Dan: So the bet's are in. While Andrew is favored to hit the milestone as soon as tomorrow, there are some who wagered that it wouldn't happen until well into the weekend.
-Right, Dan. He's averaging 13.64, so we can expect it all to be over soon. Unless Andrew is planning a trip in the next day or so, which could temporarily decrease his quantity of daily posts, those who are waiting on Saturday, Sunday, or even Monday are in for a big disappointment.
Dan: Absolutely. Let's take a look at his posts over the past few days. The bulk of his posts have been replies to posted topics.
Here we can see that he is well covered in diversity with respect to the categories of topics. He replied to everything from "Hi from Mississippi" to "Question on French" to "Isolated tribe spotted in Brazil".
-He really turned the tide on that one.
Dan: Yeah, he did. It was an engaging thread, but I think, if it had not been for him, there wouldn't have been that much more significant commentary to add. In addition to that, we have "Where in the World are PB Members?", "Not Feeling Well", and -
-Now, if it's alright, I'd like to stop you right there. In a few moments, we're going to take a closer look at his contributions to the Prayer Forum as well as his posts regarding church history & theology.
Dan: Right, yes, we are. He also has replied in "a 'they're playing our song' thread", and has posts as recent as yesterday in "The Muppet Show!", "Supreme Court Strikes Down Gun Ban", and "Three Words: Electric Light Orchestra!".
-He started the ELO thread, didn't he?
Dan: Uh, no, he didn't. I believe Ken Klein did.
-Oh, right. Yes, yes, he did.
Dan: But, it's worth pointing out that Andrew has the most posts on that thread, leading with eight.
-And his YouTube posts were not done consecutively, either. Some of his videos date back to April.
Dan: You know, I just saw here his post with a link to another thread on the board. It's to another thread about ELO - this one, it says here, he did start.
-And it looks like he first posted the link to that thread before putting up the videos.
Dan: Right, he's always been a fast one in getting links to other threads on the board, outside sources, and other sites posted in record time.
-Which actually brings me to the next part of our discussion - his posts in the general area of church history & theology. It's in this area that he took on the name "Puritan Librarian", isn't it?
Dan: Yes, it is. He is almost always the first one to post links or quotes in response to questions asked in various threads.
-And he's not noted for being the first, but also the fastest. Let's take a look here. In just the past few days, we have one hour here, two minutes here, an afternoon, and he replied here and was back for more later.
Dan: Yeah, that last one was tricky. When I first saw that thread, I knew that Andrew would jump on the question, but in two minutes? And then back with quotes by dinner time?
-Well, that's exactly why we're here, and why Andrew is pushing 20,000.
Dan: Absolutely.
-But, I wanted to take a closer look at this one. He obviously has posting down to a fine art. I mean, take a look at the "Best Systematic Theology" thread.
Dan: I was just about to bring that up.
-Look at this. Twenty-three minutes after the thread starts, Andrew posted his first reply. What's different about this one in particular is that he wasn't necessarily replying to Daniel Ritchie's question in regards to systematic theology.
Dan: No, he wasn't.
-Twenty-one minutes after Daniel Ritchie started the thread, Carlos Eduardo de Oliveira replied with "I agree with Poimen. Brakel is theologically precise and warmth. I think Turretin comes second, Calvin in third, John Brown of Haddington in fourth and Berkhof in fifth." Two minutes later, Andrew quoted that post and - what?
Dan: Oh, nothing.
-Well, it was just what he said. He only used two words.
Dan: Oh, I know.
-"I agree."
Dan: Wow.
-That's what I'm saying - he has it down to a fine art.
Dan: Twenty-three minutes, five writers, he's responding to someone else's post, and all he says is "I agree".
-That's almost poetry.
Dan: Almost.
-And after that, he stayed relatively silent on the thread. Unt-
Dan: Well, until he posted the next one-
-Right, right. He did what he usually does, and what he's good at. He reviewed, and really sustained what he previously posted, and then added to it with recommended reading, comments on the value of some of the authors' work, and links to similar threads on the board.
Dan: I just saw here that he has a new thread. "PRC Book of Church Order".
-Hmmm.
Dan: Links for newly published PRC books from The Matthew Poole Project.
-Ah, yes.
Dan: He's the editor of the newly translated books of Matthew Poole.
-Right. Some of those are making their way for the first time out from Latin into English.
Dan: And he's right there through all of it.
-Yep.
Dan: He gets a lot of posts out of it as well.
-Oh, absolutely. It's hard to talk about his ascension in the quantity of posts in recent months without bringing up Matthew Poole Project-related threads.
Dan: I was thinking about it. I wonder if he would still make 20,000 this weekend if he didn't post anything except for threads about history & theology, and on the Prayer Forum.
-Hmm.
Dan: If he didn't do anything but those.
-I don't know.
Dan: If he only posted on those, he could make it, but how far do you think he would be from hitting the mark this weekend?
-I don't know really how much longer it would take him. I mean, he's on so many of the prayer request threads.
Dan: I know. That's what makes predicting something like that so difficult.
-I suppose that if he- well, I have here that he has three, four....seven....that's ten...fifteen-
Dan: Nineteen.
-Twenty-one. He's had twenty-one posts in the last three days just on those topics.
Dan: So, he really would make it if he stopped posting on Entertainment & Humor, Music, all of that.
-Right. He would.
Dan: Wow.
-He keeps himself really didicated in the areas that matter.
Dan: Yeah, but he also covers his bases at the same time. He doesn't-
-It would be hard t-
Dan: Well, the - yeah.
-It would be hard to make the case that he just stays in one area and only posts on that topic, whatever it may be.
Dan: I agree.
-He's everywhere. But as we just observed, he could cease to post for a few days and only stick to those two areas, and still make 20,000 by this weekend.
Dan: By tomorrow, really. He's at 19,981 right now, at 12:15 on Thursday.
-Wow, and it's still early. He still has time today.
Dan: Yes, it's going to be very interesting to see how this all ends, and who predicted the correct day he reaches the 20,000 post milestone.
