A little while ago we used to have a thread around the TMF called TQWD (Ten Questions With Dave). It was a series of threads that interviewed members of the community and was a great way to get to know people on a different level than the usual methods we have. It was an enjoyable series to read and I certainly learned about those members.
Unfortunately those threads are gone, and have not been revived...until now.
I asked MTP Jeff if I could revive that tradition and restart the thread under a new name:
ETA (Eight Things About), yeah I know its not the same name but I did not want to steal the original name, and I wanted to be less about me interviewing and more about the member being interviewed.
He graciously agreed to allow me to carry this on, and make a new series of interviewing threads. I will be interviewing a different member every two weeks to start off with, then perhaps at some point change to once a month.
So I hope you enjoy this new series, and at some point after the first few interviews I will ask members to themselves nominate people for this interview thread. So without further adieu...the FIRST OF MANY!!
Eight Things About................Artoo!
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1. Who was the first person that either befriended you or you befriended on the TMF?
Crikey, that was far too much of a long time ago.
I experienced a bit of a dark age up till about a year ago on the TMF, as my then laptop burned to a crisp and I lost all the PMs I'd saved since I joined.
But from what I remember, while I was friendly to most people I spoke to, people I would consider "friends" were few and far between, I guess because I sometimes have a tendancy to make fairly superficial relationships with lots of people.
I guess people I spoke to the earliest, and still consider forum friends are Runoffstage, and the people I've met from the UK forums. They all hold a special place in my heart.
2. You recently took a posting hiatus but was still active in other ways. Was there a reason for this or just some act of personal defiance?
The reasons were manifold. While the reasons I gave in my blog are partly truthful (I have a penchant for strings of numbers with patterns, and I did indeed see it as some sort of personal challenge), I did feel the need to take time out from posting, for other reasons which I can't really go into.
In retrospect, taking a months respite had other benefits; it gave me some perspective.
So much drama happened on this forum while I was away (amidst cries of "Where's Artoo?! What's his cynical British take on these current events?), and I did indeed want to comment on a lot of things. But I refrained from doing so, and the realisation that "not posting your opinion" is actually okay was very refreshing. I felt like some sort of impotent god; watching all from afar, but unable, by my own constrains, to get involved in the affairs of the people.
As per why I still blogged on here, and sent PMs and VMs. I consider many people on this site to be my friends, and it's an optimum way of staying in touch with them. The blogposts I made over my hiatus were geared specifically towards those who know me fairly well, although I of course have no problem with other people reading and commenting on them.
3. You have travelled to the US for a gathering, do you feel the experience has changed you or your fetish in anyway?
In all honesty? No, I don't think it's changed either me or my fetish. I'm certainly changing a lot (actually, it's more like being honest with myself than actually changing) but I don't know how much this has to do with going to NEST.
I'd already made it to a couple of TK-gatherings organised by the fantastic people at the UKTF (shameless plug, I know) and while they were in no way as well attended as NEST, the only difference that was made apparent is that often, Yanks don't understand me when I'm talking really fast.
4. Being a great friend to a lot of people as you are sometimes is hard, especially if two of your good friends are arguing. Have you any insights on how best to handle a difficult situation like that?
Heh. You're right that it's hard. And I wish I had some sort of foolproof way of handling that sort of situation.
Unfortunately, I'm only human. And I'm often torn between leaving them both to it, and giving them advice that might be for the best, but they probably don't want to hear.
Either way, it affects you whether you get involved or not, and it's never good fun. I'd say the best thing is to take solace in the fact that you still matter to both those peope, and those people both matter to you.
5. What was your first tickling experience that made you think WOW! I know I like it but I didn't know it made me feel like THIS!
When it comes to being a 'lee, I reckon it was the other way round for me; I honestly think it always made me feel like "this", as you put it, I just didn't always like it. I just didn't always know what "this" was. I remember dreaming (I say dreams; oftentimes they were nightmares) about being tickle tortured from the age about 3, and I hated it. I would protest whenever anyone made a move towards me, and there would be a note of hysteria in my voice.
By the time I hit adolescence, I realised that it turned me on, was ashamed, and proceeded to wank off to material on the internet/of my own design, and subtly engaged in tickle-fights with girls at school etc.
As per being a 'ler, I was always tickling people when I was younger, but I think the first time I realised I liked it "in that way" was when I was about 16 and I tied up my girlfriend. I had 'leed for her earlier, and whether she wanted to or not, she assumed it was "protocol" for me to tie her up next. And I enojoyed 'lerring far more than I had anticipated.
A number of other things have happened in my life which have confirmed to me that I enjoy sadistic 'lerring, such as the "fun and games" I orchestrated for my long-suffering girlfriend of last year. But I think while it's something I've learned to love, 'leeing is a far more primal instinct.
6. What do you feel about the ability we have here to interact with people all over the world? And a follow up to that, do you think it makes it hard if you find that "perfect" partner but they live across the world or country and a permanent relationship may never be?
The internet has made it possible for us to realise that we are not solitary, standing alone with our kinks. I was brought up in the age of the internet, and so I've never known it to be different, although I can appreciate the impact that it has had. And I certainly do appreciate the ability to connect with so many others who share this part of myself.
As to your folow-up. While I'm an idealist at heart, life has made me cynical. There is no "perfect" partner, and every relationship makes sacrifices. Is it tough? Sure. Will it make me give up? Hell no.
When I joined the tickling community 2 years ago, I made a promise to myself that this would not be a life that I led behind a keyboard (although I do seem to be doing that an awful lot ). I made a concious effort to make friends, to go and meet people, and I have done so.
The TMF, and all TK sites, are communities where we get together to talk about this thing what we love. But it's no substitute for real life, and I have never thought that this was the case.
I realise that none of that has really answered your follow-up question. I guess my answer is this; if they're worth the effort to go and see, you'll go and see them, no matter where they are. It's just that "worth" and "effort" are relative from person to person, because everyone's circumstances are different.
7. What aspect of the tickling fetish do you find yourself the least comfortable with? If none then is there something you have not tried yet?
I'm very much of the opinion that if you haven't tried it, you shouldn't knock it (at least as far as tickling is concerned). There are a great many things I have not tried yet. For example, I've never tickled someone on the roof of their mouth while they're sporting a whitehead gag so they can't shut their mouth. But that's only because I'm hard pressed to find someone who would be comfortable doing that.
Something that I'm not uncomfortable with per se, but don't have enough knowledge to see whether I'd actually like it or not, is M/m tickling. I've never had a bad tickling experience with a guy, but the inherent homophobia in our society/the way I was raised has certainly meant that I've been less likely to seek out males specifically for tickling encounters.
8. Lastly as an homage to the previous question threads I ask: If you could have a dinner party and invite 3 people living or dead, who would they be and why?
Surely if the people I choose are dead, they'll still be dead while they're at my dinner party?
That aside, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi would be first on my invitation list. The man inspired a revolution by means of nonviolence, and I really want to pick his brains about a number of issues.
Jesus Christ would be my second. We know so little about the guy, and I really want to know if he was as charismatic as he's been portrayed, or has his personna been distorted by embellished stories and church dogma?
Oh, and this guy. For the lulz.
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I would like to thank MTP Jeff first off for allowing me to restart this thread tradition. This has always been a great way in the past to have some fun, learn something and hopefully spark some new friendships and conversations and maybe to get a closer sense of community.
Secondly and equally...I would like to thank Artoo for being the first person on my series of interview threads. It was fun reading it, and I know you will all enjoy it.
I will eventually revisit some of the other members that were previously interviewed in the TQWD, because those threads were deleted at some point. But these threads will be put into an archive at some point somewhere in the forum.
Thanks
Unfortunately those threads are gone, and have not been revived...until now.
I asked MTP Jeff if I could revive that tradition and restart the thread under a new name:
ETA (Eight Things About), yeah I know its not the same name but I did not want to steal the original name, and I wanted to be less about me interviewing and more about the member being interviewed.
He graciously agreed to allow me to carry this on, and make a new series of interviewing threads. I will be interviewing a different member every two weeks to start off with, then perhaps at some point change to once a month.
So I hope you enjoy this new series, and at some point after the first few interviews I will ask members to themselves nominate people for this interview thread. So without further adieu...the FIRST OF MANY!!
Eight Things About................Artoo!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Who was the first person that either befriended you or you befriended on the TMF?
Crikey, that was far too much of a long time ago.
I experienced a bit of a dark age up till about a year ago on the TMF, as my then laptop burned to a crisp and I lost all the PMs I'd saved since I joined.
But from what I remember, while I was friendly to most people I spoke to, people I would consider "friends" were few and far between, I guess because I sometimes have a tendancy to make fairly superficial relationships with lots of people.
I guess people I spoke to the earliest, and still consider forum friends are Runoffstage, and the people I've met from the UK forums. They all hold a special place in my heart.
2. You recently took a posting hiatus but was still active in other ways. Was there a reason for this or just some act of personal defiance?
The reasons were manifold. While the reasons I gave in my blog are partly truthful (I have a penchant for strings of numbers with patterns, and I did indeed see it as some sort of personal challenge), I did feel the need to take time out from posting, for other reasons which I can't really go into.
In retrospect, taking a months respite had other benefits; it gave me some perspective.
So much drama happened on this forum while I was away (amidst cries of "Where's Artoo?! What's his cynical British take on these current events?), and I did indeed want to comment on a lot of things. But I refrained from doing so, and the realisation that "not posting your opinion" is actually okay was very refreshing. I felt like some sort of impotent god; watching all from afar, but unable, by my own constrains, to get involved in the affairs of the people.
As per why I still blogged on here, and sent PMs and VMs. I consider many people on this site to be my friends, and it's an optimum way of staying in touch with them. The blogposts I made over my hiatus were geared specifically towards those who know me fairly well, although I of course have no problem with other people reading and commenting on them.
3. You have travelled to the US for a gathering, do you feel the experience has changed you or your fetish in anyway?
In all honesty? No, I don't think it's changed either me or my fetish. I'm certainly changing a lot (actually, it's more like being honest with myself than actually changing) but I don't know how much this has to do with going to NEST.
I'd already made it to a couple of TK-gatherings organised by the fantastic people at the UKTF (shameless plug, I know) and while they were in no way as well attended as NEST, the only difference that was made apparent is that often, Yanks don't understand me when I'm talking really fast.
4. Being a great friend to a lot of people as you are sometimes is hard, especially if two of your good friends are arguing. Have you any insights on how best to handle a difficult situation like that?
Heh. You're right that it's hard. And I wish I had some sort of foolproof way of handling that sort of situation.
Unfortunately, I'm only human. And I'm often torn between leaving them both to it, and giving them advice that might be for the best, but they probably don't want to hear.
Either way, it affects you whether you get involved or not, and it's never good fun. I'd say the best thing is to take solace in the fact that you still matter to both those peope, and those people both matter to you.
5. What was your first tickling experience that made you think WOW! I know I like it but I didn't know it made me feel like THIS!
When it comes to being a 'lee, I reckon it was the other way round for me; I honestly think it always made me feel like "this", as you put it, I just didn't always like it. I just didn't always know what "this" was. I remember dreaming (I say dreams; oftentimes they were nightmares) about being tickle tortured from the age about 3, and I hated it. I would protest whenever anyone made a move towards me, and there would be a note of hysteria in my voice.
By the time I hit adolescence, I realised that it turned me on, was ashamed, and proceeded to wank off to material on the internet/of my own design, and subtly engaged in tickle-fights with girls at school etc.
As per being a 'ler, I was always tickling people when I was younger, but I think the first time I realised I liked it "in that way" was when I was about 16 and I tied up my girlfriend. I had 'leed for her earlier, and whether she wanted to or not, she assumed it was "protocol" for me to tie her up next. And I enojoyed 'lerring far more than I had anticipated.
A number of other things have happened in my life which have confirmed to me that I enjoy sadistic 'lerring, such as the "fun and games" I orchestrated for my long-suffering girlfriend of last year. But I think while it's something I've learned to love, 'leeing is a far more primal instinct.
6. What do you feel about the ability we have here to interact with people all over the world? And a follow up to that, do you think it makes it hard if you find that "perfect" partner but they live across the world or country and a permanent relationship may never be?
The internet has made it possible for us to realise that we are not solitary, standing alone with our kinks. I was brought up in the age of the internet, and so I've never known it to be different, although I can appreciate the impact that it has had. And I certainly do appreciate the ability to connect with so many others who share this part of myself.
As to your folow-up. While I'm an idealist at heart, life has made me cynical. There is no "perfect" partner, and every relationship makes sacrifices. Is it tough? Sure. Will it make me give up? Hell no.
When I joined the tickling community 2 years ago, I made a promise to myself that this would not be a life that I led behind a keyboard (although I do seem to be doing that an awful lot ). I made a concious effort to make friends, to go and meet people, and I have done so.
The TMF, and all TK sites, are communities where we get together to talk about this thing what we love. But it's no substitute for real life, and I have never thought that this was the case.
I realise that none of that has really answered your follow-up question. I guess my answer is this; if they're worth the effort to go and see, you'll go and see them, no matter where they are. It's just that "worth" and "effort" are relative from person to person, because everyone's circumstances are different.
7. What aspect of the tickling fetish do you find yourself the least comfortable with? If none then is there something you have not tried yet?
I'm very much of the opinion that if you haven't tried it, you shouldn't knock it (at least as far as tickling is concerned). There are a great many things I have not tried yet. For example, I've never tickled someone on the roof of their mouth while they're sporting a whitehead gag so they can't shut their mouth. But that's only because I'm hard pressed to find someone who would be comfortable doing that.
Something that I'm not uncomfortable with per se, but don't have enough knowledge to see whether I'd actually like it or not, is M/m tickling. I've never had a bad tickling experience with a guy, but the inherent homophobia in our society/the way I was raised has certainly meant that I've been less likely to seek out males specifically for tickling encounters.
8. Lastly as an homage to the previous question threads I ask: If you could have a dinner party and invite 3 people living or dead, who would they be and why?
Surely if the people I choose are dead, they'll still be dead while they're at my dinner party?
That aside, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi would be first on my invitation list. The man inspired a revolution by means of nonviolence, and I really want to pick his brains about a number of issues.
Jesus Christ would be my second. We know so little about the guy, and I really want to know if he was as charismatic as he's been portrayed, or has his personna been distorted by embellished stories and church dogma?
Oh, and this guy. For the lulz.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
I would like to thank MTP Jeff first off for allowing me to restart this thread tradition. This has always been a great way in the past to have some fun, learn something and hopefully spark some new friendships and conversations and maybe to get a closer sense of community.
Secondly and equally...I would like to thank Artoo for being the first person on my series of interview threads. It was fun reading it, and I know you will all enjoy it.
I will eventually revisit some of the other members that were previously interviewed in the TQWD, because those threads were deleted at some point. But these threads will be put into an archive at some point somewhere in the forum.
Thanks
