So i guess everyone is leaving..?

Karn wrote: It is simply good etiquette to greet new people. This is a small thing that I do to make people feel welcome. I greet every person who posts in the introduction thread since I returned from my overseas deployments. It does not take very long to write a simple hello, and I get tells from people with questions, probably because I am one of the few Knights who do greet new people coming in the door.

The newcomers, guests are getting a lot more attention that it used to be. It has gotten better. It could always be better. But as has been said, this is our own Journey, our own Path and we must take ownership of it. If you need aid, have questions, never wait for the answer to come to you. It may or may not. Seek it out. Ask any of us, Knights, Apprentices, Novices, Initiates, members, Guests, wisdom and insight may be gleaned from any rank.

Send any of us a PM, ask in the forums, start a topic, we are all here to help each other grow.

Keep in mind every couple days the welcoming party sends pls to every member who registered in the previous couple days as well.

Look at my journal though I made like 3 posts then disappeared for 12 months due to life and now look at me im ole Kobos that one a-hole

I think it's just easy for long standing members to get bored of the tedium in greeting new members that don't stick around. I know many times I would feel like im just copy and pasting "Welcome!!" twenty or so times and the personal feel of it gets lost. I always prefered to greet them in chat and during discussions where it had a more personal and interactive feel to it and less...copy/paste.

It's easy to forget that while it's tedious for those that's been here longer.....it is still new to the new guys

Trisskar wrote: I think it's just easy for long standing members to get bored of the tedium in greeting new members that don't stick around. I know many times I would feel like im just copy and pasting "Welcome!!" twenty or so times and the personal feel of it gets lost. I always prefered to greet them in chat and during discussions where it had a more personal and interactive feel to it and less...copy/paste.

It's easy to forget that while it's tedious for those that's been here longer.....it is still new to the new guys

I took a few weeks from account creation before I actually started being a more regular user here...part of that was in the generic responses of "Hi, welcome, check out the FAQ and IP, and ask if you have any questions..."

Like...YA...I have questions...I wouldn't be here if I didn't...problem was I had no idea what questions to even ask...so had to poke around.

It DOES NOT help though when the intro post (probably mine included) is somewhat generic itself with little insight into who the person is.

When I read posts where people actually tell a little about themselves, I find things that I can understand or relate to, and like to point those out...but not everyone offers that much up front...

Take the recent post from the "Barbarian"...THAT was an intro post! I have little question at all about who he is or what he is about, and I like that.

Maybe have some sort or "primer" for what people should/need to cover in an intro post so we can get a tad more to relate to in breaking up the monotony of "Hi I'm new here" -- "Welcome, hope you find what you are looking for" type of come-and-goes...

My general guess is that by the time someone has figured out that they should, and where to properly post an intro, they have already cruised the site a bit and decided to make their presence known...that first post is them reaching out and saying "I'm here, and have decided to be here, now what?"

Almost like car sales...if people are on the lot looking at cars, its not just cause they were bored that day and wanted to go see how many colors you had...its because they have done a little research, more or less narrowed down their preferences, and are financially ready to commit to buying a car...you just have to let them test drive it and pick exactly which one they want...

We aren't selling things here...some people may just come to shop ideas...but for those posting in the intro forum at all, I'm thinking they are ready for a test drive...they just need some keys...

SamThift wrote: Maybe have some sort or "primer" for what people should/need to cover in an intro post so we can get a tad more to relate to in breaking up the monotony of "Hi I'm new here" -- "Welcome, hope you find what you are looking for" type of come-and-goes...

Good idea Sam! At present the Welcome Party message just says 'be sure to post an introduction in the forum', I could maybe add something in there to elaborate a little more on what we had in mind.

Brick wrote:

SamThift wrote: Maybe have some sort or "primer" for what people should/need to cover in an intro post so we can get a tad more to relate to in breaking up the monotony of "Hi I'm new here" -- "Welcome, hope you find what you are looking for" type of come-and-goes...

Good idea Sam! At present the Welcome Party message just says 'be sure to post an introduction in the forum', I could maybe add something in there to elaborate a little more on what we had in mind.

It doesn't have to be invasive...I get that a lot of people might not feel comfortable opening up about their personal life, location, whatever might be identifiable...but some weird "ice-breaker" questions..."What was the last book you read?" "If you had to be an animal, what would you be and why?" "Jar-Jar Binks, pathetic life form or best character ever?"

Anything to provide a tiny way for people to share some meaningful unique things about themselves without feeling like they are opening the doors of their soul to an unknown online community...but still giving us something to play off of...

I just read the "Lakota Way" by Joseph M. Marshall III, and am now reading a revised version of "Black Elk Speaks" by John G. Neihardt
I would be a penguin so I could swim in icy cold water, eat tons of fish, and walk funny.
Jar-Jar was annoying...but I feel like he offered us an opportunity to evaluate our own prejudices.