Deeker's Message of the Week

March 3, 2002

Last week I mentioned the possibility of bringing back the Story Statistics pages since it seems that these helped to encourage people to write more stories and update them. I received a few email responses in regards to this and I am convinced that they were beneficial to motivating people to write. I noticed a dropoff in the number of new stories and updates received after the tragic events of September 11, 2001 and thought that with such concerns about our own safety and freedom and the threat of more terrorist attacks riding on our collective conscience, that this (understandably so) accounted for the dropoff. While I am sure this was a factor in the short term, it has been long enough since 9/11 that I can't really consider this to be a factor now. I started the surveys just before the 9/11 attacks, and because of the time spent on the surveys, I coincidentally stopped doing the story stats at around the time of 9/11.

I won't have the stats back up this week, and I am not sure when, but I will still welcome your comments on this.

Several of you have requested via email the story that I took down called "All Boys Shall Remain Forever in Diapers." Enough of you have responded positively that I will likely put the story back up, but with a prominent disclaimer and perhaps some commentary on why I wrote it. For those who either missed it last week or don't want to take the time to look up last week's MOTW, this story proved to be controversial and highly offensive to some people. Namely, it was offensive to those who disagree with my preferences for boys to be kept in super thick diapers and no pants while their sisters and other girls continually flaunt their non-need for diapers by wearing skimpy, tight pants and shorts. The girls mentioned in this story find many other ways to mercilessly remind the boys of this difference between them, as clean, mature and responsible girls, and the boys who are immature, in need of discipline and are smelly and dirty as a consequence of being stuck with nothing to wear but diapers. The girls can choose what to wear each day for the purpose of fashion, and not wear something that blatantly calls attention to one's inability to retain bodily wastes and to use a toilet, something that deprives one of having any choices when it comes to what to wear. This story was based on my email exchanges with a girl whose extremist attitude about boys and diapers rivals anything I have written in my fictional stories, and I pulled out all the stops when writing the story. The option to request this story is still open until I get it posted again.

The survey responses continue to keep me busy as I look them over and process the responses. The Brother Surveys are significantly outpacing the Sister Surveys, which were more active in the preceding weeks. I didn't expect the Brother Surveys to be as popular as they are, but it seems that since the majority of the brothers who have submitted such surveys wear diapers themselves and that this site mostly attracts boy visitors, it makes sense to me that this would be the case and thus account for the higher response rates. I am finding some interesting differences between how boys view their brothers who wear diapers versus how girls respond to these situations. I acknowledge that these differences may be skewed by the fact that most of the brothers who have responded are diaper-wearers themselves, so if anything, their perceptions of their brothers is more or less on the same "level." Many of the girls who have responded to the Sister Survey are on a different "level" in which they feel more mature and responsible as girls than their diaper-donning brothers.

In spite of my best efforts to make the survey forms so that they are easier for most systems to digest, it still seems that some people are having problems with the forms. This is evidenced by the number of responses I have received which contain mostly blank or "default" answers, which I do not post. Since these forms work on my system and have been tested, I really don't know what I can do to make them work better. In the meantime, if you have problems with the long form and don't see blanks for all the questions, please use the split form, or, if this option doesn't work, use the offline survey and fill it out and email it back to me. Offline versions of the Brother and Sister Surveys will be posted soon.

<rant mode= ON> Even in spite of my best efforts to make it clear that if you are using the split form (sections 1-10 and 11-20 on separate forms) to submit BOTH forms, I am still getting several incomplete responses in which I receive only the first part (sometimes only the second part). I do not post these due to space and time constraints, but I do keep them on file in the event I receive the missing half later on. If any of you have used the split form and you know you sent both parts, but did not see it posted, plesae let me know if you filled out both forms. For that matter, please let me know if you encounter any problems with the survey forms.<rant mode= OFF>

Someone recently suggested that I start a survey for Friends of Diaper Boys. I don't think such a survey would work as well as the Brother Survey and the Sister Survey. These surveys are mostly to gauge the thoughts and perceptions of the siblings of boys who wear diapers since this is an area I have always focused on with my stories, especially with sisters. I am especially interested in how girls who don't wear diapers see their brothers who do, and how girls feel about this versus boys. Friends are more likely to be supportive and not have feelings of superiority about themselves or their gender, plus the fact that friends don't usually live with each other, whereas brothers and sisters usually do, and they are continuously exposed to their brothers' diapers and the conditions that his wearing diapers brings to the household on a daily basis. Such situations in a family versus among friends would be too far different. A friend would not likely tease about diapers or point out the fact that he doesn't have to wear them. The only friends who would be interested would be those who want to wear diapers themselves or already do, and would thus be more likely to fill out the Survey for Diaper Boys themselves. If I do decide to do a friends survey the questions would likely be quite different and likely fewer. I welcome your comments on this as well as your suggested questions for such a survey.

Still zero progress on the charts and tables. Since the surveys themselves are always being changed and updated with new questions, this makes compiling the data to be even more difficult. It'll get done one of these days, but I may have to wait until I get my next week's vacation to find the time to do it. If you have any comments on this, please share them.

I am pleased with all the diaper sighting reports that have been sent to me since I started this section at around the end of October 2001. Since spring and summer are coming (unless you live south of the equator) I am looking forward to an increase in the number of sighting reports that are sent to me.

One has to think about how often such diaper sightings go without being recognized by someone who would appreciate such sightings. It's sort of like that old tree-falling-in-the-forest philosophy: If nobody is there to observe a diaper sighting, then did a "sighting" really occur?

In case any of you have been wondering about my own diaper sightings, I am embarrassed to say that my sightings have been abysmally lacking. I don't know what sort of bad karma I picked up along the way that has caused me to see so few diaper sightings. Every time I go to the supermarket I look for potential sightings while I am there, but they never happen. I even hardly ever see anyone purchasing Goodnites. What's your strategy, people? Give me some good pointers for sightings. As far as I can see, it's mostly a matter of chance and my luck just hasn't been there. A friend of mine and fellow contributing author also feels my pain.

My last genuine sighting was in 1998. The last one before this was in 1996. I have submitted these sighting reports for your perusal.

Even though I worked at Office Max for several years before taking a job in an office environment where I don't see children but am otherwise blissfully removed from the public, I rarely saw any diaper sightings. I would examine many of the boys who came in, hoping that I'd score a diaper sighting from a few of them. I did witness one five-year-old boy who had wet his pants and didn't seem to be the least bit upset by it. I also saw a four-ish looking boy only in thick cotton training pants and a shirt who was accompanied by his older sister, and then there was a boy who was probably only two but was in cloth diapers and plastic pants. I also on occasion got to see some toddler boys in just disposable diapers on hot summer days. None of these, however, are what I consider to be worthy of inclusion on the sighting reports.

<rant mode= ON> Sorry to go into rant mode again, but I do need to address some issues that have come up regarding the Diaper Sighting Reports that are being submitted. I will list these issues in descending order of significance:

• I have received a few sighting reports which have taken place with brothers or others who, presumably, are already known diaper wearers. Some of you have even sent sighting reports on yourselves. Please understand that these are not what I consider to be sightings. Generally speaking, a diaper sighting only counts if it occurs unexpectedly and without any acquaintence with the boy(s) in question. A sighting may count with friends and family if it occurs under circumstances in which the sighting was not expected, for example, catching your brother wearing diapers for the first time.
• Please include details with your sighting reports. Some reports have come to me with either no details or with a very terse and vague description of the sighting Let us know what all you saw and what was going on at the time and what led to the sighting. It doesn't have to be a play-by-play account, just a brief synopsis of the events, enough to be of interest to most people who visit this site.
• Children under 4 who are still in diapers are fairly common, especially boys as they are usually toilet trained later than girls. Unless there were other circumstances involving a young boy that were unusual or noteworthy, such as seeing a boy this age in only diapers in a place where most parents would have him wearing pants or shorts, or if the boy was accompanied by his sister (or brother) and was making comments about his diapers, such sightings are otherwise not that significant.
• Most of you have been good about only sending sightings with boys. A few of you have sent me sightings involving girls. With all due respect to those of you who have an appreciation for such sightings, I am not interested in girl sightings, therefore, please do not send them as I will not post them.
• While witnessing another adult wearing diapers is unusual and that in some cases it could even lead to a friendship, I would rather see sighting reports involving boys up to early teens. Most adults are independent, have come to terms with their need for diapers or are wearing them by choice, and are among other people who are understanding enough to not make a big deal about them wearing diapers. Younger boys, however, are usually more sensitive about wearing diapers, are not as likely to be wearing them by choice, and make a much greater impression on their friends, siblings and other children, as well as appreciative adults. These are the things that make diaper sightings involving boys more noteworthy. While I will graciously accept adult sighting reports, I'd prefer to use the space for sighting reports on boys.

<rant mode= OFF>

So far only a few people have responded to the drawings. A few people who have seen them in the Yahoo group I posted them in indicated that the diapers were drawn too big and thick and that some people would like to see the boys drawn wearing disposable diapers. I do have a few of them in disposables, but most of the time I'd rather devote the time I spend on these drawings to making them look like the diapers I'd like to see boys wearing. They are drawn like the boys I describe in my stories: very big, thick, tight and high-rising with lots of pins in them.

Don't look for these drawings on the site as they are not posted here. For now they are available via an email request. They will be sent to you in zip files of 50 drawings at a time. Most of these files are about 500K to 600K in length. Currently there are over 400 drawings.

The past week was pretty much uneventful. My birthday was last Monday (2/25). Thank you to everyone who took the time to wish me a Happy Birthday. The day was pretty low-key, just a few colorful signs that were printed and placed around my cubicle to announce my birthday. My mom also made my favorite meal for me that night. I won't get my presents until Sunday afternoon since we had to put off the family gathering for my birthday. My sister had to work last Sunday and my grandfather attended a dedication ceremony for his church's new facility.

I recently upgraded to digital cable. Actually, I had to because the cable company is phasing out analog cable. I understand that that the Discovery Health Channel has shows on pediatric health, so this may open up the opportunities to get some good diaper boy video captures. So far my latest addiction has been with the Game Show Network. I just love watching old episodes of Family Feud, $20,000~$100,000 Pyramid, Match Game, Press Your Luck, and countless other gems from days gone past, back when game shows ruled the daytime TV airwaves. Perhaps I am fond of some of these shows because I remember watching them on TV while I was sitting in the middle of the living room floor in diapers.All these damn talk shows that are on nowadays have got to go! I want my game shows back!!! I also enjoy the commercial-free music channels that I get. I haven't even listened to the radio except when I'm in my car since I got digital cable.

If I had a choice I'd rather have satellite, preferably the Dish Network. Unfortunately where I live the coventants do not allow for mounting satellite dishes. This sucks. This coventant was likely created back when a satellite dish was six feet in diameter. For God's sake, they virtually blend in with the rooftop with as small as they are now! Does anyone else out there have to deal with things like this? A friend of mine has the Dish Network and I love the wider range of choices it offers, including getting both the east and west versions of Disney and Nickelodeon.

Well, that's it for this week. Wish me the best of luck as I take on new duties at my place of work this coming week. Have a great week everyone, and stay happy and thickly diapered!

--Deeker