Gratitude

[Miedrn]

I just wanted to express how much I appreciate everyone on this forum. You've been patient with my endless questions and it's amazing.

At one point, I even became sick of seeing my name on the list of members that are online! I messaged Glen to please take my name out of caps!

I've never reached 135 posts anywhere before. Previously I surfed - didn't usually participate in chat rooms or forums other than a few nursing messages here and there.

At the risk of sounding too emotional, there have been a lot of losses in my life. Parents, husband, my closest brother but I feel I have family here - complete with differences of opinion! There is a sense of community here that I don't have.

Anyway, thanks for sharing your knowlege, opinions and ideals.

[Amanda_931]

I'm glad you're here.

On-line communities are interesting.  One does meet a lot of varied people, maybe especially in one like this.

Which is probably good for us.

(and then there's what Confucius said--something on this order, anyway:

see those three people standing over there?  At least one is meant to be my teacher. )

[jonsey/downunder]

I'm glad you're here too. I've just had a swift look at your blogg and I gotta say anyone with your "have a go attitude" and common sense will have no trouble building your own house. Go for it MIEDRN you're worth more money for sure.

[glenn kangiser]

Aw -shucks, garsh Miedrn  , long as you're gettin all mushy and stuff --- we love you too.

Hey -- We watch for you all the time - forum wouldn't be the same without you-- even when you were yelling your name at us.

[Miedrn]

LOL

[CREATIVE1]

This is the only forum I've posted on so far, though I have read many.  A great combination of information, ideas, and humor.  Thanks from me too!

[glenn kangiser]

Well you're sure talking your head off on this one, Creative.  Glad you're here too -- in fact I'm glad all of you are here - that's what makes this place great.  Without the rest of you I'd just be talking to John and would probably run out of things to say --- after a while John would probably stop pretending he was shocked then I'd get bored... :-/

I keep trying to be funny but my wife tells me ---"Give it up, Glenn, looks aren't everything."  Okay -- she didn't say that --- just some more stupid High School Humor.  I think public schooling is destroying our children -- look what happened to me. :-/

[glenn kangiser]

An added thought here is that if this wasn't a place where new people could post without fear of someone attacking them verbally they wouldn't post and we would miss being able to answer their questions.  The main way we all learn here is by answering the questions of new ones who don't know.  If new questions stopped coming in, the rest of us would soon know everything - the board would soon stagnate and die. :'(

Any other thoughts on why some of you posted here rather than on one of the boards you only read?  The answers to that tell us the direction we want to head.

Once again -- thanks to all the members and new members.  Without you CountryPlans wouldn't be what it is.

[CREATIVE1]

An added thought here is that if this wasn't a place where new people could post without fear of someone attacking them verbally they wouldn't post and we would miss being able to answer their questions.  The main way we all learn here is by answering the questions of new ones who don't know.  If new questions stopped coming in, the rest of us would soon know everything - the board would soon stagnate and die. :'(

Any other thoughts on why some of you posted here rather than on one of the boards you only read?  The answers to that tell us the direction we want to head.

Once again -- thanks to all the members and new members.  Without you CountryPlans wouldn't be what it is.

Reasons for getting involved with this forum, and not others:

1.  So much information--even stuff I never even thought about--I felt I needed to "give back" in any way I could.

2.  This really feels like a community.  Everyone lets their hair down, building goofs and all.

3.  So many of you are, let's say, a little off center.  And that's a good thing!

4.  And finally, just what Countryplans is offering to people who don't want or need a McMansion and are trying to have money left over for travel and other small pleasures--a place to get some positive reinforcement instead of criticism.  

Could go on and on, and still might do that later.  Anyway--thanks again.

[Amanda_931]

Who, me??

Off-center??

8-)

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(I'm not a pot being thrown--why would I want to be on center?)

[glenn kangiser]

Amanda, I always thought of you as being a bit more like --- well -- a horseshoe. :-/

Thanks for the feedback Creative.  We will be over here on the side waiting for more.

Thats whats nice about our forum too --- every one takes what they need and in return gives what they have.

Well centered people probably are a bit more -- dull.  I wonder if a lobotomy would help?

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=199 or hear the mp3 http://anon.npr-mp3.speedera.net/anon.npr-mp3/atc/20051116_atc_dully.mp3

Note-- after I'm gone, would someone please refer to me as eccentric--- I'd really like that.  PEG - help me out here. :-/

[Sassy]

Well, I guess I've gotta add my 2 cents... I'm really grateful to John for providing this forum & appreciate all the members who post here.  You all feel like friends & family!  

"I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."    Louisa May Alcott

"When someone asks you, A penny for your thoughts, and you put your two cents in, what happens to the other penny?"  George Carlin
   
 

[jwv]

.  I wonder if a lobotomy would help?

http://www.damninteresting.com/?p=199 or hear the mp3 http://anon.npr-mp3.speedera.net/anon.npr-mp3/atc/20051116_atc_dully.mp3

When I did my psych rotation at the State Hospital in Athens OH (c. 1979  )-we had pts who had undergone lobotomies. I remember one was a relatively young man who just wandered around with a blank stare.  

I think society has a very low tolerance for those outside the box, so we attempt to make every one "normal".  Look at all the kids (esp boys) who are medicated because, in many cases, they are just being boys (I'm talking about young elementary ages).  Males were never meant to sit for hours at a time and read or be read to, at least not without breaks for large muscle activity. Guess it's easy to understand how we came to homeschooling just after the oldest finished kindergarten.  And please don't label me "sexist"-males and females have biological differences in order to perform different societal functions.  Otherwise we would have all been one or the other.

I think that many conditions improve with the right medication but kids should not be diagnosed by teachers.

Judy

[CREATIVE1]

And of course there's also the fact that all the "mental" drugs from Valium to Paxil and beyond do the opposite of encouraging creativity, independent thought, and action.  We are becoming as "zombie nation".  

[John Raabe]

Just want to throw in my 2¢:

I greatly appreciate the helpfulness and good natured sharing that has become the norm of this forum. That we have grown to the size we have and still kept the small town cracker barrel feel is amazing.

Thank you all.... I certainly didn't know we would all be here when I started this little forum in 1999!

[Amanda_931]

It sure seems like it, but I do know a family that tends towards bipolar problems.  You don't want to be around any of them when they're manic.  And unfortunately one of them seems to think that manic is normal--projects get started, work gets done, its great.

But certainly the figures from the late 70's and 80's were horrifying--that 20+% of us had prescriptions for Valium or antidepressants--"nerve pills" was what the working class called them, apparently prescribed for anyone who had access to a doctor, and billed as something harmless that made the day--or a horrible job--a bit easier.  One tried that with me once.  He got seriously yelled at.  And I never trusted him again--see below for more on that subject.

One company I worked for tried to outlaw all of the anti-depressants and tranquilizers--side effects include dizziness--can't operate machinery!  So people soon learned to never mention that they were taking them.   The doctors would not give you a disability letter if you were taking anything like that, but the company wouldn't let you work.

Of course, when I've had prescriptions for Valium, they've usually been from the dentist, so I could take a planned overdose and be unconscious during a root canal procedure or even "just" a crown preparation.  I recommend it.  If you've got a way to get home safely afterwards.  Leftovers were how I got through the first night with my leg in a cast.  

[glenn kangiser]

Thanks for inviting me here to answer a couple of questions, John.  Your generosity in allowing us a free for all really makes this a helpful place even though the topics many times are not directly related to your designs.

Have you figured out how to get me to shut-up yet? :-/

[Amanda_931]

Ignore you?

[glenn kangiser]

You know that won't do you any good, Amanda.  I don't have enough sense to realize I'm being ignored. :-/

If I am getting ignored I just assume the forum is slow and I have to post something that is outrageous to get things going again.  Nobody reading or posting tends to leave our new questions unanswered.

I have read other forums where it takes months to get an answer going from their dating -- that wouldn't do here.

Let's keep it manic, eh?, Amanda.  

[John Raabe]

Glenn now has more than twice as many posts as I have.

I don't think I could shut him up if I wanted to... short of pulling the plug entirely, that is.

And that's not likely to happen until the Grim Reaper comes to visit.  :-? (and maybe not even then!  )