Forum Members part 2

[bluetoria]

It seems to me that in any group of people there are occasional clashes. It happens in families & in groups of friends, in schools, churches...everywhere.
Sometimes the clashes take on proportions way beyond their real worth. At the same time, the fact that there are clashes shows that people care enough about each other to care what other people think.
This is a very lovely Forum. I find it an endless source of knowledge, inspiration & perhaps even friendship. It gives people from very different lives, backgrounds, beliefs, countries the opportunity to meet one another in way that would never have been possible in the past. No one cares what you wear, what you look like, how old you are, how young you are...it is humanity in the raw! It is, to my mind, how people were created to deal with one another.  
I am SO grateful to Bob for this!
Clashes between members aren't always a bad thing, as long as they are eventually worked out....and then people learn even better together (I think.)
I just wanted to say all that and to say how much I appreciate the many lovely people whom I have 'met' on this forum.  

[Arianwen]

Can I just second what Bluetoria said? I'm sure if we took a survey of ages, nationalities, backgrounds, religions, etc, we'd have the entire gamut, and yet, we have a place where we can all come together on our common interests with a love of learning, respect for others, and above all, an open mind. I, for one, have learned more than I ever imagined from this forum, and not just on the Romanovs. This site is an amazing resource for so many topics, but in my opinion, the best thing about it is the people. We disagree, and frequently, but at the end of the day, we come away that little bit wiser and more educated, having decided that shooting the other person isn't worth going to prison for.

In my short time as an actual member of this forum, instead of an anonymous lurker, I've received the warmest welcome I can recall, and I feel privileged and honoured to consider you all colleagues and friends. I will probably never meet most of you face-to-face, which to me is a great travesty, but without exception, you've all managed to make one of my own lifelong passions, the study of history, even more enjoyable, and I can only hope that someday, some of you will be able to say the same of me.

Warmest regards,
Arianwen

PS. Michelle, you really are lovely, and don't worry about the freckles. Blokes will be too busy drowning in your beautiful blue eyes to notice.

Thomas, if I were single and back in Germany, I'd be tracking you down for a date.

Ella and Denise, you and your children are beautiful!

[helenazar]

This is "Koloagirl" everybody! She asked me to post her pic. She lives in Hawaii.

[helenazar]

Can I just second what Bluetoria said? I'm sure if we took a survey of ages, nationalities, backgrounds, religions, etc, we'd have the entire gamut, and yet, we have a place where we can all come together on our common interests with a love of learning, respect for others, and above all, an open mind. I, for one, have learned more than I ever imagined from this forum, and not just on the Romanovs. This site is an amazing resource for so many topics, but in my opinion, the best thing about it is the people. We disagree, and frequently, but at the end of the day, we come away that little bit wiser and more educated, having decided that shooting the other person isn't worth going to prison for.

In my short time as an actual member of this forum, instead of an anonymous lurker, I've received the warmest welcome I can recall, and I feel privileged and honoured to consider you all colleagues and friends. I will probably never meet most of you face-to-face, which to me is a great travesty, but without exception, you've all managed to make one of my own lifelong passions, the study of history, even more enjoyable, and I can only hope that someday, some of you will be able to say the same of me.

Warmest regards,
Arianwen

 

I'll third what bluetoria said and second what you said, Arianwen  

[bluetoria]

I'll third what bluetoria said and second what you said, Arianwen  

Oh isn't everybody here so lovely!! (Except me because I promised I wouldn't stay up after 12.45 & it's after 1.00a.m.)
Thank you from my heart all the lovely people on this Forum...gush...gush (make a joke...go to bed )

[helenazar]

Oh isn't everybody here so lovely!! (Except me because I promised I wouldn't stay up after 12.45 & it's after 1.00a.m.)
Thank you from my heart all the lovely people on this Forum...gush...gush (make a joke...go to bed )

Bluetoria, how about after you get a good night's sleep and are all bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow morning, you take a picture of yourself and post it here  ? We'd like to see what you look like too  

[moonlight_tsarina]

I am SO grateful to Bob for this!
Clashes between members aren't always a bad thing, as long as they are eventually worked out....and then people learn even better together (I think.)
I just wanted to say all that and to say how much I appreciate the many lovely people whom I have 'met' on this forum.  

Same here!
I have made many new friends from this site! It's nice to have people to talk to that actually know things about the Romanovs and like them too!  

[JaneEyre5381]

Yes, this site is a treasure indeed. I too have made some wonderful friends and learned a lot of new things.  Thank you everyone for all your insights.

[bluetoria]

Bluetoria, how about after you get a good night's sleep and are all bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow morning, you take a picture of yourself and post it here  ?

Helen, firstly why on earth would anyone want to see a picture of me - I'm just a skinny scruff!
Secondly - I don't have that many of me...thank goodness!
Thirdly - I'm having LOADS of trouble getting anything into the photobucket...I don't know why because it isn't full - there's hardly anything in it; I just can't get it to work at the moment.
Phew! They're good excuses! Think I got away with that!  

[koloagirl]

 

Many, many thanks Helen for posting my "not so favorite" picture of myself  (see a few posts up)!  

I tried unsuccessfully to figure out the picture posting procedure by myself, and then happily gave in when Helen offered to do it for me!

Despite my distance from the mainland and the lack of bookstores in my area - I manage, mostly thru the Internet, to keep up my passion for the Romanovs.  

This board is a FANTASTIC source of info and there are so many knowledgeable people who frequent it....I feel berefit if I have to stay away from it for more than a day!

So, just a tiny bit about myself.  I live on the island of Kaua'i, in the Hawaiian Islands.  It is a small island and very beautiful and lush.  I've lived here for 7 years and I absolutely cannot even imagine moving back to the mainland - I think I'd go out of my mind!  I haven't even been back for a visit in 4 years!  So, no I don't have what some people call "Island Fever" - rather the reverse I think!  

I work part-time at our local museum - and am scheduled in fact to give a "talk" for 2 hours (yikes!) on the Hawaiian Monarchy in a couple of weeks.  I am going to be cramming big time for that!  It will be my first big public speaking endeavor!  

My big interests are the Hawaiian Monarchy (particularly Princess Ka'iulani Cleghorn), the Romanov and Windsor families....I also study hula and Hawaiian culture and do the narration for the torchlighting ceremony at the Hyatt Regency here on the South Side of the island.  

I'm married, no kids, but one kitten which we recently adopted from our Humane Society after losing our 20 year old kitty companion in December.  It is certainly different with a kitten - what sleep?  

'Kay, I'm through - I hope I haven't bored everybody into a stupor!  
Aloha!
Janet Rasmussen
"koloagirl"

[helenazar]

Helen, firstly why on earth would anyone want to see a picture of me - I'm just a skinny scruff!

Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say!   You should have heard Martyn when it was his turn! Must be a British thing
We want to see your photo!

Secondly - I don't have that many of me...thank goodness!

All you need is one  

Thirdly - I'm having LOADS of trouble getting anything into the photobucket...I don't know why because it isn't full - there's hardly anything in it; I just can't get it to work at the moment.

Well, you can always email it to me, like Koloagirl did and I will be happy to post it for you   ...

[Val289]

Koloagirl - thanks to you (and Helen!) for posting your picture (very beautiful and Hawaiian), and for telling us a bit about yourself.  

[bluetoria]

Hi Koloagirl! Thank you for the information about yourself & your lovely picture. I don't know if you have seen a really interesting web site about the Hawaiian Queen at QV's Jubilee. I think it is an account written by one of her attendants & it is really fascinating. If you haven't seen it & would like to, I'll try to find the link.  

Helen...you know what we Brits are like! We're more retiring than you brave Americans  
I'll think about it...for a while... Maybe later (but it won't be worth waiting for I can promise you that!)

[Lisa]

Hi dear all!

Nice picture koloagril! I love it!

Here is a self-portrait!...I'm not a Romanov, so I post it here

[Val289]

Lisa - what a beautiful self-portrait - it looks exactly like you!