Message Board Hell - Lola's Introduction

Chances are, if you are reading this blog right now, I know you from a message board.

And, if I don’t know you from a message board, I want to give you an ample warning -stay away from them, even if you are an extremely bored housewife. Trust me. You are probably better off joining a book club or bowling league. The drama associated with message boards may seem trivial, but it isn’t always just junior high school antics. It’s inevitable that when you click the SIGN ME UP HERE box that drama will ensue. Oh yes. It will.

From Twinstuff to Twinshock to Got Twinz?, Hippymoms to Sybermoms, Uptown Chicks to Cosmo Chicks, I have made my way across the message board map. And now I want to share my true experiences in message board hell.

Why?

So, these online communities get free publicity. Snort. Seriously, I’m not here to bash anyone or any site, only to recap some of my not-so- finest moments in hopes for some good blog entries. I have put my heart & soul in to many a message board only to leave the world of interactive posting extremely drained & with enough drama to write a book. And one day, I’m going to do just that.

What sparked this exhausting tale of cyber chaos was a very spontaneous question asked to me by one of my fans.

“Lola, how does it feel to be one of the most hated people online?”

It has definitely taken me some time to formulate my answer. Partly because I am crazy busy planning a birthday party, taking care of my 100 children, trying to get my business off the ground & keeping up with J’s sexual demands. Kidding! Well, at least about the last part. But seriously, the other reason is because it is a touchy subject for me. (I am a Cancer. We are very sensitive people. Para)

Anyways, about a year ago someone who I thought was an online friend called me a “piece of shit” publicly on a message board. To this day, that comment still stings. More than I care to admit. Over the years I’ve been pretty capable of just “sucking it up”, but that was a little more than I could get through my straw! On a lighter note, I’ve been called a dirty, grease ball for admitting to not washing my hair every day. (I am a proud every other day kinda girl!) I’ve been called an “asshat” probably more times than I changed my underwear last year. I’ve had pictures of me passed around through email & posted from board to board without my permission. (Yes, I should have known better to take a half naked picture posing with an online friend & expect it to not remain private, but for fuck’s sake!) I’ve been humiliated. I’ve been depressed. I’ve lost sleep. I’ve been stalked. I’m serious. But wait, it gets more intense.

I know a mother who had CPS called on her for posting something controversial in a private forum on a board. I’ve had an online friend fired from her job after a disgruntled message board member suspiciously called her employee. I’ve watched someone’s abortion become someone else’s big online joke. I’ve read about some atrocious parental mistakes & I’ve seen women raked over the coals for circumcising their sons. I’ve been guilty of some shit stomping, too, but putting “fucking up someone’s real life” on your daily to-do list just isn’t something I’ve made a priority. Unfortunately, there is no code of contact to being an internet jackass & so people do fucked up shit. And, no site I’ve ever been to has been an exception.

So, my name is Lola Starr & my story will follow. Eventually. Maybe when the kids go off to college…