Mega
You can come work for me anytime hon!
teejay
You make some great points. And thank you for your honesty as well. As for your question of whether or not I go overboard in expressing myself...
I would say a few years ago that yes, I did go overboard. About 5 years ago, when I first began to realize that I didn't like being abused, neglected, or taken for granted, I started to change my behavior. I became angry, bitter, and loud-mouthed about everything. Whether you wanted my opinion or not, you got it. Haha! (My poor friends!) But since then I've worked hard at diplomacy and realizing that not giving my opinion does not signify weakness. That being aggressive is not the same as being assertive. I do have an opinion on many things, but I realize now that it's not always appropriate for me to express it. There is a time and a place for everything.
I love the fact that there are so many different levels of strength on this board - men and women alike. We are all at different levels of maturity and many times it's evident in our posts. Some of my favorite posters are the ones that can state their opinion without bashing or patronizing others for having a different viewpoint. I like the fact that I don't have to agree with them, but can value their viewpoint and strengthen our friendships by allowing differences of opinion. This forum is great practice for my acceptance and diplomacy muscle!
Thanks everyone for your great responses! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving weekend.
Andi