I’m not talking about spanking the monkey, or milkin’ the snake.
No, I’m talking about “ball cupping”. Not a sexual thing… well, usually not! 
Sometimes I wake up that way. Sometimes I’m being a couch potato watching the tube, and I do a little scratchin, and a little rearranging, and well, my hand just ends up hanging out down there.
You know, I have never mentioned this to a live human, but I have never felt it strange. Just how bizarre am I?
Inspired by the Testicle Poll!
Yes. When I go to sleep I put a hand around my boys. They rest easier that way.
That’s generally the case with me, also. Usually only happens on the rare occasions I wear my tightie-whities, though. My boxers are roomy enough that I can generally just hang there and not need to adjust.
I get a feeling of power holding my boys, but maybe it’s just me. (Of course, I’m sure other people might get a feeling of power from holding my boys, but that’s neither here nor there…)
-Dirty
its like having a blankie… plus you get to sniff your fingers, too. bonus!
An old girlfriend of mine asked why men do this. I have no scientific data, but I speculate that it is indeed instinct. Perpetuating the genes is one of the driving forces for any animal. By protecting the sperm factories while at rest, we are protecting our ability to pass on our genes.
Or, maybe it just feels good.
Ironically, Khadaji, if you keep them too warm, you’ll prevent your ability to pass on your genes!
Hmmm, well then what does that say about me? I sleep with my hand wedged in my crotch, and I don’t have any b’doobies to cup.
Recently I was reading a James Baldwin novel, and the narrator was describing his sleeping (female) lover… He mentioned that she slept with one hand between her legs and the other over her mouth… from this he surmised that she was not a trusting person.
I often sleep the same way… but I would say I’m far from untrusting. In fact, I’m damn gullible–I recently bought a car from a Pimp-turned-PREACHER! :eek:
Well, a character in a Kurt Vonnegut novel did it (Breakfast of Champions? IIRC). My vote is it’s a leftover survival instinct.
Alternatively, it’s a very exposed organ that bleeds heat even more than your head. Cupping them keeps the little fellas nice and toasty.
[Enters thread, peers through her lorgnette]: “Is this the Tea Party and Weekly Social?”
“Oh my stars and garters!” [collapses onto nearby fainting couch]
I tend to do that when I’m sleeping, and for me, it’s because it’s warmer that way- for my hands.
Lightnin’ : Very sensible comment. At my advanced age my hands get cold quickly while reading in bed. Book in one hand exposed to night chill, the warming enough to switch.
I occasionally do that while I am driving. I have a standard, if I get tired of laying my arm on the stick, my hand goes down to the boys. Usually, I do not realize it until I need to shift again.
I sometimes do this just before I go to sleep, but usually only if I am sleeping on my back.
If I sleep on my side, it’s just too uncomfortable.
I don’t have any boys…and my ladies are much higher up on my anatomy. But, that said, note that some women do this too. Notably, me, albeit much more so when I was much younger–I’d sleep cupping my girl parts. (Not to be confused with Doll Parts are any other atrocious Hole song.)
For me I think it’s mainly temperature regulation. If my kit’s cold & my hands are warm, I cup 'em. If my hands are cold & the kit’s warm, I cup 'em. AFAIK, I don’t cup 'em when I’m sleeping tho.
I don’t think that it is conicidental that a human’s hands are right at crotch level when their hands are hanging at their sides. It allows you to protect a very, very vulnerable spot, permits you to warm your hands, which, being extremities, are prone to being colder, and also permits you to masturbate with ease.
I think it’s just a comfort thing. I do it when I’m wearing tracksuit bottoms and just slobbing out watching TV. My gf asked me only the other day why that was, and that’s the best I could come up with.
Am I the only one who visualized Al Bundy while reading this thread??
<Richard Kiley>
The Tyranosaurous Rex was unable to reach it’s genitals due to the short length of it’s forearms. Whether or or not this increased it’s aggressive nature is uncertain but by looking at modern animals, including man, we may be able to make a comparison.
Sharks and snakes have no arms with which to touch themselves and we are well aware of their respective reputations. This does not seem to apply to spiders that have an overabundance of arms and yet, attack man with great frequency.
Let’s look at this picture of the infamous dictator, Adolph Hitler. We can easily see that his arms are much shorter than average and barely come to his waist. Coincidence? Perhaps.
</Richard Kiley>
I myself can reach my own genitals with ease and am generally considered a very happy person.