The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum - View Single Post

**lindil** · 10-03-2002, 07:29 AM

very nteresting set of posts.

As an old-timer myself [here from the first season and 35!] I have seen the downs wax and wane and wax and wane...

and I think that unless one creates a project for oneself, one will sooner or later enivetiably run aground w/ the legendarium and any forum devoted to it.

This may take years or decades or months, depending on knowledge, time spent here and one's personality.

But I think contributing in a way that helps your own soul grow is the only key to staying with any hobby or craft. Just replying to the latest query in the Books or N&N will only last so long because as we have seen it is darn hard to keep coming up w/ original threads.

So while it could be valuable to find out the reasons why people are leaving, I imagine that relatively fwe people, decide: ok I am done w/ the downs [unless their spouses are standing behind them w/ wire cutters to sever the telephone wire, or like Galpsi's students, notice a distinct drop in his presnetations when he is downsing < hey did I coin that?>]

Most I imagine get sucked away into life, work, family, babies [notice saulotus' short lived return after announcing fatherhood], other interests.

back to my original point, people stay for years because they invest something in it.

And I don't mean are made admin's or moderator's [ although I must confess to a certain amount of vanity] but have a project or purpose.

Learning and conversing or composing in Quenya or sindarin is a suprisngly small area [ because it is far from easy for most of us I assume] Participating in the New Silmarillion, or adding to the Encyclopedia, writing Articles, etc, I would say that the majority of folks who have done some of the above to any depth are still around.

One other point, one really good reason to leave is spiritual growth. I left the Legendarium completely alone for years [ I think] while I devoted myself to meditation, Tai-Chi and sundries, I did not need to read about Elves , I was trying to become one [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img] . Only after I became an Orthodox Christian did I come back to it.

So I think having people who are really offended or concerned tell an admin or mod is OK but IO must say the admins [ w/out any help from this mod, who is NOT, part of the inner circle ] are doing an awesome job of balancing maintaing the old downs while welcoming the new.

When you have a 400% increase in 2 years there will be growing pains, and right now maybe the downs is a gangly teenager, but hey that is life.

hope that made a little sense, I tried to make a point in there.

10-03-2002, 07:29 AM	#5
lindil Seeker of the Straight Path Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: a hidden fastness in Big Valley nor cal Posts: 1,681	very nteresting set of posts. As an old-timer myself [here from the first season and 35!] I have seen the downs wax and wane and wax and wane... and I think that unless one creates a project for oneself, one will sooner or later enivetiably run aground w/ the legendarium and any forum devoted to it. This may take years or decades or months, depending on knowledge, time spent here and one's personality. But I think contributing in a way that helps your own soul grow is the only key to staying with any hobby or craft. Just replying to the latest query in the Books or N&N will only last so long because as we have seen it is darn hard to keep coming up w/ original threads. So while it could be valuable to find out the reasons why people are leaving, I imagine that relatively fwe people, decide: ok I am done w/ the downs [unless their spouses are standing behind them w/ wire cutters to sever the telephone wire, or like Galpsi's students, notice a distinct drop in his presnetations when he is downsing < hey did I coin that?>] Most I imagine get sucked away into life, work, family, babies [notice saulotus' short lived return after announcing fatherhood], other interests. back to my original point, people stay for years because they invest something in it. And I don't mean are made admin's or moderator's [ although I must confess to a certain amount of vanity] but have a project or purpose. Learning and conversing or composing in Quenya or sindarin is a suprisngly small area [ because it is far from easy for most of us I assume] Participating in the New Silmarillion, or adding to the Encyclopedia, writing Articles, etc, I would say that the majority of folks who have done some of the above to any depth are still around. One other point, one really good reason to leave is spiritual growth. I left the Legendarium completely alone for years [ I think] while I devoted myself to meditation, Tai-Chi and sundries, I did not need to read about Elves , I was trying to become one [img]smilies/cool.gif[/img] . Only after I became an Orthodox Christian did I come back to it. So I think having people who are really offended or concerned tell an admin or mod is OK but IO must say the admins [ w/out any help from this mod, who is NOT, part of the inner circle ] are doing an awesome job of balancing maintaing the old downs while welcoming the new. When you have a 400% increase in 2 years there will be growing pains, and right now maybe the downs is a gangly teenager, but hey that is life. hope that made a little sense, I tried to make a point in there. __________________ The dwindling Men of the West would often sit up late into the night exchanging lore & wisdom such as they still possessed that they should not fall back into the mean estate of those who never knew or indeed rebelled against the Light.