Would you miss this list?

[Bill Ballard]

Dear List,

I've been off on a walkabout, for forty days and forty nights. During 
that time, I've simply read the daily traffic, but restrained myself 
from posting. During this time, the list was filled with priceless 
technical information, and the sharing thereof. Being reminded daily 
of what was good about this list, what really made me miss it was not 
being able to add to it. Not just the OTs and the barking of the yard 
dog, but threads which were missing what I had to offer. I also sized 
up the extent to which this list had become my social life, and I 
certainly didn't miss saying stupid or impulsive stuff. But it has 
been an extremely difficult exercise, holding my tongue in any of the 
old ways in which I might have participated on this list.

I don't particularly know of anyone else on the list who has done 
this. I can name plenty of good people who have left this list for 
good. But it sure taught me how much I missed this list. It also told 
me that most of us can survive the dumb stuff which goes on here 
(should we forget about the recent Amerigo Vespucci side show?). 
Further, that among those are some very talented and knowledgeable 
people whose thoughts I want to hear on a daily basis.

I'm not sure why anyone else would want to try a 40 day vow of 
silence. But should you do, I highly recommend it. The list will 
still be there: you can read it every day. And with each near miss in 
restraining yourself from an inappropriate post, you will see that 
someone filled the breach with their own inappropriateness. And you 
realize that there but for the grace of your own self-restraint, 
there go you. The genuine contributions? Well they'll just have wait 
until your walkabout is done.

(FWIW, "Forty Days and Forty Nights" is a great movie, if you need 
reminding about what it's like to be young and drunk.)

Bill Ballard RPT
NH Chapter, P.T.G.

"There's a difference between 'involved' and 'committed.' When 
providing ham and eggs for breakfast, the hen is involved. The pig is 
committed."
     ...........(Milo Sturgis in Jonathan Kellerman's novel "Self-Defense")
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