A strange bird finally lands...

What? Wait, what?

You don't have to wait ten years to post one of these??? Well, now you tell me...

Since I'm here, might as well keep going.

Hi there, I'm seagull, other wise known, in some circles, as Jon. Been called other things, but those'll get me banned...so don't use those.

I came here ten years ago, after lurking since essentially day one of this site. I was looking for information on JFK's assassination, but I got sidetracked almost immediately by the plethora of other topics, and joined, and except for a short period, or two, I've been here pretty much daily ever since. First day here, I get waylaid by a member named dgtempe, who sends me a less than polite PM suggesting what I do with myself...not in so many words, 'cause DG was, and is, a lady. But the intent was clear.... Well, I thought, I'm not going to last long if this is the sort of stuff I get for opining... So, I U2U her back, and ask what had I said to set her off like that??

Comes back moments later... OH, I'm sorry, it wasn't meant for you.

That started a long, and fruitful exchange, and I consider her, to this day, a friend.

Later I made the acquaintance of Intrepid, who even then, was a grumpy ol' canuck... We crossed wires somehow or other, and I got admonished in thread...

Semper Fortis. Alien. Asala. DTOM. ...and a veritable host of others made themselves known in some fashion or form over the next few years. Including my one and only run in with Authority in the form of SimonGray. I'd gone off on a fellow member, quite literally calling him scum of the earth, and the living reason as to why one should not marry, much less procreate with ones *ahem* relative...

Yeah, not one of my finer moments... My u2u icon started flashing at me. They used to be red, and were actually kinda scary...

It was Simon. Essentially, he told me to tone it down a bit...yeah, the member (who got banned later that day...) is kinda grodey, but you can't be calling him stuff like that... Being as he's a total gentleman, he merely removed said post, and I moved on.

I tread most gently for some time afterwards... Not that I was scared or anything like that. Perish the thought.

Some months later, I get another u2u, this one was from intrepid, who I'd got to know a little bit. Still a grumpy ol' Canuck, but a friendly ol' grumpy Canuck.

My first thought was "oh, darn (hey, don't want to get banned at this late stage...) what have I done now?" I'd been on some threads that were, surprise, surprise, contentious...and I've never been shy about posting my opinion.

I actually thought I was going to get banned. Instead, it's an offer to join staff. I was absolutely gobsmacked. I thought he was having the mickey on me (did I use that right???), and wasn't going to answer right away. But I decided that this really wasn't something he'd joke about...so I said sure, why not? A few moments later, I get a note from the late and most lamented William One Sac telling me my forum assignments, but also telling me "Don't touch anything!!!".

Almost eight years as staff now, and I've never once regretted it. Got to know a bunch of really awesome people. Some I'll never agree with on certain topics...ever. Some, we think nearly in lockstep on some topics... Then turn right around and agree and disagree in the same order. But they're all my friends. Always will be.

I've come to know many of you over the years, some gradually, some right off the bat. Benevolent Heretic. FlyersFan. Antar. AccessDenied. Literally hundreds of others. Some I agree with, some I disagree with. Some are still with us, some have drifted off, and later returned...still my friends.

Others, thankfully very few, are not my friends... Never will be. Not from my end, though they aren't on my Christmas card list, or anything...
We just can't seem to look past disagreements on what are, in the end, trivial things. Color of the sky, whether rain is wet...y'know, simple stuff.

Ten years... It's been a hell of a ride. I've shared tears of torment and sorrow. Tears of unfettered joy and thanks. I expect to share more of the same as the next ten years go by just as swiftly.

I just wanted to say thanks for that ride, and for the tears.

I never, not once, envisioned being here for ten years, or posting over 27000 times, rapidly approaching 28000. I have the attention span of a two year old, most times, I bore easily.

It's a testament to you folks that I keep coming back. So, thanks.

a reply to: seagull

Nice to meet you Jon! I think 'sidetracked' is a good way of describing ATS' appeal. There is always something to keep you coming back. After 10 years...can you imagine being without it?

Hope to meet you again on some other threads.

B x

a reply to: seagull

Crikey mate, and here all the time I thought your avatar was a 'chook' on a BBQ. It's a flamin seagull mate and then looks like its firing up after eating one of the hot potato chips I fling at the screamin gulls on the beach.

Good on ya,

Cheers and beers,

Bally

Hello, you seem a pleasant chap.

a reply to: beansidhe

Undoubtedly, you will.

Without ATS? In all too many cases, ATS has been an anchor in my life. Not too many, but too many.

No, I can't begin to imagine. It's come to mean a lot to me.

a reply to: seagull

Thanks for the smile!

ATS would not be te same without you.

a reply to: bally001

On behalf of those 'gulls, I thank you.

a reply to: EnigmaAgent

I try.

As long as my caffeine IV is replaced at regular intervals I'm fine.

a reply to: swanne

ATS would not be te same without you.

Not true. But I thank you never the less.

originally posted by: seagull
Not true.

I have seen your threads and posts - I stand by my opinion.

a reply to: seagull

Welcome to ATS.

I have quite enjoyed getting to know all of you and hope that we are all here again in another 5 years talking about how times flies when you're having fun!

I have not known you for your full tenure here, but in another 5 years we will just call it even.

Welcome to ATS! TinFoil hats are in the corner...oh, wait, a mod.

Like you my time started with a little turbulence in that my Introduction was immediately 404'd. With the changes and a more lax policy, I suspect it wouldn't be if it was created today. It wasn't anything controversial or necessarily inappropriate, I was attempting to explain to the community why I chose to create a new account. Hindsight being 20/20 it was all pretty moot anyhow.

So why bring this up? Well, your post certainly brought back a little nostalgia and got me thinking about my interactions with moderators here. Aside from the intro getting banned, I've had, well we'll say a few moderator interactions over the years, some completely understandable, others not so much. What I learned from the experiences is moderators are just a fallible as anyone else and just as human also. They have feelings, their own point of view and are given a task to make ATS better than its online cousins.

It's easy for contributors to lose sight of that, and my inability to see them as human nearly cost me my posting privileges more than once. A lot of us fail to see that the mods who moderate us were once just contributors too and like us, would like to have a place free of the crap that makes other conspiracy so cumbersome to experience. I respect the moderators here, even the ones I always manage to tangle with *cough* Zaphod *cough*

You, the moderators are the backbone of this community, you keep us straight and upright. Without a semblance of mutual respect amongst members, which remains because of moderator dedication, it would result in the loss of some of the greatest writers on ATS.

Thanks for all you do!

a reply to: Kangaruex4Ewe

Works for me, Kanga.

a reply to: Rosinitiate

Who do you think stacks the tin foil hats???

We're nothing if not human, all too human sometimes. Trust me on that, if nothing else...

I'll be the first to admit to my fallibility.

a reply to: seagull

You're just a dead set bloody legend mate, and that's all I have to say about that.

Happy "one tenth of a century" ATS birdday to you.

a reply to: Sublimecraft

Gosh.

I believe you are the first to ever say that. Yeah, I think I can safely say that.

Flattery will get you everywhere.

Thanks.

a reply to: seagull

Congrats my brother!!!
I am only on 7 years.

I wish you love and luck for the future and ats means a lot to me as well....lets keep rocking!!!

Happy ten year ATS anniversary Seagull! This place is addicting and I call it 'home'.

I get different feeling when I see other people's avatars. Some make me uncomfortable.

When I see you I get a comfortable feeling. You have made some great contributions to ATS thru the years.

Keep on flying seagull.

www.youtube.com...

a reply to: seagull

Good to know you man, I know you have a good heart and I appreciate you. Rock and roll brother