X-Sender: mpage@popserver.panix.com
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 1998 22:21:40 -0500
To: gontang@electriciti.com (Austin Gontang)
From: mpage@panix.com (Madeleine Page)
Subject: Re: alt.folklore.urban
>Give me a thumbnail sketch of alt.folklore.urban. Thanks. I respond to
>your reply later.
Hmmm. I've been active on the group for four years at least, so it's like
describing an old friend -- not the easiest task.
The group deals with the sorts of myths and rumours that are so prevalent
these days of mass communications: everything from "send a get well card to
X who is dying of cancer", to horror stories about gangs shooting at people
from under their cars. Tales of travellers who woke to find their kidney(s)
had been stolen.
*How* the group deals with this stuff is what is fun. It's an eclectic
bunch, with regulars who are nuclear physicists, test pilots, published
poets, English lit critics, computer experts, lawyers, geologists,
entomologists, dictionary writers, biologists, sky jumpers, philosophers,
mathematicians, MDs... You name it, there's someone on afu who knows about
the topic.
But above and beyond the range of expertise you find on afu, the group is
remarkable for the standard of writing it expects, the degree of informed
scepticism it insists on, and the level of wit it displays. Lovely stuff.
The group is not kind to those who wander in and don't measure up (it is
hard to maintain standards in a world that has no boundaries, like Usenet),
but is warmly welcoming to Those Who Have A Clue. And I'm yet to find a
newsgroup with writing that measures up to the norm on afu.
Lovely place to hang out: like a very civilised, eclectic Senior Common
Room. I've met many, many people from the group, here, out west, in Canada,
and in England. A number of other afu regulars have become close friends of
mine.
>Ph.D. is in psychology. A master's in Theology. Finished the course work
>at Catholic University for another master's degree in Religious Education.
>A master's in Rehabilitation Counseling. And trained by the Joy of Running
>author, psychiatrist Thad Kostrubala as his first "Running Therapist."
First degree in Philosophy; second in Counselling and Consulting
Psychology; trained in Gestalt Psychology and in Organization Development;
now doing a PsyD. Coming from a psychoanalytic perspective, largely.
>It's an interesting path upon which I travel. Nice having you along for a
>few miles.
Pleasure is mutual.
>Gontang: Filipino father, naturalized US citizen. Polish mother, second
>generation raised in Chicago...and fell in love on the tennis courts with
>this tall, dark and handsome young man. In the 30's laws against mixed
>marriage and on top, she was not supported by any of her brothers or father
>in her decision.
She must have been a woman of real strength of character to make the
choices she did at the time she made them. Do you have a sense of your
Filipino heritage? Speak Tagalog at all?
>So you are talking to a Filipino-Pollack. Reason for some of the hard
>headedness and a quirky way of dealing with things...and if not dealing
>with them directly...then you have a full blown passive aggressive.
This makes me grin. Sounds familiar!
As I think I mentioned, I grew up in Britain, left there at 26, went to
Canada. Came here and did my Masters in Boston. Spent a year in the West
Indies working. Moved here 18 months ago to return to school. Looking
forward to being back in Canada when my (five year) program is over: it's
gentler than here, and I miss it.
Good talking to you, Ozzie. And I'm interested in the book, by the way.
Madeleine
Posted by maddyfriends at December 17, 2003 03:19 AM