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

Isn't it?

Is this not a bit like going out on a Friday night to a bar and complaining all night because you don't like it in there? Might I suggest another website bar?

I'm pretty sure the OP is no longer reading this, but anyway...

I've been on MN, on and off, for about eight years. There's always been a familiarity between regular posters and there's nowt wrong with that. It's made my day in the past when someone has remembered me from a thread and asked me how a particular problem I've talked about is going. That's lovely.

I find it terribly difficult to talk in rl about various things that are going on in my life, or have happened in the past. Being able to sit behind a computer and pour my heart out to the funny, intelligent, ballsy and sympathetic women (largely...) on this forum has in the past been an absolute life saver for me.

I have also cried with laughter at some of the threads/comments on here. So what if you weren't there when a particular joke was born? If you don't get the reference, ask. If you're really feeling left out then say something funny rather than whining and maybe you'll start a whole new scone-gate.

Feak where have you beeeeeeeeeeeeeeen? If you'd have said that at the start of the thread, this whole thing would have ground to a halt!

I applaud that post, genuinely.

I luff you all

Humph. Nobody thanked me for my carefully thought-out and well-expressed post.

I am the first to admit I dont have much of a life.

What am I supposed to do about it?

NOT coming on MN would make my life any more interesting or easier or betterer or anything.

So I might as well talk to some funny women and have a few discussions whilst I am living my fairly crappy little life.

If thats ok.

I think it's been on truthful's shoulder, balancing the chip s/he's wearing on the other one...

I don't normally post on these type of threads, but I see the OP has had a bit of a change of heart which is nice :)

Also there is a lovely baby. Lovely, lovely baby Tethers, and fab name. There was a lovely baby near me while I was waiting for dd to finish football this evening. Still quite pink & wrinkled as if she'd just come out of the washing machine. I was desperate for a cuddle. I'm not in the least bit broody, but I do like a good baby squidge. Sadly I didn't know the mum, so tried to avoid looking too crazed as I ogled.

Sort of back to the thread topic, I've been posting for 6-odd years, and definitely subscribe to "you get out what you put in". There are times I post quite often, and get more responses. When I post infrequently I have a tendency to kill threads. C'est la vie. Also timing is important. i get that wrong a lot.

I have a bit of a regular cringe when I think back to one of my earlier posts, when I was waxing lyrical about juniorgeo - a website selling fossils/crystals. Ds was mad keen on crystals a few years back so I got a lot as party bags. They went down a treat and I was keen to share the joy.

A little while later I was reading a thread where someone referred to the sad gimmer who'd given rocks to children as party treats.

I nearly slunk away through a mixture of shame and horror at the meanness, but, hey, I got over it.

So do I

fossils/crystals in party bags is a GENIUS idea. ds and his friends would all love that. this year I put a sunflower race kit into party bags, they have gone down a treat too!

LemarchandsBox, the kids loved them and fought over the extras, otherwise icing-removal tactics would have been employed :)

I did get one of their kits for a school fete once, and did quite well. As long as you price them reasonably, you send back what you don't sell, so generally mkae a profit, even if it's a small one. It was a few years ago now so might have changed, but they come in lovely little bags and boxes, so make for an attractive stand, if that's what you're thinking of.

And they were also very helpful to deal with.

Basically OP if you want to be 'in' get a kitten. If you have a kitten you are un-fucking-touchable. Trust me.

Whaaaaat?

Yoho, those rock things in party bags sound great. I DS would love a pressie like that.

Who said it? Lemme at em, lemme at em!

Huh.
I'm not well known, I'm in no crowd.
I jump in and mostly am included in the fun, unless I miss the point which is no ones else's fault!
I've felt included, supported and variously safe or challenged (teeny bit)
I've been told to feck off and I've been invited to pull up a chair. There are people whose opinions I greatly respect and I think maybe some people are well known because they put in the graft of helping posters. If there are some in jokes - get in on them! If MNetters get to know each other that's great, it adds to the experience. It always seems to be the same people being the safety net when others are really struggling. I wouldn't change them for the world.
Anyway if I wanted someone to kiss my ass and send huggles and shit I'd wonder why I was on the internet instead of just life, where everyone kisses my ass because I'm so amazing.
Instead of moaning with a face like a tit in a breeze just...say hi maybe?
I did consider trying to be feaks enemy because she said what I wanted to much better than I could. But she is too freakin' awesome. Maybe if she didn't like werewolves or put squirty cream on scones or summat I could find some reason to start a grudge. I'd feel silly as the op if my reason for dislike was 'she copied my idea'.
Another thing I love? The lack of irony in the post! I shall behave in the way I condemn to condemn the behavior I do but don't like. Thus the brilliance of MN.

We've had fossils / gemstones in a party bag before the children loved it

Right has anyone on this thread not yet looked on my profile to admire HullyPuppy, currently known as the little fucker intent on killing my strawberry plants?

Not just this post I mean. I love that in general and do it often. Also on my phone which I hate as keep missing interesting posters.
Rocks - awesome. Miffed I misssed it before.

Me, I'm afraid.

Because I love KITTENS!

But I don't have one anymore, I just have a great big, knotted hairy Tom cat who hates me and shits on my tomato plants