PGS The Way – RULES & REGULATIONS

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I thought it was high time that I stated clearly what the Rules & Regulations are for this blog.

I do this because a sometime contributor, Clare, posted a comment in which she said this: There is a lot of self-congratulation about this being a “safe” place. I don’t know what that means. It is only safe if you toe the line, and it is a continuing struggle to see the line. All social groups are like that, so it is OK, but don’t go on about it being “safe.”

Okay. So now it’s time to lay down the Rules & Regulations:

  1. Thou shalt have respect for one another – their opinions, points of view, and use of smilies.
  2. Though shalt refrain from criticising, abusing or in any way disparaging anyone else, including but not limited to Rachael, Peter, Brendan, and Clare herself. Exceptions to this rule include anyone who hasn’t started their Camino from St. Jean Pied de Port.
  3. Thou shalt refrain from the use of foul or offensive language, particularly in relation to matters regarding the Sydney Swans or the Australian Cricket team. Exceptions to this rule include references to the Collingwood Football Club, the Poms (but only during The Ashes) and anyone who resides in Melbourne.
  4. Thou shalt identify thyself – which means NO SUNGLASSES IN YOUR GRAVATAR pic!
  5. Thou shalt not use this blog for any blatant or crass commercial or advertising purposes. Exceptions to this rule include Bill Bennett’s Portuguese Camino Tour (hurry pilgrims, only a few places left!) and Bill Bennett’s book, The Way, My Way – a truly FABULOUS read, now out on Kindle and iBooks. (links can be found on this blog! Only $5.79!! It makes a GREAT Christmas present!!)
  6. Thou shalt not engage in any conversations of an overtly sexual or erotic nature. SO BE VERY CAREFUL OF THE USE OF THE WORD “LOVE.”
  7. Thou shalt not overly use CAPITALISATIONS or italics. (NO EXCEPTIONS!)
  8. Thou shalt toe the PGS The Way Line. You will be informed in due course as to where that line starts and finishes. In the meantime, BEHAVE. (Ooops, forgot Rule # 7!)
  9. Thou shall keep this blog a Safe Place. A definition of “Safe Place” will be posted in due course, once Bill Bennett works out what it actually means. In the meantime, anyone found flagrantly making this blog an UN-safe place will have their offending comment or comments deleted for a minimum of thirty minutes, and then reinstated in a separate post for general discussion.
  10. Lastly, and most importantly: Thou shall not laugh at burning dwarfs!

These are the PGS The Way Ten Commandments.

Anyone who disobeys them will be required to write a Guest Post.

Signed,

Bill Bennett,
Author of THE WAY, MY WAY
Tour Leader, PGS Pilgrim Tours.

44 thoughts on “PGS The Way – RULES & REGULATIONS”

  1. Are we allowed to appeal? If so, I’d like to see #10 changed to Guest Post. The blog is the whole thing – posts are the individual entries.

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    • No appeals will be entered in to – however mistakes of a grammatical or dumb-ass nature will be taken on board, and those mistakes will be duly corrected.

      Thanks Rachael!!

      πŸ™‚

      Bill

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      • Hey Bill. Great to see you’re having a crack at Melbourne people. (Rule No. 3). Julie and I are gonna have some fun on the camino then! Hope you get your value out of Buddy latte-ing his way around Sin City?

        BTW we’re ex-Queenslanders so we love it around State of Origin time. How many is it now?

        Cheers

        Peter
        MELBOURNE (CAPITALISED!)

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        • Ah Peter,

          I’m ex Queensland too!

          So we can bond over State of Origin and meanwhile I will do a little happy dance about Buddy.

          Yes, can’t help a dig at Melbourne any chance I get! Although I’ll be a good pilgrim on the tour!!

          Portugal by the way is just beautiful. In Ponte de Lima tonight – has to be one of the prettiest towns I’ve been to. It was raining this arvo, so no pics – but hopefully the sun will be out tomorrow and I’ll get some good shots.

          The food here as well is a knockout!

          Bill

          Bill

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  4. Clare (and I do love that name!) could you give an example of what you mean by “toeing the line?” I ask because I’ve not felt that here and I’d like to understand what your objection relates to.

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  5. So, Bill, you obviously were able to sleep all the way to Europe if you’re this relaxed at the end of the journey!! Notwithstanding or despite any sleep or lack thereof, I hope you and Jennifer are having a great start to this adventure πŸ™‚ I spent a bit of time tonight watching – again – the DVD brilliantly produced by one of our fellow walkers and re-tweaked by Janet. The memories thus enhanced just get better and better!!

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    • Haha – Britta, you know me too well!

      Weather here in London is pretty ordinary. Waiting for my lunch meeting. Going over to Brick Lane, famous Indian area of London, for a curry.

      Great that you’re all pumped up from the Camino film. It is becoming almost a social trend.

      Fascinating what makes people do this.

      Bill

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  6. Bill,

    Question on Rule 2: Do I qualify for an exception exemption?

    My 2012 Camino began in St. Jean Pied de Port, but the 2013 Camino began in Logrono.

    Arlene

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  7. Ah, clarity at last.

    So, am I to change my gravitar picture to no shades. I definitely want to play by the rules. πŸ™‚ I don’t mind, but of course, you, Bill, will have to size it like you did this one? Ironically, I never wear sun glasses. πŸ™‚

    Steve

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  8. Steve, go for it, please!! I’d love to read a blog by a 5B writer-and I bet the rest of the ladies would agree πŸ™‚

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    • Thanks for the vote of confidence but i have to figure out how to connect it with Camino. A 71 year old Bad Boy Bodybuilding Biker Blogging Camino walking dude? Bill might excommunicate me or tell me to grow up.

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  9. (1) My grandmother was born in Collingwood, VIC. Am I in trouble?

    (2) With respect to the “toeing the line”, I was speaking fairly philosophically and added “All social groups are like that, so it is OK.” I was thinking about how we all need to interpret any group of people, judge (gasp!) appropriateness of humour, edit our criticisms, etc. This group is no different. I like a group that has some people willing to explore where the “line” is, although I’m really only a very mild rebel. That’s why I told Bill I liked him better when he crossed the line with his infamous dwarf story. He crossed the line and then stepped back. Maybe Arlene crossed it with her comments about Rachael’s post. Maybe Rachael crossed it with hers! I have certainly played in that area myself! I didn’t mean to say that this is an “unsafe” site. Rather I felt it was a bit naive to proclaim it as “safe.”

    Does this explain my statement a bit better? Or have I dug a deeper hole?

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    • Clare,

      If you can stand in the hole and still see “clarely”, then it is not too deep. If all you see is dirt surrounding you, it might be too deep.

      The way I look at this “group” and any others that I might be associated with is that I either take it or leave it, but it is not up to me to change it. I don’t mean that I should not attempt to be a positive influence, but that it is not my job to change others. If I am uncomfortable for any reason, I need only leave the group. It is very rare for me to leave a group because I like to be me and let you be you.

      Nice to see you chirping in.

      Steve, aka BBBBB

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  11. Eh, I really wish my life had more leisure time to keep these sorts of blogs entries open for hours, so I could follow these wonderful comments as they appear. Still, they’re all still very LOLs a day or 2 later, which is when I usually get around to checking things out!! πŸ™‚ Thanks to you all for keeping me entertained, over and over again. 5Bs indeed, Steve, and yes, me too ditto that you keep the ‘shades’!

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  12. Hey, I have read all the rules and found I don’t belong due to Rule 2, as I only took a quick 350 km walk in the park.
    However, as I am a PPPP ( Pretending Practising Part Pilgrim, I am able to follow RULE ZERO.
    Steve, I would never try and outdo a BBBBB, so 4 Ps it will have to be.
    If however, anyone would like to dispute, I’m ready.
    LOVE and blessings
    Anne πŸ‘

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  13. Clare, probably too latew for you to find this, but thanks for “clare”ifying your statement. I think the best way to judge a blogs “line” is to try it on and see of you feel warmly welcomed, or that the regulars are freezing you out.A blog like Bill’s, I find,is like a garden-all kinds of plants and flowers, but none considered weeds, so they all bloom in beauty together.

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