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[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Gattigap
Ah, shit.

Hank, I knew this day would come, I just didn't think it would come so quickly. I've not had time to prepare you. Here, have a seat.

Here's the thing. Most poster personas lead lives of quiet desperation, where their meager contributions to the fray get slapped down, laughed at, or worst, ignored. They slink away from the community until their self-esteem has recovered sufficiently to bear more punishment. Think Not Me.

There's a small group of posters, though, who through some combination of wit, smarts, talent or simply moronic bullheadedness break through the noise barrier and soar above it for some period of time. You've had your moment in the sun, and had time to spread your wings and see what you can do.

The arc of the poster's career travels along a few signposts:

1. Arrival on the scene. Usually it involves insulting Slave, picking a fight with Paigow, flirting with Fringe, or licking MR's butt. All risky moves, no doubt, and I can't remember which one you chose, but whatever- you're here.

2. Ground in the persona. Obviously, scatalogical humor is your goal. The hit-miss ratio is imposing to many but not you, my friend. Don't listen to TM's shit about a plus/minus ratio. When you swing for the fences, one can't be held to some Mendoza line as a barometer of success, right?

3. Get props from the peers. It's rare, sure, but from the right person they can be golden. This is the kind of thing that you'll talk to your grandkids about it someday. Hell, do it today, if you want.

4. Hit, and struggle through, your blue period Sometimes the scatalogical is, well, just scatalogical. There are too many sample to choose from here, so let's just say that the little drinkie-poo turns the posting into poo too. Fortunately, we're all glad that those days of involuntary confinement at Trembling Hills paid off, and though it appears that you've fallen off the wagon every other day or so, at least your wagon has a ladder to which you can hang on, get dragged for a few yards, and eventually pull yoursef back up.

5. Become your own catchphrase. The truest sign that You've Arrived. Sure, it might be unfortunate for your name catchphrase to carry connotations of mental instability, but it could be worse. At least you're not the name of a cable soft porn series.

Unfortunately, the shooting star too often leads to delusions of grandeur, which takes us to ...

6. Lose all tethering to reality, as self worth ascends like a blimp. And here we are. Last person who felt that the board could not possibly continue without em was Paigow.

You've noticed what's happened in that case, right? She's disappeared, and now become a mere figment of Penske's imagination, and there are few worse hells than that.

So, even though the maneuver may be challenging, jump back over that shark. Find that humility you left on the floor, pick up the broken trumpet and play a few notes, and get back into the game.

Gattigap

wow. thanks. plf wanted to charge me $1000 for an analysis of my persona.
All i meant with the above was people lose bets to me and then pay for the board.