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On 21 Sep 2003 06:28:42 GMT, ospam (Larry Roll K3LT)
wrote:

In article ,
(Brian) writes:

Forever thinking of Kim, aren't you?

Brian:

I think about everyone in this newsgroup, particularly the "regulars" who
have been here for a number of years.

Nice to know somebody's been thinking about me while I've been looking
for a new Usenet feed.

The truth is, in spite of our
numerous and passionate disagreements, I don't think there's anyone
here that I wouldn't like to know in person -- including Kim,

read: especially Kim, pant, pant... :-)

Just kidding...

and you!

I think of time spent here as time spent with friends, and I can't help
but to wonder if everyone else sees it the same way. Tonight, as in
many nights in the past, I found myself composing, then quickly
deleting, several posts aimed at certain people which contained my
usually acerbic tone. In other words, I'm starting to wonder just
exactly what I, and we, are all doing here, and what it all means. I
can't honestly say that I'm ever going to change my mind about
anything here, but I also have come to realize that in all likelihood,
nobody else will, either. However, the way in which we disagree is
something upon which we all should reflect, and I don't exclude myself
from that.

To quote the title of a book you probably don't like very much, Larry,
"Now You're Talking!"

I was guilty of as much of that as you or anyone else in here,
especially back in the 1990s when I first discovered Usenet. I'm sure
some people here have looked up the current call, noticed the
"formerly" call, and made the connection. I'm sure they've also
noticed that I've managed to keep my propensity for ripping people new
excretory orifices in check - except when certain ham-wannabe outlaws
from CB and the Freeband frequencies come crawling in here on their
hands and knees and beg for it, in which case I'm more than happy to
oblige, and still plenty capable, too.

Things are happening in my life that are causing me to consider the
more eternal ramifications of everything I do. I know that I am not
perfect, and that I, like most other people, am able to fall into the
pattern of allowing my lesser nature to come to the surface. And
while I cannot make a credible promise to not allow that to happen
anymore, I can at least occasionally take the time to stop and
reflect upon it, and take stock of my own behaviour.

Likewise, OM.

Glad to hear it, too. You have a good head on your shoulders. It'll be
interesting to see what happens when you put it to better use. Like
maybe, how we're gonna get everybody on the same page to come up with
some sort of test of practical knowledge if FCC dumps Element 1.

I would like to think that if it were ever possible for all of us to meet
in person, that that meeting would be both pleasant and enjoyable.

If it was just the hams who are regulars, yeah, no doubt. If all the
trolls showed up too? You gotta be kidding me. We'd need the National
Guard there to prevent a riot.

And, as we continue to batter each other's opinions, I think it is
necessary to realize that we are not necessarily battering each
other personally. Whether or not the nature of Usenet tends to
make our reactions to each other impersonal by nature, it does
bear keeping in mind that there is another human being at the
other end of our rhetoric. I know that I want to be treated as such,
and I will try to keep that in mind when reacting to the rest of you.

Just some food for thought…any and all comments welcome.

Speaking of food, don't forget to look me up when you get back up here
to WNY. I'm on and off of Usenet because I access it through public
servers, but even if I disappear from here I still want to get
together with you and Pete for some chow and chatter.

73 DE John, KC2HMZ


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