Annie

That time I got to meet Bullet For My Valentine last summer and represented the drummer's younger brothers band :)

OMG

still look the same to me!!

Well hello :) I had a long day at work, but I was able to post in a few places. I even sent a message, oh boy! It's so crazy how this place used to be the spot to be, and you could barely keep up with topics and posts...really goes to show how social medias (FB, Twitter, Instagram) have taken over, and in a relatively short time. Where did it all go wrong??? WHERE!? WHEN!?! Anyhoo, it has been really cool to see us all online once more. I hope I can carve out some time in the week to come visit. It's tough to do while "adulting", and in between other hobbies I've picked up over the years. I crochet now! It's great therapy :) What have you all picked up to kinda take up your spare time these days?

Boom. And seriously, where do you start? OB has always been something I'll refer back to because a lot of my [online] friends (who I communicate with more than my physical friends) came from here. The diversity of people I surrounded myself with was just incredible. It taught me to appreciate everyone's opinions, their style of writing inspired mine, their arguments shaped and rounded my thought process.. And on top of that, the OB really showed me that my personality was acceptable and appreciated. I'm sure I speak for others when I say this because most of us started on the OB during awkward phases of learning about our own personalities and being comfortable with who we are/were. You were NEVER alone in the OB circle of friends. No one ever made me feel weird or stupid. OB taught me how to accept different attitudes and empathize for others. Even though I don't write anymore, the techniques and discipline I learned from the OB are used on a daily basis and will never leave me. :)

It was a big shock, indeed. A very inspiring artist for so many others! He possessed a versatility and resilience that's rare any more. I think that no matter what you listen to, there are just some artists that have a respect--regardless if you're a fan or not.

I've been stuck in my roots for years now. I still adore Manson, and had the pleasure to see him in May of last year! I must confess I don't particularly care for much of his newer tunes, and wish I could've seen him "back in the day", but it was a great show nonetheless. I am still a huge fan of Slipknot, and I think even more so as the years have gone on. The Gray Chapter is pretty BA, and I also got to see them perform in Virginia Beach during the summer. I have never been so happy! Now, the band that has really taken me by storm is Bullet For My Valentine (who I saw perform with Slipknot over the summer). It's a little bit of a story. I first heard of them back in 2006 when I worked for Hot Topic and we had to prep the store for their USA debut. At the time, I thought they were okay, and didn't really care too much for "screamo" music so I didn't really follow them. I followed other music and then back in 2014 I stumbled upon them while looking at band merch in a store, and saw they had just wrapped up their Temper Temper tour. I started researching and found out that they had continued to make music--and it was not just ok, it was AMAZING. They took their music in a more classic metal direction and broke away from that main stream screamo/emo stuff. Each album has been better than the last---except for Temper Temper (their 4th). I felt that this album is their weakest; it just didn't have any kind of life to it. And you can tell their hearts just weren't in it. And then comes Venom, the 5th and most recent album. I'm am blown away. Sometimes, and especially in the metal world, bands just can't make a come back after a weak album. But so far, BFMV has made it back with so much strength and passion in this album. I am so very excited to see these guys continuing to kick some serious tail, and to keep to their roots. They make the music for us, but they really have stayed so very true to who they are. They are amazing live, and really cool guys! I got to meet them before the show, and I was such a n00b, but it was an experience I'll never forget!

I am just getting here. I have to figure this stuff out all over again, haha.

OH MY HELLOOOOO! I think you were right about HORNY. Man, those were the days. I was reading some of the Bikini Bandits a while back. I was partly impressed, and partly embarrassed because I thought I wrote very well ^_^;;.....For the most part it was VERY entertaining. And I found myself missing those bonds!

So, I think it's worth noting that there is a FB chat that has been running since....Thursday?? It is absolutely incredible how time has passed, the reconnecting, the new friendships, and how the silly antics just DO NOT STOP (as they shouldn't). I am very much trying to check the page out each day. I looked at my old signature the other day, and could not remember what the acronym "H.O.R.N.Y" meant. But I know it was highly amusing, and I'm sure from one of the legendary chats. I do remember the Bikini Bandits, though! Thanks, Charles, for bringing us back :)

Oh my geeeesh....I think my phone exploded with FB notifications. It's been so very long. There's nothing like reconnecting with friends from the past. It's amazing how you realize what friendships you took for granted, and forgot. I would love to be part of this again, even though I am super rusty in writing. Simply getting back in touch is its own reward!

Normally I am not an avid reader, but for the past few months now I have been sucked into A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. I love how Martin writes from different characters' perspectives. Certain characters hold more interest than others, and I have gotten so attached to others. So much, in fact, that I am having a difficult time reading the fourth book because there is only one person I enjoy over the others (in this particular book).

Hmmmmm....how long has it been since I have posted? I'll have to look into that. Anyway, I have been here since '03. I do believe I remember Kitty. :) I think we all have gone through some name changes. I think I started off as "animangademon", ugh. Then..........Annie, then Goddess...then Athena...and I'm sure there was something else in between before settling on Athena. It's awesome to see lots of "old faces" still lurking about :)

[color=navy][size=1][b]Name-[/b] Angel name: Azrael, Angel of Death; Human name: Lucian Masters [b]Age-[/b] claiming 27 years old [b]Gender-[/b] Female/Male [b]Race-[/b] Angel, specifically Archangel--one of the first to be made. [b]Disguise Job-[/b] Private investigator/interrogator...sometimes it requires a bit more than "looking into". [b]Angel Appearance-[/b] [url=http://anjossolitarios.zip.net/images/alexiel-full1.jpg][u]Azrael[/u][/url], in her true form. [b]Human Appearance-[/b] [url=http://static.minitokyo.net/view/08/24/46208.jpg][u]Lucian[/u][/url], normally wears plain blue jeans and a faded red T-shirt, and his leather jacket. [b]Weapon-[/b] For Azrael, [url=http://www.costumesupercenter.com/csc_inc/images/items/343x432/60452CC.jpg][u]4' length axe[/u][/url] and a very important, unique book and quill. Bound in leather with worn parchment upon which Azrael is forever scripting names and erasing them. She will probably explain this bizarre behavior further in the story. Lucian carries a variety of guns, knives, explosives---all depends on the job required. Of course, the book is found with him. [b]Powers-[/b] Azrael has the ability to see a person's soul. Therefore, she can find you.. [b]Personality-[/b] Curt and meticulous. Yet gentle and formal. Strange angel, Azrael is. Though, as a human, Lucian is cruel and rarely forgiving--years of repression, uncertainty, and imprisonment from these "beloved", filthy creatures will put anyone in a bad state....especially the Angels. [b]Background-[/b] Azrael was created by God, like any other angel in existence, at the very beginning when God was lonely. She, Azrael, was one of the very first. She was at a mediocre level of choir, not as low as a Guardian Angel, nor as high as an Archangel. God assigned her several day-to-day duties, but as God began to create creatures lovingly named "humans", He began to notice that the humans developed far more than He had thought. They began to breed on their own, think on their own, build civilization on their own, and He sadly watched the wonderful creations die. Where were these creatures going? Some of them, He saw, appeared in Heaven. Some, did not. God was confused and troubled. He summoned for Azrael to request she investigate into the matter. Happy to do God's will, Azrael spent nearly a century studying the habits of humans. She reported after following several humans throughout their lives that 2 out of 5 humans had devote belief in the Lord and Heaven, and when they passed, said humans arrived at the Gates. Two more had no faith, they followed a dark path to Hell. And the remaining one had no belief in either, remained in purgatory--doomed to wander. Azrael took it upon herself to convince this lonely soul that God existed, along with Heaven, and offered to guide him to the wondrous place. God was so pleased with her devotion, organization, and precise work, He promoted Azrael to the rank of Archangel and branded her the title of Angel of Death. Thousands of years later, God began to see the humans taking a terrible turn for the worse. Azrael noticed this too, as did every angel. The day the humans became too smart for their own good, God commanded hundreds of His angels to Earth to try and control the humans. However, the dreaded day came when the humans began taking control. Enslaving any demon and, if they caught them, angels found. Azrael was forced to disguise herself as a human man and remain undercover to continue working God's will---only orders have changed. A cleansing is to be carried out. Exactly how that is supposed to happen, Azrael (now known to humans as Lucian) is unsure because attempting contact with Heaven is too dangerous. Lately, Azrael believes that helping the demons in this horrible time is necessary; but won't hesitate to weed out the "good" from the bad. [b]Character Snippet-[/b] Lucian paced the darkening alley, twirling a make-shift metal club between his fingers, stared down at his victim. Supposedly, this human was under suspicion in this small town to be a monster, or demon. A priest, of all people, had contacted Lucian to seek this person out and dispose of him from this quiet, God-fearing community. Normally, "disposing of" said characters is not Lucian's job, but these things he is willing to negotiate. [b]"I'm going to ask you one last time, 'Mr. Alton',"[/b] Lucian's husky voice broke the sound of moans and gurgles, [b]"are you or are you not human?"[/b] The crumpled being at Lucian's feet writhed and rocked back and forth, whimpering through a broken jaw. He was a strange-looking human, Lucian thought, with a balding scalp and bulbous eyes and lean build. He was quite weak in soul to be dangerous. Though Lucian, given "his" background and ability, did not necessarily need to ask questions or rely on appearances, it still gave him a rise to punish the wicked. [b]"Y-you...d-d-don't ne-nee-ed to ask me,"[/b] this being stuttered through broken teeth and blood, [b]"do you, Angel? I know wh-who you a-are, Azrael."[/b] [b]"I should be flattered to hear my name, but coming from the likes of you,"[/b] Lucian gave a squeeze around the crude rod of metal. [b]"PLEASE! Ha-have m-m-m-mercy!"[/b] the demon begged, throwing his battered hands in front of his face. Lucian's mouth curled slightly in the corners. So he was a demon, a coward, but demon nonetheless. Very low rank, obviously, since he was sniveling to the feet of an angel. No self-respecting demon of any class would throw himself at an angel of God's feet. [b]"Mercy, you say. Did you show that human child mercy? Which reminds me..."[/b] Lucian reached into the breast pocket of his jacket, and pulled out a black leather book and began to flip several pages. A minute passed before he stopped and pulled out his quill, scratching it across the parchment, [b]"I shall have to escort little Madelyn soon. Thanks to you, she did pass away at the hospital."[/b] Lucian, irritated and pained, forced the book and quill back into the jacket. The demon looked up through pleading, blood-shot eyes, at Lucian. [b]"I don't think I'll be giving you to the humans. See, now that you have no place to go since Hell is cut off and you are damned,"[/b] Lucian scratched the stubble of his chin, [b]"looks like you're fucked."[/b] A sickening crunch reverberated across the brick of the buildings, and the useless demon no more. [/color][/size]