IRC is no longer The Vogue

This is my take on the #sdcolleges "drama," mostly written last night and refined this morning.

Everyone is upset that people are leaving the #sdcolleges channel ostensibly because it's all computer-talk and no fun.

Some of the false assumptions about IRC:

1. IRC is a Social Club. Wrong.
   At some point, somebody decided that #sdcolleges would be a good idea for everyone to congregate and talk about stuff, organizing events and such. Is IRC really an appropriate venue for this kind of thing? No. Most channels on IRC are not geocentric, yet we are the anomaly. Most channels on IRC are about computer related topics, yet we strive not to be? A while ago IRC was inaccessible to all but the UNIX elite (except for those mIRC guys). Now, Colloquy and gaim make it accessible to the masses. Inevitably, it became really easy to invite the non-technical people into the channel. This had the effect of shifting channel topics and alienating the technical channel members.
   
2. Everyone on IRC has a valuable opinion. Wrong.
   Every group has someone who thinks that he/she is right about everything all the time, they are arrogant. There is always someone who tries to lead the group and claim ownership. There is always someone who is a n00b. There is always someone who contributes great things. Someone who brings people together. Someone who is a catalyst for social relationships. Someone who breaks hearts. Someone who makes grandiose claims that are unrealistic. Someone who is a flake. You know who you are. I know who I am. Not one of these people can be authoritative on all subjects.
3. People are entitled to discuss the topic of their interest. Wrong.
   Coming on the channel and starting a topic of your own when there is clearly one already is rude. Yes, I'm sure we've all done it, but it gets annoying with frequency. Enough said about that.

IRC is not the place for the group that meets for dinner. It is not a place to socialize.

I certainly do not advocate isolating people from a group, but maybe this group was not for them in the first place. The IRC channel was certainly not the place for Stephi and Hanna, but I think the other social context of dinner and social interaction was. Am I the only one who is going to admit this? I know I'm not authoritative in "the group," but I can certainly try to analyze what I see happening from my somewhat limited perspective. (Limited in the sense that I'm not always involved with the group, but I still see what's going on.)

I think [some people] have to go from the social group. And Stephi and Hanna are not included in that grouping. They brought more to the dinner parties than [some people]. This group is going to die unless [some people] leave. That likely will not happen. Only time will tell.

Also, some of us need to learn what is and is not fair. Expecting me to pay $15 for a burger is not fair. Period.

Never Better

I don't know what's going on, but I've never felt better. The last few days have been great for me. It all started early in the evening on Thursday, I was driving through San Diego and everything started to get a little brighter, almost literally. Since then it seems my vision of the world has completely changed, everything looks and feels different. It almost reminds me of how I felt over two years ago before some relationship drama started. I'm feeling things that I haven't felt in a long time.

I haven't been able to explain these new feelings. The best physiological reason I can come up with is that pseudoephedrine is somehow mucking with my serotonin levels (much in the way amphetamines would - I know that pseudoephedrine is chemically similar to methamphetamine, and also affects the CNS, but I'm not sure how it all ties in.)

Have I been depressed because of low serotonin levels? Or are things just looking up? Rest assured, I'm on this. If I have to see a neurologist or psychiatrist then that's what I'm going to have to do - I don't want to go back to that state of lacking almost all feeling.