drsawzall

If we can't have Carrie or a close firebrand relative perhaps we could pray for...I for one am looking forward to the repercussions when everyone's day/dance/business trip turns craptastic...not sure anyone's insurance will pay for the massive/humongous hours of therapy everyone is gonna need...

Yes, definitely so...

Herein lies one proof.... "He says the map is old, and that it is measured in leagues, but that it is also measured in two ancient distances, called miles and kilometers." "I have not heard of these ancient measures," Snave put in. "They must truly be from the before times." Khybeer watched them, and then waved at the map again. "He says that the kilometer is the smallest measure, with about five to each league. And there are about three of these miles to each league, as well." "Why different measures for the same distances?" Snave asked. "It seems confusing." Jamie smiled. "Let us stick to things we know. Leagues will do, for now."

This would make a fine screensaver for a certain someone's PC...Ivor...

While they are a necessity, and I'm reminded of the old joke: "what's the definition of mixed emotions...watching a bus full of lawyers going over a cliff, and realizing one seat is empty". Who's fooling who and beware a pissed off receptionist...And for heaven's sake...find another legal firm.... “Not necessarily a dispute, but there very well could be, Mr. Walker.” “Alright. Just so you know, I can offer a free consultation today, but it will cost $150 per hour on top of a $500 retainer if you want the firm to represent you.” “I understand. Right now, I'd like a consultation and see what my options are.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Is there anything else I can help you with?” Mr. Walker said. “No, Sir. You've been a great help.” “Glad to hear it. You can settle the bill with the receptionist.” “And how much will that be?” “$150, which is our standard rate per hour, and we change for the full hour.”

A mother's love is supposed to be forever, thank goodness for the kindness of a stranger. A short yet powerful story that will leave you thinking...

I will never understand why these so called christians only pick and choose the parts of the good book that suit them. I may be wrong, but everyone was welcomed to sit with Jesus... Dad needs a spine, Westly is a leech, a sloth, and a miserable excuse for a human being, I fear for Cody... Like everyone else, I need, want, and wish for more to this story...

Oh boy...from a broken home situation to a clusterfuck...

Thank you @LemonSoda for sharing. It was an eyeopener to say the least, and as a result of @raven1, @Dan South, and @Mrsgnomie, I understand much better the issues that confronted both Avery, his parents and the larger world they occupied. For what it's worth, I come at this issue from the perspective of a child, grown into a young (18 yrs old) adult, fleeing at first chance, a dysfunctional family dynamic. It wasn't until I was in my early 30's that I had children. I should qualify that, my adult children... My parents, mostly my father, could no longer support themselves. My father was a cross between Archie Bunker and Fred Sanford. My mother, scarred from the divorce of her parents, when her father got a 16yr old girl pregnant, simply would not leave. She tried for years to get the help my father needed for his service connected disability with the Veterans Administration. An incredibly bright man, my father simply was an island unto himself, you asked for a piece of bread, you got the history of wheat...We never knew what trouble, and he was capable of many things that would have you scratching your head, he'd get into. His overall health was always an issue, he was far smarter than the doctors he saw. Once he drove himself to the hospital while having a stroke...At the same time he could be cunning, when he turned 70, he installed electric heating in his house, knowing in our state because of age, the electric utility could not disconnect the service... I could never control the storm of events my father left in his wake, only do my best to manage the deterius... I guess my point is, mental health in this country is a crisis, and we've allowed it to become so...Why, because it takes time, effort, and funding...and sometime institutionalizing...Sadly it doesn't have to be this way as we see so often in the news...

Thanks, I'm halfway thru a second part and hope to have it done soon.

Well, good thing you didn't read the Harvard Lampoon version, you can only guess what they named Bilbo...hint...The name began with the 4th letter of the alphabet...

I'm somewhat reminded of the Lord of the Rings, in the sense that good will triumph over evil. They willingly go where others fear to tread and in the process find willing allies. More astoundly, are the advances Jamie and Snave are making with their new understanding of the magickal knots, some they have yet to fully explore...

Unfortunately this is what would happen if @Ivor Slipper were ever sentenced to pun jail...

I just, sometimes, cain't help myself...

This isn't overby a long shot....One hopes Rafe doesn't go all Sonny Corleone on the vamps all by hisself...

A classic case of when it rains...it pours...

A powerfully written story of the effects mental illness and child abuse can have on a family. A tale of survival when the fates conspire to spend years beating you down. There are several triggers present in this story and as noted below, it is worth reading.

Simply gut wrenching and powerful. An incredible portrayal of a family's struggles and journey through the depths of mental illness. There's a history of bipolar depression that runs through generations of our family on my father's side. With my father, it was exacerbated serving with the 14th Army Air Corps in China during WW2. Both my older brother, now deceased, and my sister's oldest boy, both suffer from it. I suspect some of my cousins manage to hide their personal issues. This story took some time to read. I had to step away and process some of the painful memories I found myself reflecting on. Much earlier I'd managed to come to come to an understanding and did my best to remain in contact, if only for the sake of my mother, but that's a story for another day. This was true to life, gripping, and so on point. As noted above, @Dan South, this was a home run!!!!

One wonders what Colin and Geno are up to.... Better to lose the weight now than when you are even older, so much harder to do...

At some point I hope the barrier of assumptions is broken, both are guilty of assuming/expecting much. Knowledge is not being conveyed that could be integral/purposeful for the journey they are beginning. They say ignorance is bliss and perhaps it's best if Beckett not know of the dangers ahead...or not....

How can you go wrong with a story of star crossed lovers who happen to see those who are, for whatever reason unable to cross over....

Simply well done and a fresh take and I found the following simply heartwrenching... Chris sighed and wiped at his eyes. “I wish we could have spent more time together.” “Me too,” Tom murmured. Tearfully, he clapped a fist to his gemstone pendant. “But, wherever you end up… try to remember that I loved you for a day.” Desperately, Chris reached for the other boy. Tom reached back, but Chris’ hand passed uselessly through his. Dejectedly, he gave up and allowed his hand to fall to his side. “I loved you, too,” he whispered.

I might be alone in my thinking here but...the complexity interwoven into this tale is simply astounding on so many levels... "It was fraught with danger, by the accounts I have heard," Dorf returned. "Many warring factions vying for control. The leaders were selfish pigs, wanting what they wanted at any cost, and be damned the common man." Garvin laughed. "Is our world any different?" The big knight sighed and shook his head. "No. But that very fact serves to illustrate that the ancients were no better than we in dealing with matters of living. Their science was great, yes, but in the end it only served to make their destruction more complete." Simply a brilliant bit of deduction to say the least, I suspect that these building blocks in their magickal abilities will bode well in future encounters with the dark mages... Jamie nodded eagerly. "Yes. I can perform that magick, though I will admit it was quite trying to learn." He cocked his head at the gargoyle curiously. "What was the first magick you thought of?" "One I know you do not know, but have long wished to learn. T'is one of the magicks of flying. Both it and the messenger magicks begin with the same peculiar pattern to draw energy." Jamie remembered watching Thorvil fly away into the sky on his way to the Conference On the Arts, and wishing that he could perform such magick himself. "You mean the same base pattern is woven to send a carrier pigeon, as is to fly oneself?" *************** Sky's the limit considering the trick Irik showed them, the possibilities are endless. Jamie had had a few ideas of his own come to him just after he realized that there was more to a knot-lock than any one tying would make of it. The idea that mages had, for so long, not understood that each spell they learned might perhaps have other uses if changes were make in the tying of its lock, was rather incredible to consider. But then again, no other mages had made a journey with quite the same things happening that had happened to Jamie and his friends. Magick was where you found it, yes. But it seemed now that it was also what you made of it, too. I think they need to consider some sort of magickal locator for each of them in case they get seperated...and...the only bit of wonders of the ancients that I would like to see them bring back...is indoor plumbing!!!!

Thank goodness old is relative...

Would anyone with the name Ahab be interested in Jonathan?