Touchstone

I can't really remember how I fist stumbled upon [Adult Swim], but I think on one night of sleeplessness I turned on Aqua Teen Hunger Force and have been an addict ever since! There's no real plot, the endings are random, and the main characters are food, but somehow it's just so freakin' funny that my laughs can be heard all over the house :animeswea Venture Bros. is another of my all-time favorites-I can never get tired of watching it. I used to be a big Johnny Quest fan and of other shows like it, and the parodies just are so awesome. But what's great is it rises above that basis with funny, original characters you can't help liking, and inept villains who are hysterical (the Monarch!). I can't wait till it goes on DVD in May and the second season comes this summer :animesmil I also really like Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and used to watch it when it first came out. The episode where Space Ghost was married to Bjork had me laughing for weeks.

[FONT=Georgia]I agree, it's not the website's fault; it's the idiots' fault! My mother taught me proper ways to stay safe on the internet. Post pictures of yourself naked of course will not attract nice people :rolleyes: I actually find Myspace a very safe site if you use it right; only friends can comment on you and such, and all my friends are people I actually [b]know[/b] in real life. So I don't have to worry about my safety. As said, guns don't kill people, people do.[/FONT]

I LOVE this show :animesmil That's not even a big enough word-I practically plan my Tuesdays around House! "Oh, I can't go out tonight-House is on." "I can't talk to you right now-House is on." It's sad, but true. This has never happened with a TV show with me before! House is just such a great character; you can't stop watching him! He's so funny and rude that you're amazed. Like when he played those pranks on Wilson, and...did a quick gynecological exam on a dying girl in an elevator :animeswea Thank God he found that tick. I'm so happy the schedule is uninterrupted until May. :D

My strongest emotions are probably rage and euphoria. Both completely take over my body and my mind takes the backseat to whatever chemicals are surging through my systems. Rage can make me shake and stand up to people I would never in a million years shout at. It can also make me damage furniture :animeblus Euphoria can make me stay up all night writing and give me endless energy and inspiration-like a caffeine rush. I talk fast, move fast, everything is on fast forward. It doesn't happen often, but when it does it's fun. :catgirl:

I am the self-proclaimed master of lost pens! Ever read [i]Hitch hiker's Guide to the Galaxy[/i]? You remember that theory that explains where lost pens go? Well, it's wrong-they go to [i]me[/i]:devil: It's amazing how many pens you can find if you just look...

[FONT=Georgia]Yeah, he's also the one who first got me interested in anime when I saw his beautifully crafted stories on the big screen. The first was [i]Spirited Away[/i], which I saw in a small theater in England. The speakers were basically from a stereo it looked like and the chairs were hard and plastic, but it was worth it;). When that story got going it really did sweep you away with it's flights of fantasy and incredible characters. That movie still holds a special place in my heart. I also really love [i]Porco Rosso[/i] (I saw it on TCM this past January in Japanese). The life of those pilots was so wonderful and you got caught up in the adventure, and the ending where [COLOR=Black]Porco fights the American[/COLOR] is just so hilarious! It also has one of my favorite scenes; the story he told of his first experience in war. It's so sad and beautifully animated. As said, [i]Princess Mononoke[/i] is just incredible. There are so many layers in his movies, and I think this one has the most. There is no absolute side of good or evil, and Ashitaka is really left to forge his own side, which I found really compelling. I've heard it said that Miyazaki always threatens to retire after each movie he makes-I hope he doesn't any time soon![/FONT]

[quote name='Mage17']Mainly the issue on debate was: Are people with these kinds of illnesses acceptable in society if they can have somewhat (if any) control over thier state of mind and body? How would you reactions be if you knew someone with one of these illnesses and what would you do about it (physically, socially, mentally, and personaly). Do you think they would be safe to themselves and to others around? I look forward to hearing the opinions of others, thanks.[/quote] [FONT=Georgia]I'm not quite sure what "acceptable in society" means. People with mental illness are a valid part of society who of course need care and support, and my state's mental health system is surely lacking there. They have every right to a job if they're qualified, and if they've got the help they need from therapy or medication are perfectly capable of having friends and living their lives. My grandad has bipolar disorder, and he manages it pretty well with medication; he was married for over forty years and had a family and a successful career. It all depends on how you manage your illness; if you overcome it enough you can live a perfectly fine life in society. [/FONT]

[b]hitokiri battosai[/b], that is the weirdest thing I've ever heard! ...but I like your style ;) I have another winner here. When I was four, I convinced my sister to help me pour syrup...on the cat! To this day I don't know why, and it was my idea! We chased her across the whole house, and eventually she just gave up and sat there, letting the syrup engulf her. My mom was on the phone at the time with my grandparents; she had to say, "I've got to go, the girls are pouring syrup on the cat!" and hang up. My grandad says it was the strangest excuse he'd ever heard :animeshy: I've also done things like put the tea bag in the trash and the tea bag [i]box[/i] in my cup of boiling water, and put the trash in the [i]fridge[/i] and the milk carton in the trashcan. God damn, I'm spacy! Worse has been done, but I can't remember at the moment :animeswea

[FONT=Georgia]Defintely Kaori Yuki's [i]Angel Sanctuary[/i]. Her art is so beautiful, Gothic yet delicate, and her storytelling is wonderful. I wish I could do manga like her! ...But I'm trying :animeswea [/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia]I'm cheap and only rent my stuff, but I've found some good local places where you can find a LOT. Like my local comic book store has a whole DVD section devoted to anime that you can rent, and the independent movie rental round the street has a big anime section as well. You just have to find those great little places. [/FONT]

[quote]Definitely pick that one up. Few series are as close in terms of art and story-telling. But you have to be open-minded to enjoy it. It's my favorite manga, but most of my friends won't read it since the story deals with touchy subjects. Also, the focal point isn't mainly about gender swapping, so you have to read a more complicated plot than teenage girls getting crushes on famous guys. :animesmil [/quote] I forgot to mention that :animeswea The series really doesn't shock me at all, but it does deal with incest, which is a deal breaker for many when they set out to read it. It's done in a very touching and heart breaking way though, and you really end up identifying with the characters and want them to be together. The plot [i]is[/i] really complex, dealing with the levels of Heaven and Hell, angels and demons, the boundaries between good and evil. But it's certainly well worth it!

I love folk also-I grew up listening to it. Some of my personal favorites are Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, Iron and Wine, The Decemberists, and Belle and Sebastian. Folk seems to have a very personal style that most genres of rock don't.

[FONT=Georgia]You could try Kaori Yuki's [i]Angel Sanctuary[/i]. In it, the main character Setsuna (through events which I will not spoil for you!) ends up in the body of a voluptuous woman, much to his discomfort. And there are other characters who also challenge the boundaries of gender. It's a great series, with a really interesting and involving plot, and characters you really come to care for, I strongly recommend it :catgirl: [/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia][quote]....i want a cat stroller.....badly so that i can walk around with all my cats (4!) in there. then they fight and i yell and drive them into a ditch to make them quit fighting. i don't know, just a thing i guess.[/quote] [i]Cat stroller?![/i] :animesmil That is the coolest and craziest thing I've ever heard. You've now given me the urge to look for one! [COLOR=DarkRed] [SIZE=3][align=center][b]Touchstone's Photo Montage of Death![/b][/SIZE] [/COLOR] [img]http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/products/large/p_18948_27043P_2.jpg[/img][img]http://www.cyndercat.com/images/catCarrier.jpg[/img][/align] Anyways, as for what [i]I[/i] would love to have...I would love to have a complete men's suite from the Victorian era. God, I just love them! I would dress up with a top hat and a cane and go out on the town, smoke cigars at the Savoy, and ride about in carriages talking about Kant with my friends while the hours quickly disappear into the night. Yeah...got a bit carried away there. Well, I at least want a top hat! [/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia]I remember when I was little I was obsessed with comics. In fourth grade I began doing a strip called [i]Monster Dog[/i] (a parody of the superhero shows I grew up watching), depicting the adventures of Monster Dog as he tried to save the world from the evil Devil Dog, Ninja Cat, and Uni Dog (a dog with a unicorn...don't ask). He also was given advice from his mentor, Puss Cat (a cat...made of puss. I was odd). I later went on to do parodies of fairy tales and Bible stories. But that all stopped when I began writing short stories in middle school. Only now am I getting back to my comic roots. As for Pokemon, I remember getting up EVERY morning to watch that when I was 8 or 9! I remember thinking the main characters were idiots and Pikachu looked constipated when he did that lightning bolt thing; I mainly watched it for Team Rocket ;) [/FONT]

[QUOTE=Lunox][color=darkslateblue]I don't know about funniest/strangest, but last night I was in North Carolina and I was watching the local news. Apparently nothing was going on, so they made a big deal about some old woman who ordered a vacuum cleaner six months ago and still hadn't received it. Oh, wait, it was [i]two[/i] vacuum cleaners because she bought one for her neighbors! I can feel shivers of excitement running through my bones. Sometimes I feel really, really bad for news reporters.[/color][/QUOTE] [FONT=Georgia] That's hillarious! Reminds me of something off of SNL :animesmil I feel bad for news reporters when they have to read the mail they get. On NPR, they read these responses to their programs, and usually it's some fruitcake talking about recipes or how bad they thought the story was! I remember one time they devoted five minutes to one guy's letter about how he bangs pots together...I don't even remember why that related to anything![/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia]I was never interested in tatoos until I actually began watching shows about tatoo shops on cable, and really saw the passion and art that went into them. It actually got me thinking about getting a tatoo when I'm in college. My ideas are always changing. I think it's something you have to organically decide upon, since it'll be part of your body. Maybe I would do a mythological symbol, from my Irish heritage or something, or a fallen angel.[/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia]It's never happened to me personally before, but my sister used to be mistaken for a boy all the time-it was really unbelievable! She had gotten a very short haircut, and people just assumed that a little blonde child with short hair would be a boy. After a while she got pretty demoralized. Societal conventions for gender are so weird. They vary so differently from culture to culture, and we use these quick visual cues to assess a person's identity. I wish I could challenge them, but I just look too much like a girl. It sometimes bothers me how cute I look![/FONT]

I think it would have to be [b]Lord Anthony[/b] by Belle and Sebastian ( :catgirl: I am a major fan). It's one of the few songs that has really touched my soul and made me cry, so whenever I listen to it on my headphones or in my head I go into my own little world of blissful sadness. Anyways, here are the lyrics: [COLOR=DarkGreen][I][quote] Anthony, bullied at school Get your own back, now you are cool Or are you scared? Bunking off though you?re a toff It?s all gone wrong again, you?ve got double maths And the teacher?s got no control so The boys will run riot, you will stay quiet Or you will die Tony at the back of the gym Smoke another one, your chances are slim ?Cos here they come again And they got you on the ground Tasting blood again, at least it?s your own When will you realise that it never pays To be smarter than teachers Smarter than most boys? Shut your mouth, start kicking the football Bang on the teeth, you?re off for a week boy You may as well take it in the guts - it can?t get worse Take it in the guts - it can?t get worse that this You?ll soon be old enough to leave them And without a notion of a care You?ll lift two fingers in the air to linger there Tony, you?re a bit of a mess Melted Toblerone under your dress And if the boys could see you they would pass you right bye Blue mascara running over your eye When will you realise that it never pays To be smarter than teachers Smarter than most boys? Shut your mouth, start kicking the football Bang on the teeth, you?re off for a week boy They call you Lord Anthony But hey - it could be worse than Lord Anthony, but hey - it could be worse than Lord Anthony, but hey - it kind of suits you anyway You?ll soon be old enough to leave them And without a notion of a care You?ll lift two fingers in the air to linger there[/quote][/I][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed][FONT=Georgia]I'm often made fun of for my sock choices! I love old and beat up socks, the kind that have their own stench and are begging to be thrown away. They're just so comfy when they're worn in. My old favorite pair were these scraggly navy blue knee-highs that I wore all the time, till they got a hole in the heel and my mother forced me to throw them out :( Now, I like these black tabi socks I stole from my sister's halloween costume (she was a Geisha-she really liked [i]Memoirs of a Geisha[/i] a lot...). I love how my feet look like gargoyle feet! But that's just me. It's very fun to wiggle my big toe and all the rest are stuck :animesmil [/FONT][/COLOR]

[COLOR=DarkRed]I think the strangest I heard was on NPR about this guy in Alaska who was planning on putting a nuclear reactor in his home so he could create isotopes, I think it was. Needless to say, his neighbors weren't very happy. Also the story about the woman who robbed banks while talking on her cellphone the whole time! I wish I could have heard [i]that[/i] conversation....[/COLOR]

Thats interesting, I didn't know there was a term for in-between. My mother happens to be like that; sometimes she forces me to come with her grocery shopping for company *gag* or makes me leave her alone. On the Myers-Briggs test she's always about in the middle. As for me, I'm pretty heavily introverted. I love introspection and can be very happy just daydreaming for hours on end or sitting outside and looking at the clouds. Most of my time is spent alone reading or writing. With my friends and family I do become more animate, and can be talkative if I'm passionate about something, but if I don't get alone time I will be very tired and annoyed. It really takes a long way to get to know me...LOL, I feel bad for the people who try.

[COLOR=DarkRed]Usually my nicknames go as far as Sam (short for Samantha) but one fateful day...something INCREDIBLY embarrassing happened. You may want to skip this if you have a heart condition (I'm such a dork). One day, while walking to my religion class, I noticed a sudden draft coming from behind. I didn't think anything it; it was fall and there was usually a breeze around this time. So I quietly walked into the classroom and sat down, taking off my backpack and settling in to my desk, when all of a sudden one girl said to me, "Dude, did you just realize your skirt hiked up and we could all see your [i]butt cheeks[/i]?" I was mortified; I had just unintentionally mooned a bunch of people! And this girl wouldn't let me forget it; she called me [b]cheeks[/b] for the rest of the year. And this is why I don't give nicknames to people! *bows* [/COLOR]

[FONT=Georgia][COLOR=Purple]Oh my God, that's so incredibly exciting! I remember reading those books a few years ago, and I just completely fell in love with them. Her unique take on wizardry and magic is one of my favorites. And the characters are great! Some parts almost made me cry, especially in the third book. I can't wait till it comes out in July :D [/COLOR][/FONT]