Chelle, I had a couple of thoughts:
1) sure, you can eliminate people who haven't posted in a week or 2 week period. If they post and say I'm going on vaca and will be back ......, then they're accounted for while they're gone. I think it's your challenge and pretty much you can make up whatever rules are needed to make it worth the time & trouble you put in. If people don't like the rules, guess what, they don't have to play!
2. About being on teams you don't like. Well, I'm on my fourth challenge, I"m back to blue and I've rotated thru all 3. In that time, I've come to know you, melissa, and our lovely gator girl in OK quite well as mods! The people keep rotating so much that it's like school - one year you'll be w/your best friend and one year you won't, but it doesn't mean you can't still eat lunch together (or in our case, chat on the spoilers thread, crossover in the chat threads of each others group, join an exercise challenge together, etc). Come on, buck up and play for the team you are assigned to!
3) Seriously? I think the team leads should have a draft. i know the numbers and weight to lose has to jive and be fair, but could you all IM and you each take a turn picking someone, or at least pick your first 10 members and after that it can be a random draw? I don't see that at all as a popularity contest, I see it as a sports draft. If you are a strong participant, crank out your exercise, and show losses, you will be in demand. If you come here every challenge for the social aspect of things but never quite get the scale to move, well, you're going to be a little further down the list. It's not at all like hs gym class - it's called a little competition for us to all try our hardest if we want to do this again on another challenge!
As far as weight loss, I don't know the answer to that. I wish that both we and the actual show could do something about bodyfat percentage lost, but I realize that's not practical here w/o everyone having a fat measuring scale. I guess what we're doing is best and if some people feel that they are doing a different type of program that won't show big numbers, they have to decide if this format still works for them or not. Chelle and I have im'd about this for my own situation with weight lifting, but I try each time to make it work despite adding muscle weight and lifting heavy.
Oh, and on personals? If I see another person whining that their posts are not answered or acknowledged, I will flip my lid. People, this is not your SOCIAL network, it is a SUPPORT network. As others here have said, if there is something you have said or asked about
that I feel like applies to me or I might have knowledge about, I will respond to you. So like if dixie asks about her weight lifting routine, or someone asks about protein smoothies, that is where you know that i will jump in. If you ask about atkins vs sobe or how to start running, I cannot respond, and the threads are too long for me to jsut say, 'oh, I don't know about that, but good luck.' Sorry. Likewise, I don't look for people to respond to my posts either. Some get responses, some do not. I don't let the sun rise and fall on if someone shoots me a personal or not - that's not why I'm here. But if I ask a specific question, I will get a few responses usually. That's pretty cool!
My last note, I do get sad when people stop coming by - like maybe Amberelise - ONLY because I care for them. I am not calling her out other than to say I'm thinking of her in her Chicago, I wonder if she and the bf are still hitting the gym at work, or if they're back to running stairs. She was so good about sharing so much with us that I miss it and wonder how she is. That's all. But I'm sure she'll come back when something shifts and she is able to again.
So, I have my flame ******ant suit on, so feel free to flame me. But like Chelle requested, I'm just showin' ya'll my bellybutton!
LOL! But, I'm glad you guys get so much out of it nonetheless!
Happy Valentine's Day, Bluesers!
