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Gransnet’s 10th Birthday

(97 Posts)
Marmight Sat 01-May-21 08:36:56

Gransnet will be 10 years old this month. Like many others I joined at its conception and now its membership has grown from a few hundred to thousands. At the beginning I found it a life saver particularly when my DH died suddenly and I was supported by many new friends, who over the years have become good friends in RL, some nearby and others far away. What are your memories/opinions/feelings of GN then and now? I tend to lurk these days and post less frequently and many well kent names and characters sadly no longer appear.....
(If there’s already a thread on this, apologies. Couldn’t find one on the long list!)

maydonoz Sat 01-May-21 15:44:17

Thank you for this info, I wondered when Gransnet was started.
I recently joined, just over a year ago and I must say I enjoy reading all the various threads and posts of interest.
I don't post usually during the week as I have a busy schedule with family commitments (grandchild care), but at the weekend, I like to post and sometimes even start a thread!
I've not had any meet ups with any GNs in RL but then we've had Covid most of the time. Maybe this is something that will be possible in the future.

Wheniwasyourage Sat 01-May-21 15:44:58

I joined in May 2011, just after GN started. Like a lot of you, I find the constant bickering and jumping on other people's opinions with nasty comments is very tedious. I've been ignoring GN for a couple of months now as I got completely fed up when we were no longer allowed to ask what had happened to other GNers who hadn't posted for a while. Can't say I've missed it much as it is now, and I'm sure nobody has missed me!

Anyway, I looked back today to find out if the 10th birthday was being marked, and to say hallo, and thank you to those who have cheered me up with their jokes, lightheartedness (without having to point it out) and kindness. On the whole, I've had a lot of pleasure from my time on GN.

SueDonim Sat 01-May-21 15:50:34

Ah, the accident referred to took place in Oct 2013? That’ll be why i missed it. I was in hospital for ages with a double leg fracture and I was off my head with morphine.

Urmston, I’d have said that you’d been here much longer than four years - it’s weird how the perception of time gets skewed. smile

SueDonim Sat 01-May-21 15:51:16

Sorry, five years.

NanKate Sat 01-May-21 15:56:32

I joined GN about 5 or 6 years ago and have made some real and some virtual friends.

The thread that gave me the most laughter was when I started a virtual Olympic Games the input was brilliant.

Sadly I have rather lost interest in GN recently as really funny or sparky people have been banished by HQ. Also there is no right of reply when HQ is on a roll. They are a law unto themselves. At the beginning they seemed fun and often posted a comment, now it seems to me that they only come on to remove comments or contributors. We are not allowed to mention people we miss or connect one thread to another.

In addition they often used to get well known people to answer questions we put to them but now that has gone too, unless I have missed them.

I generally just keep to Mick’s GM thread and my own ‘I’m a Pear’ where some lovely contributors have been with me for almost 3 years later this month. ???

3 of my GM friends on here have left this year ?

BlueBelle Sat 01-May-21 16:03:10

I joined around New Year 2014 so 7 years + I didn’t know when I joined but search my PMs and that was the first time I received one telling me I d done the right thing joining, so I guess it was a week or two before Christmas maybe when I joined
My mum and Dad both died 2012 then my job went so I m guessing I was a bit lost then
I stopped posting for nearly a year because after initially getting a warm welcome I didn’t feel very comfortable I felt sidelined and not actually accepted but after lurking around a bit I bit the bullet and started posting again
I ve made four lovely virtual friends and although we re not geographically near we share regular emails and letters so I really value that
I don’t think it’s any worse today than back then I remember really shrinking when getting a tongue lashing from someone back in my shy, diffident, days
I never knew of GreatNan or her story
I never go a day without reading or posting

Urmstongran Sat 01-May-21 19:55:31

SueDonim

Sorry, five years.

??

harrigran Sat 01-May-21 20:14:40

I have been here from the beginning and agree it is not the friendly forum that we had back in 2011.
Gransnet has helped me enormously through five years of ill health and still a great help through DH's illness.
I have met some really lovely people.

Jaxjacky Sat 01-May-21 20:25:03

I’ve been here for about 7 months after a ‘starter’ post asking for recommendations on a new planned kitchen, now completed. I regularly post in Mick’s Good Morning and Soop’s kitchen. I like the sense of community, avoid some who like to monopolise, but that’s life, all sorts, which makes it interesting. And I learn, every day.

Gagagran Sat 01-May-21 20:31:47

I joined about the same time as "Kitty* and like her, I was berated for a post by Greatnan. She was a very forceful character and I felt quite intimidated by her actually.

I enjoy Mick's Good Morning thread and used to go in Soop's kitchen a lot, but found that I was just posting virtually the same on each one, so stick to the Good Morning one mainly now. I do read Soop's kitchen thread though and the Help calm me House buying one every day too. Plus any others that take my eye. I avoid the political or contentious threads. I am too old to need a lot of argument and heat in my life and want as peaceful and gentle and kind a time as I can manage.

I have sent and received a lot of PMs and like that facility very much but I also like the anonymity and would not want to go to meet ups. I have won lots of books and two holidays in the days when we had competitions for such things.

So, Happy Birthday Gransnet and thank you for being part of my life.

FannyCornforth Sat 01-May-21 20:42:38

Two holidays!?
Well done Gagagran!
Where were they to?

(I have a sneaking feeling that I may be one of those 'new members' who get on everyone's wick. Apologies)

bikergran Sat 01-May-21 20:45:28

Another early starter here, it was a lovely genteel place then but that was 10 yrs ago and things change and progress.

"Hello glamma" (waving)

As many others when my dh died I had 100s of virtual messages, it was very comforting.

These days I tend to sit in a corner and pop my head up now and again. I like an easy going life, I'm not up for disagreements, many a time I start to reply to a post but then delete it and forget about it.

It's great that Gransnet has kept going (where have those 10 years gone)???

I still pop in most days and see what's going on .

Cheers everyone wine

Hellogirl1 Sat 01-May-21 21:41:40

I`ve been here since about 3 weeks after Gransnet was born, I was told about it by my lovely friend Greenmossgiel. I`ve had 3 names because of signing in problems, but I started off as numberplease.

grandmajet Sat 01-May-21 22:09:04

As someone who has only been ‘here’ for about 3 months, this thread is fascinating. I have found gransnet fun so far, with the many different views and characters adding to the interest.
I love your posts by the way, Fanny, you often make me chuckle.

ninathenana Sat 01-May-21 22:19:47

I'm one of the originals. Sadly some are no longer here. I won't list them but I'm sure many will know those that made us laugh, those that gave great advice and those who rankled.

GN has changed since it's outset. It's not as light hearted, hardly surprising in current times but I do miss the daily laughs.

Urmstongran Sat 01-May-21 22:37:09

Sometimes an old thread from years ago pops up - resurrected and added to only by a comment or two. I don’t notice the date of the OP and scroll down to read it, seeing one or two names I recognise such as kitty for example. Then I notice what I recognise as a defunct moniker such as nelliemoser and think ‘hang on a minute’. I check the date & realise it’s a very old thread. When I scroll down again I’m astonished at how many poster’s names I don’t recognise. Left. Banned. Deceased maybe.

Sad to think in another 10 years the same will happen to us here.

cornergran Sat 01-May-21 22:53:01

I joined 7 years ago. My first foray into social media at a time I was very lonely and isolated. Received warmly I value the good friends I have made, mostly virtual with one in real life. My sense is that GN has changed, but then why wouldn’t it? Every organisation evolves, sometimes the evolution suits us, sometimes not. I’m not sure about the recent feel of GN, suspect it doesn’t suit me as well.

mamaa Sat 01-May-21 22:56:26

I joined when my first grandchild was about 18 months old- now aged 11. Rarely contributed to threads until I retired in 2017- still hardly do so, apart from the occasional contribution to the GM or Soops kitchen thread.
Found reading through threads this last 12 months helped me with not feeling so alone throughout the pandemic- all in the same boat so to speak.

Ro60 Sat 01-May-21 23:50:41

Time for a knees up then GNHQ?
I think I joined about 9 years ago when my first GD arrived but only started using GN since Lock-down. Will definitely continue. Feel I've found a new bunch of friends.
GN - meaning all you lovely people, has given me some of my confidence back at a time when I felt I must be seeing things from the wrong angle, or being unreasonable.
Guess what? - I'm ok! & actually quite normal.
Many thanks. ?
Still haven't managed to be inventive enough (or brave) to start a thread yet.

BigBertha1 Sun 02-May-21 06:23:04

I joined almost at the beginning with another name but left for a little while when the sniping got really bad. I lurk more than I post now. I was a very regular poster but I dont enjoy Gransnet like I used to its not a safe space.

Rufus2 Sun 02-May-21 06:27:06

Sad to think in another 10 years the same will happen to us here
Urmstongran On the contrary, I won't be in the least bit sad being around in 2031,
In fact I'll be Cock'a Hoop, provided I still have a few brain cells left to help me remember how to do the Knees-Up!
and also provided I don't look even more like Dorian Gray's attic portrait! hmm
OoRoo .

downtoearth Sun 02-May-21 07:50:24

Been here since the early days, I started Lils bar...similar to the Argy...lots of fun was had, I had a different name then, lots of life changes for me means I just read and lurk I dont have the confidence to post anymore sadly.

Urmstongran Sun 02-May-21 08:20:16

Aw that’s sad downtoearth. I will look out for any posts from you in the hope that your confidence is returning. It’s such a shame you feel ‘less’ than you used to be. x

nightowl Sun 02-May-21 08:42:32

That is a shame downtoearth, I remember you in your previous name and remember your story well. I also remember your wonderful spirit and sense of humour and one particular party where we had a lively exchange of posts. I hope you will be able to regain some of that confidence even if you don’t decide to post much.

I joined at the end of 2011/ beginning of 2012 when my first grandchild was a baby. Gransnet helped me through the long night shifts which I spent alone and which varied from being extremely busy to very quiet and lonely. I remember feeling very new at first as there was already a strong core of founder members who seemed to ‘know’ each other well. The forum seemed kind though and people were very polite in those early days. I enjoyed its evolution to a place where robust views were exchanged and particularly enjoyed the political threads until they became downright nasty in recent years. I won’t post on them now.

I miss jingl although she scared me a bit grin and of course Greatnan who I also found intimidating, until we exchanged some PMs and I realised what a very kind and caring person she was. I have made some good friends in RL from here, one in particular.

I rarely post these days. The feeling has changed, and I find too much unpleasantness while some people are just downright rude. I don’t need that negativity in my life and I wonder what people get from being that way, or if they have enough insight to realise how they behave. So I don’t expect to be around in another ten years (though hopefully still around physically if you know what I mean). But that’s life I guess, everything changes and moves on. Maybe we’ll develop an offshoot called Greatgransnet for us older ones and leave the younger grans to enjoy Gransnet as it evolves further, without us saying how much better it was ‘in the old days’ smile

baubles Sun 02-May-21 08:49:28

Happy Birthday Gransnet and thanks for starting the thread Marmight.

I was an early joiner, going to the first meet-up in Glasgow where I met a lovely group of women including you G23, the next in your house Marmight and I still use the bookmark which the lovely Soop made for all of us from the photo taken in your garden. Elegran’s organisational skills came to the fire with the Burns Suppers and Conference and I still have the pen too.

I’m so looking forward to when we can get back to meeting in person.

All in all GNet has been a wonderful source of friendship, advice and support.

I did drop out for some time but now that I’m back I love Mick’s good morning thread, I pop into the kitchen but find it difficult to keep up with everyone on there so I occasionally just say hello.

Long may it continue.