The "I Never Cared For Oscar Peterson's Playing" Corner

[robviti]

People should talk about artists they like. Whats the point in discussing how much you don't like someone?

damn. if that's going to be the order of the day, then i might as well take off. i mean really folks, if you can't tolerate different opinions, then stay out of social settings like this board where the free exchange of ideas is welcome, nay essential.

[JSngry]

Jeezziskryst, is this going to be another meldown/tantrum day?

If it is, leave me out of it. I just want to talk about the music in a hopefully nuanced manner, not cause anxiety attacks across the globe.

On second though, fuck it. Oscar Peterson ain't worth it. Really, there ain't that much to discuss when you get right down to it.

If I hadn't resigned as moderator, I'd close this thread. The (self-censorship in action)s win this one.

Larry, MG, or Jim, when you get a chance, please, as they say in my conversations with my co-workers in Mumbai, kindly do the needful.

[Mark Stryker]

Swtiching to OP as an accompanist, I ran across a somewhat strange and interesting test case/set of examples -- the album "Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson at the Opera House." Recorded "live" during the 1957 JATP tour, the performances on the original LP issue (recorded in mono) were not from the tour's Chicago Opera House concert of Sept. 29, 1957 but from its Oct. 7, 1957 concert at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Then the album was reissued on LP in the late '70s or early '80s, with the four (recorded in stereo) performances from the Opera House concert taking the place of the Shrine performances of the same four tunes, with one of Shrine performances remaining as before. The liner notes of this LP reissue claimed that the stereo Opera House performances were musically superior to the mono Shrine performances -- not so at all IMO, for reasons that in part have to do with OP's comping (BTW the rhythm section is the same on both dates: OP, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, and Connie Kay). Then the generously filled CD version came out in 1986, with all the material from both concerts, except for the Opera House version of "It Never Entered My Mind."

To finally get to my point, on the three longish "blowing" tracks ("Billie's Bounce," "Crazy Rhythm," and "Blues in the Closet") the horns and the rhythm section are in inspired form at the Shrine, and not so hot at the Opera House. In part I think that Getz is the problem, at least initially -- on what could be the first piece from the Opera House concert (it leads off the CD), "Billie's Bounce," Getz sounds quite fragmented at times and probably for that reason goes on a fair bit too long in an attempt perhaps to get his legs beneath him. In part the problem might have been that things were being recorded in stereo there, which could have called for more separation among the players than was desirable musically. But one of the main problems with the Opera House blowing tracks is OP's comping. His choice of figures is much the same as on the galvanic Shrine performances, but time and again his comping falls not inside but to one side or the other of the soloists' phrasing; and when it's on the front side, it doesn't sound anticipatory (harmonically or rhythmically), just a bit out of phase. The feeling one gets here is that Getz and J.J. are riding a horse at top speed, and the horse (and thus the saddle beneath their butts) is not moving quite in rhythm with them, which serves to distract them some and saps their energy. By contrast, on the Shrine blowing tracks, OP, the rest of the rhythm section, and the soloists are thinking and feeling "one" right together, and the whole thing takes off. Another factor, though it could be cause or effect, is that all the Shrine blowing tracks (especially "Billie's Bounce") are swifter than their Opera House counterparts. Perhaps there's not enough evidence here to draw definite conclusions, but the unsual test-case nature of these performances -- same players, on tour together, recorded nine days apart -- does suggest pretty clearly to me that when OP's comping is not what it might be/should be, it is in large part because it's literally hanging a bit outside (fore and aft) the phrase shapes of the soloist, and again not in ways that anticipate or resolve the soloist's thinking.

Larry:

A lot of fresh insight and close listening here, thanks. It really is the difference between the great nights and the average nights that is worthy of study; God is in the details an all that.

I don't have the CD so I'm just responding through your ears, but the out of phase issue you describe really might come down to whether the cats could hear each other. You suggest it might be due to the set-up required for stereo recording, but it may well be an issue of capricious acoustics. Concert halls are notorious in this regard, especially for jazz since they weren't built for drum sets. You're describing sensations I hear all the time in concert halls (and festival settings) -- even with monitors, the sound on stage can be weird enough to fuck up the time. Or the band can actually be together but the balance in the hall is so screwy -- do all of today's sound engineers have ears of stone or just those at concerts I happen to attend? -- that it sounds out of phase to those sitting out front. OP and company would not have had monitors of course, and excessive separation could certainly have exacerbated problematic acoustic issues on stage. The extra swift tempos would certainly play into this too. I don't know much about the technical issue of recording in those days -- lots of extra physical separation would have been needed for stereo?

MS

Edited December 29, 2007 by Mark Stryker

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

People should talk about artists they like. Whats the point in discussing how much you don't like someone?

damn. if that's going to be the order of the day, then i might as well take off. i mean really folks, if you can't tolerate different opinions, then stay out of social settings like this board where the free exchange of ideas is welcome, nay essential.

Er, what's the point of having an argument about this?

MG

[rachel]

I'm hoping Rachel will happen upon this thread and let loose a chuckle post to bail me out.

3....2....1.....

Sorry bubbie; I just got to the thread. I was out with the girls last night talking about men, so it's all good. (I finished up the ironin' prior to my night out of course and checked my ass--no corners!)

[Big Beat Steve]

One day, Peterson came up, and I expressed that, eh, not for me, and this guy said, "I think that as you get older (he was one year older than me! ) you'll appreciate the specificityof his playing - when he plays an eight note, it is an eight note, always. When he plays a triplet, it is a triplet, always. Very few people play with that much precision."

Well, as time went by, I realized that I personally felt better when an eight note wasn't always an eighth note, etc. Sometimes the "in between" stuff is what I need to feel/be real on myterms. That's not how I talk, that's not how I walk, that's not how I think, that's not how I do anything.

An eighth ALWAYS being an eighth and a triplet ALWAYs being a triplet in JAZZ?

Who was it again who said that the specificities of jazz (= the SWING element in jazz?) made it so very hard to notate jazz and capture it in a meaningful manner in transcriptions?

Sounds like that sax man you mentioned did not pay OP the biggest compliment when he made this statement about eighths always being eighths with him.

Now just a few other thoughts before somebody "does the needful":

What's wrong with discussiong not only likes but also dislikes? Don't you need both to come up with the FULL picture? And isn't this part of any useful discussion?

Or else we'd just be "claqueurs" applauding each other's opinions. What for?

And if somebody sees fit to dismiss some artist's entire oeuvre because it just "doesn't do it for him" - so be it. Nobody is forced to agree, nobody is even forced to follow debates like this at all.

And finally, a word on "being forced to agree".

I've heard that remark abefore bout "the inner circle" of forumists dictating tastes in musical matters and making newbies and other posters feel uneasy and unwelcome if they dare to state a differing opinion. Having been around here only for less than 1 1/2 years and being a (relatively) occasional poster only I still consider myself some sort of newbie but so far I haven't seen anything that looked like that "inner circle" forcing their opinions on others and frightening newbies away. I do see that in certain matters those "old hands" are more experienced than I am (my 32 years of record collecting notwithstanding) but do I have to agree with their opinions for all that? OK, so far I've only been at odds with only one of that "inner circle" (and sort of called his bluff in another post on another forum where he also was/is present) but I still take the liberty of making my own statements if I feel like it - just like everybody else ought to be able to do too. After all, aren't we all adults with minds of our own?

We can look to others (i.e. more experienced ones) for inspiration and information but do we let them tell us what we are suposed to listen to?

In short, take it easy, speak your mind(s), defend your opinions if you have to and don't get frightened away THAT easily! :D

[catesta]

Thanks, Rachel. I'm glad to hear you're still cornerless.

[catesta]

Jeezziskryst, is this going to be another meldown/tantrum day?

If it is, leave me out of it. I just want to talk about the music in a hopefully nuanced manner, not cause anxiety attacks across the globe.

On second though, fuck it. Oscar Peterson ain't worth it. Really, there ain't that much to discuss when you get right down to it.

If I hadn't resigned as moderator, I'd close this thread. The (self-censorship in action)s win this one.

Larry, MG, or Jim, when you get a chance, please, as they say in my conversations with my co-workers in Mumbai, kindly do the needful.

I wish you hadn't resigned as moderator, JS.

Any chance you will reconsider that one?

[J Larsen]

Negative reviews are every bit as useful as positive reviews. I've only got so much time to check out new music. There are certain people on the board who have tastes that tend to align with my own. If one of those people had piped in with "woah, J, you really ought to give OP another listen and pay attention to X, Y and Z," then I might have. Seeing instead that my take on OP resonates with many others is useful.

Like many others, I have a hard time seeing what the issue is? If I really, really, really had to pick a favorite album of all time, there is a good chance that it would be Interstellar Space. Feel free to start a thread ripping that one to shreds . It's no skin off my back.

[Jim Alfredson]

I completely understand why Jim resigned as a moderator. If you have a differing opinion than someone else and you're in a position of power, the kneejerk reaction from the person offended is that you are unfair because of your "power". I used to get that excuse once a week in the political forum from people who didn't agree with me.

The "inner circle" thing is bullshit. This board is what YOU make of it. You don't like the tone of discussion regarding Oscar Peterson? Start a thread about your appreciation of him if it bothers you that much.

Not to point the finger too specifically, but some of the very people complaining about the supposed "lack of respect" towards Oscar Peterson immediately following his death have done the very same thing on threads concerning others who have passed.

And what is the point of having a discussion with someone if you can't express your dislikes? I have taken the claims of negativity very seriously and have looked and looked and looked in these past few weeks, but I honestly do not see it, especially compared to other forums that I visit. What I see is differing opinions and 99.9% of the time those opinions are expressed very respectfully towards the other posters. Again, not to get too specific, but clementine is blamed a lot for having strong opinions and being disrespectful, but most of the time I think it is a matter of people not getting his sense of humor. In fact, a lot of those that complain about civility are European, do not speak English as a first language, and probably mis-interpret many things (I had to explain to one European member who recently left that clem was not actually "slandering" him, but using a common English slang expression). Since we're dealing with words and cannot see each other's faces, the room for misinterpretation is great.

Other than that my only explanation is that some people are being over-sensitive. I'll say it again; use the ignore function if you don't like somebody's posts and/or their posting style. There are people that sometimes post in the political forum who I never agree with and they just make me angry. As the board admin, I cannot ignore them (I need to see what is going on). So you know what I do? I just skip their post if it's in the political forum. If they post anywhere else, I read it. Amazing. Self-control.

I love Oscar Peterson's playing and I'm not ashamed to admit it, even to people I respect here on this board. You don't like him? Bully for you! You do like him? Great! Keep listening. Nobody is forcing you to do anything, including reading this board. We're talking about a subjective artform and everybody has an opinion. If you can't handle an opinion that differs from yours or you can't handle a little heat, then by all means bow-out. Join a board where there is no controversy, no disagreements, and thus no real discussion. And then you can read whitewashed threads like this:

Poster 1: I love Oscar Peterson! RIP!

Poster 2: Yeah, me too!

Poster 3: Night Train is awesome!

Poster 4: Yep, what a great record. RIP Oscar!

Poster 5: He was great.

Poster 6: What a great pianist.

Poster 7: The above post is great.

Poster 8: You're great!

Poster 9: Thanks! Have a great day!

Sounds great, doesn't it?

[Bright Moments]

The "inner circle" thing is bullshit. This board is what YOU make of it. You don't like the tone of discussion regarding Oscar Peterson? Start a thread about your appreciation of him if it bothers you that much.

i did!!!

OP appreciation thread

[robviti]

People should talk about artists they like. Whats the point in discussing how much you don't like someone?

damn. if that's going to be the order of the day, then i might as well take off. i mean really folks, if you can't tolerate different opinions, then stay out of social settings like this board where the free exchange of ideas is welcome, nay essential.

Er, what's the point of having an argument about this?

MG

the point is, people here have the freedom to discuss what they like and what don't like about an artist. what i don't understand is why you give three thumbs up to someone who questions why anyone should have anything to say unless they like the artist. when did this board become a popularity contest, and where does this "if you've got nothing good to say, don't say anything" crap come from? if i only wanted to read positive things, i'd stick to the promos on the labels' websites.

i strongly second catesta's lament over jim's stepping down. it's a shame that intolerance can have that kind of impact on the board.

btw, i'm staying and i'm still talking - whether i know what i'm talking about or not.

[catesta]

I completely understand why Jim resigned as a moderator.

I'm hoping JS will re-consider.

[six string]

Wow! I just discovered this thread. Most of the time, this board moves a lot slower than a few others I visit, but hey, I'm not exactly posting a lot, so I shouldn't really complain. I'm fairly new here, so I barely have an idea of this inner circle and group leader stuff. Reading about people feeling bullied by other people's opinions makes me think of that quote from Eleanor Rosevelt about no one can make you feel inferior without your permission, or something to that effect. As some have stated on here, stand by your own tastes, likes, dislikes, etc. We can't all agree on everything and as Jim pointed out, if everyone did, it would make for a boring read. I really like this board and I enjoy the amount of knowledge shared on this board. It's small enough that I'm not overwhelmed by large numbers of threads started each day, but concentrated with passionate and knowledgeable personalities who express themselves freely. It would be a sad day and one where I would leave if it turned into the jazz version of the Steve Hoffman Website. There is so much ass kissing and thread deleting going on over there that it makes me sick. That's why I choose to only pop in there for fleeting bits of time, looking for the few crumbs that might be worth reading. Some people have likened these sites as social parties, where if you don't like someone, don't talk to them. Go and talk to the people you want to talk to and ignore the others. It works for me.

Re: OP, I've never been a big fan of him myself. The album(s) that did turn me around a little though was the Exclusively for my Friends collection. I really like those albums and a few others, like Night Train. For the most part, his virtuosity gets in the way of my enjoyment of the music. I'm constantly being reminded of how brilliant his technique is and that gets old in a hurry for me. I feel the same way about some other musicians as well. John McLaughlin, Al Dimeola, James Carter, Dennis Chambers come to mind when I think of this style of playing, although I'd rather listen to Oscar than the rest of them.

Sorry for the rambling. I was getting ready to head out the door for the afternoon and this thread caught me by surprise.

Edited December 30, 2007 by six string

[marcello]

Ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive

E-lim-i-nate the negative

And latch on to the affirmative

Don't mess with mister inbetween

No don't mess with mister inbetween

You got to spread joy up to the maximum

Bring gloom down to the minimum

And have faith, or pandemonium

Liable to walk upon the scene

You got to ac-cent-tchu-ate the positive

E-lim-i-nate the negative

And latch on to the affirmative

Don't mess with mister inbetween

No don't mess with mister inbetween

[sheldonm]

Jeezziskryst, is this going to be another meldown/tantrum day?

If it is, leave me out of it. I just want to talk about the music in a hopefully nuanced manner, not cause anxiety attacks across the globe.

On second though, fuck it. Oscar Peterson ain't worth it. Really, there ain't that much to discuss when you get right down to it.

If I hadn't resigned as moderator, I'd close this thread. The (self-censorship in action)s win this one.

Larry, MG, or Jim, when you get a chance, please, as they say in my conversations with my co-workers in Mumbai, kindly do the needful.

I wish you hadn't resigned as moderator, JS.

Any chance you will reconsider that one?

Hell, I didn't even know he was a moderator....oops!

[catesta]

That was the beauty of it.

[JSngry]

I completely understand why Jim resigned as a moderator.

I'm hoping JS will re-consider.

I volunteered to be a moderator to help Jim out. to relieve some of the stress that administering the board was causing him.

If there's going to be a big stink about a "bullying moderator" every time I piss somebody off, rightly or wrongly (and I'd like to think that I have a history of recognizing when I've caused inadvertent offense and acknowledging same), then that's not helping Jim. And apparently there's always going to be the risk of that, because of the whole fixation that some people have with the "power of the post count", as if the number of posts you have equates with the amount of land you own or something like that.

Wake up folks - this is cyberspace, not The Old West. There is no such thing as "land" here. All posts are equal going in, and the only thing that gives any post "power" is people deciding that they're going to let it have some. That means that if you like something I post, you are choosing to like it, and if you don't like it, you are choosing to not like it. The cool thing about cyberspace is that you can pretty much "be" anybody you want to be - if you believe in yourself enough to be that somebody. If you don't, then nobody can bring you up but yourself. Unlike real life, where there's always bosses and co-workers who you need to form alliances with and against in ways that inevitably end up having nothing to do with "the work at hand", in a community such as this, it's all about the content. And as Jim correctly implies, your content is what you make of it.

Look - over the years I've gottten into diputes here with people for whom I have the highest respect for about things like house music, opera, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Max Roach, imaginary "what are you listening to now" posts, all kinds of things. Hell Chuck's all but called me an apostate for getting into the dance music thing like I have. Do I now, or have I ever felt "bullied" by these disagreements? Frankly, yeah, but only for a moment. I think it's totally natural for one's first reaction to be one of "betrayal" when somebody whom you love/respect/whatever tells you that for all intents and purposes that you're full of shit. But then you have three choices - retreat into submission ("I'll not say that again!"), play the passive-agressive card ("well, I'm not as fill in the blank as you, so what do I know other than what I like, wrong as it probably is" ) or you can just accept the fact that you're never going to agree on everything with everybody, accept that some things you disagree with some people about are going to bring out some fire in them, and accept that love ain't always gonna be pretty, but even when it's ugly, it's still love, and love beats the alternative any day.

I really feel bad that Hot Ptah felt that:

I think it is fair to say that what you find "just right", many other reasonable people might find "too hot" or "too cold." But you have made your position clear that those other people can go to hell.

That's a bit....never mind. And it appears that he might have some shit going on in his persopanl lfe that's stressing him out. Hey, it happens, and I can relate.

But the notion that the dialogue on this board has to take only one "tone" because me or a few other posters accept it, participate in it, at times even thrive in it, is, unfortunately, a self-fulfilling prophecy. This board is a blank canvas - you can put on it what you want to. Now, if you're looking to express yourself, hey, go for that. Right on! Just know that not everybody here is gonna dig it. And if you're looking for "recreational value", hey, go for that too. Right on! Just know that not everybody here is here for that type experience - some people are here to talk about music in depth and with passion, which means that it ain't alwasy gonna be sweetness and light, because life ain't always sweetness and light, so music - and the in-depth discussion of it - ain't always gonna be either.

If those type discussion aren't for you, hey, they're not always for me either. But I ain't gonna let it ruin my day, and I sure ain't gonna feel like The Big Bad Organissimo Board is oppressing me and/or depriving me of my peronal dignity. Whaddup with THAT?

Yes, this is what I think, how I feel, and this is the attitude that I carry into my dialogues here on the board. As much as I would really like to assist Jim w/moderation duties, it is apparent to me that this attitude is not compatable with carrying an "official" title (although, geez, all I did while I was a moderator was delete some newbie's personal phone # from a post, kill a few overt spam posts, move a few threads, and delete a few duplcate posts. Hardly a chance to get "drunk with power" or anything ). If I'm going to be seen by some as an asshole (and I guess I'm going to be), let me be seen as being My Own Personal Asshole (wasn't that a "feel good" movie back in the 90s?), not The Asshole Who Helps Run The Organissimo Board. Part of me feels selfish in placing my own need to post over the need to assist w/administrative duties, but another part of me recognizes that I ain't ready to sit back and not express an opinion anymore - actually, I'm incapable of it right now, still - and that my "role" as "content provider" here is still valued by some. So, in a conflict of interest that's inevitably going to cause friction from time to time, I'm choosing the scenario that will displace the friction to me personally and not to The Organissimo Board Administration.

I can hear it now, somebody somewhere is going to be saying "well that's all good and shit, but the bottom line is that you still set the tone for the board and if we don't like it we can't do anything about it and etcetcetc"

Look - for once and for all -

You have a choice as to what you do or do not say. You have a choice as toi how you "feel". You have a choice as to whether or not somebody who disagrees with you "makes" you "feel bad" or not. You have a choice as to how much or how little comfort you feel with your belief in your convictions.

In short - use your choices, and use them to be who you want to be. It's the adult thing to do.

Now, I'm starting to sound like a freakin' bad motivational speaker, I'm definitely getting sick of talking about myself, and I really don't think that Oscar Peterson is worth all this drama. Can we possibly just move on now?

[Teasing the Korean]

Now, I'm starting to sound like a freakin' bad motivational speaker, I'm definitely getting sick of talking about myself, and I really don't think that Oscar Peterson is worth all this drama. Can we possibly just move on now?

Yes, but will you stay? I for one have enjoyed your contributions to this board.

[JSngry]

Dude, I ain't goin' nowhere.

[Teasing the Korean]

Glad to hear it!

[clifford_thornton]

What, Jim A has never pissed anyone on the board off?

We all piss one another off on occasion, but I assume that we're all also adults here and can handle it.

(exceptions noted)

Can we talk about Arthur Doyle now?

[J Larsen]

Can we talk about Arthur Doyle now?

Yeah. Now there's a guy that REALLY sucks.

[catesta]

I completely understand why Jim resigned as a moderator.

I'm hoping JS will re-consider.

I volunteered to be a moderator to help Jim out. to relieve some of the stress that administering the board was causing him.

If there's going to be a big stink about a "bullying moderator" every time I piss somebody off, rightly or wrongly (and I'd like to think that I have a history of recognizing when I've caused inadvertent offense and acknowledging same), then that's not helping Jim. And apparently there's always going to be the risk of that, because of the whole fixation that some people have with the "power of the post count", as if the number of posts you have equates with the amount of land you own or something like that.

Wake up folks - this is cyberspace, not The Old West. There is no such thing as "land" here. All posts are equal going in, and the only thing that gives any post "power" is people deciding that they're going to let it have some. That means that if you like something I post, you are choosing to like it, and if you don't like it, you are choosing to not like it. The cool thing about cyberspace is that you can pretty much "be" anybody you want to be - if you believe in yourself enough to be that somebody. If you don't, then nobody can bring you up but yourself. Unlike real life, where there's always bosses and co-workers who you need to form alliances with and against in ways that inevitably end up having nothing to do with "the work at hand", in a community such as this, it's all about the content. And as Jim correctly implies, your content is what you make of it.

Look - over the years I've gottten into diputes here with people for whom I have the highest respect for about things like house music, opera, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, Max Roach, imaginary "what are you listening to now" posts, all kinds of things. Hell Chuck's all but called me an apostate for getting into the dance music thing like I have. Do I now, or have I ever felt "bullied" by these disagreements? Frankly, yeah, but only for a moment. I think it's totally natural for one's first reaction to be one of "betrayal" when somebody whom you love/respect/whatever tells you that for all intents and purposes that you're full of shit. But then you have three choices - retreat into submission ("I'll not say that again!"), play the passive-agressive card ("well, I'm not as fill in the blank as you, so what do I know other than what I like, wrong as it probably is" ) or you can just accept the fact that you're never going to agree on everything with everybody, accept that some things you disagree with some people about are going to bring out some fire in them, and accept that love ain't always gonna be pretty, but even when it's ugly, it's still love, and love beats the alternative any day.

I really feel bad that Hot Ptah felt that:

I think it is fair to say that what you find "just right", many other reasonable people might find "too hot" or "too cold." But you have made your position clear that those other people can go to hell.

That's a bit....never mind. And it appears that he might have some shit going on in his persopanl lfe that's stressing him out. Hey, it happens, and I can relate.

But the notion that the dialogue on this board has to take only one "tone" because me or a few other posters accept it, participate in it, at times even thrive in it, is, unfortunately, a self-fulfilling prophecy. This board is a blank canvas - you can put on it what you want to. Now, if you're looking to express yourself, hey, go for that. Right on! Just know that not everybody here is gonna dig it. And if you're looking for "recreational value", hey, go for that too. Right on! Just know that not everybody here is here for that type experience - some people are here to talk about music in depth and with passion, which means that it ain't alwasy gonna be sweetness and light, because life ain't always sweetness and light, so music - and the in-depth discussion of it - ain't always gonna be either.

If those type discussion aren't for you, hey, they're not always for me either. But I ain't gonna let it ruin my day, and I sure ain't gonna feel like The Big Bad Organissimo Board is oppressing me and/or depriving me of my peronal dignity. Whaddup with THAT?

Yes, this is what I think, how I feel, and this is the attitude that I carry into my dialogues here on the board. As much as I would really like to assist Jim w/moderation duties, it is apparent to me that this attitude is not compatable with carrying an "official" title (although, geez, all I did while I was a moderator was delete some newbie's personal phone # from a post, kill a few overt spam posts, move a few threads, and delete a few duplcate posts. Hardly a chance to get "drunk with power" or anything ). If I'm going to be seen by some as an asshole (and I guess I'm going to be), let me be seen as being My Own Personal Asshole (wasn't that a "feel good" movie back in the 90s?), not The Asshole Who Helps Run The Organissimo Board. Part of me feels selfish in placing my own need to post over the need to assist w/administrative duties, but another part of me recognizes that I ain't ready to sit back and not express an opinion anymore - actually, I'm incapable of it right now, still - and that my "role" as "content provider" here is still valued by some. So, in a conflict of interest that's inevitably going to cause friction from time to time, I'm choosing the scenario that will displace the friction to me personally and not to The Organissimo Board Administration.

I can hear it now, somebody somewhere is going to be saying "well that's all good and shit, but the bottom line is that you still set the tone for the board and if we don't like it we can't do anything about it and etcetcetc"

Look - for once and for all -

You have a choice as to what you do or do not say. You have a choice as toi how you "feel". You have a choice as to whether or not somebody who disagrees with you "makes" you "feel bad" or not. You have a choice as to how much or how little comfort you feel with your belief in your convictions.

In short - use your choices, and use them to be who you want to be. It's the adult thing to do.

Now, I'm starting to sound like a freakin' bad motivational speaker, I'm definitely getting sick of talking about myself, and I really don't think that Oscar Peterson is worth all this drama. Can we possibly just move on now?

Still, you were a logical choice for a moderator and I don't think any of this little shit should have made you feel like it was best to step aside.

[JSngry]

Let's give it some time, ok?