From: nev@Turing.ORG (Niles E. VanDenburg)
Subject: Re: More of Nathan being Depressed. (feel free to skip this)
Organization: The Turing Project, Charlottesville Virginia.
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 18:10:05 GMT

In article <1992Jul22.154914.9294@news.iastate.edu> SG.MML@isumvs.iastate.edu (M. Loughin) writes:
>In article <1992Jul21.234912.6786@ringer.cs.utsa.edu>,
>rkoch@lonestar.utsa.edu (Ruth M. Koch) writes:
>
>>  I'm feeling like I don't belong in.  Mostly what I feel
>>  is intimidated by the other Callahaners.
>
>I occassionally feel this way too.  Then I remember, they're
>all just people.  Like you.

Indeed, sometimes the way that I handle the intimidation by others is 
to simply imagine the person taking a crap - preferably one that takes
forever.  As to feelings of not belonging I must admit to similar
feelings - many of the people here are (apparently) closely associated
with academic environments and it has been so long for me that I can
barely remember what it was like in college.

>>  Most of you are so smart,  I feel left out of a lot of the
>>  posts.   (By this I mean all the posts about math and
>>  math related subjects.  I happen to be very right brained,
>>  and a visual thinker and am terrible at all varieties of math.)
>
>Just 'cause you don't do math doesn't mean you're not smart.
>I have a math background, and I skip most of the math postings, too.
>I do it all day -- don't need it in my recreational time.

I agree - many of the more scientific threads just get the good old "n"
key from me.  But then some of the best puns come from the oddest
places so I keep my eyes open even in the math etc. threads.

>>  I don't often post to threads because my opinion is often
>>  more throughly explained by someone else than I could do
>>  myself.  Or I don't know enough about the subject matter
>>  to form an opinion one way or the other.  (Here, I'm thinking
>>  about the StM/Nightstalker thread.  I'm pretty much an agnostic,
>>  raised without religion.  When I do think about religion, I
>>  tend to lean towards paganism.)
>
>Well, feel free to jump in and support an argument, or ask
>questions or make comments.  You don't have to get heavily involved
>in a debate to contribute.  Trust me, you may rather not get
>heavily involved in a debate :-).
>
>I have a suggestion.  Start your own thread involving your
>interests, things *you* know something about.  Maybe we can learn
>something new from you!  Besides, I'd enjoy hearing some less
>scientific, more "right brained" discussions.
>
>--Marie

One of the problems that I have in starting a new thread or even
contributing to an existing thread is a fear of being noticed - a
possibly bad habit I got into where I work.  There is no advantage to
being recognized - it just makes your back a bigger target.

Nathan, all I can say is to hang in here.  The people here are much
better than most of the other areas and are willing to help if help is
asked for.  Feel free to ask.  (look who is talking, I still have not
found the guts to talk about my problems <sigh>).

Niles walks over and stands with Nathan offering a hug or a person to
talk with, or whatever is needed.
-- 
Niles VanDenburg
nev@turing.org
niles_v@cho000.cho.ge.com
niles_v@cho000.dnet.ge.com