User:Barneca/ColumnOne

Howdy

I've been here since 12/06. When I started, I used to just fix red links and tweak spelling mistakes and bad phrasing, but I found myself sucked into the world of reverting vandals, both on a watchlist of 100-odd pages that particularly interest me, and on the recent changes page. Not sure why I like it; I suppose it's the feeling of contributing to an encyclopedia without having to actually know anything about anything.

I have recently found this work a little less thrilling than it used to be, so I'm slowly branching out and exploring other nooks and crannies of Wikipedia.

No userboxes yet, tho I've occasionally been tempted to goof around with them. However, I think if I start spending time improving the formatting of this page, I'll end up playing with formatting and doing nothing else. So for now, just bare bones. uh-oh. The beginning of the end is at hand. All hope is lost.

Other potentially useful information about me

• I am now an Admin, and would be happy to help you out with any admin-related tasks (or point you in the direction of an admin that knows how to do it, if I don't).

Other potentially useless information about me

• I am quite likely much older than you, and my mind seems to be getting less sharp every day, so cut me some slack. That's all I'm saying about my age.
• I am quite likely editing Wikipedia when I really should be doing something else.

		The Random Acts of Kindness Barnstar
		I noticed the extra effort you went to, to help a user with what other editors (and I) consider to be Spam links. Your politeness, level-headedness and general helpfulness were most impressive. Gillyweed 01:07, 26 May 2007 (UTC)

		The Barnstar of Diligence
		Well, you won't be getting any from OWB, so here is a barnstar from me. For the incredibly detailed work in exposing the OWB/SS sockpuppetry. Thank you! Flyguy649 talk contribs 15:42, 25 July 2007 (UTC)

		The Barnstar of Good Humor
		Your comment on Wikipedia talk:Requests for Adminship brought a smile to my face, and, being the only person on Wikipedia to have done that today, you deserve this barnstar. ;-) Lradrama 16:12, 27 July 2007 (UTC)

		The Surreal Barnstar
		for the best April Fools prank work of the year. - Philippe 22:34, 1 April 2008 (UTC)

Leading the league as subject of the most simultaneous AN/I threads by a single editor this week is... Barneca!

Since there are currently at least 4 threads on WP:AN/I about your mean, unfair administrative actions (with bonus points since they're all from the same IP editor), you are this week's winner of the Most Abusive Admin award. The trophy has been signed by all previous winners. I just hope you haven't been using performance-enhancing drugs. Think of the kids... MastCell ^Talk 19:33, 10 April 2008 (UTC)

		WikiMedal for Janitorial Services
		For properly instructing me regarding which namespace my personal templates belong in. preschooler@heart 21:29, 18 April 2008 (UTC)

		The Barnstar of Diligence
		In recognition of your diligence, attention to detail, and exemplary upholding of Wikipedia values in the Wikipedia:Requests for adminship/Dell970 affair. Dlohcierekim 19:33, 8 May 2008 (UTC)

• "When it looks like somebody is saying something utterly stupid or insane, try to figure out why, from their point of view, it might seem reasonable to say such a thing." - Nick Mathewson, here. See also Principle of charity. I originally stumbled on this at ArmedBlowfish's now-deleted talk page.

• "I divide my officers into four classes as follows: The clever, the industrious, the lazy, and the stupid. Each officer always possesses two of these qualities. Those who are clever and industrious I appoint to the General Staff. Use can under certain circumstances be made of those who are stupid and lazy. The man who is clever and lazy qualifies for the highest leadership posts. He has the requisite and the mental clarity for difficult decisions. But whoever is stupid and industrious must be got rid of, for he is too dangerous." - General Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord ca. 1933. I originally stumbled on this at Hanlon's razor, though in slightly different form.

• "...there are undercurrents, agendas, old wounds, old friendships, old alliances, which no time can heal, no RfC can resolve, no accusations can break. Call it wikidrama. Call it cabal. I think of it more like a tapestry; wonderful and structured on the one side, tangled and dark and deeply interesting on the other." - Riana, at her RfB.

My RfA criteria (if I ever start to participate regularly)

I. Won't delete the main page on purpose. (good faith editor)

II. Won't delete the main page by accident. (experienced enough to know what they need to know, know their limitations, and not take up others' time to fix their mistakes)

III. Plays well with others. (civil, appears to have a conscience, unlikely to add to general level of wikidrama)

IV. Having tools will be a net benefit to encyclopedia. (plans to use them at least once a month)

V. Appears to have clue. (nebulous catch-all for anything else)

VI. Has been around long enough for me to judge the first 5 items. (no hard and fast numbers, I'll know it when I see it)

Pet peeves

I try, very hard, not to whine to people about this stuff when I see them do it. But it annoys me, so I'm getting it off my chest here. If I do one of these things myself, please leave me a note on my talk page about it. I will consider it a favor.

• Citing "Don't be a WP:DICK" at people. I doubt this has ever, in the history of the known universe, ever helped a situation.
• When other people warn a vandal about vandalism I just reverted, before I have a chance to review their talk page and contributions and leave a warning myself. For some reason, I notice this almost always happens with Twinkle users; hardly ever happens with VandalProof, Lupin's tool, VandalSniper, popups, etc.
• When someone leaves a first-time vandal a level 4 warning for fairly harmless stuff. It's useless, since most AIV admins won't block after a second small vandalism, but it makes follow-up warnings hard.
• More to come, I'm sure. But I feel better now, so I'll go find something else to do.