35 replies to this topic

[Zen_]

State of The Union - Mycotopia Edition
I would like to start off with an illustration. It's an important thing to note as it's *obvious* hiding in plain site, yet is often obscured by the trumpeting of our successes. The *obvious* is the hard work and dedication, and often failure, that goes into any endeavor worthy of our time and talents. It's called The Iceberg Illusion.

 

It's by @SylviaDuckworth

 

Mycotopia is no different. We have our ups and our downs just like everything else, and those ebbs and flows should be considered periods of change and growth; but for those involved it often means sacrifice, disappointment, and feelings of failure. Those of us that have stuck around have demonstrated persistence and dedication, and have put in the hard work to continue our growth.
 
These folks need to be called out. They need a round of applause. They need positive vibes and encouragement to stay the course. We are all human, all of us, and let me be the one to say that a lot of people volunteer and dedicate a lot of their time to this family, to this house. They deserve your appreciation for pulling us up by the bootstraps and carrying on. I for one, am grateful. I'm sure Hip3 would be as well.
 

AGAMA, MLBjammer, Myc, MycoDani, roc, Skywatcher, dead head jed,
kcmoxtractor, riseabovethought, Sidestreet

 

Now is just as good a time to also call out all the new folks that have joined in this quest. So far all of them have been invaluable in how quickly they picked up the torch and started running. They have and continue to make significant progress in their various ways and I'm humbled that they have chosen to be a part of the Mycotopia family.
 

Ares, Bombadil, coorsmikey, PsyBearknot, Wharfrat, sillyrabbitcubiesR4us (coming soon!)

 
 
The Mycotopia Growth Curve
Going back 9-months puts us somewhere between August and September 2015. I would like to leave the past where it lies, but let's say some ebb was coming to shore and crashing against our flows. We were mixed up. We didn't know which way was up. We were short on cash, traffic, and weren't sure we would survive another month. Dark days indeed.
 
While not much movement was occurring in the public space, let it be known that some serious discussions were being had behind the scenes with all involved. Heated discussions. There were some splintering and fracturing that occurred, but what emerged is the very team that has made such a tremendous difference in every aspect of this community. To come from near death to a thriving community in only 9-months is amazing, and we're thankful each of our members chose to stick it out with us.
 
So before we get to the trumpeting of our successes; here's to the last 9-months, and to the next 9-months and beyond! Salute!

1) Our active sessions, when compared to the previous year, show a marked improvement overall:

 

2) Our active sessions are up 22% over the same period in the prior year

 

3) Mobile device sessions are up a bump over 45% and climbing!

 

4) In the last 6-months we have had 60+ new member registrations from Tapatalk and the activity there is growing by leaps and bounds
 
5) In the last 6-months we have had 651 new member registrations on the site directly
 

 
Forward Progress
Positive community development is about more than graphs, charts, and number though. It's about the people. The commitments. The values that we project through our actions, and ultimately how you feel as a human while you're here. There are all mostly unmeasurable statistics that are not so easily captured in a chart or a graph.
 
A short list of some of our outward accomplishments as we have taken on this responsibility:

• Operational Transparency
• Declaration of Contribution
• Bi-Weekly Staff Meetings
• Uptime and Performance Monitoring for MycoServices
• Creation of an Honorary Former Staff Usergroup
• New Mods, App Admins, and Site Admins
• Advertising/Banners System
• Infraction System
• Applications System
• 100's of Repaired Links
• Repaired Broken BBCode and Media Filters
• New Forum Additions (Religion, Politics, Spirituality, Urban Gardening, and Cloud Corner)
• The MycoChat System
• New VIP Memberships
• The Picture of the Month (POTM) Updated
• Site Etiquette Updated
• New Member Welcome System
• SPAM Vetting System (Welcome Forum, Moderated Posts, etc)
• Awards System
• Monthly Raffles System Updated
• Gallery Banner/Random Gallery on Main Forum Page
• Old Discus Archives Updated and Online
• Vault Organization and Updates
• Several Software Updates and Patching
• Single-Sign-On for Staff Applications
• Many Forums Cleaned up and Condensed
• Mycotopia Training Program Started (for staff)
• Condensing Forums to Greater Like Communities
• Navigation Updates
• Many many more things behind the scenes

Some things we have to look forward to over the next few months is a complete re-architecting of our computing and storage infrastructure and a major update to the latest platform version. These will both have immediate and visual impact to our community and I look forward to completing these projects before summer is over, and just in time for the fall migration of our people. 
 
Further down the line you can look forward to more robust and integrated services across the board as we utilize the latest technology available to spread peace and knowledge to the world. We welcome you all on this journey and hope you too will take a piece of this site and nurture it, grow it, and transform it into something altogether new and wonderful.
 
We are here to preserve the legacy of Hippie3 and to build a solid and reliable platform from which a wellspring of knowledge and individual experience will thrive through community. Together we have accomplished much in a short time, and as a community we will face the future with open arms and welcome the unknown.
 
Thank you all for being a part of this awesome experience.
 
Much Love 
 

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[coorsmikey]

Pretty damn awesome when you break down the matrix like that Zen! Very motivating!

[sillyrabbitcubiesR4us]

It is very very neat to see all of the analytics of the site put into a post like that. I'm glad to see the numbers are rising, that means we're helping more and more people find their way in the great hobby of mycology. Thanks for accepting me, as weird as I am, and I'm very happy to be helping out around here. This place is like my second home now and will be for a long ass time.

[Pan1]

Thank you all for keeping the forum up and running!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I'm very glad to be a member here, and only hope this forum gets better. 

 

Thank all of you for making this place happen!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wharfrat]

i'm proud to be a part of of the history of topia. I certainly will do my best to uphold the values and pass on the knowledge that topia has bestowed upon me. I can personally say that Zen and crew have been doing an outstanding job at keeping this very complex machine running smoothly and at the same time keeping it updated and fresh, adding new forums, getting raffles back up.. and bad ass chat system, the cool new awards.. and from what i hear about the major upgrades coming this summer, I'm stoked to be smack dab in the middle of all the excitement.

 

Cheers my brothers and sisters..

[Myc]

Cheers and a shout out to everyone here! It is the collective "We" which makes this place so great. All of us. I'm glad to be a part of that group.

[Skywatcher]

This is but one more example of the striving for improved transparency here. The sharing with all of what it takes to keep this place working and growing.

I am grateful to all those who came before me, I am grateful to those that have come in since, and given so much. I am grateful to every single member.

It is all the pieces, that create something far greater than the individual parts, that make this community an ever growing and developing total, far more than the sum of its parts.

 

I am honored to be a member here......................................

[Trippy_Toes]

Thank you all!   XXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXXXOXXOO

[macro]

I think this site is great. Keep up the good work

 

Macro

[Sidestreet]

Thanks so much for including me, Zen, even though I so abruptly went underground (overground?)

 

It means a lot to come back and see this.

[Juthro]

Good to see you back Sidestreet, I hope that you and Angel are both well :)

[Sidestreet]

Doing good Juthro!  Nice to see you too.

[bernhohl]

i like what i see on this site.  i'm eager to begin actually participating in some of the forums of interest.......

[mjroom]

thanks to all the people behind the scenes for keeping the machine alive. Much appreciation for your efforts. Please know that you are helping to change lives for the better. Regards mjroom.

[riseabovethought]

I really love how you share this technical information with the whole fam damily.  Thats straight -up cool, brother.  And it shows we're really all in this together.  All for one and one for all!  And let me just say thank you to YOU, Zen; our fearless leader, whose been at the helm behind the scenes from the very birth of Topia.. and beyond!  Hip himself trusted Zen alone, with the controls, and somehow Zen is still there, still making improvements, still protecting our home out here in the woods, and still doing it all out of his own heart.  Thats some pure, real, deep love ya'll.  Right back atchya Zen!  We're bulletproof as long as we have your tech -saavy mind on our side, and there's no where to go but up!  Hold on ya'll!    

[SteampunkScientist]

Thank you all for your hard work and dedication... this is a real home for me, with great friends and much wisdom. I am humbled by the sheer amount of effort that goes into keeping this place going!

[biscuit339]

Icebergs, but of course. And then there was a possum schmoking a schmig and enjoying a drink   
I really appreciate the sense of warmth and empathy received from getting lost in long threads. It really gives you an idea as well as feeling of what this other myconaut is doing and how they're living. And then boom! Thanks to the die hards and the hobbyists alike. We breathe spores!

Gratitude to all our forebears!
Mahalo aunties and uncles!

[Spooner]

I can't comment on a year ago because I had been MIA for a long time.  Apparently Zen as usual, slogged through the rainy muddy winter, because on my return I found the Mycotopia that I love and respect.  Some great new members, and some trusted old friends. I miss several people, but recall that I too went walkabout/MIA for about 2 years, so they may return at some auspicious time in the future.

 

As  a thank you to  Zen for maintaining the electrons that keep this island of inspiration open to weary travelers, I am digging through my cluttered brain to find my Paypal password  to send another contribution.  Hopefully others will also dig under the seat cushions and find some coin ($5 or $500 every donation helps.)  Every one can help out a little, it only hurts when you spend it, but it feels great everytime you use it.  So this extra donation is for my favorite mudder, ZEN, slogging through the sticky times.  

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=XLpU9Bq344o

 

For you Zen:

Salud, pesates, amor, y tiempo para gozarlos.

Health, wealth, love, and time to  enjoy them.

[CatsAndBats]

 

Cheers indeed.

 

Thank you.

[growyourown]

Thank you for doing an amazing work.

 

i am newbie here and learning more about magic day by day