Public Message Boards

About 6 months ago, I found this quilting message board.  I read the posts and messages and looked at all the pictures for about 2 weeks before joining.  I mean lets be honest - quilting is for old ladies right?  At least that is what my kids tell me while they cuddle on the couch in all of the quilts I've made them.

I read the posts and thought this is a great place.  No bashing; really helpful hints; lots of photos and idea's...but most of all no bashing of posters or their work - no matter how bad the quilt was.  Heck - see below for my booby quilt post and you'll know that if they could except me for making that it had to be a great place right? 

Well over the last 3 or 4 weeks I have begun to feel like this one moderator just didn't care for me and my posts.  Several times I've had posts moved or gone back on to find a subject or post deleted.  I thought hum...well read the rules and try harder - you don't want to create waves - you like it here.  I was a bit put out by the fact that stuff would happen and you got this generic message just telling you it was moved with no explanation.  But I moved on - try harder - you like this place is what I told myself. 

Now let me say, I have been on and too many public message boards - heck I go to one for soccer where I have been bashed so hard by people who don't know me that it was funny and not hurtful.  So this board was a dream for me. 

This board had several sections - you could talk quilting or you could talk non-quilting and moan and groan about your kids; your life; others lives; traffic; play word games; post pictures - it has all kinds of stuff. 

So last night I posted...

Now I don't post if I don't want to take the chance that someone will disagree with me or tell me to piss off - I figure if I'm writing it in public its no different than saying it so I think carefully about it.

AND after the last few weeks I decided it best to carefully consider where I put stuff so I didn't get detention on the boards again. 

So I post....I get up this morning to a generic email saying "your post has been moved" and moved to a section of the board I don't subscribe to - then I get a message saying "your posts have been merged"...when the 2 posts had absolutely nothing to do with each other. 

So all of this before I'm even done with one cup of coffee....so what do I do?  I post about the topic being moved and how I don't like it. 

I must admit my surpise but it took about 2 hours for the moderator who I feel like has been dogging me - to chastise publically and then lock the thread! 

So what is my point you might ask?  Here it is:

1.  I can bitch about her and her actions and the board here on my blog and there is not a darn thing anyone can do because I'm the only one who can move or lock a topic - all anyone else can do is choose not to read it; and

2.  Well I'm pissed...what I had thought was a great place just turned petty and mean and like most things in life - one person ruined it!

Here is the great thing that the moderator doesn't seem to get:

I am an adult.  I make my own choices.  I choose to write a post or not write one.  I choose to respond to a post or not respond to a post.  I choose to ignore a post and move on or not ignore it.  Today I chose to not ever post again on that message board.  I'll lurk and read....I'll PM all the friends I have made about their lives; hurts; quilts; grand kids; kids; houses; sewing machines and broken needles - but I won't subject myself to being reamed out in public by someone who doesn't know me and hasn't even given me the common courtesy of taling to me like an adult about what their issue with me is! 

So I get to choose once again.....othes may disagree with my choice but that is what it is really about - it is MY choice!  Yes this moderator forced me into making it but at least - unlike her - I can own up and accept my actions!

***UPDATE*** - so I posted a thank you - you all have been great; loved meeting ya'll but this is my last post ever....the exact same moderator DELETED the Thank you message!  Then sent me an email saying it was deleted and then COMMENTS:  No explanation necessary!  Some people!