Are We All "sad"?

[November Rain]

No, not at all sad. I have met many good friends on here and theres more than a few that i interact with socially (get on the piss with).. Apart from one bozo that i met on here who i thought was a gentleman but turned out to be a complete arse, but thats only one out of many so the odds have been kind to me.

November Rain..Cheer up mate you have many many friends on here..

Thanks, Austhaied. That's pretty much what I felt.

Just goes to prove that even us "handbag swingers" (cheers, qwertz ) can have friends. I think whoever it was that said that the "sad geek" image of the internet was outdated, is right. Let's face it, we can't all be sad, can we? :D

[PhilHarries]

Not sad at all, for those of living outside Thailand it's a way of keeping in touch in a much more microsocietal (word?) way. Sure we can read the newspapers but they don't keep us informed on the ground level stuff. For those living in Thailand it's a kind of remote help desk for life's little twists. At the moment there are around 1600 members tuned in (I know 'cos I looked, sad or what?) so any question or any problem gets the kind of attention you could never get in peronal daily contacts. Then there is the relief valve function when you just want to have a rant, it's good to know others feel the same way and sometimes good to get a "get a life" wake up slap.

It would only become sad if folks were spending every waking hour sat in front of their PC. Internet fora are an adjunct to life and not a substitute.

[bina]

not at all; it is rather like being in university again

i work with animals, people, children all day; have close friends next door, family, husband, kids....

but its stimulating and fun to speak with people that dont care whether or not u voted for this that or the other in the kibbutz general assembly, or chat with folks that dont actually live in this particular political environment so they dont discuss it obbsessively; keeps me posted on my husband's homeland quirks and peculiarities; and if and when we move to thailand , i will have a sort of safety net of folks to rely on when i'm sitting in an issan shack and in code blue culture shock......(provided we will have internet that is...would a carrier pigeon with a message make it through korat to bangkok w/o being eaten along the way??)

bina

[t.s]

i think there is a difference between intellectual stimulation an seeking validation from an anonymous forum.

perhaps you might want to reasses where you draw the line.

TV is entertainment, if even that. Perhaps it would be healthy not to forget that life is lived offscreen.

[Nouveau]

Nooo i dont think we are sad.

Intellegent people require stimulus!

----------------------------

I wonder if intelligent people should be able to spell "intelligent."

[wolfmanjack]

^^ Oh, far more sad than you are at the moment, Carnival. You're not even a borderline saddo, yet! Actual numbers - I can't remember, I'm sure a mod will fill you in.

Actually sad means: Siamese Affected Disorder

Then I am a sadist

[peter991]

I am happy when I arrive in Thailand. I feel sad when I leave to come back to Australia. A week later I am planning my next trip to LOS and feel happy again.

Peter

[wolfmanjack]

for many, i would say, it is sad. nobody would admit it, but i just imagine a dingy studio and a couple hundred baht "budget" for a week of food... and of course bitching on tv.... but then again, maybe i'm acting and actually describing myself. No, that would be all of the high-rollers here on TV, claiming to be johnny bigballs toughguy ex-military type, or broke-ass-sod-pretending to be rich guy... god i'd love to see some of the digs these clows actually live in... and their 'beautiful' wives? when they piss on thai celebs that make their brown little wives look like maids, actually many of them would be maids if you hadn't saved them.... i'm ranting again.

I never thought of that before. Why do these guys that claim to be bringing in 200k-300k per month have so many posts? This is great inexpensive entertainment for those of us on a budget, but would I be sitting here if I had the kind of money these guys claim to have ??

That is what I would call sad.

[qwertz]

Nooo i dont think we are sad.

Intellegent people require stimulus!

----------------------------

I wonder if intelligent people should be able to spell "intelligent."

Nouveau, let's not police the grammar too rigorously, not everyone has had the privilege of a blue ribbon education but they still have someting to say.

IMO, sad is the nerd whose only social contact is many hours of chatroom cruising, although there's even room for them on this forum.

Not sad are the people who enjoy contact in all its forms.

I belong to the latter and continue to derive much amusement and knowledge from this motley cyber community.

P.S. Welcome to the board.

Edited June 10, 2007 by qwertz

[torito]

Nooo i dont think we are sad.

Intellegent people require stimulus!

----------------------------

I wonder if intelligent people should be able to spell "intelligent."

Excellent note 'Nouveau', thanks for your contribution.

The answer is YES, intelligent people should be able to, but if they don't, this is not a proove of the contrary....eek is a quite intelligent lady.

[qwertz]

Bullseye again, T, you're on form today.

[tijnebijn]

Sad?Sadness is an emotion.To let yourself lead by emotions is a sad thing!Does not mean you cannot be emotional,bit it is how you take care of the thought(about emotions).When not letting themselves overrun through an emotion,nothing is sad or happy,things are what you make of it.get the point?

[qwertz]

Best to define sad.

I think the OP meant it in the modern derogatory sense i.e. aimless folks with nothing better to do and no contribution to make. Social misfits.

Since I rarely use the word in the modern sense, IMO, there are some genuinely sad people, perhaps reading this board right now.

People who are hurting from some loss or disappointment that they haven't yet got over.

If posting on a forum helps, and I hope it will, I say post on.

[ozzydom]

for many, i would say, it is sad. nobody would admit it, but i just imagine a dingy studio and a couple hundred baht "budget" for a week of food... and of course bitching on tv.... but then again, maybe i'm acting and actually describing myself. No, that would be all of the high-rollers here on TV, claiming to be johnny bigballs toughguy ex-military type, or broke-ass-sod-pretending to be rich guy... god i'd love to see some of the digs these clows actually live in... and their 'beautiful' wives? when they piss on thai celebs that make their brown little wives look like maids, actually many of them would be maids if you hadn't saved them.... i'm ranting again.

Its very sad,but there,s a lot of truth in that statement

[mellow1]

For an example of sad,look at post #26.Me, I just did some Math homework with my son,who is now playing video games.My beautiful wife just laid to take a little nap next to my son while he's playing.After 12 years she is still beautiful,and yes teejay, I would of married her anyways, even had she been a maid.I'm just watching HBO on another TV,while participating on this forum.Although educated,I still make spelling and punctuation mistakes.The spelling mistakes are detected by the computer and underlined in red.As for the punctuation mistakes I don't care.Nor do I care about angry,mean people,who are sad,and therefore make nasty statements to others.I am not sad,I am enjoying myself and that certainly includes participating on this forum.But I must say,"mean people suck".

[eek]

OK, I made a spelling error... i dont see how it reflects my intellegence level (sic). Actually i have dyslexia (not that it matters really, just making a point), which i find ways around. Occasionally I slip up, but it didnt stop me getting my BA(Hons), teaching Fine Art, then getting work in a CGI post house in London....and thats just some of my official qualifications and experience. Now I have decided to continue seeing the world a little (as i have lived in other countries on and off) on the money i have saved while still in my early 30's and from some work I do online. I dont really know why I feel the need to defend myself to be honest..but I guess im a little riled at the pettiness shown. I also do not know where the line between intelligent and unintelligent is, but i doubt it should be judged based on a spelling mistake.

I wished to show support to NR that i do not believe (for the most part) that we are "sad" for enjoying this forum. I do, however, think its rather "sad" to nitpick someones spelling error.

ZZzzzz.

[LaoPo]

I was talking to an acquaintance, today. She said she was lonely in our town & asked what I did for friends. I started talking about TV and another forum I'm active in. She interrupted me with "But isn't that very sad?"

OK, maybe. In my particular circumstances (working with dogs all day, staying in most nights to take care of my little boy), it's the only social interraction with adults I get. Still sad? Yep, but wouldn't watching television and having no interraction be worse?

So, you're all here, too. Are we sad? Or is this a valid form of social interraction? Answers (in the form of a post, not on a postcard) please...

Those of you that actually have a life are excused

Maybe tell your friend that joining TV was a good decision since ALL OF US learned a lot since we joined; things we NEVER would have known without Thaivisa and its members...

I see it as positive, though addictive sometimes...

LaoPo

[lazeeboy]

I was talking to an acquaintance, today. She said she was lonely in our town & asked what I did for friends. I started talking about TV and another forum I'm active in. She interrupted me with "But isn't that very sad?"

OK, maybe. In my particular circumstances (working with dogs all day, staying in most nights to take care of my little boy), it's the only social interraction with adults I get. Still sad? Yep, but wouldn't watching television and having no interraction be worse?

So, you're all here, too. Are we sad? Or is this a valid form of social interraction? Answers (in the form of a post, not on a postcard) please...

Those of you that actually have a life are excused

Maybe tell your friend that joining TV was a good decision since ALL OF US learned a lot since we joined; things we NEVER would have known without Thaivisa and its members...

I see it as positive, though addictive sometimes...

LaoPo

no not sad just lots of free time to waste ,not been on this forum long ,been living in thailand 13 years and have learnt a few things,also some replies make me smile

[distortedlink]

This is my response that I repeat time and time again.

Hope you like watching DVDs and sitting in front of a computer for hours because farang social gatherings in Thailand is practically non existent.

The farang population here is mostly made up from pockets of isolated loners living inside the main cities and on the outskirts, elderly knackered old retirees looking to play an occasional card game and some iffy young or middle aged farangs who strictly keep to their own clicks.

None of the above is particularly friendly, these are not community minded people.

For farangs living in Thailand, life can be is great and enjoyed on ones own, which in most cases there is no other choice.

This is the lifestyle for farangs living in LOS. If this is acceptable, than Thailand is for you, if not you are going to be very sad and lonely in Thailand.

Maybe someone or group should start some farang social meeting clubs in the cities. There is an organisation called the expats club in Chiang Mai but this is mostly a meeting place for people trying to sell you things and guest speakers for some company or other. Not really for a club for meeting new friends or social gatherings.

Edited June 10, 2007 by distortedlink

[Austhaied]

This is my response that I repeat time and time again.

Hope you like watching DVDs and sitting in front of a computer for hours because farang social gatherings in Thailand is practically non existent.

The farang population here is mostly made up from pockets of isolated loners living inside the main cities and on the outskirts, elderly knackered old retirees looking to play an occasional card game and some iffy young or middle aged farangs who strictly keep to their own clicks.

None of the above is particularly friendly, these are not community minded people.

For farangs living in Thailand, life can be is great and enjoyed on ones own, which in most cases there is no other choice.

This is the lifestyle for farangs living in LOS. If this is acceptable, than Thailand is for you, if not you are going to be very sad and lonely in Thailand.

Maybe someone or group should start some farang social meeting clubs in the cities. There is an organisation called the expats club in Chiang Mai but this is mostly a meeting place for people trying to sell you things and guest speakers for some company or other. Not really for a club for meeting new friends or social gatherings.

This is the only post i have ever seen from you.

At least you are consistent.

[torito]

This is my response that I repeat time and time again.

With only 45 post I guess you have not try hard yet..you may need to fire losts more to find somebody who agreed with you in here.. .

None of the above is particularly friendly

Farangs normally are not friendly......where are you been?

[Boo]

I have a good friend I met off another thai webite who also has a thai husband & moved back to the UK with him around the same time as us.

We have now been friends for over 3 years & have both recently had children too. We don't live that close to each other & only manage to get together every couple of months but try to spend important thai holiday together at the temples. Without this other website we would never have met & would have been deprived of a someone who knew about the difficulties in coming back to the UK with our husbands & wouldn't have been able to have the occasional rant to someone who knows it isn't serious but understands the associated frustrations anyway.

So friendships formed online IMO aren't sad, but that said, when someone ask how we know each other, I always hesitate before repling "online" as there IS a certain stigma attached which, if someone else has no experience of, will think it is a bit anoracky. So I suppose, in a way, we are this centuries trainspotters

[bendix]

i don't think this forum is sad. It's the best internet forum i've ever been involved in. Personally, I love it. I'm just sad it doesnt love me . . . .

[November Rain]

i don't think this forum is sad. It's the best internet forum i've ever been involved in. Personally, I love it. I'm just sad it doesnt love me . . . .

We do love you really, bendix.

[khunmarc]

Maybe someone or group should start some farang social meeting clubs in the cities. There is an organisation called the expats club in Chiang Mai but this is mostly a meeting place for people trying to sell you things and guest speakers for some company or other. Not really for a club for meeting new friends or social gatherings

why go to Rome to hang out with the barbarians??? I rather hang out with the Romans !!!!

I did meet interesting farangs in Thailand but lots of them were just plain dumm and only tought with their drunken part of their brain !!!!!

[chinthee]

This forum is not sad. I met two wonderful members this weekend who went out of their way to help some fellow members. And, I know this feeling is contagious.

Granted, many of the members on this forum seem to have WAY too much time on their hands, and I'm occassionally guilty of this. I agree there is the usual assortment of characters you will find in any group situation and that some need to be reigned in, and some need to be encouraged.

Nothing wrong here.

[bina]

i want to add: i have been able to help some people albeit on - line and whats wrong with that?? some people are situated where they dont have access to libraries, or other sources of info etc and need help, so whats wrong with the net: boo, what stigma? if u met your husband, ok, maybe. but friends thru forums? it used to be meetings thru quilting bees and church socials, so whats wrong with a forum of people with similar interests.

i taught myself thai thru the net; i taught myself agility for dogs thru a boxer dog forum and finally a few years ago actually met the people overseas back in america; have solved various vet problems thru forums and the latest: somebody who actually only came to thaivisa by accident (not thai and not in thailand) when searching for dog health problems as her dog had tick fever (she pm'd that the dog died a few days ago, but had requested help and ideas from me and a vet near me about a week ago)...

w/o this forum i wouldnt have made it thru all the visa shit that i have been going thru or the marriage stuff since my country is problematic about everything; let alone dealing with thai husband peculiarities (maybe five/ten women married to thai in this country)

as far as time on the hands: i'm up at 5 a.m., feed chickens, walk dogs, get kids to school, drop husband off to pickup point for work, and get on down to the zoo until 19:00, take kids to afterschool stuff, deal with dogs, deal with garden and chickens, pick up husband, go to kibbutz meetings, go to rehearsals for the barmitzva year this year, go to pre army meetings for the oldest, and asthma docs for the middle one, do my kibbutz once a month saturday work duty, and my carpool duties, go back to zoo to deal with sick or problem animals if need be.. how much time do i have on my hands? (husband cooks, kibbutz does laundry but i have to get it) ? for me, i dont have money to buy english language books, cant read hebrew when i'm tired, so this is my 'different' stimulation of an evening or early a.m. when i have time. i dont really watch tv. my hobbies are my work so dont deal with animals in evening times. small apartment so cleaning is quick. chat for an hour or so with girlfriend living hour away. after both of us are home from working in the heat outdoors, we dont go out really, so i post and anon watches 'ball' for awhile... then off to bed. so no empty time that i'm trying to kill, just general chattiness since i see the same people day in and day out here so its like a party social w/o the cigerettes, drinks and driving back home; no need to get dressed up or down or sideways.

i think its great fun, and healthy, as long as u really do have a life. and for those that for whatever reason are housebound, forums are a god send also... especially for young mothers with small children not working, or bed ridden people, or people out in the sticks where not everyone can discuss beethovens' ninth etc...or people like me

:D

btw, may i add that i am like some fonts on word: WUSIWUG.....

bina

israel

[GracelessFawn]

Life is like a wheel........ you could be up or down.

[Jet Gorgon]

i don't think this forum is sad. It's the best internet forum i've ever been involved in. Personally, I love it. I'm just sad it doesnt love me . . . .

We do love you really, bendix.

I concur! We love you Bendix. When I first joined this forum, I wanted to rant and I was chastised roundly for it (I still handbag when I think it necessary, as you all know, but I only use my Jimmy Choo shoulder bag with a brick inside for that purpose). Since then, I am happy to say I enjoy the thoughts expressed by many posters and without knowing them personally, feel a camraderie with them. Like Qwertz and others, I work at the desk and often have to wait for a new job to come in. So, when I'm not at other local tasks, I switch on TV. At first I thought I was being naughty, like maybe I would be viewed as a slobby geek if I told my local friends about it, but no more. Never sad, NR. Unsettled sometimes, but I do love to laugh, and many posters here make me do so, often unintentionally. I am wowed by the depth and breadth of the knowledge here, and the sharing thereof. I also find it comforting that even without knowing other TVers in the flesh, so many will rally round when someone is having problems or start showing concern if someone is MIA. Or send good wishes for a new job, birthday, wedding or newborn (where the h** are those picture updates of your son, Mossfinn?). I can see qualities I admire even from one offering from a new poster, like Mellow1. Of course there are recalcitrant hillbilly morons here, but every family has a few in the closet. I think this is a virtual community, and I am sure if I met up with some of these cowboys and princesses, we'd have a veritable blast. Right, 86? 86? My shoe is not working.

[eek]

I think i had a "handbag moment" earlier...