My First Post

I remember it well. My first post on Topix was in response to a query about white guilt and how it might or might not have factored in the then candidacy of then president-to-be, Barack Obama.

It was a nicely written paragraph about how I felt I was unencumbered by any white guilt and that I would be voting for Barack Obama based on the content of his character, NOT on the color of his skin. I printed it out but, sadly, cannot find it around here. If I could I would reprint it here. But, it wasn't that my words were so remarkable. What impressed me were the responses I got. Three people, I recall, posted back to me that, though they did not agree with me, they loved HOW I presented my opinion. I was hooked.

Wow. As a now 1 and a half year veteran of some of the nastiest threads on Topix, I am still amazed at that feedback.

It's been all downhill since. I think Topix and I peaked that day. Guess it was my, "Catcher In The Rye", my "To Kill A Mockingbird".

Now I pretty much make jokes, charm the ladies and fuck with retards. I do quite a bit of the first two and far too much of the latter.

I know I've gotten occasional positive, non-partisan feedback since but, nothing like that first day. Three people who disagreed with me were men and women enough to say so but to respect both my words and my presentation. Wow, again. They didn't have to say anything at all. I think others did make disparaging comments but, they weren't remarkable. Are they ever?

I've written a lot about the Topix world, that it's anonymity is both it blessing and it's curse. You get to say things to people that, if done IRL would get you killed sometimes. It's a place to be both bold and beautiful. There are things written that, at the time, seem so damn important, profound and/or necessary... and then you move on to the next thread. It's like real life except the conversations take place on a computer screen rather than bars, work or on a plane trip. The beauty of it is though that, you don't HAVE to be stuck talking to someone any longer than you desire. Someone else is but a mouse click away.

Well, to an extent. Is it just my imagination or is Topix just dominated by ignorant, fucking retards these days? Every thread, regardless of subject, turns out to be a combination of "us vs, them" or the continuation of someone else's ongoing feud with some other idiot. Offbeat, which is quirky by nature, could have a thread about what people might be having for lunch and, inside of a dozen posts, some idiot will surely see fit to post his idiotic thoughts on how liberals are ruining the country! It's LUNCH, asshole! SHUT THE FUCK UP AND TELL US ABOUT YOUR SALAD! JESUS!

I have "met" some truly wonderful people on the threads. Some of them I hope to one day hang out with whether it be to drink with them or to spank the daylights out of their bottoms- or both. I mean that. I think they know who they are. The thing is, that either happens or it doesn't. And it doesn't matter if it never happens. Dozens of people whom I "know" on the net have become very important to me and we've become Facebook and e-mail buddies. We may never get up close and personal, logistics and finances being what they are but, we have and will hopefully continue to have correspondence unless we drift away. It is what it is. Rather, it is what we make of it.

I'm glad I found Topix that day. I'm glad it found me. It's taken me down the dark alleys of the gun and political threads and through the streets of life with people I'd never have met otherwise, if not in print. You can take the road less traveled even if thousands of others take it as well. You make the road your own. It's life with all it's raw emotion, heartfelt sentiment, crazy uncles, dreamers, con-artists, fucking liars, jokers, killers, lovers- everyone- all wrapped up into strangers on the net.

I'll be damned- it's real life...