|
Post by NatureNut on Jul 15, 2012 8:33:37 GMT -5
There have been several versions of this over the years, but I wanted to hear members give their thoughts again.
Here's the question: What does RTH bring to your hobby and/or to your daily life?
I want to hear from all you rock nuts who post on here regularly or post once in a while... and I want to give a shout out to all you lurkers out there to check in with us on this thread and say hey. So, let's hear it... even if it is just to check the board to see what's going on while you wake up with your cup of coffee in the morning, we wanna hear from you... Anything goes.
|
|
|
Post by NatureNut on Jul 15, 2012 8:39:35 GMT -5
I'll start it off to say that the creative aspect of RTH helps me satisfy my need to create. The rock knowledge aspect gives me an intellectual outlet. The friendship and family part of RTH helps me feel connected to great people with common interests while we travel. As I've learned, each member has something very special about them and I look forward to seeing them on here while we share things related and unrelated to rocks. Jo
|
|
|
Post by texaswoodie on Jul 15, 2012 9:09:39 GMT -5
I like it because I can vent my political frustrations. ;D
Seriously, the knowledge I've gained here is incredible. I've made several lifelong friends here. Most of the people here are friendly and generous to a fault. I belong to several forums of different kinds and the people here are the A number 1 best of all.
Curt
|
|
|
Post by manofglass on Jul 15, 2012 9:13:28 GMT -5
Hi Jo The RTH is the only forum I'm loged into 247 it's just the place to be to learn the rock hobby there's lots of cool people here to learn from.walt
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jul 15, 2012 9:24:18 GMT -5
Jo, I do not have time to write a book right now and I can not put it into a few sentences but I will work on that. Jim
|
|
|
Post by Rockhobbit on Jul 15, 2012 9:26:05 GMT -5
I am with Jim, going up north today to celebrate my second wedding anniversary but will post tomorrow!! Sheri
|
|
|
Post by jakesrocks on Jul 15, 2012 9:41:02 GMT -5
I'll keep it short and simple. To me, RTH is a place of friendship, sharing and learning.
I've met many great people on RTH. Many of whom I'll never meet in person.
I've learned much from the kind and generous folks on RTH.
And finally, I've tried to share some of the things I've learned over the years, as have most of our members.
|
|
|
Post by NatureNut on Jul 15, 2012 10:06:29 GMT -5
Happy Anniversary Sheri! Jim and Sheri, we look forward to your posts when you have time.
|
|
unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
|
Post by unclestu on Jul 15, 2012 10:12:57 GMT -5
As it was in this very same month last year that I cut my first cab i find this thread to have a very special meaning to me. Thank you Jo for posting it. I don't really remember what it was that brought me to this site last year but the great positive energy that radiated from this site kept me coming back. LOL back than I didn't even know what a cabochon was but I knew that I wanted to make some. I am in NJ an area not big on lapidary so this sight gives me the outlet to connect with other people with a like passion. This site affords me with an opportunity to show what I have created and hopefully get some FRIENDLY constructive critique and some of those wonderful words of encouragement that we all want and need at times. This site motivates me to want to pass on the generosity of both material and knowledge that I have been so fortunate to receive with other new members that join the family. Yes I used the word family as that is what this site means to me as well, an extended family of members whom I may never actually get to physically see but get to know through the postings of their pictures and words. I come to this site because I see that the members are there for you when you need them as evidenced by the many PM's of support which I have received lately, and please know that I to will always be there for you all. I guess what I am trying to say is that RTH means LOVE. So what I really am trying to say is I LOVE RTH and I LOVE ALL OF YOU !!! Stu
|
|
|
Post by jakesrocks on Jul 15, 2012 10:29:28 GMT -5
LOL, Stu, I know exactly what it was that brought me to this forum. A couple years ago I was doing a google search for info on drag saws. Up popped a discussion on RTH. I checked the discussion and looked around a little bit more. I liked what I saw on here, and wasted no time joining. In the couple years since, not once have I been sorry for joining.
Oh, and like Curt, I enjoy the political arguments. LOL
|
|
snuffy
Cave Dweller
Member since May 2009
Posts: 4,319
|
Post by snuffy on Jul 15, 2012 10:56:43 GMT -5
A search for grit online led me to the Rock Shed. I saw a link to RTH I clicked it on and here I still am. This coincided with my quitting my heavy beer drinking and gave me a new direction to focus my attention.Lurked on here about a year and a half and finally joined.I would hate to think how boring watching tv would become if I wasn't on here.I consider this as an extended family.Probably will never meet most of yall in person,nor visit the wonderful places shown on here by the members,but through yall,enjoy them.Thanks for the memories.
snuffy
|
|
|
Post by 3rdrockfromthefun on Jul 15, 2012 11:58:24 GMT -5
This place inspires me with it's seemingly endless list of fresh artists who take their creativity out on rock, and the smaller group of constants who dazzle me over and over again. This place encourages me as no matter where I am with my own skills there seems always to be others in the same or nearby neighborhood. This place educates (the smoking hell out of) me with visual and textual material provided nearly daily that open up entire new areas for me or help to fill in the gaps of what I have already seen and read. This place provides for me some excellent sources of material at some very good prices. And this place satisfies that urge we all have - to connect and to receive feedback on my own finds and works. You thought I was gonna say, "makes a neat screen saver" huh? No no no :nono: - way more going on here than that...
|
|
|
Post by tntmom on Jul 15, 2012 12:00:37 GMT -5
Wow..... this thread took me back in time and made me dizzy just trying to reflect on what RTH means to me. That's hard for me to put into words and even find a place to begin.
First and foremost RTH became a part of my family and prayers. I come here for knowledge, advice and to check in with all of the lifelong friends I have made here. Before I found this place I was just in a little tiny corner of the world doing my own thing. RTH made it possible for me to become a part of the WHOLE world. It's something amazing that I cherish every day!!! ~Krystee
|
|
grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
|
Post by grayfingers on Jul 15, 2012 12:32:08 GMT -5
To me RTH is a most valuable resource for info on all things that rock, (Including hearts, of course) Without the knowledge shared on this site I would have been lucky to learn in 20 years, what I learned in my first year here. So many creative minds virtually linked ensures learning new things and gaining fresh inspiration daily. The tips and tricks, especially those shared by our members that have been grinding stones for decades are literally priceless.
It is like the hometown cafe where one goes to hang out, drink coffee and swap lies. It is a unique hometown that encompasses the globe, and through shared stories and pictures we are all enriched. And, the political discussions are indicative of a thriving intellectual community, and damn good entertainment to boot.
The human events shared here are opportunities to laugh (and sometimes cry) as we count our blessings and and continue to celebrate the simple, good things in life.
And, I would be remiss to not include an expression of appreciation for all the great pictures. One learns about a great variety of materials.
Bill
|
|
|
Post by Drummond Island Rocks on Jul 15, 2012 12:52:45 GMT -5
wow, this is a hard one to put into words but a great post (thanks Jo). I found this site just about a year ago while searching for ideas to build our own tumblers and after doing some lurking I could tell we had to join in on this. I am constantly amazed by how friendly, generous and how willing everyone is to help each other out on here. I don't think a better place exists to see so much talent by people that are not into it to brag and hoard there knowledge but instead seem to thrive off teaching their crafts and sharing there tricks. A big thank you to everyone for making this a site I enjoy checking daily.
Chuck
|
|
Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,466
|
Post by Sabre52 on Jul 15, 2012 13:38:28 GMT -5
Good folks sharing their knowledge. pictures and love of rocks and the lapidary arts. Cool field trip reports. I especially love the ones from my Old California stomping grounds, Texas and folk's backyard rockhunts that show us local stuff we'd never see at shows or in books. Lots of opinionated folks to argue with when I'm bored or need a laugh. Great folks to swap rocks and stories with any time day or night. And basically, just a fun place to hang while I relax a bit.....Mel
|
|
|
Post by talkingstones on Jul 15, 2012 15:49:09 GMT -5
Wow, Jo! This is a huge question to answer in a few words or sentences! I joined RTH a little over a year ago as there were some Etsy folk who really recommended I come join. For me, it started with my Petoskey stone. I wanted to learn about it and how to shine it up. Having recently lost my parents, I also wanted to reconnect to my family through all of the rocks I inherited from earlier generations. As soon as I posted, people who are here...from all over the world started helping me to grow. Jack from Yorkshire showed me how to take photos, Adrian helped with the polishing and grinding, Connrock with how to run the Lot-O, Randy with wire wrapping and actually start an Etsy store of my own and Ed, to find my own heart in all of this. I've gained knowledge here, yes, but I've also made incredible friendships that I really do cherish!
Often, my husband and I will look at this site and realize that there really isn't another place like it ... anywhere. It's just a bunch of people talking about rocks, but in those conversations everything else in life seems to come together. There isn't one specific thing that makes RTH what it is, not a topic or a thread but all of it combined that makes this place work. It's where I come to learn, to share my successes...and failures but most of all to grow. This is, without a doubt, the safest environment I have ever been afforded to learn and grow in with all things in my life and I really love that about this place! All of us make it what it is and I'm very proud and honored to be a part of that.
Cathy
|
|
|
Post by krazydiamond on Jul 15, 2012 18:50:01 GMT -5
i have to echo all of the above comments, especially Grayfingers. i've hung out in here now for about 9 years and have made some life long friends. won't probably meet any of them in person, but i revel in all the input and photos, stories and rock stuff. it is family, really, Jo. a large extended family that has evolved over the years. i have lost a lot of good freinds in here over the years, too. some we know that have passed, some just drop off the radar with no explanation...and you can't help but wonder what happened to them.
we have had our fair share of flame wars, too. anyone whose been in here long enough can testify to that, lol. i don't join in much to the political stuff, but i do like reading the differences of opinions. i do, on occasion, make a comment.
most of all, i love the fact that we are a global community of rock lovers and artists. and i thank the lucky stars for MARK for making this forum a reality.
KD
|
|
herchenx
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2012
Posts: 3,360
|
Post by herchenx on Jul 15, 2012 20:32:45 GMT -5
I have only been on this year, but for all my years on "teh interwebz" this is the friendliest, most generous, most self-managed group I've ever seen. I think what makes it more that way than most is that unlike most forums, the people that are heavily involved on here are really working hard (in the real world) to improve their abilities, perfect their craft, and give and receive tangible things.
It's one thing to get 500 "likes" on a photo that you had no investment in other than being in the right place at the right time with your cell camera in hand; or to spout some opinion and find a handful of people who identify with that to agree with you. It is quite another to go out into the real world, find a rock, learn what the heck to do with it, buy the tools, invest the weeks and months needed to get something done, and then be humble enough to learn and generous enough to share what you know.
SO RTH to me is real people, connected by common interest, spending time, money, effort and energy on learning to create beauty in a physical piece of work with the most common-level material on the planet. Sprinkle that with good intentions, humility, kindness, generosity and compassion and this is a really special thing.
Thanks to you all for becoming friends and allowing me in.
|
|
unclestu
Cave Dweller
WINNER OF THE FIRST RTH KILLER CAB CONTEST UNCLESTU'S AGUA NUEVA AGATE
Member since April 2011
Posts: 2,298
|
Post by unclestu on Jul 15, 2012 20:40:48 GMT -5
Very well stated John Stu
|
|