Posting on the BB: Do you have to rein yourself in or give yourself a push?

[emilycat]

Just curious -- You'd think, that as one of the posters with the most responses, I'd have said everything inside my little ol' head.
Nope. I consistently feel a need to comment on EVERYTHING!
How obnoxious am I? I guess I'm just very opinionated, or I feel compelled to share every shred of knowledge I possess, I'm not sure.
But I imagine everyone's not like that -- are you shy about having to post on the board, or do you have a need to share?

[aggie94]

Originally posted by emilycat
I guess I'm just very opinionated, or I feel compelled to share every shred of knowledge I possess, I'm not sure.

You and me both! I have to hold back on posting every single thought that I have. For one thing, I'm sure I'd be fired because I'd spend every working moment on this board! And I'm also sure that no one cares to hear AGAIN what I think about [fill in the blank]. ;)

[Alisa]

I mostly rein myself in - a few times when I've jumped into a topic I went back afterward to find out I'd inadvertantly offended someone and then felt bad for days. Now I try to avoid posting unless I've thought something through - and then I often wait for the "regulars" to post before I add my 2 cents. Having said this, there are times when I'm just too lazy to type, so I just read!

Emily - the last word I'd use to describe you is obnoxious - your posts are always interesting, informative, and often in the "oil on troubled waters" category. Don't stop.

[Kerri]

I usually have to give myself a little push. I usually post while I am at work, so there is always a lot of stuff going on and I am not really concentrating on what I am writing. As a result, I don't think that what I want to say really comes across, so about half of the time, I end up deleting what I had written.

However, I have been mighty chatty today.

[RobinC]

I am a lurker. I usually have to give myself a push to post. Frequently the threads I would most likely post to get many posts saying something along the lines of what I would post, before I even read the thread. I don't follow the board that often when I am at work.

[Leslie w]

I hold back a lot! I have very strong opinions about many topics discussed on this board but because I don't want to offend I often will type something just to get it off my chest and then end up deleting it. I use to post on another board and the people on it seemed so sensitive to everything that wasn't PC that I just couldn't take it anymore. At least I have one thing in common with everyone on this board; the love of cooking and a healthy one at that! That's what keeps me coming back.

[Meg O'C]

I lurk more than I post! I enjoy doing both but as others of you have mentioned, for fear of losing my job, I don't lurk or post as much I would like to. Because the frequency with which I check the boards varies from 3X/day to 2-3X/week depending on the insanity level in my life, I frequently find that by the time I chime in on a post, I am just repeating what someone else has said (or what ten other people have already said). Since everyone and all the boards are so busy, I tend to restrain rather than repeat.

Whenever I post an "original" thread (usually to ask a question/look for advice), I always get nice, helpful responses so I appreciate and am envious of those of you who are diligent posters!

[Kristine]

I definitely lurk more than post. I'm a pretty shy person in life, so it must carry over to the BB too. :)

I really do enjoy the board though...I find everyone's posts so informative.

[Gina O]

I am somewhere in the middle. I typically post when I feel I have something to add to the conversation, but I most often stay out of the infrequent controversial threads.

I did receive a little "push" from Diana's comments on another thread about being ignored. (Which I am very glad she posted, her comments and other's responses really made me think.) I know that several here have felt that way from time to time, myself included, so I have made a dedicated effort to post when I have something to say, even if it is to merely say "thanks for sharing." I often feel that way, but rarely provide that feedback.

Where I really need the push is starting general interest poll type threads. I often think of curious questions to ask, but rarely do simply for fear of no one responding. I always hope someone else will eventually come up with the same idea and post. Gina

[BarbaraL]

I post alot less frequently than I used to. I've started a new job, and am busy enough that I don't get to check to board as often as I used to. Also, home life has been very hectic and I'm just throwing whatever's fastest on the table; haven't had time to try out new recipes (or even read my new CL). Hope things calm down soon, and I can comment intelligently on some threads. I've contributed some rather inane things lately, just to participate on the BB.

[beejayw1]

...so don't hold back!

Honestly, I enjoy the posts, and there's a notable lack of nastiness here. Opinions are just that, and all who post truly show good humor and understanding.

In the flurry after the 9/11 tragedy, tempers ran high and I saw some exchanges (heck, I think I contributed to a couple) that were less than good-humored, but that was an extraordinary circumstance, and humans are allowed to be human.

Post away! I'll read and enjoy them all!

[lorilei]

Hmmm. Tough one.

Some days I'm a little chatter box and I find myself saying all sorts of crazy things. :o I tend to be a "counselor" by nature, so I find that helping other people out makes me feel pretty darn good... and that's often what keeps me coming back.

Other days I just don't feel like being "social", so i keep to myself. Sometimes it's fun to lurk and to watch things "play out" without participating. You guys can be more entertaining than an army of ants sometimes...

[Maggie]

I only post when I really think I have something to contribute, I have a recipe someone needs or have tried a recipe that was particularly good, bad or ugly. I've also posted when I needed help with a menu or recipe.

I've been coming to these boards for a long time and although I read them at least 4 out of 7 days every week, I've only posted 50+ times.:rolleyes:

[lhall]

I have to restrain myself, otherwise I'd get no work done at all.:D

Actually, I find I post quite a bit, but do stop my self almost as often as I post. I also read this at work and try to limit my time on it.

Leigh

[gertdog]

I tend to post whenever I feel I have something to contribute, or a question to ask. These boards are so friendly, I really enjoy having something to share. I definitely spend more time than I should cruising the boards at work!

What I tend to worry about is the length of my posts... somehow I always manage to blather on and on and on... :rolleyes:

So I'll stop now. :p

[Jacque O]

Definitely lurk more than post. I guess at some level I'm taking advantage of those who do post. :( Often, though, it's more that I'm sure my experience and knowledge is so far exceeded by those who post that I'm kind of intimidated.

For example, no posts by me to the Christmas cookie thread even though I have baked for my whole life and make between 30 and 40 different recipes of candy and cookies every year during thre holiday season. But I don't think I've approached cooking very thoughtfully for very long so although I know how to make things that people enjoy (the ultimate goal, I know, I know), I'm not sure I have anything new to add.

By all means, those of you who post have my utmost appreciation! I learn so much every day and definitely benefit from your knowledge, experience, advice and humor!

[KristaMB]

I'm lurk a lot on the food boards, because I mostly am here to learn and be inspired. On the other boards, if I have something to say, I'll chime in as long as it hasn't already been said.

[Gail]

(Spitting coffee all over keyboard)

Two thousand odd posts and you're asking me this now??

...and did I "rein myself in" at the dinner table? :p

[claire797]

I post depending on how much I care about the subject and what kind of mood I'm in. For instance, this past week I've been rather chatty.

[JennieL]

I too lurk a lot more than I post. I am in awe of those of you who find the time to post thousands of times! Often if several others have expressed the same opinion as myself, I don't post.

I try and stay out of the few "heated" topics I"ve seen. This board is filled with such great people, I don't want to "argue" with of you!:)

[crazyquilter]

Well, I've looked at this thread several times, trying to decide if I have anything new to add, and I don't. I almost need to force myself to post. I'm definitely more of a lurker, mostly because, like I said, I usually don't have anything new to add.

[emilycat]

C'mon, guys, EVERYONE has something new to add! (this coming from the queen of quantity, not quality :D )
Really, we have such wonderful diversity on this board; even one teeny difference in perspective makes a post worth reading. And even if a lot are similar, hey, it only emphasizes a point.
Lorilei, I can relate to your variances in mood -- sometimes I feel kind of "unsocial," too -- no, seriously, I do. Although I'm not sure I've made it a day without posting yet unless I've been out of town. I think if I quit posting for 5 days straight, y'all might think I died. :p
Anyway, I'm glad I'm not alone in my loquaciousness.
And thank you for your sweet comment, Alisa :)

[Gina O]

LOL Gail! It seems I can almost always rely on this board for a giggle now and then!

Great question Emily. Thanks, Gina

[jphilg]

I lurk more than I post. Partially I am intimidated by the dominant personalities (*I* want to be a BB cool kid), partially I am a huge food snob and don't want to offend people who cook to sustain their families instead of as a "craft", and also because I have so many opinions about food that I am worried I would soon have no life other than the CLBB. Since I have a minimum billable hour requirement, this concerns me!

But I'll try to jump in a little more...

Jen

[greysangel]

I feel like I post more than lurk although there are certainly days where I am chattier than others. I haven't been around too long but feel I have posted quite a bit in spite of it :)

You all rock!

JeAnne

[Luiza]

I have to force myself to post. Since almost all of my cooking wisdom comes from this board and CL, I find it very hard to believe that I have something to add to the conversation. And I feel I have not enough wisdom to add to the general interest threads either. It's hard since I really want to participate. To manage to post sometimes I tell myself that the guy that compiled the table of elements in chemistry is famous on his own, and then I tell myself that nobody is paying attention to my posts anyway :p

I really really appreciate everybody's posts though, so please post away!

[Wendy w]

Like a lot of you, I go through phases-even though I'm in the over 1,000 post "club." There are times that I really want to comment on something but since I'm usually at work, I get busy, and have people in & out of my office, I decide to do it "later" and then the post is an "old" subject. I still need to give a review from my dinner club from last week. Sometimes, I must post something immediately (and sometimes feel that I'm being long winded) and then there are other times where I sit back, laugh & learn. This may change when I get a new computer within the next couple of months.

[Little Bit]

I love adding my two cents even when it isn't asked for, so I try to rein myself in. The lovely thing about these boards is that most posters are wonderfully patient and manage to say whatever they've got to say without resorting to the namecalling, whining or meanness that seems so common on other boards.

I gather there have been some isolated incidences on these boards, but that things are generally pretty courteous. For that, I am grateful.

I find I need to think about a response before I actually get around to typing it, and by then someone else has said the sort of thing I was hoping to express, but said it much better than I would.

[daner94]

If I were a little bit more clever I would post more.

But I read almost everything on the boards-- got a lot of spare time on my hands here at work!:rolleyes:

[phantomcg]

I lurk more than I post mainly because by the time I get to a thread I'll just be repeating what others have already said!

Cheryl

[food girl]

Originally posted by phantomcg
I lurk more than I post mainly because by the time I get to a thread I'll just be repeating what others have already said!

Cheryl

Me too.
Lisa

[HDgirl]

I have to push myself to post. Many times I delete what I have written because I don't think good enough....I am so in awe of all of you.

I enjoy visiting this board and don't want to ever offend anyone by writing something that doesn't come across the way I intended it to. It would be great if I could extend my personality through my words, like some of you can, but I don't have that talent....... yet.

Anyway, I love hanging here and hope to get to know some of you better.

Merry Halloween!!

Karen

[KValley]

Hard as this may be to believe, considering how many posts I've racked up in 7.5 months :o , I actually read far more than I post.

What's funny is that I'm not a particularly talkative person. I HATE the telephone! I can go into full networking mode in professional situations, but I'm generally pretty laid back and even reserved. I'm not shy at all, just quiet. Unless there is dancing and/or tequila involved :p

Not here, babies! I love to write/correspond, which is obvious as I ramble on terribly in my posts. Telecommuting from home a)gives me the flexibility to check the BB all day long and 2)means that you are my consistent social connection whether I'm at home in my solitary workplace or travelling for my job.

As I mentioned in a post on the Other Stuff board- there are 6000+ BB members, yet there are only about 200 of us (rough guesstimate) who post consistently. It's great to hear from those of you who are lurkers but who rarely post. I wonder sometimes if there are people out there whom I might know and who are just watching me spill my guts about my silly life :eek:

There are many times I have written then deleted a post, oftentimes because I get tired of the sound of my own voice. This is obviously not one of those times :o :D

[sushibones]

Ditto Cheryl. I am definitely more of a lurker, and don't like to repeat what has already been said. I have also found that being in the Pacific time zone has a major constraining effect. Sometimes by the time I post, everyone one else has gone on to something else. I notice I am posting this 5 hours after the last poster, but it is only 5 PM here. I usually check the BB at least twice a day from home (I'm now a SAHM for two high school students), but I still seem to be out of sync. [Hmmm, Mom to two teenagers--I can feel my brain cells leaking out even as we speak].

I do try to post when I have some information no one has provided, but really enjoy listening to everyone else, recognizing names, styles, and preferences. I've been pretty quiet since last week when I mistakenly thanked Grace for Gail's Psycho Chicken (was my face red!!). Sometimes "it is better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt," or something like that (I couldn't find the exact quote). And why am I rambling on like this? Please, someone stop me before I post again.

Good-night. That's all folks.

I just noticed that there were two pages, so I'm only an hour behind the last poster (although she's on Pacific time too--everyone else had quit by 1 PM) . Yup, I can see those brain cells just puddling up there on the floor.

[sushibones]

Ditto Cheryl. I am definitely more of a lurker, and don't like to repeat what has already been said. I have also found that being in the Pacific time zone has a major constraining effect. Sometimes by the time I post, everyone one else has gone on to something else. I notice I am posting this 5 hours after the last poster, but it is only 5 PM here. I usually check the BB at least twice a day from home (I'm now a SAHM for two high school students), but I still seem to be out of sync. [Hmmm, Mom to two teenagers--I can feel my brain cells leaking out even as we speak].

I do try to post when I have some information no one has provided, but really enjoy listening to everyone else, recognizing names, styles, and preferences. I've been pretty quiet since last week when I mistakenly thanked Grace for Gail's Psycho Chicken (was my face red!!). Sometimes "it is better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt," or something like that (I couldn't find the exact quote). And why am I rambling on like this? Please, someone stop me before I post again.

Good-night. That's all folks.

[KValley]

Ah Susan, the old "time zone" excuse ;) Some of our most prolific posters reside in PST: Gail, kima, browneye, aggie94, kentgirl, Jewel, DmOrtega, RunnerKim, Wendy W and many other West Coasties that I am forgetting at this moment- we don't let a little thing like a time difference keep us from rambling on (speaking for myself with the rambling bit) So talk to us and keep in mind that your thoughts will be eagerly read by the MST, CST, and EST readers in the morning, while you are still snuggled under the covers!!

Ands let's not forget to mention our Aussie readers, Shirley in the UK, BosunsWife in Paradise, those of you in Japan and others spread throughout the world.

[SoCal]

As others have said, by the time I get on the BB I don't have anything more to add (how do some of you people do this at work??!!). Plus, you all are so eloquent (gosh, I hope I spelled that right! :p ) in your posts I feel that I just don't measure up ;) ! I suppose I'm happy to lurk and learn and once in a great while will have something teeny to contribute!

[sushibones]

OK, KValley. I was obviously oblivious (say that two to ten times swiftly) to all the really fine West Coast and international posters, including yourself, who are not so self-deprecating and whiny and are willing to share with everyone else. I will continue to babble on, regardless of the time, and hope occasionally I contribute something profound, or at least useful. Hey, I'd settle for mildly humorous.

I also just noticed I double-posted when I edited my first post. [Insert quote of choice here--you can use the one I posted before.] See that puddle of brain cells turn into a swiftly flowing stream going down the hall and out the door. Sigh!

[kima]

I can really relate to what HDGirl said. I know I have made posts that did not really convey what I meant to say and that don't really reflect my personality. I have torn myself up over some of my posts- and then I think okay that's it no one likes me and I am going to stop posting for awhile and see if they miss me!! Dumb I know.
Sometimes the BB reminds me of highschool, in both good and bad ways. Someone will say something and due to the nature of the internet their true meaning will get lost and then someone else interpets it another way- kind of like gossip at school. Fortunately we are mature enough to clarify what we meant and then move on- unlike highschool!!
Like Julie I am actually quite quiet but when I am with people I feel comfortable with- watch out!!:D I am opinionated but I love hearing different perspectives and I never feel offended- maybe that's the Irish in me- I enjoy a good debate!!
Anyway, to answer (finally) the question- usually I just jump right in but when I feel insecure I will back off for awhile. And I have never even thought of the time zone thing.
If I may say one thing- I think it is important to try and acknowledge threads if they look a little"skimpy". We all like to get a response from our posts. Love ya all!! Maureen

[Laura B]

I go through phases where I jump right in and phases where I just let others post. Like many others, I don't like to post when my response would not really be adding another perspective. However, when I see a recipe request I always try to help because I usually have MasterCook open along with the BB.

I, for some reason, do not really post on any of the more personal threads, such as the prayer requests, happy birthdays, etc. Usually everyone has already said "happy birthday" or "you're in my thoughts," and I just feel like I don't need to say it again. I hope that people do not think that I don't care because I never contribute to those threads. :o I feel like y'all are all a big extended family, and I do care! And the two times I have shared something personal, everyone has responded wonderfully. I really apreciated it.

[pammy]

Very interesting question, Emily.

I discovered this board in January or February and started posting away. I really didn't use the internet for much other than searches, and found the CL BB when looking for a supper club in my area. I was blown away by the diversity and sense of community on this board. But, after posting for a few weeks, I starting getting a funny feeling. I wondered whether my opinion about the topics discussed mattered. I also worried that although I trusted the folks who post with sharing opinions/worries about cooking/health/life in general, that there were a ton of people I knew nothing about who were reading what I was saying. So, I stopped posting for about 6 months and lurked.

Not exactly sure what changed my mind about posting. I think it was mostly that I came to realize that the opinions expressed by all posters is what makes this BB a wonderful community. And that I did have something to add to it. I am still a little bit intimidated by the Good Food Board. Compared to many of you, I feel like such a newbie, I learn so much from reading your posts. It seems so strange to care so much about people whom I have never met, but amazing at the same time. To think that I can talk with people who provide me with support, humor and warmth half-way around the world anytime that I want to...thank you CL.

[BlueMoose]

Do I really need to answer this question? Just look at how many posts I have and when I registered :o !

Maureen,
You're not the only one who has thought "maybe they don't like me. Maybe I should quit posting...would anyone even notice?" I have, and I bet a lot of the rest of us have, too. Isn't that silly?:p

BTW, where has Kworman been lately?

Chrisi

[sal]

I am a big-time lurker and observer; I sat in the back of most of my college classes, and still prefer a back pew at church. I read these boards every day and feel like I "know" you; I'm not sure why, but it is really, really hard for me to reveal myself (I guess I don't want to appear ignorant or possibly inadvertently hurt someone's feelings). I often begin replying to a post but end up bailing...sally