Why I was bummed out.

[drstevej]

I day or so ago I posted a "Too Bummed Out to Beg" thread, which was a bit tongue in cheek but also reflecting feelings I have had about my participation here recently.

What I have to say below has to do with me, it is not critical of others. I believe folks here should be able to find and pursue their own style and I am not desiring to make them like me.

But as for me, I really had lost the interest of posting here. That was odd because I love this forum and all the folks here. You are my friends and I know of none here I do not get along with.

I have figured out why I was bummed out. From the beginning the whole Repaholic idea was never as much about reps as it was about fun and community. The concept of shameless begging was always role playing rather than reality.

When I hit 15 to 20 stars it was a blast because you could push others to their goals. That was fun. But somewhere I became more focused on stars an gaining them efficiently rather than building community through the process.

I am not criticizing other who have lots of stars, that's a part of what makes this place interesting. I am simply saying that for me stars are a means to an end -- or need to be.

As a result, I have decided to refocus to what originally energized me. That is building community and making a few folks laugh while looking for opportunities to minister as a shepherd.

What am I asking others to do? Nothing unless you want to. There is no one approach in this forum. Folks with no stars are just as cool as megazillas. In fact those with fewer stars have more fun gaining them and are therefore in a neat position to encourage,

I appreciate the outreach efforts of the Star Dream Team and the outreach to the 40s forum and 50+ forum, these have been a blessing to new folks. I hope these efforts will continue as they are now and expand.

I welcome folks who want to to join me in adding more creative and fellowship threads to this forum to offer more variety and attract people of varying rep levels to interact with each other.


NOTE: In responding to this post, please do not criticize others as a group or personally. I do not want that. Keep your reactions as your reactions.

And if you choose to rep me for this post, I will not be offended. However, I am more interested in you knowing what I have been wrestling with personally.

RepDaddy is BACK!

 

[MMXII]

Glad you're back RD.

Nadiine and I were just talking yesterday about how slow this forum had become. We (ok I) love to fellowship. We need to keep this place alive.

 

[drstevej]

Cool. Let's do it!

 

[BellaSong]

I'm with you guys on this!

 

[MMXII]

/me puts a screeching halt to things.

I have to work at noon I have cycle count to finish by tomorrow. Department 2 which is tools...it's a hardware store...we have thousands of tools...Oy Vey!! Someone please pray

 

[drstevej]

You'll Never Rep Alone

When you rep through a funk
Hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.

At the end of a day is a new reload
And the sweet golden glow of a star.

Rep on through the wind,
Beg on through the rain,
Tho' your rank goes up or down.

Rep on, rep on with hope in your heart
And you'll never rep alone,
You'll never, ever rep alone.

 

[Tychicus2]

WELCOME BACK REP DADDY !!!

Dr. Ty

 

[Nadiine]

I'm glad to see this post --

I've been getting downright depressed hanging out here the past 4 days now. You know things are bad when you're looking to DEBATE forums for interraction and fellowship!
ROFL

I think everybody eventually falls into "starstruck" pit where it stops being about fellowship but "get me to my next star"

The point is that we notice it and get out of it as quick as possible.
There's ALWAYS going to be people higher and lower than your score (unless yer Gazelle) LOLOL

But anyways, I'm hoping for more interaction than has been going on lately & hopefully any wierdness will die out eventually.

 

[Avatar]

I'm glad to see this post --

I've been getting downright depressed hanging out here the past 4 days now. You know things are bad when you're looking to DEBATE forums for interraction and fellowship!
ROFL

I think everybody eventually falls into "starstruck" pit where it stops being about fellowship but "get me to my next star"

The point is that we notice it and get out of it as quick as possible.
There's ALWAYS going to be people higher and lower than your score (unless yer Gazelle) LOLOL

But anyways, I'm hoping for more interaction than has been going on lately & hopefully any wierdness will die out eventually.

^^what she said.

 

[~ Gig ~]

WELCOME BACK REP DADDY !!!

 

[Watchman4hm]

I day or so ago I posted a "Too Bummed Out to Beg" thread, which was a bit tongue in cheek but also reflecting feelings I have had about my participation here recently.

What I have to say below has to do with me, it is not critical of others. I believe folks here should be able to find and pursue their own style and I am not desiring to make them like me.

But as for me, I really had lost the interest of posting here. That was odd because I love this forum and all the folks here. You are my friends and I know of none here I do not get along with.

I have figured out why I was bummed out. From the beginning the whole Repaholic idea was never as much about reps as it was about fun and community. The concept of shameless begging was always role playing rather than reality.

When I hit 15 to 20 stars it was a blast because you could push others to their goals. That was fun. But somewhere I became more focused on stars an gaining them efficiently rather than building community through the process.

I am not criticizing other who have lots of stars, that's a part of what makes this place interesting. I am simply saying that for me stars are a means to an end -- or need to be.

As a result, I have decided to refocus to what originally energized me. That is building community and making a few folks laugh while looking for opportunities to minister as a shepherd.

What am I asking others to do? Nothing unless you want to. There is no one approach in this forum. Folks with no stars are just as cool as megazillas. In fact those with fewer stars have more fun gaining them and are therefore in a neat position to encourage,

I appreciate the outreach efforts of the Star Dream Team and the outreach to the 40s forum and 50+ forum, these have been a blessing to new folks. I hope these efforts will continue as they are now and expand.

I welcome folks who want to to join me in adding more creative and fellowship threads to this forum to offer more variety and attract people of varying rep levels to interact with each other.


NOTE: In responding to this post, please do not criticize others as a group or personally. I do not want that. Keep your reactions as your reactions.

And if you choose to rep me for this post, I will not be offended. However, I am more interested in you knowing what I have been wrestling with personally.

RepDaddy is BACK!

Praise God...The Lord is moving in this forum by HIS Spirit!! Many are on the same page right now as we speak..

 

[drstevej]

Great responses. Let's get busy having fun and making folks see stars they thought they'd never see.

 

[~ Gig ~]

Hey, hope everyone has a very blessed weekend

 

[Nadiine]

I'm glad to see this post --

I've been getting downright depressed hanging out here the past 4 days now. You know things are bad when you're looking to DEBATE forums for interraction and fellowship!
ROFL

I think everybody eventually falls into "starstruck" pit where it stops being about fellowship but "get me to my next star"

The point is that we notice it and get out of it as quick as possible.
There's ALWAYS going to be people higher and lower than your score (unless yer Gazelle) LOLOL

But anyways, I'm hoping for more interaction than has been going on lately & hopefully any wierdness will die out eventually.

*adding to this post*

NOW LET THE MASS REPPAGE FUN BEGIN!!

 

[~ Gig ~]

 

[Ariel]

I have wiped out this post.

In future I will keep my observations to myself.

 

[Nadiine]

Well, I don't know if you'll like what I'm going to say. But I'll say it anyway.

First of all, there is a lot more fellowship in this area of the forum than there is where I came from. It is a joy to be here in comparison.

Second, there are seasons for everything. Maybe some of our fellowship has dropped off. There can be a multitude of reasons. Right now, for example, I am trying to push a change in the way our reps are given. This is taking up a lot of my online time. Others are participating in games in the Blessings Exchange forum. One of those games is very intense. Of course those people are not here right now, at least not much.

Third, as much as I like the "rep swap" thread, it has hurt a lot of people. I've heard some say, "The rich get richer and the poor get poorer." I've seen others go away hurt. At least one of these I tucked under my wing and made my little sister. I am now helping her on a regular basis. This is good--but that friendship started because she got hurt. There is another I am helping and encouraging as well. She has almost given up. Yes, the rules and title on that thread are now changed, and it is better. But even now, I've heard complaints from those who are slighted there. I am wondering if we should have such a thread for those with less than ten stars--just for them.

Fourth, sometimes I feel like a target on some threads. I never realized this, and I hardly have any reps compared to many. I have had people get angry at me because I didn't rep them back when they repped me. Honestly, I don't know how to handle someone who reps me and thinks I automatically owe them. I can't possibly rep everyone who reps me. So, I write lists. I try to rep everyone eventually, but I've found that they are not even happy with this.

For a while I was afraid to go into some threads, because then I would get repped, and people would think I owe them--and then get mad. But this isn't true of only this subforum. It is true ALL OVER CF.

I've finally resolved that my reps are my own, to give out as I please, to my friends, mostly, but also helping those who need help.

Fifth. If you're going to have a subforum for repping, then of course you are going to get a lot of people who are interested in getting repped. Of course that is their focus when they come! But hopefully they will find something more, as I have. I've found friendships I never expected, and I am so blessed.

Last point. You can't tell people how to behave. You can only be an example yourself, and encourage godly behavior. If people want to just focus on getting repped, then they will. But hopefully there will be something else here as well.

I care about you deeply, RD, even though I hardly know you. I've been touched again and again by your amazing generosity. I hope that I will be able to bless people as you do, everyday.

Be blessed, my friends.

Welp, if you guys want me to shut up and close down my rep swap thread I'll be glad to.

that isn't THE problem - anyone can make threads here - they can feel free to make up ideas.
I was frankly tired of having to just "pass a rep to so and so" like an assembly line, i was looking for a gameplay thread for rep exchanging rather than "just pass it to me"...

If you guys want it shut down then that's what I'll do.
It wasn't designed that way by the way.

Here's why I designed it: people were complaining that as they helped people with NO stars gain, they themselves weren't getting many reps.
I wanted a better return on their reps so they could BUILD MORE AND FASTER then they could not only gain (ie. not suffer while focusing on helping others which 3 people specifically complained about and I felt bad for them) rep numbers, but also, some INTERACTION that would go on.

I had other reasons for the thread.
I also tried to help them out when they showed up TO BUILD them into the system.
I cannot help if people didn't show up to play. Not many even bothered to play. I cannot help that.
But why should others who do have fun with it suffer or feel guilty?
Can't they start their own thread ideas with something similar? or ask me to????
:o
People who play on it should feel no more guilty than those who can afford these high priced auctions that continue passing out stars for massive amounts that most don't have.

There's alot of things we can pinpoint - one shouldn't be singled out - but if they want a 10 stars or less trade thread, I can start one, or just shut mine down.

Sorry I can't be more eloquent and "emotional" about it... I have real life issues that I'm dealing with that aren't helping my emotions rite now, I come here to try to FORGET about them....
and I"m out the door to get to run my errands so I can't sit and "cushion" my reply out. my apology for how this mite come out.

I will either set up a 10 & under rep swap thread, or shut mine down. This just is disheartening to me to tell you the truth. And I'm upset about it.

why do I get singled out for trying new thread ideas?

 

[Nadiine]

 

[Ariel]

Nadiine, I'm sorry. Do you want me to go back and wipe that paragraph out?

I KNOW you don't mean to hurt people.

Also, I LOVE that thread. I've also noticed a lot of people who work late use that thread--it helps them to catch up.

Please, don't misunderstand.

but I am telling you, honestly, that people are getting hurt, and I'm hearing about it.

 

[Spudgrandma]

I'm happy to see this thread RD. When I came back to CF after being gone, for about 6 months, I stumbled into this area and found friends and fellowship. I set a goal for myself on stars and reached it in a very short time and now I have been fellowshiping here and also in a couple of fellowship areas I frequented befor my exit from CF.

This area has been a wonderful place for all who come here and Thank you and all who have made it such a fun place to hang out.

I wanted to add that I have made some new and wonderful friends and rekindled friendships or come to know some who I just had a passing acquaintance with.

One last thing, we live in a sinful world and this side of heaven there are going to be struggles, disappointments, and tears. If we remember in whom we have believed we can get through these times..........
(Mark 10:27 (NASB95)
27 Looking at them, Jesus said, “With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.&#8221

May all who come here be blessed!