Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
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How did I get here

 What were you doing when you discovered the HB, and what was your first Idea?
  (+11, -3)(+11, -3)
(+11, -3) 		  [vote for,
against]

After spending over 6 hours browsing the bakery, reality hit me, I am addicted, then I realised that I was not alone.. I will have to implement some of the Ideas above. so I wondered, how did the other guys get sucked in? (I found my way to the bakery via google,)
—senatorjam, Sep 12 2002

I explained myself http://www.halfbake...20that_20Moniker_3f
Specifically I was searching for parachutes on planes to stop them crashing down to earth [Zircon, Sep 12 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Parachutes on planes http://www.halfbake.../Parachute_20option
[hippo, Sep 12 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Halfbaker's first post http://www.halfbake..._27s_20first_20post
Possibly the link NTG and others are thinking of? Some shared ground, but not the same.. [yamahito, Sep 12 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

3 Billy Goats Gruff http://www.funpagesforkids.com/billy/
[po, Oct 04 2004]

[link]






       "And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself..."
—waugsqueke, Sep 12 2002
   

       For some reason I blew across Protector of Mankind's annotation, 'The Perfect Spoon. --Watch cozy live couples spoon and giggle and have tickle fights on high thread count eqyptian cotton--' and nothing was quite the same.
—General Washington, Sep 12 2002
   

       [waugsqueke], you set the tone well.   

       [senatorjam],I fell through a google portal also. But what makes it interesting is to learn what one was 'googling' for in the first place.   

       I must admit that looking for the robotic lawnmowing kit in development is not as exotic as looking for examples of spooning. But I was anxious to hear from the company again as this kit would have allowed me to build and program it and incorporate my own blade cutting design. But I can find no signs of it now and they have not returned emails..sigh...
—hollajam, Sep 12 2002
   

       Google search: while trying to find the mineral properties of seawater and I was directed the Seawater Mineral Extractor. I actually bought it at first glance.
—ty6, Sep 12 2002
   

       Same as it ever was, Steve.
—waugsqueke, Sep 12 2002
   

       It was the theme song of my bachelor party
—thumbwax, Sep 12 2002
   

       I fell through the Google transdimensional warp portal too, but I can't remember what I was looking for - something deeply techie. The idea was *damned* convincing and I went through the links trying to find how to order one. Out of frustration I went to the homepage, then out of bafflement spent about ten minutes wandering round trying to work out what the site was about. Then I logged in .....   

       Now I'm trappped here. Let me out ! Let me out ! I've done nothing wrong ! I want a lawyer ! You can't treat me like this, I've got rights ! No .... no .... not the custard again ..... NO .... AAAAAAAAAHHHH !
—8th of 7, Sep 12 2002
   

       I came here as a response to an old schoolfriend's email. He sent me the link, with the challenge, "Now let's see if you're really one of us."
I stayed because it gave me something else to do apart from watch TV, to which I felt I was becoming addicted.
My first idea (I never lurked, I'm afraid) was Tonal Lego Language.		   

       (the referer, in case anyone's looking for someone to blame, was [sadie])
—yamahito, Sep 12 2002
   

       All I can remember is there one day not being a bakery, and then the next there was. I don't know how or why I'm here.
—kaz, Sep 12 2002
   

       I'm still asking myself...
—PeterSilly, Sep 12 2002
   

       I saw a word bite in Time's On magazine in Sep. '01, but didn't check it out till Jan.
—FarmerJohn, Sep 12 2002
   

       We've discussed this before. But I'm always happy to tell how I came here looking for electronic toilets and bidets.
—pottedstu, Sep 12 2002
   

       I think it was Google, also. I don't remember what I was searching for.   

       I lurked from April to August, and then created the account BinaryCookies.   

       My first idea was self-mowing lawn.
—BinaryCookies, Sep 12 2002
   

       I believe I was Yahoo!ing for...something. I can't remember what I was looking for. I probably never found it, though, since I ended up going "what's this?" and clicking on the HalfBakery site.   

       I lurked for mere minutes before signing up because I'd wanted to vote and have my say. The first idea I annotated was [moonbase]'s "film endings". [blissmiss] thought I didn't realize I was churning by annotating a stale idea, but welcomed me as well.   

       As I recall, my first idea called for slight changes in the structure of the HalfBakery and I was verbally stoned by many of you for daring to tread on that thin ice. I have since deleted it. My oldest idea currently in existence is "Rain Chimes", which did reasonably well.
—XSarenkaX, Sep 12 2002
   

       I saw the site reviewed on memepool, lurked for 4 days and then posted "Inter-Car Communication"

Lettin' the days go by...
—hippo, Sep 12 2002
   

       I was mugged, bound and gagged... when I woke, I was here. More accurate than it sounds. I stayed because I got a good reception with my first idea 'Giant Etcha-sketch'. If only I had been insulted... it could have meant a far more productive future at work. Too late for that now.   

       Water flowin under...
—Jinbish, Sep 12 2002
   

       ty6, so was I!!! (googling for seawater mineral extraction!) that's a longshot!
—pfperry, Sep 12 2002
   

       [pfp] You might want give some thought about pre-staking a claim now. Most of the ocean that borders the contiguous lower 48 states already have the paperwork filed and are ready for final approval. There are some locations that remain unclaimed, but usually in heavily polluted waters. The continental shelf close to the Hudson Canyon is currently thought to be the next hot spot, ( close to markets, near major shipping lanes, etc.), but this is in international waters. The International Law of the Sea Treaty does govern the water beneath the surface to a depth of 20 meters there, so opportuities do exist.
—ty6, Sep 12 2002
   

       I was following a white rabbit that seemed to be in a hurry.
—half, Sep 12 2002
   

       I was looking for some part-baked croissants to keep in the freezer. For a split second I thought I'd found some.   

       "And only 50c each, too! Hang on a minute...."
—sild, Sep 12 2002
   

       I think I was doing seat belt research for Ford at the time at the all-powerful google. I happened into some crazy belt annotation, lurked for a few hours trying to surpress my hysterics, wrote some annos, and posted either math-modified language or realthought media v 6.2.   

       When I got my first annotation it was like total dopamine overload. (Yeah, my life around that point was pretty dull).
—RayfordSteele, Sep 12 2002
   

       I followed a link from explodingdog. My first idea was mince and has been erased from hb history.   

       [Hasn't this been done already as "What brings you here?"]
—calum, Sep 12 2002
   

       I'm *sure* I've seen this before. This exact idea.   

       I first heard about the halfbakery after the address got a plug on BBC Radio 1, no less, back in 2000 or something (I remember that 'dig up the earth's core' was on the recent list; this was the first idea I read and had me in stitches - this may give a better idea of date).
I finally opened an account this March, and my first idea was the (now-deleted) Solar-Powered Rocket-cow.		   

       I've been stuck here for nearly 4 months now and forced to survive on a diet of croissants and fishbones (principally the latter). If anyone knows a way out, or perhaps some sort of cheat whereby I can skip to the last level, I'd be grateful ;op   

       Just one question - what, exactly, were you searching for on google that led you to the halfbakery?
—NickTheGreat, Sep 12 2002
   

       You could try a direct order to gone-brand products at Nj2K International...
—NickTheGreat, Sep 12 2002
   

       [bliss]: ha ha..nice try! But its far far too late to change my work-shy ways now... I am the spilt milk that there isn't any use crying over.
—Jinbish, Sep 12 2002
   

       I think I've said before, it was mentioned in Earthlink's online newspaper in their Weird Web section. I looked and was hooked. My first user name was subject to snide comments, so I deleted my 1st anno and became TeaTotal. First ever idea was "Tree Rooting Hormones" or something like that. Now deleted and gone, gone, gone.
—TeaTotal, Sep 12 2002
   

       Purely out of curiosity...why was this fishboned? (twice) I do understand that it is not really an "IDEA" in the strictest sense, and am therefore surprised to not see a M-F-D tag from Dr. Curry, but I would really like to know why it was boned.   

       I wish I could remember what I was looking for when I fell into the bakery, but I do remember that fall, going past the red hot rotating knoves (SKNXXXXXX) sorry, falling into the downy soft dough, thinking, hey, I belong here, and I never want to leave
—senatorjam, Sep 12 2002
   

       Don't look at me; I croissanted because I'm curious, too.
—XSarenkaX, Sep 12 2002
   

       [Nick] I don't know how you would word it but your idea for a *cheat* for the HB is class. I think you mean the next level not the last level.
—po, Sep 12 2002
   

       This 'idea' seems to come up about twice a year. And every time it does, everyone says "wasn't this done before?" and then continues on to give their story. Go figure.
—waugsqueke, Sep 12 2002
   

       I was working a crossword puzzle that had the standard clue about the word Al Hirschfeld always hid in his drawings ("NINA" the name of his daughter). Knew the answer by rote, but had forgotten why so I googled on it. One of the top hits was the idea "Al Hirshfeld Machine" by [snarfyguy]. Like most I was quickly hooked.
—krelnik, May 30 2003
   

       I was led here by an exploding dog.
—my face your, May 30 2003
   

       Was it a series of continuous explosions or just one big one, at the end?   

       I wish I could remember what I said to set the tone.
—waugsqueke, May 30 2003
   

       I'm with [kaz] //All I can remember is there one day not being a bakery, and then the next there was. I don't know how or why I'm here.//   

       I've yet to decide whether I'm a better or worse person for having spent so much time here. Or just... different.
—sambwiches, May 30 2003
   

       Kids saw "The Abyss"; asked about liquid breathing. I googled and found "Gills for people". Wandered around the 'bakery for a bit, and got laughing so hard I thought I'd split (I was just 2 weeks post-surgery). Came back a month or so later and lurked for about a year before I dared set foot inside.
—lurch, May 30 2003
   

       I was looking to find out just which pianos have extra keys (>88) because I'm learning a piece that requires one. Stumbled on 'Type on a piano keyboard' or something like that. Wish I'd lurked. First post: 'Jet Engine Nozzle'.
—galukalock, May 31 2003
   

       I Google searched "idea". Read two postings from the recent three and added one of my own.   

       As many before me, I Googled here.   

       I started with "The Sims - Windows 3.1". I can't decide if it's been all uphill or downhill from there. All I know is I can't remember what life was like before the Bakery (sniffle)...
—Cedar Park, May 31 2003
   

       I got here thru Yahoo. I have 'My Yahoo!' as my homepage; and one of the sections there ('New to Yahoo!) had the url and a brief description of this place. Usually I ignore that section, but Robert Frost will be glad to know that I took the road I'd usually leave behind... and so am I.   

       First Post: Anti-SeaSickness Design (for ships)
—joker_of_the_deck, May 31 2003
   

       [waugs], it was a single huge explosion, rendered in super slow-mo, while the dog scampered on in normal time. Most disconcerting. Nevertheless, it was good preparation for my arrival at the 'bakery which came in the Age of AfroAssault. And your "tone setting", if I remember correctly, was to quote the first verse of "Once In A Lifetime" by Talking Heads.
—my face your, May 31 2003
   

       something about solar powered cars, I seem to remember. Or was it lesbian mud-wrestling? ...Anyhow, I've found this is what the net was always meant to be: the whole world talkin' about what really matters. No hassle toilets, ..
—git, May 31 2003
   

       Googling for rocket-balloon hybrid to achieve orbit after reading about the $10 million X prize.   

       " 'Relax', said the night man, We are programmed to receive. You can log off any time you like, but you can never leave."
—Zimmy, May 31 2003
   

       I used google to search some information where to get small dynamo electric generator which can rotate at about 1500 rpm. I found a link to HB article about some space coil electricity generator ;)   

       BTW. I get a feeling no one is selling devices of kind I'm looking for.
—kyokpae, Jul 02 2003
   

       All right, if no one else is going to admit it, I'll have to... I was googling for a LED array that could be mounted in the rear windscreen of a bicycle support vehicle. I got one or two </understatement> matches from here including the helpfile and the newbie guide. From there it was lurk lurk lurk followed by "Solar Powered Cities" (+0,-15)[deleted].
—reap, Jul 02 2003
   

       How did I get here? By not paying attention in science classes.
—DrBob, Jul 03 2003
   

       <TV Testimonial> 'My brother-in-law insisted we all read "Stairwell Chicken." It had a lot of fishbones. We were all hooked. Two months later I joined the club! It was the best decision I ever made.' </TV Testimonial>
—k_sra, Jul 03 2003
   

       I wonder how many people stumbled here while searching for porn, and haven't been able to get an erection since.
—sambwiches, Jul 03 2003
   

       I believe [My face your] is talking about explodingdog.com which used to have a link here... in fact now that I think of it, I'm pretty sure that's how I got here. It was kind of disturbing me that I couldn't remember - thanks My.
—hob, Jul 03 2003
   

       My husband told me about the site. Said he thought I might like it. He's regretted it since.   

       I was inspired to draw the first time both because of [hob]'s drawings and because of something [PeterSealy] said about tea kettles and water coolers being so similar that they were really the same thing. I thought a sketch might illustrate the differences. Not sure that it worked.
—bristolz, Jul 03 2003
   

       I'm sure I've posted to this before, or at least to a very similar idea, but it seems to have disappeared. ('twasn't the one yamahito linked to though.)   

       I came here, believe it or not, looking for pictures of coffee machines. I didn't find any; however, I /did/ find found Afro's brilliant TPPCPPC lyrics and also El Pedanto. The following day I registered an account, and the rest, as they say, is history ... or maybe not.   

       Despite having been lurking here and posting occasional spurts of annotations for over two years, I've yet to come up with an actual idea. Possibly this says more about me than I'd like to admit.
—cp, Jul 03 2003
   

       The TPPCPPC brilliance belonged to [waugsqueke], not to [AfroAssault] whose brilliance mostly comes from chemicals that deflagrate brightly and some darn funny prose.   

       [cp] perhaps you could come up with a (parenthesis eradicating) electronics dissection machine or something.
—bristolz, Jul 03 2003
   

       quite right bris. I did a double-take on that.   

       Afro is just a natural genius though, you must agree. come back soon.
—po, Jul 03 2003
   

       Indirectly - random web searchings for various misc .high-minded &/or wacky things. Directly - typing in the word "ideas" (Yahoo). Loved it immediately. Liked the smart ideas, good spelling (for the net), jumped right in with little lurking (the best way I still say).   

       Downside - I too am an addict (internet in general; halfbakery, etc. in specific). Upside - It is a more "mature love" I now have with the place. I've seen the seamy underbelly of the place and I'm not going anywhere. When you've found true love you've got to fight for it!   

       love ... the cat
—thecat, Jul 04 2003
   

       I googled in, looking for stuff to use in my sci-fi rpg. I've only been here a week and I can't seem to leave. I'm dreaming about custard and space elevators. I think I felt something break inside. Is that normal?
—Nickynackynoo, Jul 04 2003
   

       [m...b...] Love (sarcasm alert) the way you pick and choose what to comment on in a post's entirety. Not going to happen. Don't much like you either ( too authoritarian).
—thecat, Jul 05 2003
   

       P.S. On the plus side, I appreciated your e-mail. That is, I appreciated that you took the time and didn't (I assume - haven't specificly checked) snark about ME e-ing you. Your e- did leave a bit to be desired though -- pretty thorny olive branch, if I may say. I will return the favor when I do my next weekly/bi-weekly, whenever e-mail check/send. I will probably be more honest/somewhat nicer. Back to the plus side (I'm making a TM sandwich for you) some of your posted ideas are quite good I'd say.
—thecat, Jul 05 2003
   

       God, that theckat don't arf go on and on and on and on and on.... Likes the sound of his own Meow or something.   

       I was sitting next to what I thought was a window & swatting flies, <phuff> as you do and realised it was a pc and I could log on (well actually, I widdled over the keyboard - its much the same thing I discovered. Oh stop that NOW!) Anyway, I have been lurking ever since.
—The Kat, Jul 06 2003
   

       Note to self: Add The Kat to the list of The Usual Suspects.
—thecat, Jul 07 2003
   

       I found this site after looking on google for a cat fight. It has taken a long time to respond but it is here now.
—sufc, Jul 07 2003
   

       <whisper to [sufc]> Pass the popcorn. </whisper>
—k_sra, Jul 08 2003
   

       TUS List. Adding k_sra and tigerlily. ato_de and waugs... long since deleted.
—thecat, Jul 11 2003
   

       Like I said in another place, if you're quick to make enemies, perhaps you should reevaluate why. The most common traits among people that didn't get along well here is that they thought they knew better than to simply listen to good advice, they simply jumped in and considered them as 'enemies.' If you make it a habit to choose to consider someone as such, you will forever shortchange yourself on the ability to figure out where they're coming from and understand their POV, and people will continue to find you annoying throughout your life. It's a vicious cycle.   

       (hint: instead of adding a string of comments after eachother, just use the edit key).
—RayfordSteele, Jul 11 2003
   

       Mandatory reading & best advice I've seen to new 'bakers:
<pottedstu, Mar 09 2003>
The treatment you receive here is exactly what you receive in any other web forum, news group, discussion board, or in real life when you barge into a room, society or organisation full of other people. There is a basic technique called "lurking" employed online; read any guide to netiquette and it will tell you to read a forum for around 2 weeks before posting so you can work out what is acceptable and desirable. So don't claim this is some kind of forum of evil. If you want people to like you unconditionally, you have to pay them. Sorry.
</pottedstu, Mar 09 2003>
—thumbwax, Jul 12 2003
   

       [Rayford Steele] Go to church.   

       [thumbwax] Get a clue.
—thecat, Jul 12 2003
   

       1. across (6 letters) sits under a bridge, needs feeding, waits for Billy Goat Gruff.
—po, Jul 12 2003
   

       [po] sp: 5 letters
—Worldgineer, Jul 12 2003
   

       Silent e?
—silverstormer, Jul 12 2003
   

       no silly the troll has 6 letters unless I am grossly mistaken
—po, Jul 12 2003
   

       [po] Love your link! If I had kids I'd show them that site. 1...2...3...4...6. Hey your right!
—silverstormer, Jul 12 2003
   

       I found this site while looking for the chemical makup of those smoke bombs that activate when they hit the ground. ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!
—Sulfer_Rain, Jan 04 2005
   

       i found this site through a google link---- what i was searching for?????? a way in which to swing 360 degrees on an ordinary playground swing. trying to find out if it was possible considering laws of gravitation, etc, or even if it was ever done!!!! hahah
—chocolateraindrops, Aug 05 2005
   

       I've been wondering how I got here. I honestly don't have a clue. I can't even really remember not being here.
—wagster, Aug 05 2005
   

       [chocolateraindrops] That was on Mythbusters last week. The could only get it 360 w/ a jet add on.
—Zimmy, Aug 05 2005
   

       I was trying to find out how an Ion Engine worked, and I came across a [pmillerchip] idea.
—shapu, Aug 05 2005
   

       Someone sent my brother an email, forwarded several times, which he unwisely forwarded to me (why he never got hooked I'll never know):   

       subject:   

       hey, check this out   

       body:   

       http://www.halfbakery.com/   

       I'm still trying to figure out which one of you started that message, and continually suspect most of my brother's friends and acquaintances of being secret 'bakers. Fess up, come on, you know the damage you've done, joke's over, olly olly auction free, uncle, or whatever.   

       ...ground,
—oxen crossing, Aug 06 2005
   

       Funny, I always pronounced it olly olly oxen free.
—Worldgineer, Aug 06 2005
   

       Right, so did I, after I learned what it was, but my initial misconception crops up whenever I think if it, and have to be continually corrected.
—oxen crossing, Aug 06 2005
   

       So are you actually [auction crossing]?
—half, Aug 06 2005
   

       I found it in a book, 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves', which mentioned the Halfbakery as a place where the authoress had read of using the tilde (~) as a symbol to seperate the word from the 's' when pluralising (e.g. 'banana~s') to stop people from using the grammatically incorrect 'banana's'. I gave it a look, and became hooked.
—dbmag9, Aug 11 2005
   

       I stumbled across the place just about five minutes before being laid off, so the trauma has erased my memory of exactly how I washed up here. Glad I did, though. Letting the days go by...
—coprocephalous, Aug 11 2005
   

       I think 5 minutes is a record. Generally takes at least a few weeks to lose enough productivity to be booted.
—Worldgineer, Aug 11 2005
   

       Google Answers. The 'bakery was someone's favourite site. I came for a look and, before I knew what had happened, I had been lurking for nearly FIVE years. One of the first ideas I saw was flocking road cones, how can you stop after that? huh?   

       I realised how much in the deep end I was when my productivity skyrocketed during the crash of '04; but then whats-his-name goes and develops a site.   

       Now I've logged in. I posted some inanity as my first idea a few days ago, got some buns, I'm addicted to them now.
Please send help, friends.
—methinksnot, Mar 14 2006
   

       Five years is an awful long time to stand quietly at the back of the room. Welcome to the party!
—DrBob, Mar 14 2006
   

       I asked someone where the mens room was? I must have taken a wrong turn.As for my first idea, I deleated it after [jurist] freaked me out with a simple question.
—skinflaps, Mar 14 2006
   

       I did a Google search for "get rid of car alarms" and ended up here. I've been trapped in this causality loop for 2 years now.
—phundug, Mar 14 2006
   

       Three of my friends were raving about this new web-site they'd found. I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about. Of the three, one had his account deleted within 36 hours, another is pretty much inactive now and the other is still regularly contributing. I probably should have lurled but didn't have the patience. My first idea was tripe, but I keep it around for it's historical value. It took me about 2 weeks to piss off just about everyone here, but that idea has long since been deleted and hopefully forgotten.
—hidden truths, Mar 14 2006
   

       I was on Rob Brezney's Free Will Astrology site and clicked a link to 'create new curse words'. Unknowingly, I posted my *swearing* in my account profile and didn't find out for awhile. I laughed when I found it. My first post was 'Restless Leg Syndrome Dance Club'. No one ever "welcomed" me here, but here I am anyway and just love the addiction.
—xandram, Mar 14 2006
   

       My friend Cameron told me about this place when I was 13. A while later I came here and looked around to find a place full of eccentric, insane and funny people and crazy/brilliant ideas and I thought 'I like it here'. Unfortunately for everyone else I joined up a year after my buddy Cameron told me, added the idea 'The Toe Shuffle', and I've been stuck here since.   

       (Now that I think about it, I reckon that I've set some kind of record for how long someone under the age of getting a drivers licence has managed to remain at the halfbakery without being chased out by a bunch of plank with nail in it weilding halfbakers)
—froglet, Nov 05 2006
   

       //managed to remain at the halfbakery without being chased out by a bunch of plank with nail in it weilding halfbakers)//   

       Goodun.
—skinflaps, Nov 05 2006
   

       My first visit here predated search engines (at least publicly-traded ones); there was some news article in a web press title I was reading that sort of, well, hit home to me. I don't remember my first post but probably deleted it through a course of experimenting with the HB interface. None of my subsequent Ideas were really of any import, with the possible exception of "Shoe in a Bottle".
—reensure, Nov 05 2006
   

       Me? I took the blue pill.
—DrCurry, Nov 05 2006
   

       I was brought here by a link on www.blinkerfluid.com. I probably spent WAY too little time lurking before I jumped right in with "The Learning Bra", which I still think is a fairly good idea.
—PollyNo9, Nov 05 2006
   

       I found myself here after googling "luminous paper", an idea I had which enabled you to read in the dark (already halfbaked). At first it was a bit demoralising seeing all my (what I thought were original) ideas popping up on the screen, but once I got past that, I was hooked. The imaginations of some of the bakers blows me away. I freely admit that I rushed in, posting ideas without really thinking (still do, sometimes). But I like to think I'm slowly getting the hang of it now.
—jtp, Nov 05 2006
   

       My friend sent me here to see the Signs for Madmen. I browsed around a bit, and it was while I was reading something about Custard-Filled Speed Bumps that it happened...   

       I woke up in a bathtub filled with ice. My head was aching, my kidney was missing, and there was a piece of paper on my chest. On it were scrawled the username and password of my halfbakery account.   

       My kidney was later found floating inside a Roaming Goldfish Bowl, but they're still looking for my sanity.
—imaginality, Nov 05 2006
   
      
[annotate]
   


 

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