It's funny, it was said that some people have already broken the rules in todays general chat section. I just went there and checked it out a bit, and for me it was a sigh of relief. The loving caring atmosphere that i'd come to know is back there today, people caring about each other.
I'm scared and tense right now on the forum. I'm scared to start any type of a thread. I can see why things have happened, and why personal diaries was brought in. But let me ask this. What is negative and what isn't? What is too much volume? The one thing that would be much better is better titles on posts. A few weeks ago i quit smoking, and i posted in the general section that i had. Patrice wrote me a VERY VERY nice letter, and explained that she moved it to the diaries. So after i thought about it for a bit, i decided i didnt want a diary, and it was deleted. Now, this is what i think. If i did a post and said, i'm quitting smoking today, please give me lots and lots of support, then that would have been a long, ongoing thread, that woulde belong in a diary. But i think a short, guess what, i quit 10 days ago, not needing support, just congrats, is nice for general. I havent read anyones diaries in the diary section. I think some people need a way to daily express themselves, and i think the diaries are great for that. Admin made that change a few weeks ago. I think the problem comes in, when that becomes a rule, instead of, a choice and a place for those that want to do that. I have made a choice not to read any of the diaries, and this is why. They are already so long and involved, there is no way that i can do that. So it's a sad choice for me. I dont want to hear, i got up and did my laundry, had coffee, went to th4e store. But, if something eventful happened, i would like to hear about it in general. The birthday thread...ive been on here a couple of years, and i cant remember there ever being more than just a few birthday threads, how could they possibly have been a problem. Now, i will prob miss wishing someone happy birthday, because...if it's posted in a new thread i will notice it, i will then post my congrats, and then i am finished with the thread, i dont have to read everyone elses good wishes to the person if i dont want to. But now, if i want to catch someones birthday, i have to read through pages and pages of congrats on the birthday thread, just to find a birthday announcement. How much of an inconvenience was it anyways, just to say happy birthdayt to people on a thread? Yes, when mimisharons neice died, and left her two little girls without a mom, i wanted to hear that. I dont want to read something like that on an announcement thread, and then continue the rest with pm's or whatever. That segregates us and turns us into cliques. If qwe have to send condolence in pm's, guess what happens? We dont learn and grow from each other. It was because of our open condolences and discussion on that thread, that many decided to contribute to two little quilts for those girls. I have no problem with any negative. So what? All they need is appropriate titles. And if someone doesnt title it appropriate, the mod could retitle it for them, or delete it. Hopefully retitle it for them, and help them learn the correct way to do it. I dont understand this problem with negative things. The only problem with that is some people dont want to read it. Then dont read it. Some people dont watch the news because it disturbs them. Me i watch the news, so i can have compassion and think of those going through hard times. Should more and more categories be made? No. Already, more categories, means more rules, means more br4eaching of rules, and the list goes on. I really and truly hope the diaries can be turned into a want to, not a have to. If someone is carrying on way to too much in the general section about their personal life, and i dont mean just a little bit, i mean way way way too much, then it can be sugge4ste4d to them t6hey start a diary. But these mandated diaries, they are too much for me to read, and i feel i am losing half my friends. And newcomers, how are they ever to jump into diaries with the huge long threads, and feel they can join in, without reading the persons wh9ole 100 page thread, they will always feel like an outsider. Henry has posted today he is having a hard time with the loss of his Grandma. What is wrong with that? Sometimes i am gone for a few weeks at a time, im in early stages of dementia, and sometimes not up to reading the forum, and when i come back, i usually do a small post, saying, hey, ive been gone, missed you all, but im back now. Now i will have to put that in a diary? No i just wont be posting that, unle4ss the rules are lifted and changed to guidelines. Look at Shadow coming back today, she announbced it, and we're all so glad to see her. What is wrong with caring for each other? I suggest the same guidelines that we had before all this, with the exception of, people that would really like to do daily ongoing of their lifes, to do a diary. Other than that, i would suggest that people be asked to try and tone the jokes down to so many per day. If you see thers already say 3 jokes on the forum that day, hold yours off til the next day. If you make rules that people cannot be personal, or share their sorrows, except for in a diary, this is what will happen. People will go to picture section, and they will post a photo of a quilted bookmarker that they made that day, and then they will say, i made this bookmarker for my mom, because she has cancer, and im feeling really bad about it. But in reality, they only made the bookmarker, because they wanted to be able to tell their friends about their mom. See what i mean. More rules means more breaking of rules. More open guidelines, leaves moderaters room to decide for themselves, when a topic gets too out of hand. I hope this is helpful, im not complaining. But im really feeling scared and tense and at an absolutely loss on the forum the last couple weeks. General is not the fun and caring place that it was, and im just scared and nervous the way it is now. I'm glad you asked admin, but in the end, i hope this casn be a fun place for everyone, including you and the mods. This is your place admin