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Chet Waffle

PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:05 am
by Randy Finney
It is just after 6:00 am in my part of the world and I thought, "what better way to start the day than with a Chet Waffle?". I just learned the definition of "Waffle House", courtesy of the Chetboard, and do not find it to be at all a put down. In fact, it is just the definition of discussion itself.

It is only true that many discussions on these types of forums "go nowhere" if one has some expectation of where they should go in the first place. To have this expectation of anyone's posts other than one's own is not only unreasonable, but completely misses the point of why one would belong to one of these forums in the first place.

In you are someone who is interested only in tangible facts, anecdotal or otherwise, and not in other people's opinions then it is not a Discussion Forum you are looking for, it is a Wiki. Furthermore, just because a discussion may have "gone nowhere" for you, doesn't mean it didn't have meaning for others on the forum.

Now, I never met Chet but, my understanding of him is that he was a very tolerant person. He may of expressed this tolerance by simply not participating in certain things - i.e. he would not go out of his way to bother telling someone he didn't like what they doing just because he didn't like it - which is, indeed, a healthy way to deal with things you don't like but that don't cause you any harm.

I have posted thoughts on this board that were serious to me, and made fun of by others. I have, in turn, been too harsh at times in my replies to others. This is just the nature of discussion - it is as much about the way one is feeling at the moment as it is about the topic.

And there's the beef - discussions boards are meant to be as therapeutic as they are useful at disseminating information.

If you are someone who thinks the therapeutic aspect is pointless waffling, that's fine but, there is no reason to say anything about it. Just ignore these posts. You have nothing to gain by putting others down for what you may deem waffling and the Chetboard has everything to lose.

Instead of being a welcoming community where people feel comfortable to post without fear of retribution or of being chastised, it becomes nothing but a forum for a few confident individuals arguing their points of view and everyone else being merely observers.

A kind of Waffle House of Horrors.

Randy

Re: Chet Waffle

PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 12:01 pm
by RandeDager
Randy, I love deep and carefully articulated thought. You did a wonderful job in expressing what you did and I agree wholeheartedly. We have several gifted writers on this board and I'm always very impressed when I "hear" from them.
The idea that "waffling" is an individual perception and is relative, was brilliant!

I must be one of those for whom it wasn't so negatively perceived. My biggest "complaint" would be that I felt that I was speaking only to a handful when I felt that more would care and share my feelings.

thanks,

Rande

My Chet Waffle

PostPosted: Sun Feb 20, 2011 2:44 pm
by JohnBinns
Chet once said that the music business has become “visual” whereas it used to be “sound”. The “official site of Chet Atkins” is NOT a visual feast by any means to 2011 standards. Why, I even miss the old home page with the empty stool which came to be an icon of a resting place that will never be filled again.

There are a few other sites dedicated to Chet. Freddy’s is visual eye candy but often difficult to navigate. Other sites have more comprehensive discography pages but lack “the community” feel. Tom has established an updated forum board that attempts to combine modern features while keeping “the community” intact. I think he has done an admirable job considering he has to observe the wishes of the Chet Atkins Estate.

Yes, I would like to see a visually pleasing home page without the CD/DVD selling. I would like to see a more comprehensive discography listing (some additions/corrections were made a couple of years ago only to be lost in a server change). It needs to be more visually appealing and informative while keeping the community that has been established.

The Chetboard is just fine and healthy, even with the “waffling” you give reference to. The question is, should the official site of Chet Atkins remain the time capsule that it has become or evolve into a valuable resource tool for those seeking insight in Mr Guitar?