Don't blink!

You certainly can never accuse Gloria Fisher Abbott of thinking too small.

Well, you certainly can never accuse Gloria Fisher Abbott of thinking too small. From an empty airhead who devoured self-help books suggesting she wipe the slate of the past squeaky clean and thereby label herself blameless for any lasting harmful effects to her youngest son for her then-husband's child abuse actions, to how to hoodwink and marry a millionaire, then maneuver your way through complicated business waters most people would have to attend business school to understand. Thanks to her presumably photographic memory, a quick scan of a few sheaves of business papers and the ability to wring the washcloth of sympathy dry, she was able to wriggle and worm her way into Jabot management, though fell just one rung short of the nosebleed upper management level. She made it that far, even with her son, once the scourge of GC society, clinging tightly to her coat tails. But that's not the end of her lofty dreams. In the sequel, she obviously has big plans for her first born boy. Michael, the future CEO of CI. And what about Jill you might wonder? Is she but a plate of unappetizing chopped liver? Well, let me put it this way. As far as Gloria is concerned, water almost always trumps blood. You all saw for yourself what happened to the Abbott siblings as a direct result of Gloria's diabolical doings. I suggest that from now on, when going to the office, Jill might want to take a moment to don a full suit of body armor immediately after applying her makeup to protect herself from any errant blades aimed at her vulnerable back.

Every time I tell myself I'm going to try to gaze at Phyllis' likeness through new and unbiased lenses, despite the fact that I've been watching her antics for long enough to recite her entire laundry list of malicious misdeeds, she goes and does something that defeats my good intentions.

I thought it was only misery that craved like company. Phyllis is happy. She has the man of her dreams, a man who loves her as much as she loves him, once he'd rid himself of the wife he no longer wants, that is. And a child whose DNA she didn't have to manipulate. A child that presumably she will actually get to raise, since there's no reason for a black-garbed judge to snatch her out of her arms just to deposit into someone else's. On top of that, she has the full support of the entire Newman family, excluding Sharon, of course, and from where I sit, just about the whole of Genoa City. But no, despite her full and happy life, Phyllis still can find a moment to pour acid rain on someone else's parade. Yes, I'm talking about her eagerness to help Carmen see that Dru is served what both wanton women feel is an overpiled plate of her just desserts.

Wait! Before you stop reading right now in order to dash off a scathing email to me about how Phyllis is justified because Dru is wrong, and all of that, let me finish. First, I will admit that had the tables been turned and it was Dru with the upper hand poised to deliver a little painful payback to Phyllis, Dru would undoubtedly have done the exact same thing. Probably with an ear-to-ear grin plastered across her face and the incriminating tape waving in the air just beneath Phyllis' turned up nose, besides. But it's not really the tape that has me picking on Phyllis once again.

It was that sly, nasty little lecherous smirk on her face when she informed Carmen, with saliva practically dripping from her jaws, that though she "would never do that to you" (that meaning inviting Dru to her happy little surprise bash for her youthful boy-toy), Neil had certainly been asked and "might show up" and be amendable to Miss Mess, I mean Mesta's, obvious flirtatious manipulation. At the thought of that, Carmen just managed to press her lips together before any of her own drool dropped to the floor.

It reminded me too well of the cold callous look on Phyllis' face as she helped Brittany trick Mac and Billy into believing they'd had relations. I know it was a long time ago, but I still hate her for that. First, because, in my opinion, the romance between original Billy and original Mac was magically sweet and believable enough to make just about everyone, even a thrice heartbroken cynic, believe in love again (and no I am not referring to myself as said cynic). Phyllis helped wreck that, not because she cared so deeply for Brittany, or even that she disliked Mac or Billy, but just for the pure sport of it and because she could.

But that was a long ago then, and this is 2006. But some things about Phyllis have not changed. When it comes to other people's relationships, she still would rather ruin than repair. It was Phyllis' maliciously running mouth that inadvertently clued Lily in to her parentage. Oh sure, she didn't mean to hurt Lily, because as we all know, Phyllis never means to hurt anyone. But somehow it always ends up that way. Sure, Nick's marriage was limping along with near mortal wounds, but she could have waited until it fell off the tracks by itself. No, instead, she repeatedly chased him down the track like the little engine that could, waving her hot sex banner at him until it completely derailed, much like she torpedoed the marriage between Danny and Cricket. And then, like now, an illegitimate baby was the marriage breaker.

Just my opinion, but she was just a little too eager to help Carmen try to bury Dru beneath the GC jail. So what Dru is her son's ma-in-law and it could color his relationship with his wife's family. That's no skin off her poke in other people's business snout. Some fans might say, well, look how Dru treated Daniel. In return, she's always treated Lily nicely. Well, my answer to that is, and what mother wouldn't have behaved exactly like Dru, given that Daniel's actions inadvertently almost ended their daughter's life? He's family and she treats him that way now, though I will admit her new attitude chiefly came about because she herself was in need of a clean slate of forgiveness. Having your own toes pinched in too-tight shoes has a way of making you see how other people's toes might feel. Of course Phyllis has always treated Lily nicely. There's no reason she shouldn't have. After all, Lily risked her own freedom to help save her son.

But enough about Phyllis and on to calculating Carmen. If she's so afraid, why doesn't she go freelance somewhere else? What happened to her boast to Neil not long ago about how she's a big girl and can handle someone like Dru. Yeah, as long as by handling her she meant by manipulating her with someone else's hands while hiding behind her PR faade.

But, as we all know, I won't have to throw poison-tipped arrows at Carmen much longer; and I know I don't stand alone when I confess I'm literally counting the days until she disappears through the elevator doors for the final time. As to her departure, it sure looks like it's shaping up to be a whodunit, maybe a variation of a "who shot Ms. Mesta" scenario. Let's see, who could be the innocent, but glaringly obvious suspect? Dru, of course? But what about Devon, who surely was overheard by someone giving Carmen a piece of his mind? Will he be a red herring thrown across our path to blind us to the real culprit? Or even Neil? If she does die or disappear, I'm guessing it will wind up being someone from her murky past. Or perhaps, as I once wondered, Carmen will try to make them all pay, by pulling what longer viewing fans might call an Isabella Brana.

Now for Dru. As much as I can't stand Carmen, I can't really feel much sympathy for Dru either. Snatching up Carmen at work. Everybody knows that's a definite no-no and almost always amounts to an immediate termination. I know she was stressed, but come on, she wasn't that stressed. On top of that, at that particular point, she really had no real reason to accost Carmen. With all of his attention on Devon, it's not as if Neil is even paying any attention to the pouty-mouthed PR puta. I agree 100% with fan Tad's comments below about Dru's current storyline. Dru was a runaway and lived on the streets for a time, but since when has she ever used anything more lethal than her mouth? Cutting up Carmen's clothes, grabbing her at work is a newly created facet to Dru Winter's character. And just another example of a scribed-forced version of a leopard changing its spots.

I'm just glad Neil finally saw what we'd all figured out months ago about Ms. Nasty Mesta. Of course, the way things have deteriorated; obviously Ms. Mesta is as disillusioned with Neil as he is with her and no doubt would refuse him, even if he offered himself scantily clothed on a gold-plated platter.

So, since Dru was carted away in handcuffs, her presence wasn't nearly as critical to the early Beauty of Nature rollout after all. So imperative was her immediate presence, the next earliest business morning (yes, just like a Federal Express package) would have been too late. So, was I the only fan laughing when after Victoria played the heavy handed, demanding despot by insisting Dru come in despite the family drama and trauma going on, she did little more than make a couple of calls (when not accosting Carmen, that is), something she could have easily done from a phone in the study at home.

Seems to me Carmen was the expendable one. Since when has Newman been a one PR person conglomerate anyway? She's isn't even a real employee, yet this woman has been dictating the way things should be done since she arrived. If she turns up missing, perhaps that where the authorities should begin their investigation. In the PR department, where presumably all the other personnel have naught to do but twiddle their thumbs and watch Ms. Mesta run the whole PR show, and therefore have good reason to want to see her disappear.

Given what has happened to Drucilla, perhaps the ladies (and gents) of Genoa City, might want to give careful consideration before laying a hand or fist on another. Else they might find themselves looking sheepishly up at a granite-faced judge dictating terms of release and court-ordered therapy. Nikki and Diane, Tracy and Lauren, Jill and Kay, Brad and Nick, and all the rest who indulged in a little cat or dog fight just don't know how lucky they were.

Oh, by the way, while I'm sort of on the subject of judges, those who've read me before had to know I was chortling with glee watching Judge Unfriendly take an ax and chop up Nick and Phyllis' hopes of waiving the six month waiting period into bite sized pieces. "Gee, judge, take a gander at my big belly," Phyllis pointed out with heavy sarcasm. "Can you not see I'm mere weeks away from delivery? Do you not understand how shameful it would be to punish my baby by forcing it to greet the world with a post-it spelling out illegitimate stuck on its forehead? I about fell off the couch with laughter. Phyllis suddenly has morality concerns. Gee, where was all that false morality when she was scheming to entice a married man to come back for seconds, thirds and fourths? Does she think the kid won't be able to count on ten fingers and figure out he was conceived after the marriage, not before? Even though it only knocked the smirk off her smug face for a couple of heartbeats, it was still just as enjoyable to me. Nick's got megabucks. I'm sure they'll just tie the knot in some other state and have a big do later. But, hey, a girl's got to get her jollies wherever she can. And regardless of what they do later, I sure enjoyed mine right then.

Moving on. Do you suppose the citizens of GC have brains they can pop in and out at will? How else to explain why Victoria would want to open up that reliquary can of worms again, while saying that she can still see Brad killing the two blackmailers. I guess that particular picture not only isn't worth the thousand words it's reputed to be, it isn't even worth the cost of the paper it's printed on. Because if that's what she's looking at, what in the world would possess her to stir up the reliquary waters to alert any other reliquary seeking sharks to her presence?

And obviously, soon J.T., Paul, Colleen, Professor Korbel (which for some odd reason, every time I hear someone say Professor, I immediately think of Professor Peter Plum from the Clue game), and probably even Jana, before it's all over, will likely have a hand in this mess.

Speaking of Jana, what was up with her? Have you ever met a nosier person? Where do you live, she demanded of Granny Kaplan. And where did you live before that, she probed, barely giving the elderly woman a chance to answer the first query. Yes, that's exactly the kind of nosy questions I pose to total strangers when meeting them for the very first time. But though Jana was overly talkative with Granny, by contrast, she had little to say to the Professor. Am I reading words between the lines that aren't even written there, or were any other fans suspicious of Jana and Professor K's connection? Could they possibly be in cahoots? With the reliquary seekers, by chance? Hey, it's a stretch, but this is Genoa City, after all. Where all people and circumstances keep going around in one big circle until they manage to come face to face.

Oh, speaking of people coming together. Was it just me, or does it seem like nearly every GC couple is attempting to hitch their romantic wagons to the Nick/Phyllis charismatic comet? Take for instance, Brad and Victoria. I know the pace has quickened these days, but last I saw, Victoria was more than a bit dissatisfied with the state of her union with Brad. So I was a bit taken aback and more than a little confused to see her attempting to insert her whole self beneath his skin just because he had on western wear. Perhaps it only looked that way through my cynical eyes, but they seemed to be trying awfully hard to duplicate the N/P intensity. You know, the way people act when they haven't seen each other for, oh I don't know, at least a month. Of course, her ardor for her secretive mate only lasted until he went all controlling on her, demanding that she drop her Gudgeon seeking. And, coincidentally, when she stormed out, on whose shoulder do you think she wound up spilling her woes? J.T., of course. Surely, we aren't going to play that J.T./Victoria song again, not now, of course, but maybe somewhere down the line, I thought. But then I watched Victoria and the Professor together and I thought, okay, now that could work. It could be I was seeing things that weren't really there, but I thought I saw more charismatic sparks between them in their brief interchange than what I see or smell when she and Brad come together.

And last but not least, I'll close with Lauren and Michael. Comeuppance came quickly for Michael. Angered and stressed after learning her beloved had once again been less than forthcoming and honest with her, Lauren went into premature labor, thankfully ending what had to have been one of the dullest parties in recent GC history. Cowboy hats and boots and Phyllis clomping around screeching 'I got a little pregnancy thing going on' in response to Rocky repeating, show me what you got, girl, while the guests looked uncomfortable at best. I was glad to rush to Genoa City Memorial with the Baldwins and their entourage.

Even though I was a bit disappointed with Michael for his part in the Jabot trickery, I've managed to put it behind me. Probably because he didn't really beat Jack, though he thinks he did. For fans who hate that, don't worry, you know Jack is going to get his too. Probably from Victor, when Daddy isn't chasing after him rattling his chains.

But that will come later. For now, I absolutely loved the scene between Michael and his money-grubbing Mommy. Finally, he's beginning to get a glimmer of what he stands to lose because of his insistence in breaking every law that applied in order to beat Jack at the corporate company stealing game. Of course, I don't believe for a second that Baby Baldwin is in any real jeopardy. Sure, he's a month early, but that's nothing. A couple of days of worry, and I'm guessing all will be well and eventually Mommy, Daddy and Baldwin baby will come home to live happily ever after, for now, anyway.

Okay, I've rambled on long enough, so I'll save for next week, my thoughts about Sheila. Apparently, I'm not the only one with plenty to say. And like me, you ladies and gents didn't bite your tongues. I had a great time giggling at your insights. Hope you all enjoy them as much as I did.

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JAMIE - Just when I thought I would never have to hear the word REL-A-QUERY again we are now back for round 2. And the ghost of Abbott past needs to disappear completely - that last make-up job was just a downright slam to John's good years on the show. And would someone PLEASE give Paul, the only GC hunk worth watching, a love interest?!

TONIA - Great insight - thank you! Where do I start? Jabot Cosmetics - While I am sensitive to the loss of John, I cannot help but want him gone at this point. I believe Jack had every right to obtain Jabot back considering the loss of Jabot was not his fault! Hmmm ... let's see, it was Gloria who started the whole mess with the tampering of the cream, causing a panic and the eventual sale of Jabot to an "outside" company. Jack has always made it clear HIS family came first and the company HIS father built. If Glo was so much in love with John - the man that built that company from the ground up - then maybe she should feel the pain of single-handedly causing the destruction of it - let's put the blame where it belongs! Good riddance to Glo and her son, Kevin! The Winters - Keep the new Lily. I cannot tolerate that old one coming back. I need to check my fast forward button as I know I will be using it much more now that she is back. More power to Dru! Fight for your man! Carmen and Phyllis are truly a perfect pair to become bosom buddies considering they both love married men. The Newmans - I welcome back the old and improved Victor!

RONDA - Well, I have to admit I am only a little way into the two scoops commentary for the week of 09-Oct-06 and I am so in disagreement with you it is not funny. I know it is an opinion column and you sure seem to have one. At this point so do I. I find John being there as a spirit, in chains, whatever, quite amusing and I have enjoyed that part of the show lately, because of the humor, saying things Jack needs to hear and probably already knows within himself and just keeping John around. And as far as the dog, dogs or even people might have the abilities to sense certain things. There are dogs that do sense seizures, even cancers. Whether it is an extra ability they have or being able to smell a chemical change, it does happen.

SUSANN - I am really sick of this Nick / Phyllis love fest. Everyone acts like they are such saints! They aren't! The chemistry is gone - move on to other things like the real paternity of Phyllis' baby! And another thing, if John is going to be this ghost - why can't he visit Gloria and overhear her talking about what she did with the cream? He can then go and tell Jack and Jack can bust her. She wouldn't know what hit her! They can't let her get by with that! I know that sounds a little crazy but with the writing on this show lately, that scenario will fit right in.

KAMAL - It's been ages since I've shot you a message about your column, but the time has come to write again. I cannot express how dismayed I am that Davetta Sherwood will be exiting the role of Lily. I was not a fan of the original portrayer at all. She was a nasally whiner with the Valley girl accent. Davetta gave the character a certain edge and quickly became a fave for me on the show. I'm afraid that the return of Christel will spell the end of Danly for me. And Billy is out too? Hadn't heard that one. I was just starting to get into him as I most liked his scenes with Jack. I was looking forward to Jack teaching Lil' bro a thing or two about how to be as nefarious as him. On a final note, I totally agree with you. Why isn't John haunting that gold-digging wife of his? He's not even cold in the ground and she's already making plays for Will Bardwell cutting her "friend" Jill Fisher (she's an honorary member of that clan) off at the pass. When it comes to Terrible Glo, I'm all the way in Jack's corner. "Sister homewreckers" in reference to Carmen and Phyllis was just hilarious. Phyllis really needs to mind her business because she knows she's done much, much worse in her day than Dru has ever done.

ANNE - Sheila coming back? Yes I think she will come back ... not Kimberlin Brown herself but rather her face changed so she looks like Lauren giving Lauren the chance to reprise the Marg/Kay impersonation. And yes the faux Sheila will get away with the new baby. Good chance for some heavy acting from Lauren. Meanwhile some interesting storylines brewing, e.g. is Michael's Granny really dead, what gives with Colleen and her hunky tutor (a little more in your face rude; just what this program needs), the Brad story blunders on, still think that marriage is on the rocks. Phyllis? Never my favorite character; maybe Sharon will go off the wall and steal her baby. Definitely impersonation and baby stealing season coming up just in time for Christmas. Goody!

JAMIE M - Nick and Phyllis are the hottest couple, even with her being 8 months pregnant. They are so in love and so happy that we love seeing them. Seems like Phyllis is even getting her old spark back. People will talk about her being a stepford wife and not liking that, and then talk about her being devilish, and not liking that. But, you know what they say ... say good things about me, say bad things about me ... just talk about me. And its so true. People cannot stop talking about Phyllis and Nick. Most people love them, love their heat, love how they bring out the joy in life for each other. Others dislike them, whether it be because their love started out as an extramarital affair, or because they feel bad for Sharon. I don't feel bad for Sharon; she is no victim. I love the heat that Nick and Phyllis bring, and Y&R has gained many viewers because of them. I cannot wait for the wedding and baby Newman to be born. And for those that insinuate Phyllis changed the results, that is not possible. She was calling the lab trying desperately to find the results while Nick was away. Nick came back telling Phyllis he was the father, but staying with Sharon. No ulterior motive, no other people that would have wanted the results to be Nick's. It is just a Newman baby, conceived out of strong, undeniable, ever passionate love!

TREY - Hey Nita, It's been awhile since I've read your column and I can't tell you how anxious I was to get back to reading your thoughts. I've been out of the country but still managed to never miss an episode. So much to say, but I'll be brief. I'm sorry to say I'm one of those fans who have enjoyed the new pace and format of Y&R. The show seems more campy and more fast paced which I have loved. Let me start by saying, unfortunately as much as I hate to admit it, Phyllis and Nick have really grown on me. I was such a die hard Nick & Sharon fan that I almost feel like I'm betraying them by saying that. But I've loved the electricity between these two. Phyllis really blossoms around Nick and I almost want them to be happy. One thing bothering me though, is Phyllis' judgments of Dru. I mean this is the same woman who lied about her son's paternity for years, kidnapped her lover just to keep him with her and tried to kill Paul and Christine! Her calling Dru unstable was the pot really calling the kettle black! Speaking of Dru, once again Victoria Rowell amazes me! She is so damn good. I maybe be biased because she reminds me so much of my own mother. Sassy, classy, but fallible just like a real mother. Dru's passion and intensity during Devon's scare was so natural. It's almost as if she's not even acting, just being a concerned mother. I loved it! I even love when she attacks Carmen, and really if Carmen had any sense she'd listen and leave that woman's husband alone! Now, Nita, you know I'm mad! I have supported and enjoyed Davetta Sherwood since she began on the show and knowing they're bringing that snot nosed, spoiled brat back to the show really pisses me off! Ok, I just had to vent about that. I know its only my opinion, but Davetta was a much more believable Lily. I have to move on before I completely start yelling at my computer. I too loved the jabs between Phyllis and Sharon (that was great). Is it me or does Sharon seem to be unraveling sometimes right before our eyes? She seems tense and on edge all of the time. Speaking of Sharon, she and Jack are actually believable! When this pairing was first suggested to me, I couldn't help but cringe but their chemistry seems very seemless and natural. Another natural pairing is Michael and Lauren. I absolutely love these two together, but I didnt really understand why Lauren became so upset at hearing of Michael's deceptions. Ok I get it, he lied to her. Ok, but Michael has always been a liar and a schemer and a manipulator; its part of his charm. I figured it was just a way to have Lauren go into premature labor. Other thoughts are on characters like Colleen. I love the idea of having her explore body issues as we all know many young girls go through. I thought it was rather brilliant considering the actress who replaced the old Colleen is a little thicker, so that was rather smart on the writers' part to actually pen that into the story. I know it happened a few weeks ago, but due to the fact I didn't have a computer handy, I had to share with you. I loved when Jack held a meeting between he, Carmen, Phyllis and Sharon and made the comment; "You all know me too well!" I fell out of my chair laughing. I love when writers recognize history, because at that moment I was thinking the exact same thing! Thank you so much Nita, I'm glad to see you're still in touch with the residents of Genoa City!

TRISH - Nita - I hope you don't mind that I borrowed your pom-poms and cheerleading outfit so I could scream with glee at the top of my lungs when Michael gave Glo supreme heck for the mess that he and Kevin got into "& for what? A job!" Bravo, Michael (Christian) - a superb bit of acting there. His emotions when he thought Lauren might lose the baby were right on. Glo, of course, couldn't possibly be responsible for Lauren's potential loss of the baby, nor was it her fault that she had to taint the cream resulting in someone's death, she had to, after all, get back at Jack & Ash. Not her fault either when she had to hire some "boys" (not only to portray her sons, but also to sleep with) so that John would think she was the fine upstanding woman she never was and never will be. Nothing is ever her fault. She certainly lives in Delusion World. She is joined there by Katherine and Jill who seem to think Glo deserves to be respected and given every opportunity. I guess they have now taken up and are wildly waving, John's fallen banner which proclaims "Gloria is my breath of fresh air".

SK - ok I read a rumor that Sharon is pregnant with Brad's kid. According to the recaps she had sex with Brad on June 3rd! That would make her over 4 months along ... and she didn't notice? My sister is 4 months along with her first and you can't mistake her belly. No bikini parading for her! If this happens I will definitely say goodbye to Genoa city.

ANNIE - Come on guys! Drucilla is way out of line to stalk, attack, assault, and threaten Carmen! May I remind people that Neil walked out on Drucilla because she lied for 18 years about having a child with her husband's brother?! If she had come clean after she found out she was pregnant with Lily, Neil would still be with her. And for the record, Neil has been chasing Carmen all over town for months - not the other way around. And she and Neil are not having an affair! At this point (Friday 10/13 episode) I think that even Carmen has seen for herself how much that jerk Neil is not worth the rantings of an insane wife. Besides, we live in an extremely dangerous world - why shouldn't Carmen have Drucilla arrested and tried? She really doesn't know Drucilla that well. For all she knows, Drucilla could snap, go berserk and kill her. It's so obvious that at this point Drucilla doesn't know right from wrong anymore. I don't care if Carmen and Neil were actually having a full-blown affair or even if she were chasing him (instead of the other way around), there is no excuse for Drucilla's violent actions. Drucilla brought her mess upon herself. It's just too bad Carmen will have to lose her life over it. Yes, we all know this is a soap and that Drucilla will not actually be guilty of murder. But come on! In the real world she wouldn't have a prayer of being innocent! So please stop giving the annoying nutcase Drucilla a leg to stand on - because she doesn't deserve one!

LINDA - Now, this may be too long for just one column. However, since late summer I've been running about 2 wks behind on my tapes, so my opinions have been piling up! I do enjoy your column and your sharp, tongue-in-cheek wit!

The Winters Family Saga. Was Neil's memory erased by his alcoholism during which time Dru supported him? Or did he have a lobotomy since his horizontal tango with Dru's sister, Ho-livia was a conscious and willing choice for them both to betray Dru. And, what about Neil's messy entanglement with his brother Malcolm's fianc, Alex? Regardless that Dru is the Diva Drama Queen, this time she was Malcolm's victim. If Neil had any devotion at all for his loving wife-twice-over, he would've forgiven her and gone hunting for Malcolm to avenge Dru's honor. This is a Jekyll-Hyde transformation of Neil's character. Basically, he was once a reasonably respectable fellow, by GC standards, of course.

True enough about Gloria's lack of work experience, but I must disagree about Kevin. Remember, he once had a professional career as bookkeeper/accountant for Bobby Marsino until he leaped off the deep end by cyber-stalking Lily and targeting her friends. In my own experience, preparing payroll and tax returns requires a certain amount of intelligence, talent, and skills, which are reasonably transferable to IT careers. It's no stretch to consider that Kevin's computer abilities would have developed over the course of time. Though, admittedly, he was quite lucky to skip a few rungs of the corporate ladder.

Sharon - what about Cameron Kirsten and Diego and Brad and who else am I forgetting? It looks like she's targeted her sister-in-law to go after any man Victoria is interested in. (Though Victoria could've found more worthy men who'd at least be faithful, well, maybe not in GC.) To say nothing about that infamous, disgusting kiss that Sharon planted on her own father-in-law ... upchuck and gag! Considering that Sharon was pregnant as a young teenager, was she just born a slut?

Cassie's death was such a major catalyst, affecting GC families for generations to come (i.e., Phillip Chancellor's demise in the early years). I'm still shaking my head over that. Though I understand the story premise, I do miss Cassie! Even as a young child abandoned by her two mothers, she had a maturity beyond her years and a kind heart, with a beautiful face and spirit. Cassie had become a normal teenage girl who, having discovered boys, was self-absorbed and eager to prove herself to be a grown woman. Camryn Grimes was so perfect and integral to her character. Until the SL became evident, I'd foolishly visualized her as a GC adult with integrity and character - an oxymoron, for sure - a decent, mature person to be a contrast to all the turmoil created by the rest of the dysfunctional populace. But that fantasy would be truly an unbelievable SL! Since Cassie's death, I've watched most of every episode leaning on the remote's FF.

Re: Lauren/Sheila ... the end of that last chapter was such a short-lived relief, until the final scene with Sheila passing the photo (obviously of Lauren) to the plastic surgeon. If we're lucky enough, the writers will show us some mercy and leave that SL to gather cobwebs for the next several generations.

AAARRRRGGGGHHH! The new Billy: he's the one whose face I most want to slap! That smug smirk is the only facial expression I've seen on this guy. Is he a robot? A zombie? This one shows absolutely no personality, except for the despicable selfishness like his other Abbott sibs, which is different than the teenage Billy that I remember. How I'd love for David Tom to return as Billy and put some life back into him.

And, speaking of casting, perhaps a new casting director would be worth considering. Too many miscast actors the past few years. Certainly with Mac (the last 2? 3?), Colleen, Billy, even Rebecca (whom they were smart enough to replace early on). At first, I wasn't sure about Lily; but Ms. Sherwood, whose already axed - go figure - is better suited to Lily's current character than Ms. Khalil, cute as she is. It's hard to see Khalil as having grown into a mature married woman of only 18 with a surprisingly stable relationship. And this Victoria has slowly grown into her role, though it would be interesting to see the "real" Victoria, Heather Tom, playing the current SL.

CABC - I'm so outdone! I finally have to admit the writer or writers have either no decency, or have issues in their real life and it's beginning to reflect in the s/l. They are assassinating all the strong decent characters! Who are these people? When they make Dru stoop to a level that is totally unrealistic, considering she has a sick son, a husband who she adores, she would never do something so stupid! Yea, she goes off half cocked, but she's never been stupid. Bad s/l. And if all hell hasn't broke loose, they're bringing back the whining, child-like Lily (that really sucks on so many levels). I know the Bells have been giving the new writer advice, don't believe me? Watch the incestuous Bold and the Beautiful, or should I call it the Brooke and Ridge show? Either way if they continue on this character assassination path, where the whores of the show rein supreme, they will for sure lose many viewers. How sad!

LATOYA - Nita, I love, love, love your section! You are always right on point with your opinions. This is my first time writing, so here is my $.02. First of all, I almost jumped up and started the wave when Devon told Carmen off, he said everything that she needed to hear. It was probably a good thing that he couldn't hear the foolish things she was saying. When will see ever take responsibility for her role in everything. I know you are scared and all, but girl get over it. Why does Lauren always get the sucky storylines. Please let the baby live! I mean, really. Give the woman some peace, and least until Phyllis comes forward to reveal that she is Sheila. (I really believe that Sheila is Phyllis since Phyllis couldn't have a child before, it is quite convenient, especially at her age for her to be able to have one. Please kill Colleen, she is so whiny, I ran for the mute button when she was complaining about her Friday the 13th! Get over it, it is life. Us normal people go through it everyday. Lastly, Jack is going too far, his outing of Jill today was too over the top. He is acting like a whiny baby (hey I guess it runs in the family), its my daddy's company, wha, wha, wha!!! I think he is going to draw too much attention to himself, and end up messing the deal up for himself. If the CEO happens to be Jack's child, I'll just quit. The SORAS for this storyline would just be too much to handle.

TAD - Those therapy sessions of Drucilla's aren't working. Dru really isn't facing up to what she did. No one put those scissors in her hands that she used to rip up Carmen's clothes; no one forced her to violate her restraining order (more than once). Drucilla is responsible for losing her job. The reality is that she lost her job, because she lost her self-control. The fact that she is blaming Carmen is an indication that she is not accountable for her ill-advised decisions. She should have found a way to handle Carmen without breaking the law. I don't like the way that Drucilla's character has been written in this storyline, especially when she went into Carmen's residence to cut up her clothes. I feel this is stereotypical behavior for a certain clientele when they lose self control. Black people have been showcased regularly on Judges Mathas, Hatchett, and Brown exhibiting this kind of behavior. As an African American , I am offended by the storyline, because it can lead to a false impression of how black people deal with their problems. Drucilla's character has always been a person that has done a lot of talking, and she has infrequently acted on those threats. The writers have had Drucilla looking like a raving lunatic, which again, is atypical for the character. We never saw anything close to this ugly side of Drucilla with her confrontations with her mortal enemy, Phyllis. The threat of losing Neil was just as real when her secret was exposed. With the logic that Drucilla has used, there is no doubt that she would have held Phyllis responsible for this secret being exposed. The writers should have been more creative in the way that Drucilla dealt with this dilemma in her life. She could have found a more cunning way vs. an illegal way to confront this situation. You fight fire with fire. Carmen has been very coy, and Drucilla's true character has demonstrated that she can be as well. Her frustrations are understood as we all know what Carmen is all about; however the methods that she used to solve her issues with Carmen is unacceptable. I don't analyze degrees of wrongness, which is what the writers want us to do. They want us to pick a side. I think the behavior of Carmen is deplorable. I also think the behavior of Drucilla is reprehensible given the fact that she is a mother, and is always in a position to set an example for her children. For these reasons, she has failed herself; she has failed her children.