ritzy wrote:
:shock:

Maybe we should quit stirring the pot and smoke it. LOL--I can't believe I just said that!!! Still LOL.

Oh dear! This is my bad too. (Rosemary, I think you used way too many of those icons. ) I apologize if I reacted too strongly - especially to Rosemary. I talked to several friends at the bowling tournament today who very patiently explained to me how certain words could be understood or misunderstood.

Rosemary, please keep saying what's on your mind.

I am going to continue comment whenever a topic interests me or I think I might have a helpful insight. I do enjoy lively conversation (unlike my ice cream, which I like vanilla - with especially with little real bean flakes). I am going to try to strike a nice balance between interesting and thought provoking without being offensive. I am going to practice 'best construction'. I am going to listen to some people, but not always to others. And I'm never going to spend 45 minutes writing a Forum post again - or agonize over one. Which means I will make mistakes - but we're all human...

Lorchen, I love you. Eddie came in from the other room to see what I was laughing about.

"Hide it under a bushel - NO!!! - I'm gonna let it shine." Why don't we have musical note icons?

Trust me, you don't want to hear me sing, but that was one of my favorite verses of one of my favorite songs in like grade 2.

And sorry, I seem to be writing in the Forum instead of my blog this evening...

And BTW: Aauuugh!!! I missed getting paid today by 5 pins. If I'm not going to get a check, I'd rather miss by 200 than by 5...

PosyP wrote:
Well said, let's go quilt or whatever else floats our boat today! Kathy

PosyP wrote:

We are friends here. Sometimes we just need to vent a little. I know that I'm not perfect!

Diane

Margo wrote:

Keith - PLEASE continue to comment. I always look forward to your blog and your posts.

Diane

Me?? Silly?? Never!! ..... I'm German!!

But back to Alex's request: We have just proved one of the really big downsides of online communication: We can't see, hear, or sense the mood or tone of what someone 'says', ie. writes, and that can very easily lead to misunderstandings. I have been misunderstood online and had to cope with the 'fallout' when some people were unwilling to accept apologies when I genuinely did not know what I had said to upset them. Years later it still hurts. I guess the best thing we can do is keep an eye on responses when we have posted something and as quickly as possible explain when we have been misunderstood.

Lorchen wrote:
SILLY GIRL!!

Forum Rule No 1: There are no rules!

Forum Rule No 2: If you upset anybody we'll just give you extra TLC and tell you that these things happen.

Forum Rule No 3: Persistant repeat offenders have to cut the fabric for their next kingsize quilt with gardening shears, quilt it by hand with a 4 inch long darning needle, attach the binding with super glue, and then enter the quilt for Houston giving it the title: 'I promise I'll behave in future!'

Like the rest of you, I am just an enthusiastic member of TQS. I don't write the rules or enforce them. In fact...we really don't have rules on the forum. I personally think that everyone has an opinion and the right to express it. I just hope that we continue to be kind to one another and make our words gentle. So far it's working great on this forum. It's a place where I feel safe and part of a caring community. Hugs....MJ

I took a long time over my last post too, previewing it many, many times. I was not trying to be mean at all, it is just how that particular phrase struck me. I would also like to say that it is because I feel safe amongst friends on this forum that I was able to open up and express myself as I did. Therein can be the difficulty, do I/should I keep everything 'light and fluffy' and everyone at arm's length from everything that which 'strike's a nerve' with me or may I occasionally comment and say that I am not so sure/keen about other people's observations. I guess a good watchword would be 'If in doubt, don't!' In which case my apologies to everyone who was upset by my comment.


The internet is a great place to find out about things and forums to chat about things we love and to make lots of new friends, but it can also be a minefield as well.

To be without the Internet? No way - I would feel trapped after all these years where the possibilities have gone far from my expectations. Every day I learn something new, amuse myself with reading interesting stuff, listening to all kinds of podcasts, watching tutorials on all kind of things and last but not least get to know people all over the world. It does in fact make the world small.

"We all need to be careful how we use our languages when we are typing, because we do not have the other physical cues of voice tone and body language to help interprete what is being said." - Rosemary

Indeed we do Rosemary

Keith I am glad you took the time to say what you did. Kathy expressed something that I would feel too. I had tried lots of different versions of needlework before I "saw the light" Oh the internet, what would we do without it?

but worth the input keith, am glad you decided to spend the 45 minutes and not just give up on us.
we value - and respect all opinions and appreciate that they might not all agree with each other - but that's what makes such a forum so valuable: different thoughts add spice; different ideas add variety; others thoughts and feelings help stir the pot and on the whole we can all find support from our friends for whatever new projects we think up or for the latest worries that life has thrown at us.