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[RC] "Complaining" about trail marking - k s swigart

Sometimes a "complaint" can be taken differently than meant.
Personally, I distinctly recall having been accused of complaining about
a lack of trail marking because I tried to inform the people (i.e. ride
volunteers) at the p&r stop that there were missing ribbons a few miles
back on the trail (and that I had had to back track to ensure that I was
on the right trail), with the hopes that, with that information,
somebody besides me (who wasn't going that way), might be able to
correct it before more people encountered the same problem.

I was not complaining at all, although I must confess that I did not
provide LOTS of additional information because I was rather busy trying
to take care of my horse.

Consequently, I personally consider it safe to assume that anybody who
is providing me with information is doing so with the good intention of
hoping that the people who come after won't encounter the same problems
and is not trying to "complain" at all :).

This has two very positive benefits.

1.    I can get information that might help me to help other people not
encounter the same problems.

2.    If the person really is just a chronic complainer and has no
intent of providing constructive information but rather wants to be
unhelpful and/or abusive, I can be blithely unaware of this and deny
them the satisfaction of succeeeding in doing so :).

I find that life is much happier if I assume that ALL criticism is
intended as constructive criticism (and decide whether I can or want to
do anything about it independent of whether I am right in that
assumption).

kat
Orange County, Calif.


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I don't think you have to join a gym or buy frilly outfits to get some
fitness.  A decent set of shoes and a 15 minute dismount here and there
will help. 
~  Jon K. Linderman, Ph.D., FACSM, Assistant Professor of Health and Sport 
Science, University of Dayton

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