By Jackie, TW Social Director
Happy Friday, TWibe! Thanks to Pete's shout-out to our TennisWorld > Real World Facebook group several days ago, I've received a ton of new member requests. (The one good thing to come out of this Typepad fiasco, perhaps?) Existing members should take a few minutes to say hello to the new folks there.
Note: When you request to join the group, you'll receive a message from me asking for your comment-posting moniker. Please respond to this message, even if it's just a "I don't post often but when I do, it's as ," as I won't confirm your request otherwise.)
Another note: Though our Typepad issues have been resolved for the time being, please consider using the group to carry on off-topic discussions on non-Deuce Club days, as Pete suggested. If we have means to make the TennisWorld posts breathe a little easier, we should use them, right?
I'm so pleased that y'all seemed to enjoy my Indian Wells stories and photos; I certainly had a blast putting them together and can't wait until my next live tournament experience. (The Cincinnati Masters, for anyone keeping track. Once again, if you're also going, please let me know so I can plan a TW gathering!)
A little less than a month ago, I celebrated my one-year anniversary as a proud member of the TWibe! My very first TW post took place during the Dubai final between Andy Roddick and Feliciano Lopez on March 8, 2008. (Many thanks to Rachael the Almighty for the date. Unfortunately, she remembers the day not because of me but because of Roddick's victory!)
!RodFeli In some ways it feels like it was just yesterday, and in others, I'm convinced the calendar is lying to me and I've been here for far longer. I think we can all empathize, right?
I discovered Tennis.com via ESPN's website. For months, I had been going there for all of my tennis news, but I was often disappointed with the coverage. Perhaps because there simply wasn't enough of it. Thankfully, I spotted a link to Tennis.com and figured I should check it out. "Maybe I'll get more tennis out of this," I thought. Little did I know how much more.
TennisWorld caught my eye immediately. (Maybe it was Pete's friendly face.) From the moment I read one of the posts, I was hooked. It sort of reminds me of how I got into wrestling. Questions like, Who are all these people? What are they getting so worked up about? came to mind, and I couldn't not hang around and get to the bottom of it all. But I never made it to the bottom - I just got sucked in!
I lurked for several weeks, getting a feel for what the community and conversations were like. I wondered if I'd fit in, given that I wasn't an expert on the technical ins and outs of the game (despite the fact that I'd been a tennis fan since I was practically in diapers). I soon realized that TW was a place where all types of fans could gather and I needn't feel insecure about my level of tennis knowledge.
Taking the big leap from lurker to poster didn't happen overnight. Before I could even attempt it, I had to think of a moniker ... and that part alone probably took days! I wanted the moniker to be wickedly original, while still perfectly encapsulating my essence. We all know how far I got - or rather, didn't get - with that, as I ended up settling with my first name. In retrospect, though, I'm glad I went with just "Jackie"; it is me, and, well, no one else has it so it must be at least a little original, no?
Moniker, check. The next step was just to bite the bullet and jump in headfirst. I'm still not sure why I decided to do it the day that I did; maybe it was because I was so proud of myself for waking up early on a Saturday for a match and wanted to share the experience with the other crazy, sleep-deprived fans out there. It also helped that I had noticed several others de-lurking around that time and was encouraged by the reception they all received.
I was nervous. I don't remember what came first - an outright introduction or a remark about the match (at one point I commented on Lopez's "Rafter-like" volleys). In any case, I was welcomed with open arms. I reveled in the experience of finally being a part of this unique community. I'm in! And I don't sound like a complete dolt!
Still, I really struggled to keep up with the posts. Refreshing, then refreshing again, then typing a comment, then re-reading the comment before submitting it, then refreshing to see what I'd missed while I was typing, then realizing "Drat - now everything I typed has disappeared," then re-typing and finally posting my comment, then checking out responses to the comment, and so on and so forth. Exhausting stuff! I wondered if that was what everyone was experiencing or if they'd figured out a less laborious way to go about it. Of course, I didn't dare ask, so as not to embarrass myself on my very first posting day! (I was relieved to discover that I was doing everything correctly ... and all the more impressed by how efficiently the regulars seemed to manage the multi-tasking. Practice makes perfect, no doubt.)
Along with having difficulty getting the hang of the refreshing-posting combo, I also had a rough time keeping track of posters. Eventually, I resorted to making a list of posters, with little descriptors for each! I took down those I interacted with often, those who were also into wrestling(!), even those who commented on the first "diatribe" I posted.
(Regarding that diatribe: I was terrified about sharing it. Until then, I avoided writing anything remotely controversial, as I shuddered at the thought of upsetting a fellow TWiber. With some prompting by a particular poster, though - you know who you are! - I reminded myself that fortune favors the brave and made my somewhat contentious point of view known. Much to my surprise (and relief!), the comment was met with positive responses. That experience assured me that TW was a place where I could be honest about my opinions - even the unpopular ones.)
Needless to say, I don't maintain that list anymore. Now it's harder for me to forget posters than to remember them! I really do feel like we're a big, sometimes-happy-sometimes-dysfunctional family. Wouldn't have it any other way.
So that's how I came to be a proud TWibe member. Surely, when I hit "post" that March day, I had no idea it'd be the start of such an exciting chapter in my life - becoming not only a regular but the TWibe's Social Director and meeting countless one-of-a-kind people, so many of whom I'm humbled to call my friends. I might also assert that TW has made me a better person in meaningful ways (sounds dramatic, I know - but it's the truth!). Namely, I'm more self-aware, tolerant, and hardy than I was a year ago. All good things, right? Anyway, it's been one heckuva ride, and I'm not about to get off!
Now I want to hear your story!
Consider (but don't feel limited to) these questions:
Have a great weekend, everyone!