ANNOUNCING THE ARRIVAL OF THE CHAT PAGE

I AM TROUBLED ABOUT MUCH ADVICE I HAVE READ ABOUT CHATTING AND OTHER ONLINE ACTIVITIES. I DISAGREE WITH WHAT I HAVE READ AND HEARD. FOR EXAMPLE, MY FAMILY HAS NO HESITATION ABOUT CRITICIZING THOSE WHO CHAT AS 'CRAZIES.' ARE WE ALSO CRAZIES IF WE DECIDE TO HANG AROUND AT A LIBRARY, A CONCERT, A DANCE HALL,OR MAYBE A BAR? OK, HANGING AROUND MOST OF THESE OR ALL OF THESE SEEMS TO OPEN UP NEW OPTIONS OR NEW OPPORTUNITIES, YET SO DO THE MANY VARIED TYPES OF CHAT ROOMS AND THE MANY ROOMS WHICH FALL UNDER THESE TYPES. YES, A CHAT ROOM CAN EASILY BE FREQUENTED BY THE SAME PEOPLE,AS CAN THE TYPES OF NON-ONLINE RECREATION AREAS I MENTIONED BEFORE. AND, THE CHAT ROOMS ALSO ARE 'GUESTED' BY NEW ARRIVALS WHO MAY OR MAY NOT COME BACK.

WHAT ABOUT PLANNING TO MEET SOMEONE FROM CHAT? 'NO NEED TO HURRY,' SAYS THE WISDOM I HAVE HEARD. FOR SURE THERE IS NO HURRY WHERE THERE IS NO INTEREST: IN A FRIENDSHIP [IF THAT IS WHAT ONE IS PURSUING] OR A LOVE-RELATIONSHIP [IF THAT IS WHAT ONE IS PURSUING]. I HAVE NO INTEREST IN SPENDING MY DAYS MEETING EVERYONE I KNOW IN CHAT. IF I MEET SOMEONE, THERE MUST BE A GREAT REASON. AND I WOULD BE IN A HURRY TO MEET THAT PERSON WHEN I HAVE DISCOVERED THERE IS A REASON. I MET TARAGRUL IN PERSON AS A RESULT OF A SCANT FEW WEEKS OF CHATTING WITH HER, AND I LIVED TO TELL IT HERE, FOR ALL THOSE WHO MIGHT BE READING AND THINKING OF DANGERS. SURE, THERE WAS A RISK ON HER PART, AND ON MY PART. THERE WAS A RISK ON HER PART OF EVEN STEPPING OUT OF BED THAT MORNING OR OUT HER DOOR ON HER PATH TO MEETING ME. I DEDICATE THAT LAST STATEMENT TO ANYONE WHO THINKS IT IS 'DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE MEETING WAS PLANNED.' IT WAS PLANNED BY TWO PEOPLE DELIBERATELY.

IF YOU STEP OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR, AND SOMEONE WITH CRIME IN HIS/HER HEART AWAITS YOU OUT THERE IN THE BUSHES, THAT MEETING WAS PLANNED BY ONE, NOT BOTH. IN NO WAY AM I SAYING THERE IS NO DANGER, THAT IT IS PERFECTLY SAFE, SO THE MOST I CAN ADVISE DOES AGREE WITH THE ADVICE WHICH HAS TROUBLED ME ANYWAY: USE YOUR BEST JUDGEMENT, PLEASE.

THE CHAT-DEDICATED GUESTBOOK BELOW CAN BE USED FOR REPLYING.

--J.L.G.