Al the optimist
Veteran Member
I wonder if I might comment on the Moderators?
There are times when we on the forum have communication problems and a little intolerance and testiness follows. Over the years this seems to be a bit like the Camino - it comes in waves! For a while all is peaceful harmonious and then at another crowded with ping-pong conversations. I am as guilty as the next for pressing enter too soon without considering how well I may or may not have phrased my comment. Especially so when I make my poor attempts at humour!
Back to my thoughts. We need the Moderators at such times. I am not sure that we would still have this community asset without them. It was getting to big a task for Ivar a few years back. They work ceaselessly for us doing a task that I for one feel I would be inadequate at. Please bear in mind they are fellow pilgrims seeking to help other pilgrims. They are also on their pilgrimages! Like us they are also travelling their Camino through life, generously giving of their time seeking and trying to help others who are of a similar mindset. On our Caminos we have good days and bad days, just like we do in every other aspect of our lives. Sometimes we find ourselves challenged to understand the intentions of others, sometimes those of ourselves even. It is a great challenge for the moderators to always get things right. Each of them may have a slightly different approach to others on any particular day.
I for one think they do a great job in calming situations down and they normally do so without offending anyone. They use PMs in doing so to not embarrass people in public. PMs are an underused facility on this forum. Maybe when members disagree at length on a topic publicly they could perhaps consider using this method instead?
A lengthy post, I hope I have set the right note. Then again I could never sing!
Buen Camino y Buen Forum compañeros.
There are times when we on the forum have communication problems and a little intolerance and testiness follows. Over the years this seems to be a bit like the Camino - it comes in waves! For a while all is peaceful harmonious and then at another crowded with ping-pong conversations. I am as guilty as the next for pressing enter too soon without considering how well I may or may not have phrased my comment. Especially so when I make my poor attempts at humour!
Back to my thoughts. We need the Moderators at such times. I am not sure that we would still have this community asset without them. It was getting to big a task for Ivar a few years back. They work ceaselessly for us doing a task that I for one feel I would be inadequate at. Please bear in mind they are fellow pilgrims seeking to help other pilgrims. They are also on their pilgrimages! Like us they are also travelling their Camino through life, generously giving of their time seeking and trying to help others who are of a similar mindset. On our Caminos we have good days and bad days, just like we do in every other aspect of our lives. Sometimes we find ourselves challenged to understand the intentions of others, sometimes those of ourselves even. It is a great challenge for the moderators to always get things right. Each of them may have a slightly different approach to others on any particular day.
I for one think they do a great job in calming situations down and they normally do so without offending anyone. They use PMs in doing so to not embarrass people in public. PMs are an underused facility on this forum. Maybe when members disagree at length on a topic publicly they could perhaps consider using this method instead?
A lengthy post, I hope I have set the right note. Then again I could never sing!
Buen Camino y Buen Forum compañeros.