A Refreshingly Clean Thread

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
So Amy Austin, what's up? What do you care to talk about in this thread?

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
hehehe... I don't know, Dave... nothing "controversial" -- that's for sure! But then... I'm not exactly sure *what* that entails these days -- I've missed seeing you around, though, Mitz!

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
ooh, ooh... "new goo" time -- didn't know it was already that late!

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
Thanks :)
i've missed being around, but you know why I've stopped posting for the most part. Ya know what's really scary, I was just watching tv and Misery was on and the lead female character...

wait, that might stir up controversy, so I best not complete that thought!

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
And yup, new goo time. I'd say the difficulty level was misleading yet again ;)

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
Yep... not too hard -- although, in my excitement I put it in the wrong spot on my grid!

Well, I won't dare to complete your thought for you... since I *have* been known to do that, and it isn't good, my friend!

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
Haha nope. You know what I REALLY don't like though? When people just put the words in my mouth. Isn't that irritating?

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
Well, if you don't like talking to me, Mitz, then why don't you just fucking say so?!! I mean, if I *am* irritating you, then just shut up already and let's move on to something else, okay?

So, how's the weather where you are?

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
Fine, I see how it is around here. I just won't talk to you anymore! Goddamnit motherfucker.

Anyway, it's a bit chilly out. Supposed to get real cold out the next few days. Shit I saw on the tv that the guys who clean the bus stop glass housings were sent home because it was too cold out. As far as I'm concerned, it's only too cold if you can spit and it freezes before it hits the ground.

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
Hahaha -- you're CRAZY... are you still in Florida, or back in NY now??? It can't *possibly* be that cold in FL... it's like frickin' summer here in NC lately!!! (Although, it did finally dip yesterday!)

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
Yeah I'm back in New York. I moved back the week before Thanksgiving. Currently being a lackey at Best Buy until I can find a good career job. In fact I have work at 9am but I'm not tired nor ready to go to sleep yet.

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
Well, that's because you obviously have no brains, Dave... nobody in their right mind stays up this late "on a school night" (says the unemployed girl in her bathrobe who got up at 1400 today!)

It's gonna' be tough re-training myself, but since I'm flying back out to SD in another week and a half, I'm not going to try right now... ;DDD

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
Hehe, I wish I coulda slept till 1400. I haven't done that in ages. But you are right about the no brains thing, all that alcohol killed those brain cells which probably aren't coming back.

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
Hehehe... well, I hadn't done it in a pretty long time myself -- I was actually on a fairly decent schedule up until a fews days before my birthday (the 8th)... usually up around 9-11 -- "late" by normal standards, but not "indecent". I've always been a nightowl and was not looking forward to changing time zones again (in the opposite direction from what I prefer, even!), but I "normalized" pretty quickly after that 4-day road trip and sleeping whenever I got tired!

However, the trip upstate to visit the family for birthday weekend was prefaced by an abnormally long night (0600), and it's all been downhill ever since -- I go to bed between 3 & 5 every night now! I guess I figure if I keep it up, I'll eventually circle back around to "normal" hours! There'll be another road trip ahead to "fix" me!

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
3-5am. That's pretty late for me these days. Latest I've been up in a while was 4am 2 weekends ago when I was out in the center of the universe for a big birthday bash for some friends.

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
Yeah, I really miss the college days... when that was the norm! Gotta' soak it up while I can, you know! No more money means that I'm going to have to get off my ass here pretty soon and go be a "lackey" somewhere myself!!! (Incidentally, that's my sister's married name -- so I feel a little guilty using it now... ;>) I've been feeling like that "Job Hunt" thread is trying to drop me a subtle hint/clue... and I've just been waiting for E to post something there! ;DDD

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
Gotta love the college days. Well it's about 1am now and if I wanna be functional for work in the morning, I should probably go to bed now. We shall resume this tomorrow at some point.

Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
Rog -- go try to "reboot" those lame-ass cells that are still hanging on for life!

David Mitzman | January 18, 2005
Ok I've "rebooted" for the day. It's just after 8am, wish I wasn't up. Time for "work" at Best Buy. Home around 6pm. If not back, avenge death.

Scott Horowitz | January 18, 2005
I don't know what's worse. The fact that you guys had a pointless conversation or the fact that I read the whole fucking thing... oye! My brain hurts.

Denise Sawicki | January 18, 2005
Say Amy - you have the same birthday as my bf. He just turned 27. Seeing that women are supposed to be 5 years younger than men, um, maybe you are his long-lost triplet.

Do people always remind you that you have Elvis's birthday?

Lori Lancaster | January 18, 2005
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Amy Austin | January 18, 2005
Heeheehee... no Denise, I usually tell them -- here's a pretty fucking cool (partial, I'm sure) list that I collected *years* ago:

David Bowie (just cool!), Nicholas Cage (explains a lot about his choices of roles... and wives!), Bob Eubanks (of "Newlywed Game" fame!), Stephen Hawking (a genius!), and Frederick Abberline ("From Hell" -- SY/JtR's most prominent investigator!)

The way I see it, my brother (;>) and I have a lot to be proud of here! ;DDD

Scott -- Perhaps you and Mitz share the same brain cells???

Lori -- Why... thank you, madame...

Lori Lancaster | January 18, 2005
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David Mitzman | January 19, 2005
Hmm, sharing brain cells with the Ho, now my head hurts. Yes, we are quite demented. I do assure you though, there was a point to this whole conversation, but if I told ya what it was, Amy would have to kill ya.

Todd Brotsch | January 19, 2005
Well I know what the point is, can I expect a visit from the Angel of Death, or someone of close approximation who shant be named?

Scott Hardie | January 19, 2005
I get the point too, and I'm pretty disgusted by it. The person being slammed deserves an apology.

Anna Gregoline | January 19, 2005
If that's about me, don't worry, Scott, I have thicker skin than that.

They are only making themselves look bad.

Jackie Mason | January 19, 2005
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Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
It *was* a fun topic, until I became "the assassin"...

What if I told you that the point was simply to beef up our posts? If anything else was read into it, then perhaps it needed to be.

I, however, am not that cowardly... there was minor agenda involved, and for me, that included an attempt to re-engage someone(s) who hasn't been around or posting much in a while. I think he already made it clear why, and I can't say that I blame him. I did, however, want the thread to stay light when it became that way.

Anna Gregoline | January 19, 2005
I don't really think that "beefing up" posts is a reason to post. Tragic Comedy as a message board isn't about stats.

Lori Lancaster | January 19, 2005
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Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
Once again... missing the point entirely. And especially funny coming from the person with 50 short of the site owner!

Jackie Mason | January 19, 2005
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Lori Lancaster | January 19, 2005
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Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
That was Scott Horowitz, and yes.

Anna Gregoline | January 19, 2005
If you look, I'm the first person to join TC after Scott created it. Why do you think I have the most posts?

I never posted just to increase my post count. I'd rather Scott do away with the post count entirely if people are literally just posting junk to bump themselves up.

Scott Horowitz | January 19, 2005
It was a joke... geeze. Nobody in this fucking forum has a sense of humor.. I saw I was one behind, and thought I'd make a funny. From now on, I think I may have to put a (joke) tag (/joke) around anything I say.

Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
Still missing the point... and here's a reminder about the "Life" section of TC:

Some days we have no interest in politics or entertainment, because we're so wrapped up in our lives. Here's the zone to talk about what's going on in yours: From a hectic day at work, to an issue with your family; from a funny dream you had last night, to a mystery from your childhood, this is the place to talk about yourself and your life. It's also the best place to seek personal advice.

Seems to me like any reason that anyone feels like is good enough reason to post... and you didn't have a problem when Ho did it.

Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
Yeah, how many times has that been said now, Scottie? I got it -- it was funny. You shouldn't *have* to fucking state every time you're making a joke... if people really do have "thicker skin than that"!

Anna Gregoline | January 19, 2005
I would have a problem when Ho did it if it involved making fun of another author. Did he do that?

Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
Are you an only child, Anna?

Anna Gregoline | January 19, 2005
Nope. Don't see what that has to do with anything, though.

Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
Yeah... that's how talking to you feels sometimes, too.

Anna Gregoline | January 19, 2005
Thanks for the extra insult! Are you done yet?

Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
Yep... I give up!

Anna Gregoline | January 19, 2005
Good, since I never made a personal attack against you.

Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
Hehehe... remember what I said about you having to have the last word? You keep on proving it, time & again!

Mike Eberhart | January 19, 2005
Anybody remember the Energizer bunny. It just keeps going, and going, and going, and going......... Much like this thread...

Anna Gregoline | January 19, 2005
Amy, I have never given you a personal attack, and in fact, I'm behaving non-violently towards you right now. Why do you deem it necessary to continue to insult and taunt me? I think you should look inside yourself at why you are continuing this imagined, petty rivalry.

What, exactly, have I done to you? Now you've gone on record as directly insulting me. What good does that do?

Amy Austin | January 19, 2005
Whatever, Mahatma Gandhi...

Mike Eberhart | January 19, 2005
And going, and going, and going.

Scott Horowitz | January 19, 2005
Lol, Mike, Lol. (this is a joke)

Scott Hardie | January 19, 2005
Let's get one thing clear first: This thread was not actually started to slam Anna, nor was it actually started to get anyone's post count higher (that was just part of Amy's hypothetical). It was started so that Dave and Amy could have a conversation while bored. That's why TC is here. I have no problem with the original intent, and if you had talked about weather and Best Buy until dawn nobody would have minded.

My issue is with the thinly-veiled insults at Anna. They were not many in number (before Anna said anything there were only three, or four if Todd's counts), but more importantly, they were unprovoked. It's one thing to voice frustration with another author in the middle of an actual exchange with that person, but it's something else to insult them spontaneously and repeatedly. How would you like it if I went through totally unrelated discussions around here saying things like "I know a real asshole and his name is Da... oops!" or "either Amy or Anna thinks her shit doesn't stink, but I can't tell you which!"

Dave, you have been Anna-hating for five long years on this site (remember Web Page Survivor?), and it's getting old. We all know quite well how you feel; you've made it clear by now. Yes, I know why Anna gets on your nerves so much, but she will always have my support as long as she keeps doing one thing: Approaching these conversations from a position of fellowship and getting along. Even when she vehemently disagrees with your position and says so, she welcomes your viewpoint and she never makes it personal. To my knowledge she doesn't dislike you, but even if she hated you, I couldn't imagine her posting random insults about you. That's childish and very disappointing; I hope you don't think you're taking any kind of high ground. I find it equally disgusting when you bash Scott and Todd, but I understand that it's the language you have within your circle of friendship and I mind my business about it. Your attacks on Anna are uncalled-for and unwelcome.

Amy, I'm glad you like to quote my menu system, but perhaps you missed this part: Despite covering the spectrum of political views, the discussion tone is usually understanding and open-minded; the first rule of Tragic Comedy is civility. If discussion forums on the rest of the web have left you burned with their inanity and open hostility, this is the place to go for reasonable conversation. There are people in this forum who are making it a hostile and un-civil place to be, and Anna is not one of them. You are the problem here. It seems like every time Anna states a disagreement within the bounds of the discussion (albeit sometimes abrasively and missing the point), you respond with a personal insult against her. Now you have freed yourself from needing provocation, and insult her spontaneously. If she has annoyed you, it is because of her nature, not because of her intention; she has wittingly done nothing to deserve the way that you treat her.

I'm really getting tired of coming home every week to an email warning me that TC is self-destructing and that I'd better get in here. What the hell is so hard about being nice to other people? If Anna annoys you by misrepresenting you or jumping to conclusions or repeating herself, then kindly point out her "debate error" and state your disagreement; there's no reason for personal insults or name-calling to enter at any time. Is it not obvious that she is trying her best to get along with people around here despite her contentious nature, and that she is behaving exactly the way TC authors are supposed to behave? If you want to flame people, there are thousands of other sites out there who would be happy to have it, but this is not the place. I hate to be the impulsive parent who threatens to take away the toy if the kids can't share it, but I will only tolerate so many more of these flare-ups before I shut down this site, and in that event, Anna will not be the person I blame for ruining what used to be a fun web site.

Erik Bates | January 19, 2005
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Lori Lancaster | January 20, 2005
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Scott Horowitz | January 20, 2005
Ok, about the "posting count" thing. I was reading on the site, and saw I was one post from moving up on the list. So, I figured I'd be a smartass and write that. I thought a few people would get a kick out of it. I apologize to have wasted anyone's time by reading my pointless post.

Kris Weberg | January 20, 2005
Bloody hell.

1st rule of debate: Don't mistake your position for own person, or someone else's position for theirs.

Bears repeating, I guess.

Scott Horowitz | January 20, 2005
I thought the first rule of debates was to not talk about debates. :)

Scott Hardie | January 20, 2005
No, that's the second rule of debates.

Scott Horowitz | January 20, 2005
Sorry, I seem to get those confused. I'll get it right next time. (bows head in shame)

:)