Open letter to all Gners

Hello all, back from Ukulele club, and we did play Oh Boy.

I do not intend to make any comment regarding the posts apart from explaining the apparent change of name.

I was Pompa for several years, but I had said too much about myself over that time and was getting negative posts simply because every one knew me too well. As a man I was getting criticism that would not have been levelled at a female poster. I became very disenchanted and decided I had enough as I was not enjoying it any longer, I de-registered my account so it could not be re-opend. After a few weeks I has second thoughts and decide to re-join, I had to open a new account and decide to keep my details somewhat more private that before.
So I don't believe I have broken any GN rules. I have never taken any advantage of having a previous account and have never referenced any previous post by Pompa.

I leave it to GN to decide if the rukes have been broken and if the thread I started under the Garden thread should be deleted as I have requested.

Firstly, granjura I never trouble myself wondering who this person is from before.... I had a conversation with Grand Tea on another thread yesterday and didn't give his/her identity a second thought.

Secondly, I have also never had a pm asking, 'Do you realise who this is?'

Now this may make me 'Billy No-Mates' but I'm happy to carry on in blissful ignorance and take people at face value.

I shall report you grumppa, I do think you should have said a monstrous regiment of ladies ,

GrandTea, I didn't read your thread sorry because I thought there would be advice of how many ways there are to kill slugs - and I am squeamish . Anyway, if you enjoy being here then stay , not worth getting knickers in a twist is it really ?

And some people will always get the wrong end of the stick and beat other people about the head with it.

Same here, Merlot - and you can't change your name 'by accident' granjura. You left and had to rejoin with your present username. Please let it rest.

GandTea, thanks for your comment, and I totally understand in your case and hope you will stay, sincerely.

It's jsut that some leave and change names, again and again, and again- and this does lead to constantly wondering who is who, speculation and 'gossip' by pm, which is not positive imho.

There are some new posters recently who are clearly reincarnations. I'm quite sure about not, still wondering about the other. If this happens all the time, it does stir bees in some bonnets- and not just mine, I can assure you.

Do stay- please.

merlotgran I also like to lead a simple life and I had not worked out that GandTea had been pompa I have "met" some incredibly nice people on line who have backed me in a couple of times of adversity and also face to face when we have monthly coffee meet ups. I do not give a thought what they may have used as a name on line before.

I haven't noticed any clear reincarnations. This could be because reincarnations of people I don't know don't bother me. Why would it? Shrug.

Aint no bees in my bonnet though there was one buzzing around in the wood stove this morning that had to be let out and then caught in a jar and escorted from the house.

I'm one 'guilty' of changing username quite often, though not for a while now, but it's all there—with some embroiderings to provide gossip fodder for anyone who wants some—in my profile for anyone to see. I don't expect many people do.

Anniebach -- Please Please do not report Grumpa, the silly old Duffer doesn't know what he is saying. You need far more ladies than we have here to form a regiment. Ducks behind sofa with grumpa.

Nighty Night

But at least it made a welcome break fro all the dreary tub thumping going on!!

pomps has no idea of the picture of him I had in my head (of GandTea). She is/was about 59, and has/had tightly curled light ginger hair. And a slightly gin sodden look about her.

I'm not sure I can change that picture now.

I'm sorry pompa. You are stuck with it.

serves yer bloody well right too

tightly curled light ginger hair. And a slightly gin sodden look about her.

This is what happens when you don't come on GN for a few hours - you miss all the excitement! So now I've had to go and read the gardening thread to find out what it was all about. For goodness sake, some people are unbelievable. You're not leaving us, are you, GandTea (or Pompa, whoever you are today)? Don't let the b****rs get you down. We need to form a thin red line against mediocrity and pettiness

I always enjoyed your posts as pompa and would love to continue to do so under your new name GandTea. Please stay and keep us grounded.

Political correctness about Spanish slugs (vile things) .... Seriously! ?

Goodness, I go off for a few days and miss all the action! But what on earth was all that about? And it seems quite crackers.

I have often thought that people who contribute to a thread should actually read it properly as that just doesn't seem to happen enough.

If anyone should go it is the person who complained about - absolutely nothing!
It is good to have some lads on here providing some leaven so do stay GandT.

For what this is worth... here's my tuppen'orth.

Message forums are great.

Keep an open mind, and don't let yourself become too biased as everyone has their own 'take' on any given subject.

Please don't be offended when new posters come along. The posters are the lifeblood of any forum.

Stay. You atrr special and what you say is valid and worthwhile.

Go and someone will replace you

JBF. Gin Sodden, tight ginger curls and 59 !!! - I'll definitely go for that, sounds better than than actuality - beer sodden, bald and the wrong side of 70.

You know how to make a guy feel good.

not meant to be crossed out

Having had the opportunity to read all your posts, I thank everyone for taking the time to respond.

What has pleased me, beyond my expectations is that I am seeing GNers posting that have been lurking but perhaps unhappy to post in the current climate on GN. I have not seen some of you for a while.

It is YOU (remember the wartime poster), YOU are the heart of GN, the fun, the risque threads that make us chuckle. Yes we also need the serious threads. Those from Gners that need advice or our support, practical issues, current affairs ete etc.

Please help to bring the fun back into GN.

And for those on the current contentious political threads, please be appreciative of others views, they are your friends on other threads, bring a little humour into your posts and lighten the mood.

I don't see any reason for GNHQ to apologise, this is not what my letter was about. But I would like GNHQ to read what has been said and respond to the wishes of the majority, which I believe is to make it fun again.

xx G&T

There have been FB posts of a similar tongue in cheek title about Polish airmen coming over here in the war to fight for Britain. And doctors coming over here to save British lives.

GNHQ must think harder about this because such actions demean the real importance of using language sensitively.
People need to think about the full context of what has been said not just the words used, and not make such knee jerk reactions.

Elegran is spot on with her comments on the (?wilfull) ignorance of trying to ban the term blackboard.

I have heard of this being tried on the rhyme "Baa baa black sheep" to "blue sheep".

Whatever happened to irony!

I wonder if the person who reported the thread just saw the heading and took offence...I saw the heading and did think it was a bit off but then I read the posting which made me really laugh...Was wondering about getting a petition up to get the goverment to send the blighters back to spain! ?

its a pity that people do not read the threads instead of picking up a few words here and there and putting it all out of context...

Urban myths in my mind nelliemoser.we never sang Baa baa. Blue sheep.such a silly idea at the height of pc. White boards have replaced blackboard because they have a computer connections now.

This has become such h a storm in a tea cup thank goodness common sense has prevailed for pompa. It only takes one person to start turmoil.

I fully support whateverhisnameis's post. Also nellie's.

The humour and kindness is missing from lots of threads. Some of the more 'contentious' threads would benefit from more thoughtfulness. I, for one, mostly avoid those threads because of the hectoring, intolerance vitriol and hectoring. GN was not like that.

There is an awful lot of intolerance about!