wildone

Hey! Shouldn't I know something about this . Or was it Shadowgod that is going to get some with Eric ? Either way, there will be a happy Steve around somewhere .

CJ, I really, really enjoyed this chapter . It was great in the sense that it probably had more character development for a lot of the people since they were introduced to us. First off, Eric, damn I love him . Not only did we see that he was successful in getting Wilde and Steve together, but his sensitivity towards Wilde's predicament of not wanting to expose his back just proved what a great guy he is. Obviously he is still thinking of how to help Wilde with planning the days off and the trip back to the resort. I'm sure the members of SPICE are happy with this chapter. Then there is Wilde. Wow, talk about doing the right thing. , To stay with a buddy through a severe upchuck session and then make sure that he is in bed and okay. Then, what I thought was really reflective of his feelings towards Steve, he takes his shirt off and climbs into bed to be with Steve for the night (although a graphic description of a pool noodle fight might have been more appealing ). Gunter, adds a bit of intrigue to the story. His comment about being divorced and his retirement plans was a short glimpse into his life. For some reason, I get the feeling that his occupation may be more than just security for the band. Could he be actually aware of J/S's real agenda? With Helen, I was surprised that she accepted criticism from the guys, and still came out with a smiling face. I imagine she may have got a little too wrapped up in her delight in getting Jon in a speedo or loincloth to really consider what the guys would actually feel about her taking sole control of artistic direction of the video. If anything, it really showed her human side. Joe is still an overall mystery to me. I wonder how much Phil will play into the story coming up? I enjoyed Eric's comment about the cliffs being Steve's domain. I kinda surprised the Shadowy one hasn't commented yet . There was actually one other reference to a cliff in there when Brandon is making a suggestion to Helen about the stanza where they would be standing and looking out over the ocean. So would it be fair to say there was two cliff(hangers) in this chapter? As far as Eric's sexuality, I am really noticing the hints you have been placing in the last couple of chapters. I think he might actually have feelings for Wilde and just hasn't found the way to express them as of yet. Well thank you for the chapter CJ. I'm sure that if I read it again, there is a clue or two in there that will answer some of our questions. Steve

Life is about gaining knowledge. Knowledge comes from experience. Experience comes with making mistakes. Without each one of these, the circle is incomplete. I choose this to start this lengthy post, as I am going to share something personal to me, and I hope it does not come over as preachy, or arrogant. I posted earlier when I was becoming personally upset with some comments that were being posted on this subject. Since it is something that I can relate to, it was a little frustrating. I fully understood that people are entitled to their opinion, and should express it. What came to mind at the early stages of this discussion was how 30 years ago we literally did not have a community like we do today. Just the fact that you were gay meant usually that it had to be hidden, or relegated to an area that wasn

Happy Birthday Rick . Hopefully you get want you want and much much more! You deserve it. Steve

Congratulations Sacha . It seems like just yesterday that I read your first post. Now you've gone and posted 999 more, and it looks like I have a bit more reading to do . Thanks for your contributions, as a author, a member and a fan. Steve

Wow!! Congratulations Graeme Like the others have expressed, we are all better off having you contribute here. I think of the ways that you contribute, and I'm impressed. You act as an author, with great contributions to the anthologies (and stories at the Dude). You act as a moderator, keeping the unsavory folk like me in line . You help make the anthology become a reality. You help edit and beta read for authors. You contribute honest, and straight forward comments that help broaden our knowledge and also make some of us think. Your humour is second to none, and we know that you have fun ribbing some of us that need it . And you probably are the sole person here at GA that can keep an unruly goat in line with the fear of what you will do to him if he gets out of line . Graeme, it has been great that you have been around for four thousand posts, and I look forward to the next four thousand knowing they will be just as good. Thank You!! Steve

Noodles? OMG Could it be another fabulous pool party is in store!!! All the guys in the pool (some in speedos hopefully), and beating each others up with pool noodles? I could only hope !! Steve

Funny you mention that, as I was finishing my alphabets this morning, guess what word was left in my milk at the end? Now, now Sacha, we must look at who the author is. Is this the same author that had Dimitri take Vladimir's original assistant to work on the 'fertilizer project'? If you take it for its word, then the assistant was to assume that he was just moving to another job. Much could be said about the unsavory paparazzi and that they should be fine. Since we don't have clarification if they are fine, and may not know until the next chapter, or maybe never, I still have to declare this a cliffhanger. Steve

I think I may have expressed my belief to his name before, but in case I didn't.... I do believe it is: Cornelius James, esq. Has a nice ring to it, eh? Steve

Okay, I have kept quite for a few days but I think it is time to bring up a sensitive subject to the Goat ! What a cliffhanger in this chapter!!!! I'm shocked that nobody picked up on it I guess CJ put it in the story just to affirm the title recently given to him; King of Cliffhangers :king: . I believe it even qualifies for two of the three rules CJ has laid down for determining a cliffhanger What am I talking about??? Currently, right now, we have some members of the not so esteemed press drifting afloat out in the ocean with no way of reaching shore with no prop. Just think of the danger these people are facing right now. They could be attacked by men in grey suits, they could capsize and drown, they could suffer from dehydration (can't drink saltwater), or they may expire do to heat stroke ! Yes they may not be the favourite characters in the story, but their lives are in danger, and what did CJ do, he left us hanging. Actually this probably ranks up there with the cliffhanger in FTL Shame on you CJ Steve

Did anyone else pick up on that this was the first time we had Vladimir's POV? I feel that since CJ actually included this in the story at this time, he might not be disappearing as soon as we think. Why would he suddenly change from J/S's and Dimitri's commentary and views about him to actually telling us what he is thinking? Not something that is usually done with secondary characters. Just my opinion. Steve

Maybe so, but I'm still going to maintain that Mario is somewhere in the background. I believe that J/S at the current moment knows exactly where Joe is, and what he is going through. I still believe that Mario somehow got Joe addicted to the Meth and whatever, with the intention of getting him to commit suicide or do irreparable harm to himself. Remember, someone famous was suppose to be eliminated while looking like an accident. I think things are going to get more hard for Joe before they get better . I have a feeling that he isn't in a public hospital, more so a private one, where his amnesia can be maintained. Which brings up the question, as Joe was fading from consciousness, he felt the poke of a paramedic putting in a needle. He was alone in the flop house hotel, who called the paramedics, who knew he was there, who would have cared enough to make a call to EMS? I think this has all been engineered by Mario. Ugh, actually no :wacko: ! Let's just write if off as a Freudian slip..... Steve

Okay, one of those times to date myself . I honestly had one video in mind the entire time I was reading about the jungle video for Instinct. And that was "Union of the Snake" by Duran Duran. Now technically they were labeled as New Wave and not pop, but in their case I would put them in the poop category. If I recall the video correctly it involved all the members of the band, wearing little more than cargo shorts trampling through a jungle. Just my thoughts Steve Edit: Okay ignore this entire post, found the video and it has them fully dressed in a desert. Hmm, wondering what I was thinking

What a great chapter!! We had a lot of words (I believe it was a longer chapter than normal), we had tons of speedo scenes, we had a glimpse into the mind of Vladimir, we got a snapshot of Joe's current state, and we got the paparazzi getting nailed by Eric again. It had a bit of everything for everyone. I went back and read this chapter a second time, hopefully CJ doesn't mind me saying that he gives us some great clues (IMHO) which are not as obvious as the ones he just came out and told us about But as a true great author, he really didn't give us too much information. Things like where are the bombs going to be transported to? Who exactly in the US is J/S going to get the money from to buy off the generals in Paraguay? How will Vladimir not only have some extra riches, but will ensure he will survive his planned demise? What could have caused Joe to suddenly get amnesia? Will anything come to the bartender who tipped off the paparazzi? Why the change in J/S, where he suddenly didn't allude to offing the Instinct gang? I really like the way this story is heating up. Not only with the guys all in speedos, but with the introduction of Vladimir's point of view on things as well. Can't we have a late Valentines present and get the next chapter tonight? Please, please, please! Steve

Yes!!!! The people have spoken. Check it out here Steve

Congratulations Your Majesty Although the readers have selected you as our King, to those of us who love you, you will always be our :king: Queen :king: Now that that has finally been settled, I must congratulate you on Best Anthology Story as well Time to load up some new awards on your index page Steve

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think Shadowgod has ever outright denied using a cliffhanger . I believe that is the sole domain of a goat .

***Breaking News**** In a effort to find a certain quote by CJ, I have stumbled upon another post of his, where if you read the post and pay attention to the quotes indicated, he admits that he uses cliffhangers !! You can read the post here. Now don't let CJ convince you that it is someone else's words!! We have to take the way the post was posted for its face value. It is great to finally have CJ admitting that he has used a cliffhanger. Steve

Is it me, or if you read this passage by CJ, that he has admitted that he used a cliffhanger of 2.5 on his cliffhanger scale? Don't let the goat deceive you into believing anything else. We finally have the evidence. Steve

Sorry Sacha, that won't work. I would have to delete all the yes votes and delete all the no votes. I can not edit the options as they are and still retain the number of votes. Besides, any of us including myself, would not be able to vote in the poll again. Also thinking about this, I imagine if someone with tech access could possibly go in and alter the source code they could reverse the titles 'yes' and 'no', but all that would do is make 40 people saying no and 4 people saying yes. Unfortunately that would be a little far fetched.

Since I may or may not have started this poll, I thought I would look into this a bit more. So after much playing around, I did indeed find out that the poll can be changed. Not in the way that may have been suggested though. I can go in and add up to four more questions, each with fifteen more options for each question. Likewise I can add 13 more options to the one question already posted there. I can also enable multiple choices, meaning if I did so, I could allow a new voter to choose both 'yes' and 'no' for their answer. I also have the ability to delete a question, or delete the entire option and those corresponding votes. The things that I can not do as the poll initiator is to change the number of votes or to allow someone who has already voted, the ability to vote again. Even if I deleted an option and all the votes, and then recreated it, nobody who has already voted would be able to vote again. I guess after looking at all this, the only feasible way to alter the vote would be for me to eliminate the 'no' option, then go back and recreate it, resetting that option to zero votes. Let me assure you that until ten minutes ago, I did not know this and have not attempted to do this, as like I mentioned earlier, this is all in fun, and where would the fun be in messing with the results. Personally I am having more fun in reading CJ's posts in him trying to justify why the vote has gone the way it has !!! I believe he is slowly running out of excuses to justify that he never uses cliffhangers, and in a matter of time, he will finally admit defeat to his readers opinions . With all that said and done, there is one more option available to me, and that is to 'close the poll'. I have not attempted to do this, but wondering if I should, or shall we leave the poll open for future visitors to this forum? Let me know. Steve

Graeme, please do not take any offence with this post. I am giggling to myself as I think of the few times I have watched Australian Rules Football. We do not really see that much over here, but the one thing I think everyone who has seen it gets a chuckle out of is when a team scores, the umpire runs up, comes to a very rigid stance in his uniform (which is different in itself), and does a strange signal with his forearms. I just see you doing this when making a ruling on if something is a spoiler or not . Please tell me you don't ! I'm sorry ! I'm bad. Steve

Really!!! I'm shocked!! Here we started a unbiased, non-leading, opinion based poll and now it is being marred with a supposed scandal !! Wow, this is a true democracy here ! And yes, I can confirm that I too do not believe that the 'no' side has ever attained a number higher than four. The yes side has always been in the 90% range, so even if it is possible to alter the vote, I do not honestly believe that any of our honourable Admins would do that. After all, let's not forget, this is all in fun Steve

Actually just saw something interesting on TV about New Kids On The Block. It seems that they are still the most successful 'boy band' in history. They sold over 70,000,000 albums and grossed over 1 billion dollars in the four years they were around. Now there is rumour that they may be doing a comeback tour. Don't know how well that will go over . Steve

OH MY GOSH!!! This is definitely a spoiler!!! Giving us definite plot lines ahead of time. Where oh where is Graeme when we need him? Let's hope he just doesn't 'spine' him in the hooves, it may delay the next chapter. Maybe one or two sharp spines in the CJ's a$$ might be more appropriate . Steve BTW, Happy Valentines Day everyone!!!!