to you too David. I'll be sending my world famous 'good thoughts' while your transitioning. I as well think online friends can be 'real' friends. I don't know what I'd do without my online friends. They keep me great company, we share laughs and thoughts and problems. Just like friends you see every day, and the best part is I can be picking my nose or scratching my butt right in the middle of convo and I don't need to walk into the other room to take care of those necessaties! hehehe. But seriously I am very glad that we became friends.

*HUGS*

Vance

Just to give you a bit of a heads up....DC weather is hot and humid and will only get worse. And we are also into evening (read that as rush hour) thunderstorms. Bring an umbrella.

Well, since we'll practically be neighbors, Kitty may have to call you in if I have a fit or something!

But tea or something would be nice at some point ... Kitty is always saying such good things about you, that I'm really looking forward to getting to know you better!

*Hugz*

Buddha

to you too David. I'll be sending my world famous 'good thoughts' while your transitioning. I as well think online friends can be 'real' friends. I don't know what I'd do without my online friends. They keep me great company, we share laughs and thoughts and problems. Just like friends you see every day, and the best part is I can be picking my nose or scratching my butt right in the middle of convo and I don't need to walk into the other room to take care of those necessaties! hehehe. But seriously I am very glad that we became friends.

*sniffle* You're gonna make me cry, Vancey! Meeting you, Benny, and Kitty have been one of the best things that have happened to be in a while, and I know you'll be very supportive when I get back ... even I'm I'm grumpy and tend to bitch about every little thing for the first few weeks! hehe

You're the greatest, Vance, and I hope you realize that!

*Hugz*

Buddha

IMHO, you are dealing with things very well. Whenever I move, even locally, I'm usually far too busy the last two weeks to even think of turning on a computer (or sleeping, or anything else).

Just in case you haven't encountered it yet, I'll share one trick I like to do on Trans-pacific flights.

I usually get a seat towards the rear of the aircraft, and hope like heck that it's not completely full. When it has empty seats, they are, on most airlines, clustered in the center-rear of the aircraft.

I keep a close eye on the empty seats, searching for several in a row. If I see them I wait until the aircraft pulls away from the gate (to be sure no one has them) and ignore the seat-belt sign, making a dash for the seats. I then toss my flight bag, coat, etc on several of them, to "stake them out" as "mine". I then put the arms between the seats up, and scavenge as many blankets and pillows as I can find, and use them to make myself a "bed". It's utter luxury compared to sitting upright, especially on flights over 15 hours. I've done this on a few trans-pacs, and on many trans-atlantic flights. So far, no major hassles from it.

As you make your way back to the States, just want to thank you for sharing yourself with all of us - the readers - we thoroughly enjoy your writing, your sharing of self through the many characters. As I read your stories, especially Someday Out of the Blue, I feel that each of the characters reveals something of yourself to us. We love you. Thanks!

I hope your move back to the States is a smooooooth one! Keep sharing. I'll keep rooting for you!

Glad I be albe talk to u. hehe I'll be closer to u than Sharon.

Though been trying to talk to u for months back u never respond back.

Hugs and kisses.

Well, since we'll practically be neighbors, Kitty may have to call you in if I have a fit or something!

Well - I do have experience. I have teenagers at home.

And Kitty must be adding something extra to her tea.

Sharon

Well - I do have experience. I have teenagers at home.

Well, I'm not quite a teenager anymore ... hehe

And I can be a real handful sometimes ...

Perhaps Rigel should be put in charge of me when I move back! lol

And I can be a real handful sometimes ...

Oh my, too bad I have girl hands......

Sharon

Oh my, too bad I have girl hands......

 

Sharon

Girlfriend, I think you may have just joined the group of women whom David wishes were men.

Kitty

Girlfriend, I think you may have just joined the group of women whom David wishes were men.

Kitty

Kitty, I think you're right!

*Hugz*

Buddha

P.S.- Sometimes it sucks to be gay! lol

Good luck with your move and resettlement, David. I know how difficult change can be. After 12 years, my old friend and landlord is selling this house. Now I have to pack up and move on. Like you I don't know where I will end up. Just remember "Change Is Good"

Thank you for this great story. I've read a lot on online stories, but can't remember ever being so emotionally involved with the characters. I definitely want to read more, and I appreciate your decision to complete this story before beginning the next one. I also can relate to your decision to take a break right now because life is getting crazy. I'd rather that you take a longer break and then take the time bring this story to it's proper conclusion. i see a lot of story left to tell here.

until then, take care and welcome back home. This counrty will be a better place with you back a part of it. Taiwan's loss is our gain.

LB, your new avatar has me very curious: What does it say?

LB, your new avatar has me very curious: What does it say?

It says: "This picture has been forcibly removed by the staff because it's too cute."

LB, your new avatar has me very curious: What does it say?

 

It says: "This picture has been forcibly removed by the staff because it's too cute."

ROFL!!! Cool!

When I first saw it, I did a quick web search for an online Mandarin-English translator. I did find one, but it required text input. Your avatar is a graphic, so I found that I had no way to enter it. I didn't even bother trying to find a Mandarin OCR program!

So, for all I know, it could read something like "Bring me the head of that stupid, obnoxious, sunglasses-wearing Goat, and get an early look at the next chapter of SOOTB!".

On a serious note, though: trying to find a way to translate it made me realize just what a wise choice of languages you made when you picked Chinese. That pictographic alphabet (something like 5000 characters?) makes it far harder to deal with than any Western language. If you had chosen, say, Portuguese, you would have had a heck of a lot more competition, both human and electronic.

Perhaps Rigel should be put in charge of me when I move back! lol

Anytime, LB--I'm even closer than Drew--just a short trip down Route 29. (I don't know where in Maryland Sharon is.) If you need an escape from the neurotic 'rents, me and my other half can serve as laid-back Uncle and Aunt.

We'll put the kettle on for tea, if you like, though I'll probably brew myself some good coffee.

--Rigel

Southern - just a hop, skip and a jump (and a river crossing) from VA.

Sharon

Sounds fabulous ... the three of us can sit around and gossip about Vancey-pooh!

And Rigel, knowing my parents, it's very possible that I'll end up taking you up on that offer! hehe

Southern - just a hop, skip and a jump (and a river crossing) from VA.

 

Sharon

*pouts*

I wanna be part of the DC/VA/Maryland GA tea club

As long as I don't have to actually call him Vancey-pooh, count me in.

 

Sharon

Vancer, Vancey-pants, and Sex Pot are all viable options!

As long as I don't have to actually call him Vancey-pooh, count me in.

 

Sharon

 

Vancer, Vancey-pants, and Sex Pot are all viable options!

Think if we invite Vance down for a visit, he'd join us? Particularly if we refrain from calling him Vancey-pooh? On the other hand, it being summer, maybe we should all go up to visit him in the relative cool of New England.

It's interesting--on one of my other lists, members of the on-line forum community have actually gotten together in real life with regular frequency. It's fun to meet people who share your interests. Of course, those are folk musicians, none of whom are in the closet. The gatherings have included people from California to Maine, from Canada, from Iceland, from England, even from Alaska.

--Rigel

Yes, I belong to a very large online community of expats who are living in Taiwan, and we all get together very regularly in 'real life.' But, being a gay online community, there are certainly other issues ... plus, we'd have to arrange it without the kiddies knowing, because we couldn't have them showing up (sorry kiddies and adults-in-training!) It would be fun to have a get-together, though, especially considering there are quite a few of us in the MD/DC/VA area.

I doubt if Vancer would come, though ... he's very shy. However, intelligence sources tell me that he has a weak spot for Velveeta cheese, chicken, and brussel sprouts ... if you serve that for dinner, he might be convinced, but he'll have to bring his Sammy, too!

I doubt if Vancer would come, though ... he's very shy. However, intelligence sources tell me that he has a weak spot for Velveeta cheese, chicken, and brussel sprouts ... if you serve that for dinner, he might be convinced, but he'll have to bring his Sammy, too!

When the folk music makers get together, we bring significant others, of the other or the same gender (we don't care). If Vance brings Sammy, he'd be far more welcomed than Velveeta and brussels sprouts.

--Rigel

*pouts*

 

I wanna be part of the DC/VA/Maryland GA tea club

Well, Vic, perhaps you and I should put together a little West Coast gathering . (I'd call it a tea club but I think I might be getting myself into trouble.)

Kitty

I doubt if Vancer would come, though ... he's very shy. However, intelligence sources tell me that he has a weak spot for Velveeta cheese, chicken, and brussel sprouts ... if you serve that for dinner, he might be convinced, but he'll have to bring his Sammy, too!

 

When the folk music makers get together, we bring significant others, of the other or the same gender (we don't care). If Vance brings Sammy, he'd be far more welcomed than Velveeta and brussels sprouts.

 

--Rigel

Sharon