12.26.14 Adam Returns From Vacation

A belated Merry Christmas to everyone!

Just got online now, and had some major catching up to do. Had a bit much going on last week, and just skimmed most of the threads, but think I caught all the big pieces.

On the discussion at hand, the thing what fascinates me the most, is how opinions and ideas expressed, are much more an expression of the writing person's views, attitudes towards life, and personal experiences, rather that a statement of the real relationship of A&S. We can only look skin deep into what is really going on, and ultimately we are building or perceptions out of the snapshots we have been served.

While overall the fanbase probably has figured out quite a bit about Adam, I find that individual posts can occasionally be quite a bit removed from how I happen to see the situation. Sometimes another post will provide a corrective statement, sometimes it goes unchallenged and I am surprised. In either case, I am valuing what I find off, or what I perceive as a correction, through my own biased perspective too. We all do that.

In that sense, what is written here, tends to be more a reflection of the values held by this community here, rather than about A&S. We are projecting our perceptions onto them.

If somebody writes 'friends with benefits', then the online reaction to that expression is more telling and also more interesting in many ways, than the immediate question of how accurately or not this describes the couple in question.

To some people, the inherent judgement in that expression, means that it is offensive to use about someone. Others react with just a bit of a smile, but see no real harm.

To me, relationships that I do not like, are the dishonest ones, where one person or maybe both have a hidden agendas or lead their partner on. Those are offensive to me. Friends with benefits, on the other hand, to me means at least the relationship is honest, and usually it also means, that the two persons in it, don't give a darn what anybody else thinks or yaps about.

I read the following discussion as a reflection of this community, not really as any statement about A&S, because in truth, we all don't know a thing and should not know a thing about how their relationship is working.

Somebody said, they don't want to see Adam get hurt, and tbh, that was also on my mind. Just that I cannot prevent it, if it happens. And when it comes to feelings, to some degree neither can even he himself prevent what will happen. I have been around the block enough to know sometimes people get hurt. Can happen easily in relationships that are on and off, half-baked or otherwise only partially complete. But he is going to go through whatever his life has in store for him, whether I am worried about it or not. On that accord, a casual vacation, is the least of my concerns.

As far as us talking about it, clearly, he has no concern about it, and feeds out chats with regularity, as others have already skillfully explained. I also presume, that he finds a certain level of entertainment in observing how some of the things he throws us, get gobbled up.

We are pretty good at detectives in the game of WIWIAL? I could not believe that swimming pool ID. This comes second only to the burrito ID. We love to have social discussions and anything thrown our way in this area, leads to lengthy chats.

When the topics become a bit closer to value systems, believe systems, we are much more careful, and also Adam tends to stay away from that in most cases, except for those few topics, where he firmly takes position.

And in politics, Adam has recently thrown a few test tweets out, but usually the community has been quite quiet in their reaction. I think everyone is a bit weary to got there. To easily bad vibes, especially close to an election. Adam on the other hand has started to speak up a bit more. We shall see where that goes, going forward.

And when it comes to some cultural discussion, I thought, that the fanbase understood Adam just fine, but that the media started running amok with some of his statements and destroyed a meaningful discussion by pulling ridiculous headlines out of what he had said, for the sake of ratings, rather than spurring on a healthy debate. And I think that sucked. Adam starts interesting and unusual debates, and I love that. Wish the ratings-hungry press would stay out of that game.

I love the discussion here, and love to join, on occasion, time permitting. I hope, no one will be offended, and yet, find that sometimes some folks are. If anyone happens to be offended, please forgive.