A couple of my ex-boyfriends swore that they were lesbians in men's bodies. I happen to be strictly dic(ly, but I don't hold your "politics" against you. Welcome. Pull up a thread and chat a while.

My sister was upset at the cops in the "'Burgh" a year or so ago because a friend of hers who was mentally unstable to begin with was killed in a confrontation with police. He had been kicked out of the rooming house where he had been living because of making noise and starting problems with other tennants, and he tried to break back in to get his stuff. (I think he was told to come back when there was police supervision, because he was so much trouble. Sis won't tell me that though, got that from another party.) When the cops showed up, he was waving a gun that he wasn't supposd to have, but his friends knew him to have, and he got shot. One round to the chest, one round to the head. Killed instantly. It was discovered afterward that he was off his meds, and had been for some time. But rumor has it that PPD could have to pay his family some retribution. The cops should know to be sure of what they are doing and to whom before they do it. Stuff like this can't be taken back. It's like putting toothpaste back in the tube.

Getting back to the specifics of Pat Robertson's comments, that sounds like the mostly calm "rantings " of a crazy man who is bent on condemning every idea that doesn't match identically with his own interpretation of a book that is, in essence, a compilation of 5000+ year old stories, 2000year old letters and parables, and word-of-mouth accounts of one man's life that were handed down orally for 100-400 years before they were even put on paper and officially adopted by the early church into one "holy book". A book which, btw, even it's own supporters can't agree on how to interpret it. As far as the allegations of "a pact with the devil", this smacks of being the stuff of urban legend, which Mr. Robertson is now running with and siting as fact. To me, he sounds like a nut case who has never been proven to be a physical danger to himself or anyone else, so he's still allowed to spout off this garbage. And as long as he continues to not be a physical danger to self or others, he will continue being able to shovel such dung, on the basis of freedom of religion and freedom of expression.

IMO life and death are both proof of the existence of a higher power. (To me, the Goddess. To someone else, God.) While most people aren't trying to rush head-long toward death, I believe that there is more to life than what we experince from the time we are born to the time when this physical life ends. Death is just a doorway, so to speak, to the next incarnation or level, bringing us closer to our higher power, in the long run. The fact that there is death doesn't disprove the existence of God. Death is merely a fact and stage of life.

Honestly, the belief in a higher power, whether your preferred reference is "God" or "Goddess" or "the Universe" or something else, is a faith issue. One's faith may be based on what's been read or heard, or on a deeply personal experience. The existance of a higher power can't really be "proven" in a scientific sense, like the existance of molecules and atoms. Being a faith thing, if someone doesn't believe in such an "entity", the only way to prove it to him or her is with a highly spiritual, sometimes mystical, experience. I think that's why religion is such a touchy subject in modern society.

Wow, you'll come up with ANY subject for these threads, won't you? LOL

Is anyone planning to do anything for Imbolc (February 2)? Would anyone like to do a "remote ceremony" type of thing? I've read about them, but never participated in one. What I've read sounds like we would pick a time and everyone would do their own thing in their own homes (or preferred site) at the same time, while keeping in mind that this is a group activity, even if we aren't all together in one spot.

I will look at a guy's profile if something about him catches my attention. I'm not interested in chicks, but I will occassionally look at something in a lady's profile if they say something that I can relate to geographically or something that we may exchange information about, ie. if they mention a specific place that I used to live or work, or if they have a particular recipe or gardening tip that I may wish to discuss with them. But not for "relationship" stuff. That's the guys only, with me.

I pretty much gave up on any expectations... except for finding some INTERESTING conversations!

I prefer veggie sushi. No fish in it.

I've heard of people "tickling" fish out of the water, but it takes a LOT of patience. I don't have that much patience with fish, I don't know if I would have enough patience for getting my wishes by hand.

Maybe you could sit down and write a list of everything that you would like to try. Keep this list totally private, in case it includes anything risque or strictly adult(Depends on how sheltered you have been). Then pick something that is almost in your comfort zone and go do it. It may be taking ski lessons, or a pottery class, or it may be something like going to a bar with a friend. If you have fun and want to do this activity again, then do so. If you feel too awkward, or if you are down-right uncomfortable with whatever activity you choose, try something else from your list. You will find lots of stuff that you never knew that you like to do, and you will meet people with these same interests. Some of them may be "date-able". And you will learn more about yourself than you ever knew before. Further, you will expand your horizons, and extend your comfort zone. Also, start writing a journal or diary. These are letters from you to you, and no one else has to know anything about it or what it says. Don't read any entry that is newer than 3 months old, and try to write at least a sentence or 2 each day. In a year, when you reflect back on some of the first entries, you will be astonished at how much you have learned about yourself. Good luck, and have fun.

No, I've never been to any hot springs, either. Sounds like fun, though.

Talking on the phone is not entirely a bad thing, it's just not the safest way to jump into things from the internet. There are some real shady people out there looking to prey on others, at worst, or to just have a one-night-stand, at best. It would seem that if they are wanting you to call right away, they probably fall into that range of contacts, not the "let's see if we can genuinely hit it off for the long haul" category.

I'll gladly be a cracked pot!!!

I actually had one guy in a chat room several years ago ask me privately if we could "chat". I told him quite publically that the only "chating" we would do would be in the public forum, because I'm not into "cyber". The same should generally apply to dating forums. As a safety precaution, one should not give out phone numbers or call a number so given. You never knkow what kind of nut-case you're dealing with. I will occassionally make an exception to this rule. (I asked a guy from a near-by town out to a sportsmen's club event this past weekend. He never showed, but if he had, what better place to meet someone[that you've met online] face-to-face than an event where everyone knows you, and believes in the right to bear arms, and some of them are carrying? LOL) My point is, it's just not safe to just give out phone numbers online, or to call numbers too easily received on the internet.

OMG I can't imagine macing oneself with capsaisum-filled smoke during a ritual!!! That is both wrong and funny in a twisted, not-the-bestest-day sort of way! It's the kind of stuff that we all would rather forget, but that we laugh about later.

It's also something that I like learning in this thread, rather than from experience. Thank you, sincerely!

I've heard that hot-tubbing in the winter is a great feeling, but I've never tried it.

Very nice. Thanks for that one.

LOL Pre-employment drug screening! I love it! You may want to consider a criminal background check, too!

Imagine that!!!

Jessica, be patient. For some reason, many of the guys on this site forget that this is primarily a DATING site. And maybe that's not entirely bad, either, so that none of us take things too fast.