[Ah, if you are stressed out, visit this site to relax and read some poetry. Check out this user's dragons, mythology, or history on flowers and herbs. Or let the children read stories just written for them!--ck]

Morningstar lives near the beach with the love of her life, Captain Cutlass. She has a sea-faring son of whom she is very proud, and who comes home to visit whenever his duties with the Coast Guard permit. She greatly enjoys the time she and her two Captains spend together.

Morningstar is a woman of many talents. She does creative craftwork and makes a variety of home decorations for holidays and parties and advises her clients on their use.

She has a variety of creatures who share her heart and her home. Among them are salt water and tropical fish, and of course, Pharaoh, the 19 year old feline who has purrrrsuaded Morningstar to help her build a page of her own on Morningstar's site.

Morningstar says, "We purchased our WebTV from Sears about two years ago. My son (the Cpt as he is known on the web) and I were walking through and I was curious as to what it was. We were looking into a way we could stay in touch while he was underway with the Coast Guard. This looked like it filled the bill. We ended up buying the Classic, for at the time the Plus was still new, and 'had some bugs,' according to the salesman."

She continued, "We brought this new toy home, and the three of us were sitting around the TV waiting for the chance to see what this toy would do. Thank goodness our son had worked on computers! He was able to walk us old folks (The senior Captain and me) through." The younger Captain showed them how to send mail and how to search the Internet. "We were amazed with this toy," Morningstar recalls. "After looking around, we mailed our first letter to my brother. We were really excited about that!"

She went on to say, "The younger Captain was once again underway so I was playing with this new toy and found that there was a way to talk with others." Then she found a group called the 4-musketeers. "The day I went into that group," Morningstar says, "the screen was flying so fast that these old gray cells were unable to keep up. So, I sat and watched. I never said a word for the brain and the fingers would not work together." Once the younger Captain was home again, she showed him this chat room. She says, "We met some wonderful people with whom we are still quite close and enjoy sharing our thoughts with them."

"How did I learn the HTML? Shoot, I don't think I have that thing figured out yet. I first started on the homepage builder. It took forever to load something in and to change, but it was rather easy. I could do this," she recalls. "Then one day, someone suggested that I build on Angelfire, so that I would have more design control." Her two Captains were just starting out in this area, and she says, "it looked like one of the monsters you have nightmares about, so I shied away."

She says, "I finally started, though, because the homepage scrap book didn't hold enough pictures for me." She says, "I had the senior Captain walk me through step by step while I did it. I also wrote the codes down into my notebook (which I still use). Then I met this wonderful lady, Minimoo, who would walk me through. So, between the senior Captain and Minimoo, I learned to use Angelfire. Our cat (Pharaoh) was also a great help, sitting on my lap and trying to type."

"I still mainly use the WebTV to stay in touch with the Cpt while he is underway." Morningstar says, "With the European tour coming up it will really help. I am also enjoying staying in touch with wonderful new friends who have touched my heart. I am using the web, too, to continue to design pages that I hope will encourage children to read and to explore the world."

Morningstar goes on to say, "I use the web as my therapy in recovering from a deep head trauma and nerve damage on the right side. With a loss of my past including the three "R's," I felt that this was a great way for me to re-learn these things, and at the same time, maybe I could encourage others to read and share time with their children."

Morningstar says, "What will my readers see in my site? Well, hopefully dreams that can come true!" She has some poems that she wrote, as well as some stories for children. She has some mythology on Mermaids. "There is also an area about the true meaning of flowers and their colors, and herbs as well. I am just now starting an area on the history and myths about cats. Pharaoh insisted. It's called Fun, Dreams and Serenity."

When asked why it was important to her to build her site, Morningstar says, "I was mainly trying to re-find who I was. With not knowing much of my past, it seemed the best way to go. I was interested in some areas, like the fairies, dragons, mermaids and flowers, so while re-learning all of this, I was sharing with you." She goes on to say, "I would love to write books for children, to show them how exciting learning could be. I guess this is what I am doing. I am too afraid to see or write a publisher and be rejected. This way I can write, learn about new subjects and not be rejected by anyone."

Her site is named Morningstars Dreams. She said that she chose the name, Morningstar, because, she says, "the Morningstar is always with us. Even though during the day we are unable to see the star, it is still there. As with a dream, it is always with us. So the star, which is always with us, is a symbol of dreams that can BE."

Morningstar feels that her WebTV has made a positive difference in her life. She says, "Due to the WebTV, I have met such special people who I would not have met otherwise. I have also found out who I am and what is within me as a person. I have also learned that if you are unable to do something, it is ok to ask for help. There are so many special people who will understand and be there for you."

Morningstar likes the fact that the WebTV unit is so easy. "I can't break this toy. The other reason, is that since it is on the TV, it is easier to read." She goes on to say, "I guess that I am a very happy WebTV person. True, there are some things that one can do on the computer that one is unable to do on the web. But, I really don't have a problem. If it loads slowly, I dust some furniture. I just work with what the web gives to me." She adds, modestly, "I am quite honored that you feel that my site is worth writing about. I hope you enjoy your walk down my many paths."

Morningstar made me promise to include her thanks to both of her Captains, Minimoo, Sandy, (and yours truly), and themamabear. And she adds, "If it were not for these wonderful people, my pages would not be here."

E-mail Morningstar here

[Community Editor's Notes: What lovely mythical pictures! The music was superb. Your webpage is a delight and quite soothing!-ck]