Helen Krummenacker wrote:

Or, like me, we can enjoy *both* the serious posts, and the silly side commentary, which sometimes serves as needed comic relief when tempers start in, IMHO.

...

Can't we agree to sometimes have different tastes? No one owns a topic or thread, serious or humourous, and I'm really surprised to hear what some of you have said.

I was sooo tempted to quote every line of this message, in hopes rereading it would help her message sink in. Because I agree with every word of it and think Helen deserves nomination for Lyst's Voice of Reason.

Threads, serious or silly, do NOT die because someone has interjected a message of a different tone and/or direction of thought. Some people ignore the side branch, some people (maybe new to the conversation, maybe part of the original conversation) find the side branch worth pursuing -- instead of or as well as -- the original.

What kills a partical thread in the narrowest sense of 'original discussion topic & tone' is when there are no longer at least two list members who feel they have anything left to say on the original subject that they care to type out and post. Period.

Susan Beth (susanbeth33@mindspring.com)