rknapp

The object in my left hand is the caliper, which is the part that clamps onto the rotor (disc below my hands) and slows/stops the car. The thing sitting on the ground behind my right foot is the bracket.

You won't like the results if you try. If you do try, be sure you have health insurance... and dental.

Here is a sort-of candid of me from August 31st, at a club meet with my local Jersey Shore car club. I was removing my front brake calipers and caliper brackets to remove rust and brake dust, and paint them to make them presentable. The brackets were painted gunmetal (like my wheels), and the calipers black... not the fire engine red everyone and their grandma has on their rice rocket (Japanese/Chinese/Korean car) or other such modified compact car or actual sports car. Mine blend in, thank you very much. Anyway:

Songs that make me dance? ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... I got nothing... never been to anything with a dance floor, besides prom (and didn't dance there), plus I've never danced, so... yeah.

Whether or not I am good or evil, how I define good and evil, and how others define them can be best explained by my avatar. "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." Do I think I am good? Of course I do. Does an evangelical priest or a right-wing whack-job think I'm good? Absolutely not. I share my bed with men, am pro-choice, believe in equality for all, etc. etc., so by that, the priest and the whack-job consider me evil. Yet, I am sweet, honest, helpful to those are helpful to me (golden rule), etc., so I consider myself to be good. To determine whether something is good I rely fully on my own thought processes. Religion, philosophy, natural order, and the law have absolutely ZERO effect on what I perceive to be good or evil. I don't need God to tell me not to sleep around, kill, steal, or lie. I don't need the law to tell me not to drive backwards, kidnap children, etc. The same is true of how I determine something be evil, plus whether or not it maliciously harms someone else. This can be physical or mental harm. For example, the thread I started about John being harassed at school by a prick he doesn't even know. The scumbag is maliciously harming John, who did nothing to warrant such harm. This makes the piece of shit evil. However, going back to my previous quote in my avatar, an evangelical priest might consider the dirtbag to be good because he is "trying to save John from his path of destruction". Pure, manipulative, bullshit to me, but gospel to others.

That brings to mind another thing... if Hallmark increases its gay card library I don't think it would be out of the question for them to cut deals with these stores to see their cards inside the stores. Usually "gay stores" are within "gayborhoods", so it would be beneficial to Hallmark as it injects their products into the community. Like I said before, my store (Kohl's) has three whole walls (two aisles) dedicated to Hallmark cards. This area increases to the adjoining Seasonal department during the holidays (Christmas, Chanukuh, etc.) to include decorations and ornaments and such. The cards themselves are handled entirely by a Hallmark employee. Guess what is next door? I mean DIRECTLY next door, buildings attached? A Hallmark store. Also, like you said, they sell in convenience stores, so I think it's entirely possible that Hallmark would try to sell their line of gay wedding cards in gay stores in major cities. Now, I say major cities (Houston, New York City, Philadelpia, Boston, Chicago, L.A., S.F., Miami, N.O., etc. etc.) because I think gayborhoods in the country (such as New Hope, PA) would not get such attention... but New Hope is out of my way no matter what anyway for just a card.

Nice pictures, Anna! The Z28 too.

I wouldn't necessarily say it's over for the local gay businesses, it just depends on what they sell. The Hallmark cards are still kinda vague I think, except the one with two tuxedos. If the local businesses offer better cards (and should if they have been doing them for longer) then they should be fine. Besides, they have to sell other things besides cards, right?

*jumps Niels' bones* So hot!

I have an advantage over both of you... I have a car and can easily get away!

Only if you want to suffer a very slow and painful death. Nice!

Nice Niels! I love that look on you, you pull it off really well. I've never dyed my hair... nor do I plan on it.

Went out today to have my uncle check out some problems on my car, then decided to swing by Borders and Hallmark on the way back. Hallmark did not have the cards in the Weddings and Anniversaries section, so dunno if they're just not out yet, or what.

Well, I can tell that my dad at least cares about me. I've been really depressed recently, and he picked up on it yesterday. He had asked if I had been crying yesterday afternoon, then during dinner he asked me why I looked so down-trodden. I wanted to tell the truth, but instead lied and said I was fine. *sigh* I think he is my last hurdle. I might want to also tell my friend, Trish, in person, just because she's been in love with me for the past 5+ years and she deserves to be told face to face, rather than through Facebook some years down the road. This won't be for a while though, unless I am asked like my mom asked me.

Only Pennsyltuckians... Meh, I don't think we get Showtime. My dad is too cheap to get the good channels. Damn, I have to miss the hot boys...

Eh, today was my last day at work (sort of) and I forgot to check out the card section before leaving... we sell Hallmark cards that are handled by a lady from the Hallmark store next door to us. I might go out again later after buying a new car insurance policy to check out Deaf books at Borders, and then quickly check out the Hallmark store and the section of Hallmark cards at my store to see if they really are selling those cards. If so, I'm taking pictures with my phone...

South Florida has no accent. Once you get past Ocala, it's normal, and I have remained that way since birth, so no Jersey influence either. Zilar, I know you don't believe it, but I believe there was once a cute boy who grew up to be a cute man, judging by that picture.

You think I have an accent? HAH! I've only lived in this state for the past 12 years. The 9 before that were spent in south Florida... *sigh* I miss that state so much... but no, I have no Jersey accent. Attitude, sure. Accent, no. This has little to do with Canada, though his poor choice in places to move to from Pennsyltucky does play a small part.... LOL j/k.

But, his motive for wanting it is still in question. Did he want to kiss Cody because he is not straight? Did he want to kiss Cody because he is willing to try anything once? I think that if he kisses Cody, or another man, again, outside of sex, then we have our answer. Regardless of his toxicity.

Your evidence of superior intelligence was destroyed by misspelling Jersey.

We can't all be so lucky... remember that neither my mom nor my sister knows how my dad will react, so he's being kept in the dark for now.

Silly Pennsyltuckian in Canadia... lol yeah I noticed his language was different from ours in two places. There was car park, which is actually often used in the US to refer to a multi-level parking garage, and there was "hire a car". When he said that I thought he meant that he hired a chauffeur, but I don't think you could pay a car to drive you around... you have to drive the car lol. Then I figured "hire" for him is "rent" for us.

Hahaha, suspenseful? Here's the rundown: We ate dinner, and dad left the room to watch TV in the family room. Mom: "Have you seen Trish lately?" Me: "Nope, I'm working and she has class." Mom: "Oh, do you like her (like that)?" Me: "No." Mom: "Is there someone else you like?" Me: "Yes." Mom: "Who is she? When can I meet her?" Me: "I don't know if I can tell you." Then we went into a short debate about not being able to tell my parents something because I don't know how they would react. I can't even say "her" name because it would reveal something else entirely, blah blah blah. Then finally, Mom: "Do you want me to ask the question?" Me: "Maybe." Mom: "Are you gay?" Me: "Yes." She accepts me, she loves me no matter what, and wants me to be happy. Her only concern was AIDS. She asked if I'm a virgin, and of course I am. I told her that I'm not a slut, and that I'm not stupid. She went on to say that my dad would accept me as well, but we should probably keep it from him for a while... until he's senile (her joke). She said she's kinda suspected. She's asked twice already, and she really knew something was up when Trish told her last summer that I've never kissed her, or held her. Of course, Eric now thinks he was right. SUSPECTING is NOT the same KNOWING! She said later, "By the way, I love your car thing!" Not sure if that had to do with the stereotype that gays are not greasemonkeys. Sure, gay people are a very clean people... and have been since they came over from France... but some of us are gearheads! Well I hadn't planned on coming out to either of my parents this soon, but it works for me.

So, after dinner tonight, my dad left the room and my mom asked. Now she knows.

Eric, I am aware of civil unions here. I merely stated that we are one of the states who not turn away a gay couple seeking marital rights of some form. It's not full marriage, but it's better than total rejection.