THOTH

Hey...I call 'em as I sees 'em...but really - you seem as if you have yourself very much together (and I can appreciate why you've set your standards so high...still hoping for ya...)...and actually we are blessed on this board with quite a few enlightened and intelligent women...refreshing really. Speaking of (well a prior post of yours made me think of this) - I can see no reasons why the (societal) standards/expectations etc for women should be any different as that for men (in terms of promiscuity, pre-maritial sex, expressions of likes/dislikes/needs/wants etc etc) ...and I've seen in your posts that you feel similarly - at least in regards to some of these things...(at least thats what I percieve)...so I'm applauding that aspect (of your expressed views/attitudes) as well...

Hey there Azat sweetie! Now don't you dare do that...the pic was just for you...so don't be posting it ya hear...I know that there is plenty of me to go around...but I was really hoping for something exclusive...I don't know if I could stand all the female attention (that I would undoubtably be getting after you would post it!) ...ya know...been there, done that... (my..its good to be proficient with photoshop ya know...don't tell love...) LOL (I'm just cringing thinking of the pic you will post and attribute to/as me...LOL...keeep it clean now [you can black out the "naughty bits"OK [you'll need a big brush...eh? LOL]...just a suggestion...not that I am really encouraging you to post such...but I figured your already working on it...with your devious mind...])

Way to go 'Bruin! - You go girl! I highly aplaud your (modern/enlightend) attitudes

No offense taken Hye Archer...nice to see you in the spirit of things! And you'd think that Sip would have gotten over me by now...

Sip - If thats the same speed trap on sunset in Pacific pallisades...well I'll be....guess keep with what works (sorry to hear about that)... And online trafic school now! gosh...

Sasun - I don't think anyone likes being "stalked" per se...there is a difference between stalking and showing interest...maybe even in showing a lot of interest etc - that I can see some/most gals might like (and makes sense) etc..but stalking is another matter. the last time (and its been quite a while) that a friend of mine - pretty gal - was being "stalked" - was by her ex boyfriend 9a real creep)...well several of my friends and I waited for him one time outside her place (and out of site)...it was the last time she ver saw him (...he he...he survived all right...but maybe for a bit didn't think he was going to or wished he wouldn't etc...we applied some not so gentle pursuasion) - but he fully deserved it - it was being very pushy/obsessive and was to some extent thretening her (with rape)...and damaging her property (messing wioth her car mostly...and other stuff - though I can't recall specifics at the moment)...thats stalking - and believe me - no one likes that...

Yes agreed (about diff between loving and being in love)...but still..in my (considerable [ask Hyebruin...]) experience...LOL...I have certainly been in this situation (more then once)...In my life I've had some quite close female friends - at least two (or three...now that I think....hmmm) of which I had/have come to love intensly (that I have been in love with...fully...even if sometimes not consumated [if it needs to be? etc])...even while at the same time dating (and [yes] loving others)...while the feelings have not always been mutual (at least with the same intensity)...to some degree these feelings were shared...and - as I (make it a policy to) never hide things from my partners (sometimes to the detriment of course..) - they have always been aware of my feelings & relationships with these other women (and ussually - knowing me...my big heart and everything else...etc) understood and accepted (pretty much) these relationships I've had. I even exchange(d) gifts (and intimate/personal conversation etc) with some of these gals for many years (even after being married...and in fact [at some point or another] my wife has met and knows [of] all of them! - and knows that I have [well mostly had...but still...] great affection for them...)- and I have continued some of these relationships - not as a lover but as a dear dear friend...(staying in contact, visiitng/getting togther on occasion, exchanging [small/personal] gifts, advice etc) and yes - I have loved them/love them and care for/about with great intensity (certainly frustrating sometime...as the world (ie other women etc) - don't always understand... (but on the whole I've been pretty lucky) - and of course again no hanky-panky ( LOL) (any more that is...)..don't know if any of this makes any sense...and maybe I'm just unusual etc (and yes...I know that...still....)

Awww...pleeeeease! I really want to like girls...I just need some motivation....LOL

MJ - noted (here & above...Turks laughing at us...what to do - what to do?...LOL...)...but my advice to you...take 2 Paklava, a shot of Raki, listen to some Gomidas, and check back in the morning...LOL...seriously though wasn't it a bit of a rhetorical question? (though perhaps the possible answers might prove interesting...particualrly if they are all different - LOL)

Wow Sasun - 18 points(!) and many accidents....oh so not good...perhaps you need better driver training. And you shouldn't drive fast (or crazy etc) unless you really know what your doing...(and yes - you shuld have insurance...though I'm not even sure you should be driving...LOL) I once did the entire New Jersey Turnpike from Deleware (or threreabouts where it starts) to the George Wshington Bridge - where I only dropped under 100 mph for tolls and such! (and through NYC I was basically only below 70 when [briefly] behind a truck or several...)...made it from Washington DC to NY in around 3 hours (perhaps 3 1/2)...and to beyond Bridgeport Ct (Stratford?) in under 4 1/2! My passenger - a good friend - normally very skittish with me driving...was totally calm and had no problems...(I sometimes have passengers get sick & lose it...LOL) - turned out - and I only found out several years after - he had loaded up on valiums prior to the drive!!!! (good man!) Man though 18 points...thats scary (heh - if they do have drivers ed or such - some states will reduce your pints a bit...just a thouhgt...and in some states you can take it every year...worth considering) I have one good friend (the guy who built my deck with me actually) who had to spend 6 months in jail - just on the basis of his (very extreme/3 pages long) traffic record (and when he was building my deack he still was in the middle of a 2 year period where he was not allowed a license...LOL)...he had (used to...) a screamer Porsche 911 (bored out, balanced and all race set up) ...and some sort of a speed bike...his philosophy was - why stop for cops when he could outrun them...well they very often showed up at his door after the fact - and with a bright yellow 911 well...hard to claim it wasn't him (etc)...The few times I ever went out with him we would roll his car down this hill before he started it (it was very very loud and unmistakable)...then he had to shoot out of town - with cops in tail (they were always looking to nail him...as he got away from them far more often then not)....he drives a beat up ole pickup now...says he can't be tempted because he can't control himself...LOL

No on both counts Extra Hye...I'm not from Canada nor do I live there....just always liked the use of "eh" ...cracks me up...and no - I didn't really send Azat any pic of me naked...and I will take your advice and not do so...LOL (but if you send me one of yourself I will surely pass it along to him...LOL)

LOL - I would (in jest of course...not that I realy would care what anyone thinks anyway...) - but I think I already have freaked him out big time (perhaps sending him a pic of me naked inside a valentines day card wasn't the right thing to do eh? or maybe I'm misinterpreting...he saw my pic...and went out and commited suicide [not from envy...LOL...no - I'm no hagarag...far from it...LOL])

Heh - one can appreciate cars (& driving) without having to know all that stuff...really...not all are tech geeks anyway...what matters more - knowing all the specific tech stuff - or knowing what to do with it? And the gal has very good taste in cars BTW...(just not perhaps in who she lets get in them with her...LOL)...looks like you lost your chance there jugs...heh gals into cars - even just a bit...(like who get turned on by "fancy" driving [always worked for me...] - well ther'e hard to come by...and they tend to (self edited)...just say - you don't know what your missing...LOL (Oh - I just re-read your post...she was a saleslady? straighten us out here......heck - my wife used to sell cars....and you just can't imagine how little she knows about them [i think being cute works though...]...We've had our latest car nearly a year now - and just the other day she (again for the umpteenth time) asked me what type it was (as she is always getting asked by co-workers & such who check it out and comment when I drop her off at work...) LOL Yeah I still want an STI...but it won't happen....she is already terrified of what I do in the Audi and tells me she doesn't want me to get another performance car (LOL)...not BTW...it will be performance (I mean what does she know? LOL)..its just how to pass off whtaever we get as a nice safe luxury ride or some such (though she's been talking Volvo lately...cringe [sorry Azat]....but I don't at all want to spend the coin for an S60/70R or whatever it is - though i hear they drive very nice...perhaps the "new" S40 with the turbo...don't know...I'm pretty reluctant about Volvos in general (drive like trucks from my experience...). Other cars I've checked out - Mazda 6 (very nice - but not nearly as sporty as I had been hoping...but a very nice car), Volkswagon Jetta (V6 & 1.8t - very fun...more so then the Mazda6 IMO...but....), Mazda RX-8 (great car...but needs more power...has less then half the torque of my Audi...and it shows...handles real nice though), Infiniti G35 (I really like the coupe in particular...and I hear Nissan will finally be importing the next gen skyline to the states [way bout time]...with something like 400 ponies! LOL...will be badged an infinity BTW), regular WRX (I would buy it...but not fancy enough for the wife I think...and she views it as a "perfomrance" car).....and of course and Audi A4 (really a very nice car....but we - sort of - already have one)....I tell you though - I'm sold on the AWD...and really want one fro our next vehical - but no SUVs....no thank you...besides - I'd be too tempted to drive up and over curbs & onto sidewalks etc...at least now I (mostly) keep to the road....LOL

Welcome UKGIRL28 (THX1132 or what have you...)... Yeah - quite possible...I love both of my two children equally and dearly...(for instance...) And I very much do think that even with the "type" of love (etc) that your talking about it is also possible - very much so...and why not? Still, always a difficult path...for a variety of reasons...(best of luck with it...)

Sasun - You don't want me to get started here...though truth of the matter is that I have gotten off of far more tickets than I've been given....so here are just a few stories (as abreviated as I can manage...LOL) Got off after being stopped for doing 75mph on LaBrea...cop asked me if I was in any particular hurry - I said "no"...(I'm not at liberty to discuss all the reasons he let me off however (nothing sexual BTW...)...just say that he was a patriot... Once did a high speed U-turn (fish tail out type of thing)...going 45-50 mph going south on La Cienega - just before the 10 (?) freeway (where La Cienega splits)...well I was returning to my new girlfriends house after going on a beer run and missed the turn...but knew if I went under the freeway my life/the drive would get complicated...there was a huge group of cars appraoching from the other direction - all crowded together like...well I didn't hesitate (or slow down) - and did a 180 kicking my tail out (rear wheel drive baby!) - and losing no speed shot back to the road I had missed and turned in...I could see the lights flashing as I made my turn - but dammit-all - I wanted the beer to get back cold...so I zoomed along and pulled into her driveway - acting as if I never saw the cop(s)...well the first thing the (first) cop said was - "where did you learn to drive...you ought to be a cop!"...and he was laughing (and was visibly impressed...)...his partner however (the bad cop...) read a list of about 5-7 laws I had violated (apparently it was a business district...no U-turns) etc etc etc - and he said I would likely lose my license for this.....well - they let me off too...totally...(I skipped a bit...but you got the essentials)... And last one (for now...I love these stories - you should have never got me started...) - in Turkey (12 years ago)...I was one of a huge line of cars being pulled over - basically they were motioning everyone to the side...they'd look in your car - and either wave you on or over...I got waived over. There was a line of "offenders" lined up at the cop car with 2 cops - one in the car taking the dough - the other with this faded little notebook. As you passed the first guy he would point to your speed & fine (randomly it seemed)...well of course no one spoke English...and I quite objected to the (equiv of) a $200 fine and started arguing vigourously...My wife got out of the car and was telling me to just pay the fine (and she kept saying "Midnight Express...thought I was going to get hauled away)...meanwhile the line behind me was growing and the cops were getting impatient (so the one pointed to a new figure - about $10-15 worth) - I paid it and went on my way. (This last year I wasn;t so lucky...but not too bad..considering [they always seem to get me when I slow down...shouldn't do that I guess...)...at least the cops told me the exact locations of the next 2 radar traps on the route I was taking - and they were accurate to the kilometer...I had told them that I had no intention of slowing down and that I thought their speed limits (90KPH on a 2 lane road) were too slow...LOL I lied - here is another. I was stopped on the Ventura freeway going towards Pasadena doing about 90 and (according to the arresting officdr) weaving...LOL (all true....but I was actually followig some friends who were driving quite fast...what could I do? I had the directions to the place we were going - so I had to keep up...LOL - we were going to Kabakians restaraunt BTW...oh and yeah - before cell phones...)...so anyway - I get my day in court...and everyone before me was pleading "trafic school" (which I hadn't even heard of - being a new transplant)...so my turn - the cop grimly reads my list of infractions...I plead "traffic school" - (but couldn't help from grinning from ear to ear at the officers recount of my crimes/behavior etc...well the judge was livid 9and he seemed such a softy...) - really read me the riot act - asked me if I thought it funny etc - if I thought I had done anyting wrong..etc etc...well I guess i put on a good show...and got...Traffic School!!!! LOL - So I loved LA - keep it under 1 ticket a year (not too difficult...even with the way I drive...) - and your home free! OK - (sorry) one more (and there are so very many more...) - Once (again in LA (I promiss to tell some East coast/DC ones next time...)...I was trying to make a left turn - and it was near gridlock (but with traffic moving - just with no break) from the other direction. Well - I saw an opening - just beyonf the light...so I took it - raced foreward - made a perfect U turn right in with traffic (no space to spare)...slid over and made my RIGHT turn...oh so easy and nicely done...well the cop didn't think so...problem was - traffic was so heavy - that even with his lights/sirens on I was able to out do him weaving through...LOL - he even got on the bullhorn and called out my car by type & color - telling me to pull over...was still mouthing off when I finally pulled away out of earshot...LOL Next time maybe I'll tell you about driving on the sidewalk in DC...LOL Oh and Sasun - not that I recommend it - but most of the time when I lived in LA I didn't have insurance...they wanted way too much IMO...but the day after I turned 25 I got it (because the rate went from about $5,000 year - just for liability - (and this is the 1980s were talking about) to half that...and I had a clean record (spotless...can you say "traffic school"? LOL - well on the 4 months after I got insurance I was in 3 accidents (all not caused by me - and all which I collected on - of course I had to stalk & threaten one offender who promissed to pay but whose lawyer contacted me a few days later...I later got that same lawyer to testify against him - got his insurance company to drop him...even they called him a sleazball...and what did he do for a living? Sell insurance of course...LOL) - one of the other accidents was a hit and run - where the guy tried to run me down after I got out of the car (thoguh perhaps the fact that I was brandishinfg a sword may have had something to do with it!) - turned out he was an illegal alien - car not even registered etc...cops gave up on the case - my insurance wouldn't pay..."how do we know he is uninsured" etc...so I tracked him down too (and had him deported...essentially...so don't f with me! LOL) - anyway - to end up here - I ended up going 9 months with no car in LA! (right after finally getting insurance)...took that long to get the sleazballs to pay for the damages they caused - and i refused to pay for it. Turned out I collected many times the cars worth...recovered it from salvage twice...and went on to drive another 80 or so K on it...(used it to haul lumber on that deck I built even...and what a site..it was a Toyota Starlet BTW...my Hollywood Starlet as it were...)

'Bruin - where ya been livin girl? Can you really imagine that most Black folk care much at all for Farrakhan and his extreemist views? In fact most black peoiple in this country are perhaps (essentially...or little or) no different than you or I. Sure -- there are some difference between folks with money and those without...those who livce in the city and those who live in the country (or suburbs or whatever)...but essentially most black people - and other ethnicities or what have you - live (and think) essentially just the same as anyone else (or perhaps more accuratly with just as much variability)...etc I found when I was living in LA (15-20 years ago) how much the black community was essentially a non-factor - as compared to here/back East...what I mean by that is that in LA it was pretty much the hispanics who occupied the "black" role - that of being the despised/resented/looked down upon/whatever minority. Much of the same types of comments that many (white) folks here in the East make about blacks - were the same sort of things that peoplein LA said about Mexicans/hispanics...funny huh? And most black people more or less fit in and mixed in - more or less unoticed (that they were anything "different"...sure some exceptions of course...and some areas of LA - like Inglewood or South-Central had a somewhat similar rep (deservedly to some degree)...as similar (embattled and more or less segregated...) neighborhoods here in the east... Don't know if any of that makes any sense to anyone...but oh well...just thought it might be interesting...

A-H In a similar vein - my mother (full Armenina) was always considered by certain/some members of my father's family as "black" or such - and she was ostrascized for this - causing her all sorts of grief - as can be imagined. Curiously my sister and I were never stigmatized such (to my knowledge). Funny/sad how people can be...and for what really? What difference does it at all make in the scheme of things?

LOL - yeah Azat...I'd say something...(gay)...but I think I've already freaked you out enough - eh? LOL

LOL vava - I think your right! ...

Ahh 'Bruin...you are just a natural...I'll try my best...anything for Azaty - pooh! ...and I'm so gald to have given you the opportunity to use still more emoticons...don't really know what situation to use some of them in...for instance - ...this one.....anyway ...that about does it for me tonight...and I do hope that AZ notices how much I care...and OK - think spontenaity...think think...Oh its just no use..I can't think of anything...

Azat...I'm crushed...I thought you really liked me...I though we had something...you know...well phooey on you...I guess its back to girls again for me! And "bruin...I really don't know...I'm not seeing it...and I really don't like eggnog anyway...so what exactly will you do? ...make crank phone calls or some such? Leave a restaraunt without paying the bill? Just what fun little naughty things do you have in mind? ....ahhh - got you didn't I? OK - your officially off the hook - I really think I do get the idea (and I most approve)...but back to my matter at hand...I'm really quite upset you know...now what advice can you give a boy (me...he he...) to get oneself back into Azat's affection...do you think he might like a book of poetry...or maybe George Micheal album...? No...perhaps if I had a Micheal Jackson makeover...and got myself into some big black boots with lots of snaps? I don't know...I really don't know...and I'm really quite hurt you know....I can't figure it out...was he just toying with me all this time...or did he really like me...I just have to know...)

hmmm...its raining out..I'm old, unhealthy, depressed....don't know...what was the question? LOL Yeah 'Bruin...you got it right...

Armat, Azat... I'm all for doing it yourself if you are able...but I certainly wouldn't just go off and build something - 2 stories - that will have actual people inside of it - etc - without first consulting an engineer - and being very aware of your local codes. Armat - I really don't think that a concrete base of 6 inches is not nearly sufficient (in your area)...and for a two stroy structure you must think weight bearing for the 2nd floor and your walls. You may be able to get away without pouring a full foundation - but you will need several vertical anchors (think 6x6 or maybe 4x4 vertical posts) sunk about 4-5 feet into the ground with concrete footers (dug out 2x2 at least) all the way down...really - if you want your structure to stay put and not twist up, fall over, burn down and fall into the swamp etc... You should see this multi (3) level (750 sq ft) deck and screend in porch complex a friend and I built off of my home (11 years ago to the month...it took us 6 weeks to build - he moved in with me [guest room...] - while my wife was off on a 6 week trip to Europe for her work...) - It is anchored to my house with 9 inches worth of baseboard (downstairs...maybe 7 inches on the second floor) - lag & through bolted...it has 15 6X6 footers (set into 3x3x5ft deep concrete with spikes to hold them in - a few of the 6x6s were custom order - nearly 30 ft tall...they have lights mounted on top) - 2x12 construction on all joists- spaced 1 ft apart - its so overbuilt the building inspectors just gasped! (of course they made me hire an engineer to prove that my at angle backrests/railings would hold certain weight - even after I got up on them and jumped up and down - etc. Yeah you should see it - its got a custom spiral stair that we kit built and cut wood risers for, two other sets of stairs - cantalevered so at to seem to float with no support, a 12 x 10 ft pergola (now covered in Wisteria), built in seating (thats actually comfortable), angles rail surfaces to not hold water, a built in gas fed [from house] fire pit, built in gas fed [from house] Ducane rotiserrie grill, two sets of French doors top & bottom (that we cut out the space from the walls and put in), a pair of facing double swinging screened doors going out of the porch onto the deck, very cool lighting...and super bright (dimmable) lights - several banks - for the screened in porch - no problem playing all night poker etc (also full pull down shading...just in case it turns into strip poker or such...hopefully with some gals about...of course...[though never happend yet...LOL] etc etc - oh yeah and 14 (pair) electric outlets...my philosophy is that you can never have enough power! LOL This deck is built so strong I joke that it would be safer to crawl under the deck in a huuricane etc - as it will still be standing even if the house were swept away (no joke either...). The structure was entirely my design - though I later hired an architect to draft it up to get it through the local permiting officials etc (bastards) - and to help us in ordering the lumber etc. Other cool features include some "floating" railing that seem to have no support (but they very much do), removable wood slats to customize the screeened in porch - full screen floor to cieling or halfway or whatever), and the second floor has specially cut decking "sleepers" set on a sloping 1st floor ceiling (for drainage) - keeping the 2nd floor level - and I used rainhandler disperser gutters...the first floor cieling is 1/2" wolminized plywoord set on 2x12s spaced 1 ft apart...covered in rubber for watertightness (forgot what that was called...) -, all connections fully screwed - nails only on floorbaords - even some screwed, and all kinds of other stuff - artisitic touches with shaped/anglesd wood etc (again - all my design) - most custom (luckily my friend can build anything...I drew it up and asked him - can you build this - ""yeah sure - no problem...and it was done)...and I videoed the entire process from the first shovelfull of dirt dug for the footers the the final assembly and even the innnagral party!! (much of it was done with time lapse photogrpahy/vid etc) - way cool...

You know me Azat...or should by now I should think...yes - I always want to know ('specially when it comes to you cuty pie!!! LOL)

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?se...3&page_number=1 I know maybe its not an Armenian topic per se - but I read about this in Car and Driver and couldn't believe it...folks paying thousands of dollars and waiting for years for cars that didn't even exsist...and for which thay had no information, picture or anything....(I actually considered putting this in the religion cataegpory - if you read it you'll see why...)