Jack Scribe

Zack wants the relationship with Gio to work. And Gio does, too. However, on whose terms? There are several very single guys at this point in the story. And, as CJ points out, a "Charlie" in the wings. Hmmm. TV watching and carrying on a converstion at the same time is an art form all its own. It's just an annoying part of life. The point of Garin speaking the title phrase in the dialogue was merely an attempt to officially ackowledge the meaning of the title...although one could argue that Jeremy has a busy, full life. However, his life is certainly not a grind. (With apologies to baristas everywhere). Jack

You say, "toe-may-toe" and I say, "Tah-am-toe". Or, to be specific, a la Gershwin: You say eether and I say eyether, You say neether and I say nyther; Eether, eyether, neether, nyther, Let's call the whole thing off! You like potato and I like potahto, You like tomato and I like tomahto; Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto! Let's call the whole thing off! Even at $3.39/gallon, I'll take gasoline until diesel grabs hold in the States. Chips or French Fries? Jack

Triple WOW. If you want to be entertained and like well-made films, check out The Lookout. It stars, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. a young guy who really has his acting chops. I was really impressed by an British actor, Matthew Goode. He delivers a very strong supporting role (and Goode's very easy on the eyes). Here's the last sentence of Richard Roeper's Four Star review: From that opening sequence to an ending that's satisfying without being overly sentimental, "The Lookout" is utterly engrossing. I loved this movie. Jack

Happy Birthday, Lugh!!! And I know it's not April Fools'. Can only imagine the years you've had to endure people's well-meaning jokes. Best wishes for a terrific birthday and many more to come...and many more stories as well! Jack

BBE, that's a very generous offer from a talented man. Check out his recent posting in the Editor's forum concerning verbs. Here's something I drag out once in a while for general consumption. The Pecman is an active member at Awesome Dude and a credible source for reference. Tips on Writing Gay Fiction: http://www.asstr.org/nifty/information/tip...ay-fiction.html. Of course I was joking about the name. However... BTW, your sigy now has a good promotional look to it. Jack

Hi, BBE, Bad? In whose terms and what definition? And feedback? How can someone find your stories? I did but it was like participating in an Easter egg hunt. One of the big reasons you're not getting acknowledgment for your stories is that they are buried in the efiction bin. Unless the author is a secure, popular, in-demand writer, you must constantly make people aware of your material. Number One: Where's your signature at the bottom of your posts? Check out authors like CJames, Nicholas...or myself, for that matter. CJ and Nicholas use every inch to promote their stories. Most readers don't take the time to research where to find a story and without a prompt...guess what...you will not be read. Be creative - you are marketing yourself and what you want to say. Two: find an editor. In the brief review of one of your stories, I was taken back by your lack of basic punctuation. Also, I noted that you drift between tenses. Trust me when I tell you a basic fact in Internet writing: you have only a few paragraphs to 'grab' a reader. Grammatical errors/oversights turn me off in a fast Manhattan minute. Three: find an editor. Finally, let me just toss out a suggestion: create another pen name. I know, picky, picky, picky. The first thing that registers when I see BabyBoyEffect is an image of a pedophile. Sounds crazy...but that's my initial image. From the other forum, I have followed your personal travails. Hopefully your BF keeps clean and you're out of harms way. Good luck! Writing can be a wonderful form of expressing yourself. And, I totally agree that feedback and recognition is a BIG DEAL. But, you've got to ignite the excitement of a potential fan base. I will also tell you that, as a "seasoned" writer, most readers don't pass on their reactions. Jack P.S. If you want to PM me and tell me to go "F" myself, go ahead. I'm just baring my thoughts from one guy to another.

Today begins the fabled Dinah Shore (now Nabisco LPGA Tournament) Weekend for the women. Check it out: http://www.dinahshoreweekend.com/. Next weekend the boys take over with the annual White Party: http://www.jeffreysanker.com/. A couple years ago, the two events PLUS Easter were all on the same weekend. The Dinah Shore usually draws 20,000 lesbians while the White Party checks in at 50,000 male party hounds. Me? I'm going wine tasting in Temecula. http://www.temeculawines.org/. Jack

The confusion is understandable but easy to unscramble. Topaz is the link from Comicality to the forum. To use his words, she is the "Official Ambassador". Due to technical limitations, Topaz will "make posts" for Comicality. Hopefully that clarifies the situation. Best wishes for a robust forum! Jack

A little Friday eye candy! http://www.abercrombie.com/anf/lifestyles/html/newfaces.html. Jack

How true! This is a gem. However, I doubt anyone under the age of 30 can appreciate it. Jack

I wanted to watch last night's edition before responding. This is my first year following AI (in previous years, I was working Tuesday night). Fox has turned the whole Sanjaya thing - the votes are being manipulated by outside forces - into PR lemonade. Simon indirectly dismissed the whole situation by saying the judges have no reason for critiquing Sanjaya's performances because they have no influence. Here is a comment from another site: Crediting Howard Stern and VoteForTheWorst.com , Sanjaya has lasted another week, forcing another semi-talented singer out the door while he remains. My concerns include the aforementioned plus the possibility of the snide jokes on the Internet about Sanjaya's sexuality (god knows what it is) turning vicious. My reaction is that we're being provided with some very good (and sometimes, excellent) entertainment. The studio orchestra is superb. Here's my reading on the top four: Melinda - Wow...what a talent. She's in a level by herself. I'd go to see her in concert right now. LaKisha - The Donna Summers song was terrific last night. She's a very talented distant second. Blake - What an interesting (and cute) free spirit with a contemporary twist on music. Jordin - Good singer. That's about it. I regret that Chris R. will probably be voted off soon. He's a real hottie (okay, maybe his facial hair is a little goofy) and seems like a nice guy. I'd be remiss if I didn't comment about the way he looked last week in a tight polo shirt. Yummy eye candy. I suspect that either Phil or Haley will be voted off this week and we will have to endure another couple of weeks with Sanjaya. Finally, I was amused at Simon's comment "As different as chalk and cheese" that completely went over Ryan's head. I went to Google to confirm that I had understood the phrase properly. Here is the answer: The earliest example

When Eric gets caught, goes to trial and is shipped away to detention...for years...his back door will be perpetually sore from use as the designated prison 'ho'. Good chapter. I must admit that most of the computer stuff breezed over my head. I'll just take your word for it. I have read enough about Internet manipulation to be very weary of what is going on. It's scary what the international terrorists are capable of inflicting on our financial institutions if they can get through security. Jack

The dancing and stripping is presented as a pretty classy deal and he trusts the man in charge not to be a sleezoid. It's not a moral issue with Jeremy - and he definitely knows right from wrong. But you are correct...he "really needs the cheddar". Terry, good to have a lurker on board. I purposely made the protagonist's background "ordinary" and had him take on a mature outlook on life. He was forced to grow up faster due to his family responsibilities. But Jeremy's also a bright guy and living in Chicago has given him a certain amount of street smarts. Jack

Jeremy is slowly figuring things out and where he fits in the big picture. The new job has potential of being a little icky...but Jeremy feels safe with Garin and judges that he won't be led astray. Thanks, guys, for your support! The adventures will continue weekly for quite a while. Lurkers are invited to post on the forum, too. BTW, Nickolas, I'm alway amazed by the amount of energy you pack in your signature. Terrific. Jack

Here is a link to nine stories (eight are complete) by this exceptional, U.K.-based author. The historical detail of Mike Arram's mythical European culture of Rothenia is quite special. http://iomfats.org/storyshelf/hosted/arram/. Enjoy. Jack

Goodness...going back to Henry V and Henry VI? I really enjoy good writing and this author cleverly turns a phrase and weaves carefully-selected words with much skill. Guess, Francois, we're a fan club of two. I really urge GA readers to indulge. Nexis is worth the detour...as Michelin would say. Definitely TWO STARS! Jack

Hey Kevin, Major hugs. 2,000 posts...what a prolific dude you are! I, too, want to thank you for the unselfish contributions you make to GA. Jack

Chapter 5, arriving Saturday, will clarify some of the purposeful fuzziness of the storyline. The basis for the title should become clear. Jack

Hi Camy, Goodness, you're officially not a birthday person for another two hours, GMT-wise. Aussie Graeme always gets a jump on everyone. Allow me to add greetings from California and wishes for a fantastic birthday! Have a happy one. Jack

The data stick is getting too sticky. Cliffhangers are good on occasion. However, the hanging treads (as opposed to chads) are pretty worn on this story. A terrific chapter but CJ needs to turn the page. Hopefully we won't have to wait a week for the next installment. Eric is not only a bad dude...but a rich one. Could the fundy guys be financing their "church" with proceeds from the internet porn site? Jack

Ale or Cider? Hmmm, hard apple cider or a great ale. 5% alcohol (those dingy apples) vs. 3% for barley malt. I love brown ales such as Newcastle or Pete's Wicked Ale. Especially with spicy Chinese food. ALE IT IS! Whipped Cream or Honey? Jack

Mac and I are friends - along with his partner, Jae. We live in the same community. However, he's been up in Utah for some personal business and hasn't been writing (or corresponding). He has a brilliant way of describing emotions of his characters. He's also a very sloooooow writer. I started his story two years ago and have followed the protagonist's challenges. There was a time when Mac was only able to post once or twice a year. Here's his group link. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DesertMac_Forum/. You should join the group and send him a message. There are also a few other stories of his I'm sure you'd enjoy. I haven't seen Mac since last fall when I hosted a brunch for a group of Internet writers (one of the participants was JET...he passed away a month later). Be patient. Mac will return. Jack

This is all very odd and slightly disappointing. The message center has been disabled. Or, does the member have to post a minimum before his message center is activated? I don't recall. He's just disappeared (Edward Sledge's last activity on GA was 11/06). I agree...the story (I've only read the first chapter) is delightful, creative and full of bright imaginative potential. It's sad to think that we've lost contact with such a terrific author. Does anyone have an email address? Jack

Michael Phelps because of his lickable Olympics tattoo. Perth or Sydney? Jack

Francois, I definitely visualize my characters and the images of two men together - one of Scandinavian origin; the other, Southern European - rings my chimes. Thanks, CJ, for the mention of the chapter titles. I do mull over titles that work in a subtle way with a glass of wine...or two in the evening. Chapter 4 is more revealing about our protagonist. Jack