Why so little Forum participation?

trevor · December 31st, 2014 03:00 PM

Awhile ago, Devochka wrote "I guess there isn't really enough activity on the ISM forum most of the time...."

Given the marvellous diversity of the contributors and presumably the subscribers, I'm surprised at the relative inactivity of this Forum. I see a lost opportunity here. The posting rules, good monitoring and reasonable editorial standards keep the site from descending into the mean and petty squabbling that ruins so many other forums. I would love to hear the thoughts of others as to why there is so little interests and what might be done to make the Forum more active.

mori910a · January 2nd, 2015 01:43 AM

Perhaps it needs to be more visible. Or possibly somehow connected to the IFM forum, as often the same contributors are being discussed in both.

Junipur · January 2nd, 2015 06:36 AM

Hi friends ^.^
I look at the forum quite often, but I'm an observer. I like to see what other people have to say. I would like to be more involved though, so I will try to speak up more often. How is 2015 looking for everyone so far? Got any big plans? I'm in New Mexico for a farm internship right now. I'm hoping that I'll be able to attend the cob cottage workshops by Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley in Oregon this year, that is my goal!
I was just looking through my old pictures and I found something hilarious that I want to share with you guys! I'll try to figure out how to attach a picture
Also- I made a new Tumblr for anyone interested. It doesn't have a whole lot on it yet. The name is sunstandsstill.

Junipur · January 2nd, 2015 06:52 AM

FluxBB bbcode test
This was taken during a play photoshoot with a couple of my friends (including Daph who is also on ISM!). Well after I took my top off a huge dog comes running out of the woods straight towards me, everyone was terrified! But when the dog approached me he kissed me all over and I was so happy and relieved :') It was a wonderful moment for us all and my friend was able to capture this fun picture! Do you guys have any pictures with a story behind them? Please share!

trevor · January 2nd, 2015 02:31 PM

Thank you, Junipur, for the humorous yet beautiful photograph. You are a splendid, creative model--and your friend is likewise a wonderful photographer. Thank you too for the story behind the photograph. I like your idea for others to also share interesting photos together with their stories--amusing or not. Of course, I also wish to see more from you. Trevor.

trevor · January 3rd, 2015 02:15 AM

Farm internship in New Mexico. Cobb Cottage workshop in Oregon. Juniper, you certainly are following a very sustainable path. Brava. You must someday spend time on a bio-dynamic farm in Italy, where I live. Much luck to you. I shall follow you on tumblr if I can figure it out. Trevor

Elsa_H · January 5th, 2015 11:42 AM

Hi guys! I've noticed in my time here that activity on the ISM forum seems to come in waves. Sometimes there will be lots of threads with lots of member and contributor participation and other times not so much. I think all the forums have been especially quiet over the last couple of weeks because lots of people have gone away on holiday! This is my last day of holidays before I go back to work tomorrow and it's also been my first Christmas/New Year off in eight years and it's been really lovely. I don't really like Australian summers, I find the heat really unbearable, but I'm feeling excited for this one because I've just started a new job where I only work three days a week. So now I will have so much more spare time and am planning lots of trips to rivers and waterfalls and to go camping. I want to spend as much time naked in nature as I can! I'll be sure to document it

Is anyone here into New Years resolutions? This year I resolved to do more art/be more creative and read more books I'm interested to hear if anyone else made any.

Juniper, I remember reading on an IFM thread about your cob cottage ambition. I find you really admirable - one day I intend to move away to the country and be sustainable and self sufficient. I love the country and it's where I grew up as a child but I also love living in the city. For the moment I try to live as sustainably as possible in my really old rental home. It's in an old, really beautiful, quiet suburb and I have big backyard for my cat and to grow vegetables. Trevor a bio-dynamic farm in Italy sounds like an absolute dream, you must love it there!

Last edited by Elsa_H (January 5th, 2015 11:48 AM)

trevor · January 5th, 2015 11:13 PM

Elsa, thank you for your informative and very thoughtful comments. You are exceptionally nice to think of so many people. You are a gem.

Congratulations on your new job. Is it not wonderful to have time off between job? As for your trying to live as sustainably as possible, isn't it a revelation to discover that living sustainably is more joy than sacrifice? As for that, I've very much enjoyed your folios. Mmm...you are a very sustaining woman. You have a great fan in me.

Yes, living in Italy is a blessing in many ways. It really is not one country but many--the regions are diverse in landscape, history, culture, cuisine and truly until after WW II, in regional dialects. We live in chaotic Rome but our biodynamic farmer brings us our vegetables from his nearby farm. We celebrate the farmers not the often silly celebrity chefs. Tell us about your food situation. You who look the picture of health.

Thank you again for your contributions to this site.

Laney · January 6th, 2015 02:39 PM

Junipur wrote:

I'm hoping that I'll be able to attend the cob cottage workshops by Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley in Oregon this year, that is my goal!
I was just looking through my old pictures and I found something hilarious that I want to share with you guys! I'll try to figure out how to attach a picture
Also- I made a new Tumblr for anyone interested. It doesn't have a whole lot on it yet. The name is sunstandsstill.

Living a peaceful life in a cobb cottage in the country suits you so well, I imagine you will be very happy there. Such a cute photo too, you look like you're enjoying the tickle of its tongue on your neck.

Elsa_H wrote:

Sometimes there will be lots of threads with lots of member and contributor participation and other times not so much. I think all the forums have been especially quiet over the last couple of weeks because lots of people have gone away on holiday!

Thanks Elsa! We were all on holiday from 21/12/14, I did check the forum while away from work but my login had expired .

Elsa_H wrote:

This is my last day of holidays before I go back to work tomorrow and it's also been my first Christmas/New Year off in eight years and it's been really lovely. I don't really like Australian summers, I find the heat really unbearable, but I'm feeling excited for this one because I've just started a new job where I only work three days a week. So now I will have so much more spare time and am planning lots of trips to rivers and waterfalls and to go camping. I want to spend as much time naked in nature as I can! I'll be sure to document it

Eight years is such a long time to go without having a Christmas off, I'm glad you had a good one this year! The picture of your cat from the IFM forum was so adorable, s/he looked sah grumpy. I'm looking forward to seeing how you capture your time naked in nature. I can imagine you feeling so happy chilling under a waterfall or walking through the bush in just hiking boots. It's the best way to deal with the heat!

Elsa_H wrote:

Is anyone here into New Years resolutions? This year I resolved to do more art/be more creative and read more books I'm interested to hear if anyone else made any.

After being back at work two days I've resolved to learn how to touch type this year. The way I type now is making my wrist really hurt . I also want to get my L's (resolution from last year *cringe*) aaand read more books and make my knees point forward, sit up straight... generally try to be a better person I guess. Good luck with your resolutions!

Elsa_H · January 6th, 2015 08:25 PM

Devochka, I should probably rephrase my first Christmas off in 8 years! I actually meant it's the first time I've had the whole Christmas and New Years period off, I used to work in retail which meant no time off except Christmas day

We've both resolved to read more books, maybe we should really get cracking on starting a naked lady outdoor book club!

Elsa_H · January 6th, 2015 09:16 PM

trevor wrote:

Elsa, thank you for your informative and very thoughtful comments. You are exceptionally nice to think of so many people. You are a gem.
Congratulations on your new job. Is it not wonderful to have time off between job? As for your trying to live as sustainably as possible, isn't it a revelation to discover that living sustainably is more joy than sacrifice? As for that, I've very much enjoyed your folios. Mmm...you are a very sustaining woman. You have a great fan in me.
Yes, living in Italy is a blessing in many ways. It really is not one country but many--the regions are diverse in landscape, history, culture, cuisine and truly until after WW II, in regional dialects. We live in chaotic Rome but our biodynamic farmer brings us our vegetables from his nearby farm. We celebrate the farmers not the often silly celebrity chefs. Tell us about your food situation. You who look the picture of health.
Thank you again for your contributions to this site.

That's so lovely, Trevor, thank you! You seem like a really kind, funny, intelligent person, it's great having you on the forums

I definitely agree with sustainable living being more about joy than sacrifice. I think the overwhelming thing for a lot of people is stepping away from the lifestyles centered around convenience that we've all become accustomed to. I'll admit there are still things I'm working on, like making my own soap (I make my own facial scrubs and things of that nature) but when I do buy things like that I try to buy locally and ethically made products, which is really easy living in Melbourne.

My food situation!! You've opened the floodgates, my life revolves around food! Basically most weeks I order a box of organic vegetables from one of two places. One is a small, local group of people that source vegetables from local organic and bio-dynamic farms. You can order different sized boxes that come with a surprise selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Quite often the boxes are made up of the produce that can't be sold to grocers because it doesn't meet the size requirements or it might have a little blemish or look a little ugly. You collect your box from a house where they've made a little "shop" at the back of it where you can get some organic milk or bread, etc, it's really cute. The second place is directly from a farm that a young couple recently inherited. It's a small scale farm and they haven't been doing it for very long, but you order a box and pick it up from their van that they set up outside a park on a Saturday. You can also buy raw dairy products thanks to their cow and their homemade pickles etc. All my other food I get from my local organic store, except meat which I only buy very occasionally from a local bio-dynamic butcher who only stocks from specific free range farms. Plus I try to get to farmers markets whenever I can, but sometimes it's difficult to make the time because they're not on every weekend and are often quite far from my house, I also grow my own vegetables (I'm still learning though!) and ferment my own sauerkraut, make preserves and pickles and brew my own kombucha!

I cannot wait to travel to Italy and be surrounded by people so passionate about their food and where it comes from! I feel like all too often in Australia people eat out of necessity and not for the love of it or for nourishment. I traveled to Spain when I was 16 and was blown away by how important and central food is to the culture. Are you Italian or have you moved there from somewhere else?

PS; sorry, this turned into a bit of a novel!!

trevor · January 7th, 2015 08:37 AM

Oh dear Elsa, isn't I Shot Myself a most amazing website with an equally amazing forum? What other place has contributors submitting highly erotic self portraits while also discussing sustainable agriculture, organic and biodynamic food, all manner of therapies and philosophies, jazz, opera, ballet, chamber music, popular music, fine art, fiction and nonfiction, documentary films, playing the viola, piano, guitar, harp or 'cello...and so forth and so on? You all are wondrous.

As for food in Italy, all things are relative. Alas many Italians in the Slow Food movement despair as the see fellow Italians eating at McDonald's, drinking Coca Cola with their pasta and loading up their shopping carts at the supermarket with the worst sort of super processed adulterated food. So they look to places like California where they see leaders in Slow Food doing amazing things--while the Californians continue coming to Italy marveling at how wonderful Italy still is--and indeed it is. Food is just in great jeopardy relative to where it was; hence Slow Food, which was begun in response to the opening of the first McDonald's in Italy located next to the Spanish Steps in Rome.

Well, I can only conclude this missive by saying I wish we could all take off all our clothes and inhibitions and feast on biodynamic food and on one another.

Love,

Trebor I
(King of the Frog Pond and all its Domains)

Laney · January 7th, 2015 09:14 AM

Elsa_H wrote:

We've both resolved to read more books, maybe we should really get cracking on starting a naked lady outdoor book club!

Dude... YES. Maybe I will make a FB event. I hope Traci wants to come too!

Elsa_H wrote:

Basically most weeks I order a box of organic vegetables from one of two places. One is a small, local group of people that source vegetables from local organic and bio-dynamic farms. You can order different sized boxes that come with a surprise selection of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Quite often the boxes are made up of the produce that can't be sold to grocers because it doesn't meet the size requirements or it might have a little blemish or look a little ugly. You collect your box from a house where they've made a little "shop" at the back of it where you can get some organic milk or bread, etc, it's really cute.

Is this CERES? I used to get veggie boxes from there when I lived in Brunswick. I liked how they give you whichever veggies they have at the time, it makes it easier to decide what to cook .

blissed · January 8th, 2015 10:28 AM

It's alright as long as you like potatoes and don't mind them forming half your diet That's what happened when I used to get an organic veg box here in England, it was stuffed with potatoes. Are there supermarkets in Melbourne that sell a range of organic foods. When I visited in 2007 there was nothing. Stores like Coles didn't have any organic, and only specialist shops in tree changing communities or victoria market in town sell it. I like to choose what I want to eat rather than get a lucky dip veg box and throw away stuff I don't like. Well that's my rant over

Laney · January 8th, 2015 03:01 PM

Yeah we have lots of organic shops! Coles and Woolies both have their own range of organic fruit, veggies and other produce. You can get organic fruit and veggies at markets like Queen Vic and at specialist organic supermarkets dotted around city and inner suburbs. What are tree changing communities?

trevor · January 8th, 2015 03:01 PM

I agree with you, Blissed. In Rome, our farmers send us an email of what they will have available a day or two before the delivery; and we let them know what we want on the list together with the quantity. They do however offer a basket with surplus produce that customers can buy at a discount. Part of being a good farmer is figuring out the market and not act like charity cases expecting customers to treat them like endangered species. Incidentally, the potatoes we buy from our biodynamic farmers are wondrous in the intensity of their delicious flavour. Potatoes are not all generic after all.

trevor · January 8th, 2015 03:41 PM

Devochka, it would seem that when it comes to food there is no shortage of participation. I love the way postings here have been allowed to meander "off topic." It makes the conversation flow like at an enjoyable dinner party.

blissed · January 8th, 2015 10:37 PM

Trevor that pre order system seems pretty good, and straight from the farmer too!! Devochka sounds like the availability of organic food has really improved. Tree changing is leaving the city for a healthier lifestyle. Places like Ferntree gully being the very closest. http://www.insightproperty.com.au/tag/t … eal-estate

Elsa_H · January 9th, 2015 02:57 PM

trevor wrote:

Oh dear Elsa, isn't I Shot Myself a most amazing website with an equally amazing forum? What other place has contributors submitting highly erotic self portraits while also discussing sustainable agriculture, organic and biodynamic food, all manner of therapies and philosophies, jazz, opera, ballet, chamber music, popular music, fine art, fiction and nonfiction, documentary films, playing the viola, piano, guitar, harp or 'cello...and so forth and so on? You all are wondrous.

I really love being able to submit sexy, erotic images (and videos over at IFM) and be able to engage in such a positive way with members. It's really lovely being able to learn about different lifestyles and hearing people opinions on things from different parts of our great, big world. It's a part of what makes contributing to these sights so fun and special.

I find the organic boxes here always come with a really good balance and variety of produce! There is always a good amount of fruit, some kind of kale or silver beet, salad greens, basics like potato and onion and leeks plus more exciting seasonal stuff like daikon (Japanese radish), asparagus, fresh peas, pumpkin, tomatoes during summer, etc. I think it's because Australia has a good climate for really diverse farming. So I'm always happy to just purchase the 'mixed' box which is made up of whatever is available at the time, like Devochka said. And Ps Dev, it's just like what CERES does, just smaller organizations. My favourite is the one where you go and collect it from the couples van on the weekend. I've only done it through them a couple of times but they always have really beautiful, unusual produce that you can't find in shops, like radish and mustard greens and lots of heirloom vegetables! You can also sign up to trade something for a really gorgeous bunch of flowers that they grow as well. Last time I did that I traded a kombucha SCOBY for a huge bunch of almond blossoms! Plus, they go around after everyone collects their food and refill the van with all the scraps from restaurants and cafes and take it back to their farm to compost. And if you don't have your own compost you can take your scraps back to them to take with them. I also like that it's directly from their farm, so I meet who grew my food and if you buy milk and cheese from them it came from their very own cow named Peaches!

trevor · January 9th, 2015 05:38 PM

Your comments warm the heart. I like that you personally know your farmers. And of course that you love sharing with us very beautiful and intimate erotic photographs makes them all the more erotic. My pulse is racing. Thank you.

artemesia · February 9th, 2015 03:59 PM

^^wait we're talking about food, and I was not informed???
**huffs while taking bite of sourdough croissant - omg too yummy**

trevor · February 9th, 2015 06:36 PM

Artemesia, next time you are planning to be in Rome, let me know. There's a new bread and pastry shop that is unimaginably good. The chef/owner trained in France and his understanding of food and his skill and love of baking is at the highest level. He is also offering classes in his kitchen.

artemesia · February 9th, 2015 08:21 PM

Sounds delightful!

Perhaps I should follow the whim I had today to try and work with another one of my hero chefs (though the last time I did that it didn't work out so well, and my disenchantment with 'vegans' might have contributed to my own lapsing veganism +butter = the only good pastry ever)

I do have work at an organic fruit and veg shop that requires a ridiculously early wakeup call - so the next logical step is to take it much much further i guess

here is his personal blog, frankly bread baking is not something I'm going to pursue right at this moment as temperatures are set to soar! Those in New York and other deliciously chill places might enjoy and use the link more than I can
http://sourdough.com/blog/johnd
enjoy

artemesia · February 9th, 2015 08:22 PM

+ points to Trevor
food suggestions/talk of food will keep me here all night

artemesia · February 10th, 2015 07:00 AM

#1 December 31st, 2014 03:00 PM

Why so little Forum participation?

#2 January 2nd, 2015 01:43 AM

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#7 January 5th, 2015 11:42 AM

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#20 January 9th, 2015 05:38 PM

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