Raghav here ... feel free to VM me [yeah, VMing is when you click my name and type in a message to appear on my profile] if you have any doubts about getting around the forums.
As for talking with us on IRC, visit the mibbit website, and sign up first. Then, log in, and on the ''welcome to mibbit'' home page you see, select ''SynIRC'' from the dropdown list. After that, chose a nickname, type in ''#grammar,#thesmog'', and click Connect.