AFriendlyFace

Thanks everyone!

Thanks Jamie I'm grateful for : 1) Artichokes! They're so good and by the time I finish this post my artichoke will be done cooking and ready to eat! 2) Our authors! They do such an awesome job with the stories and keep us all so entertained! 3) A good weekend I had a really nice weekend. It was pretty relaxing and still somehow productive! 4) Cellular phones They make life so much easier! I'm just old enough that I can remember them not being very prevalent in my early life and things are definitely a lot more convenient now that they're around. 5) Water It's my beverage of choice

Actually, I didn't necessarily consider the shirt completely "harmless" and non-controversial. Indeed that is why I put the "for no positive good" part of my previous post in italics, because I concede that it might indeed piss people off. The difference is that I think it might actually have an overall positive effect. LOL! A funny story indeed! However, based on my experiences with college parking lots I'd say chances are it was the only available spot. I know I've been in situations in which I've been so desperate to find a spot I'd have parked next to an axe murderer and hoped not to run into him on our way back to our vehicles -Kevin

Hi all! I just started reading "Let the Music Play", and I was wondering if there was room for a reformed pirate in The Herd (not that I'm trying to suggest a bias toward one name or the other or anything ). LOL, if you guys have me I promise to lurk around and go unnoticed...just like I do in the other forums Take care all -Kevin

Well done, Emoe! -Kevin

Hi All! I just read the first three chapter of Let the Music Play. I have to say I was very impressed! Awesome job, CJ! I had a few initial thoughts: -I love the band name "Instinct". I kept thinking, "Wow! That sounds just like something a real band would name themselves!" Then I realized it was probably a clever play on "N'sync". Well done! -There's a "Mason Jar" restaurant here in Houston that I quite like! So I found that to be a delightful coincidence! I hadn't successfully pegged Lump as a homophobe. Instead I was thinking that Chase was gay, and that that was the reason for the falling out with his parents, but I was thinking that Lump was also gay, had dated Chase, and that they'd ended up on bad terms. Which would thus explain why Chase and Lump hated each other, and might also explain why the boys would be hesitant about having another gay band member (for fear that the same thing would happen again!). I'm glad I turned out to be wrong on this! Awesome several chapters! I'm really looking forward to catching up on the rest and joining the discussions here in the forum! (If there's room for one more quiet lurker that is ) Take care all and have an awesome day! Kevin

I completely disagree! The two shirts are very different. The first one, worn by the girl, is preaching acceptance and tolerance - a wonderful virtue! The one about feeding Christians to lions isn't exactly advocating tolerance, and I'm assuming that isn't the literal opinion of most of the people who wear such shirts (and if it is then that degree of extremism really bothers me). Conversely I would assume that the "Gay? Fine by me" shirts DO represent the literal opinion of the wearers. That's completely different in my opinion. I do advocate speaking up for ones values in a confident, composed manner. I just don't advocate creating unnecessary strife and pissing people off for no positive good. I don't have a major problem with those shirts. I get that it's just a joke, and it is funny. I also get that one can say it's only "fair" given some of the horrible things the people being attacked by the "lion shirts" have said (I.E. "AIDS cures homosexuality" etc.). The distinction I'm making is that it's better to voice your opinion calmly, rationally, and compassionately, then step away from the issue and let it sink in versus engaging in a screaming match and escalating the situation. Minds and opinions aren't won like that. When people take the defensive they aren't going to question their beliefs and values. The sad fact is that the people in question probably won't in either case, but at least in the second scenario there's a chance, and at least you can say you're not sinking to the level of hate or needlessly hurting people. Anyway, I don't meant to come off so strongly against said shirts. I personally disagree with them, and wouldn't wear them, but I'm not going to sit here and criticise people who do. I just wanted to make my stance, and distinction, known. -Kevin

You're not allowed to enter bars in the U.S. until you're 18 either. Glad you had fun, Mike Glad you're having fun visiting your dad, Beasty

You're right, Vic! The lions are having enough trouble as it is without having to worry about choking on homophobes!

No offense to anyone who posted, indeed I'm sure you're all aware that I regard you very highly, but those strike me as so divisive. Shouldn't we instead be acting to gently heal the wounds and smooth things over? I'd much whether conduct myself with kindness, grace, and dignity and make someone shrug and question their beliefs versus needlessly pissing them off and further proving their point (at least in their own minds). Just my thoughts, Kevin

LOL, actually I was. It was about a year ago when I was quite active with the WST, RT, Mod team, and Newsletter. And actually I think I may have been posting comments in the anthologies too. Naturally I never post when it isn't unavoidable, site business -Kevin

LOL, I kinda wanted to click the link too! Sounds like a good show. If I watched TV I'd probably check it out. -Kevin

Wow! That was really well choreographed and well performed!

LOL, well sometimes This sounds like a cool game. How does it work exactly? Is it a board game? Or some kind of computer/video game? Really? LOL, my mom was all about German pride Good luck with your move!! aww thanks You're welcome! It was a really awesome story, Ieshwar! I'm really sorry it took me so long to read it! I'll post some things I'm grateful for later, I've got to fix something to eat now -Kevin

Good for her! I was just thinking that, Robbie! Are these new or something? It struck me as a big coincidence that they should crop up suddenly in two threads at the same time! I kinda like them. I think I'd rather have one that said "Gay? Me too!", but I guess they don't make those -Kevin

Hey Viv! Not always but not never! What I mean is, sometimes I like everything spelled out and nicely resolved, and sometimes I like more open endings that are left to the imagination. Overall I think I slightly prefer the more open-ended endings as long as they're not too open-ended...but then even really open-ended endings are good sometimes. So um, yeah theoretically I can be happy with anything along the continuum. Actually, personally I think those two events are almost completely irrelevant to a story. Unless the story is somehow focused around the prom or graduation, like say it's American Pie and the whole point was that they, well you know by graduation. So yeah having a graduation was necessary. But just as a "look how far we've come" thing or whatever, I don't think it's at all necessary and sometimes even unwanted. Not always of course! It totally depends on how it's handled, but having a graduation/prom just for the sake of having it is the sort of thing I'd get tired of in literature. yeah this one! YAY!!!! **does the mental equivalent of jogging laps to train for reading the extra-long chapter** when I first read this sentence I read it as "Now's the time, too, if you are at camp..." Couldn't figure out why being at camp would be relevant. SOOOOO, when can we expect it? **hopeful/expectant eyebrow raise** Have an awesome day and take care! Kevin

You did, in fact I wouldn't have even noticed it wasn't worded exactly the standard way had you not said anything. The phrase is "A man(or whomever) after my own heart". So yeah, definitely close enough

LOL, well that certainly sounds easier, but I'm reminded of the old adage: "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day, Teach a man to fish, feed him for life" ...besides I like learnin' new stuff

Thanks Beasty! Ohh, we used to do the random question thing at my group too! I think it's a great idea! Lota fun I read a statistic or something somewhere that said that on average women were more like to join such groups, but men need them more. In my experience with the on campus GLBT organization it was primarily led by females, but attended by slightly more males. It sounds like everything went pretty well! I hope you continue to go and enjoy yourself and make new friends! Does that mean that you knew - or recognized - some of them prior to attending the meeting? Nifty! Yeah I guess I can see where you're coming from though, but I think even if things did end up going badly and you end up on poor terms with them you could get by with a casual nod as you walk by and leave it at that. Still, I definitely see what you mean though and I wish you the best of luck -Kevin

Wow! That is so cool! OHH you're right! Every now and then I get to work from home too (not as often as I'd like though ), it definitely makes things so much easier and saves a great deal of time, frustration, and money (gas is so high )!

Thanks, Jack! LOL, I love it, Jan! Thanks, Robbie Well combined that's about 4,200! Which in my book is pretty prolific!

Thanks for pointing these out, Francois! LOL, I never knew about the Dutch city to be honest. So tell me is it filled with Sneeks?

It did look interesting! Hmm, perhaps we can persuade BeastKid to teach us Hindi!