A hatchet, buried, perchance...

[Bricktop]

Yeah, I get it.



And of course, women are compelled to be cautious.



Sad really.



Sometimes I wish SMP were Australian.



He'd be within my reach then.

[Blurt]

I always travel with an Ipod and a kindle. I make it very obvious that I don't even want to know that you are there next to me. I don't care who you are or where you are from or where you are going and I especially don't want to hear your inane thoughts on life. I especially hate nervous fliers. Those are the worst.  



As long as you keep to yourself....and you don't smell.....I'm thrilled.

I like to chat with strangers, but only if they obviously wish to do so. I'm pretty good at picking up social cues quickly. If it looks that a conversation is in the works, I'm open to it. If it looks like a conversation is the very last thing my neighbour wants, I'm open to that, too. I just bring out my e-reader and dive back into my novel.



Nervous flyers don't bother me too much. My ex was one of those. She had to pop an Ativan pre-flight just to be able to board the plane. I once had an older lady (with whom I'd had quite a pleasant conversation at cruising altitude) grab my hand on our descent and crush my fingers. I let her. No big deal. Though her skin looked dry and papery, she had the sweatiest palms.



Gabbing with strangers can be fun. Sometimes you reveal more about yourself just because you know the likelihood is small that you'll ever cross paths with the person again. Also, I'm a pretty good ear; people tend to want to continue talking to me once we're past the hellos and the smiles. And I enjoy listening. There are tons of stories out there that you only get to hear on trains, planes, and buses. They are told nowhere else. The novel can wait.

[Blurt]

Sometimes I wish SMP were Australian.



He'd be within my reach then.

I have to admit, the little prick hides himself well.



He's dropped tons of clues about his identity but, in the end, I just don't care who he is. I simply choose to become less candid online. Which sort of sucks because self-revelation encourages revelation in return and this is how friendships are forged, even if those friendships are strictly online.



He's just a thorn.

[Renee]

I'm 65...nearly 66. You BET I'm in the aisle seat.

Exactly, you old gents have to pee every 15.....



Try a couple thousand mgs of saw palmetto.

[Renee]

I always travel with an Ipod and a kindle. I make it very obvious that I don't even want to know that you are there next to me. I don't care who you are or where you are from or where you are going and I especially don't want to hear your inane thoughts on life. I especially hate nervous fliers. Those are the worst.  



As long as you keep to yourself....and you don't smell.....I'm thrilled.

I like to chat with strangers, but only if they obviously wish to do so. I'm pretty good at picking up social cues quickly. If it looks that a conversation is in the works, I'm open to it. If it looks like a conversation is the very last thing my neighbour wants, I'm open to that, too. I just bring out my e-reader and dive back into my novel.



Nervous flyers don't bother me too much. My ex was one of those. She had to pop an Ativan pre-flight just to be able to board the plane. I once had an older lady (with whom I'd had quite a pleasant conversation at cruising altitude) grab my hand on our descent and crush my fingers. I let her. No big deal. Though her skin looked dry and papery, she had the sweatiest palms.



Gabbing with strangers can be fun. Sometimes you reveal more about yourself just because you know the likelihood is small that you'll ever cross paths with the person again. Also, I'm a pretty good ear; people tend to want to continue talking to me once we're past the hellos and the smiles. And I enjoy listening. There are tons of stories out there that you only get to hear on trains, planes, and buses. They are told nowhere else. The novel can wait.

That's all fine and well for you....I have a very different take on things. I hate to fly and it never used to be that way....But since 911, I find the whole experience obnoxious. From the knuckle dragging TSA security workers to the crappy disgruntled flight crews to the pushy tense and clueless passengers....they all suck just enough to make my life miserable when I fly. The last thing I wish to do is talk to any of them.



As for the nervous flyer thing....I've had the "finger crusher", the "arm grabber" who leaves finger prints in your arm in the form of bruises and my all time favorite....the "arm waver". That's the kind of frightened jack off that throws his or her arm across you in the event of turbulence or as in landing on a shorter than usual runway. Those are my very favorite because their arm usually whacks me right across the boobs.....assholes.



But I will say that the train is different. My job takes into our NYC affiliate office several times a month and I usually take the train into Penn Station because parking in the city is such a bitch. I see the same people all the time. It's only natural that conversations do arise frequently and in that kind of situation they are tolerable.



In case if you haven't picked up on it....I generally do not like people. I find the majority of them to be a selfish, smelly, panic stricken, annoying, breed of cattle. It's kinda of funny considering I work in a field where one of the main duties is to come in contact with and interact with my fellow employees which at times, can get somewhat personal. I'm good at it too, which for people who really know me, it's rather startling.....

[RW]

On planes, I usually get to sit beside or near the person who is puking his or her guts out.  The one guy filled three of those barf bags.  I'd sit next to a talker or a scaredy cat any day.

[Renee]

On planes, I usually get to sit beside or near the person who is puking his or her guts out.  The one guy filled three of those barf bags.  I'd sit next to a talker or a scaredy cat any day.

Yeah, that sounds.....really bad.



I can honestly say I've never had a puker next to me....thank God ....Although I have had the Jack-in-a-box type of flyer that bounces in and out of their seat constantly, mostly to go to the bathroom....So they could have been closet pukers....

[Anonymous]

Nice sentiments, Leo, but a bit naive.



Revealing PI about yourself on these forums is all fine and dandy, but some folks lust after that kind of info. Folks who don't have the saintliest of intentions.



SMP is a case in point; notoriously, he gathers such info in order to fuel his attacks on members in real life, threatening their livelihoods. He did it to Ghost, he did it to Gordy, and he did it to my brother.



Having said this, my own life is pretty unremarkable, and I don't particularly have anything to hide. In fact--and this may come as no surprise to you--I have a strong exhibitionist streak (not sexually, but as far as my candour goes). The problem is that those close to me would like to hold on to their jobs. Admittedly, this is a moot point when it comes to my ex (who was the mayor's Chief of Staff); first, because she's my ex, and, second, because she no longer works at the City (hell, she no longer even lives in Canada--she married an American last fall and settled somewhere in the Pacific Northwest). Needless to say, expressing (or even talking about) my transgender identity was verboten during the eight years we spent together; she claims it would have put her career at risk. And then there's my little brother. Revealing too much about my life will inevitably reveal something about his as well. SMP has already gotten in touch with his employers and his employers have advised my bro to stay away from online venues where stalkers ply their trade.



I know myself, though. It's almost inevitable that I will be revealing stuff about myself, just because I'm not the type of person who lives in fear. I'm sure Azhya, for one, will be waiting with baited breath for all the exciting, juicy tidbits.

You would be wrong..



Azhya is just as concerned about her PI being revealed as anyone else.

[Bricktop]

I'm 65...nearly 66. You BET I'm in the aisle seat.

Exactly, you old gents have to pee every 15.....



Try a couple thousand mgs of saw palmetto.

Eggs-fucking-zackerly.



You don't want to be in the centre or aisle with me in the window seat.



Its going to be a loooooong flight....

[Anonymous]

I'm 65...nearly 66. You BET I'm in the aisle seat.

Exactly, you old gents have to pee every 15.....



Try a couple thousand mgs of saw palmetto.

Eggs-fucking-zackerly.



You don't want to be in the centre or aisle with me in the window seat.



Its going to be a loooooong flight....

Aisle seat only for me too.

[@realAzhyaAryola]

Often in the window seat. I don't want a conversation with my seat mate either but an acknowledgement would be appreciated like making eye contact, smiling, and saying, "Hello," after all, we'll be sitting together for the duration of the flight. Recently, a female teenager sat next to me and never once looked my way even though I was looking her way and was ready to greet her with a smile and a hello. I found that to be indifferent. I felt that if she were my daughter I would slap her silly. I don't think I reared my children to be indifferent to strangers that way. It made me think that she would also be the type who would see a stranger on the street have a seizure and just walk on anyway.

[RW]

Is it hard running around being so judgmental all day long?  I imagine it's exhausting.

[Anonymous]

I have made the decision to consume as little amounts of water only on flights. No cocktails, no coffee, or tea.

[Anonymous]

I have made the decision to consume as little amounts of water only on flights. No cocktails, no coffee, or tea.

I try to get a window seat because I'm small and it's easier for me to get to the aisle..



But, if I get a middle or aisle seat, I hope the person sitting at the window would follow your example.

[Blurt]

Often in the window seat. I don't want a conversation with my seat mate either but an acknowledgement would be appreciated like making eye contact, smiling, and saying, "Hello," after all, we'll be sitting together for the duration of the flight. Recently, a female teenager sat next to me and never once looked my way even though I was looking her way and was ready to greet her with a smile and a hello. I found that to be indifferent. I felt that if she were my daughter I would slap her silly. I don't think I reared my children to be indifferent to strangers that way. It made me think that she would also be the type who would see a stranger on the street have a seizure and just walk on anyway.

Didn't get the attention you craved, Azhya?



There'll be other flights, don't worry.