Tomas

Cia is right, the story you are looking for is "First Flames". by Drew Hunt. It maybe that since the story has been published as "Fireside Romance" Book one, it has been removed from "Nifty" along with book two "Burning Brighter", if it too was on Nifty. As a requirement for being published, publishers often require that the story be removed from any online story sites. Here is a lint to Drew Hunts home page. He lists all of his books and stories with a synopsis for each. http://www.drew-hunt.co.uk/index.html

I got through the first four books of " Song of Ice and Fire" without any problems. I put down the fifth book "A Dance With Dragons" after about 100 pages and haven't picked it up since, and am not likely to finish it.

Interesting blog post. It is my belief that the obsession with youth and beauty is an attempt to deny or at least not want to admit or perhaps delay mortality. Living things age and eventually expire and beauty is a fragile state and ofttimes fades before an enviable end . A rose starts out as a bud blooms and is beautiful (youth) then continues to age until it is no longer beautiful and dies. Things like cosmetic surgery (face lifts and such) can likened to the maintenance necessary to preserve an old historical wooden building. Decayed parts are replaced or covered up so the building looks as it did in its youth. Eh! That's enough of my ramblings.

AH! OK! I wasn't aware of the earlier registration. Just knew when the forums began and assumed that that was the start of GA. It was about 6 months later when I became a member. Other than yourself, Bill W, Comicality, and occasionally Kyle, I never seem to see any of the other early members (the first 100) on site. Anyhow, not important, just a bit of nostalgia for some of the old places that we hung out that no longer exist for one reason or another.

GA was started on July 28, 2003. Nine years. But what's a year between friends?

Headline: A snip from the article: Link to article: http://www.showbiz41...t-on-the-charts

"The joys of getting older. Seems nothing is as easy as it use to be, but at least I am still here and pushing on". As someone once said, "Getting old is not for wimps", and I can attest to that.

Ha! More time to do things when you retire is an illusion. Since I retired, I find that I have less time to do the things that I want to do than I did when I was working full time. Oh well, life goes on. I just take each day as it happens and enjoy it. Can never know how many I have left so I don't worry about it. I just figure that any day that I wake up in this life and not the afterlife is going to be a great day. Bob, I think that you are doing great. I hope that I am able to be as active when and if I reach your age.

I reached a conclusion, sometime ago, that the "Hollywood Movie Industry" is bankrupt and there is no longer and hasn't been anything creative to come out of the majors for a long time. It seems like only thing that they are now capable of doing is to make poorly done sequels, prequels, and remakes of older classics, or to using gimmicks such as headache inducing 3D. It appears that all of the major creative talent has fled to the "Indies". Of course that is just my opinion.

Why does he have to do anything with it? Sometimes it's the journey not the goal that is important.

I can remember listening to the pomp and circumstance of the coronation in 1952. Since it was an historic event I was allowed to stay up and listen to the broadcast of the events on the shortwave radio. I was 15 at the time and it was after midnight Central Time in the US. Long live the Queen!!

Saw this article this morning and thought that it was something to, in a small part, counteract all the stories of bullying and child suicide.

stomped on them failing to notice

A Special Place by Sequoya is a very good story. The main story is 59 chapters then it splits in two intertwined stories to continue, The Concord Five and The Oberlin Five. Five of the characters graduate from high school and go to Oberlin College in Ohio while the other five are still in high school and stay in Concord where the main story took place. Matt, one of the two main characters is an organist and Luke, the other, is an artist. They are both 18 years old. I believe that it is a story well worth reading.Here is a link to Sequoya's web site where you'll find all three of the stories in the A special Place series along with other of his stories. All of which are a good read. He is an excellent author. http://www.sequoyahsplace.com/

I would definitely recommend Kandric or any of Kyles stories for that matter. You can find them all at: http://wolfsnest.n40c.net/kyle%20arrons/The%20Work%20of%20Kyle%20Aarons.htm They are all works in progress. Actually Kandric has been in progress for about 15 years, but each chapter is well worth waiting for. The same can be said for all of his works.

Amen, Brother! Amen!

From what you have said, I still believe her name is 'Ratched' and she is working undercover.

The nanny's name isn't 'Ratched' by any chance? LOL

Here you go: Coffee Roll - any of numerous yeast-raised sweet rolls with our without raisins or nuts or spices or a glaze sweet roll 1. bun, roll - small rounded bread either plain or sweet 2. cross bun, hot cross bun - moderately sweet raised roll containing spices and raisins and citron and decorated with a cross-shaped sugar glaze 3. bear claw, bear paw - almond-flavored yeast-raised pastry shaped in an irregular semicircle resembling a bear's claw 4. cinnamon bun, cinnamon roll, cinnamon snail - rolled dough spread with cinnamon and sugar (and raisins) then sliced before baking 5. caramel bun, honey bun, schnecken, sticky bun - rolled dough spread with sugar and nuts then sliced and baked in muffin tins with honey or sugar and butter in the bottom 6. pinwheel roll - pinwheel-shaped rolls spread with cinnamon and sugar and filled with e.g. jam before baking 7. danish pastry, danish - light sweet yeast-raised roll usually filled with fruits or cheese

The way I look at it is: Every morning that I wake up in this life and not the afterlife is going to be another great and fantastic day. Going to be 75 in 25 days. The sad thing about life... it takes so damn long to finally realize just how great it is.

Desiderata Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass. Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. Max Ehrmann c.1920

DAMN! I might be able to say more later, but, then again, maybe not.

Happy Birthday, Curti! Hope you have the best day that you can possibly have. *****Gee! I don't recall ever being so young!***** Tomas

Manufacturers who want you buy and use their product. It's something that you can use so you buy it. Then when you get home you find that you forgot to get the jack hammer, C4 or small nuclear device so you can get the package open so you can use said product.