Muscatine

I was so excited when I was first introduced to this site. Meighborhoods just aren't what they used to be when I grew up, sharing, watching each other's backs. Today it all gets lost in the life we all live; too busy; HOW many of you are close to your neighbors? I NEED a connection to my town, MY neighbors; A connection & a support of some sort. I hoped I could find that here.
I can't believe that I am the only one that would want or hope for this? I had made the decision to shake my head, leave & move on. I signed on tonight, expecting for the posts to ''blast me out of the water'', and realized that There are some very caring & compassionate people that come here, SOME of them are just scared of posting, because of the negativity they have read! Those very people are the ones that I hope I can connect with and that I could feel that a connection to? If U disagree, I'll listen. Just don't tear me apart, or go off on another poster w/ an agenda of your own! Is that too much to ask? I'll give you the same respect! If I do, CALL ME ON IT! I'll listen!
When I read about multiple posters, I WAS VERY ANGRY! A poster responded in a post about wanting to ''take on other personalities, it felt good''. I get it!, but my response is that you have lived a life rich w/ experiences. You are the very person God wants you to be. Don't deviate from that. Say what you mean & mean what you say? BE & OWN up to who you are! That is why I was so angry @ the thought of ''multiple posters.'' I want to know the person I'm speaking to, not a fake!
A lot of people made fun of the analogy I made in another post about the playground we all have been in. I lived the life as the ''outcast, because I had beaver teeth, chubby girl, etc''. STILL GOT THOSE TEETH! I could have them fixed today but I choose not to; it made me the person I am today. God & a line of people will tell you that I'm NOT perfect.
I'll stand up to you if you come after me or anyone else that touches my heart. You can HURT ME BACK; words can drive a sword through our hearts. If I piss you off, ask me why I said that, give me a chance to respond before biting back? I'll try to respond in kind.

Tlou

I think you hit the nail on the head some posts back when you mentioned about the crazy aunts raising all of us will with morals and to respect other people. Perhaps if they could have raised all the kids in Muscatine this might not be such an acyromoiuos sight. I'm not saying that all the rest of you had bad parents, so don't start. But the golden rule was taught to us quite convincingly. The problem is in a real neighborhood where you see your neighbors face to face its hard to tell them they are %$&*^ and @#!$@** and worst of all &%*(^$#$^&^#!@!@#$#. Something about the anonimity on this site makes people ''brave'' and bold enough to be rude to others. They certainly wouldn't be this way face to face. So when someone is rude to you or belittles you, just remember they didn't have the fortune of the crazy aunts. We did, therefore we must be above all this. These are just words and ''sticks and stones...'' Someone once suggested we should have a party and everyone from the neighborhood here get together and meet. This would never happen as the ones who bark and growl the loudest wouldn't show up because they would be to scared we would all see the pussycats they really are. Talk is cheap and this place is the only place they can afford to be bullies. Ignore them. Herman and I got into it once and I left the site for a short time. Then I realized I missed these bozos. I couldn't stay away. These guys are like a big bowl of peanut M&M's. I just can't stay away. I just want to lick each one of them and stick them back into the bowl. Hang in there a while and see. There are a lot of good people on here too.

Many Of Us Are In The Same Boat

on this with you. I have learned that some posters are here to have some fun and others to stir up trouble of some kind. Much of it is harmless unless it becomes personal. We live in a nation that has free speech and we want to keep it that way. Some know how to use this to their advantage and do not care or realize the effect it has on others. I think it is great a lot of ladies have joined the neighborhood because a woman's view of things often offer a perspective that us men can not conceive. I am glad you are here and now that I am back, please do not entertain the thought of leaving. Stay and enjoy the fun as you see it.

Well said LJ

And yes, we do have the right to free speech. And a lot of ''bullies'' hide behind that. But along with any right there also has to be responsibility. Self imposed responsibility. That is where a few are lacking on this sight. Do you really think that all the thousand of veterans who have fought and died for your right to free speech did it so you could badger another human being? So you could belittle and degrade others? That degrades their sacrifice. With rights has to also come responsibility to use those rights properly. Otherwise what good is having freedom of speech if we are only going to use it for hate and acrymony. (Dismounting my high horse now.)