Lurkers Unite!

I am a 50% lurker, 50% poster. I will usually respond to someones post if no one else has. Even to say, I support you. I dont like to see a lonely post!  But I will usually lurk. If its been said, dont beat the dead horse. This site is and has always been about support. I think for the size of this board, we do a pretty good job 99.9% of the time! Here is my idea: If you are a usual lurker like me, post to this thread that we love and support eveyone. The person looking for affirmation, a bit of love, or whatever, can bookmark this thread and read it over and over. That way we wont have to keep posting to everyone and their issue big or small! Here goes mine: Everyone on OH, thank you for sharing your journey with me. You never know who you inspire or pull out of the depths of despair. Without your information, your honesty, or even your own postings and answers, many of us would be afraid to go on this journey. Afraid of the unknown and afraid of lack of support. I just want to say that I may not always respond to your post, but it does not mean that I do not wish you well or wish I could take away your pain. Like a real family, sometimes we forget that the little things do matter. Please do not take offense!  Anyone else care to post?

Ditto.    I will add that when I can rationally respond, I will.  When I am having one of 'my days' I will not respond.  Better for all that way. Tink

Double ditto!  

Great post, I agree. I am also a lurker, I find these forums very helpful. Please everyone keep the questions, WOW moments, venting and concerns coming. I will respond when I feel I have something useful to add, but even if I don't I love to read them. Thanks a bunch 

My name is Marisa P and I am a lurker I post when I think I have something of value to add.  I also spend many nights and weekends lurking but if I see a lonely post I will go in and say something so that person knows someone cares.  What value is added by posting threads that do nothing but repeat and repeat the same words? Lately, more times than not I have had to stop myself from posting or else I would be breaking the golden rule of  "If you don't have something nice to say than don't say anything at all."  Certain members feel they are above it all and I just can't be bothered getting into a B@#*^ Fest over it.  I try and live the life of being a caring and supportive person instead of just saying that I am.   As far as the counter goes - I could do without it but if it's here to stay I am just going to ignore it.  The only thing I will do is check for responses so that I can reach out to someone if noone else can help. Flame away.

I am a constant lurker, rare poster. I found this site about a week after my surgery and it has been a life-saver. I was so confused and miserable at first with so many questions and concerns and this board was the thing that helped me realize I was not alone and that all my feelings were totally natural. Now that I am over three months out I still get invaluable information (and affimation!) almost every day on this board. Thank you OH!

Quite frankly I don't care if anyone posts to my threads but there are threads when people are seriously upset and seeking some sympathy and support and to have hundreds of people read them and pass them buy SUCKS.  Its my final thought on it.  I am moving on, quite frankly if this is how this board works it really isn't a place for me.  I come here to help people, to see how wls works, to try to be honest about the journey and the learning process and how sometimes we fall and stumple and have to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off.  There is nothing mysterious about compassion, apparently either you are f***ing noisey and wanna read why a person is divorcing or you want to get some actual wls support.  I am done and out, no responses needed I won't be reading them.  This is completely against everything I stand for. Heidi

Im sorry that life is always black and white for you. I still love reading your posts (bit of nosiness bit of information) and always will.

I know you won't read this, but you might.  As you mentioned  either you are f***ing noisey and wanna read why a person is divorcing or you want to get some actual wls support.   Well, in that case, the person looking for support on all the OT things this board is known for, should find a support website for those topics.  This board is labeled obesityhelp.com, not divorcehelp.com, plasticsurgeryhelp.com, so on and so on.  The board would be easier to maneuver and read if the topic at hand was stuck to.  This means letting people know what protein shakes/bars will work for them now, what a stricture is, and other WLS related topics.

Heidi, Heidi, Heidi, I have started to respond to several times about your posts on this and have closed the screen.  I can't stop myself this time.  Why are you letting this upset you so much?  People being different is what makes the world go around.  You are the queen of "I am different."  Why are you so disillusioned that people are different than you?  You like being different.  This board is just like the real world.  Some people, because of who they are or where they are in their lives, have more to give than others.  If always puzzles me that the people that give and get the most support jump on the "if it isn't my way it's the highway bandwagon."  Let this go!  You know I love you , sweetie, but this isn't the right attitude.  Loris