It's time for a PowWow~~Listen Up.

Teresa · December 16, 2007, 02:08:16 PM

When family's get together to talk some serious stuff, I call it a PowWow.
Well, I am calling for a PowWow now.

I think it is time to address something that I have been hesitant to address. But I am going to now. And I am going to use Santa Claus as an example. I don't know if he will ever come back on here to read it, or know about it.. as I didn't talk to him and ask his permission.. but............on another thread of "Who Is Santa Claus" there are questions about who he is.. Has anyone noticed that he has not been on at all to post in general or to add some of the nice things that he was sharing with the forum?

In the last post that Santa Claus posted..

Re: Okra
« Reply #21 on: December 13, 2007, 11:25:42 AM »

Excuse me........I think I must be on the wrong website, as I wasn't aware that I was supposed to be paying extra attention to spelling and grammar. I prefer to be myself and not pretend to be something that I am not. Ya'll have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

I immediately picked up on the fact that he was upset. I have not talked to him, and he has not contacted me about this. I didn't want to say anything at that time, just in case I was wrong. So I sat back and waited and watched to see if he came back online.
( I had my doubts that he would, but I also wondered if my psychic antenna was a bit short wired that day)
Nope I was right. I'm sure he was offended..and I have to say that I have had several people send me personal messages about this issue of "the spelling and grammar police" attitude that they get sometimes in here.

This has got to stop!

It has driven several people from coming back in and feeling like they can post...without every little mistake being pointed out to them. I know it is in jest and fun ..but it doesn't come across as that to the majority of people. I don't, and I am sure that none of us who are regulars on here want anyone to feel uncomfortable or insecure about posting and sharing things. This forum is not an "elite" group of perfect writers, spellers and grammar experts. I want this to be a mixture of every kind of personality type that there is. If spelling mistakes are made.. so what? Who cares?
The point is the fact that people can feel comfortable enough to kick off their shoes and settle in and be themselves. To be able to write and say exactly what they want to say without fear of being called to front of the classroom and made to feel inferior.

I know it is not done in meanness or maliciousness. We have the best kind hearted people in the world in here. So let me reiterate once again.. when you are on a forum and there is no access to hearing someone's tone of voice or seeing expressions we all take the chance of hurting feelings or coming across as something that we are not.
If we all had met and knew each other on a personal level , what we could get by with saying to someone is a whole lot different that what we could say to someone who you have never met or don't even know.
Ta Ta and I are living proof of that. I would never say to anyone else that I hadn't met,or who didn't know 'the way that I am" some of the things that I say to her..

I am in that same dilemma now actually. I know that some of you do not know me and do not have the ability to "hear" me as I talk, but I am not mad or harsh in my words. Not at all. I am just wanting this issue to be put on the table, so that we all can enjoy the forum without fear of "being corrected". It's hard to have fun and type when you are on edge about spelling and grammar etc. No one is perfect.
( I have a terrible habit of using lots of .... instead of comma's . A fact that Kjell has pointed out to me several times.. But that is the way I type and that is me, so I usually give him the big raspberry and go ahead and type it the way I want to anyway )

So my advice to everyone who is on the forum or wants to be on the forum is......"To hell with it! Type, talk, laugh and just be yourself. Share with us anything that you want to share in any old way you want to share it. "

Oh Yea................... and have a Merry Christmas!

sixdogsmom · December 16, 2007, 02:20:32 PM

I apologise if anything I have ever typed has hurt anyones' feelings. That is never my intent. I do have a slightly warped sense of humor and it can be misconstrued sometimes. The prayer for God to keep his arm around my shoulder and his hand over my mouth gets lost in the shuffle sometimes. Sorry.

Jo McDonald · December 16, 2007, 02:42:02 PM

Kjellie,
You mean all of my ..............'s aren't the way to do things? Well, shoot a monkey, guess this ole' woman will have to shape up. Now, don't hold your breath until that happens, because I love you to much to want you to turn blue in the face.

But, as Ashley used to say, " I will twy".

Judy Harder · December 16, 2007, 04:19:39 PM

Thank you for reminding us that all the world can see us if they wish.

I have to remind myself that I should NOT act like I wouldn't here in my home...
so why do that on the forum.

To hurt someones feelings is not what I want to do.......but to share a laugh or a
groan or a good wish is the thing.

You do a good job here, both you and Kjell and I don't want this site to be
one that I am uneasy with.

At one time I was on a forum that had lots and lots of Flares........(fights) and that isn't fun for
any one.

Keep up the good work. I will do my part to protect..
Hugs and God bless everyone.

Wilma · December 16, 2007, 04:29:53 PM

Well, shucks, half the fun of this forum is picking on Ms. T and Ta Ta. Mainly because I know they are intelligent even tho I have my doubts about Ta Ta sometimes. I can't help but see the mistakes, but that is me. That is the way I am. I can't help it. I do enjoy the posts that are well written. But sometimes it is hard to determine just what the postee meant when a word is badly misspelled. Rather than worry about it, I just pass it over and go on to one that is easy to read. I can say the same about "big" words that are not in my vocabulary and there are some. And you all don't really want me posting things just the way they come from my fingers, do you?

I don't know why Santa Claus would have taken offense about mistakes. I found his posts to be almost perfect in every way and informative. I thought that using the name Santa Clause might have been a temporary thing done by one of our regular members and would be dropped after Christmas. His posts were along the same line of some of the regulars. If he wasn't a regular being incognito, he was certainly offering us some interesting articles about olden days that we might never have seen otherwise.

Teresa · December 16, 2007, 05:18:12 PM

I doubt that Ta Ta and I will get much reprieve from anyone..

She darn sure won't.. not from me anyway..

I don't think that kidding and joking bothers too many people. It wasn't that part that I was referring to.
I think that everyone.. even the newcomers should respect other people's way of writing and again.. NOT point out what we see as the mistakes ( if indeed that makes any difference ) .. ..but be very thankful that we have people who want to come on into our "home" and visit.

Speaking of Ta Ta..........Where in the world is that old woman? I guess I could call her and see... $:-\$

Wilma · December 16, 2007, 05:44:22 PM

She's working tonight. I miss her, too.

Wilma · December 16, 2007, 06:23:52 PM

I miss Flo, too.

Roma Jean Turner · December 17, 2007, 12:28:07 AM

Ya don't have to worry about me....................................I don't even take time to correct myself.

Dale Smith · December 17, 2007, 03:56:53 AM

Thanks Teresa..... I appreciate your post. And, as always, I greatly appreciate the wonderful service that you and Kjell provide to the community. You Rock!