Traveller_23

I read his work when I was new, but I didn't comment on forums/threads back then because it just didn't seem like it would achieve anything since he's been gone so long! Also, when I'm new and there's already been a lot of discussion, sometimes I feel like everything's already been said? Also, anyone know why he's on hiatus?

I run a food blog, and one day when I'm out to the world I'll tell you guys about it. But in the mean time I'll post some recipes soon!

Yettie One, just a point of clarification. There aren't too many religious people on this site (I think), so I guess I'll play the role. Hindus don't stone people, please don't just lump them together with Muslims. Having said that, LGBTQ people from Hindu communities face other forms of oppression. Certain Muslim countries do stone people I'm ashamed to admit, so you're correct there. Finn, I haven't read all the posts so what I'll say may have been addressed already. I'm from Bangladesh, and the laws there allow for life imprisonment for being gay etc. No one in recent memory has been prosecuted, but would you want to risk it? That's the kind of situation I find myself in. Homosexuality is taboo and swept under the carpet, so it's hard to gauge how people feel about it and this I think leads to uncertainty and fear. I happen to have Muslim friends who know I'm bisexual and are very supportive. At the same time, there are Muslim fundamentalists in the country who take to the streets when we try to implement laws that facilitate equal rights for women (never mind gay people!). All of this creates a very complicated environment and not everyone deals with it so well. Sorry, I think I've kind of just rambled there...

My first time out at a gay bar was in Birmingham, UK. I was just recently out, but was going with a big group of friends so I wasn't nervous or anything. I suck at dancing and I don't drink, so clubbing is of limited interest to me. The bar turned out to be more elaborate than we thought with a dance floor downstairs. Entry was cheap, but drinks were a little expensive compared to straight student places. I'd gone in expecting to see lots of guys dancing together, so it didn't hit me as much as it could have. Also, it was a very mixed bar, so lots of lesbians, trans people and races were there too. It was nice. Except for the few guys (not necessarily older) sitting in corners alone. I remember one of them looked like he was clearly still in denial that he was gay My second time was at G-A-Y in London. Definitely an interesting experience. We queued up in the wrong place first time round, and so they wouldn't let us in. We were annoyed at ourselves mostly until we heard the bouncer say she didn't want to let any Asians in. But half of our group had gone in already, so we queued up at the right queue and went it in anyway. It was big, the music was good and the crowd was okay. I saw at least 2 people doing drugs, quite a few guys dancing by themselves. Surprisingly, less diversity than Birmingham. And according to my straight female friend there were quite a few straight guys there as well (I have no gaydar - you have to wave your cock in my face before I get it). Then my new friends' dancing eventually descended into various forms of crotch grinding. I left with my female friend and we went to a straight club for old people. The music was quieter and the were drinks better. It had a cool basement place where you could actually sit and talk. I didn't feel the whole eyes-on-you thing either place I went. I know I wouldn't attract any particular attention, but some of my friends would have. It's just that these places were so busy I don't think anyone would notice anyone right away. Apparently I did get checked out a few times - this was a huge ego boost Not that I would have done anything because I had a boyfriend then, but my friend later told me she dragged me to the straight club just to make sure I couldn't hehe. All in all, I don't think I'll go again unless its someone birthday and I'm obliged to.

I've recently started earning/stopped being a student and was pleasantly surprised to find out that I'm actually not a brand person When I was a student I thought I'd buy this this and that when I finally had the cash but now that I do, I'm a bit meh. I'll just try to buy clothes from shops where I know the quality is good and I think it looks good. I also won't buy anything where the branding is obvious. And for tech stuff I buy stuff for curiosity/playing with rather than the brand I don't buy much else...books, food and video games I guess. I have brands I detest though A&F/Hollister - because in the UK their stores are dark with pounding music and you can't even see the damn clothes! Yet people still buy things from in there. Also - the Ralph Lauren shirts with the humongous logo - why did they need to go and do that to their perfectly nice polos? Oh look at me I spent THIS MUCH money on polo shirt...

I'm not sure what you mean by transgendered people using to to claim superiority. I thought all cisgendered meant is that you are the gender that you were physically born it into, giving us the opposite of the word transgendered. Pretty uncontroversial, IMO

I'll let you know how it goes, although it is just a recipe from the BBC Good Food site http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2428/gordons-christmas-roast-goose-

comicfan! I'm making your pumpkin pie over here Pumpkin pie has been a favourite of mine for years and years, but I didn't get down to ever making one till I ready your story and saw the recipe! So I don't really celebrate Christmas. We still get the holidays obviously, so when I was living with the parents we'd spend the day together, cook a nice meal etc. Mom would make something called a Bangladeshi roast. And we got a present or two out of it as well. Now I'm living by myself, I have another friend who doesn't really celebrate coming over and we're making some sort of Xmas meal for fun I pulled the menu randomly from the internet: - Roast chicken with Chinese five-spice, lemon, lime and herbs - Potato and parsnip rosti - Honey and mustard glazed carrots - Mushrooms because I like them - Brownies with orange cream - Pumpkin pie with pouring cream - Apple and elderflower to drink I originally wanted to do goose, but the only place that still seemed to have them was Waitrose and it cost about £75 for a 6kg bird. Not really a reasonable spend for two people!

Sony Xperia Pro. For the keyboard. Am I allowed to say that I hate touchscreens in general for typing? Because I do. They absolutely suck for long messages, forum posts or IM. This is the biggest reason I've stuck to Android - they're still making some phones with QWERTY keyboards. On the iOS vs Android side of things. I started off with Android because I could afford it, and also because I don't like Apple as a company. I think they charge too much for what they offer and generally give off a dictator kind of vibe. Having said that, I have had an iPhone for work and it was very easy to use. I can easily see why people like it, and I can also appreciate Apple's quality control and customer care. It's just that I have everything on Google (contacts, calendar, drive) and am directionally challenged hence heavily dependent on Maps. And I also like Android's widgets, customisation etc. If you could somehow merge the strong points of both and add a QWERTY keyboard, I'd be a very happy bunny

I'm having a straight day, and I like blondes, but I don't see it. Great that she's not thin and everything...but that photo still looks like its airbrushed to the point of it being more virtual reality. Although she was cool in the Hunger Games...

Err, recently did a first aid course as part of my new job training and they just vaguely mentioned this. There aren't any on my office floor either, no idea why :S On the other hand, regarding CPR - we were told that it's a 1 in 20,000 chance of saving someone, so don't expect much but try just in case because you're that person's only chance.

If FFXIV comes out for PS3 eventually, I may join you guys

I don't know honestly....maybe Squall, because he was from the first FF game I ever played. But on the whole I think my favourite was IX - the characters all felt more fleshed out than the others, even VII. This: If you're a completist, by all mean buy it, if not, don't bother. If you play FF for the stories and character this won't do much for you.

Bangladesh, India, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Uzbekistan, the Philippines, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Finland, Belgium, Sweden, Germany, USA, the Netherlands and the USA. I feel ashamed of myself now given my screen name -__- Gonna go save up for tickets!

I never ever want to see Lightning ever again. Having said that, as a die hard FF fan I'll probably still play XIII-2 AND I LOVE THIS NEW DEMO. See the thing about FF is even though they tell good stories in a good way (sometimes), it all ends up being sanitised for the kids. They seem to have skipped that in this one (sorry kids!)

Hmph, if chopsticks come as a requirement for being an honorary Asian, then danno106 you need to be able to eat rice and curry with your fingers too! Hehe

Where do you get some of your story ideas from then?

Uuhh, the second actually did make me laugh Again, stereotype - but clearly not meant to be taken seriously. Gay or camp men like that DO exist. I think it's appropriateness depends on the society where it is being shown - whether people can tell it's a stereotype, and realise the actual diversity of the LGBTQ community. Also, if there's a fascination with drag in the gay scene, which there certainly seems to be on the part of some people, how can you be surprised when advertisers assume they can use this to connect with the gay community...?

Agree with NoNoNever. Not remotely funny, just a very poorly executed poor quality advert. And yes, the stereotypes exist for a reason - and in this case they are clearly exaggerated stereotypes that are trying to be funny and not to be taken seriously. I don't think anyone should find it offensive. Unless you're being offended by how poor the advert is in general

Okay, so I have limited experience here, i.e. just one experience...but this how it went for me. I'm versatile, and I doubt I'd date a guy who wasn't too to a certain degree. When I first started talking to/dating my current boyfriend, we talked a lot to get to know each other, and when the conversation got a little dirty this topic came up. But it wasn't awkward at all because it was in the right context. So yeah, I'd say bring it up, but in the right context. When the conversation is light hearted, and a little dirty hehe. I think it is an important thing question to ask, and it's okay to ask early. Third date maybe though, not the first one!

Story! A good story will keep me hooked, and bad story and I won't play. But then again, I try to avoid all games without good stories. If I play something like an FPS - I'll play the multiplayer campaign mode if the game has it with a friend as a fun social thing to do. Bad gameplay with a good story I'll put up with, but only to a point. Bad story AND bad gameplay? If there's comedy value I'll play

I haven't played with Win8 anywhere, but I have seen videos so yeah...I can see why it would be bad for a) mouse and keyboard for work and productivity in general. I can't see it going down too well with people who actually do stuff with computers

I am toying with the idea of buying one of the new MS Surface tablets... I will have to buy a new laptop soon too though (this one's been dropped one too many times) so I imagine I'll have a Windows 8 laptop anyway.

I just started reading this because it was in one the side nav bars. Everyone else has already given you good advice, just keep on being strong and do what you need to do *hugs*

Oh and now I know where you're from