Are there Cliques on the Board?

Yet another post from the 50+ Board. At least now we can just refer people here.

The clique card has been played before and I still say it's more about the board personality that has developed over time. Some of us (koff - mom) are more diplomatic than others (koff koff - Cat). Yes, over time friendships (and enemyships) strengthen and grow and we make jokes and refer to things that happened in a past you weren't here for. But we did not all get here at the same time and there are a number of different groups of friends and posters who get along with everybody as well as those who get along with nobody.

When I got here in April of 2005, I didn't KNOW anybody here. I read several different groups, went back through days of threads following the conversations and topics and contributed something here and there and eventually someone responded to something I had said (you would not believe how many threads I KILLED first), then someone else commented on my awesome progress, then I joined a challenge, and over time (we're talking about 6-9 MONTHS) I became a familiar name and developed some friendships that I will always cherish.

When you've been reading here for awhile, you start to feel like you really KNOW the posters and you may think this one is really arrogant or that one is incredibly funny, or wow, that one is just so simpatico, and you want to join in. Do it, but remember that the person you are responding to so warmly and familiarly doesn't know you from Jack - yet. She might very well verbally recoil or rebuff you in the same way she would if a total stranger ran up to her in the street and hugged her. We need time to get to know you, too.