fable has left the building

[der Moench]

So I was wandering around here last night, and came across that Georgia evolution thread, and what to my wondering eyes should appear but a statement from our very own (slumming) Babylonian God that he is dropping SYM like a hot potato!

I guess I felt a thread was in order to bring this tragedy to the eye of the general public, and as a locale for some fond farewells. So drop a line and wish fable well, have drink on me, maybe link a thread in honor of the late, great mod himself ...

As for me, I'll raise a toast to fable, and remind him that he has in fact quit SYM before, and hope that he stays away slightly less long this time around.

Peace.

[Sytze]

Although I dont know fable as well as most of you do, I also wanted to sort of pay my respects.

Im not the eldest guy on the board here, and reading fables posts was always quite educational, so to speak. I can actually say I've learned from it And that doesnt happen to me on too me forums.

So hereby, my thanks fable....it is sad that ure leaving SYM, but atleast we can still see you at the BG boards.

[HighLordDave]

Quote:

Originally posted by der Moench and remind him that he has in fact quit SYM before, and hope that he stays away slightly less long this time around.

I don't know that fable can stay away from SYM for very long, as SYM has a tendency to draw people back after extended periods away, but his name is off the moderator list, so it looks like this hiatus may be a little longer than the last one.

[C Elegans]

A toast to Fable, and my sincerest wishing that he will reconsider his membership of SYM after some well deserved rest. I think it is quite difficult to be a moderator at SYM, and my hope is that Fable will return as a poster even if he has quit as a moderator.

Fable and I became members about the same time, and as I stated in the Georgia & evolution thread, Fable's posts has always been a major reason why I have stayed here at SYM although I have felt at times that discussions here tend to either be meaningless spam, or pseudo-serious discussions where people take things personal and cannot stick to the topic at hand.

However, SYM is a great forum and an interesting community, and although it will survive Fable's abscence, I personally can't imagine this board without Fable

[Vicsun]

Fable has always been a part of SYM - he had a defining role in the SYM's development and is someone I truly admire (that can't be said for a lot of people). I hope this doesn't spark off a chain-reaction of other members leaving as well, as has happened before.

A piller of SYM has crumbled, I can just hope that the community lasts.

[Luis Antonio]

It is sad when you lose someone who is a guiding light or something.

Even though I dont agree with everything he says, his posts and his moderations are indeed helpful and when I see his name I'll stop to read, what dont happens with all posters.

I'm sure were gonna miss him. Hope he is able to return soon, and hope he do not stop posting here as a member.

We are gonna miss you Fable!!! A lot.
And we are gonna miss your Babylonian god sandals here.

[VonDondu]

Quote:

Originally posted by der Moench As for me, I'll raise a toast to fable, and remind him that he has in fact quit SYM before, and hope that he stays away slightly less long this time around.

I'll drink to that.

As much as I will miss reading Fable's posts in here, I am actually more concerned about (to put it very euphemistically) "Fable's own voyage of self-discovery". By his own account, he always believed that people who have opposing points of view could argue with each other peacefully and learn from each other, which (among other things) gave him a sense of purpose as a moderator; but now he has doubts. In all seriousness, that must be disconcerting after all that he has been through. Being active on a message board can be an intensely personal experience, and I hope that he will swiftly recover from the resulting "hangover". I sincerely hope that he finds inner peace.

[Georgi]

*raises a glass* Any excuse...

It's very sad to see Fable leaving. I enjoyed reading his posts when I could actually be bothered to read the longwinded things... and I'm sure the majority of SYMians would agree. Your presence will be missed, Fable. *hug*

Now that's out of the way, I shall be conducting interviews for a replacement Fable. Anybody interested in this prestigious position should post a 10,000-word exploration of spam and its effect on human consciousness. Bonus points will be awarded for the use of words longer than four syllables.

[Galuf the Dwarf]

*with a somewhat mornful look on his face, Galuf raises his tankard of mead*

Happy trails, fable. We hope to see ye again sometime. Besides, me clanhold'll be glad to pass 'round some o' our best drinks to the board if ye do!

[VoodooDali]

@Fable: Evolution has been debated so many times on SYM - I had no idea that this debate would turn out so badly. I wonder if I, too, am responsible - for saying you were getting a little testy and that it was spreading into the thread (it was a joke and I hope/think you knew that) - but it makes me remember, as we all should, that there is a vast difference between the written word and an oral conversation. Sometimes when we write, we "hear" our words in our own heads and it may seem obvious that we mean something in a humorous or sarcastic way, but when printed it can come out sounding completely different. Politicians know this all too well. Anyway, I sensed you were getting exasperated with Curdis, but not crossing the line. The sad thing is that I remember a time when Curdis told me he missed my funny threads/posts back when the Iraq war was starting...and now I miss his and yours.

I get the feeling somehow that it wasn't just Curdis' emotional post and "mockery" that made you throw in the towel (I've seen worse)- it sounds to me like this was the last straw. Since I wasn't around for a while, I don't know what you've been through in the last 6 months or so, but it seems like you're suffering from SYM burnout. I think that being a mod is tougher than most people know, and the mods here do a much better job than on any other forum I've visited (most other forums allow members to flame each other to their hearts content).

Anyway, I hope you don't feel so disillusiioned for too long. It's difficult enough to convey our own POV's adequately, even harder to change other people's POV's. However, I have seen people change their opinions on this board - the things you and others write *do* have an effect. What I have especially appreciated about your posts is that you have tried to teach us what you know about the art of argument. If it weren't for you, I never would have looked up and learned what a "straw man" or "slippery slope" fallacy is. You expected a lot more from us than "this is the way I feel and that makes it true", and I think that many many members did rise to your challenge and attempt to better articulate their beliefs and back them up with more than just subjective feelings.

Well, I've rambled on enough now. I'll miss you very much. You were one of my first friends on SYM when I joined in 2 years ago. I really can't imagine the place without you.

[dragon wench]

Voo just eloquently articulated much of what I had been thinking, and was struggling to find the words for.

Sometimes when people leave SYM we don't really notice their absence much, but Fable is one of those individuals who personifies all that SYM is about. His departing will leave a very large hole in the fabric of our virtual home. Like Voo and many others here, I really can't imagine SYM without Fable, and I truly hope he will return.

I also feel like crap, because it was a thread I posted that initiated the whole situation..

I won't say "good bye," because that sounds very final, and as I said, I hope you will reconsider Fable, so instead I'll say "au revoir"

[smass]

From his last post it really sounds like he came to his decision over a period of time - He has taken on tougher issues than the one in question many times in the past.

I to will miss his insights - however much his opinions differ from my own - I have come to respect his opinion and look forward to his posts.

He probably just needs a good break - I cannot imagine working as a moderator for SYM - must be quite difficult for someone who takes his responsibilities as seriously as Fable evidently does.

[Grendel]

Quote:

Originally posted by VoodooDali @Fable: Evolution has been debated so many times on SYM - I had no idea that this debate would turn out so badly. I wonder if I, too, am responsible - for saying you were getting a little testy and that it was spreading into the thread (it was a joke and I hope/think you knew that) <snip>..

In all honesty, I fear I had suggested the "testy" descriptor in a post preceding yours in the thread. Fable had said prior to that he was moody, I suggested testy as more appropriate. I too meant it in a joking manner and it was not meant to be insulting. I regret if this caused or precipitated the flame-up.

However, I feel the thread was the "last straw" as had been suggested above. Fable actually had left the discussion for several days, as had the other individual involved and the thread had almost lapsed off the SYM first page menu. Then the post was dug back out and the argument re-started (and withhindsight should not have been since the subsequent posts were all too personnal and somewhat irrational). These posts could have/should have been ignored by Fable IMO since he had already left the thread discussion, but he responded perhaps as a result of accumulating frustration and the rest is now (temporary?) history. It is too bad, the more diverse the opinions the better the health of the forum.

[RandomThug]

Even gods need to take a break. Fable if you got some other board on the side we'll be really upset but if you really just need a break ( I dont buy the long time goodbye ) than thats fine. We give ya space... but dont leave forever. We need the love.. we need the healing.

[Scayde]

Dearest fable...
I understand that this was just one more straw in an already overburdened load...and to have been mocked as you were was in my eyes a show of callous disrespect you in no way deserved..there is a difference in discussion and insult..and once again people who know how to navigate the system have managed to hurt another while staying 'within the rules'...It sickens me to see this happen to someone I care so much about and there be absolutely nothing I can do to stop it....I hope you are only on sabbatical...and I look for you to return...if that doesn't happen, I will have one less reason to check these boards each day