old bob

Hi Percy, here my comments. What do you think about ? I knew early on that I was attracted to both sexes. My first experiences date back to my early teens. I first experienced my sexuality with a boy at the age of 14 years (I wrote about in one of my first blogs), so I waited until age 18 to make love with a girl. My future wife was not the first, I had a 'hunting list' before her. The story of our first meeting is funny. This is she who dredged me first. Her former friend was unfaithful and she wanted to make him jealous by offering me to go out with her. After several meetings, we fell in love and my oldest son was born nine months later ! (condoms were a rarity then . I've always been aware of my bisexuality. It was and is part of myself. I've never felt different. For me, as for Kinsey, bisexuality is common to all men and women (Introducing his famous scale, Kinsey wrote: “males do not represent two discrete populations, heterosexual and homosexual. The world is not to be divided into sheep and goats. It is a fundamental of taxonomy that Nature rarely deals with discrete categories ... The living world is a continuum in each and every one of its aspects”). I was lucky to have many diverse activities, which allowed me to travel and to easily find opportunities to meet with strangers, some of whom became later friends. There were always only physical pleasures, strictly with males. But the warmth was never excluded, it was necessary for the meeting to be pleasant from the start. We were in the sixtees and seventees. In all environments where I practiced my activities, homosexuality was a taboo subject and nobody talked about it openly. The homosexuality of some artists and writers (Jean Marais, Jean Cocteau, for example) was part of their private sphere and didn't bother anyone. Later, after 1984, my children led me to be active in the gay community and to demonstrate my careful comprehension .My daughter Cathy (born 1958) got AIDS and I took care of her till her death in 2003 and my son Nic (born 1964) came out to us in 1989. He now lives for 15 years with the same partner and the two participate together to all our family celebrations. Today, at my age, the physical attraction is nothing more than a purely aesthetic pleasure. I am content with my memories. In summary, self-acceptance was always a fact from the beginning. As I allready said, I've never felt different, maybe because I never experienced any rejection.. My wife accepted me as I am. She knows that our love is the strongest, then as now.

Hello Percy, Thanks for your comment and your interesting questions. I will answer later, I need to think about it, because I want to be clear enough with myself !

Those who read my blogs know that I have lived an exciting life, eventful, with both pleasant circumstances and difficult times. Nephylim suggested I should write my memoirs as a non-fiction story. I did it and really enjoyed writing this story, thinking that may be some could learn from my experiences, my joys and my woes. The first chapters were favorably received. Over 500 readers have read hem. Today, only about 30 readers have read the last written chapter, the 15th. I wonder some times what could be the reason for this fall. In fact, I'm not too surprised to have so few readers. My story is far from the fictions written by talented authors, with subjects closer to the the readers of GA, with adventure, fantasy and sex. Deep down I know that I write mostly for me and it’s not too bad if my story does not interest others. As you can read it in my profile, I'm bi. The search for pleasure, for myself and others, was an important part of my life; but I have always distinguished between being in love and 'making love'. I had only one love in my life. I met 61 years ago the girl who is still my wife today. I have not forgot all the many 'hot' encounters and the people I met; but I'm reluctant to write about it. Should I ?

15 chapters are allready on site !

In 9 weeks, I will reach my 83th birthday. It seems to me that my brain is still the same as 43 years ago, with perhaps just the fact that it works at a slower pace. It is different with my body, especially in the morning when I have to get up ! I fought a long life full of hassles, but also full of pleasures and joys . Did I may be live too long ? Certainly not ! My greatest pleasure now is to revive in my memory all these happy and unhappy moments. My life is not finished and I hope to enjoy for a long time to be alive. Every morning I welcome the day that awaits me. The most important is to know how to laugh at oneself. I found a text that really applies to me : The benefits of having passed the age of 70 years : You don't more interest kidnappers During a hostage, you will probably be released one of the first Nobody expects to see you run anywhere People phoning you at 9 o'clock pm ask you if they woke you Things you buy now will not have the time to be used up You can live without sex but not without your glasses Your secrets are safe with your friends because they probably don't remember them The money you invested in your health insurance is finally beginning to produce benefits Your knuckles are better predictions for the coming weather that what is said on TV You no longer have to hide your fat belly for anyone You have left nothing more to learn in the sweat of your brow If you want you can dinner in 4 hours pm Your view will not go down any more You will no longer be considered as a hypochondriac You don’t consider any more the speed limit on the road as a challenge As you see very well, an old age offers only advantages .

We were in the early 70s. Algeria, independent since 1962, was keen to develop its infrastructure and attracted many experts for economic and industrial surveys. One such expert, well connected with the Algerian authorities as the brother-in- law of my friend, who had assisted me in creating my engineering company. Naturally, this expert, George K., came to me and asked me to get in touch with the Algerian authorities, to investigate the possibility of forming an Algerian-Swiss engineering an

Nice story ! It's funny to go back to the past, even if it's only 4 years ago. Pity that he didnt write any moren story.

Glad to hear that my 'scoring method' brought you both to the right decision. Everybody approve your choice ! So do I . Good luck in GB. And dont forget to blog about your experiences in this funny British world. We are all very interested, especially those who experienced themselves the differences between England and the continent. You know the joke : One night, a tempest cut all the communications between the English coast and the other side of the Manche. English newapapers wrote : "this night, the Continent was isolated"....

But, back to my professional activities, which became more and more absorbing, particularly those regarding my new business: film producer and distributor. As I wrote in Chapter 11, in late December 1969, I was in Paris to negotiate movie purchases on behalf of my father. I received a phone call from my wife. My father had just died that night. My first concern was to contact Michel Simon, who was filming a movie in Rome. I hardly had time to bury my father before I left for Rome, to ask Mich

As I said in a previous chapter, so many things happened together in my life during the years 1970 to 1975 that I don’t know how to be clear enough in the description of this period. I was no longer alone, for two reasons : first I had with me in GREPAL (term shorthand for my own engineering company) 3 engineers as minority shareholders, who formed and led several working groups and were entirely to devoted me. Secondly GREPAL was now a part shareholder, on par with the other shareholder

In this chapter, I first go back in time by resuming the course of my professional life before the death of my father. On June 30, 1968, I left my definitive function as Technical Director of the USNC , transferring to my own account all the current mandates. I was leaving on very good terms with the leaders of the USNC, having, before leaving, put in place the framework for the continuation of the construction activity of oil depots. After two months of vacation, 15 days in Italy at the sea

Here some infos about Paris, my second Mother town ! To find cheap 'AND' nices hotels in Paris ? Here two hôtels I like particularly. Each time I go to Paris, I have a problem to choose one of the two, depending of my humor and my agenda : The first one is The hotel Henri IV, situated on one of the most beautiful squares in Paris, the Place Dauphine, at the very heart of the capital, in a quiet location where the charm of Old Paris remains intact. You will find yourself on the Ile de la Cité, historical cradle of Paris and discover la Place Dauphine, a few steps from Notre-Dame and the Louvre Museum, and nearby Boulevards Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Saint-Michel. The site is : http://www.henri4hotel.fr/home.html In the shade of chestnut trees, this place was named in honor of the son of Henri IV, Louis the Dauphin (the future Louis XIII). The great King Henry (the Green Gallant) who completed the Pont Neuf, instructed his minister Sully to build this place which was a royal garden in 1608, 400 years ago. Of the thirteen existing plots, the thirteenth was sold for 2400 livre tournois ("Tours pound"). Each floor was level and on the ground floor was a goldsmith (with an illustration of Saint-Peter). In 1840 Michel Leonard bought the building and transformed it into a hotel named the Henri IV hotel calling it after the square’s creator. Its prices match its customers: students from all countries, professors, writers, artists, researchers (the Latin Quarter is not far away). Safety standards have demanded the removal of some rooms, creating a slight price increase. Despite this, prices remain reasonable about (75 Euros) and the price / quality ratio is underlined by all. The other one is the Hotel Villa Fénelon, a haven of peace and calm in the heart of the bustling city of Paris. The rooms of this old townhouse, all decorated in Louis XVI style, look out over a delightful garden where travellers will discover the calm and relaxing side of Paris. The sites where you can find more are : http://www.gralon.ne...n-paris-961.htm http://www.cybevasio...enelon_218.html Another search possibility on Internet are the more gay friendly hotels, especially these in the Marais. The Parisian attitude toward sexual preferences is very relaxed and very pragmatic. Vending machines for condoms have recently been installed in high schools. You also find condom vending machines at Metro stations. When it comes to Paris nightlife, the Parisian scene abounds with transformist night clubs, and after hours clubs with a predominantly gay flavor. Paris’s official tourist office site offers a listing of gay-friendly hotels and suggestions for your stay in the “City of Love.” Here is a city where you can walk hand-in-hand and feel truly at home. Paris’s Marais district may be considered the epicenter of Paris’s gay community, but you’ll find that this city has plenty to offer gay visitors, especially when it comes to nightlife in various arrondissements, so don’t limit yourself to just one neighborhood. Some of Paris’s hottest night spots are gay-oriented. Here some sites about gay hotels : http://paris.gayciti...-central-marais (it seems that it is closed today (?) http://paris.gaycities.com/hotels/ http://paris.gayciti...le-marais-paris http://www.parislogue.com/gay-paris http://www.paris-gay.com provides an ample selection of bars, clubs and cafes to help you find the party. The main Paris gay area can be found around arondisement 3 and 4, in Le Marais and near shopping mall Les Halles. Here you'll find the popular bars and clubs, gay sauna's, trendy clothing shops and nice gay restaurants. If you're clever, take a hotel on walking distance of this area. Paris hotels are quite expensive and small (cheapest prices for one night : between 49 and 65 Euros). That is: you can barely turn your ass around in the room. The rating for hotels is 1 - 4 stars, so a "5 star hotel" in Paris got 4 stars. Hotels outside the centre are cheaper. But remember the metro stops at midnight and in weekend it's sometimes hard to find a taxi. Good luck in your search ! BTW, I'm sure Bleu can, even better than I do, give you also adresses of a lot of cheap and nice places .

Last few weeks, my clients are agitated. February is the period of closings of accounts and tax preparation. It comes to bring order in the accounts, calculating depreciation and amortization and seek to to 'optimize' the results for paying the least possible tax. Optimize: this means to declare less possible income and as much as possible expenses. It is said that statistics are a sophisticated form of lying. This statement also applies to the accounts of companies! My clients have understood, for the many years that I advise them, that it is never too early to hire a consultant. This year, with the uncertainties of the economic situation in 2012, they all came together and I first had to calm them down. In addition, two of them, for me the most importants, have decided to merge and thus create a larger company to attack new markets. This is a big job, which should occupy myself at least several weeks. The only advantage of this stress is that I no longer have time to whine about the worries of my age and my health. Establishing priorities and setting in the foreground my personal activities (taking care of my wife who is slowly recovering from her surgery , of my grandchildren who call me to help them make ends meet of the month, and finally writing my memoirs). My clients should be able to wait, and if they do not know it yet, they will have to learn it. With a little diplomacy and a good measure of humor, I intend to bring them to understand that. This will be my primary goal for this month. What good is it to know to give good advices to others, if you are not even able to apply them to yourself ?

Hard decision to be taken ! I dont know if my opinion can help ? Once, I had to take the same decision, between a secluded an lonely place in the States (Minnesota) and a place in the middle of the Swiss Alps nor far from big cities, both with a chance to begin a long term career. I discussed it with my wife a whole night long. And we chose the place with the best opportunities and the highest wages. In your case, London is not so far from the Czech Republic. And speaking fluently English is an advantage and opens a lot of doors ! BTW, the scoring method is a good instrument to find a well studied solution : 1. make a list of all the possibilities under which you have to choose (both in Lodon, both in CR, situation like now) 2.for each possibllity, note a list of the positive and negative aspects, giving each of them + or - points. 3.Add all the points Eeach of you two should make the test alone, and then compare and discuss the results. Then you should define first each of you alone, then together, your short and long terms 'Life' goals. At last, compare your goals with the results of the test. I made it several times, for clients and for myself. It helps. Maybe you couls try it ?

Thanks Mark, it was a real pleasure to read your interview. I found in it many things we have in common ("to bi or to bi,that's the question!"). I understand well the reasons why you have to remain "hidden" (I had sometimes the same problem). But believe me, getting older no only solves the problem, but brings the problem itself to be eliminated. BTW, I never came out openly. But the funniest moment was when I met the boyfriend of my youngest son in a bathhouse, we laugh out loud and we finished the evening at the bar whith a nice bottle of French wine. I have a lot of some memories, I just hope i will enough time to write them in my story !

Learning to say "NO" is an art which requires some effort. I put a lot of time to learn it. All the mistakes I made for failing to say no showed me that it was absolutely necessary to do so every time we hesitate to say yes.These errors, I have paid a heavy price and I lost a lot of money. But ultimately, it was worthwhile, and since many years, I no longer hesitate. No is a word which is far more important than Yes.

Thanks Lugh, These tips (and the comments) are very useful for all these (like myself) with another mother tongue than English.

Enjoy the last days of your holidays and go bravely to work . That's the misfortune of all fathers, to having too little time to share with your daughter. I made my own experiences and I miss all the moments I couldnt spend with my children !

Neph, I followed your suggestion and went on the 'ALL ROMANCE' site. So at last I learned more about you. Your bio is really an amazing story ! I will alsobuy the book when it comes out as a paperback. And good luck for the writing and publishing of your next story.

Congratulations, Nephy!! Well done You deserve this after all your hard work and effort to reach this point of your life. BTW, many many thanks for your help in editing my story. I'm proud to have such a fine editor...

The first days of January are often the occasion to take stock and to set targets for the coming months. The experiences of 2011 certainly part of a continuum, but they are for me a passage towards a new stage. The year ended badly. My wife broke her hip and we spent New Year in hospital. Her recovery will take time and it is now my main concern. But this does not stop me from planning my next activities, both to carry on my mandates as consultant and to write the next chapters of my memories. These two points are the backbone of my goals for 2012: - Completing the writing of my story - maintaining contact with all my clients and continue to be useful Probably, I will spend more time in 2012 for my health as my age begins more and more to play tricks on me. I increasingly tend to forget the following day what I did the day before. I am obliged to note all the appointments that I made, summaries of my conversations, the decisions I made, the proceedings of my interviews. I came to keep a diary of my professional work, for fear of forgetting an important detail of my activities. On the other side, I remember more and more of a crowd of details from my distant past. I see myself again at any age in my life and flashbacks of my last 80 years have become a pleasure that I offer myself with ease. Without going into detail, all scientists will tell youthat the brain stores its information in two ways: Working memory or short-term memory (STM) is an active memory system that deals with both the treatment and maintenance of immediate short-term information. Long-term memory (LTM) is the memory which contains memories of personal events experienced. However, it is paradoxical. We have the impression to better remember the experiences but the reverse is true. In fact, events are not relived,but rebuilt. So the emotions which bring back to life the memories can change our memories of the past. The diagnosis of my condition is therefore very easy : my lack of short-term memory is balanced by an increase in my long-term memory. My memory lives on in my dreams, in the hundreds of documents and photos from my archives, in the stories of survivors as old as me. Reviewing the past, resume all its elements, subject them to a judgment as objective as possible, asking the fundamental question "did I do good or wrong" is not an easy task. As I said already in a previous blog : "I think I will be both the judge and the accused". I dont care the judgments of others. I'm too old for that. The main point for the coming year will be to bring judge and accused to share the same opinion about the past and about the future. I am who I am. I have to accept the contingencies of my age. I'm not afraid of the future. I am glad to live and the sun is also shining for me.

Very interesting report of your European visit . The best way to understand a problem and to think of its solution is to go on the spot ! You said " but that will probably be something I will address toward European members in the Soapbox at one point." I'm expecting your questions, because my country with its 3 cultures (German, French, Italian) is not only a summary of all the problems of the European Union, but it is also a good example of how to solve them. PS : about DK and his DO saga, I agree 100 % with you.

Am I really old? Old men like to give good precepts to console themselves for being no longer able to give bad examples (La Rochefoucauld). Does this quote really apply to me? It is true that I tend to relate my experiences, the result of a long working life, with its good and bad times. I feel like I have learned lessons that I like to give to others. But I have always done so and I even made it by profession. This is certainly not a feature of my great age. My problem now, especially since some time, is that body and mind do not evolve at the same speed. The mind is still as strong as before and it does not feel old. The short-term memory works more slowly, but I need only to note on my calendar what I might forget and to have these notes handy to avoid surprises. In exchange, the long-term memory has become much more efficient and I find easily memories of my youth, enjoying the pleasure of these rediscoveries. With my body, this is another problem. Since a few months, I run slower, I tend to reduce the length of my walks, my own rhythm slows down and I have more and more difficult to catch my breath. At the pool, I prefer to float rather than to swim front crawl. I am advised that wisdom consists in accepting to get “old”. Of course, I am wise, I accept the new limits my body imposes on me; but I do not accept to become "old." For me, this word evokes a physical and mental decline. It’s why I prefer the term "aged". When time passes and the years are added to the years , some simply become "aged", while others become "old". Being "aged" is different from being "old." While the "aged" practice sports, discovery, travel, the old man rest. While the "aged" has love to give, the old man accumulates jealousy and resentment. While the "aged" make plans for his future, the old man has the nostalgia of the past. While the agenda for the "aged" consists mainly of tomorrow, the timing of the old contains only "yesterday". While the "aged" enjoy the coming days, the old suffers from the few days he has left. While the "aged" in his sleep makes dreams, the old has nightmares. There is no question for me to be "old", as I have so many dreams, so many things to do.

My memories bring me back to the guy I was in 1964: a young wolf, trying to impose myself in an environment with which I was not familiar. I really wanted to make a career and affirm myself. I had to fight on two fronts, to be accepted in Lausanne and to convince my parents that I had married a person 'worthy' to be my wife. My parents did not appreciate her for two reasons: her religion and her background. Not only was my wife not Jewish, but her family was Catholic of strict obedience, living

Thats really an early warning ! Impatient to read what will come next. The words 'National Security ' are like a red rag in front of a bull.