A campfire chat with the moderators :)

[Constance]

Hey there everyone :flower:

There is nothing like sitting around a campfire and watching it as it crackles and glows brightly.

The moderators have all been getting to know one another and it has really felt like sitting around a campfire.

You know how great ideas and stories flow when you are sitting there, gazing into the fire?

As we were chatting, one of our beloved mods, Tam, came up with a lovely idea that we could perhaps extend that campfire chat to all the members so that you can get to know us all a little better.

And so, here we are. :sun:

You can ask us anything you like. Any question you might have related to the forum, ourselves, life...whatever it is you want.

Ask away dear Avalonians; we are here with you, and for you.

With much love from the entire moderator team :heart:

[Rosemarie]

Ok. Let’s get started ! I expect this will be a long campfire chat. Thank you all ! They say your choice of books says a lot about a person. I would love to know your favorite books to read and why would you recommend them ?

[Tintin]

Off to a crackling start, thank you Rosemarie :)

It largely depends on mood, and I have really quite a few books. However, I do enjoy plays, and Tennessee Williams is a real favourite of mine, and in particular, A Streetcar Named Desire.

Plays are nuanced in a way that you feel immediately involved, and participating, acting in the drama. And how you can recognise moments in your life through them.

And sometimes life is brutal.

He was always so able to capture the human condition and its many substrates so poetically.

[Stanley is Blanche's brother-in-law]

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One of my favourite exchanges is this:



STANLEY: In Laurel, huh? Oh, yeah. Yeah, in Laurel, that's right. Not in my territory. Liquor goes fast in hot weather. [He holds the bottle to the light to observe its depletion.] Have a shot?

BLANCHE: No, I--rarely touch it.

STANLEY: Some people rarely touch it, but it touches them often


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bottle could almost be a metaphor for a person - we use the expression "half-full or half-empty" often.

Are we sometimes 'depleted'?

And Streetcar, it's sexy, always but brimming with danger, brutality. Furtive flirtations, treachery, betrayal, violence, womanliness, manliness, drunken-ness, alcoholism, class-ism, and deterioration (I am also listening to 'The Cure' whilst writing this up - more than appropriate I think, and unplanned).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



BLANCHE: I cannot imagine any witch of a woman casting a spell over you.

STANLEY: That's right.

BLANCHE: You're simple, straightforward and honest, a little bit on the primitive side I should think. To interest you a woman would have to-- [She pauses with an indefinite gesture.]

STANLEY [slowly]: Lay... her cards on the table.

BLANCHE [smiling]: Well, I never cared for wishy-washy people. That was why, when you walked in here last night, I said to myself--"My sister has married a man!"--Of course that was all that I could tell about you.

STANLEY [booming]: Now let's cut the re-bop?

BLANCHE [pressing hands to her ears]: Ouuuuu!

STELLA [calling from the steps]: Stanley! You come out here and let Blanche finish dressing!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

And here, it gets sexier, the flirting heats up - feel the frisson:



BLANCHE: The poor little thing was out there listening to us, and I have an idea she doesn't understand you as well as I do.... All right; now, Mr. Kowalski, let us proceed without any more double-talk. I'm ready to answer all questions. I've nothing to hide. What is it?

STANLEY: There is such a thing in this state of Louisiana as the Napoleonic code, according to which whatever belongs to my wife is also mine--and vice versa.

BLANCHE: My, but you have an impressive judicial air! [She sprays herself with her atomizer; then playfully sprays him with it. He seizes the atomizer and slams it down on the dresser. She throws back her head and laughs.]

STANLEY: If I didn't know that you was my wife's sister I'd get ideas about you!

BLANCHE: Such as what!

STANLEY: Don't play so dumb. You know what!

BLANCHE [she puts the atomizer on the table]: All right. Cards on the table. That suits me. [She turns to Stanley.] I know I fib a good deal. After all, a woman's charm is fifty percent illusion, but when a thing is important I tell the truth, and this is the truth: I haven't cheated my sister or you or anyone else as long as I have lived.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I may have to step back from extracting special parts (for me) in this play, as it'll start to resemble a reprint :)

This astonishingly beautiful work can be seen here as a pdf (http://www.metropolitancollege.com/Streetcar.pdf)

[Forest Denizen]

Ok. Let’s get started ! I expect this will be a long campfire chat. Thank you all ! They say your choice of books says a lot about a person. I would love to know your favorite books to read and why would you recommend them ?

Such a great question, Rosemarie!! :clapping:

I agree completely. Whenever I visit someone for the first time, I am always immediately drawn to look at the books they have either laying around or on shelves. I think it does provide great insight into a person's soul. And I must admit, it makes me a little leery when there are no books to see..

I have always been a voracious reader and was started on that path as a very young child, when my mother or father would read to us every night :inlove:
The Winnie the Pooh books, Mary Poppins, The Narnia series, the Doctor Doolittle books, the Wizard of Oz series..

Later, as a child and young teenager, The Phantom Tollbooth, Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle In Time series, many of Ray Bradbury's works including, most importantly, The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man. So many more but these were all eye opening and consciousness expanding reads for a young person.

As an adult, almost any of Peter Matthiessen's books.. The Snow Leopard; At play in the Fields of the Lord; Far Tortuga; In the Spirit of Crazy Horse; The Cloud Forest. A magnificent writer, Matthiessen has a way of exploring both the inner and outer world in a deep, insightful, and sometimes transformative way. The Snow Leopard was one of several important triggers over a number of years that finally propelled me off on my journey to Nepal in 1991.

Charles Dickens.. Great Expectations; A Tale of Two Cities. Hemingway.. For Whom the Bell Tolls; A Farewell to Arms. I think both Dickens and Hemingway are masters when it comes to examining the human condition. Revelations regarding why people do the things they do. What motivates them. Morals.. what is moral? What is immoral?

Lawrence Durrell.. The Alexandria Quartet. These four works are some of the most deeply romantic and evocative works of the 20th century.

All of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's books because they are absolutely magical!

Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past series. A beautiful examination of the human mind.. and memory.

W. Somerset Maugham.. The Razor's Edge. A great classic about a young man traumatized by war, who embarks on a journey of discovery, a journey in search of himself and what is truly meaningful.

All of these were so important in my development as a journeyer, seeker, learner.

More modern page-turners include The Beach; Sex Lives of Cannibals (awesome book!); The White Tiger; The Death of Vishnu; Wolf Hall; The God of Small Things; The Rule of the Bone. All because they are just phenomenal reads!

Of course all things Fortean!!! I have almost every book ever written about Bigfoot. UFOs, ETs, all forms of High Strangeness, parallel dimensions, the multiverse..

Reading The Holographic Universe and Gifts of Unknown Things can be a wonderful and paradigm shifting experience for some.

So many more!!! I'm sure I'll want to add many more as I remember them! :sun:

:flower: :flower: :flower:

[Tam]

I used to read a lot more than I do now.

I'll name some books I've particularly appreciated off of the top of my head:

- The Stranger by Albert Camus
- Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
- The Jungle by Upton Sinclair
- The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barberry
- The Last Hour of Gann, a self-published masterpiece by a Kindle author with the pen name R. Lee Smith. She labeled her book as sci-fi erotica to get a wider audience, I think, but it's so much more than that. Most erotica is basically just another form of p*rn, but this one is nothing like that. It's VERY gritty and dark, be warned, but it's very, very good. If you have a Kindle or a phone to get the app on, it's only 5 bucks and well worth it.

[samildamach]

Describe a perfect day you have not yet had?

[Intranuclear]

I would love chatting with many in this forum, but every time I visit Chat I am the only person. I do see others having come and gone, but how is it that our Chat is so dead?
I completely understand the shortcomings of chat and understand that lack of time is the enemy of a good and well composed discourse.

Should our chat be eliminated or perhaps be used to post hangouts links for those who want to host and invite others?

[Johan (Keyholder)]

Maybe a somution would be to have some sort of "indication" who is online at a particular moment. That message could be put on the opening page of the website maybe? Or somewhere else, but very easy to spot. That way more people would - possibly - visit the Chat, when they can see who is online.

[Mike]

Good question Rosemarie! Ok..books...

Fiction:
1)'Journey To The End Of The Night' by Louis-Ferdinand Celine.
2)'Down And Out In London And Paris' by George Orwell
3)'Ask The Dust' by John Fante
4) 'Post Office' by Charles Bukowski

The Paranormal/Spiritual/Cosmic
1) 'The Mothman Prophecies' by John Keel
2) ..the first 3 Castaneda books (the rest are mostly sh!t imo)
3) 'The Master Game' by Robert DeRopp
4)..basically anything weird and disturbing and highly strange
5) oh! almost forgot... 'Chameleo' by Robert Guffy

God I could go on forever. I've been very lazy with my reading lately, but I still revisit these books now and again, even if it's just to read a passage or 2. All great books and great writers. But I have to be honest..I think I prefer myself.


Intranuclear: the chat option just never took off. It's curious. Not sure why. You'd think it would be thriving. I'd completely forgotten about it until now actually. In all my time here I think I've been in there 2 or 3 times. Just a matter of getting a little momentum, I think

[Forest Denizen]

Maybe a somution would be to have some sort of "indication" who is online at a particular moment. That message could be put on the opening page of the website maybe? Or somewhere else, but very easy to spot. That way more people would - possibly - visit the Chat, when they can see who is online.

Hey Keyholder!

Nice to meet you :sun:

If you click on "Forum" in the upper left quadrant of your screen and then scroll down, you will find a list of everyone currently online. Below that is a list of everyone who has posted today! Is this what you meant?

Best,

Ken

[Forest Denizen]

I would love chatting with many in this forum, but every time I visit Chat I am the only person. I do see others having come and gone, but how is it that our Chat is so dead?
I completely understand the shortcomings of chat and understand that lack of time is the enemy of a good and well composed discourse.

Should our chat be eliminated or perhaps be used to post hangouts links for those who want to host and invite others?

Hey Intranuclear!

I think maybe it's just a matter of momentum, or lack thereof, as Mike suggested. Maybe it would help if whoever wanted to chat started a thread with a proposed time and date? Just see who shows up?

:flower: :flower:

[Forest Denizen]

Describe a perfect day you have not yet had?

Hey Samildamach!

Great question!! I'm going to ponder that and reply later. Some of the mods are great at coming up with brilliant and concisely constructed posts off the cuff. Me.. not so much! :facepalm::bigsmile:

I usually have to sit and think for a while. The equivalent of coming up with a fabulous retort a couple hours after a conversation during which a remark is made requiring a brilliant response. Happens to me all the time :o

[onevoice]

Good question Rosemarie!
The Paranormal/Spiritual/Cosmic
1) 'The Mothman Prophecies' by John Keel
2) ..the first 3 Castaneda books (the rest are mostly sh!t imo)
3) 'The Master Game' by Robert DeRopp
4)..basically anything weird and disturbing and highly strange
5) oh! almost forgot... 'Chameleo' by Robert Guffy


I liked the Castaneda books as well as the 'Chameleo' book I also like to explore weird, disturbing and highly strange things such as what is going on in the Skinwalker Ranch. I think Stargate is real, is probably deeply dark special projects. It would be great if Stargate were disclosed so that we can teleport instantly around the world, across the solar systems and to other areas of the cosmos.

[Strat]

I would love chatting with many in this forum, but every time I visit Chat I am the only person. I do see others having come and gone, but how is it that our Chat is so dead?
I completely understand the shortcomings of chat and understand that lack of time is the enemy of a good and well composed discourse.

Should our chat be eliminated or perhaps be used to post hangouts links for those who want to host and invite others?

Hey Intranuclear!

I think maybe it's just a matter of momentum, or lack thereof, as Mike suggested. Maybe it would help if whoever wanted to chat started a thread with a proposed time and date? Just see who shows up?

:flower: :flower:

Very good idea.

Oh, questions, right: What is yall's favorite meal and what is yall's favorite movie? You can only choose 1. Cruel I know, I'm sorry, but it's the rules.

[Gracy]

You can ask us anything you like. Any question you might have related to the forum, ourselves, life...whatever it is you want.

Ask away dear Avalonians; we are here with you, and for you.

What a great idea!


My idea of get to know/ask the mods differs from the current trend. Rather then ask about a favorite book, what your sign is or who was your favorite teacher in school kind of question, i would like to go a little more meat and potatos.

I see being a freshly branded mod similar to how i see a young person getting a badge, and a gun, stepping up to be an officer of the peace in that role society needs. Its a lot of responsibility to take on and, it probably also tweaks the way general society/membership is looked at from said person, especially as time goes on and that thin blue line outlook is forged.

How do you mods, both new and seasoned, see this forum differently than when you were a regular member, and, how do you weigh your responsibility of when to use force to keep the peace, and when to use deescalation skills to keep the peace?


New mods how much have you thought about this when you were a member putting your self in a mods shoes, vs. how it looks now sporting that badge and a gun? Does the landscape look different now?

And older mods, how was the same with you from the regular member perspective, to being modded, and then becoming seasoned in this much needed authoritve roll?


Thanx so much i love this lil fireside chat! :sun:

[Intranuclear]

I would love chatting with many in this forum, but every time I visit Chat I am the only person. I do see others having come and gone, but how is it that our Chat is so dead?
I completely understand the shortcomings of chat and understand that lack of time is the enemy of a good and well composed discourse.

Should our chat be eliminated or perhaps be used to post hangouts links for those who want to host and invite others?

Hey Intranuclear!

I think maybe it's just a matter of momentum, or lack thereof, as Mike suggested. Maybe it would help if whoever wanted to chat started a thread with a proposed time and date? Just see who shows up?

:flower: :flower:

Another solution is to put the current number of people in parenthesis like: Chat (4) so there is visual indication at least.

[Forest Denizen]

You can ask us anything you like. Any question you might have related to the forum, ourselves, life...whatever it is you want.

Ask away dear Avalonians; we are here with you, and for you.

What a great idea!


My idea of get to know/ask the mods differs from the current trend. Rather then ask about a favorite book, what your sign is or who was your favorite teacher in school kind of question, i would like to go a little more meat and potatos.

I see being a freshly branded mod similar to how i see a young person getting a badge, and a gun, stepping up to be an officer of the peace in that role society needs. Its a lot of responsibility to take on and, it probably also tweaks the way general society/membership is looked at from said person, especially as time goes on and that thin blue line outlook is forged.

How do you mods, both new and seasoned, see this forum differently than when you were a regular member, and, how do you weigh your responsibility of when to use force to keep the peace, and when to use deescalation skills to keep the peace?


New mods how much have you thought about this when you were a member putting your self in a mods shoes, vs. how it looks now sporting that badge and a gun? Does the landscape look different now?

And older mods, how was the same with you from the regular member perspective, to being modded, and then becoming seasoned in this much needed authoritve roll?


Thanx so much i love this lil fireside chat! :sun:

WOW, Gracy May!

Those are really great questions!! I will have to think about that and respond later. But thank you. Very thought provoking..

:flower: :flower:

[petra]

I would love chatting with many in this forum, but every time I visit Chat I am the only person. I do see others having come and gone, but how is it that our Chat is so dead?
I completely understand the shortcomings of chat and understand that lack of time is the enemy of a good and well composed discourse.

Should our chat be eliminated or perhaps be used to post hangouts links for those who want to host and invite others?

I think PA could eliminate the text chat room (it's crappy, and somewhat of a liability), and instead have a voice chat room. Not necessarily open 24/7, and not necessarily just for mods.

You could use Ventrilo or something similar. I was in a few gaming guilds in the past which used that. Even when we were not doing things as a group, people could hang out and chat. It saves time too

[Mark (Star Mariner)]

One question I have if I may. Where is Joe From the Carolinas? Not seen him for quite a while. Is everything Ok with him?

[avid]

Hey Joe - a wee post now and again would be appreciated, especially for those who need gardening advice, propagation, storage etc.

[Mike]

gracy-may, good questions:thumbsup:

it's the small things that change. things like the "thanks" button,for example

although you can learn a few things thru that function, some folks do regard it as an unnecessary tea reading discipline lol.

for example, many times i've had a member write me to ask why i "thanked" a whole bunch of posts and not theirs. usually i've just accidentally missed it. or, often, i'll just start with the last post in a thread and read backwards, thanking a few of the posts as i go...and then stop, not because i don't like the next post but because there's only so much time in a day and i can't read all of them.

the mods try to stay impartial on hot button issues. but sometimes the temptation will beat me, and I'll thank a post or 2..but then perhaps get neurotic about not thanking more, because maybe a friend of mine was on the other side of the argument, or maybe because i'm worried that it appears i'm indulging favoritism...or something like that.

it's really silly in a way!:) as a mod you find yourself in all these seemingly trivial situations that seem to mean so much in the moment.

more than once i've thought about faking my own death and returning as someone who thanks nobody:wink:

[Nenuphar]

I love the opening post of this thread. The imagery of a warm, crackling campfire in the company of friends, new and old, is so cozy and inviting.

In an attempt to be succinct, I think I might have come across as dry or cold. That was not my intent! There is a lot of information to comb through on this forum on any given day, so I try to do my part to keep the 'signal to noise ratio" in check.

Let me rephrase my questions (or, at least, one of them)...

Everyone has different interests. Which topics on the forum would you love to see more participation and interest in because you, yourself, share those interests, or because you think those topics are important but overlooked?

Are there topics that you feel have been flogged to death or that garner a level of interest that leaves you surprised/boggled?

(I'll leave the second question as-is. It might not be a particularly refined way of asking it, but I am genuinely interested in your answers.)

[Billy]

Ok. Let’s get started ! I expect this will be a long campfire chat. Thank you all ! They say your choice of books says a lot about a person. I would love to know your favorite books to read and why would you recommend them ?

At this moment in time I am reading a book that I bought at a UFO/ paranormal conference when myself and three other Avalon members attended last month here in Scotland.
The book is titled "Finding Merlin" by Adam Ardrey. We were all very impressed with Adams presentation, research and findings.
41117

In my teens to late thirties I read so many books mostly on ancient scriptures. Ancient civilizations,
Spirituality, early Christianity - pre Roman.
One of my favourite books was titled the Sun and Cross. By Jacob Streit. Development from megalithic culture to early Christianity in Ireland.

The book of Enoch I have read many times.

KA by Roberto Calasso. Description: the best book about Hindu mythology that anyone has ever written.

Jesus lived in India, by Holger Kersten.

In the 90s i used to attend many lectures by author Gordon Strachan at Edinburgh university. We became very good friend and would visit each others houses and chat for hours. Sadly he passed away many years ago. I have most of his books. "Jesus the master builder" being one of them. Gordon was way before his time when thinking outside the box.

I do not read nearly as much as I used to pre the internet. :sun:

[Constance]

Ok. Let’s get started ! I expect this will be a long campfire chat. Thank you all ! They say your choice of books says a lot about a person. I would love to know your favorite books to read and why would you recommend them ?

Thanks Rosemarie :sun:

What I'm reading at the moment - Getting things done (https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Things-Done-Stress-Free-Productivity/dp/0142000280) by David Allen.

Some of the books/poetry/short stories that have captivated me over the years ->

I am that (https://www.amazon.com/Am-That-Talks-Nisargadatta-Maharaj/dp/8185300534) Nissagardatta Maharaj

Napkin Notes: On the Art of Living (https://www.amazon.com/Napkin-Notes-Michael-Durst-Ph-D/dp/0960255206) by G. Michael Durst


Walden or life in the woods (http://avalonlibrary.net/ebooks/Henry%20David%20Thoreau%20-%20Walden.pdf) - Henry David Thoreau


Wisdom of the Elders (https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/general-books/popular-science/Wisdom-of-the-Elders-David-Suzuki-and-Peter-Knudtson-9781864485998) - David suzuki


The one straw revolution (http://library.uniteddiversity.coop/Food/The-One-Straw-Revolution.pdf) - Masanobu Fukoka

The Bridge Across Forever (https://www.amazon.com/Bridge-Across-Forever-True-Story/dp/0061148482): A True Love Story - Richard Bach


Spike Milligan - The Essential Spike Milligan (https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Spike-Milligan/dp/0007155115)

The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World (https://www.amazon.com/Food-Revolution-Your-Diet-World/dp/1573244872/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1480304495&sr=8-1&keywords=The+food+revolution&linkCode=sl1&tag=foodrev-20&linkId=a74874a78b5aaecb2fec333c6dce1b1e) John Robbins

The secret life of walter mitty (https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/the-secret-life-of-walter-mitty-by-james-thurber-9780241282618) - James Thurber

Friedensreich Hundertwasser (https://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/art/all/43142/facts.hundertwasser.htm) - Taschen.com

The brains way of healing (http://www.normandoidge.com/?page_id=1042): Norman Doidge

You can heal your life (https://www.amazon.com/You-Can-Heal-Your-Life/dp/0937611018) - Louise Hay

E. E. Cummings: Complete Poems 1904-1962 (https://www.amazon.com/Cummings-Complete-Poems-1904-1962/dp/1631490419)

You are the placebo - Make your mind matter (https://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Placebo-Making-Matter/dp/1401944582) - Joe dispenza

The Holographic Universe (http://projectavalon.net/The_Holographic_Universe_Michael_Talbot.pdf) - Michael Talbot

The tibetan book of the living and the dying (https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-tibetan-book-of-living-and-dying-9781846045387)- Sogyal Rinpoche

Magic and mystery in Tibet (http://avalonlibrary.net/ebooks/Alexandra%20David-Neel%20-%20Magic%20and%20Mystery%20in%20Tibet.pdf) - Alexandra David Neel

When we were very young (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_We_Were_Very_Young) - A.A Milne

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0743269519/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=mattmorcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0743269519) - Stephen Covey

Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution (https://www.vedicbooks.net/prakriti-your-ayurvedic-constitution-p-460.html?osCsid=qugp6nkkb02lb75s0qahpvagt7) - Robert E Svoboda

To Kill a mockingbird (https://www.readingsanctuary.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/To-Kill-a-Mockingbird.pdf) - Harper Lee

The Snows of Kilimanjaro (http://xroads.virginia.edu/~drbr/heming.html)- Earnest Hemingway

Teach your dog to read (https://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Bonnie-Bergin-Ed-D/dp/076792245X): Bonnie Bergin

Hand reflexology (https://www.amazon.com/Reflexology-Revised-Expanded-Mildred-Carter/dp/0735201285) - Mildred Carter

The Prophet (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58585) - Kahilil Gibran

And last of all but not least, Diary of a wombat (http://www.jackiefrench.com/diary-of-a-wombat)by Jackie French. I bought this book for my son when he was small. He and I never tired of reading it to each other because of the belly laughs that would ensue whenever we did. My son has a keen sense for the absurd and a great sense of humour and today, I was reminded of this in spades.:star:

[Gracy]

it's really silly in a way!:) as a mod you find yourself in all these seemingly trivial situations that seem to mean so much in the moment.

Thank you Mike, i get you there. in my 4 years here now i see that's usually how it is, and was also when i lurked before finally signing up, but sometimes something big comes along that demands big decisions.


My question is more about temperament, how y'all look at the power you now have, how and when it should be exercised, to what degree, or if at all. Or if you enter a lil scrum with mod hat off just as you would have back as a regular member to try and tamp things down, or carrying that stick with mod hat on. Or maybe a little of both.

Does it change the way you perceive yourself in relation to the other now just regular members? and this gets to the crux of why i'm not suddenly all that especially intrested in what you read as an example, because, if i was,i would have already asked each and every one of you when you were still regular members. Do you see what i'm getting at, like when one puts that hat on its pretty much automatic that they are hoisted up onto a bit of a pedestal whether it's wanted or not.

I'll try to wind this up with an analogy. The most important this to me with any given cop is how do you choose to deal with people on a day by day basis.I know from first hand experience growing up with and knowing a few guys who wound up being cops along the way. All five of them were pretty cool before hand, three of them are to this day are wonderful, warm hearted officer friendly types, very good influences on society and especially with young people, but 2 of them wound up letting the power get to their heads and youre better off not encountering them on duty on the street.


But heres the thing with even the tree that are good cops, they'll never, ever, ever, break that thin blue line by trying to do something about the others who tend to not be so much officer friendly, even if it happens smack dab in front of them.

Ok i don't want to make this into a book. Given that lovely open invitation i just wanted to ask a probing question sitting around this warm crackling camp fire amongst friends. I luv you guys and for the record i have no complaints, every now and then a decision will be made that i dont agree with but, every now and then i have little disagreements with all sorts of different things. Including maybe every a decision i myself made yesterday for instance lol!

Overall i think y'all do a great job and thanks for listening to this ole country gal carryin on. :sun:

[Constance]

Describe a perfect day you have not yet had?

Wow.

That is a really good question Samildamach. Thank you for that. :flower:

I usually have zero expectations around what each day will bring.

I think I just had my perfect day.

Today, my adolescent son and his friend decided to visit Mt. Donna Buang. It was an extremely cold day here today and we knew it would be snowing up on the mountain.

The two were having a great time in the back seats of the car as we drove along in the pouring rain. However, as I was driving along, I had this sense of foreboding about heading up to the mountain.

I just wasn't happy about going at all (which is really unlike me, I just love Mt. Donna Buang) and I expressed this to the two boys. My son instantly dismissed my forebodings as me just being "dramatic" but I couldn't shake the feeling.

I drove up the mountainside like a snail. I could almost feel the impatience of the other drivers behind me but I paid no heed. The cars coming down had this very peculiar energy about them. They were laiden with snow and were also driving very slowly but it felt like something had happened.

The two boys were still having a great time in the back seat. Despite my constant entreaties for them to concentrate and to pay attention, "Something is happening!!" and to "Shoosh", the two continued to ignore me.

I felt the strangest sensations as we drove past parked cars on that mountainside. I was driving so slowly now that I could see the expressions on peoples faces.

Something wasn't right. People were too solemn. People were huddled in groups.

We eventually got to the first mountain carpark and the car park was completely full.

By this stage, I was now absolutely certain that something had gone horribly wrong.

I stopped my car, rolled down the window and asked a young man, "Has something happened? Are the roads closed to the top part of the mountain?"

The young man I was speaking to looked ashen. He said to me, "Twelve cars have had accidents, two have gone off the edge (of the mountain) and I just saw a head-on collision."

By this stage, I had the attention of the two boys. They were horror-struck.

I knew there was a learning within what had just happened for all of us. It was expressed by the two youngsters that they needed to pay attention to what was going on around them fully, to be present in each and every moment in order to do so.

There was a sense of perfection in that moment that I could never have anticipated and especially with the conversation that ensued.

As it turns out, my son has been reconsidering his own spirituality and today he had to acknowledge for perhaps the first time ever, that intuitions are real.

[Forest Denizen]

...My idea of get to know/ask the mods differs from the current trend. Rather then ask about a favorite book, what your sign is or who was your favorite teacher in school kind of question, i would like to go a little more meat and potatoes.

I see being a freshly branded mod similar to how i see a young person getting a badge, and a gun, stepping up to be an officer of the peace in that role society needs. Its a lot of responsibility to take on and, it probably also tweaks the way general society/membership is looked at from said person, especially as time goes on and that thin blue line outlook is forged.

How do you mods, both new and seasoned, see this forum differently than when you were a regular member, and, how do you weigh your responsibility of when to use force to keep the peace, and when to use deescalation skills to keep the peace?

New mods how much have you thought about this when you were a member putting your self in a mods shoes, vs. how it looks now sporting that badge and a gun? Does the landscape look different now?

And older mods, how was the same with you from the regular member perspective, to being modded, and then becoming seasoned in this much needed authoritative roll?

Thanx so much i love this lil fireside chat! :sun:

Gracy May, again, interesting questions! Well, first and foremost, as time passes, I have been feeling a greater desire to HELP others, both humans and non-humans alike. To spread as much good will and love and positive vibes as I can. That is above all, what I view as my primary purpose as a mod. Yeah, corny I know, but.. so what? :o

To be honest, it’s more often than not, all the other beings living on this planet that I feel most driven to help! I feel they are less able to help themselves and have been subject to unrelenting abuse by the human race in general. But I digress..

Anyway, I guess this sort of role is not entirely new for me in that I have taught university level classes (some with as many as 150+ students), served as team leader for good sized crews of scientists on research projects, and Project Manager for similar efforts. In other words, I have experience herding cats!! :ROFL:

Through all this work, interacting with so many different types of people, so many different minds, my sense of humility has become ever more pronounced. The knowledge that I may know a good many things but there is always VASTLY more to learn. In other words, the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know ****!!

Before becoming a mod, I had thought a little about the responsibilities involved, but not that much really. When you actually do become a mod, it is, I realized, a more delicate business than I imagined. It also involves a good bit of time and effort. But I think the forum becomes somewhat deeper.

Some of this may have something to do with the work we do behind the scenes and there are, in truth, more ways to interact with the forum on a technical level. That, along with wanting to be more aware of the “mood” of the forum and individual members all combines to make for an even richer experience if you get what I mean.

I don’t really view members much differently. I've gotten a pretty good feel over time for the various personalities and their tendencies, style of posting, their style of dialogue. I do, however, feel a much greater sense of responsibility for the well-being of the forum and its members.

I have rarely ever had to use force in my life. Instead, I’d rather rely on communication and dialogue. It’s my preferred method when it comes to keeping the peace and, usually, far more productive in the long run.. I think. Hope I managed to address your questions, Gracy May, if not, let me know!

[Matthew]

No way can this thread win my heart more than the other campfire thread. But I always like a campfire.

So I'd like to ask some hard hitting, guard destroying, controversial and sensitive questions: who of the mods. would be playing the guitar round the fire right now?, and why don't you pass it on already? And which mod. would you pass it on to next? Also, I'd like to ask... while I love the song, please could everyone not play stairway to heaven? (my little joke, someone always ruins plays it)

Quite a lot of questions, but I like to be thorough when it's an important subject

[Pam]

Here's my question as we roast marshmallows. After I saw this post on the Censorship thread I began to wonder;;;;;



Just to clarify, the decision to move the threads was unanimous between all the exciting (<<< should say existing :bowing:) moderators. Not just Bill.

To date the moderators, admin and Bill have absolutely no regrets about the decision
posted by Billy

Who are the moderators ? I know Mike and Constance are because I see them moderating and doing a dang good job, then out of the blue I'll hear someone like Joe of the Carolinas is a moderator? (Admittedly that was a bit ago) and I'll reflect I haven't even seen him on the forum for eons. When you had your moderator flair up I didn't even know those folks were moderators and they hardly ever posted, and certainly didn't indicate they were involved in this forum other than making decisions. I would like to have a list of moderators who are making these decisions. Who is currently on the moderating team?

[Hervé]

[...]
... Who is currently on the moderating team?
Go to the main forum4 page (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/forum.php), then to the second tab line:


New Posts
Gallery
Private Messages
FAQ (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/faq.php)
Calendar
Community
Forum Actions
Quick Links

There, pull down the Quick Links menu and click on "View Forum moderators (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showgroups.php)"

[Billy]

Here's my question as we roast marshmallows. After I saw this post on the Censorship thread I began to wonder;;;;;



Just to clarify, the decision to move the threads was unanimous between all the exciting (<<<should say existing :bowing:) moderators. Not just Bill.

To date the moderators, admin and Bill have absolutely no regrets about the decision
posted by Billy

Who are the moderators ? I know Mike and Constance are because I see them moderating and doing a dang good job, then out of the blue I'll hear someone like Joe of the Carolinas is a moderator? (Admittedly that was a bit ago) and I'll reflect I haven't even seen him on the forum for eons. When you had your moderator flair up I didn't even know those folks were moderators and they hardly ever posted, and certainly didn't indicate they were involved in this forum other than making decisions. I would like to have a list of moderators who are making these decisions. Who is currently on the moderating team?

Have a look :sun:
http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?15565-New-Moderators-joining-the-Avalon-Forum-team

[Gracy]

Hi Ken, first off thanks for being a trooper its much appreciated!

So you have cat herding experience, and that, should come in handy with your new duties.


Through all this work, interacting with so many different types of people, so many different minds, my sense of humility has become ever more pronounced. The knowledge that I may know a good many things but there is always VASTLY more to learn. In other words, the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know ****!!

Music to my ears! A person in power with both humility, and the maturity to know how much they dont know. I think just from that right there i'd be inclined to trust you with a badge and a gun in my town.




Before becoming a mod, I had thought a little about the responsibilities involved, but not that much really. When you actually do become a mod, it is, I realized, a more delicate business than I imagined. It also involves a good bit of time and effort. But I think the forum becomes somewhat deeper.

Some of this may have something to do with the work we do behind the scenes and there are, in truth, more ways to interact with the forum on a technical level. That, along with wanting to be more aware of the “mood” of the forum and individual members all combines to make for an even richer experience if you get what I mean.
How is it "a more delicate business" than you had imagined? You mean the politics of it?

I can understand how it might take up more of your time, then again it's now also a deeper and even richer experience huh? Well now thats interesting and i'm glad to hear it! I can also understand how this would be, needing to up your game a bit by being part sociologist part bartender so to speak. I i have that right.


What ways do y'all interact with the forum in a more technical way? I know like sometimes youll fix a video link, move a post or a thread, what other kinds of tecchie type stuff that we might never even think about?

I don’t really view members much differently. I've gotten a pretty good feel over time for the various personalities and their tendencies, style of posting, their style of dialogue. I do, however, feel a much greater sense of responsibility for the well-being of the forum and its members.

So youve been paying attention all along in that way. That's good, and again, i can see where this would be a handy tool in both early spotting a disturbance in the force, and/or knowing when any given behavior might just be normal operation procedur for one person, but not for another in scanning for possible trouble. Just like the reason for the old fashion beat cop. You know your neighborhood.



I have rarely ever had to use force in my life. Instead, I’d rather rely on communication and dialogue. It’s my preferred method when it comes to keeping the peace and, usually, far more productive in the long run..

Perfect, always looking to communication and deescalation before breaking out the big stick as last resort. I love it, and thanks again so much Ken, i think my own forum experience just got a bit richer itself with that lil peak into you as both a member and now a moderator!

Of course now i have just one more burning question. Whats you're favorite color?

Just kidding! :p

[Gracy]

Here's my question as we roast marshmallows. After I saw this post on the Censorship thread I began to wonder;;;;;



Just to clarify, the decision to move the threads was unanimous between all the exciting (<<<should read existing ) moderators. Not just Bill.

To date the moderators, admin and Bill have absolutely no regrets about the decision
posted by Billy

Who are the moderators ? I know Mike and Constance are because I see them moderating and doing a dang good job, then out of the blue I'll hear someone like Joe of the Carolinas is a moderator? (Admittedly that was a bit ago) and I'll reflect I haven't even seen him on the forum for eons. When you had your moderator flair up I didn't even know those folks were moderators and they hardly ever posted, and certainly didn't indicate they were involved in this forum other than making decisions. I would like to have a list of moderators who are making these decisions. Who is currently on the moderating team?

I think there might need to be an important distinction here, as i saw responses guiding you to list of moderators, and page 1 of the new moderators thread.

If i get your drift right, are you more interested in which ones are actually current active members on a pretty much daily basis? And part of current and very recent decision making?

[Constance]

No way can this thread win my heart more than the other campfire thread. But I always like a campfire.

So I'd like to ask some hard hitting, guard destroying, controversial and sensitive questions: who of the mods. would be playing the guitar round the fire right now?, and why don't you pass it on already? And which mod. would you pass it on to next? Also, I'd like to ask... while I love the song, please could everyone not play stairway to heaven? (my little joke, someone always ruins plays it)

Quite a lot of questions, but I like to be thorough when it's an important subject


Errr... I would be the shaking the maracas? :)

Edited to add: I was thinking something more along the lines of a campfire ditty like this
1LsabQV0Yjk

[Constance]

I would love chatting with many in this forum, but every time I visit Chat I am the only person. I do see others having come and gone, but how is it that our Chat is so dead?
I completely understand the shortcomings of chat and understand that lack of time is the enemy of a good and well composed discourse.

Should our chat be eliminated or perhaps be used to post hangouts links for those who want to host and invite others?

Hey Intranuclear!

I think maybe it's just a matter of momentum, or lack thereof, as Mike suggested. Maybe it would help if whoever wanted to chat started a thread with a proposed time and date? Just see who shows up?

:flower: :flower:

Very good idea.

Oh, questions, right: What is yall's favorite meal and what is yall's favorite movie? You can only choose 1. Cruel I know, I'm sorry, but it's the rules.

Favourite meal: Mangosteens Strat! Give me a big bowl of Mangosteens and I'm in seventh heaven. A friend of mine has christened me, "Mangosteen Queen" (you know who you are :bigsmile:)

Favourite movie: I don't really have one but if something was to come close to being a favourite it would have to be "Somewhere in Time."

[Tintin]

Describe a perfect day you have not yet had?

[Disclaimer: I haven't yet read others' in the team responses yet, certainly not since Rosemaries's book question, and, their answers to those, so, it'll be interesting to see what they've answered. :) I'm only going to look at members' questions first and then back-track.)

Hello samildamach - a great question. :)

Depending upon your view of 'time' I would suggest that the first day in my next incarnation may be pretty perfect, although I'm still very much enjoying this one. :)

[Tintin]

Oh, questions, right: What is yall's favorite meal and what is yall's favorite movie? You can only choose 1. Cruel I know, I'm sorry, but it's the rules.

Hello Strat :highfive: Guess you may be a musician (guitarist, right?) - I used to use a Stratocaster but have been using a Telecaster for some years now.

Okay, I digress. Um, these are good too. Perhaps my favourite meal I've ever had was a cerviche of monkfish tail in a lime, chilli and coriander marinade ever so many meals and moons ago.

I'm a little bit of a film buff so the question about movies is a real humdinger, and both easy and really difficult to answer at the same time.

Léon (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110413/) [1994] - dir. Luc Besson (< also, one of my favourite directors) or:
Mulholland Drive (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0166924/) [2001] - dir. David Lynch (< another favourite)

I've bent the rules a little here Strat, I know, but the best excuse I'll use ( :) ) is that, really, they're kinda both in first place and sharing the podium :)

It's a terrifically good question of course and similar in some ways to asking somebody what their favourite ever song is (practically impossible to answer!), but, I hope you'll be kind and give me some leeway here.

:cocktail: sop here, that I'll hope gets me out of jail :sun:

[Forest Denizen]

Describe a perfect day you have not yet had?

samildamach!

Finally, back to your question! I really had to think about this one and I think my answer might differ depending upon moon phase, the weather, my mood, what socks I might be wearing - if any, etc! :bigsmile:

I think, though, as much as I enjoy my solo time, my perfect day usually involves spending quality time with those I love. Preferably in a beautiful locale! The beach, the forest, camping maybe, or on a boat :inlove:

Just relaxing with delicious food, good drink (alcoholic or otherwise), sparkling conversation, and lots of love all around :heart:

These are my thought today. Might be totally different tomorrow!

EDIT - I cheated because I've experienced these days.. I'll see if I can come up with a day that I have not yet experienced :flower:

[Tintin]

Thanks Gracy :) Really thought provoking (and I do love your profile picture too).

Gracy May asked here (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?107828-A-campfire-chat-with-the-moderators--&p=1303392&viewfull=1#post1303392):




1. How do you mods, both new and seasoned, see this forum differently than when you were a regular member, and, how do you weigh your responsibility of when to use force to keep the peace, and when to use deescalation skills to keep the peace?

and

2. New mods how much have you thought about this when you were a member putting your self in a mods shoes, vs. how it looks now sporting that badge and a gun? Does the landscape look different now?


- - - - - - - - -

Having spent many years, before becoming a member, lurking, and reading, and consequently absorbing the individual nuances of a great many of you here, I began to build, and sense, a picture of the overall community, and each member (but not all of course - there are nearly 12, 000 of you!). Although each of you are uniquely "you" there was, and still remains, a familial sense.

Marry that vibe to my what seems now like a lifelong interest in the extraordinary wealth of fascinating and inspiring subject matter here, I took the membership 'plunge' - something I honestly never ever do. But I did, and I am very glad I did.

In many ways, I don't really see it differently at all.

Only that my place here in the community carries with it added responsibility now.

You really have to genuinely like (love, even) and understand people really quite well, and have a real desire to serve and help, support, and encourage. Skills that can be taught of course but are only ever properly learned over a life, and then applied and practised.

One of two siblings, and the eldest, from a single-parent household, matures you at a young age. For me it was putting myself in my mum's shoes (when I was aged 5/6) while she was going through a very painful and at times lonely separation. That awareness of, if you like, hierarchical responsibility and the enormity of it was incumbent in me then, and remains so to this day. (I learned through many years spent working in professional membership organisations how to be more responsibility aware too.)

Along with being decisive, and occasionally dressed like an armadillo, to do this modjob with any acumen at all certainly requires empathy - you've really got to like people and put yourself in their shoes. And if you've a sufficiently high EQ, however that is measured, it makes appreciating and understanding folk and what they need not exactly 'a walk in the park', but infinitely easier to determine, and makes their nuances more understandable.

And also, if applied to moderators as well as members, puts their responsibility/role/decision in sharper perspective.





- - - - - - - - -

An anecdote from my [very] younger years:

I was about two years old and was fascinated with plug sockets, to the extent that I would try and put my fingers in them. You can imagine my mum's horror, and concern. A short-sharp slap on the back of the hand was enough to stop me repeating that.





- - - - - - - - -

[Perhaps]Simply put, when dealing with another, you extrapolate to 'you': how would you deal with you in that situation? What would the outcome be that would help you the most? How did that make you feel?

And you apply it as fairly as you can based on likely positive outcomes that you yourself have experienced, and benefited from. Even if it's involved a ticking off of some sort. It's how that's administered and it's appropriateness to the situation that counts too.

That doesn't mean to say it's always easy mind. :)

41125

[Constance]

Hey Nenuphar :sun:

Thank you for your excellent questions!:dog:

I want to respond to this question first:

Which topics on the forum would you love to see more participation and interest in because you, yourself, share those interests, or because you think those topics are important but overlooked

What I would dearly love to see are more threads devoted to the unique journeys of individuals. Threads that are devoted to those who are naturally gifted, talented or skilled (or who have cultivated gifts, talents and skills) and also to those individuals who have faced enormous adversity and challenges and who have heroically overcome them.

I am aware that we do have many wonderful existing threads and posts that everyone has lovingly contributed to but I always look forward to seeing more of what uplifts us because it is inspiration for the soul. :sun:

I would also like to see more threads devoted to each and every aspect of the natural world and each and every aspect of natural living. You see, I think of nature as being our best teacher. :heart:

As I was driving back from Mt. Donna Buang the other day, the sun was shining through a light rain shower. The wet leaves on the trees shimmered like gold. The branches were gently swaying with the soft rain. It was spectacular! It was all the "what", "who" and "how" being shared with me in that moment. I was completely awe-struck and humbled by how nature continuously shows us things.:star:

I also experience a lot of joy whenever people share from their own direct personal experiences. I love to hear peoples personal stories and I love it (absolutely love it!) whenever people share from the heart.

I'm greatly interested in the human condition but my greatest interest lays within the human potential and how we can all best fulfill it on both a collective and individual basis. I would be really heartened to see more threads and posts devoted to how we can fulfil our highest potential in ways that are practical, accessible, attainable, replicable, unconditional, all-inclusive and for the highest good of all.

In response to your question here Nenuphar:

Are there topics that you feel have been flogged to death or that garner a level of interest that leaves you surprised/boggled?

I don't know how else to answer this except to say that I don't really ever focus on the forum in this way?



I love the opening post of this thread. The imagery of a warm, crackling campfire in the company of friends, new and old, is so cozy and inviting.

In an attempt to be succinct, I think I might have come across as dry or cold. That was not my intent! There is a lot of information to comb through on this forum on any given day, so I try to do my part to keep the 'signal to noise ratio" in check.

Let me rephrase my questions (or, at least, one of them)...

Everyone has different interests. Which topics on the forum would you love to see more participation and interest in because you, yourself, share those interests, or because you think those topics are important but overlooked?

Are there topics that you feel have been flogged to death or that garner a level of interest that leaves you surprised/boggled?

(I'll leave the second question as-is. It might not be a particularly refined way of asking it, but I am genuinely interested in your answers.)

[Billy]

Here's my question as we roast marshmallows. After I saw this post on the Censorship thread I began to wonder;;;;;



Just to clarify, the decision to move the threads was unanimous between all the exciting (<<<should read existing ) moderators. Not just Bill.

To date the moderators, admin and Bill have absolutely no regrets about the decision
posted by Billy

Who are the moderators ? I know Mike and Constance are because I see them moderating and doing a dang good job, then out of the blue I'll hear someone like Joe of the Carolinas is a moderator? (Admittedly that was a bit ago) and I'll reflect I haven't even seen him on the forum for eons. When you had your moderator flair up I didn't even know those folks were moderators and they hardly ever posted, and certainly didn't indicate they were involved in this forum other than making decisions. I would like to have a list of moderators who are making these decisions. Who is currently on the moderating team?

I think there might need to be an important distinction here, as i saw responses guiding you to list of moderators, and page 1 of the new moderators thread.

If i get your drift right, are you more interested in which ones are actually current active members on a pretty much daily basis? And part of current and very recent decision making?

Hi Gracy, yes I was guiding Peterpam to the new moderator thread which is updated every time a new moderator joins the team. To see who the current Mods are in that thread, all you have to do is go to the last page on the thread. :idea:

[Cara]

Thank you for this thread. :heart:

I would like to pose a two part question if I may:

What is the most transformative experience you have had? How did it change you?

[Bill Ryan]

What is the most transformative experience you have had? How did it change you?
For me,


An experience that changed my life (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?14157-An-experience-that-changed-my-life)

[Bill Ryan]

There have been some questions about how moderators make their decisions. (And who they are!) Here's my best shot: :)

Re decision-making, here's the process we use. Because this happens behind the scenes, it's understandable that some some may assume that decisions are arbitrary, if they don't know how they're reached.

Every issue raised (either by one of us, or by a member PMing or reporting something for our attention) generates its own new thread in the moderators section.

Report threads may be trivial ("please delete this post", "please change my username", or "I'd like to return from sabbatical") or sometimes complex and serious. Some of our threads are two posts long before the issue's resolved.

But others go on for weeks or even months, with many hundreds of mods' posts. Everyone is consulted, and everyone contributes to everything, or has an opportunity to. It's 100% involving and consultative.

New mods should (really!!) state the degree of consultation or involvement in your own words. Please do. Tell it how it was for you when you discovered how it works here.

Sometimes, when an issue is important but not urgent, we take our time and think of every aspect we can. When it's the other way round, and is more urgent and time-critical, then we make a consensus decision based on who's around at the time.



Only rarely do I make a decision that overrules the consensus. That almost never happens. (I do recall one time, nearly two years ago, when I overruled everyone on one particular issue concerning one member.)

I will sometimes make an executive decision having consulted whoever's around, and then make the call. Sometimes that has to happen if a decision is needed. Usually, though, we strive for consensus (which means giving consent, different from unanimity), and almost always reach it

If there was a spectrum with 'we make too many decisions' on the left side, and 'we don't make enough decisions' on the right, with the perfect balance in the middle, my own view is that we're a little to the right of center.

Like, 60-40 towards 'we don't make enough decisions'. That thought was prompted by one or two members who somehow seem to feel we're control freaks. :) We're actually rather the opposite.

~~~

Re who the mods are, there are four main ways to see:


All the mods and admins are listed on the tab Quick Links > View Forum Moderators.
You'll see a "Useful list of forum moderators" if one goes to compose a new PM (to anyone at all).
Mods' names are also colored differently — in blue, with admins in red.
Mods coming and going are announced regularly on the New Moderators joining the Avalon Forum team (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?15565-New-Moderators-joining-the-Avalon-Forum-team) thread, though there's no one-off list there that's maintained there.

The current list is myself, Billy, Constance, Dennis Leahy, Franny (formerly latte), Hervé, Joe from the Carolinas, Ken (formerly Forest Denizen), Mike, Rachel, Tam (formerly Indigris), Tintin, and new senior admin Tommy (formerly seeingterra).

Dennis and Rachel will probably soon be leaving the team (Dennis because he doesn't have the time, and Rach for personal reasons), and we'll be making another two or three new appointments sometime before not too long. (Joe is on a long break, dealing with important things in his own world, but keeps in close touch with us and is committed to remaining on the team.)

We fully take the point that some moderators may not be very well-known to the community (or forgotten by them!) — just because they're not posting very much.

We know how important this is! But the paradox is that moderating itself takes up quite a chunk of the limited time that anyone has to devote to the entire forum. So sometimes it can seem that a member posting frequently, who is well-liked and well-known, can kind of disappear off the radar to some extent when they become a mod.

It was notable on the A very important announcement (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?107445-A-very-important-announcement) thread that of those moderators who are no longer with us, all of them except Paul (who posted actively on the 'Q' threads) — Chip, Debra, Jean-Marie, Kristin and Sierra — almost no-one referred to them having left the forum. They'd been largely forgotten about, or maybe never even known to newer members.

It was important to us, of course, because we'd lost a bunch of close friends we'd worked with for years. But from the point of view of many in the community, it was like something had somehow happened to a little-known bunch of managers behind closed doors somewhere — which actually has little impact. That alone gave us great food for thought.

:flower:

[Forest Denizen]

Here's my question as we roast marshmallows. After I saw this post on the Censorship thread I began to wonder;;;;;



Just to clarify, the decision to move the threads was unanimous between all the exciting (<<<should read existing ) moderators. Not just Bill.

To date the moderators, admin and Bill have absolutely no regrets about the decision
posted by Billy

Who are the moderators ? I know Mike and Constance are because I see them moderating and doing a dang good job, then out of the blue I'll hear someone like Joe of the Carolinas is a moderator? (Admittedly that was a bit ago) and I'll reflect I haven't even seen him on the forum for eons. When you had your moderator flair up I didn't even know those folks were moderators and they hardly ever posted, and certainly didn't indicate they were involved in this forum other than making decisions. I would like to have a list of moderators who are making these decisions. Who is currently on the moderating team?

I think there might need to be an important distinction here, as i saw responses guiding you to list of moderators, and page 1 of the new moderators thread.

If i get your drift right, are you more interested in which ones are actually current active members on a pretty much daily basis? And part of current and very recent decision making?

Hey Peterpam and Gracy May!

Who are the Mods? And Gracy May, I haven't forgotten that I still owe you a response to your further questions.. :blushing:

Well, following up on Bill’s post, above.. what your questions and comments highlight, and Bill mentioned, is the fact that some mods sometimes don’t seem to have much of a presence on the forum. It’s true, there’s no denying it and there are a number of reasons for it. Sometimes, it’s simply that it's easy for a mod not to be noticed when they're posting on various threads that interest them as members, but maybe not you. But it is something we’re trying to work on.. presence..

It’s something I’m trying to work on personally too. When you first become a mod, there's a lot to learn. And although there is no pressure from Bill or the other mods, (quite the opposite, they are very patient and undemanding of new mods) as soon as you become a mod, you basically assume equal status with all the other mods. And that includes ALL of the minor and major decisions that are being made! It’s all hands on deck! :happythumbsup:

Of course, while you ostensibly assume equal status with folks like Dennis, Mike, Billy, Tintin, who have been mods for A LONG TIME, in reality, they know the ropes.. the technical processes, the shortcuts, and the potential pratfalls, very well. Fortunately, as you would expect in our community, Avalon, they are all very helpful and warmly welcoming to us new mods. :heart:

That said, I haven’t found the time yet to be posting as I usually like to. And while I may not be as prolific as some, I do enjoy contributing to topics/threads that I am particularly interested in. And the couple threads that I started, have languished. Of course, that happens pretty often. Some threads just seem to take off, and others, not so much.. for obvious reasons.

As I stated in a previous post on this thread, my style of modding (I like the term better than moderating..:sun:) is probably a little more hands off than some - but not entirely so.. :idea:

On the other hand, in my professional and personal life, I ALWAYS strive to be extremely responsive and accessible. That is how I approach being a mod on a one to one basis with other members. So, if any of you needs help or has a question, please hit me up with a PM (or on a thread - as long as I see it) and I will do my best to help as soon as I’m able. Which is usually pretty fast. :happy dog:

Okay, Deep Thoughts by Ken :bigsmile:

To be continued.. :flower:

[Gracy]

Thank you to both Bill and, once again Ken, for your wonderfully detailed insight in to how y'all operate, very mucho appreciated!

And Ken, no worries my friend i know youre good for that follow up.

[Cara]

What is the most transformative experience you have had? How did it change you?
For me,


An experience that changed my life (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?14157-An-experience-that-changed-my-life)


Thank you.

Some of my experiences from my childhood and life in South Africa haunt me. I can’t easily explain in words the way Africa and her people grab one’s soul and fill it to overflowing. Your telling of your experience reminds me of this, thank you.

[Iloveyou]

First a big thank you for the possibility to ask questions. In case my question is too personal and cannot be answered - I totally understand. It might cross a line.

The mod’s room must be a rich pool of knowledge and practical experience. I‘d love to ask what are your trainings, professions (careers, jobs) occupations, how do you make a living? If retired, what was your main field of study, expertise, practise?

I do not ask to know who does what, only a collection of twelve - or many more - fields of activity. No personal information, just what mix of interest and professional experience is gathered there in the mod‘s room? It would make the image of the team a bit less vague and additionally, I‘m curious :)

But again, no answer is perfectly accepted.

[Bluegreen]

Not to put a date on anybody or anything, but what was the first piece of music you spent your own money on?

[Forest Denizen]

Not to put a date on anybody or anything, but what was the first piece of music you spent your own money on?

Haha!! Love it, Bluegreen!

Pretty sure it was Happy Together by The Turtles :bigsmile:

mRCe5L1imxg

[Valerie Villars]

You just dated yourself. :)

[Forest Denizen]

You just dated yourself. :)

I was a year old. Precocious child.. :blushing:

[Strat]

Favourite meal: Mangosteens Strat! Give me a big bowl of Mangosteens and I'm in seventh heaven. A friend of mine has christened me, "Mangosteen Queen" (you know who you are :bigsmile:)

Favourite movie: I don't really have one but if something was to come close to being a favourite it would have to be "Somewhere in Time."

Mangowhats? I'd try it once since you're so damn loveable.



Hello Strat :highfive: Guess you may be a musician (guitarist, right?) - I used to use a Stratocaster but have been using a Telecaster for some years now.
Honestly my screen name is very very misleading. Yeah, I can play some crowd pleasers but I'm not exactly a virtuoso. I tend to stick to blues. My friends are legit musicians.


Okay, I digress. Um, these are good too. Perhaps my favourite meal I've ever had was a cerviche of monkfish tail in a lime, chilli and coriander marinade ever so many meals and moons ago.
Okay that sounds awesome. Must try.


I've bent the rules a little here Strat, I know, but the best excuse I'll use ( :) ) is that, really, they're kinda both in first place and sharing the podium :)

It's a terrifically good question of course and similar in some ways to asking somebody what their favourite ever song is (practically impossible to answer!), but, I hope you'll be kind and give me some leeway here.

Haha I hear ya. Good answers. I asked an impossible question to stir the pot a bit, it's a fun thing to do.


:cocktail: sop here, that I'll hope gets me out of jail :sun:

Jameson with a pickleback and we'll call it even.

[Constance]

Thank you for this thread. :heart:

I would like to pose a two part question if I may:

What is the most transformative experience you have had? How did it change you?



Hi Searcher, yet another great question. :sun:

What is the most transformative experience I have had?

Being a mother. In the still long hours of the nights following the birth of my son, I would lay there with him in my arms just gazing at him for hours whilst he slept.

I was in complete awe of the miracle of life itself.

There were so many emotions during those long intimate nights with my son. There was the feeling of the immense responsibility of caring for such a tiny vulnerable being.

There was the knowledge that my son was now a part of humanities future.

My son would inherit this earth and he would have a role to play in it.

There was the awareness that I now had three roles to play.

The first role was to offer my guidance and support to my son, the second role I had was to be a good role model for my son and the third, to continue to dedicate my life to humanity.

But the part that took me most by surprise was the love! The absolute pure unconditional love I felt for this being. At the time, it engulfed me completely, it overwhelmed me and it sometimes scared me that I could love another being with that kind of intensity. I would give my life for my son. My heart has been changed forever by his presence.

I also realised that I may never get another good nights sleep for the rest of my life. :bigsmile:

I imagine that many parents go through these moments.

Every young man I meet in the street could be my son. :heart:

[Cara]

Hi Searcher, yet another great question. :sun:

What is the most transformative experience I have had?

Being a mother. In the still long hours of the nights following the birth of my son, I would lay there with him in my arms just gazing at him for hours whilst he slept.

I was in complete awe of the miracle of life itself.

There were so many emotions during those long intimate nights with my son. There was the feeling of the immense responsibility of caring for such a tiny vulnerable being.

There was the knowledge that my son was now a part of humanities future.

My son would inherit this earth and he would have a role to play in it.

There was the awareness that I now had three roles to play.

The first role was to offer my guidance and support to my son, the second role I had was to be a good role model for my son and the third, to continue to dedicate my life to humanity.

But the part that took me most by surprise was the love! The absolute pure unconditional love I felt for this being. At the time, it engulfed me completely, it overwhelmed me and it sometimes scared me that I could love another being with that kind of intensity. I would give my life for my son. My heart has been changed forever by his presence.

I also realised that I may never get another good nights sleep for the rest of my life. :bigsmile:

I imagine that many parents go through these moments.

Every young man I meet in the street could be my son. :heart:

Thank you Constance. This gives me some sense of what my mother feels: an important gift, thank you. :heart:

[Constance]

Mangowhats? I'd try it once since you're so damn loveable.

Oh Strat! :heart: Likewise :hug: :heart:

Here is a little something for you about Mangosteens. They are a tropical fruit. Mangosteens are considered to be Queen of the fruits.

The Cancer-Fighting, Heart-Boosting Power of Mangosteen

41150

Everyone knows what a mango is, but have you ever heard of a mangosteen? You’re forgiven if you haven’t, as this Southeast Asian fruit was banned in the U.S. until October 2007 because it was though to harbor Asian fruit flies. Thankfully, however, this health-boosting fruit is no longer on the ban list, and that’s a good thing because it’s been shown to have some pretty amazing benefits.

Also known as the “queen of fruits,” mangosteen has been used to naturally treat a wide variety of health concerns for centuries by the people of Southeast Asia. Benefits include being high in fiber yet low in calories, as well as having a good serving of vitamin C.

It’s always been popular in Southeast Asia, but why has it been gaining popularity around the world and is now commonly sold as a health supplement? Well, we now know it not only contains an impressive array of essential vitamins and minerals, but it also contains a group of phytochemicals called xanthones.

Research shows that this tropical fruit can boost the immune system, decrease inflammation and even fight cancer. One Brazilian study even showed that an extract of mangosteen had both antimicrobial and anti-tumor abilities and therefore has therapeutic potential in treating infectious diseases as well as cancer. (1)

41151

You can read the rest of the article here (https://draxe.com/nutrition/mangosteen/)

Pubmed study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18725264)

[Tintin]

Not to put a date on anybody or anything, but what was the first piece of music you spent your own money on?

My, yes, that was a while ago now :)

Okay, it was this ditty from The Art of Noise. I'd quite surprised myself by branching out to this as I was a Beatles and Queen obsessive at about that time in my life. But, something of the accessibly experimental, at least to those young fresh ears at the time, drew me in.

And, it contains little 'jokes' in the production - it is not entirely serious, yet, can be taken seriously :)

Here it is (lyrics below):


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sFK0-lcjGUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sFK0-lcjGU[/URL]





Hey! Yeah!
Dum! Dum!
Tra la la
Clo-clo-clo-close
To to to to the edge
To to to to the edge
To be in England
In the summertime
With my love
Close to the edge

[Forest Denizen]

I would love chatting with many in this forum, but every time I visit Chat I am the only person. I do see others having come and gone, but how is it that our Chat is so dead?
I completely understand the shortcomings of chat and understand that lack of time is the enemy of a good and well composed discourse.

Should our chat be eliminated or perhaps be used to post hangouts links for those who want to host and invite others?

Hey Intranuclear!

I think maybe it's just a matter of momentum, or lack thereof, as Mike suggested. Maybe it would help if whoever wanted to chat started a thread with a proposed time and date? Just see who shows up?

:flower: :flower:

Very good idea.

Oh, questions, right: What is yall's favorite meal and what is yall's favorite movie? You can only choose 1. Cruel I know, I'm sorry, but it's the rules.

Strat! I Haven’t forgotten about your questions.. so hard to choose!!

Hmmm.. my favorite meal. Well, seafood is the only meat I still eat and I’m sure I will be phasing that out soon, but for now, probably fresh grilled lobster, along with garlic wilted greens of some sort, and a desert of ripe, fresh fruit and berries, in season, of various sorts! Yum! :inlove:

As for my favorite movie.. there are so many amazing films. I might choose a different film every time you ask me but for today, Chinatown. It’s a fascinating mystery and complex psychological drama that takes place in 1930’s Los Angeles. Brilliantly written, acted, and directed, it is beautifully filmed and the moody and evocative soundtrack is a classic!! :clapping:

[Forest Denizen]

I love the opening post of this thread. The imagery of a warm, crackling campfire in the company of friends, new and old, is so cozy and inviting.

In an attempt to be succinct, I think I might have come across as dry or cold. That was not my intent! There is a lot of information to comb through on this forum on any given day, so I try to do my part to keep the 'signal to noise ratio" in check.

Let me rephrase my questions (or, at least, one of them)...

Everyone has different interests. Which topics on the forum would you love to see more participation and interest in because you, yourself, share those interests, or because you think those topics are important but overlooked?

Are there topics that you feel have been flogged to death or that garner a level of interest that leaves you surprised/boggled?

(I'll leave the second question as-is. It might not be a particularly refined way of asking it, but I am genuinely interested in your answers.)

Nenuphar! I Haven’t forgotten about your question either!

My favorite topics tend to be those that examine the “outer limits” of human ken.. :bigsmile:

particularly personal accounts of experiences whether spiritual, paranormal, supernatural, extra-dimensional or any combination thereof! :clapping:

As far as those topics that I believe to be flogged to death.. hard to say. That would entail imposing my judgement on the interests of others and that is something I would rather not do. We all have unique interests and drives and who am I to tell someone what they should or shouldn’t be interested in?

Personally, however, at present, I tend to have no interest in what seem to me to be lower vibration subjects or topics. I am not into hate- or fear-driven pursuits. But I realize that what to me seems to be lower vibration, might to someone else represent the noblest of causes. And who am I to say they are mistaken and I am right? :blushing:

Seem wishy washy? Paradoxically, I tend to be very decisive! Wrong sometimes yes, but decisively wrong!! :ROFL:

[Constance]

Not to put a date on anybody or anything, but what was the first piece of music you spent your own money on?

Bluegreen, it was this :heart:


dFBIWiR8rjk

But the reason I bought it was for this song.

u8ldGPj5QGc
Longer - Dan Fogelberg

[Mike]

Bluegreen the first piece of music I spent my money on was a CD by a hip hop group called Tribe Called Quest (I had gotten cd's as birthday gifts before that, and even vinyl records as a kid for Xmas, but I'm pretty sure that's the first piece of music I spent my own money on. The name of the album is " the low end theory". Made me think there, good question.

Searcher, another great question. Transformative experiences are often unpleasant, I've found, even though the event or journey may foster some type of growth.

Since I was roughly 27, I've been battling what was at first a very mysterious health ailment affecting my heart and brain mainly, but which I've come to learn is called (amongst other things) "mitochondrial dysfunction"

Doing this dance with death over such a long period of time has almost driven me mad, but not quite. And thats not a bad place to be actually. If you can get close enough to hell but not enveloped by it, you can then articulate it coherently to others when you return from your journey. And I feel I'm finally returning from my journey to hell.

Trauma is transformative because it forces you to sink or swim. It possesses great energy. That energy will either bury you or send you soaring. But what it won't do is allow you to lead a "normal" life. It makes you choose. In this way it can be a gift, in the same way a trip to hell can be a gift. The deeper the trauma, the more the resulting energy. The more energy created the greater the potential for both good and bad results. That's what I've found anyway.

What it's forced me to do is learn the skill of articulated speech. Throughout it all, I've been forced to try to expain the most bizarre and frightening list of symptoms to endless doctors and friends and family ...all while having a very limited ability to think. I had to be able to articulate and explain them to myself as well in order to research solutions properly. In a way, I had to explain myself out of hell. It's all trained me to be a pretty effective communicator.

Also, the experience has forced me to become quite tough, mentally. It's forced me to practice patience. And it's also helped me to consider others' suffering in ways I never would have otherwise.

Thanks for your question

[Cara]

Mike, thank you.

I had no idea you were dealing with this life long condition - your posts and presence on Avalon (the ones I’ve read and seen) don’t even hint of this to me (maybe I was just not looking for it). My impression of you is of someone grounded, articulate, who strives for lightness even in the midst of angst.

I hear you on the transformative potential of trauma. After all trauma is an experience, albeit an extreme and intense one, and if experiences can be transformative, then intense experiences have the potential to transform us moreso.

My younger sister was very ill for 9 years of our childhoods with a bone marrow disease - it was terrible for her, for my parents and all the family: unending pain and distress is difficult to bear and difficult to watch, very tough all round.

I can only guess at how much tougher your much longer experience must be.

And yet, she is one of the strongest, most persevering, most vital people I know.... she’s indomitable when she sets her mind to something and brings many gifts to the world.

:heart:

[Valerie Villars]

Miss Mangosteen, I have wondered if it is considered crossing lines to send a friend request to Moderators. Or is that crossing an impartiality line? Because I actually like some of the Mods quite well.

:)

Much love to all of you. I realize you are all just as nutty as I am and it feels GOOD.

[Tam]

Pffft, no.

Send away.

As long as you don't stir the pot, you're fine.

Side note: I plan on answering every last question in this thread, tomorrow. Only reason why I haven't yet is due to the fact that I don't have any internet access at home (that comes tomorrow), so I've had to do all my Avaloning on my phone (using 4G), which is annoying as all get out :)

Just throwing it out there in case someone wonders why I answered you, but not anyone else :)

[Constance]

41170

What's a few nuts between friends? :)

Speaking of feeling good...

Constance's Pecan icecream (I make this for family and friends)

2 & 1/2 cups pecans
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup almond milk
splash of coconut nectar
1 cup of coconut sugar
1 tsp of vanilla powder

Dry roast pecans (or if you must, use a little coconut oil) until pecans are fragrant.
Melt the coconut sugar with the almond milk or blend until the sugar has mostly dissolved.
Add the rest of the ingredients, blend and freeze

I hope this answers your question Val :star:

dCsZNalcaXM


Miss Mangosteen, I have wondered if it is considered crossing lines to send a friend request to Moderators. Or is that crossing an impartiality line? Because I actually like some of the Mods quite well.

:)

Much love to all of you. I realize you are all just as nutty as I am and it feels GOOD.

[Valerie Villars]

Constance, your food choices say everything about why I thought you were about 30 when I met you. If only I could go back in time and redo some of my choices.

Can I still call you Miss Mangosteen?

[Forest Denizen]

Miss Mangosteen, I have wondered if it is considered crossing lines to send a friend request to Moderators. Or is that crossing an impartiality line? Because I actually like some of the Mods quite well.

:)

Much love to all of you. I realize you are all just as nutty as I am and it feels GOOD.

Dear Val, I will also respond to your question! We mods (I like to think of us as the Mod Squad :bigsmile: ) really view ourselves as Avalon community members, with just the added cat herding duties..:cat::cat::cat:

I think I’m not alone when I say I am always delighted and honored to receive a friend request. Even more so when it comes from a lovely individual such as yourself!

[Bill Ryan]

cat herding duties :cat::cat::cat:

Folks, forgive me for intruding here. It's not my thread — it's that of the other mods, all in harness. But I did want to share this, for anyone who's not already seen it.

:)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SmgLtg1Izw

[RunningDeer]

I’ve been reading along. No burning questions, partly because I was raise to not ask personal ones. Maybe it was the era; a time before selfies and snapshots of breakfast, lunch and dinner.



https://i.imgur.com/iLznOUy.jpg


http://avalonlibrary.net/paula/images/space-bar-white.jpg


And last of all but not least, Diary of a wombat (http://www.jackiefrench.com/diary-of-a-wombat)by Jackie French. I bought this book for my son when he was small. He and I never tired of reading it to each other because of the belly laughs that would ensue whenever we did. My son has a keen sense for the absurd and a great sense of humour and today, I was reminded of this in spades.:star:
Constance, I received notification that “Diary of a Wombat” is unavailable. They miscalculated their inventory, so I ordered elsewhere.



https://i.imgur.com/eO4twiz.jpg

♡

[Valerie Villars]

Now Bill, that is a weird coincidence because while I was working out I was thinking I should come home and post that very video here, which is hysterical.

Ken, you are such a sweetheart. What a nice compliment. I'll hug that close to me all day.

:sun:

[Constance]

Constance, your food choices say everything about why I thought you were about 30 when I met you. If only I could go back in time and redo some of my choices.

Can I still call you Miss Mangosteen?

Why Val, of course you may still call me Miss Mangosteen :bigsmile:

I'm so grateful for your presence here at Avalon :heart:


your food choices

What I'm really really interested in at the moment is all the metaphysical energies and properties of raw, live whole foods. Absolutely mind blowing stuff.

[Constance]

I trust that you will enjoy it every bit as much as we have! :sun: :clapping: :Party:





https://i.imgur.com/eO4twiz.jpg

♡

[Valerie Villars]

Well, I'm almost ashamed to admit that I am too, but am finding it incredibly difficult to overcome a lifetime of being bought up on Louisiana creole and cajun food which I really, really love.

But, I realized when living with and watching my beautiful, healthy horses, who are herbivores, that foods which are fed by light (the sun) and rain can not only sustain but exponentially add to the life force on this planet.

But seriously, I'll bet you look the same when you're 80, because you eat such things. You literally glow with good health.

[Tintin]

I love the opening post of this thread. The imagery of a warm, crackling campfire in the company of friends, new and old, is so cozy and inviting.

In an attempt to be succinct, I think I might have come across as dry or cold. That was not my intent! There is a lot of information to comb through on this forum on any given day, so I try to do my part to keep the 'signal to noise ratio" in check.

Let me rephrase my questions (or, at least, one of them)...

Everyone has different interests. Which topics on the forum would you love to see more participation and interest in because you, yourself, share those interests, or because you think those topics are important but overlooked?

Are there topics that you feel have been flogged to death or that garner a level of interest that leaves you surprised/boggled?

(I'll leave the second question as-is. It might not be a particularly refined way of asking it, but I am genuinely interested in your answers.)

Hello Nenuphar :waving::

I would like to see more contribution, or at least a willingness for more of you to engage in some of the spiritually oriented material on the forum. That side of the forum seems to have been overlooked in favour of more geo-politically focused threads, certainly so lately, and although it's important to stay engaged and abreast of that material, seems to be creating a little imbalance.

That said, perhaps some of the more spiritually inclined are, by nature, just a little less forthcoming than the geo-politically engaged. :flower:

I'd like to hear their voice more frequently; listen to their music, and maybe join in on the triangle with them too :bigsmile: And more on the human condition which has always fascinated me.

I'm not sure anything has necessarily been flogged to death although some topics tend to attract more noise than others at different times. Things here tend to move in cycles I've noticed.

Quite a while back there was quite a flurry of UFO related discussion (one of my main areas of interest and never boring!) and now it seems to be geopolitics, which I've always been intrigued by along with anything that's 'intelligence' related meaning, both terrestrial as in 5 eyes - alphabet agencies and the like - or the extra/ultra terrestrial. And more interest in the secret space program/s would be good to see, but, is a personal bias I admit - there's no pressure there; I would never try to force anyone's hand. :)

One of my little frustrations or niggles, and it really is little, is that maybe some don't take the time to explore the forum more thoroughly before starting a new thread. Not a heinous offence at all, but, some threads do get started that have a related one already somewhere on the forum. But, as I say, that really is a no biggie in the grander scheme of things.

Members here are very supportive, helpful and friendly and post relevant thread links in those situations, as we also endeavour to do on the 'team'.

There are 90, 000 threads (nearly) and I think we've something like one and a half million posts on Avalon, or pretty close to that, and that's a heck of a lot of reading.

The forum, it's quite a labyrinth, it's VERY big, and well worth exploring in greater depth, I think.

:rockon:

[Cara]

Ok. Let’s get started ! I expect this will be a long campfire chat. Thank you all ! They say your choice of books says a lot about a person. I would love to know your favorite books to read and why would you recommend them ?

Rosemarie, this is a tough one for me because I love reading and so many books are my favourites. Here are a few that I love :heart:

The River, Rumer Godden
https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1356450945l/3798.jpg
http://www.rumergodden.com/river.php


You can't stop days or rivers...

Harriet is between two worlds. Her sister is no longer a playmate, her brother is still a child.

The comforting rhythm of her Indian childhood - the noise of the jute works, the colourful festivals that accompany each season and the eternal ebb and flow of the river on its journey to Bay of Bengal - is about to be shattered.

She must learn how to reconcile the jagged edges of beginnings and ends...

When I read this as a child, it seemed to speak to me so very well. The story is one of change and loss and a child's coping. Looking back now, I see I was also trying to cope with loss and change.

~~~~

Kafka on the Shore, Haruki Murakami
https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1382009454l/1685389.jpg
http://www.harukimurakami.com/book/kafka-on-the-shore

I really like all Haruki Murakami's books but this one is by far my favourite. He creates stories where the line between the world outside and the world inside the mind becomes blurry. The books are a little surreal: a little like being inside a kaleidoscope. I love them!

~~~~

Mirrors: Stories of Almost Everyone, Eduardo Galeano
https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1442800457l/6149162._SY475_.jpg
https://www.boldtypebooks.com/titles/eduardo-galeano/mirrors/9780786744701/

This is a book that affected me deeply. Both the way it was written and the perspectives of the stories were astonishing. I find myself still haunted by the memory of reading this. It is at once lyrical, mysterious and challenging.


The twentieth century, which was born proclaiming peace and justice, died bathed in blood. It passed on a world much more unjust than the one it inherited.
The twenty-first century, which also arrived heralding peace and justice, is following in its predecessor’s footsteps.
In my childhood, I was convinced that everything that went astray on earth ended up on the moon.
But the astronauts found no sign of dangerous dreams or broken promises or hopes betrayed.
If not on the moon, where might they be?
Perhaps they were never misplaced.
Perhaps they are in hiding here on earth. Waiting.

~~~~

[Tintin]

Thank you for this thread. :heart:

I would like to pose a two part question if I may:

What is the most transformative experience you have had? How did it change you?

Thanks Cara :heart: And welcome once again to the team :)

To date, the most transformative experience I can recall was really quite a grounded one.

It was when I wrote my first song; it seemed to come out of nowhere. I must have been about 18 or 19 years old at the time. All the music and words came together extraordinarily quickly, effortlessly, as if it had been beamed down somehow.

That experience was the key to unlocking my creative force, my "genius loci" (spirit within) and I never looked back. That I realised was what had been held back in me up until that point. The doorway to new worlds was effectively opened up at that moment and my journey on the path to greater awareness and discovery began, in earnest.

Music as the highest form of art?

I wouldn't doubt it at all.

[Tintin]

First a big thank you for the possibility to ask questions. In case my question is too personal and cannot be answered - I totally understand. It might cross a line.

The mod’s room must be a rich pool of knowledge and practical experience. I‘d love to ask what are your trainings, professions (careers, jobs) occupations, how do you make a living? If retired, what was your main field of study, expertise, practise?

I do not ask to know who does what, only a collection of twelve - or many more - fields of activity. No personal information, just what mix of interest and professional experience is gathered there in the mod‘s room? It would make the image of the team a bit less vague and additionally, I‘m curious :)

But again, no answer is perfectly accepted.

Hello Iloveyou :)

:) Well, the notion of 'career' has always been somewhat anathema to me, but, I appreciate what you are asking here for sure. And, yes, it's rich in colour and experience here in the engine room - on the flight deck even; no doubt about that at all :)

I'm fortunate to be working here with quite the greatest bunch of folks I can imagine - I am blessed indeed :flower:

Okay, I'll try not to make this sound too much like a CV but I can snapshot it (almost :) ) along these lines:

My what I call, and have published somewhere, 'Journeys in Kymatica' (you won't find it online yet) began here 22°18′34″N 114°10′32″E (https://tools.wmflabs.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=Queen_Elizabeth_Hospital_(Hong_Kong)&params=22.30934_N_114.17561_E_type:landmark) and has seen me gaining experience in medical education, newspapers, publishing, journalism, finance, and probably more importantly outside of any of that paid work my (almost) self-taught knowledge in astrology, independent research, creative writing, and music.

These self taught aspects in many ways mirror and echo the philosophies and the principles behind the Trivium Method (http://www.triviumeducation.com/) and its more developed disciplines inherent in the Quadrivium (https://www.britannica.com/topic/quadrivium).

It's these principles I continue to try and develop further, and although I am making some progress, still have a little way to go. So you could say I am occupied in these pursuits at present along with creative writing and music-making principally, with some journalism.

To earn some bread I am working with a very good friend of mine in his local photo-optics business which, and I quote, is:

"..a specialist manufacturer of optical choppers and lock-in amplifiers, and distributors of a wide range of photonic products to the world’s cutting edge research market for more than 30 years.", mostly to university research departments around the world.

So, I am gaining a little science experience too; learning more about light properties and waves, which is quite eye-opening :)

Thanks for asking Iloveyou - I enjoyed answering :heart:

[Tintin]

As for my favorite movie.. there are so many amazing films. I might choose a different film every time you ask me but for today, Chinatown. It’s a fascinating mystery and complex psychological drama that takes place in 1930’s Los Angeles. Brilliantly written, acted, and directed, it is beautifully filmed and the moody and evocative soundtrack is a classic!! :clapping:

Chinatown :highfive: Now there's a movie too :)

- - - - - - - - - -

Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) to Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway):


"I goddamn near lost my nose. And I like it. I like breathing through it."

- - - - - - - - - - -

Classic quote. (Forum said to 'Reply with quote' so, I have. Tee hee :) )

[Constance]

But, I realized when living with and watching my beautiful, healthy horses, who are herbivores, that foods which are fed by light (the sun) and rain can not only sustain but exponentially add to the life force on this planet.



Oh my goodness yes! The life force in sun-grown food is just incredible.

If I look at a bowl of fresh strawberries or cherries (lets face it, most fruit!), I am almost overcome with the joy of looking at something so vibrant and radiant and beautiful.

Starting at 51.04 and ending at 55.20 Shine, an Australian sharman, talks about his astonishing experience with the sun. You actually have to hear it to understand just how profound his story is. It is well worth listening to. :)

sl9DpQGIQHI
Astral Connections: Shine - Didjeridu Master

[Tam]

Well, once again, I said I'd do something, then didn't! My apologies; my ADHD often gets the better of me. Not an excuse, just trying to make it clear that I simply forget. It's not that I don't care, or lack interest. I just get distracted, then distracted again, and again, and pretty soon, something gets delayed. Working on doing better, so please bear with me!

Anyway, without further ado, here's an answer to all of the mod questions, in one post. Walls of text are my trademark, after all :p



Describe a perfect day you have not yet had?

This would likely change depending on my mood, but at the moment, it would be a day spent somewhere beautiful, either in nature or exploring somewhere new, followed by a long, extended meal with interesting people having great food and great conversation.

The details on that would DEFINITELY change on a daily basis (the beach! the forest! a museum! Disney World while on edibles! Sushi! Indian food! Italian!), but the basic format I feel would remain the same.



What is yall's favorite meal and what is yall's favorite movie?

That's, like, impossible to answer. I really have no idea. Favorites in general I have a hard time with, since I get bored really, really easily and also get excited easily.

So instead, I'll name one of my favorite food genres, which would be Japanese. Not a favorite, but I love the sheer variety of it. Some of it is so simple, yet so mind-blowingly good (sushi), some of it is really healthy, yet delicious, and then you have things that are so unbelievably creative and/or wacky, that you just...respect it. I'm down for a good bowl of ramen almost any day.

Continuing with the Japanese theme, two of my favorite films are the original 1995 animated Ghost in the Shell, which is a masterpiece, imo, as well as anything by Hayao Miyazaki, particularly one named Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

Of course, I could give you a long-ass list for both movies and food, but I'll leave it at that for now.



For the next questions, I'll be putting them all in one fat question, since they were all of Gracy May's that were sort of sprinkled around this thread. For the record, Gracy, I love asking probing, personal questions (I can be rude like that, I just like getting to the point), so I appreciate that you dove headfirst into the deep end.



Anyway, here goes:

How do you mods, both new and seasoned, see this forum differently than when you were a regular member, and, how do you weigh your responsibility of when to use force to keep the peace, and when to use deescalation skills to keep the peace?

New mods how much have you thought about this when you were a member putting your self in a mods shoes, vs. how it looks now sporting that badge and a gun? Does the landscape look different now?

Does it change the way you perceive yourself in relation to the other now just regular members?
What ways do y'all interact with the forum in a more technical way? I know like sometimes youll fix a video link, move a post or a thread, what other kinds of tecchie type stuff that we might never even think about?


Well, to be perfectly frank, I don't really see Avalon all that differently after becoming a moderator. To me, I'm still just another member, I certainly don't see myself as above anyone else, I just have more power, which, yes, as you pointed out, does inherently sort of elevate you a bit. But what I'd like to stress is that I don't see myself as an overlord or ruler or anything like that; I kind of have an issue with authority, I've always been a bleeding heart lady-of-the-people, so at the end of the day, I see myself more like a volunteer firefighter, if that makes sense.

That being said, there have been changes in how I perceive Avalon. For instance, I have a newfound respect for how much work this place takes to run. I always figured it was no cakewalk, but wow, let me tell you, it's a lot like laundry: it's a never-ending cycle of work! Rarely is there never a growing pile of clothes to take care of. That being said, I f*cking hate doing the laundry, so it's kind of a bad analogy, since I would not have accepted the offer if I thought I would hate it. I quite love it so far, even though I've done pretty much nothing (got a lot on my irl plate right now), every last one of the moderators are amazing, interesting, kind souls, and I'm very grateful to be working alongside them...even if I'm not pulling my weight.

So far, I've not had to personally step out and diffuse any situations of keep the peace. That being said, we're all very democratic about everything over here at the mod room, so it's not like any of us can just be the judge, jury, and executioner with impunity. While we all trust one another to make the right decisions, we also recognize that we may be wrong, so anytime a major step is to be made, we always put our heads together and discuss all possible options at length before making a decision. And if even one mod is strongly against something, we always talk it out. If only Congress were like that, as well. One can dream, right?

Personally, when it comes to my own responsibility, I recognize that every other moderator's input is just as valuable as mine, and promise only to be unbiased in my decisions. For instance, a lot of people were super pissed about us making the Q thread private. Some of it was understandable, but it seemed a subset of those upset saw us as some kind of brainwashed, dictatorial hivemind trying to censor everyone, which is, frankly, kinda ironic, but also, total bullsh*t. I can assure you we are all different in our opinions and views (though we all agree on the core values), and the LAST thing any of us will ever stand for is censorship of any kind. I mean, for Chrissakes, look at Avalon. Not only is it free, and without advertisements, but anyone with half a teaspoon of objectivity will recognize that this is a place where all that is ordinarily censored is welcome to be discussed, as long as it isn't hateful.

But with some of the Q threads, they became just that, so we decided to make ALL of them (both pro and anti-Q) threads private, since we were getting emails from people saying that they're getting tired of Avalon becoming a political, polarized forum, which simply isn't the case. It's just that popular threads are always on the front page. So we made all Q stuff private, as we felt it wasn't right to silence either side, but also didn't want any potential newcomers to think this was some alt-right political forum. Simple as that.

But people will always complain, and you can't please everyone, so naturally, there was a lot of fallout.

But I digress.

Bottom line is, for me at least, there hasn't been a night and day change pre and post becoming a mod. In terms of how and when I would exercise power, I have a more hands-off, laissez-faire mentality. I don't really ever take off the mod-hat, but I also don't see it as a crown, if that makes sense. At the end of the day, I'm just a member like any other, and I try to keep that state of mind when making any kind of executive decision regarding Avalon. A level-head, fairness to all, and a lack of bias are the flavors of every day. I can't stand nepotism, or favoritism, or political bs.

I guess that's just a part of how I see the world; of of my core principles is, essentially, that everyone poops.

And by that I mean, we're all just people. One thing I really don't get, for example, is celebrity worship. If there's anything that life has taught me, is that you can NEVER judge a book by its cover, that assholes exist across all races, cultures, classes, and education levels, that you can have a PhD and be a total dumb-ass, or be a "hick" and be brilliant. I've had people think I lack respect or have an attitude problem because I refuse to idolize or obey someone just because they're an authority or a superior. To me, I don't care if you're the Queen of England, Elon Musk, or the janitor, I put everyone on the same level, and it's up to them to prove to me whether or not they get to go up or down any number of notches. People are people, and I don't give a single iota of a damn about status, wealth, or seniority. It doesn't mean I don't respect you, I believe in treating others how you want to be treated. It's just that, I don't get the whole blind-idolatry thing, whether it's with a celebrity or some kind of authority figure. In my experience, some of the most evil people are the ones that are most "respected" in society.

I can't stand prejudice (though every last one of us, myself included, is prejudiced in some way), I have 0 tolerance for bullsh*t, and what I respect, more than lots of money, status, a PhD, or a uniform, are sincerity, critical thinking, and a kind heart. I take sh*t from no one, and I have no respect for assh*les, cowards, or the willfully ignorant.

Rich or poor, sexy or ugly, educated or illiterate, aristocrat or peasant, I don't care. It's about the person, not the frills. Hell, you don't even have to be human. A Reptilian or Nordic alien could zap into my living room right now, and after waking up from my heart-attack, I'd treat them the same as anybody else, which means I'd give them a piece of my mind for infringing on my privacy ;)

Some people think I'm vapid for thinking this way, but I don't really care. Take it or leave it, that's how it goes with me. (that may have been a teensy bit cocky, but it is what it is)

I kind of feel like an a** droning on and on about myself in this way, so I'll end it here. But you were clearly trying to get to the core of us all with your questions, so the goal of all that peacocking was to get the message across.

Hopefully, Gracy, that answers all of your questions, but if you want me to elaborate on anything, let me know and I'd be glad to.



Which topics on the forum would you love to see more participation and interest in because you, yourself, share those interests, or because you think those topics are important but overlooked? Are there topics that you feel have been flogged to death or that garner a level of interest that leaves you surprised/boggled?

Another great question!

What I'd love to see more of on Avalon is variety and debate. So many threads are just kind of links to other stuff, where everyone is all "Oooh, cool, thank you!", but there's really a lack of proper discussion in the sense of us all putting our heads together to figure things out. While there's plenty of it to be found if you dig through old threads, a lot of the newer stuff is more Facebook-like, where it's a tidbit of info or opinion that has a few comments, and then it fizzles out. Let's discuss history! Conspiracies! Books! Global economics! Climate change! ESP! Declassified files! ETs and abductions, but with a wider lens (think Jacques Vallee or John Keel)! Psychedelics! Life skills like urban farming or self-defense! Anything and everything that goes beyond the mainstream and tries to glean more crumbs of information about the mysteries of this amazing, beautiful, scary universe. In one word, I want discourse, rather than just dumping info and walking away.

More specifically, I'd like to see more overarching connecting of dots with folklore, ESP, history, ETs/UFOlogy/abductions, MIC/government activity, cryptozoology, and all of the related phenomena. Something greater than the sum of any of these parts is going on, it's all connected somehow, and we need to stop being short-sighted and fixed in our perception and understanding of it all. We're all missing something, somehow.

As for topics clubbed to death, I'd say Q/Trump in general (I'll refrain from a rant--for now), and anything that just kind of scratches at the surface of any given topic, rather than really digging deep.

Who are the moderators ? I know Mike and Constance are because I see them moderating and doing a dang good job, then out of the blue I'll hear someone like Joe of the Carolinas is a moderator?

I know this was addressed already, but for convenience, I’ll make a list of all mods/admins in no particular order:

- Constance
- Cara
- Billy Mac
- Mike
- Billy
- Tintin
- Franny
- James
- Me (Tam)
- Ken
- Joe, who’s on a sort of hiatus as he’s got a lot on his plate outside of Avalon for the time being
- Bill Ryan (duh) (mod/admin/Mr. Boss Man)
- Hervé (mod/admin)
- Tommy (mod/admin)




What is the most transformative experience you have had? How did it change you?

When I was 18, back in 2014 (bet that makes some of you guys feel old), my family and I went on a trip to Morocco.

Since Morocco was until relatively recently under French colonial rule, a fair bit of the population there speaks French. It could almost be a secondary official language.

As such, since all of us in my family speak French (my mother is Parisian and my father, Californian), we decided to use this to our advantage and go off the beaten path without too much of a language barrier. We opted for a sort of looped roadtrip tour of the Southern half of the country, starting in Marrakech, making our way across the lush agricultural region, over the Atlas mountains, then through the desert on the other side, all the way to the very edge of the Sahara, where Morocco meets Algeria, then back again. In total, it took 7 days driving around 8 hours each day (not including the many stops), but time flew because i was so incredibly amazing and fun.

Anyway, the way it worked, was that they would stuff 6 or so of us in a sort of all-terrain van from the 90s (which are total beasts, btw), and show us around. We were led by a trio of Berber men, a Motley crew of real characters. There was this one guy whose name I forgot, a quiet, gruff ex marijuana drug lord, who was apparently quite respected in his circle but decided he wanted a more chill life. He was quite intimidating and a total badass, but deep down inside, he was a total teddy bear. Nothing like a violent cartel, more like a master smuggler. The guy who drove the van we were in was named Abdul. Abdul came down from a long line of sheep farmers, who trade wool to carpet makers. Abdul was an incredibly sweet, happy-go-lucky, funny guy. He was infectiously optimistic, had a warm gaze and these incredible eyes, they were a hazel-grey, almond-shaped, and framed by thick, dark eyelashes. Finally, there was Fahreed, who was this aristocratic, scholarly type who spoke 3 PhDs, was devoutly Muslim, and spoke 7 languages. A classic philosopher and intellectual, he was an endless source of knowledge on theology, history, and Berber folklore and culture. Each one of these guys were our lifeline, acting as tour guides/interpreters/chauffeurs/logistical organizers/middle men/chaperones. We saw so many amazing and incredible things, but right now, I’ll share one story.

It was nearing the end of the trip. We had driven for a few days through the desert, which was peppered with these small villages and some larger towns, which were quite literally dirt poor, but the only forms of civilization around. It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to see these; beautiful because of how resilient the people were, how they adapted and overcame the unforgiving, blistering drought of the desert (they had brilliant natural construction and irrigation methods), but also heartbreaking for all of these same reasons. We saw a lot of abject poverty, but we signed up to see the heart of Morocco, and as a developing country, this was a large part of it.

Eventually, we arrive at a small city, where we were going to be treated to a stay at a very nice hotel with running water and real toilets, a luxury in these parts, and much welcome after days of sleeping in hostels and humble B&Bs.

So we drive to the city center, past all of the poverty. There were so many street orphans in this city, toddlers without shoes being towed by an older child around aged 7, trying to sell little knick knacks, or kids walking out barefoot into the desert to fetch water. It was heart-wrenching stuff. These people were obviously famished and suffering from dehydration, and the lucky ones would sleep in slums made from palm fronds, cardboard, and tarp.

One such slum bordered the hotel we were to stay at, which was walled off. And when I say bordered, I mean people were using the wall as shade and a solid wall for their little shanty structures. They were right up against it.

So, at this point, I’m already quite upset, due to those children, as well as the fact that a lot of the other people in the tour wouldn’t so much as look at them, and of the fact that my cellphone I was using to snap pictures of the landscape and whatnot was probably enough to feed 50 of them for a few days.

We brush past the kids, who were begging outside the parking lot, and into the hotel.

And by god, is it luxurious indeed. It was gorgeous, no doubt. The lobby alone was a work of art, with amazing Morroccan tile floors and walls, intricately carved wooden furniture, incredible hand-knotted rugs, and ornate, kaleidoscopic carved ceilings and columns and arches.

This only made me angrier.

Then, we’re ushered out into the outdoor area, and two things kind of immediately punch you in the face:

- A giant swimming pool with a built-in fountain

- 3 huge tables, absolutely covered in trays upon trays piled high with enough food to feed 50 people.

And right behind it, right behind it, was a wall behind which was that damned slum where emaciated orphans with bloated stomachs were drinking muddy water and picking through trash.

I looked around in what I can only describe as devastating disgust, shame, and anger. The courtyard was full of fat white tourists who didn’t seem to give even half a **** about any of it, who greedily piled their plates with ridiculous amounts of food so their lazy asses wouldn’t have to make more than one trip to the buffet, only to throw out so much of it. There were people gorging themselves on cakes and racks of lamb and couscous and stuffed bread and fruit and cheese, serenaded by the trickle of the fountain/swimming pool, when not 20 feet behind them, native Moroccans were starving to death, struggling to survive.

I burst into tears after that, more disgusted and ashamed and full of rage than I’d ever been before or have ever been since. A lot of the gluttonous pigs looked at me like I was some kind of nuisance, and I swear, I had to stop myself from getting violent when one lady snapped at a waiter to clear her plate off the table, which had half a chicken still untouched on it.

I refused to eat any of the food, which in hindsight was rather petty and dramatic.

In that moment, though, I hated the hotel, I found it to be obscene, ugly, an insult.

Aside from that, the trip was incredible, but I will never forget that god damned courtyard and what was just beyond it. I mean, imagine, living in the slum behind it, hearing the f*cking swimming pool fountain when you’re drinking water off the street floor. Heinous.

A part of me broke that day, and I’ve been a lot more angry and cynical since, but also more grateful. I was never ignorant of the world, of the destitution of most of the human population, of the injustices of colonialism, or many other dark and cruel aspects of humanity, but to see it, in front of your face, in such a dichotomy was literally nauseating. There’s no closing the tab when you’re there, in person, having to look those people in the face while your fellow tourists cart around their f*cking Louis Vuitton luggage.

Anyway, if anyone wants to hear more about that trip, I have pictures, more stories, lots more to tell. I’ll make a thread if there’s enough interest.



I‘d love to ask what are your trainings, professions (careers, jobs) occupations, how do you make a living?

Currently, I don’t make a living. I’m stuck in a sort of depressive rut, doing not much with myself. I plan on returning on community college this fall, to wrap up my core classes, then I’ll study either interior design or photojournalism. Not sure yet. In the meantime, I’ve started applying for any odd job I can find after being unemployed for 2 years (you read that right).



Not to put a date on anybody or anything, but what was the first piece of music you spent your own money on?

I was 12, bought a Linkin Park album on iTunes.

I know.


I think that's everything! If I missed one, let me know.

[Gracy]

For the next questions, I'll be putting them all in one fat question, since they were all of Gracy May's that were sort of sprinkled around this thread. For the record, Gracy, I love asking probing, personal questions (I can be rude like that, I just like getting to the point), so I appreciate that you dove headfirst into the deep end.



Anyway, here goes:

Nice start Tam, you read me well there. :clapping: Often times i feel people may be a bit taken aback by just that, the way i like to just dive headfirst into the deep end as you put it. Its never intended as anything more than just getting straight to the point, whatever the point may be, my mama always taught me to be direct, give a firm handshake, and look people in the eye.

How do you mods, both new and seasoned, see this forum differently than when you were a regular member, and, how do you weigh your responsibility of when to use force to keep the peace, and when to use deescalation skills to keep the peace?

New mods how much have you thought about this when you were a member putting your self in a mods shoes, vs. how it looks now sporting that badge and a gun? Does the landscape look different now?

Does it change the way you perceive yourself in relation to the other now just regular members?
What ways do y'all interact with the forum in a more technical way? I know like sometimes youll fix a video link, move a post or a thread, what other kinds of tecchie type stuff that we might never even think about?



Hopefully, Gracy, that answers all of your questions, but if you want me to elaborate on anything, let me know and I'd be glad to.


Ha! That was one hell of an answer Tam, that's what i'm talkin about, and i'll have you know i like your spirit girl! Can't think of anything i could possibly ask you to elaborate on as i now truly have a good idea of what youre about through that most detailed answer.

Now a few of my favorites. :bigsmile: First on the tech end of mod duties.


I have a newfound respect for how much work this place takes to run. I always figured it was no cakewalk, but wow, let me tell you, it's a lot like laundry: it's a never-ending cycle of work! Rarely is there never a growing pile of clothes to take care of. That being said, I f*cking hate doing the laundry,

Rofl, i'll think of dirty laundry evry time i think of y'all in the mod room now. Seriously though, that is a pretty good description and, thanks for the peek behind the curtain there.Doesnt sound like much fun...



To me, I'm still just another member, I certainly don't see myself as above anyone else, I just have more power, which, yes, as you pointed out, does inherently sort of elevate you a bit. But what I'd like to stress is that I don't see myself as an overlord or ruler or anything like that; I kind of have an issue with authority, I've always been a bleeding heart lady-of-the-people, so at the end of the day, I see myself more like a volunteer firefighter, if that makes sense.



At the end of the day, I'm just a member like any other, and I try to keep that state of mind when making any kind of executive decision regarding Avalon. A level-head, fairness to all, and a lack of bias are the flavors of every day. I can't stand nepotism, or favoritism, or political bs.

I guess that's just a part of how I see the world; of of my core principles is, essentially, that everyone poops.


I don't care if you're the Queen of England, Elon Musk, or the janitor, I put everyone on the same level, and it's up to them to prove to me whether or not they get to go up or down any number of notches. People are people, and I don't give a single iota of a damn about status, wealth, or seniority. It doesn't mean I don't respect you, I believe in treating others how you want to be treated. It's just that, I don't get the whole blind-idolatry thing, whether it's with a celebrity or some kind of authority figure.


I take sh*t from no one, and I have no respect for assh*les, cowards, or the willfully ignorant.


Rich or poor, sexy or ugly, educated or illiterate, aristocrat or peasant, I don't care. It's about the person, not the frills. Hell, you don't even have to be human. A Reptilian or Nordic alien could zap into my living room right now, and after waking up from my heart-attack, I'd treat them the same as anybody else, which means I'd give them a piece of my mind for infringing on my privacy ;)

That is EXACTLY the type of attitude and outlook on life that i look for from people with power and authority. Sure this is at the end of the day just another ole internet forum anongst countless others, but the idea is the same for me whether it be a forum moderator, a cop on the beat, or the damn President.


Thank you sweety for such a detailed answer. If you represent even a small percent of this latest generation of young people coming into their full bloom adult hood these days, i feel pretty good about things as my generation is now beginning to see their sunset on the horizon.

[Cara]

Okay, time for me to answer another question :flower:


Describe a perfect day you have not yet had?

Thank you samildamach, this one has sent me off into bliss :angel:

It would start with the birds singing, then the sound of leaves rustling, and slowly I would wake to find I’ve been asleep in a forest clearing. I would be resting on a bed of moss, soft and green and gentle.

As I open my eyes, I would find the birds hopping about the edges of the clearing, chattering away. The sunlight would dance down through the leaves, finally settling on the grass of the clearing.

I would wander into the forest to find a gurgling stream. Following this along, I would occasionally cross over, stepping on the stones to the other side.

At some point, I would hear a rushing sound and start to feel a chill in the air. All of a sudden, I would step out through the trees to find a waterfall, water and spray misting all around me.

The light would share its rainbow hues with me and I would breathe in the sparkling light.

I’d sit by the side of the waterfall and sing along to its song... humming now and then, dreaming of the lives in the trees.

:flower:

[James]

I’m going to tackle most, if not all, of these questions one by one. Thank you all for contributing to this conversation!


I would love to know your favorite books to read and why would you recommend them ?

“Handbook to Higher Consciousness” by Ken Keyes Jr.

When I was in college studying psychology, one of my least favorite but most influential professors stopped me after class one day to hand me this book, saying, “Read this while you’re on winter break, but bring it back. This is my bible.” It was one of those significant moments that not only changed my paradigm, but changed 100% who I’d end up meeting in the field and what I’d end up researching.

It’s a dated sort of book, but it’s highly accessible, and a wonderful crack in the cosmic egg before any actual eggs get cracked.

[James]

Describe a perfect day you have not yet had?

One of my friends owns a cigar shop, and when someone asks him what his favorite cigar is, he always answers with, “The one I’m smoking now.”

The perfect day I’ve never had is the one I’m living today.

:sun:

[James]

Oh, questions, right: What is yall's favorite meal and what is yall's favorite movie? You can only choose 1. Cruel I know, I'm sorry, but it's the rules.

My favorite meal has been and always will be a peanut butter and jam sandwich. Sprouted grain bread, homemade peanut butter and jam... Yum!

As for movies, 12 Angry Men directed by Sidney Lumet.

[James]

How do you mods, both new and seasoned, see this forum differently than when you were a regular member, and, how do you weigh your responsibility of when to use force to keep the peace, and when to use deescalation skills to keep the peace?

Each of us could have a wonderful one on one conversation, face to face, with no moderation needed.

In groups, the interpersonal psychology changes, with the varying effects becoming more noticeable as the size of the group increases.

My responsibility as a moderator is to help guide our discussions so they feel like a healthy, balanced one on one conversation among friends at a fun, but busy, party. Least invasive to most invasive, in handling problems, as the chiropractors say!

[James]

Which topics on the forum would you love to see more participation and interest in because you, yourself, share those interests, or because you think those topics are important but overlooked?

Lamarckism and social heuristics!


Are there topics that you feel have been flogged to death...?

Yes! Sometimes we spend a bit too much time on hoaxes we pretty much all agree are hoaxes - see social heuristics above! :p

[Rosemarie]

Which topics on the forum would you love to see more participation and interest in because you, yourself, share those interests, or because you think those topics are important but overlooked?

Lamarckism and social heuristics!


Are there topics that you feel have been flogged to death...?

Yes! Sometimes we spend a bit too much time on hoaxes we pretty much all agree are hoaxes - see social heuristics above! :p

Hurrying to the dictionary to see what those words mean. I am so ignorant , so thank you James for expanding my vocabulary and knowledge. Love to learn something new each day. :thank_you2:

[James]

who of the mods. would be playing the guitar round the fire right now?, and why don't you pass it on already? And which mod. would you pass it on to next?

I’d like to think we play the guitar like this:

EjA7BCKZ1Ag

;)

[Cara]

Time for me to answer another question I think.


...
Oh, questions, right: What is yall's favorite meal and what is yall's favorite movie? You can only choose 1. Cruel I know, I'm sorry, but it's the rules.

My favourite meal: well, I really love miso soup. It’s light, rich, flavourful, salty, umami, hints of the sea, nourishing, and good for you!

~~~

My favourite movie is much harder to pick! Let me see.

First, here’s a story of a crazy childhood dream. I had this when I was about 9; we didn’t have TV until then. This was a nightmare where the television snow (the kind that used to be on TVs when they weren’t in tune), escaped the TV and then proceeded to chase me. I was hounded by it all over the place and eventually ran to the edge of a cliff, no escape. And then I woke up.

So, with that in mind, you might see why I don’t really find TV and movies to be something I like much.

That being said, I think I like “A Room with a View” best. It has wonderful scenery, beautiful music, great acting, fantastic period costumes and a story about struggling against convention.

https://misslittlesplendid.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/a-room-with-a-view.jpg

[Bill Ryan]

:bump: :bump: :bump:

Folks, I'd love you to get to know the new mods (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?15565-New-Moderators-joining-the-Avalon-Forum-team&p=1378766&viewfull=1#post1378766) a little. We were wondering how best to do this, and then remembered we had this thread. :)

No questions are off limits. :P (And we really do have some interesting, high quality people on the team)

:happy dog: