I'm a turbo nerd, and introvert, been on HRT since last August (already feeling much better about myself but I have so far to go still), and I have a big dumb gay heart. I have a ton of hobbies (cars, motorcycles, anime, sci-fi, synthwave, heavy metal, model building, etc) and love picking up new ones. My style is somewhere between pastel goth and librarian (I have some recent pictures on my profile if you want to see what I look like), I don't think I'm all that passable but last time I used the men's room I got kicked out, so I must be doing something right.
I'm looking for someone to hang out with, not all that interested in long distance, ideally someone within a few hours so there's a chance we could meet up at some point (so like NC, SC, GA, and VA area). I don't drink or smoke but don't have a problem if you do. I'm strictly monogamous, I've been in poly relationships before and they sucked, I'm not up for trying again. Also I'm demisexual, meaning I am not at all interested in emotionless sex, if you're looking for a hookup you'll probably be disappointed. I need to build an emotional connection first before I'd be interested. But then again when I fall for someone I fall hard and fast (does this count as an innuendo?) so maybe it all balances out.

I'm a turbo nerd, and introvert, been on HRT since last August (already feeling much better about myself but I have so far to go still), and I have a big dumb gay heart. I have a ton of hobbies (cars, motorcycles, anime, sci-fi, synthwave, heavy metal, model building, etc) and love picking up new ones. My style is somewhere between pastel goth and librarian (I have some recent pictures on my profile if you want to see what I look like), I don't think I'm all that passable but last time I used the men's room I got kicked out, so I must be doing something right.
I'm looking for someone to hang out with, not all that interested in long distance, ideally someone within a few hours so there's a chance we could meet up at some point (so like NC, SC, GA, and VA area). I don't drink or smoke but don't have a problem if you do. I'm strictly monogamous, I've been in poly relationships before and they sucked, I'm not up for trying again. Also I'm demisexual, meaning I am not at all interested in emotionless sex, if you're looking for a hookup you'll probably be disappointed. I need to build an emotional connection first before I'd be interested. But then again when I fall for someone I fall hard and fast (does this count as an innuendo?) so maybe it all balances out.

I'm a turbo nerd, and introvert, been on HRT since last August (already feeling much better about myself but I have so far to go still), and I have a big dumb gay heart. I have a ton of hobbies (cars, motorcycles, anime, sci-fi, synthwave, heavy metal, model building, etc) and love picking up new ones. My style is somewhere between pastel goth and librarian (I have some recent pictures on my profile if you want to see what I look like), I don't think I'm all that passable but last time I used the men's room I got kicked out, so I must be doing something right.
I'm looking for someone to hang out with, not all that interested in long distance, ideally someone within a few hours so there's a chance we could meet up at some point (so like NC, SC, GA, and VA area). I don't drink or smoke but don't have a problem if you do. I'm strictly monogamous, I've been in poly relationships before and they sucked, I'm not up for trying again. Also I'm demisexual, meaning I am not at all interested in emotionless sex, if you're looking for a hookup you'll probably be disappointed. I need to build an emotional connection first before I'd be interested. But then again when I fall for someone I fall hard and fast (does this count as an innuendo?) so maybe it all balances out.

Welcome to the live thread for Friday, March 24th, 2023

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Hosts: Dan Abrams, Sean "Sticks" Larkin, and Curtis Wilson
Episode Description: Hosts Dan Abrams, retired Tulsa Police Department Sgt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin, and Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson provide analysis as law enforcement officers on patrol across the country are followed in real time. Show airs from 9pm - 12am EDT
Tonight's lineup: Volusia County Sheriff’s and Daytona Beach Police - Fl; Wilkes-Barre Police - PA; Beech Grove Police - In; Nye County Sheriff’s - NV; Toledo Police - OH; Richland County Sheriff’s and Berkeley County Sheriff’s - SC

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Bethany Leanne Markowski was born on February 1, 1990 in Tennessee to parents Larry and Johnnie Jo Markowski. In March of 2001, Bethany's parents were in the midst of a somewhat contentious divorce. It had gotten to the point where Johnnie fled with Bethany while Larry was at work from their home in Gleason, Tennessee because he was apparently controlling and abusive. Johnnie and Bethany went to Johnnie's sister's home near Nashville (two hours away)--the sisteaunt's name is Lori. There is little background on Bethany's childhood other than this.
Johnnie would enroll Bethany in a new school, not telling Larry the school's name or where exactly it was. Johnnie also filed a protective order against Larry, but he was granted unsupervised visits with Bethany anyway. However, due to the protective order, Lori would meet Larry at a neutral halfway point (the town of Waverly) to exchange custody of Bethany. This exchange would happen on Friday, Larry would have Bethany for the weekend, with the return exchange taking place on Sundays at 5pm.
On Friday, March 2, 2001, Lori drove with Bethany to Waverly where Larry picked her up without a hitch. As expected, Larry was supposed to drop Bethany back off that Sunday (March 4) at 5pm. But that didn't happen the way it should have.
Apparently on Sunday the 4th, Bethany and Larry drove to Little Rock Arkansas to visit one of Larry's friends. This is over a four hour drive from the drop off point in Waverly. According to Johnnie, the morning of the 4th, Bethany called her. There are reports about what Bethany said, but one source I saw added something that Bethany supposedly said (or maybe she said both things, but I wanted to include both quotes). Bethany either said: "Dad knows you have a boyfriend," or "I'll be seeing you at 5:00pm, right?" According to Johnnie, Bethany asked Johnnie repeatedly about being there at 5pm. But because of the divorce proceedings and court orders, Johnnie couldn't pick up Bethany, that was why her sister Lori did the picking up and dropping off. Apparently this was only the second weekend that Larry had Bethany for the weekend, and the first weekend went well.
When Larry and Bethany began driving back to Tennessee in the afternoon of the 4th. Sometime between 2:30 and 3:30 that afternoon, Larry stopped at the Old Hickory Mall in Jackson, Tennessee. Bethany said she needed to use the bathroom, so she went inside the mall by herself. Larry, on the other hand, decided to take a nap in his car. Larry claimed that when he woke up half an hour to an hour later, Bethany hadn't come back to the car, so he went inside the mall to look for her, checking stores she would've gone to, like Claire's and the video arcade. Larry would call the police at 5:15pm when he couldn't find Bethany in the mall (note this is fifteen minutes after the appointed custody hand off time).
According to the Charley Project: Investigators said that Bethany is not seen on the security camera videotapes filmed at Old Hickory Mall on March 4. There is no proof that she actually entered the establishment. Bethany also wasn't found on camera footage in any of the stores inside the mall. Larry stood by his story, but the local police don't believe Larry's story. Johnnie just wanted Bethany to return home. Two days after Bethany vanished into thin air, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation became involved in the case so more resources could be utilized.
Shortly after Bethany vanished, witnesses came forward to say they'd seen Bethany with an unidentified white woman. This woman even tried to enroll Bethany at a local school in southeastern Tennessee in April 2001--one month after Bethany vanished and was later seen boarding a bus that may have been traveling to Moline, Illinois, with Bethany. This woman is described as being between 42 and 44 years old (in 2001), around 5'4 and 185 pounds. This woman had blonde hair and brown eyes, and looked to be somewhat unkept, with dark circles under her eyes and her clothes looked to be dirty/unwashed.
While the police/investigators haven't named a specific person of interest, they have said that both of Bethany's parents still remain persons of interest. Although Larry has been under more scrutiny because his story has never really made any sense. However, Larry has continued to deny that he did anything to Bethany. There is also a slim possibility that Bethany was taken by a stranger before she made it inside the mall. Bethany's mom Johnnie has never given up hope that Bethany is out there somewhere and even was instrumental in the creation of Tennessee's Missing Children's Day, March 4, the anniversary of Bethany's disappearance.
At the time Bethany Markowski vanished, she was 11 years old. Bethany is between 4'8 and 5'0 inches tall, between 95-100 pounds, and has brown hair and blue eyes. On the day she vanished, Bethany was wearing a green t-shirt, blue or black jeans and black slip on shoes. Today, Bethany would be 33 years old.
Sources:
https://charleyproject.org/case/bethany-leanne-markowski
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/crime/true-crime/20-years-later-arkansas-mother-still-seeks-answers-in-her-11-year-old-daughters-disappearance/51-81dfb1f5-07d4-40ac-8b37-3f1b9485d9a4
https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold-case-spotlight/bethany-markowski-still-missing-18-years-after-disappearing-tennessee-n978436
https://wreg.com/news/mom-responsible-for-tennessee-missing-childrens-day-still-looking-for-her-daughter-20-years-late
https://www.jacksonsun.com/story/news/2022/05/19/bethany-markowskis-mom-jonnie-carter-fingerprinting-lexington-high-school/9789986002/
https://original.newsbreak.com/@fatim-hemraj-561392/2868358838019-in-2001-a-man-said-he-lost-his-11-year-old-daughter-at-the-mall-cctv-footage-proved-she-was-never-even-there
https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2021/dear-bethany-20-years-missing
https://people.com/crime/tennessee-girl-vanished-2001-11-years-old-mom-hopes-reunion/
https://www.pollyklaas.org/missing-children/bethany-leanne-markowski/
https://www.wbbjtv.com/2018/05/18/missing-girls-father-speaks-first-time-17-years/
https://medium.com/@jennbaxter_69070/missing-in-tennessee-where-is-bethany-markowski-2602036481fc

For context, I took a girl out on a first date last weekend. We got dinner, walked around, made out, and then went separate ways. She told me she had a great time and after flirting for a little bit I asked her out on a 2nd date to a beach about a hour away. I did it in a romantic painting the picture way and she said that sounds like her kind of day. Here’s the convo since then: Me: “Let’s make your kind of day reality when are you free?”
Her: “Ohh so you spend two hours with me and now you think you’re ready to spend a whole day with me 😏 you’re a brave one ;)” “But while I’d love to give you a whole day… I honestly couldn’t tell you when the next time I have a full day free is!” “Like I have a couple mornings open next week… but all of my nights are booked with class or work”
She is pretty busy between work and grad school. I’m leaving to go out of state tomorrow for a few weeks so I was going to reply with: “Nah, I was thinking more like a late afternoon-night… not that brave😏 I’m headed down to NC tomorrow. When I get back in a few weeks we can get ice cream”
Is that a shit test from her, and does my response come off good and confident?

For context, I took a girl out on a first date last weekend. We got dinner, walked around, made out, and then went separate ways. She told me she had a great time and after flirting for a little bit I asked her out on a 2nd date to a beach about a hour away. I did it in a romantic painting the picture way and she said that sounds like her kind of day. Here’s the convo since then: Me: “Let’s make your kind of day reality when are you free?”
Her: “Ohh so you spend two hours with me and now you think you’re ready to spend a whole day with me 😏 you’re a brave one ;)” “But while I’d love to give you a whole day… I honestly couldn’t tell you when the next time I have a full day free is!” “Like I have a couple mornings open next week… but all of my nights are booked with class or work”
She is pretty busy between work and grad school. I’m leaving to go out of state tomorrow for a few weeks so I was going to reply with: “Nah, I was thinking more like a late afternoon-night… not that brave😏 I’m headed down to NC tomorrow. When I get back in a few weeks we can get ice cream”
Is that a shit test from her, and does my response come off good and confident?

For context, I took a girl out on a first date last weekend. We got dinner, walked around, made out, and then went separate ways. She told me she had a great time and after flirting for a little bit I asked her out on a 2nd date to a beach about a hour away. I did it in a romantic painting the picture way and she said that sounds like her kind of day. Here’s the convo since then: Me: “Let’s make your kind of day reality when are you free?”
Her: “Ohh so you spend two hours with me and now you think you’re ready to spend a whole day with me 😏 you’re a brave one ;)” “But while I’d love to give you a whole day… I honestly couldn’t tell you when the next time I have a full day free is!” “Like I have a couple mornings open next week… but all of my nights are booked with class or work”
She is pretty busy between work and grad school. I’m leaving to go out of state tomorrow for a few weeks so I was going to reply with: “Nah, I was thinking more like a late afternoon-night… not that brave😏 I’m headed down to NC tomorrow. When I get back in a few weeks we can get ice cream”
Is that a shit test from her, and does my response come off good and confident?

Hey! I’m planning a trip of southern USA. I’m a foreigner and have been to other places in the US such as NYC, Boston, Miami, Las Vegas, San Francisco, etc. but this will be my first time in Southern US.
Itinerary goes as follows: - New Orleans, LA (3.5 days) - Jackson, MS (2 days) - Memphis, TN (2 days) - Nashville, TN (2 days) - Birmingham, AL (3 days, including one to simply chill and do nothing cuz I know I’ll need that after 10 days) - Atlanta, GA (2.5 days) - Savannah, GA (3 days) - Charleston, SC (3 days) Then fly to Miami to see my relatives for a few days and maybe continue the trip up north (to cities like NYC and Boston to see friends, but that’s not so relevant for this post).
Anyway, I’m wondering whether Jackson is really worth visiting. I’m seeing conflicting reports online and can’t find that much to do there. The main reason why I planned to go there is because the train from NOLA to Memphis stops in Jackson and I realised the blues come from Jackson. But is it really worth two days of my trip?
Option 1: keep itinerary as is Option 2: cancel Jackson and allocate one extra day to each of Memphis and Nashville Option 3: adding an extra day to New Orleans and to one of Memphis or Nashville
What should I do?
Also, any cool recommendations for any of the above cities?
Caveats/about me: - I’m a fast traveller so 2-3 days in each city suits me - I’m not driving but taking trains and buses. It’s totally feasible as I already researched schedules and I’m staying in downtown of each location, and can also take local buses and Ubers when needed. This also means no flexibility in changing the order of the cities, and also that I can’t visit cool places like Asheville, NC bc they’re not easily reachable by public transport. - I’m a solo female traveller in my 30s. I’m of “ambiguous ethnicity” - I’m well travelled, relatively street smart, don’t drink much, don’t party, etc. - I’m interested in history which is rich in all of these locations (which is why I’m not totally sure Jackson is necessary in this itinerary - I can’t really find that much to do there). Also like art, funky stuff (excited about ghost tour in NOLA), and general culture of all kinds. Would also love to do some nature/hiking if there’s time. - My budget is limited but not super modest. I’m splurging on nice downtown accommodations but keeping tight on everything else. I know Jackson is the cheapest city in the itinerary but that’s not a good enough reason to keep it there - I mostly eat vegetarian and I am planning on doing most of my cooking (I know, sad, but c’est la vie!)
EDIT: - skipping Jackson and currently deciding between options 2 and 3 (adding an extra city is not very viable) - thanks to everyone for the tips. Very helpful! - noting that these are net days excluding travel time