Weigh-in Week of January 8

[Trek420]

Queen, Is there a problem? If there is, don't beat around the bush, just say it and I'll be gone...

For the record, type in www.teamtestosterone.com and look where it leads

First off I hope everyone can just sit back and sing Kumbaya.

For the record the title of this forum is "Women's (not sure if that's the proper use of the apostrophe) Cycling Discussion Forums, but we's cycling so maybe it's right....anyways....

Yes, we certainly have men who lurk here
Yes, we have guys who come and go (c'mon gals, no pun intended)
and we have our constant allys, Leebob, Bubbah to name a few...

But, Mr. Silver this is more or less sacred space that's been carved out here you've been welcomed to and that's a bit hard to explain.

First of all everything most especially weight is different for women.

It's a girl thang and you might not understand.

There are questions on everything from bike design, nutrition...a whole lot of stuff that we can't find anywhere else...we find it here, pretty much only here on TE.

We're extremely protective of this little community and TE.

Secondly granted there's no privacy online, pretty much anyone of you could just show up at my house and say "Hi! You're Trek, right?" (please don't do that unless you call first and or are prepared to help me paint, the place is a mess )

But just between me and any and all guys here both registered and open about it like our Mr Silver and anyone just lurking we want you to be aware .... that there are discussions here that are pretty much here and only here because sometimes a gal just wants or NEEDS to talk to other gals.

There sometimes are even issues whether health, personal safety and relationship issues that gals do not want to talk to guys about at all.

Just speaking for myself here, that's all, we just ask you to honor that somehow, this is a very special space.

[Pax]

Queen, Is there a problem? If there is, don't beat around the bush, just say it and I'll be gone...

For the record, type in www.teamtestosterone.com and look where it leads

I'm not a beat-around-the-bush kinda gal so take my post at face value. As I said, regular participation by a guy here on TE puzzles me. There are innumerable cycling sites that cater to all things male, TE is the only place I've found on the web where I can come and discuss things specific to women and cycling. Trek expressed this much more eloquently than I ever could... "Just speaking for myself here, that's all, we just ask you to honor that somehow, this is a very special space".

[Trek420]

TE is the only place I've found on the web where I can come and discuss things specific to women and cycling. Trek expressed this much more eloquently than I ever could....

Yep, that's me, I'm eloquent all right.

A board and community changes all the time, it's never going to stay the same.

New people arrive, people go, members break their elbows and can't type .... and all that.

This board and TE has remained very special for a long time. Those of us who surf a board or two I think are amazed at the quality of discussion here. We treasure this and are frankly a little protective.

From time to time we try to figure out what is it that's so special about this board (why is this board different from all other boards? ).

Some of my best friends are men, got no problem with 'em, I like 'em, like 'em a lot, frankly sometimes I think I like men MORE than some of my straight women friends do.

But can we talk?

One reason why this place is so great frankly is that it's largely if not entirely women only.

The other is for some odd reason the members here are "smarter than the average bear" not to mention funnier.

So this should all work out.

Now...excuse me there's Eagles vs Saints game on, so back to the TV, I gotta watch the play offs, drink beer eat chips and belch.

[Mr. Bloom]

Queen & Trek,

Sorry that it seems I've offended you with my presence and activity.

Maybe I misunderstood the invitations I received to join TE in this thread:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=12475

[Pax]

Queen & Trek,

Sorry that it seems I've offended you with my presence and activity.

Maybe I misunderstood the invitations I received to join TE in this thread:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=12475

I'll repeat myself for the third time Mr. Silver, I am not offended, upset, annoyed, or irritated... I am PUZZLED. I'm simply curious about your choice to participate here on TE.

This board is not one where conflict is appreciated so I'll simply let this drop, do whatever you choose to do...I'll keep my puzzlement to myself.

[Bluetree]

Sorry to butt in, but frankly I think it's kinda endearing to think of Team Estrogen as: "A Forum for Women... and One Guy."

[Mr. Bloom]

Sorry to butt in, but frankly I think it's kinda endearing to think of Team Estrogen as: "A Forum for Women... and One Guy."

((((((((((((((((((((((Bluetree)))))))))))))))))))))))

[Pax]

Sorry to butt in, but frankly I think it's kinda endearing to think of Team Estrogen as: "A Forum for Women... and One Guy."

One of the things I value most highly about TE is the open and honest way we approach one another. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Blue, however I'll have to respectfully disagree with you (wholeheartedly). Given a choice I would prefer that men confine themselves to an occasional drop-by posting rather than insinuating themselves in as regular members. I'm uncomfortable posting many of my impressions or thoughts here now knowing that male members will be popping up to join the conversation...I can get that on any other board in cyberspace. It makes me sad.

[Bluetree]

Queen, I have no problem with your opinion... I empathise.
I, too, prefer this site to all others. If I were to voice some things on a 'co-ed' forum, I know I'd have to put up with mysogynistic or smart alec jibes (Lisa SH excepted, of course ) on the off chance I would get some constructive feedback.

However, Mr. Silver has not, to my knowledge, been anything other than supportive and respectful to his cycling wife and this community. And, he has given insight on other threads from a male's POV that is very helpful. I would find it suspicious if he (or ANY male for that matter) would be subversely interested in female anatomy/issues, but I have seen no evidence of this. Mr Silver, to me, is just another one of the TE gals, or rather, the oddball roadbike with a kickstand.


P.S. There is an "ignore member" setting in your User CP if it helps.

[Pax]

Queen, I have no problem with your opinion... I empathise.
I, too, prefer this site to all others. If I were to voice some things on a 'co-ed' forum, I know I'd have to put up with mysogynistic or smart alec jibes (Lisa SH excepted, of course ) on the off chance I would get some constructive feedback.

However, Mr. Silver has not, to my knowledge, been anything other than supportive and respectful to his cycling wife and this community. And, he has given insight on other threads from a male's POV that is very helpful. I would find it suspicious if he (or ANY male for that matter) would be subversely interested in female anatomy/issues, but I have seen no evidence of this. Mr Silver, to me, is just another one of the TE gals, or rather, the oddball roadbike with a kickstand.

It has always been my position to question our societies endless bowing to male privilege, I was curious about Mr. Silvers motivation for posting here which was why I asked him about it. He chose to ignore my question and post replies that he believed supported his being here and he chose to focus on his perception that I was upset/offended by his presence. He never bothered to answer the question so that makes his presence suspect in my opinion.

I don't come to TE to interact on a regular basis with men or to hear their "battle-cries", I will simply place him on ignore so I can continue to post here without having to concern myself with his constant (and unwelcome, to me) presence.

[Mr. Bloom]

I'll repeat myself for the third time Mr. Silver, I am not offended, upset, annoyed, or irritated... I am PUZZLED. I'm simply curious about your choice to participate here on TE.

Queen, I respect your position and I respect the sanctity of this forum to its members. I will continue to avoid areas that might be sensitive to female members and will not try to be a nuisance. I neither have time nor motivation to be trolling every post for every detail.

As for why I choose to be here, please understand the evolution of my involvement:

• Silver was in a wreck and I logged on to keep everyone informed.
• Everyone was supportive of BOTH of us and I enjoyed the interaction
• Then, I posted something in affirmation of my wife that triggered considerable response from the members AND many INVITED me to join
• Then, as I embraced a diet/exercise plan, many members gave me outstanding advice and feedback that has helped me considerably in progressing toward my goal.

So, please don't be puzzled. I'm here because this is a good place AND more than half the time, I will choose a platonic relationship with a woman over one with a 'macho' guy.

Bluetree: Thanks again for the affirmation and support

Kelownagirl: I'm sorry to have gotten your thread hi-jacked.

[Trek420]

OK, big heavy sigh.

A bit of background. When my cousing Maurys fiance was killed there was a tremendous outpouring of sympathy for my family.

I invited Maury here to respond and see the support and posts.

He's very grateful for the support shown on TE and may even lurk here (Hi Cuz!) but he's largely gone back to his regular co-ed forum.

I'll try to get him out to one of our TE rides IRL.

He does doubles and considers anything less than that too easy I understand.

So when Mr Silver asked to join my thought was "we have precident uh, why not?"

That was my feeling.

You will find, Mr. Silver that pretty much nobody is discouraging here, that's the flavor of this board, that's why we're here, that's why we stay.

Nobody would say "noooo, go away, it's a women only board". We're not that type of gal ;-)

"Queen, I respect your position and I respect the sanctity of this forum to its members. I will continue to avoid areas that might be sensitive to female members and will not try to be a nuisance."

oh please.

Once again, perhaps to explain myself further....

You are not a nuisance. yet, and I hope ever

It's not about you.....yet, and i hope ever.

You have brought up some rather intense and extremely complex issues and feelings.

Stand back, the women are having feelings ;-)

At some point we'd have to deal with anyway so we might as well talk about it now, and now you're here you lucky guy you.

I can imagine it feels perhaps directed at you.

It's not about you.

We've danced around this issue lightly at times past and now here it is in our laps dancing....again

It's not you.

OK?

We'd be going over this angst with any, all and every guy who happens to accidently stroll into the ladies room....and then stays because he's always wanted to know what women talk about when we're away from men and finds out "WOW!!! THIS IS WILD CRAZY WARM FUN INSITEFUL INTENSE WITTY SUPPORTIVE LIFE-AFFIRMING SUPPORTIVE ENCOURAGING SMART INTENSE .... ETC ETC INCREDIBLE STUFF!!!!".


Well yes it is.

:: Elvis voice "Thank you very much". Straightens bra strap takes a bow...:::

::: looks around, shrugs shoulders, ignores guy and now goes back to complaining to others in the room about hot flash, hands $0.50 to gal debating over kotex vs tampon, jokes about how much money I save now not needing 'em. Wonders aloud why they make us pay for them at all ::::

And it happens when you're (again, not about you, men in general) are away

And for some of us only then.

I have three (3) womens bike clubs in my area to go to but some of us don't have access to a womens community outside of this board.

...so this space which only exists here for some and is essential for many and now what do we do?

"I neither have time nor motivation to be trolling every post for every detail."

Well you should, because this stuff is incredible, every word here, why the heck not?

::: puts hands on hips, now looks insulted that you're NOT trolling :::

"As for why I choose to be here, please understand the evolution of my involvement:
[LIST][*]Silver was in a wreck and I logged on to keep everyone informed."

That was very sweet and very much appreciated!

"[*]Everyone was supportive of BOTH of us and I enjoyed the interaction"

Of course you did, everyone pretty much does, that's why we're here.

I suppose we'll have to see...

is TE a unique wonderful place because it's women only?

Or is it something else we can't easily define?

Will a guy on board change the board or even destroy the flavor of the board?

Gosh I hope not. I think not.

Will it change the board?

Too late, it has already.

OK, so here we are, we go one then. Will it be for the better? Or for the worse?

MWBR. Stay tuned to TE.

I would say in closing this and only this:

There are plenty of co-ed cycling boards, there's only one TE.

Mr. Silver just speaking for myself you are welcome here but please don't mess up

What we find here we can only get here and we worry it'll change.

I met most of my ride buddies here, a few I consider good friends and ... my GF. So I'm very vested in this board continuing.

So I hope we can all get along and nobody leaves the seat up.

I have to be honest if this became a fully co-ed board I think I'd leave and that would be very very sad for me.

Long live TE!!!

sorry for the hijack, back to your regular scheduled thread.

Punches Mr. Silver on the shoulder, "How 'bout those Seahawks?!!"

[kelownagirl]

Thank you Trek. You have such a gift with words.

[Trek420]

OMG, just looked at it....I did go on and on and on and....oopsie

[Bikingmomof3]

You did a nice job Trek.