KJames

We live in a condominium complex with one garbage dumpster and one recycling dumpster--and according to the rules, one cannot place food rubbish in the recyclable container. They are both full at least twice a week with appropriate materials. Rob & I, however, recycle cans and bottles (due to CA Refund deposits) by giving them to a friend of ours to stockpile and redeem later, she routinely takes in enough to make $60 or so every month. For a normal household here in Signal Hill or Long Beach, CA, this would offset the fees for both the recycle bin for Single-family homes, as well as the fee for the large rubbish can for the automated trucks.

Actually, C.L.L., I'm the one surprised...he told me he had suggested you should join...but, not that you're computer shy, you just don't spend much time online... If you need story recommendations, there are plenty...depending on what you like to read. Ask and ye shall receive.

Now, Mark, nobody, I'm sure, ever told you that writing would be easy on the psyche. BTW, Chap. 3 of Summer of Love was fantastic....nice to see that Stef's up to his usual "tricks" financially, and that Marcel seems to be getting on well with his brother and sister...I wonder why his brother smiled at the end?

Yay! 7,000 members! That's great...can we celebrate for the other 6,999 as well?!? Evil seems to be calling me...I think I'll go have a slice of mayonnaise cake... Hmm, I wonder what flavor of ice cream that was I saw in the freezer? (I hope it was coffee! )

There is an old song out there, from the '60s, I believe, called "Makin' Whoopie!" It was sort of a satirical look at society's, then, rather prudish view of sex.....

Hey, Kev', all you can do is be there for your friend--which you are, apparently, ready to do--while at the same time letting him know that, based on your previous observations, you feel that this is leading him into making a mistake concerning his ex-b/f. Unless the ex-b/f has gone through detox and rehab of some sort, there hasn't been any change, and ex-b/f just wants your friend back as a rebound-boy because he can't detect when ex-b/f's using which let's ex-b/f be more relaxed when ex-b/f is using. I know that sounds terrible, grammatically, but it's the same thing everyone's telling you--you be there for your friend, not for his ex-'--if you all go out together, you can be civil even if you don't like his ex-', just don't get aggressive if you can possibly help yourself. Good luck to you in your support for your friend.

And Congratulations to their Governor, who, after days of silence, had a press release quoting him as saying that despite his personal faith and belief on the issue, he also believes that there should be no attempt to change the Constitution of the State of Vermont just to create a situation that the State's Supreme Court has already said is illegal and discriminatory! That some churches might not like the situation, but they are not required to perform same-sex marriages, it is strictly the civil marriage filing that the state has legislated upon--the churches are not going to be forced to perform ceremonies. Despite "Christian" beliefs, there are some people who come out and say the right things!

Nick, I think you captured what you really need to tell him in here. I've not followed this thread for some time now, and just came back because I was checking activity. To paraphrase: You fell in love with your best friend, and even though he may not love you the way you love him, you got your priorities sorted out and will always value him more as your best friend than as a lover. And you don't ever want to lose that relationship, and want to tell him that you miss your best friend more than anything, and just want your best friend back. It's time to "corner" him, and at least tell him this fact that you have come to realize--then let him decide if he still wants to be best friends. He might not have been comfortable with the gay relationship side of this, which is sad, but if he's intelligent enough to remain your best friend, then he's able to think and prioritize what's important. All the best... Kelly

Well...I still like Mark's writing style, and the force he puts into the narrative style he uses, even with Marcel's POV. But to skip Mouse's and Tonto's death's during the break was a little unforgivable--Tonto's funeral would have been a wonderful Roast of a person of great character and presence, I'm sure, and to just have Mouse fade out without so much as a goodbye was a terrible thing to do after all the abuse he grew up with. I'm actually crying about Mouse right now....

Hey, Com', we've got a spare PC that just needs a good install of Dragon Dictate installed...and maybe a new install of Windows XP just so you've got one registered...it would allow you to ramp back up somewhat faster...did you move out here yet?

Happy Birthday, Dear Empathy... Now be good!

Dion, Hi... Forget but not forgive...what you have been through, just from the description above, would be unforgivable. This relative of yours who posts on an internet forum could be arrested by the FBI: Using interstate wires to transmit information in a conspiracy to commit murder is a real Federal Felony charge, whether the planning is acted upon or not. All the FBI has to do is verify that he is the poster...and they're very good at obtaining information... The people from your school years, just tell 'em "Karma's a bitch" and that you plan on outliving them.

Just read Ch. 27...and although you've got a story set in the 1700's, I'm finding myself anxiously waiting for the next story centered on the Crampton/Schluter/Hayes clan and their friends! It's gonna be so great!

I also loved Cats, Phantom' and also Chicago--which was great in London, then 2 days later we were in Orange County, California, for our local subscription....London's performance was much better and Rob got into the Theatre for free...I had to pay! But it was worth it!

That should also be a lesson to the crackheads--as if they'd listen--that if you're going to rob someone to keep up your habit, you better damn sure rob someone you DON'T know--because the one's you DO know will never forgive you for putting your habit over their life, friend or not.

Okay, okay, I agree with everyone, re: Cambronne getting what he deserves, Jerry too...and about Jim being knocked down a peg...since Marie undoubtedly knew he, as well as Richard, was screwing Bitty. But why the quick cutoff in the paragraph after the eulogy? You were going to say, "Claremont..." but cutoff at, "Cl"--what's that about? Another cliffhanger?

And that's just what I did with this person--the possibility of salvaging a friendship with him was my motivation--he was, interestingly enough, the only person from High School I found that I sincerely wanted a friendship with--even after all these years.

Mine was an movie out in the late 70's or early 80's calle The Changeling. A supernatural thriller.

Lacey, the poster was looking for irrational fears...and I can handle snakes, probably 'cause I know they eat vermin and spiders...

I sent him a followup e-mail a couple weeks later...I know it was delivered, but don't know if he bothered to read it...just explaining that I had been depressed and wanted to let him know what had happened from my side--I could tell that he was extremely hurt that I hadn't followed through back then from the expressions that his face went through, those were emotions I was very familiar with and could read very easily in others--and that I had really wanted a chance to get it off my chest before he faded back into the woodwork. I'm pretty much "over it" but I'd still like to hear from him again--he was the only person in all of my schooling who was ever nice to me, and as I said in my previous post, I found that I liked it. I wanted more interaction like that, but it never came to pass. Life's been good since...actually, it was still rough until about 18 years ago... But, out of all the kids in my graduating class (485), 50% of the guys ended up as dream fodder, and the rest didn't amount to much. I don't find myself wanting to reconnect with any of the others from my own class--only this one person (who was 2 years behind me), who never made it into the "dream fodder" category (and that's in a good way).

Yeah, Herm', that chapter shocked the he77 out of me! I never, for a second, thought that it would have been Robbie...Neil had claimed that there were others (note plural form) so I was expecting that one of his own gang had done it...was surprised when Jerry got hit with it in court, but more shocked when Robbie told Brad in counseling...but he could have avoided a lot of shit if he had used Neil's own belt on him! Shame on you, Mark! What a brat!

I think I won this one....albeit for different reasons than my logic on how it happened...just a lucky guess!

I'd love to be a fly on the wall at Bill & Melinda Gates' house when he has to call in to customer software support because his former company's software won't install on his system without major assistance...

I'm with Mark Arbour, I find the possibility of being with a pair of identicall twins intensely erotic and exciting beyond belief! (Especially if they do everything the same, including kiss, and taste the same) And to someone who I was discussing the possibility with, you were right on the author... ...and I am now an official domaholic.... ....with a whole new list of stories to keep tracking... :wacko: ... My worst fears are: 1. Very high bridges (which presents a challenge when driving our RV), 2. Heights with wide spaces above and away while being on a narrow, open-air hallway/catwalk, 3. Spiders of any kind whether harmless or not, and 4. Either being rejected or unforgiven after apologizing (this bothers me more than rejection) by others.