But I don't see myself posting here much moving forward.
There are two reasons to my thinking.
The first, and this is just on me, I spend too much time here. I love the banter and the intelligence of the community. But I could do other things more productive, or at least more productive in making money for myself. Time I spend here I am not working.
The second and much more important is I see, gosh I don't know the word for it, but protected individuals. That if you question them you get called out and even suggested you might get banned.
Let me try to explain ...
In my entire history here I have pissed off two popular groups of people. Never my intent. I will explain a little but not link to the screen names cause it is my understanding the bylaws here say that isn't cool.
Honestly in both instances if I took more time to reflect before I hit post I wouldn't have. If there is anything you should know about me, and I hope my actions speak for themself, I don't pick fights here. Not my goal. But I am also not perfect and at times I can get pissed.
In both cases I had extended interaction with the people off of Daily Kos. On the phone. Often did work with them. Later they said things that were not accurate so I mentioned that. In both instances that has not gone over well.
I have to admit I wonder why.
If in a Diary a person here can call out other fellow Kossacks. Slam them. Maybe even convey info that was not meant to be public, and I might ask pointed questions of said person, how am I the "bad guy?" I mean I'd never have the chance to post those comment(s) if IMHO the rules of this site were not broken in the first place.
So I made a comment yesterday and minutes later at the top of my screen here I have a notice that says I was rude. I should say I was sorry to said person. I have to click this box before I can post here again.
Now I am not slamming Meteor Blades. I can't imagine how hard of a job it is for him to monitor this site. Heck not that long ago I had this terrible typo. I noted at times with a terrorist you might need to put a bullet in the back of their heads. In that comment I said Obama when I clearly meant Osama. I got banned. Went back and forth with MB. He could not have been more professional. But he said something that stuck with me in our emails, "in the past you pissed some people off here."
MB didn't say this, but I took that to mean that given my terrible typo/comment, folks just dog piled on me to get me banned when I made a mistake. I mean I went back and looked at the thread and it was like folks were dancing on my Daily Kos grave.
I feel like that happened again yesterday, to a much smaller degree. I've read my comment like 20 times. Posted to a popular person here (and she should be -- I agree with her like 99% of the time). It wasn't that artful of a comment. Not the best phrased. But it wasn't mean nor IMHO rude.
I simply noted that this person talks a lot here about her military husband and how we should treat vets returning from war, and I asked if her husband had ever served in a war zone. I don't know how that is rude or over-the-line. IMHO if we are to listen to somebody about how to treat returning war vets, that cites her husband's service, it might be a question that should be addressed.
Like if I put myself out there as somebody you should listen to on X, you might ask if I have experience with X.
That didn't go over so well.
Look I often see stuff here I find offensive. Rude. I just hit my back button. I don't run to MB and say ban this person. Nor do I hide rate the comment. Heck there are a lot of Diaries here I'd like to engage with, but I know they can get heated and mean spirited and I got no desire to fight with my fellow liberals. So I stay out of them.
But when it comes time I can't asked pointed questions of somebody, well that is a step too far for me. I mean I'd like to think my time here, my many comments, my Diaries, give me a little leeway (see top image of my history here). But I guess not.
So I will read the front page, but from comments or Diaries going to take an extended break of a few weeks, and see if I want to come back.