Well, I don't think one has to be a newbie to the boards to end up lurking, a little or a lot. Sometimes real life can just get to be a hassle all on its own. Even those of us who've been around for a while find ourselves in situations where it's easier to lurk than actively participate and yet we don't really want to stop "visiting" a community completely. I think it all kind of ebbs and flows in that regard.
As to the clique issue, I'm not sure that's the word I'd use because it's much too negative. Life is more what I see happening all the time in this and other forums not connected to L&C. If something, even a community such is this, is alive then it's going to grow and change with the passage of time. Period. Change of that nature can sometimes mean more unity that can seem "clique-ish" to those not quite as involved at any given time. Sometimes, thouth, that same change can mean less unity and lead to division. Thing is, both can be perfectly healthy processes as long as the core reason for the group's existence remains strong.
And I think that gets right back to why I sometimes lurk much more than I post. Personally I simply don't have time to participate that actively anymore, or at least all the time, but I also recognize the signs of a "healthy" community in FoLCdom that I still enjoy keeping track of when I do have the time.
Beverly
