Sinister: Mummy Indisposed

[honey at xxx.org]

Dear List,

Your List Mum has been very absent and it's time I made it official.
I'm not getting on very swimmingly for a variety of reasons, so for a
month or so I'm going to step down as gently chiding list mum.  It's
time for me to try and become a listee or something again, maybe a
lurking one for a time.  I'm looking for a surrogate mum for the list
to carry you all in her womb for a little bit, and give you the
occasional tummy tickle, and it may well be Linda Lulou
(lulou at missprint.org) who some of you will know and who has graciously
offered.  This means that if you get a mail to the list or personally
from her being gently chiding you should treat this as List Mum's
voice, and not see this as an invitation to open the age-old debate
about list content on the list - mail her if you want to discuss,
opinions appreciated.  Be kind to her, she's lovely and can crack a
walnut in her thighs, so watch out too.  Sorry I have to disappear a
little for a while, I hope this will be a matter of gentle personal
reconstruction.  We'll see.  Let's say I'll resume the reins sometime
in July for now...

I'll still be receiving pictures, Sillustrations (bless them) and other
requests for stuff, but you'll have to be very very patient with me.
Pictures I will just put up, in job lots, so you won't be getting
cheery mails saying "it's done!" just now but it doesn't mean I'm not
patting your heads in an affectionate way as I do it.  Same for swapped
email addresses that want out of the nursery.  OK?  There's a stack of
requests waiting and I shall try and do them soonish.  Apologies to
those waiting who've mailed.

i before e except after c.

In the meantime can I leave you with a gentle parting nudge or two
myself?  As said, stories can be sent to the Sinister Library:

	http://www.missprint.org/sinister/library

- instructions there.  That doesn't mean your stories weren't read, and
appreciated, but this way they're preserved longer, and people who
don't want to read drafts don't get tetchy.  But pleeeease don't start a
debate about list content on the list!  That way lies list stasis, and
a lot of short messages none of us can face wading through.

(Honey gives Peter and Jules some chocolate)

I suspect my mandate for more personal commentary on the list is a
little weak just now, as I'm going off to hide under a duvet, but
please remember you get the list you make.  If you're getting a bit fed
up reading the list, then post something you'd like to read from 1400
others rather than following suit.  Please think what others would like
to read.  If in doubt, hold back your mail and polish it up later with
something you know someone will like.  This list is very special
because we have a remarkable history of you all doing just that - for
years.  I never dreamed this could happen on a wet dreary afternoon
when I downloaded the Majordomo software and thought: let's see if
anyone new joins.  But I can't help feeling just now that the pendulum
towards personal diaries and an inclination to fire off quick jokes or
one-liners has swung just a bit too far again.  This list is one of the
biggest active ones I know (bless you!) and will really suffer if we
get into a lot of ping-pong short mails.  Check the list history in the
archives, or see some other lists for cautionary tales.

I'm trying to be gentle and it's a very hard balance to strike, and
someone always gets a bit sad because they think I'm picking on them.
I'm honestly not thinking of any specific post.  I don't think anyone's
doing anything wrong, and you're all treasures.  But please remember to
think before you post.  Cliff Richard, Dalai Lama, shanti shanti.

See you soon, be good.
Honey xxx

P.S. I'll be listening to Life Without Buildings in the interim.  You
should too.


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