Patronus

a periodic update is always necessary.

last summer i worked as a dancer/performer at kings island, which is the largest amusement park in the midwest located in cincinnati, ohio. it was fun - but a lot of hard work. they offered me another position this summer, but i turned it down - i chose to continue to be a server even though dancing was a lot more money.

I'm going to be a father... Sort of. Recently, my boyfriend donated his sperm to a lesbian couple who are friends of ours. We've tried it two times before, but as I'm sure the majority of you know, pregnancies (especially with circumstances such as these) aren't a perfect science. This time, however, we have high hopes -- Brittany has been noticing varying changes in her body and hasn't had a period this month. Here's hoping. The most exciting thing -- to me, anyways -- is that Brittany and Ashley want us to play an active part in the baby's life. We'll undoubtedly be the "uncles," which isn't as prolific as a parental role, but it's just going to be nice to see how he/she grows up. It's also amazing to me that in such a conservative area of the nation (northern West Virginia), two homosexual couples come together to form a family.

While I don't really hate the taste of alcohol, it's become custom within my group of friends to mix vodka with things such as lemonade and Kool-Aid, and add sugar... Depending on if you're a good mixer or not, the alcohol can be minimally tasted.

Well... It's been a while since I've been here. So I guess it could be appropriate for me to post a current picture of myself while I'm visiting... As if anyone here remembers me. =] The first and third pictures are pre-piercing, just so you know. [IMG]http://a220.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/79/l_a68de69201af3dbe7d840b8082968653.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://profile.ak.facebook.com/v226/1944/79/n642497285_170.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v283/52/7/642497285/n642497285_683012_3622.jpg[/IMG]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=Black][SIZE=2]I developed an affection for Greek mythology early in my middle school years. Since then, it has fluctuated, but I will always find that culture's myths- and the universal themes in them- highly interesting. I also find it interesting the fact that when you look at it, most, if not all, cultures have religions that teach these univeral themes through stories. Urban legends are always fun to read, as more of them than you would believe stem from a real occurence. It's fun to look them up and research their origins. The following is one of my favorite Greek myths. It tells the story of Io, a beautiful young girl who declines Zeus' advances, and how, through Hera's jealousy, she is punished. What is your favorite myth, folklore, or urban legend? And why?[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT] [quote] [B]The Heifer-Maiden[/B] The story of Io is one of the most touching dramas in Greek Mythology. This story goes back to the early days on Mount Olympos (Olympus). Zeus was new to the throne of eternity and his treatment of Io was nothing less than pernicious. [B]Daughter of Inakhus[/B] Io was the beautiful daughter of Inakhus (Inachus) of Argos. She began having strange dreams with voices and visions telling her to leave her bed and go into a field where Zeus could ‘see’ her. She told her father of the dreams and he sought advice of the oracles at Pytho and Dodona but they could offer no help. Finally, he sent an embassy to Loxias. For the oracles of Loxias, the meaning was crystal clear. They advised Inakhus to disown his daughter, cast her into the streets and drive her from his country. If this was not done, the oracles warned, Zeus would eradicate Inakhus and his people without mercy. With heavy heart, Inakhus obeyed the oracles and forced his young daughter, Io, from his house. [B]Hera[/B] Hera had not missed the drama unfolding in Argos. She was angered by Zeus’ (attempted) infidelity so she punished Zeus by punishing Io. As Io fled in tears from her father’s house, she began to change. Horns popped out on her head and, as she ran, she completely transformed into a black and white heifer. A gadfly began to sting and pester her, forcing her to run farther and farther from her home and happiness. Hera wanted to be sure that her husband, Zeus, could not be alone with his new infatuation so she set the herdsman, Argos, to follow the heifer-girl. Argos was called Argos Panoptes, meaning ‘all seeing’ because he had one hundred eyes placed all over his body. Io was terrified of Argos and she fled from him as much as she did from the sting of the ever present gadfly. [B]The Herdsman, Argos[/B] Zeus was inflamed. With Argos on guard he couldn’t secretly meet with the lovely Io. He instructed his son, Hermes, to kill Argos. To this day, Hermes is often called Argeiphontes, ‘the slayer of Argos’. He lulled the herdsman to sleep with sweet music and then beheaded the sleeping watchman before he could defend himself. Io was now free of the all seeing Argos. [B]Prometheus[/B] The punishment was not over yet. The gadfly was still goading the heifer-girl to the ends of the earth. As Io fled through the Caucasus mountains she saw Prometheus bound to the stony crag. Prometheus was a Titan who had angered Zeus with his reckless affection for the lowly mortals who populated the earth below Mount Olympos. Prometheus was chained, spread-eagle, to the pitiless rockface by the plan of Zeus and by the hand of Hephaistos (Hephaestus). Prometheus had been left to suffer in solitude and misery until Zeus’ fury subsided. Io’s conversation with Prometheus (in Prometheus Bound, by Aeskhylus) is quite moving. She told him of her sorrowful past, how she can never sleep in the same place two nights in succession because of the insistent gadfly. She begged the Titan for his prediction of her future. The name ‘Prometheus’ means ‘forethought’. She simply wanted to know when her suffering would end? Even in his tortured condition, Prometheus tried to spare her feelings. She asked why he would not be forthright. He replied that he was afraid that if he told her the depth and duration of her suffering, the knowledge might break her spirit. She wanted to hear it all, no matter how dismal her future may be, she wanted to hear it all. Prometheus told her of her long, lonely road. He advised her on which way to travel and where she might find help along the way. He told her to be strong because she would eventually be freed from the curse of Hera. Her journey would end in Egypt. He told her that she would be restored to her original beauty and have a glorious son named Epaphos. Prometheus also foresaw the ironic fact that one of her descendants would, after thirteen generations, come back to that lonely mountain and cut the bonds that made him famous. The predictions of Prometheus came true. Io’s flight took her East towards Asia, South to the land of the Amazons and, after years of tortuous wandering, she came to Egypt. When the hand of Zeus reached out and touched Io, Hera’s curse was lifted. Io was restored to her youthful beauty and was allowed to live out her mortal life in peace. [/quote]

in my opinion, cheating is any action that is made based on lust or actual emotion while in a relationship (whether emotional or actual) with another person. i am currently in a relationship where i have pledged to be monogamous to my partner. we have not set it "officially," not because we don't want to, but because of certain circumstances (which i will not go into at this time). but if i were to ever kiss another man, or have sex with another man, i would consider it cheating.

i'm eighteen years old and homo, so i'm probably at the height of social experiences in my life. however, i am not the typical kind of homo. i'm more straight-acting than a lot of others, and i do not partake in the "normal" lifestyle of many. the gay community is well-known for being promiscuous and flamboyant, but i am neither; i'm athletic and and outdoorsy kind of guy. which leads to trouble. because i am neither flamboyant or "proud" (not to say i don't like being gay), girls tend to flock to me and i have the awkward job of telling them that i am indeed homo. looking like an athlete and acting "straight" obviously confuses them, and on several occassions, i have caused a lot of "drama" because of this fact.

i believe that it depends on the level of your maturity. i lost my virginity at the age of fifteen, and while i was no where near mature enough at that age to go through what i did, i didn't have sex again until i felt that i could handle the emotional as well as the physical aspects of it. sex should be a matter of choice, not something that is regulated by guidelines of faith. humans and dolphins are the only two animals on the planet to engage in sex for recreation... and we don't see them worrying it about it, do we?

The picture of Yoruichi is very good. Her eyes are incredibly piercing; a feat, I must say, when drawing in black-and-white. Most artists forget that sketches, too, can contain emotion. The image of Naruto is okay; his head looks disproportional to the rest of his body, or something. Something about it is just weird. Maybe it's the way his left eye is squinted or the height of his face. Overall, you did a good job. 8.9/10

Well, this summer, my sister is taking me to Disney World for my graduation present. I'm the only member of the family who's never been, so it's pretty exciting. I've always felt somewhat alienated because of that fact; they all went there before I was born, and then once I came along, it was like BAM!, we're not going anymore.

I agree with Charles. With drug-addiction cases this bad, you can't rely on the addicted to get themselves help. It won't happen. Why? Because the person's too heavily reliant on the drug(s) to see that they need help. An intervention might work, only if the parents/participants are prepared to have your friend put in rehab no matter what happens.

[color=DarkSlateBlue][size=1][font=Tahoma]Zale watched Sakura's Digimon briefly before surveying his opponents. Sakura had destroyed one already, and the otherrs were up to something; they kept huddling together, as if there was safety in numbers. Zale let his hand fall idly to his side and pressed the button on his belt that controlled music; a song began to fill the area. [/font][/size][/color] [center][color=DarkSlateBlue][size=1][font=Tahoma][b]crowded streets are cleared away, one by one. hallow heroes separate, as they come. you're so cold, keep your hand in mine. wise men wonder while strong men die. [/b][/font][/size][/color] [left][color=DarkSlateBlue][size=1][font=Tahoma]"Black Realm!" Dobermon lept forward, opening his jaws so that a stream of black energy blasted into three of the Ponchomon. They weren't destroyed, but they were badly hurt. [/font][/size][/color] [center][color=DarkSlateBlue][b][size=1][font=Tahoma]show me how it ends, it's alright show me how defenseless you really are. [/font][/size][/b][/color] [left][size=1][color=DarkSlateBlue][font=Tahoma]Dobermon charged the three fallen Ponchomon and Leomon drew his sword. "Cactus Bat!" The Ponchomon facing Leomon stopped suddenly, the black orbs on their hats beginning to glow. Leomon gazed at them for what seemed to be a long amount of time when they launched forward, taking the form of two bats. "Leomon!" Zale yelled. [/font][/color][/size] [center][color=DarkSlateBlue][b][size=1][font=Tahoma]satisfied and empty inside that's alright, let's give this another try. [/font][/size][/b][/color] [left][color=DarkSlateBlue][size=1][font=Tahoma]Leomon unsheathed his sword and cut across the colony of bats; he pulled his fist back and it began to glow. "Fist of the Beast King!" The attack took three Ponchomon out. Leomon, Dobermon, and Sakura's Digimon faced the remaining three together. [/font][/size][/color] [center][color=DarkSlateBlue][b][size=1][font=Verdana]if you find your family, don't you cry in this land of make believe, dead and dry. [/font][/size][/b][/color][/center] [/left] [/center] [/left] [/center] [/left] [/center]

[quote name='Takuya']No, that's not how it will work. One partner Digimon, and up to two befriended Digimon. That's it. And that was already stated. Please read everything I've already posted before asking questions.[/quote] I had, thank you, but I thought you could change it. I didn't word it right, that's all.

I have a question. Are we allowed two or three actual partner Digimon, with Digivolution lines and all? It would be nice if we could, even if you only allow two.