Like @SW-User I rarely take the first step and send a message to someone I don't already know. Once in a while I will respond to a post privately because I have something to say that might not be suitable for the rest of the participants in the conversation but mostly I send messages in response to messages received.
Very often what comes to mind when I send a message is something like this:[i]why on earth did x send me a message that just said hi[/i]?
Several otherwise pleasant people here seem unable to get to grips with the idea that this is a very asynchronous communications medium, if we are to get very much said we must speak at the same time not wait for a reply that might arrive within seconds or take a week.
So if you do for whatever strange reason decide to send me a message, please say what is on your mind in addition to hi.