I'm ten-years-old!

Congratulations, GC, on putting up with a decade of this particular knucklehead's antics! ; )

I was wanting to share a Dunbar poem here, but decided to pass at the last minute. Either We Wear the Mask or Sympathy. But those just aren't right, are they? No need for masks or sympathy here. But we are still singing, aren't we? The voices have changed over the years. Sometimes it's the newer voices, yeah, but more noticeable is when those older, familiar voices change their tone. And sometimes change their tune.

But what makes us not relate to Dunbar's work- as decent as it is- this is one of the most important things GC has always meant to me: here we have a place where anyone can be comfortable in their own skin. Openly comfortable, I mean, without any risk of losing our jobs or possibly things more important. Here we have a public venue to acknowledge that many of us are, indeed, as free as we need to be. That is certainly not the tune the bigots would expect from us! I know why the caged bird beats his wing, till its blood is red on the cruel bars; not me, bro!

Some would argue that many of us do wear masks in the public eye. While that is true, what does it matter when everyone wears masks? Yes, everyone! See, ours is not the mask of oppression Dunbar talks about. Instead, it is the mask we all look at on every person each day. I was at the bank today and the teller was clean cut, sharply dressed, professional mannerisms, very friendly. He's been working at the bank for a while, which means he's probably trustworthy. That's all he'll let me know about him, and that's all I need to know. All these qualities make him a damn good banker. For all I know, thinking of sodomizing a dead clown might help him greet me with a smile. I don't care, your mask sucks, where's my receipt? And life goes on. We're a part of that same everyday phenomena, we really are. Internally, and this applies to anyone, it all boils down to being comfortable with who you are. That's important, but what a random bigot might think means nothing. Damn right I'm a paedophile, and I'd not rather be anything else!

And then there is the other most important thing GC has meant to me. There are obviously times when this life can be difficult. During those hard times...there is always others here. I just wanted to thank GC in general for all it has taught me, and all it has allowed me to share in return.

By the way, I just checked back to my original post. Interestingly, I was responding to the question I was wondering how many people here told their parents they're girllovers and how did your parents react to it or how do you think your parents would react? My answer: Actually, I thought about telling my Mom a few times. Now there's a mask I took off a few years ago! Went as terrible as I expected it might initially. But now I wouldn't undo that decision if I could. : ) I'd rather not be anyone else. And, hey, she put up with my antics for three times as long as you lot! : P

Sorry, this went on much longer than I was expecting it to. But, hey, how often do you get to make a post like this? You all keep doing it your way! Here's to many more!