--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "know_mystery" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi All Geek Friends - > > Maybe people here can help me put a positive spin on this? Maybe > people here can find a different explanation for what has happened > besides the two scenarios i came up with? > > > love and peace, > joyce
~~~ hi joyce ... perhaps an opportunity to meditate on ... what is "real" ... and what is "imaginary" ... what it truly a threat that can harm us ... an what isn't and can't. good practice for everyday life as well, eh? so you have two possible scenarios ... i wonder how many others are possible? there must be others, eh? i haven't received messages from Yahoo asking me to verify i want to unsub ... but i certainly have recieved many from various groups notifing me that they have received my message to subscribe ... even tho i never have. happens all of the time. even to my own groups. ;) and as group owner ... i am aware of countless attempts of spam subscription requests ... and spam messages ... so this may be some random thing having to do with parties harrassing/interfering with Yahoo ... using the same techniques of gathering email addies ... and utilizing them to send spam messages. who can say? and if it is someone targeting you specifically ... harrasing/terrorizing you ... i'd suggest you don't let them succeed. i know it can/is a hassle ... but ... illegitimi non carborundum ... all i can offer is something general on differentiating between an actual threat and something that is only meant to intimidate. this particular spiel comes from the martial arts but the lesson can be applied to everyday life and situations that we all encounter from time to time ... both in the 'real world' and here on the net. perhaps you will be able to glean something from this that may be of use. -ts- ~~~ This is from "Zen in the Martial Arts" by Joe Hyams. Recognizing a True Threat Before I started to study martial arts, i was easily intimidated by false images of strength ... aggressive browbeaters, uncompromising people, musclemen, arrogant intellectuals, haughty waiters, persistent salesmen, disdainful automobile dealers. In a confrontation with any such people I usually reacted in an extreame manner. I either quickly retreated from the field, feeling completely inadequate, embarrased, and angry with myself, or I flashed back with anger, putting myself in direct conflict. My reaction on the mat against an intimidating, aggressive opponent was usually the same, and so were the symptoms. I became tense, flushed, and tended to overreact. One day my Sensei took me out onto the center of the driveway at my home. He had me stand still and extend one leg as far as it would go. Then he had me pivot slowly around while he drew a chalk circle around me, whose radius was the length of my extended leg. He then stood some distance from me on the edge of the circle and made some feinting and aggressive moves. I stiffened, awaiting his attack. "You're tense," he said, " but why? From this distance, I can't possibly cause you any harm." He then closed the distance slightly, until his feet had penetrated the circumference of my circle. Again, I started to tense and again he chided me. "I'm still not close enough to do you any harm, so why don't you relax?" Suddenly, he stepped fully into my circle. Instinctively, I retreated. "Good," he said, "You've moved your circle back so I am no threat to you. Now, suppose I stand at the edge of your circle. Am I a real threat to you?" I shook my head. "Not really. But, suppose I am physically threatened within my circle?" "When your opponent is inside your circle and you cannot or will not retreat any farther, you must fight. But until then, you should maintain your control and your distance." As my martial arts ability increased, so did my confidence. I was able to stand calmly back and let an opponent wear himself out with feints or attempts at intimidation because i was confident that, if necessary, I could defeat him. I soon had an opportunity to translate this attitude to my business life. I was faced with an aggressive person accustomed to winning arguments by putting suborninates on the defensive. i quickly realized that since his attempts at intimidation were not a real threat to me there was no need for me to react aggressivly, and I was confident that my work was well done. he was trying to provlke me with words only, so it I could keep him at the edge of my mental circle he would soon exhaust all the hostile energy he could muster without having received any futher stimulation from me. The would-be intimidator thrives on evoking a response from his intended victim. When there is none, he quickly wears out, which is what happened. Here is Master Han's advice for warding off intimidating people and situation. "I never make an instant decision, even when it is between friends," he said. "The proper system is to think twice more. Patience is part of it. To avoid being intimidated ... think more and react less. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70 http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/_bWolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HolyGeek/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
