I’m reflecting tonight on the fact that I have been a member of CruxForums for nearly seven and one half years, and remarkably ... I am still here!
I never would have predicted that when I joined the site in the summer of 2013. That was just before the infamous site crash of that year, which ... contrary to popular opinion ...I did not cause
So why am I still here?
It’s a question we might all do well to reflect on from time to time. I’ve seen a good many come and go over the years ... some burn out, get bored ... a very few get themselves banned ... others simply disappear and we never know why.
But, I’m still here and will most likely remain, at least for the foreseeable time. And I think there are some clear reasons why.
Most important are the people. CF is a remarkable place where individuals with a particular, if somewhat offbeat, interest (or set of interests) come together as a community to share. And, for me, one of the most remarkable things about the gathering is how truly international it is. CF brings together people I can get to know and find interesting from literally all over the world. That’s hard to beat!
And I do find so many of them to be interesting. I find here, far more than one might expect, a diverse and talented bunch of artists and writers, speaking of course of the core of really active members as opposed to those on the fringe ... although I was once a lurker myself who hesitated before jumping in.
And CF is not just about manipulated images, art and writing. There are also a great many animated discussions that take place on the threads, covering a remarkable range of topics, and displaying such expertise. I truly learn things here!
There is also good humor and banter, which at times can get out of control and can hijack an entire thread. But there is a lightheartedness here that affords a nice balance to the relative darkness of some of the materials on display. It’s a place where I feel I can relax and even be a little silly, and it’s okay ... a welcome release from the constraints and seriousness of real life.
Personally, I like to write. And CF is a place where I can enjoy writing, often about subjects that interest me but are not likely to be well received outside of a place like CF.
Over the past seven and a half years I have written and posted dozens of stories here, both long and short, along with some pitiful attempts at verse. A good many have been written in collaboration with other members, which is something I particularly enjoy, and I have had the good fortune to work with some awesome collaborators. You know who you are.
But the other nice thing about writing for the site is the commentary that appears on the threads. Feedback is a wonderful thing. And there is a lot of it here, as well as a kind tolerance for the fact that nearly all my stories feature the same principal character ... my CF alter ego, Barbara Moore (who in some ways is Moore of the real me than I care to admit).
But the vexing thing about my writing currently is that I seem to have finally run out of fresh ideas. I like to write stories that fit into historical contexts ... it’s the historian in me. But I seem to have covered just about every setting I can think of.
And it’s just that ... the lack of any fresh creative inspiration ... which has caused me to open this thread. After seven and a half years, have I reached a limit? Is it time to quit?
Apparently not, because I am still here and still enjoying myself, and I think I’ll stay. But it has me thinking a lot about the site, and how it keeps going.
There have been bumps along the way. We’ve weathered some crises ... some irascible members cause troubles from time to time, there have been occasional technical difficulties, and most recently a pandemic and a tightening of the income stream that normally kept us afloat. We evolve and we reinvent, and are resilient. And through it all the place retains my interest. My friends here are the best... so what Moore can I want. Love you all.
So, open for comments. What do you like about CF? Why are you here? How could it be better? I’d love to hear.
I never would have predicted that when I joined the site in the summer of 2013. That was just before the infamous site crash of that year, which ... contrary to popular opinion ...I did not cause
So why am I still here?
It’s a question we might all do well to reflect on from time to time. I’ve seen a good many come and go over the years ... some burn out, get bored ... a very few get themselves banned ... others simply disappear and we never know why.
But, I’m still here and will most likely remain, at least for the foreseeable time. And I think there are some clear reasons why.
Most important are the people. CF is a remarkable place where individuals with a particular, if somewhat offbeat, interest (or set of interests) come together as a community to share. And, for me, one of the most remarkable things about the gathering is how truly international it is. CF brings together people I can get to know and find interesting from literally all over the world. That’s hard to beat!
And I do find so many of them to be interesting. I find here, far more than one might expect, a diverse and talented bunch of artists and writers, speaking of course of the core of really active members as opposed to those on the fringe ... although I was once a lurker myself who hesitated before jumping in.
And CF is not just about manipulated images, art and writing. There are also a great many animated discussions that take place on the threads, covering a remarkable range of topics, and displaying such expertise. I truly learn things here!
There is also good humor and banter, which at times can get out of control and can hijack an entire thread. But there is a lightheartedness here that affords a nice balance to the relative darkness of some of the materials on display. It’s a place where I feel I can relax and even be a little silly, and it’s okay ... a welcome release from the constraints and seriousness of real life.
Personally, I like to write. And CF is a place where I can enjoy writing, often about subjects that interest me but are not likely to be well received outside of a place like CF.
Over the past seven and a half years I have written and posted dozens of stories here, both long and short, along with some pitiful attempts at verse. A good many have been written in collaboration with other members, which is something I particularly enjoy, and I have had the good fortune to work with some awesome collaborators. You know who you are.
But the other nice thing about writing for the site is the commentary that appears on the threads. Feedback is a wonderful thing. And there is a lot of it here, as well as a kind tolerance for the fact that nearly all my stories feature the same principal character ... my CF alter ego, Barbara Moore (who in some ways is Moore of the real me than I care to admit).
But the vexing thing about my writing currently is that I seem to have finally run out of fresh ideas. I like to write stories that fit into historical contexts ... it’s the historian in me. But I seem to have covered just about every setting I can think of.
And it’s just that ... the lack of any fresh creative inspiration ... which has caused me to open this thread. After seven and a half years, have I reached a limit? Is it time to quit?
Apparently not, because I am still here and still enjoying myself, and I think I’ll stay. But it has me thinking a lot about the site, and how it keeps going.
There have been bumps along the way. We’ve weathered some crises ... some irascible members cause troubles from time to time, there have been occasional technical difficulties, and most recently a pandemic and a tightening of the income stream that normally kept us afloat. We evolve and we reinvent, and are resilient. And through it all the place retains my interest. My friends here are the best... so what Moore can I want. Love you all.
So, open for comments. What do you like about CF? Why are you here? How could it be better? I’d love to hear.