I know some of you don't like me; you know who you are (though I may not), but damn it, I am not leaving. At least not today.
I see so many diaries lately with people announcing their imminent departure, that I just felt I had to tell everyone that no matter how much you hate me, no matter how many names you call me, no matter how many times you gripe about yet another Orly Taitz post, and no matter how many times I do not make the Rec list when I've spent at least FOUR hours trying to write a diary YOU will like (this was not one of them), I will never make an "I am leaving" post.
Someday, you will wake up, and I will just be gone. You'll never see my name again.
And you probably won't spare it a passing thought. You won't Google me on the Internets, wonder if I was mauled by a wild pack of raccoons, or if I somehow ended up in a helium weather balloon and floated off into space only to land in a broken heap of bones on some field somewhere. Or if I just got sick of the smell of my state (yes, I confess, I live in New Jersey) and moved to a tropical island without Internet service.
I do prefer if you're nice to me (hint, hint), but if you cannot control your inner asshole, well, say hello to my inner bitch.
The truth is, you and I do not really know one another. All we have are bytes and bytes of words. Sarah Palin wrote 450+ pages of words, and if you read it all, would you really know the real Sarah Palin? Is her biggest closet skeleton really that she got a D in a class at one of her four colleges? People can (and sometimes do) write and say anything, and we have no way of knowing what is true and what is not.
Why do we come here, if it's not for the food? I'm sure we all have different reasons. I come here because I actually learn a lot here. Some of you amaze me with your ability to ferrett out news. I consider myself a voracious newshound, but I am just a mutt compared with some of you purebread bloodhounds!
I come here because even those I disagree with sometimes have fascinating opinions (just not as fascinating as mine, I am sure), and because I like to be challenged. I like the way you guys set the gears in motion. Sometimes a dose of Kos is the WD40 I need for the week. I have even changed my mind on a few things because of Kossacks, which my loved ones would be the first to tell you is amazing, because I am fairly stubborn.
I come here because I don't think I would like it at Free Republic, and I am pretty sure they already despise me. They called me some choice names after I did that post about the things they called Mahlia and Sasha. If you think people hate you here, register at Free Republic, post for 5 minutes (all the time you'll have before they ban you), read all the nasty replies left in your wake, and then come back to Kos. I guarantee you will feel loved. If that is what you want.
I come here because I am not friends with anyone here (except my boyfriend who only posts once in awhile). I feel free to offer truthful reflections on various issues without worry that I will lose my job (sorry to that Kos guy who lost his job last week, but at least he had another one lined up), piss off my colleagues, alienate my real life friend(s), or wind up sleeping on the sofa for the night.
It is also a lot cheaper to come to Kos than to rent a movie on Pay Per View whenevery I feel bored. It is also cheaper than a subscription to Newsweek, not to mention more informative and tree-sparing. Plus, no matter how many e-mails I send to Josh at Talking Points Memo, he never mentions them on the front page. It makes me feel like such a loser. Here, I can say anything and, guess what? I'm on the front page!
Finally, I love the Saturday hate mail. RUMSFELD!!!!! I am known for my dry, sparse humor, but the Saturday hate mail almost always makes me laugh. It is a good way to start the weekend! I am really going to be heartbroken if someday, everyone in the world comes to love Kos.
So, for now, you are stuck with me. Enjoy me (or don't!) while you have me! And I'll enjoy you (or not), too.