Time to come clean

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Ulumuri

In that case, "couldn't care less" might have been a better choice of words.

Sorry, but that phrase is a pet peeve of mine.

Ooohhhh... this is indeed a thread of revelations!

All this time I've assumed that "could care less" was just a typo for "couldn't care less"! (Never having heard someone say it, you see.)

[Inziladun]

At the risk of attracting skwerl attention, I'll say the way people use that phrase incorrectly always irritates me as well. When they say 'I could care less', they're actually saying the opposite of what they intend.
Of course if I bring that to people's attention, their reaction is usually to tell me the same thing, but in a more colorful manner.

[Mithadan]

Ok. I've poked a bit of fun at this situation, together with my alter ego, Nonesuch (I promise to rep the first person to figure out the source of that nickname). I acknowledge that Boromir is experiencing a degree of angst and that some people may be annoyed with him, or at least a bit confused. I'm just not sure why and I'm beginning to find this whole thing a bit tedious.

The great thing about a bulletin board is that it is anonymous (more or less, anyway; we administrators have special powers - for example I know exactly who Ulumuri is). We can reveal as much or as little of our true selves as you may choose. Some remain entirely anonymous, others reveal their true selves to a select few privately and, sometimes, people are rather open about their identities.

This is the internet, people! I have exchanged my identity with a select few on this site, and assume, but do not know, that the names and locations I have been provided are real. I am not Mithadan. That is to say, the person tapping away on this keyboard, whether he is a 40ish lawyer in Miami, a 16 year old Orly fangirl in Hoboken, or whatever, is not Mithadan.

If I were 15 or 16 and determined to post on a Tolkien Board, I would certainly not disclose any real information about myself. This would be the case even if I were "close" with other posters and had created a PM, e-mail or Facebook relationship with other posters. We have had allegations made of potential stalking by parents of posters here. On each case, the alleged stalker and the alleged stalkee were in fact separated by a rather broad ocean. But we encourage everyone to be careful. A messageboard is anonymous only until you take the next step of communicating by PM, e-mail or other means. We can't control what happens then.

I don't blame Boromir for being careful. I don't blame anyone he (or she ) may have communicated with beyond this public forum to be a bit annoyed that he is not what or who he said he was. But again, I ask why?

It's good to be careful; we don't know who or what is posting here. So, I'm getting a bit bored of this thread. Boro, apologize privately to whoever you have to apologize to. Everyone, foregive Boro or not (I have). And let's get on with it...

By the way, Boro, you never communicated with me by PM or e-mail about whoever you said you were, but honestly, if asked on the basis of your posts, I would have pegged you as a late teen from day one. Everyone needs to understand that age has very little to do wth how well or much one can contribute here...

[Ulumuri]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

Ok. I've poked a bit of fun at this situation, together with my alter ego, Nonesuch (I promise to rep the first person to figure out the source of that nickname).

Either Huck Finn (or rather, the show put on by his con-artist acquaintances, "The Royal Nonesuch"), Randy Newman's label, or mince pie filling?

The great thing about a bulletin board is that it is anonymous (more or less, anyway; we administrators have special powers - for example I know exactly who Ulumuri is).

Although I'll grant that you may know my IP address, if your knowledge actually extends beyond that to the person behind the keyboard... supernatural powers...

[vacates confession thread, never to return, lest she contribute to Morthadran's boredom]

[Mithadan]

Originally Posted by Ulumuri

Either Huck Finn (or rather, the show put on by his con-artist acquaintances, "The Royal Nonesuch"), Randy Newman's label, or mince pie filling?

Good guesses, but not correct. Sorry.

Originally Posted by Ulumuri

Although I'll grant that you may know my IP address, if your knowledge actually extends beyond that to the person behind the keyboard... supernatural powers...

Well, I am a Wight, after all...

[Estelyn Telcontar]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

Nonesuch (I promise to rep the first person to figure out the source of that nickname).

Well, knowing you to be a romantically natured teenage girl, I assume you adopted the nick from Georgette Heyer's Regency novel The Nonesuch.

[No applause, please - I'm here incognito and don't want to be recognised.]


On a serious moderator note: Though I too doubt that many evil internet persons lurk around a small, specialized website like this one, you can never be sure. Here are two important reminders: First, please do not post your real name or e-mail address on the forum, where it can be read by anyone. Second, should you choose to meet other members in person, please provide for your safety by meeting in a public place and/or taking a friend with you.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Mithadan

Nonesuch (I promise to rep the first person to figure out the source of that nickname).

Ah, I get to use information from the innumerable history classes I used as electives in college! Nonesuch was a palace built by Henry VIII. It was demolished in the 17th century for building materials to settle the gambling debts of a later resident.

[Lush]

I'm glad you got it off your chest, Boro, and I'm really sorry that people were hurt.

Having said that...HAH! My instincts were right!

I always thought you were close to me in age, B. You struck me as the sort of person I'd have over for PS3 duels and beer.

*booty dance of victory ensues*

You know, I was 17, so precious and delicate and young, when I first joined here, and although I don't think I actively misrepresented myself, I talked a lot of rot. And a lot of said rot came from anxiety at being in a room with grown-ups, so to speak. So I really couldn't judge.

Now, my entire life is on the internet. I have even managed to somehow make a living off it for the last two years. Yet I can still recall those days when the internet was a mysterious, mystifying entity - and how it was and wasn't real.

The thing is, some of my closest friendships today started on the internet. Some of the brightest episodes in my life involved people I met here, or elsewhere. I can't help but be grateful. And this is why I particularly hope that things will be put right with folks for whom this came as a shock, those that are close to you.

"It never goes away, but it all works out."

[Ulumuri]

(Why not? No one seems bored anymore.)

Morth, the fact that Americans commonly use the phrase doesn't make it sound any less ridiculous. It may, however, feed negative stereotypes of Americans.
Perhaps this has something to do with the tone usually used to say it, though; one without even a hint of sarcasm, implying the speaker simply doesn't realize what s/he is saying.

Warning: rambling follows. Read at your own risk

I suppose I could relate this to the original topic, then (and avoid skwerlz) by suggesting that, all else being equal, text on a screen will take on the tone of voice the reader is most used to hearing, or perhaps the one s/he expects to hear based on a chain of personal associations with irrelevant trivia arbitrarily linked with the person in question, and the resultant "personality" perceived by the reader bears only a distant relation to the person, persons, or monkeys behind the keyboard (or keyboards, or even voice/face).
Therefore, the "knowledge" that Morthoron is an English major, the observation that someone using Morthoron's account previously posed some delightfully well-phrased and pun-filled contributions, and the unexamined assumption that "I could care less" is always spoken in a certain tone, might lead a poor newbie to the erroneous assumption that Morthoron is somehow not himself, slipping, or has some reason behind his phrasing which must be - teased - out.
Of course, all this is silly, and it is much more logical to assume he illustrates his lack of concern by using a deliberately sloppy phrase to express it.

[/rambling]

Mith, it wouldn't have any connection with Nonesuch Theatre, would it?

[Mithadan]

Georgette Heyer's Regency novel The Nonesuch.

Nope, as a 16 year old Fangirl from Hoboken, my tastes run more to High School Musical, though the Jonas Brothers are just sooo last year.

Nonesuch was a palace built by Henry VIII.

Nope, as a 40ish Lawyer from Miami, I am not well-learned in European architecture. Your reference, for some reason, rings a bell, but it is not the source of my alter ego's nickname. Out of curiosity, was this palace named Nonesuch because it was some form of an architectural folly or for other reasons?

My Nonesuch reference is a bit more obscure. I could not possibly give a hint without simply revealing its source. It is not well known other than perhaps to aficionados of the space in which it appears. I initially adopted it for use at a "rival" message board to try to smooth over some bad blood through diplomacy.

[Lush]

Oh, I know, I know! It's a reference to a Pomeranian breeder in Slovenia!

(just kidding - it's just that the almighty Google has given me that suggestion, and it's always a bit hard to argue with Google)

Couldn't be a reference to an obscure & humourous sci fi book, now, could it?