Secret Santa memories...

[Fritzo]

Over the weekend I was bored and put on the Death Wish II soundtrack album...and remembered where I got it. I still have and use a lot of the stuff from the classic ATOT Secret Santa days. Thanks for making me smile people- you're not all bad!

 

[Captante]

 

[SKORPI0]

Needs to be revived, enjoyed doing it for almost 10 years. Last one was 2016. 2017 attempt was canceled due to lack of interest.

@MartyMcFly3

 

[Fritzo]

View attachment 50491

HOLY SHIT I FORGOT ABOUT THAT!!!

 

[nakedfrog]

Needs to be revived, enjoyed doing it for almost 10 years. Last one was 2016. 2017 attempt was canceled due to lack of interest.

@MartyMcFly3

Seems to be how it goes, I'm a member of other forums where Secret Santa died out too.

 

[Kaido]

Seems to be how it goes, I'm a member of other forums where Secret Santa died out too.

I think reddit still does it, but I value my kidneys, so...

 

[Kaido]

@T_Yamamoto do you still have diabetes from my last box lol

 

[Kaido]

@Fritzo iirc this was from you right? Still using it!

 

[nakedfrog]

I think reddit still does it, but I value my kidneys, so...

Reddit is not a forum, and is the enemy

...she said, after closing a Reddit tab in the background.

 

[Kaido]

Reddit is not a forum, and is the enemy

...she said, after closing a Reddit tab in the background.

Things about reddit:

1. All things good & bad exist on it; be careful about what you choose to expose yourself to
2. There is zero community feel like we have on ATOT & other older BBS-style forums
3. The groupthink can be incredible at times. Total echo chamber. Blocks valuable new content from coming in at times.
4. Some of the subs are absolute GOLDMINES
5. There are many, many rabbit holes to go down I just checked my subreddit list & I'm currently subscribed to 1,300+ subs lol. ADHD FTW! A few fun ones:

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Two additional notes:

1. There are certain Facebook communities that are absolute treasures, such as this Instant Pot group

2. "Learn on TikTok" has taught me more than college has. I have 1,800+ subscriptions on there within just a few months of downloading it (re: ADHD, lol). There are some MASSIVELY talented people on there & people who have incredible ways of explaining things to help you understand them! I follow a lot of cooking & crafting people, everything from the Instant Pot to 3D printing. Short little videos you can watch while you're in line, in the bathroom, waiting, whatever. Sort of like Vine on steroids, but actually useful, not just entertaining!

 

[nakedfrog]

Things about reddit:

1. All things good & bad exist on it; be careful about what you choose to expose yourself to
2. There is zero community feel like we have on ATOT & other older BBS-style forums
3. The groupthink can be incredible at times. Total echo chamber. Blocks valuable new content from coming in at times.
4. Some of the subs are absolute GOLDMINES
5. There are many, many rabbit holes to go down I just checked my subreddit list & I'm currently subscribed to 1,300+ subs lol. ADHD FTW! A few fun ones:

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Reddit - Dive into anything

www.reddit.com

Two additional notes:

1. There are certain Facebook communities that are absolute treasures, such as this Instant Pot group

2. "Learn on TikTok" has taught me more than college has. I have 1,800+ subscriptions on there within just a few months of downloading it (re: ADHD, lol). There are some MASSIVELY talented people on there & people who have incredible ways of explaining things to help you understand them! I follow a lot of cooking & crafting people, everything from the Instant Pot to 3D printing. Short little videos you can watch while you're in line, in the bathroom, waiting, whatever. Sort of like Vine on steroids, but actually useful, not just entertaining!

Yeah, I've actually had an account there for a couple years, I don't care for the layout/format, and I don't like the lack of community feel, but it's hard to argue with the volume of content. Only joined a few of the queer subs, because they periodically go dark to the public due to trolls and brigading.

 

[shortylickens]

One of you guys gave me a Roku XS, that I still use today.

Good times.

 

[Fritzo]

@Fritzo iirc this was from you right? Still using it!

View attachment 50498

Oh yeah! I went to Sur La Table in Ann Arbor to get that...impossible to find!

 

[Kaido]

Oh yeah! I went to Sur La Table in Ann Arbor to get that...impossible to find!

Wow, I better move it to the Fancy Drawer now haha! It has served me well over the years, so thank you again!!

I used to live just outside of Lansing, in the Flint area (NO SUPRISE on the STILL ONGOING water issue there!). I miss the people, but I don't miss the cold winters lol. The "lake effect" was LEGIT! I had a friend who worked over at the MSU at the sheep research farm & used to do some farm volunteer work back in the day to hang out...instead of attack dogs they had attack llamas...those things were SCARY! Real-life Tauntauns! Random pic off google:

 

[shortylickens]

I just found the thread, it was TangoJuliet who bought me the Roku XS, in 2012. Still works fine and I remember the initial problem was you had to manually sync the RF remote to the box, which it does NOT tell you in the quick start guide, and it does not come with a proper manual, you have to look this stuff up online.

 

[Geekbabe]

Ha! I married my secret Santa …got you all beat 😂

 

[BudAshes]

Ha! I married my secret Santa …got you all beat 😂

Dang, now I feel like I missed out on Secret Santa.

Were sexual favors required or just encouraged?

 

[Captante]

Dang, now I feel like I missed out on Secret Santa.

Were sexual favors required or just encouraged?

Not something I normally associate with this place! (at all)

 

[BudAshes]

Not something I normally associate with this place! (at all)

 

[mztykal]

I’m down…if you guys start it up again…

 

[highland145]

Ha! I married my secret Santa …got you all beat 😂

No, Red has us all beat for getting the best. You must have been horrible that year.

 

[Fritzo]

Ha! I married my secret Santa …got you all beat 😂

WTF DID HE GET YOU?????

 

[ultimatebob]

I think reddit still does it, but I value my kidneys, so...

I did a Reddit Secret Santa once, and it was a terrible experience. The person I got did a half assed job filling out their questionnaire, and I didn't get back a gift at all.

 

[Geekbabe]

No, Red has us all beat for getting the best. You must have been horrible that year.

LOL, Red has actually been a wonderful husband, he cooks, cleans, deals with our laundry & works. He has been here with me every step of the way through my cancer journey when a lot of guys would have said “ bye, see ya, wouldn’t want to be ya” He is intelligent & actually a sensitive guy underneath the blustery exterior. He’s also quite funny & makes me laugh a lot.

 

[Fenixgoon]

i really loved ATOTSS.
someone got me a dug777 crab shirt, which i wore the shit out of.
another year, i received a "naughty" box filled with a twilight DVD and a cd from the self-proclaimed country rap king. a day or two later, i received a "nice" box which had all sorts of stuff, and as i recall, a very substantial gift card to revzilla (motorcycle store).

i also had a lot of fun shopping for other people. i got one guy a mini homebrew kit (he didn't have much space for a full setup due to living in the DMV).
another year, i got someone a cd or two from the band Halestorm, and they really loved it.

my memory is garbage so i apologize for forgetting all the other wonderful gifts i received. ATOT SS was always special, particularly since the holidays are hard on me.