vw, you need to give people the choice of whether or not to participate in something before they participate, not afterwards. That's the basic principle of informed consent.

Taking part in a project, no matter how informally, can't be based on the manipulation of events by the investigator. It invalidates your data.

Jen, you're right. And I didn't do this right at all. And, I know better. I'm sorry guys. I'm taking this off the table. I'm sorry.

It was a good discussion. And, I'm not sorry that we had it.

It was a good discussion. Thanks for stepping up and apologizing, though.

It was amazing how many of those "greatest hits" I recognized.

I really have to agree with Cindy. I didn't even post about my mental bad-talk tapes, and now I'm glad that I didn't. As for the people who got truly upset by this exercise, I feel really sorry for them. If I had been one of them, I would be furious. You basically asked people to talk about what makes them feel shitty about themselves. Who wants to deliberately dredge up painful issues? And then, to find out that they dragged their ugliest monsters out of the closet of angst, simply for a project?

vw, I understand the type of project that you're working on, but the subject you chose is one that manipulated people's feelings in a huge way. That's not fair, to do that and then reveal after the fact that you initiated the topic because it was a homework project.

Was there no other type of question you could have asked? Or was it part of the homework assignment that it must be an emotionally charged question?

I'm already so tired of watching this thread turn to doom, gloom and drama on such a regular basis.

That was my first thought, actually -- "This is the exact wrong thread and the exact wrong group of people to be asking about all the rotten things they tell themselves."

But then it seemed to go well for quite a while, until people started mentioning how reading other people's mental tapes, and thinking about their own, really upset them.

I know my tapes. I've hauled them out in this very thread time and again. But I did so knowing that I would be met with sympathy and kindness and genuine concern -- not treated like an experiment.

I don't care...I write about myself all the time. But I do think that means whatever you got wouldn't be worth much as research material.

A's win, A's win. Man, the place was ELECTRIC. My voice is GONE.

Ok...deep breath.

The game kept me from the tapes conversation and recent messages, so I'm an outsider looking in. Anything posted here is public. No one is forced to post anything or respond in a particular way. While vw may have posted some pointed questions, I don't see that she manipulated folks or pushed for revealing responses. If I missed something there, I apologize.

Congrats, Suzi. I'll probably be twisted in knots and yelling tomorrow when the Cards play the Padres (and could very possibly sweep the series).

Anne - I was in total knots pre-game. I even bought alcohol before noon (K-Bug's response - "It's 5 o'clock somewhere" - love that kid).

I'm now watching the game again on TIVO to see certain plays again. I keep score and I starred certain at bats for closer review.

My name is Suzi and I'm an A's addict.

You are a SCARY A's addict.

Things could be interesting if it's the As vs the Cards in the Series.