BetterMost Welcome Wagon

[Lynne]

RouxB, adiabatic, and I are getting our Welcome Wagons circled and appreciate any and all of our membership who want to give a hand with this in the upcoming weeks.

Here are the basic facts:

We're expecting an influx of new users from the Brokeback Mountain premiere on HBO beginning this weekend (Sunday night).  It's reasonable to think that some people stopping by may have been reluctant to see this movie in theatres and may need a safe and empathetic place to talk about what BBM dredges up for them.  We want to make sure that anyone who comes to BetterMost gets a warm welcome.  We have all been there, right?

This also provides us with an opportunity to reconnect with how we personally felt the first time we saw Brokeback Mountain, to remember what those first few hours, days, weeks, even months were like.  Sometimes for me, that intense grief is both as fresh as yesterday and an ancient memory.

Moderators are bumping some older, but popular threads that may be of renewed interest.  If you have a favorite old thread, find it and give it a boost, please.

Let's reach out in friendship to any new names we see around here, in the same spirit we were first greeted when we arrived.

Look for new users posting in the Welcome threads or other established threads.  Take a minute to say hello and see if you can get to know them.

If you see a new user checking out a board you frequent, don't be afraid to send them a Welcome to BetterMost PM.

If a new face appears in chat, take extra care to introduce everyone, find out how they heard about BetterMost, and what brings them by.

Feel free to direct new users to the Open Forum if they want to read and talk about the movie, or to Safe Haven if they want to discuss any GLBT issues, or to Our Daily Thoughts if they want their own space to post about their feelings.  Encourage them to explore at their leisure.  Please stress that they are both welcomed and encouraged to start their own threads or to join in any discussion in which they have an interest.

If possible, try to spend some extra time online in the coming weeks, keep up-to-date with 'Recent Replies,' and any PM responses you may get.

Thank you all in advance for your help!

Best,
Lynne

[Lynne]

Howdy folks!

I am bumping this thread because we keep growing and growing!  900+ and well on our way to 1000 members!

We could *really* use more volunteers who want to take an 'officially' active role in keeping an eagle-eye out for new members, sending them PMs, noticing new posters, and generally making new users feel welcome.

As time passes from Brokeback Mountain's initial release, newer members are bound to feel like they've somehow been 'left behind' as some of the rest of us are moving forward, coming to terms with some of its personal revelations for us, meeting each other, and making changes in our own lives.

I think it's important - now more than ever - that people who are just feeling the impact of Brokeback Mountain and find their way to BetterMost be greeted with open arms and warm understanding.

So, if anyone wants to 'officially' join the Welcome Wagon, let me or any moderator know!

And if you don't want to be official, that's fine too - but take some time to notice new users and respond to their posts so that we continue to be the warm, welcoming community that we've always been.

Thank you in advance,
Lynne