Just wondering

There are around 2,500 registered users here on this forum.

Whenever I look at who's been active in the past 24 hours most of the names seem to remain the same most of the time and there are certainly lots of great people within those names.

Where are all the other people...wonder why they don't seem to be dropping in? I'm not sitting and taking polls daily but I can certainly notice that the names of members visiting don't change all that much. Wonder where they are all at?

I think we have a lot more lurkers than participators.

maybe that is the case - it just seems very stange to me....if they are out there, it would be neat if they joined in I was just looking down the topics and browsing who posts and who responds and it always seems to be the same names - not that there is anything at all wrong with that (good folks) but you would think with that many users you'd see much more participation. The things that make ya say hmmmm. Just something I was wondering. I mean it's impossible to know why every single person isn't participating but when there's so many you'd think atleast a larger majority would and not just what seems to be the set 100 or so that often appears in the logged-in within 24 hours box on the home page along with the ones you see actually post and respond. If they are out there, I hope they are alright!

i agree.. more users more ideas and more friends to chat with or jam with.. maybe more local's that we could share with

I know for me, it really comes down to a time thing. I am really busy most of the time, burning the candle at both ends. I just finished the school quarter so thankfully I have time to do more. I am the same way with Facebook, I might post on there once every two weeks, but then I have spare time and I can post more. More often than not, I just don't have anything valuable to say, LOL! I have only been painting for a year and most of the time I don't have the experience to participate in a discussion. I am also a very private person and have a hard time making friends. Sooooo, theres my two peanuts.
I love this forum though, I haven't even explored others. That might be unbalanced, but whatevah.

I have been one of those "lurkers" until just recently. I registered in August and I have been soaking up all the information that you wonderful people provide I guess for me it came down to being slightly overwhelmed or intimidated with the experience and knowledge that was coming from this forum when I was so new to it all. Now that I've dived in head first and had some experience and feel that I can contribute in my own small way I feel more comfortable! It may not be the same for everybody but that's how it was for me.

I registered a long time ago, but it was hard for me to feel comfortable posting. I was VERY intimidated and didn't feel that I had anything worthy of contributing. And, no offense, it was a little hard to navigate and I didn't have time to figure it out - and there is SO MUCH to look at. Until I started to get involved a few months ago, after I had signed up I hadn't even really looked at it. Sadly, now I realize how much I had missed out on - great advice and possibly could have saved me from a lot of 'trial and error' where others tried and failed, or tried and succeeded!

with past forums I lurked because people seemed arrogant/no it alls....and the forums seemed confusing to navigate.

I don't find that here...I feel comfortable! You guys rock!!! If I disappear for a couple of days, its because I'm busy working; but with this forum everyone comes across friendly, helpful, inspiring, funny....etc. Makes me want to come back and check in on whats new.

I pop in everynow and then and sometimes make a comment.
I have a very busy life so don't always get on line. But love seeing what everyone has been doing. Working at my day job. And fitting facepainting jobs in and other art projects seems to take all my time. Have just finished making the last of my christmas cards this morning for local friends and the craft group I belong to

I also think that forums attract a certain personality type. Many may be in it just for the knowledge, but may be too shy, don't have time, an interest, etc in the relationships(I'm not saying this as a bad thing). I joined by accident... I thought it was another way for free advertising & had no clue forums like this existed It's one of the best "mistakes" I ever did

I am surprised there aren't more jumping in. This is a great forum with super friendly members. I've been to some forums that they will jump down someone throat if you just say hi

I have seen maybe two fights on here, but it came to an end fast.

I also love this forum because it has a New to Face Painting section for the newbies. That way you don't feel stupid for asking a simple question.

for me it's what interests me most at this time...I'm also on forums from pearl jam and 30 seconds to mars (both bands) and sometimes they talk all rubbish...not about the band at all...they are more like a group of internetfriends who seem to have nothing better to do then talk on the forum all day...

I find that this forum is really about the painting...and sometimes other things...

I lurked for a long time. I don't feel comfortable posting to a thread with out having something unique to contribute to it. So I'm slowly breaking in here. Also, it was really hard the first time I posted. It felt like I was just walking over to the cool lunch table and sitting down. Super scary! I still kinda feel like you guys could kick me out of the clique at any moment.

Geekohile *big hugs* I never sat at the popular table

I just get busy alot. Sometime I tread to catch up on everyone or use the search for info. I know in the past there were a few conversations that really turned me off so I took a break. I find this the easiest to navigate of the forums and I have made quite a few friends here and have got to meet them in person too. I have grown alot here.

LOL, the people who responded are the ones who you can usually count on. I'm wondering about all the people who are registered who's names you NEVER see, where are these folks? Even if you are a lurker which is fine, your name would still show up on the bottom of the homepage as being logged in within 24 hours unless you've privatized it. It's just strange...I'm sure some people totally jumped ship or learned that FP'ing wasn't for them but still with almost 2500 you'd think you'd see more of a variety other than the awesome regulars....who are well, just what I said...Awesome.

This is a nice forum and there are a few others just as cool...lots of the same people but some exclusive to one or the other who have their own style. I had to ask around and do some google'ing before I found the other forums and it was well worth it. Merry Christmas to everyone here on this site!

PS - I think it would be awesome for a group of people from here to get together on youtube and form some type of collaboration where they took turns doing videos once a week on the same channel. If you got like 4 together that would only be one video for each per month. I bet it would get tons of views also.

Like a Face Paint Forum channel?

Or a group that wanted to do or start their own little thing that would probably get very big very fast. Maybe even be considered a youtube partner and make some money...but that would just be icing on the cake - the cake alone would be fun enough! If I were a vid maker I'd head it up but I stink at making vids.

kimskreation wrote:I have been one of those "lurkers" until just recently. I registered in August and I have been soaking up all the information that you wonderful people provide I guess for me it came down to being slightly overwhelmed or intimidated with the experience and knowledge that was coming from this forum when I was so new to it all. Now that I've dived in head first and had some experience and feel that I can contribute in my own small way I feel more comfortable! It may not be the same for everybody but that's how it was for me.

I agree. I've been a member for some time now, and lurk mostly because I am intimidated, shy and a terrible speller. I think everyone here is extremely knowledgeable, and talented. I lack experience, so what advice or critique could I offer anyone here? As a result of still tend to lurk. I do comment every once and a while but not often.

hmmm - I always thought there was that element of the face painting mum - who signed up here to learn a few things and then freaked out and gave up.
I'm on an axolotl site that I on;y go to when my axies have a problem or get sick etc .... so I figure It's easy to sign up and dissappear.
It would help if after you signed up if you hadn't been there in six months the system would boot you and you had to sign up again.... except I don't think there is " a system" I think it all Metina...lol
The idea of all these lurkers taking info and pics from us is a little creepy.
When I share stuff here it's because I want to share with our regulars... not with the Lurkers.
I understand completely being intimidated .... but that shouldn't stop you introducing yourself and letting us know you are here... I mean that's just polite... you wouldn't sneak into a room and stand next to a group of people and listen to what everyone is saying ... take notes and sneak off without talking to anyone would you?... no - that would be strange... but here in cyber world that's ok?
Maybe we should start a "say hey or get booted thread" ok I'm only joking...
srry I think I'm getting out my humbugs before christmas!!
Bottom line - Lurkers are in every chat room, forum, social network on the net... they have become part of the scenery - YAY for all the lurkers who have come out and a big "C'MON GUYS" to the rest of you!
We really are friendly... we hardly ever bite

Wow, we have 2500 members? Just think about how many MORE might come in and read posts without actually joining.

As for those who join and then disappear... I wonder how many of them simply lost their passwords and then forgot about the forum altogether. I fell off the forum for a LONG time, almost a year, and a lot of that was due to going on a trip, then getting really busy and falling out of the habit of checking the forum. Then I got logged out due to being gone so long, and I'd forgotten my password and couldn't log back in. And so... a year passes.

Also, interests rise and wane. I'm also a member of the UK forum (before this one was created) and I've not been there to read posts or comment in forever. Two active forums is a little too much to keep up with for me. They are probably over there wondering why people like me are completely inactive these days.

Even the newest folks are sure to have something up their sleeves that the ones who've been face painting for decades has never heard or thought of. I wouldn't let anyone ever intimidate me...they are people just like you..the only difference is they've been wiggling around a brush a little bit longer.

I pretty much read the topics every day. But, alot of the times, I keep my comments and advice to myself. Usually I am at work and I just pop in for new ideas and topics.
I love you guys. A great group of talented people.

I think a bit depends on external life stuff and where you're at with your business? At the moment my son is teething and will only sleep with me beside him so I have a couple of hours a day to cruise the net - also being new means I have been greedily soaking up info but I try to post too if only to show gratitude for how helpful everyone is.
I do like that its mostly the same people as I can know who's who a bit and it actually feels like an on line community. I'm only on one other forum which is a mothers one and I got to admit I lurk there a bit for answers but posting is a bit scarier cause you never know who will reply and whether you'll be judged or helped whereas here I've felt comfortable asking all my silly noob questions.
It still blows me away though that I get to just casually chat with some of the big wigs of the face painting world..

I don't know... I feel alot like some of you other posters. I lurked on here for awhile after joining. In fact, I think I probably read everything on here before I even introduced myself. I had to wait several months after discovering the forum to order any real face paints. I only had the yucky Palmer's face paint and had only painted for one small function but I knew I really wanted to do it. I only started posting after I got my paints.