hey shirley , you are one of the reasons i check out this site . you give such good advice. all i have to do is see your name , and i go straight to it. you always give your advice in a nice manner. you don,t try to make anyone feel inadequate . you have answered my pm's without delay , and i thank you for that. you just always let us know that this is how you do it . not necessarily that we have to do it that way. you tell us other web sites to check out for flowers, etc. you just have so much knowledge. i do hope you won,t leave us . thanks again for all your help. in my opinion, you have the most knowledge of anyone on this site.

Gasp! Not Shirley! I understand. I hope to see you on some of the other cake sites.

I'm sorry but I do not sympathize with those saying Good-Bye. C'mon! It's a wonderful site, free, full of knowledge and people who are freely giving out their expertise. This is no reflection on the site people, helloooo.. this is today's world, technology. It's like I'm at work and encounter technical problems and I'm going to say "Good-bye I quit, the system does not work today!". I'm very grateful to have found this site and yes it may have some problems once in a while, but I find something to do while it's fixed. You know and we complain as parents when kids are glued to TV and can't find anything productive to do with their time like being active outside and playing. I will continue to enter this site as long as it's available with or without technical problems. It's an awesome site no doubt about it. And for those leaving because you cannot put up with technical problems, so long, bon voyage!

Shirley:

I do hope you change your mind , but know you will be missed.

Laura

Ya know...I love this site, and I am probably on here more than I should be too. I get tons of information on here and I don't like when it is down either, but I think some people just need to get a life!

Shirley, I understand your dilemma. If you could here all the expletives that come out of my mouth when I canât get my fix of CC, itâs not pretty I tell you. Please just take a deep breath and calm down. I personally donât know any of you here on CC, but you are all considered friends in my head. I donât want to lose any of you, not even the testy ones. WE CAN GET THROUGH THIIIIS!!!

Give me a break!!! This might be one of the most ridiculous things I have heard in a while. I don't understand how having some technical issues would be that stressful for a person that they would actually stop using the site completely from now on. Deal with it and go to a different site when you can't use this one. I do not usually post, but I am shocked that anyone would even say they would give this site a time frame or they won't continue to use it. If things were not going great at your home or your job, do you just quit there too? No, most people would try to hold out and work it out. Whatever...leave, you are only hurting yourself. When the rest of us are able to use the site again like we always have, you won't be here. Too bad! I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would beg anyone else not to leave. There will always be people, pictures, and amazing ideas from everyone else on the site. I for one, am more than willing to be patient and still use the site anyway. If I can't get on, I try again later.Thanks Jackie and Heath from those of us that are more than willing to hold on while our FREE site is getting the treatment it truly deserves.

To those of you bashing Shirley- Leave her alone. She just wanted to say good bye. Will I leave this site- no, but is it very frustrating when it isn't working- yes.
You will be missed Shirley! I am glad I know how to find you else where on the internet!

I would NEVER leave this place! I don't understand why anyone would want to. Heath and Jackie are trying hard to work out the kinks involved with making the switch to a bigger server.

Do you really miss it so badly when the site is down that you really get frustrated enough to never come back?

This is the BEST cake place out there, IMO. I can always count on immediate replys when I need an answer fast, and signing up was so simple and non-judgmental (unlike other forums who must "accept" you).

I can be patient for a place that has given me the best "schooling" around, free of charge. Jackie and Heath only have our best interests at heart.

I am with Marcy11 and a few others on this post. I say OH, PLEASE ALREADY. I realize you have invested a great deal of time into this site and have shared a wealth of information with all of us. You have made many friends here, and that is great. But, I am sure you would never abandon one of your friends when they needed you, and that is essentially what you are doing. CC is "ill" at the moment, and you are abandoning ship. I say that's not very nice, especially since this is a FREE site and Heath, Jackie & Team are doing everything they can. I will miss your expertise, but I will not beg you to stay. Good luck.

thanks mister c for your post. please stop bashing shirley. she has been a wonderful contributor here as you can see the total of her posts. so many keep talking about this site being a free site. it would have been gone long ago if it wasn,t for the ones that donate. yes, they say its free, but can,t you read between the lines? this site needs everyones donation to keep it up and going. so if you love it so good, then please give a donation. some people want something for nothing. shirley just wanted to say goodbye to all her c/c family.

Shirley is a valuable person to this site. She gives so much and that should attest to how much she visits and spends time on this site. WHile I love this site as much as everyone else, when I go to log on because I need a recipe I am baking tonight and the site isn't up, then I am stuck trying to figure out a plan b. I know where SHirley is coming from. It isn't anything against Heath or Jackie... they are doing their best and the time that they must spend on this must be crazy... but it sometimes gets you to the point that it drives you crazy... and gets frustrating.

I think we all need to calm down and there is not need to judge anyone's reasons for leaving or staying. What might be a small thing to some can be a much larger issue to others. Some are on here more than others, which is noted from the number of posts. Shirley replies more than often and helps with questions all the time.

Appreciate Shirley's input and time and if she leaves, she will be sorely missed.

Like simplysweet72740, I'm sure I'll get stoned for this but feel compelled to say my peace after reading some of these posts. I've only been a member since October 2007 and have never had a problem with this site and it will continue to be my favorite website. I don't know Shirley that well, but no one is worth begging to stay.

The reality is this is a website that you lost for a few weeks. When you lose a baby, a child, a spouse, a soldier to a traggic death or lose a leg, arm, or your breasts to cancer, that's something to get upset about, something to cry over, something to to be frustrated over wondering why did this happen to me. Getting frustrated over a website that's been down a few weeks is just simply sad on your part. They are upgrading to give us this vass amount of information for free so we don't have to pay money (that I don't have) on books and DVDs.

Marcy11 - you go girl! I agree 100%

My last thoughts - Take a deep breath, shut down your computer, open up your front door and see that life will go on . . . . and thankfully so will CC. Thank you Jackie and Heath for all your hard work in keeping this site going and keeping it free!

B2B

SHE IS JUST SAYING GOODBYE, Those of you that want to bash and vent do it somewhere else.

Does anyone NOT SEE that people that have been on this site longer than 6 months to a year have invested some TIME into this site!??

She is upset and wanted to say good bye!
this makes me so sad! I will miss you Shirley!

Why we dont want Shirley to leave? Cause she is a wonderful lady who would help anyone that has a question. She will do it no questions ask. She is a pillar in this comunity and we like her.
Edna

Say it ain't so, Joe!

Dearest Shirley -

I support your decision. This situation has challenged the patience of all of us, and I know that, for you, it is the best choice you can make.

Thank you is not enough to express how we feel for all the help and inspiration you have offered to us over the years, and I wish you all the best. We will let you know if things get better here, and hopefully, you will come back to us.

With Much Love -

Theresa

when i first read the heading of this post, i thought shirley was leaving the state, country, or was loosing her internet (for whatever reasons) then as i read your post, i was shocked!!
you are 'leaving' because there are technical problems.
geeze- its a good thing everyone here doesnt feel the way you do, or there would be no reason for the host to work their butts off the fix the problems.
i think we owe it to CC to stick by them and all the faithful that come here to see it through and continue our support.

and another thing:
you being a forum superstar and have the member spotlight. you of all people should know how much positive influence you have on all of us. especially those new to cake decorating.
your talent will be missed.

[quote="born2bake"]Like simplysweet72740, I'm sure I'll get stoned for this but feel compelled to say my peace after reading some of these posts. I've only been a member since October 2007 and have never had a problem with this site and it will continue to be my favorite website. I don't know Shirley that well, but no one is worth begging to stay.

The reality is this is a website that you lost for a few weeks. When you lose a baby, a child, a spouse, a soldier to a traggic death or lose a leg, arm, or your breasts to cancer, that's something to get upset about, something to cry over, something to to be frustrated over wondering why did this happen to me. Getting frustrated over a website that's been down a few weeks is just simply sad on your part. They are upgrading to give us this vass amount of information for free so we don't have to pay money (that I don't have) on books and DVDs.

Marcy11 - you go girl! I agree 100%

My last thoughts - Take a deep breath, shut down your computer, open up your front door and see that life will go on . . . . and thankfully so will CC. Thank you Jackie and Heath for all your hard work in keeping this site going and keeping it free!







Born2bake,
I agree 100%. This is way out of hand. People are taking this way to seriously. It's a website. There are many more important things in life than a sometimes problematic website.

I agree that it is extremely frustrating to those of us (including me) who are hooked on to this site. I thought about leaving in a moment of frustration but quickly realized that it would be my loss. It takes me exactly 30 seconds to figure out if the site is running smoothly or not. When it is not, I go away for a couple of days and check back. When it does run smoothly, I contribute. That's simple enough and way better than quitting and leaving this wealth of knowledge and friends behind.
Like Bill Clinton said a few days ago "Everyone needs to just chill out and take a deep breath"

I have to say, Don't bash someone for saying goodbye. That is just mean. And if you are being so mean as to say good riddance then you have no idea how helpful and kind Shirley is. I have been on this site long enough to see people come and go. It is heart breaking to move on from something that has been a part of your life. Wether it be a job or an online forum. People make friends and it really sucks when someone leaves and they don't say goodbye. Shirley was a wealth of info. Sure you could buy a book or magazine for help but what if the book or magazine was out of stock? Who could you seek for help? Cake central.. And among the great advisors on this site Shirley was one of them. she and a select few are like walking Pastry Art encyclopedia, very valuable (just a side note: I would come here first before trying to buy a book or magazine..;o)).. Give the woman a break and be nice.. Come on.. Have a little compassion for her as well.. Yes there are a couple of side to this. I don't think she was bad mouthing CC but just stating what her issue was and her solution was to leave.. Please ya'll lets be nice.. "K" I think one of the most common statements made on this site and by it's creators is to be nice.. So, let's.

You will be missed, Shirley

I DO care if Shirley leaves. If it were not for her I would not know how to do a chocolate transfer wrapped cake. If it were not for her I would not know how to do chocolate ruffles on top of a cake.

I have learned A LOT from Shirley and I do not want her to leave. I will beg her and beg her to stay! She is worth begging for!

Shirley,

Please don't leave. Just take a break. I will PM you when this site is up and running well again. Just as long as you promise to not leave us for good.

Please Shirley!

Joanne

Maybe she's leaving because she can't handle the frustration of not being able to participate. I mean, look at her post count. ELEVEN THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED POSTS in a year and a half. That's 20+ messages a day. That's a LOT of personal time invested in a forum. How do we know she's not bedridden or a shut-in or agoraphobic or has severe outdoor allergies or is just bored out of her mind or something, and NEEDS constant interaction in a chatty community? I doubt she's any of those things, but who knows what her need is for participating here so much? *Shrug* Maybe she just loves this subject and loves talking to people and does it for a good part of her day...and now she can't, so she's moving on to greener pastures.

Who knows, who knows? Wish her well and move on. People are hard to figure out.

Pat45 -

I do not feel that Shirley is behaving as a spoiled child would. Normally, over the past few months, I was unable to get onto the site, without extreme difficulty, or at all, except between the hours of 1 AM and 8 AM, so I very well understand her position.

I still stand by her decision to leave, if she chooses. We all have the point where enough is enough, and she has found that point.

And considering that the post you placed above is Your First Contribution in the almost two years that you have been a member, and that you have been suckling on all our knowledge without ever returning the favor, I don't feel that you have Any business expressing an opinion here today.

Theresa

I can't agree more Theresa!

HOLY COW. I just cannot believe the mean-spiritedness of some of the people on this site. I agree, if CC was as big a part of your life as it has been to Shirley, you too might feel the need to say goodbye if you feel it's time to move on to a community where you can depend on daily access and not wonder if one day the whole thing is just going to go up in smoke (the way 6 months of posts just went up in smoke). We all know that the site is being worked on but come on, doesn't someone have a right to say "I can't wait any longer" or "I don't believe it's ever going to work dependably" if that's their opinion, and if so, why can't they say a public farewell to their friends?? I for one would be really upset if I just sort of "noticed" one day that she had just disappeared, and I didn't have a chance to say goodbye or get a "forwarding address."

And why chastise people who want to say goodbye or want to express the fact that they wish she'd stay? I have always agreed that everyone here has a total right to express their opinion, yet at the same time I must admit, I don't understand what is gained by all of the negativity.

I do personally disagree. Someone you consider a friend or a valuable member of your community, is always "worth it."

I don't believe that she is saying that it's "too stressful" ...but if you've chosen a community to be a part of your daily routine, to pour your heart and soul into, and for months and months every time you try to show up (for lack of a better analogy) the door is closed, why is it wrong to decide that you would rather contribute your resources to a place you can count on to be open when you show up?

Better put than I could have ever tried.

I agree with so many, I hope, Shirley that maybe you can check back in a few months to see if things are finally solid here. Meanwhile I thank you for the assistance and kindness you've given me personally, and wish you nothing but the best, elsewhere or back here at CC!

Here, here ceshell! Well said.

Now, I will step onto my soap box.....some of the posters in this forum are very rude and might be some of the reasons people want to leave. Did anybody ask any of you to beg them to stay? No, they were saying good-bye. What ever happened to treating others as you WANT to be treated??????

Now, if you don't know ShirleyW, then please don't criticize her character. I do not know her personally but I have sent her many PM's asking for help and she has ALWAYS been there to answer my questions and guide me. She is one of the nicest people and is always willing to share her knowledge. I know a lot of folks on here that don't want to share any information on doing things. Shirley is not like that! For those of you that don't think she is worth asking to stay.............well you have not asked her for any help like I have. She is definitely worth asking to stay.

I understand that Jackie and Heath are doing all they can and I praise them for the hours and hours of hard work they do. Without them, we wouldn't even have this place. I love CC and have missed it over the past few weeks but I know that it will be up and running real soon.

I will step off my soap box and say:
Shirley, I certainly hate the fact that you are leaving. I wish you would reconsider and hang around for those of us with hundreds of questions that you answer so patiently. You are so talented and helpful and will be greatly missed. I wish you the very best that life has to offer and please stay in touch.