I am on my way to the British Museum to see the Rosetta Stone and the Elgin Marbles. But I wanted to take a few minutes to post this tribute to our yahoo discussion group breaking the record of three 1000 message months in a year, that has not been done since the group's founding! We have done it twice in 2 years, but never three times. As I mentioned before, this include the months leading up to Silver Streak as well.
I'd like to pay 5 tributes for this accomplishment.
First we need to thank the founders, the 4 Ms. The founding vision is fundamental to how this group operates. The unstated principle has been freedom of expression. This means that Srini and I can debate freely, without judgement. This means that we can discuss Kadalai and Spirituality within the space of a message. All is taken in good fun, and for the betterment of the group dynamic. Although when the message count goes alarmingly low like it did in June of 2010, then folks like Dev and Pandi step in save the day. There is also no pressure to stay. Folks come and go based on work and family pressures. And that is all just fine. There is an old saying about love and freedom. If you truly love someone, let them be free. This group, thanks to the 4Ms is founded on a sense of freedom. So thank you 4 Ms.
Second, we need to thank the 2 forces of nature. Ganesh proposed a brilliant idea in December of 2013, to step up the involvement of many more voices. He suggested that each of our classmate propose a topic each week and everyone else comment upon it. This proposal did not violate the tenet that the 4Ms established. There is still the freedom of anyone who wants to comment can, without compulsion or judgement. But this ingenious idea gave voice to many that we would not have been acquainted with otherwise. We would not have gathered nearly 500 songs spanning 5 decades but for Flute Balu's topic. And that would not have happened without Ganesh's idea. However, as we all know strategy and implementation are two sides of the same coin. To have the stamina, and the will power to continuously see the idea through, each and every week, we need Captain. We are in the 40s and coming on 50 continuous week and we are still going strong. For this new layer of the foundation in 2014, we thank the 2 Forces of Nature.
To reach new peaks, we need a strong foundation, but we need base load as well. This base load is supplied by stalwarts of the group. Who will leave no topic unattended to, no birthday unaddressed and have an everlasting fountain of ideas and stories. It is easy to spot the storm, and impossible to spot the air that surrounds us. For keeping up the flow in the group we should pay tribute to Srini, Bharani, Sumathi, Susee, Swarna, my partner and friend Suresh Babu. For keeping the group strong and alive we thank the stalwarts of our group.
Of course, most of the group's interaction at least in Yahoo is 90% writing and 10% pictures and sound. This means, by definition the best writers in the group swoop in from time to time in with blast of wonderful writing that leaves us breathless. Deepak, Krish and SriKrishnan all dazzle us with their writerly skills with tales of travel, work and observations of life. For their dazzling wordplay and insight we thank the masters of the written word.
Obviously we would not be celebrating reaching three 1000 message months in a year, if everyone in the group is not jumping in with their contributions - be it arangetrams, weddings, birthdays, graduations, anniversaries festivals and every other for of celebration. We would not be having this massive flow without everyone jumping in with a spirit of camaraderie. However, the occasion for this tribute is the very specific record of reaching three 1,000 messages. One special person, built on everything that I have mentioned above - the foundation of the 4 Ms, the 2014 innovation of the 2 forces of nature, the base load of the stalwarts, the insightful writings of the masters of the written word and all the greetings for anniversaries - and swept in like a gale and punched us to this new record. Please go back in October and take a look at the stream of messages like I did. And you will see that this person who was silent for several months, suddenly jumped in and took the conversation to a whole new level. For helping us set this new record, we thank record setter Arch!
I am sure many more are deserving of this tribute - and I am sorry if (in my old age) I am beginning to forget! I hope friends will jump in and help me pay tribute to everyone that deserves a thanks.
But as I now prepare to head off to the British Museum, and then go catch a plane back home, I would like to say, this new record is a symbol - and a rare one - a group based on freedom and camaraderie has reached new heights while sustaining itself over the long run. That is a rare achievement. And I am indeed delighted to be part of such a special group.
Cheerio and Toodloo!