So, here I am, at a football game, ECU v. Temple, and this happened...

Something clicked. I was watching the hardcore ECU fans and the players, and eventually, a couple coaches, have a verbal altercation. Over what? I still don't know. But they all acted as if they had some real reason to be adversarial toward each other. However, they didn't. The Temple team traveled over 12 hours on a bus, with coaches, players, support staff, cheer leaders, (God bless cheer leaders, am I right, gents?) equipment, to, effectively, put on a show for the fans of both Temple and ECU. They were guests in our (I am a fan of ECU, but it's not like I wear the colors, I have but a baseball cap, and since they are a local team, so "our", refers to ECU) house and they accepted the invitation. That invitation means, that the need for extra security, should not have been needed. But it was. Greenville PD and the Pitt county Sherrifs office recalled off duty officers, and pulled officers off the street to make sure that when the game was over or nearly over, the crowd would NOT rush the field and start fighting with the Temple players and coaches. 

Allow me to make my point. 

I had a 90 minute drive home, and I got to thinking about this little community that I lke to visit daily, multiple times daily, even all day sometimes. Here is what I concluded. Why, WHY are we all so adversarial toward each other? I am guilty of this, and just about all of us are. I kinda realized something. I don't hate a single person here. I have no reason to hate a single person that I have or do role play with, talk to, or interact with. 

Manon, this includes you. Agrit, Grym, Arika, (well, Arika, while I don't hate you, I do pity you). Many others, it would appear, even some that I don't even know. I have no beef with you. None of you, actually. Maybe, for some reason, we were on each others shit list for some reason, one that probably will not matter a year from now, and if it won't matter then, why would it now? 

In conversations with certain people, names come up. Conversation material is shared, I learn about things that I did not otherwise have the ability to learn, without that person telling me that this person thinks My only problem, is that most people don't have the ability to come to me personally. Hell, Manon, for some reason thinks I have intentionally misjudged spars and matches. Called me an outright cheater. I'm not even mad, actually. I laughed. Because I know the truth. I can respect that, though, to an extent. At least you put your unfounded feelings out there. But, like I said, let me make my point. 

We are all here for the same, core reason. We want to role play. We want to enjoy ourselves, and maybe even the company of others. Roam room to room even and find a storyline that interests you, and find a way to fit into it. We are all here, some of us, for YEARS, because we are trying to hold on to this ONE guilty pleasure. But we squander it. By being adversarial toward each other, we squander this in the worst way possible. 

So, as of today, this moment, I am going to stop wasting this for both newcomers, and us old timers. I have no enemies. I have no hate. I have no ill feelings toward anyone. And if you stop in Lydius, know that if you are reading this, you are welcome to come to my home, and the home of the people that I hold closest to my heart, whether to just come shoot the shit, or want to shop at the market, or do business here, you are all welcome, and I will welcome you with open arms and a friendly mindset. 

It's time for a shft in the attitude we take toward each other. It's time to enhance our Gor. It starts in Lydius. 

Have a good start to your weekend, if it is in fact your weekend, and for those that have state or county fairs, eat some deep fried shit, ride some rides, play some games, gents, win some stuffed shit for the ladies, ladies, be grateful they tried if they fail, and enjoy the people watching. 

Barthello DuPree, Gorean Warrior, Admin of Lydius