OFF Topic-NOT!

[Susan Kline]

Dear Lance,

You're very welcome. I'm going to print some of this and frame it. When
tempers flare we all need a little help from our friends. I wish there were
something we could do for Warren. I'll email him later tonight.

Susan

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At 06:50 PM 2/5/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Most of you remember/know Warren Fisher who was running the humor list and
>has been a contributor to this list technically as well.  You may also
>remember that Warren was recently flamed and dropped the humor list.  He
>posted a few posts, then signed off.  I called him today (He lives about 30
>minutes from me) and found out that his sister had died and he was now
>taking care of his VERY ill mother at home now.  His shop move has not been
>going well and he has no other family to speak of except his wife.  Warren
>could use a little humor about now I imagine! 
>
>Warren is about 65-looks about 55- and has always been there.  When our
>local chapter was weak (and it usually is) he's been there doing
>technicals, encouraging, organizing, etc.  He's just one of those guys that
>keeps going.  I bring all this up because my conversation with him has
>reminded me of several instances where I was angry, pessimistic, resentful,
>just generally whining, and Warren forced me to see the other side.  He
>taught me that being right is not enough to justify being an ass.  When
>others didn't contribute to the chapter, or cheated in business, or started
>trouble of some kind, he was there to really put it into perspective for
>me.  I went kicking and whining, but I have learned.  What? 
>This......Whether I'm a great technician, whether I'm respected by the
>people I work for and the people I compete against in business, or by the
>people on this list, in 30 years it probably won't matter.  What matters
>are things like integrity, relationships, honor, etc..  
>
>Last week-end there was another flair up on this list-I didn't read the
>thread, I just commented that I was glad I had been off a few days.  A
>while ago I would have jumped into the middle of it.  In a week or a year,
>those angry words sent over cyberspace won't matter, but the hurt will
>still be there.  All because someone thought they were "right".  Being
>right isn't all there is.  I'm 40 and I'm still learning that.  
>
>I also found out today that Nolan Zeringue has been in the hospital.  Nolan
>Zeringue is a past PTG national president.  I've not been able to get the
>details yet, but all of this- Warren's bad luck and Nolan's illness- just
>reminds me of how short life is and what we do for one another will
>last-what we do TO one another will last, too.  I could dig up lots of
>famous quotes, but you've read them before.  At 40, only being in this
>business a little over 10 years, I've always tried to win, be the best, but
>even "IF" I am, in a few years it won't matter to anyone, not even me. 
>I'll never say on my death bed, "I wish I had driven that other tech out of
>town", or " I wish I had built a bigger customer base", "I wish those techs
>on the list had built a monument for me," etc. Who will care?  Not even me.
> 
>
>As we learn from one another on this list it should be a given that there
>will be the occasional sphincter out there who will deserve a word or two,
>but if we take a breath, let it ride and move on, we don't have to slide
>down to there level, only to have to struggle our way back to where we
>were.  
>
>Thanks to Warren and Nolan, and Keith and Al and Jon, and Susan, and Les,
>and Paul, and David, and Eugenia, and Ralph, and Richard, Dale, Jim,
>Delwin, Newton, Barrie, and the list goes on and on, and on.  Good Night. 
>Regards,
>
>
>Lance Lafargue, RPT
>New Orleans Chapter
>Covington, LA.
>lafargue@iamerica.net
>
-------------------------------------------------------------

Susan Kline
P.O. Box 1651
Philomath, OR 97370
skline@proaxis.com

"Don't worry about leaving your troubles behind -- they'll all still be
there when you get back."
			-- Ashleigh Brilliant