to feel confused by the level of affection one feels for nicknames on a screen?

[ClockWatchingLady]

I'm a bit late to the party, having only just discovered MN (never been on other "chat" type sites either). It really feels like people care about each other here, and (like countless others, it seems) I continually find myself "checking" on people on certain threads, and thinking about some posters' welfare very regularly.

I can't formulate my question exactly, but isn't it a bit weird that none of us really knows each other? Or do we? What does it all mean?! People who have been on MN a long time: do you feel that you have real "friendships" here?

Well...
it's a long story and involves lots of sex
(other people's. not mine sadly)

I think I'm an unusual case on Mumsnet because my nickname is also the same as my real life nickname, so I feel it's kind of hard for me to change it. Constant name changing does stop you from getting to know people on here. I think it all takes away from the 'commuminty' of MumDadsandOthersNet.
I have also never met a Mumsnetter. I'm on another forum and we often have RL meets. It's so good to put a voice to the posts.

Did you Clara? Did you not just assume I was having a break from MN?

No? You're probably safe to assume I am always on MN

:o

Becasue you've tried flouncing before. and it didn't really last very long.

Good thread CWL

It is true that you start to care very much about people behind the words on the screen. I have met quite a few MNetters, in fact was chatting about sparkling with a lovely mnetter today .

I come to MN every day and see familiar people, who let me glimpse into their lives. It makes me feel very lucky to have a place full of intelligent, kind and screamingly funny women, and where I feel welcome

The longer I spend on MN the more heartened I am that, on the whole most people are mostly nice most of the time. The hive mind generally tends towards the moral and towards the kind.

I love MN :o

FruOla, no worries honey, I am trying to not be on here All The Time right now and actually enjoy the summer. I couldn't go to the end of June one either, was away. When was our Somerset House one - was it in May? I have a memory like a sieve these days....

BrainSurgeon, I was wrong in my PM the meet up I went to was some other time (see comment to Fru, above).

Roll on September, in any case!

Thought i had burny ears Norks.

This place is like crack. You can never leave and everyone's stuck in the madness together. You have to care or you'd go mad.

Great post Norks

intelligent, kind and screamingly funny women

Perfect description. I would also add feisty and supportive. Mostly

Yes StuntGirl-Hotel California.

Stealth, you need to go back to Stealth

Pasty, I didn't even make that connection

I think this should be a permanent thread where we can all come and have a love-in every now and again, and we can send newbies here for a bit of rough and tumble an induction and welcome

Some of the men on here are tolerable aren't they?

No none of them. Especially that tiggy

Oooh, I luffs that Tiggs, he makes me larf

tiggy as you probably know there are only about 30 men on MN, who post regularly, and admit to being male.

Obviously the MRA's and trolls could be male or female (and usually get deleted quickly for goading) so you tend to assume that you are talking to another woman, unless you know of the poster

I feel very fond of several posters, am glad to see others on a thread too or my heart sinks when I see certain names. Nearly everyone is tolerable though

yes agree op. I usually look out for posters who have PM me ( hi sparkling) and these are the ones I usually agree with.

when a poster is in trouble it's great to see the support on here, the love and the support is fantastic ( recent thread in a poorly newborn this week and posters were saying where they lived and offering RL help) fantastic.

obviously there are some posters you generally disagree with and some you chuckle at but if it gets a bit nasty or you regret an exchange you can always PM and apologise to each other.

I haven't met any mumsnetters in RL but I feel I have anonymous friends in here that are MY secret guilty pleasure.

I never name change so could be outed as I have posted on personal matters but don't really mind.

ooh gone in a bit. yes mumsnet is ace.. agree with you op.

One of the best things on here is the support.Flaming is usually deserved but if it isn't then the op can rely on a great wall of defenders to hold her up.I am so glad not to be permanently relegated to gransnet [though I pop in there too under a different nn].

Oooh Tiggy! I thought you were a gurrrrl !!!

Tiggy you have a penis????

I imagined you as the fashion model Tiggy! I need to lie down

greylady, does gransnet have as many threads on there about difficult dils like mumsnet has mil threads? 😄

tiggy a bloke.. I know composhat is too. think its great to have the men in board. my dh and grown up dss are sort of honorary member as I read them the posts.

of course not the shocking ones ha ha ha .