Comicality

I'm working really really hard on getting "Darkness Waits" to be as good as it possibly can be, and some other stuff for Halloween! But I'll be answering emails and stuff in a few days! Sorry for taking a while! I didn't forget ya! K? Seezya soon!

DUDE!!! That is freakin' AMAZING!!!! I haven't even gotten a third of the way through the music yet, but I'll check out more a little at a time! ((Hugz)) You guys might like the "Vampire Warehouse" forum! Check it out if you get a chance! I put it together just for vampire stuff (mostly), and there was an old soundtrack/score on there somewhere, but I forget where! https://www.voy.com/226758/ I've GOTTA find a way to add your soundtrack to the GFD: Blood Bank site! This is just too cool! Hehehe!

I recently got a few private emails fro people who found "GFD" and the "Billy chase" ebooks on Amazon.com due to your recommendations and your star reviews online! Thank you sooooo much for leaving a comment and a review and for just...grabbing the ebooks in general! Holy shit! I'm sorry, but I stopped looking for public reviews a long time ago! I'm going to make it my mission to go through all of my published ebooks and check out the reposnes that have been made lately! Thank you guys soooo much! I love ya! And I'll seezya soon!

If I had to be totally honest, I experienced my very first kiss when I was only six years old. Hahaha, but I don't count that as my first 'real' kiss. But it was with a blond girl in the first grade, and we were on a field trip to the Field Museum. I don't know what came over me or why I was so enamored by this girl, but I vividly remember torturing myself about it for the whole field trip. I just HAD to kiss her before the end of the day! And I did. An innocent, little boy, kiss of course...but it scared the shit out of me to do it, the other boys in the class thought I was crazy, SHE thought I was crazy...but I did it! And I won't take it back! Hehehe! See? Comsie was a natural born romantic. My first real kiss, meaning a kiss with some intent behind it, came when I was about twelve or thirteen, I think. It was with a boy named, Seth, and we had been friends for a few years. He used to live across the street from me, but his mom moved him and his little brother further away from us. Not TOO far away, but further than I was allowed to go by myself at the time. So every other weekend we would end up having his mom or mine drive over and drop us off for a sleepover. He had a bedroom, but we always slept up in his attic. His stepdad had a thing about 'noise' after ten O'clock, but...come on, dude! It's a SLEEPOVER! Relax. So we'd stay in the attic, played with action figures and Legos and talked and laughed. And I remembered this one night we had been watching "Raiders Of The Lost Ark", and this was probably the 50th time we saw it but it was playing in the background. We were both laying in his bed, it was dark except for the TV, and I don't really remember what we were talking about but things got really quiet all of a sudden. We could barely see each other's faces. I remember moving a little bit closer to him, and I remember him bumping my knee with his. And we were just sort of breathing. I swear I can still hear his breathing as I write this. And our heads got closer, but there was, like, a part of the blanket or a pillow between our faces. At first the blanket was between our lips, and then Seth pulled it down to get it out of the way...and our lips touched. I don't think I had ever been more excited in my entire life up until that point. Seth was extremely cute, but we were usually too busy having fun for me to really consider having a 'crush' on him or anything. I hadn't even really thought about it until a few minutes before we starting making out. And then there was some tongue action happening, then some rolling around, and a little grinding. But that's as far as it went. Hehehe, I honestly can't even remember how it ended or why we stopped. I just remember everything going back to normal the next day and it was as if nothing happened. Now, about a year later...hehehe, yeah, we finished what we started. Many, many, times over! (Wink) But it's not like we got together to kiss on the weekends. It happened, like, twice for a whole year. I didn't even think about it being a 'gay' thing. It was just this really sweet moment that happened with Indiana Jones playing on a Betamax machine in the background. Hehehe! Ahhh, memories.

That very first kiss. That first intimate connection. It can be one of the most memorable parts of anyone's life...sometimes for good reasons...sometimes for bad reasons. But, whatever the case may be, our topic this time around is all about that very first liplock and how it affected you! Now, I realize that some of you haven't actually had your first kiss yet, and that's fine. If you're still waiting for that magic moment, tell us what you want it to be like. What are you expecting? If given a choice, who would your first kiss be with? It's going to happen eventually, so you might as well enjoy a bit of fantasy until it taps you on the shoulder. Hehehe! So share your very first kiss memories with us! Give us some details! Who was it with? Was it a boy? A girl? Was it premeditated? Or were one of you caught off guard? Was it good? Was it awkward? Was it...bad? How did you react? Whatever you can tell us, we'd be happy to hear it! Sighhhh...first kisses. Awwww!

Yes! I've had problems with shyness in the past, but it's not a lifelong sentence. A lot of it came from issues that I was having at home. I mean, I don't think people understand how hurtful a life of constant criticism and verbal/physical abuse can be. It creates a 'break' in your psyche after a while. And I was so used to feeling like I was hated and stupid and wasn't good enough for anyone to pay me any attention, that I began to say those same awful words to myself, even when no one else was. So, I loved my small circle of friends because we all grew up together. But strangers? New classrooms, or having somebody new at our lunch table, or trying to get an after school job? I would be ready to crumble at the first sign of trouble. And if there wasn't any trouble, I'd convince myself that I was just too stupid to see it, so I'd invent some reason to crumble anyway. It can be such a difficult state of mind to get around, even for the simplest of tasks. See, when I talk about shyness, I don't just mean not being able to talk to people or wanting to be the life of the party. I'm talking about wanting to desperately reach out and be noticed, but you CAN'T...and it makes you miserable! I can't tell you how many people over the years have written me emails to tell me that they want to meet people, they want friends, they want to get along with their family members, they want love...but there's a social anxiety that gets in the way of that. It's a really difficult obstacle to get around. I try not to push too hard, but often end up in an argument because everything I say either gets turned around or shot down and it's like, "ARRGGHHH!!! Who's side are you on??? Aren't YOU the one that's miserable? Help me out here!" But then I remember feeling that way myself and realize that's what shyness DOES! It defends itself. It's like removing a stubborn parasite from the middle of your stomach and it won't go away! You end up arguing to stay miserable instead of getting better, and that's no help at all. It sucks. Believe me, I know. But, like I said, it isn't something that can't be improved upon. It doesn't have to last forever. Two things helped me get past the way that I used to feel all the time. Does that mean I'm never bashful or full of anxiety or self conscious about certain things? No. I'm human. I get nervous like everybody else. But I'm a LOT better about it than I used to be. The first incident that helped me out was actually due to me being horny. Hahaha, of course. Passion can be quite the motivator. I was working in this big place with bars and a kitchen and bowling lanes etc, and it was opening up for the first time downtown Chicago. We were both 19, but he looked like a 15 year old high school. Gorgeous! We had a staff of about 2 or 3 hundred people at the time, and one of my college roommates was also working there with me. I wasn't out to ANYBODY at the time, so I had to be super super careful, especially with friend of mine working right next to me. I was DESPERATE to meet him though! Talk to him. Get a few handshakes and hugs. Get him completely naked! (Did I say that last one out loud?) So I would make eye contact, occasionally say hello whenever he walked by. But...I didn't want it to seem like I was showing him special attention. I mean, he was so CUTE...people would have suspected that something was up whenever I smiled in his direction. So I tried to dilute things by saying hi to everybody whenever I came to work. Nothing else. Just a nod, "Hey", and that was it. That way, when I approached my dream boy with a grin, it didn't seem weird or out of place. Then, something else happened unexpectedly. People started saying hi to me first. Which was scary at first. That anxiety returned with a vengeance, but I didn't want to be rude. So I started talking to them too. Those conversations got a bit longer and longer. The break room became more fun. And once I started talking to them some more, joking around and stuff, I discovered that people weren't half as SCARY as I once thought they were. And I wasn't really embarrassing myself or pissing anyone off. I was just being myself, and that was good enough. After about two or three weeks, there was hardly anybody that didn't know me by name and vice versa. Never actually 'got' my dream boy, but we did become REALLY good friends and started hanging out all the time. Just the two of us at his house. Sighhhh...he's one of the reasons this site exists, in fact! So, trying to find a sneaky way into his heart is what helped me to get a little better with the whole shyness thing. You have to find a way to PROVE to yourself that you'll fare just fine when it comes to being around other people. Nobody can tell you to have courage or that it doesn't matter. You need to find your own proof. And it can be terrifying taking those first few steps, but it's so WORTH it! Trust me! The second thing that helped me out? The Shack! Hehehe, that shouldn't be surprising at all! Talking to you guys has been the greatest experience of my life! Not just reading/writing stuff, but being able to interact with people online and talking about things that I was never able to talk about before. I was 23 when the Shack started, and it was frightening to try to pry my brain open and speak about my true feelings and attractions. I was extremely guarded when I started out. The only way for me to 'speak' was through the stories I was writing. I could still claim to be detached if someone took offense or got mad at me. But it was answering emails, going to the chatroom, posting on the boards...I've learned so much. I honestly believe that social confidence is a muscle, and you have to train it in order for it to get stronger. You can't just sit back and say, "I'm not good at talking to people" and expect it to ever get better. No more than you can expect six pack abs by watching TV shows all day. You have to talk. You have to meet people. You have to joke around and share a piece of yourself while allowing other people to do the same. It works. And rather quickly, I might add. This site has made me who I am today. And naturally, that has spilled over into my real life as well, to the point where online Comsie and offline Comsie are practically identical. It feels so GOOD to be able to speak my mind and express myself without the crippling fear of being rejected for it looming over me all the time. So, if you guys are shy but want to one day go for something more...take those first few scary steps towards being a little more social. Just a LITTLE bit. You'll be surprised how quickly it gets easier for you to engage the people around you and find a few kindred spirits in the process. K? Hang in there. I'm being serious when I say that I've been where you've been. And I'm not saying that it's going to be easy to get better. But if you ever find yourself defending the thing that's making you miserable...you've got to stop. K? Go out there and find something to help you get better. A lot of folks are feeling the same anxiety. They don't bite. Not unless you ask them too. Hehehe, in which case, you've got yourself a buddy for life!

I think they're actually working on a Teen Titans movie already! They casted a few actors already, and a Young Justice flick wouldn't be far off if they do it!

Hehehe, I can HEAR you guys, ya know?

So, we briefly touched on this the last time I was in the Chatterbox Chatroom, and some of you guys had stuff to say about it and wanted to share your personal experience. So let's do it. I'm sure that many of us can relate. Do you consider yourself a shy person when it comes to connecting to other people? For some, talking to strangers or even to friends and loved ones can come off as being a terrifying experience. Or at least scary enough that you'd want to avoid that kind of contact at all costs. Does this describe you? And can you explain why? Now, I'm not talking about being 'introverted'. That's different. I can understand someone that just likes their private space and isn't really interested in being surrounded by people all the time. That's fine. But there are people that I talk to all the time that tell me they're shy but it makes them absolutely <I>miserable</I>. They can't talk in public, they feel disconnected from their friends, they're afraid to go to the chatroom, they're afraid to post on the forums (even <I>anonymously</I>)...they actually WANT to take a step forward...but won't. Why? What is it that we're so afraid of? Tell us your story if you're feeling up to it. I spent a lot of my life being painfully shy myself, and I'm still plagued by it from time to time. But I'm a LOT better than I was, believe me. Shyness can be a serious problem for some people. There's nothing to be ashamed of when talking about it, and there's no real 'cure' for it other than self confidence and practice. So give us your 'shy guy' tales! And if you're one of the shy people who have never posted here before...now would be a great time to make an introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/EzIzFfWR78M

In the beginning...being gay was NOT an option for me! Like...at all. Not just 'coming out' as gay, but not even BEING gay! My father was extremely, physically, abusive. Already, he used to call me a 'sissy' and a 'pretty boy' etc. When I wanted to be an actor, and got my first agent (was a modeling agent), I got HELL from him! If he knew I was even thinking about boys, I thought he might murder me. Honestly. I was an 80's kid. During that time, people would say things like 'fag' or 'faggot' or, hehehe, I remember 'gaylord' was a big insult back then. But it was confusing to me, because (especially when MTV came along) everybody was wearing make-up and long hair and tight leather pants...hehehe WTF? But I liked boys just fine until <I>other</I> people told me it was disgusting and wrong. So, even though I was lucky enough to have a few 'experiments' when I was young...and some sleepovers...and then there was the boy scouts...well, let's not get into all of that! LOL! Let's just say that I had my fair share of fun, even when I was pressured to never ever talk about it. Jump forward to college, and maybe a year or two before starting the Shack Out Back! I finally started taking my life back and realizing that, hey...I want more out of my life! I got online for the first time with a WebTV device! Hehehe, that changed 'everything' for me. I was reborn at that moment. No more sneaking peeks in the showers, no more buying magazines or videos in the middle of the night, no more hiding it all. It was a huge revolution in me discovering who I was. And the Shack, talking to YOU guys in emails and on the board and writing my thoughts out in the stories? Yeah...that was the milestone that made me who I am today. I'm sure of it. I met some really good friends in those first few years. In real life. And I had fun, but something had changed. I don't blame them at all for what I was feeling...but I did experience some pressure to come out of the closet at the time. Online and offline. I remember being terrified of the idea, but being urged on by others who didn't think it would be any big deal. To me...it was a big deal. A HUGE deal! But I was ashamed to admit that to the folks who, essentially, were just trying to help me. I did manage to come out to my best friend at the time. Took a few tries and a LOT of tears on my end...but I did it. I don't regret it. But I did it under immense pressure. So I can't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing. I forced myself into it, and I can't tell you whether I was ready for it or not. Live and learn, I suppose. (Don't worry! It went well, and he's still one of the best friends that I've ever had!) Then...some years ago...I met 'the one'. Hahaha! Awww, let me tell you guys something...nothing can break you down emotionally like meeting 'the one' can! It'll happen. Trust me. ::Blush:: Oh God...we were SO in love! We couldn't go 6 hours without smothering each other with love and giggles. Every day was a holiday. It was bigger and better than anything that I could ever write into a story. We were (and still are) a special kind of bonding that a lot of people will never experience and understand. I take pride in that. But I do remember having minor panic attacks over it. Because I wasn't willing to ever let him go. And that meant coming out. That meant telling my friends, and my family, and the world. It meant getting an apartment together and going out to dinner and a movie. It meant holding hands in the park and kissing in the mall. He means the WORLD to me. And that meant that all of my tension and fear about coming out was going to have to disappear. I wanted HIM! Nothing less would do. So, hehehe, I used to get short of breath at work and worry myself every night on how I was going to take my entire life and rebuild it to accept him as a part of it all. But that's what true love is all about, right? Anyway...yeah, I've been pressured to stay IN the closet, and pressured to come OUT of the closet...but it happens. I'm sure we all have personal feelings about the issue. It's a natural part of growing up for me. I just hope that I made the right choices along the way. Hey, I'm smiling right now. So I must have done something right. Hehehe!

A brand new chapter is up if you're interested! Please be sure to let me know what you think when you get a chance!

Monday - Should I be hurt? Does it make any SENSE for me to be hurt? I mean, it's not like those stupid pictures mean anything. It could be an OLD set of pictures for all I know! Or Jimmy could have doctored it to make it look like something it wasn't. How can I trust a single word that comes out of that boy's mouth when I know what a manipulative LIAR he is? Right? Still... Trying to ignore them completely was like trying to mentally fight off a heavy dose of fo

I've got a scheduled 'ChatterBox' chatroom gathering scheduled for this coming Friday! I don't get to chat as often as I'd like, and when I show up, it's in the middle of the night and I miss you guys! Hehehe! But, this Friday, I'll definitely be there, and everybody is welcome to come and have some fun with us if you can drop by! K? Details here: https://www.voy.com/15900/87948.html Hope to see you there! And if not, I'll catch you next time! Bring your happy grins with ya! It will be good to meet some of you for the first time!

I've got a scheduled 'ChatterBox' chatroom gathering scheduled for this coming Friday! I don't get to chat as often as I'd like, and when I show up, it's in the middle of the night and I miss you guys! Hehehe! But, this Friday, I'll definitely be there, and everybody is welcome to come and have some fun with us if you can drop by! K? Details here: https://www.voy.com/15900/87948.html Hope to see you there! And if not, I'll catch you next time! Bring your happy grins with ya! It will be good to meet some of you for the first time!

Let me just say that I've really enjoyed the answers you guys have offered up lately. So much of what you guys have said about your own experiences has brought me right back to being in that same position growing up. Which makes it more honest than anything folks are liable to read online. So, thank you! I appreciate the contributions! Now, I'm trying to get at least six of these questions together so we'll have six months worth of articles to pot as a part of bringing Imagine Magazine back to life! But I'm going to personally push for TWELVE if possible! That would mean a whole year's worth of Shacker personal stories, ready to go. That would be awesome! We already have two ("Way Too Familiar" and "Did You Fight It?"), and I'll come back later on to repost the "What's My Line?" question to maybe give folks some idea on how to talk to that cute guy you've been staring at all day! Hehehe! There's three, and this is the fourth! We're 1/3rd of the way there! I'd LOVE to hear more! So here we go... "Push N' Pull" As many of us know, coming to terms with the idea that you might be 'different' from the world around you can be a challenge. And that's on a <em>personal</em> level. It takes time, patience, soul searching, and self awareness. However, there's another step after that. Now you have to get the rest of the world involved. Friends, family, schoolmates, co-workers...coming out of the closet is a new challenge in itself. One that should be tackled whenever the person in question feels that they're ready for it. The question is...have any of you ever felt PRESSURED when it came to your sexuality? Both ways. Some folks feel pressured to come out when they're not ready. Other folks feel pressured to stay <em>in</em> the closet when they <em>are</em> ready. What has been your experience with either side of the equation? (Or both, if it applies) Pressured to come out? Maybe you've got gay friends or family members that want to almost 'force' you out of the closet for your own good. Maybe you've got a boyfriend now, and he doesn't want to keep your relationship a secret anymore. Or maybe you've been bullied into it, or the rumor mill has betrayed you. Pressured to stay in? Maybe you've got homophobic parents or siblings that you don't think will accept you. Maybe you worry about your job, or your community, or your church. Perhaps the place where you live has made it 'unsafe' for you to come out as being gay, bi, or trans. Then again...maybe you've never felt any pressure on you one way or the other. If you're lucky enough to have had that experience...tell us that too! That's AWESOME! Let us hear about it! Those stories are definitely needed too! Of course, these answers are for public posting in a future issue of Imagine Magazine! (https://imagine-magazine.org/releases/) I believe the newest issues are down at the bottom of the screen and not the top. But go check out previous issues if you like! Anonymous replies are more than welcome! And if you don't want your answer posted, just let me know, and consider it done! K? Can't wait to hear your answers! I'll add my own answer this weekend!

<p> I can remember it starting out as a bit of confusion. Mostly because I've always been a very, ummm...'introspective' kid, I guess. Even when I was five or six years old I knew that I was drawn to certain people above all others. Sometimes girls, sometimes boys. But everything felt natural to me, so I didn't think anything of it. Around the 6th grade, as soon as school started in the fall, I saw this boy 'Brice' in my first period class and wanted him immediately! Hahaha! Of course, back then, I rationalized it out in my head as, "He looks like he'd make a good friend." But looking back, yeah...he was super cute and I got infatuated. It wasn't until <I>other</I> friends and family and stuff started talking about gay people that I suddenly realized that there was supposed to be something wrong and inappropriate about what I was feeling. I honestly didn't understand at the time. I was an 80's kid, so nobody really blinked an eye when people used the word fag, faggot, Gaylord, etc. I just hadn't yet realized that those words were talking about ME. I even used them myself with my friends when we were ribbing one another. When I was about 12 years old, 'Stephen' came along (But you guys might know him as 'Ryan' from "New Kid"), and another boy named Gabe, and then there was another, and another, and another. To the point where I began to panic and didn't want any part of being different and abnormal and hated. I just figured I could hide it forever and not have anybody ever find out. Then...one night there was a show on HBO. I wish I remembered the name, but I don't. It was about gay people. Now, understand, at this point...the only thing that I knew about homo's were they were all sissies and wore tight leather stuff and costumes and had big mustaches. (Hehehe! Give me a break! I was LITTLE!) But I remember watching this show late at night n the living room, sitting right in front of the TV with the volume waaaaay down, in the dark, and keeping my hand on the remote through the whole thing, just in case one of my parents woke up and I had to change the channel in a hurry. I was sooooo scared, but I wanted to know! I had never seen gay guys be 'intimate' before. That blew my mind! I was breathless. Until that point, I thought being gay was just going to a bar and getting fucked on a pool table during an orgy while other people watched. NOT my thing at all. But this was different They were just normal guys. They kissed. And smiled. And cuddled on the couch. I knew that I was definitely bisexual then. I loved girls too...still do. But that one program exposed me to the idea that having a crush on another boy was just as normal and natural as it felt back when I was half that age. It felt good. It felt free. I lost my virginity to the boy next door when I was 13. Hehehe, lost my 'girl' virginity to his older sister shortly after that. But that's another story. And half way through the 8th grade, I had my first boyfriend, Jason. Gay feelings just became a part of my life after that. I still kept it a DEEPLY guarded secret, and still do in most situations...but fighting the actual feeling is no longer an option for me. Especially since the Shack and the stories came along. I can't say that I'm living out loud or anything, but there's no more conflict in my heart over who I am. Like...NONE! I'm proud to say that I know who I am. And despite a few awkward looks and hateful comments, I build myself a virtual paradise online where being myself is ok. I have friends now. Family. Support. I'm not a little boy watching a nearly muted TV special in the dark anymore. I'm 'Comicality'. Heh...how far I've come!

Ok...so maybe my idea for last week's question was overly ambitious. And Super THANKS to you guys who answered anyway! I've saved your answers, and I might go back and ask the same question again later on to see if we can, maybe, get some more answers on how to talk to cute boys! Hehehe! It's something that I think folks could really benefit from. Because...loneliness. You know? Anyway, another question for Imagine Magazine, to be posted in a future issue. Anonymous posts are welcome. I just...I want you guys to speak up and be a part of the site. Everybody has a story to tell. So...what are you holding back for? Seriously! "The Shack is boring." Well, what have YOU, personally, added to it? What do YOU wanna talk about, you guys? I'm seriously trying here. ::Taps Mic:: Help us out? K...new question... When you first found out that you were gay, or bi, or trans...whatever, how did it affect you? How old were you when it happened, and did you reject the feelings inside when you discovered them for the first time? Did you feel bad about your attractions? Were you ashamed? Let us know what your earliest experiences were when it came to finding out that you were...'different'. As always, since this is for Imagine Magazine articles later on...anonymous posts are welcome! So let me know if you don't want your online 'nickname' attached to your post. Share your story! What do you think about this? Let us know! Seezya soon!

I didn't realize that so many of you guys hadn't yet read some of the older stories on the site! But I'm trying to keep up, and I can't thank you guys enough for the comments, posts, and ratings, for he chapters! WOW! Hehehe, you guys are amazing! Thank you! I'll be going through all the stories to read your comments at my earliest convience! And I'm also working on detailed reviews of some of your favorite GA authors at the moment! Starting with "Let The Music Play", which is where I left off last time! So go check it out (By C James), and look for my review soon! Cool? Thanks again! Your comments mean the WORLD to me! You're my new best friends now! Heheehe! Love ya! And I'll seezya soon! I'll keep reading and liking your comments as often as I can! K? Seezya soon!

Thanks MrM! I'll be keeping your answer handy, and I'll save it. But I think this question scared off a lot of people. Sorry about that. I'll try asking again at a later date. I want people to share something personal with these, but I understand if people are scared or shy about it. I'll try to find something a little less 'threatening' for the magazine. I'll exhaust my brain for something different. LOL! I want people to participate, but I understand if they're a bit scared about this kind of conversation. THANKS for speaking up, though!!! Love ya lots!

A short film that I've posted before, but I see the url has been changed or erased. (Damn you, unstable internet!) Anyway, I love this one! And, DAMN, the main boy is cute! Sighhhh! Enjoy! https://youtu.be/u8oaBhcArbE

I'm going to try to collect six or seven of these Imagine questions so we don't run out of material or have to go on a scavenger hunt at the last minute. I'm already in the process of writing a *LOT* more for the magazine on my end, and I'll soon be reaching out to other authors to take a shot at contributing as well. Who knows? Maybe we'll discover some brand new talents out there! Anyway, question number two... Pop quiz, hot shot! There's a real cutie in your midst! Maybe he's someone you work with. Maybe he's in a couple of your classes at school. Maybe you see him at your local gym, or he works at your favorite cafe or restaurant. You might ride the bus or train with him every day, or maybe you're meeting him for the first time at a friend's party! Either way, he's right there in front of you. This could be your chance! Hey, he could be the one! So...what do you say? ::Record Scratches:: Wait, wait, wait!!! Before you guys get all timid and run away from this question SCREAMING...just hear me out! Geez! Stop giving up so damn fast! This is a community project here, dangit! I'm not asking for cheesy one liners (unless you've got some good ones! Hehehe!). Just think about it. How do you meet a beautiful stranger that you've never met before? How would you approach him? How do you break the ice? Do you 'test him out' first to see if he might be interested? Or do you just tell him that YOU'RE interested first and see how he responds? Whether this is happening in the high school cafeteria, over a few drinks at the bar, a guy you've been talking to online, or to that hot intern that works for your company...what do you do to get to know somebody new? Somebody you might be attracted to? Tell us what you've done in the past, or what you think people should do, or what they SHOULDN'T do! And if you've never tried to approach a stranger to get a phone number or to show some interest...tell us why not? It's totally ok to be frightened about this sort of thing. God knows I've run away from many an opportunity myself, so I'm hardly one to judge! But, for everyone reading...if you've got some kind of strategy or advice to give, feel free to talk about it in the reply below! Tell us as much or as little as you want, and as always 'anonymous' replies are welcome! These answers will be used for Imagine Magazine's public post in the future. So if you don't want your answer added, please let me know ahead of time. K? Thanks soooooo much for your awesome answers on last week's question! We got about TEN answers, which was GREAT! Let's see if we can maybe get twelve out of this one! Thanks in advance! And love always!

LOL! Well, I've had a past that sort of drives me in that direction. But it really isn't anything special. Or...it SHOULDN'T be. I just think people's perspective should change. They've lost the feeling of 'reward' when it comes to helping other people. So...why should they waste the time? That's how some people feel. It's sad. People are afraid to help others, other people are afraid to say thank you when they do...both sides lose. It's stupid. Things need to change. Thanks so much, though! Pay it forward! Giggles!

AWESOME, you guys!!! Thanks! I've collected all the stories, and I'll do my best to cut them down for a single article! (I won't be changing a single word! Promise! Hehehe, just want to have everybody's story told in a single post.) That said, I LOVE reading about you guys! Hehehe, we're not so different after all!!