We're working on the servers at Bob's place today so Stardust and other sites on Bob's servers may experience some outages. Like right now. :)

Things should be back up soon, the spaghetti monster behind the servers is making things difficult.

Hugs,
Erin, Piper, Sapphire and Lani

Too late to be useful for anything, but just FYI:

http://www.genderodyssey.org/

"Join Us For a Thoughtful Exploration of Gender"

Hi, I'm having sporadic computer issues (I think I overloaded it) so while it's up, I thought I would let anyone looking for me know, I'll try to be on, but I'm downloading a bunch of files to DVD discs so that I can free up some memory. I have a 500G backup, but I don't know how to use it!

When going back in the parts I'd written, I noticed parts that I forgot to fix before posting. So please not there may be subtle changes, nothing too big, spelling. Names and some simple sentences that made no sense and others that were just wrong and had no baring on the story,

AsI sit here alone celebrating my 47th birthday I know why I have become somewat alone.

I do not belong in society. Always on the outside looking in. Never able to commit to a relationship.

Too much of a coward to take my own life.

Counting the days down for death all because I never had a chance to live.

No danger here. Just a faux boy wondering "what if?"

Learning to live in my own skin.

for oodles of useless descriptions of fieldwork - I'm dormousing tomorrow - simply for research purposes of course, then cycling on Sunday - more research, naturally.

I shall probably be exhausted after the weekend (if not before) but it's been a very busy week work wise, so doing something different should be good - and those little furry critters are so cute - no not cyclists, dormice - duh!

And I guess it went okay. I was rated a 3.25 out of 5, so above the minimum, but not as good as I hoped. I'll have to try and do better by the next evaluation.

Another birthday come and gone
I still stand alone in the crowd
Standing still in time watching life pass by
Friends get married, have kids, divorce, and try again
For me there’s nothing
The piece that doesn’t fit

The Good,
The Bad,
and the Not So Attractive...

I have several things creating a great deal of frustration with me right now and the frustration is effecting everything else. This is annoying and I am trying to get past this.

I'm working up a new story on my writing website, called The Nightingale's Song.

Well ...'new' is a bit misleading - it is a story based on one I wrote half a dozen years ago and posted on fictionmania.

This is not a reposting though. When I wrote "Redemption Song" I was intrigued with the idea of starting a story without exposition - just 'jumping in' and letting the back story trickle out as the plot progressed.

You know, soon I should stop being surprised I pass. For example, I went to my local mall to print a couple of my stories out at the library (My personal printer has decided to commit suicide). After I was done that, I went to the food court and grabbed a taco salad (I'm slowly teaching my body to enjoy healthy food). A couple of old ladies came up as I was finishing, and asked me for the time, so I got to flash my new watch. Then, when I got home, a young boy asked me to look our front garden for a ball. As far as I could tell, they saw nothing even slightly unusual about me.

... the Gluteus Maximus

I was just reading a story and it seemed to jog something in my memory. Ever wary of false memories, I am fairly certain that this one is the real McCoy.

I was a tiny, effiminate boy, in the 5th percentile on weight and 25th percentile on height at around 12 years old. I know that this was post pubescent because I started at 10, but Mr Wiggly required very infrequent attention.

Along about this time, Mom started bringing home "Vitamins", little gell pills about the size of a pea. By the time I was about 17 I was about 5'6" and around 135lbs, I think.

Well, last night, I gave myself a belated birthday present. I used the gift card my brother had given me for my birthday, and bought myself a ladies watch. I also bought some foundation and cleanser as well. Just wearing the watch last night at work was enough to lighten my spirits considerably. That's a very good thing.

Just found out that the group I work for is getting rid of my job on the 21st of August. Not too sure what to do, but I'll figure something out

I hope

I'll try to keep up on Troy's story, but if things get tight I offer no promises

Well, last night was a quiet one at work. I don't mean we weren't busy, because we were very busy. But because the people I normally talk with during breaks weren't there, and I ended up feeling rather lonely and isolated. Ah, well.

I came across this while looking at a newspaper's website

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8675...

Ok..... So this is the first time I have posted here.(I have been around TG sites ever since I fiq out why I was diff. used to hang out with all the other girls in P.P. with auntie June a lonnnnnnng time ago) So not sure where this is going :P . anyways I put that I play online games in my sig , I notice a few others also play . So my question is what game to you play and what type of Character do you play and why? ok for me DDO (Dungeons and Dragons online) I love my Rogue Types with the ranger/rogue/monk spash and a pure rogue as my fav's.

Hi Everyone, quick note... Zoe Taylor's alive and OK ishk. She's stressed and coping with it, and hopes to get back into the swing of things soon, but isn't sure when that will be.

-HuGgLeS-
-P/KAF/PT

Plans right now are that Piper and I will combine our business interests into a company to be called QnEZ, LLC. I will provide capital and Piper will provide contacts and expertise to operate CyberBrats Hosting as a division of QnEZ. Doppler Press publishing and BigLittleUs marketing will be other divisions, most likely. (QnEZ is a name I own with a non-registered trademark.)

And her favorite way of dealing with stress tends to be by giving stress to someone else. For example, when my mother woke me up in a panic shortly after I had gotten asleep yesterday to ask me what to do about the dog, and I suggested a vet and went back to bed, Apparently I was supposed to go with her, despite needing my sleep for my night shift. This led her to say there isnt much feminine about me, either now or in the past. Somehow the fact that I held down a job as a nurse's aid for 10 years doesnt count. Ah, well

Well, my dog had to be taken to the vet today, and it turned out she had an infection in a gland in her rear. She's stuck wearing the cone thing, and will need pain meds for the next ten days, but it could have been worse.

I'm a bit more than half way through writing a novel - 63,000 words so far - and I feel like I'm treading in molasses. I've written less than 3,000 words in more than a month. Yesterday, I wrote ONE SENTENCE! What's so frustrating is that I know the story right up through the ending. I just can't find the words. If anyone out there is wondering why I haven't posted anything lately, it's not because I've gone away. I think my muse has taken a sabatical, or she's just enjoying tormenting me. The story I'm working on is part of the California Saga series.

Some advice that was sent to me recently which explains itself succinctly.

From a Teacher

In the world of hi-tech gadgetry and communication, I've noticed that more and more people who send text messages, and emails have long forgotten the art of capitalization. For those of you who fall into this category, please take note of the following statement...

"Capitalization, is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse." Is everybody clear on that?

Who REALLY cares?

A few months ago one of the "writers" on this site asked if anyone minded if he rewrote their stories and published them under his name.

I stated flatly I didn't want him to go near mine and to my knowledge he hasn't. Of course I don't read his stories all that often so . . . when a tree falls in the forest????

However -- a whole gaggle of authors told him they didn't mind at all if he doctored their stories. To a confused person what sort of license did that provide for "rewriting"?

I can't seem to be able to sign in.

Portia

You’re sitting at your group’s favorite table, sipping scrumptious mixtures of coffee, ice, chocolate, and cream. Everyone has spent two to three minutes each sharing stories to “catch up”. It’s your turn.

You’ve got a great story to tell them, but they need to know quite a bit of background information for your story to make sense. As you go through that necessary information you notice your friends are becoming increasingly bored with what you want to tell them.

I know Zoe's taken breaks before. I'm just a bit more than worried.;0

She's a dear friend.

One of the few people I share my Love for music with. Not sure why? It's just one of those 'connection' things.

If anybody has some contact info, it'd be greatly appreciated!!!

Love And Hugs,
A Concerned Jonelle

Interesting, and somewhat sympathetic, article in the NY Times today:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/movies/new-roles-for-trans...

Discuss.

Well, I had what may turn out to be my last summer outing with my daughter today. We went to "Capital EX" which is a fair and carnival and exposition all rolled into one. We went on a number of rides together, ate junk food, she got a chance to sit in a room full of butterflies, it was a good day. So why do I say it may be my last outing with her? Well, for starters, for the month of August her mother has booked time with her, so that's this summer done.

For those of you who do not yet know me: I live in a small country in the heart of South America, about 500km away from the Capital (about 7 hours bus trip, and if you are really suicidal about 3 hours by car). Even though both of my parents and I were born and raised here, we are still considered foreigners and unfortunately of the rich sort. Considering my cultural roots in a very conservative cristian religious community (were I still live today), that is not so far off since my community and several others of the same background in this country are a big powerhouse in the agribusiness.

I wanted to say in verse,
That things were getting worse;
Comments it would seem
Are few and far between
And readers are kudos averse.

The only way writers can plot
If stories are hitting the spot
Is if readers just jolly well say:
It's not as if they must pay
To read here don't cost a jot.

On behalf of the writers, this plea
If stories you come here to see;
Please give us a vote
Or a comment of note,
And you'll make us all very happy.

Angharad.

Well, in a talk with a member of a very conservative religion, I was trying to help him to understand GID folk better. He started off asking if I had been born male and I said that I had actually beem born somewhat both, (Intersexed). He'd never heard of that. So then in the conversaton I told him that I had two natural born children, born to my X. So he said, then you were male. I told him, well sort of. So then he asked me when I first realised that I was sexually attracted to males, and I told him I never was and never actually had penetrative sex with one.

Well, I'm sort of trying to clear my writing plate of the small stuff, either finishing them or putting them away for now, so I can really focus on the challenges presented by one of my most ambitious projects ever - taking the same event, and tell it from two different points of view, and then ask you, the readers, what you think the truth is. Could be good, could go bad, we'll all have to see together, wont we?

Hi all, I'm currently sitting at home with a stinking cold and I thought I'd might as well use the time to try a bit of writing. Anyway the point of this post is to ask what people's opinions are on using the titles of other work (although not fiction on BC etc.)

So, yeah. I'm 24 as of the 23rd. Still trying, after two weeks, to find the one part that I need to fix the mechanical damage to my car after some one hit it (Just how do you hit a parked car anyway?) and took off. No license plates on the vehical and my car isn't drivble until I get the replacement part, which I'm starting to suspect I can only buy at a dealership or something. Insurance will not cover it, as I have liability only and a S.R. 22 bond / High-risk insurance. beh, what a freacking birthday.... ugh...

Two weeks to Whedonfest. Aug 5-7 in Scottsville KY. An all Whedon extravaganza for charity.

If you happen to have the opportunity to make it please do so. The website has a lot of information if you are interested.

http://whedonitesunited.com/

Well, I'm lucky to be among the non-injured. Yesterday, when I was driving home from my work, I started to have trouble staying awake, and came dangerously close to having an accident. Next time, I pull over and have a rest ....

We're trying to get things so we can make copies for everyone that needs them so we will probably have to keep Bob's servers running for another three weeks or so. It looks doable.

More later.

Hugs,
Erin

The latest bit of scrawl from Nick B will hit the screens hopefully in the next few hours (after the German Grand Prix and Pen's haircut probably) and I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the fact that it's unedited, unproofed and largely wysiwyg.

We're off to France on Tuesday and didn't have time to send it to anyone - not that I was able to find someone to take up the mantle of my editor after Gabi's sad passing.

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it and please feel free to leave and comments (providing they're not completely horrible) and kudos if possible.