Sinister: Stop the pigeon

[Honey]

A Whisper from Mum

Erm.. experience teaches that this list gets a little lost when we
get as many posts going off in as many directions as we are just now,
or, so far down so many off-centre-ish topics.  I'm saying this with
a certain level of trepidation, because it's pleasing to the eye to
see such a return to happy nattering, plus, I know all the Wacky
Races cars off by heart, and would probably talk about them for
hours, driving you all to tears.  But then, we've done the subject of
"programmes when we kids" a lot before, which caused a little
consternation in the end, and there's always the search on the WWW
site if you really want to rub your nose in it.

Just that - to avoid the thing we all consistently hate, i.e. schisms
and repeated posts and "there's too many posts to read so I haven't
checked my inbox yet but I'm going to say this anyway...", the last
two years' experience teaches that a teensy bit of foot-braking could
be applied just now.  The principle is: when the majority of people
who post haven't got time to read the majority of posts to the list,
we become separate communities, and we all start repeating what each
other are saying, or getting slightly frayed at the edges at threads
we don't like.  Someone who loves getting 50 emails today might hate
it next week because they have a stinking headache and a pile of
dishes to wash. 

I realise I'm running a big risk here of coming out bottom in the
List Crush (can you vote negatively?), but I'm being Mummy, OK, and
just doing a gentle nudging, so please don't shoot me with a big
gun.  I realise this is a very hard balance to find.  This isn't a
list where you just discuss B sides or bootlegs, and I've never
wanted it to be one.  All I'm doing is suggesting a teensy bit
of thinking about whether, say, 75% of the people who are about the
received the mail waiting in your Outbox will gasp with delight or
might a few groan just a little under their breath if it comes on top
of all the others?  Also pleeeease let not this spark off another
debate on the list about list content.

And PLEASE! I'm not thinking of anyone specific here at all, in spite
of the fact someone will mail me and say "don't pick on me!".  I
don't know whose post I'm following but I "probably haven't read it
yet" (TM) and I'm not thinking of anyone in particular.  You're all
delightful, yummy and gorgeous and cause many a twinkle in mummy's
eye.

Mum xxx
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