Update for Everyone II - Less Boring, More Whoring

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Apparently the neighbours think me and Michael are too noisy during certain activities :/

Playing a rousing game of Chess?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

That's very good, afleitch.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Just finished my final law school exam. It's over.

Good to hear, Duke!

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I can't stop crying.

Nathan, I obviously do not know the person you spoke with today nor do I know about your relationship to him or her, and I don't know how much you are willing to share with others, but if anything, I think you should talk to someone.  Anyone.  I'll probably be online for the next hour or so, so don't hesitate to message me if you would like to discuss this.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I decided to tell my crush that I really liked him and long story short, I'm in a relationship

Aw, well congratulations, Flo!

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Just a quick update, since I don't like talking about my personal life here much anymore...

I'm done with the Ambien for good as of today.  For some reason my reactions to the medication have become more severe than usual and that's why I ended up hallucinating big time last night.  I apologize for the scare I gave anyone and I promise that is the absolute last you'll see of me in that state.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I'm going to the first lecture to which I've been invited as a(n incoming) divinity school student tomorrow, although technically it's being held at another institution within the same regional consortium as mine.

Remind me which divinity school you were accepted to, again?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I'm going to the first lecture to which I've been invited as a(n incoming) divinity school student tomorrow, although technically it's being held at another institution within the same regional consortium as mine.

Remind me which divinity school you were accepted to, again?

BU School of Theology. The lecture was at BC.

Ah, a UMC school.  Interesting choice.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Just been diagnosed with Lyme disease... and I'm supposed to be on the road for college tomorrow.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

My Lyme disease is pretty much cleared up now and I'm steadily regaining full internet access.  (I'm writing this from a hotel in NC.)

Oh, and if anyone happens to be in Archdale and wants to meet for coffee or something, f**king hit me up for it so I can get out of this boring hellhole.

Hopefully things turn around for your cat. Mine was in the vet for a couple nights and just got back today. She wasn't eating and had gotten pretty lethargic. Turns out she has pancreatitis. It's scary when your cat is 12 years old and you start having to confront the fact that she won't be around forever. I feel for ya.

Prayers for your cat.  I don't know much about pancreatitis, but I'll certainly hope for the best.

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Did you just discover this, or are you coming out now?

(I'm mostly curious because you were against SSM not too long ago... )

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

My Lyme disease is pretty much cleared up now and I'm steadily regaining full internet access.  (I'm writing this from a hotel in NC.)

I read on FB that you were not only hacked but also wiretapped!! How did that come about, if you don't mind me asking?

Well, my mom called Virgin Mobile when we were at a hotel in VA a few days ago.  According to the operator, this hack was unlike "anything he'd seen before," and that it was so severe it's more accurately classified as a wiretap.  (No, the NSA isn't on our tail, fortunately, but the bastard pulling this s**t on us isn't just some kid learning hacking tricks in his parents' basement.)

Oh yeah, and we got our identities stolen, too.  My mom needs to get new banking information and we both need to get new Social Security numbers.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

My Lyme disease is pretty much cleared up now and I'm steadily regaining full internet access.  (I'm writing this from a hotel in NC.)

I read on FB that you were not only hacked but also wiretapped!! How did that come about, if you don't mind me asking?

Well, my mom called Virgin Mobile when we were at a hotel in VA a few days ago.  According to the operator, this hack was unlike "anything he'd seen before," and that it was so severe it's more accurately classified as a wiretap.  (No, the NSA isn't on our tail, fortunately, but the bastard pulling this s**t on us isn't just some kid learning hacking tricks in his parents' basement.)

Oh yeah, and we got our identities stolen, too.  My mom needs to get new banking information and we both need to get new Social Security numbers.

Scott, I am so sorry. Maybe this isn't the right thing to say, but gosh... I can't think of anyone who has had worse luck. We're all on your side, and hopefully everything you're dealing with will eventually resolve itself. If you need anything or wanna talk, let me know.

Thanks, Hagrid.  My mom and I certainly wouldn't disagree with you on that.  Everything's going to turn out okay eventually, but things certainly aren't pretty right now.  The only reason I'm able to even explain this stuff now is because I'm on a computer that didn't come in contact with our cell phones or laptops.  Apparently, viruses can be transmitted through WiFi and Bluetooth.  Who knew!

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Congratulations on your new transition, Nathan.  Rest assured, I, of course, will address you the way you prefer to be.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Pretty great first week of college.  My roommate and I are pretty much polar opposites (he’s a gangsta-type jock from some hood in Charleston, SC whereas I’m the quiet, spiritual type with pictures of Jesus all over my part of the dorm), but we get along great and trust each other, so I really can’t complain (even though I do get annoyed when I hear the n-word being used in every sentence when he has his buddies over).  I’m a lot friendlier with the two guys in the dorm next to ours.  Late last night we were all up and happened to run into each other in the hall and there was a punk-type girl sitting beside them.  She’s actually really sweet and religious (she identifies as Methodist) and we spoke for a while about religion and sexuality and gender identity and the whole nine yards.  I told her that the campus chaplain invited me and some folks to a service at a nearby church Sunday morning and that she should come along.

Also, I’m genderfluid.  I told my new pals that and they were cool with it.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Scott is "gender fluid"? What does that mean?

I suppose it is a perequisite to becoming a white heterosexual liberal Christian minister...

It basically means you fluctuate between genders on certain days or certain times of the day.  That's really all it means.

I'm kind of hoping no one would be a dick about this.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Oh yes, and I fully expect the 'racist' accusations to pop up any minute now.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Scott is "gender fluid"? What does that mean?

I suppose it is a perequisite to becoming a white heterosexual liberal Christian minister...

It basically means you fluctuate between genders on certain days or certain times of the day.  That's really all it means.

I'm kind of hoping no one would be a dick about this.

I just utterly fail to comprehend it. No offense meant.

I misunderstood, then.  I thought you used the second part of the post to take a jab at me or something.

I get how people wouldn't understand it, though.  I had a hard time explaining it to two of my closest friends who helped get me to accept it.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

We put my cat down today.

Ugh... I can't even imagine.  I'm sorry, Hagrid. 

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Oh yes, and I fully expect the 'racist' accusations to pop up any minute now.

I'm not trying to be antagonistic at all here, but if your roommate is black, please say it directly. There's nothing wrong with pointing it out; black people and white people are different culturally. On the other hand, it is wrong to use racially coded language to imply that he's black ("gangsta", "hood"), so don't do that. If he's not black, then it just sounds odd to use those words.

I take issue with your statement that "black people and white people are different culturally."  That's a broad generalization.  Yes, he happens to be black.  Yes, he happens to enjoy rap and hip hop.  We'd be just as different from each other if he were white or I were black.  And for the record, I would've used the same language despite his race -- it doesn't sound odd to me if used in that context, personally.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Also, my heart goes out to you, Sanchez, Grumps, and Hagrid.  I'm sorry to hear all the bad news this weekend.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Oh yes, and I fully expect the 'racist' accusations to pop up any minute now.

I'm not trying to be antagonistic at all here, but if your roommate is black, please say it directly. There's nothing wrong with pointing it out; black people and white people are different culturally. On the other hand, it is wrong to use racially coded language to imply that he's black ("gangsta", "hood"), so don't do that. If he's not black, then it just sounds odd to use those words.

I take issue with your statement that "black people and white people are different culturally."  That's a broad generalization.  Yes, he happens to be black.  Yes, he happens to enjoy rap and hip hop.  We'd be just as different from each other if he were white or I were black.  And for the record, I would've used the same language despite his race -- it doesn't sound odd to me if used in that context, personally.

Come on Scott, you don't see how describing your black roommate as "gangsta" and "from the hood" might make people a little uncomfortable? I'm not saying you were being consciously malicious but that kind of language is a bit troubling. I don't think anyone associated "gangsta"/"hood" with the idea that your roommate might be anything other than black, expressed in a strange wink, nudge manner.

Simply saying "black" or "white" doesn't tell you anything about a person's personality.  I was purposely trying to avoid linking his race with his persona and interests, but I see that that, as expected, came out completely wrong.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Just throwing this out there, but I'd never be able to have a roommate. Even if he was a decent guy and not one of the 100 kinds of assholes that you find in college, I probably wouldn't be able to cohabit with a complete stranger in such a small space. I really need my privacy.

Aren't you still in college?  Do they let you opt out of having a roommate or something?

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I'd like to emphasize that my intention was to describe his personality more than his physical appearance, since I apparently hadn't made that clear already.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Oh yes, and I fully expect the 'racist' accusations to pop up any minute now.

I'm not trying to be antagonistic at all here, but if your roommate is black, please say it directly. There's nothing wrong with pointing it out; black people and white people are different culturally. On the other hand, it is wrong to use racially coded language to imply that he's black ("gangsta", "hood"), so don't do that. If he's not black, then it just sounds odd to use those words.

I take issue with your statement that "black people and white people are different culturally."  That's a broad generalization.  Yes, he happens to be black.  Yes, he happens to enjoy rap and hip hop.  We'd be just as different from each other if he were white or I were black.  And for the record, I would've used the same language despite his race -- it doesn't sound odd to me if used in that context, personally.

No, you would not ever describe a white neighborhood as a "hood". Don't lie. I made an effort to assume good faith, but it's clear that you don't even understand what the problem is.

None of us are perfect in the language that we use, but thoughtful people pay attention when they use offensive language and agree not to use offensive language in the future. Don't pretend that what you said wasn't racist. You clearly anticipated the fact that people would call you out on it:

Oh yes, and I fully expect the 'racist' accusations to pop up any minute now.

Maybe instead of being preemptively defensive about the racist things you said, you could try not saying racist things. If for whatever reason you can't understand why it's not okay to describe black people or their communities with the terms "gangsta" or "hood", then don't worry about it. You don't need to understand if it's too difficult. Just don't use those words.

And here you continue to operate under the assumption that the objective of my comments was to illustrate my dorm mate's race rather than his own personality and individual sense of style.  What's truly racist is that you apparently like to project this standard for "white neighborhoods" versus "black neighborhoods" even though nothing in my post inferred anything about that.  Remember, it is you who specifically expressed that "black people and white people are different culturally."  You choose to view society through that set of lens.  I don't.

I would ask you to just stop interjecting race into the conversation in what I see as a pathetic attempt to veil your own racism, but then that would defeat the point of your accusations entirely.  So I'll leave you to wallow in your own delusions and think what ever you want about me until you come to realize the irony in your words.  Sound good?