CompuServe Messages

>> …your guruviness Thank you for the honorable title. <g> I'll do my best to live up to it. >> preoccupied with establishing some kind of calm… >> Your words would seem to indicate more about YOU than you realize. I understand EXACTLY what these words reveal about me. As you have detected, I feel that there is no need for the strong words and harsh attitudes that so often appear in personal communication. I attempt (although often unsuccessfully) to be polite, tactful and respectful to those that I "speak" with. Doing otherwise helps noone. (Call me a whimp if you'd like, but my non-aggressive/non-confrontational attitude has never failed me.) >> You could not remember if you had met me. Nor I you. FWIW, I did recently see a photo of the ASOFT party, and I now do remember chatting with you. I guess neither one of us made a huge impression on the other <G>. >> How many people do you actually know? More than you'd imagine – from doing business together, meeting them at events like AU, Siggraph, or Users' Groups, or from chatting on the telephone. >> If I signed my letter "Bill Clinton" I would then do you the courtesy of addressing you "Bill". I would at least have the sense of speaking to a "person" rather than the more ambiguous company name "Animation Nation". I can only think of a couple of cases where people haven't given *some* colloquial name for people to respond to. >> but ya duzzn't have to call me Johnson. <gggggg> >> antagonists are actually allies I think there are actually very few antagonists here. Tempers may flare, problems may reach a high frustration level or discussions may grow heated, but for the most part everyone here participates because: A. You can get GOOD help QUICKLY B. You might, by accident, learn something valuable C. You have an opportunity to share your experience D. You can make good business contacts and more of the almighty dollar >> But please keep your cool. But of course!!! <G> My attitude as a forum regular has been to stay cool. If everyone here tried to re-read and cool down the harsh sounding words before sending them, the feelings of antagonism might subside a little. >> But I'm not writing the rules. I'm breaking them. That's likely where the problem lies. I won't pass any judgement on your decision. As you can probably tell, I'm one who tries, to the best of my ability, to live with them. >> dance instructor in the virtual ballroom I've still got your entertaining "John's Joint" menu stuck above my desk at home. That was near the beginning of your stream-of-consciousness, before everyone's frustration levels went up. No hard feelings. I am what I am. I don't ask that anyone "be like me", but at least that we all "live and let live" and be kind to one another. If you'd care to chat about all this, e-mail me a phone number and I'll gladly give you a ring. – Dave