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lol, please, don't let me spoil your fun.. i really don't mind threads going off topic at all ! And actually, i think this isn't too far off topic.. isn't it kinda making/maintaining gay friendships to talk about stuff like that ?

true Kevin.. thats why i asked if they (the current and the ex bf) know each other... IF they do, it might be ok. But you are right, its probably not really a good idea...

Actually I am not very experienced there.. not many graves in my backyard . I checked "We usually stay friends". Even if the friendship may cool over time. But i think it really depends on the "ex"... or how the relationship ended... In your case.. I don't know. Would you be interested in keeping him as a friend ? Then go on Sunday, and make sure he understands its friendship only. Does your boyfriend know him ? Maybe the 3 of you could hang out together ? That would be a clear message to him.. but all in all I think it really depends on how you feel about him.. how psychotic is he ? Is he still having feelings for you? Then it could get unpleasant.... My advice: go with your gut feeling Lol, not a big help i guess.. sorry

lol, i love the way you guys kidnap threads I am sure you will do well on your tests BK... but wish you luck anyway (that never hurts with exams )

You are welcome (as an engineer, I at least have to know where to look it up )

ADSL is short for "Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line" (see ADSL) . Its a common broadband connection over the (analog or digital) telephone network - based on DSL. Asymmetric means, that upload and download speeds are different. ISDN is a digital telephone network - short for Integrated Services Digital Network (see ISDN) - very common here in Europe, but afaik not very common in north-america. Pete

Technically, a GPS is a receiver only, and picks up signals from satellites that can be picked up everywhere "in sight" of the satellite (GPS satellite signals are rather weak...). There is no signal going back to the satellite from a GPS. So if a sweeper device picks up the "incoming" GPS signal, it will pick it up everywhere (pointing to the satellite as the source, with no evidence to the receiver of the signal... its a broadcast...). Some GPS devices have other communication equipment like bluetooth to communicate with a PC or mobile phone etc.. which could be picked up by a sweeper if it is active. Modern GPS devices don't consume a lot of power, so its hard to detect the electronic activity itself with a sweeper, especially in an environment like a car... so IMHO you cannot detect a GPS receiver under the hood of a car with a sweeper (except if there is a bluetooth or WLAN interface active on it...). You have to use your eyes . But if i would "sweep" a car, it would always include a manual search

:-) wonderful news !

Well, not being an author myself... i only have some guessing here. First, of course, i think you need to get out there once in a while and experience new things... to get new ideas... and to "air your brain" If you can't make the experiences yourself (which of course always is the best), you have to learn from others who experienced things you didn't... so talking to other people, getting to know other people with other experiences may help getting new ideas and insights. I think thats best accomplished through getting to know other people in person, but reading what others have written may be a way to learn something and widen your horizon as well...

Hmm, i am not sure, and i don't have an official rule, but i would say both are correct. "walking past somebody" is in my dictionary and translates to "an jemandem vor

Yes, another great chapter indeed ! And i like the change in speed and direction (so maybe i would like american football too.. if i would be able to understand what it is all about ). I suspect Brandon's flying skills will come in handy at some time The cliffhanger for the week: will the GPS be discovered ?

are you sure your internet connection is 100 MBit? That would be unusualy fast. I suppose thats your LAN connection to your ADSL router - not the ADSL speed itself ? I think they provide about the same connections in Switzerland like they do here in Germany.. and the fastest ADSL link you can get here is 16Mbit downlink/2 Mbit uplink (if you are close enough to the next DSLAM....)

I have a DSL connection, 6 Mbit download, 700Kbit upload... which i really like. Quite an improvement over the 14.4 kBit connections i started with back in the old days .

to follow Colin's line, I am human first of all, a citizen of planet earth (although lost in space sometimes...) second I'd say i am European.. which for me is more important than being German. My genetic roots are mainly German with some Slavic influences - as far as i know. That probably makes me a purebred Caucasian...

Hi Rose ! welcome on board don't be shy, most here don't bite (if you don't ask for it)

As you see hetero love stories everywhere, i think we all come across those if we like it or not . The biggest difference for me is that the hetero couples don't face the struggles of a coming out, of accepting their sexuality. Its easier for me to relate to a gay love story, it hits closer to home, although i agree with Graeme that the stories (except for the coming out part) can be easily translated. Well, and of course i can relate to coming out stories and the problems involved quite well .

Another great chapter, yup I remember how my rental car looked like after driving through the Grampians National Park (they charged me extra for cleaning... it wasn't a 4wd an actually i wasn't allowed to go on dirt roads with it.. but well, its Australia, you have to go on dirt roads sometimes ). Yea, the Scar really is a mean character. And as Eric (and now the rest of the band as well) is already suspicious, his acting makes him even more questionable. I liked the way Eric teased him to find out if he really is gay I am sure my reaction would have been different I hope the GPS will be able to pick up a satellite signal under the hood of the car... that can be a problem. yes, i saw that too.. CJ just always has to build in little "cliffhangers" everywhere, doesn't he We might have to wait a while for that one to resolve. Well, at least the next chapter will be up next week

i voted "yes, if its someone i am close with". I do kiss my close female friends, but only my close gay male friends *lol*.. the str8 ones usually don't appreciate it really.. with the str8 male friends its usually a hug (and i really like hugs )

Oh, the big 18th ! Happy Birthday

lol, thinking about it, i am not sure either. They are all definitely worth reading though ! You will have to spend quite some time to catch up with all, Steph . As to which one to read first: thats a tough question. Sorry, no answer.. they are all good

Sometimes i recognize that a story went "of the planned path", especially if it causes inconsistencies with earlier chapters, or a character changes its personality/way of acting very much. That only distracts me if it is really out of line for the character. As for "planned" or "unplanned" plots, its hard to tell for me as i am not a writer, but i suppose you need to have a general plan, a framework for your story. Not too tight, so your characters have space to grow and change (which is only natural, gives it a human touch). I don't mind at all if a story takes unexpected turns or end different from what i expected. If at the end it still all fits together, i like to be "lead around by the nose" (if that is a proper English term ). Hmm, did this make any sense ?

lol, thats probably because math is the language for physics my physics prof used to say that math is a "helper science for physics" ... my math prof would NOT agree to that though I'd not say anybody really "speaks" math.. but its a "written" language - like computer programming languages. I have written thick books using those, which can be kinda fun, but reading that is VERY boring

*sigh* soo romantic If that isn't a broad hint, then i don't know. Yes, you should wrap it up in a story (after you return from the honeymoon)

Another great chapter CJ, thanks ! And although there is not really a big bad cliffhanger... well, of course you leave us wondering whats happening to Lump - although it seems he got rescued by the paramedics... i wonder if he will get real help and come around. Seems like he hit the bottom, which - for an addict - can be the turning point he needs. I liked the "men in gray suits" Very fitting. I met some of the smaller ones under water, and for me they have an aura like some of those mafiosi in their dark suits, hiding their weapons, but always ready to use them... Speedo's are very common here btw. Even old lads like me wear them - they are still the best if you really swim laps (which I do, so i have a good reason ). And i sooooo much want to go to Australia again reading this *sigh*. Too bad it's so far away from here