"Reading makes a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man." (Bacon)

I began writing these "Daily Words of Inspiration" on Jericho Rally Point slightly over four months ago. Their original purpose was to keep our spirits from flagging during the initial "Save JERICHO" campaign; they were aimed at no entity in specific but rather to everyone in general. Our solidarity had taken a faintly downward trend, and factions were forming within the fandom. Each board was fraught with discord; I wanted to say something to make people stop and think before the splinterig did real harm. My sole purpose was to do something as a counter-balance for negativity caused by nothing more than sheer frustration and exhaustion. At that point, there was so little good news from CBS that it was hard to stay focused. I hoped the posts would encourage everyone to keep fighting for JERICHO no matter how angry, tired or discouraged they were. I had no idea the posts would do any real good, but I figured they couldn't hurt.

And I wanted to give something back to people I deeply respected.

A lot has happened since I first joined JERICHO fandom, but it wasn't all that long ago I was just another nameless person sitting at my computer. Everyday life was much the same, day in and day out. Then I found JERICHO. I joined the CBS boards eager to learn more about this amazingly well-written television program. I lurked for a long time, until a topic came up where I had to speak up. This was long before the cancelation, and I fell into MYTHOLOGY board with a will. It was scary breaking into that group; I was terrified of being ridiculed, ignored or flamed. Imagine my surprise when that JERICHO Community not only welcomed me, but encouraged me to post my opinions! Believe me, for an out-spoken person like myself, this was heaven. I felt 10-feet tall, and it gave me a renewed sense of worth, or value to the world. Certainly I disagreed with people there, and got flamed a couple of times, but that's part of online life.

And then came the Save JERICHO campaign, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The campaign brought many people into the online world for the first time. It can be extremely difficult for those newcomers on the Internet, especially if they are totally new to the environment. Some take longer to get acclimated to their new community, and it takes them a while to get involved on the message boards. Jumping into the forums is rather like leaping into dark, murky waters. You can't see the bottom, and there could be hidden dangers. It can be intimidating, even when the community is as welcoming as our JERICHO Family. Some or our family had never been on a message board before. They ask questions because they're uncertain, afraid to make mistakes. fearful of being alternately ignored or flamed -- and not without good reason. Our online world is not for the timid, the sensitive, or the meek.

Forums leaders on boards like Jericho Rally Point, Radio Free Jericho, and the CBS forums understand what it's like to be new. They remember their own early days online, and try to make things simple for all Jericho Rangers. There are FAQ topics on these forums, and even a "tutorial" to help new users learn how to use the CBS boards, easily the hardest of all online JERICHO communities. The best advice I can offer newcomers is to hunt down the help files, read through the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) and learn the board rules. Take a moment and fill out a member profile, and never be afraid to contact the forum Staff; that's what they're there for, to answer questions and keep the boards running smoothly. If you aren't comfortable posting publicly, then don't. It isn't mandatory, and there are times when NOT posting is more advisable. On the other hand, don't be afraid to jump right in and get involved. It really isn't as scary as it might seem.

Just remember that politeness covers a multitude of mistakes.

And for those who have years of experience online, stop a moment and remember what it was like when you first started getting involved online. We were all new, once, and we all made our own mistakes. It took time, but we learned to navigate in this online environment, so instead of getting angry when a newcomer asks a tired, repeated question, smile and make them welcome. Don't shove them aside or alienate them; that causes discontent and factionalization. Solidarity is JERICHO fandom's greatest strength. Let's bring the new fans into our world with a smile, and a friendly "We're glad you're here." Think of ourselves as hosts and hostesses for them, treat them like the long lost family members they are. It's a lot nicer for them, and makes our forums more like "welcoming stations" than gladitorial games.

"(Politeness is) a tacit agreement that people's miserable defects, whether moral or intellectual, shall on either side be ignored and not be made the subject of reproach." (Arthur Schopenhauer)