Kathleen, as a former CAS student, I'm more interested if it mentioned the designation process of JA's days.

Cindy -- do you mean the actuarial designation? No, the article only discussed actuarial concepts. A former CAS student? Did you quit or finish the exams? I teach undergraduates, some of whom have gone on to take CAS exams. I myself am an FSA (that's Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, btw).

After goose-egging 4, having my first child during 5 (yes, I was a noshow, but they said they understood), I was looking at the limit of my student status. I moved over into the Controller area of the same company, refusing to find out if the Actuarial dept. mgmt. meant what they said of a third consequent failure. This is now all ancient history, I've not been on the exam path three times longer than I ever was. It's uncanny, though, I can still easily conjure up those "pit-of-the-stomach" feelingsove checking the mailbox. For everyone else in the sane world, the Casualty Actuarial Society and the Society of Actuaries separately and together administer 10-part examination process which allows for baby actuaries to attain designation levels. Yes, the career was fairly recently the best (?), but every student everywhere is certain that the surveyor disregarded the effects of the grueling exam process. (Keep in mind, the test designers, graders, and takers tend to all be overachiever math majors) Did I explain that okay, Kathleen? I hope not too much venom comes through, anymore. It has been over ten years, but it's hard to shake!

The career was recently advertised in some publication as the "Best". I don't think I said that quite right up there.

Cindy -- I understand you (I almost said I feel your pain!), and I know that same feeling. Although "losses" no longer count once you've finished with 10 "wins" it was a grueling time. ______________________ Inko -- regarding life expectancy in JA's time, I have finished some calculations. Based on the aforementioned Carlisle table (which is considered to be fairly representative of the era), a newborn could expect to live less than 40 years primarily due to high rates of infant mortality. A child who lived to the age of 10 could expect to live into his/her 50's or 60's. The Carlisle table is unisex (i.e., not separated out for men and women), so the effects of maternity on women's life expectancy cannot be looked at. The risk to a woman during childbirth was considerably higher than now, though. Of course all this is based on averages. Individual situations could be different. Perhaps, Inko, the people you are "killing" off could die from accidents or some epidemic?

Kathleen, goes to show how easily it all comes right back to the surface, I've been nervous about what your answer would be! Over ten years later, no less! such tremblings of my nerves and flutterings in my head, spasms in my side, yet noone knows how much I suffer...

Such tremblings! You don't know what I suffer!!

(Be patient - the above may take a couple of minutes to transfer)

Just found this. Now this is my kind of diet! 1. If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, it has no calories. 2. If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, the calories in the candy bar are canceled out by the diet soda. 3. When you eat with someone else, calories don't count if you don't eat more than they do. 4. Foods used for medicinal purposes NEVER count, such as hot chocolate, brandy, toast and Sara Lee cheesecake. 5. If you fatten up everyone else around you, you look thinner. 6. Movie-related foods (Milk Duds, buttered popcorn, Junior Mints, Red Hots, Tootsie Rolls, etc.) do not have additional calories because they are part of the entertainment package and not part of one's personal fuel. 7. Cookie pieces contain no calories--the process of breaking causes calorie leakage. 8. Things licked off knives and spoons have no calories if you are in the process of preparing something. Examples are peanut butter on a knife used to make a sandwich and ice cream on a spoon used to make a sundae. 9. Food that have the same color have the same number of calories. Examples: spinach and pistachio ice cream; mushrooms and white chocolate. NOTE: Chocolate is a universal color and may be substituted for any other food color. 10. Anything consumed while standing over the kitchen sink has no calories.

ROTFLOL

I wasn't sure where to post this but I thought this might be the best place In the book The Making Of Jane Austen's Emma there is a quote from Prunella Scales where she says she was in an old black and white BBC serial of P&P. She also mentioned that Darcy was played by Peter Cushing and Mr Bennet by Milton Rosmer, also that it was filmed live which may be why it has never shown up on video.

PETER CUSHING?? I'm all astonishment!

Who's Peter Cushing? And who did Prunella Scales play?

Peter Cushing played Dr. Who in the movies "Dr. Who and the Daleks" and "Daleks--Invasion of Earth 2150 AD". (Does that clear it up?). He's a British actor who has chewed the scenery in a lot of classic b-horror film work, such as "Curse of Frankenstein", "The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas", "Brides of Dracula", "Dr. Terror's House of Horrors", "The Skull", "Island of the Burning Doomed" (great title!), and "Bloodsuckers". He also played Sherlock Holmes in one of the many "Hound of the Baskervilles" adaptations. Somewhat more recently, he was in the movie of "Tales from the Crypt", and the Zucker Brother's (of "Airplane" fame) "Top Secret". And of course he's probably best known as the Death Star captain in "Star Wars".

Yes, of couse. I'm afraid it was the Star Wars reference that I got... HIM??? as DARCY??? unbelievable.

One purple crocus ready to open tomorrow!

We still have almost a foot of snow on the ground!

Sorry, Ann. I remember those Northern waits for the thaw. I got to have some windows open today. Some neighbors did too, and I am glad for it. There is the most lovely flute duet being performed for me right now. That kind of harmony... I don't remember what it is called... where neither part is consistently higher or lower than the other but weaves in and out and up and down and questions and replies? First I thought the music must be the force coaxing the crocus up. Now I see this music is not exactly right for purple flowers. If it could make flowers, they would be peach colored.

RE #109: Cheryl, love that diet. I think I'll try it next time I go to the movies, or when standing over the kitchen sink!!;-)

RE #109: Cheryl, love that diet. Printed one out to take into work -- they'll love it. Thanks for sharing, Cheryl!

Not only do I love the diet, Cheryl, I could have written it. Amy, I could see the crocuses and hear the music and smell imminent spring in the air.

Cheryl,that's really health food!!:-) Wow if we got together to have a high tea there would be no calories considered at all, I assure you. Would love to watch your crocus open Amy! It was not injured by snow or chill then? That's good. I saw some green tiny noses on garden surface today they will grow and I shall tell you into what colour and shape. Spring is in the air. Birds are starting to return here.

in Just- spring when the world is mud- luscious the little lame ballonman whistles far and wee and eddieandbill come running from marbles and piracies and it's spring when the world is puddle-wonderful the queer old balloonman whistles far and wee and bettyandisabel come dancing from hop-scotch and jump-rope and it's spring and the goat-footed balloonMan whistles far and wee e.e. cummings It's rained so much here today and yesterday that this poem came to mind. It's one of my favorites.

That would be a good one to post in the poetry conference topic: poems about spring.

OK, Terry, I posted it at the poetry conference.:-)

I adore e e cummings and have since high school. Thanks for sharing, and for bringing back a memory.

Myretta: Not only do I love the diet, Cheryl, I could have written it. But sister, it neglected your favorite, which I have decided to incorporate into my own diet plans... 11. Anything eaten in the car is devoid of calories, for you are moving and thus burning off any potential calories as you eat!

I have been trying to send you e-mail with no success. On another thread, you talked about downloading wav files with P&P2 stuff. I've "searched" for those files with no luck. Would you mind either responding on here or e-mailing me info on where to find this stuff? Thanks!

Meggin, I have been trying to send you e-mail with no success. On another thread, you talked about downloading wav files with P&P2 stuff. I've "searched" for those files with no luck. Would you mind either responding on here or e-mailing me info on where to find this stuff? Thanks!

Amy, thinking about "peach-colored flute duets" Just that phrase sounds poetic. I'll have to ponder that with a glass of wine. speaking of spring, we were all sweating to death today. Have no idea just how hot it was. Supposed to be only mid-70s, but we blew that away, I'm sure! All of you waiting for the thaw won't be able to relate to the excitement we are experiencing anticipating our first-ever ski trip. Been over 12 years since it snowed here (except the 2 or 3 flakes we search for each winter with the kids: "Is that it?"). Can't wait! Had to buy clothes the likes of which we may never need again. The kids have been ounting down since New Year's.

Cookie pieces contain no calories--the process of breaking causes calorie leakage. ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho ha ha ha hee hee hee ho ho ho

Amy: One purple crocus ready to open tomorrow! Wysteria buds are swelling - will open any day now!

Susan, you said: ] Meggin, I have been trying to send you e-mail with no success. On ] another thread, you talked about downloading wav files with P&P2 ] stuff. I've "searched" for those files with no luck. Would you mind ] either responding on here or e-mailing me info on where to find this ] stuff? Thanks! I tried responding to your message at the address in the header (Susan@206.171.46.201) but my mailer protests that that is not a vaild address. I don't recall Meggin making any comments about wav files, but I have - might this comment be directed to me? I've recently posted a list of about 300 soundbytes which have been uploaded to the Spring - the list is in the Austentest conference in topic 17.

might this comment be directed to me? If you made the comment about wav files, then I assume I somehow got the sender wrong. Thanks so much for the info; I'll check it out posthaste!

I wore shorts today. Unbelievable.

Would that be Wisteria sinensis,Joan, too? If so, that's waht we call "blue rain". And it is not safe all over Sweden. Might very likely freeze dead during the winter. But I got inspired by Amy and have done a search in garden under last years dry and greyish-brown leaves I found one yellow crocus! Of the tiny botanical kind...

Susan, I downloaded the wav files from this site: http://www.ualberta.ca/~marilyn/wav.html#Sound files My correct e-mail address is meggin57@aol.com

This place stays busy!!I loaned my homemade tape of P&P2 to a friend while away. and she was thrilled...Stayed up until 1am and was not finished! So she feigned anger, (she has a one year old) and wanted to know why I had waited so long to loan it to her, and why didn't I tell her it was 6 hours!! She loved it!

Ohhh. Thanks, J.

I love the coming of spring too. It brings optimism to me. Here it is not as exaggerated, but I have experienced a Scottish spring. Here my Claret Ash is threatening autumn with the faintest tinge of pink in its leaves. I wonder what music did bring up your crocus, Amy?

Hil, the crocuses are just outside my front door, so likely their inspiration was that old favorite and standard, "Hurry Up, Aaron and Yes You Do Have to Wear Socks and Make Sure the Door is Closed; You Want the Cats to Escape and be Smashed by a Car's Tire?"

Oh, Amy, we play that one at our house quite often, but, alas, no crocuses!

Love to hear it sung, Amy! We might get the desired response at least once because of novelty! Rap or heavy metal? Or do you think contralto would have more impact? 'Your socks, your socks, your-or-or-or so-o-o-o-cks, your sockkkks'. No, I think crocuses must have more discernment. Some little zephyr of purple airwaves must be percolating gently undetected out under your door.

Haven't looked at this topic for awhile, so please let me say: 1) Ann -- buy a Mac; 2) Peter Cushing played Grand Moff Tarkin in STAR WARS (he has since died) 3) Spring? What's Spring? (there are no seasons in Los Angeles).

Cheryl -- regarding your spendid diet, I have yet another one: No calories in potato chips if you open the bag by hand -- I repeat do not use a scissors or knife -- the act of struggling while trying to open the bag by hand is enough exercise to burn off the calories of the chips! Regarding spring flowers -- when my husband and I purchased our home 8 years ago, we joined the "Flower of the Month Club" with much anticipation of how beautiful we would make our yard -- Month after month we ordered way to many bulbs without the proper time and attention to plant them. My husband was afraid that they would go bad so he purchased a huge plastic bag of dirt, opened the top and just shoved the bulbs into the bag. He placed the bag "temporarily" beside our deck. For the last eight years we have had the most beautiful tulips, daffadils, & iris' bloom from that ugly plastic bag. We have now nick named it the "K-Tel Bag 'O Bulbs". :-)

'Your socks, your socks, your-or-or-or so-o-o-o-cks, your sockkkks'. __ I can hear it, exactly, Hil! You are a poet. Candace: the bag was my first LOL of the day. Thanks

Candace: LOL re your bag of bulbs. Sounds like my kind of gardening--me of the black thumbs, whatever I plant dies!! Amy2: I thought your LA seasons were shake, bake, or flood!;-)

In Canberra, Hilary experiences the changing colours of the seasons and the chill icy winds off the mountain peaks. Here in Newcastle it gets cool in Winter, but we don't really thrill in the seasonal changes of places inland and south of here, such as Canberra. We've a more temperate climate of wet and dry seasons. We are heading into our dry season. Those short but cloudless, sunny June days beckon. Mmmm. Great for photographing landscapes, and gardens. Beautiful crocuses Johanne.

Candace, makes me want to go find our Bag O' Bulbs. We just may have a horticulture experiment going in the corner of our garage!

84 F here yesterday, BTW. Much cooler today, though, storm front blew through late last night.

Would that be Wisteria sinensis, Sure would. :-) And it is not safe all over Sweden. Might very likely freeze dead during the winter. Right - about 5 years ago we had an exceptionally cold week in which peoples' water pipes froze and burst - and I lost part of the wysteria, which grows all along the edge of the roof on the south side of the house. But the old, woody part survived and came back as good as new the next year.

You know, it is pretty warm here. SPring is on its way...... But the real reason I am so cheery: I LEAVE FOR EUROPE ON APRIL 23!!!!

Rebecca! You are not by any chance passing through the middle parts of Sweden are you? And Joan, too. I envy you that old wooden part of a plant; that's when you can relax and consider it a faithful part of your garden that wont disappear when you are away for a month .Did you ever mention the name of that rose under whome you placed your xmas gift (frog of manure was it?)? I'm to have a blossom on my chestnut branch in the kitchen!!!

Ann dearest, are you free to come visit Pemberley? :-)

.Did you ever mention the name of that rose under whome you placed your xmas gift (frog of manure was it?)? Ah - my "PooPet" (also known as a "stool toad") is sitting at the feet of "Fragrant Memory" (recently renamed from Jadis), a bright pink tea rose with a wonderful fragrance.

Who names roses?

"Who names roses? ' The ARA, of course. It's like the AKC only for roses. And I suppose that other nations have organizations that name their newly developed varieties as well.

AKC for roses...that's a snort...do they have toy and working divisions for flowers, too?

I must have been visiting in the morning before work and now I'm afraid you are sound asleep, sweet Cheryl! But we shall conker this time gap that tries to drive us apart. The time is nothing ! It is a mere human invention. See you soon.

Yeepee my first emoticon by heart...I thought there must be one called determined and there was. Good old reliable Ann!

I'm curious as to the affluence level of Mr Bingley. If he has an income of 5000 pounds/year, what would be that buying power be in terms of current US dollars? Anybody have any ideas?

Why Carl , are you considering the purchase of Netherfield ;-)? Seriously I think there may be something about this comparative wealth of Bingley and Darcy on Henry's site.I have seen it somewhere. Don't remember the particulars...

of Bingley's and Darcy's (was what I meant to write). Have you found the best house yet?

Carl, I posted this months ago, and it's probably somewhere in the archives, but I'll post it again. This is from a footnote in my Norton's Critical Edition of P&P and I'm not sure that it's completely accurate, but will give you some idea: Charles Roberts (quoted in James Heldman, "How Wealthy is Mr. Darcy, Really"[Persuasions 12, 1990]38-49) calculates that an 1810 pound is worth about $33.00 in current U.S. dollars. (Roberts used the value of the dollar in 1988 in his calculations,and for these necessarily imprecise estimates, his equivalences are still useful.) Mr. Bennet's annual income is therefore about $66,000; Darcy's annual income is over $330,000 (10,000 pounds) and Bingley's about $165,000 (5,000 pounds). Because taxes on i come were relatively low, labor cheap, and landowners like Darcy and Mr. Bennet could partially supply their households from their own farms, the purchasing power of these incomes was undoubtedly greater in Austen's time than in our own. Perhaps a more accurate measure of the affluence of Austen's characters is that in 1810 the nominal annual income of agricultural laborers was 42 pounds, of skilled laborers between 55 and 90 pounds, of clerks 178 pounds, and of lawyers 447 pounds.

do they have toy and working divisions for flowers, too? Well, they have quite a number of categories - Modern Roses: Floribunda, Grandflora, Hybrid Teas, Miniature Roses, Polyanthas; Old Roses: Hybrid Perpetuals, Tea Roses, China Roses - many come in bush, tree, hedge, and/or climbing varieties... :-)

Unfortunately Ann, I will not be visiting Sweden (frown)

Carl, the question of the modern value of Regency incomes is discussed on my site in the Austen-L "Pre-FAQ" at http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~churchh/pre-faq.txt Inko -- I added your thing in there back when you posted it on the old board...

Now the purple crocus has a race going on with a yellow one on the other side of the porch. I imagine the William Tell Overture, only slowed down so slow that a triplet that would normally be played in a half second takes 24 hours, 8 hours for every note.

imagine the William Tell Overture, only slowed down LOL da da da da da,dadidadidadidadidadida da da , Is it a bit Disneylike only l-e-n-te-m-e-n-t and what is the background like ? Have been away on library meeting all day so I have not seen my yellow crocus at all but we have had a sunny but windy day so anything may have happened under those leaves...

I once read I science fiction story about a mythical drug that slowed humans down about 1000 times, so that you could see plants growing; only it had a slightly sinister angle, about how plants often struggle with each other, and the combat might even seem vicious if it were speeded up 1000 times or so... Can't remember the author or title of the story now...

HC -- I read w/ great laughter and pleasure your posting to austen-l regarding the potential horror of a newsgroup. Talk about LOL. I hope none of my students were passing by whilst I was reading/laughing/snorting! (At least I had already finished my coffee, so I did not spit all over the computer monitor.) I would like to know more about this matter, but I suppose I shall if I keep up with the daily digests.

Henry, you probably do not approve of Carl Sagan's fiction any more than some of the other stuff you stick up your nose at. BUT! In Contact, which I liked a lot, there also was a reference to the very slow -- in this case ultra slow big communication frequencies.

HC -- I read w/ great laughter and pleasure your posting to austen-l regarding the potential horror of a newsgroup. Definitely ditto -- what an imagination!

Spring! Almost here! Wysteria about to bloom...

I love wisteria, Joan!

I love your new camera, Joan

What did HC say that was so funny?

You got a new digital camera, Joan? Cool.

Kate asked: What did HC say that was so funny? ============================================================================ Subject: AUSTEN-L Digest - 31 Mar 1997 to 1 Apr 1997 To: Recipients of AUSTEN-L digests There are 244 messages totalling 12,238 lines in this issue. Topics of the day: 1. Hi everybody! I want to be your friend forever! 2. Re: friend forever!? 3. Re: friend forever? Yes, indeed 4. Jane Austen in the greater scheme of things 5. HELP ME WITH MY PAPER!!!!!!!!!! 6. The monstrous regiment of women [...] 244. There are too many messages in this group, it's impossible to keep up! ----------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 1 Apr 1997 00:20:56 -0500 From: Lucky11 Subject: Hi everybody! I want to be your friend forever! I was just wunnering if this chick, Jane Austin, ever rote any other books other then Jane Eyre. Lucky11@prodigy.com http://www.amway_in_kansas.com/~lucky/sign-up-now!.html "You never know what multilevel can mean for your future... unless you give it a chance!" ------------------------------- Date: Sat, 1 Apr 1997 00:30:56 -0500 From: CharterMember Subject: Re: friend forever!? > I was just wunnering if this chick, Jane Austin, ever rote any > other books other then Jane Eyre. This is precisely the sort of thing we were cautioned about. Now what shall we do? ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 1 Apr 1997 00:40:56 -0500 From: BanAynRand Subject: Re: friend forever? Yes, indeed > > I was just wunnering if this chick, Jane Austin, ever rote any > > other books other then Jane Eyre. > This is precisely the sort of thing we were cautioned about. Now > what shall we do? Have you not an altruistic bone in your body? Lucky11 should be welcomed, nay embraced. I ask you, who among us should not be willing to simply devote an extra 45 minutes in our day to helping new fans of JA. Shame on you, Charter. -------------------------------- Date: Sat, 1 Apr 1997 00:56:24 -0500 From: Nutcase Subject: Jane Austen in the greater scheme of things I would like to start a discussion on Jane Austen's place in the larger patterns of history. I mean, we know that Jane Austen's lifetime was before there existed such things as the World Zionist Conspiracy, the Trilateral Commission, the collaboration between the Rockefellers and the KGB, or the fluoridation of our water supplies. But still, the Freemasons, the Bavarian Illuminati, and many other groups working behind the scenes existed back then, as did the British monarchy. In my own personal opinion, it is clear that for the last 500 years the British monarchy has been concertedly acting on a consistent plan to demonetize gold, and introduce worthless paper money, and thus bring about the collapse of the world economy, which is why I have taken up Survivalism. If any one wants to discuss the relationship of these topics to Jane Austen, or discuss which semiautomatic assault rifles are of the highest quality and can be converted most easily to fully automatic operation, then feel free to e-mail me, or to post a follow-up to the group. Thanks. -------------------------------- Date: Sat, 1 Apr 1997 01:15:43 -0500 From: CluelessFrosh Subject: HELP ME WITH MY PAPER!!!!!!!!!! I'M A FRESHMAN HERE AT WHOSSAMATTA U., AND OUR ENGLISH PERFESSER ASSIGNED US TO WRITE A SEVEN PAGE PAPER ON WHATEVER WE PERSONALLY FIND MOST STRIKING OR INTERESTING ABOUT PRIDE & PREJUDICE AND WHETHER WE THINK ITS A GOOD BOOK OR A BAD BOOK, AND WHY. COULD ANYONE ON THIS GROUP WRITE MY ENGLISH PAPER FOR ME? I USE MICROSOFT WORD VERSION 6.1 AND IT WOULD BE NICE IF YOU USED HELVETICA 14 POINT FONT DOUBLE SPACED. OH AND REMEMBER TO SPELLCHEK IT! THANKS IN ADVANCE!! -------------------------------- Date: Sat, 1 Apr 1997 01:20:54 -0500 From: BitterGuy Subject: The monstrous regiment of women Hey man, I know that this Jane Austin, who ever she was, couldn't of been no good, like, cause she's a WUMAN!! 'Nuff said. I know all about it cause of my divorce from my third wife!!1! In fact, I'm gonna be posting the story of my third divorce to this here Usenet thingie in 13 parts, and I'm sure you're all gonna be, like, enlitened by it! Be seein' ya soon! ------------------------------ [...] End of AUSTEN-L Digest - 31 Mar 1997 to 1 Apr 1997 **************************************************

I want to encourage all who have not done so to make an effort to see the Hale-Bopp Comet. It's clearly visible to the unaided eye low in the NNE sky from about 4:00am to sunrise. I know, I know, but it's well worth the effort! The coma is as bright as any star out there and the tail is pointing straight up to the dome of the sky. A beautiful sight-- even more so with binoculars!

Thanks for the tip! Now, is it just me, or do other people feel a sudden urge to sing "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley and the Comets whenever someone says "Hale-Bopp Comet" in a sentence? gosh, I hope it isn't just me ...... ;)

LOL Tracey! I admit that I hear "Be bop a loo bop, she's my baby..."

Or even "a whop bop a loo bop a lop bam boom!" courtesy of Little Richard......... Oh, stop me before I be-bop again!

]"K-Tel Bag 'O Bulbs". :-) Lots and LOL, amazing how it strikes a cord to the new gardiner in me :) Rebecca, happy spring is on the way, your wheather usualy reaches us later on, but for now it's a white covered ground and the sky a palest shade of grey which surrounds us. On another note, let me share a view of my love and be certain I will NOT be posting any other baby pictures like a clueless mom. Tough, taken a while back, just wanted to look at those fine eyes:

Johanne, what a sweet baby! What is s/he named?

Great face.

Tracey, what about "Who put the bop in the bop shoo bop shoo bop?" Somebody stop us! ;-)

Oh Johanne! (insert baby-talk noises here)

Johanne!! Those eyes sure have possibilities for the future... And Joan, too: Now we know fore sure, that you are one of those very accomplished ladies that cover screens and cultivates her garden!!

Joanne. I said it before and I'll say it again. She's a cutie!

Cheryl - I suppose it can be said that we have "bopped till we dropped," since I am ROTFLOL at this point! :-) Johanne - What a cutie! Looove the hat!

Margaret, this is my little one, Laurence Astrid. She was then around 5 monts old, she's now 3,5

Cheryl and Tracey, I can even hear the laughters :) you're great fun to have around Thanks all for your comments, this his my first attempt of posting from my Spring directory, I'm getting there...

Amy -- I read Sagan's _Contact_, and it was OK, but not really very memorable... Guys -- I only wrote half of the April 1st AUSTEN-L "Digest"; another individual who wishes to remain incognito (but frequents this board) wrote the other half...

My little guy's girlsfriends have the coolest names: Madison, Mackenzie, Montana. I think I will change my name to Madison.

Madison....wasn't she a mermaid? ;-)

Madison....wasn't she a mermaid? ;-) __ Cheryl, isn't this a little early for you? Only place I ever heard the name: minor character in ThirtySomething: Ellen's boyfriend's old girlfriend and the part was played by one of the writers on the show. I used to be Hope. Now I suppose I am more like Melissa.