I'm guessing this isn't what His Fabbiness was thinking about when he asked for readers' contributions this week. This is no joke. I'm completely sober.I've been at this for over seven years, starting here. Reading RYS and CM, not to mention moderating AWC, has been a blast. Not only are academics like you entertaining but you've changed my mind about several issues facing higher education and society in general. Thank you for the laughs and your insights.
This is the last thing I'll write as Beaker Ben, here or anywhere else. Being online is taking me too frequently away from real life. I am embarrassed to admit the last time I read a book for pleasure. I'm going cold turkey for here, Twitter, and other blogs I read. I'm missing out on too many other pleasures.
I know my posts here have ruffled some feathers over the years. I can't say that I'm particularly sorry for it but I do regret not knowing my audience better. I always meant to be funny.
I wish everybody at CM, especially Cal and moderators past and present, a most enjoyable time online and off. Please continue to not care more about their education than they do.
Cheers,
Beaker Ben
PS: I'm leaving my posts here and all of AWC up. Whether they serve as a guiding lighthouse or the warning signaled by a ship half-sunk on the rocks, at least somebody might find them useful.
Ever since I "met" Ben online - and no, it wasn't on Match.com - I've wanted to make him laugh. I wanted my work on these pages to give him a chuckle. When Ben noticed you, you knew you were doing the right thing.
ReplyDeleteI won't forget you, fellow traveler.
XOXO
Cal
"Being online is taking me too frequently from real life. " Seconded, which is why I stopped following CM earlier this summer. Wouldn't you know it, I check the page in a fit of the 3 a.m.s and find Ben's goodbye.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ben, for the laughs and insights and especially for keeping the water cooler stocked with bourbon when CM actually died. Your Twitter was pretty fucking awesome too.
Smooches,
PG
There once was man called Beaker
DeleteAn out of this world first class tweeter
He went back to real life
To the delight of his wife
But left CM so much bleaker
Aw Ben, I'm really going to miss you. Thanks for AWC and everything else. For what it's worth, you always made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteAWC was awesome, Ben, and I love the twitter stuff, too.
ReplyDeleteWishing you all the best, and enjoy your new offline life.
There are very few "characters" from the 10 years of RYS/CM as beloved as Beaker Ben. We will miss you, friend.
ReplyDeleteFab
Ben, you were our only regular chemist. The rest of us need to step up, or at least buy some Metamucil. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteI've logged in to the old moderators' account because Cal emailed me this morning with the bad news about Ben.
ReplyDeleteI always thought he was a perfect fit for the page. Lots of people have enjoyed Rate Your Students and College Misery, but few "got" it to the extent Ben did. I always enjoyed his view of things, and treasure his help in keeping the page afloat.
Who'll step up now? We've lost giants, of course, Yaro, Walter, and many others, but we've never lost someone so prolific.
Thank you, Ben.
Love,
Les
Oh, goodie, and I see Fab put up a Beaker Ben tab at the top of the page. All of his hits (and misses?) are there. I will read them today with fondness.
DeleteBB, it's been fun having you here, and in the wilds of twitter. You've done good work.
ReplyDeleteI entirely understand the 'I need my life back' thing, and pseudonymous work is hard.
Happy Trails, Beaker Ben.
ReplyDeleteJust when I was about to announce my big come back (kidding... no one knew I was actually gone)... I will miss you, Ben! You always made me laugh, and you didn't let us get away with shit. I hope one day you return to this "real life" once in a while when you've found balance, because it won't be as funny or as poignant without you.
ReplyDeleteYou are the bee's knees. Find your real life and eat it up.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Ben. You have been a force for good here and at AWC, which thanks to you was "here" for a while. Keep fighting the good fight.
ReplyDeleteFair winds and following seas.
Dammit Ben - now who's going to put the bourbon in the water cooler?
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your writing, Ben! Every time I have a chemical "accident," in which students who don't read the instructions are set on fire or dissolved or poisoned, I'll think of you!
ReplyDeleteYikes! I take a brief break, and big things happen. All I can do at this point is echo the others: many thanks, Ben. I'll miss you, but I definitely understand how consuming keeping up with the internet (which sometimes seems like a million toddlers all pulling on various body parts, saying "look at me!") can be, and it seems to be hard to find a middle ground. So there's something to be said for cold turkey. Enjoy the real world (at least the more enjoyable parts of it, which do exist, for all the misery of various kinds that's out there).
ReplyDeleteI'll miss you, Ben. A whole lot.
ReplyDeleteThanks for everything.
Love,
GLG
You were always my favourite, Ben.
ReplyDelete