I simply don't have the time between my growing family, reading, writing, and my writing group to continue on here. It's just too tempting to start pontificating . . . and pontificating takes up valuable time.

Yes, it's probably a bit silly to say goodbye to any on-line forum, but I'm the kind of person who needs closure. There has to be a last page. There has to be a "The End." I just can't let it fizzle.

In fact, I've found a lot of my fiction is trying to put closure on friendships that just fizzled out. That's kinda sad, I think. I sure as hell don't want to be writing about fizzled virtual friendships sometime down the road.

So this is it. Farewell.

Jeff

I wish you luck.

You have had valuable insights into many things. But if you feel it is time to move on, maybe it is. I've often felt it was time to move on, and I have come back.

I limit my time on BB's and often have long periods where I don't show up at all--rewrites, and the magazine--my family, and a "day-job."

Your counter points, which make more logical sense than the other here who is my devil's advocate, have been valued, and a value to all those here to learn.

You know, I've only been part of this forum for a short while, and don't post nearly as often some others among us do, but it's almost like we're losing an old friend here.

Yours is one who's comment are always respected (sometimes feared) and certainly you are among a handful who always had interesting comments on various topics.

so at any rate, I wish you well. Thanks for everything.

Part of this is simply a matter of my belief. The soul is eternal and all that, you know. It isn't logical to say "this is the end" when there is no end. One of these days I'll meet Balthasar and chuckle, "Oh ho ho! Leaving me for good, eh?"

I'm always meeting people that I haven't seen in years, just because it wasn't particularly convenient. Since that's the only reason that I won't be seeing Balthasar for however long I won't be seeing him, I suspect I'll be seeing him around again at some point as well. Maybe not here, perhaps not even online. I won't go on to elaborate lengths to describe the spheres where I may not see him again, but whatever places we do not meet, I'd lay odds, IPIC, of seeing him again sometime.

And then we'll discuss this illogical notion of "closure"

I'm sort of wondering to whom SR is referring when she claims that she will only piss off one person. She can't mean Brinestone, can she? I agree that Balthasar is probably more logical than Brinestone, but I had not thought of her as a devil's advocate to anyone.

Maybe the key is "really piss off", which would mean Infyrno. But everyone really pissed Infyrno off (I think he chose that name specifically planning to get unreasonably angry about everything). SR wasn't even close to being the one that pissed him off most. Besides, I haven't seen him in a while.

Balthasar offered good points without the po'd emotions, but none the less I often felt I pissed him off.

Brinestone, yup piss her off big time, even though that is not my intention. I am often taken for trying to do it on purpose, when I am as I am my words come out that way.

LOL and Survivor you know darn well who the last person I irk is. Look in a mirror my friend.

Shawn

Very well, you wicked wench of writing. I looked in the mirror, now you must...eat a brautwurst! The pale mottled flesh of unclean animals shall teach you to cause me to behold my own visage!

Again, good luck Balthasar. You will be missed.

I guess I'll have to take his place. Big shoes to fill, but I'll do my best.

Seriously, See ya Balthasar. Enjoy!

PS -- Shawn, you never pissed me off. Just because I disagree with you (or anyone), and just because you disagree with me, doesn't mean I'll get pissed off.

Here we are.

The pain of loss healed by time. And now you are back to complete the process. Good.

I hope you had a restful leave.