girl power...There are a few women on this board!

Flagpole wrote:

I had a girlfriend once who said to me, "You always think you're right when we have an argument." Um Yeah, that's why we're arguing. I could have said the same to her. Anyway, fortunately arguing is not a part of my married life - discussion, listening, understanding and compromise is what my lovely wife deserves at all times.

I would agree with the girlfriend. What you could do is say, "I recognize your point, I see it from your side, I will wear your moccasins so that I understand what you are saying." There's more than one answer to every question.

I don't see you possessing this skill Flagpole, thus you come across as a know-it-all to others.

Flagpole wrote:

Brifontaine,

Listen to this and believe it - YOU AND I AGREE 100%!

It doesn't matter what the reason is why many women don't want to debate, only that they don't. You said it is because most of it is pointless and boring - ok fine - I actually agree that most of the debate that goes on here is boring and pointless, and yet the men continue to do it anyway, and the women don't. I said in that very first post of mine that it is perhaps showing a very positive side of women that they don't engage in debate more often. I only said that women don't enjoy debating as much as the men do, and you just confirmed my belief. Now that you agree with me, how can anyone be irritated by what I've said?

Flag, this does not sound like a refutation to me. The term 'agree' means that you share the same opinion.

What follows your 'I agree' gets muddy. I'm lost on your feeling that women don't like to debate as much as men. Whether this is true or not, what's the point? Too many threads on letsrun spiral into nonsense and I don't think it's much of a feather in men's caps to prop that stuff up as 'debate'.

Tara (if that's finally your real name...)

when will you be publishing the findings of this amazing sociology experiment you've involved us all in?

I'm anxiously waiting to hear what you've drawn out of this.

I don't see Flagpole as a know-it-all. And I agree with his earlier assertion that he's not that good at the message board thing.

I think that his sweeping generalizations of womens' posting habits are not far off, but no one likes to be boxed in a stereotype. I encourage you to visit one of the massive scrapbooking message boards with 1000s of women to see debate and argument in its finest.

Regardless of what Flagpole says, I think an incremental shift to more of a co-ed board would be better than it is today.

That being said, I am sorry to let you females know in advance that I am taken and smitten with my spouse (I think this has already been well-established). I understand, this fact greatly reduces your incentive to post (or even lurk) here on Letsrun.

J,

what are you doing hanging around scrapbooking message boards? And have you figured out which one of the Lovely Letsrun Lady Lurkers is your Honey?

Pete, Mrs. J felt compelled to show me on one occasion how much "better" the scrapbooking site was. However, I stumped her (it can luckily happen on rare occasion) when I said, "Yeah, but does your site give away t-shirts with the site's cool logo?!?!" Also, I've agreed to go with her to a National Scapbook convention this Spring/Summer, so don't laugh.

No, I have given up on finding THE LLL's pseudonym. In the large scheme of things it doesn't matter, and I anticipate that she'll end up telling me during some unpredictable moment in the next year or so. In case your skeptical, though, I do promise that what I said earlier (about her lurking) was not a falsehood.

There is a thread on fast-women.com on why no women post there. I would post this answer there, but I am in my self-imposed exile (got sick of the board) so I will answer here.

There USED to be a lot of women who posted on that board. We had some interesting, but dynamic, conversations. Then people had to start registering. That stopped a lot of people on there. Then we had some very rude, opinionated people start posting on there?who felt they were always right about everything.

They turned everything into a heated argument. Eventually, all posts became really dumb like ?interesting race result.? Blah, boring. That is why nobody posts there. I bet a lot of them, like me, still lurk. But I have promised myself that I will NEVER post there again.

Women are completely capable of talking about the big name runners. But, I get bored reading guessing games on who will beat who?etc.

Interesting concept of replying on a different board's thread here... kind of cool.

Have you heard of Hoof Whammies, au naturelle Woman?

Hoof Whammies to you!

Here is the post:

http://web1.nyrrc.org/ubb/Forum2/HTML/000915.html

I think "disenchanted" sums it up, it comes down to a matter of interest. I have been involved in T&F for many years, in many different ways, and this is the conclusion I have always come to, for some reason the boys just seem more interested. I am not trying to stereotype, this is just what I have seen and experienced. I have always termed it the "Hang Factor". For some reason the guys (the distance guys ) seem to like to just hang out, I don't know how many times after workouts or runs we would just sit around shooting the shit, always the last to leave the field house, and that is still what I see today. Just my 2 cents.

Flagpole, you said we agree 100%, then you say you refuted me point by point. I think you're confused or have a flaw in your point because I know I couldn't possibly be wrong on this.

Marython,

You quit posting at

www.fast-women.com

because everything was turning into a heated argument. According to you, other women apparently did the same - that just EXACTLY proves my stance.

Sometimes it is difficult for people to recognize that someone else has appropriately broken down and explained a situation.

If you all just chant - "You were right Flagpole. You were right Flagpole." Then you really will all just feel better.

Brifontaine,

You are right - see, I can admit to being wrong.

I do stand by my statement that you and I agree 100%. Saying that I refuted you point by point was a mistake - it was more showing you point by point how we agreed with each other.

Anyway, good point there - yours is the first one other than mine so far in this discussion - well, 16x had a good one too I guess, and I acknowledged that.

Just ignore him like I do.

Flagpole, just keeping you on your toes. I do agree with 16x about you saying women don't like to be disagreed with suggests that women can't handle conflict. I think it is better said, as I think you said that most people don't like to be disagreed with. Anyway, it's cool that Mrs. Flagpole is posting. Maybe we'll here from her more, since she is the smarter of the two of you. :)

Dearest Wife Whom I Adore,

Most men would write that they love their wives more than they know, but you are one who does not have to wonder because I tell you each day. Lest you think the everyday utterance is lost on me though, be assured that I would never say something I didn't mean, and I don't take love lightly. After 13 years of marriage, my love for you burns stronger than ever. I could no sooner imagine life without you than I could life without my arms or legs. You are my partner, my soul mate, my love. Often I look at you and marvel at how lucky I am to be married to such a remarkable woman. You are the smartest person I know; the most accomplished student I have ever known, and yet you are an even better wife and mother. It is perhaps unfair for one person to have such gifts, and an even greater injustice for all the other men in this world to have to settle for second best. We laugh and love, live and care, struggle and smile, and through all the times, good and bad, I know that I am the luckiest guy on the face of the earth.

You will always have my heart, my love, my respect and admiration, but if you ignore me again, I will drop you like a bad habit.

Your husband,

Flagpole

Brifontaine,

Ms. Flagpole is definitely the smarter of the two of us - she is a bonafide genius. Unfortunately, she doesn't know too much about running.

So, I post here and she posts at abc.com about Alias (which is a GREAT show by the way with a strong female leading character!), and we have our own little piece of the world.

No man has loved his wife more than I love mine.

Marython wrote:

They turned everything into a heated argument. Eventually, all posts became really dumb like ?interesting race result.? Blah, boring. That is why nobody posts there. I bet a lot of them, like me, still lurk. But I have promised myself that I will NEVER post there again.

Women are completely capable of talking about the big name runners. But, I get bored reading guessing games on who will beat who?etc.

Marython:

I never posted on the FastWomen board - never registered or anything, but use to read. It definately is nothing more than a small or perhaps large group of high school girls that dominate the board and are chanting the name of the latest high school phenom or asking about eating disorders, or acne treatment. Very young readership for the most part.

Pete,

It's just a little something called respect, that we all deserve. You wouldn't want to be called a boy, instead of man would you? And to know what women want just ask, because they'll definitely tell you.

I use the name Blonderunner only because its been part of my sn for the past 2 years and i don't really see anything wrong with this.

And personally as an 18 yr old college student i enjoy flaunting my sexuality and i don't really take the stupid things guys say to seriously. I also don't mind being called a girl, probably cause i still consider myself a girl sometimes and like to enjoy my youth and act like a kid sometimes (ex: my friends and i went sledding this winter and we were by far the oldest "kids" there but we had so much fun)

And although this is in the past, I think its a little hypocritical to say were trying to say were trying to make ourselves a sex symbol when you posted pics of yourself in very little clothes.

I kno the majority of women on this board are older then me and probably don't share my views but i figured i'd put this out there and see if we can get the women talking more and get their opinions.