Retirement Board Posting Tenure

[dex]

I'm a 3 year-er also - when is graduation?

I'm a little behind on the posting count though.

[lets-retire]

Registered Dec 2004

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donheff I'm curious about the membership curve here. For you long timers who have been here for 3 or more years, how many people were registered then? As with newsgroups, it seems that you need a critical mass to get enough posts to make a board interesting enough for people to come back to. After reaching that level they can be self sustaining. The early days can be pretty iffy.

Dory may be able to extract some avg. daily post stats from the board software, but I did some futzing around with the member list. Sorting on the "Date Registered" column I came up with these numbers showing approx. how many new members came on board each year beginning with the 6/23/02 start date:

Year 1 - 280
Year 2 - 450
Year 3 - 700
Year 4 - 1080

Yes, things were a little slow the first year or so, but not as slow as you might think. Because many of the members knew each other from TMF, there were a core of members who picked up where they left off and continued their FIRE conversations on the new forum.

[My Dream]

I joined earlier this year when I was having a difficult time making the decision to retire. It wasn't planned, and I felt I had no other choice. Thanks to this forum, they set me at ease, although I took a real beating from some and left with my tail *********** well you get the point. I eventually came back, and will do my best to learn as much as I can about investing.

[deserat]

Over 2.5 years here - I think I cam through the Retire Early homepage - actually still do - also read TMF, although didn't post - am familiar with Mosaic, usenet, BBS, gopher, archie, ftp, yada yada yada - amazing how things have changed over the years.

Still working, although, the plan is still intact for RE and may end up being earlier than originally planned, mainly due to better control of consumption (i.e. lifestyle choices)

It's great reading about all the different experiences here - helps to know one has so many choices. I'm glad Dory started this - I've gotten more information here before it hits the newspapers (now all the papers and financial rags tout the 4% rule) or magazines. I'm also amazed at the generosity of some of the members regarding the phenomenal tools they've offered for free (FIREcalc for one - amazing tool - as well as the pared down one available on Retire Early) - frankly, there aren't many excuses for not retiring early or at least knowing what it would take to retire early or even just retire (for those folks who think they'll need to work until they die). Knowledge is power.

[mickeyd]

My profile says that I entered this den of iniquity on 4/8/2004 @3:31:29 PM. I can only assume that that date/time is correct.

The profile also says that I post an average of 1.038 posts/day (no doubt that that # will change as soon as I hit the Post button.) I had no idea that this critical data was available...I need to get a life I suppose.

[CCdaCE]

Less than a year. Reg'd April of '06.

Read M* VG Diehards prior to that for a couple years. Finally got sick of 248 thread posts of "Active vs. Passive" debates with little substance, sick of "Mr. hokey -y +s, and 'SWR is a lie'", etc.

Much prefer this format of forum, editing ease, moderators, etc.

I forget who mentioned this board on M*. Was it Nords?

I need to get around to donating here.

-CC

[Sheryl]

I signed up in April of 2004. Wow. I didn't read regularly at first, though. I think I became addicted around Jan. of 2005. I found the board because there was an article in Newsweek (?) or somewhere prominent about FireCALC. From there I followed the link to the board.

At the time I first came here, I was stunned to find out there were actually real, sane (?) people trying to do what we were trying to do. We thought we were just lazy or freaks. Now we know we are both.

[mickeyd]

How dare you call me lazy Sheryl. If I wasn't so comfortable sitting here in my comfy chair, I would get up in a huff and rant.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgeeeee some people change their identities fairly frequently

Now who the hell would do something like that?

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Guapo Now who the hell would do something like that?

Grumpy bunnies who haven't posted enough updates on Vida Guerra or Sofia Vergara?

[Sheryl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickeyd How dare you call me lazy Sheryl. If I wasn't so comfortable sitting here in my comfy chair, I would get up in a huff and rant.

Sorry Mickey - That wasn't aimed at you. I meant "we" my SO and I.

[bow-tie]

Like Sheryl.... I found the site after I read about it in Newsweek. Registered in March '04... and very glad I found this place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Guapo Now who the hell would do something like that?

El Guapo... what an awesome name - - "Would you say I have a plethora of pinatas"

...funny little bunny.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Yeah you got me. I just watched the movie with Gabe. He seemed a little intimidated by El Guapo but he liked Martin Short a lot. Made him giggle.

Anyhow, three plus years. When I found the place I was actually surprised that there were enough people interested in ER to form a little band and talk about it online. Why I was surprised is a mystery. It all seems so obvious now.

And i'm lazy and happy to admit it! Now for the other 11 steps...

[Mudd]

1.5 years. Registered on 9/23/05. On Springsteen's b-day no less.

Found you guys from the simple living network. I have learned a ton-Thanks

Mudd

[Telly]

Feb 2003.

I think it was Scott Burns --> FireCalc --> Dory board.

Newcomers shouldn't have chased Ted away. That was the beginning of the lessening in interest for me. Not that newcomers in general are bad, quite the contrary. I have learned a lot here. And rejected a lot, too.

Would be nice if we could kill the knee-jerk group-speak sometimes. It has built up here as time has gone by. Just as an example, what newcomer is going to post (and return) about his/her managed funds? Anyone who isn't an indexer is an idiot, right? Oh oh, shouldn't have said that

[unclemick]

Now now - how soon we forget.

Pssst - Wellesley.

heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh eh

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telly Would be nice if we could kill the knee-jerk group-speak sometimes. It has built up here as time has gone by. Just as an example, what newcomer is going to post (and return) about his/her managed funds? Anyone who isn't an indexer is an idiot, right? Oh oh, shouldn't have said that

Hey Telly...

I've never put a dollar in an index fund and I've posted here for 4.5 years. Maybe I'm considered an idiot by some for using managed funds (DODBX, DODFX, VWIAX), but it obviously hasn't slowed me from posting.

And speaking of Ted, wasn't he the guy who couldn't seem to get past the thought that anyone who retired early was a drag on humankind? Any wonder the forum took him to task?

[samclem]

Two years, six months. Dang, the time has gone quickly. I was just at the point of deciding whether to retire (from full-time work) or not, and the folks here were a real help. And I learn something new here every day.

[wabmester]

Yikes, Dec 2003. Found via a link on intercst's site.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Telly Newcomers shouldn't have chased Ted away. That was the beginning of the lessening in interest for me. Not that newcomers in general are bad, quite the contrary. I have learned a lot here. And rejected a lot, too. Would be nice if we could kill the knee-jerk group-speak sometimes. It has built up here as time has gone by. Just as an example, what newcomer is going to post (and return) about his/her managed funds? Anyone who isn't an indexer is an idiot, right? Oh oh, shouldn't have said that

Yeah, I miss Ted. He was as dogmatic as anybody here, but his dogma was pretty solid. And anybody who worked in the sewer can't be all bad.

I don't think anybody chased him away, though. He had mentioned that he was repeating himself too often, and he was planning to work as fee-only FA. My memory is bad enough that I can't remember when I'm repeating myself, so that keeps me around here singing the same old song over and over....