Jim

Nope. That's the verb form of engineer and using it to describe an activity doesn't make the person doing the activity the noun. For example, I could "cook up a plan" but that wouldn't make me a cook.

Moms aren't engineers. Engineers are persons that run or maintain engines or persons that design ingenious devices, as in the Latin word ingenium. No disrespect to homemakers intended. I paid my dues keeping house and raising a kid. The job is more of a combination of a teacher, housekeeper and nurse. 24 hours a day. Not the same as being an engineer, which I am.

Was I happy? I was happy like a pet dog. An animal that was trained to sit, sleep, beg and eat in a certain way and at certain times. Do it all right and get a treat. Do it wrong and get reproved or worse. Am I happier out of the pack? I don't know. I miss a lot of the sweet people I knew. But I'd never go back. On the other hand, now I'm free and at peace with myself. I'm responsible for my own happiness. That's fine with me.

California carry laws are passed and enforced on a countywide basis. It's virtually impossible to get a carry permit in an urban county, but many of the rural counties have relatively carry-friendly laws and policies.

A bit harsh. I work with and called a friend what I would imagine must have been a sociopath. In many ways he was a tortured soul. Not knowing or understanding why he hurt people with his words and actions. Unable to accept praise. Does he deserve to live? I'd be the last to cast a stone.

See also "People of the Lie" by H. Scott Peck.

I don't know much about horses, but I have known some true horse lovers. They all hated horse racing and that's a good enough reason for me to dislike it.

Sounds like you need a Quick-Cut and a couple interim Corps. Ever thought of starting your on Way Corps program?

I could never memorize anything, including scripture. I guess I'm prolly possessed.

Reading some of the Infamous Last Word posts started me wondering how things could have gone so wrong. Rewind to 1979. TWI had it all. A motivated workforce that was either paying them to work (Way Corps), working for free (rank and file Jane and Joe believer) or working for poverty wages and benefits (staff). They also had a product (PFAL) that had zero advertising costs, a profit margin beyond belief and zero tax obligations. As a business owner, I'd give my left nut for any one of these things. Well, metaphorically at least. But they destroyed it all. At this point in my life, I'm not sufficiently spiritual to argue as to whether sin or evil works or God's will brought down TWI. I don't know. I just know that they had the perfect business. How many of us, if we could go back to the sweetness and fellowship of TWI of say, 1976, wouldn't still be a part of it. I know I would. I'd be a twig leader. I'd go back a week early for ROA to work on setup and video crew. That was some good times in my life. Sure, the internet has opened our eyes, but truthfully, if there were no Passing of the Patriarch, Martindale reign of terror or Chris Geer lunacy, how many of us would still be singing "Standing on the Promises" and booking reservations at the Sidney Holiday Inn in August? Let's see a show of hands... Yeah, that's what I thought. So they totally (well almost totally) destroyed it. And now all the locked boxes are open. Our sisters like Excathedra and others have opened our eyes and we can see the rot that permeated the soul of TWI. And that is a good thing. I miss the fellowship, the good, honest, kind and loving people that I had the honor of knowing in TWI, but it's gone and I'm a little older and more cynical. But that's ok. Just like You Keb' Mo Hello my old friend It's been awhile All our old clothes Are back in style We went our separate ways, Only to return To face a lesson We failed to learn We didn't understand the truth We were blinded by the eyes of youth But time kept on moving And a change has come You think that I don't know Where you're coming from (Chorus:) 'Cause I feel just like you And I cry just like you But I heal just like you And under my skin I'm just like you You gave your love and your innocence And they took away your confidence Well I'm not those women I'm not those men Put your arms around me I am your friend (Chorus) (Bridge:) You and everybody else When I get hurt I cry for help And I've got secrets That god only knows And god knows I feel... (Chorus)

I owned a Border Terrier that had a pantie fetish.

Jen, When can we see some pictures???

"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you different. " -Kurt Vonnegut

I learned to ride on a horse named Hershey. But for a chocolate lab, I'd name her Mocha.

You've gotten lots of good advice, Dot. The thing is, you don't have to decide to do anything. If I were to lose my wife, I know I wouldn't be interested in finding another woman. But OTOH, time would go by, wounds would start to heal, and to pass up companionship and fun, should it appear, would be unfortunate. I think you should ask the question again in 6 months.

Man, I can't wait to hear the next part. Paw, I have some ex-twi friends that don't or won't use GS. May I have permission to burn them CD's of the podcast? Of course, I will make no changes to the content and give you credit.

I'd rather install Windows Vista on my wife's computer while listening to disco and chewing barbed wire...

More than Howard.

The biggest similarity that I see is how one sick and twisted man can do generations of damage to his 'followers'

I find it pretty remarkable how many "golden boys" of TWI fell out of favor and sort of slid into the background. Walter, Del Duncan, David A, John S, and others at the top, and any number of promising corps grads that found themselves stuck working Food Services at the ROA. Anyway, a web search seems to show that John S. sells security equipment and occasionally does an AM radio show. It's a strange world. Does anybody have more information on why Lead got the corps training and TFI didn't?

Ok, my memory is real fuzzy on this, but didn't John Sommerville start something called Total Fitness Institute long before Lead? What happened to that? Anyone else remember anything about it?

In the words of Mr.T, "I predict - pain"

What Excath said. You're a stand-up poster.

I'd love to hear more if you have the time. I've always been interested in workplace policy, politics and issues. The main reason I started my own company was so I wouldn't have to work for fools anymore. We joke that now I'm the fool to my employees. And I know there's a bit of truth to it. And I still have to work for my customers. I'll just leave it at that.

20% of the WOWburgers contained 80% of the salmonella bacteria.