Posts tagged: Deaf Language

Bob K …all's well in spite of my venomous attacks

Question:

One person’s "blush" is another person’s <vomit, but then again waxing eloquently to disguise ass-kissing was never particularly attractive to me in the first instance.  Sorry, I’m just honest – I have this "thing" about that.  Social desperation probably does spawn any number of other self-denigrating moves though, so I perhaps should not judge – nonetheless, in this case, I have a personal agenda, and therefore have chosen to do just that.  My usual M.O. of "kindly" is impossible for me to apply here, at this stage of the game (well, not "impossible", but would be duplicitous as hell, and I just plain won’t).  Any proof desired, as to why, is amply available in writing from all parties.  Do know though, if you ask, I will post it here, not to your e-mail.  What a pile of syrupy and sycophantic shit.

::whisperin’ sweet nothings inta yer ear:: ~~~~ has anyone ever written anything for you?  in all your darkest hours have you ever heard me sing…listen to me now…you know I’d our lives… they are poets… yet they are priests of nothing……. (and i know we have a connection) ~~~~~~~ (i luv’ah pilea’h syrupy stuff) ::killin’ me softly with your song, tellin’ tha whole world:: on like a yoyo.. wake me UP.. b’fore ya go go…  take me dancin’ tanite… (i wanna jitterbug) ::crawlin’ to muh luvah boy:: "..c’mere, luvah boy…." ~G’s honey

Response:

My language would be different but I agree with your opinion expressed here. Meryl

maybe i’m grossin’ ya out? (truth is, Gary’s tha only boy i consider "sponge-worthy") …. maybe Steve at’ah james taylor/carly simon concert… (mockin’bird, now ever buddy have ya heard….. etc.)   ~t

Response:

Can someone tell me what all this means about fights and makeup and who is dating who?

::gasp:: (i’m gonna gotta consult chuck woolery on that’n) Who is Laurie?

my good friend that can’t post right now even though that was her intention, seems i somehow unwittingly arranged for her ta go ta jail.. she took me to tha airport, i left my make-up bag’n her car, my meds were in it, traffic stop, and BAM !  she just got out taday. she totally rocks, y’all’ll enjoy her immensely. (after she get’s tha lice out’ah her system) But Bob those words of wisdom is really good.

"LET IT BE"     ^ words of wisdom I might use some in future speechs.

::givin them words’ah proper burial:: ~tanya

Response:

(Not

Alcohol, Clothing and Dancing

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -William P wrote: > August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in > news:3os0q8F77mvlU1@individual.net: >>>What do you mean you think it’s part of undesirable rigidity?  You >>>have about three or four levels of hypothesis in there.  If you don’t >>>want to do it because of a rigidity that you think is bad, isn’t that >>>a little like wanting it? >>         Not really. Drinking of alcohol is associated with >>         drunkenness >>and drunkenness implies a lack of control in my mind (or at least not >>being fully in control) and I suppose that I like to be in full >>control of my faculties as much as I can. > Do you think you’re in full control of your faculties as it is?  Do you > always behave logically? > What you wrote there doesn’t strike me as a very good logical defense.   > Drinking a couple of beers doesn’t make you drunk, so associating it with > drunkenness doesn’t make a lot of sense.  (I’m not trying to lead you to > the bottle, just verbalizing.) >>And of course, there are >>people who are peaceful drunks and people who are mean drunks. I >>suppose that I would fear being one of the latter (lack of control). I >>don’t think I fear that anymore. I think it’s just not in me. > What do you mean by just not in you?  Like it’s part of your fundamental > nature?

         Yes, that’s what I mean. I realize that the potential for these things is in all of us but I don’t think it is specially so in me (and, indeed, I think that I might be more harmless than most). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>         I think I just have a tendency to ascribe or fear the worst >>         in >>myself sometimes (thus, I feared that I’d be a mean drunk without any >>real good reason to think this). Like, for instance, I remember once I >>went with my grandmother and a friend of my grandmother’s to see some >>other friend of my grandmother’s and her daughter and her daughter’s >>husband who was black. A horribly disgusting and racist comment was >>made by this first friend of my grandmother’s (kind gentle looking old >>lady who you’d never expect to say such a horrible thing) before >>leaving to go to the second friend’s place. When we got there, I felt >>horrible and terribly guilty as if _I_ had made the comment and as if >>_I_ was the one who had those feelings (I’m sure she just felt fine >>about it and was able to effortlessly up a front of civility and >>niceness). >>         Of course, these things about drunkenness should not >>         logically >>be a concern if I’m merely concerned with the taste experience or with >>health (for both of these moderation is optimal and need not ever lead >>to drunkenness). So I’m not sure how a fear of loss of control figures >>into moderation. Perhaps I fear that I can’t be moderate (you know, >>like the silly A.A. dogma). > That’s what I get for not reading the rest of your post before replying > since you already answered what I wrote above.  Oh well. > Anyway, do you see value in confronting parts of yourself that behave in > ways you know don’t serve any purpose?

         Mostly, yes. It depends. >>         I actually own one music CD: _Monty Python Sings_ (not that I >>actually play it on a regular basis or anything like that, but I do >>own it). Sometime I might be interested in getting the whole _Carmina >>Burana_ because I find it weird and all I’ve ever heard from it is ‘O >>Fortuna’ (though I do find the excessive dynamic range –is that the >>right expression?– uncomfortble). > Dynamic range usually refers to loud/soft.  In that sense, you’d be hard > pressed to find a piece with _more_ dynamic range than O Fortuna.  Maybe

         That’s what I thought it meant. Talk about music is quite foreign to me. In college I signed up for some introductory music class and I left not even halfway into the class to drop it when I realized that even the most basic terminology was complete gibberish to me (Michaela could have been teaching that class and it wouldn’s have made any less sense). Fortunately, they had just introduced registration by touch tone phone and I was able to get to a telephone, drop the class and sign up for an intro to theater class in the same time slot instead (which I walked into already in progress). The theater class was truly hideous but it was also an easy A. > Ravel’s "Bolero" or something.  I think you might be disappointed with > the rest of _Carmina_ though, it’s not much like it.  That piece is

         I would imagine not. Though, I don’t think I’ve ever heard it (at least not knowing it). > famous and ripped off by virtually every fantasy film score composer for > a reason. >>>Is there something of any kind you feel extremely driven to do? >>         No. It might be nice if there was something that I felt >>extremely driven to do. Here’s another hypothesis: maybe my problem is >>a generalized lack of drive (it’s just something that your question >>made me think of, not that I take this hypothesis seriously). > Do you think you have a problem?

         Yes. I’m 37, supposedly intelligent, in apparent good (perhaps even great) health and I have not done anything with my life. August Pamplona — Women bring men they like tasks in much the same way cats put dead mice on their owner’s pillows. – Lola on a.s.s. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

Response:

"Bernd Jendrissek" <ber…@prism.co.za> wrote in news:dkv3pj$fup$2@penguin.wetton.example.org: > In article <Xns96CE876DEF52willdotpsympatico…@207.35.177.135> > William P <willd…@sympatico.ca> wrote: >>Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars?  What kind of places?  What >>do you drink?  How do you dance?  What do you wear? > I go to a "Latin Lounge" that offers Salsa classes, which I take, and > tend to squirm during the "social dance" breaks between classes > (that’s if I take two consecutive classes).

I could see that.  Would it be possible for you, in your mind, to go in there thinking that the whole thing was one big class, and basically just become an actor during the "social" break?  So force yourself to do stuff like ask many women to dance and make basic pleasant conversation as if there were an instructor telling you that’s what you have to do? > How?  More or less competently, apparently, during the classes; > totally incompetently between classes (which is why my avoidance kicks > in).  I seem to be completely deaf to the beat between classes, but I > hear / "feel" it regularly during classes.  Probably because the > instructor calls out the beat, so it’s easier to get my VCO locked > with just a small phase error.  Between classes it’s a zillion times > harder, as the music does weird stuff designed to embarrass me in > particular. > I tend to "dress up", even though most of the other people are dressed > fairly casually (some, *very* casually).  I’m not the only one who > wears formal trousers (from my "prom" tuxedo, actually :) and a collar > shirt; quite a few other guys do too.

That sounds cool.  I’ll probably dress up more once my body is a smoking hot unit again. > I drink nothing, unless subjected to intense enthusiasm for me to try > yet another sugary cocktail in a peanut butter jar.

Sounds yummy.  An ex high school friend once worked as a bartender and hooked me up with a drink called a "girlie girl" and gave me two of them, and I was just totally toasted.  That’s the only time in my life I’ve been seriously inebriated.  But it was pretty tasty and I had to resist the urge to shop for a skirt the next day. >>When I was doing the club thing a bit I was pretty boring. > I’m more boring than you, so there.

Well once you get through my layers, I’m basically a wild party. >>It was basically beer, and I just went for clothing not to stand out, >>so khakis and pretty plain button-down shirts. > I’m consciously dressing a little more "up" precisely to "stand out" a > little – a feeble attempt at a bit of peacocking.  At a more > nightclubby nightclub (the ones where even my virgin eyes might notice > crack snorting) I would probably try to be in thermal equilibrium with > the vacuum, if I didn’t just avoid going altogether.

Yeah, I’m squeamish about open drug use too.  I don’t think you snort crack though, I hope you appreciate that correction. >>I didn’t know what the hell to do about shoes. > I’ve been turning it over in my head to get some really fancy shoes. > Shoes that scream out, "Golddiggers come here!"  I guess I can easily > afford it; I’m not sure why I’m procrastinating.  Maybe I’m not really > convinced that the shoes I had been eyeing would be that obviously > superior to shoe-detectors (grils), to the extent that shoes half the > price wouldn’t have the same effect.  That, and I know the danger > exists that they might end up in the cupboard to be used twice a year.

What would you actually get?  I know I could go to a high end department store like Harry Rosen (might be Canada only) and get some kind of $350 plus dress shoes made in Italy.  Would anyone actually notice that?  I wonder. >>Anyone ever learn dance? > As above, yes, trying.  I’m getting quite good at following the > classes, but I’m still nearly completely incompetent at "social" > dancing – where I write the script.  If I even keep the beat (and I > consider this priority zero), I tend to fall into a rut of doing one > basic step (forward/backward) over and over and over.  I might decide > to want to do a cross-body lead, for example, but somehow I miss the > opportunity to start the move… again and again and again, so I just > insert Yet Another basic step.

Yes, this sounds very difficult to me, when it becomes about improvisation and "feeling it". > I don’t want to bore, or worse, turn off grils with my extracurricular > incompetence, so I rather just lurk in the shadows and say hi and > exchange a few banal questions and remarks with whoever seems > vulnerable to my attack.  I don’t know if I’m making a mistake here – > if I should "just" ask one gril after another to dance, stuff it up > and have to go to the next, until the venue is exhausted.  Maybe I’m > just thinking in too much of a male pattern… too > performance-oriented.  I just kinda find it embarrassing to ask a girl > to dance, and then be disappointingly lame at it, despite being quite > good in the class.

Man, in my opinion you just need to quit caring what the grils think, and in a good way.  You being so "considerate" of not turning them off isn’t doing you or them any favours. >>I’ve been thinking of it for a while.  Dancing might be the one >>activity that I have the least innate talent for.  The only purpose of >>dance is to display the way you move to other people.  And if I have a >>big flaw, it’s emotive body language. > Do people accuse you too of being "stiff"?

Yes, absolutely.  My girlfriend has asked for a "more user friendly interface" before, even. > IIRC you had said > something about "taking up space" – do you or don’t you do it > effectively?

I think I’m better but still not good.  I think my mannerisms in general exhude geekiness. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> (Note to self: reminder to use caahfident body language no matter how > stoopid it "feels" – you saw what it looks like when you just pose > "naturally" / comfortably.  Yes that’s it, play one discomfort off > against another.  It’s uncomfortable knowing that you look like a dork > with dead arms hanging straight down from your shoulders, isn’t it? > Hmm?  Hmm?) >>(Along with poor conversation ability.)  I know I would be a really >>sucky dancer. > If you’re caahfident enough in your body to boink your gf I’m sure you > can pass as a halfway smooth dancer, with practice.  I think that’s > some of what makes me "stiff" – somehow I associate "smooth" and > "relaxed" with sex, and sex is obviously gross, so the solution is to > be "not smooth".  Or something like that.  Being "smooth" is the top > of the slippery slope that leads to success, you see.

At least if the slope is slippery you’re doing something right.  (Sorry!) >>But maybe just studying it would bring me into the world of average? > Studying, now there’s an idea.  Many people seem to object to the idea > of trying to learn anything at all about a nonverbal language skill > (such as dancing, or general body language for that matter) from a > verbal source, such as a book.  I have no such objection; quite the > opposite in fact.  Do you want or have any links? > (The flip side of that bibliophobia is that the texts that *do* exist > are few and likely to be of low quality, since few competent > practitioners (of the art and/or of instruction) feel motivated to > write such texts.)

I love the idea of studying nonverbal behaviour.  It’s the main point of Pepkeism, that you can learn what you’re not supposed to be able to learn and change what you’re not supposed to change.  If you have links that aren’t Google ones, sure I could be interested.  I liked Julius Fast’s book "Body Language" but I don’t know if you’d find anything in there you don’t know. >>Or maybe it could even have carry-over effects into other body >>language and the oh so elusive "taking up space with my body" effect >>people talk about. > Ah, there we go – you too are a space conservationist.  I haven’t > noticed any change in my non-dance body language.  Neither through > introspection / wishful thinking / proprioceptive observation, nor > through comments from others.  Maybe a greater general coordination of > my feet, but hardly anything that I would expect to be apparent at the > mall.

How about being less anxious about physical contact with girls?  Any change there? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>Anyone have a recomendation for what kind of dancing they’d learn? > Go where the girls are, no wait, you already have a gf.  Well, go > anyway, she might become a bit more clingy if that’s what you want. > I’ve heard that my choice of Salsa was a bit of a jump-in-the-deep-end > trick; apparently the music is hard to learn to dance to, with all the > syncopation that Salsa bands typically do.  I’ve had it suggested that > I try ballroom dancing (Foxtrot, Waltz, that kind of stuff); it may > involve a more orthogonal set of skills. >>One cool thing about dance class is that I’d get to touch girls even >>while still in a relationship wait I’m just kidding, no I’m not, yes I >>am. > Will your gf make you wear gloves?

I don’t think it would matter.  When I was in a community opera performance a few years ago I was holding hands with this girl when we were in costume and both wearing gloves and it was actually quite hot.

Response:

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE—– Hash: SHA1 In article <Xns96CE876DEF52willdotpsympatico…@207.35.177.135> William P <willd…@sympatico.ca> wrote: >Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars?  What kind of places?  What >do you drink?  How do you dance?  What do you wear?

I go to a "Latin Lounge" that offers Salsa classes, which I take, and tend to squirm during the "social dance" breaks between classes (that’s if I take two consecutive classes). How?  More or less competently, apparently, during the classes; totally incompetently between classes (which is why my avoidance kicks in).  I seem to be completely deaf to the beat between classes, but I hear / "feel" it regularly during classes.  Probably because the instructor calls out the beat, so it’s easier to get my VCO locked with just a small phase error.  Between classes it’s a zillion times harder, as the music does weird stuff designed to embarrass me in particular. I tend to "dress up", even though most of the other people are dressed fairly casually (some, *very* casually).  I’m not the only one who wears formal trousers (from my "prom" tuxedo, actually :) and a collar shirt; quite a few other guys do too. I drink nothing, unless subjected to intense enthusiasm for me to try yet another sugary cocktail in a peanut butter jar. >When I was doing the club thing a bit I was pretty boring.

I’m more boring than you, so there. >It was basically beer, and I just went for clothing not to stand out, >so khakis and pretty plain button-down shirts.

I’m consciously dressing a little more "up" precisely to "stand out" a little – a feeble attempt at a bit of peacocking.  At a more nightclubby nightclub (the ones where even my virgin eyes might notice crack snorting) I would probably try to be in thermal equilibrium with the vacuum, if I didn’t just avoid going altogether. >I didn’t know what the hell to do about shoes.

I’ve been turning it over in my head to get some really fancy shoes. Shoes that scream out, "Golddiggers come here!"  I guess I can easily afford it; I’m not sure why I’m procrastinating.  Maybe I’m not really convinced that the shoes I had been eyeing would be that obviously superior to shoe-detectors (grils), to the extent that shoes half the price wouldn’t have the same effect.  That, and I know the danger exists that they might end up in the cupboard to be used twice a year. >Anyone ever learn dance?

As above, yes, trying.  I’m getting quite good at following the classes, but I’m still nearly completely incompetent at "social" dancing – where I write the script.  If I even keep the beat (and I consider this priority zero), I tend to fall into a rut of doing one basic step (forward/backward) over and over and over.  I might decide to want to do a cross-body lead, for example, but somehow I miss the opportunity to start the move… again and again and again, so I just insert Yet Another basic step. I don’t want to bore, or worse, turn off grils with my extracurricular incompetence, so I rather just lurk in the shadows and say hi and exchange a few banal questions and remarks with whoever seems vulnerable to my attack.  I don’t know if I’m making a mistake here – if I should "just" ask one gril after another to dance, stuff it up and have to go to the next, until the venue is exhausted.  Maybe I’m just thinking in too much of a male pattern… too performance-oriented.  I just kinda find it embarrassing to ask a girl to dance, and then be disappointingly lame at it, despite being quite good in the class. >I’ve been thinking of it for a while.  Dancing might be the one >activity that I have the least innate talent for.  The only purpose of >dance is to display the way you move to other people.  And if I have a >big flaw, it’s emotive body language.

Do people accuse you too of being "stiff"?  IIRC you had said something about "taking up space" – do you or don’t you do it effectively? (Note to self: reminder to use caahfident body language no matter how stoopid it "feels" – you saw what it looks like when you just pose "naturally" / comfortably.  Yes that’s it, play one discomfort off against another.  It’s uncomfortable knowing that you look like a dork with dead arms hanging straight down from your shoulders, isn’t it? Hmm?  Hmm?) >(Along with poor conversation ability.)  I know I would be a really >sucky dancer.

If you’re caahfident enough in your body to boink your gf I’m sure you can pass as a halfway smooth dancer, with practice.  I think that’s some of what makes me "stiff" – somehow I associate "smooth" and "relaxed" with sex, and sex is obviously gross, so the solution is to be "not smooth".  Or something like that.  Being "smooth" is the top of the slippery slope that leads to success, you see. >But maybe just studying it would bring me into the world of average?

Studying, now there’s an idea.  Many people seem to object to the idea of trying to learn anything at all about a nonverbal language skill (such as dancing, or general body language for that matter) from a verbal source, such as a book.  I have no such objection; quite the opposite in fact.  Do you want or have any links? (The flip side of that bibliophobia is that the texts that *do* exist are few and likely to be of low quality, since few competent practitioners (of the art and/or of instruction) feel motivated to write such texts.) >Or maybe it could even have carry-over effects into other body language >and the oh so elusive "taking up space with my body" effect people talk >about.

Ah, there we go – you too are a space conservationist.  I haven’t noticed any change in my non-dance body language.  Neither through introspection / wishful thinking / proprioceptive observation, nor through comments from others.  Maybe a greater general coordination of my feet, but hardly anything that I would expect to be apparent at the mall. >Anyone have a recomendation for what kind of dancing they’d learn?

Go where the girls are, no wait, you already have a gf.  Well, go anyway, she might become a bit more clingy if that’s what you want. I’ve heard that my choice of Salsa was a bit of a jump-in-the-deep-end trick; apparently the music is hard to learn to dance to, with all the syncopation that Salsa bands typically do.  I’ve had it suggested that I try ballroom dancing (Foxtrot, Waltz, that kind of stuff); it may involve a more orthogonal set of skills. >One cool thing about dance class is that I’d get to touch girls even >while still in a relationship wait I’m just kidding, no I’m not, yes I >am.

Will your gf make you wear gloves? – — non-smoking section in a restaurant == non-peeing section in a swimming pool —–BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE—– Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Please fetch my new key 804177F8 from hkp://wwwkeys.eu.pgp.net/ iD8DBQFDcxJcwyMv24BBd/gRAmoKAJ9yhGCRU7qSR5UQNpCMo0m3yv7IgQCfRsEO GMjcC4cd0OFzOFapzAbs4DU= =HuU/ —–END PGP SIGNATURE—–

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -William P wrote: > August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in news:3okdgcF6afoeU1 > @individual.net: >>>Cool.  Did the attempt yield anything? >>         This was done through Adult FriendFinder. Basically I was >>going to be in the Twin Cities and I sent a mesage to 19 women in the >>Twin Cities area saying I would be there over that weekend and how >>about a ONS. This was done with no real expectation that I’d get a >>reply. I did it in such a way that proper communication was impossible >>when someone actually did reply proposing Friday (IIRC, I sent that >>message on Thursday). I was thinking Saturday so it took me by >>surprise. I got the impression that the hasty, almost spontaneous >>nature of the whole thing was part of the fantasy for her. As a result >>I showed up there a few hours after she expected me there. Apparently >>she left not that terribly long before I got there (or so she told me). >>If I hadn’t gotten stopped for speeding and if I hadn’t gotten a little >>bit lost on the way there I might actually have made it there before >>she had left the place. > Cool story.  I’m impressed you got that far.  I had always thought almost > all women on AFF were really just prostitutes advertising.

         There are apparently a lot of fake profiles. I have found a couple of profiles that fit your description (which would technically be against the TOS because anything advertising a business is considered a violation) although one was probably not a "pro" but rather just some fucked up kid. And now that I think about it, I also recall one profile of someone looking for a "sugar daddy". It didn’t sound exactly like she was looking for a hooking gig but what she seemed to be looking for certainly resembled the profession (it sounded like she was looking for one guy who’d monetarily reward her rather than many johns).          I have since run into http://sex.perkel.com/escort/shygirl.htm which is very suggestive of what you say. As a result, and to satisfy my curiosity, I did a search restricting to a short distance around the Twin Cities metropolitan area (assuming that prostitutes will be easier to find in metropolitan areas) and with pictures (assuming that prostitutes are likely to have pictures since it is well known that profiles with pictures get more responses).          I went through 150 profiles in the order given that had recent online activity (I’m assuming that if one is using AFF for hooking one would check in with the system more than once every couple of months). I could not find any profiles giving any hints at hooking other than the one which I had previously found. So I am now inclined to think that AFF is not, as you put it, just prostitutes advertising. I do think that other similarly focused websites are likely to be scams (why do I think this? because I have actually tried one). I also think that AFF is very far from being a good bet (in my state, the ratio of men to women is ~12:1 and there are a lot of women and couples who are actualy looking for women rather than men –and, of course, there supposedly are many fake female profiles).          It is possible that things on AFF were different when Perkel wrote that web page than how they are now (maybe they cracked down on profiles soliciting for prostitution since then). It is possible that geographic differences exist (and that I just happened to look at the one metropolitan area where prostitutes do not use AFF to advertise). It is possible that I’m just not clever enough to decipher the hints indicating that one is plying this oldest trade (though I doubt that this is the case since I was actually in a mindset where I was looking for said hints). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>>Never even tried it?  Why not? >>         I’ve tried it in the getting my tongue wet sense strictly to >>taste it. >>         I also have tried some sherry once because my dad was being a >>pain in the ass saying that I have to try it because I don’t know what >>I’m missing (he’s a bit of a sybarite and can’t understand how it can >>be that I might forego the pleasures of wines and other fine alcoholic >>beverages). And now that I think about it, I tried to get drunk once >>well into my thirties when I was alone just to see what it would feel >>like (it didn’t feel like anything and I just went to bed –maybe I >>just didn’t give it enough time). >>         Also, for the ONS attempt I mentioned, I was fully prepared to >>have one and only one glass of Champagne type wine because that was >>part of the fantasy she described. > Well at least you don’t have really weird hangups about even trying a > drink once in your life.

         Oh, I think I have the hangup. It’s just that I think I shouldn’t because I think it’s part of undesirable rigidity. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->                           I won a bottle of wine in a band lottery once > and drank it while in an IRC channel.  That’s the most inebriated I’ve > ever been probably, but after reviewing the logs afteward I wasn’t even > acting all that weird.  I’ve had more manic days sober.  (That’s manic as > in manic-depressive, not as in MXSmanic.) >>>Why does it confuse you? >>         Because it never occurred to me that dancing could ever look >>appealing to me at any level. The music wasn’t even loud (loud noise >>really bothers me) and would have been bearable to me while wearing >>earplugs. > Do you like music at all?

         I don’t listen to music. I have tried to figure out what people get out of it and I think that I often can do it but I don’t think I could put it into words. August Pamplona — Women bring men they like tasks in much the same way cats put dead mice on their owner’s pillows. – Lola on a.s.s. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -William P wrote: > August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in > news:3os0q8F77mvlU1@individual.net: >>>What do you mean you think it’s part of undesirable rigidity?  You >>>have about three or four levels of hypothesis in there.  If you don’t >>>want to do it because of a rigidity that you think is bad, isn’t that >>>a little like wanting it? >>         Not really. Drinking of alcohol is associated with >>         drunkenness >>and drunkenness implies a lack of control in my mind (or at least not >>being fully in control) and I suppose that I like to be in full >>control of my faculties as much as I can. > Do you think you’re in full control of your faculties as it is?

         If you include the qualifier "as much as I can" in your reading of what I wrote, probably. >                                                                  Do you > always behave logically?

         No. While I might seem rather logical if I met with you IRL, I obviously do not behave logically (or else I would have done a much better job of figuring out what to do with my life). > What you wrote there doesn’t strike me as a very good logical defense.   > Drinking a couple of beers doesn’t make you drunk, so associating it with > drunkenness doesn’t make a lot of sense.  (I’m not trying to lead you to > the bottle, just verbalizing.)

         Actually, I just realized that I’ve just done a hell of a lot with respect to addressing this particular fear. Strangely enough, it wasn’t through drinking alcohol. Instead, I tried pot several times (used special cupcakes and a vaporizer –the idea of inhaling smoke is highly unappealing, if not outright disgusting, to me and the vaporizer was the compromise for the prefered inhaled route where I decided to draw the line). I can definitely say that I was not in full control of my faculties as much as I could be. I had trouble following conversations (beyond a sentence at a time, anyway). [snip] August Pamplona — Women bring men they like tasks in much the same way cats put dead mice on their owner’s pillows. – Lola on a.s.s. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

Response:

Eve de Villette wrote: > August Pamplona wrote… >>Yes. I’m 37, supposedly intelligent, in apparent good (perhaps >>even great) health and I have not done anything with my life. > What would you define as having "done something" with your life?

         I am currently unemployed and when I have been employed it has been in jobs that did not interest me in any way and which did not challenge in ways that I’d like to be challenged.          Having "done something" with my life would probably involve employment in something which was satisfying to me at some non-trivial level. August Pamplona — Women bring men they like tasks in much the same way cats put dead mice on their owner’s pillows. – Lola on a.s.s. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

Response:

August Pamplona wrote… > Yes. I’m 37, supposedly intelligent, in apparent good (perhaps > even great) health and I have not done anything with my life.

What would you define as having "done something" with your life?

Response:

August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in news:3os0q8F77mvlU1@individual.net: >> What do you mean you think it’s part of undesirable rigidity?  You >> have about three or four levels of hypothesis in there.  If you don’t >> want to do it because of a rigidity that you think is bad, isn’t that >> a little like wanting it? >          Not really. Drinking of alcohol is associated with >          drunkenness > and drunkenness implies a lack of control in my mind (or at least not > being fully in control) and I suppose that I like to be in full > control of my faculties as much as I can.

Do you think you’re in full control of your faculties as it is?  Do you always behave logically? What you wrote there doesn’t strike me as a very good logical defense.   Drinking a couple of beers doesn’t make you drunk, so associating it with drunkenness doesn’t make a lot of sense.  (I’m not trying to lead you to the bottle, just verbalizing.) > And of course, there are > people who are peaceful drunks and people who are mean drunks. I > suppose that I would fear being one of the latter (lack of control). I > don’t think I fear that anymore. I think it’s just not in me.

What do you mean by just not in you?  Like it’s part of your fundamental nature? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->          I think I just have a tendency to ascribe or fear the worst >          in > myself sometimes (thus, I feared that I’d be a mean drunk without any > real good reason to think this). Like, for instance, I remember once I > went with my grandmother and a friend of my grandmother’s to see some > other friend of my grandmother’s and her daughter and her daughter’s > husband who was black. A horribly disgusting and racist comment was > made by this first friend of my grandmother’s (kind gentle looking old > lady who you’d never expect to say such a horrible thing) before > leaving to go to the second friend’s place. When we got there, I felt > horrible and terribly guilty as if _I_ had made the comment and as if > _I_ was the one who had those feelings (I’m sure she just felt fine > about it and was able to effortlessly up a front of civility and > niceness). >          Of course, these things about drunkenness should not >          logically > be a concern if I’m merely concerned with the taste experience or with > health (for both of these moderation is optimal and need not ever lead > to drunkenness). So I’m not sure how a fear of loss of control figures > into moderation. Perhaps I fear that I can’t be moderate (you know, > like the silly A.A. dogma).

That’s what I get for not reading the rest of your post before replying since you already answered what I wrote above.  Oh well. Anyway, do you see value in confronting parts of yourself that behave in ways you know don’t serve any purpose? >          I actually own one music CD: _Monty Python Sings_ (not that I > actually play it on a regular basis or anything like that, but I do > own it). Sometime I might be interested in getting the whole _Carmina > Burana_ because I find it weird and all I’ve ever heard from it is ‘O > Fortuna’ (though I do find the excessive dynamic range –is that the > right expression?– uncomfortble).

Dynamic range usually refers to loud/soft.  In that sense, you’d be hard pressed to find a piece with _more_ dynamic range than O Fortuna.  Maybe Ravel’s "Bolero" or something.  I think you might be disappointed with the rest of _Carmina_ though, it’s not much like it.  That piece is famous and ripped off by virtually every fantasy film score composer for a reason. >> Is there something of any kind you feel extremely driven to do? >          No. It might be nice if there was something that I felt > extremely driven to do. Here’s another hypothesis: maybe my problem is > a generalized lack of drive (it’s just something that your question > made me think of, not that I take this hypothesis seriously).

Do you think you have a problem?

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -William P wrote: > August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in > news:3on4etF6ojc0U1@individual.net: >>         I went through 150 profiles in the order given that had >>         recent >>online activity (I’m assuming that if one is using AFF for hooking one >>would check in with the system more than once every couple of months). >>I could not find any profiles giving any hints at hooking other than >>the one which I had previously found. So I am now inclined to think >>that AFF is not, as you put it, just prostitutes advertising. I do >>think that other similarly focused websites are likely to be scams >>(why do I think this? because I have actually tried one). I also think >>that AFF is very far from being a good bet (in my state, the ratio of >>men to women is ~12:1 and there are a lot of women and couples who are >>actualy looking for women rather than men –and, of course, there >>supposedly are many fake female profiles). > What hints were you looking for?  All personals are presumably screened > by a human being at the site to exclude prosexers.  So one who wanted to > advertise that way would have to keep it off the ad and then somehow > bring it up once you made contact.  But then they might all just get > reported, who knows.

         I don’t know. Something like the Perkel article mentioned. Maybe I really am too retarded to figure it out. If there really are that many whores in there, one would think that at least one of them would have responded saying "Maybe we could work something out… and by the way, this is how I operate: it’s x dollars for 1 hour, etc..". I have sent quite a few messages. >>>Well at least you don’t have really weird hangups about even trying a >>>drink once in your life. >>         Oh, I think I have the hangup. It’s just that I think I >>shouldn’t because I think it’s part of undesirable rigidity. > What do you mean you think it’s part of undesirable rigidity?  You have > about three or four levels of hypothesis in there.  If you don’t want to > do it because of a rigidity that you think is bad, isn’t that a little > like wanting it?

         Not really. Drinking of alcohol is associated with drunkenness and drunkenness implies a lack of control in my mind (or at least not being fully in control) and I suppose that I like to be in full control of my faculties as much as I can. And of course, there are people who are peaceful drunks and people who are mean drunks. I suppose that I would fear being one of the latter (lack of control). I don’t think I fear that anymore. I think it’s just not in me.          I think I just have a tendency to ascribe or fear the worst in myself sometimes (thus, I feared that I’d be a mean drunk without any real good reason to think this). Like, for instance, I remember once I went with my grandmother and a friend of my grandmother’s to see some other friend of my grandmother’s and her daughter and her daughter’s husband who was black. A horribly disgusting and racist comment was made by this first friend of my grandmother’s (kind gentle looking old lady who you’d never expect to say such a horrible thing) before leaving to go to the second friend’s place. When we got there, I felt horrible and terribly guilty as if _I_ had made the comment and as if _I_ was the one who had those feelings (I’m sure she just felt fine about it and was able to effortlessly up a front of civility and niceness).          Of course, these things about drunkenness should not logically be a concern if I’m merely concerned with the taste experience or with health (for both of these moderation is optimal and need not ever lead to drunkenness). So I’m not sure how a fear of loss of control figures into moderation. Perhaps I fear that I can’t be moderate (you know, like the silly A.A. dogma). >>>Do you like music at all? >>         I don’t listen to music. I have tried to figure out what >>people get out of it and I think that I often can do it but I don’t >>think I could put it into words. > Interesting.

         I actually own one music CD: _Monty Python Sings_ (not that I actually play it on a regular basis or anything like that, but I do own it). Sometime I might be interested in getting the whole _Carmina Burana_ because I find it weird and all I’ve ever heard from it is ‘O Fortuna’ (though I do find the excessive dynamic range –is that the right expression?– uncomfortble). > Interesting.  Do you do enjoy anything on a frequent basis that would be > considered artistic?  

         I don’t think so. > Is there something of any kind you feel extremely driven to do?

         No. It might be nice if there was something that I felt extremely driven to do. Here’s another hypothesis: maybe my problem is a generalized lack of drive (it’s just something that your question made me think of, not that I take this hypothesis seriously). > (I’m just being nosy because you’re interesting.)

August Pamplona — Women bring men they like tasks in much the same way cats put dead mice on their owner’s pillows. – Lola on a.s.s. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

Response:

I prefer country roadhouses and regular old honky tonk bars with regular old regulars. I’m not a particularly good dancer but get by okay. Clothes? Always blue jeans and cowboy boots, flannel shirts, western shirts, t-shirts, baseball cap, or, when we go "fancy", I wear a cowboy hat. I’ve got two, winter & summer. I own one string tie. (For weddings and funerals.) ZenDog

Response:

"zen_dog" <mao_z_…@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1126637075.664521.133670 @g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > I prefer country roadhouses and regular old honky tonk bars with > regular old regulars. I’m not a particularly good dancer but get by > okay. Clothes? Always blue jeans and cowboy boots, flannel shirts, > western shirts, t-shirts, baseball cap, or, when we go "fancy", I wear > a cowboy hat. I’ve got two, winter & summer. I own one string tie. (For > weddings and funerals.)

What do you drink? Are you into line dancing?  Do you wear a Billy-Ray Cyrus mullet?  (Sorry, I’m just trying to build up a mental picture…)  How did you learn how to dance?  Do you meet women doing this?

Response:

August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in news:3on4etF6ojc0U1@individual.net: >          I went through 150 profiles in the order given that had >          recent > online activity (I’m assuming that if one is using AFF for hooking one > would check in with the system more than once every couple of months). > I could not find any profiles giving any hints at hooking other than > the one which I had previously found. So I am now inclined to think > that AFF is not, as you put it, just prostitutes advertising. I do > think that other similarly focused websites are likely to be scams > (why do I think this? because I have actually tried one). I also think > that AFF is very far from being a good bet (in my state, the ratio of > men to women is ~12:1 and there are a lot of women and couples who are > actualy looking for women rather than men –and, of course, there > supposedly are many fake female profiles).

What hints were you looking for?  All personals are presumably screened by a human being at the site to exclude prosexers.  So one who wanted to advertise that way would have to keep it off the ad and then somehow bring it up once you made contact.  But then they might all just get reported, who knows. >> Well at least you don’t have really weird hangups about even trying a >> drink once in your life. >          Oh, I think I have the hangup. It’s just that I think I > shouldn’t because I think it’s part of undesirable rigidity.

What do you mean you think it’s part of undesirable rigidity?  You have about three or four levels of hypothesis in there.  If you don’t want to do it because of a rigidity that you think is bad, isn’t that a little like wanting it? >> Do you like music at all? >          I don’t listen to music. I have tried to figure out what > people get out of it and I think that I often can do it but I don’t > think I could put it into words.

Interesting.  Do you do enjoy anything on a frequent basis that would be considered artistic?   Is there something of any kind you feel extremely driven to do? (I’m just being nosy because you’re interesting.)

Response:

William wrote… > Well at least you don’t have really weird hangups about even trying a > drink once in your life.  I won a bottle of wine in a band lottery once > and drank it while in an IRC channel.  That’s the most inebriated I’ve > ever been probably, but after reviewing the logs afteward I wasn’t even > acting all that weird.

The perception of things changed. Kira said ‘um…’ and that was enough to send me into a squirming giggle-fit. Everything seemed just so funny.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -helen wrote: > William P wrote: >>"helen" <helens_pi…@yahoo.com> wrote in >>news:1126449720.014077.318400@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: >>>>Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars? >>>dragged by friends/never alone >>>>What kind of places? >>>straight/gay college/kink/goth/30s crowd/ethnic/ad infinatum >>>>What do >>>>you drink? >>>sparkling mineral water, ice, lemon twist >>>margaritas >>>cold rose wine >>>>How do you dance? >>>by moving my body >>How do you do that?  Just whatever feels right?  Or try to mirror other >>people?  Or consciously think, hmm, this is a 4/4 tune, I should be doing >>something with some part of my body on the 1 beat, and then another on >>the 3 beat, or work in syncopation or what?  Or entirely non-conscious? > mechanically inexplicable…i just feel it. also, years of dance class, > from tiger costumes to pink tutus.

         JPEG’s please! Oops, wrong newsgroup. [snip] >>I’m not sure exactly but haven’t you ever heard about presence of some >>guys who manage to take up space with their bodies?  A girl told me once >>that if I wanted to work on something, that was one of the things: >>taking up more space.  That and not looking down nearly as often as I do. > cryptic suggestion. are you looking at your shoes, wondering about > them?

LOL [snip] August Pamplona — Women bring men they like tasks in much the same way cats put dead mice on their owner’s pillows. – Lola on a.s.s. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

Response:

August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in news:3okdgcF6afoeU1 @individual.net: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> Cool.  Did the attempt yield anything? >          This was done through Adult FriendFinder. Basically I was > going to be in the Twin Cities and I sent a mesage to 19 women in the > Twin Cities area saying I would be there over that weekend and how > about a ONS. This was done with no real expectation that I’d get a > reply. I did it in such a way that proper communication was impossible > when someone actually did reply proposing Friday (IIRC, I sent that > message on Thursday). I was thinking Saturday so it took me by > surprise. I got the impression that the hasty, almost spontaneous > nature of the whole thing was part of the fantasy for her. As a result > I showed up there a few hours after she expected me there. Apparently > she left not that terribly long before I got there (or so she told me). > If I hadn’t gotten stopped for speeding and if I hadn’t gotten a little > bit lost on the way there I might actually have made it there before > she had left the place.

Cool story.  I’m impressed you got that far.  I had always thought almost all women on AFF were really just prostitutes advertising. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> Never even tried it?  Why not? >          I’ve tried it in the getting my tongue wet sense strictly to > taste it. >          I also have tried some sherry once because my dad was being a > pain in the ass saying that I have to try it because I don’t know what > I’m missing (he’s a bit of a sybarite and can’t understand how it can > be that I might forego the pleasures of wines and other fine alcoholic > beverages). And now that I think about it, I tried to get drunk once > well into my thirties when I was alone just to see what it would feel > like (it didn’t feel like anything and I just went to bed –maybe I > just didn’t give it enough time). >          Also, for the ONS attempt I mentioned, I was fully prepared to > have one and only one glass of Champagne type wine because that was > part of the fantasy she described.

Well at least you don’t have really weird hangups about even trying a drink once in your life.  I won a bottle of wine in a band lottery once and drank it while in an IRC channel.  That’s the most inebriated I’ve ever been probably, but after reviewing the logs afteward I wasn’t even acting all that weird.  I’ve had more manic days sober.  (That’s manic as in manic-depressive, not as in MXSmanic.) >> Why does it confuse you? >          Because it never occurred to me that dancing could ever look > appealing to me at any level. The music wasn’t even loud (loud noise > really bothers me) and would have been bearable to me while wearing > earplugs.

Do you like music at all?

Response:

"helen" <helens_pi…@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1126530779.663126.313260@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: >> How do you do that?  Just whatever feels right?  Or try to mirror >> other people?  Or consciously think, hmm, this is a 4/4 tune, I >> should be doing something with some part of my body on the 1 beat, >> and then another on the 3 beat, or work in syncopation or what?  Or >> entirely non-conscious? > mechanically inexplicable…i just feel it. also, years of dance > class, from tiger costumes to pink tutus.

Cool.  My sister took ballet and I was so jealous of what she got to wear.  I’ve always been mystified by people who just feel anything.  You know people who sit down at a piano and just play.  I can try that but I’m always thinking in terms of scales, chords, progressions, where in the scale a tone is, rhythm, and so forth.  Probably as a result, I’m a complete bang-ass technical musician in groups, always being the one other people rely on to find the right place and the right pitch, but I’m poor at the emotion part. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> What do you like guys to wear?  (Presuming you like guys sort of?) > i like guys. ummm…i don’t know…something not dirty. jeans? nothing > gawdy? > i really hate saggy pants & exposed underwear. >> >> When I was doing the club thing a bit I was pretty boring.  It was >> >> basically beer, and I just went for clothing not to stand out, so >> >> khakis and pretty plain button-down shirts.  I didn’t know what >> >> the hell to do about shoes. >> > shoes go on your feet. >> That explains a lot.  Do you care about shoes on guys? > {dense, quisical look} > don’t think i care much.

Have you ever been physically attracted to a guy at a club?  If so, why?   (Was it what he was drinking, what he was wearing, or the way he danced?) >> True, but telling a story seems to be a pretty good social skill. >> Let’s just say if I could talk one tenth as well as I can post I’d be >> rolling in wimminz.  I’m quite sure. > i try to tell stories in music…

Please elaborate if you want. > interesting image…"rolling in women". [now i'm imagining rolling in > a big pile of naked people, men & women, all covered in scented oils > ~]

True pot-pourri. >> Hmm, money, time, shame.  Okay I lost all of the last one already. > shamelessness as a desireable place?

I think it’s pretty nice most of the time.  Until you start embarassing yourself so much that there are actual consequences.  I’m consistently surprised at how weird I can behave sometimes though. I once had a group (part of a choir) in university where I actually got myself known as the guy who just says offensive and weird stuff.  It was pretty cool. >> I’m not sure exactly but haven’t you ever heard about presence of >> some guys who manage to take up space with their bodies?  A girl told >> me once that if I wanted to work on something, that was one of the >> things: taking up more space.  That and not looking down nearly as >> often as I do. > cryptic suggestion. are you looking at your shoes, wondering about > them?

Hah, maybe.  Another pet theory is that I get overstimulated when I have to look at people, and have learned to look away because I can’t focus my thoughts without blocking a lot of the stimulus.  That’s pretty classic autistic-spectrum stuff. I have to think about making eye contact, if I want to do it. >> Maybe that’s a positive for me.  You have to be really straight >> posture- wise though, don’t you? > oh yes ~ chin always up, striving for poise.

It does look very impressive though. >> > because it sucks. >> You can’t say that.  As a style of pure dance it is the real thing. >> Even though I’m an idiot who can’t move for shizzle I’ve seen enough >> of it to know it’s really artistic (in addtion to brutally athletic) >> at the highest level. > can’t get by reprocessed unoriginal bass-obsessed sameness. > can’t get by the aggression, sexism, homophobia, & strutting > criminality & ignorance.

You’re probably mainly talking about the music?  But everyone has a side where they want to reveal raw sexual and primal power maybe, no?  (Shit I hope nobody thinks I’m trying to pull an ASF here.)  And I’d argue that almost nothing is as sexist as ballroom.  Gender roles are extremely rigid and cliched, no?  Just because you’re not listening to a guy telling a girl to back that ass up doesn’t mean you’re not doing a sexist activity. >> > touching strange flesh ~ >> > unleashes curiosity-beast. >> Some beasts are better off left on their leash I guess. > consciousness colors & distorts instinctual desires, > shame mangles animal joy.

True enough.  See, I want to enjoy the instinctual desires somtimes, but I also want to be conscious enough to enjoy it on an intellectual level too, even if that doesn’t make any sense.  Like the first time I got to hold a girl’s hand at a movie I was just wishing it would never end but time goes by so quickly anyway.

Response:

>Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars?  What >kind of places?

Pubs, usually.  Places with live music, or quiet places (like wine bars) where I can talk to people.  I hate dance clubs, but I am dragged to them sometimes. >What do you drink?

Beer or wine.  Sometimes scotch. >How do you dance?

I don’t. >What do you wear?

Usually a shirt, jeans (jacket and scarf if it’s cold).  Sometimes a suit.  Depends where I’m going. >Anyone have a recomendation for what kind of >dancing they’d learn?

Most dance schools I’ve seen teach "club dancing" which a basic introductory course to help you dance at a nightclub.  You might want to start with that? I’m way, way too self conscious on the dance floor.  So much so that I can only "dance" for a few seconds before I have to stop and collect myself.

Response:

"helen" <helens_pi…@yahoo.com> wrote in news:1126449720.014077.318400@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->> Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars? > dragged by friends/never alone >> What kind of places? > straight/gay college/kink/goth/30s crowd/ethnic/ad infinatum >> What do >> you drink? > sparkling mineral water, ice, lemon twist > margaritas > cold rose wine >> How do you dance? > by moving my body

How do you do that?  Just whatever feels right?  Or try to mirror other people?  Or consciously think, hmm, this is a 4/4 tune, I should be doing something with some part of my body on the 1 beat, and then another on the 3 beat, or work in syncopation or what?  Or entirely non-conscious? >> What do you wear? > clothes, except alone in apt. > (ok ~ dresses, occasionally, men’s suits. junk shop neckties.)

What do you like guys to wear?  (Presuming you like guys sort of?) >> When I was doing the club thing a bit I was pretty boring.  It was >> basically beer, and I just went for clothing not to stand out, so >> khakis and pretty plain button-down shirts.  I didn’t know what the >> hell to do about shoes. > shoes go on your feet.

That explains a lot.  Do you care about shoes on guys? … >>  (Along with poor >> conversation ability.) > some people never shut up…

True, but telling a story seems to be a pretty good social skill.  Let’s just say if I could talk one tenth as well as I can post I’d be rolling in wimminz.  I’m quite sure. >> I know I would be a really sucky dancer.  But maybe >> just studying it would bring me into the world of average? > what to lose?

Hmm, money, time, shame.  Okay I lost all of the last one already. >> Or maybe it >> could even have carry-over effects into other body language and the >> oh so elusive "taking up space with my body" effect people talk >> about. > what people talk about that?

I’m not sure exactly but haven’t you ever heard about presence of some guys who manage to take up space with their bodies?  A girl told me once that if I wanted to work on something, that was one of the things:   taking up more space.  That and not looking down nearly as often as I do. >> Anyone have a recomendation for what kind of dancing they’d learn? >> Swing >> seems popular, but is it just me or does it look kind of like this >> dumb 50s thing for people who liked Lawrence Welk? > no…good to develope partner skills. >> Maybe salsa > yes ~ & samba, tango, flamingo, merenge, pachanga, mambo, etc…. >>or heck even >> ballroom? > very cool! cool as in detatched.

Maybe that’s a positive for me.  You have to be really straight posture- wise though, don’t you? >> For me, I think Hip Hop is out because > because it sucks.

You can’t say that.  As a style of pure dance it is the real thing.  Even though I’m an idiot who can’t move for shizzle I’ve seen enough of it to know it’s really artistic (in addtion to brutally athletic) at the highest level. >> One cool thing about dance >> class is that I’d get to touch girls even while still in a >> relationship wait I’m just kidding, no I’m not, yes I am. > touching strange flesh ~ > unleashes curiosity-beast.

Some beasts are better off left on their leash I guess.

Response:

MrWigglesworth wrote: > >How do you dance? > I don’t.

Seinfeld: All set. I can’t believe I’m going dancing. Keri: You don’t go that often? Seinfeld: No, because it’s so stupid. Shall we?

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -William P wrote: > "helen" <helens_pi…@yahoo.com> wrote in > news:1126449720.014077.318400@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com: > >> Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars? > > dragged by friends/never alone > >> What kind of places? > > straight/gay college/kink/goth/30s crowd/ethnic/ad infinatum > >> What do > >> you drink? > > sparkling mineral water, ice, lemon twist > > margaritas > > cold rose wine > >> How do you dance? > > by moving my body > How do you do that?  Just whatever feels right?  Or try to mirror other > people?  Or consciously think, hmm, this is a 4/4 tune, I should be doing > something with some part of my body on the 1 beat, and then another on > the 3 beat, or work in syncopation or what?  Or entirely non-conscious?

mechanically inexplicable…i just feel it. also, years of dance class, from tiger costumes to pink tutus. > >> What do you wear? > > clothes, except alone in apt. > > (ok ~ dresses, occasionally, men’s suits. junk shop neckties.) > What do you like guys to wear?  (Presuming you like guys sort of?)

i like guys. ummm…i don’t know…something not dirty. jeans? nothing gawdy? i really hate saggy pants & exposed underwear. > >> When I was doing the club thing a bit I was pretty boring.  It was > >> basically beer, and I just went for clothing not to stand out, so > >> khakis and pretty plain button-down shirts.  I didn’t know what the > >> hell to do about shoes. > > shoes go on your feet. > That explains a lot.  Do you care about shoes on guys?

{dense, quisical look} don’t think i care much. > … > >>  (Along with poor > >> conversation ability.) > > some people never shut up… > True, but telling a story seems to be a pretty good social skill.  Let’s > just say if I could talk one tenth as well as I can post I’d be rolling > in wimminz.  I’m quite sure.

i try to tell stories in music… interesting image…"rolling in women". [now i'm imagining rolling in a big pile of naked people, men & women, all covered in scented oils ~] > >> I know I would be a really sucky dancer.  But maybe > >> just studying it would bring me into the world of average? > > what to lose? > Hmm, money, time, shame.  Okay I lost all of the last one already.

shamelessness as a desireable place? > >> Or maybe it > >> could even have carry-over effects into other body language and the > >> oh so elusive "taking up space with my body" effect people talk > >> about. > > what people talk about that? > I’m not sure exactly but haven’t you ever heard about presence of some > guys who manage to take up space with their bodies?  A girl told me once > that if I wanted to work on something, that was one of the things: > taking up more space.  That and not looking down nearly as often as I do.

cryptic suggestion. are you looking at your shoes, wondering about them? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> >> Anyone have a recomendation for what kind of dancing they’d learn? > >> Swing > >> seems popular, but is it just me or does it look kind of like this > >> dumb 50s thing for people who liked Lawrence Welk? > > no…good to develope partner skills. > >> Maybe salsa > > yes ~ & samba, tango, flamingo, merenge, pachanga, mambo, etc…. > >>or heck even > >> ballroom? > > very cool! cool as in detatched. > Maybe that’s a positive for me.  You have to be really straight posture- > wise though, don’t you?

oh yes ~ chin always up, striving for poise. > >> For me, I think Hip Hop is out because > > because it sucks. > You can’t say that.  As a style of pure dance it is the real thing.  Even > though I’m an idiot who can’t move for shizzle I’ve seen enough of it to > know it’s really artistic (in addtion to brutally athletic) at the > highest level.

can’t get by reprocessed unoriginal bass-obsessed sameness. can’t get by the aggression, sexism, homophobia, & strutting criminality & ignorance. > >> One cool thing about dance > >> class is that I’d get to touch girls even while still in a > >> relationship wait I’m just kidding, no I’m not, yes I am. > > touching strange flesh ~ > > unleashes curiosity-beast. > Some beasts are better off left on their leash I guess.

consciousness colors & distorts instinctual desires, shame mangles animal joy. h

Response:

William P wrote: > August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in > news:3ohutmF60n1oU1@individual.net: >>         I went to Gluek’s (http://www.glueks.com/) once for my >>         bizarre >>little ONS attempt (it was supposed to be the meeting place). I felt >>it was a great triumph on my part to be there for so long without >>freaking out. > Cool.  Did the attempt yield anything?

         This was done through Adult FriendFinder. Basically I was going to be in the Twin Cities and I sent a mesage to 19 women in the Twin Cities area saying I would be there over that weekend and how about a ONS. This was done with no real expectation that I’d get a reply. I did it in such a way that proper communication was impossible when someone actually did reply proposing Friday (IIRC, I sent that message on Thursday). I was thinking Saturday so it took me by surprise. I got the impression that the hasty, almost spontaneous nature of the whole thing was part of the fantasy for her. As a result I showed up there a few hours after she expected me there. Apparently she left not that terribly long before I got there (or so she told me). If I hadn’t gotten stopped for speeding and if I hadn’t gotten a little bit lost on the way there I might actually have made it there before she had left the place. >>         I don’t drink. I never have. > Never even tried it?  Why not?

         I’ve tried it in the getting my tongue wet sense strictly to taste it.          I also have tried some sherry once because my dad was being a pain in the ass saying that I have to try it because I don’t know what I’m missing (he’s a bit of a sybarite and can’t understand how it can be that I might forego the pleasures of wines and other fine alcoholic beverages). And now that I think about it, I tried to get drunk once well into my thirties when I was alone just to see what it would feel like (it didn’t feel like anything and I just went to bed –maybe I just didn’t give it enough time).          Also, for the ONS attempt I mentioned, I was fully prepared to have one and only one glass of Champagne type wine because that was part of the fantasy she described. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>         What is this dance thing you speak of? > Read helen’s post it’s a good synopsis. >>         I wear stuff that grosses you out a little despite you being >>         a really geeky male. > Is there a virtual echo in here? >>         I have a relative who has a gym (judo, BJJ, sombo, and some >>flavor of jujutsu –plus some weights in a very ugly, mildewey >>basement). The top floor of the building he has a gym in is used by >>some people who practice dancing (ballroom dancing type stuff, IIRC). >>I can’t fully understand how I could have felt this and it confuses me >>greatly to admit to it but when he was showing us around and I took a >>peek at the dancers, it seemed really nice to me. > Why does it confuse you?

         Because it never occurred to me that dancing could ever look appealing to me at any level. The music wasn’t even loud (loud noise really bothers me) and would have been bearable to me while wearing earplugs. >                           Did you notice the men were very poised and > masculine?

         I don’t recall that at all. I suppose it just seemed like it would feel good to do that. > Do you think human movement is a waste of time if the goal isn’t an > asskicking or breaking some joint?

         Something like that, actually. August Pamplona — Women bring men they like tasks in much the same way cats put dead mice on their owner’s pillows. – Lola on a.s.s. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

Response:

August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote in news:3ohutmF60n1oU1@individual.net: >          I went to Gluek’s (http://www.glueks.com/) once for my >          bizarre > little ONS attempt (it was supposed to be the meeting place). I felt > it was a great triumph on my part to be there for so long without > freaking out.

Cool.  Did the attempt yield anything? >          I don’t drink. I never have.

Never even tried it?  Why not? >          What is this dance thing you speak of?

Read helen’s post it’s a good synopsis. >          I wear stuff that grosses you out a little despite you being >          a > really geeky male.

Is there a virtual echo in here? >          I have a relative who has a gym (judo, BJJ, sombo, and some > flavor of jujutsu –plus some weights in a very ugly, mildewey > basement). The top floor of the building he has a gym in is used by > some people who practice dancing (ballroom dancing type stuff, IIRC). > I can’t fully understand how I could have felt this and it confuses me > greatly to admit to it but when he was showing us around and I took a > peek at the dancers, it seemed really nice to me.

Why does it confuse you?  Did you notice the men were very poised and masculine? Do you think human movement is a waste of time if the goal isn’t an asskicking or breaking some joint?

Response:

William P wrote: > This thread is for everything related to those three subjects. > Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars?

dragged by friends/never alone > What kind of places?

straight/gay college/kink/goth/30s crowd/ethnic/ad infinatum > What do > you drink?

sparkling mineral water, ice, lemon twist margaritas cold rose wine > How do you dance?

by moving my body > What do you wear?

clothes, except alone in apt. (ok ~ dresses, occasionally, men’s suits. junk shop neckties.) > When I was doing the club thing a bit I was pretty boring.  It was > basically beer, and I just went for clothing not to stand out, so khakis > and pretty plain button-down shirts.  I didn’t know what the hell to do > about shoes.

shoes go on your feet. > Anyone ever learn dance?

parents insisted… > I’ve been thinking of it for a while.  Dancing > might be the one activity that I have the least innate talent for.  The > only purpose of dance is to display the way you move to other people.  And > if I have a big flaw, it’s emotive body language.

take classes… >  (Along with poor > conversation ability.)

some people never shut up… > I know I would be a really sucky dancer.  But maybe > just studying it would bring me into the world of average?

what to lose? > Or maybe it > could even have carry-over effects into other body language and the oh so > elusive "taking up space with my body" effect people talk about.

what people talk about that? > Anyone have a recomendation for what kind of dancing they’d learn? > Swing > seems popular, but is it just me or does it look kind of like this dumb 50s > thing for people who liked Lawrence Welk?

no…good to develope partner skills. > Maybe salsa

yes ~ & samba, tango, flamingo, merenge, pachanga, mambo, etc…. >or heck even > ballroom?

very cool! cool as in detatched. > For me, I think Hip Hop is out because

because it sucks. > One cool thing about dance > class is that I’d get to touch girls even while still in a relationship > wait I’m just kidding, no I’m not, yes I am.

touching strange flesh ~ unleashes curiosity-beast. h

Response:

William P wrote: > This thread is for everything related to those three subjects. > Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars?

         Not me. >                                             What kind of places?

         I went to Gluek’s (http://www.glueks.com/) once for my bizarre little ONS attempt (it was supposed to be the meeting place). I felt it was a great triumph on my part to be there for so long without freaking out. >                                                                   What do > you drink?

         I don’t drink. I never have. >             How do you dance?

         What is this dance thing you speak of? >                                What do you wear?

         I wear stuff that grosses you out a little despite you being a really geeky male. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> When I was doing the club thing a bit I was pretty boring.  It was > basically beer, and I just went for clothing not to stand out, so khakis > and pretty plain button-down shirts.  I didn’t know what the hell to do > about shoes. > Anyone ever learn dance?  I’ve been thinking of it for a while.  Dancing > might be the one activity that I have the least innate talent for.  The > only purpose of dance is to display the way you move to other people.  And > if I have a big flaw, it’s emotive body language.  (Along with poor > conversation ability.)  I know I would be a really sucky dancer.  But maybe > just studying it would bring me into the world of average?  Or maybe it > could even have carry-over effects into other body language and the oh so > elusive "taking up space with my body" effect people talk about. > Anyone have a recomendation for what kind of dancing they’d learn?  Swing > seems popular, but is it just me or does it look kind of like this dumb 50s > thing for people who liked Lawrence Welk?  Maybe salsa or heck even > ballroom?  For me, I think Hip Hop is out because I don’t fit in with the > culture very well and don’t know any rap music.  One cool thing about dance > class is that I’d get to touch girls even while still in a relationship > wait I’m just kidding, no I’m not, yes I am.

         I have a relative who has a gym (judo, BJJ, sombo, and some flavor of jujutsu –plus some weights in a very ugly, mildewey basement). The top floor of the building he has a gym in is used by some people who practice dancing (ballroom dancing type stuff, IIRC). I can’t fully understand how I could have felt this and it confuses me greatly to admit to it but when he was showing us around and I took a peek at the dancers, it seemed really nice to me. August Pamplona — Women bring men they like tasks in much the same way cats put dead mice on their owner’s pillows. – Lola on a.s.s. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

Response:

This thread is for everything related to those three subjects. Does anyone here ever go to clubs or bars?  What kind of places?  What do you drink?  How do you dance?  What do you wear? When I was doing the club thing a bit I was pretty boring.  It was basically beer, and I just went for clothing not to stand out, so khakis and pretty plain button-down shirts.  I didn’t know what the hell to do about shoes. Anyone ever learn dance?  I’ve been thinking of it for a while.  Dancing might be the one activity that I have the least innate talent for.  The only purpose of dance is to display the way you move to other people.  And if I have a big flaw, it’s emotive body language.  (Along with poor conversation ability.)  I know I would be a really sucky dancer.  But maybe just studying it would bring me into the world of average?  Or maybe it could even have carry-over effects into other body language and the oh so elusive "taking up space with my body" effect people talk about. Anyone have a recomendation for what kind of dancing they’d learn?  Swing seems popular, but is it just me or does it look kind of like this dumb 50s thing for people who liked Lawrence Welk?  Maybe salsa or heck even ballroom?  For me, I think Hip Hop is out because I don’t fit in with the culture very well and don’t know any rap music.  One cool thing about dance class is that I’d get to touch girls even while still in a relationship wait I’m just kidding, no I’m not, yes I am.

Response:

Good Will Hunting

Question:

    Oh my God. ROTFLOL Bill – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Wildcat wrote: > Thanks everyone, you’re sure special.  Ya’ll warmed my chestnuts and rose my > tree, haha > Hugs > Eddie (Chief)

Response:

"Warmed my chestnuts and rose my tree?"  Hey hey hey…watch those metaphors…:-)….I like em when they’re original and in the holiday spirit. Smiles, Solo – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Bill wrote in message <367A20D5.85E98…@albedo.net>… >    Oh my God. ROTFLOL >Bill >Wildcat wrote: >> Thanks everyone, you’re sure special.  Ya’ll warmed my chestnuts and rose my >> tree, haha >> Hugs >> Eddie (Chief)

Response:

>  Thank you Michael for saying the words I was going to say. Eddie what >Michael >said. >Bill

Thank you Michael and Bill for saying the words I would have tried to say. <smile> Dear Chief…… Ditto on what Michael and Bill said.  We are very fortunate to have you here with us.  You are an inspiration, and I do appreciate you…and your wisdom…and your caring….and your kindness…..and your "cut to the bone" truth, that you manage to tell while still expressing love and care.  How do you do that?!!!   <smile> Hugs and Smiles, Gina "What is life?  It is the flash of a firefly in the night.  It is the breath of a buffalo in the wintertime.  It is the little shadow which runs across the grass and loses itself in the sunset."                             —-Crowfoot                      (Blackfoot warrior and orator)

Response:

Thanks everyone, you’re sure special.  Ya’ll warmed my chestnuts and rose my tree, haha Hugs Eddie (Chief) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Maria Williams wrote in message <3677ED7B.7815…@sonic.net>… >(((((Chief))))) >Thanks so much for your heartfelt response to this thread. You are an >awesome dude, Eddie! You always have something good to say, and your >wicked sense of humor always puts me in a great mood. Hell, I even like >it when you are pissed off and telling us not to act like children; >makes me feel loved, and I appreciate that. >I am so sorry that you are having such a tough time of it all. Wish I >could give you a a big ole’ kiss and hug right now; I hate to see you in >such pain. When you feel like you can talk about whatever is going on, >please do without fear. There are a ton of people in here who love you. >Maria >Wildcat wrote: >> Hi Gang, >>   I must admit this is a beautiful thread you started Maria.  Many wonderful >> things said by many terribly nice people and I thank you all.  I hope and >> pray that everyone has the best possible Christmas.  You’ve all made me >> happy and sad at the same time.  Brought on many tears that unfortunately I >> don’t need right now as I’m not well, but It’s worth it for you folks and >> all the love that’s flowing.  Wish we could have a hell of a lot more love >> flowing here.  There are so many wonderful people here and we must all >> "honor and love" ourselves before we love others.  I’ve got a shitload >> (sorry) of stuff rolling through this dizzy (honest) mind right now and am >> having a hell of a time collecting it to put into sentences.  I wish I could >> wave a wand or put my Chief’s uniform on right now and hold a ceremony for >> all the loving people here.  I’m saying this broadly as I do have love and >> respect for everyone here.  I may not agree and maybe even get nasty on >> occasion (must be the CPO in me), but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect any >> of you.  I wish I could say something to help all you folks out of your pain >> and sorrow.  We are not alone here and we need to take care of each other >> through love and support.  I need you guys badly.  Not so much lately do to >> loneliness but more my shaky being.  It’s still both.  We need to pass on >> Kisses.  Kiss kiss for all (handshakes for the guys).  We need to tell each >> other we’re here to help and support – I’m here for you all.  Let’s all >> respect each other and project that respect.  It’s not that hard folks, it >> really isn’t.  How can so many of us get tied up in simple (sometimes petty) >> squabbles.  Some are so easy to rectify.  Again I’m talking broad but if the >> shoe fits, put it on and take the necessary action to get rid of the shoe. >> Suppose we could all go barefoot in the park?  Stress is a killer and I’ve >> got more than anyone should have right now.  Can’t talk about it and haven’t >> told "anyone" what’s going on but please guys let’s pray for each other. >> I’m a simple man really, I pray that I’ll not offend anyone and am sorry >> that I have on occasion.  I don’t like to rock the boat, never have. Will >> walk away from a fight long before it happens.  Some think I’m a chicken >> shit but it has nothing to do with that.  I can take care of myself, when at >> least semi-healthy.  It’s the feeling of what’s the use and what good will >> come out of physical confrontation.  Usually both end up hurt so who really >> wins.  Verbal abuse and battling is very similar and usually comes up with >> the same answer – no winners.  I hope I’m not putting anyone to sleep here >> just trying to unscramble and I apologize if I’ve now or at any time upset >> anyone.  Now is the time for peace folks.  Scratch you butt, take a deep >> breadth, or whatever it takes to get rid of what can be self serving hatred. >> Hatred is a very controlling power, just like love.  Love is certainly more >> fun but hatred is self serving.  It’s like a poison that you can’t control >> unless you really put your mind to it.  I’ve seen many people in my lifetime >> that literally hate someone and can not even really remember exactly why – >> because the hatred took over and became the controlling factor.  I know >> someone right now that hold a tremendous grudge against another woman >> because on the 4th of July over 20 years ago she pulled her pants down at >> the local park during the days festivities.  I must admit I laugh my ass off >> whenever I think about it.  I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the time but you’d >> think someone would get over it in that many years timeframe.  Why maintain >> such a grudge.  Guess I’m off again huh, sorry.  I need a release right now >> and you guys are it and Maria’s thread was so nice, hope I haven’t messed it >> up on you folks.  I try my best to give advice but often times I fear it >> falls on deaf ears, but I must admit I’m shying out of the middle.  Why >> can’t we all meet in the middle?  Sure would be good for everyone.  I’m >> crying, I’m hurting, and I don’t want to upset anyone about all what’s going >> on.  It’s easy to say don’t read posts by so and so but face it folks we’re >> human and gonna peak.  Maybe some day when I get healthier I can become more >> active with regards to you folks and help mend the fences.  There’s nothing >> wrong with two parties (elephants and jackass’s (haha)) as long as there is >> respect and understanding.  Guess I better stop for now, but I have one >> thing I have to add.  I send special thanks to Michael, Gina, and Bill for >> all there kind support (and anyone else I’m missing) and caring during the >> recent past.  They’ve been very instrumental in at least making me feel a >> little better as I fail.  Thank you guys and gang, I’ve gotta admit I’m >> crying like hell right now.  By the way Nick you can be Chief of my Boat >> anyday.  Please take care of yourselves and each other.  And I have to admit >> I’m selfish, I think, as this bickering is not helping me from my slide, >> quite the opposite.  I come here for love (makes me think of dear Chloe) and >> support anything else well you can guess.  Again I wish everyone a Very >> Merry and Special Christmas and I hope the New Year brings on better tidings >> for you all.  I gotta shut up, sorry. >> Love >> Eddie (Chief) >> Maria Williams wrote in message <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>… >> >Hi All >> >Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own >> >feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, >> >but for what it’s worth, here goes. >> >Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many >> >personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being >> >lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved >> >one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, >> >personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, >> >abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just >> >plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think >> >of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please >> >forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should >> >take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we >> >feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain >> >individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :)   Many >> >people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are >> >not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any >> >different? >> >What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because >> >of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in >> >common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find >> >another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the >> >kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone >> >who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At >> >least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met >> >some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me >> >how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the >> >long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in >> >order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. >> >While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, >> >they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess >> >a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. >> >I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. >> >I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my >> >mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a >> >good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own >> >good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the >> >same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a >> >certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to >> >not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or >> >use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, >> >not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on >> >something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But >> >then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my >> >opinion, right? :) >> >I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support >> >(private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others >> >who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who >> >have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is >> >still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who >> >have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you

… read more »

Response:

    Thank you Michael for saying the words I was going to say. Eddie what Michael said. Bill – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Maddogg wrote: > Dear Eddie, > Brother, I don’t know what to say… that is truly beautiful, > sincere, and heartfelt… and you must know, it brought my > tears also… > I echo much of what you have said, but I only want to add > my best wishes for you, Eddie, and my respect, for your > courage, and your heart… > I also want to wish you the Happiest of Holidays, and add > my prayers, for you, and your family… > Hold each other, Eddie, and share one another’s love, joy, > pain, and heartache, and you will be embracing the true > meaning of the season… > You know you may call on me anytime, and I will do my > best, to be there for you… > Thank you, Eddie, for your sincere, kind words, and for all > the heartfelt wishes… Be well, my brother… > Have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, with > the blessings of health, and happiness… >                    warm, comforting, brotherly hugs, >                    Michael > "…The language of friendship is not words, but meanings…" >                                                   Thoreau > In article <757drm$…@enews3.newsguy.com>, "Wildcat" <e…@cwix.com> wrote:

Response:

A Merry and Special Christmas and lots of Love to you, Eddie. You are a real good friend. Frans

Response:

(((((Chief))))) Thanks so much for your heartfelt response to this thread. You are an awesome dude, Eddie! You always have something good to say, and your wicked sense of humor always puts me in a great mood. Hell, I even like it when you are pissed off and telling us not to act like children; makes me feel loved, and I appreciate that. I am so sorry that you are having such a tough time of it all. Wish I could give you a a big ole’ kiss and hug right now; I hate to see you in such pain. When you feel like you can talk about whatever is going on, please do without fear. There are a ton of people in here who love you. Maria – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Wildcat wrote: > Hi Gang, >   I must admit this is a beautiful thread you started Maria.  Many wonderful > things said by many terribly nice people and I thank you all.  I hope and > pray that everyone has the best possible Christmas.  You’ve all made me > happy and sad at the same time.  Brought on many tears that unfortunately I > don’t need right now as I’m not well, but It’s worth it for you folks and > all the love that’s flowing.  Wish we could have a hell of a lot more love > flowing here.  There are so many wonderful people here and we must all > "honor and love" ourselves before we love others.  I’ve got a shitload > (sorry) of stuff rolling through this dizzy (honest) mind right now and am > having a hell of a time collecting it to put into sentences.  I wish I could > wave a wand or put my Chief’s uniform on right now and hold a ceremony for > all the loving people here.  I’m saying this broadly as I do have love and > respect for everyone here.  I may not agree and maybe even get nasty on > occasion (must be the CPO in me), but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect any > of you.  I wish I could say something to help all you folks out of your pain > and sorrow.  We are not alone here and we need to take care of each other > through love and support.  I need you guys badly.  Not so much lately do to > loneliness but more my shaky being.  It’s still both.  We need to pass on > Kisses.  Kiss kiss for all (handshakes for the guys).  We need to tell each > other we’re here to help and support – I’m here for you all.  Let’s all > respect each other and project that respect.  It’s not that hard folks, it > really isn’t.  How can so many of us get tied up in simple (sometimes petty) > squabbles.  Some are so easy to rectify.  Again I’m talking broad but if the > shoe fits, put it on and take the necessary action to get rid of the shoe. > Suppose we could all go barefoot in the park?  Stress is a killer and I’ve > got more than anyone should have right now.  Can’t talk about it and haven’t > told "anyone" what’s going on but please guys let’s pray for each other. > I’m a simple man really, I pray that I’ll not offend anyone and am sorry > that I have on occasion.  I don’t like to rock the boat, never have.  Will > walk away from a fight long before it happens.  Some think I’m a chicken > shit but it has nothing to do with that.  I can take care of myself, when at > least semi-healthy.  It’s the feeling of what’s the use and what good will > come out of physical confrontation.  Usually both end up hurt so who really > wins.  Verbal abuse and battling is very similar and usually comes up with > the same answer – no winners.  I hope I’m not putting anyone to sleep here > just trying to unscramble and I apologize if I’ve now or at any time upset > anyone.  Now is the time for peace folks.  Scratch you butt, take a deep > breadth, or whatever it takes to get rid of what can be self serving hatred. > Hatred is a very controlling power, just like love.  Love is certainly more > fun but hatred is self serving.  It’s like a poison that you can’t control > unless you really put your mind to it.  I’ve seen many people in my lifetime > that literally hate someone and can not even really remember exactly why – > because the hatred took over and became the controlling factor.  I know > someone right now that hold a tremendous grudge against another woman > because on the 4th of July over 20 years ago she pulled her pants down at > the local park during the days festivities.  I must admit I laugh my ass off > whenever I think about it.  I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the time but you’d > think someone would get over it in that many years timeframe.  Why maintain > such a grudge.  Guess I’m off again huh, sorry.  I need a release right now > and you guys are it and Maria’s thread was so nice, hope I haven’t messed it > up on you folks.  I try my best to give advice but often times I fear it > falls on deaf ears, but I must admit I’m shying out of the middle.  Why > can’t we all meet in the middle?  Sure would be good for everyone.  I’m > crying, I’m hurting, and I don’t want to upset anyone about all what’s going > on.  It’s easy to say don’t read posts by so and so but face it folks we’re > human and gonna peak.  Maybe some day when I get healthier I can become more > active with regards to you folks and help mend the fences.  There’s nothing > wrong with two parties (elephants and jackass’s (haha)) as long as there is > respect and understanding.  Guess I better stop for now, but I have one > thing I have to add.  I send special thanks to Michael, Gina, and Bill for > all there kind support (and anyone else I’m missing) and caring during the > recent past.  They’ve been very instrumental in at least making me feel a > little better as I fail.  Thank you guys and gang, I’ve gotta admit I’m > crying like hell right now.  By the way Nick you can be Chief of my Boat > anyday.  Please take care of yourselves and each other.  And I have to admit > I’m selfish, I think, as this bickering is not helping me from my slide, > quite the opposite.  I come here for love (makes me think of dear Chloe) and > support anything else well you can guess.  Again I wish everyone a Very > Merry and Special Christmas and I hope the New Year brings on better tidings > for you all.  I gotta shut up, sorry. > Love > Eddie (Chief) > Maria Williams wrote in message <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>… > >Hi All > >Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own > >feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, > >but for what it’s worth, here goes. > >Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many > >personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being > >lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved > >one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, > >personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, > >abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just > >plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think > >of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please > >forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should > >take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we > >feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain > >individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :)   Many > >people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are > >not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any > >different? > >What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because > >of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in > >common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find > >another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the > >kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone > >who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At > >least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met > >some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me > >how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the > >long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in > >order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. > >While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, > >they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess > >a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. > >I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. > >I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my > >mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a > >good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own > >good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the > >same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a > >certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to > >not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or > >use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, > >not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on > >something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But > >then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my > >opinion, right? :) > >I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support > >(private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others > >who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who > >have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is > >still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who > >have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have > >tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your > >words have certainly helped me. > >I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering > >leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; > >don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of

… read more »

Response:

Maria Williams writes>… >The meaning for the word "hunting" in the context of my title was more >like the yearly "Easter Egg Hunting" children do.  One knows that the >cheerful, brightly colored eggs are out there, but it is still a >pleasant surprise each time one is found! >Maria :)

I just found one, I think… It’s a shame I wear my new suede shoes… Frans :-( )

Response:

Dear Eddie, Brother, I don’t know what to say… that is truly beautiful, sincere, and heartfelt… and you must know, it brought my tears also… I echo much of what you have said, but I only want to add my best wishes for you, Eddie, and my respect, for your courage, and your heart… I also want to wish you the Happiest of Holidays, and add my prayers, for you, and your family… Hold each other, Eddie, and share one another’s love, joy, pain, and heartache, and you will be embracing the true meaning of the season… You know you may call on me anytime, and I will do my best, to be there for you… Thank you, Eddie, for your sincere, kind words, and for all the heartfelt wishes… Be well, my brother… Have a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, with the blessings of health, and happiness…                    warm, comforting, brotherly hugs,                    Michael "…The language of friendship is not words, but meanings…"                                                   Thoreau   – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -In article <757drm$…@enews3.newsguy.com>, "Wildcat" <e…@cwix.com> wrote: >Hi Gang, >  I must admit this is a beautiful thread you started Maria.  Many wonderful >things said by many terribly nice people and I thank you all.  I hope and >pray that everyone has the best possible Christmas.  You’ve all made me >happy and sad at the same time.  Brought on many tears that unfortunately I >don’t need right now as I’m not well, but It’s worth it for you folks and >all the love that’s flowing.  Wish we could have a hell of a lot more love >flowing here.  There are so many wonderful people here and we must all >"honor and love" ourselves before we love others.  I’ve got a shitload >(sorry) of stuff rolling through this dizzy (honest) mind right now and am >having a hell of a time collecting it to put into sentences.  I wish I could >wave a wand or put my Chief’s uniform on right now and hold a ceremony for >all the loving people here.  I’m saying this broadly as I do have love and >respect for everyone here.  I may not agree and maybe even get nasty on >occasion (must be the CPO in me), but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect any >of you.  I wish I could say something to help all you folks out of your pain >and sorrow.  We are not alone here and we need to take care of each other >through love and support.  I need you guys badly.  Not so much lately do to >loneliness but more my shaky being.  It’s still both.  We need to pass on >Kisses.  Kiss kiss for all (handshakes for the guys).  We need to tell each >other we’re here to help and support – I’m here for you all.  Let’s all >respect each other and project that respect.  It’s not that hard folks, it >really isn’t.  How can so many of us get tied up in simple (sometimes petty) >squabbles.  Some are so easy to rectify.  Again I’m talking broad but if the >shoe fits, put it on and take the necessary action to get rid of the shoe. >Suppose we could all go barefoot in the park?  Stress is a killer and I’ve >got more than anyone should have right now.  Can’t talk about it and haven’t >told "anyone" what’s going on but please guys let’s pray for each other. >I’m a simple man really, I pray that I’ll not offend anyone and am sorry >that I have on occasion.  I don’t like to rock the boat, never have.  Will >walk away from a fight long before it happens.  Some think I’m a chicken >shit but it has nothing to do with that.  I can take care of myself, when at >least semi-healthy.  It’s the feeling of what’s the use and what good will >come out of physical confrontation.  Usually both end up hurt so who really >wins.  Verbal abuse and battling is very similar and usually comes up with >the same answer – no winners.  I hope I’m not putting anyone to sleep here >just trying to unscramble and I apologize if I’ve now or at any time upset >anyone.  Now is the time for peace folks.  Scratch you butt, take a deep >breadth, or whatever it takes to get rid of what can be self serving hatred. >Hatred is a very controlling power, just like love.  Love is certainly more >fun but hatred is self serving.  It’s like a poison that you can’t control >unless you really put your mind to it.  I’ve seen many people in my lifetime >that literally hate someone and can not even really remember exactly why – >because the hatred took over and became the controlling factor.  I know >someone right now that hold a tremendous grudge against another woman >because on the 4th of July over 20 years ago she pulled her pants down at >the local park during the days festivities.  I must admit I laugh my ass off >whenever I think about it.  I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the time but you’d >think someone would get over it in that many years timeframe.  Why maintain >such a grudge.  Guess I’m off again huh, sorry.  I need a release right now >and you guys are it and Maria’s thread was so nice, hope I haven’t messed it >up on you folks.  I try my best to give advice but often times I fear it >falls on deaf ears, but I must admit I’m shying out of the middle.  Why >can’t we all meet in the middle?  Sure would be good for everyone.  I’m >crying, I’m hurting, and I don’t want to upset anyone about all what’s going >on.  It’s easy to say don’t read posts by so and so but face it folks we’re >human and gonna peak.  Maybe some day when I get healthier I can become more >active with regards to you folks and help mend the fences.  There’s nothing >wrong with two parties (elephants and jackass’s (haha)) as long as there is >respect and understanding.  Guess I better stop for now, but I have one >thing I have to add.  I send special thanks to Michael, Gina, and Bill for >all there kind support (and anyone else I’m missing) and caring during the >recent past.  They’ve been very instrumental in at least making me feel a >little better as I fail.  Thank you guys and gang, I’ve gotta admit I’m >crying like hell right now.  By the way Nick you can be Chief of my Boat >anyday.  Please take care of yourselves and each other.  And I have to admit >I’m selfish, I think, as this bickering is not helping me from my slide, >quite the opposite.  I come here for love (makes me think of dear Chloe) and >support anything else well you can guess.  Again I wish everyone a Very >Merry and Special Christmas and I hope the New Year brings on better tidings >for you all.  I gotta shut up, sorry. >Love >Eddie (Chief)

Response:

See the film, Caroline! It’s well worth the time. And, in some ways, it’s most ASL appropriate! Shalom, Nick In article <756l4t$r7…@news2.xs4all.nl>, calypsonos…@xs4all.nl says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Frans heeft geschreven in bericht <755jr2$a9…@news.worldonline.nl>… >:Hello Maria, >: >:The expression ‘Good Will Hunting’ I do understand. But since I am Dutch >:I experience it different. Hunting is an action where many persons are >:sweeping the surrounding to try to get a good shot or search for the >:target. >:We need no hunt, because the good will is clearly visible. >Hi Frans, >I thought that the title was from the movie Good Will Hunting – that was on >my Wish List, but I never got around to going to the cinema. Did you see the >movie or hear of it? >Just for the record, I won’t be eating any game (pheasant, duck, pigeon, >deer, rabbit, hare or any of the even rarer kinds) ever – if I can help it. >So I won’t cook it in my kitchen or order it in a restaurant.  My >step-father was an avid hunter, so I learned quite a bit about the hunting >situation in the Netherlands. They put out pheasants and feed them lots of >corn, so they can shoot them a few weeks later :(  As a child, I had to eat >what was on the table, now, fortunately, I have a free choice :) :) :) >Hugs, >Caroline

Response:

Hi Gang,   I must admit this is a beautiful thread you started Maria.  Many wonderful things said by many terribly nice people and I thank you all.  I hope and pray that everyone has the best possible Christmas.  You’ve all made me happy and sad at the same time.  Brought on many tears that unfortunately I don’t need right now as I’m not well, but It’s worth it for you folks and all the love that’s flowing.  Wish we could have a hell of a lot more love flowing here.  There are so many wonderful people here and we must all "honor and love" ourselves before we love others.  I’ve got a shitload (sorry) of stuff rolling through this dizzy (honest) mind right now and am having a hell of a time collecting it to put into sentences.  I wish I could wave a wand or put my Chief’s uniform on right now and hold a ceremony for all the loving people here.  I’m saying this broadly as I do have love and respect for everyone here.  I may not agree and maybe even get nasty on occasion (must be the CPO in me), but that doesn’t mean I don’t respect any of you.  I wish I could say something to help all you folks out of your pain and sorrow.  We are not alone here and we need to take care of each other through love and support.  I need you guys badly.  Not so much lately do to loneliness but more my shaky being.  It’s still both.  We need to pass on Kisses.  Kiss kiss for all (handshakes for the guys).  We need to tell each other we’re here to help and support – I’m here for you all.  Let’s all respect each other and project that respect.  It’s not that hard folks, it really isn’t.  How can so many of us get tied up in simple (sometimes petty) squabbles.  Some are so easy to rectify.  Again I’m talking broad but if the shoe fits, put it on and take the necessary action to get rid of the shoe. Suppose we could all go barefoot in the park?  Stress is a killer and I’ve got more than anyone should have right now.  Can’t talk about it and haven’t told "anyone" what’s going on but please guys let’s pray for each other. I’m a simple man really, I pray that I’ll not offend anyone and am sorry that I have on occasion.  I don’t like to rock the boat, never have.  Will walk away from a fight long before it happens.  Some think I’m a chicken shit but it has nothing to do with that.  I can take care of myself, when at least semi-healthy.  It’s the feeling of what’s the use and what good will come out of physical confrontation.  Usually both end up hurt so who really wins.  Verbal abuse and battling is very similar and usually comes up with the same answer – no winners.  I hope I’m not putting anyone to sleep here just trying to unscramble and I apologize if I’ve now or at any time upset anyone.  Now is the time for peace folks.  Scratch you butt, take a deep breadth, or whatever it takes to get rid of what can be self serving hatred. Hatred is a very controlling power, just like love.  Love is certainly more fun but hatred is self serving.  It’s like a poison that you can’t control unless you really put your mind to it.  I’ve seen many people in my lifetime that literally hate someone and can not even really remember exactly why – because the hatred took over and became the controlling factor.  I know someone right now that hold a tremendous grudge against another woman because on the 4th of July over 20 years ago she pulled her pants down at the local park during the days festivities.  I must admit I laugh my ass off whenever I think about it.  I’m sure it wasn’t funny at the time but you’d think someone would get over it in that many years timeframe.  Why maintain such a grudge.  Guess I’m off again huh, sorry.  I need a release right now and you guys are it and Maria’s thread was so nice, hope I haven’t messed it up on you folks.  I try my best to give advice but often times I fear it falls on deaf ears, but I must admit I’m shying out of the middle.  Why can’t we all meet in the middle?  Sure would be good for everyone.  I’m crying, I’m hurting, and I don’t want to upset anyone about all what’s going on.  It’s easy to say don’t read posts by so and so but face it folks we’re human and gonna peak.  Maybe some day when I get healthier I can become more active with regards to you folks and help mend the fences.  There’s nothing wrong with two parties (elephants and jackass’s (haha)) as long as there is respect and understanding.  Guess I better stop for now, but I have one thing I have to add.  I send special thanks to Michael, Gina, and Bill for all there kind support (and anyone else I’m missing) and caring during the recent past.  They’ve been very instrumental in at least making me feel a little better as I fail.  Thank you guys and gang, I’ve gotta admit I’m crying like hell right now.  By the way Nick you can be Chief of my Boat anyday.  Please take care of yourselves and each other.  And I have to admit I’m selfish, I think, as this bickering is not helping me from my slide, quite the opposite.  I come here for love (makes me think of dear Chloe) and support anything else well you can guess.  Again I wish everyone a Very Merry and Special Christmas and I hope the New Year brings on better tidings for you all.  I gotta shut up, sorry. Love Eddie (Chief) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Maria Williams wrote in message <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>… >Hi All >Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own >feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, >but for what it’s worth, here goes. >Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many >personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being >lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved >one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, >personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, >abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just >plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think >of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please >forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should >take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we >feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain >individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :)   Many >people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are >not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any >different? >What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because >of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in >common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find >another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the >kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone >who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At >least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met >some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me >how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the >long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in >order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. >While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, >they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess >a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. >I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. >I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my >mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a >good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own >good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the >same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a >certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to >not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or >use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, >not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on >something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But >then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my >opinion, right? :) >I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support >(private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others >who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who >have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is >still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who >have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have >tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your >words have certainly helped me. >I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering >leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; >don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of support for you here, and >that’s what we all need, isn’t it? >Thanks to all who have read this to the end! :) >Maria

Response:

Frans heeft geschreven in bericht <755jr2$a9…@news.worldonline.nl>… :Hello Maria, : :The expression ‘Good Will Hunting’ I do understand. But since I am Dutch :I experience it different. Hunting is an action where many persons are :sweeping the surrounding to try to get a good shot or search for the :target. :We need no hunt, because the good will is clearly visible. Hi Frans, I thought that the title was from the movie Good Will Hunting – that was on my Wish List, but I never got around to going to the cinema. Did you see the movie or hear of it? Just for the record, I won’t be eating any game (pheasant, duck, pigeon, deer, rabbit, hare or any of the even rarer kinds) ever – if I can help it. So I won’t cook it in my kitchen or order it in a restaurant.  My step-father was an avid hunter, so I learned quite a bit about the hunting situation in the Netherlands. They put out pheasants and feed them lots of corn, so they can shoot them a few weeks later :(  As a child, I had to eat what was on the table, now, fortunately, I have a free choice :) :) :) Hugs, Caroline

Response:

<gentle snip for bandwith sake> :I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support :( private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others :who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who :have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is :still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who :have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have :tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your :words have certainly helped me. : :I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering :leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; :don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of support for you here, and :that’s what we all need, isn’t it? : :Thanks to all who have read this to the end! :) :Maria It was a pleasure Maria – as always I might add – to read your words. Thank you for your support, and for the gentle nudge <smile>. Love and hugs, Caroline

Response:

Well said, Maria! Thank you + much shalom + joy! Nick In article <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>, ma…@sonic.net says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi All >Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own >feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, >but for what it’s worth, here goes. >Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many >personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being >lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved >one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, >personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, >abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just >plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think >of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please >forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should >take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we >feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain >individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :)   Many >people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are >not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any >different? >What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because >of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in >common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find >another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the >kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone >who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At >least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met >some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me >how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the >long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in >order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. >While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, >they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess >a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. >I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. >I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my >mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a >good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own >good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the >same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a >certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to >not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or >use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, >not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on >something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But >then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my >opinion, right? :) >I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support >(private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others >who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who >have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is >still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who >have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have >tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your >words have certainly helped me. >I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering >leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; >don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of support for you here, and >that’s what we all need, isn’t it? >Thanks to all who have read this to the end! :) >Maria

Response:

Frans wrote: > Hello Maria, > The expression ‘Good Will Hunting’ I do understand. But since I am Dutch > I experience it different. Hunting is an action where many persons are > sweeping the surrounding to try to get a good shot or search for the > target. > We need no hunt, because the good will is clearly visible.

The meaning for the word "hunting" in the context of my title was more like the yearly "Easter Egg Hunting" children do.  One knows that the cheerful, brightly colored eggs are out there, but it is still a pleasant surprise each time one is found! Maria :)

Response:

Maddogg wrote in his usual comforting manner: > Thank *you*, Maria… > I guess we all have blessings we tend to overlook… we get > overwhelmed by our problems, our challenges, our sadness, > and forget to look around us, and see that we are indeed > blessed… Guilty, myself… > I tend to look at all I have lost, including the man I was… when > I should be working on what I have been left with, and the man > I now am… (shit, made myself cry)…

And an excellent example of man if I ever knew one, Michael! :) > (laugh) Yes, I know… but I thought he may feel "really" funny, > if his Mom walked up and shook his hand… (laugh) And don’t > let him kid you… he loved the hug… (smile)

Yeah, he loves hugs, just don’t tell him I told you :) > Thank you for the return of the warm and caring hugs… may I > return them to you, once again? (We had better be careful, or > this could get out of hand, real fast… laughing)

Oh, let’s just throw caution to the wind! > Please take care of yourself, Maria… have a very Happy Holidays. > Is your band playing a gig, New Year’s Eve? That’s one way to > make sure you’re at the party… *be* the party…

Yes, our band has a New Year’s Eve gig.  Perfect for me, because when everyone is kissing at the stroke of midnight, I will be busy playing a kewl blues duet of Auld Lang Syne with our sax player! Happy New Year to you, Michael :) Maria – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->                      warm, comforting hugs, >                      Michael >   "…Blackbird singing in the dead of night, >       take these broken wings, and learn to fly…" >                     Lennon and McCartney > In article <36762AE6.296CD…@sonic.net>, Maria Williams <ma…@sonic.net> > wrote: > >Thank you, Michael :) > >The holidays are rough for many of us in asl. I may have it bad, but not > >as bad as many others, whose stories make me cry. I am going to take > >your advice and count my blessings, for indeed, I have many. > >My son Mike told me to tell you thanks for the hug offer… but he would > >prefer a handshake, man to man. (dontcha just love kids who think they > >are all grown up?) <grin> > >I return your warm and caring hugs, Michael. Merry Christmas to you, > >too. > >Maria

– * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit my band’s homepage at:  http://www.sonic.net/maria

Response:

Hello Maria, The expression ‘Good Will Hunting’ I do understand. But since I am Dutch I experience it different. Hunting is an action where many persons are sweeping the surrounding to try to get a good shot or search for the target. We need no hunt, because the good will is clearly visible. What you wrote was good, and strong, and made me humble. With Barbara I bow my head. But as Gina asked some day’s ago, it’s not over when the water is untroubled. It’s easy to believe it’s over. But every time a person opens this news group to read new messages, somewhere deep inside there’s a fear of ‘hope it’s safe today’. It’s like walking through a bad neighbourhood. And that scary feeling should be dealt with. This can only be if at least the two persons, who were throwing stones over and over again, tell us they will not do it again, and respect the opinion of a minority. Even if only one person is hurt by a word I use, I shouldn’t use that word again. Because of respect. If I would use that word again there after, it is on purpose! It’s a flame. It’s not my right! So I can expect to be left aside, I should be ignored. If this is your intention as well, let’s go for it. Happy hunting. Frans Maria Williams wrote>… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi All >Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own >feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, >but for what it’s worth, here goes. >Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many >personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being >lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved >one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, >personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, >abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just >plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think >of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please >forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should >take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we >feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain >individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :) Many >people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are >not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any >different? >What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because >of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in >common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find >another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the >kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone >who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At >least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met >some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me >how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the >long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in >order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. >While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, >they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess >a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. >I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. >I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my >mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a >good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own >good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the >same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a >certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to >not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or >use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, >not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on >something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But >then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my >opinion, right? :) >I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support >(private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others >who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who >have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is >still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who >have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have >tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your >words have certainly helped me. >I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering >leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; >don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of support for you here, and >that’s what we all need, isn’t it? >Thanks to all who have read this to the end! :) >Maria

Response:

Thank *you*, Maria… I guess we all have blessings we tend to overlook… we get overwhelmed by our problems, our challenges, our sadness, and forget to look around us, and see that we are indeed blessed… Guilty, myself… I tend to look at all I have lost, including the man I was… when I should be working on what I have been left with, and the man I now am… (shit, made myself cry)… (laugh) Yes, I know… but I thought he may feel "really" funny, if his Mom walked up and shook his hand… (laugh) And don’t let him kid you… he loved the hug… (smile) Thank you for the return of the warm and caring hugs… may I return them to you, once again? (We had better be careful, or this could get out of hand, real fast… laughing) Please take care of yourself, Maria… have a very Happy Holidays. Is your band playing a gig, New Year’s Eve? That’s one way to make sure you’re at the party… *be* the party…                      warm, comforting hugs,                      Michael   "…Blackbird singing in the dead of night,       take these broken wings, and learn to fly…"                     Lennon and McCartney In article <36762AE6.296CD…@sonic.net>, Maria Williams <ma…@sonic.net> wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Thank you, Michael :) >The holidays are rough for many of us in asl. I may have it bad, but not >as bad as many others, whose stories make me cry. I am going to take >your advice and count my blessings, for indeed, I have many. >My son Mike told me to tell you thanks for the hug offer… but he would >prefer a handshake, man to man. (dontcha just love kids who think they >are all grown up?) <grin> >I return your warm and caring hugs, Michael. Merry Christmas to you, >too. >Maria

Response:

Thank you, Barbara; I like you, too. :) Maria Barbara Pim wrote: > Well said Maria <bowing my head> > Although my most recent post revealed a great unhappiness, anger and > bitterness toward the negativity of what has been going on, thank you for > providing me a gentleness.  There is a great depth to you Maria and I love > what I "see" already.  I look forward to more. > B > Maria Williams wrote in message <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>… > <respectfully snipped>

– * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit my band’s homepage at:  http://www.sonic.net/maria

Response:

Thank you, Michael :) The holidays are rough for many of us in asl. I may have it bad, but not as bad as many others, whose stories make me cry. I am going to take your advice and count my blessings, for indeed, I have many. My son Mike told me to tell you thanks for the hug offer… but he would prefer a handshake, man to man. (dontcha just love kids who think they are all grown up?) <grin> I return your warm and caring hugs, Michael. Merry Christmas to you, too. Maria – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Maddogg wrote: > Hello, Maria, > That is so very well said, so sincere, and so beautiful… > Thank you… > Dear Maria, you know my heart goes out to you, for I know > this season is especially painful for you also, as it is for so > many here… I know you have suffered the heartache of loss, > grief, disappointment, and adversity… but please do not forget > the triumphs, the miracles, the blessings, and the love… and > instead of sorrow, may you find comfort in the sweet memories > that live in your heart… > Merry Christmas, Maria… and a very Blessed New Year… >                     warm, comforting hugs, >                     Michael > P.S. Please give Mike a big hug for me… >      "…And in the end, the love you take, >          is equal to the love, you make…" >                     Lennon and McCartney > In article <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>, Maria Williams <ma…@sonic.net> > wrote: > >Hi All > >Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own > >feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, > >but for what it’s worth, here goes. > >Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many > >personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being > >lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved > >one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, > >personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, > >abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just > >plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think > >of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please > >forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should > >take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we > >feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain > >individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :)   Many > >people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are > >not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any > >different? > >What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because > >of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in > >common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find > >another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the > >kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone > >who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At > >least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met > >some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me > >how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the > >long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in > >order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. > >While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, > >they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess > >a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. > >I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. > >I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my > >mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a > >good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own > >good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the > >same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a > >certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to > >not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or > >use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, > >not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on > >something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But > >then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my > >opinion, right? :) > >I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support > >(private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others > >who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who > >have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is > >still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who > >have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have > >tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your > >words have certainly helped me. > >I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering > >leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; > >don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of support for you here, and > >that’s what we all need, isn’t it? > >Thanks to all who have read this to the end! :) > >Maria

– * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Visit my band’s homepage at:  http://www.sonic.net/maria

Response:

Hi All Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, but for what it’s worth, here goes. Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :)   Many people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any different? What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my opinion, right? :) I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support (private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your words have certainly helped me. I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of support for you here, and that’s what we all need, isn’t it? Thanks to all who have read this to the end! :) Maria

Response:

Amsterdam, December 14. 1998 Hi Maria, Such a great post! You know, I couldn’t agree with you more. And all I hope is that this goes for so many others of us as well. Kind of Christmas spirit, huh? ;-) ) Thanks, Viktor.

Response:

Hi Maria… thanks for these positive words… I thought I was gonna find out about a movie when I clicked on the subject <small, respect-filled smile>… I was very happy to see the positivity about ASL and the understanding you expressed… everyone does need to express themselves, I think… especially when as you say, their integrity is attacked… and we also need, I think, to look for the positive that is in each of us and read each others words with as much positivity and as little negativity as possible, because we do usually find what we seek in words… they are so subjective tools for communication, after all… I support Jae’s idea as no matter how many times it’s tried, it’s still a great idea and the one I’ve always preferred… all it takes is to forgive and leave the past behind as she has done so well in her expression of herself… that’s still my hope for us all, a Christmas wish – to leave the troubles and pains and past disputes behind and see through eyes of hope and faith and trust… to look for the positive and see through the negative to the positive under or behind it… *HUGS* to you and all… Merry Christmas, Happy Chanuka, Joyous Holidays, a Positive New Year and a Wonderful Life to All :) honest love, ric – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Maria Williams wrote in message <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>… >Hi All >Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own >feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, >but for what it’s worth, here goes. >Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many >personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being >lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved >one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, >personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, >abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just >plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think >of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please >forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should >take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we >feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain >individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :)   Many >people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are >not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any >different? >What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because >of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in >common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find >another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the >kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone >who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At >least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met >some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me >how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the >long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in >order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. >While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, >they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess >a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. >I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. >I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my >mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a >good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own >good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the >same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a >certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to >not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or >use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, >not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on >something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But >then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my >opinion, right? :) >I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support >(private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others >who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who >have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is >still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who >have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have >tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your >words have certainly helped me. >I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering >leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; >don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of support for you here, and >that’s what we all need, isn’t it? >Thanks to all who have read this to the end! :) >Maria

Response:

Well said Maria <bowing my head> Although my most recent post revealed a great unhappiness, anger and bitterness toward the negativity of what has been going on, thank you for providing me a gentleness.  There is a great depth to you Maria and I love what I "see" already.  I look forward to more. B Maria Williams wrote in message <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>…

<respectfully snipped>

Response:

Hello, Maria, That is so very well said, so sincere, and so beautiful… Thank you… Dear Maria, you know my heart goes out to you, for I know this season is especially painful for you also, as it is for so many here… I know you have suffered the heartache of loss, grief, disappointment, and adversity… but please do not forget the triumphs, the miracles, the blessings, and the love… and instead of sorrow, may you find comfort in the sweet memories that live in your heart… Merry Christmas, Maria… and a very Blessed New Year…                     warm, comforting hugs,                     Michael P.S. Please give Mike a big hug for me…      "…And in the end, the love you take,          is equal to the love, you make…"                     Lennon and McCartney In article <36757A4C.80CFE…@sonic.net>, Maria Williams <ma…@sonic.net> wrote: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi All >Out of respect for those who are asking for more input, I offer my own >feelings at this time. My views are not unlike some others I have read, >but for what it’s worth, here goes. >Most of us are in this ng because we are lonely. There are many >personality types here with various backgrounds and reasons for being >lonely. Some reasons could be shyness, low self esteem, loss of loved >one by death or divorce, unhappy marriage, clinical depression, >personality disorder, physical limitations, alcohol/drug addiction, >abuse survivors, need for attention, isolation due to location, or just >plain lack of social skills, to name a few (these were all I could think >of at the moment, so if I have left your particular reason out, please >forgive me). So, in a group of this size, I don’t think any of us should >take it personally when we can’t get another asl’er to think the way we >feel is appropriate. I have found it to be futile with certain >individuals, and I am sure that I was frustrating to them, too :)   Many >people in here are lonely because, for whatever reason, they just are >not able to get along with other people; why should cyber-society be any >different? >What keeps me here in asl is knowing this: Since we are all here because >of loneliness, no matter what the reason, we all have something in >common:  We all share the same pain, and I personally will never find >another place with this many people who are capable of giving me the >kind of support I need. Have you ever tried to get support from someone >who has never known loneliness? I have, and it was so frustrating! At >least in asl, most people KNOW what I am going through. And I have met >some pretty incredible individuals in here so far. It’s amazing to me >how easy it is to find friends here who understand my pain. So, in the >long run, it is worth it to me to sift through those who annoy me in >order to enjoy those who can trade support with me. >While it is true that some people may not be here because of loneliness, >they must be getting something they need from the rest of us, so I guess >a certain amount of understanding is needed for them, too. >I know how hard it is to ignore someone who has insulted your integrity. >I personally find it very difficult to keep from saying what is on my >mind when provoked. Being disliked or misunderstood by anyone is never a >good feeling. And since I support anyone who tries to defend their own >good name, I will try to be more patient with the endless volleys on the >same tired (to me) issues. As for myself, I can only defend myself to a >certain point before it becomes too bothersome. So I will continue to >not respond to those who (in my opinion) practice double standards, or >use this forum just to get attention. That’s their particular problem, >not mine. I for one, don’t want to waste any more of my time on >something that would take the average therapist years to unblock!  But >then, my own particular reason for being lonely is what forms my >opinion, right? :) >I will try my best to use public posting more often to give support >(private emailing had become safe for me), and I encourage any others >who have stopped posting to do so also, so that newbies or those who >have been too shy to post can benefit from seeing the support that is >still very strong in here. Also, it would show more support to those who >have continued to brave the flames :)  I thank those of you who have >tried to remain impartial and who continue to offer clean support; your >words have certainly helped me. >I hope that my words will encourage anyone who has been considering >leaving this group to stay and add to the positive posts. Hang in there; >don’t jump ship yet; there is still a lot of support for you here, and >that’s what we all need, isn’t it? >Thanks to all who have read this to the end! :) >Maria

Response:

Now how coud that ever be interesting to a straight female…?…? Thanks for the warming:) "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Brief Precis…Jlo talks about her vagina all the time. The end. > OTS > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > news:cvllsv$c4l$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… >> Not that I *remember*…..;-) >> "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: >> > Have you seen "Gigli" ? >> > OTS >> > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message >> > news:cvgekj$add$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… >> >> …and what do you call him…? >> >> "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: >> >> > I call Affleck. >> >> > OTS >> >> > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message >> >> > news:cv7fsg$buq$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… >> >> >> Comments? >> >> >> — >> >> — >> —

Response:

No, he sucks.

Response:

"Darkfalz" (Darkfalz.Use…@gmail.com) writes: > No, he sucks.

Thanks for all who answered. Unfortunately, the replies were somehwat too few and apart for me to remember the movie at all. That much for trying to get a movie ‘ducation and memory…Heh. Sighhhhh. At least they know at the local video place to check so that I do not rent the same twice thinking I have not seen it. You see, to be able to store it in memory (at least a bit?), I need to have various inputs on any given movie, after seing them. To remember anythign that has a name, title, is a book, a band, a tune, etc, etc, I need to have a minimum of four different contexts of it being mentioned, close enough in time for me to be able to then reopen the right file in my memory, to practuice opening and closing that memory box until "the hinges" are souple enough for me to retrieve it on my own. So Good Will Hunting goes down the memory drain hole…. —

Response:

Die.

Response:

How could it ever be interesting to anyone at all, generally? You don’t get to see it either. In fact, the only c**t in it, is her. OTS "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message

news:cvofpm$h3g$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Now how coud that ever be interesting to a straight female…?…? > Thanks for the warming:) > "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: > > Brief Precis…Jlo talks about her vagina all the time. The end. > > OTS > > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > > news:cvllsv$c4l$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… > >> Not that I *remember*…..;-) > >> "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: > >> > Have you seen "Gigli" ? > >> > OTS > >> > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > >> > news:cvgekj$add$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… > >> >> …and what do you call him…? > >> >> "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: > >> >> > I call Affleck. > >> >> > OTS > >> >> > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > >> >> > news:cv7fsg$buq$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… > >> >> >> Comments? > >> >> >> — > >> >> — > >> — > —

Response:

Do you mean the plural of dice, or is that an imperative? God, what an ambiguous language English is. Bloody Anglos, eh Chloe? OTS "Darkfalz" <Darkfalz.Use…@gmail.com> wrote in message

news:1109644160.742481.159750@l41g2000cwc.googlegroups.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Die.

Response:

Brief Precis…Jlo talks about her vagina all the time. The end. OTS "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message

news:cvllsv$c4l$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Not that I *remember*…..;-) > "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: > > Have you seen "Gigli" ? > > OTS > > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > > news:cvgekj$add$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… > >> …and what do you call him…? > >> "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: > >> > I call Affleck. > >> > OTS > >> > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > >> > news:cv7fsg$buq$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… > >> >> Comments? > >> >> — > >> — > —

Response:

"Darkfalz" <Darkfalz.Use…@gmail.com> wrote in news:1109136037.985582.195420@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com: > filthy hook nosed Jew Robin Williams.

You need a psychiatrist. >Matt Damon and > Beff Affuck both suck.

Matt Damon was good in Talented Mr. Ripley.  And Bourne Identity.  Bourne Supremacy was thoroughly mediocre, however. — "Was that guy on TV a robot-monkey?"  -SeaLab2021

Response:

Have you seen "Gigli" ? OTS "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message

news:cvgekj$add$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> …and what do you call him…? > "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: > > I call Affleck. > > OTS > > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > > news:cv7fsg$buq$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… > >> Comments? > >> — > —

Response:

Not that I *remember*…..;-) "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Have you seen "Gigli" ? > OTS > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > news:cvgekj$add$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… >> …and what do you call him…? >> "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: >> > I call Affleck. >> > OTS >> > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message >> > news:cv7fsg$buq$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… >> >> Comments? >> >> — >> —

Response:

Comments? —

Response:

I call Affleck. OTS "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message

news:cv7fsg$buq$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Comments? > —

Response:

…and what do you call him…? "Trans-Saturnian Swan Emulsifier" (omega.po…@ntlworld.com) writes: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I call Affleck. > OTS > "Eleonore Beaudoin" <bc…@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message > news:cv7fsg$buq$1@theodyn.ncf.ca… >> Comments? >> —

Response:

Shit movie. Shit acting, shit stars. Shit writing by the same shit stars. What’s his face, that dickhead (who thinks he is an action star now, LOL) and that filthy hook nosed Jew Robin Williams. Matt Damon and Beff Affuck both suck.

Response:

DVD recorders and closed captioning

Question:

Steve, I really don’t know a thing about Dish as I have Directv as my sat service.  You can determine if your Dish box decodes captions simply by looking at the remote and/or reading the manual.  If the remote has "cc" on it then it does have the ability to decode captions.  Another way is to turn the "cc" off on your tv.  If you still see captions then your sat box is doing the decoding work. If you have the Dish box connected to your vcr and the recorded tape contains the captions then the Dish box is indeed doing the decoding – it is the same principal as the DVD recorder because I am pretty sure your vcr does not have an internal decoder. If the box is doing the decoding, then you should be able to record captions to the 5005 just as easily as to the vcr, no matter if you use Svideo or A/V plugs (I would think anyway).  Make sure your connection to the 5005 is just like the connection to your vcr to test this. I just got up and did an experiment to verify this.  I attached Svideo from my Zenith 520 sat dish (which as I mentioned before does cc decoding on it’s own) and the record screen on the 5005 displayed the captions.  That mean it "sees" the captions as part of the picture just like the actors are part of the picture you see.  Therefore, the 5005 WILL record the captions as though it were part of the original picture because it sees the captions as no different than any other part of the picture.  A device with a decoder built in would "read" and interpret the signal rather than "see" it. Okay, I then took my Directivo sat box (which does not decode captions – remember, it only sends the caption stream to the tv which it relies on to do the decoding work).  Sure enough, no captions were shown on the recording screen.  BTW, I used the A/V rather than Svideo connections so the culprit is not Svideo, it is simply that the caption decoding MUST be done prior to going to this recorder. Maybe there is a way to do all this in reverse but I’m not sure it will work as I have never tried it.  What if you take your box and hook it up direct to the tv.  That way your tv will do the caption work for sure (at least as long as the tv has caption capability which yours does or you would not see captions at all from your vcr).   Now, run your cables from the tv’s monitor out to the 5005.  The monitor out, again, if you have that output mode on your set, sends the tv audio and video signal it receives to another component, in this case, the 5005 (I use the monitor out on my set to send the audio signal to a pair of wireless headphones).   The question is does the tv send the original picture only to the recorder or does it send the picture you actually are watching, which would include captions?  That I do not know but I may just try it someday. MARTY

Response:

mar…@webtv.net (shortspark) wrote: >The point I’ve been making all along is that if the directv box has >caption capability independent of the tv’s decoder, ie, you can view >captions even with your tv’s cc turned off (such as the Samsung 360 or >Zenith 520) you will be able to record these captions on the 5005 simply >because the cc has already been decoded on the picture before it ever >gets to the 5005 (and tv).  If the directv box does not have a cc >decoder built in (such as Tivo), there is no way for the captions to be >decoded before they reach the 5005. Therefore, the 5005 can not put on >the screen what it can’t see as being decoded or decode itself.

Thanks Marty.  How would I check to see if I can view captions with CC turned off?  I’m using a Dish Network satellite PVR.  If I record to the VCR, the captions come thru with no problem – so it looks like the A/V connection (RCA plugs) works ok for CC, but not the s-video connection.  But doesn’t the Dish box have to decode the CC for it to come thru at all on the VCR?

Response:

Steve <r…@qhd.inv> wrote: >>If you have the Dish box connected to your vcr and the recorded tape >>contains the captions then the Dish box is indeed doing the decoding – >>it is the same principal as the DVD recorder because I am pretty sure >>your vcr does not have an internal decoder. >>If the box is doing the decoding, then you should be able to record >>captions to the 5005 just as easily as to the vcr, no matter if you use >>Svideo or A/V plugs (I would think anyway).  Make sure your connection >>to the 5005 is just like the connection to your vcr to test this. >If I hook up the 5005 using the A/V connections (just as the VCR is >hooked up), it will pick up the captions.  But it’s definitely not >picking up CC using the s-video connection.

Just checked the Dish remote, no CC button.  But the brochure indicates "closed caption support" – http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/product_brochures/dish_508.pdf

Response:

If the Dish box manual says it has cc but the remote has no cc button how do you activate and deactive this feature?  Perhaps cc "support" really means that it sends the stream to the tv (like Tivo) to read so that the tv may do the decoding.  If the Dish sat box has a decoder it also has to have a way (usually on the remote) to enable and disable cc. MARTY

Response:

I have a Dish 510 receiver connected to a standard definition JVC TV with an S-Video connection.  CC works fine provided it is turned on with the TV controller.  The Dish 510 receiver is also connected to a JVC VCR with composite connectors.  The JVC VCR is connected to the TV with composite connectors.  CC also works fine via this route provided CC is enabled on the TV.   So the TV does the decoding – everything else passes through line 21 where CC lives. HDTV is different. "Steve" <r…@qhd.inv> wrote in message

news:8r6rv0h1vlq6v4uhp16ofhucpd05r9uu2m@4ax.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Steve <r…@qhd.inv> wrote: >>>If you have the Dish box connected to your vcr and the recorded tape >>>contains the captions then the Dish box is indeed doing the decoding – >>>it is the same principal as the DVD recorder because I am pretty sure >>>your vcr does not have an internal decoder. >>>If the box is doing the decoding, then you should be able to record >>>captions to the 5005 just as easily as to the vcr, no matter if you use >>>Svideo or A/V plugs (I would think anyway).  Make sure your connection >>>to the 5005 is just like the connection to your vcr to test this. >>If I hook up the 5005 using the A/V connections (just as the VCR is >>hooked up), it will pick up the captions.  But it’s definitely not >>picking up CC using the s-video connection. > Just checked the Dish remote, no CC button.  But the brochure > indicates "closed caption support" – > http://www.dishnetwork.com/downloads/pdf/product_brochures/dish_508.pdf

Response:

mar…@webtv.net (shortspark) wrote: >If you have the Dish box connected to your vcr and the recorded tape >contains the captions then the Dish box is indeed doing the decoding – >it is the same principal as the DVD recorder because I am pretty sure >your vcr does not have an internal decoder. >If the box is doing the decoding, then you should be able to record >captions to the 5005 just as easily as to the vcr, no matter if you use >Svideo or A/V plugs (I would think anyway).  Make sure your connection >to the 5005 is just like the connection to your vcr to test this.

If I hook up the 5005 using the A/V connections (just as the VCR is hooked up), it will pick up the captions.  But it’s definitely not picking up CC using the s-video connection.  Sigh.

Response:

Yep, it sounds like they only want you to use the A/V connection (RCA plugs) rather than Svideo.  Perhaps captions can be recorded this way, I don’t know but I won’t give up the better Svideo picture to do it. Plus, I don’t really see how going through the vcr makes any difference. The point I’ve been making all along is that if the directv box has caption capability independent of the tv’s decoder, ie, you can view captions even with your tv’s cc turned off (such as the Samsung 360 or Zenith 520) you will be able to record these captions on the 5005 simply because the cc has already been decoded on the picture before it ever gets to the 5005 (and tv).  If the directv box does not have a cc decoder built in (such as Tivo), there is no way for the captions to be decoded before they reach the 5005. Therefore, the 5005 can not put on the screen what it can’t see as being decoded or decode itself. MARTY

Response:

Steve <r…@qhd.inv> wrote: >Recently puchased a Liteon 5005 DVD recorder, just discovered that it >doesn’t record the closed captioning.  Not only that, when using it as >a pass-thru from the satellite receiver, all CC is lost.

Just received this response from Liteon tech support.  Can someone maybe translate it into English?  Sounds like they wanna scrap the s-video connection? Our Tuner only support UHF/VHF/CATV signal. If the direct TV box is not output with one of the above signal, please also check if the TV box has AV output. If yes, you can connect the TV box through AV channel. In theory, the signal should pass through the 5005 then goes to TV. For example, connect VHS (signal source) to 5005; TV. The connection should be VHS AV output to 5005 AV input, 5005 AV output to TV AV input. Please make sure that TV is in AV mode. In this way, you can see the VHS signal pass through 5005 to TV.

Response:

Have you tried using the original DVD menu that has a Language option?  Usually you can choose "English" subtitles.  I actually prefer the subtitles over CC because I don’t need the references to sounds that I can hear ie (door slamming, music, groans).  Uses up a lot less screen and seem to be more "real time" than the CC.

Response:

bishf…@aol.com (Bishfish) wrote: >Have you tried using the original DVD menu that has a Language option?  Usually >you can choose "English" subtitles.  I actually prefer the subtitles over CC >because I don’t need the references to sounds that I can hear ie (door >slamming, music, groans).  Uses up a lot less screen and seem to be more "real >time" than the CC.

Tried turning on the subtitles, no luck.  I’d love to replace CC with subtitles, for the reasons you mention – somebody needs to tell those captioners that CC is for the deaf, not the blind.  It’s not only the sounds you can hear, but those that are obvious onscreen, like somone "sobbing" or "laughing" or whatever.  And then there are the scenes with a radio or TV playing way in the background, at a volume that’s obviously not meant to be heard, and of course CC has to give you all the words for that too.

Response:

I don’t know about DVD recorders, but I know that JVC DVD players will not give you CC, even when a DVD disk has CC on the box and the TV’s CC is engaged.

Response:

Steve wrote: > Recently puchased a Liteon 5005 DVD recorder, just discovered that it > doesn’t record the closed captioning.  Not only that, when using it as > a pass-thru from the satellite receiver, all CC is lost.  Anyone else > have this experience?  Is it maybe just an issue with the Liteon, or > do all DVD recorders have this problem?

I use a Panasonic DMR-E30 DVD recorder.  It records the captions just fine.  A CC decoder is required to see the CC for playback (built into the TV) …which can be turned on or off.  I’ve got it hooked from the satellite receiver/decoder/DVR, through a DVD/VHS player combo, to the DVD-R then to the TV. ( It’s hooked up through the DVD/VHS combo from when I was transferring our home movies to DVD…I’ve just never gotten around to pulling it out of the loop.) Playback is as good as the incoming signal. — Patricia Burns (to reply via email…address has only one "s")

Response:

Recently puchased a Liteon 5005 DVD recorder, just discovered that it doesn’t record the closed captioning.  Not only that, when using it as a pass-thru from the satellite receiver, all CC is lost.  Anyone else have this experience?  Is it maybe just an issue with the Liteon, or do all DVD recorders have this problem?

Response:

The Liteon DVD recorders (at least the 5005 and probably 5001 models) do not support cc.  That is, they do not have decoders built in.  Any signal that goes through the recorder has to have the captions decoded by your satellite box, in other words, the captions have to part of the picture you are seeing already.  The down side to this is that if you do record captions to the disk, you can not disable it and you will always see the captions as they are now part of picture (just like a foreign film’s subtitles). This same thing happens with Directivo which also does not have a decoder and, like the 5005, relies on the tv to decode and display the captions.  If the tv does not have a decoder you will not see captions with the tivo even though the tivo carries the cc encryption code on the screen.  The code is there but there is no way to decode it through tivo or the LiteOn. My system contains a tivo and Zenith HD 520 STB, which is a High Definition Directv receiver.  The Zenith, unlike the Directivo, has a decoder built in.  It does not require the tv to find the cc stream and decode it as it does so independently through its own decoder. Therefore, if you record from a receiver such as the Zenith or Samsung 360 or similar satellite receiver that has a cc decoder built in, you will have your captions as part of the film and therefore will record them to the LiteOn.  If you try to record a show from the tivo to the LiteOn, you will be out of luck as neither of them have a decoder as I have explained.  This is true of the satellite tivo and I assume the stand alone model as well.  However, maybe the HD Tivo has a decoder built in but I don’t know anything about that box.  I also do not know about the cc ability of other DVD recorders but they are out there if you want to pay a good deal more than you did for the 5005.   The point of going into the tivo and Zenith examples at length is to show that it is the type of satellite receiver you own that will be the controlling factor when trying to record satellite sent captions to the 5005 DVD recorder. MARTY

Response:

chattering again. just mindless chattering

Question:

I value you guys’ opinion above everybody else’s in the whole world so if you want to comment on this post I want to hear what you think. But, please don’ t feel you have to. I didn’t write it to elicit responses and it’s really not the kind of thing that is very respondable to because it mostly has meaning for me. To anyone else it’s probably nonsense, tautology, circular logic. Then why, you might ask, am I posting it to asd? Because, like I have done before if I don’t it will get lost, destroyed, even I won’t remember it. And I don’ t want it lost. Thanks. Warning: It’s kind of my bedrock of beliefs so it, of course, references G* d. Keep yourself safe. nicky xxxxx spoiler for reasons of a religious nature xxxxx Descartes could begin with a single self evident truth. I need two: "Je Pense, Donc, Je Suis", yes, but first "Jesus, Donc, Je Pense." COGITO ERGO SUM. Yet I am not the sum of all my brain’s thinkings. Luthe thinks too, but, Luthe’s thinking is not a part of what I am. And that is where my philosophical system deviates significantly from Luthe’s. Luthe honestly believes he is a part of *my* thoughts. And maybe he is. But I am *not* a part of his. Perhaps that is why he doesn’t see a discrete me. He is aware of my thoughts, so he must rationalise a single ghost, a single *him*. But I, not being a part of his thoughts, can image him and me as discrete souls. Where does this leave me? Descartes said, to paraphrase, that my brain thinks, therefor I exist. I say; Sometimes when my brain thinks I don’t exist. This is a significant difference. But what else am I saying; I think, therefor Luthe exists? Yes, partly. Luthe also exists because Luthe thinks. And sometimes Luthe thinks yet I don’t exist. That is why I don’t exist for Luthe. Could I stop thinking and Luthe would still exist? Yes, but in a diminished capacity. That is why he is somehow terrified of losing me. Could I stop thinking and continue to exist? No; which is why I fear integration. Could Luthe stop me from thinking? No; it is *my* thinking. Mine. But still it is my independent thoughts that are a part of what he is. That is why he is so frightened of me because my thoughts are a part of him of which he is in no way in control. That is why he is not a part of me because his thoughts are in no way a part of what I am. That is why I am a part of him because my thoughts are a part of what he is. I think, therefor I am. My thinking is a part of what Luthe is. Luthe’s thoughts are not a part of what I am. Because of G*d’s love, I am. With what does that leave me? G*d loves me. I am. Luthe is. I have a responsibility for Luthe. I have a responsibility to love G*d and to take care of other people. Luthe can not harm me. I alone am responsible for my thoughts and actions. I am partly responsible for Luthe’s actions. I _alone_ am responsible for my well being and for what I become. Now, I have to decide what I want to become. nicky — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: https://asarian-host.net/cgi-bin/signup.cgi

Response:

hi nicky what you write doesnt sound like circular logic to me. it sounds like deep thinking. *smiles* however, I doubt Descartes meant "my brain thinks, therefor I am". I guess he rather meant something like "I think and I can sense/feel myself thinking, I am the source/core of my thoughts (and feelings and perceptions), I can feel myself (and maybe even understand myself, my being and being myself) through my thinking, therefor I must be". He just used a lot less words in a foreign language. ;-) )) anyway, that doesnt mean what you’ve written doesnt make sense. it does.    what we find particularly interesing is that you see Luthe as part of you, at least sorta. problem is, still cant write too much without hurting the stupid joints so we have to keep this short. your friends Fletcher & Punk luthe schrieb: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I value you guys’ opinion above everybody else’s in the whole world so if you want to comment on this post I want to hear what you think. But, please don’ t feel you have to. I didn’t write it to elicit responses and it’s really not the kind of thing that is very respondable to because it mostly has meaning for me. To anyone else it’s probably nonsense, tautology, circular logic. Then why, you might ask, am I posting it to asd? Because, like I have done before if I don’t it will get lost, destroyed, even I won’t remember it. And I don’ t want it lost. Thanks. Warning: It’s kind of my bedrock of beliefs so it, of course, references G* d. Keep yourself safe. nicky xxxxx spoiler for reasons of a religious nature xxxxx Descartes could begin with a single self evident truth. I need two: "Je Pense, Donc, Je Suis", yes, but first "Jesus, Donc, Je Pense." COGITO ERGO SUM. Yet I am not the sum of all my brain’s thinkings. Luthe thinks too, but, Luthe’s thinking is not a part of what I am. And that is where my philosophical system deviates significantly from Luthe’s. Luthe honestly believes he is a part of *my* thoughts. And maybe he is. But I am *not* a part of his. Perhaps that is why he doesn’t see a discrete me. He is aware of my thoughts, so he must rationalise a single ghost, a single *him*. But I, not being a part of his thoughts, can image him and me as discrete souls. Where does this leave me? Descartes said, to paraphrase, that my brain thinks, therefor I exist. I say; Sometimes when my brain thinks I don’t exist. This is a significant difference. But what else am I saying; I think, therefor Luthe exists? Yes, partly. Luthe also exists because Luthe thinks. And sometimes Luthe thinks yet I don’t exist. That is why I don’t exist for Luthe. Could I stop thinking and Luthe would still exist? Yes, but in a diminished capacity. That is why he is somehow terrified of losing me. Could I stop thinking and continue to exist? No; which is why I fear integration. Could Luthe stop me from thinking? No; it is *my* thinking. Mine. But still it is my independent thoughts that are a part of what he is. That is why he is so frightened of me because my thoughts are a part of him of which he is in no way in control. That is why he is not a part of me because his thoughts are in no way a part of what I am. That is why I am a part of him because my thoughts are a part of what he is. I think, therefor I am. My thinking is a part of what Luthe is. Luthe’s thoughts are not a part of what I am. Because of G*d’s love, I am. With what does that leave me? G*d loves me. I am. Luthe is. I have a responsibility for Luthe. I have a responsibility to love G*d and to take care of other people. Luthe can not harm me. I alone am responsible for my thoughts and actions. I am partly responsible for Luthe’s actions. I _alone_ am responsible for my well being and for what I become. Now, I have to decide what I want to become. nicky — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: https://asarian-host.net/cgi-bin/signup.cgi

Response:

Luthe, Philosophy makes my head hurt. But you can hardly go wrong by taking care of yourself and those around you, and trying not to do harm. I’m convinced that you exist and that it’s okay that you exist. (So far, I’ve found multiples and their alters to be very good people. I even like the hostile alters. But they’d have just as much right to exist if I didn’t like them. Who am I to judge?) — Uncle Tomato

Response:

Wow!  This makes perfect sense of things I’ve never found words for! Thank you nicky, very much, for writing this here. I have lots of experience in losing thoughts and ideas that mean a great deal to me because they were not recorded somewhere. I’m glad this was not lost! I’ve sent it off to myself so I can keep it too, and consider it further, and maybe even share with the newt. Is that okay? jane

Response:

Howdy Hi, Haven’t seen you for a while … a looong while … your studies done now? Me

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi nicky what you write doesnt sound like circular logic to me. it sounds like deep thinking. *smiles* however, I doubt Descartes meant "my brain thinks, therefor I am". I guess he rather meant something like "I think and I can sense/feel myself thinking, I am the source/core of my thoughts (and feelings and perceptions), I can feel myself (and maybe even understand myself, my being and being myself) through my thinking, therefor I must be". He just used a lot less words in a foreign language. ;-) )) anyway, that doesnt mean what you’ve written doesnt make sense. it does.    what we find particularly interesing is that you see Luthe as part of you, at least sorta. problem is, still cant write too much without hurting the stupid joints so we have to keep this short. your friends Fletcher & Punk luthe schrieb: I value you guys’ opinion above everybody else’s in the whole world so if you want to comment on this post I want to hear what you think. But, please don’ t feel you have to. I didn’t write it to elicit responses and it’s really not the kind of thing that is very respondable to because it mostly has meaning for me. To anyone else it’s probably nonsense, tautology, circular logic. Then why, you might ask, am I posting it to asd? Because, like I have done before if I don’t it will get lost, destroyed, even I won’t remember it. And I don’ t want it lost. Thanks. Warning: It’s kind of my bedrock of beliefs so it, of course, references G* d. Keep yourself safe. nicky xxxxx spoiler for reasons of a religious nature xxxxx Descartes could begin with a single self evident truth. I need two: "Je Pense, Donc, Je Suis", yes, but first "Jesus, Donc, Je Pense." COGITO ERGO SUM. Yet I am not the sum of all my brain’s thinkings. Luthe thinks too, but, Luthe’s thinking is not a part of what I am. And that is where my philosophical system deviates significantly from Luthe’s. Luthe honestly believes he is a part of *my* thoughts. And maybe he is. But I am *not* a part of his. Perhaps that is why he doesn’t see a discrete me. He is aware of my thoughts, so he must rationalise a single ghost, a single *him*. But I, not being a part of his thoughts, can image him and me as discrete souls. Where does this leave me? Descartes said, to paraphrase, that my brain thinks, therefor I exist. I say; Sometimes when my brain thinks I don’t exist. This is a significant difference. But what else am I saying; I think, therefor Luthe exists? Yes, partly. Luthe also exists because Luthe thinks. And sometimes Luthe thinks yet I don’t exist. That is why I don’t exist for Luthe. Could I stop thinking and Luthe would still exist? Yes, but in a diminished capacity. That is why he is somehow terrified of losing me. Could I stop thinking and continue to exist? No; which is why I fear integration. Could Luthe stop me from thinking? No; it is *my* thinking. Mine. But still it is my independent thoughts that are a part of what he is. That is why he is so frightened of me because my thoughts are a part of him of which he is in no way in control. That is why he is not a part of me because his thoughts are in no way a part of what I am. That is why I am a part of him because my thoughts are a part of what he is. I think, therefor I am. My thinking is a part of what Luthe is. Luthe’s thoughts are not a part of what I am. Because of G*d’s love, I am. With what does that leave me? G*d loves me. I am. Luthe is. I have a responsibility for Luthe. I have a responsibility to love G*d and to take care of other people. Luthe can not harm me. I alone am responsible for my thoughts and actions. I am partly responsible for Luthe’s actions. I _alone_ am responsible for my well being and for what I become. Now, I have to decide what I want to become. nicky — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: https://asarian-host.net/cgi-bin/signup.cgi

Response:

hi there *waves* yup, we’re finished with learning sign-language and even passed the final exam. :-) )) we sorta thought we might take the next step, too, i.e. start to learn how to be a sign-language interpreter. unfortunately, this is a lot more expensive than learning sign-language was, so we can’t afford it. yet, by now we’ve found a friend we can sign with and are working on more contact with the deaf community here. which in part tends to go much quicker much further than we ever imagined – like suddenly we’re asked to help folks who do sign-language theatre and poetry because we’re writers and dramatists and all that. we’ve tried to tell them again and again that our knowledge of sign-language isn’t _that_ great but they keep insisting that we’re still such a help for them. *scratchingtheheadsmiling* anyway, good to talk to you again. we dont write regularly here at the moment due to tons of work on lots of interesting projects combined with our stupid joints/hand causing lots of painful trouble again and again and again … anyway, glad to meet you again, so to say! *bigbroadsmiles* mischa’s chaos Tabkey schrieb: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Howdy Hi, Haven’t seen you for a while … a looong while … your studies done now? Me hi nicky what you write doesnt sound like circular logic to me. it sounds like deep thinking. *smiles* however, I doubt Descartes meant "my brain thinks, therefor I am". I guess he rather meant something like "I think and I can sense/feel myself thinking, I am the source/core of my thoughts (and feelings and perceptions), I can feel myself (and maybe even understand myself, my being and being myself) through my thinking, therefor I must be". He just used a lot less words in a foreign language. ;-) )) anyway, that doesnt mean what you’ve written doesnt make sense. it does.   what we find particularly interesing is that you see Luthe as part of you, at least sorta. problem is, still cant write too much without hurting the stupid joints so we have to keep this short. your friends Fletcher & Punk luthe schrieb: I value you guys’ opinion above everybody else’s in the whole world so if you want to comment on this post I want to hear what you think. But, please don’ t feel you have to. I didn’t write it to elicit responses and it’s really not the kind of thing that is very respondable to because it mostly has meaning for me. To anyone else it’s probably nonsense, tautology, circular logic. Then why, you might ask, am I posting it to asd? Because, like I have done before if I don’t it will get lost, destroyed, even I won’t remember it. And I don’ t want it lost. Thanks. Warning: It’s kind of my bedrock of beliefs so it, of course, references G* d. Keep yourself safe. nicky xxxxx spoiler for reasons of a religious nature xxxxx Descartes could begin with a single self evident truth. I need two: "Je Pense, Donc, Je Suis", yes, but first "Jesus, Donc, Je Pense." COGITO ERGO SUM. Yet I am not the sum of all my brain’s thinkings. Luthe thinks too, but, Luthe’s thinking is not a part of what I am. And that is where my philosophical system deviates significantly from Luthe’s. Luthe honestly believes he is a part of *my* thoughts. And maybe he is. But I am *not* a part of his. Perhaps that is why he doesn’t see a discrete me. He is aware of my thoughts, so he must rationalise a single ghost, a single *him*. But I, not being a part of his thoughts, can image him and me as discrete souls. Where does this leave me? Descartes said, to paraphrase, that my brain thinks, therefor I exist. I say; Sometimes when my brain thinks I don’t exist. This is a significant difference. But what else am I saying; I think, therefor Luthe exists? Yes, partly. Luthe also exists because Luthe thinks. And sometimes Luthe thinks yet I don’t exist. That is why I don’t exist for Luthe. Could I stop thinking and Luthe would still exist? Yes, but in a diminished capacity. That is why he is somehow terrified of losing me. Could I stop thinking and continue to exist? No; which is why I fear integration. Could Luthe stop me from thinking? No; it is *my* thinking. Mine. But still it is my independent thoughts that are a part of what he is. That is why he is so frightened of me because my thoughts are a part of him of which he is in no way in control. That is why he is not a part of me because his thoughts are in no way a part of what I am. That is why I am a part of him because my thoughts are a part of what he is. I think, therefor I am. My thinking is a part of what Luthe is. Luthe’s thoughts are not a part of what I am. Because of G*d’s love, I am. With what does that leave me? G*d loves me. I am. Luthe is. I have a responsibility for Luthe. I have a responsibility to love G*d and to take care of other people. Luthe can not harm me. I alone am responsible for my thoughts and actions. I am partly responsible for Luthe’s actions. I _alone_ am responsible for my well being and for what I become. Now, I have to decide what I want to become. nicky — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: https://asarian-host.net/cgi-bin/signup.cgi

Response:

Luthe, What you write here does make sense a great deal of sense to me; its very interesting reading the various responses because what you think may be viewed by each of us in a slightly different way, depending on our perspective on our lives / healing. When I’m in my black moods I have a hard time wanting to exist.  But at some point when things start turning upward something in the core of my soul begins to cry out that existence is superior to a void.  Light is better than dark, and life seeks light. Those who have misused my in the past would probably prefer that I dont exist — and thats reason enough to press onward.  In existing we prove to all that we are larger than our ab*se, stronger than our ab*s*rs. I hope that you are well, and thank you for the reflective thoughts Peace, BrokenCircle

Response:

Congratulations !!! That is sooo cool …. is an honour to do what you are doing, will go well, don’t you worry … *smiles* … take care my frend and best of luck on your new ventures !!! Tabkey

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi there *waves* yup, we’re finished with learning sign-language and even passed the final exam. :-) )) we sorta thought we might take the next step, too, i.e. start to learn how to be a sign-language interpreter. unfortunately, this is a lot more expensive than learning sign-language was, so we can’t afford it. yet, by now we’ve found a friend we can sign with and are working on more contact with the deaf community here. which in part tends to go much quicker much further than we ever imagined – like suddenly we’re asked to help folks who do sign-language theatre and poetry because we’re writers and dramatists and all that. we’ve tried to tell them again and again that our knowledge of sign-language isn’t _that_ great but they keep insisting that we’re still such a help for them. *scratchingtheheadsmiling* anyway, good to talk to you again. we dont write regularly here at the moment due to tons of work on lots of interesting projects combined with our stupid joints/hand causing lots of painful trouble again and again and again … anyway, glad to meet you again, so to say! *bigbroadsmiles* mischa’s chaos Tabkey schrieb: Howdy Hi, Haven’t seen you for a while … a looong while … your studies done now? Me hi nicky what you write doesnt sound like circular logic to me. it sounds like deep thinking. *smiles* however, I doubt Descartes meant "my brain thinks, therefor I am". I guess he rather meant something like "I think and I can sense/feel myself thinking, I am the source/core of my thoughts (and feelings and perceptions), I can feel myself (and maybe even understand myself, my being and being myself) through my thinking, therefor I must be". He just used a lot less words in a foreign language. ;-) )) anyway, that doesnt mean what you’ve written doesnt make sense. it does.   what we find particularly interesing is that you see Luthe as part of you, at least sorta. problem is, still cant write too much without hurting the stupid joints so we have to keep this short. your friends Fletcher & Punk luthe schrieb: I value you guys’ opinion above everybody else’s in the whole world so if you want to comment on this post I want to hear what you think. But, please don’ t feel you have to. I didn’t write it to elicit responses and it’s really not the kind of thing that is very respondable to because it mostly has meaning for me. To anyone else it’s probably nonsense, tautology, circular logic. Then why, you might ask, am I posting it to asd? Because, like I have done before if I don’t it will get lost, destroyed, even I won’t remember it. And I don’ t want it lost. Thanks. Warning: It’s kind of my bedrock of beliefs so it, of course, references G* d. Keep yourself safe. nicky xxxxx spoiler for reasons of a religious nature xxxxx Descartes could begin with a single self evident truth. I need two: "Je Pense, Donc, Je Suis", yes, but first "Jesus, Donc, Je Pense." COGITO ERGO SUM. Yet I am not the sum of all my brain’s thinkings. Luthe thinks too, but, Luthe’s thinking is not a part of what I am. And that is where my philosophical system deviates significantly from Luthe’s. Luthe honestly believes he is a part of *my* thoughts. And maybe he is. But I am *not* a part of his. Perhaps that is why he doesn’t see a discrete me. He is aware of my thoughts, so he must rationalise a single ghost, a single *him*. But I, not being a part of his thoughts, can image him and me as discrete souls. Where does this leave me? Descartes said, to paraphrase, that my brain thinks, therefor I exist. I say; Sometimes when my brain thinks I don’t exist. This is a significant difference. But what else am I saying; I think, therefor Luthe exists? Yes, partly. Luthe also exists because Luthe thinks. And sometimes Luthe thinks yet I don’t exist. That is why I don’t exist for Luthe. Could I stop thinking and Luthe would still exist? Yes, but in a diminished capacity. That is why he is somehow terrified of losing me. Could I stop thinking and continue to exist? No; which is why I fear integration. Could Luthe stop me from thinking? No; it is *my* thinking. Mine. But still it is my independent thoughts that are a part of what he is. That is why he is so frightened of me because my thoughts are a part of him of which he is in no way in control. That is why he is not a part of me because his thoughts are in no way a part of what I am. That is why I am a part of him because my thoughts are a part of what he is. I think, therefor I am. My thinking is a part of what Luthe is. Luthe’s thoughts are not a part of what I am. Because of G*d’s love, I am. With what does that leave me? G*d loves me. I am. Luthe is. I have a responsibility for Luthe. I have a responsibility to love G*d and to take care of other people. Luthe can not harm me. I alone am responsible for my thoughts and actions. I am partly responsible for Luthe’s actions. I _alone_ am responsible for my well being and for what I become. Now, I have to decide what I want to become. nicky — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: https://asarian-host.net/cgi-bin/signup.cgi

Response:

thanks Tabkey :-) ))) Tabkey schrieb: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Congratulations !!! That is sooo cool …. is an honour to do what you are doing, will go well, don’t you worry … *smiles* … take care my frend and best of luck on your new ventures !!! Tabkey hi there *waves* yup, we’re finished with learning sign-language and even passed the final exam. :-) )) we sorta thought we might take the next step, too, i.e. start to learn how to be a sign-language interpreter. unfortunately, this is a lot more expensive than learning sign-language was, so we can’t afford it. yet, by now we’ve found a friend we can sign with and are working on more contact with the deaf community here. which in part tends to go much quicker much further than we ever imagined – like suddenly we’re asked to help folks who do sign-language theatre and poetry because we’re writers and dramatists and all that. we’ve tried to tell them again and again that our knowledge of sign-language isn’t _that_ great but they keep insisting that we’re still such a help for them. *scratchingtheheadsmiling* anyway, good to talk to you again. we dont write regularly here at the moment due to tons of work on lots of interesting projects combined with our stupid joints/hand causing lots of painful trouble again and again and again … anyway, glad to meet you again, so to say! *bigbroadsmiles* mischa’s chaos Tabkey schrieb: Howdy Hi, Haven’t seen you for a while … a looong while … your studies done now? Me hi nicky what you write doesnt sound like circular logic to me. it sounds like deep thinking. *smiles* however, I doubt Descartes meant "my brain thinks, therefor I am". I guess he rather meant something like "I think and I can sense/feel myself thinking, I am the source/core of my thoughts (and feelings and perceptions), I can feel myself (and maybe even understand myself, my being and being myself) through my thinking, therefor I must be". He just used a lot less words in a foreign language. ;-) )) anyway, that doesnt mean what you’ve written doesnt make sense. it does.  what we find particularly interesing is that you see Luthe as part of you, at least sorta. problem is, still cant write too much without hurting the stupid joints so we have to keep this short. your friends Fletcher & Punk luthe schrieb: I value you guys’ opinion above everybody else’s in the whole world so if you want to comment on this post I want to hear what you think. But, please don’ t feel you have to. I didn’t write it to elicit responses and it’s really not the kind of thing that is very respondable to because it mostly has meaning for me. To anyone else it’s probably nonsense, tautology, circular logic. Then why, you might ask, am I posting it to asd? Because, like I have done before if I don’t it will get lost, destroyed, even I won’t remember it. And I don’ t want it lost. Thanks. Warning: It’s kind of my bedrock of beliefs so it, of course, references G* d. Keep yourself safe. nicky xxxxx spoiler for reasons of a religious nature xxxxx Descartes could begin with a single self evident truth. I need two: "Je Pense, Donc, Je Suis", yes, but first "Jesus, Donc, Je Pense." COGITO ERGO SUM. Yet I am not the sum of all my brain’s thinkings. Luthe thinks too, but, Luthe’s thinking is not a part of what I am. And that is where my philosophical system deviates significantly from Luthe’s. Luthe honestly believes he is a part of *my* thoughts. And maybe he is. But I am *not* a part of his. Perhaps that is why he doesn’t see a discrete me. He is aware of my thoughts, so he must rationalise a single ghost, a single *him*. But I, not being a part of his thoughts, can image him and me as discrete souls. Where does this leave me? Descartes said, to paraphrase, that my brain thinks, therefor I exist. I say; Sometimes when my brain thinks I don’t exist. This is a significant difference. But what else am I saying; I think, therefor Luthe exists? Yes, partly. Luthe also exists because Luthe thinks. And sometimes Luthe thinks yet I don’t exist. That is why I don’t exist for Luthe. Could I stop thinking and Luthe would still exist? Yes, but in a diminished capacity. That is why he is somehow terrified of losing me. Could I stop thinking and continue to exist? No; which is why I fear integration. Could Luthe stop me from thinking? No; it is *my* thinking. Mine. But still it is my independent thoughts that are a part of what he is. That is why he is so frightened of me because my thoughts are a part of him of which he is in no way in control. That is why he is not a part of me because his thoughts are in no way a part of what I am. That is why I am a part of him because my thoughts are a part of what he is. I think, therefor I am. My thinking is a part of what Luthe is. Luthe’s thoughts are not a part of what I am. Because of G*d’s love, I am. With what does that leave me? G*d loves me. I am. Luthe is. I have a responsibility for Luthe. I have a responsibility to love G*d and to take care of other people. Luthe can not harm me. I alone am responsible for my thoughts and actions. I am partly responsible for Luthe’s actions. I _alone_ am responsible for my well being and for what I become. Now, I have to decide what I want to become. nicky — For more information about this posting service, contact: If you want an anonymous account, visit our sign-up page: https://asarian-host.net/cgi-bin/signup.cgi

Response:

Well put … *smiles*

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Luthe, What you write here does make sense a great deal of sense to me; its very interesting reading the various responses because what you think may be viewed by each of us in a slightly different way, depending on our perspective on our lives / healing. When I’m in my black moods I have a hard time wanting to exist.  But at some point when things start turning upward something in the core of my soul begins to cry out that existence is superior to a void.  Light is better than dark, and life seeks light. Those who have misused my in the past would probably prefer that I dont exist — and thats reason enough to press onward.  In existing we prove to all that we are larger than our ab*se, stronger than our ab*s*rs. I hope that you are well, and thank you for the reflective thoughts Peace, BrokenCircle

Response:

When is the 1st time you asked a girl to dance?

Question:

F r a.n.k. wrote: > In news:YevCd.17$v76.5@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net, > blotto <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : >>First kisses are so damn difficult, I was so awkward and really didnt >>know I was doing at all. But I had an experienced teacher so I learned >>fairly quick. >     You mean this girl kissed you?

I think my first open-mouth kiss was the previous year at my friends birthday party, playing spin the bottle. By the time of that rollerskating party I was already fairly experienced at it. — halfblotto@sof,tho,me.net — i shouldnt have let him catch me, instead living in this hell, I could have died free & happy

Response:

In news:2xvCd.32$Pm6.14@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net, blotto <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : > F r a.n.k. wrote: > >     You mean this girl kissed you? > I think my first open-mouth kiss was the previous year at my friends > birthday party, playing spin the bottle. By the time of that > rollerskating party I was already fairly experienced at it.

    impressive!

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -F r a.n.k. wrote: > In news:2xvCd.32$Pm6.14@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net, > blotto <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : >>F r a.n.k. wrote: >>>    You mean this girl kissed you? >>I think my first open-mouth kiss was the previous year at my friends >>birthday party, playing spin the bottle. By the time of that >>rollerskating party I was already fairly experienced at it. >     impressive!

eh :/ I wish I would have waited until I was emotionally able to handle a serious relationship. Maybe by the time I’m thirty I’ll get there. — halfblotto@sof,tho,me.net — i shouldnt have let him catch me, instead living in this hell, I could have died free & happy

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In news:R7wCd.31$v76.3@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net, blotto <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : > eh :/ I wish I would have waited until I was emotionally able to > handle a serious relationship. > Maybe by the time I’m thirty I’ll get > there.

    there is always hope! ;)

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F r a.n.k. wrote: > In news:FBuCd.5$Pm6.0@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net, > blotto <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : > > You can slow dance to any song. And the music really wasnt that > > important to me, especially since I’ve always hated that damn song. >     I know that a slow song I like always motivates me A LOT to ask a girl > to dance. Like when there’s a classic by George Michael… ;)

What, something like "I Want Your Sex"? :)

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In news:1104844173.226558.47020@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com, Curious_Orange <curious_ora…@hotmail.co.uk> wrote : > F r a.n.k. wrote: > > In news:FBuCd.5$Pm6.0@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net, > > blotto <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : > > > You can slow dance to any song. And the music really wasnt that > > > important to me, especially since I’ve always hated that damn > > > song. > >     I know that a slow song I like always motivates me A LOT to ask > > a girl to dance. Like when there’s a classic by George Michael… ;) > What, something like "I Want Your Sex"? > :)

    slow-song! Careless whisper, One more try, etc

Response:

I’m sure sure what age I was, but it was in primary school. Probably 10 or 11 or so, when we did that horrible, painful rehearsals for the school dance (to which I never went anyway). I remember the day pretty well. The teachers asked one of the good looking boys to demonstrate how a guy was to ask a girl to dance. The arrogant punk (yes, even at 11 years old) made a big show of how it was done… the stupid little bimbo he picked for the example blushed and couldn’t contain her smile. Then we were all meant to do it. I couldn’t muster up the courage to ask anyone, but I also knew nobody was going to ask me. I didn’t want to be the last person left when everyone else has paired up (good God, I cannot tell you how many times in my life that has happened!). So I asked this girl near me… I’ll never forget her face. It was like I told her her pet kitten was just run over. She was DISGUSTED. After our awkward, painful half a minute "dance" we were told to select new partners, she RAN over to the demonstration "hunk" and asked him to dance, like she needed something to "wash my bad taste" away… I went over and stood by the wall by myself for the remainder of the class, the teachers saw me but didn’t do anything. I think they understood the situation. Had another bad experience in high school. I think it was year 8, I was 12 or 13 years old. We had those dance lessons again as part of PE (gym). We had a round robin thing, two circles where the outer circle rotated or maybe it was the inner, either way after each dance everyone would change partners. Every single girl refused to dance with me. They all stood there with arms folded, sometimes just glaring at me like "try it" and sometimes going along with the music by themselves, but keeping their distance. Not to say I wasn’t actually grateful that I didn’t have to dance, but it was still humilating. Each girl saw the previous girl not dancing with me and realised she wouldn’t have to either. Not one single girl offered to, even though unless they were the more obvious bitches, I sort of put my hands out to offer just in case before putting them in my pockets again. As the music stopped for the last time, the girl who’d just been rotated to me let out an ostentatious sigh of relief and while looking at me said "Thank GOD". I wonder if they still do this sort of thing in schools. I wonder how many boys get treated like I did? Poor little guys. You never forget it…. ;_;

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Subject: When is the 1st time you asked a girl to dance? I think I was 24 or 25. Curiously, for all that I’ve re-lived my past through my posts in a.s.s., I don’t think I’ve discussed the first time I asked a girl to dance. In fact, right now I can’t remember when I first asked a girl to dance. I’m sure this was a gradual process for me, where for a year or more I was at places where people danced and I’d try to work up the nerve to ask someone, all the while telling myself in my mind that what I was really doing was looking for someone who was clearly available, which wasn’t very hard to do because when I was in my early to mid 20’s I was never anyplace where there would be one or more girls standing around for very long before getting asked, although I suspect in many cases the girls who weren’t asked left if they weren’t asked to dance in a reasonable amount of time. I think the first time I was anywhere that people danced was when I was 22, although all I did was stand near the entrance of a dance/drinking establishment in a small college town and look inside. I discussed this in my 11 October 2002 post at http://tinyurl.com/2xeyh I believe the first time I actually went inside someplace where people were dancing, and didn’t just look in from the outside, was probably sometime just before or just after I turned 24. This would have been at those graduate dorm dances that I discussed in my 24 August 2002 post at http://groups.google.com/groups?th=a0c9df20c112710f I’m pretty sure I never asked anyone to dance at any of these, despite the fact that for one year I was my dorm floor’s social chair, meaning that I was the person on my floor of 100 some people who helped put these dances together. See my post above if you’re wondering how someone like me could wind up with this position. I went to a some dance clubs a handful of times during those two years I was living in that graduate dorm, but I’m not sure if I ever asked anyone to dance during this time. I think I may have asked someone at one place I found myself at while driving around one evening (this is the same town I was biking to when my bike broke down, which you can find out by googling me with the phrase "Pnats benefit"), but I’m not completely sure. Actually, I think all I did was ask a couple of girls if they wanted to ride around the town square in my car (this was a small town), something a guy I wound up talking to said I should do if I was interested in someone, because that’s what a lot of the guys there did. One day I’m going to have to write about this evening because I didn’t realize until after I’d been there for 15 or 20 minutes that almost everyone was VERY young, as in most of them not yet old enough to drive, and no one suspected that I wasn’t a high school student from out of town. (I was actually a Ph.D. student at a major university from out of town.) I mean, I’ve talked about how I used to look really young, but here I was talking to a 15 or 16 year old guy who thought I was his age! I only stayed there for an hour or so, but what an experience. I don’t think I realized how young people took me for until then. Most likely, the first time I asked a girl to dance was after I moved to another state, back near to where I grew up, when I was 24-going-on-25, which means I was probably 25 before I asked someone. I do know I asked a couple of dozen girls that year (when I was 25). None of the girls I asked would dance with me, which I’ve posted about at length so I don’t think I need to say more about this now, with one exception. This was the year a Mormon friend of mine took me to one of his Mormon dances, which I discussed in my 6 August 2003 post at http://tinyurl.com/5o7lo Besides the two or three girls I danced with there, I’ve never danced with a girl besides two of the three girls I’ve dated (one of these is now my wife), with the exception of some partner sharing I did when my wife and I took some dance classes shortly after we got married (and so it doesn’t really count), which I discussed in my 9 May 2003 post at http://tinyurl.com/4fywt But before anyone thinks I was a wild and crazy guy going out all the time and hitting up on women, here’s what a typical night at a dance club for me was like when I was in my late 20’s –> http://tinyurl.com/5hbfo  (7 August 2004 post) Virgo Cluster . "[10 Worst Ever Published Poets in the English Language] .. (#2) King Ludwig I of Bavaria (1786-1868). .. The second man to hold the title King of Bavaria was .. Ludwig I, a member of the extraordinary Wittelsbach .. family. Ludwig was a stone-deaf, shabby, parsimonious .. little man, generally considered by his subjects to have .. been harmlessly eccentric, unlike his famous castle .. building grandson Ludwig II, who was certifiably insane. .. King Ludwig I was often seen wandering the streets of .. Munich late at night wearing tatty, threadbare clothes, .. and carrying a battered umbrella — considered a great .. novelty at the time. Ludwig’s main eccentricity, however, .. was his life long hobby of composing outstandingly bad .. poetry. His muse compelled him to put every experience .. he ever had, no matter how trivial or mundane, down in .. rhyme. When the king was badly gored by a bull in Italy, .. he sat down and recorded the event in rhyming couplets. .. The string of actresses he bedded throughout his reign .. were all to discover in time that the only gifts likely .. to be lavished on them by the tight fisted old king were .. reams of execrable poetry. King Ludwig achieved international .. notoriety by falling in love with a courtesan who was .. young enough to be his grand-daughter. Ludwig was 61 .. years old when he met the 28 year old Irish dancer Lola .. Montex: it was said that Lola introduced herself to the .. old king by ripping open her bodice and revealing her .. breasts. She was acknowledged as one of the most beautiful .. women in Europe; her elderly lover, on the other hand, had .. few teeth, less hair, and a disproportionately large head .. which drew attention to a large cyst in the middle of his .. forehead. Ludwig pledged his undying love to Lola in verse, .. but was eventually forced by pressure from the mob and his .. ministers to banish her from the country. Some suggested .. she went willingly to escape another burst of the king’s .. poetry. Ludwig never met his Lola again, but continued to .. harass her with his love poems by mail. He outlived her .. and died in 1868, aged 82." << Karl Shaw, "The Mammoth Book of Tasteless .. Lists", Carroll & Graf Publishers, 1998, pp. 114-115 >> Endnote: I’m using dots to initialize left margin spacings, since the new and improved google beta groups seems to not be able to recognize left margin spacings, or at least it doesn’t seem to based on my last post here, which was my first post made through the new beta groups usenet portal.

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In news:33vau2F4438ebU1@individual.net, F r a.n.k. <f…@mail.net> typed: > In news:33ukj8F450a9nU1@individual.net, > August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote : >>     There’s a thing in high school called "the prom" in the U.S.A.. I >> believe it often involves a dance. >    Well you know we see so many American TV shows and films out here > that believe me, we know basically everything about American culture, > from Thanksgiving to Halloween (which has been imported here IRL a > few years ago), from the Prom to the blue dresses with square hats > when you finish HS, from the one-person tables in HS (I guess it’s > meant to avoid chit-chat between pupils?) to spring break in Mexico > (I don’t remember the exact town).

    Which is mostly also how I know of this as I never did go to the Prom. >> I was asked to this thing once >> (that is, a girl was doing the asking to this thing which involves a >> dance). >    cool! >> I said no and insulted her (without meaning to –meaning to >> say no, not meaning to insult her). I have probably mentioned it here >> before. >    I have not heard about it. What did you tell her? Why? Did you > apologize afterwards? Or maybe you have a Google link? She was really > ugly or something?

    No, she was very pretty and I was infatuated with her. Googling myself, I’m having trouble finding any references to this on a.s.s.. I was sure that I had made a post but maybe I just posted a link or maybe I posted nothing at all. Here’s a link: http://groups.google.com/groups?selm=2gt63rF6l7f6U1%40uni-berlin.de (note that most of the information about this is in the "footnotes"*). >                    So you went to the Prom alone?

    Prom means lots of people. Prom means noise. A visit to the dentist would be much more appealing to me because at least I would get something out of it (improved oral health). I did not go to the Prom at all. August Pamplona * There are some popular cultural references in that post which may not translate well outside the U.S. and Canada. The Nancy Reagan reference is to a P.R. campaign during the Reagan administration headed by Nancy Reagan to combat illegal drug use where people would be taught to "just say no" to drugs and it was supposed to fix all of our problems (similar to the current administration’s outlook on sex education: children should not be taught anything in the schools regarding sexual health matters other than to just say no). Saturday Night Live is a comedy show which has starred such folk as Dan Aykroid, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Gilda Radner, Al Franken, Bill Murray, Edie Murphy, Billy Crystal, Martin Short, and many others. The show is commonly thought to be well past its prime these days (or, more accurately, it was well past its prime a decade ago and now it’s even beyond that). Wayne’s World was a skit in that show starring  Mike Myers and Dana Carvey but you might be familiar with Wayne’s World from the movie based on the same skit. — The waterfall in Java is not wet. – omegazero2003 on m.f.w. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

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(slow dance)     I did it at 14. She said yes. The song was "crazy for you" by Madonna. She was singing it in my ear. :)  One year later I found out that this party is when she fell in love with a guy (not me, obviously).     (sorry girls if you feel left out by my question, only addressed to guys, but I suppose you never did it, cause you don’t have to (except exceptions* who did do it, who will probably reply, but hey, this is usenet!). Which is unfair, btw). NB: asking your bf to dance doesn’t count.   asking a friend to dance (with no intention of becoming more than friends) (girls often do that) doesn’t count.   asking a grandfather or any other family member to dance doesn’t count.

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I’m part-greek. Greek men only dance with other Greek men. "F r a.n.k." <f…@mail.net> wrote in message news:33uhckF45e9ioU1@individual.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> (slow dance) >     I did it at 14. She said yes. The song was "crazy for you" by Madonna. > She was singing it in my ear. :)  One year later I found out that this party > is when she fell in love with a guy (not me, obviously).

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In news:33uhckF45e9ioU1@individual.net, F r a.n.k. <f…@mail.net> typed: > (slow dance) >    I did it at 14. She said yes. The song was "crazy for you" by > Madonna. She was singing it in my ear. :)  One year later I found out > that this party is when she fell in love with a guy (not me, > obviously).

    I have never asked a girl to a dance and I probably never will (it sounds rather unpleasant). >    (sorry girls if you feel left out by my question, only addressed to > guys, but I suppose you never did it, cause you don’t have to (except > exceptions* who did do it, who will probably reply, but hey, this is > usenet!). Which is unfair, btw).

    There’s a thing in high school called "the prom" in the U.S.A.. I believe it often involves a dance. I was asked to this thing once (that is, a girl was doing the asking to this thing which involves a dance). I said no and insulted her (without meaning to –meaning to say no, not meaning to insult her). I have probably mentioned it here before. > NB: asking your bf to dance doesn’t count. >  asking a friend to dance (with no intention of becoming more than > friends) (girls often do that) doesn’t count. >  asking a grandfather or any other family member to dance doesn’t > count.

August Pamplona — The waterfall in Java is not wet. – omegazero2003 on m.f.w. a.a. # 1811 apatriot #20 Eater of smut Proud member of the reality-based community. The address in this message’s ‘From’ field, in accordance with individual.net’s TOS, is real. However, almost all messages reaching this address are deleted without human intervention. In other words, if you e-mail me there, I will not receive your message. To make sure that e-mail messages actually reach me, make sure that my e-mail address is not hot.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -F r a.n.k. wrote: > (slow dance) >     I did it at 14. She said yes. The song was "crazy for you" by Madonna. > She was singing it in my ear. :)  One year later I found out that this party > is when she fell in love with a guy (not me, obviously). >     (sorry girls if you feel left out by my question, only addressed to > guys, but I suppose you never did it, cause you don’t have to (except > exceptions* who did do it, who will probably reply, but hey, this is > usenet!). Which is unfair, btw). > NB: asking your bf to dance doesn’t count. >   asking a friend to dance (with no intention of becoming more than friends) > (girls often do that) doesn’t count. >   asking a grandfather or any other family member to dance doesn’t count.

roller rink at 12… either to shai’s ‘if i ever fall in love’ or to that horrible whitney houston song that was around in ‘92. — halfblotto@sof,tho,me.net — i shouldnt have let him catch me, instead living in this hell, I could have died free & happy

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i’ve never asked anyone or anything to dance… and never will (i assume) blottomaton <t…@egoe.sby> in news:CesCd.16887$RH4.15741@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net: > roller rink at 12… either to shai’s ‘if i ever fall in love’ or to > that horrible whitney houston song that was around in ‘92.

this one? " an’  iiii–aaaaaiiiiiiiiiii-aaaaiiiiyyy will alwayssssssssslooooovveeee yoouuuuuuuuuu-huuuu-huuuu-ewwww-ewwwww" i didn;t think anyone could *dance* to thaT…

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In news:CesCd.16887$RH4.15741@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net, blottomaton <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : > roller rink at 12…

    roller rink… looked that up in the dictionary… ok… I’ve already seen that in some american TV shows. We don’t have that here. And you can dance with rollers?? > either to shai’s ‘if i ever fall in love’ or to > that horrible whitney houston song that was around in ‘92.

    And then? Nothing more with her? (I know you were very young (congratulations, btw!)) I think the problem when I used to slow-dance with a few single girls, is that I was just dancing once, already felt very proud, and then it was over. I wasn’t even thinking about the following (except the idea of kissing her during the 1st song, which now seems quite unrealistic to me). But I really improved and improved my slow-dance technique until I finally managed to kiss a girl I had invited in a party (my 1st gf!), at 21.

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This post is sismilar to "women are different". Yes, they do not have to ask because men are not shy by nature and they do not have problem asking girls to dance. If you and me were like all the other men, we woudn’t be browsing ASS pages, but rather spending our time with some girl. If less men were asking girls out prolly many girls (with less shyness) would start asking guys out. But it will never happend, as long as guys take this duty. "F r a.n.k." <f…@mail.net> wrote in message news:33uhckF45e9ioU1@individual.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> (slow dance) >     I did it at 14. She said yes. The song was "crazy for you" by Madonna. > She was singing it in my ear. :)  One year later I found out that this party > is when she fell in love with a guy (not me, obviously). >     (sorry girls if you feel left out by my question, only addressed to > guys, but I suppose you never did it, cause you don’t have to (except > exceptions* who did do it, who will probably reply, but hey, this is > usenet!). Which is unfair, btw). > NB: asking your bf to dance doesn’t count. >   asking a friend to dance (with no intention of becoming more than friends) > (girls often do that) doesn’t count. >   asking a grandfather or any other family member to dance doesn’t count.

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -ci+ wrote: > i’ve never asked anyone or anything to dance… and never will (i assume) > blottomaton <t…@egoe.sby> in news:CesCd.16887$RH4.15741@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net: >>roller rink at 12… either to shai’s ‘if i ever fall in love’ or to >>that horrible whitney houston song that was around in ‘92. > this one? > " an’  iiii–aaaaaiiiiiiiiiii-aaaaiiiiyyy > will alwayssssssssslooooovveeee > yoouuuuuuuuuu-huuuu-huuuu-ewwww-ewwwww" > i didn;t think anyone could *dance* to thaT…

You can slow dance to any song. And the music really wasnt that important to me, especially since I’ve always hated that damn song. — halfblotto@sof,tho,me.net — i shouldnt have let him catch me, instead living in this hell, I could have died free & happy

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In news:33ukj8F450a9nU1@individual.net, August Pamplona <cosmic…@hotmail.com> wrote : >     There’s a thing in high school called "the prom" in the U.S.A.. I > believe it often involves a dance.

    Well you know we see so many American TV shows and films out here that believe me, we know basically everything about American culture, from Thanksgiving to Halloween (which has been imported here IRL a few years ago), from the Prom to the blue dresses with square hats when you finish HS, from the one-person tables in HS (I guess it’s meant to avoid chit-chat between pupils?) to spring break in Mexico (I don’t remember the exact town). > I was asked to this thing once > (that is, a girl was doing the asking to this thing which involves a > dance).

    cool! > I said no and insulted her (without meaning to –meaning to > say no, not meaning to insult her). I have probably mentioned it here > before.

    I have not heard about it. What did you tell her? Why? Did you apologize afterwards? Or maybe you have a Google link? She was really ugly or something? So you went to the Prom alone?

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In news:33vapsF42nrdqU1@individual.net, Drakeman <no re…@here.com> wrote : > This post is sismilar to "women are different". > Yes, they do not have to ask because men are not shy by nature and > they do not have problem asking girls to dance. > If you and me were like all the other men, we woudn’t be browsing ASS > pages, but rather spending our time with some girl. > If less men were asking girls out prolly many girls (with less > shyness) would start asking guys out. > But it will never happend, as > long as guys take this duty.

    Yeah. If you want you can Google " Frank + strike ", or 1st step strike, for my idea to force women to take responsibility for the 1st step…     Call that a rant, but the funny thing is that women use the word "unfair" *all the time*, and when a man uses it just ONCE, he’s automatically called "whiner", and probably put for all his life by women in the "loser" (not a real man) category… That’s why I nearly never use the word "unfair" IRL…

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In news:FBuCd.5$Pm6.0@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net, blotto <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : > You can slow dance to any song. And the music really wasnt that > important to me, especially since I’ve always hated that damn song.

    I know that a slow song I like always motivates me A LOT to ask a girl to dance. Like when there’s a classic by George Michael… ;)

Response:

> to spring break in Mexico > (I don’t remember the exact town).

    Cancun.

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"F r a.n.k." <f…@mail.net> wrote in message news:33vb42F44d7s8U1@individual.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> In news:33vapsF42nrdqU1@individual.net, > Drakeman <no re…@here.com> wrote : > > This post is sismilar to "women are different". > > Yes, they do not have to ask because men are not shy by nature and > > they do not have problem asking girls to dance. > > If you and me were like all the other men, we woudn’t be browsing ASS > > pages, but rather spending our time with some girl. > > If less men were asking girls out prolly many girls (with less > > shyness) would start asking guys out. > > But it will never happend, as > > long as guys take this duty. >     Yeah. If you want you can Google " Frank + strike ", or 1st step strike, > for my idea to force women to take responsibility for the 1st step… >     Call that a rant, but the funny thing is that women use the word > "unfair" *all the time*, and when a man uses it just ONCE, he’s > automatically called "whiner", and probably put for all his life by women in > the "loser" (not a real man) category… That’s why I nearly never use the > word "unfair" IRL…

Yes, Frank, on the paper it will wok, but when taken IRL it will never happens. We have a problem (shyness) not the rest of the world. So it’s useless we try to change the world. It easy try to change ourselves. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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In news:33vbpfF44sleoU1@individual.net, Drakeman <no re…@here.com> wrote : > Yes, Frank, on the paper it will wok, but when taken IRL it will never > happens. > We have a problem (shyness) not the rest of the world. > So it’s useless we try to change the world. It easy try to change > ourselves.

    Well you’re the one who brought that up!

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F r a.n.k. wrote: > In news:CesCd.16887$RH4.15741@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net, > blottomaton <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : >>roller rink at 12… >     roller rink… looked that up in the dictionary… ok… I’ve already > seen that in some american TV shows. We don’t have that here. And you can > dance with rollers??

Yeah, slow dance at least… haha.. also it was an all-night thing they were having at that roller skating place and we also danced w/o skates on. I now cant believe they let a large group of children stay overnight at that place… lol… too many kids, not enough adults, it was alot of fun. >>either to shai’s ‘if i ever fall in love’ or to >>that horrible whitney houston song that was around in ‘92. >     And then? Nothing more with her? (I know you were very young > (congratulations, btw!)) I think the problem when I used to slow-dance with > a few single girls, is that I was just dancing once, already felt very > proud, and then it was over. I wasn’t even thinking about the following > (except the idea of kissing her during the 1st song, which now seems quite > unrealistic to me). But I really improved and improved my slow-dance > technique until I finally managed to kiss a girl I had invited in a party > (my 1st gf!), at 21.

First kisses are so damn difficult, I was so awkward and really didnt know I was doing at all. But I had an experienced teacher so I learned fairly quick. — halfblotto@sof,tho,me.net — i shouldnt have let him catch me, instead living in this hell, I could have died free & happy

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In news:YevCd.17$v76.5@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net, blotto <t…@egoe.sby> wrote : > First kisses are so damn difficult, I was so awkward and really didnt > know I was doing at all. But I had an experienced teacher so I learned > fairly quick.

    You mean this girl kissed you?

Response:

The Things Some People Say (OT)

Question:

Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you about when you’re in a store or other public place? A few years ago I was in a convenience store on Christmas Eve afternoon; 1 clerk, a line of people.  The man in front of me started talking about how he hadn’t been to Mphs for several years and how it had grown!  Okay, yeah, that’s not strange.  But then he looked at me and said, "You’re all dressed up.  You must be a secretary."  Take my word for it, I respect secretaries… it was my first office job and it’s hard work.  But for him to assume, because I had on a nice work suit, that I was one was a bit infuriating.  I replied politely no, I do software tech support.  He said, "Oh, you’re one of those *smart* women."  What an idiot! The other night I went to the liquor store to buy some spiced rum.  When I got up to the counter to pay there was a female customer.  She had the clerk rooting around in a mini-fridge for "something cold" and he was naming off what they had; some kind of fruity concoctions, I gathered.  The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat?  It’s MINK!  My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500 to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself."  Uh, it’s very nice.  (Did I need to know all that?) If you’d care to take a guess at *that* woman’s profession… I can tell you she’s not a secretary! LOL  The leather and "mink" (rabbit) jacket, unzipped to her navel under which she had on a bustier; jeans way too tight, teetering on what had to be 5" high heeled boots… ahem.  Ho Ho HO!  LOL Jill

Response:

  But then he looked at me and said, "You’re all dressed up. You   must be a secretary." … I replied politely no, I do software   tech support. He said, "Oh, you’re one of those *smart* women." "Yes, I am. And you must be one of those *stupid* men!"   The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It’s MINK!   My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500   to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself." Uh, it’s very   nice. (Did I need to know all that?)   If you’d care to take a guess at *that* woman’s profession… Hey, now aren’t you doing to her what that ignorant man did to you? ie, making assumptions based on clothes? And why look down on "that" profession any more than secretarial work? Just a thought… Joyce

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   But then he looked at me and said, "You’re all dressed up. You   must be a secretary." … I replied politely no, I do software   tech support. He said, "Oh, you’re one of those *smart* women." "Yes, I am. And you must be one of those *stupid* men!"   The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It’s MINK!   My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500   to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself." Uh, it’s very   nice. (Did I need to know all that?)   If you’d care to take a guess at *that* woman’s profession… Hey, now aren’t you doing to her what that ignorant man did to you? ie, making assumptions based on clothes? And why look down on "that" profession any more than secretarial work? Just a thought… Joyce

True enough!  Although I must say, she sounded a lot like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" and she wasn’t exactly a spring chicken.  I’m 44; she was probably very close to my age (or at least appeared to be); I would never consider dressing like that, nor telling a perfect stranger my "man" had to bail himself out for assault.  But you are right, I’m probably making a foolish assumption. But please remind me, if I ever decide to become a hooker, at least let me be one who dresses better ;) Jill

Response:

The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It’s MINK!  My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500 to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself." Uh, it’s very nice. (Did I need to know all that?) If you’d care to take a guess at *that* woman’s profession… Hey, now aren’t you doing to her what that ignorant man did to you?  ie, making assumptions based on clothes? And why look down on "that" profession any more than secretarial work? Just a thought…

Took the words right out of my keyboard.  "Judge not, lest ye be judged yourself," "walk a mile in another woman’s high heeled boots," etc. It’s hard to avoid making mental judgements sometimes; I know I have to force myself to keep an open mind with some people.  But I’ve definitely had some positive experiences when I manage to look past the outside. — monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH with an attitude!

Response:

On 2004-12-22, Cheryl Perkins penned: Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you about when you’re in a store or other public place? <snip Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don’t run into it so much now as when I did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal chitchat.  It was often medical in nature, all about how they’d been to Montreal for this rare brain surgery which worked well, or how they’re going in to <city to see Dr. X for a checkup; he’s a real genius in treating Y, etc, etc.

A random conversation on the plane once netted me a ride home from an exec in a major technology company.  That was kind of cool (and if the person had been male, I probably would have politely declined; open mind is one thing, danger will robinson is another.  Not that women couldn’t have nasty motives, too). But if one more person asks me if I’m ready for Christmas, or comments on how warm it is for the time of year, I’m going to scream. That’s just boring!

Don’t worry, I won’t say that.  Tomorrow’s high is supposed to be … 7. Seven degrees Fahrenheit.  That’s about -14 for those of you in Celsius-land. I do have to give major thanks for having a wonderful husband who volunteers to shovel the driveway without even mentioning that I haven’t done so yet, this year. — monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH with an attitude!

Response:

Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you about when you’re in a store or other public place? <snip Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don’t run into it so much now as when I did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal chitchat. (snippage) But if one more person asks me if I’m ready for Christmas, or comments on how warm it is for the time of year, I’m going to scream. That’s just boring!

Tee hee!  It’s not warm here.  I just did the old "run to the store" as the temps have dropped here from 34F to 29F since I woke up and it’s starting to sleet rather than rain.  I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices, which it will.  I also covered the windshield of my car with a large plastic garbage bag; makes it much easier to clean off in the event I *have* to get out when the roads are icy.  I don’t anticipate needing to drive anywhere but you never know.  And I’m not willing to let the car run and waste gas/petrol while scraping little bits of ice off while the defroster attempts to do its work. And no, I’m not ready for Christmas; I’m not *doing* Christmas, but I don’t tell the strangers that.  I just smile and nod. Jill

Response:

On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned: I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices, which it will.  

You um, thaw your walk with toilet paper?  Did I misread that? — monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH with an attitude!

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you about when you’re in a store or other public place? <snip Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don’t run into it so much now as when I did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal chitchat. (snippage) But if one more person asks me if I’m ready for Christmas, or comments on how warm it is for the time of year, I’m going to scream. That’s just boring! Tee hee!  It’s not warm here.  I just did the old "run to the store" as the temps have dropped here from 34F to 29F since I woke up and it’s starting to sleet rather than rain.  I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices, which it will.  I also covered the windshield of my car with a large plastic garbage bag; makes it much easier to clean off in the event I *have* to get out when the roads are icy.  I don’t anticipate needing to drive anywhere but you never know.  And I’m not willing to let the car run and waste gas/petrol while scraping little bits of ice off while the defroster attempts to do its work. And no, I’m not ready for Christmas; I’m not *doing* Christmas, but I don’t tell the strangers that.  I just smile and nod.

When New Yorkers visit the rest of the US, one of the most jarring things for us is how easily strangers talk to each other.   Here, I think it’s just a survival mechanism — we are smushed up against each other so much that people are very careful not to even make eye contact.   Often a New Yorker’s first inner response to someone they don’t know saying "Good morning" is "uh oh, what does *he* want?" Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Response:

On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned: I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices, which it will. You um, thaw your walk with toilet paper?  Did I misread that?

I stocked up on toilet paper.  The rock salt is for de-icing the walkway! And sure enough, it’s been sleeting for hours now.  It’s getting treacherous out there. Jill

Response:

On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned: On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned: I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices, which it will. You um, thaw your walk with toilet paper?  Did I misread that? I stocked up on toilet paper.  The rock salt is for de-icing the walkway! And sure enough, it’s been sleeting for hours now.  It’s getting treacherous out there.

Drat.  I was hoping you had some secret guru technique for thawing walkways. Our driveway is north-facing, and it can keep snow for over a week longer than other houses in the neighborhood =/  Sure, we shovel it, and then we have a four-foot pile of snow for a month. Fortunately, sleet is really rare around here.  I don’t miss Virginia winters, with their sleet and hail and ugh!, that’s for sure! — monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH with an attitude!

Response:

I misread it the same way and laughed myself into an asthma attach.   I too thought I was learning something new and exciting!  Toilet paper to defrost the sidewalk.  Whodathunk? Bridget <wheezing – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – On 2004-12-22, jmcquown penned: I bought toilet paper and rock salt to thaw the walk when it ices, which it will.   You um, thaw your walk with toilet paper?  Did I misread that?

Response:

  But please remind me, if I ever decide to become a hooker, at least let me   be one who dresses better ;) LOL, although the bulk of your work might be done without the clothes anyway. :) (Guess it depends on what kind of fantasy your customers have!) Joyce

Response:

Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you about when you’re in a store or other public place? <snip Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don’t run into it so much now as when I did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal chitchat. It was often medical in nature, all about how they’d been to Montreal for this rare brain surgery which worked well, or how they’re going in to <city to see Dr. X for a checkup; he’s a real genius in treating Y, etc, etc.

I like the sort of conversation you get when you are rummaging around in the pet department trying to find kitten gooshy food and – like always – I was talking to myself "kitten food….. hmmm… they’ve got to have kitten food somewhere. Shh, calm down, its OK, I’ve just got to get you some food. No you can’t come out of hte box yet, its OK…..hmmmm….. Kitten food, Kitten food……" Its amazing the number of strangers who will stop to help you find kitten gooshy food, and then stop to peer in the cardboard box that keeps having a tiny little black paw spring out of the top in an attempt to escape. I got to hear about their cats and how they came to be cat slaves themselves.. in fact, one lady even said that in the next life she wants to come back as a cat in a household just like hers. I could almost see the Mothership "sucker" mark on her forehead. :-) It was a good day. Yowie

Response:

I honestly wish I didn’t look as approachable as I must when I’m out.  I’m very nearly deaf so its pretty pathetic trying to converse with a stranger. And folks are all the time asking me stuff, in the grocery store, etc. I’ve got the routine, "I wish I could help you but I’m deaf and can’t understand what you are saying" down cold.  But after the third or fourth time per outing I start to resent having to share the fact that I’m deaf with strangers.  And yes I know its unreasonable and not their fault.  And worse, it embarrasses quite a few people when I tell them I can’t hear and they keep talking to cover their embarrassment. Extra touchy today.  Went Christmas shopping with Charlie and he keeps wandering off and leaving me to deal with sales clerks on my own. Jo

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you about when you’re in a store or other public place? A few years ago I was in a convenience store on Christmas Eve afternoon; 1 clerk, a line of people.  The man in front of me started talking about how he hadn’t been to Mphs for several years and how it had grown!  Okay, yeah, that’s not strange.  But then he looked at me and said, "You’re all dressed up.  You must be a secretary."  Take my word for it, I respect secretaries… it was my first office job and it’s hard work.  But for him to assume, because I had on a nice work suit, that I was one was a bit infuriating.  I replied politely no, I do software tech support.  He said, "Oh, you’re one of those *smart* women."  What an idiot! The other night I went to the liquor store to buy some spiced rum.  When I got up to the counter to pay there was a female customer.  She had the clerk rooting around in a mini-fridge for "something cold" and he was naming off what they had; some kind of fruity concoctions, I gathered.  The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat?  It’s MINK!  My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500 to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself."  Uh, it’s very nice.  (Did I need to know all that?) If you’d care to take a guess at *that* woman’s profession… I can tell you she’s not a secretary! LOL  The leather and "mink" (rabbit) jacket, unzipped to her navel under which she had on a bustier; jeans way too tight, teetering on what had to be 5" high heeled boots… ahem.  Ho Ho HO!  LOL Jill

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you about when you’re in a store or other public place? <snip Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don’t run into it so much now as when I did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal chitchat. It was often medical in nature, all about how they’d been to Montreal for this rare brain surgery which worked well, or how they’re going in to <city to see Dr. X for a checkup; he’s a real genius in treating Y, etc, etc. I like the sort of conversation you get when you are rummaging around in the pet department trying to find kitten gooshy food and – like always – I was talking to myself "kitten food….. hmmm… they’ve got to have kitten food somewhere. Shh, calm down, its OK, I’ve just got to get you some food. No you can’t come out of hte box yet, its OK…..hmmmm….. Kitten food, Kitten food……" Its amazing the number of strangers who will stop to help you find kitten gooshy food, and then stop to peer in the cardboard box that keeps having a tiny little black paw spring out of the top in an attempt to escape. I got to hear about their cats and how they came to be cat slaves themselves.. in fact, one lady even said that in the next life she wants to come back as a cat in a household just like hers. I could almost see the Mothership "sucker" mark on her forehead. :-) It was a good day. Yowie

ooooooo. Tiny dribs and drabbles of news…..you are cruel ;)

Response:

<snip Often a New Yorker’s first inner response to someone they don’t know saying "Good morning" is "uh oh, what does *he* want?"

Sounds like your typical Finn, or at least someone living in the greater Helsinki area…  :) — Christine in Vantaa, Finland christal63 (at) yahoo (dot) com photos: http://photos.yahoo.com/christal63

Response:

<snip Often a New Yorker’s first inner response to someone they don’t know saying "Good morning" is "uh oh, what does *he* want?" Sounds like your typical Finn, or at least someone living in the greater Helsinki area…  :)

Just what I was thinking. :o ) — Marina, Frank and Nikki marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Response:

yodeled: <snip Often a New Yorker’s first inner response to someone they don’t know saying "Good morning" is "uh oh, what does *he* want?" Sounds like your typical Finn, or at least someone living in the greater Helsinki area…  :) Just what I was thinking. :o )

Harrumph harrumph, whaddaYOU lookinat??? Theresa in NYC ;) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Response:

I can’t wait to be old and hassle random bystanders with tales of incontinence and loose false teeth. The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It’s MINK!  My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500 to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself." Uh, it’s very nice. (Did I need to know all that?)

Well, at least she’s proud of her new coat and her ability to purchase it herself, rather than relying on someone else to get it for her…. (I’ve lived in some interesting places in my time, and it’s amazing how to some people in some areas, who’s in jail and who’s on what drug and who finks to the cops is as common a topic of casual conversation as celebrity gossip and the latest American Idol is to others.  She probably thought nothing of the assault comment.  Amazing, ain’t it.  I still have my farmgirl sense of "Thing you don’t say") –Fil

Response:

On 2004-12-23, Jo Firey penned: I honestly wish I didn’t look as approachable as I must when I’m out.  I’m very nearly deaf so its pretty pathetic trying to converse with a stranger. And folks are all the time asking me stuff, in the grocery store, etc.  I’ve got the routine, "I wish I could help you but I’m deaf and can’t understand what you are saying" down cold.  But after the third or fourth time per outing I start to resent having to share the fact that I’m deaf with strangers.  And yes I know its unreasonable and not their fault.  And worse, it embarrasses quite a few people when I tell them I can’t hear and they keep talking to cover their embarrassment.

Not that you asked for advice, but if you know sign language (or even if you don’t, but can learn a couple of words), perhaps you could learn to sign "I’m deaf" or similar.  It seems to me that people would be less likely to keep chatting out of embarrassment … Extra touchy today.  Went Christmas shopping with Charlie and he keeps wandering off and leaving me to deal with sales clerks on my own.

Boo =/  I get grumpy about people wandering off while shopping, and I *do* hear pretty well! — monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH with an attitude!

Response:

I beat that a few days ago.  I needed a bottle of Calor gas, 15 kg.  I drove a few miles to get one.  The first thing they wanted to know was if I’d brought the empty one back, I said I had. The man brought out a full bottle and asked me to get the empty out of the car as no way did he want to put the full one down and get the empty one out. I said I’d recently really hurt my collar bone and it was difficult for me. It cut no ice.  I got the bottle out of the car, even empty it weighs some and hurt me. He said I should have asked my husband to come with me and do it.  I said I might have done if he was still alive.  He laughed and walked off.  I hope it was because he was embarrassed. Tweed

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I can’t wait to be old and hassle random bystanders with tales of incontinence and loose false teeth. The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat? It’s MINK!  My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500 to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself." Uh, it’s very nice. (Did I need to know all that?) Well, at least she’s proud of her new coat and her ability to purchase it herself, rather than relying on someone else to get it for her…. (I’ve lived in some interesting places in my time, and it’s amazing how to some people in some areas, who’s in jail and who’s on what drug and who finks to the cops is as common a topic of casual conversation as celebrity gossip and the latest American Idol is to others.  She probably thought nothing of the assault comment.  Amazing, ain’t it.  I still have my farmgirl sense of "Thing you don’t say") –Fil

Response:

On 2004-12-23, Christina Websell penned: He said I should have asked my husband to come with me and do it.  I said I might have done if he was still alive.  He laughed and walked off.  I hope it was because he was embarrassed.

That’s wrong on so many levels.  Ugh.  I guess I’d find a different place to buy the stuff, and make a point of informing the guy *why*. — monique, who is sometimes allowed to pet Oscar, a grey^H^H^H^Hblue-cream DLH with an attitude!

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ever notice some of the things a perfect stranger will start talking to you about when you’re in a store or other public place? A few years ago I was in a convenience store on Christmas Eve afternoon; 1 clerk, a line of people.  The man in front of me started talking about how he hadn’t been to Mphs for several years and how it had grown!  Okay, yeah, that’s not strange.  But then he looked at me and said, "You’re all dressed up.  You must be a secretary."  Take my word for it, I respect secretaries… it was my first office job and it’s hard work.  But for him to assume, because I had on a nice work suit, that I was one was a bit infuriating.  I replied politely no, I do software tech support.  He said, "Oh, you’re one of those *smart* women."  What an idiot! The other night I went to the liquor store to buy some spiced rum.  When I got up to the counter to pay there was a female customer.  She had the clerk rooting around in a mini-fridge for "something cold" and he was naming off what they had; some kind of fruity concoctions, I gathered.  The woman turned to me and said, "Like my new coat?  It’s MINK!  My man was supposed to get me a mink but he haddta spend the $500 to bail out for assault so I bought it for myself."  Uh, it’s very nice.  (Did I need to know all that?) If you’d care to take a guess at *that* woman’s profession… I can tell you she’s not a secretary! LOL  The leather and "mink" (rabbit) jacket, unzipped to her navel under which she had on a bustier; jeans way too tight, teetering on what had to be 5" high heeled boots… ahem.  Ho Ho HO!  LOL

In your part of the world, your guess is probably close to the truth – in Southern California, however…..  (I’ve seen a lot of perfectly "respectable" teen-aged girls dressed in similar fashion – presumably with their parents’ tacit consent!)

Response:

True enough!  Although I must say, she sounded a lot like Julia Roberts in "Pretty Woman" and she wasn’t exactly a spring chicken.  I’m 44; she was probably very close to my age (or at least appeared to be); I would never consider dressing like that, nor telling a perfect stranger my "man" had to bail himself out for assault.  But you are right, I’m probably making a foolish assumption. But please remind me, if I ever decide to become a hooker, at least let me be one who dresses better ;)

IIRC, Julia Roberts certainly did, in "Pretty Woman"!  (I think the "high class" whores do – it’s just the ones who turn tricks in alleys that "dress to advertise".) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Jill

Response:

Oh, yes, and generally I like it. I don’t run into it so much now as when I did more bus travel, but I used to get a lot of very personal chitchat. It was often medical in nature, all about how they’d been to Montreal for this rare brain surgery which worked well, or how they’re going in to <city to see Dr. X for a checkup; he’s a real genius in treating Y, etc, etc.

My Mom (who was born with both feet in her mouth) committed a classic faux pas during such a conversation.  (And had no idea why everyone’s jaw dropped and we all exclaimed "MOTHER!!!!" when she told us about it.)  She struck up a conversation on the plane with her seat-mate – a lady with several children, who was traveling without them.  Not unnaturally, Mom asked "who’s taking care of your children, while you’re gone?"  To which the woman replied, "They’re staying with my mother."  Mom, who believed in saying whatever she thought (without thinking) and hadn’t a tactful bone in her body, then asked "Don’t you think that’s an imposition on your mother?"   (She couldn’t understand why the woman lost all interest in further conversation!)  Quite apart from the fact that many grandparents (including my sister-in-law) actually ENJOY having their grandkids to stay…. My Mom hadn’t a mean idea in her head, but remarks like that were characteristic – not only with perfect strangers.  Like the time my brother and his wife (Minnesota "snowbirds") came to see her after spending their winter in Arizona.  The first words out of Mom’s mouth, when Charleene walked into her room, were "Goodness, you’ve gotten fat!"  (Charleene HAD put on a pound or two, but since she has NEVER been heavy enough to be described as "fat", Mom couldn’t understand why she burst into tears.)

Response:

Can you hear me now?

Question:

The Mafia’s Bookkeeper A Chicago style Mafia Godfather finds out that his bookkeeper has screwed him out of ten million bucks. This bookkeeper is deaf. It was considered an occupational benefit and why he got the job in the first place, since it was assumed that a deaf bookkeeper would not be able to hear anything if he d ever have to testify in court. When the Godfather goes to shakedown the bookkeeper about his missing $10 million bucks, he brings along his attorney who knows sign language. The Godfather asks the bookkeeper: "Where is the 10 million bucks you embezzled from me?" The attorney, using sign language, asks the bookkeeper where the 10 million dollars is hidden. The bookkeeper signs back: "I don’t know what you are talking about." The attorney tells the Godfather: "He says he doesn’t know what you’re talking about." That’s when the Godfather pulls out a 9mm pistol, puts it to the bookkeeper’s temple, cocks it, and says: "Ask him again!" The attorney signs to the underling: "He’ll kill you for sure if you don’t tell him!" The bookkeeper signs back: "OK! You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed in my cousin Enzo’s backyard in Queens!" The Godfather asks the attorney: "Well, what’d he say?" The attorney replies: "He says you don’t have the nerve to pull the trigger". http://community.webtv.net/damodara/MystoryasIseeit

Response:

FEAR OF THE LORD.

Response:

One thing I hate

Question:

"Hate" is such a strong word…I don’t use it  much myself. Steve "Dude" Barr http://www.TheDudePit.com http://www.VintageBass.com http://www.schoolofbass.com Another one coming soon!

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me. Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better.

Well, there’s another way…. make it sound like it’s their idea in the first place. cb

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me. Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better. i’d guess you’re late teens or early 20s. it’s probably the way you carry yourself that causes the other guys to pre-judge your comments. try not to take yourself and the other guys that seriously. this stuff has been going on for over 50 years now, man. how unique can a rock and roll decision be? show some bwalls, dude. I’m 42 and while not the second tallest and am the heaviest.  Yeah I am puzzled why I am not respected more.  Especially because a lot of my decisions turn out to be true.  Maybe I need to be more assertive.  If I get overly assertive they will resist me just because.

well then you’re old enough to not be pushed around by (much less associate) with A-holes. state your case and stand your ground. it’ll be tough at first because you and your band mates are used to you behaving a certain way. but hell with it. it’s your life and your band. just be sure the issues a worth all the worry and fuss.

Response:

Think about it: If the guitarist wants something his way, he turns up and cranks out what he wants to hear, while everyone struggles to follow along. Ditto for the keyboard player, though not nearly as loud. If the singer wants something his/her way, they sing the part. Or  they get the guitarist/keyboardist  they are sleeping with to do it. If the drummer wants his way, he just plays the beat he wants until everyone falls into line. If it gets heated with any of them, they threaten to quit and storm off, thus bringing the rehearsal (or even the gig) to a screeching halt. The sad fact is, we have no "hand" (to quote from Seinfeld) in a band relationship. Consequently, it’s assumed that we just "go along to get along". My advice would be to become assertive. You don’t have to be mean, just use "active words". Say things like "I need…" "I want…" "Let’s do it this way" "I disagree because…" etc. And then there’s the most important assertive word of all: "No" Another suggestion would be to learn a melody or harmony instrument well enough to communicate your ideas. I suck balls at guitar, drums, horns, and vocals, but I know enough about each to speak  the "language" of the person who plays it and communicate my idea. Even when you don’t know the specifics, you can use general terms to get your wishes across, like"can you voice that chord higher on the neck?" It gets easier the more you do it. — Learning funk bass? visit www.js3jazz.com/store.htm "Speaking the Truth in times of Universal deceit is a revolutionary act." — George Orwell

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me. Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better. i’d guess you’re late teens or early 20s. it’s probably the way you carry yourself that causes the other guys to pre-judge your comments. try not to take yourself and the other guys that seriously. this stuff has been going on for over 50 years now, man. how unique can a rock and roll decision be? show some bwalls, dude. I’m 42 and while not the second tallest and am the heaviest.  Yeah I am puzzled why I am not respected more.  Especially because a lot of my decisions turn out to be true.  Maybe I need to be more assertive.  If I get overly assertive they will resist me just because. DA

Response:

What also goes with the territory is the satisfaction you get when they realize they are better off with you than without you, eventhough they will never say it out loud. Edward G. Baltimore, MD – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You’re a bassplayer. Pretty much goes with the territory. — Learning funk bass? visit www.js3jazz.com/store.htm "Speaking the Truth in times of Universal deceit is a revolutionary act." — George Orwell As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for  their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me.  Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they  say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will  then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better. David

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me. Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better.

Now what was that you said? – Gary Rosen

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me. Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better.

i’d guess you’re late teens or early 20s. it’s probably the way you carry yourself that causes the other guys to pre-judge your comments. try not to take yourself and the other guys that seriously. this stuff has been going on for over 50 years now, man. how unique can a rock and roll decision be? show some bwalls, dude.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me. Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better. i’d guess you’re late teens or early 20s. it’s probably the way you carry yourself that causes the other guys to pre-judge your comments. try not to take yourself and the other guys that seriously. this stuff has been going on for over 50 years now, man. how unique can a rock and roll decision be? show some bwalls, dude.

I’m 42 and while not the second tallest and am the heaviest.  Yeah I am puzzled why I am not respected more.  Especially because a lot of my decisions turn out to be true.  Maybe I need to be more assertive.  If I get overly assertive they will resist me just because. DA

Response:

Amen. Ed Cregger

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – You’re a bassplayer. Pretty much goes with the territory. — Learning funk bass? visit www.js3jazz.com/store.htm "Speaking the Truth in times of Universal deceit is a revolutionary act." — George Orwell As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me. Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better. David

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me.  Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better. David

That’s nothing, you know what I hate?  I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me.  Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. :-) ))) — -rob                        O       A       O      ( -)-*                ..\..

Response:

As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents.

YAY!  Misery loves company! I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me.  Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea!

I think you should try it.   I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true.

Have you considered beating them with a baseball bat?  Or going on strike?  I find that saying you’re not going to go onstage until you get satisfaction 10 minutes before a gig is a great persuader. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-)

I will reserve judgment until I see your high school transcripts and SAT scores. There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better.

Dammit…what’s with the feeling better?  Try to keep that bitterness up, pal…keeps you alive!

Response:

You’re a bassplayer. Pretty much goes with the territory.

Exactly what I was going to say.  I feel the same way sometimes. -Ryan

Response:

You’re a bassplayer. Pretty much goes with the territory. — Learning funk bass? visit www.js3jazz.com/store.htm "Speaking the Truth in times of Universal deceit is a revolutionary act." — George Orwell

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me. Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better. David

Response:

As long as we are spreading a little hate around the newsgroup I thought that I would add my 2 cents. I hate not being listened to by my fellow band members.  I swear, the building could be on fire and I could be screaming for them to run for their lives…….and they would either ignore me or want top argue with me.  Only when they see firemen burst into the room with hoses gushing, will they say that the building is on fire and that they we should leave.  They will then act like it is their own original idea! I can’t tell you how many times I have mentioned something from song selection to PA equipment to gigs, only for it to fall on deaf ears, then later to be realized as true. I am not saying that I have all the answers because I don’t.  I am just saying that I am not as dumb as I look.  ;-) There it is off my chest.  Yes I do feel better. David

Response:

Apology

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – When Cinder was younger and more foolish, she was watching as I enticed some seagulls with some scraps of food. The gulls were circling and making lots of noise and catching the food as I threw it into the air.  Some would swoop down and take it from my hand. A few of them landed near me, I suppose, hoping to get a handout with less effort. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cinder pounce on the back of one of the gulls.  The bird was about the same size as the cat and started screaming and flapping its wings.  I thought it was going to take off with Cinder onboard. Fortunately, she was just a little too heavy.  The gull bounced around, with Cinder riding, wide-eyed and obviously wondering what a predicament she was in.  I’m sure it seemed longer to her and the gull, but it was only about 15 seconds or so before Cinder let go and slid off, and the gull took wing. Cinder has never messed with the gulls after that.  I hope the gull learned not to land near a cat.

LOL! So glad no-one was hurt. What a great story. Cinder played rodeo with a gull. — Marina, Frank and Nikki marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Response:

Thanks Nan – I guess I was just being a big ole drama queen (Victor had me pegged to a tee ;) but, as I explained to Victor I love this group so much I would throw myself on a live grenade to save it!!  ; … CatNipped

Wow! That certainly sounds dramatic to me. (And very messy, too.)  I think you need to stay away from grenades. Annie (grinning)

Response:

…I’ve been thinking about doing a "Cooking With Mommy" story about what I go through when I have to do that culinary chore.  I promise to get right to it this weekend!  CatNipped

Great.  I love your Sammy stories. I’ll be watching for it. Annie

Response:

  I’m more like the male of the   species in that I like to immediately find a solution to a problem rather   than just talking about it (and especially rather than crying about it). In my circle of friends, we call that approach "MAS" – "male answer syndrome". :) The irony is, it really doesn’t matter what sex you are. I know plenty of females who prefer that mode of dealing with problems. But somehow, it has the reputation of being a male response, hence the name. I’m definitely an express-your-feelings type. I find it really helps a lot when someone listens compassionately, without judging, blaming or feeling sorry for me, and without trying to fix it or give advice (unless I ask, which I sometimes do). It’s not that I want to be bogged down in bad feelings forever. But often a productive venting session helps me get to the next stage.   And for me, after the things I’ve been through in my life, anything   less than total disaster is a minor problem. When I find myself crying   real tears just because my boss is being insensitive, I get very   impatient with myself But maybe when you cry after your boss is insensitive, you’re really still crying about the bigger things. This is very true for me – if I overreact to something small, that’s usually a sign that something bigger is going on for me, that I’m not conciously focusing on. Understanding that might not make anything change – I’m still going to cry over little things sometimes. But I know that it’s because I’m more stressed than usual and so I’m more easily upset. I guess I don’t see that as a bad thing, or a sign of weakness, etc. It’s just how things are. Most people I know are like that, actually. Maybe you’re being a bit hard on yourself? I mean, who are you hurting by crying, even if the reason for the tears seems silly? If you’re going to criticize yourself, have it be for something you did that hurt someone else. You have a right to your feelings, no matter how "stupid" or "childish" or "oversensitive" someone else (who isn’t you and doesn’t really have a right to judge your feelings) might think they are.   No, that’s the problem, I don’t feel better, it just *lowers* my self esteem   (I don’t know, maybe it was growing up with 2 older brothers and no sisters,   I got teased really badly whenever I cried about getting noogies!  ;) Tell those two brothers to take a hike!! (I know, easier said than done.)   My whole philosophy on life can be summed up as "Bad things happen.  You can   either cry about them or laugh about them.  Neither reaction will change the   bad thing that happened, but laughing is so much more fun and your nose   won’t get red."  So when I start crying about the little things in life I   feel like I’m letting myself down. I guess it depends on which response is the most helpful at the time. Sometimes it’s true, you might as well laugh about something painful. And laughing does release tension, so it actually is a good stress reliever. But there are times when there’s nothing like a good cry, when you need it. Even if the event that triggered the tears was completely trivial, chances are that you have other stuff to cry over, too. If it’s too embarrassing to do in public, find a bathroom stall and bring a towel to muffle your sobs. (I’ve done that sometimes.) Well, that’s my perspective, anyway. Maybe it won’t help you, but I sure hope you can be easier on yourself! Joyce

Response:

  I absolutely hate, loathe, and despise people who get all weepy   about minor problems Really? Why?? I don’t like it when someone tries to manipulate me into listening to their problems, no matter how minor, with no regard to whether I have the time or interest. Is that what you mean by the above? Or do you just not like people who are more emotive than yourself?

You’re right, after I wrote that I thought about how callous it sounded – I *DO* like people who are more emotive than me.  This is rather something that I don’t like in *myself* when I do it.  I’m more like the male of the species in that I like to immediately find a solution to a problem rather than just talking about it (and especially rather than crying about it). And I need to clarify what I mean by "minor problems".  I get impatient with people who cry about breaking a fingernail when someone else is coping with the loss of a job or a loved one.  And for me, after the things I’ve been through in my life, anything less than total disaster is a minor problem. When I find myself crying real tears just because my boss is being insensitive, I get very impatient with myself (I think, mygawd, there are children and animals out there being physically abused and here you are sniffling about having your feelings hurt by someone you don’t even care about – that sort of thing!). I think everyone has different thresholds of frustration, anger, and stress level. And we all have different ways of venting it. Better to be weepy and whiny than to be like *me*, which is to get cranky and irritable. You don’t want to be around me when I’m overstressed or haven’t had enough sleep. Luckily, I no longer get PMS, or I’d have included that, too. There are advantages to aging. :)

Yeah, I can’t blame it on PMS either!  ;   I started taking extra vitamins and gave myself a stern lecture, so   hopefully I’ll start bucking up and quit whining. Our culture is way too focused on the whole "bucking up" thing, if you ask me. We’re soooo uptight about having feelings. Whine a little! Who’s it going to harm? You might even feel better. I think that as long as one has respect for other people’s time and limits, and asks others first if they’re up for listening to us whine (and we get the go-ahead), what’s the problem??

No, that’s the problem, I don’t feel better, it just *lowers* my self esteem (I don’t know, maybe it was growing up with 2 older brothers and no sisters, I got teased really badly whenever I cried about getting noogies!  ;) My whole philosophy on life can be summed up as "Bad things happen.  You can either cry about them or laugh about them.  Neither reaction will change the bad thing that happened, but laughing is so much more fun and your nose won’t get red."  So when I start crying about the little things in life I feel like I’m letting myself down. Joyce – aiming to be one of those long-lived, cranky old ladies. (Yes! It’s true! There have been studies: grumpy old people live longer than pleasant ones.)

ROTFLMAO!  How true, how true!! Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

… I’ve told the story before about when Rocky pinned two blue jays to the ground at the same time. Sammy doesn’t know birds as prey, thankfully, since she’s known from birth that paying to much attention to my cockatiels gets her in trouble. — Steve Touchstone,

When Cinder was younger and more foolish, she was watching as I enticed some seagulls with some scraps of food. The gulls were circling and making lots of noise and catching the food as I threw it into the air.  Some would swoop down and take it from my hand. A few of them landed near me, I suppose, hoping to get a handout with less effort. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cinder pounce on the back of one of the gulls.  The bird was about the same size as the cat and started screaming and flapping its wings.  I thought it was going to take off with Cinder onboard. Fortunately, she was just a little too heavy.  The gull bounced around, with Cinder riding, wide-eyed and obviously wondering what a predicament she was in.  I’m sure it seemed longer to her and the gull, but it was only about 15 seconds or so before Cinder let go and slid off, and the gull took wing. Cinder has never messed with the gulls after that.  I hope the gull learned not to land near a cat. Annie

Response:

OK, I accept that.  I’ve been been worked ragged at my job, I’m in a lot of You and I both! I’m so ready for a change of jobs… and my employer just announced 1000 more layoffs this month! Rumour has it this Friday. :(  In theory, my job is very safe, but you never know. Purrs to all those who will no longer have a job.

Oh no!  We’ll be sending purrs that you keep your job for as long as you want it, and purrs to those who are laid off that they’ll find a better job soon.  The reason I don’t complain too loudly is that right now any job is better than no job!! pain (either from the fibromyalgia, sore muscles, or – what I think is probably the case – I have another kidney stone), so I’m feeling a bit depressed myself. Oh my goodness, I had no idea you were ill. Lots of healing purrs going your way. Don’t feel depressed (I know, easier said than done). Just remember that you have lots of friends all over the world who are about you. I hope you’ve sent Pam your snail address for the card exchange. It’s lots of fun! I promise to send some of Rufous’ fur in the envelope… :)

I absolutely hate, loathe, and despise people who get all weepy about minor problems and yet have found myself going home in tears Friday, Monday and Tuesday.  I think it’s just a combination of frustration about my job, being tired from working non-stop (no breaks even for lunch), and feeling lousy. I started taking extra vitamins and gave myself a stern lecture, so hopefully I’ll start bucking up and quit whining. I don’t want to be overly dramatic and I honestly don’t want people to rush to ask me to stay, I just wanted to be sure I’m not causing problems for the group – the absolute last thing I want to do.  So, OK, thanks for the honest answer, Victor. In all the years I’ve been posting on this group (hmmm… at least 5 years, might be more) we’ve never asked anyone to leave and we always beg folks to stay. :)

That’s the only real thing that was bothering me – that I might have, even inadvertently, caused someone to leave the group.  This group is about the best support anyone could ask for and someone who is suffering a major loss and depression *NEEDS* that kind of support, so Cheryl’s leaving really upset me. Oh, I can’t be a drama queen any more!!??  ;  LOL, again, thanks Victor. I’m glad you took it the way I meant it. The last thing I want is to add to your problems!

Oh, I would much rather have honest and loving criticism than dishonest and kick inthe keister. *hugs* — Victor Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)

Hugs back atcha! CatNipped

Response:

, and I will unsubscribe myself from the group –

      Oh, but you can’t DO that!!!!  How would we survive without CatNipped stories??????   Jeanne

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Don’t you dare drop out of the group just because someone in the group had a chip on their shoulder.  I was not in rpca when Eric was killed, but I sent Cheryl purrs and hugs when she posted that it was his birthday or the date of his death. I sincerely doubt that there is anyone in this group or any other group who has not lost a loved one, be it from an accident or natural causes.  I, for one, lost my DH and best friend of 46 years suddenly from a pulmonary thrombosis after a relatively minor surgery. Yes, you do grieve when you’ve lost someone, but after a period of time you have to get on with your life.  Most funeral homes have support groups to help you through the grieving process. Ok, it’s time to get off the soapbox, and say again DON’T LEAVE THE GROUP because of this! — Nan and the furkids A wise man talks because he has something to say; a fool talks because he has to say something.

Thanks Nan – I guess I was just being a big ole drama queen (Victor had me pegged to a tee ;) but, as I explained to Victor I love this group so much I would throw myself on a live grenade to save it!!  ; I haven’t heard back from Cheryl, and indeed she may have kill-filed me if she thought I was attacking her.  I only hope that others will be able to get in touch with her and persuade her to come back to the group – it sounds like she needs to be here if she is still in so much pain. And yes, you’re totally right in that we have all probably lost someone dear to us – Tweed lost her Mum, Lois her son, I my Dad, and you your DH, so Cheryl is not as alone in her loss as she may be feeling. I know of no better support group than the people here who are all sensitive, kind, and loving souls. Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

CatNipped – Paranoid??  No doubt it’s that AWFUL boss of yours.  Does s/he have any cats?  If not, we could fix that.

Nope, he is a spoiled brat rich kid and I would never do that to a perfectly nice kitty!  ; Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

I wasn’t one of those who posted, but all those I saw defended you.  I certainly didn’t see anything offensive about your post.

I didn’t think I was being offensive, but I can often be rather dense about bulldozing over people’s feelings without ever knowing I’m doing it.  I thought this might be one of those times.  You can’t ever be too careful in written correspondence, things can take on a totally different meaning than what you meant to say – even smileys don’t help.  I’ve read that 90% of what we communicate is communicated by tone of voice and body language – when you lose that communication, the written word seems so inadequate! Hugs, CatNipped – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – — Joy "You can never do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late." – Ralph Waldo Emerson I’d like to apologize to Cheryl for any (unintentional) hurt I may have caused (I’ve already emailed her privately to apologize and ask her to come back to the group). I noticed that in some of the responses to Cheryl’s note some others in the group seemed to be agreeing with her about me (unless I’m being too paranoid).  If I have given offense to anyone else, I’d like to apologize for that also.  I think the is the nicest, kindest, most sensitive and thoughtful group of people on earth and I would do anything to keep from causing dissension here or hurting anyone’s feelings. If this is the case, please let me know either by posting to the group or emailing me privately, and I will unsubscribe myself from the group – no hard feelings. Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

, and I will unsubscribe myself from the group –      Oh, but you can’t DO that!!!!  How would we survive without CatNipped stories??????  Jeanne

Oh my, now you’ve made me feel guilty about not posting a Sammy story in so long.  ;  I’ve been thinking about doing a "Cooking With Mommy" story about what I go through when I have to do that culinary chore.  I promise to get right to it this weekend! Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I wasn’t one of those who posted, but all those I saw defended you.  I certainly didn’t see anything offensive about your post. I didn’t think I was being offensive, but I can often be rather dense about bulldozing over people’s feelings without ever knowing I’m doing it. I thought this might be one of those times.  You can’t ever be too careful in written correspondence, things can take on a totally different meaning than what you meant to say – even smileys don’t help.  I’ve read that 90% of what we communicate is communicated by tone of voice and body language – when you lose that communication, the written word seems so inadequate! Hugs, CatNipped

Don’t be too hard on yourself.  I’m deaf and the written word is about all I’ve got.  Sure its easier to missunderstand when you can’t see someone you are "talking" to.  But that isn’t you.  Its just the nature of human communication. So please don’t anyone leave.  I’d miss you too much. Jo

Response:

  Yes, you do grieve when you’ve lost someone, but after a period of   time you have to get on with your life.  Most funeral homes have   support groups to help you through the grieving process. Grief takes as long as it takes, and it’s different for each person. Everyone has different past experiences, as well as different innate temperaments, which may help or hinder us from healing from a current tragedy. There’s no right or wrong way of grieving, nor is there a standard time for "moving on." I’m terribly sorry about your having lost your husband. And I’m glad that you’ve found a way to go on. I hope that can help you show compassion for others who’ve lost people they love, rather than insisting that they recover in the same way, and at the same rate of time, that you have. Joyce

Response:

  You can’t ever be too careful in   written correspondence, things can take on a totally different meaning than   what you meant to say – even smileys don’t help.  I’ve read that 90% of what   we communicate is communicated by tone of voice and body language – when you   lose that communication, the written word seems so inadequate! That’s true. And don’t forget cultural differences. People from cultures other than your own might not even understand that you’re being humorous, or they might, but still won’t get the joke because they have no reference for it. The same caveat goes for interpreting the intent of other people’s written communications. What sounds like sarcasm or meanness might not be at all, when filtered through the distortions of writing style, different cultural perspectives, and the lack of in-person body language. It’s best to assume the best of others, and go from there. (Not that I always follow this advice, mind you! :) ) Joyce

Response:

I’d like to apologize to Cheryl for any (unintentional) hurt I may have caused (I’ve already emailed her privately to apologize and ask her to come back to the group). I noticed that in some of the responses to Cheryl’s note some others in the group seemed to be agreeing with her about me (unless I’m being too paranoid).  If I have given offense to anyone else, I’d like to apologize for that also.  I think the is the nicest, kindest, most sensitive and thoughtful group of people on earth and I would do anything to keep from causing dissension here or hurting anyone’s feelings. If this is the case, please let me know either by posting to the group or emailing me privately, and I will unsubscribe myself from the group – no hard feelings. Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

I noticed that in some of the responses to Cheryl’s note some others in the group seemed to be agreeing with her about me (unless I’m being too

I think you’re paranoid. Most folks who replied (including myself) said there was nothing snippy about your post. If this is the case, please let me know either by posting to the group or emailing me privately, and I will unsubscribe myself from the group – no hard feelings.

Let’s drop the drama and keep the cat stories going, ok? :) — Victor Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)

Response:

I think you’re paranoid. Most folks who replied (including myself) said there was nothing snippy about your post.

OK, I accept that.  I’ve been been worked ragged at my job, I’m in a lot of pain (either from the fibromyalgia, sore muscles, or – what I think is probably the case – I have another kidney stone), so I’m feeling a bit depressed myself. I don’t want to be overly dramatic and I honestly don’t want people to rush to ask me to stay, I just wanted to be sure I’m not causing problems for the group – the absolute last thing I want to do.  So, OK, thanks for the honest answer, Victor. Let’s drop the drama and keep the cat stories going, ok? :) — Victor Martinez Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)

Oh, I can’t be a drama queen any more!!??  ;  LOL, again, thanks Victor. Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

I wasn’t one of those who posted, but all those I saw defended you.  I certainly didn’t see anything offensive about your post. — Joy "You can never do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late." – Ralph Waldo Emerson

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to apologize to Cheryl for any (unintentional) hurt I may have caused (I’ve already emailed her privately to apologize and ask her to come back to the group). I noticed that in some of the responses to Cheryl’s note some others in the group seemed to be agreeing with her about me (unless I’m being too paranoid).  If I have given offense to anyone else, I’d like to apologize for that also.  I think the is the nicest, kindest, most sensitive and thoughtful group of people on earth and I would do anything to keep from causing dissension here or hurting anyone’s feelings. If this is the case, please let me know either by posting to the group or emailing me privately, and I will unsubscribe myself from the group – no hard feelings. Hugs, CatNipped

Response:

Let’s drop the drama and keep the cat stories going, ok? :)

Hey Victor!  Here’s a cat story…….(this is a follow-up to the first "Darla" story I posted a few years ago.  Didn’t have internet at the time of this incident, and have since moved into a new house – but none the less, it’s a true story.     "DARLA, YOU’VE BEEN A VERY VERY BUSY LITTLE GIRL" A couple of days ago, I was sitting right here chatting with my neighbor Sandy, when our conversation was interrupted by some Blue Jays outside.  Normally, the Jays just carry on, and on, and on…..like when they’re taunting a cat with a dangerous game of "Catch Me If You Can".  However, it’s easy to tell the difference in sound between  "Catch Me If You Can"  and  "HELP! HELP! HELP!"   Blue Jays are really lovely birds to look at, but no matter what message they’re conveying, it’s not a pretty sound. I jumped up, nearly knocking Sandy down, and in a mad dash through the house towards the back door, I shouted to her over my shoulder "One of the cats caught a bird".  I think Sandy was even more charged up than I was, because she almost beat me to the door. Sure enough, over the 7′ high wooden fence and across the yard toward the house, comes my sweet Darla with a large Blue Jay in her mouth, going just as fast as her little feet could carry her.  She had to. There were four other screeching Jays relentlessly dive bombing her, as "pay back" I suppose, for taking out one of their crew. I stepped through the doorway, on to the patio in an effort to intercept Darla, in hopes of saving the bird. You see, It’s become routine at my house, as Darla often brings live critters home so (I assume) I can chase them too. However, I could tell with just a glance, that this particular Blue Jay was, without a doubt, quite dead. Now, when Blue Jays declare war, everything that is not of the Blue Jay persuasion is the enemy, and it was looking like these Jays viewed me as an even easier target than Darla.  So, since Darla’s  Jay was dead, that left one option…..try to get myself and my cat, along with her afternoon snack into the safety of the house.  I thought, ‘I’ll just clean up the mess when she’s done.’ As I ducked and dodged the onslaught of the dead Jay’s comrades, Sandy watched from just inside the doorway with a look of disbelief on her face, and it became clear to me that she hadn’t reached ‘Journeyman Catpersonism’  status yet when she stuck her foot out to block Darla from bringing her booty into the house.  Truthfully though, I rather knew it all along.  Sandy has 3 cats (and a d*g) of her own, but I’ve lived across the street from her for 6 years, she comes over daily, and still doesn’t know my cats’ names. I hollered "No…….let her in.  These Jays mean business ! ! !"   Sandy looked at me like I’d suddenly gone crazy, but stepped aside, and WOOSH  goes this blur of white and black, and yes, blue past Sandy and into my living room.  I followed, and Sandy (reading my mind) quickly shut the door.  Once Darla realized that she was safe, and had successfully pulled the whole thing off, she (very pleased with herself) began strutting about with her prize, which of course quickly drew a feline audience. I like birds.  I don’t like it when one of the cats catches one, but catching birds is what cats do.  Well, some cats.  I think all cats want, and even pretend to catch birds, but It takes a pretty clever kitty to actually take one down.  So, being the doting cat mama that I am, I set in to praising Darla, telling her what a clever little girl she is, and saying to the other cats "Look you guys, Darla caught a BIRD" while being careful to keep my eyes averted from the poor mangled Jay clutched firmly in her jaws. Louie came yawning into the room at that point.  He’d been taking an afternoon snooze, maybe even dreaming of an evening bike ride, and was no doubt awakened by the big noise Darla was causing.  The second he caught sight of her sporting that Jay, he became fully awake, and thinking that bird would look much better in his mouth than Darla’s, made a quick but feeble attempt to blatantly steal that dead Jay.   So far, all I’ve seen Louie bag, are a few moths and a couple of lizards, one of which was actually someone else’s catch, and had already been played with to death. I scolded Louie, and told him to leave Darla alone.  If he wants to be told he’s a mighty hunter, he’ll have to do better than catching a stealing it right in front of me. Sandy must have had her fill of excitement, because twice she made mention of ‘drinking a cold one’ at her house, both times also commenting on how noisy those Jays outside were still being.  She gave Darla some well-deserved praise, and went home.   I went for the camera