Is it just me?

Well, this is an open forum and anyone on the internet can read anything we say so yes, people should 'imagine' people reading what they write and also try to think how people will react to it ie anger; offence; agreement. But not in droves and not with a feeling that people are reading it because of 'that' poster but because of the subject matter. I would imagine that mrgoogle can pick up on any comments we make [which is why we get the occasional influx of trolls].

I must be too thick to have spotted an inner circle (or have just barged in anyway ). Soops kitchen made me welcome when I first joined GN and many others have been in there since and have always recieved welcoming post from others. It's just a chat and support group really. No bad comments, no nastiness, just chat (and lots of virtual )!

I think there are some witty, kind, sad, happy, lonely, interesting people on GN and I am often interested in reading threads but can't necessarily think of anything to post in the way of support, help, fun whatever. It doesn't mean that I don't read the threads it's just that I can't think of anything to say or...... I've typed some long winded reply and my pooter has decided to freeze at this point and I can't be bothered to do it all again! (Sorry, I think that's one of those long winded replies)

I just butted blundered wandered in to soops kitchen, it's a lovely, non- confrontational, calorie free zone, full of fascinating and amusing people, certainly haven't noticed any inner circle

I don't think posters should worry too much about how their posts are going to be received, so long as they themselves know no malice is intended.

That was, of course, to Tegan.

Does anyone else look at a thread title and then try to guess who the OP is?

Yes.

I think I'm pretty adept at spotting yours, bags !

No. Never thought of doing that. Bags' do usually jump out at you though.

So do yours, jings! There are a few other I usually get right too. Not many though.

Well, it's all very interesting. I haven't thought about it much. I like getting thoughts down and things off my chest, then I tend to forget about it, although I do find myself worrying about people's problems on here as I do my work. I come on once or twice a day and read the Last Hour, but realise that I have probably missed quite a few threads, I don't read them all by any means although it's tempting to stay longer.

When I come on to GN I automatically go to 'Active' and catch up with as many threads as I can in the time I have and I read ALL the posts on the thread - even if, by the time I get to them, the threads are several pages long. It would never occur to me to discriminate about whose posts I read. My major problem is that with being away so often or being busy for days at a time there are some threads that I miss, or that I've joined too late to have anything useful to say. There are some names that I know well because they've been here from the start and others that appear often enough that I recognize them now, but there are so many newish Grans (I'm glad to say) that I find it harder to get a sense of personalities - although I think that might have more to do with my lack of memory than anything else.

I check the active page several times a day on my phone. It amazes me when I come accross a thread four pages long like this one that I haven't seen before.

I wouldn't usually post on one this long on the premise that it's probably all been said but I would and have read the whole thread.

This is a test; I'm another one who thinks she kills threads.

I don't think there is an inner circle but those of us who have been here a while get to know a bit about each other which could appear cliquey. And, of course, some of us have met up. People who have had similar experiences maybe seem cliquey sometimes.

For those of you who are confused by 'soop's kitchen', please come in and linger. It's a place to offload minor irritations, eat calorie free cake, drink wine and listen to the tinkling of the piano. It's very gentle and welcoming!

Bet I've killed this thread now!

I am here kitty, another one of those early mornings for me.

Not sure how a forum like this can be cliquey. Anyone can join any thread and I'm sure will be read.
As far as an inner circle, perhaps, as the same people tend to like similar subjects and post on those threads. There are some that I regularly find posting content that is interesting to me, or have views that I find interesting. But, it is mostly the subject of a thread that attracts me, not the contributors. WE do also get to know the on-line persona of each other and as in real life, bond with some, not with others.

If there was a 'like' button, I'd like your post pompa

Me too!

wheniwasyourage See - it's not you!!

Or an 'agree' and a 'not agree' button? I often see posts I want to agree or disagree with and haven't got time to do an answer. People who feel a bit under attack might be given some reassurance that way? Or have their worst fears confirmed!

There is definitely a clique. But who I perceive to be in the clique would be different to others peoples.

Maybe I'm particularly unobservant (No, I KNOW I am) but I had never noticed a clique. If anything I just thought that some bothered to post more than others, who were more content to lurk. Maybe it's more about shyness or lack of confidence? Which could easily lead to feeling excluded.

I don't think there are "cliques". Just a group of posters who post more regularly than others.

There are bound to be those who are drawn together as they share the same interests and outlook on life.

There are a number of people who have been in nursing, or social work, or teaching or other such jobs who have been able to offer more informed comment on the appropriate threads.

In any social gathering you tend to find you get on the same "wavelength" with some posters and not with others. This is real life!

It might just be that you discover in repeated postings that you share the same sense of humour, or have similar family issues with someone so it is likely that you will be chatting with that "group" more than others.

Anyone in here can post on any thread. Whatever interests you most.

I wish those who think there is a clique would list the people they think are in the said clique. I'd love to know if I am!

Re soops kitchen evolution... as I recall it, it was established for more or less the reasons loopylou mentions, because there was one helluva a barney going on in at least half a dozen threads at once! So soop established the kitchen as a haven of peace and calm.

I don't think there's a clique. Or if there is one, I haven't noticed. I'm too busy burbling around, bumping into things, and sometimes having something to say about them.

I think there are some people that have been around for longer than others. Which means that you would recognise who has started a thread from their style. I'm very pleased that lots of people start threads, because I'm basically lazy. And easily distracted.

But I do like the forums.