STINKINGROSE

Just thought I'd share the local forecast! The following is a cut and paste. Tonight: Periods of snow showers. The snow could be heavy at times. Low around 19. Northwest wind between 8 and 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total nighttime snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Wednesday: Snow showers likely with areas of blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at times. Cloudy, with a high near 19. North wind between 13 and 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Wednesday Night: Snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 6. Wind chill values as low as -3. North wind between 10 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible. Thursday: A chance of snow showers. Cloudy through mid morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 14. Wind chill values as low as -3. North wind between 7 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

PHYRELIGHT

Okay, so I've decided to try online dating, and I've signed up for this free version ('cause I'm poor!) of this site that will remain unnamed. That means that I can only view other people's profiles, send flirts, and answer invitations to instant messages. Quite frankly, I am a very friendly, fun-loving person, and can be quite chatty with friendly strangers. But, when a guy I don't know starts to flirt with me... well... I tend to have this instinct to freak out and run away. So, I'm on the site a little while ago, and I get an invite to IM. I click okay, and it's this guy. [i]Cool[/i], I casually think, and I start chatting with him. About 30 seconds into it, he gives me all of his phone numbers. Now, when it comes to communicating with people online, I can be quite paranoid about protecting my identity and personal info. (Which is why I [i]love[/i] sign-on names! You could be totally anonymous!) I don't give him my number, but I gave him my e-mail address that I've set up specifically for this online dating thing. And, we start chatting a little more. He asks me what kinda of guy I'm interested in, and I say that I'm looking for a guy to respect me and my opinions because I can be quite passionate about some things. Then he starts telling me that he lived with a woman for 11 years and they never had an argument. Uh-huh. Sure. Like I'm going to believe that right off the bat. :disappointed: So, I decided to tell him that my laptop battery was about to die, and after some goodbyes I signed off the site. And, unfortunately I had already given him my e-mail address. :banghead: I'm afraid this guy is going to stalk me. Am I wrong just lying to him like that?

STEAMER

Well, I hope your New Years have been collectively happier than mine. I had one chance, this one chance at finding and keeping something that's been gone from my life for so gorram long that all hope of finding it again had faded.... ....now that hope has once more faded completely away, no thanks to a complete dearth of time, stress and other interferences on both sides. Ain't her fault and ain't my fault. At least we got a chance to talk it over finally, and suss out where we stood on it. It was tearing me apart, the desire to keep working at it whenever we could: but realistically there was no way we could make it happen. Not with everything going on in her life and not with my work hours as damned unpredictable as they are. The only hope left now is that she isn't running around making me sound like the bad guy, since neither of us is to blame for being unable to make it happen. I [i]wanted[/i] it to happen. Damn it all, how I [i]wanted[/i] it to happen, to find out if some shred of happiness could finally fall upon me. Well, welcome to reality. It's not gonna happen. Everyone's always saying that all you need is love - but if they think all I need is hurting and misery, which is all love has ever given me, I'd give up a real bath to find out what they've been smoking. I've got nothing to hold against her, it's just so....damned....disappointing. I can't seem to quit being reminded of her and wondering what we could have been. Do you understand now why I'm so hesitant to explore the possibilities? I'd like to shout out a major xie-xie to a few of you for being sympathetic and considerate about this whole mess. New Year's Eve is a time when most people get together and celebrate with a mighty fine Shindig, a couple of drinks and in most cases a New Year's kiss - how many people break up on New Year's Eve? I don't blame her, and I hope she doesn't blame me....but what the hell happened to "the greatest thing you will ever learn"? I can love someone till I'm red in the face, but being loved in return - that's the part that just flat-out refuses to work for me. I know what a lot of people will probably say, that I have the love of so many friends and family and others to lean on. And as much as I appreciate that, true, romantic and pleasurable companionship, no matter how sorely I might desire it, finds all those friends and all that family - much earlier in their lives, I might add - but can't seem to be bothered to come my way. I find that REALLY unfair. Well, again, thank you to all the "Kaylees" who have extended their comforts and their sympathies - I'll tuck 'em into the inside pocket of my brown coat and keep 'em close at heart. Even though I keep running into "Inaras" who have left almost nothing of the heart I once had. Mind you, she didn't try to tear my ticker apart on purpose the way the rest of them did - it ended well considering, and we're still friends, which has never happened before. Can't I ever accrue something more than friendship, though? Can't a "River" ever show herself? Someone I can learn to love despite her flaws and who can learn to love me just the same? [i]Is that really too much to ask for???[/i]

WYTCHCROFT

Malcolm Reynolds was eyeing the uniformed men and the frozen figures of his crew, those in the loading bay leastways. Figures that River musta sensed something – he thought – here’s hoping that tricksy miss got the women stashed somewhere. But where was Zoe and the damn Shepherd? Sergeant Louis met his gaze. “I do surely hope you aint thinking of making a play – Captain… I’ve seen that look before – mostly on men soon to be very dead.” Keeping up his callow Captain Duncan persona, Mal nodded. “Don’t doubt it Sir… I can surely tell that you boys are all hardened men of action. Been on some tough runs no doubt.” “Gorram right.” Louis hefted his piece, the way another might heft a belly. Reynolds began to move, looking distracted – but slowly, very slowly coming between the Sergeant and Jayne. “Yes Sir,” Reynolds continued. “Some fierce action – I mean, just look at them splendid outfits – I mean uniforms – gun battles made a mess of something I’m sure your mother was proud to see in you in.” Louis coloured. “Leave my mother out of this Captain.” Reynolds nodded. “No offence meant Sergeant. I got nothing but respect for what I see. Take that bullet hole there…” The Captain pointed to Louis’ side where there was indeed a hole and a faded burn mark. “That must’ve been a close call.” Louis agreed cautiously. “I’ve had my share.” Mal inclined his head. “Absolutely – a shot there, that’s a nasty thing, a lotta parts a man values, kidneys, liver, spleen, internals.” Kaylee was beginning to look a shade of green – but Reynolds spoke up to Simon. “Hey Doctor - That look like an exit wound to you?” Disconcerted, Simon Tam came over and gave the Sergeant a once over. Nonplussed, Louis waved him away with his gun. Simon looked across to Mal. “Actually Captain, it does.” Mal raised his hands “And they say that dead men tell no tales.” Without warning he kicked up and out at the Sergeant – who stepped backwards avoiding the blow… and blundered straight into Jayne. Cobb’s powerful arms seized the struggling man – held him tight. The other purpled figures raised their rifles but seemed unsure how to respond. Reynolds reached forward and swiped the gun from Louis’ struggling fingers. “Now the rest of you boys might wanna calm down a smidgeon – less you want your ‘Sergeant’ here damaged.” The other men froze. Reynolds regarded Louis – who avoided his gaze, still wriggling in Jayne’s grasp. Mal shook his head. “’Sergeant’… somehow – I doubt that… fact I doubt you fellas truck with the Alliance at all. Y’doubt that Jayne?” Cobb snorted. “Bout Alliance as my Aunt Fanny.” “You got an Aunt Fanny?” “Got an Aunt [I] with [/I] a fanny.” Jayne said straight-faced. …………………………………. Solomon Face came across Zoe in an access corridor near the flight deck. She was holding a sullen and subdued looking young man in a battered Alliance uniform. Zoe of course looked a great deal less than flapped. The Shepherd smiled. “So you got one too? Seem to be all the rage this Xmas.” “Seems so.” Zoe agreed. “And yours would be?” “Oh, I’ll unwrap it later.” Zoe’s prisoner mumbled something in Chinese. Face looked serious again. “Y’know I don’t think- ” “They’re Alliance? They’re not.” Face stroked his neat beard. “Uh huh. So – what’s next?” Zoe considered. “Think I’ll throw this tadpole back in the pond.” The ‘tadpole’ blanched. “And the Captain?” asked the Shepherd. Zoe raised an eyebrow. “He’ll be enjoying himself I should imagine.” ……………………………………. He’s enjoying this, thought Kaylee as she watched Mal chide the assembled ‘Alliance’ men – him and Jayne both. She looked over at Simon – he just looked… impatient. “So now you’re all truly educated in regards to your horrible amateur status and the ridiculous ease with which the tables were truly turned – I’m thinking it’s time to deal. This, Boys, is known in the trade – amongst professionals that is, as a stand off. I’m thinking your ship may be armed…” Louis opened his mouth - but Mal cut him off. “No way to know for certain – if I ask – well, you’ll

HOBBLEIT

Hi there. Today my friend and I were supposed to see a woman about helping to find work but she didn't turn up so we went to Sunderland instead. Whilst we were int he Lambton Worm we saw this

ZEROKIRYU

...That I hadn't updated this thing in a while. Uhhhhhhhh... Ummmmmmmm... Sooooo, hi!

PHOENIXROSE

I resolved to make peace. I feel like a war. There's just too much frustration and pain and, it would seem, no good way to express any of it. Because even when it's expected, no one wants to deal with the actual consequence. Every time I say what I feel I upset [i]someone[/i]. Or I'm ignored. Hard to make peace when I can't talk.