Lucky

I have read the first book in the series, and although I liked it, I can't see how it has become such an international hit. There are plenty of books equally good.

Sad news, but it appears to be true that they are again split. Bristol and Levi are reportedly communicating by text message only as Levi is hanging out with another girl. (And here I am, a grown man, following this?)

tomcal, I would have loved to see the Broadway Bares show live, but it was not to be. Maybe Totally Oz can get those Tight End dancers to do a special show for MER members? It sure isn't going to happen at the Old Globe!

Geez...it is not even August yet and I am already happy! Very nice pix, tomcal.

You make a good point. When one is back to the days of Shakespeare and a plane flies overhead, well, it's a reminder that the fourth wall isn't real. But, if we can suspend belief in other matters we can do it here as well, can't we? In Manhattan sirens often intrude upon the theater, so it is just modern life, take it or leave it!

The greatest hits would likely be those with the most views. Yet some of those were threads bitching about another internet site, and we don't want to go there again and again. My thinking is that if we have a group of people such as we appear to have who are committed to a month of intense posting, with the purpose to start and keep conversations going, why bring up stuff that has already been worn out? What new ideas would we add to those old threads? New material brings new interest, and hopefully new participants, so I'd recommend a cautious approach to giving people more of the same.

So, Romann, does your presence in this thread indicate that you have accepted the August Challenge?

I hope that Lady Lucky is good to you in Chicago.

Lesbian star Ellen deGeneres, the newest judge on the popular show American Idol resigned today, with 4 years left on her contract. The resignation, effective immediately, had apparently been known to Fox for several weeks as DeGeneres did not like hurting the feelings of the young singers appearing on the show. Ms. DeGeneres said in a statement that she informed Fox “a couple months ago” that the show “didn’t feel like the right fit for me.” The idea of a person resigning a job shortly after they took it because they learned that it wasn't a right fit for them is a shocking novelty. Should Fox have forced her to stay on the show? Should they have banned her from the show for this resignation before her contract expired? Read more here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/30/arts/television/30ellen.html?hp

Two Neil Simon plays will be shown in repertoire to start off the fall season at San Diego's Old Globe theater. Broadway Bound and Brighton Beach Memoirs were supposed to have kicked off the New york fall season last year, with "it" director David Cromer directing, but low ticket sales caused an early demise of Brighton and a full closure of Broadway Bound. Cromer does not direct the San Diego productions, so I assume that they will be the traditional productions, rather than the ones he had revised to suit his directing skills. Also playing is Death of A Salesman, the Henry Miller classic. Since tickets for individual shows do not go on sale until about 4 weeks before the show starts, I was able to get seats now by buying a package of four shows. To the above 3, I added Life of Riley, an Alan Ayckbourn comedy a dying man plotting his farewells to his 4 best friends, and in turn, they each deal with his impending death in surprising ways. Also on the bill, for any West Coast posters who might like to go, are: Emma, Rafta, Rafta, Dr. Seuss and the Grinch, August:Osage County, and The Winter's Tale.

I have no problem with bringing back greatest hits threads, but a) how do you determine that it was a great hit, and how do we avoid just posting those instead of new and challenging threads that will get the August Challenge off to a good start...and hopefully bring new members into the discussions?

Well, guys, this is a pretty good response, and shows a good commitment to getting the message center thriving with conversations. So, August begins on Sunday and I will look forward to all of the posts!

lookin who is that smoker you have in your avatar?

I'd have to go for Ralph. Roman Heart and Johann Paulik would do too.

How about Phylis Diller? http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_u6Nx5h7yEAg/Sx4_E-k4vmI/AAAAAAAABTo/vKEEd0ywFis/s400/phyllis_diller.jpg (Will a pic actually show up???)

For some time now this site has allowed us to bitch about things that bother us elsewhere on the internet, but bitching can only get you so far. We have heard the criticism that some of us only drop in now and then, when it suits our purposes. And it's true, we often come and go. One criticism of MER is that threads die too soon, and that it is hard to get and keep a conversation going. So, my August Challenge is for a group to commit to sticking with the site all through August, trying to keep those conversations going, but of course also to start some. You may not be able to stop in everyday, but the commitment will be to the best you can to do that, and don't just drop in, but drop a post to keep the ball rolling. Now, I wouldn't have issued this challenge if I didn't think some folks would accept it, so don't leave me with my balls hanging, okay? Take the challenge and have some fun. Remember, no bitching!

I detest cigarettes. After smoking for 19 years, I went to the Schick Clinic for adversion therapy. They put me in a tiny room where every night for five nights I had to smoke myself to death. Hotboxing it, etc. There was a mirror in front of me, so I could see what I looked like, face red, nose running. A little electric shock on my hand every time I lifted the fag. The walls were covered with cigarette ads, showing glamorous people in Salem settings and hot Marlboro men. Look in the mirror, they said. Is that what you look like? Well,hell,no. The ashtray hadn't been emptied for days. At the end, they gave me a cigarette and said that if I smoked it all the way down, they would refund my money-$500. This is in 1980 when that was some money. I didn't smoke it, and never smoked again. 28 years later, how much have I saved? Cigs were $6.10 a carton then...and I smoked 30 cigarettes a day.

The pix for sure!

On July 16th (before the shutdown), I informed Daddy that I was leaving the site following a serious difference of opinion with him. He has, in fact, removed my name from the community roster, but is having his little joke by placing "Time-Out" on all of the posts I have written. LOL It's a shame that after 10 years and almost 12,000 posts that I have to leave Hooville because of Daddy. I visited him in Seattle and twice invited him to the Palm Springs Hooville Weekend so he could get to know the posters. We learned then that "thank-you" was something that did not come naturally to him, so I guess that I am not so surprised. And to think all he had to do was honor my request not to be a monitor. Admin Note: First names were removed as it is against policy. They were replaced with a Monkier. All other information is the same.

The forum at Daddy's Review is now open. I wonder how many people, offended at the high-handed way that they have been treated, will stay away from there for forever or a period of time. I know, that I,for one, will stay away. The lack of respect Daddy has for his own members is legendary. He doesn't think much more of his visitors or suppliers nor much more of his moderators. Until a change can be made in the leadership of that Forum that will revamp the whole place, and will show an interest in what the posters are actually saying and doing, I Cannot return. Oz, please buy the site as quickly as possible!

You know that you are getting old when you repeat yourself....

Stir up some shit? How about some interesting conversation? Or some funny pix...where IS that lookin guy?

On another site I am familiar with, I just copy the pic and it shows up on that site when I hit control/v. But that doesn't work here. I wanted to share the pic of my favorite Cam4 guy...here is the link for anyone who can do that: http://content.codelnet.com/0/cam4/1967306.200x150.profile Maybe this will work: http://www.cam4.com/profiles/pp.jsp?userId=1186380&id=1967306 The guy is Saantiaagoo from Colombia.

Say, Totally Oz, you appear to be replying to someone, but there is no post showing. hehehe, just kidding One Finger, but that's what it might be like with the ignore feature.