HNT #24 - The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead

Peter Pumpkinhead put to shame

Governments who would slur his name
Plots and sex scandals failed outright
Peter merely said
Any kind of love is alright
But he made too many enemies...
Peter Pumpkinhead was too good
Had him nailed to a chunk of wood
He died grinning on live TV
Hanging there he looked a lot like you
And an awful lot like me!

-Andy Partridge (XTC)

Trick or treat? You decide. Halloween isn't a big deal here in Australia, but I couldn't resist having a go at a Halloween themed HNT this week. Luckily I had this Jack O' Lantern novelty that I picked up on a visit to the States and so I put it to good use. As an added bonus, it fits in nicely with the XTC song that I chose to accompany the picture. I hope you like it.

For more HNT delights please visit Os.

Wednesday Weirdness #21

1.) As an adult, do you do anything for Halloween or is it just another day?
Halloween is not big here in Australia so for me it will be just another day.

2.) Do you ever dress up for Halloween? What will be your costume this year?
Same answer as above. I think it would be fun to dress up in spooky costumes though, and I love the way some people decorate their houses for Halloween (they are sometimes featured on our late night news bulletins, and of course there is always the internet). Maybe I will have to visit The States in October to experience 'trick or treat'.

3.) Have you started Christmas shopping yet? When do you usually begin?
No I haven't. Probably mid November I will start seriously shopping although I already have a pretty good idea what I will be getting for the kids. The problem with shopping too early is trying to find places to stash the presents, and then trying to remember where that good hiding spot was, months later.

4.) Do you look people in the eye when talking? Does it bother you when people don't make eye contact during conversation?
I generally try to make eye contact with people when I am talking to them. People who don't (or can't) make eye contact usually have something to hide.

5.) What excuse do you usually use when you want to take a day off work for no real reason?
If I need a day off and can't negotiate it then I would phone in sick. My 'illness' would either be a migraine or a stomach bug. I hardly ever do this as my employer is really flexible (within reason) and it usually isn't a problem to get some time off, even if it is only an hour or so.

6.) How often, on average, do you find yourself thinking about sex per day?
How many minutes are there in a day?? That's about how often I think about sex. Just lately it seems to be on my mind the whole time. Do you think I might have a little unspent sexual tension??

7.) What company makes your favorite brand of shoes? What makes them your favorite?
I don't have a favourite brand of shoe unless we are talking about trainers. Then I have a preference for either Nike or Reebok simply because of the comfort and support they give. Having said that, I am currently wearing a pair of Adidas Goodyear to the gym and I find them excellent to run in. So I guess I don't have a loyalty to any particular brand.

8.) Do you ever save alcohol bottles once they are empty?
I used to, many years ago. I wanted to collect different types of beer bottles, but in the end it takes up a lot of room and I couldn't see the point in keeping empty bottles anymore so I got rid of them. Now the bottle goes for recycling as soon as it is empty, not that I drink that much these days.

9.) Do you enjoy musicals?
Generally, no, however there are exceptions. Rocky Horror Picture Show is one such exception. Other exceptions elude me at the moment (if in fact there are any more exceptions) and I tend to avoid musicals like the plague.

TMI Tuesday #44

1. Who and when was your first crush?
The first crush that I can remember was when I was at primary school in year 6. Her name was Kathryn and she was in my class. She also lived in the same street as me, only at the other end. I thought she was the nicest, and prettiest girl that I had ever met. Unfortunately, I was very shy so I don't think I ever spoke to her, I just admired her from afar. Toward the end of that year we moved house and I went to another school, so I never saw her again.

2. Who and when was your first date?
I would have been about 15 when I went on my first proper date. By 'proper date' I mean it was just somewhere that the two of us went to and I had asked her to come with me, as opposed to just meeting someone at a friends place or at a local hangout. We went to the movies in town and my Mum dropped us off and picked us up again afterwards. I don't remember what film we saw, but I do remember holding hands and kissing a lot in the darkened cinema. Her name was Trish and we went on a few dates together.

3. Who and when was your first kiss?
My first kiss from a girl that wasn't related to me happened when I was 15 on the train coming home from school one day. She kissed me and I remember it really made me tingle all over. I don't remember her name, but I was keen on her for quite a while after. It turns out that she had only kissed me as a dare, and she didn't really like me at all. Any guesses what that did for a teenager's self confidence?

4. Who and when was your first partner while "fooling around" in car?
First partner in a car was Yvonne. She was my girlfriend at the time and we used to go to the drive-ins every weekend regardless of what was playing. We had some great times behind those fogged up windows in the back seat of my car.

5. Who and when was your first partner while "fooling around" in a house?
Beth was the girl I first fooled around in a house with. We were both at college and had time during the day when we didn't have any classes so we would go back to her house or mine for an hour or so because either place was empty while our parents were out working.

6. Who and when was your first love?
The first girl I think I really loved was Alison. We 'went out' for quite a while and it took me a long time to get over her when we finally broke up. I was 18 at the time.

Bonus: Who's blog did you first comment on?
I think the first blog I left a comment on was We're Only Animals. It is no longer active and hasn't been for almost a year now.

HNT #23 - Fortune Teller.

Went to a fortune teller

To have my fortune read
I didn't know what to tell her
I had a dizzy feeling in my head

She took a hold of my palm
She said "Son you feel kind of warm"
And then she looked into a crystal ball
She said "You're in love"

(Neville)

Go and visit Os for more HNT fun.

Wednesday Weirdness #20

1. Is there a particular birthday that you are dreading (eg: 40th) why?
No. I don't have any fears or phobias about reaching any milestone birthdays. To me it is just another year older, and age is really just a state of mind. I have met young people who are old beyond their years, and older people who live life as if they were much younger.

2. What is your favorite birthday memory?
My 21st birthday was a favourite of mine. I partied long and hard into the night, and was still going the following morning when the sun came up (unlike most of my guests who had either left or crashed for the night). Plus, I got to 'score' in the back seat of my car with a girl I had been keen on for a while. She must have felt generous on account of it being my birthday, because it never happened again and shortly after that she started going out with my close friend.

3. What was the best birthday present you ever received? The worst?
No particular present springs to mind as being the best, or worst. Any gift can be the best ever if it is something that you have wanted for a while, or are really appreciative of receiving. And I don't think of gifts in terms of being not very good. If someone has taken the effort to select a gift for me then I am grateful that they took the time to think of me at all.

4. Frosting roses: Love them or hate them?
I will admit to not knowing what frosting roses are, so I don't really have an opinion on them one way or the other.

5. Do you like when people make a big deal out of your birthday, or do you prefer a quiet or no celebration?
No question about it. A quiet one with no celebration at all. As long as those people whom I love, or am close to, remember then that is all that I care about. I don't have any real need to make my birthday a big deal.

6. Surprise parties; Good or Evil?
Definitely evil. I detest surprise parties, and I have threatened my family that I will walk out if they try to spring a surprise party on me. I know some people think that they are great, but I am just not into that much recognition and celebration.

7. Bonus Question: Over at Casa ASM, it is traditional for the birthday boy or girl to get carte blanche in the bedroom that night. Who and/or what would you choose for birthday bedroom carte blanche?
Well nothing like that ever happens over at the Apple Residence. However, if I was able to choose a who and what for some birthday bedroom celebrations then I would choose my girl (you know who you are) to join me for a night of unbridled passion. It wouldn't matter really what we did as long as we could be together for the entire night to enjoy each others company and pleasures. Actually, we might have to take the next day off work because I don't think either of us would be capable of putting in a full 8 hours after a night like that.

TMI Tuesday #43

1. Have you ever felt guilty or ashamed after a sexual experience?
The only time I can recall having some guilty feelings after a sexual experience was after my first infidelity with Eve. That was the first time that I had been with a woman other than my wife in all our years of marriage. I didn't get a major attack of the guilts but I did feel some guilt for a little while after. Obviously it wasn't enough to prevent me from going forth and repeating the experience with other women.

2. Did you ever own a fake ID?
I have never had fake ID and never needed one. It wasn't until I turned 18 (legal drinking age where I come from) that I started getting asked for some proof of age in licensed establishments, even though I had occasioned them since turning 15. I used to hang out with some older boys and I think that that was enough to get me into such venues. I never flaunted the fact and used to keep to the dark back corners to avoid scrutiny. Truth be told, I was only there to watch the bands and a drink was only a side element to that.

3. How often do you tell white lies? Is it with or without thinking?
I tell white lies all the time to Mrs A. to keep her from knowing what I am up to. They would be white lies that I tell, knowing that I am telling them. Apart from that, and my infidelities, I am basically a very honest person and other people get the straight up truth.

4. On a scale of 1-10, how well do you receive constructive criticism?
I don't tend to handle criticism of any kind particularly well. I may fair a little better with constructive criticism, but generally I take it all personally even though I know I shouldn't and that that is not how it was intended.

5. Have you ever shaved your pubic hair?
Yes. In recent years (probably the last 5 or so) I have taken to shaving the hair from my balls and from around my cock. I like to think that if a lady wants to pleasure me in that area then she doesn't want to have hair interfering with the process. On the flip side, I don't really care whether my partner is shaved or not, although shaved is visually more appealing and provides less obstruction.

Bonus: What percentage of women do you think are capable of handling being in a "friends with benefits" relationship? How about men?
I wouldn't have a clue as to what the percentages might be, but I do know from personal experience that it is difficult to keep emotion out of a purely physical relationship. While the concept of a "friends with benefits", "no strings attached" type of relationship might seem like the ideal situation, I think in reality there would be few individuals who would be able to keep it as just that. Perhaps I am wrong though and maybe other people think differently. It will be interesting to see how other people answer this question.

HNT #22 - Waiting For A Girl Like You.

I've been waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life
I've been waiting for a girl like you
A love that will survive
I've been waiting for someone new
To make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a girl like you
To come into my life

M. Jones, L. Gramm (Foreigner)

(don't forget to click)

For more HNT fun, please pay Os a visit.

Yesterday was my 100th post. I had planned to do something like '100 things about me', or something similar for this milestone post but it appears to have slipped by unnoticed by everyone, including me. My 1st blogiversary also came and went while I was trekking in the Andes. Not to worry, perhaps I will still do the '100 things' post in the near future. Now all I need to do is think of 98 other things to go with the 2 things I have thought of so far. Perhaps 100 things is not such a good idea after all. Let's wait and see...

Wednesday Weirdness #19

1. If you could only eat one fruit for an entire year and that fruit would magically be in season and ripe that full year, which fruit would you choose and why?
I am not really a big fruit eater. I much prefer vegetables and salads. However there are a few fruits that I am partial to and my choice would come from one of those. Bananas I quite like but I don't know if I could eat them all year round. Apples are nice and there are lots of different varieties, as well as different ways to eat or cook them so they could be my fruit of choice. But I think I would opt for strawberries simply because they are so yummy and always remind me of warm summer days. As an added bonus, I think they are quite romantic and I wouldn't mind getting to share some with a special someone if the opportunity arose.

2. What is something that makes you sad?
At the moment I am finding it sad that distance, and other circumstances, are keeping me from getting to know someone I really care a lot about.

3. What would you do if you came home from an extended vacation and found that someone else was living in your house?
It would depend on who the someone was. In fantasy land, if she was an attractive female who fancied me then I am sure we could come to some arrangement that would allow her to stay on. Anybody else would result in legal action being taken against the offending persons.

4. What US President, alive or otherwise, would you like to have dinner with?
I don't know too much about US presidents either alive or dead so my choices would be limited. Bill Clinton springs to mind so we could discuss what really happened with those interns, the cigar, and the stains on the dress. Another choice would be Abe Lincoln because he is such a fascinating person from history and had a lot to do with shaping the way America is today.

5. What is your opinion on multitasking while driving? (Reading a book or work documents, changing clothes, fixing hair, applying make up, shaving your face, et cetera)
I am not in agreeance with it. I think the drive should be concentrating on the task at hand, ie driving the car, and not be concerned about other things that they have to do. Diverting attention from the road to perform other tasks is the cause of many accidents.

6. Do you ever multitask while driving? If so, how often would you say you are guilty of it?
I don't multitask while driving. The most I will do is change a CD or drink coffee from a non-spill cup. I have a hands free kit on my phone but I still find it to distracting to use and usually let calls go to message so I can answer them later.

7. Do you tend to be early, on time, fashionably late or LATE to work and work related events? Do you tend to be more or less punctual for non-work related events?
I like to be punctual, but I don't like getting somewhere too early and having to wait til it gets started. For meetings and work related stuff I try to get there about 10 minutes before the start so I have time to get settled, but don't have to wait around too long. I think it is rude of people to habitually run late. Everybody gets held up occasionally, but don't make a habit of it.

8. What is a quirk your significant other has that you would define as "cute"? If you have no SO, what is a quirk you find cute in a potential SO?
Mrs A doesn't have any quirks, and if she did I don't think any of them would be cute. She is just not that sort of person.

TMI Tuesday #42

Finally, I am back from a wonderful trip. It has taken a little longer than I had anticipated to get back to my blog. This is because of the sheer volume of work that was waiting for me on my return, and the fact that I came down with the flu a day or two after getting home. Both of those problems are now hopefully behind me and I can get back to a 'normal' routine (whatever that may be). So the first thing in that routine would be TMI. Click HERE if you want to see what it is all about.

1. What do you do that sends a clear signal to your partner that you're interested in an intimate evening?
These days I don't even bother trying to send signals to Mrs A. If I did then they would be ignored or I would receive a rebuttal that would indicate that I was wasting my time. Intimate evenings occur at her request, and moments such as those don't come around all that often.

2. How important is foreplay to an exciting evening?
I love foreplay and consider it to be an integral part of any intimate evening. The foreplay begins long before there is any physical contact as the flirting and suggestive talk set the foundation for the intimacy that is to follow. As for physical foreplay, sometimes I just wish it could could continue forever because there is nothing better than being with that special someone and sharing some 'teasing and pleasing'.

3. What is the first thing you do during foreplay or what is the first thing you like done to you?
The first thing I do is kiss my partner. A passionate kiss does wonders for kick starting an intimate encounter. It would also be the first thing I would like done to me, so I am quite happy to kiss for a while before we start to explore further.

4. Are you a one and done kind of partner (20 minutes or so) or do you like intimacy sessions longer than 60 minutes?
Time constraints usually make longer sessions impractical and impossible. However I would love to have the luxury of time so I could indulge in prolonged lovemaking with my partner. But then again, there is nothing wrong with a 'quickie', and those brief, stolen moments can be as fulfilling as any all-night session.

BONUS: If you are interested in sex with a same-sex partner, what would be the first thing you'd like to touch on that other person, and why? (For those already in same sex relationships...what was the first thing you touched, or if you were interested in a relationship with the opposite sex, what would be the first thing you touched?)
In a relationship with a member of the opposite sex, the first thing I touched would be her face. I would hold her face as I kissed her, and then my fingers would trail off to her neck, ears or hairline, just exploring different areas.