Someone referred to me as a Gadfly yesterday and I find it hard to disagree with their assessment. I annoy certain people with my criticisms and observations. I get that. Some may disagree with me. Strongly. I get that too.
Truth is, one of my biggest Piss & Vinegar contests was with +Vincent Florio , someone who I now consider not just a partner in crime (and podcasts) but a true friend. I called him on some stuff years ago (I probably would have been a bit gentler now ;), we publicly exchanged "piss & vinegar" and when the dust cleared, Vince had a well earned Gold Ennie and I found myself with a true friend. I'm sure there would have been an easier way to accomplish that with Vince (maybe it was the 2 native New Yorkers thing), but there you go. Where's the history of this? Right here at The Tavern. Nothing edited. Nothing deleted. No revisionist history. You'll need to search for it though, we can't make it too easy for you ;)
I've also fucked up. And apologized. In public. Because if you fuck up in public, apologize in public.
Now, you'll notice when I do my Gadfly posts (I really think this needs to be a "label" going forward) that I always include screenshots and links. Screenshots because sometimes source material "changes". Besides that, you, my readers, deserve to actually be able to see and read what I'm referring to. Maybe you'll agree. Maybe you'll disagree. Whichever it is, it will be based upon the exact thing I'm referring to.
I expect feedback and most certainly expect those that disagree with me to express their thoughts. If you haven't noticed, blocking and deleting comments is NOT something that occurs at The Tavern with any regularity (some comments get inadvertently caught by the spam filter and abusive and purely trolling comments will get nuked, but disagree with my all you like, but please support your view)
The Tavern is also, for all intents and purposes, a "political free zone." This has gone unsaid before, but I think in today's climate it needs to be stated. Leave your politics at The Tavern's door. You can pick it back up when you step out ;)
I think I have an armless wresting post cued next...
Hey hey, always enjoy these types of self-reflective statements at the Tavern. The internet emboldens the arrogant and rarely provides a platform for any real humility that doesn't sounds like oversharing at a 12 step meeting. You find the right balance consistently, and in those moments that you don't, you have a knack for owning your own shit and making the proper amends if they are needed. Lest I sound like too much of a sycophant (ass-kisser for us less edumacatied) I don't always agree with you assessments of things in our shared hobby, but I appreciate your perspective.
ReplyDeleteAw Vince is a pussycat deep down...somewhere in that well...
ReplyDeleteI was so proud of him when he got that ENnie. He earned it (and I got a tiny bit of it myself).
Well thanks for the kind words, you are a good friend to me. I look back at what happened, and see it as, you helping me ;)
ReplyDeleteGlen, you helped earn that ENnie as well, so don't sell yourself short by saying tiny!
I always feel out of the loop on these things. I never see the drama. I guess I'm not friends or I don't follow the right people. I'm not at the cool kids table so I miss the drama.
ReplyDeleteEh, I couldn't read the latest drama, I had to have it summarized for me ;)
DeleteAnd just in time for the new edition of Villains & Vigilantes, you have your hero's name...
ReplyDeleteMe and my buddies had a brawl over what was the best flavor of muffin. I was only in the hospital for a week. Don't sweat it.
ReplyDeleteEric, instead of calling the posts "gadfly" just adopt the equal pseudonym, Socrates, since that is what he stated in the "Apology" was the crime he believed most people would accuse him of. It might be a bit pompous,but to question others, especially people who thought they were smarter than others, was Socrates' life goal. While it got him sentenced to death, it's still a good pseudonym to use when you want to be a gadfly.
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