http://simong.gather.com Recent Articles on Gather by simon g. en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:49:30 GMT 2009-12-31T02:49:30Z en-us Copyright Gather Inc 2009 http://www.gather.com/images/header/logo_gather.gif http://www.gather.com/ http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977717468   Hello Wombats. It is quite possible that this will be my last thread for a while. I thought I would like to get one more in before I start my new job, which will mark a number of changes. This . . . Sun, 21 Jun 2009 16:22:09 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977717468 simon g. 2009-06-21T16:22:09Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977637874   In science, I have found that certain disciplines are considered to be somehow superior to others. For example theoretical physics is considered (by physicists mostly) to be far above mundane . . . Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:53:07 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977637874 simon g. 2009-03-26T13:53:07Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977416681   The Origin of   the Wombat Group in Gather The Writin Wombats Group started on May 9 2007, with an article posted by Lisa   F. The original article was titled "First Chapters . . . Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:27:59 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977416681 simon g. 2008-08-08T12:27:59Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977403837   A propos of the latest new hairdo for Gather (upgrade, remodel or whatever you want to call it) I thought we might try to tackle a subject that might be of interest to quite a few Wombats these . . . Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:15:48 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977403837 simon g. 2008-07-22T13:15:48Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977366294   Here is my take on the Battle of the Sexes. I give up. You win. Not just the battle but the whole war. I think all men should follow my lead, rush to the nearest pillow case, fresh from the laundry, . . . Mon, 09 Jun 2008 05:18:21 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977366294 simon g. 2008-06-09T05:18:21Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977365793   The cities of the Italian region of   Emilia Romagna, Parma, Bologna, and Reggio Emilia, are all on the flat agricultural plain south of Milan, which produces some of the most famous food . . . Sun, 08 Jun 2008 19:38:32 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977365793 simon g. 2008-06-08T19:38:32Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977355950   We have talked about our fantasies and our unfulfilled desires and dreams. We have discussed how we write, and our hopes and goals for future success. But while we chat and talk about what we . . . Wed, 28 May 2008 20:36:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977355950 simon g. 2008-05-28T20:36:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977344477   The Wombats have passed a landmark, their first birthday or anniversary, and still going strong. Up until now, each occasion was a first. The first Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, . . . Tue, 13 May 2008 10:53:19 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977344477 simon g. 2008-05-13T10:53:19Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977338738   Can you imagine trying to write a humorous article for Mother's Day? That was the assignment from John. It is sort of like asking Bill Maher to say something funny about Bush. Where to start? . . . Mon, 05 May 2008 02:42:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977338738 simon g. 2008-05-05T02:42:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977334276   I recently saw the film Atonement, which I thought was excellent, both on its own merits and as adaptation of the marvelous book by McEwan. For those who haven't read the book and/or seen . . . Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:57:24 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977334276 simon g. 2008-04-28T23:57:24Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977333616   I got into a big fight with Mandy today. No, Mandy is not my wife. Nor is she my girl friend, my daughter, my sister or my mother in law. Mandy is the name of the silken sweet voice on my new . . . Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:04:53 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977333616 simon g. 2008-04-28T04:04:53Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977327667   "What do I do? I write (scrivo). How do I live? I live." Thus sings Rodolfo in La Boheme as he introduces himself to Mimi. Well, it sounds very romantic and nice for a young Bohemian . . . Sun, 20 Apr 2008 02:02:51 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977327667 simon g. 2008-04-20T02:02:51Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977317505   (With apologies to our leader and master, my good friend and mentor, John Phillipp.) Anyone   can write humor. Its easy. Here's how. Think of something stupid. Like, um...a potato . . . Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:01:33 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977317505 simon g. 2008-04-14T13:01:33Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977303817   Wait I forgot what I was going to say. Oh yeah, why taxes are a good thing. This was the homework assignment given to me by my teacher Ms. Periwinkle. I am supposed to write an essay called "Why . . . Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:17:39 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977303817 simon g. 2008-04-07T13:17:39Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977297694   Tomorrow is a very special day for me in many ways. It is the   20 th anniversary of the most important event in my life, an event which up until now, I have kept secret from all of my . . . Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:07:11 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977297694 simon g. 2008-03-31T04:07:11Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977297411   Mwahahahah. A favorite Wombat expression. Signifying a dastardly sense of evil triumphant, but all in good fun. But what about real evil? Is there such a thing? This is a philosophical, moral . . . Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:53:42 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977297411 simon g. 2008-03-30T20:53:42Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977290771   Today is simply Saturday,   the day between. We know very little about what happened on this day, but we can imagine.   We can imagine a man, much like us. A man defeated, alone, . . . Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:21:08 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977290771 simon g. 2008-03-22T10:21:08Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977290769   You have written The End. You have snagged an agent. And now, the end of the rainbow, your agent tells you have sold. You are happy dancing in the streets, Wombats are writing congratulatory . . . Sat, 22 Mar 2008 10:09:57 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977290769 simon g. 2008-03-22T10:09:57Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977286361   John has mentioned that St. Pat's day should be remembered on this humor Monday, so here is the latest from my Uncle Charley. Last time I was telling you people that the secret to being . . . Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:30:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977286361 simon g. 2008-03-17T09:30:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977280665   Down and out in a foreign land, Stanley Gross is swept up in a series of adventures that make no sense to him. Rescued from a traffic accident by the lovely and mysterious Leanna, he soon discovers . . . Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:32:29 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977280665 simon g. 2008-03-10T15:32:29Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977280358   By popular demand (popular being defined in this case as three or four of my friends) I have relented and agreed to allow my Uncle Cecil to make another appearance on Gather. As he spilled the . . . Mon, 10 Mar 2008 04:29:22 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977280358 simon g. 2008-03-10T04:29:22Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977279133   This is my edited version of an article from my Uncle Cecil, who begged  me to post it for him. I am not allowing Cecil, an 86 year old con artist and general hard case to actually join . . . Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:48:13 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977279133 simon g. 2008-03-08T17:48:13Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977274564   I have an uncle who is a very old man. He was given a computer recently and he is having a real blast. You know those spam emails we never look at it? He loves them. He has answered everyone . . . Mon, 03 Mar 2008 21:10:21 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977274564 simon g. 2008-03-03T21:10:21Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977261868 This article was inspired by some of the comments on a recent Humor Monday article by John Phillip, in which the noted comic genius interviewed the former President. Among the comments following the article . . . Tue, 19 Feb 2008 02:27:26 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977261868 simon g. 2008-02-19T02:27:26Z http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977254928   Yes, writing is an art form. It is creative, it is liberating, it is soulful and sensuous, emotional and intellectual. We know all that, and we have discussed many aspects of writing. But what . . . Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:39:44 GMT http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977254928 simon g. 2008-02-10T20:39:44Z