Venty, ranty, blow off the steam posts

[Ceallach]

Also, if it's a negative behavior that has caused enough grief for the person to bother posting about it on an internet forum, you can count on some emotions of frustration to be reflected in that post.  Many would call that in itself, a rant. 

It would be very difficult for someone who has reached this point to take a step backward, view the situation from an observer point-of-view and to frame it in the form of an inquisitive, emotionless query.

Re this above section of your post, I think that's the key.  Of course, you can't switch emotions off, but from an etiquette standpoint it's how you express them. For example, in real life if somebody makes you angry, you shouldn't yell and swear at them, even if that's how you feel. But there are polite ways of conveying how angry you are about a situation.  Similarly, in posts we look for polite ways to communicate our feelings.

I find that shifting the focus to the etiquette issue helps me to deal with a situation in a polite way - because I look at it from other people's perspectives, not just the way I'm feeling.  The purpose of the forum, to my understanding, is to help all of us improve the way we behave and learn more about etiquette.  So it's worth considering whether a post will advance the dialogue or not.  If the sole purpose of your post is just to let off steam or complain, then it's probably just a rant.  But if you have an etiquette question or genuinely want to understand how to deal with a situation, then you should be fine.

I understand how you feel though, because I still struggle with how to word my posts properly to convey situations accurately and in a way that won't be misunderstood.  eHell has actually assisted my written communication skills because of that! 

[Curly Wurly Doggie Breath]

There is a fine line between opening a topic of someone else's questionable behavior - discussing proper etiquette surrounding the situation versus turning it into a rant/vent. 

Sometimes it can be quite a challenge to rephrase your post addressing the topic to not sound like a rant, since if it was positive/appropriate behavior that we were talking about, we wouldn't bring it up in the first place. 

Actually we do bring up good behaviour and the good things that happen to us <<gentle smiles>>

[pierrotlunaire0]

Also, for me, one of the signs of a real rant is when other people offer advice or dissent in some way, the OP completely rejects it.  This is someone who has bought their own world view, and is not looking for advice in any way.

[Esther_bunny]

There is the "I Need a Hug" folder for when things aren't going well. I've used it quite a lot.

I used the "hug" folder last night to ask about other's experiences they had with a medical procedure and it was locked this morning. I wasnt venting, just looking for advice or similar experiences to be related to me. No clue as to that wouls necessitate the thread getting locked.

[EllenS]

There is the "I Need a Hug" folder for when things aren't going well. I've used it quite a lot.

I used the "hug" folder last night to ask about other's experiences they had with a medical procedure and it was locked this morning. I wasnt venting, just looking for advice or similar experiences to be related to me. No clue as to that wouls necessitate the thread getting locked.

Detailed medical issues or things that  may turn into medical advice are usually locked.

[Ceallach]

There is the "I Need a Hug" folder for when things aren't going well. I've used it quite a lot.

I used the "hug" folder last night to ask about other's experiences they had with a medical procedure and it was locked this morning. I wasnt venting, just looking for advice or similar experiences to be related to me. No clue as to that wouls necessitate the thread getting locked.

That's a different rule - medical advice is not allowed on this forum, so those threads are always locked.  Same as threads asking for legal advice.

[Esther_bunny]

I guess I didn't make it clear that I wasnt asking for advice just what their experience was like. I was thinking more in terms of, "what was it like when you went to Italy?" Or, "what was it like when you did such and such?"
Thank you though for the clarification, I was stumped.

[Ceallach]

I guess I didn't make it clear that I wasnt asking for advice just what their experience was like. I was thinking more in terms of, "what was it like when you went to Italy?" Or, "what was it like when you did such and such?"
Thank you though for the clarification, I was stumped.

Yeah it's a very fine line sometimes - if people are sharing medical information even just from their own experience sometimes it can cross the line as others could base their decisions on that information even if it's not intended as advice.