Panda

Poor Thanksgiving, the holiday overshadowed by the commercialism of Christmas. :animesigh Thanksgiving has been one of my favorite holidays. In my neck of the woods fall is a very nice time of year. The trees have beautiful leaves, the days are sunny but cool. Which, compaired to the summer is a wonderful change from the 108-112 degree weather that had been cooking us all summer! Since this holiday is always on a Thursday that means for most students and career-types you get an early day off on Wednesday all the way until Monday off from school and work. It's a nice little break from the grind. I also love spending time with my family. This holiday for me has always been about getting together with family to eat lots of great food, watching football, playing games and just enjoying our time together. My inlaws and my husband's family have become a part of our annual gathering since we all get along really well. I actually planned my wedding around Thanksgiving since I love fall. In 2005, November 25th was the Saturday after Thanksgiving and that is when I got married. We had a huge extended family gathering on Thanksgiving followed by all the normal wedding festivities after that. I was great since so many of my friends from high school and college could make it to the wedding since it was on a long weekend. :D Needless to say I love this time of year and the holiday is one of my favorites.

Since the question has been answered and because it is in the wrong forum (should be in the Suggestion and Feedback Forum) I am going to lock this one. :catgirl:

I'm really enjoying this game. It is keeping me from minor things like eating, sleeping and work. Nothing major. LOL So far I've acquired all three Quickenings for all the party members and one Esper. Pretty much everyone is at a level 28 right now. I forgot about the Cluckatrice mark I took and at the point of the game I am at it is the rainy season in the Giza Plains so hopefully I'll be able to get back to it after a few more story line missions. I've been enjoying this game quite a bit. It's got many of the elements in past FF games I have enjoyed and some new ones. At first I found the Quickenings difficult to use (when they only had one) but as you get more the chances of getting a long chain of attacks increases. I'm a happy camper with this game.

Welcome to theOtakuBoards hendog29! Please be aware that we have a rules page that all members are required to read before posting. These [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/rules.php?"][U]Rules[/U][/URL] and [URL=http://www.otakuboards.com/faq.php?][U]FAQ[/U][/URL] can be found on the left navigation menu and the [url=http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?t=52331][u]Otaku Lounge Rules[/u][/url] are pinned at the top of the forum. You can also use the underlined links I have just provided. We encourage people to introduce themselves within their posts as they enter discussions throughout the boards. We would rather that than having a ton of introduction threads. For that reason I am going to lock this thread. You may want to read through some of the existing threads to see what is acceptable and what is not. Also, we have pretty high standards when it comes to the quality of posts (ie: making them well thought out with care given to grammar). When you re-read the rules page it will make more sense to you. If you have any questions please feel free to PM myself or any of the other moderators. Again, I welcome you to the boards and I hope to see you posting around the site. Have fun! ~Panda

Got 2B Glued is excellent for using to put hair in spikes or other styles that you want to stay put. Cosplayers swear by the stuff. I can tell you from first hand experience with the "glue" that it WILL keep your hair in spikes. Very stiff, dangerous spikes that could possibly act as a weapon. I kid you not, Got 2B Glued is some hardcore hair product!

[quote name='BKstyles][font=tahoma']And i've heard that there was already an animated series made dedicated to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms novel, but i don't know if it was poorly done with little detail and hardly covers the timeline well enough to convey a decent story, or if it is worth watching. In any case though, I'd like to see a remake of it that captures the essence of the novel more so than the Dynasty Warriors game, with the exception of character models. I wouldn't mind seeing the DW char models used. [/font][/quote] I came specifically to this thread to say that the Romance of the Three Kingdoms using the Dynasty Warriors character models would be excellent. The story line would have many elements that would attract viewers. For example you have the relationship between Liu Bei and Sun Shang Xiang and how they are brought together for political reasons, fall in love then are torn apart by war. The battles would be epic! Drama and action told with beautiful and ornate character design...it would be a pleasure to watch. I whole-heartedly agree that Dynasty Warriors would make an excellent anime.

I agree that stating it was America that killed the race horse is a bit off the mark. If it actually was a case of foul play more than likely it was someone involved in the gambling aspect of horse racing. Let's say someone has a horse they want to win but Phar Lap keeps winning. One way to deal with the problem is to get rid of Phar Lap so the other horse has a better chance of winning. Thus, that person will win money. Get rid of the competition so they can come out on top. To me this sounds like a financial issue not a Australia vs America one.

Well, the only thing I can come up with for a reason for the $6 disks would be for someone who maybe only has slower than slow dial up and didn't want to wait hours for it to download. Otherwise...*shrugs*...maybe it's for people who feel guilty using stuff for free? Who knows. I always thought it was weird to charge people for catalogs. So, in order for me to shop with you I have to pay you to look at the stuff you are selling...okay. :animeangr I know it's to cover the cost of printing/shipping the catalog but still. I just feel that catalogs should fall under the "advertising" umbrella and retailer should see them the same as tv or radio ads and just give them to people. Of course with the popularity of the internet now I wonder how many retailers are still making those big holiday catalogs? I guess you can say that those catalogs really don't have a place in our modern world anymore...especially if they are charging for them!

I am in Lake George, NY right now as I type this and I definitely have a new image to think about when someone mentioned New York. It is absolutely gorgeous here. The mountains, the beautiful fall colors...the lake. It's really beautiful and so completely different than NYC. I went into a little gift shop and the clerk had the New Yawk accent. Which happens to be the very first person I've come in contact with who actually spoke that way. lol Oh and CHW, you are the hawtness, it's a fact so there was no need for me to state it. ;)

Ah, the memories...*wipes away tear* My first car was a 1987 Chevy Nova. Compact. 4 door, light grey in color...It was a great little car and cost me $3,000. I have lots of great memories of packing my friends in it and driving around my one horse town. I ended up selling it for a '97 Toyota Camry XLT. It was a major upgrade. It's kind of sad to see my little old car still driving around town. The new owner doesn't take care of it like I did. :animecry:

When someone says New York to me at this very moment I think that I will be there tomorrow. I'm actually going to be leaving for Lake George in a few hours. :D So currently when New York is mentioned I think of my trip. The 3 hour drive to Seattle then the long flight from Seattle to Albany then the drive to Lake George. All this "time travel" is going to kill me! *shakes fist at time zones* If you were to ask me before this trip was planned I would have to say it was my last trip to NYC in 1991. Yeah, it's been a long time since I was in "the city that never sleeps". I think of seeing the sites... Ellis Island, Battery Park, Statue of Liberty, Times Square, Broadway and the World Trade Center. Which then makes me think of 9/11. :( I also think of cheesecake, taxi cabs, food vendors with carts, newspaper stands, cockroaches, apartments and high rises, subway, people...lots and lots of people, pizza (NY vs. Chicago), Tiki Barber (the hawtness) and Adam (the founder of theOtaku...who is also the hawtness). It's sad when people think only of NYC when New York is mention...there is an entire state ya know! *pot calling kettle black* I know I am guilty of this too. :animeswea Edit: LOL CHW, when I am visiting the east coast and say I am from Washington I have to say "state, not DC" since everyone assumes I mean DC.

I'm against separating the genders for many of the reasons already listed before me. Even if you do separate the boys and girls that isn't going to stop daydreaming. I know when I was in high school I would find myself thinking about my boyfriend who wasn't in my class. Just because he wasn't in my class didn't stop the distraction. Out of sight doesn't mean out of mind when it comes to teenagers and the opposite gender. Does anyone know what it is exactly they plan on changing when it comes to teaching the genders? They say it's because we learn in different ways. Will there be sports or cars related analogies for boys and shopping and cooking for girls? After all we all know ALL boys love sports or cars and ALL girls love shopping and cooking... :rolleyes:

I agree with those who got that funny feeling when you mentioned the "don't tell" comment. Why can't you tell those only in your class? As if these people don't exist outside this class? If other people not in the class know...and you are telling others outside of class....word will get around. What if that person who asked you if you were seeing someone finds out from a friend outside of class that you are seeing someone? It comes across like you outright lied to her. I personally would feel like he doesn't want that class to know because: a) He's seeing someone else and doesn't want to get caught playing the field. b) Ashamed of dating me. c) There is something he isn't telling me that it why this "secret" needs to be kept. I guess it just seems weird to keep it a secret. It's not like you are in the work place where there are rules against dating in the office. Heck when I was in college there were many people who purposely took the same class just to be together because they were dating or married. Don't let the concern shown here be a poo-pooing of your relationship. It really is concern. Nothing is worse than having the rose-colored glasses of first love cloud your sight from what is really going on around you. Been there and done that. Learn from other peoples mistakes. As for advice: The best thing is honesty. Being true to yourself will allow you to be true to your partner.

Dreams. They are funny things. Usually my dreams all deal with things that cause me some anxiety at that point in my life. For instance if I am working on a cosplay costume I will dream about sewing or working on props. If it's close to a convention then my dreams tend to center around going to the con and having issues with my costumes. Currently I am getting ready for a trip to New York so I have been having airport dreams. I know each day I get closer to traveling the more my dreams will revolve around airports and travel. Usually it's dreams about being late, not being able to find my flight...that sort of thing. I'm glad I am not afraid of flying or my dreams would probably revolve around plane crashes and stuff. :animedepr

I use to be a soda junkie. It started when I worked at my first job at a movie theater where one of the employee perks was all the free fountain soda you could drink. I just got into the habit of drinking soda. I have been slowly weening myself off of the stuff. I have *gulp* worked my way down to diet soda and will eventually get off the stuff all together. Until then it's stuff like Diet Dr. Pepper for me! If I have a craving for other snacky junk food it's usually something salty. I love potato chips. I really need to get off those. But the oh-so-tasty salty goodness...it's going to be a really hard junk food habit to break. Sweets I am okay with. Now my hubby on the other hand has a killer sweet tooth. This time of year is really tough. Just today I went shopping for Halloween candy for the trick-or-treaters and he is already saying things like: "Oh, look, this one has the wrapper coming off, I should eat that." I've had to hide the candy from him since he will eat it. I wonder if there is a 12 step program for Halloween candy junkies? lol

I remember hearing this on CNN. It's absolutely awful. I try to find some reason for this but the only thing I can come up with is that this girl was being self-centered. I've always felt suicide was a very selfish act and this only goes to reinforce this opinion. She was upset because {list reasons} but in the end she didn't care about anyone else in this world but herself. She didn't care what this would do to the person she ran into or their family, she didn't care about her family and friends and the impact her decision would make on them...she just didn't care. My opinion is that sympathy should go out to the victim's family, not the selfish girl in the luxury sedan. And to think that girl though her life was bad before... :animeangr

When I think of Australia my mind quickly goes through a list of items. Usually it starts with the generic "tourist" sites (ie Ayers Rock, Sydney Opera House, Great Barrier Reef...) then the critters like koalas and kangaroos...which then leads me to Yellow Tail wines which have a pic of a kangaroo on it and is made in Australia. Of course thinking about Australian wines makes me think of other food products like Vegemite. That of course leads into Men At Work songs. After I start thinking about them I start to think of other celebrities from Down Under like Kylie Minogue and Steve Irwin (who's wife was a vet tech in Oregon which then may make me think of Oregon or Veterinary Technology...). While on the topic of celebrity I think of that movie "Muriel's Wedding". When thinking of that movie I start to hear the soundtrack with ABBA. That of course makes me think of Sweden and I am no longer thinking of Australia. I also somewhere in the mix will think of my friends online who live in Australia. :animesigh

My opinion on plastic surgery hasn't changed over time. I feel like it is fine if it is for reconstructive purposes. There was a plastic surgery show on the other day that I watched since the woman's story was heartbreaking. Her ex-boyfriend shot and killed her mother in front of her then shot her in the face with a .45. She, obviously, survived but lost her eye, nose and the upper portion of her jaw. She needed to have the surgery so she could do the normal things in life...like eat and breathe. Now I support this type of surgery 100%. As well as those who get breast implants after breast cancer, scar removal after a terrible injury...that sort of thing. Getting stuff done just for vanities sake is, well, just that - vain. I would love to loose my "love handles" but I am going to lose them by diet and exercise, not by cutting them away. I have a pretty big scar on the top of my right hand after I had a finger amputated and it's pretty ugly but I'm not going to go under the knife again just to remove it. I've lived with it for this long and it doesn't effect the quality of my life so why bother? In the end it comes down to the person who is having the work done. It's your life, it's your money.

Ah, so many great times in my life. What's funny is I think where I am right now is a pretty darn good time in my life which beats out all the individual great events that have already happened. My health is pretty good, no major problems beyond what I have going on already. My parents and inlaws are all in good places in life. My hubby is working a great job from home now so we get to spend more time together and travel more. I have great friends and they are all doing well...I'm very happy with life right now. It's the best things have ever been. Yeah, graduation from high school and college was great and so was getting engaged and married. But I think this place I am in life right now is the best time I've had my entire life. :D

First, this should be posted in the Suggestion and Feedback forum since it has to deal with the site. I'll move it over there for ya. With your art make sure it complies with the rules of the site. Make sure the images are easy to see...no blurry, washed out scans/photos of the work. If it has lots of empty space around the image itself crop that out. If there is text make sure it doesn't contain inappropriate language or offensive messages (ie "All {insert race or religious group} should die!" etc..). Again, the main thing is to make sure you aren't breaking the rules. If you still have questions about the pieces feel free to email them to me at: [email]Gail@theOtaku.com[/email] and I can review them individually for you and tell you why they are not being approved. As of now all art pieces have been approved/denied that have been submitted. Hope that helps you out!

Arranged marriages aren't too far removed from my family. My mom's eldest brother had an arranged marriage. My mom says she can remember the first time she met her new sister-in-law. It was after the wedding and she moved into the house. In a traditional Japanese family the eldest son lives with his parents helping run the household. His wife assists with the daily duties (ie chores, caring for children, etc.). The eldest son also has more say in family matters than the other siblings. I guess growing up seeing happy arranged marriages that work I don't have as much of a negative feeling towards it. This may be different if I were the one being set up, but I'm not. My family is way to Americanized now to do arranged marriages for us kids.

I've purchased Sake and received Sake...but that's all from/for family for holidays and stuff. Charles, my dearest, hope I get a ride on that one since I'm Japanese. ;) I definitely don't drink as much as I use to...not that I use to drink that heavily at all mind you. All my medication makes drinking really, REALLY bad for my kidneys and liver. But my doc says it's okay once in a while. So when I do feel like a drink I usually have some tequila. Unlike some people who can't handle the stuff I can. Slammers or a Margarita...it's all good to me. Brands of choice within my budget would be Cuervo and Sauza. On a bit of a side note: I have never had Mescal. But I am willing to try it. If I feel like something refreshing I have a Gin and Tonic. Gin of choice would be Bombay Sapphire and, of course, Tanqueray. On rare occassion I will have a Gin Martini with 4 olives. I can't drink that drink without the olives. It's just too strong. When I am in more of a dessert mood I have a Mudslide, Duck Fart, White Russian, Peppermint Patty or a very sweet Riesling. I am not a beer drinker at all, but my hubby is a beer snob. He loves seeking out the local microbrew whenever we travel. We are both not wine snobs. We occassionally have some wine with friends but seem to always pick up what we know they like and/or what the Sommelier recommends. :D

My sports anime viewing only consists of Prince of Tennis and Eyeshield 21. (Unless you count Baki the Grappler but I'd rather not put the "Fight Club" in as a sport. :P ) Currently Eyeshield is the one that I am watching because, well, it's Football season! My favorite character is Ryokan Kurita. I just want to go glomp him! Not that I could, he's a flippin' wall! I love that it's an underdog story. Kinda reminds me of that Keanu Reeve's movie 'The Replacements". Go Deimon Devil Bats!! Prince of Tennis I know has a huge fan base and following. It really didn't hook me. I like the series but I am not a rabid fan girl over the guys. I think this is because when it comes to sports I love the underdogs. These guys are super talented, cute and have a team that is a well tuned machine. Compare this to the Deimon Devil Bats in Eyeshield it's night and day! I guess in the end when it comes to sports anime series I prefer a good underdog story than one of the "perfect players".

All you kids and your "geeky" purchases....you'll need a few more years before you can match my geeky purchase abilities! :p I found a first edition copy of a book called [b]Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan[/b] because it's the book in episode 67 "Paper Hero" in Robotech's New Generation story arc that Lunk is trying to return to this friend's father. The name of the book is never mentioned but the title of the book and author name is visable in one scene for about 3 seconds. Being the Robotech otaku that I am I remembered the name of that book for well over a decade (closer to two decades!) before stumbling across this book. I purchased it for .49 cents. I'm also a cosplayer which is an uber-geeky hobby so all the supplies and stuff needed to create my costumes would definitely rank very high on the geek list. I have a closet full of anime / gaming based costumes and props with many more in the works. I should also mention I am making a Katamari Damacy (see avi and banner for example) costume right now. Fear my geekiness! :p

I love Halloween! As a cosplayer I love having a holiday where I can wear a costume and be "normal"! I don't trick or treat anymore. I think people would think it was a bit weird to have a 30 year old with no kids show up asking for candy! I stay at home, put on a costume and answer the door for all the kids who do trick or treat. There are some really great costumes and those kids who just don't try. I really hate it when an older kid shows up with no costume and wants free candy. If you wear a costume, you get candy. I spent $50 on candy for people I don't know, the least you can do is put a costume on! /rant Just so you guys know, if you come to my house and you are wearing an anime or gaming costume you will get extra candy! I think my favorite recent Halloween memory is this little boy, must have been about 5, showed up wearing a Spiderman costume. My hubby answers the door and and in a surprised voice said: "Oh it's Spiderman!". The little boy took off his mask and said in this really serious voice: "Oh no, I'm not the real Spiderman." It was so flippin' cute we gave him a huge handful of candy. :D To sum up: - Yes I do celebrate Halloween. I buy lots of candy, decorate the house and watch scary movies. - No I do not trick or treat. I'm too old. :animecry: I do have kind of an open house on Halloween for all my friends and family. Eventually they all stop by with their kids and trick or treat in my neighborhood. It gives them a place to warm up, use the bathroom, grab a cup of cocoa and have a little snack. - Heck yeah I dress up! You're never too old to put a costume on. I'll be 100 years old and I'll be wearing a costume! Of course at that point I may have lost my mind and may not even know I am in a costume...oh well! :p