On vs off topic -and- irritating people...

[Cara Quinn <CaraQuinn@onemodelplace.com>]

   Hi All, First off, let me apologize for my recent OT musings. 
:)  Secondly, I'd like to agree with Rick in this regard, that I 
*personally* feel that having a second list for 'Looper's Delight' posts 
is 
not only annoying but to me at least, against the nature of the list the 
way it was started.  To my knowledge, this has never been simply a 'gear' 
list, and God, I hope it never becomes just that.  :)  I'd be out of here 
so damned fast it wouldn't even be funny!  lol!

   Unfortunately, because of the second list, and all of the 'walking on 
egg shells' sort of behavior going on right now over off / on topic posts, 
I feel that this is where the list seems to be heading?...  yes?...

   I'm not saying that people are necessarily intending this, but it seems 
that this is starting to happen...

At the very least, the list is losing something for me.

   Now, this is fine if this is really what people are after, and I'm far 
from one to be commenting as I've been out of the looping scene for a 
while, and honestly, am not exactly super turned on about it at the 
moment!  :)  But this sort of over-zealous (super PC) idea of monitoring 
the nature of people's posting habits in essence :) (tongue / cheek) to 
eliminate all 'off topic imperfection / impurity' (pick yer poison) is 
just 
distasteful to me personally.

   If I wanted to join a tight-assed gear forum I would have.  :)

   Now, please believe me when I say that I absolutely hate getting 
barraged with a load of email chattiness every day that isn't related, 
from 
one msg to the next, and has nothing at all to do with any topic; I simply 
don't have the time that I'm willing to spend, nor desire to deal with 
such.  However, (And I say this coming from a place of posting plenty of 
on 
*and* off topic material!  lol!)  (1) I have a delete key and I know how 
to 
use it!  :)  (2) Even at it's worst, that's not the sort of thing that's 
been going on here.

   Everyone has been really good about bringing things back on track when 
they stray, and each list member who posts usually has a balance of on / 
'off' topic material.  If someone doesn't bring a topic in a direction 
that 
someone else likes, that someone may say something.  Then, the topic may 
change.  If more people want to hear the topic the way it was, then it 
won't.  The community monitors itself, whether that happens within a 
poster 
or within several, but it *does* happen, and has done such for as long as 
I've been a member here.  That's the nature of a self-regulating 
community!  Yes?...

   Was this not how the list was started?...

   So now, once again, I personally would rather have the LD OT posts go 
to 
this list, but as my point above works both ways, I also do understand if 
a 
majority of people would rather this not be the case.  And obviously, as I 
myself have mentioned, if people want another list, then guess what not 
only is it already there, lol! but it's their choice!  :)

   However, I would wonder if it might not be appropriate to either (1) 
have it not be affiliated with LD? (and have it be it's own general chat 
list) (2) have it be more closely affiliated with LD, so it would be 
easier 
to integrate both lists?...  I.E. be hosted on the same list serve and be 
up on the LD site etc...  -Any thoughts?...


Also, might it simply be possible, rather than having another list for OT 
posts, might we instead, have the other list to host gear-only 
posts?...  -Or, in essence have that more rigorous topic moderation 
approach be realized there, rather than here on LD?...

   Otherwise, I think it would be easier to have one list as has been 
successful so far to the huge degree that LD has?...

I personally enjoy the evolution of topics here, not because I enjoy the 
volume of email!  lol!  -because God knows I don't!  I've actually left 
the 
list several times for just that reason, but the intellect / creativity 
here really is something special, and that really comes through in so much 
of what gets posted here, as it transmutes from one line of thinking to 
another...  Does this make sense?...

Fragmenting this gradual evolution, by separating it into two exclusive 
venues, is similar to never having the option to gracefully move between 
elements of a story or performance, in favor of simply turning off one 
idea 
and beginning another immediately, or instantly bringing it in from 
another 
source...  Does this make sense?...
   It can be very jarring, and is not a gradual fade!...  :)  lol!...

I'm definitely in favor of people trying to be aware of others needs / 
desires in their email habits, so do hope that the 'OT' material can be 
manageable, but I sooo don't want to see the fire leave this 
list!  -Because, whether I myself go or stay, *that* is a *sure* way for 
me 
to leave as well...

I hope all this made sense and I truly appreciate your time in reading 
it!  :)  Have an awesome day / evening, wherever you may be!...

Smiles,

                 Cara :)

                         ---
   View my on-line portfolio at:

http://www.onemodelplace.com/CaraQuinn

   "The only things I really think are important, are love, and each 
other.  -Then, anything is possible..."

http://home.earthlink.net/~cara-quinn


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