> >> When I see people express certain opinions, I instinctively know that I'm against them, but if I try to discuss it with them, I simply become run over before I get around to saying what I believe. Does anyone recognize this feeling?
> > >
> >
> > Yes. In my case it's again part of that whole uptight thing. I attempted to participate in a religion discussion here a while back and felt completely incapable of making a decent argument. I thought long and hard about why. The main reason is I get emotionally strung up about things where Sam has a method of clear, factual argument based on clear belief. Clear, reasonable facts are important, as is confidence in your knowledge.
>
> I also imagine that it has to do with experience gained from vast amounts of discussion. Having been forced to take a line of argument through has certainly cleared plenty of things up for me (long time after the discussion you understand :-)).
>

It is also useful to respond in notepad and save it on my computer, then go back a little later and reread it and fix it.

I have a friend who participates in Y2K discussions, and she frequently send me her posts before she sends them off so I can get rid of a lot of unnecessary bits and clarify garbled bits. Since I'm removed from it, I can often see the mistakes easier than she can. With practice, you can come to see your own mistakes.


>
> >
> > I have never been to Denmark, but I am 1/4 Danish, and my grandparents have been there many times. It sounds fabulous, though I am wary of visiting any place where I can't communicate with the majority easily. I have enough trouble communicating with those who speak my language. (it's a personal problem, impatience, though I think I'm growing out of it)
>
> Oohh! Speak english. The good thing about being a small population (there are but 5.5 million danes on this planet) is that you must learn other languages to communicate. I beleive that something like 80% speak english at an understandable level. It's taught from fourth to ninth grade in elementary school.
>

This is reassuring. I do have relatives out there, so a trip wouldn't even be that expensive. Thanks for the tip.

Regards,
Dagmar (incidently, I've been told that my name means "glory of the Danes" and that there were many queens in Denmark named Dagmar)