letting go of WoMb
I posted the following to Word of Mouth Blog. I realized that the mere existence of this ongoing commitment (whether I was diligent or derelict) was a drain on my inner resources. It’s time to release and renew my focus on what’s real and necessary in my life.
Also, there is a brief tribute at the bottom to Billy Little, a renowned Hornby Island poet and what my Mom would call a ‘real character’ (she always meant it in the most complimentary way).
It’s a hard thing, but I’ve decided to let go of this forum. It’s coming up to two years since I left Hornby and it’s finally sunk in that I don’t live here anymore, though I continue to visit and love the place. I have family here; I can’t go too far. Still, my finger has left the pulse of the Hornby community. As a result of my own (and others’) lack of participation, this place been pretty quiet for a long time. Perhaps a new person can step into the breach, if there is still a need for this forum, and bring it back to life.
WoMb will continue to exist at this same address, so people like Peter and other registered contributors may well continue to post to it. I very much hope so, in fact; please feel free to check back. It may come back to life. I will need somebody to take over the moderator job, because without a moderator, the site will be inundated with spam articles and comments. Not good. I still regularly delete comments from various penis-enlargement and diet drug sites that would (if comments weren’t being moderated) be posted. Moderator? Anyone? Peter?
I’ll be posting content that I would have previously posted to WoMb on my own blog / website at “Spreading the Gaia Word” which is where my webly energy has been going lately. Maybe I’ll see y’all there.
It’s been awesome and I’m really sorry to be releasing this space. It was a hard decision, but it feels right. I do dearly hope somebody will see fit to take it on and restore some vibrancy here. Still, maybe it’s not even necessary anymore.
There’s lots of interesting stuff in the archives; there have been some dramas enacted here which might be historically intriguing to some. In fact, the original site still exists and there’s quite a lot in those archives as well.
One final note… I am shocked and saddened at the passing of Zonko / Billy Little. He, as much as anyone, has defined Hornby for me since I first moved to the island. I’ve had many interactions with him over the years as a performing poet and co-participant with him in many events and gatherings. While never one of my intimate friends, he was definitely in my tribe and the hole he left is palpable and painful, even from here.
I saw Billy briefly the last time I was on the island and he definitely wasn’t looking good. He was a great soul, and his poem ‘This Kiss’ remains one of my all-time favourites. I would love a copy of it.
There will be a gathering for Billy at Joe King on February 14th; if the fates allow, maybe I’ll come for a visit at that time. I would like to be a part of that. If so, perhaps I will see you there.
Ciao, all.
