Trab

I'm amazing, I know. Sadly, I don't have enough time right now (not for months now) to read much of anything, not even YOUR stories.

Nice edit job Cole...your post was originally linked to the Epilogue, which I've now read, and don't need to read the whole story anymore.

I don't know what, but something's going on. I had to log in, and I haven't had to do that in almost 2 years; normally it's automatic. I barely remembered my log in information.

wow. Now THAT looks like a challenge. Good luck

Sad. I like your 'interpretation' of the Secret poem though. It puts a wonderfully new perspective on it.

Awesome. Glad you changed the link to one that works. :)

Fabulous! Well done.

I don't do the tree thing at all anymore, but previously I put up the green stranded Chinese wirebound fir. It is 100% drought and heat resistant. Seriously though, the worst tree EVER for a Xmas tree has to be a Sitka spruce. The needles will poke your eyes out without provocation and their dagger-like points are easily as good as cat claws; they even go through most gloves, unless you have those police stab/slash proof ones.

Of course most of the rest of the world thinks of ALL Americans as Yanks, Cole. You probably mean that baseball team, right?

Nice article, and speaking from my own experience, right on the money when it comes to dealing one-on-one with the American citizenry. I remember a trip I took way way way back into the back country of Utah, with some 4x4ers from Albuquerque, and the first night one of them pulled out a large handgun of some kind. Being a rather urbanized Canadian, I had, and still have, no idea what it was, and of course I didn't know why he would have it with him, so I asked. "To shoot any varmints that might bother us," drawled the New Mexican in reply. "Uh, are there wolves and mountain lion around here?" "No lad, I mean two-legged varmints."

I think this is the same article that Cole posted as Must Read

Jack, the problem of homeless people is NOT limited to warmer climes. Up north each winter we have people literally freezing to death, although it is pretty much limited to those who absolutely refuse to come into the shelters.

It gets better? Maybe the next step to make it so would be some criminal prosecution of parents who reject or abuse their children. Probably not. Then there'd just be even more people in jail. Obviously the only thing that will work is breaking the attitude barrier, but rather than helping, churches seem to be doing their level best to make it worse.

ROFLMAO. He likely wasn't that shape at the time, but if so, well, ugh, I don't know what to say, being somewhat walrus shaped myself.

Kyle shuddered as fingers stroked his back. Despite the heat of the sauna; despite the sweat dripping from his nose and chin, and running down his torso, he couldn?t help the involuntary shudders as the delicate touches wove their way from his neck to his butt; shoulder to shoulder, and started to circle his waist. Eyes closed, dreaming of his love, he was immersed fully in his fantasy. The fingers traced his muscles, they followed his spine, they tweaked that little bit of the waistline he was developing, they randomly followed the little lines of sweat that gently ran down his body. He groaned softly, and began to stroke his own thighs, nearing his private parts, whilst the fingers kept doing their intimate tour around his back and sides, ever increasing his ?oh so pleasing? daydream. Suddenly Kyle jerked awake. Oh My God. What was he doing? He was in the public sauna at the local community pool, and there might be people in there with him. His worst fears were realized as he saw two older men watching him. He felt like dying of embarrassment. But what was this? They were both giving him the ?thumbs up?, and were smiling happily at him. Suddenly Kyle noticed the fingers were still stroking his skin with a butterfly touch. What the hell? He hadn?t been dreaming that? He turned like a flash and all his worries were instantly gone. He broke into a beatific smile as he saw Jeff, his one and only, sitting there, with a contented and nearly smug grin on his face. Copyright, Trab, 2010.

Nice, but I'll bet they haven't thought about the negative sides of this. As far as I can see, these things sense the right pH balance, which could occur in any number of ways. We could have little clumps of concrete growing in all sorts of unwanted places.

I believe that the biggest threat to democracy and decency is the growth of the virtually immortal corporate entity. With totally amoral goals of profit before anything else, they just do whatever it takes to gain strength, and if that involves pitting one poor segment of humanity against another, even over decades, that is what will happen. In the past this same role was taken by Big Religion, and their position has been only slightly eroded by Big Corporation. They work the same way, and do the same evil deeds, and ultimately they have the same goals; total control over you and I.

I have never understood how anyone could think ELECTING judges would make for a non-political stability and fairness. What amazes me is that it has taken this long for it to become obvious. The next issue with a similar basis is the electing of Sheriffs, District Attorneys, and others supposed to be enforcing the laws of the land. Sure, you may get perfectly qualified candidates, but you are more likely to get populist ones, who cater to getting re-elected more than to meting out justice.

It's good and thought provoking, but I wish he'd run it by an editor first. Still worth the read though.

That's not totally fair. They may very well have fallen prey to fear of bullying, and in no way believe the false 'gays are flawed' argument. They may not have anything to gain, or even offer, by standing up, out and proud, but would instead place themselves at some risk. Not everyone lives in large towns and cities, in which there is some anonymity just by being one of a million; some live in towns of 1000 or fewer, and it may well be a town that is mostly intolerant. I'll be perfectly frank; I live in a small town, I have no relationship, I have no chance of a relationship, I have no interest in a relationship (the main reason why I don't have a chance of one), and as such I have nothing much to offer anyone by being 'out', but I do risk possible problems. Probably not, but nevertheless, the 'reward' or 'payoff' for coming out is nil and the downside of doing so is finite, if not huge, so there is no point at all in doing so. On the other hand, if something were to change this balance, like me seeing somebody being bullied, I'd be 'out' and in the fracas immediately. All I ask is for the balance to be close to even so that there is some benefit to be accrued compared to the risk taken.

I guess I'm going to have to change my diet again. I read the story and thought, "What was the point? Interesting, but what was the point?" It was only when I read the other two comments that I figured out (ie. read) that this is the first part of more, not a short to stand 100% on its own. Duh. Now it makes more sense.

From personal experience I have to point out that Canada geese are full of shit. Well, not after they land on your lawn or the golf course, but definitely shortly before that.

I'm not sure how to react to this story. It's well done, obviously, but maybe a bit harsh on the American attitude (I won't say intelligence) depicted.

You said "the new chapter" but you also said "long dormant series." The question is whether or not this new chapter is the last, or just the very next one in a much longer series. In other words, would the volunteer be volunteering for just the already written material, or for even more to yet be written? And no, I'm not volunteering, although I'd consider it if I wasn't so down on my own abilities and so tied up with other projects.

Interesting. I didn't see ANY remorse at all...some anger, and mostly just wanting to be done with him.