A Hope for Personal Lessons . . . 'roundtable schooling'
posted by: wljewell
January 7, 2007
11:04 am
In my email . . . On Thu, 4 Jan 2007 20:03:36 EST, a fellow roundtable member wrote:
Dear Pristinus,
I would like to suggest that you cool the "...God's first" portion of your handle.
It is a noble attachment and quite creative but since you answer so many of the articles and comments in the Catholic Exchange, it is becoming boorish and laden with overkill.
You have much to offer and are of particular interest. Dropping that portion of your handle will effectively add to your excellent contributions.
I look forward to your continuing presence on CE.
(Try, any, to chase me off! And, to which I responded . . .)
Dear Sir,
Thank you for appreciating my presence at the roundtable. It is a rare person around here whom I do not find welcome to read their posts. So many so often are illuminating.
I have to wonder how my remembrance of a worthy spiritual and intellectual martyr - and example and hero of mine - could 'overkill' anything at a Catholic site? Saint Thomas More, a devoted family man as well as loyal and effective king's officer, reflected what we must keep in front of us at all times - no matter who else claims our attention, care, service, etc., God has prime claim at all times.
As 'noble and creative' as it is - it is me, about me, for me, and gives any reader a glimpse into me as does my nickname of Pristinus Sapienter. It is, after a fashion, a means of giving tête-à-tête to what is far from intimate conversation, as such internet things go. Likely as not, on the roundtable, considering all, I might not even be able tell if you are a man or woman, mightn't I? Only as you have fully signed your message can I know you as [his given name]. (Yet, of a fact, it is your right to tell me that your sex and even actual name are not my business, eh?) Then again, of my nickname, of Latin masculine suffix, I do give away that I am a man; my avatar, also, unless I am a bald, bearded lady(!) Indeed, I think that all about my postings, even in the canned signature, calls for just such response as you have made, beyond the topics and subjects of exchanges.
You find it boorish, and I am certain others find me boorish (and worse) in other ways. In fact, as it is your clear right to find things about me boorish and tell me so, I dare to say that it is my very right, since it can hardly affect anyone else, referring again to the lack of close-and-personal on the 'net, to verily be boorish. Such as being boorish can yield responses that tactful language might not.
I do thank you for using what I conveniently leave on every one of my posts - my email address. However, absent your identifying markings, I am posting this exchange on the roundtable that others can offer their opinions of my ways of postings. They can even get ad hominem, as it suits their chance to opine on me and my posts, etc. So, I thank you for opening a topic for which I would be able to get a glimpse of me as a number of others do, as I appear on the roundtable.
Regards and blessings,
Warren Jewell
As a hackneyed expression would have it, 'fire when ready, Gridley' - whoever would be Gridley at-the-guns . . .
THIS IS NOT an open invitation to 'hunt down' any but myself. None else has asked for such opinion of you. I ask for your frank appraisal - compare me to no one else except in vaguest identifiable terms about the other. Well - except as how his or her spiritual excellence to eloquence has trumped my less Godly posts. In that, there is lesson for any who read this thread, eh?
And, too, yet, however, do dare I to . . .
. . . remain your obedient servant, but God's first,
Pristinus Sapienter
(wljewell @catholicexchange.com or ... yahoo.com)
posted by: mkochan
January 7, 2007
1:56 pm
Yeah, but Warren, that isn't what Thomas More said — he actually said, "your obedient servant AND God's first."
I would hardly call it boorish, but it does lose something in the constant repetition. What we need is some way for people to attach these little personalizations to their avatars, instead of having to put them at the end of every post. But these creative little tweaks that the editors want have to wait while we get other minor details — like the site staying up and email being consistent — all taken care of.
(And what is this doing in the homeschooling forum, anyway? Majorly off-topic, regardless of the clever heading.)
You bring up something interesting as always. I am referring to the fact that you are one of the forum regulars who has been most open about who you are. We know your real name and a lot about your background. I'm glad that you have found the forum to be a welcoming place and that you have let us get to know you. With some posters, we might be seeing an alter ego, but with you, the saying it true — "what you see, is what you get."
Words come easily to you. Probably more easily than to many. My only advice would be try to let others be the first to respond to an article or story first more often, lest you scare off anyone who might be less verbally equipped.
As for comparing you to anyone else? No dice. You are incomparable.
posted by: wljewell
January 7, 2007
4:15 pm
THERE YOU GO -
Just who is going to take 'his best shot' when you call me incomparable - and, yes, as so many at the roundtable are . . . ("Aye, an incomparable lot, the whole of 'em. BUT, well, pay no attention, lest ye be Romanized . . .")
Ya think composer's going to look to skewer me now? I can't trust many of the rest - 'Ladies and gentlemen!' for their Christian gentleness and politeness.
(In 'Homeschooling' because the forums have too few 'mains', maybe? It would get majorly lost in the heavy flow of 'Faith and Life' - maybe, we could have put it in 'Sports' - 'hunting season is open on PS!' ['Twould deflect those gunning at the poor - in their eyes - Holy Father.] And, that may demonstrate, huh?, that it is majorly off-topic as an off-topic anywhere? 'Shoot the topic, but not the subject', a la sin and sinner.)
Saint Thomas More was more inclusive with conjunctions - probably a holdover from family and Privy Council.
'Be not-the-first . . .' - well, like the Lord's 'be last to be first' - good advice, ma'am. But, what if no one shows up to be first? And, maybe, others show up to check the item because one of us found it worth commenting? (I DO so whine, don't I?)
Not boorish but of a jaded nature - both? - hmmm - the old fogey will consider . . .
I remain your obedient servant, but God's first,
Pristinus Sapienter
(wljewell @catholicexchange.com or ... yahoo.com)
posted by: mkochan
January 7, 2007
4:57 pm
Sorry; didn't mean to spoil your fun.
I didn't say you should never be first. And we are glad to have you get things rolling. Just wait a little while, especially if you have been first out of the box several times in row. A word to the wise suffices.
Keep up that "jaded" stuff and I'll take back my compliment. You demonstatrate more youthful enthusiasm for life than many half your age and twice your health.
posted by: wljewell
January 7, 2007
11:13 pm
Do notice - below - my decision to abide your and that-other-person's suggestions.
Funny you should mention my 'enthusiasm for life'. It has come upon me several ways and times this Christms season that in being so ready for THAT life I am giving THIS life my all as I can, anyway. My spiritual director has mentioned that 'you do seem to go back to some trough into which you stored graces from your very Baptism'.
I am indeed an old fogey, but one can do that with style and charm - I have lacked a number of things in this life of mine, but elan, flair, panache, hasn't been one of them. But, of a fact, I now have to be just so very careful and get about s-l-o-w-l-y.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
Pristinus Sapienter
(wljewell @catholicexchange.com or ... yahoo.com)
posted by: pouliot
February 5, 2007
6:44 pm
But, of a fact, I now have to be just so very careful and get about s-l-o-w-l-y."
Oh where have you gone?
I think it wisest if everyone were to update their "tag-line" fairly often.
I'd like you to go back to your original every now and then too. If it were part of the "avatar" display, all instances would change and the variety from post to post would be missing.
As for me I will follow in Cicero's example since I cannot follow in his abilities.
PS for CE Technical Support: The navigation options (1 2 Next, etc) for a long thread need to appear at the top of the thread as well as at the bottom.