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Handing in my badge

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10:49 / 23.09.03

I've PMed Tom and asked him to remove my Moderator status. He's asked me to explain my decision, so here we go...

It's something I've been thinking about for several months now, and recent events have pretty much crystallised things for me. Essentially, my engagement with Barbelith - as might be expected with someone who's been floating around the board as long as I have - tends to wax and wane. The periods of low or non-engagement are longer now, and I'm increasingly finding that when I am here, my time and energy are focussed on addressing the problem of the troll du jour - which tends to leave me feeling depleted and disinclined to post anything more constructive. The circular arguments are wearying, as are the regular insinuations of censorship, croneyism and conspiracy to do whatever eeevil cliques do - and, naturally, the comparitively recent extension of trolling into my life off the board was not something I relished.

My hope is that relinquishing Moderator status will sever any 'articifial' ties with Barbelith. I won't feel duty-bound to log in, and I'm perhaps more likely to engage with the board on its merits - discuss something other than discussions. I'm hoping also to recapture some of the fun...

So... I don't feel Barbelith is dying, or has failed me. I'm not worried whether the board has lost the Touch of Morrison. I'm not being censored by fascists, and I'm not falling on my sword.

I'm not whining; I'm adapting.

Tryphena Absent

11:01 / 23.09.03

the Touch of Morrison
(hehehehe)

So glad you're not saying goodbye to the circus!

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

11:02 / 23.09.03

'Tis a shame, but I get where you're coming from. And yeah, goddamnit, if you can get the fun back for yourself, then GO FOR IT!!!

13:22 / 23.09.03

Fair play to you Ganesh. If that's the way it is - it's probably for the best. First time I've ever heard of someone actively wanted to relinquish their mod status though.

13:25 / 23.09.03

I think Nick and Bengali have both done something similar in the past. I'll soon be taking the Long Walk into the Cursed Earth to join them.

And me only a day or two from retirement...

13:40 / 23.09.03

I can't say I'm terribly surprised and it sounds like the best thing for you. Its a shame, though, that moderation has been that much of a pain for you. I think that that is one of the things that needs to change.

13:45 / 23.09.03

It's more that, as I've spent more time away from Barbelith, the shittier moderation stuff (and the endless meta-discussions) has made up the larger part of my contact with Barbelith - and it's sapped me of enthusiasm to use the place in other ways.

13:58 / 23.09.03

Yeah, I see what you are saying and I definitely look forward to a reinvigorated Ganesh suit. But I think that there is a bit of a problem with how moderation works. This isn't terribly well though out, but I think that the organisation of Barbelith leads to these endless discussions. If it were clearer and more straightforward, less ad hoc I suppose, then the odd difficult poster wouldn't be able to take up so much of people's time.

Not that I feel that myself, but then I wonder how it'll be with you gone.

14:27 / 23.09.03

Lurid: that's the problem with decentralization.

Ganesh: does this mean that I can't sit on your lap any more and call you nice uncle elephant? Because I love that game.

14:33 / 23.09.03

He'll be coming into musth soon. You don't want to have him around when that happens....

14:52 / 23.09.03

I don't know what that means, Xoc, but it sounds deliciously disgusting.

18:15 / 23.09.03

Musth seems to like it...

18:25 / 23.09.03

Good to see, Ganesh.

And wise & reasonable choice.

And we love you.

See ya' in the funnies!

18:29 / 23.09.03

PS: Melissa esp. loves you and Xoc and the way you two used (haven't seen so much of it lately, though...) to flirt it up & what not within the boundaries of this community.

And while I don't particularly care much for "The Petshop Boys" and other related music, she LOVES this stuff & always enjoys seeing your quotations from their songs.

Just to let you know is all...

18:40 / 23.09.03

Modog's fagag, eh?

21:20 / 23.09.03

*gasp*
You had a badge?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

21:25 / 23.09.03

Oh! I thought you said badger...

Less searchable M0rd4nt

21:31 / 23.09.03

Can't say as I blame you, 'Nesh. Glad you're not jacking the 'Lith in altogether.

ONLY NICE THINGS

22:08 / 23.09.03

Hmmm. Was considering this myself, but will probably hang on now until things settle up a bit and we can work out the maths of moderation.

How's that for irony?

10:09 / 24.09.03

It's like a black fly in yer Chardonnay, frankly.

Actually, Haus, I did offer to 'give notice' and stick around for a bit if my reverting to non-Mod status would inconvenience anyone, but Tom was happy enough to go ahead with it straightaway.

In response to the couple of PMs I've received, I'd like to make it clear that I am not some Barbeverse Robin Cook, and my decision is not a political but a personal one (a la Alan Milburn, if we must). I am not attempting to lead a charge, a boycott or a revolution, psychic or otherwise. I very much feel that we still need Moderators; I just don't want to be one anymore.

Since my 'demotion', however, I've taken up guest editorship of 'Pie - The Journal Of Projected Foodstuffs', become engaged to a real live tiger, and I'm currently running for Governor of California.

We're The Great Old Ones Now

10:24 / 24.09.03

The Free People's Republic of Geneva called. They'd like you to consider the post of Generalissimo in Chief and Arch-Deacon of the Church of the Holy Pastry.

13:38 / 24.09.03

Will there be jackboots? I'm gonna miss the jackboots...

We're The Great Old Ones Now

13:49 / 24.09.03

I gather the Generalissimo gets patent leather riding boots for State functions. The Arch-Deacon's outfit is devoid of sexual paraphernalia, consting of a mitre, sceptre, a chasuble with several dependent orphreys, and a pair of ceremonial oven gloves.

14:00 / 24.09.03

Are the orphreys fenestrated?

14:06 / 24.09.03

{singing}
Musth... marula... and moderatorrrrs....

14:28 / 24.09.03

Well. It's rare for someone to make a decision like that. Well done you for relinquishing power. More bum gags and Smiths quotes, I hope to see now.

Bet you can't keep yer schnozz out for long, though.

08:52 / 01.04.05

Not that it really makes a lot of difference (because I've not been around much) but I'm going to ask to be demodded from the Temple.

Reasons:

I feel the debate there has slowed to a crawl and I don't have the time or energy to do anything about it. I'm sick of having the same boring discussions with fuckwits, to put it rudely. Also, the board's general slowing down has coincided with me taking up a professional vocation so I've less nettime. So bye bye for now....

11:31 / 01.04.05

Sorry to see you go artist formerly known as illmatic - hopefully will still see you abroad both in barbelith and elsewhere...

14:46 / 02.04.05

I think it's a big shame for barbelith that one of your reasons for asking to be de-modded is the level of debate in the Temple and I will be very sorry to see you go. But I can understand it must be tiring when you feel like you're overseeing conversations with 'fuckwits' all the time.

I have been hoping that the new members might start some interesting threads because lots of them have expressed a specific interest in the Temple.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

07:57 / 03.04.05

It's a shame you're chucking in the towel, man, but I suppose I sort of get it. The Temple, IMHO, is still one of the best places on the Web to talk about this stuff but if you need a break then a break's what you need.

21:13 / 27.03.06

*coughs nervously*

Um.

I'd like my badge back, please. I'm emailing Tom to ask if I can be made a Moderator again, ideally Policy, Conversation and maybe Film & Television.

Reasons: I'm finding myself

a) with more time again (work reasons),

b) enjoying Barbelith more when I do post

and

c) intrigued by (what I perceive to be) a broad shift in terms of moderating approach (or, more accurately, some collective moderator decisions) since I last played an active part. I'd like to be involved in those decisions again.

Less searchable M0rd4nt

21:26 / 27.03.06

Come on, man. I had a rough night and I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man!

21:28 / 27.03.06

I can check out any time I like, but I can never leave...

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

21:37 / 27.03.06

I am SO taking these steely knives back to the shop. Fortunately I kept the receipt.

21:39 / 27.03.06

Team Elephant: Assemble! [the team is really just one person, oh well] Good luck!

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