Everybody here was new once. As far as forums go, this is the best I've been to about not excluding newcomers. There is one forum, that I've been on for several years that is very 'exclusive'. Unless you're part of the in group, the clique, they treat you as an outsider. They'll respond to posts but they won't accept you as one of them and there are little subtle putdowns and condescending comments here and there. I don't go there much unless I have to.
You won't find that here. Rarely there are disagreements but they're resolved fast. There are misunderstandings, but that will happen everywhere. One good thing here that makes it better, I think, is that the mods don't have that superior attitude. In the forum I mentioned above the mods have titles like 'Mr. Moderator Emeritus Dude, Sir' and stuff like that, which I think is pompous. Here everybody is just part of the group as much as they want to be.
Mistakes are made too, but that's everywhere too. Last year I was hurting really bad, exhausted and not thinking straight. I posted something that I worded entirely wrong and it needed to be caught and removed, which it was, fortunately. But the whole thing was handled wrong by all of us. We just forgive each other and understand that we're kind of a family. If someone doesn't post for a while, they're missed. We have a member who was an active member but got sick. This was about a year ago and even now everyone asks about her and her mom posts occasional updates.
As for being retired, it wasn't by choice. I've had at least 8 strokes, arthritis, mingled with diabetes and other things and the point came where work just wasn't an option so now my wife and I, she has arthritis too, do volunteer wok as we can.

I kind of jump around. I come here occasionally depending what I am doing. Unfortunately or is it fortunately?, I am mostly only here when I want a question answered re gimp.

Morning routine; mail, FB, GC, several forums. I may do that 3 or 4 times a day. I don't usually sign in unless I feel I can contribute.

I pop in everyday to see what's going on

I read alot of the post but don't really talk much not trying to be antisocial or anything just don't know what to say have the time so i keep quiet.

I like to check in every day if I can but sometimes if I am busy with work it may be a week or two......couple of days I think at this point