Disheartened Newbie

[KathyK]

Hi All,

I have been a member here since the beginning of June.  I debated for 
months whether or not to join and I held off until my need to talk 
about Harry Potter increased so dramatically right before the release 
of OOP that my friends couldn't stand listening to me anymore.  With 
no one to turn to in my RL, I joined.

I was immediately impressed with the high quality discussions I found 
here.  I kept relatively silent (I don't think I got off moderated 
status until sometime after OOP was released, when I couldn't stop 
myself from throwing in my two cents) and poked around the files and 
the archives a bit.  I didn't know what FILKs were and those Theory 
Bay posts were quite intimidating.  In fact, they still are.  I very 
much enjoy reading them, but I will probably never visit there 
myself.  

I have been following the threads related to the status of this group 
very carefully since someone picked my correction of another poster 
to begin his rant about posting correct information and looking up 
canon.  

Some of the following discussion has caused me to feel various 
emotions.  Not wanting to shoot out a response based solely on anger, 
panic, or even cheer, I continued reading.  But now I am calm, so I 
will hopefully be responding properly to what has been said.

First, even though I have only been here a little over two months, I 
too have found the repetition on the list quite boring.  I also get 
annoyed when people get their canon wrong.  I do my best to help out 
by finding appropriate quotes and page numbers because my books are 
generally on my desk, easily accessible while playing on the 
computer.  I even roll my eyes at some of the headings, and 
groan, "The Marauders Map again?  Wasn't that just brought up 
yesterday?"

Second, I used to try to read all the posts because even though I 
don't respond to most, I find it respectful to do so.  Unfortunately 
the volume is much too great to do that, so I've begun to pick and 
choose my topics, as many here have had to.  

Third, when I do post something, I do my best to make sure it has 
some substance to it, that no one else recently has posted the same 
thing, and that the canon I use is correct.   I usually try to do 
some proper snipping.  I try to omit any spelling and grammar 
errors.  I've never jumped in with a "me too" without something to 
add.  I'm not always successful, but I try not to irritate anyone 
with my postings.

Okay, so why am I posting this?  Why have I given this the title 
of "Disheartened Newbie"?  

Well, the discussion of a "newbie list" is a start.  As someone who 
never asked, "What's up with the Thestrals?" and never would for I've 
read the FAQs, I think I would shoot myself if I had to sit in a 
group and read endless discussions on that subject or on Dumbledore's 
gleam (discussions of which I now avoid like the plague).  

I would also read the posts of the "older" list and feel very 
discouraged that I could not actively participate in those 
discussions until I've been deemed "worthy" to go there or had been 
in the "newbie" group long enough.  By the time I got to the "older" 
list, my thoughts would be irrelevant as the members would have moved 
on to other topics.  That would discourage me from posting or wanting 
to be here at all.

And the idea sounds elitist, no matter how it would be done.  But 
that could just be the newbie in me talking. :-)

Another thing I find disheartening:

Although there seems to be a number of members who don't mind reading 
posts about the same things and encourage us newbies to post our 
thoughts, there are also a number of folks who do not seem as 
welcoming of this sort of thing.  To even read the discussions here 
on OT about that make me feel I should just keep my mouth shut.  It's 
quite a slap in the face in a group where I've felt very welcome 
until now.

And yet another:

I've read from several members that they are selective in their 
readings of messages.  I have mentioned above that I do not read all 
the posts, either.  I generally go by which topic I'm interested in 
at the moment.  I see that some use this method, as well.  

What I also read is that some folks only read posts from people they 
know.  Well if that's the case, I should just pack it up and call it 
a day, shouldn't I?--Oops, there's some of that anger I mentioned 
rearing it's ugly head.  Some who have said this are people whose 
ideas and theories I have a lot of respect for. 

To think I am not given the time of day just because I haven't been 
around for ages is upsetting.  Admittedly, I look for certain 
people's messages, too.  I will read them even if I'm not interested 
in the thread because those people always have something insightful 
to add.  But I don't skip posts based on who wrote them.  A lot can 
be missed out on that way.  

Forgive me if I misinterpreted what people have said, but that is how 
it comes across to this newbie.

Finally, I would just like to add that I very much enjoy this group.  
I spend a lot of time reading messages and reading the books because 
of what has been discussed in these messages.  So I thank everyone 
who contributes to the list for giving me more than I ever could have 
imagined to think about in the Harry Potter books.  

And I want to thank the ADMIN team for doing their best to keep this 
list as high quality as possible while still making us new folks feel 
welcome.

Thanks for your time,

KathyK (hoping the feelings of unwelcomeness go away quickly and that 
I don't sound too whiny)