Hey Jo,

It's not just me being slighted -- I see the same pattern even when I just go to chat to hang out and don't have any pressing needs myself. I see it when others have needs and fall off into silence and eventually log off. There's one particular "item" that is part of some people's "thing" and that one "item" just seems to get everyone dropping everything to caretake it exclusively. That's what torques me off. "Ooooh I wanna do it SO BAD .... HELLLLPPPP MEEEEEE!" and they all go running, everyone & everything else is forgotten. And THESE PEOPLE KNOW IT. It's a tired card they play OVER and OVER and OVER again and just once I'd like to see someone say, "FINE -- go do it because you're going to anyway or else you're going to sap all the energy out of everyone and be back the next day for more."

Support in chat should NOT be a substitute for "having no life". Sorry if that sounds harsh. I KNOW what "struggling" is -- it's that thing you end up having to do ALONE. If they are REALLY struggling and I'm just not seeing it, then fair dinkum -- let there be one or two designated "buddies" for them to repeat their routine upon and leave the rest of us to get the support we need when we need it. I'm not just a taker, I give support too. Half the time when I go LOOKING for support I end up giving it when *I* see someone I think is more in need than myself. And like I said, the problem isn't just in THIS chat HERE -- it's EVERYWHERE. Or at least all the ones I've gone to. There's always a few of these type in every chat. And it takes EVERY ounce of energy *I* possess to just keep myself from (verbally) SMACKING them one.