The Long, Slow, Sad Decline

[WayOutWest]

Bods said he doesn't moderate this board, the only reason Jem was booted was because of his activity on the Sixers board.  Too bad, I really liked Jem.

I don't get botherd by Reality, just bored, so I put him on ignore. The problem is that others on this board can NOT resist reading Reality's stuff, despite proffessing their disdain for him, and they end up pulling down every thread with him.

Hope this board picks up, it use to be a place I checked several times a day, until just recently I would check it once or twice a month.

[jn]

First off, welcome back everyone.  Sure did not see this coming but I hope you can stick around.   Nice work Ted.

zig, what can I say except I'm  sorry to hear what you went through.  I've never been through the exact situation you have but I've certainly found myself at the kind of low points that require a person to stop and take stock like you have.  I hope you find a way to keep moving forward.   You too WOW.   I watched my parents get divorced after 39 years of marriage.  They DID manage to stay civil and honest and it was still a nightmare. 

As to this board, I've never been the most active poster here, but that may have been a saving grace.   That and the fact that I am not a Laker or Spurs fan.   Being outside that axis has allowed me to stay out of the War and Peace length attack threads.   Generally speaking that is.  There have been a few times when I've been very annoyed by thread hijacking.  And yes, Reality, I am talking to you.  I think you'll agree that I've never tangled with you but I must say there were a few times when you killed discussions with pointless Laker baiting.   

Hopefully this board can return to a more low key approach.  In my mind, basketball is an escape, something that brings me real joy.   I love the game.  I love playing, watching and discussing it.  In spite of that passion I generally don't let the game or this board become a negative.   Again, on this board I've had the advantage of being able to steer clear of the biggest pissing matches and I'm far from perfect in my efforts to stay calm.   I don't have the same level of time commitments as a lot of you so I will continue to post.

It seems likely a number of posters are gone for good, which is unfortunate.   At it's best this board has provided some excellent basketball discussion and allowed me to "meet" some excellent people. 

Cheers amigos,
Jack

[Reality]

I will indeed make a continued, sincere honest effort to (if not completely cease) then immeasureably curb my Laker baiting addiction.

It's very simple.  I ask myself "Am I helping make them better people?"  No.  And why wouldn't i want to do that?  Whatever the answer is, it can't be good.

Do i want people exacerbating my weaknesses?  No, that would be and is deflating.  Then i shouldn't do the same to others.
Do i want people to truly sincerely help me with my weaknesses to the extent it's proper and they are able?  Absolutely.

I'm sorry for any and all lack of love I've showed to any and all.

   

[ziggy]

I will indeed make a continued, sincere honest effort to (if not completely cease) then immeasureably curb my Laker baiting addiction.

It's very simple.  I ask myself "Am I helping make them better people?"  No.  And why wouldn't i want to do that?  Whatever the answer is, it can't be good.

Do i want people exacerbating my weaknesses?  No, that would be and is deflating.  Then i shouldn't do the same to others.
Do i want people to truly sincerely help me with my weaknesses to the extent it's proper and they are able?  Absolutely.

I'm sorry for any and all lack of love I've showed to any and all.

 

Very sincere hat tip to you Reality!  I went through much self-reflection and your words show that you have done so as well.  Honest self-reflection is probably the most difficult thing one can do.  You should be saluted!!

[Randy]

I too would like us to do a restart on this board -- I miss basketball discussions with my son working and going off to college this fall.  I have been to some other boards and most are just filled with mindless rants.  I would like to see us moderate ourselves against the personal attacks and just focus on basketball.  I plan to just avoid and even block if necessary and will strive to keep my posts as objective and nonpersonal as possible.  It would be good to see this board a place to stop and visit and enjoy a good basketball discussion. 

[cudall]

Hey everyone:

I know I'm not one of the original crew, and haven't been terribly active on these forums. But I've really enjoyed the fantasy league -- it's one of the more competitive leagues I've every played in (and am proud of the fact that I've basically destroyed Ted most years . . .).

Anyway, I don't know if things truly have declined to the point of not playing, but there are only 5 teams signed up in the league and the draft is supposed to happen this weekend.

Would love to have any/all of you back in for this season . . .

Cord (Jerry Lewis)

[Derek Bodner]

I never got the league information. 

[WayOutWest]

A couple of guys at work asked if I knew of a league they could join because its too hard to start up a new one.

[Laker Fan]

You people and your silly fantasy leagues

[Reality]

Am I a better person today?  I will let others judge that, but I do know that my life with my children is infinitely better today than it was the last couple years of my marriage, and in all reality that is all that matters to me.  As I told my ex a few months back, when she gave me a pathetic, half-hearted, back-handed apology asking me to give her a full pardon for everything that has happened.

OWN YOUR CHOICES, OWN YOUR BEHAVIORS, OWN YOUR BULLSHIT. 

This place will never get any better until that is what we each do.

zig how are you doing today?  Hoping your life with offspring continued to get "infinitely better."

When i first sat down eons ago as we all typed posts, i knew behind the keyboards were real people with real problems.  Because of the sucky system we live under, i guessed that some if not many of us would undergo serious trials as time went by.  Sadly, sure enough you and W.O.W. had to go thru one of the biggest stressers, a divorce.  With both of them being bad ones.  Not that there are ever good ones.  Dabods accurately stated that even when not governmentally married, those who cohab for years undergo some of the same exact issues and pains when breaking up.

Myself?  I *got* cancer in 1998.  However, even tho both the wholistic joint in Asia and the traditional corporation U.S. hospital system thought i had it, apparently i did not as further tests months later showed none.  Did it go away?  Were the tests inaccurate?  Unknown and as you can surmise i kinda really didn't and don't care -it was gone.  But the aftermath of it was i got to know what it feels like to have cancer, even if only for two months.  The cancer *came back* in 2008, but this time i did not freak out and waited a couple months.  Again, whatever it was, it was not cancer.

So would like to know how you zig are doing today.  W.O.W. would you mind posting if she is at least civil, semi-civil, okay tolerable as regards custody arrangements?  Sorry to hear she chose to leave.

[ziggy]

I am doing well, all things considered.  My relationship with all my children is really strong and positive, one of love and mutual respect and trust.  I am developing a strong and positive relationship with my daughter-in-law.  I am very happy and thankful for all of that.
 
As regards ex-wife #2, well we barely speak, and we have no relationship.  I am doing better with regards to my divorce, but the deep bitterness remains.  My counselor said to me a couple of years ago that perhaps I am holding onto the bitterness because that is all I have left.  Perhaps that is the case, but I will never allow her to "F" me ever again.  If my bitterness is my defense mechanism to keep that from happening I am content with it.  I am alone and I am content with that at this point.  I keep everyone at arms length, with the exception of my children.  Maybe I am creating lonely future for myself, but I will deal with the future, in the future.

As far as the rest of things, I am working hard, using a number of the things I learned in my MBA everyday in my work life.  I get great satisfaction from that.

In my off times I have been working on a project that I has interested me for a long time.  It is about evaluating NBA draft prospects.  I have learned a lot, and expect to learn a lot more.  I hope at some point to write a blog.  I could probably start now, but I want refine my tools and ideas more.  Every time I think I am making a breakthrough I look at it a different way, and my models and concepts start to change.  Each time that I happens I think things improve, but I need to keep on working on it.  It is something I am working on with my oldest son, and he is just as interested in it, which makes it all the more enjoyable.

Reality, I hope things are going well for you!

ziggy

[Rolando Blackman]

Hey Ted!
 
No doubt that entropy is the fundamental principle of the cosmos - I have to basically agree with your declaration (long, slow, sad). However, I do not accept it! My son is graduating from Penn State lawe school at the top of his class in May- YAY! Anyone associated with this board as long as you have knows what effort I put into this kid to get him to this point. He is my legacy!
Hey WoW, spursfan101!

[Reality]

Wow!  Welcome back Rolando.
Congrats on offspring making it all the way to grad.
Was thinking of you, among other things tunes.  I remember when we were talking some of the very good guitarists.

Maybe i should put this on the music thread we had, but this band on this song to me nails it as far as rock/metal/rap fusion.
Kind of like when Run DMC and Aerosmith nailed it with Walk This Way.

Boom! by P.O.D.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZjpnXcGZ9w

Before you say "Ah Reality, that was 2002" i know that.
I wrongly judged them and subsequently ignored them when i saw a different video with the dreadlocked lead singer throwing his hands in my face along with that rap meism punk attitude.  Along with the lyrics, which i had wrongly judged as being glorifying violence.  I just now saw the official video and wow was i wrong.  I think this song kicks, excellent all the way around.
Can you rock to it Rolando?

[Reality]

Reality, I hope things are going well for you!

thanks.
I keep getting health scares and keep playing Dodgeball.
But i was forewarned that's gonna happen to virtually all of us when we hit 50s so it's certainly not just me.

As to your 2nd ex, I'm told by *experts* that getting and staying away from an abusive toxic relationship is one of the "healthiest" choices you can make.  So i salute you, do not judge you for your choice.

[Rolando Blackman]

Hey Reality!
Do I know how that can eff you up...talk about it! It is sad that we do not have 20/20 foresight in any areas of life. Remember always, pride is the enemy - subsume it whenever possible. Word to the mutha...aloha, brah!