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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

To mourn MN as it was in the Moulden Days

999 replies

GregoriaTheGreat · 02/10/2019 21:59

Admittedly, it was not perfect (full of quiches and Queen Bees). So much so that I gave it a rest for a considerable while. I may even have Flounced at some point (though was not a Mouldie. I would never have been cool enough).

But I now mourn the Olden Days when nobody had to bother with "lighthearted" when a thread was evidently lighthearted. Nobody took everything quite so seriously, even when they would have good reason to.

Posters generally had a decent command of spelling and grammar, too.

Maybe I'm just old and need to take up knitting or something.

OP posts:
MNHQ
LilyMumsnet · 03/10/2019 14:14

Hi folks,

We're more than happy to take a trip down memory lane but please remember that users being discussed may still be on the site and well, regardless of whether they are or are not, personal attacks still aren't permitted.

shiveringtimber · 03/10/2019 14:18

I joined in 2003. I also miss the witty, sometimes cruel, banter. MN back in the day was my chief form of amusement - laughing like a loon while XH fell asleep every night in front of the telly. It kept me sane while my marriage fell apart. When Mouldies hit, I was devastated. I asked one of my MN friends to include me in that group because I was desperate not to lose my "sanity" while my marriage became a battle ground.

Nutjobby · 03/10/2019 14:41

Not read the entire thread but this is all very interesting. I only joined a few months back and it's weird to think of Mumsnet being small enough that you would recognise a decent percentage of posters.

Out of interest (sorry if someone's already asked), who/what are the Mouldies???

LaMarschallin · 03/10/2019 14:43

Ah.

Way back in the mists of time (this morning) I compared my experience on a - now sadly defunct - message board to this Mouldies thread.

I hadn't realised then that the Mouldies was a club by invitation only.

No doubt some posters are in touch behind the scenes, as it were, but organising a whole special, secret group is nothing like the m.b. I used to post on.
And I'm glad not to have been part of something like that.

BIWI · 03/10/2019 14:49

I went to the MN 10th birthday party, at which were various slebs and politicians, including Ed Miliband and Gordon Brown. Sarah Brown gave a speech (I think she is/was a MNetter at the time).

We also, around that time, had loads of web chats involving very eminent politicians, including David Cameron and Nick Clegg. I think Kier Starmer did one too. I wonder if they would even be bothered about the site now?

Sparklingbrook · 03/10/2019 14:50

I used to love the webchats. Do they do them any more?

TheCanterburyWhales · 03/10/2019 14:54

Biwi- yes, the 2010 election- me and Getorf cried proper tears at the Gordon Brown one because he was so bloody lovely, despite everything.

The webchats did use to be good- some of them. I doubt many z-list slebs, never mind politicians and Delia would touch them now. I remember being amazed at how quickly Delia could type (iirc so were HQ) as she answered so many questions. And how rubbish Nigella was, she just kept saying "if you look in my latest book..."

I asked Ed Miliband a Dead Clever Question and (apparently) (HQ told me) he took it away with him and was going to answer me privately. Fucker never did. Mind you, he was losing an election at the time.

TheCanterburyWhales · 03/10/2019 14:56

Oh, and Alistair Campbell was very good too. Very wry and had us all coming over unnecessary.

OhMyGiddyAunty · 03/10/2019 15:04

I miss clicking a link, and ending up directed to a random bat photo. (Does anyone else remember that? It was the MN Rick-roll).

I joined in 2006.

Sparklingbrook · 03/10/2019 15:07

.

To mourn MN as it was in the Moulden Days
Hullygully · 03/10/2019 15:16

Oh the bat..happy days.

I know it's all been said but it was definitely that fucking penis beaker that changed everything.

Ninkaninus · 03/10/2019 15:21

Blasted beaker.

Sparklingbrook · 03/10/2019 15:23

Weird how a load of made up old cobblers changed everything. Oh and Jeffrey too.

Ninkaninus · 03/10/2019 15:28

Yes and of course it had to be penis related. [eye roll] — wish there was an MN smiley for that.

Hullygully · 03/10/2019 15:30

The mighty penis

Lord of us all

LaMarschallin · 03/10/2019 15:39

Mightier than the sword, apparently.

IfNot · 03/10/2019 15:40

Speak for yourself Hully!
I remember LtEve and a few others that have popped up on this thread. I wonder what happened to expatinscotland, StayClassySanDiego, second coming, socknickingpixie, Hecate and MrsD as well? I know MaryZ got banned or flounced, not sure which.

I feel like there were more funny or kind personalities years ago. Now there are lots of "big" characters but a lot of them are pretty horrible as a rule.

PierreBezukov · 03/10/2019 15:40

I've been on here since 2009 or 10.

I think what has really poisoned the atmosphere is Brexit. I think the tone has got a lot more aggressive and the politics threads are pretty vile. Posters are vilified for being Leavers, or having voted Leave. It's pretty horrible.

PierreBezukov · 03/10/2019 15:44

On the other hand what has really improved is the Feminist board. It's so clued-in and a vital resource these days.

Ninkaninus · 03/10/2019 15:48

Yes. Which might go some way to explaining aforementioned lack of engagement from politicians and other public figures...

ChestyNut · 03/10/2019 15:49

Penis beaker is def to blame and now the lurking journalists.

I miss recognising posters and the quick witted posts and spending hours belly laughing at threads. Secret Santa was a lovely thing.
Have we had a recent Christmas begging thread? Always guaranteed to kick off!

Maryz was hilarious, I’m sad she was banned.

TantrumsAndBalloons · 03/10/2019 15:50

I remember the threads that used to go on for days, where the conversions used to go off countless tangents all in one thread

God forbid anyone veers off topic now

I find it all a bit humourless to be honest , which is why I rarely post anymore.

I also cannot bear the fucking influx of hun and babe and xxxxxs at the end of EVERY SINGLE POST. It makes no sense.

And text speak. FFS this isn’t Twitter , you aren’t limited to a certain number of fucking characters

But....

TheQueef · 03/10/2019 15:51

The internet changed too.
Back then we were all breaking new ground and mumsnet self policed to an extent. If someone was a knob they tended to be ignored or mocked. Now if someone is a knob we have to have pages about it and repeated posters 'calling them out' and then some more pages about possible triggers and tenuous triggers o r offense taken.

Boring arses.

EmpressLesbianInChair · 03/10/2019 15:51

Yes. Which might go some way to explaining aforementioned lack of engagement from politicians and other public figures...

And certain organisations which ran when they found out we wanted to ask them about safeguarding...

Hullygully · 03/10/2019 15:53

YY feminism boards bloody great.

Although it's difficult going out into the real world and talking about (of course) trans issues and getting the bewildered looks and the "but the poor menz with the lady feelz" because most people still know nothing of the issues.