Well despite the very luke warm response i've had so far I'm pressing on with my new German language website,

I have a curse.
How do I heal my brokenheart?
I can love yet I can not be loved.
I search for it the world over,
Yet it can not find me I am unloved!
My heart breaks with every step!
When I think I found it my heart breaks again.
I scream out in pain while noone can hear my agony.
When I am on the threshold of giving up,
You appear before me out of the blue,
I made you cry and you made me feel loved.
The curse is broken! I thank you as I weep tears of joy.

Hi, everyone!

It's time to start the 2009 Terry Awards. Actually, I'm a little late starting them but the first half of January has been very eventful. I'll be progressing slowly too, because I'm very busy these days.

for your condolences and kind thoughts. Your tender messages have helped ease their pain a bit, and for that, I thank you all as well.

Catherine Linda Michel

Appears to have become the most viewed story on this site, according to Popular Content, with well over 32,000 hits.

I know Karen J joked about having hit on it 28,000 times on a slow night, but as long as she read it each time - it's one of my better efforts - I don't mind.

Angharad.

A friend sent me an email which says:

You don’t dare miss this amazing Video Clip . . . but, first, read this properly, all the way through…

This video shows the winner of "Ukraine’s Got Talent," Kseniya Simonova, 24, drawing a series of pictures on an illuminated sand table showing how ordinary people were affected by the German invasion during World War II. Her talent, which admittedly is a strange one, is mesmeric to watch.

The images, projected onto a large screen, moved many in the audience to tears, and she won the top prize of about  £75,000.

Great news gals and guys I'm going in for a orchiectomy on the 20th thanks to a very special friend of mine mew. So YAY my testicles are getting chopped off!!!! Ever since I learned I may never be able to get SRS thanks to my marfan syndrome, I've been kinda down, but this really made my day mew. I'll be going in on the 20th, and I'll be back who knows when. Everyone have a great day meow *huggles* ;3

Today I have been a member of this wonderful site for, as the clock in "My Accout" shows 52 weeks and 3 hours.

It has been great fun and I have met a lot of wonderful people here, and read lots of great well written and interesting stories. Thanks to Erin and the others who run this site. I also took the plunge and sent in a small donation in celebration of my anniversary.

RAMI

A story from the Beeb, which does like it says on the tin.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8455191.stm

I just read an obituary for a 100 year old Dutch lady named Miep Gies. She and her husband were the couple who sheltered the family of Anne Frank and another Jewish family in Rotterdam when it was occupied by the Germans in WW2.

She had been an employee of the Franks and gave them sanctuary (along with a few other employees) when the Gestapo were "cleansing" Holland of Jews and it was she who preserved the famous "Diary of Anne Frank" and returned it to her family after the end of the war.

If anyone doubted that some elements of Bike were true, I attach (I hope) a photo taken by the present Captain of HMS Victory - yes that one - Nelson's flagship, and passed on to me by Gabi.

Spawned by this image, spotted on Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/xt2cu

Sex: Male or Female?

It sounds an easy question, but the UK's Identity and Passport Service evidently recognise some people may have problems with it.

They provide context-sensitive help for their online passport renewal form, and the help for the gender question reads thus:

... been busy....now a new chapter to Badger's Set. see it at : http://tanyastales.yolasite.com/wip--badgers-set.php

new chapter of WHY ME? posted here. http://tanyastales.yolasite.com/wip--why-me.php

Tanya

As a CD, my dream ambition would be to totally pass as a woman - not just on a casual encounter, but in a work or social situation on a day to day basis. I'm realistic enough to realise that this is unlikely to happen unless some of the devices I read about on this site really become available.

The newspaper headline:

Sex-change officer recovering after being hurt at checkpoint

Sometimes, I wish the media would just report the news, and not try to sensationalise it. The officer was just doing her job, and her gender status had nothing to do with the incident, afaik.
[Click the headline to read the story.]

This story should have been reported as: “Police officer hurt at checkpoint.”

Hi everybody. I have been reading BigCloset TopShelf for awhile, and occasionally commenting on some of the stories for a shorter while. So I decided to tell anybody that is interested about this silly person that is me.

First, to avoid just repeating stuff that I have written elsewhere, here is the link to a tiny website that I set up back in 2003 through my ISP: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7yom8/index.html

Now, how do we want to do this? What font do you wanna be?

Um... pick one?

Okay, you get to be Georgia Italic and I will be Comic Sans.

... sure.

Now, what do we want to say?

Well, you started the Epic Quest of Epicness by leaving here, so...

Ok, for a while now, I have been feeling very unsettled. I've had thoughts of doing everything from moving to New Zealand to reverting back to Male. It has all felt really weird.

So, over Christmas, in spite of the fact that I'm Muslim, I put Handel's "Messiah" in my sterio and played it a couple times. I just love it. Well, three times since then, the sterio has started playing it all by its self. Once I came home to find it playing. The remote is infrared, so I did not think anything like a cell phone or play station could cause it, but I didn't worry about it too much.

How to count...

by Puddin'

As a writer, you're meant to put words on blank paper. Accountants, on the other hand, are paid to put arabic numbers on paper with lines on it, which makes all the difference. Arabic numbers are not words, they're symbols, which don't actually translate all that well into real words. There are a whole set of rules that are absolutely mandatory when writers write using numbers, mostly to avoid confusion, but also to avoid looking like a rank amateur. The two instantly diagnostic symptoms of amateur writing are bad spelling, and the inappropriate use of arabic numerals.

The first thing a writer has to know about arabic numbers is that they're not precise, even though they look like they ought to be, and it's usually important for a writer to get the words right all the time. If you write: "Sam said, ‘It's 7:00,’" what the heck did Sam actually say? "Seven?" "Seven o'clock?" "Sevenish?" "Seven on the dot?" "Seven exactly?" "Seven AM?" "Seven PM?"" "Seven in the early evening?" "Seven in the morning?" "Oh seven hundred military time?" Those bare arabic symbols say nothing at all beyond what an accountant might dream of, and leaving important details as an exercise for the reader is rarely a good idea.

Every professional writing venue has what's called a "style guide" which details many of the rules associated with putting words on paper for that particular venue. Newspapers have style guides, as do magazines, as do book publishers, as do many web sites. This article addresses only the use of numbers, and offers explanations, which is rather more than most style guides do, since the typical response to submissions which don't follow the rules is to toss them into the trash.

Number Styles

Rule One — Spell out every isolated single-digit whole number. Arabic numerals should be used for large numbers, exact times, exact amounts, and certain other specific situations, but the exact point at which numbers become “large” varies. Some venues treat ten as a large number, but see rule two.

Correct Examples: The two of us went to town. I have 10,763 unique clips in my paperclip collection.

i am looking for a story where a man dresses up as awomen and falls for the mothere of a son who likes to dress up and once they meet she asks him to help her out and drive a coach bus for a church group i cant remember the title and would like to read it again hoping some one might be abl;e to help me out here?
thanks and hugs from sarav

Hi all,

Just wanted to update my internet family (that is you all in case you are not paying attention) on my transition. I have just completed my second to last milestone (or back out option) and got my breasts augmented. As is typical for transgendered, I did not have lots of room so was only able to implant (boy do I love that word ... IMPLANT) 401cc's. Basically, I am now a full 38b and love it. The operation happened on Friday, and other than minor pain, I am able to enjoy the results of my doctor's handy work.

Hi everyone! Part 5 of Once the Hero is up at StarDust. As you know I put up Part 4 here at BCTS yesterday because of time constraints today. I may have to do that again due to my schedule meaning one or both updates may be on Saturday instead of Sunday. I honestly don't see how Ang and the other serial posters manage it! :)

Stay tuned to this Rocket Channel for more exciting information!

Hugs!

Grover

I am not a Doctor.

The latest research suggests it may all be a myth, or even Skene's gland aka the female prostate - which in itself isn't always recognised or even found in all women apparently.

For those who wish to read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8443465.stm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skene%27s_gland

Angharad

I wondering about the mechanics of wearing a long ankle length skirt during the winter? Besides thinking I'm just crazy as its 16 out today with a wind chill of-5. Any ideas or........

Here is the Wikipedia condensed version of what AIS, PAIS, and CAIS are, and depending on what authority you read or which case studies, AIS sufferers are scientifically classed as female because of the amount of estrogens in their bodies, regardless of the XY chromosomes or male testicles. The testes produce way too much testosterone in AIS sufferers that by some quirk of fate, it turns into estrogen. You are free to draw your own conclusions.

Erin shut off the comments on Samantha Jay's blog and I don't want to discuss Forced Fem -- so I'll take the discussion on a different path.

When a person decides to write and post a story they create an implied contract with the reader. That much I think we can agree upon. It is at that point that we, the authors of BC, hold vastly different opinions.

First off, I am not critising authors or trying to upset them. It's just a question to see if I am the strange one or not.

Just to let you know that I have posted a new story called The Chosen on Stardust. I will be posting it here, if I get a positive response about a week later.

Any new chapters will be published the same way.

So if you have few minutes to spare, pop across and have a look!

Hugs
Sue

If anyone knows how to make the story look nicer, especially on the Stardust front page, I would be grateful for any help. It's not as easy as BCTS!

I was reading a news article online, and thought there was a story idea in there

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&obj...

My thoughts are about a hotel security manager watching patrons attending a conference, where one 'lady' attracts his interest. Not sure where it goes from there, but its a start...

I really laughed at the last paragraph or so, with the sex toys and a nuns habit...

Yesterday I was reading a story from the Random 5olos list and had to leave before I was finished. My brain has vapor locked and I cannot remember the story title nor the author. It was about a 13 year old withdrawn boy who goes to stay with his aunt in California and reveals to her that he is a girl inside. If anyone can help I would be thankful.

So, the story I was worried about posting has become my highest rated story along with the most comments with one post at 30 and another at 32. This is the most I have gotten for anything. Kind of crazy.

Also, as an FYI, there is one more dark chapter than the last two chapters end it. I have finished editing them but there might be some posting issues as I am going on an Epic Quest of Epicness with Edeyn this weekend. So... I may have to prep everything to make the uploading easier if I have someone else do it.

Here's some more good news.

http://www.sphere.com/nation/article/president-obama-appoint...

I've followed the complains of some of the authors on this site as to the loss of readers as a series progresses. I've also had that happen too, but I wonder why one chapter in the middle of a series gains 1300 reads? All of the chapters of Show Me The Money have been averaging around thirty two hundred reads and for some reason chapter twenty-three has almost forty-six hundred, and then the reads go back down to thirty -two hundred again. Sorry, but I don't get why that one chapter gets that many reads than the others? Arecee

Hey again everyone!
First things first! Part 4 of Once the Hero is up at StarDust!

Now the rest of the story. HER and Kimmie has both PMed me about grammar errors within the story. Being the wonderful people they are they volunteered to help proof and fix those. What this means is there are going to be small differences between what is posted at BC and StarDust until I can get around to getting everything caught up.

Both HER and Kimmie has my deepest thanks for their work.

I've been searching for a story nad have not had much luck. I don't remember the title or character names. THe gist of the story is that a young man in his teens or early 20's was magically put into the body of a girl the same age. His body dies and he has to live her life. He now she has a boyfriend/fiance who in his previous life as msle was his best friend. Evnetually they get married and she realizes she is truly in love with him and he figures out who she was and all that.

There's been a rash lately of people moralizing about other people's stories. If a story offends you morally, you're probably not the target audience. It's probably a fantasy story based on a concept that makes no sense to you. Getting on a moral high horse about it makes you look prejudiced and clueless. Better to just say the story did not appeal to you if you comment at all.

I've tried to fix on 'Adams Own' a little, don't know if it's noticeable though :)
Up to half chapter 3-10. I don't like that it's so phreaking big, half would be enough especially when, ah, 'editing'..

Hope you had a nice start on the new year. The sad thing is that we all lost something in the exchange, namely the old one :)

Never mind, it will all become clear as I look back at this one too.
Well, hopefully so.
Take care now.

Yor.

I hope that all of you have a wonderful, prosperous, healthy 2010. I hope that we will all be here this time, next year. I hope you are spending this day and evening with someone you love, and who loves you.

Me...I'm alone again, same as every new year in my memory. I guess I should be used to it by now, huh?

Catherine Linda Michel

Just been thinking and a lot of us of had a really 'interesting' 2009. Here's hoping that 2010 is much better for all of us.

May the sun always be at your back, and may you be dead fifteen minutes before the devil finds out. Thanks to all of you for the comments, and enjoying my efforts at story telling. And to Erin, Sephrenia, Edeyn (sp) and all the rest of you out there, you're a wonderful bunch and don't let anyone tell you differently.

Happy New Year!

Maggie

I congratulate all of you happy New Year!!! Authors and readers and site administration!
This year was uneasy for all of us. Let in new year at all of us will be less problems, a grief and losses. Let will be more than the joyful smiles, more than happy minutes! And if you cry, let it there will be pleasure tears, instead of tear of a grief, a pain and powerless anger!
Happy New Year you, the ladies and gentlemen!
Yours faithfully.

To My Family…

In the event that this has gone unnoticed, I’ve acquired a ‘family’ here. ‘Acquired’ is a weird way to describe it. I’m not sure whether I found them or they found me. However, my family away from my family is quite complete. I have a mother, sister, brother, and father all in one person. I also have a Grandmother way down under (Hi Gram). I should write her more frequently but often time is a problem. So I sneak in behind her comments simply to let her know that I am there and thinking of her.

Before I get going, I really did enjoy having a few days away over the Christmas period with Mum and Bessie (her yellow labrador).

However, on arriving back, I discovered the disadvantages of:
a) being a BCTS addict,
b) Going offline for a few days,
c) Reading so many concurrent stories on BTCS...