I am incapable of thinking about Mike Huckabee in a context that does not make me dry-heave. He is a special treasure to me, in that he's one of the handful of people in the world I wish I could meet so I could tell him exactly what I think of him (with my most prim smile). I mean, I know what he thinks about me…

That 'special treasure'/'common' comment was extremely weird and reminiscent of purity-speak. I interpret that he is entirely unable to think of women in a non-sexualized context.

No, she is the worst. It bums me out so much when she's cast in a movie I otherwise want to see (most recent: Under the Skin, a really interesting book).

Well, shoot, I'm sorry. I think I actually forgot this about Hitler and my Austrian friend told me as a joke!

My colleague from our Vienna office just visited and brought me some lovely Mirabell Mozarts, so that is my most current mental association with Austria. You also have some very fine wines.

I know! Immediate thought was: ''Ooooh, I want to sing The Little Mermaid with Matt Damon and twirl around my living room! Then I would like to have bed-breaking sex with him.''

That 'in the mood' advice is really important. After a stressful work day (aka most days), I am rarely 'in the mood,' unless I've had some wine, and this is despite the fact I generally have a high libido. That doesn't mean I don't really enjoy sex during the week, however, and find it a great stress-reliever and a…

"You know that sadness and rage you feel about your money? Well, that's how some of us feel about people.''

Any why not? The vampire has already filched the life from your body, why should you be allowed privacy, silence, or cleanliness? You've already established you are the worst kind of sucker.

Yes, picture a house guest who LITERALLY feeds off your blood, bones, energy, and nutrients during his/her stay. For nine months.

Oh snap!

I think we can safely cast a judgmental side-eye to the 'communes' of the past and their various iterations, which were also safe havens for child abuse, let alone sexual coercion between adults.

That's very interesting, and I hope it was clear (particularly in a subsequent post I made on this thread) that I am not knee-jerk 'anti,' but I do believe that many hetero non-monogamous relationships are initiated by men whose female partners are less-than-enthused. I think your use of 'ethical' hits the nail…

I'm so sorry to hear that, but at least you didn't compromise yourself? I hope that makes sense and doesn't sound completely awful - I mean that, despite his actions, you didn't allow yourself to be forced into a situation wherein you were complicit with something that made you unhappy. That's strong.

Ooh, I fell prey to that trap as well, the one of my own making (aren't I progressive and feminist? Why should I adhere to the bounds of heteronormativity?). I think, as I've gotten older, I just have a better understanding of what is workable for me. In a dating situation, I understand it to be just that -…

I was dating someone who was pressuring me into an open relationship and sought informal advice from a very seasoned psychiatrist I know who's treated a lot of couples.

Oh, that's kind, but I don't know about that! Mine was really just an addendum to your comment, in which I was in full agreement (right down to the '90s teen experience and extreme concern about how lax attitudes now appear).

This is ethically interesting territory, isn't it? I'm aware, first and foremost, that my instinct is not to believe the claim, based on 1) it's an indie-rock singer rather than a professional athlete, say, and 2) the claim was made in an internet forum.

Yeah, I'm a lot more comfortable with 'unprotected,' and think it sends the right message - condoms protect people engaging in a sex act that involves a penis.

I feel like I don't understand the meaning of 'prank' anymore, and I'm not sure if it's Me of Them. One of us got lost en route.