A peek at the REAL Thumbster

Spotlight on...

I've wanted to write this entry for sometime. It's my way of letting some people here at Stories know how much I appreciate them...what they mean to me...and what I've learned from them.

I used to log on daily at another site...Your Poetry Dot Com. I made many friends at YPDC...and a couple really close ones. I started a similar list such as this one when I was there...unfortunately that site went down for several weeks before I could finish it...that list was never completed. A lot of people were left off. It was frozen in time...nothing could be edited. They now have a new site...but the old site is a snapshot in time...a ghost town.

I don't want this to be a list of names. I want to do this my way.

So in no particular order...(Actually...As I'm writing this...I find that there IS an order I'm using...Chronologically.)













Spotlight on...


















tidbit ...

I haven't talked with tidbit in months and months...but I still think very highly of her...I always will. Her port was the first one that I can remember visiting here at Stories. She was also the very first person to review something of mine...(legend has it that I was reading her stuff while she was at my port...With 45,000+ members here...what are the odds!)

I chose tidbit's port because of her handle...I love it and I think it suits her. She was a friendly face when I was a new kid here at Stories...showing me around this great big place.

I love tidbit's fiesty attitude...although small in stature...there's a lot of energy and passion packed into her little frame. She's a thoughtful writer with a great sense of humor...but most of all...what I remember about tidbit...are her caring eyes. To paraphrase Marc Bolan..."She's got a heart big enough to hold just about all of you."

Shortly after coming here...the gym where I play basketball suffered a terrible tragedy. An accident claimed a live, left another clinging for his and forever after, changed a third. I was really affected...I had just played with Dan days before. tidbit was more than just a welcoming writer to me...she was a friend.

(Thanks again for the sig tidbit...although I never did figure out how to use it)

















Winona ...

Winona is passionate about being a writer...(like quite a few others here also). Winona was the first person I used to email on a regular basis. We've since drifted apart...that was totally my doing. That was at the start of the summer...when I was feeling VERY guilty about being on line instead of getting work done. Winona's passion and determination to be a writer prompted me to all but leave Stories...to get back to my art. "Postcards From Paradise" was allowed to die where it stood.

I only was just getting to know Winona. Her stories...vividly told...about the pet shop she worked at...(while perfecting her craft as a writer)...tore at my heart. I'm a BIG animal lover...and I'm glad the animals at the pet shop have her to look after them. She is a very caring person. I wish her all the best with her dream of being a writer...she already has the talent, passion and determination it takes...all she needs now is a break.


(I'm glad I met you Winona. You deserved friends more commited than me...Sorry)




















Rebecca

I think Rebecca has to be one of THE most respected people here at Stories. She's also the most helpful person I've met here. I see her name everywhere...especially in tributes like this...I'm not surprised. I once told her that if I ever needed to be talked down when landing an airplane...I wanted her on the radio in the control tower. I LOVE her values.

(I'm sorry we parted so uncomfortably.)

















Heather

I could fill pages with how I feel about Heather Rae...my oldest and dearest friend here at Stories. I also think of Heather as one of my dearest friends on or off the net. (I don't make friends easily.)

I was her first reviewer. I'm very honored about that. I've seen the progression in her writing...some of her most recent stuff is fantastic...even more so considering what she's been going through lately. Heather wants to be a writer...it's her passion...(okay...ONE of her passions). There's no doubt in my mind that she IS a writer already.

Heather and I are collabrating on a poem together...a first for both of us. So far I'm very pleased with how it's turning out. (It will have to wait for a bit for it to be finished...until the days of calmer waters)

I love her curious outlook on life...her thirst for knowledge...her love of life...I'm happy just knowing she's on the same planet as I am...just knowing she's out there.

Heather and I have gone through some pretty heavy stuff together...I think we're very loyal friends...sometimes having very different values...(on one thing in particular we couldn't be further apart)...but we're always a safe place to dock when the seas get stormy out there. We cry on each other's shoulder when the going gets rough...pat each other on the back when we think the other needs it...and we listen...not always agreeing...but always caring. I think of Heather...Heather Rae...as the sister I never had.

We write stupid stories to each other...silly nonsense stories to try and make the other laugh. She inspires me. I love bouncing things off her......IDEAS...I love bouncing IDEAS off her. Some of the best stuff I've ever written here at Stories were in emails to her.

Heather's taught me the meaning of courage and determination. When the world's screaming at you..."YOU'RE BEING A FOOL!!!!"...When even your own mind and soul are also screaming..."YOU"RE BEING A FOOL!!!!"... to still follow your heart.

(I think you're a VERY special person Heather Rae...I'm glad I know you. I pray you find calmer waters soon girl. GOOD LUCK )
























Sophia

Of all the people I've met on my travels here at Stories...Sophia is by FAR the most talented and with the most potential. She intimidates the Hell outa me. I don't count myself as a writer...but I think I know one when I see one. In a few years time I think she'll be in a class by herself.

She's also a musician and an artist...plus a well rounded person with great values and a sense of humor I adore. Despite all her talents...she has self doubts. Nobody's perfect...it's just as well...if she really knew how talented she was...she could easily become vain and conceited. She's the furthest thing from being vain and conceited. She's a warm, giving and caring person who delights in a child's smile or blunders with words.

Apparently...Sophia and I are both INFP type personalities...(Introverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Perceiving)
...aproximately 3%-4% of the American population are also. I'm very honored to be among the INFP crowd. :)

Sophia and I used to talk daily...sometimes several times a day...when I realized that I didn't want to quit writing cold turkey. For awhile...Sophia was the only person I talked to. I wasn't writing much...if anything back then except emails. Those emails satisfied my writing addiction.

Over time...Sophia and I drifted apart...we now talk on a more casual basis...which I now prefer. A visit to Sophia's port is always worth the time.

She just keeps getting better and better.

(Don't worry kido...I wont mention anything about cowpies or moocows. You're secret's safe with me. )

















Lisa

I only knew Lisa very briefly...I still want to mention her though. She would have made a great friend...caring...dedicated and supportive. Above all...supportive. I have never met anyone so passionate about becoming a writer as Lisa.

(I wish you well on your quest Lisa...I'm sorry I wasn't nearly as supportive to you as you were to me...My loss.)


















Amber

Amber is without question...the most inspirational person I've met here at Stories...or anywhere else for that matter.

Amber has a disability...a disability that would completely crush the rest of us...but you'd never know it from how she lives her life...or from her writing.

She's not "This is the burden I've been shouldered with...Life sucks...WHY ME?...Oh by the way...I'm Amber"...but a very special young woman...who attends university...who truly cares about others...who has a boyfriend...and a life.

She doesn't make a big deal out of it...so I wont either.

I just heard back from Amber the other day...for the first time in some time. I always love hearing from Amber...She brings a smile to my face just by thinking of her. She is also the most compassionate person I've met here. She is a very gentle soul with a kind and caring heart.

(I'm glad you're no longer Rottin' kido :)...I could never think of you that way)

















Terry

I have alot in common with Terry...

...aka...Natalia...aka...Natalie...
aka...Natasha...aka...Nasty...aka...
Petra...aka...Natalka...aka...DnD...
aka...Talu...aka...C D...aka...????

Is anyone else beside me getting confused too? :)

Terry is a good friend...the kind of friend who will offer me advice or how to do something...if she thinks I'm struggling. She cares. She's good at comforting...I'm glad to see she's recently given permission to comfort herself too.

Terry has a lot of qualities and values I like...beside the ones I've already mentioned...she has a good sense of humor...plus she's also very intelligent. Seems her and I share the same love of the little smiley face critters that often come with one of our emails. :)

I bet she doesn't think I notice the little touches she goes to...in her emails to me...but I do.



{She'll know what I mean. )

Like I've already said...Terry and I have stuff in common...a birthland/ancestry...a homeland...love of spiders :):):):). She's very observant is Terry...(although she sometimes misses the mark completely ). I value her friendship.

Terry has to believe in herself more...to let herself see what others see in her. I LIKE Terry.

(Hey Spencer...SPENCER...You look after Terry for me...Okay?...Remind her there's a big beautiful world outside her windows...and that everyday brings new possiblities and hopes...Thanks Spencer )

((((I'm so glad you now go by aka C D instead of aka DnD Terry :):):):)...step by step...you're finding your way out of the Disenchanted Forest ))))















Amy

For as much as I have in common with Terry...when it comes to Amy...it's downright friggin' freaky!!!! Not just the big stuff...it's the tiny little things that sends shivers down my spine..."Like what?...you ask...(actually you didn't ask that...I just took the liberty of asking on your behalf)...

Oh...like...

Squirreling away stuff..."That's not too freaky...You've already said you're a packrat"...I hear you say.

How about squirreling away nuts...forget the nuts inside...I'm talking about the shells now...(I just realized how weird this makes us seem Amy )...

Nut shells...pieces of wire...empty thread spools...odd shaped plastic thingy-ma-jigs...(We're not sounding any better to the folks out there are we?) All these "things" will find a new life as something else...Recycled...We're both passionate about miniatures...Teeny-tiny this or thats. I'm going to stop talking about miniatures now Amy coz like most of our shared interests...they appeal to only a few.

I bet there's not a big following for Basil, Manuel or the Major either out there...Or Brain Froud's visions of nature, myth and fantasy...or Knight's that say" Ni"...I might not have spelled "Ni" right...Amy would know...Oh YES...Amy would know! If ever I need a witness...I hope it's Amy...She'd remember everything...word for word...even years later.

Amy knows EVERYTHING when it comes to things like that. EXACT quotes...the more obscure the better. If you want to know something about left handed-sleep walking- hippos...Amy could tell you...Or quotes...Amy's big on quotes is Amy...(Bob's yer uncle gov-nor)...Our shared passion for British comedys...folklore...berry pickin'...Enough already...Maybe we don't have anymore similarities, interests and connections. Maybe...from now on...we'll find we have nothing else in common...but I'd like to guess that as soon as I talk to her again...sure enough...there's yet another thing.

I was referred to someone's port to check out a funny "in and out"...Amy's humor instantly stood out from the other's...She's VERY witty is our Amy. I'd have to say...without a doubt...the wittiest and funniest person that I've come across so far here at Stories.

But there's so much more to Amy than wit and nutshells...she has great values and a caring heart. Her relationship with her sister is magical. She strikes me as a very accepting person...even though some others in her community aren't so accepting of her...just because of her beliefs. It just goes to show what an understanding and strong woman she is as far as I'm concerned.

Amy and I can go for days and days without talking to each other and pick up again immediately in the next email...I really like that.

Amy does have a tendency to feel low ever now and then...(as I've found many other writers here do too)...so this is for Amy...she'll be reading this at work most likely :)...She's got the greatest job ever...she's at work...but she's really here at Stories a lot of the time.
























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Lets see her try and look professional now ...


















Hide the monitor girl...you know the drill :)
























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That's right...pretend like you're working :)

(I'd LOVE to hear your faery tale Amy...and NO...you're never boring to me)

















Emma

Emma is my newest friend.

She really shouldn't be...

I've ignored her...I haven't given her the long indepth emails I send to others. She should see that side of me too.

Maybe subconsciously I've realized that I can't handle sending emails to anymore people...or maybe it's because she's caught me at a time when my attention is needed elsewhere...whatever...

I'm just glad I haven't scared her off...

I should have...anyone else wouldn't have responded to me again after the second email that I sent her...Briefly...it went like this...

Hi again XXXXX ...

Are you still here? I thought I killed you already...Oh yeah...It's Christmas isn't it? I'll have to remember to kill you after the holidays
*green*Ho Ho Ho















Be sure and remind me if I forget wont you...
















If you don't remind me I'll have to kill you...

Blah, blah, blah...

(Stuff about her really being a guy)


Blah, blah, blah...


Please don't let anyone kill you before I do oaky?

Blah, blah, blah...

Thumb





Most people would have been put off by that...but not Emma...she replied with martial arts...Twie-Kwan-Doah...Try-Can-Dough...Whatever...yelling...
(there always is a lot of yelling in one of Emma's emails)...and machine gun dialogue...that I love.

Not all of our emails are about death threats and yelling though. Emma has a very sensitive side too...and supportive. She's also a VERY good poet...but it's her upbeat cheerfulness and bubbly energy that I find most contagious. I love being silly sometimes and Emma's definiately the gal to be silly with.

(You're like a cloud of butterflies Emma...You never fail to make me smile)


















I now realize that this entry had a totally opposite effect on someone other than what I had intially intended.

I focused on defending this entry...instead of trying to understand what she was saying...and how this entry made her feel.

I now realize that I've hurt her and why I did...For that I am truly sorry.

I remember reading something she once wrote...something along the lines of...you have to take responsiblity for your actions...even if you meant well...but caused unintended harm...I see how that applies now.




Live and learn...







live and learn.