I open this thread to say goodbye.
I have used a translator for the first time to make sure that, for once, I don't screw up.
I'm leaving for a number of reasons, among which the most important are my lack of time to focus on studying and sports and the forum and too the anxiety that forum moderation is causing me.
I don't want anyone to thank me for anything, but even if you don't see it, the forum requires a lot of time, which I don't have and, the truth is, certain conflicts also generated anxiety in me.
For a non-native speaker, it's also an effort that I don't know if I did well.
It will seem silly to you, but even I have cried these days, and, frankly, it is not worth it.
I leave with the feeling, a bit bitter, of having tried to sweep a desert, and after the last controversy, reviewing content, the desert is huge and I can't face the task.
I want to apologize to the people I have offended and clarify that there was never anything personal.
A hug and best wishes.

    Ouch, I think we will miss you, your points of view and your animal facts.
    I wish you best with your life and your goals.

    Ines oh no sorry to say bye I'll miss you. But this place isn't worth sadness and anxiety. Hope you do well with your sport and studies.

    It's not silly at all what you say is right. Don't be bitter - you've been good - it's too much to fix but you did do good. Hugs.

    Just saying as well your writing helped me think about using this belt seriously - like what it means and if I want that - and like I probably wouldn't if not for you and I mean that as good. But yeah I know I'm different too - not as conservative I'm sorry if I've made it difficult

    I wish you only the best for the future. It was a pleasure to meet you here in the forum and you did, in my opinion, a great job in the moderation. You will be missed :c

    Ines
    First of all it is sad you leaf.
    Second I understand you. To be moderator is a time consuming task and you rarely got the appreciation you deserved.
    From my point of view you did it well and in a nice way. I also see the language problem we face here which make it more complicated. The last ongoing discussion remind me of the one had earlier which was going on and on without no reasonable reason.
    I wish you all the best in your life, with your study and sport. I hope you will be here from time to time as a normal member and maybe share some update what is going on.
    😉 my last offer is still valid and I would be faster their than @Sin from Australia 😉

    Ines I've been silent on this forum for a long time, due to ongoing health issues, but I look in from time to time and my conscience wouldn't let me ignore your post.

    Ines I don't want anyone to thank me for anything.

    Nah, sorry, you don't get let off that easily. If you want to know how good a moderator you were (together with Laura of course) look at the forum: almost troll free, full of lively discussion, lots of disagreements but nearly always respectful discourse. You should be proud of that.
    Of course you weren't perfect, none of us are (well, except Donald Trump) but you don't need to beat yourself up over the odd mistake. I have to say that while I occasionally disagreed with you, I certainly agreed with most of your posts, and even as a self confessed fetishist I've always felt welcome here. Nobody paid you for what you've done, it was solely because you care and you want to make a difference, which you did. As for offending people, your comments to one or two folk that I can think of who were offended were absolutely spot on and deserve no apology at all, frankly I'd have banned at least one.
    I've been careful to write about all your actions in the past tense as I don't want to try and persuade you to return. You know what you need; I've no idea how you managed to combine notoriously demanding medical studies with moderation of the forum. I'm retired and I'd struggle to find that time.
    Leave, focus on your future and be proud of a job well done, but if you could pop back occasionally and give us a quick update, that would be great.
    So finally, despite your entreaty, a big THANK YOU from me, and I'm sure many other members of the forum.
    Best wishes for your future.
    Tony

    Ines A big hug to you Ines and always follow your passion... 🌹

    @Ines I am not on here as much as I used to be. I am playing catch-up figuring out what happened. Since I am behind, I am not commenting on what little of the "issue" that I saw; however, I can say that I am a native English speaker, I did learn a little German, so I know how much can get lost in translations. Given that -- YOU DO A FANTASTIC JOB moderating. Also your usual comments are insightful and wise. I hope you just take a break and come back after you catch up on other things (as a Moderator or not).

    The one thing I can comment on that seems to be the main issue that I have seen so far is: Communications.

    May I make a suggestion that in some cases (this one ?) a private message would help straighten things out with less chance that feelings get hurt. This would be the one case I think private messages on the board would be an asset. For the moderators it must be difficult to write what must be written to correct behavior in a public message, and on the flip side, it would be difficult to receive said correction in a public message.

      JonesMacGyver May I make a suggestion that in some cases (this one ?) a private message would help straighten things out with less chance that feelings get hurt

      Let me think about it. Maybe not for everybody

        No @Ines don't leave!! Even though we're polar opposites I relate to you the most on here. You're posts have always been insightful, and I find your commitment to chastity inspiring. You make the forum a better place.

        I wish you all the best and I hope you come back to say hi sometimes.

        ps your accent is sexy

        Laura Let me think about it. Maybe not for everybody

        Mods already have email power and could take it there.

        @Ines - Sorry to lose you, but you could always be here and NOT a moderator, you know…

        Ines

        phew....I don't even know where to start now, I hope you're at least reading this.

        your factual reasons are easy to understand, time is always a bit short and the forum has grown, you study, do sports and do it with full energy and conviction, all the best for this path, i hope you can fulfill all your dreams.

        frankly, what you wrote afterwards also made me cry, because I have the feeling that it doesn't have to be like that. I had a different opinion on many points, both in terms of content and how this forum should be designed, but I never meant that personally. I have always respected and admired you very much for the job you did here.

        Discussions, even tough ones, cannot always be avoided. I'm sorry if you felt personally attacked in any way. I offer you my email if you want to clarify that.

        I don't want to convince you of anything, it's your personal decision, but maybe it's also because of your role as moderator that some things have gone wrong from your point of view, i.e. that the forum is no longer the way you wanted it to be . I don't quite understand why you're leaving completely. I understand that you don't want to be a moderator anymore because you can get a lot of criticism in this position, but as a member of the forum I would like to have you here.

        well, be it as it is. I have nothing left but to say thank you, you have done a lot for this forum and as a human being I have always liked and respected you. 🙂

        @Laura

        we will probably need a new moderator, maybe we should start a thread about it?

          Angelina we will probably need a new moderator,

          And also more changes, since @Vanessa doesn't seem to have time for the forum, and it's hard for me to run it alone

          Angelina maybe we should start a thread about it?

          Let me think about the situation first

            Laura

            if you need help, let me know. i hope we can soon come to a solution that is satisfactory for all. 🙂

            Goodbye @Ines I'm very sorry to see you go, I consider you one of the original members of this forum. I can only imagine how difficult it was to regulate a forum like this. I echo the sentiment here that even though you feel you can no longer perform the duties of a moderator that you would still remain a member. I wish you all the best ahead in your life.

              Valadar I echo the sentiment here that even though you feel you can no longer perform the duties of a moderator that you would still remain a member.

              frankly i hope so too, maybe she will come back as a normal member someday, it's a shame when a member who has been part of the forum for so long and posted so much leaves 🙁