I didn't mean offense to anyone but apologize as that is exactly what I did anyway, especially to Ion.
I don't think the lively discourse of topics is mean, even if it gets a little wild at times. While heated, I had fun on the exchange of barbs.
With 40,000+ members in USMS you are going to have a lot of differing views. Our only commonality is that we spend too much time in chemicals doing what we love as a hobby.
Now that I'm a designated snake, I'll slink back to my hole and pop out from time to time.
I said I wouldn't write for a while. But I have a learning disability. A reason why I have trouble with grammar and spelling. As a child some of the kids on certain swim teams put me down for this. Both Greg Louganis and Nelison Diebel have learning disabilties. As for Ion, he speaks and writes english as a second language.
Hi there!
I have an idea. Maybe not a great one, but at least one.
Why don't we all pull in our claws and accept the fact that every person who posts in this forum is different? Certainlly we can disagree with things we don't like, but to what extent?
Cynthia is quite right concerning English as a second language and Ion. Many folks whom I know (including several from Eastern Europe) who have learnt English as a second language will tell you that it is often difficult for them to express the EXACT same thoughs in English as in their native tongue.
After reading all of the posts regarding ESPY ad nauseam, (and I was getting ad nauseamed, too) I was beginning to wish for everyone's mommies to call them in the from sand box. :) Just a thought, here. Nothing more.
I too can rapidly tire when the discussion turns as this one has. I like to kid & I know other contributors do as well, but we should keep it from getting mean. I will say that as a salute to the revamped forum, we at least now know who we are getting ticked off at.
That is a problem with communication via the written word. Face to face we'd likely be rolling halfway through the discussion as the tone of voice and body language would complement the literal content.
I sure was not offended by any comments, they just invoked a need to post my differing opinion. Would have thought they'd have been received that way as well.
Linus is going home, blanket over his head to sleep for a while. *Sniff*
-rm
I feel bad, I'm the moron who started this topic.
Bert:
That wasn't very nice. Maybe you should apologize to Ms. Curran. She's quite a BIT different than Ion.
We've gotten quite off base, it's nice to get fired up once in a while, it keeps things interesting. Let's get back to the real show now and focus on our common interest - swimming.
Apologies to Ion as well, but he's the one making himself sound like a nutjob :D
Regards,
RM
Gosh, I guess I get lumped in with the snake comments. I apologize to Ion and cinc310. I was just having some fun...I was out of line...and apologize for my jams...They were not meant to hurt or offend.
Perhaps Rain Man has hit "pay dirt" here! Without the luxury of "seeing" our fellow posters here, we never get to see a reaction from them and thus don't know when to "back off" at times. I suppose that's what being human is all about.
Remember reading the threads concerning the Long Course Nationals in Cleveland and folks getting together who post on the Forums to meet and hang out? Perhaps more of this should happen. Lord knows, though . . . such encounters could turn out to be an event in itself! :D
