Posted by noa on May 1, 2004, at 7:23:32
In reply to Re: No guilt :- ) » NikkiT2, posted by spoc on April 28, 2004, at 11:11:12
I want to be friendly to newcomers, but I know I'm not consistent. It is absolutely not personal. It's just that there are SO many posts on these boards. I can't read them all, and often I don't visit here for a number of days at a time, and miss a lot.
Also, sometimes I read a thread and just am not ready to respond right away--I have to think.
Sometimes I feel better if it seems to me that a newcomer has gotten a lot of responses from a bunch of people and seems to have made friends, and seems to be getting support and info. Then, since I am not able to read all the posts and spend that much time here, I feel like my adding something isn't necessary.
I do have old friends that of course I'm likely to respond to--I think it's natural. But I've met newer people too. I'm not closed to the idea of meeting new people here. It's just that this has gotten to be such a big group of people--kind of like if you're walking down a street in your neighborhood and you pass someone and smile or say hi. If the frequency is relatively low, this makes sense. But if you live on a heavily poputlated large city avenue and walking down the street means passing hundreds of people, it isn't practical to greet everyone. Sometimes I have the time to stop and talk but sometimes not.
I know it seems to newer posters that the oldies are like "insiders" or something. But I've been on the outside too. It took me a while to integrate into the group, too. And even as an oldtimer, there are times when I get zero responses to a post. But I've learned not to take it personally.
Sorry, didn't mean to make anyone feel invisible.
poster:noa
thread:340034
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040430/msgs/342106.html