sandpat

SNIP

I didn't snip to reduce content...only for brevity. This is the root of one problem as I see it. You can put any label you want to on a topic, but then 1 cute jokey comment is added to the thread. Well, fine, then it just keeps going and going and then finally, its just gone tooo far. And is is certainly not related to the thread topic. And I'm not one who sees all adult humor as x-rated.

Example: Say you are sitting with your grandchild and looking at the veggies in k3n's garden all of a sudden...whoops...hide that babies eyes!!
I'll admit that I have played in a few of those threads...probably even encouraging some of it, but it is inappropriate for this site. I quit reading and posting in those threads when I felt it had gone too far. I think this is what Admin is trying to cure....so maybe if the mods see a couple of things that take the post way of subject...they will have to delete? I hate that solution, but if we can't behave responsibly...then maybe they will have to. :?

Pam B

Ok, I only occasionally post anything here...mainly because all you are so much more knowledgeable than I am. I visit this board once, or twice, a day. I have my little routine...I check out GCC first. Like I do with my personal emails, I just scan the topics and open the ones that look interesting to me. Jokes are fine....but, one day it seemed that was all there was on the first page. Sometimes I read a few, sometimes I don't. Sometimes I will read a few to my hubby, if he happens to be home.

My thought regarding several of the jokes and personal-type conversations...most of you seem very 'chummy', perhaps you could just use your email and send your messages to each other that way? I know with my email, when I read a joke (or something political, religious, etc) that has been sent to me, I can either delete it, or pass it on to ONLY those people I think it would be appropriate to send it to. On a board such as this, there is not that capability. What you put out here has the potential to be read by anybody. And I think sometimes people forget that!

I do not read the personal diary section at all. At first I thought it would be more of a quilting 'blog' and that might be interesting, even encouraging or inspirational. Not so....unless one is part of a particular 'conversation' there are so many twists and turns throughout the pages and pages of responses that I do not have the time to read. Oh,my...again...they often times seem more like 'private' conversations.

My favorite parts of the board right now are the pictures and the main board. And, even there, I know that sometimes people get snippy when someone brings up a topic that has already been discussed. But, you know...if one missed that particular topic strand, or perhaps it was not relevant to one at that particular time, you really don't need to get snippy. And I do think sometimes people are a little critical about where people buy fabric. The last time that was the topic of discussion, some people were not very nice at all.

bearisgray

The Word Association Game is a perfect example of how many/most conversations go - for a while the series goes as I would expect -
one, two, three, four - and then the next person will add something that is a bit of a surprise, but still logical - four, squares, rectangles, triangles -
then once in a while someone throws in a word that I am unable to see any connection at all to the previous words - triangles, spaghetti

that is how most conversations go - they wander from topic to topic - so I don't think that inadvertent hijacking should be considered a major "offense"

I feel that "negativity" is blowing someone off when they are in distress or not allowing a place to come to for comfort.

Some of us are new and/or don't have anyone that will listen/read about our problems/challenges/losses/etc. I have NEVER felt that bad/sad news was inappropriate in the GCC section.

Although I am still surprised/puzzled by where it seems to be a no-no to REQUEST prayers, but okay to have prayers OFFERED. I personally have no issues/problems with either. Just don't say that only a certain sect/synod/parish of a certain "faith/belief system " is acceptable/unacceptable.

Another thought - instead of the Personal Announcement section - change it to "Lamentations" and everything that could be construed as a "downer" could go there. I really have learned a lot from some of the responses to some of the postings from so-called "negative" events. Usually the responses are so kind, and I've felt uplifted by the "positive" responses.


Then everything else could get dumped back into the GCC section.

It seems to me that things go in cycles - look at the TV programming as an example - we used to have many Westerns, then the Leave it to Beaver type Shows, then the Marcus Welby doctor shows - we NEVER saw blood and gore on those shows - now we are flooded with "reality" shows and gore - CSI and other forensic type and ER medical type shows. It seems we are kind of heading back to variety shows - so maybe the "humor" is just a phase that the board is going through???

As far as humor goes, I have never seen/read anything that even comes close to the raunchiness of some of the TV shows - Two and a Half Men being an example that comes to mind. And that is a major network show that airs relatively early in the evening.

I think that accurate headings might be a step in the right direction. and that the moderators could be enabled to put a subheading in if necessary - but I don't know the mechanics of this so I don't know if that's possible- maybe the only options are leave a posting or delete it?

I don't much like the idea of someone else being able to edit one my postings, either.

k3n

You're right Patti - even if we all take care to ensure our thread titles are appropriate, the minute a thread is hijacked, the title is no longer a good indication as to content. Hence my suggestion that the minute an interesting tangent develops, it's flagged that the discussion will continue on a new thread. As to the content of some of these hijacks - I for one will be more considerate in future and keep anything not for general consumption to PMs and emails.

I can also see how some of these hijacks may have seemed like 'private conversations' that others felt excluded by - although I would have always been happy for anyone else to join in - and I'm sorry for causing offence. :D

k3n

I agree completely and to me, this is the single greatest thing about this board. But I feel that Patrice's suggestion that general 'bad stuff' goes in PDA and that the mods and Admin will make exceptions in special cases and put up a locked thread in GCC and a link to the relevant PDA entry, this will still continue. Of course, there's the danger that EVERYONE will think their's is a 'special case' but here we have to trust in the judgement of Admin and the mods and accept their 'because I said so's'! :D

Harmony

I totally enjoy this board, but I just had to weigh in on the new PDA. When people would post personal stuff in the GCC section, I would read it and respond to the ones I chose to. Now that all that stuff is in a separate section under each person's name, I find it very difficult to follow without checking into each person's diary, and I just don't have time to read them all. Consequently, I find that I mostly just skip this section. I don't share a lot of personal stuff, but when someone feels the need to do that I certainly don't have a problem with it, and I will often respond to offer support. I'd far prefer to see these posts in the GCC instead of having to hunt for them. One of the things I love about this board is that each person arrives here a stranger and quickly becomes a friend, so I don't think it's uncalled-for to share personal things.

k3n

I agree with you Harmony, but I think the issue for many is the sheer volume of these types of posts recently, and the validity of some of them, although that's a tough one for any of us to judge. :?

Don't you think that, if the mods are prepared to entertain requests from individuals that their circumstances merit a post in GCC, then that could work as a compromise? I too am worried about 'missing out' on a chance to offer help, support, blocks for a joint project, whatever. Like I said, I think it's one of the best, most uplifting things about this board. :D

bearpaw

In seeing all the different suggestions after my original post, I'd have to agree. I think it was suggested that it be a locked post with a link to the individuals pda. This might also work.

LindaR

I jumped to the end LOL....there is a lot of posts I click in and click right back out...People have tragedies etc and I say a blanket pray for them that need dit but I really don't want to read every word. I like pictures/tutes/questions about help etc. thanks, I feel better.

Lisanne

I really don't want to plow through all the pages in this thread, so I don't know if this has been suggested yet.

I read the first post and especially noticed the section on jokes. As a newbie, I see that this section seems to be mostly jokes. I enjoy them, but scrolling through all of them to find non-joke topics is annoying.

So I'd like to suggest that you have ONE thread titled Jokes or Humor or whatever and let everyone post their jokes there.

And then I'd be able to see whather there are any discussions on here about non-quilting topics.