Stayers and Leavers

So many BA’s have commented supportively here and in PMs...it’s been very nice of you. Thank you all. I didn’t expect so much reaction, and I don’t mean to take the thread off topic or make it a downer. I licked my ego wounds, learned some things from it, and will continue my goofy-a$$ ways here. Maybe I should remember Danko Jones’ mantra more often...this heart gets stronger, this skin gets thicker, this mouth gets louder!

 

Filmed about an hours drive away. Come visit, I'll take you.

 

Why are you still here???

My first and only guess is because you live in Casper Wy. what else is there to do if your not a cowboy? Now I’ve been to Sundance WY deer hunting many years ago, but in town small small town there were 3 bars, so I’m guessing drinking beer qualifies as a true hobby.

 

I has season tix to the Eagles or yeas, after one game they broke my side car window. The guy who wears the Indian costume from DC was assaulted in the parking lot, pulled out his feathers ruined his costume, hit him in the head with binoculars. The 700 level was neither kid or opponent friendly, you’d have to be nuts to bring kids to a game there.

 

Yes, spent my first three years solely in the Great Lakes forum, didn't even know of the existence of other forums until about 2 years ago.

I consider Great Lakes the "Mean Girls" section of Beer Advocate in comparison to the near universal warmth and acceptance throughout the rest of the website.

 

I have no idea why I'm still here

 

It is difficult for me to believe that this coming November will be the 20th anniversary of my account with Beeradvocate.com. I have moved to a few states during that time, and my hair is noticeably grayer. It is a sign that I am surely aging, but still enjoying some great beer every week. I really did not start reviewing and contributing to the website until about 2007; before, I simply passively enjoyed the content. I don't even have a Facebook account, but I feel comfortable sharing reviews and other vignettes on this site. I hope this site is here for another 20 years.

 

BA is always here for me and you.

 

Just made Meyvn status. Don't know what that means, but I'm working my way up to Poo-Bah.

I've stayed because I like to try different beers and there are just so many on the shelves now. With many of them costing more than $10 for a single bottle I can't afford to keep trying them just to be disappointed so I read the reviews here first. If the reviews are strong then I feel better about spending more to try something new.

 

This. I have to say I could not put it any better.

 

What? Forged in Fire isn’t a reliable source for learning about blade smithing? Now where will I get my lessons?

I kid, I have a forge and a few friends who make their living shaping metals into various things. It is a fine show as long as you realize it is based on a cooking show and watch accordingly.

 

Living in Idaho, we never got good beer distribution. I remember stumbling onto @Bitterbill 's list of "places that ship beer" and it changed my little group's life. I might still have the page bookmarked somewhere. Bill do you still keep that page active?

At least I think it was Bill, because we were in the same beer distribution desert.

Edit... Found the page.

http://onlinebeerstores.homestead.com/index.html#

Bill, is this you?

 

Yes it is Toby. I haven't updated it for quite a long time.

 

I joined in 2014 and can't think of any reason why I would ever leave BA.

I always enjoy seeing that there are people from all over the country, and the world, who not only enjoy the same beer as I do, but also the same music, food, and even once in a while the same books as me.

 

Although I joined in 2006 for about ten years I just used the site as a database for beers I'd find. I didn't look in the forums for whatever stupid reason until recently because I've probably found out more useful data here than any other place. Plus I've met up with some BAs, accidentally and by plan, and it's always been positive. Whenever I go to a new place on vacation, I check the regional forums to find out what places to hit.

I'm still enjoying the interactions here and nobody's pissed me off so why should I leave?

 

This thread reminded me I joined this site over 20 years ago. I've never been a heavy contributor, but I've pretty consistently checked in over the years, and I love beer as much now as I did when I first joined.

In the early days, geeking out on beer was a niche hobby, and the vibe was very eccentric, which I loved. As beer became more mainstream, the vibe changed, and there were some rough patches, where I lost some interest in BA. But it seems to be a better place now.

I stay mostly because BA is the only site that really takes beer seriously, and as such it attracts the most knowledgeable and passionate people. Other platforms I've visited seem like products of craft beer--the trend, as opposed to craft beer--the hobby.

These days, I really appreciate that a lot of old timers still frequent this forum, talk about the old days, reminisce about breweries of the past, and bitch about hazy ipas.

 

Oh, those ridiculous-asses knives they have them always make kills me. Let alone the home forge projects.

Imagine my joy at the episode where the first challenge was to make a cleaver. An actual thing that someone might use on the daily? Awesome!

I'm over all the 12-16 inch "camp knives" that seem to be the "signature style" of so many contestants. I am a fan of the show though.

 

Lol, I just bought a new kitchen knife made in Serbia I think, it’s handmade I think the Viking knife, it looks a bit primitive. It looks like it’ll cut about anything though , it wasn’t expensive and a needed a bigger kitchen knife. The others I have here are either Misen or Rada.