j.man

Honestly, it's pretty rare I ever see a thread where someone just pounded on, and when it does happen, it's typically as close to justified as it gets.

At the end of the day, this is a free forum. No one here is paid. So to some extent-- if not entirely-- we're each here for our own amusement. Some like to play mother hen. Others armchair psychologists. Others are more curt. And sure, there's the occasional ***hole. I'd like to think I don't fit into that most latter category, but opinions are opinions.

Piggybacking off that very idea of diverse approaches, people coming here for advice likewise aren't all the same. Some people might be a day out of a relationship and not open to anything other than consoling words. Others may very much appreciate very concise and practical reflections and advice right on the spot. I likewise don't enjoy being flamed, and I don't get any particular kick out of being a d1ck just for the same of being one. But we all have our own views of what someone should or needs to hear, and we state in whichever way we can be bothered to sit at the keyboard and express.

Also bear in mind that by the content's very nature and the inherent capabilities of an amateur advice forum, very few people are walking out of here with a lifelong epiphany or a brand new sense of purpose worth taking the time to write a review about. Meanwhile the folks who'd expect a forum of free thinking and autonomous adults to by and large conform to the advice they feel they should be getting are likely the type to be particularly affected by hearing what they don't want to hear.

Also, I miss you, LaHermes.

RIP, my guy. Nothing comes close:

Why tell him? I honestly don't think doing so is owning your choices. "You do this; therefore, we are incompatible" is designating the other person's behavior as the affirmative rather than one's own attitude toward it. That but for them amending their behavior, you'd deem them worthy of your effort, rather than you amending yours to accept his. Hopefully you can see why it's problematic, particularly when so early into things.

That's not at all saying you're wrong to have your preferences and to stick to them, but again, in so far as harm isn't concerned, I'd try to take the attitude of "I don't like what he does" rather than "he does something I don't like." I've never identified a woman's harmless behavior when letting her know I don't see us going anywhere. If they enjoy doing something, even if it's scrolling through Instagram models, I'd rather she continue without my influencing otherwise so that she may find someone who wouldn't care while she continues enjoying it.

Your body is ground temp if you can't rock your head to this.

98% humidity when I woke up. Hard to complain seeing what's likely to hit the Carolinas in a few days.

Ladies and gentlemen, it's official...

[video=youtube_share;FRPeYP6gS-s]

Hard to top John Denver, but I heard this cover the other day and it did me in. Gorgeous.

I'm gettin' there. August 31st! Luckily my lady is no bridezilla, but she's starting to feel the pressure.

I'm just hoping for good weather so we can have the ceremony outside at the venue. Will definitely post some pics for y'all.

So this is going to be our first dance song at our wedding next month. Not the biggest fan of the translation, but it does a decent job.

[video=youtube;e2y1-WXJmPo]

We've got some rain but it's unfortunately locked at a drizzle. 90%+ humidity looking to stick around for a few days. Big rainy day apparently coming up Wednesday, which should bring some relief. Always feels a bit wasteful when we got the AC going when it's this mild, but it doubles as our upstairs dehumidifier.

Yeah we're 112 / ~45 (don't wanna do the math) on the humidex right now in NYC. Fiancee wanted to go grocery shopping. Noooooooooooooooooooooope

Woke up yesterday convered in water. Not sweat. Water. Turned out it was 99% humidity. AC and dehumidifier got put to work real quick. Heat wave starting to hit NYC. Not as bad as my time in Florida but I wish it was Arizona dry heat up here.

"Yo contigo, tu conmigo" by Morat ft. Alvaro Soler

Spanish and a bit campy, so might not be everyone's taste, but this popped up while I was listening to the radio while cleaning and I started killin' it. I'd post a VEVO link but it's not accessible for US.

[video=youtube;vqdfQ6QZWc0] ]

25 feels like 34? What do you have, like 230% humidity?

Alien Covenant

First movie I've seen in theaters in a loooooong time. I liked it, but being a little more invested in the Alien franchise than is probably healthy, it was a bit disappointing to see that, while it didn't ruin anything like so many are complaining, it didn't feel like it really took us anywhere. Personally, I think Scott's making a mistake essentially going the direct Prequel / Sequel route. I think the franchise would do much better going the Cloverfield route and expanding the universe with an anthology. There's simply only so much he can do if he's trying to lead us straight back to the 1979 Space Jockey.

In any case, still looking forward to Awakening.

In NYC right now after the mid-March snowfall. Being from Chicago, I hesitate to call a mere 10" a "storm." Surprisingly, this is the longest snow has stuck this year. Ready for it to be gone.

63 (16ish Celsius) here in NYC. Loving it. Just hope I'm dead before Global Warming no longer just makes my winters better.

Cat tried to jump like 10 feet between shelves and missed by like 6.

Air Bud: World Pup

I think it means "I'm a giant dork."

Occasionally, I look back.

To innocence.

To the desert.

To the victims.

To simplicity.

To love.

To home.

All of which I've loved from each of them.

All of which are no longer with me.

All of whom I will always miss.

And though through my life today, my smile holds genuine.

On that one day it fades.

Not for sorrow.

Not for angst.

Not for pity.

But to understand.

Who I am today.

As today changes to today, everyday.

All I've seen.

All I've done.

All I've known.

All I've loved.

Will always be me.

Who I am happy to be.

It's a single step.

Take it.

Breathe free.

Interested to see how people interpret this:

What are we to conceive as a new light being born?

As a beautiful spirit encumbered with adorn?

An aura of pedals emitting from each tiny step we take

The innocence of a gaze lighting paths no darkness can forsake

Devolution from the evolution

Our own freedom no longer the solution

Our maturity breeds a sympathy of contempt

A love lacking solace, of which few are exempt

Ideals exceeding our control

Your independence is now null

I will care for you as you do not

I will carry the flag where those you've loved once fought

In your name, the flashes I ignite will light the night

Their skins will burn and melt, until they no longer fight

You will see my smile, and you will know I am right

This is as you would like, the proof is in my might

Retract from me your hand, and present me your pain

I will heal your wounds with the blood of the slain

Cry not for your losses, nor the conflict you endure

Stand behind me, your safety is mine to procure

The shadow of my wings will keep you from harms way

While inside I die, my feathers taint, and float astray

The blood flows from my eyes

My screams distort my disguise

Your absent stare penetrates my heart

My emotion and conscience ripped apart

And I now know what is true

In that I will never be you

I painfully clench my hopes into dust

And leave my instruments to decay and rust

My love will remain

You and I never the same

I turn to fade, and allow you to rise

And afford you the trust real love should comprise

Unto you, I relinquish my control

And take in the freedom enjoyed long ago

I didn't take as much time to write this one, it was more spur of the moment following a night of bad dreams. Again I won't divulge too many details of the context, maybe you'll get the hint.

It's a fledging light I battle for nightly

My feet travel fast as I grasp it tightly

The soles fade, the gravel digs in deeply

A trail of steps bloody the road behind me

Feeding consuming mists encroaching quickly

The light strips itself from my hands, this cannot be

I watch it escape in to distant lands, I cannot see

I fall to my knees, my soul bleeding from my eyes

My conscience consumes me, muting my desparate cries

And in my hands appears the instrument of redemption

I smile faintly, my heart filled with contention

This is our fault, I have to save them

This is their fault, I have to kill them

I spread my wings in a land where Angels cannot exist

I stagger forward against the winds, awaiting innocence's kiss

I see them smile, I see their hope

When they are destroyed, I can barely cope

My emotions submit to the reality

My feathers shed themselves gradually

With my instrument, I will soothe them with destruction

A vengeance unleashes itself through me, this peace will function

I will hunt them all, this is my decree

If you kill, I wlll kill

My determination will find you, and you will not be

From high up above, I will wait for you to rally

You will stand no chance

I will use your blood for the tally

I stretch my arm out disparately

You have to stop, this is not who to be

How can you not see what this will do to me?

I promise someday you will be dead to me.

My soul lingers closely, the light approaches teasingly

My lungs shatter as I scream as I strip from you my redemption

As you've done, I do unto you

I have cleansed you from myself, your blood covers my face

Never again will I have my wings, your memory I will disgrace

Lightness approaches, my soul enters my being

Eyes open, I am now clearly seeing

At this time, I will be happy, without so much as the thought of you

But you will never die, you will never fade

You have been me, you know where in me you can be

With them, in my dreams we will always meet

But you will never face anything less than defeat

So you may enjoy your stay

For in reality, never again will you play

It's pretty long, there's a back story to it but I'm hoping you can get the gist of it by reading it.

I visited your mother the other day

And on the mantle your picture lay

Hair trimmed tight, smiling bright

Standing proudly in your uniform

Just an image to keep her warm

I looked at her as she looked at me

We both bear the difficulty

In eachother's eyes we only see you

We relive the suffering we've both gone through

What I once would have given to have been there

To have had that one final moment to share

To have put my hand in your hair

To have witnessed your fading stare

To have grasped your quivering hand

To have given you comfort as you lie in the sand

To have assured you that we would soon be home

Never to hint you would soon die alone

You were my hero, you gave me strength

Though you'd seen what I'd seen, your smile never lost length

You were my friend, my brother with a gun

Though you'd done what I'd done, your eyes shone like the sun

You never hated, you never lost temper

When all I could feel was paramount anger

It was something I was so glad and disparaged to see

A level of perfection I could only aspire to be

Not seeing the mask, the unwillingness for the task

I heard the news that your life was fading

Words going up and down, my hopes barely wading

With the end of your span, you were but a man

You were supposed to save me, how could you perish?

Your common thoughts and experiences I was supposed to cherish

Instead you left me, alone with my life

Alone to live with my internal strife

Against the demons, my confidence and will you were supposed to aid

Overwhelmed and beaten, with your death did they fade

Just another soldier dead, a statistic, a number

Among the countless many to violently enter the slumber

My eyes could do nothing but stare wide that night

You were supposed to be the good to return from that land

Damned, you fell, to be absorbed by the blood, the cries, the sand

The words your mother would say that following day will never stray

To hear that what I'd seen in you was but a fraction of what you saw in me

That to you, I was everything a hero could be

To feel the pain, the sorrow, the suffering

To endure, adapt, and maintain my being

While all you could do was smile, your mask glued strong

Never to reveal to anybody that anything was wrong

I aspired to someday accept their faces

While you relied on God's saving graces

To know the confidence, the man I could be

How disappointed you'd be if you'd have seen me

A family maimed, a friendship mutually used, a love badly damaged

My life drowned in immense self-pity

All because I was unwilling to dig up your grave

And reclaim the confidence and faith that I gave

There was so much we had hoped to do

I would be your best man, as you married the woman you loved so true

To see eachother happy, friends growing older

Bound by more than just the bowels of humanity and a patch on our shoulders

I wish I could have introduced you to her

A friend to share my interests and those I love with

But it cannot be, I can't allow you to dwell within me

Once a hero, then a crutch, now simply a memory

Your life has long since ended, mine can no longer be suspended

The sands have taken you, but they will never have me

I have the opportunity to build a life happily

To pursue my prosperity, the objectives and people I love dearly

Where I once stumbled blindly, my confidence guides me clearly

You're the final spec of sand I brush from my heart

As we both travel onward, worlds apart

Soldier, you're a friend no longer

You've served your purpose and I have grown stronger

With my final salute, I bid you farewell

No longer in my heart may you dwell

Tucked deep in my memories is where you will stay

Never again to influence my day

The link has been severed, the desert is but a landscape

Through your life, death, and memory, you have aided my escape

We've both found peace.

Sleep tight.