I don't understand why people try to force their beliefs on others.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Yup. I agree.

I am afraid of ghosts, though I don't believe in them

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Why not? Unexplained things that go "bump" in the night would make most people nervous, even if they don't know what they are. I doubt dead people bother living people that much, although I've read researched/authenticated accounts of people who remembered times inbetween reincarnations where they were ghosts and did things to people. Later, the researchers looked up people in their past to whom they'd done those things as ghosts and those people not only remembered, but often had proof. In this research, they only recorded the accounts of young children, between the ages of two to six, who still remembered their past lives, and had no previous contact or knowledge of the people in those past lives.

How to respond to the "God is energy" belief/claim.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

?? If there is a "god" it would be energy, or from a higher dimension, since we can't see it. People constantly attribute things that happen because of energy to "god" anyway, which is where the idea came from, probably. Or from being overawed by aliens, as the Sumerian texts allege.

So, I "met" a guy on another dating site months ago, we have exchanged emails sporadically, ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

LOL! Busted!

I met a guy today, and I shit you not, who's name was Richard Gobbler.

birdingnut comments on Feb 14, 2018:

Must have had sadistic parents..

When creating a Group, if you want people to find your group you need to enter a list of "key words"...

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Good tip

What good does it to call someone a libtard, snowflake, communist, neo-liberal, Trumpster, etc.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Yup.

Do you support businesses such as Chick-Fil-A, which are anti- LGBT and promote the Christian faith ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

The only meat I eat is fish, so I wouldn't eat there anyway. But I don't begrudge people who support gay rights eating there anyway..junk food cravings can be strong.

Astral projection

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Been there, done that..several times, but by accident. I also used to routinely teleport, although I didn't realize it at the time, and have done so several times with my husband. We'd get on the interstate, heading for a city several hours away, then within five minutes we'd see the exit for the city where we were going. We didn't worry about it, I was born with psychic powers, as well as several members of my family, and both my kids as well, so nobody cared. For instance, If I suddenly told my husband something was about to happen, he didn't argue, just took appropriate steps without comment.

How much time do you spend on here?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

I use this forum as a way to enjoy conversations in English with (hopefully) intelligent people, since I seldom meet an English-speaking foreigner here in Thailand and sometimes forget English words. I have a lot of down time these days (recovering from a serious health issue) so amuse myself online a lot. I also teach ESL online, and read Kindle books.

Oh man, sometimes I forget how awkward I am.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Easy. People like to talk about themselves, so when you see women you find attractive, ask them questions, then listen to their replies, making encouraging comments. If they wind down, ask another question, or make a brief comment, such as "That must have been exciting for you!" If someone you like shows interest by smiling at you and laughing at your jokes, try asking her if she would like to go get coffee with you sometime, and if she seems OK with it, ask for her number. But you have to close the deal with a date, or you will have wasted your opportunity..giving a more confident man a chance to swoop in and charm her away.

Does anyone else feel that longevity at your place of employment works against you these days?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

You're right. These days people typically change jobs every two years, usually with a raise and increased responsibility, so it you've stayed in the same place for years, you might be thought unmotivated, or lazy, not caring that you're stuck in a rut.

Hi, here is my pug, George Michael in the snow along with my lab, Sadie

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Aw!

Pseudo intelligence.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Hmm...seems a bit picky and control freaky of you. I don't care why people look up information on google, as long as they are learning something. I even used to TRICK my students into learning, using curiosity I'd bring a novel like Anna Karenina to work when I was a sub teacher in two eastern KY counties. I'd sit in front of the class while students were doing their boring "busywork" assignments left by the regular teacher to amuse them. Then I'd gasp and react to the first chapter, saying things barely aloud, like, "NO! Not with the children's tutor! What will she do NOW? " After a bit, the high school girls would start getting curious but I'd act like it was not for children.."No, no, its about a guy cheating on his wife, so his married sister comes to help his wife forgive him, but she falls in love with a handsome army officer, and they start this affair..now she finds out she's pregnant.. By then the girls would have rushed to the front and begun fighting over the novel, which I would relinquish reluctantly, then start the whole thing again with another book, or newspaper article..to get the boys stampeding to the front. "What? Ashley Judd is only wearing a football jersey in this photo op?"

MY preparations for Valentine's Day:

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

LOL!

Rainey she really does like to add text to her photos?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Cute! Serendipitous photo..

What's the difference between Hispanic and Latino?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

So I'm a person with Indigenous and Hispanic influence in ancestry.

Masturbation might not be sex but it damn sure is good enough in the meantime.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

The masturbation phobia in the US is baffling to me. People in other countries don't care, so it must be a leftover from US Puritan times. Why is something benign you do in private anyone's business?

What are you most passionate about?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Being out in nature..LOVE it. It heals my soul, and I try to take early morning bird photograph hikes each day. The photo is of Willets I saw on Caladesi Island, FL

Random pics from India.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Nice. Of course I can pull out my Thai photos to compete, LOL! The photo is of my daughter and I standing in front of the 99-ft reclining Buddha on Ko Yo Island, near where I live in Songkhla, Thailand.

In my latest updated post, I mentioned my bestie, Patty, and that her kids (an 18-year-old son and a...

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Depends on his major, LOL! But what does it matter, if religion is bogus? Take the money, and the smaller classes should be beneficial as well.

Coolest thing you've seen?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Well, I'm sure impressed! For me, bird species I've never seen before are the coolest things I've seen. Like this breeding Painted Stork

The Largest Number Of Scientists In Modern U.S. History Are Running For Office In 2018 | HuffPost

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

One good result from the last election. More LGBTQ people, women, and minority races also!

Does having an avatar make people more civil on line?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Probably. You're pretty cute, so my guess is that seeing your avatar inspires plenty of goodwill among straight women.

How often do you self-censor? Is it hard to bite your tongue?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Yup, I tend to say what I mean, but that's not always good. Luckily, I'm living in Thailand, so it's easier to keep quiet...I'm not fluent enough in Thai to rant. But if I'm really ticked off, say, at some Thai man man-spreading into my seat space on a crowded bus, I yell in languages he doesn't know, such as Creole, or English, to be safe. One (high?) Thai man kept toppling sideways into me on a songtheaw bus, as though by accident, groping at me, and I gave him a hard shove, setting him upright while yelling in English, "Stop leaning on me. Sit up!" A Thai woman indicated a place next to her, so I changed seats, but the man complained loudly in Thai the rest of the trip about people speaking in English so he couldn't understand, and why didn't I speak in Thai like everyone else, etc. The rest of the bus passengers were Thai women, and they ignored him.

Louie the standard poodle, on watch duty in back yard.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Aww! I last had three rescue dogs when in the US-a Chow/Australian Shepherd cross, a Jack Russell Terrier, a Wheaton Terrier mix, and one breeder-raised Toy Fox Terrier. Because my family farm abutted the RR #60, people used to dump unwanted pets on the edge of my farm, knowing I was a soft touch. If I couldn't take them, I'd wash and deflea them, worm them, give them basic obedience training, such as sit, lie down, stay, heel, come, then could easily re-home them. Here is a photo of three of my dogs (the Toy Fox Terrier, Wheaten Terrier mix, Chow mix) on "lie and down and stay" command, waiting for me while I climbed a tree on top of the mountain (I considered it a cheap way to rock climb).

Raz (Rasputin) watching my neighbor's bird feeder.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Beautiful cat!

How would you like to see Agnostic.com change?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Hmm...I can't think of anything at the moment, except that increased membership will give more dating choices in your location.

Do you find it attractive dating someone who smokes cigarettes?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Only if it's cannabis, and I prefer it's smoked on the balcony as it could cause an asthma attack. Edibles are preferable.

Here's a joke.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

That story is considered the funniest joke in the world, supposedly from the shocking, unexpected element. I just think it's funny. Here's another one. A man suspected his son was skipping school so he bought a lie detector device and set it near the dining room table. When the family gathered for dinner, the man asked his son if he was in school that day and when the son said he had, the lie detector beeped loudly for "false." "All right! I went to a movie!" Again came the beep. "I meant a porno!" No beep. The man rounded on his son, "Why did you cut school for porno? I've never done that!" and there was another "Beep!" His wife laughed, "Ha, ha! He's your son all right! Another loud "Beep!"

Does the idea of God work as a placebo drug?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Sure. Nothing wrong with the "god" idea if it's like the Native Americans did it, but most major religions were designed for population control/domination.

Happy Valentines Day from way down in the South Pacific Islands Of New Zealand , All you lovelies Go...

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Well, somebody is in a good mood today, LOL! Thanks. My Thai students make me handmade Valentine's Day cards, chocolates, and silk roses, since it's a foreign custom they adopted for fun.

Donald's Valentine to Melania...g:31 [youtube.com]

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Sorry..I can't watch #45 any more without feeling my stress levels rising sharply, so had to stop the video, funny as it is.

Ladies, would you be willing to help me out with a conundrum?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

It's a natural evolutionary reaction to a potential red flag. Creative people with high IQs are usually androgyne, or mixed gender. Studies showed that the more close to the end of the gender scale on the male side, or "macho" a man or "femme" a woman, the higher the reproduction success. Studies showing average IQ scores formed a Bell Curve on the gender chart, moving upward as the slider moves toward the gender "middle" of the chart (androgyne), declining toward the other side (trans). So, tying the two statistics together..increasing androgyny usually equals higher IQ, and people closer to the extreme end of their bio gender on the gender chart-the most macho men or femme women- have the highest reproduction success, the woman was instinctively skipping the drama that usually ensues from high IQ romances. Most writers, movie stars, directors, writers, etc. are high IQ people, and usually reproduce only accidentally, with a series of relationships.

Where do you get your morals from?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Friends, family, surrounding culture. In Haiti, I had different morality specs for each social group. For instance, rural Haitians don't believe in one person having ownership of anything (communal sharing), don't think of time as we do, don't have monogamy in their culture, think of clothes as optional, etc. Therefore, stealing, being two hours late, sleeping around, going naked, etc., are expected, and usually ignored.

We all have our favorite memes on religion, this is mine what are some of yours.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Thinking for yourself is overrated..

Anyone else laughing to themselves about the Catholics and the conflict between Ash Wednesday and ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Wow! Having that much power over people reminds me of the prank TV show in the 1980s where the crew put a small "traffic light" on the counter of a lunch buffet, with a sign above it saying that due to chewing congestion, people must stop eating whenever the red light comes on. it was hilarious watching men freeze in mid-bite when the light came on, then holding it for 15 seconds before the green light came on. I only saw men doing that on the video clip, though!

Happy Anti-Valentine's Day [youtu.be]

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Funny! In my opinion, people in the "perfect" romance paradigm are rare, and/or only for a short time. But codependency ultimately dooms any relationship, so desperate, needy love songs only signal the audience that things won't end well. Since many/most people are in the same boat, they sympathize.

What movie fucked with your head the most?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

The original Star Wars.That got me thinking about forces being neutral, depending on how you use them. I, and several members of my family, were born psychic, so we knew that "God" wasn't the one doing the stuff we could do (water witching, ESP, seeing the future, etc.) since it came naturally, from birth, and had nothing to do with "religion."

Do you have any beliefs that aren't supported by evidence?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Sure..the positive beliefs for my future.

Excellent point

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Yup..

Anyone believe in luck?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

I believe in luck in that I make it. We contribute to creating our own realities. “I regard consciousness as fundamental and matter as derivative from consciousness." – Max Planck, theoretical physicist who originated quantum theory, 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics When I was growing up in Haiti, my friends called me a witch, and stopped letting me play games with them because no matter who cut the cards, I got a royal flush, my dice always landed double sixes, and even Chutes and Ladders had me winning. I tried, but couldn't lose, and my friends were angry, so I gave up playing games.

More Dating Preferences

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

If my date is male (previously, they all have been), and we met on a dating site, I would meet him somewhere public in my town for the first few dates. Getting in the same car with someone is dangerous. I once went on a date with the nephew of a nice lady at church, meeting him in a public place ,and during the date he was a perfect gentleman, so I accepted another date, to a movie, and foolishly agree to leave my car at his place and ride in his car to the movie. When we got back, and I tried to leave, he tried to stop me, even tried to force himself on me. Since the guy was a 6'2" ex-marine, I didn't try my karate moves on him. Instead, I remembered how men can only focus on one thing at a time and how they like to impress women, so I interrupted his attack by saying, as though I just thought of it.."Say, could you chip that ice off my windshield for me? I don't think I can." He let go immediately and began working on my windshield. While he was doing it, I dove into my SUV and locked all the doors. When he finished, he tried to return to his amorous behavior, but I waved good-bye and drove off. The next day I got a crazed stalker card from him, accusing me of "tricking" him and wasting his time on the date. I replied that he had tried to force himself on me, and that I would call the police if he contacted me again

Anyone else into photography?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

I'm not a fan of black and white..sort of like going back to horse and cart. It's fun as a novelty, but cars are faster. But, yes, I'm a sort of "professional" photographer because I post some of my photos on a stock photography site to make money. But since I only get 25 cents to $2 per photo use, it's not much. Mostly for fun. My obsession is bird and wildlife photography..not a big market for it, but your style of photography could be lucrative for use in ads.

Have you ever used affirmations?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Yes..I watch Abraham Hicks on YouTube, and they advise ignoring negative things and focusing on things you love. Instead of saying things to yourself like "I need money. Why don't I have any money. I'm a loser," find something to say that doesn't resist what you really want. It's better to say, "I like my bills being paid. Having money is nice." instead of causing inner resistance by chanting "I am rich" to yourself. The idea is not to bring up resistance, so instead, focus on things you love to do..go for a walk, take a nap, watch a favorite comedy, etc. As for visualization..of course it works. When I was playing sports growing up I would pretend to slow down spinning ping pong balls, baseballs, etc., and even enlarge the basketball hoop to enormous size in my mind, and then I had plenty of time and room to score. I later read that most professional athletes do this instinctively, even if they aren't aware of it.

Proofreading Matters

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Eeeeeew. I'll pass..

Took me a minute ... LMAO!!!!

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Well, I prefer Thai hot spicy sardines (which I eat for breakfast each morning), so I'd be ashamed to eat tuna instead.

All about that stank love ... :-D

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Weird!

Society Finches.

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Adorable! I bred a few finch species during the 1980s.

When recently I needed to don my garden hat I was quite out of luck: 7 microbats had snuggled in for...

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Aaaaaw!

If you were given the chance, would you like to stay a certain age forever?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

Depends on what is meant. If you mean that I could physically be 30 yrs old, and not age further, that would be nice, as long as I could continue to learn, and mature mentally.

You are attracted... but then?

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

I think women are more attractive than men, unless the men are "pretty."

Science and Psychedelics

birdingnut comments on Feb 13, 2018:

I agree. Matter is another form of energy. Taking certain herbs, meditation, etc., can make one aware that we are one with the energy of the entire universe and that we are all connected. People who deny that maybe don't believe in Einstein.

Found this today and loved it (of course).

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Or Kindle hopping.

Why does it seem like when you are not in a relationship you can't find anyone?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Because success attracts success. Plus, if you are in a relationship, you're safe for flirting/side sex, since you won't expect anything out of them.

Believer Bashing?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

AMEN to that! I did try to fight back when furious alt-right wing nuts piled on me after mentioning the LGBTQ community on a forum. When even mentioning science articles got angry reactions and lists of condemning Bible verses, I ditched the page and began hanging out online elsewhere.

Do you think your birth order has impacted your personality?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

I'm exactly in the middle. That is supposed to make me a clown and negotiator since nobody is listening to me. I was a clown because I copied my joking older brother, and I also liked to try to make my younger sister laugh. The benefit of being the middle child is that I was invisible. I could get away with wild adventures on my horse, building tree houses 20 feet up in mango trees, etc. But that could have been my parents' attitude about children, especially boys (they treated me like a default boy)...just let them play. Whatever-as long as they're outside. We're busy.

Okay single folks, how are you spending Valentine's day?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Tomorrow? Lettsee..I'll get up at 5 AM and look at the Southern Cross and Alpha/Beta Centauri from my balcony. I'll take a long walk at sunrise to take bird photos. I'll eat spicy Thai food. I'll watch Carbon on Netflix, also Queer Eye, stand up comedians, and any other show that catches my eye, etc. I'll read a Kindle book and eat cashew nuts. I'll teach ESL online I'll hang out on this forum to see if any cool conversations are going down.

What are you here for?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

"Yes," to the first three proffered answers, and I found this website when a Morehead University prof colleague posted the link on Facebook.

I am caught between a rock and a hard place! I have to move in less than month, I must go thru an ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

I had the same problem when I moved to Thailand in 2010. I donated all the new, illustrated educational books to my home schooling niece, and donated the rest of them to my local library, for tax benefits. I now also follow the advice of Mari Kondo, in her book, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing." The trick is to sort similar items into piles; screwdrivers, scissors, notebooks, etc. Then get rid of duplicates. Next, go through your clothes, shoes, etc., by category, picking up each item. If you don't feel joy when holding it, give it away, no matter who bought it for you, or how much it cost. When you are done, your house will never be cluttered again.

How much of a heretic are you?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

I accept gravity.

Belief in god

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

It's a learned concept, from a need to explain seemingly supernatural events.

Should I attend a wedding at church as an atheist?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Yes. Why, are you afraid of - "God?" Would you refuse to go inside St. Peter's Cathedral to see all the beautiful architecture because it's "religious?" To act as though a religious building had some sort of meaning and power over you seems illogical...it's just another building. If your daughter wants to get married in a church, it's not a big deal - better to make her happy.

Ghosts are as mythical as God but what if an atheist believes in Ghosts.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

If you think pure energy is "mythical" then you must not believe in Einstein either, since he says everything, even matter, is just a form of energy, that can't be created or destroyed.

Do you feel somewhat annoyed or angry when you find out someone is testing you?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Most cis women (even women like ME) "test" new boyfriend interests for mental soundness by breaking things off soon after the start of the romance, and paying attention to other males for awhile. If her ex boyfriend goes ballistic, becomes violent, threatening, a stalker, or acts needy and clingy, she'll not return to him, and consider it missing a bullet. If he takes it in good humor, casually sees others, yet still hangs around, being cheerful and charming when given the opportunity, she will likely eventually take him back. In fact, skipping this "test" could be dangerous for women..especially women with a high percentage of male traits, who tend to "fall in love" like men do with women and become besotted, refusing to see faults in their male lovers.

Are you in a band or were you previously? Post pics/ video...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Yes. I played and sang with a radio studio band most of my childhood days in Haiti, accompanied whoever else needed it, on electric base, skin drums, or piano, and in the US, I played with one band, and had gigs with others, for money. For a while in the 1990s, I was a studio musician and back up singer for a popular live TV music show near where I lived in Morehead, KY. I had to be able to start playing keyboard and singing back up for whatever famous singer was being featured, along with the rest of the band, some of whom I had to whisper the correct cord progression to, since they couldn't "hear" it. Luckily, most popular songs are simple. This photo is of my siblings and I (I'm holding my hand-raised Hispaniola Amazon parrot) posing for the cover of a record we made in 1968, when I was 15 yrs old, in three languages; Haitian Creole, Spanish, and English. When I was 17, we recorded a long play 48, in Spanish only, and one of the songs, featuring just my two sisters and I, with the band backing us, became the top hit in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on a popular hit radio station for three months. I had already flown to the US for college by then.

Everything sound so much better in a forgien language.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

LOL!

Male wood duck

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Beautiful photo!

Where is your favorite place to vacation?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Like I keep saying, I'm in my favorite place already..southern Thailand. But if money were no object, I'd go camel trekking again in the Australian Outback each year. And go camping in Tasmania again as well. Photo is of me kissing "Sir Wobbles" - largest camel in the train, on the nose, from the back of my own, smallest camel, Alokah. She was captured by from a wild camel herd and afraid of men, so I was assigned her as my camel for the trip. I brushed her, tethered her out to eat, saddled her in the morning, and told her to kneel (Kush!) and/or stand up as needed.

Is Valentine's Day here yet?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

It's just in American that happens, and only after the holiday card and chocolate companies started promoting it. Here, on Valentine's Day, Thai students give their favorite teachers homemade Valentine's Day cards, often with chocolates and a single (silk) rose as well. They give small store-bought cards to each other, though at the schools, but it's mostly to cater to western customs, as they do with Christmas..grabbing certain fun elements from popular US holidays. But in Thailand, nobody cares, or bothers you if you are single. In fact, for Thai working women, it's normal to be single, to prevent spouses from stealing their paycheck money for gambling purposes. I've been single in Thailand since 2010 and the only time my marital status came up is when I've been talking about my kids and someone asks where their dad lives. Then I just say I'm divorced, and nobody comments afterward, or cares.

Have you ever made a change to your environment that made a noticeable improvement to your sense of ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

YES. I moved to Thailand in 2010...instant happiness! The photo is of me at Samila Beach, Songkhla, Thailand

Should atheism be taught in schools?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Hard to control what teachers imply while teaching anything. I used to hear teachers making violent political attacks as I passed their classrooms, when I was teaching at a community college in eastern KY. It would be ideal to present all theories to kids, tell them which ones are currently endorsed by scientists, and why, and also mention the various religious creation stories as well, presented as "this is what such-and-such a religion teaches," without comment. I am skeptical of all it, leaning more toward Lloyd Pye's "Intervention Theory Essentials" ideas. Makes sense, and also agrees with what the Deep State whistle blowers have been saying for decades. I've watched the documentary "Unacknowledged" on YouTube and Netflix, and seen enough wierd stuff myself to be suspicious of US government cover ups.

Bottom lines.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Whoa..maybe it's time to grab a relaxation herb and take a long walk outdoors!

So I was just browsing the events page(love that new feature,Admin) and I noticed that the closest ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Yup..but the current US administration might be helping even those folk move in that direction.

Hello I hope everyone is having a wonderful Monday.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

For now just enjoying the conversation, although miracles can happen. Why it's a long shot; I am currently living in southern Thailand. When I return to the US, I plan to live near my daughter, in Lexington, KY, although a birder living near Sidney could tempt me into changing plans, LOL! I'm 65 years old, so not exactly date bait, and, being demisexual, don't really care one way or the other if I find someone now. My criteria for a match..if the person (I still don't know my sexual orientation, being demisexual) is more FUN to be with, than doing things on my own. That's a tall order, since I love my independence.

I am not exactly sure what the scope of this group is (serious birders, photographers, backyard ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

So cute! I'm all of the above and more. I've been a birding nut since my grandmother sent us kids a National Geographic children's North American Birds book when I was five years old. I practically memorized it, although we lived in Haiti (I was born there, of American missionaries) despite never seeing those birds locally. But I constantly observed the Haitian birds while riding my horse, hand-raised a Hispaniola Amazon parrot, plus kept rehabbing wild bird babies I bought off local Haitians who were planning to eat them. I also raised baby chicks (since I was five yrs old), baby guinea fowl, Muscovy ducklings, etc In the US, and when I lived briefly in Mexico in 2001, I blogged on bird forums about birds I saw with my binoculars until digital cameras became a thing, then began documenting my sightings, buying increasingly expensive gear and posting photos online. During the 1980s I had a small exotic bird breeding business-parrots, finches, canaries, fancy pigeons, etc. for about five years, believing I was helping to preserve the species, but became disillusioned. When one of my Thai university students showed me bird photos he took in Khao Yai National Park, Thailand, I said I'd go there some day, and I did. I moved here in 2010, changing locations every year or so, to see as many species as possible. I've been living in southern Thailand, near the Malaysia border, since 2014. Photo is of a (5.5 inch long) male Brown-throated Sunbird near my place, Songkhla, Thailand

Have you ever been skinny dipping?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

It's the only way to swim comfortably. We went skinny dipping every summer day when I lived near Morehead, KY. When returning from a horse trail ride to the next county, where we came out of the woods at the furthest end of our long holler road, we usually stopped at a large, isolated pond for a skinny dip swim. Sometimes the kids rode their horses into the water and used them for a diving platform, but usually we left them tethered to graze in the woods by the pond. But once while we were swimming, a neighbor appeared on the bank and began talking to us. Luckily, the water was greenish and she couldn't see much, but we started leaving old swimsuits hanging on branches back in the trees, for emergencies.

Here is a question for people hoping to meet someone on this site.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

True, but I'm guessing they are active on other dating forums and only joined this one as a back up. Also, it's possible the intellectual discussions are above their comfort level.

I am curious of anyone here that reads this, what brought you here.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

I had recently joined two different MK (missionary kid) forums to swap stories of our adventures growing up overseas, but kept getting attacked whenever I mentioned LGBTQ issues or science - even in the "Liberal Mks" forum. Within a month I was fed up with the constant religious blather, and one of my Morehead University prof colleagues posted this link on Facebook.

Tell Me About The Worst Date You Have Ever had....

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Yikes! I had a date with a man back in the 1990s, where we went on a walk before lunch. When we saw some birds, I made a comment about that warbler species being endangered because of loss of habitat. He actually SAID, "Well, if birds are going extinct, they should just do so." Later, during lunch, he bragged that he was strip mall developer, and talked about how much money he made on each project. I fell silent. He then looked worried and remarked, "You're not going to go out with me again, are you?" I smiled as I rose from the table, "Good guess!"

Say hello to the Pacific Islands this morning [newshub.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Plenty of bad weather in that part of the world..usually heading straight for the Philippines. But usually all those cyclones do for Songkhla, Thailand, is make the weather a bit cooler, whip up the surf so I can't swim because of red flag warnings, and we might have a few extra rainstorms, but not always.

If you start talking to a potential love interest online, do you get upset if you realize they are ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Nope. If we had agreed to be exclusive and I found the other person was chatting up others, I'd just ask to change the "exclusive" label to "casual dating," and resume seeing others myself. But I don't get jealous, which can be a problem for a female, since it's usually up to the females to keep male love interests in line. I just shrug, and walk off.

What do you know that most others don’t?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

That Thailand is a paradise. Most Americans I know don't even know where it is, and sometimes confuse it with Taiwan.

Do you feel guilty when you kill insects, rats, or any other lower animals in/around your house?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

I avoid killing all animals, period. Besides I used to keep hooded rats as pets, but wild rats in the ceiling can chew wires and start fires, so in Haiti we'd collect baby boa snakes from a nest in the radio station ceiling and put one in each mission home attic to scare away rats. I don't consider killing destructive, invasive animals as morally wrong, even though their presence here is the fault of the humans who brought them here.

If you are a person who was born in faith, did you feel betrayed by your loved ones that fed you ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Not really. It was what my parents sincerely believed, and as United Methodists, they were kind, tolerant, liberal, etc., so I didn't feel deprived, and only recently realized I was on the wrong team.

Why do we get annoyed?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Before puberty, I was like a boy..carefree, full of jokes, tolerant, etc. But in my case, increased female hormones at puberty triggered PMS irritability. You might have some female trait leanings. Check your fingers; index fingers longer than ring fingers indicate high levels of prenatal female hormones. My own ring fingers are slightly longer than my index ones, indicating high levels of prenatal male hormones, and that was certainly the case. Every month, with PMS, it was like I was waking up; I'd dump my (current) boyfriend, reconsider my job options, start working on a better life plan, have zero tolerance for bad behavior, etc. But after menopause, I returned to a stable, cheerful, male-like existence. Not much bothers me now.

Guys I need your help.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Semantics..the old "you can't prove something doesn't exist" argument, but I don't see the purpose of arguing with a religious person anyway. People believe whatever they want, and it's really none of our business, unless they make it so. But if they are confronting you, it's still better to murmur something vague and change the subject. After all, I'm surrounded by Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus here in Thailand (I rarely see Christians), yet I wouldn't dream of being rude enough to argue with anyone about their beliefs. The only ones who've tried to confront me here in Thailand were Christians, and I just changed the subject and distanced myself from them.

How to Uncouple With Love

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Be vague..you found another place, this isn't working out for me, my life is taking a different direction, etc., then move out, or ask him to move. Don't argue, or even discuss it with him. Take your stuff and vanish, delete him from social media, block him if he stalks you online, find new friends and places to hang out, etc. If friends ask you why you broke up, just keep saying that it wasn't working out, and immediately change the subject.

I'm hopeful that I bought my last pack of cigarettes today.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Yup..sending positive energy your way.

Do you think people care about Truth, as it comports to reality?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Isn't that basic human nature? It's the same in science..Big Pharm creates a dangerous synthetic drug, then pays researchers to test it. The researchers know who's paying the bills, so if their sponsor sells hammers, they will find nails. Medical studies are almost always bogus http://nyp.st/2qMzmNM via @nypost

We die therefore we exist or exit?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Not sure what you mean..could you rephrase the question? We are made of matter, which is really another form of energy, and since energy can't be created or destroyed, we have always existed and will always exist in some energy form.

If you were someone who has lived nearly everywhere, and money wasn't an object, where would you try...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Sidney Australia. LOVE it there.

So I am watching the Olympics and somehow I started wondering if men competing Olympics figure ...

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

I'm not sure what you are saying. You saw male figure skaters touching female figure skaters? Terrible things are in store for whom..the women or the men, and how do you mean that?

I wish I were more brazen in real life.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Hmm..better to just let religion die out, as it is anyway. More atheists with each generation. The Millennials: America's Secular Future http://bigthink.com/daylight-atheism/the-millennials-americas-secular-future

Bishop declares nun's recovery as 70th Lourdes miracle - ABC News

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Why not? Even people who take placebos can suddenly get well, if they believe they will. One young adult girl who joined an overseas team for my mission to help African immigrants told this story in our mission magazine. Our mission doesn't preach anything about supernatural healing, and the girl was passing out basic drugs and remedies to help the sick. One old man with white, blind eyes was in line. The skin around his eyes was cracked and dried, so she rubbed some ointment on them. The man reacted strangely, gazing around slowly as though he expected to see. She said she felt terrible for giving him "false hope," but after she returned to the US, she watched a video of the Africans being helped, and was startled to see the same old man..now with perfectly normal eyes, running around, able to see. He was telling everyone that a lady had put medicine on his eyes and cured him.

Do I have the most Non-Confrontational FB Christian friends?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

I'm leaning toward them already "unfollowing" your liberal posts, as was likely done to me; most of my childhood MK (missionary kid) friends left never post anything, comment, or react to my liberal stuff. I've already defriended the vocal ones, who were posting hate memes against minorities.

Religion—particularly, Christianity has lobotomized the Black psyche for centuries.

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

So true..

Richard Dawkins: religion should be offended at every opportunity

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

That may be, but in America everyone is guaranteed freedom of religion, without persecution. Attacking people over their beliefs sounds like a great way to radicalize youth, but befriending them, and treating them with respect might give them the courage to question their family religious traditions. It certainly did with me, after I noticed it was my nonbelieving friends who were the kind, accepting ones.

Is it possible to be an atheist and to be politically conservative?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

Apparently, although it's less likely due to liberals typically being more flexible, and accepting of diversity. Scientific Proof: Liberals Are Smarter Than Conservatives http://wp.me/p23YZR-a6A

Does anyone here believe in post death existence OTHER than religious afterlife?

birdingnut comments on Feb 12, 2018:

I certainly do believe in such things because I believe in Einstein; all matter is a form of energy, so since energy can neither be created nor destroyed, we have always existed and will always exist in some energy form. Besides, "For us believing physicists, the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." -Einstein For now, I believe in physics, that we are participating in creating our own universes/reality. “I regard consciousness as fundamental and matter as derivative from consciousness." – Max Planck, theoretical physicist who originated quantum theory, 1918 Nobel Prize in Physics