I'm Famous!

[sharpdressedscot]

I’m Famous!

I just got back from the local shopping mall, where I went to pick up a wrist watch that had been repaired. Wow was it packed!

Anyway, in keeping with the season, I had on a red golf shirt, green sweater vest, green hose, red flashes, black belt, sporran, shoes and Wallace tartan casual kilt.

As I was leaving to find my truck in the packed parking lot, a gent approaches, and pauses almost right in front of me and when I get close he hesitantly says “MacMillan?”

I’m about to say “No, Wallace” then it hit me that he may be referring to my X-Marks handle so I said “X-Marks?”

He nodds and we then had to move away from the foot traffic to get out of peoples way so we could shoot the bull. He’s a long time lurker, greatly enjoys the forum, has no desire to join in, but recognized me. –WOW- He is a Scot by family roots, doesn’t own a kilt, But does enjoy reading about them, and just generally enjoys reading X-Marks.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I had on the same santa hat as in my current avatar.

I wonder two things –

(1) Has this ever happened to anyone else? And
(2) I wonder just how many lurkers we have that just never get involved?

You know, it's a cool feeling that we have people like that, but then again it kinda creeps me out.....

[Daaaaang]

It's too bad there isn't a way we can get lurkers to say hi without becoming users (and ceasing to be lurkers).

[Gàidhlig]

It's too bad there isn't a way we can get lurkers to say hi without becoming users (and ceasing to be lurkers).

However, to say "hi" causes them to cease to be lurkers. The whole point of lurking is to not be noticed, and not chime in on conversation. Even if we change their nicknames from Lurker to "non-talker", the typing of "hi" would still negate this title. There could be a number of reasons a person becomes a lurker. Social anxiety, Forumaphobia (Fear of typing in a public online discussion forum), or really bad spelling. However with our mistery guest in this situation, I feel his lurking is caused by the facts that he doesn't own a kilt, doesn't want a kilt, and just likes to read the site. If the man doesn't have an opinion or a care, why should he be typing.
Now, that being said...the "An open letter to all forum visitors" thread would tell me that it would be a far better thing if we could get certain members to become lurkers.