From: TJ Holland<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

Hi All! Here's my 2 cents worth (like THAT matters)  :-)<BR>
<BR>
Excellent teamwork Terry and Gala!! Terry (I assume) your figures are very strong and sensual! And Gala, how perfect was that poem!? Were you looking at the painting as you wrote? Simply excellent.<BR>
<BR>
scqueen~ thank you m'dear. I always have enjoyed your work as well. Treasure Hunting reminded me so much of how well my husband knows me, and I know this every time those tiny little things happen. THOSE are the moments that are remembered, aren't they? By the way your poetry lives in a folder on my desktop too- "scqueen's stuff", it's called.  Did I mention, I loved your ocean poem?  :-) <BR>
<BR>
Nikki~ your work is very expressive of the turmoil that seems to be present in your life. (once again, I assume...you are writing about your own experiences) It makes for very interesting reading!<BR>
<BR>
wing~ you know, you have this inherent style to your poems that I can easily recognise as you. I admire that, and have often wished I possesed the same. I don't. (I have too many voices and all those personalities vie for attention!) The quality/style of yours that I refer to is intriguing!<BR>
<BR>
Jimmy Pacheco~ you are right. When you lose interest in a person, you should say good-bye! (unless it's that typical 'why am I with this person?!-*temporary unlike*-I will ADORE them next week!!' syndrome, in which case you wait it out. :-)<BR>
<BR>
Catch ya all on the Board!!<BR>
Teej
<HR>
From: butterfly<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

Re: forgiveness.  Grow up.  If you acted like an adult in the first place there would be nothing to forgive.  It's easy to stray, which is what I assume your talking about, BUT it takes an adult to work at the relationship you have. GROW UP.
<HR>
From: Riggs<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

Wow....<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
guess who's mother didn't hug them enough....
<HR>
From: Galadrial<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

<BR>
<BR>
Thanks TJ...<BR>
<BR>
            Terry sent me the art last night, with a challenege...i don't think I quite did it justice...Mr. Terry has an array of talents beyond writing stuff to make the blender wenches swoon....like so many Blender folk, he underestimates himself...are you listening Kev?<BR>
<BR>
            Recently, some Blenderites got caught up in a on line debate with some "literary" types...poetical priggs with attitudes and egos...but i suspect precious little talent. I am told that these self important poppinjays did their level best to degrade some talented folks. People---<BR>
regs, newbies, all...poetry is the quiet whisper that lives in your soul...the language of a heart racing or leaping...the soft touch of the eyes that transcends a simple "look". <BR>
            NEVER ALLOW ANYONE TO DEFINE POETRY for you...NEVER allow anyone to deny your voice---or accept it if they fail to hear your "voice" poetically. Never stop writing...especially for some arrogant idiot, who probably missed their meds that night. Not everyone will understand you...but never stop trying...<BR>
<BR>
            I am honored to be able to contribute to this page. I don't consider myself hot stuff...and I am floored any time someone thinks something I wrote is anything past literate...write on my dears.....write on......<BR>
<BR>
                                      <BR>
                                    So says Gala
<HR>
From: Crystal<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

Niki........wow your poem  once upon a time it hit home...I felt that way once before actually a few weeks ago and then when I told him I was starting to see someone else....he almost broke down in tears, although he should've done that sooner...it still touched my heart and I only thought I could live with out him.  We still talk everyday and I see him atleast once on the weekends...somehow just when I though I was over him he touched my heart again I realize I am not...I admit it is confusing what you are going through and the pain I would like to say will subside..but after 5 months, it hasn't and we haven't gotten back together...I'm just taking whatever he can give me, and that is not fair, I deserve more, but I keep holding on... I just really wanted to say that the poem was so real to me and I hope you can honestly let go instead of being stuck somewhere in the middle.  
<HR>
From: the guppy<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

okayyyy...so adults never do anything that requires forgiveness?...it's just a kiddie thing?...right...it's a little known fact (evidently) that people occasionally (though they be all growed up) hurt each other...one of the biggest things about reaching adulthood is being able to admit when you're wrong...and actually give a rat's ass about other people's feelings<BR>
<BR>
telling another adult to grow up usually is the same as telling them to act more like yourself...which may or may not be very adult in the real world...regardless, it's a big show of lack of respect...and a big indication of somebody who thinks his or her fecal material is the stuff dreams are made of...and maybe it is...but i, for one, am not really interested in what perfect people have to say...<BR>
<BR>
sorry for the ramble folks...i reserve my right to disagree...and to blab about it from time to time...ha<BR>
<BR>
gup
<HR>
From: [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

You used to teach me the things I wanted to learn<BR>
How it felt to be in love and how it felt to be loved.<BR>
You taught me how to swim and keep my head above water.<BR>
When it came to life I knew I would not drown.<BR>
<BR>
Things became so easy for you.<BR>
If you needed it I was there.<BR>
Somehow things were different my education was complete.<BR>
You had only one last lesson to teach me.<BR>
Life is cruel and unfair.<BR>
<BR>
You left me for someone I trusted.<BR>
You played it out while I carried you on my back.<BR>
I gave you everything you needed all the while<BR>
you were off building a new relationship.<BR>
While I worked you played and while I slept you <BR>
haunted me.  <BR>
<BR>
The hardest part of loving someone is to stop.<BR>
I still fight everyday to give that up.<BR>
You are off somewhere with him and I am here left to wonder.<BR>
All the while leaving my heart hemoraging in my hands.<BR>
It was the only I gave you that you bothered to return.<BR>
<BR>
- To you my love you will never be forgotten
<HR>
From: it dosent matter<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

lol butterfly im 37 and old enough to act the child if i wanna lol
<HR>
From: TJ Holland<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

Regarding Butterfly's comments (read in a gentle soothing tone):<BR>
<BR>
I agree with what she said for the most part. I think people are jumping on the word 'adult'. I am inserting [*in brackets*] my prefered substitution for the word. This way it doesn't sound so condescending perhaps... <BR>
<BR>
"If you acted like [*a caring, responsible person*]in the first place there would be nothing to forgive. It's easy to stray, which is what I assume your talking about, BUT it takes [*a responsible, caring person*] to work at the relationship you have."<BR>
<BR>
I think, with those replacements, she's right (responsible referring to being responsible with other peoples hearts and souls), though perhaps it could have gone without being posted. I admire the gentleman who was here at the Blender looking for the right words to use in his plea for forgiveness. Some people don't have the ability to put all those mixed up feelings into words and make them understandable, so he came here. Bravo. Now Butterfly, it may have hurt him, and disrespected what he was trying to do, when you posted your message to him to tell him to grow up. I hope that he didn't get scared off and not accomplish his goal. Just as I hope you do not get scared off because of the reactions your last post created. This is a place of words and emotions, and at times they are all mixed up, ergo "the BLENDER". Most often this place is a refuge, and I hope we all keep it that way. We should all tread lightly, and drop the big stick. :-)<BR>
<BR>
Deep peace of the gentle Earth,<BR>
<BR>
Teej<BR>

<HR>
From: TJ Holland<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

Nice work Quakeadelic! I like the 4th of July the best. Especially the very last line. <BR>
<BR>
"It was the encouragement I needed to get up and walk towards that path all the while hearing the earth whisper in my ears . . . get up and walk through life . . . . celebrate your independence . . . "      Fantastic!  (and Kirk does prefer prose, doesn't he?)<BR>
<BR>
And I see you figured out how to use the submissions page! :-)<BR>
<BR>
Teej
<HR>
From: Ali<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

TJ~ 'Completely Broken' was truly amazing...it really hit a nerve...and 'Golden' was positively unbelievable...Wow!<BR>
<BR>
Crystal~ 'Awakening' was very powerfull...I liked that one very much.<BR>
<BR>
Love and Snowflakes, Ali
<HR>
From: scqueen<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

Mirabeau ~ "bookends" speaks to me. thank you!
<HR>
From: stacy [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

i lay awake every night thinking of ways to give you a dad.<BR>
someone to help you grow up strong.<BR>
but i cant give you that.<BR>
you have a father even if you dont see him .<BR>
he made that choice not to see you <BR>
but if nothing at all this you need to know you where made out of love.<BR>
the kind of love that will last forever in you with every breath you take .<BR>
i know you are not born yet but this ill tell you i love you and that will never change 
<HR>
From: slug<BR>
Date: 17 December 2000<P>

hey strangers!<BR>
<BR>
It's been a while and i do apologize - life is crazy here in dallas - it actually snowed (Sortof) last week. and on top of that and midterms and my sister coming home...it's been hard to ever take a moment to breathe. but i'm back and i'm reading and oh my goodness...you ALL continue to amaze me.<BR>
<BR>
just a couple that stood out: (it's been entirely too long and i won't take up kirk's space with a list of each poem.)<BR>
guppy, bk, kevin, deevaa, gala, it dosen't matter, and on and on and on...if you weren't mentioned it's nothing personal - it's my own lack of focus. :-)<BR>
<BR>
slug
<HR>