From: distant moon<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Hi everyone, i'm sorry for not like, ever writing to anyone or telling anyone how much I enjoyed their poetry, i've been busy...but I will be silent no more :-) <BR>
First of all, happy valentine's day to everyone who, much like myself, didn't HAVE a valentine, and all the rest of you as well, I GUESS ;-)...<BR>
<BR>
the fact that no one reads my stuff (i know this, cause, well, i went back 800 days on the board and searched for my name, and aside from the astronaut thing, it's rarely on there, but that's a neat feature)....I'm not offended, I write for me, and in hopes that someday I will achieve greatest (i.e. the blender frontpage thing)<BR>
<BR>
Now, on to what i liked:<BR>
<BR>
jack - I liked savage<BR>
<BR>
Tanqueray Cowboy - wow, My Valentine's Day Surprise is wonderful<BR>
<BR>
the guppy - WOW!..."many days have passed in this life / most i have lived / and some i have just related to"  Rehearsed....to hearse again is a great poem...and then not to be outdown by yourself you wrote Rodentia...which, i must say I don't fully understand, but...i like it "you're your own slave"<BR>
<BR>
Ok, and there are more, but I'm tired...it's 1:19am and i've got class in tomorrow afternoon, so...you all have a great day and I'll talk to you again sometime.
<HR>
From: Christopher Lake<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Misti,<BR>
<BR>
Your talent awes me. I'll never write a sonnet that good--and I've spent many years trying. And that was your first! Wow!<BR>
<BR>
(She's the brains in the family, folks...)
<HR>
From: terry<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

jack~ 'savage' was great, the message greater! Keep your unique style, it is much better than contrived imitation ANY DAY....<BR>
<BR>
guppy~ I've learned to consume your writing in great big  gulps, taking time to discover the layers with subsequent reading. As an artist you always make me see things as you do for that instant when a 'light bulb' moment occurs ...<BR>
<BR>
shark~ A belated welcome to the Blender. There are some gems hidden witin your work. It takes courage to reveal  glimpsess of your real self behind such a carefully crafted image. But poetry has a way of doing that doesn't it...<BR>
<BR>
distant moon~ Don't jump to conclusions. There are a lot more people reading your work than you suspect. I have been very remiss with comments lately, but I do read it all...<BR>
<BR>
Ali~ You are certainly entitled to your opinions, and you are saying that you hate conflicts of any kind. I tend to  think there is room for a bit of tension on the board     as long as we are all civil and respect one another. I certainly respect your opinion, ven shark's though I disagree with his facade....keep the light and love flowing. <BR>
<BR>
Angel~ Thank you for making my poem one of your picks...I am  humbled and surprised...and I don't know about the others, but narrowing the picks down to 3 for a whole year  was purt 'near impossible for me! I had over 100 'favorites' saved  to disk....lol. And thank you all again who chose my writing. It is a great honor given the great talent at this site...<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
terry                 
<HR>
From: Galadrial<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Ummmm...wow?<BR>
<BR>
             How do I put this? Thank you. Yup. Good start.<BR>
But I never in a million years...Thanks guys. I'm always a bit stunned when someone likes my work. But this...yikes. And it was incredibly hard to pick. I kept wanting room for something by Calypso, or Shady Girl or Dev....Riggs...Slug...Angel...Megs (HI girl!) It's like the Baskin Robbins of love poetry in here. And I love to taste them all!<BR>
<BR>
                                             Gala
<HR>
From: BK<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Gup: I loved rodentia, very well done. As for the orchid, I have been looking for the article I brought back with it. Alas I put it in a book and there are just too many books here..LOL The orchid I think is a vanda and it's not the orchid but the color that is rare. We shall soon see. <BR>
<BR>
Misti: I love your sonnets, the first is my favorite. <BR>
<BR>
Jack: Wow, savage is wonderful<BR>
<BR>
Distant Moon: Glad to see you back<BR>
<BR>
Hey Rob: Welcome to the blender. Your writing about the stars was very nice. I love everything about stars.<BR>
<BR>
Shark: Try writing something that will make Front Page Pick, make the regulars around here go wow, and earn some respect. Thats fair man. This is not a clique, they let anyone post around here as long as they respect others rights as well.<BR>
<BR>
bk<BR>
<BR>
nk 
<HR>
From: Angel<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Why would you think that, Distant moon, you are rapidly becoming one of my favorites. I just have so little time. I am a housewife, a mother, a webmaster, a not so good part-time poet, a friend, a lover of life, a pet owner, a chauffer, a school marm flunky, an enterprising not so young woman who is having a hard time balancing everything and I feel I am on the edge of a SCREAMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...remember MUNCH...or is that CRUNCH...LOL...Ya know, the 'SCREAM MAN' ...that's me~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~:) But I do try. Also, it is not only the duty of us regulars to be the commentors;)
<HR>
From: Me aka Niki<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Someone said something that did bother me<BR>
Lucy, you said that Shark doesn't have any scars<BR>
And to "kiss a new dog, we have all seen snoopy die"<BR>
What's your problem?<BR>
I don't think you should talk like that<BR>
Losing someone ,yes even a dog, can be painfull<BR>
It hurt me when my dog died because She was my dog since I was a year old, we grew up together, she slept in my room etc, so It was the same as losing a friend<BR>
Maybe you get over it sooner<BR>
but it still hurts<BR>
And Shark said at one point that he lost his highschool sweetheart in a hunting accident<BR>
The only thing you said was "that's life"<BR>
Maybe it is<BR>
But I would rather think what you meant was<BR>
"that's life, Go on don't worry, stop wailing"<BR>
But that's BS<BR>
a lot of the people that write her have a lot of pain<BR>
Because they lost someone let's say in a relationship <BR>
Don't you think it would kill them if they lost their loved one to death FOREVER<BR>
Never hearing their laugh Never seeing those eyes<BR>
Never having their arms to wrap around you<BR>
Never again to be in their presents<BR>
or to hear their voice wisper your name<BR>
NEVER AGAIN Utterly alone you would be left in this world<BR>
If I lost the one i cared for<BR>
I would go insane <BR>
WOuldn't you If you loved someone?<BR>
It seems more that the person that's bitter here is you<BR>
Those were some harsh words..<BR>
And as for shark I think he just has a lot to deal with, a lot of pain And then you take on a strong image as if you don't care<BR>
Myabe you even start caring less about some things<BR>
But most of it is just to make the pain go away<BR>
At least I'm like that, If you talk to me <BR>
I wouldn't be the girliegirl type that you can make cry with anything you say I say fuck the world <BR>
Anyway<BR>
I just needed to say that<BR>
:)<BR>
<BR>
Niki
<HR>
From: Misti<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

BK~<BR>
  thanks! Chris taught me how to write sonnets over chicken fajitas yesterday. I told him I'm going to write nothing but sonnets from here on out. Probably an exaggeration.<BR>
  I'm still trying to formulate a tasty recipe...
<HR>
From: kevin urenda<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

actually, having read some of "the Shark's" work, and considering those words independently of what has been written here on the Board (much of which is quite telling, and even entertaining), it is not all that bad.  Kirk was correct in his assessment of that body of work written along the shark theme, but not all of what the omnivorous one has written fits within that category.  Although I do agree with what Deevaa took umbrage with.  To objectify persons of the opposite sex is to dehumanize them.  And that is quite offensive.
<HR>
From: gardenguru<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

From the beginning, Mr. shark stepped on people. Intentionally and sometimes crudely.  He was rude in many many ways.  Many here tried subtly and not so subtly to get him to stop (or leave).  He didn't hear, didn't care to listen, and seemingly only stoked more fires.  If people's efforts to lend a civil tone to shark's nonsense are considered "one wrong on another", then I'm not sure what civility is all about.<BR>
<BR>
This has nothing to do with shark's personal life and his way of exposing himself.  That was an uneasiness, at worst.  I am positive shark is old enough to wake up each morning and DECIDE that he has a new and better life to live.  He is welcome -- indeed, encouraged -- to seek counseling or work out whatever problems he feels he has on his own.  I certainly wish him well.  I would hope, however, that he would get on with his life when interacting with others.  As many here do.<BR>
<BR>
There are few here whose very intimate lives -- some strictly passionate, some painful, some both -- do not pour from their poetry.  That's what good poetry is.  That's where we are "comfortable" feeling it.  That one has a painful life is NO excuse for public rudeness, boorishness, vulgarities, and disrespect.  And I know of many internet forums where all manner of people pretend to be something or someone else and everyone is happy with it.  This is not the place.<BR>
<BR>
I do suspect that shark is not an innocent.  Superiority complexes aren't healthy.<BR>
<BR>
Kirk: you are welcome to tell me to "shut up and write a poem, danggit!"  I just may do that.
<HR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

To: Dark Angel<BR>
<BR>
I've only recently discovered this site. I find your submissions very well written and insightful. Are there any others archived in past issues? 
<HR>
From: Me aka Niki<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

2 Lisa~ "january" I loved it..<BR>
<BR>
2 Du'Doll~ "An excuse to love"<BR>
Great poem..:)(
<HR>
From: kevin urenda<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

dark angel-<BR>
<BR>
if you open up any of the past Blender Digests from the Blender front page, scrolling down to the bottom of each will get you to a link in the lower right hand side for "Heart-On-Sleeve Corner."  Those are your archives.<BR>
<BR>
Mr. guru-<BR>
<BR>
Point of clarification: in no way does my previous post condone the boorish and manipulative public behavior which you (among others) address yourself to.  In fact, the single "netizen" behavior I detest more than anything is the use of the anonymity allowed on the web to manipulate other people.  I have seen it in IM, ICQ, chat rooms, and message boards such as this one.  Being deep down a gentle soul, I have fallen prey to variants of such behavior on more than one occasion.  On that point, we concur.
<HR>
From: gardenguru<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Thanks kevin.  My name is Joe, I live in Santa Maria with my wonderful and loving wife (scqueen!), and I can send you my bio.  How's that for a start at minimizing anonymity (that word is almost as hard to say as anemone).<BR>
<BR>
Whew, it's good to break free of the intensity I've unfortunately helped perpetuate here!
<HR>
From: janette [email-masked]<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

hey. i love this web site. the poems are so good. i've wrote poems since i was 9. I'm 14 now. and i've won many awards for my poems....poetry is a part of my life i'd miss.
<HR>
From: Janice              &lt;[email-masked]&gt;<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Hi, everyone.<BR>
You don't know me, but my son contributed comments and poems to this site. You knew him as "the shark." He's 38 years old and has been living with his father and I his entire adult life. The doctors tell us Thelonious is extremely bright but he has the emotional development of a twelve year old. We thought getting him an Internet account would help his social skills (that's what his therapist suggested, anyway). That was working fine for awhile. As a matter of fact, for the past several months Thelonious has told us how much he enjoyed reading the poems at "the Blender." With our encouragement and intensive therapy, Thelonious was finally able to submit comments and poems of his own. This was a major breakthrough. Or so we thought.<BR>
<BR>
This morning Thelonious wouldn't come downstairs for breakfast. I thought maybe he'd been up all night on the Internet and was sleeping in. To my shock, when I went inside his bedroom he was nowhere to be found. He had taken a bag and most of his clothes and left a three-ring binder on his bed that was filled with print-outs from this site. Most of the print-outs were poems written by a person who calls himself "the guppy." Thelonious left a note saying that he needed a change of scenery. His father and I are extremely worried because Thelonious cannot fend for himself in the outside world. He has never been on his own for any length of time. <BR>
<BR>
I'm just posting this comment in hopes that someone here may have some clue as to where my son may be. Did something happen here that could have set him off? Please, if anyone has any ideas or feedback I would appreciate your help. Please e-mail me at the above address. Thank you.
<HR>
From: Me aka Niki<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

2 Ali~ "half the blame" was just beautifull<BR>
I loved it...<BR>

<HR>
From: Me aka Niki<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

2 Ali~ "half the blame" was just beautifull<BR>
I loved it...<BR>

<HR>
From: fugu<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

HOKEY-SMOKES!!!!!<BR>
<BR>
Shark's mom writes as well as shark does!<BR>
<BR>
Look out guppy -- he's coming to get ya'<BR>
<BR>
Janice:  I want the name of the therapist who recommended getting your son on-line as therapy.  Wow!<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: Angel<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Squeen~'Aint Got No Firewood Blues', HA! Really cute, squeen:)<BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: terry<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

I for one think you will find Thelonius in the very same location as Janice. The brain of a creative, antisocial personality who loves to create attention  for  him/herself. Doesn't matter if its good or bad as long as it is...<BR>
<BR>
Take off the masks, shark and come play with the grown ups...it can be alot of fun.<BR>
<BR>
t.
<HR>
From: B.K<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

I think the net police need to know the sharks bandwidth myself and maybe thats what needs to be done at this point.
<HR>
From: Just Some Girl<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

To: Kevin<BR>
<BR>
Thank you, all the same, but I have discovered how to access the archives. If you read the message, which was directed to Dark Angel (would that be you in alias??), I was asking if there were other submissions particular to the authorship of Dark Angel.  I was, therefore, trying to avoid going thorugh ALL the archives.  Again, thank you.<BR>

<HR>
From: Ali<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Niki~ Very glad that you liked it! Your kind words always make me smile...<BR>
<BR>
Love and starlight, Ali
<HR>
From: laurel ahlfeld<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Hello all. Thought I'd come back and see how everyone is.<BR>
Happy (Day After) Valentine's Day. Here's wishing you all the love and joy in the wide world of blenders.<BR>
Love always,<BR>
Laurel
<HR>
From: B.K.<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Riggs: Loved your Valentines poem. I agree with you though I think you can handmake valentines and do things simply and still have fun, actually with more meaning. But being alone sucks for sure on Valentines Day.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Gala: Another delicious Ridge Poem! I love them all. Thank you. May we have more please?<BR>
<BR>
bk
<HR>
From: Galadrial<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

<BR>
<BR>
BK doll...it's momma's turn to cook tonight! Out of the kitchen!<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
                                               Gala
<HR>
From: B.K<BR>
Date: 15 February 2001<P>

Darlin Gala: You did't just cook, you burned the house down too...LOL<BR>
<BR>
bk
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