Andrew Q Gordon

WOO HOOO!!!!! It's your birthday! Happy Birthday JC - now go do someone. . . err something fun Ah nineteen, what a good year I remember . . . no actually that was too long ago to remember.

Happy Birthday to great swooping bird of prey. May your wings continue to find good winds and your talon something to sink into. Have a great Day!!!!

Bob, Thanks for the comments, I'll been happy to see people enjoyed these two stories, they've sorta gotten under my skin a bit, almost as if they were parts of my life. I remember watch Perry Mason reruns with my Pop when I was young and he'd always ask me if I was as good as Perry Mason after I'd graduated law school. Of course being a prosecutor, I'd always tell him I was better, getting a smile in return. Again, thanks for reading and especially for taking a moment to tell me you enjoyed it. Andy

haha, I'd have to see what the state of lil' Q is before I commit. I'm not sure we're up for non-family house guests just yet, but we might by the time this is planned. [Though I suspect a certain someone and her son have first dibs on staying here if they come.] One thing to consider, I live out by the university of Maryland and the metro is a 10 minute walk from campus. There are fairly cheap places here that are near - I won't say a lot of amenities, but still some. My point is that the you can be in down town DC in 20 minutes on the metro and the cost would be a lot less. And the Metro run til 2 am on weekends so it's not as if folks couldn't do the club scene if the wanted. Just things to consider.

Wayne, IF DC is chosen, I'm certainly up for helping plan it. If we agree on DC and a date, I'll scout around for hotels and stuff. As for places to eat I can pretty much give you a list from low to high and in between. Second - I think it is a HUGE mistake to suggest and try to plan/arrange two separate 'East Coast' Events. When they do the European Meet up, they pick a place and people either come or don't. Folks who can't make it to one are always free to try to arrange an informal one, but the idea is to plan and promote one so the maximum number of folks will come. So I think that we either plan ONE or just let folks do it informally. I'm not near as keen on traveling - assuming it's not in DC - to a meet up that is one of two or more regional meet ups, I'm more inclined to contact the local folks and try to meet up informally. Just my two cents. Andy

In the dark ages, when CD's were first coming out, [no smart comments from you youngins about what did you use before Cd's?] my mother had to have Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives for her new cd player/radio. I, being the dutiful so I was, searched high and low for this cd until I found it. I got a few 'who's Burl Ives?' and weird looks, so feel free to add yours if you don't know who he is. Holly Jolly Christmas

WOO HOO!!!!!!! Oops - um, well, good choice.

DC so I can bring the wee little one? I suggested something like this once but was told to wait until the west coast folks had theirs so as to not overload folks. But I'd say DC is good, there are lots of folks in the B'more, DC, No Va area and it's sorta central too. Not that I'm biased or nothing.

What would Christmas be without the Boss??? IDK, but I don't want to find out

In honor of this being the 'Hump Day' of the 25 days of Christmas I give you the Kinks: Father Christmas One of my favorite non-traditional Christmas songs.

Crap where were you when I was in college - er . . . wait, don't answer that, it will depress me

Merlin, You posted this but didn't answer it yourself, Me? well I'm a . . . .

Sorry was only allowed two links per page, here's number 3

Moving a head with the non- christmas song theme - I give you not one, but three crazy songs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeC8nTYEwQQ

Welcome Robert, always glad to see/read new authors. If you have questions, just ask, someone always answers. If you need an editor or beta reader, go to the Editor's Corner and ask. Either way, welcome again and enjoy. Andy

Whew, Okay so I answered everyone, here and on the baby pics - course I got no writing done, but meh, it's the holidays. So time for Update. Friday Mom went to the surgeon and it was about as good news as someone with breast cancer could have. The lump is a 1 centimeter - very small; it's stage 1 - only stage 0, no cancer, is better, it's not the aggressive kind the nurse said and she will not need Chemo - maybe just radiation which is not as invasive. SO, all in all, prognosis is good. She is excited to see her granddaughter, best money I'll ever spend on a holiday gift for her.

Lugh, Matt, Maria, KC: Thanks. Nephy: I don't disagree with you, but that's not my mom - it was my Dad's mom for sure, she could be sick as hell, but would get up to make food. My mom is different, she always sees the worst that's possible and then assumes it will happen. That and she is somewhat needy. If she's not feeling well someone - usually dad - needs to take care of her. I'm not trying to be harsh, just honest. So in this situation, no matter how much it might scare me, I have to be positive and stoic when I speak to her or else she'll be convinced her assumptions of the worst are true. Sadly, I'm finding out that assume the worst and worry about it, is a trait Mike has as well. Trebs: Wow, great to know you're doing so well. yes I know you weren't turning this into you, but it is great to hear positive examples. Mike's two Aunts had Breast Cancer 15 and 12 years ago and they are both cancer free because they caught it early. So hopefully all the positive stories will help mom keep upbeat until the surgery. After that it'll all be dependent on how things go, but until then I don't want her to worry so much, it won't help and it will just make her holiday suck. Cia: can I leave it at that? Please? Michael: As I said, you're assessment of people is accurate for many, but not my Mom. When 'tragedy' strikes, she gets very emotional and needs people to 'sympathize' with her plight. I learned this many decades ago. Maybe it's because when others are sick she is the type who jumps in with both feet to help out, but that is how she is when she isn't well. I'm not trying to make her sound bad, cause she is not, just saying this is what I know I need to do to make it easier for her.

How about a ghost writer to help with this character. I mean short of waving your magic Lughcifer wand and becoming a French Catholic Mom for a few years, I don't think there is an overnight 'solution' that will help you write this over. Sorry, but that's all I got

We ALWAYS had to listen to this growing up, but I always thought it was Nat King Cole who made this famous - but I admit to being ignorant of things.

Not me either - missy - though you do get two thumbs up for the Sex Pistols Spent way too many hours listening to Never Mind the Bullocks and God Save the Queen - Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten woo hoo Colin, Who or what were they - by what I mean is it a school group - it looks like it from the gymnasium - if you know.

Well Since this is the 25 days of Holiday Songs, here a non-Christmas song. God love South Park

Not sure I can go with the multiple versions of things - mostly because Wayne already posted a version of this as one of his songs BUT, since this was the version I'd always intended to post and I thought this version is the better one, here we go: You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch

Gracious Six, sounds like already have better ideas on where to take this than I do. Honestly, I have ideas for where to take this but not really the time to do it. I need to clean up a few stories, finish some other things I'm doing then I can see about returning here. IF and when I do, the first story would only touch on Jason and Peter - they would be in it, but only as secondary characters. It would basically start when the Trial is over. The other idea is five years after they graduate and would deal with their lives as 'adults' and the issues that raises for them. But the suggested sub plots certainly are interesting and I will file this review in my folder of ideas. [No, I don't feel bad 'stealing' your ideas ] Thanks for reading and for taking the time to leave your comments. Andy

What would Christmas be without a bit of Chuck Berry

Happy Birthday Anya!!! Another year older, but any wiser??? Enjoy the 'Day of Anya' and make sure you get lots of pictures for us to embarrass you with forever.