AFriendlyFace

I agree with you. Such as? LOL, seriously, I'm not completely sure what the best definition of that would be but it seemed to me to be the best one for Eric. I guess what I meant by it is someone who wouldn't let gender or sexuality stop him from developing a relationship with someone if he did find himself attracted to and compatible with them. Would the connotation that you object to be that it means his sexuality might "change" depending on the situation? That's definitely a very unpopular notion in the GLBT community. It's a complicated thing though. I certainly don't think someone can change their sexuality. However, I'm not 100% convinced that someone's sexuality might not naturally evolve on its own. I suppose the "capacity" to be attracted to either gender would have to already exist (even if it was previously "dormant"), but if that capacity did exist I think it is possible that someone's taste and preference might change overtime. A good personal example (that just might be TMI) is that I've always had a strong proclivity to blonds and redheads. (by this I mean blond and redheaded guys, however, in an aesthetic since I tend to more often find blonde and redheaded women beautiful as well. And occasionally I do have have a mild, fleeting sexual attraction to a blonde or redhead woman) That preference has remained very stable. Conversely, I never used to particularly notice Asian guys. Gradually over the years however, I've come to be almost as innately attracted to them as I am to blond and redheaded guys. Evidently that capacity always existed and my taste changed to amplify it. In that way I think it's possible that someone could essentially be "dormantly" bisexually attracted to to their non-typical gender and over time that might sort of "awaken". Let me stress that I don't think it could be forced. In that way, yes I do think people's sexuality could be considered "fluid" in the connotation of changing over time. However, while I've enjoyed this little aside that actually isn't really what I meant when I applied the term to Eric I think I might disagree. I'd say that he's fairly unlikely to have casual sex with another guy, but I don't think he's highly unlikely to do that. He did say to Jerry that he'd "try anything once" and while I know he said that for a very specific reason I think he might have more or less meant it. Eric seems like the sort that might conceivably decide to have casual sex with another guy just to satisfy his curiosity and essentially "see what all the fuss" is about. Did anyone read Dom's TLW? If you did you might recall that Ryan (who in many ways is pretty similar to Eric) once kissed Aiden because so many of his friends were gay that he was curious to see what the big deal was. I think that theoretically Eric could do the same thing to the extreme of actually bedding another guy. In other words you mean he would essentially "ignore" the fact that the guy had male bits because he meant so much to him? To be completely honest I've never quite understood this concept of loving the person not the gender. I mean I sort of do, but I don't think I quite grasp it in the way that many others around here seem to mean when they say it. It's not quite like what I've described above with sexual fluidity and curiosity I take it? I'm also assuming it's not quite like being bisexual in which a person is actively attracted to either men or women, with a physical emphasis (that would include gender) being a part of that equation? So what exactly is it? Is it like what I jokingly referred to as "ignoring" the body parts all together? Obviously I've frequently had non-sexual feelings for someone that I very much cared about. However, those feelings were non-sexual and non-romantic to me. I guess you could say I did "fall in love with the person", but I never then desired a physical or romantic relationship with them. What a wonderful discussion of sexuality this is turning out to be! Take care all Kevin

The writer support team is in charge of evaluating authors for advancement of status (Promising, shared, hosted), as well as striving to help the author increase in visibility, reader base, and yes feedback. We also help provide editors and beta readers. We're still in the process of discussing the idea, but I'll definitely let you know what happens! Perhaps we can also make some sort of announcement of the program once we've ironed everything out. Does anyone have any additional thoughts beyond what we discussed on how this ought to work? I agree! That's a good idea! Definitely a great idea! I think one of the best ways is to let them know that you really really REALLY want to hear from them! Often it's the authors who speak up and say "Come and discuss my story" "PM me what you thought" "Please leave a review" that get the most feedback. Take care all and have an awesome day! -Kevin

Added Thank you very much for your submission, Miguel! -Kevin

Well, I've certainly been eating cheese. Unless "Bikkies" is another word for rice though, I don't think I had those. The person below me knows was "Bikkies" are

Awesome Video, Vincent! Thank you very much for sharing it with us! It was really moving and I really enjoyed it. Please tell your friend what a great job they did for me! I did leave a comment on youtube as well. Take care and have a great day all! Kevin

NOOOOO, of course not! Just email your credit card number to UnicornScam@bigripoff.com I agree! That is a good assessment...though again using the word "smut" might have Vic and Sharon exiling you to that boat for even longer *gasp* You mean yours was the pair of eyes that's been staring for all this time! :-o Ohhhh, I hate that too! It does happen from time to time. I just click mine like mad till it works! Take care all -Kevin

In an effort to lay to rest all these speculations about Eric's sexuality I've created a poll. What better way to decide someone's sexuality? (Surely when you guys were younger you did this same thing to help you decided right? )

Hi everyone! Given the recent questioning of Eric's sexuality I thought it'd be fun to start a poll on the topic! So what do you guys think? I voted for "He's sexually fluid/open-minded", because IMO he's pretty much straight but open to the possibility of falling in love with someone of the same gender if it happened. -Kevin

I just broke the tie in favour of 6,000. I'm just a bit superstitious about such things... This makes sense to me I know that my personal major milestone will be 4,444 (if I get there), because 4 is my favourite number, so 4,444 shall be quite nice and lucky indeed! Also, assuming Graeme and Myr stay ahead of me until then and no one **looks suspiciously at Beasty** passes me, I'll be the 4th most prolific poster ...unfortunately it's not looking good for Myr staying ahead me -Kevin

Oh I like that one! "Just Like A Pill" by my gurl Pink

Why was he crying? What did Alex sing?

Seems to me that the guy essentially stole from the credit card company, so I'm surprised they weren't pressing for a claim to be filed~ Yikes! I'd have used one of those sweaty palms to insist that he hold my hand lol! I used to have the robber one really bad when I was a kid, now it seldom crosses my mind though. As for loud noises - and I suppose in some ways this goes back to what I was saying earlier - yesterday I was getting ALOT of texts while I was driving, and I knew I was going to keep getting more, and I had the volume on my phone turned way up, and it makes this irritating noise when I get a text...so I was actually really nervous and stressed out about all the texts I was getting Come to think of it I need to change the notification sound to something more pleasant and less startling. I was visiting a friend of mine a couple of weeks ago and he has a two story home, I'd just climbed to the top of the landing when his big, friendly, excited black lab came bounding over to greet me...and jumped up I was really freaked out and scared she'd knock me down the whole flight of stairs backwards! Thankfully though, while she did jump up she didn't jump forward, so all was well. LOL, perhaps we could just have an "irrational fear" themed anthology

LOL looks like a fun poll, unfortunately I haven't had a chance to read any of his work yet! Also, I think this would best be put in the eFiction discussion forum where the threads for his stories also are. LOL that way people can vote then go to the discussion thread and pull out reasons why they think so (or think not I suppose ) -Kevin

Wow!!! I'm so sorry that happened! It's a good thing you didn't get left holding the bag!

Welcome to GA!! It's awesome having you with us Cool, great to meet you, Laurie! Welcome to the site! A student licked you huh? WEIRD!!! -Kevin

ASFAIK he eventually got voted off. I read an interview he did in Newsweek shortly afterwards, but I don't think (or expect) that he had any type of career once the show ended.

I love that song!! It's one of my favourites. Inappropriate content or memory loss? LDN - Lily Allen

Well I'm a bit surprised! I haven't seen anyone else's performance except David's, but I was under the impression that Danny was one of the better performers? LOL, well that pic certainly helps our case

I think that makes a great deal of sense!

Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids (that aren't alcohol ) Take care -Kevin

Perhaps we'll get a poignant bit of drama in which Eric professes his feelings for Steve AND Wilde and proposes a polyamorous relationship. Steve and Wilde will then be forced to confront the fact that they don't want other people in their relationship and will thus finally commit to each other only, and our hero Eric will be left alone weeping into his Tequila Sunrise. ....perhaps not though I think that ideally that's how everyone of either gender and any "orientation" should conduct their lives. I know I for example am exceedingly unlikely to fall for a girl, but if it happens I won't let a little thing like sexuality stand in my way. I've occasionally conducted my life in this way too Oh I should think he would. I think for a highly sexual person (such as Eric) knowing how to flirt effectively with anyone would be almost 2nd nature. Take care all and have a great day -Kevin

What?!? Anyway, keep your mind out of the gutter all day and it's apt to dry up

*gasp* And what were the results? LOL, I suspect it might not have been something you liked, because it was sorta different in style to the others we were discussing. Right now: Rhianna - Don't Stop The Music

Hmmm, I shall look into this!!

HAHA, once again we seem to be in complete disagreement! I love the "text me when you get home" thing. It relieves any worry - however minor - that I may have had when they do it, and I feel cared about when they ask me to. It's a win-win as far as I'm concerned. I did it just tonight when I left a friend's home. I used to only do it with my best friend who was very insistent about it (though like I said it never bothered me that he was) and I would sporadically do it with others if it was very late or rainy or something, but gradually over time I've begun to do it almost every time with all three of my closest friends (this is probably thanks mostly to my original friend who once again spearheaded the movement in our little group ). I think it's rather nice. I didn't used to particularly worry about them, but it still makes me smile and relax a bit when I get the text letting me know that they're safely at home. I agree with you of course, but I think the key is just not to be possessive or overly demanding. I respect my friends' and family's right to privacy. I'm not going to pry at all. A simply "got detained...gonna be late" is certainly sufficient. I think the interesting thing is that one (certainly me anyway) rarely worries about their friends and family when they don't know where they are or what they're doing. Right now, of all the people I care very much about, I can only say with certainly that one of them is home (the one from above that I exchanged texts with!). The rest could be doing goodness only knows what and I wouldn't have a clue. Yet I'm not worried about them. I know that very often my friends and family go places and do things which I have no knowledge about and which are just as likely to get them hurt as when they're coming/leaving to do something with me. So I know in some ways that is irrational. For some reason that doesn't bother me or worry me too much...it's hard to explain. I do get very attached to people online, but actually I assume that our relationship with be somewhat transitory (unless/until we do establish "real world" ties), so if they just sort of disappear, I'll miss them and occasionally I think "gee, I wonder what ever became of X. I hope he/she is well" But I almost never assume something happened unless it was extremely sudden and I went from having a great deal of contact with them to absolutely none. Any tapering off and I just assume (probably wistfully and with well wishes for them in my heart) that the fates have decreed that our time together is at an end. I also try to make it clear to people I interact with online that while I'll never purposely up and leave without an explanation I may very well leave eventually and gradually. This is actually my 4th "internet home". I have occasional contact with the people I was closest with from some of the previous three, I do respond to emails etc., and I like to catch up occasionally, but for various reasons my time there has run its course and I just take the happy memories with me without lingering in the past. I guess that's one of the cases where I "have confidence" that my old internet buddies "will sort themselves out". As I said though, I welcome an enduring, and real world contact if it's mutually feasible and desirable, and I will still write back if people contact me Mine too, Old Bob True enough, brevity has never been my strong suit.