Stuff I Filed

I've just re-read the letters again.  It's too hard to discuss them.

One letter I can discuss.  When we got internet access at work, the first thing I searched was "atheism" (I'm an atheist).  The second thing I looked up was the 'Clan Of The Cave Bear' books by Jean Auel.  I loved those books.  It took a few months before I found a discussion group about them.  It was early/mid 90's.

I had been using the internet handle "cavebear" for months because of the books, and when I found the discussion group, I suddenly realized that my handle might seem a bit presumptuous.  So I asked permission.  They thought that was OK, and I have been "cavebear" on the internet most places for 25 years now.

But things can slowly go wrong on discussion sites.  Some guy joined and charmed all the ladies and attacked most of the guys.  I called him a drive-by-poster (like drive by shooter) and suddenly I was a "troll" for disagreeing with him.

I left the discussion board so as to not cause further contention, and truth to tell, I was spending so much time there that I wasn't doing much in real life.  I left a very polite post saying that I had to get my real life back and I loved them all, but had to leave.

SO, the letter I came across today was from one of the members right after I left.  She had visited Washington, DC  and was staying close to where I worked on business the year before.  We had met for lunch and visited the Smithsonian after.  I hadn't returned to the discussion board after announcing I had left.  She sent me a 6 page letter AND included all the discuss and comments about my leaving.

I had forgotten about it, but on re-reading it, all the replies were that they really liked my posts and missed my observations.  Even the guy who pretty much drove me away posted that he would wiss my sharp challenging comments.

I think he was lying through his teeth.  I think he noticed that so many people liked my posts that he didn't want to be in the minority.  He was a mean SOB!  I couldn't post anything that he wouldn't find a trivial statement he wouldn't build into a major arguement.  I didn't understand then about people who accuse you of being what they are (trolls who enjoy meanness) like Donald Trump.

I am debating whether to post this or delete it.  Sometimes posts like this are "iffy".  I think I'll post it.