I've got a job!
I am now Senior Consultant for a NJ software firm that specializes in Pharmaceutical publishing tools.
Just had to say it somewhere.

OK, when I get called by telemarketers, my first impulse is to be extremely rude to them, foul langauge, etc.

I won't buy things I need when I'm cold-called.

But I usually won't be rude, I'll at least ask them politely to never call me again.

But now I've got four numbers on the do-not-call list, and it seems to me that the telemarketers should be happy to know that they needen't wast their time calling me, because I won't ever, ever buy products or services I do not solicit myself.

So even for the industries not bound by the DNC list (banks, phone companies, insurance, *sigh*), it should be worth their while to not call me, neh?

Ok, probably nobody will read this, since I have few friends, foes, freaks and fans, but I had a thought worth posting.

I comment only a couple times a week, occasionally posting something I know will swallow a little Karma, but usually trying to be significant or occasionally funny.

The egoboo of being modded up is nice... but I'm always happier when someone replies. It's a conversation, perhaps a debate. More often than not, I'll reply to that poster.

The further down in the tree, the less likely it is to be modded -- because people don't look down the trees, and because the reply to the reply is likely to be a day later.

That makes me think that rewards on this site should be weighted towards replies, esp. replies that get modded up. And a mod on a reply is probably worth more than a top-level mod.

So... I finally start actually logging in, and it's fun. I've posted a few messages, gotten positive responses. I needed the egoboo yesterday too -- work is in a calm-before-storm mode.

Metamoderated 3 times since yesterday noon!?

Acquired a fan -- hmm.

But since the first few hours, the posted topics just haven't been what I want to talk about. I need something to keep up my enthusiasm, or I'll fade back to lurk mode.

Maybe I'll go back to reading up on Python, for the Chandler proj.