One step closer
Hiya.
Ok, in the interest of fairness, I'm going to put this up. This is the email that Mike sent me in response to the unpleasantness I fostered so carelessly a bit back. It's here both for safe-keeping, and so you can see an external view of me.
*****
Ok. First of all, you jumped the gun again. You got a preconceived grievance in your head and you ran with it, totally missing what I was saying. I DID not compare homosexuals with Nazis. You were complaining about a symbol being twisted and no longer meaning what it one did. I supplied another example to show that this was not a rare thing to happen. If someone other than a child has a rainbow on anything, be it a book, a car, or a tattoo, that person is automatically assumed homosexual. That is all I was pointing out, just as you pointed out that people freaked out when they saw a swastika on a pokemon card. It's essentially the same thing as far as examples go.
Second, I do not gay-bash. We've been over this before and I will thank you to stop referring to me as a gay-basher. I disagree with homosexuality on a moral level, but I hold that to be between each person and his or her maker. I have no right to judge and I will not disassociate with someone of that lifestyle simply because of their lifestyle. I will, however, disassociate with someone if their PERSONALITY offends me, as I'm sure you would, too. Its not just homosexual flamboyancy and public displays of gross affection that offend me, heterosexual ones do as well. Ask Amanda and Dusty. I threaten to hose them off at least twice a week if they can't cool it themselves.
If you come to the conclusion that I am a racist, then you do not know me at all. I assume that apology you put in that IM was about bringing up the topic from my living room. I don't really care about that, I just wanted the record set straight. What I am offended by is that you only mention me and Adam, and you specify exactly what his role in all this was. With me, however, it is very open-ended. Your post implies that I am a gay-basher, a racist, an insensitive friend, and an all-round asshole. If this is how you feel about me, please say so. Otherwise please better clarify your meaning in the future.
Now, about your personal issues raised in this post. I cannot speak for
anyone else, but I do listen to you when you make that possible. I'm sorry if I offended you by criticizing you on your choice of conversation starters. We DO have to find other things to talk about, however, because I will NOT discuss or listen to the discussion of dead baby jokes, mass murder, or the utter destruction of the planet. If you cannot have a conversation that doesn't involve those topics, then we will be forced to have short conversations.
Another thing that gets difficult to listen to are your constant self-put-downs. As we've discussed before, I know you've been handed a rotten lot in life and I know your feelings on that. That is all well-established but you still talk about it incessantly. There have been dozens of times when I've tried to compliment or encourage you and you almost seem to take offense at it if I can even manage to get it all out before being cut off. If you would stop saying the same things over and over and over again, whether it be about yourself or your feelings towards the world, maybe other people would have an easier time listening to you and/or not get so frustrated.
And about your spiritual life. I would love to talk to you about that. If there is something I can do or say or listen to, I'd love to. Just to let you know, the whole "God screwed me over, so screw him!" stance is covered. I get that one. If you have another statement or theme you want to review, we might want to go with that one since I haven't heard much more from you except for the above. I'm sorry if Adam jumped the gun a bit and didn't hear you out and didn't offer you the comfort and support you were looking for.
Ok. I'm done. I'm sorry if this is a bit more lengthy than you might have wanted, but oh well. If you made it all the way through and you wanna talk about something, you have my number. I'm going downstairs to watch Little Shop of Horrors now.
Your friend
Mike
*****
As you may have guessed by now, Mike is one of the sort of people that have me re-thinking my general outlook. No matter how much else my life may suck, I'm very fortunate (blessed, if you will) to have friends that are this patient and loyal with me. Even after everything I pulled, he's still willing to talk to me and level things out. Everything's cool.
In other news, I still haven't heard from Adam, and I'm not sure if that's a bad sign or not. It's not unusual to not hear from him for days at a time, simply because he's the busiest non-Pope person on the face of the earth. On the other hand, it IS kind of odd for him to not call and say "Merry Christmas." I'm afraid I may have REALLY pissed him off this time, and I'm not even sure how to go about fixing it. Knowing Adam, I could just cal him and talk things through, but as I said earlier, I don't want to impose something like that on him when he already has quite a few issues on his mind.
Christmas was lean this year, but very satisfying. My family actually felt bad about teh limited number of things they were able to get me. I told them not to worry, considering all the great things I have going for me right now. I've got a wonderful warm home of my own, a new TV and treadmill coming, a book in print, and last but far from least, friends like Adam, Mike, Megan, Nails, Ahmad, Malli, etc. I've got no room to complain...there are people who would kill to have any one of the things in that list.
I did get a great book, by the History Channel, no less. It's "Today in History." Nothing that can't be found in certain email mailing lists, but wonderfully researched and a terrific read regardless. I also got a cool multi-function flashlight from mom, and a tub of "gummy chicken feet." Whatever horrible mental image that concept may leave you with, it's some of the best gummy candy I've ever had, which is saying something. :)
Ok, movin' on. I’m still hoping to make the next meeting of the local writer’s society next Tuesday, assuming the friggin’ roads clear up a little by then. I really had a good time with them last time. My life is ever more interesting.
Ok, in the interest of fairness, I'm going to put this up. This is the email that Mike sent me in response to the unpleasantness I fostered so carelessly a bit back. It's here both for safe-keeping, and so you can see an external view of me.
*****
Ok. First of all, you jumped the gun again. You got a preconceived grievance in your head and you ran with it, totally missing what I was saying. I DID not compare homosexuals with Nazis. You were complaining about a symbol being twisted and no longer meaning what it one did. I supplied another example to show that this was not a rare thing to happen. If someone other than a child has a rainbow on anything, be it a book, a car, or a tattoo, that person is automatically assumed homosexual. That is all I was pointing out, just as you pointed out that people freaked out when they saw a swastika on a pokemon card. It's essentially the same thing as far as examples go.
Second, I do not gay-bash. We've been over this before and I will thank you to stop referring to me as a gay-basher. I disagree with homosexuality on a moral level, but I hold that to be between each person and his or her maker. I have no right to judge and I will not disassociate with someone of that lifestyle simply because of their lifestyle. I will, however, disassociate with someone if their PERSONALITY offends me, as I'm sure you would, too. Its not just homosexual flamboyancy and public displays of gross affection that offend me, heterosexual ones do as well. Ask Amanda and Dusty. I threaten to hose them off at least twice a week if they can't cool it themselves.
If you come to the conclusion that I am a racist, then you do not know me at all. I assume that apology you put in that IM was about bringing up the topic from my living room. I don't really care about that, I just wanted the record set straight. What I am offended by is that you only mention me and Adam, and you specify exactly what his role in all this was. With me, however, it is very open-ended. Your post implies that I am a gay-basher, a racist, an insensitive friend, and an all-round asshole. If this is how you feel about me, please say so. Otherwise please better clarify your meaning in the future.
Now, about your personal issues raised in this post. I cannot speak for
anyone else, but I do listen to you when you make that possible. I'm sorry if I offended you by criticizing you on your choice of conversation starters. We DO have to find other things to talk about, however, because I will NOT discuss or listen to the discussion of dead baby jokes, mass murder, or the utter destruction of the planet. If you cannot have a conversation that doesn't involve those topics, then we will be forced to have short conversations.
Another thing that gets difficult to listen to are your constant self-put-downs. As we've discussed before, I know you've been handed a rotten lot in life and I know your feelings on that. That is all well-established but you still talk about it incessantly. There have been dozens of times when I've tried to compliment or encourage you and you almost seem to take offense at it if I can even manage to get it all out before being cut off. If you would stop saying the same things over and over and over again, whether it be about yourself or your feelings towards the world, maybe other people would have an easier time listening to you and/or not get so frustrated.
And about your spiritual life. I would love to talk to you about that. If there is something I can do or say or listen to, I'd love to. Just to let you know, the whole "God screwed me over, so screw him!" stance is covered. I get that one. If you have another statement or theme you want to review, we might want to go with that one since I haven't heard much more from you except for the above. I'm sorry if Adam jumped the gun a bit and didn't hear you out and didn't offer you the comfort and support you were looking for.
Ok. I'm done. I'm sorry if this is a bit more lengthy than you might have wanted, but oh well. If you made it all the way through and you wanna talk about something, you have my number. I'm going downstairs to watch Little Shop of Horrors now.
Your friend
Mike
*****
As you may have guessed by now, Mike is one of the sort of people that have me re-thinking my general outlook. No matter how much else my life may suck, I'm very fortunate (blessed, if you will) to have friends that are this patient and loyal with me. Even after everything I pulled, he's still willing to talk to me and level things out. Everything's cool.
In other news, I still haven't heard from Adam, and I'm not sure if that's a bad sign or not. It's not unusual to not hear from him for days at a time, simply because he's the busiest non-Pope person on the face of the earth. On the other hand, it IS kind of odd for him to not call and say "Merry Christmas." I'm afraid I may have REALLY pissed him off this time, and I'm not even sure how to go about fixing it. Knowing Adam, I could just cal him and talk things through, but as I said earlier, I don't want to impose something like that on him when he already has quite a few issues on his mind.
Christmas was lean this year, but very satisfying. My family actually felt bad about teh limited number of things they were able to get me. I told them not to worry, considering all the great things I have going for me right now. I've got a wonderful warm home of my own, a new TV and treadmill coming, a book in print, and last but far from least, friends like Adam, Mike, Megan, Nails, Ahmad, Malli, etc. I've got no room to complain...there are people who would kill to have any one of the things in that list.
I did get a great book, by the History Channel, no less. It's "Today in History." Nothing that can't be found in certain email mailing lists, but wonderfully researched and a terrific read regardless. I also got a cool multi-function flashlight from mom, and a tub of "gummy chicken feet." Whatever horrible mental image that concept may leave you with, it's some of the best gummy candy I've ever had, which is saying something. :)
Ok, movin' on. I’m still hoping to make the next meeting of the local writer’s society next Tuesday, assuming the friggin’ roads clear up a little by then. I really had a good time with them last time. My life is ever more interesting.