Originally Posted By -em >>My whole purpose with my posting here the last two days has been the hope that this community can pull it together, get everything out in the open and heal. But clearly, with the exception of a few others I am alone in this hope.<< You are not alone- But instead of getting to the issues its become mindless banter, explosive "poor me" "everyone's picking on me" "I'm leaving in a ball of flame but back within an hour" attention needing posts which has caused the level minded posters to once again pack up and leave because they are yelling in a crowded room and no ones looking up... sigh- -em
Originally Posted By u k fan The fact that people have been "unfriended" on Facebook because of this topic just makes me sad. Despite the furore I managed to cause earlier I'd actually been enjoying reading people's thoughts on why the LP community seemed to be suffering. It was insightful and I was actually hopeful that this would bring about a mass change in attitude. Now I'm not sure that's even possible. On the flip-side, I do feel like I know AD better now after all these years and that's a positive I can draw from this. I just find it hard to comprehend what must go on behind the scenes here. Davewasbaloo has upset me once with something he posted, he knows it - he upset a lot of people at the same time, but I still consider him one of my very best LP friends and I'd never dream of affecting our real-life friendship over something that was posted on LP. I see that TINK MOBILE is still around and with all due respect any long-term LPer knows that posts like his are usually made in the heat of the moment and in 99% of cases don't result in anyone going anywhere. I'h hoping that the frog on this hotplate has now popped and we can move forward with this discussion in an appropriate manner. Let's try and move forward, not just in this discussion, but also as an LP community as a whole. The community here is too precious to me!!!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo What an interesting set of posts to wake up to. My take is this, LP is like being at a busy party, there are the ones that are talking loudly in their own groups that can interupt the general conversation. There are the ones that just say off the wall stuff where you thing, where did that come from (I love those posts personally), there are the great communicators/cohesion folks that bring everyone together, there are the anrgy/cynical folks that make a lot of sense, but put people off because of their demeanor, there are the ones that "people watch" (or post watch). There are some that come in, do their rounds and leav quickly. And there are some who stick around from start to end, will interact with all, they may like some and not the others. I was taught to only stay nice stuff, but learing a lot (not all) of people who are like that cannot be trusted, I dumped that value and speak my mind, for good or ill. I am sorry that may offend some, or at least there are some great spirits who may be annoyed by a couple of things I may say, but looks at the whole package and thinks things are worth while. I think this is a necessary topic to clear the air. Ever since some clique schisms hit this site a few years ago, life has not been the same. C'est la vie. Life changes. What we all have to decide is how we deal with it. Tink Mobile disappearing is a great shame, I hope like many, he walks away, cools off and decides it's worth being himself on here and comes back. And I would welcome him with very open arms. I do sometimes wonder if we all jump to conclusions very quickly, I know I am guilty at times. But rather than bite my tongue, I try to post about it to gain a better understanding. I thought Iamsally's post was fine, couldn't see anything wrong with it. Though in real life I am very fond of her and here her voice when I read her posts (kind of like in the movies, in fact when I read anyone's posts that I know, I read them). SGV - I know it was not your intention for your very purposeful post to go in this direction, but it confirms a hypothesis I have held for a while. LP is not a healthy community and needs to heal. I am hoping this serves a purpose in helping it do so. I have had people send me nasty hate mail, or unfriend me on Facebook, and of course it was not nice. But at least I know who they are now and rather have it that way then for them to pretend. But there are others on here who mean the world. And one of our community passed away way before he should have. And some of us mourned heavily when we found out. I am going to make sure I try harder with those I care about. There are many on here I have grown to admire, or to bicker (but still enjoy the conversation), or a fondness, and yes, in some cases, some of my best friends have grown from our meeting on this site, and I do love them. And in this I am not alone. So can we get back to the party, deal with each of the groups and have fun (or be the cynic in the corner putting the world to right?) Now in BlueDevilSF's honor, may I have a Mai Tai sno cone?
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub yeah SnoCone Party.I just read thru this entire thread. Who needs a book! I think this is a good thread. I have been posting for 10 years. I have learned to be a little braver. I realize how hard it is to actually put words into real print that can not be removed. The most important thing I try to remember is not to give power to something bad by retreating or disappearing. That means evil has won. If I am criticized I think personally and search myself if it has truth or meaning that I can change myself for the better. That is the good power of criticism. I would love a rainbow sno-cone,please.
Originally Posted By TiggerPooh1973 Well...... First of all, I want to say one of the initial thoughts when I logged in here and read allll 227 posts was.....Wow, I miss some of these people, and LP in general. I haven't logged on here in months. I haven't posted in probably over a year, if I had to guess. Sure, a lot of them are on FB and we communicate there. But, it's not the same. I didn't stop coming to LP because of FB. Not at all. I would happily do both. Why don't I? Because quite frankly, I don't like what the message boards have turned into here. I wasn't going to post at all, but then I thought....if I don't, no one will know. And, maybe the more people who speak up, maybe it will make a difference. I was one of those people that was here on the boards daily, and for hours at a time. I joined LP in.....wow, I think 2001. It used to be a BLAST! I am one of the reasons there's a trivia and games section. I started a thread in WDW General with trivia questions, it took off, and eventually Trivia & Games was born. Anyway...it used to be you could come to LP and spend hours and hours reading and posting. Things were light-hearted and fun. People laughed with and supported each other. I am APPALLED to hear that people have gotten nasty e-mails and phone calls. That is INSANE. I'm not even sure I can put into words exactly what turned me off from LP. The tone here is just so different. People jump all over people for the most ridiculous things. People are nasty to people with no provocation, and they think it's okay. And, it seemed for a long time, that people were just allowed to continue in that manner without anything being done about it. THAT irks me. The personal attacks are so out of line it's not even funny. There were always a good bit of off topic posts, and there was a place for them, but they were things everyone could join in on and have some fun. They weren't a bazillion posts in a row about something that wouldn't include anyone save for an exclusive few when that was something you could handle of the boards. People didn't always agree when it came to some topics, but we didn't shoot hate mails at each other and send out our posse to bully them mercilessly. We respectfully stated our opinions, even if they weren't the same, and then went and played Mad Libs or TPAM. So, I hope I wasn't rambling too much. I maybe should have had more coffee first. But, I wanted to say something. And, there it is.
Originally Posted By u k fan I miss TALL Disney Guy. Remember him? I thought he exemplified everything that was good about LP. Great community spirit, knowledgable about his specialist subject, creative and just plain fun to be here with. Those were the good old days. I haven't emailed him in years, I wonder how he is?!!!
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Yes well I can't be silent on that last post. TDG was THE absolute perfect LP'er. He was chased off this board, not unlike many others I am sure. When TDG left, for me, that was the beginning of a very loooooong ending. But to the OP, I think there are three things that are problematic. 1.) Facebook. It's just easier to connect and it provides a better "false sense of community" with the "friends lists". It just is what it is. 2.) The Economy. In the past, these boards were full up with new poster after new poster. But now, when was the last "Walt Disney World vs. Disneyland, which is better" thread? The new posters would drag that old dog of an argument out once a week. Also, it seems that there are far less people going to a Disney park "for the first time" and therefore there are far less people seeking information about Disney Parks online. People just don't have the disposable incomes they had 5, 6, 7 years ago. 3.) The World Events Topic. Period. All of this above is just said IMHO. What is the solution? There isn't one. Times change and people move on. And how much more appropriate of a time would there be than this, to say, this is my last LP Post. Good bye. P.S. I think this makes 6 times I have left LP... forever.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad <<<Now in BlueDevilSF's honor, may I have a Mai Tai sno cone?>>> Hear Hear !!! Make mine a DOUBLE !!! (Good bye Tim. You changed my whole way of thinking on a more than one subject, and I'll be eternally grateful to you for that. RIP old friend!)
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub To All: Please reconsider It is wonderful to see some long lost lpers...only to say goodbye! Just one more thing to consider.Doobie and Rebekah...two very special people that have created this laughing place for all! Many years of hard work, expense, creative energy. I could never be so selfish as to walk away from those type of friends. Please consider to support Doobie and Rebekah and all the others that contribute. All I can offer in return is my thanks for this.
Originally Posted By KCCHIEF this whole thread is sad.....but, I agree with alot that has been said....honesty hurts...
Originally Posted By LPFan22 I vote for popcorn. I don't know what to add that hasn't been pointed out but I will say that life goes on. I'm going to continue to love LP as it's been a gift in my life. Nothing is perfect and guaranteed to make one happy all of the time. So I'll keep posting on the boards. If there is someone I don't care to interact with, I just won't.
Originally Posted By Tiggirl I am curious, since several people got nasty emails from someone, did those of you who know who they're from contact Doobie or Dave about it. Even if they can't do something about it at least they could keep an eye on that/those posters. I do mist the days of being able to spend hours here. Everyone work hard to bring the posting level up to where it used to be for my entertainment! ~Beth
Originally Posted By Tiggirl Ugh!!!! I do MISS the days of being able to spend hours here... That's what I meant. ~Beth
Originally Posted By TomSawyer I like seeing the faces and names of the LP posters that I've known for years through Facebook. I have a lot less time for endless surfing on the internet these days - when I started posting here I was single and didn't have a kid. Now most of my time is taken up with my family and I don't have the time to be here as much as I did in the first few years that I was posting. I can pull up the Facebook app on my phone during breaks or while standing in line at a store to see what's going on, and I appreciate being able to do that. There are a few LPers that I'm not friends with yet on Facebook that I'd like to add. I'm not as big a fan of Disney as I was ten years ago, so I just don't spend the time here that I once did. I come back from time to time because I like the old friends that I knew here, and sometimes I like reading the behind the scenes info and rumors. This is still one of my online "homes" even though I don't come by like I used to. (Heck, back in the day I probably spent more time in this online home than I spent in my real home if you don't count time sleeping!) I haven't been around to see a lot of the drama that is being talked about in this thread. We had drama back in the day - I was probably one of the reasons that the World Events and Playpen sections were created - but we got through it. People I thought I hated back then are my friends now. I used to loathe Mr. X, but now he just puts me in a state of mild but persistent annoyance. (Just kidding!) Seriously, though, I like the guy and would love to meet him sometime, and I like reading his FB updates. Go with the flow. Report the posters that are harrassing you at home. Ignore them, if you need to. But don't let this corner of the Disney fan community die.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I didn't Beth, I prefer to fight my own battles. One of the protagonists did have a thread closed down and then had the audacity to blame me. Hillarious. Someother person called them out on it. I'm a big boy. I don't bully, but if anyone tries it on with me, they tend to rue the day.
