W_L

Here's another one: How many people and shadows are in this picture?

Though we can share some fun false perspective illusion: I'll start with this one first: it looks like 2 people are about to kiss right? Or is it?

"Live Long and Prosper" Does that mean we have to find Romulus next? They kind of go together in Star trek

Happy Birthday Pagey

Senator McCain was a great statesmen and Patriot. He was a great stateman, he might not have been a perfect man, nor someone I could agree with in all things, but he did what he thought was right and necessary for the country he loved. In an age where truth and political polarization dominates perspectives, people who put country before politics are hard to find.

Whether you are a fan of Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Babylon 5, or any number of space dramas, one thing is inescapable about our vision of space exploration: we wil need something big to shoot with. I know this can devolve into a political issue rather easily, but I want to discuss the technology aspect. Take Lasers for example, scientists have been developing theoretical designs for laser weapons since the 1980's and now we're seeing real life applications: Beyond lasers, other weapons are on the experiumental table from plasma based bolts to electromagnetic disruption technology to old fashioned rail guns There's a lot of technology to cover and a lot of innovations around the world

@Graeme, there's something I always wanted to ask you, after 2 decades of being with you wife and having kids, have you ever been tempted by another guy, who you knew would be open to having an affair with you? Have you been in any situation that could have allowed that possibility? Straight couples have the same wandering eye question as well, which is one reason why half of all marriages end in divorce. I am wondering if you are actively trying to avoid compromising situations or gay guys who could be potential lovers. Emotional investment, resolve, or even guilt alone don't prevent many people from straying out of relationships if given opportunities. For those who choose not to leave hetero relationship with active Cognoscenti, this is an "open closet" situation, where these people are able to say they are gay/bi and admit their true emotions, but unwilling or unable to leave the closet. (That's another spectrum few people talk about, it's not just that you are "in the closet" or "out", there's gray area with varying personal acceptance) I know its a personal question and the internet is no longer as anonymous as it used to be.

They exist here in Boston as well, there's a breakfast brunch buffet place that I've been dying to try out, if I can ever get him to wake up early enough. I'm not a big club guy, dancing is fun and all, but that never appealed to me. I prefer spending time in a giant bookstore, museum, or flea markets. Restaurant wise, I like New American, Asian Fusion, Rustic Italian, and simple French cuisines. @Puppilull Gay-Only establishment should be something from a bygone era, but we're still far from a "blended" society. Chain restaurants are okay as no one cares about you or who you are eating with, but higher end establishments are as "old fashioned" in mindset as they are in their traditional methods of cooking. Even shopping is kind of haphazard, I don't know why we went into Bloomingdale a few weeks ago (I joked with him that I thought they had gone out of business) but the mentality of the sale staff was kind of "off" seeing two guys walk in with interlocking arms. Now at Macy's, I've seen guys doing the same thing witho0ut an issue and I even got a discount card from a sales guy (obviously on our team) that I got a new pair of Nike. Maybe as I am getting older, I am just noticing this stuff more.

Something that has been circling my mind recently as I am dating and engaged, should there be places just for us? This not a political issue, but one that I think a lot of people of different backgrounds have had to deal with. Personally, I am not in favor of separate facilities for people, nor am I in favor of practices segregating people like restaurants of putting gay couples away from eye view of other customers, which I am learning is more and more frequent than I thought even in Liberal Massachusetts. It's not direct homophobia, but it is no less prevalent or apparent than someone calling you F word in public. The worst thing is that no one is around to support you. Is it nicer being around other people like you at LGBT friendly restaurant/cafe? Definitely, and you can definitely tell, when you are welcomed, especially with a guy in drag making jokes a few feet away. After the food court episode, we've been more conservative and kept our tongues safely apart in restaurants and only kiss in parks with few people around or dark movie theaters. I don't know if it's just the vibe we give off or the body language or in my choices of restaurants, which have Zagat ratings and a few stars (Yes, I do eat well sue me ), but it's kind of isolating. Starbucks and movies are cool for smaller dates, but beyond that, all couples need to find a place to call their own. And I doubt I am the only one with this problem, I remember this clip from "what would you do" that kind of highlights the problem, it's not as openly hostile but it's still kind of isolating

Well, it could drop you to silver status I dated girls, but never went that far; there's just no interest there for me. I have friends who are effeminate and hooked up with a few fem guys, but none of them identify as female. I know there's a separate spectrum on gender identity as well, you can be masculine/neutral/effeminate without identifying as a certain gender. There's an unexplored area between Cisgender/Transgender

This chapter is really hard to write for Book 2 of 0's and 1's, so I will share with readers its problem: I feel like I can't skip an important event, but if I write it, I am never going to hear the end of it. This will mark probably the darkest chapter I have ever written, maybe one of the darkest chapters on GA. I am making sure the guidelines are followed, nothing graphic or explicit, but the implication is more than enough with a dark imagination. And to top it all off, I have to make sure people know why it's needed for the future of the story and the future of the characters. This ain't gratuitous plot point, it's a revolutionary spark, a call to arms against an injustice that transcends LGBT fiction. It's something our society and many of us are guilty as indirect participants. I call this chapter by a nickname, "the Crucible". If this chapter gets completed, the rest of the story can follow, but it must be done right or nothing else after it will matter. Anyone who has any ideas, thoughts, or is just curious as to what I am doing, feel free to PM me.

I identify as a homosexual and "gay", to a degree. Being gay is more than just the sexual aspect, to me homosexual label fits that part of who I am. "Gay" is a state of being within society, you seek commonality with those like you for engagement and shared interests. There's cliques and tribes as you guys mention among the LGBT community, but I prefer not to join those. I'll defend my partner and my friends from persecution, but I am not into showing off. On why I am not part of gay community, People on the anti-gay/anti-LGBT side fear and dislike the idea of being forced by group pressure to accept us. At the heart of it, they fear us, because we're part of this "other group". However, when I meet people like that I try to tell them that LGBT/gay community formed our groups as a response to fears from the anti-LGBT/gay side that were persecuting us in the past. Truth is fear and persecution are intertwined, if we want to rise above it, we need to rise above community and fear built up over time

@Drew Espinosa If you like war documentaries, I recommend PBS/BBC's Battlefield series when it comes to WWII/Vietnam, it taught me a great deal about battle strategies/tactics/machines of war used by both sides that contributed to victories or defeat. Here's an example of their WWII series Battle of France An example of Vietnam War:series

We could break it into two eras: Pre-Super Bowl Era and Post-Super Bowl era as the benchmark. I named them based on guys I've seen in action, even though Elway was getting passed his prime when I was watching football, he did play well by the 90's standards. The older players like Bradshaw and Starr played with different rules, the lateral pass rules were different in their era along with overall strategy, i.e. West Coast Offense Of course we can all agree on one thing, Dallas Cowboys are probably the worst managed team in the modern era (Browns and Lions may give them competition, but beyond the brand, they can take gold and turn it into dirt in a season).

I need inspiration to write, I can write a full novella in days if I am inspired. However, I need to shut myself away from the world and sparingly eat, drink, or have human contact to do so. For me the creative process is one of absolute focus, like an arrow leaving the string, a writer can not hold back his imagination, our stories are an extension of ourselves until we hit a wall. Then, we must wait until the next arrow is loaded and ready for firing.

Lol, Gurlmance, Ponytail is sort of like an earring, it's kind of cool, but not all gay guys can carry it. Sounds like a really good friendship though. @Ashi, careful of the beefcakes, you might end up with a mad cow with too much drama Physical attraction hooks you in, but emotional attractiveness keep you coming back at least from my experience of gay romance and Bromance. If a person is hot, but he has a bad attitude, it's hard to stay in a relationship of any kind.

Anyway, do bi/Lesbian girls have something equivalent to a Bromance? Maybe a Sismance?

And I am the adventurous one for french kissing my boyfriend in public Real life is not a storybook romance, @jamessavik is right but there's more to it. When you become close to someone in a bromance, if there is reciprocation, the two parties might not feel the same way with each other. Gay/Straight are just labels we attach to one another, when some guys get hot and intense with one another, the gender question is the least important concern. The expectation of "finally I have him" after a long bromance of unrequited love is met with the cold reality of a One night stand. Afterwards, the friendship is soured and will never recover to a point prior to the event. There's nothing wrong with being in a bromance, but if you are hoping for fulfillment from it and get it, life doesn't always follow our stories. Sometimes getting your cake is not as fun as people imagine. I think unrequited love is a magical feeling as much as "true love" with a soulmate. The dream of love keeps the person motivated and the desire for a "chance" makes/gives motivation. It's something I probably will explore in my stories as I start to write again. Love is selfish and selfless paradox

@Page Scrawler You got to teach us your gay jedi mind tricks It's not so weird to shower with other guys, like hot tub and pool parties among male friends meant a lot of us are just sometimes naked and engaging in horseplay. Nothing sexual about a bunch of guys naked together. As for male friends and snuggling, the only ones I know of who do it are gay, but I can vouch that I did share an intimate moment with a boy, who I had a crush on, under a quilt, who I still cannot figure his sexuality (like Jesse, he never has/had boyfriend, girlfriend, or as far I know been intimate with anyone to this day). Asexuality is something we're only beginning to chart in the spectrum, maybe that's the answer. A Bromance between a gay man and an Ace man might be more common than we all realize.

I understand and I'd rather we take it to a privacy of our homes, but sadly, it's not possible in my case. Part of our problem, he doesn't drive due to his disability, relying on rides from his protective parents, and I can't either, relying on public transit and Uber. Mobility limitation makes our relationship difficult, we face a problem most gay couples don't have to face as we're both disabled. However, because of that we understand each other far more and I think it contributes to the level of passion we share. My prior lovers were more amenable and did not have mobility issues. So when I go on dates, I have to pre-plan almost everything for us both to meet. It's more effort, but it's worth it for us both. A Day trip maybe our best chance, but I know we both have limitations and he has transportation limits.

Well, I think I am at that point in a relationship where day trip planning probably should be considered. Other than that, maybe it would be easier to express our affections at a LGBT coffeehouse? Or, would you guys think it falls into the same category as too public? Also, it sounds like most members are less inclined to be public with their lover, which I understand and would likely agree with in the past. My problem is that sometimes I think we get lost in each other's passion, it's hard to explain what I am talking about, it's a feeling and state of mind, like we're the only people in the world and we want to enjoy each other. Since I am partly blind and he's partly deaf, we're kind of the perfect complement to each other, when we are together, if that makes any sense. I don't know what gets over me, or if this is love? Even though I feel shame about what happened, part of me doesn't want to apologizee and want to be selfish about what we were expressing with each other. Sorry for the rambling...I was hoping maybe some of you guys or ladies would understand this crazy messed up feeling that overrides my common sense and logic, maybe even helping me to figure out how we can be open and still respect social norms

Sometimes I think you and I are far more similar than we might initially appear. I never express myself or my gayness like I have done with him, sometimes it's hard to know what is right and what is not anymore. Passion is something I never really developed with a partner, maybe dating a younger man is making me open to new experiences (and politically let's say he's far on the other side of the spectrum to me). I wonder if P-town would be more accepting of such displays versus Boston's tourist destination, it should be equivalent of Folsom street Have you ever been to P-Town, Matt?

Kind of feel embarrassed to ask this, but probably should: How much affection do you guys think is appropriate in public? So what happened: I just came back from a lunch date with BF at a food court. We try to do lunch every sunday now. Anyway, we sat down and ate, then began sharing our foods, think lady and the tramp but with french fries/Chicken Tenders, and we got into some heavy french kissing. One of the staff asked us to tone it down as there were families around, so we did, both feeling a bit embarrassed at how our playful passion should have been cut back a bit. To be honest, I never had to cut back on my passion as I usually only explored it in private with prior lovers. My current boyfriend is the 1st person I am publicly displaying it. So here's the question: Was what we did a bit too much for public affection? Would an heterosexual couple be treated differently if they had playfully re-enacted "Lady and the Tramp" spaghetti scene? This is after all Pride Weekend in Boston so most people understand, it's part of the city's culture, so it's not like we're the only ones doing it in public, just not in a food court filled with tourists.

I'm old fashioned and don't save videos like that "cough" "cough" over a cloud, ( @Drew Espinosa I thought you were innocent 👼 now I know you have ) Jokes aside, @BlindAmbition is right that is the right solution to getting sync option separate.

You know, werewolves are just the beginning Ancient Eastern Mythology has foxes who turn into beautiful maidens that destroy nations (China, Korea, and Japan have loads of stories), deer turning into well endowed young men (it's the horn thing) luring young hunters into their dens (I've always wondered what happens after those guys get captured, the stories usually stop there and assume they are brutally massacred by their prey, maybe they had other intentions), spiders taking human form as a well- dressed (transparent silk) young person, and of course one of the most famous is the White snake that take human form in order to be with the man she loved, only to be submitted to prejudice by Buddhist/Taoist monks who consider their relationship to be amoral. and locking human man away in a temple to keep them apart, possibly a little mystical conversion therapy too (I've been toying with the idea of updating this tale for LGBT audiences, anyone interested) For me, I identify with the White Snake story, her only real crime was falling in love with a human man. It is not conventional love and against natural law, but if the story is told literally true as it was, the Gods/Immortals made this romance in the first place due to their actions, so its consequences should not be faulted on those who fall into the relationship. It's like being gay in the modern world.