Does the structure of American society lend to unhappiness or dissatisfaction?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I think many common US values are counter to happiness..the obsession to keep obtaining things, hoarding things, putting money first, buying huge houses, huge cars, being aggressive, standing up for your rights at all times, not letting anyone get away with anything, putting babies and kids into daycare, etc. In Thailand, people seem very happy with much less, because that's taught in Buddhism. They usually stay healthy and active into old age, are constantly outside, raise most of their own food, make fresh food daily from scratch, instead of using refrigerators as storage-even in the city, live in extended family groups where people take care of each other, have a Buddhist minimalist attitude, so no clutter in their homes, women are seen in all job sectors, doctors, dentists, construction workers, engineers, almost as many as men in some cases. The temple schools have the kids meditate together before class, and kids are allowed to play and roughhouse between classes, with frequent outdoor breaks. Students sweep and clean the school grounds each morning, and raise produce and chickens for food for the school.

Does the structure of American society lend to unhappiness or dissatisfaction?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I think many common US values are counter to happiness..the obsession to keep obtaining things, hoarding things, putting money first, buying huge houses, huge cars, being aggressive, standing up for your rights at all times, not letting anyone get away with anything, putting babies and kids into daycare, etc. In Thailand, people seem very happy with much less, because that's taught in Buddhism. They usually stay healthy and active into old age, are constantly outside, raise most of their own food, make fresh food daily from scratch, instead of using refrigerators as storage-even in the city, live in extended family groups where people take care of each other, have a Buddhist minimalist attitude, so no clutter in their homes, women are seen in all job sectors, doctors, dentists, construction workers, engineers, almost as many as men in some cases. The temple schools have the kids meditate together before class, and kids are allowed to play and roughhouse between classes, with frequent outdoor breaks. Students sweep and clean the school grounds each morning, and raise produce and chickens for food for the school.

Natural versus learned Agnostics?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Sure. Even vicious hate memes plastered on my Facebook page by Christian friends can push someone into being agnostic.

I find myself questioning the critical thinking skills of anyone I meet who I find to be religious.

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I automatically discount their IQs, at least for Christians, but not for Muslims. In their case, they usually have no choice as to their religion, and most of the Muslims I know, or taught, were almost scary smart. Snarky humor, too.

Trump Says America Is A Nation Of Believers : NPR

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Mmmmmm...not so much. Atheism Doubles Among Generation Z - Barna Group https://www.barna.com/research/atheism-doubles-among-generation-z/#.WnzqKbsLkpE.twitter

What do you say when someone sneezes?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Saying "God bless you" after someone sneezes is a custom from beliefs thousands of years old. But I don't think about it because I've been in Thailand since 2010, and it's not the custom here at all.

I had a stroke in my late 30s that left me with a seizure disorder and debilitating migraines.

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Wonderful that your dog is helping you. Have you heard of this? CBD Oil shown to give relief from seizures https://www.epilepsy.com/connect/forums/living-epilepsy-adults/cbd-oil-seizures

When someone says, "Bless you," what is a witty retort?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I thank them. They are conveying positive thoughts and energy towards me.

What is the best and worst thing someone has said about you?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

My daughter called me a "loser" moving to Thailand, but when she visited me for two months a year ago, she changed her mind and said I was "living in paradise."

Avatars and screen names

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I just grabbed the first photo of me I had in my files that was small enough to upload for the avatar, and my name comes from my main hobby. It was cropped from a photo of me posing with "Pong"-a famous Thai pop singer, taken a year ago, because I was one of the foreign teacher actors drafted to be in the English version of his hit song, "Country Boy." Plot: Thai caretaker for fighting bulls gets a crush on his well-to-do neighbor, who is dating a rich city guy from Hat Yai (largest Thai city in the south, 20 minutes from where I live). I played the mother of the protagonist in the video, and appear sweeping the yard and talking to the love interest girl at the end of the video, at 3:44 minutes in. ??????????? Mahalai Wua chon [english version] -???????? [Official MV] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwOOqIow6dM

Have you delt with domestic abuse?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Yeah..been there. Good article!

What pets do you have? Show pictures!

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

None now, but had plenty in the US, and recently sold my Asian Fairy-bluebird because I plan to return to the US soon.

blocking a god believer?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Seriously? I didn't know anyone religious was on this forum.

I am a believer in Ancient Aliens.

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Why not? The Sumerian texts, written 2000 years before the Bible-yet tell the same stories, but with slightly changed names of characters, say so, even have carvings showing the (alien) Sumerians working in their labs to genetically engineer humans, and showing rockets and other spaceships in the background. Their story makes more sense that than the Bible one, which seems to have been at least partially copied from theirs while the people of Israel were captives in Babylon. 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?

Can coincidence be explained scientifically?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I believe in Einstein. He said that all matter is really energy. Thus since energy can't be destroyed or created, we have always existed and will always exist in energy form. We contribute to creating our own reality: "For us believing physicists, the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." -Einstein “I regard consciousness as fundamental, and matter as derivative from consciousness." – Max Planck, theoretical physicist who originated quantum theory, 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics

For those who don't care I apologise for the post, however, I would like to thank many of you for ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Congrats! So people really do meet partners on this site. Nice to know.

Is Football too Violent?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I can't watch it now, knowing the permanent brain damage happening with each clash. Same thing happens in soccer, when players use "headers" to hit the ball. Heading a soccer ball causes instant brain changes, study finds http://wapo.st/2fcD4xG?tid=ss_tw=.d24cf2bef894

Are you agnostic or atheist and why?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I'm sort of a blend of both. I don't believe in the Biblical "Hebrew God" or any other diety, but I do believe in "collective consciousness," "Higher Consciousness," or "Source."

Why argue about God or any belief?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

AMEN! Better to live and let live, as long as others do the same.

Who is one of your favorite mythical gods for entertainment purposes?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

I liked Chris Hemsworth better as the dumb, but pretty, secretary in Ghostbusters, but his overly bulked body as Thor annoys me, and they are wasting his talent for humor.

If you have a fried bologna, egg, and cheese sandwich, but on whole wheat, does that make it okay or...

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

"Sin?" If you're used to eating that kind of food, go for it. I would likely have bad reactions to such food, since I don't eat it.

If you met god after you died, what would you tell him?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

If you're talking about our Higher Consciousness, the universe, collective energy, or "Source" as many call the creative energy of the universe, I wouldn't have to say anything because all energy is one, and we are in each other and know each other completely, without speech.

Do you support Trump?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Well, he's a wake up call, inspiring a lot of women and LGBTQ people to run for office now.

A flat earther group is standing in a town square preaching that the earth is flat and the ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Although that's true I don't see the point in talking about it, or even arguing with them. Imagine if you tried that tactic with someone obese, who is eating junk food. You can lecture them all day about eating organic, whole food and taking daily walks but they don't care, and will never do it. They like their lifestyle and are comfortable with it.

Valentines Day coming up.

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Are you sure? Most women don't really appreciate poetry, unless it's personalized, and from someone they care about. Or maybe that's just me. I would prefer chocolate covered truffles over poetry any day, though. Or both. I could listen while eating..

So does anyone care that Britain's Prince Harry is engaged? Does the monarchy matter?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

YES! I care because I object. I'm disappointed that Mehgan ditched her career, and one of my favorite Netflix shows, to join the control freak royal family that drove Prince Harry's mother from the palace. Mehgan Markle has already been attacked so viciously for her race that the palace issued warnings, but that doesn't mean people aren't talking about her anyway.

What in life do you not trust?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

LOL! How to choose just one? Our current government:

Trump Outcomes

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

YES. For one thing, many liberal women and LGBTQ people woke up and started running for political office. He's such a jerk that even the hard core GOP have felt embarrassed by him. Also, the hate memes mocking minorities that proliferated on my Facebook page from "Haiti missionary kid" childhood friends inspired me to dump religion for good.

What do you see as the most important benefit of this site?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Yup. I recently joined two missionary kid (MK) Facebook pages, with one of them for liberal MKs only. No matter what, religion kept coming up, with Bible quotes to justify everything, so I became annoyed and stopped posting there. One of my former Morehead State U. prof colleagues posted the link to this website.

How real does the 7 year itch, figure in you life ?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Boy I sure have it. I'd been living in paradise..southern Thailand, for seven years and loved it here, when I suddenly missed my daughter and wanted to return to KY, although when I lived in KY, I thought it cold and bleak most of the year.

I want to thank @Affinis for giving me this idea (after reading your thread on Lorraine Hansberry).

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

But I don't think about religion at all..not interested in mocking it, arguing with people about it, or reading about it. I see religion as something the powerful use to control people, and worshipers use for coping with life, having been brainwashed since childhood.

Did you ever have a best friend? What earned them the title?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

My best friends? 1.My next younger sister, for most of my childhood, as a snarky sidekick who wouldn't laugh at my jokes, but when she was tickled, the tip of her nose would go down a little, so I knew I'd scored a humor hit. 2. When I was 6-8 my sidekick was the neighbor boy, a little younger than I was. He and I made and shot slingshots together, built tree houses high in the mango trees on the Haiti mission, threw rocks to bring down ripe mangoes, were brats. 3. My best friend as an adult, beside my spouse, was a 22 yr old Thai police lieutenant who tried to hire me to teach him English soon after I arrived in Saraburi, Thailand, but instead I offered to exchange English lessons for free if he also taught me Thai and drove me to the local Thai national parks to go birding. We became hilarious best friends, playing galloper ball soccer for hours each night until the moon rose, cracking political jokes.

Any Birders..? If so, what last caught your eye.?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

White-throated Kingfisher with a common sun skink, near my place, Songkhla, Thailand

Wolf Blitzer Asks an Atheist if She "Thanked the Lord" Oklahoma Tornado - YouTube

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

It's too bad he would even say something like that to someone he's interviewing on TV. How would he like it if a Muslim reporter asked him if he'd thanked Allah for saving him?

Lgbt?

birdingnut comments on Feb 8, 2018:

Yup. I'm demisexual androgyne, also partial transmale. I live as a woman, with androgynous clothing/lifetstyle. I'm pan romantic (can fall in love with anything) but demisexuals only warm to someone sexually after close association of over a year, then only toward that one person. So far, only males have been that persistent, but I'd probably eventually become attracted to a woman as well. Usually though, I'm too active for most women, who don't have the built-in patience of most males.

Anyone else loving the X-files Season 11?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

Cool! Maybe it will soon be on Netflix. Or I can get it on Amazon Prime, since right now they are blocking me from streaming movies to Thailand and can detect my VPN.

What TV shows or movies have you seen recently?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

Just bought a delightful memoir by one of this website's members, Ruth Marimo; OUTsider: Crossing Borders. Breaking Rules. Gaining Pride. I'm halfway through and love it. The last forum I joined (an MK -missionary kid-forum) had a member, Les Arbuckle who wrote his memoir of living in Saigon as a pagan kid, just before the outbreak of the Vietnam war. Another friend of someone on that same forum, Ron Snell, wrote his "It's a Jungle Out There!" memoir series about growing up with stone age natives in the Amazon jungles of Peru. It's a wonder that guy survived childhood, but he did, and the books are a scream, if you aren't squeamish. I usually read several books at a time, so I'm also in the middle of rereading all the James Herriot books, rereading the Misha Burnett Catskinner series, depending on which book comes up first on my Galaxy Note tablet. I'm partway through many other books and might switch to reading them instead, depending on my mood.

If the customer service industry were catered specifically to you, what would it look like?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

In the US I usually shopped online, even if the actual store was in town, since it cost less to ship an item to my door ($1) than to drive my big SUV 12 miles to Home Depot, WalMart, etc. In WalMart I never had to worry about someone bothering me or being too helpful. Usually had to search if I needed a sales person's help. But here in Thailand, I'm totally spoiled. People typically leave you alone. You can peruse sidewalk sale wares all you wish and walk away and nobody says anything to you. Prices are marked, but you can ask for a discount. I seldom do, since Thai prices as ridiculously cheap as it is.

When you are feeling down, lonely, unwanted.

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

YUP! Hey, do you also watch Abraham Hicks on YouTube?

"Socialism has a lot better chance of working in the US than elsewhere since we're the one country ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

LOL! Unless the alt-right movement can be considered a sort of "invasion."

Alan Watts

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

Many of his views match mine.

The perfect Valentine's gift?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

LOL! Chocolates, a bouquet of roses, and dinner at her favorite restaurant are good bets for most women. For me, my ex did all of the above, but my "real" gift was to head for the national forest cliffs to do a few hours of birding. My ex loved to rock climb while I took photos of migrating birds flying over the cliff top.

Keep god out of the workforce.

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

My way of dealing with annoying religious sentiment is to change what people say to something I accept, such as morphing "God bless you" to "I hope the best for you!" Or changing the word "God" in my mind to "the universe," or "my higher consciousness."

What is a common saying or slang that you really dislike?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

Well, DUH!

How can a christian believe in jesus and all the miracles and still understand that Zeus, Thor, and ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

People raised in a particular religion usually accept what their parents and peers believe because they have limited experience. But when they get old enough to realize that Santa Claus is only a story, some start questioning their religious training as well. But most people stuff down their doubts until they leave for college, to avoid conflicts at home.

Dating "Types"

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

I like people who are similar to me. That means people who love to dance, love the outdoors, are intelligent, love to read, love to travel, etc. I don't care if they are slightly religious as long as they are ambivalent about it. These qualities are usually found in mixed gender people. Most femme girls and macho men aren't that way.

Before you were born, you had no consequence on the billions of people alive throughout time.

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

LOL! You remind me of an old movie where a Greek seer brought back to modern times is drafted into being a psychic in a modern carnival. When a giggling older woman asks hopefully about meeting a tall, dark, and handsome stranger, he reads her palm, then says that her life has been meaningless, she will die a meaningless death, and be forgotten as though she'd never existed. Then he walks off, leaving her standing there in shock.

If I may be so bold. Does anyone here count themselves as part of the BDSM community?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

I'm not sure. I did BDSM play with my ex, but it was mostly fake..noisy but painless whips, velcro handcuffs, a foam "sex bed," etc.

What was your Facebook breaking point?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

I began warning Facebook friends (all Haiti "missionary kid" childhood friends) about their hate memes back when President Obama was elected, and defriended a few of them, but when the 2016 election hate memes got going, I ended up defriending most of them. I have a few nonreligious people left, though. The Christian friends left aren't active, and likely have already "unfollowed" me to avoid my liberal posts.

Do you remember where you were when the Challenger exploded?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

I was homeschooling my two kids, and we were excitedly following the shuttle story about the civilian teacher going into space, watching the shuttle launch live. One camera stayed on Christa McAuliffe's parents. Their faces continued beaming with pride even after the explosion because the launch announcer continued giving atmospheric readings, unaware of what had happened at first. It was horrifying watching it dawn on Christa's parents that their daughter was gone. I felt traumatized, but I wasn't the only one-a Sesame Street crew was filming the shuttle launch for the show and their reaction was even more horrified.

Have you heard enough of parents and their depravity in the news in the last 3 months?

birdingnut comments on Feb 7, 2018:

Here in Thailand, if I want to be bored with Brexit news, with occasional US coverage, I watch British SkyNews. If I want to be sickened with scenes of people suffering in Middle East conflicts, horrible human rights abuses in Africa, etc., I can watch Aljazeera. If I want to see cheerful, upbeat, business news, with the latest technology innovations, I watch the Singapore news channel. In the US, the news networks are basically political mouthpieces for one party or the other, hawking bad news about their enemies. I vote for BBC for being the current least biased news outlet, or at least seemingly so.

Christian missionary disappointed to find prosperous Africans

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

After 85% of white evangelicals voted for Trump in 2016, I realized that in many cases, white evangelical = white supremacist. I was horrified when my Facebook page suddenly filled with hate memes attacking Pres. Obama, calling Michelle a gorilla, mocking the LGBTQ community, demonizing Muslims, calling for a wall to be built, etc...all from my former childhood Haiti MK friends. So apparently, these people were in Haiti, a country of black people, to do the White Man's Burden thing . I got busy defriending people, so have few Christian people left on Facebook now.

Evangelical abused by Larry Nassar says 'the church is one of the worst places to go for help'

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Horrible but true. I spoke up about sexual abuse in my (extended) family and was ignored, even attacked, by the religious relatives for shaming the family. But the abuse was done by one agnostic, and one religious person, so apparently beliefs don't necessarily matter to some.

Graves and burial plots?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I agree. Here in Thailand, all Buddhist temples have crematoriums, and even the Thai king was cremated. Kentucky old money relatives on my mom's side of the family are all cremated and ashes stored in an urn, but I think scattering ashes or making someone's ashes into jewelry is a good choice also.

Away from posts that make you think that I am against ALL WOMEN ( which is untrue) What can I do to...

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I can tell you my solution, but you won't like it. Nobody would. After I moved to the US, I began getting such horrendous cases of flu every winter, I thought I would die..couldn't breath, chest roaring and crackling, etc. Then, in my early 20s, I nearly died, so took measures to save my own life; I began eliminating stuff from my diet; first red meat, then white flour, then white sugar, then processed food, etc. Each time I dropped something from my diet, I'd hack up phlegm for days, like what happens when a smoker quits, then I'd have a surge of energy afterward. After I got through going cold turkey on all those main items, my stamina suddenly doubled when jogging, I never had the flu again, all infections stopped, and when I raised my kids that way, they didn't even get the sniffles. I paid no attention even if they played in the snow in their shirtsleeves, since they never had the slightest problem. Pic is of my 8 yr old daughter on my son's horse, Black Jack, pulling my 11 yr old son on toy skis, our farm near Morehead, KY.

After wathcing the Super Bowl post game it definitely looks like God and the Lord Savior Jesus ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Well, maybe God was like me - holding a grudge against the Patriots after their blowing a perfect season in 2008, and Tom Brady choking at the Super Bowl.

See if you can keep a straight face with this one.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

LOL!

My neighbor is an atheist and I didn't know it.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Reading this makes me realize how lucky I am to be living in Buddhist Thailand. Since their beliefs include allowing to people live and let live, nobody bothers me, or even asks about my religion, and my students mostly assume I'm "Christian" because I'm American. On the rare occasions they ask me about my religion, I shrug and say that I don't know. I admit I'm sort of a Christian/Buddhist in some ways, but mostly I don't know, and see quantum physics as my default religion.

Have you ever met a religious person that calls themself a humanist?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Yeah, that's what I considered myself until I ditched organized religion, deciding it was all bunk.

Perfect Vacation.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Where I'm living right now..in southern Thailand, near the beach. Plenty of cool national parks here, also. The pic is my daughter and I at the black crab statue in Krabi, Thailand, Jan. 2016.

Is anybody else a middle child here?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I am. Two older brothers, two younger sisters.

How Has Your Sexual Libido Changed As You Have Aged?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I have a libido stronger than that of a male, I'm told, but as a demisexual, I can take it or leave it. I can have as many orgasms as I want, either a male-like one-quick and explosive, or imagine myself as a female and have a long, slow, building one, or I can imagine myself as both at the same time and have a tsunami climax that about blows my gaskets. But I only "take care" of it when the feeling starts to annoy me-a few times a month-and can take it or leave it. I usually leave it. It was the same when I was married. My ex and I swapped gender roles, did mild S & M, played games, I could dress and act like a dominatrix, but when my husband was gone for the week at his airline pilot instruction job in D.C., he didn't even enter my head. I lived like a single.

Who likes/hates wrestling (wwe)

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I used to think it was stupid until I watched a series on Netflix about a female professional wrestler, and all the planning and choreography involved, and once I saw it as pure entertainment, I LOVED it. But then, I also stop to watch if two beetles are fighting, and will bet on the outcome if someone else is around to take the bet.

What do you consider to be the greatest nation on earth if you had to choose?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

By "greatest" I assume you mean the country you like to live in the most? I'd say Australia, then Thailand. If you mean nice people, Thailand would go first, but I LOVE Australian attitudes.

Do you have any bumper stickers on your car?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I've been living in Thailand since 2010, and only have had a motorbike since. Back when I had a car, I had a few liberal stickers, but don't remember what they were.

Are religious people, those who believe in God generally happier?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I miss believing in someone looking after me, and having a built-in social construct where I can plug in, and suddenly have friends, fellowship, group activities, can jam with fellow musicians, etc. It's more difficult taking responsibility for my own life and mistakes, but OH SUCH A RELIEF!!! After reading about the Sumerian texts carved on the Babylon wall, written 2000 years before the Bible, but with the same stories and similar names for characters, I was overjoyed to find that the bloody, revengeful Hebrew god of the Bible was likely modeled after blood-drinking, "Anu," the head Sumerian god. I'd rather have been genetically engineered by aliens anyway, much more sci-fi, and cool! 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?

Wishing I could get all the religious hooha out of my head that was burnt there during my childhood ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

LOL! Well, at least you have imaginary problems instead of real people trying to burn you at the stake for believing in telescopes, etc. So, at least that.

I am surrounded by friends and family who still ascribe to christianity.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Certain white evangelicals can be annoyingly pushy but luckily, most Americans only give lip service to their religious beliefs, attend church to visit with friends and socialize, almost none read the Bible (good thing, or they'd see such a bloody, revengeful God, it would shock them), especially in urban areas. Where I lived in rural eastern KY, they had their own weird, 18th century-style country churches, with strange, cool beliefs that sound like Celtic paganism, like their song about flying away on a great speckled bird.

What is the non-theist replacement for "I'll pray for you?"

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I usually say I'm so sorry, and add that I'm sending positive thoughts. So far, nobody has called me on it, because, technically, prayer and positive thoughts are the same thing..imagining a better outcome.

Thanks to FB and Agnostic.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

One great perk living in Thailand..most of the people are Thai Buddhists, who accept everyone and leave you alone, and where I'm living-in southern Thailand, near the Malaysia border, the Muslims act more like Buddhists..very kind and tolerant. I haven't been attacked by religious people or criticized by Thai people once since I came here in 2010, but a few Caucasian Christian foreign teachers have tried to "preach" at me for no particular reason. I just distanced myself from them, found excuses to not get together.

What would you say are your highest aspirations in life?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

To follow my bliss, be happy.

Are any people this group interested in talking about stock market / bit coin investments ?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I used to do that stuff, until my ex went behind my back while we were married, secretly losing money on the forex in the middle of the night while I was sleeping. He lost so much money we were wiped out, so I haven't traded since.

Who else was raised as an atheist or agnostic?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Raised by American missionaries in Haiti, but they were also United Methodists, so were into helping people and establishing clinics, schools, a radio station, doing good works, not preaching at people about sin. I never once heard them condemn anyone, or criticize anyone else's beliefs, they treated our LGBTQ relatives the same as everyone else, etc. so were good examples to me. I wish I were half as nice as they were. My dad had some strange beliefs that annoyed me, like that kids shouldn't go swimming on Sunday, but my mom let us swim in our pool when my dad was away.

This quote by Adam Smith the Scottish political economist (1723-1790) said this; "The disposition to...

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Too bad that most people worship power.

I have to have a plumber come rescue me tomorrow and it's gonna cost $90 an hour.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

That's a great idea if you like to mess with tools (I sure do) and obviously, you can make money. It usually takes two to five years to become a licensed plumber, depending on the requirements of your state. Some require technical classes, and all require apprenticeship hours, which can last 2-5 years, which you can complete while taking technical classes. You can check local plumbing businesses to see if they are hiring apprentices, so you are at least getting paid while learning. https://www.ferguson.com/content/trade-talk/business-tips/how-to-become-a-plumber

Stockmarket correction

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I used to use stop loss back when I was trading options.

What's the 1 piece of advice you would give someone about life?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Follow your bliss..do what makes you happy. For instance, if you love to play tennis..play tennis! If you love to travel, don't wait for retirement..you don't know for sure you'll be able to do so in old age.

Do men ever find women with short hair attractive?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Apparently, men usually prefer women with longer hair, as it makes them seem more feminine. Also, women with short hair usually look more attractive if they are also slender and fit, since long hair won't be a detracting factor.

What is your favorite road sign.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I like this road sign, in FL, while I was birding there.

I don't drink alcohol.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I think people drink for the warm buzz they get with the first drink, especially if cannabis is illegal where they live. People want to relax and loosen up, and even one beer can help. But I hear you..I never drank until I was married, then just half a martini glass of red wine after dinner (I grew up in a French culture, in Haiti, although my American missionary parents never drank), because I didn't like the feeling of becoming drunk. But when I first got pregnant, just the sight of wine made me nauseous, so broke me of the habit.

Any classical music lovers here?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Yessirree Bob..I even have my own Chopin channel on accuradio.com streaming radio. And I love opera, and used to attend performances at Morehead State University and the Lexington Opera House, KY. But I love many music genres, and cycle through them on accuradio.com. - I enjoy pop, rock , K-pop, Thai pop, Japanese pop, Latin music, bluegrass, jazz, classical, African, rap, West Indies music, Cuban music, and so on.

Schrodinger's choices.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Because we contribute to creating our own reality. "For us believing physicists, the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." -Einstein “I regard consciousness as fundamental, and matter as derivative from consciousness." – Max Planck, theoretical physicist who originated quantum theory, 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics

Any Birders..? If so, what last caught your eye.?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I've been an informal "birder" since I was seven and began rehabbing baby birds in Haiti. When digital photography became a thing, I began buying Canon camera equipment and documenting sightings with photographs. I even moved to Thailand in 2010 because one of my Thai university students showed me photos he'd taken at Khao Yai National Park in Thailand. Many of my photos are on a stock photo website, so I could claim to be a "professional" photographer. This is a Nicobar Pigeon, photographed on an island at Mu Ko Similan National Marine Park, Thailand.

My ideal body type, to insure possible 4ever love

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I feel ya..male obesity, flabbiness, beer bellies, all turn-offs in the attraction department for many women. Some women like dad bods, though.

Why argue about God or any belief?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

I agree.

How to Ruin Your Relationship

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Hahahahahahaha! That's great!

Insomnia is making my life spiral out of control. Any suggestions?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

One small pinch of catnip powder (Nepeta cataria) can knock you out, so whenever I used it I made sure I was ready for bed. Locals where I lived in eastern Kentucky hills used catnip to put teething babies to sleep. Also, skip chocolate, caffeine, etc. and take a morning walk at sunrise, to reset your thyroid and sync your inner clock rhythms.

Are there any professional, or former professional athletes here?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Yeah..that's why the "big fish in a small pool" situation brings more glory to the athlete, such as a moderately talented high school runner from a small school winning all the races. However, when I was growing up in Haiti as an MK (missionary kid), one of my fellow MKs so impressed me with his rock skipping skills, I got a crush on him and we were "boyfriend/girlfriend" at the annual all-mission summer camp, or when both our families were at the same mountain vacation place. I tried my best to copy his throwing technique, sort of unhinging my arm and drawing it back almost behind me before launching the rock. I doubled my throwing reach, but I couldn't even touch his 40-skip throws out into the breakers along the beach. I thought I was just a "sissy girl" who couldn't throw, but when I mentioned this to his younger brother a few years ago, he just stared at me. "Don't you know that they tried to recruit him for the minor leagues? His fast balls were clocked at professional level speeds." I felt better after that.

Welsh people: Why should you dig English graves 12 feet deep?

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

Why don't ocean sharks attack drowning lawyers? Professional courtesy!

So they ask about the possibility of "love" at this site.

birdingnut comments on Feb 6, 2018:

You sound very happy! Have fun!

Please excuse my ham-handedness at handling this subject.

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

With women, you have to follow their lead, treat them with respect- while showing admiration for them. For instance, when with a woman, notice good things about her, listen to her, remember what she says, such as when she mentions her job, hobbies, favorite bands, movies and books, so that you can reference them later, or invite her to venues you know she'd like. She'll let you know how far you can go, but these days, if you aren't sure..ask. Always be ready to desist in doing anything she begins to resist. For instance, if you are kissing passionately, and you begin to let your hands roam a tiny bit, notice if she stiffens up, and STOP. If you can give her a shoulder massage, or even a foot rub if you're far enough along in the relationship, you will probably gain her favor In this sexual assault accusation climate, best to avoid any "Aziz Ansari" date situations. But as long you're cheerful, polite, and thoughtful, you shouldn't have a problem.

My Memoir

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

Thanks for the tip! I just read the free sample of your book on amazon.com, loved the writing style, and bought it. Finding a great book is like winning the lottery for me..so THANKS for writing it! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZE45LTM#customerReviews

Looking for fun and good conversations

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

Hi, and welcome! Filling out your profile will let others know your interests, hobbies, etc. People here seem to have a range of beliefs, from not believing in anything remotely spiritual, to believing in energy and/or mental connections, but most have rejected organized religion as a valid construct.

Has anyone seen any good movies lately? What would you suggest?

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

Netflix keeps producing original movies and series, and their algorithm, as in Facebook, showcases new content in its pop-up previews that they know I'd probably like. For instance, I keep getting offered quirky new space time continuum movies and shows, and watched one last night.

What is your favorite Star Wars movie?

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

I liked the first the best, but the next two were OK. The prequels were so bad, I lost faith in the franchise, but two of the latest movies, except for the last one, were OK. I don't really mind the Disney Star Wars movies they're making now, because I changed my mindset to thinking of them as cool sci-fi movies, inspired by Star Wars.

Are you good at small talk?

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

One thing I love about Thailand..no silly "obvious" statements, so common in US culture, such as "Sure is hot today," or "Nice sunny day today." These non-statements are meant to let people communicate politely without having to think of anything clever to say, or commit to a more lengthy conversation, just to show friendliness. When I first came to Thailand, I had to fight that non-statement impulse because saying something like that only got blank, or inquiring stares. In general, people leave you alone unless you smile at them or otherwise indicate you want to talk. Even very young children are taught not to stare at, or bother strangers. Also, people typically don't talk on public transportation..even on their cellphones. I quickly learned that when I tried to make friendly chit chat, everyone just stared at me, startled. But since I prefer to read Kindle books during trips, I'm grateful for the peace and quiet. Occasionally someone's-usually a woman close to my age- curiosity will be too much, and they will ask me what I'm doing there (wherever I happen to be), and if I respond in Thai, they usually ask what I do in Thailand. But after I answer a few questions and exchange a few pleasantries, I am free to return to my book-nobody bothers me further. But I can be a chatterbox if I meet someone exceptionally interesting, even overriding my "no non-statements" program, like when I saw a Thai teen near a remote beach village flying an amazing handmade kite that "sang" Thai music when the wind blew across cat gut hairs stretched across places on the kite frame. I was all over him..did he make the kite? How long does it take? Do you sell them? How long have you..? etc. etc. I was quite a pest.

What do men want in a woman?

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

Jeff Foxworthy: Men are simple-they only want two things in life; a beer, and to see something naked! According to the book, "The Rules," and experience, most men are wired as predators- the ones to pursue females. If attractive females of child-bearing age act mysterious, independent, seem busy, accomplished, and not that interested in them, that usually inspires avid pursuit. Men typically want what they can't have. Women heavy in male traits, who chase men, act needy, start planning the wedding on the first date, act besotted with them, etc, usually inspire men to run the other way. Prey that chases the predators are a big red flag. After all, the evolutionary goal of men is to produce progeny through women, and ambitious, male-like women who chase men are less likely to want to devote their lives reproducing them.

It is said that 40 percent of Americans change their religion during the life time.

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

Hopefully...

If you ever attended church, did you ever pay tithe?

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

I didn't become hostile to the Christian church until it turned on me, after my ex left me for a younger woman. Also, the past two elections inspired the alt-right to raise their ugly heads, and many of them were my Christian friends. Until then, I attended happily and also donated, since churches I attended had outreaches to the community; helping immigrants get jobs and learn English, helping single mothers repair their cars, stocking food pantries for anyone in the community who needed help, getting Christmas presents for local charities to donate to poor families, etc, plus they had ski trips for the kids, fun parties.

What’s your most favorite and least favorite sport?

birdingnut comments on Feb 5, 2018:

That depends on if you mean sports I played, or sports I watched and liked. 1. Favorite Sport I played: racing other horses on my Akhal Teke throwback mare (ancient Turkmenistan racing desert breed, an ancestor of the Thoroughbred). Also all the other horse-related activities; driving carts, roping juvenile wild boars in the corn, jumping gates and logs, trail riding, trick riding. 2. Favorite sports I don't play, although I TRIED: Thai sepak takraw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAAmb7KTVc0 A. Sport I don't play, least favorite: American football..too many permanent brain injuries B. Sport I played as a kid, least favorite-hurt my knuckes: marbles