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#277171 10/05/17 12:15 PM
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bobbart Offline OP
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Hello everyone.

I’m not sure how many are still here who remember me. I was very active here from 2008 through around 2014. However, due to job and life changes, I drifted away from the LnC universe. Most of my contact has been through ongoing interactions with Morgana. I remember back in 2010 or 2011 when I once asked Labrat why she stopped writing. Her response was that her muse left and never came back. At the time I didn’t understand how that could happen. Well, in late 2014 I found out.

When Morgana told me that she was going to have a tribute in her Forever crossover, I decided that it would be a good time for me to come out of hiding and reappear in the community. So I hope that by having an active participation I will coax my muse out of hiding and maybe I’ll write something.

One thing I wanted to share. Those who remember my stories may remember that many of them tend to be WAFFY and most of those are dedicated to my wife Beverly. (Who just made an appearance in Morgana’s “Waiting for a Lady.”) Bev and I have been married for just over 36 years. It has been amazing and I wish everyone could have as good a relationship as Bev and I have shared during our life together.

In February, Bev was diagnosed with Stage 3 Multiple Myeloma (bone marrow cancer.) She has been undergoing aggressive chemo this year which has pushed the cancer into a chemo-dependent remission. We are about to relocate to Stanford Medical Center for a few months where she will undergo a stem cell transplant in the hope to push the cancer into long term, non-chemo dependent remission.

So, if you are so inclined, please say a prayer for Beverly. She is as amazing as they come.

As for me, I’m going to try to stay around.

BobB

Last edited by bobbart; 10/05/17 12:18 PM.
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Welcome back to the boards! I hope your muse sticks around. And my prayers for your wife's treatment and recovery. May it go swiftly and effectively.


Battle On,
Deadly Chakram

"Being with you is stronger than me alone." ~ Clark Kent

"One little spark of inspiration is at the heart of all creation." ~ Figment the Dragon

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Hi Bob,

Welcome back. I'm still here, but nowhere near as active as I had been in the past, primarily due to time constraints (both work and family obligations).

I'm sorry that Bev and you are having such a rough time.

Take care,
Lynn

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Hey Bob,
I'm sorry you and Bev are having to go through that and I hope all goes well for her at Stanford. I've been watching another of our former coworkers from where you're at go through something similar being treated at UCSF. From watching her, it seems like the best thing you can do is stay positive about everything.

It just adds to a horrible week of news our office has had frown

But on the bright side, welcome back and I look forward to your muse returning.

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p.s., I, too, hope your muse returns. And for what it's worth, muses can come for a visit, at least, even in the darkest times. My story Hitting Close to Home is proof of that.

Hang in there,
Lynn

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Bob, I am so terribly sorry to learn about Beverly's condition. I wish you both the best of results with the stem cell therapy.

My wife has never had cancer, but she does have a heart condition and a pacemaker. We lost our oldest son to a 16-month battle against cancer when he was 13. And I lost my younger brother to melanoma when he was 39. So I have a small idea of what you're going through right now.

My only advice is to stay positive and don't give up. I know that's trite and that it sounds cliched - and it is - but it's also one of the best ways to face this beast. You two will want to be strong for the other, but give yourselves time to cry, too. And if you cry together, it will bring you closer. That may sound counter-intuitive, but it's true. A burden shared is lessened, and if you both carry it together, the experience will help you love each other even more than you already do.

As for your absent muse, you'll just have to keep a mental candle burning in the window of your mind for him/her/it. Retreating into and isolating yourself in fanfic would, of course, be a horrible idea, but sampling the waters is a good way to refresh your mind. Maybe Bev could beta for you, assuming she's feeling up to it.

I really wish I could say more, that I had some magic words to give you to make the sun shine brightly again. If there are such words, I've never read or heard them or stumbled upon them. Sometimes life just sucks.



Life isn't a support system for writing. It's the other way around.

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Kerth
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Hi Bob! Of course you are remembered. I'm very sorry to hear about Bev, and will definitely be keeping you guys in my thoughts. Stanford is an amazing medical center I've had two friends treated at, so you're in good hands at the very least. I do hope we'll get to see you around the boards more often (I kind of float in and out too, but trying to stay active here when I can). The muse strikes where it can randomly, so if you've got WAFF or WHAM to get out of your system, you've always got a reader here. Even if you just want to pm it. wink

(Morgana's the best at keeping in touch, she's probably what dragged me back here as well) sloppy

Love all you guys.


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Quote
As for me, I’m going to try to stay around.

Welcome back my friend! Give Bev a hug from all of us! sloppy


Morgana

A writer's job is to think of new plots and create characters who stay with you long after the final page has been read. If that mission is accomplished than we have done what we set out to do, which is to entertain and hopefully educate.
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Of course I remember you, Bob. I'm sorry to hear you and your wife have been having such a difficult time. It makes me realize that my brush with cancer this last year was very small in comparison.

You're taking the right steps, however. I hope to hear about your success in a few months, and with luck your muse will also come back so you will be able to make a return to these boards.

I am having a similar problem waking my muse up, but I hope to be able to start writing again before everyone here forgets me. Here's to our mutual success and your good luck.

Nan


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You are remembered and missed. Farmerbabe and I will be praying for both of you.

Best wishes,
Shallowford


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bobbart Offline OP
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Thank you all so much for the kind words and thoughts. smile

I had expected to reply immediately, but the transplant is upon us and we have relocated to Stanford. When I looked at the schedule, my original thought was that the first two weeks would be very quite (the calm before the storm, so to speak.) In a way they have been (at least the first week was) but the whole experience has consumed more time (and mental energy) than I had expected.

BobB

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Good luck to both of you. I hope you will try to keep us updated when you can.

Nan


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bobbart, good luck to you and Beverly.

I love your stories, especially the WAFFY ones. I recently thought about adding a challenge idea only to realize everyone would tell me that you had already written something similar in your excellent stories When the Sky Falls and After Nightfall. I only wish I had free time re-read those stories again, because I love how your writing makes us fall deeply into the lives of our beloved characters. Just thinking about them made me smile and wonder how you were doing. Thank you for checking in on the boards and giving us an update.

I wish you (and Bev) the best of everything, especially a Happy New (coming) Year.


VirginiaR.
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"clearly there is a lack of understanding between those two... he speaks Lunkheadanian and she Stubbornanian" -- chelo.
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Still thinking of and praying for both of you.


Shallowford

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