Where have all the B. Boarders gone?

NOT complaining, mind you!

Just saying:

In the final everyday installment of Bulletin Board in the St. Paul Pioneer Press, on the 30th of October in 2016, we thanked a list of frequent contributors for their words and pictures, which had given us so much pleasure over the previous quarter-century.

It was a LONG list — and it didn’t come close to naming everyone it could have named. The newsprint Bulletin Board had thousands of contributors, over the years.

 

Last week, while going through a stack of BB emails we printed 16 months ago, it saddened us to see how many of those people have been, at best, very infrequent contributors here at BBonward.com. Many of them have vanished without a trace — and, frankly, Bulletin Board is the poorer for it. We are still enjoying the online assemblage, with its limitless space and ability to show many full-color, high-resolution photographs — but the number of voices leaves much to be desired.

This “community of strangers” needs as many residents as it can get; it is not a private club, and it can’t long survive as a cul-de-sac of strangers.

Here was that list of storytellers and photographers (some of whom swiftly made the transition from newsprint to online, and for that we are most thankful):

Al B of Hartland (our Official Ornithologist); The Retired Pedagogue of Arden Hills (our Official Late Night Talk Show Monitor); Mr. Tulkinghorn (our Official Attorney); Lawyergirl of St. Paul; Your Late Night Lady; IGHGrampa; Sharon of Roseville; Grandma Pat, “formerly of rural Roberts”; R.J. of Hammond, Wis.; Belle South; GramB of Nisswa; Cheesehead By Proxy, “bck in Northern Minnesota”; GopherLink of Dresser, Wis.; Merlyn of St. Paul; Mom of Many in Mendota Heights; Mother of Many in Woodbury; DebK of Rosemount; WriteWoman of Shoreview; Maggie of the Mountains; Ms. Linda of Eagan; Linda W. of Eagan; Cat’s Mom of Chippewa Falls, Wis.; Cat Lover from White Bear; Honey Bee of Chippewa Falls, Wis.; The Honest Man; Night Walker; The Highland Walker; Juju of Highland Park; Pigwisdom of Highland Park; The Saint Paul Snail; Madame Polarfleece; Gregory of the North; Gregory J. of Dayton’s Bluff; Bob Woolley of St. Paul; Doctors’ Mom in Mendota Heights; Doctor Friendly; Dr. Chrysanthemum; Chief Slippery Hands; The Music Man of St. Paul; Aunt Enna; Einstein of St. Paul; Red’s Offspring, north of St. Paul; Donald; NativeDuluthian; CA Transplant; Dorothy of Connecticut; The PA Peach; Walt of Wayzata; The D in Scandia; The Gram With a Thousand Rules; Grandma J. of Grant; Grandma Anita of Hammond, Wis.; Granny in a Red Truck in Scandia; Little Orphan Grannie; Peachy of Cottage Grove; AJ’s Mom of “Casablanca-by-the-Sea”; Beanie’s Mom; The Real Piglet’s Dad; C. elegans; Sandy of Crocus Hill.com (formerly Sandy of Mac/Grove.com); luv.mom; The Wisconsin Wildcat (formerly The Woodbury Wildcat); Tim Torkildson; The Cowboy King (our self-proclaimed “Poet Lariat”); The Mambo King; The King of IGH; Her Majesty of Paradise; Jomajesty; The Farm Boy of St. Paul; The Fourth Wilson Brother; Pop Corn; Loony Tuner of Northfield; Short Timer of Northfield (formerly of Barron, Wis.); Lola; Ever Anonymous; Karen of Kindness; Jowan of Inver Grove Heights; The Bitter and Disgruntled Guy from Andover; Wicki-Yah; Midnight Angel of Vadnais Heights; Smilin’ Sue; Ghoti’s Mom; Goughghoti; John in Highland; Malcolm Tent; The Grand Duchess of Grand Avenue; Maggie of Grand Avenue; Dr. Crank; Kent S. Kokko of St. Paul (our “wacky-patent enthusiast”); The Doryman of Prescott, Wis.; Organizationally Challenged of Highland Park; Christian’s Pa on Clam Lake; PH of Maplewood; Booklady; Lucky Buck; Uncle Buck of St. Paul; Chex from PBX; Busy Bee from the Garden; Vertically Challenged; Desert Darlin’; Paul Peter Paulos of St. Paul; Paul St. Paul; Just Jennifer of West St. Paul; Tom’s Wife of Arden Hills; Mrs. Romance; Katharine With One Dog Only; Grandma Connie of Scandia; Grandma Ski of Arden Hills; Lu Lu from Lindström; ArtGekko of Lindström; Dogma of La Crosse, Wis.; Rocky’s Mom of St. Paul Park; Norton’s mom of Eau Claire, Wis.; Doc’s Mom of Daytona Beach; The Bald Guy in Orlando; Hindsight; Maureen the French Teacher; RoseBud of Vadnais Heights; Blue Jay Judy of Mendota Heights; Bloomington Bird Lady; ktcakes of Stillwater; D. Ziner; Jon Anon; No Sued Name; In Search of a Pseudonym; Sue Dohnim; Anne Nonny Mouse; Mrs. Mouse; Rivermouse; Arkatect of Mendota Heights; RaeRae in Mendota Heights; The Missus of Mendota Heights; Friendly Bob of Fridley; Mrs. Patches of St. Paul; Conan the Librarian; Red Cedar Recluse; Julienne Veggy, your correspondent south of the river; Deeply Rooted in Mahtomedi; Tvots; The Pest from the West of St. Paul; Fantomas; Mr. Bones of Mendota Heights; Fevered Rabbit; Carp Lips of Hastings; Kathy S. of St. Paul; Happy Mother of Six; The MOM in Stillwater; Raindancer of North Oaks; Elvis; JI of Hudson, Wis.; Jean of Roseville; Moonglo; Sunshine in Roseville; Stinky Bananalips of Empire; Wet Behind the Ears in Beautiful Taylors Falls; F Gump of River Falls, Wis.; R.F. Fuddy Duddy; Nancy de Roseville (and, in one Italian moment, Nancy di Roseville); Ol’ Dobie; Toadman; Beekeeper Bob of Stillwater; B. Dazzled of South St. Paul; The Cab Driver of South St. Paul; The Suburban Guerrilla of Eagan; Norsky; Norwegian by Marriage; Twitty of Como; Grandpa Treehouse; Great Grampa of White Bear Lake; Grandpa Steve from White Bear; Great-grandmother of Como Park; Gma Tom; Barbara of Afton; The Editor in Apple Valley; The Bookworm of La Crosse, Wis. (formerly of West Salem, Wis.); Quiche Queen of Roseville; Princess Naomi; Zoo Lou of St. Paul; Burnsville Zoolady; Sally, the Cleaning Lady of Shoreview; Foto Rich of Shoreview; Stormin’ Norma; Mnbirdee of Rochester; Gigetto on Lincoln (originator of the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon); LeoJEOSP; Postscript of Twenty Miles From Everywhere; The Roller of Spring Valley, Wis.; The Examiner; The Poster Boy for Fidgeting; The Reader; Newport Reader; The Lunchtime Reader; Bean There, Done That; W.i. Fly of Austin; FW Addit; Morning Glory of Eau Claire, Wis.; JayMae of Star Prairie, Wis.; Jimbo of Inver Grove Heights; Retro Girl from Woodbury; Jim of Woodbury; Katrinka of Woodbury; joegolfer; SirJay; 2J of South Minneapolis; KJ of Arden Hills; Not U of Forest Lake; OTD from NSP; The Mighty Wickard; Crumpelstiltskin; Princess Yellowhair of White Bear; The Armchair Cook of Roseville; Birdie in St. Joe; Lynne of Shafer; Lady of Ladysmith; Hudson Grandmama; Shell Lake Granny; Gramma Deb of White Bear Lake; The Redbird; Rusty of St. Paul; Floater of Arden Hills; The Retired Archivist; Highstepper Jim; Papa on Elm Street; Papa Whiskey; Papawilde; Papa Wheelie of Highland Park; Papa Doofus of Roseville; Papageno; Grandpa Joe of Chisago City; tia2d; mattzdad of Rochester; Eli’s Kid of White Bear Township; Grandma James; Abbysgram of South St. Paul; Grandma Jody; The Stillwater Scouter; Joe and Geri’s Daughter Jackie; A Lady Who Loves Little People (formerly The Lady From the Land of the Little People); Grandma Banana Nana; Cousin Nan; Mr. Ed of Roseville; Baker Lady of Inver Grove Heights; The Sports Driving Grandma; Schoolmarm Jan; Doris Day; Helena Handbasket; DeAnne of Woodbury; Second Wind; Jewels; Christy of Menomonie, Wis.; Menomonie Grandpa; Middle C; Bduck; quackdad; Betty Boop of Rice Lake, Wis.; Pollyanna of Lakeland; Ethel Mertz of Hastings; Miss Kitty of the Midway; Bicycle Babe of the Midway; Fudge Brownie; Frosty of Linwood; MomKat of Apple Valley; Kyo of Mendota Heights; Bruce (and Ann) From Blaine Now Brooten; Granny Stad of West St. Paul; Garage Sale Gayle of Andover; Nature Gal; Mounds View Swede; LauraMomRose; Peggy T of Osceola, Wis.; Weezi; Leezy of Woodbury; That Sharon in Houston; Skatermom in Woodbury; Burywood Dave; RickRich of Circle Pines; The Hoot Owl of St. Paul; Birdwatcher in La Crescent; Charlotte Bronte-Saurus; Charlotte of Inver Grove Heights; Steamed Crab’s Claw; Soupy of White Bear Township; Toothy Grin No. 6; Mavis of Little Canada; JayGee of Cameron, Wis.; Chocolate Fiend of Little Canada; Soul Sister; Little Sister; Horntoad of White Bear Lake; Navy Dave of Bayport; David the Scudderite; The Blue Bubble’s Friend; Cee Cee of Mahtomedi; Mema of Maplewood; The Nonagenarian of Western Wisconsin (formerly The Octogenarian of Western Wisconsin); horsiegoboom of River Falls, Wis.; Mary Lou’s Daughter of Inver Grove Heights, Gypsy of Oakdale; Snackmeisterin of Altoona, Wis.; StreetRodder; The Old Hand of Oakdale; Dragonslayer of Oakdale; Odyssey; Mr. Viz of Woodbury; Mystery Lady of Woodbury; The Monkey Lover’s Wife of Northfield; ET’s Wife of West St. Paul; Tigerlily of Woodbury; Reads the Funnies First; Keeping Up With the Joneses; Mutti; Allie’s Baby; St. Paul Spike; Ramblin’ Rose; Arwen of Inver Grove Heights; The Plant Lady Down the Road; Katydid of Maplewood; Sugar Babe; Dennis from Eagan; One of the Girls; 54Chevygirl; The Linguidiot; The Divine Mum of Crocus Hill; Semi-Legend; Aqua Aficionado; The Clover Kicker; The Practicing Eclectic; The Farmer’s Daughter from Blaine; Farmer Jeff; Rancid Beef; Grouch of Vadnais Heights; Bill of Lake St. Croix Beach; Ace of Wyoming; Otis from Inver Grove; Dan Buettner (“Eight Wheels to Novosibirsk”); Wild Bill of River Falls, Wis.; Retired Teacher in Mac-Groveland; Plain Jane of the West Side; Sandra of Baytown Township; WestCider; Eastside, Westside, KH of White Bear Lake; Jim Shumaker of New Richmond, Wis.; Deb Peterson of Eagan; Doris G. of Randolph..

A couple of others, we removed from that list, because we sadly learned of their passing since then: Sleepless from St. Paul (in Minneapolis), and Poet X of PDX. May they rest in peace.

We are still getting great pleasure from the stories and pictures being shared here, as we hope you are, too . . . but wouldn’t it be grand if we could reassemble that bigger band of Bulletin Board loyalists? If you know any of the missing, please encourage them to return.

Thank you.