Internet Forum Addiction

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midpack Why? I'm just the opposite. I'm amazed that so many senior members can patiently confront the same questions over and over and over. A very high percentage of the questions have been discussed at length, and the answers don't change much. The opposing POVs play out again and again too, can be (very) tiresome. Fortunately most folks recognize there will always be newbies coming aboard, and trying to help them can be rewarding. I'm surprised there aren't more stickies on common topics, though thankfully some are in FAQs. And I can think of several women who post much less nowadays, won't name them. And I can think of several we've lost, I won't name them either except for Martha because she was such an incredibly good resource, I learned a lot from her. Maybe some men are just more "conspicuous' with their exits...

Re your first question, Why?, I don't doubt people get bored and get less active, but why the stage door exit? There may always be things even an old member wants to ask about, or just people he wants to keep in touch with. Why make it embarrassing to return for a bit or longer?

And women, yes many have left, but usually without much in the way of drama. I guess men are actually the drama queens, not women.

Ha

[Alan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst Oh don't say Rats. Reasonable women know that past a certain age, men and their hair sometimes, shall we say, part ways, and it's still the same man except now he needs to wear a hat when it's cold

That's nice to know.

[lhamo]

I probably qualify as forum addicted. I get a bit antsy if I am not able to check in regularly.

My main forum is the Simple Living Forum, now hosted by New Road Map Foundation. I am a moderator there so I need to check in at least once a day. I've been a member there since 1997 or 1998 -- joined right after I read YMOYL for the first time.

I mostly lurk here and at the MMM forums, though I do post from time to time.

I lurk at the Urban Baby forums -- I started reading them when I was expecting our first child (we were living in NYC at the time) and have maintained a kind of sick fascination with the lifestyle/obsession of the very wealthy NYC moms who dominate that board even though we left NY over 10 years ago. I don't think I ever would have become like them (not enough income), but an interesting glimpse into another lifestyle.

Back in web 1.0 days I participated in the frugal living forums at ivillage.com, the Armchair Millionaire forums (had my first moderator position there -- they even sent me a tshirt! That one died in the 1999 crash), and at motley fool. I quit the latter when they started charging for membership.

I probably should check out bogleheads, but though I like financial stuff I tend to like the bigger picture/philosophical discussions more than nitty gritty talk about investment strategies.

Oh, I also signed up on the forums at Get Rich Slowly, but those never seemed to have much momentum so I don't go there often.

I also have naturally curly hair but I keep it short and in a wash, muss, and go style so I don't really need forum support for that.

lhamo

[Lsbcal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhamo ...(snip)... I lurk at the Urban Baby forums -- I started reading them when I was expecting our first child (we were living in NYC at the time) and have maintained a kind of sick fascination with the lifestyle/obsession of the very wealthy NYC moms who dominate that board even though we left NY over 10 years ago. I don't think I ever would have become like them (not enough income), but an interesting glimpse into another lifestyle.

Wealthy NYC moms, sounds very different. Being on the west coast I wonder about those easterners. Are they all like Mad Men characters?
...

Quote:

I probably should check out bogleheads, but though I like financial stuff I tend to like the bigger picture/philosophical discussions more than nitty gritty talk about investment strategies.

You may get a lot of grit in the wrong places. Plenty of ego on that site though there are interesting discussions and I've learned a lot over time there.

[FIREd]

I visit a number of forums on a regular basis - MMM, ERE, Bogleheads, Morningstar, etc... - but this is the only forum where I am truly active. Even here though, there are times when I don't feel like posting much. I once enjoyed discussing serious topics, but now I prefer the lighter side of ER.org.

[NW-Bound]

I still have lots of hair on my head, but who would mind if baldness means this



or this?

[lhamo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lsbcal Wealthy NYC moms, sounds very different. Being on the west coast I wonder about those easterners. Are they all like Mad Men characters?

Different, indeed - a common thread theme is how impossible it is to live in NYC on a 500k/1 million/64 quadrillion income. Lots of discussions on whether or not to buy a second house in the Hamptons. Also how to bring the food down from $1000-2000/month. And an ENDLESS obsession with how to get your kids into "top tier" pre-schools/private schools, with the ultimate goal of them getting into HYPS (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford). There are also a few "are you kidding" responders who pipe up regularly -- people living on 100k or less, sometimes much less. No usernames so it is all anonymous and no way to track who is who. Lots of fake posts and spoof posts. It is a bit schizophrenic going back and forth from that site to SLF/this forum/MMM but definitely confirms for me where my "tribe" resides. It isn't on the Upper East Side (though ironically that is the English name of the apartment complex I live in in beijing....)

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhamo <>going back and forth from that site to SLF/this forum/MMM but definitely confirms for me where my "tribe" resides. It isn't on the Upper East Side

But don't you wish the Upper East Side were your natural habitat? A seriously posh place.

Ha

[lhamo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha But don't you wish the Upper East Side were your natural habitat? A seriously posh place. Ha

Actually I'm much more of a Beacon Hill girl -- Seattle, not Boston.

[Ally]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhamo Different, indeed - a common thread theme is how impossible it is to live in NYC on a 500k/1 million/64 quadrillion income. Lots of discussions on whether or not to buy a second house in the Hamptons. Also how to bring the food down from $1000-2000/month. And an ENDLESS obsession with how to get your kids into "top tier" pre-schools/private schools, with the ultimate goal of them getting into HYPS (Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford). There are also a few "are you kidding" responders who pipe up regularly -- people living on 100k or less, sometimes much less. No usernames so it is all anonymous and no way to track who is who. Lots of fake posts and spoof posts. It is a bit schizophrenic going back and forth from that site to SLF/this forum/MMM but definitely confirms for me where my "tribe" resides. It isn't on the Upper East Side (though ironically that is the English name of the apartment complex I live in in beijing....)

A couple of years ago, the editor of Parenting Magazine called me in West TX to interview me about a literacy program. She was very nice, but must have been like these moms. She lived in NYC, and had looked up our image on Google. She asked about all the cars in the parking lot and who drove them. I told her everyone drives in TX. She said she and none of her friends knew how to drive.

We also talked about the sizes of our homes and what they cost. She couldn't believe we can have nice 2500 sq ft homes for $140,000. Her home was much smaller. We talked about a lot of differences and I came away thinking that even though she obviously earned way more money, her life seemed more restricted in many ways.

We ended the conversation with her saying wistfully "if I ever learn to drive, I would love to drive across the country and see how everyone else lives. It sounds wonderful and much more peaceful."