W_L

@aditus, oh my! the Vegetarian/Vegan crowd is taking over, soon we'll be stuck with Tofurkey @Valk and Mikie, sounds like you both got what I had, a company lunch/party. I don't get bonuses due to being Salaried and technically in management (Middle Management sucks and we don't get as many perks as employees or senior management). So the turkey gift basket is now as defunct as many other holiday classics like Caroling.

I was watching A Christmas Carol on my red Eye back from Vegas and the thought occurred to me. It wasn't so long ago, when employers would give their employees a turkey every Christmas in appreciation of their work, and to ward off the Ghost of Christmas Future The IRS even has a special provision in Publication 525 that indicates gifts of Turkeys, Hams, or other food during Christmas or Holidays would not b considered taxable income. Whatever happened to that nice Holiday practice? Has America innocuously turned into a nation of Scrooges without ever thinking about it? Sure we have company Christmas parties, but I wouldn't mind getting a nice 15 lb bird with an estimated value of $10. Such a small sign from employers that you matter seems like a distant memory.

Is Love Alive? This is such a beautiful song

Musical Score of the moment:

A great American, explorer, and statesman RIP John Glenn

Ashi if you want to release your guilt, just do this: after Christmas take up wood carving and make your partner a present every day as his present with the tree. The tree's sacrifice will not be in vain and your house will be well decorates and furnished with pine smelling coat racks, spice trays, and wooden back scratchers PS: Actually, that could be a great concept/plot for a Christmas story, a guy with a gift giving problem for his partner decides to give him a small gift every day over the year made out of their Christmas tree. Do you think Hallmark will buy my story rights and make a TV movie

....and it ended with him face down in the pool as homicide detectives swarm in I'm not that bleak, but I am realistic with my relationship issues.

Thanks for the advice, it solves my 1st dilemma, but raises a second one. He's a good guy and I care a lot about him, but neither of us know if it is love or just friendship with some benefits. He does still care about his ex and wished things had gone better between them. What happened was an encounter early on in our relationship, his ex was heading off to grad school and would not be back. I learned about it later as we both opened up. I've got doubts about this relationship, a bit of envy, a bit dissatisfaction, and experiences with cheating exes who were married closeted gay men. So basically, I have a lot of doubt.

This is a new issue for me, but I think it's a good question. If I know an ex-lover wants to hang out with me, but most of our dates end up at he same destination under the covers, is opening up that can of worms worth it? On the flip side, I know my current bf still harbor feelings for his old ex and has already been open with me about their sexual experience together during that encounter. It makes me jealous, but I am accepting on this point and understand his reasons. I understand if this were a pure monogamous relationship where we madly fell in love as high school sweethearts in a Nicholas Sparks Novel or GA fiction story of the week, but real relationships aren't that simple. Everyone has baggage from past lovers, so is it cheating anymore to be with someone from your past? I wonder what is cheating? Is there a definition? Is there a line in the sand I shouldn't cross or is it a tic for tat relative terms within each relationship? Some of you are married and have been in relationships for decades, some even longer as committed partners, and others like me are still trying to figure out this thing called a "relationship". Still, there may be others who just prefers a casual one night stand as well to avoid this kind of issue.

"To me, the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it's about, but the inner music that words make." Truman Capote

Well this is a memorable year for me, both my maternal grandfather in May and grandmother (she died last week) have passed away. We also lost some great actors: Anton Yelchin of my generation and my favorite candy man Willy Wonka aka Gene Wilder. Today, we also lost one of the greatest inventors of modern world history, who created a culinary dish that has brough a smile to many around the world: The creator of General Tso Chicken has died at 98 2016 really sucks, but we should remember all those we have lost this year.

It's that time again and this hallmark loving teddy bear has to put this song up again:

Rest in Peace! I only know Adam through chat and the occasional post on here in Lounge, didn't know this had happened until now.

Happy late Birthday Mikie

Missile Command on Sega Genesis rAtari version: Fun 80's game for me in the 90's:

Awesome Lacey :D

For some reason, I started thinking about Naruto today: "The true measure of a shinobi is not how he lives but how he dies. its not what they do in life but what they did before dying that proves their worth"- Jiraiya

Hope is what makes life worth living. I waited a while to come out fully to my family, but my sister knew when she saw my gay porn stash on our PC when I was 15 and she was 13. She is cool with it and we both have a pretty open talk about life and boyfriends now. It's different with a brother, but deep down he probably does care about you, no matter what. Being gay is hard, being in the closet is harder, when you are out finally it is a freeing experience unlike any other.

I was chatting with some friends on facebook and got an interesting idea if things do go sour for LGBT in affected areas. What if a new underground railroad was set up to help runaway gay kids find safe havens in states like Massachusetts or California. My first thought on this, it is basically illegal to help a child under the age of consent to run away from his/her family, so I pointed out that if this were our solution, we'd likely face some jail time just like traditional abolitionists back in the 19th century with runaway slaves. If people aren't scared by jail, it will likely cause other logistical problems, who will take care of these kids? Can youth centers have enough funding to support this kind of operation? On the level of a writer, I think it's a marvelous plot device, a 21st century underground railroad with stations, conductors, and peer leaders linked with social media (Think my story 0's and 1's and Harriet Tubman). I think I will try to draw up ideas on how this kind of underground network would need to start up and run, what type of resources would be demanded, and potentially what will be its hazards, because we can't always hope for perfect human beings or idealized causes. Anyone on GA think this idea has story potential

I think people need some inspirational Quotes this week, so let's start: Here's some from noted author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, who passed away this year in July 2 2016: "For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her smile." "Hope is like peace. It is not a gift from God. It is a gift only we can give one another."

Well we're in the same boat you old cat, voted Johnson/Weld too

Well, it might be early, but with the tallies as it looks, Donald Trump is going to be our 45th President. I don't like either candidate, but I do hope the Mexican deportation was hyperbole along with the trade bans and departing NAFTA/NATO/UN were also just campaigning. I am a Republican, but I don't support those positions. Now let me introduce the Prologue of Book 2: 0's and 1's https://www.gayauthors.org/story/w-l/0sand1sbk2-webofconceit I wrote it several months ago, thinking about the world we live in and what book 2 of my story should be about, where should my heroes go, how dark will it get (and if you know my writing I can give people nightmares due to my realist horror bent), and also a reflection on the mood of humanity. I think readers who have stuck by me, understand that I write based on my intuition on where world events and human beings will lead,

0’s and 1’s Book 2: Web of Conceit Prologue A Conversation with the Writer By WL Writer: Hello Kevin, how are you doing this fine Morning? Kevin (dazed and confused): Umm…I thought I was just shot…Are you a doctor? Writer: No, I don’t practice medicine. I do know a lot of doctors and medical specialists. Kevin: Then, who are you? Writer: Well, I am your writer Kevin: What do you mean, you are my writer? Is this a joke? I don’t even like that kind of “meta” crap

Just finished Yellowcard farewell concert I'll keep the fires burning for them tho

Alright, this is funny and you can hear what he is trying to say was, but it sounds so wrong if you are not thinking correctly: Eli's news audible, sounds like something else