NG, of course, can speak for himself (as we all have seen ) I, personally, do not think I sound anything like a Yankee. For example, I don't say "Where are you going TO." I also avoid like the plague saying "What are you doing that FOR."

Yankees, sadly, have butchered the English language in favor of colloquialism.

Can cannibalism be far behind?

CP, you seem to have a fairly good grounding in religious matters. Do you recall the story (very much highlighted in the movie) where Gen. Patton had a chaplain write him a prayer for decent weather?

Well, sir, my always-a-problem middle child is slated to be married 17 September. Tropical Storm Katya is twiddling around the Atlantic, and I get the distinct imprsssion that it would like to drop by just before her big day. Let's be clear about this: I don't give a rat's rectum if her callalillies get wet. I just cannot bear the thought of having her day washed away as happened with many couples during Irene. I have endured her for almost thirty years, and I need the unsuspecting fool of a future-son-in-law to relieve me of the burden.

So, if you could gin up a brief prayer to moderate the deleterious effects of Katya in the Noo Yawk area, I would be much obliged.

Yes I do remember now that you mention it. Saw the movie when I was a kid. Patton was a strong willed man. I think it shows the determination of the man, that he would presume to craft a prayer, to save the soldiers. I believe that was when they were all freezing to death right? He had to break through also to continue his drive? Sketchy on the details, but love his guts. "Ol blood and guts Patton" if I remember right.

My favorite scene was the one where he took out his pearl handled revolver, and shot at the plane strafing him in defiance, as it passed right over him. A picture of David and Goliath. He was one of my role models.

As far as religiuos matters go, thank you for saying I have a grounding, which is better than have a lofty assumption, that I know something. My conscience in the matter was built as a little child, being raised by two strong willed parents, and searching for where God was, when He seemed to have given me more than I could handle. But pray and search for the miracle keys, strive and work, plead and beg, it seemed God was not with me, and I was all alone inside. Yes it only seemed that way, but I struggled with tons of insecurity I did not understand till I got older. Just like the club here nobody wants to join, without help I would not have made it this far.

But NG, although I wanted to hear Gods voice talking to me when I was younger, I only heard him once, after realizing the beautiful young woman that I had slept with, and accually really liked too, was in love with me. I had slept with her, spent time with her, coherced her into my bed, all the time planning on dumping her later. I had not taken her seriuos, did not consider her heart, and was slipping to the dark side. I stood in the front of the mirror, in the dark, as she was talking about being together now all excited. A feeling of presence and heaviness of fear came over me, then I heard the words..."Now look what you have done to the gift I gave you", booming in my head loudly. I had come between her fiance and her, she was 18 and I was 22, and I could not forgive myself for the treachery I had wrought now. Yes the voice came from me, and had everything to do with my lack of obedience and faith in what I knew was right, but I was playing with his child.

Oh, it gets better, instead of telling her about it, I decided I must find a way to get away from her, and let her down easy as I could, and find a way to take the full blame, as the callous man that I had acted like. After two months of still seeing her, I hooked up with another not so innocent girl, but just as preciuos in Gods eyes, to be the excuse that she needed to see me as the evil person I really was.

Then two months after that, jogging in the park at night, in a angry passionate(?) venomous discourse, I challenged God as I looked up at the moon, and told Him I would never serve Him, and dared Him to try and make me, because He never gave me the strength, peace, and confidance to do so. I had to rejected a Women whom I was in love with because He had not kept my heart right. Yes I was still in love with her. Yes old flames still live in our evil hearts. Gotta be a Man and NC for life.

So this is how God answered my prayer(?) in the park...Had the operation on my bad leg and it was a disaster which I lived in terrible pain for over six months, until they went in and chiseled off the bone that was pinching a nerve. OH I kept working all the time though, and was proud, then I met my now late wife in the process. My leg will never be right, and I will never jog again, and will probably lose it at the ankle some time in the future too before I go home. Contrived type 1 diabtetes also shortly after I started sleeping with my now late wife.

Superstition or God/Karma? Are we the archetecs of our own fate? Is not fear the greatest enemy to mankind? Whose fault is it when things fall apart? Is it not Mankind itself? No amount of strength, cunning, determination, pennance or knowledge can overide what we have done in the past, and we will pay the consequences one way or another. Listening and obeying the Authority of Love is the only answer really but we are allways messing it up because we think we have a better way, our way, we have suffered we say, and He owes us something. We don't really love God, we love ourselves, and we mold Him to our image and concepts, wrought through pain. Obedience not sacrifice is what he wants from us, He needs us not at all to mold our clay, and his standards are sound and a place to rest.

I will pray for your daughters wedding NG, but I cannot claim to have listened enough to God to have real grounding in religious matters. Those would be his humble servents, who rest in His promises, and do not fear the heat when it comes..Those people are not in the spotlight much, but come to the forefront when needed. Like Lee and Patton.