Belle

Well, turn out hasn't been great, but at least it picked up after my post. There were some really good costumes this year. I got a posse of about six young gals all dressed up like square dancers, complete with pig tails and freckles. It was a very ethnically diverse group of girls, too, which I love to see. George St George, I got quite a few Super Heroes. I had one SWAT Team Member show up. That was bittersweet since my ex was a sniper on his SWAT team so there's a special place in my heart for law enforcement of any kind. I told Vixen she better behave or he'd arrest her. He liked that and said he was going to be SWAT when he grows up. Apparently the Orlando Magic has a ghost playing for them - since it's their season opener tonight, I asked him how he was managing being in two places at the same time. There was even a Said-Head at my door tonight - be still my heart! A Boris Said fan!! It's 9:00 now and I'm thinking that's probably it - as well it should be - those kiddos catch the school bus dark and early every morning! Chef, you've got my attention - Butterfingers and Kit Kats?? I'll be right over! Notta, hopefully you'll get some kiddos showing up so you don't have to eat ALL that candy - favorites of mine, mind you... I'll help if you find yourself with too much. :P Waysider, I really considered turning off the lights and hanging out in the back of the house myself, but I soooo love Halloween and giving out the candy... I just knew I'd regret it if I did.

(((((Outfield))))) The number of views normally has nothing to do with the responses. Remember that TWI (and CES) monitor this site. Depression is a hot button due to their insane teachings on the nature of it. Also, at least in my case, I may look at a topic, want to reply but not have the time to do so properly - or not know how to say what I want to say and decide to come back to it later. :) Such is the case with this thread. I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown shortly before my exit from TWI and severely depressed. Professional help and anti-depressants helped tremendously. I have more to say (shock - shock) but can't right now. I just wanted to let you know that I'm some of your views with no response. :)

Okay, so I waited to buy my candy till I was on my way home from work tonight. The pickings were slim and all the good stuff that doesn't cost an arm and a leg was gone, so I bought Country Time Lemonade hard candy. I know it's nothing I would have wanted when I was a trick or treater, but my options were limited! I live in a great neighborhood nestled amongst other great neighborhoods. There are lots of families in the area and normally I get flooded with trick or treaters. I'm thinking word's gotten out that there's lame candy at my house. Do you give out candy? What kind did you buy? Lots of cool costumes?

Milking it for all I can, Strange One....what can I say? I, Sir, am no lady.

I'm just amazed when I read these things that y'all made it through all that and came out as wonderful as you are. You all deserve congressional medals of honor, imo. I can tell, for some of you, having incredible souls with awesome senses of humor helped ease the pain and abuse (although it wasn't recognized as such at the time). Maybe that's why I love it when you start reminiscing about the good stuff...you know, fig pep, familiar, borscht, flossing charts, "intimate encounters" on your 15 minute incremental schedules....

Good point, Patriot. (Good to see you!) In fact, I e-mailed the author of the article and told him as much. I also included a link to Greasespot so the minister could see what he saved his ministry from being confused with. He e-mailed back his thanks.

Ham, I'm wondering if we got them in trouble. As if it isn't bad enough that we can read and post to their site, we can read what they wrote. Granted, it's not that bad, but I can just hear it now: "The internet is evil and we know it's not really best to be on it, but if you insist on posting on internet boards, then please carefully choose your words. There are cop-outs, devil possessed former TWIts believers who may hold a grudge against TWI and use anything you say as evidence an excuse to show the truth spread lies about the state of TWI."

Hoping everyone in the Bay Area is safe and sound!

Thanks so much, y'all! Outfield, I am definitely making those Spinach Balls to take. YUMMILICIOUS!! I'm sending a link for this thread to my friend so we can pow-wow and decide what to do.

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, OEN!!!

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS, CHAS!!! I'm sooo sorry we missed it!! I hope it was a great birthday and that you were treated as wonderful as you are.

HAPPIEST OF BIRTHDAYS, WATERBUFFALO!!! I'm sure it will be one classy birthday, just like you!

(((((Y'all))))) Your kind (and silly) words mean more than you can imagine. Thank you so much! It was a great day and each of you helped make it that way.

:o ex, that has GOT to be the scariest costume EVER!! I hope it changes back, too!! George, I can not find those pictures! :( I think that after I got married my ex threw out every single picture of mine from my life prior to TWI. Here's one of some folks in a similar costume, though.

:blink: :wacko: :o :huh: Change?? Change??? Change is good. Paw is even better!

Yeppers! It's moving even further away now, but it's taking half our beach with it. :(

Thanks so much, Y'all!! It is the 10th anniversary of my 29th birthday, but I'm not getting tired of practicing. One of these years I'll get it right and move on to 30. One of my co-workers baked this Italian Wedding Cake - Holy Cow is it good!! I think I have a new favorite! (Yes, the birthday tradition here at work is to have Birthday Cake for breakfast - No wonder I love working here!!) I really appreciate all the kind sentiments and wish I had time to respond to each one of you personally.

Bow, that does sound good. :) You just gave me an idea, given my propensity for wearing my food on my shirt - maybe I'll get pita bread so everything goes into the pocket, thereby eliminating some chance that I'll end up spilling it on me before the bands even get started. Outfield, I LOVE spinach and would LOVE that recipe!! Those Triscuit treats actually don't sound weird to me at all! They sound great!

Tonto and T-Bone & "Little T" - WOO HOO!! Hearty congrats! And, thanks for the tip - I'm going to try that tomorrow night when I purchase my new tickets.

Sorry, ex70s, I have no clue. I use Cingular (now AT&T). I've been with them since Day 1 and have never had a problem with them, the service, reception, nor the phones. My whole family has been with Cingular for as long as I can remember - I know for sure since they started the cell to cell free calls - and I've never heard any of them complain either. We're spread out from WA, CA to KY, MS and FL. Mama and Daddy travel quite often and I don't recall them ever having trouble getting reception to get through to us.

Heck, John and Jeff, why don't you at least answer these on your website and post here to let us know that you've followed through on your own code of conduct posted on your own website? These are fair and reasonable questions. Questions I hope that anyone still involved with or considering involvement with your group does ask and demand answers to.

10. You get winded from knocking on the door. 9. You have to have another person chew the candy for you. 8. You ask for high fiber candy only. 7. When someone drops a candy bar into your bag, you lose your balance and fall over. 6. People say: "Great Boris Karloff Mask," but you're not wearing a mask. 5. When the door opens you yell, "Trick or ..............." And can't remember the rest. 4. By the end of the night, you have?a bag full of restraining orders. 3. You have to carefully choose a costume that won't dislodge your hairpiece. 2. You're the only Power Ranger in the neighborhood with a walker. And the number one reason Seniors should not go Trick or Treating... 1. You keep having to go home to pee.

That goes both ways, Sky - just look at John's posts on this thread for proof. edited to put my comment in blue

Sky, you're correct, perhaps hate is too strong a word. The fact remains that with my personal experience there is much less "tolerance" for other beliefs in the Christian camp than there is with the other belief systems I have personal experience with. That is not to say that there aren't equally offensive non-Christians, there are, but as far as non-Christians who fit into a defined belief system, even a semi-defined one, especially in a formal gathering, there has been no "Christian bashing". Just my personal experience - that includes online message boards, books, and such. In my opinion based on what I've observed, Christians seem to feel that it is their mission to convert everyone to their way of thinking and non-Christians seem to feel that each persons finds their own way and that it is not our place to judge anyone for what they believe. I'm not entirely convinced that we don't all believe in the same god - we just call IT by different names (because the Christian God isn't really male, is it?). I normally don't get involved in these kinds of discussions (online or in real life) because my beliefs are all over the place and do tend to change quite a bit. *grin* Also, I've found that, for the most part, people have made up their mind and not much is going to change so there's no point in entering into something that might be an individual just looking for a fight (regardless of which "side" they're on). I'm not out to convince, convict or convert anyone. This seemed like an honest request for opinions, experiences and viewpoints - not a debate, which is why I spoke up. And, like you feel obligated to defend the Christian belief system, I do get upset when I see blanket and patently false information used to support a viewpoint. I'm no Bible scholar, but I do know a little. I'm no scientist, but I am an analyst in real life and I do know how easy it is to find studies and skew numbers to show what you want them to show. I do not believe that America is going to hell in a handbasket - I do not believe that atheists are patently immoral or bad because they don't have a "10 commandments" to tell them what's right and wrong and I certainly don't believe that Christians are any more moral, life-preserving and supportive of a 'butterflies and rainbows' kind of world than people who do not believe the same thing Christians do - that includes Atheists, Agnostics, Wicca, Pagan, Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jew and everything else. I am not trying to be antagonistic and I apologize if it comes across that way. I will try to consider more carefully how my words may be read. edited to add: I'm not out to convince, convict or convert anyone.

Going to a Jazz Festival this week-end with some buddies. It's the kind of thing where you bring your own chairs, beer, wine and whatnot to sit in the park and enjoy the live music. We'd like to bring something other than the typical picnic fare of fried chicken, potato salad, etc. Preferably, since it's not really a full blown picnic, I'd like to bring "clean" finger foods that don't require much in the way of set up or clean up but something more substantial than basic cheese & crackers. Any ideas or suggestions?