@MyCreditStinks wrote:Congrats to you beamMeup! For some reason I thought you were already a mod, congrats!
Me, too! I guess because she' s always patient, kind, knowledgable, .....just like all our other MODs!!
Big congrats to you, beam!! I look forward to much more of your keen advice!
Congrats beamMeup! You have helped me many times in the past and I am very grateful!!
Starting Score: 615
Awwwww!!!! Thanks for the kind words! You have made my day! 
Truth be told, I hope I can catch on with some degree of speed and/or grace - it'll take a bit of time for me to regain my bearings! (Not that I ever had them).
The good news is I get to learn from and hang out with la creme de la creme on these boards. I've learned a ton from the mods and posters on these forums and hope I can pay back just a little - once in awhile - in some way.
And, I've got to say - these forums are really a top notch online learning and sharing community. Thanks Barry for making them so! And thanks Mods for being WAY patient with me (from day one, I might add). You guys are all great - thanks for letting me hang out with you on the boards.
@Anonymous wrote:Ah-hem.
I think MVV forgot to mention good looks!
Yours or mine?? 
@TheCreditKid wrote:How does one become a moderator and what are the benefits of being one?
Just to add to MVV's great list, I'd say:
- You have to know a reasonable amount about consumer credit scoring.
- You have to be curious and always want to learn more.
- You have to be able to cheerfully admit when you don't know.
- You have to be willing to go back and correct all the wrong stuff you posted when you find out that it was wrong. (This happens a lot.)
- You have to be able to get along with all kinds of people, including people who are really different from you in terms of personality, who may rub you the wrong way, but who are still great contributors to the forums.
- You have to have a certain skepticism or downright cynicism about some of the stuff that you read, but reply with a straight face anyway.
- You have to be kind and gentle much of the time, especially with terrified noobies, and be willing to deal out the tough love when necessary.
- You have to be able to park your ego outside the door (mostly, anyway.)
- It helps to be independently wealthy, retired, or working at a job where you have, umm, some discretion in the use of your time.
As for the benefits, we all joke about the health benefits and paid vacations, but of course, there isn't any of that. We're all just volunteers. My benefit package has included learning a lot about a weird little field of knowledge, having an entertaining alternative to my daily job, and making some wonderful friends. It has been downright life-changing, in fact.
I've described being a forums moderator as being like a hostess (or host) at a ridiculously large cocktail party. We greet people at the door, get them a drink and a nibble, introduce them to someone that we think they might like to know, keep everything moving, introduce new topics of conversation, break up the occasional fight, and every now and then wrestle someone out the door.
@haulingthescoreup wrote:
@TheCreditKid wrote:How does one become a moderator and what are the benefits of being one?
Just to add to MVV's great list, I'd say:
- You have to know a reasonable amount about consumer credit scoring.
- You have to be curious and always want to learn more.
- You have to be able to cheerfully admit when you don't know.
- You have to be willing to go back and correct all the wrong stuff you posted when you find out that it was wrong. (This happens a lot.)
- You have to be able to get along with all kinds of people, including people who are really different from you in terms of personality, who may rub you the wrong way, but who are still great contributors to the forums.
- You have to have a certain skepticism or downright cynicism about some of the stuff that you read, but reply with a straight face anyway.
- You have to be kind and gentle much of the time, especially with terrified noobies, and be willing to deal out the tough love when necessary.
- You have to be able to park your ego outside the door (mostly, anyway.)
- It helps to be independently wealthy, retired, or working at a job where you have, umm, some discretion in the use of your time.
As for the benefits, we all joke about the health benefits and paid vacations, but of course, there isn't any of that. We're all just volunteers. My benefit package has included learning a lot about a weird little field of knowledge, having an entertaining alternative to my daily job, and making some wonderful friends. It has been downright life-changing, in fact.
I've described being a forums moderator as being like a hostess (or host) at a ridiculously large cocktail party. We greet people at the door, get them a drink and a nibble, introduce them to someone that we think they might like to know, keep everything moving, introduce new topics of conversation, break up the occasional fight, and every now and then wrestle someone out the door.
Hauling. I think that was the most precise and well thought out definition I've ever read. I dont know what your day job is but you should think about writing dictionary's! I'd buy one!
haulingthescoreup wrote: We greet people at the door, get them a drink and a nibble,
And there's yet one more thing MVV didn't mention.
I guess I can deal with no pay and no benefits if at least I know we have drinks and nibbles.