Have you created a new forum topic, ever?

It feels risky.

There you are: you've found your way to Lichess, the most elegant chess server on the planet, in my occasionally humble opinion.

You've done still more: you're learned to read in the Lichess forums.

And then still more: you've posted!

Inevitably, with time, somebody liked your postings, and give you your first upvote. Or perhaps even your first heart emoji.

You've arrived at the exalted status of "Liches Poster." It suggests that your IQ is at least at the 50th percentile, I think. Although I could be wrong, since I'm a relentless optimist.

But let me ask: have you taken the next big step?

It's a little scary. It takes a certain self-confidence, or perhaps a temporary decline in self-restraint, possibly due to any number of transitory factors.

That step is -- creating a new, titled thread in the forum.

Have you done it?

If you have, can you remember your first time? How did it feel? Was there any reluctance? Was there relief when it got a response?

If you haven't, will you ever do it? What's holding you back?

Can you write about it with clarity and candor?

Lichess Posters are dear to my heart. And, contrary to the theory of some, it is not just due to a chemical reaction in my brain. It is due to a recognition that from a world away we can come together over a medium that too few recognize as the magic that it is.

Posting relies on a mechanism which lets us all read posts from India, where great cooking and deep understanding can reliably be found; from England, the mother and father of real football and naval excellence; from America, the optimistic heart of the world; from Russia, the angel of chess; and even from France, the barometer of civilization itself.

And let's not forget Poland and Ukraine, which help the world to stick like glue to reality.

Yes, Lichess posters come from many different places, and each has something personal and interesting to add.

So creating a thread does the world a service. Have you done it yet? Or do you tremble in fear that you'll do it and nobody will answer?

Well, this thread might not get a single answer, and if that happens ... my lungs will still draw breath. At least for a time. Life goes on.

As wise older people once said, a lot: nothing ventured, nothing gained.

@Noflaps said ^

Well, this thread might not get a single answer, and if that happens ...

You sure about that? ;p

@Noflaps said ^

It feels risky.

There you are: you've found your way to Lichess, the most elegant chess server on the planet, in my occasionally humble opinion.

You've done still more: you're learned to read in the Lichess forums.

And then still more: you've posted!

Inevitably, with time, somebody liked your postings, and give you your first upvote. Or perhaps even your first heart emoji.

You've arriv...

Yes.

Very often actually.

Can you elaborate?

First? Feelings at the time? Feelings at getting a response? Why you do it?

I made a thread,how much would you give to the Mona Lisa painting? during when i started posting new here.It got a lot of responses,it became the trending topic for a couple days.But most of the other threads i did here ended up disaster.So few people showed interest.

I salute your courage, @DogyBrown , and salute your considered candor even more.

I've been here for years, and you have become a recognized and appreciated poster.

Thank you for your service.

One thing about you: you seem among the most genuine posters available.

Which, as I acknowledged, suggests you possess courage.

Candor is not always wise on the internet. But we've been around for some time, right? And we've all learned a certain creditable caution, too.

I appreciate the balance you seem to provide. You discuss your insights, but don't unwisely reveal unnecessary personal detail either -- at least insofar as I've noticed.

:"Insofar." What an interesting word. It almost looks like a mistake created by excessively hurried typing. But it's a word.

Bless you, @DogyBrown . You seem to be a pretty good chess player, too. And nobody can say that's not cool.

@DogyBrown said ^

I made a thread,how much would you give to the Mona Lisa painting?

It was a nice one, there was many funny answers, i remember it still today.

I don't remember my first ever created thread. If I'm not taking in count the ones from the Analysis section.
The oldest I remember may be related to football, I believe it was about UCL. Or maybe it was about art. I'm someone very picky and perfectionist in the very fiber of me, so I don't make thread very often and it happen that I sometimes ain't really satisfied by the quality of a post or a thread of mine, so I delete or edit it. On my 7000+ forum messages, 1000 are probably not bad, and I'll be glad if 200 were helpful for someone, 100 are good or instructive, 10 are really good, and the rest of them... Well... They're probably not Works of Art, but I'm thankful I had the possibility to write them, because I take great pleasure to do it, I learned, and even if these are insignificant ones, by hoping they weren't grating!

Ah.

I remember how long it took me to memorize the sequence of letters "CSKA" and the alternate spelling of Moscow.

Another important, valued and recognized poster has surfaced -- and he is displaying one of the traits of high intelligence.

What is that? It's an intellectual humility that often values his or her own contributions less than others do.

A reply from @CSKA_Moscou , in a thread I created, could swell me with pride if anything could.

I have, and the one I’m most proud of is my small victories thread. You really don’t realize how much you achieve until you think about it, and it makes you feel great about yourself.

I've created a number of them over time, and although they were about quite a wide range of subjects they usually shared one common trait quite soon: This topic has been archived and can no longer be replied to.
But I still think it was good that they existed :)