The Personalities Within

mmulcahy1

Platinum Member
Like most of you, I check in with DW a couple of times a day (well, some of you a lot more than that) to see what's going on in one of the worlds I love the most ...drumming.

Well, as I was checking today's daily sagas I began thinking about all the people we "interact" with here. We all "know" everyone (some more than others) and spend our time discussing the many wondrous topics that involve drums, and all that goes to make it so. But, have you noticed that you have developed a notion as to who these people are? I mean, take Andy (KIS) for example. Andy posts all about his prepping for gigs, playing at gigs, what time he gets home from gigs and shows videos from gigs. In a strange way, I feel like I know him from these posts when in fact I don't. Heck, I haven't the slightest idea what he even looks like. I'm sure he's devilishly handsome, of course. And I'm sure we all have more of an idea of how to make a snare drum than we could have ever imagined. I really enjoy those threads.

Another example would be Larry... Uncle Larry. Always there with advice for the taking. He's helped me out on a few occasions and a whole bunch of others many times. Posting to Larry's threads are like having a conversation with a buddy. That's really a cool thing. But again, it's weird because I don't really know him - other than reading what he posts on here. I never heard of Bucks Co., PA before I joined up here, that's for sure.

Bermuda is another example. Probably the most accessible due to his notoriety. You can easily find out what Bermuda looks like, what he sounds like, how he plays and all that stuff because of the internet. When I was shopping for a new snare drum, Bermuda didn't hesitate to put in his 2 cents worth. I'm just some guy living where Bugs Bunny should have taken a left turn and Bermuda gives me an opinion about a drum. Wow, go figure.

Now these are just a few of the personalities that everybody knows. I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. While this forum has brought a multitude of people together from around the world (it's truly mind boggling), I feel at the same time, somewhat isolated. I know you guys. I've had one-on-one interaction with a lot of you. Yet no one knows who anyone is. Its like being at a masquerade party; you talk and socialize without knowing who's who.

This is what happens when I start thinking. ;-)
 
Keep on thinking. It all makes sense. I have met four people from this forum. Bermuda made a stop here and was kind enough to arrange after show tickets for myself and 2 others. And while talking, and again after I felt like I had heard him before. He didn't have one of those, wow, you don't sound anything like I thought you would. The other three I met at drum clinics here locally and through a Craigslist sale.

All good people but again as if I had known them forever. The internet can bring people closer in spirit, but once you meet someone you "talk" to daily that digital wall comes down and you find out out, hey he is just like me.

I have also met about 15 professional drummers through clinics and they are just people with amazing at times, and not so amazing lives. Just hard working folks doing a job they like, unlike the other 70 percent of us(recent poll) and willing to share.
 
That's one of the strange realities of internet message boards, isn't it? I think about the same kind of stuff.

I think, to a degree, we get to know people, but I always feel like it's a distilled version of what that person is like. And in some cases, I think people have the opportunity to present themselves as they want to be, rather than how they are, so I am a bit cautious about accepting people at face value. If someone hangs around long enough, though, you get an idea about who they are, and that familiarity is nice, despite its limitations.

Being geographically somewhat isolated, I haven't had the chance to meet many members, but I enjoy interacting with everyone, nonetheless. :)

Oh, I did buy a snare drum from Gruntersdad, so even though we've never met, I know he's a real person! lol
 
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Oh, I did buy a snare drum from Gruntersdad, so even though we've never met, I know he's a real person! lol

I think he's really just a P.O. box in Florida. :)
 
Yeah definitely, there are a load of people on here who I don't know yet feel like I do know and I find I really like them which, makes me take an even bigger interest in anything they say or any advice/opinions they give.

It's a great networking tool too as you just never know if you'll bump into each other in the future or work together or help each other out in some way.
Full of nice people here and I get something from these forums that I don't get from real life and that's consistently good drum talk.
I talk to musicians all the time at the studio but, not everyone is so passionate about their instruments and a lot of the time in the studio people just want to have general chit chat and relax so, it's a great place here.

Keeps me up to date with the drum scene too and grounds my opinions.
 
I'm sure he's devilishly handsome, of course.

He is. And in the interests of fair play, this is where he should tell you that I too am a vision of beauty :)

I think, to a degree, we get to know people, but I always feel like it's a distilled version of what that person is like. And in some cases, I think people have the opportunity to present themselves as they want to be, rather than how they are, so I am a bit cautious about accepting people at face value. If someone hangs around long enough, though, you get an idea about who they are, and that familiarity is nice, despite its limitations.

I agree with you, certainly, but sometimes people really are who and what they purport to be. I met my best friend in the whole wide world on an internet forum: we hit it off straight away, and when we met each other (she lives about 45 minutes away from me) we found we got on just as well in real life. Coincidentally this is the friend whose husband was at primary school with our Andy! In fact I've got to know most of my closest friends in this way, and the only internet friends I've met in real life and didn't like much are the ones I wasn't hugely keen on in the first place. The really nice ones are really really nice.
 
Yes, if you hang out on any internet forum enough, you eventually "get to know" the other regulars to a certain extent. Some more than others. Some people reveal more than others, and sure, someone only put forth what perception they want people to have of them and hide the rest.

I'd say the biggest difference with this forum is their is a more genuine interest in actually getting to know other people, and a bigger interest in meeting other members, when geographically possible.

I've met, maybe just over a dozen or so people in real life from this forum. With some the meeting was only brief, others I have phone numbers for, some I've hung out with many times and recommended them for things that have come up. Some others we've talked about this or that, but it's never quite happened. Plenty of others I'd love to meet, but probably won't due to geographical differences.

Still, even if I never met anyone from here, it's pretty cool talking regularly to people from all over the world. I sometimes trip out that wow, I just had a conversation online with someone in Australia, in the UK, Norway, the east coast, and just down the road, all at the same time.
 
I agree with you, certainly, but sometimes people really are who and what they purport to be. I met my best friend in the whole wide world on an internet forum: we hit it off straight away, and when we met each other (she lives about 45 minutes away from me) we found we got on just as well in real life. Coincidentally this is the friend whose husband was at primary school with our Andy! In fact I've got to know most of my closest friends in this way, and the only internet friends I've met in real life and didn't like much are the ones I wasn't hugely keen on in the first place. The really nice ones are really really nice.

I believe you are right, Madge. I'm cautious, but I'm open to possibilities, because I think most people are genuine. That's probably especially true on this board, because of the nature of the topic and because it's well moderated.

I've met a couple of fairly local people through another board that I found I didn't especially hit it off with, despite liking them online. We didn't hate one another or anything, but they weren't what I thought they'd be, I guess. That's why I'm a little cautious - I realized I was only seeing one facet of their personality, and in the context of that discussion board we were very much in agreement. Outside of that, we had nothing in common. Part of that is because I'm a bleeding heart libertarian agnostic in a very religious, right wing state. But that's neither here nor there.

See, now everyone knows one more thing about me...
 
Very nice thoughts indeed. I feel the same way. I feel I know some of you already, for sure. I always think about various members time to time...whoever sticks in my mind that day. Before DW, I really had no outlet for all the stuff swimming around in my head concerning drumming. I am not the type to talk about my drumming unless the party is genuinely interested. So I basically kept just about all of it inside. When I found this place, I thought I'd about died and went to heaven. FINALLY a place to share thoughts about drums, drum playing, drum gear, drum building, drum tuning, drum science with people WHO ACTUALLY CARE! Unprecedented.

Plus, in the grand scheme of things, this whole "compilation of drumming knowledge in one place" situation is quite new, and I feel we are at the very start of a legacy of online drum information....a one stop shop for anything you could possibly think of with drums. I mean it's all here. Capes, badges and all lol. Heck we even coin terms. Getting Saturned for instance.

But the place rocks like nothing else. So it's pretty cool. It's the people who make it. I definitely feel a connection with people here... like it's an exclusive club that only we can understand.
 
But the place rocks like nothing else. So it's pretty cool. It's the people who make it. I definitely feel a connection with people here... like it's an exclusive club that only we can understand.

Nicely put, Larry. Thanks.
 
I have a couple D.W members on facebook. At least I get to see what they look like and also see what else is on there mind. One of my facebook friends lives across the pond in some part of europe. I have had plenty interaction with him on D.W and on facebook. I would be sure to look him up and hang out if I was in that part of the world. Same goes for the other on the left side of the U.S. I told him to let me know when he comes out by me, and we could go check out some drum shops. Other than that everybody does have a personality in the way they right there post. This is by far the nicest forum on the net.
 
People usually know me either by my striking un-equaled blinding personal beauty, or by my deep sense of humbleness. I think both probably come across well over the internet.
 
People usually know me either by my striking un-equaled blinding personal beauty, or by my deep sense of humbleness. I think both probably come across well over the internet.

Your striking un-equaled blinding personal beauty preceeds you.
 
I met my BF of over 10 years on the Internet so I guess it doesn't bother me to meet people this way. I also tend to be pretty self-conscious so for me it's a nice way to talk to others without worrying too much about the minutiae. You're actually talking to the PERSON not what they look like, or sound like or anything else. I like that. Trust me, I'm much cuter, smarter, wittier and a better drummer here then in person anyways.

Of course, maybe someday if I were to meet some of you lads and lasses in person, that would be okay, too. :).
 
I know you guys. I've had one-on-one interaction with a lot of you. Yet no one knows who anyone is. Its like being at a masquerade party; you talk and socialize without knowing who's who.

This is what happens when I start thinking. ;-)

Just be thankful you can't see us, and leave it at that...
 
People usually know me either by my striking un-equaled blinding personal beauty, or by my deep sense of humbleness. I think both probably come across well over the internet.

You are a specimen too. I mean I almost switched teams when I saw your pic. It must be hard being....absolutely perfect in every way. Fro now on, I am calling you...Your Humbleness...if it pleases you Sire.
 
It must be hard being....absolutely perfect in every way.

Buddy, you have no idea. The worst part is that people sometimes have a hard time even fathoming this kind of all-encompassing amazingness. I won't even get started on the jealousy aspect I deal with on an hourly basis. I keep a club with me to beat away the throngs of crazed women as well... The same club is also handy in case I run across any baby seals.
 
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