Online site involvement is like getting into a long-term relationship.
Early on, there is the thrill of establishing who you are, being seen, being active, being valued. Being accepted.
Then, once "accepted" for who you are or wish to seem to be, it becomes less important to address everything, to comment on "friend's" posts because they made them. You stop offering to clean the bathrooom and wash up the dishes.
And then your attention starts to wander. Facebook, Twitter, more immediate forums that cater for recognition junkies. You start to notice the 19 year old stunner who lives actoss the road.
The old partner, despite the RAFO facelift and tummy-tuck, is still the old partner. People start to look for something trim, taut and terrific, something not so comfortable than their old, familiar partner.
Despite being tummy-tucked, face-lifted and having had the most incredible boob-job that TMJ could desire, RAFO is still a cosmetically enhanced Wotmania, a site that existed before iPhones, iPods and iPads.
People need to work out which has more value for them, the trusted comfortable companion or the 19-year-old across the street.
On the question of the lack of levity in people's lives, please recall that Wotmania never had a GFC, never had climate change, never had tsunamis. People in real life are more serious these days, and it leaks over here. I wish it were not so, but it is. When life is more serious, you tend not to see the funny side of it. Maybe Gen Y is realising that blaming the Baby Boomers for everything is not exactly going to solve their problems, and are beginning to take life seriously. Gen X will remain bemused by the attention lavished on Gen Y, and the Baby Boomers, a fine body of men and women totally focused on satisfying their needs will continue to hold power and do what they like. Few Boomers come here, excluding me. I can see the funny side in everything, but my fears for my Gen X children and my Gen Y, or is it Gen i, granchildren curtail my enthusiasm for levity. Mrs. Druid and I have accepted our need to work full-time until we are 80 in order to provide a financial buffer for the sundry offspring and offspring's offspring against the reality to come. Not much to be humourous about there.
And...until someone tells me who killed Asmodean, I am unlikely to lighten up!
Forgive my rambling. The need to provide masses of caffeine-free blood to my Transylvanian doctor has me in the grip of full-blown caffeine withdrawal. That, and the Alzheimers, play havoc with what passes for rational argument in any of my discourses.
Early on, there is the thrill of establishing who you are, being seen, being active, being valued. Being accepted.
Then, once "accepted" for who you are or wish to seem to be, it becomes less important to address everything, to comment on "friend's" posts because they made them. You stop offering to clean the bathrooom and wash up the dishes.
And then your attention starts to wander. Facebook, Twitter, more immediate forums that cater for recognition junkies. You start to notice the 19 year old stunner who lives actoss the road.
The old partner, despite the RAFO facelift and tummy-tuck, is still the old partner. People start to look for something trim, taut and terrific, something not so comfortable than their old, familiar partner.
Despite being tummy-tucked, face-lifted and having had the most incredible boob-job that TMJ could desire, RAFO is still a cosmetically enhanced Wotmania, a site that existed before iPhones, iPods and iPads.
People need to work out which has more value for them, the trusted comfortable companion or the 19-year-old across the street.
On the question of the lack of levity in people's lives, please recall that Wotmania never had a GFC, never had climate change, never had tsunamis. People in real life are more serious these days, and it leaks over here. I wish it were not so, but it is. When life is more serious, you tend not to see the funny side of it. Maybe Gen Y is realising that blaming the Baby Boomers for everything is not exactly going to solve their problems, and are beginning to take life seriously. Gen X will remain bemused by the attention lavished on Gen Y, and the Baby Boomers, a fine body of men and women totally focused on satisfying their needs will continue to hold power and do what they like. Few Boomers come here, excluding me. I can see the funny side in everything, but my fears for my Gen X children and my Gen Y, or is it Gen i, granchildren curtail my enthusiasm for levity. Mrs. Druid and I have accepted our need to work full-time until we are 80 in order to provide a financial buffer for the sundry offspring and offspring's offspring against the reality to come. Not much to be humourous about there.
And...until someone tells me who killed Asmodean, I am unlikely to lighten up!

Forgive my rambling. The need to provide masses of caffeine-free blood to my Transylvanian doctor has me in the grip of full-blown caffeine withdrawal. That, and the Alzheimers, play havoc with what passes for rational argument in any of my discourses.
*MySmiley* Druid *MySmiley*
Object of Desire (retired) 
The Peoples Front For Nebhead Appreciation 
I blame Jake






Things that I have learned and noticed over 11 years
16/03/2011 11:07:50 PM
- 1464 Views
Most of the personal sharing you describe I've shifted over to my Facebook activity.
17/03/2011 12:12:34 AM
- 718 Views
You are getting older, that's all
17/03/2011 01:12:14 AM
- 844 Views

Netscape turns 18 next year....
17/03/2011 01:21:40 AM
- 706 Views

It will never catch on!
17/03/2011 01:32:00 AM
- 734 Views
It's not that I don't still love the Illuminati BBS, a man just needs a little variety sometimes.
17/03/2011 03:30:55 AM
- 784 Views

joel, you're about to get married, no leering at other browsers for you! *NM*
17/03/2011 04:34:35 AM
- 351 Views
What's odd is that I've become happier and more content in recent years
17/03/2011 02:28:14 AM
- 921 Views
Familiarity breeds contempt.
17/03/2011 01:14:03 AM
- 876 Views
remember all that time we spent on the phone? sometimes i miss stuff like that
17/03/2011 05:34:08 AM
- 692 Views
Even I have gotten tired of the politics.
17/03/2011 06:17:23 AM
- 747 Views
My view on politics has changed quite a bit in the past few years
18/03/2011 09:40:31 PM
- 849 Views
Mine hasn't, really, but my opinion of repeating my positions endlessly has.
18/03/2011 11:14:39 PM
- 727 Views

Things I've learned..
17/03/2011 02:17:46 PM
- 669 Views
I stopped trying to be funny when I realized I wasn't, and that I can't take a joke.
17/03/2011 03:19:56 PM
- 688 Views
Well, you could just be silly instead
18/03/2011 09:52:46 PM
- 691 Views
I think part of the problem is people are simply not posting fun stuff any more
17/03/2011 05:03:52 PM
- 654 Views
Chat was definitely better than the MB for building personal relationships.
17/03/2011 11:34:49 PM
- 622 Views
Some of the conversations I have on FB are like chat with really bad lag. *NM*
18/03/2011 01:03:21 AM
- 349 Views
I don't think you like me.
18/03/2011 06:27:45 AM
- 807 Views
So ignore him. I like you.
18/03/2011 07:32:47 AM
- 761 Views
19/03/2011 04:43:55 AM
- 704 Views


Yeah, if you've been avoiding me over an internet fight, you really do.
19/03/2011 08:56:03 AM
- 619 Views

random thoughts is yours? Talk about your unlikely pairings....
18/03/2011 04:32:17 PM
- 773 Views

Re: random thoughts is yours? Talk about your unlikely pairings....
19/03/2011 04:46:59 AM
- 723 Views

It doesn't help that you don't tend to post things that make you likeable.
18/03/2011 06:55:04 AM
- 866 Views
I always took those posts as attempts to include people.
18/03/2011 05:33:55 PM
- 772 Views
That's a very positive outlook, which perhaps is shared by others *NM*
18/03/2011 09:13:43 PM
- 256 Views
10-11 years ago, I might have thought I was a major part of this site. Uncertain of that now,
18/03/2011 09:36:26 PM
- 772 Views