All and sundry.

I had hoped to do this in a controlled, orderly strategic withdrawl, culminating in a "Gift" to my bride, coinciding with Easter and my birthday [both the 23rd of April], of my life back to her. Real life intervened last night. In a quote variously attributed to John Lennon and about 13 other authors, "Real life is what happens when you are making other plans."

It was made quite plain to me [even through my usual insensitivity] that I was on the point of making a very large mistake, in continuing to slowly drift away from my bride of 26 years. Not being a complete fool [though there ARE alternative minority opinions there], I have chosen to adjust the course I am sailing. Thus there are things I will be doing differently starting with the writing of this post.

I MUST back away from the [chaloupa] forum somewhat. I will still be around after work for those wee hours spam attacks, and I will still lurk and maybe post a bit, as myself or one of my alter-egos (Oh, you hadn't figgered them out? Well they'll still be around), but the days of 4-7 hours on the forum, and 12-14 hours at work have ended. The days of a window for TB2K, one for Admin TB2K, one for the thread in progress in Admin, and one for the thread in progress for TB2K, and one for one of the chat rooms are at an end.

The e-mail will still work.

I must try to see if I remember how to have a life. I am going to try to go from unpublished to published writer (a trek that was interupted 2 years or so ago by a radio show, some guy named Gary North and then another with some guy named Ed Yourdon), and to see if I can find a way to have some kind of impact on the world I live in.

I had TRULY hoped I would be able to help with the transition of TB2K into the "alt.misc.misc" that I saw it able to transition to last year. But, as I have learned the hard way, when living to your priorities is not getting the truly important things done, the priorities need to change. I'll still be around, and will do my level best to continue to be a gadfly, and to stir things up on a regular, every 2-4 month schedule, I just won't be devoting a greater part of my life to it anymore.

I don't know if I have ever expressed how much I invested in this place, to more than about a dozen people. Consequently, there are only about 6 folks (past or present posters) who can possibly know what it costs for me to do this.

I can't call it a wasted investment in that I learned a great deal about a LARGE number of things, but the ROI was seriously lower than it might have been. Particularly of late. The time has come to dry the keyboard and move on. (though not very far and probably not very quickly).

The simple fact that backing away somewhat is necessary earlier than I had planned should indicate how unavoidable I find it.

Lest someone say that I am another Doomer simply sliding out the door without having the testicular fortitude to admit I was wrong, I will point out that I have said MANY times, that my worst case scenario, absent the loss of power, was a longish slow decline into a 1930's style depression. I still think this is on track.

Also, as some have noted, valedictories tend to be, ummm, short lived. Pleae note, this is not hardly a full fledged valedictory as I WILL still be around, just NOT as much as before.

As to why a sysop would have the unmitigated arogance even post this much of a valedictory, the answer is fairly simple. For about 8 months, I have been a lightning rod for the sysop team. Mostly of my own making, I will admit. In point of painful honesty, for those of you who thank Me and Diane for whatever good we have done and for those of you who curse us, the true facts are that there are 8 or so other folks besides myself, who have volunteered their time to TRY to keep things in some semblance of civility.

To whatever extent we have either succeeded or failed, understand that civility has ALWAYS been the goal.

The ONLY way you could get the kind of dedication from the folks involved, is to find volunteers. There is NO quantity of money (with fewer than 6 or 7 zero's to the left of the decimal point and a leading digit smaller than 5) which would compensate for the "interesting" e-mails, and posts we receive, or have to clean up. I knew this came with the desk but having my nose rubbed in it every day has been a bit much. My bride wonders why we have drifted apart over the last few months. Perhaps it is due to the fact that my defense mechanism is to withdraw. It has taken a month or two in FRLCHAT to reverse this withdrawl. To those of you who have listened to me in chat rooms I thank you for the shoulders. You have meant more than you know.

It is time to shake the dust from the folds of my tent, roll it up, toss it onto the pack mule and see if the the stories about the river over the pass yonder (that the shores are black sands with nuggets the size of catseyes) are true. Rest assured I will have to come back periodically to trade my dust and nuggets for supplies, and when I do I will be sending dispatches back East.

Chuck

AKA Sysop # 3

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 22, 2000

Answers

Vaya con Dios. If you find any really big nuggets, be sure to let Andy know.

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), February 22, 2000.

Chuck AKA Sysop#3,

My best to you. While you will be missed by many here, it is better to be missed by us than to be missed by your bride. Oh, Happy Birthday (on April 23rd)!

Thank you for all the hard work you have done as a sysop.

-- (Sheeple@Greener.Pastures), February 22, 2000.

Thanks for all the work, Chuck.

I was also primarily worried about another 1929. It looks even more likely now. I disagree that it is happening slowly. The energy price run up has been fast. From reading Galbraith's book, I got the impression that even in 1930, 1931, and 1932, there were still lots of pollies, and "prosperity is just around the corner" DGI types.

We've had two articles in the press about down 'n outers in Silicon Valley, the broad market indices are down a lot, AOL and Amazon.com are under pressure and lots of investors are under water.

But hey, Cisco and Microsoft together have a market cap of a trillion dollars. That's what? Only a hundred bucks or so for every person on the earth? They can only go up, guarenteed. (This is extreme sarcasm, you have to wonder who the investors think will be buying into Cisco and Microsoft. While they are fine companies with real products, there's no way that several billion Chinese, Indians, Pakistani, Africans will be buying their stock or products.)

-- cory (kiyoinc@ibm.XOUT.net), February 22, 2000.

Chuck,

Thank you for all your stabilizing efforts and razor sharp insights.

Best wishes in new endeavors. I am glad you will continue topost on occassion.

Good luck to you and yours.

-- Bill P (porterwn@one.net), February 22, 2000.

It has always amazed me the speed with which the sysops team has responded to forum problems and issues, day after day and night after night. The personal sacrifice by the volunteer army is obvious and enormous and tremendously appreciated by a great many of us. It meant the forum could stay open and newcomers could drift in, to the general benefit of all involved. To Chuck and Diane and other sysops I know about and will never know, bless all of you.

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), February 22, 2000.

Respectful sympathy. All the more so if you are saying, as I read it, that you've realised that most of the piss and wind on this group - however fascinating - isn't actually important.

There were some valuable posts, and lessons learned, but now it's mostly repitition, bitterness, contention and repitition. Utterly fascinating, definitely addictive, but with little real value any more unless you enjoy reading the same shriek of "dooooomed" every time oil or gold rises a cent, or a funny looking cloud drifts overhead.

What's valuable is time spent with loved ones. This forum (and following the links and references therein) eats into that time. I applaud your decision wholeheartedly. And even though I agree that there are rocky times ahead, I've stopped burdening my loved ones with my concerns, or denying them my company as I spend hours online trying to cut through the media crap to the real picture. I've reworked my finances, and cut back to a a quick surf at lunch.

I'm aware, I'm prepared (financially, personally). That's enough. Now it's time to enjoy myself in the now rather than living a life of fear and anticipation. So best wishes to you, Chuck, and many thanks for your integrity and dedication.

-- _ (_@_._), February 22, 2000.

Godspeed my freind!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for all the time and effort to keep us afloat. Keep in touch.

-- Scotty a.k.a. FLAME AWAY (blehman202@aol.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck,

If you're getting the feeling from these answers that you will be missed, you're sure right. And probably in ways that those of us who have never donned the sysop's hat cannot begin to appreciate.

If you have a good, working relationship with a solid lady, and (from my perspective it is clear that) you must both be pretty solid folks to have made it 26 years in this day an age, all I can say is that that gift comes along very few times in a lifetime. For some of us never. Some of us realize what we maybe had, too late.

Rebuild those bridges to your best friend and companion solid, old son -- she's a gift beyond price! As you are to her.

Early this decade, my own life ended up turned upside down. Ever since then I've been doing the kind of additional hours you spoke of, without respite. Yes, we all make choices in life. Sometimes we stop and consider how it will all total up when the book's closed. I had to choose committments that let me continue looking at that greying shape in the mirror each morning. There certainly were costs.

Oh yes, I can emphasize with you!

For you, and for the other sysops, please accept my personal appreciation for the long hours, the regular intrusions on real life, and for being there and doing what most of us don't even know is being done to keep this working!

-- redeye in ohio (not@work.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck,

Thanks for your contribution. 1999 was my most unusual year. Y2K . . .Was it a waste of time, or was it the most educational phenomenon of the era? For me, I think it was the latter.

I think all of us who use the forum traveled many miles on unworn paths in 1999. Thanks to you and the other sysops for helping to blaze the trail.

Glad to hear you won't be deleting your bookmarks.

-- Puddintame (achillesg@hotmail.com), February 22, 2000.

thanks, chuck! your hard work will be missed. but i agree with you, the spouse's needs and your right to have a life, come first.

-- jocelyne slough (jonslough@tln.net), February 22, 2000.

Best wishes, Chuck! Your intelligence and temperament has long been appreciated by me. I wish you and yours all the best, and worry not, marriage has a ebb and flow that gives it resiliency and stamina. It's vitally necessary for the long haul. Prost!

-- Ma Kettle (mom@home.com), February 22, 2000.

We, who have profited so much from your devotion to a cause, salute you. If medals were awarded to Sysops, you would definitley be on the podium. Have a happy and fulfilling life. You will be missed. May all your paths be downhill, may the rains fall gently on your fields, and until we meet again may God hold you in the palm of his hand.

-- Nadine Zint (nadine@hillsboro.net), February 22, 2000.

And thanks from down state of you, Chuck! It has been a trying season for a lot of us, and it's not over yet, not by a long shot. Best wishes on your projects!

-- (ladybuckeye_59@yahoo.com), February 22, 2000.

PS Thank you for your gift of time,synapse and sweat.

-- Ma Kettle (mom@home.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck, youre reasoning nature will be sorely missed on this forum. Good luck in separating yourself from the chores of sysop. Im reminded of the lowly compensated border guards that line-up for the chance to have some power in their lives. You and your fellow moderators have managed to keep a lid on this teapotthanks for your time. I suspect that most of us that were caught up in the Y2K frenzy will slowly move on and this forum will dry up or morph into something altogether different. As you well know, few have really left for good.

-- Ra (tion@l.1), February 22, 2000.

Chuck,

Thanks so much for your devotion. You're a great guy. Take the lady Driver to the movies, or whatever it is she likes. She's your household goddess. Blessings to you both.

-- Mara (MaraWayne@aol.com), February 22, 2000.

"Sniff, snork, drip"....I love a happy ending. What a lucky woman your wife is, and what fortunate people you are to have found each other. And you have been a moderating voice for the last 2 years I have been here. Coming up 32 years of wedded bliss (?) for me, - nothing beats a best friend, especially if it is a spouse.... Thanks, Chuck.

-- Laurane (familyties@rttinc.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck,

Thanks for all your hard work here. Best wishes for more peaceful times. T2k was a bust thank God but there was no way to know that for sure in advance.

Thanks too for your service as an EMT person. Wow, what you must see and be called on to do. I have been hauled in by EMTs on two occasions and had the profoundist respect for their courtesy and competance. What did you think of that 1999 Nicholas Cage movie about the EMT world? i can't remember its name.

-- (nemesis@awol.com), February 22, 2000.

I am glad to hear you are resetting your priorities. I am sad to loss your objectivity and dedication.

Please know that your work has been appreciated.

-- Futureshock (gray@matter.think), February 22, 2000.

chuck, sorry to see you go, thanks for all the work on the forum

i expect you will be back from time to time

-- sir richard (richard.dale@unum.co.uk), February 22, 2000.

As Chuck is well aware, my foot is halfway out the door too.

The Sysop team owes you a big THANK YOU! for selflessly devoting so much time and effort to both studying Y2K in all it's nuances... and the tireless spit 'n polishing required to keep this place open for discussions. Sort'a.

Take your lovely wife someplace special Chuck. Make it Valentine's Day once a week.

;-D

Thank you, my friend, for who you are. You're choosing "what's important" and that's as it should be.

Diane

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck, thank you for all that you have shared and given to us. Your posts have been thoroughly enjoyed, and we will miss you. The very best to you and your bride.

-- suzy (suzy@nowhere.com), February 22, 2000.

Thanks Chuck! Your hard work is deeply appreciated by us all!

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck,

You know, that Lennon quote has had the single greatest influence on my life of any line I've ever heard from a song.

I'm not sure if he originated the quote, but it's from a song of his about his son, from what I think was his last album before he died. I think it's called "Beautiful Boy". The song has continued to haunt me as well. The exact quote (I burned it into my memory, so I'll really be embarrassed if I'm wrong) is:

"Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans."

Thank you so much for your heroic efforts and dedication, Chuck. Alas...now someone very special is waiting for you...go to her and may you both fall in love with life all over again...together.

-- eve (eve_rebekah@yahoo.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck, enjoy your reentry into the real world, and shower your bride with celebratory signs of your dedication to her.

Thanks for all the work you've done for TB2K! Very glad to see that you're not going to vanish completely.

Treats, flowers, cards, movies, nice meal out, walks in park, bicycle rides in woods 'n meadows ... togetherness fun activities that can really make a wonderful day with a mellow afterglow for a couple in perpetual love :-)

ENJOY !!!

-- Ashton & Leska in Cascadia (allaha@earthlink.net), February 22, 2000.

Blessings on the work you've done, and your centered spirit that has shown through here. Best wishes for the future.

-- Firemouse (firemouse@fcmail.com), February 22, 2000.

Thanks for all the hard work, Chuck. Your efforts (and those of the other Sysops) are much appreciated. May the road rise to meet you and the sun be always at your back!

-- DeeEmBee (macbeth1@pacbell.net), February 22, 2000.

Chuck, thank you so much for your balance, your firmness when necessary, your dedication to the volunteer job of syssops, and your good nature. You will be missed, and you are very much appreciated. God bless you and your wife. And please thank her on behalf of all of us who have benefitted from your hard work and caring. Enjoy!

-- Elaine Seavey (Gods1sheep@aol.com), February 22, 2000.

Dear Chuck,

GET OUT OF HERE !!!!

SCAT! BE GONE!

My thanks too,I add to the rest.

PS.Tell Mrs Driver that we all thank her for her patience !!!I hate being a "Trekkie" widow but I guess it is as nothing to being married to a sysops!

-- Christine (griffen@globalnet.co.uk), February 22, 2000.

Thanks, Chuck, and also to Mrs. Chuck. Greetings from Alaska, and special thanks for helping to stave off the spammers. We don't get much news up here, we can't even get a non-Alaska paper from a newsstand, so we really appreciate the news and updates on TB 2000. Your work has been very important to us.

-- seraphima (seraphima@aol.com), February 22, 2000.

Wishing only the best for you and Mrs. Driver. Thanks for all of your hard work here on TB2000. As a poster, your words are always worth a look; as a sysop, most of your work goes unnoticed, but much appreciated.

Thank you for sharing your time with us.

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), February 22, 2000.

The real-world friendship that has evolved between our two families is one of the many fruits of this forum in my life. See you soon, eh?

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), February 22, 2000.

Til we meet again :-) ::::tips his hat:::

-- Tim (pixmo@pixelquest.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck-- What a nice person you must be to have made the decision you did.

-- Pam (jpjgood@penn.com), February 22, 2000.

Most of us are spending less time here but your cutback will be noticed more than most. I understand that the last spate of troll abuse caused an upsurge in sysop volunteers--let's hope two or three of them can help make up for your absence.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck,

Everyone except Ms. Driver loses in this one.

Y'all come back again when you can find the time. We'll still be here roaming around in "Wunderland". Mostly in the bushes and weeds of course, but here none the less.

Take care Cyberfriend. Stay well and happy.

S.O.B.

-- sweetolebob (buffgun@hotmail.com), February 22, 2000.

Chuck, what can be said that hasn't already been?

A heartfelt thanks for your efforts here. You will be missed. (And you too Diane.)

I am in the initial stages of "getting on with my life" as well. Sorta reminds me of the Jimmy Durante show (but I date myself), where the lights all go down, and he walks slowly away, from spotlight to spotlight, finally fading....

"Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are..."

Bye Chuck. Bye Diane. My very best to you, and to us all.

-- Dennis (djolson@pressenter.com), February 23, 2000.

Chuck,

Many thanks, and many, many happy miles to you and Mrs. Driver.

Jerry

-- Jerry B (skeptic76@erols.com), February 23, 2000.

Hey, wait! Take some of these with you:

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,

I wouldn't have sysop'ed this board for any amount of anything. Oh, sure, I whined for the keys, but what you guys had to deal with was just way too much aggravation.

Sincere adulation regarding your perseverence.

"As a matter of fact, I do own the road."

-- lisa (lisa@work.now), February 23, 2000.

Top... for "awareness."

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), March 01, 2000.

Thanks for everything. Take it easy...

-TECH32-

-- TECH32 (TECH32@NOMAIL.CON), March 02, 2000.

Chuck,

It's really a shame that some who still shout the tired cry of "Censorship!" as their justification for continued disruption of this forum will never know the extent of your attempts at even-handedness. Here's a big thank you from someone who has had a few posts deleted by a night driver. All the best to you and your bride. Be well, and don't be a stranger...some of us look for posts by your alter-egos, too.

-- (RUOK@yesiam.com), March 02, 2000.

Chuck,

Thank you for the long hours, service and sacrifice.

I've enjoyed reading what you've written here and elswhere, writing suits you well. So, like... write on man!

Best Regards, to you and the wonderful woman - who is, without a doubt, lucky and proud.

-- Tom McDowell (bullriver@montana.com), March 02, 2000.

cory: "I was also primarily worried about another 1929"

The Golden Bear: Alan's Money & Investment Links For Ursids and Aurophiles; a.k.a. the Irving Fisher Memorial Web Page ("Stock prices have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau" -- Dr Fisher, 15 October 1929) --- http://www.provide.net/~aelewis/gold/goldbear.htm

-- alan (foo@bar.com), March 02, 2000.

Chuck is this deja vu, haven't I seen this post before or am I psychic

you'll be back I know

you can't keep away

-- Sir Richard (richard.dale@unum.co.uk), March 02, 2000.

Chuck,

Best wishes to you and thank you for your hard work and dedication to this forum. I applaud you for honoring your marriage.

Richard Bach said: "The only difference between an amateur writer and a professional writer, is that an amateur is a professional who didn't quit".

Methinks you will not quit. And I suspect some experiences gained here in cyberspace will no doubt become part of the woven fabric that will soon bear a title with your name listed as 'author'. What a rewarding feeling it will be for you!

Take care Chuck! =)

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), March 02, 2000.

Be cool!

-- Johnny (jljtm@bellsouth.net), March 02, 2000.

'''''''''''''''

Leavin... On A Jet Plane... Dont Know When Ill Be Back Again...
-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), March 01, 2000
http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=002h5y

FORUM IS MOVING TO NEW HOME ON EZBOARD
-- Ed Yourdon (ed@yourdon.com), March 02, 2000
http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=002hHU

'''''''''''''''

-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), March 02, 2000.

A belated, but heartfelt thanks and well wishes to two of my favorite forumites - Chuck and Di ;-)

Hopefully we won't lose you completely, you've really added to many peoples' lives.

God bless you both

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telus.net), March 02, 2000.

Thanks Chuck!!

Thanks for all your efforts on this forum - am glad to hear that you are not absolutely "gone" but just on "leave"! Best wishes!

-- jeanne (jeanne@hurry.now), March 02, 2000.