New mods and the forum depression: Should we all take a break?

[stefy66]

I don't post much but I am deeply grateful to to you all and this forum. I see it like a light in the dark. Please, don't turn off the light. United we can find the strenght to go through whatever will happen.
Souza, I wish you all the best and I hope you'll come back soon

[emulik]

Thank you Souza, Bec and new mods for keeping after this wonderful place! People do seem more nervous nowadays, but maybe it is caused by approaching time, every day we are closer to december, to a deadline for some of us. I hope from the bottom of my heart that we will be able to stay positive and friendly here. After all, we ARE friends!
 :bearhug:

[paula-c]

Peace is a universal feeling (energy) that begins in our hearts and that eventually manifests itself in external events. This means that we cannot contribute to the peace without having found our internal peace.
If we want to achieve peace, the most powerful tool we have is our intention ... our intention makes miracles (literally). If each of us we can focus our intention on achieving peace, the problems will be solved easily. Each of us must do its part, In a small society as the family, where there is love among its members, you can lose the peace. There is no doubt that peace is something very fragile so you have to work patiently every day to win her over,  and finally, let us be cautious when we talk about other people, because without knowing we can reach out to hurting others.

[paula-c]

… .And i don't like this situation

[GINAFELICIA]

Hey Sou - I hope you didn't really mean that.
I am counting on your strength.

[MJonmind]

Bec

Oh dear.

This is not good.

We need to pull together and remember that none of us are the enemy, least of all Souza. She made this lovely place for all of us and put her own efforts into creating and maintaining it. I know a lot of people post their appreciation for that, and do so frequently, but it's so easy to gloss over the positive and be hurt deeply by the negative, especially when it comes from people we respect and care about.

I don't know how to fix any of this. I guess we are all dirty, nasty, deeply flawed human beings driven by self-justification. Myself included, of course. Not feeling very good about anything right now and feeling deeply guilty of something I can't put my finger on.

I feel like my heart is going to break...

Michael said he did all his music, dance, and creative output all for one reason--to be loved!!  He also has rhinoceros skin, and NEVER gives up! He said he got his warrior spirit from his dad, Joe.

Please everyone, let's follow in his footsteps, and do this for L.O.V.E., no matter what it seems someone else might be thinking negatively. We have to move forward. In the words of the 3 Musketeers, "All for One, and One for all"!  We have a goal to reach! MJ asked us, "Will you be there? Will you still care?"  I love you all so much, and it hurts to see you hurting.

We are all going to have to lift Souza's arms, like his helpers lifted Moses' arms during one battle.  Or we're doing down baby... :screaming-7365:

Grace

This however is not the case in 99.9% of human interpretations.
Both mechanisms have to do with individual insecurity and lack of faith.

My experience in this company is:
- everybody wants to be needed
- everybody wants to be kept in mind
- everybody wants to be respected
- everybody wants to be loved
- everybody wants to contribute positively.

MaryK, what a wonderful, perceptive and professional description of forum protocol.

[BeTheChange]

I don't know even know what to say...I left this morning feeling better about things on the board and now I just don't know what I'm feeling.  It's a mixed bag...too mixed up.  I find it very difficult to engage in the 'hoax' threads, including TS' and Front's threads (which are my favorite) when I see people not getting along...especially over possible misunderstandings.  It's even more saddening (to put it mildly) when it's happening between long-time members who we've come to KNOW are great people.

For whatever reason, a lot of us (myself included) are hyper-sensitive lately and it seems to be causing us to misinterpret/misread each other (I misinterpreted one of bec's posts last week...but thankfully, she helped clear it up for me).  It's also causing us to FORGET everything we have learned about each other along the way...and we DO know a lot about each other after being here together for so long.  We are a GREAT group guys!  We have so many different personalities on the board and even though we may not always agree on everything, we should be at the point where we at least give someone the benefit of the doubt...and if that still doesn't clear it up, then we should be able to approach another fully confident in knowing that they TOO will give you the benefit of the doubt.  Given how great the personalities are here....I'm sure that most issues could be resolved between those having the 'issue'...we're all mature adults here.  And if every attempt made to reconcile the issue has not been successful, then we should respect the other members of the board enough to just let it go.

I know it's easier said than done....anything worthwhile is, especially when dealing with emotions and relationships.  But we HAVE GOT to pull ourselves together and take responsibility for our own words, actions, and misunderstandings....and FIGHT to keep the family together, not against each other.

I also know that it's difficult to see a silver lining in any trying time.  But what has stood out most for me during the past week or so....in seeing members arguing amongst themselves, in seeing all of us being accused of being anti-Semitic, in misunderstanding one of bec's posts and feeling hurt by it, in seeing other members' feelings being hurt by something someone said (also due to misunderstandings)....what ALL that has made me realize is that we DO care about each other and we want those we care about to care about us too. ...no matter how much we try to deny it to ourselves or each other.

If you think about it, that's a pretty great silver lining...and I hope and pray that it will get us through this tough time.

With L.O.V.E. always.

P.S.  @Mary and Grace...thanks for your great posts.

[GINAFELICIA]

I am feeling like back in those few days after June 25th when I thought Mike was dead. Something between emptiness and despair :icon_pale:.
I am not really sure how we got to this point. What happened? Who started it? When exactly did it start? Why Front left?
What the hell is going on??

[Andrea]

I agree Paula:

Peace is a universal feeling (energy) that begins in our hearts and that eventually manifests itself in external events. This means that we cannot contribute to the peace without having found our internal peace.
If we want to achieve peace, the most powerful tool we have is our intention ... our intention makes miracles (literally). If each of us we can focus our intention on achieving peace, the problems will be solved easily. Each of us must do its part, In a small society as the family, where there is love among its members, you can lose the peace. There is no doubt that peace is something very fragile so you have to work patiently every day to win her over,  and finally, let us be cautious when we talk about other people, because without knowing we can reach out to hurting others.

There is enough bad stuff that happens in the world everyday, we don't need it in here.  Peace is possible even with conflicting personalities, we just need to want it enough.  This forum is a place to learn and love.

[MissG]

Oooops, just found out that @Admin is @Souza.

Considering all the s*it Souza has taken during the years of the hoax forum, her post soon or later was going to happen.

As I see it, she has been stalked and harassed for a very long time outside this forum, so it should not be easy to have the same feeling inside the forum, either by trolls or members.

Souza, you know you are a tuff cookie, but I would like to tell you and everyone feeling down at times, that the feeling of not being able to cop for any longer is just the sign to have been strong for too long, not a sign of weakness.

If you need your break, you just earned it.

I am sure I talk for many when I say that we are here, with ups and downs, with better and worst days, with laughs and confrontations, but still HERE WITH YOU in your forum.

[MissG]

Also, I think that the selection of mods could not be better!

[VeryLittleSusie]

Closing the forum for a few days is not a good idea... We might miss some important clues! And what if Michael would BAM during those "off-days"?  :Pulling_hair:

I love you all, guys. Souza, I wish you all the best in your personal life. Stay strong.

[Sarahli]

There have been a lot of great posts that I agree with, excellent observations.

It’s a great decision to have extended the number of global moderators. Excellent choice– love you guys and congratulations on the promotion.  :th_bravo:

Souza, we cannot thank you enough for all that you do to maintain this forum going. I really hope that you believe these words and do not forget them. I hope the fact there are new mods now will give you the time necessary to have this much needed break. TIME does miracles believe me. You will come back with a fresh mind and appeasement in your heart God willing.

It’s really sad that we’re losing members like that. We are a family and each member must know that they are loved and appreciated greatly. We all add something unique. We must stay united.

I don’t know what’s going on concerning all these sudden misunderstandings – there has been like a snowball effect of negativity. Maybe the fact Venus will soon come across the Sun has an impact, a little like the full moons?  :confused:  Joke aside-- if I can give a suggestion – it seems that sometimes words are misinterpreted or rather “intentions” – so maybe the use of a smiley can sometimes soften the way a post is received?

Example:

"I don’t agree with you."

"I don’t agree with you.  :icon_e_smile:"

Maybe a lame suggestion I concede lol, but I'm saying this because what I am seeing is that despite being a “family” we still do not know each other personally so we must still be careful about how we “speak” and come across especially in this form of communication.

I love each one of you and let's STAY STRONG FOR MICHAEL.

God bless you.

 :bearhug:

[Billie J]

I don't post here often, but I do read almost everything you guys read,this forum is very important for me.It feels good that u r not alone with believing mj is alive.
I Also thinks you Souza have done a very GOOD job here on the forum :smiley_abuv:  And I hope u Souza don't ever doubt that.Plz don't take down  this forum.


And I think it would be a good Idea to have rules like the one Grace posted. to keep this forum for us members in a better mood.
Our focus should be the Hoax, that's what we all started here for, 3 years ago.

Don't feed the trolls,I bet they like when we argue with eachother. Try not argue in public,keep it in a PM if u can!

KEEP THE FAITH;BE STRONG.

[hesouttamylife]

Souza, no one can run this board like you do. That’s just a fact, simple and true.  As I have said many times, I’ve frequented many, many forums over the last 3 years looking for a place that felt real and where I would be taken seriously and given a voice without feeling foolish or like a misfit.  :icon_pale:  This Is It! Period. 

This place is like an extended family inn; a whole lot of people in one house, bumping into each other, with different personalities and at different stages of growth.  We are going to get on each other’s nerves from time to time, but in the end, we hug and make up.  That’s human and shows maturity and sincere comradery.  No one is going to be agreeable 100% of the time. Heads are going to bump and sometimes feelings are going to be hurt. I am no exception to the rule and neither is anyone else.  It’s the end result that makes this forum stand out from any other that I’ve seen any where. 

So as far as you not posting anyore, bummers  :computer-losy-smiley:  Where would we be without you?  Certainly a long way from where we are now.  You are like Big Mama, and in a family this size, big mama is needed  :LolLolLolLol:

Take a break.  You certainly deserve one.  I’ve taken a few as have many other members.  But we came back because it is our familiar and we were welcomed back with hugs and open arms. 

I am probably one of the oldest members here, retiring in about 3 months  :woohoo2: , but I love it here.  Please don’t shut it down.  I look forward everyday to getting home and reading what people have discovered while I’m at work, or just some of the light hearted responses that make me smile.   (Gina for one)  :smiley-vault-misc-150:

I know you will be the one to make the final decision, but I hope you, Souza will not stop interacting with us and that the forum will stay up even if the activity level goes down.  When it is the right time, it will come alive again.  Bec, Curls and the new mods (CONGRATULATIONS) can keep this thing on track because we are all grownups.  When its house cleaning time, everybody needs to be accountable for and clean up his own mess.   I believe that we can and we will.   :bearhug: