Conner

I've made 2 trips to Switzerland, both were business trips. I spent a week each time. The first trip was to Lucerne. What a beautiful place! The buildings seemed palatial to me. I felt like I was a character in a fairy tale. Lucerne Lake was just stunning. The meeting was only 3 days so I rented a car and toured the area. It was breathtaking. It was woderful to see the Swiss style homes all over the mountains. I felt like I was in a postcard. The food was divine everywhere I went. A few years after that, I was in Geneva. That visit was actually one of the highlites of my career. I was asked to chair a meeting of experts by WHO. We developed their current guidelines for GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) for pharmaceuticals. I didn't have as much time to sightsee, but I felt so much at home there. My trip to Paris had the advantage of more personal time. I spent 4 days walking all over the city. J'adore Paris. But don't make me choose. Conner

What are you talking about? That's called foreplay. Actually, when I saw the title of that video come up "Butting Goats" I must admit I got a little worried there. Conner

Happy B-day, Ian!!! Have a good one, dude! Conner

I'll get back to you on that. I'm presently in transition and have no fixed pen. Conner

Well, whenever my life takes an unannounced turn toward the bizarre, I up my meds. Then I feel better again. I refer to my meds as honey bunches of oats. They put me back on my path...which I like to call my yellow brick road. As I make my way along the ybr, I ignore the gutless, heartless and brainless creatures that I meet from time to time. I make it to the Emerald City every time. There, I can sing and dance with the Lollipop Kids and I never pay attention to the man behind the curtain.

It's a bit late to close the barn door, don't you think? Conner

Hold on a second, here. This happened in Vegas and, as we all know, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Benji, as a Vegas resident, I call upon you to chastise this rogue. :2hands: Btw, one of the characters in that pic is singing "Under My Thumb" (Rolling Stones, Aftermath, 1966) That was the first time I went for an "Attila the Hun" look. Pretty sexy, eh? Conner

Moi? Assign blame? Jamais. Alas, my goat-like self is being admonished most discouragingly. Woe to the goat, I say! As Shadowgod admirably put it, you were the one person who might have misconstrued the impugned abbreviation. It was a kindness really. If you cannot find it in your heart to accept what I say, then I blame Shadowgod. Conner

The chickens observation was delightfully hilarious. Furry chickens Shadowgod, who appears to have an attachment to the fowl, will be will be deliciously pleased. Conner

Great line, Steve. I just peed on it, so it's mine! You can't use it anymore! It certainly sounds like the last 3 years have been a great experience for you. Raising 6 kids...WOW! Maybe I sould try and stay on topic this time around. I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada's western most province. Vancouver is tucked into the south-west corner, right on the Pacific Ocean. It's absolutely awesome living here. I spent most of my life in Montreal, Quebec, where I was born, and in Toronto and Ottawa, Ontario. In terms of scenery, it's just breathtaking here and all over BC. Vancouver can be damp, we have Seattle-like weather. When the sun is shining, though, nothing compares. The Canadian Rockies are just a quick trip to our neighbouring province, Alberta. Did I mention that the 2010 Winter Olympics will be held here? BC weed has an international reputation. I don't inhale, though. There's no bud like BC bud. In terms of other parts of Canada, I would like to spend more time In Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. I have driven across this great nation four times. Other countries i have visited include: USA, Mexico, Australia, Ireland, England, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Belgium, Hungary, Denmark, Russia, China, Taiwan and S Korea. I've been most fortunate in having a job that required me to travel. Most of the time, someone else was picking up the tab. Cities that I have enjoyed the most were: San Diego, San Francisco, New York, Sydney, everywhere in Ireland, Paris, Geneva, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Moscow, Beijing and Soeul. Once I retire, I hope to be able to spend 3 to 4 months in Ireland (using Dublin as my base I want to hit every pub in the country ), 3 months touring American cities who have major league baseball teams and the rest of the time here in Vancouver. I never want to go to New Jersey. :nuke: Sorry, dawg. It slipped out again. Conner

Remind me not to tangle with you......too often. I'll just stay put for a while and tend to my contusions and lacerations. That's good, laddie, give better than you got. It's so manly...and it feels real fine. Conner

Ok, CJ, how long do you think you're going to play out the Brandon-Chase thing? I'm a wreck. While in a way it's deliciously sweet, there's only so much I can take. There's only so much that Brandon and Chase can take too. If you're not careful, they're gonna pounce on one another right in the hotel lobby. Hmmmm....now that does have possibilities. Then you write lines like this...

With all the chemicals and other stuff in the air and its reaction with normal UV radiation, I thought the Jersey sky was always neon-like. Sorry, dawg, the made me say that. Conner

While your there, Bondwriter, please instruct the occupant that goats don't live in houses.

I'm not an author either but I have had to deal with professional/personal ethics my entire career. I agree with James, it depends. You've been a little short on specifics but your observation (quoted below) does compel me to conclude the changes sought are substantial. With your permission, let's use GFD as an example. It's a great example for me, because if I were a publisher, I'd gobble that story up quicker than you could say, "Just think of the movie rights!" But, of course, my marketing people would get on my case. So let's make a list of what they want to change (feel free to add): -no gay sex -only one gay couple allowed -Justin must be straight and have a girlfriend -don't make parents look/sound so bad -no religion -no politics -no potential rape scenes -no vampire party club So that's a lot, needless to say. I would suggest that you look at what's left or, rather, what could you strengthen with what's left and decide if it's enough. It's one thing to be a well respected and well read amateur author and say, "I will never compromise myself and my art for money." It's quite another to try and say that when you're looking at a publisher's fat advance cheque....and all the good stuff that may lay down the road. Personnally, I'd go for the cheque. Conner

"The name's James. CJames. I always get my own goat."

That's a great ghost story for around a campfire. I like the thump-click part. Goatmen definitely has merit. Conner

So far I like Goatsters and CJ's Kids. Let me toss some in... CJ's Junkies or CJunkies CJ's Jerks or CJerks CJ's Hounds (dogs like to chase goats? :wacko: ) CJ's Fanatics CJ's Rascals CJ's probably the James Bond of goats.....world traveller, high tec, knows guns, always gets his goat. Can we play off that somehow? I couldn't come up with anything. Conner

It's odd to see a self-proclaimed "health nut" put down another widely accepted health food. Vegetarians, for example, often use soy as an alternate source of protein. Soy extracts do appear in many "women formula" health products. Maybe someone, like the whey protein sector, is paying this jerk to punk out soybeans. I'm a red meat lover, myself. Conner

Next time, Joe, put the short version first and label them. It wasn't long for a blog. But if you're offering sympathy, I'll take it. Your workplace does seem messed up a bit in their staffing and training practices. As a manager, hopefully you may be able to improve that situation or at least pass on your views to your boss. Being the boss can be difficult, especially at first. Like every other job, it's really a matter of gaining confidence. You strike me as a dude with a lot of initiative and a take charge attitude. In other words, you're a leader. If on top of that, you have people skills, the sky's the limit. You'll be fine. (Yes, I know that's easy for me to say; that's why I said it! ) No fashion sense, eh? You're not alone, bud. Remember that. I generally stay away from giving relationship advice. Frankly, I think men (gay, straight or what-have-you) lack relationship skills. One good thing is that it seems you at least got some closure or completion around why the ex acted the way he did. Definitely talk it out with him in person first and go with your gut or heart or whatever internal check you use in making such decisions. So, yeah, see ya next month. Conner

Happy B-day, BW!!! Conner

This story is definitely following my fantasy of how it should go. Good for you, CJ! Next chapter will have a scene where Chase accompnaies Brandon to his "hotel" to recover his personal belongings. Overwhelmed by all the events so far as well as being with Chase, Brandon completely forgets about the poster of Chase on his wall. Yes, I think you can all see it now. The scene ends with a tonsil massaging kiss. Gabe is just your average every day petty thief asshole. Anyone involved in a nuclear explosion plot would not want Gabe aboard. If he is aboard, it would only mean that he is being used by others for their own ends. I'm really enjoying Helen's character. I can't wait to see the handcuffs being slapped on Gabe. Conner

Bonne fete Francois!!! Excusez-moi la manque d'accents (et les faux egalement). Je veux te remercier de l'aide que tu donnes aux auteurs nouveax ici a GA. C'est vraiment tres gentil a toi! Conner

Took a good smack to the head, did ya? Well, that explains a lot. Conner