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It’s not money, not even politics or sports or sex. Love is the most popular subject in the Triond community. Have you noticed that?

I’m still new here, but before starting to publish I took some time to read several articles written by old “trionders”. And the first thing that caught my attention was the biggest word in the tag cloud on the right column of the home page. If most of the people here are trying to earn some money with their writing, how could this subject be the favorite?

Because articles or poems about love aren’t exactly the most viewed –as far as I could see, both in the English and Spanish. So, why “trionders” keep trying? It seems there is a need to communicate the feeling, no matter how many cents or dollars it may add in your account.

In Triond, people speak about love in poems and articles about marriage, friendship, parents, siblings, children, animals, humanity, the global planet, faith, religion. There is the one who speaks about the joy of love and there’s the one crying for the loss of it, the one who tells about the first love and the one talking about the last one.

Many of the greatest works in the Literature history were inspired by love. Maybe just a few or none of us in Triond have enough talent or even the desire to transcend in time like a Shakespeare or a Baudelaire. But when it comes to love, we also try to “translate” the feeling into words. Because it moves us deeply, because it surprises us, or makes us angry, or happy, or because it hurts or we don’t understand it.

We need to say it. No matter how much it sells.

You ask if I now have enough poems for my book.

Maybe, I just might have enough, but I can't seem to quit writing them. I heard the news where a Sargent First Class Paul Smith had held off an outnumbering Iraqi forces, ordering his men within his platoon and others to take cover. He took the largest caliber machine gun and holding it in his arms like "Rambo" fired round after round into the encroaching enemy. As one machine gun emptied, he would holler for another and so it went. Just as reenforcements arrived, the Sargent was fatally wounded. He is credited with saving his platoon and those around him. I thought of how many such heros existed in this little war for freedom, some heros killed as the Sargent others just wounded, heros still. Then I thought of all those wonderful heros who were just there representing all of we at home, heros still.

There was a story in the paper and covered by local TV stations of a lady who sent a son to Iraq. She was putting yellow ribbons everywhere. Her neighbors got caught up in the excitement and began putting yellow ribbons everywhere and now, it is almost like a cult in that part of Louisiana, Yellow Ribbons everywhere, telling our heros we "love you", we "honor you", we who may be strangers or loved one, doesn't matter, we "thank you".

Funny how a symbol of love for a convict thirty plus years ago is now a symbol of love for our heros. Love does not judge, does it? So with this said, I was humming, then singing the song that really made the "yellow ribbon" famous? I had to write a poem, the plot played across America symbolically, if not in fact, in thousands of towns, among thousands of hearts, God Bless the USA.

Untied Yellow Ribbon

I tied the ribbon, the yellow ribbon just as you asked.
In fact, I must have tied a hundred yellow ribbons.
Each placed so when you returned each would be seen,
And in seeing them you would know I loved, missed you.
The days were long, but the nights even more so,
News of the war was not always good and I feared for you.
Our children, your parents and even mine were brave and
Most often reassuring, taking care of me in your place.
I want you to know the day I got the news of your missing,
It seemed my life went on hold and I could not function.
I am writing this so should you be able to see, somehow,
That I love you with all my heart and miss you terribly.
It has been three months, they tell me there is no more hope,
Looking at the ribbons, I wondered if I should untie them.
I heard my name called, in such a hush, in a voice familiar,
Oh! God, there you were wounded but alive.
Your papers had been confused with others, and you had been hurt,
Thinking it best to surprise me you came home without a word.
So it is true, somehow you did see all the ribbons, you knew of my love,
I untied the ribbons, but the knot that holds our hearts is love.

Well, it's a good thing when it lets us share portions of ourselves and form connections with others out there with all the varied interests and beliefs that one finds. I love Triond because of the many new and different people I've been able to read about and communicate with. On Triond, you don't just get to hear about folks. On Triond you get to be heard.

If you don't know about Triond, find out what you're missing today. If I'm right, you've already heard about it, and I would love to hear how much you love Triond too! Submit why you love Triond!

Crossing the line of friendship is many times more costly that it's worth. It nears impossibility to remain friends afterward. We tried, but inevitably one of us wanted more and that put an end it it.

I guess the reality is I'm writing this to say I'm sorry and I forgive. Applying as necessary to the individual readers. If you find this, and you remember, I hope it is fondly and not with regret and scorn.

We are in dark times, perhaps even the end times, and I just needed to say good bye. Even if you'll never know.

With love and affection - Randy

Arm yourself. Before anything else, arm yourself with the right tools. Take time in choosing the right stationary. Select a nice ink pen or maybe, a special pen that you feel comfortable in writing with. Write a rough draft, first that way if you make a major mistake you won't waste the stationary. Remember, love letters should ‘always' be hand written.

Set the mood. Before starting the letter, set the mood first. If music helps, then go ahead and play those love songs. Choose a quiet place where you can be alone with your thoughts.

Date it. Put the complete date - month, day, and year. Your loved one may want to chronicle your letters so he/she can look back and read them.

Say sweet hello. Start your letter with a special salutation that comes from the heart. Use something that is already distinct between the two of you, it will mean so much more.

If you feel it, it will come. Write what your heart desires and feels. Be true, sincere and share your most intimate feelings with your loved one. Don't be afraid to be honest. Keep in mind that bigger isn't always better.

Say a meaningful goodbye. Close your letter with the same heartfelt expression you opened it with. Use something that is special to both you and your loved ones. Suggestions: Forever Yours, Your Faithful Lover, Always, Cherishing You Always, Passionately Yours, Completely Yours, Blissfully Yours, Captivated By You, or Yearning For You.

Finishing touches. Make your letters extra special by sealing the envelope with colored wax. Spray the letter with your loved one's favorite cologne.

A love letter is a tangible expression of your love. They are endearing channels of words you are sometimes scared to say out loud.

Just remember, the road to Deep Pockets has many speed bumps. Don't become your own worst back-seat driver.

Step Two: Forget Everything You Ever Learned About Good Writing

That's right, no need to worry about run on sentences, commas, or the grammatical ideology your Catholic School teachers beat into you. Just write from your heart, or your appendix if you still have one. You're not here to write well, you are here to SELL. One way of seeing my point is by asking yourself the following: How many rich poets do I know? Enough said?

Step Three: A Few White Lies

These days the reader demands less accuracy. Suppose you are embellishing some needed facts or statistics to really close your story - what do you do? More accurately, what do I do? I make up a few quotes or magazine articles and move on. Do you really think your reader is going to question your authority? I think not. If you're writing for academia insert a few links that lead nowhere. As an example I keep this handy link just in case  Yes, a 404 (as we say in the business) can come in handy.

Step Three (A): Revisions?

Revisions can be a huge waste of time. Shoot from the hip! Revisions be damned! Think of your fingers as ten Triond Income Generators. Do you want them wasting their time revising or cranking out new output?

Step Three (B): Comments

Always comment on your own work. Use active phrases like "Incite and Humor" This is a chance to really love yourself.

Step Four: A Picture Sells Better Than A Thousand Words

My next article is called "Secrets Of Raising An Idiot Dog" Do I really need to write that article? Never underestimate the power of the photo.

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This article shares with you five Triond masterpieces that stimulate me to love.  Click on each title to read the letter or poem.  Consider it a Christmas gift.

MJ Patrick - The Heart

MJ's portrayal of the heart is exact.  Vivid.  Brief.  Strong.  Scintillating.  Added bonus:  look at the bleeding heart beauties.

Melody Arcamo Lagrimas - Let Me Be

Melody's words touch me deeply, causing my heart to reach out.

Darla Smith - Hopelessly in Love

Darla's poem creates desire within me for my precious wife.

Virginia Morgan - My Friend

Virginia's letter makes me want to be a good friend.  A better friend.  A best friend.

Carolyn Garofalo - What is Love

Carolyn characterizes love with 14 different expressions.

(Honorable mention:  A Friend Worth Keeping by Jo Bingham - I could not find it again after going back to it, so keep an eye out for it.)

I desire to love more and to love better.  The Triond community enables me to love in fresh ways.

Dear Friends at Triond

I cannot send you all a gift for Christmas and some of you do not celebrate the same religious festivities as myself, I do however want to give you something to say thank you for your support during 2008.

I notice many of us are uniting here at Triond and some of us are branching outside  and linking up with Blogs various. I have a few blogs dotted around the Internet but my favourite is Blogger.

Now my gift to you is this, I have opened the comment boxes on the blog and have written an article I hope you will make use of, and it will do you some good. There are names listed and if yours is not there, I have written about this, you know me well enough not to feel I have left you out. Curious now aren't you? Well off you go and read:

TRIOND WRITERS ~ MY CHRISTMAS GIFT

Ps If you come across this and you are not a friend of mine, Christmas is for giving so the gift is for you as well.

Kala / Happy Christmas from Cyprus.

Keep reading and I will share my three, or four steps to success.

Step One (Trust Me)

I urge you to watch all of the late night paid advertising that you can stomach. It sounds crazy, but those shows contain the psychological groundwork necessary to enable you, insert your name, to sell anything to anyone by way of the written word. Think of a young musician practicing their scales on the family piano - Your adorable younger sibling perhaps bangs on the piano day and night. In their little delusional mind they are headed to rock stardom. In yours, with that incessant piano clawing out the Do, Rey, Mes - well it's enough to make you crazy. And you'd be justified in feeding the kid laxatives, but instead, you take three Valiums and mellow out. Am I right? The point is you need to learn those scales before you can play. And my friends, those movable scales are the infomercials on your tv between 2 and 4:45 am.

To prepare I recommend three large Redbulls and your favorite bag of porkrinds. You must watch them religiously with the following warning: These programs generate subliminal hypnotic vibrations to a small part of the brain that releases credit card endorphins. No one is safe. Did you know that Craigslist was founded as an outlet for infomercial purchases? Ever wonder why the infomercial channels are blocked in hospitals? They don't want the patients eating cubic zirconium and riding down the halls on John Deere weed-eaters shouting "The Russians are coming!" Don't believe me? Check out the AMA Journal article entitled "Patient Uses Free Orrick Vacuum Attachment on Hostile Doctor"

Many of you are asking the question - How long must I watch the Hot Dog Express until I have mastered the fine art of writing marketable content? Well friends, the answer varies. For a lucky few, once is enough. Many ask me how will they will know when they've soaked up enough sales vibrations to write like me? I always say it's much like swallowing a barium enema. You'll just know.

Step Two

Continued, Click Here