I couldn't call overseas and neither could she, she recommended the Zone, and for awhile we used empty public conferences to snatch time together. Later, I got a premium membership and we switched to private conferences. I was active on zone by phone while bored late at night; I had very little else to do during those times, and definitely saw some of the drama, both in conferences and in quicknotes. Once my then-partner and I switched to calling each other more directly using Vonage to set up a virtual number, my activity on the Zone sorta tailed off.
I've always been an on-again off-again zoner. I screw with anagrams, but I hate it when people use anagram solvers to skyrocket to first place right away, and part of (though not all of) the fun is taken out when the silly thing will accept certain combinations of letters but not others almost arbitrarily. I don't have tons and tons of good friends here, but I have a few I actively enjoy talking to, and despite sometimes being a nuisance on the boards because of my penchant for getting my nose into debates and being detail-oriented (sometimes to a fault), I genuinely like passing time here. My current partner and I met here, by a rather unlikely question I asked her. The rest, as they say, is history. We've had next to no drama about our relationship, and that's just how I prefer it.
I've got a fairly full life, and would agree that most of the unkind opinions of zoners not having anything better to do are kind of unwarranted. You're always going to have shit-disturbers, that's just how life is...but that's about as far as it goes.
Long live the Zone. Smile.
I think I joined here in 2010. Mostly, I come on here because of bordem.
SisterDawn said it best in post 27 when she mentioned looking back through old posts and how she's progressed, because I've done the same and can see how I've grown up and changed over the years. I joined in 2005, and for the first few years, I spent most of my time interacting with people via quicknotes or Zone by Phone, and enjoying the drama that seemed to always take place. Some of those ZBP conferences hold some really fond memories. Now, the drama no longer interests me, so I spend most of my time on the boards. There have been times I've thought about joining in public quicknotes again, because it used to be a lot of fun. But I don't really come out here often enough to get to know many people. The last time I was really active in quicknotes was when Dusty had his quizzes... those were awesome!!
I joined ten years ago. Between then (2003 and about 2005) I made so many friends on here and even traveled overseas to meet them. I socialized on here and on the voice chat server a lot but it changed for me after that as the zone became more populated and somewhat more drama-filled and my old mates stopped coming on here as often.
I had a long break and would just get on occasionally. Then I guess I
started to come back a bit last year to play anagrams and Hangman. Then I started to go for the boards. Nowadays, I've cut my visits way back and don't spend much time on here each time I come on. I'm not as active on the boards these days either; too much drama to be honest.
But I am very thankful to the zone for introducing me to a lot of very good people in the early days and they certainly inspired me to travel overseas. I love travelling now and want to get back to that again after my surgery next year if all goes well. :)
I came on in 2008 and was immediately hit by storms of new, interesting people. A few people have mentioned and I totally agree - looking back, I see how much I have grown and matured over the years. I used to come on all the time, day and night, and talk on ZBP 24/7 or sometimes TT. I met a lot of absolutely wonderful people on here, some of which I still talk to on a regular basis. I've had my fair share of zone relationships as well. That's where much of my drama took place. That and just your typical jealous shit-starter or what not. Overall, I love the fact that there are so many different people on here, all coming from different parts of the world, with so many different prospectives. I think sometimes we take for granted how very vibrant this community is. I do miss the old days when public quicknotes were never dull. I think we've gotten back to that a bit, but there was a time when no one came on. I totally cringe at the Sarah I was back in 2008-2010, and yes I still have growing up to do, but I've come a ways, I think.
Also, Cam, if ever you see this, I really loved your post.
Oh, and to answer the original post, I think a lot of the reason people say that is because they assume people aren't doing other things while on the zone. I'll admit, I come on here lots to procrastinate, which I happen to be doing right at this very moment, but I'm not doing it because I have nothing better to do. I genuinely enjoy this place and the conversations I have with great people.
i grew up alongside the modern internet and computers. as a child i was exposed to computers. my very first puter was a commodore64! at the time war games was me favorite movie! as the internet developed so did aol, yahoo, and pretty soon boards matured into socail lobby's. i have always enjoyed using a puter. finding this place after i lost my eye sight was refreshing. i say refreshing because i wanted to maintaine proxemity to the internet, to social rooms, to aol and other such venues. i did so. i came upon this broken down desfunctional back room. found out blind, sighted, straight, homo, bi, transgender, man or woman; black or brown we all have problems. we all cry, laugh, want to be understood. i think this place started as a way of some friends to hang out. then word got around and we now have the zone. with all the dramma. such is life isntit. not sure what dramma occured in 2007 i was here if it was with cam and yankkee or with hope or who but i have seen and heard so many of you say things of one another then return to being friends. this place is a reflection of real life. caca happens.
Because I can.
Amen!