"After attending nursing school, I worked private care in a young mans home. He was unfortunate though to azuire a disease called muscular distrophy. He was wheelchari bound since the age of 19. He's now 27. He has taken a misfortune and turned it positive. When I sometimes complain about small things I just think back to this man and realize, wow, Jackie, you have things made. Lots of people take small things for granted such as walking and hopefully through-out my life, I will always be humble and above all, grateful for what I do have. J. M. S."

"One of the biggest things that has impacted my life was being involved in a near fatal car accident I lost 2 of my friends and was devestated. I never thought that I would be able to overcome this obsticle, but time heals all wounds. As time went by I was able to overcome my sadness and guilt. This has made me a stronger person and I now know that I can handle anything that comes my way-not a day goes by that I don't wish that I could change the outcome. Everything happens for a reason I now appreciate my life so much more and try to live life to the fullest. T. W."

"Dan, Being brought up in a catholic house, along with over 13 years of catholic schooling (K-12th grade) I was naturally, what I call now "Brain washed" to believe and live out a catholic ideal life. Though those years I blindly accepted many of the catholic church's teachings, until I got into the real world. Being slightly embittered by all of that, I did what every person enevitably does, question our humanity and "the question of a higher power"-----The event that gave me faith in a God (not a "labeled" God) was a near death experience by my Grand-Mom. Nearing death, dying of lung cancer, weakened to bed and small movements, she sprang her arms up-said she saw a "light" and was seeing old relatives (dead). Then said God gave her 3 days to live. Three days later she died. It still reminds me of a higher power. –J."

"BMX, bmx is what made a huge impact on my life. Ican't really put it into words on how much its made me, changeed me as a person but it did. From it came progression, pain *magic*, some of the most memorable and life lasting times in my life. I love it, forever its me, been me, will be me, for a long time, or at least till I cant anymore. Anyways back to the BASS. Oh and Big Brother, Big Sister, who ever you were, thank you! I'll never forget you. You made a huge impact on me and I thank you for that. –N. M."

”Dear Memoirs, I was a 20 year old adolescent that possessed the hormones of a 13 year old boy. Living in a Colorado mountain called Leadurlk, a town located 10,200 ft. above sealevel, did not help the situation. Much of my pickings to release my "extra energy" were smelly, heavy hippy chicks that were usually 30 1bs over weight. After months of banging a hispanic braod that had a 70s bush & talked excessively too much, my buddies & I ventured to the tourist town of Breckeridge to exploit the young, impressionable, weekly visitors. The first night in Breck did not produce the Tourist trim that I eaverly sought; unfortunately, a tall dark, brunette regular intrigued my eye. Eventually, after virtually no persuasion whatsoever the brunette convinced me to rendezvue back at her plush mountain pad. Once back at her place, intoxicated beyond belief by alcohol and the urge to ejaculate, my manhood, the brunette k& I made passionate love all over her dirty sheets. having the brunette on top ;of me riding me like John Wayne in a western flick was more painful than it was pleasurable. Fuck that, I thought, I been waiting for this for too long. The next morning, waking up with a pain in my abomen & my ego, I looked deeply into the eyes of the brunette and saw not the woman from the night before. Instead, a smelly hippy chick that was 65 lbs over weight that looked more like a meatball than a hourglass. What's the moral of story? Don't live in a mountain town, you willl fuck a fat chick. -AKA- that was the last fat chick I banged, I swear. -(unsigned)"

"My life with an Israeli... From an american woman's perspective
hard-working, over-working, money-driven, family, sincere, so very different, attempting to break cultural boundaries, love, tears, miscommunication "lost in translation", determined, enamored, beautiful, new, eye-opening, future together, judeism, christianity, clashing, new rules, commited, un-broken, different directions, dark skin, light skin, soul, unity, alone. Love is not always enough.
-(unsigned)"

“Ok, I walk into a bar and meet this guy who asks me to write a page or so about whatever I think or however I feel while here at the bar. So I start thinking. What should I write about. What possibilities exist outside a bar that don’t exist anywhere else? Lets begin this evaluation by figuring out why people go to bars shall we? Ok, number one. Alcohol. The main reason people go to bars is to drink alcohol. Massive fucking amounts of alcohol. This is the sole reason people don’t hang out often in groups where alcohol isn’t involved. For some reason the proportionality of alcohol increases when the amount of people in a group increases. Maybe this is some sort of escapism. Not totally sure but this is a problem I think we all have but can’t admit. For another reason right now the dude singing Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen makes me want to puke. He is absolutely awful. Back to my point. Okay, so anyway society or people or some sort of strange magic makes it so its fun when we all get together and act like fools. Not sure why alcohol does this. This dude singing right now sucks so bad. Now the bar is screaming and head banging. Escapism. Where are they right now. Why doesn’t alcohol do this. Put the same people in the same situation without the booze and this will not happen. Why. Why do we need this elixer to loosen up? Whey can’t we do this regularly? Does alcohol provide the excuse for us to do anything and then just wake up the next day and reconcile our actions by just saying… "oh, I was drunk." Why do we need to drink? Why do we gravitate towards less conciousness as the night grows older. Why do we somehow socially de-evolve to where we just go back towards our main instinctual actions and desires, specifically sex, and absolutely obnoxious behavior? Why can’t we do this soberly? How are we improving ourselves? How are we challenging ourselves? We’re not. We sit and drink like fools as the rest of the world slowly fades away. Last call is over. Lights fade up. Bouncers are going to start kicking us out soon. Wish I had more time to write, but that would require effort, and why waste efforts when I can probably get the bartender to give me one more beer if I hurry.” -J. M.

”Tonight I have had the opportunity to reconnect with a very special friend with whom I spend many fond years and adventures, in my childhood. We have not seen each other in many hears and through one of life’s strange twist of fates, have come together to recap, recap, and catch up on all that has happened in the time that has passed. Although much in our lives has changed, much of remained in the sense of the fondness, history and affection that truly counts. Realizing this gives me the strength and optimism to move forward in life knowing I maintain a connection to the past and those that have contributed to who and what I am today. These are the things that truly matter. -(unsigned)”