For Dan Shane

[Dan Shane]

DANIEL VAN EIJMEREN WROTE:

> About my "best wishes" signature: it accompanies all of my DCML emails.
> I wish everyone the best, so I've never been concerned about which of my
> emails can or cannot be accompanied with "best wishes" as signature.
>
> Maybe it's an improper or strange way of greeting people in English?
> If so, I will change it into something else. I welcome any advice on this.
>

AND I REPLY:

I've already communicated with othe Europeans about this point after I
brought it up, and it seems I was the victim of cultural unawareness.
Daniel's tagline is apparently to be viewed similar to the "Sincerely yours"
that Americans often use to close their letters, no matter the content of
the body of the message.  That doesn't mean I was wrong to say Daniel's
consistent use of "Best wishes" becomes meaningless.  If I signed
"Sincerely" to all of my posts, it would be just as trite.  But I shouldn't
have looked at Daniel's tagline as if it had deeper meaning.

THEN DANIEL CONTINUES:

> I very much appreciated receiving that scan and I still appreciate it.
> Not only because of the scan itself, but especially because I received
> it from you. We've had a disagreement or two in the past and so I was
> very thankful to see that those matters between us indeed could be
> dropped, and that we could still have a friendly communication.
>
> Therefore I already intended to give you some issues of the money bin
> blueprint story as soon as it is published here in The Netherlands.
> (I noticed that you are interested in receiving foreign copies of
> that story.) I hope you will accept these comics from me, and I also
> hope that we can continue communicating on a friendly basis.
>

AND I SAY:

That is an extremely gracious offer.  I wish our communication could be
other than just through written words in a semi-anonymous fashion.  I have a
feeling we would come to a better understanding of each other if we ever
actually met.  I know I didn't help matters by dropping your name in one of
my less kind messages.  I won't take all the blame, as I think there are
misunderstandings on both sides, but I must certainly carry my share.  It
looks like we both have some growing to do, and I might actually be making
some progress.

Keep in touch, Daniel.  Every person has something to share.  I promise to
think ahead in the future to try to avoid further unintended harm.

Sincerely (and I only use it when I mean it),

--
Dan Shane
(danshane at bellsouth.net)