(December 18, 2014 at 7:42 pm)Beccs Wrote:

Browncoats for life.

You know, it's not lowbrow or anything but I kind of forgot that I somewhat hide the fact I participate in a forum mostly filled with social misfits. I don't really talk about this forum to my girlfriend or friends. I guess I'm just pretending I'm too cool to be part of an online forum.

Hmm.. I don't think I'm too cool for an internet forum. I just have the bias that real is better than cyber. But then I develop rapport and affection for people who I can only communicate with through a 2 D screen. Yeah it is a kind of guilty pleasure.

I don't hide the fact that I come here.

Hell, at the beginning of this year I was in New York on a course and there were others from other countries and many Americans on the course as well.

After orientation we went outside and a couple of the others from the South said they were going to look for a church to pray in and did I want to come along?

I said, no, I'm an atheist and the look I got from some of them . . .

They were decent enough not to make any smart arse comments about it except one who said, "You shouldn't say that out loud!"

We all go along and I still communicate with several of them.

I kind of hide the fact that I'm an atheist to my students. But I'm out with faculty whenever it comes up.

Once a friend who is Jewish said to me how she didn't think most people knew how the omnipresence of Christmas wore on jews. I told her that was nothing to how all of it wears on those without religion. We're still friends. She is cool.

(December 18, 2014 at 10:57 pm)whateverist Wrote: I kind of hide the fact that I'm an atheist to my students. But I'm out with faculty whenever it comes up.

Once a friend who is Jewish said to me how she didn't think most people knew how the omnipresence of Christmas wore on jews. I told her that was nothing to how all of it wears on those without religion. We're still friends. She is cool.

As much as I dislike the phrase, I'm still in the closet. Being out around here means personal and professional repercussions, and I'm not ready to deal with those. Also, I'm considering getting an alternative teacher's license for secondary education next year and being open with my beliefs (or non-beliefs) would effectively rule out any chance of me getting a local position.

That's the sad fact of living in an area as rural and religious as mine. The isolation is not fun.

My guilty pleasures:

1) Friends. I'm actually watching it right now, and I even occasionally watch the Joey spinoff.
2) Big Brother
3) The way I have full on conversations with my dog when no one's around.
4) Freakin Haribo Gummi-Bears.

I'm also guilty of 3 and 4. I tell my dog how much I love her all the time. She does the same but with fewer words.

(December 18, 2014 at 11:02 pm)SteelCurtain Wrote: 3) The way I have full on conversations with my dog when no one's around.

I totally forgot about conversations with my cat. He's a good listener...until he isn't.

(December 18, 2014 at 3:18 am)whateverist Wrote: Me? None. But you all must have a skeleton or two. Lets get it all out. You'll feel better and the rest of us can get a good laugh or two out of it.

<snip>

Anyone else?

Anyone?

Anyone?

I can't tell you how many skeletons there may or may not be.

... but I do have a city....