Wow…… It’s been a year already… The ezine celebrates it’s first birthday. I just took a nostalgic look back through the issues. My purpose was to take a quick count on the number of chatters that have been featured over the past year. This simple task took a lot longer than I thought it would. *L* I kinda got caught up rereading and remembering special times and special people that I’ve met over this past year, simply by popping into various rooms to write different zine articles or to solicit volunteers to be featured. *L* some took more convincing than others did…. Especially at the beginning.. *L*

Fondly remembering my first featured chatter column.. *L* I had to brow beat two of my favorite people to chat with – Texas*StormŽ*F* and Rider…. The only way that I could get them to cooperate was to conduct the interview over the phone.. see the lengths I go to, to get information for my articles *L*. Since that first interview, over 120 chatters have been featured and that’s not including chathouse staff members who have also been featured. I didn’t keep track, but am estimating that I’ve sent out over 200 featured chatter forms to be completed and returned. The response to this column has been truly awesome!!!… The original intent was to feature one male and one female chatter each week. Many weeks it was necessary to feature up to 8 chatters in an edition as we had such a huge bank of completed interviews waiting to be published.

I sincerely want to thank all who have welcomed me into their rooms and helped me with various articles.. A special thanks to all who have participated and consented to be featured as a chatter. I’ve been very fortunate to meet some amazing people by writing this column.. and I’ve had the honor of announcing a number of engagement’s and marriages. Wishing you all a life time of happiness together…

Happy Birthday Zine.... Many more!!!

My Two Cents

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by My2CentsDealW/it!

Dear2c@HoTMaiL.com

My Two Cents
on the
Ezine 1 Year Anniversary

Although I was not a part of the Ezine staff from the beginning, Michigan Storm (Editor Extraordinaire) asked me to do a "Year in Review" article. So, here is a look back at My2Cents from my Beginning in the Ezine to Present!

My articles over the last year have focused on three main categories, Chat/Chatter/Chathouse, Politics and Social Issues. So, I have chosen to review my work in those three sections. The first being Chat et al.

My Two Cents on Chat:
Of course a regular feature in the Ezine is our review of a particular Floor of the Chathouse. In doing those reviews I have found that each floor and each room have many commonalities. Each has their jerks, pervs, quirks, relationships, friends, eccentricities, good and bad. In short, they are all pretty much the same with slight variation based on the make-up of the "Regs" of the room, particular "Theme" of the room or whether they are registered or free. The differences, although minor, however make a major difference to those who choose to chat there. In doing these features, as well as just general chat experience, I have developed certain opinions and pet peeves in regards to chat and chatters! For all of the good that I have seen, such as great friendships, love and honest sincere connections made, there is also the ever present whining, ignorance and pure evil in chat rooms as well. As I so eloquently stated in the past, WHINING is my Numero Uno Pet Peeve! As if the anonymity gives people license to unload all of there real or imagined emotional baggage on the next unsuspecting chatter that walks in the room. My Number Two Pet Peeve would be the handles that some people choose. My article on Chat handles was one of the ones that I had the most fun with. Although, my article on Internet/Chat Safety was a personal favorite of mine. It never ceases to amaze me how freely people give out information to complete strangers! Ignorance is no excuse, you simply don't check your common sense at the door when entering a chatroom. Especially since each and every chatroom has it's own garden variety jerks lurking about, as well as those who are seeking to genuine harm to people. Sometimes they make themselves obvious, but the real threats are those lurking on the other side of the screen playing the part of your best net-friend! In short, chat is just like life "in the real world"! It's full of jerks, pervs, quirks, relationships, friends, eccentricities, good and bad. Just because it is happening in CyberSpace does not make it any less Real, less Dangerous, less Exciting, less Intimate or less Emotional. It is Life!

My Two Cents on Politics:
My early days as an Ezine writer were devoted mostly to Chat topics, but as the 2000 Presidential Election approached, I test the political waters in my articles. The initial reaction to my political articles left a bit to be desired, but I did here from a few politically minded readers. Then along came Confusion 2000 and some of the best material a political writer could ever dream of having to work with! Being a Right-Wing Conservative Republican Religious Extremist (~LOL~) I had a field days with the campaign and the election results. To me the entire election circus can be summed up in this bumper sticker:

The spectacle of Confusion 2000 launched me on to many an article on politics, political issues and social issues as well. Watching Al Gore disintegrate into a whining cry baby sore LOSER and pulling out every Liberal tactic in the book was a joy to behold. He played the "race card", he rallied the Liberal rent a mob headed by Jesse Jackson and he drug it all into court, all to keep from having to admit he was a LOOOOOSER!!!!!! On a side note, the media circus surrounding the election also helped launch the Political War Room Forum in the Chathouse. After the election was over, the forum was renamed simply The War Room and has been an interesting and insightful forum for discussion of real life issues, brining together people from all walks of life, parts of the U.S. and even the world. In my not so humble opinion, the best thing Al Gore ever did (besides INVENT the Internet ~LOL~) was to help inspire the creation of the War Room. This also opened the door to another one of my favorite topics, that being the Constitution of the United States of America. I have written extensively on Constitutional issues from Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Separation of Church and State and my favorite INCOME TAX! I stumbled on a site that I have quoted extensively in many of my articles and War Room discussions and the banner has been on my page since. Need I say more?

Citizens for Constitutional Government & Help Abolish the IRS!

My Two Cents on Social Issues:
Social Issues and Society itself have been the main focus on my articles in my latter issues. I have written on Society, Morals/Ethics, Abortion, Homosexuality, Handicapped Parking, Evolution vs. Creation, Religion vs. Secular Humanism, Education, Guns, etc... Needless to say, there is a wealth of issues to talk about in our modern day society. The beauty of writing about social issues is that no matter what you write about, SOMEONE will agree and disagree. While my beliefs and opinions are strong, tested and unlikely to change, I have thoroughly enjoyed these articles and the responses I have gotten via email and the War Room. Kudos to all those who have taken me to task both on my articles and in the War Room and a Special Thanks to the man who has stepped up as my "Arch Nemesis" - Rantmaster. His rants in the Rantmaster's Theater, as well as his contributions to the War Room have been thoroughly enjoyed! Oddly enough, for all of our differences, we have also become good friends!

My intent has always been to educate and inspire thought and discussion of issues such as these. It has been my experience that MOST people do not have an educated or informed opinion on many of the "Hot Button Issues" that are in the News all the time. It seems that they are either disinterested due to the tediousness of the details or they suffer from information overload in our high-tech multimedia society. Too many people rely on pure emotional response to such issues rather than informed reasoning. These articles have been the most fun to write, but have brought the most backlash as well. Right and Wrong are no longer Black and White issues. My positions usually come from the strict black and white side of the spectrum, whereas the liberal media, liberal politics and brainwashing of the masses have created the persistent "gray area" in the minds of most people. I have relished in my attacks of the "gray area" and, although I am but one man (David) attacking the multibillion dollar Liberal Media Machine (Goliath), I can't help but feel as though I have made some small victories in swaying the minds of some of my readers and focusing the resolve of those that already agreed with me. So, in the battle of Social Awareness I shall continue, with sling in hand, to shatter the glass houses of "gray area" and take down Goliath!

And last, but definitely NOT least, this last year has seen the creation of My Homepage! My Two Cents - The man behind the opinions! Coming soon to my homepage will be links to some of my favorite website and sites that I have used and referenced in many of my articles. Be warned though, it is still under construction and NOT a place that any self-respecting liberal would want to be seen. My Homepage contains a healthy dose of ME, Truth and Wisdom and none of the propaganda and misinformation that liberals are used to. Please feel free to ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK! Let me know what you think!

So, what have you got to say?

Let me know and I'll tell you if it's worth 2 cents!

Dear2c@HoTMaiL.com

*note: all names and handles will be changed or removed to protect the pathetic*

Write a short story about some of the adventures you and your partner would have had if you would have grown up as next door neighbors. If you really enjoy this activity you might even consider writing a series of short stories and then have them bound and send a copy to your partner.