|
Been here for 12 years now, lurked for quite a bit before that. I think I stumbled over here when the Comic Strip Megathread started doing top-tier edits on "For Better or for Worse" that leaked out over the internet.  I ended up regging because 1) occasionally I couldn't see the new funny edits bc of the paywall and 2) discovered a thread dedicated to shortwave aficionados, and good luck finding a forum online for that where a 30-something year old woman felt welcome.I can't possible recount all the ways SA has made a positive change in my life, but here's some greatest hits. AI has not only helped me fix small stupid problems with my car, but also took a shine to my home-based hot sauce business. As a result, I had new tires put on my trusty 2001 Cavalier years ago when I had to move very suddenly in the middle of a snow storm. (I'm still trying to find the pic I took for the thread of me mailing off a stack of Priority USPS boxes full of hot sauce. It was my Cav in a foot of snow with a comic strip word balloon saying "thanks, goons!" or something.) AI totally bought those tires thanks to their patronage. GWS... jeez where to start. When I had car trouble yet again, and felt like I was trapped in my absolute poo poo job because it was the only thing I could walk to, the industry thread rallied and someone set up a GFM. In 24 hours, they kick in enough to not only get my car fixed but pay off some other outstanding bills I had, giving me a fresh start. This is going to sound insane but... the GBS Sardine thread. I started reading on a lark and decided to try sardines. Turns out, they're really loving tasty! Plus, they come in pretty printed cans! I make art out of junk, that's my jam, so I started making collage art of sardines out of sardine cans. Not only did that thread take a liking to it, but I had an SA-Mart page selling them that got sticked by a mod (think it was NYC Tattoo?) just because it was so bizarre. ...And that's just when goons have specifically helped me financially. I've made friends, I've gotten connections, and as someone who's always thirsty for knowledge, I have learned SO much from these forums. Like, not a day goes by when my husband comes home and I'm all "hey, guess what I just learned today on A/T!" Plus the real sense of community. Right now my life is crumbling because of my being jobless and about to be homeless, and every time I get a PM asking "hey, you okay?".... it means a lot to me. It really does.
|
#
¿
Jun 26, 2020 07:02
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 10, 2024 15:27 |
|
|
Ha, found the pic! And apparently mis-remembered, that was the time I was selling apple butter in SA-Mart and needed a new battery. Too many times goons have helped for me to keep straight in this old noggin of mine! And yes, I am STILL driving that Cavalier to this day. She'll be old enough to drink next year!
|
|
#
¿
Jun 26, 2020 11:43
|
|
|
Looking at the weather today reminded me of another thing I absolutely love about SA: the annual Hurricane Hoedown threads. When I lived on the eastern coast in VA, it frustrated me to no end that the local news sites would have their content buried behind paywalls. Like, I know you gotta keep the lights on and all, but I'd like to stay informed about evacuations and such?! Some news/info should be available for free, and goons always delivered. That thread not only kept me informed with boots-on-the-ground coverage from states south of me as a storm creeped up the coast, but I saw plenty of offers of goons offering other goons a place to run and find shelter on high ground. Warmed my cockles. When Irma came knocking in 2017, I'd moved to the western part of the state so I didn't have to worry about it too much myself, but my father, who's in his 70's, couldn't get out of Key West. After Irma laid the smackdown on FL, I was stuck in radio silence with him for an agonizing week. I knew he'd holed up in a fairly safe location (a hotel rated for CAT 5's), but he had no power, no phone, no internet, and I was worried sick about him. Again, goons kept me informed so I wasn't having rolling panic attacks every 5 minutes. Just knowing, thanks to goons, that KW hadn't been completely leveled let me sleep at night.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 27, 2020 21:04
|
|
|
Two new stories of SA making my life better: I got tapped to be the new PYF IK. "Whoop-dee-do", you say. But when you've been job-hunting fruitlessly for months since losing your job thanks to the roni, and you start to think "I'm old and under/overqualified for anything out there", it's a loving legit pick-me-up feel-good moment to have someone say "hey! I think you'd be good at something! Wanna job?" It's been the mental equivalent of ruffling a kid's hair and saying "you done good, champ", and I really needed that, what with my general crippling depression. Probably sounds stupid, but it's the truth. Part of said crippling depression is that I've been homeless and living out of my car, and some goon just paid for me to stay in a good hotel tonight. I had a much-needed hot shower, I'm watching tv in a comfy bed, and omg they have free breakfast in the morning! This is the most relaxed I've been in daaaaays. Thank you, whoever you are. Goons, y'all rock. Please continue to share your stories here, this thread is blessed x 100 and we can all use that right now. (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
|
|
#
¿
Jul 10, 2020 06:01
|
|
|
crowtribe posted:SA got me through my initial realisation I had some pretty crippling depression that I had been shying away from facing and finally started seeking treatment. People were often an open book about their lives and personal struggles in the oddest of threads that it was the first step in being able to talk about it openly in my real life. As a newly minted IK, I can now lay the smack down on assholes. I wish there was some way I could use that power to elevate non-assholes people like you to "gently caress YEAH" posting status. Because gently caress YEAH. You good peeps, my friend.
|
|
#
¿
Jul 12, 2020 04:20
|
|
|
 Alright the pic belongs in PYF Anti Food Porn because I suck at taking pics, especially food. But there is no more beautiful Food Porn than when you're poor and hungry and a goon who lives on the opposite side of the country, three time zones away, offers to buy you a pizza. Correction --- not a pizza, but two pizzas. Yeah a goon (who I'll keep anonymous unless they don't mind) learned I was hard on my luck and offered up 2 large pizzas with two toppings*, no strings attached, from my favorite local mom & pop place. They ordered/paid online, and all I had to do was go get them. Plus it tickled me to no end walking in and saying "uh, yeah, I should have 2 pies for 4 o'clock pickup? Name's [stifling a goofy goony grin] Jacqueline Dempsey?" *Pictured: black olive and mushroom. Not pictured: pepperoni and sausage. Because I know goons have strong opinions about pizza toppings: so help me god if y'all start a drat derail about it in this truly blessed thread, I will chain sixer you for ruining my feel-good vibes
|
|
#
¿
Jul 18, 2020 01:01
|
|
|
The Mighty Moltres posted:gently caress off, I would devour that. Yeah, I'm on a friend's machine rn with a better monitor and that pic actually isn't so bad, lol. I gotta re-calibrate my lovely laptop screen, because it looks like washed-out undercooked rear end on that. Oh, and best believe I did devour it, that pizza is the best in my area. And the gifting goon also blessed a struggling local business trying to get by with only takeout, and no one going to the awesome indie theater right next door which has been closed since The Coronapocalypse started. It was eerie as hell walking in there on a Friday and seeing all the chairs on the tables, instead of the place being mobbed with folks enjoying pizza and beer before walking next door to catch whatever summer blockbuster should be showing. 
|
|
#
¿
Jul 19, 2020 15:17
|
|
|
Edgar Allen Ho posted:An anonymous goon ordered nearly a hundred bucks worth of delicious grubhub restaurant food to my apartment when me and all my roommates had covid, and it was loving amazing. As a restaurant kitchen worker, this tickles me in so many ways. Supporting my struggling industry AND helping a goon out? Very blessed. Speaking of restaurants, I was just poking around 3 threads I have bookmarked, the "what's your white whale?", "help me find a song", and "lost SA threads". Sometimes I can help out, sometimes folks help me. But I always like browsing those, because I end up seeing content I may not have stumbled on otherwise. Same for a whole bunch of threads, now that I think about it. It's like when you'd go to a restaurant you've never been to before, and someone at the table next to you gets something that looks/smells fantastic. And you lean over and ask, "excuse me, sorry to bother you, but what is that?" And you end up ordering it, and it's awesome. It's like that, but without even having to ask --- or even pay for it.
|
|
#
¿
Oct 10, 2020 22:06
|
|
|
If you read my previous posts itt, you'll see I've hit some pretty rough patches that goons have helped me out through. My life has finally changed for the better --- I got a job and just landed an apartment --- and, unbidden, a goon sent me a HUGE gift card to Kroger so I can stock up my kitchen. Best loving housewarming present ever to this cook who hasn't had her own kitchen for 2 years.
|
|
#
¿
Nov 28, 2020 21:29
|
|
|
A goon in this very thread offered me access to their Netflix account, as a distraction from my former woes, which I'm finally using now that I have solid internet and a place to plug in my monitor. Thanks to the goon who gave me the Kroger card, and this goon, I'm currently making homemade pasta sauce and about to binge some shows while eating a real healthy meal. Goons can and do make life good.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 12, 2020 02:21
|
|
|
I'm trippin balls on LSD right now, got in a dark place for a minute, and my first fuckin' thought was "go look at the #blessed pics thread" (mmm, kitties. all good now) And then to come over here and thank y'all. Because these forums have helped so many, including myself. I could go on, but, uh, yeah, drugs. In fact I should take a sxier, if anyone's feeling up to it (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
|
|
#
¿
Aug 11, 2021 17:40
|
|
|
Silly and trivial, but... goons always derailing about regional food has been oddly helpful in my new job. We get customers from all over the US (world, even), and when I'm making small talk, I can always whip out, eg: "Oh you're from Cincinnati? I've heard about your Skyline chili!" or "Oh, you're from Memphis? I hear your bbq is the best, better than here in Virginia!" or "Chicago, huh? Always wanted to try a real deep dish pizza!" Puts the customer at ease, makes 'em puff up with local pride. I haven't had a customer service type job in years, and I suck at small talk, so it gives me an easy way to connect and make friendly banter. As a mod, I hate food derails bc they always devolve into "lol everyone in the US puts ranch on everything" vs "lol everyone in the UK boils everything into mush" style slapfights. But at my job? This has proven strangely invaluable. NB: this is not an invitation to start more food derails. Just saying the countless ones I've sat through have had a delightful unexpected side effect.
|
|
#
¿
Sep 19, 2021 18:02
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 10, 2024 15:27 |
|
|
I'm going through a rough patch recently... Don't want to get into the deets because it'll make me mopey and weepy. Suffice to say that waking up and going to work has been a monumental effort lately. The #blessed pictures thread has been such a lifesaver. If, after a restless night of insomnia/nightmares, I wake up on "the wrong side of the bed", I go outside for my morning smoke and check that out before I even check the weather or email. Yes, I have a therapist, but it's amazing how some cute capybaras and cat videos can allow me to take a few deep breaths and get on with my day. I know you can find funny/cute animal pics anywhere, but that thread just has the bestest vibes.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 5, 2023 18:24
|
|