pplwatching
Full grown man
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
- Posts
- 2,355
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My gosh! Your line "and feel his voice sliding over me. It was dark and quiet and warm, and there was just him" sounds so amazing! (I literally giggled with excitementlol)
Thanks Racy ... it's been interesting trying to put into words the feelings, especially given my memory has faded a little ... although not too much. I guess I managed to at least partially convey what it was like ...
My wife literally has a map on our dining room wall where she has highlighted potential driving routes and put sticky notes with destinations for our upcoming vacation. I prefer to work in terms of a general framework. I think the same applies to labels, including sexually. I enjoy flexibility, and really can do just about anything, but I know where I'm trying to go and try not to go in the wrong direction.
This pops up occasionally in many different contexts. There are a lot of people who are simply inflexible, but many also have a vested interest in 'protecting' (for lack of a better word) their definition. Anything that challenges their perceptions of what <pick a subject> is/means isn't open to discussion or debate, because discussing it and conceding even one point challenges their sense of personal identity. Unfortunately it turns a potentially vibrant and colorful experience into something drably black and white.
I was thinking about this last night, and realised there is one drawback that, while not inevitable in either online/phone or 'non-primary' relationships, is fairly common ... that it's difficult to help the other person at times when you might do so for a partner/friend/whatever. There's been a few times when this has happened - I guess the first instance I felt particularly impotent in this respect was when TG had a family member die, and I couldn't be there in anything other than the most useless sense. When family stuff happens, you realise how much on the outer you are in that person's life (and that's cut the other for me too, when things have happened in my family), and the distance means, for me at least, the hug I'd give, or the just sitting with them for a while, or doing something practical like sorting out plane tickets, isn't possible. I guess that's one reason it's best to not get too involved ... although avoiding involvement has its own set of problems.
Weird. I was just thinking about this the other day as well. I had a lot of trouble juggling the range of emotions I felt in an online relationship. And I was considering what would have happened if an unexpected turn of events such as an illness or death in the family had a major or long term impact on my partners life. I would have felt terrible they were going through something difficult. I would have wanted to be of some comfort, but would probably have felt useless as you described. I would have also feared that I was more 'in the way' than helpful. And even worse, I would have selfishly worried how it might affect our relationship...then I would have felt guilty and bad for that. Then it would have just spiraled out of control from there. I wouldn't have had any idea what to do. Scary thoughts. It was already hard to separate it from RL, but when RL collides like that, what do you do? It would definitely be a difficult challenge to work through.
It is tricky, and I guess the specifics of how these things are coped with vary depending on individual circumstance. If you're both married, it makes things complex ... and then it's a different sort of complex if only one of you are. Recently the BF ended up in hospital overnight, and my immediate reaction was to want to go there and look after him ... but of course, my family and my 'real' life thought otherwise. I think if one was really living in a proper poly context (which I don't think I am), it would be different, although the distance obviously still makes things difficult - but that's only miles.
There certainly are many complexities in such a relationship. Short term emergencies or situations would be hard enough to navigate, but a long term circumstance would probably alter the relationship in a more permanent way. Of course, the same can be said for any kind of relationship, online,part-time, or primary. Just relationships in general are complex sometimes. Hope it was nothing major with the bf and that all is well now.
It is true that all relationships are complex ... it's just a new range of issues to navigate. The plus side of the cyber/phone thing is that at least you don't have to get pissed with them about their toothpaste cap habits, or deal with the snoring.
LOL...leaving the cap off the toothpaste is a huge pet peeve of mine. Or putting it on messy with toothpaste caked around the rim. I want my toothpaste to look brand new every time I use it! Is that so much to ask?
There are all kinds of trade offs between online and RL. Good idea to focus on the positives!
I was thinking about this last night, and realised there is one drawback that, while not inevitable in either online/phone or 'non-primary' relationships, is fairly common ... that it's difficult to help the other person at times when you might do so for a partner/friend/whatever. There's been a few times when this has happened - I guess the first instance I felt particularly impotent in this respect was when TG had a family member die, and I couldn't be there in anything other than the most useless sense. When family stuff happens, you realise how much on the outer you are in that person's life (and that's cut the other for me too, when things have happened in my family), and the distance means, for me at least, the hug I'd give, or the just sitting with them for a while, or doing something practical like sorting out plane tickets, isn't possible. I guess that's one reason it's best to not get too involved ... although avoiding involvement has its own set of problems.
LOL...leaving the cap off the toothpaste is a huge pet peeve of mine. Or putting it on messy with toothpaste caked around the rim. I want my toothpaste to look brand new every time I use it! Is that so much to ask?
There are all kinds of trade offs between online and RL. Good idea to focus on the positives!
IamS - absolutely not too much to ask. Here's a simple fix: separate tubes. Fortunately, my SO is not one to leave caps off nor cake paste in the threads. It's just easier and accounts for changes in taste, etc. Too decadent? I don't think so. We have separate sinks with a tub in between. I got tired of walking back and forth. 1st world problems, I know. Still, one less issue to find disagreement with. It's the simple things...
RacyWilde said:Now, I've made it a rule never to get involved with anyone that doesn't have their shit together - their life or their head. It is the logical choice and even though my heart may fall for someone, I need to preserve myself. Yes, I have a responsibility to myself first to have sane and healthy relationships, but I also have a responsibility to my other lovers. If I get caught up in someone else's mess, they are affected too simply because they love me.![]()
THAT'S the first thing you thought of when someone said 'toothpaste'?
Hah. Hey, he solved his problem! Credit where credit is due and all that.![]()
It's easier when you have yourself to blame, but when it's not your fault... I find it much harder.... It is the logical choice and even though my heart may fall for someone, I need to preserve myself. Yes, I have a responsibility to myself...
He knows what I mean.
Oh. I hadn't read the rest of the thread, so had no idea what I was poking my finger into.
*Backs away slowly, remembering to smile politely and making mental notes to read the damn thread next time*
Lol - if you back up 50 posts or so you'll find the toothpaste story.
This whole thread is an interesting read. Admittedly, at first visit on this late page, I was slightly horrified by the casual sharing of intimate details about another person.
But after having read some posts, I think it's sweet and entertaining. It satisfies my voyuer side. In all honesty, combining these experiences and stories as you've both done here would make a great book that I think people would purchase. Food for thought.