Richard Norway

I tried the link here in New Mexico, and it's gone from here too.

Rugby! That's that tough, rough and tumble and homophobic sport played in Britain and Oz. Hmmm. I wonder. I just ran across the article that might interest you. http://www.towleroad.com/2009/08/australia...homophobia.html

Well ladies, gentlemen and others. It happened today. I got a call this afternoon from the foster care agency that we're dealing with and they want me to look at a possible placement in my home. OMG. I'm not sure if I was mentally prepared for it to ACTUALLY happen. I was a nervous wreck the rest of the afternoon. So I pick up David after his work, and explain where we're headed. Geez, he was more nervous than I was. And we head over to the agency. There they brought us into a conference room and started telling us about this kid. His name is Dustin and he's 11 years old. I can't tell you why he's in foster care or any of his background, or health as that's strictly held confidential, but our hearts went out to this kid. David and I talked briefly and accepted him (They gave us that choice). Then they proceed to tell us that things have changed since our afternoon phone call and that he's become an emergency case. "Would we take him tonight," they asked. The first thing I asked myself was, 'Am I ready?' Then I felt so stupid and realized that this wasn't about me; this was about Dustin. David looked at me and nodded his head and I knew that he had just had that same internal conversation. We both said 'Yes' simultaneously. Well, Dustin is now in my home. He's asleep right now as he has school tomorrow, which I'll be driving him to as I need to talk to his principal and teachers. I can't tell you all what a wonderful kid he is. Yes he has issues, but...and here I wish I could tell you all about it, but, again, there are confidentiality issues. I'm definitely going to start a blog about this experience. Right now I'm on an emotional high, that my dreams of 'making a difference' are coming true. I won't use this tread anymore for future comments, but put them in a blog.

I guess people don't like what they are unaccustomed to. When I was 8 or 9 years old, my mother bought a set of 45 rpm records of Beethoven's symphonies. Can anyone remember those? I was absolutely enthralled by the sounds, but more so by the emotions that they brought out in me. I don't look down on people who say they don't like classical music, but rather I feel sorry for them, for not having the opportunity to experience it's richness. David was not raised in a household that listened to classic music. And when I bought season tickets to the LA Philharmonic, he was aghast. But one performance of Gustav Holst's "Mars" from the planets had him crying at what he had missed. Most of what I have written was accomplished with the sounds that set the mood that I wanted to feel for a particular scene. Copeland does it for me.

Semicolons? SEMICOLONS? Who needs those f***ing semicolons anyway. Just add periods, new sentences and commas. From the other perspective: He slowly, sensuously slipped me into his mouth. Shortly afterward, i could feel his tongue caress my tip. He loves me; I could tell. (See, a semicolon.) I wondered how long he would make me last. I can be good to him. I know it. I know he loves Cubans, We're so sensual, and so expensive, but I know he has good tastes. He's the one that wants me, and he can afford me. My essence swirls around his nose and he inhales me...all of me. Okay! That's enough! You'd think this was Nifty or something!

Thanks for the link to the entire piece Des. I used to live in Michigan, just outside of Ann Arbor, and sent my daughter there one summer. She went kicking and screaming because she didn't want to go, but begged me to send here back every year for the next four years. She plays the french horn. I once thought she found a b/f there, but no...she really loved the music experience with peers. She's the one that sent me the link that I posted of the free performance last week. She took her young (6 y/o) son (my grandkid) to see the performance. He was mesmerized.

Not one person on the stage is over 18 years old, except for the conductor. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBbJAxEC2XI

What? WHAT? and give up our perfectly logical American spelling? I should think naught.

You're not alone STB. There's LOT of people here and on other forums too that are going to miss that crazy raccoon. I can say 'crazy raccoon,' because I love him. He's added such richness to our lives with his simple words. His stories will not be missed because so many people will not have a chance to read them and be changed by his words. You can't miss what you don't know. I don't know the reason why, but, I will respect his decision.

I mean by 'stand on it's own' as it must be a complete sentence...structurally, not logically. I don't think a fragment works, at least I haven't seen one. You are right though, in that the sentence following the semicolon cannot be 'stand alone' without the first part. This gets back to my question of relatedness of the two parts. The second part relates to the first part, hence it can be separated by a semicolon and not a period. But I still think that the second part also needs to structurally be a complete sentence.

Thanks guys. I was troubled with the relatedness of the phrases separated by a semicolon. But Trab, I think that the parts of a sentence separated by a semicolon must stand on their own as complete sentences. In your example "it sickens him." is a complete sentence but the first word isn't capitolized. That isn't the case when it's used to separate a series containing it's own commas though. But I could be wrong. Cole, I went to Wikipedia just like you told me to do. But next time though, send me to your favorite porno site.

Can anyone tell me how a semicolon is used in sentence structure? Are there any standard rules?

OMG I just know a Civil Engineer was in charge of that. Cole?

List? What list? There is no list! Y'all made that up, so I'm not going to believe it.

I have an announcement. It's kinda important as it's going to change my life forever. Last week, David and I received our final license as Treatment Foster Care Parents. 'Treatment' means the kids have issues. The license is one step above regular Foster Care parents. It took 9 months of classes, background checks, home inspections and even psychological evaluations. (Boy! Do we have them fooled ) Seriously though, I am so excited to be able to help and possibly make a difference in some teenager's life. They could place someone in my home as early as next week. WOHOOOOOOOOOOT! My schedule is sure going to change!

Finally! Finally, Bill Clinton's "evolving" stand on gay marriage has shifted again. http://www.thenation.com/doc/20090720/tracey

James, The Vietnam war was an abberation in our history. I was there (twice). I know how my peers treated me for being there. I had friends killed there, and the memories of them will never leave me . But the story of the lives and friendships of the people needs to be told, and I thank you for doing just that...to tell of the human side...to let people know that those killed were the boy next door.

This is just...well...so adorable.

I also d/l V! today and have now been able to see videos that I couldn't before because of codex problems.

This is a great video of Dr. John Corvino. Please watch.

Those pants look like mine. OMG!

Des, This has the potential of bankrupting you. Yeah...and me too, as I'm sure it will hit here too. I started up again.

This is a good video. We older peeps think about the struggle we're facing, but the younger kids just want to get by. This is from OZ land.

Oh BS! You're not EMO Ele, because you're not false. That's what I love and hate about you. And a lot of peeps my age wish they were so bold and introspective that they could speak their minds like you do, but are afraid. I think I'm one of them. The future is in your hands. Do me a favor though. When you teach, don't forget Whitman. He really is up your bloodstream.

Drewbie...Don't worry about the seafood . Just go for the beer.