I'm way up here in the Pacific Northwest, but have enjoyed beyond measure my friendship with the gals on the Texas forum!!! Actually makes me wish I was a Texan (can't believe I said that). I have been warmly included by all and I think the few other non-Texans who hang out on one of the Texas threads would agree with me.
As for gardening, I can find great gardening info almost everywhere I look in DG (even in jokes & chat!!).
Josephine, I don't know you, but somehow I suspect you are one cool lady and I hope we "meet" sometime!
Off topic: birthday threads
Me first, Murmur.
Josephine, don't change a thing. You don't mess with perfection.
Murmur, you are definately right about Josephine! She is a wealth of gardening knowledge but always takes time to get to know, and make others welcome. As for your slip of the tongue, we won't tell! LOL! Hopefully you can visit Texas one day, if you can't move here.
((Josephine)) Thank you... :)
Melanie
I haven't had the fortune of corresponding directly with Josephine but I have read a lot of her posts, threads, and info. placed in the plant files and I can say that without a doubt, she is one truly remarkable woman. Josephine, I do hope to meet you one day and I hope you know that you have taught many of us a great deal without ever even having spoken to us. I feel like I know you just from reading your wonderful posts.
Willis, I appreciate your thoroughness in checking the facts and saw no attack in what you wrote, only the truth.
Negative people are just that, looking for a reason to make everyone else negative too. Let's not allow it to interfere with the good we all have created here and just continue with our well wishes for each other and sharing of knowledge.
I love this Texas forum and all of the wonderful people on here... no complaints from this end.
Thank you Knolan,....that's all I wanted to point out....no attack was intended.....admonishment might be more accurate.
You're absolutely welcome.
I'm more than a bit surprised that this thread was ever even generated and then, the forum attacked after that, as I'm sure you can relate, as well as the 90% of the respondents who have replied.
It's really okay to have a difference of opinion and generate a polite discussion of those differences. But when an item is brought up that is really a non-issue, based on way over the top exaggerated claims, from a (forums administrator?) and really seems to be intended for ugliness just for the sake of, even though the claim is 'constructive criticism' , well, this is something I will most likely ignore in the future. I would like to refer to Mahnot's statement that "the only time a good offense is a good defense is in football or in battle" and have to say that I wholeheartedly agree with that. I may be off base but I really can't understand the "purpose" or intent of the submission of this thread at all. Add to that, the use of it by another member to knock the entire forum for what appears to be disgruntlement for being overlooked, quite unintentionally it would appear, but using THIS forum to attack what is a perceived betrayal of some sort, thus in fact, trying to hurt a group when it really comes across as attacking an innocent individual. I think that if someone feels wronged, they should take it up with the person who they feel has wronged them via private dmail. There's no need to air dirty laundry for the rest of us to try to read through.
Willis...I'll say it again, in another way...you are right on the money.
This message was edited Oct 8, 2006 1:59 AM
Late to the party, but I vote to keep the birthdays, you don't have to read them if you don't want to, just read the title of the thread and open what you like. I have only been a paying member since November, so not quite a year. I don't know if my birthday was recognized or not on this particular forum, but it was on one of the others I hang out on and I loved it! I don't think anyone intentionally ignores birthdays- I know that I have missed some birthdays of folks that I regularly converse w/, but we are all only human.
Clearly this thread has hit a few sore spots w/ folks; look people, this is just a forum for people to discuss things. Everybody brings something different to the table and you are free to read, not read, agree or disagree w/ anything. Generally when you disagree all you have to do is say, "I disagree...I do it this way & it works for me." Another option is to read those different opinions and file that info somewhere in your head so that in the event that you need to consider new methods you have a starting place. The fact that 2 people grow one plant 2 different ways is not really a big deal- shouldn't be and the point of that is that there is more than one way to skin a cat, sorry cat people, I don't really skin cats. Don't take this stuff so personally and if you are afraid to post because someone is going to disagree w/ you maybe you should lighten up or put on your big girl undies!
Debbie I know that if I had a plant question and it was specific to a plant I knew you had experience w/ or perhaps you'd posted about it at one time, I'd probably Dmail you and ask for specific info, but then everybody does things differently.
As for April birthdays- WOOO HOOOO! I am April 14th and have been for as long as I can remember, LOL. My dad, whom I miss every day, was the 19th, my middle daughter is the 29th- though not an Aries, still in April-, and my dearest love's is the 17th! April birthday's rule!!!!
Go April BDs!!
Hey everyone, why don't we just mark this thread "UNWATCHED" and let it go??? That is what I am planning to do right now.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!
Sheila
Although I'm a Floridian, I often drop in on the Texas forum (all forums are open to everyone after all); so I'm going to throw in my two cents.
The list of threads in each forum is like a table of contents in a magazine. You peruse the contents, choose what you want to read, and you ignore the pages that don't interest you. As simple as that.
I don't understand why anyone would want to eliminate pages read by others just because they think they're cluttering up the table of
contents. That makes about as much sense as wanting to eliminate pages on roses simply because one isn't a rose grower.
Heck, I love the birthday thread. That may be all the recognition that some poor soul might get. I know it was for me one year and it sure mad me smile. At least someone thought enough to acknowledge my day. I feel guilty thatI don't wish you all a happy bd or any other special day for that matter.
After all, gardening isn't just about growing plants, what about friendships?
Kim
Kim- excellent point, some folks live alone, have no family, are housebound etc. The forums are very likely the only connection they have w/ the outside world except for caretakers, etc.
Gardening is about so much more than growing plants. It takes so little to be kind to a person and make them smille, make their day, make them feel thought of and remembered. With so many worries in life- jobs, taxes, family problems, politics...health issues... a little bit of kindness goes a long way.
April
ceejaytown:
thanks for the history lesson! that was so cool....I grew up with mom calling it the "royal WE" and always wondered where it came from. =)
WE all love ceejay.
Uh, thanks, we think....
This message was edited Oct 8, 2006 8:51 PM
it takes a min. or less to wish someone a Happy Birthday and just might be what they need to hear to..everyone here loves gardening there is plenty of forums for it and a happy birthday greeting does not take anything away from it.. Gosh never would of thought anyone would even think of not wanting to hear or see them or give them.. i think just skip that thread if not to your liking. we all need kindess now then if just a happy Birthday wish.
happy Birthday all. and have great week now.. ~~~~Twyla
lol...I can't believe there are so many Aries women around here....too funny.... you go girls... :D
Melanie
Wow, c'mon folks, lighten up about this. I've been reading this from the very beginning and didn't take her original post at all like some others have. Everyone should know by now that anything can come across the wrong way online. You can retype it many times but someone will always interpret it differently. I don't think there's any need to attack her and go on and act like she personally offended anyone. (Josphenine was never personally criticized)
Everyone is different. Take my screen name for example: Konkreteblond. I am very "concrete". I am also very "sequential". I can come across as very blunt and rude to some because I am all about the facts. I just say what I mean but never do it with the intention of hurting anyone. What you see is what you get with me. Some people are more abstract and spontaneous etc.
Today we had a local plant swap and it was great! I would have been fine to take my plants, trade and chat a little but we had food, door prizes, name tags and other things that really sort of stress me out. (just like being Room-mom at school for the first time did!) We just aren't all wired the same and it's ok to have a different opinion or like things a different way.
I hate when people say "can't we all just get along" because the answer is no, but can we not take a post apart, word by word, and start personally flaming someone? (Flaming is when the topic is no longer the issue and the person who started it gets personally attacked)
konkrete,
well said....things did seem to get bent out of shape. maybe this thread can go to sleep now?
Good morning, ladies.
There was no personal attack against anyone here.
The ruffled feathers were about an untruth.
"Signed,
Sad that the garden forum is a birthday greeting forum instead."
That is absolutely and unequivocally not true, and several
people put in the effort to check out the facts, for which we should
all be grateful.
It's a glorious day in Texas today. Have a lovely day, all.
You to Mahnot I'm capricorn to..
Manhot have to agree w/ you.
Diito, Mahnot.
I too have strayed from this forum (I am a Texan) but rarely scan the forum and rarely find much of interest. Happy Birthday to all, but I know none of you. The RU's are wonderful but I won't be able to attend as long as I work for a living and don't see that ending. Because I work, my spare time is valuable ~ therefore, I have found forums I enjoy for the information.
LarissaH ~ you might peruse Midsouth Gardening, that location is near us and a sometimes entertaining, sometimes educational forum. I have also found much useful information on the Georgia Gardening forum. Those girls are serious about their gardening. I will also recommend the plant specific forums rather than the general info forums. Hang in there, we'll see you there... pod
Wow pod do you really feel this forum is of so little value?
oh my word this is so petty now!! please everyone has many interests and a little kindness is nice and just being friendly and that is how to meet and get to know someone.I'm very quiet little well big mouse but this is really not nice at all. freedom of speech i think ,hope we still have.
Sorry who ever toes i just now crushed ...
and there is many many forums to go to. we all go to lots different ones texas and others. and lots them wish someone Happy Birthday to.. why does this bother anyone?? i just can't see this would be a issue at all..?? took time to complain.. and do not have to read them..which only takes a few seconds.
Driving home yesterday, I heard a blurb on relationships that said one of the most important things to do in any relationship is to learn to "agree to disagree." And also that it is highly important that each party gets to be "heard."
When I first met my current dh 16 years ago, it was almost impossible for him to understand that we didn't have to agree on everything (which interprets more like he didn't understand that I didn't have to agree with HIM on everything!). To this day, it is difficult at times for me to explain to him that I just want to be "heard," that I don't always have to be "right." (Not that I don't like to be right!)
I hope we've each had the chance to say our piece, be heard, and can agree to disagree. Have a beautiful day, each and every one of you!!
thanks MurM your right..
How far from Texas can one be, and still feel Texan hospitality??? You people are great, and getting birthday wishes feels like a sweet treat! Gardening is a way of loving life, I think. So celebrating a birth doesn't seem off topic to me... either it be a plant or a person!
Mahnot - I'm a December girl too! ;-)
I am pretty sure that Portugal is close enough that you can expect some Texas hospitality! After all, isn't that one of the things that Texans are known for?
i think they are my brother and family a aunt did till built a huge huge house in arizona her and her son shes in 70's lived there in Corpus C. have friends and been thru lots, lot sure is a lot of dec. birthdays.oh Grandson born Amarillo.
have wonderful day all.. Twyla