Unusual expressions.

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

An eastern KY hillbilly neighbor used to say he was born "so far up the holler they had to pipe in sunshine."

Iceland to Ban Boys’ Circumcision, Introduces 6-year Jail Term for Offenders

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

Way to go!

Skittles the laziest chiweenie ever.

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

Aaaaw! Do you have a side view photo?

Meet Ringo. He has an underbite and he's a very good boy.

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

Cute!

Hell Mouth

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

LOL!

I just heard red-winged blackbirds for the first time this year! I'm so ready for spring.

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

Cool! I always imagined they were saying "crocodile" in Spanish; "Cro-co-DEEEE----yo!"

Intercultural Miscommunication?

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

Some Filipinos were helping with a Thai summer camp near Songkhla, Thailand, teaching Thai elementary children hand movements for a song in English about the sun rising in the morning. Except that, to illustrate the "sun rising," they struck the insides of their right elbows with their left fists, while jerking their right fists upwards. The other foreign teacher, an American guy, looked over at me and remarked dryly, "So nice we're teaching Thai kids how to make obscene gestures." The Filipino leader also introduced herself to the kids by her nickname as "Lice." To be fair, I tried to take the Filippinos aside and explain that they might want to change those hand gestures and that nickname when dealing with foreigners, but they just looked annoyed.

Am I an apostate if I never was truly religious?

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

Yup, if you once attended church and believed in it. Definition of apostate: a person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle.

What are some of your favorite films?

birdingnut comments on Feb 17, 2018:

I love to rewatch the Tremors movies series..so hilarious! Every time I watch it I feel frustrated that I didn't get to be in that movie..looked like so much fun to make and I missed it all!

Spring is here!! I don't care what the calendar says.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Lucky you, living so far south! Well, I live in a tropical paradise myself, for now.

The Devil's Doorknob (LOL)

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

It's weird how "control freak" religious men try to control women's bodies, as if they owned them. Oh, yeah..men used to own women, in a way.

To all the old men like me (over 60): Don’t you love and hate this group at the same time?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

This media technology is new for all of us..it's only taken off in the past 10 years, and only became popular after smart phones proliferated, after 2007. Even if you learn to use one technology, you must constantly relearn each time your devices update, or you switch to another brand. Back in the 1990s, I posted ads in newspaper dating classified sections and it was just as annoying meeting men for dates as it was later on, when using online dating sites.

New job.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

She was sending you wishes for getting what you need, by indicating that"God" would provide. It's still positive thoughts, so I'd have just thanked her.

Another book post here.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Well, this forum, and the many eco-groups I've been in, are contributing to that sense of community. That, as well as joining local groups of hobbyists; hikers, bikers, campers, bird watchers, etc.

How do you deal with people that throw the No True Scotsman fallacy at you?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

You'd think the US Christian alt-right electing Trump would convince them otherwise.

I've actually had relatives unfriend me on Facebook because I didn't pretend to be a christian and ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I didn't wait to be unfriended. I first warned, then defriended all Facebook friends posting hate memes..only my white evangelical friends did this, then made a number of Facebook announcements telling people who support Trump to please defriend me now and save me the trouble.

Best wishes to all for Chinese New Year.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Sounds delish! I'm surrounded by Thai food delights here in Songkhla, near the most southern Thailand border. Photo of row of Chinese New Year food vendor booths, downtown, Nakhon, Thailand Food served at a student feast, Banwatwat School, north of Sonkghla, Thailnd

I'm a curious person, and I have a question for anyone who might have a medical answer: I often get...

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

It could be something simple, easily cured with eating fresh, raw food, but it could also be symptom of something far more dangerous, like cancer.

I'm currently struggling with some stuff and someone made the comment that "if I had a husband,I ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I agree. Even when my relationships were the greatest, it's still harder to do anything with men, and I always breathed a sigh of relief when they were gone. I always felt like I had three kids.

All you dogs out there happy New Year

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Not sure what you mean, but in Thailand, dogs in the Chinese Zodiac symbolize honesty, friendliness, faithfulness, loyalty, and intelligence. Yet Trump was born in the Year of the Dog..so much for that belief! Few people eat dog here in Thailand, as they do in Vietnam and China, but animal traffickers catch dogs and sell them over the border, or to isolated pockets of Thai/Vietnamese near the Northeastern border.

White-faced heron in the hills.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Nice! I photographed one in 2005, on North Stradbroke Island, South Australia.

THE CARBON TRAP A novel by Randy Dutton Here's the review I wrote for this one: "Remember, ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Nice literary wording and emotion, but at the end I had no idea what the story was about, or very many things you liked or disliked about it. Reviews should help people decide if they want to read something or not.

What’s one of your funniest church experiences?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Our Haiti mission church was a 100-yr-old French concrete/plaster building with thick walls and tall, arched windows, with shutters. The church pews were wooden slat benches. Certain benches were more conducive for sheltering bed bugs; when the US SNEM program began spraying buildings with DDT, this killed off the ants, which are bedbug predators, allowing bedbugs to proliferate. There was one bench in the front that was notorious for hosting bedbugs..nobody lasted long sitting there. For that reason, it usually stood empty, and my younger sister and I sat in the thick-walled arched window, swinging our legs and watching the show. The church was usually very crowded, but the Haitians take care of that by someone coming up and saying "Advance, advance (Creole/French)!" while plopping down on top of two people sitting next to other, then wiggling downward, until they'd burrowed down to wedge between them. This move always popped someone off the end of the row, so they'd go sit on the empty "punaise" (bedbug) bench. After a bit, they'd start to jump and jitter a bit, finally letting out a "WOY!" and leaping up to rub their posteriors, then off they'd go to wedge down between two people on a crowded bench, and pop someone else off the end, to continue to cycle. My sister and I would nearly choke trying to stifle our laughter.

Do Christian condone everything that happen in their bible.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Of course not! They don't believe it either, or they'd let their kids play on the interstate and never take them to the doctor, since they claim that "God" controls everything, so everything that happens is "God's will." Luckily, most of them never read it, and neither do the preachers, although they teach plenty of traditions designed to increase their bottom line.

Enjoy a good conversation

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Hi! If you click on the FAQ link at the bottom of the page, you will find links to filling out your bio, uploading an avatar photo, a tutorial for this website, rules, etc.

"Kisses" from my boy, Archer.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

I think I'm in love! My llama was too aloof to cuddle, and didn't like to be touched, although he sure loved banana peels, watermelon rinds, expensive flowers, etc.

What do you know well enough to teach others?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Piano (I gave lessons for years), English, English literature, writing (I taught these subjects at universities, and overseas) how to ride horses MY way (no rein pulling or touching the horses' lower sides..using weight shifts to guide them), basic Thai phrases to get around town, Creole, art.

Memories

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Stuffing my horse into the Haiti mission school bathroom during lunch break, when I was 13 yrs old, to scare our squeamish new American teacher, Marilyn. She looked and dressed like Marilyn Monroe, even had the same first name, and we all had already seen her jump onto a chair when she saw a tarantula, so knew she had a horror movie-worthy scream. I couldn't get the entire horse into the bathroom-his head was hanging out a little, so I stood in front of it and waited until I heard the teacher returning from lunch. I began to yell to come quickly because I was sick, so she rushed into the hallway, and I jumped away from the bathroom door, revealing my horse standing there. Her screams were ample reward for my efforts.

Is there a non-cringy way of telling someone you think they look nice on a given day?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Nice outfit! (if it's new) I like your hair (if it was changed since you last saw it) Great shoes! Where did you get them (this only works with same sex person)? You look great this morning. I love that shirt color with those pants. You're in great shape these days. Are you doing some new workout? (same gender only, to be safe)

Just a pizza dish in the bush... pied butcherbird & baby, lured close by peanuts & water.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Aaaah! I'm so jealous. That's it. Here are a few Thai birds from several places around Thailand where I've lived. I was just going through my Amazon Drive photos this morning and pulled up a few for Facebook. A breeding Oriental Pratincole, near Nakhon, Thailand. Stripe-throated Bulbul eating fruit male Little Bronze Cuckoo juvenile White-bellied Eagle

The dangers of not dealing with reality.

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Hahahahaha good one!

Which bible story for you was the most comedic?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

They are all mostly gory, filled with violence, horrible stories to read, sort of like reading the original Brothers Grimm story collection. People can attend church in peace because they never read it.

Does your hair salon or dresser listen to how you want your hair cut?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Never in my life, so I taught my spouse to cut it according to my instructions, and after the divorce eight years ago, I began cutting it myself, finally getting it the way I like it, for once.

What is the most important trait you seek in a friend?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Depends on what is meant by "friend." I can be friends with anyone of any age for any reason, including animals. I have work peer friends, companions for particular hobbies and activities, friends with the same values who work on causes with me, fellow book enthusiasts, etc. As for side-kicks, I've had many, but not for too long, as life circumstances reshuffled us. But for a side-kick, I value an intelligent, humorous, fearless, adventurous person, up for anything. I've had a few of those during my lifetime.

Is anybody else an outcast of their family?

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

Yeah, it was that way in my family. I was born three months after my older brother, and my parents resented me, especially my dad, who never missed an opportunity to let me know how much I cost him, and if I had been given any money gifts, why I should give it to him. I was the one blamed and whipped if anything was amiss; messy rooms, whatever, even if I had been spending the night with a friend when it happened. But my brothers could do anything and they were golden. My two younger sisters were largely ignored. Solution: use behaviorism techniques to teach them how to treat you. This will work relatively quickly on anyone, even animals. 1. when the target person is treating you in a kind, loving manner, or doing anything you approve, pay attention to him. Smile, make eye contact, give positive reinforcement. 2. The instant the target person starts to behave in a negative manner, withdraw by seeming vaguely distracted, murmur, "Um, hum" in a disinterested manner. 3. If the negative behavior continues, move further away, or wander out of the room. If the behavior is really bad, look at your watch, say something like, "Look at the time! I have to run, now, but it's been great! Later!" Then leave. Drive off. Or if you are living in the same house, go to the mall or something. It won't take long before the bad behavior will stop. But if they never contact you, then never contact them either or even mention them when talking to others. Don't look at their social media or "like" their posts either. Just vanish from their lives. If they want to see you, they'll have to come to you. That's because stonewalling is THEIR way of punishing you for not being the child they'd hoped for, but they never thought they'd suffer the same fate, so should eventually ask about you. If so, continue to ignore them and be happy and busy in your life until they themselves come to you and start behaving in pleasing ways, thus triggering the smiles and attention. This usually works within a week.

Why do people think you need to believe in a god and read the bible and or go to church to live a ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 16, 2018:

People are Christians mostly because they were raised that way from childhood, from when they are young enough to trust adults. If they never question their culture and upbringing, no reason to change. Usually discrepancies alert the brighter ones to BS, or they attend college where their values are questioned, perhaps for the first time, by people they respect.

A friend I knew back in my high school days recently told me not to long ago that he found Jesus.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Aw! Quit messing with the sincere little Christians. They don't know any better, and mean well. They think they are saving their souls and should help you save yours.

So, I recently realized that tomorrow will be my 20th anniversary of quitting smoking! I can't ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Congratulations! Your family no doubt thanks you for choosing to live longer!

Saw this on FB. I've had similar thoughts

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

That's just code for "I'm not going to do anything about regulating guns."

Is blocking someone on Facebook because of too many religious "shares" intolerant?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Of course not. I was far worse..after seeing a hate meme attacking a gender, race, or sexual orientation minority, I no longer even wanted to be Facebook friends with them, since close friends and relatives are among those minorities, including myself.

Trying to reconcile a quandry

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Depends on the religion. Thai Buddhists have universal health coverage, and are kind to most races of people, although the government has a poor track record in helping immigrants.

For the thespians out there: What is the favorite role that you have ever played?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

I've only been in plays written and directed by people I know, including myself. But I've worked as an extra in both the Secretariat and Seabiscuit movies, for the scenes shot at Keeneland Race Track, Lexington, KY, and Churchill Downs, in Louisville. They were my childhood horse heroes, so when I saw the open casting calls, I went on over and got hired. Photo is of me in 2009, when I was an extra in the Secretariat movie at Churchill Downs, wearing a 1973-era dress. The horse is a thoroughbred race horse being exercised at dawn, at Churchill Downs before the Secretariat movie shoot that day

Father/Son Ritual (for women & men to answer) I have observed a male-centered "ritual" (for want ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

I used to roughhouse with teen guys when I was growing up..they'd sometimes swing us younger kids in circles while holding us by the heels, then let us fly. We'd crash across the grass, then jump up and run back for more. But overall, any boy who laid a hand on me against my will was going to have scars to show for it.

I'm ornery.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

The people willingly traded (riskier) higher profits for a sure price now and saving the cost of six week's worth of feed. Kind of a mild version of selling flight insurance at the airport,

Introducing Coco, aka The Princess.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

So adorable! A toy poodle mix?

Has life been decent or good to you for the most part?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

It has, but it has a lot to do with my "luck" being born healthy into a Caucasian, American family living overseas in a tropical paradise, my being born high IQ, with a loving family, and being both talented in, and allowed to explore, many areas-music, art, science, animal handling,and so forth. Because of my genetic make up I have been active, curious, bold, and adventurous, all which contributed to my having a good life.

Here is my Theodore - he is SUPPOSED to be a Scottish Fold, but his ears aren't very folded.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

HOW FLUFFY!! Very cute-all of them.

How would you respond to someone who is arguing against global warming, giving “last winter was ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Someone who talks like that has been listening to Fox News and has already surrendered his brain. I don't even try to argue. Wouldn't matter, since he prefers "alternate facts."

This next piece brought tears to my eyes.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

He's good!

Share one song that you cannot help but sing along with when it comes on the radio.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

This gets me doing the nasty moves when I hear it! DNCE - Cake By The Ocean https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWaRiD5ym74

For all the singles, how long have you been single?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

But as a male, it's your move to ask a woman out for coffee. Surely you are a member in mixed groups, such as book, hiking, photography, ballroom dance, and other clubs/groups where you've met attractive women.

Thoughts and Prayers and NRA Funding

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

The gun lobby has bought them already. They don't care about lives.

That is exactly what they did back in the day.. Locked em up or did shock therapy on them.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Plenty of people talk to their higher consciousness, the universe, the collective energy, etc. To start oppressing people for any private practice that's not hurting others is as wrong as religion.

If you could modify your personality with genetic engineering would you do it?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

How could perfection be improved? LOL!

Trump Budget Sends $1 Billion To Private Religious Schools

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Well, his lies are starting to catch up with him..even Stormy Daniels says that he's violated their nondisclosure agreement, so she's going to talk about what really happened with Trump. Porn star who alleged Trump sexual encounter: I can now tell my story https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/porn-star-who-alleged-trump-sexual-encounter-I-can-now-n848061 via @nbcnews

What's your best feature, beside your personality?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

I get a lot of compliments, but not sure what for..I'm going to assume it's my face, since I'm usually wearing baggy clothes that cover my figure. Or maybe it's my energy? Except that people on Thai buses sometimes discuss my looks while I'm seated there, not realizing I can understand them. The photo is me in a bathing suit at Mu Ko Similan National Marine Park, Thailand, but people complimenting me can't see my figure, so dunno why they do it, exactly.

Nerdy Dating? Online and Offline

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Yikes. Dunno. Maybe find out where nerdy girls hang out online and go there? Here are some links I googled just now: Top Ten Ways To Meet Nerdy Girls http://nerdbastards.com/2011/05/05/top-ten-ways-to-meet-nerdy-girls/ a nerdy girl dating site http://www.gk2gk.com/ meet ups to meet nerdy girls https://www.meetup.com/topics/geeks-nerds/?_cookie-check=K4cU-ZlZUhWsdiva

.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

This Pink song epitomizes the mixed love life of my ex and me. We did gender role switching, fantasy play, costumes, I often played dominatrix, we even discussed threesomes, but stuck with pretend on that one. We were advanced ballroom and jitterbug dancers also, so this video especially tickles me, now that he's recently come out as nonbinary female, LOL! The photo below is of my ex and I dancing on the beach, with me wearing a ballroom dance gown I designed and made myself P!nk - Beautiful Trauma (Official Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBt_88nxG4c

Another Report Of A Mass School Shooting-This Time In Florida

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Yup. Not that it will make the congressmen give back their NRA bribe money..

Why do people do this?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Because most hetero cis men want to have sex with most women, and he is trying to keep you in his orbit in the mistaken assumption that you will come back to him if he wants you. All the men I've broken up with did that, even if they had since moved on to someone else. Not that I cared.

Always a party going on in Thailand! For two days the air has been filled the noise of exploding ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Here are photos of the apartment building staff today, showing their red Chinese New Year theme shirts, and me wearing my red Thailand shirt, to show solidarity with the color, of least. Larger buildings usually make the ground floor into a parking area, in case of flooding, so we are under the building.

Pet furniture?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

LOVE it!

Compliments

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Here in Thailand, and in other foreign countries where I've lived, people have often discussed me in my presence, not realizing I understand. Usually, they remark about how "pretty" or "beautiful" I am, which baffles me, since they still do it, and I'm 65. I decided that possibly they think I'm more attractive because of my Caucasian features, compared to theirs, but I don't know for sure. Being partially trans I've always avoided looking in mirrors or at photos of me, thinking I looked "hideous," but when I see old photos now that I used to hate, I can see that I was very pretty, all my life. Since I never thought so, it didn't do me a lot of good, where a "real" woman would have exploited it to manipulate men. I just didn't care, feeling like I was male, myself.

Compliments

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

I always say, "Thank you!" and smile at them. Sexual comments about my body are NOT compliments, and not only make me feel uncomfortable, it can make me fighting mad, but only if spoken by a male. I'm male enough that I give females a free pass, but they typically don't make crude sexual remarks about other women, being more oblique and polite, as a rule.

Exam strategies

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Helpful hints: Eating fish within 3 hours of the exam, taking a few derris scandens or two St. John's Wort capsules. Speed-reading the text material before the exam, since it can only be done with the right hemisphere of the brain, which has photographic memory. How to speed read; take strip of neon orange paper, or a marker of that color, and drag it down the page of a book. Don't try to read, let your brain slip into the same mode used for "seeing" a 3-D picture, or for painting a picture. Keep your eyes just above the marker as you quickly drag it to the bottom of the page, then shut the book, while holding your place, and have someone start reading one of the sentences on the page aloud, then stop. If you can't finish the sentence, drag the neon orange strip of paper down the page again, except speed it up. Test again, and if you still can't finish a random sentence, speed up the speed reading again, until you feel your brain shift into right-brain hemisphere mode, where you feel dreamy and happy. As soon as you can finish a sentence, then stop, and let your right brain rest. If you've never read with that side of your brain, you might feel panicked, or think it's all crazy, but ignore it..the left side of the brain doesn't like to relinquish control. After you get used to it, then skim on through your test material and you should have photographic memory of it for your test. This used to work when I forgot to read our daily novel assigned to us at the university, and the test papers were coming down the rows of desks toward me. I'd grab the book and zip through it, then ace the test, with total recall.

Why do women have to basically spell it out for men in what they want? Why are they so clueless?

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Aww. But if you just want casual sex, that's what most guys want anyway, so grab another friend, or make one. Men are simple creatures, who don't understand the female mind. I am currently in a gender blend, thanks to taking derris scandens, weighted toward male, so even though I can remember how females feel, I tend to default to the clueless side, seeing women as puzzling, mystical creatures that nobody can understand. So, yes, someone has to spell things out for me. It's what Jeff Foxworthy says: Men only want two things - a cold beer, and to see something naked. If someone is interested in me, they have to spell it out...casual flirting might be overlooked, or put down to being friendly. I pick up on female flirting attempts more easily than that of males, however.

My best girls, Squill (the larger) and Moxie (smaller).

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Aaaaaw! I bred Australian Blue Heelers for years, and the best dog I ever had was one of the pups.

And this is my other buddy, Sid, a 5 yr.

birdingnut comments on Feb 15, 2018:

Adorable! I love to cuddle them.

How hard is it to find similar people to me?

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

If you've ever been on an asexual spectrum forum, you'll see that many people are looking for just such a relationship. Asexual spectrum people can have low, or person-specific sexual attraction so likely won't cheat on you. They are emotionally independent, and appreciate all the space you can give them, yet typically love to cuddle. I used to love that my husband was in D.C. working as an airline instructor for most of the week, since I could do as I pleased, but I later learned to incorporate him into my hobbies..we rode and drove horses year around, hiked, camped, went ballroom and jitterbug dancing most weekends, etc. Demisexuals can become sexually attracted to a steady partner after a year or more, but some of them (myself included) may have abnormally active libidos after that, often with kinky tendencies, due to mixed gender traits, so they aren't for everyone. But most, like me, can take sex or leave it.

Meeting people

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

If you want to know all about someone's relationship status before asking, you can use social media. Or google their names beforehand. But there are single meet ups you can join, dancing classes for sure, any group that does things you enjoy that isn't gender specific, such as bird photography, book clubs, hiking, senior citizens that organize trips to local attractions and entertainment, etc. That's where I met my most successful matches, although I met some great people on dating sites as well. Check the bulletin board, virtual or real, of your local library for group notifications.

My daughter is 8 years and insists that she is a Christian.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

She could just mean a "generic" Christianity, as the US is mostly Christian, while Malaysia is mostly Muslim, etc.

What is the most bittersweet moment you've had in your life?

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Glad you landed on your feet!

Do you have a particular neighbor that can be annoying?

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Yikes. Sorry about that. I occasionally have noisy or (one) hostile neighbors, but turnover is high in this apartment building. However, Thai neighbors the next block over keep dozens of large white dogs (dunno the breed, if any) in their garage, to breed them. The noise and smell are almost overwhelming when one approaches the house on the corner, and locals often grab their noses to get past them.

Another f@!king mass shooting here in America! At least 17 dead, 23 injured.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

More thoughts and prayers..and jump in gun sales.

Today on line at Starbucks, I started chatting with the girl in front of me (totally innocent, she ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

LOL! You must not have triggered any "stranger danger" responses with your erudite questions.

So Valentine's question.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Sounds like you did exactly the right thing.

My first goose eggs of the year.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Are you going to hatch them or eat them?

I spent Valentine's day walking around the small town I live in, listening to music and taking ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Sounds like me, all the time. Except that in Thailand, going out the door of my apartment means I'm interacting in society; exchanging brief pleasantries with apartment building staff, friends, and vendors, etc. Thai leave you alone unless you indicate you are open to interact. Because of my age (65) I'm usually the oldest person around, so don't have to greet or "wai" anyone else, and can choose to respond or not. I simply respond to greetings in kind..a nod to someone who nods to me, a Thai upper chest height wai, if they have wai'd me first, etc.

What bad/good things stand out to you on a dating profile?

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

I look for things that are similar to me..education level, age, travel experience, hobbies and interests, grown children, and look for things dissimilar as well, such as career (since most teachers are vastly underpaid for time spent, in the US). I look for curiosity, humor, a sense of fun, and mobility, since I'm not likely to move to where they are, unless, of course, it's somewhere I want to live anyway, like near Sydney! Joking. I plan to move near my daughter, in Lexington, KY, since I've been in Thailand since 2010 and miss seeing her.

Gays, Lesbians and Transgenders

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Because it's the only sin they don't personally do themselves, even if it's because they were born hetero, through no virtue of their own.

Betsy DeVos' Makes A Devastating Anti-Transgender Student Decision, And People Are FURIOUS

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Gotta get them out of office..

.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Yes, gender issue awareness is growing in the US. The Millennials are ahead of the Baby Boomers in acceptance of gender diversity. 20% of millennials identify as LGBTQ, according to new GLAAD study https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/20-percent-millennials-lgbtq-glaad-study_us_58dd140be4b05eae031d8f9c?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004

The Science Love Song by AsapSCIENCE

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

LOL! Cute, but romance seems to have lost something in translation...

For all the singles, how long have you been single?

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

I've been single since 2010. I felt relief, as I was now free to move to Thailand to teach. Usually single females thrive emotionally, while men languish when single. I'm a gender mix, yet was able to thrive overall. But my male side, like most males, longs for a mate. Since I blended my two gender sides by taking the Thai herb derris scandens ( so I can see both gender perspectives at the same time), I feel contented and happy, but think a fun companion might be nice.

8 facts about love and marriage in America | Pew Research Center

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

US societal trends in attitudes toward marriage, race, and gender issues seem to be improving.

I was born to young couple who were the first generation to leave the farm and try to make a life in...

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

True. Good decision.

Single Americans are hurting economically this Valentine’s Day - MarketWatch

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

That is totally unfair, and since the powerful pick on the meek and silent, time for singles to speak up, and vote for change.

Psych Nerdy Valentine's ... :-D

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

LOL!

My two youngster cats: Jasper (1-2 yrs old) and Bailey (3yrs).

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

I like that covered cat frame for looking out the window!

And my more middle agers: Black Jack, 13 yrs (Sparrow, not Randall), and Supernova, 7 years.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Aaaaw! They look so cuddly.

Mergansers on the Platte River in Colorado USA. (1)

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Nice!

Mergansers on the Platte River, Colorado, USA. (2)

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

NIce! These guys can be tricky to photograph sometimes.

Who is your Valentine, on the most important day of the year.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Mine is my daughter also. She's a professional artist in KY. Here she's posing next to part of a mural she was commissioned to paint in Cynthiana, KY.

If you were a beer, what would you be? I'd be a hazy juicy New England style IPA

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Home brewed, like what my daughter used to make.

Any CHAMBER MUSIC fans?

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Sounds fun! I had a Jewish high school girl friend who played in one, and invited me to join in on the piano. But mostly I played in bands that played more recent music, or wrote their own, since that was the only way to get paying gigs.

This made me laugh, I'd like to sell tickets for it!

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

LOL! I'd buy a ticket to that..

Happy Valentines

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Good thing, too, or a lot fewer people would get born.

This guy adopted us 5 years ago, there are 3 of them and they come for a chat and food, maybe 15 ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Aaaaaw! I loved seeing the Kookaburras when I was traveling and camping in Australia and Tasmania, and hearing their maniacal laughter calls in the morning. Yup. I'm jealous.

When its more than physical.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

That's tough. if you can't move past it, just move out, or ask him to move out. Cheaters always lie and cheat again, no matter what they promise, so any attempt to prolong the relationship is making excuses and delaying in the inevitable. Like I keep saying, it's men who usually fall in love and become besotted because that keeps them faithful to one woman long enough to raise his progeny, but a woman with male-like loyalty traits is putting herself in danger if she acts like a typical male, staying in denial, taking cheating lovers back, finding excuses to stay together. Besides, most men don't respect women who are needy and cling to them, preferring more emotionally independent women who don't need them. Most femme women don't take any bad behavior from men, tossing their stuff onto the lawn and changing the locks at the first sign of disrespect.

"Books are a poor substitute for female companionship but they are easier to find" - Kvothe, The ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Good one. Of course, many women love to read also, and a common love for certain books could be a way to meet a soul mate match.