Poking Bears

Okay so I broke one of my own rules.  It was a rule I imposed on myself when it was grossly apparent I had gotten out of control.

My introduction to online Internet interactions began back in the days of the 1990s newsgroups.  The software was crude and the screens were boring, but the conversations were no holds barred, knock down, kick em in the nuts conversations.  I was in pig heaven.

The software improved and suddenly "forums" and blogs plopped into my online life.  Uh oh.  I did not see it coming, but trouble with a capital T was sneaking up on me.  I dove into the forum circuit like a fly, well you know what I mean.  There at the end of it all, I was participating in over twenty different forums.  You could find me most days on more than a few cycling forums, at least one "The south will rise again" forum, and numerous other forums, mostly political in slant.  I loved the "south will rise again" forum.  There were so many bears to poke and most of them lead with their chin.

My skill set on the forums was solid.  I was a good troll.  I was able to hold my temper online while seething about to blow a gasket offline.  And I made valid points on a semi regular basis.  Bear poking was what I lived for.  Sleep was lost.  Time was wasted.  Eventually one day, I knew I had to give it up.

The Internet was taking over my life.  I vowed to never visit another forum again.  So I started my blog.  That was in 2004.   Blogging became my Internet passion and still is. But sadly the blog thing had to be cut back also.  I found I was spending more time than I should on it.  So this year I cut back my participation.  I could/can not stop the blog completely however.  I like to write and it still offers the best platform I have found for me to do that.

So anyway, while this election season was building to its crescendo, I noticed an invite to join a new kind of forum.  A political forum but one with some of the  new fangled "social" attributes attached.  So I visited.  I was only going to lurk.  Really.  That was the plan I swear. I had no plan to fall off the wagon.  I should have known that temptation and I are never a good mix.  So I joined.  The hunting ground was flush with game.  So many bears to poke I could have three sticks workin 24/7  and never poke them all. 

I have finally regained some perspective and control I think.  What do I bring away from it?  The Right is a very angry crew.  The Right is so angry, they cannot even hope to think straight.  There are reasonable Right Wing voices, but they are few and far between.  And I feel bad about that when once upon a time I used to feel great joy at pissing them off.   Now All I have to do to elevate their anger from really angry to over the top spittle comin out their mouth anger is disagree with them.  It is sad really and no fun because it takes no effort at all to poke the bear anymore.  All I have to do to make them angry now is exist.

Later..............................................