to be frustrated by all the unexplained long running insider threads

[SarcyMare]

i see loads of threads on mumsnet with really interesting looking titles, that i may really enjoy and want to join in, if i had the faintest idea what they were about.

the chatty ones?

Just go on and say hi.

Most people are friendly enough.

I don't think they're really even chatting about anything. Just random natter, anyone welcome.

YANBU to feel excluded.
It's the nature of the beast though. Some folk must spend an awful lot of time on here to form such cliques.
Pointless becoming frustrated though, just move on.

Just join the thread and ask, it's what I do and no-one's bitten my head off they are always more than happy to explain.

This reputation of cliquey vipers is not deserved imo, certainly not in my experience anyway.

what do you enjoy doing / watching / listening to etc? lots of the long-running threads are (loosely) related to particular enthusiasms or supporting each other in something (e.g. running, fan of a tv show, following a particular diet). others are more mucking-about or not so specific. there used to be one for people who felt they always killed the thread iirc

let us know what you like getting up to or would want to be supported / support others in and i'm sure someone can point you in the right direction

or go to a particular section and start one of your own!

What kind of threads do you mean are you talking about the sweary thread or the drunkfriday night thread that sort of thing? Just go in have a read and say hi if you want to join people are friendly although there is threads I wont go into as they seem well established and I get lost but I never feel excluded,

Not really. MN and some MNers have been here a lot longer than I have. They are bound to have MN common ground.

You either join in and learn the lingo or you don't.

Tis the nature of a forum, I think.

I can introduce to some real pit vipers on a forum I am now scared of, if you want to read some real hissy fits

Long-running chatty threads are not intended to exclude anyone, but it might take a while to catch up....

There are long-running support ones elsewhere, and I'm sure you'd be most welcome.

There are enough of us on here (millions, I believe) for it to be a bit ridiculous to talk about a few people being in a clique

... 1.3 million

Which ones do you mean?

the chalet school is one, just worked out it is a series of books, not actually about people who are ski instructors.
can't find the one that finally got me this am

God, I hate the Chalet School threads. And, on AIBU no less. However, the MNers involved are nice so meh. Join in if you want.

Ah right. I wouldn't say it's frustrating. Just find another thread

MrsTerry

Long running thread in wrong place*? Eek

I don't really see what your problem is if im honest.

If you were posting that you had tried to join a cliquey thread and had been told to piss off then I would agree with you.
But you seem to be complaining that it's too much effort to read and figure out so you feel aggrieved?

Should everyone just chat blandly and make no connections at all so that no one need ever feel on the outside?

Just join one. Most of them are lovely. I don't do cliquey threads much because my memory is terrible but I've never been spoken rudely to when I've tried.

at Newt

I don't see the problem either Pagwatch I have bowled into several long running threads in all manner of topics and not once has anyone said "Oi you don't belong in here, out, out, damn interloper." As I said, people are happy to give a precis of what's what and encourage you to join in.

I've never read the Chalet school or Malory Towers books so don't bother with those ones. But I'll happily pitch in on a Hitchhikers Guide or Mornington Crescent thread because I do know about those.

Just find a thread where you recognise the theme and jump in with both feet. That's what I do.

Our "cliquey thread" (crepeys) evolved because a core group of us just hung about on a random thread about getting, well, crepey, as we advance through midlife. Nothing more sinister than that. New people pop in every now and then - most stay for a couple of posts, but some have stuck around to become regulars. Everyone gets a cheery hello and welcome.

Same as RL, really; to join an established group you have to make the effort, but you'll find most are welcoming if you make nice contributions.

I rather like them, never join in but I like the idea that random people are chatting happily about stuff they are interested in. So much better than long threads getting increasingly nasty and shouty.
Some are completely incomprehensible, the wolf ones for example. But the posters enjoyed it.

Do the nobdies threads (or whatever they were called) still exist? I haven't seen one for ages. Not that I've ever posted on one but they seemed like a long running thing.

I agree with PPs, if you fancy joining in then go for it.

Honestly and truly, it's just wittering. I'm one of the contributors on the Swagger Inn threads (Musketeers fans), and whilst we do a fair amount of perving over fighting over discussing the TV series, it's often more about what everyone's DCs are up to, and who's had a lousy day at work, and what the weather is like.

The Nobdies had a Eurovision thread Leigon and I joined in because it was more fun than the other one. Nobody tried to kill me, I just slotted in and tried to figure out who was who and what was what

I contribute to the Wavers threads, the point of which is to encourage people who feel invisible to join in.
An anti-clique, perhaps?

i never complained about clique, please don't get me wrong, just i have no idea if i will enjoy because i have no idea what the thread is about, now you have mentioned it the crepeys is a perfect example,
title hello creepeys (no 8), what is the thread about?, is it anything i want to join in
and the first page goes
starting new thread, marking my place, marking my place, marking my place, thanks for starting new thread etc.

and i feel stupid asking excuse me what is this thread actually about.
so i accept i am being unreasonable and am all alone in this.