my HOA bugs

Ok, I've vented about my juvenile homeowners' association. Did I tell you about the homeowner who got sued for the color of their fence.....? Now they think it's a good idea to send a "chain" email letter to everyone to say they've turned over a new leaf and they're going to let bygones be bygones. Seriously? And do you have to junk up my work email account?

In a message dated 10/21/2008 6:31:17 P.M. Pacific Standard Time:

Below is an excerpt of email that he sent to the Board and some of his neighbors.

Neighbor #1: “I am writing because I have great hope for the future. What has happened in the past is done. I think the most difficult thing for a person is to wipe the slate clean and simply use new experiences to form judgments and guide our dealings with each other. I make this a personal obligation formyself. It will be the key by which I judge my own personal integrity and growth. I most strongly believe this is possible. My own failings mean I do not seek perfection in others. By much more importantly, my own successes give me confidence we can learn from the past on make ourselves and the community better in the future. I now request with the utmost sincerity and force that we collectively pledge to move forward."

Neighbor #2: “Please add your thoughts, or pledge, or what ever, to the last item on the page and pass it on. We, , pledge to move forward so this neighborhood can become a community everyone would want to have. We will start by not discussing or reviewing our past problems with our friends. If history needs to be reviewed then just keep the focus on the facts, leaving allpersonal feelings/accusations out of the conversation."

Neigbor #3: "I have just the best neighbors! Sixteen families enjoy each others company enough to have meetings, parties and fun together. Why? because Respect brings us together. We may not always agree but then we don't expect to. We like being unique. I wish I could bottle our success and pass it around where everyone could start at the same point, no past only future and we would instinctively have patience, friendship and respect for all of our differences. What I can do is start with respect for individual residents and move forward each day expecting that good can happen. Thanks for your thoughts. We can get a lot more done when we 'pay it forward'"

Neighbor #4: "I'm all for a new plan! We can be a neighborhood, not a geographical area of competing factions. Let's pledge to work together to find win/win solutions for each issue. This would take each of us asking our neighbors "What do you want to see happen here" and then honoring that information."

Neighbor #5: "I believe [Neighbor #2] is right. Each of us needs to be willing to search for the win/win for our community. To me that means being “right” is less important than finding the solutions everyone can live and grow with. May our desire to live in a beautiful community that encourages the participation of our best selves be our most important goal and achievement."

Neighbor #6: "I truly hope that more people in our neighborhood will join in this chain letter. We are only as good as the sum total of all the parts. You've all said it beautifully and I will agree."

Neighbor #7: "Me too!"

Gag.