In PMs and mail, that the forum seems a bit slow lately.
When I read that, I always wonder ... "Gee - what can I post that would be interesting?" And then, I think ... "I still haven't carried everything back into the shop from the Cajun Cup". I towed the War Wagon about 2,500 miles. Had five guns with me which we shot for several days. Delivered several guns. Took about 400 pics. Made a bunch a posts from that experience. I haven't been back here long enough to have another major reveal ready. I kind of thought that experience and material would provide interesting topics for a while.
That's why the forum lives or dies on what you post. A bunch of people who used to post, are just gone now. Don't even respond to e-mails when I've checked up on them. Others who did post things themselves, barely even respond to other's posts now. I haven't changed my patterns. In fact, I've finished more, felt better, done more, and posted more than ever before. The work has never been better, or more varied.
There's a bunch of folks waiting for guns. That's the nature of a business like this. If nobody was waiting, then there would be no business. Remember, one day the gun shown as completed, will be yours. And, you will expect a good reaction when it's posted. I hope people don't withhold participation until their gun is complete. That would mean that, at any given time, 99% of the people would just be waiting for their name to come up. Doesn't make for much of a stimulating conversation or fun place to visit.
I'll be completing some work between now and Christmas. I'll post it. But, I can't post two or three a week. Therefore; if you are doing anything in the hobby, please post about it. If this is just one of the five or six forums you read, and you don't care to participate ... then most people seem to be following your example. This will just dry up, because I can't complete work as fast as people can read about it.
I never wanted the forum to just be a place where I'd show off what I made, what I did, what I completed. Please read the sticky post from the introduction of the forum again. No matter how much people admire my work ... the nature people is that they will just get sick of watching any one person say ... "I did this", and "I did this", and now ... "I did this". It can all be wonderful work ... but people get to thinking that you are beating your chest after a while. However; if few or none post anything else .. and no conversations are started or maintained .... then, the atmosphere can't be anything but a stage for what I'm doing. I had that in my other website. No point in starting this.
I know the country is very stressful now. Believe me, I'm living thru the same things you are. We'd hoped that this forum might be a break from all of that. Please take the time to participate. It doesn't work with just a couple of people. Thanks,
Gary