Aditus

My resolution for this year were: get a grip on your depressions without meds, done, go to the gym regularly, done, finish the dam re-writes, not done, start a new multi-chapter novel, not done, full-time teacher Yes?No?, not done. This year? All the not done, I finally want to play 'Für Elise' right (me and her just can't get it on) and I want to do something unexpected just because I can.

Revolverheld (gunslinger), although I'd like revolverhead too.

Faith Hill 'There You'll Be' http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbrRxl7Q2Yk

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LISA! May all your wishes come true, even those you didn't know you had!

I don't have time, I don't have time... I like 282...

I second Thorn and Sasha, but I can understand why he asked. We help each other out here on GA with editing, betaing and in general talking about ideas we have. So for a first try it might be okay, if he'd asked nicely. Anyway now you know where to go Scotty.

I wouldn't say never, but yeah bumpy road indeed. Thank you Z. Short writing is all I can do at the moment, so I'm glad it's well received.

Shouldn't you say 'I will be forever thankful and of course I will mention you in the credits, I might even throw myself at your feet'? Just kidding, but honestly Scotty you might want to rephrase the above again if you want someone to draw/shop you a cover otherwise you might have to use the face or just the title.

It's North-Rhine-Westphalia now and I was born there too, albeit in the North-Rhine part.

Okay, now try to fill out a map of Europe. Including the capitals of course.

I find myself standing outside thinking 'It's exactly like that.'

In the past I called Christmas time hiking time. The family couldn't decide which traditions to celebrate, which resulted in each doing their own thing. They expected me to be there nevertheless so I walked around the city until I was finally at home around 11 pm Christmas Eve. Now we celebrate together, this year it's my turn. As we are the odd mix religion-wise we just do what we/the host likes. Which usually is Christmas Tree, dinner with the family and presents on Christmas Eve. When I'm the host this means vegetarian dinner of course, *snicker* Well I would cook meat/fish/birdies if someone couldn't live without, but so far everyone was okay with it as long as I made feta cheese pizza, fresh bread and tiramisu among other things. We play music, traditional and not so traditional christmas songs. Then there are the presents, mostly for the kids, after this the family members who want to go to Christmas Mass do that. Next year I'll dig a den somewhere outside the city and have my private Christmas. I need this once in a while.

I think I tend to look somewhat disgusted when I get something I don't want/hate/abhor? Anyway, they always say 'Or if you don't want it I take it back and you can tell me what you want instead.' I always politely admit I'd rather want something else. If someone gives me a gift I like I don't care if they got it for free or payed for it.

Thank you all! This was such a great surprise. You made me feel special.

Yep, now even we know K-Mart, not that it would help them to sell something. Or do they have an on-line shop that does international shipping?

Around two weeks before Christmas we meet at one of the tree farms and walk around with mugs of hot chocolate and choose a tree after a lively discussion of course. I am the host of the family get together this year, so I will have the tree up on the weekend before Christmas Eve. It's a large tree and it will take me a while until all the lights and decoration will be in place. The tree will be up until Epiphany Day. For the weeks before Christmas Eve we have the Advent wreath. It has a candle for each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Oh and then there's the Advent Calender, 24 doors to open until Christmas Day. I'll be never too old for that.

If you really make it I'll say 'chapeau'. I could never do that for all the above reasons. Sometimes it takes me days to fine tune one paragraph and then I delete the whole thing because I can't make it work like I wanted. *keeping my fingers crossed*.

I'll take The Night Before Christmas. Oh God what have I done?

Good to hear. Still, I can't decide.

5:15 pm finished tutoring and looking forward to eat left-over lasagna.

I should have been clearer: What is usually understood as gay culture is an artificial concept based on stereotypes and disregarding the diversity of people. Culture is a term interpreted in many different ways and is often misused when we only want to to describe a part of society. As some already said here, culture is so much more. It always annoys me when it's used to separate a group of people from the rest based on one or a few things they have in common. We tend to surround us with others who are like us, that's natural, it means protection, we feel safe. That's what the early humans did, what animals do, instinct, nature. I understand culture in contrast to nature and I want the big picture, I want to be part of culture, not of xxx-culture or yyy-culture. I am shaped by my surroundings, by my upbringing, by my sexuality and much more, yes, but I will not let myself be boxed in one of these. Sorry about the rant it has been a sore point for me lately.

Yes Sir! On the same status I asked 'What's gay culture?' IMO it's an artificial concept based on stereotypes and disregarding the diversity of people.