To anyone who cares.

[Just Katie]

I would like to express my opinion of the way I have been received on this forum.  I have two reasons for entering on a "blazing trampoline".

1) I first joined this forum a few years ago.  I cannot remember my name and even if I did none of you guys would remember me.  I politely asked sensible questions and consquently got politely ignored.

2) I wanted to cheer my dear friend Twinkle up. We are both from a large town and although Twinkle adores France, her French husband, beautiful daughter and wonderful French friends and would never come home, the long cold continental winters get her down. She now lives in a barn in the middle of two thousand square miles of fields.  Bit of a difference to the town girl in designer gear. 

I suggested this forum to Twinkle where I thought it would be nice for her to spend the evenings chatting and bantering with new British friends in the evenings when her husband is at work and her daughter in bed.

I have since been called a troll, a sock puppet, a liar, twinkle, bufooon and to top it all making rude posts which is most hurtful.  I will admit I have been a bit of a strong cup of tea especially to Benjamin, Viva and Mr Smith (bless him).  However, I consider this to have been reactive banter (they started it [:D]) which I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope they also enjoyed my company.

On a more positive note we all join this forum for different reasons.  I have explained Twinkles reason and it has lit up her dark winter evenings.  She rings me excitedly telling me of the comical posts she has read.  My reason is that I am renovating a house in the Tarn and the information on this forum is second to none.  Someone posted on one of my threads that the newbies of today will soon be treating the newbies of tomorrow in the same way.  I dont think so.  Unless they pop me first which indicates they have thick skin and want to go for it. 

I would like to thank all of you who have taken time to give me advice on my cronky old Merc but mostly to those who have made me feel welcome.  Tresco, Christine Animal, Alfa and of course my darling Jenny Rennes. 

Right thats me all PMT'd out.  Wheres Viva and Pretty Dick? 

[Viv]

You really are the master/ mistress of spin, who are you really? Alistair Campbell?

You 'bounced' onto the forum, with a thread about earning a living in France bouncing on a trampoline.

You stated you were Romanian, which was a fib by your own admission.

Then your ' friend' Twinkle joined, except for a good while you both denied there was any connection between you, despite the fact it was obvious to a number of people who post here.

I can take a joke, I can take criticism and snidy remarks, as I have off you. I even apologised for thinking you and Twinkle were one and the same, so please don't make out you are a victim in all this.

I have responded to this , simply as you have chosen to single me and Dick Smith out for special treatment for some reason.

 

 

[Dick Smith]

Yadder yadder yadder, excuses for bad behaviour, of course we all believe you. All our fault, you are a genius - wake me up if I doze off, won't you?

[le bouffon]

Dicky,wake up.

[Tresco]

[quote user="KatieKopyKat"]

 I will admit I have been a bit of a strong cup of tea especially to Benjamin, Viva and Mr Smith (bless him).  However, I consider this to have been reactive banter (they started it [:D]) which I thoroughly enjoyed and I hope they also enjoyed my company.

On a more positive note we all join this forum for different reasons.  I have explained Twinkles reason and it has lit up her dark winter evenings.  She rings me excitedly telling me of the comical posts she has read.  My reason is that I am renovating a house in the Tarn and the information on this forum is second to none.  Someone posted on one of my threads that the newbies of today will soon be treating the newbies of tomorrow in the same way.  I dont think so.  Unless they pop me first which indicates they have thick skin and want to go for it. 

[/quote]

Ms Kat.

You and I (and twinkle) have been having a lot of a laughs;

When you first appeared I was completely unaware of your presence until I noticed a previously ignored thread. That was a thread that Viva and Dicksmith were involved in at an early stage. Swords were crossed, suspicions were aired about you and Twinkle.

By the time I got involved it was quite clear to me that you knew eachother, a fact which early on you both concealed. (That makes it sound deadly serious and evil; I don't think it was but I'll come back to that).

It's impossible for me to see this as they do, because I wasn't there and it wasn't me. Without looking back at the 158 response thread, I really do think viva was kidding along with you in the early stages of the thread. Still, the earlier spats with some other posters seem to have continued

We have had the occasional genuine trolls here, not many, I truly believe some people truly believed you were troll types, yet still they mostly played along and had a laugh.

Now everyone should know you aren't trolls, but some 'wounds' (again that makes it sound perhaps more serious than it should be) take a bit of healing:  I noted along the way various negative things that people said to you, and when you add it all up everyone is probably just about quits, if they can let themselves be.

I really hope you both stay.

 

[TWINKLE]

Thanks KKK. It doesn't matter anymore, yes I did enjoy the distraction of it all but it's all gone a bit sour for me now.  I didn't realise I was being cheeky to a moderator (Russethouse) you know how dizzy I am sometimes.  Well anyway, I've been told off and warned and I feel like a naughty 7 year old, and I don't like it. I didn't mean to offend ANYONE I genuinely thought that we were all ex-pats having a laugh and at the same time getting valuable advice.

I'm not feeling sorry for myself, but I do find quite a few of you rather stuffy.  I've been here for 17 years and I run like the wind in the opposite direction whenever villagers tell me that there are some British people in the vacinity.  I'll do the same with forums from now on.  Apart from Tresco, I really didn't feel any of you to be quite human. Oh well it was an experience. Perhaps I'll take up knitting to get me through to Spring.

Bye, bye[8-)]

[TWINKLE]

Thank Tresco, you're gorgeous! I'll pm you soon.

[Just Katie]

I ve only popped up Asda for a bit of washing powder and I've come back to this.  Twinkle has escorted herself from the building.  Come on girl you've been called worse things than Twinkie and havnt batted an eyelid.

[DZ]

I too hope, Twinkle, that you won't quit the forum.  After all, with 17 years' experience of living in France, your advice might be very useful for novices like me! 

The forum can get a bit too personal at times, but on the whole, I think it works extremely well.  My experiece on it so far has been a bit different from KKK's - I have asked polite questions and always got polite answers back.  This is not to say that I don't enjoy it when some posters "spice" the forum up with their weird and wonderful postings!  I was only left disappointed that KatieKopyKat turned out not to be Romanian after all.  Am I still the only Eastern European on this forum?

[Miki]

 I really didn't feel any of you to be quite human.

How true, a more

inhumain lot you would struggle to find but to give in now, after just

one ticking off is a bit woosey, some of us here are up to 10  black

marks..................and we don't all run from other Brits either, in

fact I have just driven around 3000 kms to be amongst a multitude of

fellow countrymen and not a Frenchie in sight, ! So now I am back, I

guess I had better get my integrated head (once worn by a certain Mr Gummidge) back on or I will have the oh so French Brits give me stick and tell me what I ought to be doing [:O]

Bye, bye

Surely after 17 years it is just au revoir or in the words of Derek Trotter..... Bonjour

[Tresco]

Davieszak

LOL

Great post!

I love East Europeans. I may be in danger of operating on a positive stereotype, but I do!

Davieszak, are you a 'trick' EE . I'll still like you if you're not, just for that post alone. I'm easy to win over.

[Just Katie]

Thank you Tresc, david & Miki.  I intended not to reply on this thread but  come Twinks youre tougher than that!!!  I hope you three believe we are just a pair of gigglers. We are NOT the same people.  Well I started this thread off with the truth.

[Pip]

Don't go Twinkle !  Even if some of us aren't funny and amusing ourselves we still appreciate it in others !!  You, KKK and the lovable Tresco have entertained me no end  -  long may it continue.

[Tresco]

[quote user="Pip"]Don't go Twinkle !  Even if some of us aren't funny and amusing ourselves we still appreciate it in others !!  You, KKK and the lovable Tresco have entertained me no end  -  long may it continue.[/quote]

Pip! If you could have heard MOH laugh at me being called 'gorgeous' and, by you 'loveable' you would  have cracked up.

He only married me for 'fiscal reasons'. I get all my affection here.

(only joking)

[DZ]

[quote user="Tresco"]

Davieszak, are you a 'trick' EE .

[/quote]

No, I am the genuine article, Tresco (albeit with British nationality by now).  But I don't want to hijack this post.  So, back to the main thread - let's start a campaign for all the gigglers to stay and not get discouraged!  Spice is important in life.

Bardzo was wszystkich lubie (no, these are not random letters - I will leave you to guess that one!).

[Furry Knickers]

It makes me sad that the human creatures of the world today are so eager to pull one another asunder for the most silly little reason! You don't get Chinchillas doing that to one another, do you?  This is simply a little place for people and other creatures that can use computers to share their love of our very gorgeous France. We should be united in our love of France if nothing else! I know there are 9 million bicycles in Peking, but there are a few here too! There is the Boufant for a start, one minute he is a happily married man, the next he is after the postman! but that is how he was made, and he can't help it that he swings 2 ways like them lads in Peking! I have a part time job in Asda as the Giant tin of John West Salmon, I give out samples of  the salmons  to shoplifters mainly, but one poor woman with a little lad of about 3  came in today, and as she put me sample in her mouth, she just started crying and dropped her bag of grapes on the floor.  as she scurried around on the floor picking up her grapes with tears falling from her cheeks, her little lad started singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" He sang every word and at the end he said "did you like that mummy" It was such a lovely moment that would need to be witnessed to appreciate just how lovely it was, I started to cry meself! It really makes life as a tin of salmon worthwhile! Let's all sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star to each other.......

"There may well be nine million bicycles in Peking, but you can't ride them all"  As Pat O'Hare once told me!

[Tresco]

[quote user="FurryKnickers"]

I have a part time job in Asda as the Giant tin of John West Salmon, I give out samples of  the salmons  to shoplifters mainly...[/quote]

You're a hoot Furry Nix.[*]

[le bouffon]

Furry knickers,I really do find your post lacking any sort of humour at anytime of day,but thats life.

[Pip]

Thoughts for the day.

1/  Tresco I don't care what gender you are but you do have a loveable nature !  I'm sure your OH married you for that reason alone.

2/  Furry Knickers thanks for lighting up my day at this early hour   : )   You don't post often enough !

[Tresco]

Hi Pip

I'm female but Furry Nix often calls me a Transitvan. Cheeky blighter.

Here's a picture that he's going to like. I know his tastes quite well now. 

[IMG]http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i76/twinm/pippinandtog.jpg[/IMG]

 

[Mochas]

Personally I'm glad that Twinkle is taking herself off and I think that she should take KKK, Tresco and Furryknickers off with her. How dare these people sully our screens with their infantile attempts at humour.

Any more of this and I shall sell my French house and take myself off to Tunbridge Wells where I can be with my own 'Disgusted' kind!

[Russethouse]

What I suggest you both do is go scroll to the top of the first page of this forum and read (and inwardly digest) the sections on Using the forum and Code of Conduct, then start again.

Some people may find you humorous but others are frustrated by inane comments on well reasoned discussions, frankly I agree with Viva, you have given as much as you have got - if you can't take strong comments in reply to yours, then moderate your own posts.

How you have been treated KKK, is with a great deal of tolerance so far, your idea of humour is others idea of rudeness, just remember things often look different written than if you actually say them where you can use facial expression or body language.

Just make sure your breath of fresh air doesn't become a howling gale!                                        

 

[:-*]PS - by the way, my Mr Smith is quite exciting enough and in fine working order[;)]

[Just Katie]

Dear Russethouse, 

 I opened this thread with the words 'how I have been received' not 'treated'. 

My concern is that a member posted on a different thread that I have made rude posts.  I  agree with Viva,  that I have given as much as I got.  Back to my opening post, I said I believed other members were 'bantering with' me and I therefore bantered back. The first two responses on this thread indicate to me it was NOT banter on their behalf.  We are all different and  I cannot be fairer than that.  

Also, we all have the right to fight our own corner whether or not in jest and I excercised my right here. If you look over my posts you will see that my strong words have always been in response to others.  I am reasonably intelligent enough to know that we all have different senses of humour and that  mine is not everybodys cup of tea and vice versa.  Many threads and posts that I have read on the forum annoy and frustrate me! Much of the bullying I have seen infuriates me. However, I tolerate the opinions of others without coming in with condescending remarks (in jest or otherwise).  Whether people tolerate me or not is up to them.  It is a big crowded world and having a low tolerance of others makes life hard for those concerned.

 

 

 

[Just Katie]

[quote user="Mochas"]Personally I'm glad that Twinkle is taking herself off and I think that she should take KKK, Tresco and Furryknickers off with her. 
[/quote]

Funniest quote I've read on the forum.  Laughed all the way to work on my own in the car.  Must have looked insane.

[Tresco]

Ms kat I honestly don't know whether  whether Mochas was being ironic or not, but I could not imagine a happier band of people on the whole.

I'd be the moody one of course.

You know I like it here, and I like you too, and Twinks.  It's giving me a headache. If anyone can make any further suggestions, just to me, without suggesting leaving, please feel free