What comes to mind for me is:
1-I recently read Dan Browns 'ANGELS AND DEMONS'. I rarely stopped reading it and finished it pretty quick. The symbols of the Illuminati were the most memorable of the book, for me. And also the discovery that there could indeed have been the big bang. Great stuff.
2-My absolute favorite person, who writes all of his own "schtuff" and seems to have a gift of brute honesty and is a great man, as he is my dear friend, Tom Talley. His web pages no longer exist, as he has expressed to me varying reasons for this, yet when they did they provided a great tool in discovery....honesty. He had...HAS...(you can read him on USENET GROUPS) a way like no other, that peels the fraud of the WT like a huge onion. Great "schtuff". I love you Tommy.
3-Another writer I was mesmerized by and helped me a great deal, in the early years, was someone I read on the net. She is not some famous writer just a wonderfully funny human being. That would be none other than 'Mommie Dark'. The way she told a story. The passion she has for truth and justice were very close to my own feelings and thoughts on such. Not to mention her humor. Her pain, her love, her life as a WT kid, as she wrote, will haunt annyone. Great stuff.
4-Lord of the Rings, the book. Need I say more?
5-And my absolute favorite poem is the one I read from a little brown poem book when I was very young, before the WT Years, before all our time was consumed with reading mostly WT litter-ature. Today, ironically, this poem is indicative of my life inside this org, as a young child and what I've learned from all my research of it. Thus, I've become skilled at how to be very careful...of everyone...even this 'GOD' thing:
'The Spider And The Fly'
"Will you walk into my parlor?" said the spider to the fly;
"'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you may spy.
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,
And I have many curious things to show when you are there."
"Oh no, no," said the little fly; "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."
"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high.
Well you rest upon my little bed?" said the spider to the fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest a while, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
"Oh no, no," said the little fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again who sleep upon your bed!"
Said the cunning spider to the fly: "Dear friend, what can I do
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome - will you please to take a slice?
"Oh no, no," said the little fly; "kind sir, that cannot be:
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"
"Sweet creature!" said the spider, "you're witty and you're wise;
How handsome are your gauzy wings; how brilliant are your eyes!
I have a little looking-glass upon my parlor shelf;
If you'd step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say,
And, bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."
The spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready to dine upon the fly;
Then came out to his door again and merrily did sing:
"Come hither, hither, pretty fly, with pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple; there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"
Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer grew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes and green and purple hue,
Thinking only of her crested head. Poor, foolish thing! at last
Up jumped the cunning spider, and fiercely held her fast;
He dragged her up his winding stair, into the dismal den -
Within his little parlor - but she ne'er came out again!
And now, dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words I pray you ne'er give heed;
Unto an evil counselor close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale of the spider and the fly.
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Fun topic!
sKally