Goodbye

[Mandy3206]

I don't like people to go away, specially if you've been around a long time, but why make a big deal out of it?
I've seen many people post the goodbye thing in other forums only to get back online a couple of weeks later, or to get a please don't leave posts.
If you want to go then so be it, it's your choice and only yours.
Good luck in your future, dive safe, goodbye.

 

[jonnythan]

I don't like people to go away, specially if you've been around a long time, but why make a big deal out of it?
I've seen many people post the goodbye thing in other forums only to get back online a couple of weeks later, or to get a please don't leave posts.
If you want to go then so be it, it's your choice and only yours.
Good luck in your future, dive safe, goodbye.

Sometimes this kind of thing is worth making a big deal over, and sometimes there are other people around who care to hear the reasons for a member like Wendy leaving. I for one would not have liked it if she just disappeared. I appreciated the message and the chance to tell her goodbye.

 

[OneBrightGator]

Life is too short to take stuff like this to heart.

I personally prefer "Life is too short to be an " but not everyone agrees with me on that one.

 

[chepar]

I am always saddened when a long time member of ScubaBoard decides to leave - and there have been many over the past couple years that do not contribute anymore.

As with any community that has experienced rapid growth, ScubaBoard is different than from before. Some may say was better before, some may say it's better now. I think it's not necessarily either - there are things that are good/bad about each.

As an example - Bad: it's a lot harder now with so many members to determine what's good advice and what's not. Used to be that it didn't take too long to figure out who was for real and who wasn't. Good: Hawaii now has a lot of members - in fact, we have our own "club" chapter. Used to be that I was the only diver from Hawaii represented here for the longest time and I didn't have a dive buddy - but then came the "population explosion" - and I met 3 of my regular dive buddies on ScubaBoard.

I think that everyone has something to contribute - at the very least to spark a discussion that someone can gain new perspective and insights from. When the thread turns ugly - I just ignore it.

I hope Wendy takes some time away and decides to come back at some point in the future. If not, thanks for your contributions, Wendy - I enjoyed them.

 

[CBulla]

I hope Wendy takes some time away and decides to come back at some point in the future. If not, thanks for your contributions, Wendy - I enjoyed them.

chepar - your post has to be one of the most well written and thoughtful posts I've read today. I especially enjoyed your last paragraph and echo that.

 

[Nomaster]

Wendy

I will heartedly agree scubaboard is not what it used to be. As with anything the board has changed with the the times, some of it for the good and some of it for the worse. Its a tough job to please everyone and scubabaord has seemed to meet that middle ground in my opinion although i do prefer the old board but am content with the new board.

I have been a part of law enforcement for close to 12 years. I worked the street for a short time then crossed over to the state for better pay and benefits and went behind the wall and have been there every since. I have worked in a variety of positions including four years in special ops(SERT/SWAT).

No matter where you go you are gonna have pro law enforcement, anti law enforcement, pro military, anti miltary, etc. As in any community you are gonna have those who are hard chargers and those who do just enough to get by. Unfortunately the actions of a few tend to label the rest of us in the law enforcement community.

Till those haters have walked in our shoes and see what we see and go through on a daily basis they are talking out the sides of their neck. I dont bad mouth anyones profession except career criminals and such No matter the profession most of us do the best we can while there will always be the small minority that do their best to do the least. Dont judge any profession or organization by a few bad apples and its unfortunate that those are the ones that seem to stick out like a sore thumb.

Thank you for your service.
I have just read the "Venice Beach $168.00" thread, and have read this far on the "farewell speech", and am still at a loss to find the cop haters.
I have seen many examples of bad behavior and bad enforcement, yes. I have seen people reacting to those things as well. I have also noticed that there are folks who point the finger at the folks who create their own problems.
You have pointed out that there are bad apples in your barrel, just as there are bad apples in every barrel (My favorite barrels to ping on include politicians and attorneys, but they are not the only groups that have that honor.) yet you tend to take personal offense, so it seems to me, for the actions of those bad apples.
In all of the threads that I've read, I still only read that people are reacting to what is bad... yes they/we generalize, but none have said that all law enforcement is "Icky-Poo" all of the time.
Why react as though someone making statements about what is wrong is making a personal indictment? I think that is just as gross an overgeneralization as any I see in most heated arguments. I think when we get too close to the discussion, we fail to see the real meat of that discussion.
Believe me, I get there (heated) often, too often to do much of worth with my views. If only I were wealthy enough to hire cooler heads, I would have an occupation to keep me too busy to dive... maybe a good thing I'm a poor boy.

Tom

 

[Nomaster]

Just wanted to say goodbye to those of you on this board that have been nice and have enjoyed my posts and have PM'd me to thank me for my help. I will no longer by posting on this board. I can not be part of a group that I do not agree with what they say. I had mentioned in another thread that I thought this board has declined in recent years, and although some may thing it is better, its not. I see dangerous and stupid things being posted that just plain aren't safe. I have seen homophobics run off several new members, and I have seen new members been run off because current members agrue with each other in their first threads Who wants to be a part of a message board that people bicker and fight. I don't, and that's why I am leaving. And the whole anti-law enforcement feelings of a few has just pushed me to my limit. No this board is not what it once was, and I don't like it. I am not happy with some of the newer forums, and gee don't we just have a forum for anything now. I'm surprised we don't have the anti-DIR, solo diving underwater basket weaving forum.

If anyone wants to keep in touch with me please shoot me over a PM and give me your e-mail address.

I hope that everyone dives safe and educated!

Bye!

Wendy,

I hope you reconsider.
As others have posted, staying and working to maintain the integrity that you valued in the board is much more productive than leaving.
One of my math professors, Don Horner, helped me understand that in 1972, when I was considering emigrating for the US because I didn't like the direction it was heading at the time.
I'd just returned from military duty, so as I look back, I was probably suffering from culture shock more than anything else.
Now it's worse and I still don't like it, but I hang around and whine to folks, rather than run away. I don't suppose I do much more than focus some peoples attention, maybe that's enough, anyway, it's certainly more than if I'd run away.
Oh, wait a minute, I'm in Korea now! Well, that's a recent thing, but I've stayed connected to the US.
Also, as jonnythan wrote:

Sometimes this kind of thing is worth making a big deal over, and sometimes there are other people around who care to hear the reasons for a member like Wendy leaving. I for one would not have liked it if she just disappeared. I appreciated the message and the chance to tell her goodbye.

It was good of you to voice your concerns, this thread is a product of your consideration. I have seen other written concerns about some degradation of ScubaBoard, specifically in the area of purported knowledge being disseminated by folks, bad advice.
I'm new to ScubaBoard, only a month here, so I can't speak from experience, but I can speak to what I've read since Sept 29.
Adults coming in should know, and the younger members advised, that the information in these threads is not gospel. Further, I believe that the folks who give out advice before they're prepared, should soon learn that they're in over their heads and should soon step back and read and experience for awhile.
We all learn, if prepared, from bad advice as well as the good, in fact it seems to me when bad advice is given in a thread, the good advice is that much better... (unless some get hot and it becomes a flame war). Because those who are attempting to set matters straight are doubly careful in stating their case for both the non-kenners and the person who gave the original, dangerous, advice.
There is room for all of us to have our say here on ScubaBoard, and for all of us to learn from one another. The more of us there are, the more diversity of knowledge and opinion, that's a good thing.
There will be growing pains.
Stretch, get in the suana, relax, the cramps will go away, and before you know it there'll be the problems of early adulthood to deal with. But that's another thread down the road.

Tom

 

[socaldiver]

I to have noticed a big change in the "mood" of the people on the Board. Pete, I agree with you that since you took over from KN and LD that you have made great strides along with your behind the scenes helpers, Tech Admin, and the mods.
But, I uess it is in the "eyes of the beholder" whether it is better or not.

Chepar, well put sweetie. I remember when you first joined and was "lonely" in paradise.

I too have seen many of cyber friends come and go, and wish they would come back. "In the old days" we were more of a spread out all over the place tight family, watching the numbers of new members growing slowly at first and then n leaps and bounds. I have met some really great people from this board they I have had the pleasure to dive with, and I have met some not so pleasant people and glad to see them gone.

 

[DandyDon]

I too have seen many of cyber friends come and go, and wish they would come back. "In the old days" we were more of a spread out all over the place tight family, watching the numbers of new members growing slowly at first and then n leaps and bounds. I have met some really great people from this board they I have had the pleasure to dive with, and I have met some not so pleasant people and glad to see them gone.

I've only been here for a little over a year, but - but it was a great place when I got here, and I'll certainly agree that it's getting better all the time. I don't think that perfecton would be a reasonable goal, nor would be trying to please everyone, but I do think the overall job being done here by Pete & the Mod Squad is terrific.

Some behavior not allowed under the TOS is going to happen, and that's why we have the Report ! button, or a member can PM a Mod - like I do many times a day. (As a member of the Greeter Team, we have been asked to report threads that need to be moved to more appropriate forums.) All that is just too easy.

And for the new members who don't know that, many of the Greeters encourage those who post Intros to PM them direct for help. I had one of those this weekend from a new lady who didn't want to post her question for fear of ridicule. I helped with that some, but more importantly - I forwarded it on to a Mod for futher investigation. There are just too many good sources for help here for anyone to stay upset over the rare occurance of unacceptable behavior.

And have you noticed the growth in international members! I'm going to have to start converting a lot of discussions to/from Celcisus & Meters!

"I have met some not so pleasant people and glad to see them gone." Yes, I have felt that way, too, but it's a big board.It's really easy to ignore the ones you don't like, up until time to Report ! why. I'm sure that some try to ignore me. :laughing: SB is a community, and life is going to happen.

 

[chepar]

Chepar, well put sweetie. I remember when you first joined and was "lonely" in paradise.

I too have seen many of cyber friends come and go, and wish they would come back. "In the old days" we were more of a spread out all over the place tight family, watching the numbers of new members growing slowly at first and then n leaps and bounds. I have met some really great people from this board they I have had the pleasure to dive with, and I have met some not so pleasant people and glad to see them gone.

Hey Socal!!! It's been a while since I've "seen" you around! :luxhello:

Yup, I am no longer lonely in paradise - and it's great.

This thread got me kind of nostalgic yesterday, and I started thinking of everyone that I don't see posting anymore. I wish some would come back, too.