Top 10 reasons why I'm not leaving DU.

[rbnyc]

Sometimes this place is frustrating. I have high expectations for this community, and sometimes I find myself cringing. A lot of people have a love/hate relationship with DU. We've seen a lot of goodbye posts in the past 2+ years. We've been through worlds of crap.

One thing that upsets me is when we are overrun with negativity. My life keeps bringing me the same lesson, the same message over and over, and that is that my vision of life shapes my life, that worrying is like praying for something bad to happen, that perception creates reality. When I see a whole page of negative threads my brain screams, "Don't create that!" And I know I've made this very point about 5700 times here. I think that's the main thing I'm here to say.

Anyway, I've had a couple good friends explain why they can't be here anymore recently. I'm sure I'm not alone. What they say makes sense, I know that it's true for them. When I hear them, I agree, because they're telling me their stories--how can I not agree?

But why isn't it true for me?

Here are the top 10 reasons:

10. Auntie Pinko is so smart.

9. I love finding out which sci-fi character, which TV show, which Greek God, and what flavor ice cream I am.

8. I love taking polls.

7. I print out Top 10 Conservative Idiots every Monday and share it with all my friends.

6. I think Skinner, Elad and EarlG work hard to make this a place that attracts great people, and I'm a great person. ;-) (Perhaps just a little too modest, tho.)

5. It's a great place to network, to meet people and get information that actually gets me moving, helps me get out the door, to demonstrations, to events. DU does translate into the real world.

4. It's a terrific place to vent, rant, scream, complain, brain-purge, blow off steam, etc.

3. So many people here read so many different papers and news journals and bring the best articles to the forums. I find important stories everyday here that I may have easily missed if so many dedicated people weren't out there, essentially doing research for me.

2. DU Gatherings kick ass.

1. I have real friends here.

[Cha]

1. Yeah! I second that emotion! It's like where freakin'

else is with all this? :grouphug: :hi:

[JanMichael]

2. I met my (beautiful, intelligent, wonderful) wife through DU!

EDIT: I re-read my subject line and it lacked a certain excitement! Bad MICHAEL!

I've also met several other great DU'ers in person and spoke on the phone with a couple more. Plus I've got the rest of you as friends too:-)

This place gets my blood boiling but hey, I need that sometimes.

I'm not going anywhere.

[blm]

3. Now that's a GREAT Top Ten, rbnyc.

*applause*

[childslibrarian]

4. I'm a new poster, longtime lucker and...

I find that the people here have their hearts in the right place...

[Piperay]

20. A BIG welcome to you Childslibrarian

it's GREAT having you, hope you keep posting! :hi:

[LuLu550]

21. Hi ya!

and welcome!
:toast:

[Rhiannon12866]

5. What a great post!

I have just revisited another forum here, which shall remain nameless, and needed to hear this!:-)

Thank you for reaffirming the reasons that many of remain on DU, rbnyc! You have more reasons to lose heart than most of us, but you always manage to encourage the rest of us!:hug:

Thanks! and :kick:

[rbnyc]

11. Thanks.

I appreciate that so much. I've learned so much since the accident about being disabled. It's been really, really hard and painful, but at least I do get better everyday. In a few months, I'll be as strong as I ever was, and I'll know things about living with a disability that I never would have known before.

But I have to say, it really, really helps me keep my spirits up to know that people see me trying and let me know that they think I'm doing a good job. So thanks again.

[JanMichael]

14. PS...

I had PM'ed your mom a while back about a Florida DU thing but got all caught up planning the Cooperative Commonwealth (That's the problem with us Leftists...Focus...Too much focus!) that I lost contact with her!

Will you be in Florida anytime soon? We could always plan around a trip.

[rbnyc]

17. Probably not soon.

I probably won't be getting down to Florida until next year or later. But I'll let you know when we do go. It would be great to hook up.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. You are doing a wonderful job!

You are one of those I admire most on DU and I am so glad to have gotten to know you!:hi:

[Seneca]

6. I'm leaving DU

Gotta pee sometime! :-)

[Cha]

7. Yeah! every so often!

:toast:

[scarlet_owl]

8. Do what I do

I have a coffee can near the computer.

[rbnyc]

13. Eeewwwww!

You silly!

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

9. Not to mention trips to the liquor store

Damn, I have to go SOMETIME.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

10. Amen sister

Right on the money.

[frank frankly]

12. yes yes and yes

yes

[Duncan Grant]

15. Back at ya...rbnyc!

>>My life keeps bringing me the same lesson, the same message over and over, and that is that my vision of life shapes my life...<<

Truer words were never spoken!

Thanks for reminding me to stay 'buoyant' here at DU (and in post-recall California)... :loveya: :pals:

[rbnyc]

18. I really feel for you CA folks.

Listening to exit interviews last night was so depressing.

Hang in there.

[blondeatlast]

19. What she said! Plus:

#11. I'm part of a great big family!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=47294

I love that pic!

[rbnyc]

22. OMG! I NEVER saw that thread.

Thanks so much for posting that. And thanks Crowdance.

[blondeatlast]

23. Glad to oblige! I've had it bookmarked the whole time.

A real day-brightener.

[jus_the_facts]

24. Hey Rene' glad you're gonna stay too....

...and I agree with ya....I get an attitude from time to time myself and say I'm not gonna come back buuuuuut....here I am!! :D

:hi: hope you're feeling better!! :yourock:

[rbnyc]

25. Thanks...

...I'm actually crying my eyes out after following the link to the wedding thread that was posted above.

Wow!

Anyway, I'm glad you're here too! :loveya:

:)

[woofless]

26. I agree entirely and

Thanks for stating it so eloquently. Negative thinking brings negative results. I went for many years in a lousy situation all because I "thought" therewas no way out. All it takes is a positive attitude and the will to make change happen. The same applies to this forum. I too despair at all the defeatism I see here but choose to ignore it. I BELIEVE IN AMERICA AND AMERICANS. Does that mean there aren't Tons of morons out there and they happen to be at the helm now? No, but neither does it mean that we have to give in to defeatism. Stay strong, know what you want and go for it,

VISUALIZE WHIRLED PEAS

Woof

[soleft]

27. this space reserved for something profound to say at a later time

:loveya:

[rbnyc]

28. Did you have fun at my party?

It was so great to see you. It was so cool of you to be there.

:loveya:

[soleft]

46. Yeah! Hope it was okay we defaced the balloons

Or did we face them?

[Cosmic_Latte]

29. Right on!

I came, saw, and conquered (or was it lurked?) DU for more than 2 years now and nothing beats this place. Everything in DU is special! You've hit the nail on the head Rene! :-)

:yourock:

[ewagner]

30. Great post

I agree with many of the points you raised.

There is so much intelligent discussion here that I can't get anywhere else. One of my first posts was in the economics forum and there was a detailed discussion by knowledgeable people about structural changes taking place in the economy.

Do you think I could get that kind of advice, conversation and opinion at the local coffee shop? I don't think so!

Great people here doing great things...I'm sorry some have left but I hope for their eventual return. You guys welcomed me about six months ago and now I feel like part of the family....I hope the other family members return.

Thanks DU.

[ewagner]

31. Wanna see another good reason to stay on DU

take a look at this discussion. When I left it 12:38AM it was civil, knowledgeable and topical. Reasonable people reasonably debating an important idea. Great DU stuff

<http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=492237&mesg_id=492237>

[Susang]

32. I always come back to DU

Sometimes I need to get away for awhile, but I always manage to make my way back. I'm really going to miss the posters who've decided to leave. One of the reasons I always came back was because of the great people I've met (in person and online) here.
:loveya:

[trigz]

33. A good place to meet nice Americans

DU breaks up the monotonous image the average Norwegian gets of Americans as rude, vulgar, stupid, semi-illiterate right-wing extremists and fascist apologists through everything and all the idiots we see in the news. There are a lot of fine, intelligent, sympathetic and very nice people in here, I'm certainly happy I joined. Up the DU :bounce:

[Djinn]

34. Ditto to Trigz post

I was fairly new to the whole forum thing when I came upon DU, actually came here after a google search for a Michael Moore article brought up the Free Republic forums - wow THAT was an eye opener and seriously funny too - who were bitching about DU so I thought I'd check it out - I've barely left since.

unlike most political sites I found - no-one here calls me a capitalist running dog or terrorist loving commie - I just find interesting and funny things to read and nice intelligent people to chat with.

It's also been really good to remind myself that despite what our lamentably not late PM says, I'm not "anti-american" I'm anti freeper and anti rethugs (my new DU learned words!!) and they DONT speak for most Americans

[Rhiannon12866]

35. Welcome to DU, trigz and Djinn!

:toast:

I, too, was new to forums when I came to DU and this place has spoiled me for anyplace else. I, too, have met great people from all over. This place also gives me hope, for this country and for Americans! I am so glad both of you are here!:hi:

[trof]

36. You left out the juice and cookies

every afternoon after naptime.
;-)

[GOPisEvil]

37. Those little mats we take naps on are comfy, too!

:D

This place is a home away from home. There are some damned fine people here. I'm glad to call you all my friends. :grouphug:

[TreasonousBastard]

38. Goodonya!

Now I'm even more depressed that I had to miss your party.

Perhaps my life will be my own once again and I'll start making it to these things again.

Be well.

[rbnyc]

39. Well, maybe we'll just have to do another NYC gathering...

...in the coming months. Or perhaps this coming spring?

:loveya:

[GOPisEvil]

40. I wanna come if you hold a spring gathering!

:bounce::hi:

[rbnyc]

41. OK. I'm going to post a thread and see if anyone wants to help.

It would be great to see you again!

[GOPisEvil]

42. Likewise - and I can meet some of the other New Yorkers!

:D

[LynneSin]

43. You just love it for the Tequilla and Virginia

:hug:
:pals:

[rbnyc]

44. And the dresses, scarves...

...and travel magazines!

[LynneSin]

45. btw - check out this website

http://www.go-today.com

You can both do Europe for under $1200

[rbnyc]

49. Wow! Cool! Thanks for the link.

And again, about a spring gathering, I don't want to do it if it will really keep people from coming out for convention. I really was just thinking about something that would draw people from the area (of course GOP was on board in one second ;-) ) and I really was thinking that March is worlds away from summer. Maybe February would be better, or maybe it would be better just to wait until the summer to see people.

[ZenLefty]

47. My top ten reasons

10. rbnyc is here
9. rbnyc is here
8. rbnyc is here
7. rbnyc is here
6. rbnyc is here
5. rbnyc is here
4. rbnyc is here
3. rbnyc is here
2. rbnyc is here

and the number one reason I'm not going anywhere is...

1. rbnyc is here

:D :+ :loveya: :bounce: :party: :smoke: :hippie:

[LynneSin]

48. YO!!! I'm here too

:cry:

[rbnyc]

50. now i'm blushing!

But I know there are about 30,000 other reasons too.

;-)

[Rhiannon12866]

51. Kick for rbnyc!

I'm just so glad that you are here!:hug::kick:

[rbnyc]

52. thanks.

me too!

*hugs*

[Rhiannon12866]

53. Hugs to you, as well!

You deserve a lot of hugs and get well wishes! Here's mine!:pals: