The Idea Thread

I find that I feel most engaged with this (or any) forum when I feel personally involved. It could be a swap thread where people get to know each other a little bit and then actually swap things in real life. Cards, art, junk oracles, gifts ... it's fun and lets us get to know some personal things about people and chat together. That's perhaps a bit cliqueish, but temporary. Fun while it lasts.

I feel that deck and book and concept studies could be similar. If some of us felt like going through a book together, or a deck. So far I've never been in on a popular study group. Either the active ones don't interest me at that time, or whatever I'm interested in has no (or few) takers.

I bounce around. There are some forums I rarely visit. Some I visit a lot. I use the "New Posts" button all the time to see what's coming down the pike. If I happen to notice a thread that has no posts I see if I have anything to contribute, not wanting anyone to feel left out. If a thread is humongous (like the pub trains) I stay away. I simply can't keep up.

I'm not sure that I do feel the forum has stagnated. I can almost always find something to interest me. Right now the topics on prosely ... oh heck I can never remember how to spell that ... evangelizing ... has brought up many interesting concepts, as has the thread about maiden/mother/crone labels. Just to name a few that interest me.

I do not feel that we should limit participation in Talking Tarot until a certain number of posts. Many people come to this forum with loads of experience, or lots of good ideas, already under their belt. It would be very frustrating for them to be excluded. We've already got areas only available to subscribers. I wouldn't like to see us limit things further. I think there are certain things where limits make sense. For instance I think certain swap areas require 25 posts. This makes sense because we need to know that people are real and at least somewhat likely to stick around to hold up their end of the commitment.

One answer already - yes the 78 card study exists and is active-ish. It never had TOO many followers because it is damn hard work. I am aware of a few people here who have completed it (I was one ) and there are a few doing it now - but one does tend to - slip... It is a huge commitment.

I don't like the idea of limiting anything by numbers of posts and so on, though. Heavens to goodness - suppose someone like - well, so as not to offend anyone here - suppose A.E.Waite found this forum tomorrow and signed up. Would you want to have to WAIT till he could say everything he knows ? NOOOOO, you would want to sit down in front of this screen, with a week's supply of food, and WATCH

gregory said:

One answer already - yes the 78 card study exists and is active-ish. It never had TOO many followers because it is damn hard work. I am aware of a few people here who have completed it (I was one ) and there are a few doing it now - but one does tend to - slip... It is a huge commitment...

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Where is it? I tried the search function and it blew up on me. I didn't see it in the study group index. I know I've seen it around, but am blanking on where. Thanks.

SilentBreeze said:

Maybe we can compile a newbie guide, with common topics that people who start out would be interested in so they can check those out before reposing question and a note at the end on how they can search for the question they were going to ask.

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There is a fab thread Alta has set up somewhere with links to LOADS of threads on all sorts... Just a sec...

Here - it's a sticky at the top of talking tarot.

There are more at the top of using tarot cards and all over.

How to make sure anyone searching looks at it I do not know. Another thing (for people who really want to find past postings rather than starting new threads, which is fine anyway, but...) would be to draw attention to the fact that Advanced Search brings up the google search option - which works WAY better than the basic one. MAYBE a sticky somewhere with "best ways to search the forum" might be useful ?

ETA @ GryffinSong - it's here and the discussion thread about it is here You'll have to work through to find the current card threads...

The dates suggested are all DEAD. Ignore them. It IS still running, quietly...

GryffinSong said:

Where is it? I tried the search function and it blew up on me. I didn't see it in the study group index. I know I've seen it around, but am blanking on where. Thanks.

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One of the problems with spam topics is this, as I've mentioned elsewhere.

Alright, to be clear- post limiting off the table.

EDIT: Sorry, spam should be "duplicate". I was writing quick. Leaving it unchanged but a note for continuity.

Thank you Gregory, I think this is exactly what I've been looking for. I'm going to check the links right now.

Gregory, I find the sticky topic to be a bit... disorganized... and some of the material to be above "beginner" level. Most beginners are more interested in learning to read rather than in deck trimming, just as an example. I also found at least one link that pops up as an error- "404 - $idname not found." It does however have some good material.

Kosjitov said:

Gregory, I find the sticky topic to be a bit... disorganized... and some of the material to be above "beginner" level. Most beginners are more interested in learning to read rather than in deck trimming, just as an example. I also found at least one link that pops up as an error- "404 - $idname not found." It does however have some good material.

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Research can be a bit of work, but the results are worth it

When you find a link that doesn't work, send a PM to the Moderator, or to the person who posted it. (if they are still active) I do a lot of link references and would welcome the alerts.

Noted Cardlady. Back OT. Still fishing for ideas how to help our situation. Any takers?