NEW HERE...

Oh, stick around guys, please. I nearly gave in after a couple of things a few weeks back on the forums. Misunderstandings, over-reactions, people being unwilling to discuss things without getting so bloody defensive and puerile. It's partly what started my latest bout of misery. I've decided not to worry about it now. It just ain't worth the time or grief. Give it just a bit longer, eh? Ach, go awn... you will you will...

Speaking for myself, Alan, although I'm stepping back (as you may or may not have noticed), you should know by now that ABC is a kind of drug which I may never completely go cold turkey from! I'll always linger in the background... I have to say, by the way, that I think it's got to be a positive thing that more people seem to be stepping up and expressing their disapproval of the likes of you-know-who... Some very sensible and honest comments from Lisa, for example... Anyway, I'm off for a bubbly bath... ;-) pe ps oid ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com)

I thought my comment was very sensible. And honest. Yan liked it.

I wasn't commenting on what you said, Josie. It was something else entirely. I'm with you on being over-sensitive. I've never been very good at holding my own in a discussion. I simply can't do it if I'm with people face to face. I'm a bit like Peps with the forums, too... keep saying I'll ignore them, then find myself coming back. Personally, I find some of it intimidating - though for different reasons, maybe. There are some pretty robust - perhaps even uncompromising - intellects on here. Perhaps I come across a bit high-minded myself sometimes - though I don't mean to. There ain't a great deal of foundation there. A lot of it is bullshit which is used to mask massive insecurity. Also, though, people like to read all sorts of things into what you say - things that you may not have meant. That's the difficulty with a forum like this - where you're just sending stuff out into the ether to someone you may never meet. It's too easy to retaliate with abuse. It would be so nice if people could just be more civilised, and try to be a little more understanding.

It's a misunderstanding Alan. It's cool. I was commenting on pepsoid's comments about lisa's comments. I cannot deal with arsey people in forums. You know, the "clever" ones. All "la-di-da" and "touche", have at you sir and a speedy riposte. I have to go away. Face to face, I would punch them on the nose. Civilisations were built and prospered by well-placed punches on the nose. I'll see you on the Common at dawn, sir. Weapons of your choice.

Yeah, I know where you're at, Josie. I try not to take too much notice of the extreme abuse - but that's okay for me to say if it ain't directed at me. I find some of the cliqueyness irritating, and the smarmy 'tee-hee' remarks, and the 'you thought you were in with us, but you're not really' sense that sometimes comes through (perhaps I'm paranoid). But those are factors of life that you get anywhere. I have found it to be a bit stronger here than other sites I use. Less of a sense of 'come on people, we're in this together.' The hostility can be stronger, too. Maybe the clue is in that Gardner quote I posted: writers, generally, don't behave like normal people.

Yes, your comment(s) was (were) sensible and honest too, Josie! :-) Niceness, that's what we need... just more niceness... pe ps oid ... What is "The Art of Tea"? ... (www.pepsoid.wordpress.com)

Ah well, I agree with you lot. It's time for sniping to stop! Thankyou for your faith and indulgence.

Being a writing site, we have positive oceans of ill-feeling which lap upon the shores of our creativity. But you have to try quite hard to be banned or warned off, as opposed to some other sites I can think of.