Everyone,
I am saying this last bit and then the thread will be closed..
I did remove the post count very temporarily based on a recommendation to do so by another staff member. I think it was a good thing to help make a point that post count really does not matter in the whole scheme of things.
I will be turning it back on in a few days.
It all comes down to the fact that I have absolutely no problem with folks posting whatever enters their mind. If someone says, "I love smoked chicken" in a post and then someone else comes in and says, "me too" that is fine.
That is normal forum conversation.
I don't know of anyone who is doing that to raise their post count. If myself or one of the moderators thought that was happening then that person would be dealt with in private in a very nice but firm SMF way.
This is not something that any non-moderator should be worried about. If you are concerned that someone has more posts than you and you feel that you have more to offer than them, then spend more time in the SMF posting away.
Everyone is on equal ground with equal opportunity to post if they so choose.
If you feel that someone is giving out wrong information then tactfully refute it.. if you don't know what tact is then look it up and learn how to use it.
Someone with tact can refute a statement without hurting anyone's feelings or causing chaos.
In smoking meat there is not a lot of things that are absolute.. so much of it is based on what you like and what tastes good to you and your family.
There is plenty of room for opinions and different ways of doing things. I have stepped out of the box on many occasions and been darn glad I did on a few of those occasions.
Everyone take responsiblity for your own actions and attitudes. If you don't like someone, then decide to like them anyway.
If you feel that someone is acting like a know-it-all and that bothers you then smile knowing that know-it-all's usually fall hard at some point.
If you feel like you are an expert.. keep it to yourself. You can tell everyone what you are and look like a butt or you can just be helpful and share your knowledge at every opportunity. Then folks will tell YOU that you're an expert.
A bible verse comes to mind but I will refrain at this time from turning this into a religious conversation.
The SMF is known to be great becuase we are nicer than others, more helpful than others, welcome newcomers with open arms (a rarity on other forums), treat newbies with the same respect as an expert (another rarity on other forums, and we strive to answer questions quickly and accurately for anyone who asks no matter how basic the question or how many times it has been asked before(something you just don't see anywhere else).
We can easily get relaxed and just be another forum happy to have our few members and talk about smoking meat but that is just ordinary and who wants to be ordinary?!!
NOt me!
I want to be the best and if you do as well then away with the attitudes and the dislikes and the cliques and let's get back to doing what we have always done to make folks love it here.
If you want to say Amen or Vise Versa then do so in a PM.
Let's get off this conversation and back to what really is important at the SMF.. SMOKING MEAT!
