So Long

No, I'm not going anywhere, but a magazine forum that I've been a member of for a very long time is shutting down.  

The publisher of the site owns numerous magazines.  I started out being a member of 3.  Then I realized I don't have that kind of disposable time and needed to pare back on making contributions to them all.  It wasn't that hard.  

About a year ago one of the remaining two shut their forums; the one I felt was most expendable was next.  Many of the "regulars" came over to "our" site. Then came the news-this one was closing as well.  

It's not that we can't go on or think of this haven as anything but a good place to garner ideas for dinners, vent our frustrations or share tips on how to save money or just gossip, but still, we all got along and had a great cyber-relationship.  So we are sad to see it go.

A couple of adventurous and tech-savvy members created alternative boards-but we all know how those go:  many will start and few will stick it out.  A lot of us are in our "middle" years and are not what anyone would dare to call "skilled" in computer electronics that will let us segue into a new format all that easily.

Some already have remarked on one of the sites that "this is just too hard to maneuver and I won't be coming back-everyone have a nice life."

The publisher and the remaining moderators have asked us to go to their last remaining forum-some of us are trying it out as well.  I've already decided that as much as I like the moderators, I'm not crazy about this site and removed it from my list of favorites.

Only time will tell if we all get used to the various new surroundings.  I know I will need to decide which one I'll stick too-again, the reason I chose this one of the original 3-4 was because I liked the camaraderie of the women there.  

The moderators were really good and even showed me how to become a better moderator myself on another forum.  I'll miss them a lot.  3 of them have moved over to the one they recommend, one was told "goodbye" after 10 years of loyal service.

We all know that things change and that every business is looking for ways to cut back on expenses, but it doesn't make it any easier to adjust too.  And there's no set of rules saying we have to enjoy or embrace whatever comes our way.

I liken it to adjusting to different stages in your life-some are easy to walk into and through and others have you pulling out your hair and screaming.  This is one of those stages that are in-between, it leaves you feeling a bit down and a tad sad about walking away from it, but hoping that what comes next will not only fill the hole, but add something new and unexpectedly good.