Former Member

How can it miss when it features Frazier’s Dad, Lois & Clark’s Superman, and Dr JD (from Scrubs) – and even a cameo by Jack McPhee (Dawson’s Creek)? ;–)

I think that Cousin Tommy has something in common with Uncle Donnie – a huge secret he wants to bury forever! ;–)

Walter might be better known as the Retired Social Worker™. ;–)

Yay Walter! It’s so odd that Nicola is being more of a parent than Don & Sue. Or maybe it isn’t, but D&S seem to favor a top-down style of management. They’re apparently incapable of just listening to Robbie. D&S are too busy with their own little problems to pay attention to the children they are supposed to be mentoring. Nicola, on the other hand, has grown from the annoying, self-centered, jealous older cousin into a caring sister. Robbie needs someone to talk to, to discuss his issues. Of course, he needs to talk to a professional too, but Robbie might not be at the crisis stage he is. It’s too bad Rory and Robbie can’t visit their young friend! When Robbie interacts with him, he becomes a much better person. Kind of like playing with a puppy times a thousand! ;–) Oh, and thank you for having Robbie finally talk to Tom too! ;–)

I’m glad that I’m only following two very complex, thought provoking stories right now, this one and @AC Benus’s Mojo. They are totally different thematically as well as in mood. But, no offense to all the other authors I’m following, but the majority of the stories I follow are light entertainment (which, of course, is entirely their purpose). ;–) I would find it difficult to be simultaneously reading So Weeps the Willow and A to Z or Predator Prey. I guess I should be thankful that you don’t post more frequently. You allow me time to digest the information and forget vital clues… ;–)

We don’t have shacks like that here in the US – because authorities tear them down and eject the inhabitants after a short period of time. In the Bay Area, we have a huge problem with homeless encampments (usually tents, but sometimes shacks). We are failing our poorest residents and citizens. We do not have sufficient housing available to accommodate those who need it. And the housing that does exist is priced way out of reach of many. California has a big enough problem as it is without additional homeless people migrating from regions where there are even fewer services and the winter climate makes living outdoors impossible. The Federal Government is exasperating the intentional lack of services in some regions of the country by not mandating minimum services everywhere. Just because you don’t see homeless people doesn’t mean they aren’t there. The Feds include couch surfing and living in vehicles as homelessness. The poor need assistance all year ‘round, not just in November and December.

It feels like Brenda is covering up something for Brandon. Were it not for the sparks flying mention, I’d be wondering if Brandon knew Jake from the bar. But I suppose the firefighter could be bisexual… ;–) Why didn’t the investigators mention the bucket? Why was the hallway so hot? Just how hot was Jake’s apartment when Natalie got there? Did the murderer leave Jake’s door open after they rigged the heater? How many more red herrings can I chase? ;–)

At the beginning of the story, I really didn’t like Twyla! She came off as kind of abrasive or annoying. You’ve allowed us to see a more complete view of her. ;–)

Wasn’t that the one where he found out that his mother wasn’t really his mother after all? ;–)

Maybe it’ll help distract @Sasha Distan from his original complaint! ;–)

There are a few GA authors who would attempt to emulate George RR Martin! ;–)

No, I stopped reading at the “+++++++”! ;–)

That’s not necessarily true of the Bay Area. The East Bay has the award-winning, four-location, employee-owned Zachary’s Chicago Pizza (but the Berkeley and Oakland restaurants have ambiance that the two newer suburban locations just don’t have).

And just wait until someone decides to start selling Chicago-style Stuffed Pizza in Norway. It’s not deep-dish or stuffed-crust pizza. Chicago isn’t quite as full of itself as either NYC or LA, so they don’t do as much self-promotion. ;–)

Some TV series have patterns for how each episode is titled. The Big Bang Theory uses pseudo-scientific phrases. Friends was famous for their “The One with…’ names. Mr Robot gives each episode a number (season number, decimal point, episode number – episodes beginning with zero as a computer would number them) and a name. I’ve noticed a few occasions where paired episodes have linking names (as in Two is Company for one episode, and Three is a Crowd for the other, although I can’t remember what the combination was). I would think the theory is similar… ;–)

Today is National Coming Out Day (October 11). If more of us are Out, it makes everyone safer. And the wider the variations young people are exposed to, the less likely that are to feel isolated and alone. I’m really glad things have improved over the years since I was in high school. Back then Rock Hudson, Billy Jean King, Elton John, and Ian McKellan were all still in the closet! Comedians like Charles Nelson Reilly and Paul Lynde were flamboyant, but did not admit they were Gay. Others, like Liberace, sued to prove their ‘heterosexuality.’ Gay sex was legal in the UK, but not in the US. Unfortunately, in parts of the US, it is still legal to fire someone for being Gay. It is still legal in many parts of the country to refuse to rent to someone who is LGBTQ. There are parts of the country where they still refuse to allow LGBTQs to adopt children. And Transwomen of Color are still being murdered at alarming rates!

…And maybe Scottie has a crush on David? ;–)

The fact that Old Man Wiggins gets away with sleeping through class means that the administration either has never witnessed his behavior (suggesting they aren’t monitoring their staff very closely) or they’re aware and have reason to leave him be (just waiting for him to retire? have no one else qualified to teach the subject? have no one else interested in teaching the subject? nepotism? he knows something about someone powerful?). And it means that much of the student body is conspiring to stay silent about something that they probably all know about. And it must have started less than 20 years ago, because it’s unlikely that a parent (who probably attended the same school) would want their child to miss out on learning so much about a subject! ;–)

So all those porn movies were true! ;–) j/k By participating on the football team, Scottie is gaining a much larger circle of friends who will help him learn how to cooperate with larger groups of people and change how he thinks even more. ;–)

I try to come up with the craziest ideas that are just barely not something @R. Eric would write! Although it’s sometimes funny to think up things that are way too extreme for Eric. And crossovers – he hates my crossover suggestions! ;–)

It’s obvious that Norwegian pizza is more like pizza from the US than the original pizza just from looking at the picture. ;–)

Verse 1: What'd you expect? War of cultures, everyone disgraced by it, shown disrespect, torn by vultures, locked by their own kind to it, category, or coterie, slammed by the law just for it, told how to feel, told it's not real, told to just grin and bear it? But never mind, for we're proud, and enjoy being loud! Chorus: We're in the Life, marching to our own drum, while they plod by, lockstep to appease, ignoring the world's wonders for scum, stuck in a sty of banalities. We're so lucky, our feelings walk with rights and never have to act that dumb, for we love the thrill of purple nights – In the Life, marching to our drum. Verse 2: Then let us be, keep your moral flame, on yourself just use it; we, you hear me, were born the same, so go agonize about it. But anyhow, string us up now and you'll come to regret it; we're brave and will dance on your grave, 'cause soon, you hear, it'll be worth it. When we've taken our rights like all the others, we'll end our pain like true sisters and brothers! Chorus: We're in the Life, marching to our own drum, while they plod by, lockstep to appease, ignoring the world's wonders for scum, stuck in a sty of banalities. We're so lucky, our feelings walk with rights and never have to act that dumb, for we love the thrill of purple nights – In the Life, marching to our drum. _

Das lila Lied https://www.gayauthors.org/story/ac-benus/pride-month-and-other-haibun/6

No, but we’ve changed it from what it originally was! ;–)

Is All the Girls Love Alice a Lesbian anthem or is it offensive to women?