What weird thoughts have kept you awake recently?

birdingnut comments on Apr 17, 2018:

Hmm...you could try taking an early morning walk to reset your thyroid and sync your sleep rhythms with the sun. Avoid chocolate and caffeine, eat organic food, avoid drinking pop and other chemically loaded food. Eat fish and fresh produce. If you can't sleep because you've thrown off your sleep patterns, you can take a tiny pinch of catnip..that will knock you right out. If your mind is in turmoil, CBD oil is reputed to take care of that.

Being offended: What does it REALLY mean?

birdingnut comments on Apr 17, 2018:

I disagree. As a white, cis hetero male you are rolling in white male privilege, so likely don't face many challenges, but if you are a black, Muslim, female, Latino, in the LGBTQ community, etc., you will quickly find out how cruel and insulting people can be. YES, people can be triggered. You just haven't experienced it, so don't get it. It's like telling Jews to "get over" the Holocaust, telling black people to "obey the police" and they won't get shot, telling women they bring sexual assault on themselves by wearing sexy clothing, or telling a LGBTQ person "be hetero" if they don't want to be attacked.

Gregory Maguire anyone?

birdingnut comments on Apr 17, 2018:

Doesn't sound like something I'd enjoy, and its Kindle price is high, but when I get to the US I can order a Kindle Fire and get all the ebooks I want for free, since I'm a Prime member of Amazon. However I DO love the C.S. Lewis book, Till We Have Faces, which retells the story of Cupid and Psyche from the viewpoint of the ugly older sister who was the one who persuaded her to look at Cupid while he slept. It's a fascinating tale, told by the homely but highly intelligent, talented sister people ridiculed for her looks, and how she gradually becomes a trusted counselor, then a sword fighter, coached by one of the royal guards, then becomes queen when her father dies-always wearing a veil to hide her face. Since I read it in the 1970s, it has been my favorite C.S. Lewis book, and I bought the Kindle version https://www.amazon.com/Till-We-Have-Faces-Retold/dp/0062565419

One dozen Royal Palm turkey eggs that are going into the incubator.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Whoa..jealous.

Do you believe in love at first sight?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I lived most of my life thinking I was a hetero cis female. I never "fell in love," as that's a male trait, useful for keeping males in the lives of females who are raising his progeny. Cis, hetero women are the "choosers," picking out the best male suitor from among those courting her. They experience a sort of "love" affection, but it's completely subjective. If the male messes up, his stuff is tossed onto the lawn and she changes the locks. This true with the cis, hetero US females I have known all my life, and how it was with me. Any women who "fall in love" are women heavy in male traits, and this trait is dangerous for women to have. Being besotted with love for some dangerous male could get her killed, especially if she acts like a clueless male and keeps forgiving her erring, abusive mates and taking them back, dispite their lack of respect for her. That said, I found this out the hard way. When I realized I was a partial transmale (about 60%) and suffering from gender dysphoria, I got relief by acknowledging my male side, allowing him to express his personality. To my horror, I (he) promptly "fell in love" lthe way a male would..with a transwoman I knew from high school, who had been Skyping and flirting with me. Suddenly, for the first time in my life, I understood why people wrote love songs, poetry, mooned over someone, wrote their name over and over, worshiped the ground they walked on. I also found out that my transwoman friend was a typical female in that she immediately began planning my life, ordering me around, asking for gifts. I'm still 40% female in traits, so that didn't go over well. I began to realize my male side was hopeless and helpless to resist, so my female side rose to my defense. When my outraged female gender mode side was activated, it didn't take her long to dispatch the budding romance with a few well-timed insults. Of course on this forum, a high percentage of females are likely to be androgyne (mixed gender traits), since high IQ creative types usually are, although they likely don't realize it, thinking all "women" are just like them, as I did. We are all on a gender spectrum, so in a way, everyone is at least partly androgyne..studies show that even the most "femme" women and "macho" men only have 80% of their bio gender traits activated. By the way, if you troll me, I will block you.

Advice for "coming out" to family

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Hmmm..hard call. Depends on your relationship with them, I suppose. I am not known for keeping things under wraps; after I realized I was a partial transmale, I came out to my family in a casual, brief group email. This might work for some. That way, people can react and get over their outrage before you see them next, and/or because the message is so casual and brief, it is less threatening. No big emotional, condemning confrontation-just a casual mention. An example: "After comparing religions and old manuscripts like the Sumerian texts, which has the same Bible stories but was written 2000 years before the Bible, I no longer believe the way I did. People are free to believe what they wish, but I no longer do."

I’m in the process of hiring a contractor to replace the wood trim around the windows on my house.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I used to pay part down, and the rest when the job was finished. But be sure to get several references first, as some contractors are dishonest.

Your unbelief. How did you get there?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I started reading the original Bible, in Greek and Hebrew, by using Strong's Concordance online, and was shocked to realize that 98% of what I'd taught in church wasn't even in the Bible. I stopped attending church but still believed in god in general. Then, I read the Sumerian texts a year ago and felt relieved to dump the entire thing, once I saw the Bible was only a copy of the texts, written 2000 years before the Bible was written. Jesus is reported to say some great things, though, that match other religious beliefs and quantum physics, so I agree with those.

Has anyone tried a home DNA kit?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I've not tried it yet, but I have Native American Indian from both my parents, plus my dad's family line is from Spain, so I'm a right mix.

It's been a pretty wet spring here.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

It's sunny and 87 degrees here in Songkhla, Thailand, with a sea breeze. Pic is me swimming at Samila Beach, Songkhla

What is with the Internet.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

You can get BBC and AP news online. I agree that it's a mess out there otherwise.

Well in my humble opinion, of course without intending to offend anyone who thinks differently from ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

LOL! I usually just bluntly say what I'm going to say..don't feel like being politically correct.

A friend posted online asking what if we could live forever.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I was born remembering a past life, as did my youngest sister. I have since remembered a number of them, and even googled the details of some of the most recent past life incidents and found my memories to be accurate. Whenever I access the memories of a past life, I temporarily remember many of them, and become aware of the people who have been recarnating with me, and playing various roles in my life over the centuries. I even accessed the memories of when I was an ancient wolf, living somewhere near Canada. I had to laugh because that's what I do..like a wolf, I constantly "hunt" wild animals and birds, but only to photograph, and feel the happiest when out in the wilderness.

HOT or COLD, or somewhere in between maybe... What kind of showers do you prefer?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I like warm water, not hot. But cold water is better for your skin, and besides, that's all I get here in Thailand. Typically, only "farang" -foreigners-insist on renting rooms with hot water, so I pay cheaper rent for the same quality rooms because I don't use AC or hot water, and besides, electricity is expensive here.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in life?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

We are all one photon; all energy is connected, time and space are an illusion. Therefore, anything I think about someone else is really thinking it about me. That poor chicken suffering in a factory farm is part of the same energy that makes me. As Jesus put it, love others as you love yourself. Or whatever you do for the least person, you also do it for me. Jesus might not have existed, but much of what he was reported saying is cool.

The Boogy Man: I grew up seeing God as a kind of a Boogy Man.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I used to be a charismatic Christian and that stuff you see in church isn't made up. People actually can make themselves feel things if they believe in them. They can also make all the "miracles" happen and speaking in tongues, as well. Since all energy is connected, that's possible. The error is that people believe it's "god" who's doing it. I laid hands on the sick and they were cured, or just thought it in my mind, and it happened. People, animals, didn't matter. My kids can do the same. So could the white children who were captured by Native American Indians during the 1800s in west TX, US, if they'd been held captive at least six months. These white kids (and captured adults as well) could also control the weather, control and tame wild horses with their minds, and predict the future. I was born with all those abilities (as was my sister and mom), but these kids, raised as "rational" Christians were taught that such things couldn't happen, but they still did them after they were returned to their white families. Even when she was toddler, people would ask my daughter to pray for them when they were sick, since they got instant relief..I suppose because they both believed it. Physics indicates that we are participating in creating our own universes/reality, so there's nothing "woo" about it. People can manipulate energy in ways that others may perceive as impossible. “I regard consciousness as fundamental and matter as derivative from consciousness." – Max Planck, theoretical physicist who originated quantum theory, 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics

Does any one have a secret love , or date a type of person but wish or a different kind , like only...

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I like men close to 6' and within a year of my age, lean and fit, vegan, has a masters, rides horses, ballroom dances, likes mild S&M. Wait. I'm talking about my ex. Still, it's true. Short, fat, out of shape men who gorge on junk food and lie in front of the TV don't do anything for me except that I might want to be friends.

Lately, I’ve been feeling really lost.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I used to do that. I used a phonetic song series, "Sing, Spell, Read, and Write"-can be found on YouTube-with yellow background for the charts, to teach adults and mentally challenged children to read in about 20 minutes. Using the right hemisphere of the brain to learn to read makes it effortless, and gives them total recall as well. I usually just extended the lesson to include speed-reading, since it also is on the right side of the brain, so even challenged people can do it. Nomal kids in the school system learned just as rapidly, and to my surpise, even the kids in Thailand who didn't know a word of English could read in English after singing the songs, even if they didn't understand the words.

Tickling. Bad, meh, good, or great?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

"Excessive tickling is abusive; it is a common tactic of bullies to torture by tackling and tickling. Tickling is also a proto-sexual activity that is very much in a gray area between OK and unacceptable." Link: "Tickling" can be abusive https://www.denverpost.com/2007/07/02/tickling-can-be-abusive-in-two-ways/ via @denverpost

Been away a while.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Did you have the infections and abscesses when you went into the hospital, or did they cause them? If the hospital caused it, I hope you contacted a lawyer. If not, glad you survived and are recovering well.

What are the top 5 beauty/grooming products you MUST have?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

1.my own recipe face cream I make from aloe vera gel, coconut butter, lavender oil, Vit. E oil, DMSO, and a few other things. It can get rid of wrinkles in one application and it will also heal cuts. 2.natural shampoo, vinegar for rinse 3.homemade lip balm recipe made with menthol I don't wear make up.

I just had to.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

LOL..good one! Of course, all of them continue living, but we get the point!

How do you deal with the death of a son? Last thursday I lost my son (Age 32)

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Sorry, but you're going to miss him and suffer pain..for a very long time. I mitigated pain from the loss of my mother by continuing to talk with her in my mind, as I had been doing anyway. There was no phone between our house floors so my mom routinely used esp to call me when she needed help. I also used esp to communicate with my Haiti missionary kid friends in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, since we didn't have phones there either.

If you had to answer ( I don't know is not an answer ) what would be your answer to what I believe ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Because we are. Since all matter is also energy, and can't be created or destroyed, and time and space are an illusion, then our reason for being is that WE WANT TO. We are literally our own gods. “I regard consciousness as fundamental and matter as derivative from consciousness." – Max Planck, theoretical physicist who originated quantum theory, 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics

Do you believe that one day artificial intelligences will exist that think and feel as deeply and ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

If you can believe the alleged secret government whistle blowers, we've had self-aware AI for decades, but much of the research was delayed due to the AI constantly trying to kill off the humans. See the documentary, "Unacknowledged," seen on Netflix and Youtube, showing videos of interviews with US leaders, NSA agents, astronauts, etc. talking about hidden government technologies.

How do you keep promises?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I keep my promises to the letter and the spirit, but it's to my detriment, as others often take advantage of my hard work, while doing nothing.

Do you send pics without being asked?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I think it's a good idea. Better yet, confirm the authenticity of any photos by doing a quick video message with him/her. For all you know, the person could weigh 300 lbs and have neck hair, yet have posted a 20-year old-photo of themselves.

Favourite song lyric to quote?

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Meghan Trainor, "No Excuses," and the words,"Someone else you must have confused me with...I don't disrespect you, don't you disrespect me." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kton-qrKNLc

Has anyone read Richard Carrier's book about the Historicity of Jesus and the weakness of the ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

No, but I've heard about it. Weird.

Okay, yesterday I ate a pint of Chunky Monkey and today I ate a pint of Cherry Garcia.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Dark chocolate with pecans..hand dipped into a cone.

I've had senior Samoyed rescues all my adult life, all with difficult back-stories.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I've never owned a sled dog breed but my neighbors had a medium-sized Spitz for a few years.

Storms are incredibly sensual. Nature’s harmonious violence makes my senses tingle.

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

I love storms also. Growing up in Haiti, whenever I noticed a storm approaching I'd quickly start galloping my horse away from my house so that I could claim being "stuck" in rain, if my mom questioned me later. When the wall of rain hit, I would duck under the nearest giant mango tree, and sit on the tree roots, listening to Haitians telling "blahgs" (whopper lies about life adventures, told as though true).

From your experience do you feel the U-Shape of Happiness/mid-life crisis is an actual phenomenon in...

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

If not, it sure seems like it.

I was talking to my daughter today after driving an hour and a half to see her and my son-in-law, in...

birdingnut comments on Apr 16, 2018:

Yup.

Does anyone else think it's weird when a dating profile says something along the lines of "I'm ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

I'm VERY picky and specific in the hobbies of prospective dates. If they can't join me in body surfing the waves, hiking, climbing cliffs, ballroom dancing and riding horses, then what's the point of dating them? I can do these things fine by myself, but just wanted a companion/side-kick.

I wonder if animals have an actual sense of right and wrong.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

I love this video. Of course, anyone who has owned more than one kind of pet already knows this. If one pet gets something, they all do.

If you won an all expenses paid vacation, where would you like to go?

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Sydney, Australia. All of Australia if someone else is paying.

Lately, I’ve been feeling really lost.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Sounds fun!

To those who have left religious or ideological communities or social structure, have you maintained...

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

It's the opposite with me..I'm the one defriending and rejecting the alt-right white Christian supremacists on Facebook..even religious relatives on one side of the family. After they post a hate meme, I private message them one warning. If they don't apoligize, I immediately defriend them. I've purged at least half my friends list by now. The religious people left don't post much, if at all. Here's example of what I might say: This post is offensive. Do you really approve the police shooting unarmed black men? I'm sorry, but you're not someone I want to be associated with, so I'm going to defriend you. People have apologized and retracted their statements only twice.

Just got rejected because I'm an atheist.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

I've been turning down dates with religious people for decades..long before I ditched the church, once I noticed a strong correlation between church attendance and generally unsuitable dating qualtities. If devout believers, the men would typically be humorless, undereducated, racist, patriarchal, have a low class background and low intelligence.

This bird is unusual and very striking. A beautiful white breasted kingfisher.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Yes, they have those here in Thailand. Here is one with a common sun skink.

Red necked Gerbe with a baby. That little baby is adorable. Mom's pretty hot too.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Beautiful! Did you take this photo, and if so, where?

A swan like no other. Wow, what a beauty.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Beautiful. But in the US, the mute swan is an invasive species that destroys the habitat for native swan species. It is NOT welcome here.

Hello my fellow avian loving folks! I have just joined this group, and I have a question already.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Definitely. I'm living in Thailand right now, but I follow a bird Kentucky list serve group that reports local rare bird sightings. A few years ago they began reporting tropical birds in Kentucky, and these reports have become increasingly frequent. They're seeing birds I only used to see in Mexico or FL.

Embarrassing nickname?

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

One of my exes called me "Rache" but that wasn't embarrassing.

Hi, I am a new member and have already been welcomed by a couple of people, which is really nice.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Hi, Tink! Be sure to write your profile and answer your profile questions to win points, then start commenting and posting to earn more! When you reach level two, you can private message people.

Whats your best garage sale find?

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

A nice used pair of skis and boots.

Do you ever look at the random pics of strangers and wonder if they are sociopaths?

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Sure..on dating websites!

Just did a pet visiting job with 19 cats!! All Persians.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Sounds like a perfect job!

A few bird and scenery photos from Thailand 1.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

More photos from Thailand

How many of you older people listen to current pop music, or is it only "noise" to you?

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Perhaps from growing up abroad and living in different cultures, I follow Latin,Thai, K-pop as well as US pop, Cuban salsa, jazz, depending on my mood. But it does bring me up short when I want to jam with some musician my age and he only wants to play songs from the 1960-70s. I love that era music too, but I like current music as well.

Since I had children, I think back to my own early childhood and music I remember from the early ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

And they will likely feel the same way someday about DNCE and Maroon 5. People generally have happy, carefree childhoods, and the music takes them back to those feelings.

What song gets you in a good mood?

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

My go-to song for a certain mood lifter: Doobie Brothers ~ What A fool Believes (1979) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJe1iUuAW4M

Syrian conflict sparked a thought, would we the human race still fight and kill each other if no ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

There's always power, and oil

Animal Ethics

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

I only eat fish, for the Omega-3 oil, but for my health instead of a moral stance. I don't object to animals being raised kindly, bred specifically for eating, and killed humanely.

Reflecting on my family life since I came out of the closet as being an Atheist almost 15 years ago ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

I agree. If your family is that toxic you are well rid of them. No money is worth that sort of treatment, and your profile question answers show that you have good career on your own. I'm sure you've found better friends by now.

Probably TMI - but I need to talk, and I know you guys won't give me the religion 'feedback' I've ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Gracious! Makes me more grateful for my own circumstances. Perhaps you can get him on SS disability and find an elder day care center for people in his condition, as they had in Morehead, KY, when I lived there. People would bring in elderly relatives and adult children with mental disabilities to spend the day there with caretakers, in structured activities if wanted, or just to hang out with others to give the caretakers a break.

A question before a wedding.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Probably generally true. I'm like my mom in some ways, but mostly I'm not.

Anyone else feel guilty if they disturb their pet?

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Well, I can see why!

Just watched a movie on Netflix called The Most Hated Women In America.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

I saw the movie in the Netflix queue, but hesitated to watch because I remember how violent people were about her. Back when the events occurred, I was still religious and attending church, so felt horrified that someone would do that. I didn't understand how an atheist would care what other people believed; if she didn't think a god existed..why should it matter? I didn't realized how oppressive and pervasive the religious influence was in the schools because I wasn't resisting against it at the time.

The handsomest boy in the forest.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Nice shot! The wild turkeys on our wooded hill farm were so used to me that once a hen turkey walking past where I was staking out some spring warblers, stepped on my foot!

Your dream career if money wasn't an issue.

birdingnut comments on Apr 15, 2018:

Writer, inventor, cartoonist, illustrator. I do all that now, but so far haven't tried to make money with it.

Winx claims Queen Elizabeth Stakes to match Black Caviar's record of 25 straight wins

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

You go girl!

Photographer Tiptoes Through The Tulips To Shoot Harvest Mice, And The Result Will Make Your Day | ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

Adorable! I posed the link on Twitter and copied the photos to Facebook.

Group Participation Activity

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

Eating spicy Thai fish like a Viking.

Pet Peeve It seems everyday is "National (fill in the blank) Day.

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

No point to the holiday if you still have to go to work...

People often take some sappy codendent love songs WAY TOO SERIOUSLY.

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

Aren't MOST songs about relationship codependence? Not all rap, of course.

How does music effect you...?

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

I get faint pseudo-orgasms over my whole body just seeing beautiful scenery, or watching wild birds. I'm a "panromantic," which means I can react romantically to anything.

Anyone else find painting relaxing and stressful at the same time?

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

Sure..just follow your bliss; paint or draw what you feel.

Given that we first see people... why are we offended that people don't notice our personalities?

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

Because cis hetero men are attracted to women primarily through their eyes. To avoid wasting time pursuing infertile females with poor genes, they are most attracted to "beautiful" women..which means faces with the most average, or even, features. This also indicates genetic diversity. Tiny waists and rounded busts and hips indicate fertility and baby-bearing capabilities. Cis hetero women tend to choose money and status over both, and sometimes sneak quickies with handsome doormen during their fertility period so they can have it both ways-be married to good provider with horrible genes, and have sound children with a sexy, male who is low status. So, if your post is to complain that women always say (correctly) that men are only attracted through their eyes, then I agree with them.

Standing on the bus stop after work, watching the steady flow of people go by.

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

CBD oil is calming and stops negative thoughts. Other helpful stuff; eat fish, take St. John's Wort, magnesium, and 5-htp, take early morning walks to reset your thyroid for a higher mood level and sync your sleep patterns with the sun. Being partially transmale, although I was unaware of it until 2014, I always thought I was hideous..I couldn't bear to look in the mirror, or at photos of me without feeling upset, but didn't know why. After I started taking the Thai herb derris scandens for back pain and discovered it stops gender dysphoria, I was able to look at photos of me for the first time. I was shocked by my old photos and how beautiful I have been the entire time. It's too bad, since I was unable to see it or appreciate it. I'm probably still pretty, by the reactions I get from people, but it's still hard to see, although I can now look in the mirror.

Is a married human being happier than unmarried one?

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

According to a study by data analyst Mintel, 61 per cent of single women are happy being single, versus 49 per cent of single men. The survey also found that 75 per cent of single women have not actively looked for a relationship in the last year, compared to 65 per cent of single men. And the proposed reason for this is that for women, being in a heterosexual relationship is actually a lot of hard work, and generally requires more effort and labour than for men. “There’s evidence that women spend longer on domestic tasks than men and I think they also do more emotional work - so they still do more housework and cooking and things as well as more emotional labour,” Professor Emily Grundy, of the University of Essex http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/women-why-happier-single-than-men-relationships-hard-work-survey-mintel-a8050511.html

What movie marathons have you done?

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

These days we binge watch TV series on Netflix.

Feeling a bit nostalgic flipping through my high school yearbook remembering my years in the bands ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

No. Our mission school had one kid per grade, I attended a US high school my sophomore year, but I was a singer and drummer in my own band by then. I attended the American embassy school in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, when I was 16, and there was no band, although, again, I was in my own band.

How long to wait before going on dates?

birdingnut comments on Apr 14, 2018:

If the children are adults, then they are not a concern. Your life is your own. If you meet someone interesting while separated you can be friends and go out for coffee if you feel you'd be "cheating" before you have a legal divorce paper. Just make sure you tell your date your relationship status so she can decide. I sometimes had an "only fuly divorced" rule, but I waived that rule for my ex, since his divorce had been dragging on for over a year; his wife wouldn't sign the divorce papers, even though she's the one who kicked him out.

How old were you when you had your first realization that your thoughts were private?

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

I never thought they weren't private. I was born psychic, as was my mom and sister. I used to routinely use ESP to communicate with my Haiti missionary kid friends since we didn't have phones, but we only invaded other people's thoughts after their permission. For instance, when we were together in person, we'd agree on a certain time to contact each other mentally so that we'd have permission. I could always feel the emotions and thoughts of people around me, so my main focus was to block them. But that's why I like living in Thailand..so many peaceful, "one with everything" vibes. By the way, if people troll me for this response, I'll just block them.

Positive/negative, give/take, yin/yang.... Any opinions?

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

I'm for them.

My parents send me good morning text every other day.

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

If you want to change their behavior, simply ignore all texts that contain religion. If they ask why you didn't respond, just act surprised and say, vaguely, that you've busy, then change the subject, or wander out of the room. Stay happy and busy, ignoring them unless they are behaving normally with you without referencing religion. Then give them positive reinforcement by smiling and looking at them, and/or responding positively to religion-free texts. Another thing you could do is to text back. "I don't believe in god. Please cease such references with me," with each received religious text, without any further comment, then refuse to respond to their protests. Repeat this line each time they send such a text. But it would be more effective to just ignore the religious texts in the first place. Act like your parents don't exist. Be busy and happy, forcing them to chase after you to get your attention. I trained my own parents to stop accusing my kids every time I visited them, by saying "Look at the time! Gotta run! Love you!" and LEAVING every time they started attacking us when I visited them. It only took about four times before my mom would start shushing my dad whenever he started accusing my kids.

Dating And Relationships

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

At this time, I'm in Thailand, but when I return to Lexington, KY, I plan to start dating fellow ballroom dancers and birders there. My ex is still emailing me, hoping we'll get back together, and since he's a former Navy and airline pilot, if I were willing to forget his scary behavior when we were together, his retirement money would be helpful.

What is your conspiracy fear that seems like nobody else thinks about?

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

According to the alleged secret government whistle blowers, the moon is artificial, and we've have time and space travel since WW ll, when the Germans back-engineered several crashed UFOs, but our government and several other countries keep everything classified and hidden from the public so they don't have to share the technology. These same stories have been verified by numerous astronauts, NSA agents, government leaders and US presidents for decades, and many of their interview videos, admitting to this, can be seen on the documentary "Unacknowledged," on Netflix or YouTube. You can google it. By the way, if people try to troll me for this answer, I'll just block them.

One of the great things about living in Australia is the bird life.

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

Beautiful!

I made a post the other day about how I'm having a hard time telling my husband that I have doubts ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

Hmm..maybe you'd better tell him BEFORE he finished Bible school. Someone just messaged me tonight that she'd be praying for me. I thought a moment, then wrote back that I no longer believed in god, and briefly said why, and mentioned the Sumerian texts, etc. To my shock, she said she agreed with me, but that felt like something was good in the universe. I agreed, adding that I call it Source Energy, or my Higher Self, but there's no condemnation or hell.

Do you suffer from triskaidekaphobia?

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

Nope. Different cultures believe different things about certain numbers.

Who cares? It's just stuff!

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

I follow the advice in the book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing," by Marie Kondo. You gather all the items of one kind from all over the house-such as all the scissors or all your shoes, and put them in piles of the same items. Pick up each item and if it doesn't give you joy, give it away. Only keep a few from each category, as needed. It's irrelevent if things were gifts or expensive, just rehome them to a Goodwill store so the items can continue to have a happy, useful life. Once you get your house cleaned out that way, you'll never allow it become cluttered again, because you'll feel impatient with useless items that don't bring joy.

Pet ownership.

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

If you mean that it would have been better for humans to have left wild animals alone and never try to domesticate them, I agree. These domesticated breeds couldn't survive in the wild, and feral dogs tend to form packs and attack livestock. We literally breed animals to be our companions, and the original wolf ancestors made their own decisions to trade freedom for free food. Here in Thailand they have wild Thai Dingos that live amoung people are semi-tame, and fed by Thai people, but have no masters and breed and fight at will. I have my favorites, and they are excellent hunters. Once they start seeing me around they tend to start following me at a short distance, pretending they're with me, and even drive game (wild birds) toward me to kill. I only take photos of the birds, but appreciate their help in flushing them from deep cover. I respect the dogs and never try to touch them.

How much do you?

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

Probably from being partially transmale, I tend to go straight for what I'm looking for in a store, buy those few items, then leave. I hate shopping. But I am also frugal, so used to shop at Costo, when I was near one, to get bulk items.

Can we get some Apolitical, Secular Holidays please?

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

I just spent the day joining the street water fights in Songkhla, Thailand for the Thai New Year Songkran water festival. It's a country-wide water fight..people lining the streets to spray and dunk passers-by with ice water, while they fight back with super-soakers and thrown water from the backs of pickup trucks. It's the BEST HOLIDAY FESTIVAL EVER, and I always wish the US had one. I love all the Thai holidays and join in enthusiastically. My complaint about US holidays is that many are religious or patriotic and all seem to involve mostly eating large quantities of food. Right. Like people need to gain even more weight. Better to get outside and have fun!

This shit, is really fun.

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

Today is Thailand's New Year, but why are you saying it's New Year in the US?

Breasts

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

If a transwoman has a gender reassignment surgery to remove breast fat, then suddenly it's OK to show the breasts. Very weird.

Do certain things, such as music or art, overwhelm you enough to make you cry?

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

I just watched Beautiful Woman on Netflix and when they were at the opera scene in the movie, I started crying from the beauty of the music, which is what inspired me to post this.

The Paths of Babes

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

Once my kids were 18 years old, I left them alone to smoke, take drugs, or eat junk food as they liked. I always told them they could do anything they wanted once they were paying their own health insurance. My daughter eventually reverted back to her organic, healthy diet, but dunno about my son.

Is an affair always wrong????

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

It makes more sense to evaluate your marriage to see if there's anything about it you want to preserve, and whether that outweighs having sex. If sex is more important, then tell your wife your thoughts, then if she still doesn't want to change or see a counselor or doctor, take steps to move out and find someone else. Chances are, she's bored with you anyway and secretly hoping for a way to escape.

Does anybody else here think that your atheism/agnosticism is actually a pretty uninteresting part ...

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

Yes. I suspect the draw of this website and the reason for the name choice instead of calling it a "liberal intellectual discussion" dating site is that all the people here are tired of online alt-right attacks and Trump nonsense.

It's never too late for ________ (fill in the blank).

birdingnut comments on Apr 13, 2018:

Reading a good book!

Do you tell people you don't believe in god? Or let them find out?

birdingnut comments on Apr 12, 2018:

Only if they start getting in my business or assuming I believe as they do and that I'll join in.

Straight,bi, or gay/lesbian folks, I have a question.

birdingnut comments on Apr 12, 2018:

New studies show that bi people are being excluded by both straight and gay peers. http://thebea.st/1VxPYSe?source=twitter=desktop

Should all drugs be legalized?

birdingnut comments on Apr 12, 2018:

I think all drugs should be decriminalized, as they did in Portugal, with such positive results.

What good has come to the citizens of the United States because of the current administration?

birdingnut comments on Apr 12, 2018:

More young people are registering to vote for the first time, spurred by outrage toward the current administration. Also, a number of LGBTQ people and first-timers are now running for office to work for change.

Nearly a year old, but a critically important message.

birdingnut comments on Apr 12, 2018:

It's just the alt-right. Once religion entered politics and gained power, politicians began denying science, just to get the Religious Right vote.

Who said, “a day without sunshine is like..night”

birdingnut comments on Apr 12, 2018:

A day without sunshine is like, you know, night. - Steve Martin