Suggestion

That's exactly why they are marked OT - Off Topic. That gives the reader the choice as to whether they would like to read it or not.

Back in the days when everyone was sitting around the quilting frame - EVERTHING was discussed. Not just quilting. I have been around this group for 10+ years and every now and then there are things that have been discussed that seem to upset some people and not others. We just have to choose what we want to read and what not to read.

I have not posted to anything Anne has said as I do not have experience with depression or know of anyone that has had it. BUT, I choose to read what is going on in her life and PRAY that she does get the help that she needs.

Your whole post was great, Cindy, but I particularly liked this part.

I'm sorry to say that I believe, however, that people find it easier to be unkind in an ng than they would IRL, say, around a quilting frame. Maybe the "quilting frame" standard of civility would be a good goal for all of us!

ep

I totally agree Cindy. There are many posts that I do not read--even some related to quilting--because they do not pertain to me or what I am doing atm. However, it hardly a hardship to mark the thread as read and go on.

RTCQ is a particularly lovely group because as a rule we support each other in more than just quilting. Amongst us, there is a wealth of experience and wisdom in many areas.

Best regards, Michelle in Nevada

No sireee, nope. Not me. There are many rctq-ers who welcome reading about events and thoughts of our very special group here. Puppies, cooking, bragging, complaining - bring them all on. The freely shared abundant wealth of knowledge or support here is such a joy and surprise. I remember one time suggesting that someone tie a banner to an arrow and aim it over an ugly light pole. Lo and behold, a state champion archer appeared then and there. We have laughed and cried together many times. No one is being held hostage here. The delete key or simply the down arrow will allow someone not interested to pass on by. Share with us - or don't. You don't even have to bring refreshments - but a jar of Sunny's chow-chow would be welcome. Polly

"Cindy Schmidt" That's exactly why they are marked OT - Off Topic. That gives the reader

Um...on 10/11, you posted "Update on me...some OT".....As the long time posters know, we left Oregon where most of our children and grandchildren live so I could care for my ailing mother. After 10 months she graduated from hospice and DH and I got an apartment here in northern Idaho. After a lot of looking, I finally got a job as a motel housekeeper. It wasn't long until my hours were cut to about 15/week. Living here is not what we want so we started looking for work back in Oregon. We think we have found it. We will know for sure the 20th. I've continued to make quilt tops and occasionally even finish a quilt or quilted item. Everything I've done is pictured in my webshots album.

So, not sure what has you upset about OT posts....people in glass houses/he who is without sin.....and all that stuff

Larisa, scratching her head at this one

I don't read all the posts, but, I make sure to read yours Polly! You always make me smile! Keep posting! Michelle G.

With much respect for your opinion, I don't think I'd like this group near as much if it were just predominantly a quilting Q&A forum.

I do enjoy the OT posts. I don't know the posters here very well, but I've hung around enough to know that I'd *like* to, so that type of post gives me a lot of insight into the RL side of folks. I welcome that.

I hardly ever post personal stuff, because no one here knows me either, but I did post OT about my cat a week ago. I went to the P.O. a few days later, and there were several cards/letters with the kindest sentiments written in them, and fabric squares too. It just meant so much to me. I am in the process of trying to thank those folks now. I don't think anyone knows how much I treasured those letters. It wasn't just the cards, or the fabrics, it was the fact that someone, somewhere cared enough about me and my old yellow cat to send them.

You don't get that in a strictly informational newsgroup. I like Cindy's analogy to a quilter's bee.

I nearly didn't write that post. I am so glad now that I did.

Maybe if everyone is very diligent to mark such posts "OT" it would be easier for the folks who are not interested.

Sherry

So don't read it if it's marked OT and you're not interested. There's noone standing next to you with a gun pointed at your head making you read all the posts. Read what you want and mark what you don't want as read, or delete it, whatever. Personally, I like reading about other things as well; otherwise the group would be a "how to" manual.

Claudia

I just love this group. Some days I don't read any of the posts, including those both OT and about quilting. Other days I read up and down and backwards. Sometimes I just want to see my friends' names and know that you're all still here.

I don't want anyone to be hurt here, to feel left out or ignored or jumped on or ...... and that's me in RL too. I seem to go around soothing ruffled feathers and introducing friends to each other and trying to keep the world quiet and happy. Mary, I understand how you feel. And you are right to voice that opinion. We are all right to voice our opinions, as long as we all respect each other.

I love you all. This NG holds a ridiculously huge place in my life. Just know if I could I'd hug each and every person here. (Polly, don't worry girl, I've got your snail mail somewhere and I fully intend to send you a jar of chow chow.)

Sunny

I rather enjoy the wide variety of postings! Quilters are lively, interesting people with a lot to say about a variety of topics, and I am certainly "guilty" of the occasional off-topic posting myself -- which you are, of course, free to ignor. Because so many quilters seem to have resident cats earning their kibble as Quilt Inspectors, this is where I turned for advice about my cat. (I'm a "dog person", but now have my own QI cat.) And by the way, the advice about the masking tape rings to deter clawing furniture has been wonderful!

Quilt-wise, I am one or two days away from being finished with a wholecloth quilt! It will fit a twin bed, and if I can figure out how to post photos I will do that.

I've been subscribing to rctq for almost 12 years - this isn't the first time, by far, and I'm sure it won't be the last time that this subject has come up. When I first subscribed there was quite a flame war in progress over this very topic.

I can't imagine not getting to know all of you through all the OT discussions. I've never been to a quilt bee, meeting, get-together (whatever you want to call it) yet where anything and everything wasn't discussed!

For those who don't want to read subjects that aren't of interest to them - don't! You can always ignore the threads you're not interested in. I don't always read every post, sometimes I don't have time, sometimes I'm not interested in that particular discussion, but that doesn't mean that discussion shouldn't be there just because I'm not interested.

I appreciate all the wonderful friends I've made on rctq, quite a few of them I've met in person and felt like they were old friends the minute we met face-to-face.

Donna in SW Idaho

Now that really resonates with me!!! I;ve been here FAR too long and love!

I think, perhaps, all that is needed is that we are all *very* careful to label OT messages as such. If this is clearly done, so that anyone who only wants to read about quilting can do so, there shouldn't be a problem. This is a hugely diverse group and no one 'thing' can suit everyone.

I would not want to have to find another newsgroup. For some time I belonged to a quilting only group and you would not believe how many arguments there were about what constituted a quilting topic - how far it could be extended. I didn't last more than a couple of years there!

There are, actually, many on topic posts that with the best will in the world cannot be interesting to me: there are many purely American pieces of information - like local shows etc. So, I don't pursue those threads. Let's not get this all too deep and serious - there's enough of that around us all.

Just *mark* OT's OT.

(Someone said something recently about the position of the colon or something in the topic title - didn't register with me, but maybe it warrants repeating if it is relevant here?) . In message , maryd writes

Sure.

There are some newsreaders, and programs that read news, that will strip out anything that comes before a " : " in the topic line. It is a sloppy way for the programers to make sure that you don't wind up with a dozen threads that all start out re:re:re:re: ad infinitum when people reply to a message. So when a thread is titled OT: whatever, invariably someone's newsreader will strip off the OT:, and make it into a seperate thread. So it will look like the OP did not properly title their post.

Some versions of OE do this.

That is why I do not use a colon in the topic line when I write an OT post.

NightMist

Thanks very much Nightmist. . In message , NightMist writes

so, here's a somewhat relevant question.....when I post an OT message, and yes, there are more of those from me recently since I haven't actually been able to quilt for a while.....it seems that someone responding to it will, invariably change the topic so that there is no OT label anymore.....then further down, somebody else will change it back to an OT thread.

My question is very simple....if the original poster has determined it is OT (more stuff, less fabrics/quilting), why change it when you are responding to it?? Sometimes, the changed topic shows up as a new topic for me (still trying to figure this one out), when it is really part of an OT thread.....am I making any sense, or is this clear as mud?? The tangent question is why anyone would take it upon themselves to change the topic in any form if they aren't the original poster of the message.....

Just curious.....but, to get back to the core of this...really, some people need to vent and have no other means of doing so (or at least feel they have no other means of doing so). If it is someone I know, I will read their messages and decide for myself if I will continue to read updates....regardless of being OT or not. When the messages start getting really kooky (as in recent cases), I will continue to keep the poster in my thoughts, but I don't continue to read their messages or any responses posted to them.

We were given, as human beings, free will....the right to choose.....choose not to read the OT posts, but if you do and you complain about it, make sure that YOU haven't posted any OT messages as well....goes back to that people in glass houses thing.

Larisa, who likes the diversity, and specifically for MaryD, is hoping that the jobs you mentioned (OT post) are progressing and that you get to move to where you want to

P.S. Have you noticed that this post, regarding OT posts, is getting more activity in the last 24 hours than any other post, specifically the ON topic ones???

Hi Larisa,

One possible reason is that once a thread has gone so far astray from it's original topic, the OP has dropped out of the discussion, and for whatever reason, is no longer around to change the topic. When the thread is very active, yet really no longer pertains to the original topic, a change may seem/be appropriate. I'm sure many folks have seen a topic listed, gone to the end of the thread, and found that people are discussing recipes for granny's chewy fudge muffins instead of paper-piecing Y seams. I often find myself interested in the "evolved" topic, yet have trouble keeping track because the title topic is totally unrelated. I've also found myself at both ends of the question (OP & changer).

Ahhh... Usenet! :-) (But it's not just Usenet either; I belong to a few web-based quilting sites that function basically the same way as RCTQ - they become small communities of people who get familiar, and read more like [as mentioned early on by Cindy S.] social quilting bees.)

Doc