From: "L-Soft list server at Indiana University (1.8d)" To: "ARTF@MemoryAlpha.nil" File: "LOISCLA-GENERAL-L LOG9903E" ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 03:03:27 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Tanya Walsh Subject: PLEASE help me !! I am not kidding I'll go crazy if you don't Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Hi everybody !! =) Ok... I had a story in my head and it was bubbling away so I HAD to write it down =) After about the first paragraph it morphed into a Fanfic =) (I don't know how.. it just did) Anyway, it got tucked away and then lost in the "Great Harddrive Crash" BUT... (This is really sad) I'd e-mailed it to myself at school to work on when I was really bored in my computer studies class.. and yesterday I actually found it =) So today I wrote more on it.. and I actually really like it. But I'm getting worried. You see, it's in "diary entry" form and therefore 1st person, and I'm just worried if it's "in character" or not. It's written >from Lois' perspective but I'm truly not sure whether it sounds like Lois, or like ME or some kind of hybrid form and was wondering if anybody would like to read it and tell me what they think ? Please ? I REALLY want to continue writing it but I don't want to write it wrong.. If you'd like me to send a copy just e-mail me privately on.... Tanya_Walsh@hotmail.com and I'll send you one (there is no way I'm posting it to the mailing list at this stage !!) Thanks heaps =) Your help would be really appreciated =) Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 03:26:20 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elisabeth Subject: Re: Kerth Awards better than Oscars MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Maggie wrote: > Why were the Kerth Awards, even better than the > Oscars? > Because you know the part in the acceptance speech > where > so and so thanks John Smith and Marilu Merriwhether, > etc? > Well, when a Kerth Award Winner gives their speech, > we *know* who they are thanking and why. Great observations, Maggie. I'd like to go one step further, though. When a Kerth winner makes an acceptance speech, I feel like I'm getting their honest opinion. This is not to say that an Oscar winner isn't happy that they won or isn't appreciative of the help they were given, but there have to be times when the 'nobodys' who truly were a support and an inspiration aren't thanked due to the fact that there's a limited time allowed. Others with bigger 'names' are thanked to further a career. In FoLCdom, THE GREATS are normal people with hobbies and lives who read what they like and write just for the sheer fun of it. When they thank a person, with nothing material to gain from it, that thank you means a lot to me. And now, my personal note of thanks. Thanks for all the writers out there who've been putting out great material, the editors who turn good into great, and the readers who support and constructively criticize. === Elisabeth Feel free to visit my home at http://geocities.com/Area 51/Starship/7859 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 13:53:31 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: After the Kerths In-Reply-To: <000c01be7973$704320c0$bc1f883e@BTClick+> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII I don't read my email at this account at weekends, so this morning - in between giving a lecture, dealing with students etc etc - I found time to read all the posts in relation to Saturday's ceremony. I feel like saying 'me too' to just about everything! But even at the expense of being repetitive, I'd still like to say a number of thank-yous. This was the first Kerths I'd attended - I've only been using IRC for a couple of weeks. It was a tremendous experience for me, meeting up with so many like-minded and VERY warm and friendly people. I was hugely impressed with the organisation of the ceremony: so professional and entertaining, as well as being friendly and welcoming. So to Erin, KathyB, Pam, Demi, Anne, Georgia, Annie, Chris and anyone else involved in the organisation I may have forgotten, thank you for a fantastic job. My husband - an L&C fan and occasional reader of fanfic, but not an online fan normally - was 'watching' with me, and he was immensely impressed by what can be done with IRC windows, sounds and a bunch of really talented people. Second, I'd like to congratulate *all* the nominees. It was so hard to vote in a number of categories, and there were some categories where I was rooting for two, three or even four writers as the announcement was made! Full Circle or WIMTLY... Margaret Brignell or Carol Malo... Speaking personally as a nominee, being *nominated* was a fantastic feeling in itself, and I was on a high for weeks following the nominations list. Incidentally, a special thanks to Demi and anyone else involved in the 'special effects' - I think the award certificates are wonderful, a work of art, and my husband wants to frame mine for me! And the Kerth Nominee icon which appeard so quickly s on the fanfic site looks great. Like Crystal, I was inspired to write by the work of so many 'greats' of fanfiction: Zoomway, Sheila, ChrisM, Pam, Phil Atcliffe, Margaret Brignell, Jeff Brogden (great to hear Jeff will try to find time to write again), KathyB, Demi and many others. I was encouraged to *continue* by the kind words and support of my first editor, Lynda L, who is also entirely responsible for 'That Super Man of Mine': it was *her* idea, and she edited it for me before it went to the Archive. In true Oscar fashion, this award is for you, Lynda! Some final thank-yous before finishing - sorry if this sounds like a list, but it is none the less sincere for that. Thanks to everyone who turned up to the ceremony to cheer on the nominees - you can have no idea how wonderful it feels to 'hear' people rooting for you before the winner is announced! Thanks so much to everyone who nominated my stories this year, and also huge thanks to everyone who voted for me. I went to the Kerths not expecting to win at all - there were so many great stories nominated in all the categories I was in, and 1998 seems to have been an exceptional year for new writers! But awards aside - and believe me, I am still completely overwhelmed that I won two - the real reward from writing fanfic (as Crystal said) has been the number of friends I have made. Editors, readers who write with feedback, other authors who correspond on this list... I have hugely extended my list of on-line friends in the past year. Even if I never get to meet most of the people I now count as friends, you are all special to me. I'll finish here before this descends even further into a raspberry-winning Oscar speech. Roll on next year's ceremony! Wendy (who's hoping Pam can now get some rest before going into labour!) ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 08:25:18 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Charlotte Fisler Subject: Re: combo: law & stereotype characters Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/23/99 3:43:44 AM !!!First Boot!!!, kubitc@KENYON.EDU writes: << Was it just me or did the possibility of Lois being executed seem far-fetched to anyone else? >> True but who's to say she would have lived - We're talking Lois Lane there. She sent a lot of people to jail many of whom could be expected to take advantage of the opportunity to get revenge. Did you see Dean's Fantasy Island episode? An innocent man is sent to jail and dies there in a brawl before the lawyer Dean plays can reverse the conviction and he wasn't an investigative reporter with enemies. Jail aint a nice place or a safe one. And remember Clark knows the evidence disappeared from police custody so even if he doesn't suspect the DA, someone has it in for Lois Lane. The joint episodes had an excellent progression from Clark believing that justice will be done to realizing that justice was anything but present in the 'railroading' verdict that the 'jury' came back with. Too bad I wasn't on that jury. I would have believed the champion of truth and justice and voted for aquittal. Okay, here I go. Blindly following the law is not justice when the law itself is wrong. Nothing is worse than people accepting injustice because it has the backing of the law. That is the way a madman could kill 6,000,000 people. After all what Adolf Hitler did was legal in Germany at the time. And need I remind you that America's founding fathers' would probably have hung in the 1700s had they not won the war. They were after all breaking the law of the country to which they belonged at the time. Whatever their motives, liberty or because "you're taxes are too high,'' these men were willing to risk everything because they believed the rights of free men were more important than the law. Can Superman do any less? Charlotte - who thinks Clark Kent was completely justified in 'breaking' Lois out of jail. I would have held his cape while he did it. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 14:37:23 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Help needed: Maternity leave In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: QUOTED-PRINTABLE Yet another UK-based writer needing help with US practices: while=20 working on my sequel to 'Super Night', I realised I know nothing of=20 American law and practice in relation to maternity rights. I have a=20 few US textbooks on human resource management (one of the subjects I=20 teach), but although these look at other aspects of equal=20 opportunities legislation there is no mention of maternity rights=20 other than the Pregnancy Discrimination Act. What I want to know is this: what statutory entitlements are there to=20 paid maternity leave for employees? (and if they vary by state, I'll=20 simply assume that New Troy is relatively generous ;) ). What kind of=20 benefits do good employers offer to supplement whatever statutory=20 entitlements there are? To explain what I'm looking for, in the UK a woman who's been=20 employed by the same employer for 2+ years is entitled by law to 26=20 weeks' leave, the first 6 of which is at 90% of normal pay and the=20 remainder of which is at about =A360 per week. Good employers (which I=20 will assume the Planet is ;) ) often have policies which offer the=20 entire 26 weeks at full pay. So what would Lois be entitled to? (Even if we assume that Lois Lane=20 would be highly unlikely to take six months off work!) Oh, and by the=20 way, are paternity leave provisions in any way common? Thanks in advance, Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 08:46:07 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "K.M. de Castro" Subject: Re: Superman Museum Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Okay, here's a plug for a fellow FoLC's website... I visited Barb and Jon Knutson's "Honeymoon in Metropolis" page the other day, and it had all sorts of shots of the Superman Museum, as well as a mini-tour of the town. I highly recommend surfing by, except that the URL is lost to me. I know that it's in Barb's sig at the bottom of her mail... Care to answer, Barb? Marie, ChoirGirl2@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 08:49:19 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: Help Please Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I don't know about tractor pulls and roller coasters, but I have heard of people getting married on a fox hunt. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 06:37:13 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: Re: Tech. question re: printing out stories Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Thanks, Eileen, Your instructions were very easy to follow. I'm printing out a *long* story even as I write this. Take care, Irene >From: Eileen Barnard >Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU >Subject: Re: Tech. question re: printing out stories >Date: Sat, 27 Mar 1999 15:53:41 -0800 > >Irene > >If you have a word processing programme, such as Microsoft Word then what >you need to do is to save them in that format as Text has very limited >applications. > >Once you have saved the story into a document then select the whole page and >make the changes to font and text size etc (I use Ariel 7 or 8). While you >still have the whole thing highlighted chose the column function and chose >however many columns you think will fit comfortable onto a page. After that >you need to go into Page Set-up and save as landscape. (I personally don't >change to landscape because I bind my stories into flat ring binders and I >find portrait easier to read.) This sounds really complicated but it only >takes a few seconds once you have done it a couple of times. > >When you go to print tell the PC to print all the odd pages then when it has >done this put the paper back in the other way around and ask it to print odd >pages. > >Some printers have an economy mode and will let you print on both sides of >the paper but mine at home doesn't. If yours does then use that print >function. > >I hope this is clear but feel free to mail me for further help. > >Kind regards >Eileen B >-----Original Message----- >From: irene d >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU > >Date: 27 March 1999 04:39 >Subject: Tech. question re: printing out stories > > >>I saved a message sent out by Patricia Chernenko re: printing out >>stories and conserving paper by changing to Landscape mode and printing >>out 2 columns. >> >>I have figured out how to change the font setting, and how to change the >>paper to Landscape mode but for the life of me, I can't figure out how >>to print in two columns. >> >>My computer has Microsoft software - Windows 98. I've been saving the >>stories in Notepad. >> >>Would someone more computer literate than I, please email me privately >>to talk me through this. >> >>Thanks, >>Irene >>sirenegold@hotmail.com >>sirengold on IRC >>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com >> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 06:57:08 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: author - David Weber - Is he a FoLC? Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain I just finished reading David Weber's book "Echoes of Honor". Towards the end of the book, he talks about the planet "Lois" in the "Clarke" system. Either in the same paragraph or the next one, he mentions two characters - one called White, the other Olson. This is too big a coincidence. I have to assume that the man is a Superman fan. Does anyone know if he is also a FoLC? By the way, for those who enjoy science fiction, you won't find any that's better than his. My husband and I are both huge fans. We have many lively discussions about his works. I especially recommend his "Honor Harrington" series. Take care, Irene sirenegold@hotmail.com sirengold on IRC Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 10:00:13 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Wendy, The Federal Family Leave Act of 1993 is a federal law that gives a parent time off. I believe that it is 12 weeks of unpaid, but job protected leave, to care for a newborn, recently adopted child, or seriously ill child, parent, or spouse. To be eligible, the employee must have worked for that company for at least a year. Also, there are stipulations that the employee had to have worked a certain number of hours, and that the company has to have at least 50 employees within a 75 mile radius. This is to protect certain small businesses. I could be wrong on the specifics, so if anyone out there knows more about this, please feel free to comment. Some companies offer paid maternity leave, some don't. Some companies allow accumulated sick days to be used for maternity leave. I hope this is helpful. JOY:) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 10:15:19 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Donna Burton Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave Wendy, there are probably more people with first hand knowledge than I have, but I'm a government documents librarian and there was a federal Parental Leave Act passed in 1993 with a bit of info at: http://ericps.crc.uiuc.edu/npin/pnews/pnew896/pnew896d.html I think this is a required minimum and that if employers want to offer more time with or without pay that would be part of the employees benefits package. This is evidenced at the following university site where they spell out the option: http://www.unl.edu/svcaa/Policies/Parental.html Maybe this will give you somewhat of a start and I'm sure those who've had direct experience with maternity leave (which I haven't), will chime in here too... Donna in Schenectady burtond@union.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 18:00:23 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave In-Reply-To: <990329101519.12621@conan.union.edu> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Thanks very much to both Donna and Joy for their responses to my query. I've looked up the URLs, Donna, and they were very helpful. It's beginning to look to me - and please, people, correct me if I'm wrong - that there is NO statutory entitlement to paid leave for a woman about to give birth (for someone from the European Union, this has been a lot to get my head around! If I became pregnant, I would have six months paid leave, with the period of leave determined by statute and the full pay as a benefit of my employment - statutory maternity pay is much lower). Well, assuming my reading of US federal law is correct, can anyone give me an example of what a good employer might offer, in terms of length of leave and whether or not it would be at full or partial pay? Preferably a good private sector employer - if the US is like the UK, public sector employers tend to have better practice in this kind of thing since they can't compete in terms of pay. Thanks again for any info - much appreciated. Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 12:00:23 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Help needed: Maternity leave Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> So what would Lois be entitled to? (Even if we assume that Lois Lane = would be highly unlikely to take six months off work!) Oh, and by the = way, are paternity leave provisions in any way common? << One of the "wonderful" things about the US is that maternity leaves are much less long-ranging and comprehensive than in the UK or Canada. = Employers with more than 50 employees are required, through the Family Medical Leave Act, to allow their employees 12 weeks *unpaid* leave, at t= he end of which the woman is guaranteed to still have a job (it may not be t= he same job, but it will be a job at at least the same rate of pay). = Companies offer varying lengths of paid maternity leave as part of their benefits packages, and the packages vary; I suspect six weeks is about th= e average. I used to work for a contracting firm that offered no paid leav= e at all, and considered myself fortunate to move to a job with three weeks= paid. Employees are expected to bank up sick leave and vacation time to supplement that leave, if they wish. (With my first baby, I managed 13 weeks leave at half-pay) Paternity leave is growing more common, but it's by no means universal. = My husband will be expected to take vacation time to be home with me when= this baby makes up her mind to appear. My old company offered one week paternity leave vs. three weeks maternity, so you might use that as a ratio. Personally, I think it's horrible to expect the mother of a six-week old to leave her child and go back to work, but on the other hand I can understand the arguments against longer paid leave, which I don't suppose= we ought to get into here :-) (My ideal would be for moms to quit & stay= home to raise their kids, but that's a very touchy subject so forget I mentioned it :-) PJ who tried going back to work, but discovered she didn't have time for bot= h her job and her L&C habit, so naturally the job had to go.... and who is still in the very early stages of labor, but things are gonna happen any time now... !^NavFont02F0656000FMGJHGA0MGA2HM583FDC Pam Jernigan (jernigan@compuserve.com) ChiefPam on the IRC ~~~~~ It's KERTH time! Read all about it at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/jernigan/folc.html ~~~~~ Read L&C Season 6 (S6) at: http://tempus.simplenet.com/season6/ (I'd turn off the NavFont garbage if I could ) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 11:12:49 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Pregnancy Questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Good Morning (or afternoon, or evening, depending on where ya'll are!) FoLCs! :) I'm finally coming down from my Kerth high (it's taken two days and I'm still smiling! Just being there and presenting an award was *so* much fun!) to ask ya'll a question for my next fanfic. I've never been pregnant and never actually been around anyone when they're first pregnant so, I need some help. I need to know, how long after you become pregnant do you start getting morning sickness? Also, how soon do you start showing? When do you start getting cravings? Any help on these questions and just about any other aspect of pregnancy would be greatly appreciated as Lois's pregnancy will be the first big chunk of this next fic and I don't want to make any *big* mistakes that will leave people that have actually *been* pregnant cringing! :) Thanks in advance, Mandy Crustner Moonlight on IRC http://members.spree.com/sip/mandy0924/lnctnaos.htm ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 18:38:00 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave In-Reply-To: <199903291200_MC2-6FD4-D9D5@compuserve.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Thanks very much, Pam - that really does confirm my growing suspicions about the US system. Six weeks the average!!! I did wonder why, in fanfics where Lois is pregnant, she was usually written as continuing to work almost up until giving birth - over here, she would probably start her leave four to six weeks before the expected delivery date, and I was half-planning therefore to have her commence her leave within a few weeks from where this story begins (at eight months, therefore). Hmmmm.... /me returns to the drawing board! >I suspect six weeks is about the > average. I used to work for a contracting firm that offered no paid leave > at all, and considered myself fortunate to move to a job with three weeks > paid. Employees are expected to bank up sick leave and vacation time to > supplement that leave, if they wish. Ouch!! Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 12:45:53 -0500 Reply-To: nightsky@erols.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Genevieve Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wendy Richards wrote: > > Well, assuming my reading of US federal law is correct, can anyone > give me an example of what a good employer might offer, in terms of > length of leave and whether or not it would be at full or partial > pay? Preferably a good private sector employer - if the US is like > the UK, public sector employers tend to have better practice in this > kind of thing since they can't compete in terms of pay. > LOL! I work for the federal government, Wendy, and we have *no* "maternity" leave as such. When I had my babies, I used up all my sick leave, then used up all my vacation time, then went on leave without pay. Not only that, the Federal government has a "leave donation" program, where employees can donate part of their leave to indivduals with emergencies. Pregnancy, however, is specifically excluded from this program. (We looked into seeing if my husband, who is also a federal employee, could share some of his leave with me.) But no. You are supposed to plan in advance, and make sure you "save up" enough leave. And that will tell you why *I* worked up to the last minute too; I had to save up my leave for when after the baby came. Besides, staying at home waiting for the baby to come -- especially a first baby -- would be incredibly boring. I can't see Lois doing it, myself. As to the amount of time you can take, that has to be negotiated with your supervisor, although the 13 weeks unpaid leave others have mentioned is available. I took three months of leave when each of my babies were born, and then came back part-time for another three months, working four days a week. I worked Monday and Tuesday, took Wednesdays off (without pay!), and then worked on Thursday and Friday. The day off in the middle of the week gave me a chance to catch up on my sleep, and kept me from being separated from my baby more than two days in a row. This was important as I was nursing and trying to maintain a milk supply. One of the problems a working mom can have with pumping is that that milk supply tends to dwindle by the end of the week, due in part to exhaustion and baby-separation. And before you ask, there are no -- NO -- provisions in law to support nursing mothers, except that in most states we can't be arrested for indecent exposure anymore. How much support a working mother gets is up to her employer. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Genevieve Clemens Lots of good stuff on my webpage: For more information about breastfeeding, check on the ProMom page ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 12:15:45 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Most companies, especially the large ones, offer generous health insurance plans. If a woman is lucky, she can have the baby, stay a few days in the hospital, and only have to pay like a $50 co-pay. I guess having that $10,000 savings would make up for a few weeks of lost pay. I have heard of companies that offer a few weeks of paid "disability" leave for new moms. This is meant to help out just until the mother physically regains her strength, and is able to go back to work. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 13:12:50 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Wendy, if it helps your fanfic any, I can tell you about a former college professor of mine. She worked until the DAY she had her baby, took ONE day off, and then resumed teaching. I don't know what her schedule was like then: i.e., Tuesday/ Thursday classes, Wednesday only classes, Monday/ Wednesday/Friday classes. OUCH indeed! ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 13:58:38 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Jacalyn S. Newman" Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions In-Reply-To: <00f701be7a07$6119e7c0$6a8f46cf@pavilion> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > I need to know, how long after you become pregnant do you start >getting morning sickness? Within two days of getting pregnant with me, my mother was vomiting every morning. I'm currently pregnant myself, and I had radical mood swings approx. 2 days post conception. Nausea, vomiting, and major food aversions hit about 2 weeks post conception, along with bone crushing fatigue- and all of those are with me still. (But no food cravings.) And there are lucky women out there who feel great and don't have to deal with any of these symptoms! Some people start showing after 8-10 weeks, others spend the first trimester losing weight because they can't keep food down. Every pregnancy is unique. I'd recommend the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting" as a reference. I've used it for my own writing (non L&C) prior to getting pregnant, and that book does a great job of hitting all the highlights. For a ton of info, you can also go to the web site http://pregnancy.miningco.com/ Hope this helps! Jackie Jacalyn S. Newman jsd119@email.psu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 14:06:01 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Emily Angerer Crawford Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions In-Reply-To: <00f701be7a07$6119e7c0$6a8f46cf@pavilion> from "Mandy Crustner" at Mar 29, 99 11:12:49 am Content-Type: text Mandy Crustner wrote: > > I've never been pregnant and > never actually been around anyone when they're first pregnant so, I need > some help. I need to know, how long after you become pregnant do you start > getting morning sickness? I never did get morning sickness. Those who do can start it as early as about 2 weeks after conception (when they're considered 4 weeks pregnant) to as late as 5 or 6 weeks (7 or 8 weeks pg). And that's only the "normal" range -- some people don't get any until the second trimester (11 weeks post-conception, 13 weeks pregnant), when most other moms are losing theirs. > Also, how soon do you start showing? A first-time mother may start feeling uncomfortable in snug clothing when she is maybe 6 weeks pregnant, but it's not unusual not to "show" until 16 or 18 weeks, maybe even later. I'm at 11 weeks and am still wearing all my regular clothes, although things with really strong elastic at the waist make me uncomfortable, and after a full meal I get very uncomfortable if I bend at the waist while wearing non-stretchy clothes! But none of the people I work with know or even suspect that I'm pregnant now, and I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't know until another month or two had passed. I plan on telling them before that, of course! On second and later pregnancies, a woman will usually start showing sooner, because her abdominal muscles are weaker and stretchier from the first pregnancy (or so I'm told!). On the pregnancy bulletin board I'm reading, many of the experienced moms are already wearing maternity clothes, some starting as early as 8 weeks. A woman's chest expands, usually, before her waist does, so she'll outgrow bras early (unless she's already wearing large or stretchy bras) and a more observant individual might notice the difference and suspect the pregnancy early. > When do you > start getting cravings? I had my first craving about 12 days post-conception, before I even knew I was pregnant. I don't like ketchup but that evening I *had* to have some! Cravings are definitely common in the first trimester and throughout pregnancy. This was my first symptom, although I didn't recognize it as such. > Any help on these questions and just about any > other aspect of pregnancy would be greatly appreciated as Lois's pregnancy > will be the first big chunk of this next fic and I don't want to make any > *big* mistakes that will leave people that have actually *been* pregnant > cringing! :) Well, I'm still pretty new at this whole pregnancy thing, so anything beyond first trimester is beyond my experience! If you want to look at some good sites on pregnancy, take a look at http://www.parentsplace.com/pregnancy/ Parentsplace has has bulletin boards for every stage of pregnancy and childhood, all of which are generally loaded with relevant information -- you'll see that every woman's pregnancy is different! There are also tons of birth stories, which make for interesting reading, to say the least. You can even create a calendar that tells approximately day-by-day what is going on with a pregnancy, from pre-conception to post-delivery. That includes both the baby's development and likely symptoms of the mother. Also try http://pregnancy.miningco.com/ for lots more information. I love this site, because they have ultrasound images from conception to 9 months. It's exciting to take a look at these and imagine what my own baby must look like. There are dozens of other sites; these are just two I really enjoy. If you need more pointers, let me know! Can you tell you hit on one of my favorite topics of late? Cheers, -Emily -- Emily Crawford/Warbler on IRC ccsupec@helen.oit.gatech.edu "Thus grew the tale of Wonderland: thus slowly, one by one, Its quaint events were hammered out -- and now the tale is done, And home we steer, a merry crew, beneath the setting sun." -Lewis Carroll ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 14:50:41 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Annette Ciotola Subject: FoLC Baby Boom Re: Pregnancy Questions Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hey Gang! Coming outta lurkdom for this. Just outta curiosity, (and if you feel comfy sharing) How many FoLC are currently expecting? Two of just yas just kinda announced it with this Question Thread. And I know of others, but I dont wanna be the one to let the cat outta the bag, so to speak. ;) And of course there's Pam (breathe breathe, push push ... well anyday now) I think it's wonderful and I would like to extend my congratulations and best wishes to you all. :) Curious Anne :) ( someday when I find Mr. Ca ... um Mr. *Right*, I ment Right! ) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 13:08:54 MST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: DEBRA GRAY Subject: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi everyone, Had such a blast at the Kerths that I'm getting inspired to write my firs= t LC fanfic! I've been mulling ideas around in my head for a couple of months = now, I guess, but this morning in the shower (EAGH! - you all didn't really wa= nna know that, did ya? ) I got one that I need some input on. Question - = does anyone know if they gave Jack's little brother a name? You remember, Jack= from first season, who might have figured out Clark's secret? Anyway, if he ha= s no name (poor fella), do you have any ideas on what I could call him? Nothin= g derogatory, like the Claude thread a few days ago. It's just I don't want= to call him Hey You!. Also, did they have a last name, or will I have to com= e up with that, too? Thanks all. Shutting up now and going back to my scheming. Debra G dlgray@usa.net Melisma on IRC "You get a biscuit, Scully." ____________________________________________________________________ Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D= 1 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 14:19:52 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: Jack MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Debra wrote: > Question - does > anyone know if they gave Jack's little brother a name? You remember, Jack from > first season, who might have figured out Clark's secret? Anyway, if he has no > name (poor fella), do you have any ideas on what I could call him? Nothing > derogatory, like the Claude thread a few days ago. It's just I don't want to > call him Hey You!. Hmm, I seem to remember a name for him, but it totally escapes me at the moment! Hehe, that didn't help you much, did it? Anyway, maybe I can help you with the next one! :) >Also, did they have a last name, or will I have to come up > with that, too? Well, there is no last name listed for them in any of the scripts. I did some extensive search on this for the last fanfic I wrote. I came up with a last name for them (with a lot of help from some *very* generous FoLCs - you know who you are!) I used 'Overstreet' such as they came from the 'street' it wound up sounding pretty good, I think : Jack Overstreet. So, I'd suggest using something that brings up thoughts of the life they had, you know so that everyone can pretty much get an idea of who you're talking about :) Also, you're welcome to use Overstreet, if you'd like, I don't mind at all Mandy :) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 20:46:57 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Eileen Barnard Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit -----Original Message----- From: Emily Angerer Crawford To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU Date: 29 March 1999 11:06 Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions >Mandy Crustner wrote: >> >> I've never been pregnant and >> never actually been around anyone when they're first pregnant so, I need >> some help. I need to know, how long after you become pregnant do you start >> getting morning sickness? This can vary from person to persona nd also pregnancy to pregnancy. I didn't get morning sickness for either of my first two babies but with the next two, I felt sick all the time for the first about 12 weeks. > > >> Also, how soon do you start showing? This also depends on whether you are talking about first or subsequent pregnancies. When I was pregnant with my first child, I didn't actually show at all until I was about 16 to 18 weeks along - apart from the increase in bust size. For the next pregnancies, I showed rather earlier, probably about 12 to 14 weeks. > > >> When do you >> start getting cravings? This can happen really really early - often before you really know you are pregnant. This can vary so much, there really isn't a normal time. One of the things that happened to me during all my pregnancies was that I went off coffee as soon as I was pregnant so for the subsequent pregnancies after my first, this was usually the first indication that I may be pregnant. Apart >from that I had really bad cravings when I was seven and a half months and onwards and didn't let up until I had actually produced. > I know there are some good sites on the web with some really good information but I am so inexperienced on the web that I haven't a clue where they are. I have some friends that may know though, as they are newly pregnant and surf the net regularly looking for info. I will let you know if I can find some good ones. Good luck with your fanfic. Kind regards Eileen B ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 14:44:03 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elizabeth Eve Davis Organization: Mississippi State University Subject: Re: Jack MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit His little brother's name was Danny, as I remember. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 15:41:16 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Yes, he had a name. It escapes me at the moment, but I'm sure it will come to me. BTW, I would like to thank everyone again for suggestions for Claude's name. Mandy and I are working on it. I'll post it when we finish it. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 15:47:10 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Danny, that's it. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 15:02:47 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: "Generous" maternity leave (was Re: Help needed: Maternity leave) In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 6:38 PM +0000 3/29/99, Wendy Richards wrote: >Thanks very much, Pam - that really does confirm my growing >suspicions about the US system. Six weeks the average!!! I did wonder >why, in fanfics where Lois is pregnant, she was usually written as >continuing to work almost up until giving birth - over here, she >would probably start her leave four to six weeks before the expected >delivery date, and I was half-planning therefore to have her commence >her leave within a few weeks from where this story begins (at eight >months, therefore). Several people have given good information about what women are entitled to in the US, but since you also asked, Wendy, what a "generous" company might give, I can pipe in. Your plan of letting Lois take a month off before her due date is not unreasonable. Now, personally, I don't think Lois would want to do that unless she was feeling uncomfortable or had complications, but if the DP offers a generous benefits package (which I think it does, also), then it would not be unheard of for her to have this option. When I was pregnant, my former company (MetLife, the insurance company) offered a generous package, especially for higher ranking employees. I was entitled to 4 weeks off with full pay before my due date. I was considered "management" level, however; lower ranking employees were given 2 weeks off with partial pay (I believe it was either 1/2 or 2/3 pay, depending on how many years you had with the company). If you delivered before your due date, you didn't get the extra money, but OTOH, if you went late, your "before" time continued until you delivered, so it balanced out for the company. After delivery, all full-time employees were given 6 weeks of maternity leave (disability leave) at either full or partial pay, depending on what your rank was (again, management levels were full pay, or either 1/2 or 2/3 depending on home many years you had in). If you had a c-section, you were given 8 weeks of leave, at the same fractional pay. This part is a fairly standard "generous" package. However, my company also offered what in my experience was more rare -- the option of taking an additional 6 *months* off at no pay after the 6 weeks. Now, no pay may not seem like any big thing, but considering that the Family Leave Act, as you have seen discussed here, mandates only 12 weeks *total* (that's before, during and after delivery) with no pay before you lose your job, the option of taking 7.5-8 months off without losing your job is highly prized. Now, back to Lois taking time off before her due date -- again, unless she is having complications or is uncomfortable, I can see Lois *wanting* to work as long as possible since she loves her job. As I mentioned above, I was eligible to take off a full 4 weeks before my due date at full pay. Believe me, I'm no Mad-Dog Lane but I ended up working until 2 weeks before I delivered anyway. I, in essence, worked my vacation time. Why? Because I enjoyed my job, and I had things I wanted to get done before I left--I was heading up a $3.5 million account that I had just poured the last year of my professional life into and considered it "my baby" almost as much as the one inside of me. :) It was important to me that I prepared my assistant to take over as much as possible. So, I went down to part-time days for the last several weeks and just kept coming in. It was a pretty sweet schedule--I'd come in at 10, leave at 3-4, and still catch lunch with my friends most of the time. So, if in your story, you want Lois to take off or reduce work a month before her due date, you certainly could have her go part-time--picking and choosing the "fun" stories that catch her eye and hanging out with her husband, while still getting to take a nap during the day at home. If you want her off completely, you might explore some relatively minor complications, like her blood pressure going up a bit, that would require watching to make sure they don't get serious. (Blood pressure going way up and/or retaining a lot fluids, can be very serious, but in the early stages, they often just recommend women take it easy and get lots of rest. Not full bed rest, but spending a few hours every day lying down, etc. If you want to go with this option, I'm sure there are women on this list who have experienced complications like this and could provide you with information on it.) As for afterwards, I was planning to take the additional 6 months off at no pay (like Pam, I can't imagine having to go back after 6 weeks, though I have many friends that did), but I ended up going back part-time after only 4 months total (6 weeks paid, 10 weeks no pay). The 3-month mark seems to be a real milestone for babies--many are sleeping through the night and Mom doesn't feel quite so exhausted. 4 months for me was perfect, since I was really enjoying my baby (the first 3 months aren't usually as "fun" as the ones that come later!) and had good child care (my mom). My company also made me an "offer I couldn't refuse" since I could come in 2 days/week and work at home the other day, so I was excited to go back early (and the extra $$ was certainly welcome!) If you are considering Lois going back to work in your story, I would say that 3 months would be a good minimum time (this is what we used in S6). And again, having her start back part-time is a good option. Even if she plans to go back full-time eventually, starting part-time for a few weeks/months is a great way to get used to the new schedule. Bottom line, Wendy--it looks like your plans for Lois and the DP aren't that far off. :) Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 16:29:30 +0500 Reply-To: mulders@mindspring.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bob or Chris Mulder Subject: Re: Jack In-Reply-To: <19990329200854.16026.qmail@.netaddress.usa.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT DebraG wrote: > Hi everyone, > Question - does > anyone know if they gave Jack's little brother a name? I've seen a couple of responses to this where someone thought his name was Danny. However, I seem to remember hearing "Denny" which I took to be short for Dennis. This may turn out to be another one of those things we need to ask the close-captioned among us to settle. --Chris ... who now keeps hearing Dean's voice in her head saying, "His name's Denny, and he's about ..." Not that I'm complaining, mind you. mailto:mulders@mindspring.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 16:34:03 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: "Generous" maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Kathy, Mother Met certainly does offer generous health care packages in general. Also, Wendy, Lois and Clark may want to set up an employee spending account. Basically, that means that they can save "pre-tax" dollars for daycare expenses. Because of the nature of their jobs, Lois and Clark could probably work from home without even having to have a lot of time off in the first place. After all, work (investigative journalism) is Lois's first love, and her stories are her "babies." I figure that the Planet, and especially Uncle Perry, will bend over backwards to help the "hottest team in town" settle in. JOY:) {who loves reading these posts in between client calls} ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 16:34:36 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Annette Ciotola Subject: Re: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/29/99 4:29:57 PM Eastern Standard Time, mulders@mindspring.com writes: << However, I seem to remember hearing "Denny" which I took to be short for Dennis. This may turn out to be another one of those things we need to ask the close-captioned among us to settle. >> Or those with scripts. Yes, the name is indeed "Denny" as mentioned in the script under the CAST page. Anne :) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 16:58:41 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: The Zoomway Subject: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" Comments: cc: LOISCLA@vm.ege.edu.tr Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi FoLC ;) I'm writing this for a couple of reasons. Recently someone a few of us know on line met a "friend" from cyber space in person, and the experience for her wasn't pleasant. The person seemed harmless on line, even "sweet", but in person turned out to be "scary". So I'm going to post some guidelines, and anyone out there who would like to add to this guideline list, please feel free. First of all NEVER assume someone is being as truthful with you as you are being with them. There are men and women who will say they aren't married, for example, because they're looking for action, not love and commitment. On the flip side of that coin are people who say they *are* married when it's not true. "Married" can sometimes make that person sound more disarming or "safe". Do NOT freely give out your address and phone number. If you do agree to meet in person, meet in a PUBLIC place. Let someone *know* you are meeting this person. Quite often before the "meet in person" phase, photographs (usually the cyber variety like JPEGs) are exchanged. If so, send the photo to the person you've told about this "relationship", the person you've told about the "in person" meeting. Once you reach the meeting, again, in a PUBLIC place, and the person looks almost *nothing* like the photo he/she sent you, some serious alarm bells should start ringing. If the person looks nothing like his/her photograph, don't buy excuses like, "I didn't think you'd agree to meet me if you knew what I really looked like" or "Really? I must have sent my cousin's (or anyone else's) photo by mistake." Most people who want a *real* relationship go to a lot of trouble to make sure they find a flattering photo of themselves to send, but *never* a deceptive one. If you're corresponding with someone and that person starts asking for too much personal information early on, be suspicious, particularly if the reason you started corresponding with that person would not be conducive to such personal questions, i.e., the person wanted help with computer problems, career advice or even help with fanfic. Don't shut yourself off from long-term friendships for the sake of your new "romance". Be suspicious if this person wants you to segregate yourself from old friends, or wants you to keep the relationship a secret. If everything is honest and above board, there's no reason in the world to keep the relationship a secret. Someone you trust being kept up to date on what's going on could be your *best* protection. Be aware too this can sometimes be about *money*. If someone lays a sob story on you about needing money to finalize a divorce, save a business, start a business or whatever, be sympathetic, but *don't* get out your check book ;) Lastly, in or out of cyberspace, try and use good judgment and precautions. Someone who truly cares about you won't balk at safety suggestions. In fact, if they're just as sincere as you, they'll happily agree to them. There have been several FoLC who met on line and have formed long lasting frienships and some who have even gotten engaged and married, but many of them were caustious to begin with ;) Zoomway@aol.com (coming to you from the FYI corner of the galaxy today ;) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 17:39:52 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-29 12:38:38 EST, ida18@HRM.KEELE.AC.UK writes: << I did wonder why, in fanfics where Lois is pregnant, she was usually written as continuing to work almost up until giving birth >> Ah, Wendy, I think that was due more to Lois's workaholic personality than the maternity leave situation. ;) --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 17:56:41 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Margaret Brignell Subject: Re: 1999 Kerth Awards In-Reply-To: <4d611fad.36fe9935@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 04:03 PM 3/28/1999 EST, Laurie F. wrote: >Well, I still think you should have won for these, Margaret. You'll note in >the chat logs that I was rooting for you---and I wasn't the only one! > Yes, I read the logs, and I see that I had a whole cheering section:):):) Wow! I thought the Margaret Wave was *really* cool!:) I didn't recognize all the login names of the people in my cheering section, but I really appreciate all the support:):):) >Erin did tell us that the voting in several categories was a near tie with >only a couple votes separating the winner. Yep, that's the excuse I'm using >--Laurie F (who may have a vested interest but wouldn't accept Margaret's >payoffs--after all Canadian money isn't worth much in the U.S. right now. ) > And, I thought the rotten exchange rate was a problem up until now;) I want to say a big "Thank You" to Laurie and everyone who was rooting for me at the Kerths:) Margaret ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@capitalnet.com Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 17:51:49 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-29 15:09:16 EST, you write: << does anyone know if they gave Jack's little brother a name? >> Danny --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 17:56:15 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Jack Comments: To: mulders@mindspring.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-29 16:29:57 EST, mulders@mindspring.com writes: << ... who now keeps hearing Dean's voice in her head saying, "His name's Denny, and he's about ..." Not that I'm complaining, mind you >> YOu sure that's not his California accent showing? --Laurie (who was sure she heard Danny) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 18:48:14 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Farah Meitzen Chisham Subject: OT: RE: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Gee Zoom, I didn't think I was *that* scary. I tried to be on my best behavior this time and I even wore my best non-blood-stained dress! (all joking aside, she's really right) At 04:58 PM 3/29/99 EST, you wrote: >Hi FoLC ;) > >I'm writing this for a couple of reasons. Recently someone a few of us know on >line met a "friend" from cyber space in person, and the experience for her >wasn't pleasant. The person seemed harmless on line, even "sweet", but in >person turned out to be "scary". So I'm going to post some guidelines, and >anyone out there who would like to add to this guideline list, please feel >free. farah :) farah@chisham.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 19:17:58 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Demona (Angel Of The Night)" Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Advice well taken Zoom. I'm sad to hear that someone many of us probably know has been affected this way :( I'm another person who was 'duped' before I became a FoLC, a few years ago, I ended up having to change my phone number among other *address* related issues. (Believe it or not, there's a stalker out there for everyone guys -- you don't have to be famous. ;P) By the time I joined FoLCdom, I was already extremely cautious online. To this day, I almost never give out personal information on the internet for that same reason. That one episode literally scared the (heck) out of me and it's made me gun-shy of internet acquaintances ever since, unfortunately. I pro actively had to lead the person who was looking for me in the wrong direction before it stopped.. not much thanks to the authorities either. And not everyone can be as lucky as I was. It's deceptive, I (like a lot of people) thought that there was protection out there for things like this, but you'd never believe how difficult it is to get the authorities on your side once you've __willingly__ given personal information to the person who's now making your life a living monster. You hear a whole lot of: "there's nothing we can do unless s/he threatens you or your family overtly." -- let me tell you, it sucks. It's not worth it. Zoom's right. Much better safe.. than sorry. Demi (Which isn't to say there aren't some wonderful people out here in FoLCdom.. it's just difficult to judge a person over an internet connection unless you've 'known' them for a lot of years.. and even then...I'd go back and re-read Zoom's advice on my way out the door ;) ___________________________________________ Demi aka Demona nightangel@home.com http://fantasia.simplenet.com/lcfantasy/ "Far away, long ago, glowing dim as an ember. Things my heart used to know, things it yearns to remember.." - 'Anastasia' (excerpt: 'Once Upon A December') I went to the doctor, I went to the mountain. I looked to the children, I drank from the fountain. There's more than one answer to these questions, pointing me in a crooked line. The less I seek my source for some definitive The closer I am to fine. - Indigo Girls ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 01:28:47 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Zoomway wrote: > >I'm writing this for a couple of reasons. Recently someone a few of us know on >line met a "friend" from cyber space in person, and the experience for her >wasn't pleasant. The person seemed harmless on line, even "sweet", but in >person turned out to be "scary". So I'm going to post some guidelines, and >anyone out there who would like to add to this guideline list, please feel >free. Sound advice, Zoom, which should be printed out and kept in wallets for future reference - I hope that our 'mutual' friend wasn't too shaken by the experience and managed to sever all ties to the scary one (if not severing something more personal. Maybe that's another piece of sound advice - always carry a pair of boltcutters with you at all times.....) without any hassle? LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@dircon.co.uk. ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 18:40:22 +0000 Reply-To: wbarbara@execpc.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Barbara Knutson Subject: Re: Superman Museum On 29 Mar 99 at 8:46, K.M. de Castro wrote: > Okay, here's a plug for a fellow FoLC's website... > > I visited Barb and Jon Knutson's "Honeymoon in Metropolis" page the other day, > and it had all sorts of shots of the Superman Museum, as well as a mini-tour > of the town. I highly recommend surfing by, except that the URL is lost to me. > I know that it's in Barb's sig at the bottom of her mail... Thanks for the great plug, Marie! Jon worked very hard on these pages. And truly, the pictures of the museum don't come *near* to doing it justice. Whatever incarnation of Supe you want, they've got it - and we were truly surprized and happy about all the L&C mementos. http://www.execpc.com/~waffyjon/index.html is the main page (us, the wedding, links to our own sites, etc.) http://www.execpc.com/~wbarbara/metrop.html is the Metropolis page Barbara trying to figure out if we can afford to go back this year to meet Justin Whalin! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ wbarbara@execpc.com WAFFyBarb on IRC Brand-new-wife of Jon Knutson - the most wonderful man alive And a believer that fairy tales *can* come true.... check out his website, since Tripod won't let me into mine http://www.execpc.com/~waffyjon/index.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 16:49:52 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Starfire 1138 Subject: Re: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain >In a message dated 99-03-29 16:29:57 EST, mulders@mindspring.com writes: > ><< ... who now keeps hearing Dean's voice in her head saying, "His > name's Denny, and he's about ..." Not that I'm complaining, mind you >> > >YOu sure that's not his California accent showing? > >--Laurie (who was sure she heard Danny) I'm a little curious--what exactly does Dean's (or a California) accent sound like? I guess I never really noticed one before. But, I am from the West Coast, so maybe I wouldn't. Comments?? Starfire :o) Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 19:56:42 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Demona (Angel Of The Night) >not much thanks to the >authorities either. And not everyone can be as lucky as I was. In my experience, "the authorities" can be as bad as, or even worse than, the original perpetrator. >It's deceptive, I (like a lot of people) thought that there was protection >out there for things like this, but you'd never believe how difficult it is >to get the authorities on your side *I* believe it! ;-) once you've __willingly__ given >personal information to the person who's now making your life a living >monster. You hear a whole lot of: "there's nothing we can do unless s/he >threatens you or your family overtly." > >-- let me tell you, it sucks. You can say that again! Sorry to hear of another FOLC who's had such bad experiences. Does anyone know if anti-stalking laws apply on the Internet? The laws vary from state to state in the U.S., and I was wondering what laws, if any, would apply if the harasser lives in one state and the victim in another. Peggy gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 19:50:52 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pat Subject: Re: "Generous" maternity leave (was Re: Help needed: Maternity leave) MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Kathy wrote: > >This part is a fairly standard "generous" package. However, my company >also offered what in my experience was more rare -- the option of taking an >additional 6 *months* off at no pay after the 6 weeks. Your company was *extremely* generous, Kathy. That additional time option at the end of a maternity leave is almost unheard of! I've never had occassion to take a maternity leave, but the company I work for (private sector) has what I beleive would be considered a fairly generous policy. All pregnant employees, regardless of the time they've worked for the company or their job level, are entitled to a 12 week maternity leave at full pay. Up to 4 weeks of "banked" vacation time, also at full pay, can be added at the end of the leave time. The company also pays the employee's health insurance while she is on leave. Unlike many European countries, there's no national health care in the U.S, so a good, comprehensive health care plan for a family can easily run to upwards of $500.00 per month. >Now, no pay may not >seem like any big thing, but considering that the Family Leave Act, as you >have seen discussed here, mandates only 12 weeks *total* (that's before, >during and after delivery) with no pay before you lose your job, the option >of taking 7.5-8 months off without losing your job is highly prized. And, I would guess, almost unheard of in most corporate environments ;) >Now, back to Lois taking time off before her due date -- again, unless she >is having complications or is uncomfortable, I can see Lois *wanting* to >work as long as possible since she loves her job. Our staff have the option of starting the 12 week leave before the baby arrives, but most of them wait until after the fact (I can't count the number of women who've gone into labor at the office ;) I'm guessing they want to spend as much time as possible bonding with their newborns. Pat peabody@mcs.com pattijean@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 18:15:58 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elisabeth Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Wendy Richards wrote: > What I want to know is this: what statutory > entitlements are there to > paid maternity leave for employees? Sorry to disappoint you Wendy, but the only statutory entitlement for maternity/paternity leave is that you're given time off without punishment if you ask for it. Beyond that, not only does policy vary from state to state, but also from company to company. My assistant just got back from maternity leave in February. We had no idea how long she would be gone because there is no set policy. Instead, our company treats pregnancy as a long-term disability. (Don't laugh. I know it's sad, but it's true.) Because it a disability, you are given time off until your doctor signs a release stating you are fit to return to work. === Elisabeth Feel free to visit my home at http://geocities.com/Area51/Starship/7859 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 18:19:01 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elisabeth Subject: Re: Kerth inspired fanfic MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- DEBRA GRAY wrote: > Hi everyone, > > Had such a blast at the Kerths that I'm getting > inspired to write my first LC > fanfic! All right, Debra. How exciting! I can't wait to read what you write. === Elisabeth Feel free to visit my home at http://geocities.com/Area51/Starship/7859 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 18:29:42 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elisabeth Subject: Re: Jack MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Starfire 1138 wrote: > I'm a little curious--what exactly does Dean's (or a > California) accent > sound like? I guess I never really noticed one > before. But, I am from > the West Coast, so maybe I wouldn't. Comments?? I don't know about actors, but they train US TV journalists to use a Mid-West (Aack! They're stealing my accent!) accent regardless of where they're from. The accent could be the difference between employment at a national news organization and a local one. === Elisabeth Feel free to visit my home at http://geocities.com/Area51/Starship/7859 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 22:41:58 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Pregnancy Questions Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 First off, Mandy, I'd like to thank you for actually doing research into pregnancy symptoms :-) It drives me nuts to see authors make stupid= mistakes. As many of you know I'm currently about done with my second pregnancy= , so I have a little experience. And I will stress that every pregnancy is different, even for the same woman (1st vs. 2nd), but I can give you my experience, anyway. >> I need to know, how long after you become pregnant do you start getting morning sickness? << I usually started getting queasy around 7-8 weeks (which is really 5-6 weeks post-conception, because at the moment of conception, you're considered 2 weeks pregnant -- pregnancies are dated from the first day o= f your last period, *not* from conception, because that's a lot harder to determine). The first time around, by coincidence, I'd had a cold about the same time, so that confused the issue (I thought it was just post-nas= al drip ) (another early symptom is sore breasts, btw; I had that befo= re I started feeling ill) And "morning" sickness is a misnomer. Mornings were always my best time,= and I'd feel worse and worse as the day went by, til I was totally miserable at dinner time :-( But I didn't throw up much -- with my secon= d, it was, at the worst, once a week. And I gradually outgrew it by 13-14 weeks. Some women throw up a lot more regularly. In fiction, of course,= you get to choose which advances your story more. When you "show" depends a lot on how you're built, and how you normally dress, but in first timers it's probably not before 4-5 months. Second time around, you pop out a lot faster -- this last time, I was in materni= ty pants at 10 weeks, just because I couldn't stand anything tight around my= stomach. As for cravings... I wouldn't know, I never really had any. Well, except= for Cadbury Creme Eggs, but I do that every year about this time I could see Lois using "cravings" as an excuse to eat more chocolate bu= t Clark would probably catch on eventually... Good luck with your fic! :-) Pam !^NavFont02F06760017MGHHH41MH43HH8DMH8FHM785FDE ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 22:41:57 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Re: Fifth season "corrections" (was Re: Why *do* we like, o Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 I've been a bit preoccupied with other things, so I'm behind on many e-mails, and just saw the comments on my S6 ep... First, Charlotte very kindly wrote: >> > Boring no way. Matter of fact the ending upset me so much - who cou= ld be > bored - that I couldn't read it in my usual detail until after episode 2 came > out. << Hehe I did have way too much fun writing that cliffhanger... I half expected to be lynched anytime I went online before ep 2 was released... Then Sandy replied to Charlotte: >> I didn't find it boring either. In fact, I posted some comments about= it to the reader review section of the Season 6 website -- I think I did that on Tuesday or Wednesday. << Cool! I haven't checked for new comments in a while, so I look forward to seeing what you had to say. I know your comments helped to improve my= S5 ep. >> Anyway, I also hope (if I have time) to post to the website some comments on Episode 2 as well. I really had a lot of -- or at least significant -- questions about the plot decisions of the second story. << Well, if you and Chris would care to have that discussion on this list, I= know I for one would be interested. That was a tricky episode to plot, especially under time pressure. If Chris hadn't had a deadline to meet, = I think the story would have been much better, much more subtle, much longe= r, and not done for another six months PJ !^NavFont02F04540033MGHHG80MG82HHGMHIHH95MH97HIiMIkHI9CMI9EHJ41MJ43HK557F= 49 ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 21:31:44 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: joyceef Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Along with a lot of good advice, Zoom wrote: > >If you do agree to meet in person, meet in a PUBLIC place. I'd go even further than this and not meet someone for the first time by myself. There is always someone or a few people you can being with you to meet your Internet "pal". If the "pal" is sincere, they won't mind and might even like having others there. Joyce ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 22:42:48 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-29 12:00:58 EST, you write: << who tried going back to work, but discovered she didn't have time for both her job and her L&C habit, so naturally the job had to go.... >> LOL.. I just had to laugh at that comment because I can relate that to my college life!!! By the way, good luck with the baby girl! ;D Alexis ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 23:21:44 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: FoLC Baby Boom <.G> Re: Pregnancy Questions Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-29 14:53:36 EST, you write: << Curious Anne :) ( someday when I find Mr. Ca ... um Mr. *Right*, I ment Right! ) >> I am glad that your caught yourself on that one Anne!!! I mean if it is who I think it is, Mr. Ca... i mean Mr. *Right* you are going to have to get in line, sweetie, right behind me! LOL "I'VE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN AND ALL THE ANGELS LOOK LIKE ALEX{IS}" Tremaine Ramzey, FUTURESPORT aka: Dean Cain "Dear Dean... You Rock MY World!!!" ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 23:50:51 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-29 19:50:31 EST, you write: << I'm a little curious--what exactly does Dean's (or a California) accent sound like? I guess I never really noticed one before. But, I am from the West Coast, so maybe I wouldn't. Comments?? Starfire :o) >> I too am from the West Coast but not CA! Anyways, I didn't think Dean had an accent, I thought it was just the *sexy* voice he was born with!!! Thank you Dean's mommy and daddy!!! "I'VE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN AND ALL THE ANGELS LOOK LIKE ALEX{IS}" Tremaine Ramzey, FUTURESPORT aka: Dean Cain "Dear Dean... You Rock MY World!!!" ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 09:39:26 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: "Generous" maternity leave In-Reply-To: <85256743.00766D77.00@MetMtaG2.metlife.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Mon, 29 Mar 1999 16:34:03 -0500 Joy N Sowell wrote: > Also, Wendy, Lois and Clark may want to set up an employee spending > account. Basically, that means that they can save "pre-tax" dollars for daycare > expenses. I'm intrigued - this idea is new to me. Here, workplace childcare is tax-deductable, but I've never heard of an 'employee spending account' or saving pre-tax dollars. Can you explain in more detail? BTW, I'd got something worked out along the 'working at home' line, though of course Clark would probably turn out to be more unreliable than most new fathers who had managed to get time off ;) Thanks very much, everyone who has responded. It's helped enormously, as well as being a real eye-opener! Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:47:52 +0300 Reply-To: llck@netvision.net, il@alpha.netvision.net.il Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: ayelet goldman Subject: roses MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > >> > >> >>> Red roses were her favorites, her name was also Rose. > >> >>> @-->------- > >> >>> And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows > >> >>> @-->------ > >> >>> The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door. > >> >>> @-->------ > >> >>> The card said, "Be my Valentine", like all the years before. > >> >>> @-->------ > >> >>> Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say, > >> >>> @-->----- > >> >>> "I love you even more this year, than last year on this day. > >> >>> @-->----- > >> >>> My love for you will always grow, with every passing year." > >> >>> @-->----- > >> >>> She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear. > >> >>> @-->----- > >> >>> She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day. > >> >>> @-->----- > >> >>> Her loving husband did not know, that he would pass away. > >> >>> @-->----- > >> >>> He always liked to do things early, way before the time. > >> >>> @-->----- > >> >>> Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine. > >> >>> @-->----- > >> >>> She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase. > >> >>> Then, sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face. > >> >>> She would sit for hours, in her husband's favorite chair. > >> >>> While staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there. > >> >>> A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate. > >> >>> With loneliness and solitude, that had become her fate. > >> >>> Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before, > >> >>> The doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door. > >> >>> She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in > shock. > >> >>> Then, went to get the telephone, to call the florist shop. The > owner > >> > >> > >> >>> answered, and she asked him, if he would explain, Why would > someone > >> do > >> >>> this to her, causing her such pain? "I know your husband > passed > >> away, > >> >>> more than a year ago," The owner said, "I knew you'd call, and > you = > >> >would > >> >>> want to know. The flowers you received today, were paid for in > = > >> >advance. > >> >>> Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to chance. > There > >> > >> is > >> >= > >> >a > >> >>> standing order, that I have on file down here, And he has paid, > well > >> > >> in > >> >>> advance, you'll get them every year. There also is another > thing, > >> that > >> >= > >> >I > >> >>> think you should know, He wrote a special little card...he did > this = > >> > >> > >> >years > >> >>> ago. Then, should ever I find out that he's no longer here, > That's > >> the > >> >>> card...that should be sent, to you the following year." She > thanked > >> him > >> >>> and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard. > >> >>> Her fingers shaking, as she slowly reached to get the card. > >> >>> Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note. > >> >>> Then, as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote... > >> >>> "Hello my love, I know it's been a year since I've been > gone, > >> >>> I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to overcome. > >> >>> I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real. > >> >>> For if it was the other way, I know how I would feel. > >> >>> The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life. > >> >>> I loved you more than words can say, you were the perfect wife. > >> >>> You were my friend and lover, you fulfilled my every need. > >> >>> I know it's only been a year, but please try not to grieve. > >> >>> I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears. > >> >>> That is why the roses will be sent to you for years. When you > get = > >> >these > >> >>> roses, think of all the happiness, That we had together, and > how both > >> > >> = > >> >of > >> >>> us were blessed. I have always loved you and I know I always > will. > >> >>> But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still. > >> >>> Please...try to find happiness, while living out your days. > >> >>> I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways. The > roses will > >> > >> > >> >>come > >> >>> every year, and they will only stop, When your door's not > answered, = > >> > >> > >> >when > >> >>> the florist stops to knock. He will come five times that day, > in > >> case > >> >>you > >> >>> have gone out. But after his last visit, he will know without > a > >> doubt, > >> >>To > >> >>> take the roses to the place, where I've instructed him, And > place the > >> > >> > >> >>> roses where we are, together once again." > >> >>> Sometimes in life, you find a special friend; > >> >>> Someone who changes your life just by being part > of > >> >>> it. > >> >>> Someone who makes you laugh until you can't stop; > >> >>> Someone who makes you believe that there really is > >> >>> good in the > >> >>> world. > >> >>> Someone who convinces you that there really is an unlocked door > just > >> >>> waiting for you to open it. > >> >>> This is Forever Friendship. > >> >>> _----- _ > >> >>> // __ \\--, > >> >>> //,\ //@))\ || / > >> >>> \\ \ // \// \ > >> >>> \\__\||___/ > >> >>> \\ -, > >> >>> ,__'\\' /' \ > >> >>> \ \\/ \ > >> >>> ' --_||__---' > >> >>> \\ > >> >>> '|| > >> >>> ||' > >> >>> ||' > >> >>> \\ > >> >>> This is the sacred RED ROSE. You MUST pass this rose on to at > least > >> > >> 5 > >> >>> people within the hour of receiving this rose. After you do, > make a > >> >>wish. > >> >>> If you have passed it on, your wish will come true and love > will come > >> > >> > >> >>your > >> >>> way shortly. If not your life will stay the same as it has > always = > >> >been. > >> >>> (No Threats) just be nice & pass it on... > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 05:04:47 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: John Debbage <106532.433@COMPUSERVE.COM> Subject: Re: Kerth Awards & Thanks MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Hi, I was so shell shocked on Saturday night that I could hardly say all the things that I wanted to, so I would like to thank all the readers out the= re who voted for me and to all the other wonderful authors who keep the stor= y of L & C alive. The competition amongst the nominees was so tough and th= at made winning even more of an honour. = Congratulations to all the other winners and to the nominees. I would also like to say a big thank you to those who organised the Kerth= Awards. You all did a brilliant job and I think everyone appreciated you= r hard work, I know I did. It was a wonderful night. Yours Jenni ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 06:57:57 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peace Subject: TAN: L&C posters at eBay Comments: To: L&C Listserve MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm sending this to both lists, since LOISCLA seems to be down and this is sort of time sensitive. While poking around eBay this morning, I noticed that someone has five copies of the "Have You Been to Metropolis Lately?" poster that they are auctioning off. There's only about a day left in the auction, and so far they don't have any bids, so if you want this poster, now would probably be a good time to put in a bid. http://www.ebay.com Search on "Lois & Clark" and make sure you click the box that says "Search Title AND Description" to get a complete listing of L&C stuff. There's not a whole lot right now, but some of it has "Superman" or "Dean Cain" or "Teri Hatcher" in the title, so it wouldn't come up in the search unless you click that box. Have fun! (and don't get lost in there ) Peace ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 06:20:31 +1000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Tracey Barlow Subject: Re: "Generous" maternity leave MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: Re: "Generous" maternity leave (was Re: Help needed: Maternity leave) >Kathy wrote: >> >>This part is a fairly standard "generous" package. However, my >company >>also offered what in my experience was more rare -- the option of >taking an >>additional 6 *months* off at no pay after the 6 weeks. Here I come out of ... mmm....... years of inactivity on either list. Just a topic that i thought I would put in an Oz perspective. After reading your post I have come to the conclusion that here is the place to have your baby. Legislation here now makes it compulsory for women to be provided with 12 months unpaid maternity leave in addition to the paid component. In private industry this would be 4 weeks minimum and after 12 months you are entitled to return to a position of equivalent seniority as when you went on leave. If you are employed in a Government department 12 weeks paid leave is the norm, 6 weeks either side but you are paid 12 weeks irrespective of when the baby arrives. As a a teacher in a Government school I was even better off! The 12 weeks paid leave applies as before but there is provision for 7 years (yup 7) of unpaid Family Leave. If you return within this time you are eligible for another 12 weeks paid leave for subsequent pregnancies, the 7 years being cumulative. This may also be shared with a spouse if he is also employed as a teacher! In my own case I used up every one of those 7 years (I didn't return in the meantime) and was even able to add another year classified as Leave Without Pay. So 8 years and 3 months after leaving the Education Department, I fronted up once more at the equivalent salary to where I left off, my sick leave allowances still in place and my Superannuation and the service towards Long Service Leave (2 months paid leave after 10 years service) all waiting to be reactivated. Sounds too good to be true..... after reading some of the entitlements in the US and UK, I think perhaps it is! Back to 12 months more of (paid) hibernation!!!! Tracey ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 08:36:15 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Roseann Buonadies Subject: Re: "Generous" maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/30/1999 4:39:57 AM Eastern Standard Time, ida18@HRM.KEELE.AC.UK writes: << > Also, Wendy, Lois and Clark may want to set up an employee spending > account. Basically, that means that they can save "pre-tax" dollars for daycare > expenses. I'm intrigued - this idea is new to me. Here, workplace childcare is tax-deductable, but I've never heard of an 'employee spending account' or saving pre-tax dollars. Can you explain in more detail? >> Wendy, at my company, we have two different kinds of pre-tax "spending accounts" -- health care and dependent care. In the health care account, we can submit for reimbursement medical bills that aren't covered by our group plan, any deductibles and co-payments. In the dependent care account, we can submit bills for childcare, any bills for parental nursing home care, etc. Unfortunately, both accounts are "use it or lose it," which means you have to use your dollars in the plan year -- they cannot be carried over into the next year. Both accounts reduce your tax base, thereby giving you more for your dollar, based on the income bracket you're in. Kathy -- I had to laugh when you called your former company "MotherMet" -- we call ours "MotherNYLIC." Well, we used to, anyway. I've enjoyed reading these posts, especially now since I finally got a computer at home (yea!) and can read them leisurely instead of on the train with someone looking over my shoulder. First rule of fandom - don't read nfic on the train! I wasn't completely set up for the Kerth ceremonies, but I hope to venture into IRC land in the future. Congratulations to all the nominees and winners, with special thanks to all the organizers. I downloaded the logs and plan to read them today. Right now, I've just been having the time of my life downloading all the music videos on Anne and Zoomway's sites. Wonderful, wonderful stuff! Love my 'puter! Take care Roseann B. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 10:11:11 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: 1999 Kerth Awards MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit From: Margaret Brignell > >I want to say a big "Thank You" to Laurie and everyone who was rooting for >me at the Kerths:) > >Margaret > Well, I wasn't "at" the Kerths, but I was still rooting for you. ;-) Congrats on the nominations! Peggy gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 10:55:24 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Something I read recently raised this question for me--do writers create their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and "translating" the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that somehow coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from you writers on this question! Peggy, apologizing in advance if someone else has asked this recently--I've been "off" for several weeks. :-) gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 16:04:11 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers In-Reply-To: <001e01be7ac5$d6edb080$2731e7d0@gremlino> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Interesting question, Peggy. For me, it's both; with 'An Ordinary Man', for example, I had a mental picture of Lois and Superman trapped somewhere, and an image or some sort of indication that he had no powers, and I 'saw' in my mind Lois repeating her 'if you were an ordinary man' speech to him; and I built the rest of the story around that. At other times, a passage of dialogue comes to me: in 'Love so Long' what came to me was Perry asking Clark to kill him; the entire dialogue formed itself in my mind and I had to run to write it down and work out how I got to that scene. Sometimes it's completely different again: a 'what if' scenario implants itself on my brain. What it Lois slept with Superman not knowing he was Clark; what if Clark, as Superman, told Lois the truth about Lex; what was Lois thinking as she asked Superman to freeze her; and so on. The story then frames itself around the scenario. I remember a brief discussion about this on IRC one night a week or two before the Kerths; LabRat commented that she worked in a pretty similar way (sorry if I'm misrepresenting you here, Rat ;) ). Wendy On Tue, 30 Mar 1999 10:55:24 -0500 Peggy Mueller wrote: > Something I read recently raised this question for me--do writers create > their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and "translating" > the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that somehow > coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from you writers on this > question! > > Peggy, > apologizing in advance if someone else has asked this recently--I've been > "off" for several weeks. :-) > gremlino@pathway.net ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 18:19:50 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wendy wrote: >Interesting question, Peggy. > >For me, it's both; with 'An Ordinary Man', for example, I had a >mental picture of Lois and Superman trapped somewhere, and an image >or some sort of indication that he had no powers, and I 'saw' in my >mind Lois repeating her 'if you were an ordinary man' speech to him; >and I built the rest of the story around that. > >At other times, a passage of dialogue comes to me: in 'Love so Long' >what came to me was Perry asking Clark to kill him; the entire >dialogue formed itself in my mind and I had to run to write it down >and work out how I got to that scene. > >Sometimes it's completely different again: a 'what if' scenario >implants itself on my brain. What it Lois slept with Superman not >knowing he was Clark; what if Clark, as Superman, told Lois the truth >about Lex; what was Lois thinking as she asked Superman to freeze >her; and so on. The story then frames itself around the scenario. Great minds think alike, Wendy. Or in this case one great mind and one struggling along. No need to guess which is which - who won a Kerth at the weekend? I rest my case. ;) I was about to answer Peggy's question and you took the words (and pictures) right out of my mouth. Couldn't have said it any better. Sounds like every writing experience I've ever had. >I remember a brief discussion about this on IRC one night a week or >two before the Kerths; LabRat commented that she worked in a pretty >similar way (sorry if I'm misrepresenting you here, Rat ;) ). > No misrepresention, no, but it must have been somewhere else you heard me say it as I'm not on IRC. Can't think where though to be honest! Probably here, although I don't recall it any. As an addition to your comments, I can only say that I never outline a story - they usually start with a snatch of dialogue or a couple of scenes popping into my head out of the blue. Washing the dishes and hoovering seem to be good conductors. When I worked, there was nothing better than settling down on the bus home and letting my brain drift into automatic pilot for an hour. Oh, the ideas I came up with then! Never really discovered anything to take its place. Although mundane housework tasks seem almost as good. Then I open the gates, let my characters run with it - and mostly try to keep up with them. > And sometimes while watching the show I'll be struck with the old 'what ifs'. Contrary to popular belief, I don't often conduct research with Stuart - although there are personal life moments in my nfic. ;) It's fun knowing which *they* are when no one else does. And if I ever write an nfic involving Clark in a fire-fighter's uniform no one will need to wonder. The only other thing I would say is that since I've been on this nfic kick with LNC which started last year (prior to that in 20 years of writing fanfic I'd never even considered reading nfic let alone writing it - in fact and how's this one for irony, up until INSIDE SCOOP last year, one thing I'd always prided myself on was the fact that every fan of the show I was writing about - no matter how young - could read my stories without being corrupted. Stop laughing at the back there! It's true!) some of the old rules of PG fanfic writing don't apply and I've had to get used to working slightly differently. But not by much. :D LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@dircon.co.uk. > ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:47:01 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: "Generous" maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Wendy, Roseann is absolutely correct. The employee saves "pre-tax" dollars in an account. When a qualifying event occurs, i.e. daycare, medical bills, whatever, the employee fills out a form and gets a check in a couple of weeks, or less. It is a spend-it-or-you-lose-it deal, so the trick is to figure out how much you will need to spend before hand. For example, if you know that daycare is going to be $500 a month, you want to put $125 a week into that account. Some plans, depending on how they are set up, offer a bit more flexibilty. If you want SPECIFICS, I'd be more than happy to give them to you. (Just tell me which details you want. Otherwise, I'd write you a thesis). JOY:) {whose job it is to know ALL of the loopholes} ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:47:56 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii LabRat wrote: <<>> I bet you got some interesting looks, like the kind I got yesterday. Mandy Crustner and LabRat, you know what I mean. <<>> *That* is a story that you just *have* to write. <<>> LOL! You say that like corruption is a bad thing. I certainly learned a thing or two. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:04:58 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Peggy Mueller wrote: > Something I read recently raised this question for me--do writers create > their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and "translating" > the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that somehow > coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from you writers on this > question! Well, even though I'm a relatively newbie fanfic writer, I'll jump in head first on this one, Peggy. I usually visualize an entire scene before I ever get to putting it down on paper. I often find myself staring off into space at home when I'm trying to get a scene down 'just right' and my family often has great fun making fun of me for this, and frankly, I don't blame them! I know that sometimes I get so wrapped up in a scene that the emotions often show on my face, and in highly emotional scenes, I've even found myself crying, I was so wrapped up in what the characters were feeling. I bet I'm getting some pretty strange looks right now (you know you're looking at this monitor strange! ) but I *feel* my writing. Especially the story I'm working on right now with Joy (Hi Joy!) it's a very emotionally draining experience for the characters and I know that when I'm writing a scene and seeing them hurt in my mind that that is showing on my face. So, all that said, I do actually see the scenes in my head and if I can't *see* Lois or Clark or Perry or Jimmy or even Superman saying something then it doesn't get put down, that's the way I often help myself stay in character, I see Dean and Teri and Justin, and Lane saying the lines and then I know if it comes out right that way, then it's perfectly in character. So, now that you all know that I'm even stranger than you originally thought, I'll go! ;) Have a Super Day FoLCs :) Mandy Crustner http://members.spree.com/sip/mandy0924/lnctnaos.htm ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:59:52 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Mandy wrote: <<>> Hi Mandy! You are so right. Today I have gone from tears to falling out of my chair laughing as I worked on this story. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 18:10:52 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers In-Reply-To: <001801be7ad1$a22c0520$7c3470c2@default> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Tue, 30 Mar 1999 18:19:50 +0100 LabRat wrote: > Great minds think alike, Wendy. Or in this case one great mind and one > struggling along. No need to guess which is which - who won a Kerth at > the weekend? I rest my case. ;) > Now come on LabRat - the only reason you didn't win any awards was because all your work is nfic! Just you wait for the nfic awards... you'll be close to the top of my list... very close, considering Sheila hasn't done a new nfic for a while . And btw, you're right, I haven't encountered you on IRC. It was actually Dom Melaragni, now that I think about it. Must be something about us UK-based writers... Wendy (who 'wrote' all of 'Ring on his Finger' in the car on the way to work one day, then did not a scrap of work for four hours while she tried to get it down on screen!) ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 14:08:18 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Jacalyn S. Newman" Subject: Emotional while writing: was Thinking in Pictures-Q In-Reply-To: <00bb01be7acf$73688080$5a8f46cf@pavilion> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >Mandy Crustner said: > I know that sometimes I get so wrapped up in a scene that the emotions often >show on my face, and in highly emotional scenes, I've even found myself >crying, I was so wrapped up in what the characters were feeling. You are not the only one! I get VERY wrapped up in the emotions I'm writing- and the mood tends to stay with me for a time even when I'm done "working." That's great if what I'm working on is happy. But when I'm writing scenes filled with angst, grief, depression and so on, I pay the price! For me, if _I_, as the writer can't feel anything about a scene, how can I expect it to move a reader? There have been times I've been bawling so hard I could barely see the monitor- a sure sign readers would be reaching for the kleenex, too. BTW- I've never written n-fic, so I can't say if that applies as well, but I suppose it would!. ;-) Jackie Jacalyn S. Newman jsd119@email.psu.edu ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:45:43 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Please find following my first ever fanfic. Everyone, please be kind - I'm incredibly nervous about releasing this. (I'm hyperventilating as I type on my keyboard!) Feedback is very welcome. Please email me at sirenegold@hotmail.com. Without further ado, here follows part 1 of 25. Many thanks go to my four proofreaders: Elisabeth,Erin Klingler, James Tull, and Karen Ward. I would also like to thank Karen, both for naming my new superheroine, and for strongly encouraging me to write down my ideas. And thanks go to Wendy Richards for the ... interesting food combination that appealed to a pregnant Lois. Finally, thanks go to Donna Burton for the correct spelling of Veda Doodsen's name. I recommend that you watch the episode "Brutal Youth" before reading this story. Please be advised that this story contains a serious WHAM. Please send feedback to Irene Dutchak at sirenegold@hotmail.com. With the exception of Lee, all characters belong to Warner Brothers. All standard disclaimers apply. Firestorm Irene Dutchak "This makes NO sense!" Lee pushed her chair back from her desk and sprang to her feet. She paced back and forth within the confines of the small room. Instantly recognizable as a dorm room, it held a neatly-made single bed, an uncluttered dresser with mirror, and a desk on which sat a phone, a computer and a tidy pile of books and papers. Lee stomped back to her desk, sat down and glared at the glowing computer screen once again. Sighing, she picked up the phone and dialed. "Gramps, it's me. Can I come over? I've got something to discuss with you. I'm really confused ... Sure. Right now is fine ... Okay. See you soon." Lee hung up the phone and hit her "print" button. While her printer was working, Lee got up, grabbed a brush and went to the mirror. Grimacing at her untidy appearance, she quickly and ruthlessly yanked her brush through her long untidy hair. Working quickly, Lee braided her hair and coiled the braid into a bun. Looking in the mirror, she nodded approval of her neat appearance. She was petite, only a few inches over five feet tall. Slim and long-legged for her height, she was dressed in plain black leggings and a white turtleneck. Her gleaming, fiery auburn hair and her clear green eyes provided the only color in her appearance. Lee threw on her gray jacket, grabbed her small black purse and her papers and rushed out the door. **** "I'm here!" Lee called. "Come on in, sweetie. I'm in here," he answered. Lee hung up her jacket in the hall closet and walked into the cluttered den. As always, the room was very warm. "Gramps, I wish you would let me clean up in here for you. This room drives me crazy!" "Honey, relax and sit down. You know I like it like this. And I do know where everything is." As always, Lee enjoyed teasing her grandfather, but his room did drive her crazy. Papers and books were piled on every available surface. But it was a good setting for him. He always looked most comfortable in this room. As ever, he was sitting in his big brown recliner. He had on his green and orange plaid wool vest and his warmest teal blue cardigan over top. Covering his knees was his bright red down-filled quilt. Bending down to kiss his shrunken cheek, Lee laughed, "Gramps, you look like you're starring in an ad promoting color blindness!" "And you, my darling girl, look more like a librarian than any librarian I've ever seen," he retorted. "You always look like you're trying to fade into the background. I mean, really! Black pants and a white top or black skirt with a white top. And always with your hair in that bun. You need more color in your life. You need to loosen up and live a little. With that hair, you'd look grand in fire engine red or bright yellow!" "Red? With this hair colour? I'd look like a raging inferno!" "That's the idea, sweetie!" Gramps grinned at her. "Gramps, are you planning on starting a new career as a fashion consultant at this stage of your life?" "What! You think 90 is too old to start a new career?" he joked. "Gramps, you'll never be too old for anything!" ""Ah darling, if only that were true." He sighed heavily. He sat quietly for a moment, gazing into the distance. Then he turned his eyes back to her."Okay, sweetie. Out with it. You said you were confused." "Gramps, I've looked at this data thoroughly, over and over again. It just doesn't make sense." Lee placed her papers on the small end table beside him. "Explain what you mean." "Well, Gramps, I've reviewed your notes and I don't see how you were able to help Grandpa Clark and Grandma Lois conceive. Your notes make no sense at all." She quickly flipped through the pile of papers. "It just would not have been possible to reconcile the two different DNA strands without a hybrid Kryptonian/Human blood donor." Lee's grandfather laughed and clapped his hands in delight."Bravo, my darling girl! You're the first person to call me on that in 45 years! I've been waiting for you to figure this out!" "Gramps, what do you mean?" "Honey, go over to my desk and open the middle drawer. There should be a small metal box in there. Bring it here. It'll help explain." Lee walked over to the large metal desk in the corner of the den. She had always thought that a wooden desk would have looked better in this room, but Gramps was used to this one. He had made special arrangements to purchase it when he retired from Star Labs. She opened the middle drawer and looked at the mess of papers, photographs, and other paraphernalia. It took her a moment of rooting around, but she finally found a small metal box shoved right to the back of the drawer. "Is this it, Gramps?" "Yes, give it here, please, sweetie." Lee gave the box to her grandfather and watched as he fumbled with it. "Is your arthritis bothering you again today, Gramps?" "A little bit." "Well, you know the drill. Spread 'em and reach for the sky!" Lee grinned. He put the box down and raised his hands into the air, spreading his fingers as wide as he was able. Lee focused on his hands and concentrated on sending an extremely gentle and extremely short burst of heat to his fingers. "Ah, I knew there was a reason that you're my favorite grandchild!" He sighed in contentment. "Gramps, I'm your only grandchild!" Lee laughed. "Now come on, show me what's in the box before you drive me crazy!" He opened the box and took out a device. It looked remarkably like a garage door opener with one single black button on it. He firmly pressed the button. "Now we wait," he stated. "Wait for what, Gramps?" Lee questioned. Suddenly, there was a banging and clattering from the living room. Billowing fog streamed through the door. "Actually, my darling, we were waiting for him." A voice with a distinctive English accent called out, "Bernard, you wished to speak with me?" "Uncle Herb, is that you?" "Lee, my dear. What are you doing here?" A distinguished elderly man in a vintage black suit came into the room. He wasn't actually her uncle, but he was a close family friend. "Uncle Herb, right now, I'm so confused, I have no idea what I'm doing here!" Lee said as she jumped up and gave the newcomer a big hug and kiss. Lee's grandfather spoke up. "Herb, a wonderful thing has happened! Lee's figured out that my data's a crock!" Lee interrupted. "Gramps, I'm totally confused. Your data's false, and this is a good thing?!" "No, my darling girl. The good thing is that you've figured this out on your own!" he explained. "You see, sweetie, you're right. It wasn't possible for me to reconcile the two different DNA strands on my own. I did need a blood donor ... and I had one." "How could you have a blood donor? No hybrids existed yet." Lee stated calmly. " Someone would have had to go back in time to.... Gramps!" Lee shrieked. "Are you telling me that I, that I went, and that I ... " The two old men gleefully beamed at her. "That's right, my darling granddaughter! Herb took you -- or to be accurate, he will take you back in time. You were a really big help!" He smiled smugly at her. Lee slowly sank down into her chair. She struggled to regain control over her emotions. "You guys are serious, aren't you?" Lee rubbed her temples in agitation. "We most certainly are, my dear and we've been waiting for this day since before you were born." Uncle Herb gently stroked her hair. "Since before I was born! Uncle Herb, please explain more clearly. I think I'm getting a headache!" Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:48:22 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 2 of 25 Lee's grandfather leaned forward and gently took her hand in his. "Herb, you go and get the stuff. I'll explain the situation to Lee." The English gentleman left the room only to return a moment later carrying an old-fashioned carpetbag. Lee's grandfather gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Lee, you know that I was Grandpa Clark's doctor. I was so upset when I told him he and Lois couldn't have children. I was, and still am so fond of both of them. I felt like I was crushing all their dreams. I worked at coming up with theories to test. I experimented. I raised their hopes, only to end up crushing them again. It was a terrible time. Honestly, I had no idea how to proceed. I had told Clark and Lois that I thought we should give up, when the most miraculous thing happened. You showed up. This very attractive twenty-year-old with superpowers came into my life, and swore that she was not only Superman's granddaughter, but my granddaughter, too. She told me she had come 45 years into her past to help me!" "Me?! I mean, it must have been me - I'm your only grandchild, but ... did you believe me right away?" Lee looked at her grandfather in wide-eyed amazement. "Well ... it took me a while to believe you. I mean, I wasn't even married yet ... hadn't even met your grandma Caroline. It helped that you could fly. And you had other proof with you." He gestured at Herb who promptly opened the carpetbag and withdrew a large manila envelope from it. Herb handed Lee's grandfather the envelope. He opened it, took out a photo and handed it to Lee. Lee gazed at the picture. It had been taken at Christmas, just a few months before. It was Lee's favorite photo of her with her grandfather. They were not posed formally but were very casual with their arms wrapped around each other. There was not a strong family resemblance between the two of them, but they did have the same lively, intelligent expressions on their faces. The loving bond between them was very obvious. Lee's grandfather then reached down and pulled another photo out from under his chair. It was identical to the first except that it looked well worn and yellowed. "You gave me this forty-five years ago, and I've kept it close to me ever since. Lee, I've loved you since before you were born. Whenever life seemed too hard for me - like when your grandma Caroline died - I would pull this picture out and look at it. It gave me hope. I could remember what you had been like in my past, and look forward to the future and getting to know you all over again." "Oh, Gramps! I love you, too!" Lee sniffed as she brushed tears from her eyes. Herb briskly blew his nose into his handkerchief, breaking the emotion of the moment. Then he reached into the carpetbag again and produced another smaller envelope handing it to Lee. "This isn't for you, my dear. Please don't open it." Lee looked at the envelope. It was marked "Dr. Klein - personal and confidential." "Gramps! This is your handwriting. You wrote yourself a letter?" "I told you there was other proof. I have to admit, I was the hardest person I ever tried to persuade of anything!" "What does the letter say, Gramps?" Lee asked. "Basically, it says that I should trust you and believe you no matter how much I don't want to. Also, I included a lot of personal details that no one knows about other than me. Now, darling, promise me. No peeking - I include a lot of embarrassing past history known only to me to prove my point!" "Okay. I promise not to peek." Lee grinned, holding up her fingers in the Boy Scout salute. "Gramps, obviously from what you've said, I told you the truth right away. Do I have to tell Grandpa Clark and Grandma Lois immediately?" she asked hesitantly. "No, sweetie. I'm not going to tell you whether they knew or not. That will be your decision to make, not mine." Lee nodded gravely. "I don't want to tell them." "I didn't think you would." He sighed. She changed the subject. "Did you already know that Grandpa Clark was Superman?" "Of course, my darling girl. Clark had been my patient for a long time. I knew almost from the first time we met that he was Superman." Herb glanced quizzically at her grandfather. He opened his mouth as if to speak but then closed it again. "Now my darling, go and pack enough of those librarian outfits of yours for a week or two. You don't need to pack anything else. Herb and I have some other supplies for you. We'll do a general inspection of your stuff to make sure you don't include anything that would be too radically different. Can't be too careful, can we?" "You mean, I'm going to go now? I won't have more time to prepare?" Herb spoke up. "No time like the present, my dear. You scoot home, pack and hurry back and we'll be off." "Whoa! This was a lot easier to handle when we were talking in the abstract. Now that you've told me I'm going now ... it changes everything!" Lee paused in thought for a moment. "All right, Uncle Herb, Gramps. I just want to say - this is totally against my better judgment!" Lee stood up and was gone with a whoosh. "My goodness, Herb. I think we really made an impression on her. I don't think I've ever seen her move so fast! And I haven't seen her so emotional since she was a young child. You know, she's really remarkable. Anyone else would be bundle of nerves knowing they were going to travel through time. Not our Lee! She's got incredible self-control! It's hard to remember that she's so young and inexperienced." Herb rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Bernard, you told her that you already knew Clark was Superman." "What can I say, Herb? I lied. What was I going to tell her? 'By the way, my dear, you spilled the beans about your other grandpa's secret identity!' That would have gone over well!" "You know, Bernard, you really are a very devious old man!" "Why, thank you very much, Herb!" Gramps laughed. With a whoosh, Lee returned carrying a small suitcase. "Okay, guys, let me show you what I packed." She opened the bag and started removing items, laying them on the bed. "First, I have clothes and yes, Gramps, I have some white tops, some black slacks and some black skirts. I also have my gray jacket, black pumps and my black sneakers. Of course, I have some lingerie too, which I don't feel you really need to inspect. As to what else to pack, I had no idea. Suggestions, gentlemen?" Herb retrieved the carpetbag from the floor and opened it once again. "Here you go, my dear. I have some identification papers - quite false, but they will pass inspection. Your name will be Lee Carlyle, Dr. Lee Carlyle. I felt Lee Kent would just be too hard to explain." "But Uncle Herb," Lee interrupted. "I haven't graduated yet." "Lee, you've completed all the work and are just waiting for graduation. That's close enough. You'll need to be taken seriously," Herb responded. He continued, "I also have a supply of money with proper dates on it. It wouldn't do to present anyone with a piece of currency printed in 2010 or some such date! Finally, I have a key for a flat, which I rented in your name. It's fully furnished. It's not in a good part of town but with your - how shall we say this - extra resources, I don't believe you will have any problems you can't handle. I've written the address down for you. I've also included a map of Metropolis. You may know your way around the city now, but it was somewhat different then. Any questions?" "Uncle Herb, I do have a lot of questions for Gramps as to what exactly happened when I was there before." "I'm sorry, my dear, but I won't allow your grandfather to answer any of your questions. Can't change the time-line, can we, my dear?" "You mean, that's it! You're just going to throw me into the deep end?" she exclaimed. "That's right, sweetie. It's sink or swim time!" Gramps laughed. "All right. Enough! I guess I'm ready. Uncle Herb, let's go." Lee bent down and gave her grandfather a big hug and kiss. "I love you, Gramps. I hope you were okay with everything. I mean, I know you are now, but I hope you were okay with everything back then!" "Once I got over the first shock, darling, I was tickled pink! I love you, too. And I want to tell you something. It sure didn't take me long to learn to love you! Take care, sweetie. I'll be right here waiting for you when you get back." Lee straightened. She wiped a tear from her eye, braced her shoulders and took her uncle's arm. "Lead on, MacDuff! Tallyho and all that!" "That's the spirit, my dear. Keep your chin up!" And then they were gone leaving an old man alone with his memories. He sighed. "Oh Lee, I wish it had been easier for you! No wonder I wouldn't answer your questions." *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:49:10 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 3 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 3 In a great cloud of steam, the time machine came to rest in an empty alley in downtown Metropolis. "All right, my dear. We're here." "Wow, Uncle Herb. What a ride! I fly, but I've never flown like that!" "It is pretty spectacular isn't it? Now, my dear, here is your suitcase and I also want you to take this bag. It has the letter and the photo in it as well as some other odds and sods. Today's the twentieth of May. Your father needs to be conceived sometime in the next two weeks." He handed her the suitcase and the carpetbag. He continued, "I'm afraid that I can not stay. I know you're a little nervous, but you'll do fine. You don't actually meet your grandfather until tomorrow. I thought you could use a day to orient yourself, and get yourself organized. Here's the map. As you can see, we're not far from your flat." He traced a route on the map with his finger. Lee took a deep breath. "Okay, Uncle Herb. I won't let you or Gramps down." "I know you won't, Lee." He pulled her towards him and bestowed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I don't tell you as often as your grandfather does, my dear, but I do love you. I couldn't love you more if you were my own flesh and blood." "I love you, too, Uncle Herb. I'll do my best." Lee stepped out of the time machine. Herb flipped some levers, pressed some buttons, and with a jaunty wave and a wink, he was gone. Lee took a big breath, adjusted her grip on the bags, and set off in the direction of her new apartment. *** Gramps waited patiently. He didn't need to wait long. Only a moment after Herb and Lee left, he once again heard the same ruckus from the living room. Herb briskly strode through the door, making the foggy cloud swirl around his knees. "Well, Bernard. She's safely situated." "Did you tell her how long she'll be staying?" "No. I also didn't tell her that she has more than one task to perform. I left all that for you to do." "Herb, is everything going to work out all right for Lee. I need to be reassured that she'll be okay." "Bernard, you will just have to trust me on this. All should work out just fine in the end. Everything she goes through, all the pain, it's all most necessary. You'll see soon enough." "All right, Herb. You've been a good friend for decades. I've trusted you for a long time; it would be a shame to stop now." *** The next day dawned bright and sunny. It hadn't taken her long to locate her one-room apartment the night before. She had been pleased. It was very plain, but also very clean. When she looked in the kitchenette cupboards, she had discovered that her Uncle Herb had stocked them with many of her favourite foods. She hadn't needed to do more than unpack her suitcase, and put the carpetbag neatly in the closet to feel at home. But then Lee had tossed and turned all night in her new bed. There was nothing wrong with the bed, but she had been preoccupied as to what the best approach would be in making the acquaintance of her grandfather. She finally decided that the honest approach was the best. She would wait for him at his work and when they were alone, she would calmly tell him who she was, and why she was there. Lee got out of bed and padded over to the closet. She removed the carpetbag and rooted through it for the letter and the picture. There was a large, soft, brown manila package inside the carpetbag. Inside was a fire-red, one-piece outfit - a sleeveless, high necked, form-fitting bodice that flowed into tight leggings. It had an insignia with a stylized flame on the chest. Also included in the package was a bright yellow cape obviously meant to be worn with it. Tucked into the neckline was a pair of very studious looking glasses. "You've got to be kidding! I'd look like a bonfire in this!" Lee looked in the carpetbag to see what other surprises Gramps and Uncle Herb had waiting for her. Exasperated, she pulled out a pair of black high-heeled leather boots. "It's a good thing I can fly. I'd never be able to walk in these," she thought in disgust. She found another envelope, this one addressed to her. She opened it. Inside were a letter and a folded newspaper clipping. She sat down to read the letter. "Dear Lee, By this time, you will have found your new outfit. What can I say? I was bound and determined to get you out of your librarian's outfits and into something more colourful. I know you will look absolutely ravishing! Believe me, I really do know. Or to be more accurate, I remember! You can thank me when you get back. As for the glasses, you could say they're a family tradition! Love, Gramps" Lee shook her head in exasperation. She slowly opened the newspaper clipping. She had a horrible feeling she knew what she would find. "Metropolis' Fiery New Super- Hero! - Exclusive by James Olsen." And there she was - in all her glory. It was a picture of Lee in a dramatic pose, leaping into the sky, her hair streaming out behind her. There was no story with the picture - just the headline. Even the date had been cropped off. "Yep, I was right! I do look like a bonfire!" she thought. "At least, no one will be looking at my face!" She studied the picture once again. "Well, I guess I can pack up my skirts. I'll never be able to put this outfit on under them!" *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:50:48 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 4 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 4 Lee sat patiently on the bench in the lobby at Star Labs. She resisted the urge to get up and adjust her clothing. However, she was fiddling with the unfamiliar glasses. 'How in the world did Grandpa Clark get used to all this spandex?' she wondered. Lee had hoped to meet with Dr. Klein early in the day, but she was only able to get a late appointment. Upon reflection, she decided that this might not be a bad thing. Employees would be gradually leaving, and perhaps they would have more privacy. Lee had spent the day strolling around Metropolis getting her bearings. She discovered that the hundred dollars in her wallet would not go very far. If she were here longer than a day or two, she would have a problem. The major landmarks were familiar to Lee, but there were still some big differences between this Metropolis and the one she was used to. She made a point of avoiding Grandpa Clark and Grandma Lois' neighbourhood, and also the Daily Planet's environs. She wasn't ready to deal with meeting either one of them, yet. One relative at a time was all she could handle, she rationalized. Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice. "Dr. Carlyle, what can I do for you?" Lee looked up. There he stood. He was so young looking. He still had some hair left - not a lot, but more than she had ever seen him with. But his eyes were still the same, lively and intelligent, and at the moment also very puzzled. Lee had tried to prepare herself for the shock. Even so it was an effort to stand up and shake his hand. "Dr. Klein, it's a pleasure to meet you. I've heard many good things about you. Thank you for agreeing to see me. I would like to speak with you in private, if possible." "Certainly. We can step into my office. Right this way." Clutching her purse and the large manila envelope, Lee followed Dr. Klein down a short hallway and into a very cluttered office. She looked around in delight. There was the very familiar metal desk from his bedroom. Papers and books covered every surface imaginable. Lee laughed to herself, 'Some things never change,' she thought. She waited while he moved some papers off a chair, and then sat down. He sat down across his desk from her. "All right, young lady. You told the receptionist that you needed to speak to me about Superman. Please go ahead." Lee took a deep breath. "Dr. Klein, you're going to think I'm crazy, but ... I'm from the future. " He started to laugh. "How'd you get here - by bicycle?" "No, by time machine of course," Lee retorted. "Please Dr. Klein. Hear me out before you have security throw me out." "All right. I'll listen, if you promise to leave quietly when you're done." "Dr. Klein, that's a promise I won't have to keep. You're not going to want me to leave in a couple of minutes." "We'll see. Please go ahead with your ... explanation." "Okay, Dr. Klein. First of all, I know this is hard to believe but ... I'm Superman's granddaughter." "Yeah right," he muttered under his breath. "Actually, Dr. Klein, I can prove this very easily!" Lee floated into the air, inverted herself and sat down on the ceiling. Then she floated gently back down, righted herself, and sat again in her chair. He looked like a frog trying to catch a fly. He didn't seem to know what to say. He kept opening and closing his mouth, yet he didn't make a sound. "But Superman can't have children - at least not with an Earth woman. I just told him that!" he finally stuttered. "That's what I'm here for. With my help, Grandpa Clark and Grandma Lois can conceive. They just need a hybrid Kryptonian/Human to act as a blood donor to create a treatment for Grandma Lois," Lee explained. "Grandpa Clark? Grandma Lois? Are you telling me that Clark Kent is Superman?" Dr. Klein jumped to his feet. "You didn't know already?! I thought you knew! You *told* me you knew!" Lee cried out in consternation. "What do you mean, I told you? How could I tell you? I've never met you before!" Dr. Klein sputtered. "Dr. Klein, please sit down and let me explain. I know this is all hard to believe - but - I'm your granddaughter, too. You may not have met me before, but I have spent my whole life getting to know you." Dr. Klein started pacing around the room. "I think I must be losing my mind. First you tell me that you're from the future. Next that you're Superman's granddaughter. Oh yes, I mustn't forget. Superman is really Clark Kent. Oh right, the topper. You're my granddaughter too. Look young lady, I'm not married. And I certainly don't have any children. I don't know what kind of game you're playing but I want it to stop right now!" Lee handed Dr. Klein the photograph. He took it from her, looked at it, and slumped back down into his chair. "This could be anybody. This old man ... he doesn't really look like me," he muttered. Then Lee handed him the letter. He looked at it carefully. "This is my handwriting. Where did you get this?" "You wrote it -- in the future. You told me that it contained information no one else knew. You gave it to me just before I came." Dr. Klein opened the letter and unfolded it. He read it slowly and thoroughly. Finally, he set it down, leaned back in his chair and gazed into the distance. "Dr. Klein, do you believe me now?" "I don't want to believe you, but it looks like I have no choice. By the way, he - I mean, I - oh, this is confusing. There's a message for you in the letter." "For me? What?" "Here. This page is addressed to you; you better read it." He handed her the enclosure. "Dear Lee, You just caught me in a big lie. I should say I'm sorry but I'm not. I'm a terrible old man. You already knew that, didn't you, sweetheart? I don't actually need to know about Grandpa Clark, but boy, it's a lot more fun this way! I also tricked you in another way. You have more than one job to perform, and you're going to be there for a while. I'm not going to tell you how long. I'm sorry, sweetie. I don't like doing this to you, but Herb assures me, it really is necessary. Remember, I love you, and I'll be waiting for you. Gramps" Lee slowly read the letter over again. "I guess I'm going to need to find a job!" she sighed. Dr. Klein shook his head in disbelief. "Did I really write that? It's hard to believe!" Lee laughed ruefully. "Yes, you did write that - in the future and I know it's hard to believe. I'm having trouble believing everything and I'm the one from the future!" "You're taking this very calmly." "I'm a pretty pragmatic person. Besides, I'm stuck. I might as well make the best of it because it's sure not going to do me any good to complain. Who would I complain to? And I trust you - I mean, the future you." "And Superman is really Clark Kent. I always knew they looked a little alike, but ... Oh my God! Does Lois know? I mean, she is married to him and everything! She must know, right? What if she doesn't know? Should we tell her?" He waved his hands in the air. "Gramps, I mean, Dr. Klein. Stop! You're babbling! Of course, Grandma Lois knows. And yes, Superman really is Clark Kent. Now, please calm down. We have to talk this over and decide on a course of action, how we can help them conceive a child. I do have a vested interest in this. This is my father we're talking about!" "Your father! So - I'm going to have a daughter, am I?" he asked. "Yes you are, but I'm not telling you when, or with whom. I think I've given you enough information about your future," Lee stated firmly. "All right, I guess I'll have to live with that, but can you tell me a little about yourself?" he pleaded. "I'll tell you the bare minimum. I'm twenty years old. I really am a doctor, or at least I will be soon, at graduation - although my name is Lee Kent, not Lee Carlyle. I just finished my doctorate at Metropolis University - I did an accelerated course of study in genetic engineering," Lee recited. "You're a scientist! Like me!" Dr. Klein beamed with delight. "Yes, I guess you could say that science is a mutual source of interest. You've encouraged me since I was very young, doing experiments with me, and telling me stories of your work. That's why I'm here. I read your notes as to how you helped Superman conceive a child and discovered that the data made no sense. When I went to you with my conclusions, you told me that I had to go into the past to help you," Lee explained. "What's it like, having superpowers?" he asked curiously. Lee grimaced. "To be quite honest, I've never liked it. I mean, some of the powers are fun, but actually being the one to have them, that isn't. I always felt different from everyone when I was growing up. It's scary. It's a big responsibility, helping people. I haven't had to do too much of that yet. Grandpa Clark made a rule that until we're twenty-one - I mean, his kids and grandkids - we are not to use our abilities unless absolutely necessary. Some of my cousins don't like this rule, but I can see the necessity behind it. We need to learn how to handle our powers wisely." "Are we close, I mean, in the future?" he asked. "Very close. Obviously, I have a lot in common with Grandpa Clark and I love him." Lee shrugged. "But you and I share a lot of common interests. I guess you could say, you're my favourite relative. I have always felt apart from the others in my family - except for you. They're all extremely creative people, many of them writers, but I'm different from them, somehow. I'm much more methodical and practical. I like to be in control of my emotions. They're more spontaneous than I am." "Wow! I'm your favourite! I find it hard to believe you prefer me to Superman!" Dr. Klein beamed at her. Lee grinned back. She could feel the nervous knot in her stomach start to relax. For the first time since this whole thing began, she felt that everything just might work out for the best. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:52:30 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 5 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 5 That evening, Lee lay on her bed and reflected on her day. Gramps was just as nice now as he would be in the future, she decided. And she still felt comfortable with him. That was important to her. There weren't many people that she felt comfortable with. He had agreed to pretend that he didn't know Grandpa Clark was Superman. And he was going to approach Star Labs' administrator about hiring her on a temporary contract. Other than that, the only decision they had made was that Lee would pose as his niece, and that she would address him as Uncle Bernie. Somehow Lee didn't find that too difficult. He looked too young for her to call him Gramps. They were going to meet again in the morning and plan their next course of action. Lee yawned. She was really tired. Resolutely, she put her concerns out of her mind and concentrated on breathing evenly. It wasn't long until Lee was asleep. *** The next morning, Lee got up bright and early. Always an early riser, she felt she functioned better when she kept to a strict routine. She dressed quickly, first in her new spandex outfit, then with her slacks and blouse over top. Her hair was twisted into her customary bun. Lee grabbed her purse and her jacket and was about to step out the door when she paused. Grimacing, she snatched up the unfamiliar glasses and put them on. "I sure hope I get used to these!" she thought as she left. *** Dr. Klein unlocked his office door. Normally one of the first to arrive at the office, today he was even earlier than normal. He could hardly wait to see Lee again. Poor child! Feeling different when she was growing up due to her powers, and then being so different from her family. No wonder he would make a point of being close to her in the future; she obviously would need him a great deal. He laughed to himself. It was getting easier every minute to think of her as a granddaughter. Meeting her was the most exciting thing that had ever happened to him. He felt a connection to her that he had never felt with anyone before. She was an amazing young lady. He had already realized that she was absolutely brilliant. Of course, after all she was descended from him. She was very controlled and disciplined with her emotions. But he sensed she had hidden passion in her depths. And she preferred him to Superman! Dr. Klein shook his head in wonder. He heard brisk footsteps coming down the hall. It was Lee. "Lee, I'm so glad to see you this morning." "I'm glad to see you too, ... Uncle Bernie" They grinned at each other and then with a laugh, stepped into a warm embrace. "Excuse me. Am I interrupting something?" A man stuck his head into the room. He was wearing a business suit, a colourful tie, and glasses, with a thick file of papers in his hand. Lee and Dr. Klein jumped apart. Their jaws dropped simultaneously. Dr. Klein was the first to recover. "Clark. I ah, I don't think you've met my ... niece. This is Lee, Dr. Lee Carlyle. Lee, this is Mr. Kent, Mr. Clark Kent. Um ... he's a reporter for the Daily Planet." Dr. Klein glanced at Lee. Her face was completely expressionless. He could sense however, that she was in the grip of a strong emotion. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Carlyle." Clark extended his hand. Lee struggled to regain her composure. She gave his hand a firm shake. "Please call me Lee," she stated coolly. "Only if you agree to call me Clark." "It's a pleasure to meet you also, Clark. I've read many of your articles and enjoyed them very much." Lee reflected that this was actually true. She had read most of her grandparents' work. "Thank you. It's always nice to hear," Clark said. "But will you excuse us please, Lee. If you don't mind, I need to speak with Dr. Klein privately." "Of course. I'll just step out into the hall for a minute," Lee answered as she closed the door behind her. It didn't really matter. She would still be able to hear everything. Normally, she would have focused on not listening to a private conversation but she didn't make the effort this time. She admitted to herself that she was a little concerned as to how well Uncle Bernie would hide his new knowledge. Lee leaned against the hallway wall and was immediately able to hear Clark's voice. "Dr. Klein, I just stopped by to ask for your help. Superman just captured Dr. Jones. He's the ex-military scientist who's been working on gene splicing and DNA alteration. He experimented on homeless people!" Clark said in disgust. "Superman gave me Dr. Jones' notes and asked me to deliver them to you for analysis. I think he was hoping that you could find a way to help those poor people - at least the ones who survived. At the same time, I was hoping that you could explain the technicalities to me. I really should understand this a little better before I try and write a story about it." Clark wondered why Dr. Klein was looking at him so strangely. Dr. Klein gave himself a shake. "Of course, Clark. Anything to be of help to ... Superman ... and to you." He suddenly had a thought. "Actually, if you don't mind, my niece is an excellent scientist. And her field of expertise is genetic engineering! That's not really my strong point. She could be a great deal of help to us. Do you mind if I invite her in to help?" "Dr. Klein, are you sure? This data is very disturbing. The effects of this experimentation were ... gruesome to say the least. Superman ... was very upset when I saw him last." Clark shuddered. "Let me ask her, Clark. I think you will be ... pleasantly surprised by Lee." Dr. Klein chuckled to himself. "All right, Dr. Klein," Clark acquiesced gracefully. Dr. Klein stuck his head out into the hallway. "Lee, please come in here. Clark and I could use your help." Lee frowned and grimaced at him. "What are you doing?" she mouthed at him. He grinned and waved her in. "Trust me," he mouthed back at her. Dr. Klein, Lee and Clark spread the notes out on Dr. Klein's desk and pulled up some extra chairs. Lee took a moment to review the papers and make a few notes, before starting to talk. Dispassionately, she explained what was done to each of the subjects. She was able to relate each procedure to specific results. Some of the results were gruesome in the extreme, but Lee managed to keep her composure. Clark took copious notes. Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 14:51:33 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: New fanfic - Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Irene, this is great. Keep it coming. I'm on the edge of my seat! JOY:) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:54:17 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 6 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 6 Lee had just started outlining what treatments might offer hope when she was interrupted by a knock on the door. A man walked in. Lee didn't like the look of him. He seemed very officious. "Dr. Walken," Dr. Klein jumped to his feet. "I forgot I had an appointment with you; I'm so sorry," he stammered. "Please allow me to introduce Clark Kent. Mr. Kent is a reporter for the Daily Planet. And this is my niece, Dr. Lee Carlyle. Mr. Kent, Lee, Dr. Walken is the senior administrator for Star Labs. Dr. Walken, I was hoping to speak to you about the possibility of hiring Lee for a temporary position. Lee is spending the summer with me before she starts looking for a research position in the fall." Lee was surprised at how insecure Dr. Klein seemed all of a sudden. But on the plus side, he was definitely a better actor than she had ever imagined he could be. Also, he had made up an excellent cover story. "Dr. Klein, are these people working on something with you?" Dr. Walken demanded. "Well, we are reviewing some notes Mr. Kent brought me. They're about..." "Dr. Klein," Dr. Walken interrupted angrily. "you will not review Star Lab business with outsiders. Especially not with journalists. And I am not happy about you wanting to hire a family member. This smacks of nepotism. You know how this could reflect on Star Labs' reputation. You will cease this discussion immediately." Lee saw red. She didn't lose her temper too often, but the stress of her unexpected encounter with Clark, combined with her emotional response to Dr. Jones' notes, was enough to set her off. "Excuse me, Dr. Walken! First of all, these files have nothing to do with Star Labs. They were brought here on Superman's behalf. You have heard of Superman, I imagine! You know, the guy that saves the planet on a regular basis? He asked Dr. Klein for a favour. However, this data does not fall within the area of my uncle's expertise. It does fall within my field! That is why I'm involved. Now, if you have a problem with your employee helping Superman, we can go elsewhere to work, and we can do it on our own time!" Lee stated forcefully. Clark grinned to himself. Lee defended herself and Dr. Klein articulately and logically, but there was passion there too. She reminded him of Lois. "Dr. Klein, I had a thought," Clark said. "Could I borrow Lee for awhile? She could come with me to the Daily Planet. I could provide her with space to work in. I know Superman would appreciate having some answers as soon as possible." Now why would the two of them look so nervous about his offer? Clark wondered. "Lee, that's not a bad idea," Dr. Klein said. "It will give you time to work on this problem. I think we want to get answers for Superman as soon as we can, don't we?" he asked. He glanced at her furtively. Dr. Klein was all for the idea. He figured Lee would want access to Clark and Lois. This was a great way to get it. Lee was undecided. She had really been hoping to avoid spending time with Clark. She felt very uncomfortable around him. Dr. Walken interjected, "Actually, Dr. Carlyle is welcome to help you with this problem. I apologize, I totally misunderstood the situation," he said, insincerely. Lee made up her mind. She didn't want any more contact than necessary with this arrogant man. Although she also didn't want to be in close contact with either Clark or Lois, she did want to help. Coming up with a course of treatment for these poor victims would be an interesting intellectual challenge. Glaring at Dr. Walken, Lee gave in. "All right, Clark. Seeing as I am pretty sure I won't be working here anytime soon, I think I'll have the time to help you out with this. I'd love to come with you to the Daily Planet. By the way, as I will be helping Superman and those poor unfortunates, this will be no charge!" Changing the subject, she continued, "Do you think I'll have the opportunity to meet Ms. Lane? I've been an admirer of hers for a long time." She turned to Dr. Klein. "Uncle Bernie, could you meet me at the Planet when you're done with work? I was hoping we could have dinner together - that is, if you're free." "Sure, Lee. I'll meet you there shortly after five." Dr. Lee Carlyle's a bit of a cold fish, Clark thought. But she seems very competent. That's the main thing. Hopefully with her help, Dr. Jones' victims would be helped. *** "So this is the famous Daily Planet newsroom." Lee surveyed the bustling workplace. "I've always wanted to see it but I've never been here before." Lee reflected that her statement was only technically true. She had visited the newsroom many times, but chronologically the visits hadn't happened yet. 'Time travel sure confuses a person,' she thought to herself. "Clark, there you are." An older man with a hint of a southern accent emerged from his office and approached them. "I wondered if you were going to grace us with your presence this morning." "Sorry, Perry. I got hung up at Star Labs talking to Dr. Klein about Dr. Jones' data." "Was Klein any help, Clark?" Perry asked. "Actually, Perry, Dr. Klein wasn't of assistance, but this young lady was!" Clark responded. "Perry, I want you to meet Dr. Lee Carlyle. She's Dr. Klein's niece and an expert in genetic engineering. Lee, this is Perry White, the paper's senior editor." "It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Carlyle." "Thank you, Mr. White." Lee shook Perry's hand firmly, "And please call me Lee." "Perry, Lee has agreed to help me go over this data. Her time is her own at the moment. She's here in Metropolis visiting her uncle. Would it be okay if Lee were to set up shop in the conference room? She's going to try to determine some courses of treatment for Dr. Jones' victims," Clark asked. "Of course, son. Just give me a moment to clear some of my mess away. I took some of my Elvis memorabilia in there, trying to sort it into some kind of order." Perry laughed. "Elvis? Elvis Presley, right?" Lee asked, excitedly. Her face lit up. Clark couldn't believe the difference in her. "Right! Are you a fan of the King?" Perry asked. "You better believe I am!" Lee grinned. "My dad is a huge fan. I've heard Elvis' music my whole life. The man was a musical genius! And he had a voice to die for!" Lee enthused. "One of my dad's uncles really loved Elvis. He and dad were really close. They spent a lot of time together. And of course, they listened to Elvis all the time. Dad was really broken up when Uncle Pe...Peter died." Lee's smile faltered for a moment. "Can I help you organize your stuff, Mr. White? I've also had some training in library science. I should be able to help you make some sense of your collection," Lee offered eagerly. Perry grinned. "Who am I to turn down an offer like that?" He offered her his arm and led her into the glass-walled conference room. Clark laughed. It was funny how quickly she had been transformed from a humorless scientist. She really has Perry charmed, he thought. Elvis was definitely the route to take to reach his boss' heart! He started to walk to his desk only to make a detour when he saw his wife already working at hers. "Mmm, you smell great!" Clark said as he nuzzled Lois on the neck. "And that feels great!" Lois replied with a warm smile. "So, honey, did you get any info from Dr. Klein? And who is that woman that you just introduced to Perry?" "Lois, I may be the half of this couple who has superhearing, but you don't miss a thing that goes on around here," Clark said in a low voice. "To answer your questions - Dr. Klein felt he wasn't the right person to analyze Dr. Jones' data. However, he introduced me to the young lady in there, Dr. Lee Carlyle. She's his niece and she has her doctorate in genetic engineering." "A doctor? Wow! She looks so young!" "I know. She doesn't look nearly old enough, does she? Anyway," Clark continued, "Dr. Klein's boss at Star Labs was not impressed with the presence of a journalist and was equally unimpressed by the presence of a staff member's relative. I offered the Daily Planet conference room for her to work in. She's agreed to help find a solution to this problem." "Well, she sure seems to have Perry charmed," Lois said. "It helps that she's a big Elvis fan!" Clark laughed in reply. "She's a bit of a strange character but I like her somehow." "What do you mean?" Lois asked. "I'm not sure. There's something a little -- odd about her and I don't know what it is. Perry likes her though." Clark and Lois looked in the direction of the conference room. They could see Lee and Perry both gesturing a mile a minute. Perry was talking up a storm while Lee was laughing at what he was saying. "Maybe what strikes me as odd, is how changeable she is. One minute, she's the cool professional, the next, a rabid Elvis fan." Clark laughed. "But it was really sweet the way Dr. Klein looked at her. You know, I never thought of him as having a family, but I definitely sensed a strong connection between the two of them." "Dr. Klein with a family -- it boggles the mind, doesn't it?" Lois grinned. "I want to meet her. Let's go." Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:55:07 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 7 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 7 Clark tapped on the conference room door and stuck his head inside. "Perry, how are you and Lee doing with all your stuff? Lois and I were hoping we could start working with Lee soon." Lois and Clark casually sauntered into the room. "Well, son, I think I've got the bulk of this stuff ready to go back to my office. How about you give me a hand with it?" Without waiting for an answer, Perry started piling photos, record albums and other memorabilia into Clark's arms. "You know, Chief. I would have said yes!" Clark laughed. "Lee, before I disappear into Perry's office, let me introduce you to Lois. I've told her all about you - at least as much as I know about you!" He followed Perry out of the room, their arms heavy-laden. "It's a real pleasure to meet you, Ms. Lane. I'm a big fan of your work. I especially enjoy your Superman coverage." Lee extended her hand to Lois, who shook it with a smile. "Thanks, Dr. Carlyle. Clark's told me that you have some very good ideas. I'm looking forward to working with you on the Jones story. What he did was just plain wrong. I'm glad someone has some ideas on how to help," Lois responded. "It really is a terrible crime that Dr. Jones has committed. No one deserves to be experimented on. Everyone should have control over their own destiny. As a scientist, I am always striving to be dispassionate about my work, controlled. But sometimes, it's a lot easier than others." She added, "Oh, and please call me Lee." "Only if you call me Lois. Lee, would you please bring me up to speed on this data? Clark said you have a real knack for making this scientific mumbo-jumbo understandable." "Sure, Lois," Lee replied. Suddenly Lee heard a siren with her enhanced hearing. She jumped. If she hadn't been watching for it, she would have missed seeing Clark dash for the stairs. "There goes Clark. We can get started without him. We'll see how far we get before he returns," she said looking down at her notes. By the time Clark returned, Lee and Lois had covered most of the points she had previously gone over with Clark. "Good timing, Clark. I was just picking up where we left off when that officious, toady boss of my uncle's interrupted," Lee said with a smile. The three of them shared a laugh. Lee was able to come up with some possible treatments for the homeless victims. "Perhaps I could discuss the most promising of them with my uncle - privately - on our own time," Lee suggested with a wry grin. Lois and Clark laughed. "Dr. Walken does sound like an officious idiot!" Lois smiled. "But Clark tells me you put him in his place in no uncertain terms!" Perry approached the conference room and tapped on the door. "How's it going in here? Have these two been working you too hard, Lee?" "Actually, sir, I thrive on hard work." "I knew I liked this young lady!" Perry enthused. 'Not only is she a huge Elvis fan and likes to work hard, but she calls me 'sir', too!" Perry looked thoughtful. "Lee, I just had a thought. Now that Jimmy's been promoted to journalist, I have an opening for a research assistant. Do you think you'd be interested? Or do you have other plans at the moment?" Lee thought fast. On the one hand, she'd be in close proximity to Clark; that was worrisome. But on the other hand, she really liked Perry and Lois. And after all, she did need a job. "Perry, a job would be a godsend at the moment. I'm at loose ends for a couple of months. I'd go crazy sitting around all day waiting for Uncle Bernie. I was thinking of looking for something that would keep me busy. If you're willing to take me on as a temporary employee, I'd be delighted to work for you." "Well, Lee," Perry drawled. "I had it in mind that Jimmy could use a good assistant. He's been following in these guys' footsteps so well, he's a little swamped." Perry gestured at Lois and Clark. "Ideally, I would have hired another journalist, but the budget can't handle that. At the moment, all I can justify is a research assistant." "So, in other words, you want someone who will do an incredible amount of work for a modest amount of money and won't complain about it," Lee grinned. "You've nailed it on the head!" Perry laughed. "So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?" "Absolutely!" Lee extended her hand to seal their bargain with a handshake. "That's great, Lee! It'll be good to work with you!" Clark smiled. "Wonderful, Lee. It'll be nice to have another intelligent woman in the office! You can help me raise the standards around here!" Lois grinned at Perry and Clark. They laughed. Unnoticed by the four of them, another person had approached the conference room. "Hey guys, am I interrupting something?" the young man asked with an infectious grin. "Jimmy! We were just talking about you. Come on in here and meet Lee." Perry exclaimed. Lois was amused to see a faint pink stain appear on Lee's face as Jimmy entered the room. 'Looks like Jimmy's boyish charm has made another conquest!' she thought. Lee's jaw dropped. She felt like she had been hit with a bolt of lightning. For a moment, the only thing she wanted to do was to run as far away from the conference room as she could. "Jimmy, I'd like you to meet Lee Carlyle, the Planet's newest employee. She's our new research assistant. You've been so busy recently that I'm assigning her to you, at least for the short term," Perry informed Jimmy. "Pleased to meet you, Lee. I hope you enjoy working here." Jimmy extended his hand to Lee. Jimmy, too, looked slightly stunned as he looked at Lee. Lee shook his hand and muttered something inconsequential while she tried to control her whirling emotions. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:56:13 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 8 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 8 That evening over dinner, Lee told Dr. Klein about her day. He was very impressed with her suggestions as to how to treat Dr. Jones' victims. Due to all the private things they needed to discuss, they had decided it would be prudent to buy groceries and prepare supper at Dr. Klein's apartment. She got a kick out of the ride home on Dr. Klein's motorcycle. He got a kick out of Lee's superfast food preparation. "You know, Lee. I have a rule that guests don't help clean up, but I just might make an exception in your case!" he teased. "But Uncle Bernie, I'm not a guest; I'm family!" Lee retorted. "True enough, you are. You hereby are approved to do the dishes - at superspeed!" They laughed together. "So tell me, Lee," Dr. Klein changed the subject. "Did you tell Lois and Clark who you are and why you're here?" "No, and I'm not going to either," Lee replied. "Why not?" "I... don't have a concrete reason but ... I just don't want to. He doesn't ... I mean, they don't need to know - not the way you do," Lee responded. "I don't want to tell too many people. It could be dangerous for the time-line." Dr. Klein sensed that there were other reasons why Lee didn't want to tell them but he didn't want to pressure her for answers. She would tell him over time - or she wouldn't. It was her business, not his. "How do you feel about working at the Planet?" "I'm not sure. I like the people I'll be working with: Perry, Lois and ... Jimmy." Lee blushed. "But I'm a little uncomfortable being in such close proximity to Clark. He might sense that I'm like him!" Dr. Klein didn't see what the problem would be with that. At the same time, he had noted Lee's blush and guessed its significance. 'Lee's fallen for Jimmy, and it's taken her by complete surprise!' he thought sympathetically. Taking pity on her, he changed the subject again. "Do you think you could show me this superhero outfit you say I designed for you?" He grinned. Lee laughed. "Of course. But watch out. It'll knock your socks off!" She stripped off her outer clothes at superspeed. "Grandpa Clark does this really fancy spin when he changes outfits, but I need to practice before I have it down pat!" Dr. Klein blinked in amazement as Lee blurred in front of him. "Wow!" He exclaimed. "You look ... Wow!" he repeated. "You seem so different! It's a good thing you dress so conservatively the rest of the time." He continued, "No one would ever relate Dr. Lee Carlyle to ... what is your superhero name anyway? Superwoman?" "Not Superwoman!" Lee stated emphatically. " I haven't thought of one yet. I was thinking of something like Fire or Flame. I mean, that's what this outfit looks like after all. Any suggestions?" "Actually, I do have one, my dear. While you were telling off Dr. Walken, I thought, this granddaughter of mine seems like an elemental force of nature, in other words a storm! What do you think of Firestorm as a name?" Lee laughed. "I like it! It has great crime-fighting connotations. I can storm the bad guys! And it ties in with this fire symbol on my chest. Okay, Uncle Bernie, Firestorm it is!" "What's it like to fly?" Dr. Klein asked wistfully. "Do you want to find out?" "Are you serious? I would love to, but is it wise? Aren't you trying to keep a low profile?" "I'm not too worried. It is dark out. But it would probably be a good idea to take a ride on that motorcycle of yours. It would be a lot safer if we were outside the city limits." "Wait! Shouldn't we be working on the treatment for Lois? I mean, you were sent here for a reason," Dr. Klein pointed out reluctantly. "True! But it looks like I was sent here for more than one reason, and I'll be here for a while. We can work on it tomorrow. After all, it's not everyday your granddaughter wants to take you flying!" Lee grinned. "All right! You're on! Let me just change into some dark clothes. You should probably put your street clothes back on, too - at least until we're out of the city." Dr. Klein answered eagerly. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:57:23 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: Re: New fanfic - Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Whoa, Joy! I haven't even finished cutting and pasting yet! Irene >From: Joy N Sowell >Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU >Subject: Re: New fanfic - >Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 14:51:33 -0500 > >Irene, this is great. Keep it coming. I'm on the edge of my seat! >JOY:) Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 13:02:42 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Jackie wrote: > Within two days of getting pregnant with me, my mother was vomiting every > morning. I'm currently pregnant myself, and I had radical mood swings > approx. 2 days post conception. Nausea, vomiting, and major food aversions > hit about 2 weeks post conception, along with bone crushing fatigue- and > all of those are with me still. (But no food cravings.) And there are lucky > women out there who feel great and don't have to deal with any of these > symptoms! > Some people start showing after 8-10 weeks, others spend the first > trimester losing weight because they can't keep food down. Every pregnancy > is unique. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer, I'm saving this and all the emails I got in reply so that I can form some sort of idea of what I want Lois's pregnancy to be like :) I'll probably take a little bit of each one of ya'lls so you'll all be instrumental to helping with this story :) > I'd recommend the book "What to Expect When You're Expecting" as a > reference. I've used it for my own writing (non L&C) prior to getting > pregnant, and that book does a great job of hitting all the highlights. For > a ton of info, you can also go to the web site http://pregnancy.miningco.com/ Thanks! I'll definitely check that book out! I also looked at the web site, what a fount of information for me to search through! Thanks! > Hope this helps! It helped a lot! ;) > Jackie > Jacalyn S. Newman > jsd119@email.psu.edu Mandy Crustner The one who *loves* research! ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 11:59:40 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 9 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 9 Lee walked home. Dr. Klein had wanted to drop her off first but she had insisted on walking. She needed time to think. She reassured him, unless there was Kryptonite around, she would be perfectly safe. He had to agree with that. She smiled thinking of his reaction to the flight. 'He's just one big kid!' she thought. He had encouraged her to pull out all the stops - loop de loops and dives. She hadn't ever done so many aerobatics at one time before. She had enjoyed herself too, she admitted in surprise. She hadn't expected to. The only reason she had made the offer was because he seemed so interested, and she wanted to please him. If only using her superpowers could be this much fun all the time! Dr. Klein and Lee only lived about a half-mile apart, but Lee noted that the neighbourhoods were quite different. His neighbourhood consisted of well-kept apartment buildings mixed with small strip malls that held dry-cleaners and small specialty stores. She noticed a preponderance of higher end gourmet food stores. It was very much a place to live if you were single and upwardly mobile. As she got closer to her apartment, she noted that the gourmet food stores gradually disappeared to be replaced by small corner stores prominently advertising liquor sales. And there wasn't a dry-cleaner in sight. However, there were an abundance of strip clubs and adult bookstores. Lee heard stealthy footsteps approaching her from behind. She braced herself. Suddenly, an arm snaked around her, and a knife was pressed against her throat. "Give me all your money, sweet thing!" rasped the would-be mugger into her ear. Lee laughed to herself. "I don't think so," she said calmly as she threw the man over her shoulder. He landed with a thud and a shriek. "What's going on here?" asked an authoritative voice from behind. Lee whirled to face the newcomer. "Um ... Superman! This ... man just tried to mug me!" Lee noted Superman's start of surprise when he saw who she was. "Are you all right?" he asked in concern. Lee felt off balance by his close proximity to her. "Sure. No problem. It's a good thing my grandma taught me Tae Kwon Do!" Lee responded impishly. This whole situation started to seem amusing. The corners of his mouth twitched. "I think your Grandma is someone I would like to meet sometime." Lee choked back laughter. "Grandma is really something special! I bet you'd like her!" she admitted. "If you don't mind waiting, I'll take this guy to the police and be right back to make sure that you're home safely." Her amusement fled. He sounded awfully patronizing, she thought. "Thanks, Superman. But I'm just a block away from home. I should be fine," Lee answered coolly. He looked surprised by the sudden mood change. He nodded, and bent down, scooping up the mugger. Then with a whoosh, he was gone. Lee continued on her way, bemused by the whole experience. As she walked up the steps of her apartment building, she noticed a figure hovering high in the air above her. If she hadn't had enhanced vision, she never would have known he was there. In spite of her feelings towards him, she was touched. His concern gave her a warm feeling of security. It's too bad she couldn't feel that way about him the rest of the time, she thought as her smile faded. *** After tossing and turning until three in the morning, Lee conceded defeat. It didn't look like she would be able to sleep tonight. Sighing, she got out of bed and padded on bare feet over to the kitchenette in the corner of the room. She focused her heat vision on the water in her mug until it started to boil and then added a tea bag. After it had steeped enough, she discarded the tea bag and added a generous dollop of honey to her mug. Sitting in the one casual chair in the room, she cupped the mug in her hands, inhaled the fragrant aroma and thought about what had happened to her earlier in the day. It was no use denying her feelings, she decided logically. She had fallen for Jimmy, and fallen hard, too. The moment she saw him, she had sensed that this was the man for her. There could never be anyone else. She wasn't sure, but she thought he had felt something too. As their conversation had progressed, she discovered that she liked everything about him. He was witty. He was intelligent, although he hid it well. He was very cute, too. There was an openness about him, an honesty that she admired. No repressing emotions for him. He had such enthusiasm and such a child-like enjoyment of the world around him. At that moment, Lee realized that Jimmy reminded her of Dr. Klein, the man who had helped to shape her and who had always been there for her. 'Oh God, I'm doomed,' she thought. 'I'm in love with Jimmy Olsen. And even if I could change my feelings for him ... God help me ... I don't want to. What am I going to do?' As the night progressed, Lee struggled to bring her emotions under control. She had no experience when it came to this kind of thing. She had never even had a crush on anybody before. But one thing she knew, it was completely impossible to pursue any kind of relationship with Jimmy. It wasn't fair to Lee, and more importantly, it wasn't fair to Jimmy. When Lee returned to her own time, Jimmy would be 67 years old and Lee would remain 20. Not only that, they would have been apart for 45 years. He would have moved on, probably even gotten married. Lee realized that she had never met Jimmy in her own time. She had never paid much attention to Grandpa Clark's and Grandma Lois' recollections and stories of their friend. She did remember them saying that Jimmy had left Metropolis around the time of her birth. He had headed out for parts unknown. Lee didn't even know if her grandparents had maintained contact with Jimmy or not. Even if she couldn't pursue a relationship with Jimmy, there was no reason she couldn't be his friend - that is, if he allowed her to be. Lee relaxed. Her decision was made. No matter what Jimmy might feel for her, she would not allow things to move forward. They would be friends, nothing more. And for the moment, working with him, just being with him, would have to be enough. And maybe, she thought, it had been her imagination. Maybe he didn't feel anything for her. After all, why should he? *** It was a lot harder to be logical in the light of day. After just half a morning working with Lee, poor Jimmy didn't know which way was up. "Honestly, CK. I don't know how I'm going to be able to work with her," Jimmy complained. "She's driving me nuts. I ask her if she wants a coffee and she snarls at me. Then she gets me one, with a donut on the side. She brings me a pile of research that I didn't ask for and probably won't need but she said she got it special for me to make my job easier! Then when I don't use it, she's back to snarling at me! She's been doing this Jekyll and Hyde act since she got in this morning and I don't know how I'll be able to take it! I have no idea how she really feels about me." Clark laughed. "Forget how she feels about you. How do you feel about her?" "She's fascinating. She's got an incredible mind - and you know, that's not normally the first thing that catches my attention about a woman!" Jimmy grinned. "And she's kind of cute in a buttoned-down librarian kind of way! She makes me angry - but I like it!" Suddenly serious, he continued, "I really feel this strong connection between the two of us; it hit me like a ton of bricks the moment I saw her for the first time. I've never felt anything like it." "Ooh, you've got it bad!" Clark teased. "How do you think I felt about Lois the first time I met her?" he asked. "Oh no, I'm doomed!" Jimmy joked. Working in the conference room, Lee couldn't stop herself from listening to their conversation. She was embarrassed by her behaviour. She prided herself on her tight control over her emotions but that control was really letting her down today. It was also upsetting to hear that Jimmy had indeed felt something between the two of them. She didn't know what she was going to do. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 13:54:43 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Tull, James [CORP/STL]" Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for FanFic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" >From MR. D8A's work email Mandy Wrote >> Well, even though I'm a relatively newbie fanfic writer, I'll jump in head first on this one, Peggy. I usually visualize an entire scene before I ever get to putting it down on paper. I often find myself staring off into space at home when I'm trying to get a scene down 'just right' and my family often has great fun making fun of me for this, and frankly, I don't blame them! I know that sometimes I get so wrapped up in a scene that the emotions often show on my face, and in highly emotional scenes, I've even found myself crying, I was so wrapped up in what the characters were feeling. ... I *feel* my writing.<< Exactly Mandy! I am a VERY visually oriented person and a feeling oriented person. When I read y'alls fanfic I laugh/cry with the characters. When I write I find it difficult in the emotional scenes to go on for very long. I will get up and be emotionally wrung out! My lovely wife Elisabeth will tell you that for a while she didn't want to go to movies with me because I would talk a the characters on the screen (but never loud enough to get kicked out!:-)) MR. D8A A.K.A. James Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. NIV Please visit and explore my house at: http://www.geocities.com/area51/starship/7859 ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:00:39 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 10 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 10 Lee paced up and down in Dr. Klein's office while he watched her. "What am I going to do, Uncle Bernie? How could I let myself have these ... these feelings? It's not like I can do anything about them!" Lee ranted. "That's tr..." he started to say. "You're right!" Lee interrupted. "It just wouldn't be fair to Jimmy to pursue a relationship. You know it, I know it! He would know it, too, if I could explain it to him! Have you ever been in love with someone when it wasn't wise to pursue it?" "Well..." "You're right again! This is a really unique situation. In the whole history of the universe, no woman has ever fallen in love with a man >from 45 years in her past at a time when she's not even born yet!" Lee shouted. "Why did this have to happen to me?" "Lee, don't you think you're overreacting a bit?" Dr. Klein said in a rush. "Right again, Uncle Bernie! I do need to calm down. And thank you for pointing out that I have to tone down my reactions to Jimmy. I need to stop sending him so many different signals. Friend - he needs to think of me as a friend. I can do that! I can be a good friend. And any other feelings I have, I just have to ignore. They can have no meaning for me." Lee sighed. "Thanks for your advice, Uncle Bernie. It really helped to talk things over with you. You helped me get things clear in my own mind. I really do appreciate it." Bewildered, Dr. Klein shrugged. "Don't mention it. Now then," he briskly changed the subject, "we were going to get started on this blood serum." 'Poor child,' he thought as they got down to work. 'I think she has a lot of heartache ahead of her.' "So, Lee, how does this treatment work, anyway?" Dr. Klein asked. *** Dr. Klein had been stunned to discover that Lee didn't know anything about the treatment required. As she pointed out, she had been too busy investigating the false information that had been provided to her. It had been of more interest to her in her field of genetic engineering. The treatment practically fell under the category of family medicine, which wasn't Lee's area of interest. As she had put it, studying it would have been like reinventing the wheel; why bother, when it's already been done once. He was a little puzzled that she wasn't pushing harder to get this figured out. He couldn't understand why she seemed hesitant. At least they had outlined several possibilities to investigate. The next item on their agenda was drawing blood samples from Lee. She wanted to wait until the next evening, Friday evening. She didn't have to work on Saturday and would be able to recuperate on her own time from the effects of the Kryptonite. Dr. Klein was really not looking forward to using Kryptonite on Lee, but it was the only way he would be able to take the required samples. He planned on taking as many samples as he could without jeopardizing her. He didn't want to have to repeat that part of the experiment. Neither did she. *** The next night was just as disturbing as Dr. Klein had feared. He had been forced to strap Lee down as the Kryptonite had caused her to writhe in pain. But he had worked quickly and efficiently enough to limit her exposure to under two minutes. It was with a sigh of relief that he was able to lock the Kryptonite back up in the vault. "Come on, sweetie. You're coming home with me. You can take the bed. I'll take the couch." He helped her to sit up. "You know, Uncle Bernie. I'm not even going to attempt to argue with you. I feel pretty rocky," Lee admitted. "Would you help me get off this examining table, please? My legs feel like they're made of jelly." As he placed his arm around her waist in support, he was reminded anew of how much this strange, improbable child had already come to mean to him. His mind still had trouble with the whole concept of a grandchild >from the future, but his heart had come to believe it. *** Lee marched into work bright and early Monday morning. She felt great. By Saturday morning, she had completely recovered from her exposure to Kryptonite. And she and Dr. Klein had enjoyed a wonderful weekend together. They had taken his motorcycle out early Saturday morning. Riding it was almost as much fun as flying. They spent the afternoon doing wonderful cozy, domestic things like shopping. He had been shocked to see the bare walls of her apartment and had insisted on buying her some inexpensive knick-knacks to brighten it up. Lee had to admit that it did look better with pictures on the walls and a couple of houseplants. After their shopping expedition, Lee had insisted on cooking for Dr. Klein. She was proud of her cooking skills and grateful for the opportunity to show them off. They had lingered for a long time over dinner, talking and laughing. He had insisted that they spend most of Sunday in the lab but she had talked him into taking time off to go to a movie with her in the afternoon. Dr. Klein had insisted on a comedy and it had been funny, Lee admitted to herself. Sunday night had been a repeat of dinner at Lee's but the evening had ended earlier so that they could each prepare for the coming workweek. Jimmy approached her warily. "Lee, you look like you had a great weekend." "I sure did, Jimmy. Uncle Bernie and I spent the whole weekend together. We had a great time!" Jimmy relaxed. "You know, Lee. Until you came along, I don't think any one of us here even conceived of Dr. Klein having a personal life! He's always seemed so dedicated to his work!" "He is dedicated to his work, Jimmy. But he can unbend and have fun, too!" Lee replied. She changed the subject. "So, what do you want me to work on today?" "Perry's just assigned me - I mean, us - to cover the labour unrest at the docks. There are rumors of corruption about the top union leader - allegations of bribe taking, physical coercion, stuff like that." "Sounds interesting. Where would you like me to get started?" Jimmy handed Lee a piece of paper. "Here's a list of names, both from the local gangs and from the union. Please do a background check on them. Make sure you track their finances. Look for connections." "Okay, Jimmy! I should have this info for you shortly." "Don't rush through this, Lee. I want complete info on these guys." Jimmy warned. *** Forty-five minutes later, Jimmy was again talking to Clark. "Honestly, CK. I have no idea how in the world she could have got all this work done so quickly. I mean, I gave her ten names to research and look at all the info she's dug up on them. I couldn't have done it this fast! And she's even cross-referenced them. I even know that this guy and this other guy are on the same bowling team!" His finger stabbed at the paper. Clark wasn't sympathetic. "Jimmy, what are you complaining about? I wish the whole research department was as efficient as Lee. Lois and I can't even borrow her from you. Perry's assigned her to you only." "CK, I'm not complaining. But she is full of surprises." "Don't knock it, Jimmy! Even after a year of marriage, Lois still manages to surprise me!" Clark grinned. "All right all ready! I guess I'll keep my comments to myself!" Jimmy laughed. *** Lee was diligently working in the conference room, a pile of papers spread out over the table in front of her. Jimmy stuck his head in the door and interrupted her, "Lee, I'm going out to follow up a lead. Supposedly the head of the union is going to be meeting with a gang leader. It sounds like he's going to be paying the gang to vandalize some work sites. I'm hoping to get pictures." "Would you like me to come with you?" Jimmy shook his head. "No. It could be dangerous. Besides, it's easier to hide one person than two." She hesitantly touched his arm. "Be careful, okay?" He gently placed his other hand over hers. "I will," he said softly. Lee nodded. Jimmy turned and walked to the elevator. She watched until he got on and then headed for the stairs, fidgeting nervously with her glasses. He needed her to watch out for him and he didn't even know it. *** Even from above the cloud cover, Firestorm hadn't had any trouble tracking Jimmy's movements. When his motorcycle came to a stop, she gently floated down and landed on a nearby rooftop, her cape billowing out around her. It was an excellent vantage point to watch things unfold. The meeting took place as had been rumored. There was a long list of dockside properties that the union boss was targeting for vandalism. She could see Jimmy frantically scribbling notes. Suddenly Jimmy's cell phone rang. "Oh no!" she muttered. It was clearly audible to the union boss and the gang leader. Firestorm smacked her forehead in exasperation. How could someone as smart as Jimmy do something so stupid as to leave his cell phone turned on! She watched helplessly as they pounced on Jimmy and dragged him out of hiding. She hoped that Jimmy would be able to talk himself out of this. Her hopes were dashed when the union boss pulled out a gun and aimed it at Jimmy. Even as he pulled the trigger, Firestorm was there to catch the bullet. "Did you lose something?" she asked with a smile. She snatched the gun out of the union boss' hand "Let me look after that for you!" Still smiling, she smacked their heads together and watched them drop to the ground unconscious. "You might as well use your cell-phone for something useful. Why don't you call the police?" she suggested to Jimmy. "Ah ... um ... oh right! Call the police! What a good idea - who are you?" he blurted out. She grinned. "Just call me Firestorm!" 'Good exit line,' she thought as she soared into the sky. She could hear the click, click, click of Jimmy's camera as she flew off. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 20:54:51 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wendy wrote: >Now come on LabRat - the only reason you didn't win any awards was >because all your work is nfic! Just you wait for the nfic awards... >you'll be close to the top of my list... very close, considering >Sheila hasn't done a new nfic for a while . Well, that's sweet, Wendy - thank you - but I'm not so sure about that one. There's a lot of stiff competition out there (definitely no pun intended. Oh look, how did that gutter get there? They ought to do something about that - I almost fell in there. ;). And considering my latest magnificent octopus (as Baldrick would say ) almost got blown out of the water today and is currently limping badly - frustratingly within sight of the finish line. Mutley impression coming up...... >Wendy >(who 'wrote' all of 'Ring on his Finger' in the car on the way to >work one day, then did not a scrap of work for four hours while she >tried to get it down on screen!) Ah, yes - that was always the drawback to bus/car writing - trying to get to your desk without encountering anyone who could engage you in conversation and interrupt the flow. Ten minutes later of "Yes, it has been terribly cold today, hasn't it? And how is little Tommy after his dentist appointment?" you'd get to your desk, turn on the monitor, poise the fingers restlessly on the keyboard and......aaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhh! Complete blank. *Then* you went hunting for the saboteur with a meat cleaver. In the other direction, Stuart got very used to coming out into the hallway to say hi when I got home, only to find my coat and briefcase flung in some corner of the floor and only the bang of the office door to greet him. Sweetheart that he is, not only did he never complain about this blatantly anti-social display of artistic temperament but he'd usually just call up, "Bus inspiration then?" and then, having been lucky to receive a muffled grunt in response, wander off to make dinner until I emerged looking frazzled but content to catch up with the abandoned social pleasantries. Smooching, basically. Ah.....those were the days. LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@dircon.co.uk. ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:01:32 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 11 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 11 "You should have seen her, guys! She was magnificent! Gorgeous! She looked like she was on fire when she flew. A living flame! And her name - Firestorm! Just perfect for her!" Jimmy enthused to Lois, Clark, Perry and Lee. "Jimmy, this is definitely front page material. Good work. It's a good thing you brought back pictures. Nobody would believe you otherwise. Of course, I think I had the same reaction when Superman came to town." Perry continued, "Did she say anything else? Like where she's from?" "Or why she's here?" Lois added looking over at Clark in concern. "Or whether she plans on contacting Superman?" Clark said with a glance at Lois. Lee squirmed in embarrassment listening to the discussion. There was no way that she would have allowed Jimmy to be hurt, but she wished she could have helped in a different way. *** Later in the afternoon, Lee and Jimmy continued to work in the conference room. Although Jimmy had calmed down, he still enthused about Firestorm. "It would be great if I could interview her. It would make a huge difference to my career - really get my work noticed!" "Jimmy, you sound like you have a crush on her!" Lee was half embarrassed but very amused at the same time. Jimmy thought it over. "Actually, Lee, no. I don't have a crush on her. Don't get me wrong. She was stunning, and I would like to see her again, but only for an interview. In a way, she didn't seem like a real person. Do you know what I mean?" Lee nodded in response. "Sometimes you surprise me, Jimmy Olsen." Jimmy gazed into her eyes. "Besides Lee, I'm interested in someone else at the moment." Lee quickly glanced away. *** That night over dinner, Lee filled Dr. Klein in on her eventful day. "Uncle Bernie, I didn't have any other choice. I couldn't let them kill Jimmy." He nodded. "Of course you couldn't. But you have let the cat out of the bag - with a vengeance." "What do you think I should do now? Everyone is going to be looking for Firestorm - including Superman," Lee asked glumly. "Lee, what would be so terrible about that? I mean, the man is your grandfather, but you seem so ... cool towards him." Dr. Klein responded. Lee looked away from Dr. Klein. She sniffed a couple of times. "Sweetie, what's wrong? Are you crying?" he asked. "No ... I'm not crying. I just don't want to have to meet with ... him. I don't want to talk to ... him!" "Why not, Lee? Clark is a wonderful man. I always thought so ... even when I didn't know that he was Superman. Surely you can tell him anything." Tears rolled down Lee's cheeks. She was openly sobbing now. "Honey, why are you so angry at him? What has he done to you?" Dr. Klein asked putting his arms around her shoulders. "It's all his fault," she blurted out. "It's because of him that I'm the way I am." "What way?" "I'm a freak!" she sobbed. He gathered her more tightly into his arms. "Honey, you're not a freak. It's true you are special, and different. But sweetie, it's because of those differences Jimmy is alive today. It's because of those differences that you're here in the past, helping your own father come into existence." They rocked back and forth. As Lee calmed down, Dr. Klein continued to talk softly. "And if you feel so alone and so different, have you ever put yourself into his shoes? He is the only Kryptonian on this planet. As far as he's aware, he can never have children. He has no one to share his legacy, his heritage with. You can be there for him - both now and in the future. If you're there for him now, imagine his joy! Imagine the hope you'll give to him and to Lois. And you can also be there in the future - to give him your love and your support. That's special. You're special! I agree, you are different but you're not a freak!" Lee thought about Clark. It was true. He was an alien. But he didn't act like one. He had a loving marriage. He had great friends and a good career. He made an effort to fit it. Lee realized that it was something she had never tried to do. "You're right. I never thought about it that way. It's just that I've felt so alone for such a long time. I don't have friends. You're the only person that I've been close to - I mean both now and in the future. But it's not my superpowers that have made me alone, is it? I've done it to myself. I mean, look at Clark. He should be more isolated than I am, but he has friends, good friends and a loving wife. I guess it's up to me to connect with people, isn't it?" Lee laid her head on his shoulder. "Darling, do you know what your basic problem is? It's a very human one," Dr. Klein asked. "What?" "You're shy, just like millions of other people! In that regard, you're no different from many others!" Lee started to laugh. "Gramps, Uncle Bernie, whatever your name is! I love you!" "I love you, too, sweetie. I'm glad you've come into my life." He reached for a box of Kleenex. "Now, let's get those tears dried." *** Lee had agreed to consider talking to Clark and to Lois. Voicing her feelings had been very cathartic. She still felt a little fragile but, on the whole, a lot better. She had agreed to try connecting with people more, to be more open to new experiences. It felt good to be walking home from Dr. Klein's in the gathering dark. The emotional release left her feeling a little exposed and vulnerable but the darkness made her feel a little more secure and protected. "Lee!" A motorcycle screeched to a halt beside her. "I thought that was you!" "Jimmy! What are you doing here?" Lee asked in surprise. "I was on my way to a coffeehouse to listen to some guys jam. Do you want to come?" he asked tentatively. Lee opened her mouth to refuse, but noted the hopeful expression in his eyes. She just couldn't turn him down. And, she admitted to herself, she didn't want to turn him down. "Sure! Why not?" She said. 'I did say I would be more open to new experiences, didn't I?' she thought to herself. "Great! Hop on!" Jimmy handed her a helmet to put on. She mounted the bike behind Jimmy and wrapped her arms around his waist. Lee sighed blissfully. 'I might as well enjoy this!' she thought. *** Much later that evening, Jimmy's motorcycle pulled to a stop in front of Lee's apartment building. "Jimmy, I had a really great time. That place was really hopping. And the music! It was all so wonderful!" Lee enthused as she jumped off the bike. "I had a good time too, Lee. You were great company!" Jimmy also got off the bike and stood close to Lee, gazing into her eyes. He leaned towards her, taking her hands in his. She unconsciously swayed towards him. She caught herself, panicked and took a quick step back, disengaging his grip. "Lee, I..." he started to say. "Anyway, Jimmy," Lee interrupted. " I should go in. It's really late. Thank you so much for taking me. I'll see you tomorrow at work." Lee spun around quickly and ran up the steps of her building. Jimmy stared after her, frustrated. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:10:48 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 12 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 12 Clark was beginning to feel like Jimmy's personal therapist. "We had a really great time, CK. I mean, really great! I've never had such a good date. It wasn't the most fun or the wildest but... it felt right. You know what I mean? But then, just when I thought we were going to kiss goodnight... boom... she was gone. It was like she slammed a door in my face!" Clark laughed to himself. 'Now where have I heard that before?' he thought in amusement. He said aloud, "Jimmy, it sounds like Lee panicked. Be persistent, but make sure you don't scare her. You have to ask yourself: is she worth making that extra effort for?" "Totally! She's really special. I don't know exactly what it is about her, but ... I just don't know. I can't explain it, CK, but I feel like we're meant to be together. I guess I just have to be patient until she figures that out, too." Lee was hiding in a cubicle in the women's washroom. She had used her super-hearing to listen to their entire conversation. She sobbed quietly into her hands. She didn't know how to handle this. The door opened. Lee tried to restrain herself, but a moan escaped her throat. "Lee, is that you?" It was Lois. Shamefaced, Lee emerged from the cubicle. "Honey, what's wrong?" Lois put her arms around Lee. "I can't tell you," Lee sobbed. "Is it Jimmy?" Lee cried harder. "Lee, do you care for Jimmy?" Lois asked. "More than you know!" Lee blurted out. "Then, what's the problem? I know he cares for you too," Lois said. "We can't be together. There are ... reasons," Lee answered mournfully. "Why not?" Lois asked. "I can't tell you ... at least I can't right now. I wish I could." Lee sighed. "Please, don't ask me about this again." And Lee fled the room. *** "Tell me, Lois. Who do those two remind you of?" Clark asked his wife with a grin. "Here's this poor guy trying to get close to a fascinating, intelligent woman only to be pushed away by her. Jimmy said he felt like she slammed a door in his face." His eyes twinkled mischievously as he looked at Lois. "Okay, I get it! But I had my reasons for the way I acted; maybe Lee does too." Lois patted Clark on the arm. "Possibly they just need a little help getting together. Maybe this is a job for ... Superman's wife!" "Lois!" he rolled his eyes. "Leave those two alone. We finally managed to get together. They can, too! After all, would you have been grateful for the help if someone had tried with us?" "Valid point! But I think I might talk to Dr. Klein. He might have some suggestions," Lois responded. "Lois! You're meddling again." "Yes, dear." She fluttered her eyelashes innocently at her husband. He tried to keep a straight face, but found it impossible, and pulled her into his arms. "It's a good thing I love you, Ms. Lane!" he grinned at her. "And I love you, too, Mr. Kent!" she said as she leaned in for a kiss. *** "Lois, Lee does have very good reasons for not pursuing a relationship with Jimmy." Dr. Klein stated firmly. "What could be more important than being with someone you care about?" Lois asked in frustration. "Let me think ... Okay. Here's a hypothetical situation. Let's say a woman is dying. Should she indulge her emotions, be selfish, let herself fall in love and start something that she can't finish?" Dr. Klein asked. "Is Lee dying?" Lois asked in shock. "No. But her reasons for her behavior are just as valid." Dr. Klein continued, "So, answer my question. Do you think a dying woman should allow herself to fall in love?" "It seems to me that the dying woman would either be in love or not be in love. There's no 'falling' involved. But I guess the real question is, should she allow herself to get involved with a man when he will only end up getting hurt?" Lois responded thoughtfully. She continued, "I think it should be up to the man. It's his decision. He should be in control of his own life." Lois grimaced. "There was a time when I thought I would never be with Clark again, through circumstances beyond our control." Her thoughts flashed to his short sojourn with the New Kryptonians. "But I wouldn't have traded a moment of our time together for anything even though the pain of our separation was more than I thought I could bear." "I don't know, Lois. That is a valid point, but ... this isn't between you and me. This has to do with Lee and Jimmy. I can't speak for her and you certainly can't speak for Jimmy," Dr. Klein pointed out. "True enough," Lois sighed. "But would you talk to her? I think this should be pointed out to her." "All right, Lois. I'll mention it," he responded. "I'm concerned about them, too, you know. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:12:04 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 13 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 13 "I think I know how to treat Lois, Lee," Dr. Klein looked at her in concern. She was pale with dark circles under her eyes. She sat beside him in the lab, slumped over his notes. "Oh. That's good, Uncle Bernie," Lee said dully. "What have you figured out?" She avoided his eyes. "Ironically, it wasn't me that figured this out. I actually got the idea of what to do while I was reviewing Dr. Jones' data. The man was a genius, just completely misguided. It's a shame that those poor people had to suffer. But I honestly don't know whether I could have conceived of this treatment on my own. Like I said, it's ironic." He continued, "Why don't you review my notes and see what you think?" Lee stared blankly at the notes. As Dr. Klein watched her, tears started rolling slowly down her cheeks. "Lee, my darling girl. We have to talk. I can't stand seeing you in such pain." He cupped her cheek in his hand. "Uncle Bernie, I'm so unhappy. I was okay when I thought that I was the only one who would get hurt. I figured that I would just be a friend to Jimmy, and he would be okay with it. But he wants more, and by not providing it, I'm hurting him, too. But if I did get involved with him, how would he feel? You know that one day I'm just going to disappear without a trace. You'll be okay with it; you know the truth. But it would hurt Jimmy. So it looks like, no matter what I do, Jimmy is going to get hurt. I have incredible powers, but ... at this moment in time, I feel completely helpless." "I know, Lee. I know." He patted her on the shoulder. "But Lee, I just had something pointed out to me today." "What?" "Jimmy is a grown man. He should be given the opportunity to make his own decisions. And then I realized something else. You're a grown woman, too. You're perfectly free to tell him your secrets if you so desire. I'm not suggesting that you should tell him, but I'm also not saying that this would be a huge mistake. The only secret that you should protect is Superman's. That's not your secret to share - although you did with me!" He grinned and continued speaking. "But if you wanted, all your other secrets are fair game - including exactly why you're here." Lee was aghast. "Uncle Bernie, I can't jeopardize the time-line like that!" "Why would it jeopardize the time-line? What would Jimmy find out that would cause a problem?" "I don't know, but ... Well, what about the fact that time machines exist! That could cause a problem." "Lee, Jimmy's not a scientist. He couldn't create a time machine. And why would he? It could cause you a problem and I think we can count on him not wanting to hurt you. After all, that's the reason I don't plan on experimenting with the concept." "People would find out about Superman having a family." "So what. They're only going to find out in a few years when your dad starts flying around. Besides, Jimmy is discreet. Who would he tell?" "Uncle Bernie, I guess I need to do some thinking about this. I don't know what to say." Lee looked stunned. "You don't have to say anything, Lee. You don't even have to do anything. But you needed to know that you had another option." "Thanks, Uncle Bernie. I still don't know what I'm going to do, but ... that helps." Lee sat up straight. "Now, let's have a look at your notes, shall we?" Together, they bent their heads over the papers. Several minutes later, Lee spoke. "This is just great, Uncle Bernie! I really think you've nailed it. I don't see any reason why this wouldn't work. They'll be over the moon when they find out. When are you going to tell them?" "I think as soon as possible, don't you? Tomorrow morning, why don't you tell Clark that I'm looking for Superman, and wondered if he could contact him for me?" "I have a better idea, Uncle Bernie. Why doesn't Firestorm tell him? I could probably find him within the next hour, and bring him here." "Are you sure, Lee?" Dr. Klein asked in concern. "Do you think you're ready to let Clark and Lois know who you really are?" "I've really been thinking hard about what you said the other night. I think I should make the effort to connect with them. I'm terrified ... but I'm going to tell them everything, anyway." Lee spun into her suit. She winked at Dr. Klein. "I've been practicing my moves!" And whoosh ... she was gone. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:12:20 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 14 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 14 Firestorm hovered over Lois and Clark's Hyperion Avenue home. She focused her hearing, and was able to hear a murmured conversation between the two of them. 'Good. They're both home,' she thought. She landed, and spun back into her street clothes. Lee quickly ran up the steps, and rang the doorbell. As she waited, she concentrated on breathing evenly, trying to calm her ragged nerves. "Lee!" Lois exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I mean, come in. What can I do for you?" "Actually, Lois, I'm here to do something for you. Could I please talk to you and Clark? I have some information for you." Lee looked very nervous. "Sure, come and sit down." Lois gestured to the sofa. "I think Clark's in the kitchen. I'll just go find him." She disappeared through a swinging door, only to reappear in a moment with Clark in tow. "Hey, Lee, how's it going? Can I get you a coffee?" Clark offered. "No thanks, Clark. If you and Lois could just sit down, I'd like to tell you guys something." They sat down across from Lee. She waited until she had their complete attention. "The first thing would be easier if I just showed you," she said as she jumped up and spun into her suit. They looked stunned, their mouths gaped open. "You're Firestorm?" Lois sputtered. "Yes, and ... I'm Superman's granddaughter." "Wha...!" Lois was stunned. Clark jumped to his feet, and advanced on her. "Why are you telling us this? Is this some kind of ... of ... cruel joke?" She stood her ground. "You know why, Clark ... or should I say, Superman. And you know why too, Grandma Lois." "Did you just call me Grandma Lois? And Clark, Superman?" Lois blurted out. Stunned, Clark stopped advancing. "Yes, I did. I really am your granddaughter, and I'm here from the future to help you." "How did you get here?" Clark asked. "Uncle Herb brought me in his time machine," Lee responded reasonably. "Oy!" Lois exclaimed. "Uncle Herb?" "Herbert George Wells. I think you've met him." Lee grinned slyly. Clark slowly sank back into his chair. "But Dr. Klein said..." "I know what Dr. Klein said, Clark, but he was wrong," Lee responded. "But he said you were his niece!" Lois pointed out. "He lied." Lee smiled wryly. "But ... I am his granddaughter, too!" "His granddaughter! Our granddaughter! You mean... But he's not married. He doesn't have any children," Clark stuttered. "Not yet, anyway. There's still time." "And there's time for us, too! Is that what you're saying?" Clark's eyes were shining. He was starting to believe. "Sort of. Your chances of conceiving a child naturally without outside assistance are virtually nil. However, with my help and with Dr. Klein's help, it can happen," Lee responded. "I really am a doctor, and my specialty really is genetic engineering." "What do we have to do?" Clark asked. "Actually, Clark, all you have to do is what comes naturally!" Lee winked. "However, Lois, you will need to be treated with a serum. This serum is derived from my blood. Clark cannot be the donor as he is a full-blooded Kryptonian. However, as I'm a hybrid, my blood has different properties from Clark's. My dad was able to do the same for my mom, for the same reasons." "Your father! You mean..." Lois cupped her hands over her abdomen. "Yep!" Lee grinned. "You're going to have a boy." "Are we going to have any more children after him?" Clark asked. "I'm not going to tell you how many, but ... Dr. Klein did take a lot of blood from me!" Lee winked again. "So if Lois needs to be treated," Clark said thoughtfully, "then we need to tell Dr. Klein my secret." "Actually," Lee blushed, "I kind of let the cat out of the bag already. I didn't mean to. Gramps, I mean Dr. Klein, you know, the future one, he lied to me and told me that he had known since he met you, that you were really Superman. I believed him." Lois threw her hands in the air. "How long has our Dr. Klein known?" "I met him the night before I met you. I told him everything right away because after all, he was the one who sent me back to the past." "Why didn't you tell us right away?" Clark asked. "I ... don't know. I guess ... I was hesitant about telling too many people. I didn't get a lot of direction from Uncle Herb; I didn't know ... if I could tell you or not." Lee didn't want to share her past hostilities with them. She didn't want to hurt them. " Gramps, I mean, Uncle Bernie pointed out to me that it wasn't dangerous to share this with you. As the two people most affected by my visit here, you have the right to know what's going on. By the way, he's waiting for us." "Who?" Lois asked. "Uncle Bernie. He's waiting at Star Labs. He has the serum all ready for you, Lois. And we've made sure that there's no one else around. I came to take the two of you back there with me. If you're ready ..." "If we're ready! I'm ready!" Lois exclaimed. "And I think Clark's been ready his whole life!" She jumped to her feet. Clark grinned and kissed her. Stepping back from her, he quickly spun into his suit. "Now I'm ready!" he exclaimed as he scooped Lois up into his arms. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:14:19 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 15 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 15 Dr. Klein paced back and forth. He heard a loud whoosh and jumped as Superman and Firestorm landed in front of him. Superman set Lois gently on her feet. "Lois! Superman! Has Lee, I mean Firestorm explained everything to you?" Dr. Klein asked awkwardly. He felt a bit uncomfortable although he had known the two of them for years. Lois marched over to him and kissed him emphatically on each cheek. She hugged him close. "She's explained enough. We know we'll never be able to thank you enough for what you're doing." Dr. Klein cleared his throat. "Lois, you don't have to thank me. I didn't figure this out just for you, you know. After all, without this treatment, this young lady over here -- " he gestured at Firestorm, "wouldn't be in existence to visit me in my declining years. Do you know I had just turned 90 when she left to come here?" Dr. Klein grinned at Lois who laughed in delight. "Lois is right, Dr. Klein. We ... I don't have the words to tell you what I'm feeling right now." Superman spoke quietly. "Superman ... Clark. It's okay, really. You don't have to say anything." Dr. Klein clasped Superman's shoulder. "I'm just glad that I was wrong, and that I can do something to help you and Lois have a family!" Regaining his composure, Dr. Klein continued, " Now then, I think I should explain to you what this treatment is designed to do. Without getting too technical, you two are about 60 percent compatible, genetically speaking, of course!" He grinned at them. "This serum is designed to help bridge that 40 percent gap. By exposing Lois' immune system to hybrid Krptonian/Human blood, we are basically tricking her system into accepting a hybrid baby. We know this will happen as..." "Dr. Klein," Lois interrupted. "Yes, Lois." "Will it work?" "Yes." "Then, that's all we need to know, isn't it, Superman? We both trust you, Dr. Klein." Superman nodded his agreement. "There's only one other thing I need to know, Dr. Klein. Will there be any side-effects?" Dr. Klein looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure, Superman. What do you think, Lee...I mean, Firestorm?" She grinned. "When my mom was treated with the same serum, she experienced a huge increase in her energy levels. It was sort of like having the nesting instinct run amuck!" Superman threw his hands in the air. "I have enough trouble keeping up with her now; she's already a tornado!" he exclaimed. Dr. Klein laughed, "So, Lois, if you're ready..." He opened a drawer and produced a needle. Lois sighed and started to roll up her sleeve. "Uh, sorry Lois. Not in the arm." Dr. Klein blushed. Lois glared at Superman, who was unsuccessfully trying to hide his grin. "You better not say a word, buster!" He held his hands in the air. "I surrender. I wouldn't dream of saying anything." Becoming serious, he put his arms around Lois. "I'm just so grateful to you, Lois, for even wanting to have a child with me. I can't tell you how much." She stroked his cheek. "You know this is something I desperately want to do too. I want to have a family with you. I love you." "I love you, too." He kissed her tenderly. Lee and Dr. Klein looked away, giving the couple a little privacy. Dr. Klein blew his nose. "Well then. Lee, why don't you and Clark change into your regular clothes, and go to the coffee shop down the street. Lois and I will join you when we're done here. You two might as well take the opportunity to get better acquainted." "Good idea, Uncle Bernie. We'll see you in a couple of minutes." Firestorm kissed Dr. Klein on the cheek and gave Lois a quick hug. She and Superman simultaneously spun into their street clothes. Taking Clark by the arm, Lee left with him in tow. "Does the thrill of watching that ever wear off?" Dr. Klein asked Lois. "I don't know. But I can tell you, it hasn't yet," she responded. Fumbling with her belt, she pointed a finger at him. "You better not say a word either, buster!" *** Clutching their mugs of coffee and their plates of donuts, Lee and Clark sat down opposite each other in the corner of the coffee shop. It was late, and there were no other customers in the small restaurant. They sat in an uneasy silence. "So Lee..." "Well, Clark..." they spoke simultaneously. "Okay, Clark. You first. I'm sure you have a ton of questions for me." Lee grinned at him. "That has to be the understatement of the year," Clark responded. "Before you start, I'm not going to tell you too much more than I already have. I don't think it's wise to give you too much information. Let's try to stick to generalities rather than to specifics, okay?" "Okay, Lee. I think I can live with those rules. I guess I don't really have a choice, do I?" he responded. "How did you come up with your name?" "Uncle Bernie named me. He said he liked the way I 'stormed' at Dr. Walken the other day." "You're still calling him Uncle Bernie." "He's so much younger now. I'd feel too uncomfortable calling him 'Gramps'. And I don't think he would like it much either!" Lee laughed. "I mean, how would you feel if I suddenly started calling you, 'Grandpa Clark'?" "I see what you mean. It just doesn't sound right." Clark grinned at her. "And I strongly advise you to never call Lois 'Grandma' again!" Lee snickered. "I was only trying to make a point!" "Trust me, you made your point and then some! So... who designed your outfit?" "Gramps. He's been trying to get me into more flamboyant clothing for a long time. I don't know who sewed it for him. He probably got Mom to do it." Lee smiled. "In a funny way, I feel invisible when I wear it, like no one's looking at my face!" Clark laughed knowingly. "Is our son really going to marry his daughter?" Clark asked. Lee nodded. "Yes, he really will." They lapsed into silence again. He took a sip of his coffee. "I just realized something," Clark said somberly. "What's that, Clark?" she asked. "I just realized why you've been avoiding Jimmy." Lee sighed. "It's not a fun situation, that's for sure. I've talked this to death with Uncle Bernie. You know, Clark, the minute I saw Jimmy I felt like ... I don't know ... like a thunderbolt had slammed into me out of a clear blue sky. You told me - at least you will tell me, that you felt like that with Lois. And my dad never even looked at a woman other than mom. I don't know if this certainty about someone is part of the Kryptonian heritage, but at this moment in time, all I can say is - it really stinks!" Clark took her hand and squeezed it gently. "I feel like I have two choices, but they're both pretty scary," Lee continued. Tears started to slowly roll down her cheeks. "What do you mean, Lee?" he asked. "First, I could make a point of avoiding Jimmy. This would hurt. I can handle it, but ... I heard Jimmy tell you how he feels about me, and ... I know this would hurt him too. Even so, this is probably the wisest choice. My other choice is a lot riskier." "What is it?" "Uncle Bernie thinks that I could choose to tell Jimmy the truth - oh, not about your secret identity, but practically everything else. He thinks I can trust Jimmy. You see, Clark, I don't know how long I'll be here. Gramps said I had a couple of tasks to perform, but the only one I'm aware of, is being a blood donor. So I could be here for a long time, or I could disappear tomorrow. I guess it boils down to whether I want to plan for the moments, or plan for the years. We'd be trying to have a relationship, all the while waiting for an ax to fall." "You know, Lee," Clark said thoughtfully. "I told Lois once that it wasn't the years that mattered but the moments, and that no one knows how long they've got. I never envisioned a situation like this though." "What do you think I should do, Clark? I don't guarantee I'll take your advice, but I would like your input." "Lee, I'm thinking about what my life would have been like if I didn't have Lois in it. That's a life I don't ever want to have to face. Until I met her, I didn't know where I belonged. I wasn't part of the world, but I wasn't apart from it either. I didn't even know how lost I felt, until I found myself in her. Logically, I should tell you to run away from Jimmy as fast as you can, but love's not logical. I really do believe the old saying, 'It's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.' It is your decision, and it's Jimmy's decision too, but ...even if you only have a short time with Jimmy, I still think you should be with him, and tell him everything ... and I do mean everything. It's time he knew the truth about me too; I've wanted to tell him for a long time. If you want, Lois and I can help you tell him ... at least the part about me." "I'd like that, Clark. But not right away. I need to think about this for a while."" She started to laugh shakily. "Do you know I've cried more in the last few days than I think I ever have in my whole life!" Clark just smiled and dabbed at her tears with a paper serviette. Suddenly, the door banged open. Lois marched in followed by Dr. Klein. She strode over to their table. Dr. Klein went to the counter to order coffee. "I feel like a pincushion!" She grimaced as she sat down beside Clark. "Why can't this place have padding on their chairs?" Lois looked at the plates of donuts. "Don't tell me Lee. You like to snack on high fat, empty calorie junk food too! And I bet you don't have to work out to stay so slim, do you?" "Right on both counts. I don't work out," Lee caught Clark's eye and grinned, "but... I do practice my Tae Kwon Do!" Clark laughed helplessly. "I know, I know. Your grandma taught you!" Lee giggled. "I told you that she was special!" "And that I'd like her!" Clark spluttered. Dr. Klein rejoined the group. Handing a mug of coffee to Lois, he asked, "What's the joke?" "I have no idea." Lois rolled her eyes. Changing the subject, Dr. Klein asked, "So Clark, Lois told you about the required period of abstinence, didn't she?" Clark stopped laughing. He bolted upright in his seat. "Abstinence?" Lee laughed louder. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:15:06 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 16 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 16 "Lois, I can't believe the difference in Lee, can you?" Clark said, as they snuggled together in bed. "What do you mean?" she asked. "She was so reserved with us before, but now, it's as if, once she shared her secrets with us, she opened up completely. She's lost all her reserve around us." "Yes, she reminds me of her grandfather in that regard!" Lois smiled. "Dr. Klein?" "No, her other grandfather! A more trusting person, I've never met!" "Oh, you mean me." Clark grinned at her They fell silent for a time. "Honey, when you do tell Jimmy, what are you going to say?" Lois asked Clark. "I don't know exactly. But it shouldn't be a problem. You know how good I am at letting people in on my secret," Clark teased. "You rat! You're just lucky I finally forgave you." Lois swatted his arm. Clark cuddled her closer. "I am lucky, Lois. I'm married to the most wonderful woman in the world who loves me almost as much as I love her." "Hey! I love you more!" Lois interjected. "Okay ... who loves me just exactly the same amount as I love her!" He grinned. "And soon, we'll have a baby to love, too." "I know. It's so hard to believe." Lois gazed into his eyes. She sighed in contentment and snuggled in closer. "Uh honey," Clark said, "do you think you could put a nightgown or some pajamas on? You're pretty distracting!" He grinned. "I'm just glad we only have to wait 24 hours for your immune system to adjust." Lois rolled over on top of Clark. "Actually, sweetheart," she nuzzled his neck, "Dr. Klein said we had to abstain. He didn't say anything about total celibacy." She giggled as she kissed him. "You are so bad," Clark laughed. "I know, and you love it," she purred. *** At work the next day, Lee felt a bit more relaxed. Now that Clark and Lois knew about her, she didn't feel defensive at all around them. However her feelings about Jimmy were a whole different matter. She was both relieved and disappointed that he had left the office shortly after she arrived. He had gone out to do some follow-up interviews with some of the rank-and-file union members. Around noon, Jimmy returned and set to work typing up his notes. He worked quickly, and efficiently. Jimmy had really settled down nicely into his new position. It only took him a few minutes to have his story ready to deliver to Perry. "Lee, why don't we go to the park and grab some hotdogs and sodas? It's a really nice day out there. We should enjoy it." Jimmy looked at her hopefully. "Um. Sure, Jimmy." She didn't know how to say no to him. Lee stood up and grabbed her purse. She really shouldn't encourage him until she had made a decision, but ... he looked so cute and eager to please. In truth, she really didn't want to say no to him. *** It had been fun to sit and talk while they ate their hotdogs and drank their sodas, Lee admitted to herself. Jimmy was such good company. She had been content to just sit back and listen as he talked. She hadn't felt much like talking herself. Jimmy had seemed to sense that. He didn't pressure her at all to respond. "Lee, let's go for a walk around the park. It's a perfect day for soaking up some rays. I'm not in a hurry to get back to a stuffy office," Jimmy said. "That sounds nice. Okay," Lee responded shyly as she got up from the bench. They strolled companionably down the well-kept path. Lee pointed out spring flowers to Jimmy. "I didn't know you were into gardening," Jimmy said. "I'm not really. I just love the first flowers of springtime. They really lift my spirits," Lee answered. Jimmy stopped in his tracks. Pointing at a dense thicket of trees, he said, "I think if we take a shortcut through this brush, we'll be able to get to the lilacs. There's a big stand of them on the other side. They should be in bloom." Lee delicately sniffed the air. "They are in bloom. I can smell them." "Wow! You have a good nose. I can't smell a thing!" Jimmy said as he started to push through the brush. Lee followed behind. She quickly discovered it wasn't as easy to navigate through the thicket as she had expected. Jimmy helped by holding branches high enough so she could duck under. Right in the densest part of the brush, Lee wasn't watching as carefully as she should have been. She didn't duck low enough, and she caught her coiled braid on a branch. "Oops, Lee, you're caught here. Let me give you a hand." Jimmy tried to work the branch back out of her hair. "It's pretty tangled. I'm going to have to loosen your hair." Lee was extremely conscious of Jimmy as he moved closer. She could feel his breath on her neck as he struggled with the branch. His fingers were extremely gentle in her hair as he quickly unwound her braid and loosened it. "Your hair is so soft," he said gently. "And it's so beautiful." He held the weight of her loose hair in his hands as he carefully worked the branch free. "It looks like I have my hands full of fire...Okay...That's got it." He reluctantly allowed her hair to slip slowly out of his fingers. Jimmy made no move to step away from her. Lee could feel the heat of his body. She felt frozen in place. "Lee," he said huskily. "Yes." She glanced shyly up at him. His arms slipped around her back as his mouth came down firmly on hers. She shivered in delight as he molded her body to his. Lee lost herself in the delicious sensation of his mouth warm against her own. As if of their own volition, her hands reached up to frame his face, fingers entwined in his hair. Suddenly, with a gasp, Lee stepped away from Jimmy breaking his embrace. "I'm sorry." She looked down avoiding his gaze, her face hot. "What's wrong, Lee?" Jimmy asked in concern, moving towards her once again. Lee made her decision. "I have something I need to tell you, but ... not here," Lee said, looking helplessly at the trees and brush. "We can go to my apartment. It's not far from here," Jimmy replied, taking charge of the situation. "All right," Lee agreed. Jimmy started to push forward through the brush only to stop again. "Just a minute, Lee." He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed. "Hi CK. Would you let Perry know that Lee and I won't be back in the office today? Yeah. It's important. Thanks. I appreciate you covering for us." He put his phone back in his pocket. While Jimmy was on the phone, Lee quickly tied her hair back in a simple ponytail. "Okay, Lee. Now we can go." They resumed pushing through the dense undergrowth. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:16:20 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 17 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 17 "Here we are. Come on in." Jimmy led Lee into his one room apartment. It was an extremely cluttered room, but not an untidy one. The walls were covered with framed photographs. "Are these all your work, Jimmy?" Lee asked gesturing at the walls, moving in for a closer examination "Yeah. These are the ones I'm proudest of," he responded. "They're stunning!" Lee exclaimed. "Some of them take my breath away." Jimmy stepped closer to her. "You take my breath away." Lee opened her mouth, "Jimmy..." He interrupted, "Whatever you have to tell me is just going to have to wait. I'm not going another minute without doing this again." He took her face in his hands and tenderly kissed her. His fingers slid through her hair, loosening her hair band and letting her hair fall free. He pulled away for a moment. "These are in the way too," he said, as he gently removed her glasses. He kissed her again, more intensely this time. Lee's hands were flattened against his chest. She could feel his heart beating quickly. Lee slid her hands around to his back, holding him close. She gently pulled her mouth away from his and leaned her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her. "Jimmy, we really do have to talk," she said with a sigh. "Okay, Lee. Let's sit down." Jimmy led her to the couch, and they sat down side by side. Lee looked down at the floor, her loose hair hiding her face from him. "I have so much that I want to tell you, that I need to tell you, and I don't know where to start," Lee said. "Start at the beginning," Jimmy suggested. "No," Lee said thoughtfully. "Even the beginning is complicated." She took a deep breath. "Okay. First thing. I'm Firestorm." She lifted her head and looked Jimmy squarely in the eyes. She could watch his changing emotions as they flashed over his face. First, shock and disbelief, then recognition and wonder. "You look so different with your hair loose, and without your glasses," he said calmly. "I never would have guessed." "You're not angry?" Lee asked. "Why would I be? You saved my life." Jimmy continued, "I am in shock, but ... no, I'm not angry." He gently took her hands in his. "It doesn't change anything. You must know how I feel about you." "Jimmy, I'm sorry, but ... it does change things. Oh, I don't mean having superpowers, but there's more. It's hard to believe, I know, but ... I'm from the future. I have to go back. I just don't know when." Jimmy took a deep breath. "Yeah. That just might change things." Lee told Jimmy everything that had happened. She told him about her grandfather, Dr. Klein, and her other grandfather, Superman. She told him about the family friend, Uncle Herb, who was really H.G. Wells. Next she covered her meeting with Dr. Klein in the present day. Lee told him everything. Everything that is, except for Superman's true identity. Even though Clark had said Jimmy could be told, it wasn't her secret to share with him. Finally, she fell silent. Jimmy sat quietly. "Wow!" he finally said. "Do you believe me?" Lee asked. "By rights, I shouldn't, but I do. I don't want to believe, but..." He thought for a moment and then asked, "So you don't know how long you'll be here?" "No. And other than donating blood, which I've done, I don't even know what else I'm supposed to do while I'm here," Lee admitted. Jimmy thought for a long moment. He squeezed her hands gently. "Lee, I love you. I want to be with you. Even if you were leaving in an hour, I'd want to spend every minute of that hour with you." "Oh Jimmy, are you sure?" Tears brimmed in her eyes. "I love you, too, but ... it's going to be so hard when I have to go." "I've never been more sure of anything in my life!" Jimmy exclaimed. "Oh, Jimmy!" Lee kissed him passionately. He responded enthusiastically, his hands entwined in her hair. Lee pulled back slightly and smiled shakily at him. "Let's make a pact. We'll live for the moment; the future will take care of itself." "It's a deal," Jimmy replied, hugging her close once again. "Do you mind if I call Superman? He'll want to know. He's been worried about us." Lee requested. "Superman has a phone?" Jimmy asked in surprise. "He has a lot more than just a phone!" Lee replied in amusement. "I think you'll see what I mean shortly!" "Sure, call him. Just my luck, he'll swoop in here, and tell me to keep my mitts off his granddaughter." Jimmy joked, as he handed her the phone. Lee laughed and dialed the phone. "Hi... yeah. Everything's okay. I'm at Jimmy's... Yes, I told him ... No, I didn't tell him that. That's your job... No. I wouldn't feel comfortable... No, I'm not telling him... Now's fine... Okay... See you in a minute." Lee hung up. "He's coming over. He has something he wants to talk to you about." "Oh. What does he...?" Jimmy was interrupted by a knock on the door. Jimmy went to the door and opened it. "CK, what are you doing here?" he asked. "Jimmy, can I come in? I have something I need to tell you." Jimmy threw his hands in the air. "What is this? 'True Confessions'? Everybody wants to talk to me today! Okay, come on in, but ... I'm expecting someone else. You'll have to leave when he gets here." "Actually, no, you're not," Clark said as he entered the apartment. "No, I'm not what?" Jimmy asked as he closed the door. He turned to face Clark. Clark took a deep breath. "No, you're not expecting anyone else. He's already here." "Huh, I'm confused. Who's already here?" Jimmy asked. "Superman," Clark replied. Jimmy looked blankly at Clark for a moment. Suddenly, he sat down heavily on the couch. "Oh." Clark waited for him to continue, but Jimmy remained silent. Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:17:25 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 18 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 18 "Aren't you going to say anything?" Clark asked anxiously. "Oh, probably. Just give me a minute. This has kind of been a strange day for shocks. I just need to get things straight in my head." Jimmy rested his head in his hands. "He's taking it pretty well, I gather," Clark said to Lee. "Yeah. He's actually pretty calm," Lee replied. Jimmy spoke up. "Hey guys, I'm in the room here. Please don't talk about me like I'm not!" "Sorry, Jimmy. I won't do it again," Clark apologized. "Lee, are you okay?" he asked. "Yeah, Clark. I'm a little shaky, but I'm all right," she answered. Jimmy suddenly laughed. "I kind of wondered why you didn't ask Superman to be your best man!" Clark grinned. "That would have been a bit awkward." "Why did you need to tell me now?" Jimmy asked. "I didn't really need to tell you, but I wanted to tell you. Except for Lois, you're my closest friend. This is a decision that's been brewing for awhile, but this situation with Lee has kind of forced my hand a bit," Clark explained. "When Lee told me that you know about her and her ... unique situation, well, I figured you both need Lois and my full support. I needed to tell you that you've got it." "Thanks, CK. I think we all have to admit though, this is one weird situation." Clark laughed. "Tell me about it. Lois and I are grandparents. Our granddaughter is dating my best friend, and Lois isn't even pregnant with our first child yet!" "That should be happening soon, Clark," Lee interjected. "Boy, Lee, you're sure taking a lot of the mystery out of things!" Clark grinned. "Don't worry, Clark. You two are still due for your fair share of surprises!" Lee smiled mysteriously. "I'll warn you, Jimmy. I've already figured out something. When Lee has that look on her face, you just can't get any more information out of her!" Clark and Jimmy both laughed. Lee concentrated on looking innocent. "Seriously, Jimmy, you must have a ton of questions for me," Clark said. "I do, but... Clark, please don't take this the wrong way, but ... I need to talk to Lee. I want to talk to you too, but I really need to be with Lee right now. Could we come over to your place later? Maybe after dinner?" "Why don't you both come for dinner instead? Lee, you could ask Dr. Klein if he could join us too," Clark said. "Uh, Clark, who's cooking?" Jimmy asked hesitantly. "Relax Jimmy. I'll cook." Jimmy feigned a big sigh of relief. "Sure, Clark. We'll come. It would be a good idea for all of us to talk things out," Lee responded. Jimmy got up from the couch and extended his hand to Clark. "I appreciate your support, Clark," he said. "Jimmy, I appreciate your friendship. It's not just anyone that gets to know all my secrets you know!" Clark grinned as he shook Jimmy's hand. He then stepped over to Lee and kissed her on the cheek. "See you later, okay?" Lee smiled and squeezed his shoulder. Moving towards the door, Clark suddenly paused. He lifted his head alertly. Jimmy had seen him make the same movement hundreds of times, but as he watched Clark, he suddenly realized the full significance of the motion. Clark asked urgently, " Jimmy, do you mind if I use your window? I hear a siren." "Uh, no problem, CK." Jimmy watched in shock as his best friend spun in a blur and transformed himself. Superman grinned, and winked at Jimmy, and then whoosh ... he was gone. "Wow!" Jimmy looked at Lee. "Are you that quick?" he asked her. "Why don't you time me?" Lee suggested with a grin. She quickly spun in place, and there she stood in all her glory. "Wow!" Jimmy repeated. "You know, Lee. I didn't get a chance to tell you before, but you look really ... terrific in that outfit. I love the boots! They make you look so ... tall ... and imposing." She blushed. "Thanks, Jimmy. Um, I just want to ask you if you could please call me Firestorm when I'm dressed like this. It's a lot easier if we get into the habit right away. I know Superman would appreciate the same." "Sure...Firestorm." He smiled at her. "Uh, do you have to go too?" he asked. She listened intently. "No, it doesn't sound that serious." Their eyes locked. "Jimmy." "Yes." "Kiss me again," she asked. He shot to her side and kissed her hungrily. She responded passionately. They pulled apart, both breathing hard. Firestorm took a deep breath. "Jimmy, would you like to go flying with me?" "Oh, is that what they're calling it these days?" "Jimmy!" She blushed bright red. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. I wanted to make you blush again. It makes you look so cute!" he teased. She couldn't help laughing. "I would love to go flying," he said. "Great!" she said, as she led him towards the window. "Hey, you're not going to carry me in your arms like a little kid, are you?" Jimmy asked. She giggled. "No, I'm sure we can figure out something that... respects your male dignity. Why don't you stand at my side? Put your arm around my shoulder, and I'll put mine around your waist. That'll work. That's how I took Uncle Bernie the other day." Firestorm launched them up into the sky. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:18:02 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 19 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 19 Firestorm and Jimmy landed in a deserted alleyway near Lois and Clark's Hyperion Avenue home. She quickly spun back into her street clothes. Hand in hand, they climbed the front steps and rang the bell. Lois opened the door and welcomed them in. When they entered the living room, they found that Dr. Klein had already arrived. Clark was in the kitchen cooking. "Lee, sweetie. Are you okay?" Dr. Klein asked in concern. "Yeah, Uncle Bernie, I'm fine. Jimmy and I are both okay." She kissed him on the cheek. "Jimmy, you better be good to Lee or else," Dr. Klein said. "You can count on it," Jimmy answered. An awkward silence fell over the room. No one seemed to know what to say. Finally, Lee stood up. "Guys, I want to point something out. This is not a wake. No one has died. I'm not saying we have to have a party, but come on. Let's all lighten up a bit." "Okay Lee. Let's all try and get over how uncomfortable we all feel, and talk about other things for awhile. That should help," Lois said. "Jimmy, why don't you tell Lois and Uncle Bernie what we did this afternoon, while I go and help Clark with the cooking." Lee headed for the kitchen. "Guys, it was incredible. Lee...I mean, Firestorm took me flying. We headed down the coast of California. It was a gorgeous day. We stayed out to sea so no one would see us..." Lee could hear Jimmy continuing to enthuse about his afternoon as she entered the kitchen. "So what are we cooking, tonight, Clark?" she asked. "Hey, Lee." He gave her a quick hug. "I thought, Thai. I hope you like it." "I love it. So what would you like me to do?" "Everything's already done, but you could keep me company." Clark smiled at her. "Great! So Clark, how are you handling the side-effects?" Lee asked with a grin. "Huh?" "You know, the side-effects of the serum." Clark looked blank. "The energy surge on Lois' part?" Lee continued. "You mean, that should have started by now?" Clark asked. "Yes, it should be at its worst," Lee responded. He laughed. "I can't tell the difference!" Lee giggled. "Lois really is a dynamo, isn't she?" "She sure is, but she's my dynamo." Clark grinned. "So how are you doing?" "I'm trying to keep things light or at least positive, but it's hard," Lee admitted. "Basically, Jimmy and I have just decided that we're going to try and make the best of it, to enjoy what time we do have together." "That's going to be hard to do," Clark said. "Tell me about it! I keep brooding about it. I'm dreading the day when I have to leave," Lee replied. "Make sure you share your feelings with him, Lee, even the negative ones. It's important." "I'll try, Clark. Thanks." "It's okay, Lee." He patted her arm. *** Over the next few days, Lee and Jimmy developed a bit of a routine. They made a point of behaving extremely professionally while at work. But they took their lunches together every day. After work, they had dinner and spent time together until late at night. Then they would part reluctantly, and head back to their respective apartments. *** One morning, later that week, Lee was in the ladies room. Suddenly the door slammed open. Lois came running in, straight into a cubicle. Lee could hear her retching. She giggled. "Uh Lois. You might not appreciate this right now, but ... congratulations Mom!" "Go to hell!" Lois exclaimed as she continued to retch. Finally, she emerged from the cubicle and moved to the sink. She splashed water on her face. "My, you're an interesting shade of green," Lee smugly observed. Lois turned and glared at Lee. Lee quirked an eyebrow at her, and Lois started to laugh. She threw her arms around Lee. "I'm going to be a mom!" she exclaimed. "You sure are!" Lee patted Lois' abdomen. "Hi Dad!" Lois laughed. "You are so weird. Sometimes you remind me so much of Clark!" "Well, Lois, there's a reason for that!" Lee pointed out. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:20:17 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 20 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 20 At eight weeks along, Lois's pregnancy seemed to be progressing normally. Her nausea was still quite bad, and took her by surprise at least once a day. But her energy levels were starting to get back to normal. She was a little concerned though. Some of her clothes were already getting too tight. She was going to mention it to Dr. Klein that night. *** "There's no reason we can't do an ultrasound, Lois. I have all the equipment at Star Labs. We could do it right now. It's after hours. No one else is around," Dr. Klein said into the phone. "I would appreciate it, Dr. Klein. Lee keeps telling me not to worry, but..." Lois paced up and down her kitchen as she talked into the phone. "I know. And I keep asking when I'm going to meet her grandmother, and she just smiles mysteriously. It's frustrating." "Tell me about it!" Lois said emphatically. "Would you and Clark like to do the ultrasound now?" "We sure would! Could you be ready in a few minutes?" Lois asked. "I'll go wait by the front door," Dr. Klein responded. "Great! But don't rush. We're going to drive over. Clark and I are so excited!" "Oh, and Lois, don't forget to drink all your water!" he said as he hung up. *** Lee and Jimmy were waiting on the front steps when Clark and Lois returned. Jimmy got concerned when he saw them. Neither one was saying a word. They both looked very dazed. "Are you guys okay?" he asked moving towards them. Lee stood behind him trying not to smirk. "You knew, didn't you?" Lois pointed her finger at Lee. Lee gave up trying to keep a straight face and beamed at them. "Surprise!" she exclaimed. Jimmy looked back and forth between Lee and Lois. "What's going on?" he asked suspiciously. Clark spoke up. "Do you want to tell him, Lee, or shall I?" "You go ahead, Clark. I think I've ruined enough surprises!" Lee replied. Jimmy turned to Clark with a questioning look on his face. "Twins!" Clark threw his hands in the air. "Twins! That's great!" Jimmy clapped Clark on the back. Clark said, "It is great. We're excited. It's just we're..." He paused obviously searching for the right word. "Stunned!" Lois finished. "We should celebrate. Let's go out for ice cream," Lee suggested. "Erk." Lois turned green. "Sorry, Lois, I forgot. This is the only time in your life you don't want to eat ice cream or chocolate. Let me think. What did you tell me you liked when you were pregnant?" Lee was lost in thought. "Oh right, I remember. Jimmy and I'll run to the store. I'll pick up some stuff for you, and some ice cream for the rest of us." *** Jimmy and Clark were sitting at the kitchen table eating their ice cream. They were watching Lee's food preparations in disgust. Lois however, was looking intrigued. Lee finished chopping celery. She threw it into the salad, and tossed all the vegetables together. She quickly fried some bacon to a crisp with her heat vision, chopped it, and added it to the salad too. Then she reached for a jar of peanut butter and threw a huge dollop of it into a bowl. She drizzled the peanut butter with strawberry syrup and whisked it together. When it was at the proper consistency, she poured it over the salad. "Here Lois. Try this and see how it appeals to you." She set the concoction down in front of Lois. Lois took a tentative forkful. "Hey, this is really good," she said in surprise. "This has to be the first thing I've eaten in weeks that doesn't turn my stomach. Thanks, Lee." Lee smiled. Clark groaned. All eyes turned to him. "What's wrong?" Lois asked. "I'm glad you've finally found something you want to eat, but it turns my stomach. And I know who's going to be making it for you in the middle of the night!" he moaned dramatically. "Hey, don't complain or I'll make you eat this stuff too," Lois joked. "I'd watch out if I were you, CK!" Jimmy interjected. "Okay, I surrender. Lois, I promise that without complaint, I will make you so much salad, we'll be able to bury you alive! All you have to do is say the word!" Clark teased. "Uh, Clark," Lois said shamefacedly. "Consider it said. You know, the word." Clark looked from her empty plate to the guilty expression on her face. "I'm really hungry!" she said plaintively. Lee laughed and handed Clark a head of lettuce. "I'd get started if I were you. She is eating for three, you know!" *** One week shy of her ninth month, Lois was progressing very well in her pregnancy. She was enormous, and hadn't seen her feet for a couple of months. Other than a definite tendency to waddle, she felt fine. She and Clark had seen a number of obstetricians before picking one. Dr. Marlowe was a very well recommended obstetrician with an excellent bedside manner. She answered all of Lois and Clark's questions, and never once made them feel like they were being patronized. She made it clear that as far as the delivery went, they would be in charge, in so far as everything was progressing normally. However, if problems arose, Dr. Marlowe would explain options if there was time, but if there wasn't, she would be in absolute and total control of the situation. Clark especially felt comforted by this attitude. Lois wasn't thrilled by the concept that she might not be in control of her own body, but at the same time, she appreciated the pragmatic attitude of the petite doctor. For some reason, Lois felt completely comfortable with the doctor. There was something about her, something familiar that Lois trusted. In the meantime, Jimmy and Lee were pretending hard that everything was normal. They were enjoying being in love and discovering new things about each other. They made a point of spending a lot of time with Dr. Klein. Lee had finally stopped jumping out of her skin every time she heard an English accent. Dr. Klein too, was keeping an eye on Lois' pregnancy. He didn't see anything out of line. As far as he could tell, there was no reason anyone might suspect that Lois was carrying Superman's babies. Lee was making a point of helping Clark more and more with his "extra-curricular" activities. She was starting to get quite used to people looking up to her. She was finally coming to believe that Dr. Klein had been right, that she wasn't a freak. But she was still surprised at the amount of respect she received from the people of Metropolis. Not one person had ever implied that she wasn't worthy of that respect, or that she was too different to be trusted. Even though Lee had originally said she would only work for the Planet on a temporary basis, she stayed on. Perry was so thrilled to have her stay, he didn't say a word to her about it. And, he had finally stopped muttering about Norcross and Judd. Clark and Jimmy's friendship had deepened. Jimmy was proving to be completely trustworthy. He was extremely circumspect in public, never even making the slightest reference to Clark's secret identity. He had made himself useful too by covering for both Lee and Clark if they had to leave suddenly. Clark made a point of talking to his babies every night. Lois joked that she was starting to get jealous of her own belly. But it was true that he did lavish an inordinate amount of attention on her abdomen. The babies seemed to kick in response whenever they heard his voice. Feeling quite bruised from the inside out, Lois was seriously considering asking Clark to take a vow of silence! Uncharacteristically, Lois was looking forward to her last day of work. She was finding it harder and harder just to get out of bed in the morning, let alone put in a full day. And the babies tended to kick a lot in the middle of the night. It was getting progressively more difficult to get a decent amount of sleep. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:21:47 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 21 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 21 "If one more person tells me that this is nature's way of preparing me for being tired after they're born, I'm going to scream." Lois said as she hauled herself into her maternity dress. "If what's nature's way?" Clark asked as he buttoned his shirt. "These guys keeping me up half the night." She answered rubbing her belly. She continued griping. "And the next stranger who pats my stomach is going to get decked." "I can just see it. Our babies, born in jail because my wife's been arrested for assault!" Clark teased. Suddenly he tensed. Lois could see the familiar alert expression in his eyes. "What is it?" she asked. "It sounds like a car accident on the bridge. I'll be right back." Clark zipped out the window. *** When Clark got to the accident, he was surprised to find Lee already there. She had already moved the cars out of the traffic flow. Spotting Clark, she hovered near him. "What are you doing here?" she asked him aggressively. "I ... heard the accident," he replied defensively. "I've got everything under control here. No one's hurt. You should head home," Lee whispered vehemently. "As long as I'm here, maybe I should fly a quick patrol," he said. "No!" she retorted quickly. "I mean, it is her last day. You should be with her," she said making shooing gestures. "I can fly a patrol before I head in." "Okay," he acquiesced. He headed home shaking his head. 'Wow, she was in a strange mood today,' he thought. 'I wonder if she and Jimmy had a fight or something.' *** When Lois and Clark got to work, they found Lee and Jimmy already there. Clark was relieved to see that Lee and Jimmy seemed to be getting along okay. Obviously, they hadn't fought. Lee spotted Lois making her slow entrance. "Lois, how are you feeling? This is it, huh? Your last day! Can I get you anything, some herbal tea, a donut, anything?" Lee spoke quickly. "Lee, would you please calm down. What the heck has got into you today? You're acting really weird." "I don't know, Lois. I guess I'm just really ... jittery. Maybe because it's your last day." All morning, just about every time Lois turned around, she tripped over Lee who was watching her like a hawk. Jimmy watched them in amusement. He knew Lee pretty well by now. He had figured out what was going on, but he was amused that Lois and Clark hadn't clued in. He wasn't surprised when Lois suddenly clutched her stomach with a loud gasp. "Clark!" Lois called shakily. Jumping up from his desk, Clark instantly responded to the panic in his wife's voice. "What is it, honey?" "I'm having a contraction!" Lois said through clenched teeth. She gradually relaxed again. "Wow, that was a big one!" A strange expression came over her face. "Uh, Clark?" "Yes, honey." "I think my water just broke!" she exclaimed, as she clutched at him. "Okay, hon! Let's get you to the hospital," Clark said, trying to keep his cool. He could tell Lois was scared. It wouldn't do her any good if he panicked, too. Perry emerged from his office. "I should have known, Lois. You never did like surprise parties. It beats the band how you've arranged to miss this one!" "What? Perry, I didn't know anything was planned." "I know you didn't. And I'm teasing you. Now skedaddle. You two better get going. Oh, and Clark, let us know, okay?" He gave Lois a quick kiss on the forehead. "I will, Perry." Clark led Lois to the elevator. Lois looked back at the newsroom. She spotted Lee standing beside Jimmy. Lee grinned and gave Lois a thumbs up. "Surprise!" Lee mouthed. "Know it all!" Lois muttered under her breath. "Excuse me!" Clark exclaimed. "You know who I mean." "Oh right." Clark suddenly realized the meaning of Lee's strange behaviour. "Of course, she would know her own father's birthday!" *** Later that afternoon, Lee and Jimmy were admiring the twins. Lois cradled one in her arms. Clark gently rocked the other. "They're beautiful, guys," Lee said. "So, which one's Daddy?" Jimmy asked Lee. "I don't know," she answered. "I haven't heard what their names are yet." "Oh right!" Jimmy said. "That makes sense, I guess." Lois smiled serenely. She gently jiggled the baby she held. "This young gentleman is Jonathan Perry Bernard. And the little man that Clark is holding is Samuel James Lee." Jimmy blinked. "I don't know what to say. I'm touched. I'm just glad ..." His voice cracked with emotion. "...that at least our names, Lee's and mine, will be together even when we can't be." "Jimmy!" Lee rushed to his side. "You're acting like I'm leaving this minute. We still don't know when I'm going, and we still haven't figured out what else I have to do here." She gently cupped his cheek. "And I can't leave yet. I have to change at least one diaper! I'll be able to hold that over dad's head the rest of his life!" She laughed, breaking the tension. The door opened. Dr. Marlowe stuck her head in. "Hi! How's Mom and Dad doing?" she asked as she entered the room. "Great!" Clark answered. "Come on in, and meet some of our friends. Dr. Marlowe, this is Jimmy Olsen, a reporter at the Planet with us. And this is Dr. Lee Carlyle. She's helping out at the Planet temporarily." Lois looked back and forth between Lee and Dr. Marlowe. "Dr. Marlowe, I just figured out something. You've seemed so familiar to me but ... you and Lee have the same eyes. You look a lot alike other than hair colour." "My hair used to be that colour when I was a lot younger. Once I turned thirty, it lightened up considerably. Now that I'm heading into my forties, I've got all these white hairs sprouting!" Changing the subject, Lois said, "I know you've already met these guys, but I don't think you caught their names. This guy here is Jonathan Perry Bernard, and the little guy Clark's cuddling is Samuel James Lee." "I like the names. Actually, Lee is my maiden name," Dr. Marlowe informed them. Lee jumped. "I've been thinking about going back to it," Dr. Marlowe continued. "I've been widowed for ten years now. I miss Bob still, but ... I think I want my old identity back." "I can understand that," Lois replied. "Maintaining my identity is precisely why I never took Clark's name." "Did that ever bother you, Clark?" Dr. Marlowe asked curiously. "No, after all," he smiled fondly at Lois, "I fell in love with Lois Lane. Why would I want to change her?" Dr. Marlowe laughed. "That must be why I stopped dating again. You snatched up the only enlightened man in Metropolis, Lois." "Hey!" Jimmy protested. "I'm enlightened! Right, Lee?" She laughed. "Most of the time, sweetie. You do get this ... testosterone surge when I ... let my hair down, however." She winked at him. He grinned at her. "That's your fault! You know it makes me feel... like flying!" Lois and Clark laughed, leaving Dr. Marlowe looking a little puzzled. Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:21:57 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Christina Batouli Subject: Old and New FANZINES Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Does anyone know where I can get info on old LnC fanzines (or the fanzine itself)? It's okay if the fanzine has already had an owner as long as none of the pages are missing. Also, I know that there is a fanzine currently in the works. Does any one know what stage it is in? I just need an estimate as to the number of months it will take. Thanks in advance Christina forym101@hotmail.com Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:22:53 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 22 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 22 Perry barged in the door, interrupting the conversation. He had two immense blue bears tucked under his arms. "Why the Sam Hill don't they have proper directions in this place? I walked in on some poor guy being prepped for heart surgery. I thought he was going to have a coronary when he caught sight of my friends here." He held up the bears. Lois laughed in delight. "Perry, those are huge. One of them alone, is bigger than both of these guys put together." Perry bent over the baby in Lois' arms. "Hey there, Tiger." A little fist wrapped around his finger. "And what's your name, big fella?" Lois smiled. "I'm glad you asked. Let me introduce you to Jonathan ... Jonathan Perry Bernard Kent!" Perry sat down heavily on the side of the bed. "Jonathan Perry!" he exclaimed. "Our guys are named after the five finest men we know... and one great lady," Clark said with a wink at Lee. "This little guy is Samuel James Lee Kent." He beamed at Perry. "Uh, Clark, Lois. I don't quite know, uh, what to say here. I'm touched," he said gruffly. Jimmy spoke up. "I feel the same way, Chief. It's quite an honour." Dr. Marlowe interjected, "Lois, Clark. I'm going to continue on with my rounds. I'll be back later to check up on you and the kids." She started to move towards the door. With an eye on the doctor, Lee spoke up quickly. "Uncle Bernie will be over the moon! Clark, did you call him at Star Labs to let him know?" "Uncle Bernie? Star Labs? Do you mean Dr. Bernard Klein?" Dr. Marlowe spun on her heel and moved back into the room. "Yes. You've heard of him, I gather," Lois answered. "Heard of him? Of course I have. The man's a living legend. His journal articles are incredible!" she said, excitedly. "And Dr. Carlyle, you're his niece." "They're very close," Clark interjected. "Really! Wow! Dr. Carlyle, it's a lot to ask but ... do you think you could arrange for me to meet him? I'm just such an admirer of his. I would dearly love to discuss some of his theories with him. I've kept all the journals that they've appeared in!" Dr. Marlowe asked. "I think that could be arranged," Lee said slowly. Jimmy looked at her in concern. She suddenly looked very pale. He said briskly, "Anyway, guys, that will have to wait. Lee and I are going now. CK, Lois, you have two beautiful babies. Congratulations! Chief, we'll see you at work. Dr. Marlowe, nice to meet you." Everyone murmured their good-byes, and Jimmy led Lee out of the room. She was silent in the elevator and in the hallway leading out. Once they had left the hospital, Jimmy stopped Lee with a hand on her arm. "Okay, Lee. What's wrong?" "Oh Jimmy!" She dissolved in tears. "Honey, what? You can tell me. Is something wrong with one of the babies?" he asked in concern. "No, the babies are fine. Dr. Marlowe, she's my grandmother. That must be what I have to do still. I have to introduce her to Uncle Bernie. Once I do that, my work, my time here is done!" She buried her face in her hands. "Come on, sweetie. Stop crying. Let's talk this through. How come you didn't realize right away that she's your grandmother? Lois has been talking about her for months now," he asked. "You heard what she said. She's just started thinking about changing back to her maiden name. I did know that she had been married before, but I didn't know what her married name was. Jimmy, that's not even the worst of it. It was a lot easier when she wasn't a real person to me, but she's nice. I like her." "I'm not following you," Jimmy replied. "Jimmy, in about three years, my mom will be born. My grandma, that nice doctor that we just met, she died, I mean she will die in childbirth." "Oh Lee." He put his arms tightly around her. "And the rotten thing is, I can't change anything. I can't warn her. And I certainly can't tell Uncle Bernie. I feel so helpless." She rested her head on his chest. Suddenly she broke his embrace. "Jimmy! Maybe I should make sure they don't meet! Then I wouldn't have to go back. We could stay together! And she won't die!" she exclaimed desperately. He gripped her shoulders firmly. "Lee, you know better. From everything you've told me, if you did that, you would cease to exist. I couldn't bear that! At least this way, I'll know that you will have a life someday -- not with me -- but I'll have some wonderful memories." He gazed tenderly into her eyes. "You're right, Jimmy! I just wish we could figure out some way we could be together too!" she sighed. "Me too, Lee. Me too." *** Dr. Klein was sitting in the lab, hunched over a microscope. Suddenly he heard a familiar whoosh and felt a strong draft. Looking up, he smiled in greeting. "Firestorm! What can I do for you?" He glanced furtively at the technicians who were also in the lab. "Dr. Klein, I'd like to borrow you for a little while. Would that be okay?" she asked seriously. "That should be fine," he answered. "Great! Let's go." She grasped him firmly around the waist and they swooped out. "So Lee, where are we going in such a hurry?" he asked as they flew over the city. She grinned at him. "I just wanted to give you an excuse to play hooky. Lois and Clark had their babies today. I've been there once to visit already but I thought you should see them too." Lee was glad that she was a good actress. That sounded pretty normal, she thought to herself. "Great! I can hardly wait!" he enthused. *** "Clark, Lois, I've thoroughly examined both these little guys, and they check out completely normal. Their Apgar scores were excellent; they have great muscle tone and good reflexes. They're just perfect. And very human!" Dr. Klein stated firmly. "That's the impression we got, but it's nice to hear it from you. Did you see any evidence of superpowers in either of them?" Clark asked anxiously. "No. But you told me you didn't develop them until you hit puberty. I'll double-check with Lee what her experience was, but I would imagine the same thing will happen with these guys. So it looks like you'll have twelve or thirteen years to get prepared." Changing the subject, he asked, "How long will you have to stay here, Lois?" "Thirty-six more hours. Dr. Marlowe wants to make sure that I'm able to nurse them all right. There are two of them to feed after all." Lois yawned. "I can see that you're tired, Lois. As soon as Lee gets back from the ladies room, we'll go. You need your rest. In fact, why don't I wait out here?" Dr. Klein smiled at Lois and Clark and stepped into the hallway. A moment later, Lee walked towards the room. She was surprised to see Dr. Marlowe approach from the other direction. "Uncle Bernie, have you met Lois's obstetrician? This is Dr. Marlowe. Dr. Marlowe, I'd like you to meet my uncle, Dr. Klein." Dr. Klein extended his hand to Dr. Marlowe. She shook it and reluctantly let go. "Dr. Marlowe, you look awfully familiar to me. Have we met before?" he asked as he gazed into her clear green eyes. "No, I would have remembered meeting you. I've been a fan since I read your first published article. Was it back in 1978 or 1979? I can't remember." "It was '79. I'm impressed. I've never had a fan before." He laughed. "Have you written anything that I might have read?" "Actually, I did submit some articles under my maiden name, Dr. Lee." "You're married?" Dr. Klein sounded disappointed. "Widowed." "Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "It's all right. It was a long time ago. Please excuse me, Dr. Klein. I just need to have a quick look at Lois and the babies." She moved to enter the room. "Uh, Dr. Marlowe, would you like to join Lee and me for a coffee in the cafeteria?" Dr. Klein asked diffidently. "Oh, Uncle Bernie," Lee interrupted, "I forgot to tell you, I've made plans with Jimmy tonight." "Why am I not surprised? Those two are inseparable." he said, in an aside to Dr. Marlowe. "So how about it, Dr. Marlowe? Can I buy you a coffee?" "Thank you, Dr. Klein. I would enjoy that." "Please call me Bernie." "And I'm Caroline." *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:23:20 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 23 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 23 "Lee, you are one heck of a good actress!" Jimmy exclaimed. "And you don't think Dr. Klein realized that you planned the whole meeting?" "But I didn't plan the meeting, Jimmy! I tried to call her in her office, and she was out doing rounds. But things should progress okay without any more help on my part. He was really, really impressed by her. And definitely vice versa." "That's great!" he exclaimed. They walked hand in hand up the steps to Lee's apartment. "Do you want to come in for a coffee?" she asked. "Don't I always?" he grinned. She opened the door and they stepped inside, still talking. "So we still don't know what else you have to do here." Lee opened her mouth to speak. "Hello, Lee." She jumped at the interruption. "Uncle Herb!" All the blood drained out of Lee's face. "Oh no," Jimmy groaned. "But I haven't done everything. I have another task to perform." "No, you don't, my dear. You've performed all your tasks admirably." He sighed. "It's time." "Uncle Herb, you know I love you, but I'm really not happy to see you," Lee said. "I know, my dear. I know. I'm sorry to be the cause of so much distress to you, and to James. But it's necessary. I know that's scant consolation." Lee took a deep breath. "Uncle Herb, I'm not going back!" she said emphatically. "My dear, you have no choice," he said, equally emphatic. Jimmy backed off to watch, his heart in his mouth. "No, Uncle Herb. I do have a choice. I choose to stay with my friends. I've gotten very close to Clark and Lois, Perry, and Uncle Bernie. And I love Jimmy. Most importantly, I don't want to leave him." "I understand all that, Lee, I really do, but... you have to come back. It's important." "Then Jimmy can come with me ... if he wants to, that is." Before Jimmy could speak, Uncle Herb interjected, "No, he can't, my dear. He has many, many important things that he has to do in this time. It would totally jeopardize our dimension if he were yanked suddenly out of the time-line!" "That's it, then. I'm staying," Lee stated firmly. "Lee, he's dying!" Uncle Herb exclaimed. "What?" "Your grandfather, Dr. Klein. He's dying," he repeated softly. Lee sat down heavily. "What happened?" she asked. "He had a stroke, about an hour after you left. He can still talk, but he's paralyzed on one side. Lee, he won't recover. It was a massive stroke. I don't think he'll survive even one more day." His eyes brimmed with tears. "He's asking for you, my dear. I think he's waiting for you to come before he..." He cleared his throat. Jimmy spoke up for the first time. "Lee, you have to go. You know it. I know it. He needs you." She gazed into his eyes. "Jimmy, I need you too." "No, Lee. There's a difference. You want to be with me, but he needs you there with him. You know I love you, that I'll always love you, but he was there in your life first, a long time before I came along." "All right, Jimmy. But I do need you to promise me something. Don't sacrifice your life for me. Please, I want you to fall in love again, get married, have children. You deserve to have someone in your life." "All right, Lee. Don't worry about me. I'll be okay." Jimmy knew in his heart that there would never be anyone else for him, but he said the words that she wanted to hear. "Would you say goodbye to everyone for me? Don't tell them why I went back. I don't want Uncle Bernie to know." "Don't worry, Lee. I will. And Dr. Klein won't know." Jimmy pulled her close for one last embrace, one last tender kiss of farewell. Uncle Herb solemnly shook Jimmy's hand and led Lee out of the apartment. She could hardly see where she was going, she was crying so hard. Jimmy sat down, buried his face in his hands, and sobbed. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:24:23 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 24 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 24 "Uncle Herb, I hope we're not too late." They hurried down the hospital hallway. Lee hastened to the bedside. She was shocked that he was alone in the room. "Where's mom and dad?" she asked, without looking away from her grandfather. Her full attention was on the frail figure lying before her. "He wouldn't let me call anyone. He only wants you with him," Mr. Wells responded. "Lee! Lee!" His voice was weak. His words were a bit slurred but were still quite intelligible. "I'm here, Gramps. I'm here." She bent over him. One half of his face was completely slack. "I've been waiting... just like I said I would." "I know, Gramps." He raised his voice slightly. "Herb, remember what I said... I only want Lee with me." "I remember Bernard. I won't call anyone else... yet." Mr. Wells patted Dr. Klein on the shoulder. "You've been a good friend to me. I won't forget you." "You better not ... or I'll haunt you!" Dr. Klein grinned lopsidedly. Lee nodded. She didn't look up, but she was aware of her Uncle Herb leaving the room. She was grateful for the privacy. "We don't... need any others around us... do we, sweetie?" "No, Gramps." Lee could barely talk. Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I love your mom... you know that. But she has... your father. They've had a ...bond between them since ...they were kids. But you and I... we've bonded together... haven't we?" She nodded sadly as she brushed the salt of her tears from her cheeks. A tear splashed his face. "Lee... my darling girl... Don't cry... There are worse things in life than dying... did you know that?" He flailed his arm in the air, trying to touch her. She grasped his hand and held it firmly in both of hers. "Like what, Gramps?" "Living without loving... No one can say that about us... can they, sweetie? You had Jimmy... I had Caroline... Then I had your mom... And then last... and most important in my heart... I had you... Always and forever... right, sweetie?" "Always and forever, Gramps." She kissed his wrinkled hand. "Lee... love doesn't die... You need to remember that... It doesn't die even when we do." He gasped for air. His eyes rolled back into his head. "Gramps!" She pushed the call button. A nurse hurried into the room. She checked his vital signs. "He's gone into a coma. I'm sorry," the nurse said gently. "Will it... Will it be long?" Lee asked tentatively. "His heart's still strong. It could take hours still." She patted Lee on the shoulder and left the room. Holding his hand, Lee talked to him. She told him about her trip to the past. She talked about Jimmy. She thanked him for being so wonderful to her both in the past and the present. She talked until she didn't know what she was saying any more. "Thank you for always being there for me, Gramps. You've always come through in the crunch. I've never been a perfect granddaughter to you, Gramps, but oh, how I love you. I'm going to miss you so much. But I know Grandma Caroline misses you, too. She's been alone a long time. She's waiting for you..." He gasped once, blinked hard, and exhaled for the last time. "Oh Gramps," she sobbed. "Give my grandma a hug for me." She sat beside him for a long time, saying her good-byes. Finally, she got up and stumbled to the door. She took one long, last look at him and left the room. "Hi. Mr. Wells called me," Clark said softly. "I thought you'd need some company." He was leaning against the wall in the hallway. "Oh, Grandpa Clark," Lee sobbed, as she fell into his waiting arms. *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:25:31 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 25 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 25 Lee sat at her desk in her dorm room, looking off into space. She was numb. Measured by the calendar, only a week had gone by since she had last sat here. But she had lived a lifetime in that week. She had forged new friendships. She had enabled her grandparents, no, her friends to conceive. She had watched their pregnancy unfold for almost nine months. She had held their babies in her arms. And she had loved and lost the two most important men in her life. She had lost one to death, and the other to time. Lee felt as if her heart had died within her chest. Her mom and dad, her Uncle Jon, her aunts, and all her many cousins tried to console her. And her Grandma Lois and Grandpa Clark were very attentive. But she felt out of step with them. For months, she had been living her life at a different rhythm. Her relationship was very much warmer with her grandparents, but the days of easy friendship were gone. She was separated from them by time. She couldn't even begin to envision that life might get better. There was a knock at the door. Lee sighed, and walked slowly to answer it. She really didn't want to see anyone. "Uncle Herb." Lee winced at the sight of him. He reminded her of her two losses, both of them still too raw. "Lee, my dear, may I come in? I wish to talk to you about something very important." He stood in her doorway, holding his hat in his hands. "Sure, Uncle Herb. Please have a seat." Lee gestured listlessly at her chair. He sat down. She slumped on the edge of the bed facing him. "Lee, my dear. I want to talk to you about James. Have you been wondering what happened to him?" A little animation came into her face. "Yes, I have, Uncle Herb. I asked Grandpa Clark about him. He said that the last time he and Grandma Lois saw Jimmy, was about two days after I was born. He visited mom and dad at the hospital, left, and was never seen again. Grandpa Clark searched for him for a very long time, but he was never able to find a trace of him." Lee leaned forward. "Do you have news?" "Yes, but before I tell you, I wanted to ask. Did your grandparents ever tell you about Dr. Doodsen? Dr. Veda Doodsen." Lee thought for a moment. "No, I've never heard of her." "She experimented on many young people, James included. She hooked herself up with an elderly criminal. She attempted to transfer their life energy to this man in an attempt to rejuvenate him. Using blackmail, she also attempted to transfer some of Superman's life force to him. Except for James, the young people all died." Mr. Wells shook his head in disgust. "James survived because Superman, Clark insisted that Dr. Doodsen rejuvenate James using more of Clark's life essence." "I've never heard this story." Lee listened wide-eyed. "This is the main reason that your Grandfather and your Grandmother are aging at the same rate. Without these two energy drains, he would definitely outlive your Grandmother by decades and decades. It's been estimated that his normal life span would have been approximately double the average human male's. His life span is still longer than most, and fortunately your Grandmother has also reaped some benefits from his aura. It's been discovered that prolonged physical contact with this aura has beneficial effects for humans. This is the reason your Grandmother is also in such good shape for her age. And, this is also a secondary reason why they are aging at the same rate." "This is fascinating, Uncle Herb. What effect will this have on me, or on my dad?" Lee was interested in spite of herself. "Your father and your Uncle Jonathan are an interesting case. In the case of twins, there is a decrease in the lifespan, almost as if one is split between the two of them. So your father and mother should also age at the same rate. And your father's aura is still strong enough to keep your mother healthy for a very long time." "That's a relief!" "But then we come to you, Lee. You're not a twin. You will have a very long life, probably about a third longer than the norm." "I still don't understand why you're telling me this, and what it has to do with Jimmy!" she asked plaintively. "Getting back to James, the transfer of some of Superman's life force had an interesting effect on him. He also started aging at a slower rate. Barring unforeseen accidents, he would have a very long and healthy life." Uncle Herb looked a little uncomfortable. Changing the subject, he asked. "Have you ever wondered what my life is like, my dear?" Lee looked thoughtful. "I'm sorry, Uncle Herb. I've never really thought about it." "It's wonderful and exciting. I'm 'Uncle Herb' to generations and generations of Kent descendants. But it's a big responsibility looking after the time line. It fell to me only because I inadvertently invented my machine. I felt that I should be more careful in the selection of my replacement." "Your replacement!" Lee exclaimed in shock. "Yes, my dear. My replacement. I'm tired. I'm old, and I'm afraid of making mistakes. I've made them in the past. So far, they've been fixable, but ...I'm losing faith in my ability to problem solve. I decided to look for someone to take over from me. But I didn't want just one person; I wanted a team who would work together, and bolster each other's spirits. I've recruited one half of the team, but I need now to find out if the other half is willing to take the job on. What do you say, Lee? Will you do it?" "Me!" Lee was speechless. "Yes, you, my dear. You are wonderfully suited to it. You have a maturity and sense of responsibility that is unwarranted in one so young. You are absolutely brilliant, but you temper that brilliance with a loving heart. You are extremely pragmatic and methodical, but have flashes of wonderful creativity. And, you've been requested by the other half of the team." "I've been requested? Who asked for me?" Lee asked in dawning hope. The door opened. "I asked for you, Lee." "Jimmy!" Lee ran to his waiting arms. He swept her into a fervent embrace. Mr. Wells raised his voice. "Not meaning to interrupt you two, I should warn you. Although he only looks slightly older than when you last saw him, Jimmy is actually twenty-five years older than he was when you were last with him. And, as far as he's concerned, it was only yesterday that you were born, Lee. That's why Clark couldn't find him. I brought him here. And, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that you two will have a lot to work out. You have an age difference between you that you didn't have before. And, Jimmy's had a lot of experiences that he had on his own. Also..." Lee broke the kiss. "Uncle Herb." "Yes, Lee?" "Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?" Lee returned to kissing Jimmy as if she would never stop. Mr. Wells chuckled to himself. 'Bernard would be pleased,' he thought. 'Things had worked out for Lee.' He stood up and quietly made his way to the door. "Mr. Wells, wait!" Jimmy exclaimed. Mr. Wells turned to face him. "I have to ask. It drove me crazy for twenty-five years. What else was Lee supposed to do in the past? What was her other task?" "Why, my dear boy! It's quite simple, really. Lee had to fall head over heels, completely and irrevocably, in love with you." He smiled at them gently, checked his pocket watch, and then, softly closed the door as he exited the room. The end Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:27:14 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 2 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Part 2 (I am resending this. It doesn't seem to have arrived with the other parts) Lee's grandfather leaned forward and gently took her hand in his. "Herb, you go and get the stuff. I'll explain the situation to Lee." The English gentleman left the room only to return a moment later carrying an old-fashioned carpetbag. Lee's grandfather gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Lee, you know that I was Grandpa Clark's doctor. I was so upset when I told him he and Lois couldn't have children. I was, and still am so fond of both of them. I felt like I was crushing all their dreams. I worked at coming up with theories to test. I experimented. I raised their hopes, only to end up crushing them again. It was a terrible time. Honestly, I had no idea how to proceed. I had told Clark and Lois that I thought we should give up, when the most miraculous thing happened. You showed up. This very attractive twenty-year-old with superpowers came into my life, and swore that she was not only Superman's granddaughter, but my granddaughter, too. She told me she had come 45 years into her past to help me!" "Me?! I mean, it must have been me - I'm your only grandchild, but ... did you believe me right away?" Lee looked at her grandfather in wide-eyed amazement. "Well ... it took me a while to believe you. I mean, I wasn't even married yet ... hadn't even met your grandma Caroline. It helped that you could fly. And you had other proof with you." He gestured at Herb who promptly opened the carpetbag and withdrew a large manila envelope from it. Herb handed Lee's grandfather the envelope. He opened it, took out a photo and handed it to Lee. Lee gazed at the picture. It had been taken at Christmas, just a few months before. It was Lee's favorite photo of her with her grandfather. They were not posed formally but were very casual with their arms wrapped around each other. There was not a strong family resemblance between the two of them, but they did have the same lively, intelligent expressions on their faces. The loving bond between them was very obvious. Lee's grandfather then reached down and pulled another photo out from under his chair. It was identical to the first except that it looked well worn and yellowed. "You gave me this forty-five years ago, and I've kept it close to me ever since. Lee, I've loved you since before you were born. Whenever life seemed too hard for me - like when your grandma Caroline died - I would pull this picture out and look at it. It gave me hope. I could remember what you had been like in my past, and look forward to the future and getting to know you all over again." "Oh, Gramps! I love you, too!" Lee sniffed as she brushed tears from her eyes. Herb briskly blew his nose into his handkerchief, breaking the emotion of the moment. Then he reached into the carpetbag again and produced another smaller envelope handing it to Lee. "This isn't for you, my dear. Please don't open it." Lee looked at the envelope. It was marked "Dr. Klein - personal and confidential." "Gramps! This is your handwriting. You wrote yourself a letter?" "I told you there was other proof. I have to admit, I was the hardest person I ever tried to persuade of anything!" "What does the letter say, Gramps?" Lee asked. "Basically, it says that I should trust you and believe you no matter how much I don't want to. Also, I included a lot of personal details that no one knows about other than me. Now, darling, promise me. No peeking - I include a lot of embarrassing past history known only to me to prove my point!" "Okay. I promise not to peek." Lee grinned, holding up her fingers in the Boy Scout salute. "Gramps, obviously from what you've said, I told you the truth right away. Do I have to tell Grandpa Clark and Grandma Lois immediately?" she asked hesitantly. "No, sweetie. I'm not going to tell you whether they knew or not. That will be your decision to make, not mine." Lee nodded gravely. "I don't want to tell them." "I didn't think you would." He sighed. She changed the subject. "Did you already know that Grandpa Clark was Superman?" "Of course, my darling girl. Clark had been my patient for a long time. I knew almost from the first time we met that he was Superman." Herb glanced quizzically at her grandfather. He opened his mouth as if to speak but then closed it again. "Now my darling, go and pack enough of those librarian outfits of yours for a week or two. You don't need to pack anything else. Herb and I have some other supplies for you. We'll do a general inspection of your stuff to make sure you don't include anything that would be too radically different. Can't be too careful, can we?" "You mean, I'm going to go now? I won't have more time to prepare?" Herb spoke up. "No time like the present, my dear. You scoot home, pack and hurry back and we'll be off." "Whoa! This was a lot easier to handle when we were talking in the abstract. Now that you've told me I'm going now ... it changes everything!" Lee paused in thought for a moment. "All right, Uncle Herb, Gramps. I just want to say - this is totally against my better judgment!" Lee stood up and was gone with a whoosh. "My goodness, Herb. I think we really made an impression on her. I don't think I've ever seen her move so fast! And I haven't seen her so emotional since she was a young child. You know, she's really remarkable. Anyone else would be bundle of nerves knowing they were going to travel through time. Not our Lee! She's got incredible self-control! It's hard to remember that she's so young and inexperienced." Herb rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Bernard, you told her that you already knew Clark was Superman." "What can I say, Herb? I lied. What was I going to tell her? 'By the way, my dear, you spilled the beans about your other grandpa's secret identity!' That would have gone over well!" "You know, Bernard, you really are a very devious old man!" "Why, thank you very much, Herb!" Gramps laughed. With a whoosh, Lee returned carrying a small suitcase. "Okay, guys, let me show you what I packed." She opened the bag and started removing items, laying them on the bed. "First, I have clothes and yes, Gramps, I have some white tops, some black slacks and some black skirts. I also have my gray jacket, black pumps and my black sneakers. Of course, I have some lingerie too, which I don't feel you really need to inspect. As to what else to pack, I had no idea. Suggestions, gentlemen?" Herb retrieved the carpetbag from the floor and opened it once again. "Here you go, my dear. I have some identification papers - quite false, but they will pass inspection. Your name will be Lee Carlyle, Dr. Lee Carlyle. I felt Lee Kent would just be too hard to explain." "But Uncle Herb," Lee interrupted. "I haven't graduated yet." "Lee, you've completed all the work and are just waiting for graduation. That's close enough. You'll need to be taken seriously," Herb responded. He continued, "I also have a supply of money with proper dates on it. It wouldn't do to present anyone with a piece of currency printed in 2010 or some such date! Finally, I have a key for a flat, which I rented in your name. It's fully furnished. It's not in a good part of town but with your - how shall we say this - extra resources, I don't believe you will have any problems you can't handle. I've written the address down for you. I've also included a map of Metropolis. You may know your way around the city now, but it was somewhat different then. Any questions?" "Uncle Herb, I do have a lot of questions for Gramps as to what exactly happened when I was there before." "I'm sorry, my dear, but I won't allow your grandfather to answer any of your questions. Can't change the time-line, can we, my dear?" "You mean, that's it! You're just going to throw me into the deep end?" she exclaimed. "That's right, sweetie. It's sink or swim time!" Gramps laughed. "All right. Enough! I guess I'm ready. Uncle Herb, let's go." Lee bent down and gave her grandfather a big hug and kiss. "I love you, Gramps. I hope you were okay with everything. I mean, I know you are now, but I hope you were okay with everything back then!" "Once I got over the first shock, darling, I was tickled pink! I love you, too. And I want to tell you something. It sure didn't take me long to learn to love you! Take care, sweetie. I'll be right here waiting for you when you get back." Lee straightened. She wiped a tear from her eye, braced her shoulders and took her uncle's arm. "Lead on, MacDuff! Tallyho and all that!" "That's the spirit, my dear. Keep your chin up!" And then they were gone leaving an old man alone with his memories. He sighed. "Oh Lee, I wish it had been easier for you! No wonder I wouldn't answer your questions." *** Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 13:15:33 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Emily wrote: > I never did get morning sickness. Those who do can start it as early as > about 2 weeks after conception (when they're considered 4 weeks pregnant) to > as late as 5 or 6 weeks (7 or 8 weeks pg). And that's only the "normal" > range -- some people don't get any until the second trimester (11 weeks > post-conception, 13 weeks pregnant), when most other moms are losing theirs. I'll definitely keep this in mind, as I'd like the pregnancy in this story to be very unique. > > Also, how soon do you start showing? > > A first-time mother may start feeling uncomfortable in snug clothing when > she is maybe 6 weeks pregnant, but it's not unusual not to "show" until 16 > or 18 weeks, maybe even later. I'm at 11 weeks and am still wearing all my > regular clothes, although things with really strong elastic at the waist > make me uncomfortable, and after a full meal I get very uncomfortable if I > bend at the waist while wearing non-stretchy clothes! But none of the > people I work with know or even suspect that I'm pregnant now, and I > wouldn't be surprised if they didn't know until another month or two had > passed. I plan on telling them before that, of course! Good, that gives me some idea of when other's might start recognizing that Lois is expecting and when she might want to break the news herself. > On second and later pregnancies, a woman will usually start showing sooner, > because her abdominal muscles are weaker and stretchier from the first > pregnancy (or so I'm told!). On the pregnancy bulletin board I'm reading, > many of the experienced moms are already wearing maternity clothes, some > starting as early as 8 weeks. > > A woman's chest expands, usually, before her waist does, so she'll outgrow > bras early (unless she's already wearing large or stretchy bras) and a more > observant individual might notice the difference and suspect the pregnancy > early. Like for instance a male co-worker who has his eyes on Lois. Thanks for this input, it'll help a lot. I have to warn you all, that this is going to be a totally different story than what you're probably thinking There's some suspense for you :) > > When do you > > start getting cravings? > > I had my first craving about 12 days post-conception, before I even knew I > was pregnant. I don't like ketchup but that evening I *had* to have some! > Cravings are definitely common in the first trimester and throughout > pregnancy. This was my first symptom, although I didn't recognize it as > such. Oh, I like that angle I had originally thought the first sign that'd be strange would be Lois having morning sickness, but I think I like her craving some really out there food first :) > > Any help on these questions and just about any > > other aspect of pregnancy would be greatly appreciated as Lois's pregnancy > > will be the first big chunk of this next fic and I don't want to make any > > *big* mistakes that will leave people that have actually *been* pregnant > > cringing! :) > > Well, I'm still pretty new at this whole pregnancy thing, so anything beyond > first trimester is beyond my experience! If you want to look at some good > sites on pregnancy, take a look at > > http://www.parentsplace.com/pregnancy/ > > Parentsplace has has bulletin boards for every stage of pregnancy and > childhood, all of which are generally loaded with relevant information -- > you'll see that every woman's pregnancy is different! There are also tons > of birth stories, which make for interesting reading, to say the least. You > can even create a calendar that tells approximately day-by-day what is going > on with a pregnancy, from pre-conception to post-delivery. That includes > both the baby's development and likely symptoms of the mother. I checked it out and it's excellent, I'm sure I'll be going back there quite often during this story! ;) > Can you tell you hit on one of my favorite topics of late? Yeah, hehe, it's kinda obvious, but I'm happy for you and congratulations! :) Mandy :) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 15:28:25 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Crystal Wimmer Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/29/99 1:59:53 PM Pacific Standard Time, Zoomway@AOL.COM writes: > > There have been several FoLC who met on line and have formed long lasting > frienships and some who have even gotten engaged and married, but many of > them > were caustious to begin with ;) > Ummm... does this mean don't hop on a plane, fly 3000 miles, and plan to drive another 6 hours with this stranger on your first meeting before sharing a hotel room with them for the weekend? Oops. In all honesty, we did meet in a public place (airport), and while I hadn't seen her, she was honest with her description. In addition, we were attending a scheduled event, and had been online friends for months. I may have been a little trusting, but I wasn't stupid ;) Still, if I'd gotten off the plane and she hadn't been there, it would have been a very long weekend until my return flight ;) Thanks for being there, Anne ;)... Must say though, there was a moment of panic when I was met at the offramp by Misha, who looks nothing like Anne, and who I had never seen ;) -Crys- (who may not be the smartest person online, but has the very best friend) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 13:23:56 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Eileen wrote: > >> I've never been pregnant and > >> never actually been around anyone when they're first pregnant so, I need > >> some help. I need to know, how long after you become pregnant do you > start > >> getting morning sickness? > > This can vary from person to persona nd also pregnancy to pregnancy. I > didn't get morning sickness for either of my first two babies but with the > next two, I felt sick all the time for the first about 12 weeks. Ah, I'm getting the idea that you never know what to expect! > >> Also, how soon do you start showing? > > This also depends on whether you are talking about first or subsequent > pregnancies. When I was pregnant with my first child, I didn't actually > show at all until I was about 16 to 18 weeks along - apart from the increase > in bust size. For the next pregnancies, I showed rather earlier, probably > about 12 to 14 weeks. So, it wouldn't be all that far off to assume that Lois wouldn't show for quite a long time and could get away without telling anyone for a while. > >> When do you > >> start getting cravings? > > This can happen really really early - often before you really know you are > pregnant. This can vary so much, there really isn't a normal time. One of > the things that happened to me during all my pregnancies was that I went off > coffee as soon as I was pregnant so for the subsequent pregnancies after my > first, this was usually the first indication that I may be pregnant. Apart > from that I had really bad cravings when I was seven and a half months and > onwards and didn't let up until I had actually produced. That's good to know too, cuz I'd like a couple of days after she conceives to get her wanting really crazy food, I mean, after all she is pregnant with a Kryptonian, so there's no telling what she'll want! ;) > I know there are some good sites on the web with some really good > information but I am so inexperienced on the web that I haven't a clue where > they are. I have some friends that may know though, as they are newly > pregnant and surf the net regularly looking for info. I will let you know > if I can find some good ones. Thanks! I'd appreicate it :) > Good luck with your fanfic. Hehe, thanks, I'm sure I'll need it! ;) Mandy Crustner ;) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 15:29:02 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Crystal Wimmer Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit I had two very different pregnancies, so here's the results: In a message dated 3/29/99 9:34:01 AM Pacific Standard Time, mandyc@LCC.NET writes: > I need to know, how long after you become pregnant do you start > getting morning sickness? 1) about 2 weeks after conception, long before I knew I was pregnant. I thought the poor kid was the flu! I stayed sick until more than a week after he delivered... only gained 12 pounds with the entire pregnancy, I was so sick. 2) not until I was almost 3 months along... I thought I was gonna get out of it this time ... once I got sick, it was mostly in the evenings, and once I threw up, I was fine for the rest of the night. It lasted until about the 6 month mark, but was fairly minor. Must not have been too bad, I gained almost 50 pounds :( Also, how soon do you start showing? Early on both counts, but then, I was looking and I have a tummy pooch to start with. As a general rule, smaller people show earlier, and subsequent pregnancies show earlier, than the rest of us. When do you > start getting cravings? never did... although, with my first pregnancy, I could only keep down snickers bars and chocolate instant breakfast. Nothing unusual about the second... no cravings that I can remember (except for bananna splits, and I crave them whether I'm pregnant or not... chocolate too ;) Any help on these questions and just about any > other aspect of pregnancy would be greatly appreciated as Lois's pregnancy > will be the first big chunk of this next fic and I don't want to make any > *big* mistakes that will leave people that have actually *been* pregnant > cringing! :) One last recommendation, research wise... get a hold of the book "What to expect when you're expecting"... talk about an amazing reference... it even goes into FEELINGS that occur when you are pregnant, and it does so in such detail that when I was pregnant I carried the silly book with me for company... it is so practical and on-the-mark, that I felt it was my best friend. -Crys- ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 13:33:51 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Mandy Crustner Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > First off, Mandy, I'd like to thank you for actually doing research > into pregnancy symptoms :-) It drives me nuts to see authors make stupid > mistakes. You're welcome! ;) I've always loved research (I'm strange, I know ) and I can't stand to think of writing about something I really don't know the least bit about, I hate looking stupid :) > As many of you know I'm currently about done with my second pregnancy, > so I have a little experience. And I will stress that every pregnancy > is different, even for the same woman (1st vs. 2nd), but I can give you > my experience, anyway. Well, I haven't gotten the chance to say it yet, but Congratulations! :) I want kids, just not right now (I'm much like Lois used to be, may be why I identify with her so much). > >> I need to know, how long after you become pregnant do you start > getting morning sickness? << > > I usually started getting queasy around 7-8 weeks (which is really 5-6 > weeks post-conception, because at the moment of conception, you're > considered 2 weeks pregnant -- pregnancies are dated from the first day of > your last period, *not* from conception, because that's a lot harder to > determine). Well, there you go, that's definitely something I didn't know! :) > The first time around, by coincidence, I'd had a cold about > the same time, so that confused the issue (I thought it was just post-nasal > drip ) (another early symptom is sore breasts, btw; I had that before > I started feeling ill) Sore breasts seems to be the consesus, so I'll definitely have to add that in somewhere :) > And "morning" sickness is a misnomer. Mornings were always my best time, > and I'd feel worse and worse as the day went by, til I was totally > miserable at dinner time :-( But I didn't throw up much -- with my second, > it was, at the worst, once a week. And I gradually outgrew it by 13-14 > weeks. Some women throw up a lot more regularly. In fiction, of course, > you get to choose which advances your story more. That's what I love about writing it and not living it I can make her suffer more than I'd want to, though I probably won't do that. I don't think Lois would be one that would enjoy throwing up much and so I don't want to put her through a lot of stuff she wouldn't like. Like I said earlier, this will be a pretty unique pregnancy and I want her to enjoy it as much as possible while still being realistic. > When you "show" depends a lot on how you're built, and how you normally > dress, but in first timers it's probably not before 4-5 months. Second > time around, you pop out a lot faster -- this last time, I was in maternity > pants at 10 weeks, just because I couldn't stand anything tight around my > stomach. Considering Lois has a figure to die for (I'm just a bit envious, if you can't tell) I guess realistically she wouldn't show till sometime between 5-6 months, right? This will be her first pregnancy :) > As for cravings... I wouldn't know, I never really had any. Well, except > for Cadbury Creme Eggs, but I do that every year about this time I > could see Lois using "cravings" as an excuse to eat more chocolate but > Clark would probably catch on eventually... Hehe, yeah, I can see her doing that too! I think the craving part will be the most fun of this story, because I've always been one to put weird combinations of food together :) Oh, and I'm the same way about Cadbury Eggs, hehe, I've had to force myself not to buy one of the Chocolate ones, I wouldn't wanna break my diet > Good luck with your fic! :-) Thanks so much, I'm sure I'll need it :) > Pam Mandy Crustner ;) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 16:25:44 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-30 15:35:08 EST, you write: << Well, I haven't gotten the chance to say it yet, but Congratulations! :) I want kids, just not right now (I'm much like Lois used to be, may be why I identify with her so much). >> I feel the same way too Mandy! I too want kids eventually, but not right now.. especially since I am in college. I even have a specific age where I will start thinking about a family, that is how serious I am! That is why i too can DEFINATELY identify with Lois a lot!!! ;) Alexis ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 13:47:58 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rachel TenHaaf Subject: Re: Emotional while writing: was Thinking in Pictures-Q Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain >>Mandy Crustner said: > >> I know that sometimes I get so wrapped up in a scene that the emotions often >>show on my face, and in highly emotional scenes, I've even found myself >>crying, I was so wrapped up in what the characters were feeling. > >You are not the only one! I get VERY wrapped up in the emotions I'm >writing- and the mood tends to stay with me for a time even when I'm done >"working." That's great if what I'm working on is happy. But when I'm >writing scenes filled with angst, grief, depression and so on, I pay the >price! For me, if _I_, as the writer can't feel anything about a scene, how >can I expect it to move a reader? There have been times I've been bawling >so hard I could barely see the monitor- a sure sign readers would be >reaching for the kleenex, too. > >BTW- I've never written n-fic, so I can't say if that applies as well, but >I suppose it would!. ;-) > >Jackie >Jacalyn S. Newman >jsd119@email.psu.edu I have to agree here. I've only written one fanfic, but I've written other stuff in RL and I get this "writing hangover". Whatever I'm writing seems to translate into my mood with everyone around. I'm quite sure that if the author isn't at least a little involved with what (s)he is writing, the reader won't be impressed. Of course this does make for awkward moments, like if I'm writing something funny and start laughing or heaven help me, if I'm crying over something, people walk in to visit my roomate and look at me like "are you for real?" Rachel rae@usXchange.net Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 16:43:17 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: PJ Piasecki Subject: Re: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 25 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/30/99 2:25:09 PM CST, sirenegold@HOTMAIL.COM writes: << "Why, my dear boy! It's quite simple, really. Lee had to fall head over heels, completely and irrevocably, in love with you." He smiled at them gently, checked his pocket watch, and then, softly closed the door as he exited the room. >> Wow, Irene, what a wonderful story! And I love this ending. Lee and Jimmy together, traveling through time. I LOVE it! I'm so impressed. I can't believe this is really your first fanfic. The characters, the pacing, the story, the twist ending....perfect! More, more! Piper ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 17:20:00 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Ann E. McBride" Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/30/99 3:35:08 PM Eastern Standard Time, mandyc@LCC.NET writes: << Considering Lois has a figure to die for (I'm just a bit envious, if you can't tell) I guess realistically she wouldn't show till sometime between 5-6 months, right? This will be her first pregnancy :) >> Actually, I would think that given that Lois is so slim and wears alot of snug-fitting, clingy clothes, she would probably be getting pretty uncomfortable at about 3 months and definitely be showing by 4. I know I only weighed 100 lbs. when I got pregnant with my first child and could hardly button anything around the waist by 3 months. Usually the more petite and small boned you are, the faster you can't wear your clothes. Lois could do what a former co-worker did-- she didn't want anyone to know she was pregnant, so instead of going into maternity clothes, she bought a completely new wardrobe of regular clothes in larger sizes. (She fooled all the adults, but none of the students in the school where we were teaching.) Ann ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 17:59:15 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Joy N Sowell Subject: Re: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 25 of 25 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii This was an AMAZING story. :) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 19:19:00 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Gillian B Tanz Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers On Tue, 30 Mar 1999 10:55:24 -0500 Peggy Mueller writes: >Something I read recently raised this question for me--do writers >create >their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and >"translating" >the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that >somehow >coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from you writers on >this >question! > >Peggy, >apologizing in advance if someone else has asked this recently--I've >been >"off" for several weeks. :-) >gremlino@pathway.net > Hi Peggy and FoLCs:) This is a great discussion question. For me, it has always been most natural to visualise the scene, to see what dialogue, gestures, facial expressions, and other character traits seem, well, characteristic. For instance, if Lois is going off on a tirade, what, specifically, is she likely to be doing? Pacing the floor, gesturing wildly, babbling at a mile a minute? I don't know how else to come up with these descriptions without first visualizing the situation. I'm so curious about how the rest of you FoLcs do it! :) -Jill aka AlienDove- AlienDove@juno.com my webpage: http://members.tripod.com/~AlienDove/index.html The truth is nobody knows how long they've got. Anyway, it's not years that count, it's the moments. Right now, as they happen." - Clark Kent in "Brutal Youth"~~**~~ "You still my girl?" "Always." - Angel to Buffy in "Enemies." ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 16:40:11 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Audrey Rempel Subject: Irene's 'Firestorm' MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I have to chime in and say, excellent job! I'm reading this at work (bad, I know, but what ya gonna do? This is where I have access! :)) and I confess to having to try very hard not to laugh out loud, choke up with terms, and just in general not let my emotions get me in big trouble! Very inventively done, great story telling, great characterisation, and all-in-all just a good read. Thanks! Oh, and on the subject of the Kerths, let me just add my congratulations to the organisers of this very fine event! It was my first time on IRC and I had a blast! Fortunately, my category was first, so after being not at all surprised at being beaten by 'Three Capes to the Wind' ('Hey Bernie!' LOL) I could sit back, relax and enjoy the show. It was a great time, and I look forward to next year. Congrats to all the nominees and winners and keep writing! (Or start writing, look we have a new one! :) Ciao Audrey (audo) _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 15:44:04 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Starfire 1138 Subject: Re: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain >From: No Name Available > >In a message dated 99-03-29 16:29:57 EST, mulders@mindspring.com writes: > ><< ... who now keeps hearing Dean's voice in her head saying, "His > name's Denny, and he's about ..." Not that I'm complaining, mind you >> > >YOu sure that's not his California accent showing? > >--Laurie (who was sure she heard Danny) Speaking of accents, just what kind of accent does Dean have (or what exactly is a California accent?)?? I guess I never really notice done. I myself am from the West Coast so maybe I wouldn't notice one. What does everyone else think? Starfire :o) Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 20:01:51 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Lori McElhaney Subject: Re: Help needed: Maternity leave Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Sorry about the first post - my mouse double clicked Well as far as my employer (State of Texas) - I was entitled to 6 weeks maternity leave - unpaid . You were eligible to use your accrrued vacation leave and sick leave, but if that didn't cover it, it was leave without pay. You could get an extension up to three months, with a doctor's excuse, but it was still unpaid. Those policies sound great, but I've never heard of employers being that generous Lori ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 20:47:05 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Anne Carlson Subject: Review -- LITTLE MAN, SUPER Comments: cc: smcdermin@erols.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi All, Well, I finished "Little Man, Super" and must say that Sandy has written a fun look at growing up in the suburb of Utopia with the notion that Dad might be a bit more "Super" than Mr. Kent. Lois is sure that Clark "certainly looked like the guy I was with that night". But Jonny is not convinced. Lois and Clark are reluctant to share the family secret with one so young. But, when asked straight forward by the boy: "Are you my real father?", Clark is relieved that he doesn't need to lie. I must say again, for someone who does not have a husband and kids, Sandy sure has the genre down. Being a teacher, I got a kick out of the school and field trip scenes when Jonny is "sick" and wants to be away from the others. Most kids don't plan an escape like that, thank goodness, but it certainly could happen. Sandy also has that ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 20:59:23 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Anne Carlson Subject: Review -- LITTLE MAN, SUPER Comments: cc: smcdermin@erols.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Oops, Sorry about that. I wasn't done with my review. I pushed the wrong button- Duh. I will repost this when I finish! Anne (ACdrift@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 17:52:30 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers In-Reply-To: <001e01be7ac5$d6edb080$2731e7d0@gremlino> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:55 AM 3/30/1999 -0500, you wrote: >Something I read recently raised this question for me--do writers create >their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and "translating" >the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that somehow >coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from you writers on this >question! > >Peggy, I sort of picture myself "there", as one of the characters, I think... When I'm able to write fast (when the cat is asleep, for example), it just comes, I say it to myself and type like crazy and don't question it. When I slow down, reread and think about the dialogue, for example, I try to picture what the speaker is doing. If the character is in a location that may be unfamiliar to the reader (not the Daily Planet newsroom), I want to make sure I describe that adequately, so I do try to picture that. For my current project I'm doing some sketches that will be available eventually on my site. I don't tend to hear most of my characters unless they're very emotional (Lois) or their voice is rather stereotyped (Perry's southern accent). I can hear what they might say but not a voice (I don't hear voices... that's a *good* thing... ;) Occasionally I'll try to imagine a smell or what something feels like so I can translate that. My main hope is that the reader is able to form a complete picture/movie/play in her/his head and that I don't do something (a typo, bad grammar or faulty logic) that breaks up that image in the reader's mind... Debby Debby@swcp.com typing funny in her new glasses... ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 21:40:55 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Margaret Brignell Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers In-Reply-To: <001e01be7ac5$d6edb080$2731e7d0@gremlino> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:55 AM 3/30/1999 -0500, Peggy wrote: >Something I read recently raised this question for me--do writers create >their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and "translating" >the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that somehow >coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from you writers on this >question! Me, I tend to "daydream" the story first. It's sort of like visualizing pictures (with sound;) but not that clear. It's not like watching a movie, more like a dream. The overall impression and emotion is what I'm left with, when I'm finished "daydreaming". When I finally get down to writing the story, it's almost like I'm describing what's happening in my "daydream"--but from "inside" whichever character is currently front and centre in the scene. I try to pick whichever character "works" best for describing that part of the story. I know I'm not really involved in the scene when I write from third person POV The hardest story I wrote was "Clark...Who?" because I had to write *everything* from Lois' POV. I didn't have the option to pick which character would best describe the scene. It was *agony* The next hardest was "The Day Superman Died..." because there were so many characters and sub-plots I had a tough time limiting myself to one POV for any given scene. I chopped out whole chunks of repetitive description from various characters on the same scene. This was my first attempt at an "A" plot. (I would never have finished it without the help of Chris Mulder and Debby Start:) I also picked up a whole lot of "genuine" Plot-Hole Filler during this story;) When I'm writing fanfic, I don't visualize *every* scene, or even the whole story before I start, just the "high" points;) Sometimes the scene I first visualized hits the trash on the way to the final version (usually because it's full of plot-holes;), however the *feeling* I had when I visualized the scene I try to retain somewhere in the story. Sometimes one scene leads to another, and the next thing I know I'm nowhere near any place I expected to be Hope this helps you visualize how fanfic is created:) Margaret who now has a lifetime supply of Plot-Hole Filler somewhere in her basement--if she could only find it when she really *needs* it, like *now*! ****************************** Margaret Brignell brignell@capitalnet.com Ottawa, Canada %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% My fanfic now available at: http://www.capitalnet.com/~brignell/ ****************************** ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 21:22:17 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 3:28 PM -0500 3/30/99, Crystal Wimmer wrote: >Ummm... does this mean don't hop on a plane, fly 3000 miles, and plan to drive >another 6 hours with this stranger on your first meeting before sharing a >hotel room with them for the weekend? Oops. Don't feel bad, Crystal. I have a FoLC friend who flew across the country (south to north) to come visit me, and everyone she knew thought she was completely insane. We had exchanged pictures and talked on the phone a couple times, but she was going on major faith since I was supposed to pick her up at the airport, in a city/state she'd never been to before. She told me that if I didn't show (or looked like a pyscho ) she was just going to turn around and fly back home. And I guess I would have done the same and not allowed her to stay at my home after all. The funniest reaction, though, came from her co-workers. When she told them she was coming to visit a person she met on-line, they all asked if she was going to leave her husband for me. But like with you and Anne, we had been exchanging very frequent emails for something like 18 months at this point, so I felt safe. Maybe it was foolish, but I did. :) Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 21:36:17 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions In-Reply-To: <9c59e4dd.37014e10@aol.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 5:20 PM -0500 3/30/99, Ann E. McBride wrote: >In a message dated 3/30/99 3:35:08 PM Eastern Standard Time, mandyc@LCC.NET >writes: > ><< Considering Lois has a figure to die for (I'm just a bit envious, if you > can't tell) I guess realistically she wouldn't show till sometime between > 5-6 months, right? This will be her first pregnancy :) >> > >Actually, I would think that given that Lois is so slim and wears alot of >snug-fitting, clingy clothes, she would probably be getting pretty >uncomfortable at about 3 months and definitely be showing by 4. I know I only >weighed 100 lbs. when I got pregnant with my first child and could hardly >button anything around the waist by 3 months. Usually the more petite and >small boned you are, the faster you can't wear your clothes. I'd second what Ann said. I'd guess for Lois, you'd be safe having her show around 4 months. But you need to clarify what you mean by "show". Lois (and Clark) will be able to tell on herself by 3-4 months, if not before. Her stomach is so flat, any expansion will be noted in the mirror. Those of us with a layer of fat over our stomachs may not notice as quickly. But that doesn't mean her co-workers would be able to tell if she is careful about what she wears. If, like Ann said, she buys bigger sizes in "regular" clothes, they might not notice right away. (In my S5 ep "A Flickering Flame", I had Lois make use of some of those S1-2 clothes that had been too big on her since she lost all the weight in S3. ) Alternatively, if it's fall/winter, Lois could layer her regular/oversized tunic sweaters over either larger size or maternity stretch pants, and people might just think she like the look. This was a very popular look in my office in the mid-90's -- I was able to wear my larger regular sweaters over maternity pants all the way through to my 6th month. Now, I looked very pregnant by that point, and wasn't trying to hide it, but it really helped my budget to be able to use existing clothes and not have to buy all maternity stuff. Bottom line, I'd think someone Lois's size/build wouldn't be able to hide a pregnancy at work past her 4th month. 5th at the absolute latest, but at that point, you'd have to write everyone saying "I was wondering when you were going to say something!" when she finally announced. Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 21:41:09 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: Old and New FANZINES In-Reply-To: <19990330202157.20623.qmail@hotmail.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 12:21 PM -0800 3/30/99, Christina Batouli wrote: >Also, I know that there is a fanzine currently in the works. Does any >one know what stage it is in? I just need an estimate as to the number >of months it will take. I don't have any information about old fanzines, but I can tell you that a new one is being prepared as we speak. The stories are all done, and the layout is complete -- the coordinator just needs to find the time in her very busy schedule to launch the order-taking process. :) Hopefully you'll all be hearing about it soon. Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 22:33:10 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-30 15:34:25 EST, mandyc@LCC.NET writes: << I mean, after all she is pregnant with a Kryptonian, so there's no telling what she'll want! ;) >> Well, as long as it's not something green... --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 20:41:39 -0700 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debby Subject: Re: Fifth season "corrections" (was Re: Why *do* we like, or disl... In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:33 AM 3/27/1999 -0500, Charlotte wrote: >In a message dated 3/23/99 2:41:51 AM !!!First Boot!!!, debby@SWCP.COM writes: > ><< > Yes! Clark was only shown standing up to Deter, but it took a machine to > bring back Lois's memory, argh... >> > I don't see that's relevant. Her memory was returning in the previous >episode so what's the difference if it was finished by a machine. How about instead Clark takes her in his arms and kiss her memory back? She'd struggle at first... but... well, Dizney wouldn't have liked the resulting WAFF... >Besides, at >the beginning of the episode, it was clear that Clark would no longer sit back >and let Lois leave go again. Uh-huh... I'm not relieved by "better late than never" in this case. However, I'm glad you're happy :) Debby Debby@swcp.com "First Boot"??? ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 22:56:27 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-30 22:20:30 EST, kathyb@SPRINGNET1.COM writes: << Don't feel bad, Crystal. I have a FoLC friend who flew across the country (south to north) to come visit me, and everyone she knew thought she was completely insane. We had exchanged pictures and talked on the phone a couple times, but she was going on major faith since I was supposed to pick her up at the airport, in a city/state she'd never been to before. >> Well, some time back I had a meeting in a city where I knew there was another FOLC that I'd chatted with online. She offered to let me stay at her house, and I have to admit that I really didn't hesitate. I really felt that I knew her well enough and it turned out that neither of us were axe murderers and I got along quite well with her young son, too (about 6 at the time). ANd until Peace went to visit Karl and they met her, I was the only FOLC who'd met her. And next fall I intend to meet up with Peace and Karl when I go back to that city! --Laurie ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 22:01:05 +0000 Reply-To: wbarbara@execpc.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Comments: Authenticated sender is From: Barbara Knutson Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions On 30 Mar 99 at 13:15, Mandy Crustner wrote: > Oh, I like that angle I had originally thought the first sign that'd > be strange would be Lois having morning sickness, but I think I like her > craving some really out there food first :) Better yet (maybe?) - have her getting nauseated by the *thought* of chocolate..... This actually happened to a friend of mine, who was almost as fanatic about chocolate as Lois. But it was her first pregnancy. The nausea lasted into, I believe, her fourth month, then went away. She didn't know she was pregnant. With her second, she knew right away, and that time, all she could keep down the first couple months were Snickers bars and graham crackers. But the visual of Ms. Chocolate Chocolate Crunch Bar being revolted by said chocolate really appeals to me....:} Call me warped (if you hadn't already...) Barbara +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ wbarbara@execpc.com WAFFyBarb on IRC Brand-new-wife of Jon Knutson - the most wonderful man alive And a believer that fairy tales *can* come true.... check out his website, since Tripod won't let me into mine http://www.execpc.com/~waffyjon/index.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 23:13:21 +0500 Reply-To: mulders@mindspring.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bob or Chris Mulder Subject: New fanfic alert: The Child Who Fell From the Sky MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Dear FoLCs, I'm ready to send out my latest effort--a relatively short (for me ) story. I've been enjoying the thread about how writers "see" their stories, and hope to contribute my own thoughts about that tomorrow. However, just for the record, if anyone's interested, the story I'm sending out tonight was one that just popped into my head. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it hit me over the head. It actually woke me at 4 am and wouldn't leave me alone until I'd written it! Sometimes it happens like that, and sometimes you have to sweat blood to get one sentence. Such is the writing bizz. Anyway, I have no precise explanation for its origins, but I'm going to foist it upon you in spite of that. :-) --Chris mailto:mulders@mindspring.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 23:12:24 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Anne Carlson Subject: Review -- LITTLE MAN, SUPER - Retry Comments: cc: smcdermin@erols.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Hi All, Well, I finished "Little Man, Super" and must say that Sandy has written a fun look at growing up in the suburb of Utopia with the notion that Dad might be a bit more "Super" than Mr. Kent. Lois is sure that Clark "certainly looked like the guy I was with that night". But Jonny is not convinced. Lois and Clark are reluctant to share the family secret with one so young. But, when asked straight forward by the boy: "Are you my real father?", Clark is relieved that he doesn't need to lie. I must say again, for someone who does not have a husband and kids, Sandy sure has the genre down. Being a teacher, I got a kick out of the school and field trip scenes when Jonny is "sick" and wants to be away from the others. Most kids don't plan an escape like that, thank goodness, but it certainly could happen. Sandy also has that gift of comedy that she blends so well into her writing. It was pretty funny when she mentioned Jonny thinking about how his grandfather did experiments: <> I also enjoyed the mysterious Mrs. Wicca and how she watched over our Little Man, Super. She cleverly leads Lois and Clark in a conversation about their son. <> This story deals with the premise that Lois and Clark have children with one mother and two fathers. How their oldest deals with this is a fun romp in Utopia. I also enjoyed the opening and closing with the nursery rhyme: ~~What are little boys made of? Snips and snails, And puppy dog tails, That's what little boys are made of.~~ But the ending rhyme I had not heard before and left me close to tears: ~~What is our little boy made of? It's something of a mystery. The stars and planets have conspired, A miracle of she and me.~~ Thank you Sandy, I really enjoyed you work. Anne (ACdrift@aol.com) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 23:16:38 +0500 Reply-To: mulders@mindspring.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bob or Chris Mulder Subject: Fanfic: The Child Who Fell From the Sky MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT The Child Who Fell From the Sky by Chris Mulder Introduction Infants "remember" more than we give them credit for. They also probably feel more and sense more than we'll ever realize because, as adults, we're unable to remember what it was like to be a baby. However, anyone who has ever had to look after very small children-- and has any empathic ability--knows how they can pick up on another's bad moods or anxiety. Sometimes, the only thing being communicated is feelings ... an imperfect, albeit potent, transmitter. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Even with his limited experience of life, the baby knew something was wrong. Things weren't as they had been, especially the voice. Her voice. The voice which had been imprinted upon his very cells almost from the moment of his conception. There was a tone in her voice now that he'd never heard before, and it evoked something inside him that disturbed him. He whimpered, not understanding what was happening, nor having the defenses to ward off these new, unpleasant emotions. The voice returned, more soothing this time, and her hands reached to pick him up and hold him close. He knew the touch of those hands, for they'd been there at his birth, holding him and stroking him while the voice spoke to him. He'd turned his head, trying to follow the sound of that voice, and had seen her for the first time. A creature of light, that's what he'd seen her as. His birth-vision blurry, he couldn't distinguish each of her features, but light seemed to be all around her as he'd looked up at her. This was the being who belonged to the voice he'd heard all those months. She had begun singing softly to him, holding him close, her love for him evident in her sweet voice. That was how his soul would always remember her: with light, and song, and love. That was in the past, however, and today his small world was growing dark with more troubling events. Sensing emotions from her that he'd never felt before, and not able to give names to them, let alone ward them off, he knew only that he wasn't content any longer. Something was wrong. Eventually, though, he slept. Tired emotionally, he'd retreated to the solace of sleep, only to have those disturbing feelings follow him into his dreams. He awoke, crying, and soon the other voice was there--the deeper, more controlled voice--and the other hands were picking him up. The child knew the difference between the two pairs of hands, even if he couldn't have articulated it. There was strength in both, but not from the same source. Her hands were strong because of love, but his strength came from courage. That courage now came into play; making the voice comforting, and the child felt protected once again. This time, when nourishment was offered, he was able to accept it because his world had been righted. * * * * Those noises were back again, jolting his bed and startling him. His arms and legs jerked in a primordial response to the sensations, and he began to cry, but only half-heartedly. He was almost used to the shaking and rattling now, just as he had become accustomed to the nearly constant bleeps, whirs and static from the machines in the room around him. Nevertheless, her hands came and touched him, lightly, on his stomach and on his head. Her face leaned towards his, smiling and talking to him. He grinned up at her, at the face he loved more than any other in his life. He wanted her to hold him, but she stayed only long enough to make sure he had stopped crying and then she disappeared. Finding himself alone he looked around him, something he'd had to do a lot of recently. Not that he could see much from his current position: the ceiling, and some of the lights which blinked on the machines near him--but each time he looked at them, there were new things to discover, so he didn't really mind. He waved his arms and legs at the object suspended just above his bed, and the shiny, metallic tendrils which hung from it seemed to be waving back as they moved with each slight breeze in the room. This was exceedingly entertaining, so he and the object waved to each other until he fell asleep. He awoke when he felt himself being lifted >from the bed. Her hands and arms held him to her tightly. She brought his face close to hers and kissed him, over and over. She was murmuring that particular sound she always used around him, "Kal-El ... Kal-El." Her voice broke as she uttered the sounds, and he felt something wet on his face. He moved his head restlessly, distressed by feelings he could not understand as well as by the fear, longing and sadness he could hear in her voice. Her voice should be singing to him, and he began to cry for the singing. The other hands took him from her, and the deep voice made shushing noises in a tone that was both calming and authoritative. The child gradually stopped crying, and brought his fist to his mouth, seeking comfort from within since there seemed to be all too little of it >from without at the moment. He felt the large hands lay him back in his bed, and he whimpered in protest. This wasn't right. For the first time in his life, the hands had failed to solace him completely. He had never felt so alone, and he whimpered more loudly. One of her hands touched him briefly, gently caressing his head, then it was withdrawn. Something was put over the top of his bed. He could see her face still, but it was more blurry now, and her voice sounded odd. In amongst all the sounds she made, he heard the "Kal-El" sound again, and then ... nothing, except some clicks and snaps as more things were put around his bed. It was darker now, and his bed began to vibrate slightly. This was something new and, along with everything else that had happened, it was too much for the child to handle. He began to cry in earnest now ... wanting her touch, needing her voice, craving the security of her love. His cry was drowned out by the roar of an engine, as the vibrations grew more intense. There were sounds all around him--sounds indicative of destruction on an enormous scale- -but he was hardly aware of them. His heart was breaking. What did he care for explosions and cataclysms? His world wasn't made up of grand governments or gleaming metropolis's or brilliant scientific discoveries, but of loving touches, tender smiles and sweet songs, and they were being denied him. A change in the sounds the engine was making went almost unnoticed by him, except that, as they abated somewhat, another sound was able to make itself heard. A gentle warmth enfolded his bed, and a rocking motion began which helped to gradually calm him, and then he was able to hear more clearly. It was her voice--the same, and yet different--singing to him. It was the song she had sung when she rocked him to sleep; it was the song she had sung at his birth. The lights on the consoles around him began to waver before his eyes as he listened to the song. The rocking of his bed wasn't quite like being rocked in her arms, nor was the smell in the air as sweet as her scent had been, but at least he had the song he'd been crying for. At least her voice was there, singing him to sleep. * * * * He was jolted awake by the shaking and jarring of his bed. It was almost as bad as it had been just before he'd fallen asleep. Stretching and twisting, he bumped his arms, legs, and feet against objects at the edge of his bed--something he couldn't have done before he fell asleep. He couldn't move much, though, because he was being restrained in some way, which was frustrating him and making him cry. He cried for what seemed like a long time, while the noises around him grew louder and the movements of his bed became more and more agitated. No one came in answer to his cries. Finally, suddenly, with a last bump or two, his bed came to halt. The abruptness of the total and complete lack of sound and motion surprised him, and he stopped crying, waiting expectantly for her hands and voice to claim him once again. But still, no one came. She was his universe, and he wanted her. Keening softly, he mourned. * * * * A series of noises outside his bed distracted him. Rustlings, followed by some sharp clickings made him turn his head back and forth as he followed the progress of the sounds. Eventually, they were down near his feet. He heard another click, felt a cool breeze blow across his bare legs at the same time as the body restraints magically disappeared. There was a voice, then two voices: a "her" voice and a "him" voice, but not the ones he'd always known. Faces came into view, smiled at him and made sympathetic sounds. A hand reached out to touch his. He grasped at a finger, clutching it tightly, and got an encouraging response from the faces. This was all well and good, but he wanted more. He wanted holding, and caressing, and he wanted the song. He also wanted out! His face crumpled in frustrated despair, and the "her" voice became concerned. Hands reached to pick him up and arms cuddled him close, wrapping the blanket more securely around him. He stared at the "her" face above him, pondering it. Not like the "she" he remembered, but the eyes were glowing with love and the smile was tender with sympathy. She was murmuring to him in a tone of voice he recognized, even if there were no recognizable sounds. He reached up a hand to her face and she gently took it into her own, and kissed it. He smiled at the sensation of her lips against his tiny fingers. Here was a feeling he knew. Her face stayed turned towards him as he felt himself being moved. There was the sound of another engine, and more bumping and jolting, but this time he wasn't alone. *She* was with him, smiling at him and talking to him, caressing his head in the way he knew and liked. Another, deeper, voice spoke, too, but the baby's attention was mostly for her. There were a couple of stops and starts along this journey, but he didn't mind because she stayed with him. Eventually, the bumpy, noisy ride came to an end. There was light, and warmth, and comforting smells. He was given something warm to drink which he enjoyed very much, even though the method of delivery was one that was foreign to him. As soon as he'd thoroughly explored the surface of the container with his hands, he began to look about while he drank. New colors and shapes were all around him, as well as the new smells, but he frequently returned his attention to her, needing a constant in this sea of new experiences. His hunger sated, he was picked up by other hands and carried away from her. At first the child cried, feeling bereft, but the deep voice was soothing and the large hands were confident, yet gentle, as they patted his back. Also, there were more new things to look at because he was being carried all around. To a child who'd been confined in a small space for an extended period of time, this was a delight. But even fun excursions can be tiring, and soon the baby's eyelids were drooping, his head finding a perfect pillow on the man's shoulder. The process of being put into clean clothes woke him slightly, but when she picked him up again and cradled him, his protests lost all their conviction and he snuggled close to her chest. Feeling more secure than he had for a long time, he was just about to slip over the edge into a deeper sleep when he felt himself being lowered. He opened his eyes to see walls around him and something over his head. It didn't matter that these walls were lacy and white instead of metallic and blinking, he screamed in memory of fear, loss and loneliness. Her hand patted his chest, and her face hovered over his, murmuring consoling sounds, but nothing could stop his cries. Within his being were memories of another, much-loved hand, which had reached to touch him and was never felt again. The new "she" picked him back up, holding him and rocking him gently back and forth. The man, too, was there, stroking his head and talking softly to him. Gradually, the baby quieted down, but that nameless fear was still there, just beyond the horizon of his knowing. She shifted him to her shoulder and he put his arm around her neck as far as he could reach, holding on to her ... not wanting her to leave him. He heard a sad sound from her, and felt the man's arms reach around both of them. With his face buried in her shoulder the baby couldn't see their expressions, but their hands and voices were there, reassuring and loving him. Eventually there was movement again, as she carried him somewhere. Then he felt himself being lowered once more, and began to whimper. But, instead of the bed with the walls, he found himself lying next to the man on a big, soft surface. The man made funny faces at him while his voice created funny, new sounds. Delighted with this unprecedented turn of events, the baby grinned and chortled, which seemed to encourage the man to make even more noises. Soon, she joined them, pulling a covering up over them all. The baby smiled to see her return, and reached his hand towards her. Just as before, she held it and kissed his fingers. Then, drawing him close to her, she sheltered him in the curve of her own body, talking softly to him. From this new position, he could see the man's face and he watched as his large hand moved forward. The man gently placed one of his fingers into the baby's small hand, and kept it there. Holding on to one another, they fell asleep together-- the beginning of a new bond. * * * * Hunger woke him, just as the sun was coming up. He'd hardly begun to fret before she was there, smiling at him and picking him up. She talked to him happily the whole time she was cleaning him and feeding him. There was, besides the warm drink, some soft foods which were offered to him on a spoon. This tool was unfamiliar to him, but it didn't take long for him to catch on to its advantages. In the middle of his breakfast, the man appeared, with smiles and friendly sounds to share with him. Once again, after his meal was finished, the man took him for a walk, patting his back and showing him all the new things around him. The walk concluded, she came to reclaim him. She removed his clothing and then lowered him into something warm and wet. He'd never experienced anything quite like it but, after the surprise had worn off, he found himself enjoying it very much. He laughed, waving his arms and kicking his feet, only to accidentally splash the liquid up onto his face. She laughed and kissed him, gently blotting the wetness from his face. This was so much fun that he had to do it all again, and again ... and again. The rest of the day was full of new experiences: feeling the sun on his face for the first time, hearing the sounds that the different farm animals made, tasting new foods. Through it all, she was there--smiling at him, holding him, and making affectionate sounds. Her face was as loving, her hands as gentle and her voice as soft and sweet as he could have wished for, and he grew more contented with each passing hour. When he became sleepy mid-way through the afternoon, she held him and rocked him as she whispered to him. In amongst all the sounds he didn't know, was one he almost thought he recognized: "Kla-knt." He fell asleep hearing the "Kla" sound being repeated wonderingly as she held him close and stroked his small head. * * * * The sun shone just as brightly the next day, but she didn't take him out into it. Instead, she carried him with her everywhere inside the house, including and especially to the windows which looked out over the front yard and drive. Something was wrong, and he felt a familiar dread growing within him. A strident ringing interrupted her pacing. She shifted him to her hip so she could reach for something which hung on the wall. As she talked into it, the child grasped at the curly cord which hung from it. Playing with it distracted him for a time. Eventually, though, she put the thing back on the wall, extricated his fingers from the cord and took him to the window again. The man came in from outside, a worried expression on his face also. They began to talk, their voices conveying the fear, longing and sadness that was within them. She pointed to the thing on the wall, then held the baby even tighter, as the fear in her voice escalated. Kissing him, and saying the "Kla" sound over and over, she held him close to her, triggering a memory within him and making him whimper in dread. The man reached to take him from her, and his crying instantly intensified. As did hers. So, instead of taking the child, the man put his arms around them both. This was different than what had happened to him before, with the other "she," and the child was comforted. It didn't last, however. He felt her arms tense around him, and he raised his head from the shelter of her shoulder. Both the man and the woman were looking out of the window again, staring at some men in the yard. The men came together and started walking towards the house. The child could hear fear in her voice again as she spoke. The man put his arms around the two of them once more and began to shepherd them away from the windows, and into the bedroom. He helped her to sit in the rocking chair and kissed her. There was a knocking sound, loud and intrusive, which caused her to gasp in fright. The child made small sounds of distress in response to her obvious fear, and put a hand to her face, as he'd done before. She looked away from the man, and down at the child, taking his hand into her own, kissing it and then rubbing it lightly against her cheek. There was a smile on her face now, in spite of her tears, and the child relaxed a little. He felt a kiss touch the top of his head, and glanced from her to see the man walking away, then watched as he left the room, waving briefly to them before shutting the door behind him. The room was quiet and still, but not peaceful. She began to rock the chair back and forth, but in a quick, choppy way, which conveyed her uneasiness to the child once again. He whimpered in protest and squirmed in her arms, wanting to remove himself from the turmoil he could feel, but not understand. Almost absentmindedly, she shifted him to her shoulder as she rose from the chair and walked over to stand near the door. She patted his back and moved her body back and forth, alternating whispering to him and humming under her breath. He heard the "Kla" sound several times, except it was starting to sound more like, "Klar." After a little while, she moved away from the door and began to walk around the room, still patting his back and making soothing sounds. The child would have enjoyed the attention, if she had been more relaxed. Instead he kept changing his position within her arms--wanting comfort and wanting her, but both weren't available in one package at the moment. Occasionally, he could hear muffled noises >from beyond the room, but they meant nothing to him. She took him back to the rocking chair and sat down, still humming to him and patting his back. This time, the rocking was more gentle, her hands less shaky, and he began to settle down. When she shifted him back onto her lap, he didn't protest, but snuggled close to her, reaching out a hand to finger the round, disk- like things on the front of her clothing. These had been entirely new to him the first time he'd noticed them, and he hadn't yet lost his fascination for them. The room was finally peaceful. A few moments later the voices from beyond the room ceased. There was the sound of a door closing, and steps upon the back porch. An engine could be heard starting up outside, and then the man came back into the bedroom. He walked over to the rocking chair and knelt beside it. Leaning forward he kissed her and the child, placing his arms around them both. The child watched as the man talked to her, and he saw her begin to smile again. Her face felt wet when she kissed him, but there was joy in her voice, so the baby didn't mind. She brought his hand to her lips and kissed it, then leaned towards the man, touching her forehead to his with a happy sigh. * * * * She kept him close the rest of that day, but the edginess he'd felt earlier was nearly gone. Occasionally, she'd look out the windows, but mostly she was herself again. The baby almost fell asleep during his supper; he was so worn out from the excitement of the day. He partially woke up when the man lifted him and began cleaning his face, submitting sleepily to this intrusion, but was then ready to make himself comfortable on the man's broad shoulder. Instead, she took him and held him while the man put on his hat again and opened the door. All three of them went out onto the porch; it was dark now, and a little cool. The combination of the change of scenery, and the evening air served to re-awaken the child. The man walked down the porch steps and towards another building. He came back carrying some objects which he put into the back of truck. Once he had everything arranged, he returned to the porch with a hug and kiss for both the woman and the child. He said something to her in a reassuring tone, ruffling the baby's hair with his large--but gentle--hand, then he got in the truck and drove away. The baby laid his head down on her shoulder, watching the truck with her until it disappeared. The sound of the motor was carried back to them for a few more seconds, but eventually it, too, disappeared, leaving them alone in the quiet, and the dark. * * * * She let him play in the funny, warm liquid again and, afterwards, put him in clean clothes and smoothed out his hair. Her gentle attentions were very welcomed after the disturbing emotions from earlier in the day. Finally, they settled into the rocking chair. She offered him nourishment from the new container, which he accepted thirstily, watching her face while he drank. Whenever she looked down at him, she would smile for him and make loving sounds--he heard the "Klar" sound several times. But, when she wasn't looking directly at him, her face lost its smile and the child could hear the same, tuneless humming he'd heard before. He stopped drinking, whimpering a little, and instantly her attention was all for him again. She held him closer and the humming stopped, being replaced by other, more reassuring, sounds. Her voice floated around him, and her arms enveloped him, and his world was right again. The container reappeared, and he was able to return to the all-important task of taking nourishment. She rocked him, and fed him, and cuddled him until he fell asleep. And, still, the man had not returned. * * * * The man was there the next morning, however, playing with him and holding him high up above his head. Squealing with laughter, the baby delighted in this new game. The woman, too, was laughing, especially when the man pulled her close and began to dance both her and the baby around the room. Later on she carried him outside again, taking him with her to various places around the yard. Sometimes she laid him on a blanket on the ground near her, and he would watch what she did, listening to her as she talked to him, content to be with her. When he awoke from his nap, there were new things to explore. First was the seat with wheels. She put him in it and took him for a ride all through the house. The unfamiliar motion wasn't quite to his liking at first, mostly because he couldn't see her, but she kept talking to him and soon he forgot his misgivings in the joy of exploration. The other new thing was the huge box with sticks and boards in it. She put his new seat near where the man was playing with the sticks- -arranging them on the floor and putting them together. This was fascinating to watch, especially when he would hold out a piece for the child to see and touch. During the time that this was going on, she walked around fetching things, including the rocking chair, and putting them in various places around the room. Gradually, the new thing with sticks took shape, until the man could roll it into a corner and put a large, flat object inside. Now she took over, arranging the new object to her satisfaction, and then picked up the child. Carrying him, she showed him the new stick- thing, letting him touch it and point to it. The next thing he knew, the child felt himself being lowered into it and he began to fuss about this unexpected change in his circumstances. Instead of picking him up once again, however, she dropped down beside him and he found that he could see her between the sticks. The man looked over the sticks and grinned down at him, reaching in to ruffle the child's hair and make his fingers dance on his tummy. Before he'd had time to get bored with his new surroundings, they were lifting him out again. The rest of the day he was brought in and out of the room--to see what was there, to be rocked, or to be lowered into the stick-thing. Both the man and the woman were very happy about all these changes, and their excitement communicated itself to the child. By the time he'd had his fun time in the warm liquid and was ready for the last drink of the day, it seemed perfectly natural to be carried into the new room. The man came in with them, and stayed long enough to see them settled in the rocking chair, then he kissed the child's forehead and silently left. * * * * The room was peaceful--just him and her. She rocked him gently, holding him close to her as she fed him. They'd done this before, but this time it was ... different, somehow. Any tension he'd felt in her earlier had gone. There was just this sanctuarial peace, as if she knew they were safe now, and the child felt it, too. The fears he'd brought with him receded further into the past, and were walled out by the love and caring that were now his. A lamp near the chair cast a soft light upon her features and made her hair look golden. He watched her--this creature of light--while he drank, studying every nuance of the face he now loved more than any other. Her voice was being imprinted upon his very cells, and her touch he would forever know ... even in a dark room. His life was intertwined with hers now, just as hers was with his, and it felt so right. She began humming softly to him--not like the earlier, rather tuneless, sounds she'd made when she was nervous--this was sweet and beguiling, and he paused in his feeding to smile at her. She smiled in response, saying that "Klar" sound again, then went back to humming. He lifted up a hand to her and, as she always did, she took it and kissed his fingers. Then she brought his small hand up a little further, and held it to her cheek for a moment--sharing her love, and showing him how to do the same. Safe in her arms, he seemed to have everything he needed, everything he'd journeyed so far to find. Then, unexpectedly--because he'd forgotten that he'd given up hope of ever getting it--she gave him the one thing still missing from this new world of his ... she sang him a song. March 1999 This story would not have been possible without the wonderful work of the L&C writers, cast and crew who were involved in the making of "Strange Visitor," "The Foundling," "Tempus Fugitive," and "Never on Sunday." Their words, ideas and portrayal of Clark's early months were the inspiration for this piece. mailto:mulders@mindspring.com ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 20:12:04 -0700 Reply-To: erink@ida.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Erin Klingler Subject: Re: Pregnancy Questions In-Reply-To: <199903310403.WAA01574@mailgw00.execpc.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >Better yet (maybe?) - have her getting nauseated by the *thought* of >chocolate..... > >This actually happened to a friend of mine, who was almost as fanatic >about chocolate as Lois. But it was her first pregnancy. The >nausea lasted into, I believe, her fourth month, then went away. >She didn't know she was pregnant. With her second, she knew >right away, and that time, all she could keep down the first >couple months were Snickers bars and graham crackers. > >But the visual of Ms. Chocolate Chocolate Crunch Bar being revolted >by said chocolate really appeals to me....:} >Call me warped (if you hadn't already...) > >Barbara LOL Barb! Actually, I was laughing when I read this because this happens to me, as well! I've been known at times to be a Dorito-holic , but when I've gotten pregnant with each of my three kids, even the sight or smell of the chips would make my stomach turn. ;P And actually the repulsion would start at a day or two after conception... I remember being at a tennis tournament when my daughter was two (she was home with Dad ;), and I went to the snack table and got as far as the bowl of Doritos and nearly ran for cover. That act sent me spiralling into a panic, as I immediately thought, "Oh, no! I must be pregnant!" and sure enough... It's happened with all three kids, and it's better, more accurate, and a heckuva lot cheaper than buying a pregnancy test. Just my .02 ;) ~~Erin _________________ erink@ida.net ELK on IRC Visit my 1999 Official Kerth Awards Website! http://www.ida.net/users/davek ***** "The truth is, no one knows how long they've got. Anyway, it's not the years that count, it's the moments...right now, as they happen." _________________ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 07:59:38 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sheila Harper Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 10:55 AM 3/30/99 -0500, Peggy Mueller wrote: >Do writers create >their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and "translating" >the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that somehow >coalesce into stories? Peggy, I'm one of those visual writers who starts with a mental picture and looks for the words that will capture the picture. "In the beginning was the word" is not my writing style. Even when I'm outlining a story (which I do, and yes, I know it's anal retentive), I have little thumbnail images for each scene. For me, I see a scene before the words exist. I don't necessarily hear it (there isn't a lot of conversation in my dreams either :), but I have to be able to see it, and it has to have a point (usually emotional). For example, in the first half of Mxysplit, I have a scene at the Daily Planet where Clark Kent and Superman are face to face in the conference room with Lois between them. I had a mental image of how they looked facing each other, and I found the following words: >>In the conference room, Superman stood against one wall with his arms crossed over his chest and Clark leaned against the other, his hands shoved in his pockets. Lois looked back and forth from one to the other. "This is . . . incredible," she finally said.<< That was the "thumbnail" image of the scene, but it didn't come alive until I added the underlying jealousy and picked a viewpoint character, Lois: >>That exchange had an odd undertone. Lois frowned and studied the two men, noticing Superman's arrogant posture, his muscles bulging intimidatingly under the sleek spandex, and Clark's in-your-face attitude as he all but jabbed a finger at Superman's chest.<< So I start with a picture, add an emotion, decide what information or character development the scene has to carry, build to a climax, and cut to the next scene. The tough scenes are the ones I include for pacing (i.e. when the action has been away from L&C for too long), which don't really serve a plot purpose so I have to come up with a piece of character development instead. I'm usually struggling with one of those when I start posting a lot on the listserv. It's funny, even when I know what action, characters, dialog, etc. I'm going to have in a scene, if I don't have that piece of character development or plot advancement determined, I can't write the scene. Ah, well, I know what's in the next scene; I'm stalling now because I really need to grade papers instead of do my writing, and I don't feel like grading, so I'm not getting either one done. Hmmm, because I feel guilty about not doing what I *ought* to do, I won't let myself do what I *want* to do, and instead I do something I really don't have time for. Sheila (boy, talk about self-defeating behavior) sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 23:07:58 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Emotional while writing: was Thinking in Pictures-Q Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit All this talk about fanfic writing is making me want to try, but the problem is finding the time. Maybe during the summer.. because I have a lot of ideas! Anyways, when someone mentioned a "writer's hangover," I had to throw in my .02 about the reader. I suffer from reader's hangover.. it can either be good or bad. I will experience the same emotions the characters did.. and I will feel them for quite a while! I also feel this after every LnC viewing!!! I experience the after effects.. This is what makes the show really SUPER!!! I get so involved that I actually feel like I am Lois Lane while I watch!!! "I'VE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN AND ALL THE ANGELS LOOK LIKE ALEX{IS}" Tremaine Ramzey, FUTURESPORT aka: Dean Cain "Dear Dean... You Rock MY World!!!" ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 07:59:40 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sheila Harper Subject: Re: Jack Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 03:44 PM 3/29/99 PST, Starfire 1138 wrote: >Speaking of accents, just what kind of accent does Dean have (or what >exactly is a California accent?)?? He softens the g's off his ending -ing's and gently slurs most words followed by "to" together: wanna (want to), gonna (going to), gotta (got to), etc. You can hear when he slips into his Malibu accent; his -ing's will be fairly crisp (or at least definitely *there*), and then suddenly his g's vanish: bein', flyin', cookin', etc. One scene that comes to mind is >from LotF, when he's responding to Lois's question, "How married *are* you?" Sheila (actually, it's very close to my own Western Colorado accent :) sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 23:33:39 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: EmmyRose Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit My story to share, related to this topic, doesn't have a physically dangerous ending but a very emotional one, nonetheless. Two years ago, when I first became 'Internet-friendly', I was a regular in a non-IRC chat room. I met a few people from the group of regulars. One of these regs became a very close friend of mine, even without meeting in person. When he did travel to see me (a modest 500 kms), he told me that he fell in love with me. Although I was skeptical of his feelings, I trusted him enough to allow myself to develop a friendship with him. He gave me his late-Aunt's necklace to keep for him. Over time, and many long-distance bills, he became my best friend...someone who called me his soulmate. We spent time together in his town and in mine. I even brought him into #loiscla with me once. I was with him this past February, actually. He shared with me some of his deepest feelings and 'secrets'...He was truly my best friend. Then, suddenly, a month ago, he blocked my phone number. Then he changed his number. An email came shortly after saying that it was over...that he never wanted to see or speak to me ever again. He told me not to visit him and that any email from me would not be opened. All of this without any warning or provocation. I can't tell you what this did to me. Two years! So, please, be aware that it's not only your physical safety you have to be careful about. Please forgive me if it seems I'm reaching a little with this one, but...I thought it better to share. I haven't become very cynical (surprisingly)...I have many wonderful online friends I adore. Emmy Rose (who hopes her motivation is clear and that she makes sense in some way) ========================================================================= Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 23:44:56 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Always keep your bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds." Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers At 10:55 AM 3/30/1999 -0500, Peggy wrote: >Something I read recently raised this question for me--do writers create >their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and "translating" >the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that somehow >coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from you writers on this >question! I get ideas for stories in lots of ways. Often it starts with a single line or picture in my mind. Of the, oh, 4 or so fics I'm currently working on (or, rather, I *would* be working on if I didn't have so many exams, lab reports, etc), 2 began with a scene. One, my Martha sage (which I have been working on for over a year now ;) began with me wondering about a specific line from the show. It's from IoM, when Martha says to Jonathan that he was the first man she kissed, and he would be the last. For some reason, this went contrary to the way I pictured Martha- most women don't marry the first man they kissed and I didn't picture Martha doing so either. So I decided to "explain" that line. Finally, the fourth of the stories I'm working on came to mind because I wanted to write a cross-over between Lois and Clark and The Avengers. (Not the movie, but the 60s British TV show starring Patrick Macnee & Diana Rigg.) A few lines came to my mind very quickly and it's been tough for me to try to find a "realistic" reason for Lois and Clark to meet Emma and John. Of the fics I've actually finished , the ideas all came from very different places. One was inspired by a song. One was a scene continuation (the end scene of AKAS). Another came from the desire to write a Christmas fic, another because I needed to work out some issues in my own life and thought one of Lois & Clark's children might want to do the same , another because I had read lots of stories where Lois became pregnant after Clark left for New Krypton, but for some reason I needed to write one. I wanted it to be the basis for "my" Lois and Clark future, because most of the NK stories just happened in the present- Clark left, Lois had a baby, and after some variable length of time, Clark came back. My story was my first step at working out what impact that would have on the rest of their lives. Finally, I only have one finished story that was inspired by a scene. The fic is called AKA Daddy and in it Lois & Clark's eldest child catches Lois kissing Superman when the child comes downstairs after she was supposed to have gone to sleep. (That was the scene that popped into my mind.) Hm-- I'm sensing a pattern here- the few stories I've actually *finished* have mostly been inspired by an idea, whereas those I haven't finished were mostly inspired by a picture. -Christy ("He calls her Mrs Peel. How come *you* never called me Ms Lane?") kubitc@kenyon.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 00:00:35 -0700 Reply-To: desertrat@uswest.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Desert Rat Organization: Desert Rat Computer Services Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Just gonna stick my two cents in here since I have not been able to get a single story out since my hard drive crash, (and I almost missed a day at work trying to rewrite one of them. But, since I am self-employed, it wasn't too hard to explain it to the boss.) but I digress, I always find that I see the stories play out in my mind like a tv episode while I'm driving down the long empty desert freeways. (Don't worry, I am a very careful driver.) And then I try to transcribe them into words. They come like daydreams and I panic that I may forget the feeling they had if I don't write them down soon enough. You should see the back seat of the car, it's filled with newspapers covered in L&C notes. I just think when you are relaxed, and feel at peace, that is when the ideas and feelings come. The ones you can trust. Gillian B Tanz wrote: > On Tue, 30 Mar 1999 10:55:24 -0500 Peggy Mueller > writes: > >Something I read recently raised this question for me--do writers > >create > >their stories by picturing scenes in their imaginations and > >"translating" > >the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes in words that > >somehow > >coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from you writers on > >this > >question! > > > >Peggy, > >apologizing in advance if someone else has asked this recently--I've > >been > >"off" for several weeks. :-) > >gremlino@pathway.net > > > Hi Peggy and FoLCs:) > This is a great discussion question. For me, it has always been most > natural to visualise the scene, to see what dialogue, gestures, facial > expressions, and other character traits seem, well, characteristic. For > instance, if Lois is going off on a tirade, what, specifically, is she > likely to be doing? Pacing the floor, gesturing wildly, babbling at a > mile a minute? I don't know how else to come up with these descriptions > without first visualizing the situation. I'm so curious about how the > rest of you FoLcs do it! :) > -Jill aka AlienDove- > AlienDove@juno.com > my webpage: http://members.tripod.com/~AlienDove/index.html > The truth is nobody knows how long they've got. Anyway, it's not years > that count, it's the moments. Right now, as they happen." - Clark Kent > in "Brutal Youth"~~**~~ "You still my girl?" "Always." - Angel to Buffy > in "Enemies." ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 07:58:22 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers In-Reply-To: <002e01be7ae7$9f32e760$433470c2@default> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Tue, 30 Mar 1999 20:54:51 +0100 LabRat wrote: > "Bus inspiration then?" LOL!! But the only problem with all this late-night or travel-time in-the-head composition is subsequently getting time to get it all down on paper! Unlike Clark, I can't type at super-speed :( I am currently working on two stories (one *very* long, 100+ pages, and the other expanding at quite a rapid rate ;) ), and I have several pages' worth of scenes and dialogue for both in my head, but have been unable as yet to find the time to transfer them to bits and bytes! Oh, for a mad scientist like Bernard Klien or Herkimer Johnson to invent a device which would transfer my thoughts directly to the screen... Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 00:15:44 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Robert Bergeron Subject: Re: Review -- LITTLE MAN, SUPER - Retry Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain >From: Anne Carlson >Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU >Subject: Review -- LITTLE MAN, SUPER - Retry >Date: Tue, 30 Mar 1999 23:12:24 EST > >Hi All, > >Well, I finished "Little Man, Super" and must say that Sandy has written a fun >look at growing up in the suburb of Utopia with the notion that Dad might be a >bit more "Super" than Mr. Kent. Lois is sure that Clark "certainly looked like >the guy I was with that night". But Jonny is not convinced. Lois and Clark >are reluctant to share the family secret with one so young. But, when asked >straight forward by the boy: "Are you my real father?", Clark is relieved that >he doesn't need to lie. >(snip) Hi, I've seen several references to this story, LITTLE MAN, SUPER but I have never seen it. Could anyone tell me where I can find it? Or send it to me? Please? Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 10:57:42 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Phillip Atcliffe Subject: Re: New fanfic - "Firestorm" Part 12 of 25 In-Reply-To: <19990330201048.91682.qmail@hotmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII On Tue, 30 Mar 1999 12:10:48 PST irene d wrote: > "Lois!" he rolled his eyes. "Leave those two alone. We finally managed to get together. They can, too! After all, would you have been grateful for the help if someone had tried with us?" < Hey! I won a Kerth for that story! Phil, who will say more on that subject when he has a moment to himself. Gee, I just _love_ marking assignments.... PS. One other thing -- Wonderful story, Irene, especially for a first try. This one's a keeper. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Sic Transit Gloria Barramundi" (Or, So Long and Thanks for All the Fish!) -- not Douglas Adams, but me: Phil Atcliffe (Phillip.Atcliffe@uwe.ac.uk) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 04:33:44 -0700 Reply-To: desertrat@uswest.net Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Desert Rat Organization: Desert Rat Computer Services Subject: someone kill me now... MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit After the hard drive crash of 1999 I have not only lost my stories, but the link to the desktop theme. Someone just kill me. If anyone would rather spare their hands from that dirty work, could you send me the link? Thanks. If you are going to kill me..., take a number behind the guy who looks like Lex, but we know Lex is dead. Right? Right?!!! (Help me out here.) Thanks again, Rat -- www.knight.cncfamily.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 08:09:53 -0500 Reply-To: nightsky@erols.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Genevieve Subject: LITTLE MAN, SUPER : where to find it MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Robert Bergeron wrote: > > Hi, I've seen several references to this story, LITTLE MAN, SUPER but I > have never seen it. Could anyone tell me where I can find it? Or send it > to me? Please? All of Sandy fanfiction, including LITTLE MAN, SUPER, is available at: -- Genevieve Clemens Lots of great stuff on my webpage Overwhelmed by the size of the Lois and Clark fanfic archives? Start by reading all the great L&C fanfic nominated for Kerth Awards in 1998 and 1999 at ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 08:43:23 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Roseann Buonadies Subject: Re: Old and New FANZINES Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 3/30/1999 3:22:29 PM Eastern Standard Time, forum101@HOTMAIL.COM writes: << Does anyone know where I can get info on old LnC fanzines (or the fanzine itself)? It's okay if the fanzine has already had an owner as long as none of the pages are missing. >> Christina: McWombat Press has put out several L&C zines. Here's there addy: http://members.aol.com/macwombat I know they've put out at least three or four zines and they may still may have some around. I haven't checked their site recently. Roseann ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:10:11 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Phillip Atcliffe Subject: Kerth Awards "Speech" In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Sorry this is... um, delayed?, but time zones -- and the (ha, ha!) Easter "break", which it looks like I'm going to spend most of either marking or writing exams B-( )-- can do that to you. Anyway, people out there who don't like long, rambling thank-you speeches can move on now, 'cause this is where I get to say what I would have said on Saturday night had I been able to be at the Kerths. As for why I couldn't be there, I'd just like to say to those people on #kerthchat who decried my supposed unwillingness to be at work between 11 p.m. and about 6 in the morning , that it wasn't that I didn't _want_ to be there, or even that I found the idea of being in my office on a deserted university campus at midnight somewhat... unappealing. No, I could have coped with all that (reasonably) happily -- 'twouldn't have been the first time I'd been on a computer in the wee small hours -- but the &*(^%$! security bods wouldn't have let me _in!_ Of course, the rather-too-long-standing foul-up regarding my after-hours access to the campus was sorted out on the following Monday morning, but that was a little late. This is called Murphy's Law, something with which I am far too familiar.... B-P That's my story, anyway, and I'm stickin' to it! In any case, Kathy did a terrific job standing in for me, and I have to say that I was touched by her kind words. Thanks, Kathy. I think you're great, too. Okay, time to start the "thank-you" list. First on that list, always, has to be my wife Jocelyn. She's not a FoLC -- as with most things of that ilk, she's quietly interested but just as happy reading something while I immerse myself in the stuff -- but she doesn't mind me being one and does her best to leave me in peace while I try to write (not the easiest thing to do at our house, what with sons, cats, life, the universe and everything). And she's always happy to help with a sticky plot point and the like, and has a delightfully devious mind that way. She's _my_ Lois, and I'm terminally besotted with her. Oh, yes, and she thinks it's very appropriate that I won the "Best WAFF Story" award.... Next has to be all the people out there who've helped me over the years I've been writing -- proofers, editors, and especially people who've written to say that they liked such-and-such a story. The list would read like a "Who's Who" of FoLCdom: Kathy, Debby, Zoom, Peace, Demi, Sheila, Lynda, Margaret, Wendy, Gay, Crystal, Carol, Erin, Vicki, the S6 team... I know I've left out lots of people, and anyone who feels that they ought to have been mentioned here is probably right! Sorry.... I've "met" an awful lot of wonderful people this way. Equally big thanks go to the people who nominated and voted for my stories. As ever, the competition was really stiff, and it is a great honour and not a small achievement to be nominated. Of course, there's a part of me that is very Lois-like and thinks that it's even better to have _won!_ And the enthusiasm on the chat channel did wonders for my ego. It was almost as good for the ego to see that, as well as being nominated myself, several of the nominations were stories that I edited for the archive. I've had a lot of fun as an editor, and I intend to keep at it as long as I can. Crystal, your glowing testimonial was much appreciated, although I could produce people (like my doctoral supervisor) who might dispute the bit about my editing "genius" -- I've driven people crazy that way! But thanks to everyone who's put up with me on a proof-reading/editing rampage, and congratulations to all those vict-- er, _authors_ who won Kerths -- and who didn't. Finally, in response to another tit-bit that I found on #kerthchat, should I ever be so fortunate (?) as to meet the person in question, I hereby promise to quietly take him/her aside and explain very calmly and politely that the beard is a dead giveaway that my name ain't Philys! (never seen _that_ spelling before) And _why_ will I be so calm? Because I did something very similar once on an Austen fanfic BBS..! Phil, who's gonna _have_ to do that sequel to "Much Ado About...." now. Just as well I've already started it.... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Phil Atcliffe (Phillip.Atcliffe@uwe.ac.uk) Fanfic authors *live* for feedback. So remember, FoLCs -- Read 'Em and Write! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:32:04 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Donna Burton Subject: Re: author - David Weber - Is he a FoLC? Irene, just out of curiousity I checked for a David Weber web site and found one for his brother Mike so I emailed Mike and asked him if he knew if David as a Superman or L&C fan. His response was: "I think it's more like Dave is a fan of smart-ass jokes; please note his long-running character Rob Pierre, or "Rob. S. Pierre" -- if that doesn't rign a bell, i can tell you that "Robespierre" was the head of the Committee of Public Safety during the French Revolution. There Are Others in Dave's work." Looks like that might answer your question. ;-) The Honor Harrington series looks interesting. I might have to give it a try. Donna in Schenectady burtond@union.edu ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 07:04:00 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: Feedback: The Child Who Fell from the Sky Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Chris, I just loved this. It was very touching and very accurate as far as young children seem to respond to the world. Your story brought back many memories of when my children were that young - all of 6 and 9 years ago. There are so many things that, as a mother, you will never forget but, a lot of the little details go missing. You reminded me of a lot of those little details again and I thank you for that! Again, Chris, this was a very lovely and touching story. Thanks, Irene Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 07:14:36 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: James A Tull Subject: Melissa Troubles MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii My company got struck by Melissa! I keep two listserv accounts, one at my work and one at Yahoo. The one at my work enables me to quickly read and print off emails by topic. The one at Yahoo is so I can still read them at home when I am sick or on the weekend. Anyway(I'm tangercising again!) I am now only getting about a third of the mailings at my work because of the measures taken to combat the twisted virus. Sorry just venting my frustrations. :-( _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:50:18 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >Oh, for a mad scientist like Bernard Klien or Herkimer Johnson to >invent a device which would transfer my thoughts directly to the >screen... > >Wendy Oh, Wendy - how long has *that* one been on my Christmas list??? When I read Stephen King's novel 'The Tommyknockers' (woman is inhabited by evil aliens and, in among inventing all sorts of amazing gadgets as a spin off during her transformation from human to green, many tentacled glob with death ray eyes and a mean disposition, invents a machine that writes her new western novel on the typewriter while she sleeps. A novel another character later described as the best she'd ever written.) - I was eaten up with envy. Hey, I could take alien transformation if the payoff was one of those. Darn tooting! Where do I sign up? LabRat :) (feeling much more hopeful about Burnout now that I've had a good night's sleep and some Cadbury's Whole Nut.) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@dircon.co.uk. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 17:01:43 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sheila wrote! Even when I'm outlining a story (which I >do, and yes, I know it's anal retentive), I have little thumbnail images for >each scene. I disagree! I think the point is - and it's been well represented in all of these very interesting posts (thanks for the thread, Peggy!) - is that what is one author's anal retentive habit is another's source of inspiration. Someone once sent me a rather handy little attachment which was from an author who started out outlining because she had been told that was the way 'real' authors worked. For years it drove her insane. And then one day she wrote a story she wanted to write the way she wanted to write it, having realized that each author is an individual and works with what works. I was talking about that very point with another FoLC writer recently. She outlines from the first line to the last full stop because she feels she has to be in control of the narrative all the way. Me, I get bored if I know what's coming up next. It's horses for courses - you stick to your anal retentive outlining, Sheila - it works for you! LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@dircon.co.uk. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:11:21 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Pam Jernigan Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers Comments: To: Blind.Copy.Receiver@compuserve.com MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 >> I don't know how else to come up with these descriptions without first visualizing the situation. I'm so curious about how the rest of you FoLcs do it! :) << Well, I'm not a very visual writer, so I guess this is my cue to jump in I don't really "see" a scene in my head as such (I don't see my drea= ms very clearly, either, or get sharp pictures in my head when I read), but = I do hear the dialog. Usually, in fact, I get the dialog first, and scramb= le to the notebook or keyboard to get the lines written down, with a few minimal "stage directions". I have a feeling of who's where in the scene= , but that's not my main focus. Once I have the dialog where I want it, I have to go back and insert descriptions of movement, expressions, etc. I= n fact, I've had my proofers catch me on things like "two paragraphs ago sh= e was sitting, now she's standing, when did that happen?" So for me, I have to hear the voices in my head... and try to type or write fast enough to keep up with them The rest of the scene is just= an impression in my mind that needs to be sharpened when I put it down in= black & white. And if that still doesn't make sense, it occurs to me tha= t I kind of described this technique in "What Dreams May Come", in Lois' dream sequences. She hears words & feels emotions, but the surroundings are fuzzy & indistinct. So, you visual writers, do you also have very visual dreams? My husband says he does, and he claims that reading a book is very like watching a movie; he sees all the details vividly. I wonder if that's just how some= people's brains work, whether it's reading, writing, or dreaming... PJ *still* not in real labor! !^NavFont02F0537000FMGJHG81MG83HL384B64 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 08:36:50 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Charlotte Martin Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Kathy Brown wrote: > At 3:28 PM -0500 3/30/99, Crystal Wimmer wrote: > > >Ummm... does this mean don't hop on a plane, fly > 3000 miles, and plan to drive > >another 6 hours with this stranger on your first > meeting before sharing a > >hotel room with them for the weekend? Oops. > Thanks for your response to this Kathy. I guess I'm in an oops situation myself. KryptnCAS, Supermags and I will be doing something similar this summer and I'm sure it makes them feel better to see that good things can come of these meetings. The negative vibes from the other posts were a bit of a downer and I don't want anything to spoil our BIFF time. We've done all the cyber exchanges and phone chats and I am *so* looking forward to a real meeting where we can talk talk Dean and L&C. I still think FoLCs are the best! Charlotte(usually the lurking one) ThreeD on IRC charm3d@yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:15:52 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Laurie Dunn Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Yes, these have been "downer" posts. I'm new to these boards ( though I read the archives for awhile before joining the list.) I had decided to "delurk", though, as I feel like I know a lot of you long standing FoLCs, and a one sided friendship is rather unsatisfying. I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the volume of mail, though. How do you handle the mail if you're gone for a weekend? Does anyone use and like the "digest" option? I'm a middle aged Mom with an emptying nest. We watched the show as a family while it was on. At the time of the NK arc, I found you online FoLCs, fell in love with ChrisM's stories, and it spiralled from there. Anyway, one bad apple does not spoil the whole barrel, but caution is wise. LaurieD (sorry to the other Laurie, but what can I do?) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:42:41 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" In-Reply-To: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 12:15 PM -0500 3/31/99, Laurie Dunn wrote: >Yes, these have been "downer" posts. I'm new to these boards ( though I read >the archives for awhile before joining the list.) I had decided to "delurk", >though, as I feel like I know a lot of you long standing FoLCs, and a one >sided friendship is rather unsatisfying. I think these posts came about because there has been so many positive experiences of FoLCs meeting, and people wanted to caution everyone that we still need to be careful. I've met *many* FoLCs, and I didn't even go to LAFF. :) We've set up local mini-fests in our area (the Great Lakes area) for the last few years now, and they've all gone very well. In fact, the one this summer should prove to be the biggest so far--we have 20 people signed up to attend Cabaret together in July, and a few more that didn't buy tickets but want to meet up with us for other stuff. But the fact remains, you have to be careful. In a fest environment, often you are meeting in a public place, have other people around you, etc. Zoom's post were *EXCELLENT* words of advice. It's like with anything -- you have to be smart to have fun. This is true for camping, driving a car, going to an amusement park. Just treat meeting "strangers" with the same caution. > I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the volume of mail, though. How >do you >handle the mail if you're gone for a weekend? Does anyone use and like the >"digest" option? I'm on digest for the main list, LOISCLA, and really like it. It's a great way to manage your email volume. You get 2-3 long emails a day, instead of many short ones. You have some delays in that you don't see messages right away, but if you are mostly a lurker, this shouldn't affect you too much. Alternatively, I know there are several people who arent' even subscribed to this list, but use the listserv archive as one would as Message Board, and read the posts that way. Good luck! Kathy ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:21:22 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Melissa Day Hall Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers In-Reply-To: <199903311112_MC2-701D-C51D@compuserve.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >> I don't know how else to come up with these descriptions without first visualizing the situation. I'm so curious about how the rest of you FoLcs do it! :) << Ok, time to add my three cents. (Two plus inflation) I think I do my best writing when I can visualize the scene. Then, it's more of a matter of trying to get everything I see into words. Other times, I can't see the characters, but they're whispering in my ear, and all I can do is madly type down what they're saying. As far as plotting and outlining, well, as a RR author, you can plot and scheme all you want, but when it comes down to the five minutes of thinking (panicking madly as I shove the mm's and iced tea out of the way of the keyboard) before my turn, half of the plot suddenly escapes me, and the other half I can't use in the immediate scene... I'm often amazed at what comes out. Misha (mhall@sound.net) - - - - - "The art of fiction, like the art of stage magicians, is one of directing the audience's attention to what you want them to see." ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 13:17:36 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Patricia Chenenko Subject: Re: The Child Who Fell from the Sky Comments: To: Bob or Chris Mulder MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Wow, what a wonderful story! I smiled and cried at the same time. The story was written from a very unique and refreshing perspective and your portrayal of an infant's feelings and perceptions was excellent. I couldn't help but think back to the earliest months in my son's life and remember all the little touches and sounds, and the tenderness and love. Even now, at the ripe old age of 3 and 1/2, my son reaches out to clasp my face between his tiny hands (a gesture not unlike Clark's when he touches Lois) and stares into my eyes as though he can see into my soul. It is both overwhelming and frightening to return his stare and see in his eyes the depth of the unconditional love of a child. Patty C pchenenko@worldnet.att.net My ICQ# is 7824988 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 13:27:48 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Dean's CA accent Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-31 07:59:51 EST, sharper@CNCC.CC.CO.US writes: << >Speaking of accents, just what kind of accent does Dean have (or what >exactly is a California accent?)?? He softens the g's off his ending -ing's and gently slurs most words followed by "to" together: wanna (want to), gonna (going to), gotta (got to), etc. You can hear when he slips into his Malibu accent; his -ing's will be fairly crisp (or at least definitely *there*), and then suddenly his g's vanish: bein', flyin', cookin', etc. One scene that comes to mind is from LotF, when he's responding to Lois's question, "How married *are* you?" >> Sheila, I'm glad you answered this as I was having a real hard time trying to pin down examples of very southern Californian speech. I also notice it, though, when he says, "Sure!" --Laurie, the NYer without a NY accent! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 13:56:33 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Chris P Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 03/31/99 4:13:02 PM !!!First Boot!!!, jernigan@COMPUSERVE.COM writes: << So, you visual writers, do you also have very visual dreams? My husband says he does, and he claims that reading a book is very like watching a movie; he sees all the details vividly. I wonder if that's just how some people's brains work, whether it's reading, writing, or dreaming... >> Coming out of lurkdom to say that I do have very visual dreams, and when I'm reading, I don't see the words. I see the scene in my head. When I'm writing (not that I've written much) I picture the scene as I describe it. I also hear the dialogue and picture the expression on the speaker's face. The scene also has to "feel" right. I think this is where characterization comes in. If the characterization isn't right, the scene "feels" wrong. Then Misha said: << As far as plotting and outlining, well, as a RR author, you can plot and scheme all you want, but when it comes down to the five minutes of thinking (panicking madly as I shove the mm's and iced tea out of the way of the keyboard) before my turn, half of the plot suddenly escapes me, and the other half I can't use in the immediate scene... I'm often amazed at what comes out.>> LOL This is so true. You can be sitting there waiting for your turn with a great scene all plotted out in your head, and then the person writing before you either uses that idea or changes the direction of the story and types NEXT right in the middle of a scene leaving you going, "Arghh!!! What the h**l am supposed to write now???" Instant panic. It IS amazing that we come up with anything halfway coherent, but that's half the fun. Back to lurk mode. Chris P. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 19:03:51 +0000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Wendy Richards Subject: Firestorm In-Reply-To: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Irene, thank you! This is a wonderful story - and considering it's your first fanfic it is truly excellent. As Phil said, the plotting and structure is extremely good, and as for the suspense... well, I had absolutely no idea what was going to happen until the very last page. And the emotional impact was huge, as well. It's after 8pm here, I'm still in my office - I should have left at least an hour ago. The reason I didn't is that I started reading Firestorm and couldn't stop. *That's* how good it is. Well done, Irene, and a sequel, please!! Wendy ---------------------- Wendy Richards w.m.richards@hrm.keele.ac.uk ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 09:58:06 -1000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Jamee S8-)]" Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > --- Kathy Brown wrote: > > At 3:28 PM -0500 3/30/99, Crystal Wimmer wrote: > > > > >Ummm... does this mean don't hop on a plane, fly > > 3000 miles, and plan to drive > > >another 6 hours with this stranger on your first > > meeting << Well I'm not going to be the one to travel 3000+ miles, but my cyber bud will be coming all the way from Florida to Maui all by her self!!! So I tend to feel the worry for *her* instead of myself and my family because that is just so far to go and so much $$$'s to spend and to go all by yourself!! Just knowing she was willing to do this made me feel a little better about it right away. Her parents were a little worried in the beginning, she's alone, and I'm married, so they don't even know my husband. But I've met her mommy on the phone so that helped. I felt sooo much for her mom's worry about her, being a mother myself, I told her I'd do all I could to talk her out of going!! hehe! She also met someone out by her who just got back from a 1 month vacation out here who met my mother and father in-law--so that little connection was good for her. Surprisingly we made our plans only months after our online friendship began! I'm so excited but I have to say that for me to do this is very *VERY* unusual. I'm the slightly 'paranoid' one in the family. Actually my family teases me all the time cuz I'm this way!!. But as her and I have gotten to know eachother through emails, mirc, phonecalls, and video tapes---I haven't a hesitant bone in my body!! We have a lot in common including our religion which is very united worldwide, (we study same material at same time recieve same litature in mail at same time) so even though nobody is perfect and people can decieve you and say they are what they arent', having that one thing in common was the biggest thing that made us trust oneanother because there are things that both of us knew from that, that nobody else could possibly know. The only thing I'm truly afraid of is how nervous I'm gonna be once she becomes 3 dimensional!!!! I'm so used to talking to a screen!!! I'm especially shy, so I seem to have had an easier time online then I would in person. How has that been for you who have allready met your cyber pal? Is it hard at first or do you tend to hit it off right away like you do online??? and then..Charlotte Martin wrote: > >>Thanks for your response to this Kathy. I guess I'm in > an oops situation myself. KryptnCAS, Supermags and I > will be doing something similar this summer and I'm > sure it makes them feel better to see that good things > can come of these meetings. The negative vibes from the > other posts were a bit of a downer and I don't want > anything to spoil our BIFF time. We've done all the > cyber exchanges and phone chats and I am *so* looking > forward to a real meeting where we can talk talk Dean > and L&C. I still think FoLCs are the best! Ohh I just know you guys are going to have soo much fun!! With Cass and Mags in the same room with you and all that "Dean energy" flowing as mags would put it!!! ;) I haven't met them in person, (could've met Cass, went to OMSI a science museum kinda near her and she said she would have driven out there to meet me!!! But didn't know till after--bummer!:( )) but just talking to them online I think they are incredibly nice people!! Yep FoLC's are definitely the best!! jme p/s if you never hear from me again after May 7th then you better send Superman to save me!!!! JK!!!:) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 11:59:20 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: irene d Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain I thought I would share my experience. (I hope that's okay, Karen) Karen Ward and I live in neighbouring communities - about a 20 min. drive apart. I recognized her email address as a local one and sent her a private email. We got along very well on-line (and still do!) Finally, we made arrangements to meet in person. We arranged to meet in a very public place and we sent each other general descriptions of appearances so we could find each other okay. Both Karen and I found the first meeting to be very awkward. (Right, Karen?) Lots of silence from Karen and lots of nervous babbling from me! But, it gave us a lot to joke about in our next emails. The other thing we found awkward, was discussing our LnC obsession in public! So, we have progressed to visiting in private, either at my home or at hers. Being that we're both women, it takes a lot of pressure off - although I did joke that I might be interested in abducting her if she was a good housekeeper! Housework is definitely not my strong point!! But I am very glad that Zoomway initiated this discussion. We have all read stories about very serious situations where someone has got very badly hurt or worse by an on-line "friend". I would hate to see anything like that happen to one of my on-line buddies! There are many unscrupulous people in the world and many who pretend to be something that they are not. Be open to new experiences and to taking risks, but don't be foolish and take dangerous chances! You might not get a second one. I'm glad I took a chance on meeting Karen. She is an extremely nice person and I very much enjoy her company. But, we were both very careful. Please, everyone else, be careful too. Irene sirenegold@hotmail.com sirengold on IRC Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 10:29:04 -1000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Jamee S8-)]" Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Jamee S8-)] wrote: > >>But I've met her mommy on the phone so that helped. I felt sooo > much for her mom's worry about her, being a mother myself, I told her > I'd do all I could to talk her out of going!! hehe! << See that's what happens when you don't proof reads your posts!! That came out wrong! I meant that if I had a daughter who was doing what hers was, I would do all I could to talk my daughter out of it!! jme ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:15:24 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Debbie and Martin Pierce Subject: Dean still in Bulgaria? Hi, everyone-- As usual, I am way behind in reading my mail, so someone may have already answered this question--I wondered if Dean is still in Bulgaria filming? I read in the paper a couple of days ago that some 10,000 people participated in an anti-NATO, anti-American demonstration in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Doesn't sound like a place that an American crew would want to be right now! Debbie ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 12:18:35 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Starfire 1138 Subject: Re: Dean's CA accent Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain > He softens the g's off his ending -ing's and gently slurs most words > followed by "to" together: wanna (want to), gonna (going to), gotta (got > to), etc. You can hear when he slips into his Malibu accent; his -ing's > will be fairly crisp (or at least definitely *there*), and then suddenly his > g's vanish: bein', flyin', cookin', etc. One scene that comes to mind is > from LotF, when he's responding to Lois's question, "How married *are* you?" >>> > >Sheila, I'm glad you answered this as I was having a real hard time trying to >pin down examples of very southern Californian speech. I also notice it, >though, when he says, "Sure!" > >--Laurie, the NYer without a NY accent! Well, it's interesting to know that people can actually pick out the different ways he pronounces his words. I agree with both Sheila and Laurie's comments, and as I think about it, I find that I do those same things! Especially the "sure" part. That is a word that people from the West and East Coasts pronounce very differently! I am just fascinated with accents and I love to hear what other people think. Especially between the East and West Coasts of the U.S. Starfire :o) Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:46:29 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Peggy Mueller Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit (thanks for the thread, Peggy!) >LabRat :) No, thank *you*--all of you! This is proving to be interesting and informative--and it's raising more questions for me: Some of you "see" your stories, some "feel," some "hear" (and now I have to re-read everyone's stories to see if I can match authors with preferred sensory styles!)--do any of you who *see* or *feel* your stories find that it's hard to get your vision or emotions expressed in words? (like waking in the morning and trying to describe your dreams to someone and finding yourself completely unable to convey the emotions you experienced...) Also, has anyone related fluctuations in their creative or writing abilities to hormonal or chemical changes? I've read, for example, that men shouldn't try to write during the morning, when testosterone levels are at their peak, because testosterone inhibits verbal ability. Along the same lines, has anyone found that pregnancy affects their writing in any way? (other than feeling nauseated, crabby, or just plain lousy, that is!) Does consumption of coffee and other caffeinated beverages, or use of nicotine affect story-writing? What about chocolate? ;-) Peggy, interested in the creative process. gremlino@pathway.net ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:07:59 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sheila Harper Subject: Re: Dean's CA accent Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 01:27 PM 3/31/99 EST, No Name Available wrote: >I was having a real hard time trying to >pin down examples of very southern Californian speech. I also notice it, >though, when he says, "Sure!" Now it's your turn to help me out. I've never noticed anything different about the way Dean says, "sure," which probably means that we say it the same way (i.e. "sure" rhymes with "her"). So how do you say it on the East Coast, "sh-o-o-o-r", with an r-controlled -oo rather than an r-controlled -e? Sheila sharper@cncc.cc.co.us ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 22:40:26 +0100 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: LabRat Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Peggy wrote: >Also, has anyone related fluctuations in their creative or writing abilities >to hormonal or >chemical changes Now, funny you should mention that, Peggy I'd be real interested to hear the answer to this myself. Never been pregnant (got no intentions either ), but I can say that hormonal changes definitely affect *my* writing abilities. Precisely two days into a certain time of the month and I can write up a storm. Like hitting a switch. It lasts for two days. If I manage to get the time during those two days I could finish a novel if I wrote without breaks. Sometimes, I can't type fast enough to catch up with the narrative unspooling in my head and everything emerges as final draft without any need to do more than tweak the occasional word. No rewrites necessary, no staring at the screen for minutes trying to think what I want to say next, no interruptions. Not only that, but my mind starts popping ideas like.....well popcorn. I end up with piles of notes all over the place. It's like being possessed. Then.....boom, day three - back to normal. Curiously enough, this only started happening 10 months ago and it took me a while to get the connection. I've thought it was *the* weirdest thing ever since. But I sure take advantage of it! It's nice to know there are at least two days in any month I can rely on! ;) >Does consumption of coffee and other caffeinated beverages, or use of >nicotine affect story-writing? What about chocolate? ;-) Well, despite joking about chocolate intake, I've never noticed any I have to say. Don't smoke, only caffeine I drink is in Pepsi. My intake is only 2-3 cans per day/evening while I'm up here in the office writing or online, so perhaps I don't consume enough to make a difference. LabRat :) Doc. Klein's LabRat labrat@dircon.co.uk. ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:33:58 -0600 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Kathy Brown Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" In-Reply-To: <37027E4E.CD8A0C63@maui.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" At 9:58 AM -1000 3/31/99, Jamee S8-)] wrote: > How has that been for you who have allready met your cyber >pal? Is it hard at first or do you tend to hit it off right away like >you do online??? Stacey (DrStace or stacers for those of you on IRC) was the first FoLC I met and we continue to have a great friendship even though her busy schedule (medical school) has all but prevented her from IRCing anymore or keeping up with FoLCdom. We met on the steps of the student union at the university from where we both graduated (that's how we hooked up in a crowded chatroom -- one of us called out "Hail to the Victors" and the other responded "Go Blue!") It was fate. ), then went to lunch on campus. We hadn't exchanged pictures or talked on the phone for more than 5 minutes, but I knew her instantly. We both were walking up to the building at the same time, but from opposite sides of the street. I noticed her, and instantly just *knew* it was her. She later told me the same. We met around 11 am and talked non-stop for the next 5 hours. We've probably gotten together 8-10 times in the 3 years since. :) It's always a little funny at first to meet FoLCs, but in my experience (I've met probably 18 or more FoLCs at various local fests or get-togethers), you warm up faster the more you've talked to that person on-line before you met. You have more common subjects to talk about, I guess. Also in my experience, people tend to relax after they've had something to eat, so plan that first meeting around food. I've been to a few gatherings where people are being kind of shy around each other, but after we head out to dinner, everyone comes back talking and joking around. :) The neatest thing for me about meeting other FoLCs is being able to be so open about your on-line addiction. We all have a common "language". FoLC, WAFFy, IRC, S5, TUFS, fanfic--you can't just drop these words into conversations with your friends or family or they'd think you were nuts. Same with screen names. If I mentioned to my mom that "well, Zoomway said ...", I'm sure I'd see some quirked eyebrows. ;) But you mention a screen name to other list members/IRCers and it's no different than you mentioned a mutual friend's real name. (I do agree with Irene's observation, though, that talking L&C in public is kind of weird. I, myself, prefer hanging out at someone's house or a park, instead of at a restaurant booth where everyone can hear your conversations.) I will say that I've heard of a handful of FoLCs that were totally different than their on-screen personas. Most of these people, while very talkative on-line, turned out to be extremely shy in person. That's always awkward, since I, like Irene, tend to try to fill the silence rather than just enjoy it. ;) The other extreme is the person who, while on-line seems to be just a strong personality, in person comes off somewhat abrasive. Luckily, my experience with this kind of FoLC has been rare. Kathy (now if I can just get Erin to move across the country, I'd be all set. ) ______________________ Kathy Brown kathyb@springnet1.com KathyB on IRC ______________________ ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 17:22:07 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Annette Ciotola Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit My turn to share my experiences! Meeting Misha and Crys in Newark, NJ was not my first time meeting up with FoLCs, and hopefully it will not be my last. In January of 98 I began a trip from Northeastern, PA and took an eight day trip down the East coast. Along the way of visiting high school friends, I stayed one or two nights in each city working my way down to the southern most tip of North Carolina. On my trip I met a group of interesting FoLCs. None of whom I had exchanged pictures with and only two or three had I even spoke with on a daily basis. One of my first stops was in our nations Capital to meet up with Eraygun for lunch. Eileen held on to a simple superman doll so I could identify her in the Air and Space Museum. I had also kept her waiting almost two hours while I got lost. Sawlotsofdcihadneverbefore. (See Misha, New Jersey aint the only circular state. ) After leaving DC I kept right on going to another high school friends, but on the way home I stooped off in a town right outside Raleigh, NC. That's where I met up with Pam, ChrisM, Clair, Tara, among a few others. Another FoLC, whom I had never even met on line had even opened up her home to me for a place to stay the night before making a 9 hour drive back to PA. That was one of the *best* times I have had!! We had a ton of fun watching the Super Bowl Sunday LnC Marathon on TNT. It was a blast watching this group of ladies mimic every Tempus line of dialog! It think it was after this I wanted to become more involved in FoLCdom that I already was. The FoLCs, are a wonderful group of people! It was proved to me the second time around at the NEFF, where I had an equally great time. And I hope to achieve the same thing when I head out to California this summer! ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 18:12:51 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Farah Meitzen Chisham Subject: lovely folcs i've met Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" I've met a few folcs online and even got invited over to their house and 3 of us got together one time and watched eps. I don't believe they hang out on the list or IRC anymore but they were very lovely people. One was an actress -- really cool gal -- and the other was getting a degree in ... I think it was chemistry (PhD) at Northwestern University. About 4 years ago, we got together in Chicago and had a blast! I think they thought I was very strange though, because the night we all got together, my newlywed husband and I got into a huge fight. (He had a recital comming up and was getting the jitters and I had not been practicing my part as much--i was in the recital), and Sean came off as a big jerk and I came off as an abused wife. I'm sure some of you newlyweds have fights in the first few months of marriage. Some do and some don't. Anyway, about a year ago, they let Sean and I spend the night at their flat in Chicago (really great apartment) while Sean and I were attending a music conference. We were both very tired and acting like "old folgies" and we watched some music vids with them and talked about LnC a little and some other shows. This is where I met Tara -- the old list mom from LOISCLA before she retired. Nice person who actually knew Zoomway quite well. Again, I think Sean and I came off very weird to them--we are two of the most normal people in the world, but they opened up their home to us and we appreciated it so much. Anyway, I had a great experience with my fellow FoLCs and I wish I knew where they were so I could send them Christmas cards (ie holiday cards). Thanks Amy and Jessica and Tara! farah farah :) farah@chisham.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 18:03:48 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Kelsey J. Croft" Subject: No Subject Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit <<<>>> I know what you guys mean. As I said before, I lived on the West coast and the moved to the East, so my mom, who was totally against the move, made sure that I didn't talk like a Pittsburgher. You know- yins, dawntawn, the Burg, sauth saide (south side) etc. So I try to maintain a West Coast accent, but it's hard- especially when I visit my dad who grew up in Georgia! Since I do a lot of travelling for a person my age, I've noticed the differences between the way people talk. Some people in Pittsburgh sound somewhat lazy and seem to like saying the a sound in their words, even where they don't belong. And they talk fast! Even all the adults talk a mile a minute. On the West Coast I've noticed that most people take the time to pronounce the words correctly and aren't in such a rush. To me that's the major difference. Kelsey ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:42:26 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Starfire 1138 Subject: Re: No Subject Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain >>I know what you guys mean. As I said before, I lived on the West >>coast and the moved to the East...I try to maintain a West Coast >>accent, but it's hard...On the West Coast I've noticed that most >>people take the time to pronounce the words correctly and aren't in >>such a rush. Yeah, me too! I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and now I go to college "back East," and it is so fun to hear people talk and SO hard not to pick up certain words, etc. My roommate is from the Northeast, and we always have fun picking out which words we say differently. People from the West *definitely* talk much slower than those in the East...kind of reflects the pace of life between the two sides. Everytime I visit home it takes me a few days just to wind down from being in the East!!! It is really difficult! The West in general also doesn't have as much variance in accents as the East. So, even though I am from the Northwest, I find that I prounce my words similar to Dean Cain/Clark Kent. I've always wondered why that is, but my major is nowhere close to language, so does anyone have any theories? Well, this is all getting WAY off the L&C topic, so: Another thing...maybe those who know some of the inside scoop from Lois & Clark (or the entertainment industry in general) can answer this best: Do televsion shows, movies, etc. coach actors with their accent even if the accent isn't a big part of the character, such as in Lois and Clark? Starfire :o) Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 15:56:52 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Rachel Ernst Subject: OKI Folcfest? MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi all All of this talk about meeting online friends has made me curious -- has there ever been a FolcFest in the Ohio/Kentucky/Indiana region? Does anyone in the region have any interest in following the lead of other parts of the country and organizing a FolcFest, maybe for this summer? I'm from Cincinnati, but go to school in southeast Indiana, so I find myself in Indianapolis, Louisville, and Cincinnati ("the 'Nati" to the locals ) quite frequently. Before I found the listserves, a friend and I held Lois and Clark parties together often. To meet new friends and to share the joy of Folcness would be awesome (as all of your stories of successful meetings and newly developed friendships proves!). So, anyone interested? Hope to hear from you soon! Sheriff Rachel dithyramb1@yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:56:21 MST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: DEBRA GRAY Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Sorry, FoLCs! I can resist the urge to contribute to this thread no longe= r. I have only written one fic so far, a Star Trek: The Next Generation fic = I titled "Through a Glass Darkly". So my ramblings are basically limited to= the experience I gained through writing that. (Though I'm currently developin= g at least one LC fic and several X-Files fics. Yeesh - if I only had a time machine: so I could generate more time!) I got the basic idea for TaGD from a dream. I'd been eating, thinking, an= d breathing Star Trek, all three series (this was pre-Voyager), for several= weeks - and yes, my studies (I was still in university) were suffering as= a result. But anyway, I had a dream one night that I was on the Enterprise myself, and that got the wheels turning. As you might guess, the story is= a bit of a Sally Ann - sorry again. I'm avoiding this sort of storyline for= the ones I'm currently chewing on, I'm sure you'll be happy to learn. = I jotted down some of my ideas over the next couple of months, even going= so far as to figure out some of the logistics, but always felt inadequate to= develop them into prose. But several friends finally talked me into writi= ng the first paragraph, and then read it and encouraged me further. So then = I started taping TNG in earnest, cuz I wanted my story to be as "realistic"= as possible. And the more I watched, and noticed little details, and nit-pic= ked (I didn't have the good fortune of a fellow-fan support base at the time)= the more ideas I got. I took to carrying a notebook around with me, and, afte= r I was given a laptop computer (it died later, but it served well for a whil= e), the computer. I scribbled at work (a telemarketing job!) in between phone= calls ;), in the commuter train to work, on the bus, in front of the TV, in chu= rch when I thought nobody was watching - well, I'm sure God was, but I didn't= care - in the cafeteria, even during classes. Since my major character was based on my own experiences (yeah - really g= oing Sally Ann!) I had no trouble with her characterisations in the beginning.= After a while she started growing, and took on a personality of her own, = as did all the people around her. It was a real struggle to make the establi= shed Star Trek characters behave like they would one the show, yet make them d= o what I wanted them to. But I think, except for Data, I didn't do too badl= y. (For a Sally Ann story! ) And Data, well, let's just say I'm planning = a re-write and/or a part 2 that will take care of him! Sometimes the charac= ters seemed to sit on my shoulder and whisper their conversations in my ear, sometimes I "saw" a situation and imagined what everyone must be saying. = Other times I imagined myself in the position the character whose POV I was wri= ting >from was in, and had him or her do what I would do. If the character was = human or Betazoid or otherwise "normal" emotionlly, that wasn't usually too har= d. In the case of Klingons and Vulcans or other aliens, it was often a challeng= e - it was certainly fun! I'm a lousy typist, so I usually wrote my scenes down on paper first, the= n put them into the computer, where I revised them over and over. I started wit= h a really rough outline, but threw it away after a while. You probably can t= ell by reading the story at what point I did that. I knew where I wanted the beginning to go, and a general sense of where the end would be, but I gue= ss I rambled in the middle, and the very end, after the main action was over, = and I wanted to wrap things up properly, but I didn't know how. I'm still not satisfied with the end, hence the thought to do a second part. Anyway, I'd better get back to lurking, quit boring you and wasting your bandwidth. Hope this addresses your questions okay. Debra G dlgray@usa.net Melisma on IRC ____________________________________________________________________ Get free e-mail and a permanent address at http://www.netaddress.com/?N=3D= 1 ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 14:28:08 -1000 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Jamee S8-)]" Subject: Re: locations MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Eilonwy Jamison wrote: > >>I agree with you about the neat feeling. I used to live in > Roseburg, > Oregon just near Winston and really close friends of the family lived > in > Winston. << OH cool you used to live in Roseburg OR! So maybe you know about this! When we stayed in a Hotel in Roseburg the evening before we went to Winston to the Wild Life Safari, we woke up to a very strange site in the Morning. It was October 1st if I remember correctly and as we pulled out of the hotel on to the road there were shoes lined up on both sides of the road for about a mile that we could tell!! some of the shoes were fancied up with paint and feathers, some were made out of strange things like toilet paper rolls!! It was the stranges site, and we have never been able to figure out what it was!!! Do you have any idea? jme ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 16:47:35 -0800 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Elisabeth Subject: Re: Thinking in Pictures-Q for Fanfic Writers MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Peggy Mueller wrote: > Something I read recently raised this question for > me--do writers create > their stories by picturing scenes in their > imaginations and "translating" > the pictures into words, or do they form the scenes > in words that somehow > coalesce into stories? I'd really like to hear from > you writers on this > question! Peggy, what a great question. I personally "think" almost entirely in words. There are very few times when I get mental images, even when dreaming. Therefore, I always write my scenes from words and hand my copy to my visually-minded hubby to edit. BTW, I know good fanfic when I read it, because I can hear the actors saying the dialogue. If I can't hear the characters speaking, it's probably not in character for them to say the lines. That's what made my pre-Kerth time so much fun. I got to spend the week listening to some of my best fictional friends talk. === Elisabeth Feel free to visit my home at http://geocities.com/Area51/Starship/7859 _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 20:19:19 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: Dean's CA accent Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-31 16:13:03 EST, sharper@CNCC.CC.CO.US writes: << Now it's your turn to help me out. I've never noticed anything different about the way Dean says, "sure," which probably means that we say it the same way (i.e. "sure" rhymes with "her"). So how do you say it on the East Coast, "sh-o-o-o-r", with an r-controlled -oo rather than an r-controlled -e? >> Yup, exactly. :) --Laurie (that "no name available" person) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 21:23:00 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: No Name Available Subject: Re: No Subject Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit In a message dated 99-03-31 18:42:42 EST, you write: << Yeah, me too! I grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and now I go to college "back East," and it is so fun to hear people talk and SO hard not to pick up certain words, etc. My roommate is from the Northeast, and we always have fun picking out which words we say differently. People from the West *definitely* talk much slower than those in the East...kind of reflects the pace of life between the two sides. Everytime I visit home it takes me a few days just to wind down from being in the East!!! It is really difficult! The West in general also doesn't have as much variance in accents as the East. So, even though I am from the Northwest, I find that I prounce my words similar to Dean Cain/Clark Kent. I've always wondered why that is, but my major is nowhere close to language, so does anyone have any theories? >> I live in the Pacific Northwest and I go to college there too!!! Actually I have lived there all of my life and I am from the Seattle area. For all of the almost 7 years I have been watching L&C and following Dean's career, I have not noticed his accent. I think it is the same thing for me as it is for you. Since I too am from the West Coast, we talk a lot a like. I love it how people on the West Coast don't rush through their words and we try to pronounce each word just so! That's what makes us so special!!! ;) It also proves how laid back and relaxed we can be here on the Pacific Coast. Surf's up.. dude!!! LOL "I'VE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN AND ALL THE ANGELS LOOK LIKE ALEX{IS}" Tremaine Ramzey, FUTURESPORT aka: Dean Cain "Dear Dean... You Rock MY World!!!" ;-.) ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 19:21:13 PST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: "Leslie S." Subject: Re: precautions for meeting an Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain Very sound advice. But this relates to Lois and Clark FANFICTION how? >From: The Zoomway >Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" >To: LOISCLA-GENERAL-L@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU >Subject: precautions for meeting an "on line" friend in "person" >Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 16:58:41 EST > >Hi FoLC ;) > >I'm writing this for a couple of reasons. Recently someone a few of us know on >line met a "friend" from cyber space in person, and the experience for her >wasn't pleasant. The person seemed harmless on line, even "sweet", but in >person turned out to be "scary". So I'm going to post some guidelines, and >anyone out there who would like to add to this guideline list, please feel >free. > >First of all NEVER assume someone is being as truthful with you as you are >being with them. There are men and women who will say they aren't married, for >example, because they're looking for action, not love and commitment. > >On the flip side of that coin are people who say they *are* married when it's >not true. "Married" can sometimes make that person sound more disarming or >"safe". > >Do NOT freely give out your address and phone number. > >If you do agree to meet in person, meet in a PUBLIC place. > >Let someone *know* you are meeting this person. > >Quite often before the "meet in person" phase, photographs (usually the cyber >variety like JPEGs) are exchanged. If so, send the photo to the person you've >told about this "relationship", the person you've told about the "in person" >meeting. > >Once you reach the meeting, again, in a PUBLIC place, and the person looks >almost *nothing* like the photo he/she sent you, some serious alarm bells >should start ringing. > >If the person looks nothing like his/her photograph, don't buy excuses like, >"I didn't think you'd agree to meet me if you knew what I really looked like" >or "Really? I must have sent my cousin's (or anyone else's) photo by mistake." >Most people who want a *real* relationship go to a lot of trouble to make sure >they find a flattering photo of themselves to send, but *never* a deceptive >one. > >If you're corresponding with someone and that person starts asking for too >much personal information early on, be suspicious, particularly if the reason >you started corresponding with that person would not be conducive to such >personal questions, i.e., the person wanted help with computer problems, >career advice or even help with fanfic. > >Don't shut yourself off from long-term friendships for the sake of your new >"romance". Be suspicious if this person wants you to segregate yourself from >old friends, or wants you to keep the relationship a secret. If everything is >honest and above board, there's no reason in the world to keep the >relationship a secret. Someone you trust being kept up to date on what's >going on could be your *best* protection. > >Be aware too this can sometimes be about *money*. If someone lays a sob story >on you about needing money to finalize a divorce, save a business, start a >business or whatever, be sympathetic, but *don't* get out your check book ;) > >Lastly, in or out of cyberspace, try and use good judgment and precautions. >Someone who truly cares about you won't balk at safety suggestions. In fact, >if they're just as sincere as you, they'll happily agree to them. > >There have been several FoLC who met on line and have formed long lasting >frienships and some who have even gotten engaged and married, but many of them >were caustious to begin with ;) > >Zoomway@aol.com (coming to you from the FYI corner of the galaxy today ;) Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 22:22:14 +0500 Reply-To: mulders@mindspring.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bob or Chris Mulder Subject: Re: Feedback: The Child Who Fell from the Sky In-Reply-To: <19990331150400.8769.qmail@hotmail.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Irene, Thank you for letting me know what you liked about my story. I'm glad that it touched a chord with you. I'm a mom myself, but I had to go quite a bit further back in my memory than you mentioned since my kids are 17 and 15. I guess I enjoyed their babyhood so much that a lot of those times stuck with me. I remember when my kids were about the ages that yours are now ... that's a great time, too. They can do quite a bit for themselves at that age, but they are little enough that they still think Mom and Dad are fun to be around. And they want to help with everything! ;-) I've been reading the reviews of your story, and am looking forward to delving into it as soon as my Easter company leaves. Congratulations on a propitious start to your fanfic writing. :-) --Chris > Chris, > > I just loved this. It was very touching and very accurate as far as > young children seem to respond to the world. > > Your story brought back many memories of when my children were that > young - all of 6 and 9 years ago. There are so many things that, as a > mother, you will never forget but, a lot of the little details go > missing. You reminded me of a lot of those little details again and I > thank you for that! > > Again, Chris, this was a very lovely and touching story. > > Thanks, > Irene > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com mailto:mulders@mindspring.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 21:57:47 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Norman Mayes Subject: Re: OKI Folcfest? Comments: To: dithyramb@yahoo.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Cincinnati? All right, a fellow Cinci Folc!!! I wasn't sure they even existed. Tell me more, when and where! budmayes@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 22:29:01 +0500 Reply-To: mulders@mindspring.com Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Bob or Chris Mulder Subject: Re: The Child Who Fell from the Sky In-Reply-To: <000101be7ba2$c1207200$97d04e0c@patricic> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hi, Patty, Thanks for the wonderful feedback. As you know, we writers really enjoy that. :-) I'm truly not sure where the idea for this story came from, but once I'd thought of it, I was also struck by how unusual it would be to tell it >from Kal-El/Clark's perspective. Then I wondered why I hadn't thought of it before. I guess that's happened to a lot of us as we're working on our stories. I'm glad that it brought back some happy memories of your early days as a mom. It did the same for me. :-) --Chris > Wow, what a wonderful story! I smiled and cried at the same time. The > story was written from a very unique and refreshing perspective and your > portrayal of an infant's feelings and perceptions was excellent. > > I couldn't help but think back to the earliest months in my son's life and > remember all the little touches and sounds, and the tenderness and love. > Even now, at the ripe old age of 3 and 1/2, my son reaches out to clasp my > face between his tiny hands (a gesture not unlike Clark's when he touches > Lois) and stares into my eyes as though he can see into my soul. It is both > overwhelming and frightening to return his stare and see in his eyes the > depth of the unconditional love of a child. > > Patty C > pchenenko@worldnet.att.net > My ICQ# is 7824988 mailto:mulders@mindspring.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 22:27:51 EST Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Genine Murray Subject: PLEASE help! Need address ... Comments: cc: LOISCLA@vm.ege.edu.tr Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7bit Howdy FoLCs! Sorry if you get this twice, but I am sending it to both lists since LOISCLA seems to be quite "down" at the moment, and I need this information as quickly as possible. :) A fellow FoLC (who is not on the list anymore) needs to get a hold of Kate Halpern's e-mail address, ASAP. Kate's IRC nick used to be Lois_Lane, I'm sure *many* of you remember her. ;) If anyone knows Kate's current address (or better yet, Kate, if you are reading this ) please mail me privately and let me know so I can pass the info on to my buddy. Thanks in advance!! :-) Genine SuperGem4@aol.com ========================================================================= Date: Wed, 31 Mar 1999 23:11:17 -0500 Reply-To: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" Sender: "Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Fanfic" From: Sandy McDermin Subject: Re: Review -- LITTLE MAN, SUPER - Retry MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Anne Carlson wrote: > Hi All, > Well, I finished "Little Man, Super" and must say that Sandy has written a fun > look at growing up in the suburb of Utopia with the notion that Dad might be a > bit more "Super" than Mr. Kent. Lois is sure that Clark "certainly looked like > the guy I was with that night". But Jonny is not convinced. Lois and Clark > are reluctant to share the family secret with one so young. But, when asked > straight forward by the boy: "Are you my real father?", Clark is relieved that > he doesn't need to lie. Thank you, Anne, for your messages -- all six of them! (I got quite excited, thinking there was a debate or something.) > I must say again, for someone who does not have a husband and kids, Sandy sure > has the genre down. "So, what's your point?!" she inquires as she pounds rocks with a mallet, creating homemade kitty litter. > Being a teacher, I got a kick out of the school and field > trip scenes when Jonny is "sick" and wants to be away from the others. Most > kids don't plan an escape like that, thank goodness, but it certainly could > happen. Well, thank Laurie, my -- "that can't happen in a school" -- proofer, for her guidance and for trying to keep me honest. > Sandy also has that gift of comedy that she blends so well into her writing. > It was pretty funny when she mentioned Jonny thinking about how his > grandfather did experiments: > > < when they had visited his lab recently. Grandpop said, before he tested his > new discoveries on people -- like, for instance, something called "Lady Vee-a- > gra" -- he first tested them on animals.>> Yes, I thought it terribly unfair that science hadn't discovered a magic bullet to improve a woman's sexual experience.... Oh yeah. I forgot.... Vibrators. > I also enjoyed the mysterious Mrs. Wicca and how she watched over our Little > Man, Super. She cleverly leads Lois and Clark in a conversation about their > son. Yes, is she live or is she Memorex? > This story deals with the premise that Lois and Clark have children with one > mother and two fathers. Actually, Anne, what it really does is challenge the assumption I see so often in fanfic that Lois and Clark would *want* (or even be neutral about) their child being another Superman or Supergirl or Superboy. More to the point, would their child want to get into the family business? To the contrary, Lois and Clark might find it a little more difficult to be the parent of such a person than to be that person themselves, i.e., once you're a parent you never stop worrying. Not only that, but such a child would have a lot to live up to and may even feel hemmed in by the future they're inheriting -- maybe they don't want to make the sacrafices their father did in terms of being a Superhero. It's not so black and white. It's not really about choosing to help or not to help people. It's about choosing a way of life, for there are many ways to help people, not just the way Superman does. In other words, is the pressure of being Superman's son or daughter a "way of life sentence?" Does this child have a choice? (I wonder if anyone could write a good rebellion fanfic.) >How their oldest deals with this is a fun romp in > Utopia. I also enjoyed the opening and closing with the nursery rhyme: > > ~~What are little boys made of? > Snips and snails, > And puppy dog tails, > That's what little boys are made of.~~ > > But the ending rhyme I had not heard before and left me close to tears: > > ~~What is our little boy made of? > It's something of a mystery. > The stars and planets have conspired, > A miracle of she and me.~~ It's an original! I started to write a little poetry, so I shortly expect to be thrown off the writing list I'm currently on. > > Thank you Sandy, I really enjoyed you work. Anne, truly, it's words like yours which make it worth it.... Of course, a few bucks wouldn't hurt. > Anne (ACdrift@aol.com) Sandy -- All kidding aside, very, *very*, appreciative of your kind comments.