No one can dispute that forum participation has really dropped off the past months, and it's not because "we are busy doing other things", most all of us are active on other forums, but nothing has been happening much here.

Should we reconsider going to an open forum again, or continue to let things dwindle out as they are? I know Jim is not able to "check in" very often, but perhaps we should give him some input here on the matter.

I think becoming an open forum is an option that should be considered. What are your opinions on this matter?

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

Answers

I have little time right now to answer this completely. I will be back.

However, I want to tell you all that it may not be POSSIBLE to get THIS forum back to "public" again. Jim had a lot of trouble getting even this password to work. Changing it or eliminating it could just terminally mess the site up.

I've had a number of new requests for the password, most of whom I know very little about. You might consider whether you want to allow in all and sundry who ask, as an alternative to going public again.

Lots of people already have passwords. Darn few are participating. Where is everyone?

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

Forum participation has most definitely dropped, and I agree, Annie, it's not that we're all too busy. We ALL can't be that busy ALL the time :-)!! Speaking for myself, I'll be around more often during late fall and winter (yeah, sometimes we get a real old-fashioned Maine winter...and I'll be "bored out of my gourd").

But, is it my imagination or did participation drop dramatically after that "certain thread"?? Probably I don't have to mention the one I'm thinking of!

Anyways, I'm all for giving out the password to more folks. Still like to see this place remain kinda small. But I'm sure it will be hard to strike a happy medium. For me, this is THE place to be. I do post infrequently at CS, though.

Sure hope this place gets "jumpin'" again!!!!

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

I really *have* been that busy. I started massage therapy school this week, plus I'm doing an 8-week workshop on energy healing, plus sewing garb for the ren fair this weekend, plus sewing cloaks to sell at Pagan Pride Day at the end of the month, plus writing the workshop I'm presenting at Pagan Pride Day, plus sewing Halloween costumes, plus working a full-time job with a 1-hour commute each way....I was just telling Keith tonight that I think I'm going to have to give up sleeping until at least December. :)

As for re-opening the forum, my vote is NO. Let's try to quit driving away the current members rather than letting everyone else in.

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

What Sherri said!

I'm kinda hoping we can all learn something from that fiasco about gettin along as a group. I sure do not think that would be possible if we bring new people in at this point. Nerves are still tender as it is; there is wound healing needed, and that takes time. Some people need to take tentative baby steps, cuz the whole thing made them gun-shy. I know it did me.

I dunno, maybe this is crazy, but perhaps we could all take some kinda pledge.........maybe the 'rules' doesnt cover enough? I never thought it would be needed, but seems to me there needs to be some kinda agreement that members of this forum never expect anything but good of each other, and never put each other down. I know some disagree, but I have been here for support and sharing, and if I fail to feel supported, I guess I wouldnt have any real reason to visit. By the same token, I sincerely hope I am always supportive of my fellow members, and that I can be nurturing even when we disagree.

Sorry bout all the touchy-feely crap.........guess I'm hopeless!

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

I haven't been participating much because I too have been busy and the puters still acting up. I personally wouldn't mind seeing more new folks here but like before some kinda selection process seems appropriate. If we open the forum wide open we run the risk of being targets to the riff raff, something I'd just as soon avoid. Maybe each of us could review CS threads for likely candidates and present their names for nomination. Once nominated and approved, send out the invite and see what happens. Just a thot.

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

I generally try to avoid topics of this nature but have decided to offer my input on this. Not everyone is going to agree all the time, its just human nature (that is what keeps societies going or splintering at times). There are now three "new" forums that originated at CS and splintered off due to view differences. The different forums are akin to different rooms in the same house. To go public again all it takes is to post at one of the public sites and if problems arise, return to this room with its security. True each site has a different moderator and different rules, but every city has its own municipal codes also. Society in the real world or cyberworld has rules and conventions to abide by. I always try to abide by the rules at the various sites and benifit from the discussions, avoid controversies and post threads at the forum that is most appropriate and can be of benifit to the most participants. Even with all the different forums, I noticed the majority of us still subscribe to the CS hardcopy. Just my thoughts and opinion, I will now cocentrate on agronomics once more (I have a bunch of worm mouths to feed tonite :>)

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

Ah-hah, so many of us still check in here, I thought you all had "abandoned" BTS! Sherri, dear girl, bless your heart, you DO qualify for "being too busy" for sure, I wish there was a way I could help you out!

John, your idea about sending out invites to prospective "pledges" seems like an excellent idea, what about that idea everyone? Still a closed forum, but new members to keep us from stagnating too much!

EM, bless your sensitive and caring soul, maybe you are right about some sensitive folks still being "gunshy" about contributing here, I can't imagine anybody getting in such a "huff" as to leave the sandbox over such minor behavior idiosycrasies. We might all have different opinions and ideas, but, we are still members of the same "family", and even families have some serious fights and disagreements at times.

Marcia, I agree with you, some folks have left the sandbox after that thread, try as we might, we can't cater to everyones delight all at the same time. I think some folks do not welcome diversity as much as others do, and see it as an attack on their way of doing things, however politely it is given and presented to them.

Myself, I greatly enjoy a good debate over anything and everything, and diversity is what keeps us from becoming complacent and bored with life, and what keeps our minds sharp and well-oiled, especially important since MOST of us are, gasp, "Middle-Aged" and have need for such daily mental exercise!!!

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

Okay, I want to direct you all to some of our older threads:

Acquiring New Members
List of Current BTS members from late July. BTW, that's quite a long list of people -- SHOULD be enough to keep a forum going if they participate [hint, hint!].

It seems to me that the general drift was to accept new folks by recommendation of one of the current members IF no one objects to that person.

I asked about Laurie in NC and John [Mengel] in SE Indiana awhile back. I got no enthusiastic endorsements for either. On John, I got 3 who were willing to let him in, but no other feedback. If someone objects, I need to know about it! Laurie mentions that Jim Morris had invited her and her hubby Jim to the forum at the beginning. I don't remember that, but I am inclined to let them in on the strength of that.

Again, I need to know if anyone objects. You can email me privately at the CatFlunky address (I won't be able to check my "real" email while I'm away, but I can get to that one using Julie's computer).

There have been other requests for the password lately. I think I'll start a different thread for them. Please read it and give me SOME kind of feedback, any kind!. I will mention that I heard from Woodsbilly -- he was on the list to get the password but somehow did not, so he now has it and I hope will make his presence known SOON. (Where are you, you bad boy?! LOL!)

Another thought -- if everyone who visits here would post something to the over the fence chat [if nowhere else] at least once a week, we'd have a better idea of who's actually here, and get to know some of the shyer types better. If you only read every two weeks or so, well, post something then. I don't care what -- how many eggs your chickens laid, what the weather is, a good book or article you read, whatever. Yeah, small talk. You don't have post much, just so we know you're here!

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

After getting back here this afternoon and rereading my first response to this post, PLEASE let me say that I did not mean that I'd only be here this winter because I was bored. Sure hope I didn't insult anyone:-)!!? I'm here because you folks are fun!!

And actually I have no excuse for not being here more often. I'm a stay-at-home Gramma (so, Annie, I definitely need the mental exercise!!) and other than animal husbandry, gardening and pooper scooping after my housecats...well that's my life!! And I can't use the excuse that my computer is down...this thing never goes down (sometimes I wish it would so I'd stay away from it!!). But, I'm babbling.

Anyways, I definitely do not think we should just reopen this forum to anyone. Like John said, there should be some kind of a selection process. But we obviously need new input from more members. Most of you guys have posted at CS long before I even went online, so I trust your opinions on new members.

And with that...I'll go back and sit down!

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

As to John Mengel, FWIW to you, this is a quote from a post on CS about the NRA:

"Interesting thing #2. To see the original Million Moms March in 1943 go to www.guntruths.com and look for the heading of the million moms march. Very good thought provoker."

I personally found it tasteless and disgusting, and a cheap shot at good people, but that's just me.

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

Hmm. I think we should wait a bit and hear from everyone (or close to it.) I have personally been participating a big more at CS b/c yes, it is slower here, but I miss the homesteading advice (wood stoves, sheep, etc.) I have posted to some other threads, too.

As I recall, it does slow down on forums this time of year. Myself, I'm trying to enjoy the last really good days (hopefully weeks!) of good weather, and I DO have a lot of work to get done: hay, mow pastures, muck barns, fix fences, put up vegetables, tend fall vegetables, finish scouring wool, finish bunkhouse, PLUS I am working part-time doing transcription again at home. I really AM busy, but I love being online with you all. I miss you guys when I'm not as active.

I will think about the opening up the forum stuff. My inclination at this point is "nah." I'll let you know...

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

My vote would be to leave the forum private. I had noticed that things have slowed down and attributed it to the recent upset. What's my excuse? I've been checking in, but just haven't had much to say. Sorry.

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

My impression of the last "blow-up" is that the problems weren't as much with what was posted on the list as they were with what people were sending via private emails. Maybe we should make a rule that if it's not nice enough to say on the list, don't say it at all.

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

I plan to start posting more. been a little sick and my meds cause me some dizzyness. Puter screen makes me worse but I'm Gettin better. Please don't open BTS...Love Ya'll...Kirk

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

Interesting thought, Sherri.....if that's true about private emails, some things might make more sense to me than they did before......

Its great to hear from you, Kirk! Have missed your sweet voice terribly.....so sorry to hear you aren't feeling well!

Sending you lots of positive energy,

EM

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2001

Hey Kirk....how's it going???

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2001

I just responded to "aliens" and don't think I would have if this was open. Can you imagine a question like that on Countryside? I still go there because of the animals questions but came here because this was where the people I like came. And other then live chats on Countryside friends, I don't go anywhere else.

Was a chat ever started here, by the way? I remember there was talk about it.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 2001

I vote to keep the forum closed and bring in new members on the recommendation of current members.

Yeah, the forum is slowing down; but if you check FSR or AVC, they are slow too; as are some of my other favorites off Lusenet. 'Course, most of the places I go are gardening or country living sites; and most everyone is busy with garden chores, canning and buckling down for the winter.

I've been busy, too; and c'mon - how many times do you really want to listen to me whine about having to work overtime?! Seems like that has been my weekly theme! Since I blew up at Diane, I've been trying to win back my Miss Congeniality sash by not getting agitated and responding in kind - then again, there hasn't been anything that's gotten me agitated on the forum lately. I'll try to do better at posting in the future.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2001

I think you have been the model of "niceness" Polly, even your discussion about cheap eats with Ken was polite! Congrats on the new you!!! :-)

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2001

I love your posts, Polly, dont change a thing!

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2001