Forums: Help or Hinder?

MonoVCPHG

New member
I'm curious to hear what the feedback of forum participants is about their journey on here. I found this forum at the early stages of my relationship because I needed a place to share my feelings. The rest is history!

Positives -

- The forum has given me an outlet for my self-analysis and by thinking about the issues of others I have been pushed to look at my own inner workings.
- The forum has also been a way of communicating with Redpepper as we discuss each other’s responses.
- Some people make a comment that indirectly answers questions I have but did not even identify yet!

Negatives
-

- Sometimes I take on the issues of others and end up putting myself in their shoes so to speak. There is not a lot of poly dynamics I could be healthy in so this happened a lot LOL!!
- Sometimes Redpepper and I read too much into our responses or misinterpret each other which leads to a lot of discussion about non-issues.
- There have been times where I became so frustrated or disillusioned by the stories or ideas of others that I felt like surrendering. I forgot that although this is real life, this is not my life.

We all know some people don't get the answers they are looking for and at times all of us say things in the moment we wish we could retract. We also know some very good friendships are blooming on here.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Peace and love
Mono
 
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I've found myself wondering a few times how my relationship with H might have been different (possibly better) if we had the cast of characters that exist here and now in this place. And then I am also grateful that when the fit hit the shan that all of that madness didn't go public (having it go public in our local community was more than enough).
 
The public aspect of the forums is certainly a consideration. When I first came on here I posted a pic of myself because frankly I don't care what most people think. Redpepper reminded me that other people we know and may refer to as examples could see this and misinterpret our intentions so I took it down. I'd like to put it back up though...I think. We are pretty wide open on here and the info could be used against me in some cases I guess.

Privacy does have its place.
 
I love this forum. Its been a great source of information for us. I do dislike the lack of privacy that is an issue for me. I think if the Fireplace ( or another part) was more Private (members only) I would be more comfortable sharing other factor in my life, pics and things. I think Forums are generally a great place to meet like minded people and seek support and varying opinions. I also must say I have meet some very important people in my life on forums. :)
 
great thread idea!

I have found community here in the form of good people who are like me in many ways but just different enough to challenge me and to make me willing to want to debate! number one benefit....

This time last year husband and I were waffling all over the place, going through it all alone. While we are 12 years into the poly thing and came into our marriage this way, we never had community EVER! ...until this year. I am so happy my cheeks hurt sometimes. Not only have I found another long lost soul mate and love of my life in Mono, but a community as well, both on here and in my city!

I am truly blessed.

The down side for me is lack of time to be on here. Fortunately I can use my phone to respond a lot of the time, but I do this on work time and that is not really what I should be doing :p I usually stay up WAAAAAY to late, which is what I am doing right now!

More on the down side? I'm addicted!!! :D
 
At first it helped take my mind off of a bad experience I had earlier this year. I managed to make some new friends in the process.

Recently, however, the forum has taken on a somewhat Jerry Springer-esque fascination for me.
 
Crap! :eek:

I just wrote four paragraphs about how much I love this forum and all you guys, when I accidently refreshed the d*** page and lost it all! :eek:

Forum good. Love forum. Ugh.
 
I didn't find this forum early on when I was searching in our relationship but, I have gotten insight here no longer than I've been a member.

I did find another forum and blog early on that have greatly helped me. I read several blogs and a couple of forums each day if possible. Spend too much time online really.

But I do this because I learn so much from how others handle things. Started my blog because I could not find one involving quads. That in itself has been a help to me. I write in a traditional journal but felt some of what we go through could help others. So, I share some of that there as well now.

Do I get tired at times of only hearing about the struggles? Of course. But I like it when I hear about the good times. It's just a learning experience we all have to take in stages.

The good far outweighs the bad to me.
 
I love this forum. Its been a great source of information for us. I do dislike the lack of privacy that is an issue for me. I think if the Fireplace ( or another part) was more Private (members only) I would be more comfortable sharing other factor in my life, pics and things. I think Forums are generally a great place to meet like minded people and seek support and varying opinions. I also must say I have meet some very important people in my life on forums. :)

It WOULD be cool if there was at least ONE forum on here where ONLY members could talk. I think that would ROCK. Then as we get to know one another we could be a little more frank as a "group". Instead of only in PM's.

I think even possibly limiting it to senior members so the people in that room ARE regulars...
As for me-I don't care who knows about me-and would put my pic up-but I have no good pics of me right now.I have great ones from years back-but recent ones tend to be me in jammies with a baby (nice for us but not to share!).
Just told Maca we needed to fix that. I like bexandben's pic. I would love to something like that where Maca and I were together in my avatar!
 
I think even possibly limiting it to senior members so the people in that room ARE regulars...

Although I wouldn't want anyone to feel excluded, I think there is something to this. But instead of a senior member's area, perhaps a Family of Trust area. For those of us that have connected beyond the confines of our online personas? It would be so hard to do without offending or seeming elitest.

BTW all the responses on here have been as expected! Thanks to the creators and moderators for providing this space of sharing and keeping us in line when emotions run too hot even for poly people. :D
 
Although I wouldn't want anyone to feel excluded, I think there is something to this. But instead of a senior member's area, perhaps a Family of Trust area. For those of us that have connected beyond the confines of our online personas? It would be so hard to do without offending or seeming elitest.

Indeed.

I can honestly say that if such a place existed on this site, I probably wouldn't have lasted very long here. Such structures tend to stratify things pretty quickly and do exclude a lot of people from conversations without a very good reason. There would be a lot of valuable thoughts and perspectives that would be missed if certain conversations were only allowed to the "initiated" or those who are "in the club". My perspectives don't magically change after my 100th post. For me it makes a forum seem much less welcoming, and I'm pretty passionate about welcoming inclusive places.

This is a forum, not a club. I don't see the need to be so possessive of a public posting webspace. There are plenty of ways for people to maintain closer connections as friendships develop outside of this website. For me, this is a place where things start. It doesn't have to be the place where we close things off to people are are starting.
 
Indeed.

This is a forum, not a club. I don't see the need to be so possessive of a public posting webspace. There are plenty of ways for people to maintain closer connections as friendships develop outside of this website. For me, this is a place where things start. It doesn't have to be the place where we close things off to people are are starting.

Agreed...thanks for that Ceoli :)
 
If you want to talk to more than one person in PM at the same time (no Mono jokes necessary, it's getting a bit like Beavis and Butthead "He said mono, huhuhuh"), you can separate each username with a semicolon.

Alex, copy and paste this into that other help thread on forum usage for me, will you? I'm just way too lazy to do it myself kthxbai.
 
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