My own tale of meeting Guohua isn't a very interesting one, but that certainly doesn't reflect my affection I have for the
pistol-packing lady of the Arizona desert. I'm unable to relate what I think of her here because it wouldn't do her justice
in my eyes. She is someone who took me into this rare sanctuary of adults and for that, she holds a special place in
my heart.
...........................................
I've mentioned before how -after playing a mild prank in a ridiculous thread at TOS about the possible outcome with an
alien fighting a human, I was banned for supposedly bringing a little humour to a fake website that pretends to discuss
conspiratorial subjects.
Being of a generation that grew-up with a wary eye on these things called 'compooters', the internet never had the same
impact for myself as others around me cleaved to. A computer has an on-off switch and with a simple flick, the imaginary
world of faraway-friends and 'edgy' suggestive comments slips away and the real world is waiting for you to solve problems
that genuinely effect oneself and those we hold dear.
Later through boredom at work, I did what many others do and signed back into that place under a different moniker.
It was there I came across a strange fictional tale in the Creative Writing forum where one of the characters caught my
attention. A sullen fellow who seemed to write in a hard-headed manner and yet, spoke with an intelligence that failed
to support his brusque backwater demeanour.
With the use of a character designed from my Username, I carefully injected myself into the storyline with the hope I'd
be accepted. I like writing imaginative prose and craftily angled the 'Boy In A Dress' role to suit the ongoing narrative.
Ninurta took the bait...! I'd done it! Instead of being a lurking drifter of the threads, I'd been endorsed by this stranger from
faraway and he'd even set up paragraphs in the yarn to allow me to continue! This was great and after warily assuming
this no-nonsense -dare I say, 'acquaintance' would allow me to continue joining in with the long fictional potboiler, I grew
to -not only enjoy the back-and-forth of this odd union, but to also trust someone I believed was a rarity on the ruthless
highway called the internet.
But after a few days of speaking to this grizzled curmudgeon, I discovered there was no 'trick'... no bait taken, he was
a regular guy who held certain rules that many of us adhere to. Civility and respect for each other... behaviour of the
decent and ideals that shouldn't be too lofty a goal for the genuine person.
The clock ticked onwards and Ninurta explained he was also at another website, a place that I eagerly went to and found
it was having problems that I had no idea about. Things going on the back-rooms that told me maybe my initial thoughts
on the internet were true, genuine friendship on this electric conduit needed cultivating and care, words that may not be
conducive with what we usually hear and read in a caustic cyberworld.
I wondered if it was time to put BIAD back in his box and then I received a message from Ninurta that would change
everything.
....................................................
There was this woman, a woman who wanted to build a website for -not only for those who'd been ousted from the place
Ninurta had invited me to, but somewhere where discussions of anyone could prevail without the usual anger that seems to
be a necessary ingredient of current communal gatherings. I knew nothing of the previous problems on the other website
and mused that maybe the usual acrimony of the internet had invaded the place and left it ruined.
Ninurta later explained the whole situation and mentioned that this American woman and her husband weren't quite finished
in their search for a repository of mature discourse, yet since he hadn't (and has never!) steered me wrong, I nodded to myself
as I replied I was up for whatever he advised.
Guohua... what a strange name, someone on the internet who wished to build something where the members meant more
than the running of such a place. How outlandish...! How can a haven from all the toxic and unscrupulous workings of today's
social-interactions endure and offer a standard where such cutthroat behaviour wouldn't wish to infiltrate and destroy?
I was sure that this unknown woman probably held a strong forthright manner and would -just like many others, be a dame
who'd ask me privately if maybe I wasn't 'the right-sort' to go along with her idea. The Boy In A Dress persona hinted at a
perception that many have quietly asked me about over the years and I can tell you, the answer always seems to wrong-foot
anyone who enquires about the character.
Just for the record, BIAD ain't me... I'm an old married guy living a quiet life with a smart wife. This is the internet, the web
and webs are for catching the eye and fooling the brain.
(However, I do have a shed and I'm sure there's someone living in it!)
But Guohua never asked, never bothered with the 'tickle' the name stood for, she wrote to me the way someone who was
honestly interested in what I thought and nicely asked if I had ideas. Again, outlandish! Guohua is the same as many here,
there's no highfalutin hierarchy where discourse is herded by those who help out. Such control is expected by the members
and they/we rarely flounder in this department. It would be only natural that in this type of trusting environment Gouhua
would nurture my enthusiasm to help and being an Administrator here means nothing compared to being with caring friends
Anyway, she did give a damn and I'm not one for relating the real kindness of a person via wording like this.
Guohua wanted us all to be happy here, all of us. Rogue Nation is a place she built with help from those who looked to her
-not as co-workers, but as friends. In my heart, she wasn't Guohua... she is Guohua and I will always love her.
pistol-packing lady of the Arizona desert. I'm unable to relate what I think of her here because it wouldn't do her justice
in my eyes. She is someone who took me into this rare sanctuary of adults and for that, she holds a special place in
my heart.
...........................................
I've mentioned before how -after playing a mild prank in a ridiculous thread at TOS about the possible outcome with an
alien fighting a human, I was banned for supposedly bringing a little humour to a fake website that pretends to discuss
conspiratorial subjects.
Being of a generation that grew-up with a wary eye on these things called 'compooters', the internet never had the same
impact for myself as others around me cleaved to. A computer has an on-off switch and with a simple flick, the imaginary
world of faraway-friends and 'edgy' suggestive comments slips away and the real world is waiting for you to solve problems
that genuinely effect oneself and those we hold dear.
Later through boredom at work, I did what many others do and signed back into that place under a different moniker.
It was there I came across a strange fictional tale in the Creative Writing forum where one of the characters caught my
attention. A sullen fellow who seemed to write in a hard-headed manner and yet, spoke with an intelligence that failed
to support his brusque backwater demeanour.
With the use of a character designed from my Username, I carefully injected myself into the storyline with the hope I'd
be accepted. I like writing imaginative prose and craftily angled the 'Boy In A Dress' role to suit the ongoing narrative.
Ninurta took the bait...! I'd done it! Instead of being a lurking drifter of the threads, I'd been endorsed by this stranger from
faraway and he'd even set up paragraphs in the yarn to allow me to continue! This was great and after warily assuming
this no-nonsense -dare I say, 'acquaintance' would allow me to continue joining in with the long fictional potboiler, I grew
to -not only enjoy the back-and-forth of this odd union, but to also trust someone I believed was a rarity on the ruthless
highway called the internet.
But after a few days of speaking to this grizzled curmudgeon, I discovered there was no 'trick'... no bait taken, he was
a regular guy who held certain rules that many of us adhere to. Civility and respect for each other... behaviour of the
decent and ideals that shouldn't be too lofty a goal for the genuine person.
The clock ticked onwards and Ninurta explained he was also at another website, a place that I eagerly went to and found
it was having problems that I had no idea about. Things going on the back-rooms that told me maybe my initial thoughts
on the internet were true, genuine friendship on this electric conduit needed cultivating and care, words that may not be
conducive with what we usually hear and read in a caustic cyberworld.
I wondered if it was time to put BIAD back in his box and then I received a message from Ninurta that would change
everything.
....................................................
There was this woman, a woman who wanted to build a website for -not only for those who'd been ousted from the place
Ninurta had invited me to, but somewhere where discussions of anyone could prevail without the usual anger that seems to
be a necessary ingredient of current communal gatherings. I knew nothing of the previous problems on the other website
and mused that maybe the usual acrimony of the internet had invaded the place and left it ruined.
Ninurta later explained the whole situation and mentioned that this American woman and her husband weren't quite finished
in their search for a repository of mature discourse, yet since he hadn't (and has never!) steered me wrong, I nodded to myself
as I replied I was up for whatever he advised.
Guohua... what a strange name, someone on the internet who wished to build something where the members meant more
than the running of such a place. How outlandish...! How can a haven from all the toxic and unscrupulous workings of today's
social-interactions endure and offer a standard where such cutthroat behaviour wouldn't wish to infiltrate and destroy?
I was sure that this unknown woman probably held a strong forthright manner and would -just like many others, be a dame
who'd ask me privately if maybe I wasn't 'the right-sort' to go along with her idea. The Boy In A Dress persona hinted at a
perception that many have quietly asked me about over the years and I can tell you, the answer always seems to wrong-foot
anyone who enquires about the character.
Just for the record, BIAD ain't me... I'm an old married guy living a quiet life with a smart wife. This is the internet, the web
and webs are for catching the eye and fooling the brain.
(However, I do have a shed and I'm sure there's someone living in it!)
But Guohua never asked, never bothered with the 'tickle' the name stood for, she wrote to me the way someone who was
honestly interested in what I thought and nicely asked if I had ideas. Again, outlandish! Guohua is the same as many here,
there's no highfalutin hierarchy where discourse is herded by those who help out. Such control is expected by the members
and they/we rarely flounder in this department. It would be only natural that in this type of trusting environment Gouhua
would nurture my enthusiasm to help and being an Administrator here means nothing compared to being with caring friends
Anyway, she did give a damn and I'm not one for relating the real kindness of a person via wording like this.
Guohua wanted us all to be happy here, all of us. Rogue Nation is a place she built with help from those who looked to her
-not as co-workers, but as friends. In my heart, she wasn't Guohua... she is Guohua and I will always love her.
Edith Head Gives Good Wardrobe.