I'd like to hear your opinion...

[Ranchnanny]

Kiki you hit the nail right on the head. I always looked forward to getting online in the morning to see what was going on on the OB. I miss it.......

Sheridan

[camille1585]

I don't think that the social groups have anything to do with the 'elders' not being around, although I agree that the absence of those people has sure changed the forum. Personally I haven't seen a difference in the overall quality of posts, but there's a general lack of fun factor since the funny people don't post much these days. I miss them!! We used to have threads that that always left me chuckling or clutching my sides from laughing too hard.

[Ranchnanny]

These social groups can do their social thing off the OB and e-mail each other. There was so much more dialog between members before and more information about growing orchids was exchanged.

Sheridan

[kiki-do]

I agree with Camille about the social groups. I don't think that has anything to do with the lack of our usuals posting. It was just something to try out and I love that OB is willing to step outside the box to give things a go. I don't think it amounted to much as far as orchids go, but was good for incorporating other groups, such as bonsai or cacti.
I think alot of it, is that OB has become so huge that it's hard to keep track of who is who. I know my brain can't keep track of so many new members. However, some come in to ask a few questions and disappear, and others hang in and we get to know new friends.
Anyway, it's summertime and that in itself will cause a lull. I am here for the long haul because of all the friends I've made here. I just don't have as much time to get on as I once did, due to having too many perennial gardens to tend right now. Still, I can't seem to go a couple days without logging on.
We just have to light a spark and get this place hopping again. Right????

[cb977]

Marty checked the records and it turns out that there was no lull due to the social groups being enacted. There were actually more posts around that time. It was just a fluke and I was imagining it

With the warmer weather coming after such a long hard winter, I think folks are just busy. I find that I don't spend as much time here these days either. Those of you who know me well, know that I have some health issues and I just don't have the energy to spend here like I used to.

I agree...we had a real sub-community of folks who became close friends for which I am so grateful

Now, we have more new folks finding OB and we will all need to make the effort to get us back to the way it was...maybe even better!

What can we do to jump-start things around here?
We're gonna stay stuck in the rut if we all just lament about what 'used to be' instead of making the effort to stir things up.

[Royal]

Originally Posted by cb977

What can we do to jump-start things around here?
We're gonna stay stuck in the rut if we all just lament about what 'used to be' instead of making the effort to stir things up.

That's the right question for us to ask. I'm not sure of the answer, but I'll toss it around. I go through OB streaks and ruts myself - sometimes I post more frequntly than others. But the OB has never stopped fulfilling my needs.

[Tindomul]

Anyone know what the situation with the chat room is like?

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Anyone know what the situation with the chat room is like?

Hi Tin,
Every time I check it there is no one there.
Al

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Tindomul

Anyone know what the situation with the chat room is like?

I think the chat room is fine. I haven't had much time for it in the last few weeks due to my workload at school, but there's always the same group of regulars, and we have lots of fun! We have serious orchid chats and 'laughing til your sides hurt'chats. It's usually somewhere between 9pm and 1am french time. (so 3pm-7pm eastern US time)

[peeweelovesbooks]

there's a group of us that uses chat almost daily at night