I agree with you. Completely. But you already knew that.

*hugs* Can I wield my machete of doom?

Yes, please. *smiles brightly*

Lei, please wield said weapon. I'll even sharpen it for you before you do.

One of the things I loved about my job in DC was all the stories we used to get when our employees got in trouble. We had a huge dry erase board dedicated to the wall of shame. Because breaking back into a bar by crawling through the air conditioning ducts is a good idea, you know.

*grins*

LMAO. Niiiice.

*Dubs you Lei's Weapon Sharpener* Though I think you've got some pretty good weapons yourself. ;)

I think maybe it would be best if you took this as a lesson in your own lack of compassion. It is extremely easy to dismiss others once you put yourself in another class, I did it for a long time. Once you start believing and applying labels yourself, you've done your enemy the greatest service ever: you've hurt yourself in a way they never could. Because whereas they could hit you, or say something mean, only you can internalize it and carry it with you.

Take a moment and look at your motivations. It's hard, I know. I used to shoot down everyone else's opinion or think of myself as smarter or kinder to hurt others and make myself feel better. And in a way, I was as bad as the kid throwing the temper tantrum to get attention. Pity is a self-serving emotion, and we're better off without it.

*sigh* Normally I take your Lessons in Life dissertations with a small grain of salt, because your insights are always very fair-minded and legitimate. But this time, I do have to ask that you not lecture me on a matter to which you are not even remotely privy. I don't think it's in good taste, and is much too short-sighted an endeavor for someone of your intellect.

I won't launch into a justification of my above mini-rant other than to say that I am very much entitled to those feelings, and despite the fact that they were (quite obviously, in my opinion) expressed in a moment of extreme frustration, reflect perfectly the type of shit I've been dealing with over the last few months. So it really strikes me as unnecessarily brash and offensive to suggest that I "take this as a lesson in my own lack of compassion." Please-- and I truly do mean this with the utmost respect, because I have incredibly fond memories of you-- but please, in the future, spare me the self-righteous pep talk.

There's a buddhist saying that if two people are caught in quicksand, the more you try to help eachother out, the more you sink in. The only way to get both people out is for one to get to solid ground, and then pull the other out. I wasn't trying to pull you out, just saying "Hey, we're in quicksand."

Is it stupid of me to seriously covet that avvie?

No way.

Agreed-- definitely not, that avvie wins at life. :)