Knowing WHO your REAL/TRUE Friends are

[mikeyank]

This is going to really resonate with the people who are celebrating two year anniversaries and more, members who posted for the first time within hours of the forum being set up and are considered by some to be the backbone of this place. About a year ago it looked to a bunch of the ur-forumites that the forum had taken a serious turn for the worse. In comparison to what it had been up to then it got superficial and banal, with some guys treating it like their twitter page. We were hearing that a member was bored, or what the weather was doing outside my window in Northwestern Nebraska. But over time those changes have produced a new forum where members share a lot more day to day personal stuff, where people open up their emotions to others, where even medical emergencies can be address in person. This new forum, about a year old, is an example of the evolution that an open society inevitably undergoes. This isn't a club where people get blackballed if the members don't agree unanimously to their being allowed to join. I don't know why we all have this strange nostalgia for things as they were. We have moments of joy in our recent or not so recent past, all of us, and believe that if the exterior circumstances that were in place then could just, please, be somehow repeated, we could be happy again. And sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

The forum has always given each of us something different. Some of us depend on it more than others just to get through the day. All of us make friends here and deepen the relationships away from the forum. Speaking personally, I love it for the variety of people, all the crazy, fucked up bitches and scary members of sleeper cells I find here when I open the door. I hope it always stays the same and never, ever changes.

Even though it was awesome for the first year

Slim, I once again find myself completely agreeing with you. The forum has been a total roller coaster ride, with lot's of peaks and valley's from it's very inception, and there are signs that we are going through a resurgence right now, with a varied group of interesting, open and informative posters.

I am optimistic that some of the recent negativity will bring about a new beginning, where we forumites can learn to embrace our "sameness" rather than focus on any differences between us. We are a totally varied group of people of all genders, ages, nationalities, sexualities, and we live all over the world, but our common bond over something that may seem superficial, gay porn, has brought us together, and from that starting point, new friendships and understandings have been born.

I consider you Slim to be one of the wonderful new friends that I have made here, in this sometimes wacky world of the forum, but I would not trade your friendship for anything.It is always a joy to read your posts, and your always encouraging and positive private messages as well. Long live the forum, and the sharing, bonding, and love that our most interesting and informative group has provided. To quote yourself, "I love you mister".

 

[mikeyank]

It is more than possible to make true friends here. There are many real and strong friendships, right here in forumland.

You speak the truth, Ms. K, as you have become a dear close personal friend of mine, and you know that I would do anything to help you out, if you were in need, including jumping on a plane to travel 3000 miles to be by your side. Our friendship is strong and solid as a rock. I love you very much, and am so proud to call you my friend.

 

[Ms. Kianna]

I consider you Slim to be one of the wonderful new friends that I have made here, in this sometimes wacky world of the forum, but I would not trade your friendship for anything.It is always a joy to read your posts, and your always encouraging and positive private messages as well. Long live the forum, and the sharing, bonding, and love that our most interesting and informative group has provided. To quote yourself, "I love you mister".

You speak the truth, Ms. K, as you have become a dear close personal friend of mine, and you know that I would do anything to help you out, if you were in need, including jumping on a plane to travel 3000 miles to be by your side. Our friendship is strong and solid as a rock. I love you very much, and am so proud to call you my friend.

Thank you for that Mike, and I know that you mean every word of it. It breaks my heart that everyone does not get to see the Mikeyank, that you have let me see. The guy that gets totally baffled by my emotional girlness, and stops everything to try and figure it out. The guy that has my back, when work sucks, or my family does something horrendous.

I think you get defensive on here, but so do a lot of people. Being defensive is part of human nature. When you get past that, you have the hugest and most amazing heart. I love you to pieces, and I am so glad that you let me in.

 

[Jayman01]

This is going to really resonate with the people who are celebrating two year anniversaries and more, members who posted for the first time within hours of the forum being set up and are considered by some to be the backbone of this place. About a year ago it looked to a bunch of the ur-forumites that the forum had taken a serious turn for the worse. In comparison to what it had been up to then it got superficial and banal, with some guys treating it like their twitter page. We were hearing that a member was bored, or what the weather was doing outside my window in Northwestern Nebraska. But over time those changes have produced a new forum where members share a lot more day to day personal stuff, where people open up their emotions to others, where even medical emergencies can be address in person. This new forum, about a year old, is an example of the evolution that an open society inevitably undergoes. This isn't a club where people get blackballed if the members don't agree unanimously to their being allowed to join. I don't know why we all have this strange nostalgia for things as they were. We have moments of joy in our recent or not so recent past, all of us, and believe that if the exterior circumstances that were in place then could just, please, be somehow repeated, we could be happy again. And sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

The forum has always given each of us something different. Some of us depend on it more than others just to get through the day. All of us make friends here and deepen the relationships away from the forum. Speaking personally, I love it for the variety of people, all the crazy, fucked up bitches and scary members of sleeper cells I find here when I open the door. I hope it always stays the same and never, ever changes.

Even though it was awesome for the first year

Slim, thank you for this post. I really agree. The love the Forum and the incredible variety of people it brings. Just like in life it is what we make it as a collective. We may not always agree. I think for the most part the majority of people on the Forum have been able to agree to disagree. We all have our ups and downs. It is just human nature. I really feel like I have made a lot of great friends that I would never want to loose.

 

[slimvintage]

Slim, thank you for this post. I really agree. The love the Forum and the incredible variety of people it brings. Just like in life it is what we make it as a collective. We may not always agree. I think for the most part the majority of people on the Forum have been able to agree to disagree. We all have our ups and downs. It is just human nature. I really feel like I have made a lot of great friends that I would never want to loose.

You wouldn't be able to help making friends no matter what the venue was mister. And that brings me to observe something I just realized as I read your post. We always couch the difficulties that crop up between forumites in terms of viewpoint, intellectual or moral opposition on issues, sides in a debate. What you say, that mostly members here can finally after a tiff agree to disagree, is only true to an extent. I think there are less rational elements to some of the prickliness that crops up sometimes, less rational in the sense of more emotional. Rather than agreeing to disagree, we'd have to agree to dislike, which is different.

I've been sneered at and called a lot of stuff by two fellow forumites in particular, both of whom express themselves with admirable clarity and insight. My pompous know it all attitude provoked, provokes, disgust in these guys and I don't think an agreement would normally be possible between us of the sort you mention, an agreement just to disagree and shake hands.

I said I really liked the forum best right at the beginning. It was brilliant then. The quibbles and delights were fresh and original and you didn't preface an observation with, "as has happened in the past on the forum...".

I quite like it as it is now as well, a sort of wild-assed PTA noticeboard for queers and bitches. But I just hope it doesn't get petty and mean. A vendetta is no fun unless it's amusing.

 

[mikeyank]

Thank you for that Mike, and I know that you mean every word of it. It breaks my heart that everyone does not get to see the Mikeyank, that you have let me see. The guy that gets totally baffled by my emotional girlness, and stops everything to try and figure it out. The guy that has my back, when work sucks, or my family does something horrendous.

I think you get defensive on here, but so do a lot of people. Being defensive is part of human nature. When you get past that, you have the hugest and most amazing heart. I love you to pieces, and I am so glad that you let me in.

Thank you so much for your kind words, and you know that I value and cherish your friendship too. You make my life richer, having you in it. I love you to pieces, as well.

 

[slimvintage]

Thank you for that Mike, and I know that you mean every word of it. It breaks my heart that everyone does not get to see the Mikeyank, that you have let me see. The guy that gets totally baffled by my emotional girlness, and stops everything to try and figure it out. The guy that has my back, when work sucks, or my family does something horrendous.

I think you get defensive on here, but so do a lot of people. Being defensive is part of human nature. When you get past that, you have the hugest and most amazing heart. I love you to pieces, and I am so glad that you let me in.

MsK dearest, who doesn't get to see how great this forum stalwart is? He's a terrific forumite. And besides the unnatural and obscene love that exists between him and me, I also have the deepest fascination for his pronouncements on Broke Straight Boys Without Mike and his like (the true target customers), we wouldn't have a site like this to enjoy nor a forum like this to be petty toward each other in.

And in that regard, please post an instance of his being defensive. He's patience personified. Like Tyler, he doesn't suffer fools gladly, but he's pretty good mannered about finding them boring.

 

[Jayman01]

You wouldn't be able to help making friends no matter what the venue was mister. And that brings me to observe something I just realized as I read your post. We always couch the difficulties that crop up between forumites in terms of viewpoint, intellectual or moral opposition on issues, sides in a debate. What you say, that mostly members here can finally after a tiff agree to disagree, is only true to an extent. I think there are less rational elements to some of the prickliness that crops up sometimes, less rational in the sense of more emotional. Rather than agreeing to disagree, we'd have to agree to dislike, which is different.

I've been sneered at and called a lot of stuff by two fellow forumites in particular, both of whom express themselves with admirable clarity and insight. My pompous know it all attitude provoked, provokes, disgust in these guys and I don't think an agreement would normally be possible between us of the sort you mention, an agreement just to disagree and shake hands.

I said I really liked the forum best right at the beginning. It was brilliant then. The quibbles and delights were fresh and original and you didn't preface an observation with, "as has happened in the past on the forum...".

I quite like it as it is now as well, a sort of wild-assed PTA noticeboard for queers and bitches. But I just hope it doesn't get petty and mean. A vendetta is no fun unless it's amusing.

I have observed the things that you have talked about. And I too have rubbed a few people the wrong way at times I know it. As I have said on this Forum many times; we are spiritual beings experiencing a human condition. Every person that enters our life is a teacher. We are all students in life whether or not we choose to study. Every personality that rubs us the wrong way teaches us something about our self. It is important to understand that we as humans react to how we perceive or feel a bout all of life's situations. Most times it is a subconscious knee jerk reaction. I am responsible for my own happiness. I am the one who chooses to become angry, hostile, or take umbrage per say against another because of their actions. Surrendering to our ego and our negative emotions can be a protective measure and also very therapeutic. When we remain stuck in those negative emotions of the ego we retard our own personal growth. Again, it is a choice. "You can lead the horse to the water. It is their choice to drink or not."

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Nelson Mandela

Dear Sir, you are indeed an old soul and I am not referring to this physical life time. Being born a Capricorn you are intrinsically gifted with the ability to channel the Akashic Records subconsciously at will. (You know, but you don't know how you know) You are also a deeply educated man but not just from a university perspective. You have lived, loved, and traveled deepening the foundation of your theoretical and practical education through your personal life's experience. I don't say this to blow sunshine up your proverbial ass. I say this out of reverence and respect for the pool of knowledge you do bring to the World. I want to remind you of Mr. Mandela's speech again above. If you are being true to yourself and speaking from the heart you are actively participating in life. We will never please everyone that is impossible. Everyone is at a different place in their life: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Sometimes people are just not ready for what we have to say.

I think that what any of us has to say is very important. Often putting things in writing helps us to learn from ourselves or to vent our frustrations. It can also be a very therapeutic tool to learn from ourselves. We have the ability to filter out what we read, listen too, or internalize. We wouldn't get upset if we did not take some kind of ownership. So, it is in this light that I have said, many of us agree to disagree. I never said all of us agree to disagree. Everyone agreeing to disagree wouldn't be human, now would it???

 

[mikeyank]

MsK dearest, who doesn't get to see how great this forum stalwart is? He's a terrific forumite. And besides the unnatural and obscene love that exists between him and me, I also have the deepest fascination for his pronouncements on Broke Straight Boys Without Mike and his like (the true target customers), we wouldn't have a site like this to enjoy nor a forum like this to be petty toward each other in.

And in that regard, please post an instance of his being defensive. He's patience personified. Like Tyler, he doesn't suffer fools gladly, but he's pretty good mannered about finding them boring.

Whoa, for Slim to compare me to "Saint Tyler" in any way at all, is incredibly high praise. I am humbled by your accolades, although I do not consider myself worthy, but I sure appreciate the love.

If I'd known that you and Ms. K were going to praise me in such a manner, I would have prepared an acceptance speech, only to be played off by the orchestra. You are too kind, and I send the love right back "at ya"

 

[slimvintage]

I have observed the things that you have talked about. And I too have rubbed a few people the wrong way at times I know it. As I have said on this Forum many times; we are spiritual beings experiencing a human condition. Every person that enters our life is a teacher. We are all students in life whether or not we choose to study. Every personality that rubs us the wrong way teaches us something about our self. It is important to understand that we as humans react to how we perceive or feel a bout all of life's situations. Most times it is a subconscious knee jerk reaction. I am responsible for my own happiness. I am the one who chooses to become angry, hostile, or take umbrage per say against another because of their actions. Surrendering to our ego and our negative emotions can be a protective measure and also very therapeutic. When we remain stuck in those negative emotions of the ego we retard our own personal growth. Again, it is a choice. "You can lead the horse to the water. It is their choice to drink or not."

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Nelson Mandela

Dear Sir, you are indeed an old soul and I am not referring to this physical life time. Being born a Capricorn you are intrinsically gifted with the ability to channel the Akashic Records subconsciously at will. (You know, but you don't know how you know) You are also a deeply educated man but not just from a university perspective. You have lived, loved, and traveled deepening the foundation of your theoretical and practical education through your personal life's experience. I don't say this to blow sunshine up your proverbial ass. I say this out of reverence and respect for the pool of knowledge you do bring to the World. I want to remind you of Mr. Mandela's speech again above. If you are being true to yourself and speaking from the heart you are actively participating in life. We will never please everyone that is impossible. Everyone is at a different place in their life: physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Sometimes people are just not ready for what we have to say.

I think that what any of us has to say is very important. Often putting things in writing helps us to learn from ourselves or to vent our frustrations. It can also be a very therapeutic tool to learn from ourselves. We have the ability to filter out what we read, listen too, or internalize. We wouldn't get upset if we did not take some kind of ownership. So, it is in this light that I have said, many of us agree to disagree. I never said all of us agree to disagree. Everyone agreeing to disagree wouldn't be human, now would it???

As you know, I'm very un-goddy. Pretty spiritual on the quiet, mega telepathic, but not into dieties. However: for the first time in decades you've helped me over the line, just for the time it took to read this post you carried me to somewhere I hadn't been for years.

You've helped a lot of people who are members of this forum, and their thanks are dotted all over the threads. You're the most loved and loving person posting here. Thank you for taking the time to write to me. You're a true darling friend whom I love very much.

 

[Jayman01]

As you know, I'm very un-goddy. Pretty spiritual on the quiet, mega telepathic, but not into dieties. However: for the first time in decades you've helped me over the line, just for the time it took to read this post you carried me to somewhere I hadn't been for years.

You've helped a lot of people who are members of this forum, and their thanks are dotted all over the threads. You're the most loved and loving person posting here. Thank you for taking the time to write to me. You're a true darling friend whom I love very much.

Thank you for your kind words. I am not sure there should be a title of the most loved. Titles and awards can be competitive in nature bringing out some of our worst human characteristics. Love is unconditional and it should be given freely from the heart and without expectation of reward. There are many Forumites that are loved and appreciated by all for their comments, support, insightful thoughts, and good natured humor and so forth. Some days I, you, or another may stand out in the crowd. For the most part, like you, I am just a voice in that choir.

The feeling of a loving true friendship is mutual Slim. I love you very much and revere your friendship too. I still plan to visit Palma as soon as possible. We can chat about that in an e-mail though...

Bless your heart and Nameste my good friend.

 

[lovelumps]

I love that this thread has become such a love fest! Love and hugs to all of you. I know I need them tonight, so I'm sending them out hoping for some right back.

 

[SGVBOB]

I am sorry you are sad , Love, hopefully things will be better for you real soon! I am here if/when you need to talk.

Love,
Bob
Friends Forever

I love that this thread has become such a love fest! Love and hugs to all of you. I know I need them tonight, so I'm sending them out hoping for some right back.

 

[Ms. Kianna]

I love that this thread has become such a love fest! Love and hugs to all of you. I know I need them tonight, so I'm sending them out hoping for some right back.

Tons of love going out to you, Lovelumps. You are another one of my very favorite people.

I hope everything is okay. If you need an ear or a shoulder, you know I am here.

 

[Jayman01]

I love that this thread has become such a love fest! Love and hugs to all of you. I know I need them tonight, so I'm sending them out hoping for some right back.

I am sending love, light, and hugs to you and everyone. I hope all is well. I will say a prayer for you before I go to bed and ask the Angels to watch over you too.

 

[lovelumps]

I am sorry you are sad , Love, hopefully things will be better for you real soon! I am here if/when you need to talk.

Love,
Bob
Friends Forever

Thanks, Bob xoxo

 

[slimvintage]

mix of beeps and drips for you girl

I love that this thread has become such a love fest! Love and hugs to all of you. I know I need them tonight, so I'm sending them out hoping for some right back.

Laurajust so you know, you can count in an every-day way on the steady metronomic flow of love-beeps from this far off forum satellite, in force from your very first appearances here. Automatic affection wasn't however what you needed when you posted, so I'm taking you off the drip and sending you 3000 mgs every 20 minutes. On the advice of Dr. Phingerphuck.

 

[mikeyank]

I love that this thread has become such a love fest! Love and hugs to all of you. I know I need them tonight, so I'm sending them out hoping for some right back.

Laura, the more I learn about you, and the better I'm getting to know you, I want to send a great big bunch of New York love to the angel of the forum in Denver, and in the spirit of our good friend across the sea, Jon, and his member's "favourite" music thread, I'd like to dedicate this song to you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKSNHcsqqKM

 

[MissDeidra]

 

[SGVBOB]

After thing about it, I am glad that I started this thread. For the longest time, it was a bashing/catfight/he said/(s)he said-type, now we all are back to some semblance of reality/sanity. Sorry, that I am putting my 'biased 2 cents worth' in, so to speak, but I think ESPECIALLY considering the state the world is in now, this thread was needed.

Sorry to 'toot my own horn' but I appreciate everybody listening!

Take care all, and be healthy!

Bob

P.S. NO I am NOT leaving forumland. I just thought that would be a good way to end the post