The Pun-Off Ends....goodbye!

 

I think it was Frank Skinner that said something along the lines of: "Its better to quickly kick a dog to death than to slowly let is starve".

 

I think he was referring (in rather grizzly terms) to the inevitable fading of old friendships that occurs when one approaches their 30's. I certainly agree with the idea behind the quote and I applaude Mr. Skinner for not submitting to the tempatation to wrap it in a wooly, pleasant metaphor cardigan (like this one). However, the sentiment has been more poetically and universally put than that.

 

It was Neil Young (not the baddie from "Highlander") that said: "It's better to burn out than it is to rust" and I think this idea helped me come to the decision to end The Pun-Off. There is still enthusiasm out there for The Pun-Off, the drop in the number of particiapting punners and those viewing the blog has been noticable but modest, certainly nothing significant. However, I sense that it has run it's course - it's best days are behind it and to lollop on, clinging as we often do to past successes would be both an unwise use of time and an act not in keeping with my forward looking, positive outlook on life.

 

The Pun-off was a surpise "hit" - I started it as a means of extending the fun I'd had making up Puns with my friends in Ravenscourt Park and with my girlfriend when we couldn't sleep. It only became a more formalised institution when the demand indicated the need for structure and govenence. However, what surprised me even more was that the formalising of proceedings increased it's popularity, with people all over the UK (and the World) writing to me asking me to join in.

 

I suppose The Pun-Off has slightly restored my faith in the mild usefulness of Facebook. I have become connected to many people who have a similar outlook on things. I enjoy their statuses, their interesting shares or articles, and their good will about my contributions.  There is of course people to which this doesn't apply, but who am I to exclude someone from The Pun-Off because I don't agree with how they use their own Facebook account. The Pun-Off was intended to be for everyone, and I hope I stayed true to my ideal.

 

I hope to keep in touch with many of you and hope that if we were to bump into one another we might consumate our virtual relationship with actual face-to-face interaction, and who knows...perhaps a pint?

 

There are too many people to thank individually - so I will simpy say this: The Pun-Off has been a genuine honour to run. I am equally humbled and delighted that so many people enjoyed taking part, that laughs were had and that strangers connected and shared something together in the name of good-humour, language and sillyness. I will selfishly confess that I have enjoyed having a platform for my writing. It is something that I enjoy doing and although I'm nothing special in this regard I have enjoyed having the oppourtunity to try my best and persue an ability (however mild) that I really ought to persue. I thank you for your kind words of encouragment and for your compliments.

 

So, that just leaves me to say a final thank-you and goodbye. While "The Pun-Off" ends The Pun still lives on in all of us - there are hundreds of other public punning formats out there. Please forgive me if I am expressing delusions here but The Pun-off genuinely means a lot to me, I am proud of it, and it is sad that it has to end. But there you go...

 

We had a good little thing going there folks; thank you.

 

Geese: Wankers