Hi!

[mcteague]

Hi there! So excited to discover this space today! I was rather wounded by internet forums and community spaces in my middle-school and high-school years (I am now in my early 30s). I spent my time on a few music forums and 'Buddy4U' which was a place to learn to customize your AIM profile, but there was a great graphic arts community in the forums where contests were held for graphics. I remember making a few Expage websites. We spent time playing the Magic School Bus PC game and on MSN checkers (which was ripe with inappropriate creeps, by the way). In computer class in 8th grade, we used a program to learn to animate, but still used the old Macs to play Oregon Trail. I think a lot of the hurt I experienced on the old forums were because I was untied from my identity. People who were in their 20s or teens couldn't see that I was just a child, and of course I didn't relate that to them. So there was condescension and much confusion lack of clarity for me.

I still hold the community spaces with nostalgia and am interested in engaging as an adult here, with all that in hindsight. I am so interested in the intentionality and possibility of the internet in its most expressive form.

My interests include spirituality based in Buddhism, trauma and healing the psyche and mind/spirit/body connections, creative writing with tangential interests in magic and divination. I like music that tells stories. I am interested in creating more after decades of stifling myself, and could imagine webpages as an appropriate medium, but I don't currently have one.

[Melooon]

Hi mcteague; welcome to the forum!

Ah yes thats a relatable story; I had a lot of bad experiences on forums when I was in my early teens; I was actually a bit uncomfortable starting this one because forums still had a toxic energy in my mind; but its been a year now since this one opened and its totally changed my feelings on forums into positive spaces! I know it wont be perfect for everyone, but I hope it can do the same for you and others!

Making a site can be a great expressive medium! Its like pulling life out of noise and connecting your inner self to technology to the wider world; I suppose to me it is a kind of meditation and spirituality; it certainly pulled me through some of the worst times in my life. Ultimately all these things are tools and dances, but what would life be without those!

Ooo-- You've Received Melon's Welcome Pack --ooO
* If you haven't already check out the forum welcome post, and forum usage guide!
* New to website making? Here is a complete(ish) guide!
* Visit your look/layout to pick a theme and set a default colour/font for your messages!
* Feeling shy and unsure what to do? Maybe post a song you like here!
* Finally don't forget to share the forum and invite friends! We have some way cool graphics over here!

[mcteague]

Thanks Melooon! I am so glad that it is positive for you, and I am glad to hear how powerful the medium has been for you.
It feels so familiar yet to foreign, and I'm looking forward to learning more and experimenting : )

[Guest]

Hi, welcome to the forums!

Yeah, I've had some bad online experiences too at that age, although I usually just excuse it from me having been a stupid kid back then and was a jerk myself at times. I'm just glad I've been able to grow out of it and move forward.

Toxicity can certainly be a thing on forums sometimes, although I think that's just the reality of the internet as a whole in any community big enough. You can't say it's any more toxic than modern social media spaces.