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 -------------------------------------------------------------- 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
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