Jess (and others),

 

I hereby declare my break from the board over.

 

Noni was kind enough to start an IM conversation with me this morning, and, though I was in a meeting at the time, she told me about this thread. I missed a lot of people on this board, but Jess, you're close to the top of that list. If you're not the heart of this board then you certainly respresent what I would want that heart to be.

 

And there are a handful of other people I've missed a lot, and though I carried on PM conversations with many of them while I was on hiatus (I did log in to check and respond to those messages), it wasn't the same as being active on the board and interacting with people in a more spontaneous, intimate matter. I'm going to jump back into that practice now, and hopefully cure any longings I've developed in the past three weeks ...

 

But I would be remiss if I didn't mention a couple of things (one good and one not so good):

 

Part of the reason needed a break is that in posting so much I was noticed people on this board who, blind in their postings, were ruining the fun of many. While I was gone I saw somebody post a response to Gaby which included a piece of profanity aimed at her. I know this is the Internet, I'm a big boy, but this was a regular person who did this to Gaby ...

 

That's the kind of behavior that inhibits my ability to stay on the board and contribute over long spans of time, for the more I get acquainted with the board the more the more I love it, and the more I get offended when I see that the commonalities of the world sometimes aren't enough to overcome a misguided mind or a soul of malconent. While it would have been just as easy for me not to post these thoughts (especially in this thread in which I want to feel happy that I'm coming back), I wanted to say them to highlight that I consider everybody on this board as I would somebody I'd meet on the street: a person with something special to contribute. We should try harder to show we're special and not rip each other down.

 

And that leads into the second part of item I wanted to mention: The people who make this board possible: thank you. I've posted 2500+ times here and I've formed relationships which I consider legitmate friendships, yet chronologically I'm one of the youngest to the board. Thank you to the administrators, the technical support and the moderators ...

 

... and now let's get back to normal. Thank you, Jess, and hopefully I'll only miss you for a little longer.

 

Richard

Richard! I'm so glad to see ya :) That was very well said, you're just about the nicest guy I could dream up. Welcome back :D

Welcome back Richard

 

:)

Oh, also ...

 

I used to go to UCSD, this is true enough, but I not longer do.

I have a full-time job in UCSD's Department of Neurosciences.

Neuroscience

 

:wink3: :wink3:

 

Interesting...

Richard! I'm so glad to see ya :) That was very well said' date=' you're just about the nicest guy I could dream up. Welcome back :D[/quote']

 

You only say that because you don't know me well enough.

 

In truth, I'm an evil wizard that lives in a stone castle. I have an orange cat and spend my days searching the forest outside my residence for little blue creatures which I can melt into gold.

 

I'm in a program: a support group. The group is called "Men Being Better Men" and we meet once a week in the basement of the Y. I'm getting better, but ...

 

... what the heck am I talking about again?

Neuroscience

 

:wink3: :wink3:

 

Interesting...

 

 

Hahahahah!

All the cool people do it!

:P

What's your theory on Alzheimer's?

alka seltzer

dick :cool:

 

 

 

 

hopefully you remember. otherwise i'll look stupid :D

hola richard! you back?

i see him on msn as away

really? don't talk to him on msn...

now he's off :D

now he's on here :D

 

 

man i sound like a stalker :sneaky:

Oooooh! I've got a stalker? I'd say that's kinda cool ...

... but that trivializes being stalked. I guess I'll say it'd be cool to have Ginger as a stalker.

 

It's good to talk to each of you. Ginger ... it's been hella long since I've talked to you. That was a long break!

 

How's all en el mundo de Gisi?

really? don't talk to him on msn...

 

I'm pretty much constantly on msn. The nature of my work being what it is, the people in my department have adopted it as our main means of communication. I also tend to keep it on when I'm at home, though lately I've noticed various house guests have been using my computer w/o logging out of msn.

dick :cool:

 

 

 

 

hopefully you remember. otherwise i'll look stupid :D

 

I definitely remember ... and in case nobody else remembers, Ginger's the only one allowed.

El mundo esta estupendo Richard!

 

I'd watch out if I was you with your stalker! ;)

What's your theory on Alzheimer's?

 

Plaques, but it's not really my field of expertise. I know that a lot of studies are being done into other possible causes, but it seems to me that an explanation that sees those as ancillary causes is more plausible at this point.

:huh:

 

i was totally lost reading that last comment

El mundo esta estupendo Richard!

 

I'd watch out if I was you with your stalker! ;)

 

I admit to being a little confused as to what to do with my stalker. While I'd generally discourage all forms of stalking, my stalker is really nice. So it's kind of a good-news/bad-news thing.

:huh:

 

i was totally lost reading that last comment

 

re: Alzheimer's Disease?

I go on MSN every so often, but I don't keep it on al the time

i'm on msn 24/7 but always stay hidden :cool: