It sounds too familiar.
To escape loneliness, I like to meet companions, only to find out I look into another abyss…
But there is hope out there, also for us. Around 26th November CERN (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CERN) will try to find out what we are really made of.
Keep on trucking till then. (By Jove, even counting body bags can sheer me up for a while).

Y ou left them behind? Did you die a little each time ? If so, how much is left?

Jan Thys, Dens, others

Kafka said to his friend Brod: “There is hope, lots of hope, for God, but not for us.”

I believe that’s why certain people are getting married. Or to quote Leonard Cohen:

“Ah baby, let's get married,
we've been alone too long.
Let's be alone together.
Let's see if we're that strong.
Yeah let's do something crazy,
something absolutely wrong
while we're waiting
for the miracle, for the miracle to come. “

Even Mr. Cohen admits that marriage is just an extension of waiting for the miracle to come.

Dens I didn’t die. I just feel sometimes a certain amount of melancholy when I see the dead bodies of my own past. But be aware often the melancholy is caused because a few of my former friends and girlfriends took so much time to disappear out of my life. Couldn't they have disappeared earlier?
Jan Thys, do you work for this nuclear organization? For once I really didn’t get your comment, unless you are an Iranian spy. That would explain a lot. I hope they give you a decent salary.

And Dens as far as I’m concerned there is no competition among the commentators -- quite the opposite. As far as this site is concerned I believe in affirmative action. Therefore I would like to urge the less intelligent readers of this site, the unfortunate human beings who pass by every day to comment.
In other words Amita and her husband, Gerard Jansen, where have you gone? Don’t let me alone with my affirmative action.
(Hanne V, please note, you are beyond affirmative action. For you affirmative action comes to late. Limit yourself to one comment a week. If you manage to limit yourself to one comment a month Johannes will send you a beautiful gift.)

Arnon's Next Top Commentator

@Arnon and Dens (and everyone else who was confused): obviously, I was being sarcastic....
That having been said, I'm sure there will soon be a tv show called 'America's Next Top Author'. Or film director for that matter. I wonder what the popular vote would be.

After reading the text from Cohen, I suddenly remembered this wonderful quote by Oscar Wilde:

Men marry because they are tired, women because they are curious; both are disappointed.

@Arnon
Not difficult to grasp. I simply refer to an experiment at least as important as nuclear fusion. The experiment is to recreate the origins of the universe, to have a final peek into matter, what matter is really made of, what we are made of. It is the biggest and most expensive experiment ever, so I am curious (I am not working there).
I knew, curiosity can kill the cat, but nevertheless.
Thanks for Cohen’s song & and Kafka’s words. For me, your site is a nice extension for the waiting, no more, no less.
Kind greetings.

Arnold Grunberg,
Wat een SCHRIJVER!!
Door Tirza alles gaan lezen................De joodse messias, Gstaad 95-98
Grunberg rond de wereld De asielzoeker en nu Fantoompijn.
Vrelelijk goed en leuk etc.

Thanks for the affirmative action programme, now I dare join in again.
I know some people, mostly women (sorry Tess), who are willing to suffer a bad marriage as long as they have a great wedding. It's very unfortunate that weddings cause marriages.
On another note: although I believe that marriage is an unnessecary institution, usually not living up to its promises, I have always been amazed at my anger at heterosexuals denying me the right to marry. I guess after all there's something deep within that makes (most?) people want to make a public statement of their mutual affection. Maybe that's the unique selling point for weddings.

@Arnon
OK I admit, I use the positive action of this site too. I thought there was a chance you would never notice. Of course I was wrong.
Please also consider my comments as a kind of modest pay back/honour to your valid works, whom I have benefit a lot. Thank you.

@Mr. Grunberg

Dear Sir,

What miracle do you expect from marriage?

In my home country so called 'love marriages' have not been the standard for a long time. The partner was chosen by the parents. This is not as stupid as it seems. Think about it, what do you expect from a partner? Or even better, what would you wish for a friend when he gets married?
You would want them to look after each other, to provide food and housing, to have a family, grow old together and while doing all that not make each other unhappy or abuse the spouse.

Well then, what would be the best partner? Which partner has the least change of failure? The one you meet in a bar, wearing the nicest clothes, smelling the best, with the best car? Or the one with a similar background, the same set of values? And who would be best to choose that partner?

Let your parents choose a good partner for you. Marry her and your melancholy will be cured, I guarantee. Just do not worry, life will never be perfect and waiting for the non-existing perfect spouse will only make you unhappy. There is no miracle, but thats OK.

Hanne

I might have been too harsh on you -- two comments a week are acceptable. If I caused you distress I apologize.

Sandeep

Can we meet in person?

@ Anni

Mom!

As far as I can voice an opinion in public, I simply refuse to be part of such a list. I never meant to be so harsh, but I am fairly sure that, given the opportunity of time and a decent number of lunches, we would most likely have become actual friends - at least on my side, the one i can speak of. And I am terribly faithful in that matter. You have not heard the least of me .
PS: I should probably have sent this as a private email but a few witnesses never hurt to hold one to oneself, do they?

Nicolas

I didn't mean to upset you. As of today you are my friend. And I'll be faithful, at least till 2030.

Sandra J

Thanks for the compliments.