Debra,

There is nothing anyone has to do. I haven't changed. I am quick to anger when I see someone spreading vitriol in a place I like. Americo is very long and boring on protest but short and weak on owning up. I wish he would just apologize and shut up instead of trying to convince us that ugly is a compliment in his Portuguese/English dictionary. However, I will not mention it again and just move on. You know, I really have to take a look at that picture of Litter.

Mark,

I disagree that we can police the NB by laying down rules. If people choose to practice deceptions begause they get some juvenile kick out fooling people, I would just as soon ignore them. Codes and passwords won't stop them if their own sense of unworthiness doesn't. To react with a bunker mentality will only serve to feed their twisted notion of power. They are like the people who call the police station from pay phones and tell the cops they are a bunch of pigs.
So, it costs a little space in the forum but I would just consider it a small price to pay for the freedom we enjoy here, especially since we can't stop them, anyway. besides, I don't think Jack would go for it. Jack made the WB a password area a couple of years ago, and I don't recall there ever being a problem associated with the WB.

GS

Robi


Now, just how cute are you?

You don't sound old to me.

Even if you are getting up there in age, the fact that you still love to write warms my heart.

I am what is called a late bloomer. I always knew I got joy from the written word and writing. I just didn't realize how much joy until I started doing it.

I have spent some time worrying about the years I lost not actually doing it.

When I hear about older people still writing I think that I might have enought time left to get it all out.

Thanks,

Debra

Hello Notebook,
I'm sorry I'm writing so late, I just got back from upstate, I hate funerals. This is the third one this year for people I graduated college with. Seems the class of 1917, (I told you I was very very old :),) is dropping like flies. Too bad, 'great minds of the generation.'
Jerry, thank you for telling me the snow fences name, I needed their title for a peice of my short story collection. I'm very bad with names and such, so I owe you a big thank you.
Christi, I love that quote. :)

Everyone else, I have no idea about this whole thing. (I try to pay attention, but in my senileness I'm having difficulties.) I'm sure that whatever this is will be resolved. I really like this notebook, and it's members. That's all I want to say about it.
I'm in a stressful point in my life, I tell you that not to get sympothy, but just to let you know in case I seem a bit, 'normal'. Could be this whole death thing, I don't know. I'm old, I'm tired. I need to write.
Good night,
dream well, so you can have something to wake up for,
your crazy ranting and raving woman,

Robi

Use <b> to start bold and </b> to stop it.

TINA and HALLEE -- nope, the stuff in angle brackets disappeared in that last post. The explanation is there, but the examples fell right out and became HTML tags. email me.

CHRISTI -- It was just one short story in a book of short stories, but it was memorable. A man and his family travel west, much like the Joads of "Grapes of Wrath;" they seek a better place to live. For reasons even they don't know, they take a turn onto a road which runs through a rich wheat field. [Of course] they happen upon an abandoned farm house which is ready for anyone to use. A couple days of rest in this fertile land and they realize they will need to begin working to keep the larder stocked. The man finds a scythe and begins reaping wheat as it ripens. Each day new sections of the farm have wheat ready to harvest. Incredible. No farm ever had such a day-by-day harvest.

One day the man notices that the wheat has more to it than daily ripening, each stalk has a personality. When he hits it with his scythe, it dies. He is the Grim Reaper. There are complications when he sees the stalks which represent his family and he refuses to mow them down. The family members lose their zest for life but go on joylessly anyway. He finally gives in.

TINA and HALLEE -- HTML tags are a start and stop affair. I can [start bold]at one point and end it by using [stop bold] at the other end. Same with italics. The point I really want to emphasize is make sure you give the stop signal.

 
 "" is start and "" is stop.

"Mark's Stuff"

christi:

It was your post just under the one in which I said that. You were so kind with Yahel when you asked him to stop with the philosophy for a while.


It was so diplomatic of you.

That's why I said it.

Debra

Hi Rosemary and Mary!
I missed your posts while composing mine.

Mary,
Our posts are somewhat similar, aren't they? ;) I loved what you said about the Notebook being family. I feel that way, as well. Hugs to you.

Notebookers,

So you want to crucify Jon and me. That would not be the first time in history. But two at the same time? And why?

I ignore if the word "ugly", which my well-known character Jon used in connection to Litter, jokingly and not expecting to offend, has in the English-speaking world any connotation which my dictionaries do not register and which I never saw in any book. I can tell you that the thing is quite inocuous here, if addressed to men, mainly in a friendly way, as I think it was the case. I am absolutely astonished with the fuss that has been made about such a trifle. If in your various parts of the world the word "ugly" is an ugly word please say so — presenting phylological reasons and trustful examples — and I'll see what I can do to appease your indignation. I must say, however, that I do not intend to apologize for the complexes and madnesses of other people. I am not a psychiatrist.

Even NOT discounting the obvious good humour of the context the word was used in — though that could be legitimally expected from writers, from intellectuals, from people who know how to read, as you all are and do — "ugly" cannot be compared to the words Gariess has used in connection to my character Jon and myself: "stupid", "arrogant" and "cowardly". He has also made physical threats. No words of reproach to him? How unjust!

And Rhoda has written that I said "horrible things" to Litter.

Rhoda, I have serious reservations about your character, as I told you more than once and explained why. Nothing to do with ideas, but with acts and facts. You remember them. I'll not go back to that. However, it never occurred to me that you could be an unjust person. I don't want to think that you are. No, you are not. And you are going to prove it. Please specify here, publicly, with quotations and inverted commas, "the horrible things" I said to Litter. You cannot refuse me that, can you? A basic demand for truth.

This is too ridiculous to be true. But I must inform those concerned that death threats are very serious crimes. Annonymity is very easily uncovered, mainly if the culprit(s) have had the brilliant idea of using e-mail, as they (also) have this afternoon. I keep a good file in my e-mail application. Bones of a hard, dangerous job, as we say here. By the way, no word of reproach to those death threats? How unjust! how ridiculous!

Gariess probably thinks he is a hero. And he must be a hero, considering how the fire was rekindled by the injuries and threats of his post. Post by Gariess, who also tries to use humour. Better leave him to his pious belief and to his own conscience though. The poor guy is also a Sousa and mercy has always been a virtue.

Other people are new to the NB and do not know that Jon is the only entity here that was called several times to stay — the only democratically chosen notebooker, the only with the full assent of our webmaster. But Rhoda and Howard, who know him and me for so long! This must be a funny dream, not reality.

Jack, I'm having problems loading the NB. These people cannot be left without an answer. That would not be nice. Please read the posts of yesterday and today and tell me if their indignation is in proportion with the "offense". I am sure you are a just man. I will be very disappointed if you are not. And what shall with do to those death threats and to those who instigated them and shut up when they should speak? We really have very serious case here. Portuguese writer threatened of death! Intersting publicity, actually.

I don't believe everyone went mad just because Jon decided to conquer Hell. This must be some sort of infernal complot to preserve the mythical place. Okay, he will not conquer it. The place seems to be much cherished here to disappear. Unless you people are playing the roles he asked you to play. Describing Well and Levite. Is that what you have been doing? In that case, a heartly laugh. You are people of genius! I had almost forgot the program.

Jack, if you have better things to do and cannot analyse this interesting case of collective and incomprehensible hysteria, at least clean the page so that I can answer the most interesting posts. Quite a good exercise actually. After all, my confessed aim when I came here was to practice English.

Hey all!

Mark,
I think you were referring to "On a Pale Horse" by Piers Anthony when you spoke of the books where the author becomes the Grim Reaper. It's the beginning book in an awesome series!

By the way, if you get your stirrups from a western store I'm pretty sure that the only creature you're allowed to do a pelvic exam on is a cow. If that's your idea of fun, well okay. Kind of messy though. Hee hee!

Debra,
Hmmm. What do you mean, when do I go into politics? Do I seem dishonest to you?
Maybe I should run for Pres. It's about time we had a woman in the White House.



Okay everybody, I'm pretty sure that Americo was only joking around. Everyone knows that Litter is an exceptionally attractive human being (I'm pretty sure that I have commented on this in the past). I think it's strange that everyone would get so up-in-arms about this, rather than some of the other things Jon has pulled in the past.
The thing is, I love the freedom here. I myself have never chosen an alter-ego, and choose to post under my real name, but I have no problem with those who do pick alters. I love Sasquatch, Jon, Pussy, Jade, and all the others who have used their imaginations so freely. Looks are the last thing that matters here. What truely matters is good writing, good ideas, and enjoying each other. Anyhow, that's my two cents. Two cents doesn't buy what it used to, does it?

Litter,
Are you truely offended, or are we blowing this all out of proportion? Please speak to us!

And in closing, I'll quote John Lennon.
"All ya need is love
All ya need is love
All ya need is love, love
Love is all you need. (Love and a little common sense. That part's mine.)

Love to you all,

Christi

Thank you Mary:


I appreciate that very much. I really do.

Have a nice Saturday Night

Debra

Debra: I know that you didnt ask me directly, and my best advice would be for you to check the rules for each contest, but in my experience, the title is not included in the word count. I have never seen an instance where it WAS included.

And Jerry, they are called snow-fences here as well (in Ohio).

Plunk Plunk: (my 2 cents)
I have never minded people (anyone) posting as more than one identity, I only ask that they all try to be kind. Even though not everything posted here is directly about writing, it does promote a sort of comeraderie between all of us that is valuable. I am a member of another on-line critique group that is 'all-business' and they have been a wonderful source of information--but I do not feel close to a single member there. The Notebook is family. I learned this very early on.

Mark: I personally feel that you are a valuable addition and asset to this family, and I hope that you do not decide to look elsewhere. I understand your frustration, and the idea about a sign-in is a good one, but frankly I would feel like I was knocking on the door of my own house, instead of being able to walk right in. I wonder if the end would justify the means.

Jon: Admittedly..your last post was the closest thing to an apology I have ever seen from you. Maybe you are stepping towards civilization after all. It takes more than a love of dry wine and Inuit cooks to claim refinement. I hope we haven't lost Litter over this last bout of disrespect. (or anyone else for that matter)

Teekay, Rhoda, Howard, Hallee, Heather, Tina, Jerry, Christi, Allein, Gary(winks), and everyone else here: Hello, and I hope all is well with ya. :-)

Hello most of you,
I'll admit I had to hunt back quite a ways to find out what Jon/Americo had done this time. It turned out to be one of Jon's gibberish posts that I always skip. I'll also admit that I skipped most of those psychological posts. I'm sure they were interesting to the ones submitting them but they didn't make much sense to me.

Litter: Don't be upset, that's what Jon was trying to achieve. He mentioned it had gotten dull here while he was gone. This is always his way of correcting that.

All,
I know I have been posting more lately, (I'm home more now.)but, until Jack has more time for archiveing (sp?) shouldn't we be a little more careful of the space. This is the first time I've had trouble loading this site in the approx. five years I have lurked here.

Howard,
What happened to your dog? The one hit by the car? Was taken to the hospital, then???

Think calm thoughts,
Rosemary

Debra, not sure on the name thing.

Robi - where I come from those fences are called snow fences, but I guess it may be a local name, as we use it to stop the snow from gathering on the highways on these wide open plains.

Jerry

I really do not know just how to post today. It is not often I read the Notebook and feel totally speechless.

Having a few times been the victem of some very scathing postings by Jon and Americo, I understand exactly how Litter and Howard feel. I also know that in those instances, Litter was the first person who came to my defense, and I feel ashamed that much of the ugliness that has past here has gone a bit over my head, and that I have waited until now to speak up.

After reading through the posts again, I must concur with Gary in that what Americo said to Litter was horrible. When Americo lashed out at me, he seemed to have a reason, fundamental differences of opinion, and some might argue he felt somewhat provoked. Litter has never said anything to anyone here that has ever been unkind or provocative. He has spoken his mind, but has always exercised the best of tact and kindness when dealing with anyone.

If this Notebook loses Litter and some of the other kindly people who have habitually posted here, then as far as I am concerned, the Notebook loses a vital piece of its soul. The Internet is full of ugliness, and the Notebook has experienced its share at times, but we have always managed to work through it. Sometimes we have settled our differences and have been able to kiss and make up. I think this last instance will not be so easily patched up.

Americo,

I do not know what has been in your mind as you have posted the things you have. I only wonder if you would dare say most the things you post if Litter and the rest of us were in a room with you and you had to speak to us face to face.

Rhoda

Part of the trouble with the americojonpussy issue is the rambling waste of internet space caused by allowing one person to enter messages under different names and hold "conversations between each other." I believe we have another member doing the same thing, passing messages back and forth between different personnae, both of whom share the same chair. I've seen some pretty sloppy notes here, and some rather common mistakes get made regularly. But it's noteworthy when two supposedly differently people misuse the word "excepted" in exactly the same way.

This free-form forum has had its glory days, but I'm ready to join Litter on some other venue if some measure isn't taken to deter juvenile hijinks.

We could ask Jack to make the Notebook a place where

• we have to sign in on entry
• our identity (or handle if you choose)is automatically tagged onto our entries.

Gariess:

I'm very proud of you. What happened to all the nice conversations that everyone was having? I miss that. Is there anything that we can do?

Debra

i sasquatch am ashamed of my knowing the jon creature and i do not wish to be associate with it any more. we are made to honor humans persons not to hurt them. Litter person i sasquatch wish also you to remain in this place. i will speak no more to this jon creature. i must go.

Why fear death?
Death is nothing.
Dying does not bring hell
nor heaven. Death does not hurt.
So why fear death?
Death is nothing.

Why live?
Life never brings peace.
Life is full of pain
and pleasure. Never rest.
So why live?
Life never brings peace.

Why trust god?
God is a father for the old.
God can do nothing good
or bad. God can not save.
So why trust god?
God is a father for the old.

Listen up, Americo/Jon,

I don't appreciate your nasty insults to anyone in this NB any more than the others who have raised objection, here.

Calling someone ugly is stupid, arrogant and cowardly. And I don't mind a damn bit letting you know. If you want to play cute pussy-cat, come into my back yard and I will be happy to tie a string of firecrackers your furry little ass.

GS

Litter...please dont go..you will break this girls heart...


sits up in the rafters glaring down at Sour-Puss-In-Boots.

Heather: if i dont see ya before you go...have a blast! :-)

Hey, annonymous and/or angelfire (or both). Stop that nonsense of sending me death threats, if you don't want me to send you to... well, you know where.

Why are some people so afraid that I conquer Well? My intention was just to make of Hell a holy place for spending summer holidays, with gardens, swimming-pools, pretty faces around. A good idea, I suppose. You people are being very ungrateful. But, okay, I'll conquer it some other time.

Litter, don't go away. You have the prettiest face I have (never) seen. Next to Howard's but, frankly, not so pretty as Rhoda's.

Hope you people love me again now. I did my best to please my people. I'm sure I was quite successful this time.

PS. Tonight is love-letter writing to me. Howard, you first, immediatelly followed by Rhoda. Make your letters really passionate. Hot, hellish letters! All of them starting:
Dear Jon,
as you managed to do the impossible, stop the cheap philosophysing on the notebook....... etc.

Jerry:

I did it. 2004 words. The four wods are the title. I think that you put them in the part where the personal information goes. I will have to check, unless you know?

Even still, if I have to take our four more words I can do that too.

Let me know about the words in the title if you know. If you don't know don't worry. I will go back and read the rules again.

Debra J. Palardy

This is in response to those death threats, I'M TELLING!


Jack! Jaaaaaack, she yells disappearing out of sight.

Ok. Try this link.

dammit! Just check the link.

ammmmmmm, sorry. Here is the death threat.

Jon - This is a death threat.

Morning all! And a very good one to those of you who are waking up earlier than usual to do something awful, (like me, I have to go to a funeral in upstate.)

Jon,
I had this dream many years back about 'Well'. This was when I was, *cough*doingdrugs*cough*, so it may have been some odd fever dream, but I'll tell you about it anyway.
I was walking in my high school cheerleading uniform, (gold and blue) down these ruins of rock, like of on a ledge, they were almost like the ruins in Athens of the old buildings there. And I was following the school marching band. My skin was all dirty and it was so hot, I can't discibe how my entire body felt like it was melting.
I got to the bottom of this rock, ledge thing and there was a doorway made out of peices of rock, and at the top on a peice of drift wood was the word 'Rapture' carved into it. Then a big wind came and I grabbed onto the rock door frame to keep from being blown away and some giant, booming voice said the word 'Rapture' in an errie whisper almost.
I published that story back in the late sixties, I don't remember all of what I wrote. That was a long time ago, but I may have a copy of that somewhere in this mess. I'll look for it.
So, on your quest for 'Well', remember that anything you don't like is "A crime against the crown." After all it's your empire, so whatever you want can be "a crime against the crown."


Does anyone know if there is a name for those beach fences, you know the one that are thin peices of wood tied together with mental ties, they're all along the beach, and i know that there's a name for them, but I can't remember what it is. So, HELP!

Anyway, off to the funeral.

Your crazy ranting and raving woman,

Robi

Mark – The second poem was totally my own. It was written as a response, but all the ideas in it were my own.

Christi – You want to talk about balloons? Sure… I once executed a clown. :)

Jon and Americo – The Czar and Resputin, you should take heed to insults you give, they may hurt no matter what your intentions were.

Tina – The “Foundation Trilogy” is excellent. As for short stories, have you read “Legal Rites”?

Litter – I once saw a cat running after a big dog. Don’t be silly, don’t be chased out by a cat. :-)

All – Due to public request the philosophy section is officially out of order. I shall have to convince my plants they don’t exist…

Howard,
I did not make any attempt to justify anything. What are you talking about? Litter's ugliness? Your own ugliness? Oh, dear, oh, dear... Are you being jealous of Rhoda's pretty sunglasses? Oh, Howard, what a disappointment!

Pinky and the Brain,
Will you please conquer Well for me? Seems to be too much trouble at this time of the year.

PS. I will not tolerate this time any gang on attitude. But you can gang on if you wish. Try. I like mince meat.

Jon – Cease any hell conquering activity at once. You are meddling with our own plan. If you dare disregard this warning this notebook is not fit to describe what we will do to you. Don’t try us! We don’t like cats!

Tina - Peach whipped cream goodie! Sound delicious! I love peaches too. Any chance you could send me the recepie? *licks lips*
Allein

Mark, how'd you do the italics? I'm not HTML literate. My attempt just failed miserably.

T.J.

Hello!

So 'Foundation Trilogy' is the Asimov to read? Thanks for the tip. I've only read his short stories, never anything long, and thought I should start with the best. I'll have to visit the library.

Litter, ignore the feline and please stay! Insults are the weapons of insecurity, and not worth your notice. Hard to stomach, but do try.

It's peach season! Yay! Canned peaches, dried peaches, peach jam, peach leather, fresh peaches, peach cobbler, peach pie...... (I sound like Bubba on Forest Gump. ) Of course, the only way to eat those scrumptious things is to MAKE them. Therefore, I must go and prepare the most decadent peach desert of them all..... Peach Whipped Cream Goodie. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

T.J.

Litter, here is a lovely little joke (please, don't go and leave. You're loved here!)

Q: What kind of bees make milk?









A: Boo-bees.






I'm smiling so hard my cheeks hurt.

I might pop in here tomorrow for a farewell post before my excursion to the wilds. I'll probably be too madly packing and mowing my lawn, though.
I am taking paper and pen with me (and the rest of the house). The computer stays here, however. I might actually catch up on some sleep, and poetry! And photography. I've got another wedding to photograph in a few weeks.
...and when I get back I hope Litter will be posting!
And Jon, rolled up newspapers are not enough.
Just imagine bondage kitty. Imagine me the Dom.
(Yes, that's right, I must go shopping...!)

~~~~~~

Sun, be kind to the places where wrinkles will be. Moon, be gentle on the places you pull, and on the places you caress.
Lake, be smooth as plate glass and let me float under the brilliance of a night-full of stars, until I don't know which way is the sky. Sand, be warm and cradling, and let your ever-changing roam find still solace under my feet.

a Good night to all, and may inspiration cling.

Heather

Litter,

Americo has never seen your web-site, obviously. I saw it a couple of times and thought your appearance very pleasing.

Speaking of which, I appreciate the compliments that Americo has given me. Any woman worth her salt likes to be complimented for her looks, but if I remember that picture correctly, it was taken in late November. I am wearing a heavy jacket and sunglasses. It is hard to determine how I really look from that picture. Also my three children are in the picture with me.

Litter,

Please do not leave. You are a wonderful voice of humor, intelligence and sanity, and I would miss you greatly. I also would miss your poetry.

Rhoda

Hmm. Name calling. Ahh, phooey. When did I last do that? Probably yesterday. I do tend to get caught up in the "pigeonhole" mentality. Any stereotyping or pigeonhole action is a kind of name calling. Still. . . To call someone ugly. Ya need to be face to face and ready to smile. Hard to see a smile in the persona of Jon, whose single personality facet is plain arrogance. Aw, jeez. Here we go. Now is that name calling? I find myself wanting to differentiate between Jon's "ugly" statement and my "arrogant" statement by noting that my statement was simple journalistic description. Aw, hell, . . .

Litter - stick around, I have seen your photo, in the Bio's I think it was, and have no problem with your appearance. I do enjoy your posts very much, as well as the stories you have posted.

Guess I overlooked your post when I was reading earlier, or I would have said something earlier. We have lost way to much talant here in the past year. Please don't let it happen again.

Jerry

Jon - Hell is like high school. Toiling and slaving away for what - a damn piece of paper! I would marry Levile but I'm already cyber-married to Americo, remember? And I don't approve of what you said to Litter! Bad kitty! ::swats Jon with rolled up newspaper::

Hey all - We might get a puppy! After years of begging and pleading, my parents are seriously considering it. :D
Allein

Litter - Please don't leave us. I still like you. I've never seen a picture of you, so I can't comment on your physical appearence, but you are a wonderful, beautiful person on the inside. I'm proud to call you my friend.
*hugs and smiles*
Allein

MARK -- Besides "Foundation" Asimov wrote "I Robot" -- a collection of connected short stories based on human-robotic interaction. They were excellent, and have also been published (with additional stories) in a volume called "The Complete Robot." He also wrote a science series, and "Asimov's Guide to the Bible" (from an atheist perspective).

AMERICO/JON -- I believe you owe our friend Litter an apology. That was not a nice thing to say at all, and I'm not surprised that he's upset. I didn't appreciate your remark either, nor your lame attempt at justifying it.

TEEKAY -- What did you think of "Midworld?"

howard

FAQ and answers:

Litter: Don't get mad, this is just one of my routine Summer expeditions to exotic places. Please collaborate: send photo. Or describe Mark in html.

Jerry: Westy and One Who? They look like Don Quijote and Sancho Panza. Not my idea of Levite. Levite must look like a smiling A*. Thanks for the collaboration.

Jessica: Well like S. Antonio Texas? Perhaps. I always thought of Well as something like Texas. I'll probably visit Texas after conquering Well. That must be fun, mainly now that Rhoda moved to a safer place.

Christi: knowing the sense of humour of some Christians (no pun intended), prepare yourself to establish peace and love in this empire here. You'll be my queen in transit.

PS. Everybody must contribute to this story. In the end, we can philosophise a little, but only for a day or two.

PPS. Who wants to come with me in this heroic expedition? I need someone to carry my luggage.

Jerry:


As I suspected!

Debra

Debra - I don't have such a sweater, or for that matter any femininity, or at least not the last time I checked.

Jerry

Hello all,


Jessica,
You live in San Antonio? Me too. Except for emergencies, I have been staying in out of the heat. No rain and high humidity makes for heavy molds. My allergies are having fits.

Do you belong to any of the local writing groups? Tomorrow morning is the meeting of Alamo Writers Unlimited. Your post said you were going out of town so that one is out but it is held on the third saturday of each month.

The first few visits are free for decision making. After that the dues are only $21 per year. We have a speaker each meeting and recently we have started to set aside every third (or fourth?) meeting for critque secessions.

Hope you consider it.
Rosemary

Jon

I visited Well many many years ago. If my mind serves me, it was from August 1970 till October 1971.

To the best of my recollection, the weather there was extremely hot, temperatures ranging from a cool day at 95 degrees F. to the hot days around 125 degrees F. The humidity was horrid, and the human body could not cool itself by simply perspiring, as it does in most other locations.

The deity in charge was named, if memory serves me was Westy, or something like that, and he had an evil twin who ruled Upper Well, who was called in English, One Who Enlightens, or some such drivel. Now Westy was not married, but he did have several concubines, most of them from the narrow streets of Well’s Capitol City. Singsong, was the name, I think, or some such name, I have never been real good with city names.

Now Westy was a rather tall figure with chiseled facial features. He was rather thin, and had just the slightest amount or brown hair. One Who was a short thin fellow with a long beard. His features were those of an elderly oriental. One Who also was single, but was served with concubines from the capitol city of Upper Well. If memory serves me the name of that City was Honey or some such name.

Conquering this world seems almost impossible. Many have tried in the past; there were the Chinese who first attempted it, then the Japanese, followed by the French then the Americans. Seems the minions of Well have defended their world with great guile and vigor. Any attempt at such invasion should be reviewed under this light.

It is my understanding that Westy has been overthrown by One Who, and One Who was replaced by another figure head, his name alludes me at this time.

I wish you the best of luck in your attempt to overthrow this underworld, and may the Gods have mercy on your soul. (Cats do have souls don’t they?)

Your humble servant
Jerry

Jon: WELL is like San Antoino Texas in the summer, over 100 degrees with 98% humidity.

I'm leaving for the weekend, so nobody do anything too strange, though strange things are expected of you. ;)

Have a great weekend!
~Jessica

Jerry:

I wouldn't worry too much. Of course, if you have a wool sweater that accentuates the your femininity to perfection, you might want to keep this story under wraps.

There is nothing worse than the muffled sound of wool clunking on a kitchen floor.

Ask me!

Debra

TINA -- Asimov? Foundation Trilogy. Also, I believe there was a book of short stories by him. One short was about a guy who found himself in the role of grim reaper. That was Asimov? right?

HALLEE -- You got the prize for observation skills. I've been doing that for a while, you're the first to notice, or the first to ask, anyway. I discovered it by accident. I wanted to put in a pair of asides, one I put in standard parentheses, the other in angle brackets. When I posted the note, the stuff in angle brackets disappeared. AHA. This thing accepts HTML. If you are comfortable with it, and conscientious, then you can add html bold and italic tags around the appropriate text. However, if you miss an end tag, then the bold (or italic) continues down through the rest of the notebook. It simply cascades to the end.
One other thing I have done that I expected a group of writers to notice: id est

• the bulleted
• list
• of items

OK people,

That does it for me. No problem with real live people but lots with those hiding behind the fictitious rantings of roadkill. OK Amerigo, you finally got to me. Thanks a bunch.

Litter

Debra - thank you for the story about the sweater, I will show it to my wife the next time she complains that I don't do the laundry. (Just kidding, I wouldn't show it to her, might give her ideas!)

Jerry

Dear notebookers,

I decided to conquer Hell (from now on called "Well"). Please support me in the most daring of my adventures so far. How? I don't know . As writers, you are people with imagination. So tell me how I can dethrone the old Devil (from now on called "Levile") and use that beautiful space, so rich in energetic resources, for good purposes. I intend to become the Prince of Lightness (the present designation "darkness" is obviously wrong) and spread this empire (your empire, my empire) over a vast part of the universe which I have not visited yet — the world of evil, hereon called "Jonwelt". I'll reward the prettiest women in the notebook with good seats by my throne. And the most helpful men with good seats not far from the pub.

I'd appreciate if, to start your help, you'd answer the following questions I've been turning on in my mind ever since I took this decision:

*How do you imagine Well? Like California in Summer, or not so bad?

*Please give me a fair description of Levile, so that I don't confound him with somebody else I may encounter on my journey. Does he look like Arik or rather like Howard? And how do Howard and Arik look like? Is anyone of these as ugly as Litter?

*Is Levile married? If not, who in this notebook could make a good wife for him? Allein, Rhoda, Teekay, Avatar? And why? (Don't forget that Levile will soon be me, Levile the Prince of Lightness).

*I intend to make of Well the prettiest and healthiest and holliest and funniest place in the universe —the intention is to compete with the other kingdom, the one which I cannot conquer yet for lack of experience with the transcendental. I want it peopled with the best and the goodest, instead of the worst and the baddest, as, I'm sorry to say, it has been peopled so far. Is there a place on earth which you can recommend as a model for Jonwelt? New York City, perhaps? Australia? Israel? Notice that my next adventure will probably be to pacify Israel and Palestine and become the boss there, but that's too difficult for me at my present stage of development.

All comments and suggestions welcomed. Thanks in advance for your support.

Before anyone feels bad for my husband, I will let you in on some of his shanagins. He does know better.

He bought me a wool sweater that I fell in love with at the store. This was a few years ago. He got it for me at Christmas. I was so happy I wore it that day to my mother's house that day.

Sometime the next day he got it off a chair and washed it for me. It was 100% wool.

I didn't think anything about not seeing it on the chair. I actually didn't even realize it was gone. When I went to the dryer later that day, I pulled it out and didn't even recognize it at first.

It wouldn't fit a Barbie Doll. It was so small and compact that it made a clunking sound when I brought it to him in the kitchen and threw it on the floor.

That's a true story!

Debra

200 words, I'm having trouble processing that information.

I will go over every sentence. Then I will cut it's head off; that should do it.


NO I hope you win!

I saved the long version. Maybe after the contest I could post it in the notebook.


Right now I have to call my husband at work. He shrunk, yet another pair of pants, that I have worn only once. I was in the house when he through then in the dryer too. He's gonna get it. My behind didn't look like it needed to be trimmed for a writing contest in these. Now I'm going to use them to dust.

Where is the key for ten pound tears.

Debra

Debra, yes there have been stories that I have had to trim. I know it hurts sometimes, but you may be surprised, sometimes it makes the story even better. Someone once told me that you should search the story, and find every word that does not make the plot stronger, or the description better then eliminate those words. I have entered the Alfred Hitchcock Magazine photo story several times there you are limited to under 200 words, makes for very pointed writing.

Good luck, hope you win.

Jerry

Jerry:

I wrote my story. It is 2944 words. I can't seem to trim it down. I'm going to go try again. It seems like some sort of damage to property.

Does that make sense?

It's painful. How do you do it? Do you do it?

Debra

did you realize that everyone in this notebook except for you is a creation of my own imaganation

HELLO!
I'm home. I tried reading some of the posts, but there are so many, so if anyone asked me a question or mentioned me and I didn't get a chance to read it I'm sorry.
Emily Jane looks a bit better, at least she seemed a bit more normal once we got to the B & B and she was able to relax. She lost 37 pounds, but i kept feeding her when ever I got a chance, so perhaps she'll gain a bit of it back. But she's so small, I'm very worried.

Debra, Emily Jane and I are not of any blood relation. But I am the only mother she's ever had, and in some ways we are closer than most biological mothers and daughters. I did speak to a doctor about her, but he seems to think that it's not something physical that's hurting her, it's something more mental. Thank you for your concern.

To everyone else, I hope a very good day and some very good writing a wait you.

The crazy ranting and raving woman,

Robi

P.S. Any new members, (are there new members?) a HUGE, WARM WELCOME to the Notebook. I hope your stay here is enjoyable. Please ask me to help you in any way I can.

Arik:

Of course I understood your post, don't be ridiculous.

Yes, I liked your post. You addressed me personally.


What's not to like?


Debra

Rhoda: would you like to be my friend? Starting... NOW! What a pretty face (and body) you have!
The past does not exist.

2nd part:

Here's my contribution for the "philosophical debate".

1 present+1 future=much love.

(Okay, Pussy, I wrote it as you demanded. May I go now? And hide your knife, please.)

Arik: what do you mean by soccer? Does Italy play soccer? Thought they only play billiards...

Howard,

I've received "The Pillars of the Earth " only today. I'll have a look at it, sign it and buy me a copy so I can read it slowly. The book will be returned


(The paperback is too used by now to go on roundrobining).

Thanks very much.

PS. There is one thing I will not return: Rhoda's photo. (Unless she sends me a copy...) Wow! What a beautiful woman!

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!!!

RHODA: Congratulations on finding a house!

Allein: And congrats to you, too. :)

Heather: Have a great time.

Mark: How do you get the bold and italics into the notebook?

Arik: Leave me out of the prizes. I always end up having the dumbest or the silliest remarks.

Mary: I'm the one who said I was serializing on themestream. I looked up your link, and it looks really good. I'm going to delve deeper and really research this company. If anyone is interested, let me know.

Tina: The name is really familiar, but I couldn't name anything he's written.

And now, I must get ready for work. Have a great Friday, all. I have one neice coming in town tomorrow morning and another who has her third birthday tomorrow afternoon. In between the two, I have to make a Barbie cake for the party. This weekend is turning out to be as busy as the last. Those door prizes I won are looking better and better.

Hallee

Here's a non-philosophy question for other science fiction lovers. What is your favourite Isaac Asimov story?

T.J.

Jon - I'll give the prisez from today. ok? You don't like phylosophy? I dont know why people hate it so much... I think it is nice... yea, nice will be a good word. What is going on with Americo? Is h still mad on me about the soccer game? By the way. Have you considered beeing a god? and if you cant do it, then an angel?

Jerry,Christi - I agree. There is no place for phylosphy in this forum! no just kidding. It is nice to have phylosphy here... as long it won't be TOO much phylosophy.

Debra - The question is did you understand the post? Did you liked it?

Whoops! Still new to this chat thing. I went in for a bit, then remembered.... oh! I need to go water my flowers! Then I remembered... oh! I need to go buy a sprinkler! So I did. Got home and then remembered... oh! I started a chat and didn't stick around! So I checked it and low and behold people came to talk and I wasn't there! I feel like a first class goof. Okay, a third class goof but I'm trying to pep myself up a bit. Hello chatters! And Claire, I would happily talk if I could remember to remember! Don't lurk, come out and play!
Next time I'll behave better.... (bad Tina, BAD Tina, go sit in the corner!):-(

I now have three virtually uninterupted hours in which to write, so that is what I go to do.

T.J.

Hi All,
I know, I know, I said I wouldn't stay away so long next time, but I just seem inundated with stuff that HAS to be done (yesterday).

MARY: You always , okay, usually have something of value to say, and I like reading it anyway.

JERRY: Thankyou, how sweet. I appreciate it. I still haven't commented on your story because I still haven't read it. I know, for shame.

RHODA: I still haven't read your chapters either. *gulp*. (Does CHRISTI's falling to the ground and groveling for forgivness thingee.)
And no, I have not gone on vacation alas, but I'm finding it really hard to get to the computer. My subconcious is probably compelling me to stay away because of the guilt it feels re: your chapters and my writing (or lack of.)

CHRISTI: Your post made me chase all around the notebook to see what funnies I'd missed with GARIESS and DEBRA. I eventually gave up, but I ended up laughing anyway. I think it was hysteria.

Okay, I am now going shopping. Good fun shopping, not drudgery shopping and so kisses to all and hello to all, there are too many of you to name.

Good vacations to all who are going on them also.

I have it! So this is what is going on. Americo is having a beach party in Portugal or somewhere in the south of France and has invited Rachel, Teekay, and Jon. Perhaps Heather is invited too. She has told us she will vacation in Canada only to spare the rest of us the pain of being left out.

What a beautiful picture in my mind of these folks having so much fun. Of course the rest of us were not invited, for this is a very exclusive party (sigh). Who would waste their time with philosophy and the mundane rigors of writing when one can have such a wonderful time. I can see it now. Americo has spread out a large towel. There is a plate full of sandwiches and a bottle of champaign. Rachel of course abstains from the champaign due to her condition, but Teekay and Heather inbibe quite freely. Jon is curled up on the edge watching the bikini clad girls out of the corner of a half-shut eye.

The azure water lovingly laps the shoreline, and the bright summer sun beams down upon them. All the while they discuss modern literature and their newest projects.

I think we should have our own little party here on the Notebook. We can make the others jealous, and perhaps they might return. Anyway, I hope they will return.

Good night and sweet dreams, all, espacially Howard. If you dream at all, may your dreams be pleasant.

Rhoda

Et tu, Teekay?

You have not left also along with Americo, Rachel and soon to be Heather when she goes on vacation?

In the Chat room! I'll stick around for awhile but I might be slow noticing if anyone comes by. Be patient.

So Christi:

When are you going into politics?

Heather,
Bless you, you sweet thing. Finally something I can be interested in. How exciting; an explosion and your gas pedal crapping out! Sounds like a movie.

Yahel,
I really like you, and I think you're very funny and smart. HOWEVER . . . this is a site where we talk about writing and whatever craziness is happening in our lives. I don't mind a discussion about philosophy, but I don't believe I want to be inundated with it. I am not interested in philosophy in the slightest at this point in my life. Can we talk about writing, balloons, pelvic exams, peanut butter, or just about anything other than philosophy for a while? Pleeeeeeeeeeease?
I really do think you're great, and would never want you to leave. I'd just like to see what the NEXT topic will be. NEXT!!!!

Good luck, Allein!!!

Congrats, Rhoda!

Americo, Americo, where art thou, Americo? And where's the lovely Teekay? *sniff* I miss you guys.

Love to all.

Christi

Oh my gosh.

I left this afternoon. I came home to my writersnotebook to find all the furniture gone and just the tlelphone hanging off the wall.

Did you guys move out?

Arik: yes, give your prizes again. This new generation of notebookers sounds very boring with their pseudo philosophy or whatever they call it. And some of them don't even know that I am the emperor, though on imperial holidays. Americo has given up the notebook, and so will I, if they don't change topic. Yawn, and yawn, and yawn.

Heather: nice time for a holiday — you are a clever girl.

Allein: you have a job? Oh, dear, oh, dear.

Arik:


Wooow, look at all those pretty lights, she bluprd as she swirled around towards the ground.


Okay, like what was the question again?

Debra

Allien - my daughter worked in such a place when she was attending college and found it very rewarding. I will give you wonderful insight for your writing too. Best of luck to you in your new job, and take it easy on the new boy friend.

Hello!

Allein, I'm so excited for you. We can never anticipate what changes life might bring our way, but you're right on the edge of it ALL. Enjoy!

Heather, I back up constantly on my hard drive, and save my work on seperate disks which I store seperately from my computer. I also have a copy stored out of my home, and I periodically update them but not as often. I almost never print something out when I make small changes. It is printed out, but it's too big and uses too much paper and ink to update it constantly. I should print the new work and major changes, I just never get to it.
Have a great vacation! Ten days! Careful for the poison ivy. ;-)

Congratulations Rhoda!

Getting frustrated by my lack or writing time. Between work, summer commitments and chores I've barely had an hour to write in the last week.
Summer is curving around to the last straight stretch, and I want time to stop. But at the same time, I always have more time to do my own thing in the fall and winter, so I'm looking forward to that. It's all so illogical....

T.J.

yachting - what a wonderful vacation. I have had that problem from time to time, where my tongue gets over my eye teeth, and I can't see what I am saying. Embarasing isn't it. Hope you have a wonderful vacation. I am so happy that someone was watching over you and saved you from being injured in that explosion. I am sure that you will find lots to write about on vacation, I know I always do. I am anxiously awaiting your return to read all about it.

Arik - I understand exactly how you feel. All this talk of philosophy has my mind bent to an unusual degree also.

Mary - Thanks for the link, I will have to check that one out.

Rhoda - I hope you love your new home, and that you have as wonderful neighbors as I do. Neighbors can make all the difference when moving.

Mark - Thanks for the Chat.

Yahel - I am confused, 1 + 1 = 0? The dish ran away with the shoe? All that glitters is not diamonds? Furry squiggly things in my head?

Yahel,

I am so glad you joined us here at the Notebook. Discussion has gotten much more interesting. I agree with you wholeheartedly on mathematical logic. In mathematics, logic is everything. Same thing with physical science. Science differs in the fact that you have to keep adjusting your model to fit reality. Newtonian mechanics explains most thing, but there are places it breaks down and you have to go to quantum mechanics. But still, there is an order and system by which the universe works.

BUT in affairs of the heart, that is another matter. Logic in the mathematical sense does not always apply. Still, I will admit that most of us lack logic. The world would be a much better place if people acted more logically. We could do logical things such as treat others as we would like to be treated. I think the golden rule the most logical of all commands concerning people. Also logical is to consider that everything we do, every decision we make carries consequences good and bad, and that we should LOGICALLY weigh these consequences before doing things. God is the ultimate logical being and the ultimate emotional being, and the ultimate just being. Is not justice the ultimate logic of all human affairs? But should not justice be tempered with mercy? Ah, that is a hard one. Are paradoxes logical? Life is full of them.

Heather,

Have a wonderful vacation. Reading your post I thought lovingly back to the times I saw my relatives up in Michigan and we tramped the woods of the upper pennisula around Lake Superior. Once, we found and picked wild raspberries, took them home and ate them. They were so delicious and a most unexpected treat. I hope you work out your problems with your car. Mine just ate a transmission awhile back and stayed in the shop for three weeks. Now it is fixed.

I back my work up every fifteen minutes or so while I am writing. After a writing session I record it on two floppies. I always use two because sometimes floppies go bad, and then there is no hope of recovering the file. It is always a good idea to back up your files on other parts of your hard drive. I don't do this, but I should.

I usually wait awhile to print stuff out, and then I do so two or three chapters at a time. You get a better perspective of what you have written when you have waited a little and when you see it in relation to other parts of the text. Printing as you go, I would think, saps time and paper. But everyone is different, and if it works for you, then don't change it.

I must go. Perhaps I might buy a new refrigerator today. I was told yesterday by the repairman that the compressor is bad and would take $475 to fix. I can get a new one for not much more than that. When it rains, it pours. My husband accidently broke our back window while cutting weeds. Then there is the refrigerator. Then there was that automobile transmission, but so far nothing we can't fix, so I suppose I must be content.

Happy writing,

Rhoda

Debra - Here is my answer.

The dog ate the cat. Then the egg told you you are nice. did you know that a barbique is a very tasty food? How did the sky became red? and at last: asdjh sfadfue wqoirwr nbxcmnxb!!

What did you think about my answer?

and Moo is the god!

Mary - Hey. How are you? Are you still a minister or jon fired you?

Allein - Hey to you. congrats! I am very happy for you.

Yahel - There are a lot of things that I can and you won't be able to proove to me that they are not true. I think that the philosophy is a since of these things, so maybe you'll explane to me what is the diferance between believing in god and believing in phylosophy. Both try to understand the way the world works, and yet both you can not proof. Why don't you call phylosophy a religion?

Heather:

I always get scared when I do something new. Some of the greast actors still get stage fright. When you feel that kind of fear it just means you have a life.

Not a bad trade off, huh?

Debra

Arik:

I believe. What else do we need?

Debra

HEATHER: that last post sounds like i think you couldnt get published by a traditional publisher, which of course, isnt what i meant at all. i just remember you saying something about themestreaming one of your novels and thought this might be an alternative you might consider...smiles you.

hey, the link works.....and its worth a look-see..hint hint Heather...:-)

usually when something seems too good to be true, it is...you guys draw your own conclusions.

This came across my email and I thought that some of you might have an interest
in this..... it is from 399 Novel.com

I am writing to introduce our paperback and hardcover novel publishing
company. We pay advances, and our royalty structure is much higher then the
current industry standard. Could you visit our website at www.399Novel.com
and see if we can interest you in any way?

I dont know if it will work, but i will put a link for the address here...good luck..havent even been there yet myself.

Hi everyone,
This is a strange feeling for me. Two weeks ago I didn't have a job, a plan for college or a boyfriend. Now I have all three. The boyfriend isn't official yet, but he did meet my mom and she liked him, so he's...let's see...maybe future boyfriend?
I already told you about getting into college but three days ago I got a job as well. It's for a tennant support services. I work with mentally and physically disabled people helping them around the house - cooking, cleaning, helping them dress and bathe, and being their friend (which may be what they need most in the world).
It's really weird - I so happy but really scared at the same time. I start training today (which is why I'm up so early).
I will end this with some lyrics from a song (those of you with young children may have heard this before) that kind of describes how I feel.

"Heart don't fail me now!
Courage don't desert me,
Don't turn back,
Now that we're here.
People always say,
Life is full of choices,
No one ever mentions fear!
Or how the world can seem so vast,
On a journey...to the past!

Somewhere down this road,
I know someone's waiting,
Years of dreams just can't be wrong!
Arms will open wide,
I'll be safe and wanted,
Finally home where I belong,
Well, starting now, I'm learning fast,
On this journey...to the past!



One step at a time,
One hope then another,
Who knows where this road may go.
Back to who I was,
On to find my future,
Things my heart still needs to know.
Yes, let this be a sign!
Let this road be mine!
Let it lead me to my past,
And bring me home...at last!"

So, I'm actually going into the future, not the past, but you get the idea of how I feel. By the way, these lyrics are copyrighted 1997 20th Century Fox Film Corporation.
Anyway, I'm off to my destiny.
Allein

Arik: hi sweetie.

Debra - but now you did. You believe there is no conection between the 2? Yahe'l phylosophy's... you can not proof they are not true... the question is if you believe in thm or not!

Jon - The prisez... I didn't gave them for a long time... do you think I should start again?

Litter and Heather – You misunderstood what I meant by “Logic”. I didn’t mean things like the world is round or anything else discovered by science. I meant things like “If A leads to B and B leads to C then A leads to C”. That kind of logic is absolute. Logic isn’t relative, and has nothing to do with philosophy. Knowledge changes, Logic stays. I think I am familiar with 1=0 proof, but it used an addition like the following: 1+2+4+8+16… and that is mathematically illegal because the numbers don’t add up to a whole number.

“Just breaking -- Yahel said "mary - You are giving a different definition for addition! 1+1 is never 1, unless you decide '1' represents zero" … Uhm, Yahel, 0+0=0, at least it does in my philosophy.” So what? That’s what I said. What is the problem?

P.P.P.S. Post post post script. Ah, too many posts.

I forgot to say thank you to Litter, who expanded on my previous counterpoint (in response to Yahel). The one about Logic.
I said that logic was just today's agreed-upon fiction.
Or something such another or some.

In any rate, and at any case,
I haven't seen the last of me.

Neither have I.

1 added to one is 1one.
one one.
ONEONEONOENEONOENOENONEON

that's neon, for all of you non-logical people.
For the logical, that's gobbledigook.

Yahel, could you write us a quick novelette, entitled 'Logic for the Illogical'(tm)?
How about 'Possibilities for the Impossible'?
Or how about 'Oxy-morons for the Latter'...
Now I'm carrying myself away.

Wait... I guess I don't need any logic. I already have none.
I mean, no, one.SOME!
ONe ONE ONE eno eno eno.
that's seventy two and three score twenty.

Fortnight and q2h (every two hours)
and a lot of flaccid arms.

Please nevermind me, it looks as if I'm incoherent even at 3 am. *shrug*

Heather (again) zzzz

Congrats on finding your new home, Rhoda!

Did I miss out on any other hellos?
I think I forgot to say hello in the first place.

Hello.


Goodnight.

Rhoda - in response to your comment that you have a tendency to garble your words - so do I. When I am talking in person with someone, that is. I could whip off Shakespearean verse at the drop of a beret, but when in the company of others (besides my husband and kids) I trip over my tongue at the worst possible moments. Not always, mind you, but over the past few weeks, I have even picked up a strange stutter that plagues me at odd times.
I think I'll just blame that on lack of decent sleep. Coherent and loving it at 3 am. Not so coherent at 3 pm.

I am going on vacation for one blissful run of ten days, so I will be vacating these premises for a short while. What wonders might I trip over, I ask? Let's hope it's not my own tongue when I get home.
There are wild, unpopulated beaches and miles of preserved forests where we are headed. I just might trip over Sasquatch, writing on his Pentium laptop under the scrub pines. I will certainly paint his portrait if I do.
And add a few of the pines, for good group-of-seven measure.

I will be photographing some of the beauty with my medium format Mamiya C220 while I'm there. Gariess, if only I had a scanner. I will have to check and see if 120mm film can be developed and made into a CDrom; that way I can share the photos with everyone sans scanneur.

I was planning to shell out the moderate bones for a scanner back in January, but things decided I didn't need one. Like my car. She felt it was good timing to act like a dead fish. She's been re-creating that dead-fish ploy every few months. Last week my gas pedal actually broke while I was driving 60 km. The cable that attaches to the back of the pedal snapped, leaving my pedal hanging as if it were a flaccid you-know-what. ARM. That's right. A flaccid arm.
So, luckily I was coming up to a red light. On the green I idled around the corner, to find a perfect parking spot out of the main stream of traffic - a paved shoulder in front of a coffee shop! Funny - because if I'd not broken the pedal of my car that evening, I would have been on my way to my new job. Guess what happened just across the field from the building? And right when I had planned to be pulling into the parking lot. The chemical plant across the way exploded. Tons of fire and ash and noxious pool chemicals flew through the air. I drive with my windows down since my dead-fish car's air conditioning slipped down the crapper.
So, there is a perfect example of well, hmmm. Fate?
Circumstance? Coincidence?
I don't know, but whatever it was, I wasn't meant to be driving by at the time the factory blew. It was even on the National news.


Anyhow, that was last week. This week has had it's share of interesting news items.
But I won't bore you all to the brink.
I did get some writing done, finally.
Yahhhhooooooo! This ms is getting very thick in my warm hands.

Oh, before I sign off, I have a Q:

For all of you writing novels...
Do you save your novel on an assortment of disks and on your 'desktop' and in your 'briefcase' (computer) and then print it out every time you change a few sentences?
I'm beginning to think I'm obsessed.
Obsessed with having a trillion copies just in case of... the unspeakable.

I know it's wise to save it and print it on several medium, but am I taking it a little far?
Let's see - at last count I have seven disks, four files in the harddrive, and twelve copies on paper just of the most recent chapter. You don't want to know how many copies I've got of the first few chapters, in all corners of the house. But especially overflowing my filing cabinet. I don't have room for another single piece of paper in there.


Night!
Heather

Mark,

Sorry I missed you in the chat room. I checked, but was too late.

WE FOUND A HOUSE!!! In Owasso, just a few miles north of Tulsa. We should be moved in my mid October. Soon we shall be Okies!

Rhoda

Arik:

There almost wasn't a connection between your post and the fact that I will answer it. I almost didn't.

Now I did.


Phew!

Debra

Litter:

How sweet of you! Actually I meant that the world is still a place where people are hurting each other. The only time anyone hurts me in my house is when they step on my foot.

I only wear a size five because I am not very tall but I have a small house. That's the only way I ever get hurt in my home by my family members. I do admit that I don't like it much.

I can assusre you the people whom need spankings are at different addresses so many you might need an assistant. Will you be offering a benefit package with that job?

Debra

Mark

Debra -- It is the post in which you said (Tuesday I think)

"But if that were true than why did I create a world in which I live is a tiny tea cup house with four kids, two dogs and a husband? I clean all day and it's still getting messy again. What was I thinking when I created this world in which I really live alone? If that were true, than I am the slob. So that can't be true.

If I am in fact the only one here, although, I might not create a world in which I am the center of attention I definately would not have one where there are so many people hurting each other.

So there has to be someone here with me."

With me now???

Litter

Litter:

Would it be too much trouble to tell me again about the exact post in which you are referring. I'm sure I'd but up for the spanking, but I just want you to refresh my mind.

Debra

Hi everyone. I had a wonderful post all written in response to reading the website Jerry put out. As I was writing, I thought to myself, this is too good to risk typing it directly into the text area..I should be using the word pad and then cutting and pasting. Then, someone entered my office, I got involved in a long conversation, and the next thing I knew, my internet connection had been interrupted due to inactivity. So proves my point. Obviously, I am not the one who is in charge of my world...sigh...haha.

I won't try to replicate what I wrote. I had a teacher in high school who was a WWII fanatic, and we did much studying on the hollocaust, which I'm certain is spelled wrong, so I knew many details about it. I will say that in the beginning of the site, I was disappointed with it, thinking that it was disjointed and jumbled. But then I got into the flow of the way it was done, and it was a much easier read. But, as I think Yahel said, it didn't horrify me. It saddens me considerably, but the knowledge of the tradgedies was already there.

My grandfather, the one who just died, was in Patton's Midnight Warriors (that may not be the exact name - I'm going from total memory of years ago). Their duty in WWII was to stay behind enemy lines and basically annoy the Germans. I.e., blow up bridges, disable roads and vehicles, and generally be a nusance. Because of this, they were actually in Germany when the war ended and were part of the groups who liberated the concentration camps. He was so horrified by it that he couldn't even watch Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. The monsters in the video reminded him of being the first person through the gates of one of the camps. That has to be horrifying.

JERRY: That story about Clinton was hillarious. hahahaha I'll have to tell that to someone sometime. And thanks for the muse. I hope I can do with it what you do with it. :)

I'm serializing one of my novels on Themestream. I don't know why. Just to do it, I guess. If I can figure out how to do it correctly, I'll put the link on this post for anyone who might be interested in it.

Okay, and now I have a sink full of dishes because I made a big dinner. Have a great night all.

Hallee

Mark,

I agree with you on Notebook format versus chat, but I do love chat. If anyone wishes to arrange a chat I am game. But it is incredibly hard to hook up with folks here because of all the different time zones.

I think the greatest thing about the Notebook is the practice of expressing all types of thoughts in writing. If I were talking, I would have the tendency to garble my words. On the other hand, someone presents a post and if I misread it the first time around I can go back and check it and see where I went wrong. In conversation it is so easy to not properly hear what someone is saying and to get the wrong idea.

Rhoda

Hi Again,

Yesterday I cut and pasted wrong and a bit got missed… !D'uh!) !!!!!!!! and a few extra.

Debra & Christi - thanks for the comments :o)

Debra again -- We should find this person who is polluting your world and give him/her a good spanking! (And maybe you could stand on a box or something?)

Hi Rowhad. Glad the dreams have stopped. I get many of my 'good' ideas from dreams but I also get many that cause me to waken (so I can write them down) and then wonder why I bothered when I see them the following morning.

Logic is an absolute… Hmm, interesting proposition. Logic itself dictates that it can never be more than a function of philosophy and only ever relative to the knowledge and perceptions of the time. That is to say, logic in mediaeval times was different to logic today, relying more on superstition and religion than the wealth of scientific knowledge now available. (But most scientific knowledge today is still empirical and can only be proved by experience at first hand…) Logic, my friend, is a philosophy, or rather a branch of philosophy. How can logic be absolute when knowledge changes day to day and in, say, 100 years from now that which we define as logical may very well be considered naïve, old fashioned or even childishly simplistic? But you knew that, didn't you? ;o) (Bait for further discussion perhaps…) I used to be able to prove, mathematically, that 1=0 but I've forgotten how.

Last minute thought -- Once upon a time is was logical not to travel too far by sea in case you fell off the edge of the world. It was a genuine fear and based on the European 'world-view' of the time.

Gerry, I echo your comments on 'the Kursk'. It is known that one of the young sailors aboard actually won a competition for the privilege of serving aboard her.

Just breaking -- Yahel said "mary - You are giving a different definition for addition! 1+1 is never 1, unless you decide '1' represents zero" … Uhm, Yahel, 0+0=0, at least it does in my philosophy.

Disclaimer -- This is not intended as a 'get Yahel' posting… or is it???????

Ciao for now,

Litter

MARY -- trouble with chat room is the immediacy of it. While chatting w/ Tina I was answering the phone, answering questions from wife and trying to prepare a meal. Chat room is useful if you can dedicate some time to just that activity. Notebook is really better-suited to my life: I can take a five-minute break during the day or a 45-minute break at night.

I can ponder my answers in Notebook, but in chat I'd have to be immediate. Yahel said the other day that everything I write looks professional. Thanks. But the fact is that everything entered into the Notebook is composed after a pause. I get to think about my response/input, I write in NotePad, read it, then copy and paste into Notebook Posting Form.

Like right now. Hard to experience in this format, but I just had to leave the PC, go to driveway and see what the pool installer backed into. I've been gone between 5 and 10 minutes yet will still be able to pick up the threads of my last thought. In chat that couldn't happen.

I like this notebook style of communication. It reminds me of a newspaper office where we used to leave notes for each other because we were seldom there at the same time. Later, in college, (that's right, I didn't start college until after I was already a news writer) I lived in a big house where we'd leave notes on the kitchen cork board.

Howard – That’s a good one.

Jerry – I’m Jewish, I saw the site and I am a little frightened by the fact that I wasn’t shocked. Maybe I wasn’t shocked because I knew all this before.

Rhoda – You are right that we don’t know about things like radiation directly through our senses. But we do in an indirect way. One SEES sick people, and therefor one concludes that there is a thing called radiation. Everything we know (except logic and mathematics) comes in a direct or an indirect way through our senses.

Mary – There are different definitions for the mathematical “one”, but that is not what you meant. Other definitions for “one” do not relate to the mathematical one. Therefor they have nothing to do with the discussion about logic.

yahel...thank you for proving my point for me...there is more than one logical definition of 1.

mark..dagnabbit..i waited for you in the chatroom..probably missed you by seconds. blast it.

must get in the pool now..back later..have fun all.

jerry...my thought are with those in the sub as well..dammit that is depressing..i feel for their families.

Hallee:

Congratulations! It does mean something to me. Anyting that happens for the good of women and woman is for the good of all women. The ripple effects will be untolled.

They will equal more than we will ever know.


Pumping gas, selling cars whatever he will be at it for a long time. I can imagine him wondering if the person who bought the car got more then the person whom sold the car.

I can't go there.

Debra

I'm actually having a tough day. It's no biggie but one thing at a time.

Unit
The begining and end of something to make one. If two crowds come together then they are one crowd. Right?
Hunreds of people or more but one crowd.

If you have two buckets of water and pour them into one bucket then you have one bucket of water. The unit is then bucket or the amounts of water. One gallon or two gallons or whatever.

One is whatever the unit is at the time of the counting.

So one plus one is two. Unless you have a happliy married couple then one plus one is still one. Maybe our souls are like a fluid.

What's next.

Jerry:

You sound like a great guy. I cannot bring myself to look at that site. I am not Jewish. I have suffered so much from what has happened to them. How? I found out!

One and one equals two here. Us the good guys and them the evil people killers.

There is obviously someone else here with me. And it's not good.

Curiousity, by golly! Where is the spell checker when you need it, or the dictionary for that matter?

Sorry, that name is Yahel, not Yehel. Someone else made that mistake before.

I have never seen Matrix. My couriousity has been stirred. I suppose I will have to rent it.

Yehel,

My brain is too fried for philopsophy. I operate on a more simple, basic, shall I say animalistic mode? There is more a foot than what we conceive through five senses. How we process that information is important. At work here is instinct, as well as experience and intelligence. Intelligence allows us to extrapolate and reason, and people have long since reasoned the existence of things not seen, but later proved. We work with forces we do not perceive everyday. We may not see them, smell them, feel them, taste them or hear them, but they are there, and no philopsophy or philosopher can change that.

Radiation for example. It cannot be perceived, but it can make you sick and kill you. Likewise germs. Both germs and radiation were reasoned out before anyone proved their existence by either building microscopes or geiger counters. There are things everyday we encounter that cannot be perceived or ever quantified, but not knowing about them does not make them any less real.

There are millions of people in our society who are a world unto themselves. That is why we have so much crime, dishonesty and so many powerful people around who cheat and claw their way toward their goals. Fewer and fewer people seem to realize that when they go and mess up someone else's world, the whole of humanity suffers in inperceptable ways.

Actually the universe is a vast place not only in space and mass, but in depth and richness. We are only a small piece of all that, and if we choose to only perceive what we receive as the sum existence of all we all, how very small indeed we shall continue to be.

Hallee,

Congratulations for being vice president of such an organization. I join your husband and boss on agreeing that it is a great accomplishment.

Happy writing!

Rhoda

Oh Jeeeeezzzeesh:

I go out for one morning and come back to find this mess!

I'm going to need a minute.


Debra

Howard I can agree with you on your opnion on the authors statement on God. Glad your dreams stopped, although I am not sure that the site helped, it may have simply pointed to the underlaying problem that brought on the dream to begin with. Or your dreams were simply an undigested morsel from that evenings meal. Who knows.

I miss Alliens funnies, so thought I would pinch-hit for her just once:
During his visit to the United States, the Pope met with President Clinton. Instead of just an hour as scheduled, the meeting went on for two days. Finally, a weary President Clinton emerged to face the waiting news media.

The President was smiling and announced the summit was a resounding success. He said he and the Pope agreed on 80% of the matters they discussed. Then Mr. Clinton declared he was going home to the White House to be with his family.

A few minutes later the Pope came out to make his statement. He looked tired, and discouraged, and was practically in tears. Sadly he announced his meeting with the President was a failure.

Incredulous, one reporter asked, "But your Holiness, President Clinton just announced the summit was a great success and the two of you agreed on 80% of the items discussed."

Exasperated, the Pope answered, "Yes, but we were talking about the Ten Commandments."


Jerry

JERRY -- Thanks so much for the pointer to that website. I was up late reading it all, and while I cannot agree with the author's conclusion about God, I do agree that it is a powerful reminder of the seemingly limitless depravity of which we are all capable.
It's strange that you should point that out the same day I heard a reference to (and will soon purchase) a book by Simon Wiesenthal, titled "The Sunflower: On the Possibilities and Limits of Forgiveness" It is a collection of essays by people directly and indirectly connected with the Holocaust.

Strange,also -- I slept last night without dreaming...

Yahel -- There are three kinds of people: One that can count, and one that cannot.

JADE -- I was working on a poem -- poetry in motion, so to speak - but it didn't move fast enough.

howard

mary - You are giving a different definition for addition! 1+1 is never 1, unless you decide '1' represents zero, or give a different definition for +.

Tina - Read the previous paragraph. You are doing the same thing with -.

Mark - 1+1=3? never.

A victory note! I went anyway and had a little chat with Mark. The chat room is nice when you're not alone! Now I really have to go get ready for work! Thanks Mark. :-)

T.J.

Rosemary - thank you very much, I don't think you have the names mixed up, I was a police officer for over 17 years.

Mary - hope you did get a good nights sleep. With a name like Ericsson, you can tell that I am not Jewish, I am sort of a Lutheran/catholic mix, but anyhow, I think everyone should visit that site once a year. It is a reminder of mans cruelty against his fellow man.

Now my thoughts are for the one hundred eighteen men stuck at the bottom of the sea, and those who are attempting to free them. I pray that they are successful, yet I fear it is already too late. Despite our difference in ideals, the world should pull together to save those brave sailors. I am sure that few of them asked to be there, and when it comes to that, we all put our pants the same way. It could be our sailors down there, and I would hope that the Russians would do everything in their power to help. As I type this, the news says that the British are underway steaming to the site to attempt a rescue with their recovery devices. I can but wish them God Speed.

Hallee - I am sending my muse, feel free to use her services until yours returns. Perhaps writing something in remembrance of your grandfather would help getting the creative juices flowing.

Jerry

Mary, Mark, I'd love to try a chat but now I have to get ready for work! I really didn't mean to take so long posting. But I love the thought that we are all sitting at our computers in our own homes, with other things happening in our corners of the world, but right now we are all focused on this one place. Our overlapping worlds, eh?

T.J.

Mark

Our constitution is in actual operation; everything appears to promise that it will last; but in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes
Benjamin Franklin, 1789

Yahel,
Welcome to my reality. Being logical and being rational are not neccesarily the same things. In my paradigm, logic exists without options, desires, risks. Choices become irrelevant because there is only one logical result/outcome/path to take. It is mathematical because there is only one correct answer. Rationality demands emotion, produces choice, creates possibilities. It is not logical to spend days in a studio working with carcinogenic inks and cleaners, perhaps it's even irrational. However, when I finish the piece of art to my satisfaction, 1+1=10. I combine ink and paper, but the result is more than ink on paper. If the price of creativity is being a bit irrational and not logical at all, I will embrace my animal nature and enjoy the result.

However, it is not logical to drive drunk, and it is very irrational. Morality and values and common sense place limits on how irrational one should be, and that is what prevents us from going too far over the edge.

When does 4-1=5 ?


When you cut one corner off of a square sheet of paper.
T.J.

Mark: we are both posting at the same time..hmmmmm...good chat opportunity here, but alas you are probably already gone...c-ya

Yahel:i'm pretty sure thats what Heather meant too. winks. hey, i've got an idea, lets go out and practice our addition skills on a few glasses of wine, cuz honey, you need to stop thinking so hard all the time...lol..just kidding.

and, of course, there's 1+1=3

yahel: if 1 represents a cluster of items...then it doesnt always mean 1. take one crowd of people add it to another crowd of people...the variables are endless. and you dont end up with 2 crowds of people..you end up with 1 really big crowd of people. so in this case 1+1=1

Tina – When one acts irrationally, one acts not as a man but as a beast. I think we have different definitions for the term “illogical”.

Heather – Logic is an absolute. ‘1’ is only the graphical representation of one item. (Actually there is a different definition, but I’m drifting into mathematics). In essence 1+1 always equals 2. Logic is not a theory. The rules of logic (like the one mentioned below) are undeniable truth:
If A leads to B, and B leads to C, then A leads to C.

Hallee – Congratulations!

Happy Wednesday to you all. That post below was much longer than I intended. And, I don't know that I got any movements really described, but it was all I could think of writing about. Perhaps Tina was right (grin). Looks like you guys get to be the backwash of my inability to continue blowing up Chicago (er...in my novel...cough)

The Matrix is one of my all time favorite movies. I think it is a combination of so many things that makes it so enjoyable to me. I have very few movies in my collection, probably because I'm too cheap to spend money on myself (I won't include the 40 or so movies my dear daughter has - I'm cheap with ME not HER - haha) but The Matrix is definitely one of them. I've watched it several times, and am looking forward to seeing the sequels (they filmed two at one time, you know).

As of last night, I am officially the Vice President of our local chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction. I realize how little this means to you all, but my boss and husband are rather proud of me. We had the big banquet last night - it was great fun. Every person at my table gave me their tickets for the door prizes. I walked out with a gift certificate for a full body massage, a gift certificate for a pedicure, and a gift certificate for a consultation with a "hair designer" and a hair cut. I may take my anniversary off and get "prettied up".

Oh, Debra - he's a used car salesman - not a gas pumper. haha

Okay, that's it for me. Time to get ready for work.

Hallee

He was already 10. His whole body was flooded with energy. His paws danced the ground, no particular pattern or order. Every few seconds, all four would leave the ground, just to begin the dance again. He shook his head, his ears flying out around his head, causing the tags on his collar to jingle just so. The whole time, he tried to wag the tail that wasn’t there, his whole rear end would end up wagging with the effort. While his eyes laughed, his tongue lolled out of his grinning mouth, moving from one corner to the other with the movements of his head. Then he would freeze, fall on his haunches, and all that energy would ball up and be focused on a hind leg, whose paw’s sole purpose was to cure that itch, moving fast enough along his side to be a blur.

Three years later. Every movement hurt. His back stayed hunched, in deference to the arthritis that plagued his spine. He moved so slowly, one paw in front of the other, careful so as not to jar his aching body. The itch seemed to be gone, or perhaps the annoyance was overshadowed with the pain that would come by trying to reach it. He no longer leaped onto the couch, rather he crawled up it, careful because that back foot almost always tried to slip off. The effort would cause his body to collapse and curl up, then bring forth a huge sigh that would shudder through his whole body. But then you’d say his name, and his ears would perk up, his eyes would open, and they’d still be laughing.

She moved as though she had an army of ants in her underwear and a bucket of ice between her knees.

There's my addition!
How does that move ya?
Heather

Alright. No one has put forth this idea yet. So I will.

Yahel: In essence you are right. We all live alone in our own worlds. I live in my own world. No one else does. No one truly shares it with me, because no one else but me is in this body, in this mind, or this soul. No one sees this world that I live in the way I see it, and for them to 'see it', I would have to explain in words.
Therefore, this Earth contains the same number of worlds as there are people living on it. Now, that doesn't mean that my family and I do not have worlds that coincide, overlap, or blend. That's our choice. But no one looks out of these eyes but me, nor feels what it is like to hold an apple with my hand but me. I might feel the apple as cool and smooth, but my son might feel it as warm and good to squeeze.

Imagine if what I think is blue is really more of a turquoise? People argue over colour all the time. No, I think it's tomato red. No, it's Macintosh apple-red. No, it's ...!
But perhaps the first person sees apple red as tomato red. Then, to them, it would be the opposite of how the second person perceives the same colour. That is how we each see the world just a little differently. Our senses are as individual as we are.

Logical vs. illogical. Hmmm.
What is logical to me may be illogical to you.
There is no stable base on which to place logic.
We are sentient beings. We have no other means of perceiving our world without senses.
Modern (or other) Logic is not an absolute. Logic is merely the agreed upon fiction until another theory kills it off and takes over.
1+1=2?
Not if the value of 1 is not one item. 1 could mean 3 to me.
Is that illogical? What does that mean?

Is that similar to 'normal'?


You'll have to illustrate what you think on that topic before I will be able to respond directly.
Give us the line you intended us to follow, from point A to F and then on to B.

Mary - the Matrix points out that anything is possible to those who can imagine it.
Or see truth and still have a brain left.

More on that later... can't think now.
That would mean some weird form of logic will surely catch up to me. And make me not post this.

Heather

Mary - quite right on the Matrix. That was exactly the point. Actually, it was one of several. We can learn a lot about life and writing at the same time. After all, art imitates life and vice versa.

Debra - once a conflict has been resolved, the hero won't go out and fix him- or her-self another problem, unless they were the cause of their original dilemma, and then if they do fix themselves with more problems, they haven't learned and perhaps the problem is still there.

If that is not the case, what happens is that the protagonist can now use what they've learned in order to solve the next difficulty they must face. We don't just run into one big problem in our entire lives. Usually the antagonist will come up with a new scheme. Think batman, or spidey here. Think any movie script, but the most obvious feature Arnold (no lat name required). He tries and tries and comes up with new ways to accomplish the goals in the movie. When he finally triumphs, movie ends. Look for the sequel. It will resurrect the antagonist somehow and the hero must stand up and figure out how to beat him all over again.

It is a simple plot ploy used by Hollywood over and over.

Along with obvious plants and misleads. Along with easily predicted turns-of-events, depending on the type of movie and so on. The better scripts are much less predictable. Being able to predict some of the plot does have some merit, however. The audience feels that they understand what's going on, and when they figure out a few things along the way (NOT ALL) they feel smarter. Strange but true.

Above all, the events should make sense - ie: be cohesive. Fit the puzzle. Be the next slice of the pie.

Trying to be intriguing doesn't usually work. It's accidental if it's memorable.

Just a guess.

:.>

Ok, now to read the rest of the posts...
Heather

Hi everyone!

Yay, Heather and Howard are back! Happy happy, joy joy!!

Hallee,
I haven't written much since my mother-in-law died, but I'm just now starting to come out of it. It'll pass, I promise!

Mark,
Are you saying that you want to spank my big behind?! How did you know--heeeeeey, have you been at it with the binoculars again? I'm telling your wife.

Howard,
You will dream of Disneyland tonight. One, two, three . . . SNAP!

Mark again,
Very nice description! Bravo!

Thanks, Jade. What a fun excersize!



Yesterday, as my back was turned to the living room I felt the floor tremble with loud, thunderous footsteps. I wasn't scared; I knew exactly what it was. I've been hearing that sound for thirteen years. Turning, I surprised the culprit by grabbing him and planting a big kiss on his gaping maw.

The first time I noticed the way my husband walked was on the first day I met him. He wasn't an especially tall man, or an especially large one. He was quite handsome, with light brown curly hair, beautiful eyes to match, and olive sundrenched skin. Still, he wasn't really my type. I tended to gravitate toward blonder men. But then I noticed the way he moved. His legs were slightly bowlegged and didn't have all that much meat on them. But he walked like he was a football player, or a bull in a china shop. His shoulders were squared and he had his eyes planted unfalteringly on the object he was walking towards. In this case, the object was me. He came my way with such determination that I found myself instantly attracted to him.
Then we were only eighteen. There's been many years in between that initial meeting and now, and my husband's walk has changed very little. He's got a few more pounds on his frame than he did then, and his hairline creeps back a little further every year, but when I hear the pounding proclamation of his arrival on the front step each day, I'm eighteen all over again. I love the way he walks.


Goodnight,

Christi

Is anyone out there?

Hellllloooooooooooooo :-(

Hello!

The Matrix? I loved the Matrix. Our reality is the reality we decide to believe in. If we decide that reality is being educated, living by our moral beliefs, and a nice house in the suburbs, then that's what we live. If we decide that reality is dirty and cruel, that we must take everything we can before anyone else gets their share, and that if we're not the winner we are the loser, then that's what we live.

Unless of course I'm in a stasis unit on some alien planet, and the images are being fed to my brain in an effort to study human motivation and behavior.....

Hallee, what are you trying to write? Maybe you can't write your story right now, but I'd bet that there're words aching to get out. Don't worry about WHAT you write, just write. Journal-style, or as a letter, whatever comes out. Sometimes writer's block is really writer's detour. It's your subconscious trying to tell you that you need to go down a different road for awhile; stop along the way, sit at the beach, and let the sun recharge your soul.

Yahel,
I do my best to split my waking hours between being logical and illogical. If I'd done the logical thing I never would've gone to art school, never would've taken up jiu-jitsu, never ever would've started writing a book. I am who I am because I've chosen to be illogical, and I wouldn't change a thing. Logic is highly over-rated.

Let's all rise to the challenge put out by Jade. It's been a long time since there was a good shortie night!

T.J.

Jerry:

I went to that website a to z. I was too afraid to click on anything. I just closed it. After hearing Mary comments on it, I think I will just leave it at that. I don't know how you find all the interesting sites you find?

Jessica:

School is hard sometimes. You don't want to be standing in a crowd someday and see a really smart Handsom man standing there and lose him to some smarty pants who knows so much more than you do, do you? It happens. It really does.

There is enough time for everything when you are smart. If you don't get an education, there is too much time of nothing.

Debra

My first hint at the way women move came when I was about 11 and my mother had to run for a bus. I was across the street at Strickland's playing catch in their driveway. I saw mom walking at a really fast pace out our drive, and thought that she must be late for the bus. I didn't think much about it and continued playing. Suddenly I heard her mezzo voice holler, "Driver! Driver!" The bus had pulled up to the intersection and she could shout directly at his open window. We lived in the fourth house from the corner, so she would have to sprint about three houses to get to the bus stop.
As she began to run I noticed her chest. It rose and fell in its own cycle of motion. As each foot touched the ground and the other foot raised to sweep forward, her chest fell and was swept back up until it seemed to hover out in front of her like an independent thing, just floating under her blouse. Immediately, of course, that floating thing fell to its bottom and with a liquid-like movement swung slightly forward. It was like a wave rolling down to some barrier then crashing forward and back up again. I followed that motion for the full length of her run. As she got closer to the corner my angle became less side view and more back. With each footfall her chest became slightly less visible but no less bouncing and independent.
I've since learned to appreciate other women and other motions. I have an eye for the way a leg moves and the way a woman turns a corner. I have memories of particular women sorted by "which part enters the room first." My wife used to sit cross-legged on the floor and stand directly up with a dancer's strength and grace, most of the lift being accomplished by her left leg while the right unwound and settled into standing position.

Jerry: curiosity killed the cat...went to the link you put up. read from a-z. i dont think i will sleep at all tonight as i am afraid to close my eyes. i had no idea.

You're all wrong, Every thing came into existence when I was born, past, present, future, everything revolves around me. :) If only :( Oh well, Nobody created anything, we all are here because of, either a) we where put here, or b) all of life on this planet happened by chance, right time, right place thing. your choice. Ok, that's all I can think right now, school drained all of my creative abilities out of me, and I can't regenerate fast enough to save them. I think that school is just one big vast black hole that takes students free will and just sucks it in, leaving mindless conformed drones. HELP! I can feel my creativity being sucked out of me!
If anyone is actualy listening to my babble, save yourselves from the evil school! Don't listen to me, I'm just being brainless. ;)
~Jessica

Hello all,
I just finished reading Jerry's short story on the Workbook.
Jerry--
I would like to say that of all the writing i have read in the workbook, yours is as close to professional as I have seen yet. Perhaps one of the Chicken Soup books. I started to recommend 'Chicken Soup for the Literary Lawman' but I think I have Jerry and Garry mixed up. My problem with names.

Hallie,
your cousin is a perfect example of the effect of philisophy on a perfectly good brain. My theory is that it has messed up almost as many people as religion.

Now that I have irritated most of you,
Good night.
Rosemary

Howard - had that same dream the other day, went on the web in search of the cure, found it at the above addres, complete the site, a to z - your dream will go away. Maybe replaced by a new one, but that one will die I am sure.

Jerry

Life is but a dream? If only (sigh).

Actually Yahel:

Mark invented me and you. You were the one whom said that I was the only one whom existed. Mark actually gave you permission to do that because ..................


Oh I give up UNCLE UNCLE!

In case you have never heard Yahel, that one it means I give up. You win hands down.


Hallee
It no wonder your cousin works in a gas station. He will be there for a long time wondering if the gas is pmping him or is he pumping the gas. Are the cars going because they have gas of do they just like the smell of gas. Never mind Uncle. Again!

Debra

yahel: i only mentioned "The Matrix" because i felt that it did a good job of explaining why we would ever create our own conflicts. personally i dont care for keanu's acting abilities..but the special FX were awesome. smiles you. (i dont like to be logical ALL the time..i sometimes enjoy flights of fancy with a side of impossible dreams)

Debra: sorry girlie, but the only connection i can make between sex and tennis is that hot Aussie, Rafter, who looks like a god even when he is losing. (just kidding...i get what you're saying...lol)

Howard: thinking of you...hoping you rest easier tonight. being haunted by dreams can wreak havoc with your whole life. big hugs your direction.

Everyone else: hello...more later. :-)

Debra – Who said you created the world? (Well you must have said it because you are the only one who exists). Maybe the world was always there, created by no one?

Mary – I watched “Matrix” and I must say it wasn’t very logical.

Litter – Your mind’s playing tricks on you, eh mate?

Mark – Amazing… I created a fiction who thinks he created me and he is also proud of himself!!! I also created a fiction (Debra) who believes another fiction created her!!! (Don’t continue on that note, it can get pretty complicated)

Philosophy – Good response people! Decartes decided science didn’t have quite a solid base. For instance our senses. We know we can’t always trust our senses. When we are dreaming we see hear and feel things, although they’re not really there. So if we are looking for a solid base, we can’t trust our senses. We all know Decartes’ famous saying: “I think therefor I am”, but actually it was: “I doubt therefor I am”. One thing Decartes was sure about was that he doubts. Decartes told himself: “How can I be sure I doubt? Well if I’m not sure that I doubt then I doubt that I doubt. In any case I doubt”. Well, If someone doubts then lets call this person “I”. Therefor: “I doubt therefor I am”. Unfortunately, Decartes didn’t get any further. Good logic, but it got us nowhere.

There was a very interesting interview with horror writer Peter Straub today on NPR's "Fresh Air." It should be available via internet in a day or so. Well worth listening. The first part of the program was also excellent -- an interview with Emmy Lou Harris.

MARK -- When I told you about this group you never said that it was already all just a fragment of your imaginary! Does that include Teekay and Sasquatch?

I've started dreaming again. For two nights now I've been on a train in WWII Germany, and I see people dying all around me but I can't get off the train. And there are books lying about. The two nights bothers me. Why can't I get off the train? It's not that I dislike trains, but the porter only cares about American cigarettes and JFK half-dollars (which doesn't make sense because it's WWII), and he keeps moving the books. There's a young soldier who keeps looking at me and weeping.

I've started dreaming again

Jon:

Now why are you crying? Can't we just all get along?

Just wait until your inventor gets home, Mark or Yahel oh I forget.

Who's your daddy?

Debra

Just for the record didn’t say welcome to any new people because I don’t know who’s new. That’s because I’m probably the newest.

Mark:

Thanks for inventing me. I love it here in your imagination. I hope I can continue to amuse my inventor. What happens if I fail? Never mind the pressure would just break me.

Mary:

How can I Disney this up? Yes, sex is mental tennis. It’s one of those times when the expression, you can’t get there from here, actually makes sense. If one were to go straight to south of the border trying to get to south of the border, he would turned away to go around through the north first. You know watta mean jelly bean? Now occasionally, there are special times when one might be in a hurry and they would like a trip to the south and with a special pass they can go that way. Not all the time, mind you.


In tennis you have players, professionals and spectators not to mention those important instructors. Sometimes you’ve got these knuckleheads playing miniature golf who actually think that they are in the game. Mark un-invent them, immediately!

Fear of success.

Yes, I think to a degree we all do it. It’s the fear of having it all and losing it. Then we are afraid that we won’t be able to process the information to a degree that we will find extremely painful.

Sound familiar?

Let me know.

Debra

writing exercise:

capture in words the way something moves...ie a snake thru tall grass or a belly dancer...(poem or narrative..makes no nevermind)...have fun.

I have a question Yahel:

If I only imagine that you are here..and you only imagine that I am here....which one of us is REALLY here??? Or are we all just imagined and if so, by whom? God? Wow. Talk about stolen Bible karma...geez. The ultimate mind-f***.

thinking this is another one of those posts i will be sorry for later.

Jack, healing vibes to your friend to add to the prayers of all.

Aric, you should be more careful about spelling names correctly. Jahel is right, and Americana is also wrong. My name is Jon (no h, please). Where are your prizes, AriK?

Avatar. There is already a title-story in SM**. But Americo intends to write you personally when he finds more time. (Isn't this a great distinction? It's true that you deserve it, but I also do and he never wrote to me! Exits, crying jealously.)

Debra: forgot the conflict of interests part of our post: arent we all famous for sabotaging ourselves? fear of success and all the sot? smiles you....this is fun.

Debra: yes, (for the sake of argument) i do believe that if we are creating our own conflicts, we have limits to what we can bear. and not to be perverted or anything..but a good metaphor for that would probably be human sexual preferences. we all have the same (relative) bodies. why do some people enjoy things that others dont?(bdsm for example) it is all mental thats why. powerplay/counteraction type deal. maybe we feel the need to strike balances between the good and the bad. ???? just an idea.

I'm awestruck, simply awestruck, at the level of the conversation around here. Yahel must be right, I must be alone and all the writing I've seen here invented by me. Who else could maintain such a high level of intelligent corr