Daisy

Oh, so you basically love our market . We certainly still have bands. There's loads to chose from. I have to say, I don't like the Saturdays, they are completely manufactured and can't sing live at all. But yeah, recorded they sound quite good. One of my favourite bands - this is more quirky so you may not like them Muse - A boy band that is popular here, courtesy of Simon Cowell, is JLS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0LeFYkM_Yk&feature=channel I like them. There's also the Wanted who have recently been popular - have to say I'm not sure about their lyrics, not listened hard enough. I also like Biffy Clyro (most of the time) - they produced the original of what has been our christmas number one by the x factor winner I hope you enjoy those for now

hey, I've caught up. Good work Mark . Still looking forward to more of course . Hope you're doing well. celia

I quite like that he's facing a bit of danger - always thought he'd been incredibly lucky with nobody dangerous finding out and not liking it . Though am sure you're going to smooth it out .

Oh, yeah, I hadn't made the connection before! But the actor for Dakin was the girl's boyfriend, of course. I didn't think his acting in that was any good, but then I put it down to the movie being ridiculous sort of on purpose. The others have done well as well, by far the biggest is the (oh, well, eek), fat one - forget his character name - he's a big comedian in the UK now. Has a comedy/drama show called Gavin & Stacey - and this world cup he was in the 'official' song as comic relief . I recognise the others too, but I can't quite place what they've been in. The songs - I loved them as well. It's part of what makes the whole thing.

That's good to hear . I think I certainly connect to it because I've just gone through the whole academic thing , and I get all the different arguments about education -- the different ways of thinking . and experiences. I certainly got seduced by a certain way of thinking in my third year . I went to Durham one of the 'red bricks' and mentioned in the story. I was also a Cambridge reject . I completely messed up my interview (probably trying to convince one of the guys he didn't understand a social/political issue wasn't the best way to go) - but I'm glad I never got in - I'd applied for the wrong course and would have been miserable - medicine. I did wonder whether I would have got accepted for geography though. Doesn't matter - Durham had the best department - and - as we all at Durham said , we were quite glad not to be in the stuffiness and well, the hard work expected of being there . I just love all the silliness of it too . And how everything is connected, it's just brilliant.

this is a good neat synopsis, without giving too much away.

If you can access this, then it's free on the BBC website. http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/b008l310 I can say I will definitely be watching it in play as soon as I can too if it's ever on .

yeah that one. I didn't want to give any spoilers either. But I suppose a synopsis couldn't hurt . It's about a secondary school class in the 80's in Sheffield (sort of northern england) - about 8 boys I think and they are the top of their year and either being pushed into or really want to go to Oxbridge. So the head hires an extra teacher, a guy who has not long graduated from Oxford, to help them prepare for the entry exam and interviews. The story focuses on the boys and their particular set of teachers, their lessons and different styles, but all the relationships and friendships between them. It's spectacular .

Raves and reviews . I can't recommend this film enough! Watched it for the first time tonight. It's just brilliant, and can't say I understood all of it, I'm not well read enough . It's really funny! And very human. Sad too. Not to mention very clever. It's english - so for non-brits it may make it harder to grasp. But give it a go . I really hope some of you have seen this. I can't seem to find an online copy for you - it's worth buying anyway

I agree that the lady who wrote that is over the top - and was searching for reasons to slate it. There were some more sensible ideas in the comments, or at least reflections. But personally I do feel that she had a point about the interview/article. I did think that the intention or the maybe overall affect of it was a bit too simplistic? or not that, but it did rely on some assumptions and it didn't examine issues properly. It did seem to have a preconceived idea - and it was turning these women into something to be ogled at - the "other" as she said. I haven't re-read the article since - apart from skimming the first section just earlier - but I think my impression was that it wasn't welcoming and it put me on the defensive (or that could be talking about this topic ). But it certainly was interesting - because those women are completely different to me.

http://gehayi.livejo...ml?format=light Another a bit angry response to that same article. I just ran across it and realised it was talking about the same thing.

That's my brother you're talking about Yeah I agree Mark he's adorable. He's just left to go back to uni yesterday. Already miss him . Love him so much . Couldn't help showing him off , that and it was the only picture from up the top .

Yeah he enjoyed it . I'm not sure how much his core beliefs changed . I think that happened the year before - he seemed to grow up A lot then. (would you believe he has only Just turned 19). He went travelling ON HIS OWN all over europe for a month - and like only booked the flights and rail pass a week before. Made friends, including many americans , and saw some amazing things. I think he travelled to something like 15 countries. Saw the midnight sun and all . This year I think he just relished it again . Didn't like the cooking on the russian ship though. But at least he's learnt another dish to add to his 3 that he can cook - learnt while cooking sideways on a yacht .

Personally I think GA if someone has the expertise and time should consider working out how stories on here or webpages could be formatted for e-reading devices. I think that would be very handy . Especially since they are becoming more popular - and I occasionally use my iphone to read while on journeys as well . For that Mark your pages are great .

Ages ago I said my brother was going sailing this summer - on a yacht round parts of europe but also this ship: He had a good time. This was the sail making part of the ship, I think, the guy who ran it was the head or whatever of my brothers section of the crew. It's a russian ship btw. And that's him at the top of the Mast thing - crows nest? . I'm forgetting all my terms. They have harnesses these days, but he said climbing over the top bit you had to detach yourself. So many bleedin ropes! It makes me wonder though, I'm not sure what size this is compared to the ones in Mark's stories. And finally some more sails. These are all from his hols this summer. Most of the scenery on these will be the sea from Norway to England somewhere. Just thought I'd share.

Just thought, at the end of August it's Manchester Pride. So that's another option. Though of course that could be expensive - if we actually went to the events - as I think you have to pay to get in. Though of course you don't to go to the parade. I'm not sure exactly how much is enclosed. But it's an option. Just remembered because it's on this weekend - bank holiday weekend . http://www.manchesterpride.com/

I didn't really like commenting on these sorts of things at first . I first got into 'gay fiction or erotica' when I was probably around 17, maybe it was 16? I was in 6th form anyway. And procrastinating from doing school work, as always. I was on Amazon trawling through book lists that people had made and recommended - can't remember now what I was looking for at the time, but I was a known bookaholic growing up - so was probably just a distraction finding random things. And I'd discovered that useful thing where they let you peek at the first chapter. And one of the books on one of the random lists happened to be gay fiction. It was so completely different, and I hadn't really thought about it before then. I think I found others by clicking on various links to other lists with similar things on. And there was that peek thing. And of course I just wanted to read more. It's strange. Part of me was reading it because some of the things were explicit and I'd never read anything like it - or experienced it yet - and I certainly hadn't watched porn. And I was sexually excited by it. Some of it was definitely more explicit than any trashy novel could ever be. Another part of me was reading because it was just a new social environment - I like new things and experiences and learning - and in a way that's what I get out of reading - even fiction. And I soon discovered by one of the books on amazon that a lot were actually free - one of the publishers strangely put the books free online as an e-book as well as selling it. So there, that's how it began. And it soon became an addiction . I was doing my alevels and this free resource was available as a distraction. And I find it hard not to put a book down until I've finished it. I was hating studying and just wanted any escape - and this became it while I was pretending I was studying. In the process I stumbled into communities like this - and that is what has kept me here. I've no idea really whether there are other free resources online for novels - I've not really looked - and I'm not sure what I would be looking for (how to search for it) - the non gay genre I mean. But yeah, the community is a large part of it now - another learning environment , and well for the people I e-met. But over the same time period my normal reading has completely dropped off, apart from academic. I've been really busy so that it was one or the other - and the internet thing won out. So now I'm used to it - and it seems 'normal' . I have wondered what it says about me. And I have to say I am still pretty clueless. At first entering into communities such as this was a big deal - and I only watched from afar - because I felt like I was intruding - and was a freak - or certainly seen to be one - and I didn't want to be looked down on or publicly called out. That's soon shook off as I felt safe here. So what it says about me? I have an addictive personality. The internet thing is certainly part of that - and the reading. I find an interest and get my hooks into it quite passionately for awhile. Quite often that interest is there to squash out any other responsibilities I have that I want to hide from - like actually writing my thesis which I should be doing at this very moment. It's something I am going to have to learn to control. Other than that - reading those books at the time jump started I think me questioning myself about my sexuality and all that jazz , and that's still ongoing. It certainly added to something which was confusing as hell on its own. I still don't understand myself. But I've certainly learnt a lot while reading all this stuff and more (and I do read outside of m/m). So yeah, that's my two cents Not much insight, but I've learnt to live with that .

It was just one of those weird things I thought of . But yeah, my mum used to play them a lot so I'm addicted to them.

I've wondered, what is the sexuality of the group "beach boys". Rumours of course, but ... anyone know? I'm not even sure what the rumours are. Just idly interested - ran across an article saying one of band members wants to do a 50th anniversary tour (but looks like they don't get on) - and suddenly thought you guys would probably know if anything . celia

not going to get any , and innocent, or fairly innocent winding up

I've flirted with older men - but not actually gone out with them. Really considered going out with one who was I suppose 15 years older than me. Didn't happen for a range of reasons. I do tend to find myself drawn to the slightly older than me. A lot of older men can be sleazy . But it can be fun to wind them up and play. Depends what mood I am in. Don't like it when I know them and say know their wife as well, but they are still going for you.

I think if there is going to be an earlier meet-up someone is going to have to come forward and offer to organise the basics - like setting a date.

there could be a winter (or autumn) get-together and a summer one. so that does both 2010 and 2011, and gives time for planning.

Paxman begging on his knees , that's amusing. If that's who you're referring to.

Or it could be somebody not on the list - somebody different entirely , who knows. wish Billy would just ask someone who put him to bed and get it over with. I like the Trace idea though. He needs to appear more. And I am completely confused by Lee.