AFriendlyFace

Happy birthday

I really like it! Ohh, very cool! Awesome pics! Looks like a really fun family and group! How fun! Very cool Welcome to the forums! great pics

Two decades of Jaime? WOW! What a blessing! I hope you had an infinitely amazing birthday and may the coming year blow your mind with happiness! -Kevin

Hi, I'm a liberal

Right up your alley? I thought you left your clothes on. Good luck, dude -Kevin

Welcome to the forum! It's great to have you!

I have to admit I'm really curious about this now! I hope I get a chance to watch it!

Sounds pretty offensive to me too. Although I am largely unfamiliar with torchwood.

Awww, very cool! I'm pulling for him!

Awww I'm so sorry. How's he doing now?

LOL, very hot!

I have some thoughts. First, Boy Culture is an excellent movie and I really like it too Second, I'm certainly not going to come down against sex, but I would like to make a few statements. Please don't have sex because you're lonely, or looking for affection. Those are crappy reasons to have sex. That's what friends, family and/or actual boyfriends are for. Have sex because you want sex. When you're having sex, the single most important thing you can do is communicate. It makes for a much better experience. Obviously dirty boy #1 is guilty of not communicating. However, I suspect you weren't completely forthright with your desires and expectations either. Also, while it's certainly none of my business, I don't think asking a guy out to take you on errands is a great way to plan a first date. Anyway, enjoy stage 2, but be safe so that you can make it to stage 3 without too much emotional (or physical) baggage. Of course all of that is just my opinion Take care, dude Kevin

I think that's a really good point! I don't mind cheering someone up, or being supportive to people periodically, even if they are exaggerating. I think everyone does feel that need for attention and sympathy sometimes, and that is fine. It is only annoying to me when it's recurrent, and it's the same thing (or same type of thing) over and over again and the person doesn't seem to want to do anything to actually make it better. Yes, I very much agree. Doing it in moderation is one thing, but when it does take over, especially on a societal level, it gets really unhealthy

I love those pictures! They're so adorable and fun! Looks like you guys were having a good time. Even without the cute, playfulness of the pictures, You're both gorgeous; with the cute, playfulness of the pictures you're both simply irresistible! May I come over for tea? -Kevin

I think that brings up a couple of other very good points relating to this. Hypothetically, is there a way to do a "random" sort of display instead of a "most recent" display? I'm actually torn on what I'd prefer and probably would opt for "most recent" in the end anyway. Ideally though if it were possible I think it would make a great user set option so that people cold decide for themselves. I might switch it back and forth. On another note, we've all pointed out how much more likely we are to visit the gallery and take a look at everything now that it's out there, and I certainly think that's true. However, I'm curious about how this impacts people's tendency to post new stuff knowing that it'll be right out there prominently displayed. I really couldn't say since I don't have any pictures, but in general I'm disinclined to post pictures and I think having them displayed on the main index page would make me marginally less likely to do so (but again, I was pretty unlikely to do so in the first place ) So what do you guys think? Are you more or less likely to post new pics in the gallery given the placement? -Kevin

Happy Birthday!!

Welcome to the world of posting then! It's fantastic to have you amongst our chatty ranks -Kevin

We don't think you're lying, Tim; we just wonder how it is that you've managed to be a member for approximately 127 years (*Snickers and avoids pointing out his own post count and occasional prolonged absence*) Welcome back, Will! It's great to see you back around! I've been wondering what you were up too. Whatever it is I hope it was fun! All the best Kevin

Scott and I went to a housewarming party for some friends of ours, a straight couple, recently. It was a fresh change. I don't socialize with straight people very often anymore, and when I do it's usually in some type of "gay" setting and they're the minority. So it was weird to go to a party at which Scott and I were the only two gays. It was fun though, I really like the couple and their friends were nice. There were a couple of small kids there. A four year old girl and her baby brother. So anyway, it's later in the evening and several people have already left and we're just sitting around in smaller groups chatting and I'm on the couch. So the little girl, Savannah, comes up and starts talking with me, telling me all about the tricks she's learned in gymnastics, and what she's going to do for her next birthday party, and about her friends and brother. Anyway while I'm chatting with her Gregory, the little brother, crawls over and starts trying to climb up on the couch, so I pick him up and hold him while Savannah keeps telling me her stories. A little while latter Charlie, the dog, comes over and starts nuzzling for attention. Just around that time Scott looks at me, laughs, and remarks that I've got a whole little crew. It's funny, I hadn't even really thought about it. I love kids and dogs, so when the little girl wanted to talk I just naturally started listening. When the baby crawled over I picked him up. When the dog started pushing for attention I just started playing with him. It was nice though. Predictably it got me thinking. I mean, it would be nice if it had been my own two kids and dog, and if I'd just been sitting around on my own couch enjoying their company. I just find it all so odd though. I don't think of myself as a "traditional" sort of person. I'm really not, not at all. I want to travel, come and go as I please, perpetually be in school and bouncing around careerwise. I don't want a house and I yard in the 'burbs, I want a condo in the city and I want to spontaneously move whenever I feel like it. I really enjoy being single and "free." I love that I can go out whenever I want and not have to come home at any certain time - or at all - if I don't feel like it. I really don't know how two kids and a dog fit into this picture. Heck, the reason I don't have a dog already is that I don't think I have the time and don't want something that high maintenance. With my cat I just fill up her giant feeder and waterer once a week, throw away her litter box and buy her a new one every couple of months (yeah I don't scoop or actually change litter, I just change the whole box ) and she's pretty much set. That's not really a huge time or effort investment. Yet, if I were going to have kids, I'd want to be a really attentive parent. I'd want to really enjoy them and nurture them and be a big part of their lives and have them be central to mine. How would that work? How would I fit all these pieces together? It would feel right though, having the kids. I feel like I've re-evaluated - and rejected - the majority of "values" that society has tried to indoctrinate me with, yet I really don't think the raising kids thing is an external pressure. I really think it's something that has always been a strong, compelling, internal drive. Oh I guess that's why this whole "two kids and a dog" thing is the stereotype. I guess it's because it really is something a lot of people truly want for themselves. Despite having always wanted it...I'm still kinda surprised I want it though. I mean the "husband to share it with" part is pretty negotiable. I don't feel like that's an especially big issue though. I mean I'm sure it is easier to raise kids in a two (or more) parent home, but I think I could be a pretty damn competent single parent. Anyway, who knows, maybe I will have a partner; it's just no big deal either way. The kids though...well that is kind of a big deal. I think I'd really regret it and, yeah, maybe even feel like something is "missing" if I don't have them. *sigh* I just hope they like faced paced urban life and don't mind being in college (or at parties ) with their dad.

Well, I think that's the other side of it. Not only does there seem to be a desire for attention in sympathy IMO, but there's also that general "talking about it is easier than doing it" thing. I guess taking that first step is pretty tough sometimes. I know I'm guilty of talking about how I want to go back to school and how I have all these degrees I want to get, and how I need to look into it and start applying....but then I never actually do. I just keep talking about it periodically. No, it wouldn't be hard to fill out a few applications, look into what sort of Master's programs the universities around here have in my areas of interest....it's just easier not to. I just always seem too lazy to actually do it. I really do want to though, I just kinda want someone to hand it to me on a silver platter. Like do all the leg work for me and tell me exactly what each school has, and hand me the forms I need to fill out. LOL, don't guess that is going happen though.

I hadn't really thought about it in terms of divorced people. Whenever I think of divorced people I usually think of my mom, and I don't think she's like that at all. I guess you've got a point though; I suppose it is something that some divorced people do as well.

LOL, thanks

I think that's a wonderful point! Sometimes I feel like I'm "enabling" people by always trying to help or being predictably sympathetic and supportive whenever a problem comes up. Maybe I am conditioning them to hold on to their problems by reinforcing this behaviour with my attention. That's why I have been trying to take a firmer stand when it's apparent the person isn't really "trying" to make the situation better for themselves, but it just makes me feel like a big jerk a lot of the time.

I think that's a really good, sad point Sometimes it does seem like people are creating drama just to have something to bitch about. I do think the primary motivation is sympathy or general attention.