Thanks & Funnies...

Hi guys,

Sorry I was gone so long but it was due to things beyond my control. Thanks to torchy! and Seth for informing you of my extended absence... it was very kind of them!

Thanks also to everybody who read the interviews while I was away, but especially to those of you that left comments. As you can imagine, I have loads of reading still to catch up on so please forgive me if I don't reply to your comments just this once.

Talking of thanks... thanks and hello to my three new followers; Deadwing, Kiwi and (I think) Sethy. I really do not like this Google Friends thing, it's well crappy and I can't even view people's profiles. But anyway, they're all great guys and they have great blogs too, so please check them out for yourselves. Just click on their name or go to the side-bar.

Patrick's blog; "This blog is my life... my life on this blog" was deleted by Blogger after his debut vlog post but he has re-opened here, so please go visit him.

The final "interview" in the series will be posted on Wednesday. I hope you enjoy reading it as much I did conducting it on MSN with ??

Also, I just want to say that my thoughts are with all of you who are going through a tough time at the moment... and there are quite a number of you. I won't name any names, but I sincerely wish the very best for you all!!

Some funny images:



I hope all had, or are having, a great weekend!!


Take care of yourselves, and each other!

Until next time,

Col

Something For The Weekend...

Hi Guys,

Ok, this is a scheduled post because I'm busy moving etc. and I'll have no Internet connection for 5-7 days (as you know). That means I'm going to be soooo behind on your blogs and sorry, but obviously I won't be leaving any comments for the next week. I'll catch up as soon as I possibly can though, but in the meantime my best wishes go out to all of you.

So, I have "Interviews" scheduled for Monday and Thursday. Please read and comment on them because all the guys have put a lot of time, trouble, effort and personal thoughts and feelings into them!

Quickies:
Thank you to torchy! for his help with my technical thingies, and thanks to aahsazyl too for his help with other technical thingies!

Hi to GTG1, my new follower! I think he's new lol. He appeared when this new "Google Friend Connect" thing arrived, so maybe he'd managed to hide somewhere before that. Anyway, check out his blog by following the link above or in the sidebar.

Talking of links, the following are all new ones so please check them out too:
Peter's Blog (Yeah, he's back!)
Josh's Blog
Mr HCI's Blog
Sethy's Blog
Ken's Blog

And finally, some funnies for the weekend...

While I was driving down the A127 the other day (going a little faster than I should have been), I passed under a bridge only to see a copper laying in wait on the other side with a radar gun in his hand. His mate, waiting in the layby further down the road, pulled me over, walked up to the car, and with that classic patronising smirk asked: "Runway too short?"

To which I replied: "Sorry! I'm late for work."

He then asked: "What do you do?"

I responded: "I'm a rectum stretcher!"

The copper was surprised, and confused: "A rectum stretcher? And just what does a rectum stretcher do?"

"Well," I said, "I start by inserting one finger, then two fingers, then three, then four, and once my whole hand is in I work it from side to side until I can get both hands in. Then, I slowly but surely stretch the hole until it's about 6 feet."

Then the copper cautiously asked: "And just what do you do with a six-foot arsehole?"

To which I politely replied: "You give him a radar gun and park him behind a bridge."

Speeding ticket: £60.00
Penalty Points: 3
Court costs: £45
Look on copper's face: Priceless...

That's gonna hurt!!

That's one sad looking Cat!

Umm... I think I'll just hold it thanks!

This season's BBQ "must have!"

That's all for now folks. I hope you all have a great week!!

Take care,

Col

Comments, Comments and more Comments!

Hi guys,

Now it's not like me to moan and grumble (is it?), but I really feel that I must tonight!

I have to say that I'm disappointed with the lack of comments on Jake's interview. I say this not because I want the comments, but because Jake has taken the time to share his thoughts, feelings and beliefs on some rather personal things and I believe that at least warrants some kind of thanks/comment.

I would have thought that the other interviewees would at least comment, seeing as how their feelings etc are going to be splashed all over these pages soon.

Here's an excerpt from an email I had from torchy! today:

"dunno what's going on in blogworld, i can't believe that i'm the only commenter on your interview, which i thought was fascinating. must be very disheartening for both you and jake."

So, please make an effort to leave a comment... if you feel it's more appropriate to leave it on Jake's blog then please do so! I really don't mind, after all... Jake did all the work.


Sorry for grumbling!

Take care,
Col

p.s the next interview will be published on Thursday.

Interview Update, A Funny & An Optical Illusion...

Hi guys,

Just to let you know that the series of interviews I've been planning to post is almost(ish) ready. I now have five completed and waiting on a further six or seven. I would like to start posting them next week... two per week (one each by a younger and older contributor). That means I have enough for two and a half weeks at the moment, so please guys; get those outstanding answers to me as soon as you possibly can.

Thank you to everybody who is participating in my little project, I appreciate it very much. Also, thanks to torchy! and Musicbuff for their input.

I'd also just like to say "Welcome!" to my new followers (both bloggers btw): Josh and Jason. Check out their blogs please guys.

Well that's about it for the moment, but there's a funny thingy and a clever optical illusion below for you to peruse.

Council and housing association complaints:

The following are real extracts from actual complaint letters sent to various councils and housing associations throughout the UK. What a literate bunch we Brits truly are!

I want some repairs done to my cooker as it has backfired and burnt my knob off.

I wish to complain that my father hurt his ankle very badly when he put his foot in the hole in his back passage, and their 18 year old son is continually banging his balls against my fence.

I wish to report that tiles are missing from the outside toilet roof. I think it was bad wind the other night that blew them off.

My lavatory seat is cracked, where do I stand.

I am writing on behalf of my sink, which is coming away from the wall.

Will you please send someone to mend the garden path. My wife tripped and fell on it yesterday and now she is pregnant. We are getting married in September and we would like it in the garden before we move into the house.

I request permission to remove my drawers in the kitchen.

50% of the walls are damp, 50% have crumbling plaster and the rest are plain filthy.

I am still having problems with smoke in my new drawers.

The toilet is blocked and we cannot bath the children until it is cleared.

Will you please send a man to look at my water, it is a funny colour and not fit to drink.

Our lavatory seat is broken in half and is now in three pieces.

Would you please send a man to repair my spout. I am an old age pensioner and need it badly.

I want to complain about the farmer across the road; every morning at 6am his cock wakes me up, and its now getting too much for me.

The man next door has a large erection in the back garden, which is unsightly and dangerous.

Our kitchen floor is damp. We have two children and would like a third so please send someone round to do something about it.

I am a single woman living in a downstairs flat and would you please do something about the noise made by the man I have on top of me every night.

Please send a man with the right tool to finish the job and satisfy my wife.

I have had the clerk of the works down on the floor six times but I still have no satisfaction.

This is to let you know that our lavatory seat is broken and we can’t get BBC2.

My bush is really overgrown round the front and my back passage has fungus growing in it,

… and he’s got this huge tool that vibrates the whole house and I just can't take it anymore.

... that is his excuse for dogs mess that I find hard to swallow.


And now for something completely different...


Back soon!

Take care,
Col

A little bit o' this and a little bit o' that...

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your responses to my interview request. So far I have five gay guys and only one bisexual guy. They are from the UK (one of whom now lives in New Zealand), the US and Australia. I'm still looking for people in the following age ranges: Twenties, Thirties, Fifties and Sixty+ if anybody else feels brave enough to volunteer. Of course, you can still volunteer if you're not in the above age ranges because your thoughts, feelings and experiences are undoubtedly different to anybody else anyway.

So, in other news... I had my volunteering induction on Monday afternoon and I actually started "properly" today. I was well excited lol (pretty sad eh?), it was nice just to dress up again and have a reason to leave the confines of these four walls.

It took so long to receive my references that Christmas was upon us by then and I had to wait until the new year to get started.

Still no luck with finding a real job at the moment, but I'm always hopeful and I'm staying positive about it.

Now, I'm not what you might call a spontaneous person (unless I've had a few drinks or I'm on holiday lol), and I generally don't make rash decisions, but last year I was watching TV one evening and I suddenly just thought to myself "fuck it!, I'm sick of this shit" and I chose there and then to make a huge change in my life. A choice that will leave me with absolutely nothing at all if my plans turn to shit. The first part of my plan has already been implemented and I'll post some more about it soon.

I haven't posted any random facts for ages, so here's a few unhealthy ones...

I developed Asthma when I was 8 years old.

I stopped suffering with Asthma when I was 13 years old.

I've smoked since I was 12 years old.

I had a severe allergic reaction (never found out what to) when I was 13 and my entire body (yes, even there) was covered in tiny scabs (mmm... scabs). The worst thing was that my mum insisted on me dropping my underwear to all and sundry so her friends and the neighbours could see it. Hellooooo... the scabs on my face, arms, stomach etc. were the same as the ones on my cock and balls. Was there really any need for me to show my genitalia?? NO!
It was so fucking embarrassing, I'm just glad I didn't fancy any of the guys that took a look... that may have been even more embarrassing (wink wink) lol!

That's it really, apart from having some really bad panic/anxiety attacks which I thought were heart attacks because they were so intense and frightening. (This one's more like a fucking story than a fact... feel free to skip it lol!)
Seriously, I could be watching TV, reading or in bed and it would just happen. My heart rate would go crazy, I couldn't breathe, one of my arms would go numb etc.

Now, I'm am so not a drama queen but the first few times it happened I kept thinking "omg, I'm gonna die and nobody 'll know. I'll just rot here!"

It really bought home to me how lonely I am and how empty my life is without someone to share it with.

I eventually went to see a doctor who sent me for a zillion different tests. I was covered by BUPA at the time through my work so I thought "oooh, let's go private... may as well take advantage of it lol", but they took so long because they kept re-scheduling my appointments that I chose to go with the NHS instead. I have to say that they were fantastic, and so quick too.

So, on top of all that stress the results of my chest x-ray showed a shadow on my lung. I was remarkably calm about it, because basically I've always believed that I'm going to die from cancer before I reach sixty anyway... it runs in the family!

Anyway, I had a second x-ray and the shadow had moved. After seeking a second opinion on both x-rays, the specialist concluded that the shadow was actually a piece of fat that was travelling through my diaphragm or something. Wtf? Never heard of that one before. Lol.

Since leaving my job I've not had one attack *crosses fingers and touches wood* (oops! maybe I should re-phrase that).


Take care y'all,

Col
p.s. Do you prefer my new or old profile picture?

Help Wanted: Apply Within!

Hi guys,

I've been really busy lately and haven't had much time for posting. By the time I've finished doing stuff and then catching up (and commenting) on the ever-increasing number of blogs that I follow, I just can't be bothered to post anything myself! Plus, your blogs are a lot more interesting and entertaining anyway lol.

I really should use the 'draft' option more and just add a little at a time when I can, but... hey ho!

So anyway, I know I have to post the Sex Buddy Chronicles and there are some others in the 'Coming Soon' section of the side-bar that I would like to post, but, should I continue with the 'Poor White Trash', 'Spare the rod...' and 'Sibling Rivalry' posts? Have you heard enough on those?

Speaking of coming soon (If I Could Turn Back Time & Choices); my idea is to "interview" on MSN, or it could be done via email too, a number of fellow bloggers about their lives to date as gay or bi-sexual boys/men.

Ideally, I would like at least one volunteer (yeah, like that's going to happen lol) from each age range (teens to sixty+) so I/we can see the differences between the generations with regard to peoples attitudes towards us, the support that was available to us, how we openly or secretly lived our lives etc.

Questions may include, and these are only possible examples, things about:

Do you believe being gay/bi is predetermined or that we have a choice?
Facing and/or overcoming prejudice from family/friends etc.
Your fears/worries about living as a gay/bi guy.
Do you want a family of your own? How/Why?
What support you've received, and where from (if anything was even available).
Your coming out experience, why you haven't come out, why you can't or won't come out.
Your advice to others in the same situation.

Etc, etc.
There will be quite a lot about the choices we make (although I doubt some will see them as choices, but more like reasons).

I would also like to find out, purely as a fantasy thing and nothing to do with an after-life etc;
If you really could turn back time and choose your life, what choices would you make?

Would you be gay/bi/straight?
Would you change your looks, your body, your parents, your siblings, your career, and of course... why would you choose to change those things?

I haven't actually made a list of 'real' questions yet because I don't want to waste my time if nobody is interested, so... If you are interested in being an interviewee, please send me an email. You will not be committed to the project just by showing an interest, but at least I'll know whether the project will be worth pursuing. I will not share your names either, until your interview is published of course. Oh, and don't worry, I will not be asking you anything sexual, or about what you look like, or anything pervy at all lol.

Once the questions have been put together (and If any readers have "proper and decent" questions they would like to see included, just email me), you would have at least two weeks to ponder your thoughts/answers etc. before the interview.

I really hope to hear from bloggers included in both my blog lists, but any gay/bi bloggers are welcome. C'mon, what have you got to lose? You may even help others in the process!

I look forward to a high volume of emails in the next couple of days... ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!


Take care everyone,

Col