Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    ��Today Don and I planted 35 trees and about 50 strawberry plants.
    
    Good way to celebrate earth day.
    
    Bonnie

    Wathhing my son (Ashleigh wasn't really interested) plant a tree and
    actually like doing so.
    
    We shall watch it grow.

Planted my garden (first time I've had a real backyard!) on Sunday too.

But more because it was the first beautiful day of the year rather than 
"Earth Day".

As if it really mattersa....=)

Can't wait too see the results!

Lisa

    ...donuts ! which is why I always have this one handy :-)

    
    sunsets
    the ocean
    hugs
    poetry that makes my senses reel
    caring friends
    good music
    engineers who get their review comments on my manuals in on time
    
    -Jody
    

    SNOW
    flowers
    my nieice, Kerstin
    blue skies
    
    melanie

	My wife...
	Our baby she's carrying...
	good friends...
	sitting on the front porch on a nice sunny day with beer in hand...


	did I mention my wife and our baby she's carrying?

-Hamp

    Being as husband ...
    Being a parent ...
    Honest people ...
    Good music ('bout any kind)
    5" red heels
    The color (or lack of color) black ...
    
    Scary

I really love...meeting my new step-family and discovering that they are
wonderful, delightful people.

I went to my father's wedding on Sunday (actually was in it, along with my
brother and my father's new wife's two children).  I found that I got along 
wonderfully with Susan's (step-mom's) parents, and they invited me out to
CA to visit.  Susan's siblings are intelligent, vivacious and interesting.
Susan's children (at least the younger one) is mature and quite cute.  And
Susan herself is a very, very special woman, and I was glad that I got the
chance to get to know her over the 4 days that I was in NM for the wedding.

Even though I am 22, and haven't lived with my father for over 8 years, I feel
like I have just aquired another family, one that is warm and accepting, and
I am looking forward to getting to know them better!

D!

    I did 2 oil paintings this month. I hadn't been painting in a year.
    
    Good weather's coming up.
    
    KATE
    

    Yesterday I saw a *double* rainbow.  It was the first time I'd seen a
    rainbow in YEARS and it brought back a flood of warm and wonderful
    childhood memories.  For me, little surprises that happen infrequently
    are very special!

    Spring in New England, when it's finally warm enough to get out into
    the garden and get dirt beneath my fingernails.
    
    Putting new, baby plants into the earth in anticipation of the beauty
    that will come.
    
    Working outside all day and coming in at dusk, tired, sweaty, and
    dirty, but feeling like I've really DONE something today!
    
    Karen

    Coming home from work (late at night) and sitting down for a cup of
    tea.  The best part is the 2 cats that jump on my lap and warm it up
    and the other two who rub on my legs, all four purring their little
    hearts out 'cause they are glad I'm home.
    
    -Wendy-
    

    >>>penny the cat (even if she DID give me poison oak AGAIN!)
    
    >>>planning and planting a drought resistant garden in the mountains
    
    >>>seeing Monterrey-Santa Cruz at Sunrise from 2000'.  Daily.
    
    >>>seeing /hearing our local bird friends on the deck (a pair of acorn
    	woodpeckers, many towees(sp),blackbirds
    
    >>>watching Penny watch "cat-TV" (birds on deck, class door CLOSED)
    
    ...and having such a good buddy to share it with... (even if he is a
    ratbag)

    re: -1
    
    Can I come out to CA and be you for a while?   =)
    
    Lisa

    I assume you also read 13.21 ;-)
    
    gee, i would agree except that as a child i never really learned to
    share well.....so i would have to keep the ratbag and cat....
    
    sorry - had a depraved childhood!

    
    
    softball.
    
    

    Jodie ('90) had her last intramural crew race last Thursday morning,
    so, proud daddy that I am, I "played hooky" to enjoy the gorgeous
    spring morning on the Charles River in Cambridge MA.  My usual routine
    is to watch the crew launch their shell from the boathouse, cheer them
    by as they row downriver to the race under the Western Ave. bridge near
    the florist's shop, and then drive down to the Charles River basin near
    the Hyatt Regency and cheer them over the finish line.  That day,
    though, I had an inspiration and stopped into the florist's and bought
    a huge bunch of cut flowers...  
    
    It was a special thrill to watch her and two of her roomies in the
    North House "eight" struggle against their competition in the brilliant
    sunshine, with the Boston skyline framing the view; so who cared that
    they came in third?...  So I rushed back upriver...  waiting at the
    Western Ave bridge...  and when her eight smoothly stroked its way
    homeward, towards and under the central archway, I strewed the entire
    river and her shell with a rain of fresh flowers...  :-) :-) :-)
    
    Every woman on the boat paused to grab a blossom, and when they arrived
    back at the boathouse, they were all carrying flowers, or wearing
    flowers in their hair.  They all thanked me for that magic moment.  I
    took lots of team pictures, complete with oars and shells, and I was
    pleased with my floral inspiration - but most of all I was proud to be
    among such fine, happy, intelligent women, and proudest of all of my
    daughter.  It's nice to be able to sincerely admire your kids! :-) :-)

    ...being me.

	... passing cars on my bike.

    ...when the family of purple finches from the nest in the eaves of my
    house start to fly.
    
    the little ones are so wobbly and flutter so energetically
    
    They hatched just three weeks ago.  

    ...male goldfinches this time of year. It's enough to make me
    wish I were a lady goldfinch.
    
    reg

The first real warm days of spring

Watching the goose family on and around the pond here at work.

my 13 year old son calling me just to talk



Jim

    
    re: .24 
    
    Yeah, we too have a nest of purple finches in one of the
    shrubs out front. They hatched about two or so weeks ago.
    Every night, my two boys want to be held up to check on them
    and say goodnight to em. 
    
    							Hank
    

    ... having two more courses over (4 more to go :-)...)

    ... getting the final and knowing the answer in full detail to every
        question (all 10 of them, worth 10 points a piece)...

    ... getting a 50 page term paper back with a solid "A" on it!..
        makes all those long nights worth it after all!..

    my grandson michael comes over to visit me and we have a wonderful
    time playing in the yard.
    
    denise

    ....THE SENTIMENT DESCRIBED IN .21...
    
    What a wonderful dad you are!
    
    JayCee
    

    ...watching my little son sleep, when a smile slowly spreads across
    his face as he dreams.

    "You makin'-a fun of-a his accent?  That's-a not nice."

    "Hans, why did he just call you `My prince'?"
    "It's a secret, Nell."
    "Oh.  Can I tell anyone?"
    "No."
    "Okay."

    "Squirrel, why are you and Moose talking with that funny accent?"
    "It's a secret, Nell."
    "Okay."

    "Sir, as an unmitigated cad myself, I must inform you that you have
    received my Cad of the Day award."

    Thump.
    "What's that noise?"
    Thump.
    "What noise?"

    "That's a checkpoint!"
    "Don't stop!  *You're* driving!"

    "I ask for some bottled water.  I get two glasses, and Boris gets one.
    So I hang back, and Boris gives her the water.  Nell drinks the water,
    and I think, `So *she's* drugged.  Okay.'"

    "Did you look behind the drawers?"
    "Yes."

    "So Dr. Dread and I start to help the prince upstairs, and the boulder
    drops, not on the prince, not on me, but on Dr. Dread.  `This is only
    right,' I think."

    "You try to guess how it would feel to be driving around the Vermont
    countryside, with a woman in the back seat that you've `kidnapped',
    and you're stopped by a police car with that [A fine reproduction of
    a large calibre automatic pistol hits the dining room table with a
    solid thump.] in the car."

    "Now, then.  Moose, what did you do?"
    "I am Squirrel."
        :
        :
    "Did you see anything else, Squirrel?"
    "I am Moose."

    "I realised that we needed an explanation for the blood in the trunk,
    and I wasn't looking forward to cutting Rocco's leg to do that, when
    he said, `That's alright, boss.  I already cut my leg.  See?'"

    "It's 3:30, I'm lying awake, going over things, and suddenly I
    realize there's one more question: Who are the jewel thieves?"

    "The prince, he-a agree to twenty-seven thousan' dollars.  I'm-a
    thinkin' that's-a nice-a, round number."
    "Si, I'm-a thinkin' that too."

    							Ann B.

    whaaaAAAAAaatttt?????

    Ann
    
    Did you go on a mystery weekend with Jim Burrows this past
    weekend?
    
    Bonnie

    You mean, Dr. Dread?
    
    					Lucretia d'Martinetto

    Lucretia,
    
    I believe that was the gentleman's name, was he the one all in
    black with waxed moustaches?
    
    Bonnie

	Shhhhhh...it's a secret!

					little nell

    All in black?  Hmmm.  Natasha Badenov was no gentleman.  Her husband,
    Boris, did not wax his beard.  Rocco, while not clean-shaven, did not
    have a moustache.  My so charming brother, Cesare, waxed his moustache,
    but he dressed far more elegantly than unimaginative black.  So, indeed,
    you have to mean Dr. "No, Rocco, no!" Dread.
    
    							L.

    L.
    
    I found Dr Dread to be most handsome...
    
    but then I only met him on Monday
    
    BJ
    
    (sounds like you guys had a ball!)

    The Signorina Amber Snidely dressed very colorfully.
    
    						L.

    We have a long tradition in my family of weird but harmless practical
    jokery.  The latest was engendered by an upcoming trip my wife Debby
    and elder daughter Jodie will be taking soon to Norway, Denmark, and
    France.  Debby is happily learning Norwegian, which involves her
    wandering around mumbling as she listens to her training tapes.  She
    also bought a "Norwegian in 10 Minutes a Day" book with lots of small
    word-and-pronunciation stickers you can put on common household objects
    (POSTKASSEN = mailbox, HJORNE = corner), primary colors (ROD, RODT =
    red), etc., that teach you continuously.  One evening I noticed that
    the entire house (HUS) had been festooned, down to the SALTET and
    PEPPEREN.  
    
    "Self," I said to myself, "are you going to sit idly by and let your
    HUS be FESTOONETE (or something)?"  I also noticed that (a) the labels
    were done in New Century Schoolbook 18Pt (a font I also have on my
    Mac), and (b) that she hadn't used all of the labels in the book.  Hmm,
    I said, opportunity knocks... 
    
    So my younger daughter Mandy and I put our heads together and made up a
    batch of fake Norwegian words, and I laser-printed them up the next day
    in the office.  
    
    Our dream was to recreate one of our favorite Steve Martin bits where
    he tells of his hapless experiences with French... "I was thrown out of
    a restaurant because instead of ordering what I wanted, I was told I'd
    said 'Give me a plate of your best shoeleather, and I want to fondle
    your Grandmother.'"
    
    That night, Mandy put up all but one of the labels through the house
    (college kids have rules that mandate their staying up later than their
    parents), and I saved the last label for Debby's toothbrush.
    
    The payoff came the next morning... I tried to keep a straight face as
    Debby wandered down from the bedroom with a weird expression on her
    face.  She said nothing to me but reached for her Norwegian
    dictionary...  Not finding what she wanted, she finally said "OK
    wiseguy, what's a 'RODHEERRING??'  I thought you'd found some of those
    labels I hadn't put around, but the REAL word for toothbrush is
    TANNBORSTE... What gives here?"  
    
    When all I could do was grin, she finally got it, and realized that if
    there was ONE "red herring," there would be more...  and started
    prowling around the house trying to distinguish the labels SHE'd put up
    from the fakes.  
    
    She had her normal breakfast of Aunt Jemima mix pancakes (en
    SJULAETHER) with lo-cal syrup (en FJONDL-NANA), and later discovered
    other common household items like our freezer (en
    LUTEFISK-VONKELTENER), piano (TJINKELE-TJONKELE), dishwasher
    (DISJDUSJ), down to the dirty socks in the hamper (VERSTUNKENEHJOSE)
    were labeled...
    
    And she *still* hasn't found them all!  :-)  :-)  Hee, hee...
    
    Cheers,
    Dan

    I really *love*
    having made it to Newton to be a chuppa bearer in my good freinds
    David Wittenberg and Cynthia Kagno's wedding...
    
    *and* making it back from Newton Center in Athol in time to
    make my son Peter's graduation in the same day!
    
    Sometimes we are blessed by God/the goddess/ good fortune!
    
    Bonnie

How can you tell if a woman is a Real Woman?


Her vibrator has a kick start and a throttle.

:-)

I really love...being *back* on my motorcycle at LONG LAST.  My foot has
healed enough for once and for all that I am okay with riding.  (I tried
it out a few times since I broke my foot a month ago, and each time it
hurt a lot afterwards, so I knew it wasn't time yet.)

Wheeee! (Now if only the sun would come back...)

D!

PS: Mine doesn't have a kick start, but don't tell anyone

    having 0 unseens in wn... 
    

Finding out I have an account on a system with Rogue!
	Mez

Oh, ferget it...bag rogue, go for hack (sort of super advanced rogue.)
Or better yet, nethack.  (See PFLOYD::HACK.)  Yeah!  :-)  

D!

Unclear D!. The thing I love about rogue is the lack of a need for more than a
rudimentary strategy (run into and bash monsters, check magic, rest up). I
don't go in for games where I need to find the hacker and fly paper...
	Mez

    ...when the nest that the purple finch family made this spring 
    is occupied again.
    
    The bushes are too thick to see who it is, but I can hear the cheeping
    of baby birds at feeding time.  Those little guys are LOUD!
    
    If the same schedule holds for this batch, flying lessons commence
    toward the end of June.  Yay!    
    

    RE .49 I know what you mean. I love animals in the wild. For the first
    time in my life, on Saturday, I saw a big old snapping turtle laying
    her eggs. I watched her for about an hour until she finished and made
    sure she returned to the water and that there was no one around to
    disturb the eggs. People, that is. I can't do anything about other
    animals. 
    
    I have only seen this on TV.
    
    Phil

    I really love the summertime sky....especially at dawn and dusk.
    The colors are absolutely incredible!
    
    -Dotti.

re. animals

A couple of nights ago our outdoor security lights came on (they are triggered
by motion).  I thought that is was another dog running by the house, but when
I looked out I see this 25lb (at least) raccoon climbing up the fence, over
the top and down the otherside.....in kind of slow motion.  It was the neatest
thing to see.

Now I know what's been getting into my garbage.

-Hamp

    Riding through a field of wildflowers so thick that my horse seems to
    be stepping across a blue carpet. Then cantering up a hill and seeing
    the ground alive with a dozen different varieties and colors.

    And Sunday a hawk flew out of a tree straight past us at shoulder
    height.

    Waking up every morning to the sound of birds singing the sun up. liesl

    
    
    	Dissolving problems with DECnet.  
    
    	Surprising a 'Guru' with spontanious solutions.  
    
    	A friend; who almost died, and getting out of intensive 
    	care this week!    
    
    	Life, love and freedom.  
    
    
    						Kelly
    

    
    	that my kitties come to greet me at the door when I come 
    	home....
    

    ...that I just received flowers from my best friend, my husband!
    
    P

    -REM
    
    -Coming home from a rotten night at school, and Mike smiling at me
    and saying " I got you present" and handing me a videotape of one
    of my favorite movies (Young Doctors In Love)
    
    -Snugging up with the kitties
    
    -The song I'm listening to as I write this (REM's "We Walk")
    
    -Planning a dream vacation (driving across the country)...
    - Knowing that we really are going to take this dream vacation...THIS
    YEAR !!!   
    
    -Singing
    
    -Changing my personal name
          
    
    Dee (feeling really happy today for no apparent reason)      
                                                 

    Sitting in my room with the red flowered wallpaper, on my white wicker
    daybed, sunlight filtering through the tree leaves into the windows,
    birds chirping, classical music on low, writing in my journal.
    
    Cantering up a hill on a woodland trail.
    
    Being held in the morning.
    
    Kids and puppies cavorting in the back yard.
    
    Little arms around my neck, and dirt-stained faces upraised for kisses.
    
    Kissing boo-boos away.
    
    

    going in to Newbury Comics and finding THREE issues of 
    Beautiful Stories for Ugly Children.  one that i had missed
    when it came out, and two the most recent ones.
    

    ...finishing a university class I hated, feeling like I aced the final,
    and knowing I have the rest of the summer to kick back and enjoy!
    
    Yeah!

    Having my 15 1/2 year old surprise me (she lives 100 miles away with her 
    dad) and coming to visit and spend the day with me... having fun shopping, 
    eating pizza (oye, the gym first thing tomorrow!)... buying her a bikini, 
    and walking around eating ice cream (so, maybe the gym for more than an
    hour :-)...) and checking out the males :-)... (yes, that is "les" not
    "lls" all day.... letting her drive my car for few blocks on a deserted
    road back in a warehouse district, and having her scare me half to
    death!...   (and she wanted me to let her try route 9 - hahahahah -
    funny girl!!!)....

    What a GREAT day...

    ...that I'm moving to Burlington VERMONT!!!!  and will still work for
    DEC!!!
    
    ...that I'm going on vacation tomorrow!
    
    Anybody got any info on the towns/school systems/other stuff within
    about half an hour of Burlington?  (Send mail, not notes.)
    
    
    YIPPEEE!

    That I'm going to be a grandmother in late December ( a *young*
    grandmother, mind you :-) )
    
    Bonnie

    
    Congrats Bonnie, that's wonderful news.
    
    
    							Hank

    Thank you Hank
    
    :-)
    
    BJ

Sitting in the living room in my apartment after a crazy day watching the
birds come to the feeders on my balcony.



Jim

    ... having the opportunity to move out of Mass, and deciding that the
    opportuity is one that will probably never come my way again, and
    deciding to follow that opportunity...
    
    ... knowing that soon I'll be close to my whole family, (well, three
    hours away)...
    
    ... having my 15 year old say "I love you Mom".. (she's watching TV in
    the other room righ tnow - two weekends in a row with her!...

    Taking the seven year old grandson to the ball game yesterday...and
    having the Red Sox play a great game.
    
    You will love it Bonnie!
    
    J & J's Memere
    

    ...going outside with my flashlight around midnight last night in
    response to what sounds a peculiar cat-fight only to find four young
    raccoons having a fine old time up in the big maple in the front yard.
    They all stopped and stared at me as though to say "what's the matter
    with you?  we're just having fun!"
    
    Strange animals.  :-)
    
    						=maggie

    
    	Caught a glimpse of an article on the bulletin board at school
    	tonight - about what life will be like for women in the 1990's!
    
    	It said that women will make more money, our houses will be
    	dirtier, and we will make love not war!  ;^)
    
    	Sounds like we have some good days ahead!  :)
    

    
    The scene in "Chushingura" where the inkeeper and his wife of Ako 
    bid adieu to the Shogun's emissaries, after having put them up (gratis)
    with all due ceremony.
     
    When the party has departed, they wearily and relievedly strip off their 
    formal attire. A tall sake in hand, he rolls his eyes and complains 
    
                             "Oy, these nobles!"
    
    

    ... having my oldest daughter tell me she has decided to move back home
        with me....
    
    
    
    Heavy sigh of relief...  please continue to keep us in your thoughts,
    its still going to be a VERY VERY rough road ahead of us....

    ...finding a place to live that I LOVE.
    
    I've been looking for housing in Amherst for three weeks ... I've seen
    a lot of modern 2 BR apartments/townhouses/ranches:  "Door opens to
    living room, kitchen in the back.  Upstairs, 2 bedrooms and a bath.  
    Wall-to-wall carpeting."  Yuck!
    
    THEN I saw a house that had everything I wanted -- laundry, den, porch,
    cats allowed -- AND was really neat inside, with lots of little rooms
    stuck together in an interesting layout!  Hardwood floors and exposed
    wood panels and pocket doors!  And a lovely backyard and a garage and a
    shed (I love sheds)!  
    
    Apparently, the landlady also bakes cookies at Christmas... :-)
    
    Oh, happiness.
    
    Pam

...also finding a place I want to live.  (Like Pam!)

We've been looking for *ages* for a place in Arlington that 1) we could
afford, and 2) had the necessary attributes (porch, parking for the 
motorcycle, lots of space, accessible to bus lines).  The place we found
has *five* bedrooms (for three of us) and huge, beautiful Bay windows in
the living room, and three floors and more closet space than I'll ever
know what to do with...  And it's big enough to have *parties*!!!!

Now if only our third person decides it's okay to live outside of Cambridge,
and the landlord decides that we (or the 6 other parties looking at the
place) are the best tenants.

Anyone wanna help me move?  :-)

D!

Well, I'm not sure I love signing the lease (the first check I signed meant I
really _am_ starting at MIT in Sept!), but I do love the studio on Beacon St
I'll be moving into in Sept. I haven't lived alone in quite a while; I'm
looking forward to the introspection.
	Mez

    
    Going the the New England Arabian Horse Show and watching my daughter
    and her horses win ribbons after all the hard hard work preparing for
    the show. What a pay off!!

    I went for a bike ride with my former roommate and some friends
    yesterday; Joel is a DEC engineer at WSL and brought a new person
    along.  Well...this guy recognized my "Woman of Note!" t-shirt!
    And it turns out, I think I'd met his wife in Washington, she isn't a
    Deccie but came to the rally with Arun.  His name is Vasudev Bhandakar.
    And after our ride (we took him over Hicks road, a brutal hillclimb)
    he fixed an incredible curry for us, with garam masala and some other
    wicked spices...it was fantastic.
    
    DougO
    

    I went for my daily walk yesterday afternoon, along the Merrimack River
    in Hudson, N.H. and got caught in the mini-monsoon. I loved it. I
    stayed in the woods and under the trees and stayed dry. Then the wind
    picked up and I started getting wet. Then the lightning started and I
    thought to myself. "Get the H*** out of the forest. I got drenched but
    it was warm enough that I didn't get chilled. Took all of 10-15 seconds
    to become a wet wrag. Best time I've had in months.
    
    Phil

    Doug & Bonnie,
    
    Arun and I started at DEC at the same time, before Sam was even a
    lump in her tummy.
    
    							Ann B.

    DougO
    
    I know Arun! She used to be a Decie if she isn't now. She even signed
    into V2 of womannotes. 
    
    I got to know her because her son Sam started contributing to the Science
    Fiction conference at the tender age of 13 and some other noters
    complained and he had to stop contributing. 
    
    Sam should be going into his third year of college if I recall
    correctly. Two summers ago he was a temp at Dec and had a real, legal
    account and enjoyed being a 'legal' noter.
    
    Anyway I corresponded with Arun at the time about how I felt it
    was unfair that Sam couldn't write in SF.
    
    small world!
    
    Bonnie

DougO...say hello to Vrinda for me.  After two 14-hour van rides I feel almost
like family!

  Annie

    
    
    ...	sitting in an open window watching a *stunning* thunderstorm
    
    ... hearing a much loved piece of music after a long absence 
    
    ... great memories
    
    ... daydreaming
    
    ... playing - on beaches, in bed, in the rain - being a child with 
        someone special
                
    ... lunch in sunny Covent Garden, supper in the City, evening at
        the ballet, night at the Ritz....
    
    'gail                   

    RE: -1   Tell me how!
    
    I love discovering a great new author...Dean Koontz and reading
    2 of his books since the weekend. Number three awaits invitingly
    at home.
    
    Kim

    re .89 You've either
    
    a)joined a monastery
    b)watched them "How to make a fortune in Real Estate" commercials
      on cable-TV
    c)decided to drive us all crazy
    
    Which is it ?
    
   

...going away for a 5 day weekend to western NY!!  A *much* needed vacation!

(I'm gonna hate the 300 or so messages in my mailbox when I get back though.)

D!

    sending lots of mail messages to someone I know is going away
    for a few days >8-)

    gardening....
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    I really hate...blisters

Indiscriminately flowing magnums of champagne...

Carla

    ...kayaking on a quiet stretch of river
    
    ...watching GORGEOUS fireworks!
    
    ...sitting on the Boston esplanade, looking at the Boston skyline at
       night

    ...packing up my dog, lawn chairs, a blanket to sit on, and a friend
    visiting from mass. at 6:00 a.m. on a holiday morning to go watch 
    the mass ascention of about 100 hot air balloons at Freedom Weekend
    Aloft. 
    
    ~robin

    ...Getting a funny card from a close friend.  Carol lives in NYC and we
    don't get to see each other often enough but we phone and send silly
    cards and postcards.  I can hear her voice when I read her writing.
    
    She's got the best sense of humor.  And she's _very_ intelligent.  And
    we talk about books and family and movies.  And I really miss her.
    
       Margaret

    ...reconnecting with my very best girl-hood friend after 34 years
    and finding that we have soooooo much in common.  We spent a day
    and a subsequent evening together and felt like we had never been
    apart!!!!!
    
    Ellen

	... Reese's peanut butter cups

    
    ...being amongst musicians again
    
    ...walking into a local music shop for the first time and being
    invited to sing in a piece of harmony that someone was trying out
    
    ...playing "Chopsticks" with a young girl on a piano (she'd only
    ever played it alone before) while her parents were off discussing
    renting the piano for her
                       
    ...finding that I can still play after ten years absence (just!)
    
    'gail
    

    ...babysitting my cousin's or my friend's babies
    
    
    What a kick!  I get to play with a cute kid and then GIVE THE KID BACK
    at the end of the evening!  :-)   
    
    Also it feels good to know I'm helping out and giving the parents a
    break from "being parents" -- promising to babysit is the best shower
    gift I know of, apart from arranging for a diaper service ...
    
    Pam

    
    
    	The beach.

    
    hitting something other than a single
    
    working on my tan
    

    ...I love my new black shoes. They are *so* black. Did anybody read
    the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy trilogy ? Remeber when they
    steal the rock bands space ship and it's so black in the inside
    that it was like it wasn't even there ? My new shoes aren't quite
    that black, but they're still pretty neat.
    
    Dee

    ..... the smell of blooming freesias, fresh from my garden.
    

	... finally catching enough wind in my sail so I can lean back
	and really *cruise* on a sailboard!  After 2 hours of dropping
	the sail, falling in the water, *hauling* that immensely heavy
	thing back up, losing my balance and falling in again, I really
	needed that feeling!

	Sue

    The fact that I'm going to see Robert Plant.
    
    Tonight.
    
    *> pinch <*  - *tell me I'm not dreaming*
    
    -Jody
    

    re: -.1
    
    just replace Robert Plant with Paul McCartney on July 26th
    
    I'm in heaven!!!
    
    "Maybe I'm amazed..."
    
    Roberta

Meeting and talking with one of my musical heroes, Robyn Hitchcock,
*and* landing front row seats for last night's show!

He's a kebab through your ovaries...

C.

    to receive party pix!!  :^)
    
    grins,
    Marge

	....going to my chiropractor and having him comment on the
	weight I've lost.  :-)

	....and having him spend the time to test me for everything
	that could possibly be giving me headaches/backaches.


	kath

    
    ...getting acquainted with my new cat.  She's very sweet and very
    small, and she purrs when I pet her.  She follows me from room to room
    and if I don't pick her up as soon as she likes, she kneads the floor
    where she stands as if to say "touch me!"
    
    CQ

    This past weekend. I won a bagged copy of the new Spiderman book in a
    raffle at my local comic's store. I understand that this book is
    currently valued from $25-35 or more, depending on what part of the
    country you live in. That was Friday. On Saturday, I found a dollar
    bill while mowing the lawn and won $84.00 in the N.H. Pick 3 lottery on
    Saturday night. On Sunday, my birthday, my mother took me and the kids
    to Kimball's Ice Cream (IMHO The best ice cream in all the universes.)
    We stopped at Mrs. Nelson's Candy House on the way. The kids have never
    been to Kimball's and loved it. They got T-shirts from there. Of course
    the shirts had a cow on the front and the weekend has been full of cow
    imagery. Coincidence or conspiracy hhhmmmm. Anyway, the weekend was
    great.
    
    Phil

...getting a new pet.

A couple of friends of mine are moving to Pittsburgh and they decided not to
bring their ball python with him...and since I have some experience with snakes
they decided that they should give her to me.

The adoption will take place this weekend, just in time to move into our
new place.

Now if only we can get the doggarn thing to *eat*!!  (Pythons are so picky!)

D!

    D!
    
    I'd love to watch you encourage "monty" to eat.  I have this wondrous
    vision of you playing "here come's the airplane!" with her.  :^)
    
       Margaret (who just added another snake to my office, 
                 for a total of two inflatable snakes. 
                 Scott C.'s nervous system has perked up considerably :^) 

    Not so swell for the dinner (who, I believe, has to be alive at the
    time :-(

    
    >Not so swell for the dinner (who, I believe, has to be alive at the
    >time :-(
    
    Not necessarily, most snakes can be taught to take dead dinner.  Even
    if their dinner is alive, constrictors kill their food very humanely. 
    (No details here, if you're curious I'll tell you offline.)
    
    How very synchronous this all is - Wally and I just got a baby Ball
    Python today, given to us by a pet store owner who didn't know how to
    properly care for her (yes, its a girl!  When she's older she'll be a
    womyn-snake :-) so we got her gratis because he cared about saving her
    life.  She obligingly ate lunch this afternoon, and is at home asleep
    in Wally's shirt pocket.  We're looking for name suggestions, too.
    (Lucretia and Hypatia are the current top choices, but if you've got
    a good idea, better take it to the rathole!)
    
    I'm sure your new baby will be just as cooperative, D! - isn't being a
    snake-mom a blast!  
    
    					/Rita
    
    

>    I'd love to watch you encourage "monty" to eat.  

No, no, no,no.  "Monty" is my best friend's boyfriends MALE Ball Python,
with whom we plan to attempt to mate Slitha, a FEMALE Ball Python.
We think Monty and Slitha would make a cute couple - at least Monty
eats reliably.  (Ball Pythons are very hard, if not impossible, to
breed in captivity...but we can try.)

Most snakes I know of require dinner to be both live *and* conscious...

Rita, how did you get yours to eat?  (I suppose we ought to talk about
this in mail.)

D!

[PS: We don't like the name Slitha...we are looking for renaming suggestions.]

    And in the case of mammals facing a snake, "conscious" really means
    "fully conscious that they're going to die" and "desperately trying to
    stay alive".
    
    I got acquainted with a very large king snake when I was at school in
    Texas.  Not wanting to knuckle under to the standard cultural
    mythologies, I even considered adopting it (supportings snakes was chic
    then, too, though I'd like to think that wasn't one of my motivations). 
    
    Folks, it didn't take a PhD in theoretical physics for me to understand
    what was really at stake:  in order to support that snake I'd have to
    deliberately send to their terror-stricken deaths a lot of animals with
    much more claim to my compassion than the snake.  No different to
    taking them one by one and smashing their heads with a hammer.  Worse,
    really; if they were mice or gerbils from a supply house the poor
    things might suppose I was cuddling them in their last few seconds of
    life, whereas with the snake they'd know what was coming as their
    little hearts raced out of control and they scrabbled at the sides
    trying to get away.  
    
    Nope, I just didn't have it in me, I turned the snake loose again.
    
    						=maggie

There has been a request to hold the snake discussion in another topic (I'll be
glad to start one if no one can find a suitable one).
	Mez

    broccoli fresh from the garden
    
    last weekend!
    
    hot tubbing under the stars
    
    Kim

    being _almost_ done with my summer course. One measly final
    exam to go :-)

    my flower garden...it's *so* pretty
    this beautiful summer weather
    
    Lorna
    

    
    What are you growing Lorna?
    
    						Hank

    Hearing that a car race was stopped temporarily so the race workers
    could shoo a bunny rabbit off the track.
    
    Happened last weekend at Meadowlands, NJ, my older bro is one of the
    guys who work the races.  He's so big his position on the team is
    holding up the car while someone else changes the tires.  At least
    that's what he tells me.  :^) 
    

    re .127, nothing exotic...mostly petunias and marigolds, but they're
    pretty 
    
    and I *love* this hot weather :-)  (makes up for all the complaining I
    do about being cold in the winter)
    
    Lorna
    

    really?  I love cold weather...but I always was a nut case

    
    
    	I love the warm (hot) weather.
    
    	I love laying on the beach with maximum exposure getting a dark
    tan. 
    
    

    ...Thinking of fall.  Cool days and frosty nights.  Taking that last swim
    of the year in water warmer than the air.  Wearing sweaters.  The first
    morning when frost forms on the ground. Hot mulled apple cider.  
    Taking long walks and hearing the geese honking their way southward
    overhead. Breaking out the down comforter for the first time. 
    Most of all, no sweating.
    
    ...Thinking of going wading in Norway above the arctic circle in water
    so cold that it was slushy, and watching the stars and Northern lights
    so close above.
    
      Margaret -- who loves the cold and can't stand the heat

....the hot weather.  I found myself envying folks in Phoenix awhile back when
it was 120.  I do consider myself fortunate, however that I live in an apartment
where I have air conditioning and a pool.


I looked out the window here a little while ago and saw the geese standing
on the sidewalk getting sprayed by a sprinkler.  They were flapping their
wings and having a heck of a time :^)



Jim

so many things... like:

  - having a file like this to discuss women's issues/topics of
     interest to women
  - reading the replies to this base note
  - old friends; new friends
  - sunshine/laying in the sun and feeling it gently warming your body
  - watching fireflys on a soft summer night
  - gentle rain
  - water/beaches/lakefronts
  - good wine, good food, good company
  - new insights
  - the comfort of my MickeyMouse nightshirt
  - the smell of clean sheets that have been fresh air dried
  - a nice cold beer on a hot summer's day
  - early morning dew
  - Tanya (our 11 yr old. German Shepard) and Fred (our "fabulous feline")
  - having a husband as gentle and kind and loving as mine is
  - back rubs; (better yet, all-over body rubs)
  - fresh flowers and veggies from your own garden
  - the clean fresh scent of a babys skin
  - hot tubs and cool showers
  - life!

    Maine
    

    my secretary, who managed this morning, with only minimal clues as to
    my whereabouts (*I* didn't know what conference room I was headed for
    as I left last night, nor the exact title of the seminar) to track me
    down and get security to break into the seminar to get me.
    
    My son had sustained an injury at work, and they needed my
    permission to send him off to see if he needed stitches.  It appears
    that he'll be fine, but apparently it was a little scary when they
    couldn't get through to me right away.
    
    Aliso

    
    re:.135
    me too!
    

    re:  .135
      
    
    Thanks for reminding me....Vermont.  Sigh!  :-)
    
    Nanci-temporarily-stuck-in-Colorado-but-looking-for-a-home-in-Burlington
    
                                                   

    
    ...air conditioning.
    
    

    coming home to find 3 very tiny racoons on the porch.  One actually
    took some food from my hand.  S/he actually wanted the fingers, and bit
    down verrry gently to see if s/he could have them.  S/he also stopped
    when I twitched, which I thought was very considerate. :-)
    
    But then, when I came back to the window a few minutes later...there
    were five!�I managed to get some pictures of the three, but the other
    two were too shy.
    
    Neat experience!
    
    						=maggie

    I seem to recall reading a few years back about rabies epidemic in
    raccoons that was moving up the east coast.  I don't know the status of
    this obviously old information, however; PLEASE be careful when dealing
    with wild animals.

    - M

Rabies is a problem with raccoons, though I believe the epidemic hasn't come 
further north than New Jersey or so; individuals may still be affected, so 
care is definitely advised.

You might also want to change your locks and put an alarm in your car...

    God
    My two sons, Shawn & Scott
    My ex-boyfriend Timmy L.
    My family/friends
    The great outdoors
    The woods/Moxie Falls, Great Moose Pond, Moosehead, Moose River Dam,
    	Smalls Falls
    The ocean, my favorite is Old Orchard Beach, others are Pemaquid,
    	Rockland, Camden, Boothbay Harbor
    Horses/horseback riding
    Motorcycle riding (especially at night)
    Bicycle riding
    Walking for exercise and enjoyment of the outdoors/scenery
    My home/land and having my brothers' horses on it
    The sunshine
    Rainy day (as long as it's not on the weekend)
    Fishing from a boat
    Boat cruises
    Going out dancing once in awhile
    Music (no country or heavy metal)
    Special pictures of a special person
    My rings from Tim, especially the amethyst (his birthstone, it has
    	lots of sentimental value to me and brings back very nice memories
        of someone that is still very special to me in my heart/mind/thoughts)
    Memories of Tim and I and all the special times we had and his laughter
    Playing in the snow
    Chilly, but nice winter days
    Meeting new people
    

    A heavy summer downpour...and running barefoot through the puddles!
    
    Judi
    

    ..When my dad comes and hooks up my stereo, dryer, and fixes my
      lawnmower....

    
    
    ...when i get to leave work after a day like today.

    ... waking up totally stiff and sore - cuz it reminds me of the
    wonderful time I had yesterday on the racquetball court, even *if* I
    did lose all three games (didn't lose the last one by much though)
    
    ... having the person I was playing against turn to me after the last
    game and say, When can you play again?"... WOW...  maybe Texas won't be
    ALL that bad afterall :-)...

    Winning the pool at work. Yea!!!! $120.00 extra dollars this week.
    
    Phil

    my cats.  little zeke (9 mos) just got out of exploratory surgery
    yesterday.  the reason for his illness?  a bowel obstruction, caused by
    a plastic baggie.  gives new meaning to the term "garbage kitty".
    
    i get to pick him up friday; noah (adult cat) will be glad to see him.
    
    lee

    Correction to .150. I really love winning the pool at work and giving some
    of it to my kids and using some to buy to new videotapes. I'm now at 160
    movies and still climbing. Mississippi Burning and Errol Flynn's The Sea 
    Hawk got added last night.
    
    Phil

The National Anthem being sung by Rosanne Barr at a baseball
game.  Ahhhhhhh, what a great country this is.

-Hamp

    
    	RE: .152 
    
    	One of my cats have been eating plastic bags for 10 years. I guess
    	he didn't learn his lesson the first time he got sick. I thought
    	he was unique or part billy-goat.
    
    	Guy
    

    Weighing myself today and instead of gaining 2-4 lbs. I have lost
    another 2 lbs. At this rate I'll be down to my goal by Valentine's Day.
    And after I stressed myself out (see the Stress coping string).
    
    Phil

    living near an airfield, getting to watch *enormous* C5's 
    fly like hawks. Bonus - the airshow this weekend features the 
    B1 - what a machine(!), whatever your views on military spending. 

    Coming home after 4 days away! Also finding 4 new kittens, 2 black
    males white feet, bibs and noses, and 2 black females with calico
    markings. (anyone looking for a new cat?)
    
    Bonnie

    G'Day,
    
    	I love the new node (MOMCAT::) that =wn= resides on.  Why?  I'm
    glad you asked.  For some reason the old cluster (RANGER::) has slowed
    right down for the trans-pacific trip to Australia but MOMCAT really
    flies - almost instant next note updates instead of the up to a minute
    or two between notes!  Thank you Maggie!
    
    David.
    

Oh.  Airplanes.  Gee, the title had me interested for a minute.

Squawk!  :-)

--bob

...MOVING!!!  :-)

Finally finished moving (although not unpacking) this weekend.  The place
is wonderful and I'm so excited!  (For those who are confused, I just
moved to Lowell, *not* Arlington. Yes, I did say I had found an apartment
in Arlington...however, the landlord jerked us around and blew us off,
so we found another place, equally wonderful but very different.  Unfortunately,
not large enough for real parties.)

Boy did that CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING feel good yesterday after 8 hours
of loading and unloading furniture and boxes in the blazing sun.

D!

    ...sleeping.
    After 24 hours of non-stop, no sleep, hassle-ridden and jet lagged
    travel.
    
    'gail

    
    Throwing crumpled-up paper into my trash can (or recycle bin) from
    across my cube and having it go in almost every time.
    
    (I especially like it if someone is walking by when I make a
    really impressive shot)
    
    Justine

    ...the fact that there are so many men in this notes file that don't 
    have a problem saying they love things!
    
    E Grace

    Walking in the driving rain with my husband, stomping through puddles
    trying to get each other wet, ignoring the incredulous looks of our
    neighbors and passing motorists, becoming like children again.
    
    Karen

    Public affection, and hand-holding.   8^)
    
    Sure, it makes some people sick, but it makes my wife and I very happy.
    
    Jerry ...
    

    re.166
    Why would it make people sick? It makes my wife and I happy to show our
    affection and we enjoy it when other people do the same.
    
    Charles

    We're often kidded because people think "we're fooling around". married
    people shouldn't look at eachother with such lust !   ;^]
    
    I think the people that get sick are mainly the people in unhappy
    realationships, or none at all.
    
    Romance roolz ...  8^)
    
    Jerry

    ...the early to mid-October air in the Upper Valley.  There's a very
    crisp, clean feel to it as the first leaves to fall skip across the
    ground.  The nights are so clear that you can see just about every
    star.
    
    *sigh*
    
    Daniel-who-is-going-home-soon!

    yesyesyes October!!!
    
    What Upper Valley do you mean, Daniel ?
    
    Looking forward to Vermont autumn myself. fooey on the heat, I
    want to hear leaves crunching :-)

    Upper Valley in New Hampshire -- Hanover where if you sneeze too hard
    you're over the Connecticutt river and into Vermont...I have some
    friends in Thetford who have a house htat overlooks the
    mountains...right in the direction of Mt. Cube.  When there's a
    thunderstorm, you just kick back on the back porch and watch the
    lightening on the horizon...
    
    Gawd, I *love* living up there!

    
    RE. 168
    
    Yes, that's true, some people are getting sick when seeing other
    people being in love and everything remembers you of being
    alone or living in a bad relationship.
    
    But this does not mean, those people don't want the others to be
    happy, it just hurts a little bit. But being unfair is not the
    right thing to solve oneselves problem ...
    
    C.

    There's a lot of sad/bitter people out there, and misery *does* love
    company ... sad to say ...
    
    Jerry

    	RE: .174  JerryWhite

    	> There's a lot of sad/bitter people out there, and misery *does* love
    	> company ... sad to say ...
    
    	It's interesting that you assume that "misery" (sadness/bitterness)
    	is the most likely reason that some people don't feel comfortable
    	watching couples acting romantic in public.  Why would you want to
    	assume the worst about total strangers?

    	Did you ever think that they might be assuming the worst about you
    	at times like these?  They could wonder, for example, if you're
    	putting on a show to make them jealous or to draw attention to
    	yourself.  They might also be assuming that you shower affection
    	on your wife to hide the multiple girlfriends you've seen behind
    	her back.  [Disclaimer:  I'm sure this isn't true, Jerry.  Please
    	don't take it personally.  It's just an example of what others
    	might think while you're assuming something completely different.]

    	Romance is great - if it feels good to romance your wife in public,
    	go for it!  I think it's wonderful.

    	Please don't use it as an opportunity to look down on people who are
    	alone or NOT engaging in this sort of public display. 

    	They may be happier than you are at home.  You never know.

    Please note that the "I love...." note, similar to the "I hate..." note
    and the "Hot Button...." note, is primarily for one-shot expressionism,
    with brief discussion if any in the case of the "I love" and "I hate"
    notes. 
    
    If a topic seems to be springing forth from any of these, please begin
    a new topic to discuss it....
    
    -Jody
    

    re .175, no kidding.  I don't "have" anybody in my life right now but
    it doesn't bother me if other people paw each other in public.
    
    re .176, sorry.
    
    Lorna
    

    Engineering teams who VALUE and INCLUDE their technical writers in all
    aspects of the engineering effort....!  Makes me *want* to put in that
    extra effort.....
    
    -Jody
    

    ...working for a company that treats me as well at Digital does, even
    though I'm "only" a DECTemp.  Forums like this in which I can discuss
    almost anything under the sun, clean air, attractive surroundings, 
    people who, for the most part, say "please" and "thank you", and 
    co-workers to whom the environment is something important, not just
    a passing fad.  These are things that I hear many people take for
    granted.  Trust me, they are not the norm.  With all its problems, 
    Digital is still the best place I've ever worked, and I have 
    worked in a lot of different types of places.
    
    
    E Grace
    
    

    ...reading notes like the last one.  Thanks!

    when my only sister gives birth to a baby boy!  Andrew was born a
    couple of hours ago!

    Congratulations to all of you!

    Lying outside watching the stars and listening to crickets...
    
    B

    Diet Vernors.....
    
    eeeeee!
    
    -Jody
    

    
    vernors! wow! haven't had it in years!
    

    Leaving for work this morning and seeing the biggest reddest sassiest
    cardinal ever in the pine tree next to the front door. 
    
    And he just looked at me and didn't fly away.

    
    birkenstocks
    

    ...having a night off...with my spousal unit in Dallas, I plan to stop
    at the local sub shop and order a gyro sandwich with lots of garlic and
    yoghurt sauce and raw onions... and my pores will ooze a disgusting
    odor for the next 48 hours!!
    
    :^)
    Grins

    Having a chipmunk sitting in my hand, trying to decide which morsel
    is just right to carry back to hir nest!
    
    And then having her come back for more!
    
    E 

    
    	Being distracted for one day from the Gulf Crisis.
    

    
    Vernors... and I thought I was weird having friend and relatives 
    bringing cases out here when they visited...  I've got a case and
    a half at home right now, but its not diet.
    
    Anyone who's lived in Cincinnati out there?  What about Skyline Chili...
    actually, they've opened up in Columbus and Cleveland too!

What's a Vernor?  Is it another non-west coast thing?!?!

Carla

    Vernor's is a regional gingerale.  I first ran across it in Detroit,
    evidently it's also available in parts of Ohio.  It's the only
    gingerale that I like - and I can't describe how it's different from
    other brands.
    
    Alison

    They also have Skyline in Indianapolis.  Chile, and in particular
    Skyline Chile, seems to be some sort of Cincinnati institution.
    
    -- Mike

    
    I've only been able to savor it a mere handful of times.  *sigh*. 
    New England has its flaws!
    
    -Jody
    

    The smell of apples ripening on the trees, as I drove through the
    orchards of the Nashoba Valley Winery tonight...
    
    

    
    Yes, but New England has Moxie.  :-)
    
    CQ

    Jody,
    
    New England *might* have its flaws - I doubt it - but a lack of a
    great Ginger Ale is not one of them.  Have you ever tried Chelmsford
    brand Golden Ginger Ale? (*8, (*8, (*8!
    
    E

    ... nicking replies which are a multiple of .100. But some of you
    already knew that.
    
    Ad

    
    re: .199
    
    Chelmsford brand Golden Ginger Ale is not Vernor's....  its a taste
    that can't easily be described.
    

    my supportive friends... bonnie r, sunny and mary-lynn, and sue s just
    to name a few.

    ok, all you vernor's fans triggered my memories of my favorite soda,
    which (yay!) I can now get in the Bay Area through the Trader Joe's
    stores.  From Santa Fe New Mexico, Blue Sky soda, raspberry flavored;
    100% natural, no artifical preservatives, flavorings or colorings;
    delicious, pale pink refreshment.  I hadn't had any since I left New
    Mexico in early 1988...until last month, when I found it at TJ's.
    Now I keep a case on hand...
    
    DougO

Oh Blue Sky is great!  My favorite was the Grapefruit Soda.  Not too tart and
not too sweet!  I've never seen *anywhere* outside of New Mexico that sells
it.  As a matter of fact, I have never seen anywhere out of Santa Fe that sells
it.  Last time I went to Santa Fe (last April for Dad's wedding) I was going to
bring back a six-pack but ended up with too much too carry.

D!

    re: .201
    
    I know Chelmsford(trademark symbol inserted here) brand Golden
    Ginger Ale isn't Vernor's, but have you ever had it?  It also is
    a unique and delicious taste experience.  I can't drink it anymore,
    as I no longer "do" sugar, and they do not have a sugar-free
    version.
    
    BIG SIGH
    
    E Grace

    RE: Vernors
    
    I'll be out your way (east coast) in October ... anybody want me to
    bring a sample along?
    
    Born and raised in the Detroit area, Vernors is part of my culture.
    As a kid, a trip to the Vernors plant downtown was a treat.  We got
    samples and got to watch them bottling and all.  Mom gave it to us warm
    if we had a tummy ache (really did/does make you feel better), and
    there's nothing to compare with a Vernors Float!  Whew!
    
    I wonder if the cans would explode in my luggage on the plane?
    
    Cindy
    

    ...fresh hot banana bread, 10 minutes from the oven, with butter,
    accompanied by hot orange-cinnamon decaf tea...mmmm.
    
    DougO

    getting called for jury duty, having them tell me to wait for a phone
    call and then being dismissed after getting the whole day at home.  
    
    You gotta love the system!
    :-)
    
    
    Nanci

    Yesterday,
    
    My son and his wife are here for a visit.  I haven't seen them in a
    year and a half...and I heard hints that there is a plan for a wee one
    in their future...   HOOORAY!!!  USAIR and I will be good buddies..
    
    My oldest daughter was accepted into graduate school.
    
    My boss had a phone call from a manager that I interviewed with.
    
    My grandson and I had some excellent alone time.
    
    I got a lot out of the Investment in Excellence course I am taking.
    

    
    	Getting my Grade Report from school and finding out that I got all
    	A's in the *THREE* courses I took this past term - one Junior level
    	and two Senior level Computer Science courses (I must have been nuts
    	to sign up for all that work at the same time, now that I look back
    	on it, though!)  ;^)
    
    	Still holding a 4.0 for my second Bachelors (in Computer Science.)
    
    	Starting classes last night with only TWO Senior level Computer
    	Science classes this term (and one writing class to help me recover
    	from the effects of Noting for the past 4 years.)  ;^)
    
    	(I can see it now - my teacher will ask, "Why did you put the quoted
    	material behind 'greater than' signs????" and "You know, you could
    	express an opinion about this author's ideas without telling him to
    	go shove it up his sock...")  ;^)

     Vernors is great stuff (you can get it California). I believe the main
    "special" thing about it is that it is aged in oak. Well, maybe these days
    it just has oak flavor added. Yum.
    
    	-- Charles

    Having a room of my own.  Finally, all the books are found and shelved;
    with two additional bookcases, there is even some free space on
    the book shelves (what a challenge!!).
    
    I've finished refinishing the desk and reassembled it.  The Macintosh
    is in working order (thank you Jim), and on the desk.  I've got
    three filing cabinets.  
    
    A bit more work to get the drawing board assembled and the art supplies
    dug out and put into the taborette and 
    
    Gee, I may have to have a "Virginia Party" to celebrate!
    
      And the room is soooo sunny!!      Margaret

    Finally agreeing with lawyers/insurance companies on a settlement from
    an accident that happened almost 3 years ago.
    
    I'm so happy I could spit! (tee hee)
    Aruba here I come...
    
    
    -Dotti

    Going to my dietician's last Friday and after swearing up and down that
    I had gained 2 lbs, being flabergasted to find out I lost 5 instead.
    
    That's 30.5 pounds in 14 weeks and only 32 more until I'm satisfied and
    52 more until I'm at my ideal weight. All at only $5.00 a visit too.
    Who needs Holiday fitness. I've got my HMO and the great Ella Dow.
    
    Now if my cholesterol has dropped... Had it tested Friday but won't
    know until I see my cardiologist in 2 weeks.
    
    Phil

    
    	... My writing class at school!
    

    re .204
    
    the good news:  we have trader joes
    the bad news:   we have trader joe$		(dropped too much $$$ last
    						 visit.....;-)
    
    re .213
    
    yes, at least in Northern California, VERNOR's is available (regular
    and diet, i think) and the last place I noticed it was Nob Hill Foods
    or Cosentinos.  Also, Sioux City Sasparilla and Cream Soda are
    becoming available (even at Trader Joe's?? maybe??)
    
    TJ also has a decent Spanish Sherry (Solera) selection, but that
    launches us into things we love about fall: 
    
    	apples, pears and ginger poached in port, served with "simple
    	custard".   the orchard has golden delicious already, with
    	pears almost ready.  a full fall moon over fog-ribboned monterrey
    	bay.......
    
        

    Picking blueberries in Charlotte, at a place that does not spray them
    with anything nasty-to-humans, and nibbling as I go!
    

	Finally, after 5 months of being fought over, fought for,
	fought on (i have the 'skid' marks to prove it!), and
	fought about, all the way to VP level,

	we are finally, officially, and permenately transfered to
	the field!!!!

	Now, if only I can remember what it's like to be allowed
	to work with the external customers again before the 70 
	hour weeks start up again!

	mary

	ps.. I also love -wn- for being here, allowing me to vent 
	the considerable fustration I've experienced over the past
	five months....weeks of "you'll be transfered tuesday,
	no make that monday,,, now it's a week from friday,,, first
	we have to have a meeting on wednesday"... and so on.  
	So Thanks, -WN-  for keeping me sane (or what passes for me!)


	pps... of course it was never anything as non-PC as a 'fight',
	just felt like that to us 'cannon fodder' in the trenches!
	

    A new job, a new career and the opportunity to work with/for two talented
    women!

	...finding a wonderful doctor who takes the time to really
    talk to me and explain things and work with me.  After a horrible
    experience a couple weeks ago, this was quite a relief!

    	amy

    ...having my contract renewed!
    
    E Grace

.223 Amy -

Who???? Where?!?

D!

    
    
    		mechanical pencils
    
    		Staedtler erasers
    
    		New England's glorious end-of-summer days (like today!!)
    
    

    Being a parental unit!
    
    ;-)....the sons and daughters and in-laws and outlaws visited last
    weekend.
    
    I survived....how 'bout you NancyB/
    
    

    
    ....the first fresh winds of autumn in Cornwall, under a full moon,
    with a bottle of elderberry wine.........
    
    'gail

    Seeing my 20 year old son for an afternoon after 3 months apart!
    
    Bonnie

    
    Vacations, falling in love, being silly, sensuous tequila shots,
    the wild and wonderful women of Colorado Springs, early morning
    telephone calls, slow dances, these butterflies in my stomach, a
    blown reputation (or the aiding and abetting thereof) ... !
    
    Carla
    

    Sounds like our Carla has fallen real hard over the weekend.
    Whodathunkit. If true, then YAAAAYYYY for you Carla.
    
    Phil

    The first frost of the season. Yesterday in my yard. Trees in the
    neighborhood beginning to turn. Christmas is coming yyyaaayyy.
    
    Phil

Carla!  I'm jealous!

Lucky you!

D!

    
    	...it when one of the guys in my group who traveled and
    	thought I had a hard time getting his stuff together,
    	brings me chocolates back from Switzerland as a thanks!
    
    	Yum!
    

    	...talking and catching up with a very special friend.  It's
    amazing how in some relationships, time apart really doesn't
    matter, the closeness continues regardless.

    	amy

    my husband, who ran out this morning in the wet and got my electric
    curlers that I'd left in the car!
    
    he's a special guy
    
    Bonnie

    ... finding out that my Kuwaiti friend is ALIVE!  In hiding someplace
    in Saudi Arabia, but he managed to word out to his American friends
    that he is safe.
    
    /Charlotte
    
    PS - Yes, I realize that this means that someone else was killed in the
    invasion instead...  war is hell!

    Having a gentleman in the caf compliment me on my outfit ... 
                                 made me blush!

    
    I love it when I see signs that our efforts for progressive social
    change are slowly paying off.
    
    I was in the new Cambridge Filene's and went into the Men's Room. I
    walked in and saw a diaper changing station right there by the door.
    My heart jumped, I thought I had entered into the Women's Room! No
    urinals were visible either. I went outside to check the door, and sure
    enough it was the men's room (and the urinals were hidden behind a
    wall). 
    
    Imagine that, baby care stations in MEN'S rooms! Right on! Maybe we are
    slowly being successful in debunking ridiculous gender roles after all.
    
    It made my day! Way to go Filene's!
    
    -Erik
                                                                           

    	... seeing my wife's eyes light up when she saw the
    	handmade oak quilt rack I bought her for her birthday.
    
    	A friend I grew up with made it. He's a supervisor for
    	B. F. Goodrich in Ohio and does this for relaxation.
    	They decided to take a vacation in New England bring
    	the rack with them.
    
    	My wife said this morning that I couldn't have gotten
    	a better gift.
    
    	Well, once in a while, I get lucky.
    
    	Scott

    	...my new look and the reactions I'm getting to it today!!
    It's amazing what a completely new and different hair style can
    do!

    	amy

    Well, Amy, tell us what it looks like! liesl

    	Well, I still have lots of black (dark brown actually) curls...
    at least on the top and right side!  Whereas my hair used to be
    medium long, it's now *extremely* short on the left side (dare I 
    say nearly shaved! :^) ), but the right side is still somewhat
    full and curly and come down to a couple inches or so above my 
    shoulder.  The back is sort of diagonal, from the short on the left 
    side into longer curls on the right.

    	It's hard to describe - but everyone that's seen it has loved
    it!  I've never ever worn a cut like this (me?  An asymetrical
    cut?!), but now I wish I had done it sooner!  It's very stylish!
    :^)  I'll definitely have to update my picture for the =wn= album, 
    soon as I have some taken!

    	amy

    cool dry autumn weather, double the blankets and sleep like
    a log :-)
    

    .....falling out of the sky!
    
    .....seeing a white, red and blue canopy spread over my head!
    
    .....making a nice soft landing!
    

    Our new tandem bicycle. The results of negotiating well so we both
    got  what  we  wanted.  Cynthia  got  a  recumbent  seat  which is
    comfortable,  she  doesn't  have  to steer (which she doesn't feel
    confident  at),  and  she can keep up with me even if she coasts a
    lot  more.  I get the ability to take bicycling trips and possibly
    vacations  with  her.  And she even let me name it with an obscure
    pun (though I have to explain the name).

    It arrived  last week, and the purple paint we chose is absolutely
    beautiful.  It's  really fun to ride, and it's great to be able to
    ride  together. We're still getting used to the notoriety it gives
    us  --  It  looks  rather  unusual,  and almost everyone turns and
    stares.

    As for  the  name,  Hermaphroditus  was  the  son  of  Hermes  and
    Aphrodite (Mars and Venus respectively if you prefer Roman gods to
    Greek.)  He  was seduced by a woods nymph who wanted to become one
    flesh  with him. From that merger, we get the word "hermaphrodite"
    which  means  an  organism  which is both male and female, whether
    that's usual for the species, as in several plants, or unusual, as
    in  humans.  By  the  18th  century  "hermaphrodite"  also meant a
    mechanical  hybrid, originally a sailing vessel where one mast had
    both  square  rigged  and  fore  and  aft  sails,  and  later  any
    mechanical hybrid. It was also used (in a meaning now obsolete) to
    mean the juntion or combination of any two unlike things.

    So for  us  it  has  a  double meaning, both the original meaning,
    since  it  has  both  of  us,  and the later meaning since it is a
    hybrid of a regular bicycle and a recumbent. I'm not sure if we're
    admitting  to what I believe is Christian imagery of marriage as a
    joining of the flesh to give a third interpretation.

    Now you  see why Cynthia wanted to name it "Purple Passion", which
    wouldn't require explanation.

--David

    My showers on saut�.......
    
    

    Thrift shops and GREAT bargains!
    
    E Grace

    
    
       ordering shrimp at the Hannah Jack Tarvern, and having
    to make sure they weren't lobster tails. The things were
    HUGE!  YUmmmmmmy.
    
    bonniez

    ...when fall finally comes and it's cool enough to snuggle under a
    quilt to sleep at night and have an ice crackling fire in the
    fireplace and the trees are starting to look orange around the
    edges . . .
    
    --bonnie

    Jody Bobbit's definition of duct tape in the "I hate" topic.
    
    :-)  :-)
    
    Nanci

    the arrival of cold weather, placing my slippers on the radiator and
    coming home to find them toasty warm. The sound of the steam hissing
    from the radiators, the leaves changing colors, not having to mow
    anymore for the season, warm sunshine while the air is still cool, ripe
    horsechestnuts on my neighbor's tree. You can't eat them but some
    people make bolas and pipes out of them. I just like to add them to the
    fall centerpiece on the table. The fall sky and as it gets later into
    the season and more towards Winter, looking at the clouds and wondering
    if this will be the first snow of the seasons. Just everything about
    Autumn is great.
    
    Phil
    

 RE: .250
    
    >>quilt to sleep at night and have an ice crackling fire in the
    >>fireplace...                        ^^^
    
    
    I love typos that make interesting visuals!
    
    {*8
    
    E Grace

    		Flying over Sugarbush yesterday on my way home from
    Mass. and seeing snow on the trails at the very top.
    
    :-)
    
    bob

    ... reading about all the cool weather in New England, whilst its about
    90 degrees outside, the ceiling fans are on, and its wonderful... 
    still sleeping with no covers on, just a very light sheet...
    
    
    ... knowing that pretty soon you guys in New England will be fighting
    snow, just bout the same time we MIGHT have to bring out the
    sweatshirts cuz its getting a little cooler :-) :-)
    
    I knew there would be some REALLY goood points to Texas :-)

    ...when I know it's 90 degrees somewhere else, but I'm cool and
    comfortable and will soon be skiing...
    
    --bonnie

    ...my waterbed.  When it's cold outside I just turn it up a little bit 
    and it snuggles me with warmth, when it is hot outside, I just turn it 
    down a little bit and it keeps me cool.  {*8
    
    E Grace 

    ......The crisp cool mornings, the changing leaves, the anticipation of the 
    holiday season. +pat+

    
    foggy, cool autumnal mornings
    poetic license
    being awakened by puppy kisses
    living honestly
    

    Learning that Laura's infectious mononucleosis is a mild case and that
    she's felt up to attending all her classes and labs these last two
    weeks.  She takes an afternoon nap and has cut back on her social
    activities, but otherwise she's feeling well.
    
    Mom (that's me) is planning to spend part of my vacation time next week
    taking her to lunch.  (Actually I'm making an opportunity to check 
    things out first hand.  You know how mom's are!)
    
    And a big thanks to all of you who expressed concern and sent kind and
    healing thoughts.
    
    8-)
    Karen

    I really love that when I got home from work yesterday, after feeling
    bad all day because my 16 yr. old daughter and I had had a bad fight in
    the morning, that she walked over to me, gave me a big hug, and said,
    "I'm sorry I yelled at you and said nasty things.  I love you."  I
    said, "You do?" and she said, "You *know* I do!"  It made me feel a lot
    better.  Maybe she's not such an awful kid afterall. :-)  
    
    Lorna
    

    I also love the fact that my new boss really seems like a, dare I even
    think it?....Nice Guy to Work For.  Thank goodness there are a few nice
    bosses in the world and I seem to have one again, for a change!
    
    Lorna
    

    notes from my friend meigs in the file again
    
    have missed you lady!
    
    BJ

    
    
    
             ......summer!
    

    Even though I miss summer, I must admit that I loved the view I saw
    this morning as I drove into the center of Upton on my way to work, a
    bright orange tree in front of a tall, white Congregational church spire 
    and bright, blue sky.  How New Englandy can it get?
    
    Lorna
    

    spent yesterday at home, for "I really hate..." reasons (as in note
    #13).  Anyhow, my husband came home at lunchtime and said, "bag that
    canned soup, let's go have lunch at 5-Spice Cafe!"
    
    Love him, great idea!  And no kids along!
    Yummy food too - great hot'n'sour soup.  Wish I had some now!
    

    re .264  Good for you Cheyenne!  How are ya???
    
    My sister calling me to apologize for some hurtful comments she made,
    as well as saying "I love you"  difficult words in our family  
    Love you too little sister!
    
    
    Getting back together with my BEST friend, after a 3 year drifting
    apart, and finding things are JUST the way we left them!!!! And
    as icing on the cake, being reunited with her brother whom I was in
    love with for a good two years about 13 years ago, when a five year
    age difference was insurmountable....and finding the same feelings 
    again, and we're 28 and 33 now, so age doesn't matter!!! 
    
    Kim
    

    
    it when I CAN PRINT PAGE ONE!!
    

    
    re: -.1
    
    The tuba goddesses finally worked their magic!
    
    Carla (who doesn't quite remember if it was the tuba or bass 
           goddesses in absentia)
    

    
    tuba ;^)
    i may need some help celebrating...
    

Getting a brand new terminal at home....SOOOO much better than that
damn clunky VT100 that I hated so much...tilt screen, ergonomic keyboard,
amber screen, quiet, easy to read... wheeee!

D! who is on it even as we "speak"

    	... Campagnolo, Shimano, and DT. Wednesday, on a bike trip to
    	Maine, I rode into a storm drain at about 18 MPH. My bars
    	rotated in the stem, my rear bottle flew out and spewed
    	Gatorade all over the road, but the wheel came out without
    	even a scratch. I'm not a flea-weight either, weighing
    	in at about 260 pounds. Shimano 600 hubs on Campy rims
    	with DT stainless steel 14-gauge spokes.
    
    	I coulda done a serious face plant on that one.
    
    	Scott

    ...a fluffy hot water-bottle just when I need one....
    
    'gail
    

    
    ...my parents
    
    They are supportive, understanding, willing to learn and great fun to
    be with. I laugh more with them than with any other couple I know.
    These thoughts are prompted by the arrival last night of a package from 
    them for me containing a hilarious card (about meeting a new manager - 
    most apt), a supportive letter, and a tape and transcript of a radio
    programme about wmn in business that I missed......"just to let you
    know that we're thinking of you".
    
    It really cheered me up at the end of a long day.
    :-)
                                     

    re .277, I love hearing somebody say they love their parents. :-)
    
    Lorna
    

    re .278:
    
    I love my parents too.
    

Oh, lorna, I love my parents.  I wouldn't trade 'em in on any other parents
in the world.  In fact, now that I think about it, I haven't mentioned to my
parents recently how much I care for them...I think I'll call them tonight.
Thanks for the nudge.  :-)

D!

    ...that 'The Family Channel' is re-running 'Beauty and the
    Beast' on Friday nights. Gives me a chance to see episodes
    I missed a few years back. Last week's episode ended with
    Vincent (Ron Pearlman) reading Shakespeare's 29th sonnet.
    (My p-n is from the line "then I scorn to trade my place
    with kings.") Not normally a poetry fan but I could listen 
    to that voice for hours.

    ...feeling REAL STRONG in my heart
    
    'gail

the fact that my wife and son will be coming back home on Sunday after
being away for over a week.

-Hamp

    . . . baking bread 
    . . . and making lovely tatted and crocheted needlework things the
     ,       way my grandmother taught me 
    . . . and finally accepting that doing those things doesn't make me 
             dependent, helpless, or unliberated . . . 
    
    --bonnie

....really loving!

-Hamp

    
    
    ...being pursued by one of the nicest guys I've met in years.  :-)
    
    ...rites of passage, my daughter lost her first tooth on Wednesday and
    the tooth fairy came to our house that night.  :-)
    
    ...good friends who aren't afraid to pull punches when it comes to
    what's best for me.
    
    Nanci

    ...driving along Mass. state route 20 on a crisp, cloudless October
    morning.

    my new place and my new car!

  I really love it when I get promoted to Software Principal Engineer!!!


Sisterhood:  I own my own accomplishments, but my older sisters blazed the
trail, and my age-sisters helped me when I stumbled and keep me strong so
I can help smooth the path for my younger sisters as they carry it on.


Bobbi "p.s., I made the damn deadline, too" Fox

    ..fishing on a warm October afternoon listening to the loons
    ..having my son jump into my arms at the end of the day and
       saying "I missed you mommie"
    ..having my husband doing 55% of housework and childrearing
    ..sunsets in October
    ..moving 50 miles closer to work

    Brava...bravissima!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    E Grace
    

    making a dream come true!  If all goes well, I 'll have a horse of my
    own on Sunday!!!! I've been asking for a horse since I could speak,
    now I'm 29 years old and it's gonna happen!!!
    
    :-)  :-)  :-)
    
    Kim

    Her registered name is Mahogany Bay, which is her color, the same shade
    as mahogany wood, with a black mane and tail. Her nickname is Baby.
    She's half registered Arab and Morgan, and only 14.2 hands high, which
    I am not sure what that translates to in feet, but just big enough 
    for me to hug, and when I ride her, my feet don't drag the ground, but
    I don't get a nosebleed either!  And the best thing of all is that it
    is opening up a new closeness between my seven year old son and I, he's
    working with me in learning all he can about caring for and riding a
    horse!  Robert is usually a tough little nut to crack, but I've never
    seen him so interested and open and positive!  But back to Baby, I am
    taking her on a trail ride tomorrow night---and if she's as lovely on
    a trail as I think she is, she comes home on Sunday!!!!  
    
    Yes, it is never late for a dream to come true, and the most wonderful
    thing of all is realizing that with so many dreams still waiting in the
    wings!
    
    Thanks for asking, d!!!
    
    Kim

    A hand is 4 inches, so Mahogany Bay is a little over 4' 8" at 
    the shoulder

    ...Quebec City
    
    ...a small wedding with good friends and family
    
    ...baking apple tarts and having some quiet time at home
    
    
    Judi
    

    
    ....getting my back worked on.
    
    I have an osteopath with the heart the size of a planet, the touch of a 
    healer and the hug of a brown bear. I wish he read this so I could tell 
    him how great he is.
    
'gail
    

    
    
    	re: .289 (Bobbi Fox)
    
    > 	I really love it when I get promoted to Software Principal
    >   Engineer!!!
    
    	Way to go, Bobbi!  
    
    -<  Now I have to work on my glass-ceiling-penetration skills... >-
    
    	Hey, I bet your specially_customized_for_glass_chewing teeth 
    	has given you a head start there! :-] :-]
    
    					nancy b.
    					(who is still recovering from a 
    					 3 hour code review yesterday!)
    

    ...being asked to take on additional responsibility and being able to
    turn it down without penalty to one's career....
    
    
    mdh

    The Red Sox!

Watching my 7 year old son play soccer, thinking back to the longest 24 hours
of my life when he was born and the doctors informed my then wife and I that
he had suffered brain damage...turned out to be a bit of a foul up on the doc-
tor's part.  But back then, I didn't think he'd live to play anything.



Jim

    Going to K-Mart at lunch and picking up 2 new movies. Well, actually
    they both aren't new, just new to me. Carousel and When Harry Met
    Sally. Almost at the 200 hundred number for movies owned. I love movies
    and owning movies.
    
    Phil

    ... knowing that there would be a new Miles book to read when I
    got back from vacation (because under Lois McMasters Bujold's
    picture on the Wall of Fame, it said that _The_Vor_Game_ would
    be out "soon" from Baen Books.  (Thanks, Jim.))
    
    ... buying two copies of _The_Vor_Game_ so Tim could give a copy
    to his house-bound friend, Doug.
    
    ... having Tim come back from his visit to Doug and ask in what order
    the Miles books should be read.
    
    ... being able to show him the chronology in _The_Vor_Game_ .
    
    ... having him read right through _Shards_of_Honor_ with only one
    criticism.
    
    ... hearing him croggle over the situations in _The_Warrior's_
    _Apprentice_.
    
    ... having him read me one of the quotes from _The_Warrior's_
    _Apprentice_ that I had read to him previously.
    
    ... finding that Suford's copy of _Ethan_of_Athos_ is now
    autographed ("Newt nuggets!").
    
    ... hearing Tim say that he'd stopped reading them because he was
    going through them at the rate of one a day.
    
    						Ann B.

    RE.303 finally getting the nerve to write to an author and beg her for
    more books!!!! I love LMB too. Shards is my favorite book of all time.
    liesl

    Liesl,
    
    You love the Vor?  Are you mad?  Miles, on the other hand...
    Suford is going to a convention in Huntsville, just because LMB
    is GoH there!  Did you know that Miles is based on a real person?
    
    _Shards_ is one of my favorites, along with _The_Loves_of_Medora_
    _Graeme_ which is a mainstream novel (of all things!) although
    the author, Elsie Lee, was an old friend of Ann McCaffrey.
    
    						Ann B.

    Leaving on Thursday afternoon for a long weekend. I'm only going to the
    dietician's, but a long weekend will be nice anyway. Hope I see some of
    you at Canobie Lake on Sunday. I know I know. I haven't met any of you
    yet, but their must be a way to identify ourselves. I mean besides the
    name tag bit. Anyone going and wearing their Women of Note t-shirt?
    
    Phil

    ...getting totally lost in this story I'm writing and staying up till
    all hours working on it!
    
    Laurie

    Getting through my SSST course - don't know my final grade, but I was
    sorta stuck on the 90's throughout the course- 4 tests, and I got a
    94%, a 93%, a 94%, a 93%, and the presentation is 1/2 my grade...
    
    But now its almost over (graduation in 1/2 hour), and I'm onto Boston
    to go play for a while...

    Congratulations on your success!  This is wonderful:)
    
    Hugs and smiles,
    :)Barb

    After 30 months as a software specialist onsite with a customer
    (NASA Ames), I was looking for some other opportunities.  I interviewed
    with a group in downtown Mountain View (where I live) several weeks
    ago, and received an offer from them today.  I need to think about it
    this weekend, but I really love the location, the prospective work, and
    the positive changes that this represents for me.  
    
    If I take it, I'll be commuting with a five minute *walk* from my
    apartment!
    
    DougO

    That Fantasia has been re-released with the Original Stokowski
    soundtrack re-mastered!
    
    EEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
    
    -Jody
    

    
    	The other night, I fell asleep in my room with the lights and TV
    	on - 
    
    	My son Ryan tiptoed in - turned off the tv, tucked me in with a
    	hug and a whispered "I love you - you're a great Mom!" - then
    	turned out the lights and tiptoed out.
    
    	It woke me up just barely (enough to see him and hear what he said)
    	then I dozed off again.
    
    	What a nice boy I've raised...
    

    
    re:.311
    i most heartily agree!
    

    The anticipation and excitement of a new job...
    
    A great sendoff from the old job...
    
    Being back in the GMA...
    
    Being an individual contributor...
    

    When two deer sneak up on Dana and he isn't ready..

    thanks Joyce :-)

    	...the view from the top of Mt. Monadnock.
    
    	If I have to bust my butt to get up there, I guess I outta
    	enjoy it. Trip down was intense. My feet paid the price.
    
    	Scott (I shoulda been on the bike and ridden to Monadnock)

    yeah, Mt Monadnock!!  we've done it for several years, but have trouble
    keeping up with the kids, who scamper up like little mountain goats!
    
    Advice for the novice:
    Wear stout shoes.  Bring drinks and snacks.  Wear tough pants -- you
    usually slide down much of the mtn on your butt, and you can always
    tell which people did that if they wore sweat pants -- their underwear
    shows!

    	...meeting so many cute kids going up Monadnock. One, named
    	Margaret (4� years old), had a little fanny pack and back
    	pack.
    
    	RE: 12.322
    
    	You're right about tough pants. Some of those rocks were
    	very slick. Sitting down was the only way to go.
    
    	Scott

    ...snow on October 8.

    ...5 days and counting!
    
    E G.

    
    ... planning for a 7-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera.  Even
    better, it will be a women-only cruise, and 700 of us at that!
    
    Robin, thank you SO MUCH for inviting me!
    
    I'm so excited I can hardly breathe!
    
    YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    
    Carla
    

    
    Women....
    
    I know there were some angry words and hurt feelings around
    the personal habits note, but it was so lovely to log in this
    morning and see that women who had strongly disagreed about 
    something could actually listen to each other and preserve their 
    relationships while not backing down from their own view.  
    It might seem like a small thing, but it's the kind of thing that
    gives me hope for the future of the planet.
    
    Thank you,
    
    Justine
    
    

	Having a picnic with friends on top of Crow Hill ( near Leominster
State Forest, Mass) on a beautiul ,colourful , unseasonably beautiful
autumn afternoon.   We even took pictures to remember...

	Kbear

    
    	It's 6 lbs, 20mb, 32 grey-scale VGA, 12MHz 80286, 1 1.44mb floppy
    	(internal), and a great keyboard!!!  (the Zeos 286 notebook)
    
    	After wanting one for at least 5 years but never being satisfied
    	with the features offered for the weight and value, I saw the ad
    	for it in the most recent PC Mag when I was half-asleep, knew
    	this was _it_, called their 800 # and ordered one, and wondered
        what I did the next morning ;-).  
    
    	The battery life is much more than they 2 hours advertised as well
    	 -- I know this because I fell asleep when I was editing a file
    	at 11pm to wake to hear it beeping at me (low battery) at 2:30am.
    
    	(Yes, I have already been informed that sleeping with computers
    	 is anal retentive, and to "Get a life, Bit!") ;-) ;-)
    
    						nancy b.
    
    
    

    
    ...finally finding an *excellent* hairdresser after *two years* of
    searching!

    
    
    
    
    
    Learning new things.
    
    Reading & bookstores. 
    
    Music.
    
    Giving up "anger" towards specific people.
    			People who wear mental blinders are functioning 
    	                at THEIR level, when they become ready to drop
    			the blinders, they will. 
        
    Realizing that  "posibilities" are unlimited.
    
    Feeling like "WONDER WOMAN" when I've accomplished something I'd
    previously set as a goal.
    
    Miriam

    
    ... getting flowers from two special friends.  i am loved.
    
    carla
    

love,

Bobbi "some days you just can't bother with deadlines" Fox

...it when the vet calls and says it looks like my dog's going
to be okay, in spite of the scare he gave me the other night!!!! 

Kathy

    ...when I go back to the used book store and the book that I want
    is still there, and I buy it even though it is kind of $$.
    It is called "Indian Legends of American Scenes" and contains
    stories that American Indians told that explain natural phenomena
    and reflect their religious beliefs.  There is a brief description
    of each tribe represented (I didn't realize there were so many)
    and sketches of animals and color plates of some of the places.
    I will include a story under one of the alternate religion topics.
    	Linda

    
    	My new book - "The Feminist Papers" ...
    
    	The first description of a women's rights convention that I happened
    	upon in the car (after paying for the book) had me as proud of our
    	heritage as I've ever been.
    
    	When you consider the odds the women faced back then - their courage
    	and determination is beyond inspiring.
    
    	I'm looking forward to reading the whole book (when my college class
    	load calms down a bit...)
    

    re .335, make that Native American if you prefer.  Still learning,
    	Linda

    
    ....Indian Summer weekends
    
    ....new, deep, incredibly fluffy pillows on my bed
    
    'gail

    
    Our 11 week old kitten curled up on my neck with her cute fuzzy
    	face resting on mine.....when I really need it...
    

    
    
    ...looking thru the proofs of the puppy portraits and selecting which
       one(s!) to purchase.
    
    ~robin

    
    ... hearing my brother saying "I love you" for the first time
        in memory.
    
    ... anticipating 16.November, and the cruise, with ~robin!
    
    Carla
    

    
    	My manager!
    

    getting so much support from this community.
    
    thanks for your mail messages and replies folks.  it surprises me how
    much it helped to know that there were so many people who cared that i
    was (am) mourning the death of a very important man.
    
    lee

    ...receiving lovely warm greetings on my birthday.... AND a 1920's
    Thomas Edison Ediphone (dictaphone) from my sweetie ... wow!
    
    grins,

    
    	...my copy of the latest Ms. magazine.
    

    Winning a floral arrangement through a raffle at the Worcester Art
    Museum's "Tribute to Flora" members night!
    
    yeek!
    
    -Jody

    having participated in the 2nd Annual California Small Brewer's
    Festival Homebrew competition.  My brewpartner (Stacey Jueal) and I
    entered two categories and our "Foggy Frogger Stout" took first in its
    category, with 141 out of 150 possible points.  And we're still waiting
    to hear how we did in the Best of Show competition!
    
    DougO

    ...having a face to match to a =wn=ers name!
    
    E G.

    Finally getting the new 'do I've been wanting for a year.
    
    This one is *truly* radical.
    
    :-)
    
    D!

    Last night I'm sitting in my favorite watering hole. The owners
    are a couple a few years older than me. Old hippy types :-)
    In walks their daughter, who had just turned 21, with a gold stud 
    through her nose. "Look, Dad!" I thought he would have kittens!
    Turns out that she had a 'fake' stud that is held on with a magnet
    behind the skin. Looks like real pierced. Mom knew about this,
    tells daughter "Why didn't you get a diamond?" Father is turning
    colors :-) After much commotion joke is exposed. Much hilarity.
    
    Going out and buy some for myself. Upset stodgy types ;-)
    

    from another old-hippy-type (John Sebastian); it seems to relate to .-1
    
    "...what's the matter daddy
    "howcome you're looking green
    "can it be that you can't live up to your dream?"
    
    

>                        -< can you say "Annie Lennox"? >-
>    Finally getting the new 'do I've been wanting for a year.



	Okay, I give, D!, you beat me.....  (but the real test, is it
	shorter than carla's????)


	My hair is finally growing again.....whew....

	kath

    
    RE .350
    
    Cool!
    Where d'ya get 'em?
    Can I bribe someone to ship me some??
    
    'gail

    
    I've seen them in earring shops in malls.

    
    ... reuniting with a very dear soul friend.  she knows who she
    is!
    
    xoxo, spiderlove,
    
    Carla
    

    
  


           Mikhail Baryshnikov dancing

                 (O)      O)
                 _|      /|_
                   \     /  


	     with

	  Mark Morris

          Counting down to Wednesday....

          sigh :-)

    Notes that make me laugh so hard I get tears in my eyes!
    
    Thank you, Mike_V for 9.62.  If you come to the =wn 5th anniversary
    party would you sing a few bars wearing a v-neck sweater?
    
    Still chuckling,
    
    Laura
    

    Me to, Mike.
    
    Peeing in the flotation tank.
    
    It was perfect!

    
    	Yes, that was definitely one of his best!!
    

    Lorna's notes.
    
    
    
    *hugs*, sister!
    
    							=maggie

	I REALLY love....renewed faith that there is still hope for the
	world.


	ILIW...I go dancing at a club and...

		people are dancing alone and it's ACCEPTED
		women are dancing with women and it's ACCEPTED
		men are dancing with men and it's ACCEPTED
		men are in the women's restroom and it's ACCEPTED
		women are in the men's restroom and it's ACCEPTED
		people are friendly with each other and they
			accept each other without applying
			"standards" to measure others by.

	I think I'll be hitting X Night at Axis more often....it felt
	SOOOO comfortable there!  8-)


	kath
		

    ...the view from the house we're buying in Vermont.  and that I can ski
    right out the back door.  and that I can walk out the back door to
    miles and miles and miles of woods (just have to wear red or orange for
    a certain few weeks in the fall...).  I love the woods.
    
    Mt. Mansfield, here I come!  The land backs up on the state park land,
    and the view of Mt. M. is, well, it could hardly be better!

    Visiting both my boys on Saturday at their respective colleges.
    Patting Holly's tummy and saying 'hi' to my grandaughter to be.
    
    :-)
    
    Bonnie

    RE:  .362...
    
    Yes!  ha ha ha...  Quite a difference from Colorado, eh Kath?
    
    I grew up in MA, where it is quite all right to dance with a 
    group of women.
    
    When I moved to CO, I found out women only danced with guys.
    
    I remember the night a bunch of us females from MA went out on the
    dance floor IN CO at (egad I forget the name, the club across from 
    Chapel Hills) and danced...to the shock of many men who we'd
    been turning down all night! 
    
    hee hee hee
    
    

    
    	....when I leave the heavy cream, egg, and white chocolate mixture
    	on the stove too long and it turns into an unusable thick custard, 
    	which by complete surprise still made the *best* base I have ever 
    	had for white chocolate-macadamian nut ice cream. We finished all 
    	four pints in about twenty minutes... :-)
    
    	I love it when winter comes and there's no such thing as 'in
    	training' anymore! Been wanting to do that all summer!
    
    	-Erik

    
    ...it when I have to type my notes in with one hand because my lovey
    cat is stretched across my lap and onto the desk and has her little
    head resting on my right arm.
    
    CQ

    	...cholesterol level at 154.

    You beat me, my cholestrol level is 155.
    +pat+
    
    

    
    	...my Dad and his politics - born and raised in Massachusetts 
    	(and still a lifelong Liberal at 72 years old.)
    
    	Right on the money, Dad, as always!

    ...my new ring.  I've had it on layaway for months and finished
    paying for it this afternoon.
    
    It is very old (about 100 years) an has an intricate gold setting of
    twisting vines and leaves holding a lovely aquamarine and two side
    diamonds.  The aquamarine shines like still pellucid waters.
    
    It almost makes working on the weekend worth it 'cause I get to
    watch the ring shimmer across the keyboard.  
    
      Margaret (using lots of o, p, [,l, ; today :^)
    

    having Dana back from vacation and his PN.  ;-)

    RE: -1
    
    But Joyce, it you think about it, and think about flying, I'd HATE to
    be around his personal name :-)

    Finding my glasses after 10 days of wearing my old perscription!
    
    Bonnie

    Fiddle-de-de, Mike Z.
    
    My cholesterol is 133, and with 2 brothers dead from Artherio Sclerotic
    Heart Disease, and a mother dying from it, you can bet my doctor and
    I are just as happy as purring kittens!
    
    I love it when I give platelets, and I look at everyone else's bag
    of plasma (ok, so I'm strange (*8  ), and they are bright yellow, and
    I look at mine, and it's almost clear.  The nurses are pretty
    impressed, too.
    
    E Grace

    spending my sister's birthday with her and the gajillions of friends
    who love her like she was THEIR sister.  
    
    I'm so proud of her.  She's touched and changed so many lives.
    
    -Jody
    

    
    getting the chance to talk with Amy Ray and Emily of the Indigo
    Girls yesterday, privately and separately, for about 10 minutes
    each (YOWZA!)
    
    the labrys given to me
    
    Carla
    

    >    getting the chance to talk with Amy Ray and Emily of the Indigo
    >    Girls yesterday, privately and separately, for about 10 minutes
    >    each (YOWZA!)
    
    Carla, NO!  You didn't!  Oh, I'm going to faint.
    
    Tell us about it!!
    
    D!

    
    
    Wow!  You got to talk to the Indigo Girls?!!!!  How did you manage
    that?  What did you talk about?  Come on, tell us everything!
    
    
    Justine

    
    during the Saturday show in Portland, Emily told the audience 
    there was a pro-choice rally on Sunday we should attend, that
    they'd be playing.  so I lingered longer on Sunday than I had 
    planned.  unknowingly, I wandered into their hotel, discovered 
    as I meandered past the restaurant and saw Emily eating breakfast
    with two others.  I waited until she was exiting the restaurant 
    before approaching her.  we talked.  she was warm, friendly, and
    genuinely interested in the conversation.
    
    "well," thought I, "perhaps Amy (*major* WOOF) is around."  so I
    sat in the bar for a scant minute when I spotted her leaving the
    elevators, alone.  my friend flagged her down and we all talked 
    for several minutes.  I asked her secret things.  she smiled,
    then answered.
    
    the experience was so unexpected ... I'm still dazed.  =%-}
    
    oh, the rally was cold, rainy, empowering, and we had front row
    seats for their performance.  Amy recognized us.  bliss.
    
    Carla
    

Lucky you, Carla! Now, do you think you can get the Indigo Girls
to do a few tunes for our Fifth Anniversary Party?!? ;-)

Kathy

    
    hmmm, couldn't hurt to ask, could it?  =8-)
    
    Carla
    

    
    In cases like this I always remind myself that the worse that can
    happen is that "they'll say no".
    
    CQ

    	...DECwrite.  (Sorry to those who hate it - I think it's cool!)

    	Although I'm no expert at it, I love the way it lets me see the
    	whole page while I'm working with it - and I don't mind pull-down
    	pop-up menus.  ;^)

    	I only wish my DECwrite skills were a bit sharper - I really need
    	DECwrite for a project I'm doing at work.

    I really love my commute to work...after I complained for years about
    Rte 93 and more recently about 495 I can only say that...
    
    Rte 110 is heaven.
    
    This morning I followed a truck full of pumpkins for awhile...I like 
    pumpkins...they are a symbol.
    
    After that truck pulled away I traveled along admiring the beautiful
    farm land and homes...
    
    And before my foot got to heavy on the accelerator I approached a woman
    exercising her horse and a man walking his dog...
    
    And of course the joggers are fun..I wish they would run facing the
    traffic.  I need a bigger rear view mirror.
    
    

    
    ....when the UK press report that Prince Charles went to drink from
    the Chalice Well in Glastonbury to help the healing of his damaged
    arm AND they don't label him a weirdo for it.
    
    I thought "The Prince of Wells" was a weak headline though ;-)
    'gail
    

    that the birds have found the feeder I put out for them...
    
    

    I love the hugs and good wishes that I have recieved. I love the fact
    that starting Monday I will be fulfilling a dream. 
    
    Thanks
    +pat+

. . . that now I have 3 faces to go with =wn=ers!

E Grace

    ...i really love buying a new digital piano.  I have been saving up for
    this for about 6 months, and shopping for two months.  I hate making
    decisions, especially ones this big, so it took me forever.  And of
    course, immediately after signing the credit slip, I started telling
    myslf I made the wrong decision.  But I think I made the right one...
    
    one the other hand...I really hate spending more money on this than I
    have ever spent in my entire life before, except for my car (which I
    must admit, was a steal, since I bought it from my mother.)  Scary,
    especially since I am still a beginning piano player and don't know
    whether I'll ever get good enough to have made the purchase worth it.
    
    On the way back I had visions of the new car I was thinking of buying
    sprouting wings and flying away.
    
    D!

    I didn't know that Digital made pianos.  :-)
    
    -- Mike

    It's a big company.
    
    Employee discount only available for those working in TMD (the music
    division.)
    
    Oh well.
    
    D!

    
    there's a music division?!?!?!?!?!?!?
    
    how come nobody *tells* me these things!
    
    

    re .395 Sorry, but if it's like most DEC departments they already
    have too many 'conductors' :-)

One thing about The Music Division is they really know how to make use of Notes.

    .397
    
    careful, you'll get in treble...

    I'm not sure I like the tenor of this conversation.  Can we scale back
    the puns?
    
    -- Mike

    
    I'd say it's way off bass.
    

    
    	> I'd say it's way off bass.
    
    	My son describes someone with questionable musical ability 
    	as singing "off note" - (I always tell him, "Must be a very
    	short song.")  ;^)
    

    Can we not harp on this subject?

    
    Yes, please, give it a rest.  yuk, yuk, yuk
    
    Justine
    
    quick: someone come up with something they "really love" so we
    can get back on track.
    
    

    
    puns
    

    	...incredible sunsets like the one tonight!  Pinks and purples 
    and pale blue sky...the orange ball of fire melting into the
    horizon as the sky goes from light to dark...  And seeing what
    remains of the foliage not far away...  Yeah, I'm a sucker for a 
    great sunset!

    	amy

I really love winning "Best Costume 1990" at our local Halloween party.

	(Actually I share the award with Kai!)
	-- Charles

P.S. :-) If you want to know you'll have to ask in some other topic.

    How about instead I hustle over and crash the party? ;-)
    
    DougO

    I love it when I drive past two deer as I am leaving the CXO facility.
    
    -- Mike

    
    	If you look closely at the front lawn of CXO3 at night (or in
    	the early morning,) there are often deer standing very still
    	among the few small trees.  It's easy to miss them - they don't
    	run away (they're used to DEC-critters coming and going from
    	the building at all hours) - but they peer at you as you walk 
    	by.
    
    	Sometimes they graze on the side of the building - then they
    	lope back to the nearby woods after their meal.
    
    	The CXO facility must have the tastiest lawn in the area - if
    	the regularity of dinners for deer is any indication.

    ... finding my blue crystal hairsticks that I had misplaced *six*
    months ago.
    
    						Ann B.

    
    lively discussion with suzanne and d!
    

    Being flattered.
    
    :-)
    
    D!

    ...the picture of a womannoter on p6 of the 1990 Annual Report from 
    DECUS.  yeah, Atlant!
    
    (I haven't seen Atlant dressed up like that since Susan Wheeler and a
    few others of us took him to dinner in Cinncinati at DECUS in '88.)
    
    DougO

    
    it's so easy when it's true 
    

    ...the kiss from last night still lingers in memory this morning...

    Indian Summer in New England.  Today is gonna be a real winner!

    ...getting a bedtime story.  Or, rather, a bedtime poem... :-)
    
    So romantic.... :-) :-) :-0
    
    D!

    ...wonderful weekends dating men who interest me!
     ...dinners
      ...dancing 
       ...joking around
        ...sharing dreams
    ...and, of course, k*i*s*s*i*n*g !!!  :-) :-)
    
    Pam "call me spontaneous" Smith
    :-)

    
    note 47
    

    These starry nights! We may argue the existence of God, but
    who can say the winter night sky is not a gift? (Rhetorical
    question only!) Pink Saturn and the little Plieades! And
    good old Orion, a comforting friend from childhood.
    
    
    Eileen

    
    A topic is opened with interest to ALL the wmn in the file....
    
    

    
    	Our 4 month old kitten jumping into my lap when I get home,
    	settling down and purrrrring!  Kitties are sooo soothing!
    

    ...when I decide to rewrite the first 12 pages of my story for school
    and the rewrite is going much better than the first write :-) And here
    I thought this rewrite would cause me to never get this story done.
    Hee,hee,hee. I'm feeling soooo pixie this week :-)
    
    Laurie

    
    ...the smiles, the hugs, the sharing and the wonderful women of this 
    notesfile.
    
    - Jaime
    

	I really love my hairstylist.  He is the BEST....


	Last night I was helping him wash a friend's hair before he
	cut it, and we were chatting about ear piercing.  I mentioned
	that I wanted a cartilege pierce, up near the top of my ear, but
	that the thought of the pain made me not do it.

	The subject changed and later on in the evening I was combing
	out my friend's hair, I turned around and Randy had the ear piercing
	gun up to my head and alcohol on my ear already and....


	FFFFTTTT!  It was done!  Sure, it hurts like hell today, but
	just having it done without sitting there thinking of the pain
	was perfect.


	Ahhhhh......


	kath

    
    Your hairstylist let's you help? Does he give discounts if you bring
    a helper?
    
    
    bonnie

    	You have to understand that Randy is not typical, nor is the
    atmosphere in his shop! :^)  

    	Hey Kath - I thought you weren't gonna tell, but wait and see
    if people noticed! ;^)

    	amy

	Yes, Randy is definitely a very "different" hairstylist.  His
	shop is more like the social gathering place of the season.
	Cheese and crackers, hot cider......he's great....(and a
	superb hairstylist too!)


	Amy, I wasn't going to tell anyone, but it's kind of hard for
	people in =wn= to SEE my new addition!  8-)

	k

    
    having my yearly exam over with for another year.
    
    I feel squooshy.
    
    Carla
    

    ...it when I finally buy a plant for my office and it survives one week
    and actually creates a beautiful blossum!
    
    ...it when I name this plant Alfie so that I can have something to say
    "what's it all about, Alfie" to :-)
    
    Laurie
    

    RE: .427, .428, and .429


    I REALLY love reading notes about Randy and New Horizon!!!....

    Okay, I confess, I was the one who introduced these people to the worlds
    best hairdresser. And THEY now get to reap the benefits, and I sit in
    Texas needing a trim on top, and a frosting RE-Done, and have to wait
    until my next trip BACK to Boston to get it done (Appt is already set
    up :-)...)

    Randy learned a long time ago, that he loves people. He doesn't NEED to
    be in the hairdressing career, as he has a real estate career that is 
    multitude times greater than the hairdressing, but he does it cuz he
    likes people.

    To answer the question, "Does he let EVERYONE help, and does he give a
    discount when you do help?

    No, he doesn't let EVERYONE help. Usually he goes on gut, or by
    introduction. If he respects you, and your opinion, that is what
    matters the most.  For example -
    
    All I have to say to him is "Randy, she'll do a wicked good job of
    replacing me around here, thats all it would take"
    
    I helped Randy out for 4 years. I'd do everything from washing
    customers hair, to washing/drying folding towels, to sweeping up the
    floor of hair.  He never had to ask me, he just knew I'd do it. I
    tended to stop in on Saturday's cuz I KNEW he needed the help. I did
    it, because I liked the person. I also realized that I never knew WHEN
    he was going to charge me OR what he was going to charge me. Randy
    is a "giver", I am also a "giver". Randy knows I will go out of my way
    to do something for someone, attempt to make something better for
    someone, and just try to make the world a better place to live in, and
    he is EXACTLY the same way. That alone with his skill set is what makes
    him the best hairdresser.

    Before I left, I made SURE Kathy, Amy, Dave, and a couple of other
    non-noter DECies, were introduced to him, or that he knew about them -
    I called before people went to make sure he knew that they were good
    people he needed to spend more time with, not just in a "chair".

    If you want to meet him, and try a REALLY nice hairdresser, let me
    know, I REALLY LOVE introducing new people to him. I will be seeing him
    in about a month, so send me mail, and I'll make sure you get an
    appointment while I am there, and will introduce you.

    BTW: For the men readers, he is also the worlds BEST men's hairstylist
    :-)...



    Gale

    	...Meeting the girl my son is dating - what an adorable couple they
    	make!  

    	Ryan has always had a zillion girls call him on the phone, but he's
    	never had much of a girlfriend before - he's so nice (in addition
    	to being a cutie) that the girls he meets want to be his friends.

    	Now that he's in his late teens, his wonderfully nice nature is 
    	paying off - he's meeting girls who appreciate very nice guys -
    	so several of the zillions of girls who call him are vying for
    	his romantic attentions, too.

    	When I answer the phone, Ryan asks me to find out who's calling
    	before I bring him to the phone - he's having trouble telling all
    	their voices apart.  (They do sound pretty similar.)

    	It makes me feel good to know that he's nice to girls/women (and
    	makes a good friend as well as a cute date.)

    Knowing that I have the day off... getting ready to call weather
    briefing, and flight plan a flight to San Antonio today, to let my
    parents see me land and take off (and have lunch in between)...
    
    Gale_who_needs_this_mini_vacation :-)

    No, make that, flying to San Antonio, 4500 feet on the way, and 5500
    on the way back...  no winds (well, none that matter all that much)
    my headings were RIGHT on, and my landmarks WERE wonderful...
    
    I surprised my dad - who my mom had drug to the airport as a surprise,
    had a wonderful lunch with them, and my CFI (instructor), and then
    back...
    
    Oh gosh...  I never wanted to land the plane, I wanted to stay up
    forever!!!  Its true, flying a plane is BETTER than any three letter
    word that starts with "S" and ends with "X", and has an "E" in the
    middle :-)...
    
    Next time, I get to do a solo cross country!!!!...  
    
    Gale_still_floating (what a way to spend a vacation day!!!!)

  ...Getting LEGOs for my birthday, even if it is a set that was on
  my son's Christmas list rather than mine!  (He did the picking! :-)

                                   Atlant

    Lorna St. Hilaire's personal name. My daughter has a poster that say
    "All I want is world peace and ...." The picture is a beautiful water
    front home in Florida. Immaculately manicured lawn, "Miami Vice" type
    speed boat tied up at the dock, Lamborghinni in the driveway, and
    personal helicopter next to the car. Lorna's personal name makes me
    think of my daughter every time I read one of Lorna's notes and this
    always brings a smile to my face.
    
    Phil

    �Becoming friends with a very special woman in a very unusual way.
    
    :-)
    
    Hi Barb
    
    BJ

    re .439, Thanks, Phil!  It's from a sign I saw at an antique show once,
    "Food, Shelter and Diamonds.....all the rest are luxuries" :-)
    
    Lorna
    

    ....my new leather motorcycle jacket.  Thick (ie: safe) leather, but
    soft and supple...that "new leather" smell permeating my office and
    car...chains and chrome...warm, practical, and *hot*!
    
    D! who supposes that yes, there is a dyke uniform, and yes, she's
       conforming, but who the hell cares? 

>    D! who supposes that yes, there is a dyke uniform, and yes, she's
>       conforming, but who the hell cares? 

A *lot* of people D! :-) and you love it.

	-- Charles

    >A *lot* of people D! :-) and you love it.
    
    You figured me out.
    
    D!

    
    
    the hug note.  And it surprises me to say that, because I see myself
    as a rather stoic soul, and well, frankly, I couldn't see why anyone
    would want to announce to the world that they (gasp) need a hug (hmm...
    maybe this should go in the true confessions note).  But.. just when I
    start to think that this whole conference is about to go up in flames,
    I see folks asking for support and reaching out to each other with real
    caring, and it touches me.
    
    Justine

    re: .446
    
    Justine,
    
    Its funny, but until yesterday afternoon I felt exactly the same --
    stoic and not understanding why people would announce needing hugs.
    In fact yesterday morning I was thinking "what are these people just
    begging for sympathy?, I'd never do that."  But something happened
    yesterday afternoon that left me emotionally stunned (I'm trying to
    hold back the tears right now) and without support.  The hug note
    was just what I needed.
    
    Mary

...topic 526.

Kathy

    ...it when I get to go to Campus/Man Rey on a Sunday night and hang
    out! Yahooooo!! Lotta leather,lotta ear cuffs,lotta jeans with no
    pockets in the back,lotta funky haircuts,lotta tails,lotta,lotta
    lesbian/bisexual women garb! I love it! I'm still smilin' :-)
    
    :-) Laurie :-)

    in re recent notes in note .47
    
    I love it when various file members take what was looking like
    a potentially upsetting trend and turn it around peacefully.
    
    Thankyou
    
    Bonnie

    ...getting flowers at work!
    
    (*8
    
    E Grace

    Spending the day with my brother, going out and getting our Christmas
    Tree (its an artifical tree), getting a GREAT buy on it ($90.00 for
    half price!), going to see Three Men and a Little Lady, and generally
    just having a great day, almost 80 degree weather couldn't have asked for
    a better day.. Kids were great, and so was the Turkey dinner...
    
    Gale

    900 miniature lights on my 6.5 foot Christmas tree in my living room...

    I really love my spoon.

    OK, I'll bite...
    
    "Spoon" as in "'Spooning' Partner?"  (My personal choice, if I had to
                                          guess)
    
    "Spoon" as in "Favorite Heirloom Spoon?"
    
    "Spoon" as in "Silver Spoon in the mouth?" 
    
    "Spoon" as in "Private Joke?"
    
    :-)
    
    Dan

    Don't I wish....
    
    No...It was a special gift from my son-in-law (who likes to read
    things I put into Notes when he has a chance)....
    
    He told me that I was so good at "dishing out" love when someone needs
    it that he thought the special ( you know, souvenir-type) spoon would
    be a nice gift.....
    
    We had a pretty difficult weekend emotionally in the family, and this
    was just his way of saying "Thank You, Mom".........
    

    Where did you get daisies this time of year....Tell me tomorrow at
    work.....

    ..... I *know* I'll love spending Monday on-campus with my wife,
    co-alum older daughter, and Sophomore daughter, taking in a couple
    Russian History lectures, taking a bunch of kids and their roommates
    out to lunch ..... work can wait for yet another day, at least until I
    put the California-bound kid on the plane Tuesday...  :-( 
    
    Quite the weekend...   Time to go on a diet...  BUT IT WAS WORTH IT!! 
    :-)
    
    Dan

    Listening to the "Lost 45's" and hearing all of the songs from..
    
    
    ABBA.... Twise a great night for songs...
    
    REK

    
    	A wonderful relaxing vacation that leaves me looking
    	forward to the challenges of work this week!
    
    	My friend Ray who visited from Pennsylvania this weekend,
    	because when we were playing catch with a football he said 
    	I still had a great spiral ;-).
    
    						nancy b.
    

    ...last week being on holiday with my SO and he decides to do the
    housework for me.
    
    And after the housework says "Phew, I never knew housework was so
    tiring - I'm absolutely exhausted".
    
    From now on the appreciation of a clean home, clothes etc will be
    even greater. :-)
    
    
    Tracy

    Hitting the N.H. Pick 4 for $416.00 Friday night. Now I can do
    Christmas without to much worry. PPPPHHHEEEWWWW.
    
    Phil

    Taking next Wednesday off and going to ZKO to hear Justine sing in the
    Holiday concert there. I just hope nothing happens to keep me from
    going. I am excited. She will be the first regular in this file that I
    get to meet. Plus, I get totake the whole day off. Actually, I'm taking
    the rest of that week off. It was jsut going to be Friday, but this
    gives me a neat reason to take 3 days off. Afterall, if I'm taking
    Weds. and Fri., then I might as well take Thurs. too. Anyone else going
    to be there. Maybe we can all sit together. 
    
    Phil
    

    Having access to the piano I grew up with.  Even for a few nights....
    
    -Jody

    Finally finding a copy of Drawing Down the Moon. Booksmith at the
    Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua. Last copy. After having had it
    recommended to me by several people in thhis file, I've been anxious to
    read it.
    
    Phil

    The people who get to negotiate with KaiSen are Ashleigh, Jake,
    Marsina, and Glorian.
    
    Hee, hee, all the newbies and ...?
    
    						Ann B.

    ...romance
    
    E Grace

    Romance is fun, isn't it?  :-)
    
    -- Mike

    you two!
    
    :-)

    Hhhhmmmmmm?
    
    {:8
    
    E Grace

    well we are going to have a party -d
    
    :-)

    
    re: .473 
    
    Well, there's no law against hanging around airports now is there?
    
    CQ

    ...discovering more and more about the very special people who share
    their experiences and their lives with us here.  Thank you, Charles,
    and thank you, Suzanne.  Melissa Etheridge has a song she calls,
    Testify.  I value it when I see it.
    
    DougO

    hearing Suzanne talk about her life
    
    maybe this should be in the hugs note, but Suzanne your note 
    about the doctors impressed the feathers off of me
    
    Bonnie

    .... lusting after my wife !   ;^}
    
    Scary (still crazy after all these years ...)

    Ordering software through a mail order house and then receiving the
    software in a package filled with popcorn....not the styrofoam stuff,
    but real popcorn!
    
    Explanation....this popcorn is more biodegradable than the cardboard
    box in which it came, and although it's not fit for human consumption
    (I guess it tastes terrible) it's fine for birds...
    
    That's fine by me......
    
    Lisa

    Having a constant need for hugs, and having E Grace always
    distributing extras, and in such a humorous manner!
    
    Susan

-d,

	I was the balding bearded guy in the back row of the audience.  Which
one were you?

						--D

    Sounds like I was standing right next to you, at the top of the left
    stairs...
    
    But enuf of this, which one were YOU Justine. (if there was an intro at
    beginning, I missed it)
    	

    *blush*
    
    Thank _you_!
    
    E Grace

    dammit, I missed Danny Boy! (got there late) 
    
    
    

    All of us at the concert shoulda worn big name tags!  I picked out
    Justine and Paul, and must have walked right in front of you fellows on
    the steps as I left right at 12:57 to run back down the hill and back
    to work.  Hope I didn't miss any encores, though the show was
    definitely worth several.
    
    I was the knockout beautiful female that left you all wondering... ;-)
    
    Karen  

Justine sang "Danny Boy" and played guitar for the women's group on "Bread and 
Roses".









(Speaking of bearded ones, I was the bearded one with the mandolin and the
12-string guitar.)

    I was the one sitting about halfway down, a third of the way from
    the right (facing the stage) wall.  You noticed me, right?  :-) :-)
    
    Justine was the only female guitar player, you can't have missed her. 
    She also stood up and took a bow at the end...she was sitting at the
    very front all the way to the left (facing the stage.)
    
    Karen, the knock-out beauty was you!?!  The one I was watching the 
    whole show?  Wow, will you marry me?
    
    ;-)
    
    D!
    
    [PS: Are you sure? :-)]

    Sorry, D!, I'm already "taken."  8-)
    
    (Or do we liberated women say that any more?)
    
    Thanks anyway.
    K.

    >Sorry, D!, I'm already "taken."  8-)
    
    >(Or do we liberated women say that any more?)
    
    Hmmm...how about "I've already taken someone"...makes it more "active",
    ya know...more "liberated".  :-)
    
    D!

Yes, good show!  Thanks and congrats to Justine and Paul and all the
other Minbrook Spitstrals.

PS:  I was the one in the way back with all his hair eating lunch.

  

	Gee, and I even know what John looks like, and I didn't notice him,
hair, lunch and all. Maybe 'cuz he wasn't juggling.

	Paul.  As someone who has dabbled on the guitar for years, I must say,
I was very impressed.

	Justine.  While I've never been particularly fond of that song about
plumbers (Danny Boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling...) I can see now why
the folks who've seen your performances elsewhere rave about your voice.


			--D_looking_forward_to_the_5th_anniversary_party_
			  coffeehouse_and_talent_show_extravaganza.

    RE: .492
    
    
      >>  PS: I was the one in the way back with all his hair eating lunch.
                                                 ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^
    
    How does it do that?!
    
    E Grace     (*8

    Yes,we all should have worn nametags. I had mine on. Actually my badge. 
    I was the one sitting in the last row of theater chairs. 3rd from the
    left. I did get to meet Justine and D_CARROLL. I went down and
    introduced myself to Justine and D came down afterwards, so I got to
    meet her. I wish we could have had more time to get aquainted, but I
    understand that work calls. BTW, I ended up walking down to the
    Pheasant Lane Mall from ZKO. It wasn't that far and I need to walk some
    more. 
    
    Justine, thank you for letting me know of the concert and inviting me
    to it. Your rendition of Danny Boy brought tears to my eyes, literally.
    Hurry up and get something out on tape so I can buy it and be able to
    listen any time I want. 
    
    D, it was nice to meet you, however briefly. I hope your new car works
    out well for you. 
    
    Thank you again for an enjoyable hour or so of thought provoking,
    funny, moving music. It has made my month.
    
    Phil

    
    re last few:
    
    It really was a great show!  Thanks, Justine and Paul.
    
    I was sitting at the very back, toward the right, feeding my face,
    as usual.
    
    I didn't even recognize Holly until she was mentioned by name.
    Last time I saw her, she had long hair, no eyeglasses, and was wearing
    a skirt.  And I wish she still participated here.
    

    The bit about Ken Olsen and "the general" had me almost in tears!! :-)
    
    D!

    What  a great series of replies..
    
    all those =wn= types there and no one knew who teh others were...
    
    and E Grace I was wondering how Jon's hair ate his lunch also!
    
    Bonnie
    
    p.s. any typos I appolgise for, I've been in class all week and I'm
    hosted over
    on a slow link with a sticky key board
    
    

    I really love ... when after spanking my tasmainian_devil_cat
    for being in the Christmas tree ... he come up and rubs his
    head against my shoulder.  Sigh ... if we could only all forgive
    so easily.
    
    C.
    

    ...the most beautifully scented dark red roses
    
    ...losing track of time with good company
    
    ...having my back soaped in the bath
    :-)
    

    that I've finally gotten somewhat settled in my new house -- enough to
    get the terminal and modem dug out, hooked up, and working!
    
    the view out back.  WOW.  'specially on clear full moon nights, and at
    sunset when the sun shines on the mtn from behind me.
    
    that my kids were actively welcomed by their new schoolmates.  I've
    never seen such friendly kids!
    
    Now, I hope that life starts to settle down soon, like by Valentines
    Day would be nice.  (I don't hope for sooner)

    ...spending a wonderful evening with good friends!  
    
    Thanks, Bonnie and Don (and the rest of the family)!
    
    However, following Leadfoot out of the Sticks was the *real* highlight
    of the evening!
    
    E Grace

    
    Bright, blazing, blinding orange and pink sunrises above the Cascade
    Mountains.  Wow.
    
    C.
    

    
    what the heck are you doing up at that hour?
    

    my grandson.... his love is what I think Christmas is about.....
    
    denise

    
    re: .504
    
    Driving to work at 7:45.  You were probably still snoozin'.  =8-)
    
    C.
    

    Carla - 
    
    I'll go along with that.  The sunrise over Kansas was SPECTACULAR!!
    this morning!  One of those pink and golden ones that can't even be
    adequately described!
    
    As I pulled into the parking lot at 6:55 I heard someone else get out
    of her car and say a loud, "WOW!"
    
    :-)
    Nanci

    Carla,
    
    This morning's sunrise in Colorado was also spectacular. 
    Unfortunately, it also means an end to the 65 degree days.  There is a
    storm front coming in.  Does this make you homesick for us in CXO?
    
    Hugs, and giggles, and loud teasing belly laughs,
    
    Meg

    
    Yes, Meg, it does!  I haven't seen a single snowflake since last 
    winter and until I do, I am paralyzed in this holiday season and 
    completely unable to believe Christmas is less than 2 weeks away.
    
    Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
    
    And the same to you.  =8-)
    
    Carla
    

    
    
    >Does this make you homesick for us in CXO?
    
    Sure makes me homesick. 8-(  There hasn't even been a real snow out
    here in New England since I moved here!  
    
    I have to call my mother in Castle Rock to get my snow fix.
    
    8-(
    
    kath

    
    
    telling folk in the middle of winter that here downunder, today is
    bright blue skies with an expected high of 80 to 86 degs F.
    
    Christmas in the cold.....
    
    
    derek
    

>    Sure makes me homesick. 8-(  There hasn't even been a real snow out
>    here in New England since I moved here!  
    
 Kath, grab your skiis and head up to the REAL New England: Vermont!
 I hear they got a good snowfall a week or so ago.

 I heard on the t.v. news that Boston hasn't had snow for Xmas in
 ten years!!!! It really is hard to believe there's such a difference
 in climate from Boston to Montpelier.

 Kathy

    
    i'm teribly sorry, my dear carla, but we over on the civilised
    side of the lake are exerting all of our far more attuned kharmic
    forces to forstall any snow. 
    

    
    Pah!
    
    You're a bunch of degenerates too immersed in depravity to recognize
    a karmic force even if it alit upon the edge of your beer mug, donned
    a top hat, and started crooning "To Dream The Impossible Dream".
    
    (When can I move over?  =8-))
    
    Carla
    

        Oh my.  Was that an insult or teasing? :-)
        
        Dan

    
    obviously pure envy ;^)
    

    ...it when I survive my scriptwriting class without totally losing my
    mind. My story was very controversial since it dealt with a woman
    coming out as a lesbian. Ah, homophobia is so subtle sometimes but I
    did feel some of it in this class. I'm  gonna finish this story now if
    it's the last thing I do!
    
    Laurie

    .... the first and probably the only part of a meteor shower (Geminids
    Meteor Shower) that John and I saw on Monday night.  It was so
    beautiful and really made us feel good inside.
    
    Makes ya' feel nice..
    
    
    Tracy W.

    
    Re .514
    
    Oooooh Carla - I loved that one! :-)
    Giggle.
    Snort.
    In fine form, my dear....
    Hugs,
    'gail

    when I'm a total stress bunny and friends whisk me away for a night of
    humble college the-AY-ter and a trip to Toscanini's for ice cream
    afterwards....
    
    -Jody
    

    Getting a new cat.  Now if I can just come up with an appropriate name!
    
    Karen.

    Karen, the cat will name itself. They always do. In fact cats have 3
    names. The one that mother gives them, the one you give them, and their
    secret name.  Somebody should start a cat string in here. I love them
    and wish I could have one. Not my house and no pets allowed, except
    when I babysit my sister's dog. Congrats on your new family member,
    Karen
    
    Phil

    E Grace's electronic hug stories. I always new hugs tended to breed and
    procreate. I've finally met someone who has proven it to me. Thanks E.
    
    Phil

    
    	re: quite a few back...Carla
    
    	I agree.  As much as I abhor winter and snow, I *have* to have
    	snow for Christmas.  We've had lots of unseasonably warm 
    	weather here in MA/NH  and I've found it difficult to do
    	Christmas shopping when it's 60 degrees out.
    
    	JJ
    

    ...Watching a good actor do their job in different ways for
    different roles. Last Sunday I was flipping channels back and forth
    between an episode of 'Miami Vice' and a showing of the movie,
    "Stand and Deliver". It was amazing watching Edward James Olmos
    play, alternately, the mysterious Lt. Castillo and Jaime
    Escalante, the inspirational teacher. The contrast made me realize
    what ability and effort a good actor puts into his work. 

    re .527
    
    Yes! E.J. Olmos is one terrific actor!  
    
    If you have the chance, check out "The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez"
    
    
    Judi
    

    ...having made a new, wonderful, friend!
    
    You know who you are!

    
    Slurping my soup...
    
    CQ

    
    	Snow...!!
    
    	We got our intense couple of inches of snow (so a zillion snow
    	plows are out to search for the snow to scrape it away, of course.)
    
    	We may not get a big volume of snow here (Denver gets 22 inches
    	at the drop of a hat, almost, in contrast) - but we take our snow
    	seriously.
    

    
    Ice cream pie!
    
    With a graham cracker, chocolate chip, and pecan mixture crust.
    
    MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!
    
    Carla
    

    I just got the phone call,  the woodstove is in!  Okay, Suzzanne
    Now it can snow as many feet as it wantsc as long as I can get home
    first.
    
    Meg,
    who is facing the first warm winter in this house in 8 years
    
    

    My grandchildren...being a grandparent is one of the greatest joys of
    my life. 
    
    I have probably said this before but at my age I am allowed to be
    repetitive and I might say it again....
    
    J & J's Memere

    the man from Sears is coming back today to
    
    	F I X   T H E   D I S H W A S H E R ! ! !
    
    trivial, I know, but hey!  I want it back!
    
    

    re .535 I really love dishwashers, too. 'Course, I used to 
    _be_ one ;-)

A good friend who came over last night and shared some neat stuff and
*listened* while I talked about a bunch of stuff.  She didn't try to tell
me what to do, but gave me some great insights and I feel a lot better than
I did yesterday.

...mail this week from a friend in this conference that also made me feel
a lot better.




Jim

    
    my boss, who did not make me come in to work in the storm.
    bless him
    

    
    Well, I don't really love it but I do really *like* finding a copy
    of John Denver and the Muppets "A Christmas Together" on CD.
    
    Happy Christmas, All!
    
    CQ

    66 degrees two days before Christmas, and two hot picking parties
    in three days (folk music ... well, we did throw some Del Shannon
    in as well ...).

    communicating with a good friend

I don't know if I love it or hate it when my neighbors' pipes
freeze... and I know what to do about it. When the pvc to our
automatic watering system breaks. When it's 29 degrees F in
Menlo Park California for god's sake... and that's not even the
low!

At least since we do a lot of winter sports we have the clothes for it.


	"I'm dreeeming of a whiiite Christmas..."

	harumph. I live in California to *avoid* this nonsense.

	-- Charles (still smiling - but this better not last!)

    Charles,
    
    I walked out to my car this am in Massachusetts, with my robe
    and slippers on and it wasn't cold! 
    
    :-)
    
    
    
    if it makes you feel better we have snow and freezing rain coming
    up tonite.
    
    Bonnie

Saturday I went on a bike ride for a couple of hours when it 
wasn't raining. It was delightful! Yep now its windy and cold. 
OOOOOOOOOh one of these days I'm going to get offered the package
and I'm going to take the enourmous bag of money and move to 
somewhere where its warm in the winter.

Fred Mudgett

    It's snowing!  We're gonna have a white christmas after all!
    
    Thanks to all in the Pacific Northwest (USA) who sent this on to us
    here in Vermont!
    
    Sara
    

		Being done with worrying about my job,

	AND     Getting ready to go to college full time.  (YAAAY)


			What a nice Xmas giftie

						KBear

				(walking on air today)

    More hugs Kbear (you already got some in person!)
    
    Bonnie

Christmas Eve, having 2 of my kids spending the night in my apartment.  My
8 year old couldn't go to sleep and was so upset because he was afraid Santa
wouldn't come because he couldn't sleep...I took him on my lap and held him
and hugged him and *that* made my Christmas..I have tears in my eyes as I 
write about it..




Jim

    Finding someone I thought was lost, and finding the friendship just as
    good as it ever was.......
    
    Finding a brand new friend across the ocean and giving him a wonderful
    game to boggle his mind for Christmas......
    
    Being happyy and having my thumb heal extraordinarily quickly for an
    old diabetic......Hooray!!!!
    
    Barb

    Good news from the family at the holidays:
    
    My sister El and her SO are buying a house together;
    My brother Phil has started experiemental drug treatment ddI;
    my nephew Garth and his wife, Ann, are expecting a baby in August;
    my niece Meg and her SO got engaged at Christmas.
    
    beaming,
    Auntie Marge

    Standing outside holding my year-old nephew as we watched chickadees
    at a bird feeder, while a light snow drifted down around us.
    
    Having the whole family together at my place for Christmas.
    
    And - seeing them all off, and getting my house back! ;-)
    
    -b

    having the mechanical gremlins who've been invading my life chased out
    (well...for the most part).  Broken things are $lowly getting fixed...
    
    -Jody
    
    

    ...seeing my sister's kids over the holidays.
    
    ...getting a cd player in one of the after-christmas sales and hearing
    some of my favorite music with a breathtaking new clarity!
    
    ...laura who succeeded in giving herself a headache in the process

    
    Spending several days at a nice little B&B in a quiet little town on
    the Gulf of Mexico.
    
    CQ

    Getting a phone call at 4am to announce the birth of Canan Folk-Reinke
    9 lbs 3 oz, 21 inches long.
    
    :-)
    
    grandma Bonnie

    only the first of many, I'm sure
    
    (both grandkids and congrats)
    
    Hope more congrats than grandkids !!  :-)
    
    envy envy envy envy ENVY!!!!!
    
    hugs
    
    Dan (grandpa wannabee :-)
                             

    Re: .558
    
    Congrats to you and son and daughter-in-law

    
    
    Hey, Bonnie....what time was it born?  A lot of communities have "first
    baby born in the new year" contests and usually offer lots o' valuable
    baby prizes!
    
    Congrats!
    
    kat

    Hearty congratulations, Bonnie, so too the rest of the family. That's
    one phone call you surely will never forget!
    
    
    Don
    *8-)

    I was just pondering about your Grandbaby last night at around the 
    "witching" hour......So glad she is here, and well and healthy, and
    now it's on to much fun and happiness......Being a Grandparent is much 
    better than being a Parent........You, and/or they, go home sometimes..
    Mostly when they or us need a rest......
    
    No little dividend for 1990 though .......  Too bad, but next year the
    IRS will have to give back "theirs"......
    
    Congrats, Bonnie, and love to the little family.......
    
    Barb

    Congratulating a new grandma...
    
    Enjoy Bonnie, being a grandparent is wonderful!
    
    Hugs,
    
    J & J's Memere

    
    
    
    
    
    			HURRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

    The First Night celebration was great!

	Bonnie, congratulations to you and your now larger
        family!
        
        Dan

	Having 11 days off, and only coming back to 20 unread mails.

	Getting invited to Canada this year, to see my brother (who emigrated a
        whole 5 months ago).

	Eating Thorntons continental chocolates till the "full" sign comes up.

	Drinking loads of cider and champagne.

	Eating a 16lb turkey between 3 of us (and 2 cats).

	Having a local pub that's always adults-only and opens Christmas night
	for the regulars (and father-in-law).

	Getting on the scales to find I haven't put on an ounce!

	Heather

    RE: Grandma Bonnie...
    
                          My congratulations to both Bonnie and Don for
    their "new" status.  And of course to the new "mom" and "dad".
    
    Good luck,
    Dave

	Well, if you know anyone who is travelling to and fro, drop me a mail,
	and I'll get you some....................


	Heather (Is there such a thing as chocoholics annonymous???????)

Congrats  grandma Bonnie,

Canan Folk-Reinke welcome to the world.
    
					Hugs,  Kbear

    Bonnie!  at last !!  hurray!  congratulations to your whole family, not
    least to the newest member!  (tho she'll be in no mood to appreciate it
    for a while!)
    
    Sara
    
    (p.s. I've been wondering when she was gonna show up.  My first was 3
    weeks late; the waiting is awful.)
    

    I really love....the Arlington Auto Clinic.  They believed in me even
    when my dealer told me I was "imagining things".  Persistent,
    tenacious, and downright reasonably priced.......makes me believe 
    there is a santa claus out there....cause after a month of stalling my
    car is finally well again!
    
    -Jody

The fact that we made it through last week with some fun lite topics, some
serious discussion without controversy, accusations and bad feelings towards
anyone...



Jim

    .... all the nice greetings and wishes for the birth of my
    granddaughter....
    
    Bonnie ;-)

    
    
    wallering in bed on the first day of the year, the windows wide open
    even if it's 30 degrees outside, the waterbed heater cranked up HIGH,
    snuggled up with my best [canine] buddy in the world and a good book.
    
    i could have stayed a couple o' more days...  
    
    ~r

    CONGRATS Bonnie. I love the baby's name. It's beautiful. What does it
    mean?
    
    Long life, much health and happiness to the new joy in your life.
    
    PHIL

    I don't know Phil, it is from the 'land of Canaan or Cannan, in the 
    Bible. The middle name is Savoy or Saboy...
    
    Bonnie

    congrats, grandma Bonnie!!! :^)
    
    grins,
    grandma Marge :^)

    also my congrat's Bonnie J.  Another woman to grace the planet.
    
    Meg

>    and getting to sit next to Keifer Sutherland and Julia Roberts!!

Oooh! Where did you get to see them?

Kathy

No doubt about it, Cheyenne, I'm jealous.

Kathy

    Oh my GAWD!! Really??  Keifer Sutherland?????
    
    *sigh*
    
    D!

    
    My "Stress Indicator" went blue! :-)
    
    To explain - I have a Stress Indicator, credit-card thing on my desk.
    You place your thumb on the black square for ten seconds, and it'll
    go blue (relaxed), green (calm), red (tense) or stay black (stressed).
    Before Christmas, I hadn't been able to get it to change colour for
    over a month....
    
    'gail
    

    Re .587
    
    
    Believe me, D! Cheyenne's beau goes to ONLY the best and most exquisite
    places ...and when he goes there... he goes with a REAL lady. I know.
    Believe me!
    
    Don
    *8-)
    
    

    So, Cheyenne, is Julia Roberts as beautiful in real life as she is in
    the movies?  :-)
    
    Lorna
    

    
    	Cheyenne!  I too am jealous!
    	BTW- any new on which Twin Peaks episode you're gonna
    	be in?
    
    	I think if I had met Julia Roberts I would have asked her what
    	she did with all that beautiful hair she cut off.....I'd like
    	to make a wig out of it!  =)
    
    	JJ
    

    
    >>	BTW- any new on which Twin Peaks episode you're gonna
    >>	be in?
    
    
    Ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh.....color me *green*!!!!!!!
    
    (*8
    
    big time (*8
    
    E Grace

    re .558
    
    Congrats, Bonnie
    
    Being a grandmother make ya kinda old, doesn't it?.........
    
    8-)
    
    ....Bob

    Being a Grandmother doesn't make you old.  It just means the kids are
    growing up.  Two of the youngest at heart people I know have become
    grandmothers in the last year and a half.  I've know the kids involved
    since they were comparative babies, and I'm not any older either.  The
    kid's just got taller than me, curvier, and decided to have children of
    their own so those kids can grow up too.
    
    Meg

    re .596
    
    Just pulling Bonnie's chain...............
    
    8-)
    
    ....Bob

    Meg,
    
    
    Bob is a 'mail buddy' he used to work in my building as a secretary!
    
    and he's older than I am..
    
    as he said, a 'chain pull'
    
    Bonnie

    ps. getting 12.600
    

        re .-1,
        
        Hi Lee!
        
        Dan

    Bonnie J.
    
    Can't the rest of us have a sense of humor as well?  
    
    Meg (who's oldest is rapidly approaching 17)

    of course, I must have left off the smiley!
    
    :-)

    re .602
    
    8-)     Meg, the jokes on me. My oldest is 27............
    
    ....Bob

    
    		...the managers in my group!!
    
    		(My unit manager is a recent Womannoter
    		 - read-only so far - and he likes it!!)
    

    Making Bearnaise Sauce for the first time and 
    *getting it right*!
    
    -Jody
    

    There's this really nice woman who used to work in a different part of
    the Empire, but near me, who seemed like Nice Folks to me -- bright, 
    helpful, team-player, witty, etc., and she Got The Package :-(.  I heard 
    about it 2 days before she left, stopped by to chat, gave her several
    pointers about her r�sum� (she'd forgotten to mention how
    computer-literate she was!, etc.), and offered to show her r�sum� to my
    wife, who just joined the mgmt of a Waltham-based hi-tech startup.  
    
    The r�sum� looked good to Debby (:-) ...
    
    So this woman left DEC last Friday and had an interview with Debby last
    Monday...  They hit it off...  too early for me to tell whether an
    offer will be made or if made will be accepted...  but I'm hoping (in a
    non-interfering sort of way)...  Anyhow it was fun (for both my wife
    and me) to "be on the other side" of the interview process; we've both
    been laid off from our respective jobs in the last 2 years...
    
    Networking is fun...  not just the packetswitching kind...
    
    :-) May we all find our ideal jobs...  every one...
       

    Growing as a person.  It feels *wonderful*!
    
    -jc

    Getting a letter from an old friend that I haven't heard from in 7
    years.
    
    Mary

    
    
    At the moment?
    
    Nothing.
    
    

    ... a trip to the HUG note...?  I'm sure some could be arranged...
    
    ... no sarcasm intended, just friendly vibes ... give it a try, p'raps?

    
    - my new music system.........lying on the floor half the night listening 
    to every piece of music I own to hear how GOOD it sounds is beginning
    to impact my social life %-}
    
    'gail 

    Peace.. let's hope that it doesn't get loused up over the Gulf Crisis
    next week, accepting that if it is it'll be the result of there being
    no real alternative.
    
    Don
    *8-)

    
    
    
    > ... a trip to the HUG note...?  I'm sure some could be arranged...
    
    No thanks......I never did get into that sort of thing.  It all seems
    so plastic to me.  I'd rather people give me hugs for the hell of it
    instead of my having to ask for them.
    
    kath

    Well, Kath, I took off all the plastic tips, so I hope you don't mind
    an unsolicited hug.
    
    E Grace

    My new black leather boots!
    
    Snow!
    
    and....Aretha Franklin singin the blues!