Thank you Metafilter

February 6, 2010 4:43 PM

Thank you MetaFilter

I was in a foul mood. I've been in a foul mood for a while. Hell, I'll probably be in a foul mood tomorrow...but this is not an AskMeFi question:

I just went and read fifty or so brilliant, thoughtful statements on a few dozen threads on AskMeFi, posted by people speaking from true life experience. By taking the time to post and share, you were all showing love for more or less random strangers (and not-strangers I suppose, this is a community). I don't think I scratched the surface either.

And now I feel truly better.

There's almost nothing in this world that works this way for me. Thanks everyone.

posted by dubitable to MetaFilter-Related at 4:43 PM (66 comments total)

You're welcome.
posted by idiomatika at 4:44 PM on February 6, 2010

*HUGS*
posted by BeerFilter at 4:45 PM on February 6, 2010

We love you too, dubitable. All of us, that is, except for eyeballkid, who hates you, but in a loving way.
posted by StrikeTheViol at 4:55 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

Well hey, if people are watching us, the least we can do is be entertaining.
posted by netbros at 5:00 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

I like your name.
posted by anitanita at 5:02 PM on February 6, 2010

is this the schmoopy? schmoopy!
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 5:25 PM on February 6, 2010

is this the schmoopy? schmoopy!

Maybe. Er...what's the schmoopy? I guess I'm not enough of an insider yet or something...is it good?

If it's bad...sorry!
posted by dubitable at 5:29 PM on February 6, 2010

I like your name.

Thanks anitanita! I like yours too.
posted by dubitable at 5:30 PM on February 6, 2010

☜Ҩ❰♥‿♥❱Ҩ☞
posted by localhuman at 5:30 PM on February 6, 2010 [12 favorites]

Yay! More schmoopy! We loves the schmoopy!

As it happens, I'm in a foul mood today, too...suddenly unemployed, struggling hard, lonely, and hurting...anyone want to point me to some of those uplifting threads? Please? I could really use a heaping dose of that right now.
posted by velvet winter at 5:32 PM on February 6, 2010

I think this thread could only be improved by some additional photos of your cute cat. Is that a blue tortie?
posted by HopperFan at 5:32 PM on February 6, 2010

"If the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you.
When mountains crumble to the sea, there will still be you and me...."

the other day a bar buddy of mine put the BBC Sessions version of that tune on the bar jukebox and described it as 'fuckin' disgusting,' by way of endorsement. I could tell he meant it as a compliment, but it was weird hearing it used that way. Later that day we were interviewed by a webiste about the Super Bowl.
posted by jonmc at 5:33 PM on February 6, 2010

This is the cutest thing since.
posted by shothotbot at 5:40 PM on February 6, 2010

Maybe. Er...what's the schmoopy? I guess I'm not enough of an insider yet or something...is it good?

What you did here was to feed and water the schmoopy, and now instead of being a droopy schmoopy, it's all happy and perky and able to remind us all that we love the schmoopy and the schmoopy loves us and we all love each other. (Except for eyeballkid, as mentioned earlier).

So yes, it's a good thing.
posted by rtha at 5:43 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

Hugs!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:47 PM on February 6, 2010

um...er...hi...um...I heard there was a hugging party here?
posted by Lutoslawski at 5:53 PM on February 6, 2010

velvet winter, I was looking at a bunch of threads, but this one in particular had some stuff in it that helped pulled me out of my doldrums. YMMV. Feel free to mefi-mail me if you want to talk!

So yes, it's a good thing.

Ah. Then good.
posted by dubitable at 6:03 PM on February 6, 2010 [2 favorites]

Foul mood? Can't say I feel the same, but what i can say is that

Today, you are dubitable.
although some days you might feel like a lab tube ID,
or even a discarded obsolete beta build.

But please,

over the bad parts, dont obsess and be a detail bub
even if someone tells you might be a bit dul[l]
or that you should change your name to Dale Bubit.

For you might miss your chance,

to shine and not be lit bad,
to become someone's able IT bud.
or even make your grand Bali debut.
posted by Throw away your common sense and get an afro! at 6:12 PM on February 6, 2010 [17 favorites]

Also remember: happiness can sometimes just be a lit bud away.
posted by Throw away your common sense and get an afro! at 6:16 PM on February 6, 2010 [6 favorites]

Throw away your common sense and get an afro!, thanks for that. Now I feel even awesomer. That was splendid.
posted by dubitable at 6:17 PM on February 6, 2010

And now I feel truly better.

I had the same feeling listening to an NPR interview with Temple Grandin last night. It just made me smile because the world was somehow a little better.
posted by SLC Mom at 6:22 PM on February 6, 2010

SCMOOPY! I can totally relate to the OP. I've had days, weeks, (months.. years..) like that, and I can almost always find a smile *somewhere* on Metafilter.

Yay, Schmoopy!
posted by MuChao at 6:24 PM on February 6, 2010

Sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows!
posted by marxchivist at 6:25 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

Feel free to mefi-mail me if you want to talk!

Awww...thank you, dubitable! That's very sweet. And that thread you linked...it's exactly what I need right now. I'm going to go read it over and over again. Much appreciated!
posted by velvet winter at 6:37 PM on February 6, 2010

I do what I can.
posted by Meta Filter at 6:44 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

Is this what it's like to OD on rainbows?
posted by Rhomboid at 6:45 PM on February 6, 2010 [2 favorites]

Well, if it's going to be this kind of party ...

I'm a grown man with no children, so I don't have any excuse for watching Wonder Pets other than ... awwww.
posted by Bookhouse at 6:46 PM on February 6, 2010

And now I feel truly better.

That'll be $20, please.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:44 PM on February 6, 2010 [2 favorites]

That'll be $20, please.

No - it's just $5. Same as in town.
posted by Dojie at 7:51 PM on February 6, 2010

wow, I just stepped out to kuro5hin for a minute (first time in a few years) and found it completely overrun by trolls, sort of like that Star Trek: TNG where the Enterprise keeps cycling through all these parallel universes, one of which has been taken over by the Borg - there's a great scene of Riker looking like Moses on a bad hair day up on the communication monitor.

Thanks guys, for all you do. it's so rowdily civilized here.
posted by toodleydoodley at 7:52 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

No - it's just $5. Same as in town.

Sockpuppets.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:52 PM on February 6, 2010

I feel all warm and fuzzy because this was posted. Thanks, dubitable!
posted by cooker girl at 7:53 PM on February 6, 2010

Anyway, I was planning to come spirit your children away in the middle of the night and eat them, but with this thread you have spared them. For tonight.

Ha! I already sold them.
posted by dubitable at 7:56 PM on February 6, 2010

I feel all warm and fuzzy because this was posted. Thanks, dubitable!

You're very welcome.
posted by dubitable at 8:00 PM on February 6, 2010

This seems to be as good a thread as any to remind all of you that I STILL HATE EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.





But I hate you all equally. So there's that.



Also, I feel that the HATE can only be so strong when I'm running the MeFi Unicorn Submit Button greasemonkey script.




So. Yeah.


hate!
posted by eyeballkid at 8:06 PM on February 6, 2010 [6 favorites]

wow, I just stepped out to kuro5hin for a minute (first time in a few years) and found it completely overrun by trolls.

My surprised face: O_o
posted by shothotbot at 8:25 PM on February 6, 2010

Throw away your common sense and get an afro!, are you a version of me from an alternate quantum eigenstate where I did not, in fact, cut off my afro?

Maybe. Also possible I'm from the one where you go around telling people to do things so that you can do it later yourself when it becomes cool.

.....just don't try to locate me or I might go careening off at an unknown speed to god knows where.
posted by Throw away your common sense and get an afro! at 8:32 PM on February 6, 2010

If I knew someone was paying attention I would have tried harder.
posted by vapidave at 8:33 PM on February 6, 2010

I had an afro. Once.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:33 PM on February 6, 2010

Anyway, I was planning to come spirit your children away in the middle of the night and eat them, but with this thread you have spared them. For tonight.

Ha! I already sold them.

I ate all the irish ones. A young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout.
posted by jenkinsEar at 8:37 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

I just put a sweater on a kitten! That's like, the most evil thing anyone could do. It's a tight wool sweater too, the cat looks totally annoyed! I might put a piece of tape on one of it's paws! I'm so evil! I hope that ruined your good mood.
posted by fuq at 8:45 PM on February 6, 2010 [3 favorites]

It's strange and somehow comforting that dubitable should post this tonight, of all nights, when it chimes with my feelings so closely: I set out yesterday to make everything in my life better and returned tonight cradling the wreck of another failed relationship in my hands; ever since I've been reading through random threads on metafilter and askme and the sound (as it were) of what seem to be for the most part sane and decent people talking amicably (again, for the most part) with one another has kept me more together tonight than I think anything else could have. So thanks from me as well...
posted by frobozz at 8:54 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

(((frobozz)))

there there. have a nice glass of stout and go to beddy-bye
posted by toodleydoodley at 9:20 PM on February 6, 2010

My advice: whenever you're feeling bad about yourself, remember that at least you are not a tea-party twit.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:21 PM on February 6, 2010

Go ahead and surrender your $0.50, and toss that glass in the fire.
posted by Netzapper at 9:42 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

I think that eyeballkid and others whose personas are predicated on disdain should set themselves up a subspecies of sockpuppet called schmoopuppets. Then they too can bask in schoompery without compromising their street cred.
i.e. eye'mballinforthefilterkid, or StrokeTheViolGentlyPlease.

Mine, by the way, would be called Tepid Lurkey.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 10:08 PM on February 6, 2010

frobozz...don't really know what to say, but I hope it doesn't seem facile to say: feel better, and glad you could get some comfort tonight from this site, as I did.
posted by dubitable at 10:27 PM on February 6, 2010

"I had an afro. Once.

I had hair on my head. Once.

Some few intrepid hair families departed, risking the wilds of my back. They were compelled. After months of travails and confrontation the hairs arrive in the shelter of the fertile valley. Papa hair, taking off his travelworn hat casts his eyes upward. Unhooking the ladle from the side of the wagon as the family looks on he strides to the winding creek, squats on his heels, and dips the ladle in the water. With the hair family looking eagerly on he raises it to his lips and drinks. Tentative at first then drinking deeply. To his modestly dressed daughters and wife he pronounces it sweet. They smile, relieved. Tired but happy for the future, Papa hair turns confidently to Mama hair, nods, and says "We'll make our home here."
If only they knew.
posted by vapidave at 10:34 PM on February 6, 2010 [6 favorites]

Thank you falettinme be mice elf agin.
posted by Sailormom at 10:50 PM on February 6, 2010 [1 favorite]

wow, I just stepped out to kuro5hin for a minute (first time in a few years) and found it completely overrun by trolls

So, basically it hasn't changed at all in the eight or so years since I've been there.
posted by dirigibleman at 12:03 AM on February 7, 2010

Schmoop schmoop schmoop duke of schmoop schmoop schmoop duke of schmoop schmoop schmoop duke of schmoop schmoop schmoop....
posted by desuetude at 12:36 AM on February 7, 2010 [2 favorites]

A young healthy child well nursed, is, at a year old, a most delicious nourishing and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, or boiled; and I make no doubt that it will equally serve in a fricassee, or a ragout.

I sense an upcoming AskMe question.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 6:35 AM on February 7, 2010

Thanks for this post, dubitable. We needed it. And I too love your moniker.

Long live the schmoopy!
posted by languagehat at 6:44 AM on February 7, 2010

Are we holding hands and swaying yet? I like the swaying.
posted by The Whelk at 7:22 AM on February 7, 2010

And then the nervous laughter when our swaying becomes off-balanced, leaving a few poor schmucks either pulled apart and others sandwiched.
That's what really makes us a cohesive team!

I do love the schmoopy - BRING IT ON!
posted by readery at 7:49 AM on February 7, 2010

Are we holding hands and swaying yet? I like the swaying.

Kum ba ya Mef-i Kum ba ya

(let's do pokerface next!)
posted by litleozy at 8:16 AM on February 7, 2010

"I went down to London town
To have a little fun in the underground
All the Ladies turned their heads around, saying,
"Donald, where's your trousers?"
posted by clavdivs at 11:16 AM on February 7, 2010

I think that eyeballkid and others whose personas are predicated on disdain should set themselves up a subspecies of sockpuppet called schmoopuppets. Then they too can bask in schoompery without compromising their street cred.
i.e. eye'mballinforthefilterkid, or StrokeTheViolGentlyPlease.

I already do this with my "cortex" sockpuppet.
posted by eyeballkid at 4:28 PM on February 7, 2010

Awwwwwwwww! Schmoopy! I've been on Dr ordered bed rest for a month and this is *definitely* cheering me up! :)
posted by carabiner at 4:35 PM on February 7, 2010

Someone said there was a problem with the schmoopy regulator valve and we're having some sort of overflow here.
I'm here to take a look at that.
posted by Jon-o at 6:26 PM on February 7, 2010

Someone said there was a problem with the schmoopy regulator valve and we're having some sort of overflow here.
I'm here to take a look at that.

- you can imagine what comes next

- he fixes the schmoopy regulator valve?

- don't be fatuous, Jeffrey!
posted by toodleydoodley at 6:32 PM on February 7, 2010

Rhomboid : Is this what it's like to OD on rainbows?

Movies and TV make it look so glamorous, as if once you start using, you'll suddenly be funny and talented. Sure, I know that a lot of famous people prismed so that they could "taste the rainbow", but a lot of them died young as well; they chased that pot of gold, tripped and fell into oblivion.

Fucking Skittles. I wish I'd never touched that first bag.
posted by quin at 10:21 AM on February 8, 2010

I wanted to chime in once again, this time to feed and water the schmoopy some more and make it even more happy and perky.

After I posted about my foul mood earlier in this thread, I got four (four!!) supportive, encouraging, complimentary, and warm MeFi mails from MeFites who liked my contributions elsewhere on the site, and took the time to let me know about it in an effort to cheer me up. They also offered links - to adorable kitten/puppy videos, enticing scholarly geekery, and all kinds of other great stuff. And it worked! I was really down in the dumps, but I'm feeling much better now.

The links helped a lot, but what touched me the most was the thoughtfulness of these gestures. It was especially poignant for me because it happened so soon after I received a not-so-pleasant e-mail from a MeFite. And then I saw the update in the Regarding Henry AskMe thread...wow. I'm all choked up now. All of this was exactly what I needed to renew my faith in the overreaching awesomeness of MetaFilter.

Thank you, dear MeFites, for caring. Thank you for brightening my life and making me feel that I belong and am appreciated here. Your kindness is a potent healing balm for what ails me. Blessings to all of you.

Hmmm...it's lookin' like that schmoopy regulatin' valve's a-workin' jes' fine, if'n ya ask me...
posted by velvet winter at 3:04 PM on February 8, 2010 [1 favorite]

goddammit i missed a schmoopy thread
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:18 PM on February 9, 2010

II am still here to hug you way too hard for a little too long.
posted by The Whelk at 5:06 PM on February 9, 2010

High five! I'm bummed to hear a good person is in the doldrums but happy to hear the Internet helped with something!
posted by ignignokt at 6:28 AM on February 11, 2010