Quote:

Prometheus said:
Oh bloody hell.

I'm sorry, TTT. I didn't realize that you...or Miss Grimm....were so thin-skinned.



Should I say something about a pot and a kettle right about now? Nah, it's been overused. Or how about something from the New Testament... something about a speck of sawdust in someone's eye... can't quite remember how that goes. Oh well.

Pro, there are a lot of things I don't say on this board. Things that would have stirred up a shit-storm and most likely would have gotten me tossed out on my ass years ago. I don't (usually) say them because they're not very diplomatic and would lead to big arguments over what really amounts to nothing more than teeny, tiny little things in the greater scheme of things. It's more important that us writers can get along -- not perfectly, of course, since that would be unnatural, but enough in order to let the stories be written and still be fun.

For example: I realise now I should have just let the "overplanning" thing slide and remained silent about it, but I decided to go ahead and defend myself and the way I write. It wasn't intended in any way, shape or form to make myself seem better than you or the others but simply as a defensive thing, but you seemed to take it as if it was a reflection on you, which it wasn't. Hence I find that it's better that I just let things slide... most of the time. (This post is an exception.)

It would take a hell of a lot more than this to make me want you to leave, though. I consider you a friend and seriously the single best writer out of all of us, and I have always maintained that opinion of you. You're the John Lennon of the Message Board League (I would say "of TOMB," except I use "M.B.L." here as a description of the writers, not the characters), both because of your creative genius and your temperament.

But as everyone here knows by now, I find it really difficult to resist an argument, and I can't be both completely blunt with all of you and remain friends at the same time. I've always had a very critical eye and can pick apart almost anything, even things I like. I really enjoy debating issues, and I can get very nasty with the tactics I use. It's very easy for me to do that, but I try not to give in to that side of myself too often because it causes nothing but problems. And when it all boils down to it, I value the fun of reading and writing the stories a million times more than whether they're completely within the bounds of established continuity or whether some of the facts used in passing are true or not. The latter two are easy for me to spot, and they do grate on me a little (OK, a lot sometimes), but I usually let them slide because the posts or stories are so damn well-written and enjoyable to read. I recognise this critical, argumentative part of myself, and I see it in most others on this board as well (I'm not naming names). I'm just glad that most of the time we're NOT completely honest about our gut reactions on something, because most of the time those gut reactions are nasty and don't at all help with the writing.

So don't leave, Pro -- at least not over this. It's just a hiccup, not an explosion. I am being completely honest with you right now when I say that I love your writing, and I'd hate to lose that over something so minor in comparison, even though sometimes we get on each other's nerves.

(Plus, I really think the best way to continue our argument is in the story between Ozzy and Mason... )