Poll re Contuing thread: "Private Vows in The Laity/Spirituality"

[BarbTherese]

To continue, or not to continue

that is my question

 

The thread started  HERE in January 2014 - it continues over 77 pages  It is mainly comprised of spiritual quotations from spiritual writers, saints, Catholic texts on various subjects.  Interspersed with that here and there is sort of a personal diary type entry of my own and where I might be at in my journey - as well as sometimes my own ideas on spirituality gleaned through my own journey.

Just did another view count working out an average view count going back to August 2017.  It is hard to know whether members are actually reading this thread or at some point have elected to follow it - although the board states that only three have elected to formally follow.  The other thing I take into consideration is that this is a public forum and non members might be reading.  I certainly lurked I think for a couple of years before joining.  These are some only of the hidden variables.

So, if you have anything at all to write, add or subtract, challenge or confirm, please feel very free ....and indeed very welcome to post into the thread.   It has been suggested inin the past that I consider a blog.  I have tried to start a blog a few times, but I have no idea what I am doing really with the complexity to me of blogs and computer language - and eventually I would give up.

I did feel that as long as administration is content to let this thread continue, then I will continue it - if they don't, then I wont continue and without a problem. 

Certainly since August 2017, which began an average view count tonight, it averaged out at 73 views- and since November 2016 the view count has hovered around 73 views daily, sometimes a bit less, sometimes more.

It occurred to me tonight to try and do a Poll.  I hope it will come out ok.

[Guest]

Incidentally, I have not set up the poll so that the names of voters and their vote can be viewed.   It is a secret vote.

[Guest]

The Poll will close on Sunday, 20th. May 2018 - Pentecost Sunday.

[Guest]

I have just woken up to another variable too re the private vows/spirituality thread count.  I took it for granted that if I accessed my own thread, it would not count as a view.  I now realise that it is included in the view count.  

Probably I have purely accidentally chosen the best way to gauge interest in a thread or the lack of it is by submitting a Poll.   So please do vote.  I might try to keep it up near the top of Open Mic by every so often posting something or other.

Comments are totally welcome! .......... even critical comments. 

 

[cruciatacara]

16 hours ago, BarbaraTherese said:

I have just woken up to another variable too re the private vows/spirituality thread count.  I took it for granted that if I accessed my own thread, it would not count as a view.  I now realise that it is included in the view count.  

Probably I have purely accidentally chosen the best way to gauge interest in a thread or the lack of it is by submitting a Poll.   So please do vote.  I might try to keep it up near the top of Open Mic by every so often posting something or other.

Comments are totally welcome! .......... even critical comments. 

 

I found the poll quite negative except for the first choice - almost forcing people to vote for number 1 if they don't want to hurt your feelings. I chose the third one only because there were no better options. Number 1 (to me) implied that I read your thread regularly when I don't. Number 2 just sounded mean and number 4 doesn't make sense - if they don't read the thread, why would they vote in the poll? Some people might read the thread from time to time but not really be invested in your final decision - that's me. You didn't leave room for someone to basically say it's your own choice and whatever you decide will be ok with everyone else - but in a way that sounds nice and friendly.

For me, I don't really care much about all the snippets of religious quotes - I like to read my own sources in their complete form - so I might click on the threadbut when I see it's all those, I just back out right away.  I do get interested in some of your own insights and experiences, and I think your MI issues probably resonate with a lot of people here, so when I have time, I read those. And with all your life experiences, those seem interesting to me.

I just think the questions in your poll weren't very well written though and they leave the voter very little choice - it's number 1 or be needlessly insensitive by choosing one of the other alternatives. Number 3 seemed the least offensive for me to be able to say 'If you post, I might read it from time to time but if you close the thread, that's your decision and you shouldn't feel obligated to post.'  There is no reason for the thread to be another stress in your life. Either do it or don't. We all have something worth saying from time to time which might just be for our own benefit, but might also be interesting to someone else. Maybe don't worry so much about who reads it or who doesn't - stop counting views and write for yourself - and if others read it - great. Just MHO.

 

[Guest]

2 hours ago, cruciatacara said:

I found the poll quite negative except for the first choice - almost forcing people to vote for number 1 if they don't want to hurt your feelings. I chose the third one only because there were no better options. Number 1 (to me) implied that I read your thread regularly when I don't. Number 2 just sounded mean and number 4 doesn't make sense - if they don't read the thread, why would they vote in the poll? Some people might read the thread from time to time but not really be invested in your final decision - that's me. You didn't leave room for someone to basically say it's your own choice and whatever you decide will be ok with everyone else - but in a way that sounds nice and friendly.

For me, I don't really care much about all the snippets of religious quotes - I like to read my own sources in their complete form - so I might click on the threadbut when I see it's all those, I just back out right away.  I do get interested in some of your own insights and experiences, and I think your MI issues probably resonate with a lot of people here, so when I have time, I read those. And with all your life experiences, those seem interesting to me.

I just think the questions in your poll weren't very well written though and they leave the voter very little choice - it's number 1 or be needlessly insensitive by choosing one of the other alternatives. Number 3 seemed the least offensive for me to be able to say 'If you post, I might read it from time to time but if you close the thread, that's your decision and you shouldn't feel obligated to post.'  There is no reason for the thread to be another stress in your life. Either do it or don't. We all have something worth saying from time to time which might just be for our own benefit, but might also be interesting to someone else. Maybe don't worry so much about who reads it or who doesn't - stop counting views and write for yourself - and if others read it - great. Just MHO.

 

Thank you for your comments, cruciatacara.  It is really great to 'hear' another voice.  I though your User Name would make a great name for a religious.

I made the Poll a completely secret vote so that no one, me included, could see who voted what.  I did hope that might cover any poverty of expression of mine.  I thought too that anonymity would make it easier for others to be honest.

The Poll was very quickly done as I had never done a Poll before.  I was very surprised  when it posted as easily as it did and after only 2 attempts.  But knowing me, I very much doubt I would have improved on the questions if I had applied myself.

Quote

Maybe don't worry so much about who reads it or who doesn't - stop counting views and write for yourself - and if others read it - great. Just MHO.

Thank you for the sound advice.   You are, of course, quite correct and it is a sound way of journeying.

I did conclude a day or so after posting, somewhere around there, that if one member had interest in the thread continuing, then I probably would continue (three is a bonus).   I don't need to make an actual decision until after 20th. May when the Poll closes.  

Thank you again............all input, comments and advice either positive or negative is really appreciated and taken onboard.  ............the ridiculous always exempted.

____________

PS Actually writing is not a stressor in my life.  We all relieve stress in very many ways as I feel you know, mine is writing and speaking - long ago identified.   My Mum gave me the title of "chatterbox" and 72 years down the road there still has been no cure............except in monastic life where on the silence keeping aspect, I probably was so sincere, I was laughable.   But not to be concerned about it, St Teresa of Avila wrote for her nuns that there was to be no games during recreation, that The Lord would send into the commumity members to keep them amused.
 

Edited May 9, 2018 by BarbaraTherese

[Guest]

I had to add this because I still laugh about it myself.  In the very early days of monastic life and rising at about 5.30am and totally unused to it.  I would sort of waddle down the cloister (careful not to run)and every morning I would pass often the same Sister in the cloister who would water plants.  She would catch my eye and smile a "Good Morning".  Now the Grand Silence did not finish until after Morning Prayer and the rule was we did not speak unless absolutely necessary during the Grand Silence.  So as Sister shared her happy "Good Morning", I would shake my head and then nod at the same time almost.  That was to try to communicate, I am not speaking but yes, Good Morning to you too.  I think it must have been quite funny to see the newbie waddle strangly down the cloister and the rather weird mixture of a no and a yes without words.

Another funny thing in the early days was I found it difficult to sleep, so one night I very quietly got up and wanted to go to the chapel.  I eventually found it in the dark but it was locked.  In trying to find my way back to my cell, I suddenly realised I was in the professed nuns cell area which was forbidden.  I panicked and in trying to find my way back to my cell I probably might have woken a few nuns, who by then were probably getting a bit used to their new weirdo newbie.

[Guest]

3 hours ago, cruciatacara said:

Number 3 seemed the least offensive for me to be able to say 'If you post, I might read it from time to time but if you close the thread, that's your decision and you shouldn't feel obligated to post.' (Barb said

(Barb said:  I edited your Post, cruciatacara, only for space)

 

Sometimes, it takes me a while to wake up even at 3.35pm almost just now in Adelaide Sth Aust.    Thank you, cruciatacara, for sharing that you do have some interest in the thread now and then - much appreciated.  I did presume as the thread unfolded that some posts might be of interest to some members and others not.  I have tried to embrace variety, including the funny side of life.  Healthy laughter is a by-product of Joy in The Lord.  I have a saying for myself "Keep working on it, kid, until you start to laugh".  If it is not obvious, that means to turn over a situation over and over in my mind from any angle until I start to laugh because I can see the funny side of things..........the absurdities in life.  I did read somewhere or other along the way that only two things relieve stress:  sexual activity or laughter.  I dont think stress relievers are limited to two only, and anyway I am celibate..........but oh boy -I sure can laugh.

I never intended at the outset that this thead would develop into what it has, it has just happened.  I know where it began, no idea where it might be going.  Up to administration/moderation in the final analysis I tend to think is a likely.   Personally, I am very surprised it is still up and running and not consigned to the archives.

And of course, I would just so very much welcome any member posting into the thread itself with comments, questions, challenges and yes, even criticism...........anything whatseover..........

[Guest]

Poll closed on 20th May.  Three out of four voting "Yes, continue the thread" is more than enough to invest in continuing the thread.

Thank you very much to those who voted.