It is time to readdress this issue. I want to give plenty of time for discussion and interaction on this. The site is up for renewal come March. Activity on the site has become extremely scarce, but people do still check in from time to time. However, I am wondering again if it is time to retire this site -- especially given the recent spam problems.
The fact is that without new visitors and some good conversations and direction, this site will continue to die out. So, first, do we want to keep this site alive? And if we do, what ideas do people have to keep this thing alive? What kinds of things would you like to see discussed or focused on? Is anyone interested in inviting new people to join in the conversation?
Do we want to revisit site rules and directions? Is anyone interested in either ownership of the site or getting administrator privileges?
(As I said in another post to Krmaya, I had to disable automatic account generation. All new accounts will require administrator approval. Hopefully this will eliminate the spam attacks we have had recently.)
Well D*mnit
I never had the problems, never even knew what the heck was all the fuss all the time, because I was not in the clique. But at least I could come here and have an intelligent conversation with those I felt philosophically aligned with. I don't do facebook so I won't be over there. The DP feels like a kiddie pool, where it appears all the "oldtimers" have moved off to the hot tub and failed to give directions to the hot tub.
I've been fighting and scraping and exhausted myself to the point of "running 'oft' to the nunnery". It only depresses me to see all of us disconnect. I'm still out there exposing myself, pointing out the huge elephant in the room, scrapping relentlessly with the GOP....and I've always, ALWAYS felt alone here in SC....and mainly even alone within any libertarian minded org....I'm still the crazy-hick-Jesus-Freak from bass-ackwards South Carolina, dismissed.
I don't even know why I'm saying all this, except, already depressed, the closing of Hidden Places feels a lot like another nail in the coffin.
I wish I could have actually have met you all. You're such neat, blessed people. I love you all and will be praying for you.
My Daughter made "ABC/GMA/Yahoo Photo of the Day" for Ron Paul:
She was seen all over the United States and Internationally as well, I love the picture:
Here's me giving a RP Rally speech:
Ron Paul Rally Spartanburg - Tanya Littlejohn
Here's my youtube channel if you'd like to see what I've been up to (check "uploaded videos"): http://www.youtube.com/user/Butterflybreakfast
Here's my photobucket account (the base album "butterflybreakfast", "Liberty Bin" and "Just Stuff" and "Decorated Images" may be interesting to y'all: http://s221.photobucket.com/albums/dd93/butterflybreakfast/ Use anything you might need.
I hardly ever check it but: tanyalasagna@live.com or maybe I can be reached through DP. OX Y'all!
P.S. Hardly anyone outside my SC group has seen this, a glimpse into the behind the scenes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSP0JjGligs
That was a cool video. Thanks for sharing!
I hear what you are saying, and I have struggled with this for a while. However, this site has been dead for several months now. It just doesn't seem worth it to keep it around. I will be taking backup of the site and keeping a copy at home in case someone wants to rebuild the site someday.
My thoughts are similar to Krmaya's. I went to Facebook for a while, but I have felt more and more need to interact with people in person, face-to-face. You just cannot really have the same impact with people on-line, partly because they cannot see how you actually live your life. Even if you present an accurate depiction of yourself on-line, people cannot really know that without seeing your daily activities and lifestyle.
I too wish we all could have met in real life, and maybe someday we will. But in the meantime, my thoughts and prayers are with you. Your example in South Carolina is encouraging to me; it is good to know there is someone out there fighting for good and right.
Aww shit SC. We just never involved you in the shitty stuff because you didn't need to get stirred in the mix.You were always the neutral loving being we could relate to. Everyone liked you and I always found you a great person to relate with. I know what you mean about HP closing, and I already left FB. I really found myself yearning for so much more than internet to connect with people. It's like being offered the most amazing brilliant box of chocolates and all you can do is eat the box. I want much much more. So I have mostly disconnected BUT I still love looking at all the wonderful chocolates and blessing their presence in my life. That's why I'm here still : )
Question about the candid RP vid....why did he come back in in the very end? I loved seeing how easy and relaxed he was around everyone Damn he is so amazing!
Eating the box
reminds me of the Steve Martin schtick about McDonald's.....hope you can remember it, I can't find it on youtube.
Aw, I caught him hocking up a loogie all of things...goodness gracious, I was mortified he turned back around....I cannot tell all...Er, um....He came back in to tell me how liberty-awesome I am? ;P
The Future of Hidden Places
I thought it only fair, since I'm logged in, (if only to suggest another site to one of our members), to say I wouldn't mind attending a bon fire. I've never really shared anything personal with any of you, but really that's not the place of the internet.
I've enjoyed reading many of your posts and would like to feel you are somewhat of an extended family, but I think that is too optimistic. I wish everyone the very best that life can offer, and invite them to hop aboard the love train.
Please keep us informed of the bon fire night.
LIVE and let live.
In case any of you are subscribed to this thread and do not see the chat thread, I am planning to be on-line the evenings of February 24 and 25 for the final bon fire as we say good-bye to Hidden Places. I hope to see you all there.
PEOPLE ONLY DO ONE OF TWO THINGS.....
Live-- ie look to expand and make their world and the universe better! Create more/better friends etc...
Die-- constantly hide from people/life. Become reclusive, stop connecting/communicating etc... Close themselves off to others, Be it close friends or even distance acquaintances. They do this out of fear/sadness/apathy/illness,etc.
I believe the very fabric of our nation is currently at risk! And it is affecting people both directly and indirectly. (consciously and subconsciously) The response to a fearful situation is to either FIGHT BACK!! OR TO SHRINK BACK!! The lack of activity here , is depictive of this. People who fight back.. against the apathy/PTB are still coming here. Those who (for whatever reason) are not , have in some small way cut back their fight against the black cloud looming over this nation.
Devon, was perhaps the first to cut back... and go into recluse mode. That hurt many people, as they looked up to him a bit. However , it was not Devon on his own who did this , many people both here and on DP started not showing up. etc... While it is easy to say.. "well their life moved on..etc.. " That is not actually correct.
What brought people together in the first place? Bordom? NO! It was the intense desire to do something ...
it was this>>>>
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DRAD-j8ObI&feature=related
This short movie clip ,and the speech contained in it, explains why people gathered together here in the first place.THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS NATION! And it has not gotten better, hence the original reason why people came together in the first place has not gone away.
Therefore.. the reason why people are not here, must be that the "dark cloud" that is/has gripped this nation..(or parts of it) is somehow working its way into the minds of people , both here, on DP, and elsewhere..
jdayh there were 2 reasons people came to Liberty Love forums and that was either to talk on a more intimate level with other RP supporters or to try and find someone to have a relationship with. That was the primary purpose for Devon to start the site. I joined because I lurked for awhile and saw how fun the women were and was in a place of deep desire for that kind of contact. Some people did connect on the physical plane and there was lots of drama. I was probably one of the only people here who had no attachment to Devon. I didn't hang on his words but I always felt fine when he was around. It took Jules (Poca) to point out to me that many of the women who first came to LLF did so because they had a crush on Devon. I was rather baffled because I just don't get attached on computers like that but when I looked back at everything I realized she was right. So when Devon went AWOL things started to really shift. This site was a great haven and I actually liked it better. However when the drama reared it's ugly head once again, everything came to a halt. Like I said before I come here like visiting a grave. Not with sadness but with a sense of "I knew you well" and RIP. Khomar is right we have all scattered and gone to other places. I still love RP and I donated to every money bomb. I will be going to caucus for him up to the county level so I can help those that want to go to the state and national conventions.My spiritual beliefs are different so I don't share what I believe or think but I will say I am not afraid, just frustrated at my humanness at times.Still I am exactly where I am supposed to be and I am so very glad I have ring side seats, even if I have to cover my eyes time to time.
Let's see if we can gather enough people together to talk on this forum one more time...I'm sure I could get Jules, maybe Orabox will come?
I will fade
In and out, I do miss the interactions with you all, kinda busy with the FBGlive gig but I would take over the HP site if it is a burden, I still see value here.
Devon
Krmaya,
Devon has what is called charisma. He'll never lose it. It charms people to follow him. I said it myself, in posts, that he is the perfect host, the perfect empath.
I do not hold it against him; as I found him a perfectly charming individual to encounter and know/share, somewhat. He actually taught me a lot, for which I am forever grateful.
LIVE and let live.
Yep. and he was smart and open minded
while not fearful at all to see what the truth was and let others know.
"a simple judgment of my character is how I treat a person who can do absolutely nothing for me." -Stephen Howard
"The most thoroughly wasted of all days is one in which you haven't laughed" -Julian Howard
Sounds like you're talking about yourself young fella. Not as feisty as you though...you little pit bull.
While there is some truth to that, not everyone who visited this site has given up the fight. I continue to see several of them posting videos and leading discussions on Facebook. The thing is that many of us have chosen different ways to fight the battle. You are certainly right: there is something very wrong with this nation. But what is the best way to combat it?
There was a time when we were all in the same place -- a place of discovery and learning where we were collecting our thoughts and ideas, sharing new discoveries, encouraging each other to prepare. But eventually, we found our paths diverging. Apathy could have certainly played a part. I know I really struggled after the last election and the futility of the political process, but for me, it was changing my focus and direction. There were also the personal conflicts that broke out on the site that soured many to the conversation.
In the end, there were many reasons why this site died down, and I do not think we can make the statement that it was just apathy. For me, I continue to press on and wage the war as I believe God would have me fight it. I continue to talk to people to help open their eyes to the truth of what our nation has become and what I firmly believe is the path toward redemption, but I prefer now to do these things face-to-face rather than on an Internet forum where it is easy to misunderstand or even misrepresent one's self. Maybe others feel the same way.
Well, it has been two weeks since I posted this, and given the responses, it would certainly seem that it is time to put this site to rest. I have it paid up until March, but then it will fade into our memories. Thank you all for everything. This site (and Liberty Love) really helped me to grow and shape my understanding of the world. May God bless you all in the coming year and protect you in the night to come.
Maybe we can try to have a campfire night sometime in the next couple months for old time's sake. Let me know if anyone is interested.
Khomar
I sure hope you and Aya and your children are all fine. I hope things worked out for you moving to Texas, and all.
May God bless you all this Christmas, and New Year.
LIVE and let live.
Aya and the kids are doing great. We finally got a girl, and I believe that will be all of the children for us (unless we adopt) -- five boys and a girl, certainly enough to keep us busy!
The move to Texas did not turn out exactly as I thought it would, but it has been very good for us. We have grown a lot in the last year, and I am just starting to see some fruit coming from our efforts. I am certain that this is where God wanted us to be, but I am not sure if it is going to be our home for the long term. This next year promises to be very interesting.
I come here now and then and feel like I'm visiting a shrine. I had alot of fun times here, but most people are gone. FB feels even more empty, so I find myself letting go of communicating on the computer. IMHO I think it's time to let go.
I am inclined to agree with you, but I would like to see if anyone has any counter thoughts. I had some great times on this site, but it seems that most of us have moved on. I do not think that this is a bad thing.
Khomar...
it is not a moving forward thing for most of us...it is the understanding of what happen to us. Always above the curve. Like normal.
Ron Paul 2012
Any and all feedback is appreciated.