AMA - Bramblethorn

[BlackCaramelCreme]

Have you ever seen a snake consume it's prey in real life?

 

[ultramarineblue]

What is your favorite animal? (Forgive me if someone has asked before.)

 

[Bramblethorn]

Have you ever seen a snake consume it's prey in real life?

I've never seen a snake catch and eat a live animal IRL.

Several of my friends have/had pet snakes (usually non-venomous ones), and I've seen some of them being fed, but that's always been with animals that were already dead. Typically they buy a pack of frozen rats or mice and then defrost one at a time as needed.

The one guy I knew who live-fed his snakes is, not coincidentally, the only person I knew who'd been bitten by snakes. Bit unfortunate since his snakes were very venomous. He survived but it wasn't a pleasant experience. AFAIK he's still alive but we lost touch a long time ago.

What is your favorite animal? (Forgive me if someone has asked before.)

I am very fond of cats. In the middle of me typing this answer, Tuxedo Cat interrupted for a long cuddle session...

But octopuses and other cephalopods are amazing, neat animals. They're so distant from us - I think our closest common ancestor is some kind of worm? - and yet they're intelligent and playful creatures. Also, their camouflage is amazing.

 

[cookiecat]

What is a favorite adventure you've had?

 

[ultramarineblue]

I've never seen a snake catch an eat a live animal IRL.

Several of my friends have/had pet snakes (usually non-venomous ones), and I've seen some of them being fed, but that's always been with animals that were already dead. Typically they buy a pack of frozen rats or mice and then defrost one at a time as needed.

The one guy I knew who live-fed his snakes is, not coincidentally, the only person I knew who'd been bitten by snakes. Bit unfortunate since his snakes were very venomous. He survived but it wasn't a pleasant experience. AFAIK he's still alive but we lost touch a long time ago.



I am very fond of cats. In the middle of me typing this answer, Tuxedo Cat interrupted for a long cuddle session...

But octopuses and other cephalopods are amazing, neat animals. They're so distant from us - I think our closest common ancestor is some kind of worm? - and yet they're intelligent and playful creatures. Also, their camouflage is amazing.

Interesting! I have a tuxedo kitty too. He's become much more inclined to seek out attention as he has gotten older. The others you mentioned are really interesting too. There is so much variety in the world.

 

[Bramblethorn]

What is a favorite adventure you've had?

I was very briefly marooned on a desert island once. Does that count?

We were on a boat trip with a few other families, the captain anchored and they ferried us out to the island in a little dinghy to have lunch there. They didn't leave anybody on the main boat. While we were on the island, the boat dragged anchor and ended up some way out to sea where it was too rough for the dinghy... luckily it almost ran over some fishermen and they brought it back, otherwise we might have been there a while.

 

[seela]

I was very briefly marooned on a desert island once. Does that count?

We were on a boat trip with a few other families, the captain anchored and they ferried us out to the island in a little dinghy to have lunch there. They didn't leave anybody on the main boat. While we were on the island, the boat dragged anchor and ended up some way out to sea where it was too rough for the dinghy... luckily it almost ran over some fishermen and they brought it back, otherwise we might have been there a while.

That's an amazing story!

 

[ultramarineblue]

I was very briefly marooned on a desert island once. Does that count?

We were on a boat trip with a few other families, the captain anchored and they ferried us out to the island in a little dinghy to have lunch there. They didn't leave anybody on the main boat. While we were on the island, the boat dragged anchor and ended up some way out to sea where it was too rough for the dinghy... luckily it almost ran over some fishermen and they brought it back, otherwise we might have been there a while.

That would be intense. Thankfully it wasn't long!

 

[Bramblethorn]

That would be intense. Thankfully it wasn't long!

I didn't realise how serious it was until it was almost over, because by the time we got back to shore it was night and we couldn't see how far the boat had moved. Probably would've been more alarmed if we'd known!

 

[cookiecat]

Have you ever dressed up for Halloween? If yes, what was your a favorite costume?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Have you ever dressed up for Halloween? If yes, what was your a favorite costume?

Trick-or-treating wasn't really a thing during my childhood in Australia, and I was too young for it during the US bits of my childhood, so no Sexy Bramble Halloween costumes for me. It's become a bit more popular now (still way below US levels) so I have escorted kids on one trick-or-treat run, but I didn't dress up for that one.

I did once wear a nurse's uniform in pink PVC, but that was just for regular clubbing. I don't think any photos have survived.

 

[seela]

Do you remember your dreams? Do you believe in dream interpretation?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Do you remember your dreams? Do you believe in dream interpretation?

I occasionally remember them. One of my stories here started with a dream and me trying to recapture the emotion of that dream.

Lately I've been getting dreams where I'm out in public doing something normal, and then I realise I'm not wearing a mask... hooray 2020. Sometimes my dreams reflect obvious stresses/anxieties in an obvious sort of way, but beyond that I'm not a believer in "if you dream about a horse it means you're going on a journey" kind of interpretations.

 

[cookiecat]

Trick-or-treating wasn't really a thing during my childhood in Australia, and I was too young for it during the US bits of my childhood, so no Sexy Bramble Halloween costumes for me. It's become a bit more popular now (still way below US levels) so I have escorted kids on one trick-or-treat run, but I didn't dress up for that one.

I did once wear a nurse's uniform in pink PVC, but that was just for regular clubbing. I don't think any photos have survived.

Ha! "that was just for regular clubbing" -- as one does when wearing a pink PVC nurse's uniform.

Do you work a Monday - Friday job?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Ha! "that was just for regular clubbing" -- as one does when wearing a pink PVC nurse's uniform.

It's been a while now, and I'll never fit into that outfit again, but "regular clubbing" for me was at various goth clubs in Melbourne. The nurse's outfit wasn't the most outré thing I've worn. I have a shirt in a similar vein to this tuxedo (and from the same shop) although my opportunities to wear it are very few these days.

Do you work a Monday - Friday job?

I do. I also have a freelance side job, although that's been very quiet this year.

 

[seela]

What is something a little bit off the beaten track you'd recommend I go see if I came as a tourist to where you live? (General "where you live" - no need to go even on city level if you don't feel comfortable)

Have you ever traveled somewhere and instantly felt like you belong there?

 

[cookiecat]

It's been a while now, and I'll never fit into that outfit again, but "regular clubbing" for me was at various goth clubs in Melbourne. The nurse's outfit wasn't the most outré thing I've worn. I have a shirt in a similar vein to this tuxedo (and from the same shop) although my opportunities to wear it are very few these days.



I do. I also have a freelance side job, although that's been very quiet this year.

You need to find a reason to wear that tuxedo - it's amazing. Covid dress up day. Tux on the top, sweats on the bottom??


So I'm interviewing you for a position here in the BDSM Cafe. (Haha! Position...)

Tell me one of your greatest strengths? One of your weaknesses? What do you think you bring to the table here in the Cafe?

 

[Bramblethorn]

What is something a little bit off the beaten track you'd recommend I go see if I came as a tourist to where you live? (General "where you live" - no need to go even on city level if you don't feel comfortable)

The Organ Pipes National Park is pretty, if you like geology: https://www.google.com/search?q=org..._yDgGHXghAUEQ_AUoAnoECBEQBA&biw=1714&bih=1240

This place has some neat sciencey stuff, everything from fossil shark jaws to old poison bottles to orreries: http://wunderkammer.com.au/

Have you ever traveled somewhere and instantly felt like you belong there?

Not instantly, but every time I visited Melbourne as an adult I wanted to stay. Eventually I did!

 

[Bramblethorn]

You need to find a reason to wear that tuxedo - it's amazing. Covid dress up day. Tux on the top, sweats on the bottom??

I don't own that one, but I do have a rather pretty lemon-yellow waistcoat from the same place, which I have occasionally worn with the highly NSFW shirt.

So I'm interviewing you for a position here in the BDSM Cafe. (Haha! Position...)

Tell me one of your greatest strengths? One of your weaknesses? What do you think you bring to the table here in the Cafe?

Strength: Eclectic memory.
Weakness: Insecurity.
What I bring to the table: a squirt bottle for spraying Those Guys in forum threads. You know the ones I mean.

 

[seela]

The Organ Pipes National Park is pretty, if you like geology: https://www.google.com/search?q=org..._yDgGHXghAUEQ_AUoAnoECBEQBA&biw=1714&bih=1240

This place has some neat sciencey stuff, everything from fossil shark jaws to old poison bottles to orreries: http://wunderkammer.com.au/



Not instantly, but every time I visited Melbourne as an adult I wanted to stay. Eventually I did!

Both of those places look really cool! I need to read more about those organ pipes now. It's great that you got to stay in Melbourne.

What are some of the things that made you want to stay?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Both of those places look really cool! I need to read more about those organ pipes now. It's great that you got to stay in Melbourne.

What are some of the things that made you want to stay?

I already had a lot of personal connections here, friends and family, but also I love the personality of this city. Sydney is about beaches and sun, Melbourne is about bookshops* and coffee** and street art. The architecture has a bit of a gothic tinge to it (believe it or not, the city was founded by a Mr. Batman - terrible person, excellent name) and it's a little bit greener and less sprawl-y than Sydney.

*Some years back, Borders Books opened up in Melbourne, and they went out of business because they couldn't compete with the local independent bookshop.
**Starbucks also failed here, though they've managed to revive it as a modest business catering mostly to tourists looking for a familiar brand.

 

[seela]

I already had a lot of personal connections here, friends and family, but also I love the personality of this city. Sydney is about beaches and sun, Melbourne is about bookshops* and coffee** and street art. The architecture has a bit of a gothic tinge to it (believe it or not, the city was founded by a Mr. Batman - terrible person, excellent name) and it's a little bit greener and less sprawl-y than Sydney.

*Some years back, Borders Books opened up in Melbourne, and they went out of business because they couldn't compete with the local independent bookshop.
**Starbucks also failed here, though they've managed to revive it as a modest business catering mostly to tourists looking for a familiar brand.

Now I really want to visit Melbourne!

 

[midwestyankee]

What's your general sense of the political state of the world's largest countries? Are you generally optimistic or pessimistic about the next decade or two?

 

[Bramblethorn]

What's your general sense of the political state of the world's largest countries? Are you generally optimistic or pessimistic about the next decade or two?

Gloomy, on the whole. I think our political systems are ill suited to deal with challenges like climate change and wealth inequality, and media (both old and new) are a huge part of that. And a large part of the electorate don't give a shit about truth, or justice, or even their own self-interest, as long as their candidate is willing to hurt Those People.

 

[midwestyankee]

Gloomy, on the whole. I think our political systems are ill suited to deal with challenges like climate change and wealth inequality, and media (both old and new) are a huge part of that. And a large part of the electorate don't give a shit about truth, or justice, or even their own self-interest, as long as their candidate is willing to hurt Those People.

There is far too much hatred of Those People in our world.