Allamorph

[FONT=Arial][I]"Welcome to the Game, Marcus."[/I] "The Game?" he spoke aloud for the first time. "What game?" He remembered his name, then. He was Marcus?how could he have forgotten? Of course, there wasn't a lot he actually [U]could[/U] remember right now.... The thought of his name gave him a peculiar feeling inside, like something within his head was nudging around, trying to make its presence known; he was unable to pin down what it was, though, despite any amount of conscious mental effort on his part. The instant he felt a cogent thought emerging, it would evaporate, leaving him with nothing but his name all over again. Marcus stood frozen in the ocean's tide for several minutes like this, wrestling internally with whatever it was that didn't quite want to completely reveal itself to him. Gradually, though, he became aware of an unpleasant heat on the back of his neck, and it occured to him that he might want to get out of the sun. He turned his back on the sea and began striding out of the water and across the powdery white sand, heading for the foliage bordering the beach. Something blue just inside his left eye's field of vision caught his attention, and he veered from his path to investigate. It was a baseball cap, he realized?it was lying near where he had come to, so it must be his. He didn't see anyone else around whom the hat might have belonged to. He didn't see anyone else at all, for that matter. The cap was royal blue with two lime-green stripes on the brim. The stripes curved in towards the brim's center slightly, coming to a point about an inch apart from each other. On the front of the cap a large blue and green 'P' was embroidered with a black border around it, and a green and black hooded serpent lay coiled around the letter's base, rising from behind to thrust its head through the letter's open space. The ball cap failed to remind Marcus of anything, so he put it on without giving further thought to its significance; it fit snugly, proof that he had worn it before. Thus armed, he entered the shade of the island's forest. Without any other clues about him or his past presenting themselves, his thoughts turned to the problem of [U]where[/U] he was, and why. Aside from the obvious answer of "deserted island", he knew nothing. He knew nothing of the island's size, it's shape, whether or not it had any edible food, and, most importantly, whether or not there were dangerous animals lurking about. With nothing to defend himself, he was forced to admit that he was not likely to survive an attack from a hungry predator. Marcus quickly decided to stay close to the forest's edge. Why he was here was a different matter. From the paper, he knew that he was involved in some sort of game. Since the paper had also given him his name, he assumed that there were others on the island as well, participating in the same Game as him. He also decided to assume that there must be food around somewhere, since a game where the player starved to death wouldn't have much of a point. Marcus resolved to search for other 'players'. Maybe they'd have some answers for him; at any rate, company would probably increase their odds of ... well, of doing whatever it was they were supposed to be doing. He continued trudging through the island's trees and shrubs. [center]-------------------------------------------------------[/center] [indent][B]OOC:[/B] Right. If anyone wishes to run into Marcus, please do so. Otherwise, I might actually have to come up with a destination for the man, ha ha. (^_^)[/indent][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=DarkRed]Kitty[/COLOR], that looks absotively fantabuloriffic. I almost hate to ask, but is there any way you could alter that to fit in the avatar block? Please? :animeswea [/FONT]

[QUOTE=The Boss][color=darkred][size=1]This is gonna be a good one. [b]Jay-Z[/b] to [b]Karma in Buddhism[/b][/color][/size][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial][B]Jay?Z[/B]-->California-->Indian American-->Buddhist (redirects to Buddhism)-->[B]Karma in Buddhism[/B] Righty-O. Link [URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marth_%28Fire_Emblem%29][B]Marth (Fire Emblem)[/B][/URL] to [URL=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaius_Marius][B]Gaius Maruis[/B][/URL].[/FONT]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy][COLOR=DarkOrange]You should also include wat crowd might enjoy it. [B]Trinity Blood [/B] is a 'meh' to me. Never been able to sit through a whole episode (same as [B]Witch Hunter Robin[/B']).[/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Yeah, I'm going to agree with [COLOR=DarkRed]DB[/COLOR] there; Trinity Blood is a very mental series with a lot of political and psychological undertones, so its appeal will be less for those who just want a fun show. [center]------------------------------------------[/center] [B][U]s?CRY?ed[/U][/B]: This series is based in an area called The Lost Ground, formed after a peculiar geological event called The Great Uprising, which occured several years before the series' start. Currently, some humans (less than 1% of the Lost Ground's population) have developed the ability to deconstruct and recrystalize matter at the molecular level in new shapes by mere thought and will. These people have become widely known as "Alter users", and tend to feel superior to other humans because of their abilities. The main conflict takes place between the Native Alters, who live outside the main city of the Lost Ground, and HOLY, the elite Alter section of HOLD, an organization charged essentially with all law enforcement in the Lost Ground; specifically between native Alter Kazuma, the Shell Bullet, and HOLY member Ryuhou. After their first encounter, the two hold a bitter rivalry between them which lasts to the series' end. Kazuma also has a young friend, Kanami, whom he protects and who also happens to be the series' narrator; it is eventually revealed that she posseses an Alter as well?the ability to subconcsiously "scry", or view, the emotions of those close to her, and hence the series' name. As the series progresses, more is learned about the cause of The Great Uprising and the source of the Alter ability, and Kazuma and company must continually fight back HOLD and the Mainland, eventually leading to [spoiler]a major plot spoiler, so there. (^_^)[/spoiler] [I]s?CRY?ed[/I] is a fairly good series with a good bit of action every episode, for those who enjoy that side of things, a well-written plot, and good characters. Occasionally the voice casting is a little aggravating, like in the case of Urizane and Scheris Adjani (pronounced Sha-[B]reese[/B]), but aside from that it is, in my opinion, very worth the watch.[/FONT]

[quote name='Mom']I think I?ll end this since I?m getting annoyed again. :animesigh [/quote] [FONT=Arial]Yeah, I know. Imagine my (real) reaction after I logged on this afternoon and discovered that a challenge had been issued while I was sleeping, and that during my impromptu 9:00 A.M. post-class nap (which I badly needed), you, our faithful team mother, had finished it for us. But hey, no sense in getting all worked up over this slight. [quote name='Mom']And it didn?t help that the whole time I was working on it I knew I had an unfair advantage over my daughter who was at school as well as other people who were at work.[/quote] Well, yeah, but then [COLOR=Blue]Mary[/COLOR] basically had the afternoon to work, and you take advantage of what you can get. And at least the [COLOR=DarkGreen]LOLs[/COLOR] didn't win, which would have given them a total of six players. (Bleah, if you ask me. And I ask me. :D ) Here's to teamwork!... [indent][indent]...in the future.... (^_^)[/indent][/indent] [center]--------------------------------------------[/center] Wow. That's one heck of a challenge. I am very glad this'll be going for a week and a half. I'm also glad I get my upcoming performance out of the way Friday night, so I'll be a little less stressed about not practicing. (^_^) Interesting how [COLOR=DarkRed]Sandy[/COLOR] assigned each team a genre corresponding to their name. So, we, the Argonauts, have [COLOR=DarkOrange]Fantastic Adventure[/COLOR]. I'll start thinking about it this evening. In the meantime, any rudimantary ideas for plot/characters/etc.? (Man, [COLOR=Blue]Mom[/COLOR], if only we had gotten Murder/Mystery. I'd be dragging out all my old Conan Doyles and Agatha Christies, and Murder, She Wrote would have come in handy, too. Darn.)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial][B]?So, what do you call a black man in the Air Force flying an F-15??[/B] Darius Sorél glanced around the door to his changing room to locate the speaker. From the way the others were facing, it was one or another of the trapeze boys?Darius could never get any of the quintuplets? names straight. Judging from the joke, though, it was probably Jude; he had a much quicker mind than the rest his family. Darius grinned and returned to his preparations. He?d heard this one before, and it never got old, simply because no one ever saw the joke coming. He waited for someone to bite while sliding into his gaudy pair of shimmering red and gold performance pants. That was pretty much his entire outfit. That, and the body oil he?d have to coat his chest, torso, and face in just before he went out in the ring. Nothing like a sexy, muscular, greased up man tossing fire around to get the ladies gasping. His hair never needed worrying about; it had a natural silky sheen and was extremely wild, so he just let it stand up while he was performing. He bent his tall frame and checked it once in the room?s mirror anyway, and was pleased once again at how strikingly his electric green eyes contrasted with his dark features and his unruly jet-black mop. Straightening, he turned to exit the room. [B]?Oh, Lord, this is messed up.?[/B] [B]?I dunno?missile fodder??[/B] Someone had finally gone for it. Darius stepped through the changing room?s door and leaned against the wall, and his rich voice grabbed everyone?s attention with the punch line: [B]?You call him a [U]pilot[/U], you racist bastards.?[/B] The performers dissolved into relieved laughter. Jude smirked at Darius. [B]?Works every time,?[/B] he said, clasping his hands behind his head in satisfaction. The fire-eater shook his head and moved off in search of a grease girl. -------------------- He stood in the floor entrance to the Nassau Coliseum, toying with his unlit torches. The clowns were just now piling back into their car (it made a VW Bug look like an SUV, he thought for probably the hundredth time) and he?d be on soon. He waited patiently for his cue from the announcer. A hand on his shoulder made him turn around; it was his assistant, Lindsay, with that same warm smile she gave him every performance. Darius smiled back, then twisted his legs around and put his hands on his hips. [B]?Do these panths make me look fat??[/B] he inquired in his best imitation of a fruitcake. Lindsay snorted in amusement and looked away. [B]?Be serious,?[/B] she ordered good-humoredly, grabbing a lighter and touching it to each of his torches? heads in turn. [B]?I would,?[/B] he retorted, [B]?but I had to spoil the mood somehow.?[/B] [B]?Of course you did.?[/B] She punched his arm playfully; Darius retreated in mock alarm. [B]?Thhtop it! You?ll methh up my shine,?[/B] he reproved, affecting an injured tone on top of his pansy accent. Darius abruptly dropped his charade as he heard the announcer begin his intro sequence. He needed to focus now. [B]?Burn ?em up out there,?[/B] Lindsay encouraged. Darius nodded. [B]?You know I will.?[/B] [I]?and now, prepare to be shocked and amazed by the Man who can bend Fire to his will; the man with asbestos in his lungs; the mortal God of the Flame, VULCAN!!!!![/I] Darius sprinted out to center ring on cue, holding his burning torches behind him. Sure, it was a cheesy introduction, but no one ever cared about that with a routine as entrancing as his. He never completely stopped moving, whether he was spinning lit batons while doing complex acrobatics or weaving his body around, swallowing fire and blowing it back out his mouth. Lindsay came out about halfway through his act, helping him with a few juggling timekillers and providing him with more torches to transfer the fire to and from. He let his power seep through occasionally, making certain flames a little larger than normal for effect, or pulling fire off one onto another, but most of his performance was made up of tricks any dedicated illusionist could have pulled off, given enough time. At last, the final stunt arrived. Darius lay his torches aside and was handed a bowl of burning oil, while the announcer boomed something about an offering for the god. The fire-eater held the bowl just under his face, so he could feel the heat rushing up at him; this was what made his act different from the others. He closed his eyes and began to inhale slowly. The flames rose up and swirled gently into his open mouth and nose. Darius continued to breathe in, drawing the fire into himself. It felt wonderfully stimulating inside, and his neck began to arch backwards in response to his pleasure. When his lungs were full, he cast the bowl sharply aside and leaned back, gathering himself for the release as the arena lights darkened. A brilliant gout of flame shot skyward from his mouth, reaching almost to the Coliseum?s cheap seats in height. The crowd gasped and shrieked in awe and astonishment, and a roar of applause erupted immediately. Darius bit off the flame and pulled a sweeping bow before sprinting to the exit. -------------------- The duffel bag containing Darius? supplies and outfit crashed unceremoniously onto his living room couch. No sense in putting them away tonight; he had another show tomorrow afternoon, so why bother? He glanced briefly into his kitchen?the stew in his crock pot looked almost ready?before heading down to the basement. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he made a small gesture and the fourteen candles in the room flared to life. The light revealed a concrete-lined room devoid of furnishings. All of the candles rested on the floor, haphazardly surrounding a large white circle painted on the ground, and the walls bore numerous scorch marks, a tribute to Darius? residency. Darius himself was dressed comfortably in black boots, blue jeans, and a t-shirt. He was fortunate to have found a house with a concrete basement. It made life so much easier not to have to worry about torching the place down while going through his kata, as he like to call his evening routine. He stepped into the circle?s center and calmed himself. After a few moments of stillness, he raised his hands, and fourteen tiny tongues of fire rose into the air, level with his white-shirted chest. He began moving fluidly through some jiu-jitsu forms, the flames following the paths of his hands. He hadn?t actually begun taking jiu-jitsu as a self-defense course; it was simply a matter of finding a safe outlet for his talents, outside of the menial circus job. Martial arts provided him with that bit of focus, and it let him relax besides. He had finished his forms and was just fooling around with his power when he heard a door hinge upstairs complain quietly. He took a fleeting look out of the basement?s tiny high window, and realized that it must have been past eleven in the evening already. The arcs of fire around him swiftly coalesced into a hovering ball in front of him; he took a portion of the sphere?s fire and held it in his mouth, returning the rest to the candles. A black-cloaked figure silently descended the basement stairs. Darius suddenly felt very nervous. He shifted the flame to his nasal passage. [B]?Can I help you??[/B] he asked curtly. [B]?I?m sorry, but I didn?t hear you come in.?[/B] [B]?My apologies, Mister Sorél,?[/B] replied the stranger unremorsefully. The deepness and tambre of the voice gave his gender away. [B]?I come bearing an invitation to see my master,?[/B] he added. [B]?Really,?[/B] answered Darius evenly. [B]?You?ll forgive me if I?m somewhat skeptical of an invitation borne by an uninvited intruder. Would you mind telling me who your ?master? is??[/B] [B]?I am unable to speak of that now.?[/B] [B]?I see. Then I am afraid I must decline your master?s request.?[/B] Darius moved towards the stairs, intending to show the dark man out. [B]?That does not matter,?[/B] the stranger spoke before Darius could reach him, a sinister edge creeping into his voice. [B]?I have been instructed to bring you, whether or not you wish to come.?[/B] Shadows began to churn around the man, spreading out over Darius? basement, and all of the floor candles abruptly extinguished. Darius blew the hidden flame out of his nose and, motioning swiftly, he speared the fire forward where he had last seen the intruder. The man had moved, so Darius seized the moment, flying up the stairs and out his front door. A shadow burst from his basement window and re-formed into the stranger. Darius gathered himself and held his fire steady in front of him, waiting. The dark man charged, and Darius threw up a sheet of fire, spinning safely away?an involuntary [I]Olé![/I] escaped him. He turned and thrust his hands forward, and another spear of fire shot out, this time striking the man?s shoulder. The stranger clutched at his wound and backed away. [B]?You will pay for your defiance, Mr. Sorél!?[/B] he threatened, before his body dissipated into the air. Darius dropped to one knee, completely shocked and a little terrified. [B]?What the hell was that??[/B] he asked of no one in particular. He looked at his lawn; portions of his grass were scorched, which he?d have a tough time explaining to any inquisitive neighbors. He was just thankful no one else had seen his little fight. The thought of his waiting stew cheered him up a little, though. He went back inside to microwave his now cold dinner. [center]-----------------------------------------[/center] Obligatory OOC power clarification: [indent]Darius is (obviously) pyrokinetic. He can control any type of flame at will. He can also start fires, but only if there is a lightable material around, like a match, dead leaves, old rags, etc.; he cannot just manifest fire at will without a source, though once done he can hold it as long as necessary.[/indent][/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Holy crap. What just happened? Ummm, thanks, [COLOR=Blue]Mom[/COLOR] (which is how I shall refer to you in-game from now on), for keeping the team intact with your quickness. You rock. I wish I had known we even had a challenge. I feel useless.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]I am terribly sorry for not getting to this sooner. I have been consumed by ridiculous trivialities of late. Speaking of trivialities, I only have this: [QUOTE][FONT=Arial]The least of his extraordinary talents [B]was that he [U]can could[/U] his eye color[/B] without any outside interference....[/FONT][/QUOTE] I beg your pardon? I hesitate at calling you on such a blatant mishap, but your writing is such that I am not sure whether to assume you miswrote something or if there is a use for [I]could[/I] that I am unaware of. Either way, you still want to get rid of [I]can[/I], to preserve tense and what. [center]-------------------------------------[/center] Actually, I suspected Vincent was male from the beginning, especially in lieu of this excerpt: [QUOTE][FONt=Arial]He was very slender and of slightly short stature, with shimmering black hair that reached his petite shoulders, and skin so vibrant, smooth, and pale that it appeared to be sculpted out of marble. His clothes were less than fashionable, but he carried himself in such an unknowingly extravagant way that, if he were to compete in a beauty contest against Adonis or Narcissus, he would automatically win the prize. There was only one thing that bothered me about this heavenly figure, though, and that was how painfully human he was.[/FONT][/QUOTE] And I got my confirmation a little later: [QUOTE][FONT=Arial]?Edward, cara mia,? I called as I floated off the staircase and danced into the living room. There was an excitable, airy sensation in my body, which was how I usually felt after awakening from a full day?s sleep. I spread my arms out and fluidly pranced about the room, [B]as if I were some sort of undead [U]ballerino[/U].[/B] I was so distracted by my artificial ballet that it took me a while to realize that Edward was not in the house.[/FONT][/QUOTE] I laud you for this. I also am rather taken with Edward, if only because he seems to be a human vampire, if you will. Not much in the way of pretense with him: [QUOTE][FONT=Arial]?Open your goddamned eyes, Vincent.?[/FONT][/QUOTE] I couldn't have said it more precisely (or bluntly, for that matter) myself. I look forward to our next encounter.[/FONT]

[quote name='kalon']I think Argo fits, I like it, and I don't think anyone should doubt why it's a good name for us.[/quote] [FONT=Arial]Agreed on all points. It's a strong name, and it's ours. I have no fault with it. But, as [COLOR=Blue]Shy[/COLOR] and I said, the guidelines didn't say "strong", or even "awesome", or anything like that. The suggestion to change was only put out because, while the name is great [I]and[/I] awesome, it didn't exactly fit the format. Still, no sense prating on about what we did or should've/shouldn't've done (yo, son, double contraction). Look forward now to the rest of the game, and sadly one of us must leave. (Or, "and one of us must leave sadly." Or both. :( ) :animesigh Let's get this over with.[/FONT]

[quote name='Aaryanna][COLOR=Teal']A fair number of the recent suggestions are treading too close to being spammy and not really useful in helping the original poster in choosing a show.[/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Yeah, I know. I was basically just throwing ideas out there; I felt a synopsis for each of my suggestions might have bordered on the tedious. Still, I suppose I can give a quick run-down. Whatever I can't remember, I shall supplement from the glorious source that is Wikipedia. [center]---------------------------------------[/center] [B][U]Neon Genesis Evangelion:[/U][/B] The series starts approximately fifteen years after a cataclysmic event referred to as [I]"Second Impact"[/I]; ostensibly, [I]Second Impact[/I] was caused by a meteorite crashing into Antarctica at the speed of light, and humanity has just recovered from the massive climate shift and ensuing warfare. As the series begins, the city Tokyo-3 is attacked by a large, powerful entity known as an Angel. Conventional weapons are useless against it, since it is capable of generating a impenetrable protective barrier called an AT (Absolute Terror) field, but NERV, a paramilitary organization, combats the angel with a biomechanical mecha they call an Evangelion unit. The Eva's AT field is capable of penetrating the AT field of the Angel, and the Angel is destroyed. The series revolves around Shinji Ikari (son of NERV's commander Gendo Ikari and the eventual pilot of Eva Unit 01), the recurring attacks by the Angels and the purpose behind them, Shinji's relationsips with other NERV members, and what exactly the [I]Second Impact[/I] actually was. References to Judeo-Christian symbols are numerous, and a good part of the series deals with psychoanalyses of the main characters. [B][U]The Big O:[/U][/B] [quote name='Wikipedia][FONT=Arial']Forty years before the series, disaster struck. The world was turned into a vast desert wasteland and the survivors were left without memories.[/FONT][/quote] Seems to be a recurring theme, no? Paradigm City was built after the disaster occurred, taking its name from the Paradigm Corportation, which essentially runs the entire city itself. There are two main sections to the city: large bio-domes that house the city's richer inhabitants, and the area outside the domes where everyone else lives. [I][indent]"In this city, the firm called Paradigm is considered both God and State." [indent]?Roger Smith, Act: 04[/indent][/indent][/I] Roger Smith is the Negotiator for Paradigm City, which means that it is his job to resolve all of the city's recurring problems (socio-economic ones aside, naturally?Roger deals with people). He is also the only possessor and operator of a megadeus, massive mecha from before the disaster. Throughout the series, Roger, aided by his butler Norman Burg (like Bruce Wayne's Alfred, except better), the android R. Dorothy Wayneright, and his megadeus "Big O", attempts to uncover the events of the past and understand why it is that memories are so important. [I][U]The Big O[/U][/I] is done in a film noir style, and is paralleled with [I][U]Batman[/I][/U] on numerous occasions, the most notable being between Paradigm City and Gotham City. [B][U]Wolf's Rain:[/U][/B] Here we are presented with yet another post-apocalyptic society. (I told you there was a bit of a theme to this. :animeswea ) [QUOTE=Wikipedia][FONT=Arial]Wolf's Rain takes place in a post-apocalyptic time when much of the world has been ecologically devastated in a form of fimbulwinter and most people live in poverty. A legend is told in the "Book of the Moon" that wolves are mystical beings who came to the world from a place called Rakuen (Paradise), at the dawn of time. It is also said that, in the future, wolves will, with the help of a mysterious woman called the "Flower Maiden", a being created from the essence of lunar flowers, find a way to return to paradise, and in doing so will make the world start over so it could become a Paradise again. This legend is difficult for most to believe, though, because wolves were thought to have been hunted to extinction nearly 200 years before. Some wolves have survived, though, and have been coexisting with humans right under their noses. The wolves have a way of presenting themselves as being human to other humans, thus they can blend into human society with relatively little notice. This ability is in no way shapeshifting; it is a mental trick, an illusion. . . . . . . . . The story follows a pack of young wolves: Kiba, Tsume, Hige, and Toboe. Each name is the Japanese word for a part of a wolf.[/FONT][/QUOTE] Interesting, that last bit. In order, they mean fang, claw, whisker, and howling. The pack follows Kiba, their accepted leader, on his quest to find Paradise. Along the way they meet and are joined by Cheza (the Flower Maiden) the wolf-dog Blue, and the human Cher Degré. The series, though it moves slowly, is heavily psychological and emotional, and the only series to which I have voluntarily enslaved myself, despite a weeknight airtime. There's honestly not much else I can tell you, except stress the emotional bit. [center]---------------------------------------[/center] That's all I shall hit for now. I leave the rest for others, or for personal Wikipedia searching.[/FONT]

[quote name='Mom']Or rather mine seem a bit less catchy like Team Eternal Unity.[/quote] [FONT=Arial]Yeah, that sound a lot like Team Environment or Team Treehugger or Team Humanlight. *insert odd vocal noise here, showing comic distaste, like [I]"eeenggh"[/I]* But we need to actually [U]come[/U] [U]up[/U] with a new name first, if we really want one. Kinda hard to agree on what isn't there, eh? Continuing my thought from last time about the whole writing bit, and as corny as this sounds to me, how about [B]Team Penmaster[/B]? (Reminds me of the Neverending Story, or Pagemaster.) I feel like I kind of need to suggest [I]something[/I], or else we might all end foundering in indecision, you know? If it sounds stupid, it'll sound stupid, so throw some thoughts down. (^_^) (Yeah, that smilie was random.)[/FONT]

[quote name='MistressRoxie][color=#9933ff']I used to feel really left out too because no one ever sent me even 1 single rose. ;_; However last year, my friends and I "hinted" to each other that we'd send one another roses. So I got a few roses and they got some, and it made everyone feel special. It didn't have to be a romantic, "ooh, so and so has a g/f or b/f and they're so special" - we made it into a show of friendship. ^_^ [/color][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Yeah, there is that angle as well. I confess that hadn't occured to me.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Of the one's I've seen and liked, I'd have to agree with [COLOR=DarkRed]2007DigitalBoy[/COLOR] on [B]Evangelion[/B]. It's pretty psychologically intense. But since you've watched FMA, I think you'll like it. Others along the psychological line are [B]Wolf's Rain[/B], [B]Trigun[/B], [B]Cowboy Bebop[/B] (there's a storyline there, but you have to look for it?it's great, though), [B]The Big O[/B], and to a lesser extent, [B]Eureka 7[/B]. [B]Ghost in the Shell[/B] and [B]Trinity Blood[/B] are amazing, but you have to be a mental person to appreciate them completely; Trinity Blood's Abel Nightroad actually reminds me a bit of Trigun's Vash the Stampede, except more utterly inept-acting. [B]Furi Kuri[/B], also called Folly Cooly, or FLCL, is a six-episode parody of everything. Even John Woo. [B]InuYasha[/B] is pretty popular, so you'll probably dig it. [B]Bleach[/B] is great from what I've seen so far, so I'll go ahead and recommend it as well. Along the same fighting lines, [B]Rurouni Kenshin[/B] is a good one to look at, too. Sorry I had to put everything all in one paragraph for you, but I don't really want to give too much away. You can take a look at these to see what interests you, and occasionally some things'll show on[/FONT] [size=1][adult swim][/size] [FONT=Arial], but you'll have to decide for yourself on a lot of this stuff. -A[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]If I may clarify something for a second: Candy-grams. Think "telegram", but with candy attached to it. Just a little Valentine's Day message which provides the perfect excuse for a school fundraiser, like [COLOR=DarkRed]Panda[/COLOR] pointed out. You write down a little message, address it to somebody-or-other, hand over a buck, and the Student Council (or whoever happens to be running the fundraiser at the moment) takes caer of the candy and the sending. These things never bothered me that much. True, I was never the recipient of one, but neither did I send any out, so what did I expect? I mean, I had friends, and I knew who they were, and I knew they didn't just hang around me to make me feel better (like the treatment some people got for a week), or because I was smart or had cool stuff (both of which were true, incidentally), so I never actually saw any purpose to them besides just being another fundraiser. I was always rather amused when they were delivered, though. It was almost like a contest to see who got the most 'grams. [I]"Ooh, you got one from [B]him[/B]?"[/I] Jays, seventh grade and people were wigging out over this stuff, like getting a boyfriend or girlfiend was a kind of status symbol. No one had a clue what they were doing or what "dating" was (I don't like that concept, actually; it treats women too casually for my liking?but of that another time), but it never failed to provide me with hours of entertainment. As to the people who might have their feelings hurt, I have three things to say: [list=1][*]If they're an idiot, don't worry about it. You know who I'm talking about. [*]If you know who it is, you know they'd like to get one, and they're [U]not[/U] an idiot, think about sending one anyway. [*]Chances are, some of the people who don't get any (like me) really don't mind at all. But you have to look to find out whether this or #2 is true.[/list] No, they shouldn't stop selling them; it's a great way to get the school money, and at the same time provides students with a little excitement, however misguided it may be. (^_^) Oh, and, ummm, watch what you type. That was ridiculously interesting to decipher. Especially the part where you said you thought something "personality". :therock:[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Yo, guys, lay off the poor dude. His arguments may be verbosely meaningless, and somewhat irritating sometimes, but he just likes to hear himself talk. That's about it. That's all this thread is here for. So, come on. Somebody out-blither him already. (^_^)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Oh, good. This must be my lucky week; I keep finding good stories to read in here. I can't [I]tell[/I] you how refreshing that is. [quote name='Clurr][FONT=Arial][SIZE=1]There are undoubtedly gajillions of errors, and if you happen upon one, try to ignore it and continue. :][/SIZE'][/FONT][/quote] Oh, posh. To both statements. Besides, I only have two little things?one's a bit nit-picky, true, but the other is purely informational. [QUOTE][FONT=Arial][I]God damn it, Nils,[/I] I thought, [I]if you left me at this gathering of idiots...[COLOR=Red][B].[/B][/COLOR][/I] I rubbed my eyelids in frustration....[/FONT][/QUOTE] The ending period isn't included in the ellipsis. So three dots beginning- and mid-sentence, and four at the end of one. [QUOTE][FONT=Arial]Then came the muffled screams -- both of them simultaneously.[/FONT][/QUOTE] I just got this bit straightened out myself the other day. There are two types of dashes: [B]em[/B] dashes and [B]en[/B] dashes. En dashes are used for conneting numbers or dates, like saying a meeting lasted from 1:00?2:00, or instead of a hyphen, like in "pre?Medieval years". Em dashes are similar to semicolons. From the way you used this one, I assume you already know this, but I bet you didn't know that you can use Word to give you the right dash and copy-paste over to the OB. Word automatically corrects "p--p" to "p?p", and "p -- p" to "p ? p". Also, it seems that there aren't any spaces between words when you use the em dash?you just connect them, like so. Like I said, I just learned all this the other day, so don't think I'm calling you a doofus or anything. I just want to pass on the knowledge. Upon further thought, I will agree with the [COLOR=DarkRed]Lady A.[/COLOR] on your first sentence. Just a comma will do. [center]--------------------------------[/center] I thoroughly enjoyed the way you portrayed the stupidity of the vampire wannabes. It made me smile. (Without fangs, naturally.) I also liked seeing vampires as real people; Belá Lugosi's version is all well and good, but this seems much more authentic. I will also [I]disagree[/I] with the [COLOR=DarkRed]Lady A.[/COLOR]'s second issue. I felt absolutely fine with the way Amelia developed; she felt pretty female-ish to me the entire time, so you're good. And vampires are reported to be rather ambiguous in their sexuality anyway, so I'd think that the wannabes would love the excuse for a bit of cross-teaming. (^_^) [quote name='The Lady A.][FONT=Arial][B]Favourite. Line. Ever.[/B'][/FONT][/quote] I'll second that. That rocked. And I liked the line at the end. Finish with a song snippet, no? Thank you for posting this. It was a pleasure.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Hmm. It seems we meet again. [quote name='Adahn']There you are, probably sitting in a chair in front of a computer screen, and you're being asked why.[/quote] "Why", you ask? It's quite simple really. I give you the answer in one word. [I]Because.[/I] (Let's see where the rabbit hole takes us, hmm?)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Wow. Guess someone finally answered that ridiculous sex question. Thanks for getting the game going again. (Whoa, Too many 'G's) [QUOTE=takoyuki]would you rather be able to fly or run at supersonic speeds?[/QUOTE] Running at supersonic speeds would be terribly boring, and my calves would burn horribly after about ten minutes. Besides, flying would be incredibly peaceful and relaxing, so I think I'll go with it. Naturally, I'd want wings like Archangel's. Would you rather... ...be killed by the fumes of rotten sardines? or ...choke to death very slowly on a salami? No one is around to rescue you in either case.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]You know, this is just me being dorky, but seeing as we've got one Mom and four ... "children", as it were, what about [B]Team Sitcom[/B]? :animesigh I'm not really serious, of course.... (Honestly, I still haven't got a stinkin' clue. I always hated the "team name" part of group events.) Oh, wait a second. Looking back at our listed strengths, we all said either Creative Writing or RPGs. Aren't RPGs just a subset of writing creatively? I mean, the only difference is that RPers have to work together with their group instead of controlling everything themselves. What if we looked at names from [U]that[/U] angle? (I'm pretty boring when it comes to name selection, so I'd prefer to leave that little bit of creativity to you guys. Otherwise we might end up sounding like we're all a hundred and thirty years old. :p )[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Hey. So let me say first that, even though I didn't feel like I had enough time or experience to participate in the RP, I had every intention of following it, should it have got up and running. I am therefore quite pleased to see [U]Majestic XII[/U] over here because I really want to see where you were heading with it. So far, I like it. It has a touch of the MiB feel to it without so much of the "solo-agent-blowing-everything-to-kingdom-come" aspect. And sans the comedy. Before I say anything else, though, I have protocol that's itching the back of my head, and so I must be Editor Man. (V_V) [center]-----------------------------[/center] Quick preface: I'm not picking at you to be mean or because I think you're a crappy writer. I'm picking at you because I think you're good enough to be picked at, instead of having me waste your time with things like paragraphs and motion and stuff you've already got a good grip on. I'll tell you if I think something's off, but I'll also see if I can show you how to make it better. My teachers always did this for me, so I'm just doing what works. (^_^) [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]...but the fear, causing [B]pheromones[/B] to release in her brain, forced her to carry on.[/FONT][/QUOTE] Not sure that that's the word you want there. I would say [B]adrenaline[/B], but [B]hormones[/B] would work as well. (Pheromones are specific to animals and are used to transmit messages between two animals of the same species, whereas hormones are used to send messages from one part of the body to another. Just so ya know. :) ) Also, I'd ditch the comma after "burned". Try it both ways; if that's not the way you want the sentence to feel, then keep it there, but I don't think it's necessary.[/FONT] [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]With a crouch and a leap, he knocked her to the [B]floor[/B], landing on top of her.[/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]Ground, pavement, sidewalk, street, etc., etc. This is outside, so watch yourself for uniformity. [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]She began to scream, but he stabbed something into her arm, rendering her unable to scream, but still able to struggle.[/FONT][/QUOTE] This sentence feels odd. No, I take that back; only the last two phrases feel weird. I think it's all the repetitions: "to scream" and "but". Not sure what to tell you here, 'cause I don't know what you want. Hmm. I like the struggling visual, but perhaps that's what's hindering the flow there. What if you just let her go limp and be forced to watch the Scavenger helplessly? You're call, naturally. [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Something suddenly whizzed past her [strike]and the monster[/strike] and slammed into the ground....[/FONT][/QUOTE] Reference: [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Five people were standing in the mouth of the alley....[/FONT][/QUOTE] The alley is behind her right? (Well, she's prone, so that would be towards her feet, really. Behind the monster.) They way you wrote that gives the image that the bullet passed her first, but she's in front of the Scavenger, so that doesn't make any sense. If they are turned then I'd provide that information earlier, but otherwise, I'd drop "and the monster", and possibly add "[past her] head". But that's me. [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] The creature stopped its [strike]relentless[/strike] attack and turned its attention to the direction the bullet had come from.[/FONT][/QUOTE] That sounds like he's been beating her furiously since he knocked her down. Unless, of course, he [I]has[/I] been.... [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Five people were standing in the mouth of the alley[COLOR=Red]. O[/COLOR]ne of them, a tall, thick-set young Hispanic man....[/FONT][/QUOTE] [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]Ricardo stepped up to the fighting pair[COLOR=Red][B],[/B][/COLOR] and loaded his handgun with a clip that [B]glowed[/B] a gentle green in the darkness of the night.[/FONT][/QUOTE] It's terribly difficult to edit commas easily here on the boards, so just drop the one I highlighted. [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode][B]"Hi,"[/B] said one of them, a pretty woman with dark red hair and green eyes, to the injured female on the [B]floor[/B] beside the creature[B][COLOR=Red].[/COLOR][/B][/FONT][/QUOTE] There's that pesky wandering floor again. (^_^) Oh, and use a period where I marked it. It'll help. [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode] She loaded a syringe with a strange blue serum and injected the whole lot into the young woman's neck. [B]She[/B] passed out straight away.[/FONT][/QUOTE] You know how your English teacher always bugs you about pronouns? This is why. Now, I know the first "she" references Jane and the second "she" references the prostrate woman, but it takes a second to get that. The way it reads now makes it seem like Jane injected the woman and then passed out. Funny, but not what you wanted. (^_^)[/FONT] [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode][B]"Guys, a little quiet here if you don't mind[COLOR=Red]?[/COLOR]"[/B][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]Either that or have him request it instead of ask it. Easier to keep it a statement that way.[/FONT] [QUOTE][B][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode]"I have Wynonah on the case, and you know how good she is. She'll find the cause of the problem [strike]and you know she will[/strike]."[/FONT][/B][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]Make it sound authoritative, final. "She'll find it." End of story. [center]-----------------------------[/center] As far as speech goes, you're almost fine; I only have a few things. First, branch out with your verbs, there. Right now all you have is "said" and "asked", which doesn't make for much diversity. Admittedly, you're going to use them a lot anyway, but try to plug in things that'll help you express emotion more, like stated, spoke, commanded, shouted, screamed, whispered, etc. Second, your punctuation in the center thoughts is a little off. E.g.:[/FONT] [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode][B]"Step away from the lady,"[/B] said the man ... trenchcoat draped over them, [B]"And put your hands in the air, Scavenger."[/B][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]With this sentence, your center phrase is too long for both statements to be one sentence, so you'll have to put a period after "them". This isn't necessary al the time, though:[/FONT] [QUOTE][FONT=Lucida Sans Unicode][B]"Adam,"[/B] said Ricardo, coming over to him, [B]"I don't like where this is going...."[/B][/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]That one's absolutely fine; it reads as a mid-sentence pause, which adds effect. Make sure that if you do this, you don't capitalize the first word of the second spoken phrase. It's still one sentence, after all. The narrator just interrupted it with description. Also, you aren't required to put your dialogue at the beginning of the paragraph all the time. New paragraphs occur with a change in speaker, not just when the speaker starts. E.g.:[/FONT] [QUOTE=Allamorph][FONT=Arial]Dylan approached his commander casually. [B]"So, boss, you want we should take him down together?"[/B] he queried, nodding towards the arena's third occupant. [B]"No,"[/B] Jason responded, shaking his head. [B]"It'll look suspicious if we both win; we'll have to fight each other."[/B] Dylan blinked. [B]"You're joking."[/B] [B]"I know this is weird, but we don't have many options. Just work with me on this one,"[/B] requested the cyborg as he walked to where his given weapons lay.[/FONT][/QUOTE] [FONT=Arial]It varies the pace and makes things more interesting for reader and writer alike. [center]-----------------------------[/center] Like I said, I like the concept and can't wait to see where you go with it. I enjoyed the image of a business-suited man wearing Converses and the glowing green magazine. (Ooh. That rhymes.) I kind of have to run, so that's about all I can say right now. Don't take anything I said too harshly; I only told you stuff to make you better, not to drag you down. Later -A[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Great job on the banners, [COLOR=Blue]Zeke[/COLOR]. I like both of them. And good choice of font. (I know that sounds odd, but still.) As far as personal preference goes, I'd vote for #2?I like the darker tone and the shading near the corners. Incidentally, I can see the hero perfectly, and I like the detail for the armor and the ram's head, which is another reason I'll call for it. I will ask this, though: what would #2 look like if it had the black border from #1? [center]---------------------------[/center] Ah! I completely forgot about Clue. And Sorry, and Chutes and Ladders, and Othello, and Checkers, and Mancala, and.... But not Parchesi. Parchesi is bad. I don't even care if I misspelled it. :p [B]What is your favorite color?[/B] [quote name='Aaryanna_Mom']I always hate this question, for the simple reason that there are so many colors that I do like![/quote] I know what you mean. I love the way everything outside fits together, too. I had to ask, though, 'cause there are random people who adore one specific shade of a color, say, Lavender, and don't care so much about anything else. I like dark colors, in the same way that I like those gloomy, misty, wet days that everyone else seems to think are completely gross. It ? or they ? is/are quite soothing. My room is painted navy blue (which is admittedly a little too dark, and terrible for waking up, because sunlight doesn't actually light the room that much, so I never know it's daylight untill about 10:30 ? it kind of feels like a cave, or a den), but I also like the royalty shade of purple, and dark green, burgundy, deep orange, etc. Yellow always feels a little offensive.[/FONT] [B]What superpower would you most like to have?[/B] [FONT=Arial]I'd initially go for some elemental control power, but I can't make up my mind. I kind of feel like Robert Frost, actually: [indent][I][U]Fire and Ice[/U] Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice. [indent]-Robert Frost[/indent][/I][/indent] Upon further thought, I do have another one. Mental projection, for lack of a better phrase, and not to be confused with being psychic. (What do you call that, anyway? Psychic-ness? Psychicality? Psychosis? :) ) The ability to allow others to see what I see in my head, or to project it onto my surrounding environment. Kind of like a living holodeck.[/FONT] [size=1][B]Fun trip:[/B][/size] [FONT=Arial]In the spring of my junior year of high school, our band was invited to march in Chicago's Saint Patrick's Day parade, and we accepted the invitation as our semi-annual band trip. (My freshman year we went to the Bahamas. :D ) On the way into Chi', we drove through a snowfall. Being from good ole' Tan-ah-say, us poor rednecks had never had a decent snow?a quarter-inch was considered a blizzard. So we were understandably geeking out to see quarter-sized [I]flakes[/I] falling outside the bus windows, and when we arrived at our hotel a snowball fight tried to break out. Unfortunately, one of the chaperones didn't like fun that much, so the fight died pretty quickly. The parade day was [I][B]frikkin' cold[/B][/I], more so because of the biting wind than the actual temperature. (There must have been a wind chill of twenty degrees.) So instead of braving the possibility of frosbite and lips permanently frozen to cold, metal mouthpieces, we adopted the penguins' tactic and made a gigantic brass huddle for warmth. (With our black jackets and white dress bibbers, we probably [U]looked[/U] a lot like peguins, too.) Everyone took their turn on the outside and the inside, so all were happy. (It was the closest that certain tuba players were ever going to get to women.) So we marched a relatively short parade, for the wait we had to put up with, and I had a camera shoved in my face (I was sorely tempted to bap the cameraman with my slide, but I was in full Band Pride mode and refused to even acknowledge his presence), and afterwards some random people handed out free cans of Coke with Lime, which made us happy. Mountain Dew would have made me very happy.... Our town was announced incorrectly by the emcee, who somehow got the impression that we were from Kentucky. (Kentucky is to Tennessee as Mississippi is to The South....) We got that rectified, though. The rest of the day was spent recovering until that evening, when we went to hear the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which was a major deal. The program included some piece or other by Mozart (now, I like Mozart, but I can't seem to stay awake for any of his music), a cello concerto (which was pretty good), and Béla Bartók's [I]Concerto for Orchestra[/I], which was the highlight of the evening and [U]simply[/U] [U]amazing[/U]. The timpanist played so hard that his mallet snapped at the end of the concerto and the head (the part with the fuzzy knob-lookin' thing, for all you poor non-music people) flew up as high as the seating behind the orchestra pit, which is about thirty feet. We toured the city the next day, which included the Sears Tower. The elevator up to the top of the Tower goes about 70 MPH, so if you ever ride it, yawn all the way up so your ears won't pop continuously. Or chew some gum at about 70 MPH. Either way. While up there, we were basically able to see the entire city, which was pretty cool, especially the green river. (The right to pour the green dye in had been sold on eBay, incidentally.) We also got a tour of all the cultural mini-cities around the area, went to the Aquarium, attended a medieval joust/tourament/play/thingummy, and took a dinner cruise out on the bay. I naturally had to ask for sweet tea, just to mess with our poor northern waiter. He then told me he was from the South as well, and he was pretty much forced to tell us that "the sugar was on the table" because no one up there knew how to make the stuff. Silly Yankees. (^_^) All they have to do is ask. Aside from the CSO, my favorite parts of the whole trip were actually seeing the Chicago Transit Authority building (if you're not a [I]Chicago[/I] fan, then not only do I pity you, but you have no idea what I'm talking about) and getting to eat authentic Chicago Deep Dish Pizza at [B]Pizzaria Uno's[/B], where the style was invented. Holy Moses, but that was an amazing pizza. The crust was fesh and spongey (that sounds nasty, but trust me, it's not), soaking up the sauce, and there were fresh peeled tomato chunks on it. I hate tomatos, but that still says something to me. (One of my friends wondered if we said it was horrible, would we get a second pizza free. We couldn't bring ourselves to say it, though. It was that good. And I could only eat a slice and a half of the medium size we ordered, which is a very low count for me.) I've rambled enough. Time for another question. [B]Do you play/enjoy video games, and if so, what are your five favorites?[/B] [center]------------------------------[/center] So, [COLOR=Blue]Shy[/COLOR], [COLOR=Blue]Zeke[/COLOR], you've been here longest. What do you think [COLOR=DarkRed]Sandy[/COLOR] might have up his sleeve? Oh, and [COLOR=Blue]Kathy[/COLOR], ma'am, I am in a rather awkward situation. My nature makes me uncomfortable calling you by your first name, even if you don't particularly mind that much, but saying "Mrs. Kathy" feels ever so slightly elementary. What would you have me do?[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Ooh, writing-based. What fun. [strike]I'll get mine up tomorrow; I just want a chance to mull, but I also want to throw my name in here.[/strike] [quote name='Blayze']- Allamorph, when you make your sign-up properly, please use it to replace the post you already made.[/quote] But of course, [I]mon capitaine[/I]. [center]---------------------------------------------[/center] [I]?Ooh, my head.[/I] His eyes opened groggily, then snapped shut as sunlight seared into them. His head twisted to the side, and his body followed the motion, rolling him onto his stomach to avoid the glare. His head swam, and he found it difficult to think straight. [I]?What the hell did I drink?[/I] It took him a few seconds to notice the sand he was eating, and he pushed himself sharply to his knees, coughing and spitting. The light still hurt, so he shielded his face with his arm, letting his eyes adjust until he could look around without blinking so durn much. The ocean lay before him; the beach he was on stopped about six feet in front of him, and the water stretched completely to the horizon. He looked to his left, then stood and turned in a complete circle, seeing nothing but sand, the sea, and some vegitation behind where he had first been facing. Dumbfounded, he glanced down at himself. He was wearing a loose grey t-shirt over his moderately built chest, khaki shorts, and a pair of generic athletic shoes. There was a white tan line on his left wrist in the shape of a watch; it must have been taken. Oddly, he couldn't remember what the watch had looked like. Then it occured to him that he didn't even know what [U]he[/U] looked like. He waded out past the surf line and studied the water's surface. A lightly tanned face looked back at him. His hair was brown and close-cropped, his features were firm, and he could barely make out the gray color of his eyes. [I]?That's odd,[/I] he thought. [I]?Why don't I recognize myself? And who am I?[/I] He dug through his pockets; nothing. No wallet, no keys, nothing, except a small sheet of folded paper. He drew it out and opened it. [I]"Welcome to the Game, Marcus."[/I] "The Game?" he spoke aloud for the first time. "What game?" He remembered his name, then. He was Marcus?how could he have forgotten? Of course, there wasn't a lot he actually [U]could[/U] remember right now....[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Right, then it's decided. [COLOR=Blue]Kathy[/COLOR], ma'am, you are our Fearless Leader. And if everyone seems to like [B]Team Argo[/B], let's roll with it. And hey, argonauts, the golden fleece, [COLOR=DarkOrange]dark orange[/COLOR]?it all fits together. (^_^) As for banner thoughts ? jays, I can't think of anything right now. My artistic vision is decent, but it takes about a couple of hours to boot up, like a Dell from '98. Back to the questions. (This is most entertaining.) [B]What is your RSI?[/B] This question came up because after nineteen years I have refused to relenquish even a microt of my imagination to the inevitable maturity (which makes for a very interesting combination, let me tell you), so my mind is always visualizing anything I can't directly see. And occasionally even revisualizing the things I [I]can[/I] see. I tend to see myself as a man in a black formal suit with a light, black overcoat, black gloves, a black cane, and a black fedora with a medium-length, dark red plume in the band, leaning against some wall or other. The fedora usually covers my eyes, and I typically don't move when I speak unless I wish to add to my words' effect. If I ever decide to request an avi/banner set, it'll probably reflect this.[/FONT] [Size=1][B]What is your favorite animal?[/B][/Size] [FONT=Arial]I have four, and they're related by like pairs. I am at the same time a dog- and cat-lover; my favorite cat would be the Russian Blue because its fur is so quietly beautiful, and my favorite dog is the Siberian Husky because they're about as close to wolves as I am ever going to get. Which moves me on to the next two, the Black Panther and the Wolf. I feel a lot of kinship to these two because they both embody characteristics I desire: the panther, with its calm, deadly grace; the wolf, with its fierce nobility. Also, I believe my preference of domestic animals is a reflection of these two.[/FONT] [B]What is your favorite type of book and why?[/B] [FONT=Arial]I sway back and forth in my reading material, so I don't really have a favorite [I]type[/I], per sé. I do stay away from romance (it's too cheesy) and all the StarWars/D&D/Halo spinoffs, but as long as it's well written, I enjoy it. And if it's real, then more points. Comedy (Douglas Adams), fantasy (McCaffrey/Brooks/Tolkien), sci-fi (Orson Scott Card), action (Ian Fleming), murder/mystery (Conan Doyle, Christie), reality (Sigrid Undset) etc., I just love reading.[/FONT] [B]What would be your preferred method of world domination?[/B] [FONT=Arial]Like [COLOR=Blue]Zeke[/COLOR], I am not interested in world domination, but for different reasons. I am the guy who sits back in the shadows and watches the world until his intervention is necessary. I keep all those peculiar people who wish for world domination in check. I'm not so much the hero, though, as the anti-villain.[/FONT] [size=1][B]What board games or card games are your favorites?[/B][/size] [FONT=Arial]I enjoy thought-related games, like Risk, Axis and Allies, Stratego, Scrabble (unless my mother's playing?even with my vocabulary, I can never beat her), and Monopoly (unless my father's playing, but I have no idea how [I]he[/I] always wins). I actually know how to play Bridge. Don't laugh at me. [I]Stop it!![/I] :( (I'm going to go cry now.) As for other games, I enjoy ERS, rummy, and hearts, and I have the layouts to the Sidewalk, TriPeaks, Tut's Tomb, and Freecell versions of Solitaire memorized. I prefer Freecell, because it is ridiculously hard. Righty-O. Next up (and I'm sorry if I sound like another Guru quiz): [B]What is your favorite color?[/B] [center]-----------------------------------[/center] [quote name='kalon]The Unmistakables, hmm, [B]Shade[/B']?[/quote] Oh, cut me some slack. I was planning on citing you. (^_^)[/FONT]

[quote name='White][COLOR=DimGray][FONT=Tahoma]Silly. White Day is when you send all the chocolate to me. :)[/FONT'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Arial]Dang it, man! [I]I[/I] was going to make that joke. Crud.[center]Well, since I'm here....[/center] I should probably send little thingies to my lady friends, since I'm such the gentleman. (Nobody barf.) Other than that, though, I ain't gunna be doin' much. Unless I get randomly snagged again in the next three weeks. (Boy, was [I]that[/I] relationship out of the blue.)[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial]Mmm. I had hoped to wait until [COLOR=Blue]Mrs. Kathy[/COLOR] had joined us, but my time today is limited, and so.... [quote name='Ezekiel][Size=1']There's not much to know about me....[/Size][/quote] I disagree, but then I am a staunch optimist when it comes to persons; I refuse to believe anyone is a boring vegetable of a person. Don't be so self-depricating. (^_^) It occurs to me that we've given almost no thought to a team name. This is only Day 1, so naturally things are a little slow, but since we are currently the most active team, I feel we need to keep these things in mind. I kind of like [B]The Argonauts[/B] myself, but then I get the feeling that we're all just deferring to the first person to say [I]"Hey, what about this?"[/I]. Besides, it's catchy and all, but does it really describe us? [quote name='Sandy][FONT=Century Gothic']Having your team named after an administrator doesn?t describe you guys very well....[/FONT][/quote] I feel certain that [COLOR=DarkRed]Sandy[/COLOR] didn't just say that to hear himself talk ... er, type, so I'm assuming that it's inherent in the challenge. When [COLOR=Blue]Mrs. Kathy[/COLOR] arrives, we'll know a bit more. ...of course, we could always go with [B]The Unmistakables[/B]. :smirk: [COLOR=Blue]Zeke[/COLOR], by all means be our flag designer. You're the only one among us who claims giftedness in that area, so I feel you the most qualified. Take it and roll with it. Oh, and [B]Team Dagger[/B] is also looking at [COLOR=Green]Green[/COLOR], and somewhat at [COLOR=DarkOrange]Orange[/COLOR], so if we really want either of them, we'd better grab them now. [center]---------------------------------[/center][/FONT] [Size=1][B]What do you do for fun outside the internet?[/B][/size] [FONT=Arial]Answered, but left up for [COLOR=Blue]Mrs. Kathy[/COLOR]'s benefit. [B]What is your favorite season, and why?[/B] I prefer winter; it's colder, snows occasionally, and I get to wear long sleeves and my black wool overcoat without being overly uncomfortable. Also, like [COLOR=Blue]Zeke[/COLOR], I don't cope well in heat: I get migraines very easily and find it difficult to breath. Winter feels wonderful. Although, I also like that really short period of time in late Fall / early Spring when the temperature is about 76 or so and there's always a breeze blowing. That's the best time to go adventuring.[/FONT] [Size=1][B]Are there any odd tricks you've discovered you can pull off?[/B][/size] [FONT=Arial]I can fold my tongue over itself like an envelope (tip to back) and hold it there with my saliva. (Nothing says "gross" like "saliva". :p ) Also, after a rather long ear infection, I was forced to hear everything in one ear a half-tone lower than in the other. It was like always playing two keys on a piano next to each other, except in conversation. And I can cross one eye at a time. :drunk: The difference is that that smilie's drunk, and I don't do that. I plan on tasting liquor at some point, but not to excess. Incidentally, touching one's eyeball only requires a small exertion of will. (Translation: I can do that, too....)[/FONT] [B]If you could take a trip to any one place in the world, where would you want to go and why?[/B] [FONT=Arial]Aww crap. I can't choose one. I gotta go two again?Ireland and Russia. Reasons: [U]Ireland[/U] [list][*]Language ? I love the Irish/Gaelic accent. It's gorgeous to hear, and difficult for me to accurately immitate. [*]Land ? Well, duh. It's Ireland. It's not the U.S., and therefore is probably beautiful in its own right. I don't know enough to say anything specific, but I just want to see it. [*]Liquor ? Ale and mead (at least, I hope there's mead). They're both ancient, and one's made with honey.[/list] [U]Russia[/U] [list][*]Language ? I've wanted to learn Russian for about three years now. It too sounds beautiful, but in a different, borschty way. [*]Land ? It's cold there, for one. Also, looking at all the old cathedrals (and the new ones) would just make my life. [*]Liquor ? Vodka. Not Smirnoff, mind, though I've hear that it's good too. Real Russian Vodka, from the inventors of vodka. If you want the good stuff, you go to the source.[/list] Right. Since we seem to be answering everything (a rather good idea), I shall ask this: [B]What is your Residual Self Image (RSI)?[/B] In other words, how do you appear to yourself when you're on the OB? (Think [I]The Matrix[/I], but less of the massive hordes of guns and general kick-a**ery.)[/FONT]