Mmmm, I love the smell of bureau in the morning. FWIW, I generally like the quarterly episodes of "how I feel about this board" as long as they don't devolve into namecalling. It's so much beautiful content.

(I honestly don't know why I'm so zen today. Must have been the weekend off.)

ANYWAY, here's how *I* feel!

Still, a couple of times after delurking, I found myself thinking people would just as soon I left by the nearest exit. Not guacamole, exactly, but a definite chill when I tried to join in the conversation. Polite, but who the fuck are you?

This is exactly right (except for people wishing you would leave), and I notice the chill with new people, too. It's hurtful, but sort of unavoidable. It's a byproduct of a culture with a lot of people who know each other, instead of a board where if you have the same interest, you're an instant citizen. I don't think it's really much different from joining any sort of clique. The open nature of this board can be deceiving. But there are people who probably feel that it's our responsibility to be as welcoming as possible.

Another thing is that it's annoying when people delurk and then respond to every post in every thread (see above) but everyone stops doing that sooner or later. I probably did it too.

But there are people who probably feel that it's our responsibility to be as welcoming as possible.

discreetly drips guacamole on Shawn's Jimmy Choo's

but everyone stops doing that sooner or later

later for some

points at self

When I do post, sometimes I feel like I am talking to thin air, but oh well. I keep trying.

word. I *think* everyone feels like that sometimes. I know I do.

FWIW, I generally like the quarterly episodes of "how I feel about this board"

As do I.

I'm going to go with the suggestion that we are never going to find the "one" solution to this issue, and not post my observations of the "welcome wagon".

Fair enough. I'm still curious to know what you mean, if you ever feel up to going into it. But it's not something that needs to be delved into nownownow.

I generally like the quarterly episodes of "how I feel about this board" as long as they don't devolve into namecalling. It's so much beautiful content.

Me too. Much better than 400 posts about pizza.

(And I agree with Tina that pretty much everyone gets the talking-into-thin-air feeling sometimes.)

When I do post, sometimes I feel like I am talking to thin air, but oh well.

This actually happens to everybody. I agree it happens to newbies with a little more frequency, but I think many of us have had a few days where they just somehow keep making the last post before a thread dies, or that their comments go unnoticed by everyone.

It's just about impossible not to be paranoid about that, but I think 99.999999999...% of the time, that's just quirky random timing.

And I agree with Tina that pretty much everyone gets the talking-into-thin-air feeling sometimes.

Yup. It's hard to get a running start on a fast-moving conversation and jump right in.

But the advice is the same as always, respond to specific points and posters by name and usually you start integrating.

(And I agree with Tina that pretty much everyone gets the talking-into-thin-air feeling sometimes.)

Yep. I know I have days where I'm convinced that everyone is backing away and avoiding eye contact with me when I post. I get over it.

Still, a couple of times after delurking, I found myself thinking people would just as soon I left by the nearest exit. Not guacamole, exactly, but a definite chill when I tried to join in the conversation. Polite, but who the fuck are you?

This is exactly right (except for people wishing you would leave), and I notice the chill with new people, too. It's hurtful, but sort of unavoidable. It's a byproduct of a culture with a lot of people who know each other, instead of a board where if you have the same interest, you're an instant citizen. I don't think it's really much different from joining any sort of clique. The open nature of this board can be deceiving. But there are people who probably feel that it's our responsibility to be as welcoming as possible.

Shawn and ?? posted this upthread and it pretty much covers my feelings on the topic, LJ.

Dang, I think this is the most I have posted in a long time. I better get my butt back into lurkville.

FWIW, I generally like the quarterly episodes of "how I feel about this board"

Well, and I think "who we are" and "who are we" are looming large in people's minds with the last few Angel's coming down the pike and Wonderfulls getting lousy ratings, consciously or not. I know it's been on my mind, but I haven't had any major breakthrough on how I feel about the future of the buffistas.

It's just about impossible not to be paranoid about that, but I think 99.999999999...% of the time, that's just quirky random timing.

It's not paranoid if they really are out to get you...

t looks around suspiciously