Random Rants #88: [incoherent screaming]

[Birdjaguar]

If there were a button to immediately erase every single one of those posts, I'd press it in a heartbeat.

Since XenForo, I've probably deleted 400+ of my own posts. In most threads these days I'll make a post and reconsider within seconds and then delete it. Sometimes I get burned and someone's already quoted it in a reply.

ETA: By purge all evidence, I meant profile posts and PMs. I don't have a single PM from before 2019. And I'll probably clear that out again soon. It wigs me out that there are people here who probably still have PMs from me pre-2016. Possibly even pre-2010.

I have all my pm from 2001. The most interesting ones are from my years as a moderator.

While a super moderator, I did go through and clean up a lot of my very early posts and where they were quoted. Hidden nuggets no one needs to know about.

 

[JohannaK]

No deleting PMs. They're here forever. The correspondent still has them...

 

[MaryKB]

No deleting PMs. They're here forever. The correspondent still has them...

My pms is currently on hiatus.

 

[Takhisis]

That's not an option, I can't be the only one on the call not participating in video. And it's a company-provided laptop, so it's not like I can pretend I don't have a working camera.

You're too much of a good girl, Mary.

I've had mornings where I did my full makeup routine, online to get a cancelation notice 5 minutes before the meeting.

Well, I don't do the makeup thing but I've still had to deal with the ‘cancellation five minutes before event’ part.

 

[Cutlass]

reading my private messages and profile posts on here and getting hit with massive nostalgia

You get private messages?

 

[JohannaK]

You don't wanna know...

 

[Valka D'Ur]

If there were a button to immediately erase every single one of those posts, I'd press it in a heartbeat.

Since XenForo, I've probably deleted 400+ of my own posts. In most threads these days I'll make a post and reconsider within seconds and then delete it. Sometimes I get burned and someone's already quoted it in a reply.

ETA: By purge all evidence, I meant profile posts and PMs. I don't have a single PM from before 2019. And I'll probably clear that out again soon. It wigs me out that there are people here who probably still have PMs from me pre-2016. Possibly even pre-2010.

Definitely pre-2010. Somewhere in one of my archives I still have PM conversations I had with people from the year I joined CFC. I've got email versions of posts from my time in the staff forum (I couldn't not save the conversation with Padma about the giant pink gorilla in his living room).

Even here, since the migration, I haven't purged my PMs.

It's a habit I developed on the first forum I ever joined. Sometimes I keep this stuff because of a good and positive interaction, or because it was something informative.

And sometimes it's because one never knows when one might need to prove what happened and when. This is particularly valid now that we no longer have access to our own infraction records.

I'm still upset about losing the Visitors' Messages. Some folks sent me some really cute cat pictures over the years, and that potato with birthday candles, in honor of Spud.

I have all my pm from 2001. The most interesting ones are from my years as a moderator.

While a super moderator, I did go through and clean up a lot of my very early posts and where they were quoted. Hidden nuggets no one needs to know about.

*Notifies the DTI to restore the timeline to its original state*

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Rant: Video calls for work in general. It's nice when you don't have to worry about makeup.

I never use video chat, even when others do. I don't see the point and I don't think it really helps in any way with discussion. I even have a cover installed over my camera to physically block it in applications that start up with video-on by default.

I actually take that back, I did do video chat when I was interviewing for jobs because I felt I had to. This led to a situation where I logging into a video chat with unfamiliar software to do a negotiation interview and the corporate executive I was to negotiate with yelled at me to turn on the video stream in the literal first 5 seconds of the interview, which I was actively trying to figure out. From that moment on I hated the guy and decided I didn't want to work for him and turned down the job. (he was equally aggressive during the rest of the call)

Rant:
This was a really bad week from an allergy perspective due to all the smoke and pollution. I spent all of yesterday in a benadryl haze after allegra failed to work. The one small benefit of the benadryl haze is that I was so out of it that I did not feel or notice any nicotine withdrawal.

 

[MaryKB]

For certain calls we're required to turn on video.

Honestly, if everyone else has their video on, I feel it'd be incredibly rude not to do the same.

Rant: my d&d game went on until 3 am this morning. I feel like a zombie now (I got up at 7:30)

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Honestly, if everyone else has their video on, I feel it'd be incredibly rude not to do the same.

I would not.

 

[thecrazyscot]

I would not.

I have a camera on my work supplied laptop. I never use video.

Fortunately, all my co-workers are similarly anti-social.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

For certain calls we're required to turn on video.

Honestly, if everyone else has their video on, I feel it'd be incredibly rude not to do the same.

It's too bad you can't use an avatar if you don't want to have people see your real self.

Rant: Everything looks hazy outside. Thanks, forest fire smoke.

Rant #2: Most of the penguins are packed. I miss all of them staring at me from across the room.

 

[MaryKB]

It's too bad you can't use an avatar if you don't want to have people see your real self.

When we're just having an audio call, you show your corporate profile picture (which has to be a real, professional picture of you)

But the idea of the video conference calls is that they're designed to simulate sitting around a conference room table. I mean, we're lucky we don't have to travel across the country and really be sitting in an office together, right? I think the least you can do is show your face. To me, when everyone is participating in something, and one person refuses to do so, that looks really bad for that person. When everyone else is showing you a courtesy, I feel it's only proper to return that courtesy to them, right?

 

[Synobun]

When we're just having an audio call, you show your corporate profile picture (which has to be a real, professional picture of you)

But the idea of the video conference calls is that they're designed to simulate sitting around a conference room table. I mean, we're lucky we don't have to travel across the country and really be sitting in an office together, right? I think the least you can do is show your face. To me, when everyone is participating in something, and one person refuses to do so, that looks really bad for that person. When everyone else is showing you a courtesy, I feel it's only proper to return that courtesy to them, right?

Not showing my face is the courtesy.

 

[Ajidica]

Whenever I do video conferencing I turn my camera on, I think it helps a little bit with the whole 'speaking into the void' effect that audio-only conferencing creates where it is literally impossible to read body language.
Only times I turn off camera are if someone is having bandwith problems or if they are giving a presentation and there is no expectation that I have to contribute or participate at that time.

 

[MaryKB]

Not showing my face is the courtesy.

No, you are punishing us.

When will you join me on a Zoom call?

 

[Synobun]

No, you are punishing us.

When will you join me on a Zoom call?

When I don't look like the undead.

Also, my camera on my new laptop is for some reason leveled at the keyboard, which is crotch level. I can't see how this is usable in any way. I'd need to push my screen back and then it'd be pointed at my double-chin.

 

[MaryKB]

You do not look like the undead! You are way too hard on yourself, I want to talk to you while being able to see your beautiful eyes and smile.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Also, my camera on my new laptop is for some reason leveled at the keyboard, which is crotch level.

I hope at least you're wearing pants...

 

[Valka D'Ur]

When we're just having an audio call, you show your corporate profile picture (which has to be a real, professional picture of you)

But the idea of the video conference calls is that they're designed to simulate sitting around a conference room table. I mean, we're lucky we don't have to travel across the country and really be sitting in an office together, right? I think the least you can do is show your face. To me, when everyone is participating in something, and one person refuses to do so, that looks really bad for that person. When everyone else is showing you a courtesy, I feel it's only proper to return that courtesy to them, right?

Some people prefer their privacy, which is why it is my right not to use a RL photo as my avatar.

Your company has its policies, which you are obliged to follow. I get that it's helpful to know that one's facial expression and body language are congruent to what one is actually saying.

But there is no need for an impatient lesson in courtesy. I get it. I just floated an opinion, so there's no need to bite my head off.

Moderator Action: And there is no reason to bite Mary's head off, either. Be civil or don't post. --LM