A personal announcement, emphatic thank-you, and cheers to Fedora.

m0nk3yboy wrote:

For a moment there I thought it was some kind of South Park sub-reference.

There's an App Hanky for that

Wow - I go out of town for a few days, and come back to a 15-page thread that makes me so proud of the GWJ community! It is infuriating to me that this should be something one should have to announce. Maybe one day it will be like announcing your hair color or some other random fact - people will reply with, "...aaaand?"

Meanwhile, here's to NSMike and Fedora(ble)! I'm so proud of both of you. Cheers, guys!

Elysia wrote:

Wow - I go out of town for a few days, and come back to a 15-page thread that makes me so proud of the GWJ community! It is infuriating to me that this should be something one should have to announce. Maybe one day it will be like announcing your hair color or some other random fact - people will reply with, "...aaaand?"

Meanwhile, here's to NSMike and Fedora(ble)! I'm so proud of both of you. Cheers, guys! :drink:

Like the video of a young soldier coming out to his career soldier father that he's always been a little afraid of and the dad says, "No sh*t, son. You wanna tell me something I don't know?"

Super late to the party here, but good for you two guys - be true to yourselves!

More importantly, hurry up and start playing BF3.

Yeah, I am holding off on BF3 for the time being... but thanks Fed.

NSMike wrote:

Yeah, I am holding off on BF3 for the time being... but thanks Fed. :)

I'd be lying of I said it wasn't any fun without you, but it's not as much fun.

Fedaykin98 wrote:
NSMike wrote:

Yeah, I am holding off on BF3 for the time being... but thanks Fed. :)

I'd be lying of I said it wasn't any fun without you, but it's not as much fun. ;)

Aw, don't guilt me into it... oilypenguin and tundra already have me raiding in WoW once a week because I felt bad about not hanging out with them. Bah! Get someone to buy my DS and XBox in the trading thread and I can justify buying it.

NSMike wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:
NSMike wrote:

Yeah, I am holding off on BF3 for the time being... but thanks Fed. :)

I'd be lying of I said it wasn't any fun without you, but it's not as much fun. ;)

Aw, don't guilt me into it... oilypenguin and tundra already have me raiding in WoW once a week because I felt bad about not hanging out with them. Bah! Get someone to buy my DS and XBox in the trading thread and I can justify buying it. :)

BF3 > WOW

Duh.

garion333 wrote:
NSMike wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:
NSMike wrote:

Yeah, I am holding off on BF3 for the time being... but thanks Fed. :)

I'd be lying of I said it wasn't any fun without you, but it's not as much fun. ;)

Aw, don't guilt me into it... oilypenguin and tundra already have me raiding in WoW once a week because I felt bad about not hanging out with them. Bah! Get someone to buy my DS and XBox in the trading thread and I can justify buying it. :)

BF3 > WOW

Duh. ;)

Especially when you can also heal and tank in BF3. And those are literal tanks too, for the curious.

Gravey wrote:

Especially when you can also heal and tank in BF3. And those are literal tanks too, for the curious.

I'd say this thread is entirely about NSMike moving past the "curious" stage.

NSMike wrote:
Fedaykin98 wrote:
NSMike wrote:

Yeah, I am holding off on BF3 for the time being... but thanks Fed. :)

I'd be lying of I said it wasn't any fun without you, but it's not as much fun. ;)

Aw, don't guilt me into it... oilypenguin and tundra already have me raiding in WoW once a week because I felt bad about not hanging out with them. Bah! Get someone to buy my DS and XBox in the trading thread and I can justify buying it. :)

Man, I wish you took amazon or gamestop credit as those are both awesome deals (i am especially interested in the DS), but am on a budget freeze until after lil'nastier is born.

ClockworkHouse wrote:
Gravey wrote:

Especially when you can also heal and tank in BF3. And those are literal tanks too, for the curious.

I'd say this thread is entirely about NSMike moving past the "curious" stage.

True dat. Well timed too on his part, since DICE repealed DADT, allowing gays to openly serve in squads.

Lucky for you guys I just got two bites on those deals... trying to finalize them now.

NSMike wrote:

Lucky for you guys I just got two bites on those deals... trying to finalize them now.

I sense some Fedaykin98 enabling taking effect this evening!

I was wondering if this conversation might inspire some takers for those bundles - good job, Goodjers!

It might have more to do with the fact that I just dropped the prices by $10 for each bundle.

He's wheelin', he's dealin', prices this low can't last long! I like it.

And here I was going to ask if adding a handkerchief to the GWJ Platoon logos, of whatever color you prefer, would convince you to join up. I mean, there's already pockets and everything.

Fedaykin98 wrote:

He's wheelin', he's dealin', prices this low can't last long! I like it.

And here I was going to ask if adding a handkerchief to the GWJ Platoon logos, of whatever color you prefer, would convince you to join up. I mean, there's already pockets and everything.

Considering the context of this conversation, how about a rainbow?

I thought from several pages ago that there was a, erm, more nuanced guide to handkerchief color selection?

Fedaykin98 wrote:

I thought from several pages ago that there was a, erm, more nuanced guide to handkerchief color selection? ;)

Totally missed what you were going for there.

I don't think I want to pick anything quite like that. Nobody who knows me IRL wants those images, even if they were tame choices.

Xeknos wrote:

There are hankerchiefs? And they come in colors?

Just... Walk away, Xek.

There are handkerchiefs? And they come in colors?

NSMike wrote:
Xeknos wrote:

There are hankerchiefs? And they come in colors?

Just... Walk away, Xek.

Yessir. I'll just let myself out.

Well, I've kinda left updates out of this thread for the time being, so I wanted to give you folks an update on my situation.

Since that first cousin, I came out to another one, who was totally accepting, and my aunt and uncle (the parents of these two cousins) who, despite being surprised themselves, have been accepting and loving. So, up to this evening, everything has been fine, and largely status-quo.

This evening, though, things came to an unintentional head. My parents were away for this past weekend. As I mentioned before, to keep things comfortable, I've been going to church when they're here, but with them out of town, I didn't see the need to go. I figured that they wouldn't ask me if I went, and would just assume I had. Well, lo and behold, my dad asks. I could never really whole-heartedly lie to my parents, so I told the truth and said that I hadn't gone. After an awkward silence, I leave the room. My mom confronts me later, asking me why I didn't go. I tried to push the conversation away, but it didn't work... So I told her that I didn't really believe in god anymore. Then, I just decided, things aren't going to get any easier, so I came out to her. She didn't react much at first. Then she asked me how long I've known, and I told her that I felt this way since middle school, but worked very hard to repress it for years. She told me that she felt like she had been hit by a truck, and then was basically wracked with sobs. I did what I could to comfort her. Then came the Catholic message... That it's wrong, that she expects me not to act on it. I told her that I can't live like that, and that I wasn't saying it to be confrontational, that it was just a fact. That I'm not going to hold back anymore, and that I deserve more after repressing it for so long. She said, "Your father is REALLY not going to like this." I agreed.

Then my dad came downstairs. For a while, I held off saying anything and he and I chatted like normal. Then my mom came over and raised her eyebrows. I told my dad I had something to tell him, and that it wasn't going to be easy. He just sort-of had this dumb smirk on his face. So, I told him I was gay... and I was absolutely f*cking floored when he said, "I've been waiting years to hear you say that." I almost laughed and said, "You have nothing else to say?" He shook his head and said, "Doesn't change the way I feel about you." And then I surprised myself and bear-hugged him, and it was my turn to sob.

The story's not over though... They both know now that I don't intend to be celibate about this, that I will act on it, and their Catholic programming is kicking in, telling me to "talk to a priest first." Well, that's not going to happen, but I've had a hard enough time for one night, so I left it there.

Overall, my mother is upset. My father is shockingly accepting, and I am left in limbo. I'm not unhappy, in fact I'm stupidly happy about my Dad... But it's not over, and there's more to this to be had. More updates as they come.

(((hugs)))

Wow man, congrats for being so courageous! And awesome story about your dad!

I'd hazard a guess that if he personally doesn't have a problem with it, other than Catholic programming, it's going to be okay in the long run. Kind of funny that your mom seemed to be expecting a completely different reaction from him.

Congratulations, man! We're all cheering for you!

Tanglebones wrote:

(((hugs)))

x eleventy-one!

Holy Crow!! Sounds like a shocking reaction from your dad... Dad of the Year for him!!

I am stunned that you shared this with us and I feel privileged... Thank you.

I need a hug from your Dad NSMike. He's the man.