I remember seeing that photo once before...but it wasn't posting that was killing the kittens ;)

Doodle.


Fisher & family wrote:Your not the kitten.

See kitten.jpg in the files section of this groups homepage ( http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letterbox-usa/ )

Fisher
----- Original Message -----
From: Anna Lisa Yoder


Well....... hmmm...... am I said kitten? WELL, listen up:
"But the CAT came back, the very next day
The cat came back, they thought he was a goner
But the cat came back, it just couldn't stay away."

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

That is so sweet of you, Fisher, taking the time and trouble to
deliver Phyto's point, again.

The description of this group is as follows:
"This is a discussion group for letterboxing enthusiasts in the New
World. The list is intended for sharing of ideas, stories, tips, news,
advice, and clues related to the hobby of letterboxing."

Nowhere does it say one post an hour is the maximum allowed.

The kitten killing .jpg made it's appearance in the files section last
October. It is not policy, just an image that appeared one day, and
it was first put to work by the 'elite'. In fact as far as I can tell
she is the only one who has used it, sometimes with Fisher doing the
follow up to be sure the point is understood. I point out that a lot
of folks make several posts an hour every single day, but it seems
that a select few are singled out to be bullied, harassed and chased
away by this self elected 'elite guard' simply because she does not
like them, or what they say.

~~blisterdfeet






--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Fisher & family"
wrote:
> Your not the kitten.
>
> See kitten.jpg in the files section of this groups homepage (
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/letterbox-usa/ )
>
> Fisher

Since I run with the BIG Dogs, the kitten killing went right over
my head.
How cruel and I don't mean the part about killing kittens.
Thanks for the explanation. I guess I've just killed a few more
kittens. I posted one too many times.
Here kitty kitty, mammas gotta use you to whip the lemur, but
first let me kill ya.
Psychomom

-- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Fisher & family"
wrote:
> wow.
>
> I don't even know Phyto. I'm kinda a newbie who knows when someone
apologizes to the "kitten" they are acknowledging to the list that
they posted more than once recently. I assume that as new people
join the list don't realize there is a joke about it. Seems like
some people take it personal and since I don't see it as personal I
thought I'd help clear it up.
>
> If there is some hidden meaning, it goes above my head.
>
> I was just trying to answer one of the easy questions.
>
> Fisher in CT
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: cruzintrailsblistrdfeet2
>
> The kitten killing .jpg made it's appearance in the files section
last
> October. It is not policy, just an image that appeared one day,
and
> it was first put to work by the 'elite'. In fact as far as I can
tell
> she is the only one who has used it, sometimes with Fisher doing
the
> follow up to be sure the point is understood. I point out that a
lot
> of folks make several posts an hour every single day, but it seems
> that a select few are singled out to be bullied, harassed and
chased
> away by this self elected 'elite guard' simply because she does
not
> like them, or what they say.
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Fisher, don't take it personally. Most of the folks on this list
are good people. Besides I really don't think blisterdfeet has
anything against you per se, she just has a very personal connection
to Cats.

Forest Fox


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Fisher & family"
wrote:
> I can't believe you haven't apologized for your attack yet.
>
> You know, I innocently tried to let someone know they weren't
being picked on. I might not be the most articulate but you did
something really weird by accusing me & others of having a
bigger/secret plan of making people feel like outsiders.
>
> You and others should watch your judgmental self. My intentions
were to make that person not feel like someone was "killing a
newbie". And you took it as being punished for posting too much.
*?(!@/> ridiculous
>
> Not that anyone cares, because you don't know me, but I will sign
off permanently in 2 days. I will still box, because off the list,
it is something wonderful. I will miss notices of new boxes or
gatherings and camaraderie. And you blisterdfeet, who thought she
was defending some noble cause, you were wrong and did nothing about
it after it was pointed out. Take some ownership of your bad
vibes. I'm already uncomfortable in the real world you just proved
it's also the cyberworld.
>
> Fisher in CT
>
> ----original message----
> sometimes with Fisher doing the
> follow up to be sure the point is understood. I point out that a
lot
> of folks make several posts an hour every single day, but it seems
> that a select few are singled out to be bullied, harassed and
chased
> away by this self elected 'elite guard' simply because she does not
> like them, or what they say.
>
> ~~blisterdfeet
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Well, the cat's back anyway! I'm sorry I haven't felt able to take the time to reply to some of the follow-ups happening here, even though I've been reading each one. We had one of those milestone birthdays happening here in our household and I've needed to focus on that world rather than this cyber-one, even though I do try to think of you all as real people with real feelings. This will be a long one, especially if I'd better keep from writing a second one in 20 minutes ;o), so at least you're fore-warned! PLEASE delete it if you post a reply. Fisher, I'm especially sorry that I didn't get back here earlier to thank you (and many others, who posted here and also emailed me privately ) for your post the other day. I understood your post clearly as one of caring for myself, a newbie (a newbie at letterboxing, anyway!) and was very grateful that you cared to clear up the mystery for me. I truly hope that you will reconsider your thoughts of leaving the group, because it seems to me that 99% of the people here do want to act in a friendly manner towards their brother- and sister- letterboxers. Hopefully Blisteredfeet understands the mistake about your intentions now, and although it would be nice to hear something back about that, I hope that either way, you will consider the goodwill & help of most of the group. Don't let a couple spats here threaten the life & history of the group and muddy the real reasons why we're supposed to be here posting. Just keep the positive attitude you set out with, and plenty of us will be there for you. We're not just cyborgs, we're real people too and plenty of us care how you are treated. I'm sorry you got a bad rap, here and in "real life". If you keep putting one foot in front of the other, & keep your face to the wind, your best side is going to prevail and you will find people who recognize that.

I went to the kitten reference in the files after Fisher's post kindly informed me, and must admit that part of me chuckled out loud, because I also, like some of you, have an affinity for zany humor. It was a little Monty-Python-ish maybe, and I'm guilty of introducing my kids to that and the Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy, etc. even while there are twinges of sick humor that I'm not always sure I should be laughing at. But I can certainly understand as well the cat-lovers' indignation at such a reference, since I'm a cat-lover and owner too. (Or, well, probably I am owned by the 2 cats! ) Yes, it could well be that this isn't the best place for it (the, uh, kitten file) if it's considered to be a family site, although I would wonder how many kids actually read any of this? Anyway, as a newbie I don't feel I can really weigh in on something like that since it seems kinda peripheral and I don't know even a fraction of the history of these inside jokes and pieces of etiquette that those "in the know" understand. Obviously I felt a bit ble-e-ech when I finally got let in on the joke, but oh well, I've been through so much stuff in my life that some little cyber-joke, even if it's on me, is hardly going to make or break this hobby for me. Like I said, the cat came back.

As I read all that was going on here, especially all the posts & private emails on mine and other newbies' behalf, I had to laugh a bit to think of how my real-life friends who've known me for a long time would get such a kick out of all the care I was receiving. I've been around the block a bit, shall we say, and normally have the reputation for having lots of guts and courage to try zany and new things, so I don't usually elicit reactions of such care. My friends and family know me as the crazy nut who's slept outdoors overnight at the Venice train station, arrived back home after a Renaissance Art study with 2 Dutch cents in my pocket, taught English to bunches of professors of other languages, lived in Sichuan for 2 years, read Chinese maps, changed about 60, 000 diapers (baby and adult!), did a solo bicycle ride of 700 miles, trekked through Tibet and Nepal under every imaginable condition, performed on violin, mando. etc. for thousands of people, joined protests, milked goats, did major restorative bodywork on a Karmann-Ghia, took care of one of the last iron-lung dwellers in the US, lived in Haiti, etc. etc. etc. So, yeah, I'm not one-dimensional and I don't think the rest of you are either.

All this is to make the point that we only show one small part of ourselves here... I showed my mother- & newbie-letterboxer side, so someone thought I was vulnerable & weak and felt like striking-out, so I was one target. But we are all newbies at SOMEthing, and some may be newbies, or at least slow learners, at being gracious to other inhabitants of the planet. Yeah, I'm a newbie at this game, but I'm an old hand at plenty of other stuff, and I love to learn, so no one is going to stand in my way no matter how grumpy or smarty-pants they feel like acting! And anyone who wants to pretend that all kids are a threat to the game can do so, but the reality is that those who are teaching their kids carefully are actually the game's future and we'd better thank them for caring. Let's just be grateful for each one who is here trying to learn how to teach them well. We are involved with 4-H, and I will think long and carefully before simply barging in with introducing this to a group like that even though they are a bunch of terrific and intelligent kids. If I do, it will be with great care.

I want to also thank Brian for his apology, and think too that he made plenty of understandable points in his original email and that some good stuff has come out of it. It is hard to know exactly how to handle repeated questions in a group this size, but I think that most of the time it's easier to just give a simple answer or direct the person to a link than to go on for 50 emails about how stupid the question was. But if there are some more eye-catching ways to get newbies to find answers by themselves when they first sign on here, that's great too. I admit I didn't do all the reading I should have done before posting, and didn't pay attention to whatever encouragement there was to do so... guess I got excited and got ahead of myself. I know I was not aware of what all the group had dealt with in the past, etc. But some people do learn best by teaching others, so maybe let those people answer if they feel like it, w/o chastising them. Many people gave me great pointers which I have saved, even though they may be written up by others on some website somewhere.

My last observation for the evening is that someone hit the nail on the head (I forget who, & am too lazy to go back online & check) when they noticed that a lot of the fear and flare-ups on here seem due to the fact that suddenly there are CHANGES and the hobby may be growing too rapidly for some. I imagined that the NPR blurb might have that effect, and was reminded right away of what happened to our sweet, innocent & unique hobby of Irish Step-dancing when "Riverdance" swept the world. Everything changed, and a lot of it didn't feel especially positive to us pre-Riverdance learners. Some weathered the changes, some didn't. Suddenly it seemed everyone wanted their cute little daughters in Ghillie shoes and fancy dresses. It got crowded, much like the roads in my town as all the developments crowd in. I wouldn't think of setting my kids loose on many of the roads I biked as a kid. I noticed that when I mentioned putting a link to letterboxing sites on our band's website, I heard dead silence. But now I understand that... we just may not be ready yet for an explosion of people doing this hobby. Slow, careful growth maybe. So to all of you who are working hard to preserve the history, mystery, & old artistic flavor of letterboxing, thank you... that's what it's going to take. And I would pray that no one in this great world of letterboxing would be so cruel as to purposely destroy a website. If so, may they come to their senses and see that there is room for quite a few letterboxing leaders; no one can own the hobby, and any nastiness is just going to come 'round again and hurt everyone involved in it.

Thank you to those who have been willing to admit mistakes and clarify their intentions. That takes smart, strong people and that's obviously what this hobby takes. Ok, the tiger (or aardvark) is getting off her pulpit now and is gonna go on celebrating a lovely daughter's life the rest of the weekend. And maybe get out and box... we still have this darned hitchhiker, Rubythroat, who has tried time and time again to get loose. The last box I tried, "Just Flyin' Through" in Allentown PA (which seemed an appropriate spot!) was in the very corner of West Park that is under construction.... right behind les W.C.! So currently that box is unavailable and I fear may have been found by workers. Well, thanks for listening, friends, if you survived this far. Have a great weekend. -lunaryakketyact

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I do apologize to you Fisher, I misinterpreted your words and intent.
I've been out of town for the past few days, hence the delay in my
reply to you. I do hope you will reconsider your decision to leave.

Fisher, you are not part of what I say from here on.

As for my other words, I'll put it this way: This person doesn't have
the right to harass another because they disagree with, or have made 2
or 3 posts in an hour. Then call it a "joke" when caught. That's
what bullies do. Contributions to the letterboxing community, no
matter how big or small, is not the "open sesame" for meanness to
others.

I am by the way a he not a she, and believe the living first (inc.
animals), and things (this includes boxes) second.


~~blisterdfeet


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Fisher & family"
wrote:
> I can't believe you haven't apologized for your attack yet.
snip
you were wrong and did nothing about it after it was pointed out.
Take some ownership of your bad vibes. I'm already uncomfortable in
the real world you just proved it's also the cyberworld.
>
> Fisher in CT