I worked at Joann Fabrics and a customer who was planning her daughters wedding started telling me about the Wedding forum. I was just starting on my DD's wedding, so I jumped right in and paid my $15! Then got into the Sewing and Quilting forums. Then onto the KT and when we went to sell our house off to Buying and Selling homes.

Now I like to check into different forums just for the fun of it. All ways learning something new.

Kathy G in MI

I stumbled in back when Spike was in charge. Can't remember my user name then.... Cindi something. Even got a free ride on the tea cups once or twice. ;-)

I started in Appliances when the house was being remodeled--must have been around 2002. I went from there to Kitchens, and then discovered the Grieving forum. I don't remember the connection to the KT. Could it have been Lulie Wayne from Grieving? I think it might have been. And I also think she may have started the first "I'll Show You Mine . . . " regular photo thread.

I moved over when the HGTV boards closed down. I also read both sides of the Home Decorating forum.

Can't remember the date, although I do have it written down, somewhere. !997-98, I think. I had gotten my first PC and needed to learn how to use it. I somehow found Garden Web Garden Party. where The Kitchen Table was mentioned as just having been started, to fill a gap because of a problem at HGTV. I happened to be one of the first 2 or 3 to sign up. Spike was great at getting every thing to working out so well. I've been at the KT ever since. I have used several of the other forums from time to time, but have often given Computer Help credit for any and everything I learned in those early days with my PC. The other benefit was meeting so many friendly and helpful people. I miss Spike to this day!

Way back in the early days of internet, I did not allocate any personal funds to pay for an internet service, but depended on my employer's service. I restricted my internet action mostly for job related purposes. In our suite of new computer applications was email. The company began using email to correspond within our multistory building, scattered locations around town, and finally, to discuss project matters with colleges in distant cities. At that point, I decided that I would have internet at home when I cold fit it into my budget. Email and the new search engines that sprang up sold me on the internet.

When I retired, I subscribed to a dial-up service and that was the beginning of my internet life at home. Progress and development was rapid. Soon, designers of web pages added more data hungry graphic content and soon outran the speed of dial-up. Cost of DSL came down enough so that I could afford to change my internet provider to one with DSL, and when I did, the favorites list on my first home page was populated with suggested social sites to explore. There, I found "Garden Web". The rest is history.

1997-1998 for me too. I actually found the laundry forum. I bought my first front load washer and wanted to know everything about it. Then I ventured to other forums. Pets, cars & kitchen table. Over the past 2 decades The Kitchen Table is still alive as where most other forums are dead.

I think I started in 2002 or 2003 in Garden Junk and Garden Accoutrements then gradually found my way to the "other side" and the KT.

I think I saw the KT mentioned at the BHG forum and wandered in to check it out. That was either 1999 or 2000, I think.

I first posted in the Pool and Spa forum in early 2004, when we were putting in our pool. Lurked here at the Table for a while, and then around March or May 2004 I paid the $15 to be able to post at the Table.

My SIL told me about the garden forum around 2006. I lurked for about two years before joining. I didn't know to introduce myself so just started posting. I didn't think people were very friendly at first and didn't post much in the early days.

It's been so long, I can't remember. I think I've been here off and on for 15+ years. I used to go by Cleo.

I used to have many African Violets, and enjoyed that forum. Started looking at others, and found the KT. Lurked, then pulled up a chair. This was when Spike was here. I don't remember my user name. I left when we had to pay to play. Then, one day I discovered that it was free again, and have been here ever since.

I, too, came in on the HGTV fiasco.......also was given a teacup ride when I mentioned another forum. When I asked WHY of Spike, his response was "Who do you think pays the bills around here?" He let me back in before too long.

Trying to break the lurking habit, so I'll chime in. I started with Garden Junk years ago before the houzz switch. Sometime within the last year I started nosing around other forums and stumbled across KT.

I also came over from HGTV...back in 1998. I never rode the teacups, but got a "soft" warning from Spike one time. This is home....

Like some others, I came from HGTV. Someone (Ginger from St. Thomas, I think) mentioned a forum that had just opened that day. I can't even remember what year it was, but it was looooong ago.

I had lurked and participated in garden forums. One day, I went looking at other things and there it was.

I really can't recall exactly HOW I ended up here?? I was at HGTV and stayed there (as well as other places) until they closed down. Didn't realize there was any kind of brouhaha behind it's forums closing?? From there, took some recommendations of other places to check out. One (HTE) has since ceased to exist, one (MJG) I've been BANNED from twice (with pretty much no explanation), and one (HT) where I'm still active. I know I was coming here before HGTV closed down, since I have also had experience with "Spike"... that free trip to Disney.

I will readily admit that, on occasion, I will enjoy a bit of FRIENDLY "argument". Here it pretty much stays that way, with people being allowed to have an opinion without being crucified for it. At 2 others, it's like "Fight Club"... first rule... "you do not talk about fight club" at any other sites?? I don't quite get that, as long as talk doesn't become bad-mouthing?? At either of those sites, if you say anything anti-X, the Ys will jump all over you and vice versa if talking about Ys... and not just disagreeing but "Jane, you ignorant..." type comments. Doesn't seem to be any middle ground and very few people who actually under stand the concept or definition of the word "opinion"??

I like the KT for dis & dat topics. Like to check out cooking and cookware from time to time, as well as antiques.

A helpful gal on the Home Appliances forum mentioned the KT. I'd found that forum when my new Fisher Paykel dishwasher drawers were not working right. That problem was 2001-02. I have always loved the concept of "The Wisdom of Crowds" for all the forums. The KT expands that concept to "The Caring of Crowds" (our little KT 'crowd' anyway).

I never got sent to Disney but did get an email warning from Spike once.

I was a member of the vermicomposting forum, and had recently bought a bread-maker. I was having some problems getting my bread to rise the way I wanted it.

I searched some of the forums and saw the Table. I asked for some ideas and was amazed that I got a few responses immediately. And very friendly people and suggestions. I distinctly remember Cynic being one of the first responders with some helpful advice that I had used regularly, when I had the breadmaker.

Anyway, I ventured with another question, and again, got immediate, friendly responses, and jumped in with both feet, hands and body. that was around 2007. I'm here to stay.

I do look at the conversations side of the Decorating as well. I've never posted, I'm shy I guess. Several of the other forums are quite dead.

Started on the Appliance and Kitchen forums when we gutted our kitchen 10 years ago - then moved onto to the KT and Home Decorating forums.

I was at the Crafts and Decorations forum the day it was announced that a new forum, the Kitchen Table, had opened. I came right away and never left.

I started out on Gardenweb in the Garden forums, then found the House forums, and then finally Kitchen Table. Like pudgeder, I came to Gardenweb way, way back when Spike was in charge. And, at that time, Kitchen Table had a bad reputation for bickering and making disparaging remarks (quite a number of people were banned from Gardenweb by Spike) so I made no comments, just lurked on Kitchen Table, and then not too often because of all the anger exhibited. However, it finally calmed down to the lovely place it is today. I truly do not recall the year.

I first found GW when I was researching black marble (for the kitchen). I looked through some of the other forums at that time, including KT, but didn't have time to participate in more than a few. A relative of a KT'er posted an update in the Kitchens forum, and I realized that she had the wrong 'Kitchen' so I cross-posted here for her. A very kind KT'er invited me to join the group, but I still didn't post regularly--mostly just word games or threads on colloquialisms.

After the GW/Houzz merger, I was looking for posting info and to see which members were staying, and found ravencajun's chain reaction and song title mixers. I got hooked. Eventually lost interest in those, but I still check in to KT several times each day. You all are such a nice, diverse group--I really enjoy my time here.

I found the Kitchen Forum while doing research for a remodel, and read voraciously every day. That led to the Appliance forum as well. At some point, someone on Kitchens mentioned a thread on the KT that sounded interesting so I went to take a look and never left. I would honestly feel bereft if this site were ever dissolved.

I found the Garden Web when researching FoodSavers. That was way back in the 1990's. I would read all cooking threads daily. One day the KT was mentioned. I started reading, but soon work took away most of my spare time so I stayed away. The KT moved extremely quickly back then. When I retired, I came back to it. Been here ever since. My profile might say I started in 2002, but it was yrs before that.

I agree with you, gadgets. The date in my profile is very much later than the actual date I started with Gardenweb

Sometime before 1996, I found GardenWeb and Garden Party and joined Kitchen Table early on. I lived in Fairfield Glade TN then. Would get up early to turn on the computer and see what was new. I don't know what my profile says. I remember so much fun and learned so many things. Can't think of all the names right now. Someone in the mountains in Tennessee who always had bears in the bird feeders. Someone (Suzanne?) who lived at an airport in Chicago. The couple now in Florida who courted long distance from the Chicago area.... plant people. Dogs in Elk. Keys in the Porta Potty. Tree man at University of Alabama maybe. Much more!

In the HGTV days. I rode the teacups a time or two. lol

Guess what?

I'm the 'keys in the porta potty' gal and I married the 'tree man at U of A in Huntsville in 2002!

rhizo.....please explain since I'm now saying..."whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?"

In 2007 we were remodeling our kitchen. Searching for reviews on different appliances, I was directed to GW appliance forum. From there, went to the kitchen forum. Both forums were very, very helpful. From there, I happened on the Kitchen Table. I lurked for a year or two and then decided to join in. It's been very interesting. Lots of good advice here!

I got here from the cooking forum.

rhizo! I had no idea that was you! I just remember all the laughter about the keys and that clever man who knew all about trees and how to prune crepe myrtles. That was a while back, wasn't it? I think my name may have been something like Rosebud.

I found this forum from searching for something. Can't remember what now. Paid the $15 and have been around since! :)

I was working on several computer help related forums online and someone came and asked me if I could come help at the computer help forum here so I did. I checked out a few other forums, laundry, garden junk, kitchens and I heard mention kt, someone who I was helping on computer help told me to come over and visit the kt. I didn't post much for a while. Eventually it was one of the daily stops.

Reading all these comments was like a trip down Memory Lane. Some reminded me of things I had forgotten. I never did know what the problem was at HGTV, because I had not ever been there. Spike had his rules, just like most of us have ours in our home. KT was Spike's business, his livelihood, or at least a part of it. He had every right to make the rules. I never understood why it could be so hard not to follow them. BTW, the cost was only $10 to start with, and still some objected, not willing to pay for all the good things that were to be had there. Yes, there was some bickering between some KTers. Human nature I suppose. And some were banned. Is it so hard to follow the rules? Can you tell I loved the KT, and so appreciated Spike's rules?

Anyway, a side note to miss_sistersue2; when I was trying to join in here at Houzz, at one point they had me as miss_sistersue2, and then a while later I got in as me, and they had me following myself. Huh?

I did a search that led to one of the other forums. Can't remember what the search was nor the original forum I found myself in. I saw the other forums and checked them out; one was the KT. That was back in the old days, around 1998.

Sue-va, At first I was just sistersue but they got confused and said someone already had the name, but I knew it was just me, so I just added the 2. We have a lot of Sues here and it isn't my name, but my father used to call me that. I have added "Sue" to my niece and also to my cat, who came to me as Polly.

I moved to OKC in 1998, and was looking for plant info in 99. Then moved to Tahlequah in 2002 and joined. Looked in at the KT, but there was much bickering... and it took a bit before I joined. It was before paying was needed. Then, when it went to pay I changed my name to OklaMoni, and am here ever since. I met a lot of KT'ers over the years, and love it here. I also check the Oklahoma Gardening forum, and some times the cooking forum. Ever once in a while when I am bored I check other forums, but I am here every day. :)

Moni

I started on the garden forums side, mainly the Rose Forum. I have been here since the days of Spike, (?1997-99) and you had to pay to belong. I have been sent to Disneyland a couple of times by innocently posting names of other rose forums. I don't remember when or why I came over to this side of the forums. I believe it was the Cooking Forum that I went to first, and that led me here.

I got in a forum fight over someone drowning a possum and someone suggested this forum.

Way back then I had pen pal and she would send me websites almost everyday. It was nice at first but got to be to much. The KT was one of them. I may have never found it if not for her.

Sister sue, you have a really attractive profile. I wish I could have the one I started out with. It is still there, but somehow the background got changed. It is a picture of me on my 90th birthday, when my grandson took me for a ride on his Harley. I guess I just have to live with the one I have; at least it gets me here.

I was in the Decor Forum and kept hearing about how great the people are over here and I have to say, it's really lived up to it's good reputation!

I started in gardening, probably roses, back in the days of Spike and Disneyland.

I lurked on KT for a while and then just started participating without introducing myself as others here have done.

Not sure when I found KT, but it was years ago..still mostly a lurker, but check in every day or so.