Oh but there is- I've given and received a great many free lunches over the years- makes life so much enjoyable. But I'd agree, you should never accept a free lunch if you are not prepared to returned the favour... sometimes via someone else who may need it more ... What goes round does indeed come around albeit sometimes in an unexpected way- which makes it even better

Well it is why I asked, what did that mean? This thread I thought what other people have done for others in this community. Timow is assuming I have done nothing for others here, or in my own day to day life.


I don't things for other people to brag about it later. It's not why you do kind things. But this isn't about what I have done, so, I guess not everyone can be happy about reading something kind. They have to only see the negative.


I have been thru some rough times recently, and total strangers have been there for me. I don't see what is wrong with that.

Hmmm...you are one of my fav EF voices. The voice of kindness, being engaged, caring. Even when we don't see eye to eye, which would be boring. I like people who are different.

We all have stories, I never share those that really matter..rarely..But even when people talk a little about their private stuff - one can sense from their impersonal, concrete advice, words about mundane stuff, one can still feel that they are caring and humane. That's what I take from EF. Community and those who invest in it. Not for their own sake.

Are you confusing my 17 word post, for another one - long winded essay of nothingness, or am I more cryptic than I originally imagined?

Well why don't you just say what you mean?

Then I wouldn't appear to be so cynical - or I falsely perceived the readership.

Joke: 'Why do people help a chef?'

I still don't get it.

- When I (thankfully) lost my job with "the world's largest international independent financial consultancy", and with a young family to support, I turned to the EF and offered my assistance with moving members' belongings and bulky shopping items. The work I got through the forum helped us immensely, not just in financial terms.

Now I'm back in full time office-based employment again (thanks to a very kind forum member who gave me a couple of moving jobs to do, and then introduced me to her boss and pushed for me to get the position!).

- We also had a forum member send us a series of the COOP stickers free of charge and at her own expense.

TiMow wasn't insulting you. You're a chef, right? You sometimes make lunches, presumably? It is, therefore, conceivable that somebody might want to help a chef in the hope of getting a free lunch.

It was a throwaway joke, that's all.

I despair sometimes...

I am not having a good day. You will have to excuse me, I don't always get other people's jokes.

That's what the hedgehog is for. A hedgehog improves anyone's day.

In my experience, this kind of forum members - people of few words - are the most interesting.

Do not concern yourself! You are not the only one who finds TiMow perpetually unfunny.

Wrong. Oh, I guess that means you are going to neg rep me again for disagreeing with you.

Exactly.

Someone helps you, you help back to that person or an other one and make kindness travel around.

Quite

Some.

I've lost count of the messages of support and sympathy that I've had on here when I've been having a hard time. I just wish I could meet more of the people on here in person!

Friends, good information, stuff and hours of entertainment. Plus lots of support when I needed it. It's a wonderful resource, if occasionally maddening. But that all goes with the territory.