know what? I am ok with asshole predators thinking I am a Bitch. I'd rather they get to that realization sooner rather than later.

ION - I tend to be way way blunt with strangers and have even yelled at people before they touch or address me - do not approach me quickly from my blindside when I am feeling twitchy.

Uh-oh. Looking at the skies and the radar, sara is not swimming tonight... We've already got thunder.

Which sucks, cause I'm sore from yesterday and my usual swim would undo that.

msbelle! I was just wondering where you were.

I said a thing in our Respectful Workplace training about not wanting to be hugged, but of course no one who works here has ever tried to hug me, because I have a Vibe. A Stay Away Vibe.

Oh I have no problem shutting down strangers.

This guy is just excessively flirty in a way that is inappropriate at work and sometimes undermines my authority. The tricky thing is that "inappropriate" in the theatre world can be far more objective than in many other environments.

I was at a workshop Wed and Thursday. Then we had a truck roll over on Thursday afternoon. Then I had VBS decoration for 17 hours on Friday afternoon/evening and Saturday. IOW - no online time.

I was quite surprised to find out that during university and shortly afterwards my male friends warned all the new guys off me. And then I was suddenly very grateful, because I learnt about this in the context of "we told him to forget the idea, as usual, but he Will Not Listen."

Why is this even a thing???

Last time a guy crossed a boundary being flirty with him I snapped at him--but it's easier when it's a complete stranger. Walgreen's (at least the one near me) uses address as verification of identity--after I said mine, someone behind me in line said "Cool! See you for dinner!" and winked. I don't remember the bulk of the conversation, but I did end it by saying "No, it's because you're being creepy."

I only give my street now.

Why is this even a thing???

I admit--I doublechecked the byline of that article to see the gender of the author, but that's not important. There's no reason women can't disagree with me on this point. It just...have you really had no experiences that taking all the advice into account, including the context, would not have gone from uncomfortable to illegal?

You're a fucking lucky-assed shit.

Teppy, your neighborhood sounds kind of like mine (and Kate P's) , just four hours north. We don't have a dedicated feed store yet but our local "we only sell local products" store carries super local organic feed. Which is expensive, but we will probably start using for our own new urban chicken flock.

I just looked up the geography and unsurprisingly my in laws live as far away from your neighborhood as one possibly could while still being considered the same city.

I have been that bitch. I don't like it, because I want to be seen as a fun person, and I want people I think are attractive to think that they *could* touch me, but a lifetime of guarding my personal space/bodily integrity dies hard. That's one thing I don't get about the Push Girls...they are always asking random dudes to guide their chairs up steps or lift them on to things. And they never think somebody will grab a feel or boost their wallets?(of course, now they are on camera, but it seems like a long-standing, pun not intended, habit.) If I need help in public, I do what would make Gavin De Becker proud and ask a woman who has kids with her. Minimal meet-cute potential, but I do leave with the stuff I come with.

unsurprisingly my in laws live as far away from your neighborhood as one possibly could while still being considered the same city.

Loveland? (I'm trying to think of what's impossible to get to from Northside [which is no mean trick to get to -- there is no direct highway exit for it; it's ridiculous].) Miamitown? (Well, those are both outside the city limits of official incorporated city of Cincinnati.) Bethel? (Also outside city limits. WAY outside.) Moscow? Oxford?