Your writing is fine.

I listened to all of you, and when I wrote SIL my e-mail on Thursday night, I incorporated some of the things you all suggested (such as letting her know I didn't know her real intent from all this, for example).

I still wrote in a negotiating, open-minded mode directed at understanding the problem and giving it the best tone as possible, though, I didn't attack or blame her, I just told her how I felt.

She wrote back yesterday, and I learned the following things:

She didn't mean to hurt me with her comments, and is sorry I got hurt. She seemed genuinely interested in my answers, and hopefully in working the situation out, and she also asked for my source regarding the "try and" issue that was discussed in here awhile back, so I gave her Ben's website.

Edit: She lamented a little bit about the deterioration of the English language in recent years, and actually reminded me about some of the things Ashton has said on here, among others. So it doesn't seem to be a personal thing. However, I explained that my writing and any choices about it would be the one thing I would defend most, as it was the most important thing to me to protect in this messed up situation with the Reunion committee.

I don't know if things will straighten out completely, but we have opened a calm, reasonable dialogue for the first time since July 17th this year's incident, and honestly, I think that's major progress.

Thank you sincerely, for all of your help.

Brenda

Post #226,052 by Another Scott 9/22/05 11:22:25 PM Reply	Your writing is fine. I don't know enough about her to know whether she's genuinely trying to help or whether she enjoys "correcting" others. Either way, it doesn't really matter. Shrug it off and move on. Your writing is fine. Life's too short to be worried by such criticism. ;-) Cheers, Scott.
Post #226,279 by Nightowl 9/24/05 9:31:05 AM 9/24/05 9:34:58 AM Reply	Positive Update :) I listened to all of you, and when I wrote SIL my e-mail on Thursday night, I incorporated some of the things you all suggested (such as letting her know I didn't know her real intent from all this, for example). I still wrote in a negotiating, open-minded mode directed at understanding the problem and giving it the best tone as possible, though, I didn't attack or blame her, I just told her how I felt. She wrote back yesterday, and I learned the following things: She didn't mean to hurt me with her comments, and is sorry I got hurt. She seemed genuinely interested in my answers, and hopefully in working the situation out, and she also asked for my source regarding the "try and" issue that was discussed in here awhile back, so I gave her Ben's website. Edit: She lamented a little bit about the deterioration of the English language in recent years, and actually reminded me about some of the things Ashton has said on here, among others. So it doesn't seem to be a personal thing. However, I explained that my writing and any choices about it would be the one thing I would defend most, as it was the most important thing to me to protect in this messed up situation with the Reunion committee. I don't know if things will straighten out completely, but we have opened a calm, reasonable dialogue for the first time since July 17th this year's incident, and honestly, I think that's major progress. Thank you sincerely, for all of your help. Brenda "I'll rock the darn boat all I want to, and if it's meant to stay afloat, then it will. If not, then we'll just all go down with the bloody ship!" Edited by Nightowl Sept. 24, 2005, 09:34:58 AM EDT Expand All History
Post #226,329 by jb4 9/24/05 6:26:56 PM Reply	Like yer .sig! jb4 shrub●bish (Am., from shrub* + rubbish, after the derisive name for America's 43 president; 2003) n. 1. a form of nonsensical political doubletalk wherein the speaker attempts to defend the indefensible by lying, obfuscation, or otherwise misstating the facts; GIBBERISH. 2. any of a collection of utterances from America's putative 43rd president. cf.* BULLSHIT
Post #226,353 by Nightowl 9/25/05 2:17:54 AM Reply	Thanks, me too! That's essentially what I finally told my mom about letting me speak freely to SIL after years of hearing "PLEASE don't rock the boat!" I like it a lot, it's almost liberating. :) Brenda "I'll rock the darn boat all I want to, and if it's meant to stay afloat, then it will. If not, then we'll just all go down with the bloody ship!"
Post #226,396 by CRConrad 9/25/05 6:14:33 PM Reply	What,there's a difference?You can't enjoy trying to help?:-)

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