OK, OK…Enough already!

Since announcing the impending closing of the Gazette, I’ve received many emails, comments and trackback links regarding that decision. After reading and re-reading them, and upon further reflection, I believe the following sums up my reaction.

I’ve never seen such a simpering mass of whiny, infantile mewling since Hillary confronted Bill about Monica. As that great thespian, Bruce Willis, would say, it’s time to call the waaahmbulance.

What? Oh, not you guys…you guys are great! Beyond great, really. I’m talking about me, and my dunce-headed decision to stop doing something that I enjoy just because…well, never mind why. It’s not really important, after all.

When I made that post, I really intended to call it quits, and I really didn’t think it would draw much reaction. Oh, I figured I might hear from a couple of folks — most of you are too nice not to at least say goodbye. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect to hear from So. Many. People!

Sometimes, you just need a little help seeing the obvious. That help may come in the form of people you respect — even though you’ve never met them — taking time out of their busy lives to write a note of encouragement. Sometimes, you need the attention-getting advice burned into the side of a two-by-four and applied to the side of your head — again, by someone who had no good reason to waste the energy, other than wanting to save you from your own foolishness. I got both, and more.

Thanks to you, my friends, I’ve decided to reverse my decision and keep the Gazette online. I really do need a break, to take care of some new things and to deal with some old ones, so I’m going to be posting less frequently for awhile — let’s think of it as an intermittant sabbatical — but I’m not going away.

And I do want to express my sincere appreciation to each one of you who seemed to know me better than I knew myself. I really didn’t expect what you did, and I owe you an apology for that, because it shows a lack of respect. I hope I can make it up to you, and I hope you’ll continue to encourage each other like you’ve encouraged me.

I don’t know if the blogosphere will be improved by this course you’ve set me on…but I am. Bloggers don’t have to change the world in order to be important. Sometimes…often…it’s enough just to change one attitude. You guys helped me do that, and I thank you — again!

P.S. About four hours after El Posto Estupido, I met my My Lovely Bride for our biweekly lunch at Kuo’s (Hot and Sour Soup and Hunan Beef). I didn’t open my fortune cookie, so she put it in her purse for an afternoon snack. Later that evening, about the time some of your encouraging communications began to appear, she happened to mention that my fortune cookie contained a rather strange platitude.

Now, I’m not one to attribute a lot of minor things to the intervention of the Creator of the Universe (and if I played the lottery, it sure wouldn’t be with the numbers on the back of cookie fortunes). OTOH, the Almighty does sometimes move in mysterious ways. But, in a fortune cookie? Well, you be the judge…

OK, I’m not prideful enough to think that any of you actually look up to me. But, still…