Doukeshi

I started reading 'Dracula' a while back, having borrowed it from my local library. I didn't actually realise that the entire novel was written in an epistolary format, with diary entries and such. I soon found this out as I began reading. I didn't get very far into the book I'm afraid, before the format and the language itself rendered me hoplessley bored. I think I got to just after the three sisters incident before laid down the book and, incidently, just forgot about it (until it had to be returned of course). Despite this, I am still fascinated by the story of dracula and the world of myth and mystique created around him. I therefore assume that I shall try my hand once more at reading the book sometime in the future. Apparently Stokers 'The Lair of the White Worm' is a much better read.

What are we talking about?

It seems to be just coincidence to me, though I've never been terribly good with reading hidden messages in things. I can't even see the word 'sex' in the lion king even when someone points it out to me. That Pokemon one is pretty ludicrous though, it doesn't even sound like "I love satan"

Okay, I admit, the title isn't really what this topic is about..well, not really. I was watching a documentary recently on the attitudes of the public and of the press towards homosexuality in 1960s Britain and it became apparent to me that the focus was much more upon gay men than on gay women. It seems that whenever we think of the term 'homosexuality' we immediatly think of men and I have come to realise that it is far more acceptable to be a gay man than it is to be a gay woman. Even in entertainment mediums such as film and television, programmes such as 'Will & Grace' or movies like 'The Crying Game' gay men are portrayed far more often than women and with much more relaxed attitudes. I would just like to hear other people's opinions of this. Now I don't want to turn this into a slagging match. This isn't about the merits of being gay or ethical reasoning or what have you. I am simply trying to judge the differences in public acknowledgement and acceptance of male and female homosexuality. [size=1][I]P.S There was a note in the documentary that said Queen Victoria didn't see the need for a law to be passed against lesbians like the one passed on gays because "it [being a lesbian] simply wasn't possible." I found that quite amusing.[/I][/size]

Its how people thought the future would look like in the 1940s. It is made in the style of old scifi movies from that period. I personally can't wait, it looks amazing and the style is just so different. Its got more of a comic book feel than a cartoony feel I think.

Hows this one. I love the idea by the way ^_~ [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20866&stc=1[/img]

That's quite the dramatic opening. I like the way that you set the scene without detracting from the theme of the plot, there wasn't any pause it just mingled in with the action. Opening half way through a scene as it were is a good device to use, it makes the reader more aware of what is going on and more curious to the previous actions. Othello does this, the play opens halfway through a conversation and you're like "eh? :twitch: " Aaanyway...in a nut shell what I'm trying to say is "Ilikeitalotkeepupthegoodwork", though I doubt that would fit into a nut shell since nut shell's are really small...maybe if I had a really big nutshell, like a walnut maybe...or I could write really small on a really weeny bit of paper and roll it up really tiny and squash it into the shell then it might fit or......yeah...

For the last time..bisexuality doesn't make you a slut. Jeez how can you people be so closeminded while claiming to be so open. Life isn't a porn flick people. Like I said if you are attracted to both sexes why limit your possibilities of happiness, its not all about the sex. I don't care if its limiting your dating pool HC, there's more fish in the sea as they say.

[QUOTE=badjesus]I think that the Otaku should post "medal updates" for each event, you know so that you dont have to watch the news every night to keep track. P.S. COME ON GREAT BRITAIN![/QUOTE] I think that is a great idea. Come on Great Britain? I fear that your enthusiasm is misplaced child...we suck. Lets see..I think we have one silver medal in, wait for it, Synchronised Diving, now there's a sport you can be proud of ¬_¬. I think the only thing we're doing well in is the water related sports like sailing and rowing. I mean, we're pretty much cack at everything else. Speaking of which, lets take a look at Henman shall we. Put him in an international tennis tournament and he'll do pretty well. Stick him in the Olympics against people ranked something like 200th in the world you watch him sink like a stone. Now if you'll forgive me I'm off to watch the woman's weightlifting.

You're right, I hadn't heard that one before, though it kinda sounds like something I remember hearing somewhere. It does have many of the things traditional fairytales have in them, so it really isn't surprising that it seems familiar. It's nifty and I think it would do well as a comedy, especially with all of the princess' mishaps in the kitchen.

[QUOTE=Boba Fett][color=green]This whole Kinsey scale thing, along with experimentation, bothers me. I guess I can see people experimenting once, but the whole idea of bisexuality just bothers me. If someone's gay or lesbian, that's fine; I just don?t understand how someone can like people of [i]both[/i] genders. It's probably just me, but sometimes it seems like there is a growing group of people out there who'll **** anything that moves. So my response would have to be that once is fine, but either you drop it completely or be that way. Having the "best" of both worlds? ?strikes me personally as wrong. In the end, you'll need to decide what your sexual identity is for yourself and live with that. So long as you're comfortable with yourself and who you are, I guess that'll be the right thing for you.[/color][/QUOTE] If you are bi-sexual then you are attracted to both men and women. How is this wrong? The view that bi-sexual people as whores and "**** anything that moves" types, to put it into your language is about as true as the myth that every gay guy is going to **** every other man that shows his butt. You may only have a select few relationships in your life but because you are bi does that mean it is morally wrong to have say two relationships with men and three with women, as opposed to a straight man who has relationships with five women or a gay man who has relationships with five men? Why limit your horizons to just one sex if you are attracted to both? It is being just as narrow minded to disregard bi's as it is to disregard gays.

Well, if its a banner you're after, just ask someone to make it for you. Just post what you'd like the banner to have on it and I'm shure someone will make it for, or at the very least try to ^_~.

What kind of stuff do you guys play? I know its metal and whatever but do you have any examples of what you could be compared to? Just for an idea of what the logo's theme should be. EDIT: I have a prototype here, see what you think of it. Of course it would look better if someone who knew how to do this properly actually did it..cos I'm shite [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20724&stc=1[/img]

You have orientation tomorrow? wow, that's early, its only August. Anyway, I'm going to university this year, 13th of September to be exact, or at least thats when I think it is. I'm kinda looking forward to it, though its gonna be a big step, out into the world and so on. Though I'm actually going to the uni in the city where I live so its not gonna be that much of a step, since I'll be living at home still ^_^.

[quote name='wrist cutter']Don't do it at all. Let's stop procreating.[/quote] I hate to say it, but I agree with wrist cutter here. A little bit more common sense and a little less population.

well, if you're using PSP or PS then you just go to Add Borders, make sure the color is on black before hand then make the border size 1 pixel and click okay. Repeat this with white, then repeat with black. Voila a nifty border.

I was remeniscing with my friend tonight about all of the stories we used to know as children. I'm not talking about the stories everyone knows, such as Snow White, or Hansel and Gretel, but of the obscure ones that maybe only you remember. I remember a book I had, it was a story book and it contained lots of wonderful pictures and fabulous stories. One that sticks in my mind particularly is about a statue and a swallow. It was written by Oscar Wilde and it tells of the statue called the Happy Prince and a little swallow.They met late one cold winter European night. The swallow was six weeks late in leaving for warmer climes in Egypt. On his way south, he stopped at the town over which the Happy Prince stood and decided to sleep at the statue?s feet. As the swallow settled down to go to sleep, it started to rain. While getting ready to find a drier place to sleep, he noticed that it wasn?t rain falling upon him but tears shed by the Happy Prince. The stunned swallow asked, "Who are you?" "I am the Happy Prince," said the statue. However, the statue wasn?t happy, because he saw much misery and poverty within the city. "I see a woman seated at a table. Her face is thin and worn and she has coarse red hands all pricked by needles for she is a seamstress. And in a bed in the corner of the room, her little boy is lying ill. He has a fever. The little boy is crying for oranges, and all that the mother can give him is mere river water. Swallow, swallow, little swallow, will you not stay with me for one night and be my messenger?" So, the swallow took the great red ruby from the Happy Prince?s sword and off he flew to the poor seamstress and to her ill son. Returning from his mission, the swallow experienced a curious warmth though the night was very cold. The next day, the swallow readied himself for his flight to Egypt, but the Happy Prince implored him to stay, "Swallow, swallow, little swallow, will you not stay with me one night longer? There is a young man, a writer, who is poor and cannot write for he has no heat in his room. Swallow, take one of my eyes?they are rare sapphires?and carry it to the poor man." The swallow did as he was instructed and returned, and again he experienced that same warmth. The next day, the swallow said good-bye to the Happy Prince, but the statue responded, "Swallow, swallow, little swallow, will you not stay with me one night longer? There stands in this city a little matchgirl who has a mean father who beats her because she doesn?t bring in enough money from selling matches. She has no shoes, nor stockings, nor hat. Take my other eye and give it to her." The swallow did as he was commanded. However, upon his return, he said to the prince, "You are blind now. I will stay with you always." "No little swallow. You must go away to Egypt or else you will surely die here in the winter weather." However the swallow stayed and became the Prince?s eyes. The swallow would report cases of need to the statue. The Happy Prince would order him to remove his gold-leafed skin and to distribute it to those in need. After many trips, the Happy Prince looked quite dull. At last, the swallow said good-bye to the Prince who said, "I am glad that you are finally going to Egypt, little swallow. You have stayed here too long." The swallow?s responded, "It is not to Egypt that I am going. I am going to the House of Death. Death is a brother of sleep, is he not?" Then he kissed the Happy Prince and fell dead at his feet. At that moment, a curious crack sounded deep inside the statue. The leaden heart of the Happy Prince had snapped into two pieces. The next morning, the town fathers decided to melt down the statue of the Happy Prince because of its unpleasant appearance. However, a strange thing occurred at the foundry. The statue?s broken heart would not melt. Therefore, it was thrown away and came to rest next to the dead swallow. God, who had watched this story unfold from heaven, told an angel to bring back the two most precious things from that city where the Happy Prince once stood. When the angel returned, it brought back the leaden heart and the dead swallow. God said to the angel, "You have rightly chosen. For in my garden of paradise this little bird shall sing songs forevermore. And in my city of gold, the Happy Prince will praise my name." Take from that gem what you will. I would like to know if anyone else has any stories they would like to share, or maybe stories they can only half remember that others on the board can help you with.

here ya go..I dunno bout the text, but it seems sound to me. [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20694&stc=1[/img]

[b]September 5th, 2:05 PM:[/b] Oberon looked up from his crumpled position on the floor, casting woried glances at the squeeing young girl now firmly attatched to his neck. His new roommate huh, this could prove quite...interesting. Narrowing his eyes he focused all of his concentration onto his curse willing it to activate. [i]Die, die goddammit![/i] Nothing happened. Oberon tried again, the vein on his forehead becoming immeditaley pronounced against the strain, his teeth grinding together with the effort. Still nothing. Resigning himself to the fact that this girl wasn't going to die anytime soon, Oberon took the more hands on approach. He shoved her forcefully off him and stood up. Folding his arms across his chest he looked down at her giggling form, sitting crosslegged on the floor. [i]What the hell do you think you are doing?[/i] His demand, though authouritative and forceful in his head was communicated only through a series of blinks, a form of language created and used by broody and stoic adolescent boys the world over. It was especially effective in the secret operative business. *blink, blinkblink blink* [i] I said, what the hell do you think you are doing?![/i]

Okay here goes nothing. [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20679&stc=1[/img]

Yeah, I read [b]Catcher in the Rye[/b] recently. I think it's a good book, although Holden does tend to get on my nerves after a while. Nevertheless I enjoyed reading it. I also enjoyed reading [b]One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest[/b] by Ken Kesey. Its a very interesting look into the world of 1960s America and the perception of normality. The movie's not to bad either ^_~.

Not a problem. Hey, the banner's looking a bit fuzzy there...have you resized it or has it just turned that way? [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20670&stc=1[/img]

Here we go, I know its not the greatest pic of Van, but it was the most appropriate. [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20669&stc=1[/img] [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20668&stc=1[/img]

Alrighty, though you still haven't told me where its from yet ^_~ [img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=20666&stc=1[/img]

Hmm, I haven't been reading for a while but here are some of the things I've just finished and some of the things I am part way through. [b]Memnoch the Devil by Anne Rice:[/b] I am part of the way through this, I have been meaning to read it for some time but I just never get around to doing it. It don't find it as compelling as the previous novels in the Vampire Chronicles, it seems to lack the sensuality and flowing narratives that make up novels such as 'The Vampire Lestat' and 'Interview with the Vampire'. I also have it on tape, though I'm not really one for listening to books rather than reading them *shrugs*. [b]Tipping the Velvet by Sarah Waters:[/b] This is a novel about a you girl called Nancy and her life before and after meeting Kitty, a compelling player upon the Variety stage. Its about love and sorrow in Victorian England and takes on some strange reading about halfway through. It is a truly well written book and grasps the readers attention firmly as you delve deeper and deeper into the degraded world that becomes Nan's life. As I read it I was kinda weirded out by her escapades with the "upholder of Sapphic love", Diana, but other than that I found it wonderful, charming and thrilling. Worth the read I'd say. Or you could watch the BBC two part adaptation ^_^. [b]Dante's Divine Comedy:[/b] A poem of truly epic proportions. It's quite difficult to read due to the lyrical format and the Olde World language used, but I find it really interesting once you get into it. I am roughly up to the Sixth Circle, I keep picking it up and putting it down when the mood takes me, though I don't really know where it is at the moment ^_^. If you are interested in Hell, in Heaven and the divine worlds and characters in between I suggest you look into this. Very very interesting.