[meteorite-list] 3 and a half more days

From: Mal Bishop <magbish3_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:13:11 2004
Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.2.20030427220224.00c63910_at_lowcountry.com>

Anne, Gregory, Walter, Charlie, Dirk, and list members,


I'm going to try and not waste too much of my time writing this email and I
don't
particularly care how it is received -- good or bad. Use the WONDERFUL
"DELETE" KEY!

The only point I will convey is that I've been collecting meteorites since
1991 which
I'm sure is longer than a majority on this list. Somehow back in the "old
days"
before the Internet became the prime medium for purchasing, trading,
learning about this
hobby I was so in love with, it just seemed somehow more mystical and had
a MORE magical
quality. These enigmatic rocks from some cold, distant place falling to
our planet to be either
witnessed or found then advertised for sale by word of mouth, local papers,
or somewhere in
a magazine. That's the way it was when I started.

Today, it's so different it's hardly conceivable to me that it's even the
same hobby sometimes.
The Internet like every new invention/technology is truly a two edged
sword. On one hand, it's
wonderful to communicate with people all over our planet and learn about
them, and they about
me in turn while sharing a common passion and goal. I've made several what
used to be called
"pen pals" (when people actually used pen and paper) by being associated
with this list
and a couple of other lists of personal interest.

The sad thing is since I've been on this list since 1998 or so, I've always
been, at first, shocked
at much of the behavior of one member towards another, directly on the
list, as if in some sort
of childish playground squabble instead of taking it privately, one on one
off list. Now, I'm just
resigned to the simple fact some things never change. Those of you who've
been around for a couple of years remember a character or two that never
learned until it was too
late and eventually were banned from this list. I still don't know why
supposed adults involved in a hobby
with intellectual and scientific ramifications that have the opportunities
to learn, gain knowledge,
and simply share the joy of such an unique and wondrous passion act like
morons at times.

I pretty much gave up posting on this list a couple of years ago about
serious questions concerning this
hobby for I would VERY rarely receive any replies or start a thread. There
always seemed to be too many
other more important subjects to address such as, if I remember one
correctly, "who has a meteorite
most resembling a female or male anatomical part" (no need to mention what
parts, you get the idea).
Some really serious science going on there, ugh!

Usually, now when I want to discuss meteorites, I converse directly with
one of the list members I've
established a good re pore with, reference the web, or a book. Seem to get
much more info that way!

This sort of behavior sort of reminds me of a cliche in that this list
happens by circumstance have a
fairly large number of members that have actually met face to face, shared
food, drinks, and good times
due to the nature of the beast itself -- chasing meteorites together (or
trying to out beat each other),
the many gem and mineral shows a lot attend and become acquainted, and so
on. Many times this is,
of course, carried over to the list at large with great benefit, but then
there's that negative side.
This list is not only for a handful in say, America, but the world over,
not only for adults, but
for children as well. There are many that have not met face to face and
they more than likely never
will. These people have to be considered as well or this list, and the
hobby we enjoy probably as well,
will not flourish or at least not as it could. I understand there are over
600 people who are members of this
list. How many do we see posts from? There's a lesson to be learned there
somewhere!

To be honest I've better things to do with my life than even sit here and
type this 'waste of a time'
email. Those who get it never needed it said in the first place, those who
don't..........................don't and won't!

I've always thought ever since I joined this list, why didn't Bob Haag ever
post (now he may have once or twice and
I just missed it), then it sort of dawned on me -- too busy, too
classy. I purchased my first meteorites from
Bob back almost 13 years ago now from an advertisement in the back of an
astronomy magazine.
My point is, the collectors and dealers ( on or off this list) that get the
respect are obvious to everyone!!!

Mal
Received on Mon 28 Apr 2003 12:09:46 AM PDT