03/17/2008: "Reaction to the steroid article in Esquire ..."

... has been mixed. I've been emailed from everyone to a 14-year old girl whose letter was peppered with e-text semaphore to a father who said he was going to share it with his two sons to ... well, not everyone dug it. No less than I expected. I don't know the last thing I wrote that met with universal acceptance; it may've been the fingerpainting I did at 3, and my parents aren't the most subjective arbiters of talent.

Now, those who've emailed me know: I do email back. I don't think this makes me unique as a writer, as I have more time than most to reply. If I ever 'hit it big' as the saying goes, I would like to think I'll still reply to everybody, probably in shorter missives. And if you send me a nasty email, there's a better chance we'll have a few email exchanges. Thankfully this does not happen much. My general policy is: if I'm getting hammered in a public forum I don't reply. It's a waste of time and will make you go bananas. But privately, through email, yes, sure, let's have a little tete-a-tete. I hope this doesn't act as an encouragement to anyone because really, I don't like exchanging heated messages.

So yesterday I get an interesting email from a guy who's read the article and has a bone to pick. We go back and forth and eventually it ends amicably enough. He seems like an okay fellow, just looking for a reaction. Fair enough. So I guess he posted the entirety of the exchange on Bodybuilding.com. Another poster emailed me today saying I should go check it out, so I did. I'm somewhat versed with message boards---in fact, I spent a lot of time on a board called freakzonline while researching the steroids I was going to take---and they can be fun, informative, helpful, if potential time-sucks.

So, anyway, you can go read our email exchange, then follow the developing debate. WARNING: copious avatars featuring shirtless guys taking digi-camera self-portraits in their bathroom mirrors.

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=106553571

All best, Craig.

PS: anyone know what 'negged' means, exactly?