Kevin's Watch

I've considered creating an online ID that was totally separate from my rl, completely fictitious, etc but who has the energy for all that just so I can use the f word on occasion? I can think it when I really need to, and somehow that's enough. I really don't have any weird fetishy attractions or anything else to be embarrassed about-- at least, nothing the least bit interesting-- so I've never bothered.

But it does make me wonder if we have Watchers from countries where their opinions could be of interest to government meanies who could ruin their lives or something.... hmm... It seems like most of us hail from places where we can dis our Prez or PM or whoever and not go to jail or disappear. Thank God.

Skyweir wrote: So doxxed is weird .. does it translate as an acronym for something else?

Etymologically, it's basically an internet-y abbreviation of documents.

I'm not worried about government meanies. Would rather my psycho ex-neighbor not find out where I live or work. No reason to think he's stalking me again, but probably best to avoid tempting the creep.

And then there's the fact that I'm mostly out of the closet when it comes to the folks I interact with online - my family doesn't know and I'd rather keep it that way, though realistically, what are they going to do at this point, disown me?

Sorus wrote:Etymologically, it's basically an internet-y abbreviation of documents.

Interesting

Sorus wrote:I'm not worried about government meanies.

Luckily you dont work for the government .. cos if you did .. youd be a tad concerned. I had a top secret security clearance and they monitor your everything .. your internet activity, everything. But for good reason of course.

Though I met someone once who was an immigrant from Iran I think it was .. some years ago now .. and he operated in a constant state of terror for fear his government learning about him. He left his religion .. and was a former Iranian government employee of significance. So he had reason to fear. But ugh .. what a way to live .

Would rather my psycho ex-neighbor not find out where I live or work. No reason to think he's stalking me again, but probably best to avoid tempting the creep.

This is a very compelling reason to NOT be on facebook or any medium that is traceable. Women escaping domestic violence, persons stalked etc .. definitely must safeguard their privacy. Totally get that. No question.

And then there's the fact that I'm mostly out of the closet when it comes to the folks I interact with online - my family doesn't know and I'd rather keep it that way, though realistically, what are they going to do at this point, disown me?

Why would your family ever disown you Sorus?? You must be a joy to your parents. Youre independent, got your life in place, strong, smart, capable etc. If I was your mum Id be as proud as punch. There is nothing ... NOTHING about you that is disownable. LOL .. and I know you were only joking .. but .. nothing disownable at all.

Skyweir wrote:...out in the middle of whoop whoop .. who looks after animals for a living?

You seen that movie? Welcome To Whoop-Whoop?

Pretty funny.

As for me, I feel like it's been a quiet day on the Watch.

--A

It has been a bit quiet lately ..

But maybe people are busy hibernating

Skyweir wrote:It has been a bit quiet lately ..

But maybe people are busy hibernating

I'm going to tell my boss that I need the rest of the month off for hibernation. Think that would fly?

Skyweir wrote:Why would your family ever disown you Sorus?? You must be a joy to your parents.

Ehhh..... Not so much. I've made my peace with most of that, though a certain skill for walking on eggshells will always be necessary when dealing with my mother. I was 29 when I came out to her. It was sort of a accident, but I really thought she knew and it just fell under things we don't talk about. She did not know. She did not take it well. I think she has pretty much accepted it at this point, but it took several more years of being a thing we don't talk about. I don't ever intend to tell my father - that side of the family is pretty conservative and he's a virtual stranger to me.

Man, that whole idea just does my head in...why would people even care? Guess it's just an attitude that's completely alien to me.

As for me, well, it's Thursday. Our newly hired project manager is looking promising, which is nice, since I pushed for his hire and if he performs well, I will look good.

Otherwise, mostly good, except I have to do a conference call today with some new developers quoting on a project, and I hate doing that.

--A

Man thats shit Sors. I totally love everything about you Sors .. nothing worse than walking on egg shells .. Ive had my own egg shells to walk on and it was awful ..

Well were your family .. fuck that for a joke. Sorry but her loss. It pisses me off that a person cant be themselves for fear of judgement, awkwardness or worse of all rejection.

I have two absolutely gorgeous gay kids .. who I adore. Im a mother and I cant imagine anything that would stop me from .. lol .. literally worshipping my kids. And there not all mine .. the gay ones are but I love all of them.

As a daughter thats what you deserve .. to be loved and adored, its as it should be. This makes me very angry ..

Avatar wrote:Man, that whole idea just does my head in...why would people even care? Guess it's just an attitude that's completely alien to me.

Absolutely none of my friends have cared, but family is just a whole 'nother kettle of snakes.

Well, it's true what they say...you can't choose your family. (And I should know. )

At least it's Friday.

--A

True on both counts.

And like I said, I've mostly made my peace with it. It would definitely make stuff like Facebook very awkward though - I know people in my situation who have separate accounts to juggle the whole friends vs. family thing - which still seems risky. I know I'd end up posting something on the wrong one.

So true.

I've intentionally not accepted FB friend requests from some relatives, in-laws, and former Scouting associates because Dam-sel, Menolly, and I are fairly open (no TMI, of course) about our household structure, and there are folks who just would not understand.

We are what we are, but not everyone is ready to accept that. Too bad, since each of us is happier and socially better adjusted than before. We want to represent and help gain acceptance for this kind of structure, but we won't be martyrs to do so.

Well youre pioneers of your own structure. Its good that you embrace that and have each other. Thats your family unit. And family units come in all shapes and sizes.

It's really pretty amazing how far we've come just in the past few years in terms of not caring what consenting adults do among themselves and whatnot, but we're not all the way there yet.

No .. youre right Sors .. were not all the way there yet .. the hardest part of getting there is the journey. I always hope that as humans enlightenment is a big part of that journey and for some I think it is .. but for others .. not so much

And yet we still must push on .. progress is not a static concept .. and it is very much a verb .. which denotes .. doing .. and effort and movement ..

There is hope for us yet

Skyweir wrote:.. progress is not a static concept .. and it is very much a verb ..

I like this; indeed, I like this enough to consider it my "Thought for the Day"!

You are most welcome

Feeling pretty good.

hierachy wrote:Feeling pretty good.

Hi hierachy! I don't know you much, but I've read some of your posts. Good ta see you around.

Sorus wrote:...in terms of not caring what consenting adults do among themselves and whatnot...

Y'know, there was a lady who came and spoke in my area recently, and she said that, back in the day, one thing that BUGGED her most about Christians was why should they care so much about what consenting adults do?
(there was one other thing too, I think, but I forgot what it was...)

She also told us that with regards to hospitality, Christian homes were supposed to be crisis centers... and that compared to the gay & lesbian communities in the '90s, (brought together by the AIDS crisis) the hospitality of Christians in America makes a pretty bad showing.

"You (plural) are starving, (for relational depth in your communities) and you don't know it."
(Then, she made a comparison to how when a starving person starts to eat food, at first he or she feels worse.)

A few years back, I read a person's comment on a dialogue about sexuality that... had the potential to be tense and polarized... "If I could sit down and talk to you over a cup of coffee, I'm sure this conversation would go so differently."
(of course my first thought was, "she thinks she'd be able to persuade the other person then!" second thought was about the utter wisdom and sanity of the actual thought about how the conversation would be different...)
I have been thinking about that for the past week or so, and want to go see if I can find it again.

I don't often send FB friend requests to RL friends who are local to me... if I can see someone face-to-face or call someone, that's better so why use Facebook?
Reason to not friend them... I don't want a contingent of people who are going to cheer and say "wow, that's great!" if I decide to share thoughts about things very close to my heart; they will just enrage my friends who disagree with them.

Sorry I write nothing for a long time and then a long post like this...
...but to wrap it up...
...if I ever leave Facebook, I'm going to joke with myself that I've "retired from public life."
(a reference to how in stories from a couple hundred years ago where maybe people in the British aristocracy or otherwise born into the high-class social world of London... would retreat from all that stressfulness and live a more private life. I make this joke because in a way, that's what the "see and be seen" of social media has become for some... or at least what it feels like.)
So if you can take that quirky narrative Sorus for yourself, there you go: "retired from public life."

hierachy wrote:Feeling pretty good.

Awesome sauce hierachy

Great to hear and read