[Leica] RE: WAS: The quint of Leica photog? - GET A LIFE!

[Jim Brick <jim@brick.org>]

At 12:58 AM 7/29/00 -0400, Ted Grant wrote to Austin:
>
>It does appear you have an overzealous seriousness towards life and all
>it holds, certainly how you responded to Jim's post and read insult
>meanings into it. Shame indeed!
>

I personally know dozens of LUGgers. I meet with them over lunch, over
dinner, visits to the local camera stores, etc.

I met with a dozen LUGgers, including Erwin, at the last Photokina.

I have broken bread with Ted and Irene Grant. A lifelong bond was
established. We even got Leica to pay the bread bill. No easy feat!!!

I have taught two Leica workshops. All of the students have asked to have
me back. I have been asked to teach a third. I have been asked to teach a
Hasselblad workshop. Linhof has asked the same.

I have hosted two BALUG meetings.

Any of you LUGgers that I personally know and/or have personally met think
I'm degrading and insulting? Please tell me. Don't say anything B.D... :-)

I have just been "purchased" (yesterday) by Agilent Technologies (the new
Hewlett Packard) because of my a.) digital imaging engineering
capabilities, and b.) because of my "real" photographic history,
background, and experience. Certainly not because of my age, 62. I'll pass
on my new Email address and phone number in a couple of weeks.

As one of the old farts around here, I quite often express my passions, my
observations, my vision, my opinions about a subject. It always comes from
my heart. It is never vitriolic.

Why am I going through this laundry list?

Because one person (Austin) out of 800 great passionate, argumentative, yet
civil LUGgers, continues to spew venom about anything and everything I
post. I'm hostile. I'm degrading. I'm insulting. There doesn't seem to be
anything that I can say, no matter how benign, that Austin doesn't read as
a poison pen statement.

Doug Herr didn't agree with my last long post about the craft of
photography. But he was civil about it. I have a deep deep respect for Doug
and his work. And I think he respects me. But we can agree to disagree,
civilly. It's really easy. Try it Austin, you'll like it.

I'm personally tired of having every word, every syllable, every thought,
scrutinized into oblivion. My Eudora filter-to-trash list was cleaned out
since all of the previous LUG annoyances seemed to have moved on. Well...
it's not vacant anymore. Sorry Austin. I just don't want to read your
accusations and vitriol anymore. I'm simply tired of being the brunt of
your... whatever your problem is.

As Ted and I have said for years. Talk on the LUG like the person is
sitting in front of you. They may be someday.

Jim