124. Jillian

Surprisingly, scrawny anorexic looking people can be tough too. They can also over power the not so scrawny anorexic looking people. A lesson I learned thoroughly in the fifth grade. Jillian was the ever willing teacher. I was the reluctant student.

123. Sean

Sean is the kind of person that draws sympathy out of the most cynical of souls without effort. He always appears so unhappy. The average observer would think it must be a tremendous amount of work to find fault in everything.

Sorry for my absence. I am currently not online at home. I will try to keep up on borrowed computers with borrowed time! ;-)

122. Alice

All of your parents hugs, kisses and involvement doesn’t prevent your need to attract attention. How sad to witness such low self-esteem in youth. Confusing is that you use others acts of rebellion to illustrate your personal significance, never your own.

121. Carol but you can call her Kate

She walks in and all heads turn. Is it the Oilskin-Outback Coat? Cowboy hat? Or the athletically-fit body concealing a 47year-old? Friendly, bubbly, outspoken. Everyone likes her whether they agree with her or not. Trades her opinions for beers and cigarettes.

120. Dan

The scene plays the same every time. Starts with a hug. Jamesons on the rocks. Two swigs from his drink. Asks, “What’s up with the Yankees?” Ends with the decision that the world’s conflicts could be solved on a baseball diamond.

119. Future Ex-Husband #12

Quiet, friendly, attractive, single. A gentleman. Bares some resemblance to Matthew McConaughey (Future ex-husband #3). He is rarely in town, which I find very attractive in a man. Listens intently when I talk. Remembers our conversations. I suspect he is gay.

118. Antonella

Laughed, cried and got fired with me! Thank God we were able to explain eating the Boss’ imported digestives. I always “felt the love” when she was around. Screwing up American sayings at every opportunity. My favorite Italian “Jerk-Ass”. Ciao Bella.

117. Mary

Her father died when she was 10. My step-father became hers shortly after. I fear for her future. Trying to live up to his unrealistic expectations can destroy a soul. I know because I barely got out with my own intact.

116. Tom

Attractive man. Talented chef. Nice guy. Funny. Single. All the things I look for in a “Future Ex-Husband”. Never pursued him. Enjoyed our friendship. Knew I couldn’t, in good conscience, drain every last bit of life from him by dating him.

115. Metro Brian

No meal presented is ever good enough. Promised to return for drinks. Vowed to never order food again. His next visit was complete with Filet-Mignon. I often wondered if he dines alone because he is equally as critical of his lovers?

114. Mom

Listening to your labored breathing, reliving every memory of you. Listening to your last breath, fearing I might forget even one memory of you. Knowing then I would never again celebrate Mother’s Day. Fearing then I would never again want to.

*No writer, however talented or inspired, could ever put into words what my mom and I had together. I will not even try.*

113. Michael Arthur aka Emotional Suicide

You are every love song never written. Every dream never fulfilled. You are every unanswered prayer. Then I met you and it all made sense. You are my salvation. You showed me how to love without you. You never really existed.

112. Jacob Micheal

My skateboarder in the kitchen, my never turns lights off, my loser of inanimate objects, my eats everything in the house, my gambler, my greatest fear, my protector, my great debater, my favorite comedian, my favorite back massager, my gigantic heart, my sensitive soul, my baby, my love, my son. No words could truly describe what you are to me!

*I have upgraded my number of words today. In honor of my son's birthday I have combined our ages. For 19 years we have been incredibly connected. Happy Birthday, Jake! I love you!*

111. Dawn from Long Island

"Turn the music off so I can see this?” you said while I checked if I peed myself after listening to your stories. What made them funny made them heart-breaking. Had I ever known you sober, we could have been friends.

110. Bob and Pat

Irreconcilable differences. It’s like we’re getting divorced. The fact is I am just moving out after years of renting from you. The house is falling apart. Nothing is getting fixed. Still, you have been the nicest landlords I have ever had.

109. Tracy the stripper

You came to my house full of pride about your annual income. After a debate about morals and self-respect with a 12year old, you left. Still proud of the money you make. Maybe not-so-quick to tell kids how you make it.

108. The Cookoos Nest Bartender

Didn’t even look old enough to buy cigarettes but listened intently to our conversation about physically abusive lovers, terrible lovers, past lovers and future lovers. Chuckled when we confessed how happy we both are with our current status of individual singledom.

107. Margie

The kindest, friendliest, just darn nicest person I never met. Exchanging notes as to why my eye-soar of a car sat lifeless in her driveway for days, I’m reminded God puts angles on earth. I keep running into them, or not.

106. Al

It was magic for a while. Emotionally, needs outside the bed scared me. *POOF* I vanished. My infamous magic trick. Physically, we ruled the universe. I would’ve loved you forever if we both weren’t searching for the same thing. A mother.

105. Bill N.

My first love and it wasn’t you. One kiss I can no longer remember if we wanted or actually exchanged. High school chums destined to lose site of each other soon after. You were the first time I thought about leaving.

104. Bekka

Always dressed in black. Yet a brilliant rainbow inside. I love spending time listening to her. A fireball of endless possibility. The passion of youth thrown into a tornado of choices. I pray she uses the wind to catapult her forward.

103. Patty

Talk of school budgets, spiritual beliefs and suicide made us realize how similar we are. You the teacher, me the flunky. I suppose suicide doesn’t require a decent education. Just loved ones left alive to sweep up the chards of glass.

102. Jesse

Jesse’s girlfriend looks 15years older but they are similar in age. He played guitar and sang for me for the first time recently. “You can’t always get what you want” took on a new meaning. “But you get what you need”!

101. "J"

29year old hard body. Single because scheduling doesn’t allow for true romance. Can’t figure out why he wants me to fill the void when he is in town. Is he attracted to me OR does he believe I’m a desperate ex-housewife?

100. Mary Jane

Mom’s older sister. Regular visitor to our house. Until she displayed inappropriate behavior one night. Years later questioned why mom had such issue with her. Couldn’t understand that some things are not forgettable. I hope, by now, she found her peace.

99. Two writers sitting in a bar

Sound like a joke? Two novelists came to Vermont for a quiet place to write. Instead they got a comedy-show free-for-all in a local bar. They will definitely be back. What material they were given over a couple pints of ale.