by Sonia M.
Member since:
July 22, 2006

Excuse me, please.....just a little gentle rant.....

July 25, 2007 06:01 PM EDT (Updated: July 25, 2007 06:02 PM EDT)
views: 107 | comments: 46

 

Is it me or have you noticed the proliferation of messages being generated lately among Gather members????

In the last few days, I've received so many of them asking me to read an article, vote on a pet, look at a website or whatever.....that I lost track of some of what I consider the "Real Messages". ..... the personal ones, sent to me, personally....not to the whole list of a member's connections.... 

Don't people realize that if we are connected, we will eventually find their articles?....or should I join the fad and send mass mailings to all my connections everytime I publish an article?

I almost missed a couple of personal messages that were hidden among the slew of mass mailings in my box.... that just will not do, folks!

I don't mind the ocassional one....but every single time an article is published is a bit much

Can you kindly hold them to a minimum? 

There......I'm done.  Thank you!

 

 

 

 

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Comments: 46

Madame Donna C. Jul 25, 2007, 6:06pm EDT
That sort of emailing makes me wish I could change my Gather email address. Alas, I cannot do that.
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 6:08pm EDT
I've thought the same thing, Donna! It has gotten to the point that I almost deleted them all w/o reading them.....and almost missed some I would have hated to miss!!!
John F Walter Jul 25, 2007, 6:22pm EDT
I only mass mailed a few times, and stopped a year ago, because I could see where this was heading. Nowadays, when I get the same person sending me a link day after day, I either disconnect or find a way to block. It has become the Gather equivalent of spam, and I´m fed up with it too, Sonia.
Thanks for speaking your mind, my dear.
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 6:27pm EDT
Gracias, John. I don't mind the occasional ones, but these everyday ones drive me insane!!!

Glad to see two of the people I cherish feel the same way! ;-)
Lori Cee Jul 25, 2007, 6:27pm EDT
sonia, i think the influx was a panic due to a gather glitch. members have not received notification of articles, images and comments all week.
Beverly P. Jul 25, 2007, 6:27pm EDT
I just ignore most. I will mail out my WHO AM I games only because they are a time sensitive thing. But I have to confess I rarely read other things to go read stuff. I agree, eventually we find each other's articles.
Cindi P. Jul 25, 2007, 6:32pm EDT
I have started blocking the repeat offenders, I too have lost personal messages in the masses!
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 6:32pm EDT
Lori Cee....thanks. That might be it......but I am set up to NOT receive notifications just because of the same thing......My own private mail box then would be full since I have managed to make so many connections.....

Beverly, I am doing the same - ignoring and deleting, but that is my point....

It is a waste of time since most of us are DELETING them anyway....

If you're connected to me, I can find your articles......

I still LOVE to get private mail/messages from my connections, but it is getting swamped by the mass mailings!
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 6:35pm EDT
Cindi...I would hate to block some of them because they are people I like,.... but I might have to start doing it if it doesn't slow down....
Kevin Weeks Jul 25, 2007, 6:52pm EDT
Sonia,
With only two exceptions, I've blocked everyone who has sent me a mass mailing.
♯ ♪ Jul 25, 2007, 7:00pm EDT
I haven't received many. I don't read them, if they've been sent. Hit the delete button, that's what it's there for.
Katrina Hall Jul 25, 2007, 7:03pm EDT
No way can I get through all my Gather connections pages - I do try, but it's over 150 pages, usually! I just muddle through - and delete 7/8ths of the messages I get......
Rant on, Sonia - it bugs the heck out of me!
Madame Donna C. Jul 25, 2007, 7:13pm EDT
Sonia, I'd like to add that I've begun simply deleting whole pages of mail without even reading it on a regular basis. If I miss a day or two there is no way that I will ever be able to read through it all anyway. Unless the subject says "Personal" I assume I'm not missing much.
Tricia C. Jul 25, 2007, 7:13pm EDT
I have gotten used to mass deleting myself as I will not read articles from emails i get in my gather inbox... If you want me to read your article.. connect with me and If I feel it is intersting enough to open, then I will comment and rate. .. other wise emailing me that you created an article is redundent as if you are connected with me I already recieve an email that you published an article.
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 7:21pm EDT
Thank you for all the comments and suggestions.....

Most of you feel the same way I do.....! So why do we still get so many mass mails???
Wendy HUSSEIN R. Jul 25, 2007, 7:26pm EDT
Sonia, I recently purged my connections. You wouldn't believe how much more manageable things are now.
Thora Gabriel Jul 25, 2007, 7:26pm EDT
Distribution Lists. Yes, I agree with you Sonia. The whole idea of Gather is for "us" to go to the various articles and choose the ones we wish to read and comment. Being reminded to comment is like my mother calling me to remind me its her birthday, "I'm in trouble before I pick up the phone."
sharon SugarMomma is a wise woman, Jul 25, 2007, 7:37pm EDT
One way to make sure I don't read an article is to email me about the article, unless you really know me well and the article is part of a chain of a political conversation.
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 7:50pm EDT
Wendy, I have thought of doing that (purging my connections) and then always back out.... Maybe I should just ruthlessly do it!

Hi Thora....you're so funny.....but you are right. The whole idea is for US to find the articles not be told to go read them.

Sharon, It is getting to that point with me also....except you need to change the word politics with the words food and cooking.... LOL
Dalal A. Jul 25, 2007, 8:35pm EDT
I tried to br nice but they just overwhelmed me! I tried deleting, but just so time consuming and what bugs me is that some of them don't get deleted. Lately, I just ignore.
Miz Lynn aka/BooBoo Jul 25, 2007, 9:07pm EDT
I agree! I've finally had to "block" a few....
I see this type of article on a regular basis, and all the comments seem to always agree that these mass emails are terrible. So why do people still do it?
sharon SugarMomma is a wise woman, Jul 25, 2007, 9:24pm EDT
Elizabeth - It's just like with telemarketers, if you don't like it (the emailing) don't respond, but people still do.
Risa G. Jul 25, 2007, 9:39pm EDT
This past weekend, I got barraged with messages. I'm only in 2 groups here at Gather and yet I got 8 people, who I don't know, and I had 3 messages from each one. I answered a couple, as they had responded to one of my photos I published, but I didn't answer the others. Just too much.

I read in someone elses article a similar rant. I think several people are ranting across Gather because they have been barraged with all these messages too.

There should be a "Do Not Call" thing on Gather - you give them the names of the people you want to read your things and that is it.
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 10:12pm EDT
Melinda, Dalal, Lynn, Elizabeth, Risa......maybe if we all would write similar 'gentle rants' someone will get the message.

As I said....I LOVE private mail from my connections or even some who aren't connections.......but these mass mailings are the pits and I am sick of them.....
I think I'm going to have to learn to block some people....but I hate to do that!
Sue * Jul 25, 2007, 10:23pm EDT
I don't like it either unless it is an article that really needs to be read-like someone is sick or something. I have a couple people that I have asked to let me know when they write the next installment etc. I almost sent one today because of a contest I'm involved in here, because I know it does get more votes that way...but, I just couldn't make myself do it:)
Kate M. Jul 25, 2007, 10:26pm EDT
Amen, sisterfriend.
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 10:26pm EDT
;-))))

For the one I didn't get.....thank you, Sue!

LOL
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 10:27pm EDT
Hi, Kate....you snuk one in while I was responding to Sue!
Thank you!
Nic P. Jul 25, 2007, 10:53pm EDT
It is the "I'm the best writer on the planet syndrome" or "If it's important to ME it must be equally important to YOU" or "If you're my friend my REAL friend you'll read it no matter what"

No it's not your imagination.

Sad huh?
Shawn "left this place" W Jul 25, 2007, 11:02pm EDT
I block most of them, if they do it more than once.

You should try purging your connections. It's like losing weight; it feels great.
Sonia M. Jul 25, 2007, 11:41pm EDT
Nic and Shawn, you are both saying what many have already....I guess I must get to work and just start blocking!

Thanks!
Connie C. Jul 26, 2007, 12:00am EDT
I have to agree with Donna. LOL I wish I could change my gather email address. LOL I guess they would find me though, wouldn't they. I hate receiving them and have thought about blocking them but have not done so as of yet.

I get tons of them everyday.
Sonia M. Jul 26, 2007, 1:16am EDT
I agree that if we change them....they will find us.... LOL

I guess blocking is the best way after all...........
Duckie 1 Jul 26, 2007, 2:03am EDT
Sonia,

I join you in your rant... but I think even if we set it to music, the mass-emailers will not believe they are the targets of our rant.

I purge, I purged, I will purge ...again, if I am mass emailed. Duckie is down to 43 lovely connections. It's more quackable... I mean manageable, that way.
Wendy HUSSEIN R. Jul 26, 2007, 8:19am EDT
Risa has given me an idea....
Sonia M. Jul 26, 2007, 12:19pm EDT
Lovely music to my ears, Duckie...... but as a Gather correspondent we are encouraged to accept connection requests...............and my list has gotten out of hand.....!

Wendy, you mean the "Do Not Call" idea? I thought that was clever also!
Sonia M. Jul 26, 2007, 1:08pm EDT
I'm with you and I hear your pain, Lost Soul!!! LOL
Sonia M. Jul 26, 2007, 4:27pm EDT
Thank you for stopping by and the comment, Tinch

So many of us feel the same way and yet...................
Sonia M. Aug 3, 2007, 1:13pm EDT
;-) Thank you, Rose...............I have been blocking the worst offenders right and left and that has eased it a bit....not much, but a bit.... LOL

Some people seem to use the mass mailing method as personal bulletin boards.....
I totally agree. There are a few articles I look forward to reading every week. Most of the other mass emails I get, I just delete. I wasn't interested in the article to begin with, and the e-mail didn't help.
Sonia M. May 8, 2008, 9:16pm EDT
;-)))

You know I'm standing there with you too!!!!
Po Dunk Mar 20, 2009, 6:34pm EDT
sonia, why are you being so sugary? sometimes you gotta get bold for people to hear you. if this sugarcoated puffy rice stuff dont work let me have at 'em. lol
Sonia M. Mar 21, 2009, 2:01am EDT
LOL, Po Dunk! Up and at them!

I just needed to let go a little bit of steam and I find that once I'm done...I'll be ok...
This was about a year and half ago and believe me, a lot of the mass mailing has stopped....

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