AFriendlyFace

Well, whaddya know, I broke the "everyone votes no" thing. I opted for yes, if it's the factory farmed deal. I am a vegetarian, but I've always maintained that while animal rights and their ethical treatment has been a part of that the main reason is that I simply don't particularly like very many meats. I like some namely most types of boneless chicken and seafood almost any way I can get it, but I've had a lot of different meats in my lifetime ranging from very fancy to very simple and I can safely say with the exception of poultry and seafood I've almost unilaterally be much more interested in whatever vegetable/bread/side dish came with the meal. So, it while it would be easier to still not be a vegetarian and eat the chicken or whatever on the rare occasions I wanted it - and indeed this is what I did for years, eating meat maybe 2 or 3 times a week - I ultimately decided that I'd feel better about the whole thing swearing off it completely, and it just wasn't a very big sacrifice for me to make. I really, completely, and utterly don't care what other people are doing on this front if they're simply consumers. I would never sit around ranting at someone to put down the roast and back away from the sandwich. In many ways it's sort of like my approach to religion. Do whatever works for you dude. I've got my own ideas and opinions, and I'll tell you about them if you ask, but I'm just going to mind my own business. Anyway since you did ask: I'm sorry, but personally I completely and thoroughly disagree, and frankly I do find those notions pretty *searches for a nicer synonym* distasteful, I'm going to go with "distasteful". Cost? Money? Geez! Are those really things that are more important than the suffering, misery, and death of another living being? Exactly, put away your ipods and cell phones before you start bitching to me about prices (and I'm NOT directing these comments to Jamie or Corvus, I mean the argument in general). It's a viable concern if you're living in poverty, but proportionally very few Americans and other 1st world citizens are. Oh they might classify according to the way their country evaluates it, but if they do have things beyond the basics in food, water, and shelter, it's not the way I'm defining "poverty" in this case. As I said, I'm not going to rant at people or try to convince them one way or the other. Indeed I don't for a minute think vegetarianism would be the right choice for the majority of people. But making weak justifications about "cost" while you're plunking down 4 bucks for coffee, paying for high speed internet, and wearing new clothes is just....well now I can't find a "nice synonym" so I'll just stop there. Anyway, I spent a considerable amount of time on a farm myself in my childhood, both beef and grain, and it's very true that people just don't appreciate farmers and their commodities. All we're concerned about is lower prices, lower prices, lower prices, and we don't care if that effectively results in the closing of small farms and the "trimming off of the fat" at larger ones. In a few generations I doubt they'll be very many farms left in the US at all. We'll be ever importing even more of our food. And actually, I'm not sure if I even consider this a uniformly bad thing. I just hope no one is surprised. Anyway, on a separate note, I have a very pragmatic view about what's right and what's wrong regarding this, and much of it depends on the specific animal. Not all animals are created equally. For example pigs are highly intelligent and personally I'm honestly not comfortable consuming them under any circumstances (although fortunately I never liked pork, in fact I've always thought it to be the least palatable meat). On the opposite end of the spectrum I have virtually no reservations - beyond the most basic respect of life - when it comes to shrimp and other shellfish. They're extremely primitive and stupid and it's unlikely they even have a system of pain and pleasure that humans and other mammals can even identify with. All the other animals fall somewhere between those two polls as far as I'm concerned and I expect their treatment to be comparable to their position on this spectrum. Yeah, I watch my protein and nutritional intake a lot better than I did before I was a vegetarian and I have a lot more energy, and I'm sick much less often. As I said, this won't work for all, or even most, people, but it works for me. Anyway, I realize that this post might come across as a bit overly vitriolic, and I especially apologize to Jamie and Corvus if it seemed as though I was too harsh regarding them. It's just I do very much disagree with those ideas and arguments regarding cost. However, I'm always pleased to hear from these two. In fact they're honestly two of my favourite posters, and I certainly spend a great deal more time sitting in awe at their insightful, intelligent posts than I do disagreeing with them (indeed it's remarkably rare that I disagree with either's thoughts on a given subject). Take care all and have a great day Kevin

Well, I actually pretty much agree with you guys, but I'll offer a different stance just for the sake of shining a new angle on things. I just got off the phone with my best friend, and the conversation was quite serious and one about emotions and feelings. Not even really our emotions and feelings for each other (although a bit), but more about our emotions and feelings in general. Anyway, I actually consider myself pretty good at talking about this kind of stuff. I think chances are I do it better than the average person because it's something I've really worked at and I try pretty hard to be in tune with my own emotions and those of my friends. Well, point was, I had all these things, these emotions in my head that I wanted to express, and I did...but they didn't come out quite right. Like I know I got the gist of it across, but it was sort of like I was thinking one thing and heard myself saying it, and it was like I was saying to myself, "that's not quite right!". It was close but the connotations and shades of meaning were slightly off. I feel pretty certain that I could have actually expressed myself much more accurately over some sort of written communication. Now don't get me wrong. I definitely think the phone was a better option for this conversation overall. And chances are it was even more emotionally meaningful because of the actual voices and stuff. But just in terms of accurate expression I know it would have been better in a written, text based form. -Kevin

I have some thoughts on this. To me, the most fundamental thing that it comes down to in this particular case is how you feel. Do you feel it back? How would you respond if you knew for sure that he had "I love you"? If you are in love with him, and would like to say it back, I think the simplest way would have been to sort of gently grab him, maybe hold his face so that you were making eye contact, and ask him to repeat it. In that sort of position he'd be more likely to be honest with you and it'd make for a pretty intense moment anyway. If he repeats it and it turns out that's what he said, then all is well in boyfriend land and all you have to do is say it back and kiss him. If, conversely, it turns out that he didn't say it, or that he's unwilling to repeat/admit it. Then you have a couple options. If you truly feel it, I'd suggest saying it to him anyway, but making it clear that you just wanted to let him know and not that you were trying to pressure him into saying it back and of course ideally you'd have to be comfortable with the idea of him not saying it back. Of course, chances are if you think he might have said it, and you feel like it's appropriate, then he probably did say it and is embarrassed or something, in which case he probably will say it back, or maybe he never said it at all, but if you still think it's pretty likely that he feels it, and that this is an appropriate juncture for you guys to be saying it, then again, chances are he'd say it back anyway. Point is, IF you do love him and feel ready to hear and say that, I honestly think you should say it. If on the other hand you don't feel ready, then the most obvious and simplest solution is definitely to pretend you never heard it. I would suspect though that there's a good chance if he did say it, the reason you're not sure, is because he is kinda scared you won't say it back, and he does want to give you the option of ignoring it if you're not ready. The sucky thing though is that at this point, since the moments have come and passed, he may have concluded that you're not ready and you don't feel it back yet. That could possibly mess with his head and heart in a pretty crummy way. So I would definitely encourage you to talk to him about it, or just out right say it yourself if you're feeling it. If you're not...well then your best option is probably still to let it go and hope that he's patient and maybe will say it again when you're ready. Anyway, to me it all comes down to how you feel. Good luck, Kevin

Well I'll throw one in: Not playing with a full deck

I've merged these two threads. -Kevin

Happy Birthday

Self-exploration can be wonderful and liberating, but if at first you find something you don't quite like, remember if you keep digging more deeply something a bit more pleasant will probably come to the surface As always I'll just leave you with a :hug and a -Kevin

What he said...which I swear is just like something I would say anyway -Kevin

Oh, Nick. I said it once and I'll say it again: no matter what I'm behind you and I support your decisions in all this. I'm so very sorry you went through all this. Take care, Kevin

I hope it's okay that I'll comment on what you guys have said. That almost feels inappropriate since this is so clearly such a personal thing, and since there is no universal right or wrong. Obviously what each of you has said is your own undeniable reason and what I think of it is completely and utterly inconsequential. Nevertheless, my reactions: Unfortunately these were all the things I had dismissed as being unsatisfactory reasons for me. The whole first person/last person thing was actually exactly a thought I considered and decided it was something I had mild negative associations with as opposed to positive ones. The whole "makes you feel complete" thing is actually the banner I tend to wave about how I don't want my relationship to be. As I said, I'm completely behind your idea for yourself, and if that's your concept then it's indisputably correct, but I can safely say that these would personally be the least satisfying or compelling reasons for me to take a life partner.

So this is actually something I posted in my blog, then decided I'd pose it more generally to everyone else as well. I hope this question will give you something to think about and perhaps help you gain some additional insight. I'm curious to know your thoughts, but at this point it comes down more to a thoughtful, philosophical pondering than any sort of desperate need or want to actually know. So the question is: Why take a life partner? Considering that I've just spent the better part of the last hour and a half contemplating this, I don't particularly think I'll hear very many things I haven't already considered. I'll probably hear some, but unless you go for something really deep and out there, I've probably already considered it. Nevertheless, as I said, I'm curious about your responses and I hope you get something out of it - be you single or partnered already - so I hope you'll indulge me. I also want to encourage you to evaluate this question without a bias. Without the innate assumption that in the end you must support one position or the other. Please, take a fresh look. -Kevin

I was going to write this deep, brooding blog entry. Actually I did. And I posted it. Only I posted it in my personal, no-one-has-access-or-even-knows-about-it journal. The catharsis came simply from writing it and I didn't actually want to make people sit and wonder what words of support they could offer to make me feel better when really I was already feeling fine having written it. So I do feel better. Emotional crisis averted and all that jazz. Then if my still contemplative but soothed state I wrote another entry. Decided it to post it privately too. So here, dear friends is the third entry, and it consists of a single question. A question which I hope will make you gain insights into yourselves more than I hope it will give me my own insight. I'm still curious to know the answers, and of course I'll consider them carefully, but at this point it comes down to a more thoughtful, philosophical pondering than any sort of need or want to actually know. So the question is: Why take a life partner? Considering that I've just spent the better part of the last hour and a half contemplating this, I don't particularly think I'll hear very many things I haven't already considered. I'll probably hear some, but unless you go for something really deep and out there, I've probably already considered it. Nevertheless, as I said, I'm curious about your responses and I hope you get something out of it -be you single or partnered already - so I hope you'll indulge me.

It was completely spur of the moment. I didn't know a soul in the whole state. I guess I did just feel like I needed to do something new, change things up, prove to myself I could do it...and I'm really glad I did If you think it'll be good for you then I'd definitely say go for it! But it's not for everyone and it really depends on the people and the situation

Thanks for the submission, Jamie I'll add this as soon as you get back to me on the codes -Kevin Story Archivist

Oh I like that one! "Better Off" - Theory Of a Deadman

**big bump** I'm grateful: -Long walks -Fresh produce -The Internet -Hot baths -Sundays

If I know my water is going to come cold I ask for it without ice as well. This is because I drink a lot of water and I tend to drink it quickly, so in a manner of speaking I can't spare the room for the ice Plus, having ice necessitates them refilling it more frequently, and invariably this just results in even MORE ice, and before I know it I've got a whole glass full of ice and even when it's just been filled back up I take two sips and it's empty again! Sometimes when I'm irritated with it and if it's a multi-course meal I just dump the glass of ice out into the empty plate. LOL, but I know that's not exactly classy

"Best Imitation of Myself" - Ben Folds Five

Well, I do hope your brother was aware of your relationship!

It's getting to be that this thread is no place for a pacifist! It would appear that Dimitri enjoys killing more whereas The Scar is more apt to see it as a last resort and more of a means to an end than as a delightful recreational pastime. Really, depending on circumstances, each of those outlooks could add up to pros or cons for each individual.

I'm sure he managed it only by keeping his eyes towards the goal at hand LOL, J/K adding that "s" drives me crazy as well! Especially when people say "anyways". :wacko: In other news I've been having to resist the "s" vs "z" thing, especially where "criticize/criticise" is concerned...but of course I knew that I surely would be if I did that *looks suspiciously at Sharon*

*nods and smiles hopefully*

Ohh, Whew! That's not so bad then! Yes exactly! LOL, I know what you mean! My biggest challenge is often just shutting up as well.

Happy Birthday, Dude

I'm celebrating life again/still