Well, Bill, being thoughtful and being timid are not the same thing, and since we are talking here right out in the open, and doing it so amazingly well, I'll say more as tho it's just us.

What got lost in the bad time was that I always WAS eager to be thoughtful, but I was often treated as though I had an agenda that has never been mine. So maybe I got more thoughtfiul-- I think I get smarter all the time, no matter the topic... .

But I also got beat up pretty thoroughly and I do not consider that I yielded my voice willingly.

It's too bad, because although some people celebrated when I moved off the Trouble Topic, others mourned. That was largely invisible... I had asked people who indicated support and appreciation to stay out of the mess. I think that was right-- others had made something political out of something personal, and I was not willing to play a game of politics about this myself, nor encourage others to play it.

Bill, I appreciate your awareness about the cost of that time, more than I can say. It has been very painful to get messages that amount to, "It's nice you aren't such an a**h*le anymore." To get credit for caving in-- it actually hurts worse and is more insulting than the flames were. You (nasty old curmudgeon, ha ha) avoided that one, and I will never forget it. You, sir, are a Class Act.

~Susan