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Dave Good
Marty Graham
Moss Gropen
Andrew Hamlin
Dorian Hargrove
Garrett Harris
Ken Harrison
Patrick Henderson
Tam Hoang
Eve Kelly
Dryw Keltz
Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
Matthew Lickona
Mike Madriaga
Bill Manson
Scott Marks
Bob McPhail
Walter Mencken
Joseph O'Brien
Sheila Pell
Ian Pike
Matt Potter
H.G. Reza
Dave Rice
Elizabeth Salaam
Jay Allen Sanford
Julie Stalmer
DJ Stevens
Matthew Suárez
Amanda Tascher
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David Dodd
David Dodd
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Notes From A Second-Story Window
Heh. I actually started this on August 22nd. It was just going to be about the dog and the cat poop until this evening when Rocio passed along the email address of Anna's counselor. Then the structural conceit was complete ;) I told Anna that at some point, should she continue writing for an extended amount of time, that the outline wouldn't be necessary unless she was writing a thesis. She's as stubborn as her mother. I won't fight her on it, I just need to know that she's trying.
— September 1, 2010 12:27 a.m.
Short Story Jam - You're Invited To Join In!
Mitch tried not to stare. She sat next to him, medium-length dress hugging slender long legs, tattoo just above the her cleavage, slightly to the left, it was a heart with an arrow piercing it, the droplets of blood from the wound leading down, down, down. He thought about his brother Stanley's telescope, about how maybe that was precisely where those droplets of blood would eventually pool, some distant planet, a distant star, a distant something. Mars, perhaps. "Pardon me, does this bus go to the post office?" Her voice was dulcet, in the way that water breaks on land. Mitch could only think of the arrow that pierced the heart. He looked up at her. He regretted it, immediately, and looked away. "Yes, it does," he said. "That's my stop." "Wonderful! I'll just follow you, then! I'm Linda." Linda offered her hand, and Mitch stared at it for a moment. No ring. Long fingers. The perfect combination of the untied shoe met the willing foot as Mitch's hand found hers. Mitch found himself looking at her, and realized he was lost - at least momentarily. He stammered, trying to find words. "Mitch," was all he could manage. "Nice to meet you, Mitch," she said. "Today is my first day, I transferred in from San Francisco, they had an opening at the post office here and I grabbed it. Do you work near the post office?" Her eyes were green, Mitch imagined them as uncut emeralds. His mouth was open and words were not available, his conscience was busy showing his brain images of his kids and his apron-bound wife, and when enough images had been seen by Mitch's brain-matter, he focused again on the bus and on the fact that he still held Linda's hand in his own. It felt so normal, natural, even exciting. He didn't want to let go. "Yes, very close by," Mitch said.
— August 31, 2010 5:01 p.m.
Seeking Cochise Spirt-Zona Daze
"When you write fiction about the U.S.-Mexico border your greatest competition is reality." Boy, isn't that the truth. My fiction is mostly reality-based with just enough changed in order to be able to tell truths in a way where no one gets hurt (sort of giving one the ability to tell a story that is, in many respects, more true than the non-fiction version). I find myself often having to dumb things down in order to make events, characters, or even every-day life more believable. Too bad I don't write fantasy or steampunk, I'd likely be able to become prolific at it.
— August 30, 2010 1:05 p.m.
Copley's Former Casa del Zorro, Financially Troubled, for Sale Again
Borrego Springs and Baja Mexico are apples and oranges. Unlike in the U.S., most property is sold as plots of land. Rarely is any developed property put on the market here (there are some exceptions). Most Mexicans become home owners one of two ways. They either buy an existing house sold privately or more commonly they purchase a plot of land and build their own home on it, mostly a little at a time as money permits. There is also a program here called Infonavit, where the government has cheap housing built and then sells it to the working class folks that qualify.
— August 29, 2010 6:26 p.m.
Handedness, Oxygen's Discovery
"In many Middle Eastern Country's, the punishment for stealing used to be the cutting off ones hand! Once done, the thief had to make one hand serve both purposes and those around them would not gladly shake their (remaining) hand or eat with them..." In many Middle Eastern countries, this is still the punishment. The right hand is chopped off. In many Middle Eastern countries, a complete business transaction in public can take place while shaking right hands, and the hands are used to negotiate, pressure applied or released and so on (this is often done while talking about something entirely more pleasant than a business transaction). Also, many staples are eaten from a community bowl without utensils. The loss of the right hand is more than embarrassing, it closes many doors.
— August 29, 2010 1:28 p.m.
Handedness, Oxygen's Discovery
"Social customs in some countries demand that people use their right hands for eating and all interpersonal actions (shaking hands, etc.), since it’s assumed one uses one’s left hands for bathroom hygiene." My guess is that this is how humans developed to be mostly right-handed. When clans would feed (back before fast food, T.V. dinners, utensils, and probably even tables and chairs), it was always a clan affair, people ate from the same pile of grub. I'm sure that people caught on real quick that the best way to accomplish this and not be grossed out at the thought that no one had yet invented sinks, soap, and toilet paper, well, obviously one can imagine. As civilization grew, there were many more right-handers, so everything was assumed right-handed, dinner tables are set that way even to this day. Even refrigerators and single-door cabinets are built for right-handed folks. More reasons, maybe, that we'll stay a right handed society for a while: * We write left-to-right, enabling right-handed folks to keep the wet ink off of their hand. * Pants with only one back pocket? It's on the right side, making it tough on lefties. * Polo-shirts and suit jackets make it easy for right-handers and tough on lefties by putting the pocket on the left side. * A computer keyboard is essentially designed for right-handed people, beyond the querty layout.
— August 29, 2010 12:49 a.m.
"T4M"
Gender identity is a lot more complicated and there are so many degrees to it, I think that to even begin to remotely understand it one needs to look at it much differently than just in terms of what turns someone on. Some men enjoy cross-dressing (some women as well), and they do so to entirely different degrees. Some are content to play dress-up at home while others prefer to go out in public. This doesn't necessarily arouse them. It could simply make them feel more comfortable with who they are, or perhaps, complete them in some way. That depends on the person. Others are not satisfied with simply cross-dressing, they reach a point where they are driven to make changes to their bodies. A simplistic example in similar behavior might be in exercise. Most people don't do anything past taking a walk or maybe a jog. Others join gyms and lift weights. A smaller fraction become seemingly driven to become muscle-bound (talk to one of those people about it and they will tell you that it's like having an addiction). Still others aren't happy unless they are competing in Iron Man competitions. Yes, the psychologies are somewhat different in that one is about sexuality and the other isn't necessarily so; but the behavior is similar.
— August 29, 2010 12:09 a.m.
The Silver Strand
"It's legal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk in San Diego anywhere except in business districts." I thought it was illegal to ride a bike on a sidewalk anywhere, but Burwell is correct according to this (see 84.09):
http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter…
— August 27, 2010 10:54 p.m.
The Silver Strand
Some people don't say anything unless they have something positive to say. Burwell is not one of those people ;) In Burwell's defense, people who ride motorcycles are going to dump the bike eventually. Doesn't matter how careful one is, other people aren't always so careful. Siobhan, it IS something that you and hubby should always keep in mind. I hope that when it happens, whoever is on the bike escapes injury.
— August 27, 2010 2 p.m.
What??? Mr. Upbeat, Tony Robbins, Warns of Gloom
@ #22: I've heard first-hand by people who have walked on hot coals that it's a mind-over-matter thing, validates your comment quite a bit. The trick, they say, is to walk normally and don't look down and don't think about it. @ #25: "I would say that both Margaret Thatcher and Bill Clinton are smart." Perhaps. Some say that neither had a conscience, maybe that left more room for a higher I.Q.
— August 26, 2010 3:46 p.m.
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Eva Knott
Thomas Larson
Ken Leighton
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Bob McPhail
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Notes From A Second-Story Window
Heh. I actually started this on August 22nd. It was just going to be about the dog and the cat poop until this evening when Rocio passed along the email address of Anna's counselor. Then the structural conceit was complete ;) I told Anna that at some point, should she continue writing for an extended amount of time, that the outline wouldn't be necessary unless she was writing a thesis. She's as stubborn as her mother. I won't fight her on it, I just need to know that she's trying.— September 1, 2010 12:27 a.m.
Short Story Jam - You're Invited To Join In!
Mitch tried not to stare. She sat next to him, medium-length dress hugging slender long legs, tattoo just above the her cleavage, slightly to the left, it was a heart with an arrow piercing it, the droplets of blood from the wound leading down, down, down. He thought about his brother Stanley's telescope, about how maybe that was precisely where those droplets of blood would eventually pool, some distant planet, a distant star, a distant something. Mars, perhaps. "Pardon me, does this bus go to the post office?" Her voice was dulcet, in the way that water breaks on land. Mitch could only think of the arrow that pierced the heart. He looked up at her. He regretted it, immediately, and looked away. "Yes, it does," he said. "That's my stop." "Wonderful! I'll just follow you, then! I'm Linda." Linda offered her hand, and Mitch stared at it for a moment. No ring. Long fingers. The perfect combination of the untied shoe met the willing foot as Mitch's hand found hers. Mitch found himself looking at her, and realized he was lost - at least momentarily. He stammered, trying to find words. "Mitch," was all he could manage. "Nice to meet you, Mitch," she said. "Today is my first day, I transferred in from San Francisco, they had an opening at the post office here and I grabbed it. Do you work near the post office?" Her eyes were green, Mitch imagined them as uncut emeralds. His mouth was open and words were not available, his conscience was busy showing his brain images of his kids and his apron-bound wife, and when enough images had been seen by Mitch's brain-matter, he focused again on the bus and on the fact that he still held Linda's hand in his own. It felt so normal, natural, even exciting. He didn't want to let go. "Yes, very close by," Mitch said.— August 31, 2010 5:01 p.m.
Seeking Cochise Spirt-Zona Daze
"When you write fiction about the U.S.-Mexico border your greatest competition is reality." Boy, isn't that the truth. My fiction is mostly reality-based with just enough changed in order to be able to tell truths in a way where no one gets hurt (sort of giving one the ability to tell a story that is, in many respects, more true than the non-fiction version). I find myself often having to dumb things down in order to make events, characters, or even every-day life more believable. Too bad I don't write fantasy or steampunk, I'd likely be able to become prolific at it.— August 30, 2010 1:05 p.m.
Copley's Former Casa del Zorro, Financially Troubled, for Sale Again
Borrego Springs and Baja Mexico are apples and oranges. Unlike in the U.S., most property is sold as plots of land. Rarely is any developed property put on the market here (there are some exceptions). Most Mexicans become home owners one of two ways. They either buy an existing house sold privately or more commonly they purchase a plot of land and build their own home on it, mostly a little at a time as money permits. There is also a program here called Infonavit, where the government has cheap housing built and then sells it to the working class folks that qualify.— August 29, 2010 6:26 p.m.
Handedness, Oxygen's Discovery
"In many Middle Eastern Country's, the punishment for stealing used to be the cutting off ones hand! Once done, the thief had to make one hand serve both purposes and those around them would not gladly shake their (remaining) hand or eat with them..." In many Middle Eastern countries, this is still the punishment. The right hand is chopped off. In many Middle Eastern countries, a complete business transaction in public can take place while shaking right hands, and the hands are used to negotiate, pressure applied or released and so on (this is often done while talking about something entirely more pleasant than a business transaction). Also, many staples are eaten from a community bowl without utensils. The loss of the right hand is more than embarrassing, it closes many doors.— August 29, 2010 1:28 p.m.
Handedness, Oxygen's Discovery
"Social customs in some countries demand that people use their right hands for eating and all interpersonal actions (shaking hands, etc.), since it’s assumed one uses one’s left hands for bathroom hygiene." My guess is that this is how humans developed to be mostly right-handed. When clans would feed (back before fast food, T.V. dinners, utensils, and probably even tables and chairs), it was always a clan affair, people ate from the same pile of grub. I'm sure that people caught on real quick that the best way to accomplish this and not be grossed out at the thought that no one had yet invented sinks, soap, and toilet paper, well, obviously one can imagine. As civilization grew, there were many more right-handers, so everything was assumed right-handed, dinner tables are set that way even to this day. Even refrigerators and single-door cabinets are built for right-handed folks. More reasons, maybe, that we'll stay a right handed society for a while: * We write left-to-right, enabling right-handed folks to keep the wet ink off of their hand. * Pants with only one back pocket? It's on the right side, making it tough on lefties. * Polo-shirts and suit jackets make it easy for right-handers and tough on lefties by putting the pocket on the left side. * A computer keyboard is essentially designed for right-handed people, beyond the querty layout.— August 29, 2010 12:49 a.m.
"T4M"
Gender identity is a lot more complicated and there are so many degrees to it, I think that to even begin to remotely understand it one needs to look at it much differently than just in terms of what turns someone on. Some men enjoy cross-dressing (some women as well), and they do so to entirely different degrees. Some are content to play dress-up at home while others prefer to go out in public. This doesn't necessarily arouse them. It could simply make them feel more comfortable with who they are, or perhaps, complete them in some way. That depends on the person. Others are not satisfied with simply cross-dressing, they reach a point where they are driven to make changes to their bodies. A simplistic example in similar behavior might be in exercise. Most people don't do anything past taking a walk or maybe a jog. Others join gyms and lift weights. A smaller fraction become seemingly driven to become muscle-bound (talk to one of those people about it and they will tell you that it's like having an addiction). Still others aren't happy unless they are competing in Iron Man competitions. Yes, the psychologies are somewhat different in that one is about sexuality and the other isn't necessarily so; but the behavior is similar.— August 29, 2010 12:09 a.m.
The Silver Strand
"It's legal to ride a bicycle on the sidewalk in San Diego anywhere except in business districts." I thought it was illegal to ride a bike on a sidewalk anywhere, but Burwell is correct according to this (see 84.09): http://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter…— August 27, 2010 10:54 p.m.
The Silver Strand
Some people don't say anything unless they have something positive to say. Burwell is not one of those people ;) In Burwell's defense, people who ride motorcycles are going to dump the bike eventually. Doesn't matter how careful one is, other people aren't always so careful. Siobhan, it IS something that you and hubby should always keep in mind. I hope that when it happens, whoever is on the bike escapes injury.— August 27, 2010 2 p.m.
What??? Mr. Upbeat, Tony Robbins, Warns of Gloom
@ #22: I've heard first-hand by people who have walked on hot coals that it's a mind-over-matter thing, validates your comment quite a bit. The trick, they say, is to walk normally and don't look down and don't think about it. @ #25: "I would say that both Margaret Thatcher and Bill Clinton are smart." Perhaps. Some say that neither had a conscience, maybe that left more room for a higher I.Q.— August 26, 2010 3:46 p.m.