[B5JMS] Writer's you simply can't stand

[b5jms at cs.columbia.edu]

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From: dusky at nucleus.com (Michael Hoskin)
Date: 6 Aug 2003 07:58:01 -0700
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jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5) wrote in message news:<20030804021327.28261.00000755 at mb-m24.aol.com>...
> Not at all.  Not in the least respect.  I did some checking around, got your
> main handle of dusky at nucleus.com, and found your website at
> http://www.geocities.com/mh_prime/ and your fan fiction, and whatever you may
> think to the contrary, I feel you're *profoundly* qualified to talk about
> boring and pretentious writing.  Indeed, you may be one of our nation's
> foremost experts in this area, so please don't underestimate yourself in the
> future.  (Some might venture that the handle, Pime Eternal, alone would qualify
> you for such status, but I think they sell you short since at most it is
> pretentious, *maybe* boring.  I think we owe it to your expertise to use a much
> higher standard.)  
> 
> Suffice to say that if they ever offer degree plans in this area, I will be
> happy to add my name as a sponsor should you decide to pursue a PhD.

Well...that certainly showed me. I'm surprised you went to the bother
to look me up, or to read my fan-fiction (fan-fiction I'm not
particuarly fond of myself). In defense of my handle, it was chosen
more to help promote my first website than as any reflection on
myself.

But I guess I'll have to retract my earlier e-mail...turns out that I
*do* care about your opinion of me...because that reply really *hurt*.

I apologize for my earlier rudeness.

MH

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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 06 Aug 2003 21:47:38 GMT

>Well...that certainly showed me. I'm surprised you went to the bother
>to look me up, or to read my fan-fiction (fan-fiction I'm not
>particuarly fond of myself). In defense of my handle, it was chosen
>more to help promote my first website than as any reflection on
>myself.
>
>But I guess I'll have to retract my earlier e-mail...turns out that I
>*do* care about your opinion of me...because that reply really *hurt*.

Such things *do*, and that's one of the points I've always tried to bring home
to folks, which is to just remember that the people you're talking to and about
are people also, and you shouldn't say things to them that you're not prepared
to have someone say to you.  I don't think anyone should ever have to curb
their opinion, but that's not the same thing as how you present it.  We
sometimes forget that the people at the other end of the modem, or the indicia
page, are people also.  

By contrast, if one *does* let fly, one gives up all rights to be offended by
the response.  Do unto others, as the saying goes.

>I apologize for my earlier rudeness.
>

And I apologize for mine.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
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