This either has a really long answer, or a really short answer.

For the sake of brevity, and the fact it's gone 1am here in Blighty, I'll just give you the short answer:

Depends.

Are we talking as a species with specific biological traits or the societal definition?

Your guys' definition of a true man, so I guess that also means societal definition. Even though we're all from differing cultures and societies, I'm quite curious to know what your guys' definition of a true man is. I'm aware that some of the male traits and virtues are wholly universal across the world, but like I said, I'm curious about the little things that makes those views special from one another.

If it's specifically a man, that definition is a little loose. A "real man" to me is the same for what makes a "real woman" for me. Compassion, strength, courage to continue living despite any inner or outer demons. The willingness to see outside oneself and weigh matters from another perspective. Someone who keeps trying to do better, regardless of gender or lack of.

(StudentModeOn)
Hmm. Digesting this information..
(StudentModeInStandby)

I look at Destri on here. He is there for those he cares about when they need him; regardless anything else in the world his wife and family can always count on him - you can't beat that for being a true man.

I’ll be absent for a while again, but back before summer ends. See you then!

Don't forget to bring back presents!

Warm sands and cool waters to you, Grits.

See ya, Grits!


Remember to eat a lot of ice cream!

Yes, may the sand always be warm beneath your feet - and at least bring back some picture souvenirs for us!

Every body on this site has been very patient and understanding of the difficulty I have been having reading the stories I have loved so many years; or reading any larger posts in the different forums.

McB mentioned something earlier, and I thought it might be helpful for some to come to a better understanding of what I have been going through since the stroke.

I have aphasia, which is an impairment of language, affecting the ability to read or write. Aphasia is always due to injury to the brain-most commonly from a stroke.

Here is a video that may give you more information on aphasia:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-0Q56zf9EQ


When I first got back on the internet September of 2014, I was using the built in Microsoft voice software on all their computers - which works about 79% on speech to text applications; and has an absolutely terrible voice for reading (text to speech).

That terrible robotic voice makes reading fics impossible; and believe me, I have tried.

Recently I have purchased a better voice software (which actually works with my southern accent!). In speech to text it is much improved. In Text to speech it is also much more improved, but is still extremely wearing to try to use for a text as long as a story episode.

But for writing and responding to comments on this site, it has given me a huge step forward. It feels really good to be able to be involved with my friends on here, anything that makes my life feel normal again like it was before the stroke is priceless to me.

Here is an example of how the speech to text works; for anyone who may not be familiar with it:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJ0i1dHZH48

Thanks, mALX. Very educational. I'm just so glad you are back and (somehow) able to communicate pretty darn well (albeit slowly) with us.

I apologise if my quip offended...It obviously wasn't my intent...

I do know very well what you mean with that...

Apologies...

Thanks, Acadian; and thank you so much for all the help you have given me in my ability to return as well as I have, because without your prompts and reminders I would not have done as well as I have - and the others on here like SubRosa and Mirocu who have been patient or supportive through the last year, I cannot thank all of you enough for your friendship and kindness; you all are so appreciated


Here is an example of how the "Text to Speech" works, as you can hear - not good for reading stories:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_ZoAPG3LOc



Losing the ability to keep up with the stories I love on here, or writing Maxical's story - these might seem like small losses to some, but to me they are some of the ones I consider hardest; because reading has always been one of my greatest relaxation pleasures. These stories on here were like old friends, I knew the characters and loved them.

I waited for years for DE's story to reach the emerging point where the stories converge into one huge climactic moment; it is happening right now and I am missing it! Uleni is writing again, and I am missing it; Thorney has a new story up that I would love to see, especially after reading his poetry. Grits and Treydoggie have new chapters up - not to mention that the great war between Maxical and Malan was just about to take place in my story.

I don't know if I'll ever get my ability to read and write back, but if it never happens I just want you all to know how much your stories have meant to me, still mean to me. (Buffy and Teresa included).

Thank you for explaining your condition, mALX. I didn´t know you were using a voice program when making posts here, pretty nifty

Needless to say, I hope you continue to improve so that you once again can read long stories on your own and not rely on a robot to read it for you. As April O´Neill says in the first Ninja Turtles game for the NES; You have my support

Thank you for the explanation, mALX. I had no idea those programs existed, and it's great that they help you stick around even if reading longer stories is still a hassle. Chorrol wouldn't be the same without you

I'm also seconding the wish that you get better so that you can read and write on your own. Even if those programs are getting better, I really wish you wouldn't have to use them.

Thanks for the explanation mALX. Very educational. Those voice programs seem handy and I'm glad you can still join in with (almost) everything. You're as much a part of Chorrol as the emotes It wouldn't be the same without you - especially the ESO threads.

I echo mirocu and Saquira's wish that you continue to improve and that perhaps, one day, you can read and write stories again.

I feel for you, mALX. I experience similar issues every day in the real world, only it's not aphasia I have to deal with, it's deafness. Comes down to the same thing - it's a barrier to communications. Thank heavens for software that does the whole text to speech for you, I wish the speech to text thing works as well! (Google captions, anyone? Try it on any YouTube video and prepare for multiple face palm moments!)

My Internet has been acting hinky for the past six months. I'm down to one computer hardwired into the modem while I'm waiting for it to "sync with the server." Hopefully that will fix the issue and let me have consistent internet once again. I can't make phone calls without WiFi and Internet! Ugh!

Ah, my blind friend uses one of those programs.

Glad to hear that the text to speech and speech to text are beginning to work... I know what you mean about the voices having to be... listenable.

When Mrs. Treydog and I were listening to lots of audiobooks, we would sometimes pick something up just because of who was reading it...

And there were others we would avoid after just one session, such as those that insist on using an "echo effect" whenever a character is talking on the telephone... (eye roll). It always comes across as hokey and makes me want to ask the producer why for this one bit of business they suddenly decide they are doing a "radio play" complete with sound effects....

But- more to the point- keep experimenting with the audio- it sounds like an excellent solution for your situation, mALX.

The Dragon software has come a long way from the time when I tried to use it (unsuccessfully) to increase my productivity!

mALX the improvement you've made over the last eleven months has been astonishing. Your compassion and personality come through in every word, despite the obstacles you have to surmount to deliver each one. Your presence makes Chorrol is a brighter place, and I have no doubt that your improvement will continue at the blistering pace you have already set. Don't fret about the rest of us, the stories will be there for you when you are ready for them.

The hour is late; dollar collapse

Priceless precious metal

The Kitteh Trio (who were singing most of the way- only not in 3-part harmony) have been delivered to the veterinarian to have various indignities performed.

So Inky, Petey, and Speedy will have a couple of days at the spa... The hard part is going to be trying to catch Mother I.C. (Invisible Cat). A trap will be deployed, but since she was caught in it once, it may not work :/

The babies I could pick up, because they are at least used to some handling.

I.C. would turn into a Shred-o-Matic (she slices, she dices, she chops, she never stops) and I have donated more than enough blood to my own clumsiness and adventurous spirit over the years....

The positive note is that we will be only ONE cat over the "Crazy Cat People" threshold...

Sardines in the middle of the trap so they can't reach it without hitting the tripwire. Cats can't resist sardines, and one can is very reasonably priced.

I have a glut of traps leftover from when we trapped and spay/neutered a feral cat colony that took up residence on our property. Once the breeding could no longer take place the colony dwindled down to reasonable proportions, lol.

Wouldn't putting out a few pictures of Rosie O'Donnell and Ernest Borgnine naked curtail any breeding?

Not for cats, they would just use the pictures as litter boxes.

Pictures are so "last week". Everything's 3-D printed these days. Full-sized plastic replicas of naked Rosie O'Donnell and Ernest Borgnine FTW!

It'd be like a really disturbing version of The Terracotta Army

Only much more sexier.

*mad laugh*

A full sized 3D Rosie wouldn't be bad, but not plastic = plush! Think about it, she is always smiling/pretty and would make a comfy cushiony place to sit on while playing video games - with a built in head rest to lean back on, too! In fact, not a bad idea for a new product = gaming chair people! Sit on your favorite celebrity while gaming...hello, Chewbacca !!!

BWAAHAA!!!

The little devils have returned home and were happy to do so. Good news- no transmissible feline ailments (FIV, feline leukemia, etc). So there may be some "getting acquainted" with the indoor tribe at some point.

Several "behavioral notes" for those who are interested...

Mother kitty was obviously aware of the absence of the "Triple Threat"- she pitched a fit of meowing the night they spent at the vet, and camped out on a window sill to look for them...

And the babies also clearly missed their mother... they were generally quiet on the ride home, but as soon as we opened up the carriers in the garage/cattery, they went rushing to the place where she hangs out, meowing to beat the band- just like a bunch of kids yelling "Mommy, Mommy! They were MEAN to me!" And as soon as they reached her, all went quiet...

The boys (Petey and Speedy) who had the non-invasive surgery, have bounced back completely and are bouncing around having a fine time. Sister Inky, who has an abdominal incision, is less happy about things and hisses and growls if either of the rambunctious brothers even looks at her... She is clearly saying, "I hurt. And I think males are almost certainly to blame. So... just leave me alone!"

D'Aaaaw! The poor babies!

treydog, great news on the babies’ health. Poor Inky! She has no idea how much trouble you’ve saved her from, lol. I’m glad the kitty family is happily reunited.

Things you hear in the south:

“Y’all get to spin the wheel. Y’all all get to spin the wheel. Aaaaall a y’all get to spin it.”

Guy really wanted his wheel spun.

Trey: pictures, or it didn't happen! Seriously, give us kitten pics!

I'm happy. I've done something I haven't been able to do in a while, especially not at work.

I started something, and I finished it without evil interruptions. We -I and my better half- built a wooden box to cover up some ugly pipes in our laundry. We built it from a wooden frame consisting of 2" beams and added some panels at one side, the front and the top. A carpenter would probably fall over laughing at how we did it, but you can't see the shoddy worksmanship from the outside. Basically, I connected all the beams with metal brackets and almost 200 screws, which is probably not usually the preferred way to do this. But that corner really looks so much better now. So I'm happy! Yay!

The description (especially the 200 screws) has me rolling, but the feeling of accomplishment = Congrats! That was just the beginning, next it will be shelves in the closet to organize it, lol.

Sounds like a fun little project - and one that will doubtless serve you well. Stargelman now has a stargelbox!

Always a great laugh fun to read about work done by amateurs regular people

So we had an escaped convict on Saturday. At least I think he was- he was wearing orange and had stripes....

I neglected to put up the patented Anti-Kitteh Shield (an old window screen) before opening the door to the Holding Area (aka the garage) and the aptly-named Speedy darted in to see about this place from whence all the food appears... Unfortunately, his co-conspirators chickened out at the last minute, so it was just him. He made bee line down the hall- meowing the whole way as he realized he was all alone and the familiar lay behind a (closed) door. After circling through the back bedroom and the bathroom, he ended up back where he started and I was able to corral him and return him to General Population. He will no doubt be regaling his brother and sister with stories of "The Outside" for some weeks to come.

He has just earned his "Alpha Status" and respect amongst the littermates,

It's not a good day. Nowhere near a good day. Then again, there are no good days in sight, whether I'm looking back or ahead.

Aw, bless your heart! I hope things get better for you down the road. When I have reached points that bad in my life, I've had to make myself remember that when it is this bad, it can only go up from here (can't get much worse, right?). It has gotten me through some very low points in my life, and things always did improve eventually.

Sorry to hear things aren't going so well, milanius. You know you can always stop in here for a cup of coffee and perhaps even unload some troubles for a time.

milanius, I’m sorry you’re going through such a tough time. The only way I know to find something better ahead is to keep going, even when you can’t see it yet. I hope things improve for you.

We're here if you need to talk, milanius. I'm sorry you're going through this.

I have those days too. Unemployed with no job in sight and corrupt politicians brainwashers everywhere.


But remember..




It´s always darkest before the dawn

Update on the cottage situation


The dividing-up is still not done. My cousin apparently halts it quite bad by demanding an extra piece of land which we never really discussed handing over. She´s furious on her mom (my aunt) for not asking for it to begin with since that particular piece of land is the most important thing in the world to get for her. We don´t want to let go of it though so we´re at a stand-still now. But we´ve had enough, especially my dad. We´ve had to do so much on our part bringing up excavators again and again but they´ve showed no respect for it. They don´t even acknowledge how much work we´ve had to do, and still we´re no where near done.

Bottom line; we have serious thoughts selling the whole thing. Either they take it over completely or parts of it, and we sell off the rest and get something else. This is not fun anymore.

Sorry it's not going so well on the cottage, mirocu.