**Help Wanted**

Being a moderator sucks. Thank God, I'm not a moderator. The board would practically be empty because I'd go bucked wild with the authoritah. []

I nominate Anne or Sequoyah.

I nominate Billy. He's pretty level headed.

Most definately ANNE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She is one of the most level-headed people here and has a wonderful way of dealing with people. When need be, she is straight forward and to the point, no tippie toeing around. She also has a very spiritual side that is very soothing. She can make the most depressed person see the calming light.
Besides, she is packed with knowledge. I can't figure out where she stores it all.[][][]

Anne & Glenda. (cant we have 2??)
 
They are both level headed but will stand up when they need to.
 
 

See, now I see the value of multiple moderators doing topics they DO NOT regularly post on. I think there should be monitors for every couple of frequently posted to topic areas...
 
As in a nutrition board monitor not being someone who posts there regularly...training person watching the NDR and General board, etc etc etc. That IMO is the true way you can get personal views, hot buttons, and preferences out of the equation.
 
Besides you will almost certainly learn something new if you are posted somewhere you're not as comfortable.
 
But I'm good with Jaime having the say...she does a great job.

WOW! Some interesting replies.
 
I was actually just curious as to how many people thought they possessed the qualities requested or saw them in others here.
 
The forum has been a little on the edge Gina, your right which makes me wonder "why?"
 
Why are we not seeing that we should be? open minded, giving, caring and helpful replies? Thats why we're here right? Because we want to help others, share our knowledge and provide better lives for dogs and owners???
 
Why are we almost attacking new members looking for help because it doesn't seem to be what "we" would do if it was us?
 
How dare these people think of seeking help on a dog forum NOW? Now, maybe after they have exhausted every thing they've ever known about dogs and how they previously raised dogs. Instead of getting suggestions of help they are condemned of why waiting this long! Why are you not feeding this because that is so HORRIBLE! Why are you not doing this TYPE of training because the other is so WRONG!
 
Training and health are passionate areas but the tones the posts have taken seriously make me wonder what help we are really giving and why are we not trying to learn from each other?
 
We all have bad days, sit back, think about who you're speaking to and reflect on how they'd take it. Life is too short for all of this, enjoy each other, learn from each other and share your knowledge in a kind way. No one is always goiung to agree but name calling, rude comments and down right nastyness will not be accepted.
 

Mark and CW, nominating Billy, are you crazy.
Firstly, the name would have to be changed from i-dog to I'm a dog
Secondly, the site would only contain:
BOOBS
BEAVERS
BUTTS
AND BULLETS[][][]

I think that what has happened recently is that we've gotten a large influx of new members who are like minded and really stick together in their beliefs.  Nothing wrong with that, UNTIL they start throwing ugly comments around...and being human, we tend to throw them back.
 
I've recently wondered WHY the forum isn't as much fun anymore.  For a long time I've been the "Walmart" greeter and among the first to welcome someone new to the forum, among the first to offer comfort or prayers or good vibes to someone with a problem, offer what advice I can or try to find someone with more knowledge to jump in....often forwarding things to Callie for wierd illness or Anne for training issues that I don't feel qualified to answer.  Twin started a food thread that I didn't even LOOK at until the other day....because I thot it was gonna go down the same ugly path that so many have.  It's a great thread and I'm sorry that I didn't go there sooner.  But, I find myself trying to avoid a lot of threads because I get soooo tired of the ugliness.
 
And often, when I jump in and try to calm a thread down, get the posters back on topic or just derail a train wreck, I'm getting accused of being a moderator wanna be.  Maybe I should just go back to Red Sox rears....but sadly, the BEST butt went over to the dark side.......but, when I DO this, it's nothing that I haven't done for a very long time...try to keep some semblence of peace and TRY to keep OUR forum from turning into a place we don't want to be.
 
So whats the answer?  Other than multiple mods to keep things nice?  Or feeding Jaime some really great drugs to keep her awake 24/7/365 and not allowing her to have a life at all?  If policing ourselves is something that gets others up in arms I just don't have an answer.
 
And Jaime, I think your job description is a little bit unrealistic.  Anyone who is HUMAN is gonna get ruffled sometimes and sometimes take things personally.......*I* am better at holding my tongue when someone directly attacks ME than I am when someone else is being unfairly attacked......Honestly, I think if you are going to select a mod from ANY of us, that person should have a second log in for moderating purposes.

I think A LOT of this stuff could be diffused before it started Jaime...by the addition of an INTRO thread where people's first posts need NOT be about some serious issue, but simply a place to post a bit about themselves and their experience with dogs...their interests etc.
 
If us old fart members have a place to go daily and look and see who's joining, AND WELCOME THEM....it could help us realize that we are NOT a static forum...we evolve and have a lot of people joining (or not) and keep us interested in the new people...not just thinking of them as annoyances or intruders upon the status quo...which they are NOT. Perhaps you can even do a "feature member' spotlight there for the new folks to get to know members over a certain post count so they are more human to each other lol!
 
I also think that a sticky with links to positive training sites and traditional training sites, book/video lists etc could help in the training/behavior areas...the same for Nutrition. Have members contribute to both and keep it current. Then when an issue comes up people can say check the 'links page" for this or that. Be great in breeding, Nutrition areas as well. This way people need not quibble about what to tell the person to read they can simply say...all the things here have worked for or been of interest to members that do XXX type of training or such.
 
I dunno maybe nothing would help...but I do think the Intro area would make a nice addition...perhaps in place of a less used forum like Ferrets?

One of the other boards I go on from time to time has an intro board where you HAVE to introduce yourself before posting the first time.
 
I think it is in the air.  The horse board I go on has recently gotten quite nasty.  What the mods did there was to "split" rather than lock topics.  They split the topic where it started heading south, and put the "bad" part of the topic in a recently created section called "The Naughty Corner" which can only be viewed by members.  Although people can keep posting in "The Naughty Corner" if they wish, I have to say that is really is effective in fizzling these topics out.  That way if the thread could still go in a useful direction other member can do so with out the topic being locked.

For what it is worth (IMHO) when new members join a forum one of the first things they notice is the general tone. I've clicked on forums and have been shocked by the language and personal attacks. I assume that is the nature of the board and I decide whether or not to participate. So when a new member reads certain threads on idog, they assume that is the tone of the board and participate in a like manner. Now those of us that have been around for some time, we realize at times some senior members can be just as cranky or nasty as the best of them. Because of our history on the board we know that is somewhat out of character for the poster and we let it slide- everybody has bad days! However, new members do not have that history and if they feel someone is taking a shot, they feel justified in shooting back and are surprised when everyone jumps on them, yet supports other one.
So, if we want to maintain the friendly, supportive and welcomimg board that we all love, then I think it is important that those of us who have been here for awhile try really hard to avoid being nasty or self rightous. It can be a very subtle thing but if I can pick up on the passive aggressive innuendos, I'm sure the newbies can too.

Denise I think you are on to something there...and I will go FURTHER and suggest...
 
IF you went to a forum and saw the things you mention, and that sort of thing appeals to you...as a firey person or heck...a person that just flat out likes confrontation...there you go! Perhaps this is the root of the matter. Like attracts like and so on...
 
Food for thought!

ORIGINAL: meilani

Being a moderator sucks. Thank God, I'm not a moderator. The board would practically be empty because I'd go bucked wild with the authoritah. []

 
HAHA I got that!!!
 
I'm interested, but only if it's not for moderator.  I don't have the time nor patience   (nor the politeness skills) to do the job...I would go wild with the "authoritah" as well.   If we're nominating I'd say Glenda.

I think we need a new, clear, rules section. Something that outlines stuff like spamming, so new members can't have any excuses, and gives guidelines for what is a personal attack and what kinds of posting styles are allowed. It's sad that we need this, but I really think we do, because my idea of a personal attack may be entirely different from someone else's, and if we are going to police each other, we need rules to go by. For example, I think saying "You're an idiot for doing things the way you do" is unacceptable but "Why do you do that? I wouldn't do it the same way" is fine. Yet both could be considered personal "attacks" and could get other people feeling defensive.