From: terry<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

Nadia~ In answer to your question about how your writing has been received by family and friends, I have found your observation to be very true. When I shared some of my writing with my family, I received the obligatory  "How  nice" comments. But there was also a puzzled silence behind the comment that was intriguing to see in a way.  You know there is an old proverb that says in effect: 'a prophet is always reviled in his own province.'  There is a psychological dynamic to this that is almost the same as the old saying that love is blind. Usually those who love us the most are our family members whom we grew up with, and they sometimes are very blind to our talents and gifts. To them, we are nothing special because they are used to seeing us mainly in the sterotyped role of a brother or sister or son or daughter, and any talents we display are seen as just a normal part of 'who' we are to them. It's not that they don't appreciate the writing or art or music or whatever, It's more like they simply cannot see us as being more than our 'main' role of sibling or friend, sort of incorporating any talent into that main role. Poetry is especially true of that tendency because it reveals the inner side of the writer. Expressing emotions usually kept private; revealed in very limited ways under very limited circumstances. And add to the equation a theme of sexual desire and romance, and the problem is exponentially multiplied. Very few brothers have the courage to tell their sisters that they look sexy. Ditto to a son saying that to their mom. Stereotypical roles simply do not usually allow that kind of open-minded flexibility to the psycho-social interactions maintained in close familial relationships.  I know for a fact that my mother is very proud of my writing and drawing. But I also know she does not really know how to comprehend most of what she has seen on my web site. She simply cannot process what she is reading and seeing in the context of me as her son. Much the same way she was beaming with pride when I had my first research paper accepted by the Virginia Association of Psychologists, yet she could not even understand the title of that particular missive. And in my heart, I accept this as it is, trying not to read bad things into the silence.  Besides, when you can write something that touches or moves a  stranger in some way, the comments seem to mean more. You know that person did not have to say anything about your work. Yet they chose too. That is very rewarding.<BR>
<BR>
terry
<HR>
From: Echolocation<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

Dreamsome -- "Contradictoria" is terrific -- the bounciness of the rhythm seems to echo the bouncing back and forth of emotions.  It's got an almost Dr Seussian swing to it!  And of course, technical merit aside, the contents is damn good too.  I know I can identify with it!<BR>
<BR>
scqueen -- glad to see another cummings fan -- what he does with words and language is like no one else<BR>
<BR>
guppy -- "succinct" certainly is.  You pack the most oomph into the smallest amount of words of anyone I know.<BR>
<BR>
Those of you who mentioned my postings: thanks!  As we all know, it means a lot to have thoughtful commentary on the bits of our hearts that we put on display here.
<HR>
From: Hank C.<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

Gala, I am very honored that you asked about me. I am doing well, though very busy right now. And I need to borrow someone's muse it seems. My own has vanished of late,  but I will not give up. I write every day, and will post the first thing that is not just emotional spittle on my part. Pardon the crude analogy my elven queen. But it somehow feels appropriate. 'House of Yondering Hearts' is exceptional, and your french is improving dear lady.<BR>
<BR>
A tip of the hat to you,<BR>
*Hank*<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: laurel ahlfeld<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

~*~Ali~*~ thank you so much for your kind words. I have enjoyed many of your own works (my fav is I Won't Be), and such a compliment from you is greatly appreciated. It really made my day!<BR>
love always,<BR>
laurel
<HR>
From: me   aka Niki     [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

<BR>
to Nadia~ Well I mostly write about my own experiences<BR>
And I don't show my family what I write<BR>
They don't even know I do, i think<BR>
But my very best friends and close friends<BR>
I do show them my poetry<BR>
because I feel I can trust them with my secrets and feelings<BR>
Just like you don't talk about problems with your partner with everybody you don't show your writings to everybody<BR>
Because they are the same<BR>
your problems in a story, in a poem<BR>
Most of my (girl)friends Know that I write<BR>
Because I even write in the classroom when it's boring=)<BR>
and they always tell me that this is the way I deal iwth my problems and pain<BR>
And with most of them I am close and I talk with them about my feelings and problems and they help me thru it like a real friend should, so I do show my poems sometimes<BR>
But then again, those are all girls<BR>
gotta go no<BR>
byebye<BR>
niki
<HR>
From: Galadrial<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

<BR>
<BR>
Dear Unit,<BR>
<BR>
             Please excuse the male dolts on the blender...despite the fact that they are normally astute, they clearly missed the point that if in fact you keep dear Dee, she will be about 10,000 miles closer to us than normal...<BR>
<BR>
            So we are open to negotiations...right guys?<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
                                          Love,<BR>
<BR>
                                          Gala
<HR>
From: Nadia ([email-masked])<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

Gala, Terry and Niki - thanks for your encouraging comments.  I'm very relieved to hear this is fairly normal and that my friends and family aren't just lame!  I guess from now on I'll be mainly relying on 'the kindness of strangers', at least as far as my writing is concerned!<BR>
<BR>
Nadia
<HR>
From: Jillian Ballard [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

Don't shut love out of your life by saying impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly and the best way to keep love is to ~GIVE IT WINGS~!!
<HR>
From: janemarie mariababe.com<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

hi lads looking for love come here we wuill make a go fom hull age 16 female hory 
<HR>
From: Gala<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

Jane Marie....<BR>
<BR>
              In all communication, even the sort you seem to wish to convey, spelling helps...was the word you sought to express "horny"? for any chance?<BR>
<BR>
               And girl---there's lots of chat rooms for that sort of thing....<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
                                          Gala 
<HR>
From: terry (blushing deep red)<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

Ummm, please forgive my last submission. Had it not been 3 in the morning I never would have pushed the send button, as it should have been deleted instead. The Blender is a place of love, not violence of any sort (even just vented emotions  through words), so forgive me. It will not happen again. I apologize to everyone for that post. Especially the person who provoked that response.<BR>
<BR>
terry
<HR>
From: deevaa<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

(giggling) ohhhh man, I can't even start with explaining what 'hory' means in New Zealand!!!!<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: deevaa ([email-masked])<BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

(yeah yeah, me again)<BR>
<BR>
can anyone name for me (and maybe post the lryics) for the song that Unit305 has quoted in his poem 'the longest drive' for reasons that to most are pretty obvious, I'd really like a copy of them.... (ahhhh, bittersweet love, isn't it the greatest!)<BR>
<BR>
Take care of your hearts.<BR>
<BR>
dee
<HR>
From: terry  <BR>
Date: 21 December 2000<P>

Dee~  I found your song and just posted it. It is a very well done vocal  performance  too, to be a country song.....lol.....enjoy!<BR>
<BR>
terry
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