Happy B Day Fray!

One year later and emotionally I'm stable again. The world crumbled 'round me, yet I found something to cling to. Within the mess and chaos I rediscovered myself, who i was in and out, confidence is no longer a problem. I've been helped by a great many people, but to Ryan, Susan, Karyl and Tiffany, I thank you especially, life would never be as fun, nor worth the effort, without either one of you.

Life is changing still, a move is coming, a big one at that. My dreams which have merely floated in the winds of wishes, is coming. Seattle bound I am, and I could not be happier. A place where I belong, a place to where my mind can wander without doubt. People are still my passion, the one thing I can understand *laughs* Complicated and wonderous as we are, sometime we take ourselves a bit too seriously. But I smile again now, more often than not. And to those of you that are my friends (you know who you are) thank you for being there, I'll be here waiting when you need me, all you need to do is ask.

Nova {shatteredwings@mailcity.com}

A year in a short blurb? It breaks my heart that fray is up there and I am down here. In August I threw my hands up at the San Francisco Bay Area and sighed, "You win! I lose!" After living there 5 years I moved to Los Angeles, back into the house I suffered my teenage years in. Wish I was celebrating your 2-year birthday with you... hope you make to 5!!!

MissM {miss_m@chickmail.com}

derek, i don't have much time to write 'cause i'm manning the posting booth, but massive congratulations on fray turning two...it's brilliant, as are you...best, bill

bill o'connor {bill@ninthhouse.com}

blah blah long after the fact of living is over there is the after thought that lives and breathes live into the things of the past and the things yet to come are only things that have already happened but the names have changed, some of the faces are or shall i say been lifted haha blah blah the song remains the same

lee

Ten months ago, I finally gave up my Luddite leanings, and bought a home pc.

Nine months ago, I finally had unlimited web access, and started surfing. I found some pretty cool sites, but nothing that impressed me much. I knew that there must be more to the web than downloads, games and IRC, but I had no idea where to look.

Late one night, an IRC friend gave me the URL for the fray. I ended up pouring over the site, reading the stories, marvelling over the design, and finally, contributing something to one of the story threads. Not only did the fray open my eyes to the possibility of what the web could be, but by following the links of contributors, it led me to more and more innovative and wonderous sites.

It inspired me to write more, to learn html, and to think about design and words as integral parts of one another.

Derek, you have built a truly wonderous web site. Happy birthday to fray, and to all who contributed a piece of themselves for the rest of us to read.

Thank you.

Averah

12 months ago i was in china playing the foreign student who liked to party.

11 months ago i was in china celebrating halloween by drinking 25 cent beers, carving squash, and wishing one person out of a billion knew what halloween was.

10 months ago i climbed a mountain in china and looked down to see the clouds.

9 months ago i regretted that i hadn't done more in china.

8 months ago i came back to a school that didn't matter, and a family of friends i didn't fit into.

7 months ago i slipped back into a routine.

6 months ago i was lost.

5 months ago i was nervous as i sang my heart out for friends and strangers for the last time.

4 months ago i wore black, carried a wrinkled diploma, and bore the unfamiliar burden of freedom.

3 months ago i was unemployed.

2 months ago i was understood what it was like to be a babe in the woods, and the true meaning of mind-fuck.

1 month ago i saw light; okay, i didn't find god but i did get a job.

Now...Happy Birthday fray, thanks for everything. Isn't living in the moment fun?

Jehan Chu {puyi34@hotmail.com}

I'm here a(r)t The Cell, with STORY stamped on my right hand and a thousand in my heart. The cool air is forgotten in a blast of heat as you enter. The air shimmers here with the heat of Burning Men - stories and photos that the Fray took from the last two years there. The early arrivals are also buzzing with their accounts of heat and drugs - of time half forgotten and half seared into their souls. The mike sits alone now, but soon the stories will flow. I wait.

Howie Spielman {hspielman@viant.com}

thanks for the party; and let the world know: bartley o'connor is a massive shaper...

i'm new to the web, but when i'm back in ireland i promise to surf at least once a year.

seamus kirby