[pct-l] This Forum Is Great Fun

[Ken Powers]

Sean,
Here is a method of avoiding flame war participation that has worked for me. 
I compose my response to a flame on the list. Then I just hit save. It goes 
into my Drafts file and never gets sent. If I feel further pulled into the 
flame war I start adding email authors to my Blocked Senders list. 
Unfortunately I miss some good posts by the blocked senders, but at least I 
am less upset.

Now that I think about it, I should go back and clean out my Drafts file. 
And if people will behave I'll clean out my Blocked Senders list.  Merry 
Christmas to all!  Hope it is warm enough for all of you to go for a hike.

Ken

PS: I wear BLUE, but am not familiar with the Everglades.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sean Nordeen" <sean at lifesadventures.net>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 2:57 PM
Subject: [pct-l] This Forum Is Great Fun


Though I've only been following this forum a few months, I have to say it is 
great.  As I am far too busy doing "important stuff" (like putting gas in my 
car), I only receive the Daily Digest.  But what a great read!  When you 
receive each post as it is emailed, you quickly lost the context of the back 
and forth banter.  But reading it all at once every day gives great clarity: 
We are all a bunch of idiots with nothing better to do (unless of course you 
aren't an idiot).  I love it!

I have always read posts from forums that I disagree with or find just 
outright irritating.  But 99% of the time, just 24 hours latter, I really 
regretted having responded as I felt like such an idiot for having lost a 
few IQ points by having associated with all involved.  In fact, I already 
regret having done so here once.  Often, if I can resist the urge to 
respond, by the next day, I'll have lost all interest in doing so.  But 
sometimes, the urge is just too strong to resist and I scream, "Onward, once 
again into the breach!" as I brandish my two edged keyboard while taking 
refuge behind my large LCD shield.  After intially becoming a god on the 
battlefield and taking no prisoners, I latter drag myself home after having 
lost both legs to stand on.  I usually felt strangely satisfied for a short 
time (until the next post) for having righted all preceived (though very 
minor) wrongs only to wake up the next day realizing what an idiot I was.  I 
wonder how many people here can
  relate to that?

But lately, I'm realizing some other advantages of staying out of the fray. 
Watching others act like fools is so much more satisfying then being one 
yourself.  It's really entertaining to read when I'm bored.  And all the 
flaming is helping me deal with the unusally cold weather we are 
experiencing here in SoCal this week (I was cold wearing short sleaves on 
Monday during lunch).  Keep up the good work people.  I may even learn 
something of value about the PCT one day though I'm sure it will be just an 
accidental comment. :P

As I have lost the point of this long post(assuming it ever had one), I 
shall leave you with a Merry Christmas and goodwill towards men(though 
apparently not women).  I hope to see a few of you on the trail next year 
(but just a few, too many and things might start to look like a congregation 
of PCT'ers on Mt Whitney in early July).

- Sean

PS: I think that all hikers who wear... uhhh... BLUE (that will work) are 
soft on the war against pythons in the Everglades!!!
(With that parting shot, I bravely run away.)
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