AFriendlyFace

Errr, I'm gonna echo that sentiment. So sorry I'm late, Birds, but I hope your birthday was fantastic and may your year be the best yet!! Kevin

LOL whether than try to be eloquent I'll just post my initial reaction to reading this blog: "Well go you!"

LOL, I've been doing the vegetarian thing for the last five months. Personally it's been really easy for me. I've never been that big a fan of meat. I've always loved vegetables, and "sides" in general. When I was a kid I would always finish everything else on my plate and leave the meat. I've always thought pork was just plain disgusting, and after having such an abundant supply of beef growing up (my family raised beef cows), by the time I reached college I was more than tired of beef and red meat in general. Thus, prior to about five months ago I pretty much only ate chicken anyway. Days would pass and all of a sudden I'd realize, "Hey, you haven't had any meat in a while". SO a few months ago I finally decided, "what the heck, I'll do the vegetarian thing for awhile". Like I say, it's been easy for me. Of course I'm like the lowest level, least strict vegetarian. I'm a lacto, ovo, pesco which means I eat dairy products, eggs (although hardly ever anyway, I much prefer the taste and nutrition in the "Egg beaters"), and fish/seafood. Since I still eat the fish/seafood, I kinda don't even feel like a vegetarian and don't like to say I am around the "real" vegetarians , but it's a recognized level anyway lol. I love seafood! I'm sure I could also give it up, and indeed I may eventually in the future (in the same way that chicken was the last of the "regular" meats to go), but I'm not ready just yet. Besides, I really like seafood, and it's much healthier than regular meats. It's also convenient since I can still go to practically any restaurant and just order off the seafood menu regardless of what vegetarian options they have. Awesome job with the anthology reviews! I know that meant alot to the authors! Take care and have a fantastic day! Kevin

Hey Sharon!

Hey Jamie!! WOW! I'm so flattered!! thanks!! I think you're super-nifty too! Have a fantastiac day and take care! Kevin

Hey Graeme! I have little doubt that your stories already have lead to similar results in the lives of other people! I definitely view New Brother as one of the quintessial stories in the internet gay stories genre! Take care and have an awesome day!! Kevin

I'm procrastinating about going to sleep :wacko: LOL no more though! I'm going to stop surfing GA and go now!!! Take care all and have an awesome day! (today!!) -Kevin

On your special day I wish I could give you many things. I'd like to give you all the money one could ever earn. I'd like to give you all the sweets and special treats that the finest ten chefs in the world could prepare. I'd like to give you all the peace of a hundred sunsets on the beach. I'd like to give you all the laughter of a thousand comedy routines. I'd like to give you all the hope that ten thousand happy days could bring. I'd like to give you all the hugs that a million special people might give. But I know that even if I gave you all these things They could never match the friendship you give to me. Happy Birthday, Vancey -Kevin

YAY for you!! Way to go!

Hi all! Actually, a friend of mine is a teacher and had planned on participating. He even worked out things he could have his class do. Then he realized that the day fell right in the middle of some important state testing and he HAS to speak. Ultimately I think he did decide to do as some other suggested and remain as silent as possible. Personally speaking I don't really plan to participate in the silence part of the day this year. I gave it a shot last year and...well it didn't work out . I tend to be both extremely absent-minded, and chatty. Thus I kept forgetting I was supposed to be silent and talking to people. Then I'd say (to myself) "Oops, OKAY, I won't talk ANYMORE"...then I'd forget and start the whole process over again. After the first few hours of the day I just gave up since I obviously wasn't "getting it". That's what I'm doing! I'm throwing a party tomorrow evening with the theme being "Night of Noise", after all the silence. And I'm sure we will all share our experiences etc. An excellent idea! And there really were some awesome entries!! Take care all and have a great - if silent - day!! Kevin

Hi all, Well, my dad is actually a professor at Virginia Tech. He's fine; I talked with him last night. He's quite upset (understandably) about the whole thing though, and also worried because he had a lot of friends who worked in the building where most of the stuff went down. I'll probably do a blog eventually about my own thoughts and feelings about all this, but I have to say: I definitely strongly agree with what Nick's said. Chances are if you'd asked each one of those dead/wounded people a week ago whether or not they'd try to fight back/take a gunman down, the majority would have said "of course". No one knows who had what chance, or how they're bodies and emotions were reacting at the time. Anyway take care all, Kevin

WOW, Nick! That sounds awesome!! Good luck and be careful if you do decide to go!! -Kevin

Happy Birthday, Ben!!!!!!! I hope your day is every bit as awesome and special as you are!! -Kevin

51 1. When do you feel your best? c. late at night 2. You usually walk... c. less fast head up, looking the world in the face 3. When talking to people you... a. stand with your arms folded b. have your hands clasped c. have one or both your hands on your hips d. touch or push the person to whom you are talking e. play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair (B slightly more often, but I do all of these regularly) 4. When relaxing, you sit with... a. your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side b. your legs crossed c. your legs stretched out or straight d. one leg curled under you (B is clearly the most, and A is clearly the least, but I do C and D fairly often too) 5. When something really amuses you, you react with... a. a big appreciated laugh 6. When you go to a party or social gathering you... a. make a loud entrance so everyone notices you 7. You're working very hard, concentrating hard, and you're interrupted... c. vary between these two extremes 8. Which of the following colors do you like most? e. dark blue or purple 9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep you are... a. stretched out on your back b. stretched out face down on your stomach c. on your side, slightly curled d. with your head on one arm e. with your head under the covers (It's definitely not A, and it's most like B, but really it's sorta a combination of B, C, D, and E. I'm on my stomach for the most part, but it's sorta resting halfway on a verticle pillow, so my side is what's actually on the bed, but my head is sideways, resting an arm, often largely covered by the covers) 10. You often dream that you are... f. your dreams are always pleasant (not always, usually more neutral actually, but I do have them, and they very rarely include any of those other things and they are typically more pleasant than unpleasant) 51 TO 60 POINTS: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality; a natural leader, who's quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once; someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate. ...I guess so, but I'm pretty much on the boarder between that and: 41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.' Especially when you consider all my sorta split answers, and I think I like the 2nd reading better, so I'll go with that one Interesting quiz, Viv! Thanks for sharing! Have an awesome day and take care! -Kevin

Hey Kaiten! aww thanks!! I think I've still got some looking to do, but I think I'm on the right track at least Yeah, I hope we can stay in touch. Actually neither one of them spends very much time on the internet though Thanks! Yes, I really love that poem. It's perhaps my favourite poem of all time actually. I remember my mother read it to me for the first time when I was a kid, before I even knew how to read! Anyway take care and have an awesome day! Kevin

Hey Kitty!! I love that Robert Frost quote! Yep, "The Lo(n)g Way" is my favourite, but I found TOU first. Take care and have an awesome day!!!! Kevin

Hey Tob!! Thank you very much for the warm wishes!! Have an awesome day and take care! Kevin

WOOO HOOO!! YAY for Adam's 17th birthday!! I hope you have an awesome day and a fantastic year!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Thank you, Krista!! I've always thought the same thing! Seems like an awful misnomer to me too. Well said, Lugh! I'm sorry that happened, Trevor. Don't stoop to his level, and try to just ignore him. Take care and I hope everything works out! Kevin

Hi all, I thought quite a bit about what I wanted to do for my 100th entry, since, though rationally it's only an artificial milestone and not any more significant than any other blog entry, it's still ostensibly special. Anyway, my thoughts ranged from creating a sort of "blog quiz" that would be taken from the previous 99 entries (decided that would be way too much work for me, and few people would feel inclined to sit there and take the thing anyway) to making it into a silly story (couldn't come up with a proper storyline, and I just recently did the story in a blog thing anyway) to finally doing the sing-along blog entry I've been wanting to do for months (still can't settle on all the songs I want to use). Finally, I was sure I'd made up my mind and began creating a blog with 100 random facts about myself. Fifty-five facts, and four hours later I decided that, no, this wasn't really what I wanted to do either. Instead I've decided to use this blog entry as a sort of bridge. An opportunity to examine my past, particularly but not limited to, the last 21 months (my time here at GA), and more importantly evaluate the present, and anticipate the future. Obviously these are lofty goals, but I shall nonetheless undertake them within the confines of this relatively short blog. When I visited this site at the beginning of July in 2005 (I joined about two weeks later), I was feeling stressed out, tired, and a little trapped. My personal life was...boring. All my friends consisted of people I worked with or else the handfull I'd kept up with since high school. I was heavily closeted, taking a boring, but time-consuming, summer class (Latin), and basically doing my best to finish school before I completely lost what remained of my motivation (I had the rest of the summer and then the fall and spring ahead of me). I was also in a pleasant and easy, but boring job. Then one evening I decided to check out Nifty and see if I could find a decent story that would be good for more than *ahem* a few minutes of fun. I came across The Ordinary Us, and I can truthfully say that that event changed my life. (well my particular brand of life philosophy is such that I believe every event no matter how small "changes" one's life, but in this case I mean it in the more tangible, significant way that most people do when they say something like that). It wasn't exactly TOU that changed my life (although I suppose it did), but more the fact that it ultimately led me here. Looking back I doubt I would have moved away from Lousiana when I did if I hadn't been here. I also probably wouldn't have come out to my mom, and I bet I wouldn't have even expanded my circle to include more GLBT friends. Through GA I've had a completely AWESOME and amazing experience. I've met some truly incredible people, read some truly wonderful literature, and even attempted to write a bit myself. I've done things and been a part of things I never would have dreamed possible before coming here, and I'm truly and deeply grateful. Now, nearly two years later, I'm living in a new city. I'm completely out to everyone that knows me. I have a wide and varied circle of friends, and overall the whole experience has given me the opportunity to see and do things I'd never have even thought of previously. I regret nothing. I don't regret my past, even the part prior to GA. I certainly don't regret the last two years, and I have no qualms about the plans I have for my future. Yet, as happy as I am right now, as much as I like my "new life", I've never planned for it to be anything but temporary - a sort of transition until I find something else. I like my job, and I absolutely adore my coworkers, if it's possible I think I'm even closer with them than I was with the ones back in La. Yet, it's definitely time for me to move on. I'll be sorely disappointed if I'm there another month. I really like my apartment, but the whole complex is being torn down and I'm forced to move. My two best friends, arguably two of the best friends I've ever had will be married and moved half-way across the country by the end of the summer. No matter how you look at things everything will indeed be different within the next four months. I'm sort of sorry about that I suppose. If time would simply stop I'd be happy to while away an indefinite number of days in this exciting, almost surreal life. But time won't stop, and regrettably I'm running rather low on it. My exhausted bank account and tiny income can no longer support my carefree lifestyle. Thus, it's time for me to find a new job, go back to school, or both. Probably both. As much as I wish my friends would just stay, they can't, and I understand that it's time for them to move on. There's certainly no point in fighting the move, although as much as the MOVE will suck, I think I'll be crazy about the new place. Then there's the other things. Things I want to do, have to do, but won't do as long as the situation is such as it is. In many ways it's like the last year has been a vacation of sorts. Actually, that's definitely what it's been, and I definitely wouldn't trade a minute of it for anything. It's been one hell of a ride. But, vacations end and I suppose it's about time I get back to life. So, in closing I'd like to thank GA, and all those who have read this blog for the last 100 entries. I'm not sure there will be another one-hundred. I'm not sure there will even be another one. I have no idea where I'll be next, but I do know that I'm glad I was here. I also know that, whatever happens, I'll be fine; I always am.

WOOO HOOOO!! YAY!! I'm so happy for you, Nick! No one I can think of deserves it more! I'm also extremely flattered if you think that anything I've said or done in the past has helped you reach (the superb) point that you're at now! I'm consistently amazed at your quality as both a write and a person, and I'm extremely eager to see what new surprises you have in store for us!! Hats off to you and a great big CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!! -Kevin

thanks!!

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday! I hope your day is filled with much happiness -Kevin

WOOO HOOOO!!! Happy Birthday, Devin!!!!! I hope your day is completely awesome and every bit as special and wonderful as you deserve! May your year be fantastic and all your days bright! Hope we get to catch up soon Take care! Kevin