i think that it's up to you to get yourself in 
there; and after you've done that, which i think 
that you have, just keep lines of communication. 
i mean, i've been emailed one-liners by some 
people here that made me feel better about them 
than any long email they could have written me. 
but also, just because someone posts to you or 
emails you doesn't mean that they don't feel the 
same that you do, like they don't exactly belong.

i mean, do you email people back? make the 
connection, give them stuff in your replies for 
them to reply to? have you ever just emailed 
someone and said, "hi my name is _ and i like _ 
anime. i think you have a great gallery; what do 
you think of mine? etc etc etc..."? i don't 
think that there is a definate solution to what 
you're posting because, well, people aren't all 
the same. when people email me like that, i 
reply, and then they reply, and now i've made a 
new friend and we email. but you can't expect 
that every cel collector wants to make cel 
buddies, or that they have the time to, either.

that's just my opinion. the thing that i do 
agree on, however, is that this board is a very 
sensitive area of the cel community. there are 
other boards where i've seen people post 
anything and get a laugh or serious reply. here, 
as you stated, i feel that if i post something 
wrong a flame-war will begin.

i really enjoy most of the posts on this forum, 
and i don't think that people just reply when 
they want something or want to show off. you 
just have to watch the content of your beginning 
post, because that is what people are replying 
to. if you are asking for a cel id or such, of 
course people are going to show off by replying.

again, this is all just my own opinion,

haruna