Back after a long abscence

[Mel1721L]

Welcome back...

Thank you Liam.

[Ninehostages]

"I discovered the carnivore diet and I've lost 30 Kg in three months"


I used to eat Vegan but I found that they were too chewy and gristly with hardly any meat on them.

[Mel1721L]

I tried it myself once. Plenty of meat on a steak!

[stickman]

Welcome back, I’m trying to gain a little weight. As for the wife, you are probably well rid of her. I know I was of my last one. Been married to this one for 38 years.

[Mel1721L]

Welcome back, I’m trying to gain a little weight. As for the wife, you are probably well rid of her. I know I was of my last one. Been married to this one for 38 years.

Yes, I think you're right. We were married 20 years, but I'm not being nagged anymore! Gaining weight is easier than losing it but not without eating harmful stuff.

[estimaa]

Gweld Dim Ond Y Gwir.

pwy sy'n siarad cymraeg yma o hyd?

[Steve Ashton]

Just a note;

There was recently a reply to a post in this thread that is posted in the Welsh Language. A translation of the Welsh reads - "Who still speaks Welsh here?" It would appear that the post was an off topic response to a signature block in a previous post. Also in Welsh the signature block would translate to "See nothing but the truth".

The reply post in Welsh was flagged to the Forum Moderators.

Found within our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) are the "Basic Courtesy Protocols on X Marks".
As courtesy is usually thought to be one of the hallmarks of a gentleman, I thought we could use a re-fresher on the courtesy protocols that have been the hallmarks of X Marks since its beginnings.
Please notice the sections which I have highlighted in bold -



"The Basic Courtesy Protocols on X Marks

When posting to X Marks there are a few protocols which we feel are basic to our forum.

The person who starts a thread is known as the Original Poster, or OP for short. We regard the OP as the owner of their threads.
Someone starts a thread for a reason. They may be asking a specific question or may want to make a particular point. As the owner of a thread the OP may request that their thread be closed if they have received an answer to their question, if they feel the thread has veered off the intended topic, or is no longer useful or helpful. The OP may also request that their thread be re-named or moved if they feel it appropriate.

It is considered polite to add a few words of comment or explanation when posting a link to any outside source such as another website or video.
Posting just a link is easy, yes, but much more friendly to your fellow members if you explain a little about what the link leads to and perhaps why you decided to share the link. This is to allow our members to choose if they wish to follow the link or not.

Forum threads are a unique communication type. They are read linearly and are not easily followed if the topic is changed mid-thread or if the subject wanders. It is considered polite for those participating in a thread to keep their posts on the original topic of the thread. If someone wishes to change the topic it is expected that they would start a new thread.

It is accepted that the use of all capital letters is a form of shouting.

While it is common on forums to use "web-speak", acronyms and abbreviations, we consider it polite to use only wording that would be familiar to most of our members. Please remember that we are an international forum. Some of our members are old enough not to have grown up on the internet. We have listed some acronyms and abbreviations specific to X Marks in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's).

While X Marks has members from around the world we have chosen to accept English as our common language. Writing in dialect or in languages other than English is seen as impolite.

The written word is our medium of communication. It is considered polite to use accepted English language usage, sentence structure and punctuation."

While it is not a violation of any of our 12 Forum Rules, may we all remember to be polite and courteous to our fellow members.

[Mel1721L]

I am an Ovate in the British Druid Order. The signature in Welsh is appropriate to my grade. The blue and white symbol is the Druid symbol called Awen. Bear in mind the group was aimed at Welsh members but over the time I've been away, it hasn't been used and I'm going to close it. The signature is part of my Druidic identity. Also it's been there long since I've been absent. My Welsh is pretty basic. I couldn't hold a conversation in Welsh but what about Scots who may have a family slogan in gaelic?

[tripleblessed]

Perhaps Steve might have been suggesting that when posting a non-English reply in the body of a thread, an English translation accompanying it would allow all
to follow. The same could be applied to acronyms and jargon. A signature line is a slightly different case, I think. It's personal. If I'm perplexed and/or bothered,
I can look it up or post a thread asking. Or PM. I have never been accused of being the norm, but I have, over my 76 years, learned much by simply asking or
chasing things down myself. And often enjoyed said chase, learning other related or unrelated information along the way. Others may feel differently, and are so
entitled. I'm often asked how I came to know some little-known and/or arcane tidbit, and mostly have no specific answer, other than that much information is on
every page of the dictionary or encyclopedia. That material may well capture my eye while turning pages toward what I'm there for, giving entertainment and
broadening my world view. Looking it up on the internet may be more direct and efficient, but the side effect is the loss of the journey.

On a related note, the same might be said of the demand to stay strictly on topic in a thread. The loss of free-wheeling humor and asides gains a bit of clarity here
and there, but deprives us of much enjoyment and occasional learning. I'm not omniscient enough to say one is better than the other, merely observing.

[Mel1721L]

It is simply my signature. I haven't replied to a thread in Welsh. My Welsh is pretty basic in any case.
There is a slightly different poetic line for each Druid level passed. The first grade is Bard, the second is Ovate and that's my signature. I also have a Druid name Mellt which is Welsh for lightning, a not to the Norse God Thor and the Celtic God Tanaris. It was given me by the Chief of the British Druid Order as he knows I follow the Norse Gods more than I do the Celtic ones. I'm working on the Druid level now. I don't know their poetic line yet. I didn't make it first time.