Godelsensei

[SIZE=2][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New][quote name='Transtic Nerve']I never understood role playing games.... and then after meeting the dorks at cons who play RPGs, I'm glad I don't.[/quote] Now, now, no reason to go bashing people just because they understand something you don't.^_~ "Gamemaster". That sounds so...lame. *maniacal laughter* Well, I must say, it is a great deal of fun being in said position, regardless of what you're called. When my group first decided to start our Dungeons and Dragons campaign, I said, "Well, we'll need a DM." They all looked at me, and gave me no choice than to take the role. Heh. I [I]do[/I] PC every so often, but seeing as my favourite character, Xanaphia (I know, unoriginal--hate me--but it was just so COOL), is a level 10 Rogue (she has cleave, which is always great fun--she can also deflect arrows *nyah*), and they're all, like, level 1, 2, & 3... *sigh* Xanaphia only pops in when they're about to be eaten by giant lions or something...heh. Our campaigns tend to get a little wacky, as I see no reason to dissallow Yuan-tis, Drow, etcetera from being valid PCs. We also have a Half Dragon in our ranks...her desperation tactic is to sit on the ground and scream "DADDY!!!!!!!!" :p The problem is, my campaigners keep inviting more people in. So, I'm stuck dealing with seven people yelling at each other. Now, they're all old friends, but it gets rather hectic. *sweat* o_o Two of them keep making inuendos at each other across the dice-rolling-surface. Their respective characters are a Half-Orc and a Drow. *ahem* I'll just let you finish laughing/O__o ing. My best RPGing memory? Hmmm...I guess it's gotta be the time (in my first campaign, where I was a PC) our Druid and Wizard defeated a collosal black dragon by summoning Celestial Killer Whales. Over its head. Three times. Also, when I, for all purposes, [B]defeated a giant black dragon with A SLING[/B]. The Dungeon Master looked as though he might have wrung my neck after that. :D The worst memory? When my friend had a ***** fit over one puny inconsistancy. *mutter* The only thing I really dislike about paper RPGs is how Wym keeps forgetting his character sheets at my house. Actually, this is kind of fun: his name is now Hoppy the Happy Bunny. He weighs 90 000 000lbs. and is 3" tall. ^_^ Good times... EDIT: our group is called The Buoyancy Force. We even have a wallpaper--I made it, of course.^^ My friends sort of leave me in charge of making the final sketches of their characters, and always consult me about clothing designs...seems kind of out of place, eh?[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]I'm not trying to sound rude or imposing, but I started this thread in hopes of repliees answering the question I asked...from what I've read, I'm sure every one's answers would be quite interesting.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Burninating the country side... *maniacal laughter* I think it's very cool. Not only did you capture the very essence of Trogdor, but the 3-D effect is exceedingly awesome. You might want to make the lower portion brighter, as it is hard to see his legs and spineties. Still: tres cool.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Traits that I admire in a person? Well, what I really look for is some one's ability to shrug off what people pressure them to do. No one can do this all the time, but those who are able to and not care have my respect. Generoscity is a big one, as long as you aren't making a doormat of yourself. Being hard-working is something I admire, and simultaneously is something I will never be. Respecting people innitially, and not picking fights is always nice in a person.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=2][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]"Jew bag". What the [I]hell[/I]? I hate to admit it, but that made me laugh--it's just so rediculous. *sigh* "Yeah, Semjaza, you're such a Jew bag!" Man, I must be easily amused._ _U Another word that I find over-used is 'special'. We grow up being taught that every one of us is 'special'. But the word 'special' seems to have had its definition altered. 'Special' now seems to mean disabled or different in a negative way. Another term that I find is overused is "AZN". *sigh*[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Ooooh...I love topics like this! I guess the number one anime character I assosciate myself with has got to be Shikamaru. He's lazy, likes just sitting and thinking, is in a constant state of exasperation, doesn't go out of his way to show off (or do anything he doesn't want to, for that matter), kind of bitchy in that he whines alot, is in touch with what he's dumb at, and gets sick and tired of people constantly yelling and asking him the same question over and over, but never reacts. He also gets along with people, but isn't necessarily ready to trust them. Not to mention he doesn't really care what people think about him. Another thing we have in common is that we're both incredibly cynical, and quick to point out the faults in arguments or suggestions. And our mothers both constantly harangue us about being sarcastic, lazy bums...>.>

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]It's not a matter of fact or fiction. It's not a matter of parents doing a bad job parenting. It's a matter of kids being pressured into anorexia and sexual activity by the age of eleven. It's the perpetuation of racial and gender-based stereotypes through television that is viewed by children as young as five. The messages young girls receive constantly through their TV shows from when they're five or six years old are that they should be boy-crazy, worked up over being skinny, that if they choose to persue academics to an above-average level, they will be outcast by their peers. We are taught that the worst trait you can posess is to be overweight, even by a little. You could say it's a matter of understanding what's real and what is fiction. In fact, you *should* be saying this, because it's true. The problem is, so many people can't tell the difference. Which brings us back to the *actual* purpose of this thread: [I]what are our educators doing wrong?[/I] Why can the majority of people not seperate fact from fiction?[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Deathbug, I know what you're talking about, but the fact is that parents have less of an influence on their children than they used to. (I'm not attacking you in any way here, BTW_ _U) It's not the desensitization of youth, which is sort of a different branch, but rather the message that we ought to fit a certain image. Simply being told by one's parents that you are fine the way you are doesn't really have value any more. [/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=2][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]Every one knows that the media shapes us. There's no point in debating said fact. However, it seems that we don't bother to teach children that they are having sexist, racist and self-degrating messages being shoved down our throats at every turn. And what *is* taught about media awareness doesn't seem to be very effective, when you take into acount all the eating dissorders and perpetuation of racism in society. So, as you see it, where are we screwing up? Are we not taught about harmful messages from the media at an early enough age, or are our educators simply half-reared about teaching us? I guess we ought to stick to commercials, TV (movies, too) and music in this thread (for the most part), as there really is no end to "the media". An interesting thing I have noted in the TV shows my younger sister watches: [I]Even in shows directed at eight-year-olds, girls are constantly portrayed as being boy-crazy and -dependant, and to possess minds that revolve around shopping and appearance. Often are any female characters persuing academic goals made out to be "social outcasts".[/I] Not that this is news... I know it's a rediculously wide topic, but I'm interested in what others have to say regarding the spectrum.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]If you're going to be attrociously general about it, shounen is the genre of manga I preffer. Although I have nothing against a good romance story here and there, I get sick of the big, blinky eyes and utterly predictable "plot-twists". What I look for in a manga, or any story for that matter, is thoughtfulness, realistic characters (meaning there are no fearless wonders etc...), and a few good action sequences. Also, it's great if there's a psychological factor to the series. Throw in a bit of a side-plot-love story, and there you go! The perfect story. Which is why I love Naruto so much. :) It has everything but the love story [SIZE=1](Unless you want to count [Spoiler]Iruka[/Spoiler] and [Spoiler]Kakashi[/Spoiler], that is._ _U No, this doesn't actually happen--I spoilerafied it because I don't want to start a wave of people thinking that this happens. Or something like that...Naruto fans might find this funny.)[/SIZE]. But this isn't a hoorah-for-Naruto thread, so I'll stop there. Any story, no matter what genre, is really what the storyteller makes of it. Beyond that, it's just a case of general preference. Shounen Jump (the real one) all the way! ^...^ (Hey...I guess Naruto does, sort of, have a love story or two...in flashbacks. But those don't really count, do they? Hmm...whatever--Naruto still pwns you all.)[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]If I became Prime Minister, I would [I]frigging fund the TTC[/I]. For any one who has ever had to use it, ever, [I]you will agree with me[/I]. I would do everything I possibly could to properly fund our education and health systems. I need to look at those pie charts my dad promised to bring home for me--I just don't understand where all of our money is going...*sigh* I am quite sleepy at the moment, so my rant may sound rather random and may lack structure, but please, bear with me. I would clear out the Catholic school board, as far as government funding goes--IMO, Quebec whines too much. A single school system is what this country needs. Desperately. I would toss away all that crap about not letting outstanding students go to university at the age of thirteen--who cares about "feeling comfortable amongst your peers"? I mean, really, folks... I would properly support our metropolises, instead of handing them "bandaids". Scrawled across one of those adds: [I]Who's funding these adds?[/I] The TTC is, people. Oh, and for goodness' sake, stop privatizing the highways! :flaming: [/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]I *try* to play the piano, and make a sad, wasteful attempt to play the violin. I know nothing of theory whatsoever, and am pretty much tonedeaf, but you know...at least all the finger movement has given me strong hands. Technically, a few of my friends and myself have a band, but we have yet to compose a song. Heh. Well, when BNA is famous, you'll be able to say, "I heard about them on a message board ten years ago! Isn't that funny?!" _ _U BNA stands for Bubba Norton Approves. Long story. I'm not even sure if I know all of it...>.>

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Actually, yeah, we did all spring from single cell organisms...more recently than alot of people seem to consider, too. Every one starts out a a sinle cell, and over nine months (on average), grows into a baby, which then grows into an adult. But this isn't what you were talking about. We already have the human gene structure when we are single cells. As far as our sceintific intelligence stretches, it seems entirely logical and plausible that we sprung from single cell organisms, which came from the initial random combination of electrons. Seeing as alot of these microscopic wonders of our world reproduce by dividing in half...well, I'm not an expert on this, but I'm sure you get my drift. A billion years is a long time, my friends. Think about it. And a fun little piece of trivia for you guys to laugh over: [I]According to a few sources I have viewed/read etc..., "Santa Claus" (the original one--as in the guy the whole thing stemmed from) was, in fact, a child molester.[/I] I don't know whether to be amused or simply disturbed.[/FONT] [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Well, this topic sure has shifted. *raises eyebrows* Well, Boba, it seems that we finally agree on [I]something[/I]: the two scariest things on Earth are not weapons, nor are they diseases. They are the undedicated doctor and teacher. You shouldn't have to think long about why. And, quite frankly, I think many of my teachers do a very good job of what they do. Students can tell when a teacher isn't serious about teaching, doesn't understand what they're doing, or simply thinks of it as a job. The result? The students end up thinking, "Well, what I do doesn't matter: the teacher doesn't care." Teachers are handed a huge amount of responsibility, and, according to all the effective teachers I have ever had, "Every good teacher works very hard. In accordance to this, I take my job very seriously: I don't plan on having a gaggle of maleducated young adults blowing up the Earth in ten years because I didn't teach them their math/science/whatever properly."[/FONT] [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]This is like asking if nudity is necessary in North American movies. Animation is accepted as a legitimate medium for people of all ages in Japan, and therefore will cover pretty much every genre of North American pop culture. And other pop-cultures, as well, of course. Nudity has no place in small children's TV shows, but is sometimes necessary to the plot. And even if it isn't absolutely necessary to the story, a large per cent of anime contains more-than-elementary-school-crushes sexuality. *shrug* As long as it isn't exploitive or utterly pointless, I don't hold anything against it. [/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]To the individual who asked what some people have against religious beliefs: Organized religion is something I have never really condoned. I do not believe in any higher being, and I don't think I ever really have. Seeing as other people are doing things like this: -I grew up with my mother telling me that there was a god, and telling me stories about Jesus and whatnot. She was never insistant about it, and far from strict about religious traditions and customs. -I simply didn't get how any one could believe this, but I was a wee thing. So, I figure, "Well, if Mom says it's what happened, it has to be true." -I wondered why so many different concepts for the "devine individual" existed. It didn't make sense. -I woke up one day, when I was five or six years old and thought, "Wait...this isn't working for me." -Spent the next five years pretending I believed in God because I thought I was in the wrong somehow. No real story behind it: I guess it's just that I never understood it, and I still don't get how people are able to believe in these things. So, a question for religious people: why are you so...well, why do you believe in whatever you believe in? Here's a funny little quote that I don't remembe the origin of: [I]"But sir, I did read the bible! Every night for a year, until I gave up on it--there was really no plot at all!"[/I][/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]After episode 7, my verdict was yes. Heh. I must say, even though what happened with [Spoiler]Elsa[/Spoiler] was highly predictable and clear as soon as it occured, it was still executed flawlessly. [Spoiler]They introduce this character that no one likes, and make you dislike her, as well, but still manage to send shivvers down your spine when she pulls a murder-suicide. [/Spoiler] Unless, that is, something else happened, and I just haven't gotten there yet. >.>

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]I found that kind of odd, as well. [Spoiler] I figured he would have been thrown into some sort of empty Limbo...[/Spoiler] Or maybe he got sealed up inside of Naruto, too, and we just don't...know...it...yet. >.>

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]What are you [I]talking[/I] about, Inuyasha?? Becoming a laughing stalk through using words that belong in Shakespearian English and early children's books?? That's a sad assumption to possess. Truly. "How fair thee on this fine day?" is a greeting my friends and I use very frequently. We also say "Robatessin (sp?)" every time some one coughs--don't you just hate that commercial? Another funny enough thing I've heard alot of recently is, "Dude! I just got pwned by three girls and an ORANGE." This isn't slang, aside from the "pwned" part, but it's still highly amusing...*sigh* There are some things you never think you'll hear, until you hear them. Then, they're just hilarious. Heh. [/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]I don't think I have ever eaten anything all that unsual. Maybe the [I]least pleasant[/I] thing I have ever been presented with was a whole fish (it had the eyeballs, skin and everything else) when visiting some friends in London. Even the individual who cooked them didn't want to eat them, so my mom and my friends' dad were the only ones to eat them. I guess you could say I'm not very adventurous in my tastes. Then again, there are some people who refuse to try wasabi, simply because it's spicey, or eat all those wonderful MSG-packed Asian snack foods (Shrimp chips, those little seaweed pretzle things that I can't remember the name of etc...) that no human being should go without. Alot of people say it's "exotic" to eat pineapple on pizza whenever possible, but I think they're just completely unworldly. Even less so than I. Yes, seaweed is some wonderful stuff--I don't know why some people don't like it. The only problem is, it's hard to find in anything but gigantic, 200-pack, bulk products. Unless you buy the lame, tasteles stuff they sell at all the mainstream grocery stores, that is. Come to think of it, though, alot of people would think that lucamethes are unusual. Whether or not you find them odd, there's something wonderful about piping hot little balls of goodness floating in syrup that squirt out sugary liquid when you bite into them...yummm... Same goes for poutine, which is truly the greatest. I don't know what some people have against it.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR] :confused:

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]That depends if you just saw some one drop it, or if it had been sitting on the ground, unattended. I think I have enough of a shred of decency to be able to say that I would give it back to some one if they just happened to drop it on the ground in front of me without noticing. But if I just found it lying on the ground and no one seemed to have any claim to it? Come on...free money![/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=2][COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]That's coolnessoscityoplasm! Heh. Gomen ne. Thinking of more strange slang...or just weird ways of speaking in general: It's fun to speak in Franglish, a combination of English and French. Par example: le Franglais est the best damn thing en le terre parce que it allows nous to parle avec ne pas de beacoup de vocabulaire and not get caught. Heh. If you get into the habbit, it comes naturally, though that was a rather pitiful example. Another irritating manner of speach: swearing out of context. Id est... "What the damn?!" Gah. This is just so irritating...even though I am guilty of this kind of thing now and then. Heh. Another interesting way of communicating is to simply speak in as many languages at once as possible. It really builds the old French/Japanese/anything else vocab. and grammatical capability. Heh.[/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]I'm one of those crazy, lost souls who sits there going, "_ _U" while people argue over their beliefs. However, I'm not a violent athiest--I'm an apathetic one. By this, I mean that I am content in knowing that I have no reason to follow any religion, and that I don't care about any other people's views. So what if some one believes in God/Gods? That's their issue, and I don't need or want anything to do with it. I don't really care (about religion in general), but I tend to off-handedly make jokes based on my lack of belief. That's where the whole "misinforminating" thing sprouted from...so, what I'm trying to say is: if I accidentally offend you, it was accidental. I don't see the point or moral in attacking some one based on their beliefs. And to any one who wonders how us atheists can get by with nothing to cling to in times of need...all I can say is it's a wonderful feeling.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]Heh. Sounds like you're onto the suffixes as well, Sara. Suffixes are, in shortness, what make the world go 'round. Though I guess I have been trying to refrain from using them out of context on OB (because it really gets on some people's nervesnessoscity). We don't really stick to definitions--we just stick 'em on at the end. Words are one of my favourite passtimes. A common greeting: "Aiya! It's a (name)-nessoplasm!" I know: -oplasm isn't even a suffix, but still.^_^ It's just fun to stick at the end of a random word. Another sort of slang we have, I guess, is the use of the (fake) word, "misinforminate." I guess this is actually kind of rude, but we say this instead of "preach" when it comes to religion and religion-type-things. "Inating" is just fun to add to the end of anything.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Gray][SIZE=2][FONT=Courier New]"Eh?" isn't slang--it's just the equivalent of, "neh?" or "huh?". I preffer "keh", myself.^_^ Inuyasha7271, I highly recomend using more frequent punctuation marks. *sweat* Not meaning to be rude or pompous, but I think you could use a few commas in there... The kind of slang that isn't unique to my friends and I is basically Dungeons and Dragons/'net lingo. By this, I mean that an average conversation consists of many-syllabled words, and multitudes of acronyms, all at incredibly fast speeds. We talk like gnomes, if you're book-based RPG-inclined. "And then I rolled a 20, and the DM was all, 'Look in the friggin' PHB! No! Don't touch the DMG, your hit dice are too low! You can't cast that now and expect anything to result from it! Fine! What's your DEX mod? No! That can't be it! How the hell could you have a plus seven when you're level 1?! You soxorz--that is, it is impossible for you to pwn, seeing as you are LEVEL ONE.' So, she made me roll again, and I ended up with a one, and she was bitter from before, so she improvised and decided that a dragon lived in a cave beneath us, and I woke it from its would-be eternal slumber. Then, we got pwned." _ _U [/FONT] [/SIZE][/COLOR]