To the person that wrote this:

You know, I read your article on going back home, and i agreed with most of it. Yes, todays society is based around being inside the "norm", but have you been completely honest with yourself? Do you look at people that are not in the "norm" and say "weirdo"? Would you ever date a person not in the "norm"? Thats the question you have to ask yourself, Matt? Do you go out of your way for friends? When someone reaches out to you for help do you catch it and help that person or are you delierious to what that person is saying? Do you not realize a call out for help? Do you catch the little phrases? I guess what I am saying is do you listen and are you so far out of the "norm" that you do this? Does the "norm" matter to you? You say it doesn't, but are you being honest with yourself? There are many questions in this world that people long to get answered, but will die with them never even coming close to being answered. In this world everyone wants to be liked, everyone wants to be happy, everyone wants to be in the "norm" because they are too afraid to be different because society shuns different. I think you might be delerious to the whole picture and you are so far in the "norm" that you do not realize it. I think you are affraid of people that are not in the "norm". I think these people intrege you, but when it comes to being close to them, you back off becasue you are affraid of what is out there. You put all this phylisophical articles on your page, but I dont believe you are very sincere when it comes to these things. You are blind to the world.

HERE IS MY RESPONSE TO THESE REMARKS:

I believe if i was able to write this article, its almost impossbile for me to write that if i was still in the "norm." I will never call a person i see standing on the street a weirdo because i believe that every person is entitled to their own freedom in the clothes, choice of music, lifestyles, etc. I have dated people outside of the norm and will continue to do so but that’s not really a matter of importance. I have always gone and will go out of my way for the people that are close to me, in a crazy world sometimes those are the only people you have. As far as someone reaching out to me for help, i do not understand this reference, it almost sounds like a cry for help?? The norm as a whole doesnt matter to me, i mean if you honestly were to take a look at yourself, i think you would see their are some coincidences between you and people that are in the "norm."

As far as you making this comment "In this world everyone wants to be liked, everyone wants to be happy, everyone wants to be in the "norm" because they are too afraid to be different because society shuns different. I think you might be delerious to the whole picture and you are so far in the "norm" that you do not realize it."

What makes you a better judge of this then me, i mean you are entitled to your opinion so what gives you the impression that im so far inside the norm. It sounds like you were one of the kids who followed around the "popular kids" and one day they left you by yourself and you have been scarred for the rest of your life and have nothing better to do than to anonymously answer and try to trash an article written for leisure.

I will admit people outside the norm intrege me, not because im still inside the norm but because i believe they have enough intelligence to comprehend what society does to a person.

Finally i would like to leave you with this, im glad that you emailed me becaues it gave me a chance to back up the words that i wrote, however, doing it in this sort of a way is childish,you have showed everyone that you are truly blind to the world.

I appreciate the criticism, its very interesting getting another persons view on my stories. Most of your questions can be answered if you simply read my story with more detail. You have tried to rob a person of their dignity and in doing so you have lost all of yours.

Thanks,

Matt