Hello to all:

I know I’ve broken one rule (maybe two) of this group. I’ve just created a 
subject line in my own language, Portuguese. But I have one clear 
justification for that. The phrase “vou-me embora” means two different 
things at the same time: on the one hand, it means “I’m going away, I’m 
leaving this place”, but on the other hand it means “I’m doing it at the 
right moment, not too early, not too late, at a good time (= em boa hora = 
embora)”. So, at least in that respect, Portuguese is more economical 
(maybe more to the point) than English. That’s why I had to write it that 
way.

So that’s what is actually happening now. I’m leaving this group. Some 
people here might know that I left other groups in the recent past because 
either I was having trouble with another member or I was feeling “out of 
place” there, homeless so to say. The trifle between Aria and me (cf. my 
previous post) was really a drop in the ocean. It won’t blot out the good 
memories I’ll carry on with me from this group. Besides, someone from this 
very list has taught me not to swear the small stuff (and I think I’m 
assimilating this very important lesson). The gist of it is maybe: you 
can’t please all the world, can you?

I know I’ve stayed here long enough not to appear superficial and 
opportunistic, and short enough not to have become a burden (I hope this 
is good English). Because I admit (and I’m yielding the palm now) that I’m 
rather too talkative and digressional at times (now for example), and 
these characteristics don’t much become this group, I’m afraid. Forgive.

At first, I thought it was a very rigid group, on too tight rules, but now 
I’m looking at it with different eyes: it has a clear focus, from which it 
mustn’t divert, however hard this may be. It’s a question of survival. 
That’s its strongest point and it must be valued for that. (Maybe I 
wouldn’t fit in here very well, after all. I’m rather too loose.)

Actually, I’m leaving because I’ve recently created an e-mail list of my 
own, and since I must attend to it with full dedication at this initial 
phase, time has suddenly become too short for me to be at two places at 
the same time. 

I’m sorry that by leaving I’m forced to break some of the very interesting 
conversations I was having with some of you or watching from the distance. 
So, my final hope is that we may eventually pick them up on another day, 
in another list, and especially with better knowledge.

Cordially yours,

José-Carlos Barbosa