'Stand Alone' Discussions.
By Jabo
@jaboUK (64361)
United Kingdom
June 16, 2016 5:35pm CST
Do you ever open a post and have no idea what they are talking about? The author seems to assume that you have read their previous discussions , as it is liberally sprinkled with references to people and things of which you have no knowledge.
In my opinion a post should be complete and self-explanatory, in other words it should 'stand alone'.
Usually you only need a sentence to set the scene, even a word or two could suffice.
For instance, if you are going to be talking about 'Sammy', how hard is it to write 'my dog Sammy' or 'my son Sammy', instead of assuming we know who Sammy is? That's a simplified example, but I'm sure you get my drift.
Personally I like to leave no doubt of what I'm writing about, whether it's someone reading one of my posts for the first time, or an old friend.
---------------------
The photo is of three postcards I received this week. The one from Illinois is from @fishtiger58, the leopards are from @Inlemay in South Africa, and the shell is from @Jeanniemaries in Florida. Thanks to them all.
75 people like this
72 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
16 Jun 16
It is human nature to assume that people are aware of whatever it is that you are talking or writing about. Naturally we try to ensure that we express ourselves completely on a site such as Mylot, but failing to do so easily happens.
6 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
17 Jun 16
i got 3 cards this week, too! jest makes ya giddy, don't't?
i've run 'cross those discussions, but hope i aint guilty'f doin' the same. prolly why i use "the pup", "the cat" 'n the like. then 'gain, sometimes i'll say "mr. whiskey" 'r one'f the other horses names perhaps without 'xplainin' who they'd be?
e'en if'n i've been readin' someone's schtuff fer sometime, 'tis a tad confusin' tryin' to recall which all family members/friends/neighbors/pets belong to whom. particularly if'n they've not penned 'bout 'em fer a bit. i've the attention span'f a flea these days. folks need to not jest draw, but paint the picture :)
big hugs 'n love!
4 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 16
@crazyhorseladycx I'm pretty sure that you aren't guilty of this, Crazy. What a great way of putting it - they need to not just draw, but paint.
That's nice that you got some postcards too. Luv back atcha.
. What a great way of putting it - they need to not just draw, but paint.
That's nice that you got some postcards too. Luv back atcha.2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 16
@crazyhorseladycx I bought a card for you today, I'll send it off next week.
Got a busy weekend here, working at the races today and tomorrow, then all the family round on Sunday for a meal (Father's Day, and also our wedding anniversary).
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
17 Jun 16
@jaboUK i reckon if'n i t'weren't so lazy i could go back to check'n see 
? thanks. yepperz, those cards're jest grand! i'm thinkin' 'f buildin' me a lil display thingy so's i can hang 'em here by the puter. ya know, so i can see 'em all the time :D big hugs 'n love!
? thanks. yepperz, those cards're jest grand! i'm thinkin' 'f buildin' me a lil display thingy so's i can hang 'em here by the puter. ya know, so i can see 'em all the time :D big hugs 'n love!2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (80172)
• United States
16 Jun 16
I have to agree that sometimes I'm confused too when reading a post & not exactly sure who they are talking about
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 16
@Marilynda1225 I suppose people just don't think, they just assume we'll know who or what they mean.
@sol_cee (38222)
• Philippines
17 Jun 16
@ridingbet Oh Sammy actually exists! lol
3 people like this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
17 Jun 16
Sammy is my desktop... no, just kidding.
4 people like this
@ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
17 Jun 16
right, i also forgot momentarily that your dog is gone now, he went to the rainbow bridge
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
17 Jun 16
I once wrote a post that even I was left puzzled by. Guess I wasn't feeling quite up to snuff. One of the responders questioned the relevance of the first paragraph to the rest of the post. After reading it a few times I realized that it had no relevance, deleted the first paragraph and went about my day. LOL
When a post leaves me scratching my head, I just move on. No need to dig the hair out of the root trying to figure out what it is about.
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45939)
• United States
17 Jun 16
@jaboUK I too will comment on a few that tend to bounce around. But, those that just post willy nilly don't deserve even a like. They are clearly just posting for the sake of posting for earnings and not for interacting with our community.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 16
@ElusiveButterfly You made me laugh about your own post
. As for other people's - if they don't explain, I don't comment unless I know them well.
. As for other people's - if they don't explain, I don't comment unless I know them well.1 person likes this
@suziecat7 (3350)
• Asheville, North Carolina
16 Jun 16
I think most of my posts are "stand alone" but I'm not here as often as others. I agree though - it only takes a word of two to make it clear.
3 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
16 Jun 16
@suziecat7 I haven't noticed you being guilty of this
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23675)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
17 Jun 16
OMG!!! People still send postcards!!!! Next you will tell me people know how to write!!
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 16
@GreatMartin The postcards are becoming quite popular between myLotters - haven't you seen any of the posts about them?
And yes, a few of us can still write
1 person likes this
@GreatMartin (23675)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
18 Jun 16
@jaboUK This is the first I have seen any reference to them!
1 person likes this
Am waitingnfor my postcard from one lotter. And forgot about sending you a message. Haha @ridingbet (66857)
• Philippines
17 Jun 16
i have somewhat a retentive memory, and i get to understand some discussions that need to be refreshed.
2 people like this
@hereandthere (45651)
• Philippines
17 Jun 16
it's also good to take time to explain technical terms for us laymen to understand them
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 16
@ridingbet You may be able to remember, but not everyone can. What I'm saying isn't so much a case of remembering, as I'm really talking about people who mention things I've not come across before.
3 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
15 Jul 16
cool post cards. any idea how much a regular card would be to send someone there from USA? and yes, i have been guilty of that kind of post myself. i am just not a great writer these days. to much training of writing short stories where i was told less is more or something like that. my mind is not as it used to be. 
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
15 Jul 16
@bunnybon7 I know that 'less can be more', but we still need to know what the 'less' is.
I didn't take any notice of what the postage cost on the cards I received, but from here to the US its just over a pound - I think that might be about £1.30.
.
I didn't take any notice of what the postage cost on the cards I received, but from here to the US its just over a pound - I think that might be about £1.30.1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
20 Jun 16
there are a few readers who have read through a lot of my earlier posts after discovering me on here but most don't so yes, I try to keep each post as self-contained and complete as possible
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
20 Jun 16
@jaboUK very much so - I remember on Bubblews when I'd see a post entitled part 17 of 36 - put me off reading any of it rather than trying to find my way to the start
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
20 Jun 16
@arthurchappell That's true - I never read those 'series' posts. Having said that, I'm doing a series myself on Mylotters, but each one is independent of the others. People can jump in any time.
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
20 Jun 16
@arthurchappell Yours are self-explamatory as far as I know Arthur. It's great when people do look up our earlier posts, but that's just them wanting to know more - they don't have to do it in order to understand the current post.
1 person likes this
@CRK109 (14558)
• United States
17 Jun 16
@jaboUK yes, exactly! I learned that lesson not long after I began writing here. Most of the people responding to me knew me from the bubble place, so I wrote one post about "Britt", but never said who that was. And someone came out and asked me who it was and what the background was. So now I remember to do that, because we all have new people coming in and reading what we write.
2 people like this
@Daljinder (23233)
• Bangalore, India
17 Jun 16
I write on random topics. Whatever caught my interest at that time is put up for discussion. There is a little chance that it would be a continuation of previous post. If it is a continuation then I add the link or add only a line or two long summary. Not much!
I am guilty of mixing up of topics but not missing information. Well I hope I am not. LOL!
And those postcards, I wanted to ask you about them on someone's post where you mentioned them...........
Ah! I remember it was Marsha's post where she was saying she was delivering a gift package to a friend after a year.
I wanted to ask you to show me the picture of postcard. I wanted to know if they have changed or is there any difference from the ones I had seen here ages ago. But I got caught up in things offline.
So, thanks for the picture!
2 people like this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
17 Jun 16
@Daljinder Random topics are fine and are what this site is about. Random isn't the same as confusing.
I'm happy that you liked the picture of the postcards.
.
I'm happy that you liked the picture of the postcards.1 person likes this
