lichaim, lichaim, lichaim.

I don't know if I can travel now.

You know, I'm probably one of the culprits in the forum slowing down. So I'd like to comment.

I'm naturally a big chatterbox, so when I arrived here I found myself posting many times a day. It was very helpful for me to have a diary to chart my work, and to know that others would be reading over my shoulder to straighten me out [?] when I got off-track.

I also felt it very helpful to track other people's struggles. I also felt an obligation to "give as good as I got" [?] and post back to other people here. Destroying the isolation on both sides is such a big piece of things, in my opinion.

Now, with a few months at GYE under my belt [?], I'm not feeling like this journaling is so important to my own work. I'm also finding that reading other posts can trigger emotions I don't need (jealous, pity, triggered, frustrated, whatever -- I'm not claiming to be sane or objective here). So my posting to others is way way down, and my compulsive need to get posts is finally quieting down.

Is this a failure? No, it's a success. I've fallen only twice since January, which I would have bet the house to be impossible when I first found this place by Hashg.P. So we're not dying, we're just moving to other places.

I'll agree that getting more vibrant means getting more people. So, nu, are you just whining or are you also ACTING? Have YOU put a poster about this place in YOUR shul? In YOUR pizza shop? If not, then stop whining and start acting. As they said in the election campaign, man up [?].

There may be a good opening for this soon. If the gedolim will soon be announcing that internet access is inevitable but filters are as mandatory as two sets of dishes, then filters should be a big topic soon. Perhaps we could all find a way to push GYE as a place to understand filters and deposit our passwords?

One final point. When I first arrived, I don't remember a lot of energy behind the 12-step programs (whether GYE's phone calls or live SA meetings). I feel there's now a LOT of participation from the guys on the Wall of Honor etc. This not only dilutes the intensity of the public forum posts (it's happening behind closed doors [?]), but it takes people off the forum completely and into another mechanism. Again, is this a failure of the website? No, l'hefech, it's a victory to get guys to what they need.

So let's not bemoan the changes in the forum. Let's celebrate the victories that could be sitting behind them.

That's my (not so) humble opinion. Your mileage may vary. - Briut

Wow. I agree. And that was humble, thanks for putting all that out here, chaver!

I second what you're saying.

I used to need those posts more than I do now. But I am much better off now and I am indeed onto healthier things.

Another byproduct of the chizuk I got here is that I am much much busier and productive than I used to be (I also have a chavrusa at night which I hadn't had in ages).

I simply don't have all that much time to Post. I also eliminated constant internet access...

So I am both busier and have less access to the internet (Both Great things) and my need to act out has dropped drastically (Thank G-d and may he continue....)

So at least in my case it's coming from a healthy place...

all chevra are welcome to check in at the "just wanted to say hi" thread.
feel connected.
no vip necessary.

me too?

especially you.
you own the place.

i don't.
but i think the world of the guy who does....

I must say a big YASHAR KOACH to our beloved Reb Guard.

I voiced my concerned about the Chizzuk E-mails and I see he's really trying to take them into consideration.

There's been more of those melo-drama E-mails, tracking a fellow's struggle, and showing all the support he got through the other fellows in the forum.

I love those type of chizzuk E-mails.

It really helped me get more involved with the forum in the first place.

Frankly, I was jealous and wanted to be part of the chevra!

--Eye.