Comment about this site/forum....

I ain't mad at no one! It's all good.
Glad to have you here AspenValley
Hope you will come to the picnic in August.
There is a cover charge. You have to bring your bestest dish.

<groan>




How could I pass up an opportunity like that?

Good morning AV. It seems the dinner invite has taken on another form of its own. If you check out the thread with Viking's post in the middle of page 3 he was interested in getting together for the sake of meeting one another. Several others whom we do not know personally either have joined, so I think it safe to say that on behalf of all of us who aim to meet in order to get to know one another personally, we invite you to join us as well. We still need to work out the time and place as this is a impromptu gathering. I would be delighted to have you join us. Spouses or significant others are of course going to be coming as well if they can.

Good comments and some good ideas. Here is another. I have noticed a feeling of cliques too on all sites, not just here. There are regulars, occasional posters and lurkers. Maybe everyone should try and post an acknowledgment/reply in a thread once in awhile when you see a new poster jump in. If that never happens, I think that is what sometimes causes a clique impression, sometimes new posters feel ignored and simply go away. It is not intentional, just a natural outcome when so many posters are talking at once. I try to do that once in awhile, but it gets harder to do as the site grows.

RivendaleFarms wrote:
I realize it's only a couple of posts down from what LopingAlong wrote here, but it so perfectly expressed my thoughts as well I figured it was worth repeating. Also, most folks I've run into here have all expressed the "please let me know if I'm being a jerk or not letting something go" sentiment and - I find this most interesting of all - when that has actually has happened here all but a couple have expressed appreciation and let it go. There are going to be growing pains with anything new but it's all developing and in a good direction. I also find it interesting that some of the folks I had completely tuned out over at Pinecam - usually because of political disagreement - are the exact same folks over here who I've had good conversation with and have learned quite a bit. (Granted, I may still think they're still way too far right and therefore totally wrong, but I'm still learning a lot! ) People tend to respond in kind if you respectfully ask questions rather than charging in with an opening attack. There will likely always be people looking to start (or continue) a ruckus, but it's pretty simple to avoid threads or areas if you want to - I did it for years at Pinecam and continue to do so. (Nope, I don't even lurk in the study anymore - decided I'm too thin-skinned and ok with that.)

Finally, I also apologize for any perceived cliqueishness (no clue on spelling that one) if I was the cause. I have personal history with some folks here that extends to way back before the advent of Pinecam and may occasionally speak in "code" without realizing how it could come off to others. I don't think it's anyone's intent here to make anyone feel unwelcome or like an "outsider." I've found the goal here to be the exact opposite.

And by the way, in case you haven't read through all of the threads in The Ring, you should know that The Viking is officially a poopy-head. But he's growing on me.

Just saw this and ditto. But just to clarify. When you say I am growing on you. You are not comparing me to a hemroid are you?

Excellent point, Joe!

Joe wrote: Good comments and some good ideas. Here is another. I have noticed a feeling of cliques too on all sites, not just here. There are regulars, occasional posters and lurkers. Maybe everyone should try and post an acknowledgment/reply in a thread once in awhile when you see a new poster jump in. If that never happens, I think that is what sometimes causes a clique impression, sometimes new posters feel ignored and simply go away. It is not intentional, just a natural outcome when so many posters are talking at once. I try to do that once in awhile, but it gets harder to do as the site grows.

And just so people know, I never want to be percieved as cliquish (sp?) I will hang out with and chat with anyone about anything. And I think most on here are like that. So if any new people want to talk about something that is important to you, just jump on in and share it and I am sure you will find many on here who will talk with you about it.

What some people may perceive as "cliquish" may be just friendship between posters. Friends are more likely to post together or toward each other. A clique is a group that doesn't allow other people in -- very different from a group of friends.

I think the "clique" card has been overplayed, perhaps on purpose.

Good post, Joe. I'll try harder with new posters as well. Thanks!