What TBN use to be like

[MossRoad]

I was going through papers the other day and ran across these and it brought me back to what TBN use to be like. This board was a fun, friendly, family like place. There was hardly any negative posts, everyone treated each other with respect and we all got along regardless if we agreed with something or not.

These cards were sent to me when I fell and broke my back in 2007. There were 4 of them in all, my friends on here took the time to discuss doing something to help lift my spirits while I was down and out. They sent the card from member to member for each to sign and eventually send to me. I never knew this was happening till I received the cards. It was a great gesture and one I will never forget. Sadly I know some of the guys who signed the cards are no longer with us and others just don't post on here much anymore but there are a lot of familar names most of you will recognize.

These boards have grown and while it is nice coming on here and know you can get an answer quickly for just about any question I miss the personal feel this board use to have.

Thank you again to all my friends on here.

I remember when you broke your back.... hearing about your farm and vineyards, your daughter, and finding I drove pert near right past your place on a trip from Indiana to Boston right around then, too. Those were good conversations. Man, 5 years go by quick, eh?

 

[MossRoad]

So, people that you socialize with on the internet, you consider them friends?

At first, its like talking to someone at the bus stop, or waiting in an airport. You start talking, you have a few laughs, you find something in common like perhaps you both have been to the same places, or went to college in the same town, or both have similar upbringings, etc.... After several years of seeing the same folks at the same bus stop you sometimes consider them your friends. You know their kids names. Where they live, their wife or husband. Maybe you go out for drinks or a sporting event. Or maybe you just cherish the few minutes you get to spend with them at the bus stop for the good conversation.

I've had the pleasure of speaking with the same couple dozen folks for the past 12 years here. I've met about half a dozen in person and consider all of them my friends. If it weren't for the fact that I have to work, I'd like to take a trip around the U.S. for a month or two and take a few dozen of them out to dinner even though I have never met them in person before.
:licking:

My wife thought I was nuts when some friends showed up at our house that I met on TBN. But she soon found them to be very good people. So we visited them at their home the next year clear out in Montana and stayed a couple nights there. We met some great folks and we are better off for it.

With friends, you take your chances. People come in and out of your life. You never know how long they're going to be there. Best friends from childhood sometimes vanish. Sometimes they stick around for 90 years. If you work at a computer all day long, you don't get to meet many people in person. Sometimes you don't have to physically shake their hand to consider them a friend.

 

[texasjohn]

Robert, we've not met, likely never will, but you can be my friend any time....glad you are recovered...and thanks for your post about the old days and how things used to be....I hope we can continue to foster the family/friends feel of TBN. I cherish that myself. I seek to retain respect and civility for all as long as possible but if someone regularly is negative, name calling, fringe and refuses to have a civil discussion, I simply put them on my ignore list. That controls the negative responses I see and I do not respond to anyone who I have ignored.

I, too, thank all my TBN friends for their humor and insightful comments on all topics.

 

[aczlan]

If you work at a computer all day long, you don't get to meet many people in person. Sometimes you don't have to physically shake their hand to consider them a friend.

Ayep. Here and on a Volvo email list I frequent there are some people who I have never met but who I would consider friends and I would like to meet in person someday. There was someone who sent me a head for my car after my timing belt tensioner fell apart on the way to the shop (to get a new timing belt put on). Never met him in person, and he wouldn't even let me pay for shipping...

Aaron Z

 

[Sackett2]

At first, its like talking to someone at the bus stop, or waiting in an airport. You start talking, you have a few laughs, you find something in common like perhaps you both have been to the same places, or went to college in the same town, or both have similar upbringings, etc.... After several years of seeing the same folks at the same bus stop you sometimes consider them your friends. You know their kids names. Where they live, their wife or husband. Maybe you go out for drinks or a sporting event. Or maybe you just cherish the few minutes you get to spend with them at the bus stop for the good conversation.

I've had the pleasure of speaking with the same couple dozen folks for the past 12 years here. I've met about half a dozen in person and consider all of them my friends. If it weren't for the fact that I have to work, I'd like to take a trip around the U.S. for a month or two and take a few dozen of them out to dinner even though I have never met them in person before.
:licking:

My wife thought I was nuts when some friends showed up at our house that I met on TBN. But she soon found them to be very good people. So we visited them at their home the next year clear out in Montana and stayed a couple nights there. We met some great folks and we are better off for it.

With friends, you take your chances. People come in and out of your life. You never know how long they're going to be there. Best friends from childhood sometimes vanish. Sometimes they stick around for 90 years. If you work at a computer all day long, you don't get to meet many people in person. Sometimes you don't have to physically shake their hand to consider them a friend.

On my Motorcycle forum, we have arranged group rides, invited people to camp in our yards and stay in the houses. People offer up lodging to out of country riders without a second thought.It was so amazing the first time I met some of them, all were great people and are my friends. Just this last week, one member passed away suddenly, and tho I haven't ever met her- the loss is felt. I had wanted to meet her.
Friends are where you find them and how big your heart is...

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I met a guy on another website, a fellow with similar interests, and we corresponded back and forth for 5 or 6 years. One day, someone made a phone call, then another, and another, and the next thing I knew Sharn Jean and I drove 600 miles to a small town in Iowa to meet the man and his wife. We were greeted with great hospitality; spent several days there, and attended Goodguys in Des Moines. The next year, they returned the favor. He passed away a couple years ago, and I can truly say that I lost my best friend. Although I was not a member of TBN 5 or 6 years ago, I certainly can relate.

 

[RoyJackson]

America has become more polarized in the last 4 years than any time since the civil war...and it subliminally effects us in most aspects...

IMO a huge percentage of the blame lies on just one persons shoulders...

It's been longer then 4 years...mid-1990s is (IMHO) when things really went to ****...

 

[JDgreen227]

I have belonged to TBN for quite some time now, and I recall when I first joined I did step on other member's toes once in a while. But it usually wasn't intentional. IMO the vast majority of members here are very civil and friendly to each other and although there can be disagreement, you are never going to learn something from a member who always agrees with you.

I have gotten to know several of the guys here reasonably well by exchanging PM's etc. but stop short of calling them friends. Something akin to Facebook...there are members there who have a thousand "friends" but have never met any of them. I am very reluctant to call any people I don't personally know or have met a "friend" HOWEVER if I know them both on TBN AND Facebook...they are friends.

 

[MossRoad]

It reminds me of my early CB days back in the early 70 when I was 14 or 15. I had a CB in my room and started talking to people all over town. Struck up some on-the-air friendships. Then decided to go to lunch with them. A leather clad tattood biker couple in their 50s riding as passengers with an African American parapalegic driving his wheelchair van and a mentally handicapped teen my own age showed up in my driveway. We went to lunch down at the local diner and spent many years conversing. Ahhh, those were the good old days when your parents didn't have a clue what you were doing and who you were hanging around with.... kind of like face book with warm bodies. :laughing:

 

[Bird]

This board was a fun, friendly, family like place. There was hardly any negative posts, everyone treated each other with respect and we all got along regardless if we agreed with something or not.

You're sure right, Robert. And yes, I think I had, and still have, quite a number of real "friends" on TBN that I've never met in person. On the other hand, I've met quite a number in person, and we've had some great get-togethers to do different projects, and some just for the camaraderie.