that nobody commented on the most amazing thing i've done since forgiving myself!.... MIKE emailed me all nasty and i not only deleted it but EVERYTHING i had of him. that was an enormous step for me. i guess it's only momentous to me... but i still thought someone would comment. i've even gone so far as to FORGIVE mike. i don't hate him.. i pity him. he's a sad lonely pathetic alcoholic with a nowhere minimum wage job and dying embers of a once great passion for creating art. he has no family and probably never will. he's known as 'the old man' in the art community of chicago because he's surrounded by twenty-somethings and he's just shy of 40. so yeah. i pity him. my life, in contrast, has been hugely blessed. i have a wonderful son (arguments aside), a loving and forgiving and wonderful husband, i have a good job (50,000 a year) and now ken does too. we'll make just this side of 100,000 a year between the two of us. he once told me i'd 'won'. well i guess i did. and mike?... in response to your snide comment about 'enjoying my little middle class life'... I WILL.