and his shirt looks interesting too

You rebel, you.

not sure why but this pooped into my head:

Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on
Ground Control to Major Tom (ten, nine, eight, seven, six)
Commencing countdown, engines on (five, four, three)
Check ignition and may God's love be with you (two, one, liftoff)

 oldviolin wrote:
 

Very nicely put.
So much of the internet has become a place where the game is to show up, say something to get attention (including hyperbole and disrespect and trolling) and then bask in the inevitable attention. That’s a stale, hollow way to be. 

The breadth of knowledge and background here can be subtle, and only with some delicacy and time can people realize that these aren’t adversaries here, but other folks with a similar interest. They love music....so much.

So, if someone comes in and immediately starts wildly swinging, looking to get some ego points, they won’t last long and will be quickly ignored or marginalized. The group does a good job of maintaining their own comfortable homeostasis, and no one or two people are going to disrupt much for very long.

So instead of adversaries, think of the group as compadres. We’re all in it together - with differing perceptions of how the world is and should be and not afraid to express those perspectives - but with the same soundtrack, the one that keeps us here.

 Antigone wrote:
 

I appreciate the words of advice, and would take them in the real world and use them. Here, it couldn't be more clear that if you're not like minded, you're not one of the group. Someone should tell the employee who creates the cliffnotes, this one was an epic fail.

 Antigone wrote:
 
WILBUR!

 Antigone wrote:
 
WILBUR!

 jahgirl8 wrote:
 
I'm not all that web savvy myself. This was and is my first and only online presence (as far as anyone knows. )


When I first came here I embarrassed myself because I took something someone posted personally when it really wasn't.

Like I said, I had no experience and in 2006 this place was flush with posters, so many sorely missed.  At least a couple of dozen really regularly engaged and prior to me there had been many more that for one reason or another had moved on.

We had the Bush wars raging and then the Obama wars then facebroke tweeter etc etc. The place was decimated by formerly regulars leaving for whatever reason (some occasionally drop by to say hello and others grace us by dropping by to bash whatever makes them happy bashing)
but the effect is that the forum has slimmed way down and many of the membership is suspicious and protective of the joint. 

Our extremely tolerant hosts monitor but don't get involved in other than the most egregious examples of adults behaving badly.

As to the treatment you received,
I'm not defending them or condemning you . What I am saying is that when I first became aware of your posts you were combative and impatient. 

Even though this is only a virtual community I would think it wise to get a feel for it, the regular interacting members. Find the battle lines, work both ends to a good place as regularly and as often as possible. Meet some in real life. Fall in love with their children and animals and language and culture if foreign and make a bed for yourself you don't mind lying in. 

In a word it is intimidating to come to a place like this. There is a ton of previous history. It is totally skewed ideologically
but it can also be an accepting place. 

Personally I despise fighting and mostly I don't get involved because I can be direct and it serves no purpose to try to change things said in haste. More than that I despise disrespect. There is plenty of both here but you wont change one perspective with righteous indignation.

You might actually change your perception and move up a rung along the way. Ego and the internet mix like oil and water...

Mostly I just love music...so much.