Author's Notes:

Dear God.  This file is 126 pages in a document with one inch margins, in twelve point Times New Roman font.  Thinking about how long it took to write this makes me cry--tears of blood.

Firstly I must blame Madelyn for introducing the idea of Conner (Kon-El) to me when I was in an emotionally weakened.  Thereupon, she held up a metaphorical knife to my metaphorical throat and metaphorically threatened me, my family, my extended family (which was a pretty lame threat since I hate my extended family but at the time she didn't know this), the puppy I'd seen in the pet store window three days before this all started, my future puppy of choosing, several small island nations, and that guy on the corner who may or may not have been a very unsuccessful hooker.  Under this kind of pressure I had no choice but to comply and write this monstrosity.  Plus, uh, she did some other stuff.  Which will become apparent to some of you, not so much apparent to others.

Secondly I must blame Lyra Sena, who was my roomie and wife and fellow hunter of toilet plungers at eleven o'clock at night in the wicked wilds of a major metropolitan area.  She cheerleaded me and coddled me and gave me bemused expressions when I pawed through the apartment at God know's what o'clock, craving tea and orange rolls; plus, she showed me the joy that is TGIFriday's spinach and artichoke dip.  Also, above all else, Lyra managed to beta this monster during the holiday season and neither threatened to kill me nor did it by stealth; for that, I am eternally grateful.  She always whips my work into shape.  Many thanks, dearest, you are a hero.

And the big three has to go out to everbody who stuck with me for the six months it took me to finish writing this.  The comments, squealing, offers of first borns and offers to birth me first borns kept me going when the only thing I felt would improve the situation was to simply fling Conner to the proverbial wolves, let him get picked up at the bus stop by some chain-wearing pimp and have him prostituted out to filthy old men in Metropolis.  All the secret tantrums and mental seizures Behind The Scenes In Connerville (be glad you missed them)--you guys nursed me through.  Many thanks, much love, and thanks for stopping by.

P., (January 6, 2005)