To Paul, A friend of mine alerted me to an entry written by Paul on 4/28/08 about the Silverthorne Mansion. I am one of the owners who showed people (you) around those days and am offended by your comments. We were asked and volunteered like everyone else to be included in this charity event because of what we did with a once commercial property. We are certainly not pretentious and am suprised by your comments. Do you know that we are constantly holding fundraisers for charities and over the last year have raised greater that $500,000? For us to invite you and the public into our private home and lives and to have such negative comments is appalling. We like most peole downtown are trying to make this community a better place and with comments like this, you are taking us one step back. If you would actually like to get to know us and possibly help us raise money for kids with cystic fibrosis, peole with cancer, peoplw with HIV/AIDS, you can contact me
I am sorry if it offends you so much, you really should not care what I think and furthermore I don't think and did not say you are bad or uncaring people. I figured I would just expalin myself some more below.
What I was refering to was the way you conducted your very formal speech during the tour of your house the night of the Linwood home tour particpant party. I think the specific moment was when you told a crowd of proud Linwood home owners, how the original owner of your house, moved to linwood when he lost his fortune. You said it in a "moved down to the village where the poor farmers lived", kind of way. That was what bothered me. If it was the Buffalo home tour I probably won't have cared so much but it was the particular audience. Then again, I am probably the only one who cared.
I don't think that calling you pretentious (making an exaggerated outward show ) - reduces your effectiveness as a fundraiser extraordinaire. Wouldn't you say that most large scale philanthorpists have an aire of pretention.
What lets go over this again. You are two people living in an 11,000 square foot super mansion made of mahogany decked out to the max. Far from modest, far from humble and it makes you angry that someone you don't even know thinks you are a but showy? Maybe I just meant ostentatious. Do you honestly care?
Moreover, I am not even saying that I am not pretentious, but the way you gave your speech that day really bothered me. Maybe if you had participated in the after party I would have talked to you there and felt different but you didn't. We basically walked a couple blocks out of the way to go there and then never saw you again during the rest of the evening as though you were to good for the Linwood folk.
Like I said in my original journal, maybe you were just tired of parading people around your house - I know we were with ours and you have had a far larger audience. I don't blame you. In fact I don't even dislike you. I was just irritated with your performance that day.
There are like 75 million pages on the internet saying how great you are. I can't believe this would even bother you.
Hope this makes you feel better.
Best,
Paul
It's like someone calling you a know-it-all, and combatting that insult with explaining everything that you know. He gave anyone willing to take it even more ammo & proof that he's pretentious. I thought pretentious people liked that, though, people knowing just how wonderful they really are.
Its not even their real real names, lol. I wrote it after the name of the people that originally owned it.
I'm so embarrassed. I think what made them upset is that you made your comments so public. I would've felt the same way.
wow. the tone of the letter reminds me exactly of so many clients' when i used to clean houses for some of buffalo's "finest," because it was good off the books dough at the time. despite being treated like the mung i was cleaning, and stupid to boot, never once did i begin a sentence with "Do you know that i....." i.e., do/know this this and this, and YOU don't, therefore YOU are the asshole, and i am not. i desperately WANTED to say such things, but as a *person providing a service,* there is implied a certain sacrifice, like voicing one's personal opinion. and certainly self-aggrandizement.
yes, by caring so very much what you think, paul, these people instantly discredit the philanthropy, which is nothing more than doing good for humanity for the sake of humanity.
Dear Paul,
My parents were emotionally unresponsive and demanded an unreasonable level of perfection when I was growing up. As a result I have severe emotional issues and consequently am hunting down anyone who has written anything even remotely less than stellar about me and making them apologize. It's just my way of getting back at my parents (still emotionally absent and demanding).
I am able to go about this by working with organizations related to incurable diseases. This insures that if I am ever attacked, I can matter-of-factly state that I am working hard to help these poor, sick people. This instantly makes you a horrible asshole and dirties your name not mine (so there!).
Please forgive me for having a small dick and no integrity.
Best,
Matt
I am with leetee. That letter was dripping with pretension.
I find that email sent to you to be pretentious. Does someone really need to brag about how much their fundraisers raise to make themselves look better?
I also find it rather amusing to think that inviting someone into your house to take a look around means there can be no negative comments. Does that mean if we do not like the choice of drapes we must keep it to ourselves for all eternity? What the hell is appalling about it? Is it not ok to have an opinion if it is not in conjuncture with theirs? Looks like it...