Alena Smith: What is the strangest thing that has ever happened to you?
    Petriesan: probably the time I saw a hitch-hiking skeleton outside Clovis, NM, or the conversation I had with a guy in the Nevada Desert one night at midnight who told me he was from another world in another solar system. I believed him -
    Alena Smith: People can present good and reasonable arguments -


Alena Smith: Who was the most inspiring person in your life, and why?
    William Walz: Bugs Bunny. Nobody ever got the best of Bugs. -
    shelley kaye: idk william. i kinda think the roadrunner was a little better - no one could ever catch him....

    ;-)

    -
    Erik McGinley: My friend, Susan. She dealt with a situation I never could have and had kindness to spare for me at the same time. -
    Tsukuyomi969: Questions like these always turn me into a liar. I pick someone at random and give a reason. The truth--which is probably not so great for the people I know--is that I'm not particularly inspired by anyone. That's not to say they aren't inspiring. But the people I'm moved by are fictional. Does that make me a bad person? -
    Alena Smith: Not at all, I think that's awesome. You draw inspirations from your very own inspirations.
    That's very cool -


Alena Smith: what were you thinking right befofe you read this?
    michaelcahill: Hey, there's my friend Alena Smith, I wonder what she posted? -
    Alena Smith: I am so sorry to have disappointed you :-) -
    Petriesan: how much like Karen does she look?
    -
    Nick©: I wish Lords of Shadow 2 would hurry and come out. -


Alena Smith: For the first time ever, we won the Super Bowl!!!!
GO HAWKS!!!!!!
    Patti R.: The SeaHawks didn't just win, they slaughtered their opponents!! -
    Alena Smith: It was almost funny, but we showed our skills for sure -
    William Walz: Reminds me of the new football contest for recovering drug addicts. There're calling it the Stupor Bowl. -
    Petriesan: You teamplayed well..denver did not. Enjoy it -
    Alena Smith: Thank you, everyone for your support.
    William, lmao -


Alena Smith: it's Supper Bowl today!!! it's finally here.
i dont know if you know this about me, but i am a huge football fan. especially Seahawks, they are my home team, amd our fans are insane. you should see my house and how I decorated it. anyways, after winning another title, we had to wait 2 weeks for today. you have no idea what it meant, waiking up disapointed that it wasnt today.
but today it is!!!!!! it's only 7 hours aways. it means a lot for Seattle,
We never won a Super Bowl!!! and we came a long way and fought hard to prove to others that we deserve it
but with our new team, i have a good feeling about it.
so if you dont care who wins, please send some blessings and good energy our way.
please!!!! i appreciate it in advance, my friends
    Alena Smith: Thank you so much for your support! It means alot.
    GO HAWKS! !!!
    I predict 24-17
    I don't know why, I always thought that -
    adewpearl: Whatever you're doing, it sure is working! This is a blow out so far :-) -


Alena Smith: What do you do when you are bored?
    JW: What else? Write! -
    Joy Graham: I'm never bored as long as there is candy crush:) -
    Alena Smith: What gave it away? ;-)
    Borderline bored and curious
    You? -


Alena Smith: What are you going to do this weekend?
    Alena Smith: I am sitting here, wishing it was a Super Bowl weekend, but it's not :-(
    Trying to pass time by writing.
    Go Hawks!!!!! -


Alena Smith: If you had to describe yourself in just one word, what would it be and why?
    Petriesan: pain in the . . .wait, one word?
    impossible or incrutable -


Alena Smith: if you can be an animal/bird/reptile for one day, who would you be and why?
    shelley kaye: indoor housecat with a loving family so i can just laze around and have my human slaves do everything for me ;-)

    -
    Alena Smith: Thank you, SC.
    GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
    CAN YOU HEAR US NOW????? -


Alena Smith: soulmates, is it real or just a figment of our imagination?
is there that eternal connection that exists and binds the two?
How do you know?
    Erik McGinley: Soulmates are real. People sometimes do have extra special connections.

    I don't think that necessarily a one to one thing either. I can think of at least four people in my life (not family) that I feel very strongly connected to and think I would always just spontaneously feel happy and comfortable around. -
    Petriesan: yeah, I think it exists. Not in the way I am writing it, but for real and explanations are for private conversations -
    kiwigirl2821: soulmates real? I used to think they are but I'm not so sure these days. I have been married a long long time but the one that holds my heart is not the husband. I do all the right things but sometimes the other just pops into my brain and I have to ask why? I've always believed we are all capable of great love but I have to say being in love is not the same as love or friendship. Soulmates, hmmmm I wonder about that too ... When is it too late to find that one true love when you thought it was supposed to be the one you married...
    -
    Alena Smith: Once you have that connection with someone, it never goes away, you will always feel it. The two souls are bound. Even if you are not together, it's still there.
    Doesn't mean that you can't love someone else, just... different -
    kiwigirl2821: have to thank you for the inspiration for my latest write. This conversation triggered it. You rock sister! xoxo
    -
    Alena Smith: I am so happy, Kiwi. I can't wait to read it, honey -


Alena Smith: truth vs. lie
how can you tell one from the other?
    Erik McGinley: People do not behave consistently with their normal behaviour when they lie.

    Though inconsistent behaviour is not always because of lying.

    IMO false until proven otherwise, though false is also not necessarily a lie. -
    Petriesan: lies and truth are subjective, generally, opposite sides of the same coin -


Alena Smith: are you an early bird or an owl?
i am an owl. i am useless until after noon
    ravenblack: An owl!! Mornings are painful which really is because I stay up half the night. -
    Alena Smith: I am don't do mornings. I am just flying on auto pilot. Even my sludge cup of coffee doesn't always work. Then at two pm, ding!
    And the switch is on -
    nor84: An owl. I stay up until at least midnight and usually nearer to 3:00 a.m., but I'm usually awake before 10:00 a.m. -
    Alena Smith: yes, insomnia is not my friend. i just cant stop my brain from going a million miles per hour -
    William Walz: The last time I gave somebody an early bird I got socked in the jaw. -
    Alena Smith: hahaha. Will, you are insane
    you need help :) -
    Erik McGinley: Night hawk here. I have problems getting up before 4 pm :P -
    Alena Smith: a hawk, huh?
    let me guess, your bed time is about 5-6am -
    Alena Smith: another observation, most of he writers are night birds. that's when it starts working. -
    Marillion: Early bird. Up at 4:15 every morning to work out. -
    Alena Smith: good for you. i truly applaud you for that!!!
    it takes a strong will power.
    -
    Debra White: I'm an early bird.... shame my children are too! -


Alena Smith: what's new today?
What happened today, that didn't happen yesterday?
    adewpearl: well, today, in addition to the rain we've been having, we had horrible fog LOL -
    shelley kaye: been disgusting in california. 80 degree weather all week in january. ugly.
    -
    Alena Smith: Oh, I can't imagine. It would be nice to have some sun here, it's been cloudy forever. -
    Erik McGinley: What happened yesterday that did not happen today? It did not rain today :) -
    Erik McGinley: I love rain! Rain is alive! Sun is alive.

    Central heating is so passee .. and it breaks too often too :) -


Alena Smith: Happy Birthday to me!!!

I am not sure how i feel about it yet.
    Erik McGinley: Grr, a day late. Sorry, Alena. Happy Birthday! :) -
    Alena Smith: thank you, my friend. better later than never
    :-) -


Alena Smith: Are you a cat or a dog person?
Why?
    Alena Smith: Hahaha. Yup. That's exactly what a cat would say :-))) -
    Erik McGinley: Both. I like to shapeshift.
    But one of my favourite words of all time is definitely Miaow! :)
    Cats win hands down for coining the best word. -
    Just2Write: Definitely a dog person. Don't know what life would be like without one. Certainly a lot quieter. Miaow or meow is over-rated. I like woof. -
    nor84: I know what life is like without a dog. When the last one died, I waited 3 years and then asked my husband (who didn't want another one), "Are we going to have trouble if I get a dog?"

    Wisely, he answered, "No."

    Now we are both happy with the result, a Min-Pin I bought the next day. -
    flippant: Dogs!! Why? I guess because I find them more dynamic - they bark at stuff, I can take them out to the park, they're more huggable, etc. :) I never thought I'd have a cat (they always seemed to bite me!) but now I have 2, and they are delightful. They were raised around my dogs and act a lot like dogs, lol. One lets me carry her around like a baby - sooooo cute!

    Yes, life without a dog is awful!! -
    Alena Smith: Here's a story for you:
    A dog says, "humans feed us, give us a nice home, love us and take great care of us. Humans are gods."
    A cat says:
    "Humans feed us, give us a nice home, love us and take great care of us. We are gods." -
    Petriesan: no, the cat says, we let humans feed us, love us , worship us and we let them think we need them to take care of us, but when the Whiskies are ten minutes late, they are on the menu -
    crzypnter: I hope that you had a wonderful Birthday with family and friends we all need that down time to just be August :) -
    Alena Smith: Thank you my friend. I had an absolutely lovely night. -
    ravenblack: Both. We have 3 cats, 5 birds and a dog. One of the cats acts like a dog and the dog acts like a cat. -


Alena Smith: How is the weather, where you are today?
    janalma: Snow keeps falling
    no one's traveling
    bitter cold on the way
    high winds to make it all brisk -
    Debra White: Cold, wet and windy... how about where you are Alena?! -
    flippant: It will be below zero tonight. It's never below zero! -
    ravenblack: Cold, snow and a high tomorrow of -9. Just finished walking the dog and I think my ear fell off. -
    michaelcahill: It was too cold to go out. I let the dog out and she came back with someone's ear! -
    Alena Smith: Hahaha. You guys are cracking me up. After reading all this, I feel bad complaining that it's cold here, when it's 31¡, just a bit cloudy
    And let's try to keep our ears to ourselves, use tape to keep them on your head. Mike, make your dog give Raven's ear back -
    Selina Stambi: Going down to 25 Celsius below zero tonight! Ugh! -
    Alena Smith: Stay inside and pray electricity doesn't go out. Make a bonfire in your livingroom -


Alena Smith: What do you wish you will get for Christmas?
    Petriesan: for the fricking muse to shut the hell up for a few days about this story some Ukrainian immigrant got me into. . . .I did the outline for about 120,000 words over the weekend, and that wasn't good enough for her. . . the little devil. . .she is driving me nuts -
    Petriesan: yeah, yeah. . .go read the new one. .. I think the total for thre story is 140,000 words plus or minus and the tag line is going to be something like The Da Vinci COde meets Mormonism -
    Erik McGinley: Rofl! Yeah hell I like that idea. Gimme Audrey Tautou and (at least) one other girl I can think of in bed with me at the same time and I could be happy for life! -


Alena Smith: Hi, friends.
Just wanted to apologize for lagging behind on my reviews. Been busy. But I'm back and trying to catch up. So that's why you are getting several reviews at once.
Thank you for your patience. Please, file your complaints bellow


Alena Smith: what is your New Year resolution?
    William Walz: I have three. I'm gonna smoke twice as much, put on fifty pounds, and not be so nice to people. Should be a cinch! -
    Petriesan: Ok, resolution? Write fiction. Drop the blog and do fiction -


Alena Smith: What is one thing that you always wished you had, but you know that you never will?
    Alena Smith: "the heart of the ocean" blue diamond from Titanic -


Alena Smith: Tell me one thing that no one knows about you.
    William Walz: I played doctor with Mary Lou Nelson in the second grade. She got to look, but I got to touch. -
    DIS-illusioned: I despise all FanStorians! ... Oh, wait, that's my alter-ego, not me. Heehee! :-) -
    Petriesan: my dad paid a private detective to get a file out of the prosecuting attorney's office my senior year in high school. -
    Alena Smith: guys, I have never felt closer.
    ok, here is mine:
    when I lived in Russia, I did some side jobs for KGB, secretarial -
    9999pool: How about sheep in wolf's skin - rings a bell, smiles. Yes, I mean wolf's skin. -
    Alena Smith: ok, 9999, fine. maybe that was just a dream I once had... or maybe not.nevermind, I just thought it would be interesting:) -
    9999pool: Actually it's the truth. It means there is no need to let people we are kind and caring in our appearance. In time, people will know. They may think we are the wolves, but are we really? :)) -


Alena Smith: What is the stupidest thing you have ever done?
Just one thing. Not necessarily the worst, just really stupid.
    Petriesan: want this chronologically or alphabetically? Or can we list just one? -
    shelley kaye: you want the whole list or just the top ten? (then again, even the top ten would take me to list)....

    -
    Petriesan: and there are issues of categories - personal harm, injury , embarrassment, I have along and distinguished list in most categories -
    William Walz: Believing a condom was 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy. -
    Alena Smith: That is pretty good. But you still have to share yours.
    Pick one out of any category. Just one, though -
    Petriesan: ok. . .on a frozen lake, we drilled two holes and took turns swimming between them under the ice -


Alena Smith: what was the best gift anyone gave to you?
(material, not emotional)
children implied, can't include either
    Cumbrianlass: A plain gold ring for the third finger of my left hand. -
    William Walz: Official documentation that I no longer was required to pay child support. -
    Alena Smith: I am laughing, because both of your comments are similar in nature, but so different n tone.
    both great -
    DIS-illusioned: A one-way ticket to a top-notch asylum--luxury ward--when that blessed moment of my senility is absolutely confirmed. :-D) -
    Petriesan: actually, just one specific little five or ten second long kiss -
    Alena Smith: Oh, P. that's a lovely gift. kisses are precious.
    Dis, i think i saw you there :p i believe it was sunny, but a bit windy when they first took you in :) -


Alena Smith: If you had a chance to meet yourself when you were younger, what would be one advice that you will give to yourself?
    daeneam: Make your liability an asset. I always tell those words to my students. Good morning! I love your name. It sound like mine - Edna Mae -
    Alena Smith: good morning!!! that really is a great advice, I will keep that in mind and tell my children.
    my name does sound like that, doesn't it :) -
    SDTracyHarper: Hi knucklehead. I would like to tell you about all the mistakes youâ??re going to make, but if I did that then you wouldnâ??t be me. Just remember that not all mistakes are bad and all bad things are a mistake. When the punk in your algebra class knocks off your book while youâ??re taking a test and the teach thinks you are cheating, just smile. The girl youâ??re going to meet in detention is the biggest pain in the butt you will ever meet and marry. Spoiler alert! Sheâ??ll pretend that sheâ??s just like everyone else until after you say I Do. Sheâ??s loaded and actually loveâ??s you. [fiction, but you get my point.] -
    William Walz: Protection. For God's sake stop at the drugstore before you go out. Better safe than pregnant. -
    kiwigirl2821: I think I would say, it's ok to say no about anything you don't agree with. It's okay that you don't fit in with everyone or thing and that education is vital anyway you get it. Also that people are drawn to the ones that are smart and a little artsy. Never give your body to anyone who doesn't make all the wheels and whistles blow and above all love yourself more than anyone else does and then let them see you smile cause you'll know how to give love back!
    -
    Petriesan: I cannot answer this one in a public forum -
    Alena Smith: ok, then, P, send it in private.
    u got me curious. -
    Alena Smith: Guys, you are just great. a couple of you made me laugh my *** off, and others made me think. -


Alena Smith: what inspires you?
    vapros: I'm not sure there is any such thing as inspiration. If it is real, then it is something that falls on your head, when you least expect it, and not often. It is not something that has any business in your budget - it's not reliable.

    Most endeavors - and writing, for sure - run on imagination. When you invent something, or envision something, and you get it down on paper (or monitor) and you really like it, call it inspiration if you like. It's imagination, and it's yours, and you can go back to the well tomorrow.

    -
    Alena Smith: well said, both of you :)
    inspiration does come in so many different ways and forms. sometimes, it comes in a form of chocolate :) -
    Petriesan: inspiration? it's where you find it. Sometimes its a challenge that a story cannot be told, others, it is a line that just floats into the mind---and it is these I hate the most.

    Mostly, it is observation of life, of people. . .

    -
    Alena Smith: true enough, it's everywhere you look. it can be my daughter's cute little eyes looking so seriously when she is mad at me,
    or it can be an electricity bill.
    if it's there, you will see it -


Alena Smith: Finish this sentence:
"This time, when I looked at it, for some reason..."
Go ahead, be unique...

    nor84: I understood exactly what it meant. -


Alena Smith: what is your biggest asset?
    William Walz: I recently rented an apartment over a bank building. Now my ass sits over 50 million dollars--Unknown Comic -
    Alena Smith: lol, I've been laughing for a while over this. this is way too clever. Bravo, may hat off to you, and i take a curtsey. -


Alena Smith: ok, I want to play a game. It's called "ask me one question". self explanatory. but I get to ask you one too. So, go ahead...
    Alena Smith: Washington state, USA
    (got one down :) -
    Petriesan: If you got to change one decision in your life, what would be done differently
    -
    Alena Smith: nice one! when I started thinking about this, SO many descisions to choose, maybe even most of them. but then I thought about it, and all of those choices brought me where I am today. I have my beautiful daughter, great family and I am happy, although it's not easy. -
    Alena Smith: what is one thing that you are most passionate about? -
    billscott: writing the truth from within, as I see it...and shedding its light outward -
    Alena Smith: well, didn't have many people that i could look up to, but, i guess, my grandma. she survived WW2 in Russia, was persecuted by KGB, raised 4 children, while working 2 jobs. she is an amazingly strong and determined person. i think i got some of that from her. :) -


Alena Smith: I want to thank those who nominated me for
Reviewing Contest. this means so much to me. All of you deserved the comments that I wrote.
Thank you much, again :)


Alena Smith: what is the most important thing in your life?


Alena Smith: If you could give a child one advice, what would it be?
    William Walz: What my dear old papa used to tell me: It's not who and what you are that really counts. It's what who and what you can convince people you are that really matters. -
    DIS-illusioned: You can be anything you want to be--on imagination island.
    Oh, and go get me the rest of your Halloween candy. -
    Petriesan: Live like everything you do will be the lead story in the newd -
    Alena Smith: hahaha, that's great1!! i just dug into one of their Halloween candy treasure bag. there are so many good stuff in there -
    Petriesan: missed you posting today.

    I am still tyring to get the hang of this place -


Alena Smith: it's a beautiful Saturday. The sun is caressing the leaves with such tenderness, as if they have been lovers for eternity. The grass is reflecting it's dew as beautiful arrangement of colorful jewels, which change their colors, reflecting the softly blue sky.


Alena Smith: ok, so, maybe not yet :( still working


Alena Smith: I cant wait for tomorrow, until I share my new poem.


Alena Smith: what do you feel when you are empty inside?
    billscott: there's just emptiness...however, a curious question to ask is, what triggered it?

    identifying what gets us to an emotional place can create a mental environment of personal thought control....for self preservation

    hmmmm -
    Alena Smith: Just going through some things in my personal life. And I have been so emotionally stressed for last few days (hence my posts yesterday), that today, I am just drained, just like a zombie ghost. just...nothing, which compared to pain is better. I just need it to silence it for a while. -
    jmcasteel: A numbness from within -- I've gotten that feeling on more than one occasion when I'm desperately trying to make sense of the emotions and what triggers the thoughts and memories, then trying to find the words to truly express the sentiment with as much accuracy as possible. And whether or not the words that wind up on paper give you some sort of resolution. Feeling drained and completely void of emotion is a very normal response to be overwhelmed in the moment. -
    Petriesan: what do you feel when you are empty inside? I n one way, there is nothing to feel, and yet,there is the tugging at you that there should be soemthing to feel. It is the lack of linging for feeling that bothers the most -


Alena Smith: I feel like I am standing there, with my hands tied behind my back, watching the tower around me crashing down, and there is nothing I can do, but watch.
and that sucks :(
    jmcasteel: That is a terrible feeling -- I know it very well. So sorry you're having that kind of day -- I hope it gets better from here. -
    Alena Smith: Thank you, honey, me too. it just really sucks because you don't know how bad it might or might not get and how long will it take me to sort everything out.
    Thank you for being so supportive :) -


Alena Smith: Sometimes, when everything around me seems to be crushing, I want to stand up and yell, "Come on, Life, bring it! What else are you gonna do to me that you haven't already? Give it your best shot, just get it over with. You know you want to!"
    William Walz: Be careful what you ask for. Life just might find a way. -
    Alena Smith: oh, she never fails. I know it's coming, it always does (but I know that's how we grow and evolve), I just wonder how bad it's gonna be. either way, u wont even see it coming. That's what makes it fun. -


Alena Smith: I am working on a book. It's suppose to be a biography. I am so scared and nervous to keep writing it. In order for me to do this, I will have to go back to my childhood, which is one of the worst time of my life. So, I'm scared to feel that pain again. But I know that I must (doesn't make it any easier, though)
    Petriesan: I find when writing about my (not so great) childhood, the concept of Mark Twain comes to mind, from some comments on "Roughing It": â??Roughing Itâ?? is a combination of Twainâ??s memory, his brotherâ??s diary, and when a story too good not to be told arrived at the doorstep, from his active imagination.

    My mother sometimes says that I do not tell all the truth when I write biographical sketches, which is true. But sometimes it is easier to write with a little fancy in with the truth. The question is: is it the story or the person we want to tell? In the end, only you can decide -
    Alena Smith: I sent you a message and you will see why I understand every word that you say. It's a little lengthy, but I can't shut up. I guess it's because when I was little, no one heard me, so I'm making up for it.
    I do want to write the whole truth. so much so, that I don't want my parents to read it, but on the other hand I do want them to face what they did. I am just afraid that even if I tell them, they will tell me that we deserved everything. -
    Petriesan: or like mine, what they did was good for me. will go look for the message -
    billscott: My first book was and still is a mini biopic. I wrote it's first chapter in a silent rage one day. Everyday and every edit after that, a sense of freedom just erupting within. Soon that chapter became 3 more, all laced with something else of my past. Even though the book was written as a work of fiction, I took my character and gave him new challenges and freedoms to grow from...

    And the journey continues to face inner fears head on...

    while it's not getting easier to do, the inner relief is growing like a rose garden but without the thorns

    keep going, it might just happen for you too -