Community

Grammy's, the Pro bowl or the Winter X Games and if the truth be known i think the X Games had more entertainment tonight. Although I did like hearing Stevie Nicks sing one of Fleetwood Mac's classics from my teen years.

I just wanted to speak a bit on community and the one I feel apart of here. When I first met some of the bloggers who I follow and linked too it seemed to be a tight knit group of bloggers who easily let people in and linked them to their blogs. This little Australian really believed in and used to plug and link new bloggers. Now that he has suspended his blogging i hope people continue to link new bloggers and plug those you like. Mirrorboy used to say its like a spider web so lets keep going it gives everyone a chance to find someone, a new friend or maybe more. In light of that

Thoughts of a gay teen - Oliver is a young student in Paris who is looking for some followers. He hasn't been blogging long and just got back from a trip the to Hague, which i believe is in Europe somewhere where he roomed with and interesting boy ...

The Difference in Me Luc, is a french Canadian, who is 18 years old and in college. He tells us he is out to a few people. He also has few followers and could probably use some followers

A Life of One Sexually Confused Boy B (you may remember him as Hypnos) is back with a new blog for those of you who remember him. He also is in college and enjoying the life and his dreams.

The Daily Jizzt My friend Torchy has brought back the Daily Jizzt, if you have some time check it out and im sure he would appreciate input and co authors even

So when and if you can point out some new blogs that you find and link them let people know they can find friends here. I have been very lucky to meet so many of you and while its hard to chat with everyone i thank all that take the time to do so.

Recently i have the good fortune to dine with and enjoy the company of several of our fellow bloggers. I can only hope that those of you who are closeted like me can find a few friends like Jeremy, James, Shane and especially Naturegesetz, who I and another blogger were able to help celebrate his birthday at symphony. He truly is the elder statesman of the blog world. If you can just meet someone it helps it really does just to be in their presence so thanks guys

Well once again thanks for being out there and reading. Take care and be safe

Cvn70

Playing Tyler's Game and Going South

Sorry Tyler it has taken me so long to get around to this game of yours and I do enjoy them, I’m even thinking of doing the questionnaire also, I know a big step for me :) Tyler is one an active blogger who most of you know I’m sure but if not give his blog a look he posts almost daily. I do have to warn you he is not America’s biggest fan though :). But what he does do is promote this sense of community that we have here and I like to support his efforts on that so thank you Tyler for inviting me to play.

I would also like to say thanks to my three new followers. Wat so Ever from Australia who writes Chosen Life Foreva, Nelson G. whose blog NG2 is closed but I would be glad to read it from time to time if you ever choose to invite me, and Dave who writes derelict . I thank you all.

I would also like to say hi to Aaron a fairly new blogger from Australia and he writes A Beautiful Chaos so give him a look and a few comments if you have the time. I have had the pleasure of chatting with him a few times already but i have to warn you he has one of those aussie accents.

Many may remember his questions But here they are again:

1) Where are you from? (you can choose to answer with your country, state/province, or city)

I'm from outside of Boston and the city always looks good at night

2) What' your favourite food? Pretty much got to be steak and a Ribeye or T-Bone is always nice

3) What's your favourite drink? By far coffee and mostly from Dunkin Donuts

4) What's your ideal/favourite (future) job/career? The ideal job in the world has to be being a judge, i mean they answer to hardly no one.

5) What's your favourite thing about yourself? Probably that i have a good education to fail back on which helps me make a living.

6) What's the place you most want to visit? Well without going back to any of the wonderful places and countries I have been too, I guess this little place i have come to learn a little about, it seems to be about one of the most photographic places in the world.

7) What's your favourite body feature on someone else? Eyes i really like nice eyes

8) What's your favourite Movie? In the mid 70s when Animal House came out I thought it hilarious and i still do.

9) What's your favourite TV show? Right now probably FlashForward the new ABC show.

10) Choose one word that best describes you/ This was easy.

11) What time period would you most like to have lived in? The one which has yet to come.

12) What's the next thing you're (probably...) going to purchase? A movie someone recommended next week when I'm on vacation.

I need some time off so I'm going south to Florida. Hoping to have a nice lunch tomorrow with a couple of friends. I'm going to drive the 1500 miles to Dad's house over a couple of days. I really like the drive. I will stop along the way and meet some friends. Dad's getting a bit older and i like to check in on him a few times a year and OK he does live in Florida where its warm. It snowed here last weekend so winter is upon us.

Work just goes on, although suffered a but of a loss the other day. I hate losing it just leaves you feeling sickened. I don't even like the idea of an appeal.

For all those who are feeling ill I wish you a healthy recovery and a hearty thank you for all those helping to care for sick friends or family members. I am hoping to catch up a bit on my readings and make some comments to all you hard writing bloggers. Its been about a year since I started reading the blogs and i do think you all have helped me a bit.

Thanks for reading and take care and be safe my friends

Cvn70

never, never, never, never

Dropping the stick shift back into 4th gear on the highway and feeling the car surge ahead accelerating far beyond the posted speed limit is one of the few pleasures I really enjoy. The sun is streaking through open sunroof warming your face as the morning passes. The stereo is adjusted so that the pulsating bass beat from the sub woofers is vibrating right through you. It’s the way I prefer to drive with the throttle wide open and the car free to fly along. Leaving the interstate and shifting onto the rural roads that carve their way through the Berkshires of western Massachusetts allows free use of the cars systems and engineering to increase the enjoyment of driving. I was running late I admit it; heading to my nephews commencement and not looking forward to a day of speeches; small chat with people you hardly know and then the obligatory dinner with family to celebrate. I am sure you have all experienced the event in your own families.

I thought of the term Commencement and how it’s used to describe a beginning of a new life for those graduating. My thoughts of course drifted across many of you who I have come to known young and old but mostly about the caring and support that exists here. I would like at his moment welcome three new followers: Baz, Nick and Lee. Baz’s, you’ve just got to ride it, and Nick’s, put the lotion in the basket, and Lee's, Coolness are all fairly new blogs themselves so go give them a look. I also thought of some new bloggers I have come across lately and if you have time and are looking for something new to read or look at then take a look at these, because like mboy says we all need some love:

Random Thoughts By Me, its written by Its Me, a 16 year old bi guy;

Malchick gais favs, its written by Sasha, I think he is from Russia;

Beneath an Orange Sky, its written by Joe, a 16 year old bi guy; and

Terrified in the closet, its written by Kelisseou, Canadian 40 year old teacher.

Let’s all wish them well as they commence in this blog world and if you can, go give them a read and some comments, thanks.

As I drove up to the campus grounds I passed rows of soccer fields, causing my mind to wander to wonder of how Courage was doing today, if you never taken a look at his blog its worth your time, finally finding the parking lot which matched by color coded pass. And after a few minute walk past some dorms, really little apartments these days, past the library, and finally onto the Green where a large tent was erected to conceal the days activities. I had arrived with minutes to spare as the speeches began.My favorite was delivered by the class president, OK so he’s a friend of my nephew but he was the first to quote Churchill today, the second was some trustee, a politician of some sorts and an alumnus. The last to quote Churchill was the keynote speaker and not wanting to reveal his name and thus identify the college, I would simply note he would be known to many Americans, but the focus of his speech revolved around words spoken by Winston Churchill shortly after the battle of Britain at another school ceremony in which he said this is the lesson: Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force.

And then I thought of us all, and this little community that I joined and to which others are joining daily. Not all of us have figured it out; how to live with ourselves; how to come out; how to live after coming out; and mostly how to find someone to love. I have noticed lately many of you are struggling with your school work preparing for your exams and others the daily pressures of life and making a living. Its hard and the added pressures of being gay/bi don’t make it any easier. But here is a place where we all can feel free to be ourselves to discuss amongst ourselves and to offer help in so many ways to those of us in need. We all need the love and support from each other that we can provide so when you can give it freely to those amongst us.

So as I commence really in this new path of my life I will carry Mr. Churchill's words with me and hope that none of you will never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in. Always seek what you desire and keep climbing any hill or mountain that gets in your way. A friend of mine here recently said that if he could give a message to the world it would be "Never hold back. Stop thinking and just do it. And that is what I need to learn to do." I think he understands Mr. Churchill's message.

Thank you all for your support, take care and be safe

Cvn70