siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh

Did I see the dress as a threat to my legacy, an insult to generations of men who fought wars and presided over propane grills? No, I honestly don't believe that a 4-year-old's Halloween costume has the power to cement his sexual identity for life. I was not threatened by fears of a same-sex, vegan wedding ceremony or a rejection of power tools and the Super Bowl. A far more immediate evil loomed in my magic mirror: children who mock other children.

I stumbled across this very interesting CBC podcast (MP3) this morning. Maybe some others might be interested too.

Please, please, please!!!!

to come down on Prop8, I thought some of you might like a look at The Big Picture.

Surfing late last night I came across this discussion,

CORNED BEEF & CABBAGE

3-5 lbs brisket (since it takes 4 to 7 days to brine it, I'm assuming you bought a pre-brined (corned) one. That probably means it has sodium nitrate. That makes it prettier (more red), but a bit bitter, but still alright (imho))

This from New South Wales, a third option: none of the above. Next: all of the above!

I mean there's no way Townshend can do the windmill thing more than five times, right? It's only about a six minute set.

For those who have been following the November story challenge, I would like to remind everyone of the story "That's Enough", by Jan S., written in 2007.

I think this story fits the story challenge criteria beautifully. It's not a long story, and well worth reading.

Another thank you, Jan for creating it.

Hugs
Carla Ann

Trapped by the police; chased by a raging maniac (or something); trekking through deep, eerie woods on a moon lit night, Jordan continues to investigate...

First, just let me say, I don't do poetry (I mean I don't write it, I do read it in a pinch, but just prose takes a lot out of me), so this might not be a poem at all. Either that or something else is going on. I hope it's worth the time, it is short.

Hells I was totally stuck, no phone, no ride, no one to help with the disguise, no friends. But enough was enough,...

Recently someone told me of a woman who is the world's leading expert on color.

Back among friends at last and temporarily safe from pursuit, Jordan looks for new avenues of investigation, new ways to solve . . .

With one ally down, Jordan must continue the search for clues alone.
Is Jordan getting closer to the MacGuffin, or is trouble closing in on Jordan?

Jordan is pulled deeper and deeper into the mystery of the MacGuffin's disappearance as more and more suspension is cast on him and his friends. Then, just when it seems he has a new lead, disaster strikes.

At the end of a late summer's day, Jordan just wanted something, anything to happen, but one thing was as tedious as the next until a discovery was made that changed everything and opened ...

I was just going to post this as a comment on the story, but I got worried that many of the very, very important people it was intended for would miss it, so I decided to put it over here too and increase the chances it would reach most of them.

I got this letter last night and am just passing it along to everyone.

>>Monday, August 25th (night)

"...how can Sky not live happily ever after?"

" 'To make a prairie it takes a clover and one bee,--
One clover, and a bee,
And revery.
The revery alone will do
If bees are few.' "

" 'You don't understand, Sky. At anime conventions and cosplay things people were famous for being Tranies and signed autographs, and you're so cute, you should want peeps to know.' "

"...I do so many weird things, that if I didn't do something weird, that would be weird, but this wasn't about the weird things that I do a lot, but is weird in a whole new weird way of being weird,..."

"... Why do they all want to make me a girl? ... Why do you? Why do they hate me? What was so bad about Jude?

"And it seems like everybody likes me lots better when I'm a girl, huh? Even Daddy. And do you too, Marsha?"

"...when she saw my room she said it was never to late to have a girlhood, or at least the mementos...."

"...maybe you think I'm totally weird but, Mars; they feel good, and they are, and I've never gotten to before, ... they are just real important. I mean there are so many things to wear now...."

"So, what do you think about Kaezee?
"A: Wonderful, B: Fantastic, C: Awesome, D: Amazing, E: All the above"

"... and he said for me to stay away from him?!?!? And he walked to his car and yelled more names too.... He needs a vocab class, really."

"So did you just walk in there and say, 'How do you do this?' You couldn't 'av!!"

"My life isn't so much back to normal after all, because even though everybody knows, and everybody knows everybody knows, I still wound up doing something totally weird this morning."

"And if I was a girl, I would think it was real cute and nice, and really, really want to wear it, probably, you know, but I'm not though."

"...and mostly we ignored the movie, and Lisa whispered jokes about Zack, and I denied them, and she told me about two boys that she likes: a cute one and a nice one, and I said go for nice -- unless he's totally gross. (Right answer for a girl?)"

"...Marsh, I mean, I know lots of boys do babysit, but they don't brag about it. They would wear shirts that say "World's Best Lawn Mower," or something. Right?"

PROLOGUE: Last spring these letters began showing up in my email. I thought the address had been typed wrong and sent a reply warning the writer, but it bounced back as undeliverable. I know that seems impossible, but the letters are here, and I think the web holds many weird gremlins.

Last night I decided that, perhaps, the universe brought them to me to show to others and, if you can get over your qualms about eavesdropping on strangers, some of you might find them interesting too.

I woke up Monday morning this week and it was Tuesday afternoon.

OK, well actually there are a lot, a lot, a lot of things I don't understand, see at least two-thirds of the blogs posted in the last -- well forever, and the list grows everyday. But here are some that have hit me in the last few days, starting with, maybe, the easiest.

Well, there were these two strange fellows, see; and they...

I always have trouble with synopses - self-promotion makes me a bit uncomfortable, I guess. Also, just because I wrote something, doesn't really mean I can talk about it. So just go read it, and see for yourself. Erin says it is too long, and I can't disagree, but it's only 22,499 words. OK, that is kind of long, but still it can't hurt - much.

I will warn you that, although this is a fantasy site, this is not really a fantasy. It is, however, very much about fantasies. (And that includes some of my own, like the one where I'm a writer.)

I owe all the gratitude I can express, and more, to Kristina L.S. for multiple beta-reads, much excellent advice (not all heeded, but that's my fault.), and a great deal of encouragement (and handholding.); and to Amelia R, who proofread this on too short notice. (My list of credits may grow, but the blame remains all mine.)

An owl called from outside my window this morning. You should understand that I am, by no means, an early riser and this was several hours after sunrise.

Ordinary events in the life of an unordinary child.

Ally heard the piano; he threw his pencil up in the air and ran out of the room.

Another writer has left the fold. Why does this happen here every so often? Look around. This site has got to be the kindest and gentlest of writing sites. It is more of a community than any other. Of course that is the reason that it happens here; people’s emotions get spread to everyone. I mean, leave FM in a huff and who would notice? Other sites seem to be very much about one person. (Yea again, Erin. How do you make all of us feel so welcome and a part of this?)