I assumed it had more than a little bit to do with wanting to figure out how best and most clearly to say what one means, rather than petulance or hysteria (or even the need to persuade), but I do tend to give people the benefit of the doubt -- or at least try to.

I'm coming from the other side of the gorge from you, in rural W.N.C., with an upbringing split between there and suburban Atlanta.  Probably explains a lot of why I understand your posts.