"I knew it was wrong. I was scared. I was also kind of elated, though. It was a marvelous secret. I was getting something for nothing. Yet I feared there was something wrong with me for doing it."

-C.T. always puts it so well. Thank you Cary for your consistent evolution. There is great power in vulnerability.

We've all been there. Not necessarily taking something but doing something shameful, something quite awful and unspeakable. Stealing seems a manifestation of something else. I've stolen. It was from someone who I was envious of, she had so much....stuff... just stuff coming out of every crevice and compartment. Too much stuff I decided.

At the time, I had less than nothing and was struggling with many demons. When she made me very angry and insulted me, I took something from her that she didn't even notice was missing. It was a stupid thing to do. I payed her back more than I can even begin to explain in a thread of strangers. It hurt me more than any "thing" that could be swiped.

Just stop right now and replenish that till little by little, with 10 bucks here and there. You must repay this debt somehow. Do something that she'll never know that is completely generous. Anonymously.

As the lovely Cassandra Wilson said about a United States President, "You must clean up your house before you leave."

LW, clean your house. I don't judge you, no one in their right mind judges anyone because we are not all pure. And we know it. That said, I am darn glad you don't work for me.

that Hillary was Asian.

Seriously. Maybe it's time for a media fast.

Browsing, I found this very funny and wanted to share it again:

"I've noticed that a great many -- almost all -- of Cary's letter writers describe themselves as really, really good looking. It's statistically amazing that Mr. Tennis can draw from such an attractive population of readers! (Given that, honestly, in the real world I inhabit, most people are just average looking at best.)"-Laurel962

I agree, the ego has landed!

xx,

Former model, who looks like a cross between Halle Berry, Uma Thurman, Tricia Helfer and Cindy Crawford. Oh, and throw in Brangelina and Vivica Fox, maybe a little Jessica Biel, or Rhiana. "You're just a squirrel tryin' to get a nut!"

It ain't the sports, it's nuggets like this:

"... I don't want to join the mob. I'm a big believer in personal choice -- it's the athlete's nickel. I'm a big believer in logic and consistency when it comes to condemning behaviors."

I appreciated how you framed the Marion Jones issue. I am an MJ fan and was crushed to learn about her drug use even though it wasn't surprising, because it appears to this amateur that many in sports are using something. It's also much more competitive for new generations, and very different from when I was on the track, on the field, and competing.

Well written article that leaves the forum open to interesting discussions from several angles. Thank you!

Agreed on all points! Seems like there are a few who cannot get past the surface, no matter what.

You said, "Honest to god, just when I start to have hope for the Democratic Party, I go and read one of these letter threads."

Yes, zero accountability means anyone (with a clear agenda or perhaps unwittingly) can say anything they like, even if it's completely false. If the recent threads are any measure of our country, we are doomed. We can't even get along anonymously, how are we supposed to reach common goals together?

Pretty discouraging.

Someone said "I was just over-emotional: cried too easily, lost my temper too easily." as a reason to take Prozac. While I believe to each his own and this is not judging your specific situation, my fellow thread member. (Gosh, is that all we are here? Random nameless splotches in a thread, or fellow thread members? Partners in posts?)

I was just thinking as I read this line how many musicians, composers, dancers, painters, writers, sculptors, actors, etc etc our world would have missed out on if all those people took pills to "even out".

Now that is a depressing thought.

That mass jailbreak makes the silly show Prison Break look like Mary Poppins.

Dear Cary,

First I want to address you directly. I cheated on you while you were gone. Yes, it's true. I went to News & Politics, Comics, Books, A & E, Tech & Business AND Sports. Geesh, there are a bunch of ruffians over in Sports but there are people slashing and burning while wielding illegal weapons in Opinion! I didn't really have fun and I am relieved you are back. I promise I won't cheat again and because it was a hard lesson to learn: The grass is not always greener.

So, LW, the above is a response to you as well. Good luck and when in doubt, be loving and be kind. It's a mad world!

Already reading it and will see you over there, but I'll be right here in the same seat in front of the same computer. Thanks for some good news and some good laughs TG.

That exchange with bebop-o was very interesting guys. Is that code for something else, like the supposed nefarious plot to take down an entire race going on over in Opinion?

Oh and Berk Breathed was good too. All these devices and new ways of communicating, or not. I responded to someone today who had a Bluetooth on during a cell phone call. He was looking into my eyes and talking so.... well, anyway I thought he was sick in the head and felt sorry for him until I saw the blinking device attached to his ear. "Ah, modern technology confuses I"

There is just so much time in a day.