Former Member

Hi Gary, this is a great chapter! It is awesome, that Kellars past is revealed. Didn`t I say once or twice, that he is an alpha? *giggles*

One aspect of Eric’s personality I can identify with is his struggle with compliments. I have a difficult time when someone compliments me. My therapists have often pointed out when I minimize or deflect them. It’s related to my Cognitive Dissonance where I just don’t see things the way others do. Others see more value in the things I do.

Some authors use multiple quotes (the Plus Sign to the left of the Quote link) within one Reply to respond. Authors aren’t supposed to have lives in the real world! ;-) And it can look like this! (I highlighted the parts I wanted and a link popped up that lets me quote just specific sections.) ;-)

Nope. I just thought it through. It’s one of those things that seems impossible until you give it a little thought. But I also like to believe I think about things differently from everyone else! ;-) My older grand-niece turned 3 earlier this month. ;-)

I described that feeling of my being stuck as three gears meshed together. Regular gears cannot move in that configuration. But I was browsing through a 3D Printing company’s website and discovered this item which features three gears that are clearly moving. You just have to reimagine the gears a little.

The obvious solution to the red cups filled with water covering the floor. Carefully balance a second layer on top of the tightly packed bottom layer. If the bottom layer is not packed together tightly, rearrange them so they’re in a honeycomb-type pattern. Clear a path to the door and the bucket. Initially, this may make it difficult for more than one person to be working, so clearing space around the bed might be a priority. Use the person with the steadiest hands. As far as the dads are concerned: I would think placing the cups would be easier if they were filled after, rather than before. Just take a pitcher and fill rows at a time. If some water spills, oh well… ;-)

Well that certainly wasn’t the reaction I was expecting from the coach. But he’s worked with Corey & Brett for four years. He’d have to have seen a lot more of the two interacting than they realized. Not all adults are oblivious and coach seems, if not supportive of their past relationship, at least not opposed to it. ;-)

They are all fine, but 11 is really great!!

Thank you for another redhead! ;-) But both of them mess around with blood and injections! Are they inspired by a real person or is this just coincidental?

Hi tim, this little story is very well written and sweet in it`s moment. It leaves me with very mixed feelings. I would like to like Arlo, but I can`t. Maybe it is because of knowing him not good enough, but I do not get over, how he treated women. I spend the whole morning thinking about this, knowing I am very touchy in the moment and trying to relativize it. But stories aren`t written to leave us in our comfort zones and the truth is, that live can be ugly. In conclusion such character has it`s need to be written and therefore well done. It is nice, that Den gets his happy ending. xoxoxo Lyssa

I don’t have anything to add to what has already been said, but having spent years in therapy has helped me to deal with my depression and anxiety. I sometimes think that I haven’t made much progress, but my therapists remind me of some of the changes that they’ve noticed (I see interns, so they change every year). I know that things are better than they were in the past, but I couldn’t tell you what the differences are. I think of my problems as a huge boulder like the one in Raiders of the Lost Ark. It rolls a little easier than it used to because some of the rough areas have gotten smoother with time and therapy. There’s a guy I met back when I was homeless. He reminds me of what I could have become if I hadn’t gotten housed. He doesn’t want to take responsibility for his problems. He blames others for not handing him a job. It’s everybody else’s fault that he’s homeless, including (in his mind) Barak Obama. When someone offers him help, he doesn’t use it to do what it was given for. He just doesn’t seem to see that his biggest problem is himself. I look at him and I see my own progress from when I first met him. Things look really dark right now, but it does get better. You are doing what you need to do to get out of the hole that you’re in. You are asking the questions that many others try to ignore. It’s difficult, but you have support.

For such a heterosexual group, it’s interesting that one of their hits was More Than a Woman – which, of course, I interpret as a man (sorry ladies). ;-)

Thanks, Tim. I didn't mean to sidetrack this blog either...just tie into the feelings of love-hate for the internet Dodger hinted at. But we are community here, and I'm grateful for that.

I noticed your reply to Skinny's blog recently, and I could feel the depth of your upset. It's good, in my opinion, that you let some more of that out for us. It's healthy, and as you say, we are community here. Thanks, Dodga

Is Demetrius Daniel too? ;-) Thinking about it now, why do the Children of Lilith wear clothes? Is it just to avoid offending the Children of Eve? ;-)

I love the absurd one, but also silence and words are favorites of me.

Thanks for your concern, Richard, but it's not a matter of bullying.

My grandmother always told me: You have to read Goethes "Faust" three times in your life. Each time it will be a different book.

In one way, Dodger, your story is a happy one and makes me celebrate. To say I’m glad would be an understatement…more like relieved that Death averted his eyes from you. However, I’m also drawn emotionally to the content of your message about internet-based relationships. What you say is so true and concise; we interact with brief messages and post happy emojis in front or in back of them, but in reality, what do we know or care about one another? I have been feeling very betrayed recently and have avoided GA because of it. Should I blame the internet for another’s contempt of me…? A hatred borne out by inexplicable actions…? IDK. It’s the internet; how ‘real’ is any of this? Not even poetry serves my feelings recently. I feel this person’s actions have extinguished a great part of me, and the one poem I have shopped around (lambasting this virtual mess we muck through) has raised horror in the few people with whom I’ve shared the concept. It’s disturbed them, so I don’t think I should write it, even though I want to and probably know I will have to to be able to move on. But, as I asked, how real is any of this? Your posting provides further evidence; we do care. We may not know each others’ names (thanks, internet…), but the bonds we build are genuine. The grief so many of us feel and express for Skinny’s loss is testament to the non-virtual nature of US. And so is the real feeling of relief I have to hear that you made it. Thanks for sharing with us, Dodger. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.

Tonight CBS is showing a tribute to the Bee Gees concert. KQED (and possibly other PBS stations) is showing a rerun of a 1997 Bee Gees concert in the time slot that ends when the CBS show starts. For some strange reason, Celine Dion appears in both shows.

You’re late! ;-) Shall I call Brother Finland in again? ;-)

Was that a pun? ;-)

I felt the pain when Bailey dug his nails into the rip in his palm. It hurt when he picked at the scab on his thigh. It was difficult enough for me to read, I just couldn't do that to myself! There are so many people like Bailey who refuse to talk to the therapists they desperately need. He’s clearly not ready to speak to anyone about his problems, yet this is precisely why he needs to do so. Many people won’t start seeing a therapist until they can’t control their feelings any longer and things start to collapse. Hopefully things won’t get to that point with Bailey.

...yeah, like Tim, I think I have to go away for a bit and come back later... But hell, Dodger, I'm glad you're still here too

Is Wentworth Miller related to Colin? ;-)