to understand why newbies feel unwelcome when there's a certain group of people on here that think mumsnet is all about them?

[truthful]

I really do understand why there is a 'flouncers corner' on this site and I understand why people feel the need to go to it!
Six months ago I joined this site and on my first ever thread there was about 10 people who all clearly knew eachother and started their own conversation and completely ignored me! I felt really unwelcome but just thought it was a one off. Ever since then I've begun to realise that its like school on here and theres the 'popular' group who seem to think that everyone should know who they are and so they just hijack everyone elses thread and talk amongst themselves ignoring other people in the process! I was even in a thread yesterday and there was a discussion and one of the popular ones said something along the lines of ' oh its jack, havent seen you for a while, hows your dad?'
To me that was rude and if you know eachother that well then shouldn't you be emailing or private messaging instead of being so rude? I can honestly say I have said something regarding to what the OP was asking and been completely ignored by what send like the usual lot talking about scones or something
Another thing which I hate is all the private jokes flying around which is between the usual lot and no one else. Fanjo??? Grow up!
The only time people seem to get noticed is when they have changed their name to something like one of the popular peoples names! Remember the whole 'whos impersonating sue's thing yesterday??? seems like thats all people cared about as yiu are sooo popular so

Is she really Hully? Someone told me Posh Spice's MN name t'other week. It's lost in the chasm of my mind now though.

I think one of the first things you learn on Mumsnet is to ignore the cliques. There aren't many of them thankfully. I haven't felt excluded from many conversations.

I used to be on here a lot about 8 years ago and I have to say it has not changed much. There were loads of cliques then and I expect some of the same women are still here with names that have developed over the years. That kind of thing will never change really - just ignore those types and take what you need from it. These folk will never be your besties - after all they are just strangers in the ether - half of them are probably hairy truckers ;)

mn is cliquey
hence wee quiche references
wee decoy words and references
the mn oscars aka whose your fave mn
for some of you it seems to matter to have affinities

and I don't think it's a big deal that inevitably it gets commented upon

however, posters need to also post,when, where they wish
not get het up about who is whom
not get irked that they don't know every single mn nuance
and just get stuck in

I go to work and this happens.

and I make my own scones.

sorry haven't read all the thread - 20 pages too long but just to say. I love mumsnet - I lurk and contribute from time to time - I like seeing Hully and Pag and Bonsoir and all the gang cropping up - like old mates. If I'm feeling a bit down sometimes it really cheers me up. I certainly don't feel pushed out of a clique. I think there are the wise and avids but I don't do them as they have their own thread and loads more cash than me for good shopping - (jealous emoticon). I think mumsnet's what you make it.

SM, I am unashamedly cliquey.

its just no other fucker will join me.

and I love creepy wee brackets

Mn Oscars , the acceptance speeches would be dreadful.

Oracle never work again, m'kay?

hatty is v wise. YY.

Im not going to Pinot, my love. the old trout can pour her own fucking tea.

mn oscars more ham then Kate winslett,better boiled than fried
more greeting and sycophancy than gwynnie

I would like to thank pinot, for always believing in me... scottishmummy, for keeping me down to earth... ABF, for being the best ferret a girl could hope for...

:o

QueenOfSiburbia - MN is a lifeline for me, because I suffer depression, and 4 years ago, we moved from Essex to Scotland, where I knew nobody. I have made the effort to go out and make friendships in r/l round here, but I also get a lot of help, support and friendship from mumsnet. Without it, I wouldn't be out every hour of every day, in every conceivable group, because I can't afford the petrol, don't have the motivation, and don't have the energy, and I wouldn't be spending hours on the phone to my old friends down south - because they have jobs, and lives, and not enough hours in the day, and because it would rack up the phone bill - I would just be sitting at home, watching TV and going stir crazy.

MN is helping me get better.

You telling me this makes me a loser with a dull life (I am paraphrasing), DOES NOT.

And go and look at the Woolly Hugs website, that I linked to in my earlier post, and tell me that that is the product of dull people with no lives. Tell me why that shows mumsnet to be such a bad, bad place.

But you won't, will you QueenofSiburbia - because you are just happy having been so rude, judgemental and hurtful to people.

just jump in is what i figure!

Yes I wish I hadn't risen to the bait.

SDTG, my lovely, I'd rather be a loser with no life than a harpy who sneers at other people.

ninja YES!
i like your name, too.

I always feel the snarkers look far worse than the people they are randomly snarking about

Oh that is wise, fanjo. I like that thought.

I have got other things to do, I just don't want to do them.

Anyway, it's jimjams time. Wooooooooo!