Whiteblaze

This would be my first con also. Hey visualkei, I don't think early twenties is too old to cosplay at all. I mean, there are people in their 30's and 40's who do so. Look at it this way, it's like dressing up for a Halloween party. I was going to go with a group of friends, but they can't so looks like I'll be going with my younger brother which will be just fine. Yeah, I think that it being held at the George R. Brown will help to make it bigger than in the past. I wonder why they didn't try it before?

I can't think of of any one thing, but there are two people I wish I could see again. The aunt of my brother's childhood best friend, Lisa. I was such little kid and she loved to tease me. A lot. I thought she was the coolest person ever back then. Also, a cat who I named Whiteblaze when I was 7 years old after the tiger from Teknoman. Now that cat was cool because not only did he understand what you said to him, but he would do it! He was not an actual person, but he had real personality.

Right now I'm a freshman and attend a university that is really alright, but the one thing I dot not like about it most is its location. It is away from what I would consider civilization and is surrounded on three sides by fields of hay, cows, wheat or whatever and to the front there's a major highway. Don't get me wrong, I like visiting the country like say in Alabama where my grandma lives, but I would rather not attend a school in such a setting. If I had the choice, I would much rather be traveling as I went to school. A semester here, a semester there, simply anywhere else but this location!

[quote name='Bláse][size=1][color=slategray]I don't really see what the problem is, I've gone to dance recitals around my home town and they have [B][I]worse stuff than this[/I][/B], hell, they hardly wear anything.[/color'][/size][/quote] So basically you [B][I]are[/I][/B] saying it does little girls no good? Thanks for agreeing. :)

These kids were taught these dances. But even then, they don't fully understand what they are doing; at least I wouldn't think so. For instance, the little five-year-old in entry #4, do you think she understands the way she is dancing? Even if people think it?s cute and not wrong in any way, it?s in a way messing with her head. I don't really think it's about exploitation; I'm more on the side of kids shouldn't do things that are beyond their social development. [QUOTE=AzureWolf][COLOR=maroon] I tend to be against everything in modern culture, so yeah, this stuff irks me and I think it's stupid, but I don't think it's any different from the rest of our ####-up culture. Kids have always tried to imitate adults. They always try to be big little boys and girls. Obviously, big boys and girls now are much more perverse and dance much nastier, and so it's not surprising to find kids trying to imitate that now.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] Are you over looking the fact that children naturally imitate those older than them to begin with? Basically children learn by imitation, but that doesn't mean they fully comprehend what they imitate.

Hmm, it seems we need a bit more diversity in opinion here! I'm just going go ahead and say that I'm not a very pessimistic person in any real way. And really when I think about our generation's future, I wonder what things our generation will accomplish. I mean what's visible in our life time and even afterwards. Also, what sort of things we will have to go through, like the end of Social Security. But I think of that as an adjustment, something' s got to take its place I figure. In general, I say that what ever problems currently exist, I will try to make sure I'm not a part of the problem. As far as my concerns, I'm really a person more concerned about things in the world that will affect us and so on, but simply concerning our gen, well yeah I'd like to see what sort of mark we may leave on the world.

I haven't posted here regularly in a long time and I don't know when that will ever resume ('been more of a lurker here lately), but I [I]seriously[/I] felt the need to intrude on this discussion. Okay, first of all, most of you guys are speaking of [B][I]comfort food[/I][/B]. Not soul food. Although, it doesn't matter to me what you want to call it, I'm just saying, you know. [QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]I'm almost positive you know what soul food is. ;_; Soul food was the food that black slaves were given, usually the leftovers of their master's meals. I'm not exactly sure how it got 'soul' in there, but us black folk do some really, really weird stuff and I'm assuming this isn't an exception. Soul food is much more than what you listed, Raine14. You have collard greens, yams, potato salad, chitlins (;_; Gross...), cornbread, macaroni and cheese, corn... The list goes on. [/size][/QUOTE] Second, soul food is not exactly what was left over (left over as in what would otherwise be discarded) from slave masters' kitchens back then. It's more of a combination of that sort of stuff, plus other dishes like the macaroni and cheese (baked style), greens with sliced tomatoes on the side, cabbage and corn bread, sweet potatoes etc. In general, many things can fit under that name, just depends on how you cook it. Now, things like ox tail, pig feet, cow tongue, chitlins, ham hocks, and so on and so forth. Do you think they were sitting back calling this stuff soul food at the time? If you ask me, they were just trying to survive. Anyways, getting back on topic, my favorite type of comfort food would be pies. I LOVE apple, blue berry, strawberry pies, peach cobbler, pumpkin pie, and chicken pot pie! Just give me a good slice of any one and I am one happy girl!

[SIZE=1]This has been more amusing than what I initially thought. [quote name='Chabichou][COLOR=#004a6f']Anyway, my username is actually a french word. So it is pronounced "sha-bee-shoo". I bet half of the members here have been thinking the whole time that it's "cha-bee-choo".[/COLOR][/quote] So I was way off, huh? ^^ Gee, I must say I wouldn't have guessed it was French, even though I am student of French. What's the meaning by the way? I've always known you to be "Chah-bi-cho". [quote name='Baron Samedi][size=1']Well, I frankly don't know what the correct pronunciation of Samedi is, but, really, you should all refer to me in the same manner I refer to me. Hence, I'll accept 'Sam-ee-dee', and only that.[/size][/quote] LOL! Well, I'd thought someone with 'Samedi' as a part of their username would surely half-know how to pronounce it! XD I'm pretty certain it's "Sawm-dee" with a slight vowel pronunciation between the 'm' and the 'd'. However, I say it simply as "Sawm-dee". [quote name='Unborn Lord Xion][COLOR=SlateGray][SIZE=1]As for my name, well, it's rather easy, except the last bit, which is "Shee-on" and not "Zee-on" or "Zai-on," as some may think. I'd hope everyone knows how to pronounce Unborn and Lord[/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] Didn't see that comin'. ^^ I simply thougth it was "Zai-on" and nothing more. [quote name='Dagger']I've always had a really hard time with "Desbreko." It shouldn't be a difficult name, but my eyes keep wanting to read it as "Debresko." I'm sure I've typed it that way in a couple of threads, too.[/quote] You've got to be kidding me... You're saying that all this time here I've been seeing "Debresko" when I could swear I've never even seen "Desbreko" before?!? Talk about dyslexic moments. ^^; [quote name='Doukeshi][SIZE=1]I pronounce my name as [I][B]Doh-kesh-ee [/B] [/I] with the emphasis being placed on the[I] [B]Doh[/B][/I], rather than as some people may pronounce it being in the [I][B]Kesh[/B].[/I'][/SIZE][/quote] I love the word for clown in any language. ^_^ Doukeshi to me is "Dow-KESH-shee" with stress on the kesh as you said. [quote name='Lore']Lore as in folklore, or Lore as in Hannelore. To give you an idea of context. ;)[/quote] I pronounce it as in Hannelore I believe, if that's without the lingering "ore" sound. Now, I say that I pronounced at some point AzureWolf with ?Azoor? instead of ?Azher? without shame as I?d never actually heard it said aloud before until a certain episode of .hack//SIGN two years ago.[/SIZE]

Being from Houston, where one could say, we have no seasons, it?s either hot or it?s not and be very correct I must say that I like fall most of all. It?s not extremely hot like in the summer hear and not so cold although it doesn?t get very cold here at all. It?s just right with the cool wind blowing the leaves everywhere. I love that sound too. It always makes me smile. :) I?m a fall baby too (November 11th) so maybe that has something to do with it also. I?ve never seen snow before so I can?t say whether I hate it or love it. But I certainly like the rain so I?m rather fond of spring also. That?s when we get so many rainy days that I love so much. Plus, I enjoy very much seeing all the bear branches of trees become green again and flowers blooming. Winter brings no snow, but plenty of cold so there?s not much I like about it. I always have trouble keeping my hands and feet warm during this time and the cold isn?t all that pleasant to me. I like the inter holidays mostly and the only thing I like about the cold is that it makes people want to get cozy and snuggle up some. ^_^ Now summers here are infamous for days that are so hot ?you?ll wanna shoot yourself?. Hot, heat, and oh the humidity! I know Texas is not really a desert, but hey at times it?s pretty close. One might think that those with brown skin would be [i]less[/i] susceptible to the sun, but they?re wrong. Maybe that is so to a certain extent, but I consider mine as sensitive as the next person, brown skin or no. However, to me summer does bring about this exciting feeling like something really good is coming. Also, I love spending my days at the beach.

[SIZE=1]What's this? Fans paying tribute to their beloved AS?! [i]>:0[/i] ...Carry on. ^^ I pretty much grew up with Cartoon Network. I was there when they used to air G-Force, Speed Racer and a whole slew of other cartoons that you can't even find anymore. There before the idea of Toonami even existed so of course when they announced their new prime time block that would air on Sunday I of course happily looked forward to it and have been a happy viewer since. The reason why people have seen Bebop so many times is because it was the first anime to ever grace the AS lineup, of course. And the comedy aspect of it was the basis for its founding so it would be un-sensible to get rid of it. Also, because Boondocks has yet to make its debut so it must continue to be. Plus, a lot of peeps would be put out of work! ^_^ There would be no more interns and it would lose what makes AS what it is. It?s there bread, their butter, their grilled cheese, you know? So I think it?s just fine as it is. Although I never did watch any of it back then, I still was there! [quote]but u cant have AS without the comedy, thats how AS started out, with the kids swiming in the pool[/quote] No, no, no! They were pale, fat, wrinkly, old people! *AS theme plays* ?Adult Swim... all kids out of the pool.? I loved that because it clearly represented what AS was supposed to be (incase some parents couldn?t figure it out?). The literal meaning I mean. A lot of things are that more comical if you simply think of them in their literal sense. I do that all the time. My favorite bit was, ?Is that pimiento, pimiento with cheese?? Just random and unnecessary and at times like that I really love that sort of thing. For just 3 years, [adult swim] has come a long way from that little slot on Sunday to its current everyday of the week schedule with Friday as the exception.[/SIZE]

So you miss communicating with this person, but you shouldn't worry so much, she should be along sooner than you think. I live in Houston myself and things are already getting back to normal here.

You used the brackets! =) One of the only strips I?ve ever been truly interested in and care to keep up with, the strip that sparked controversy and brought about its own revolution- Yes!, I've been waiting for months to be honest and its premier is finally drawing near! I love the strip and the characters with in it so I?m excited to see how it will be. I don?t know where my expectations lie, but it?s helping me be certain that I?ll be more than just satisfied. I was very glad about a year ago when I heard that it would be airing on [adult swim] because I knew then that it would be in good hands.

Interesting how both of you have red within your images, even if by chance or purposefully. Doukeshi, you certainly provided something of an abstract nature which is just fine because desire is an abstract concept itself. Overall I like your take on the theme; it is different and not at first practical. Deucalion your image doesn?t quite stand on its own well although I see its relation to the theme. I do like however that you went on to a more specific representation. My vote = [b]Doukeshi[/b]

Baron Samedi, I like how there?s Ms. Marilyn on a can of "lime soup". XD I somehow find that utterly comical. But aside form my being amused by that tidbit, the image altogether is rather plain, I dunno; I'm not too sure what was trying to be achieved. I'm more familiar with American Pop Art to be honest, but I believe I understand how rokas' image portrays what the theme itself is. So I appreciatively find it harmonious. Also, it has a serene sort of keep it real feel to it. Plus it's homemade. I'm simply impressed with the idea behind your subject and the look of it is very nice itself. The thing here is I'm only talking about the image; I've hardly taken note of the text there which means I think your entry?s visual stands efficiently on its own. To comment briefly on it though, I do like why you wanted to incorporate it in there. My vote is for [b]rokas[/b].

[SIZE=1]A little late in the voting, but I thought I?d go ahead and join in the fun. But first here I give an explanation for my possibly odd way of going about this. I?m not much for text because I feel the visual as a whole should convey the theme, not words and even if I put any consideration to words, I?d prefer they were the creator?s own words, but whatever. This is a [i]graphics[/i] tournament after all so I don?t really see why text should have such an important role in my decision. As far as total time spent on an image, the way I see it, you can spend hours and put lots of consideration, and preparation work, (in fact, I admire one who did so although the same can be applied to one who simply wasn?t certain of what to do) but either way it can still come out uninspired. So IMHO, how much time and effort put into an entry doesn?t necessarily amount to a masterpiece although I would agree that it does take a reasonable amount of both to pull one off. [center]~~~~~~~~[/center] First of all, I'll say that I like how you both put forth your efforts in your entries. Now with that, I go on to say that Sun knows how to bring about a bit of mood with such colors and choice of visual. I like the ?wash? effect of the beach scene, but it gives more to the appearance of a background. Again, I?m iffy on my cares for the text. However, for what the text is saying, it [i]is[/i] saying something there and the look of it blends in just fine. I find it funny how it truly looks to me like a billboard along the highway. Okay now, Ozy J, I?m not too critical a person when it comes to not having unnecessary perfection in the technical aspects of an image. But I?ll say it?s got this blurry yet crisp look going and the border is pretty fitting I suppose. It?s interesting that you have part of your own coin collection in there. Even though money does in cases represent wealth, money isn?t what first comes to mind when I think of materialism and its relation to people and the society we live in. The text here, although not your own, goes nicely with the visual, but the visual would not stand well on its own. Altogether, it has a good initial feel to it. Ozy J?s was more direct and a bit too original because I think one can go much further than money with the theme of materialism so? I?m going with [b]Sun?s[/b] entry even though it doesn?t exactly convey materialism itself, but provides more for what materialism [i]isn?t[/i] which to me is a different yet nice angle to go about the theme. I?m not sure if it?s required to bold in the names, but I did so on the essential one just for your sake, Dagger.[/SIZE]

I am wondering if anyone has actually seen this anime; it?s about this girl who?s next in line to become the Earth?s guardian of some sort. If you have, did you enjoy it or were you dissapointed? Also, what's the reason? I'll give my own opinion after a few posts, of course.

I don't think too many can actually get rich from simply being an anime/manga artist, if any at all. I think one of the best things would be to be able to do something for a living that you enjoy. I certainly wouldn?t do anything just for the sake of a nice pay check; that there just isn?t me, but I also wouldn?t struggle while doing something I loved. But if one can have it both ways? ~_^ [QUOTE=AzureWolf][COLOR=blue]Come to think of it, what does any average artist make? O_o Throw me a bone, people. I'm science, not humanities.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] I would say it really depends on the sorts of art work an artist produces, their level of skill where they work that plays a large role on how much they bring in. I think there really are some starving artists out there, but I also think that's a common misconception because you know you can find them in a lot of different places. A friend of mine from a family of six lives pretty comfortably and both of her parents are artists although I don't know exactly what it is the two of them do.

[QUOTE=Touma Seguchi][FONT=Palatino Linotype] It's quite funny that you say that. I understand the whole "America's teams aren't as well recognized as European teams" or something on those lines. But yet soccer is recognized as the world's most popular sport. You can see why, you just need a ball and a pair of legs. Nothing big about that. I guess it just depends on what area you're in and how much of an influence soccer or any other sport has on the community.[/FONT][/QUOTE] Well, I was more thinking about other countries attitudes toward soccer in the most general sense. But you're right about it depending on how much influence soccer or other sports may have, but I'm thinking of it more as a cultural difference.

[quote name='Retribution][SIZE=1']I play soccer aka 'football.' I've been at it for nearly a decade (makes me sound old, neh?), and it's still just as fun as when I picked it up. As my skill increases, it becomes more and more of a mental, tactics game rather than one of endurance.[/SIZE][/quote] Don't you mean football aka 'soccer'? ^^ Nah, I don't think that makes you sound old at all; it's quite understandable to have started playing a sport like soccer when you were a kid and continue as time goes on. I'm pretty sure many who play soccer have a similar story. When I was little I used to wonder how soccer players could keep on running the way they do and with plenty of energy. I enjoy playing soccer for fun, although I don't do so very often. I also like watching games on TV via FSC (Fox Sports World) with my dad. He got me into that a while back and now I just casually keep up with certain teams or clubs as some are quite fun to watch. I think soccer is still quite underrated compared to other 'popular' sports in the US. And by this I mean with Americans as a whole; it just doesn't get the same sort of devotion as it does in most other countries in the world. And it's kind of ironic because it's really the only team sport that people can get world wide recognition from with being competitive. For example, take pro-basketball, the team that rises to the top is dubbed "World Champions", but you know, the U.S. isn't the [i][b]world[/b][/i], right? But yeah... I love soccer and my dad used to play it all the time when he was a kid back in his home country.

[quote name='Aiyisha][COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]You probably talked to SmarterChild, or the SantaClaus. They're both bots run by AIM for lonely people to talk to. I've seen some people manipulate it into saying some pretty horrible and deranged things, lol. I'm not naming any names, but they start with 'M' and rhyme with '*****'. XP[/FONT][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] I wouldn't think so because I use MSN, but maybe it was something similar. Who knows... Lonely people, eh? Well, I would hope someone 'lonely' could be creative enough to find something more comforting than trying to have fun communicating with some bot with terrible AI. Otherwise that's just getting quite a bit on the sad side. On the subject of viruses, I've never actually come across one that I clearly saw was a virus; perhaps due to efficient anti-virus software? So I don't really know specifically what viruses can do, but I have heard of this type that can wipe out your entire hard drive. [QUOTE=Fall]I use MSN Messenger. I got a virus-scanner that is especially for use with MSN Messenger. So, I'm safe. :smoke: I hate those e-mail attachment viruses, though. I've got about 500 in the last week. :nope: Takes up half my inbox space, and for some reason, I can't delete them. Dunno why.[/QUOTE] Being the curious person I am, I ask what type of email do you use?

This doesn't seem as if it's suppose to lead to any discussion, but I'll go ahead and tell of this slightly related occurrence of mine concerning weird IM happenings. I'm sure someone has maybe seen this happen before. But anyhow a net friend of mine invited me into a conversation herself and this thing... you could call it many names. Before she did that she told me that it was a computer she was chatting with and I explained to her that it isn't possible for a computer to chat with people. But she just insisted that she wasn't talking to a real person, but again some sort of computer, virus or both. She told me some other person brought "it", she guessed, along with them when he IMed her. After a while he left and that's when I came in. After about 15 seconds of her chatting with it I'm convinced it wasn't a real person because it was its messages came much too quickly and after 30 more seconds I noticed it asked way too many questions as if trying to dig out info about her or something and also stalling for time. She proceeds to chat with it by toying around and playing with it I guess as she's like that and I tell her it's just some virus or something that's probably hacking our computers or something and that she should leave the conversation. But she decided to play some more and got it to tell where it came from and who/what sent it out and made it. Not exactly what it was though. Anyway, I thought the whole thing was kind of strange because I never thought I'd come across something like it in an IM conv. Luckily what ever it was, that the little 13-year-old who brought it along with him, didn't cause any harm to either my friend's or my computer. And even if it had done something, the poor thing didn?t know any better because he clearly thought talking to something that wasn?t alive was extremely amusing to the point of calling it his friend. ^^;;

Although I missed the first two episodes of Jewel in the Palace, with the three I've seen so far I've really into the story. My mom hardly even watches TV and even when she does she's very picky about it, but happened to join me in watching yesterday's episode and was quite into the plot as well. With my first K-drama, JITP, I've got to say I'm very much enjoying myself. I can't wait to see more!

Hey, thanks all for the info! I'll definitely catch Jewel in the Palace while I can since it's on AZN which is quite convenient. I've seen a commercial about it and it looks pretty good like what's been said here. mary no jutsu I like the pics!

Hey there, Gavin (Am I still allowed to call you that? ^^). BTW, I used to be Yami*Maho Keno (do you remember me?) Man, I've really missed your animations! :angel: They were such a joy to watch in the past just as these two are a joy to me right now. The animation's really pretty good in Ranger Jameson and since I've been gone you've improved; it shows. I find Jerry the Loon rather adorable for some reason. ^_^ But really, my favorite part of both is the voice work! I'm truly amazed! Not everyone can do voices that sound even just a little different for several different characters. And to me you really did a fantastic job with that voice of yours ^_~ ; in getting the voices to have just the right tone and manner for each characters personality and especially Jerry the Loon's. I very much enjoyed both of them and can't wait to see more!

I don't really watch that much TV these days as I find the more I sit in front of it the more I want to, the more junk I find myself watching and the less I wind up accomplishing for the day. No that I have a schedule; I hate schedules because I like getting things done when I feel they need to get done and that works just fine for me! I watched earlier today what I recorded on my VHS tapes last night: Paranoia Agent, Samurai Champloo and S-Cry-ed. Baby Looney Tunes because I was bored and because baby Daffy looks kind of cute. Then I watched little snippets of a show on G4 called Arena which my younger brother watches 24/7; which is the reason why I even know the names of the shows it airs. The only show I actually cared to watch on that channel was Portal, until they stopped showing it! I got a real hoot out of that little Huggydove. And I just watched an episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender that I haven't seen before a few hours ago. My younger brother watches Xiaolin Showdown; I don't care much for it myself, but I find it amusing that that one girl has a different hairstyle every episode! This isn't my usual day of TV viewing though; I didn't get my favorite Food Network or Travel Channel shows in.