Who deserves a Gold Watch?

[no name 1]

The other thing to realize about the boxes and hearts is that track the number of posts, not the quality. Any chimp can add a "congats!!" to a post to get boxes and hearts.

The last post about hearts & boxes made it to 1000 pages in OT..... Now round #2 of it has started...

[Dr_LHA 3]

Congrats!

[Marilyn. 340]

The other thing to realize about the boxes and hearts is that track the number of posts, not the quality. Any chimp can add a "congats!!" to a post to get boxes and hearts.

The last post about hearts & boxes made it to 1000 pages in OT..... Now round #2 of it has started...

ok, I know some people post stuff to get boxes and hearts but I think a majority of people do not.... that thread you are talking about did start off about asking about the boxes and hearts and then it turned into a bunch of people just having some friendly conversation.....

[John & Annie 0]

Congrats!

nice, wanna banana

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Congrats!

Chimp!

[WifeOHunkyJohn 2]

... and... done!

Ok, so finally I have caught up. It's a great conversation and now I think I will add my own two cents, just because i can.

I think that, as an old timer (and I can assume to be one as my AOS has been pending more than 11 months at this point, sniff) that I find I don't have as much patience with some of the newbies as I perhaps ought to. In my defense, this is also me in the real world because I can't abide dumb questions or questions where the answer is obvious or easy to find. I don't mean that the "Search" function has suddenly become God's Gift to VJ, but, for example, if someone asks a question about the DMV and what they need to get an ID or Drivers License, it makes my blood boil. Why in the hell can't they just google "DMV" like I do when I look up the 'corroborating evidence' to my posts of wisdom?

I know I am a google bunny, and I know I have waaaaay too much time on my hands sometimes, but I like to be helpful. I like to think that all these frustrations, the ups and the downs and the infuriating communications (or lack there of) with USCIS mean that I have something worthwhile to contribute. Else what was the point in going through it all if you can't make someone elses life easier through learning from your mistakes? It does drive me nuts when I have to post, over and over that, yes the CSC replies to emails, its just a case of pot luck, and it does drive me nuts when newbies practically come unglued because their AOS hasn't been approved in record time or, if it is, they shout it from the rooftops with a multitude of exclamation marks and capital letters. Maybe it's just a tact thing. I have none, and it bugs the bananas out of me when others have even less...(lol)

As for the hearts and the boxes, I have to confess that I did want to find my way into getting at least 1 heart before the end of my AOS journey. Think of it like my own personal gold star, and a measure of how much I have contributed to the VJ boards. Sadly though, the novelty wore off pretty quickly in posting chatter comments, solely to gain a blue box (which I eventually managed, lol) and I disappeared out the thread way before it made its 1000 pages. It was probably for the best...

Most of what I post are answers to questions from people I think are genuine in their search and are not just posting because it's easier than finding the answers by themselves. I go on instinct and I am not always right but, whatever, I never said I was perfect. A lot of what I post ends up in Off Topic as well and I would be quite gutted if I stopped getting boxes and eventual hearts just because what I post isn't deemed as good a quality as if I posted it in AOS forum, for example. I happen to (selfishly) like my OT contributions - my favorite kinds of posts are immigration articles that are interesting, but don't really fit into family immigration, but rather the process as a whole. Sometimes I post a funny article because it made me laugh and, by golly do we all need to laugh now and again.

Well I have to say, in conclusion, that if there is any animosity between newbies and old timers, it is with a few personality clashes rather than an all out war between those that know from experience and those that are in the beginning stages of their journey... Generally I find people to be friendly, sincere, sometimes very funny, and a lot of the time, very kind. If there is anything that can be gleaned from this thread, I would say that we (or more specifically *I*) need to practice patience, just as the newbies need to remember that yes, we have been there and done that, but that doesn't make us redundant. Just as it doesn't make a person redundant to ask the same question more than once.

After all, sometimes finding the answers can be a very frustrating search.

Ok, back to lurkdom...

[And I realize now that if I had posted each thought separately, I might have got me a blue box - oh well...]

hugs

Annie

[no name 1]

if someone asks a question about the DMV and what they need to get an ID or Drivers License, it makes my blood boil. Why in the hell can't they just google "DMV" like I do when I look up the 'corroborating evidence' to my posts of wisdom?

Esp since it has absolutely NADA to do with immigration!!! What on earth did these people do before the VJ helpdesk?

A lot of what I post ends up in Off Topic as well and I would be quite gutted if I stopped getting boxes and eventual hearts just because what I post isn't deemed as good a quality as if I posted it in AOS forum, for example. I happen to (selfishly) like my OT contributions - my favorite kinds of posts are immigration articles that are interesting, but don't really fit into family immigration, but rather the process as a whole.

Annie - What you post in OT is very much related to immigration & if I see a post by you I read it. Because you care about immigration & post to let us know what you've found.

Thanks for that!

[WifeOHunkyJohn 2]

if someone asks a question about the DMV and what they need to get an ID or Drivers License, it makes my blood boil. Why in the hell can't they just google "DMV" like I do when I look up the 'corroborating evidence' to my posts of wisdom?

Esp since it has absolutely NADA to do with immigration!!! What on earth did these people do before the VJ helpdesk?

A lot of what I post ends up in Off Topic as well and I would be quite gutted if I stopped getting boxes and eventual hearts just because what I post isn't deemed as good a quality as if I posted it in AOS forum, for example. I happen to (selfishly) like my OT contributions - my favorite kinds of posts are immigration articles that are interesting, but don't really fit into family immigration, but rather the process as a whole.

Annie - What you post in OT is very much related to immigration & if I see a post by you I read it. Because you care about immigration & post to let us know what you've found.

Thanks for that!

((((((hug))))))

thank you

[Ladylethal 12]

Back when I first started posting to help, I used to see Yodrak and meauxna sort of following me around and cleaning up after me if I misposted. It was frustrating at first but I saw quickly what they were doing. They would say something to the effect of 'yes you are correct BUT' and continue to elaborate a 'devilish detail'. I got to where I enjoyed (and still do) their follow-ups to my musings. I found that if I asked them to further explain their point that I was drinking from a fountain of information. PLUS I was learning another valuable point - to be careful how I answered lest I unintentionally mislead someone with my good intent.

I still get done that to my posts a lot and I love it, it makes me learn more, and since I am a law graduate who plans to one day keep on studying here in US, and who knows, I actually do like immigration, I'll one day use all this knowledge in my work.

[Fandango 1,439]

One can also have boxes and hearts and not really be a part of the community - which goes back to the issue of where one "earned their stripes", if you like. LisaD mentioned that she sees them as a sign of how much time she has wasted on here - not everyone posts in the same places on the board. It is important IMO for people who don't venture into the more social places on the board (OT, for example) to have recognition as valuable members too, and to have a level of "immigration knowledge seniority", if you like, that the newer members can look up to.

Since I didn't do that K1 I don't play in that forum and I don't know how bad the problems are. I do know that when I have made time to help someone in the AOS forum and been trashed for it by a newbie, I am not inclined to help again. Perhaps if we start letting people who don't listen make their mistakes they will report back and others will see that the help of those offering it is valuable. After all, there is none so deaf as he who will not hear, and all that.

I don't think hanging out in OT makes you 'not a part of the community'. There is a social aspect to it as well. OT/Polls/etc brings a little levity to this place...they make this place a bit less stressful and fun.

But I did mention the boxes as signs of how much time I'd wasted....speaking for myself only, because there was such a gap between joining here and filing...there was only so much real experience that I could bring to the other forums...and I kinda got stuck in at the GD forums. But I didn't mean it to sound like 'I wasted time with the people at VJ', more like 'I could have been doing something else home' and maybe limited my time in OT and the like by a little bit. What can I say, I'm a procrastinator with a lot of stuff

Don't get me wrong...I like OT. and I don't think there's anything wrong with the people who hang out there. They bring out the fun & silliness & that's a great stress reliever sometimes. And many times, there's interesting, informative, intelligent discussion there as well. It's good to not always have to think about 'MY VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!1'

I don't think the boxes and hearts show anything in terms of knowledge level....while they certainly point out the chattier members getting boxes and hearts even in places not in OT do not necessarily connotate an 'informed immigration' member. That would prolly be best decided by going through post history.

Edited August 4, 2007 by LisaD

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

congrats, everybody!

[Fandango 1,439]

congrats, everybody!

you so funny, Vdawg

[Nancy2015 2]

The other thing to realize about the boxes and hearts is that track the number of posts, not the quality. Any chimp can add a "congats!!" to a post to get boxes and hearts.

The last post about hearts & boxes made it to 1000 pages in OT..... Now round #2 of it has started...

ok, I know some people post stuff to get boxes and hearts but I think a majority of people do not.... that thread you are talking about did start off about asking about the boxes and hearts and then it turned into a bunch of people just having some friendly conversation.....

I find the idea of starting a thread just for the sake of blue boxes and hearts utterly ridiculous, but to each his own, of course.

When I joined this board last year, I already knew a lot about the immigration process from USCIS.gov, and at the time I joined, my AOS was already in progress. I find it strange that someone would just join the forum and ask something like: "hi im new here can u tell me what papers i need to file for aos????". Is it that hard to do a little research before posting? There's a wealth of information on the net...

I try not to answer questions if I'm not sure I'm right - that's the reason I never post in the visa forums or admin waiver forums - I haven't been through the K-visa process, so I have nothing to offer. I don't post in OT too much either - some of the discussions there (mostly political) make me feel uneasy, and I prefer to have stress-free web browsing experience Most of the stuff I post is immigration-related, and although I never felt like "part of the community", I like to think I have made my share of useful contributions to the board, and I will continue to do so.

[Marilyn. 340]

The other thing to realize about the boxes and hearts is that track the number of posts, not the quality. Any chimp can add a "congats!!" to a post to get boxes and hearts.

The last post about hearts & boxes made it to 1000 pages in OT..... Now round #2 of it has started...

ok, I know some people post stuff to get boxes and hearts but I think a majority of people do not.... that thread you are talking about did start off about asking about the boxes and hearts and then it turned into a bunch of people just having some friendly conversation.....

I find the idea of starting a thread just for the sake of blue boxes and hearts utterly ridiculous, but to each his own, of course.

When I joined this board last year, I already knew a lot about the immigration process from USCIS.gov, and at the time I joined, my AOS was already in progress. I find it strange that someone would just join the forum and ask something like: "hi im new here can u tell me what papers i need to file for aos????". Is it that hard to do a little research before posting? There's a wealth of information on the net...

I try not to answer questions if I'm not sure I'm right - that's the reason I never post in the visa forums or admin waiver forums - I haven't been through the K-visa process, so I have nothing to offer. I don't post in OT too much either - some of the discussions there (mostly political) make me feel uneasy, and I prefer to have stress-free web browsing experience Most of the stuff I post is immigration-related, and although I never felt like "part of the community", I like to think I have made my share of useful contributions to the board, and I will continue to do so.

I think the original post was about someone wondering what the blue boxes and hearts were about and then it turned into something else...

[ChristinaM 0]

One can also have boxes and hearts and not really be a part of the community - which goes back to the issue of where one "earned their stripes", if you like. LisaD mentioned that she sees them as a sign of how much time she has wasted on here - not everyone posts in the same places on the board. It is important IMO for people who don't venture into the more social places on the board (OT, for example) to have recognition as valuable members too, and to have a level of "immigration knowledge seniority", if you like, that the newer members can look up to.

I don't think hanging out in OT makes you 'not a part of the community'. There is a social aspect to it as well. OT/Polls/etc brings a little levity to this place...they make this place a bit less stressful and fun.

But I did mention the boxes as signs of how much time I'd wasted....speaking for myself only, because there was such a gap between joining here and filing...there was only so much real experience that I could bring to the other forums...and I kinda got stuck in at the GD forums. But I didn't mean it to sound like 'I wasted time with the people at VJ', more like 'I could have been doing something else home' and maybe limited my time in OT and the like by a little bit. What can I say, I'm a procrastinator with a lot of stuff

Don't get me wrong...I like OT. and I don't think there's anything wrong with the people who hang out there. They bring out the fun & silliness & that's a great stress reliever sometimes. And many times, there's interesting, informative, intelligent discussion there as well. It's good to not always have to think about 'MY VISA!!!!!!!!!!!!1'

I don't think the boxes and hearts show anything in terms of knowledge level....while they certainly point out the chattier members getting boxes and hearts even in places not in OT do not necessarily connotate an 'informed immigration' member. That would prolly be best decided by going through post history.

I think you misunderstood me a little, Lisa - what I meant was that there are people who don't play in OT at all but still have plenty of boxes and hearts, but because they don't hang around in OT they don't necessarily feel like they are part of the "established crew", if you like. I certainly believe that there is a wonderful social aspect to VJ, and since I'm now in the space between AOS of removal of conditions, I'm not nearly as active in the immigration side as I was. I'm just saying that maybe it would be better if OT/poll posts didn't count towards boxes and hearts, so that one could see how many posts were made out in the immigration forums as a measure of knowledge.

It's always going to be somewhat hit and miss, because as someone else mentioned, there are the "CONGRATS YOU ROCK LOL!!1!1!!1ONE!" posts that are still in the immigration sections. Checking post history is always going to be your best bet when deciding whether or not to take someone seriously. Yodrak, for example, is seen very rarely in OT, but because of the help he offers elsewhere he has the visual clout (boxes and hearts) to be seen as respectable. I've seen very few people poop on Yodrak.

Do you see what I'm getting at?