...than my earlier article, because all of you have at least some familiarity with the matter to which I was referring or to my own situation.
So let's combine the two; for those of you not overly invested in my personal affairs, I will be brief and try to avoid dragging you into matters you don't care about.
A few weeks ago, my general feelings of cautious optimism about my immediate situation were shattered when someone tried to sabotage me.
A person unknown to me mass-messaged several of my family and friends, from a pseudonymous facebook account, alleging that I had committed every crime under the sun and then some, and calling me a fairly limited but awfully repetitive series of unpleasant names.
Of course, I was then deluged with messages from those family members and friends, questioning me as to either my well-being and the sanity of the messenger, or as to the truth of the allegations, dependent on the willingness of the individual to believe random messages from total strangers over their own personal experiences with me.
Annoying.
I have since determined who this individual is.
This person's harassment campaign is stepping up; they are really making an effort to make life difficult for me.
They are doing so armed with any wild-eyed accusation my ex-wife can hand them.
As such, I am working on getting myself a lawyer.
In a brighter note, I have been raised to full time already, after having been on the payroll less than three months. This is great, both in terms of income and in terms of my future prospects at Giant_Retail_Chain_00, but it is a serious and inconvenient schedule adjustment.
So.
These two factors, along with some things I am quite sure none of you would be sufficiently interested to read if I typed them out, are causing me an enormous amount of stress on all levels, emotional, physical, and financial.
So please understand the intent of my previous post.
You guys are the ones that I think are really important; the people who, for me, are either close enough to me personally that I care about you and what you think, or people whose ideas are sufficiently well-thought out and presented that I would get that muscle under my eye going "bing!" again if I couldn't read your posts, even if I don't always (or even often) comment.
...And yes, I am aware that NONE of you ALWAYS agrees with the things you write; I write not to gain the approbation of my audience, but simply to present my thoughts on things - and in practice, I find writing things down tends to clarify my thought processes, and make my own thoughts more clear not only to you, but to me as well.
This is a place and an outlet that I desperately need.
But if it becomes a haven for drama that I am unable to avoid, I will offer each one of you some contact information - that is, those who don't already have it - and quietly move along.
I love you guys.
I used that phrase in my other post, somewhat more loosely.
SV, Jesi, Ben, Retro, WOTN: you guys have never been all that PERSONALLY close to me, but I have the utmost respect, on every level, for your thinking and your ideas, even when I disagree.
I hope that one day I will get to know you all better.
Eby and CJ: you guys are an awesome couple, and while neither of you tends towards the kind of essayist writings that the above people do, I like you both tremendously and read your exploits with delight and frequent laughter.
Suzanne, you and I have spent a lot of time talking, discussing, consoling, and advising each other, though less lately. I hope that resumes; and for the record, you guys simply could not find a better person to have as a friend. Lily is a gem, and has a first-class brain on the occasions that she decides to really go to work on something.
Lee and Janet; what can I say? I've been reading Lee's blog for years, and though we're not twined around each other like roots from neighboring trees, I'd like to think that we're buddies, at least.
The pancakes thought so, anyway.
And who argues with pancakes?
One of these days we will figure out a way for us to join you two at a Chiefs game, and then a way to drag you to a Vikings game.
There is literally no-one on this site whose views I respect more than Lee's, even when I disagree.
Seriously, dude, call me one of these days real soon.
Crystal, you and I often fight like cats and dogs - which I admit is usually my fault - but I am very aware of how hard a road you've walked, and as I am finding my own feet on similarly sharp cobblestones, it only increases my respect for your perseverance.
...Even if sometimes I wonder what the heck you just said, lol.
Jeanette...
For those of you who don't know her, jeanette is, literally, my best friend in the world. I have known her for years and years; she knows more about me than anyone. (Although Ros is catching up fast.) She has stood by me through thick and thin, through real-life issues and has proven herself as my friend a million times over.
You guys would be honored to be her friends, even though she doesn't talk much. (You can get her to talk if you pester her enough, though.)
And Ros.
Kelli is my heart, and she is the one person who I always go to when things really go to shit.
And then she tells me to stop fucking up and get on with it.
She also arm-twists me into posting a lot of articles that most likely would not otherwise see the light of day.
I don't think I've ever laughed harder in all my life than I did while writing my article about Harry Potter fans - and then reading her reply that all my mockery was basically dead on.
She also doesn't say much on here, in part because she's not nearly as political as I am, and in further part because she has a tendency to get so worked up over the things that she DOES get excited about that she can't make coherent arguments because she just wants to slap the hell out of the offending douchebag. (Usually Obama in recent times.)
She makes me happy.
I love you guys.
This is a very tough time for me, personally.
Whether or not you guys realized it, each of you in your own way has helped me survive, and press on.
Never think, for a second, that I don't recognize and appreciate it, or that I would let you guys slip without trying my damnedest to stay in touch.
And if any of you ever need me, I will be there.
Any time, world-wide, day or night.
I will bring ammo and beer. Providing the pigs to roast is on you.
