Its the sex thing catholics seem to have problems with.

I had an Irish Catholic boyfriend in my younger days. Oh, what a sexy accent (though I do prefer a nice soft Scottish one or, naturally enough, Welsh!).

He was screwed up inside in at least ten dimensions. Boy did that do my head in. He could do guilt for Ireland!

Strangely enough he had to have open heart surgery a short while after we split, I think too many bacon butties (he wasn’t fat) and stress was doing him no good.

Most probably in a straight marriage you couldn’t be more wrong as barnsleymitch says, if you’re catholic. My catholic schoolfriends seemed to have lots of siblings!

nick1962:

Abstinence and fidelity as advocated by the Catholic church is another better and proven method which if you are a practising Catholic wouldn’t be a problem.

Source please? (EDIT: read both those sites, they both put forward my argument below about pragmatism. Eh?)

I’m sort of with TJ on this one insofar as to say *anyone* (yes, that includes a strange old celibate man who tells others how to live their lives as well as others) who says condoms promote HIV/AIDS are absolutely barking.

If you chop your bits off before ever having sex it will also be a similar ‘better and proven method’ but similarly people are just going to ignore it. Best be pragmatic about human behaviour and suggest that condom use would help reduce the spread of the disease, no?

Hi project!

No, didn’t make me straight. Sorry folks but ‘eww’. If there was a pill that would make me straight I’d flush it down the loo – even though I get loads of abuse (mickey taking and worse, much much worse) there is no way I would change who and what I am. For me being gay is abso-effing-lutely fantastic. And I hope for those who are straight that they also feel the same way about themselves.

Thought people did think it weird when I was discussing Welsh Ninja Sheep yesterday and singing the Lone Ranger theme when thundering down a hill on Saturday. 😆

Jedi is one cool dude. What others have said is true – when at Afan I kept hearing this voice telling me ‘push’, ‘leg down!’, ‘push point’. It also, weirdly, helped my confidence. Strange that. I guess its the usual Jedi mind control tricks he calls into play. 😀

Wrongsville is somewhere to the north east of Scotland I think. Just close to ‘Slightlyincorrecttown’ and ‘Youresurelymistakenham’. 😀

clubber – done!

oldnpastit – not mine. Ye gods I have been at the tail end of christian bile due to my sexuality. Oppressive nasty stuff indeed. And I only wear lycra for cycling. Though if David Beckham asked nicely I’m sure I could accommodate. 😉

emsz: don’t be soft. One day I’d love to meet you for real. I think you’re fab! 😀

buzz: difficult unless someone with sense could rip up the bible and replace it with a single page that basically says something like “This Jesus bloke died for your sins, just be excellent to each other!”. Though I guess even if you did schisms would happen based upon what the word ‘excellent’ meant.

Afan was great by the way. Tra-la-la! 😀

As requested:

Had a fantastic time with my club (NATS[/url]) in Afan this weekend. We booked the cabins (link[/url]) for the club and some stayed at the bunkhouse.

Friday we went up the Whites Level en-masse. We have a wide variety of skill levels in the club so it was quite a trek! Seemed to go on for ages getting to Windy Point. The downhills were scary and went on forever, compared to Sherwood Pines, my local forest centre.

Saturday we did an absolutely glorious route (and contender for my best day ever!) around the Gower Peninsula – here is the GPS. Brilliant warm day, wide paths on parts which allowed me to play and practice the skills taught to me by Jedi the Wednesday before. A nice pasty in Rhosili too.

Sunday was a bit of the Skyline and then coffee before going up the Whites Level again (somehow easier this time?!) and because I had a rough idea about the Windy Point section I flew through it. Singletrack heaven. I bounced off any steps, I carved the berms and turns and it was sheer delight and a smile bigger than a big thing when I got to the bottom of that section. Rain/tiredness called time and I went back to the cabins.

Had a brilliant social time too (that’s a major part of MTB for me). Very easy-going crowd of great people.

So yes, this was my best MTB weekend I can think of. Still smiling!

Well I’m back from Afan (great weekend riding BTW, fantastic route around the Gower peninsula too) and I see apologists at it again.

The whole argument is pretty simple really.

If you’re a christian and you read the bible then I guess you think homosexuality is “wrong”. You’re wrong. 100% wrong. So wrong you could be winner of the Wrongest Wronger in the Biggest Wrong Contest of the Glen of the McWrongs in Wrongsville.

If you’re a christian and you read the bible and think that homosexuality is OK then I’d be happy to have a beer with you (on the understanding that you don’t blather on about your religion or I’ll start talking about gay sex).

If you’re a atheist/agnostic (like moi) and think homosexuality is wrong then you’re most probably second in the above contest. Some would say winner, due to the fact you don’t have a Big Book of Stories to fall back on.

If you’re a atheist/agnostic and think homosexuality is OK then you are more than welcome to join us for that beer. Mine’s a lager, by the way. We can talk about bikes and going to Afan. Did I mention I have just come back from there? Lovely time on the Whites Level. Cleared final descent of Y Wal too! 😀

Didn’t think Fatcha was Eritrean?

Manah manah! Mods – close thread, hit the best!

Well I’ve managed to catch up with arguments at work with Hungarians so have a few lunchtime moments to recall my day.

It was brilliant.

After a skills check which could have been filmed and put on that Harry Hill show (either “You’ve been framed” or “TV Burp” – take your choice), Jedi gave some tuition on cornering and unweighting then said words that made me A Bit Nervous: “next: dropoffs!”.

Blimey. Three dropoffs of different sizes. Baby dropoff, Mummy dropoff and “You’re going to poo yourself” dropoff.

I did them! Me! All of them! And the way he taught me was *so* simple! None of this “thousands of techniques” gubbins.

Then on to sections of a built trail for training. Then linking them up. I won’t say what was on there apart from a rocky bit, a jumpy bit, bermy bits and droppy bits. I did that too, except the big droppy bit which was ultra scary for this wuss. 😀 I think he had a laugh as I kept reminding myself what to do by speaking: “feet!”, “look!”, “unweight”, “push!”.

Then on to a table-top. I ever so nearly cleared it with a jump. Jump! Me! Simple to do! At that time though I could feel my attention wandering – getting tired – and called it a day before I damaged myself.

I spent a very enjoyable four hours in Jedi’s company. An experience I’m going to take on to Afan this weekend and practice. And practice. And keep in touch asking him questions. And go back after a while so he can tell me what I’ve forgotten! My brain is feeling a bit like its been rewired as I’m forgetting old useless stuff as the new stuff pushes it out. Must be done via mind trick!

As I’m sure everyone who has been with him will say, Jedi is an absolutely top bloke. If you want quality training: go – you won’t be disappointed.

Many thanks to the post from Bullheart who set me on the trail…

BTW I did ask him about how he managed to get into people’s heads like that and I can’t remember much except for the words ‘droids’ and ‘not looking’ 😀

I learned all about the STDs the lady on the till had been given by her boyfriend on Saturday at the huge supermarket*. I tend to bring that out in people.

They don’t give you that on the self-service: ‘Darren has had the clap so much he’s being treated for applause’ flashing up on screen!

* I kid you not. 100% true. Even I was a bit shocked! 😯

Venus. Well below it now is Jupiter (not as bright).

“Self service”?

You mean the “Buy One, Get One Free” tills?

You are Antony Worral Thompson and I claim my £5!

They are a pain though. I go to t’supermarket early on Saturday (7:30) and a few times I have had to scan the lot myself as there are no tills open. I now demand staff or I will leave.

Chopped garlic in his underwear drawer, FTW.
Replace his pillow with cornflakes.
Crumble a digestive in his bed. Chocolate one if you’re feeling really naughty.

I did those to a mate once. I had to run *very* fast. No girlies would go near him for a while due to the whiff of garlic.

I think it was the goose. There is a goose involved isn’t there?

Nah, couldn’t have been the goose. All they do is break arms.

Is this what you do?

Not really. I now live in England, mother is in the best country in the world (Wales, natch), am 45, and my mother has multiple sclerosis. Oh, and she’d tell me to do one. Good come back by the way, I’ll store it for later use.

But honestly – my colleagues who work won’t allow their children to go out and play. They’re scared of things happening to them. As a result they play on consoles. Shame.

I’d dispute the ‘greater freedom’ argument. Yes, you can call your parents to say where you are etc. But most parents won’t let their children out of the house due to obviously rampant paedos, axe murderers.

Perhaps they use them when on the PS3 in one room to text their mum to bring more grub?

Answer apparently:

“Sell by dates on Crisp packets end on a Saturday for the licencing trade. This is because normally dry stock rotation in pubs and clubs in on a Friday, therefore, sell by dates are on a Saturday to ensure sales up to and including stock rotation day.”

Bullheart – YGM!

For basic meditative technique follow the ‘Mindfulness of breathing’. Basically follow your breathing patterns and count, then eventually feel the breath.

I may have an MP3 that would help somewhere. Drop me a mail if interested. It’s a guided thingy for this.

Other meditative techniques in Buddhist area include Metta Bhavana (lovingkindness) and certain visualisation techniques.

While I am about as atheist as they come (consider me a gay Welsh Mr Woppit) and consider homeopathy complete quackery I find meditation is a good way to just calm myself down and relax.

Was on FB, got bored/sick of stupid updates. Use Twitter to keep in touch with bikey mates and follow people like Cav. 28 followers. Some of which are bizarre and may involve spam.

April 4th. If you hear screaming from daaaahn saaarf its either whoops of joy from me, or screams of despair from Jedi!

Bullheart – can I email arsk a few questions about travel and stuff?

I’d vote for my next door neighbour’s dog than the tories, or labour for that matter.

LD had my vote. Never *ever* again. 😥

Oh sod this. Been prevaricating too long. Jedi – you’ll soon have mail! 😀

A good Assam does the trick, or if I feel like something refreshing then a Darjeeling with lemon. Yunnan can be nice, Keemun is a bit too phenolic for me.

Currently supping Yorkshire Gold with a splash of soy milk.

I agree. I’m completely atheist, but I’d rather have a pint with Rowan Williams than Richard Dawkins.

I’d have a pint with both. However I wouldn’t feel as if I would have to apologise existing to Dawkins. Both are bright men with the exception of the sky fairy thing.

Radical secularists are just as intolerant as their religeous equivalents.
They’ve just turned secularism into another form of religion.
A few here might like to think on that.

Bah. You’re just intolerant of my intolerance of your intolerance.

Look after “the rich” – you bet, it’s the future of the country at stake !

The high rate tax payers will be the driving force of economic revival by making money and investing it in jobs.
The doleys don’t pay taxes, the illegals don’t pay taxes, the cash-in-handers don’t pay taxes, the students don’t pay taxes – if “the rich” leave the country who will support the lazy poor in their alcohol, nicotine and saturated fat fuelled lives ?

This sounds like an advert for that extremely crap book “Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand.

Had a good read last night. Very impressed with readability (black writing on white makes it look sort of spacious and easy to read as opposed to white on black or – shudder – writing on a photo). Articles are well balanced over subjects and held my interest.

A review of saddles (hint) would be nice as I’m thinking about getting a new one 😀

Or you could do a monthly review of training guides (e.g. AQR/UKBikeSkills or something similar).

Size is also good, sort of between old Singletrack and “The Ride” so easier to hold.

A lot of thought and work has gone into the new mag, and I hope it pays off. I’m now moving to a print sub as opposed to a digital one. 😀

Do you look good in heels AdamW… that is the question?

I think the phrase “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder…” comes to mind. At the moment I”m wearing a check shirt, went into work and now have the name ‘Daisy Duke’.

Not impressed! 😀

I know an old white fairy, any good?

You called? 😀

We were in the front of a concertina-type crash, with the rear car coming off worst just over a year ago. Minor damage to the rear bumper.

We are *still* getting automated calls from parasites saying we should claim for personal injury. Once I managed to get through to the idiots who were calling and told them to stop immediately, that we were OK and didn’t want any more calls. Needless to say they didn’t.

I would have thought that the caged bird may have more fat to its frame as is isn’t able to exercise and grow its muscles.

I’m seriously thinking about ditching my Grauniad subscription for a year. Wall-to-wall coverage of the US elections. Fair enough, it is a superpower but there is far too much coverage on the media about another country’s election. Put it in the international section until the election happens then have a front page about it if you like.

OK. Yes I know it isn’t a man-crush per-se but pure lust but he is an (insert expletive) good biker:

The one an only Matt Hunter –

Just got back from a night ride from Long Eaton through Hemlockstone then up towards Top Valley and back. No cars being burned out tonight though 🙂

Then me mates break off back to West Bridgeford at city hospital and it is a bit of a slog along the roads back home but before that it is fast and furious! There is some stuff but it is generally better to the north of Nottingham.

Cute as he is, I reckon that Dr Christian is trying to be the next Harry Hill. The collars on his shirts are getting bigger and bigger!

How about these? I use them for dishwashing but they don’t have lint and are wring able and pretty long lasting:

posh dishcloths at tesco

You know it is a hard life being gay. Every day – every SINGLE day – I have to work my utmost to bring about the destruction of morality. The latest ruse amongst us gays is to get married. That’ll do it for sure. I can see cracks in the sky now as it is about to cave in. (We also get Tesco Clubcard points for every conversion. I’m working up to a new coffee machine.)

The next idea I have forwarded onto central command: Gay Lesbian And Metrosexual Order, Underhanded Resistance Of United Sodomites (G.L.A.M.O.U.R.O.U.S. for short) is to infiltrate society with older creepy men who wear purple dresses and badly-fitting hats.

Oh, wait…. 😀

As an aside: how on earth does one round the corners of their head? Was the author on acid when he wrote it?

Wouldn’t doing such a thing cause major trauma or death?

?? Confused!

Isn’t that something to do with Star Trek II, the genesis device and Bill Shatner shouting “Kaaaaaaaaaaahn!” 😀