avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters July 3, 2012 - 12:30pm

Sorry.  Sometimes I act out. 

 

ReneeAPickup's picture
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck Wendig July 3, 2012 - 1:12pm

Freedom of speech. They can bull shit all they want. It's protected. It doesn't mean they're not going to get a beat down or their asses handed to them for doing so

Right, but fraud is already illegal. And using fraudulent military awards and/or service to gain financial perks is pretty clearly fraud. The Supreme Court didn't argue that. They argued that the law, as it was written, was too vague to guarantee that freedom of speech in the form of "desecrating" the military uniform or awards, or using the uniform or other symbols would be protected.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest July 3, 2012 - 5:42pm

1) speaking of video games, have you guys seen The Nines? Fucking head trip. It's on Netflix.

- Absolute fucking head trip. I have to watch it again sometime. Good call, Sparrow!  You can watch it on Youtube for free.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest July 3, 2012 - 5:45pm

My dad was in Nam. He tells me there's two types of people who talk about it. 1. Those that don't talk about it. They've actually been there. 2. Those that talk about it all the time. They weren't there. He's part of the former.

ReneeAPickup's picture
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck Wendig July 3, 2012 - 9:22pm

I'm close with several  Vietnam veterans, and veterans of our current wars, and I'd say that about nails it. I've heard stories, sure, but those are marine-to-marine after many drinks.

Jose F. Diaz's picture
Jose F. Diaz from Boston is reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel July 3, 2012 - 9:31pm

Hi, I'm with the naturalist rapist committee conducting a survey if woman prefer GHB, Rohypnol, or would like to try our newest product, powdered sperm. But while you're thinking about it, let me get you a drink.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest July 3, 2012 - 9:39pm

@Sparrow: The most my dad's ever told me was: "I've seen shit you never want to see."  Within the last 12 years he goes down to the wall each year. He gave me a card on New Years, after we'd been drinking, with the name of a guy and where his name is on the wall. He told me to look him up at least once before I die and say thank you. He has not told me why, and he has never told my mom either.

@Joesph: LOL!  Is that like a typical protein shake? Mix with water, or for a thicker, frothier drink, mix with water.

Jose F. Diaz's picture
Jose F. Diaz from Boston is reading Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel July 3, 2012 - 9:45pm

You know what, I'm not exactly sure, but while I'm thinking about it...have a drink. lol

ReneeAPickup's picture
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck Wendig July 3, 2012 - 9:59pm

@Moon--yeah, I've been at The Wall with guys who couldn't bring themselves to walk to it and touch it. I'll never forget when I was a kid, maybe 9 or 10. My dad and one of his buddies were out on the back patio working on something. My mom, step mom, and his buddy's wife were in the backroom. She excused herself to go to the bathroom and we didn't see her for a half an hour. She came back into the room near hysterics. She had sat on the toilet and listened to her husband talk to my dad for that whole time--it was the first time in all the years they had been together she had EVER heard him talk about Vietnam. 

So...yeah, the vets talk. But they talk quietly and they choose who they talk to carefully. I don't why or how, but they do. My husband told me some awful stuff about his first deployment, and I think maybe the only reason he did is because he knew I had served as well, but most of the time I could tell he was worried that it would either make me feel differently about him, or make me worry the next time he went. I think a lot of vets stay quiet in public and those they are closest to, because there are so many complex emotions and it is so tough.

I know one thing though--you just don't ask. You just don't. 

ReneeAPickup's picture
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck Wendig July 3, 2012 - 10:00pm

But go to the Wall and say thank you. For sure.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest July 3, 2012 - 10:06pm

^ Absolutely. I'll get there one day.

I know one thing though--you just don't ask. You just don't. 

- No. No you don't.

I've been meaning to get a book about Nam. Maybe it would help me better understand some of things my dad went through. 

underpurplemoon's picture
underpurplemoon from PDX July 4, 2012 - 12:59am

I've been meaning to get a book about Nam. Maybe it would help me better understand some of things my dad went through.

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien is a good start. Read it in college years ago.

We also discussed it in the writing seminar I was in last December. I couldn't remember the exact location of the pages read, but I found a summary of it online:

The narrator, Tim O’Brien, describes the things all the men of the company carry. They are things in the most physical sense—mosquito repellent and marijuana, pocket knives and chewing gum. The things they carry depend on several factors, including the men’s priorities and their constitutions. Because the machine gunner Henry Dobbins is exceptionally large, for example, he carries extra rations; because he is superstitious, he carries his girlfriend’s pantyhose around his neck. Nervous Ted Lavender carries marijuana and tranquilizers to calm himself down, and the religious Kiowa carries an illustrated New Testament, a gift from his father.

Some things the men carry are universal, like a compress in case of fatal injuries and a two-pound poncho that can be used as a raincoat, groundsheet, or tent. Most of the men are common, low-rank-ing soldiers and carry a standard M-16 assault rifle and several magazines of ammunition. Several men carry grenade launchers. All men carry the figurative weight of memory and the literal weight of one another. They carry Vietnam itself, in the heavy weather and the dusty soil. The things they carry are also determined by their rank or specialty. As leader, for example, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carries the maps, the compasses, and the responsibility for his men’s lives. The medic, Rat Kiley, carries morphine, malaria tablets, and supplies for serious wounds.

Matt Attack's picture
Matt Attack from Richmond, Va. is reading As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner July 4, 2012 - 5:18am

Diaz! Welcome back sir. 

razorsharp's picture
razorsharp from Ohio is reading Atlas Shrugged July 4, 2012 - 7:11am

I've got two questions for you. Since I already know the answer to the first, I'll just go ahead and ask the second: Can the crew hit it, too?

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry July 4, 2012 - 7:54am

^Ha!

Jane Wiseman's picture
Jane Wiseman from living outside of Albuquerque/in Minneapolis is reading Look to Windward by Iain M. Banks July 5, 2012 - 11:16pm

"The Things They Carried" is great literature, really wonderful.

This book is very touching, though--harrowing, even, though it's not "literary": "We Were Soldiers Once. . . and Young: Ia Drang and the Battle That Changed the Viet Nam War." It's by Harold Moore and Joseph Galloway. I think Moore is the soldier who lived through the experience and Galloway is a journalist who helped him write the book.

R.Moon's picture
R.Moon from The City of Champions is reading The Last Thing He Wanted by Joan Didion; Story Structure Architect by Victoria Lynn Schimdt PH.D; Creating Characters by the editors of Writer's Digest July 6, 2012 - 6:38am

Welcome to LR, Kyle. This how we roll.

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 6, 2012 - 11:58am

He lies Kyle. This is us on a better then average behavior.

Stacy Kear's picture
Stacy Kear from Bucyrus, Ohio lives in New Jersey is reading The Art of War July 6, 2012 - 4:38pm

Yeah do it and take it like a man, video it, if and only if, all of you are reasonably good looking.

Stacy Kear's picture
Stacy Kear from Bucyrus, Ohio lives in New Jersey is reading The Art of War July 6, 2012 - 4:44pm

Throw in a Cillian Murphy look alike and email me the evidence. Haha

Stacy Kear's picture
Stacy Kear from Bucyrus, Ohio lives in New Jersey is reading The Art of War July 6, 2012 - 4:51pm

Nope! Not gay. I've done research, you can trust me.

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry July 6, 2012 - 5:44pm

Well.  There you go.  Just because you bone a dude doesn't mean you're into boning dudes.  You're off the hook.  Stacy will vouch for you.

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters July 6, 2012 - 6:38pm

You've reached a level of openness here on the internet that is...I'm going to say admirable, although that might not be the word I mean.

Stacy Kear's picture
Stacy Kear from Bucyrus, Ohio lives in New Jersey is reading The Art of War July 6, 2012 - 6:47pm

Shhhhhh Avery I'm trying to get some gay, I mean not gay porn. Very admirable indeed.

Mike Mckay's picture
Mike Mckay is reading God's Ashtray July 7, 2012 - 12:06pm

Heard from friends:

F1: "You're a fag"

F2: "Hey, just because I love the taste of cock doesn't mean I'm gay."

 

Stacy you may be on to something here...

 

underpurplemoon's picture
underpurplemoon from PDX July 7, 2012 - 12:34pm

One of my ex-lovers was into gay men having sex. I never knew a fetish like that until I met her. Because of other reasons, our relations didn't last long. It would be nice to have someone with the same fetish as me. But I shouldn't complain, I have a dominatrix writing to me. I should be happy right?

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry July 7, 2012 - 12:54pm

And Roaring Jen has inspired for me a new pickup line:

So, you're a sub?

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 7, 2012 - 1:55pm

Utah that isn't new, just so potentially awkward as to be rare.

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry July 7, 2012 - 2:06pm

Ah!  Allow me to clarify:  "new to me". 

If I were a single man, I'd use that line on every girl who allowed herself to be picked on.  Probability is that some of them allow it because they enjoy it.

Stacy Kear's picture
Stacy Kear from Bucyrus, Ohio lives in New Jersey is reading The Art of War July 7, 2012 - 10:17pm

Why does everything I like have to be a fetish? Can't a girl like to watch to men fucking or want her boyfriend to dress in drag without being labeled. Don't judge me.

Kyle you're at least bi, guys don't let guys suck their dicks as favors. They let them because it's enjoyable to have your dick sucked. Or so I'm told. Haha Wanting to pimp out your girl points to aggression towards females. Maybe a passive aggressive defense mechanism to cover your latent homosexuality.

Just kidding Kyle you are a perfectly average frat boy.

ReneeAPickup's picture
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck Wendig July 7, 2012 - 11:29pm

Lonely Island did a song about this with Justin Timberlake. If I recall correctly, the rule is: its not gay if it's a three way.

Dorian Grey's picture
Dorian Grey from Transexual, Transylvania is reading "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck July 7, 2012 - 11:38pm

Hey, does this smell like chloroform to you?

Species84's picture
Species84 from Fluidic space is reading UNIX a standard operating system (1985) by Austen & Thomassen July 8, 2012 - 5:51pm

Going Dutch


Most of you here are known to it. In normal situations a man pays for a date/drinks/dinner. When going Dutch you split the costs in half. Everone pays for his or her share. Equality you know.   In my country, netherlands, this is a rather normal thing you can decide for.  It's accepted by the other sex. Some women even get interested because they feel accepted, treatened as a person, feel understood etc etc. I am Dutch so i go Dutch.

Let's get further on this. I used to think of myself as some feminist-male. As i pointed out before going Dutch is kinda normal here in my country. And being on a date you dont want things to be to normal, you want to give extra spice to it, to make it a special night. right? right! 

So going all macho and pay for all the expenses is a big no because the women is felt like a toy and not a person and is so 19th century... Going dutch could be interesting but in my case not because I am Dutch. so thats kind of normal and even boring, so nono to the second option. In this scenario there is only one option left...kindly let the woman pay for all, she will feel accepted and respected. 

In short:

Normal or macho  approach: man pays

Dutch approach: bill is split, man and woman pay equally

Dutch&feminist approach: woman pays

 

Dwayne's picture
Dwayne from Cincinnati, Ohio (suburbs) is reading books that rotate to often to keep this updated July 8, 2012 - 6:43pm

What?

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry July 8, 2012 - 9:02pm

I went Dutch one time and got a nasty case of crabs.

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters July 9, 2012 - 4:46am

I learned the term "going Dutch" from an old Archie comic of my mom's from the 70's when I was probably around 7 or 8.  The joke was, Archie was on a date with Veronica and the bill came and he looked at it with exaggerated disbelief and then claimed he thought they were going Dutch.  She folder her arms and looked annoyed. 

 

Jack Campbell Jr.'s picture
Jack Campbell Jr. from Lawrence, KS is reading American Rust by Phillipp Meyer July 9, 2012 - 6:51am

I want to know where going Dutch originated? Do the Dutch guy's really not pick up the tab on dates? I'm moving to the Netherlands.

Gordon Highland's picture
Gordon Highland from Kansas City is reading Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore July 9, 2012 - 6:59am

But that would mean having to date Dutch people.

I keed, I keed.

Jack Campbell Jr.'s picture
Jack Campbell Jr. from Lawrence, KS is reading American Rust by Phillipp Meyer July 9, 2012 - 7:43am

Yes, save me from the tall blonde chicks. :p

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters July 9, 2012 - 7:53am

I found this and I liked it.  I put it here.

Gordon Highland's picture
Gordon Highland from Kansas City is reading Secondhand Souls by Christopher Moore July 9, 2012 - 9:25am

"If it floats, flies, or fucks, rent it."  hahaha  Oh, Dawson . . .

I wonder if there are a bunch of 12-year-olds running around these days named Dawson.

ReneeAPickup's picture
Class Facilitator
ReneeAPickup from Southern California is reading Wanderers by Chuck Wendig July 9, 2012 - 10:16am

Haha that was great. I've caught the TV show he is on now a couple of times and he plays "himself", it's pretty funny too.

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like July 9, 2012 - 10:37am

I learned how to lie to girls and shirk responsibility from Archie.

I learned how to pretend to not be better than everyone else from Superman.

I learned how to compartmentalize my feelings, then sublimate them into outward insanity from Batman.

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters July 9, 2012 - 10:47am

You know, Archie was a total bastard. 

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like July 9, 2012 - 10:51am

Nah, he was just young and "figuring things out"

 

for fifty years.

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters July 9, 2012 - 10:55am

No!  Don't make excuses for him!  He was in a committed relationship with Betty the entire time, but all along he was fucking around and trying to make time with Veronica.  And do you think Veronica had any idea he was insincere?  I doubt it!  When he was with her he was all about Veronica, but as soon as she was out the door...

 

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like July 9, 2012 - 10:57am

lol?

Utah's picture
Moderator
Utah from Fort Worth, TX is reading Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry July 9, 2012 - 11:04am

Betty was cuter because she was blond.

avery of the dead's picture
avery of the dead from Kentucky is reading Cipher Sisters July 9, 2012 - 11:11am

jyh's picture
jyh from VA is reading whatever he feels like July 9, 2012 - 11:13am

"Would you yell for help?"  Archie the friendly rapist.  I'm stealing it. 

When they say yes, it means, "Yes, kiss me."