Yes, Tom, this newsgroup IS getting quiet. So is Zine Geeks. And
yes, We Make Zines is buzzing with life.
I think this points to a problem that I hope my voicing of which won't
sound too negative or depressing. But what I find, is that there are
so many forums on the internet, that trying to participate in too
many, tends to spread oneself very thin. We've got 3 zine forums that
I know of. I have a hard enough time thinking of anything to write
for WMZ and that's where all the "action" is.
I recently found an excellent Theravadin forum on the Net, and I'm
thinking of introducing myself, and MAYBE participating now and then,
but I'd really love it if the same people, or most of them, were ready
and willing to bring the discussion to an APA. (Which most of them
would look at as pointless and inefficient, though I'm sure they'd be
polite about it).
This may be heresy and it may put off some people but I can't say "I
love zines" as that expression seems to be understood by most
zinesters. I have certain interests and I like to read about them,
discussions about them, and now and then, when I'm feeling mentally
energetic, to participate in the discussions myself. For me, the
"traditional" print & paper layout is easier and more comfortable for
me to read and understand that web layouts. Not only that, but I
can't seem to THINK very well on the Net. I'm not good at providing
links and all that. I CAN do it, but not well.
I also, shall I say, am "addicted to" the experience of getting things
in my mailbox and part of that is the hope or expectation that it will
be some genuinely interesting to read.
Well, it looks like I'm getting off on a tanget, and also I have the
feeling I've gone on about this all before (or was it just in my
head?). Which might demonstrate, getting back to the original point,
how hard it is to think of anything NEW to say when you've already
said it before on a dozen other forums. (Everytime I write something
I'm afraid I'm going to sound like broken record!)
But don't despair, maybe I'll come up with something.
JND
P.S.---Heath, I sent my .zap!! #6 pages yesterday. You shoud be
getting them in a day or 2.