Awkward Crushes On Straight Guys

It'll probably come as no surprise to you, Dear Constant Readers, that I've been watching the latest series of Big Brother. It's an addiction that's been with me for over a decade now. 


One particular relationship in the house is bringing back embarrassing memories of my own youth, and that's the weird relationship between Aaron and Tom. Aaron is straight and Tom is gay. Though my initial opinions of Aaron were that he was a bit of an arrogant prick, I'm beginning to see there is probably a nice guy in him somewhere and he has been very nice indeed to Tom. Tom, on the other hand, comes across as a rather naive, young gay guy who has a bit of a crush on Aaron. 


The rather frank discussions between Tom and Aaron over this, which seem almost alien to me now I've matured a little bit, remind me scarily of a particularly strange relationship I had at university which these three posts do not really give justice to. 


Let me tell you... having a crush on a flirtatious heterosexual man is the worst possible thing that can happen to a gay guy. 


I'm no stranger to unrequited love ("No kidding", I hear you shout). I personally think it's one of the best kinds of love out there. Something sort of pure about a youthful crush on an unobtainable stranger. But getting that feeling about someone who you know, chat with and who flirts back but where NOTHING can ever happen is the most frustrating, heart-breaking and awful thing that can be. 


It wasn't even the "You can look but you can't touch" frustration of it. Just like Aaron making out with Tom for a joke, there was plenty of sexually charged (sometimes naked, it was university after all ;) ) contact between me and the object of my affections. But nothing ever happened. The "You can touch but you can't have" frustration trumps all others in my humble opinion.


My advice to Tom would to get a grip on his emotions. Whilst it might be interesting for us to watch, it's only going to be emotionally draining for both parties. Aaron needs to set some boundaries and Tom needs to get some self-respect and stop acting as if Aaron is betraying him when Aaron gets off with girls. I know, asking someone not to have a crush on someone is an impossible request. But there is something to be said about keeping those emotions between you and your blog readers. 


If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist

A Friend Comes To Call

Last weekend Arwen came to visit. Which was awesome! She is in the UK for a few weeks and decided to make Folkestone her first port of call (who wouldn't? ;) ). Thankfully Folkestone was on it's best behaviour with Triennial stuff to see and do (it ends this weekend so get your bum down here to see it now!). We spent a day just wandering round visiting some of the installations. Some I was lukewarm on ("Lighthouse in the Sea of Time" and "Boutique Kosovo" were obviously acquired tastes) whilst others I loved. Towards The Sound of Wilderness by Cristina Iglesias was awesome. It was a small window in the midst of thick bush onto an overgrown Martello tower and moat. I can honestly say I never even knew there was a Martello tower there! Fascinating. The Country of the Blind, and Other Stories by CAMP was an excellent video installation detailing the lives of immigrants in Calais as they attempted to get to the UK. It was worth sitting through just to discover some immigrants swam out to and stowaway on ferries, an escape method I'd never even conceived of! Brave and foolish all at once. All the best things are I suppose. 


The volunteers were... enthusiastic. Some must not have seen a human being in days! 


We also went to Canterbury which was the second time I'd been there in a fortnight. Had a Wagamama's and a drink in the Bishop's Finger, visited the Cathedral too. If it wasn't for the unfortunate fact Arwen lost her camera case there we would never have gone back in for a second time and almost literally bump into the Archbishop of Canterbury! 


If you have a 3D device you can enjoy seeing him from behind in 3D!!!


   


 Don't say this blog isn't cutting edge... 


I honestly don't know what Arwen thought of our little town but it was lovely to see her! 


Right now I should be in Berlin but due to unforeseen circumstances I'm not. Which is said given how much I love that city but is tempered by fact I'm off work for over a week!!! Hurrah.

If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist

The Return Of Comic Book Jae

Damn it. DC's New 52 has done two things to me. The first is hardly surprising: it's reinvigorated my usual underlying obsession with all things comic books. But the second thing is surprising: it's had me reading DC books. I've been a Marvel boy ever since I first got into American comics, almost exclusive X-titles. I own the graphic novels of The Killing Joke and 52 but those have been my only flirtations with anything DC. I've read more IDW and Dark Horse stuff than DC... 

But times are a-changing. Action Comics #1 was good, Stormwatch #1 was interesting, Superboy #1 was EXCELLENT and Justice League #1 was entertaining. I liked them so much that I dragged out the Dark Knight Returns from under the coffee table where it's sat for months since I bought it at a boot fair and devoured it too. 


Plus with .CBR reading apps and Comixology on my mobile, I don't even need to irritate Jim with unnecessary comics lying around the house. Everybody's happy!


In other geeky news: I read Stephen King's new short story Mile 81 today. Absolutely amazing. I really felt for the characters. I was reading it in my lunch break at work and had to suppress the urge to scream out loud "Don't go near the car!!" at some points. It's up there with another short story of his I love; The Mist. But there-in lies the reason I'm not a fan of short stories... I desperately wanted more! Frustrating, but in a good way!


If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist

Oooo... Another New Blogger Layout

Hmm... Blogger has gone and got a new interface. As I've been on Blogger for OVER 10 years (which makes me want to cry a little), I'm pretty used to such changes and whilst there is plenty of nashing of teeth out on Twitter and other places I suspect I'll get used to this latest instalment in Bloggers ever changing layout.

 So both Jim's son Ian and my brother George have stayed over during the last week. Jim, Ian and I went to see Cowboys and Aliens last weekend. Whilst Daniel Craig in a cowboy outfit is more than a little distracting, it was otherwise a fairly mediocre movie. Frankie and Benny's was similarly dismal, with only the scary black eyes of the waiter being notable. We also went to Canterbury which was cool as I've not been there for years. There are so many new buildings, Whatever Comics has moved and Bar 11 has closed down (AH!). But Wagamama's, a place I've never been impressed with before, scored big on the lunch front with an awesome Chicken Katsu curry.

 This week I've been "training" at work, which basically means I've been doing all the things I used to do before. For once it was a one-on-one refresher rather than a complete training module meaning I think they are finally realising I'm not a "new starter" but a "returnee" who needs a minimal update on changes to processes rather than two week modules rehashing things I already know. Good stuff!

In other news: rediscovering two past loves: Stephen King and comics. And since I last had those obsessions they've actually sort of merged. Hmm... must read "N" as it did cost me £18.99! Damn nostalgia at Whatever Comics overcame my need to save money...

If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist