In a thread about tennis player Martina Hingis retiring amid cocaine addiction accusations: McGoodness: Now that she's retiring maybe she could become a line judge.
From a thread titled "10 most ridiculous laws in the UK": angeleyesgr: "# 6. In the UK a pregnant woman can legally relieve herself anywhere she wants, including in a policeman's helmet (4%)" I'm going to the UK when I get pregnant and I'm going to find me a policeman and ask for his helmet. boredofu: You might get more than you bargained for.
In a thread titled "Spider bite no excuse for rape": Ponystatic5: Do you think snakes are evil too? And millipedes and basically anything slightly eerie? Kepi: No, it's just spiders, as millipedes don't have true legs. It's based on legs, evil is. jealousblues: so peg legged pirate...more or less evil than regular pirate?
In a Four Songs thread which included the song "Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughan: uraniumsex: As hard as it is for me to pass up The Who, I'm going with Price and Joy. jealousblues: ah, the classic by Stevie Ray Barker. I prefer his song, "If the house is rocking...COME ON DOWN!"
In makujafu's journal called "I think im alone on this one": Tamahau: First it's Hockey and then, before you know it, you're taking time off of work to watch Nascar. makujafu: The races are on sunday so thats not a problem...I'm still mad at nascar that the only black driver had a car sponsored by waste management. discobot1000: Don't play the racecar... wait, race card.
Joke of the Week
Did you hear about that woman that smoked dope in the streets of Baghdad?
The member of the week is tinsley. A member since December 2004, Tinsley has grown up a ton in his nearly three years on YT. Once a young newbie who umm, fit the young newbie stereotype, now he's a great contributor to many threads. Congrats!
JoeInterview's Member Feature
This week's interview features Tezmata. This interview was conducted by travbowman.
JoeInterview: How did you find YT?
Tezmata: I'm pretty sure that there was a link for it on Bored.com, which I used to frequent way long ago when I was in my early teenage years. I clicked a lot of links at random and this site happened to stick.
JI: What's the biggest reason you keep coming back?
TM: Honestly in the beginning it was because I was still in the closet and it was nice for me to talk to other competent gay people without feeling condemned or scared. I met people like Dorian_Gray and some others who were polite and easy to talk to and they really helped me to better understand myself. I owe a lot of my self-acceptance to this site.
Now I mostly just keep coming back because it's hard to find other sites where people are actually intelligible human beings (for the most part).
JI: What was the coming out process like for your in the real world?
TM: It actually went much better than I had expected (as many YT members had predicted it would). My mother, who has always called herself a southern Baptist, was extremely accepting and I think the experience actually brought us even closer together. Going through something like that really teaches you who your true friends are too. I lost a few friends in the process who just didn't understand but in the long run I'm really better off without "friends" that would leave after something like that.
It was also a time to make new friends. I met two sisters who had a gay mother and we are still friends to this date. As news spread, other people in my high school would come to me for support when they were put in a similar situation. I became the support a lot of people needed.
The best change though was what it did for my personality. I used to be a very reclusive kid with low self-esteem but now I am fairly extroverted and I don't get down on myself as often as I did.
JI: That's great that it went so well. What is the most difficult part about being a gay man in America in 2007?
TM: I personally haven't had anything too negative happen to me but I've got three major gripes:
For one, the "slippery slope" argument when it comes to same-sex marriage. It's a bit demeaning to have your feelings compared to those of pedophiles or practitioners of bestiality or those who would marry rocks.
The second is that it's nearly impossible to convince someone of a "feeling" such as love or attraction. Most arguments are created when two people have different feelings and can't understand those of the other party. I try to keep an open mind with those who oppose homosexuality and equal treatment but there are some people who just refuse to accept the feelings of others. It's hard to argue with someone who says, "Well, I just know I'm right" and then clams up.
Lastly, there are many other gay people that only support the negative image of homosexuality. Gay pride parades, for instance, portray homosexuals in a mostly negative light to the rest of society.
JI: You recently lost a family member. Tell us what she meant to you.
TM: Though I wish I could have been closer to my aunt Patti before her passing, it was clear to everyone that she really embodied what it was to be a genuine person. She was upfront on any issue and was never afraid to speak her mind, regardless of the consequences. She lost her mother at a young age and the rest of her family says that she never really recovered from it. She went through most of her life dealing with drug addiction but she kept fighting. Before her passing she was completely drug-free (minus the prescriptions that she had to take). She was very different from the rest of my family and her presence in my life will be sorely missed. I really do regret not being closer to her. What a unique individual.
JI: Changing gears a bit...are you currently in school?
TM: Actually I am not, despite it being my life goal since I was about four. I was attending the University of North Texas until about midway through October. I didn't really like it there and I was realizing more each day that music isn't so much a career choice for me as a hobby. It wasn't until my sister was believed to have a potentially fatal syndrome (which it thankfully turns out she does not have) that I started to re-prioritize my life. My mom was also diagnosed with fibroid tumors and my family hasn't ever had much money so funding her hysterectomy/the hefty dentist bills for her and my sister PLUS college fees is just a little too much to handle, though my mom would never admit it to me.
Right now I'm working to make sure we have enough money to stay afloat and come Dec. 20th, the day of my mother's operation, I think we'll be fine, at least financially.
JI: With music having been eliminated, what are you looking into career-wise now?
TM: I'm still trying to leave all options open at this point. I made a big mistake by being set on a major too early and taking classes that wouldn't benefit any other degree plan. I'm looking at maybe English/creative writing or some form of mathematics for a major, though I don't want to be a teacher or an engineer. There are so many careers that I would enjoy but don't want to have the major (and visa-versa). I've still got a long time before I have to make any big decisions but I'd like to at least have some idea of where I'm going. Only time will tell, I guess.
JI: What are you looking most forward to in 2008?
TM: I guess just for everything to get better. Next year I am finally going to take charge of my life (something I thought I was doing this year). I'm going to get back into school, probably at a community college, and work my way to a degree. My mother's procedures will all be done with and I won't have to worry about her health anymore (knock on wood). I may even be getting a promotion at work since my manager may be leaving. My life has nowhere to go but up so I am overly optimistic as usual.
With things settled down here, I think I may move far away. I don't want to get comfortable here and decide to stay. My entire life I have known that I wanted to move somewhere else and get away from this town. I'm thinking about the Chicago, Boston, or, most likely, LA area.
The thing I'm most excited for though (because I'm secretly very lame) is the prospect of a new boyfriend. I'm happiest when I'm in a relationship and it's been way too long for me to be single!
JI: What's the draw to the LA area for you?
TM: There just seems to be so much life to the area. From what I can tell, everybody is vibrant and interesting. It would be a welcome change from my small Texas town. I've got Austin, but I'm sure that LA is completely different. I've got a few friends there already who love it and I think I really just need to leave everything behind here and get on with my life.
JI: Are there any places you've traveled that stand out to you?
TM: When I was little I took a cross-country trip and visited most of the states in the US but I don't remember much other than loving D.C., Pennsylvania, NY, and California.
As an (almost) adult though, I've visited very few places out-of-state. I was invited to the National Honor Bands of America festival in Indianapolis my junior year in high school and I really loved the city but I don't know if it's somewhere I'd like to live. Likewise, I've visited Orlando and found it too touristy for a place of residence. LA is the only place I've been able to visit that really seemed to call to me. I didn't think much of it since I am still pretty young but hey, there's nothing wrong with being proactive about life, right?
JI: Tell us about your screenname. What does Tezmata mean?
TM: Tezmata is actually a word with no real meaning. I made it up when I was around twelve years old because 1) it sounded cool and 2) if I used a made up word for a screen name, the chances of anyone else having that screen name are slim to none. I hate using numbers and symbols in my screen names so it just fit. Wish it were more interesting than that.
JI: You are coming up on your 4 year YT anniversary. What site changes in that time have been for the best?
TM: My god has it already been that long? Whoa! Site changes? I don't think I've really liked too many of them actually. They always say that you forget the good and focus on the bad though. I hate how MySpace-y profiles are now and I miss when we could just type in our buddy list manually instead of actually having to send them invites and such. I like the question cap though. It really improved the quality of questions added to the site and I'm sure it makes the mods' job a lot easier. I wish we'd bring back the stars under our name though.
Oh! I like the "Member Since:" under the name. It's nice to realize I've been here a lot longer than most people with over 10K posts. The whole modding situation in general seems to have improved as well. I like the selection of mods we've got now.
I wish everything was a type-in field in our profiles though! That's my next hope, along with the broken-hearted demon smiley.
Way to dodge the question, I know.
JI: Are there any YTers from your earliers days that have come and gone that you wish would come back?
TM: Oh man there are so many. I really miss Dorian_Gray and VagrantEmo. The place just isn't the same to me without them. Also on my list are z3riesp, iheartvelcro, LadyUsher, ericpop, sarahbear, and probably a lot more. I'm bad though because sometimes I don't realize people are gone until way later and then I get really sad. I also talk to warrick outside of YT sometimes but I wish he were still on the site more often. He used to be on all the time. It's good that he FINALLY GOT A LIFE though haha.
JI: What music is getting the most play from you lately?
TM: Jake Shimabukuro! He's a ukulele virtuoso who hails from Hawai'i, although he is a third-generation Japanese-American. He's absolutely amazing and I had no idea that the ukulele could be so beautiful or entertaining (just like the artist himself ). Until I heard him, I had always thought of it as a novelty instrument.
I also, as always, love Regina Spektor and I don't think I could go a day without listening to her enchanting style of singing. Also, I'm hella Indie at heart and it gives me wicked street cred, yo.
JI: When did you first discover Shimabukuro?
TM: Just a few months ago actually. My mother received an e-mail from a coworker that provided a link to a really popular video on YouTube of him playing George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on the ukulele. I immediately fell in love and listened to all kinds of recordings and found all sorts of videos on YouTube. I recently bought one of his albums, "Gently Weeps," and I hope to receive more over the holidays. I prefer the sound of the ukulele to a guitar.
JI: What instruments do you play?
TM: I've played the trombone for eight years now and the piano for about one. I'm still pretty bad at the piano but I'm trying to learn. I'm probably going to start taking lessons next year. I was actually ranked as one of eleven "Outstanding Soloists" by the National Wind Band Honors my junior year in high school. It was a big deal. Cake and punch were served.
JI: Tell us something that most YTers would be surprised to know about you.
TM: Is anything really surprising? Hmm... I'm left-handed. And poor. I work at Starbucks. I'm a really good whistler. I think I may vote Republican in this election. I used to run track and cross country. I'm not attracted to most white people. I have incredibly bad luck. I don't really think there's anything too shocking about me and if there were, I'd hate to ruin the surprise!
JI: What's the worst thing about working at Starbucks?
TM: Dealing with people who are too stupid to know what they are ordering. I hate when people are adamant that they want one thing and then after you've made it they are adamant that they ordered something else. I really have no patience for people who bold-faced lie in any situation, especially when it involves my professional image. It's hard to just smile and kiss butt sometimes but I'm well-known for my 5-star legendary service and I'm not about to give that up because some stupid stranger is stepping on my toes.
JI: What has you leaning towards the republicans in 08?
TM: Honestly it's because I don't like either Clinton or Obama and it seems like one of them is going to be making the ticket. I don't have as much of a problem with Hilary but living in Texas, a vote for a democratic candidate is basically throwing away a vote. Sad but true. Which is why I'll be voting in the Republican primaries as soon as I make up my mind.
JI: If you move to LA before then, will you re-evaluate?
TM: Probably. Being in another state has the potential to completely refigure my life, so political opinions are likely to change too. I'm not even sure if I'd be able to vote in time if that were the case. I bet that registering in another state takes a long time and I'd probably have to vote in Texas or not vote at all. Then again, I'm really paranoid and always think that things aren't going to go the way in which they are intended.
JI: So you'd classify yourself as a pessimist overall?
TM: Pshhh no! I fluctuate ideologies over time. Right now I feel like an optimist. I'm trying to see the bright side of everything. I just understand that not everything goes the right way and I prepare for such circumstances. I guess that would make me a realist though. I dunno. I like to say optimist because 1) it makes me sound like a happier person and I like to come off as happy and 2) it sounds like Optimus, as in "Optimus Prime" haha.
JI: Any final words of wisdom to share with YT-land?
TM: Wisdom? Uh... a little happiness goes a long way. Even on days where it seems like the whole world is out to get you, try to think of five things that happened that day, however insignificant, that made you smile. It sounds really cheesy but it really does help. Pay somebody a compliment and make them smile. I bet you'll smile too! Always go the extra distance for another person because you never know when you'll be relying on them! Let's make a world covered in happiness!
Get your hoops faces on and start rollin’, it’s college basketball season!
Excerpt: Here are some predictions for the greatest sport in the world, college basketball. I feel bad that I didn’t do these before official games tipped off, but the early returns haven’t really changed my opinions too much anyway.
