Ron

It was interesting, learning the reasons for and why Marcus' marriage didn't work. We could certainly speculate for both and probably be fairly certain of being correct, especially for the latter but it is nice that you fleshed that out. And, who hasn't made the odd, drunken phone call? It was well done giving us the opportunity to hear in Marcus' own words what we had previously been informed of through narration alone. That humanistic touch was a plus. The ending was sweet and I enjoyed Jacob's confession of love, even the damned cursing was sweetly done.

Happy Birthday Ghostboy Chris!

belated. Happy Birthday Kitt

You wrapped this up nice and neat. There certainly was room to embellish the story and create more chapters but it is very nice as it stands. You gave me a few chills and a shiver. What more do I want or need in a Halloween tale. It was a great little story, Bill. Thanks.

If you were to combine where I grew up with where I live now, you would get a: Cornhole Marathon! <- well that's something

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Rustle!

I couldn't get past the finish of chapter two of the Swimming Pool Library. Curiously uninvolving is a good description.

I am glad to here that the issue with your Grandmother's housing is straitened out.

I'm pretty sure I did not get the faintly coded message in the cartoon, Sasha. Perhaps the faintly coded message below is easier to understand. Ride a save a horse!

Umm... a, yeah... yeah, sure

I wondered who was behind that Spartan.

Well that was just a bit of bliss, wasn't it. These two are like magnets floating along on their uncertainty until they get close enough and BAM they align and slam into one another, then lose their polarity and float just long enough for a little tenderness, regain polarity and slam into one another again. Thorn, this was brilliantly written. Marcus and Jacob have aged well and yet retain so much of themselves.

Between Lisa's review and your reply I find myself at a loss to add too much of anything constructive. Perhaps an observation wouldn't go amiss. This background story leads me to re-examine everything I thought I knew or had figured out about Marcus and his behavior. I have never been able to make a true connection as to why Marcus behaves as Marcus behaves. Sure home-life, experiences growing up and where you live all have a reflection in whom each of us becomes as an adult but these are all supposed things. We attach them willy-nilly to anyone that exhibits ant-social behavior. There is an underlying reality in this chapter of his life. Marcus is so very vulnerable on the inside. Everything outside of this is defense mechanism. All of it carefully, perhaps unconsciously and rationally crafted, or constructed if you will, to protect that vulnerability. After all, if nothing can get in… I accept this to be my conjecture, that this may not be your intent to portray Marcus in such a light but this is what I draw out of this chapter. Well done once again, Thorn.

Here is an interview with the director. There was an awful lot of work that went into this movie. I have not and most likely will not see this movie in the theater, it does not sound that great from reviews but it isn't hard to admire the technical details. http://www.wired.com/underwire/2013/10/center_of_gravity/

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to yooouuu! <- sung off key of course

I have been keeping company with Darrin, Mitch and boys. Good to go!

We all have choices. You made the right one for you and stuck with them. Each of us would be fortunate to make the right choice.

I bought the movie Shelter based on the many recommendations in this thread. I liked it. It was a case of two 'normal' looking believable people falling in love, with all the personal drama that their situation might call for, without exploiting the sexual aspect of it. And, I might add, without making it seem dirty.

Nice that Sylvester is on your list. I went into my first gay bar two years after #15 came out and they were playing it that night, so I remember that song well. Then Do Ya Wanna Funk was released about a year later.

Well see, this just makes me want to go and listen to them. I bought the box sets, yes two of them, of the remastered stereo and mono recordings when they came out a few years ago. The sound is about as good as you can get on red book CD. You can hear their influence in many modern bands today. Mind you, I was a kid when they were going strong but they manage to please, please me still today.

There you go!

Are you entirely sure it's the part where you tell them you're a shrink?

As far as I am aware, Satan is not a God. So, where is the conflict? I used this tact once, "Are you kidding me! Hahahaha." followed by a shut door in the face. It was effective, if rude, and I was already in a bad mood but it was not as if they were invited, so I didn't feel bad about it until later.