C James

I stand corrected! :: But the knives are still really cool ... I have a 6" and a 24" ... not replicas, either, but the real thing. Quite expensive, too. Those do sound cool! The Gurkha knives (Kurkis) are very famous, and rightfully so. BTW, you want to talk about arguing with the parents? I was in Nepal with mine, and wanted to buy an absolutely beautiful handmade 18" Kurki, complete with Karda, for $30!!!!! (today it would be far, far more, especially to get here!) Mom had a fit: she was sure I'd get arrested if I tried to bring it through customs! (she was wrong). I was 19 at the time, but they had paid for the trip, so I gave in and didn't buy it. A decision I'll always regret. Since then, I've even bought double-sprung stilettos (the blade both extends and retracts at the push of a button) overseas, and customs didn't take them off of me (I sorta forgot to declare them.. ) One that I picked up in Thailand is disguised as a fountain pen, and has a 6' blade. My favorite gadgets were some I saw (but did not buy) in the bazaars of Northern Pakistan: concealed firearms of every conceivable design! Pens, lighters, etc, etc, etc. VERY clever. Even a knife with a single-shot derringer built into the haft! Of course, I wasn't about to try and get those through customs, so I didn't buy any, but they were great to see.

I can certainly sympathize. When I came back from living in Europe, I moved in with my parents for a while, until I could go back to college. They played a great many control games, and even attempted to give me a curfew! (9pm!). Needless to say, we had many fights. It was probably a bit easier for me, though, as my moving back in was their idea, and had a definite end point (my return to college six weeks later). I hope things smooth out for you soon. Congrats on the new car, too!! Ummmm, one thing I wanted to comment on... OK, now, I know it's probably not a good idea to correct a Buddha, especially when said Buddha now lives on the same landmass that I do, AND is a black belt and happily acquiring weaponry... So I shall take a slightly different tack... LB, you have, um, perhaps slightly misspelled the homeland of the Gurkhas. It's spelled N-E-P-A-L, not Burma (or as Burma is known today, Myanmar). They are a very interesting people, and Gurkhas have been in the British regular army (not mercenaries) as both soldiers and officers since about 1820. They do indeed make very fine knives.

I'm Dyslexic, but I read in a weird way (even for Dyslexics): I taught myself to read before I began "real" reading lessons in school (they started in first grade in my school). I don't read word by word, but rather phrase by phrase, a sort of speed-reading technique (I just stumbled into it, as I had no idea how it was "supposed" to be done). This method works very well for me, but it certainly has it's drawbacks! For one thing, I'm the worst proofreader on the planet. When I see "unique" words, such as what you mention, it throws me for a loop. I can't read it without tremendous effort. This is a pet peeve of mine, too. I'd assumed that it was just a difficulty for Dyslexics, but this indicates otherwise. For me, it's the hardest when the names begin with the same letter and are also similar sounding.

That sounds rather ... Egyptian. Ancient Egypt, that is. King Tut, and all that. Hmmm... Good point.. And it's also darn hard to spell. Fortunatly, however, there is an easy answer to this dilemma! He's no longer in TW, so we could call him "The Artist formerly known as LittleBuddhaTW."

Happy Birthday!!! And thank you very much for all the great reading!

I hereby officially propose that Little Buddha's new Acronym be: LittleBuddhaTRIHPHOTESOTUS (Little Buddha Temporarily Residing In His Parents' Home On The Eastern Seaboard Of The United States) Welcome home, LBTRIHPHOTESOTUS!

To avoid any confusion, I thought I'd mention that Vance's story page is VLista on the hosted authors' menu.

I'm definitely going to see if Kyle would go for that (the joke!). As for actually "getting" him, that is definitely tempting! But, all jokes aside, I can't really, in good conscience, try. He's both straight and a friend, and if I succeeded I might ruin the friendship AND mess him up. However, that won't stop my hands from roaming a little if we do "make out" for Sylvia's benifit. That's definitly a very volatile mixture!! Powedered aluminum is used as fuel in most solid rockets! You can reduce the intensity of the reaction by increasing the grain size. Finely powedered aluminum is exceedingly potent, and is used as a booster in some forms of explosives (which are known as aluminized explosives). If the grain size is very fine, you have the makings of a rather powerfull fuel-air explosive, so this would be exceedingly hazzerdous. :nuke:

I think I did laugh the hardest, even though I was blushing a lot! Kyle was flirting a lot at the BBQ, but doing it in an over-the-top joking manner, ribbing me. I did flirt back a few times (all's fair! ). That caused Sylvia to get in on the act, calling me a "dirty old man" and a "cradle robber" while swatting me over the head with a rolled up newspaper. I had a good comeback for that, though: She is two years older than I am, and her last Boyfriend was 19! (Kyle is 22). I took great pleasure in reminding her of these facts. As for getting in his pants, I wish you would share your secrets! I have my doubts that I could ever do that, though, even without the "straight problem" I might look like I'm in my late 20's, but I'm in my mid-30's and he's 22. Maybe Sylvia is right, and I am a dirty old man! (for those under 18 who might be reading this, I do of course mean "getting in his pants" it a totally platonic way! ) Seriously though, I don't know just how far his "acceptance" goes, so I was being careful not to actually push the limits while joking around with him.

Yipes! You are really being put through the grinder!! Congrats on your Diploma!! :graduated: As for the money issue, just in case you can't exchange at the airport, or the rate is daylight robbery, I can't be certain for NTD's, but I've exchanged currency from all over the world at Bank of America. (as long as you get an account there you should be able to). Have a safe trip back!!!!!!!!!!!

What? Haven't you ever heard of a Lumbergoat? Trust Buddha to come up with a plan! I like it too.

Tim, yesterday I'd have thought that (adding bug parts) was just a bit too mean... But that was yesterday. Today, however, I got an e-mail from Sylvia, and long story short, THIS MEANS WAR! :mace: I doubt anyone will be bringing any weed, though... I haven't seen any of 'em light up in a couple of years. Hmmmm, however, Sylvia smokes cigarettes. I'm now getting ideas for all sorts of disgusting things to add to them. Coyote droppings come to mind... Why yes, I was deeply touched... Such self-sacrifice! They are really cool. Sylvia was my best friend in college, and actually she was the first person I came out to. Hmmm... you are right, Little brothers do like to mess with their sister's heads... I think I just might sound him out on that... Might be tricky though: I don't have his contact info, as I usually go through Sylvia. If I asked her, she would know in a heartbeat that I am up to something. I'd have to wait and sound him out on the boat. I have to be careful here though: I don't want him to think that I'm just trying to find an excuse to make out with him: he is straight after all. I'm definitely going to try the haunting idea over a few days. Houseboats make some odd sounds anyway, and when moored in a deserted canyon it can be darn spooky at night. One thing I can guarantee is that I won't be doing drag! I'd never be able to pull that off, or for that matter even know how. (for one thing, I look like a lumberjack, not exactly the right body type for it!) I also think that I'd be far more embarrassed by that than I was by their prank in "busting" me!

Me, in drag? That would be risking their lives.. they would surely die laughing!!! I like the idea of bringing a very hot gay friend with me, but unfortunately I don't know anyone like that! Buddha, you are Evil, and I love it! I have to admit, I'd love to try that for reasons other then the joke! I also wonder if he would rat me out to Sylvia (his sister) and turn the tables on me in some way? But that is truly tempting, in a LOT of ways.... BTW, you never get embarrassed? OK, I gotta ask: how would you have felt if you had been "busted" like I was (by Kyle and Sylvia), and they had it on camera? And were playing it over and over at a BBQ? Why, Kevin, that's so, um, selfless of you! I'm afraid, though, that I could never impose on you in such a manner. BTW, so far the only plan I have come up with myself involves some speakers that I have: they are basically the driver coils with a mounting screw, used to turn wall paneling into hidden speakers. I've had them since I was in high school (good thing I'm a pack-rat!) and now I thing I have a good use for them, IF I can find a way to install them and IF i can figure out a way to run wires. I'm calling it "operation haunted houseboat". I'm thinking of burning a CD with all sorts of mildly eerie sounds, and using it in my boom-box (which has a remote), hooked up only to the hidden speakers. Later, once my audience was sufficiently paranoid, I could put in a scarier CD.

I hoped that people would get a laugh out of it, even though I'm still a bit red-faced! But, Friendly, I need you to dig into your dark side and help me plot my revenge! My #1 target is Sylvia, and I can't think of a plan... I know she won't let me near her cosmetics or hair-care stuff (I got her with both a few years ago). I don't know if she still smokes pot, but she won't have forgotten that I was the one who put soap in her water bong, along with inking the top.... And this time, she will know darn well that I'll be out to try SOMETHING... ARGH! Hmmm... Given Kyle's key role, maybe he should be my target if I can't get Sylvia? I've never really pranked him before... Hmmmm... I'd prefer, of course, to get everyone, but I am out of ideas. (gee, don't I sound mature? ROFL!!!)

I'm posting this true experience of mine as I think it's good for a laugh, not as a complaint, because straight people who are accepting of gays are IMHO a treasure. OK, now, on with the recount: The names have been changed to protect the guilty. Sometimes, straight people can be a little TOO accepting and comfortable with the whole "gay" thing. Up until a few years ago, I lived in Phoenix, and had been there for over ten years. So, I still have friends there, and once every month or two drive down (it's only about 150 miles) for a party or to just hang out. A few days ago, I was supposed to meet up with some friends at an outdoor shopping area in downtown Scottsdale (Scottsdale is a suburb of Phoenix, and the downtown, called Oldtown, is a cross between touristy old west and an art colony). I parked and walked up to the cafe we were supposed to meet at. It was mid morning, and still cool by Summer-in-Phoenix standards: barely over 100. (ugh). Instead of finding the half-dozen or so people that I was expecting, I found only Sylvia. I'd been close friends with her for years, and she had been one of the first people I came out to, over a decade ago. She's straight, BTW, as is everyone but me in that group of friends. She told me that everyone else was three blocks away at another restaurant, and we left to head over there. En route, I spotted, in the distance, a vision spectacular leaning up against a wall. He was about a block away, and on the opposite side of the street. He was standing, leaning up against the wall, one leg raised with the sole of his shoe flat on the wall, and his head down, his face hidden by a Stetson hat (this is, after all, Arizona). What caught my eye, though, was the fact that he was shirtless, and hot! Not too unusual for Phoenix in the summer, but hot is hot (and I don't mean the temperature). I have a "thing" for hot looking shirtless guys, and Sylvia knows it. I glanced over at her, and she had spotted him too, and knew my "routine" . I said "Whoa, look at the eye candy..." She nodded, and said "go, I'll be right behind you" so I pulled on my sunglasses, and then crossed the street. What Sylvia knew is that, when I see a particularly hot guy, especially a shirtless one, I'll arrange it so that I can walk by in sunglasses and have myself a real good look. OK, not exactly classy, or brave, but I like doing it. So, Sylvia sent me on ahead to have my "fun", as she'd seen me do this plenty of times over the years. The odd thing was that she's usually right by my side on "recon", but didn't seem interested this time. I crossed the street about 100 ft from the hottie, and headed his way. He was right on the sidewalk, so I knew I'd get a real good look. He was tan, and I could see blond hair sticking out from under the hat, and I could see that he was college-age, and had sunglasses on under his hat. He wasn't moving a muscle, had abs to die for, and was still, I thought, looking at the pavement. I slow down to slooowly walk by, passing about three feet in front of him, having myself a good old look. Suddenly, his head flies up so that he is looking right at me at less than arm's length, and he yells "BOO!", startling the heck out of me. He begins to double over, laughing his ass off.... I don't know what the hell is going on, and turn around to see Sylvia, a dozen feet away, collapsing in hysterics. It downed on me that I'd just been pranked, but I still had no idea how. Then, Mr. Shirtless hottie takes off his sunglasses, grinning like an idiot, and I recognize him. I must have turned a dozen shades of red as I muttered "um, hi, Kyle". Kyle is Sylvia's kid brother. I hadn't seen him in several months, and he hadn't had blond hair then, so with the hat and sunglasses I hadn't recognized him. Obviously, Sylvia and Kyle had known me well enough to know what I'd do, and had set the whole thing up. When the two pranksters had stopped laughing, Kyle pointed behind me at the sidewalk Cafe across the street. There, to my chagrin, were the rest of our friends (two married couples), who ware also falling off their chairs due to laughing so hard. Yep, I'd been set up and busted, but good. Kyle, Sylvia and I walked over to join them, and Kyle retrieved his T-shirt from his seat and put it back on before sitting down. We ordered drinks as they took turns filling me in on the details of their little set-up. Bear in mind that except for Kyle, everyone there was between their mid twenties to mid thirties, and I'd known them all for years. Kyle had moved to Phoenix about a year ago when he transferred colleges. What had happened was that they had all gathered early for a few drinks, and had planned on meeting me as planned. During the drinking, they had started talking about me, and decided that it was high time that I was the victim rather than the perpetrator of a practical joke. Apparently, Sylvia had at some point mentioned my, er, penchant for reconnoitering hot guys, and Kyle had come up with the plan. Sylvia had texed him when she saw me approach, and he had borrowed the hat from one of the other guys, pulled off his shirt, and headed across the street to be the "bait". And, of course, I fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. We walked around Scottsdale for a while (mainly galleries in that section), catching up with each other. Any time an even marginally attractive guy came into view, I'd get a lot of ribbing: Hey, CJ, Eye candy approaching!". Kyle did a fair amount of the teasing, and not long before we left he pulled off his shirt and joked "CJ needs his eye candy! Grrrr.... Kyle left his shirt off, tucked into his back pocket, and joke or no joke I had a darn hard time not staring. I kidded him back, calling him a tease. We decided to head back to the house of one of the couples for a BBQ, and Kyle never did bother to put his shirt back on. Of course, this spurred further rounds of jokes from everyone at my expense. Kyle handled the grill, and kept teasing me, at one point saying "the only reason I have my shirt off is I'm hot.." and then puffing out his chest and scratching it! (meaning hot as in temperature, but implying hot as in hottie!) Well, it was very funny in person, anyway. After dinner, Kyle came into the living room with a camcorder, and I was treated to phase II of their fiendish plan! One of the women at the cafe had had the thing in her bag, and had filmed the whole prank, including me nearly jumping out of my skin. They must have replayed it a dozen times! I was sitting on the couch, blushing hard, when Kyle put the hat back on and resumed his "pose" from the prank, really hamming it up. Yep, they busted me, bigtime! Many laughs were had by all, and I had a blast. OK, for a little while before the BBQ I felt slightly uncomfortable (I'm the only gay guy in that group), but it was obvious that this was all done in fun, by old friends, so I forgot any reservations and joined in the fun. It's also worth noting that I myself have a well-known love of practical jokes, and even I have to admit that they got me, but good! I do joke about them being "too accepting" but the real fact is that I'm bowled over by just how accepting they are. In the past my sexuality has never been an issue with them, but I never imagined they were this cool about it! (enough to give me some serious good-natured ribbing) Wow!! I was especially bowled over by Kyle, whom I know the least-well. Not exactly your typical homophobic frat guy! I do, however, now find myself in desperate need of revenge. My next opportunity will be in August, when we are renting a houseboat on Lake Powell for a few days (they have threatened to bring the tape..) OK, I don't actually want to drown anyone, nor sink the boat, but I gotta get even!!! Any ideas? CJ

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good one, Xandra!

I love the fake tattoo idea! I have qualms about coming out in a humorous way (it might not be taken seriously). Also, if you are getting "pressure" regarding girls, IMHO that's a classic sign that your sexuality is already being questioned, though perhaps just subconsciously. However, what and how to come out are Redlightfeeling's choice, so I'll do as asked and add my "funny" idea: The next time you have a girl pointed out to you, say something along the lines of "Damn, she's got hot legs. Too bad she's not a guy, 'cause I'd love to date someone with legs like that..."

Happy Canada day to you and your fellow Canadians!

ROFL!! That's definitely a must-see picture! That going away party was sure a nice thing for your co-workers to do!! Mine threw one to celebrate me leaving a job a few years ago. I hear it was pretty good, too. (I wasn't invited). Have a safe journey home, LB!!!

My opinion, based on just my own preferences, is that the occasional sex scene is fine if done well. But, I stress "occasional". Unless the sex is very well and tastefully written, I just skip over it. However, with some stories that I've seen (I'm not referring to any on GA) there really isn't much else in them, and personally I'd rather read my laundry list.

I missed the first half (and thus the skin) but he is hot! I'll check out the first half on Friday, when it's repeating. I also note that the clips of the next episode show him Shirtless a lot. Does anyone see a trend here? Another show on that channel (Falcon Beach, I think) has a lot of hot guys who show a lot of skin. If this is a new trend, I don't think I mind, not one little bit..

Glad you are feeling better!!! Having looked at your picture, I can certainly see why pics of you are in demand.

I'd certainly like to second that! Happy Birthday!!!

Yep, and yep. It's crazy IMHO, especially when the person who initiated it was the babysitter (thus, in an adult role) and she was never charged with anything! Instead, they charged the victim! It does differ from state to state. I know that some states have different ages of consent, and also exceptions for couples who are close in age. Arizona, as far as I know, does not.