AFriendlyFace

Hey Shannon! It's ALOT of fun! Never too late to get started either! Good Luck! Have an awesome day all! Kevin

May your day be excellent and your year even better! Happy Birthday!

Hi Steve!! Welcome to GA! It's really great to have you here! Hehe well then here's a 3rd (even though I already welcomed you ) Welcome Graeme! hehe, it really is great to see so many awesome people and talented writers! I can't wait to read more from you guys! All the best, Kevin

Shucks! I don't get to compete, but I'm dying to find out all the answers!! I also can't wait to see who wins!! Good luck everyone! Kevin

Happy Birthday Miso!! I hope your day is filled with joy and happiness May this year bring you everything you want all be thest, Kevin

Thanks for sharing, James, those were funny! Have a great day all! Kevin

WOO HOOO! Congratulations Joe! I can't wait to read the next 1,000!!! Take care and have a fantastic day! Kevin

Hi Sharon, I suppose my previous post was rather insensitive and I should have clarified my feelings more. The entire 9/11 situation is, at least for me (well surely for everyone), very complicated. It's primarly the political mass (mess?) that comes attached to 9/11 that turns me off. Most political things do have a tendency to make me smile and nod while waiting for a chance to make an escape. Having politics thrust on me is also one of the quickest ways to tick me off. I'm perfectly willing to discuss religion calmly for hours, but when it comes to politics it's one jumbled mess I have no desire to even begin to untangle. Also as someone who doesn't see anything in black and white I wouldn't begin to assume that there's a "correct" political ideology. My somewhat jaded view on politics is that both the major parties (and any other sizable political body) is sufficiently screwed up, and corrupt to such an extent that I really don't care and don't see the point in trying to depose one party for another. On the more positive flip side I also think that each party (and sizeable political body) is filled with good, well-meaning people doing what they truly believe is best. Again I just don't see why I (just myself personally not other people, I'm glad some people do care) should waste my time and energy messing with this delicate balance when I don't belive in the cause in the first place (and again I'm glad other people do). I'm also tired of people telling me "you haven't got a right to complain if you don't vote (otherwise participate)". What they're failing to note is that I don't complain. I don't discuss it at all. I'm not asking for the perogative to be lazy about it and then spout off my views. I'm asking for the perogative to be left out of it! I realize that regardless of what "side" someone's on my political attitude is likely to be recieved frostily. When this is coupled with the fact that by the very nature of my political opinions I have very little interest in converting anyone else to my way of thinking (indeed I concede the fact that it's a good thing more people DON'T think and act as I do politically), it becomes readily obvious why, unless I feel obliged (as in this case), I don't clarify my political position at all. That said I'm basically a liberal (and I may possibly even vote that way, just don't expect to see me campaigning for any party), but I use the term as a way of describing my likely position on individual issues (I'm more open to the notion of campaigning for a specific issue). Indeed I'm happy to discuss specific issues. I have opinions on: gay rights, prayer in school, social security, abortion, euthanasia, and even the "war". However, in the case of the last one I'd rather not discuss it, and in the cases of: prayer in school, abortion, and euthanasia my relativism is such that I'll only express my general opinion and refuse to believe that there really is an absolute "right or wrong" in these issues (they should probably all be decided case by case, which of course isn't practical). Anyway once the "D" or "R" words are brought into the debate or someone tries to tie one issue to another I once again loose interest in continuing the conversation. I realize that my views on all of the above are riddled with inconsistencies, paradoxes, and perhaps outright fallacious reasoning. I'm fine with that thanks and have no desire to change (though I do reserve the right to completely alter my opinions by whim and without explanation). Anyway now that I've ranted about that I'll address the actual issue. I think it's disgusting the way people have tied politics to what should (IMO) simply have remained a tragedy and time of mourning. However, I'll confess that since I didn't have any direct personal involvement with 9/11 these "patriots" and "pacifists" (note the sarcasm) have succeeded in giving me a knee-jerk, "here we go again" reaction to anything relating to 9/11. I in no way mean to trivialize that tragedy and suffering experienced by those involved. I think it's awful what happened and I'll be the first one to sympathize with and be supportive of someone who wants to tell me their story. Indeed I'm very moved by your story and very thankful that your sister was okay and that you and your family have a stronger appreciation of each other. However, while I can be supportive of you and others who tell me their stories, I can't be supportive of John and Jane Doe, whom I've never met and will never meet, who lost their son in the attack. I would be upset by hearing their tale and I would want to help them and reach out to them. But I can't. It's for this reason that I avoided the news coverage (and always avoid the news coverage of other tragedies) when it first happened (I did donate money and blood in an effort to be helpful in a practical way, but it's emotional support I'm talking about here). Instead I chose to reach out to and help the people directly around me. I chose to go on listening to and trying to help with the day to day problems of those with whom I was directly involved. There was a girl I knew who for the first day was concerned about her father who was in Washington at the time (he was fine), and I did do my best to console her and be supportive of her. There were also countless other people who were upset and scared in general. I uniformly (and probably to my own emotional and psychological detriment) internalize the problems of those around me. I do care. It's also not particularly difficult to get sympathy and support out of me. I'll coddle anyone and I actively keep an eye out for people who might be upset and in need of a kind word. However, there's pain and suffering all over the country and the world. EVERY single day marks the anniversy or something horrible for someone. I'll do my best to be there for the people around me on these days. But while I wish I could save the world, I can't. So I'm not going to feel bad continuing my life as normally as possible on any given day. So please if anyone reading this is hurting or upset about something by all means feel free to contact me and I'll do my best to console you, sympathize with you, or just "be there". But again my focus is individuals. I'm very sorry if this post offends anyone and I also apologize to Dom for essentially hi-jacking his blog. I just felt called upon to clarify my position. That said though I'd prefer not to talk about it anymore. Take care ALL individuals, and may you EACH have an awesome day, Kevin

I agree with all that! Take care David, I hope you enjoy the new job and adjust quickly all the best, Kevin

I'm glad you're happy with the new guy, Dom I've carefully wrapped myself in a cocoon of apoliticalness and I'm not coming out! That's not to say that I agree with the war, in fact, being a pacifist, I object. I'm just not going to waste my time and energy following it or getting emotionally involved. Probably makes me sound dreadfully selfish, but I'm content to leave it in the hands of others. So for me 9/11 barely registered. However, coincidently I happened to have a bad day on my own anyway. Well take care and I hope you have a teriffic week! Kevin

Hey Robbee First off, I love that poem. *sigh* I've often thought this quite a bit myself. I've decided it's best to try to make it better without becoming a part of it Just my thoughts on it though Very true . Grandparents are great! good luck! I'm glad things are going well. I hope you get everything else sorted out, and good luck with the writing!! (I'd love to see some sometime if you felt like showing me ) Take care, dude, and have an awesome...EVERYTHING Kevin

Hey Luc! First off YAY I can't wait to read the anthology! Secondly: YAY!! I can't wait to read the new story LOL, just a little FYI you probably don't care about, "Ghost of You", I believe, is also the title of a Good Charlotte song . Decent song, but I bet the story will be superb! Take care and have a great day! Kevin

Yay!! I can't wait to read it!

Hi Jon! Welcome to GA It's good to have you here ; I'm sure you'll enjoy it Please let us know if you have any questions Take care and have an aweome day! Kevin

Happy Birthday, Zot!!! I hope you have a teriffic day and a really fantastic year! Many happy returns! -Kevin

I have a whole slew most of you won't have heard of (and probably DGAS about ) from my rook and spade days. "boat p" anyone? lol it means "Bid over anytime, partner". This is said at the beginning of the game to ensure that you're not one of those stodgy, bidhog people who gets ticked if your partner raises you if they think they have a better hand Then there's GGA (good game all) or just GG (good game), which is of course a staple in every online gaming community (card playing ones at least) Another "normal" one I think should be on the list: IDK = I don't know. It took me awhile to work that one out when I first saw it. I love LOL, I don't even read it as "laughing out loud" anymore I read it as a laugh. It's a pitty you can't just say "LOL" in RL. TCAHAADA (Take care and have an awesome day all) Kevin P.S. can I just go ahead an make that my personal one?

Have a REALLY Happy Birthday Conner ! May your day be excellent and your year thoroughly enjoyable and great! Take care and all the best, Kevin

Hey Dom I've only ever seen like one or two episodes of Buffy, but it seemed quite good and I've only ever heard good things about it from people who have watched. It seems to be a show people dismiss in theory, but like if they watch. I'm very glad to hear you're getting more writing done . I can't wait to see this:

Hey Camy! I'm sorry to hear thinks have been rough with life I'm glad you're happy here though and REALLY glad you're happy with Mick I'll go check out your story and leave feedback. I'm excited to read it; I love your other work and I'm sure this will be no different Take care and have a great day! I hope things pick up Kevin

LOL, it's sweet but that does seem counterproductive. Have you ever tried responding, "well I WAS" My mom fondly recounts the time she was staying in a hospital overnight and they woke her up to ask if she needed a sleeping pill. awwwww wow! that's awesome Thanks Nick You're a terrific friend too!

Yay! Welcome back

Hey Viv!! You're playing scrabble now too? YAY!! We so need to play a game!! hehe, glad your daughter didn't starve at the restaurant! Take care and have an awesome day! Kevin

Yay for you David I hope you enjoy it! Kevin

90 minutes!?! No way! LOL my baths are more like 3 or 4 hours if I'm really having fun I very much am! Thanks Have an awesome day all Kevin

Happy Birthday Tarantio! Unless I miss my guess you're a fellow Domaholic yes? Hehe, looks like Dom gotcha a present with the latest chapter of The Other Side of Me I hope you have a fantastic day and an awesome year! Kevin