Cyber bullying

[Dancing Queen]

John, I didn't think for a minute that you were ( us Spirites have to stick together ) or should I say "Potters" as my husband is from SOT and also a season ticket holder

I do know where you were coming from and would agree that the majority of cyber bullies would not use their real names but I have always thought of screen names as just a bit of fun, have I ever told you I'm a huge Abba fan

[Dancing Queen]

Sometimes on this forum you don't know whether the poster is male or female. At some point you twig on but I feel safe in the knowledge that admin do have details of them.

Andrea, I am still so embarrassed that I once "flirted" with someone on the old P&O forum only to discover months later they were female

[ChesterfieldJohn]

John, I didn't think for a minute that you were ( us Spirites have to stick together ) or should I say "Potters" as my husband is from SOT and also a season ticket holder

I do know where you were coming from and would agree that the majority of cyber bullies would not use their real names but I have always thought of screen names as just a bit of fun, have I ever told you I'm a huge Abba fan

How does he cope without proper Oatcakes lol.

He wont be happy today though

I was a big Abba fan, well especially the female half.

John

[Kendhni]

I was a big Abba fan, well especially the female half.

John

Oi, hands of Agnetha .. and from the same era keep your mits of Debbie Harry

[Andrea S]

DQ, I am sorry but that is so funny. You must have been mortified when you realised. Quick name and avatar change. ?

[Dancing Queen]

John, I didn't think for a minute that you were ( us Spirites have to stick together ) or should I say "Potters" as my husband is from SOT and also a season ticket holder .

I do know where you were coming from and would agree that the majority of cyber bullies would not use their real names but I have always thought of screen names as just a bit of fun, have I ever told you I'm a huge Abba fan.

How does he cope without proper Oatcakes lol.

He wont be happy today though

I was a big Abba fan, well especially the female half.

John

Oatcakes he buys over there and I freeze them

As an Abba fan it's as well you didn't choose DQ as your screen name

Have they lost then ?? he's in his study, not sure if it is on TV or if he's got it on the radio but knowing my interest in footie I doubt it will even get a mention.

[ChesterfieldJohn]

Jo,

Lost 1 nil to Liverpool

I do that with the oatcakes as well

I would have been None Dancing Queen

John

[Dancing Queen]

Glad to hear it John ...the non DQ bit

Just seen the result on MSN, still not a bad result against Liverpool though

[Dancing Queen]

DQ, I am sorry but that is so funny. You must have been mortified when you realised. Quick name and avatar change. ?

I was

Funnily enough there is someone on another forum who I had always assumed was male but recently saw a post made by them about buying dresses so I assume they are not maybe it's just a picture you have in your mind from a screen name of who/what a person is

[Mo2013]

Bit impish - perhaps even naughty don't you think to allow others to believe you are a different sex .......

[ChesterfieldJohn]

Bit impish - perhaps even naughty don't you think to allow others to believe you are a different sex .......

Mo, I dont think they are saying thats what they do, just that we make assumptions about peoples sex online and can sometimes be wrong.

John

[Mo2013]

I didn't say they were doing it on purpose, but xon't you think though that they may have an inkling that somebody is under a misapprehension - they are having fun which could end up a bit embarrassing for the person who's got it wrong. I've though a couple of people have sounded female but come online as male, Mmmm who knows, maybe they are

[ChesterfieldJohn]

I always thought the user Boris was male till I read a post

John

[Mo2013]

I always thought the user Boris was male till I read a post

John

[Andrea S]

Mo, I think when the subject is cruising , it can be difficult to decide. We went--We did-- the OH

[Mo2013]

It is scary though, anyone can be anybody they like in cyberspace and unless you've actually met them - how would you know any of it is true? I've never met anyone on board who admitted to being a member of any forum .....

[Andrea S]

DQ, Do you scrutinise their posts now wondering.
It could be a very well trained Husband but on the other hand.!!

In general chat it takes a while to 'picture' them as there is usually nothing being said that you can pin point.

With screen names probably most assumptions are correct but I think there is the odd one that gets you wondering.

[Andrea S]

MO, On our first cruise we went to the 'forum get together'. There were little groups of people chattering away and there were some couples sat on there own. I am quite nervous meeting 'strangers' and my immediate reaction was to disappear. I presumed those chatting already knew each other and the couples were like us, new to all of it.

The silly thing is it was set up by someone on the P&O forum so on reflection we would have all 'known' each other through our forum names.

[Mo2013]

Andrea, why didn't you all have name badges ? I'd have been saying 'who are you then?'

[oldbluefox]

We were dead organised on our forum meet. The originator had done a little sign saying P&O Forum or something similar. On the first meet we had there was only CaroleF sitting on her ownsome so we assumed she was the meeting (do you remember, Carole?). And on our last cruise there was just me, my OH and the Captain!!! (and he didn't count!!)

A little sign on the table does help though otherwise you do get some very strange looks.

[Andrea S]

Mo, They did hand out badges but I wasn't confident enough to go up to strangers and start talking. I think this forum is far more 'personal' and there are alway threads popping up about who is going where so I do think I would feel better now.

[Mo2013]

Andrea, it would be a good idea for the organiser of the 'meet' to introduce folks to each other ? Just a thought .....

[Dancing Queen]

DQ, Do you scrutinise their posts now wondering.
It could be a very well trained Husband but on the other hand.!!

In general chat it takes a while to 'picture' them as there is usually nothing being said that you can pin point.

With screen names probably most assumptions are correct but I think there is the odd one that gets you wondering.

Not at all Andrea

I just happen to have an excellent memory ( it goes with the job I used to do ) I tend to read something and it is "there" stuck in my mind, I suppose a little bit like a photographic memory.

[Dancing Queen]

Andrea, it would be a good idea for the organiser of the 'meet' to introduce folks to each other ? Just a thought .....

I've only ever done one meet and I was very unsure about that as I didn't think it would be my sort of thing, I went because a friend from this forum was the organiser, I would add that prior to this I had not met her.

I went alone ( well not exactly alone I took a large glass of Red with me for courage ) as this wouldn't be my husbands sort of thing, the organiser was at the door and did a meet and greet and also introductions to others, strangely enough she knew me without any introduction ..maybe the glass in my hand gave it away

I fully expected to stay about half an hour and then leave , about four hours later I returned to our cabin as the meet had extended to drinks sat out on deck as the conversation flowed, I guess I was pretty lucky on that cruise as I made a lifelong friend and met a lot of really nice people

[Gill W]

I'm not into on board meets, but I do feel I 'know' some of the people on this forum.

Many contributors to this forum have been around the cruising forum scene for many years, and it would be very difficult to put on a front for all those years.

I think most people on this forum are very genuine, and aren't pretending to be someone else.