That's how unusual this is. I first encountered a forum, totally foreign concept to me as was most of the computer lingo and such, about 2005, 6 years after we moved to Missouri Ozarks. A few thousand acres of privately owned land for generations by a handful of long-time residents was grandfathered during the creation of 7 million acre Mark Twain National Forest; we were about in the middle of it. The NF had logging and fire roads well-established which were locally-used, some even paved if they were part of the state highway system. No U.S. highways that I know of. We were 8 miles from the tiny town of Bunker, pop. 394, which had a K-12 school district. Turned out, I taught Math there to the high schoolers in 2002-2003. No internet provider, no phone, no cell service, but we did have electricity (when it wasn't out!), telephone, and satellite TV. In 2005, our phone company finally yielded to heravy local demand and offered us internet service, dial-up though, very, very slow. Even email was almost impossible, images, never. About 20k per second max. However I learned of a forum website, Berwyntalk.com, which came out of my hometown in Illinois. I joined. The folks there were amazed at the facts I called out about Berwyn: but after all, I was born there, no one ever moved in, or out, businesses were mom & pop, owned for several generations. Some are still there. I wrote of experiences ca. 1945 and up, till 1972, when I left there for good. I lived in the house my folks had bought a year before my birth for 30 years, having bought it from them when they retired in 1966. Brick bungalow built in 1923, side-drive which my Dad had demanded when looking, the garage I knew out back he and his brothers had built in the months before my birth: Taken about 1970, a few years after my folks had moved to Michigan. I was a car buff, sure enough. The Mustang I ordered brand new in August, 1964; the '58 T'bird we bought for my wife, who entered the picture in 1965. The '63 Falcon had my 430 cu. in. Lincoln engine in it.......who cares? looking back now, the extent of the work I expended on these kinds of projects is staggering to me: how did it get done in only a fraction of my lifetime? We sold and left the old place in 1972, after me staggering up and down those old stairs day after day, living in that old house 30 years........ That was Berwyn. Back to learning about forums. In 2005, I knew I was conversing with folks I didn't know, got to know, some only vaguely, some preferring to remain veiled in cyber-secrecy, while conversing freely, some overly-conversant, some brashly over-confident, a few pixie-ish and withdrawn: what were they doing on a forum? I thought. I learned forums existed about other things than hometowns; cars, planes, movies, geography, sex, occupational, cooking, homes, movies, Fords, Chevies, name an object, forums exist dedicated to it! I joined others, an early one was Mississippi Gun Owners, after getting cyber-acquainted with a most likable and southern-hospitality representing young man who happened to have started the forum. My wife and I drove down to look the area over for retirement, Yazoo City, and Van Robinson asked us out to lunch! He was an Electrician (feature after my own heart), had a wife & kids, was about 30, worked in a Nissan Assembly Plant. Smart, sharp, confidant, reserved while very courteous, one could do no better than to have this guy a member of his family! Multi-generational Mississippian, his father and grandfather were also "Van Robinsons"! Fiercely dubious of big government, highly pro-gun ownership. I have alas lost track of him, my first "Forum Friend". I learned over time that forum friends are more often than not quite fickle. Several I would have believed thoroughly would come to my side in time of need evaporated like water dribbled on a hot stove. I began to doubt. Continue to doubt. Then, the final blow came while a member of SeniorsOnly.com. Highly enjoyable membership, while remaining confined to rigid standards of political correctness. The owner saved me the heartache of quitting. Many of you know precisely of what I'm talking about. Thus, my experience at SOF, here, has softened my previous experiences, until recently, when certain unexpected occurrences placed my rigorous defense about undeserved retribution on high alert. Thus, I went elsewhere, to ply my interests and questions to new folks. That effort has not been unrewarding, I must admit. However, it staggered my imagination to realize that the folks here at SOF whom I had equated in essence to the hundreds of previous forum-goers I had known, approached me in earnest to continue my presence here. Devious and questioning by nature, I probed the possibilities of subterfuge: why would anyone ask me back? Why would my presence matter, anyway? Indeed, after being booted out of SF, I fully expected at least a few of those airline pilot friends, shooters, cowboys, etc., to respond to my asking for continued discourse. Know how many did? NONE. Except. One member here, a former SF member who implored me to join, during which time I lurked, and was not that greatly interested, another here, Ina, now departed to a deserved better life, and another, she has been absent for very long, so will not be named, all thought I could be a benefit to the forum. So, I joined. I have concluded that you guys are in earnest; you want to hear from me. For some reason. I am fully aware that i am not the easiest guy to deal with, and that I often make off-sided remarks......in reality, if y'all REALLY knew me, ya'd wonder how/why my wife had stood it almost 40 years! (We had another little go-around today, SHE WON!). Now if you've read along this far here, I fully understand why; yer all about as nutsily inclined as me! Thank you, seriously, you people here, are the most caring, loving group I've encountered on the 'net. Frank
Great post Frank! Most certainly we all do face windmills at various times in our life and it is good when we realize that they are just that and not the giants we thought.
@Lulu Moppet I trust as a newcomer, you may not go backward in time to peruse some of my previous drivel written here.....please continue to be aware, folks rarely really are what they "seem to be", whether interesting or otherwise. Certainly, a whole dictionary of descriptive adjectives probably apply to me, as may be hinted at by post #5........ But, thank you for the kind words, "Grandma"! Frank
@Shirley Martin You know how fireworks displays lead up to a grand finale, before fizzling out....... My going "downhill" is something like that..... Frank