> > >> 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)

And didn't they name their princes "Hamlet?"