Surviving 2008, A panther's own Guide

[panthera]

Dahlinks, we have had some interesting moments here lately.

Thrilling as they may have been, it pains me to see how quickly I turn into the stereotype of the bitchy old queen.

For myself - nobody can make rules here except Robert (and I will resist the obvious pun) - again, only for myself - here are my "rules" for surviving this year. Maybe some others will have some suggestions to add.

1) Do not ever criticize or even mention Mac, MacOS, Apple or anything related. People who think MacOS is better than Unix can't be argued with.
2) Never say anything about the "other" club.
2) Don't use the word "christianist" without including a definition. The word is still too new for most people, they think you are attacking "their" Christianity.
3) People who call you a "nazi" are beneath contempt. Don't bother answering them.
4) People who threaten to punish your family for your actions are also best left alone. See #3, above. Repeated threats, tell Robert.
5) Remember that your opinions reflect your circumstances. Most people only know one country, one culture, one language and who appointed you god? It's a weakness of cats in general, and yours in particular. If you can't learn humility, try for compassion.
6) Most self-identified libertarians have 0% in common with the American Libertarian party of 2008. Don't jump to assumptions - they use the term because there isn't a better one.
7) Resist the urge to point out you were right way back when. "I told you so" is not helpful. Americans, especially, are getting a double dose of earning what they sowed right now, best to leave the Haw-Haws! to Nelson. (Simpsons, not our Nelson).
8)Don't feed the trolls.
9) Don't start flame wars, just withdraw. You know the drill, keep a firm grip at the base and...oh, other set of rules. Right, anyway, it ain't worth it. You can be the dancing queen or the flaming queen...or the guy smart enough to just let.it.go.
10) I'm a guest. Guests don't start fist-fights. They don't put themselves in the center light. They do apologize for social gaffes. Frequently and they mean it. Try it, it doesn't hurt...or so they say.

Well, that's Decalogue enough for starters...and it only applies to me. Anybody else have some thought on how to get through this year? I took a break a little while back and the tension level didn't die down, it just continued to rise - I don't want to cut my nose off just to spite my face here.

 

[oxydolfan1]

You are too funny, panthera!

EXCEPT....#4.

If you've received ANY sort of a threat, to you or ANY one associated with you, Robert needs to know about that, ASAP.

That's unacceptable, and I'm sorry to hear about that.

The worst I've ever gotten is weird emails.

 

[rp2813]

I got a nastygram from someone who Robert couldn't trace. While he said he couldn't see any connection, I still attribute it to a post I made on a gay pride thread a year ago in response to some type of "you people" statement made by our fellow member (or has be been banned yet?) XYZ.

 

[panthera]

Scott,

Thanks, I tried to keep it light. Yeah, Robert knows. We have our moments, but all in all this is one hell of a good group.
My main focus is just to focus on learning and enjoying a good discussion here on Super, getting help on Imperial and, occasionally, giving it back on Deluxe.
I do things are better for you today, yesterday sounded like a bad day.

 

[oxydolfan1]

"I do things are better for you today, yesterday sounded like a bad day."

Yes, they are. And it was. We have our own version of the "Beamte" here....

He was not murdered. He died in his room during the heat wave. He had cancer, among other untreated issues.

Your kindness and good wishes did not go unnoticed.

Thanks, again.

"Most self-identified libertarians have 0% in common with the American Libertarian party of 2008. Don't jump to assumptions - they use the term because there isn't a better one."

I almost lost my morning coffee when I heard the radio talk show host Thom Hartmann half-jokingly describe libertarians as "Republicans who want to smoke dope and get laid"!

Oh, the calls they must have gotten, on that one!

 

[jeffg]

I accept responsibility for contributing to (and in one case, starting) political flame wars in this forum, and I sincerely apologize to Robert for it. At least as far as I'm concerned it won't happen again.

And Scott's point about "becoming that which you hate" is exactly right. As I get further into middle age the world is feeling more and more like a collapsing bubble, and increasingly I find myself taking out this frustration on other people and organizations of people that did little or nothing to deserve it. As a younger man I saw this same behavior in others, even in my own father, and I hated it.

 

[andrewinorlando]

You know, no one ever said life was going to be easy. But to me, the world is one big amazing place, full of challenges at some turns, beauty at others, and new discoveries everywhere. It has been said that the best way to rid oneself of ignorance is to travel to other places. It changes you, no doubt. Through all of it, one solemn truth remains: you, and only you, are the master of YOUR own destiny. It doesn't really matter what anyone else thinks. I've certainly never allowed anyone to tell me what to do, when to do it or how to do it. And I've never made life's decisions based upon what everyone else thinks, because I just don't care. But in the end, there is also that other, undeniable and not-so-solemn truth with which we must all deal: YOU CAN'T FIX STUPID! And there is plenty of that in this big, beautiful world of ours. We all personally know one or more of those who fall into that category. And none of us are going to fix that anytime soon.

 

[panthera]

Why Andrew,

If I used both hands and had two weeks, I don't think I could have phrased it quite that well.
Here's one you will well appreciate:

The scorpion can not swim. One day, a sad little scorpion sat by a broad stream of water. A passing frog caught her notice, and she asked if the frog would carry her across the stream.
The frog wisely answered "No, you will sting me."
"Certainly not! Replied the scorpion, in honeyéd tones of hurt and surprise - "for that would be the end of both of us - truly against my own interests."
The frog, not so wisely, agreed to let her mount. Halfway across the stream, the scorpion struck.
Drowning, the frog gasped his last word: "Why?"
"Because it's my nature" answered the scorpion.

 

[andrewinorlando]

Like I said....you can't fix stupid!