General Chat

John you may be right about the recession, a lot of people are having to cut back on all sorts.

John, a friend of mine used to sing this...

"Oh Lord it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way
I can't wait to look in the mirror 'cause I get better lookin' each day
To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man
Oh Lord it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can"

:-D :-D :-D

John with absolute certainty and hand on heart I can assure you that I really am as perfect as you :-D ;-)

Hate people who agree with me, Rose. It makes me think they must be as perfect as me :-D

Now I have tried to put one of those funny little things to show I am joking. And happy for anyone to suggest that they are more perfect than me. You are all entitled to your opinion, even if you are wrong ;-)

Now that would be a good thread - what is perfection? I admit to my main fault - false modesty. So my perfection is still a work in progress. False modesty has plagued me all my fairly long life <3 :-D

I'd agree with that John, lol because I was thinking it myself, the rigours of just trying to stay afloat at the moment are inclined to make one non-communicative on lighter matters, and to have a shorter fuse ( speaking for myself).

I think I have less to say because I have more to worry about lol.

btw my gas and electric has just gone up by the same amount as yours :-|

Think another reason may be the Recession. It is worldwide and everyone has to work harder to stand still. My wage increase last year was 1% and this year is none %. How many bills have only gone up between 0% and 1% over last 2 years - just had gas & elec increase of my standing order from £110 pm to £140 pm - and that is my biggest bill now. And pensions are not often what we were expecting.

So hobbies that cost money (like FH) go on the back burner a bit. And we are all more bad tempered and short with one another, and feeling depressed for all sorts of reasons.

And I often think there needs to be a 10 minute rule. After we write a letter, wait 10 minutes then re-write it. Might prevent a lot of angst (author - take note)

Ann, just to agree with something Stray has said "i just find i have less to say nowadays " , that sums up how I feel, lol I was about to post something the other day and found myself thinking "I know I've said this before!" lol I think maybe I have said it ALL before :-0

I don't often go on long running threads, this one, Aussie or Wales, not that I haven't been welcomed...just because what prompts me to post is something I 'want to say' or a specific topic that I respond to.

Therein lies my point - Ann I shall delete my post.

Here here Stray !!! :-D :-D <3

Stray for GR Priminister LOL ;-) <3

I am puzzled.
This thread is fairly long running and when it was put up some time back it became a lovely chat thread with lots of new people joining in and never any uncomfortable posts.
This time it has become a vehicle for explaining why people don't post because (the old chestnut) there is too much criticism of people. When did everyone become so thin skinned I wonder?
Thank you for your views anyway, maybe it just goes to show how things have changed.

I have to say John that you were actually welcomed to the Welsh thread and your idea about a welsh genealogy thread on the Grenealogy chat board was much encouraged.

suzame is lovely

the boards have deffiniatly changed,

i post what i want where i want, but yes i avoid some peoples threads who i dont get on with, however im not without sympathy if people are poorly, have family problems, just some threads i dont open so dont no,

im hear a lot less than i used to be with the school holidays n working but i still pop in even if i dont post,

a lot of members dont post now due to everything we post being twisted, even down to a crisp thread being reported, it just got so silly, some people arent as important as they think they are to be honest, and not everything people post is ta do with them, no matter how much they try and twist that it is, :-

but its down to us as members to keep the board flowing, i just find i have less to say nowadays :-D :-D :-D

~~~~waves to John, Ann and Bridget :-D

John I like to win arguments too... have been described as a terrier shaking a rat when it comes down to not letting an argument/topic get away from me :-D

There have in the past been some great debates on here, and many of those managed to keep on track without becoming 'personal', fewer now because people became a bit wary of being reported or getting abusive messages, or just being 'misquoted' lol. But some are still prepared to risk it if an interesting topic is proposed ;-)

It's a shame you missed some of the people who are no longer on here John, you would have enjoyed the chat with them :-D

I am 66. I have never in my life entered a chat room or chat thread or whatever they are called till a fortnight ago.

I have watched my children spend a lot of time on Friends etc, and can see they have benefits and dangers.

I came on Community to see if anyone disliked new tree as much as me. Genes were telling me how good it was, I hated it and felt my opinion was an isolated one. And I have met some lovely people for first time - those who agree with my view and those who very much like this new layout.

I looked at the Welsh chat thread for the frirst time since Shaun started it but thought it was not about Welsh genealogy and a lot of it was full of emoticons and talk about the weather. It was then explained to me that chat threads were social areas that were only loosely connected to genealogy, so I thought I would post and see if anyone was interested enough in my views to exchange thoughts with me. I have strong views about Wales as a nation, Wales in sport, places in Wales - like St Davis. Cwmaman, Moelfre, Borth-y-Gest, Welsh politics, Welsh literature (in Welsh but also in English). I just love Wales to bits and know many areas well in both North and South Wales.

My views are independent and probably polarise opinion. But I did not and do not see myself as a trouble maker. One lister described me as a "kindly old granddad". Probably spot on, but I do like an argument and like it a lot when I win and not so much when I don't.

I was certainly not welcome to stay on that thread. I have noticed that those who are welcomed on any thread are those who enter very humbly (bit like the new office girl starting on first day). People make their minds up about the new girl immediately, and if they don't like her because she challenges the status quo, her life is made really difficult till she leaves. At 66, life is short (or shorter) and I tend to barge in everywhere and stamp about.

So old chats/threads die out as members inevitably move on. Although my view was that social networking was a bit of a waste of time a month ago, I now think that is a great shame there is less traffic on here because there are a lot of people who really need the support of others and want to chat to friendly people who have an interest in genealogy and history in particular.

It is good to see you back on the boards Bridget. I wish a few more of those names would return for a chat. When Genes Connected (as it was) first started I think we thought the friendship and laughter would go on for ever. That was before other chat and social sites came on the web and took over. I suppose it is inevitable that Genes will run out of steam. Especially if the will to keep it going is not prominenet in the minds of the owners.
The same thing will eventually happen to facebook.

Meanwhile, those who care will try and keep things going. (In my case for selfish reasons as I enjoy the camaradie on here). :-)

I have just read several pages after a considerable time away.
How pleasent to see names that I have corresponded with for quite sometime.

Pleased to say that I am back and well.

Why have there bern so many changes? Rambling Rose I agree with your comment..

That's all for now, enjoy your day everyone.

Bridget in Spain :-)

That thought had crossed my mind too Rose, after all why should they pay staff to keep three sites going when they could have one. Such a shame that a monopoly has been created, in my opinion.

I can't disagree with what you say Ann, the other boards are just as slow, at one time the FA board produced enough new queries every day to keep the 'helpers' busy...now it doesn't.

Other than the long running threads on here which seem to jog along ok then there does seem to be very few new threads in a day unlike when I joined when I couldn't keep up lol.

I wouldn't be entirely surprised now that FMP , FR and GR are all working out of the same office, for a merger to be re-applied for on the grounds that this part of BrightSolid's stable is no longer viable on its own... but of course that is just me bing cynical ;-)

I thought I would pull this thread up again as I think the situation has deteriorated even more since the recent upgrade. So many of the people who were posting just before the upgrade seem not to be here. I realise it is holiday time but I have never ever seen the boards move so slowly. (I have to admit I have not checked the find ancestors or living people boards. Maybe theyw ant to lose the chat boards and it is working. :-( :-| :-S

Good luck then Ben.

sylvia I am pleased that the weekend worked out well for your friend and that his wife had it organised so that she could also enjoy the party.

What a lovely time you both had Sylvia.
its very nice you can all sit get together and have fun