Great post Orchid!

I'd add one more thing. Whenever I know I am going to be gone for a while, or too busy to post, I usually make a note of it in my journal so that my online friends don't worry about me. I really appreciate it when other people do that as well. I worry about the people on the forum just like I worry about my friends in "real life" if I don't know why they have suddenly disappeared!

One thing that Orchid said is really important -- if you reply to someone in your own journal, they often don't see it. Going back to that person's journal to reply is a better way to start a dialogue.