Tipdin

At the age of 20, I attempted suicide, nearly successfully. I spent in week or so in a comma after taking an overdose of drugs. My partner came home way earlier than he was supposed to and found me. When I came out of the comma, I was extremely disappointed. That was about 30 years ago; I've never been glad I survived. I did all the right stuff afterward, therapy, drugs, learning coping techniques, etc.; however, all of those things together have just taken the edge off the blade; they haven't made enough difference for me to say it's been worth it. I wish my partner hadn't come home early. For over three decades I've had to find - or create reasons to get up every day. It has been a life-long struggle. Now, in my fifties, I have lived long enough to lose my looks and physical abilities, I get to deal with Asbestosis, a type of incurable lung cancer. I buried all my friends that died of AIDS, survived a heart attach, and now, lucky me, I will follow in my old man's footsteps - Alzheimer's. The good news is, with Alzheimer's, I probably won't realize that I'm choking to death on the fluids building up in my lungs. Can you say... angry? In my case, suicide is once again a viable option. If there is to be a next time, I will first have a retro-disco party and say goodbye to everyone; individually, in private. Then I will dance my ass off and have a blast. I might even have a drink and a cigarette - two things I have never done. But what the hell, it's a party!

If I recall, that book came out in the very early 1970s. I think I have the first edition floating around here someplace. It was quite entertaining. I certainly identified with him! In the early sixties, even with all the flower power and free-love, we still couldn't be gay. My parents nearly disowned me when I pierced my ear - in 1972... That was unheard of at the time. And then I pissed off all my gay friends because I pierced my left ear, when it was the right ear that signaled you were gay... I was a rebel among rebels!

A sex scene is neither good or bad nor right or wrong. How it's done in the context of the story is what matters. A hard core sex scene inside an otherwise G-rate story doesn't work. A sweet, romantic - subtle description of a love making scene would be odd inside a blood-splashing slasher story. Personally, I think most people's sense of what they find erotic is usually so subjective and specific that it's better to leave major sex scenes to the porn writers. Not that a sex scene cannot work inside a given story, but I know, for me, even in gay books I've purchased, I find most of the sex scenes trite and almost laughable at times. I often skip over those parts - it rarely adds to the story and almost never fits with my own idea of erotic reading.

I have noticed the same thing with 'gay' books. It would be nice to find good plots that happen to have gay people involved, not just lame excuses to write bad porn scenes.

Hey, Any young person that can get up in front of a crowd and do what he did gets my vote! Being good is icing on the cake.

Just my 2 cents: Academically, single sex schools makes sense; there seems to be justification for it. I am a gay male that went to a co-ed public school - and was SEVERELY tormented for being gay. The idea of an all male school is both a fantasy and a nightmare. After years of tormenting me, one day a homophobic bully shoved me and I fell backward breaking both of my arms. Everyone knew why he did it but the principle was not willing to deal with the subject; he claimed it was boys being boys....whatever the hell that means. Just imagine: a 14 year old boy with super-charged hormones, unable to use either hand...! In the many decades that have passed, my brother rarely misses a chance to tease me about helping me out...nothing sexual really, but imagine the humiliation, for both of us, when the casts on my arms meant I couldn't wipe my own butt or fumble my own SUPER SENSITIVE ....manhood out of my pants to pee...(And every damn time I had to pee, - IT - wood happen.) I still remember the bully's name and can see his face clearly in my mind. Although as awful as it sounds, I feel somewhat vindicated; after graduating, the kid was snowmobiling and ran into a barbed-wire fence - he was decapitated. Whether co-ed or single-sexed, EVERY school needs to teach better behavior. If parents don't care enough about their own children to teach them how to behave, then give schools what schools need in order for them to turn out well educated, well mannered men and women.

I used to play soccer until a homophobe - on my own team - checked me and I fell backward, breaking both arms... Haven't even so much as looked at a sport since then.

I suspected Ricky Martin was gay years ago when I first saw him on Siempre en Domingo. (Well, at least I hoped he was....) However, I don't think we should make light of this too much. Coming out is usually an extremely frightening, painful experience. When I came out, I got a ton of the 'Duh...' reactions too, but that didn't make it any easier. I applaud him.

It doesn't matter if you're trained or good, or worse than anyone in history! Just sing!

Sure, I sing in the shower. ...and the car, at work, in the grocery store, walking down the street.... After 30 years of singing lessons, I'm not about to NOT sing!

I prefer a mouse. Being left handed, both the computer and I get messed up. AND STAY AWAY FROM MAC! It's a Microsoft world, like it or not. I don't think using a Mac is as easy and nothing translate exactly. Even stories from here, when downloaded, they're usually a mess, it makes reading them very difficult. I was going to do some editing for someone and they said they would send me a 100 page Word document. In my Mac, it was closer to 500 pages! When I loaded it into my PC, it was 100 pages just like they said it was.

So cute! I'll take two!

Most humans are basically similar, we get thrilled by situations that we interpret as somewhat on the edge. It gets the blood flowing. During the sixties and most of the seventies it was not unusual to see people... 'enjoying each other's company' at the beach or in some wooded areas known for being hook up spots. Depending on your personal make up and point of view, 'risky' can add to your excitement. I think one needs to be judicial in where, when, and how, especially considering that Americans as a whole are pretty darn prudish. Sex is a natural part of the animal kingdom and we humans are, after all, part of that kingdom. We try so diligently not to be, I just don't understand why. A hundred years ago, when I was young, I... 'lived on the edge' a few times and it certainly was risky back then (can you say beaten to death?!) but my goodness, those memories are some of my most treasured belongings!

I remember that blizzard too. It was the only time in the history of the transit commission that public transportation was suspended. I, of course, was then stranded in the middle of downtown Minneapolis when everything was closing. I spent 6 hours WALKING home in that mess!

Man keeps claiming to be the most intelligent animal on Earth, then goes about proving he can be the dumbest. Treat self, others, and the Earth with the kind of tender care that ensures good health and nothing else matters. I'm weller now than I used to was! (A song lyric) You are the sun in my 'good morning', you are the brightness in my day, you are the warmth in my 'good evening', you know how to love the night away.

My favorite includes pineapple. Whatever comes with it is fine, just make sure it has pineapple!

I saw it in 3D and loved it - especially the super hairy actor playing the lead role!

I hate everything about winter- except its absence! I actually LIKE running around with almost nothing on (at most) and I actually LIKE seeing others run around with almost nothing on (at most)! It's sad to see everything all dead and buried and NOT see all the animals that I would normally see in summer. I generally hibernate as much as I can - and dream of sun-drenched beaches.

I am American and listen to more non-American music makers than anything else. My mother was a classical pianist to I grew up listening to mostly classical music. I came of age in the disco era so I would die if my dance music stopped. My taste in music today covers a wide variety from trance to opera. Mario Frangoulis is a greek singer that sings in many different languages, and Alessandro Safina, an Italian singer, also has an amazing voice. I prefer not understanding the language, the rhythms of both the voice and the music stand out to me that way.

This is unbelievable. When is Man truly going to evolve as a species? We keep claiming to be the most intelligent animal on Earth - then go about proving we can be the dumbest. It makes me sick.

pineapple and Canadian bacon

I grew up with various Scottish accents so I find those comforting. Sorry, but a southern American accent is like fingernails screeching down the chalkboard. Irish is nice and The Queen's English is quite pleasant too. Although I agree with another poster here, the mouth from which the accent emanates makes SUCH a difference! I supposed though any accent when whispered in the ear will do just fine!

The first credit card I ever had is the only one I still use. (I have a whole deck of unused cards in my desk.) My first card and I have been together for over 30 years. I have never been late with a payment and have never missed a payment. My interest rate is 27%. I also have NEVER charged more than I was willing to pay IN TOTAL when the bill came to me. I always pay the entire amount. ...even when they shortened my window of payment opportunity to 15 days... (Thankfully that will become illegal.) I don't think they like me. I certainly don't like them.

But still looking great!

Nummy!