What Did the Cellar Ever Do For You...?

[Elspode]

In keeping with the original thread title, I thought I'd try to elaborate a bit on what, exactly, the Cellar has done for me.

First and foremost, the Cellar has always provided for me a forum wherein I am able to spew an unadulterated version of my somewhat nonstandard life into the ether, and not have it immediately poo-poohed and dismissed. The Cellar has always provided for me a form of validation that, while ephemeral and virtual, is nonetheless rewarding and supportive. When I talk about being Pagan, or Polyamorous, or a musician, or a failed writer or a failed human being, the Cellar is always *there*, always *real* in its virtuality.

I don't really think I'll ever be able to put my finger on it, but there's something here that is real and comforting in a way that IRL, face to face relationships aren't. There's a level of safety and trust (at least for those who aren't twitknobs - you know who you are if you are one) that is quite remarkable. The Cellar Mind, as a body, is an uncannily accurate determiner of Reality, Sincerity and Veracity. The result is that, if you are *real*, it doesn't matter if you're a real pervert, Pagan, hick, or doofus...if you're sincere about it, you are probably loved, and Cellar Familius. From what I've seen in my years here, achieving that lofty status is not something to be regarded lightly.

Last night, Selene came into my room, and unwittingly summed things up better than I could have imagined. Commenting on something I'd posted on Facebook, she said, "You know, you can say whatever you want on The Cellar, and it doesn't matter...but when you say it on Facebook, *everybody* sees it, so you need to watch your shit."

'Nuff said. How much more impact on one stupid guy's life can a web forum have than this?

"The Cellar: Just popular enough to go unnoticed when it really counts"