There are 37 guests this exact moment, and only 1 member. Me.
I think the members are taking all this soul searching too seriously. Does it ever occur to anyone that this forum is just a small bit player in the larger scheme of things?
The forum has 'morphed' into something sedate, something defensive at times. Something way too introspective, way too 'safe'. That certainly does not help the forum longevity much.
I, for one, am curious on how others are changed...the better, the worst?
You raise some interesting points John. And I took in the quotes part of your posting that I will also reflect upon.
First, it has been said at other times by others, and even myself, that we believed we were just small fish in the pond. If we have more guest then members, then I would hazard a guess that most people are just using this site to, as you mentioned, gleam information from. So we do provide a small service even if, as Gerry thinks, our information is difficult to get at.
I don't understand the second statement you posted as in if the forum is too safe, how can it being the opposite increase its longevity? You are right that it has morphed into something sedate, and with no new blood on others starting their own China adventure, most postings will just be us old timers contributing oddities and jokes.
The last part you mentioned might be the way that this forum can grow a bit more usefull. But I can also say that once us members have our wives here, it seems that we have less free time. I know I spent more time here when I was lost in time during our prolong visa wait.
But to get the ball rolling.... I will say that my life is for sure now, a rollercoaster ride. And as to alluding to my 1000th & 1 posting poll
Topic: Bumper Cars And Rollercoasters , I mentioned that I liked bumper cars instead. My wife has been starting her own business and has had some success. She teaches her instrument and plays at some of our C-Train stops where she make some money as well. But there is tension at home because of her relationship with her 18 year old boy. He is not a bad kid, but he is disrespectful towards her. He also is a loner and after school mainly sits in his room on the computer. If his English was better (only Level 1 ESL - English second language) I could communicate better. If my Chinese was better, then I could get a heads up that an argument is brewing and for what reason.
So things are okay, being sometimes great, to sometimes not wanting to be at home when the 2 are there as well. I have also come to understand that if I did not marry again I could have been happy with my situation just living at home with my 17 year old son. He is easy to get along with and my wish would be that he and my stepson would socialise together so that my stepson, as he has stated to me before, would not say that this is not his home.
It's ironic that I needed to do my China adventure to understand that I could have been happy just being a bumper car life, but now that I have entered into my wife's life, I feel responsible for her, although this roller coaster gives me motion sickness.
Tomorrow I take her for her learners test and soon I will have the comfort of knowing that I will worry about her driving skill with Winter soon approaching. I do like Bumper Cars, but not if it is my car that goes Bump in the night.