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kiddo_1

Conversation question

kiddo_1
15 years ago

Hi. Thought I'd better ask this now before I do something stupid. I know that the threads are supposed to be 'on topic' but sometimes I'm tempted to follow up a joke or conversation within the thread. I'm assuming this is a no-no? Is there a way to sort of 'chat' within these forums? I just can't help it - but just remember, it's not my fault. Some of you folks are too darn interesting.... ! (*heh*)

Kris

Comments (34)

  • chickadee__3a
    15 years ago

    Hi Kris,
    It's interesting you shouild bring this question up. About a year or so ago on the Quilting Forum where I often go, there was quite a dispute arose over this very issue. A lot of people posted photos of new grandbabies, pets or requested prayers for ill relatives or other things unrelated to quilting. Many of us either ignored them or read them and replied --just whatever we wished. However there were others who were more adamant and somehow a special area on the forum was created called "Conversations" where you can go to "chat" although it's not a chat line as such. I suppose someone went to the Powers That Be and had this done. I'm not suggesting that this be done, but I'm just passing on this bit of info.
    This is a wonderful place to come and provides a wealth of knowledge from some very experienced gardeners.

  • kiddo_1
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Being people and social by nature, are a hard lot to keep on topic, for sure. But it works for us. I'll bet that lots of the stuff I've ever found out about is something initially mentioned in a conversation about an entirely different subject! Beside, it's the 'jibber jabber' that seems to develop friendships....
    Kris
    (jibbering away... - but about compost. Honest. No. Really! ;-))

  • kiddo_1
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    This is intriguing. I just hopped over to the "Cottage Gardens" forum and there is a link at the top of the topics list called 'conversations'. When you click on that, you arrive at an 'off topic' conversation list with subjects ranging all over the map between the folks who frequent that forum. Wondering if there is any interest in pursuing getting one of those links for us compost posters?
    Kris

  • kqcrna
    15 years ago

    The wintersowing forum has a conversations section too.

    But I don't mind when we go off topic here, it's usually either a funny sideline or an informative one. And in reality, someone can just click off if they want to. Occasionally we do sort of go over the edge and an initial question doesn't get an answer. A reminder of the subject at hand usually gets things back on course. (Usually I just blame Lloyd).

    Karen

  • dlpasti
    15 years ago

    Hey Kris, we compost the "off topic" posts, don't we? So is related........

    Lloyd is at work, so a good target Karen

    I just got home from the mechanic shop--got an oil change, no not going to compost it or the belt tensioner that needed replaced, or the bad battery as in another post asked, but I did pick up a couple of bags of pine cones from under their trees to add as mulch in my hosta bed---sure keeps stray cats and rabbits out of there! They don't like walking on pinecones....... (c compost related)

  • kiddo_1
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I don't actually discourage local cats. I don't have a cat, don't really want one. But what I do have is lots and lots of *&(*#@$ chipmunks around here. I even planted some catmint last year, hoping to entice a hungry feline my way. The neighbor's cat came....ignored the chippies....and ate the catmint down to the ground. *sigh*

  • dlpasti
    15 years ago

    Mainly the rabbits I'm trying to keep out---the stray cats agrivate my house cat and the tom's tend to "mark". The pinecone mulch also gives the host bed a nice "woodsy" look. And I've found they don't compost all that fast, so mulch is a good use for them.

  • kiddo_1
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Say, I bet those pinecones also allow good air circulation and rain and doesn't smother the soil. Good tip. Bet it smells nice too.

  • greenwood85
    15 years ago

    I'd be interested in an off-topic section.

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    Uh, ladies, we do have computers at work!

    Sheesh!

    Lloyd

  • dlpasti
    15 years ago

    and gentlemen too, Lloyd, gentlemen too!

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    My bad!

  • kqcrna
    15 years ago

    Busted again ;-)

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    I shoulda known better,

    I'm male,

    I was wrong,

    again,

    still.

    Lloyd

    That's gonna be carved on my headstone I'm thinking.

  • kiddo_1
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    ROFL

  • gnomey
    15 years ago

    I don't mind off topic stuff.. we do go astray sometimes and it's fun to get to know everyone. If there was a conversations, I'd probably go there too though.

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    Hah

    Whilst searching for my composting with smokestacks pictures, I came across DWs point of view. She wrote this for the farm website. I don't have much to do with the website so I never really go there much. I had to laugh reading it though, I almost didn't recognize myself. Too funny.

    Lloyd

  • kiddo_1
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    OK, here's question that's not conversation, but, well, typing. I see that some of you can italicize, cross out, underline etc. within your posts. I can't seem to find a way to do dat. I'm typing within the posting window and I'm using Firefox for my browser. ?? What's the secret? Thanks.
    Kris

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    I had to ask as well, not exactly a computer wizard...

    use <_> with a letter in the _ place to turn on the feature
    I = Italacize
    U = underline
    B = Bold
    strike = strike out
    inside the brackety things (they probably have a name, I just don't know)

    then use <_> with the same letter to turn off the feature but put a backslant just before the letter inside the brackety things..

    There are more codes but that would be getting into the techno nerd area that is waaaaay beyond my pea brain level.

    Lloyd

  • kiddo_1
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I had to ask as well, not exactly a computer wizard...

    Well doh! Simple HTML (hyper-text markup language). Woohoo. Thanks for the tip, Lloyd.

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    Simple? Took me a long time to figure this out, still screw up.

    You can take the boy off the farm but you can't take the farm out of the boy.

    As a side note, I also need a decoder ring to figure out all the smiley face symbols everyone uses...anyone have a dictionary for that?

    Lloyd

  • joepyeweed
    15 years ago

    What! SHHH! A conversation forum on the Soil Compost and Mulch section of garden web?! Its way too dangerous! There is a history of Anarchy and Mayhem on the conversation side of the SCM forum, so it had to deleted. Lots of great posts were lost...

  • gnomey
    15 years ago

    well that sounds pretty ridiculous.

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    I understand there was some, how shall I put it, issues in the distant past and although I was not around then, there have been hints of it. Apparently these issues caused an exodus to a promised land where one can romp freely throughout the conversation meadows without fear. I have on occasion perused those meadows but never partook of the romping. (JPW knows of the promised land that I speak of).

    With the thread clock set at about a year on this forum, a lot of great conversations and threads are self destructed anyways so the deletion aspect does not cause me distress. One could always scoot over to the test forum as that clock is really short lived. So far, I have not gotten any warnings (knock on wood) and I have crossed the line more than once. (not that I am proud of that, sometimes my fingers get ahead of my brain).

    Karen will be along shortly to point out my failings. I love her for that!

    Oh, Yah, Right, Sorry. (the four words any male must know and use repeatedly)

    Lloyd

  • bpgreen
    15 years ago

    "As a side note, I also need a decoder ring to figure out all the smiley face symbols everyone uses...anyone have a dictionary for that?"

    Wikipedia list of emoticons

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    :0 there is an awful lot of them....

    u da man!

  • annpat
    15 years ago

    Yes. Long ago, almost 10 years now, and far away, Soil, Compost and Mulch had a lovely room, where friends prone to hijack could visit for a minute before returning here to discuss compost and soil and mulch. It was a wonderful place, a popular place, where people became close friends. Longtime friends. Intimate friends. Friends, a hundred strong, who still get together with each other. When some members were unfairly, I still contend, sent on a permanent vacation (Be careful gnomey), there was a large exodus, the one Lloyd alludes to. Eventually, when the conversation had faded away in Conversations, it was deleted as a gathering place.

    A large group of us SCMers still get together. We vacation together. We meet in different places in the country. We call each other. 18 women and two men traveled to a state park in Maryland a year ago for an extended weekend. About a dozen of us went to D.C. two Januarys ago. We've named chickens after each other. We send each other compost as birthday presents on Feb. 13th. A New Yorker I met here bought a camp on my road. She's my neighbor now! and attends my camp road's annual pig roast. A fellow from Connecticut takes me dancing every once in a while, and I made him go ocean kayak/camping with me in September in retaliation.

    Anyway, I just hijack when I feel like it and apologize when it gets on someone's nerves.

  • kiddo_1
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Wow. No wonder I feel so at home here in compost!
    Kris

  • joepyeweed
    15 years ago

    Eventually, when the conversation had faded away in Conversations, it was deleted as a gathering place.

    Um, I realize that while on semi-permanent vacation Annp may have some facts mixed up. The conversation side wasn't deleted because of lack of activity. It was intentionally deleted because stragglers were posting cryptic threads directing people to the promised land.

  • greenwood85
    15 years ago

    Um, I'd like a message directing me to the promised land.

  • Lloyd
    15 years ago

    Touchy subject, I shouldn't have amplified the initial mention of it. It is not a readable location unless one is a member and I am not.

    Lloyd

    P.S. Happy here for the most part although a few push my buttons.

  • greenwood85
    15 years ago

    That's too bad. I guess I haven't been around long enough to witness any of the drama or even connect screennames with personalities. I am a member of another forum (not garden related) and have made some long life friends that I meet up with from time to time in "real life". It's pretty neat how that can happen. It's also pretty sad when it turns ugly on forums, which it has on that same site as well.

  • gnomey
    15 years ago

    Am I about to be sent on a permanent vacation?

  • annpat
    15 years ago

    Are you fond of Mickey and Minnie, gnomey? I spent a lot of time with them for a similar observation.

    Greenwood, I've got some compost for you to send me. Perhaps you have my address?