mike is evolving

Hi Mike,What can I say? You're an intelligent person and you're going through a process that many deep thinkers do. Believe it or not, I really admire you; I've known you far longer than you've known me, and I think you've shown a lot of courage, all things considered.You've learned a lot and really grown during your time at EvC, and I realize that it hasn't always been easy for you. But I think that, for the most part, you genuinely try to understand other views (even if it takes a while sometimes ), so despite how you may be feeling right now, never allow yourself to feel guilty for a sincere curiosity about anything. As long as you're being honest with yourself, you have nothing to apologize for.If it's any consolation to you, I understand what you're going through. You may be surprised just how many people here do. So hang in there. It can be a difficult journey, I know, but in the long run, you will be all the better for it.

Oh how could I forget? I failed to mention your most noteworthy trait of all; your humility! You already have. I'm a stalker.No, seriously, I've been a lurker on EvC for years. I only started posting in more recent days but I've been reading all you guys for a long time. Sorry for not making that clearer.Actually, I thought you knew. I've mentioned it here and there on the forum and I guess I just assumed that you'd have read it already. Anyway, I couldn't say how long exactly, but I'd guess that I've been reading EvC now for perhaps two and a half years or so. As such, I felt like I already knew all the regulars here long before I ever joined.

Ah! So 'tis a hard road for a regular Einstein, but not for a super Einstein, like yourself. I would have picked up on that sooner, but I'm just a regular Einstein. Heh, I noticed that. And yes, I do; it's cute. Of course, baba anythings are cute. Well, usually. I'm sure there are exceptions. Yes indeed...LOOK BEHIND YOU!! *blood-curdling scream* Yep, it was me. Well, that is to say, I have mentioned that I'm a long-time lurker, several times on the forum. I suppose somebody else may have said the same, but chances are you were reading mine. Hmm...perhaps this is like the Einstein thing; are there different levels of omniscience, too? You may be ranked "super" on the "Einsteinity" scale, but perhaps you're only semi-omniscient, as opposed to omni-omniscient.

Well then, next time I want to insult someone, I'll just call them "sub-Einstein." What? What did you think of? Do I want to know? Never! There is only ONE Tony! Beware of cheap imitations!*cuts off imitation's head*"There can be ONLY ONE!"*screams...floats into the air...electricity pulses through body...windows explode*Ahem...*cough*...sorry... You need to ask? Then I suppose you are just semi-omniscient. Are the semi-omniscient privy to the meaning of life?

What she said.

Woohoo! Glad to know I'm not the only one.I haven't had much interaction with the EvC members (the majority of them I've never spoken directly to), so it's a little weird when I'm talking to someone here; I feel as though I'm chatting with old friends and I have to keep reminding myself that they don't know me. I've been reading EvC since considerably before Mike joined and I think he's come a long way, since he started. Personally, I think he should be proud of the learning (and growing) he's done.

Yeah, but they're all false prophets. Haw haw! Now there's a self-fulfilling prophecy, if ever I've heard one! "If you find it, it's easy; if you don't, it isn't." Brilliant! Right up there with "I can guarantee you it'll always be in the last place you look." Actually, I know how to beat that one; after you find what you're after, just keep looking for it.Heh, I'm just pickin' on ya. You wouldn't believe how much I actually hold back. Heh, my posts would probably be too long to bother reading at all if I really let go. That's ok, Mike. Please don't stress yourself out on my account. I realize most people have lives. Heh, but seriously, it's cool. My baba is always patient for you, Mike.

Heh, sorry about that. Just being honest. Noooo, I can't do that; not in my nature, I'm afraid. Well, yeah but I don't think I'm that well known on the forum. I mean, if I say names like schraf, crash, Rrhain, Ned, Percy, etc anyone who has spent any time at all on the forum knows exactly who I'm talking about.Don't get me wrong, I know it's not a popularity contest, and it doesn't bother me or anything. I hope I didn't give that impression; I didn't mean it to sound like, "Wah! Nobody likes me!" It's just kind of weird, that's all.Perhaps when you're speaking to someone you feel like you know inside out you subconsciously assume they know you, too. Then you find yourself periodically thinking, "Oh, that's right, he's never actually spoken to me before; how the hell is he supposed to know that?" Ha ha! Someone on another forum suggested the same thing to me, some time back. My universal problem, it seems.

Hmm...my spidey-sense is tingling. You wouldn't be quoting Curly, would you? The "just one thing" line, from City Slickers? Me too. But then, I like my exchanges with just about anyone. Yep, I know. Your post count has gone up pretty solidly since your humble beginnings here. I've been there for most of it. That is to say, I've been around for all of it, but I doubt that I've read all of it. There are quite a few.That was my point earlier...you haven't just spammed the forum or ignored other posters in your time here; you've genuinely contributed and you've genuinely learned. Always a good sign. Godly? Heh, and you thought I was exalting you? "Nothing else matters if you can just find one thing." Um...well, it was something like that anyway. I don't recall the exact line. Either that or "Huh? Where's that discussion going on?"Actually, it's a pity that EvC doesn't have (as far as I know) view-counts or something for the threads. Obviously, few have anything to say in my topic, but I can't help but wonder if any are actually reading it. It might count for something if I just knew that there were people interested enough to read the proceedings, even if they didn't want to say anything.As it is, I do feel a little guilty. I feel like I'm taking up bandwidth on a topic that nobody's really interested in, for my own selfish needs. I can't help but wonder if the only people reading it are Rrhain, Brad and I.And even then, I feel kind of bad for them. Rrhain seems like a busy guy, and I'm sure he has more important things to do here than be my math tutor. He participates in serious discussions and I feel like I'm taking time away from him in those topics by singling him out in mine. The thing is, he has an uncanny ability which just happens to be my Holy Grail, so I felt compelled to single him out.And as for Brad, well...he's just...Brad. As such, I feel bad about the effort he puts into his replies when, 90% of what he writes, I simply don't understand. But then, he is very knowledgeable, so who knows? Perhaps I'll glean enough from his posts to gain some new perspectives on the topic.Um, you know what? I think I just had one of my customary rants. Argh! It happens every time someone brings up dimensions. Sorry about that, Mike. You don't have to reply to any of that if you don't want to. Indeed? Perhaps you have actually been stalking me? Heh, yup...definitely the one for me.Even more disturbing is that you found such an image so easily. It looks innocent enough but I'm not at all sure I want to know where you got it.EDIT: Silly grammatical error which just proves that I should really be sleeping now.This message has been edited by Tony650, 11-12-2004 06:18 PM