I'm not afraid to say I'm getting more than a bit weary over here, kids! Drama does that to me. That's why I don't do drama. Hated it when I was young; despise it now that I'm older.
Historically, (over the last twenty-plus years) whenever a disruption has come up on this forum, with just a couple exceptions, the "D" word was right in the middle of it!
I can't help but think that with all of us more or less "hunkered down" in our homes in consternation, we're like a big family. Initially we feel relieved and safe, but just like the Children of Israel, after crossing the Red Sea, (weather you believe the Bible or not, human nature doesn't change, so I'm using a Bible story) it didn't take long, after crossing of the Red Sea, and feeling of relative safety, for them to begin to find themselves bickering among themselves, and eventually even complaining to God. Humans can not only be amazingly stupid, but throughout history, have jumped at the chance to remind us.
Okay, have you ever met certain individuals at conventions and stuff and realize that you might like them better on-line than in person?
That's an awkward question, so I'll answer that for you; Of course you have!
If you haven't, you just haven't gone to many conventions. Don't feel bad, it's just a human nature thing; the closer we get to one another, the more we notice each others imperfections,” Today, we, as a species, are finding ourselves not only quarantined
FROM the world just outside our homes, we are quarantined
WITH our family members INSIDE our homes. I said all that so say that I believe we are now all in a virtual SlideMeister convention here.
No, we may not be physically rubbing shoulders and /or breathing the same air,
but we are, in effect, in the same "house," aren't we? Yeah! Something about the old discussion about the Chinese word for
trouble supposedly showing two women under the same roof, that suggests that "confinement" can generate differences in opinion, that would otherwise never arise. (Trust me, kids, I'm really trying to be careful here)
In the middle of our getting closer than ever before, a couple of things are more likely to happen.
1. We're gunna get the opportunity to learn more about each other than we did before this "crisis."
2. And as such, we might learn the (otherwise hidden) negative aspects of our various, corporate personalities
3. And there's an equally good chance that others will learn ours as well
If we stay on-line every day, (as I do) a lot of stuff is gunna happen as parts of our personalities begin to turn outward:
1. Those of us with thin skins will be revealed well before (if ever) those of us with thicker skins.
2. Some of us may get as cranky on line as we do at home (it happens)
3. Some of us will work out with weights and stuff and get really ripped! (Whoo-hoo!)
4. Some of us will just eat and gain a lotta weight (call me Jabba)
5. Some of us will show how much gray hair we really have. (Aaaaagghhh)
6. Some of us will justify a reason to quit playing
7. Others will improve on a geometric scale
8. Some will learn to play the other instruments we have lying around the house. (Kewl!)
9. Some of us may get bitter
10. Others may have a deep spiritual awakening
And the list goes on Heck, with hundreds of (mostly over the age of fifty) people here, dare I say, some of us may even die, :'( Hope not, :'( but who knows?
A lot can happen during a time like this. As I said, I don't do drama; I'm way too old for frivolous nonsense. I suggest we dwell on the good stuff.
Phil 4:8MY Bottom line: I'm not going to allow us to self destruct. If ~I~ decide (yeah, I know, "Big Meanie") something has a negative “edge” or “bite” in any direction, I'll shut down the thread and anything else ~I~ deem necessary to keep the peace. (and that's a wide open option
) If the poster(s) wanna get mad, they can get mad at me. If you really hate it, quit. (Just remember, the rules say that if you quit, you can't ever come back)
Saved this for last: I also reserve the right to put the forum to sleep a couple months, or even close it down) I'm not going allow us to wound each other, then shoot our own wounded - it's not who we are. Besides, there are a lot more important things going on in the world than this forum.
SlideMeister
