Hey GC,

I just sent an e-mail to RH and 2L. They may know how to get in contact with JL.

Aloha,
L.

Thanks, O. I've got a hint. We'll see.

GC

It's a winter wonderland out there. Saturday, the brothers and a girlfriend of a brother came over and we did Christmas stuff. Bought the tree at 3:30 and by 7:45 the entire inside and outside of the house were decorated, dinner was made, eaten, and cleaned up, DD was in her PJs with her teeth brushed, and we were sitting by the fire reading books. We've had a fire in the fireplace each night since then, courtesy of my brother.

This same brother bought the Christmas tree and the wreath and the poinsettias. He also took the time to make a pumpkin pie the other night. I had a piece of it last night and it is, as it always is when he makes it, fantastically good.

Last night it finally snowed. Three or four inches of the stuff when all was said and done, much of it after we went to bed. It was lovely last night, and when I opened the front door this morning, I was treated to that blue and white wonderland that only comes with freshly fallen snow. Even though I was ten minutes late already, and had another five minutes of cleaning off the car to do, I took five seconds and just drank it in. Though I can't look into the distance from my urban neighborhood, there are times when it's lovely here anyway.

Does anyone know what happened to SLH?

I emailed her today and no response so far. She is in my prayers as I have no idea what happened. I pray she is away for a good and happy reason.

Conversation is important to her, and though I don't guess we are her only friends it has been on my mind.

Faithful, I think about you too, but you seem to be coping pretty well - all things considered anyway.
I hope your support network is holding up well, and that you get some days off from the stress.

If not, try a vacation. 6 months would be about right, and just planning it would help a little bit, even if you can't take it.

Longest one I have taken is about a month, and it was nice except for going back to work after we got home.

I went out to visit J, but I didn't know where she lived then.

Time to go, have a dinner to attend tonight.

I'm reading Gray, and thinking. I still think you'll do well.

SS

Thanks SS. It's a strange time.

Today I met my acquaintance from elsewhere. She came over, said my name with a question mark, and introduced herself. I put my eyeballs back in my head, and we talked for a good hour. We got along famously. Naturally, she's engaged.

Recently I heard that another one I tried to go out with is engaged.

It's like a fable.

GC

GC,

RH just sent me his phone #. If you want to e-mail me, you can or you can check RH's profile to see if he still has his addy listed there. He says you can call him but I don't want to put his phone# on this thread.

I told him I posted to you here. Let me know.

Aloha,
L.

I am really interested in this advice. I keep thinking about it SS and thinking it is what I need to do. Something about finding out what your dreams are, visualizing them and starting the motions.

Can you elaborate?

Gray,

The times are strange for you, because something great is coming around the corner. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

6 month vacation? Hmmm...from work or life? My boy is getting almost too big for me to handle and I am facing caring for him on my own more. I am ok, SS all things considered but still sad and grieving.

Weaver, I like the way you think.

Weaver,
I was just having fun (mostly) not trying to convey any big thing.

It's just that sometimes you can take your mind, and change directions with it, and........ a change is as good as a rest.

Then you can come back and cope.


Gray,
I've been thinking about this song for a couple of weeks now. Not sure why, but I keep thinking I should type it out for you. I'm confused, because I think you are past this by quite a ways. Oh well, here it is.

It's from memory, so I could mis quote, but here goes.

From the play "Saturdays Warrior"


I take some paper in my hand
and with a pencil draw a man.
The dream of what I'd really, really like to be.

A man with courage in his brow,
who's licked his doubts and fears somehow.
A warrior of great nobility.

But who am I, just a wandering kid.
A cypher on the wall,
Not even great at all.

And where's my dream like his that I could fight for,
And where's my cause like his, that I would die for?
But still that papers in my hand, and every day I sketch the man, the dream of what I'd really like to be.

My conscience says I should be him,
I guess I should at least begin.
But if I did, I'd probably strike out.



Faithful, I know you are doing the best you can, and I encourage you. I think I have some things I want to say to you too. I'll think on it (precious little time for thinking lately) and maybe post to you tomorrow. Maybe. I hope.

Weaver,
You seem to be doing so well, but I know there are loose ends. I hope you get them all tied up, and taken care of, and I hope you have the best year ever next year.

BTW, if you don't think a six month vacation will work, go for the full year. May as well think big.


J, I have not given over much time to thinking lately. I hope you are well. You have a lot going on these days - inside, as well as out. I keep praying for you, and trust that you will know what to do. Happy trails.


Kimmy, I guess no news is good news from you, take care of everyone, I know you can.

SLH,
I worry. Please tell me I'm wrong to worry this time.

2long, you are often on my mind. I keep praying for you guys too. Hope son, and daughter are well.

SS

SS,

Nice little poem.

It exactly fits my thoughts today.

-AD

SS et al, please be praying for Kimmy and her family as well. GC, hope your trip was good! Hi AD.

Faithful,
I was thinking yesterday about Christmas. Stats tell us that for some this is a happy time, and for some it is a sad time.

Isn't that interesting. At least, I found it so.
And..... it's easy to see how one can be sad to live through a season of celebration when events have changed the very fabric of our lives.

I was thinking about you. How you react to stress (many times by helping here, instead of feeling sorry for yourself.)

I realize there are down times for you. I know there must be. What I see though, is a person that remains helpful and outgoing to others even when she is down herself.

I don't know what Christmas has been for you. I don't know all the changes that are taking place this year, compared to past years. I could go on and on about what I DON'T know about you, but instead let me tell some things that I do know.

I know you have been through he11 these past few months, but that you haven't been destroyed by it.

I know you can reach out and help others in the midst of your own dark days.

I know you have changed for the better, and are changing still.


Now, sometimes we think that if we take this, or that from Christmas, it will no longer be Christmas.

I learned from watching "How the Grinch stole Christmas" that you can take the gifts, and it will still be Christmas. I have watched people over the years, and I see that Christmas is something that is in your heart, not something that comes from shopping those adds we see in the paper.

So, I wanted to tell you I see it in your heart, and I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas......... believing that you are capable of having one even with all the trials you are living through right now.

Merry Christmas to a noble spirit. May your children catch the spirit of what Christmas really is by watching you this year. May they always know that Christmas is in your heart, becasuse of God's gift to us of his son, so many years ago. That non returable, life changing gift. May they understand that he lives, because you understand it and show it by your life - lived one day at a time.

Thank you for your example. You warm my heart.

Please tell us how it goes for you. Both the good, and the bad. We care.

SS

God bless you, SS. You really touched me with that thank you. I love Christmas, it is my little girls bday and the day we celebrate the birth of our savior. Everything else is icing on the cake.

I missed an important anniversary the other day... ...and bein' how's I've been here for so bloody long, and have so many famous and infamous anniversaries 2 celebrate, I'm going 2 choose this one.

Back 3 years ago, on the 9th, I self-immolated and Qfwfq was born. Maybe I should self-immolate my other self now, so I can celebrate that 3 years from now?...:

"2long is daid! (sung 2 the 2ne of “Poor Jud is Daid”)" - 2long's bass 2rdization of "Oklahoma"

"2long is daid, ol’ 2long is daid;
All gather ‘round his coffin now and cry.
He had a heart of gold and he wasn’t very old,
Oh, why did such a fella have 2 die?

2long is daid, ol’ 2long is daid;
He’s lookin’ oh, so peaceful and serene (and serene!).
He’s all laid out 2 rest with his hands across his chest;
His fingernails have never been so clean.

Why then the preacher’d get up and he’d say:
“Folks, we’re gathered 2gether here 2day 2 moan and groan over brother 2long, who hung himself from that 2x4 in the rafters of the MB smokehouse.”
(Then there’d be weepin’ and wailin’, from some of the MB posters)
Then he’d say:
“2long was the most misunders2d man on the 4um. People used 2 think he was a mean, ugly fella; used 2 think he was a dirty skunk and orn’ry pig stealer.”

But the folks who really knowed him, know that beneath the 2 gaudy Converse All-Stars that he always wore,
There throbbed a stubbed big toe as big as all outdoors (as big as all outdoors!).
2long loved his fellow Mber.

He loved the birds of the forest,
He loved the beasts in the field,
He loved the mice and vermin and he treated the rats like equal (which was right).
He loved everybody and everything, he loved the OP only…only he never let on, so nobody ever knowed it.

2long is daid, ol’ 2long is daid;
His friends’ll weep and wail for miles around (miles around!).
The daisies in the dell will give out a different smell
Because 2long is underneath the ground.

2long is daid, a candle lights his haid.
He’s layin’ in a coffin made of wood (wood!).
And folks are feelin’ sad ‘cause they used 2 treat him bad,
But now they know their friend is gone for good (good!).

2long is daid, a candle lights his haid.
He’s lookin’ oh, s’purdy and s’nice.
He looks like he’s asleep, it’s a shame that he won’t keep,
But it’s summer and we’re runnin’ out of ice.
2… …long
2… …long"

Happy anniversary a few days ago, everybody!!

-ol' 2long <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Hi 2long.
Miss having you around.

Hope life is good.

SS

hi folks.

Like I told Pep recently, these days we have so-so days, and not so so-so days.

I'm thinking of offering 2 pay for some heavy MC soon. Our 30th anniversary is coming up, and my W would "seem" 2 rather just keep on keeping on. Not much closeness, but some.

RM's b-day week (1st week of Dec) was very rough, though nothing was said about it, as was my W's B-day (2.5 months ago). I don't THINK there was contact, but I'm through speculating about it.

Been browsing old car ads. This one seems appropriate somehow...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford-Mode...1QQcmdZViewItem <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

-ol' 2long

Hi 2,

Nice song. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

-AD