Then/now: What were you doing when you joined OH?

[canonfaz]

Then:

In 2005(ish) I was single and working on my masters degree in computer science at VCU in Richmond, VA and co-op'ing at a Nuclear Power station. Very few of my friends were big Orioles fans, so I went in search of an online message board. When I found the OH, it was like finding a great little "hole in the wall restaurant" that only the locals knew about. I was floored by the amount of minor league analysis and the quality of the message board.

Now:

I am married (5+ years) and a computer programmer (I still work for the same company as in 2005), but have transferred back to my home state of West Virginia. My band is working on our 2nd studio album (the first one in my own studio that I finished last year). Visiting the OH is one of main routines in my day... don't know what I would do without it! I love talking baseball and listening to opinions of people that I have never met in person, but have come to respect as posters.

[gmelson26]

Where at on the shore? Relocated Crisfielder here. You know, I know EXACTLY what you mean when you say that message boards give you anxiety. I get the same exact way. I've been hanging around here for years, but my 2800 or so posts are nothing compared to the totals that some other folks have here. Maybe we have a form of social anxiety? I'm very outgoing and could care less what people think about me, but if I strike up a conversation in person and then a few others start joining in, I tense up and find my way out.

Small town.. Galena, in Kent County. I know exactly what you mean. I am known in real life for telling-it-like-it-is because I do not care what people think of me. Like me or don't. But man when it comes to online forums, I get, as you say, a weird form of social anxiety.

[Norfolk orioles]

Avoiding work.

Avoiding work.

This......and this.

[McNulty]

This Louie CK quote sums it up for me: "I love being divorced. Every year has been better than the last. By the way, I'm not saying don't get married. If you meet somebody, fall in love and get married. Then get divorced. Because that's the best part. Divorce is forever! It really actually is. Marriage is for how long you can hack it. But divorce just gets stronger like a piece of oak. Nobody ever says 'oh, my divorce is falling apart, it's over, I can't take it.'"

[BRobinsonfan]

Then - I was 42 with an 8 year old and a 6 year old. I was about half a year from being divorced. I was the President of my own consulting firm with about 6 employees and was flying a B58 Barron.

Now - I'm 52 with an 18 year old and a 16 year old. The 18 year old is on her way to attend Marymount Manhattan in New York and the 16 year old will be a Junior in High School next year. Since one girl is headed to college and the other will be soon - I sold the B58 Baron. Since I have to have some kind of toy I replaced it with a 30" SeaRay Sundancer that I keep on the river. I still own the consulting firm - but I'm down to 3 employees.

[GotNitro]

Then - I was in my mid 20s recovering from back surgery laying around on the laptop and stumbled upon the hangout. I was married, living in a small apartment.

Now - Almost 34 same job in supply chain with Home Depot. We bought a house a few years ago in Greencastle PA. Two years ago we adopted our son privately upon his birth. Although I rarely post now I am still reading OH several times per day. I still really enjoy reading everyone's different opinions and learning about the game. At my son's two year appointment yesterday he was in the 98th percentile in height and had a very good bmi. Maybe I have a future little ball player on my hands. :-)

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk

[byrdz]

At work procrastinating and surfing the internet. I was using ESPN's forum section at the time and I remember the day I discovered OH.

[JourneyFan]

Then:

I was in the computer lab in college, circa 1999, looking on Baltimore Sun for Orioles information. Richard Legendre told me to try this place.

Now:

Windows System Administrator for General Dynamics

[CanadianOriole]

I started reading the site long before I created an account to post - but I finally signed up in July 2005. I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada (pop. 140k) and have my whole life but for 1 year. I was 28 and working as a manager of an inbound call centre. I had a common-law wife and 11 yr old stepson. My childhood hero was Mike Boddicker.

Obviously still in PEI. Now 37 working for the PEI government. My wife and I got married 7 years ago. I have a 20 year old and a 1 year old daughter. My childhood hero is still Mike Boddicker.

[Orioles0615]

I joined the fall after I graduated college. Wish I knew about this place earlier. Then I was working my first job, living at home. 4 years later after being laid off from 2 jobs and after living in Alexandria for 2 years, I now work at NASA and love my job and am back in MD living in Elrkridge.

[Enjoy Terror]

I feel really young on this board.

[SouthernBird]

I think I joined in 98 or so. I was 26 or 27, just started working for Comcast. After getting to know Tony a bit I helped out with soe of the first forums. Updating databases, moving to new servers etc. It was fun, but challenging at times as well.

Now, Laid off by Comcast in 2012 along with thousands of others, but my former VP brought me into his new business Integrity Solutions and also am now a principal owner of the local Univision Affiliate in Nashville TN, the hippest city on the map now. Also 43 this year and feeling every second of it. Plan to retire at 50 after selling out my ownership stake in the Univision affiliate and attending all Spring Training's since I have never gotten to go.

[SouthernBird]

I remember sending Tony recorded DVDs of the games while he was in Afghanistan early on. Hope it helped a little bit anyways...I only sent him games we won

[Tony-OH]

I remember sending Tony recorded DVDs of the games while he was in Afghanistan early on. Hope it helped a little bit anyways...I only sent him games we won

That was much appreciate Matt!

Congrats on the endeavors!

[Danielos38]

Then:

I joined in 2006 when I was 14 in my last year of middle school, looking to discuss the O's with someone who hadn't grown tired of my obession. I believe I found the board when I was googling information on one of our pitching "prospects" at the time.

Now:

I'm 23, graduated from UMD, took a year off to work at a consulting firm in DC and will be moving to Baltimore in a month (Right next to the yard!) to go to law school at UMB. Don't post as much as I'd like to anymore but I still read everyday!