rustle

Happy Birthday Wayne! All the best, and lots of it!

I don't normally look, but I did today. This cannot be overlooked or go unremarked. Happy Birthday, darlin'! All the best, and may you always be appreciated for the special person you are.

I won't mourn his death, but celebrate a life well-lived. At 95, he had a hell of a run.

Ever the optimist, aren't you, buddy?

From what I've seen, heard, read, Tom Daley is an admirable young man in many ways, with a down-to-earth attitude and pleasant demeanor. It's easy to resent that he felt compelled to come out like this. I wish the paparazzi would take 3 giant steps backward, but tawdry sells, so that's not gonna happen. Tom did a courageous thing in coming out like this, but he also pulled the snake's fangs, like standing up to the school bully. Now, he doesn't ever have to look over his shoulder, fearing his secret will come out. No matter who his boyfriend is, he's fortunate. I'd love to just wrap him up and bring him home with me. But I'd be dead meat when I walked through the door.

I once loved a guy and said nothing. He had a boyfriend who cheated on him. I never told Jeff how I felt until it was too late. He found somebody else. I lost my chance, and I lost my friend. I often wonder, What if? I mighta still lost my friend. Or I mighta won the brass ring. Or something in between. Coulda tried to say what was in my heart, before... Coulda let him choose. The only real regret I've ever felt was because of waiting. But I'm not you, and he's not Jeff, and only you know what you know and feel what you feel. 'Whatever you're meant to do, do it now. The conditions are always impossible.' - Doris Lessing

Happy Birthday, Andy! I hope it's a great one.

This last year, I lost the weight I put on after the fire, and got some of my life back on track. I started learning leather tooling, and wrote my first piece of fiction. Both gave me more insight into what matters to me. This next year, I plan to focus more on creative endeavors, and explore marketing. I have a few leather projects planned, and started giving some thought to other stories to write. I've got some more weight to lose, and want to spend more time paddling my kayak, riding my bike, and going to the gym. My puppy needs more exercise and training, too.

I could fill in less than a dozen countries, identify some regions that are no longer their own countries, and tell you about the edged weaponry used there centuries ago. Dave could ace it, and tell you roughly when the current borders were established. I'm impressed that the Brits did as well as they did, and doubt that half the US citizens could do as well.

When Mom was alive, on Christmas Day, the food was traditional. Usually, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes baked with marshmallows, cranberry sauce, green salad, green beans, etc.. The standout was the desserts. Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, chess pie, mince meat pie, apple pie, 5-6 types of Christmas cookies. I remember spending an hour cutting up dried fruit for the cookies. Christmas Eve, we'd have a normal dinner of whatever. Sometimes Mexican food, sometimes roast beef, sometimes Chinese. We might go to church, since they usually had unusual music, like the hand bell choir. One year, we went to the symphony. Afterward, we'd get to open one gift apiece. Lots of Christmas carols. Two pianists, two guitars, two ukuleles, a banjo, 5 singers. Five members of the family. One year, we went over to the house of one of Dad's co-workers, where everyone played folk music for hours. Christmas morning, we got up early to open gifts. Santa came as long as we believed in him. Then a big meal, followed by phone calls to everybody and their brother and the kids playing with their new toys.

I don't think pedophilia is a crime of passion or lust. I think it falls into one of two categories: 1) An act of violence or domination, like rape. 2) An act of desperation, pulling a victim down to one's level. Like they can never be clean again, so they're trying to reclaim their innocence by taking another's. Whatever the reason, pedophilia is said to have the second highest rate of recidivism of any crime, second only to indecent exposure. Anybody who finds themselves considering a carnal act with a pre-pubescent needs to check that thought and seek help immediately. Anyone finding themselves tempted by anyone under the age of consent had better not volunteer to work with kids. I've lost track of how many youth ministers and public school employees I've heard of who got into trouble.

That answers the question, "Am I really THAT far out of it?" Yes. Yes, I am. Gotta go buy a walker.

Have I? Hell yes. If it's something nice, but I'll never use it, and somebody else might, it doesn't go to waste. It doesn't even have to be something nice. I've gotten a lot of bizarre things over the years. We had a white elephant gift exchange once at work, and I got the most godawful candleholders. Partly in jest, I gave them to an artist friend. She loved them, and were funky enough to look great in her house. Weird stuff makes the rounds, too. Maybe we're all a bunch of hobbits passing around mathoms.

...and a howling good time. Happy Birthday!

That's not weird, it's cute. Woobie's got Duke beat, though. He didn't just sit on Dave's face, he farted on it, too. I love being married. I get to laugh with impunity.

This one matches my bedroom furniture. http://www.wayfair.com/Lakeland-Mills-Pet-Bed-PH2436-LLML1000.html

We don't have any hard-and-fast schedule, but Christmas doesn't figure into anything until after Thanksgiving. After that, about the first weekend in December, the tree goes up and gets decorated. It comes down again the first or second weekend of the year.

An old physicist was on a documentary. His greatest passion late in life was researching harmonics and resonance. This is what you're describing. A sympathetic vibration. With Roan, it was his gentleness and capacity to love. With JFK, it was his vision. I miss both. Their loss hurts, but I'll suffer the pain for the memory.

After 2 days of training in crucial conversations, this just reinforces the impact a single courageous voice can make.

Not big enough for mine. Woobie Bear is nearly 6' from snout to tail tip.

Uh, you "explained" their behavior to Kyle? Joann, if you can really understand it, would you please explain it to me sometime? 'Cause I'll never get it otherwise.

Bi? It defies our very human desire to categorize things and people. It requires us to either think or accept without definition or limitation. As I learned from some transgendered folks, just 'cause I can't experience it doesn't mean I can't get it. Now, if a biological female says he's a guy, he's a guy. I don't care about the plumbing. There are two times it matters - when you're in the throes of passion, and technique is dictated by geometry; and when you're planning a family. It doesn't matter to me. That doesn't always mean somebody's apathetic; sometimes, it means they're enlightened.

oxymoron alert BTW, Zombie, is that a new cap? Stylin'.

Well, since everybody I polled rides bareback (We're monogamous and committed, so don't preach.), they've obviously left out at least a small sampling in Texas. And I dare say we can skew the curve. Besides, do you believe everything you read?

muscle control