Something good to keep in mind

[Tim McCrain]

A while back I read something that stuck with me and I thought I'd share it with you all. It's not directly boat related but it applies to our forum so I posted here in the Main forum.

What I read was that studies have shown that when we communicate with others, this is how they "get the message":

55% of what others perceive is through physiology. In other words, body language such as facial expressions, posture, etc.

38% is through voice - inflection, volume and other aural clues.

7% is through the actual words we use. Only 7%

It's no wonder that it's easy to misread what others are trying to say in a format like these forums, when all we have to go on is the written word without seeing or often even having met the other person. I know when I read things that are posted by people I know, I feel I have a much better idea of their meaning because I have the memory of past face-to-face conversations as a reference point. I know some of you well enough to know that no matter what you post you mean no harm. When I read posts by someone I haven't met I try real hard to give them the benefit of the doubt.

It's also no wonder that smilies came into use as soon as people started using email to communicate. Even before the thousands of cartoon smilies we have now, people were using character combinations in an attempt to convey the emotion lacking in the written word alone.

Interesting, huh?

Tim

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

The power of the spoken and written word

Soooo...here goes. I'm writing this after a couple beers and finding out that the neighbors have encroached on my dad's property.

I have known for some time that much of what is communicated between human beings is via body language, voice intonation, inflection, loudness, accentuation, etc. Communicating on the web is another matter entirely and it's easy to be misunderstood. I think of that 1960's Eric Burdon song......."Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood".

For many of you, with boats that float and can participate in club events, it's easy to so see how friendships and camaraderies develop.

For me....having worked on the same project for over 20 years, I usually felt left out. I tried to attend events here and there.....but I can count the number of classic boats that I have ridden in on one hand. Twenty years!

No one ever said to me...hey Jonsey.....why don't you hang up your tow line or your Saratogan tool bag this weekend and join us aboard the Float-n-Go? Never happened!

Edit by MD per forum rules. Feel free to PM or email me if you have questions or concerns. Editing posts is always a last resort but I felt it was necessary.

Okay....Yes, the pen is mightier than the sword. What this club needs is camaraderie.....an open invitation to participate.......boat or no boat....wannabe is good enough.

I have an open invitation to any event I am able to make......:Good one:

[bham-rick]

Great Example of the original message

Thanks for the great example of what Tim was talking about in his original message. I didn't really understand till I read McSkagits and now I understand. Great job Tim's - This will help me :cool1:

[Lootas1]

Funny thing. I have a degree in communication, edited newspapers for five years and spent another 30 years in public relations. In fact, I taught a course in Effective Communication at the university level and still I have taken for granted that everyone who reads my posts knows me well enough not to mis-read my rants. I have tended to think those little smiley faces and such are a bit juvenile (maybe because I can't see well enough to interpret them). Anyway, I have appreciated all the help and friendship I have received from club members and will try to be more careful in my postings in the future. Meanwhile, take me for what I am, a crochety old goat who loves to boat! Insert here all the appropriate pictures!

[Tim McCrain]

Crochety? YOU?!?

Jerry,

Anyone who could read your posts and think you were crochety is seriously challenged in the reasoning department. Your consistent good humor and ability to kid and be kidded is an example to us all, in my opinion.

Tim

[Lootas1]

Bet everyone is impressed that I've cracked the code so I can now post as Commodore McCrain! Thanks Tim. Wish I'd said that. Or, did I?
-

[Tim McCrain]

There ya go!

Bet everyone is impressed that I've cracked the code so I can now post as Commodore McCrain! Thanks Tim. Wish I'd said that. Or, did I?
-

See? Perfect example of what I was talking about.

Thanks,

Jerry ... errr ... I mean Tim ...

[Bflaherty]

This is common problem in all written areas of our lives. I nearly lost my job last year because of an emotional email I sent to one of my salesmen who had overlooked a 30,000 dollars worth of conveyors in a 3.2 million dollar project. English is his second language so some of my puns and emotions where translated in their most literal forms and he got so offended he forwarded the email to the corporate president who called my boss and I got off with a formal warning and now I am not allowed to send any emails at work without having a coworker proof read them...

Here on the forum, I tend to stay quiet unless I have direct knowledge on the subject or want to gain knowledge. For me I have far better vocabulary and language skills in my writing than in my face-to-face interactions, perhaps a little agoraphobia, I am extremely shy in person but when cloaked behind an avatar it is easier to communicate my thoughts. It is this "cloak" that can also get some of us into trouble.

Studies like this are always a good reminder that we need to "check" our habits and comfort levels every now and then to ensure that we are not being overly offensive in our joking.

I believe we are mostly all here to share our boating experiences and knowledge with others, and sometimes actually make friends and use these expensive plastic toys we call boats.

I would like to say thank you to our forum moderators who continuously do a spectacular job at censoring when needed to keep this forum as great as we all want it to be. Keep up the great work!!!

Happy motoring!! :boater1:

[McSkagit Tim Jones]

Apology to Tim McCrain

My apology to Tim McCrain for airing a personal issue on the forum. I've been under a great deal of stress lately...family matters......and know from past experience not to post on the forum after drinking.

This is an interesting topic, nonetheless.

Sorry, Tim !

Tim

[Skagitguy]

Hey Guys, I know what you mean. We are all human.Chuck

[Tim McCrain]

Yes, we are all human ...

Reading about the studies that I posted at the start of this thread made me stop and think about what I post, too. I know most of the local folks on the forum and feel comfortable and among friends in this group, and those of you who know me know that I love to laugh, both at myself and at life in general.

But, sometimes there is a fine line between having a sense of humor and being a smart-a$$, and I wonder how may times I've posted things that someone may perceive as having crossed that line. All I can ask is that if you read something I've posted and it hits you the wrong way, please reserve judgement until you meet me face-to-face, at which time you'll know for sure that I'm a hopeless smart-a$$.