People cycling out of UU

greenie44

Big King Velour
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Hi all -

I was just looking at the CD by Ukulele Underground United, which I assume came out of people associated with this site. Although I recognized a lot of the names of the artists, they are not people I see posting much on the boards these days.

This could be user bias - I don't look at the threads where they are active - or it could be that people cycle in and out of posting. Or some mass extinction event.

Any old timers around here have thoughts? Just curious.
 
The eternal question: Do they cycle out of UU, or do they cycle away from the ukulele?

I do not know. I do know that, regardless of how prolific they were on UU, most eventually cycle out (e.g Oldepharte, Lisaxy, Ukeeku, RussBuss, Mailman, etc.). An occasional head poked in, just to see that the uke still has four strings, and that the low G v. high G debate is unchanged. lol

I recognize that many who attend Mike's astonishing UWC, in Indiana, were once regulars on UU, and now not on the boards much, if at all, making me think they are still playing ukulele.
 
The eternal question: Do they cycle out of UU, or do they cycle away from the ukulele?

That is the question. Reading this forum fuels UAS. It is also repetitive. At times it is annoying. Burning out on the forum and burning out on ukulele are probably interrelated but not the same.
 
I tend to drop in and out of UU on a regular basis. It is a dangerous place if I'm in the 'I don't want to buy any more Ukes' mode but it's a fabulous place if I want to be inspired, informed or seeking some good ol' uke chat.
 
The eternal question: Do they cycle out of UU, or do they cycle away from the ukulele?

That is the question.

I'm guessing the answer to this is "both," based on my experiences both here and "in real life." When I started playing, I fell in locally with a group of women who played uke and for a while, we met up to play every chance we got. Heck, we even went to Hawaii together! Fast forward 5 years and - I'm in touch with just one of them at this point (she and I still play together in another group). As for the others - some stopped playing entirely, some still play but the responsibilities of life have cut in on their free time. I'm guessing that last bit may apply to some old-time UU members: life happens, and sometimes gets in the way.

As for the group I currently play in - we've lost two members this past year, one to a move too far away, the other to "life getting in the way." In the coming year, we expect to lose two more due to babies on the way. The first two still play AFAIK; if the latter two manage to do so even with the needs of a newborn in the house, then great - but again, life may get in the way.

As for participation in the forums: speaking only for myself, I come and go, usually depending on free time and the general tone of the posts (there have been times when I have backed away for this reason alone). I personally began playing music precisely due to the fact that I work on a computer for 10 hours a day and wanted something low-tech to spend my non-work hours on, so I really try to limit my "just hanging out on the internet" time. But as a resource when information is needed - UU can't be beat, so I keep coming back.
 
My guess is that coming and going is more a forum related dynamic than uke related. Notwithstanding the fact that interest and time demands change, I would be surprised to learn that most folks whose presence here has dropped off are experiencing a similar detachment from their uke.

For my part, I find forums worthwhile when the ratio of helpful and informative posts to posts that reflect an individual's need to express themselves at the expense of others is almost exclusively in favor of the former.

UU is one of the few forums I frequent where I have seen fit to utilize the "ignore" feature. Not to say that cycling, woodworking, guitars, mandolins or audio doesn't get their share of folks for whom taking shots is a frequent opener. Maybe it just seems so out of place in a forum that celebrates the good feelings that come from holding a uke in your hands.
 
I do not know. I do know that, regardless of how prolific they were on UU, most eventually cycle out (e.g Oldepharte, Lisaxy, Ukeeku, RussBuss, Mailman, etc.). An occasional head poked in, just to see that the uke still has four strings, and that the low G v. high G debate is unchanged. lol

Did anyone every hear from Oldepharte? Rather than gradually cycle out, he just disappeared. I recall a thread where somebody was asking about him and had not seen him on a motorcycle board they also both frequented. I was just wondering if anyone ever confirmed he was okay, just spending energy elsewhere.
 
Did anyone every hear from Oldepharte? Rather than gradually cycle out, he just disappeared. I recall a thread where somebody was asking about him and had not seen him on a motorcycle board they also both frequented. I was just wondering if anyone ever confirmed he was okay, just spending energy elsewhere.
Yes! I got in contact with him. He was, and probably still is, swamped with day-to-day work.

Yep, people come and go. Some of the people who aren't around much I see in "real-life". I had lunch with LisaXy this summer. Others I see at ukulele stuff. They may not post, but they are still active in ukulele. I also do wonder how many gave up on ukulele. Gotta be a bunch.

Now I gotta watch the mailbox for a special card.
 
Life gets in the way....I pop in and out, BUT, I still play the uke!!
 
People generally pop in and out. I've been off the forum for probably about a year and a half because college took up the majority of my time. Coming back, it seems like a lot of old souls aren't around anymore. I never moved on from ukulele playing, though, and I certainly hope the people who have taken time off the forum haven't either.
 
My guess is that coming and going is more a forum related dynamic than uke related.

Agreed. There is always a cycle of new people coming in, old people leaving, the same questions being asked, etc..


UU is one of the few forums I frequent where I have seen fit to utilize the "ignore" feature. Not to say that cycling, woodworking, guitars, mandolins or audio doesn't get their share of folks for whom taking shots is a frequent opener. Maybe it just seems so out of place in a forum that celebrates the good feelings that come from holding a uke in your hands.

Part of my day job involves hanging out on forums (yeah, you can say I get paid to be on UU!!), and it's unfortunate that I agree with this statement completely. Having grown up with BBS, and then watched them evolve into what we now use as forums, it's easy to type something with "internet bravery" and hit send, instead of asking yourself "If I was having a conversation with this person in my house, would I say the same thing?"
 
I can't speak to anyone else's experience, but FWIW, this is the most chill forum I've ever been a part of. Certainly there are jerks everywhere on the internet, but this place has always felt welcoming to me. Maybe I've missed some of the drama.
 
I'm still too new here to "take a break," yet. My internet use goes in phases and it normally coincides with the weather. I won't be here as much in the spring. We have a small farm. We are busy with getting things going outside when the winter thaws. So in the spring, when I am here less...you'll know why. Same goes with autumn.

I also participate on a couple genealogy websites. I think they are use to my disappearances. Lol
 
I changed my name. I am a recovering PoHo. I took a very long hiatus here. Not sure why. Might have been lack of interest or common interest in the PoHo scene as well as life. My oldest is almost 4 and I started becoming distant then. Then work (I'm a teacher) then it was the same basic threads just rethreaded.


I still play occasionally. Just not as much. I still lurk, just don't post as much. There was a changing of the guard a few years ago, and when a lot of those old timers left, you could tell the site changed. Not necessarily for the worse, just changed. No more Deaching. Heck, I bet most new UU memebers (last three years or so) don't even know what Deaching is.
 
Folks come here first looking for an answer to a question, or to learn something related to ukuleles.
Seems people stay as long as they need to find their answers to old and new questions. Along the way we may find other reasons to stay. A lot of us find kindred souls with whom we enjoy sharing information and stories, so we stay longer.

I don't spend much time on other forums, but UU seems a whole lot more Aloha than The Gear Forum. :)
 
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Well, I have been here awhile and have seen people come and go...I don't think leaving the forum necessarily means that people have stopped playing the ukulele...but interests change and focuses also. Unfortunately, I have seen a few leave this forum due to misunderstandings, and sometimes it all gets too much for me.... and I do agree with the statements:
"Quote Originally Posted by bborzell View Post
UU is one of the few forums I frequent where I have seen fit to utilize the "ignore" feature. Not to say that cycling, woodworking, guitars, mandolins or audio doesn't get their share of folks for whom taking shots is a frequent opener. Maybe it just seems so out of place in a forum that celebrates the good feelings that come from holding a uke in your hands.
Part of my day job involves hanging out on forums (yeah, you can say I get paid to be on UU!!), and it's unfortunate that I agree with this statement completely. Having grown up with BBS, and then watched them evolve into what we now use as forums, it's easy to type something with "internet bravery" and hit send, instead of asking yourself "If I was having a conversation with this person in my house, would I say the same thing?"
Sometimes, it is hard to see the sparks fly as the insults start flying..and unfortunately, I do think that people sometimes hide behind the "anonymous" (sort of) feature of the internet and can say things that they would never say face to face.... I believe in kindness and charity as much as possible, and I also know that there are always many different opinions and ways of doing things....
 
Folks come here first looking for an answer to a question, or to learn something related to ukuleles.
Seems people stay as long as they need to find their answers to old and new questions. Along the way we may find other reasons to stay. A lot of us find kindred souls with whom we enjoy sharing information and stories, so we stay longer.

I don't spend much time on other forums, but UU seems a whole lot more Aloha than The Gear Forum. :)

UU was my first forum. I found it from a MySpace friend. I had a thread shut down while asking for Uke companies that donated to kids, bunch of members stood up for me, b/c I wasn't asking for donations from members. I was hooked at the Aloha spirit.

I've joined a few more forums over the years and am fairly active on one other forum. The rest are not pleasant.
 
I'm on UU an embarrassingly insane amount of time each day. To date, I've found that it's the best way to keep my UAS thriving and my finances in ruins. :cool:
 
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