Dear guys,

[Just Rob]

Thanks for the memories. Had a great year and hope the next year is good for you all too.

I'm taking a hiatus for a while. Sign me up for our 20th year anniversary get together, plus any marriages, high school graduations, or other stuff that come up before then. I'm assuming by then schedules will have freed up a little. Then again, we'll be in our 60's, but who knows - maybe 60 year-olds can play D&D.

I'm getting too aggravated over the whole situation here, and that isn't good for anyone, so I think I'll just take a break from being bugged for a while. If you guys manage to get it together sometime down the road and if you would like/let me be a part of it, someone please e-mail me or call because I'm not planning on checking the board more than once a month (if that). There just isn't enough reason to keep getting strung out over the situation where I know I can't count on group therapy anymore because I/we are not as important as other commitments are. That's just the way it is and I'm going to have to learn to live with it. Best to keep it as far away as possible so I don't keep letting it get me down.

Hope your families have a merry Christmas (for those who will come across this BEFORE Christmas 2011!) and I'll look forward to seeing you whenever the fates provide.

[just a side note. Joylynn has a group of friends who have a message board together where they frequently keep in touch and share what is happening in their lives/with their families even though they can't get together very much. Probably doesn't take more than 5-10 minutes out 10080 minutes in their week. And twice a year, in summer and around Christmas, they plan a get-together at one of their houses (from Ogden down to Springville). They plan it out 6 months in advance so everyone can schedule around it. They pretty much all come because they have a date set far enough in the future and are able to choose to make it its own priority. They are all pretty busy people too, but they all post at least once a week to keep in touch and they make it to the party. I think being part of their friends' lives is as important to them as are their husbands and children. I keep wondering how they manage to do that? Didn't we use to have something like that? I miss it. ]

[Greylen]

Hey Rob, It is a bit frustrating, but it's just a cycle. A short one I hope.

This board and our gaming has gone through them before with some people posting lots, some... not.

Don't let it get you down. I think where we are failing at the moment is the desire to always get EVERYONE together. If even two get together, it's still fun for those two.

Once the month's craziness dies down and New Year's is done, things will settle down. They always do. I hope at that point we'll all take a step back and start being organized to the point of committing to *GASP* a day each month...

Who knows, I might even organize the game room so we have more space. lol It could happen.

So take your break, but take heart. I'll be in touch.

[Boric Glanduum]

Rob:
I have to "ditto" what Lorin said.

My $0.02: October through December has been historically slow and difficult for our group, what with anything from hunting season to school programs to public singing engagements.

Please don't let it get you down too much and certainly don't take it personally in any way. Speaking for myself, I'm going through a really difficult time at work and at home, and have lost my wife to some scheduling issues for November and December. Unfortunately, in so agaomme instances my family simply has to take precedence. In addition, all of us have birthdays (a curse of large families) and anniversaries scattered throughout the year and, unfortunately, work schedules often require those to be celebrated on weekends.

I miss the game as much as you do and I miss the get-togethers. I was truly hopeful that you guys could have gotten together at least one night in the past two months without me. Now I feel as though it's my fault we did not have a November/December game night; I apologize to you all.

As far as lunch get-togethers go, I don't know why we have to rely on this board, per se. We all have each others' e-mails; I, of necessity, have an e-mail alert on my computer at work that runs all the time so that I can be notified of issues from Chambers or from opposing counsel. Even on weekends I usually see an e-mail within 12 hours of it hitting my in-box.

Maybe someone could volunteer to spend the time to put together a Mighty Spreadsheet (yes, I capitalized those) to track all our families' birthdays, anniversaries, hunting dates, Utah games, and Cougar games. Then we could all pray for our wives to give up the right to change their minds. Then we could also pray that our wives give up the right to change OUR minds.

Finally: we're guys. We're not women. Women are notoriously capable for get-togethers and gossip....I'm sorry, I mean "news exchange" and/or "keeping up." (There's a Relief Society joke in there, but I'm not looking to be released from my calling just yet.... )

Rob, my friend: I think I speak for us all...this is a hiccough. It's one of those little dips in the road; we just need to keep our heads up and get through the next week. Maybe we need to send group e-mails to try and spur more activity and participation on the board.

Plus, you've got my phone number. Take your break if you need to, but please call me anytime.