Five Questions

[Lexington]

Cheesecake. It's awesome.

I haven't owned a pair of sunglasses since I was eight years old.

I can't even remember ever riding a horse, although I'm sure I probably did once.

Hm. Tough to say. "Empire Strikes Back" would be tough to beat.

A pencil drawing of a cottage that my grandmother drew years ago, and the storyboard for the title sequence to the cartoon SwatKats.

Five questions:

1. What was your favorite toy or game growing up?
2. What was the first album you bought?
3. What was the worst movie you saw in the theater?
4. Name an oddball thing you bought on impulse.
5. Name something - a movie, a TV show, a band - that one would think you'd be a fan of (given the other things you're a fan of), but for whatever reason, you're not.

Lex

[Miles]

Games...Probably a Final Fantasy game or a Mega Man game or something from Zelda or Metroid. We had Legos and I had one of those magnetic drawboard things that you can swipe a lever to erase with. But my favorite things to play with were usually sticks I found out in the yard or neighborhood.

First album (cassette actually!) I asked my mom to get me...probably Britney Spears or Backstreet Boys or something. Seriously. 1998. First one I bought myself was probably a Pink Floyd or Allman Brothers cd

Worst theater movie...most of them. Thor is a recent one, at the $2 near my old university. Walked out halfway through. So boooooooooooooring.

I don't buy a lot of 'stuff' but once I bought a pack of 5 highlighter markers because I figured I might need them for some classes. Graduated and the package still hasn't been opened. Not very oddball I know, I might think of something else later.

You might think I'd like the artist Neutral Milk Hotel based on some of the other music I like which happens to be of the Pitchfork-Media-darling variety. But I can't fucking stand the 'band' (it's really just one guy). Whiny grating pseudo-meaningful indie-tastic recorded-in-the-closet-on-four-track hipster fodder. And all the songs sound the same. And everyone at college adored them and sang along to their songs.

Also the Red Hot Chili Peppers, because I like funk. The reason I don't like the Chili Peppers is because I like funk. (Though some of their early stuff when they were more fucked up on heroin was kinda good).

------------

First book you read?
Last book you read?
Best book you read and why?
Worst book you read and why?
How many books am I holding up?

[xfrostx]

First book you read? - I have a feeling you won't know this book, it's a bulgarian book and there's for sure no translation of the title, we had it for school...
Last book you read? - Fifty shades of grey... don't ask...
Best book you read and why? - I don't really have a favorite book, I'm very picky though
Worst book you read and why? - The bible. I don't mean to insult anyone, but this book has ruined my life. I've read it though, a few times.
How many books am I holding up? - How can I know that? Or you're asking about me? Hmm

1. Do you dream a lot?
2. Do you like travelling?
3. What's the thing that can always make you smile?
4. What's the thing that can break even the best mood?
5. Would you kill someone you love in order to save thousands of lives? (I've been wondering about this)

[East]

1. Do you dream a lot? Yes
2. Do you like travelling? Yeah...but mostly in California...I am in love with California. I am going to travel around South America soon though
3. What's the thing that can always make you smile? A Baby of most any species NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS: alligators and snakes
4. What's the thing that can break even the best mood? Mentioning Ronald Reagan
5. Would you kill someone you love in order to save thousands of lives? (I've been wondering about this) I am sorry to say...NO....I would not kill someone I loved for any reason. I would like to think I would save thousands..but I wouldn't at that price

1) If love is the answer...what is the question?
2) Three things you know you will never do...but would like to?
3) Fate has chosen you to be a reality show contestant...which show would you choose?
4) What famous person...living or dead... would you like to be stuck on a desert island with?
5) Do you remember the best day of your life?

[Lexington]

1) If love is the answer...what is the question?

What band had hits with "My Little Red Book" and "7 And 7 Is"?

2) Three things you know you will never do...but would like to?

1. Visit all the rural Japanese hot springs spas.
2. Perform in a rock band in front of thousands of screaming fans.
3. Top a bunch of guys in succession, getting them all off, before finishing myself.

3) Fate has chosen you to be a reality show contestant...which show would you choose?

Something low-key like Big Brother. I'm not up for Survivor or Amazing Race or even RuPaul's Drag Race.

4) What famous person...living or dead... would you like to be stuck on a desert island with?

Someone who's really good at survival skills...and hopefully both gay and horny.

5) Do you remember the best day of your life?

I don't have one. I have a lot of ones in the top 40, though, and I like looking back on all of them. And I expect to have more.

1. What was your favorite toy when you were a kid?
2. What was the first record/tape/CD/mp3 you ever purchased?
3. You're getting executed in the morning. What's your last meal?
4. What was the worst movie you ever saw in a movie theater?
5. Name something on your sexual bucket list.

Lex

[Bhp91126]

1. What was your favorite toy when you were a kid?
Books, I read so much my parents always had to send me out to play with others
2. What was the first record/tape/CD/mp3 you ever purchased?
Amanda Lear, Sphinx, my mother was horrified
3. You're getting executed in the morning. What's your last meal?
Someone's erection and load
4. What was the worst movie you ever saw in a movie theater?
I walked out of movies only a few times in my life. One was "the big Lebowski", I just don't get that movie and another was some dreck with Madonna, Willem Defoe and Julianne Moore.
5. Name something on your sexual bucket list.
Coming handsfree from getting fucked.

1 Who's afraid of Virginia Wolff? What lies do you tell yourself to keep going on?

2 where do broken hearts go? What do you do to get over personal heartbreak?

3 what's love got to do with it? Sex outside a relationship : why or why not?

4 what makes you laugh?

5 What's your take-away from GS?

[MikeW]

1 Who's afraid of Virginia Wolff? What lies do you tell yourself to keep going on?

I know I didn't read the book, certainly didn't see the play and only *might have* seen the movie. But as for the second half of the question, it might be better asked, what DON'T you lie to yourself about? Finding THE TRUTH OF ONE'S SELF is probably one of the most difficult things any human being can do. And, to know the answer as you asked it, one *must* have some sense of that truth -- against which they measure all the lies.

How many of us do, though, really know the truth of ourselves? How many of us are quite satisfied with the image of ourselves we've created -- and *believe to be* who and what we really are.

All I know is that I'm largely a fictitious figment of my own imagination. Fortunately, some people enjoy a good story!

2 where do broken hearts go? What do you do to get over personal heartbreak?

Well now, there's heartbreak, and then there's grief and utter despair -- quite two different animals. One thing they have in common, so far as I'm concerned, is you have to FEEL them. Seriously, if one can't feel pain, one can't feel love. Perhaps one measure of love is the pain one experiences when it is gone. So, getting over a failed romance or a crush is one thing, having the love of your life die in your arms is kinda something else. The first can be gotten through by letting the feeling in but not dwelling on it too long. Within short order, one has to pick one's self up and move on... turning one's attention to other things (or men) of interest. Generally the sooner the better.

The later, however, is different. Some things YOU DO NOT EVER GET OVER. They wound you for life, no matter how much you grieve them. True, you do go on with your life, you may even have other lovers and relationships. But that's not the point. The wound is there and it never entirely goes away.

3 what's love got to do with it? Sex outside a relationship : why or why not?

I've been in both monogamous and open relationships. Hell, I was even in a Ménage à trios (woman and a bi-man) briefly in the early '70s. All relationships, however you define them, have their ups-downs-ins-outs. I think it really is up to the two (or more) people involved to decide how they want to define the relationship.

What makes things difficult isn't the individuals involved so much as their (our) social conditioning. I'm kind of the opinion that, instinctually, humans in general and men in particular are not monogamous by nature. Of course it does vary from person to person -- I'm making a generalization based on personal observation and experience. It just seems to me that heteronormative society places an inordinate amount of emphasis on marriage and fidelity as things somehow *ought* to be. As I see it, this all goes back to when men more or less 'owned' their women and wanted to insure the paternity of their offspring. Well, that more or less makes sense. But it has become "idealized" in such a way (especially in those societies heavily influenced by Christianity) that it often seems to me that people (again, men especially) are FOOLING themselves that they *can* be monogamous in a relationship. Again, not saying that can't happen. Sure it can. It does. But I see SO many relationships break up due to "cheating" -- look at how often this comes up just here on this forum, a tiny sliver of what actually goes on in gay culture (not to mention straight culture).

For these reasons I vote for "open" -- with ground rules. However, I have no illusion that such relationships are any *easier* than any other possibility. They're not. Especially if one is prone to fears of losing one's partner. So, in a way, to me, an open relationship requires a higher degree of commitment and trust than even a monogamous one.

4 what makes you laugh?

Funny gifs -- like the one in [MENTION=21084]Virge[/MENTION] 's signature. It's hysterical! (And SO true!)

5 What's your take-away from GS?

I like this place. I feel comfortable here. I've made a few friends. I don't read every thread or greet every new member but I do read some of it and even reply on occasion. I've not felt this safe in other forums I've belonged to -- and that's not to say that we all agree on everything, either, we don't. But its interesting. I wish some of the new people who join would feel comfortable participating more freely. It seems so many come, say hello, and then we seldom hear from them again. But compared to some forums that are over run with trolls and or flame wars, this place is a paradise. And its all because, for the most part, the members behave themselves! :wavy:

ETA -- OH SHIT I just realized now I'm supposed to come up with five questions. Damn! That's going to be MUCH more difficult than answering. I may not get them formulated before the edit time elapses so… if so, I'll put them in a separate post.

OK… Here they are:

1: If you had a magic lantern containing a handsome genie and he granted you three wishes, what would they be?

2: What is the most fun thing you did today?

3: What are you most afraid of and why?

4: Do you like yourself?

5: What is one thing you will -- not only want to but WILL -- change about yourself?

[meridannight]

1: If you had a magic lantern containing a handsome genie and he granted you three wishes, what would they be?

1. i would honestly ask for a couple of more inches added to my dick, thank you very much. there.
2. the handsome genie better be a guy, by the way.
2. i'm drawing a blank here, because i can't think of anything i need a genie for that i can't get on my own....well i am saving up for a Lamborghini, maybe we could speed that process up a bit?
3. and that i wouldn't have any sleeping problems ever again. drugs are great but there's this thing called tolerance and insomnia is fucking awful.

2: What is the most fun thing you did today?

had a chat with a guy i'm seeing.

3: What are you most afraid of and why?

i'm not afraid of anything. and this is not an approximation.

4: Do you like yourself?

yes.

5: What is one thing you will -- not only want to but WILL -- change about yourself?

see question no 1 (IF it's done in a non-surgical, non-invasive way). otherwise i don't want to change anything. i am who i am. with all my positive and negative qualities. that's me, and i don't want to be anybody else. so, no changes.

----
1. what are some of the best childhood memories for you?
2. favorite men's clothing brand?
3. what does you bed look like (colors, fabrics, size, softness/hardness, etc)?
4. what do you think are some of the advantages of homosexuality over heterosexuality? (can be something entirely subjective or objective).
i for example think that in homosexual relationships the partners are more equal than in heterosexual relationships. i think that's an advantage. guys know what other guys are like, and a lot of the things are self-explanatory, where my heterosexual friends are forever left wondering about some of the most basic things that neither partner gets because they don't fundamentally understand the opposite sex.
5. what's your resting heart rate?

[ShiftyNJ]

1: If you had a magic lantern containing a handsome genie and he granted you three wishes, what would they be?

a. A pill to wake up Congress and make them actual leaders, so things like the nonsensical ban on hemp could get scrapped (as I understand it this would solve a lot of our economic and environmental problems)

b. A job in tourism or a related industry that allows me to produce the content I like to produce (written/visual) and paid enough that I and my family had some security

c. Another genie/lantern ;-)

2: What is the most fun thing you did today?

Watched the hullabaloo on aviation sites around VS0043 the 747 landing with one of its landing gear bogies stuck . Sad, huh?

3: What are you most afraid of and why?

Being old and/or unable to care for myself and getting warehoused somewhere

4: Do you like yourself?

Most of the time. I try really hard to be someone they'd rather see coming than going.

5: What is one thing you will -- not only want to but WILL -- change about yourself?

I am gradually becoming more assertive, speaking up for what I believe vs. what will please people, and taking better care of my own needs.

QUESTIONS:

1. Describe your dream home
   
2. Have you met a celebrity? Was (s)he what you expected?
   
3. What is your stance on the expression "straight acting"?
   
4. Why do you think Pope Benedict resigned, if you have an opinion/theory?
   
5. Mark Wahlberg (aka Marky Mark) committed assault on a Vietnamese man as a teenager. He served time in jail and has since become a successful actor as well as a husband (I think?) and father, and his victim recently forgave him, but his criminal record is preventing him from opening a restaurant chain. Do you think he as redeemed himself sufficiently, or should he pay the price for his prior actions?
   

[Lexington]

1. Describe your dream home.

Ugh, this is tough. I've never gotten a tattoo because (as I like to say) "I don't even like having the same shirt too long". I like being able to change things around. So designing a "dream home" is nearly impossible, because whatever I really would love right now won't be what I'd really love five years from now...or even five months from now. So I might want an atomic ranch one...and then a log cabin...and then a ultra-modern apartment. Right now? I'd love a place that resembled the interior of a 50s-sci-fi spacecraft. Seriously.

My dream homes DO tend to have some aspects in common, though. I love innovative use of space. Storage inside steps, recessed dressers, things like that. I've always wanted a hallway where the ceiling was made up of book"shelves" that could be pulled down from the ceiling. Hard to describe - I'd have to draw a picture or something.

2. Have you met a celebrity? Was (s)he what you expected?

I've met a lot of celebrities. I've even befriended a few, and have their personal e-mails and phone numbers. (No, you can't have them.) Most are in the middling level - nobody huge. Most are in the music realm (Duran Duran, The Fray, Gary Numan, 3 Doors Down) or the comedy realm (Aisha Tyler, Chris Hardwick, Greg Behrendt, Joel McHale). They've all been pretty much what I expected. The only surprise I can think of was meeting Duran Duran. I was pictured Nick Rhodes (the keyboardist) as the quiet mysterious type, and Simon Le Bon as the loud fun-loving boisterous type. Nick ended up chatting with me for a long time about random stuff, whereas Simon simply stared/glared at me whenever I said anything. He literally didn't say a word to me.

3. What is your stance on the expression "straight acting"?

I'm old enough that I'm used to the phrase, and I understand it. It's an imperfect term, one of hundreds we have for things that aren't exactly correct. I never felt it as derogatory back in the day, although I can understand why people feel it is. I've weaned myself off of saying it, but I don't much care if other people choose to use it.

4. Why do you think Pope Benedict resigned, if you have an opinion/theory?

My theory is that the truth usually ends up being a lot more benign and boring than we think it is. Not always, of course, but it wouldn't surprise me to find out that it's the case here. Benedict never seemed to enjoy the gig. Well, I think he enjoyed being the Pope, but AS Pope, he didn't seem to do much Pope-like things. Instead, he was just this person who ably fulfilled the basic functions of showing up where he was supposed to. He was also surrounded by controversy - something he had more or less escaped as a cardinal. When it was suggested that maybe he step aside, and return to that relative obscurity, I think he jumped at the chance. Pope Francis might have said he contemplated turning down the gig, and he expresses his doubt in what he's doing at all turns, but he actually seems to love the job, all told.

5. Mark Wahlberg (aka Marky Mark) committed assault on a Vietnamese man as a teenager. He served time in jail and has since become a successful actor as well as a husband (I think?) and father, and his victim recently forgave him, but his criminal record is preventing him from opening a restaurant chain. Do you think he as redeemed himself sufficiently, or should he pay the price for his prior actions?

I literally can't express how little I know about this, so I don't feel qualified to make any comments at all here.

1. Is there a musician, movie, actor, TV show, etc that you simply don't "get"? I don't mean somebody or something in a genre you don't like, but in a genre you DO like? As in "Given everything else, you would think I'd be a huge fan of _______________, but I'm just not."

2. What would your dream car be?

3. You can send yourself at age 12 exactly five words from your current self. What would those five words be?

4. If you have a smartphone, what's the weirdest or most off-the-wall app on it?

5. What do you recall about your first exposure to porn - straight or gay?

Lex