From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=900">RennieLorca</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Kase~ Congratulations for selling your work. Seems that you are doing well already on your own. Thanks for the vote of confidence in me by asking for my opinion. Let me add you to my address book since you've posted your addy. I'll write you if you like, but I'll be available less and less as I travel. Your Lovers At Play has a great concept of passion, metaphors using heat and water, then floating together. Usually, I value honesty in work on passion. Simply saying what you really feel, if it is about yourself, will usually grab someone. I have a huge list of works in my repertoire, Kase, but only a few really work for me in reality. The rest are exercises in writing. Poetry often puts everyone on equal footing as oral tradition. Putting it to paper is a bit harder. Getting a personal relationship with a dictionary and other reference books are a great help on that. I appreciate anyone helping someone with their poetry, but letting them rewrite it for you becomes more their work than your own in my estimation, so this is why I really enjoy seeing writers learn by example here at Blender. Many of the really great poets learned their craft in supportive communities, but their works reflect their own personal talents and not a collective effort. I've rewritten poems many times (tweaked) over the years. A poem belongs to you (use your alt key and G key for the © with date and your name to lay claim to it) ... so you can rewrite something that belongs to you any time during the rest of your life. Don't be afraid to do that. I often leave out punctuation and use line breaks for works I am often guilty of rewriting since line breaks and punctuation are redundant in performance poetry. Reading your work aloud is a real good way to get a good handle on it. See how the words trip off your tongue, then work to put it on a page the way you feel you want to say it or want to help another person read it as you wrote it. Some poems will read differently no matter who reads them, just like people view art differently. No two people see or mentally visual EXACTLY the same. You may want to let someone come to your poem, but take away what they wish to see or feel in it. In some poems, you may want to be sure they definitely know the picture you are verbally painting. Blender is a great community in which to write. Just don't be afraid to do it. Take care of yourself. Know that you will be okay soon. That belief will take you the distance. Hugs to your child ..... Rennie
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Kase,<BR>
Sorry to hear about your ordeal...I will keep you & your brother in my thoughts and prayers...My daughter is 19 and works as a personal care tech at a local kidney dialysis center...this has inspired her to become a RN...<BR>
<BR>
I am from the deep south! Louisiana! Take care...<BR>
Cryingshame (Pam)
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1120">Chances</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Pam - Nope, can't help - first time I've heard it. Found it very relevant to me right now. Thanks, liked it.
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1176">aparajita</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

kase... i will also keep you in my prayers and thoughts, as well as your brother.  i am in arkansas and ya'll comes as natural as 'jeet yet'?  all yanks can just figger thatun out on yer own!!  thanks for all you have submitted, i have so enjoyed your works.<BR>
<BR>
dylan... welcome to the blender, i look forward to much more from you.<BR>
<BR>
lady...  call me!!!<BR>
<BR>

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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1176">aparajita</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

paintgirl... welcome to you as well.  i liked your 1st sub, and hope you feel you can do more here.<BR>
<BR>
coujeaux...  where have you been?  i have missed you!  do you dance by any chance?  i still think you are so awesome with words!<BR>
<BR>
newfoundlove...  your subs are never stupid if they come from your heart.  wear makeup for you and only you, there is comfort in looking your best for the one that matters most...  YOU!
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Chaos...<BR>
Welcome to the blender...In my cases, some questions never are answered when there is no closure...<BR>
CryingShame58 (Pam)
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Coujeaux...<BR>
And where is Mr. Wonderful?<BR>
Love all your latest submissions...happy easter...<BR>
CryingShame58 (pam)
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1120">Chances</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Chaos is just a part of me, another name I want to use. Sorry for any confusion (I thought it might have been fairly obvious, but no worries).
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">Cryingshame58</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Chaos/Chances...<BR>
I did notice that it all looked familiar...but sometimes i do see writers that are similar...Keep up the good work...<BR>
I read all your work and like it very much...I am in awe when writers can write as much as you submit...<BR>
CryingShame(PAM)
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1174">Dana</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Dylan: <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.04.17.08.21.20239">Your Just Perfect</a> was beautiful
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1174">Dana</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

CryingShame58: I really enjoyed <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.04.17.01.19.24043">Come Dance With Me</a>. Well done.
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">CryingShame58</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Dana,<BR>
Hey....i don't know where you live, but if you were close by...you could come meet me and my friends tonight...fuddyduddy hubby doesn't want to come dance with me...it means more to me than you know that you liked my poem...i have been reading your submissions and i hope that<BR>
your world becomes brighter soon...<BR>
Pam 
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1174">Dana</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

CryingShame58: I live in Washington, IN. I don't know where you live but thanks for the offer. I've lived here for a year and until I moved here, I lived in New Jersey my whole life and everything and everyone I know lives in Jersey so I'm pretty miserable here. I just can't adjust. It's so different. The only people I know here are my husband's mom and sister. It's just not the same. I come from a very closeknit Italian family. I miss them dearly. The only thing that helps are my boys. 
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=872">cryingshame58</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Dana,<BR>
My email address is [email-masked]...Please email me so I can get to know you better...I have always heard that when you move hundreds of miles away from your family that it takes about two years to adjust...When I was in my late twenties, my hubby and children moved just a couple of hundred miles away from my home town...It was very difficult for me...can't imagine how much worse it would have been to be even further...my children have always brought me joy, too...Hope this spring will bring you regeneration for this part of your life...<BR>
Pam
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=961">coujeaux</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

CryingShame&gt;  I have a feeling Mr. Wonderful got left in the dust this time, ma'am.   :)   <BR>
<BR>
aparajita&gt;  I am a dancer, yes, ma'am.   Prefer the slower, swaying to-and-fro variety, but I've been known to boogie down to the best of my caucasian ability when the mood is right.    And thanks for all the kind commentary-I took some time away from posting here of late, but maintained my writing pace, for the most part.   Can't put what I love so down for a moment, really.<BR>
<BR>
Blessings, everyone.<BR>
<BR>

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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1131">Indefensible Sushi</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

You're back!!! Check out the Front Page, dude...some good picks there.<BR>
<BR>
Cheers everyone!<BR>
<BR>
;)
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=927">carol</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

wiltedrose- i liked ur work.. and i dont think ur crazy.. i have simular "problems" so dont sweat it.. and i think every one should like ur work it was pretty good!!<BR>
<BR>
aparajita- thanks.. however i dont think a "friend" of mine would agree with all that.. he thinks make up is like the devil.. i'm saprised he dident yell at me for wearing it.. and i only wear it when i cant stand to think that ppl will look at me.. so i hide behind the makeup.. i guess its like a mask.. a cover up..<BR>
<BR>
(sorry if anything is not spelled right!!)
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=962">Lulu</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

wiltedrose- I really liked you work..I dont think your crazy..Thanks for posting and Welcome to the blender.<BR>
~*Lulu*~
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1120">Chances</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Gala - What happened to an Easter challenge? Maybe there is something in the month of May... a springtime challenge?(no, it isn't here, but we'll live - our winter sounds like your spring!)
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=1120">Chances</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

Lulu - I'm really happy to read your latest. I have worried and hoped for you. A close friend of mine was once a cutter - so I know something of what you're saying.<BR>
<BR>
Dana - I will always love the honesty of your poetry and the way you let it out. <BR>
<BR>
Ali - <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.04.17.04.35.8416">With All the World</a> - You are incredible.<BR>
<BR>
coujeaux - Great to see your poems up there again.<BR>
<BR>
bloomingrose - I have enjoyed all your submissions, every one gives me food for thought.<BR>
<BR>
newfoundlove - <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.04.14.13.56.31585">painting</a> - I loved this. Thanks for putting the link with it also. Your Makeup reminded me that I intended to write on this (can't recall right now who submitted War Paint). Part of being a woman!<BR>
<BR>
jim - You are a laugh a minute...<BR>
<BR>
HiPPiEcHiC - <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.04.16.15.33.28840">Have You Ever Been In Love?</a> - I enjoyed this. Especially 'love takes hostages'. So true.<BR>
<BR>
ladyinwaiting - <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.04.13.09.13.19959">That dream again</a> and<a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.04.16.10.17.7542">Refracted Light</a> - Very nice. <BR>
<BR>
Jon - <a href="/blend/wv.cgi?id=2003.04.15.09.15.12383">Marlbro</a> - I liked.<BR>
<BR>
Welcome Dylan, paintgirl and wiltedrose, Candid and mitzi - I hope you get at least as much out of being a part of the Blender as I do.  : )
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From: <a href="/blend/av.cgi?id=4">tj holland</a><BR>
Date: 17 April 2003<P>

This is a thought which I've often had....now just formed into a concise, poetic statement. "Everytime the wind blows, everything you don't know turns into a revelation."<BR>
<BR>
wow. how true.
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