The future of the forum

[Jox]

I've been feeling a striking lack of interest in the forum or Dolph's career for a while now, should I continue caring and just keep updates to myself?

Or else I really need to set up that Patreon page I was talking about (but it gives me anxiety to do so hence why I still haven't).

For an exemple I just bought off ebay 2 rare vintage magazines that cost me about $70 including shipping, and I have been doing that as research for the past 20-22 years, spending a lot of money on archives and collectibles which partly fed the insights on the forum and the website.
I don't know how much money I've spent, but I very likely could have bought a house with it, and instead I'm living the broke artist life in an expensive studio. And I'm not counting the time and personal sacrifices the all in all investment comprised.

There will be some big personal changes I will announce soon or later and that's another subject, but just so you know my days on here are severely compromised so if you care please react and respond, send support, because I feel I didn't not handle my work on Dolph-ultimate the way I should have without taking care or protecting my personal interests...

Thank your for reading this and not taking it personally, I have definitely emotional or hormonal changes going on this week. So I apologise for the form which might appear like a bitter rant.



PS:
Meanwhile I hope I manage to finish my definitive PUNISHER making of history BOOK soon (I've lived through traumatic stuff in the past months/year that really slowed me down to put on the final touches).

And afterwards if I manage to run through my previous/initial 13 year-old book marathon, I will move on with the in-depth, behind the scenes career book (or books if several volumes) on DL which I've been dreaming about to publish for 20 years... Cross fingers.

[lt.brannigan]

Personally, I would hope that you would at least post the occasional update Dolph's career and media releases. I enjoy them and the participation in the discussions here and there. So selfishly, I would like you to continue tracking Dolph's future projects and keeping us updated.

But the important thing here is to taking care of yourself and not putting your health, physical or otherwise in a secondary position. Maybe that means taking a step back from scholarly pursuit and focusing on what's best for you.

Despite wanting so desperately to get my hands on that Punisher book or any other book you may write on Dolph Lundgren, if it comes at the expense of your health, it won't be worth it.

There is no need to apologize, just do what you need to do, even if it means temporarily dropping whatever you've put in front of your own well-being.

If you do decide to focus on yourself for awhile and step away, I will still be here waiting for whatever Dolph knowledge bombs you may drop upon your return.

Thank you for all the work and knowledge you have shared with us, you owe us nothing, if any thing, we owe you.

TL:DR, Do what's best for you.

Sorry for the long winded post.

[Moltisanti]

Hey Jox! Definitely hope you take care of yourself and make that your top priority. I visit the site every 1 or 2 days and enjoy seeing what is posted, but you gotta do what's best for your well being going forward.

Hang in there, sir!

[alex.sp89]

hi Jox! i know i didn't post too many times on this forum, but honestly I check it out every day for forum updates ! When I saw that u didn't post anything for a while I thought something happened to u ... Take care of yourself and decide if u want to do it or not !!! Don't spend that much time for it , once in a while will be great but live your life and have fun !!! As u know I am a Showdown in Little Tokyo fan and i always like to share with the stuff that I have ! I was always wondering does Dolph know about the existence of this site, forum ?

[Jox]

Thank you for your messages and support, I'm not sure what to respond yet...

[bomaz]

I'll join my fellow forum users ... the forum is a good way to be informed, but it has no use to be at the expanse or you or / and your health. Your own person should be the priority.

[Dolph_Fan]

I've been feeling a striking lack of interest in the forum or Dolph's career for a while now, should I continue caring and just keep updates to myself?

Your interest/participation has been substantial. Reducing it would still be seen as sufficient (for example two times a week).

For an exemple I just bout off ebay 2 rare vintage magazines that cost me about $70 including shipping, and I have been doing that as research for the past 20-22 years, spending a lot of money on archives and collectibles which partly fed the insights on the forum and the website.
I don't know how much money I've spent, but I very likely could have bought a house with it, and instead I'm living the broke artist life in an expensive studio. And I'm not counting the time and personal sacrifices the all in all investment comprised.

Don't be compelled to buy everything and at whatever price it is being offered at. (Sometimes you have to negotiate with yourself and consider if it significant, if it is a priority, and if it is worth the price.)

There will be some big personal changes I will announce soon or later and that's another subject, but just so you know my days on here are severely compromised so if you care please react and respond, send support, because I feel I didn't not handle my work on Dolph-ultimate the way I should have without taking care or protecting my personal interests...

Even contributing once or twice a week is viewed as very good. (Maybe you became over-absorbed, subconsciously)

PS:
Meanwhile I hope I manage to finish my definitive PUNISHER making of history BOOK soon (I've lived through traumatic stuff in the past months/year that really slowed me down to put on the final touches).

And afterwards if I manage to run through my previous/initial 13 year-old book marathon, I will move on with the in-depth, behind the scenes career book (or books if several volumes) on DL which I've been dreaming about to publish for 20 years... Cross fingers.

View it from this angle, you have/are achieving things that nobody has yet acheived to your extent, and probably never will.

[Nathan]

It is a very demanding thing to do and to upkeep. And aside from people on the forum being grateful there is no actual reward as such.

I'd suggest that you deal with your personal stuff and finish your book mate and we can all muck in on the updates and post what we find. It's a fairly small community here anyway.

Most important is that you look after yourself.

[Jamesflavell]

I've been a lurker here for years and years. I always meant to join, but never quite took the leap. Well - I have now.
And for my part I really DO appreciate all the work that Jox puts into this site (and the other DL social media as well - but primarily this one) and would miss it if it were discontinued. And I expect that I'm far from alone.
I agree with what the old hands have said above; sort out your own interests first, Jox, and get life back on an even keel. Everyone has rocky periods (no pun intended...) because that's how life often is and, in the end, none of us can ever do better than our best.
Nor I - nor anyone else - has any right to ask more of you than you have already given in this cause; but I would not like you to think that your efforts were not seen, appreciated and admired - even if some of us have not always been good at chipping in and saying our piece.

I'd be very sad to see this site wither away; but that decision can rest only with you, mon ami - and you must do what is right for YOU.

[Mosquito]

First of all let me tell you that I am ever amazed about your decades of dedication to Dolph. I've said before that I really hope he knows what a fantastic job you are doing and that hopefully he's really greatful. Your consistency is something very rare and special.

Forums, on the other hand, are declining for quite a long time now. IMDB has closed theirs some time ago and many other forums are getting really quiet, even the once heavily frequented ones. I feel that this particular forum lives by a small hardcore fan base and I think that's something nice, too. The main crows spreads across Instagram (I really had to think hard for a minute to remember the name of that thing), Facebook, Twitter, reddit... and new visitors are hesitant to register for yet another forum when they are logged in to those apps already. On the other hand, I'm not even sure if Dolph has accounts there. Us old school people stay on the discussion boards.

So I'm not sure where this is going. I'm still very happy to host the forum for you and I'm very happy that you keep it alive with your many original contributions and insights. But it has to be good for you and it also has to pay off somehow. The others have a good point: Maybe it would help you if you contributed regularly but with lower frequency? Maybe think about other ways to at least finance the material you buy for research?

I have to admit that I've been thinking about an upgrade for the forum because it should better adapt to mobile devices. Even made several weak attempts to migrate it, but gave up because there's so much customizing and I haven't done web development in years and it takes me ages to adapt the templates.

Good thing though: If we keep it alive for a while we'll enjoy retirement and have more time again to take care of it.

[Jox]

Thank you all once again, there's so much to say, I need time to respond, and perhaps chat with some of you privately in the meantime...

EDIT:
One of the main things I seem to have achieved is to get your participation rolling again!

[preacher]

I also need to write a line singing your praises Jox!
Your contribution, effort and love put in to this place is astounding.

Like I wrote back in a post some time ago the main keeping me from interacting with the forum is because I hardly use a computer for surfing anymore and the forum is hard to use on my mobile device. I don't expect you guys to put hard work in to adapting it but thats the fact.

The over saturation of crappy projects has also diminished my interest, i am afraid.

It is also the case of getting older and life changing.
That being said I still visit everyday.

Do what you need to do for you to feel good about your life!

All the best!

[NomediumDofalie7]

hi Jox I wish you a good continuation for your book and also take care of your health the health indicator is not reassuring currently.So THE PUNISHER is your center of interest I believe that this story deserves more than any Oscar in the world because it is very close to world truth and GOLDBLATT has played its role well

[savagesketch]

Hey Jox! I don't know what's going on personally, but I do wish you the best. I know that this is certainly one of my favorite websites, and I've been checking it daily for nearly 20 years. Man, how time flies. I've been fortunate to have made some great friendships through here. I was also inspired to start my own project through our mutual appreciation of DL, which was also fostered through here. So if the forum did disband, of course I'd be disappointed, but your health is what's more important. In the end, I think we'd all understand and ultimately be appreciative of what has been created.

[NomediumDofalie7]

Hi, Jox I still can't understand why give you a life or death title to our forum on this site? This title scares and does not encourage followers, do you feel that people or publishers are no longer interested in Dolph? I am new on this site I do not understand well either why we stop in full swing or suffocate the ULTIMATE site . Perhaps you are right, we change the subject. Dolph can very well play the comedy of the dead -living as you all know but we are not actors and here nobody wants the death of anyone or the death of the site . Thank you for having me here