AFriendlyFace

Welcome Dave It's awesome having you (back)! Well I'm pretty good with remembering people. Give us a try. What was your name back then? Take care and have a great day! Kevin

While I mostly agree with you, I think it's worth keeping in mind that this is a very complicated situation and it's very difficult to predict how things will go. I read an article recently about a gay Iranian who'd fled to England to escape the oppressive nature of his homeland with regards to sexuality. However, in the article he was explicit that if there was a war with Iran he would return to his motherland and fight to defend them. Anyway, the point is it's a delicate matter and we may very well end up alienating the Iranian gay population themselves. Also, I would be concerned that there will be a deadly backlash involved for many of these people as a result of the increased attention it's getting. Sure it's easy for us to say something like, "well it's for the ultimate good and it's the only way things will change", but we're not the ones who could get beaten or killed. Anyway, I do agree with you. It's just not a black-and-white matter. -Kevin

This is nifty! Appearing on Oprah ought to bring more awareness to the issue. I just hope for his sake he can back up everything he claims happened to him! Great point! I guess we're just lucky

Well reasoned, Vic. That's in line with my impression of each of them as well. ...it's a pity we don't have a forum or something to discuss this stuff in! I agree, he is reminiscent of Eminem. Only cuter I think Personally I tend to like Eminem's music -Kevin

That is awesome, Liddy! Congrats I'm celebrating a quiet, relaxing even in!

WOOO HOOO!!! Congrats, Ieshwar!!! Your posts are always very thought-provoking, friendly, and all around enjoyable to read! Thank you very much for sharing your time with us May the next 1,000 pass just as swiftly and pleasantly! Kevin P.S. for an occasion such as this I've sent Amsterdam

Glad you're over him Cool letter thingy, I think it'd be more fun in mad lib form though Edit: Since you asked nicely Dear____Mike______, I_missed_ you. You have a pretty __awesome personality____ . You make me ___smile____ . You should___post more____ . Someday I will ___read your new story______ . You + me = ____fun times________ . If I saw you now I'd ____smile and invite you in______ . I want to ___hug_____ you. I would build a ____sand castle______ just for you (plus it'd be fun!). If I could sing you any song it would be ____"I hope you dance" by Leann Womack________ . We could ___go shoot some pool_______ under the stars. Love, _____Kevin___________ (P.S. _____You're ____________ .)

Awesome! Have fun, Myr!! Ah, you mean if anyone ruins your vacation you'll dismember them. Take care, be safe, and have a fantastic time -Kevin

Hey Viv! Awesome!!!! Congrats Oh my gosh I love that! Had you ever come across it here at Gay Authors? Shadows first wrote a blog about it I wanna say about two years ago. That's when I first read it. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it a couple of times myself in blogs and forum posts, and I've done it several times in PMs, most coincidentally less than two weeks ago!! Anyway, yeah it's awesome! Really funny and so true! That is SO cool! You should definitely add to it! Take care and have an awesome day! Kevin

I was sitting in a restaurant this evening have dinner and people watching and there was this average, middle-aged guy sitting at the next table. The waitress came over to him and asked if he was ready, and he replied that he was still waiting for his wife. So about 10 minutes later his phone rings and he answers it and says: "Hi hun *pause* I'm just sitting here at the restaurant reading a magazine and thinking of you. *pause* okay I'll see you when you get here" I just thought that was the sweetest thing "sitting here thinking of you." It's really nice. So I went to a delightful dinner party Saturday. It was hosted by a good friend of mine and naturally the guests included several of his closest friends and their boyfriends. I, myself, was already good friends with one of the other guests and knew a couple of the other people in attendance. Anyway I was sitting next to his best friend, whom I already knew slightly from experience, and well through reputation. **sigh** I'd already thought the guy was beautiful the few times I had seen him. He also turned out to be extremely sweet, smart as a whip, successful, gifted with a lively, witty personality, and to top it all off possessed with a killer set of morals and compassion....Unfortunately he also has a boyfriend Figures, I mean why would a guy like that stay on the market? His boyfriend wasn't there, and I've only met him once, and never engaged on one on one conversation with him, but from what my mutual friends tell me it's a really good relationship and they see it lasting long-term. Which is great of course, but I was seriously enamored of this guy. That seldom happens to me. I mean I can easily appreciate an attractive, desirable person, but usually I don't actually get to the "crush" stage. And I almost never let it happen if it's a straight guy or a partnered gay guy. So this just took me off guard. I guess the worst/best part of the whole thing is that we're very likely to continue associating with each other. It's also complicated because pretty much all my friends are part of this big, extended group of twenty-something year old gays and lesbians. In fact, several years prior - before I knew any of them - he dated and had a fairly serious relationship with another friend of mine (so I had indeed heard a great deal about him by reputation). Also, his current boyfriend - the one I barely know - happened to be a fairly good friend of Jesse's (my close friend from several other previous blog entries). And completely coincidentally he - the guy I like - knew one of the other guest's brand new boyfriend (who was also in attendance). This was really weird because of course said guest was friends with a couple of other guests (and obviously the host) and I, myself had heard about him through reputation as well, but his new boyfriend was completely unfamiliar to everyone else except the guy I like (who didn't actually know the first guy - the one the rest of us knew/knew of - ...this is confusing I know, but I don't want to use names since I've told several of them about this site and I don't want to invade anyone's privacy). Anyway the point is I feel like I'm just trapped in this big circle of people without any real fresh blood. This is stupid I know. Indeed on many levels I'm pleased to have found my niche with these people, but it gets complicated sometimes. Anyway, I actually want to spend more time with the guy. We have several interests in common so I'm thinking I may ask my friend for his number. Obviously I would never pursue someone who was in a relationship, but he really did seem like a cool guy, so I'd like to form a friendship with him in our own right. Besides, most of the time when I actually get to know someone I'm attracted to I quit thinking about them in that way and just view them as an adorable friend...and who can't use one more adorable friend?

LOL, it looks like you ultimately decided to cut out all the Cody's

Great chapter! It definitely didn't go as I'd expected! I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next!

Happy Birthday, dude!! I hope you have an awesome day and a terrific year

Hmm, I don't think I'd have any trouble those, they sound sufficiently different and don't look the same. That's where I have problems, if it's something like "Larry" and "Harry" (sound too similar) or else "Mick" and "Mike" (look too similar). "Jon" and "Jerry" I'd definitely have no problem with. "Chase" and "Charity" have a much different ending sound, and don't look similar enough to be too problematic for me.

Yes, I do seem to recall you having had access and posting around the 10th through 12th

I wonder how one "pretends" to talk about anything. Let's hope he accepts himself even if he isn't Growing up in Catholic school I had quite a few very religious, obviously gay classmates myself. There does seem to be a strong correlation. It reminds me of a quote by a famous lesbian (can't remember which one unfortunately ) "For a long time I thought I wanted to be a nun, then I realized that what I really wanted to be was a lesbian."

Thanks for the vid, Jack. I hadn't seen the original video before

"A rose by any other name would still smell as sweet" Congrats on the new name

Of course we're not!!!

I was happy to do what I could with the few remaining reviews Like Graeme, now that the anthology is out I'm looking forward to reading - and commenting on - the rest Thanks you guys!!! Ya'll rock DEFINITELY! CJ certainly did more work than anyone else with this!! Thank you very much, CJ Thanks to all who participated! -Kevin

Happy Birthday, Nick! We miss you and look forward to seeing you around the forums more! Have an awesome day and a terrific year! -Kevin

Happy Birthday, Dude! Have a good one

WOW!!

Awww Thanks, Menzo! I think you're nice and not old, bitter, or jaded too

Welcome back!! WOO HOOO! That's reason for us all to celebrate! Congrats, Ieshwar! -Kevin