Hope R.

Thanks Abi – you are 100% correct in your statement. You always seem to have your head and heart in the right place and I admire you for that. Thank you Shell for #3 on your post. I would rather speak for myself and am a bit disturbed that pieces of my conversation in the chat room were misrepresented on this thread. And Hap – thank you, too – you tend to see things quite objectively and I appreciate that. I will post my comments this one time because of the words that have been put in my mouth (fingers?). I did not suggest that GSC start using real names. I said that the Corps site used real names because it is a social network and when you socialize with someone, it helps to know who they are. It is also a place to reconnect – which goes with the above statement. And it probably does keep the mean people away. No one wants to socialize with mean people anyway! When I first came on Trancechat and Waydale I was still involved in TWI and used a pseudonym (Amie Friend). I needed to at the time for many reasons I won’t go into here. The night we got the boot – I went into the chat room and proudly announced my real name and started using it on Waydale. It was a huge deal for me – almost cathartic. It may not be that way for anyone else and I appreciate the need for anonymity on a site like this. But I do think that when people use their real names, they may choose their words more carefully. John was called some horrible things by people who do not know him or me by anonymous posters. I always wonder whether those folks would say the same things to his face. I doubt it. Regarding the relevance of today’s TWI… Please see Socks post #143 that was made on December 29. He says what I meant much better than I can say it. But --- I remember when I first saw “No Way Out” in 1997 – which I believe was around about the same time as Trancechat. There was an article in it about the “gun training” class the Corps had taken in Emporia in the mid 1970’s. In 1997 it was really old news – ancient history in Way years. I don’t even think there were any Corps in residence in Emporia at the time it was posted. In other words, the article was irrelevant to the TWI of 1997. I thought the site was out of touch and really didn’t apply to what I was looking for at the time – current TWI events! (btw… The class wasn’t militia-like gun training – it was the Kansas Safe Hunters class that the 4-H Club and Boy Scouts took. I still have the badge!) Again - see socks post… which is also the reason I suggested a GSC social site. As far as what I said about professional help – I believe it was taken totally wrong. My comment was that GS may have become a band-aid for some people who might need more help than a web-site can give them. I commented that folks who had been hurting for years and years might seek other forms of help if GS became a read-only site. I did not suggest that everyone who posts here needs therapy or medication! I will confess that both Waydale and GS were wonderful places to vent all my anger and frustration about my 29 years of service in TWI. Especially right after I got out. But there came a time when I knew I needed more and I got help. Period. As far as editing goes – I write my posts on a Word document before I put them on the forums. It’s still faster than editing on the web site over and over until I get it right (even then, sometimes I don't). When John was lambasted on the Corps site thread, the awful names he was called were deleted, yet the answers he gave to those folks were kept on the site. He looked like a mean s.o.b. – getting angry over nothing and making crazy accusations. If those comments had been left alone the context would have been better understood and he wouldn’t have looked like he was getting po’d over nothing. And Paw, I disagree, the Corps site is not heavily regulated. The only requirements that exist are that you use your real name and that you (or your parents) were in the Corps program for at least one year. Yes, the main forums are informational only (“how to” stuff, a memorial thread, “does anyone know where_______is?”, etc.). But each person has their own page – which is more or less like having your own web site - and they can blog about whatever they want to. All we ask is that no one attack someone personally or make incendiary comments, much like the GSC forums state. Anyone who wants to discuss my opinions can do so by emailing me at hoperich6@gmail.com or you can find me on Facebook (I just joined!). This is probably my last post, and I won’t even think about coming into the chat room again. Adios.

Excie -- only if Craig shows up. :blink: But I don't think either one of them qualify, since they weren't in the Sickth Corpse.

Don't know how to edit my post, but wanted to add my thanks to Bob Mirabito - who is also on the reunion committee. xoxox Hope

Hey everyone - Just got an email regarding the 6th Corps 30th Reunion that's scheduled for next year. Check out the site at 6th Corps Reunion Thanks to David Dougherty, Dan Stockemer, Roy Gotrik, Valerie Edwards, and Gary King If you know any 6th Corps that may be interested in this, give them the link. xoxox Hope

Just when I think I'm out - Green Day keeps pulling me back. I fell in love with them in 2004 when American Idiot came out, and went backwards, starting with the pre-Dookie CD's. I continue to listen to them all the time - not sick of them yet. I also bought the "Instant Karma - the Campaign to Save Darfur" CD - it's worth getting. About 7 of 8 of the tracks are awful (Avril Lavigne singing "Imagine" - ugh) - but to hear Christina Aguilera sing an amazing version of "Mother" makes up for it. xoxo Hope

My dear Ex- Have a wonderful birthday. Relax and let everyone wait on you hand and foot! You deserve it! Here's a "toast" to you! xoxox Hope

Another opinion to give some thought (on an MSNBC blog)

Ditto on the TV going out! We have brown outs all the time in the summer. When the credits came on a few seconds later I thought - "that CAN'T be IT!" But it was. There have been a lot of articles written about the ending this morning - and tons of blogging going on! The NY Times is a good one, and one from Newsweek as well. Did anyone watch "John from Cincinatti" ? Very odd. BTW, I was mistaken - David Chase was "The Sopranos creator". David Milch produced "Deadwood". Both are amazingly good writers/directors/producers, IMO. "Big Love" tonight- I'm going to try it again this season - I couldn't seem to wrap myself up in it last year - it was a bit too unbelievable for me. I will miss "The Sopranos" - but there was so much time between seasons anyway, I sort of got used to it not being on TV. Hope PS The ending to "The Tudors" left me wanting more... but we all know what happens anyway... Poor Anne... Notawayfer - I, too, am obviously an HBO/Showtime junkie. "Weeds" will soon be returning soon! And they also have a bunch of new shows that will be starting in the next month or so. I faithfully watch "Ugly Betty" as well, but have also given in to "Heros" and am hooked. There are a few good non-network series like "The 4400" I'll be watching this summer because nothing else is on.

Okay - so what about the FBI guy who has continued to briefly show up week after week? I think he will have something to do with the end - perhaps something to do with the terrorism task force stuff he's been discussing with Tony? I don't know, but I thought it was strange he was around - he's been a fairly insignificant character these past few seasons. Why now? I was upset that Bobby was killed in the toy store - and yes, Sudo, I knew it was coming, too. I'll be sad if and when Syl dies - I was hoping he'd get another job, perhaps as a guitar player for a rock and roll band! Maybe disguise himself with a bandana around his head! Why hasn't Paulie been knocked off yet? I sure thought Tony was gonna kill him a few weeks ago! Perhaps he'll take a bullet for Tony... What about Uncle Junior? Do you think the mention of moving him to another home was the last we've heard of him? There's a lot of plot lines to tie up - I don't think we're going to know everything about everyone. There was an entertainment reporter on Countdown the other night who has been writing about the Sopranos in the Newark, NJ paper since the series began. He said he doesn't believe that David Milch will wrap up everything in a neat package. He also compared the scene when Dr. Melfi shuts the door on Tony to the scene in "The Godfather" where Michael Corleone shuts the door on Kay when she's visiting her kids. He thought it might be a "tribute" to the film from Milch. Interesting idea... Okay - final thought... Tony will wake up and he'll REALLY be the guy he dreamed about after he was shot... the whole Mafioso thing was a dream after all. I'm sad it's over- but am anxious to see what happens. Hope PS - is anyone watching "The Tudors" on Showtime? It's really wonderful - great acting - beautiful costumes. You can actually view the first two episodes on Showtime.com for free. Speaking of wrapping things up - I thought HBO was going to air two - 2 hour movies to finish out "Deadwood" - which I absolutely loved. Anyone know anything about that? (article from last summer)

Actually - it was pushed ahead! Plus - they didn't discuss the case they were going to discuss with her - they sort of blind-sided her with this horrible murder in Kansas which really had nothing to do with stalking at all. I felt sort of bad for her - she had to be vague because in cases with predatory stalkers, there really are no specifics. No one even knows if this young girl was being stalked by him or not. The good news is that she's got her foot in the door as far as being considered an expert for the news media. Hopefully they'll use her again when the topic is more appropriate to her specialty. xoxo Hope

Well, what can I tell ya... I can name 3 women who I know only through Waydale and/or GS - 2 whom I've met face to face. The 3rd lady and I have never met, but we talk on the phone a couple of times a month. We know so many of the same people in TWI that we figured we must have stood in the same line for a Wowburger at least once! I consider them all dear friends. I also believe that women are generally more open to friendship with other women and can relate to each other in a more personal way - without the need for a face to face relationship. But, having said that, I do understand that many people are afraid to get close with a cyber-friend. Had these women and I not known the same people, but just never crossed each others paths, I might have been more reluctant to get close to them. xoxo Hope

My sister, Ronnie Harmon, will be on Fox News tomorrow morning. They’re doing some kind of story about stalking and stalkers – which is her field. She’s the Administrative Director of the Bellevue Hospital Forensic Psychiatry Clinic in NYC. If you google her name along with “forensic” you’ll see all the info about what she’s done on the subject. (If you leave out the word “forensic” you get all the info about a San Diego Charger football player!) Anyway – I’m very proud of my sister. My mom would be ecstatic! The people at Fox told her she’d be on the air at 9:48 a.m. If you’re up that early (?) you can see her! Xoxox Hope

Hiya ala! As I said in an earlier post - I was determined that the friends I had in TWI would always remain my friends - in or out.... however.... We were ditched by more people who couldn't stand the fact we stayed in TWI after they'd left. Most of them were involved with a CG ministry, but a few others just cut us off for no reason. We weren't trying to convince them to come back, we never preached how great everything was (because it wasn't), we never "witnessed" to them. There was no reason to sever what we thought was a friendship at the time. There are still folks we run into from time to time who used to be in our twig years ago! When we were still in TWI, they simply nodded at us - acknowledging the fact that they recognized us! When they found out we'd left, they actually said hello and asked how we were. Coulda knocked me over with a feather! I stayed close to a few friends who left long before I did. We're still close. They loved me for who I was and it didn't matter what "church" I attended. I felt the same way about them. Here is a very old poem I read when I was in elementary school. It has stayed with me for many years. To me, this is what being a true friend really is: FRIENDSHIP Dinah Maria Mulock Craik (1826-1887) from A Life for a Life Oh, the comfort— the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person— having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away. xoxox Hope

TWI 1 - absolutely! I still keep in touch with many of them. When we stayed in TWI and so many of our friends left - we REFUSED to mark and avoid anyone. Friends are friends are friends. TWI 2 - nope - none - zero. I don't think there's a person I encountered in TWI 2 that I was interested in making a friend (oops! - Except for Belle). Waydale & GS - I've made several friends I've never met. I wouldn't know them if I walked by them on the street. I love them dearly and hope someday to see them face to face! My best friend is a woman named Barb who I met when our 20 year olds were in Kindergarten. She never heard of TWI until she met me. Trying to explain things to her is like trying to teach her a foreign language. For example: when I say to an ex-Way friend, "I was a WOW in Texas during the 4000 for the 40th year" - they know what I'm talking about. When I say it to my NBW* friend it has to come with a lengthly explanation - it has to be translated! xoxox Hope *nbw= never been way PS: Sushi - "A true friend stabs you in the front!" - Oscar Wilde

I've never attended - but want to tell you all about a place we've done John's family reunions in Kentucky. It's called "The Moors". It's on Kentucky Lake and is fairly inexpensive. There are things to do - boat rentals, etc. It will be lovely there in Autumn. Just a suggestion...