Lost Gems of Yesteryear is an excellent idea. Soundtrack right now: The Pot, by Tool.

My choices are clear. They are the tripod upon which the rest of everything2 is perched in horror and splendor.

What is more interesting than the quest itself, is all the ones I did not pick. What a list! Listen, I'm not trying to imply that my list is better than your list of "best writeups ever", but folks, it really is. I was going to say, "So you lose," but you don't. I don't win either. But these writers do. Where shall I start? Any writeup that I mention next is a part of this list.

When I first /msg'ed Brawl, I can't remember exactly what I said, but I said something like, the only reason that I didn't pick "Happy Birthday from Planet Motherfucker" was because the word 'fuck' is in there. It's brilliantly and vibrantly written, the prose is filled with momentum and energy from the first sentence. I didn't notice it at first; I was too busy enjoying "Fifteen Elvish Ways To Die" and "Welcome to role-playing game." It's one of those stories where you root for the bad guy, and I love those. But... is our hero a bad guy? But I realized quickly that while in my estimation there is one writeup I think is best, there are many that are very, very friggin' good.

I didn't pick "Why The Willow Weeps", because I loaned my copy of Humane Society to my ridiculously intelligent and well-read mother, and she loved it.

I didn't pick "God" by God because it isn't there any more.

I didn't pick "For a boat of white bone, and we three" because as excellent as it is, I haven't the slightest idea what the paragraph starting with "i was loved.." is doing there. And I never have. It's probably beyond my mind; I'm not exceptionally gifted as far as tasks like, say, comprehension and retention of data, are concerned.

Perhaps "THE LOUD NODE" and "Fuck plate tectonics" best describe what E2 was. I could have also thrown "Ham and Motherfuckers" and "Olde English "800"" due to it being those writeups specifically that made me stay here. Probably you could include "E2 is unfriendly to New Order" in this paragraph.

"Summit in Savannah" was the first (and only, maybe?) time that I have ever had occasion to genuinely enjoy anything that was collaboratively-written.

I didn't pick "Sex Games," even though it contains the following sentence of fucking flawlessly-executed English (at least, in my brain): "We graduated to talking dirty out of necessity, because I couldn't bring myself to make any noise, even when we were sure there was no one home to listen. I was not alone." There's a place in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath that says something about not being an owner unless one were cold. If someone can find me the line, please /msg me. This line hit me as hard as Steinbeck did, and that's fair praise for Hatshepsut. I suppose the sentences require explication, but that is provided by context, so go read it.

Soundtrack right now: Save Me, by The Tea Party.

"torch singer" pretty much means the world to me.

"Magnolia" and "L. Ron Hubbard" are the two best factual writeups on this website. Both have excellent and disparate voices.

"A Canadian Apology" probably amuses me solely because I'm Canadian, and the author of the piece is fucking crazy good at throwing words around. For the same reason, "Canada" by Palpz is a huge writeup. It's also well-written and has an undercurrent of humour to it.

Soundtrack right now, last one: Octopus's Garden, by The Beatles.

"Revelation of the Lamb in Four Parts" is amazing, the intensity is akin to the last shot of the movie "The Blair Witch Project", in which we see the young man standing in the corner, hear the young woman's screams. (Interestingly, the piece is written with very little idiom. I dunno, maybe it's just me, but the author sounds to me like a sixty year-old newspaperman, weary of his days at the office, drinking too much and brooding over the life of literary fame never providentially bestowed. And creases isn't that; he is, however, dangerous, and should not be allowed around children, women, or senior citizens. You have been warned.) And since we're here in the horror section anyway, check out "Bag of Crushed Child" by hero and, most likely, my arch-nemesis, Jet-Poop. Rat Bastard had me going to imdb.com and shit.

I wanted to put a word in about "Son of a Preacher Man," too, while I'm at it. I totally thought that one dude was a different dude. I can't explain it. (The one by graceness! I got in trouble for not mentioning that!)

In my estimation, "How did I get here, Sarah?" is the best writeup on (in?) the whole website. Don't tell anybody, but I'd kind of really like to hug junkpile for writing it. And then I'd say "Thanks," catch a bus, and go.

The thing is? There's lots more. I'm going to take a week or so off at the end of August, and I've been writing every day (my health is an issue a lot these days), so if I can, I'll provide a bigger writeup like this one, or at the very least, a bigger list. This is all the writings I thought off in one sitting, there are many, many more that I could have added. And I will. Here's all the writeups I've mentioned. Please read them all:

Lost Gems of Yesteryear, Happy Birthday from Planet Motherfucker, Fifteen Elvish Ways To Die, Welcome to role-playing game, Why The Willow Weeps, For a boat of white bone, and we three, THE LOUD NODE, Fuck plate tectonics, Olde English "800", Ham and Motherfuckers, E2 is unfriendly to New Order, Summit in Savannah, Sex Games, torch singer, Magnolia, L. Ron Hubbard, A Canadian Apology, Canada, Revelation of the Lamb in Four Parts, Bag of Crushed Child, Son of a Preacher Man, How did I get here, Sarah?. Also? I am a robot.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME BYE