Anyone Heard From RB?

[pitbulllady]

I'm getting a bit concerned that he has not been on the board at all since MU came out. I was surely expecting him to go see it and post his thoughts about it and Randall in particular, but he has not even signed on. I hope it's just a temporary computer issue, and nothing serious.

pitbulllady

[CrazyDiamond]

You're right. Haven't seen him in a while... Have you tried PM-ing or e-mailing him?

[pitbulllady]

I sent him an email using the address listed on his profile, hoping that it's up-to-date. Guess I'll know before long if it's not, since Yahoo will kick it right back to me as undeliverable. I didn't bother with sending a PM since he has not been on here to read them. He's had computer issues before that kept him off for awhile, so hopefully it's no more than that, but I did find it a bit worrisome that of all times for him NOT to show up and post, it would be right after MU's release.

pitbulllady

[pitbulllady]

Still no word from him, not even an email.

pitbulllady

[mintygreen]

OMG I hope he's okay. This isn't like him.

I wondered if maybe he went offline to avoid spoilers....but that doesn't really seem like something he'd do either, considering he's always wanted to know stuff right away from what I always gathered about him.

EDIT:

Is anyone close enough friends with him on here that you potentially have access to any of his family members or other people he knows beyond just the internet, in order to find out if he's okay?

I know he's a relatively secretive person, it seems, so maybe no one knows any way of contacting relatives of him....but it is getting worrying at this point.

[RandallBoggs]

Your concern is touching people, nice to be appreciated hm hm hm.

I am quite...well "fine" doesn't quite fit it...
I am still around, yes. And no Minty, I haven't been away for a month, just a couple days. I had been away, the weekend, with two friends of mine. Initially, to see the film, and later to spend time there.

I've considered, for a long time beforehand, the effects the release of the film will have. Both in public...and to me personally. I have a lot of things going on in my head right now that I honestly needed moments to take a step back. Of course, the step I would REALLY need would be the width of the Grand Canyon, but that's an un-realistic option. But I digress.

Though, at least as PBL was the one to notice, it was practical to be concerned. What occurs for Randall in the prequel is quite...when you pay attention and know him pretty well, it can hit very hard. If I didn't have the will I had, if I was a lesser person, something my have indeed happened. But, not this time.

So yes, I am here. There is a lot I have to do, and yes MU/Randall concerns a large portion of that. In fact his endeavor during the film reminds me a lot of my private predicaments...the fact that things went so wrong for him is...most concerning. It was a necessary thing to see, yes, but doesn't make things easier. Still, had to be witnessed.

I appreciate everyone's....well...three people on the fly on this topic for their concern. *cracks knuckles* There's a lot of work to be done. Can it? Well, that remains to be seen.
*chuckles* So call back the search teams, the hounds, and MacGyver, I'm still around hehehe. Give me some time, and I'll be making my rounds of the board hm.

[pitbulllady]

Well, this IS a relief, and I had wondered if it might be something like that, but I knew about your prior computer troubles, too. But yeah, Randall's story hit hard with me, too, as I knew it would, and it's more frustrating than ever that rather than make people understand him better, it just seems to have reinforced the notion that he was a horrible person who deserved every awful thing that happened to him. That is very hard for me to accept, especially now, when I don't have many positives in my own life.

pitbulllady

[RandallBoggs]

Yes...my comp had to do an annual scan itself and the CPU went rather wild for awhile for no particular reason...so good thing it didn't turn into that. No real funding for a second back-up.
And yes, did hit me hard...very hard in fact...

As I said in the Tumblr bit...humans as a mass are idiots. We have defended Randall through the MI material where they had a shred of having something to enforce themselves...but now, with MU, the attempts are just pathetic.

The ONLY thing that came off in a negative fashion for Randall, to me, was what happened at the party for the OKs. BUT...one thing I DO remember...is that it was, sorta, on "Johnny's command" once again.

[mintygreen]

I'm glad that you are okay.

[lizardgirl]

Glad to hear you're okay, RB. I know what you mean about the story hitting hard, I'm already spending much too much time thinking about Randall, the fact that we're getting a glimpse of his past, and so on...And I don't think it's going to make entirely pleasant viewing. But we'll see. Like you said, it's when you know him well that makes it all the more difficult. But yeah, glad you're alright.

PBL, I'm sorry to hear that other people's perceptions of Randall, even in MU, are upsetting you. It used to upset me too, but RB's right: people ARE stupid. I understand why you try so hard to make others see what we see, but sometimes, even with logic and reasoning and stuff being plain as day, people still don't get it- and honestly, there's nothing you can do about that. There's no point making yourself miserable over other people's misconceptions. They're the ones missing out on something quite special, and we're the lucky ones.

[RandallBoggs]

Yes, it did hit hard. Not just because I know Randall and that he's a dear friend...but also because it was a positive-to-negative change in his life. And the personal timing of being witness to seeing it in full (some-what) for myself was...let's just say it didn't instill what I needed at the time, merely agitated it more. At least I was able to gain some strength from him for his ability to trudge onward in the face of a demented world.
As for if I'm "ok" or "alright"...are not the right terms. I'm..."surviving" is probably a better one to use. Barely.

Humanity is a under a delusion that they have control over their lives, and believe other people are under that same "freedom". But they're wrong. A lot of our lives are influenced by others, by events, by struggles we endure. Whether we come out better or not depends on who influences us for the better.
Randall did not have that luxury. He was a good person. But name one person who had, honestly, wanted to HELP him in MU? Wazowski? Nope, he was too obsessed with his OWN dreams and wants. Randall wasn't a friend as most viewers would think. He was a tool. A study partner and the "oh so forgotten third wheel" that he could call in when he chose to do something drastic. The RORs? They may have boosted his confidence, but that was mainly Randall's own "high" from being in a popular group. As we saw, he was worried on the inside. In the end, heck even the beginning, they showed he was just another tool.
He was used and spat out and nobody (from what we see at the time) was there to help. For people who care about him...how do you think it feels to see that. I knew it was some sort of humiliation...I knew it but didn't want to be right. What was seen in MU, for Randall, was a...painful...but necessary thing. Pixar will, at least movie-wise, have to fix things in the future. They did right by things...most of humanity is just too ignorant to notice what it was.

[lizardgirl]

I'm sorry to hear things aren't great at the moment. If you ever want to PM me for a chat, feel free. Or just try and talk to friends in general, if you haven't been already. There are lots of people in the world who care about you very much.

Yes, it's pretty impressive how Randall persevered; the fact that he even made it as a Scarer, despite everything that happened to him, is amazing. Maybe it even spurred him on even more.

And yes, Randall certainly seems to be a victim of circumstance. I guess that's what makes it all so much more painful, the fact that he was trying so hard for everything to go right, and yet it all went so wrong, and there was little he could do about it...Yeah, in some ways I'm looking forward to Sunday, but in another way, I'm not. I just hope you're right and that Pixar do fix it in the end.

[RandallBoggs]

*chuckles* Already mentioned I'm getting assistance from one hehehe. But yes, I am aware of the whole smultzy "power of friendship" jazz. Doesn't always work. But at the moment, figuring things out before my head explodes. The world is an enemy that is not easy to defeat, if ever it can be.

What happened to him in MU severely damaged his ability to trust others and be sociable. He learned a lesson with Wazowski already, and learned an even harsher one from the RORs. It hurt. Audiences see he is angry, duh, but before that you can see the realization that he is deeply hurt by this. So...instead of making connections with people, he focused on himself, bettering his abilities.
He eventually became one of the best Scarers in MI history. Thanks to being Top Scarer and being admired for HIS achievements (Not a direct "team" effort like with ROR.), he was slowly repairing himself.
But guess who comes waltzing in with good ole' memories of hate, up the ladder at MI? Like a bane of existence, to him, James P. Sullivan. If I ever feel...safe...again...and things get easier, and I get the time, it'll be shown in the series.

Randall's a good person by heart. That was shown. People are beyond ignorant for not taking that into account.
He was a good person that got screwed over and taken advantage of. That's...not his fault...it's not his fault that he got the way he is. The world takes a SHOVEL to you AGAIN, and AGAIN, and AGAIN...then "free will" starts to look not so free anymore.
Sunday? Guessing to see the film. Well...steel yourself. If anything, use Randall's display of good-heartedness to help you deal with what later comes.
And yes...would be a disgrace if they didn't. Hopefully not another 12 years, of course...but give them time. They did a good...good job. They probably listened to us after all so...we give them a little time and our thanks for setting things up for a resolution.