Deb, You're correct when it comes to Josh. I spent hours with him in the chat room, and if I had less patience I may have come down on him too. But I found that once I got past the 'horn-toots', he was just a regular nice kid with big dreams like everyone else. He was very responsive to polite criticism, and really was not able to see himself as others saw him- what 13 year-old can?. I know 50 year-olds that are the same way. I liked his brassiness and resolve, but I know to others this was a turnoff. I even offered him a job when he came of age, to be my business promoter. Like him or not, you knew he was there, and he does have an entrepreneurial spark. If he was 30 and did the same things, people would not have had the feelings they did, as most of the criticism was based on his age. I remember people's responses mostly when they found out how old he was.
I did give him some big-brotherly advice once, and he readily took it. That's a good mark in my book. There's lots of things to learn in our sport, and many of them have nothing to do with tying or fishing. Some even have to learn how to learn, something many of us take for granted. Some just never learn. But getting back to the original topic, Josh was not an example of 'clickishness' on the part of the list, just an example of personality conflict with some members. I have found the list in general to be very patient with shortcomings (I have four of them), and once in a while things blow up, and in what family does this not happen? Then things settle down and we get back to tying and fishing. This has been a very rough summer for me personally. I lost my mom in May and my summer ended- literally. Just after that Cheryl lost her step-dad, and now her mom is very sick. Cheryl's been gone for about 2 and a half months this summer helping her mom, leaving me literally alone to work and take care of the place, pay bills, feed animals, do chores, cook & clean, plus handling my mom's estate. Work has been plentiful, and since I work out of my home, with my fly room just next door, I don't have to go far from 6 in the morning to eleven at night, which have been my work-days this summer. The VFB is like having some company during the long days in the saddle, friends who like what I like. DonO P.S. I just got through tying 3 massive marlin flies for a friend for the Bisbee Tournament in Cabo. They're not casting flies, for sure, as they're 24" long. They have two 12/0 hooks and are intended for 1000lb+ marlin. I used the new crinkle mirage material I got at the show in Denver, and it's awesome stuff. If anyone wants to see photos, let me know. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Deborah Duran" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2006 5:49 AM Subject: RE: [VFB] VFB clickish? OK... Now this is starting to bother me again. Josh was how old??? 13yrs?? I could never understand how a young boy could really get the goat of a couple of adults. Josh still lurks on this list every now and then. He may very well be lurking now. I found him to be very polite and I enjoyed the contact I had with him also. I've saved his letters and his flies he sent to me. I just wrote off any of his quirky statements as being those of a young adult. We should be setting an example for him not dropping to the level of the classroom bully. I have no doubt he will grow to become a wonderful fly tyer and fishermen. I spent my time trying to build Josh up not knock him down. I'm sure he got enough of that elsewhere. I recently went back to work and I chose to work with elementary kids as a special ed para professional. You can really do a lot with these kids by building them up. You never know what kind of baggage they're carrying from other experiences in their life. Can we get back on track now???? Warm Regards, Deb -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.407 / Virus Database: 268.12.10/459 - Release Date: 9/29/2006
