Gordon,
Your real world community will be made up of many smaller circles of interest and activity. You will engage with some circles but not with others.
Treat this community in the same way. Engage where it interests you and leave the other things be.
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I very seldom get a chance to interact with this community. Real life, work and of course actually playing my guitar takes up most of my time but I do like to browse the posts and have picked up a lot of tips as a result.
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Same here. Itās hard to keep up or interact much, but I try to stay in touch, get inspired and pick up a few tips.
After learning via the WhatsApp club groups that the iPhone āadd to Home Screenā button would turn this website into something app like, Iāve found it easier to browse while commuting etc. Much easier than sitting down at my home computer, logging in etc. 
.
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I feel the same Gordon. I have started to cut back on the amount of time I have been spending on here as it was just getting too much. I have plenty of other things going on as with my kids sports etc I am out 6 nights a week.
Nowadays I pick and choose what posts I read or AVOYPS I listen to and have given up listening to posters who donāt listen to anybody else or posters that I have commented on and didnāt have the courtesy to reply. I do always try to look out for the core group of people who are always engaged and provide feedback and will continue to do that.
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Some irony in posting about not keeping up with the community forum because it is has too many postsā¦
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No 
On the contraryā¦ 
Itās responsible and thoughtful, when a very well liked community member, who made, and hopefully - to some extent - continues to make many valuable contributions to said online guitar community, shares with their community friends online that they are sadly feeling somewhat overwhelmed at the moment.
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Hi Gordon ( @sairfingers )
Certainly no need to feel bad about ānot feeling itā with respect to the forums. I certainly have visits where I am here to take information and other days I feel like giving information.
I too can feel tired of the same beginner questions some days. When I feel like that I remember the newer folks on their way to becoming regulars here that now have the interest and experience to answer, so I feel free to let it go.
There are also plenty of times I just want some entertainment for a few minutes. I fast scan for some funny or unusual topic title and check it out, then go do something NOT the forum.
Remember, the forum is just a way to have some ideas and fun exchanged with like-minded people. The goal is to play guitar better, not turn the forum into work.
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Hello Gordon, I think most of us can relate to your feelingsā¦what I believe is that we all are in good earnest and if we are here itās because we enjoy it. As you I think that it actually takes time to reply with a well thoughtful replyā¦but this is not work, this is learning together, giving back and having backā¦I try my best to give back ā¦and thatās all! Time for my self, time for others, eachother enrichment in both cases. Also too much screen time is not good!
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Itās perfectly reasonable to dip in and out, maybe scan the most recent posts. I was absent for all of last summer, Iām a bit more involved at the moment, it ebbs and flows.
Many of us have to work for a living but thatās enough of a job for anyone. Donāt make guitar playing/practice and the things around it (like these forums) into a second job!
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Definitely a challenge. I mainly look at ānewā posts.
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Hello Gordon @sairfingers , I can totally relate to your thoughts and feelings. Iād like to read and comment more than I actually do (and itās getting less and less at the moment 
), but if I did, I wouldnāt have any time left for practicing. So, I have to be quite selective what I read and where I write a comment. And of course, there are many posts I simply miss.
But I donāt want to stop interacting with this wonderful community. Some of the regulars already feel a bit like friends, and I wouldnāt want to lose contact completely.
I really hope, that youāll also pop in from time to time, share your always enjoyable AVOYPs, as well as your honest feedback.
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You are ready to get started if you are intrigued enough to think about it. You already have the the I ā vi ā IV ā V 50ās progression under your fingers having covered Sam Cookeās āWonderful Worldā, which makes you primed and ready to go.
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Now I need a tl;dr on this thread
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Yes, forget about finding it difficult keeping up with the community.
Iām finding it difficult keeping up with this thread. 
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Just start a new topic thenā¦ donāt hijack
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Will do. Thanks
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Hehe, the OP is
his thread 
Good on ya, Gordon
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Hi Gordon,
I totally relate to the things you say as at some point during the last year, I felt pretty much the same and took myself on a break (also due to health reasons, but this often goes hand in hand).
Iād echo what lots of others already said: Please donāt feel bad for not being as active as you were or skipping parts. Itās totally fine. Itās quite natural in a growing community like this. We simply canāt keep up with everything as we wouldnāt do anything else then. 
Iām trying to be much more selective in what I read and/or listen to in AVOYP, based on interest or the person posting. I tend to not give feedback to people anymore that in return, donāt provide feedback to otherās posting and only take. I think this already helps reducing the time spent. Further, for questions, if I canāt add anything new I hit the like on posts I resonate with and move on.
While writing this, I notice that actually I didnāt add anything new - sweet irony. But maybe replicating in this special case may help to feel and see youāre not alone with this struggle.
Do whatever you feel like, Gordon. If it is a break, of course it will be a shame to not have you and your helpful insights around for a while, but if this is what you need, it is perfectly fine. Meanwhile, I need to dig for your one take Wednesdays - I totally missed this! 
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A big thank you to you all for your comments and views. Itās reassuring to realise that many others share my opinion.
Donāt worry, Iāll not be disappearing anytime soon. My life would not be the same without the banter between my online chums. 
I had to Google this! Too long;didnāt read.
Seems a good place to draw a line and move on. 
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