Same People Posting.

[Curt]

Have you guys noticed that the same 30 or 35 people are posting, maybe less. What happened to all the other people. Its the same thing in the girls forums. I read them but I can't post there. Ashley.

[Heelster]

Some of us have had extremely busy schedules as of late, so I'm not posting as often as I was - - - - but that's just me.

[Rockpup]

Some people fade out, new ones come by. I've been here for a while but go through quiet phases.

[Histiletto]

Some of the topics seem to be rehashes of former threads that probably ought to be referenced to gleam some of the wisdom and insights of former postings. If some have new information or other approaches, they could offer their side of the subject. Of course, I realize the monumental task of doing such projects would be very time consuming and sometimes not worth the effort, for reading the same messages told by other members has its importance. It is kind of like law making or making sense of our tax system, they are forever increasing the paper work, but they have little to add to or they even subtract from our freedoms. Imagine, if part of the duties of our lawmakers was to become lawreducers by omiting unnecessary and frivilous laws from the governmental records. Streamlining our government functions and duties sounds like a worth while investment for all freedom loving participants. Perhaps, our tax codes should be excised the same way to make them more understandable and easier for individuals and corporations to report their fair shares. I shouldn't have to seek out an accountant specialist to calculate my tax obligations. A flat tax system is looking more attractive.

[SleekHeels]

A flat tax system is looking more attractive.

Now that's got to be the only time somone could say something flat is attractive on this forum and get away with it !

[Rockpup]

Way off topic, but I agree a progressing tax set up is better. Although something is wrong when someone starts a family while working a minimum wage job. I do think that people who got to the american dream should be able to enjoy it though.

[dww]

Pumpcat have you changed your name?

[Curt]

Ya! Check out my blog to find out about it.

[Steve63130]

There are lots of reasons that people come and go. Some are just lurkers, curious but not serious. Others introduce themselves, make a post or two, but don't return. Some stick around and become serious posters. Everyone's interests can change over time, and after a while the posts may get boring and repetitive. "I went out dressed in heels and nobody cared." is a common theme. Non-events like that can get boring after a while, and people who were posting everyday can drift off to other interests. I encourage a lot of members who are like that, and don't get much from the forum postings any more, to consider giving back to the forum. Post encouragement and advice to the newbies. Be here for them, not for yourself. We are a community with a common interest, and the "elders" and experienced are as important as the novices and beginners. If you have gained courage, wisdom, and confidence from your time here, don't drift away. Give back. Stick around and encourage others who come after you! They need your help and advice. Steve

[at9]

Like many members, I look regularly and post when I feel I can contribute.

[Dr. Shoe]

I haven't got the same access to the internet I had...

[niknhose]

I have found the novelty of my excursions has worn off since I started. It was great to verbalize my first steps in the world as a full time heeler. The stories now are more on the lines of I went out no one noticed or if they did, they don't say anything. The girls at work love it when I wear a new pair of heels, which is very encouraging. I will admit I have not posted much recently due to a number of factors. Nikki

[ilikekicks]

Im only ' semi-retired ' now as the inlaws liked what I have done to their place and now all their friends and extended families have me booked solid for the next 5 or 6 weeks doing odd projects/repairs. My time will be limited from doing that and helping on the family ' farm ' coming this spring. I will also ( hopefully ) be recording a revisited demo for the band. My amount of posts might see a small reduction.

[HappyinHeels]

pumpcat, HiStiletto and Steve63130, as usual, make articulate points about why some post a lot and othere much less. One click of forum roster by clicking the Members tab will tell the story of what this thread is about. Many, I'm talking a LOT, of people have one or two posts, then drift off. Internet drifters? Maybe. Curiosity seekers. Most certainly. Lurkers?? Sure, many of us lurked a while before joining. At least that many people showed enough interest to look and register. As far as one group dominating the scene I suggest you take a look around your own community. Invariably each area, big and small, has a few families, sometimes even some standout individuals, who seem to be involved in everything and these are the folk who always seem to become our future leaders. Sometimes they came to the table with wealth, others had to build that wealth, and others just had to make sure their voice was heard, and every once in a while, this last voice hits a chord with so many others that their voice becomes a chorus. So it is here as well because this forum is a microcosm of the countries where we live. I do think those that make the time to post often are essentially saying that this forum is important to them and benefit greatly by sharing their experiences here knowing that it will benefit others. I know I understand more about human nature from having listened and learned here. I know that having discovered this site has made me a better person. The chance it can do that for others is reason enough to visit and stay. HappyinHeels

[LuvyourShoes]

I too browse daily on my cell phone, however, typing messages proves to be an arduous task... especially while driving!!! I am rarely on a computer so my cell phone is my constant gateway to hhp.org. I'll type more when I get a chance.

[stevey2]

I too often read the posts but have not had anything to contribute either so have not posted but I am still here and check in when I can

[benno]

Perfect timing... I just checked in for the 1st time in ages. I left this place alone because I got bored of the same old questions. Maybe I'm being selfish, but it's just not my problem if people can't pluck up the courage to wear some shoes! OH... and one of the major reasons was all the political mud fights... This place seems to be inhabited by quite a few gun loving right wingers with a shoe fetish... Not my scene! Over and out... Ben

[SleekHeels]

I encourage a lot of members who are like that, and don't get much from the forum postings any more, to consider giving back to the forum. Post encouragement and advice to the newbies. Be here for them, not for yourself. We are a community with a common interest, and the "elders" and experienced are as important as the novices and beginners. If you have gained courage, wisdom, and confidence from your time here, don't drift away. Give back. Stick around and encourage others who come after you! They need your help and advice.

Right on Steve!

[Shafted]

This place seems to be inhabited by quite a few gun loving right wingers with a shoe fetish...

Ben

Freedom loving would be more accurate, and I would hardly consider what they have as a shoe fetish unless you also fall into that category.

I'm not a gun owner myself, but I fully support those that do. Those whom own a gun legally are much more acceptable to me than those that don't.

[Bubba136]

benno, Have you been gone?

[LovesHiHeels]

I don't post on here much as I don't have much to say and most of the time I would be only repeating what others have said.

[6inch-heaven]

Unfortunately, don't have time to post as much as I'd like

[HappyinHeels]

LovesHiHeels and others,

The thought struck me that while some don't post for the reasons you stated that this is the same type of mental barrier people erect that prevents them from enjoying wearing high heels. Just the possibility that someone may have covered a topic before and the belief that your experience was exactly like anyone else's causes you to diminish your contribution and dissuades you from posting. As many different shoes are out there, and there are thousands, there are still a finite number and I know that many of us have bought and worn the same brand, the same style, and even the same color.

Here's an example: AZShoeNut in Phoenix has the black wedge shoes in his avatar that he swears by and probably wears more than any other. I have the same shoe in the same color and also wear it more than any other at this time of the year. Two different people wearing the same exact shoe 1800 miles (3000km) apart but what about above the shoes???? I can guarantee neither of us wore exactly the same thing or that we went exactly the same places or talked to the same people. This is how our experiences are different and why everyone who is wondering whether they have anything to add should just hit the reply button and tell us about it.

Remember you may go years before you ever see another guy in heels or ever meet one of our members here so sharing your experiences becomes the tonic you need to not feel isolated. Let's face it, these high heels we wear are as uplifting physically as they are they are mentally so why WOULDN'T we want to share our experiences??? HappyinHeels

[Foxyheels]

No different to any othe forum really, always seems to be a core of lead contributors who make a lot of posts. I tend to visit most days but it depends on work and social life as to how much I post. I would like to post more real life pictures but never seem to get the time to sort that side of things out and it would help if I remembered to take pictures when we are out and about though.

[freestyle75]

Well, it's the usual pattern with all forums. People fade in and fade out. I've posted in numerous forums, some of them had so few contributors that I got easily bored and left again. Sometimes also the interests change. For about a year, I was nearly posting on a daily basis in a photography forum. First learning myself, then helping others. After a while, it got boring. Should I buy this or that camera? Is this or that lens sharper?

I haven't taken a single real photograph with my SLR throughout the last year (didn't have any real vacation, had to work), so I think that my neglegence of the photography forum reflects what is happening in my real life.

What is an even more interesting question: Why are there only so FEW members here?

If you google "high heels", "men" and "forum", you will definitely get here.

• 3.315 billion people worldwide are male
• 34.3 % have access to the internet (see internetworldstats.com)
• assuming an even distribution, that means that 1.13 billion males are on the net
• Most people on this planet live on an annual income between $750 to $7500 (see this shocking graph; it's a bit dated, but I don't think much has changed). Although someone who has Internet access might not fit into that category, someone with internet access might need it more than a pair of shoes. Assuming that acting on the urge to wear heels is somewhat a "luxury" problem, let's say only 10 % of the remaining males could afford to actually buy shoes that are outside the norm, which leads to 113 mn left.
• Wanting to wear heels probably is way outside the norm for a male (otherwise this forum would be bursting with users). Let's assume 0.01 % of all males want to wear heels. That leaves 11,300. There you have it: We are a minority.
• Assuming that 10% of these users are REALLY interested in heels and google it, we have about 1,130 unique visitors on this site.
• About 1/3 register ... which results in 359 users.
• Using the iceberg principle of social media: 1% create new posts, 9% act on those posts and reply, 90% are just lurkers, you have got.. (nearly) 4 people creating new posts, 32 people replying to those and 323 just reading. Gut feeling: More people here are creating posts, but in terms of those replying, 32 is not too far away from the reality...

What do you think ?

[yozz]

I read the posts regularly, and occasionally, when I believe I have anything relevant to add, I make a post. My 'outings' are nothing special and neither are my acquisitions. In addition, others can word things much better. Like Benno, I feel at times very irritated by certain discussions, and how they are dominated in a way that I consider often rather rude. These posters may not be aware of that they are doing this, but it scares some people away. And it keeps others from joining the discussion, even though they may have a lot of good things to say. One of our prominent female posters in the past left with the remark that "she had nothing more to add", after having been criticized in what I thought to be an unfair way. On the other hand, it was not a very strong criticism. But different people take things differently. So, like many others here, I stay out of some discussions and make only remarks when I feel they add something that others have not mentioned yet. Y.

[Curt]

The topics are getting boring! I'm going to think of something interesting when I post next. I enjoy the responses I get from my theads. It inspires me to research new topics. Ashley.

[w6ish]

I find topics and discussions around here can get boring fast and way too conservative. A wild man like me just doesn't belong here.

[HappyinHeels]

w6ish, Yes, the topics/discussions can get boring or conservative just like any conversation on any given day. When I look at my heels though I don't see conservative at all..in fact I have the same white platform sandals (8" heel) that you have on in avatar so your're NOT the only wild thing here.

freestyle75, Nice numbers and methodology but my work with crunching numbers, I am an amateur meteorologist and storm spotter, tells me that numbers can be stacked and restacked to do whatever you want them to do unless you set rigid standards which there are none in this particular situation. While I agree the numbers of repeat forum posters is quite small copared to the total number of members the same thing could be said of many organizations. Take the total numbers of members and then sort out who actually contributes to the newletter or volunteers and that number is always a fraction of the total. As far as the 11,300 total, I can that many men wanting to wear heels publicly in a city of about 700,000 people. I have interviewed many retail managers in stores such as Nordstrom, Bakers, Steve Madden, DSW, and Payless and (I focused on the sale of size US11 heels) these retail people told me they figured 15-20% of this size was being sold to men which would suggest a figure much much higher than 11,300. Now while they may be seliing the shoes those heels may well not be "clicking the pavement" as the buyers may simply not have the right state of mind to do it. I myself, in a previous post, advanced the idea that probably no more than 5% of men buying heels for their own use would ever actually wear them in public. Try this for example. Go to sheikhshoes.com and click their size chart which clearly shows a male to female conversion section. This is a California-based shoe chain with actual stores in many states now that is catering to men as well. Companies like that apparently are aware that men are coming out of the shadows. This also suggests the actual number of men using heels is far higher than anyone imagines or has tried to calculate. Food for thought. HappyinHeels

[Gudulitooo]

The topics are getting boring!

Ashley.

Ashley,

Thank you, you're welcome.