Stay on topic

[TheRavenMother]

Hi
I am wondering if anyone here is getting a little tired of OFF TOPIC chats within serious threads?
Or leading a thread astray from the original poster, or astray from the original topic?

Okay, we all love fun and games, believe me, I enjoy the occasional cupcake fight like anyone else does, but there is a time when all you just want to do is sit down to a serious thread and don't loose focus!
I made the play room thread just for that purpose. Post in the play room thread, a quote from someone and then put in your playful topic, PM the person, or just do light jokes in there - but dont get heavy on it, that it looses originality to the post.
I am getting rather tired.
I see serious threads I really need to learn things about and I go there and theres all these jokes etc 3 pages long, and by the time anything serious is posted there I've given up hope in finding anything useful.
I think we better tone things down, okay! I am not trying to control IS, or dominate a situation, but I am sure you'll all agree, you can have too much of a good thing!

[Roier]

Well, it must be true comming from the person with most post on IS.

hehehe,

*hugs*

[Rue]

i agree

[TheRavenMother]

I know I joke around sometimes, but I think some people go too far and the jokes last too long!

[Calibas]

When life gives you red herrings, make fish tacos.

[sshenry]

*bows down in abject humiliation for having made extended jokes on Raven's threads*

[Charity]

Yes, we need to learn to stay on topic. You're very lucky this site is so lenient. I've been to places where some people would have been banned by now for being off-topic.

[sshenry]

sweeheart, the day they start banning people for a little lighthearted humor is the day that this will no longer be an Indigo website and they will begin loosing people left and right.

I could point at thread after thread that has gone off topic - not for humor but because it has been hijacked by someone with thier own agenda - and I don't hear people complaining about that. In fact, if topics don't evolve they tend to die off and get left by the wayside.

[TheRavenMother]

You dont need to avoid my posts for joking around, just in general some peoples threads are destroyed with the lack of focus of very important topics.

You dont need to apologise either Sshenry, a joke is ok in dribs and drabs but sometimes 2 or 3 people keep the joke going on 3 - 4 pages, then spread the same joke in loads of other places, when it would be just simpler to use a play room thread for those kinds of moments!
I know I joke around on threads, but I do try and contain it and not spoil the thread, some others dont.

[Patryc]

I don't think that spoils the threads in the slightest - it keeps people focusing on them actually coz it keeps bumping the thread up

really you do joke around on threads just as much as anyone else I have noticed so I think this is a bit of a case of the kettle calling the pot black. Plus it's just general banter not something that should be frowned on - this is a light hearted forum after all. IMHO this lightheartedness actually helps lift the mood here in IS. Some people get way too serious and that can really dampen peoples moods.

[sshenry]

Life is too serious.

[Annette]

In conversations in real life we tend to get off topic. Rarely do I have a conversation where we talk about only one thing for hours on end. With friends, I'll talk about something about my daughter then that will spark a memory/story in my friend and she'll take the conversation from there...and so on. This is true with most conversations. IS conversations are no different. We'll talk on topic for a while then joke for a while and pretty soon it will get back on topic. Conversations happen in a circle. Rarely are they linear.

[sshenry]

Amen to both you ladies

[TheRavenMother]

The main thing I am on about is the lengthy playing around on threads. I agree sometimes it makes the original topic stand out more with variations relating to the topic, and other things similar to it, as thats the natural flow of conversation - but to have threads ruined by 3 pages of jokes, cupcake fights etc, is getting a little tiresome.

[sshenry]

*looks saddly at smart ass comment she was about to make and puts it back on shelf*

[raztaz12]

I've learned to be more light since I started posting on the forum. Taking my sense of humour and applying it to many situations.

[TheRavenMother]

I have nothing against play either, just only when it lasts 3 pages, and the whole topic of the thread is thrown off bonk! its ok to play in dribs and drabs.

I've noticed many new people on here confused at thread posts, nervously writing in to the original topic, asking what is all these jokes about etc... and on many occasions had to PM the original poster coz they are confused because everyone lost the plot!
its ok to joke, but not forever on 1 topic which is not a game thread!

[TheRavenMother]

I apologise for being a grump the other day.
I realised that a lot of people in here suffer from depression and joking around helps them break away from that.
I do get a little annoyed when I see pages and pages of jokes ruining a topic, but I apologise for being such a bitch about it.
Wasn’t meant to cause offence, wasn’t meant to make people uncomfortable here.
It’s just sometimes, I get a spare few minutes away from the stress and callings of my mum. So, I want to read up about things I need to know, and it gets me infuriated when I read and read through loads and loads of jokes on the subject I am waiting a reply for or added information.
Some information helps me keep on track.
Sorry for being a bitch.

[sshenry]

Hey, you're back! THERE's the Raven we all know and love

[lillies1978]

i agree though, does that make me a bitch too? lol, oh well...i am that i am, right!

love to all
Sue