Date: 2 Oct 1995 02:20:19 -0400 Subject: Re: B5 and ST: the men "...wearing the red silk dress, like we'd agreed...." Oh. YOU were supposed to be wearing the red silk dress. Then I definitely got the message confused. Most unfortunate, though several nice men *did* buy me drinks that night.... jms Date: 3 Oct 1995 03:13:26 -0400 Subject: attn: JMS after B5, Azimov? I think the rights to all Asimov's works are taken, alas. jms Date: 3 Oct 1995 03:13:29 -0400 Subject: = ATTN. JMS: New Story Editor? No, there is no story editor currently on the show; nothing to do with ego, just not enough outside work to really merit it. jms Date: 3 Oct 1995 03:25:12 -0400 Subject: Re: Space:Above&Beyond (Opinio Saw the second installment of "Space" the other day; very good, I thought. Vastly encouraging. Continued good luck to them. (One aspect of this general discussion...when the B5 area goes up on AOL, and then later on the web, it's designed to have sections dedicated to *other* SF shows as well, to encourage folks to check them out, on the theory that other shows in the genre are not a threat, but a bonus for everyone, healthy competition.) jms Date: 5 Oct 1995 03:43:50 -0400 Subject: Delenn And Sherdian You're assuming, of course, that the Delenn/Sinclair relationship was based on romantic love...might be something just as deep, but very different.... jms Date: 5 Oct 1995 17:56:29 -0400 Subject: Attn JMS:'Fall FX Question (TF A wire harness was used; and the effect you ask about was a mix of CGI, live action, and rotoscope. jms Date: 5 Oct 1995 17:58:48 -0400 Subject: KBHK (San Francisco Ch 44) B5 There must be an error in your transcription, because "Matters of Honor," season 3's debut, should be on the list between "Fall" and "Convictions." jms Date: 5 Oct 1995 17:59:01 -0400 Subject: JMS:Re: Space:Above&Beyond (Op I agree; SPACE has a great deal of potential. I watched the second episode, and enjoyed it. jms Date: 5 Oct 1995 17:59:16 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: Question on script w You have to write toward the act breaks, so that each act ends on a strong point or hook to bring the audience back after the commercial. jms Date: 5 Oct 1995 17:59:38 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: Cards Illustrated gi Great news about the review; let me know when it appears. jms Date: 6 Oct 1995 19:11:38 -0400 Subject: Schedule in LA? The first of the final four airs next week in LA on Wednesday 9 p.m. jms Date: 6 Oct 1995 19:36:07 -0400 Subject: Re: JMS on Compuserve: October Of course, bear in mind that there *is* no correct answer to Sebastian's question...because no matter what answer you give, the question will be repeated. It's a process, not a goal, designed to tear down the artifices we construct around ourselves until we're left facing ourselves, not our roles. At some point the "answer," such as it is, must transcend language. Since the episode aired, I've received many notes from philosophy teachers and religious instructors and those who ran the Synanon game noting that they've used that technique as well, or intend to do so from now on. jms Date: 6 Oct 1995 19:36:17 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS : today ? Jeez...I've already forgotten much of what I've done today, it goes so fast, but.... Grabbed a few hours sleep (dropped at 3 a.m., a bit early for me most days), came in for a production meeting, which is when we bring in all the department heads and go over the script page by page one more time before getting ready to shoot. Went over specifics on extras, types of wardrobe we're going to need, monitor playback stuff, endless details. Proofread the first issue of the B5 collector's magazine for error and revisions (should be out shortly from Sendai). Made last minute revisions to script for "Messages From Earth" prior to shooting. Viewed dailies. Returned calls to Warners and others. Spoke with PR person about series launch, getting copies of the first two year 3 eps to reviewers in time for print deadlines. Finalized outline for my next script, title not yet set. Lunch. Went over contracts for B5 fan club that have finally come in, making revisions on a couple of points, hope to announce this formally soon. Jumped to script 10 and made some revisions I'd been thinking about last night. Walked on set and spoke to the director, made sure the scene was going right, also checked with Jason Carter on a few things. Took care of some fan mail. Finalized casting on "Messages." Booked director for the two-parter, Adam Nimoy, whose first ep for us is dynamite, and checked on casting for several episodes down the road, to make sure the actors would be available. Made final changes to new main title, and met with Christopher Franke to go over his first pass at the new music, made some suggestions, and he'll get a new version to me over the weekend. Received and reviewed director's cut of "Dust to Dust," in preparation for going in next week to edit the producer's cut. Went over new costume designs for some cast members with wardrobe, made final suggestions. Approved some new patches for use down the road, and additional artwork for parts of the station. Gave interview for article. Called several actors to go over various things with them; met with the director for "Messages" again to go over some possible new EFX; ditto later with another EFX person. Got first draft of #10 "Severed Dreams" out the door to WB/PTEN. Approved casting breakdown so it could go out to casting agencies for #9, "Point of No Return." That's it for so far today; it's now 4:00 straight up, and I've still got another 3 and a half hours to go (I generally leave the studio about 7:30 p.m., go home, grab a fast bite, and get to writing.) Oh, yeah, and took a moment to log on (big cluster of new messages finally, about 500 or so), and plow through some of them, including the one to which this is a response. jms Date: 6 Oct 1995 20:01:29 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: your Foundation arti As I have not yet received my OWN copy of FOUNDATION that has my extensive B5 article in it (hello? Mr. Edward James, Editor and Publisher? are you out there?), I can't exactly help others finding the darned thing.... jms Date: 6 Oct 1995 20:01:53 -0400 Subject: How did Billy Mumy connect wit Bill Mumy came in to audition, same as everybody else. It was known then that it was a recurring role (contrary to his recollection of things), and when he walked in the door, I knew he was right. jms Date: 6 Oct 1995 20:14:10 -0400 Subject: Re: Majel Barrett-Rodenberry Patrick: at Toronto Trek, Majel told an assembled crowd that she felt badly about the misunderstanding, and wanted to call and apologize; she went to either Berman or Pillar to get my number (can't recall now (3v`Wr$dwhich she said)...and told a very funny story of what happened then. jms Date: 6 Oct 1995 20:14:21 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: "The Sky" as deliber Some references to the sky are just that and no more; other times it is a process of playing to archetypes and sensibilities. There are a number of recurring images and thematic elements in the series, which sometimes combine into new elements. This coming year we'll hit the topic of pride quite a bit, and loyalty, and what loyalty *means* when the house of cards begins to fall apart...my sense is that for all the stuff going on on the surface, there has to be an equal or larger amount of subtext, stuff going on sub rosa, like a shark gliding beneath the water. 'Cause that's where all the *really* interesting stuff happens. jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 04:47:46 -0400 Subject: Re: JMS IS FULL OF SHIT!!! (Wa Since this has come up, I went back and checked the source, and did a verbatim quote of the article that appeared in a recent (this past week) edition of the Los Angeles Times. Because nobody should accept info minus attribution and provenance. The comments came from Kerry McCluggage, the head of the Paramount Television Group; other comments were from Berman. jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 04:59:40 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS - Season 4: we'd all All you can do is make your voices heard at the local level; station programmers are required by FCC rules to operate "in the public's interest, necessity and convenience." So they have to be responsive to letters and petitions. Beyond that, it's all beyond my control; only local voices will make a difference. jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 05:00:01 -0400 Subject: JMS: 3rd Season Questions B5 does not get new 'furies in the premire; the Asimov will likely return, though not a big story point; the Aggy does have 'furies aboard, yes, and it's considerably more powerful than the Hyperion, though both are jump capable. jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 05:25:37 -0400 Subject: Attn JMS: dubbing of Delenn in Nothing was changed per se; I trimmed the scene by a few lines here and there for time, something that happens a lot, so that's probably what you're noticing, a bridge between snippets. jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 05:25:40 -0400 Subject: Two B5 movies coming? Formal reply: NO B5 movies are currently "in the pipeline," not one, let alone two. It's something Doug (my partner) has said he'd like to do someday, but then he'd also like to fly under his own power. There have been NO formal discussions on this at all. jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 05:37:38 -0400 Subject: Re: JMS IS FULL OF SHIT!!! (Wa Dave Thomas: exactly...a rumor is exactly that, and sometimes it's a way of testing the waters. If DS9 fans want to make sure the show stays around, they need to support it. Right now, nothing's been decided, and I made that eminently clear in my original message about this. There's much still being discussed; even Berman in that LA Times article worried that they may have "gone to the well too often." I think they're going to wait until the 30th anniversary hoopla is over before making a final determination. Meanwhile, thanks for confirming what I said, that this stuff is out and in the streets around town, as well as being indicated in industry related articles. jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 05:37:42 -0400 Subject: ATTN: JMS Another scripting q Act Breaks: FADE OUT, [End Act One] - new page - [Act Two] FADE IN: B5 as teaser, acts 1-4, tag. Establishers aren't numbered in a treatment, or called out. Credits aren't listed in a script; and don't worry too much about the margins being *exactly* right; they vary considerably. jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 05:37:45 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS! Question from a tre Majel will appear in year 3 episode 9, "Point of No Return." jms Date: 8 Oct 1995 05:37:50 -0400 Subject: Re: JMS on Compuserve: October BTW, to Jeannette, Laura, JM Egolf, Sarah, all the others, thanks for openly discussing what are surely difficult issues; it's been very instructive, and helpful for the future. And the discussion itself has been moving and insightful; thanks for risking and giving in this way. jms Date: 10 Oct 1995 22:01:47 -0400 Subject: Re: WHY DID JMS POST THE RUMOR Why did I post it? Real simple. I was in the midst of an ongoing discussion on the STAR TREK forum on Compuserve. I wasn't in the B5 area. The topic at hand was Voyager, and people wondering about it and its relation to DS9, the latter not generally getting the respect that they feel it deserves. Having just heard the story around town that the friendly folks at Paramount are worried about DS9 pulling viewers away from Voyager/UPN for a second time in just a few days (from a high ranking person with Star Trek), a concern that others have confirmed here has been floating around for a while now, that they too have heard...and having just had a number of articles coming out in the mainstream press asking very similar questions about whether or not there's too much ST around (including the LA Times and TV Guide), it was timely, it was of potential interest to ST fans, it was in the ST area, so I mentioned it...the same as I'd mention any other piece of news. No more, no less. There can be no agenda because there's nothing to achieve that would be to the detriment of ST or the elevation of B5. The implicit assumption is that if ST folks want DS9 to continue, they should make that eminently clear via continued support. That is the only possible result of that information. Yes, indeedy, one can clearly see how that benefits B5, can't we? The other day, in a similar ST topic, I mentioned that I *very much* liked the episode of VOYAGER that aired on Monday. Heaven only knows what dire conspiracies that comment will imply to some with no fucking life (viz: Mr. Thaxton). I mentioned it on CIS for *exactly* the same reason that I mentioned the bit on DS9...because I figured it might be of interest to the readers, and because that's what was on my mind at that time. As opposed to the estimable Mr. Thaxton, who has been spreading all kinds of vicious rumors here which ARE destructive, which are and have been hurtful, and which are without support. It seems to me more than a little hypocritical that someone who does nothing but spread lies, gossip, rumor, character assassination and innuendo would go into meltdown over a rather reliable story that has been picked up by major newspapers, and confirme by others here. And then, when these facts come out, he falls back on the only tool he has left: to villify, impugn or otherwise call into question the motives for doing so. Never mind that it's actually a Real Thing, why did you SAY it? For the reasons given. If that's not enough for some pinheads among us, tough. And haven't we all gotten tired of the game by now? Ford or one of his few netbuddies posts something outrageous, eliciting responses taht are justifiably angry, and then proceeds to make fun of the replies because their anger is perfectly in tune with the offense. This is the classic bully's tactic...hit you and hit you and hit you until he gets the reaction he wants, and then he makes fun of your reaction, hoping to get another one. How much longer does this have to go on before people catch wise to his game? How much longer can one justify falling for the old "pull my finger" gag? If you're doing this on my behalf...don't. Just *ignore* the man; I get FAR more upset when I see others being attacked for the simple crime of defending me against baseless attacks than I ever would get over the original attack, in large measure because I simply Do Not Read his posts anymore. He is irrelevant to my life, to the life of anyone involved with the show, and to the show itself, and to all of you. We all know that no matter what is said or done, somehow he or one of his three or so ilk (and that's ALL THEY ARE), will attempt to twist it around to make it sound somehow dubious. That's because they are sick, lifeless, twisted individuals who have nothing else to do. So if we know this is always going to happen...why even bother reacting to it? I have 543 messages sitting in my mailbox right now; the majority of them are the "SHIT" thread in one of its various incarnations. Is this really the best use for this rec.arts area? If you have killfiles...use them. Don't you understand that by responding in any way, manner shape or form, you are giving him *exactly* what he wants...and *encouraging* him to do more of it? You are creating the problem by giving him validation...validation that only comes in the form of the echo caused by his voice. Stop being the echo. I don't read his posts anymore; if I see it come up on the header, I just delete it. The only way I know something's going on is when I see a big thread, and sometimes run across an imbedded quote. And y'know, I'm much happier about it. You must understand that this is simply what he does. One of the benefits of being one of his many targets is that you tend to hear from others...people at record industry magazines, radio stations, other composers and producers who have been targeted by Ford, harrassed and stalked on the nets. HE STAYS UNTIL PEOPLE UNIFORMLY IGNORE HIM. The more you ignore him initially, the more outrageous, defamatory, libelous, smarmy and ultimately desperate his comments will become. But eventually if he is frozen out, he will go away in search of new prey. This is how he gets off, people. Pure and simple. Some of the horror stories I've heard from others similarly targeted would curl your hair. And along the way, I've learned a lot about Mr. Thaxton, more than I really wanted to know. More, I suspect, than he would be happy to know that I know. We have new episodes beginning this week. Ignore the jerk. I ask this as a personal favor; I get more upset by seeing this drag on, and seeing others get hurt and insulted, than by *anything* Ford can ever say to me. Because anything he has to say is a fiction, or simply irrelevant. So stop this. Please. As a personal favor. jms Date: 11 Oct 1995 05:30:21 -0400 Subject: ATT: JMS -- WAS JMS on Cmpsrv: "What's the difference between 'having a Minbari soul' and 'having been a Minbari in a previous life'?" The difference, Jamie, is *huge*. And extremely significant. Here, I'll give you a freebie...there's something massively, mind-bendingly significant in a throwaway line in one of the first three episodes of year three that seems to have little bearing on this, but in fact is hugely involved in this *exact* issue. You'll know what it was much later in the season. But this heads-up might point you in the right direction. Suffice to say there's a very definite reason I phrased that as I did. jms Date: 11 Oct 1995 05:42:45 -0400 Subject: > ATTN. JMS: Ratings and Reru Franklin: I'm sure they still think it was a good idea. If you need me, I'll be on the roof.... jms Date: 11 Oct 1995 05:55:13 -0400 Subject: ATTN: JMS You Got Competition I'm quite happy to have competition. The more the merrier. As an SF fan myself, I love nothing more than seeing good SF on the air, and I have to say I *very* much enjoyed the last Voyager episode, I'm quite happy with X-Files, I'm in love with a lot of the dialogue and camerawork on American Gothic, I've enjoyed all the Space episodes to date...the more voices, the more competition, the leaner and better the overall result. jms Date: 12 Oct 1995 03:59:34 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: (Spoilers) Divided L No, the Ivanova revelation in "Loyalties" has nothing to do with replacing Talia; that is a moot point in many ways, since Lyta is back, and since other things happen which take that issue off the table in any event. jms Date: 12 Oct 1995 03:59:44 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: Inquisitor Question I'd say there's a very good chance that the Vorlons have more than one Inquisitor. jms Date: 12 Oct 1995 04:11:38 -0400 Subject: Ellison CITY Note Harlan Ellison has requested that I post this in places where those likely to have ordered the forthcoming CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER limited-edition hardcover can find it. Message begins: Here is the answer to the question of why a three-week delay in shipping THE CITY ON THE EDGE OF FOREVER became necessary. A minor production glitch. Nothing more mysterious or ominous than that. Once the book had gone to Thomson-Shore in Dexter, Michigan for printing, and was in production, it was discovered that more than 150 corrections to the text--some significant, others of a niggling nature--but all troublesome to a greater or lesser degree--had slipped past, and had not been integrated. Tom Monteleone of Borderlands Press was out of the country. But his concerns for shipping on time--we've been paying the price for a premature announcement of this title four years ago ever since that miscalculation was made--were preeminent. Nonetheless, because of my insistence that this book (a book of great personal importance to me) be as close to perfect as possible, I took the necessary action to hold the production at a pre-final stage till Tom returned and we could get the changes made. That has been accomplished. Tom Monteleone has been very gracious in accommodating my concerns, and the book is back in the tube at Thomson-Shore right now. Three weeks max is what Dave Raymond, Customer Services Manager, tells us. Three weeks and the book, a beautiful beautiful package, will be in the hands of those who've ordered it. It is unfortunate that Tom Monteleone's interim message on the Borderlands Press 800-order line has been misinterpreted by some people. All is well, and the CITY is on its way to waiting eyes and hands. Thank you for asking. Harlan Ellison Date: 12 Oct 1995 04:24:28 -0400 Subject: Attn: JMS Bab5 Soundtrack Seas Actually, there is some year two music on the CD, on the last two suites. No schedule yet on disks. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 01:45:53 -0400 Subject: Attn: JMS -- why were specific They tended to go from what photos and art was available from WB, and in large measure...that ain't a lot. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 06:06:32 -0400 Subject: The Great War of rastb5 "Somebody please tell me what the hellis going on?" Easy. Somebody accidentally let humanity in here. Noisy lot, aren't they? jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 06:18:58 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: B5 Comic #11 -- Mark There's nothing that I'm aware of in comic #11 that would place it after "Confessions." It's a general pamphlet prepared by Psi Corps some time before. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 06:33:41 -0400 Subject: Re: JMS' powers of prediction Actually, the plan to run TNG originally for just 5 years was specifically *stated by Paramount* to the news media, nothing to do with predicting anything. Also, at that time, I knew a lot of folks who were working over at TNG as writer/producers, and that was what they had all been told was the case. When the show finally began to kick into gear, ratings-wise, they decided to extend it to seven years, and it took quite a bit of finageling to get everyone back on board (that was why they did the Borg two-parter with Patrick Stewart...if he had decided not to sign, they would've used this as a means of getting rid of the character); you don't have to do this IF YOU HAVE OPTIONS ON THE ACTORS. There was no predicting involved. I reported what was being said by those directly involved with ST:TNG at the time, what was in the press, and what was being told to agents. Nothing more, nothing less. Five years WAS the original plan; check the first newspaper articles about the show, it's all over the place. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 06:33:56 -0400 Subject: Re: WHY DID JMS POST THE RUMOR I disagree with the term ego in this connection. (Big surprise, right?) On one level, anyone who is involved in any aspect of the arts has exercised ego in the sense of, "I am going to make little black marks on this piece of paper," or "I am going to make colored brushstrokes on this canvas, and they will be sufficiently impressive that you will want to pay money for them." That aspect is part and parcel of working in any form of the arts. But B5 specifically? I don't think so. First off, there's a great deal of misunderstanding in this discussion about how television works. In a TV series, the story editor *NEVER, EVER* rewrites the executive producer. It would be a hideous breach of protocol. On MURDER, SHE WROTE or JAKE, or other shows, I *never* touched my exec's scripts. The network puts an executive producer/writer on premises for one singular reason (not counting the one billion others): to set the tone for the writing for everyone else to follow. They rely on YOU to absolutely govern that aspect, or you're not doing your job, and betraying your commitment to the network. So when someone says "It's ego not to let the story editor revise the executive producer's scripts," that betrays a total lack of understanding of how television production works. Finally, working 5 years to get B5 produced had nothing to do with ego and everything to do with obsession. There's this story that I like, which I hope others will like. The ONLY way that this story will ever be told is if one person fights for it tooth and nail for every day of every year required to tell it. I have an obligation to this story to see it through. Getting doors slammed in your face for five years takes its toll on the ego; ego says, "Screw it, go find a nice cushy job on another show where nobody'll slam the door on you." Obsession says, "Keep going." Ego hates to fail. Obession *requires* that you fail from time to time, in striving for something greater. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 07:25:13 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: Production Question Flashback scenes are usually part of a prior scene, and thus are shot in color, shown the first time, and transferred to black and white for flashback use. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 08:20:45 -0400 Subject: Re: jms is anti-Trek? "JMS loves the fact that you worship him...." Yessir, boy-howdy, and there ain't nothin' like signing onto your account and seeing ten gazillion messages titled JMS IS SOMETIMES / ALWAYS / GENERALLY / 99.9% FULL OF SHIT to make you feel like the living reincarnation of Thor hisownself. "you ain't never gonna be on the show" ... actually quite a few folks on the nets have come by the Babylon 5 stages, have been paid to edit music videos, have even come to *work* for us...PwdrdTstMan from AOL now works at the B5 stages, another internetter known to most folks here is now working at WB on the B5 AOL page, others have come here as well, even as extras a few times. "and you ain't havin' dinner at Master JMS' estate." As soon as Master JMS *gets* an estate instead of a fairly simple 3 bedroom house in a reasonably nice neighborhood, I'll let you know if this happens or not. In the interim, I've had dinner and lunches with folks from the nets for quite some time now. "thrill of a lifetime feeling that they are actually interacting with their 'god'" See paragraph 2 above. Amazing how if anyone does anything of merit, and some folks acknowledge that, others have to characterize that in Deity terms. Is there no in-between? Oh, silly me, it's just a rhetorical device to deride the issue at hand; sorry, for a moment there I thought you were interested in accuracy, Ross. My apologies. And frankly, if I were ANY kind of deity, I'd have a LOT more hair and a *MUCH* deeper voice. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 20:25:13 -0400 Subject: ATTN: JMS Your opinion on comi I wasn't terribly pleased with the artwork on 9 and 10, I thought it could've been much better. As for the story, David Gerrold had proposed (and written) that as an outline for an episode; I said I didn't think it worked for our show. Which opened the door for DC to pick it up, and since he felt so strongly that it *did* work, I figured I'd let him proceed. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 20:37:22 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS- Peter David. I'm certainly open to his doing more for us. jms Date: 13 Oct 1995 20:37:35 -0400 Subject: Re: jms is anti-Trek? To John Lawrence Morgan: no, I don't get to watch ST very often; that's because doing this job is a 25-hour-a-day responsibility. I'm at the B5 offices from early in the day until 7:30-8:00 at night, I grab a fast meal, sometimes just a sandwich, and charge into my home office and start writing. I try to break away for a very few shows; American Gothic, Space, the Simpsons, X-Files and 60 Minutes during the course of the week. I have no time for anything else. That's why I log on here often at 3 a.m. because that's the only time I have left after work. (Today's an exception; I get to work at home today since we've given the crew a couple days off to catch their breath.) And yeah...given the choice between spending those last couple of hours vegged out watching TeeVee, and coming on-line and hanging out with people, almost my last vestige of human (sorta) contact...I choose the latter. What in this do you have a problem? jms Date: 17 Oct 1995 04:15:18 -0400 Subject: JMS: You did it to me again! Ben....we try..... jms Date: 17 Oct 1995 04:27:54 -0400 Subject: ATTN JMS: Lyta's P Rating (Dis Didn't say Talia WAS a psi-cop, Talia said she *interned with* the PsiCops. Bear in mind that you're going to need support staff, lower level liaisons, and a bunch of other positions as well as the actual cops. jms Date: 18 Oct 1995 06:17:43 -0400 Subject: Re: ATTN JMS: B5 Comic #11 -- Tritium: you actually believe *anything* in a PsiCorps propaganda booklet? Only about 10% of what's recorded in that booklet is true, and even that's distorted. The character in the booklet is totally fictional. jms Date: 18 Oct 1995 06:18:05 -0400 Subject: Re: JMS on Compuserve: October Jamie: I don't consider myself an "abuse survivor." I think that term has been so over-used, exploited and trivialized in some corners by application to the smallest of problems ("My father once hit me when I was 12 so now I'm an axe murderer/going through regression therapy in search of one more time when it might've happened") that it takes away from people who've had terrible, mind-bendingly awful backgrounds with serious personal violence, sexual violation, psychological torture and other aberrations. I'll probably get roasted for this, but it does seem to me that talking about one's "abusive childhood" has become the newest trend, and one more way of denying personal responsibility for who one is and what one does...and, ultimately, detracts from the attention and needs and real problems of those who *have* suffered terribly. Yeah, I had a crummy childhood, followed by a crummy adolescence; vast sections of it were a nightmare. Fundamentally...so what? I never considered that anyone's had a Leave It To Beaver childhood. Some were better, some were worse. Doesn't mean I still don't get pissed about it, doesn't make me any more willing to have contact with my family, but I have never considered myself in the light of those two words. That, to me, is one more manifestation of the victim mentality that seems to be all OVER the place. People spend too much time finding other people to blame, too much energy finding excuses for not being what they are capable of being, and not enough energy putting themselves on the line, growing out of the past, and getting on with their lives. And, again, I *very carefully and specifically* exclude from this discussion, and the preceding paragraph, those who've gone through true, serious abuse in childhood, who must spend years rebuilding their lives and their trust and their emotional infrastructure. jms Date: 19 Oct 1995 07:02:42 -0400 Subject: TLTS: Opinion (no spoilers) Dennis: thanks, we're starting to get better at this stuff. It's a nifty episode. jms Date: 19 Oct 1995 07:09:00 -0400 Subject: To JMS: Congratulations!!