Food for thought UM. I'm guilty of it too, but I can't say I feel particularly guilty - do you, when you've come into a conversation do you expect to be able to pick up on every thread of it, understand ever nuance of all relationships you suddenly see? Do you expect some one to take you aside and tell you the whole story so far, including all spin-offs? When I/we first come here we are faced with entering into what at first seems like a whole new world, populated with all kinds of people, bricks and TA's like various environments - we stumble around awhile...I've missed things I've later thought I would have felt better, or at least more able to wade it more confidently had I not missed a great deal of what had gone on before. But I don't want my nose in every pie - that would overwhelm me. If someone asks me, I will tell them, or point them in the right direction (as I did to you, about Orion - on my Transition brick). I will do what I can in that regard...that was why I simply invited people on my Profile, to check out my Auto-bio Brick, and any other parts of my Profile they have access to, let them decide how much or how little they want to know - and if there are questions, they may ask. We've explained to newcomers about the "Splodge" and all Splodgy references, have we not? That's an easy one to answer, compared to others - sometimes I wonder if it would even be a good idea to send an explanation that takes a box of tissues and two hours of reading to a newcomer anyway. Like any new relationship anywhere, you don't learn everything about the people you've just met straight away. That's how I think of it. For a while you feel a little out of various loops; you may or may not find your way in, may or may not be made welcome in...I guess that's possible in theory - in practise I have only felt it so because of some of the obscure (to my ears/vintage!) language people are using to talk to each other - they have a shared language, I only sort of understand, a bit...they have their meeting of minds - that's okay by me, I find a meeting of minds with you, Jomo, Harmony, Inspire...the list goes on, and I really don't like leaving any names off, but you know....Isn't this why the new Networks are being created here are for?? Young people getting together, coming from more similar head spaces, able to freely use 'young' language, and be comfortable...that's cool. I feel no need to get in there and traipse about (don't turtles lumber? Oops - there's an 'in' reference a newcomer won't get, but is it vital that they do? I'll explain if curiosity compels them to ask...) trying to 'relate'...oh dear...

:) -Mebenji

Mebenji

Long live turtles! (well actually they do don't they!)  You are right not to feel guilty about the fact that you have shared conversations on the wall with people over time.  It would only be a problem if you didn't like newcomers to join in and this not the case here.   If, as I believe did happen the other day, a reference to a previous conversation causes a mix up, it is easy to explain and put right once the confusion is recognised.

In my view the thing is not to change the way people use the wall but to continue to encourage everyone to develop their own way of joining in.

Best Wishes

Meercatxx

In the first place, I was hesitant about joining in on conversations on bricks - even when invited to do so - because I felt that they were kind of personal spaces - now I realise that people put bricks and TA's up to invite response.  If they don't want a response on a brick, they block comments.  So I guess I wander around on the wall like an old duck in the park, poking my beak in here and there - and sometimes I poke it in and I don't like what happens!  EEK!  Just like real life, eh.

My feeling is that people are welcomed, and questions are welcomed, and it is true that you feel your way round in any group, till you find your place - and some people are always on the edge, maybe they have other groups they are in the middle of - I always smile when YankeeBob pops in - not often, but then every once in a while, there he is, so I know that he is around, and reading, and I say a mental Hello, YankeeBob...

Welcome to all new Wallers who come into this TA to see what it is about - and Mebenji used to have a purple turtle Avatar - she is morphing!  Some of us [blush...] change our avatars on a regular basis.  Have a good day, all -

Jomo [she-who-changes-avatar-often - ha ha!]

Pleasure butterfliesnroses, nice to have you here. 'friends'? Yes we like to think we are. We come up with all sorts to greet each other, Posters, Wallers, brothers, sisters. Coming up with new ones every day. Whatever suits you

Been here myself a few months. Still sorting it. Specially on the bricks. Some posters are regulars and very often 'go off on one', as it were, which might look confusing if you are new. Long tangled discussions that lead in directions no one intended. Some can be heavy and very long - curiously I am finding I always seem to be in on them. Hmmmm. Others Just dip in and post very occasionally. There is alot of very serious stuff but lots of humour too. Just dip into it in ways that suit you.  The one thing there is in abundance is help and support. Do not hesitate to call on it when you need to. Also some people on here have the IT sorted far more than me. So do not be shy to ask.

Hope you find what you want

regards summer