ACOT Message Board

I have sat here for days watching this disaster just get out of control.  I have kept quiet, and tried to stay nuetral, and I am still doing so however I am seeing some very nasty things from both PF people and regular swap people NO I AM NOT POINTING fingers just a general observation.  I know I am not perfect, nor is any hostess however, with that being said lets be HONEST for once in our lives. NOT ONE hostess including myself has INFORCED rules, while we were trying to be understanding and even threatened to do so nothing has been done.  Now I will admit, people have gotten stuff in much quicker, but seriously this problem of late swappers causes major problems.  Would it be so bad if we finally stood up and said NO LATE SWAPPERS allowed.  Yes I know Wendy and Laura got some flack as well as a few other hostesses for thier rules of NO LATE swappers however,  Laura was extremely successful in her turn around, was it a fluke? I think NOT!  She stuck to her guns and followed through, yes she only did one swap but she did it!  Wendy made the rule and yes while her swap date was extended out due to her personal issues she did get it out in a timely manner,  LADIES THIS CAN BE DONE!  I am currently almost done sorting for Nov with an exception of one swap due in a few days, I sorted swaps without items, as much as I hated doing so it has to be done.  Have they all been mailed NO, but I assure you they are coming soon.  Some people are starting to receive them, and I am sure they can tell you they are recent swaps, for most some had me holding them.Did Janette try to help Jamie?  You bet your donkey she did, and I know Jamie appreciated it and so did everyone else.  Did Janette bite off more than she could chew? Damn right she did, most of us let it go because most of us are patient, but keep in mind not everyone else is.  If someone wants their swap back then SORT THE DAMN thing, its not going to kill us to get a few items back.  I hate to see what is happening to this swap board its sickening, truely.  There are too many good people on here to let this happen. I even have to admit I thought the answer to problems and drama was leaving the board and coming to the PF.  Yes, most of the "drama" we dont ever see on that/this board, however have we gotten rid of late swapper NOPE!  Why because we still allow it, as much as I consider many of you friends, I have to make a sacrafice.  I want to be a hostess, I need to be a hostess, and I enjoy being a hostess.  Why you ask, because finacially its a big relief for me, I dont have to spend shipping money, being a mommy of four that is a big bonus for me.  I like being a hostess its just in my nature I guess, I think I am pretty friendly, while I know we all have our moments I dont think I have "beefs" with people.  I like to see the end product and be proud that I could make it all come together.  I also do this as a stress reliever, its just therapudic for me.I will be the first in line to ADMIT, last spring/winter was just stupidity on many of us.  Anyone that says differently is fooling themselves.   But  I did what I said I would do, I have only hostessed, 3 swaps for Nov, 2 for Dec and 2 for Jan so far.  Has it been a relief bet your donkey it has!  And my swap turn around time has improved so much more.   Do I have personal issues making my sort time slower right now YUP, you bet ya I have bulging disk in my L4-5, should I be sorting swaps, NEWP, am I ?  Yes as I can I have fully explaned myself anyone wanting swaps quicker no problem I can send your items out, I will do that and have done that in the past, Laura (art  teacher) is an example, she asked for a swap back without a couple items a while back, I did that for her, everyone else waited no problem.  But I did not have a problem doing that for Laura, shes ALWAYS been on time for me so felt that if she wanted that no problem.  She even commented on how she liked the swap even with the missing items, I felt bad, but I felt fine with that because she knew what was coming back to her.Now onto another subject,,,,,,, I am not in charge of the PF or who comes and goes lets just get that out there.  We were supposed to be asked more or less if we were hostesses if we felt someone should come or go.  Well today I am informed someone was booted for personal reasones.  Do I agree with this, not really but I wasnt asked either, so oh well. I personally sent Corrie a pm with my APOLIGIES for this, even though I didnt have anything to do with it.   She is still involved in swaps on the PF, and other than making a beef with a couple gals she has caused no harm to anyone else on this board, so I am totally not agreement with this decision, just to put that out there.   If someone is disrupting the entire PF then yes I would think thats a problem, but for personal issue bull sorry, gals its just childish. While I once again will admit my own downfalls, I took some things in here personal back in the spring.  Should I ? probably not, but I felt strongly at the time, while I still dont agree with some peoples personalities on here which in my book is called life, I have to say there isnt one person on this board that I cant deal with.  With that being said, I have personally decided, that my swaps will all go back to PUBLIC SWAPS, I will no longer be listing swaps in the PF.  Do I think it will upset anyone?  Maybe but the same people in the PF have the opportunity to also come here to see whats listed.  Why am I doing this?  Because I feel like alot of great swappers are being left out of something they shouldnt be,  if these gals decide not to join out here due to my own personal choices I can live with that, but I also know I am doing whats right in my heart. I just ask that if you block me on the PF, that I am able to get my swaps listed out here, if not I will relist them here, anyone that wishes to withdraw from my swaps I understand NO PROBLEM, just pm and I will take care of it.  Am I mad at anyone NO way, just tried of this and honestly I would like to be able to swap with everyone, not just a select few.  I will also being including the "NO LATE SWAPPERS" rule in all future swaps.  If you are not CURRENT you wont be joining.  Maybe I will upset people maybe I wont, but this is my final decision.  This is not a personal attack on anyone, more maybe on myself for being stubborn and not seeing the enitre picture. Will I lose any friends over this, I hope not, but I know who is truely a friend on here and I know even though they may not agree with me they will still swap with me.  Ladies lets just dig deep in our hearts and minds and think about what these swaps are doing to one another.  I am sorry but no way in hell are these swaps going to ruin my friendships from here or my potential to be the best hostess I can be. With that being said this is being posted in both the PF and the Main swap threads so its open for ALL to see. Hugs to you and hoping we can all swap together peacefully soon, and put this unfortunant time on the swap boards behind us. 

JennVery Well Said!  AND I AM SO PUMPED YOU ARE BRINGING YOUR SWAPS OUT FOR EVERYONE!!!AWESOME!CorrieETA:  I support you 100% and I hope you come out of this with all of your friendships in tact. 

Great post, Jenn.  

Well said!!!

Gee, more drama , it never ends! 

Well put, Jenn!  I agree wholeheartedly!But I still think my swapping days are over

Go, Jenn! I totally agree with you....but that should be no surprise!

why is it that people  (a) either haven't been here long - - - 2 posts . . . and  feel they are aware of what's going on; or (b) hide behind another identity rather than make their comments as there true ID??? 

MindySue,  I have been here for some time and just don't bother posting.  I mainly come here to look at the gallery and shop, but I do read the message boards.  Not hiding behind anything!!!!

Okay, I stand corrected. 

Very well said Jenn!Jenna

very well said Jenn, i agree if you stick to your rules and have open communication all is good with everyone.  I know i've taken stuff personally that maybe I shouldn't have as well.  (hormones, we all have them) Stuff happens, I know for someone who has been hurt (physically) if I had been in any of your swaps i'd just tell you to sort them when you felt better, just as I told lisa to wait until she was off of bedrest and had the baby, as long as you keep in touch all is good.  I do realize that there are things that are just out of our control, but an update goes a long ways...yep i had to extend my due date on my monkey swap by 2 weeks because my husband, bless his soul decided to re roof our house and trying to do that on top of being gone 5 days a week (living in diff. state) and having homework i knew that i couldn't get it out until afterwards and i needed the roof, the other shingles were very bad. ( and the last item didn't come in until the due date anyway so it was perfect timing)as for the lurker girl, i'm too lazy to go look up the name so bear with me, i don't think this post is posted to create drama or rather I didn't take it that way, to me it just sounds like a hostess that misses some of her old swappers and has had enough with the lateness on the board that she'd like to follow set rules and hold people accountable.  I thought was jenn said was very honest and from her heart.  I miss some of my old swappers too, but to be honest i don't miss the lateness. I can handle a little lateness but not over a few weeks and especially not over a period of months.very well said jenn and welcome back if you need me to add anything to the master list just send me a list of swaps and i'll add them. or keep them at the top and i'll catch them i'm sure.

wendy-- i know you pm'd me a while back about how to create a link to put on the master thread, but I am a little computer illiterate and did not understand the directions or maybe I read them too fast.  If you could pm me again and let me know how to do that, I would appreciate that.  I know I have a swap or two in this forum.  I, too, have asked other swappers not in the private forum to join some of the swaps.  I know I am a fairly new swapper/hostess, but I really appreciate those of you who have allowed me to join and host swaps.  i want to thank those of you who have joined the swaps i have hosted.  I know a couple of them are past due, but I am still waiting on one person to send me their items.  I have received pm's from her and know she has some things going on right now.  Thanks to shanierae and lisa for making the nan's kids swap a good one.  i couldn't have done it without you guys.  I am thinking of some ideas for new swaps after the first of the year.  I may do some retro type swaps with older paper.  I would be more than happy to get the paper for the swaps--that is why I have to wait until after the first of the year.  anyway, jenn, I still luv ya!!!

i'll go make a general post in case anyone else wants to make a link... here ya go:newer hostesses

Jen,Well said. Would be interesting to see how many peoples feels get hurt if a couple things changed.  In other words, why is it we get bent out of shape?If the hostess stuck to the rules or shipping with or without items instead taking on the responsibilty of making sure everything was covered,  it would one make some happy because they got their swaps in a deceit amount of time, but 2, would make others made because of the empty spots they were anticipating receiving.Bottom line, you're dammed if you do, and dammed if you don't.    But the saddest part is the friendships that are destroyed by the lack of understand and the false judgements of those that think they know better. Honestly, there will never be an answer to all of this.....it's a continual circle that will never end due to the fact we are all human and we all react.  We can look back a year and see this same argument with different people and I'm sure in a year or two we'll see the same arguement with a new group.I just wish it wasn't so.  It's just so sad that swaps can destroy friendships.  I just try and focus on the fact I'm currently healthy, having a loving family, and know there are better things to come.Suzie