h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If I didn't know better, I might have to conclude you're a Very Bad Man. And yet you always appear so reasonable. I don't suppose you give lessons on how this might be achieved?

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"

I should really have posted this here, on my space, not on yours.

There's no easy way of doing this, so I'm just going to be blunt.

Because of the ill feeling you have towards my wife, and some remarks made by you to her, and from which I can't, for obvious reasons, stand aside from, I would rather you didn't post on my PS in future.

I have no problem with continuing our debates in any other fora.

Noggin

I have thought of nothing but this all last night.

I have no ill feeling toward Az. When it became clear that her dislike of me wasn't going to change, I stopped engaging with her, thinking this would be more comfortable for both of us. This happened quite some time ago. As for remarks, I recall nothing of note, but that could be my faulty memory.

I am truly gutted that this has happened. I deeply regret putting you in such a position, and embarassing you with friendly overtures to which you felt unable to respond. I feel shamed and humiliated.

This was a bombshell for me. I don't know if I will be staying on h2g2 or not. I am surprised at how much what you've said has affected me.

Pattern-chaser

Please stop the bullshit P-c. I never said I disliked you - in fact, I remember coming to talk to you off-thread a few times when you seemingly chose to 'misunderstand' me. And I thought we had cleared things up.

Then, the next time I disagreed with you on a thread you went all 'drama queen' and unsubbed and other such nonsense. Did you think Nog hadn't read those threads?

Then you show up on his PS, twice, being all palsy-walsy, trying to make him feel like he was somehow on *your side* in a debate, when you know darn well he almost never takes sides unless there is a serious need to do so.

He always tries to reason and is just basically always intelligent and reasonable, looking for the best in people and their arguments, but also always clearly and without rancour showing them when he feels they might be wrong - or at least where they might need to rethink a thing or two. It's a very special gift he has and it's one I quite admire.

But sorry, you crossed the line. Coming to his PS. You put him on the spot. And he replied very graciously and politely, all things considered. Simply making his point that he would rather just debate with you elsewhere - he has no desire to pretend to be friends with someone who so obviously dislikes his wife. And I think that is really not too hard to understand, is it?

So please don't make a mountain out of a molehill. And please just respect Nog's wishes without taking them to mean more than what he said.

Yes, he is thinking of leaving h2g2 - we've both started up blogs elsewhere. I doubt he'll totally 'close down shop' here very soon (though your rant almost pushed him to it) as there are some people here he dearly likes staying in touch with.

So why not just go back to 'as you were'. Debating here and there with Nog and enjoying what he has to offer. Nothing has changed at all - just that, as he said to you, he'd rather you didn't post on his PS. A fair request, I think.

az

Wow! I don't dislike you, Az. I just can't see the point of doing nothing but fight. So I've been keeping out of your way. I'd moved on from what happened in the past until it was recently drawn back to my attention.

I too thought we had sorted things out, but when our very next encounter looked like yet another fight, I withdrew. You call it "drama queen"; I call it avoiding conflict I didn't want or need. I still don't dislike you, but I don't want to fight with you all the time either.

I was offering friendship to someone I thought was my friend. It was never my intention to cause hurt or offence, no matter how it may look to you.

I now know that Noggin feels uncomfortable talking to me. No decent person would feel OK about inflicting themselves on someone else after that.

Nothing I have said here has been bullshit. Mistaken, possibly, but genuine. Now I don't know what to say or do. One thing I know is that I will miss Noggin's invaluable insights.

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"

No need to say or do anything.

My reasons are not those of personal animosity, and I'm quite comfortable talking to you elsewhere.

And I really don't want to talk about it anymore.

Noggin

You have done what any reasonable person would do in your position. But, if I were you, I wouldn't want to talk about it either. Of course there was ill feeling between Az and myself, but being its destination, not its source, I didn't realise. Now, as a result of my own errors of judgement, I find I can't 'look you in the eye', as it were. So I'm off.

Pattern-chaser

"Who cares, wins"

I don't doubt you'll be back for a last look.

Az is not the source of the problem. For that you must look elsewhere.

Noggin