I discovered the bi flag a number of years ago. It was then that I took my first step into a much larger world.
A thing so simple as a computer and something we pretty much take for granted now... the internet. It made for (paradoxically) a huge and simultaneously very small world. I had lived a very small existence, mostly alone for my entire life. Oh, I shared my life with a couple of people here and there, but for the most part, my experiences were quite limited.
Then one day, I bought a computer. Two days later, I was hooked up to this new fangled internet thing.
I was 36. XXXVI. ;-)
And now, years later, I've combined that pivotal year in Roman numerals ('cause it's just classier than just "36") with the bi flag. I did it a few years back, without the rainbow effect because I identified closer to the hetero side of the scale. But not so much now. I find rainbows really attractive. In fact, when I see one for real, I feel as though I've been gifted by the gods.
Peace and love to everyone...
Saturday, July 19, 2008
New word (for me)
"Pan-Sexual"
I was over at Queers United a few minutes ago and ran across this term. I like it. It goes into greater depth of meaning than just "bi". However, for the time being, I'll probably continue to use "bi" for simplicity's sake... or until there's a good bit of symbolism and flags and keychains and shirts... or anything else that would identify "Pan-Sexual".
Hmmm... our own flag... any ideas?
I was over at Queers United a few minutes ago and ran across this term. I like it. It goes into greater depth of meaning than just "bi". However, for the time being, I'll probably continue to use "bi" for simplicity's sake... or until there's a good bit of symbolism and flags and keychains and shirts... or anything else that would identify "Pan-Sexual".
Hmmm... our own flag... any ideas?
Peeking Out of the Closet
Just a peek. With a friend.
Yup. I came out to a friend, today. Gods! I can't believe how understanding and supportive she was. She just let me talk myself out.
I honestly thought she might freak out or at least... you know... pull back a bit. But she didn't flinch at all. We started out having breakfast together, just talking about the usual B.S., and I just felt this overwhelming need to tell her.
I told her I wanted to talk about some personal stuff and asked if she'd go with me to the park. I think she thought at first that I was going to like... ask her out or something, but she went anyway.
We sat at a picnic table near the edge of the pond and all of the sudden, I was tongue tied. I just kept hem-hawing around until finally she just told me to spill it. So I did.
"I'm bi. I think", I said.
Like I said... to her credit, she didn't even flinch. She just said that she didn't think there was much to "think" about. If I thought it, I most probably was.
I wish it were that simple... I told her that I didn't mean that I might be bi because I might not be hetero, but I had always thought of myself as bi but recently, I've been wondering if I might not be covering up and hiding from my true identity. That I might not be bi... because...I might be gay.
She leaned forward and sort of half smiled, propping her chin on her hands. "That's really kind of... erotic... you know?", she said.
Erotic?! Ok, that's not exactly the response I expected. Although it's better than what I had feared. Then she asked me why I took so long to tell her. Which was a reasonable question, but I was unprepared for what she followed it up with.
"I mean, it's not like I didn't already know."
What...?
Yeah. Pretty much speechless. If she knew... then...
Oh, crap.
Then she laughed at me... or rather the idiotic expression that must have been on my face. She told me not to worry, that nobody else knew, although a couple of our friends suspected. She said that when I wasn't around and that kind of speculation came up she kind of ran interference for me. Talking up my latest escapades with other women, etc. All in strictest confidentiality, of course!
She told me that when just she and I were talking together, I would let my guard slip a little bit and my gestures, body language and speech patterns were quite a bit different than when other people were around.
Damn. And I thought I had better control over that kind of stuff. She told me that even though I wasn't exactly "flaming", I was substantially more feminine around her but she never said anything about it because she thought that I'd bring it up to her in my own time. But that she never thought it would take so long.
And here I thought I was rushing it a bit. Who knew?
Then she wanted to know details. Did I mention she's the next best thing to a voyeuristic nymphomaniac?
Anyway, I told her little bits and pieces...time enough, yet, to tell her my whole story...
I just wish that everyone who is going through this whole self discovery thing had a friend like mine. I also wish I had more friends like her...
Thanks, Tanji!
Yup. I came out to a friend, today. Gods! I can't believe how understanding and supportive she was. She just let me talk myself out.
I honestly thought she might freak out or at least... you know... pull back a bit. But she didn't flinch at all. We started out having breakfast together, just talking about the usual B.S., and I just felt this overwhelming need to tell her.
I told her I wanted to talk about some personal stuff and asked if she'd go with me to the park. I think she thought at first that I was going to like... ask her out or something, but she went anyway.
We sat at a picnic table near the edge of the pond and all of the sudden, I was tongue tied. I just kept hem-hawing around until finally she just told me to spill it. So I did.
"I'm bi. I think", I said.
Like I said... to her credit, she didn't even flinch. She just said that she didn't think there was much to "think" about. If I thought it, I most probably was.
I wish it were that simple... I told her that I didn't mean that I might be bi because I might not be hetero, but I had always thought of myself as bi but recently, I've been wondering if I might not be covering up and hiding from my true identity. That I might not be bi... because...I might be gay.
She leaned forward and sort of half smiled, propping her chin on her hands. "That's really kind of... erotic... you know?", she said.
Erotic?! Ok, that's not exactly the response I expected. Although it's better than what I had feared. Then she asked me why I took so long to tell her. Which was a reasonable question, but I was unprepared for what she followed it up with.
"I mean, it's not like I didn't already know."
What...?
Yeah. Pretty much speechless. If she knew... then...
Oh, crap.
Then she laughed at me... or rather the idiotic expression that must have been on my face. She told me not to worry, that nobody else knew, although a couple of our friends suspected. She said that when I wasn't around and that kind of speculation came up she kind of ran interference for me. Talking up my latest escapades with other women, etc. All in strictest confidentiality, of course!
She told me that when just she and I were talking together, I would let my guard slip a little bit and my gestures, body language and speech patterns were quite a bit different than when other people were around.
Damn. And I thought I had better control over that kind of stuff. She told me that even though I wasn't exactly "flaming", I was substantially more feminine around her but she never said anything about it because she thought that I'd bring it up to her in my own time. But that she never thought it would take so long.
And here I thought I was rushing it a bit. Who knew?
Then she wanted to know details. Did I mention she's the next best thing to a voyeuristic nymphomaniac?
Anyway, I told her little bits and pieces...time enough, yet, to tell her my whole story...
I just wish that everyone who is going through this whole self discovery thing had a friend like mine. I also wish I had more friends like her...
Thanks, Tanji!
Just a quick thought...
I was passing by the Catholic church today and noticed, again, the attire of the women and girls. They were, without exception, wearing skirts and dresses above the knee and clingy blouses and open toed shoes. Clubwear, basically.
I had always wondered about this in the past, but today... an epiphany.
This mode of dress HAD to have been mandated by the College of Bishops for one sole purpose:
To keep the priest's minds off of the altar boys!
Wow. So simple. I'm surprised I never thought of it before.
I had always wondered about this in the past, but today... an epiphany.
This mode of dress HAD to have been mandated by the College of Bishops for one sole purpose:
To keep the priest's minds off of the altar boys!
Wow. So simple. I'm surprised I never thought of it before.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
What makes a voyeur?
I admit it... I like to watch.
Ok, so big deal... if people didn't like to watch, there would be no porn industry, right? So what what exactly makes a voyeur? Probably the same thing that makes us gay, bi or straight. We're just born that way.
What triggered that "Oh, how erotic is this?" response in me happened when I was 16. I had a job at K-Mart, but no car. I mean the whole experience sucked. I worked for about 4 hours a night stocking shelves after we closed. That meant that I wouldn't get off of work until about 1am. Nobody in their right mind is going to come and pick you up after work at that time of morning. I suppose I was lucky enough that I worked with someone that lived in the same town as I did and could catch a ride home with him.
He was an asshole. I mean, really. He lived on the west side of town and I lived on the east, but he wouldn't take me the last 20 blocks. He would stop at his house and I had to walk the rest of the way.
Well, I ended up thanking him (in my head, anyway...) because one night, as I was walking down the street, I saw a group of older guys hanging out on the corner, a couple of blocks up. I detoured a couple of blocks over and man... I'm glad I did.
I started to walk past this tiny little house, one that I must have ridden past a hundred times on my bike without giving it much thought. I mean, it stood out a little bit, just from the fact that it was so small, yet looked like it came out of the pages of Home and Garden or something. It was a small Cape Cod style cottage with window box planters and blue weathered shutters. It even had a little white picket fence around the flower bed.
Anyway, this particular night not only caught my attention, but stopped me dead in my tracks. I glanced in the front window and saw a couple, man and woman, stark naked in the front room, surrounded by candles, embracing. A car passed by the corner and suddenly I felt very exposed, so I move up next to a tree so I wouldn't be noticed. I really expected it to be a short show. I thought that before they went much farther, one of them would pull the blinds. But they didn't.
They sank to their knees and from where I was standing, I couldn't see very well. The house was surrounded by shrubs with one very tall one right at the corner of the house, where the edge of the window was. Of course, being a horny teenager gives you great boldness, so I snuck up and hid myself between the house and the shrub and peeked in.
What I saw mesmerized me. He was sitting on the floor leaning back against a sofa with his legs crossed in front of him and she was on her hands and knees with her face in his lap. There must have been two dozen candles lit. There were shadows dancing all over the walls but I could clearly see her sliding his rigid shaft into her mouth. She licked and sucked him for what seemed like hours... at least to me hiding in the bushes. After a bit, she stopped and pulled over a footstool and laid across it with her butt in the air. He got behind her and began to lick from the front to the back. She would let out some not so quiet groans whenever he licked across her ass. Then he pulled her to the floor onto her back and knelt above her for a minute. I could actually see a drop of pre-cum glistening in the candle light and I felt... well, conflicted. I wanted so bad to be him as I watched him lift her foot to his mouth and gently suck and lick her toes, then I wanted to be her as he nestled between her legs and thrust his cock inside her. I wanted to feel it from both of their perspectives.
Of course, for most of the time, I had my own hard cock in my hand. I wasn't really stroking it or anything because I knew that if I did, it would go off way before I wanted it to. But I didn't even need to do anything for that to happen, because I watched him pounding her and listened to their animal groans then he pulled out and pumped jets of cum across her stomach and breasts. He cried out almost as if it hurt and knelt there quivering, then finally, he slumped and squeezed out the last drops from his dick.
She said something to him, but I couldn't understand, and she pulled his head down to her cum covered body... and he actually started licking her clean. Oh, wow. I had to bite my lip from crying out myself as my own climax took me... sending my own jet of cum onto the side of the house. My knees had turned to jelly and as I watching him licking the last of his cum from her, I looked down to see my own seed covering my hand. Another wave of horniness washed over me, which just doesn't happen, and I greedily licked my hand clean.
I put myself back in my pants and watched them in the candle light for a few more moments then, when I thought I could trust my legs again, slipped out of the shadows and made my way home.
I made it a point to go by that house every night after that, but it must have just been a fluke. I happen to have been walking by on the one and only night they forgot to draw the shades. But from that moment on, I was hooked. I mean, I figured that most everybody likes to watch, even if the don't admit it, but what I didn't know was just how many people like to be watched while they have sex or just expose themselves.
Some people get off on "accidental" exposure. Flashing some skin and pretending to be completely unaware that they did so. Other people like to look you dead in the eye and show you their tits, pussy or cock... depending... Me, personally, I like to perform solo for other's enjoyment... but my biggest fantasy is to have sex with one or two people in a whole room full of people...
*sigh*
Probably never happen, but a guy can dream, eh?
Ok, so big deal... if people didn't like to watch, there would be no porn industry, right? So what what exactly makes a voyeur? Probably the same thing that makes us gay, bi or straight. We're just born that way.
What triggered that "Oh, how erotic is this?" response in me happened when I was 16. I had a job at K-Mart, but no car. I mean the whole experience sucked. I worked for about 4 hours a night stocking shelves after we closed. That meant that I wouldn't get off of work until about 1am. Nobody in their right mind is going to come and pick you up after work at that time of morning. I suppose I was lucky enough that I worked with someone that lived in the same town as I did and could catch a ride home with him.
He was an asshole. I mean, really. He lived on the west side of town and I lived on the east, but he wouldn't take me the last 20 blocks. He would stop at his house and I had to walk the rest of the way.
Well, I ended up thanking him (in my head, anyway...) because one night, as I was walking down the street, I saw a group of older guys hanging out on the corner, a couple of blocks up. I detoured a couple of blocks over and man... I'm glad I did.
I started to walk past this tiny little house, one that I must have ridden past a hundred times on my bike without giving it much thought. I mean, it stood out a little bit, just from the fact that it was so small, yet looked like it came out of the pages of Home and Garden or something. It was a small Cape Cod style cottage with window box planters and blue weathered shutters. It even had a little white picket fence around the flower bed.
Anyway, this particular night not only caught my attention, but stopped me dead in my tracks. I glanced in the front window and saw a couple, man and woman, stark naked in the front room, surrounded by candles, embracing. A car passed by the corner and suddenly I felt very exposed, so I move up next to a tree so I wouldn't be noticed. I really expected it to be a short show. I thought that before they went much farther, one of them would pull the blinds. But they didn't.
They sank to their knees and from where I was standing, I couldn't see very well. The house was surrounded by shrubs with one very tall one right at the corner of the house, where the edge of the window was. Of course, being a horny teenager gives you great boldness, so I snuck up and hid myself between the house and the shrub and peeked in.
What I saw mesmerized me. He was sitting on the floor leaning back against a sofa with his legs crossed in front of him and she was on her hands and knees with her face in his lap. There must have been two dozen candles lit. There were shadows dancing all over the walls but I could clearly see her sliding his rigid shaft into her mouth. She licked and sucked him for what seemed like hours... at least to me hiding in the bushes. After a bit, she stopped and pulled over a footstool and laid across it with her butt in the air. He got behind her and began to lick from the front to the back. She would let out some not so quiet groans whenever he licked across her ass. Then he pulled her to the floor onto her back and knelt above her for a minute. I could actually see a drop of pre-cum glistening in the candle light and I felt... well, conflicted. I wanted so bad to be him as I watched him lift her foot to his mouth and gently suck and lick her toes, then I wanted to be her as he nestled between her legs and thrust his cock inside her. I wanted to feel it from both of their perspectives.
Of course, for most of the time, I had my own hard cock in my hand. I wasn't really stroking it or anything because I knew that if I did, it would go off way before I wanted it to. But I didn't even need to do anything for that to happen, because I watched him pounding her and listened to their animal groans then he pulled out and pumped jets of cum across her stomach and breasts. He cried out almost as if it hurt and knelt there quivering, then finally, he slumped and squeezed out the last drops from his dick.
She said something to him, but I couldn't understand, and she pulled his head down to her cum covered body... and he actually started licking her clean. Oh, wow. I had to bite my lip from crying out myself as my own climax took me... sending my own jet of cum onto the side of the house. My knees had turned to jelly and as I watching him licking the last of his cum from her, I looked down to see my own seed covering my hand. Another wave of horniness washed over me, which just doesn't happen, and I greedily licked my hand clean.
I put myself back in my pants and watched them in the candle light for a few more moments then, when I thought I could trust my legs again, slipped out of the shadows and made my way home.
I made it a point to go by that house every night after that, but it must have just been a fluke. I happen to have been walking by on the one and only night they forgot to draw the shades. But from that moment on, I was hooked. I mean, I figured that most everybody likes to watch, even if the don't admit it, but what I didn't know was just how many people like to be watched while they have sex or just expose themselves.
Some people get off on "accidental" exposure. Flashing some skin and pretending to be completely unaware that they did so. Other people like to look you dead in the eye and show you their tits, pussy or cock... depending... Me, personally, I like to perform solo for other's enjoyment... but my biggest fantasy is to have sex with one or two people in a whole room full of people...
*sigh*
Probably never happen, but a guy can dream, eh?
Saturday, July 12, 2008
A walk through the mall
I love the mall.
There is such a diverse group of people there... old, young, male, female, black, white, red, yellow and brown.
*sigh*
'tis like a buffet...
Sorry... slightly distracted...
Anyway, the last couple of times I was there, I noticed a thirty-something, somewhat effeminate man there. The time before today, I was with a friend. Even though we work closely together and hang out after work, she still doesn't know my "dark little secret".
I know that she'd understand, but I just haven't worked up the courage to tell her. I've tried, but every time I do, my throat just freezes up and no sound comes out...
Anyway, I went back to the mall today in hopes of running into him again. Being the chicken that I am, I took some advice that I found online somewhere the other day. I bought a rainbow keychain and clipped it to my beltloop, and stuck the colored rings into the top of my pocket.
After I ate lunch, (Love Sbarro...) I headed straight for the bookstore. My heart just leapt into my throat when I saw him. I guess my being a little...um...needy lately gave me a bit of courage. I slipped the keychain out of my pocket and let it dangle out from underneath my Led Zeppelin shirt, then started to hang out in the same aisle as him, pretending to look at books.
In reality, I was using the hell out of my peripheral vision to watch him. Eventually, he looked over at me. I knew he saw my little "sign", when he did a slight double take. I almost froze, but reached down, slipped the ring back into my pocket, then turned and began to walk away. When I did, I gave an ever-so-slight glance back.
My heart was trying to beat it's way out of my chest and my mouth was as dry as cotton. I made my way down the mall to Macy's and headed towards the restroom. Macy's is nice because they have two doors leading into the men's room. And the first one squeaks. Nice alarm system. I went in and walked, weak kneed, to the last urinal. Moments later, he walked in and took up residence beside me. He actually said "Nice day, eh?" I thought...well, in for a penny, in for a pound and replied "It is now".
OMG... how cliche can you get??
Well, I looked down, and saw that he was every bit as aroused as I was. Well, it's been a very, very long time and the next thing I knew, I was squatted down in front of him doing what I've been dreaming about for...well quite some time. I heard him moan, then he began to throb, then...the warmth.
Wow. Took like... two minutes. I would have kept at it all day, but I guess I was just very eager. And, man! Can he kiss! Never been with a guy that liked kissing that much... So when he said "thanks" I knew he really meant it... Unfortunately, we heard the outer door open. I ducked into a stall and he headed up to wash his hands and left before I could even broach the possibility of getting together again.
Oh, well... at least I know where he hangs out.
The bookstore!
And you thought I was going make a play on words and say the restroom...
Silly one...
;-D
There is such a diverse group of people there... old, young, male, female, black, white, red, yellow and brown.
*sigh*
'tis like a buffet...
Sorry... slightly distracted...
Anyway, the last couple of times I was there, I noticed a thirty-something, somewhat effeminate man there. The time before today, I was with a friend. Even though we work closely together and hang out after work, she still doesn't know my "dark little secret".
I know that she'd understand, but I just haven't worked up the courage to tell her. I've tried, but every time I do, my throat just freezes up and no sound comes out...
Anyway, I went back to the mall today in hopes of running into him again. Being the chicken that I am, I took some advice that I found online somewhere the other day. I bought a rainbow keychain and clipped it to my beltloop, and stuck the colored rings into the top of my pocket.
After I ate lunch, (Love Sbarro...) I headed straight for the bookstore. My heart just leapt into my throat when I saw him. I guess my being a little...um...needy lately gave me a bit of courage. I slipped the keychain out of my pocket and let it dangle out from underneath my Led Zeppelin shirt, then started to hang out in the same aisle as him, pretending to look at books.
In reality, I was using the hell out of my peripheral vision to watch him. Eventually, he looked over at me. I knew he saw my little "sign", when he did a slight double take. I almost froze, but reached down, slipped the ring back into my pocket, then turned and began to walk away. When I did, I gave an ever-so-slight glance back.
My heart was trying to beat it's way out of my chest and my mouth was as dry as cotton. I made my way down the mall to Macy's and headed towards the restroom. Macy's is nice because they have two doors leading into the men's room. And the first one squeaks. Nice alarm system. I went in and walked, weak kneed, to the last urinal. Moments later, he walked in and took up residence beside me. He actually said "Nice day, eh?" I thought...well, in for a penny, in for a pound and replied "It is now".
OMG... how cliche can you get??
Well, I looked down, and saw that he was every bit as aroused as I was. Well, it's been a very, very long time and the next thing I knew, I was squatted down in front of him doing what I've been dreaming about for...well quite some time. I heard him moan, then he began to throb, then...the warmth.
Wow. Took like... two minutes. I would have kept at it all day, but I guess I was just very eager. And, man! Can he kiss! Never been with a guy that liked kissing that much... So when he said "thanks" I knew he really meant it... Unfortunately, we heard the outer door open. I ducked into a stall and he headed up to wash his hands and left before I could even broach the possibility of getting together again.
Oh, well... at least I know where he hangs out.
The bookstore!
And you thought I was going make a play on words and say the restroom...
Silly one...
;-D
Thursday, July 10, 2008
My name was Anarchuus
About a thousand years ago, when I was addicted to Everquest, I played (among other things) a Dark Elf Shadowknight named Anarchuus.
He was actually one of the first characters I created. We had a guild called The Heart of Darkness. It was actually a hand me down guild. What happened is what usually happens. A guild is created, is built up to modest proportions then the creator either splits from the guild because he/she doesn't like what it turned into or simply moves on in their life and leaves the game for a shot at real life.
That's what happened to The Heart of Darkness. It was a true, role playing guild. Everyone in character, all the time. Well... in game, at any rate. The original guild perpetrated some true evil that spilled over into other's game playing experience. Violated the rules, in fact... but the guild defended their position by saying that it was simply good role playing and since they were role playing an evil race, they were justified in doing anything that the game mechanics allowed.
Well, eventually, as most things do, people turned over... quit... moved on... whatever. The original guildmaster gave the guild to a real life friend who proceeded to get some more like minded friends together to join in order to keep the guild from being disbanded completely. Then they re-vamped the guild into something totally new. Keeping the name, The Heart of Darkness, the turned it into a guild of light. One that exemplified the spirit of cooperation, fair place, kindness and generosity. What made it unique what the fact that it was still a guild exclusively for Dark Elves, but only those who had been twisted to good!
We maintained our dedication to role playing, posing as an evil guild so as not to be "found out" by the Dark Elf NPC's. Hey! It was role playing!
So, here we walked, all over the land, secretly (as possible) recruiting members of a like mind to our cause... anonymously helping others... creating an environment in game and on our website that fostered a sense of family... of belonging. A race that was generally despised going around helping others and doing good.
Hmm... this is beginning to sound familiar.
For those of you who are out, how often have you gone to the mall, the movies, Wal-Mart... or wherever and had people whisper and point. Sometimes even confront you physically. Just because you don't conform to their "ideal"?
For those of you, like me, who are not out... how uncomfortable is it to be in the company of people who are making very derogatory remarks about someone just because they're not "straight"? Even more so when you are with people who you thought were very tolerant. Who you were actually thinking about coming out to... only to be in their midst with those very words on your lips when one or more of them drop the "F" bomb. No, not the four letter one... the other "F" bomb.
Your limbs go cold and your very breath is caught by what must be a baseball stuck in your throat. All you can think about through the haze of pure panic is that you can't possibly let on that you have any sympathy for the object of their scorn and hatred lest you be next.
Yeah, yeah, yeah... personal experience, ok? It's happened more than once and is really why I'm still so secretive. Because the sympathetic are far outnumbered by the narrow minded haters. Especially here in small town America.
So here we are... in our own Everquest world... again, one not of our own making. Trying to survive walking among those who, if they knew, would attack at a moment's notice... maybe not physically... but there are many other ways to hurt someone.
We seek out those of our own unique kind... or even those who, although they may not share our ways, are understanding and compassionate. Those who would follow the Wiccan rede, even if they aren't. "An it harm none, do as ye will".
If I take a woman behind closed doors and make love to her, nary a word would be said, other than perhaps some good natured ribbing. But should I take another man behind closed doors and make love to him, then a whole lot of people would never look at me the same again. I would find myself with fewer friends... difficulty at work... my invitations to our annual family reunions would somehow get "lost" in the mail... and my car... Man. I know it's only a Hyundai, but it's all I got...
I don't know about anyone else, but I think that if I could, I'd leave this life behind and move somewhere where things aren't so bad. I mean, I know there are haters everywhere, but certainly there must be communities somewhere in this big wide world where we would be not just tolerated, but free and accepted. (No, I'm not a mason...)
I'd love to live in a society where if I had feelings for someone, even if it's just plain, unadulterated lust, I could express it... not bottle it up inside and fantasize later, when I'm by myself, about how the encounter could have been. Where's my towel...
I kid! Well... sort of... I'm really too big of a chicken to put myself out there to be noticed or to approach someone else. What if I mis-read them? What if that "look" meant nothing? If only there was some discreet way to passively let someone know your interests... I mean, the hanky codes are so... out of date. I doubt that there are even that many people around that are even aware that they even exist...
Anyway... that's it for now... off to moping...
He was actually one of the first characters I created. We had a guild called The Heart of Darkness. It was actually a hand me down guild. What happened is what usually happens. A guild is created, is built up to modest proportions then the creator either splits from the guild because he/she doesn't like what it turned into or simply moves on in their life and leaves the game for a shot at real life.
That's what happened to The Heart of Darkness. It was a true, role playing guild. Everyone in character, all the time. Well... in game, at any rate. The original guild perpetrated some true evil that spilled over into other's game playing experience. Violated the rules, in fact... but the guild defended their position by saying that it was simply good role playing and since they were role playing an evil race, they were justified in doing anything that the game mechanics allowed.
Well, eventually, as most things do, people turned over... quit... moved on... whatever. The original guildmaster gave the guild to a real life friend who proceeded to get some more like minded friends together to join in order to keep the guild from being disbanded completely. Then they re-vamped the guild into something totally new. Keeping the name, The Heart of Darkness, the turned it into a guild of light. One that exemplified the spirit of cooperation, fair place, kindness and generosity. What made it unique what the fact that it was still a guild exclusively for Dark Elves, but only those who had been twisted to good!
We maintained our dedication to role playing, posing as an evil guild so as not to be "found out" by the Dark Elf NPC's. Hey! It was role playing!
So, here we walked, all over the land, secretly (as possible) recruiting members of a like mind to our cause... anonymously helping others... creating an environment in game and on our website that fostered a sense of family... of belonging. A race that was generally despised going around helping others and doing good.
Hmm... this is beginning to sound familiar.
For those of you who are out, how often have you gone to the mall, the movies, Wal-Mart... or wherever and had people whisper and point. Sometimes even confront you physically. Just because you don't conform to their "ideal"?
For those of you, like me, who are not out... how uncomfortable is it to be in the company of people who are making very derogatory remarks about someone just because they're not "straight"? Even more so when you are with people who you thought were very tolerant. Who you were actually thinking about coming out to... only to be in their midst with those very words on your lips when one or more of them drop the "F" bomb. No, not the four letter one... the other "F" bomb.
Your limbs go cold and your very breath is caught by what must be a baseball stuck in your throat. All you can think about through the haze of pure panic is that you can't possibly let on that you have any sympathy for the object of their scorn and hatred lest you be next.
Yeah, yeah, yeah... personal experience, ok? It's happened more than once and is really why I'm still so secretive. Because the sympathetic are far outnumbered by the narrow minded haters. Especially here in small town America.
So here we are... in our own Everquest world... again, one not of our own making. Trying to survive walking among those who, if they knew, would attack at a moment's notice... maybe not physically... but there are many other ways to hurt someone.
We seek out those of our own unique kind... or even those who, although they may not share our ways, are understanding and compassionate. Those who would follow the Wiccan rede, even if they aren't. "An it harm none, do as ye will".
If I take a woman behind closed doors and make love to her, nary a word would be said, other than perhaps some good natured ribbing. But should I take another man behind closed doors and make love to him, then a whole lot of people would never look at me the same again. I would find myself with fewer friends... difficulty at work... my invitations to our annual family reunions would somehow get "lost" in the mail... and my car... Man. I know it's only a Hyundai, but it's all I got...
I don't know about anyone else, but I think that if I could, I'd leave this life behind and move somewhere where things aren't so bad. I mean, I know there are haters everywhere, but certainly there must be communities somewhere in this big wide world where we would be not just tolerated, but free and accepted. (No, I'm not a mason...)
I'd love to live in a society where if I had feelings for someone, even if it's just plain, unadulterated lust, I could express it... not bottle it up inside and fantasize later, when I'm by myself, about how the encounter could have been. Where's my towel...
I kid! Well... sort of... I'm really too big of a chicken to put myself out there to be noticed or to approach someone else. What if I mis-read them? What if that "look" meant nothing? If only there was some discreet way to passively let someone know your interests... I mean, the hanky codes are so... out of date. I doubt that there are even that many people around that are even aware that they even exist...
Anyway... that's it for now... off to moping...
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