Cheers to all
Tim O'Connor (tim@roughdraft.org)
Fri, 31 Dec 1999 01:16:31 -0500
It's been a long and rocky year, at least at this desk, and we on
this list have had more than a few scuffles, online equivalents of
one person tossing a glass of water in another's face. But we came
together because most of us have found something worthwhile in the
work, and the enigmatic personality, of J.D. Salinger.
Today is one day early for New Year's pronouncements, and I'm not one
for pronouncements, anyhow. I want to thank the people on this list
who make it possible for us to go on discussing, bickering, fighting,
loving, reading, writing, and joining in the general mayhem. Some of
you call yourselves "lurkers"; I like to think of everyone who
silently gets this list as somebody who might some day speak up.
Everyone has an equal voice here, and constructive contributions are
always welcome. Some may not agree with you, some may agree or fall
in love with you, some may delete your message unread. No matter.
Keep joining in! We enjoy it in these quarters, where we derive more
pleasure than we can describe from the goings-on here.
Tomorrow, January 1, is Jerry Salinger's birthday, as he turns 81 in
his aerie in New Hampshire. A toast to him, and even a "thanks" that
he will never see. His work has kept me going. I'll bet there are
some of you out there who can say the same.
May good fortune be with you in the coming year, and please remember
that we are moving this list on January 10. (I'll send the
instructions again before we move.) It's been a strange and pleasant
and upsetting and affirmative year here. But we go on. Even if we
think we can't, we go on. There is nothing else we can do, eh?
So, sleep tight, everybody, and cheers to you all!
--tim o'connor (the grounds-keeper of the list)