META: Number of annual messages on rctn.

Thanks, Jim.

I've been here through several mayonaise/salad dressing wars but don't remember exactly when I 'joined' the group. Do any of you long term posters (notice I didn't say old) recall if the higher numbers in years' past were due to more stitching discussions or has there always been a lot of threads that diverged into 'chit chat'?

Interesting, locally we came up from last year. I think that downturn was probably the emergence of forums and that ghastly thing, Facebook lol

Facebook, myspace - yikes. Only thing worse is Iming and texting.....

I was just thinking about that last night. A major disadvantage for parents is you really have no idea how many people your kids are contacting/are contacting them. For example, the party invitations come via email and/or Facebook, not the mail or the phone. My ds went to the movies with several friends - not a call among them to set it up. I wanted my dd to contact someone about a ride - she was going to do it on Facebook as opposed to picking up the phone.

Our kids don't have cell phones and I am working hard to keep it that way. I want to have an idea of who is calling them and how often (among other things).

Any other parents of adolescents feel the same way?

Linda

My cell phone carrier, US Cellular, sends very, very detailed bills in which each and every dialed and received call is listed. It's a shame that so many cell phone companies require a year or two committment in order to get a deal or establish service. Otherwise, you could sign up for a family plan that would enable you to monitor your kids' activities and disconnect if they were abusing the service.

Well I have to admit to finding texting with my youngest grandson very useful but we were merely saying "be there 4pm" "Ok" sort of thing.

anne wrote: Do any of you long term posters (notice I

A lot more of both. :~) I truly miss the extensive stitching discussions. A lot of it was repetitive - newcomers would join and ask the same questions over and over. But there was a lot of worthwhile posting in general. Some of it esoteric, but quite informative. Even such things as why this brand of detergent was better than another brand. There were several scientists here that would steer us in good directions. And many designers who kept us abreast of trends and what was happening in the industry in general.

Dianne

LOL! Well that`s a polite way of putting it, Anne. There has always been loads of chitchat if nothing worse (!) for as long as I`ve known it - and all the better for it, i.m.o. There`s only so much you can say about stitching without repeating yourself, after all.

Anyway it looks as if the number of messages is heading upwards again, which can`t be bad.

Happy New Year to everyone while I`m popping in, anyway. Does anyone have a current email address for Caryn Sutherland, by the way? The one I have doesn`t work any more and I`d like to send good wishes to her too.

Pat

Oh - texting has it's use. But not for telling the guy next to you, "did you see her"

Then again, if I was next to you and a guy went past would you rather I said out loud to you "Cute bum" or would you rather I texted it to you ??? RDH

May a former active member, now an occasional dropper-in, offer a thought? Of the 43 messages when I checked in just now:

21 were about volunteering, chickens, dogs, the cost of living and Mirjam

I was a faithful rctn-er for years (and even took part in, and survived, the Firehouse Angel) but I dropped out when needlework became almost secondary to general chat. I enjoyed many of the off-topic posts, but eventually lost interest in the group because of the paucity of real needlework conversations.

This is NOT meant as any sort of criticism, since a newsgroup should be what its members want it to be, but rctn is no longer what I want.

I do miss some of you fellow stitchers, though!

Felice

Out loud - of course!

Hide quoted text -

We went to a show the other night and two young fellows right in front of us kept texting and texting some of their important friends no doubt. If my DH hadn't been with me, I would've kicked their seat and told them to turn the stupid things off - they're so bright and it was very distracting. They always tell you to turn off cell phones at the theatre and they should do the same with those things. If you're that important that you can't miss a text, maybe you shouldn't go to a show.

Sharon (N.B.)

I dunno, I don't go to shows because I can't stand the eating. The popcorn stinks and now they are crunching on nachos and heaven knows what, I wait for the DVD. I think I could handle the texting better, at least it doesn't smell.

Nice to see the number going up again!

Joan

previous years were 13,100, 21,200,

I miss all the deep discussions as well. I've been here for a long, long time and remember when the group was full of designers and experts. I even miss the "licking the floss" wars. One of our resident experts was rather polarizing, but she certainly sparked discussions!!

The main thing I can see, is that for years and years, I've kept the tips and helpful things from this group. Ten years ago and longer, I kept tons of information, and it has become less and less. Part of that is due to the repetiveness, for sure, and also the fact that I've stitched just that much longer, but part of it is due to the fewer posts needlework related.

NOt pointing any fingers, I make off topic posts as well. I'm surprised when some posts go toxic because I'm an eternal optimist and the diplomatic type and always assume discussions can remain scholarly. Opinions are fine, but I post less and less because even harmless remarks are roasted over the coals. Moni

You're right! Watch for a new stitching-related post.....

Joan

Or, it could be at least the ton of messages I didn't post last year.....

Wow - it is really windy out here today. Sounds like a freight train running by the house - and we had a brief power out. Yuck - though the sun is shining.

We lost the top of our lovely cryptomeria tree in the last winds!

Ellice

Good question. I can send you her "real" mail address - if you send to me directly. But, I'll have to look for an e-mail.

Ellice