Let me preface this as I always do; this is my opinion & my opinion is based off my experiences, interaction & observations in regards to our "Carolina Board". There will be those who agree & thiose who don't, but they are my honest "2 cents" as requested.
I apolgize for being a few days late in getting in on the conversations about the "new" TER. Just because I am late to the party doesn't me I have not put a lot of thought into the subject. I appreciate Roadie & everyone lobbying so hard for our board. Frankly, as those of you who know me know, I am a positive guy by nature.........the glass is ALWAYS more than half full in my eyes.
I realize change can be good. Many times, good changes involve tangible items. Changes in technology, advancements in medicine, educational improvements, etc, etc. are all invaluable. Then you have the intangible areas that change just for the sake of change. I don't feel that is good change & typically they are knee-jerk reactions.
So, as you can tell by the tone of this post, no.......I DO NOT LIKE THE "NEW" TER. I don't fault "management" for trying to make the over-all global prescence better. However, I don't feel this particular part of TER (the Community Boards) neccesarily has a "one size fits all" model. Each of every single community is so different. I participate on some of the other boards, especially when traveling, & I can honestly say our "Carolina Board" is the absolute best..........bar none. The ladies & gentleman that have adopted the "Carolina Board" know what I mean. Our board has a certain camaraderie within our community amongst ourselves that just doesn't exist to the same degree in the other boards. In the "old" TER there was humor, friendly banter, flirtacious tones, travel "advisories" as well as the occasional "slap on the hand" for over-stepping a boundry & "alerting" our friends when there was something wrong "within" our borders. In many ways our "Carolina Board" reminds me a bit of the old "Cheers".........where everyone knows your hobby name!!!
As any good "community", our "Carolina" even had philantropy efforts to help our residents enjoy the "Carolina" community even more. We had trips to visit local "Art Galleries" so we could better understand the arts. Yes -- the guys may suggest an "exhibit", but who really cares? There are more than a few "struggling artists" (struggling can be many definitions HaHa) that benefited from these exhibits of the art gallery. I even remember a few charity rides that have been organized to benefit various charities as well as some discounts provided for dates as long as the gentleman brought a toy for "Toys for Tots" (real toys for kids....not play toys for adults....STOP IT !!!)
I guess what I am saying is there truly is a sense of community within our board. I see it & feel it. I know most of you do too. There are actual friendships........& although most of them are "hobby friendships"..........they are still friendships that have been forged because of the way our "Carolina Board" has been in the past. Many started right here on our board & involved many members, both the ladies & the gents, chiming in on any random subject. Some made you laugh. Some made you cry. Some made you pissed. No matter what they were........you felt a part.
My fear & concern is that the changes TER is implementing will lead to our board becoming generic & cold. Neither is good. Being sensored & threads being deleted because of B.S. is........well.......B.S.
- Who cares if a "resident" of the "Carolina Board" shills a tiny bit? We're proud of ALL our girls.
- Who cares if a "lady resident" has a new photo for every post? Some are absolute classics.
- Why should it be a big deal if a lady posts a "thank you" to the gentleman on the board?
The main point is .......... LET US SHOW & SHARE OUR TRUE FEELINGS & THOUGHTS. That's what makes our board different.
My personal feeling is that TER is out-thinking themselves............in regards to the boards anyway.
I find that because of the changes I am not participating as much. I have had two posts moderated & deleted already. I don't have the time or the patience to worry about making sure my post fits within all the criteria as set forth by TER.
What TER will find is that by making everything generic, cold & a hassle, the ladies & gentlemen will become disengaged & lose interest --------- which translates to less particpation on the board, which leads to less reviews of the ladies, which leads to less "friendships" & dates. As I see it, these are not positive results of change.
I hope TER takes notice of how we feel. I have ABSOLUTELY, THROUGHLY ENJOYED my time "living" in our community a.k.a. the "Carolina Board". I wish I could thank each one you by name that have helped me "learn" this hobby. This board & you have made me an even happier guy than I already am. However..... if I did, the entire thread would be deleted by TER because I would be shilling about you. You know who you are.........ladies & gents. Y'all are what make this board so great. It won't be so great though if some of us stop participating quite so much.
Sorry for the long post, but I just kept typing. The funny part is I still have more to say & I finally told myself to "shut the f--k up, PLEASE !!!"
