From: Chris Lake<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Good idea, Gala. I vote for everything by Misti. Oh yeah, zOe is amazing as well. I also miss Michael's long stream-of-consciousness rants. They made last summer interesting for me. Well, it was interesting enough as it was. Anyway... I'm down here among the palmettos and alligators, exiled for the time being from Austin (land of half-a-million-and-one yuppies). This part of Texas kinda smells like oil, but what the hell... As they say in Leo's convenience store, 'Ah tell you whut...that there is the smell ah money, son.' So it goes. It probably is... (Not that I ever see any...) One more thing! Want to find your old high school flames? Check out alumni.com. I guarantee it will get you into lotsa trouble (like it did me). Other things I was wondering about... Where is Alexander Newfield? I hope he didn't hurt himself or anything... Well, I'm gonna go now, 'cause my miss Misti is startin' to make rather crude scatological references. OK...the real reason is that I want to play 'Who Wants To Be a Millionaire'. And it's true. I really do want to be a millionare. Michael! Where are you, boy?!?!?!?
<HR>
From: Misti & Chris<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Michael~<BR>
  We love your latest! Keep writin'! Hope you get well soon.<BR>
:)))))
<HR>
From: Michael (dizzy)<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Chris and Misti ~ I'm here. Still at work. Coincidentally, every time I fall in love with a girl I get sick. I'll put my favorite picks for last year up, but to do that I'll have to go home and compare dates. I already save all my favorites to disk. Choosing one by each author is the hard part.  
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From: Toklas<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Congrats to all the Front pagers!  Gala , really enjoyed the Ramble. thank you !
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From: scqueen<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Michael ~ stay on the flu medication! it's working wonders :-)
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From: B.K.<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Michael: I came home yesterday so dizzy I could barely hold my head up. God, not the flu I hope..yuck  But I love the poem. Hope you feel better soon.<BR>
<BR>
Terry: Oh Darlin, beautiful poems. How I have missed your touch here. Hope you are feeling better too.<BR>
<BR>
bk
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From: Megs<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

B.K.- Thanks for noticing I am (sorta) back.  David is sometimes better.  Just had big time surgery that hopefully put some stuff back where it belongs.  Its still a long road back...<BR>
<BR>
So glad to see Misti and Chris back.  Kev submitting a couple (tho doubtful he is speaking to me since I still have an email in my inbox I haven't replied to...*shamed*)  Gala and BK in the kitchen still keeping us hungry...for...somethin'  *grins*<BR>
<BR>
Ahhhhhh...I wish I could write!!!<BR>
Also has Blender Keeper smile upon our Valentines re-submissions?  Its going to take me all the rest of the days to pick just 3?  Just 3?  Hard...but a good task.<BR>
<BR>
Off to start digging...
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From: Anonymous, [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

To: Ali- Blessed are those who respond, and bless you, especially, for your positive response!!!  So there's life in me yet!  It may take a little while because I've got a coat or two more of polish to put on (as always), and my time is not mine, but ASAP: "I will send this out, as my Feeling demands/ I will trust that Look, I must take the chance!"  To unleash "Unrequitable" in it's entirety will be a long awaited cold-burning plunge for me... can I count on you for the good, bad or ugly comeback as indicated? 
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From: [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

i liked the poem at first sight the best because it reminded me of the one i love to so if you want email me back just to chat~*sarah*~
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From: terry<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Guppy~ 'seizure by section'...I loved the wordplay and double meanings..."style me with your strict measure"...A great line! And the ending of 'thoughts upon hearing' was marvelous...<BR>
"some kind handshakes have a claim to stake<BR>
and some<BR>
go shush into the night"<BR>
Great work!<BR>
<BR>
O.U. Tofit~ I'm not gonna pick just one, but I really like your style. It is hauntingly familiar...lol.<BR>
<BR>
Bk~ All the bumps were wonderful, but 'War of More' was WOW!<BR>
<BR>
Devin~ 'Seductress'...Double Wow!<BR>
<BR>
Misti! 'Ballet'...<BR>
"it's an awful ballet<BR>
a beautiful blasphemy<BR>
the mirror shatters and you make it all new<BR>
in the image of you<BR>
I see the long forgotten me<BR>
in your bewildered innocence"<BR>
Another wonderfully deep, self revealing work I've learned to expect from you...I hope all is well with you...<BR>
<BR>
Madison~ 'watered-silk'...beautiful writing...Bravo!<BR>
<BR>
Kev~ All are your usual mastery of the art of words...but 'Wishing'...<BR>
"to kiss you as if I could <BR>
taste all your love in <BR>
a single moment" <BR>
Wow, what a great image and thought!<BR>
<BR>
Gala~ 'Comfort Foods' was plain yummy, and Coffee in the Kitchen' was magnificent!<BR>
<BR>
Michael~ Get well soon, but keep the great poetry.....lol. Good work...<BR>
<BR>
terry<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>

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From: Elaina<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

I'm writing to redeam myself on my poem 'CARELESS' I seemed to forget my 'E' in lEss. Sorry I'll fix it and re-sumbit.<BR>
<BR>
xoxo<BR>
elaina
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From: O.U. Tofit<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

*stomps in from the cold*  durn durn durn lol kinda liked that nic.. out of it.. lol ...well found out again but hey i try ....congrats on all the front page pics ,all very well done lol deevaa two!! taiwan was beautifull but far too much food and the reason for my topic as well..seems the chinese have a belief in vampires being ghosts of lovers draining the young in the night ,so i have tried to capture that some what . AND TOKLAS im going ta get an opinion from u yet!! <BR>
and as for you lady Gala, 3 poems of favorites ?? durn teachers, you mean i have to read back over the 3000 poems or so that have been posted since i first got here?lol k i'll try but..... lol jus remember i was the first person you bumped lol <BR>
 B.K... ah i missed u as well, you are puting out some fine poetry <BR>
slug..... i miss your work!!<BR>
terry... great work of late hope ur doing well<BR>
dark angel you do some fine work yourself though u do seem familiar??<BR>
and far too many great works done in my absence to even begin to count jus gives me more reason to love this place !!<BR>
well must begin to read so till next we meet....<BR>
..........................*it dosent matter*(jackryhme) aka simply <BR>
...................................................jack
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From: Misti<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Megs~<BR>
  Just read the e-mail you sent. I was thrilled to hear from you. I'll send an e-mail and a snail mail with pictures later, just wanted to let you know that I'm thinking of you and am so proud to know you! You are truly amazing, chica.<BR>
Terry~<BR>
  Thank you for the compliments on *Ballet*...that poem means a lot to me. I cried while writing it and my mom cried when she read it. I've been reading all those adoption stories in one of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books lately and they give me a lot of hope. Chris has been amazing. He helped my mom pick out an outfit to send Julie Kate (the daughter I placed for adoption) for her fourth birthday and he bought *Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs* for me to send to her. When I meet Julie Kate someday he'll meet her, too.<BR>
  Married life is hard, anyway, I guess...two people coming together and learning how to compromise and sacrifice...but it's even harder when your spouse is struggling with depression and assorted demons. Chris has seen me through a lot of hard times these past eleven months. A lesser man would have left me a long time ago. So I'm looking into getting the help I need to be a better wife and friend to a man who has been the best friend and best example of unconditional love I've ever known.<BR>
  Writing helps immensely. I'll always write.
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From: deevaa<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

*grin* seeeeee........ I KNEW it.<BR>
<BR>
You can never hide from me Jack!
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From: kevin urenda<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Dee--<BR>
you are nothing if not VIVID (in large letters).<BR>
I got something more from the enhanced definition in your painting.  The detailing seems to have sharpened the subject and the mood.<BR>
<BR>
also, mea gran culpa...  sorry for the double submit...<BR>
temporary dain bramage...  ;-)
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From: kevin urenda<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Gala-<BR>
<BR>
I was struck by the poignancy of "You Said."<BR>
the repetition of those words seemed childlike, or at least plaintive, in tone.  This, balanced with the knowledge of an attentive woman, which almost seemed understated, made the poem as a whole (which was really wrapped around a single metaphor) work.  Nice.
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From: Jenna Holland ([email-masked])<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

O.U. Tofit- Taken as a compliment, "The one I knew," well written<BR>
<BR>
Congrats to all the front pagers.  Better late then never, I dont seem to be able to make it on time lately. :o)<BR>
<BR>
-Jenna-
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From: [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Deevaa~ I don't think I've ever told you how much I love your work...well, you never cease to take my breath away...your poetry is wonderfull, and your painting are divine...=)<BR>
<BR>
Michael~ Feel better!!!! <BR>
<BR>
Elaina~ I loved 'So Broken'...great job!!!!<BR>
<BR>
Anonymous~ Glad to hear that you'll post!!!  And you can always count on me for a "good, bad or ugly comeback", as you put it...I'm looking foward to reading your poetry...<BR>
                              Love and dreams, Ali<BR>
                       <BR>

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From: KANDI<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

i just read tig2 letter called finding myself alone it was so sad the way he never found what he was lookin 4 u should check it out<BR>
hey kandi.com
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From: Me aka Niki<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

2 Deevaa~ I just loved your last 2 poems<BR>
With the paintings..Wow<BR>
<BR>
2 Elaina~"Just look away"<BR>
You must be going thru a hard time right now<BR>
But I loved that one<BR>
Good work
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From: Me aka Niki<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

<BR>
2 Gala~ "You Said"<BR>
Oh my, WOWW<BR>
That was beautifull..loved it
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From: Ali<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Niki~ 'Last Night' was beautiful...I cried when I read it...((((HUG))), since I can't really hug you, that'll have to do...feel better! If you want to talk...vent...whatever, email me, ok? I'm here for you, K? [email-masked]<BR>
Love and happy thoughts, Ali
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From: Elaina<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Ali~ Wow the new ones are great, I have so many thoughts in my head hopefully some good writing wil come from them.<BR>
<BR>
ma aka niki~ it seems that you are a lot like me, have a hard time letting go even after so long even other relationships you still can't let go...I feel for ya.<BR>
<BR>
xoxo<BR>
elaina
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From: Misti<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

scqueen~<BR>
  wow, what a surprise! thanks so much for the poem. heck, we forgot our own anniversary! didn't realize we'd forgotten 'til we got a card from Chris's mom! there's been a lot of chaos in our life here lately. we're moving into our new apartment on Friday...in a new town. again, thanks! I really appreciate your thoughtfulness.<BR>

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From: terry.....<BR>
Date: 7 February 2001<P>

Ali~ 'In the Middle'...we've all lived in that place at one time or another...hang in there....and keep writing!<BR>
<BR>
Dee~...I really like father Time......image and words. More great work!<BR>
<BR>
t.
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