Sexual Orientation

[bert425]

I haven't posted on this site in a long time. But, I thought I'd share how far I've came. In 7th grade, I came out to one of my friends. In 8th, most of my friends knew. This past year I have came out to my entire family, and they have all met my boyfriend of 9 months. In just one year, I've came such a long way. I never imagined that I would be at this point, at least this early.

 

That's really wonderful.

 

wishing you continued happiness together!

[Philrad71]

Love the photos, guys!

 

And congrats to the two other younger members of our group - thank you for sharing your stories!

[Diamondbacker27]

Thank you guys so much!

[jynx242]

A couple of things....

 

Bert - I LOVE Mercedes Lackey's books. Been reading them for years.

 

For YAY and DIAMONDBACKER - take this from me. During your coming out process and after - you will find some AMAZING new friends. Simply AMAZING. You are young and have everything in front of you. It's hard to see now, but you will get to create the life that you want as you get older, get out of school, etc.... I know it is very rough right now, but please trust me - the best is totally yet to come!!!!!

[bert425]

^^ I'll pass along your comment, when I see her at the end of Oct (Hyperion is flying her in for some young adult bookfest thing in town). She loves when fans enjoy her (and Larry's) work. Of course, I've never read her books.. LOL..it's why we can be friends and hang out, since I don't ask questions about the stories

 

(here we are from a couple of weeks ago in Atlanta)

[xVicesAndVirtues]

Very interesting thread, here! I've read through some of the pages and who knew there were SO many gay coaster enthusiasts in this world.

 

I'm a gay guy, and I've seen a lot of posts where people kind of have that asterisk of "...but I don't look/act/show it". I used to subscribe to this sort of thinking when I was younger, living in one of the smaller cities in upstate New York. So much has changed since getting a little older and moving to Orlando about 6 years ago. This is one of the most gay-friendly cities I've visited and it's a great place to learn other cultures and in turn, learn more about yourself. Sometimes you can find me working under the hood of a car. Sometimes you can find me dancing at Parliament House.

 

I guess sometimes you could call me straight-acting, I guess sometimes you could call me gay-acting. I'm me. You be you.

[bert425]

Very interesting thread, here! I've read through some of the pages and who knew there were SO many gay coaster enthusiasts in this world.

 

I'm a gay guy, and I've seen a lot of posts where people kind of have that asterisk of "...but I don't look/act/show it". I used to subscribe to this sort of thinking when I was younger, living in one of the smaller cities in upstate New York. So much has changed since getting a little older and moving to Orlando about 6 years ago. This is one of the most gay-friendly cities I've visited and it's a great place to learn other cultures and in turn, learn more about yourself. Sometimes you can find me working under the hood of a car. Sometimes you can find me dancing at Parliament House.

 

I guess sometimes you could call me straight-acting, I guess sometimes you could call me gay-acting. I'm me. You be you.

 

welcome to this area of the TPR forums. . LOL

 

(and to the thread)

[Diamondbacker27]

A couple of things....

 

Bert - I LOVE Mercedes Lackey's books. Been reading them for years.

 

For YAY and DIAMONDBACKER - take this from me. During your coming out process and after - you will find some AMAZING new friends. Simply AMAZING. You are young and have everything in front of you. It's hard to see now, but you will get to create the life that you want as you get older, get out of school, etc.... I know it is very rough right now, but please trust me - the best is totally yet to come!!!!!

It's only been one summer and I find this to be the truth, I have gained at least a good twenty or so friends. Many, many of these friends are also in the LGBT community. This probably has something to do with a new job as well, but I'm certainly enjoying it!

[jynx242]

Very interesting thread, here! I've read through some of the pages and who knew there were SO many gay coaster enthusiasts in this world.

 

I'm a gay guy, and I've seen a lot of posts where people kind of have that asterisk of "...but I don't look/act/show it". I used to subscribe to this sort of thinking when I was younger, living in one of the smaller cities in upstate New York. So much has changed since getting a little older and moving to Orlando about 6 years ago. This is one of the most gay-friendly cities I've visited and it's a great place to learn other cultures and in turn, learn more about yourself. Sometimes you can find me working under the hood of a car. Sometimes you can find me dancing at Parliament House.

 

I guess sometimes you could call me straight-acting, I guess sometimes you could call me gay-acting. I'm me. You be you.

 

Hey, a neighbor!

 

I like the way you put this and I am exactly the same way (car repair and P-House )

 

David

[jynx242]

I was fortunate enough to marry my best friend on October 29th I'll have some pictures to post soon. We had a Disney inspired wedding (Tigger and Maleficent) and it was a great even.

 

I'm now broke with a capital P-O-O-R, but it was definitely worth it.

 

Now we just need to figure out where to move to get out of this backward and redneck state to somewhere where we will be safe and comfortable

[Jason Maier]

Well . . . I'm asexual.

 

I've always felt that way . . . even when I was younger and didn't know the term or what it meant.

[bert425]

I was fortunate enough to marry my best friend on October 29th I'll have some pictures to post soon. We had a Disney inspired wedding (Tigger and Maleficent) and it was a great even.

 

I'm now broke with a capital P-O-O-R, but it was definitely worth it.

 

Now we just need to figure out where to move to get out of this backward and redneck state to somewhere where we will be safe and comfortable

 

Congratulations.

 

(although, there is no moving anywhere safe and comfortable now,unless you are considering Canada).

[bert425]

personally, I got about an hour of sleep last night, and have spent most of the morning in tears that simply won't stop coming.

 

and my friends reaching out and saying they are sorry and that they didn't think of any consequences other than voting their conscience, and that they are "here" for me?.. yeah. . too raw right now to deal with that.

 

but all my brothers and sisters (and in between) in this thread.. . i'm thinking of all of us, and doing some praying.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Cross-Border HUGS.

[TheCoasterKid211]

^ I am so freaking jealous of you right now.

[Nrthwnd]

^ And in a wierd parallel way, like the Bushes...

 

"The Son Shall Succeed the Father".

 

Eventually. Or something like that.

 

Still. Go Trudeau!

[Diamondbacker27]

I was fortunate enough to marry my best friend on October 29th I'll have some pictures to post soon. We had a Disney inspired wedding (Tigger and Maleficent) and it was a great even.

 

I'm now broke with a capital P-O-O-R, but it was definitely worth it.

 

Now we just need to figure out where to move to get out of this backward and redneck state to somewhere where we will be safe and comfortable

Congrats!

[Philrad71]

I was fortunate enough to marry my best friend on October 29th I'll have some pictures to post soon. We had a Disney inspired wedding (Tigger and Maleficent) and it was a great even.

 

I'm now broke with a capital P-O-O-R, but it was definitely worth it.

 

Now we just need to figure out where to move to get out of this backward and redneck state to somewhere where we will be safe and comfortable

 

Great news, David...so happy for you and your partner!

 

 

 

I wish that I could provide a good update on here too, but things have not been good with Michael - hence why I haven't been on here for a while.

 

On October 14th, he went in to have surgery to have the cancerous bile duct removed and replaced with a portion of his small intestine. Once they got him open, they found cancer had reached into the liver and pancreas, so what was thought to be a 2-5 hour procedure turned into a 12 hour procedure.

 

The next evening, I get a call at home saying around midnight saying that they had to rush him back to surgery as his BP had dropped and he appeared to be bleeding internally. They were able to find a nick in his aortic artery from the previous days risky surgery.

 

Just when he was starting to recover from all that, he had another setback last Friday when they were getting him up take him into the bathroom. His BP dropped again and he fainted. Doctor found blood going into all four of his abdominal drains so back into ICU he went.

 

Last Tuesday they had him sitting up and the same thing happened, only this time his heart stopped beating. They were able to bring him back, but on Friday he had to go back into surgery where this time they found bleeding around one of his drains.

 

Today they took him off the ventilator and he has been doing okay. Given that he has two other drains going behind organs, the doctor couldn't check those during yesterday's procedure - we certainly hope that those are not bleeding because there is no way that he would be strong enough to have that type of exploratory surgery.

 

Last night on the way home, I got severe abdominal cramps and have spent the past 12 hours battling some sort of stomach bug. Given that, I cannot drive out to Buffalo today to see him. I hope that it was something that I ate, but I can't take any chances with passing along any type of virus.

 

This catastrophe combined with the election results have me wondering if I am really living a true nightmare?

 

All I can say is: F%ck 2016. F%ck it all to hell.

[bert425]

So sorry to hear this Phil.

 

Good news that he's currently off the ventilator and improving. . I really hope things continue in this direction (this time).

 

Sending lots of good vibes and thoughts y'all's way.

 

(and get over the stomach bug soon! likely exacerbated by the stress of the whole situation - not to mention the stress of the week )

 

but thinking of you both, and hope things will trend positively!

 

hugs,

bert

[Nrthwnd]

Sorry Phil, I would have responded sooner, but I honestly didn't know what to "say" to you.

 

But. I am sad. I do hope Michael pulls out of this. I hope you do, too.

 

Big Hugs. Squeezy Ones. Thinking of you both.

From me and David.

[jynx242]

Phil - I'm sending all the well wishes and good juju at my disposal your way!

 

Hope things get better quickly!!!

 

David

[Philrad71]

Thanks a lot guys....your caring comments and well-wishes really mean a lot.

 

Good news is that they were able to get him into a chair yesterday for a couple of hours and there was no bleeding. Bad news is that there is so much fluid build-up in his lung cavity and abdomen that he is too weak to even talk. They are giving him meds in hopes that he can "pee it out" but if that doesn't happen quickly enough, they are going to extract the fluid through his back and abdomen.

 

Luckily my stomach issue may have just been something I ate. I am still a stressed-out hot mess, but we'll take any positive steps forward at this point.

 

Time to get showered and head back to Buffalo...

 

 

Thanks again...even though I have never met any of you, I know that you are very kind & caring guys. Hopefully we can get through this and maybe we can all meet one day at a park and/or go out for a beverage or two of your choice - on me.

[bert425]

^ on you?

 

[Nrthwnd]

^ He said beverages.......not sushi.

 

Hey Phil - hope things are improving for Michael as time rolls on.

[bert425]

^ He said beverages.......not sushi.

 

Hey Phil - hope things are improving for Michael as time rolls on.

 

one has to drink sake with sushi

 

(and trying to lighten his stress level a bit!).