Is this a game?

I am angry today folks so I hope you don't mind a little venting on my part. I try to keep this as upbeat and positive as possible but I need to get some stuff off my chest.

THIS IS A GAME! At what point does geocaching become more than that and such ugliness can be exposed and thrown at each other for the sake of a silly game?! There is no winner. No one can "WIN" at geocaching. Its not possible. There are aspects of this game that appeal to everyone and EVERYONE is entitled to their own opinions. My opinions and game play are just that...my own. No one is going to influence that or change the way I play my game. I am unapologetic and firm in my feelings. I do not pursue "public opinion" nor will that ever influence what this thing has come to mean to me. With that being said, here is a little about me...

I am not a fan of garbage micros and will share that openly. Urban micros have their place because it is complicated to hide large things in that environment but somewhere along the way these have become an easy way for folks to take up a 528' circle to drop trash to facilitate the game of numbers some folks play. Which leads me into the numbers chat... I don't care about numbers in ANY way shape or form. I don't ask how many finds someone has because what you TAKE from the game means nothing to me. I will ask, however, how many hides you have because what you have GIVEN back to the game is much more important to me. So, if we happen to meet in the geocaching realm please do not bore me with your "ranking", or your position on some non existent totem pole because all that does is flare up my ADD and I start thinking about bike rides or shearing sheep.
 
These are my thoughts and opinions and they are going to differ from EVERYONE else's and that, my friends, IS OK!!! We can have those varying opinions and coexist. Shit, I would even go as far as to say we could be friends, as long as you don't expect me to bend to your game. The picture perfect example of this would be my friendship with a guy named Jason. We couldn't be more different in our geocaching game if we tried but we both long for adventure and thrive on that with each other. Proud to call him my buddy and when it comes to caching we set down our differences and get to the business of the game which, in case some of you have forgotten, is getting out, hiding, finding, and enjoying the places these folks have taken you.
 
Now when you push your agenda to the point of physical action please do not be surprised if I "give and take" along with you. Why is it such a surprise to you when I take a stand against something? Is it because I dont hide behind "sock puppet" accounts? I call it how I see it and let you explain yourself? I prefer DIRECT communication to resolve conflicts? Tell me please? I am all ears! But these questions will go unanswered no doubt because apparently that is not how "we do business" here. We like to grumble from behind our key boards, inflame the masses, and never engage in any form of resolving communication. This is my perception and I acknowledge that folks see everything differently but if we never voice what we perceive there is never a chance for growth.

I apologize for the randomness and lack of structure in this post but these things were flying off my mind and I often like to just let my mind wander where it will. Again I would like to stress that these are MY thoughts and opinions. This is MY game. I will play as I will.

P.S. I am a member of the "DIRTBAG" geocaching society, not the "CLASSY" geocaching society... so please dont waste my time with comments about my "class"...