Hi All,

Esther wrote:

>1.  USA is USA and the measures we used or the expressions we use are all
the same from >New York to San Francisco. I don't see why I should bother
write my State.  When >someone write "mums" instead of "moms" or" mother" I
know they are not american.

You all know I am from the USA, Sacramento, California, West Coast.  I hate
to disagree, well, maybe not :) , but the expressions are not all the same
from the west coast to the east coast. I have had to ask some of our east
coast folks what they meant by a certain "slang" term or word I was not
familiar with.  Secondly, not everyone who uses "mums" instead of "moms" is
not not american.  I use "mums" and "nappie" occasionally because I like the
sound of the words, and I have never been overseas.  Finally, if you do not
wish to note what state you are in, then don't. It is not a requirement of
the Lactnet bylaws (is it?? ;D ) that we all state where we are from.

> Also, no offense, but we americans also know our overseas geography. I
also get >disconcerted when non american dictate how we, american,  are
supposed to abide by
>your rules.

Quite frankly, I do not know my geography all that well, (having had really
crappy teachers that made the subject unbeleiveably boring!) and I really
LOVE to see folks write what state they are in or country or province or
whatever.  I can then pull out my Atlas or globe and find out where the
person is and how close they are to me, and I do this all the time (also
makes a great educational tool for us homeschooling folks!)  It makes me
feel closer to them, like I have a connection to a real person in a real
place, not some words sent out from black space that have no home, no
spirit, no soul.  When we share where we are from, it creates a COMMUNITY,
and that is what we are.  We are FAMILY to each other, at least some of us
are.  Lactnet has been more a family to me than some of my blood
relatives...   It has been great fun to see that someone I enjoy "reading"
on Lactnet happens to be in my own backyard.  That is how I met my best
friend, saw she was in N. California, and e-mailed her.  Turns out she was
literally 30 mi away from me, and in just a month we will be less than two
miles from each other due to my upcomming  move.  The other reason it is
nice to know where people are writing from is because if one of us should
happen to go travelling, then we can meet our "Friends/Family" while we are
out.  No one has "dictated how we, american, are supposed to abide by.."
anyones rules.  They are simply saying "Hey, let us know where you are".
Again, this creates a sense of community, and we need that badly in this day
and age.


> This mother was tandem nursing.. something I dont understand..

If you don't understand this, that is OK.  Ask questions to find out why
people do this. It is not for everyone. Have a friend who BF all 7 of her
kids, is a midwife and encourages tandem nursing, but with each pregnancy,
weaned the older baby by 3 mo into pregnancy.  It was something she herself
was not comfy with.  Me, I tandem nursed my last 2 boys, and I found it to
be a great challenge, a joy most times but not always pleasant, and the best
thing I could have done for my boys for a wide variety of reasons.

Finally, we must all be tolerant and respectful when we are addressing this
group.  I respectfully suggest that when criticizing a request made by a
number of individuals, that we do not make statements such as :

>> I am answering to his because this is not the first time that some french
or english >> person complain. Sorry!!!

I find this insulting to our friends overseas, and "I" take offense to this
comment.  Amercians are no better than anyone else, regardless of what some
Americans may think (not saying that anyone on this list thinks that, Esther
included).  So let's avoid this type of "stuff".

OK, off my box...everyone go outside and play nice.  (Unless, of course it
is raining and you are in the middle of a hurricane!  Hope all you folks
down south are OK!)


Jay





Jay Simpson, CLE
Sacramento, CA
"No Miracles performed here, just a lot of love and hard work."