just thinking about CG in general

Over the past week, I've been sort of perusing CG, thinking about how to bring it forward as we go into the upcoming fall bowling season (yes, I know...it's only July). It's amazing to get the reports from the webhost, detailing the sheer volume of traffic the site gets in a 24-hour time frame. The reports show me the busiest time for the site (which tends to be around lunch time, EDT) and the site's least busy time (around 3 AM, EDT), and the busiest portions of the website (both the gallery--duh--and this blog).

Interestingly (or maybe not so interestingly?), the least busy portion of the website tends to be the CG Forum. Honestly, I'm not terribly surprised by this. In adding the forum software, I wanted to provide bowlers with another spot to discuss issues, talk with other bowlers, etc. That was a relatively pie in the sky goal if you ask me. Granted, it was fun when it started--we had a small, great group of posters who had fun with each other (in an appropriate setting) and we enjoyed the conversation. However, the forum really has no direction. It's also a real struggle in terms of its use...the software is older, slower and sort of clunky.

So, in analyzing--along with many website visitors--how to move forward, each visitor who offers an opinion seems to say the same thing; the forum could be redundant in the candlepin community. And I'm moving toward that method of thinking. Heck, there's 3 main forums out there, solely dedicated to candlepin bowling--with another 2 or 3 that get minimal amounts of traffic. Just how many places can bowlers say the same things, anyway? And how many places do we want to have to run smack and trash talking?

My only issue is in the way some bowlers go about their criticism of others on these other forums. I see where people anonymously post some pretty harsh and sometimes hateful comments regarding others. In fact, I'm noticing where homophobia, racism and narcissism run wild when some members of the bowling community get behind the keyboard...hiding their names and IP addresses of course. Further, I've seen some pretty horribly nasty comments come from others who don't bother to hide their names. Is this really part of "real life" on the lanes and among leagues, etc.? If so, I'm even happier bowling in my little, Western Mass. hilltown. The house in which I bowl doesn't tolerate that!

I've taken my shots along the way as I explore this thing that is candlepin. That's okay. While I didn't expect it, I should have realized that I'd be taking a few hits as time went along. Unfortunately, I've also been bullied and tormented and subjected to the same level of interaction that I saw while a student in middle school. But I've been unable to reconcile that "stone busting" with what goes on amongst men of character (not men who want to be characters)...so I just go about my business, quietly.

So...I contemplate. I've actually been in touch with some folks in regards to a few things that will really bring CG forward in the coming months. Hopefully, I'll be able to bring some new and intersting content to the world, keep bowlers updated on a more complete list of tournaments and events throughout New England, and generally show the world just how much fun candlepin bowling is. So far, it's worked well.

Bowling improves, the new center in which I bowl makes for a much better experience, and we just keep "swimming." I'm really looking forward to the fall. With the ideas I have, and the assistance I've been garnering from bowlers, moving forward should be a ton of fun.

Do you have any ideas for CG? If so, don't keep them to yourself (unless you want to tell me to shut the site down completely...I'm not doing that...LOL). Contact CG and let me know what you think!