Posted by Greg on April 9, 2003, at 8:09:33
In reply to Is anybody else's heart broken?, posted by Miller on April 8, 2003, at 18:27:42
Hi Miller,
I know what it is you’re feeling, I’ve felt it for a few years now. When I first came to PB it was a relatively simple place, one board, a lot less members. If I remember correctly, I think I got one response to my first post. But I stuck it out and ended up making some wonderful friends that I know I will take with me for the rest of my life. Even though the site was smaller then, we still had problems, just we do now. The difference is we were able most of the time to work those problems out with very little intervention by Bob. We were pretty close knit and always seemed to be able to work out any misunderstandings among ourselves.
Bob has told me, and I’m paraphrasing here, that as the site grows larger and larger, it becomes necessary to have more and more rules. To an extent, I agree. To a greater extent, I disagree. Having too many rules can only serve to stifle a person’s writing creativity and their ability to express their feelings. I see this “having to walk on eggshells” as the cause of a lot of the frustration that happens here. Using “I” statements just isn’t always possible when one is trying to express how they feel. IMHO, there are several rules we could do away with altogether. I think this new one about being asked to clarify statements and asking another poster not to post to you not needed. If you leave a post, and you feel that your post is clear and understandable, then if someone asks you to clarify it, if you don’t fell like you need to, don’t. If someone who you don’t care to talk to posts to you, don’t reply.
I know this current uproar hurts you because you care so much about the site, and more importantly, about the people here. That’s a special quality, I hope you never stop caring. What’s happening now will blow over and everyone will take a step back to catch their breath, they always do. But something else will come up. It always does. There are a lot of really great people here, I wish I knew more of them better. My advice FWIW, is to focus on the things here that make you happy and that follow the credo of “mutual support and education”, and stay away from those things that cause you pain.
I’m glad to see someone speak up about this, and I hope you are doing well.
Greg
> I can't believe how all of us are feeling horrible, yet, we can't stop the momentum. I haven't been on this board for a long time, but, I have been here long enough to know that we need each other. More than that, we need to support each other. If nobody would have had an open mind when I first posted, I would have been requested by everyone not to post to them.
>
> Does anyone remember? My post was misunderstood from my meaning. I was hurt at the time and thought I was being supportive. EVERYONE was in an uproar. Yet, once we all figured out the true meanings, I was accepted here. I have been supported. I have been listened to. I have been appreciated. I have been worried over. I have worried over others.
>
> Please, can't we step back, take a breather, and try to remember it is each other we need?
>
> My heart aches. It aches for us all.
>
> -Miller
>
poster:Greg
thread:217512
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20030404/msgs/217744.html