Just a chime....or??

[Jerry Oz]

Ah, but we're now on what we call Daylight Savings Time and we're also an hour forward. We'll go back in early November.

[westgrandboulevard]

I'm no clearer in my mind, either. It's one of those niggly little things, trivial in itself, but still something which I don't understand.

Maybe my mind has a problem with it, because I'm used to the time being consistent throughout this particular country.

Are you perhaps in a different time zone from Detroit? Maybe that makes a difference....

[Jerry Oz]

I am. They are one hour behind us [[Central Standard Time).

[westgrandboulevard]

That's interesting. So, the post you sent above, timed in at 3.36pm. was actually sent when it was 4.36pm your time?

[Jerry Oz]

My screen shows it to be 4:36 pm, which is indeed when I posted it. So, you see it as 3:36 pm?

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes, I do.

[Jerry Oz]

So, you see it CST but I see it EST. Interesting...

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes. A bit baffling really, although I'm sure there is a logical explanation.

144man and myself are in the same time zone - and you and moe are, I suppose, in the same time zone, but just a different one from us...and someone like arr&bee might be different again.

Somewhere, it seems all the US time zones are automatically converted to CST because of where the forum is based. I get that, but I still don't understand why CST [[as shown at the bottom of my screen) doesn't currently convert to 'GMT - 6' which ,in reality, is plainly true....

[Jerry Oz]

If arr&bee is in DC, then he's also in my time zone. Although he is in his own world, it seems. [[Lucky!!)

[westgrandboulevard]

I'm not sure that arr&bee is in DC....and he has not confirmed.

He could soon be appearing in a town near you.....

[Jerry Oz]

Let me dig out my 3D glasses... I wanna be ready for that.

[westgrandboulevard]

He'd be larger than life, after stepping off any screen you might view.

[Jerry Oz]

Or falling from the screen if the hooch is good as advertised...

[144man]

I'm not sure that arr&bee is in DC....and he has not confirmed.

He could soon be appearing in a town near you.....

Arr&bee will never confirm where he is. Someone might find his still!

[westgrandboulevard]

What?! Is arr&bee still looking??

Voice must have stolen it!

That's too bad. If you can't trust your own Voice, who can you trust?

[Jerry Oz]

Littlebits. You can trust Littlebits.

[westgrandboulevard]

You can always rely on Littlebits to be...well,.....Littlebits....

[Jerry Oz]

She sometimes role-plays, though. Her alter ego is Miss Nomer, although I don't know where she got that name.

[westgrandboulevard]

A misogynist....?

[arr&bee]

STILL???...[shhhhhhh are you guys trying to get me busted]NOW I THINK YOU WERE DISCUSSING MY CORPORATE OFFICES WHICH ARE LOCATED IN EVERY MAJOR CITY IN ALL 48 STATES AND ALASKA.

[Jerry Oz]

Sounds like we're talking about a cartel, now. I may have to use that information to reduce my own pending charges...

So, amigo... If I wanted to find one of your... uh, offices... how would I go about that exactly? And don't worry because I ain't no narc man... Well, not until I give them something that they can use.

[westgrandboulevard]

But first, arr&bee has to give you something you can use.

And....I STILL [[well, there it goes again....) think that arr&bee is miscounting the number of states. Find the one which is missing, and there may lie a clue...

[Jerry Oz]

It's the hooch talking. He knows that there are more than 48 states and he also knows that Alaska is one of them. He is a criminal mastermind...

[westgrandboulevard]

Certainly, what he's done to his mind, is criminal.....

[Jerry Oz]

Think about it: with Voice screaming in his ear, he has a built-in ​consigliere to advise him on things. Granted, most consiglieres look out for the Boss and Voice is more than willing to beat him to a pulp, but they must save a fortune at business lunches.

[westgrandboulevard]

If 'To Tell The Truth' were still running, I wonder which one would stand up.....:confused:

[144man]

As arr&bee is trying to throw us off the trail with talk of the 48 states and Alaska, it is obvious now that his still is in Hawaii. At great pains to myself, if anyone sends me a ticket and spending money, I shall go there to investigate.

[westgrandboulevard]

We should start a collection right now.

I do admire you so. What an utter torment it will be for you...:rolleyes:

[Jerry Oz]

I have sources who report seeing him on the beach and at certain nightclubs. There are many beaches and plenty of smoking clubs in Hawaii, so he might want to pack an overnight bag. It might take a while.

[westgrandboulevard]

I wonder how many of us will still be alive on his return.

[Jerry Oz]

Good question. If we're talking about beautiful people, beaches, hooch, and paradise, why would we expect him to return?

[westgrandboulevard]

If arr&bee is indeed reported as missing, I suppose that needn't necessarily mean ALL of him.... ?

[Jerry Oz]

...or EITHER of him...

[westgrandboulevard]

Indeed. We could find ourselves left with just an echo.

[Jerry Oz]

Well, that and some of that wonderful elixur... There's always that and since it's virtual, we can drink it in his memory in perpetuity. It won't be the same without all of the side effect advisories, tho'.

[westgrandboulevard]

Somehow, I doubt there could be a main effect, if there were no side effects.

He might as well try to sell us mineral water.

[arr&bee]

HAAAAAAAAAAAAA...MINERAL WATER?????YOU ALL HAD BETTER QUIT DRINKING THAT STUFF..[do you know what bears to to mineral water]MY ELIXUR HAS BEEN TESTED AND FAILED IN ALL 48 STATES AND ALASKA SO I KNOW IT'S GOOD[YOU DON'T SEE NO SKULL AND CROSSBONES ON MINERAL WATER,BUT IT'S ON MY PRODUCT AND IF THE MOON IS SHINING JUST RIGHT AND YOU'RE NEAR THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE YOU CAN ALMOST READ THE INGREDIENTS,WHY THIS WONDERFUL ELIXUR IS SO TOXIC THAT NO BEAR IN HIS RIGHT MIND WILL COME NEAR IT..[they remember what happened to those stupid polar bears]OH AND NO I'M NOT IN HAWII,BUT I AM IN PARADISE....[OH BY THE WAY WHICH STATE IS HAWAII IN ANYWAYS???]

[Jerry Oz]

Tallahasee. And I heard that the FDA was changing the label of your hooch to bear a skull, crossbones, and a kneecap because the extra bone should let people know that they seriously want you to avoid it...

[westgrandboulevard]

It would be far more successful to make its use mandatory. Then, most people would avoid it.

[Jerry Oz]

I think they should do a "this is your brain on drugs" type of public service announcement. Only, instead of cooking the egg, they drop it into a barrel of hooch and watch it hatch only for the new born chick to gasp for a few breaths before dissolving in the stuff...

[westgrandboulevard]

Ooooweee. If we even saw our own intestines at work on what we consider healthy food....:[[

[Jerry Oz]

That swings back to your reference on perspective regarding the clock viewed at an angle. It's amazing all of the things our bodies do just by the miracle of living. We think of some of it as grotesque or macabre, but it's really just life at work. We don't want to see our guts rendering food just like we don't want to see a cow killed and butchered before we purchase its meat. We know about these things, but we are happier not to consider them...

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes, just life and nature at work. All the other living creatures accept it. Human beings have the intelligence to understand it, but also the emotions to abhor it. Too much information for the mind to digest, let alone the body....

[144man]

HAAAAAAAAAAAAA...MINERAL WATER?????YOU ALL HAD BETTER QUIT DRINKING THAT STUFF..[do you know what bears to to mineral water]MY ELIXUR HAS BEEN TESTED AND FAILED IN ALL 48 STATES AND ALASKA SO I KNOW IT'S GOOD[YOU DON'T SEE NO SKULL AND CROSSBONES ON MINERAL WATER,BUT IT'S ON MY PRODUCT AND IF THE MOON IS SHINING JUST RIGHT AND YOU'RE NEAR THE HUBBLE TELESCOPE YOU CAN ALMOST READ THE INGREDIENTS,WHY THIS WONDERFUL ELIXUR IS SO TOXIC THAT NO BEAR IN HIS RIGHT MIND WILL COME NEAR IT..[they remember what happened to those stupid polar bears]OH AND NO I'M NOT IN HAWII,BUT I AM IN PARADISE....[OH BY THE WAY WHICH STATE IS HAWAII IN ANYWAYS???]

An obvious attempt to put us off the track, so Hawaii it is. I've been there once, and if I get there again, I can't think of one good reason I'd ever want to come back.

[Jerry Oz]

Even if it's the Island of the Hooch Zombies by the time you get there? Wait! I just came up with a name for WGB's screenplay!

[144man]

I'll just get there and watch things fall apart around me.

"Island of the Hooch Zombies" sounds like it will be a they all end up in a box-office success.

[westgrandboulevard]

It's certainly a good enough working title. I've never been, and it could be fun and relaxing.

Just as long as no-one expects me to go around handing out leis......

[144man]

You could have a lot of fun and laugh your head off.

[westgrandboulevard]

True, although the idea of 'fun' can be quite an unnerving concept.....

[144man]

Not if you still have the guts to do it.

[westgrandboulevard]

That's true, judging by the beer bellies I've seen on the nudist beach....

[Jerry Oz]

It's okay as long as you do not object to kids pushing back into the water, singing songs about "saving the whales"...

[westgrandboulevard]

Out of the mouths of children...

[144man]

Knowing the kids round here, they'd be more likely to be carrying harpoons.

[westgrandboulevard]

It's time some of them became an endangered species.

[144man]

They're a good example of devolution.

[westgrandboulevard]

Some local councillors in the making, for sure...

[Jerry Oz]

Do you believe that children are the future? Then beat them well and let them lead the way...

[westgrandboulevard]

They go their way, and I'll go mine....

[Jerry Oz]

Odd, they tend to follow me. They start dancing like the Sharks and Jets from "West Side Story" and something about their precise timing and their switchblades tells me that I should pick up the pace. Creepy little b*stards...

[westgrandboulevard]

I now have the images of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video in my mind...

[Jerry Oz]

I was thinking more about "Another Brick In The Wall". Now, I'm seeing the "Thriller" video in my head with Pink Floyd singing and it is verrrrry disturbing...

[westgrandboulevard]

All you need now is to be joined by a VOICE of your own....

[Jerry Oz]

She's cooking right now. I will be hearing it soon enough.

[westgrandboulevard]

"aren't you going to come and eat this food that I've been [[you can insert: working all day and night) cooking for you.....????"

[Jerry Oz]

More likely "I think I burned the Spam."

[westgrandboulevard]

LOL!

You could both try something ready made. At least there might be some extra fibre to be had in the packaging.

[Jerry Oz]

I feel bad about that last one [[although I LOL'd when I wrote it). My boo is a pretty good cook and since meat is off of my menu, processed meat by-products is definitely something I'll avoid.

[westgrandboulevard]

I didn't take you seriously....:)

Most of the food in this home is prepared and cooked here, although meat is still on the menu. It's balanced out with other protein like fish, eggs, cheese - and a lot of vegetables and fruit, especially nuts and dates.

I'll eat a good quality sausage or chipolata from time to time, but wouldn't want them every week, let alone every day.

[arr&bee]

Hey west when this movie is finished you can date all the nuts you like..why your name will be right upthere with marvin k mooney,why you'll be so infamous no one will want your autograph...we're on our way.

[westgrandboulevard]

I'm going on Oprah, for her to tell me why I've never been invited on her show.

[Jerry Oz]

Can we have Ralph track his IP address for that post? If we find him, we can save 144man a lot of wasted time and aimless searching in the most beautiful part of the world. He'll appreciate that.

[westgrandboulevard]

144man may feel , no doubt like the rest of us, that he has spent years of 'wasted time and aimless searching' on his own home patch.

Just try prising him away from the most beautiful part of the world....:rolleyes:

[Jerry Oz]

But home is where the hurt is...

[westgrandboulevard]

You mean he lives in an Accident & Emergency department - ?

[144man]

I think I can just about tolerate a lot of wasted time and aimless searching in the most beautiful part of the world.

My search will encompass Hilo and the Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park. I believe there was an accident in the secret hooch distillery in 1983, and Kilauea has been erupting ever since.

[westgrandboulevard]

I can tell you have your search well mapped out.

[144man]

I will also have access to the telescopes at the Mauna Kea Observatory. If I can't find the distillery with them, I shall be able to track the accidental satellite which has been orbiting the Earth ever since the 1983 Great Hooch Disaster.

[westgrandboulevard]

"Ground Control to Major Arr&bee......."

[144man]

And if I can't get to Hawaii, I might instead just retreat to the peace and tranquillity of the Supremes' Threads.

[westgrandboulevard]

You could be very effective as the presiding judge in the Supremes Court.

[Jerry Oz]

Virtual hooch is in plentiful supply over there. If you don't believe me, start a thread with the words "Diana Ross is a..." It won't matter how you finish it, there will be an all-out war waged just for the fun of waging an all-out war over Princess Diana.

[144man]

I remember learning about the Hundred Years War at school, so they've still got a long way to go.

[westgrandboulevard]

Thank goodness none of us will be here to see who wins.

[Jerry Oz]

But Miss Ross will be. She won't let her fans [[or her detractors) down by leaving before the show end.

[westgrandboulevard]

By that date, she'll certainly need an extremely large fan, just to preserve the embalming process.

The show will have ended long before then.

We're only about 50 into the Hundred Years war....:)

[arr&bee]

GOOD WORK 144MAN,AS YOU KNOW THE HOOCH LEGEND IS EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE...[it depends on where you're standing]OF COURSE THE ORIGIN WILL NEVER BE FOUND,IT IS SAID THAT ADAM AND EVE WERE KICKED OUT OF THE GARDEN NOT FOR AN APPLE BUT BECAUSE OF THIS WONDERFUL ELIXUR,AND IT'S BEEN A THRILL RIDE EVER SINCE,AND YES THAT HUNDRED YEARS WAR IT STARTED WHEN SOMEONE CLAIMED THEY HAD THE ORIGIN AND SOMEONE ELSE SAID THEY HAD IT,THE HATFIELDS AND THE MCCOYS SAME THING ALL THROUGH HISTORY FUEDS HAVE BEEN FOUGHT LOVES HAVE BEEN LOST FORTUNES LOST,RICHARD THE LIONHEARTED LED A CRUSADE TRYING TO LOCATE THE ORIGIN,THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA WAS BUILT BECAUSE THERE WAS A STILL[OPPS-ERR-AHEM-HEHE]A FACTORY WAY UP ON THE HILL AND THE ONLY WAY THEY COULD GET THERE WAS TO BUILD THAT WALL,BUT BY THE TIME THE EMPEROR'S ARMY GOT THERE WE WERE GONE,[WE TRAVEL LIGHT]CLEOPATRA SAILED DOWN THE NILE TO FIND IT SO THE SEARCH WILL CONTINUE AND SO WILL THE DRINKIN.

[westgrandboulevard]

We all need a drink after that.....

[Jerry Oz]

Rumors are that Napoleon was 6'2" tall and led a quiet, introspective life before his first sip. Afterward, he was 4'6" with visions of grandeur. Implications are endless throughout history...

[westgrandboulevard]

I'm drawn towards the 'before' option.

[Jerry Oz]

That would explain all of the portraits where he's grumpy and has his hand in his shirt as if he's got heartburn. Hooch'll do ya'...

[westgrandboulevard]

I bet those gallstones were continually on the move...

[Jerry Oz]

Indeed. They were repelled by the hooch and either moved or were dissolved. Self-preservation dictated that they live a nomadic life.

[westgrandboulevard]

Speaking as one who was diagnosed over five years ago as having them, I can tell you that gallstones moving can be a real worry.

If hooch dissolves them, and with no pain, then bring it on, I say.......

[144man]

I hear hooch will also cure haemorrhoids, but I'm not sure if it's applied internally or externally.

[westgrandboulevard]

I'm no hooch connoisseur, but I would think 'internally' is far more pleasurable.

I can hear the sales pitch now. "Hooch satisfies both ends"....

[Jerry Oz]

It's best to take it internally... I don't think anything that burns cotton makes a good suppository.

[westgrandboulevard]

I was once selling fabric, and a woman came in, saying she was looking for some net for her back passage.

I remember at the time thinking that a suppository would be far more appropriate.

[144man]

The enema of my enema is my friend.

[westgrandboulevard]

We all get it, in the end.

[Jerry Oz]

Just so long as it all comes out right, why would we be concerned about it?

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes. Best put it behind us.

[Jerry Oz]

Yes. Just put your best cheek forward and go about your business.

[westgrandboulevard]

Arr&bee will be pleased to know that hooch is so efficacious in the treatment of many bodily issues.

Perhaps it could be processed into pills, lotions, gel....

[arr&bee]

I was gonna do that,but no goverment wanted to invest in my ideas,well too bad for them because this wonderful elixur is great just the way it is,no minerals,no vitamins,nutrients or anything else that might be good or healthy.

[Jerry Oz]

Don't blame the government, it's my fault that they wanted to study it. It's great for so many applications. I spilled a drop in Lake Erie and I caught more drunken fish that floated to the top in five minutes than I caught using a rod and reel in two days. When the deer and otters started dying from alcohol poisoning after taking a drink from the lake, I decided that maybe a drop was too much and research might be in order.

[westgrandboulevard]

It's not the first time it has happened.

Remember the dinosaurs.....

[arr&bee]

WHOA....NO..HOOCH NEVER KILLED ANYONE,IT JUST ENHANCES THE BRAINCELLS MAYBE A BIT TOO MUCH TO THE POINT WHERE YOU SEE WONDERFUL STUFF[that no one else can see]NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT..[we're not responsibe for those dinosaurs,who new that they coundn't read].

[westgrandboulevard]

They could have forseen the future, and committed suicide....

[arr&bee]

I'm thinking of casting[betty white]as the damsel in distress.

[westgrandboulevard]

Pearl White might still be available, although it's rumoured her voice is gone....

[arr&bee]

Wonder if i can get kirk douglas for the male lead?

[westgrandboulevard]

He's keen, but won't work for more than five minutes each day....

[Jerry Oz]

It's cool. That whole Willie Tyler and Lester thing just gave me an idea for how we can use Kirk Douglas for absolutely free... Uhhh... Somebody might want to buy some rubber gloves though when they see what they have to do with their hand...

[westgrandboulevard]

As I said earlier, on one of the other threads.....

Unsavoury.....:[[

[Jerry Oz]

Only if you move your lips when he is "talking". The audience will boo if they think you aren't trying very hard.

[westgrandboulevard]

It gets worse.....:[[

[Jerry Oz]

Maybe for Kirk, but he will be happy just to be acting again.

[westgrandboulevard]

The deleted scenes and extras on the dvd could prove very embarrassing.

Will bring a new dimension to the phrase, "keeping one's hand in"....

[Jerry Oz]

Well, special effects are all the rage these days... We may win an Oscar or BAFTA if we play it right. We will just need to make sure Kirk does not awaken during filming...

[westgrandboulevard]

I suppose we're looking for a performance on the lines of Marlon Brando, in 'The Godfather'.

[Jerry Oz]

I would be happy for one along the lines of Frank Oz in "The Muppet Movie".

[westgrandboulevard]

We'll just have to see what old Kirkie comes up with....

[Jerry Oz]

We can name his character "Spartacus K. Viking"

[westgrandboulevard]

"What does the K. mean?"

They'll all want to know that...

[Jerry Oz]

"Kirk". I don't have a middle name, so I give them to others when I get the chance. Usually it is a "J" or a "Q" because those are cool middle initials.

[westgrandboulevard]

Mine is 'J'.......:)

[Jerry Oz]

Okay, that made me laugh out loud...

[westgrandboulevard]

Ha!,but it is indeed true. Maybe my parents laughed out loud, too...?!

[Jerry Oz]

Perhaps they did. I like "J" mostly because Jay Ward used it for Bullwinkle J. Moose and Rocket J. Squirrel. It's just a cool sounding middle initial for someone if you do not know what the real initial is.

[westgrandboulevard]

I use mine a lot, generally in my signature. Some names have a good, rhythmic appeal - some, less so. My first name ends in an 'r', and my last name begins with an 'I' - so the tendency is to run it all into one long word, even in thought.

The middle 'J' breaks it up - as very well demonstrated, but to different effect, in the two names you used above....

Have you noticed how Facebook members pile all their names onto their registration [[I don't believe all are shown on their birth details), just to gain them some individuality. Understandable, if their last name is Smith or Jones....

[Jerry Oz]

I'd love to see any singular names among Facebook users. Even the most obscure names seem to bring up five others to confuse you when looking someone up.

[westgrandboulevard]

I haven't even got around to putting up a photo against my FB name....

[Jerry Oz]

I don't even have a profile. For all of the positives that Facebook provides, I prefer to be relatively anonymous in all regards. Very little use of credit cards and no debit transactions. My internet purchases are relatively anonymous as well, and seldom are tied to my personal accounts. I am about to get a cell for business, but I wish that it was not necessary. One day, I will disappear and the fewest clues leading to where I went, the better.

[westgrandboulevard]

We'll erect a tombstone for you, right here.

[Jerry Oz]

Can you put the image of Lamont Cranston on it, please?

[westgrandboulevard]

"The Shadow Knows".....

[Jerry Oz]

You're sharp... Or I'm not as sharp as I want to believe I am...

[westgrandboulevard]

I'll be happy just as long as you keep both those thoughts in your mind ;)

[Jerry Oz]

Don't worry; be happy because that should be easy enough.

[westgrandboulevard]

Besides, I'm not safe with anything sharp.....

[Jerry Oz]

I'm doubting that very much. I'm pretty sure the meals you describe preparing can't all be made with a straw or a potato masher.

[westgrandboulevard]

I was, of course, joking...although funny you should say that because, to tell the truth, I do have a certain aversion to knives.

I need to use them with care, otherwise I become uneasy....

[Jerry Oz]

Best to be respectful of something that's capable of resulting in a bleedout than to carelessly find out why you should have been. Otherwise, you'll need a hastily applied tourniquet to keep from ruining dinner.

[arr&bee]

You two are cutups.

[westgrandboulevard]

I'm thinking of having a tree surgeon look at a very old strawberry tree here, which is in need of attention.

I'm a bit worried, as I don't know if he'll use a local or a general anaesthetic for the operation....

[Jerry Oz]

You have a tree with old strawberries on it? I probably wouldn't eat them...

As a matter of fact, I've never seen young strawberries grow on trees, so I hope that you haven't been eating them...

[westgrandboulevard]

It's commonly known as 'The Strawberry Tree', but its correct name is Arbutus unedo.

The edible fruits [[nothing special) are striking in colour, looking very similar to strawberries, while there is also something of raspberries in the colour and texture.

I have a feeling you'll not see one in Ohio, Detroit or anywhere in that direction, but might be wrong......

[Jerry Oz]

Nope. But I dig that name, although transposed.
"What kind of tree is this?"
"Unedo Arbutus."
"I do?! Don't you need them more than I do?"

[westgrandboulevard]

Ha! and that Latin name does have a certain rhythm to it, doesn't it....

[Jerry Oz]

Latin is a unique language. I looked up "usurper of worlds" and it turns out the latin word is "Littlebits".

[westgrandboulevard]

That sounds like an Anglo-Saxon translation.

[Jerry Oz]

Or the translation provided by Littlebits' ex-boyfriend...

[westgrandboulevard]

I heard all of her exes would stretch around the Equator, and all of 'em dead.....

[Jerry Oz]

Well, that's true. It's also true that if Littlebits was to eat one more Twinkie for lunch on most days, her yoga pants would stretch around the Equator.

[westgrandboulevard]

Let's just pray the elastic never snaps.

[Jerry Oz]

New movie idea: Update on "The Fantastic Voyage" where the ship is injected into Littlebits' belly to find a lost expedition. Neither the expedition nor the ship will be shrunk as they were in the original because, well, Littlebits' belly is pretty much big enough for the starship Enterprise to explore. Only thing is we won't be able to use the tag line "where no man has gone before" because many men have been there and done that.

If you know what I mean.

[arr&bee]

Thanks alot jerry,not littlebits is mad at me and talking about teaming up with the leps,she gave one of em a lap dance but when she got up he was never seen again,but that's another story.

[westgrandboulevard]

Perhaps Littlebits could become a designated planet. I'm sure she must have her own atmosphere.

Littlebits will have made an impression on the leprechaun and he, in turn, will have left his mark on her.

[Jerry Oz]

Well, I just read where the CSI technician found the leprechaun. Apparently another stripper asked Littlebits where she got the tattoo of the "cute little Irish guy" on her butt and she had no idea what she was talking about. Sadly, it was no tattoo...

[westgrandboulevard]

I hope he got a good send-off.

I can only imagine what sort of story he'll be telllng them all in leprechaun heaven.

[Jerry Oz]

He'll be talking about how he found a pot belly o' gold and thought that it could be his. Alas, nobody owns Littlebits for long. She is too much woman for one leprechaun to handle.

[westgrandboulevard]

Littlebits would be perfect for a starring role in "Gulliveretta's Travels", with the Leprechauns featuring as "The Lilliputians".

She'd be too much woman for even a whole army of them, although they might be able to tie her down for a while.....

[Jerry Oz]

Littlebits makes an NBA team look like Lilliputians...

[westgrandboulevard]

Is the time right for a remake of Godzilla?

[Jerry Oz]

It comes out in less than a month and I'm eagerly looking forward to it. When I told Littlebits that Godzilla was making a comeback, she said "Good. That fool owes me for past-due child support."

[westgrandboulevard]

From what I've learned to date about Littlebits, the one thing on her mind [[about from food) is the process involved in creating a child...:rolleyes:

[Jerry Oz]

Yeah. Littlebits likes to think of her kids like most people think of ATM machines. The child support keeps her spandex bills manageable so her stripper tips can be used for snacks. It's a sound plan for life so long as the fathers don't expect her to keep up her part of the shared custody. She beat up the judge who gave her one hour every other weekend because it's hard to plan ahead.

[westgrandboulevard]

It sounds like half of her life is spent in front of bars - and the other half behind them....

[Jerry Oz]

The only bars that can used to contain Littlebits are of the candy variety. She's been known to stop pummeling her exes when they were smart enough to toss a Snicker bar across the floor. The only successful incarceration that she ever had was when they put a candy machine in her cell and slipped a steady stream of quarters under the door. Her primary need being met, she had no reason to leave until trial. And once the judge found out how much [[in quarters) her imprisonment was costing the taxpayers, he was forced to drop all charges.

[westgrandboulevard]

While Littlebits then immediately picked up everything and everyone she could.

Credit where it is due. She never misses an opportunity......

[Jerry Oz]

Exactly right. She immediately contacted a forklift driver who gave her a ride to the strip joint where she 'worked it' and picked up enough money for her lawyer bills. After paying it, she then threatened the poor guy into converting his fee into one dollar bills and giving it back to her in tips the next night.

[westgrandboulevard]

I have this growing feeling that Littlebits would make a very effective showbiz agent.

Or a deadly hitwoman.....

[Jerry Oz]

She's certainly a handful. Her theme song is "I'm Every Woman" but I'm less certain that she is asserting her femininity as she is acknowledging her multiple personality disorder.

[westgrandboulevard]

Another screenplay just shouting to be written :

'Littlebits : alone, she's a crowd'

[Jerry Oz]

Be careful or she'll insist on playing herself in it... And that's an expensive proposition given that the only camera capable of filming her is located on the Hubble Telescope.

[westgrandboulevard]

I was imagining a 'selfie'.

It seems very appropriate, somehow....

[Jerry Oz]

Wow. Every once and again you get me with one and you did it again with that post.

[westgrandboulevard]

I hope it whistled past you, and didn't make contact :)

These SDF posts are a very interesting and fun experience for me. In person, I tend to speak by giving all the details first, then tackle the headlines.

Here, I can be succinct.... and quickly edit, removing any words which seem superfluous...

[Jerry Oz]

I often compose e-mail messages at work that can get me into hot water or at least embarrass me if I sent them. These are usually morning messages [[I'm grumpy in the morning and it's not hard to divine my 6-year old inner self). Sometimes I rewrite them four or five times to take the emotion and/or inappropriate references out. Typically, by the time I send them, they are pretty professional in tone and worded the way that I think necessary to get the point across without insulting or accusing someone. I'd hate to be on the other end of my own messages if I decided to throw tact to the wind.

[westgrandboulevard]

If you're anything like me, you may tend to give yourself too much time in getting to 'the point'.

When spontaneous, immediate emotion gets in the way, it's easy to lose focus of 'the point', and then begin to 'lose the wood for the trees'....

Here, on SDF, I don't feel 'emotional' at all, but speed is of the essence - and therein lies the challenge. I've learned a lot from the exercise, and am still learning from good people like yourself.:)

[144man]

I'm such a slow writer that I had to develop a concise style at school otherwise I'd never have been able to answer exam questions in the time required.

[westgrandboulevard]

You've mentioned that before, and had me wondering.

Your style of writing and its pace does seem not only swift, but also concise and witty [[I'm sure Jerry, Moe and arr&bee would agree)

It seems odd, but also interesting that you feel it doesn't translate through your hand. When you mentioned it recently, I wondered if age or an accident had perhaps brought on some condition which hampered your speed, but apparently not.

Are you left-handed?

[144man]

No. I'm naturally right-handed, but if you see anything that I have written, you would assume that I had used my left hand!!!

[westgrandboulevard]

Then, knowing as much about you as I feel I do, that must be extremely frustrating for you.

The information is set in your head, ready to be expressed and poised for a response, and yet slowed up by the method used.

Perhaps it's easier for you to communicate by speech, instead of by the written word?

For myself, I am left-handed. Fortunately, I'm not a leftie who is obliged to write 'overhand' [[for example, as does Barack Obama) or at an angle. In other activities I am, to varing degrees, ambidextrous. That may be for the simple reason of adapting to the methods of 'righties'

I enjoy switching words and letters around [[e.g. puns and spoonerisms) or seeing things from a different angle. I feel that may have something to do with the 'mirror' viewpoint of being a 'leftie'.

When I post here on SDF, the words just explode onto the screen. It's like machine-gun fire, which is bothering, as I look back sometimes and think "I didn't write that, did I...??"

[144man]

Yes, it's amazing how things often seem to write themselves.[Another short reply]

It's not really that frustrating. As the ideas arrive in my head fully formed, I don't have to waste time developing them. I just have to get them down before I forget them. For example that story I started in "Let It Snow". I could have padded it out with a lot more descriptive passages, but I don't know if it would have been worth the effort. I think I said all I needed to.

[westgrandboulevard]

For me, I get one thing buzzing in my head, and then start to type, and it seems to flow from there.

Like you, I have to move quickly, as everything is constantly jostling in my head, and I might forget something. Once the moment is lost, etc... I've now taken to carrying a little pocket note book with me, just to make jottings of items which come into my head, so I can move on.

The keyboard is so much better than the days of writing it all out in longhand - then sometimes tearing it all up, in frustration!

Re: the story in 'Let It Snow' - you probably did say all you needed to, for that particular occasion. Have you noticed how much quicker is to read something like that, than it is to compose and type it? I guess that is why most people will read items, rather than compose them.

[144man]

Yes, I have noticed how much quicker it is to read something like that; but mainly because I tend to read it aloud before I send it in case I need to tweak the punctuation or correct the grammar.

[westgrandboulevard]

Do you find your reading speed is, in proportion, as 'slow' as you feel your writing speed to be - or faster?

That's interesting what you say about reading your written words aloud to tweak punctuation or correct grammar. It may be very common, but I've not enountered it too much before [[although there was a man singing right next to me, as we viewed the same shelf in the supermarket on Thursday evening...) It's almost as if your thought process is being re-routed in your mind...

[144man]

No. I'm the fastest reader I know, but my reading speed has got slower in recent years for some unknown reason.

I wouldn't read a short post like this aloud, only one with several paragraphs.

[westgrandboulevard]

On the upside...... I can write quickly by longhand, I can type quickly [[too fast sometimes, so it needs correction) and I can read fast.

On the downside......routine, mundane tasks represent a bore, and a chore - but are tackled, as not to do them would be worse.

Also, the brain trying to sort all input at speed, in order of interest or necessity, can be a tad draining. But better than just sitting, thinking "nothing interesting to do.." I guess I'm open to inspiration at all times.

I wonder if you were one of those eager boys at school, with his hand held as high as possible in the air, when he knew the answer to the questions posed by the teacher....

[Jerry Oz]

I love to read. I love to write, as well. My Mom was angry with my primary school teachers for not developing my handwriting, which tends to be done in a rushed and consequently sloppy manner. I think too hard about what I write. Contrary to what WGB was a asking, I tend to get to the point much to soon before realizing that I need to preface it or put it into context first. Consequently, a three-second thought takes five minutes to write.

Oddly, although I have the patience to edit the crop out of a simple SDF post, I don't have the patience to write a book, which I would love to do. When you spend a day writing one page before reading it the next day and wondering how to better phrase 90% of what you wrote, it tends to drain your enthusiasm.

[Jerry Oz]

I love to read. I love to write, as well. My Mom was angry with my primary school teachers for not developing my handwriting, which tends to be done in a rushed and consequently sloppy manner. I think too hard about what I write. Contrary to what WGB was a asking, I tend to get to the point much to soon before realizing that I need to preface it or put it into context first. Consequently, a three-second thought takes five minutes to write.

Oddly, although I have the patience to edit the crap out of a simple SDF post, I don't have the patience to write a book, which I would love to do. When you spend a day writing one page before reading it the next day and wondering how to better phrase 90% of what you wrote, it tends to drain your enthusiasm.

[westgrandboulevard]

It shouldn't take patience to write, as it should come instinctively. You might think later "hmmm, I did take a while to do that" but it shouldn't happen too often during the process.

If someone like you, who has the ability to express themselves eloquently, and at speed, yet feels it is taking too long - then I'd say something [[whatever it may be, and probably nothing too deep or complicated) is suppressing your instinct, and holding back your natural flow...

[Jerry Oz]

The writing is easy enough. The reading, for someone who is hyper-critical about making it easy for the readers [[without insulting their intelligence)? Not so much. The constant question: Is that what I meant to say? I know that nine times out of ten, it is, yet nine times out of ten, I edit it anyway. Reading should be easy and there should be no opportunity to be misunderstood. That is an impossible way to approach a successful writing effort, yet that specifically holds me back every single time.

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes, you're definitely talking yourself out of it. Your high sense of values is creating inflexibility, which hampers creativity.

When the writing is being done just for you, don't edit as you go. It just won't work.

Keep typing and typing while the flow is there, and not think how it will be received.

Artists can't sing on stage while, in their minds, also be sat in the stalls, watching the show.

Writing, like singing or whatever, needs a simple, straightforward, wholehearted approach...:)

[Jerry Oz]

Of course, you are right. I actually have taken to "sketching" story lines, the same way I sketch a drawing. I come up with a the story, which is like a stick figure while drawing. I then figure out how to get from point A to point Z by writing brief summaries of chapters [[akin to putting muscles and depth to my stick man). I then flesh out the chapters in minimal depth, like I put clothes and a general facial expression on my subject.

And then I render the details. And render the details... And render the details...... Ultimately, my writing effort is akin to drawing and erasing the figure's shirt a dozen times, ignoring the rest of the composition before saying "screw it" and giving up again. I actually think that I'm afraid of putting a year into something that is essentially for my benefit [[I couldn't care less about being published) and finding out that even I don't like what I wrote.

So I put all of my emphasis into drawing as I go along instead of sketching and anyone who loves to create art knows that starting with the details and working your way out is going to result in a poorly developed and uninteresting piece. It's the same when writing a book.

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes, there has to be a structure to it all.

I'm not sure you actually need to start out with one, but one does need to be formed, and then worked around, with plot lines, etc.

It all depends on where the details take you. When you reach the end, you may need to rewrite the beginning!

[144man]

I wonder if you were one of those eager boys at school, with his hand held as high as possible in the air, when he knew the answer to the questions posed by the teacher....

Never. I instinctively knew that if I did that I'd get bullied. My dad had taught me never to volunteer. In primary school I was completely average, and when to everybody's surprise I passed my 11+ exam, I was just another student at grammar school, excelling only at languages.

[144man]

Yes, there has to be a structure to it all.

I'm not sure you actually need to start out with one, but one does need to be formed, and then worked around, with plot lines, etc.

It all depends on where the details take you. When you reach the end, you may need to rewrite the beginning!

You're right. A number of times I've had good ideas for short stories, but without an ending. I've started to write them, hoping the situations would resolve themselves, but they very rarely do. I still have several short stories, written for my own amusement, uncompleted because I could never find a satisfactory ending. One of them is very detailed, based on a dream I had. Unfortunately I woke up too soon.

[westgrandboulevard]

I have to say I was always keen to answer at junior school, if I knew the answer. At that age, I didn't care, and there didn't seem to be any problems.

The problems started when, like you, I became just another student at grammar school. I scraped in, as 'borderline'. I took the exam at the local secondary modern, and wanted to go there, mainly because we had chips for lunch on the day. I was really impressed, as my Mum didn't approve of them at that time. LOLOL

Grammar school was further away, in a different town, although I was a day pupil. I began to find it easier to draw back in myself, and remain silent. [[there's a photo of Martha in London, with the Vandellas, at the time of the UK tour, which I only first saw about ten years ago. I couldn't understand why it slightly unsettled me, and then realised that the uncertain and somewhat hurt expression on her face perfectly captures my own feeling about myself at that time) Remaining silent gave the impression I knew more than I let on, or so I thought. [[!) I recall that I experienced more harrassment from some of the teachers than from my fellow pupils.

It was only the other day that I realised what the problem was. The teachers at junior school were more inspiring and gave more individual attention[[not only to me) but it was different at the grammar school. I can learn just about anything, if inspired to do so.

[Jerry Oz]

I earned straight "A"s in elementary school, straight "B"s in junior high school, and a high "C" in senior high. It's like I became less concerned with the big picture and since my teachers were focusing more on the best and the worst of us, those in the middle did just enough to evade that attention. Big mistake on my part. And stoopid, I might add.

By the time I went to college, I had no study habits and bombed out in less than a year. Mom threatened to charge me rent a few years later if I didn't go back to school. This time I earned a 3.25 [[out of 4.0) in community college. Then it was a 3.42 to get my bachelor's degree. Finally, I managed to wrangle a 3.85 to get my masters [[thanks information superhighway!!!!!!!).

I wasted so much time socializing and fitting in as a kid in public school, that I altered the path of my life by altering the path of my potential.

[144man]

The writing is easy enough. The reading, for someone who is hyper-critical about making it easy for the readers [[without insulting their intelligence)? Not so much. The constant question: Is that what I meant to say? I know that nine times out of ten, it is, yet nine times out of ten, I edit it anyway. Reading should be easy and there should be no opportunity to be misunderstood. That is an impossible way to approach a successful writing effort, yet that specifically holds me back every single time.

The trouble is that the English language is so rich. You can reread something you've written, then spend twenty minutes debating whether it would be better if you replaced "old" with "ancient".

[westgrandboulevard]

Jerry, like you, I had no plan. Just lived for the day, very often in abstract thought. The world just went on around me.


144man, even with something as basic as a greeting, I still use "hello", while many others are using "hi", "Hi-ya!" or, even worse, "Hey!" [[that was considered just plain rude when I was young, and never to be directed at my seniors)

I keep debating with myself if I should give a little on it, but no move yet!

[Jerry Oz]

I'm a stickler for proper things. I hate things that I should pay little mind to. I hate "loan" as a verb. I also hate made up words like "conversate" and "complected" [[referring to one's complexion). It irritates me to hear someone say "the priest lectured Terry and I". Consequently, I sometimes battle with myself how to best write, for the eye of for the ear. Writing for the eye leaves you in danger or dry, boring, overly proper phrasing at the expense of making someone want to keep reading. Oops, I'm doing it again.

[144man]

I hate it even more when someone says, "Me and Terry are going...".

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes, there's a fine line between, on one hand, making oneself understood and, on the other, compromising too much, and then acting in a condescending manner.

There is a difference between the spoken and the written word. Sometimes, to use your example, "the priest lectured Terry and I" might seem correct [[even if not currently viewed as such) but only in written form.

To actually say it to someone risks derision, and a parody of HM The Queen's "My husband and I", which is a national and good-natured joke that even HM has used against herself, to good effect..

I agree with 144man.."Me and Terry are going...". Horrible. Another one is "Me and Terry are going by car. We could OF gone by train.."

[144man]

It sometime depends on who you are talking to [[and I would never say "to whom you are talking."). Surely "Hi" is more suitable than "Hello" on SDF's Internal Message System.

[westgrandboulevard]

I generally use "Hello" in texts, and still use normal spelling there - it takes too much time to remember textspeak, although I do abbreviate some words [[e.g. yrs, for yours) but draw the line at gud for good, or cud for could...

So yes, my default greeting would be to use "hello" in PMs...but have used "Hi" if I think it's more appropriate.

[Jerry Oz]

I'm typically a "hello" man in text and speech. And although I also don't like "to whom you are talking", when I'm typing I try hard not to end my sentences with prepositions. In truth, that's for me moreso than the person for whom I'm typing. :p More often than not, I change the structure of the sentence to avoid having to either write something cumbersome or type something grammatically incorrect.

[westgrandboulevard]

Agreed : every word.

[Jerry Oz]

Wait a minute... I just read it again and I think I want to rewrite it...

[westgrandboulevard]

The stonemason has been hard at work, the monument is already halfway to completion..and he wants to rewrite it...:rolleyes:

[Jerry Oz]

Can you imagine Michelangelo carving "David" and intending to give him a more "Jewish" nose before someone barging into the room as he was chiseling? It's not like he had an eraser...

[[In hindsight, bad example because he actually gave David a somewhat "Jewish" nose. But you get my point...)

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes, I've sometimes wondered that myself. Maybe mistakes can be worked around, instead of starting all over.

Mount Rushmore must have been fraught with potential disaster.

[Jerry Oz]

I've a healthy respect for engineers who get it right. I mean, it should not be a daunting task to blow someone's nose unless the nose is three meters deep and you're blowing it with dynamite.

[westgrandboulevard]

It would play havoc with the sinuses.

[Jerry Oz]

Perhaps a firecracker would be sufficient for you...

[westgrandboulevard]

Perhaps something not quite as forceful as that, but anything which relieves the pressure and discomfort would be much appreciated :)

[Jerry Oz]

Ahh... So with the Spring came a bout of Hay Fever, eh?

[westgrandboulevard]

No, they're like that much if not all the time :[[

I have a nasal spray and eye drops, but am unsure if any of it does much good. And the dark circles under the eyes make me look like a lemur.....

Looking at this computer screen doesn't help, either, ...but what the hell....this is a creative arena......:rolleyes:

[Jerry Oz]

I don't envy you. I used to suffer from Spring allergies, but I have been blessed to avoid them for most of the last decade. Do you take any medication?

[westgrandboulevard]

The nasal spray is prescribed by the doctor, the eye drops by the optician. Both have antihistamine. Painkillers are over-the-counter.

I could help myself by relaxing more, and resting my eyes - but my work and interests keep me going and, to some extent, take my mind off it.

The sore eyes and light sensitivity are probably due more to late nights and looking at this screen for long periods...LOL

[Jerry Oz]

Wow. It's to your credit that you soldier through instead of letting it impede you. I would wish that on my worst enemy [[why lie?), but I hate to hear about it for you.

[westgrandboulevard]

Thank you, Jerry. It's more of a nuisance than anything else; just a drag on my concentration, so I don't want to give it any more attention than it warrants.

And it's also very commonplace, and many others have to endure it, so no complaints.:)

[Jerry Oz]

Life in good. And it's typically worth fighting through the roadblocks we encounter. And we encounter them whether we are smiling or looking as if we are sucking on lemons, so it is our choice to enjoy it.

[westgrandboulevard]

I try always to look at the big picture, a landscape - even if sometimes it is a little blurry!

That way, I can visualise myself as I am at this minute, but from a position of ,say, a week ahead.

Then I fashion the current situation to how I'd wish to remember it....

[Jerry Oz]

I try to remember what I was stressed about a year ago at this time. Typically, I can't remember and that reminds me that regardless of what I am facing, this too shall pass. It does not make the present crisis less urgent but it puts it into perspective of what's really important, which is striving to see the next day.

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes. Each day is just one day.

If we grow old enough, we shall have no 'future', simply today.

[Jerry Oz]

That's why I don't look too far ahead when holidays are scheduled. I can imagine checking days off of a calendar for months only to have a piece of space debris land on me the day before I get to enjoy it. Best to enjoy the now and appreciate the later when/if it arrives.

[westgrandboulevard]

I enjoy making plans [[that way, I can always alter them to something better, if necessary) but they can and often do take up a lot of time. it's also good to have some spontaneity, every single day.

It's good to go to bed thinking "I never knew I'd do that, or know that, when I woke up this morning". :)

[Jerry Oz]

Yep. It's good to make it to the end of another day. Each becomes more precious when you realize you left more in your wake than you have before you.

[westgrandboulevard]

Yes, that thought can be concerning at times.

That's when I'm most inclined to concern myself with just that one, single day!

[Jerry Oz]

I'm getting to the point where I'm seeing fewer sands in the hour glass. I wonder if I'm going to start freaking out in the next 10 years or so? I'm seeing my parents get older every day and I'm worried that when I'm 70 or so [[should I be so blessed), will I be looking at the clock, waiting for it to wind down? Or will I feel that I've lived my life and that I should be content with that knowledge?

I'll probably find a bottle of hooch at about that time and partake frequently...

[westgrandboulevard]

Ahem. From something you mentioned previously, an impression formed in my mind, and which is now prompting me to ask :

Am I not right in thinking that I'm actually at least the best part of 10 years older than you, right this very minute...? :rolleyes:

[Jerry Oz]

You are. I am 51 years old and I believe you to be 62[[?).

[westgrandboulevard]

64 in July, and then into my national retirement year.[[!)

My Dad passed away in 2007, and my Mum in 2012. They're quite safe now, so I don't have to be concerned about them, especially as they are still very much around, just not visible.

That's the order of things, so I hope it is the same with you, and yours. You are expected to survive them.

I'm looking to do more with my life, rather than less. And there is a certain contentment, in that maybe I can concentrate on me a little more. Also, strangely, a feeling that, once I get some things in order, maybe it won't matter so very much to me if I don't live to be their ages.....so not as much pressure, due to the 'unknowns', as before...

You're just being a little anxious, which perhaps needs to be carefully addressed, as to the causes - and what you can do to address them.

When the time comes for your parents, if you're anything like me, you may feel everything will stay largely as it was....which in many ways will be true....but then also start to consider other things in ways which may not have seemed quite comfortable to you when they were alive..and find yourself starting to make some changes which suit you, and you alone.

[Jerry Oz]

I just don't know when I should give consideration to such things. If I don't prepare myself, I suspect I'll take it harder when bad times come and the clock is ticking on me. I keep thinking that I'll be in a hospital bed somewhere wondering if the Atlanta Falcons are going to win next week, knowing that after tomorrow, it won't matter.

[westgrandboulevard]

Whenever you can, take things as lightly as possible. Wear them with an easy touch.

It can take a lot of intense effort, trying to get things right, especially when you can't be sure exactly what will happen. That can then result in a lot of self-induced stress, and likely to be largely unnecessary.

You'll be surprised at what you can cope with, acting spontaneously when placed in previously unknown circumstances.

[Jerry Oz]

Of course, I will find out. My tribute to my loved ones will not be to lose myself to grief. They deserve better. I am pretty sure I'm in a special place spiritually to overcome my doubts about the future when it finally arrives.

[westgrandboulevard]

Just doing it, and not thinking about it at all, works best.

Thought can often make a load seem heavier.....

[Jerry Oz]

Well then, I will be thoughtless. I have been accused of it at times, so I may as well aspire to it.

[westgrandboulevard]

From experience, I confirm I have cared far too much at times [[!!)

Either, I wanted to show people how much I cared about this or that, to the point where I overdid it.

Or, I anguished in my mind about this or that, and overdid that, too. LOL

I can tell you are being droll by using the word 'thoughtless' [[:)) - but really, it's just simply selecting the correct degree of thoughtfulness in each issue which becomes important.

[Jerry Oz]

I know. I was being droll. My days of not knowing when to freak out are mostly in the past. I reserve the right to go overboard when I'm either sleepy or hungry, though.

[westgrandboulevard]

It's just the temptation of reverting to childhood feelings, which is in all of us...

[Jerry Oz]

I guess. I suspect that in the end, we are solitary souls who are afraid that we don't need others to survive, so we find it easier to hold on than prove ourselves wrong.

[westgrandboulevard]

Interesting, as I've just stared at those few sentences, wondering why they didn't ring quite true with me.

I think it's because, when I was a child, I didn't give much thought that I needed others. I just acted spontaneously, wherever possible, each day.

Going through the years, I've found I'm often obliged, if not positively wanting to relate to others, simply to make the best of what each day offers.

[Jerry Oz]

It dawned on me years ago that the tears we shed at funerals are not for the dead, but for the living. The decedent's problems are long past, no matter what you believe spiritually, so when we cry it's because we will miss them. My point was to suggest that no matter how much we want to believe that we "need" somebody in our lives, we really don't.

That's a hard realization for most. We burden ourselves to the point of depression when we lose a loved one or even when we break up a relationship, but that loss doesn't really compare to our true heirarchy of needs. You'll die sooner from lack of food or shelter than heartache. Is that a harsh worldview?

I realize this and believe it or not, I'm a classic "people person".

[westgrandboulevard]

When we're a child, we feel things simply and spontaneously.

As we grow older, we learn that, to make our way in a world populated by so many others, we need to make the right responses.

Very often, those responses owe more to politeness, and in varying degrees, than utter heartfelt sincerity.

The only point you make, with which I might seem to disagree, is that most people do understand that, and it is not such a hard realisation - in theory.

Emotionally, it can be tricky, but that depends on each individual's perception of the realities, their ability to cope with the loss of a loved one - and most important of all, the strength of their wish to do so.:)

[Jerry Oz]

And that's not always easy... It's kind of sad to realise that the day after we're gone, the sun will rise and people everywhere will go about their business. What's important it to do what as much as you can while you're here because soon all that we've seen and done will be gone, like tears in the rain.

Hah! I stole that last one from "Blade Runner"! Did you catch it?