Birth order as a predictor or personality and behavior 1 High academic achievers 2.

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

I'm a middle child, so took the part of a clown who kept all the siblings happy and working together. Unlike my older brothers and younger sister, I didn't take life seriously, and spent most of my life playing as much as I could, only doing work I enjoyed. I'm 65 now and still doing that.

What is the common cause of your anxiety and how do you feel when it attacks?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Anything can trigger anxiety, so I take herbs, early morning walks, eat fish, and take a certain calming plant.

What's not allowed on your TV or radio, on this SUNday morning?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Country music!

Those having any interest in broadening they knowledge of other countries and what they are thinking...

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

I'm not sure what you are talking about. Do you mean International Meetups? I joined one for a few years, but any events in Thailand took place in Bangkok, and I've never lived there, or wanted to.

If you were raised religious, how much did you dread prayer?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

I used to pray as a child, but not like the adults did..I thought of "God" as one of my best friends. We'd laugh and joke around together, and I'd run over to "heaven" to visit him. Once I realized the adults didn't do this, I didn't speak of it anymore, but kept doing it. Eventually, I reached a point where I saw "God" and I as "one entity" and stopped praying altogether, seeing everyone and everything as one point of energy. Later on, when I turned agnostic, I decided that the entity I was speaking with must have been my Higher Self, Source energy, or my own subconscious. I once asked the person in my inner being who he was; "Are you "God" or are you myself?" and the answer was "Yes."

What's your all time favorite Riddle or brain teaser?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

One of the coins isn't a dime..clever! This riddle came from the MENSA book we used to play with as kids. You are traveling through a country of people who are either green or red. All the green people must tell the truth, and all the red people always lie. You reach an intersection at dusk and want to know which way to turn to reach the nearest town. There is a man standing nearby, but it's almost dark and you can't tell what color he is. What one question could you ask to get correct directions that wouldn't matter which color the man was?

Having looked at all the profiles for Christians on OKCupid, I’d love to find a site just like ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Yeah..right now, this website doesn't have enough members to be considered a valid dating site, but there's always the chance of finding someone. In the meantime, you are safe from most religious stuff here, and men don't send dick pics, as far as I know.

Do you like to go fishing?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

You do know that hooking a fish injures it, and they often die after being released, if for nothing else, being overstressed. Fish are intelligent, sentient animals that feel pain, as are the hapless grubs people spear on fishing hooks. Seems there is a better way to entertain oneself other than the torture and killing of animals who never did you any harm. If someone were starving, sure, but one could use a net in that case, and kill the fish quickly afterward.

Do you have anyone who you can rely on to be completely wrong, so that no matter what that person ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

My mom. Most of the things she worked so hard to teach me turned out to be wrong. For example: she taught me to kill, clean, and cook a chicken. It just turned me into a vegetarian. She taught me to fold cloth diapers and use safety pins, but by the time my kids were born, that was passe. She taught me to be obedient to adults and men..SO WRONG. She taught me the Bible was true and to attend church..no way. She meant well and was only trying to pass on her own training, but these days things change too rapidly to be able to do that.

Crazy kids! What's the craziest/worst/funniest thing your kids did, that you didn't know about ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

When we were in the US, my brothers used to sneak out the second story window to go on dates after my parents went to bed.

Best Place To Live?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

What about Albuquerque? You get it all; botantical gardens, a great zoo and aquarium, skiing at Sandia Peak, towering mountains, warm, sunny weather, etc. I had planned to move to Albuquerque, just before I moved to Thailand instead.

What is a particular creative piece -- a work of art, a book, a movie, a song, a performance, ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Gulliver's Travels. It only pretends to have religious overtones, but Jonathan Swift was actually writing brutal social satire.

Is there a quote/idea/notion you live by and if so what is it?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

One I try, but often fail to keep is the British royals motto: never complain; never explain.

How do you deal with mixed signals?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Do you mean romantic signals between possible romantic partners? In my case, if the person initiating flirt signals is male, it's likely I will miss them. Men usually have to be bold and confident to make friends with me despite my discouraging lack of interest. I pick up on women's flirt signals more easily..usually becoming instantly aware of interest. Maybe because I have a slightly higher percentage of male brain mapping. But I'm demisexual, so don't experience sexual attraction for anyone except after more than a year of close association.

Have you ever been disconnected electronically from the world?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Until the late 1990s, most of us were unconnected. Even now, I only use local wi-fi...no smart phone. Here in Thailand I have often traveled to national parks and off shore islands where there is no internet, several days at a time.

Who isn't on medications here?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

I'm not on doctor medications, but I take some vitamins, a few herbs, and a plant I use as medicine.

I've never understood why people want to say God chose to this, that or the other.

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Because it absolves them of all responsibility. For example- go ahead and smoke six packs a day. If you get lung cancer, it was just "god's will."

Am I doing something wrong?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Hi! It would help people get to know you, and earn you points, if you would post your photo, write your profile, and answer all the profile questions. Mostly, this website is for intellectual and fun conversations, but if people seem to click then they can privately message each other after two levels. I'm here for community, but I'm open to meeting someone, although there aren't enough members yet for people to be likely to see good matches who live near them.

I deleted all my adopted family off Facebook beside my mom.

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

They do the same thing to people who come out as gay, trans, or who even change church affiliations. In my family, it was for divorce; I was ostracized when my cheating ex ran off with a younger woman (to my vast relief). But according to them, somehow, I was to blame, and my religious mom would plead for me to try harder to please him! In the 1970s, my mom didn't write me for a year after I mentioned I was attending a different church denomination

Have you ever had a moment where you stop and look around wondering how you got to where you are?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

I would do my life exactly the same as I first did. I enjoyed it all - even my romantic "mistakes."

I just realized I only have my best friend...literally 💔

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Hi! If you write your profile and answer the profile questions people can get to know you better, and you'll earn points! Not sure what you're talking about, but sounds like you have a good friend.

Do you remember your 1st kiss?

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

My first kiss was with my college boyfriend (who I later married), who I'd known since I was eight. I didn't even want to do it then, but had to follow romantic protocall, since we were exclusive.

Open relationships

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Although I don't seem to get jealous, if I allowed a male partner to have same sex relationships while I am with him, I would be putting myself at risk of HIV, so no. I used to be up for it, but now I think it would be too complicated, since someone is eventually going to feel left out.

Curious to know what book you last read, what movie you last saw, do you like to cook, what is your ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 18, 2018:

Hi! You'll earn points and let people get to know you better if you write your profile and answer the profile questions. Last movie I watched: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (on Netflix). The last books, The Second Ship series, by Richard Phillips. I try to avoid eating cooked food, when possible, but I do boil an egg every evening. My favorite passtime is extreme bird and wildlife photography. Pic: Black Kite, near Ranot, Thailand

I write in Saving Gaia that humans are destroying the Earth.

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Humans don't need excuses to kill and exploit things weaker than them. But they take religious excuses anyway.

Hello and I hope you are having a great day! Let’s chat and see how it goes.

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Hi! It will give you points, and people can get to know you better, if you write your profile and answer the profile questions.

How old is your avatar/profile picture?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Mine is a detail from a photo taken in 2016, to get the file small enough.

Still looking around here... Not a lot of people in my area. :(

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Hey, you're employed and live in Florida..you should be able find someone soon!

Is there such thing as ugly or beauty is only in society’s perspective?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Studies with very young infants show they look longer at beautiful faces-those with the most even features, even longer than at photos of their own mothers. When a number of photos are averaged together, the resulting blended face is considered "beautiful." This averaging of faces would equal genetic variety in real life, signaling someone with a strong immune system, suitable for producing progeny. Other studies show that in societies where woman must fend for themselves and food is scarce, men are more attracted to strong, large-butted female figures. This body type signals higher levels of male hormones and shows enough fat to nurse babies, making them and their progeny more likely to survive.

Guardian Angels?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

If she believes it, then what she believes is true for her, since we contribute to creating our own universes. Besides, Einstein showed that all matter is a form of energy, so since energy can neither be created nor destroyed, we have always existed and will always exist in some energy form. No reason to think energy beings don't exist, and quantum physics already proves that multiple dimensions exist. “I regard consciousness as fundamental and matter as derivative from consciousness." – Max Planck, theoretical physicist who originated quantum theory, 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics

Mother Theresa. Bad or good?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Bad. She believed the poor should suffer, so no matter how many donations people gave her, she kept them in squalid conditions, not allowing the building of modern clinics.

Pope Francis. Bad or Good?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Evil. He protects sexual predators and promotes rejection of LGBTQ people, and misogyny. And he's religious, so what's to like?

Today, March 17, I will not be wearing green for 2 reasons.

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

For us kids, it was just a day to wear green, or get pinched by your classmates. So much about St. Patrick is legend, some aren't sure he even existed. Also, some say the "snakes" Patrick drove out of Ireland were people of ancient African descent called the "twa" which means "snake."

Is old age something to look forward to or is it generally filled with loneliness, health problems, ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Usually people just do their best, and try not to think about it too much.

My life has come to an event horizon.

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Kind of vague..not sure what you're talking about, since that could be true for anyone at any time. But I hope it all works out for you.

What's the nicest thing you've done for a stranger?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

I've done nice things for strange animals. One fall Sunday afternoon in 2007 I was watching football with my ex, when I suddenly got up, said I wanted to visit the Minor Clark Fish Hatchery, about a 40 minute drive from there. My ex gave me strange look, but was used to me. At the hatchery property, I hurried to a distant lagoon pond, circled it, then ducked under overhanging branches and saw the tip of a beak sticking above the water. It was a first year Great Blue Heron, caught underwater in an otter trap. My ex and I worked together to pry the trap open and released the heron, then drove 100 miles to a wildlife rehab center in the next state that would take a bird on a Sunday. In the car, I wondered how that bird knew to "call" me to come help it. Most people wouldn't have bothered. Then I suddenly remembered I'd swum out into the same lagoon that spring to free a fledgling Great Blue Heron that was entangled in a sunken log snag. Apparently, when it found itself trapped again, it just waited until I came. The faith of the bird saved it.

Has anyone seen the new Showtime “our cartoon President”? Thoughts? I’m enjoying it.

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

I hope it comes to Netflix, or something I can get.

How do you enjoy your creativity

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

I design and sew my own clothes and undergarments, make inventions, play the piano and keyboard, skin drums, and electric base. I write, do art, wildlife and bird photography, invent my own lotions, and recipes that are healthy to eat. When teaching ESL in Thailand I invent teaching songs, do illustrated song posters on upholstery fabric, invent games to teach kids English principles-usually on the fly, depending on the skills of particular students. I use constant variety, not so much for the sake of the students but for my sake, so I don't get bored.

What was the most embarrassing moment you had yet?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

I don't get embarrassed, but if I could, I have plenty of opportunities. A motorbike has been my transportation since I moved to Thailand in 2010. Thai people teach their children to never mock people, or laugh at their misfortunes. One day, I pulled into the motorbike queue at a Thai gas station in Nakhon, Thailand, and started to hop off, but my slip-on sandal caught on the kickstand sending me flying onto my face, taking the motorbike with me so that it shot on its side across the ground, dragging me with it. I was surrounded by horrified Thai and was fully expecting an explosion of laughter, followed by smart phones taking my picture to upload to the internet, as would be usual in the US. Instead, people ran to help lift the motorbike off me, asking if I was OK. I looked around in disbelief..nobody cracked a smile or was having fun at my expense. I quietly filled the tank and drove off, while everyone acted like nothing had happened.

What kind of post do you like to see most on this site?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Fun light stuff that lets me learn more about others in this website, or encourages people to tell their own stories.

Wondering if anyone else is afraid of this.

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Hmm...nothing like that happening in America right now. Oh, wait. TRUMP.

A follow up: What makes you a terrible partner?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

They don't want to be in a relationship with me after I kick them out..usually after very bad behavior that I allowed to go on FAR too long. I'm not for everyone..you'd have to be high energy, high IQ, consumed with curiosity to sync well with me. I do what I want to do, and if the person doesn't want to join me, I do it myself. But if the person wasn't a good ballroom dance partner and hiking partner I wouldn't have dated him in the first place.

Can a Christian and a agnostic have a good compatible relationship?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Depends. If the Christian is a liberal Unitarian or Lutheran it might work.

Does anyone have experience with self-directed learning / unschooling for teens?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Teens are tricky since few are self disciplined enough to work without supervision, and more likely to fire up a doobie and go online for porn. But if any text book can be found online for free, and most top universities offer free online courses and even degrees. My home schooled kids used to take these for fun when they were still little, so there's no checking up on your age.

Ladies I have question for you. What do you think about facial hair?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Um..I suggest you ask your wife since it's her opinion that matters. As for my personal opinion, I had an ex with a neatly trimmed and groomed beard, and one without and both were OK with me.

Does anybody actualy know what they are talking about?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Of course not. As Niels Bohr allegedly said, "Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it."

Without usng the internet, and just using a slide rule, can anyone calculate the the square root of ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Why would anyone still own a slide rule, and why would they want to do that? I'm guessing you don't have any good books to read.

Sam Harris' Thoughts on the Controversy Surrounding Lawrence Krauss... [youtube.com]

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

I've had so many men of all ages, religious beliefs, and different social standings make moves, or try to grope me, that I tend to see most men as sexual predators, or at least potentially so. Because of the negative consequences of reporting sexual harrassment, I tend to believe women who are brave enough to report such things, especially if they give details and have friends who remember her telling them about it when it occurred. Still Sam Harris has a point. If Krauss were better looking and more socially adept, fewer women may have interpreted his attempts to flirt as unwanted advances. There doesn't seem to be an excuse for the more serious charges, however.

The Dance of Life.

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Very nice!

I'm just here to meet people, have fun and learn. Enjoy your weekend!

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Have fun! Plenty of intelligent agnostic women here you can talk to here, or ask to meet you for coffee, since you live in a centralized location.

Is there something that defines when you started your life?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

I remember crawling to the front door as a baby in Haiti and looking at our dog Max's dog house, so far away across the grass, and wondering if I could make there, feeling desperate. My mom was too busy with mission work to notice me and didn't believe in cuddling kids, and I wanted some sort of creature contact. I leaned more toward animals than humans in life, but it seems to have been my nature, since my siblings, who were treated similarly by my parents, didn't prefer animals for company.

I posted this on my Facebook page and didn't get much of a response.

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Probably. If King Soloman existed at all..historians disagree and there is little evidence.

How do you meet people?

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Yup, I agree with the others. Join up, show up, talk to people who seem to have similar interests, and if she seems to like you (pushes back her hair playfully, laughs at your jokes, looks at you while you are talking together instead of at her phone) ask if she'd like to meet for coffee some time. If she agrees, have a conversation, talk about mutual interests, but let her take the lead and show interest in what she's saying, then remember it later. If she says she hates video games, don't invite her to your Halo game night, for instance. If she says she loves flowers and walking, invite her to see a nearby botanical garden with you, etc. On this forum it will give you points, and help people get to know you, if you finish writing your profile and answer the rest of profile questions.

Canada geese, snow goose, ring-necked duck

birdingnut comments on Mar 17, 2018:

Nice captures!

Is it harder for women to get a date or for men?

birdingnut comments on Mar 16, 2018:

This is just my observation, but if you are willing to do the job, even if you're not fully qualified, people will hire you. I think people get the number of dates they actually (subconsciously) want. Due to my male nature, I put out rejection vibes constantly, so men who successfully date me make friends with me first, then after we're good hiking and dancing partners, gradually bring romance into it. Also, they don't take rejection personally.

What traits make a good boss? Have you ever had one?

birdingnut comments on Mar 16, 2018:

My best bosses were clear on my job parameters, then left me to myself, said words of praise when appropriate. Micromanaging bosses usually inspired me to change jobs.

What are your thoughts on psychological disabilities?

birdingnut comments on Mar 16, 2018:

I'm dyslexic in that the two sides of my brain don't communicate well. While taking masters courses at the university in 1995, I was shocked when our teacher pulled a verbal pop quiz, and I couldn't understand her questions. I struggled to answer any of them, even though I knew all the answers in writing. After class, I explained the problem to the teacher and asked her to please write the questions on the board next quiz, but she only mocked me, implying I was a lazy slough off. So I recruited my daughter to ask me random questions from the text chapter while we were driving, teaching my brain how to recognize auditory questions. I kept working at it and next quiz I could do it. But not everyone is as persistant as I am, so there should be accommodation where needed.

When did you realize you were old?

birdingnut comments on Mar 16, 2018:

When I was admiring the skills of cute little middle schoolers in a marching band parade, then realized they were university students. Ooops.

Where do you all work at? I work at USPS as a clerk.

birdingnut comments on Mar 16, 2018:

At the moment I'm trying to leave, but have been teaching in Thailand for over seven years. In the US I taught English, ESL and writing at two universities, and taught English literature in Mexico for one semester in 2001. I also had my own real estate investment business for about eight years while looking out for my parents, and did substitute teaching.

Okay so I post quite openly on social media.

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

You could ask why, if her faith is so strong, the way someone else believes could affect her? Why would it matter? You could say that since 85% of white evangelicals voted for Trump, and he is racist, a sexual predator, is homophobic, xenophic, insulting our allies, courting Russia, trying to reduce health care and social security, etc, then Christians are negatively affecting the entire world, so you have a right to oppose them. You could even tell her that the Bible is almost a copy of the Sumerian texts, carved on the walls of Babylon 2000 years before the Bible was written. Except showing that humans were genetically engineered by an alien race, and the Hebrew god is seemingly a crude copy of the Sumerian leader, Anu. The origins of human beings according to ancient Sumerian texts http://www.ancient-origins.net/human-origins-folklore/origins-human-beings-according-ancient-sumerian-texts-0065?

Is it Spring yet?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I love storms. But they can be dangerous if you are out hiking because of lightning.

Was anyone here involved with Televangelism?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I used to contribute to them, watch them, and was a staunch Republican as well. But I was also liberal in many ways and when Pat Robinson claimed that women should be paid less than men, since their husbands can support them, then ridiculed the "tree huggers" for wanting to save the Spotted Owl habitat, saying it took away jobs, I was DONE. I stopped contributing, and/or attending anything that had something to do with them.

This is my clown, Nene, aka: Neener, Nudeebits, Boo.

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I keep checking here to see if you've posted more photos of Nene.

Has anyone lost someone that they loved so much that the loss of that person almost brought them ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

No, but I did look into reincarnation due to my remembering past lives, and my sister as well. I found many studies of children all over the world ages 2-6 who remembered past lives with great detail, recognizing people and recalling conversations that they had no way of knowing about, and were found to be accurate. Einstein showed that all matter is a form of energy, so since energy can neither be created nor destroyed, we have always existed and will always exist in some energy form. There could be reincarnation because "For us believing physicists, the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." -Einstein.

What's the best book you've read lately?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

My favorite Indie fantasy sci-fi, is Misha Burnette's Catskinner series. I have re-read the series many times, but I keep reading it again, because it's so much better than most other books, especially when I want to be totally obsorbed in the story to distract from travel, having to wait in an office, etc. It's about an ordinary guy who has an off world energy being bound to him that can make him supernaturally strong and fast, and it loves to kill. He makes a living by doing hit jobs for money, working for a boss who somehow doesn't seem quite "alive." Then he falls in love..but is that beautiful woman really fully human? The protagonist gradually becomes aware that the world isn't as it appears. Here's a link to the first book of the series: Catskinner's Book (The Book Of Lost Doors 1) https://www.amazon.com/Catskinners-Book-Lost-Doors-ebook/dp/B008MPNBNS

Had an interview this morning for a position in my field that at first I didn't think I wanted.

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

From the way you worded your post, I assume isolated locations don't appeal to you. If so, no reason to court early burn out and take a position you know you can't sustain. But if you want the first position for other reasons, maybe your employer would let you work from home, if that's feasible.

With regards to some agnostics who defend the utility of religion; I don't quite understand.

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

Perhaps that idea comes from observing oppressive Communist governments that ban religion, so they think it must be bad to have no beliefs.

When my daughter was nine (so, tens years ago) we moved back to Alabama.

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

HAHAHAHAHA! Good one!

Who else has high blood pressure? How do you control it?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

Avoiding processed food, red meat, most meat, eating plenty of fresh organic produce, getting outdoor exercise daily. Eating two meals a day only. I'm guessing CBD oil will also fix it since it relaxes people, raises their mood.

I have learned that rejection is just another lesson in life.

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

What other people think of me is none of my business. If I groveled before the opinions of others I'd never do anything in life.

Throwing a birthday party soon and I would like some of the groups very favorite recipes for ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

What kind of party, meeting where? Outside on the patio? By the beach? How big a crowd? I've been to some great parties here southern Thailand..right on the beach, with fresh caught sea food, crabs, squid, etc. I don't drink, but when I did, a rum punch was refreshing.

Looking back on the "One that got away", if you have one, what was a sign of impending failure that ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

Naw. I enjoyed my romantic mistakes and wouldn't change the past if given a choice. All my exes are still fans of mine, and I of most of them.

What makes you are great partner?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I like to snuggle and exchange foot rubs with the right person.

Free will, compatibilism, & determinism.

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

So much about me was determined at conception, including my personality, and after I was born, the culture of my parents and community. But within certain parameters, I have "free will."

Where do you get most of your reading in?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I read Kindle books on my Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet and laptop. I read while on public transportation, while waiting for anything, at home.

Have you ever tried meditation?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I read that just letting your mind relax and drift while taking a walk outside has the same benefits as taking an official yoga class. With that definition, I meditate daily and plenty in between.

How's your mental strength ?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

Not sure what you mean. For doing what?

How many people have had the experience of having to deal with an AYA (Angry Young Atheist).

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

LOL! I'm still sort of an AOA (angry old agnostic) because I got into a few dust-ups at website I used to frequent, for missionary kids (MKs).

What do you watch on television (or stream)?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I mostly watch Netflix since there are few cable TV channels here in Thailand that are in English. I watch Stand-up when doing dishes in the next room, since I don't have to see it. I watch sci-fi if there's anything good in that genre, comedies, docudramas, nature shows, action. I never watch game shows and no reality shows except for Queer Eye.

What's your favorite stage in a courtship?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

The extended courtship stage is the best. It's when you do fun things together; hike, attend plays, go dancing, go to movies, before sexual involvement. Another perfect stage would be snuggling, reading aloud to each other, giving each other foot massages. In my case, this came during courtship as well.

Excluding things like drugs and alcohol, what is the dumbest thing you ever spent money on?

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

I bought a smart phone and accessories, but never used it, and finally gave it away, continued using a cheap nonsmart cellphone. I hate being on the phone, so only use it for emergencies.

Ever since a tour guide forgot me in the middle of Cuzco, Peru, I have been traveling solo, even to ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 15, 2018:

Sounds like a fun lifetstyle! I'm similar to you in activities and travels, but those men do exist; I was married to a fit airline pilot who went with me everywhere, even on camel treks in Australia. I've been single and teaching in Thailand since 2010 though, six minutes by motorbike from the beach, near the Malaysia border.

What brings you joy?

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

That's easy..new bird species I've not yet photographed, and ripe monthong durian! YUUUUUUM! Pic is me eating durian while visiting Penang Island, Malaysia

Okay.

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

You'll probably have to contact the @admin. to report it.

This last weekend I went back home to bury a very close family friend.

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Yeah...I've been to huge orthodox Catholic cathedrals for funerals in Haiti, and observed Buddhist funerals as well. Any ceremonies can be annoying and I have to force myself to tolerate most of them, religious or not.

I'm going to ask a taboo question. Do you believe In ghosts?

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Why not? Einstein showed that all matter is a form of energy, so since energy can neither be created nor destroyed, we have always existed and will always exist in some energy form. No reason to think energy beings don't exist, and quantum physics already proves that multiple dimensions exist. There could be reincarnation, for that matter. "For us believing physicists, the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." -Einstein.

Is a snake in the kitchen a message from the universe?

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Rat snakes sometimes come into farm houses hunting rodents. If I saw one, I'd probably keep it for a while to stroke it under the chin before releasing it outside. They love that!

I'm curious in knowing if others here collect anything?

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

I collect Kindle books I don't mind rereading often. I used to collect knives, and I still sort of do. When I was little I was an accurate knife thrower, and in college I had curved daggers, a switchblade, etc.. These days I don't risk even carrying a penknife. I stockpiled out of season cloth material bought at steep discount, so I could sew anything, any time it struck my fancy. Also rocks, fossils, and polished stones, but couldn't bring them overseas.

I have a bit of an embarrassing confession to make.

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

I've found great people to date in several ways; childhood friends, a guy I met at a ballroom dance, two I met through newspaper classified ads, and one from an online dating website. I had just finished posting the profile when I got a response..almost too quickly to be possible, and he was just what I'd been looking for.

Where's the Love?

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

I dunno. Most of our political leaders, oligarchs, world leaders probably don't believe in god at all, yet manage to be evil. If they give religion lip service, they are only following Machiavelli's advice in The Prince, to pretend to be religious to gain support.

Why would you ask?

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

It's the new buzzword..meaning you don't attend formal church, but you feel connected with energy, nature, etc.

Can people change?

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Dunno. I'm convinced my basic personality can't be changed, but I have learned a few things, so changed in that way.

Desires based on your own relationship views ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Dunno. My ex was highly intelligent but not someone I with whom could discuss intellectual things, politics, or really anything not related to his work, or he'd experienced directly. He also wasn't someone who had my back. I would prefer someone who is both aware and curious and who ALSO has my back.

Content warning: This post contains spoilers for "The Shape of Water."

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Eew! What is it with men and their obsession with their sexual parts? You don't see women going on about their own parts or pointing out when they're missing from movies. Get a life.

So.

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

It's weird that Christians are the most hateful people I know. I never see Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists on these forums attacking everyone, but I suppose they might do so in their own communities and in other countries.

I think it's pertinent to point out that we lost one of the great thinkers and scientists of our ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Thanks for the heads up. His death was just announced on SkyNews I'm watching in Thailand.

I've had a rough few days - expensive car trouble and a health scare that involved an ER visit ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Sure..that's common. I even read about a man who kept a collection of rare tortoises, but one day they started dying. He finally realized they'd started getting sick right after his own father died. When he did things to cheer himself up the tortoises stopped dying.

This is my clown, Nene, aka: Neener, Nudeebits, Boo.

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Well? Any more photos of your photogenic terrier?

What are your best comebacks/quips when someone asks a question or makes a statement that is just a ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

If someone askes an invasive question I raise an eyebrow and say, "Why do you ask?" Then I change the subject before they can reply. However, when some rude, crude, creepy dude on this website asked a horrifyingly sexual question about my being transmale I immediately flagged him, and his post disappeared. I wish getting rid of jerks in real life was that easy..

This is a question for those who have had strong feelings for another but could never get those ...

birdingnut comments on Mar 14, 2018:

Everyone has set backs and rejections in life..one can only shake it off and move on. Most cis hetero women do this without trying. If her guy messes up, his stuff is tossed onto the lawn, the door locks are changed, and she moves on. Men however, can feel so devasted after a romantic loss they often want to commit suicide, but usually stem the hurt by quickly acquiring another love interest. I fell in love once when in my male gender mode (women don't fall in love except when they are heavy in male traits) and when we broke up the pain was so intense I had to trigger my female mode and stay there, to be able to stand it.