Now I can truly begin to hope that Green Zippy will be found...

He's out there, Al, never fear.  He's just "finding" himself...

Even though I know that monogamy is a choice and not an instinct, I'm surprised by how closely entwined romance and fidelity are in my view of relationships.

That's cool, Al.  We all define it in our own ways.  Let's chalk it up to a "cultural" thing... if there is such a thing.

Umm, monogamy  came about when people were able to produce more than what was necessary for the day. Loosely put, when the farmer could grow enough that there was excess he could sell, and therefore he had income or "property", he needed to assure that his belongings went to a traceable heir.

I guess one could argue a cultrual aspect? I dunno.

Oki, time to play catch up with all o' yus yet again...  (spent the last 4 days at the Göteborg Book Fair

Tom wrote:
"Can we get nine more?  (There are words I've spoken once or twice in my life...)"

Only nine? Pf! That's all that I've got to say to that.  How can a happy thread drift ever end?

Jaime wrote:
"I'm either the hooker or the flanker.......hmmm, maybe that came out wrong...."

And for just a second there my eye didn't read that as "flanker"... what's the in-take version of a Freudian slip, I wonder?

Tom wrote:
"My alcohol tolerance is quite a bit higher -- depending on what I'm drinking.  I get soppy with red wine, but if we're doing shots (especially Jagermeister), then I can get rather... uninhibited."

Well, I for one stick to the non-alcoholic beverages, but that's never stopped me to get to that particular stage, Tom. ;)
Or as a colleague of mine recently said... she only knows two people (me being one of them) who can get pleasantly "drunk" on some mineral water or coke (the beverage kind, to be specific).
So let's keep the party going, heck I'll even take Jodi for a spin on the floor. "Looking for some hot stuff..." ;)

Don wrote:
"I just want to say I am enjoying the party and have really enjoyed getting to know everyone."

Count me in that crowd as well. This thread is so very gay... quite possibly in every sense of that word. :)

Geoff wrote:
"I don't think I'd want to see anyone I'm friends with (regardless of orientation)having sex.  I maybe a prude but I don't know how I could look at them the same way again."

I don't think I'm a prude either, but I'd put seeing friends having sex* just a couple of rungs below any images or mentions of parents having sex. I was grown from some kind of forest plant. Not very likely, agreed, but I'm sticking with that story.  ;)

*  Fortunately I haven't had to... though there was an incident where I was in a bed in a room with a friend with a partner in another bed... and while the visual was thankfully out, the audio alas was not, partly on account of my bed and theirs being connected by a head board (though some space and a drawer or something between, I hasten to add).  Ok, leaving that particular story now.

Tom wrote:
"Men tend to find less emotion in the act."

I'd go out on a limb (being the "girlie man" I am) and say, the emotion might not necessarily be inherent to the act but can certainly bring added flavour to it, when the interaction works well.  But then again, I'd say I've always had a ot of female friends and long since disgarded the myth that it by necessity is any more inherent to the act for women.

More Tom:
"That's not to say I agree with the concept of the open relationship -- Eric and I are monogomous at this point, but have talked about including others in our play, just not playing seperately.  Still, some of the longest standing gay relationships I know have survived being 'open.'"

I think the idea of an open relationship is fine as long as everyone involved ALL agree on it and sort of know what they've agreed to. As you said a bit below what I quoted, it's dishonesty and things that causes issues of distrust that are the true problems though. Other than that, I think it all comes down to communication and having each particular "couple" (or more, not limit relationship in any way to twosomes) work out the fundamentals of their relationship.

Jodi wrote:
"Tom I agree about men being different, sex drive wise, I have always wondered why all men aren't gay."

Some of us are just exiles from the womb, I guess, and like all exiles spend a lot of time contemplating our glorious return.*  ;)

*  A category which of course could be said to include lesbians as well, quite possibly.

Tom wrote:
"Why do dogs lick their balls?"

They don't have opposable thumbs?  O, was that a rhetorical question?

Tom also wrote:
"'Green Zippy' is Al's silly group on Facebook, Michael."

Al has a silly group on FB and I'm not in it!?!?!  Now I am offended... deeply...

Ok, so it's an open group and I joined now... but still offended... deeply... not INVITED (sob)

Some of us are just exiles from the womb, I guess, and like all exiles spend a lot of time contemplating our glorious return.*  ;)

*  A category which of course could be said to include lesbians as well, quite possibly.

LOL

I have joined the Green Zippy group

Yes, the ranks are growing, have faith Al, by the way what in on the front of Green Zippy?