From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=909">leamas</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

I'm sorry but I think the concept of a 'soul mate' is ridiculous, and quite frankly insulting.  Sure some person can learn your quirks, your favorite foods or that your eyes are blue, but the idea that one has a set, soul intertwined person is corny.  Clap your hands if you believe in soul mates.  People let you down.  Nobody really knows you.  Your thoughts, the deep thoughts that you can't explain are trapped in your mind and no one will know them.  You are always alone.  That is the only other truth besides death.  Your view on the moon is unique to you, and nobody can see it the way you do.  The fact is that everybody goes through life alone, and will infact die alone.  So the concept of soul mates is fictitious and for dreamers.
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=4">TJ Holland</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

I think there are people you can feel less alone with. Someone who knows more about you than anyone else. Deeper things. There are people who, when you are with them, make you feel at peace, feel in love, feel alive. I don't like the term 'soul mate'. I think it's hokey, and it's limiting. So, in part, I agree with leamas...as long as we are still in these bodies we will essentially be alone, in the sense that we will never completely connect with another human. We can see that as depressing and futile, or we can look forward to finding and/or enjoying those (or that) person(s) we connect with the most until we become enlightened beings and know the things that are hidden from us now. <BR>
<BR>
-Teej
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=911">Inflatable Sushi</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

TJ - I am SHOCKED that you have not already purchased that awesome bit of Deeva-licious artwork...DAMN!  That is worth minimally a couple hunnerd dollars...plus the fact that a total online e-stranger chose to create it and post it online for you.  Borrow the money, don't pay other bills, turn tricks - whatever.  Just BUY that artwork ASAP!  What an enormous acknowledgement that someone would do that for for!  Disembodied faceless poetics writing poetry for each other is one thing, but doing something THAT sublimely creative deserves a big fat (certified) check!  How often do people paint your portrait, Teej?  (and by now you have certainly "copied" it and send it around Cyberville - now pay that artist!)<BR>
IS
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=9">Madison</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

yeah, what IS said.
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=4">TJ Holland</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

IS ~ I think I'll just laugh at/with you and your comment. I do agree that having an artist render a likeness is, indeed, a wonderful acknowledgement. And Deevaa is certainly talented. Sublimely creative, as you say.<BR>
<BR>
Perhaps I will own it someday. Of course, turning tricks or neglecting my bills isn't something I'd do for anyone or anything. You know that.  :-) Maybe YOU should buy it for me, Sushi.<BR>
<BR>
As far as having copied it and sent it around Cyberville...uh, no. The only on-line 'community' I belong to is this one, and the image is already here so there's no need for me to link it all over the place. But having said that, I SHOULD direct my parents to the Blender so they can take a boo at it; see what they think. Though I've never had a portrait quite like this done, my mother was an artist and she drew and painted us kids all the time. Pencil, charcoal, pastels, watercolors, acrylic you name it. Once I had a photographer ask to do a small photo session with me for his portfolio (no, not nude), that was fun. And my sister is an artist, so while I was pregnant with my first child she took pictures so she could do a series of paintings. She hasn't gotten around to that yet. My son is 10. She's painted HIM though. HA! Much of her artwork graces the walls of our parent's home. And just last night I found a brochure with my face all over it for a University that I was a spokesperson for. So, I guess my image is out there in a few places. But I have to say, I'm honored that Deevaa chose to paint me and post it here.<BR>
<BR>
-Teej <BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=328">Rhetoric</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

BK, Rennie, et al...<BR>
Lets have that pow wow in Nashville.  You just set up a weekend...and I will do my damnedest to be there. <BR>
<BR>
Teej...boot camp?  What? Do tell.<BR>
<BR>
Rhet<BR>
<BR>
 <BR>
<BR>

<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=4">TJ Holland</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

Rhet ~ Basic training. I enlisted in the US Army National Guard. I ship in January to Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri for 5 months (I'm in Washington state right now). I go OSET, so I go into AIT right out of the 9 week basic. I'm 790th Chemical Company. NBC (nuclear biological chemical) operations specialist - 54 Bravo Unit. <BR>
<BR>
Hell, life is too short to waste it sitting down! <BR>
<BR>
-Teej (HUA!) (or Hooah, as some people say, even though they're wrong)
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

This is about the "soulmate" philosophy...And here's another idea of Peter McWilliams...He is an author in the self help category...His idea of the secret to finding the perfect "love" is that the person has been with you since birth...Knows everything about you already...it's yourself...<BR>
i think that some people are fortunate and share their lives with a "soulmate", while others have different experiences.  Also, that not one experience is any "better" than the other's....Everyone has their own walk of life and it's their own unique and special walk of life...I am a Christian and my belief is that you have only one life on earth...<BR>
CryingShame
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

and everlasting life in heaven...
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=4">TJ Holland</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

CryingShame ~ Essentially, I agree with you. And though I don't want a big discussion on religion here, I will say, I believe in Christ and what he did. And we do only have one life here on Earth, but we existed before we got here and will exist when we leave as well. <BR>
<BR>
If you are interested in carrying on this thread, let me know and I'll e-mail you.<BR>
<BR>
-Teej
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

Blenderites,<BR>
Found this on the net this afternoon...<BR>
<BR>
<a href="http://channels.netscape.com/ns/love/content.jsp?file=love/fun/soulmates.jsp">http://channels.netscape.com/ns/love/content.jsp?file=love/fun/soulmates.jsp</a><BR>
<BR>
Teej,  sure email me...i have strong beliefs, but open minded...<BR>
<BR>
CryingShame
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=5">jackryhme</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

umm teej ?  about doing that nude.... i do finger paints k?  i work cheap and all i need is your flesh for my canvas....  please? k?<BR>
<BR>
jack
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=900">RennieLorca</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

leamas~~ Rennie "Soulmate" Lorca here: <a href="http://www.loveblender.com/blend/av.cgi?id=900">http://www.loveblender.com/blend/av.cgi?id=900</a> and my account entries must truly irk you. Sorry. I am happy, alive, and actually glad to have that "soulmate" tag given to me by others. They tag me with other names on days I'm driving them hard ;-). I am alive thanks to the first real close "soulmate" in my life being determined to keep me alive (multiple times). I remember him as a very, very real person who loved me intensely, showed it and wrote it. Things he did then are still beneficial for me. I am also still alive because another has taken his place in caring for me above and beyond the call of just being great friends. He actually honors my deceased husband, is glad for the woman I have become from time with my husband, imagine that. But I have learned the skill of sharing even better this time. Understand, I don't have to vow loving anyone more or less, and can be secure in just being myself. On viewing things, leamas (okay, I'm both left and right brained): Among other talents, I am also an artist. Have done very well in that in my life. I am very aware that no two sets of eyes see anything at all the same. Even your own set of eyes does not view identically but combines for an overall view. Life is full of choices: Lounge in misery alone, or open your heart and mind to the fact that there are those in life you could share and enjoy life with ... misery loves company, but not for too damned long at a time. Someone will love you warts and all ... will even love you enough to preserve your memory, or you their memory. Psychology 101: You are searching for answers or you wouldn't be at Blender. You are either young and inexperienced in life; or old and self-drenched in self-exile. I took care of someone with your attitude for many years, who would be 99 this year, so I know the futility of argument with you already. But I understand your pain as you question the very thing you would love to grasp as you say, "Hi, my name is _____". I also know the world is filled with willing lovers, some who can be closer than you can ever imagine at this point. I've already literally died a couple of times in real life in medical treatments, and been revived. Try again to tell yourself I am only a surface dweller in feelings. Real love makes me want to stay around longer, nothing else has accounted for me still living with what I have gone through. There's more to life than being bothered by a term, condition, love you ain't privy to, leamas. So, IF the term "soulmate" bothers you -- hell, the terms "1040" "cancer" "marriage" "cold front" irks me part of the year, then find another name for this idea of two folks really being happy and close. Target fixation kills the parachuter. Leamas, I often write in character about characters. Personally, I have had my afternoons with squirrels since I have a farm. Two are tearing up my best bird feeder as I type now. Today, the mention of "squirrel" irks me, but I went back and read your squirrely piece for another laugh and insight in you once again. Take care, leamas. Life is lived one day at a time. Hopefully, you might live enough years to share some of these days with someone you want to find a loving term ("my snookums" instead of "soulmate" ?) to use to refer to them for all they do for you. From one former skeptic to another ..... Rennie
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

Jon,<BR>
I am one of your fans...<a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2002.09.27.13.09.13930">forward</a> was interesting....it reminded me of an old popular song...<BR>
"50 ways to leave your lover"...<BR>
CryingShame
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=4">TJ Holland</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

jack ~ i'd love to let you paint me...just let me go ask my man, he's 6'3", 240 and in the infantry... LOL! And if it's a go, then I want chocolate and vanilla paint. <BR>
<BR>
leamas ~ I've been having the feeling the last couple of days that the Blender is a good place for you. I believe it even more today. I wrote once, "...you'll find a refiner's fire to melt you down, draw out the impurities, and reshape you somehow." I still feel that. <BR>
<BR>
Rennie ~ The term "surface dweller". I've said that for years and always thought I had just made it up. Where did you hear it first?<BR>

<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=900">RennieLorca</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

Teej~~ 'bout a hundred years ago me and the hired hand were out by the barn discussing the fine 'shine down at the creek and muttering about the scum on the top of the pond ... dunno ... maybe biology class an eon ago in junior high ... lemme plead the fifth or senile dementia on that one :-). oooooraaahhhhh!!! and semper fi, may all your DI's be wise ..... Rennie
<HR>
From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=5">jackryhme</a><BR>
Date: 27 September 2002<P>

ah my lady Teej infintry huh? lol hard fast and then complete !!!..... zzzzzzz. lol  ah but sailors heh we like to languish in ports as long as we can lol<BR>
<BR>
jack
<HR>