"Newbie" is your name now (more) (archive)

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In Reply to: Note from a "Newbie" posted by No Names Please on September 23, 2001 at 21:58:02:

You have got to post with a name, no one likes anomynous/nameless posts, unless "No name please" is your online name.

However to keep things simple, I will babtise you "Newbie". From now on that will be your online name, or unless you start posting with a name.

To be taken seriously, you cant just barge in the door and start talking out of your ass. You have to earn our respect. Making genralizations or critizing the culture of this MB is NOT the way to do that or put you on the fast track to make new friends or get information for that matter.

That said, as a former Newbie myself, I want to welcome you to the board. I also have been on here for about a year and always have been known as mario (with the lower case M - thanks Rachel :) )since day 1.

When I first found this board, I lurked, I got to know the personalitites, I searched and read the archives so by the time I started posting I had already conducted and collected significant of research and data.

So by the time I made my first post, I knew what to expect. At first I skipped the non technical stuff and eventually started paricipating in it...I admit to being involved in perpetuating a pun thread untill I went of the screen. I have posted personal stuff here and gave comments and suggestions on OT subjects.

It started quite innocently (this month, a year ago actually - wow time flies) asking some basic questions - suspension, filters, air intake - At that time I made it my goal to prepare my car for the track.

As a matter of fact, one of my first technical posts was my technical notes and install experience after I fogged my airbox.

Well it all went down hill after that - suspension, tires, wheels, roll bar. Pure technical stuff. I realized i needed a life so I started participating in OT stuff. At that time I felt comfortable enough with the participants here to fully participate. The ot stuff rounded out my on line personality.

But why do we have polls, ot posts - well quite simple - we are a community, as Big Daddy (hey hows the SOB?) mentioned below, a family. There is no clique, but the folks who live in a specific region do have stronger ties as they have opprtunities to get together more often. Theres a contingent on this board who auto-x or track their cars, their stronger bonds are also understanadable. But in a nutshell, there is something for everybody. As with any family, siblings get along with others and some do not, some have simliar interests, some do not. We are still a family.

We have been trough a lot, support each other, make each other laugh, whatever. The Z3 brought us together but for many of us, the relationships, the friendships that have been forged have transcended the thing that brought us together initially.

At homecoming I was interviwed by the roving BMW media crew and they asked me what brought me to homecoming.......I said "the people, the cameraderie"

Newbie, when you bought your Z3, you did not just buy any normal car, you bought a lifestyle.

How much you enjoy the lifestyle depends on how serious you take yourself. How much of your serious self you are willing to let go to get to the next level. Ever since I got the bug out of my ass, I relaxed and started enjoying the MB more. I chose it as a lifestyle rather than to particiapte on it occasionaly.

There are several ways to enjoy this wacky world of ours: From the outside, lurking, reading the posts that interest you, wishing for more technical stuff. Or from the inside as a regular participant (on topic or not). How you want to participate and how deep you want to go is up to you.

But welcome on board we are glad to have you either way. The people on here are the most caring and selfless people that I have ever had the pleasure to get to know. They will be there for you if you ever need help, on topic or off.

Some of the best friends that I have made, I got to know on this board. There are many others that I have realtionships with. But all in all Im proud to call them all my friends.

I have a track prepared 1997 1.9L.
Feel free to ask me any technical question, on the board of off. I will try to answer it to the best of my abilities.

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