Cookies!

[Di]

Since I'm one of the few members retaining from the early 2004 "clique", I do look back on those days with great fondness. I could reel of some names that none of the newer member would recognise. I personally feel that the site has drifted away from a Home and Away site. Perhaps we were guilty of that with the inception of the "The Oldies" thread, perhaps the cliquest thread of all, which was a thread specifically set up with the sole purpose for that group of members to talk betwene themselves.

Anyway, during that time the priority of the members seems to have changed. They want spoilers, they want to make artwork or they want to write fanfics, as well as talking about nothing.

There is also a lot of good here.

Nods head in agreement.

The good old days of 2004/2005, IMO they were the best days of the forum.

Sad but so true, I don't enjoy coming on the forum at all nowadays. Its almost unrecognisable, from 2004/2005, actualy for me. I noticed the forum started to change for the worse about three/six months ago . There has been so much change, and not always for the better.

[-Jade-]

Can I just ask, out of pure curiosity, what's changed? I've only been around for just over a year and I'm just intrigued because I've heard many say that the forum was so much better about 2 -3 years ago...

I'm honestly just interested.

[MarMar]

Is it weird that I really want to hear these rants everyone seems to have building up?

Also, I started this thread, and still nobody has shared a cookie with me! Please?

Of course not - you're the owner and that alone makes it obvious that you want to know what you can do to make the site better!

I think part of the problem is we end up in a cylcle of

"This rule is ****"

"Do you have any ideas to make it better?"

"Em, no"

We all like to criticise the site, the mods, the colour scheme etc, but nobody has a viable alternative.

Exactly!

Fair enough on some counts, but I have seen people propose ideas that could be been done differently. In fact, I think Elise (I'm sorry to use you as an example) even mentioned ideas today. I just find it unreasonable, and sometimes even annoying, that it seems everytime someone provides negative feedback, I see comments such as "If you don't like it, ignore it" or "You're so ungrateful, you complain about everything". I know the site is privately owned, but how are we to improve as a site, forum, and community if negative feedback is frowned upon by some?

I really wish you would actually read what's written instead of jumping to the "simplest explanation", especially since the "incident with Elise" was cleared up between myself, her and Emmasi.

[emmasi]

Mar, you're not the first and only person to say something like that, and while that particular "incident" was resolved, there does seem to be some repression going on. Just because someone disagrees with something the mods or admin are doing and speaks up about it doesn't mean that we don't appreciate ANYTHING you guys do... What about all the times we don't complain? No body ever mentions those!

The obvious one for me is the post count, and that's over so I won't drag it up... But my persistence in that thread got some people offside, and I was afraid that I'd get a warning or even a temporary ban, because I was aware that my attitude was being viewed so negatively. While I think I may have inadvertantly damaged some personal relationships, my image at the bored doesn't seem to have suffered too badly, and I'm still here, so... I can only presume that we are not in fact in a dictatorship and people can express their opinions without being reprimanded by the staff in any official capacity.

I think why people are so agressive in their defense against criticism is that quite often they're friends with the mods and admin, and why wouldn't you be? They're good people. They take the time to run this place to the best of their ability and of course, they're only human. But humans are falable and can make mistakes, and when someone makes a mistake that can effect the board, then the members of that board have the right to call them on it. I think the confusion comes when people express criticism of an action taken, and either the mods/admin or their friends take it as a personal attack. Nine times out of ten, it's not... but then it becomes personal because the response comes in the form of a counter-attack instead of discussion... and then it just snowballs from there.

Speaking of... I think it's time we get back to the food.

I'd love to put on a little bit of weight, just to get myself into a more normal category, but as hard as I try, I can't do it through eating.

Rub the food against a piece of paper. If the paper turns clear, it's your window to weight gain

However, say if your next door neighbour was growing cannabis in the bath, would you inform the police of it.

I think Ryan's been into the "special" cookies...

[Aquamarine]

I really wish you would actually read what's written instead of jumping to the "simplest explanation", especially since the "incident with Elise" was cleared up between myself, her and Emmasi.

I wasn't trying to refer to the "incident" itself, just the fact she provided suggestions and supporting information for her opinion.

Morning everyone!

[Nathan]

I agree with Di and Ryan, etc. I joined mid-year 2005 (I forgot my password and had to make a new account, hence my Joining date being Dec. 2005). BttB was awesome. It still is... just different. I don't know what it is to be honest. Quality of conversation, I guess.

I love peanut brownies!

[ilovekateritchie]

Is it weird that I really want to hear these rants everyone seems to have building up?

Also, I started this thread, and still nobody has shared a cookie with me! Please?

Poor Chris. *Throws bags of cookies at Chris.*

I agree with Ryan - let's share cookies here and take the discussion to another place, it's making me lose my appetite!

[Aquamarine]

I guess I'll share cookies like I did yesterday, anyone want a cookie?

[lollipop_lover11]

I would!

What types do you have?

[Aquamarine]

You name it, I have it.