Not to be left out, I may as well put my two cents in too!

There is a very simple solution to this dilemma - if you're aggravated beyond all reason by the current technical difficulties the site is experiencing, WALK AWAY!! No melodrama, no hysterical ranting, just walk away until the problems are resolved. You don't need to make a big announcement, say tearful goodbyes, get everyone stirred up. It doesn't help anyone and all it does is generate frustration and a mob mentality that demoralizes everyone and creates bad feelings.

I feel so sorry for Jackie and Heath. They've put so much time, effort, money and love into this site - they must feel so unappreciated and so hurt by the impatience, lack of charity and understanding. Stop for a minute and recognize they they are doing their best, it's beyond their control right now, and that things will improve when they improve.

As a free service, we really do not have the right to be demanding, ungrateful divas. We would not tolerate or accept it from our customers, friends or families. Why should we expect Heath and Jackie to tolerate or accept it from us?

So, walk away, silently - with gratitude for past blessings received. When the time is right for you, just as silently come back and we'll all be here waiting for you.

End of rant........

Hi Shirley,

Hate to see you leave from here.. But it's your decision.. You have contributed so much of your talent and knowledge. You will be missed here.

Anyway, I KNOW where you live and where to find you besides here.

E of EG, CA

This site has helped me to learn a whole new way to decorate cakes..and it is not just about cake. Everyone here is like a friend...This site has given me a whole new confidence in my decorating...and hopefully for many of you too...but please if you do not have anything nice to say or do not want to say goodbye then don't....please just hold your fingers away from the post reply box...this is not the time nor place to be nasty, there is enough of that in the world already. Many of us are thankful for all of those who are willing to teach us so much. CC does not owe us anything....I am personally no professional and definately appreciate all that people like Shirley have offered to this site for people like me to simply learn...THANK YOU SHIRLEY and everyone else that shares so much all of us.

Theresa,
I don't post any advice or pictures because I do Not decorate cakes because I have severe arthritis in my hands. I like to look at the cakes posted here because I admire the talent that goes into producing them. I was not aware that in order to enjoy Cake Central, you had to be a cake designer. My apologies.

No, you don't have to be a cake decorator to be a member here, but a simple thank you when someone posts some new work which impresses you would have been more than acceptible. Not all work is posted to the gallery - sometimes it is posted within a thread.

And FYI, I have severe Rheumatoid Arthritis throughout my whole body, so there's no sympathy coming from this corner.

Theresa

OK GUYS! LET'S KNOCK IT OFF!
SHE WAS JUST SAYING GOOD BYE AND NO ONE IS GETTING THE POINT! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHY SHE WAS LEAVING! SHE IS NOT COMING ON THE SITE FOR A WHILE AND i AM SURE THAT THIS RIDICULOUS BANTER IS ONE OF THE REASONS!

Our very good friend is leaving and wanted to let the people that she most cared for know! What's wrong with that!??

Interesting how this is even still up here! Don't even waste your time! Let her go already! Only the strong survive. The weak jump ship....

Check out this thread offering VERY POSITIVE words to our fellow CC'ers and the CC gang.

http://www.cakecentral.com/cake-decorating-ftopict-581200-.html

Give a shout out to our gang and to CC for all that they have done for you and what you have learned!

Good Bye Shirley you will be missed! Everybody KNOCK IT OFF!!!! She is saying good bye and not just disappearing, I have a lot of respect for that, escpecially since she has been such a help to so many! Now atleast people will know why she hasnt responded, not just feel ignored!

Des

Okay all - Shirley wanted to leave, she said goodbye.....Do none of you notice that she hasn't been here to thank you for you pleading, praising, and support in FIVE pages of this thread???

Let It Go Already.

PM her if you REALLY want to convince her to return at this point - quietly, and privately.
Everyone else: quit jumping all over those who ask her to reconsider and stay. They value her input here - who cares if you don't???

If you can't say something nice then just shut up.

Personally, i'm glad to find out that there are such problems on this site. for the past few weeks, i've had such computer problems, i thought it was my computer and that i would never be able to get back on here! now i know that my computer isn't ready for the graveyard, and i'll sit back and be patient and wait for CC to get things straightened out. Boy, what a relief that my machine isn't dead!
And Shirley, don't go. It'll all work itself out.

I really do not think Shirley should go, but if that is her wish, good luck!

Now the rude comments given to her are uncalled for. As I read through them I noticed those who do have the rude comments are what I call newbie. You obviously have not been on this website as long as I have to read all the advice she has given to everyone. Free of charge mind you. Those who have written your rude comments, is your cake ability amazing. I have looked at some of yours. I'll the question for you....NO!! You may have some talent, but amazing talent you do not.

So until you are an amazing cake artist and can offer us information from what you have learned, just say goodbye and good luck, I hope you change your mind.

Julzs71..I did notice that people that are being a bit rude are newer in CC.

For those who never had the chance in talking to Shirley , I tell you this.. She is a wonderful person..
And she deserves some respect. Theres a reason for why she is feeling disapointment.. Instead of hitting her with rude remarks, why not say... we understand. Hope you feel better and change your mind.
I am glad I met her through CC. She is wonderful and she always had a helping hand or an advise for those who needed it. She would even take the time to send emails to people explaing how to do things.
In my book..that something that I appreciate and I never took lightly. She took the time to do it!
If you never met her you might not understand this and might not even care. but please there is no reason to put people down. People in CC had alway use the forums to vent when something is wrong. Just let it be ..
Edna

Maybe she went to *** !!! Less stuffy!

I'm not saying that we don't wish Shirley well in all her future endeavours - we certainly do! I'm also sure that everyone appreciates the valued advice that she's given to new and old members alike, including myself.

And, you're right, if a valued member left to pursue other interests or for other reasons, the response would have been totally different. By making her dissatisfaction known so publicly in these threads, she has opened the door herself to people taking exception to implied criticism on Jackie and Heath's behalf. I just personally think that if any individual is dissatisfied or takes issue with the temporary service problems offered in this free site, then they should just gracefully exit without raising a lot of fanfare and controversy. It's a "someone is giving you something wonderful for free so you should be gracious about it" type of scenario.

And, new or old, amazing talent or not, professional or hobbiest, as the recipients of the enormous benefits of this site, I would think that our loyalty and understanding should be directed FIRST to Jackie and Heath who are obviously trying their hardest. Should Jackie and Heath decide to give up because the going is getting tough, then there will be nothing for any of us to benefit from.

It may very well seem like we are rude BUT, Shirley is essentially blaming Jackie & Heath for her frustration which has caused her to leave. That is highly uncalled for and a little immature. That is what is rude here. She should have simply said she was leaving - said her goodbyes and shared that privately for those who asked. It wasn't necessary to publicly fault Jackie & Heath as though they owed it to her to keep this site up and running with no difficulties.

I know how it would make me feel to hear someone say that about something that means so much to me and is as important to me as CC obviously is to them. I am certainly not saying that I wish Shirley to leave but I feel that something had to be said to stick up for Heath & Jackie so I am glad and thankful to those who did.

Tammi

now, i want the ones that are saying most of the nasty remarks are coming from the newbies , to take another look at these 5 pages, and see who all is really nasty. it isn,t just the newbies.


also, pat 45, i am sorry that you do have arthritis in your hands and cannot decorate. i am sure it is very painful. i have a cake decorating friend that has arthritis also. she says it is very painful. i hope you keep checking out the site, and look at all the pictures you want to .

You know... I cannot believe HOW RUDE some of these posts are becoming.... You either DONT know Shirley or you are very SAD SAD people...


Get off your high horses and if you don't like it that people are wanting her to stay then don't respond and move on ... Damn no reason to get nasty about it... I'm NOT a newbie... I got to know Shirley and a lot of us loved her kindness...

If you don't like kindness then I suggest ya go somewhere else...

Wow....

manners people

Christi

First of all I would like to say:

THANK YOU HEATH AND JACKIE FOR THE WONDERFUL GIFT YOU GIVE US ALL!

Without it I would not have learned so much in such a short period of time.
Now saying this I feel very hurt by this comment. I feel that any help being from a pro artist or a begginer has the same value regardless. I have received so much help from begginers as myself and from all the amzing decorators here. I to as a beginner have given ideas and comments here. I do not think it is your place to judge anyones cakes here that was never the topic of this thread. Sorry if I now am being rude but I had to stick up for all us "non amazing decorators". Again...
THANK YOU HEATH AND JACKIE FOR THIS WONDERFUL GIFT!!

THIS is the reason a lot of us don't always respond to threads...

it's like high school again.... lets pounce on someone when they are down..

it's NASTY
it's RUDE


Like we have said before...

If ya don't like a topic.. MOVE ON.... ya don't have to come on and get rude and nasty...

Don't comment if you think it's not worth it... just don't..

Wow... my 14 year old boy acts better then this

Let's all be nice, now.. No need to diss anyones work/art. We all started the same way. This shouldn't go into who is better or not.. It is feeling a bit like high school.. I hate all this negative stuff.. It makes me uncomfortable.. I think maybe we should end this thread.. What do you all think?

I agree. This is not beneficial to anyone at all.

This is sad. Not just because someone is leaving CC. I haven't had any direct contact with Shirley. However, I'm sure I've benefited from her indirectly. And for that, thanks to Shirley and anyone else who has helped me.

However, its even sadder that as we make comments about how rude others are, we make additional rude comments about them. I know my post count is low. And, yes, I AM a NEWBIE. However, does that mean that my opinion doesn't count. My post count is low because I am new. I may not have a lot to offer at this point. But, as I learn, I too will be able to contribute like the others with high posts. There is no rule on this site that says you have to post so many messages a day. Also, do we ever stop to think that maybe this is why newbies are reluctant to post? If we get jumped on because we're new under 1 year and under 100 posts and we don't matter or count, who would want to join that type of community?

Yes, you can look at my pics. NO, they are not perfect. YES, I have a lot of work to do. Yes, go ahead and laugh if you feel the need to... But, that is why I am here. To learn and improve. It hurts to know you come to a website for help and to improve only to have some of the more experienced members down your work. (My family thinks I'm amazing!) Let's keep in mind that EVERYONE is entitled to their own opinion and we need to respect each other as adults. I understand that this site is more important for some than others and others spend more time on here than others. But, everyone has the right to be respected and to be able to state their opinion whether they have 1 post or 1 million posts. Keep in mind that some people are professionals or do this full time. Others do this as a hobby. I have a full time job and go to school for my masters, so I don't have a lot of time to post comments or do cakes for that matter. However, since I see how important this is, I will try to post more...

This is truly sad... From a newbie, non amazing decorator who does this for the enjoyment... And the saddest part is the time I spent reading this thread, I haven't learned anything about cakes...

Hopefully, no one thinks this is rude. It is not meant to be. Goodbye Shirley. Thanks for you contributions as I am sure they have/will benefit me.

You know there comes a time in everyoneâs life to move on and say goodbye. What is wrong with that??? Shirley will be missed by many of us and are sad to see her go. I know I am very appreciative of all the help she has given me with or without her even knowing that she did.

For those of you who want to act childish, just quit reading this post and stop responding!!! Let the lady say goodbye to her friends and leave her alone!!!

If Shirley even gets back on to read this stuff I hope she sees that she has many friends that will miss her and really don't want her to go. If she does not even bother to read past the first few pages I would not blame her. I cannot believe how rude some of you have been.

wgoat5, ditto to everything you wrote.

Dear Shirley.... If you read through all of this and get my message, I want to offer my heartfelt thanks for all the invaluable help you have given me. I was fairly new to cake decorating and you responded to my myriad of questions with such patience. Once you even teased me when I finally posted the picture that it was like giving birth! LOL! I have always admired your talent and I for one truly appreciate your sharing your time and expertise. I hope you will come back or let me know where you are going. You should write a book. I would buy it in a second! God Bless you Shirley. I hope your grandson is following in your footsteps. Those are big shoes to fill. Your work is amazing!

Pat