2-1-2017
Reply ID: 4icq

Ajj13:

Hi, Alyssa! Thanks for reading my ramblings. It's been a minute since I've posted, but I believe there's a couple of letters I wrote to the AVA.com (Anderson Valley Advertiser) that I copied to my blog. They should land soon.

So as to your questions: I'm not sure it's totally appropriate to honestly answer them, seeing as how I currently have a girlfriend! Actually, I know it's not appropriate, but I'll try to give you a little without pissing my girl off!

Some of the ways men deal with missing women? I'm sure you know the answer to that one! :)

Do men change not being around women? Do you think it changes a dog to be kept in a cage for years? Of course, this is a destructive form of punishment, in no way rehabilitative, that makes men look at women differently, treat them differently, ect. I know after 18 years, I am more reserved and have a hard time trying to deal with having a girlfriend, one you can't touch other than holding her hand.

And I was one of those guys who loved women, couldn't keep my hands off, etc. I still get along with my ex-wife and several of my ex-girlfriends, so I obviously wasn't a guy who mistreated the girls. But now? I'm different. I've lost my ability to open up and express myself, and my girl hates it. It's going to take time in the real world to "find myself" again. I've still got a piece of my soul left so I know I'm not totally destroyed by the state. But the confidence I used to have has been suppressed for so long (almost 18 years!) that it's going to take some work. That's just me, though.

As for others, I can't say, but nothing good can come from it. It's a very hateful thing, one of the unspoken punishments, just like the loss of our children.

My youngest son turned 18 in August 2016. I haven't seen him since he was one years old. Another is 19, another is 23, and the oldest is 33. None of them know me. I wasn't sentenced to that punishment, but I guess they and the women in my life are "collateral damage."

Alyssa, I know these are not quite the answers you were looking for. Your demeanor seemed a little flirty. :) But like I said, I have a girlfriend so I can't really reply in kind. Sorry.

Okay, I'm done. Thanks again. Stay posted for some more art postings. I have ten or so paintings I've done to post. And thank you to the transcribers!