Hi Folks,
 
Well, the list has suffered a huge loss at the hands of the trouble makers.
But, perhaps that is what needed to happen to pull the list back together,
stop the fighting, and get us back on track to the helpful, supportive list
we have seen in the past.
 
I have only been here a year or so, so I'm a relative newcomer.  But, the
impact that this list has had in my life, and more importantly, the lives
of my ferrets, is tremendous.
 
From the support of the many loving hearts on this list during my sorrow
when Booboo passed, to the joy it brought my heart to see so many people
pull together to help out Kista when Kim took in the ferrets from the
Loving Ferrets shelter, (I hesitate to use that word,) I have seen the
truely loving and supportive nature of the vast majority of this list's
members.  Even those few who seem to insist on making trouble for those
few others, and sometimes vice versa, have shown themselves to be kind at
times, and I do believe that they do what they do because they think it
will help the ferrets.  (However misdirected that notion might end up
being.)
 
I am one who tends to get in the mix, I don't like to see people abused,
and I have a hard time letting nasty posts get by without a comment.  I
enjoy a good argument, I always have.  But even I have gotten my fill with
the recent discussion.  (I use the term loosely.) I have stayed completely
out of the recent nastiness, not even reading the posts, because I think
it would be negligent on my part to get mixed up in a situation which could
so hurt my opinions of any of the people involved, when I don't belong in
the situation to begin with, I don't have any reason to think poorly of any
of the people, and I rather like giving everyone the benifit of the doubt.
The fact is, all the parties involved DO care about the ferrets.  One or
the other of them may be misguided in the way they go about showing that,
but it is not for me, nor anyone else here, to decide which is misguided
and which is on the right track.
 
In the long run, there will always be trouble makers and mediators, there
will always be those who stay out of all the arguments, and those who
always stick there nose in, even with it is neither wanted nor needed, nor
a particularly good idea.  There will always be those who write from their
heart, but forget their head, and those who flame without warning.  We are
a varied and diverse group of people, so this is only to be expected.  But
in the end, we are here for the same purpose, and I believe that purpose
will always win out, will always pull us back together.  We do love our
fuzz butts.
 
One last thing.  I know it was discussed before, and I don't know if
someone actually did it, but due to Dr Williams untimely or perhaps timely,
but certainly unfortunate departure from the list, I have begun the rather
formidable undertaking of compiling ALL his past posts, (medically related
ones, certain others will be discarded,) into one complete volume,
organized by topic and date.  So far, the key topics will most likely be
per illness, and I also have a post-mortem catagory, and a case-by-case
catagory, both of which will include the original post posing the question.
Due to the archives, I have only begun compiling 1993-2000 posts.  When
the archives are updated to include January of this year, I will begin
compiling this year's posts.  Once all the posts are catagorized and
cataloged, I will put them together in a Word document, which can then be
requested via CD or floppy disk, (depending on the eventual size of the
file, most likely CD) or in printed form.  The printed form will be
spiral bound with a cover.  I would like this to be a shelter benifit.
I haven't decided the best way to do this yet, but am willing to take
recommendations.  For any questions or suggestions about this project,
please email me at the above address.  I guess I should also ask, BIG,
is this OK?
 
Melissa Barnes
Mira, Cael, Tasha and Robin.  Still waiting to meet Neat.
 
[Moderator's note: If it's OK with Dr. Williams it's ok with me.  The
January 2001 archives were made available yesterday by the way :-)  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 3334]