A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall FORWARDS!

Forwards! Where in the world do they come from, anyway?

I have never visited a web site that was dedicated to Forwards with each topic listed alphabetically so you could browse the collection of schmaltzy or savvy, dire warnings or long lost prayers.

I have never sat in front of my PC trying to invent a Forward. "Let's see, today let me write a forward about.... Great idea! That will be a real tear-jerker!" or "That will keep every woman in America safe just by using her car keys!"

And yet, I have four friends from different parts of the country -- all of them, dear, otherwise Normal, women whom I have known all my life. In fact, two of them are relatives! And these bright, successful women send me forwards by the score. I am not kidding, I might get as many as 20 from each one of them within a matter of minutes.

And I always think "What web site did you hit on your lunch hour to find all that stuff so fast?!"

It makes my brain hurt just thinking about the possibi;ities.

So, I'm asking you, my dear, SANE, reliable forum family "Where do YOU think forwards come from?" (Does the stork bring them, or what?)

Lemme hear your creative thoughts on forward makings and your opinion of forwards in general. Do you read them? Do you like them? Do you forward them? Are you a friend to forwards?

Merme

I hate most forwards, UNLESS they are really good, or have a funny picture with them......I rarely forward things myself.

I think that they are evil....they clog up my emails, and are usually things I've had 8,000 times before, or they say---if you love God you will forward this to 10 people. I mean come on! I love God, but I don't think he requires proof of that by my forwarding emails to others.

Sometimes I wish that the person forwarding things would take a few minutes to actually WRITE something to me from them, you know? Some people I know I barely talk to anymore, but they sure do like to forward things...I guess that they feel that it's a good enough way to keep in touch with me?

So yes, I do forward a little---I do read the good ones....some people send me great ones(like you Jess, I like yours), but overall---I could live without most of them.

I try not to forward e-mails that I am not interested in because I figure that the person I send it on to wouldn't be interested in it either so why would I send it to them?!?

I don't have a clue who starts them Merme but I get tons of them every day. I scan through them and read the good ones and forward them on. Most of them I just delete though.

The ones you send me are good! The kind I like to read or look at.

But I hate the most the kind that say forward to 10 people or your wish won't come true, or you'll never find true love, or God won't be happy, etc, etc.

Those are the worst.

same here, and if I get behind on my emails I just start deleteing

The ones I also really hate are the 'getting to know you' ones that ask you a ton of stupid questions such as 'what time did you get up today?' or 'what color underwear do you have on right now?' I don't need to know those things about someone I still consider to be a good friend. It doesn't make me know them better and doesn't make me love them more.

I got so many of those one time that I sat down in great aggravation and rewrote one to ask questions that would make the other person think for a minute, to consider the question. Most of the people I sent it to wrote back to tell me they have to think my questions over and would answer later, but never did. Nana's11 is the only person who actually answered it!

I asked questions like "if you could have lunch with an actress who would you choose?" "if you could spend an evening talking to an actor -- living or dead -- who would it be?" "Have you ever read a book that made you wish you were part of the story, living at that place in that time?" etc etc.

And I bet Nana is a far better woman today because she answered it!

Hey, as the writer of the forward I get to pick the perks the reader gets, don't I? So, "if you answer this forward, you will be a far better person later" works for me!


Merme

I don't care for those kind either Loz. I delete them right away!!

Oh, the 'chain' type drive me crazy...forward to 10 people or.....

Some forwards are o.k. like a good joke or the 'You know your a redneck when'...those crack me up.

about how I deal with forwards---it depends on the person.
If it is my mom, she just LOVES getting them--the more the merrier---the only problem with that is she thinks all the rest of us love them just as she does.---:(


Other goes by what the forward is---most I just delete---some I read some i do not---of the ones I read I decide IF someone I know would enjoy reading it---and then proceed accordingly.

BUT---I promise, when it comes to forwards,--I am not my Mom

But to answer your question, Merme--I too wonder where they originate.

Maybe I should start one and see if one day it comes back to me!

I have never forwarded a forward. I have shared a few jokes. Those I like to get. John is liking them a lot right now, too. So I have encouraged my email friends to keep them up. If anyone ever sent me a forward and didn't get it back, it is not that I don't like you. It is because I do not like forwards.

it might loz, it might!

i read a good forward, i saved it, i'll have to find it. it basically said, there are 24 hours in a day. 8 are spent sleeping, 8 are spent working and the other 8 are divided between eating, bathing, housework, family, friends, church, etc. so... while i may not write anything in the forward i send you, just the act of my sending it means i'm thinking of you. it also means that i want you to know i'm still alive and kicking, even if i am busy/tired/sick.

that said, i almost NEVER send on forwards. but, if it is particularly good, and it's one i haven't seen before, or seen in a long time, i will send it to a few folks who i think will enjoy it.

lots of time, i read it, and if i read it again and enjoy it the second time before i delete it, it MIGHT be worthy of sending on.

i have a very large group of family and friends from all around the world. sometimes, the forwards that i don't always read are how i know they are still ok. and if i don't get one from certain people in a while, i call and check on them. i call at other times, but i limit my phone time to 2 hours per day total. and a very specific 2 hours. so i don't get to talk to all i love. and i limit my email time also. so, if you get a forward from me, know that i love you and am thinking of you, even if i don't write anything else besides pushing the forward button!

sharing them is a better word for what i do. thanks tina!

I don't like forwards at all well some of them are good but the chain letters i hate im a very supersticious person so i have to send them all so one day i just got to the point where i cracked i wrote a email telling the people whoe send me chain letters better stop or else... I got so mad lets just say if i were to write what i said i would get kicked off of here.... But it didn't work they kept sending them and i deleted them from my address book my myspace and etc...

I don't read forwards. I delete them. I'm concerned they may contain a virus or a worm from one of the places at which they've stopped. I too have some friends and family who send forwards. Some of them never send a private email, only forwards. I've blocked a couple of people for that reason.

Wow interesting as I am glad to find out I am not the only one who doesn't forward or most times don't read my forwards. I have a couple friends at least used to be who only do forwards and never take the time to just email me. I think one has given up on me.

I should get loz to make a poll so we could vote about where we think forwards come from.

The choices could be like...


1) computer elves who live in the cables of unused pc's and get bored.
2) little old ladies making up stuff to earn an income.
3) American retirees in the South of France wanting to harass working people stateside.
4) College students with too much time on their hands.


Merme

My vote is retired American college student elves who live in old pcs and cables in France- they earn their spending money harrassing the rest of us... ya know they have way to much time on their hands over there.
LOL
Nana

NANA!




Merme

Oh, My Word !! I am STILL laughing----that is too good, Nana--and you know what??? I think you just may be right !!!!