Yettie One

Hey Louis, I don't really know what to say. Thank you. Firstly and most importantly for taking the time to read and appreciate the story, but then for taking the time to actually leave your thoughts is such a kind and encouraging way. You'll never know how much I appreciate your feedback and friendship!

Aww thanks for reading Lilansui. Really appreciate your feedback and kind words.

I saw a husky the other day with two blue eyes, a white and tan brown coat. OMG it was stunning. LOL, however I am not sure that this is quite the combination that you meant. Haha. Um I have always been a sucker for really dark hair, black if possible, and while I have never actually dated anyone with blue eyes, I have always loved blue eyes. My mom has the most amazing blue eyes, and I guess blue eyes remind me of her. I do love red hair though for some reason. I find it a real turn on! Guess I am just strange that way. hehe

Ok so I have never been a really massive drinker, and along the way I have discovered that I am not really one of those that can mix my drinks and get away with it. However, I am still a fan of a drink now and again, and got to thinking, I wonder what it is that tickles everyone's fancy when it comes down to your drink of choice. Ok so I do like a cider on a hot summers day. Nothing better than going to a British country pub for an afternoon our and having a nice cider and ice. I would have to say though that my main drink is rum. I love a good rum and coke, and am very partial to a brand known as Captain Morgan's Spiced Gold. (drools) It is a blend of rum with a cinamon kick to it. I am partial to a single malt whisky on the rocks when there is a lovely roaring fire to sit beside and get lost in a book. Wine I cannot do, it gives me a violent headache, but I do love a South African sparkling wine called JC Le Roux. Ooooof that stuff is nectar of the gods I am sure. The drinks I can't do..... Anything with Aniseed in it. Things like Sambucca or Oozo or Jagermeister....... Nope. I worked for a greek man when I was a boy and at a BBQ one weekend I got very plastered on Ooozo, and OMG I could taste it when i was being sick and that only made me worse. So there you go...... What are the drinks that you adore and what are the drinks you despise and why?

It is easy to sit in judgement of a competitor and suggest that they should have done better when we are not the one's having to perform. I would agree with Andy in saying that it was a brilliant performance by a number of talented divers. When you consider that Boudia won with a winning score of 568.65 points, and the second and third places were only 11 points adrift, we can only conclude that the quality of the diving was outstanding. I notice you fail to say anything about the Chinese divers. Considering that Diving is a national obsession in China, and they dominate the sport world wide through almost every single competition, it can only go to show that despite the quality of their talent all it takes is one slip in a dive to fall from that emulated position of perfection. Did we think he'd do it watching the prelims or the syncro diving. If I am honest, even I was thinking, 'Oh no, here we go again.' but when it mattered he pulled it out the hat. Four years to perfect an art form? Stop momentarily and consider the pressures those four years included. The death of his father. A media spot light. Issues at school, and pressures of his O and A Level examinations. Injury and practice issues..... Is it any wonder that he even made it to the games. Personally I do agree that Tom lives in the lime light a little too much. But come on, the boy is 18 years of age. What kid would not lap up the attention and adoration of a huge community that follow him. It is also worth considering that Tom is contracted by a management team, and as part of the funding grants given to TeamGB, were social and media commitments for many of our athletes. The aim of London 2012 was to inspire a new generation of sports men and woman, and through the slick and often in your face media campaign I think that they have achieved this pretty well. I go for a walk in my village, and kids are on the street with tennis racquets and balls, or fooling around in the park, out on their bikes. The golden glow of the glory of the games has begun to have its effect. Is that a bad thing? I don't remember seeing this happening last year! If Tom living in the limelight does its job in the long run, who am I or any of us to criticise his achievement. You know, when it comes down to it, let us not just talk about Tom. Thousands of athletes came to London 2012. More leave the games with the taste of failure to achieve that golden moment than people that leave with a smile and 44 grams of gold around their neck. Win or loose we wanted to see the athletes pull out all the stops and go for broke. Did Tom do that? Hell yes he did. Don't be so quick to point a finger because he didn't fulfil your expectations. On the day two other divers were better, but that does not make Tom's achievement any less significant, or the results of any single participant for that matter. They came, they tried, some won, others go back to the drawing board and try again next time.

There is a certain inherent energy in the focus of the eye as one watches the sleek body of artistic form, an engineering masterpiece ripping through the atmosphere surrounding the course, the lightening swiftness of the approach as the vehicle hurtles down the straight at around two hundred miles an hour. The howl of the engine assaults the ears like a wailing banshee as wheels, colour and sound scream past in a blaze of motion and force. Yes, that energy dances and sparkles in your eyes. A smi

Luke Campbell wins gold for TeamGB for the first time in 108 years in his class. I'm so chuft for him, he is such a mild mannered young Yorkshire man, and is a deserving winner and part of the Yorkshire success story. I was routing for him from the start and he didn't disappoint. There is definitely something in the water in Yorkshire.

Our very cosmopolitan world is so driven by consumer focus and the image of perfection, that in many ways it is almost as if we have lost sight of our humanity. We want to be seen in the best, by the best, with the best. It is all about perception and what we can or can't portray of ourselves to the world we live in. Be it trends on the catwalk, labels in the stores, the very latest tech gadgets, the most bling, the best car.... From our homes to the nails we have glued to our hands, it is all done in a quest to beautify ourselves, better our persona and come off as something more than what we really are? I can't help but wonder a little how our value system has skewed so much. Take any individual person and give him or her the time to show themselves for who they really are. I am sure that in the majority of the instances you'll find that the person is a decent guy or girl. We all are made up of the same stuff. Emotions, insecurities, values, desires, passions, weaknesses, vulnerabilities. Hell the list is endless really. Every single one of us have these. We all fear rejection, whether you want to admit it or not. We all hate disappointment. Heck if we really want to be completely honest we are all horny buggers out to get as much out of life as we can, and truth be told more often than not we are pretty damn selfish about it too. Yeah we fall in love, and share and reach out and touch others. Yes there are people that are better at it than others, but it is pretty simple when you consider the basics. We all want to be happy, accepted and cherished at some level in our lives. So if it boils down to these simple truths then why the hell do we go and complicate it with all the extra baggage we add to our lives? I mean I sat a couple of days ago and looked at over 5000 people wonder past me as I relaxed on the grass verge. I was struck by the efforts we make as humans to wear the best clothes, have the best gadgets, be seen in the best seats in the house or hanging with the right people, and I was struck by the lengths that we go to, to be a part of this wave of trendiness. Does any of it make us a better person? Is the London Docklands worker in his smart suit and latest iPod any better than the Port Talbot Steel worker, or the Yorkshire Coal Miner or the Liverpool ship builder who is in a T shirt and Jeans with a cheap MP3 player if anything at all? The reality.... take the time to get to know each one of them, not just the image they want the world to see, but the real person within, and they will all be the same. Good, genuine, decent people with huge things that they are covering up with this plastic screen of perfection that we hide behind. I guess what I am learning at this point in my life is those Gucci designer glass you wear really aren't all that important. That fab hair cut you needed a small mortgage to get, really wasn't critical. The swanky car you drive or the million dollar home you live in, really doesn't set you aside from the guy living on the street or the poor lady who walks ten miles to work because she can't afford a bus ticket. Looking like the best thing in the world does not make you the best thing in the world. It is who you are, your character, your compassion, your humanity that make you important. It is the small things that you can do to bring a smile to the face of a friend, or the words you can share with someone close when they need an ear to hear. It is the hugs you can give when the world needs a pick me up, or the smile you share that lets them know you are proud of them. A parent understands this a little more than most. In most instances they have first hand experience of wanting more for someone else than themselves. They learn to be sensitive towards a child's feelings, think first for their safety, plan for their success, take joy in their happiness and are the first to step up to comfort when the chips are down. Is there not a lesson that we as a wider society can learn from this example? We see it going on around us all day every day. Love, unconditional, unselfish and genuine. It is a fine standard to cherish and to seek. It is an example we would to well to heed, and learn much from if we followed it more in our every day lives. I owned a Jaguar once. Now I drive a little VW Golf. I prefer the golf, at least the top goes down. I guess what I am saying is that in life I am learning that having everything does not bring joy. Being in with the "in crowd" does not make you better. Being popular, recognised or special is not a sure route to happiness. You don't have to be perfect to be great, you just have to be genuine. Thought for today - "When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it." - Edgar Watson Howe Song for today - Wings of a Butterfly by H.I.M.

Friken heck! 214 years! Hell no I didn't see that one coming.... Although, this only creates more questions in my mind, and gets me wondering a lot of other things.... Was Shay left in Stasis deliberately to protect him? After all the system was meant to have a fail safe over ride right? So was that maybe the last action of love by his parents who knew there was a world in melt down going on around him? How and why did the system release Shay when it did. Was this pre determined or an accident, and if it was planned in advance does that mean that the doctors at the medical centre knew something they can now fall back on to help them figure this all out? I am also beginning to wonder about the origin of Sharpes, and if the fact that there seems to be some much data out there, if some sort of cover up or secret operation was in the mix. Wow so much going on, and in the middle of this wonderful plot, a beautiful tale of romantic discovery that is just fantastic. The quirky little insecurities that you have worked into the characters and the simple yet stunningly emphatic scenes that you create around their discovery of passion and love are just sublime Stellar. I can honestly say that this has rapidly become one of my favourite stories here on GA. Thanks.

See now when I first started reading this story, I kind of wondered if it were Carlos that would have a romantic liaison with Shay, and now I can't help wonder if this may at some stage yet happen? Can't help but hope that if that does happen Mira is not hurt along the way, for as little as I know of him, I cherish his character and love the way his role is developing. And I am sooooo chuft he is speaking! YEY. The relationship between Shay and Mira is only enhanced by the delicate and sensitive nature of your narrative Stellar and while some people want to read lavishly overdone sex scene's, personally I'd say less is more. There were some answers in the chapter, but I can't help but wonder if this group that León was talking to are not going to pose a threat later on. Also it seems that the Gillespie-Salford group have amassed an awful lot of data on Sharpes... This story just keeps getting better

I have always loved this song anyway, the original by Chris Isaak, but this version is done by a band I have an awful lot of time for.

Coming down off Cloud 99 is a somewhat bitter sweet experience. I think everyone has experienced the short, sharp slap of reality as you loose the sense of euphoria that you have enjoyed being caught up in the whirlwind of being in a new place, meeting new people, thriving on new experiences. The acute sense of normalcy is kind of difficult to take, the monotony of boredom is suddenly very real once more and you cannot help but reflect back on how while you were away every nano second seemed to be filled with some kind of hyperactivity. It is the same for any one of us when you return home from a period in your life that prior to its existence you have enthused about, prepared for, allowed the sense of excitement quietly build as your taste buds salivate at the possibilities that lie before you. Yes then it is on you, that moment in your life when you are living the dream, you've escaped the pressures of regular daily life, and can for a fleeting moment leave behind the things that worry your mind and stress your life. So you are way from it all in this brief period of anonymity, and I think that is an important part of the freedom that we feel when we are away from home. No one know's us, we are away from the expectations of life at home, we can momentarily put the worries and concerns of our lives away and enjoy being free to enjoy these experiences and feelings as we partake in this exciting new adventure. But the reality is that the adventure never lasts, and the blues will follow the natural high that you have coasted on while enjoying this significantly small period of your life, yet just as significantly special time in your life. That for me is the feeling that I focus on right now. Yeah it is rather sobering to come back down to normal, of course it is hard not to feel blue, but for a brief moment I made memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life, and met friends that I know will be people I respect and admire for years to come. Plus I have some pretty great people around me to come home to, so while it is easy to feel blue that I am no longer away from home, I am grateful to be back with people I love and who I know love me. So yeah, it is ok to feel a little forlorn on a return to normalcy after a period of high excitement, infact if I didn't feel a little weird I would worry I was not normal. These are the adjustments that we make every single day in life. Learning to cope with the wild roller coaster of ups and downs that life throws in our direction. I have a theory, if you can't experience the pain of disappointment then you can never enjoy the thrill of fulfilment. Every day I wake, I have to learn something new about being human, and every night when I lay my head on the pillow to sleep and am grateful for the people I love and the friends who carry me on. There really isn't very much more I need in life to be happy, and this is the conclusion I draw from taking time out to think about the things I've been through in the last two weeks of living. Thought for today - "Whether we are prepared or not, life has a habit of thrusting situations upon us." - Lucille Ball Song for today - Winner by Pet Shop Boys

Thanks to everyone that has contacted me behind the scenes or posted here, your support for this idea has been incredible. To answer a few of the thoughts/concerns brought up please allow me to respond to some stuff. Heya Marky Mark. Yeah it will be a lot of work for those behind the scenes that help with running and establishing the blog, but the idea is to in the initial instances aim to gather a team of 30 bloggers. That would mean that each month, anyone of the contributing bloggers would only need to post once to mean that each day we have something new on the blog. Of course some people will have more time or more inclination to post more regularly, but it'd be based on people contributing what they can, when they can. Hi Ashi, thanks for your comments. The resource part of the site will be based on a system of readers being able to recommend resources that they use. These will then be vetted and provided that they offer something seen to be beneficial, advantageous or useful for the wider community, links will be placed into our reference section. As for the subject matter of the blog posts, that will be left to each individual contributor. The idea is to create a place where gay people from every walk of life can come, read what other people are going through, read about others perceptions on current affairs, get a giggle from some humour or just find out what is happening in the world at large from other peoples point of view. It is about giving people a platform to share and communicate to an audience that is sometimes oppressed and lonely through isolation of their circumstances, people who just need to know they are not alone and there are people out there that understand what they feel and are going through. Hope that explains it a little better. Hi Louis. Bro you are so right. I am not sure that many people really appreciate the life that African gays have to lead, and I appreciate that you have reached out and shared your own observations. Life as a homo in Africa is bloody hard, especially as a lesbian you are right. But this is also the case for a lot of the world still. Places like huge parts of the Arab world, Israel, parts of the old Eastern Bloc in Europe, Russia, Communistic states and even places in our own countries here in the free world. A blog that seeks to encourage, support and share by people within the community for the community just seems to make sense more to me. We don't need something fancy or polished, just real, genuine and honest. That is the aim we are targeting for. I've chatted to some people on Skype already, and been messaging with other behind the scenes. There is so much love and support which I really do appreciate and it inspires me. Some really brilliant ideas for working in collaboration with other projects and ideas of bringing the community together in other ways are becoming apparent, so it is really exciting to be part of things. Anyone interested please get in touch, even if it is just to ask one or two questions. It will be great if we can all come together to make a difference.

Nicola Adams wins gold in the woman's boxing to become the first British woman to win a gold in the first year of woman's boxing at the Olympic Games. Come on TeamGB what a result. I have got to say though she truly has the most infectious smile I've ever seen, and you can't help but smile with her. Such a huge personality and what a deserving winner of a Gold Medal. I can only hope that TeamGB's success can inspire more thoroughly deserving sports men and woman for the next one.

Hey everyone. I have been working on a concept of establishing and creating a online blog for the gay community around the globe. The reason I am posting here is I am looking for contributors to the blog. Basically that will mean that you write as and when you can for the blog, giving thoughts, ideas, reaction to various news and stuff within the wider gay community, things going on in your own country, stuff you think would be interesting to other gay people. The blog will also carry resource material for gay people, links to good and reputable organisations and other sites, and recommendation for reputable places for gays to meet other people. One of the advantages of blogging through this new domain is that it will be set up in such a way that what ever contribution you make will route directly back to your GA page through a weblink similar to a signature at the end of your post. Hopefully this will bring a good way to bring extra readers to GA. The idea is to get enough people to add to the blog so that there is a constant stream of new information pulling traffic through the site, and then launch a section where we will try encourage a couple of gay celebrities to join and blog as special guests. One of the main reasons for the idea is centred around my work with African communities and the isolation and fear that Gay African's feel. Many of them live in countries where it is illegal and taboo to even consider same sex relations. It would be nice to be able to reach out and touch a part of our Gay family/society that doesn't always get the support it needs. So while the blog will be generic with contribution from all over the world, there will be a dedicated portion of the site to African cultures and gay men and women in Africa. This is still an idea in concept stages, so if you have any ideas or thoughts, your input is appreciated. If you are really interested in getting involved, please give me a shout and we'll drive the project forward together. Thanks for your time and consideration.

Hey gang Wow, sense some hostility or angst in some of the posts since I've been away. Kinda makes me wonder if I should just keep my mouth zipped and prevent upsetting someone without intention or even realising it. However I kinda wanted to say thanks to everyone that messaged or replied to my last post in the thread, your thoughts and kind words were really appreciated and helped me think things through. As a bit of an update, my sister had her op and it went well. They got some.... (I keep putting Nymph Loads so I gotta be careful with this one ) Lymph Nodes which apparently they now test, and she had a bone scan last week to check if the cancer has spread. If all is well, then she just needs to attend her radiation treatment, however if the test show up something nasty she goes on the dreaded ol chemo. Fingers crossed for her big time. As for my niece, things there sound a whole lot more complicated. I am not really sure that I fully understand everything, all I know is that she is seeing a specialist in some experimental treatment program next week. Must be terrible to be a parent and have to deal with things like that when they surface and it must be really hard to cope or deal with. I don't really know how my sister does it, but I spoke with her this morning and she sounded strong, and hanging in there for her daughter. It was nice to get home, and my brother has been good to mom while I've been away, but it was also good to see the smile on her face and get a long hug from her today. I went away with mixed feelings of guilt and pleasure, and had a real fear she may not remember me when I came home, but thankfully this has not been the case, and things have settled back down to normal. I've been really tired since getting home. Think I kind of lived on a cloud the last 10 days. But it is over now and I can sit back and relax and enjoy some of the sport on the telly. At least I get to see the close ups and stuff, which I kind of missed. Just a few thoughts for those of you out there.... Marky, missed you like hell bud, and thanks for your messages of encouragement. Hope things with you and Stubby are going great. x It is so wonderful to hear that Roan is on the road to recovery, even if it is a long and frustrating one for him. Best wishes to both him and Daz and hope you guys are strong and doing well. :hugs: Wayne you amaze me. You have such a big heart for everyone around you, and sometimes forget to take a little for yourself. You are a pretty special guy. Really hope things go well for you this week, and keep smiling mate. Big Yettie Hug for you as always. Harcallard, despite your frustrations and ups and downs you always manage to have a good word for me in my pvt mailbox on a day I just need a pick me up, and I thank you for that, it is a special gift. Try learn that it is unimportant if the world loves you, it is more important to learn to love yourself first. If you can do that, then others will begin to see the sparkle in your own life and catch on. Hope you are ok mate. Jo Ann. Hey girl, what can I say, you are a legend and have rapidly become someone I respect an awful lot. I hope you are well, and things are going good for you. Smile lots and know you are loved and treasured by an awful lot of us. Cassie... I don't know what to say mate. Work is a pain in the bum sometimes, and not always in a good way, although I think it is probably only gay men that appreciate a pain in the bum! What I would say is sometimes we have to take the bull by the horns and face an issue head on. Maybe you need to sit down with your boss and explain your feelings.... Give them a chance to make you happy at work again. I know that an awful lot of people are unhappy at work right now. Pressure coming down the line from above to save money and do things better and more competitive. It is a tough market place, and maybe that is what has made work unpleasant right now. I don't know I am merely surmising. Whatever happens, don't allow yourself to be bullied, you must do what is good for you first and good for everyone else second. Keep your chin up bud and shout if you need an ear to listen. Podga, you always manage to have wise words for everyone. I honestly think you should become an agony aunt. You'd do an amazing job at it. hehe xxx Joe, so good to hear that you have been writing. Hope that this streak of inspiration continues and we get to see the fruits of your efforts soon. I've never been able to write a song, and am jealous you have. hehe. Nah I think that is something special. Writing music in an art form I really do admire a lot. Hope you keep smiling and enjoying buddy. To everyone else, I am sure I have forgotten someone, and if I have I can only appoligise, I hope you are well. Respect to all of you that support and encourage each other, it is the mark of humanity and something to admire. As for me, I am going to become less vocal on this thread as I really don't want to upset or irritate anyone, but will continue to try encourage and support people through pvt messages. Keep smiling everyone, a frown only makes you look scary to talk too!

OMG I bet that gets interesting.

An early start is never a good thing after a long night of partying. My hearing is still recovering, my head is still fuzzy and my tummy has been cursing me most of the day. But it was all as a result of my own self indulgence, so while I do feel rough, I am so glad I do. Does that make any sense at all? Heck, I don't know who managed to see what, last night was just amazingly chaotic, but in a hugely good way. From 4pm when I got there, the Olympic Park was buzzing. The London Olympic Committee have all along said that they want these games to be remembered as the friendly games, and if yesterday was anything to go by, the people of the UK should be proud to welcome the world to London. From the second you entered the stadium, there was a buzz. An energy. A sense of humanity. Everyone was smiling. Everyone was happy. Everyone was excited. It was electrifying. I have been to a number of special gigs through my time here in the UK, some of them for great causes like the Tsunami Relief Cardiff in 2005, others world recognised events like Glastonbury, and while each of these were special, dynamic and left an indelible impression on my psyche nothing can compare with the atmosphere and excitement of the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony. Is this my endorsement of the British welcome to the games. Heck yes. China stand aside. Did we compare. Of course we did. There was no military precision or impressive human formations, but we used technology and lighting to produce an extraordinary spectacular. Apparently up to 4 billion people watched a walk through British cultural history, as a blend of celebration, symbolism and respect gave the world a sense of life in the UK. The colours and variety of sensory images throughout the stadium could only lead to sensory overload last night. There was so much going on. That stadium is stunning, and when it is lit in blues and whites and reds, words fail to adequately express the experience. At times, the stands were just a blaze of camera flashes, at other times the strobe effect made everything appear to move in jerked slow motion. For me the biggest success of last night was the overwhelming sense of inclusion, especially of the next generation. From kids in pyjamas celebrating the NHS to giving the honour of lighting the Olympic flame to a group of young athletes, what games has ever presented its legacy to inspire a generation of new sports men and woman in a more fitting way? (and OMG what a stunning Olympic flame it was) I can only imagine what it would be like to view it from the point of view of the many camera's that captured the event. I've yet to see a repeat, but got to see some of it on the huge screens that grace the stadium roof. I don't profess to be any expert, but in terms of how it made me feel, yesterday was a stunning success for the British Olympic Organising Committee, and a fantastic celebration of everything British. My only disappointment? Paul McCartney's performance of Hey Jude. But I won't complain too much. For me, it is back to the pool later tonight to watch more of the swimming. It has been everything I expected and so much more. I could go on talking about it for ages, but I think I have enthused enough. The buildings have been dressed in fine fashion. The staff and volunteers are polite, knowledgeable and prompt. There is no ominous sense of a military presence, even though they are visible. Credit where credit is due, this is The Friendly Games. I'll write more as and when I can. Miss you all, hell I wish I could have celebrated last night with some of you rather than a few work colleagues, but this is life. Take care. Thank you so much for your messages both private and on my wall. Love you all lots. Song for today - We Can Be Heroes by the X Factor Finalists.

Not really sure if it counts, but I am a massive fan of cars, especially this baby! If someone is feeling kind plz park one of those in my driveway. I'll love you forever.

LOL, that is just stubborn male pride. Can't show we are in a pickle so smile for the camera boys, we'll fix the stuff up when the camera is gone!

OMG it looks like they all got their bits caught up in that plough! OUCH!

How quickly things can change. Was feeling pretty upbeat if not a bit tired at the start of the weekend. Then Sunday two telephone calls from family on the other side of the world. First my sister with news they have found cancer in her breast. Such a personal thing for a woman. I felt numb, but it was the question, "Should I tell Mom." that troubled me the most. What do you say to that. You know the news is going to upset her, and in her mental condition can she deal with it? How the hell am I supposed to know the answer to that? So I suggested she tell her. It seems only fair that the news came from her, not someone else. Not an easy call to deal with. Then my other sister calls, and I think it'll cheer mom up, so put her on the phone quickly without checking with Sis, and OMG. my niece has just had a cancerous growth discovered in yet another sensitive woman's physical makeup. OMG, she's only 18, just graduated and is the apple of my mom's eye. Mom used to look after her an awful lot as a baby/kid and they got so close. Mom is distraught. She's locked herself away for the last few days, and I really feel at a loss. We watched dad die through this curse, and now it's struck two more in the family. I really wish I could swear in here coz I so feel like ranting in expletives right now. I'm worried about mom. My sister goes under the knife this afternoon, and we still await test results on my niece. How can things turn around so damn quickly? Meh. Hey everyone, I just really felt the need to vent. Kind of just shut down the last few days. A bit of a defence mechanism. I tend to think through things, maybe too much, but its what I do. I am just really struggling to be all cheerful and happy today, and needed to talk to someone. Hope you don't mind. It is so good to hear that Roan is ok. Mike is right, he's got his own little cheering section, and I know I'm grateful to hear he's pulled through and recovering. Marky, keep smiling bud, this crappy life sends us all sorts of stuff to deal with, none of it makes us any less human, or less of a person when we have difficulties dealing with it. No one ever showed us how to get it right, we have to guess and don't always make the right choices in dealing with stuff. Just remember the saying, Absence makes the heart grow fonder and hang in there bud. Breeze I am so sorry it still hurts so much to look back at Great Falls. Just the name alone makes it sound like such a special place. Personal loss is never easy, and when it is someone that close, it must be even harder. I wish I could help, but other than say I'm here and care, I don't know what else to say. Hang in there and take each day as it comes. If you need, you know where I am. Hey Joann I really hope that the weekend ended off better than it started. Never good to feel down at the beginning of the weekend. There are a few gems in GA that have a way of picking you up when you feel low, so glad you feel you can share with peeps. Big hug buddy, message me sometime. Wayne bud, I really hope that the weekend was good. The role of caring sometimes forgets the well being of the carer, and from time to time we have to take a moment to think about what is important to for you as a carer. Never forget that you are important to so many people, not just for what you do, but for who you are. Keep your chin up bud. To everyone that shared words of kindness here in this thread, thank you. I know they are meant for all of us, but I draw a lot of strength from them for myself. Maybe that is selfish, but it is a way of making it through the day. You guys mean a lot to all of us, so yeah..... Thanks.

Oh NNN, I could see us finishing a case of wine and debating this one till the cows came home, even if somewhat slurred and in a drunken state after that much consumption of inkahole! I did agree that I don't dispute that Bradley has made an incredible achievement in a fine fashion, but again I'd say that it is the TdeF and this is what you expect from a cyclist who has trained to perform at this level. If you were arguing that it was a regular Joe Bloggs who suddenly got on a bike and pulled this off, I'd be right there with you saying, wow, that is possibly one of the greatest sporting achievements the British Nation has ever seen, however, in this instance I am not surprised, nor astounded that a cyclist has achieved what they set out, trained and worked to achieve. Mark Cavindish has won 22 stages of the TdeF in his career, and is regarded as one of the best sprint finishers in the sport. Froome is also having a remarkable season. Credit where credit is due, Team Sky have pulled out all the stops and done well. Wiggins and the others really do deserve the attention they are getting, but I still stand by my opinion that it is not the greatest achievement of every British sports person past and present. I accept your difference of opinion, and I can see your point of view, but don't dismiss other sporting achievements quite as easily as you have above. Each to their own I guess, and for the record, ping pong was not part of this debate but now you mention it............ Lol, I do love a good ol discussion.

Hmmmmmmmmmm Talk about asking a tough question......... Truth be told, I value good looks. I'd like to feel attracted to the person, and I kind of believe that attraction is partly to do with an outer beauty that kindles a desire in the first instance. I think that vanity closely follows good looks, and that is the most unattractive quality in a person. The arrogance that goes alongside vanity is really unattractive to me, so if that is true, then I guess that inner beauty is also important to me. That is not to say that there are not some really nice, good looking guys out there that have it all. Admittedly they are not always where we'd like them to be when we want them, but I've had a few happy experiences with guys I found incredibly hot who were proper nice guys too. So if you'd included the choice of a mix of both Ashi, I guess I'd have been choosing that.

Crumbs. Not a good thought. Erm I really don't know if this will be of any help at all, but the Blogging world use a Company called DMCA (www.dmca.com) Which is an organisation that protect digital content, and will undertake legal proceedings on behalf of content that they find to be plagiarised. They also specialise in detection of plagiarism and copyright infringement on everything from written works to photographs and other digital information. I know that in the music world, proof of ownership/copyright is achieve when the completed work is singed by the writer, and sealed in an envelope, posted to your home address on the day of completion and kept unopened until it becomes needed. The proof of ownership lies in the signature within a sealed envelope and date stamped by the post office, and is accepted as indisputable proof in a court of law of your rights to the work in question. I am not sure if this is the same for books or stories, but it'd seem logical that it follows the same procedure. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act in the US is fairly robust and quite ruthless about the protection of Intellectual Property, and I wouldn't be at all surprised is a Lawyer/Solicitor couldn't do something with this kind of thing, if you choose to go down that road. I know a mate who used DMCA to do a Takedown on his behalf for infringement of his Companies Logo, and was given a damages award by a US Court despite the fact his company was based in the UK. Just as a suggestion is it not worth having a chat with a company like DMCA and seeing if something can't be set up to protect our stuff?