To all lurkers and newbies ... you know who you are :)

[nera at rconnect.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 17194

> I lurk because of many reasons.
> 
> a) The sheer volume of email on the list in combination with my 
> limited time prohibits me from posting as much as I'd like to.
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Suzielynn, have you tried changing your options? You can change them 
to getting no email or to just a digest. I like the no email option. 
I found that when the letters all came to my email inbox, that I had 
to read them all. Now, I go to the website and scan through the 
headers. If I find a topic which I like, I read it. If I do not like 
a topic, I skip it. I also limit my time as to how long I can spend. 
There IS life outside of HP4GU.
Doreen
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>b) Most of the time, my opinion on the issues being discussed has 
> already been stated by someone else in a far more articulate manner 
> than what I could express.
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OK, I can readily agree with the fact that there are some extremely 
intelligent people in this group, who state their opinions quite 
articulately, but ... that does not mean that nobody on the list 
would find your posts refreshingly interesting. 
Doreen
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> 
> c) To be quite frank, I'm intimidated.  The majority of posters 
here are, as the name of the group would indicate, "grownups", with 
> experience and definitive stances on the topics at hand, and I 
would  have a hard time, as a high school sophomore, offering my 
opinion without a firm root in factual experiences and without 
sounding like  a bossy, know-it-all brat.  ^_^

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Why not give it a try? You certainly did not come off sounding like 
a "bossy, know-it-all brat" in this letter. 
Doreen
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> 
> > Also, why do so many newbies preface their questions or opinions 
> with 
> > lengthy apologies, which sound as if they are pleading someone's 
> > humble forgiveness? Do the rest of us scare you? 
> 
> *meek voice* Yes.  *smacks self*  Auugh!  I'm debate captain!  I'm 
> not supposed to be afraid of confrontation!  ^_^
> suzielynn.*
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Please do not be intimidated. There are some terrifically warm and 
friendly people in this group. I think that some of us are overly 
enthusiastic in our responses, and this has been mistaken 
for "superiority" or "sublime wisdom". Strip away the $5 words and we 
are all just big kids reading a children's book and loving it. 
Doreen
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