Additional FAQ's for Guests and Members.

This stuff was supposed to appear in the FAQ’s section, but I mucked it up, sorry. So, to make amends I decided to post these ‘ADDITIONAL FAQ’S this way. Not that the questions have been asked a lot, but ya have the right to know who is ‘behind’ TBBD etc.

TBBD – Additional FAQ’s that aren’t actually asked all that Often…

* What is TBBD Message Board & Chat Room?
** It is a free to join and use, mental health peer support network, with no professional health advisors etc – it’s just Us, and we are Real. Real People. Survivors, hanging on for the better days, which will come. And, they do. It is our responsibility to recognise them.

* Who can Join and Use TBBD?
** Pretty much anyone in Aotearoa NZ or our country cousins over the Tasman in Australia provided ya do so safely and respect yourself and others here.
I’d prefer for members to be at least 16 years of age, because in the main, we are adults here – either old farts like me, or mid to late teens and various ages in between.
You don’t have to currently be on meds, or under ‘care’ or whatever.
If you feel you can find benefits from participating here, do so with our Blessings.
You might be a Partner, a caring friend, who ever.
You might be in the workforce somewhere, or out of it – like me, for life (so THEY say).

* Kiwis Only At TBBD?
** Nope, we have some friends and members over the ditch in Aussie, but mainly our members are here in Aotearoa NZ – It makes a lotta sense, cos we all then know when bed time is in this half of the world. But TBBD is open and available for use 24/7, pretty much.

* How Do I Join and How Much Will it Cost Me?
** Last question first. I will never ask you for money for using or wanting to use, TBBD. It is part of my gift to a world that has helped me a lot from time to time.

** Joining TBBD is as simple as using the free registration thingy, using something like a Hotmail email account rather than say, your very personal ISP-issued email addy if you’d prefer. Ya choose yaself a Membership Name (we try to keep it reasonably seemly, k?) and that’s about as hard as it gets.

* Who started and ‘owns’ TBBD – When and Why etc?
** I did – Me. Paddy Quinn, a bloke with multiple disabilities, including mental illness (bi polar disorder and a few OCD’s).
I’m just me, a bald, middle aged bloke living with a cat in a small town in the Rangitikei Region of Aotearoa NZ.
TBBD was started because of a ‘feeling’ that it, or something like it, had a valid place in the days of a few people here and there. The weakness of TBBD (it has no ‘organisation or special interest group behind it) is also its major strength.
TBBD is just us, consumers, friends, partners, parents, etc.,
We know what we talk about, first hand. It doesn’t come from text books, we live it.

Back in the first half of 2008 I decided I was fedup with TradeMe Message Board depression support Threads being deleted at the whim of TM and lots of info, contacts, love, hurts and laughs kept being lost to us. I went through the ‘I wish someone would start a site where …’ and realised that maybe it was time to stop wishing and to start doing. So, I did.
TBBD started here at Forumotion at about 10.20pm on August 16, 2008.
I have two ‘log on’ Identities here – Admin (Paddy) and Paddy, which is me rather than me the Admin person.

* Why is TBBD based at Forumotion, a free Forum Host based in France?
** ‘Cos it was free to set up TBBD there and more or less, to keep it running. The only person that TBBD ever costs money is me. As long as I can continue to offer a ‘free’ site to members, I will. I ‘fund’ this place and what I do from within my weekly Invalids Benefit, so it’s unlikely to get much prettier for a while.

*Are our Email Addresses Safe Here.
** As safe as I can make them, mate. They are not rented out, shared or sold. I have, on four occasions since 16 August 2008 used email addresses and I.P. Addresses to assist emergency services locate the address of members in deep distress and whom I reasonably considered to be at imminent serious risk. I ain’t no health expert but I got it right those times anyway. Phew.

*How do we remember such a long website address?
**Ya don’t have to. Not overly memorable, is it? That’s why have I purchased and had setup, two NZ based Internet Domain Names as safe ‘redirects’ to our site here at Forumotion. They are: www.thebigblackdog.co.nz and www.tbbd.co.nz (choice, eh? You can use either one.) Or Google us. We're ranked fairly well on Google, we are.

* Personal Safety, etc at TBBD?
**Each of us here is always responsible for their own personal safety, both here on the Message Board, in the Chat Room, or whatever.
TBBD does NOT have health professionals on its staff. TBBD has no staff.
TBBD HQ exists in a little gap between me fridge and the couch. That’s our resources.
Use our site, with our Blessing, but use it safely and remember that you may not be the only one feeling vulnerable right now. You won’t be, I promise. Keep in mind that we are each vulnerable in our own ways, so show respect to others please and respond to them in the way you’d like to be responded to. Ta.

* How do I contact Admin if I have a problem or further questions about TBBD?
** Email me: admin@tbbd.co.nz should get here. Nope, ya can’t telephone me, ‘cos I have a telephone phobia and unlisted numbers etc. Its one of my ways of protecting myself. Silly? Undoubtedly, but its my right.

* Spamming?
** Yep, it happens sometimes on the Message Board. Usually from one country in particular, and if and when, I deal with it ‘cos it ain’t welcomed here.

* Ya going to Put Any More Rarely Requested FAQ’s up here?
** Yep, bound to – but not today. Watch this space – but um, don’t make a full time job of it, cos it won’t be happening overnight, lol. Cheers, and um, thanks for asking.

Paddy.

Ohh, exciting, I've got another to put here.

* Do we HAVE to give a reason for editing our own Posts?
** Nope, you don't. The fact that you felt a need or whatever to edit your own words, is good enough reason for doing it here at TBBD. You don't have to explain any further. Yep, there is a wee text box thingy to list reasons for editing a post - use it if ya want to, ignore if ya don't.

Dear People of the World,

If ya ain’t from or in Aotearoa please don’t bother signing up at TBBD and spamming my site. I really am not amused when it happens and both your Posts and Membership etc will be deleted without discussion of the issue.

TBBD is a NZ mental health peer support network and I can’t see a lot of benefits accruing from having ‘members’ outside of the Aotearoa – Australia area. And nope, it makes no difference that you might have mental illness – find something ‘local’ to you and if ya can’t, well, start a place. Just, not here thanks.

I have just had to use most of my tonight’s ‘computer time’ (I’m physically disabled as well and sitting here is very painful) to delete every post and the membership from some person advertising products from Bangladesh.

Don’t waste my brief-enough computer time like that please, just go somewhere else. And the random posts in existing Threads etc do little or nothing to assist the Threads author or progress the discussions, ya know? Too bad if ya don’t.

The Net’s a big place and I’m sure you will find somewhere to fit in, but it ain’t here, k. Take my word for it, it ain’t and won’t likely ever be at TBBD!

No, TBBD is not a democracy. It is a Paddyocracy and as long as I am responsible for TBBD it will stay that way.

Paddy Quinn
Site Founder / Administrator etc.

I missed "those" posts Paddy, gosh I need my glasses fixed !

Anyway, thanks for putting these people in thier place

I have just read through these and some of it frightens me. I think a line needs to be clear between an internet forum and emergency services. I dont think the 2 mingle very well together.

Thats the thing about this kind of forum isnt it really, is that each of us has some responsibility to not freak the others out. I already worry about Sirtexen and ClamChouder. It worries me that you have been put into a place where youve felt youve had to make decisions about someone elses safety through a message board, and by using IP addresses and email addresses. I just dont think that is fair on you at all. Edited to add, I also dont like the idea that you have that kind of ability if you chose to use it, over me.

I dont feel so at ease here now.

keep posting....i am waiting for your more reply.