Author Topic: <-- Introduce Yourself -->  (Read 859167 times)

Offline Andrew

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #360 on: July 23, 2006, 04:19:09 pm »
Hi everybody, I'm Andrew from Boston.  I've been posting here for a few weeks but never introduced myself.

I'm 58 and have been together with my partner David for thirty years.

I grew up in Indianapolis and there's still a lot of the heartland Hoosier in me; I went to school in Indiana at Earlham, a college founded by Quakers, then Duke in North Carolina, and lived for some years in Portland Oregon where I met David.  As a teen I went every three years for summer vacation to Europe with my family, mostly Germany and Austria.  In college I did six months abroad in France.  Trips of the last ten years include visits to Japan, the Netherlands and Belgium and (more frequently) Provincetown, where I especially love the bike paths through the dunes.  The Hoge Veluwe national park in the Netherlands was one of the few other places I've been lucky enough to visit that had such an extensive set of bike trails right through nature, far from the roads.

I especially enjoy literature, classical music and art, architecture and nature and started topics here on a few of those interests.  I also like to walk and bike and I make myself run and work out to stay young and healthy.  Actually, 30 pushups feel pretty good after you've been sitting at the computer for too long - may I recommend it?

I saw BBM on opening night here and discovered the Dave Cullen forum about the same time.  It's both great and sad that there are so many different forums, too many to keep up with all the people and experiences.  This forum I just didn't know about till recently.  If I had had time to reseach all of them I might have gotten a larger group together to view the film in the theater than I did in Boston just from the DC forum.  But that was a nice evening for our little group.

I'm a rather shy and quiet person, with much of the gravity historically associated with Quakers, though that's probably just my temperament.  However, I love to be entertained as my David quickly discovered.  I like the avatar picture I just added, even though it is old and fuzzy, because I'm smiling and because of that warm campfire glow it has.  I do think of this forum as the Brokeback campfire and I'm glad one of the chatrooms has that name.

My character is that of an appreciator, a looker and listener, an admirer and ponderer, an inward commemorator.  "But (Andrew) stored away all of these things in (his) heart".

Glad to meet all of you, and I'll continue to enjoy what everybody is writing!

Offline wulfar360

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #361 on: July 23, 2006, 06:44:22 pm »
my real name is richard   or rick im 30 live in wv been here for  a few weeks  met some great people so far good to see im not the only nut in the world who   is crazy bout this wonderfull movie..

im shy when you first meet me but once i get to know you  you cant shut me up and you wish i was shy again. i work in retail  at the moment hopeing to go back to school if i can get it worked out.   i read lots of books all fantasy  forgotten realms/ dragonlance/ lord of  the rings. i drink diet pepsi

ive never had any serious relationships  for the obvious reason   being forced to live a straight man in a  homophobe area and ive lived there all my life

going to meet with a few friends  in boston in september, cant wait , maybe meet a few more ive met on here which woud be totally awsome

saw bbm  in january  after some coworkers were talkin bout the oscar nominees and the "gay cowboy movie" which really ticks me off when its called that

i love jake gyllenhaal   and i relate totally  to ennis andi  think the reason that  the movie hit me so hard   is IM am ennis and it took a friend to make me realize this , that this movie was really bout the person i was being forced to live by society's rules and as someone  that i am not

i like all kinds of movies/music except jaz but ive never given it a shot
Sometimes it all still feels like a mass of dots               
but
more and more these days
I feel like we're all connected
and it's beautiful   
and funny
and good.

Aaron Davis Latter Days

"Its better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are  not"

Offline dly64

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #362 on: July 23, 2006, 06:48:01 pm »
I grew up in Indianapolis and there's still a lot of the heartland Hoosier in me; I went to school in Indiana at Earlham, a college founded by Quakers, then Duke in North Carolina, and lived for some years in Portland Oregon where I met David. 

I'm a rather shy and quiet person, with much of the gravity historically associated with Quakers, though that's probably just my temperament.  However, I love to be entertained as my David quickly discovered. 

My character is that of an appreciator, a looker and listener, an admirer and ponderer, an inward commemorator.  "But (Andrew) stored away all of these things in (his) heart".

Glad to meet all of you, and I'll continue to enjoy what everybody is writing!

Welcome to BetterMost. I hope you enjoy it here. There is a lot of different POV and we have some very spirited discussions. I hope you join in!

There are a couple of us here from Indiana. I lived in Indianapolis until late last year when I moved back to northern Indiana to be closer to family and for a really great job.

I am very familiar with Earlham. I went to a Mennonite school, Goshen College. I understand the Anabaptist traditions very well. The funny thing is that I am not a typical Mennonite. I am rather loud, boisterous and extremely opinionated. It takes all kinds I guess.

I will look forward to hearing more from you!
Diane

"We're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em."

Offline Wayne

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Re: Introduce Yourself
« Reply #363 on: July 24, 2006, 01:22:38 pm »
:) Hi!

My name is Lily, I'm a 14 year old Kiwi girl from Wellington (which you may know as the home of Lord of the Rings). Reading through these posts I realise that I'm probably one of the youngest here, so I hope you don't mind me!

 I have been a movie fan for years, and love all types of movies. However, none of them has had such a big impact on my life as Brokeback! I fell in love with Ennis and Jack waaay before the movie came out in NZ (blame the short story and IMDB boards!) and waiting for it to arrive felt like the longest four months of my life! When I first saw it, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it, so I went again the next day. And of course I loved it! Since then, I have seen it three more times at the cinemas, with my mum, dad and best friend, got all excited over the Academy Awards then cried when it didn't win the best picture Oscar. At the moment I am waiting with growing excitement for the DVD, which I will probably watch over and over.

I'm really glad to be here , and though I don't really have any deep and meaningful thoughts to contribute I really enjoy discussing BBM and making new friends.

Peace!  8)
Hi Lily!!! I see it's your birthday!!   Happy Birthday Lileeeeeeeeeeee!!!!



OK OK 15th, not 30th, but this balloon looked too fun to pass up!~!  :D   Happy Birthday Lily!!    :)
When you put people in charge of the government who are committed to proving that it doesn't work, you can be sure that they will cause it to not work.

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Offline ekeby

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #364 on: July 24, 2006, 07:43:45 pm »
Astonished to find this board (via IMDB) . . . and delighted that this community has formed . . .

I'm a single GWM in Wisconsin. In 1966, I had an Ennis. We had a relationship in university, in a foreign country. We were 19 when it started. He was from Texas. After the second year, he went home for summer, met a girl and got her pregnant. He got married and I got a Dear John letter. I never saw him again.

"I'm not like you. I can't make it..." I fell apart. Had what used to be called a nervous breakdown. I was a big, strong 6'4" 190 lb guy. I dropped to 155 lbs, couldn't eat, only wanted to die. I didn't think I would survive it. I didn't want to. Now, when I watch that last "Jack I can't stand this no more scene", it's like getting hit with a sense-memory tsunami. Been there, big time.

After years of therapy I finally came out in my late 20s. Over the years I had a couple of long-term relationships with wonderful guys, but it was never the same. Not by a mile.

My Ennis was very handsome, beautiful, even. He had worked as a model a couple times. Women would always comment on his extraordinarily long eyelashes. He was a man's man kind of guy, a powerful 6' or so former Golden Gloves boxer. He was studying philosophy.   ("Ennis, girls don't fall in love with fun.")

Being from Texas, he spoke slowly, with a drawl. He was quiet and thoughtful, taciturn, like Ennis. No getting around it, I was more like Jake, but only temperment-wise (I was a cocky suburban midwesterner). Our relationship was stormy, and, like Jack and Ennis, the fights were sometimes real fights.

Forty years later, I still wonder "what if?" I've trawled the BBM boards half hoping I'd find a post that I could identify as his. And, just in case he's looking too, I'm here posting our story.

Love to you all, especially to my own Ennis, if you're reading this. --N
I complain too much. That teacher don't like me. Now it's your turn.

Offline dly64

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #365 on: July 24, 2006, 08:15:11 pm »
I'm a single GWM in Wisconsin. In 1966, I had an Ennis. We had a relationship in university, in a foreign country. We were 19 when it started. He was from Texas. After the second year, he went home for summer, met a girl and got her pregnant. He got married and I got a Dear John letter. I never saw him again.

"I'm not like you. I can't make it..." I fell apart. Had what used to be called a nervous breakdown. I was a big, strong 6'4" 190 lb guy. I dropped to 155 lbs, couldn't eat, only wanted to die. I didn't think I would survive it. I didn't want to. Now, when I watch that last "Jack I can't stand this no more scene", it's like getting hit with a sense-memory tsunami. Been there, big time.

After years of therapy I finally came out in my late 20s. Over the years I had a couple of long-term relationships with wonderful guys, but it was never the same. Not by a mile.

Welcome to BetterMost! What a story! OMG! I am so sorry. I can hardly imagine.

You have a wonderful writing style and I hope you join in to all of the forums here. Make yourself at home!
Diane

"We're supposed to guard the sheep, not eat 'em."

Offline serious crayons

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #366 on: July 25, 2006, 01:34:11 am »
Forty years later, I still wonder "what if?" I've trawled the BBM boards half hoping I'd find a post that I could identify as his. And, just in case he's looking too, I'm here posting our story.

Best wishes, ekeby. And I mean that whether you find him or not. Welcome to BetterMost.  :)

Offline David In Indy

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #367 on: July 25, 2006, 03:32:38 am »
Welcome To Bettermost Richard, Andrew and Ekeby!

I hope you enjoy it here!   :D
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Offline Samrim

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #368 on: July 25, 2006, 04:02:28 am »
Hello ekeby,

Welcome to bettermost-brokeback,
I get the distinct impression that we're nearly all refugees here from IMDb, where the 'trolls' roam and attempt to spoil what should be a good experience.
Reading your first rate (and very moving) introduction, it sounds as though you and I might be of almost an identical generation.  ;D  I went through that stormy emotional phase at about the same time, when things were't easy for gays here either,in the English East Midlands. 'Gay' wasn't coined, and we had some far more unpleasant names to live with. My'nervous breakdown' was at the pressure point caused by recognising my true nature and not knowing how to deal with it (just as big a shameful secret as Ennis had to face).
Ennis's philosophy is mine, 'If you can't fix it, you gotta stand it', and I do, life is very good, better,happier, and more contented now than it has ever been, and I hope it is for you too. I just wish I hadn't spent so long agonising over the 'might have been': Never enough time,never enough time' ;D.
Oh, and thank G*d for Brokeback Mountain, a jewel of a film, to treasure.
Best Wishes, Ekeby, and all :)
Sam
Sam

Offline ekeby

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Re: <-- Introduce Yourself -->
« Reply #369 on: July 26, 2006, 04:01:24 pm »
Hello ekeby,

it sounds as though you and I might be of almost an identical generation.  ....  'If you can't fix it, you gotta stand it', and I do, life is very good, better,happier, and more contented now than it has ever been, and I hope it is for you too. I just wish I hadn't spent so long agonising over the 'might have been': Never enough time,never enough time' ;D.
Sam

Thanks for the kind thoughts, Sam and all who responded. Much appreciated. Strangely, writing that intro was cathartic. I've never put it so matter-of-factly, or talked about it like that. In later years I always shorthanded it.

Only one other person knew the whole story, a straight friend at university. As damage control I had told him about "Ennis" and myself. I assumed he'd figured it out when he saw us asleep in the same bed. Wrong. He was floored. Thankfully, he was also supportive, discrete, and amused. In those days, in my circle, if queer was seen at all in a postive light, it was as a lefty, revolutionary trait, and that's how he saw us. The times were-a-changin', if you remember, albeit at a crawl....

Yes, Sam, I'm contented now, and it's definitely more of the you-gotta-stand-it variety. Considering what we've been through, epoch-wise, we're lucky to be here at all. For me, it's easier to stand things if love is taken out of the equation. ("once burned...") About fifteen years ago I began to agree with what Andy Warhol said: "Sex is too much work."

Yeah, a lot of time was wasted agonizing over situations, people, what might have been, etc. But if we hadn't, we'd be somebody else, maybe somebody not as "complete." And then too, things might have been worse, right?   --N
I complain too much. That teacher don't like me. Now it's your turn.