Gandalf

Vance, Just want you to know that this Mainiac is wishing you the best as you move through these new adventures in your life. I think part of the reason I am on my boat is my daughter's being on medication which affects her emotions.. So perhaps support also to those who are lucky enough to share your life. I would love to offer advice but will just trust in those there with you. The worst part of my leaving on this boat adventure was the subsequent loss of my dog. I still miss her sooo much. Good luck with the kitty and lets hope that ... The CAt Came Back.. Best Steve SV GAndalf Portland currently in Spain or perhaps Morocco.

Happy Birthday and a wonderful next year. Pax Steve

Happy Birthday and wishing you a great year to go with it. I always enjoy your posts and comments and yeah the fact that someone is older than me.. Pax Steve SV Gandalf Sevilla(currently)

I sailed into Provincetown a few years ago and there was a movie playing that looked interesting has I have had several dealings with Mormans and their sexuality. I got to see Latter Days in the theater. Wow how amazing. I couldn't wait for it to appear on dvd. Joseph even as the homophob was powerful. Both these movies are great. Mysterious skin is indeed disturbing but well worth watching. Hope to see more of Joe. Pax

Happy Birthday and a great year to you. Thanks for all of this. Pax Steve

I spent my career as a child welfare worker and believe there are more than enough laws to deal with crimes of child abuse. I would point out that most abuse is by relatives or acquaintances and the stranger stuff is relatively small. As has been mentioned the political reasons for this tack have to do with abridgement of rights. Pedophiles are an easy target but who knows who is next. Martin Nieboler's quote about Germany in the 1930's is very appropriate to this political climate here in the US. Shit dont get me going that is why I have left my foster kids and other people I have raised to sail away from all this insanity. As I just said in another message.. I hope the next generation is much more successful than we were in sorting things out. Pax Steve SV Gandalf Sevilla Es.

Sounds like you can give blood and be proud of doing so. I donated for years until I became sexually active in a gay way again. I think it is terrible that given the need they don't address this issue more fairly. Oh well. Hope your generation is more successful than mine at changing things. Pax Steve

Happy Birthday Vance . Wishing you a Great Day and Year. Pax Steve S/V Gandalf

Wow Luc I just read The Summer of Aaron and loved it. So I followed around and got to here. My wife left me and our daughter when my daughter was 3. She is nearly 26 now and still a drama queen. Unfortunately we have had more than anyones share of visits to hospitals and Docs over the years but she also sailed down the east coast of the US with me and to the Bahamas and back to Maine. She missed third grade and I left work for over a year to have a wonderful time together. Now I live on my boat currently in Spain. Portland Pirates are going to win the Calder Cup... some century.. Take care and best to you your family and your writing.. Pax Steve SV Gandalf

Have a great year Pax from SV Gandalf in Sevilla

Oh am I dating myself but Tim Considine on Spin and Marty etc back on Walt Disney in the 50's and hundreds since... Pax SV Gandalf Sevilla Es

Wow, my partner has also just gone on an excercise and diet regiman for diabetes. He has really been doing well. It is amazing what a little terror will do if you dont go into denial etc. Here Portland we got less snow and not quiet so cold but omygod the wind is amazing. And I live on top of the hill near the Observatory in some of your pictures. Hope you get things under control and like i tell my partner don t let your work kill you. I am off to Spain and my boat in a week and wish all well. Pax Steve SV Gandalf

Unfortunatly it is cloudy here in Maine this year but I did get to watch them last year... If you want to avoid light pollution I highly recommend crossing an ocean in a small boat. the nights were spectacular. I also got to watch a launch from Cape Canaveral a few years ago when I was about 40 miles off shore. But 27 days off shore gave me a nearly complete cycle of the moon to watch.. and lots of time to watch it all and read.. Hope others can see it. Here I am in a light rich area but can still get out in the country or a golf course and see the stars most nights. Pax Steve

Hey, Glad the job is going well. I remember living with my rents when I was about 26 it was harsh. I liked Desert Sons and the sequel quite a bit. I have had a bad internet connection so have been reading books alot too. Good luck and hope you continue in your return to this side of the world. Pax. Steve

Congrats on the job and prospect of leaving home again.. I had to live at my folks for awhile when I was about 25 and it was the pits. Now I have my son and wife living with me at they were watching my house while i was sailing it is odd from this parent side too let me tell u. Seemed like either you would write alot when you returned or not at all till the dust settled so not surprized. Like most others I will miss new installments of SOOTB when you finish but am looking forward to what ever pops out next. I am sure it will be great. Take care and Pax. Steve

Had a birthday dinner with one of my old school friends and another is my partner of 15 years. I fall off the edge of the charts for being an introvert and it works well while I am sailing across to europe by myself and presumably when i sail back. Yet over the years since school I have ended up with great long term friends. I also end up ok with others over time but it is still hard and it has been a while since I first went to school( I did go back and get a masters in the 1990's when I was 50). Good luck in your new adventure. By the way looking forward to chapter 13. Pax, Steve

Sorry Kurt I am with water fountain too. But like many I will be trying bubbler out in the future. Pax, Steve

Wow sorry about the job situation. It is really a miserable place to be. It is cool that you are still able to deal with your weight and diet and keep doing stuff that can make a big difference as I am sure you know. I am sure that with your background good things will appear or we will just all have to help turn you into the new Stephen King(money wise). Good Luck on that front hopefully now that summer is over more jobs will appear. I too have been watching the LLWS especially as I have had a low grade infection going on over last 10 days or so(all better now) so kicking back and watching it has been good. I also routed for the Oregon team. But all the teams were fun to watch. Unfortunately due to the rain delay I missed the final. I am so pissed. I never thought the Japanese team would be beatable. They had played so well thru the series. How cool for the Ga guys. Again good luck to you. Pax, Steve

uum interesting. Must have picked up the midwest from my neice and nephew that I raised as they came to me from Ohio(I know that is not really midwestern). Dixie from sailing south I guess. Oh my I am a Yankee. Pax, Steve ***Your Linguistic Profile:*** 40% General American English 40% Yankee 10% Upper Midwestern 5% Dixie 0% Midwestern What Kind of American English Do You Speak? http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofameric...doyouspeakquiz/

Ahh that is why your comments are more consistantly interesting than some of the others.. I have been sober coming up on 19 years. My line is I couldn't afford a boat big enough to carry my booze and me across the pond. What a life I have had both before and after getting sober. Wouldn't have missed any of it and am glad to hear about yours. Pax Steve

It really sucks to have that rejection but is so good that you have your aunt. I worked most of my professional life in so called child welfare and can assure you if you can stay out of the system and with family it is usually the best choice. I raised my neice and nephew(cause their mom died not due to orientation.. i was the queer one). I bet your aunt will do ok. Does she have kids? Do You all have other supports. Hope you can find that cause it helps. Other youth support stuff is usually pretty good.. good luck. Pax Steve

Even though the youngest of the 5 kids I have raised is of your group I hadn't thought of several of these. Thanks for the perspective. My oldest foster son is turning 52 sunday so I have kids who have all different awarenesses. Pax Steve

I too have an infection/fever going on with lots of antibiotics etc which seem to be making me spacey(hence up at 4 am) and NOT working as quickly as I would like. Potty mouth.. just sat for my grandkids ages 5 and 7, they loved it but bet their dad will not be pleased.. The stuff at work sounds f

About 10 years ago i was doing a presentation regarding Safe Place at my School. I asked one of the other participants about his coming out and he said "which day". He felt it was a daily process both for our lives and with our family. He had all our worst fears family story, fundamental religious parents who rejected him and were abusive. Yet he had created his own 'family' and a relatively long term relationship. I admitted I was gay to myself in college and had a relationship for several years. My parents said they accepted it and were supportive but clearly had problems mainly out of fear for what this would do to me(this was in the late 60's about the time of Stonewall). Faggots as we were called then were just beginning to burn bright. I ended that relationship and tried to be straight for the next 18 years or so. I raised several foster children and had a daughter and wife etc. My life was a lie and it became clear it was not ok to continue like that. I came out again. Again my parents were supportive but wished I didn't need to talk about it so much.. I ended up in a long distance relationship with my old partner from college and we are still in it 15 years later. My folks always treated him well and I was always a part of his family. My daughter was fairly fine about it although when I considered working with gltb youth at her High School she was not thrilled. My mom supported the local GLTB youth support group. My dad (and mom too were still concerned for my safety. It wasn't until my parents funerals that I was told by many people how strongly they both advocated for me and other gay causes much more than I was aware. I have a foster grandson in Iraq and worry about him to some extent every waking moment. He does not see that need for concern but it is there in me. I suspect that is what my parents had going on to a lesser extent. Some of us have clear rejection and need to find support within the community and move to create their own family. Others have it easier and can come to some level of acceptance both of and by our birth families. My partner has almost total acceptance by his family. But it is always a process often daily not a kaboom event that somehow is done. Thank god for the internet and the information and support available on it. But no matter what, in our rooms at night, by ourselves, this still is a issue for many of us that peeps into our lives and those of those who love us or are our families. Pax all.. STeve

Rude! you are too kind. Govt. by petition is one of my bete noirs. Rather than elect people who represent our views or working to change them to ones who do we seem to circumventing the whole political process. God knows we would still have segregation and who knows what else if majority ruled in this country. oops better stop am beginning to rant. Glad you caught it and had a good day hope today is good to you. Love your new story by the way. Pax Steve