The single best strategy I tried when coming on board Sept. 30, 2001 (oh, little did I know...) was to begin going back through the archives and reading old threads, particularly the ones written at the inception of the board. What was interesting was how some there wrote with decidedly pretentious tones of voice that they have, since then, toned down. And, on the other hand, there was one member, who is still posting, who wrote with a sortof timid tone of voice, but who is now (and I will not name this person) a voice of great confidence and power. That was a terrific labor of love for me (searching the archives) and well worth the effort.
The second strategy that has helped a lot is contacting posters by PM to ask what the heck they're talking about. To a person, I always get clear answers and a decided willingness from them to let me know what's going on with jokes, references, you name it, that have been mentioned in a thread.
The third action, though not a strategy, that's been helpful has been when an experienced member has contacted me by PM to set me straight on something I'd assumed incorrectly that experience on the board would have steered me in a correct direction.
But we don't remember everything, do we? We all forget things that have been written. For instance, Bill, I don't think anyone ever answered you about what that calendar was called--regimental? Some kind of calendar that had been discussed way back when?
From one who's been out of the loop so long she just enjoys watching it spin around,
Wordwonderer
