We had money put back for the upcoming trip, and we'll be good to go in that respect, but with the rising gas prices, we decided to see if we could raise a bit more. After scouring through 15 years of accumulated junk.....er......collectibles, we found that the only thing we have that is worth anything at all is......Nelson's World Wrestling Federation stuff. My friend Karen helped us sell 72 Hasbro Figures, Two Rings, and some accessories for a cool $260. The figures are going to their new home in Canada, to a collector who will hopefully take care of them as good as Nelson did. We have more things in the WWF world that we want to get rid of, but this was a good start.
Which brings me to the subject of ebay itself. I've never sold on there, so when an ebay drop-off opened up a few miles up the road, I decided to give it a shot. I sold an antique musical instrument a few years back (which I rescued from the dumpster at school) on consignment on ebay through the local music store, and so I figured that I knew what I was in for. I was wrong.
After being told to catalogue everything and much work, I was basically told by them that I needed to pay them an $80 non refundable listing fee, all the final value fees and Paypal fees, AND a flat 30% after all that was taken out. I politely declined, and called my friend Karen who knows how to sell on ebay. I took the photos and gave her the info, and she did the rest.
We set a reserve - the bottom line, won't accept any less price. She started the auction at $.99, and put it up for 10 days. And we waited. And waited. And watched. Watched auctions don't bid - or at least quickly.
By the end of the first weekend, it was up to $51. Several days went by, and I saw that it suddenly went to $150 - the reserve price. The next morning, it was back at $51 - the person who bid decided they didn't have the money, and retracted. CURSES!
By the last day, it had hopped back up to $150. At the beginning of the last hour, it was at $207. I decided not to check again until it was done, and it stopped at $260, plus shipping (not cheap - it's a lot of stuff and takes a big box). Fine by me.
So today, after a lot of e-mailing back and forth and setting additional shipping costs (as ours were only for the US), Karen called me tonight to tell me what we cleared after Paypal took their 3%. She said "You owe me for the listing fee - do you want me to deduct it from the proceeds?". I asked her how much. She said "Oh, it's $5.70". I said "HUH?!?!?" She double checked, and that is what it is.
So I understand that the guy up the road is running a business, and he needs to make some profit, but jeez! A whopping $80 just to list it?? That's massive profit (don't ask me for the percentage - I suck more massively at math)!! Totally unnecessary to charge that much, ON TOP OF the final value listing and Paypal fees, and BEFORE the 30% consignment charge.
He was a nice man, and I'm sure his wife was a nice lady, but I still can't get over the disparity. Even accounting for them to take the photos (I did well with 6, I think it was - maybe 8 at the most) it just doesn't add up. Plus, he runs a shipping business too, so he's making a healthy profit from the shipping. He even insinuated that my stuff wouldn't bring in much money. Well, I'm happy to clear what I did. It will pay for one of my hotels, freeing up some money for the ever-rising gas prices.
Ebay drop-off? I think I'll pass.......
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Holy Hiatus, Batman
Well, after minutes of scratching my head, I consulted the Metaverse Excuse-O-Mat , and I have an answer for my absence:
So, yeah. Winter blahs, nasty colds running concurrently, a sudden busy spurt at work, a newfound appreciation for doing the Nautilus circuit - they all work. My week is packed: Monday is for groceries, Tuesday is for the gym, Wednesday is for Bible Study, Thursday is back at the gym, Friday is for chilling, Saturday is for working (at least for now), and Sunday is for napping.
Sometimes, I think about just walking away. Barely anyone reads this, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I'm a procrastinator, but not generally a quitter. Bible Study has taken a break for the summer, so I have at least one night free now. I need to make the time to do something besides complain on here.
I see my last post was about Nelson's dad's military records. We retrieved the records in February, but they weren't a whole lot of help. We've narrowed down his Parris Island graduation month, but not his platoon number, and no one can help us without it. We're still waiting for his medals and certifcates. I had some leads on the Parris Island thing, and I need to do some follow-up. I don't like to pest, but it's been 2 months, so I think I'm ok.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Work is exhausting. We had a push earlier this year than usual, and it's left me hopping. My job is too much for one person, but not enough for two, and it's a lousy spot to be in. Most people are understanding, but every now and again (like today), I find myself in a borderline yelling match because people can't or won't understand how things work in my end of the world. After much heated exchange today, and general unrest, I settled an issue that arose. Turns out I was right all along. I'm not a gloater - I won't run around singing "I am so smart. I am so smart. SMRT. SMRT." So frustration abounds, but we're implementing a new computer system in July, and if it makes just a few aspects of what I do easier (which is the goal), then hopefully it will be worth it.
And I've got the big vacation on the horizon.
I'm SO looking forward to the 10 day whirlwind through several states that starts in Cleveland and ends in Pittsburgh with a stop in Tennessee for several days. Looking forward to seeing friends and dead malling (Cleveland), looking forward to a once-in-a-lifetime experience (Tennessee), and looking forward to visiting Nelson's last remaining non-estranged family (Pittsburgh). I also got us booked - finally - in for the House Of Blues Gospel Brunch. We missed out on it last year.
And that's just vacation #1. The second one comes later, when we return to Illinois to spend time with good friends. The internet keeps us in touch, but it's no substitute for sitting together in a restaurant, or cruising down the highway listening to Sirius Raw Dog, and then quoting it for the next few days.
Three weeks and counting until my first change of venue. But I'm not counting......
I oh gosh-- I guess I blew it and all. What I'm trying to say is, well, my apologies. You know, sorry-issimo. Is that enough?
So, yeah. Winter blahs, nasty colds running concurrently, a sudden busy spurt at work, a newfound appreciation for doing the Nautilus circuit - they all work. My week is packed: Monday is for groceries, Tuesday is for the gym, Wednesday is for Bible Study, Thursday is back at the gym, Friday is for chilling, Saturday is for working (at least for now), and Sunday is for napping.
Sometimes, I think about just walking away. Barely anyone reads this, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I'm a procrastinator, but not generally a quitter. Bible Study has taken a break for the summer, so I have at least one night free now. I need to make the time to do something besides complain on here.
I see my last post was about Nelson's dad's military records. We retrieved the records in February, but they weren't a whole lot of help. We've narrowed down his Parris Island graduation month, but not his platoon number, and no one can help us without it. We're still waiting for his medals and certifcates. I had some leads on the Parris Island thing, and I need to do some follow-up. I don't like to pest, but it's been 2 months, so I think I'm ok.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Work is exhausting. We had a push earlier this year than usual, and it's left me hopping. My job is too much for one person, but not enough for two, and it's a lousy spot to be in. Most people are understanding, but every now and again (like today), I find myself in a borderline yelling match because people can't or won't understand how things work in my end of the world. After much heated exchange today, and general unrest, I settled an issue that arose. Turns out I was right all along. I'm not a gloater - I won't run around singing "I am so smart. I am so smart. SMRT. SMRT." So frustration abounds, but we're implementing a new computer system in July, and if it makes just a few aspects of what I do easier (which is the goal), then hopefully it will be worth it.
And I've got the big vacation on the horizon.
I'm SO looking forward to the 10 day whirlwind through several states that starts in Cleveland and ends in Pittsburgh with a stop in Tennessee for several days. Looking forward to seeing friends and dead malling (Cleveland), looking forward to a once-in-a-lifetime experience (Tennessee), and looking forward to visiting Nelson's last remaining non-estranged family (Pittsburgh). I also got us booked - finally - in for the House Of Blues Gospel Brunch. We missed out on it last year.
And that's just vacation #1. The second one comes later, when we return to Illinois to spend time with good friends. The internet keeps us in touch, but it's no substitute for sitting together in a restaurant, or cruising down the highway listening to Sirius Raw Dog, and then quoting it for the next few days.
Three weeks and counting until my first change of venue. But I'm not counting......
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
And Some Good News At Last!
Last Summer, I had a post about government red tape in regards to obtaining Nelson's late dad's military records, replacement medals, etc. I never did receive anything I was asking for. I figured that I'd waited long enough, and set about trying to get help.
I asked my cousin, at Christmas dinner, who she recommended on the local level for assistance (she once worked at the state house for a local senator). She said no one, and suggested I go national. Fine idea, but I'm lukewarm on our Representitives and Senators. The ones I liked got voted out in the last election. There was one that I had met, I liked him, and I knew his office would have helped. Instead, I was left with the person who replaced him. I groaned as I went to his website. He really pushed the veteran assistance aspect on his site, so I figured I'd give it a go.
I was surprised to have a courteous reply quickly, and found his staff professional. They gave me instructions to fill the paperwork out differently this time, and they couriered it out for me. I received a nice letter from the Congressman (well, his staff, but still), and a copy of the letter taht was sent to the head of the department that stores the records we need.
Today, there was a message on the answering machine from his office, informing me that they have items for us, and asking us to come and get them.
So this is exciting! I'm hoping we got the replacement medals, the Cold War Recognition (seeing as his late dad served in Cuba during the missle crisis), and the records which show the necessary information to obtain a boot camp photo.
We're planning on going down to retrieve what we got on Thursday. So a big kudo to our Congressman. I'm not above giving credit where it is due - especially when I had little faith going in.
I asked my cousin, at Christmas dinner, who she recommended on the local level for assistance (she once worked at the state house for a local senator). She said no one, and suggested I go national. Fine idea, but I'm lukewarm on our Representitives and Senators. The ones I liked got voted out in the last election. There was one that I had met, I liked him, and I knew his office would have helped. Instead, I was left with the person who replaced him. I groaned as I went to his website. He really pushed the veteran assistance aspect on his site, so I figured I'd give it a go.
I was surprised to have a courteous reply quickly, and found his staff professional. They gave me instructions to fill the paperwork out differently this time, and they couriered it out for me. I received a nice letter from the Congressman (well, his staff, but still), and a copy of the letter taht was sent to the head of the department that stores the records we need.
Today, there was a message on the answering machine from his office, informing me that they have items for us, and asking us to come and get them.
So this is exciting! I'm hoping we got the replacement medals, the Cold War Recognition (seeing as his late dad served in Cuba during the missle crisis), and the records which show the necessary information to obtain a boot camp photo.
We're planning on going down to retrieve what we got on Thursday. So a big kudo to our Congressman. I'm not above giving credit where it is due - especially when I had little faith going in.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
The Final Report Is In
and it's as I feared.
The coroner announced today that Christopher Bowman had alcohol, prescription drugs, and a few illegal drugs in his system when he died. Of course, they're also blaming his weight on it, but I'm not so sure. He'd actually lost some weight in the last few years, and while he was nowhere near his top physical condtion, he wasn't 400 pounds either.
And of course, the yutz's who feel the need to make rude commentary on the articles are out in full force: "One less drug addict to worry about. Who's next?". Truly sad commentary on the current state of affairs.
It's a shame that Chris was such a tortured individual, and it's more of a shame that he'll be remembered more for this than his wide array of accomplishments and contributions to the world of Men's Competitive Figure Skating.
So in my small way, I'd like to try and keep his positive accomplishments alive. If you're a fan, you'll recognize both of these programs as some of his finest. If not, take a second to watch, and honor the memory of someone who left us way too soon.
As I scoured for this clip, someone left a comment - a stretch of lyrics from an old favorite song that I'm going to post here because I can't say it any better myself:
"You were there in the turnstiles with the wind at your heels
You stretched for the stars, and you know how it feels
To reach too high, too far, too soon...I saw the crescent
You saw the whole of the moon."
-The Waterboys, "The Whole of the Moon"
Rest in peace, Christopher. I truly hope you've found what you were looking for.
The coroner announced today that Christopher Bowman had alcohol, prescription drugs, and a few illegal drugs in his system when he died. Of course, they're also blaming his weight on it, but I'm not so sure. He'd actually lost some weight in the last few years, and while he was nowhere near his top physical condtion, he wasn't 400 pounds either.
And of course, the yutz's who feel the need to make rude commentary on the articles are out in full force: "One less drug addict to worry about. Who's next?". Truly sad commentary on the current state of affairs.
It's a shame that Chris was such a tortured individual, and it's more of a shame that he'll be remembered more for this than his wide array of accomplishments and contributions to the world of Men's Competitive Figure Skating.
So in my small way, I'd like to try and keep his positive accomplishments alive. If you're a fan, you'll recognize both of these programs as some of his finest. If not, take a second to watch, and honor the memory of someone who left us way too soon.
As I scoured for this clip, someone left a comment - a stretch of lyrics from an old favorite song that I'm going to post here because I can't say it any better myself:
"You were there in the turnstiles with the wind at your heels
You stretched for the stars, and you know how it feels
To reach too high, too far, too soon...I saw the crescent
You saw the whole of the moon."
-The Waterboys, "The Whole of the Moon"
Rest in peace, Christopher. I truly hope you've found what you were looking for.
Monday, February 4, 2008
What Else Should I Be?
Once again, the subject of a few previous "Deep Thoughts-esque" posts has managed to work their way back in my life. Why do I allow this person to torment me, months after I uttered my last words to them via e-mail (goodbye)? Darned if I know. Maybe I'm just a glutton for punishment.
Or maybe someone is trying to tell me something.
Forgiveness has always been a toughie for me in certain situations. While I can generally shrug off many situations - especially ones that are out of someone else's control - there are other times where I just can't say "meh - it's ok", no matter how much I'd like to (and yes, I'd like to be able to do that now).
It's something that we've been trying to work on in counseling. I don't just have the aforementioned person to try and move out of my plane of annoyance, but several others as well. I'm moving ever so slowly there for some of the people, but not all (aforementioned person included).
Let me backpedal a tad: Before Nelson had his current job, he was trapped in a horrifyng job. No benefits, low pay, and a lot of unfulfilled promises. He muddled through for 3 years, and then left, only to be laid off and have to go back to work for them again (the job market here isn't great). Another 3 years, and he was fried. I don't know how he lasted as long as he did - I'd have gone to the booby hatch long before. The inevitable happened, and it all came to a head one day. He said something that was taken the wrong way by his ultra-wannabe Christian bosses, and it went downhill from there. There were witnesses - the situation got blown way out of proportion, because believe me - I don't dig him out of messes. If he screws up, he needs to accept responsibility and fix it, but there were major extenuating circumstances in this case that it would take me way too long to get in to here.
These are the same ultra-wannabe Christian people who shunned medical science and said that my husband would be better if he just gave himself to Jesus. Don't get me started....... Well, we asked our minister to accompany Nelson down there to try and appeal to her good Christian side. She said it would be ok. We decided he should return while he looked for another job, and then take his leave (but we didn't tell her this). One week later, she claimed she never said that, and that she had terminated him. When I questioned our minister (because I wasn't there), he said that she was out and out lying, and that God knew the truth, and she'd answer in the end.
It all worked out. He was working again within two weeks, at a much better job where he is treated better, and receives good pay and benefits. After he left, she terminated another person with a medical problem, and he decided to sue - and won. So she got hers. But I continued to just loathe her. I can't stand a liar. I can't stand wanna-be Christians. I can't stand people who promise the moon but deliver squat. I refused to speak to her if I saw her, and made my share of unfriendly comments.
Anywho, we went out to eat tonight at a local steakhouse, and guess who waddled in the door? I couldn't believe it. We both groaned. She saw me, because we made eye contact, and she looked away. After awhile, Nelson said "Are they at the salad bar?". I said they weren't, and he could make a break for it. He said "No, I want to know where they are", and he walked off. He came back with a big grin on his face.
He said "I decided that I can be the bigger person and show them some of that forgiveness that Pastor Jim is always talking about". He's much better off now. He should actually be thanking them. The mood lifted a bit, and he was in better spirits.
So I'm back to the person at the top of the post. I'd love to be able to just say "Thanks to you, I've made some good friends, even if everything else sucked." But I can't. I just can't. I don't want someone to come crawling to me and say "I'm SO SORRY for every wrong I committed against you, and I beg your ultimate forgiveness!". Nelson wouldn't have gotten that from his bosses even if he would have wanted it.
A few weeks back, the aforementioned person contacted one of us that he "wronged", and said he was sorry. That person, in return, forgave him, but did vent about a few things that he felt the offender needed to work on, including apologizing to me and another person. The other person got an apology - I did not. I relayed this information, and was told that no one was surprised. Then, to top it off, the other person involved (who did get an apology) posted some current pictures for people to see, and one included the offending person. As stupid as it may sound, I was not prepared to "see" them, and in combination with some other things going on, I spent an hour in a weird emotional limbo bouncing between anger and sadness. A big thank-you to a friend who allowed me to vent, and put it somewhat to rest.
I just couldn't understand how that person could go and spend free time hanging out with someone who treated us so badly. Who stomped on us and ignored our queries as to what was going on. Who denied any involvement in the stuff that was going on. I guess the answer is that in some respects, they are better than I am. I'm too analytical. All I can "see" is that things would be ok for a time, then they'd go right back to where they were, and we'd all be in the same boat - well, I wouldn't because apparently I'm not worthy of any attempt to rectify the situation. I will run the possible scenarios over again and again in a zillion different configurations in my head, and none turn out well. I want to scream "WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT NO GOOD WILL COME OF THIS?!?!" or "HOW QUICKLY YOU FORGET! JUST 6 MONTHS AGO THIS PERSON WAS STOMPING ALL OVER YOU!", but I don't. Just because I can't be the bigger person and get over it doesn't mean that others need to join my occasional self-imposed doldrums. The fact that I can't truly get over it is my problem, and mine alone.
So on the way home, with my husband in a good mood in the passenger seat because he managed to find that place where he can say "screw it", this came on the radio, and while I really never cared for this group, it was appropriate, and grabbed me:
What else should I be?
All apologies.
What else could I say?
......(verse deleted)
What else could I write?
I don't have the right.
What else should I be?
All apologies.
I wish I was like you;
Easily amused.
Find my nest of salt;
Everything is my fault.
I'll take all the blame.
All in all is all we are.
Again, maybe somebody is trying to tell me something. Would an apology really make any difference? Probably not. Do I truly need to hear it to put this one to bed? Probably not. Am I over it? Probably not. Am I getting there? Probably.
All in all is all we are, indeed.
Or maybe someone is trying to tell me something.
Forgiveness has always been a toughie for me in certain situations. While I can generally shrug off many situations - especially ones that are out of someone else's control - there are other times where I just can't say "meh - it's ok", no matter how much I'd like to (and yes, I'd like to be able to do that now).
It's something that we've been trying to work on in counseling. I don't just have the aforementioned person to try and move out of my plane of annoyance, but several others as well. I'm moving ever so slowly there for some of the people, but not all (aforementioned person included).
Let me backpedal a tad: Before Nelson had his current job, he was trapped in a horrifyng job. No benefits, low pay, and a lot of unfulfilled promises. He muddled through for 3 years, and then left, only to be laid off and have to go back to work for them again (the job market here isn't great). Another 3 years, and he was fried. I don't know how he lasted as long as he did - I'd have gone to the booby hatch long before. The inevitable happened, and it all came to a head one day. He said something that was taken the wrong way by his ultra-wannabe Christian bosses, and it went downhill from there. There were witnesses - the situation got blown way out of proportion, because believe me - I don't dig him out of messes. If he screws up, he needs to accept responsibility and fix it, but there were major extenuating circumstances in this case that it would take me way too long to get in to here.
These are the same ultra-wannabe Christian people who shunned medical science and said that my husband would be better if he just gave himself to Jesus. Don't get me started....... Well, we asked our minister to accompany Nelson down there to try and appeal to her good Christian side. She said it would be ok. We decided he should return while he looked for another job, and then take his leave (but we didn't tell her this). One week later, she claimed she never said that, and that she had terminated him. When I questioned our minister (because I wasn't there), he said that she was out and out lying, and that God knew the truth, and she'd answer in the end.
It all worked out. He was working again within two weeks, at a much better job where he is treated better, and receives good pay and benefits. After he left, she terminated another person with a medical problem, and he decided to sue - and won. So she got hers. But I continued to just loathe her. I can't stand a liar. I can't stand wanna-be Christians. I can't stand people who promise the moon but deliver squat. I refused to speak to her if I saw her, and made my share of unfriendly comments.
Anywho, we went out to eat tonight at a local steakhouse, and guess who waddled in the door? I couldn't believe it. We both groaned. She saw me, because we made eye contact, and she looked away. After awhile, Nelson said "Are they at the salad bar?". I said they weren't, and he could make a break for it. He said "No, I want to know where they are", and he walked off. He came back with a big grin on his face.
He said "I decided that I can be the bigger person and show them some of that forgiveness that Pastor Jim is always talking about". He's much better off now. He should actually be thanking them. The mood lifted a bit, and he was in better spirits.
So I'm back to the person at the top of the post. I'd love to be able to just say "Thanks to you, I've made some good friends, even if everything else sucked." But I can't. I just can't. I don't want someone to come crawling to me and say "I'm SO SORRY for every wrong I committed against you, and I beg your ultimate forgiveness!". Nelson wouldn't have gotten that from his bosses even if he would have wanted it.
A few weeks back, the aforementioned person contacted one of us that he "wronged", and said he was sorry. That person, in return, forgave him, but did vent about a few things that he felt the offender needed to work on, including apologizing to me and another person. The other person got an apology - I did not. I relayed this information, and was told that no one was surprised. Then, to top it off, the other person involved (who did get an apology) posted some current pictures for people to see, and one included the offending person. As stupid as it may sound, I was not prepared to "see" them, and in combination with some other things going on, I spent an hour in a weird emotional limbo bouncing between anger and sadness. A big thank-you to a friend who allowed me to vent, and put it somewhat to rest.
I just couldn't understand how that person could go and spend free time hanging out with someone who treated us so badly. Who stomped on us and ignored our queries as to what was going on. Who denied any involvement in the stuff that was going on. I guess the answer is that in some respects, they are better than I am. I'm too analytical. All I can "see" is that things would be ok for a time, then they'd go right back to where they were, and we'd all be in the same boat - well, I wouldn't because apparently I'm not worthy of any attempt to rectify the situation. I will run the possible scenarios over again and again in a zillion different configurations in my head, and none turn out well. I want to scream "WHY CAN'T YOU SEE THAT NO GOOD WILL COME OF THIS?!?!" or "HOW QUICKLY YOU FORGET! JUST 6 MONTHS AGO THIS PERSON WAS STOMPING ALL OVER YOU!", but I don't. Just because I can't be the bigger person and get over it doesn't mean that others need to join my occasional self-imposed doldrums. The fact that I can't truly get over it is my problem, and mine alone.
So on the way home, with my husband in a good mood in the passenger seat because he managed to find that place where he can say "screw it", this came on the radio, and while I really never cared for this group, it was appropriate, and grabbed me:
What else should I be?
All apologies.
What else could I say?
......(verse deleted)
What else could I write?
I don't have the right.
What else should I be?
All apologies.
I wish I was like you;
Easily amused.
Find my nest of salt;
Everything is my fault.
I'll take all the blame.
All in all is all we are.
Again, maybe somebody is trying to tell me something. Would an apology really make any difference? Probably not. Do I truly need to hear it to put this one to bed? Probably not. Am I over it? Probably not. Am I getting there? Probably.
All in all is all we are, indeed.
Life Happens
Yes indeedy do.
I had some stuff, but it seems to have worked itself out, so I really need to put some effort in to this blog again. I miss writing here, but it's been hard to concentrate with a zillion things that needed attention.
That, and I don't like to put forth massive negativity. I killed a blog that I had before this one by constantly venting about things. I may open it back up as my vent blog, where I can rant away, but for now, I'm trying to keep that to a minimum.
That being said, I thought about which topic I wanted to tackle first, and I sort of had my mind made up for me, and while not necessarily a rant or vent, it's just something I feel the need to get out. On the plus side, that fact that I had to think about what to discuss first is a plus. Perhaps I'll have enough material to keep me going for a little while.
Stay tuned.
I had some stuff, but it seems to have worked itself out, so I really need to put some effort in to this blog again. I miss writing here, but it's been hard to concentrate with a zillion things that needed attention.
That, and I don't like to put forth massive negativity. I killed a blog that I had before this one by constantly venting about things. I may open it back up as my vent blog, where I can rant away, but for now, I'm trying to keep that to a minimum.
That being said, I thought about which topic I wanted to tackle first, and I sort of had my mind made up for me, and while not necessarily a rant or vent, it's just something I feel the need to get out. On the plus side, that fact that I had to think about what to discuss first is a plus. Perhaps I'll have enough material to keep me going for a little while.
Stay tuned.
Friday, January 11, 2008
I'm Really Beginning To Hate The Internet
I saw a blip on MSN this morning that grabbed my attention.
One of my favorites from back in the days that I was HEAVILY in to figure skating has passed on.
Christopher Bowman (affectionately called "Bowman The Showman" by his fans and colleagues) was an immensely talented person, but he lead a troubled existence, and was destined to crash. Figure Skating is a tough life to be in and retain your sanity. Many skaters end up involved in drugs or worse, and a number have taken their own lives. It's akin to being a child star (as Christoper was when he was small) - the constant strive for approval, and then when you reach a certain age, the public has moved on to the next big thing.
I found the article fairly well written. I wish they would have left off the "suspected overdose" parts and the dredging up of all his past misdeeds until they know for sure what happened, but that's the way it goes in these types of things.
What sickened me, however, is the commentary left by people below the article. It runs the gamut for predictable - "Who cares about figure skating?" "As much fun as watching paint dry.", to the disgusting - commentary about his sexual orientation in the comment that they were shocked he had a daughter (because all male skaters are ****), to the outlandish - people using this as a platform to pull the race card and other inappropriate stuff.
Like skating or not, Christopher Bowman was a real person. He had family - his mother was a fixture on TV when he was skating. He was married at one time, and does have a daughter. He was a coach, and has students. He had friends. Imagine being close to someone, and finding out they died by seeing a blip on the Internet. Then imagine scrolling to the bottom of the article and seeing the disgusting commentary down there.
No one thinks before they post anymore, and the anonymity of the Internet lets the true sickos display their anger and hatred for all the world to see. While I'm grateful for the Internet for making my life easier, and allowing me to make friends I would have never been able to make otherwise, I hate it for what it has become - a sounding board for the idiots of the world. Almost makes me wish for the days when I would have heard about this on the news, and would have been able to say a prayer for Christopher, and then move on. Now, I'll forever hear those hateful comments in my head when I think of him.
Sad indeed.
One of my favorites from back in the days that I was HEAVILY in to figure skating has passed on.
Christopher Bowman (affectionately called "Bowman The Showman" by his fans and colleagues) was an immensely talented person, but he lead a troubled existence, and was destined to crash. Figure Skating is a tough life to be in and retain your sanity. Many skaters end up involved in drugs or worse, and a number have taken their own lives. It's akin to being a child star (as Christoper was when he was small) - the constant strive for approval, and then when you reach a certain age, the public has moved on to the next big thing.
I found the article fairly well written. I wish they would have left off the "suspected overdose" parts and the dredging up of all his past misdeeds until they know for sure what happened, but that's the way it goes in these types of things.
What sickened me, however, is the commentary left by people below the article. It runs the gamut for predictable - "Who cares about figure skating?" "As much fun as watching paint dry.", to the disgusting - commentary about his sexual orientation in the comment that they were shocked he had a daughter (because all male skaters are ****), to the outlandish - people using this as a platform to pull the race card and other inappropriate stuff.
Like skating or not, Christopher Bowman was a real person. He had family - his mother was a fixture on TV when he was skating. He was married at one time, and does have a daughter. He was a coach, and has students. He had friends. Imagine being close to someone, and finding out they died by seeing a blip on the Internet. Then imagine scrolling to the bottom of the article and seeing the disgusting commentary down there.
No one thinks before they post anymore, and the anonymity of the Internet lets the true sickos display their anger and hatred for all the world to see. While I'm grateful for the Internet for making my life easier, and allowing me to make friends I would have never been able to make otherwise, I hate it for what it has become - a sounding board for the idiots of the world. Almost makes me wish for the days when I would have heard about this on the news, and would have been able to say a prayer for Christopher, and then move on. Now, I'll forever hear those hateful comments in my head when I think of him.
Sad indeed.
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