Need Your Opinion

[Excel]

And if any of you have trouble accessing this forum to post, I would hope that you would contact the forum or any member of the forum to get help. One thing we women are - is helpful
Just wanted to add to the above...helpful...caring...supportive...involved...etc., etc. Just a quick example...Had a really bad time not too far back with really serious personal problems...I posted something back then & I guess Sharon (from So.CA) read in between the lines & sent me a PM with her phone number & told me to call her.
Talked for over an hour just spilling over with the hell I was going through .... and she listened & listened...that I'm all alone feeling just drained away as she 'held my hand' & let me cry it out.....She walked with me & gave me strength to go forward....without this forum that incident wouldn't have happened & I would have been worst off....REALLY worst off...
So, as far as this forum is concerned, it's a blessing....no one gets deleted, & everyone shares so much that it's like a family...My own feeling is that this forum doesn't have to compete with any other....so if you don't like us...or don't like our rules..don't join....you'll be the one missing out the most !

Safe & happy travels to you all.....

[Echo]

Good for you Excel! And I'm so glad to hear that Sharon was sharper than the rest of us and PM'd you to extend that hand and shoulder. I've had a couple Sistahs PM me when they thought something was hinky. There's just no words to describe how something like that is like sunshine to the heart.

Cookiemom, Debie? If you think your to goofy? Well girl just sit yourself on down and plan on staying. We've all be totally goofy at one time or another. Some more than others and some worse than others! LOL Just ask Beth. She likes to take baths in goldfish ponds. LOL And Soos keep trying to shout RABBITS first thing in the morning. Oh there's all kinds of goofiness that goes on here.

[soisew]

If this site does not prohibit lurkers then we should not get too upset about them being here. The only way to change that is make the site a private by invitation only site. The membership bylaws are fine and I do agree that member should post at least once in 6 months. I agree that some lurkers may want to visit for a while since some RVers websites are really "something else". You are very lucky. The members here don't slam people for just speaking up. One site I visit to learn about RV systems, etc. is really bad and many people get slammed for just asking a simple question. I seldom post there so my head stays firmly attached to my shoulders! It seems manners don't apply even when the rules tell people not to "flame" others.

If we reveal too much about ourselves, our families, our locations or absense from home...someone might find a way to take advantage of someone. All we can do is share our time, have some fun, be nice people and be careful. I do love a full intro to someone new but...if someone does not want to share alot of details -- that is ok with me. I think ,most people here, as far as I know, just want to connect with other people or learn about RVs or both. Let's keep doing it. Yet lets not hang folks out to dry that don't have time to post more than once in a while.


I lurked for a short time just to see what this site was about and if I had time to add yet one more site to my surfing! Many days I don't have time to chat at any message board I like to regularly visit. I read and post here and there but can't do it all at all my sites. We try to drop in on about 4 RVers websites and I chat at 2 or 3 crafters websites so..regular reading/posting is sometimes not possible during my Internet time alotment. therefore there are many sites I am a member at I have not posted at regularly. I'm sure there are many people out there who are in the same boat. Life just gets so busy we can't always do all we want to. My hubby reads at several RVers message boards but has never responded to any of them. He has no interest in typing out messages. (he does the old 2 finger method). I bet there are lots of people who fall into that catagory too. Some people prefer to just read, learn and not participate. If that's all they want to do I do agree they should not become members.

You could have an MIA thread however if folks go out on the road for an extended amount of time and don't have the Internet....how would one even post to that!? I'm liable to be off here a lot this coming year with family matters, building, travel, etc. I can try but I cannot guarantee I will be able to send out a warming that I don't have time or Internet connections to even say that I cannot do it! Do you see my point? The site cannot be too controlling. You know even if we do all the appropriate intros, PMs, etc. how is the site manager to know if what they learned is really true. In today's world a scammer could very well create a cover story. Unless we've actually met eachother -- all we see is words and a photo on the page. I do see everyone' heart so I feel fairly confindent that the ladies here are honest and real people, not scammers.

So I hope everyone proceeds with caution and realizes we all have hectic lives. Hey, you know I once joined a site, forgot about it then finally found it again almost a year later...! It happens, especially if your computer crashes!

I'll be here when I can....if I"m not just trust that we are ok and just busy!
Shell

We'll just welcome who can get in and pray everyone is well.

[Lotus]

Beth,
It's obvious that everyone is very appreciative for you looking out for all of us on this wonderful forum. I am now coming forward because I don't post that often, yet read the forum daily, if possible. I also often forget to log off so it may look as though I am lurking 24 hours a day at times!! Honestly, I'm not on the forum for that long.

My BFF already has an RV and will full-time on her retirement. Because of her, I've had an interest in rv'ing, and at one time was a wannabe; however, not now! Guess I'm one of those shy ones and often think I don't have anything to contribute. I'm retired now and have plenty of time to post! I do like to travel and do travel from time to time....just not RV travel, and I so love reading about all of the travel thru this formum. I'm in process of trying to declutter, sort, trash, etc....and it can be a challenging thing. It is necessary because we are wanting to move to a warmer climate and have so much to get rid of! Ooops, I'm starting to ramble and get away from the topic. It's like I'm trying to introduce myself, yet I did that a long time ago!!

I just want to close by saying I love the forum and feel like I know so many of you. Beth, your post requesting our opinion is getting opinions from some of the gals, but it's also helping to get some of us out in the open! Who knows but I may even end up being a regular and even posting my pix!!

Lotus (Becky)

[snowball]

Beth
so many different opinions and I will trust that you will do what is best. I also don't post every time I come on (and it will look like I'm on always cause I never close. Its easier.) sometimes I have something to say and sometimes I don't. I feel that you need to make sure if possible the why for a few days I couldn't get on. I was determined and finially able to find your e-mail and make you aware of my problem
thanks for the site
sheila

[Sparkle]

Lurkers are always welcome. That's where our new members come from. But this forum isn't about numbers. One other Forum proudly lists thousands of members, but they only have about 20 to 30 active members.
We have no fear of our posts being deleted because the Adminstrator takes it personally. Active members don't suddenly disappear on the whim of the managment. We have true freedom of speech here. I for one was banned from another Forum because in a Private Message to the Adminestrator I questioned why another member was banned.

[Paulette]

Okay, my 2 cents.

I think the requirement to post an intro is a good one, as it gives us all a chance to meet the members. Doesn't mean you have to post a reply to every topic. I know I don't post a whole lot. Mostly because by the time I go to post my opinion, someone else has already said the same thing!

I think checking on folks that have joined and not posted is okay too, but I don't think there should be a 'requirement' to post. Maybe some ladies are just looking for inspiration. Maybe some are just trying to reaffirm that they aren't nuts for dreaming the dream. Who knows. And yes, after a while if they aren't posting and aren't logging in, then they should probably be contacted to inform them that they will have to 'rejoin' when they are ready to. Because this is a public forum, they can read without being a member. And if that is all they are doing anyway, then what's the big deal?

NOTE. I just peeked at the other forum, and noted that whatever DCricket said over there was "deleted". At least here we can speak freely. We don't all have to agree with one another. We don't all have to praise the powers that be in order to stay a member. I had much the same experience as Sparkle on the other forum.

Thanks Beth, and everyone else, for making this such a welcoming comfortable safe haven. Friendships can blossom and we don't have to feel like "Big Brother" is here. We don't have to guard our thoughts or feelings. We just have to be human, be respectful and caring.

Geez, I guess that was more like a nickel's worth!

[Liz]

Well said, Paulette. Amen

[BirdbyBird]

This from my experience only......I think posting on forums to individuals that some of us have never met is an acquired skill. We aren't born with it. (The younger generations on the other hand, may think nothing of it.) If I had not met MsBHaven at a rally I would not have been as comfortable joining and posting. She said that this was a great group of individuals, and I took her at her word. I lurked and I listened and I began taking baby steps. There are other forums filled with more detail and technical "stuff", but life is not all about the technical. I also noticed that, even though I am not currently traveling very often and my adventures are rather mundane at the moment, the coffee pot and the campfire are open for everyone to just stop by. I know from my own life that adventures can be large, grand and exciting (complete with pictures), but that everyday life is also full of the small adventures and accomplishments of putting one foot in front of each other, of keeping our heart and souls together so that adventures are even possible.....

Guess I just want to encourage lurkers to come have some morning coffee and trust than sooner or later you may also be in Ohio or NH, or Florida or Tx and will be able to sit down and have another cup and meet someone one on one. Sometimes life just asks for a leap of faith and a sense of the possible.

Tina and her furry ones who often remind her that they haven't sent their pictures in to introduce themselves.....

[Orchid]

I have a confession to make. I am a lurker. I lurked on the other forum for so long that I feel I know all of you who were members on it very well. Now that I write this it seems a bit creepy. I was one too shy to post and didn't feel like I had much to contribute. I often answered a posting aloud, dumb huh? Now that I have jumped in a bit I feel a lot less creepy.
I'm very naive about the security issue surrounding all aspects of the internet. So I leave that up to the pros like Beth. I think lurking should be allowed and those who join should introduce themselves. A friendly six month reminder about posting once in awhile would be okay too.

[Sparkle]

Don't be shy, Orchid. Your opinions and comments are as important as anybody else's.

I just posted this, and then saw my photo.

[Cedar518]

Orchid,... I'm glad you posted! Just think of it like sitting around a campfire,... except we don't publish our full names, home address, phone number etc. That is saved for PMs or emails should the need arise. These messages can be read by those not members of our forum. That is why we keep our personal stuff private. This is a great circle of friends,... we're glad you are here, don't be shy!

[Gentleladybear]

I have been sitting here reading all the opinions here on this issue. The first reaction I have is that there are three pages here of opinions, no anger, just thoughts on the issue. Everyone asking questions, stating what they feel. That is the basis for this forum and I personally think it is great. The anger situation that was posted on the other forum apparently did not contact management directly for help or the problem would not have been there. I had a problem logging on a few times, contacted management kept working with the problem and it was resolved. Can't ask for better than that.

As for member lurkers, the question immediately comes to mind why would you join a group and not introduce yourself? Do they have another motive for joining and not speaking? So I fully agree that if you put the information on the original agreement for joining that they are expected to post an introduction within 3 days after joining that is not out of line. For those that have not posted in 6 months if management contacts them and ask about whether they want to continue to be active or not, if they do not respond to management then it becomes their decision to no longer be a member. That is not management making that decision.

Think part of the security is that we each put information about ourselves on our profile. That information cannot be accessed if you are not a member. But if you join you can pick up email address and other information about each of us. That is what management is trying to put a stop to. Think that is for the safety of each of us. We get enough junk email without someone picking up our email addresses here and sending stuff to us.

So thank you Beth for all your hard work and bringing this to everyone's attention.

[retiredhappy]

Cookiemom: Don't EVER feel you're too oddball t o post here. If you haven't figured it out yet, most of us are kinda oddball and proud of it. You don't need to post long posts - a lot of times I just post short "way to go" posts. Just a little virtual "hug" to let them I know I'm there and agree. Just jump on in.

[Sparkle]

Good post, Nan.