Is it too girly of me to roll my eyes forever? I mean, first I'm silly for enjoying stories about girls doing traditionally male activities, and then I'm diminishing myself by using traditionally feminine language? WTF?

!!!!!!!!

Good grief.

Issues much? Fair play to you for taking the better part of valour, rather than telling her, in an appropriately unfeminine fashion, to go fuck herself.

Meanwhile, I have achieved date! Go Team Me! I am cautiously interested in IceCreamGuy - or at least, in pursuing his acquaintance. He seems to be an interesting and intelligent bloke with much to say on a range of interesting topics and the ability to listen as well as talk. He has 2 very gorgeous cats. (For, yes, demonstrating the same self-preservation instincts that had me cheerfully going off hitchhiking around Moravia with some bloke I'd met whilst pissed out of my skull a few hours earlier once upon a time, and had me going home with a total stranger who offered me a bed when I got stuck in Poland another time, I did go back to his place for coffee. Coffee, in this instance, not being a euphemism.)

So at this juncture I'm not sure whether I'd like to be more than friends, but I'd certainly be very happy to see him again.

Go me with the Not Running Away!

(And, somebody, please stop me from ordering a vaguely pirate-ish, cut-for-a-girl pinstripe shirt that I'm sketching out a design for in my head, or the floor length military-style coat in heavily peacock-embroidered navy silk that I'm also vaguely considering [influenced in no small part by the lovely fashions favoured by Count D in Pet Shop Of Horrors]. It isn't cheap to get things made here. I'm spending far more money than I would ever dream of spending on an off-the-peg thing from home on each of these outfits. But - made for me, to my measurements and specifications. Beautifully made. Um. I may need an intervention...seems like I can't go in for a fitting for one outfit without something catching my eye and making me think of an idea for another outfit. From having had NO new clothes at all in the first twelve months of being here, I seem to be heading far too far in the opposite direction now...)

Fay, put down the order sheet and step away from the tailor shoppe. Remember that trip you want to save for?

Susan, seems that list has more blockage than constructive criticism and might be best to wash your hands of all together.

As for me, I had a nice night with CuteGraphicsGirl. But I've come to realize a bit of irony with me. I can be the most patient person in the world, scrimp n save for years, drive the speed limit, etc. But it seems that which I want the most, I am no good at being patient for. I either toss in the towel or make a move too soon. I am happy to report I did neither tonight. But I really wish affairs of the heart were easier.

I use both "adore" and "fascinate" despite my penis. I am okay with that. Fuck off, lady.

Yay date, Fay! I'm glad it went pretty well.

I can't believe I'm up at 7:00 am on a Saturday. Uggh. Stupid math teacher conference.

"Adore" and "fascinated" are too girly for writers to be allowed to use? Huh? Ok, true, "adore" is a word that female persons may be more likely to use than male persons, in describing themselves and their feelings. Howsomever, I have most certainly, beyond a shadow of a doubt, observed male persons engaged in attitude and behavior that I, as a female person, would find appropriate to describe as "adoring". And as for "fascinated", has this person never met any geeks? Because one of the hallmarks of geekery is getting fascinated, often by the minutiae, with topics that the general public generally is not fascinated with. Also, stereotypically, geeks are more frequently male than female.

Therefore I call bullshit.

Furthermore, as for having learned to avoid specifically girly uses of language, that's all well and good if that's how s/he likes to play it. But as for a prescription for how others should be writing, I would like to come down on the side of gleefully employing the connotations of words to set specific tones, thereby making one's writing that bit more interesting. Atonal writing? Less interesting.

So go, Susan, for not bitchslapping this bland turd of a supposed writer.

Furthermore, as for having learned to avoid specifically girly uses of language, that's all well and good if that's how s/he likes to play it.

Actually, I'd say the "girliest" thing in this whole situation is the internalized misogyny in that very notion. Or maybe just the saddest.

I adore and am fascinated with this conversation. How absurd! A new group sounds like a better plan, Susan. The temptation to stick around and battle with the idiocy might be there, but I'd suggest spending your time seeking a supportive group without the wacky closed mindedness.

And here I was thinking that after a year and a bit in Bangkok I was past being surprised by the impressive things people can apparently do with their genitals.

I just had to read that again.

{{all}} Yes, I skipped.

Any writer that would refuse to use certain words because they're considered "girlie" is an idiot. A painter doesn't refuse to use pink in his or her pallet and that's what words are to a writer.

Feh. Susan, you're better of walking away from someone like that and a group peopled with them.

And here I was thinking that after a year and a bit in Bangkok I was past being surprised by the impressive things people can apparently do with their genitals.

Well, one night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble.

I will NEVER get tired of those jokes, by the way, Fay. Sorry if you've heard them all a thousand times.

I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine.

I will NEVER get tired of those jokes, by the way, Fay. Sorry if you've heard them all a thousand times.

Yep, me too. (Sorry Fay.)

claiming you "adore" something, or are "fascinated" by some aspect of history, for example, are very "feminine" uses of language.

Mr. Spock was girly?

I now have a Frankendog with a face full of stitches, and I've realized that the pleading look said dog kept giving me was not "I've had a hard life." It was, "My head hurts." I have also discovered that he will eat pills, or, presumably, dynamite, if they are covered with cheese.

Go Fay with the not running away! I am trying to convince myself to talk you out of getting more lovely clothes, but I am far too enamored of the descriptions. Peacock silk coat!

Hooray for cheese for Mr. Peabody. I am really cheering for the pills but I don't want him to know that.

Eta: I think some of my cognitive dissonance with the idea that "adore" = girly vocabularly is that it has mostly religious connotations for me. Whole other thing.