I have never understood this.

I have always had several cats (&dogs) & people cannot believe my house doesn't smell. Hello!! Cats don't smell. They are very clean unless they are ill & can't clean themselves. It is the dirty litter box their owners don't keep clean that stinks up the house, and then the cats will start going on the dirty clothes (or wherever) you never pick up because their litter box is dirty. Pardon my highjacking, but man this is something that really gets to me.

I am a newbie that joined DU last November.

Although I have learned a lot since my first posting (& subsequent lambasting), I would like some clarification on when people click the rec button. Sometimes I see a post that is (at least imho) very dramatic, heartwarming, hilarious, etc. that has a lot of views but will have like 2 recs. Will someone please enlighten me on when you rec and when you don't?

WELL said.

When they are part of your immediate family, it is so much harder.

I agree with all you say, but how do you defriend, say--your MOM! I am in constant turmoil dreading she will bring "it" up. We have made an agreement not to talk politics, but she manages to subtly start up & it's making me nuts.

It is members like you that make us newbies hesitant to post.

Just because we don't know all the ins & outs of the "correct" ways to use this site does not give you the right to blast away at our posts. My very 1st post to DU was pretty naive in retrospect, but it didn't deserve the nasty first response I got. Thankfully, the next couple of posters made up for it. Lighten up, please!