I want to stop sometimes, not really recently though. I often go a couple of days without posting.

Since then there have been times when I don't feel like responding to any active thread, either because none catch my imagination or I'm in my "threadkilla" mode, and assume that no one can be bothered to respond to anything I have to say. But once again that's more about my personal attitude than whatever's going on in ILX.

i've been irritated with ilx, but never bored.

i think there are quite a few posters who were regular and now dont post.

DG hardly ever posts, Omar not much, i believe there was someone called Guy Beckett who posted a lot, but stopped before i started

I sometimes get quite frustrated that there are threads about which I knwo absolutely nothing at all and I want to contribute to them, but know that I have nothing of substance to put there and that anything I did say would be crass and inane. Then I come to my senses and realise that this is an attribute of a healthy message board.....all kinds of ppl feel happy here and talk about a bewildering range of subjects. If the subject range decreased (esp given the name of the board) then it would be a sign that somehting was wrong.

I have often attempted to have ILE free days if I am particularly busy at work, but find I just don't manage it! I always end up coming back, even if it is just for a sneaky peek for a minute or so. I am actually jealous on occasion of those ppl who *are* able to leave ILE alone for weeks or indeed months and then come back...jealous of their willpower rather than any desire they might have to stay away.

What I do not do so often is post questions. My desire to ask my own questions, or indeed my ability to think of anything to ask, varies considerably - sometimes it's a question a day for a week, other times I might go for three weeks or so without asking anything. I tend to ask more non-serious questions than serious ones.

Whether it represents a puerile trait or a healthy interest, I pay frequent visits to the user stats to see how my nos. of posts compares with other ppl's. This used to be known as the statscock in the Greenspun days, although the term seems to have fallen out of favour. If I'm not on the list of top posters, I think something is wrong. "Crikey!" (I say to myself). "I'll have to do something about this!" It warms my heart to see my name creeping up the list, whilst making me tremble in saddo insecurity (a slight tremble, maybe more of a twitch) at the same time. I know full well that I will never rival Ned, Mark S or N. in the posting stakes and also know that if I made a concerted effort to do this, I'd never get any work done and the standard of my posts would decrease. Possibly they are not much cop as it is. But my job lends itself to mass-posting in that there are so often batch processes (files parsing etc) going on in the background on my pcs - ideal posting time! I wouldn't be using my time constructively if I wasn't contributing to ILE........

.....right?

In contrast to ILE, my visits to ILM are sporadic.

However, I have a *lot* of free time on my hands these days, and there is *occasionally* some decent stuff here, so...

Ditto.

I did give up ILX twice in the beginning -- some of the viewpoints I encountered here (at ILM) were so astoundingly wrongheaded, it took my breath away. I still think the views here are astoundingly wrongheaded, but I'm learning to keep my mouth shut. :-)

I will be taking a break since I'll be on my trip (have I mentioned this enough yet? :) ), but then I'll be back and in full effect in December!

;-)

I've got away for months at a time, usually due to inadequate web access, go through withdrawl for the first week or so, then forget it ever existed until someone mentions it IRL.

If you have to go, going silently is the best way. That way you avoid silly explanations when you come back, and upsetting people/getting your inbox filled with teary sympathy. (I hate sympathy today, can you tell? Probably cause I never get any...)

No, you're a prick. (uh, winky)

At the beginning I used to stick to the music and then as i got to *know* some of the posters a lot of the posts have become jokes and unfocused garbage (which can lead somewhere but mostly doesn't).

and yes, there's no point in doing a thread saying you're off.

i'm not gonna waste my time being dragged down to the level of the rest of the hataz on this fucking board.

i'll probably come back. but at the moment i'm unwell, i'm angry and this is just unmitigated shit.

but you know, those threads, like the birthday ones, show how that yes, we are a 'community' of sorts. we do contact each other off line etc so we do build those virtual friendships I suppose.

''well julio, i thought i'd post to say that i'm off again.
i'm not gonna waste my time being dragged down to the level of the rest of the hataz on this fucking board.

i'll probably come back. but at the moment i'm unwell, i'm angry and this is just unmitigated shit.''

heh, but you don't post during the weekends anyway 'cello. and yes, you'll come back.

Then I read a thread like Tom's V.I.L.E. (Victorian ILE) and think 'Aha! I remember why I come here. It's totally brilliant!'

(From the current essay / poem on the Momus website.)

It's still good fun to read, and so I do. Is there a FAP in the near future?

and welcome back, ally

(This episode of "Answering Your Own Question Theatre" has been brought to you by Pez.)

(and even though my lists ain't expressio unius est exclusio unius add dave q., momus, suzy, nabisco, and countless others to my list too!)

I'll probably be back around the time when we'll have to move the server. (but we can cross that bridge when we come to it)

haha have actually posted a lot less (off the top 50 on ILE and nearly out on ILM too) but have not really taken a 'break' since I came back from that holiday.

ive never left and im still anonymous!
-- chaki (chaki), Sunday, 24 November 2002 08:58 (5 years ago)

keep on keepin' on