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Time to take a step back like Gaspare and enjoy life
To all my Friends and Family all over the World: This past week I have been thinking about many things and life in general being I just turned 58 years old on January the 11th. I thought it fitting that I post this on the Honor Ring forum as it is something that is near and dear to my heart and always will be. I have been collecting since I was 17 years old just before I joined the service and right out of High School. I have made many friends all over the world some are even like family to me and always will be . In all my years of collecting I have made friends but there are also people out there who do not like me for one reason or another sending me treatening e-mails over the years to people questioning if I was ever in the service and personally attacking me. This being said the many good people and things outway any negative things e-mailed to me or said about me on other forums. Thank God for Raymond and this forum Web Site as it is the best I have ever been on in my opinion. In all my years of collecting I have had 2 items I sold questioned both sold to friends of mine and both I stand by 100%. I would like to share just one with you which was an SS Dog Tag that I sold to a friend many yers ago . Three years later he came to my table asked to talk with me and said the Dog Tag was bad another dealer told him then took something off my table in exchange before I could say anything which was fine with me . This was at the Max Show. I put the piece back out on the table and a dealer who collected Dog Tags for many years asked to see the SS Dog Tag and I told him what had happened and that another dealer said it was bad and a friend returned it after 3 years of owning it. He told me it was 100% real and gave me $100 more then I sold it to my friend for and was very happy with the purchase to this day. So just because someone thinks something is bad does not make it so . That being said I have been collecting for a long time and I have written many articles over the years for many magazines one being the Military Trader which I enjoyed very much. As I have gotten older I have also gotten much wiser as time stands still for no one . I have gotten tiered of all the nasty e-mails all the nasty things said about me on other forums and people questioning me , my reputation, my service. It is time for me to step back and get back to what I like most collecting , writting and searching out new things along with research as I think documentation that Mike C. and Ross K. do are one of the most important things in this hobby. Most of the items I get are out of the wood work or by e-mail which I like. I have 2 tables at this years Max Show but might just give them up as I need to put the fun back into collecting like it use to be for me and I just might need to pass on this years SOS show as I need a break from all the Bull **** that has built up over the many years and recently as the aggrivation and tension are not worth it . I am not getting out of collecting and will stop by on the forum from time to time but it will be much less then before maybe to pursue writting aother book and some articles for magazines etc. I have always wanted to collect signatures of two presidents of the United States (George Washington ) and (Abraham Lincoln) and will probably do that as it has always been a passion deep in my heart. I am much older and much wiser since I started when I was 17 years old and it is now time to enjoy life and ignore all the negative things said or being sent to me . I might not be on the forum that much anymore but my e-mail address (honorringman@webtv.net) along with my home address (DON BOYLE ---- 451 N. MAIN ST. --- TAYLOR, PA. 18517 USA ) along with my home number (570)562-0124 or celll (570)815-6920 will be always opened to anyone with any questions , items to sell or just to talk and tell me of any new items you might have picked up. I a not leaving this great hobby just taking a long needed and deserver step back to make it enjoyable and more fun to be in. I would like to thank all the great people from all over the world who I now call friends as well as family also this great web site Raymond has put together and all the wonderful forum moderators and members who make it what it is one of the best Forums I have ever had the honor to be associated with it was all my pleasure all of you have made this 41 year ride a pleasure and the Honor was all mine just to meet you and know you. I will drop in from time to time to chat. Thank You for the nice run and God Bless you all. Your Friend Forever Don Boyle
We never met. But I know your reputation as a very advanced researcher. Good luck with your future life and work. And I suppose there is an English version of the saying "High threes catch much wind". It must not be easy to focus on research between all the bull*** that surround the collecting world. It's a pitty that you're working in an area that I can't effort. No skull rings for my collection Otherwise I woud have followed you're steps much closer.
We will sure be missing you, Don. I really hope you enjoy your break and leave behind all the negative things that have affected you in this hobby. You will always be welcome whenever you feel like coming back or just by popping in now and then. It is another loss this forum has after Wim Saris also decided to take a break.
Seems like the pioneers of the hobby are starting to take a step aside from certain things and although this is understandable, it is still quite sad. But what's more important is the well-being of you and the others that decided to quit the forum for personal reasons.
I'm sure Raymond will love to hear such a good positive feedback from you. As a fellow member of the Staff here, i would like to thank you for all the time, efforts and knowledge that you have shared with the community.
Happy belated birthday then, and i hope that you enjoy whatever you decide to do from now on. Do feel welcome anytime to post or just to announce any new publication you have made.
All the best,
Santiago
Well Don, I wish you nothing but sucess in everything you do and in every direction life takes you. I've never had the pleasure of meeting you, but I was hoping to at this years SOS. You are a legend in this hobby. Sadly there are those who who can't handle that fact. They are so insecure in their own skin that they choose discredit threaten or bring down those who they feel are a threat. You have a great reputation. Take as much distance as you need but please keep in touch. As you said, you have many many friends......all over the world.
Chuck
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German Wehrmacht Daggers, Civil Daggers, Bayonets, Fighting Knives and Accoutrements.
Politics and egos have a way of getting in the way of this great hobby that we all enjoy and it's really a shame. Don you are a friend and I have enjoyed talking with you at the shows and on the phone and I look forward to your new book on Honor Rings. (hint hint.) Best, Erich
I guess it's catching as I have decided to pass on the SOS this year as well.
This will be the first time I've skipped the SOS in as long as I can remember.
The shows really have become just a social event for me and the primary reason I attend is to spend some time with friends such as Don Boyle and Gaspare.
However; Some of the events that have transpired in this past year particularly in the honor ring arena have been very unsettling to me. People who I have known and thought I trusted have turned out to be a big disappointment and GREED seems to be the prevailing driving force for many in this hobby anymore.
For my friends who will be attending;have a good show and please lift one for me one nite.
Don: Good Luck with your future endeavors and I'll talk to you soon.
Robin: I would dearly love to make it a show with you and my friend Frederick Stephens both in
attendence. Perhaps one of these years.
Jim
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Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia:
"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms. . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes. . . Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
Last edited by james m; 15th January 2010 at 22:26..
I guess it's catching as I have decided to pass on the SOS this year as well.
This will be the first time I've skipped the SOS in as long as I can remember.
The shows really have become just a social event for me and the primary reason I attend is to spend some time with friends such as Don Boyle and Gaspare.
However; Some of the events that have transpired in this past year particularly in the honor ring arena have been very unsettling to me. People who I have known and thought I trusted have turned out to be a big disappointment and GREED seems to be the prevailing driving force for many in this hobby anymore.
For my friends who will be attending;have a good show and please lift one for me one nite.
Don: Good Luck with your future endeavors and I'll talk to you soon.
Robin: I would dearly love to make it a show with you and my friend Frederick Stephens both in
attendence. Perhaps one of these years.
Jim
Jim, you are correct greed is the key word here. With prices north of 7K for most rings it can be out the worst in some people.
Time to take a step back like Gaspare and enjoy life
Otherwise I woud have followed you're steps much closer. 
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