The People On AOL

It is the people on AOL that have given me reason to renew my subscription.  I've made friends over the last decade with some remarkable souls-all whom I met on AOL.

It is my hope that people will show some respect for others, not make assumptions about their personal life, and accept graciously whatever the other may say about themselves, without attack.  I know we all have good days and bad days and I also know that we will all make some assumptions about people we have never met.  When we do, I hope the others will refrain from TOS'ng us.  So many of the best arguers have been TOS'd in the past 4 months.  Some of them are no longer around.  I know some of you don't like to argue with these "jerks", but I respect those who challenge my mind.  When the challenge goes beyond mere words, when I must actively be present and learn, that is what good chat in chatrooms is about for me--not what authors I truly dig, not what I did on Wednesday night, but what I am able to discover that will help grow the person I'm becoming. 

So thank you all for being who you are.  Thank you for the privlege of telling you off when I feel you have crossed the line.  Thank you for not TOS'ng me when I do so.

I look forward to more flavored and colorful discussions with all those I know and all those I've not yet encountered.