Retribution

[quote name='Starwind']We need to come home and look after the home front here. That should be our first step to bettering ourselves is by leaving the world alone and let those morons blow themselves up and protect the home front, where they said they'd be covering us.[/quote] [size=1]This whole "home rule first" thing really gets on my nerves for more reasons than I can reasonably articulate. I really hate the apathy that?s behind looking after the home front. You want America ? one of, if not the most capable country in the world ? to sit around and watch the world tear itself apart? There?s too much trouble, too much injustice going on in the world for such an affluent place to close up the borders and rule the home front. We need to stop worrying about putting ourselves first in our minds, and instead try helping out the suffering nations, try reinstalling peace in the country that we wrecked with war ourselves. Don?t try to withdraw from the war on Iraq, realizing that the war is very difficult to win, and will take years. Look ? America ruined order in Iraq. Yes, we deposed a tyrant as well, but we can?t call it ?Mission Accomplished.? We can call the mission Accomplished once homes have their utilities back, once violence isn?t commonplace, once their own police force can support itself. Home rule first just bleeds, to me, with ignorance towards the rest of the world?s suffering. Isolationist policy is what made the USA remain neutral during the beginning of both WWI and WWII. Had we entered WWII earlier, many lives would have been saved. And had Japan not bombed Pearl Harbor, Europe would be speaking German currently, and this conversation would not be taking place. Really, what needs repairing so urgently that we must stop helping other countries? What is so important that we must entirely ignore the suffering and agony of our human brethren? [quote name='? Nomad Tical ?']THe initial question in this topic was "can we change the world with a voice or actions and how many will it take" right? Well, I think that a voice can do nothing to change the world, you have to actually do something. A voice fallen on deaf ears merely speaks to itself, (Im coining that one) one must act on what they believe is right. Don't go asking others what you should do, just do what you think is right. You don;t need someone else's mandate to do it, it's all on you. If you wanna change the world, shut your mouth and get to work, quit tallking about it and do it.[/quote] I?m sure you know what Starwind meant when he said ?how many voices does it take?? A voice can be an action ? not necessarily just words. In addition, there is nothing wrong with asking someone for advice as to what you should do. Acting upon what you alone believe to be right can lead to misinformation and really, really bad situations. Acting alone could lead to a totalitarian state, where the wants of the majority are completely ignored, and the will of one is law. Certainly, what you think to be right is not always the correct way.[/size]

[size=1]I dunno, I'm a big fan of 'No Reindeer Games' and 'The Old Christmas Traditions.' They're masterfully executed, and fit your style perfectly. The animation is wonderful, and the jokes are hilarious. There's not much to say except try not to burn yourself out ... it's hard to crank these things out on a daily basis.[/size]

[size=1]Andro felt nervous as he stood on the platform above the multitudes. Never had he been so important to so many people, and never had he stood before so many cheering, expectant citizens. A knot of worry rose in his chest, but quickly subsided once his name was announced. However, it did not wash away completely ? in the back of his mind, the wonder of the fifth Warrior persisted in twisting his mind away from the moment. He inhaled a breath to calm himself, and felt an instant of tranquility play over his soul as he exhaled. Silent bliss expressed itself across his countenance as the four began walking down the path. ?Hello, I?m Andro Piot. I?m pleased to meet you three ? may I be so blessed as to receive your names?? He turned his head to the trio, addressing them all in his gentle tone. His greeting was received with mixed emotions, as their faces betrayed. Skepticism of his intentions, a good first impression, or vague interest, were what he could gather from the instant of emotion the three warriors showed. In turn, they all introduced themselves politely, perhaps far too formally for the occasion, and a fair deal of small talk and pleasantries were exchanged before the conversation died down at the mouth of the Vedalia Forest. ?Do we know how to make it out of this forest? Perhaps a directional to lead us to the nearest town for provisions?? ?A very good question? I have no idea,? Andro replied. They eyed one another, hoping a solution would appear. They lacked the time and means to turn back for such information, and they were dispatched ill-equipped due to the gravity and importance of the situation.[/size]

[size=1]I sure as heck don't mosh or listen to metal... but I wanted to ask the question - What draws people to mosh? It seems very high-risk, and you're certainly not coming out of the pit coming unscathed. Why cause yourself physical pain for no real reason? Any explaination would be welcome.[/size]

[QUOTE=Shinji][size=1][color=crimson]I had for a time refused to buy thuis album outright because of the title track, being a Republican supporter that I am. However, I found out that most of the songs don't really dwell on poilitcal issues and whine on the issue, and Holiday uis even catchy. It's a very cool album, I too, like the albums that tell stories throughought, like this one about the "Jesus of Suburbia" I'm not that into the story though, since I tend to listen to whatever track I feel int he mood for, rather than listen to the whole thing all the time. It surprised me, I was expecting leftist propaganda, but found plenty of stuff that a right wingist like myself cand rock to, very good effort on the part of Green Day.[/size][/color][/QUOTE] [size=1]Ah, c'mon, Shinji! This CD is the kind of stuff that you right wingers need to choke down in order to see the light. In all seriousness, though, I loved the album partially because it brings the problems of American society into the mix, instead of dancing around them. "Get my television fix, Sitting on my crucifix, The living room in my private womb, While the Mom's and Brad's are away, To fall in love and fall in debt, To alcohol and cigarettes and Mary Jane, To keep me insane and doing someone else's cocaine" I especially enjoy this part of the song, as well as "On a steady diet of soda pop and ritalin." Like previously mentioned, they bring up America's societal problems in catchy songs. They don't act like America's all awesome, and bring up all that's wrong with it. Props to Green Day for doing that. As for the songs themselves, I really enjoy the tunes, and it's an overall awesome rock 'n roll album. I personally think it's their best, with Dookie coming up with a close second. I personally think that WAKE ME UP WHEN SEPTEMBER ENDS is one of the weakest songs on the album. It's too slow, it lacks the zing of the rest of their songs, and the interesting lyrics. As a side note, Shinji, I'm somewhat surprised you enjoyed HOLIDAY ... it's like ... the most anti-Bush song on the album.[/size]

[QUOTE=Starwind]I'm not saying the world is a level playing feild. Letr's face it, there's nothing level about it. What I'm saying is, when your born you have a choice on who you can be. Many choice to be who there told to be, but at this young stage of life were in now, you can choose to change yourself. You don't have to be who your told to be. And no, even if it's not level, these people can still bring themselves to higher levels and better places. They might have to try harder, but it can be done. I am a testimony to will. Everything in life I've done I've been told I couldn't do and reseved no support from even my parents. In elementary school I was called a mentally retarded child with no future. I am now an honors student at my high school. I was told I could never make it in the army, they'd never let me in. I was inducted and sworn in five months ago. Just because you don't think they can do it doesn't mean they can't. I am my own testomony to will power. Do you know what it's like to be eight years old and be told by your parents, your teachers and your friends that your retarded and have no hope for a future. I proved them worng and I keep doing it with each passing day. I believe that if you push anything enough you can make it happen. I know I sound like a blind optimist, but this is what I believe. I've exceded every thing expected of me, which was nothing by the way, and I know I'm not the only one who can do it.[/quote] [size=1]You're right - will power can do wonders, and it's awesome that you've done what you have in the face of such lopsided odds. However, some people have even worse odds, and face predicaments that sheer will power cannot fix. The poor farmer who must join a sweatshop to support their family. That situation cannot be overcome by will power. You can join a sweatshop and feed your family, living a life of perpetual suffering, or watch your children starve to death. Of course I think you're a blind optimist for thinking that if you try your hardest, you can do anything.[/size]

[QUOTE=? Nomad Tical ?]No, Christmas is a ca[italist ploy to get people to buy more presents, Christ has been utterly forgotten. People tell themselves it's about Christ but the sad truth is that our heads have been turned away. Does anyone even know why Chistmas is celebrated on December 25th? Jesus was burn in freikin April! When Constantine was ruler he was trying to make all the religions happy so he put all their holidays on one day. His people celebrated the Sun God stuff on December 25 so they moved Christmas to that date. Everyone has been turned away from Jesus and instead worship presents and money. Santa Claus is the portrait of these material things and so it is as though we worship Santa over the lord Christ! Now, I'm not religeous, but pondering it further, who would want to turn our heads from Christ? Satan, maybe? Let's make some comparisons... -Santa is Satan is you just move the 'n' a few spaces -He wears all red -His Workers are little pointy-eared demonic creatures -His sleigh is guided by reindeer which almost resemble goats -He turns us all to Greed and makes us forget Christ So if you still believe this is the celebration of Jesus's birthday, let me ask you -- What did YOU get Jesus for his birthday?[/QUOTE] [size=1]I think you missed her point. I think angelic catgirl meant that Christmas SHOULD be about Christ, and that the true meaning of Christmas has been perverted by society. Yes, our heads have been turned away, but that doesn't detract from the fact that the 'true meaning of Christmas' is Christ's birth, and all that loving charity good stuff. You're completely right - Constantine did superimpose Christmas on the other pagan holidays. He did this so that Christianity would be more readily accepted. And yes, Jesus was probably born in the Spring. But you miss the point - it's not about [i]when[/i] Christ was born, but the plain fact that he [i]was[/i] born. As for Santa Claus being a ploy to turn our heads from Christ or something akin to that... is it not society that has emphasized comsumerism? Was Santa not just an icon? Society exploited that icon, and made [i]Saint[/i] Nicholas stand for comsumerism, not charity. The rest of your parallels drawn between Santa and Satan are just conspiracy theory.[/size]

[QUOTE=Starwind]We need change, so how many will it take to change the world. A lone person, or will it take hundreds, thousands, millions. How many does it take, or are voices alone not enough. Will action be the only way to go forward. If one only yses his voice, I suppose, it's no more useful then an echo in the wind. If actions speack stronger then words, then let's take action. Let's stand up and look to the world around us. Reach out and pull others to there feet so they might stand with us and walk this long unpaved road. Every life brings with it a clean slate, with every breath we take another opportunity arises, every moment only comes once don't make it a wasted one. Take the words from your own heart and use them as your strength to move on and change, even your own world. If you don't think we can change government and politics fine, but at least change yourself. If you better yourself then you children will be better for it. Then teach them to greater things then you, so someday there might be hope for our own world where one doesn't have to watch people die for a right they may not even understand. Right now, there are people in Iraq, the insurgence and US soilders alike, who are fighting even though they don't know what and why they are fighting. I find this to be tragic. Can't we at leat change this, or at least take the blood of those men and use it to show the leaders of these two sides why this has to stop. How many does it take?[/QUOTE] [size=1]As you previously noted, it takes but one voice to spark change in the world. Unforunately, there aren't enough voices - either that, or people just don't want to listen. I don't agree with you that with "every life brings with it a clean slate." Such an assumption is completely blind - you're assuming that everyone starts off on a level playing field, that everyone has equal opportunity. Every life has potential - I will say that, but many start off a dollar short, so to speak. Most of the world is impovershed, living in the developing world. To say that they can do things that a typical American citizen can is foolish. Your last paragraph sort of dips off the course of the rest of your arguement. I also think that President Bush will not stop this war just because of the casualties. He truly believes what he's doing is right, and therefore, there will be no realization of what he has done - that the war was 'unnecessary' (in your point of view, anyway). If I may digress, one could make the arguement that the war in Iraq has made the world a better place... a tyrannical dictator has been removed from power. A man who ground humans alive, dipped them into vats of highly corrosive acid, and used electric torture. It was at the price of many many soldiers and civilian's lives, but the deed is done now, for better or for worse. [[I love playing Devil's Advocate]][/size]

[quote name='ForgottenRaider']Anyway as a personality question I guess I would go to ground and find out as much information about the some one (or group) after me. Once the information was known work out the simplest way to avoid further complications - involve police, obtain weapons for some 'dirty work', or reason with said party. Then enact the plan. [/quote] [size=1]Aw, c'mon, Raider, don't spoil the fun with your overanalytical antics. I'd run - why stick around to fight a battle that you could die in? Running is the best option, solely because you save your own life without risking it in an attack. But don't listen to me - that's just myself trying to justify my cowardice.[/size]

[size=1]Thank you Dagger, Ima. I really appreciate your critique. Could I get some more? ;_; [b]antiart[/b] - Trying to make art look ugly. [url]http://img214.imageshack.us/my.php?image=antiart9el.jpg[/url] [b]Archetype[/b] - A study of psychology. [url]http://img488.imageshack.us/my.php?image=mindcontrol8am.jpg[/url] [b]Failure [1, 2, 3, 4][/b] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/sasukeblue1.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/sasukeblue2.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/sasukeblue3.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/sasukeblue4.jpg[/IMG][/size]

[size=1]Where is the time alotted for homeworking? It's extremely surprising that none of you gave a time slot for it. Strange ... it's a huge chunk out of my life. [B][6:00 AM][/B] Wake up [B][6:20 AM][/B] Get out of bed, eat breakfast [B][6:40 AM][/B] Get dressed/washed/presentable [B][7:00 AM][/B] Go to school [B][7:30 AM][/B] Arrive at school, talk with friends until... [B][8:15 AM][/B] School begins [B][2:55 PM][/B] School ends [B][3:15 PM - 4:30 PM][/B] Assorted clubs that vary from day to day. [B][5:10 PM][/B] Arrive home, chill out for a minute. [B][5:40 PM - 11:00 PM][/B] Homework, find a moment to eat dinner. [B][11:10 PM][/B] Go to sleep. Repeat! Add interesting things to allieviate boredom.[/size]

[size=1]Noise Machine? I'm not very good at the whole band-name thing ... especially not for Nu Metal/Shock rock...[/size]

[size=1][b]Name:[/b] Anthony / Aries [b]Age:[/b] 17 [b]Appearance:[/b] [url=http://hyung-taekim.org/displayimage.php?album=11&pos=5][link][/url] Aries is handsome and knows it. He walks confidently at a height of 5?11?, but gazes softly with his dark brown eyes. His long black hair is beautifully kempt, but held in its place by a ponytail, despite the pride he holds in it. Adorning his body are flashy clothes ? from matching robes of white and red, to stunning silver and gold battle armor. He takes pride in his appearance, and flaunts his looks when the occasion necessitates it. [b]Weapon:[/b] [url=http://sow.thelostprophecies.com/files/resvrgam/weapon-lance.jpg][Lance][/url] Aries? lance is relatively short as far as lances go ? it being five feet in length. Its light weight allows for a quick-stab technique to be effectively utilized, and the metal is perfect for parrying strong blows. [b]Personality:[/b] Sarcastic and confident, many mistake Aries for being arrogant and stuck-up. Deep beneath the surface, however, Aries wants everyone to know that he is not arrogant, but rather, confident in his personal abilities. His sarcasm is another defense mechanism, joking with others so as to prevent them from discerning his true feelings on a topic. He remains aloof from general turmoil, finding that complaining or stressing over a problem does no good, and can come off as annoying or high-and-mighty. [b]Powers:[/b] Aries has few special powers to speak of ? for the most part, he is a formidable physical combatant. With the powers of minor fire manipulation and being a berserker, he slays foes on the battlefield quickly and without remorse. He lacks mastery in the field of fire manipulation, and instead uses the technique more as a supplementary mode of attack, rather than a primary one. However, when faced with immediate danger, Aries transforms from a sarcastic teenager to a beast wracked with bloodlust and hate of the enemy. [b]Bio:[/b] [will edit] [b]Writing Sample:[/b] Aries stared Achilles in the eyes, his sweat obscuring his opponent as he gasped for air. He was swift, but Aries and he were going blow-for-blow, each giving as many injuries as they received. Deep within Aries, a feral beast growled in hate, eyes red with visceral rage. He bared his teeth as he swung his lance at Achilles. The attack was parried by the mighty axe, sending a metal clang reverberating through the dry air. He spun quickly, hoping to outmaneuver Achilles, and threw a ball of flame into his face. The small comet was dodged with haste, and in another instant, the axe was upon Aries once more. The two titans clashed epically, burying vicious wounds within the other in a flurry of metal, blood, and sweat. Aries growled again, feeling his muscles surge once more in a burning bloodlust. Three stabs pierced the air, followed by a landed attack into Achilles? stomach. He screamed in horror, but managed to brutally punch Aries in the face. Before stumbling backwards, Aries pulled his lance out of the man, bringing with it a torrent of blood that snaked down the gleaming steel. He gripped his face in momentary shock before launching another flurry of blows upon his wounded prey. Achilles repelled assault after assault with increasing difficulty as blood drained out of his massive wound. He fought like a dying lion ? with valor and strength, but with a limp in his proud step. Aries threw his lance at Achilles once more, but his axe deflected the missile. Achilles, sensing a moment of defenselessness in Aries, charged, hefting his mighty axe once more in glorious charge. Aries lifted his aching hands together, palms facing towards the coming onslaught, summoned all his remaining strength, and channeled it forcefully through his palms. The beast roared in ecstatic glee as the torrent of flame ripped through the mighty Achilles, murdering the legendary warrior. He sunk to his knees, the fatigue ultimately overpowering all other senses, and painfully gasped for breath through his punctured lunges. He felt bone fragments prick his flesh with every breath he took, and realized he too had been fatally wounded. He would die that day. Light pierced the world as he woke up from his fitful slumber. Aries sat bolt upright in a cold sweat, huffing with surprise at the dream he had just had. His left hand covered his face, felt its clammy, cold sweat running down his brow. It was the fourth time he had had the dream. ?What does this dream mean??[/size]

[quote name='Baron Samedi][size=1']At least I lost to the winner :p[/size][/quote] [size=1]Yeah, but I was pissing my pants as soon as I saw Kitty's submission. I'd really like to congratulate all of the entrants to the First OtakuBoards Graphics Tournament. A big thank you to all of my opponents, and Dagger as well, who didn't bail on the idea, and sucked it up when things got annoying. It's been great, everyone.[/size]

[size=1]Well, for starters, the image is somewhat small... small enough for me to wonder if it were intended for 800 x 600 screens. I just realized that the positioning and size were intentional, though. As for the graphic itself - it's pretty good. You didn't really do anything to the photograph itself, except perhaps, some touching up, contrasting, etc, so there's not too much to critique. I'm not a big fan of the grungy border you gave it. I think you were going for the picture frame effect, which is a good idea, but try to make it a bit cleaner. Maybe some light gray text underneath saying something catchy would be good as well?[/size]

[size=1]I thought this thread was so awesome, I didn't even bother reading the whole thing and it's directions before I set off and composed my list. Sorry. I ended up with like a top ten sort of thing. By the way, this is a great idea, Lan! A wonderful way to get the names of a few fonts. [IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/fonts.jpg[/IMG][/size]

[size=1]I'd like to meet everyone on my buddy list, but I'll list 'em. [b]Justice:[/b] We're such great buds online, I think we'd be awesome friends IRL. [b]Rosenrot:[/b] We've known each other for a long while, and he's an awesome guy. [b]Sean:[/b] I mean, he's my groupie. C'mon. lol [b]Sakura:[/b] Well, we recently started talking more often, and she's pretty much awesome. [b]Citrus:[/b] Again, we recently started talking, and yeah... she's really nice. [b]Goddess:[/b] Do I need a reason to meet her? Seriously now, folks. [b]Jokopoko:[/b] We're recent friends, but he's a great guy thus far. [b]Dagger:[/b] Theoretically, I could meet her IRL, but I'm too lazy, and I don't feel like trying to disrupt her schedule to do so. I bet it'll happen one day. [b]Shy:[/b] I'd like to pimp-smack this dude - I'm his work horse, so it'd be fun to get back at the man. But really, he's very intelligent and knows how to have a good time. [b]Raya:[/b] She seems to me like the awesome, mysterious type. She's also wonderful at graphics. What a stunning combination *swoons* [b]Hittokiri:[/b] I'd like to see what this guy is like - we've talked briefly before, and I'd also like to meet the mind behind the masterpieces. Kinda like meeting da Vinci in person. [b]Epsilon:[/b] She's the politest person I know, IRL or online, and she's also very awesome at graphic design.[/size]

[size=1]Honestly, what do you want me to say to you, Hitto? I'm having an eyegasm as we speak, so I can't properly form coherent sentences. In an attempt to not rave like a fanboy over these, I'll just say what I like. Your style is very clean and professional, which is something I'm a huge fan of, and to be honest, you've taken your style to a whole new level. I remember the days when I could give you a run for your money, but these are on a whole different plane of skill. You could make logos for companies and make good money at this rate, in all seriousness. So... you've inspired me to open up my Photoshop and stop being a total noob. Jerks like you make me feel terrible.[/size]

[center][b]Neon Genesis Evangelion: The Children CHAPTER II[/b][/center] [size=1][b]Objective:[/b] Report for and complete weaponry and mental training. [b]Notes:[/b] I?ll outline what the weaponry and mental training is ? so post them showing up for it, and stop there. Kazuki?s gamble was won by the narrow margin of one tenth of a nanosecond ? he had managed to destroy Orion?s eye an instant before it gained the capability to fire. The energy stored in such a small point in space was excited prematurely by Kazuki?s attack, resulting in a massive explosion, which destroyed the greater part of Orion?s mass. The Evangelion?s AT-Field was pushed to the brink and destroyed by the force of the blow, but the mission had been accomplished. Orion sunk to the ground; its anti-gravity capabilities rendered useless as the greater half of the angel disintegrated. The other half lay limp and useless as NERV vehicles swarmed to quarantine the angel. Keiji could hear Kazuki?s suppressed whimper of pain as his Evangelion?s fingers were scalded by the incendiary beam?s energy. The melee attack had largely damaged Unit 02?s right hand and lower arm. ?Pilot status for the 00 and 02 are normal ? vital signs are stable, Evangelion status of the 00 is critical, the 02 is all green. Return to NERV and follow proper extraction protocol. Mission accomplished,? NERV Central Dogma informed them. Keiji felt sick to his stomach, and his arm still seared with a constant pain. All he could do was stand still as the Eva engaged itself into autopilot to head back to NERV. He observed Kazuki?s Evangelion, noted the absence of damage, and immediately felt the pangs of shame and failure. Back at Central Dogma, they were debriefed and given their personal statistics for the battle, how to improve upon them, and the chances of the battle going differently had they employed different tactics, all of which were compliments of the MAGI. Kazuki was a rising star of a pilot, quickly adapting to his controls and the situation given by Orion. Keiji, on the other hand, was average on the learning curve, but was commended duly for disregarding his own physical damage and destroying one of Orion?s eyes. ?How do I improve? I don?t want to fail you all,? he whispered to himself. He received no reply, save the soft clicking of the computers whispering in the background. Kazuki shot him a look of contempt, despite Keiji wearing a sling to cradle his combat-injured arm. ?What happened back there, Keiji? You screamed like a child.? His tone was unoffending, but the words he offered were confrontational on their own. ?My arm was shot off,? he replied quietly, in a soft tone, hoping he wouldn?t step on his toes. ?People die when you hesitate in battle. Don?t ever do that again.? He left as soon as the words had landed their stinging blows. Keiji sat quietly, wondering how many had died as a result of his inaction. After a few minutes, NERV personnel sent him back to his room, where he encountered a very irritable Sakura. ?Give me the damn remote, Keiji. Soccer?s boring anyway,? she murmured. Keiji slowly reached for the remote, hoping not to rouse the pain of his arm, when she got up herself and snatched it off the table, crashing back onto the couch scowling. Kazuki floated in and out of the room, fixing himself a hot meal, which smelled rather appetizing. He did not offer Sakura or Keiji any of it, and consumed it in his bedroom. Meanwhile, Sakura continuously flicked through the channels restlessly before finally settling upon a cooking show. Keiji remained inert, unwilling to jostle his arm or take the time to prepare a meal to eat. The pain of his wound throbbed thickly through his sluggish mind. Matters would continue to get worse ? they received a notice through the mail slot, reading: [b]Report for physical weaponry training at 0430 hours, ending at 1000. A rigorous mental test will follow the weaponry training. Report fully suited up.[/b] He braced himself, knowing NERV would not care if he had a tender arm. Quietly, he accepted Sakura?s sour mood and Kazuki?s contempt, lest they turn upon him in full force.[/size]

[size=1]Sorry for not posting this sooner - I typed up the whole thing, and then Firefox convieniently encountered an error. So, what I'm posting here is a general synopsis of what I said teh first time. I really dig your paintings and inked-sketches - they have a messy feel to them, and you really pull it off well. The amount of detail you put into your work is amazing to be honest, and I'm not sure how you do it. Great job! I don't really have much to advise you on, as I'm taking my first formal drawing class ever this year, and we've only scratched the surface of informal perspective. So basically, all your drawings are wonderful. Your pixel art is also very impressive - it's easy to lose sight of the big picture when you're putting small pieces together, so a job well done on that as well. As for the photography, I thought it was good, but better lighting would've done wonders for it. Try messing around with your exposure/[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F_stop][B]f.stop[/B][/url]/aperture to get different results on the same picture, and remember what lighting calls for what exposure. One last note, is to take into account the [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_thirds][B]rule of thirds[/B][/url] - you don't need to follow it by the book, but keep it in the back of your mind as you photograph things. Keep painting, drawing, and taking pictures - you're great![/size]

[size=1]As for the border, I'd recommend following these steps. [B]First[/B], create a new layer that's on top of everything. This way, you don't permanently mess up your image if you feel like editing your picture later on. [B]Second[/B], have the [i]Marquee tool[/i] selected. The Marquee tool is the dotted box icon, which I think appears in the upper left hand corner of the tool bar. [B]Third[/B], hit ctrl + a. The box should be expanded around the entire image. [B]Fourth[/B], right-click anywhere on the image, and go to [i]stroke[/i]. [B]Fifth[/B], select the thickness of the border, and check the inside box - do this only if you want the line to show up as a thick line. Check center if you want it to be a 1px border... and you never use outside very much. I hope that helped. As for your image quality, there could be a few problems, not just the file type. It could have to do with a few things. [B]First[/B], it could be a problem with the stock image you used to begin with. Remember that blowing things up really reduces the image's quality - I know that sounds like a no-brainer, but it pays to keep it in the back of your mind. If you really need to resize something, go to Free Transform on the layer, then hold down Shift as you drag the box - this will keep it in proportion and reduce the amount of pixelation. [B]Second[/B], it might be your extraction technique. When you use the magic eraser, make sure your tolerance isn't up too high, or you'll take out a bit too much than you intended. If need be, you can always zoom in very closely and erase the sharp corners. It really helps sometimes when the magic eraser just won't cut it. [b]Third[/b], be sure that when dealing with your layer, Anti-Aliasing is OFF. If it's on, your quality might haunt you. However, with some images, it's been if Anti-Aliasing is on - it's your judgement. Anti-Aliasing can be found on the top toolbar that seems to 'morph' as you change through different tools, if you get what I'm saying. [B]Fourth[/B], when dealing with text, there are a few ways to go astray as far as quality is concerned. First, you might be trying to use a font that's hard to read in the first place, and then scaling it down too small. That really hurts the visibility. More likely, however, is the fact that your text settings (see the top when you click the text tool) might be a little off. The drop-down menus there can really make a difference when text quality is concerned - try changing the mode from "None" to something like "Strong." [b]Fifth[/b], you may want to try a trick I picked up to improve an image from a pale scrap to something vibrant and interesting. Duplicate the image you'd like to improve, and with the layer on top, change the blending mode to something like Overlay, or Soft Light (experiment with different modes). You should see an immediate improvement in image quality. [b]Finally[/b], it just might be how you're saying. I'm a JPEG-er til the end, and no one's really complained about my image quality. Make sure that the image quality is cranked up to 12, and nothing less. Make sure anything that lets you have higher image quality is checked off. Don't worry about size - it's always better to have a larger image that's awesome quality than have a small image that looks terrible. I really hope you keep making graphics, and you can PM or IM me for clarification on these steps, or any other help with Photoshop. Good luck![/size]

[size=1]I'd like to be the annoying cynic for a minute... So let's be realistic here - if you and a 12 year old child 'loved' one another, and you're 20, would you actually go out with him? Really - I know you all are being awesome by saying 'love has no limits!', but it does, and it exists deep within your mind. What would be the age where you just say 'that's a bit too old/young...'.[/size]

[center][B]Homecoming[/B][/center] [size=1]??I?. I?m sorry, Dust.? The words echoed through his hollow body as the world stood still. He was no longer a Legionnaire. He was no longer a Team Leader. The meaning of the words took a second to sink in fully ? the scope and meaning to the words were beyond him for an instant. It seemed surreal, that he, a praised Team Leader and faithful Legionnaire, was no longer a crime fighter. ?Fuck.? Of all the volumes of Shakespeare read, of all the libraries of Voltaire consumed, of the piles of Virgil absorbed, it was the most fitting and eloquent word he could use. His mind was in a state of static and suspended animation as he stared at the residual plumes of The Arbiter?s. His very soul felt as if it were in shock as it replayed the entire mission a million times in his head. He remained still. ??Partner, you alright there?? Dust?s gaze remained steadfast, fixed upon the setting sun of the West. ?Dammit, are the lights on in thur?? ?No,? he spat simply. The word was as much as his preoccupied mind would allow him verbalize. The man eventually gave up on Dust and his lack of manners, and strolled back into town. As the stranger left, Dust choked out a pitiful question. ?Is dad still here?? ?Whadyousay, partner?? ?Is he still home? ? My dad. I?m his son,? he said, and finished in nearly a whisper, ?I?m his son.? The stranger stooped down to see underneath the cowboy?s hat, attempting to steal a better look at the so-called son. He covered his mouth in surprise upon the recollection of the boy. ?Mary, Mother of God and all the Saints in Lord God?s heaven? It?s you. Welcome home, partner!? The significantly shorter man wrapped his gleeful arms around the man in a joyful embrace. In sheer elation, he shouted to the silent, undisturbed town. ?He?s home!? Lights winked on like fireflies in the distance at the proclamation. The townspeople scurried out of their homes and down the dirt road towards the two men. Leading the group was Dust?s father, and his mother close behind. The scene seemed strangely familiar ? like a picture out of a children?s book, or a line of memorable poetry. ?It?s the prodigal son!? The shout issued from the group, and solicited nods of approval. ?Welcome home, my son,? his father said with a growing smile on his face. The two embraced for what felt like eons ? and he was truly sorry he had deserted his family and friends for a faraway life. The bitter tears of sadness mixed with the relieved ones of joy as he was lost in the feelings that stole his mind from the physical realm. ?I?m home now.?[/size]

[size=1]Alright, for starters, use lower cases. Second, change your custom title immediately. Your Mother is right as well ... if you don't get a grip on yourself, no girl will actually go near you. Take a deep breath, and size up the situation. It sounds like your teenage hormones/angst are overwhelming you. Don't let it wreck your 'good' relationship for some gal whom you don't really know all that well. As for telling your girlfriend you love her, things shouldn't be coming to his huge head. You should've been dropping little "I love you, take care"s over the phone here and there. But it sounds like the lack of those are slowly leading to a huge falling out. Telling her you love her shouldn't be this big deal ... just do it.[/size]

[size=1][b]Name:[/b] Andro Piot [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Age:[/b] 29 [b]History:[/b] Andro was born into a family stricken by poverty. His father farmed and raised enough livestock to keep his family alive, and his mother fought to keep her malnourished child alive. Living in such unhealthy conditions, Andro fell ill immediately after birth, and showed no sign of recovering. All hope had been lost, and the baby?s funeral had been prepared, when a priest recruiting holy men for his cause. He came from the Piot Monastery; a monastery known for their ability in white magic. In a moment of sheer luck, Andro was sold to the monastery, and guaranteed to become a strong man by the time his training had finished. He was taken away at the age of two weeks, and upon reaching the Piot Monastery, was given extensive medical treatment. He recovered miraculously thanks to the white magic of the Priests residing there. Andro would grow and learn the same magic that had saved his life. He was trained extensively in both the realms of the mind and the body and was given a strict regiment by which he grew in skill of magic. By age 20, he had learned all there was to know from the Piot Monastery. He had all the required virtues, skills in magic, and knowledge of a Piot Priest. He had exceeded all expectations cast upon him. A baby on his deathbed had grown to a man of frightening strength and skill of white magic. He remained at the Piot Monastery for the next nine years, honing his skills close to the point of mastery, training new recruits, and tending to the sick and needy. His life was complete in his eyes, and he desired only to help those less fortunate than he. There was a constant peace in his life, learning from the dying and sickly, that great wisdom and worth lay within their riddled bodies. He composed thoughtful poetry containing his daily meditations on nature. He prayed on the meaning of life, and found the answer within himself. The solitude of the Piot Monastery was holy and undefiled - one untouched by time or hate or sadness. He sanctified himself, and found an unspeakable inner-peace. Life as he knew it would change forever upon being summoned. [b]Personality:[/b] Andro is humble, generous, charitable, and pleasant to both friends and enemies. His mild-mannered demeanor and calm attitude seem to subdue those around him from emotions such as panic and fear. He seldom grows angry or impatient externally, as he is practiced an maintaining a quiet façade, but on the inside, very human emotions exist. His unrivaled skill of self-control and repression are valuable assets on dangerous missions, and working with naïve or brash people. Andro is a man of justice, and constantly hungers to help the poor and plead with the rich to help the impovershed. The issue is very close to his heart, due to both his family's history, and the deeply engrained teachings of the Piot Monastery. The topic of discussion is a very volatile one with him - the only topic that could lead the peaceful monk to great emotion and passion. [b]Appearance:[/b] [url=http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y170/retri_trib/androcrop.jpg ][link][/url] Andro?s blonde hair reaches to shoulder length, and compliments his dark blue eyes. He stands at average height, and has an athletic build from years of physical training during his study of magic. He usually wears white robes decorated with different shades of blue and small patterns inscribed on areas covering his vital points, which provide wards against physical and magic attacks. He treads lightly upon the earth, gracefully taking every step. His internal peace is easily externally reflected in his daily mannerisms - he is always clean and exudes a gentle white vibrance. He speaks softly, as if he might shatter if his voice were to be raised. Even his words are soft - never harsh, offending, or ignorant, in his daily quietude. [b]Class:[/b] Priest[/size]