I'm not sure why exactly... but this site seems to have changed recently... (I'm not talking about the vb change) and to me, it's not a good change.

It's been bringing me down... for example tonight... I was in a pretty good mood, a little while ago I got home from my friend's house, we started an awesome bible study about 3 weeks ago, on thursday nights... there's just 3 of us right now...(which is good, it gives us a chance to get into things more in depth and go at our own pace) and so far it's been so great. Then I get home, get on DA, and almost instantly my mood changes as if a dark cloud is hanging there.

There are a lot of people on this site that I love... cool people who I like and admire. I think you know who you are. I'm thankful for you... the verse Philippians 1:3 (http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible?passage=PHIL%2B1%3A3&showfn=on&showxref=on&language=english&version=NIV&x=20&y=10) came to my mind just now. :)

But then there are some people (more so lately) that make this place less fun to come to... or threads that make me want to do nothing but post a ':rolleyes:' .... but that is not a good thing... know what i mean? :|

Sorry you had to hear this rant, I just wanted to get that off my chest. I already know what the answer to this is... Anyway, thanks for reading this post, and peace~ cindy

I know what you mean, Cindy; I feel the same. What I think it is more so than anything else is that we're drawing closer and closer to the presidential election, and people on both sides are ratcheting up the nasty rhetoric. DA is a microcosm of our nation at the moment, sad as that is to say.

And, to be honest, some less-than-pleasant people have joined lately. Anyone that joins for the sole purpose of assaulting the news forums with their agenda is someone I don't care to associate with - even on a message board. Lighten up every now and again and explore the other, less confrontational forums; it won't kill ya.

I hadn't thought of that, but that makes sense. It's definitely true that this country is pretty divided right now.


And, to be honest, some less-than-pleasant people have joined lately.

Aint that the truth. :|

Thanks for your post, Mark, you made me feel better. :) Hope all is well with you and i'll talk to ya later. I'm heading to bed now.

seems as though this kind of thing happens in waves. sometimes it's because there are new people and it takes time for personalities to adjust and other times it seems as though the older posters have wandered onto a topic that is uncomfortable or confrontational to other posters of the board.

sometimes, well, sometimes it's only because we've grown in other directions. :)

I feel the same way Cindy, you're not alone in your thoughts.

(Hugz)

There's a lot of people who feel the same way, and more of them are becoming vocal.

Hopefully it'll reach critical mass soon and the...instigators, for lack of a better (read: more polite) term, will find a new home--voluntarily or otherwise.

Lighten up every now and again and explore the other, less confrontational forums; it won't kill ya.

You just hit the exact reason I like running the Jokes forum. :)

As a newcomer .. Dare I say it.

I'm not sure what it was like before but one thing I find off putting about DA is there are far too many posts about absolutely nothing but froth and bubble.
I sometimes wonder what the average poster age is around here, reminds me of a teen sleepover. http://www.emotipad.com/newemoticons/Scratch-Head.gif

Hiding now http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Sofa.gif

As a newcomer .. Dare I say it.

I'm not sure what it was like before but one thing I find off putting about DA is there are far too many posts about absolutely nothing but froth and bubble.
I sometimes wonder what the average poster age is around here, reminds me of a teen sleepover. http://www.emotipad.com/newemoticons/Scratch-Head.gif

Hiding now http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Sofa.gif

This is what happens after you have been here 2+ years.
You find that EVERYTHING has been DISCUSSED.
It's easy to say, "Keep things constructive" but than you begin to realize that there are 5 different debates that get repeated over and over again until you would rather take a stick in the eye than participate in them any more.

These are the main 5 debates:
1.) Religion. Jews are Evil, Christians are Evil, Atheists are evil. DISCUSS!
2.) Gays are Evil. DISCUSS!
3.) Politics/Foreing Affairs. Bush is Evil. Kerry is Evil. DISCUSS!
4.) Rascism. Blacks are ignorant. Whites are ignorant. Jews are ignorant. DISCUSS!
5.) Conglomerations of the above. i.e. Does god hate Gay people? DISCUSS!

That's about it... every thread eventually turns into the same thing. One side yelling at the other side, religious quotes, people posting articles as their arguments (Which no one reads), and neither side budging. It's less of a discussion, and more a pissing match.

So eventually you get tired of discussing the finer aspects of beating a dead horse, and you decide to post random meaningless crap just because you feel like writing. In doing so, you make friends, and thus turn to the lounge for basic chit-chat among friends.

+++
In the past people came here to debate and discuss, and after awhile they would be accepted and they would lose their n00b status. However... as of late we seem to be having a rush of "kiddies" coming in here for the sole purpose of irritating the veteran members.


ADD: I should add that there are a few n00bs that I actually like. I won't give out names, but you know who you are.

You forgot abortion. That comes up every month or so.


Buttercup: As to your whine.....well...there was'nt much meat on that bone. I'd like to either agree, or disagree, but you don't really reveal what these changes are.

Having a good giggle at the last 2 posts .. how true. http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Funny%20Above.gif

Still, maybe it's just me but I am short of words when there is not much to discuss. Rather watch the paint dry than discuss the colour of my undies.

But then maybe I'm boring. http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Penguin.gif

Having a good giggle at the last 2 posts .. how true. http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Funny%20Above.gif

Still, maybe it's just me but I am short of words when there is not much to discuss. Rather watch the paint dry than discuss the colour of my undies.

But then maybe I'm boring. http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Penguin.gif

.... so... what color are they?

http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Penguin.gif
Thread delivers.

Errr ... pink I think.

Never know what may pop up do you h2g2.
You must have a thing about penguins?
Or maybe nuns!http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Grin%20Nod.gif

You forgot abortion. That comes up every month or so.
*got an unexpected chuckle out of that*

Buck up Buttercup!:p

I'm with you Cindy.. I have a "problem area" on here too. Nothing I can do to make it stop. Just hope people see it for what it really is. :D *Hugs*

I'm with you Cindy.. I have a "problem area" on here too. Nothing I can do to make it stop. Just hope people see it for what it really is. :D *Hugs*

It's me, is'nt it? :mad:


Jeez, sneak into someones back yard just once, and I'm a pariah for life.

Since I've come to DA I think I have lost all sense of who I am and what I believe in. I love the people I hate. I hate the people I love. I can't even sit on the fence in Big Debates anymore. The splinters keep poking me in my behind. I've recently decided to keep my prayers private. But if anyone wants to talk about Jesus please PM me. He's still my favorite subject.

You make a good point Cindy. I haven't been around as much of late but I have noticed an increase in the number of ah, shall we say...socially challenged posters. I used to think that the "ignore" button was the answer but just like IRL, sticking your head in the sand is rarely the solution.

Clover also raises a good point. There are a boat load of worthless threads out there that are of no interest to me at all. But I figure that's just me. Maybe they're interesting to someone else.

In the end DA imitates life and there will always be a slew of people that you don't paticularly care for but as long as we can come here and hang with the folks we do like it's still worth while.

Justins idea for carding new members did appeal to me on several levels. :D

Since I've come to DA I think I have lost all sense of who I am and what I believe in. I love the people I hate. I hate the people I love. I can't even sit on the fence in Big Debates anymore. The splinters keep poking me in my behind. I've recently decided to keep my prayers private. But if anyone wants to talk about Jesus please PM me. He's still my favorite subject.

:nice:

Even though JoJo is a crazy christian, he's still one of my favorite people on here.

jojo is cool in my book too:)

And mine.

seems as though this kind of thing happens in waves. sometimes it's because there are new people and it takes time for personalities to adjust and other times it seems as though the older posters have wandered onto a topic that is uncomfortable or confrontational to other posters of the board.

sometimes, well, sometimes it's only because we've grown in other directions.

Yep, I think you're right about the wave thing. :) It may actually be a good thing, in disguise. (as i've said before) :o I need to spend less time on the web, anyway, and more doing other things.



I feel the same way Cindy, you're not alone in your thoughts.

(Hugz)

*hug* :) (I thought I was on your *** list, btw.) :hmm: I was hoping I wasn't, and i was gonna talk to you about that.


There's a lot of people who feel the same way, and more of them are becoming vocal.

Hopefully it'll reach critical mass soon and the...instigators, for lack of a better (read: more polite) term, will find a new home--voluntarily or otherwise.

I didn't know that many other people felt the same way, and yeah... i hope people who come to sites to do nothing but be an asshat find another place to do their thing, for the sake of everyone else.



I'm with you Cindy.. I have a "problem area" on here too. Nothing I can do to make it stop. Just hope people see it for what it really is. :D *Hugs*

Thanks Shell. :) and I hear ya. *pm on its way*




*got an unexpected chuckle out of that*

Buck up Buttercup!:p

Thanks mr. :p


As a newcomer .. Dare I say it.

I'm not sure what it was like before but one thing I find off putting about DA is there are far too many posts about absolutely nothing but froth and bubble.
I sometimes wonder what the average poster age is around here, reminds me of a teen sleepover. http://www.emotipad.com/newemoticons/Scratch-Head.gif

Hiding now http://www.emotipad.com/emoticons/Sofa.gif

LOL! I agree with everything you said... but I guess the threads about nothing are just a way for people to chat or try to entertain themselves. :shrug: I'm with you though, to me it's not that interesting to talk about things like "I'm in the mood for a candy bar. discuss." :D

btw, welcome! (if I didn't say that before)

peace,
cindy

smooches!

Buttercup: As to your whine.....well...there was'nt much meat on that bone. I'd like to either agree, or disagree, but you don't really reveal what these changes are.

I know, I didn't get into details. It's a few things, but i dont think i should keep up this whine... i just posted this last night because it was on my mind then, and i felt like posting that.

and no, you're not a pariah. :D



Since I've come to DA I think I have lost all sense of who I am and what I believe in. I love the people I hate. I hate the people I love. I can't even sit on the fence in Big Debates anymore. The splinters keep poking me in my behind. I've recently decided to keep my prayers private. But if anyone wants to talk about Jesus please PM me. He's still my favorite subject.

hmm, i can't say it has been the same for me, at all. i do know who i am, and although i fall short of the mark many times, i do know what i believe in.


You make a good point Cindy. I haven't been around as much of late but I have noticed an increase in the number of ah, shall we say...socially challenged posters. I used to think that the "ignore" button was the answer but just like IRL, sticking your head in the sand is rarely the solution.

Clover also raises a good point. There are a boat load of worthless threads out there that are of no interest to me at all. But I figure that's just me. Maybe they're interesting to someone else.

In the end DA imitates life and there will always be a slew of people that you don't paticularly care for but as long as we can come here and hang with the folks we do like it's still worth while.

Justins idea for carding new members did appeal to me on several levels. :D

:werd: to everything you said. :D Thanks colonel. :cool:


smooches!

aww, you know how to make my day. *smooches* jed! : D ;)

I feel pretty much the same.
I havent been around much lately. I peek in every so often.
part of the reason is becuase since my studio opened I have been a busy little boy.. and Im trying not to waste quite as many tax-payer dollars while im ar work....

But another part of it is that I have become keenly aware of the pointlessness of a lot of the debates around here, and I've become more and more bitter and exasperated with people. And then I just wig out on them and then feel icky for a few days.
And then I realize how stupid it is to get so uptight over a silly mesage board.

Im not saying im leaving DA, cause like I said.. I have been stopping in every so often.
But I have to say that I have been a lot more content with my lack of involvment.
And I am sure most folks here would agree with with that sentiment.

^ I know what you mean, and i'm feeling the same way.

It's too bad that you won't be on the debate threads as much anymore... your voice of reason in a sea of insanity will be sorely missed.

but i agree, it feels good to do more productive things and less time feeling like you're doing this: :bang:

:p :)

you know, buttercup, i remember a couple of years ago thinking "where are all these people and why do they never post?" :D

nowadays, it seems pretty busy in here..but there really don't seem to be as many posts..well, atleast that i want to read or get invloved with.

kinda makes you wonder if crazy people actually can understand each other :p

**boing**













**boing**




He3y! There is a echo in here :D








bwhahahahaaaa....................




(Please disregard this post. it's only me talking to myself :p )

I'm sorry, thanks for reminding me about this thread. :o :D :)

Yeah I know what you mean... There are more people here, but it does seem like there aren't that many posts. Especially at night and on weekends...it can get real quiet here... tumble weeds, crickets... echoes... :nonono:

and i'm usually here at night. :P anyway, it's good to see you and i'm glad you bounced the thread back. :p

So it's not just me that seems to find it less 'fun' lately.

Nevermind I've had less time here lately thanks to work stuff, but for the most part I'm keeping to the lighter areas just to keep from ruining my mood.

I'm keeping to the lighter areas just to keep from ruining my mood.

Frogs have moods? :confused:

You're a "mood frog"???

Do you change colours with these mood swings...er, jumps?

inquiring minds and all ...