new thread
Hey, I'm back :)
After my trip through California, Nevada and Arizona (more than a year ago, some of you might remember some of my posts) I was so much sunken into work (and other troubles) that i never made it back here again. I used to lurk once in a time. More and more recently and now I thought it's time to join the community again.
It's so cool to see all the new members starting to grow their hair out or showing their already georgios manes.
Here I need to say something which might have been a reason to not to join the discussions here any more.
For me, this is a board of people admiring and loving to have long hair. For me, being a longhair is (among thousands of other reasons, like loving the look, the feeling, ...) showing that I am different, that I don't act to the rules/standards just because they are there... But I expect to be respected and I think this is very much so in my environment.
I often try to read between the lines written here and very often I find that we longhairs miss tolerance (respect) from the 'non-longhaired' community. Just remember the threads about work discrimination but also the threads about how to react to some comments of other people about long hair.
But sometimes I became more and more frustrated about the intolerance of some members here. One example that comes to my mind (if I remember correctly) is how João David has been attacked for only wanting to get applause for his hair. I might have missed it but I've not found an update from him since this discussion happened.
Hey, we love long hair and most of us enjoy seeing beautyful long hair, not???
Another thing that ennoyed me was the never ending story about trims or not. Hey, what the h... does that matter?
Anyways, these are some of the things that I needed to get mentioned before I rejoin again :)
I am very glad to be (a very minor) part of it again.
Btw. I took that picture of me in the elevator because I thought it might stimulate Justin to do some more 'magic' :))
Hope I did not bother you guys too much with this post...
-- tom
Hi Tom,
Welcome and great to seeing you posting here again and thanks for posting the update as well.
Like many other people here, I hope that I'm doing my bit in being positive and supporting our longhair communuity here and encouraging people to grow their hair out and maintain it. I always made my thoughts clear on trimming and that's just one opinion and after all it's a free world here :-)
Look forward to your ongoing support.
Cheers,
John.B
Hey John
Thanks for your welcome.
I did not want to offend anyone personally, I just wanted to explain some of my reasons for taking such a long time-out on this board.
I truly appreciate your effort in supporting the longhair community and your mane has been inspiration for me several times (although it might need some trimming... hehe).
Cheers,
--tom
Hey Tom,
Great to hear from you again, and I very much enjoyed reading your comments.
First of all, as far as I know, there is no formal "joining" or even "re-joining" policy here. Just show up and post anytime that you have the time to jump in and say something!
Secondly, although I agree with many of your statements, I try to remind myself of the fact that our community is made up of many different individuals -- and if it's one thing that most longhairs can agree on, it's the fact that we tend to pride ourselves in being VERY individualistic!!! Sometimes that can come out in disagreements though, unfortunately. I know that I myself have sometimes regretted saying a few things here that I later realized could have been said in a nicer way (but conversely, at other times occasionally wished I had even been MORE sarcastic - LOL)....
It's also a good thing to keep in mind that we are all growing as human beings as well -- emotionally, spiritually, and hopefully hair-wise, too!!
Having said the above, I hope that in the future that anything that you find upsetting or annoying that makes it onto the board here, that in the long run you'll eventually just take it as a grain of salt. Having been a moderator here at one time (from approximately '04 - '07), I can attest to the fact that there are plenty of things that do NOT ever make it onto the hyperboard, thank goodness, that are far nastier and/or controversial than anything you have probably read in the past.....
Welcome back!!!
- Ken in San Francisco
Hey Ken,
Thanks for your statement. I pretty much agree with what you said but at that time it was just no fun anymore to read many of the conversations on the board.
Because most of the contributors here (being frequent posters or periodical updaters) are interesting and friendy individuals and usually very inspiring, I am glad that I found back here.
And, thanks for mentioning the filtering work that the moderators have to perform. I never thought of that but now I understand more how difficult it must be to decide for a go or no-go, especially if we want to be part of the free world, like John said.
I'm glad to see you guys again :)
Yours,
--tom
Hey Tom
Great to see you back and your hair looks amazing! Here is something different: a "Magic Painting" in the style of Picasso inspired from the photo. And to think, my "Crayolas" were even able to do this abstract.
With all good wishes and again, great seeing you back here.
Take care-
Justin~
Hi Justin :)
Thanks for that artistic work! Hm, it looks like I have some counterpart of mine on the Planet of the Apes :)
Is it possible that Picasso went there on vacation some time?
Cheers and thanks for your greetings.
--tom
Hi Tom,welcome back as I certainly do remember you.In fact the last thing I remember about you was that road trip you took on the west coast in what I recall was a cool Mustang convertible.Wasn't it also a Hertz Shelby edition?
Regarding your comments about the board I have to agree with what Ken said below.Yes, we are all longhairs but we can be very stubborn and outspoken too.You just have to let certain comments you read roll off your back in the end.Ken also is so correct when he mentioned what the moderation crew keeps off the board.Imagine the disaster the mlhh would be if everything posted was allowed to go to the board.You'd be amazed at the garbage that's attempted to be posted by people who just want to cause trouble.So just chill my friend and enjoy your re entry to the forum:)Cheers
Mark
Hey Mark :)
Now I know why men always want to have cool cars. Because then they will be remembered :)
Yes, you are completely right about that car :)
Your comments about the garbage that the moderators have to keep away from the board makes me kind of curious...
Is it hate tirades against longhairs in general or is it more unfair comments about individuals? Hm, what surprises me is the fact that - if I understood Ken and you correctly - it is a reasonable number of such posts...
Thank you very much for your welcome.
Cheers,
--tom
I hope Mark won't mind me chiming in here...
It's not so much the number of posts that thankfully never make it onto the board, as it is the idiocy of some of them... It's every koo-koo crazy thing you could ever imagine (including the examples you listed above)-- and then some! Let's just leave it at that (LOL).
- Ken
Hey Tom,
Well that is true about cars if you are a "car guy" which I am:)Actually I'll be going to the New York Auto Show next weekend to see all the new toys.Of course in my book men will not only be remembered by their cool cars but also by their gorgeous manes!So there you have it, two ways to be a standout my friend;)
The comments or posts you will not see are fakes who try to pretend they are longhairs, when they are not, and appear to have some other motive to post the board.Generally undesirables who are not welcome.Some posts are very negative or are haircut posts, that who on a longhair board would want to read that!Then you get your garden variety of solicitations from online pharmas peddling their "Pill Of The Day".LOL.That's some of the things that come to mind Tom.
Mark
Tom;
Great to see you back....just the other day I was thinking about how close you and I were last year and missed a MeetUp....next time my friend.
And echoing the replies of the other moderators to your comments....an enormous effort goes into keeping this board on a positive and even keel, with some tough judgment calls being made in the "back room"...while sometimes some negativity does get to the board; this is mostly an upbeat, supportive "happy place".
Thanks for bringing the subject up so we could reply on the board which is not normally the case.
Looking forward to seeing more of you.....sans Picasso! Ha!
Walter
Hi Walter,
That's funny, just before posting, I was thinking about that intersection with the gas station and the 'fun house' you were telling me about...
Yes I agree with your statement
and I will be trying to see it from this point of view when I next time get upset about some intolerant fights on the board.
Thanks for your kind words and hopefully next time we'll meet up either when you're in Switzerland or when I will be in your area again...
Cheers,
--tom
Welcome back Tom,
Good to see you again.
- Oren
Thanks, Oren.
Good to see you and all you guys again.
--tom