Just breathe
 

I realize a lot of you lately are venting about things that piss you off. What kind of mood do you think this sets for the forum? Sure, one or two rants is nice, but we are seeing droves of new posts all about shit that's pissing you all off. Why can't we get some good news up in here? I'm not talking about, "Hey, I just got laid," or anything like that, but how about news stories about modern day heroism, or personal stories about how someone changed your life - the meaning of it all.

It's my job to make sure you all are enjoying yourselves, and let me be the first to start this little anti-trend out. You see, I have many things that piss me off, but I save them for my online journal. Every one of you have the ability to create a journal here on the TFP and vent whatever you want to out on it. The discussion forums, however, should be reserved for more community-serving posts.

Ask not what the TFP can do for you, but what you can do for the TFP!

Shit, I know it's played, but that's the whole deal with communities. You get what you put in. If all you do is vent your anger, all you're gonna get in return is a lot of, "Yeah, I'm pissed off too!" It'll gradually degenerate and we'll be bashing everything soon enough. Who the hell wants to get involved in a forum like that? I sure as hell don't.

Ok, now everybody, breath with me...

*inhale*


...............



*exhale*

I know it's nothing heroic or anything but the other day was my first day back out on my lake since winter. I got to go wakeboarding and learned a new trick I can do a 180 now and was totaly exited.
On a different note I fixed the light switch to the walkin at work after blowing it up even though someone else already broke it. But I WAS HAPPY felt like I really accomplished something heh...

That's good, but think community, not self. What news could benefit the community?

I think the reason people like to rant and rave about there problems (including me) is to show people how life could be worse (or better) and it great to discuss and have other members tell you it's gonna be ok and they will tell you about their similar situations they have faced and then you realize it will be all ok. Yes we should bring more positive stories into the forum (hey who couldn't use some enlightenement?) The journals are probably the best way to rant, rave and scream and shout, hopefully more people will use them :)

I read in the paper today that they were going to use bugs and plants to detect things such as antrax... it didn't say to much as to how the bugs would work but the plants would change different colors.

Hows that more towards right dirrection?? I'm trying :)

find more information on that and post it, it would be great.

Halx, good idea, good point, well said.

hmm... well we post news and such, but i admit it is mostly cynical stuff that pissess us off....... tomorrow i will find at least one positive news clipping and i'm sure i can think something inspiring.

i sure hope the journal is indeed for ranting and raving and dire thoughts!

sometimes we need a reminder. yer a good wittle shepherd!

(and no im not kissing your ass. i can't stand people like that)

/me kisses halX's ass infront of Z to piss him off :D

---------- anyways

We have journals? Sweet, thats cool news in itself, If i knew about that,then I obviously forgot. I doubt I'd write a lot in it, but always a good place to vent, and there are never worries that people on these forums would critizise you for what you say in 'em either.. again Good News! :)

I found Jesus this weekend. Maybe I'll tell y'all a story about that sometime.

really? Where did you find him? His brothers Pepe and Julio have been looking everywhere for him...

Good news not related to self....
Positive Press News

"The community" is made out of people. People talk about what interests them.

Given that anthrax is endemic in the soil, I don't see much point to this.

Where was he hiding this time?? Someone's gotta tell that boy that he's not Waldo.

Hmmmm. I checked the local news, just doom and gloom.

But, it is Bob Hopes 100th birthday today.

Most of the country is free from severe weather today.

Wheat harvest is booming right along with record yields.

I'm sure not the guy for this but I'm giving it a shot. I agree that the entire forum seems to be on a more negative run than ususal and I would also like to see it turn around.

denim,
your statement:

" "The community" is made out of people. People talk about what interests them. "

can in no way be taken as representative of anything but a highly limited and restricted presentation of what people talk about - or why they talk about what they do.

Obviously, people also talk about what they think will interest other people. Someone who only talks about what interests him or her would be anti-social by definition.

There are times, denim, when the most fitting response to your sig is, simply, "no."
.....................................................

I believe Hal is delivering a message here for us to give some consideration to - rather than debate or argue about the value of community-directed contributions as opposed to self-centered rants, diatribes, or hyper-personal information that has severely limited interest to anyone else. As was stated, that's what journals are for.
.........................

Thing is, in America, terror, doom, and violence sells....It can be tough to find uplifting stories.

I didn't know he'd been lost.

I think his quote is a Monty Python reference rather than a call to arms...

Charlatan, thanks. I did catch that. My statement is in reference to its appropriateness in this context.

Halx, I think that I am more so then alot of others inclined to be a little on the neg. side of things, just a bad week or two I guess.
I will remember the words spoken here and lighten the hell up, I come here because of what is said and am enlightened by the people here, and for that I am very greatful.
.....So this guy walks into a bar....

The Toltecs 4 promises a person make to themselves to make life simple:

1. Always do your best

2. Be impeccable with your word

3. Never assume what someone else is thinking (even in written form)

4. Don’t take things personally



Journals could also serve as a venting area; with the option of making everything private. That way someone can vent everything they're feeling, then return to the journal, and really question if thats truly what they wanted to say. Usually it probably wasnt. One might even learn something about themself.

Just a suggestion.

Here's something I keep on a sticky next to my computer. It's by George Orwell about writing, and I like it's simplicity:

1. What am I trying to say?

2. What words will express it?

3. What image or idiom will make it clearer?

4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect? Could I put it more shortly?

5. Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly?

Actually, it's what I've found in 38 years of living on this planet, moderating a number of conferences on an on-line service for the last 15 years, and the last 12 years on USENET. They won't talk about or comment on things about which they have neither interest nor experience. IF they have one or the other, they might talk about it.

Even discussion of the weather is of interest to most people, as it's about the immediate environment around them. You can say otherwise, but that's not going to change things. <shrug>

That's true to the extent that they're also interested in talking about it too. People don't bring up topics they're not interested in. I'd like you to prove me wrong, please.

The only exception. The ONLY exception I can think of would be someone like yourself trying to stimulate conversation among other people. And that only works if you find a topic the other people, again, are interested in, which gets back to my thesis.

Yes. Art is the only person I've run into, after using that quote on and off for at least 10 years, who seems to have taken it as anything else.

How to be different, step 1: Dont try to be like everyone else.

Just because it's been done one way in the past doesn't mean we have any interest in doing it that way now.

whoa...... the negative vibe i'm feeling in this thread is an
oxymoron-ish contrast to Hal's original request for positivity...

how 'bout this?

according to CNN, President Bush recently signed a bill which contained millions of dollars for aids research and funding :)

Interesting how it turned to philosophy. I even tried which is unusual for me.

And it's still Bob Hopes birthday. A nice man who brought laughter and good cheer to thousands. How could you not think of him and smile?

Guess it's time for some positive reinfocement huh?!

Now that life is allowing me to catch my breath, I intend to spend more time here and I will do my best to share my typically bright outlook. :D

I feel good, na na na na na na na....

Now, how many of you will have that little diddy stuck in your head? Good! I succeeded then didn't I?

Jesus was with Angel hanging down at the 7-11.

Damn wrkime... You were supposed to keep that a secret!
Now how am I supposed to explain this to Pepe and Julio?
And BTW...did the song get stuck in your head?????????
MMMMMUUUUUUAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH