[Hamp]

I have agonized over this for a while.
I “rented” the domain for two years originally, just to see the reaction to my ‘rants’. In this experiment of running my own website/forum I have made some good friends, I have learned a lot about other opinions and points of view. I have learned more about HTML/PHP and the workings of the Internet than any class could ever hope to teach.

But this has not come without its price. In the beginning I started out with vim and vigor, I slammed anything I did not like and ripped apart ideas and ideals with little or no mercy. I learned after six months it was real hard to keep that level of anger going. So I feel my rants have suffered in the process. I feel like I have been delivering a substandard product, with a few notable exceptions.

I have devoted a lot of time to this site, and my family has begun to let me know. I am not retired with my kids grown and gone from the nest. I am not young with unlimited time to waste. I have tried to balance my time between work, family, play and The Rant Page. And TRP is a very time consuming hobby. I have wondered if it were time to give it up. My 2 years are up, and I have to deal with this decision I have put off. I also have not discussed this with any of my Admins or Moderators. They are reading this for the first time as you are now.

I know the logical thing to do is weight the pro’s and con’s and make a decision based on those alone. And in some way I am doing this as I type this in. The pro’s are few, but very noteworthy. As I said before the friends I have made from this site are worth the time and effort alone. Michael and Jeff who became co-administrators are among those I consider Friends. Donna who came here to let off steam and then started her own site to report the wrong-doings in her town is also a friend of mine. My everyday Posters Jamie, Greek, Elderban and many others. And lets not forget our Canadian Friends who came over from KS, many of whom are still around like RacheZ, RyGuy, WackyGaru, FireIce, an many more. Not to mention Going Crazy who is now a moderator.

But I cannot discount the cons either. It would not be fair to my family and friends to just discount that. My reason for getting into this endeavor to begin with has suffered. My writing lost a lot of its punch. Time is also slipping away. My youngest will be six soon. My oldest 23, I do not have much time left to spend with them. My Middle child even less time, she will be attending college soon. And what of my loving wife, who for the past two years has put up with my time consuming hobby. Who has supported my whims and has defended me against angry phone calls when someone reads something I said they do not like. Does she not deserve more of my attention? Yes I have thought long and hard about this and have come to a decision.

The Rant Page will cease to exist someday. But for the foreseeable future it will remain. I have just renewed the lease on TheRantPage.Com for another nine years. With the support of my wife I should say, isn’t she the best! I will promise to her to try and give her the attention she deserves, as with the rest of my family, but my hobby is just that a hobby and I will continue to do this as long as it still feels good to do it.

Thanks to all my members, Admins and moderators for your aid, help and support.

Larry WonderHampster (CommanderNaumann) Naumann

[JamieLee]

Whooo hooo we got 9 more years to be opinionated!! I am glad TRP will be around for a long time.

[Michael]

Yahoo! Yippie!

Good choice Hamp.

If you gave up this hobbie...you would just find another one that would be just as time consumming as this one.

Balance, and priorities, is what it is all about. Family is always #1...hobbie #2. Always, always, always, make time for the little ones (age 23 is still a little one), and especially make time for the wife (T deserves all you give here and more...she is a sweetheart).

About your rant style. It is evolving...as you are. Believe this or not, but as you age you get a little more mellow....

Guess what, Larry? You're getting OLD AND MELLOW! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif)

[jeff]

Thank you for giving us a place to rant Hampster! I'm selfishly glad you decided to keep it going!

[Donna]

I am also glad you decided to keep it going.........
Though I can understand the point of getting caught up in a message board, as the Canterburyweb and BS meetings has taken up too much of my time lately. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif)

You can have both Larry, just take some time with the family, because they're what matters most.

[greekbadass]

Well, i am going to offer my own opinion here. Since i first became a member so long ago, TRP has had everything i wanted from a website forum. Im liked by few disliked by many, because 75 % of what i say is wrong, and thats fine.. All i can say is Larry, you made something original, and it was an awesome idea, dont back down, dont give up. Family however always comes first, tell everyone i said whats up. LATER!




------GREEK

[Michael]

because 75 % of what i say is wrong

This is in the 75% because it is wrong. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rofl.gif)

There are no "right" or "wrong" opinions. That's the nature of opinions! They are your personal view, and we all appreciate the views of others. We may not agree, but, and I think I speek for all here, we all respect the views and/or the convictions of others.

Im liked by few disliked by many

Dang! You're batting 1,000 today GBA, 'cause this statement is wrong too. I don't think there is anybody on The Rant Page who is disliked.

I know you and I got off to a rocky start, but I've come to find your thoughts, and views, interesting as well as provocative.

[RacheZ]

wOot!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

And if you're finding it hard to make time for everything and everyone...Always remember...

It's not how MUCH time you spend. It's the QUALITY of the time you spend! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup1.gif)

Thanks for giving all of us such a great place to come to when we're bored, or angry, or just feel like bitching.

[Gaia]

hey, i know i'm usually not around, but there's usually some interesting discussions to read around here. I don't usually have much of an opinion on anything so therefore i don't post much (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif), but i still come around.

Glad to see that TRP is sticking around for a long time (9 years is a long time (IMG:style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif)).

I say good luck to you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif). *is to lazy to search for the thumbsup emoticon (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sleep.gif)*

[Hamp]

I am posting this as I was looking for something else, and came across this. It is very interesting, at least to me, to see something I posted almost 5 years ago still mean so much to me. I also notice the replies, some from those still with us, and some who are not. Each of the people who posted still mean a lot to me.


Like I said, interesting to see some old posts.

[Bookie61]

It's like pulling out the old pictures every now and then.

Good memories (mostly, otherwise you wouldn't have kept the pictures) good friends, and if you are very, very lucky, you still have the same POV. Maybe a little more mature, but still the same.

Thanks for pulling this out of the archives, and I'm glad TRP is still with us today.

[johnph77]

Been that long, huh? Time flies when you're having fun.....

[kimba]

It's a good thing it didn't shut down or I would never be here as a member!

[Snowleopard]

And while there are those drift away... some of us come back.
Thanks for keeping the lights on

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/TRP.gif)