Date: Sat, 8 Oct 2005 00:05:14 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at KeithLynch.net>
To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>
Subject: [WSFA] Tonight's meeting
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at WSFA.org>

  "He who steals my purse steals trash.  'Twas mine, 'tis his, and has
  been enslaved to thousands.  But, he who steals my good name takes
  something that enriches him not, and leaves me very poor, indeed."

For those of you who were not at tonight's meeting, and wonder how it
went, it happened pretty much as I thought it would.

The past few days I've been getting little sleep, and my work output
has dropped drastically.  I kept running through the meeting in my
mind, and I kept seeing a slow-motion train wreck.  And that's exactly
what happened.  At least it's finally behind me, not ahead of me.

I will never again set foot in the Gillilands' home.

I will remain secretary through at least the end of this month.  I
will be at Capclave, I will be at Third Friday, and I will produce a
November WSFA Journal.  That should give us plenty of time to decide
what to do.  Elect a new secretary?  Have someone run a tape recorder
at First Fridays, then get the tape to me?  Meet only on Third
Fridays?  Ask someone to volunteer a new First Friday meeting place?

I am not the one who first suggested a new First Friday meeting place.
I'm not so arrogant as to think the club would or should change the
38-year tradition of meeting at the Gillilands just to please me.  But
it's become clear that many members are unhappy with always "walking
on eggshells" or "meeting in a minefield."  Several people over the
past ten days have sent me private messages of support, but didn't
want to be outed for fear of Lee's wrath.

I will be at the PRSFS picnic (it's an indoor picnic) in Silver Spring
tomorrow afternoon.  As I promised the club, I will offer _Future
Washington_ for sale there.  I will also give out my last few Capclave
fliers (other than one I saved for myself and one in the archives).
If anyone else wants to come to that picnic, tell me, and I'll email
you directions.

I will have the meeting minutes online by the end of the three day
weekend.  There is material critical of WSFA members there, but my
interpretation of the rule against such material appearing in the
WSFA Journal is that it does not apply to meeting minutes.  I will
be careful to transcribe all critical material from the tape word
for word, rather than paraphrasing.

Also this weekend, I will write up a statement of what happened.
People at the meeting who were not on this list were bewildered.
I will email it to anyone interested, I will print copies at my
own expense, and I will distribute them to WSFAns at Capclave and
at Third Friday.  At least I no longer have to worry that this
might set Lee off.  She no longer has any power over me.

As I expected, my motion for a vote of no confidence was postponed.
It looks like it will be postponed some more, since many members will
be at Scott's wedding instead of this month's Third Friday meeting.
And I for one don't think the vote should be held at the Gillilands'.
So maybe Third Friday in November.  I will ask people to vote against
me if:

* They believe my presence is damaging to the club, even if through
  no fault of mine.

* They believe I am a liar, power-mad, or have otherwise operated
  in bad faith, even if they'd just as soon I stuck around despite
  these flaws.

If I lose the vote, I will leave the club, completely, totally, and
permanently, i.e. resign from all offices and tasks, show up at no
meetings, and unsubscribe from this list (which someone else would
have to take over).  If I win the vote, I haven't decided what I'll
do.  I make no promises past the end of this month, except that I will
never again set foot in the Gillilands'.

If anyone is blaming themselves, don't.  It wasn't the fault of anyone
except Lee and Alexis.  (Yes, I blame Alexis too.  When you see what
he said, you'll know why.)  I am grateful for the outpouring of support,
and for the several attempts to work out some kind of a compromise.

In retrospect, trying to work out a compromise was a fool's errand.
There's no compromise in matters of honor.  Not that any additional
harm was done by these attempts, just a little time and effort wasted.

At least planning for Capclave seems to be going smoothly.  I'm
pleased it wasn't derailed by all this.  If word of this spreads
at Capclave, it won't be from me.  I plan to speak of it only to
past and present WSFA members.

Speaking of which, Ted is now a current WSFA member.  I will bring
him his membership card on Tuesday.