Mark Arbour

You never cease to impress me Libby. Really well done. Really well done.

Alright, if you read the article, you'll notice that it makes no sense at all, the grammar is terrible, and as Tob pointed out, how the hell would they know he did it 42 times? Maybe it was the webcam? The article came from m24.com. There's no specifics on how this happened, physiologically. It's an urban legend. It's bullshit. Besides, if masturbating too much would kill you, we'd all be dead. Especially Matt. By the way, the guy in the picture for the article is hot.

It wasn't the smell, it was all the little goat hairs stuck in the various jewels, so to speak.

I think a lot of it is in the tone of the critique. Personally, I find really nasty comments to be demotivating. They make me sit back and ponder other uses for my time, other uses that would be more appreciated. As Bill pointed out, we do this for free, and there's really no upside beyond hoping you've had a positive impact on your readers' lives. Genuine observations and critiques, on the other hand, are just the opposite. Sometimes I'll read them and think one or more of the following: 1. You don't get where I'm going with this. Just hang in there and it will make sense. 2. Wow. You're right. I fucked that up. Usually this involves character consistency. 3. Man, I didn't write that very well at all. The readers didn't understand what I was trying to say. 4. Your comments are interesting, but you're looking at things through your own lens so tightly, you're not seeing what the characters are seeing. This is most common in generational issues. Regardless, that kind of feedback helps me keep my finger on the pulse of a story. There have been many times when I've drafted several chapters ahead, and I go back and revise them to address issues readers have raised.

I've actually been working on the latest chapter. My apologies for the delay.

You make a good point. I think that with relationships, there's rarely one person who's completely right or wrong. The only thing I think that he is completely out of line on is his unwillingness to dump this guy like a rock when Wade asked him to.

We all know that I don't use cliffhangers. I was merely a placeholder for CJ until he was eligible again.

An 80's flashback! If I keep writing stories in 2000-2001, will you eventually have to resort to 50's doo wop?

They were just both so bitchy, weren't they? I love the vision of Wade channeling Scarlett O'Hara. "Frankly Matt, I don't give a damn." GIve Paya a big, uh, kiss from me! (I've proclaimed this the party icon, not the wizard icon. That's definitely a birthday hat). I agree with you.

No kidding. I think if I was Wade, I'd actually be anxious for the quarter to start.

"That isn't unique in the world of college boys." Well put. These guys are both going through lots of changes to rock their world. Be patient with them. ;-)

Just think of it as a big S&M experience. All relationships have their problems, and their ups and downs.

You know me. It will probably get worse before it gets better. ;-)

You know, I never considered the "swimmer anxiety" issue. Interesting.

As I said, the relationship needs to find balance.

September 21, 2000 Escorial, CA Wade “You’re ready for the start of the quarter?” JP asked me as we ate breakfast. “Are you?” I asked him with a smile. We were both much too organized not to be prepared. “Touché,” he said, smiling back at me. “It will certainly be a lot quieter around here.” Yesterday had been pandemonium, what with everyone moving into the dorms. That had included Gathan, who had ended up sharing a room with Chitworth. He was a defenseman, and not a

He's too much fun to leave out.

If I were to describe JJ right now, I'd distill it into one word: lonely.

Yeah. I introduce a hot blond guy into the story..what are the chances he decides to try out other guys. ;-)

Thanks, and thanks to all of you for being patient. I'm planning to work on George as soon as I can. Lots of loose ends, and a big friggin' battle to tie up.

It's not all about children being undisciplined monsters who demand and get everything they want. The 50's style of parenting, where you do what you're told or you get the shit beaten out of you, is a wonderful way to create zombie suburban clones. Ask a parent who has a very intelligent and high-spirited child about that. Do you really want to crush them into conformity? Or would you rather them express their views, even if it's unpleasant at times? I'm not saying that there is a right or a wrong parenting style, but it's awful easy to decide how a child should be raised and handled when that child isn't yours. Brad gets Will better than Will even dreams he does. He sees this rebellious teen, going through normal cycles, and does his best to tamp him down without destroying him. Look at how Will handled the criticism he got on his birthday. There's a pretty fragile ego there, which isn't unusual for a guy that age. They want him to think creatively, they want to give him free-reign to voice his thoughts and feelings, and sometimes that gets a little uncomfortable. I'm betting that Brad, Robbie, Stef, and especially JP view the obnoxiousness as a small price to pay for the ultimate man who ends up with an internal locus of control and stronger sense of himself. And if they went too far in giving him shit on his birthday, and he strikes back, is it fair to beat him down over that? Do you revert to a hierarchical model and declare that you as a parent must be obeyed, or you will smite the child? How is that fair? What message does that send?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy Birthday Jan!

The river trip is a given. I've gotten some good feedback on that!

Thanks Len. I agree. Age doesn't make you smart.