Question of the Week

[Becko]

my favorite dinner is the one I don't have to cook, so I can just munch and read.

[Whitaker]

Ted wrote: "Will we never learn to stop feeling guilty about our heros and heroins and just accept vicarious pleasure for what it is? FUN!"

Ted, I'm not sure if that was a typo or a deliberate pun, but whichever it was it was both LOL funny and superbly appropriate. Ah, Paris Hilton, the opiate of the masses.

[[deleted user]]

Oh, now we are quoting

[Whitaker]

Actually, I thought it was

[[deleted user]]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opium_of...

Wow, I get my godless philosophers mixed up. Actually, the quote came from the Marquis de Sade.

Yet another godless philosopher. LOL

[Ted]

I wasn't sure that anyone would be astute to notice my little typo. I am at least greatified that people actually read my stuff.

[[deleted user]]

you should become a detective or social worker! :)

[Troy]

When it's cold, you should definitely drink something equally as cold. Slurpees from 7-11 or Strawberry Daiquiris...and you don't even need the alcohol in it!

And eat ice cream with a glass of ice water. It's yummy.

[Ted]

Damn, Nancy, that sounds like a delicious day! (You'll have to make ne a Green Iguana .. sounds yummy.)

[Ted]

Troy wrote: "When it's cold, you should definitely drink something equally as cold. Slurpees from 7-11 or Strawberry Daiquiris...and you don't even need the alcohol in it!

And eat ice cream with a glass of ic..."

You're right, Troy .. and I drink tons of ice water all day long.

[John]

Troy wrote: And eat ice cream with a glass of ice water ...."

or as a float in a pint of stout

[[deleted user]]

wow an adventrous bunch! i had a chicken parmesan sandwich today.

[Ted]

I really think i should rename this topic! haha

[Ted]

OK, so who's gonna go out on a limb and propose this week's question? I've been hanging here long enuf, dammit! LOL

[Ted]

fuck if I know. I think they're just horny for comfort.

[Megan]

Maybe there should be a new thread for each week's question.

[Ted]

Or I could jusr delete this mess and we could start over again. Any volunteers for Question Master?

[Collin]

I have a question for everyone: Would you consider reading the prologue and the first chapter of my novel, "Conquering Venus", which is coming out later this year. I have it in PDF format and would happily email it to anyone who would like to look it over and let me know if it intrigues them enough to purchase the book.

[Ted]

Collin wrote: "I have a question for everyone: Would you consider reading the prologue and the first chapter of my novel, "Conquering Venus", which is coming out later this year. I have it in PDF format and would..."

Colin, I'm reluctant to let authors go hog wild with the publicity stuff, but you sound like a nice man. Sure. You need an email?

[Collin]

Ted, I don't mean to go hogwild on publicity, just trying to get some early feedback and see who might like this book. It's been my baby for 10 years and it's finally getting birthed. lol I'd love to send it to you and get your thoughts. So, yes, let me know where I can send it. :)

[Ted]

Right-o.

[Ted]

Question for this week and next.

"To what extent does literary pornography enhance one's life?" Give examples, pro and con.

[Edna Little Fish]

Well, I really don't want to read Gay Men or Straight Porn, as it wouldn't do anything for me, however Lesbian Porn does occasionally.
Sometimes it puts me in the "Mood", other times I Learn new experiences.

[Ted]

Edna Little Fish wrote: "Well, I really don't want to read Gay Men or Straight Porn, as it wouldn't do anything for me, however Lesbian Porn does occasionally.
Sometimes it puts me in the "Mood", other times I Learn new e..."

Any recommendations, Edna?

[Edna Little Fish]

I haven't read any lately.
Of course, it is a little HARDER given my AGE! LOL! 70! But not quite dead! LOL!
Any ideas for me???

[Ted]

Edna Little Fish wrote: "I haven't read any lately.
Of course, it is a little HARDER given my AGE! LOL! 70! But not quite dead! LOL!
Any ideas for me???"

70? You're still a youngster. How about the very well-received novel Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown? More literary than pornographic, but definitely graphic.

[Edna Little Fish]

I read it a LONG LONG time ago, I guess I will have to RE-READ it!
Thank YOU!
I read some by Katherine Forrest (?) and they were very GOOD (LOL!) a long time ago, too. Haven't seen any around, lately though.

[Ted]

Edna Little Fish wrote: "I read it a LONG LONG time ago, I guess I will have to RE-READ it!
Thank YOU!
I read some by Katherine Forrest (?) and they were very GOOD (LOL!) a long time ago, too. Haven't seen any around, la..."

How about The Erotic Naiad: Love Stories by Naiad Press Authors a collection of lesbian short stories? I think Katherin Forrest is in there.

[Collin]

Ted, I'm with on the UK version of Queer as Folk. It towers over the horrible US version. The Brits always do it better. ;-)

[[deleted user]]

Never seen the UK version. I have to admit, I thought "The L Word" was miles better than QAF.

[Ted]

Collin wrote: "Ted, I'm with on the UK version of Queer as Folk. It towers over the horrible US version. The Brits always do it better. ;-)"

Well, the Brits do it better especially when they've created it to begin with!

[Ted]

So, I propose revisiting the topic "Why are people afraid of perceived femininity in men?"

It'd be interesting to see what people think, for I'm not really sure.

[[deleted user]]

A very good question.

[Ted]

On Feb, 25, I posted here what I thought was a fun little send-up of the Frost poem “Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening.” Apparently some of you didn’t think it was so amusing. I was simply trying to inject a little levity into a thread about broccoli rabe, Brunswick stew, and spotted dick. My inspiration actually came from Rambling Reader’s first post in the topic: “What is the perfect dinner for a snowy evening?” So, if you thought I was being disparaging of the repartee, I wasn’t. Just chalk it up to my (warped?) sense of humor. My apologies to all.

Ted

[Sharon]

An answer to your question -

people are afraid of whatever they don't understand, whatever society has not deemed as "the norm". Femininity is "supposed" to be something that is inherent in the female, though there are many different ideas about exactly what this quality is or if it even exists. I'm currently reading The Second Sex, which is an exploration of what it means to be female and whether or not the "feminine" actually exists.. but this is beside the point.

The main reason is that society has stated that men are supposed to be innately "masculine" and women, "feminine". A feminine male or a masculine woman challenges these ideas and therefore makes certain people feel uncomfortable. I'm not one for labels at all and I find that socials norms make everything worse, but for me there is also a difference between sex and gender. The qualities of masculine and feminine can be found naturally amongst all peoples and I don't think that there should be a perceived limit to who should or should not be feminine/masculine/ etc.

Unfortunately, not everyone in the world is as comfortable with these ideas as I am. People still adhere to the belief that men should be masculine and should like only women... it scares them because they don't share these qualities and they are afraid of being forced into a situation where they would have to.

[Ted]

Sharon wrote: "An answer to your question -

people are afraid of whatever they don't understand, whatever society has not deemed as "the norm". Femininity is "supposed" to be something that is inherent in the fe..."

Yes, thanks, Sharon. Any other takes before I put in a word?

[Jeremy]

People's lives are still lead, to some degree, by gender roles. Our culture has made women submissive to men (it's steadily gotten better). I think that any fear of feminine men stems from an insecurity within whoever's afraid. The hatred or bias toward feminine men could come from that, kind of like a really crappy form of self-loathing.

And yes, Sharon's right -- some people are just afraid of what's not "normal". That's lame, in both senses of the word.

[Ted]

Jeremy wrote: "People's lives are still lead, to some degree, by gender roles. Our culture has made women submissive to men (it's steadily gotten better). I think that any fear of feminine men stems from an insec..."

Jeremy, I think your point about insecurity hits the nail on the head. "Masculine" men may feel threatened by more effeminate men because they fear what may seceretly lurk within themselves. Women, on the other hand, might be put off by effeminate men, but I think they tend to be less threatened.

There seems to be no question that gender roles, perceived sexuality, and social tolerance of differences are more openly discussed today, but I wonder whether anything's really changed from say a century ago?

[Christy]

I have only seen the snow a few times in my whole life...If it was snowing I think I would be too scared to eat anything at all.....I would be goolging what to do when you are snowed in.

And If I got bored of that I might eat pizza.

[Ted]

How about earthqaukes, mud slides, and brush fires? Pizza is fine.

[Christy]

I'm in a spot where I really only have to worry about earthquakes....So anything you can eat while falling or upside down works fine.

[Ted]

LOL. How bout one of those feed bags they put on horses?

[Christy]

lol... While I'm at it I might as well put in a catheter.

[Ted]

Ewww.

[[deleted user]]

That's a creative idea!

[Ted]

H, you are a free spirit (a free agent?) A Snowmaiden eating pizza while dreamily descending. Welcome to our fetid fen!

[Christy]

If by snowmaiden you mean albino, then yes.

And if by free spirit you mean contagious, then yes.

[Ted]

Poetically contagious.

[Collin]

I don't support the gossip rags and Perez Hilton is the online version of the supermarket aisle.

[Ted]

LOL.