MetaFilter

What's the deal with your nickname? How did you get it? If your nickname is self-explanatory, then tell everyone when you first started using the internet, and what was the first thing that made you say "wow, this isn't just a place for freaks after all?" Was it a website? Was it an email from a long-lost friend? Go on, spill it.

decade long lurker

----

Mr Prosser: But, Mr Dent, the plans have been available in the local planning office for the last nine months.

Arthur: Oh yes, well as soon as I heard I went straight round to see them, yesterday afternoon. You hadn’t exactly gone out of your way to call attention to them had you? I mean like actually telling anybody or anything.

Mr Prosser: But the plans were on display…

Arthur: On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.

Mr Prosser: That’s the display department.

Arthur: With a torch.

Mr Prosser: The lights had probably gone out.

Arthur: So had the stairs.

Mr Prosser: But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?

Arthur: Yes yes I did. It was on display at the bottom of a
locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying beware of the leopard.

-The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams, 1978







-----
These views and circumstances are reasons for comment deletion since, and leading up to, 2015 handover (unless of course you have site capital):

ev͔̭͚̜̥̖͟e̢̙̱̘̲̭͔ͅr̘̫͍̩ͅy͕̥͚͢b͉̣̞̥̫͍̟o͈̩͈̼d͙̮͎͘y͔͎ ̱̻̞̼c̬̮̫u̯l͉͖̳̣͉͍͙tu̲̦͜r͇͎aĺ̤̮̲̺̤ḽ̨͚y̘̜͍̗̜̦͚͝ ̼̪̺͎̻̝͝a̹̜̣̱͇̠͝p̰͉͍̗͓͉̬͜p̖͈r̳̣͙o͙̪̬ͅͅp͙̮̘̠̗r̸̙̜̪ͅi̬͖̙͇̙̜͡a̛̗͎͈̫t̮̘ḛ̝s͚̹̟̫̗̪ͅ

it͔̝̟̼͎̺'̵̥͙̳s͉͍̥̹͇͖ ͔̖͎̯̠͚c҉̤͍͎͕͕a͏͙͕̩̲̻l̠͠l͕e̴͍͖̙̮̗d͇͕ ͏͔͉̳̼̟͙tẖ̼̯͢e͉̗̼̩̲͠ ̶̬̜̞̤̮ͅͅe̲̞̘͙̝x͎̲̣̠̳c̷͕̺͈̩ḥ̺͍͈͟an̘̜̱͍ge ̴͇̺o̗̦̼̞͓͖͢f̢̝͎̬͎̫ í͍̣͎d̶̝̝͚̘̭̺̣ea͙̠̰͕̺͉̮s̢

it̰̞ ̡͉̦̱̙̥͕i͇s̯͈̳͔̘̦̩ ͈͈̖̗̖͎̙a̩͉̱̱̠̯͖ ̮̪̤g̳o̧͓̱̹̖̣̭o͏d ̬͚͙̭ͅt̹͎͎͙͕͘h̡̝͇ͅì͙͎̝͖͕̖ṋ̭̜́g̯̰̱̙͚͝



n̗̰̜͙͈ot͓ p̖̻̦̯ͅa̮̠r͕̘͚͚̬̮̮t̜͍̩̯͖̞ ò͔͕̬͕͚̘f̥̘̩̦͓ͅ ͚̯̱̮t͕̳̣h̺̣̥͔̹̳e̥̘ ̴̪̯N҉̭͖͕ͅY͇̹͚̙̹͉̟C̟̙̫̫̰̺͘ ̛̜̦̦ u̦͔̦̲s̭͎͇͈̲̖͞e̳̥r̯̟̣̖̰̦͉ f̻̹̖̰̫͠a̵̲v͉͎͇͚̟o͇͔̫̫u̬̰̟̖̖̻͠r̞̣͍̺̪̦í͙̱̮t̪i͍n̡̼̙̯̼̫ģ͉̺̘̺̻͇ ơ̬͇̝̗̮r̯̩̰͈̮̟̀ͅg͏̩y͍͈͙̩̥ͅ

r̙̥̩͎̯̦á̲͓c͎̱̭̖ͅe҉̖̠̮͖̞̯ ̗͖̱̺̜ạ̧̱̟͕̟ṉ̵̱̙̫d͙͖̘̣͎ ̡̺̘̦͕g͖e͟n̞̠̬̘̼ͅd͎͙e͙͢ṛ̣̻͝ ̯̰̠͕̰͖a͙͘r͉͍e҉̰̯͉̪͍̜̖ ̳n͔͍o͎͟t ̟̬͞s̰ó̙͔͇l͖͙͕͎͎͎ḙ͇͎̮͎̻̺͞l̘̭͇͓͙͜y͚ ̼̳̮͇̬s̸̲͍͓̼̻o̡͈c̵̳̞̙̭͈͚i͓̬͖̰al̯̟ ̡̳̥̥̣̯̭c͈͔̫̲̬͙̥ò̮͚n̸͇͙̼̤͚s̲͍͙t̮̣̺̭̼͝r҉ự̦̯c̹͚͕̮͔̫ts̖̹̟͚

biọl̝o̻̮͘g͓̜y̭̪̘̫͉̣̣ ̳̀i̭̻͍͖̩̟s̬̰̥̙̙ ̮͎̻̟̼̳͞a̩͍̺ ̳t̤̮̕hi̝n̤͉̘̼g̜̯̞̫̲ͅ

it͇͚̞͖͢'̡͍s͔̲̖̳ ̻͖͜ͅo͎͎͔̘̖̤n͔͔͈ḷ̸̪̞ỵ̴̟̭̬̯ ̯͕̞c͎͍̜̪̯ͅu̬͚̟l̰̞̺͍t̘͔̤̥̝͜u͖̫̩͈͚r͕̝̼ą̳̪l͍͈̝ ̴̤̦̼̭a͈̼̺̟̜͔͟p̝͘p̬͜r̢͎̣̻̳̠̙o͢p̷̝ŕ̼͕i̴͔̭̪̮̮a̭̲̳̜t̮͚̘̀i͉͍͉͓on̻̟̺̼̫̤͟ ̕w͈h̤̝̜̫̫ͅe̟͉̫̹n̝̝̜͝ ̳̩̣̫͠w̷̗̜͕͇h̡͖͚̟̼͖͇̯i̘̠͙ͅt̸̠͔̯̝e̗̱ ̸̲p̧̩̯͙̭͖eo͉̞̝̹p̻͜l̢̠̖e̤͜ d̹o̙ ̴͇̗͔i͔ţ̘̦̳̙

tum̞̟̪̠̟̙̮b̞͔l͍̼̳̦r̴ ̛i̕s̢̫̜̮̭̜ ̩͖̭̬n̸o̷̰̦̦̩̗̬t͏ ̨͚a̬̦̲̝͙ ̴̪̺̤go̴̼͓̗o̜̙d̯ ̧s̛o͓̣̗̕u̮̞̦r̲͇̺̯ͅc͓e͏̯͉̤̬̺̟̤ ̜̥̼͖o̴̻̞̰̰͎̺f͈̦̯̮ ̡̰͕͍̩̙̘̯i̼͎͍͎̩̫̩n͚̺͔͈̤̪f̛̗̖̩o̷r̨̟̬̝ma̛t̛ị̬̣̫o̠̠̦n̻̪̲̰͍̯̩ ̱́o̥͘r҉͈̩͖ ̲̫̞̞̠d͙̥̬͈͓i͓͍s̢c͇̙̟u̻̩̣̼s̢̭̮̳͓̠̭s͚͉̙̻io҉n̜̯͈̤̘̰̕ ̘͇͈si҉̱͇t̢̩e̡

M̹̺̟͍͕͈̗e͓̬̯͍̣̭F͍̲i̥͍̺͘ ̜a̷͈̠n̺̳d҉̪̗̙̻͍̩̗ ̬̭̞̯̟͈̟̀ṱ̛u̪̮̭͝m͍̠̰͚͢b̳̣̫̻̼l͡r̲̭̪͢'̞͇͘s̳ ̖͙͈̪̠͈S̲̩J̸̳̻͚̥̺͖W ̡̤̟̠̱͙̩̹i̙̘̠̝ṃ̥̮͍̤̪p̰l̪̞̰͞e͎͖͚̰m͎̯̟͕͚̬ͅe̯̘̩n̼̲̤̹̪͠t̙͘ạ͎̬̠͜t̥i̥̙̹͍̹o̭̼͔͖͚n̯̠̱̼̰ ̘̱i͈͖̖̖̲̼̦s̭̠̬͔͖̬̹͠ ͇̤̥̫͖̯͍n̸̬͓͙͈̯͙͙o̵̦̦̩̖̺͖̦t̶ ͕͖̪̖̰̮ͅs͉̹o̱͔c͔̟̥̤ia̬͕ḷ͇̥̬̗͇ͅ ̻j͕̤͈͢u͔s͉͔̕ṱ̴̠ͅic̝͎̬e̪̠͈̞̞̻͓ ͡ͅ ̹ͅ-̞͍̖ ̣̝͓͓̯̱̜̗̞I͖̰̝̖̻͍̗̬T̳̹̼̬͈̩͕̱'̮S̞̦͓͇̟ ̫̖̪J̘̟̣U̳͖̰̭̦̣S̜̟͚̦T̪̦͇ ̤̠B̝̫͚̞U̦͉̫̙̳̪̣L̗͈̦Ḷ͉̼͈̦̦̫͕Y̩͚̱̞̩͈͔I̗N̺G͖̥̞̥̹̦͉̖!̙̗̻̙̰̹̥ ̬

̟

̭̩̮͕ͅͅ

̵̷̤̞r̷̻̜͙éd̘͙̭̞̫͍̕ͅdi̫̟͍t ̝̬͝i̶̠͍̝̗s̳̥̫̗ͅ ͚̠͕͍no҉t͚̟ ͏̥̩̗t̗͙̤̼͈͈͕̀h͇̱̳̘̰̼͔͢e̩̻̦̟ ̹̳͖̙̠śo̭͕̕u̶̪͙͓̦̰̺̳r̳̖̺̭͉ce͔͇̳̩̭͚̬ o͚̙̹̥͍f̵ ͏̻͚a͈̣̟͍̝̯l̺̲̫͇͞l͈̟̀ ͍evi̥̝̝̜̻̫̕l̞͚̮̹͉͇̟͡

f͍͙̘̳̣͍a͚̥̥̪͠c̤̪͈͈͕t̲̩̞͍͇͓u̬̬͕͟a̢̻̗͈͇̰͙l͏̘̦̦̝̳ ̛̮̘̪̙̦͇a̶̠̤r͔̩g̙̜̬͉u̞̺̰̞̪̼̦m̲̞͖èn͡ͅṱ̮͚̜ͅ ̟̭a̻̜̘̣̤̹͙g͏̗̜a͍̻̮͇̰̱i̠̦͍̩ǹ͎̮s̛̜t̬͖ ͢g̮r̸͚̰̩o̬̱̺̻̳̜u̞p̥̥̺̹̝͔̪t̗̙̻͓̠͔̰h͈̻̯i͖̰͞ͅn͕̰̭͡k̡̼̣





one̼̖͚͇͉ ͟of͇̘ ̘̬̱ț̠͔͕͇h͇͖͍͉̻͇e̲̝͉͠ ̝͍s̪̟͙̹̼̖ͅi̶ţe̩͎͙'͈s̙̹̪̰͎͍̲ ̶͍͕m̜̰̞͞o̻͍̙̲ͅst͚͕̗͖ ͏̯̣̯͖͇f̲̙̘̣̝̲͞ạ͚̠v̛̪̬̺͖̘̣̫o͝ṳ͖̦̱̙͖̣r͍̯i̬̜̬̳̦̘t̗e̝͡d͇ u͖͈̱̘͈̻̺s̳̭͜e͍̹r̦̜͚͚̫͝s͓̤ ̗o̖̥̲̖͓f͉̺̬̪̭̠̦f̴̖̣̥ḛ̵̥̜r͖̤̱̮͚ͅͅs̮̩ ̜̳͝n͎͜o̭̻͍̞t͖̬̫̲̰͓͚͜h̸̘͙̥̯̣i̶͎̹͍̻n̤͚͇̯̤g͙̫͕͕͠ ͏̗̖̬o̤̜̫̥̥͍͟f͓ ͖̩̤͍v̶͍̲a̡̼l̖͍̹u̬̥̭̗̦͎͔é͈̬̟ ̗͈͈͚̦̣͍i̘n̶̬̱̘̫̼̠ ̥̘̘̠̱̲c̨͈͎̦ͅơ̗̲͚̤̻͍̼m̹̱͓m̮̝e̥͈̗͍n̷ts͔̭ ̞̞̞͍ex҉͔̝̦̤̬̖̞c̖̦̘̗e̜̠͍̝̲p̱t̤͍̩ ̝͖sn͖̺̖̬͎̭͢ͅà̜̟͔͍̖r̛k̛͍̼̱̫͈ ̪̖̖͟

a̮̜n̹̳͓̲̙͓͠ḏ̘̳͞ ͉͙̪̳͇̠̫w̝h̶̭̫͍͉o̥̮̝̗s̳̩̀e̤̩͜ ̣̬͇͍̼͜i͉̮̦͖͙̻n̛̪̣ḩ̫̲̼̯̯ͅḛ͓͕̩̻r͕ͅi̵͇ͅṭ̗͉e͏̺͓̦̼̻d͖̰ ͇̜̮͎̳w͍͎͕̣̦̣ḛa̖l̮̻̜t̟͇̱h͕͉͈͕ ̞b̳̹͈͘l̠̣̠̘̗iṋ͇͚d͙̬̪͙̖s̪̹̤ ̳̖͞ṭ̼̰͈̗̬h̬̜̹͞e͕̥̳̻͕m̗̥͇̰͙ ͚̥͙ͅt̨͖o̬̹̼̥̖̥ ͎̗͔͜t̥͕͈h̩̫̯́e̥͚̼̪̭i̪͎̼͘r

o̯̠̦͞w̛͈̥͔͖n̻̹̹͖ ̹̩̦̱p̩̭̦̘̬ͅr͇̤͔͉ͅi̹̙̰v̼̪̼ḭ̝̩͓͚̬͝l͏̱̬̖̺̭ͅe̟g҉̘̻͓̰̣͖̙e̯̺͓̣͓̩͍͜ ̜̦͞a̩̱̘̥̳ll̻̪̖̯̦̣o͈̝͉̪w͇̘̻̜̳̙͠i҉̝͙̳̝̭ng̥̩̮͉̥ ̰̝̤̞̟h̼͉͎͍͇̞e͇̘͓̘r̵͈̲̗̘̞̰ ̡̳͖͕̙̘̙̩ṯ̢o̜̩ ̙̭̯̙̰͘ẉ̙o̡̙͇̻̲r̞͖̭͘k͔̻̝̳ ̹͚͚̠͜a̳͔̞̳͘

s͈̱̯͉̀ͅi͖̞̞̭͚̥ͅn̝̖̻͚̼e͙̠͎̫̯͇c̲̺͚̙͎̞̱uͅr̕e͇̼̯͓̘̹̱ ͉j̣̱̠̠o̥̫̰b͓̪̹̻̗̙̼ ̵͓̝̣̦̣̲̝w̰͈̞̖̞̫̲h̹̭̮̫̕i͞l̙st̴͕͓̻̝̖ ͖̻̳̯͍l͍͉i̮̼̟̤̻͇v̠͉̠̮̮̘i͓͚̼n͔̺͈g̶͔ ̨̠̗i̧̪̺n̻̭͉̕ ͙̙͍M͎̟̺̼͕͢a̘͈̤̲̙̖ǹh̺̮̠̰̟̘̰͟a͏̠̳̥̻̮t͘t̰̲͎̰̠aͅn̴̝̞.͍ ̮̩͡

͕

------
I don't agree with the vast majority of the Ayn Rand like libertarian bile that Alexandra Kitty spews but in this case she is dead on:

The patriarchy did not ruin your tattoo. The world does not have to praise and applaud your thoughts or actions. People do not have to indulge your personal narrative.

If they think it is a tramp stamp, they have the right. If you don't think it is a tramp stamp, you have the same right, just as I have the right to think nothing proves the phrase about a fool and her money more than getting one anywhere on your person. People flip when there is a tiny dent on their car, but get stuff scribbled on their bodies, but hey, whatever sanctioned insanity floats your boat.

You bought into the patriarchy and honestly thought life was an ABC Afterschool Special. The Girl With the Funny Tattoo is People, Too: the story of a young woman who gets a tattoo, but instead of making her look instantly sexy, edgy, with it, and cool, some smelly boys with too much free time on their hands who have no idea what to do in a democracy make fun of her. Her spunky best friend gives her a pep talk, and she writes a powerfully worded essay/victim impact statement and changes everyone's mind! Yay!

Please stop the patriarchy-fuelled fantasy before my estrogen gets unleashed.

The patriarchy did not ruin your tattoo: your insecurity, need for universal validation, and complete and willful ignorance did it for you.

Stop whining, grow a pair of ovaries, and deal with reality: liberation comes from self-confidence, not addiction to applause or cheap DIY sophistry and propaganda. Next!
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 4:13 PM on May 13 [79 favorites]