List Serv Gone Bananas

I belong to a bunch of List Servs, related to both my professional life (Boardmaker, QIAT, ATA, Resna, TEAL) and Personal Life (Boston SnB, Save Darfur, etc) and right now my inbox is a sea of "Boardmaker" green (the color of the labels I apply to Boardmaker emails).

The end of last week an e-mail went out over Boardmaker from the moderater, who I have had virtual conversations with and who lost a neice the same time I lost my sister, stating she was dissappointed with the level of participation on the group. She stated that participation was down and requested people post files, ask and answer questions and share via the list. She also asked people respond or they would be removed from the list.

I have to admit the tone of the e-mail struck me at first as bitter and unkind. It even made me wonder if the moderator was okay or if she is going through as hard of a time with her grief as I am. Then I thought for a while and depersonalized it, realizing that I have been posting, I have put a number of boards up this month and answered a few questions. I commented something along those lines.

Yet my inbox continues to be flooded in a sea of green Boardmaker messages. Some are folks saying, "Keep me in the list", others (many, many less) saying "get me out of here". Some are complaining about the tone or content of the scolding e-mail. Others are just getting on with it, reminded that the group is here and school is starting soon. People are asking questions, answering them posting boards and doing all of the things the board is meant to do.