Ron

My understanding is that you're frustrated about what you can and cannot say (or is that get away with?) here on GA politically, but the guidelines are clear enough. What's the alternative? Would you have Myr open Gay Authors to a maelstorm of political discontent? No, you say the rules are there for a reason and rightly so. I sympathize with you, both for your feelings and your individual (and collective) plight in this world. For what it's worth, I think you're smart enough and clever enough to make your point without breaking the political comment rules -- however blurry they may seem.

I've been digging Amen Dunes newest release - Freedom (the whole album). Here is an example...

Best wishes for a happy birthday, Myr.

So... Batman, huh? I can see it now... We give you, Robert Pattinson. The new—Vampire Bat!

It looks like you came full circle. Oh, and stop whining. (chuckles) I’m still paying attention, if a little removed.

Substitute bacon for the sausage in the recipe and you’ll have a whole ‘nother topping and need for American style biscuits.

Congratulations on this furthering promotion, Parker Owens.

I read it once online and then again when I bought the graphic novels—to support the artist/author, plus as a thanks for putting it online for everyone to read. Maybe it’s time for me to revisit the boys.

I hear ya. Two thoughts... Have the same compassion for yourself that you would freely offer to anyone else. Don’t be so hard on yourself! You seem to have a good grasp of your anxiety triggers and the resulting fallout. What’s the next step?

It seems you are already transparent enough as it is... I privately thought that you were The One in this particular matrix, too.

I'm currently reading three author's works, two on Kindle and one paperback (from wayback). I'm reading Elantris (revised 10th anniversary edition) by Brandon Sanderson, after having read it first back in 2005, and The Dragon Bone Chair: Book One of Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (again an anniversary edition) by Tad Williams, which I first read way back in the late 1980's (I think, at least once more after that) -- both on Kindle. The paperback book is a favorite from wayback (I know, another one) that was first published in 1980 (now out of print) by David Brin called Sundiver ( @Palantir you might well like this series - human engineered sentient dolphins, among other species) which is the first part of what eventually became a devided six book series: The Uplift novels. Anyway, some good books are worth rereading and I can highly recommend each of these. All of these stories I read long enough ago that there is a lot of refreshing going on in my mind. Of course, it all seems familiar, too, and that's why I'm able to do three works at a time. Tad Williams' work is left to my time at the laundromat, Sundiver is a just-before-bedtime story (paperback - no artificial light from my iPhone or iPad) and Elantris is a whenever story. My reading list is part of why I haven't been as active on GA as I have been in the past. Mostly, what I'm trying to do is write my own science fiction work and I've been reading new things and old as part research, and also toward getting my mind in the right groove. We'll see.

Best of luck to you on your journey.

Okay—don’t laugh—I have one tatoo that I got in seventh grade middle school. It’s a blue dot on the left cheek of my derrière. What size is it? Well, it is of a size that a Bic, blue-ink pen will make if someone (a girl) pokes you in the ass with one in order to get your attention. God, women are brutal! I’ve carried it around all these years, forty-six of them.

Well, and that explains that... doesn't it? No, I don't mean to be flippant, here. Now, not that I ever had any pressing need to know -- though I do admit to the occasional bout of curiosity as to whether you were male or female -- I always chose when referring to you and during correspondence with you not to use male- or female-specific pronouns. Quite frankly I took my cue from you, because you didn't refer to yourself as either. Even your posted photos seemed to present you as non-specific in gender. What I knew for sure before this blog post was that you are a talented writer (my viewpoint hasn't changed) and that you had other artistic interests. Other than that, I expected that you were being the best you that you can be. And, as it turns out, you are.

Mr. Rain sure did live a long life. I hope it was a good one. I've purchased the new 4K Ultra High Definition release of 2001: A Space Odyssey and I can't wait to see it. Unfortunately, I do have to wait because the darn amp in my last usable subwoofer went out just a couple of days before the movie arrived. I'm waiting for new amps to arrive courtesy of Definitive Technology and I'll install them and reset my system up and enjoy the movie once again (I have watched this movie many times over the years). Mr. Rain's dry delivery of Hal 9000's voice is perfection. As an aside folks, if you're ever interested in a bang-for-the-buck subwoofer, and excellent customer service to boot. I can highly recommend Definitive Technology. I purchased my subs back in 2008 (three year warranty, at the time) and Def-Tech will have replaced the amps twice at no charge -- Ten Years -- and out of warranty both times. I'm not saying everyone will have such a great experience but... come on, who does this anymore?! So, worth a mention, I think.

"When you learn someone is a jerk, don't stick around to find out what kind." - Nick Galifianakis (for The Washington Post) This may seem more of an advisory than something inspirational, but if it pops into your head at the right moment... and inspires you to get going...

Too late for both of them; it was all in vain. Two weeks later they had a falling apart.

The little pumpkin inhaled as hard as he could to put his candle out and hide. Because he learned what happens on November first—smash... smash...—oh, the horror!

This is less of an epiphany or something that is widely known but profoundly new to you but more about abusing a privilege, I fear.

One from me: Scene: In a rental car with my brother. We need gas. Me: Would you get out and check to see which side the gas caps on? Him: Look at the fuel gauge. Me: Him: There's a little arrow on the fuel gauge that tells you which side you fill on. Me: Ree - - - ally?!

Disclaimer: I got this idea from an article that Buzzfeed wrote. Over the course of our lives it's possible to learn something that's seemingly common knowledge to a lot of other people. Nevertheless, when we learn these "new" facts we are often gobsmacked by them. How is it possible that we were not in the loop of things already?! Feel free to share some of the common, mundane and dare I add useful 'new to you' things that bowled you over when you learned them.

I get you. I suppose those three words best express what I want to say more than any other words that I could lay down. You haven't been one to, shall I say, "beat around the bush" about your mental health. But your mental health issues are not the only example of your voice, you know this. Now, I tend to read and follow the same author's works again and again through the years for various reasons. Mostly, of course, it is because I enjoy what the authors have to say--what they write--but here on GA we can enjoy a more privileged connection beyond the words that are written. Here, through your freely expressed experience, we (I) are allowed to revel in your personal triumph. I never give up on good author, even when they experience something resembling a slump. I haven't, and I won't, give up on you either. Cheers and my best, best wishes for your continued good health.

This series can best be described as High Fantasy. No simple story is this, it delves deep and wide into the culture and landscape of this world. The Chosen, the first book in the series sets the tone, it is alien—yet believably rigorous—and richly described. I own a full series of first editions copies, printed in the U.K., as part of my personal library—along with an uncorrected book proof copy of The Standing Dead that I picked up in a used bookstore here in Boston, MA. Ricardo Pinto, the author, has written on his blog (I’m a follower) that he has re-edited this series, having reduced the the text by a quarter. He has broken the books into seven parts, for practical and artistic reason: there are four new ‘hinge chapters.’ The text is being proofread and Mr. Pinto is working on new covers of his own design. The second edition will be available in paperback and as ebooks and will be released soon. Like @Sweetlion, I can highly recommend this series. For those who’s attention span is “long-winded” read the original books, otherwise wait for the more concise second editions. Either way, the fantasy reader won’t be disappointed.

“No... tire... irons. What’s a tire iron doing in the trunk when I told you: no tire irons ever. Why, Christina? Why?”

There are several in the world who have fomented change in their societies for the betterment of gay people everywhere, both those known widely and those who remain quietly in the background. So for me a gay icon would include everyone who has or will "come out" and dare to be and live as the person they are.