I've been dabbling in the art of barbecue since 1997, and grilling all the way back to 1987, when I graduated from college, got my first solo apartment, and bought my first grill: a Weber Go-Anywhere charcoal grill.
I started participating in online discussion of these topics in 1997, and in the past 16 years, I've seen most every topic discussed. If you've spent any significant amount of time on TVWBB or other forums, you know there are certain topics that keep coming up again and again, sometimes to the point that you just get tired of them. For example: gas vs. charcoal; briquettes vs. lump; Texas BBQ vs. Carolinas vs. Kansas City; brisket fat side up vs. fat side down; foil vs. no foil; water vs. no water; pork butt fat cap on vs. fat cap off; low & slow vs. hot & fast. I'm sure you can think of many more.
When you see these topics coming up in new posts for the millionth time, it's easy to dismiss them, ignore them, or even reply saying, "we've already talked that to death". But I always have to remind myself that not everyone has been at this for 16 years...that these questions are brand new for some people, and they are looking for helpful answers.
It's incumbent upon us to provide a helpful answer, to include a link to an existing discussion thread or online article that provides more detailed information, and to do so in a way that does not make the poster feel bad for asking their question.
For me, it always helps to remember the thirst for information I had when I first started out. There were a lot of guys and gals who answered my beginner questions in a kind, helpful way, even though they'd probably heard the same questions a million times before.
We've got a great tradition here on TVWBB of helping new members in the same way I was helped years ago on other forums. I want to thank all of you for doing that every day, in every way. Let's keep making new members feel welcome, and make them feel that their questions are important and interesting and worth talking about...because they are.
Best regards,
Chris
I started participating in online discussion of these topics in 1997, and in the past 16 years, I've seen most every topic discussed. If you've spent any significant amount of time on TVWBB or other forums, you know there are certain topics that keep coming up again and again, sometimes to the point that you just get tired of them. For example: gas vs. charcoal; briquettes vs. lump; Texas BBQ vs. Carolinas vs. Kansas City; brisket fat side up vs. fat side down; foil vs. no foil; water vs. no water; pork butt fat cap on vs. fat cap off; low & slow vs. hot & fast. I'm sure you can think of many more.
When you see these topics coming up in new posts for the millionth time, it's easy to dismiss them, ignore them, or even reply saying, "we've already talked that to death". But I always have to remind myself that not everyone has been at this for 16 years...that these questions are brand new for some people, and they are looking for helpful answers.
It's incumbent upon us to provide a helpful answer, to include a link to an existing discussion thread or online article that provides more detailed information, and to do so in a way that does not make the poster feel bad for asking their question.
For me, it always helps to remember the thirst for information I had when I first started out. There were a lot of guys and gals who answered my beginner questions in a kind, helpful way, even though they'd probably heard the same questions a million times before.
We've got a great tradition here on TVWBB of helping new members in the same way I was helped years ago on other forums. I want to thank all of you for doing that every day, in every way. Let's keep making new members feel welcome, and make them feel that their questions are important and interesting and worth talking about...because they are.
Best regards,
Chris
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