to Silly (and yes, you certainly are).
 
i was gonna leave this alone, as i first thought you were just rolling
the FML.  i'm still not sure you're not, as i've never seen you post
before.  but most troll posts are much less well-written, and you seem
sincere (misguided, but sincere).  so here goes.
 
i'm not a 'rainbow bridge' person, myself.  i will admit, though it may
incur the wrath of some, that i have often rolled my eyes at the sandee
posts, and frequently skip over the 'sandee, look out for' posts as well.
i also skip a lot of the 'poems' posted here (although some i have read
have been wonderful) and some of the 'dead ferret' posts, as well.  it's
just not my style.  i'm awfully matter-of-fact about death (maybe it
comes from the number of short-lifespan pets i've had).  doesn't mean i
love my pets any less, just that i don't gain any comfort from the
rainbow bridge idea.  when they die, they live on in my memories.  they
live on in my pictures and stories.  i don't think they trundle off to
practice flying and eat fruit while they await my arrival -- at least,
not in any remotely literal sense.
 
that said, i would NEVER in a million years tell someone what is and
isn't a proper way to share and express their grief on an open forum.
i skip a lot of the 'dead ferret' posts, as you so charmigly put it,
because i don't really have time for them.  i don't have the time to
console everyone who loses a ferret every day, though i certainly do feel
for them.
 
do i occasionally get irritated with how much of the FML is trite,
saccharine, or, for that matter, 'fluffy'?  yes, i do.  i scroll.  i get
annoyed that much of it is poorly-written, too.  but it doesn't say
anywhere in the list guidelines that to join, one must have scored over X
amount on the verbal portion of the SAT, either, now does it?
 
i skim the posts for the information, try to help people out when and
where i can, and am very glad to know that there's a place where i can
consult BIG-only-knows how many people if i need help with something.
 
it's already been pointed out that no-one died and made you list manager,
so your creative interpretation of the 'purpose of this forum' just goes
to show you didn't read the info available online about this list before
you susbcribed.  i'll echo the suggestion that you susbscribe to
topic-specific lists if that's what you're looking for.
 
as for people considering their ferrets to be their children, i'm not
going to reply to you directly, but to someone else who responded:
 
>Date:    Fri, 13 Sep 2002 13:35:24 -0300
>From:    Jadesun <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Silly Annoyed Girl......
>
>Of course a ferret is not as important as a human child!!  No one here
>on this list would say otherwise.
 
speak for yourself -- i say otherwise. ;)
 
i believe a ferret is every bit as important as a human child.  some of
you, i'm sure, will feel that if i ever have kids of my own, i'll feel
differently, but there are others, i'm certain, on this list who have
both and value them equally.
 
and, as regina mentioned -- we dont' all believe in the rainbow bridge,
either.
 
now, those people who feel that Silly neglects her ferret, just because
she managed to post some rather insensitive tripe here are, i believe,
probably a bit off-base.  i've known a few insensitive,tactless people
who take great care of their pets (and after reading this post, i'm sure
some of you will put me in the former category as well!  that's fine, as
long as i'm not in the latter).
 
shutting up now,
 
                             -kat-
 
 
=====
,',',     __
\    `'`,/  \ ()o=;
 `'`','`/  . \/ /
       (  / \" /
        \(_  \(_   ferrets may nip, but people just suck.
[Posted in FML issue 3907]