Charles

I look for robins, dandelions, and bees. When I see my first robin, in particular, I know that spring is near. Spring also has a certain smell to it. I don't know if anyone else picks that up, but the air has a certain freshness to it. It's a lot different from the winter's brisk air. Those of you who live in a crowded city might have a hard time picking that up, but it's a fantastic smell. Lastly, the legs come out from their hibernation. Women really start bringing out the revealing clothing. Heh.

I'm sorry postbagboy, but 9/11 discussion has been done to death. And--I have a sneaking suspicion that this thread won't provoke any worthwhile discussion. The fact that the stories you provided are all based on speculation and coincidence, spells out a recipe for disaster.

We already have a thread dedicated to this topic, [URL=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?threadid=22146]HERE[/URL]. Please post your [intelligent] opinions there. It's not hard to miss, since it's the most active topic in the lounge right now. We really don't need a bunch of war topics floating around.

I like it. I did some portrait drawing myself last semester. At first, I had a problem where I would try to pack too much detail into one place while under time constraints. So, I find your shading technique very impressive. The detail is well distributed and I can get a sense of where the light is coming from. What kind of pencil did you use? Or was it charcoal? It looks very soft. Nice work.

[quote]My eyes were fixed on his features. Brown hair, crimson eyes full of some chaotic crux. Tired demeanor, a quizzical grin that stared back at me back. His face was light with a mechanically rancid eloquency. But there was some tone of kindness in the way he held out his hand. I ruffled my books into my other hand, meeting his outspread palm. "Jice, you are too kind," he said. "Too kind indeed." "As are you I suppose," I said as we shook hands. Holding in my inner revolt for this vile man, I smiled. Once we finally stopped shaking hands I began turning away, but I was stopped as the man placed his hand on my shoulder. His grip was tight. "Jice, we are not finished!" he said, his hands ripping into my skin through my shirt. Trembling, I turned around and faced him. "Wha--what do you want?" I said, meeting his eyes. "What do I want? Hmm? Well, what do you think I want?" He said. "I--I don't know. But I really have to check out my books and?" "-Jice! We have more important things--don't you remember?" I realized something. He knew my name and I hadn't even told him. I hadn't even told him. As this dawned on me, I began stepping backwards as if I was in some trance. I cowered back like an animal being stalked by a tiger. "I--I really do have to be going," I managed to say. "Stop, don't take one more step. Not one more step! Now listen--listen!" he said. I willed myself to stop. but I kept going and going. I began to turn around, to start into a fast-paced run. I began to lose any sense of where I was or what was happening or going on. Everything was a blur, I ran and ran. People flew by. I saw faces [strike]reverberating[/strike] whizzing by, blurring into one gigantic puddle of colors. No one turned to look at me, not one cared... I heard that man screaming so far off. I pretended not to hear, I just ran and ran. And then I was almost to the exit of the library, almost there. I saw a serne light as I approached, I saw the beautiful flare of the window. The wonderful, wonderful god-giving door. My escape. Then I wasn't running anymore. I tried and tried to run only to find that I was standing again. And the man grinned back at me, wild-eyed, all dramatic-like. His eyes pierced into me like some wild card tsunami storm. I flinched, feeling frantic tears wallowing into my eyes. "Jice, I told you to listen, and then this would've all been so easy. But I guess they always do have to do it the hard way. I guess so," he said. "Do--do--what? What do you want? What?" I said, the tears blurring my eyes as I held the back. "If you come with me, you'll find out my dear, dear Jice. So this time, how about you listen?" he said, raising his eyebrows. I followed his eyes. They were burning red now, firey and ashen. "And what if I come with you, whoever you are? What then?" "What does it matter? Just know you're going where you belong, Jice." "Where I belong? Where I belong? How would you know where I belong?" "Listen, Jice, this is the last time I'm going to ask nicely: Come with me, or else. And you don't want to know the what else, trust me," he said. And this time I believed him. There was some sparkle in his eye that sympathized with me. Some kind of suave nicety. I sniffled as tears ran down my cheeks. "How..how long will I be gone? I have a family, I have a daughter. How long?" "Not long," he said. There was some finality in his words. "Fine. But you better not be lying, and this better not be some kind of setup. Because you know, this is rather strange. Stopping me here in a library like this and all." "Yes. Come, come over here," he said. I followed. We came to an over-turned book shelf. I wiped my tears away, holding the rest I had back. This was so surreal, not one person had even turned nor tried to even speak to me. Not one person had even looked at me as I ran. Not one. No one. I pinched myself to see if this was all just a dream. Nope, no dream. If only it was. I waited for the man's next directions. "You see this over-turned book shelf here, Jice? You see it? Well look closer, on the other side of it," he said. I did as he said. My heart escaped into the edge of my gullet. There on the ground lay my own body. I stumbled over the messes of books and leaned over my fallen body. I couldn't believe what I was seeing as I on-looked at my own corpse. My own face, hands, everything. It was me. Turning for a second to check around the library for anything else as strange as this, I saw that man right in back of me. I stumbled back, startled. "Don't be startled, Jice," he said. "I'm certain you've realized what has happened by now. I'm very sorry. It all ends here." I looked at him. I was bewhildered; my mouth hung open in a startled gape. "My god," was all I managed to say. I turned and looked at my real self, slapping it, punching it. I screamed. It was so unfair, so very unfair. "Why? Why did this happen?" I asked the man, the tears returning. "You know why, Jice. You know very well why, you sinner." He was right, it was all my doing. I looked at my dead body, looked at what was in my dead hands. It was a small tissue of paper. Unfolding it, I looked at the same image that I had kept with me my entire life, the same words. It was a picture of my Father. He had died accidently at my own hand--or was it an accident? I shuddered at the memory, I shuddered at how I could've done such a thing. Back then seemed so long ago. But it had lived with me, ate at me. It was just as well it had happened yesterday. The shotgun, the click and clack of it. The loud shouting bang of the gun being fired. I had wanted to kill him, but it was all just an accident. I had pieced myself together, gone through rehab, did a complete 360 degree turn. I had come out of it a completely new person. I let the piece of paper flutter and die on the floor. It still was so very unfair. But there was nothing I could do. I stood up, facing the man, the devil or something like it, as I might as well perceive. "You know this isn't fair, you know. I'm a different person now, I changed. I changed!" "Jice, you can't do what has been done. Deep down, you want that moment for yourself again. But what's done is done. You can't become different then what you are. And deep down, you are no different," he said. He let out a revolting smile. "You know it is pointless to argue, don't you? So are you ready, Jice? Are you ready to be damned with your own wrongs and rights for your entire life down there in hell? Are you ready?" I guess I had died way back then the second the gun had been fired, I guess it had all ended from then on out. And this man, or whatever he was was right. It was pointless. "Take me," I said, my voice falling as suddenly as it had risen. I stared at my dead body for the last time. I stared at my life for the last time. "Just let me see my wife and daughter. At least give me that." And I did see my wife and daughter, from then on out, all I've seen is pain.[/quote] As you can see, I've made a few corrections. I didn't try to overhaul it--because then it wouldn't really be yours, but I did tone down the overuse of adverbs and some of the confusing mechanics. It's an awesome story. I loved the ending and some of the sentences were really beatiful. Good stuff.

Well, I'm not necessarily just referring to what you've posted already. I'm discussing the form in general and what you should include on the whole. As I said, I like the dialogue and characterization so far. It's pretty well done. And, you haven't said that to me five times already, lol. I don't think that it has to appeal to all audiences at the [i]very[/i] beginning. I'm looking at the bigger picture here. It's too early to judge how well you appeal to the audience. It would be unfair of me to judge too harshly. Once again, I was speaking in general. Anyway, I like what I've read so far and hope you change your mind and post some more.

Please don't begin threads just to correct an error you made in another thread. I'll go back and change the name of your recruitment thread. Also, remember that double posting is against our rules. If you ever want to add something to one of your previous posts, just use the edit feature.

Ah, I like what I've read so far, to some extent. You've worked around the awkwardness of the form pretty well. It's always challenging to find ways to provide suspense and climax or suspense scene to prepare for the next scene. Unlike fiction writing, your format involves units--so it's tough. Plus, you have to deal with the problem of moving characters from one scene to the next and conveying emotions through text. It's tough to do without making the writing look silly. I would just like to see you describe the scenes and characters more effectively. If you're trying to create scenes, it's important to provide a physical description--as I've discussed with you. Otherwise, the characterization is nice. Though, I hope you begin to have the characters cut one another off at times. It would be more realistic. Also, you really have to watch some of your mechanics and word usage, if you want to make this look professional. And lastly, in response to your "You won't get it if you don't like anime" explanation, it's important to remember that a truly great writer can make a story appeal to all audiences. ;)

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Heaven's Cloud [/i] [B][color=indigo]I also thought of an angle that may come into play. When have we ever seen Vince Mcmahon fight fair? Do you think it will be any different at WWXIX? I think that would be a great match to introduce a new alliance or a new wrestler "hint, hint"...[/color] [/B][/QUOTE] I was thinking about this earlier. It would be a nice opportunity for the WWE to bring Bill Goldberg in. It [i]is[/i] a big match situation, after all, on the biggest stage in the business. The match is a no disqualification fight, after all. Hogan wouldn't necessarily have to lose--because it would be nice to see him actually feud with Goldberg and have a match at Backlash. Then again, the WWE will probably put a huge promotional machine behind Goldberg instead of having him debut spontaneously. As for Rock, I've heard that he's leaving after Backlash. Which is a shame, really. I love how he puts the younger talent over, as opposed to workers like Triple H and Steve Austin. [b]Edit:[/b] [i]Courtesy of Wrestlezone[/i] [quote]WWE announced that their June pay-per view for this year will be called "Bad Blood". Of course, every year before their June pay-per view was "King of the Ring", but due to the brand extension, things change this year. As widely documented the past few months, WWE will be holding split roster pay-per view. The first is expected to be the June "Bad Blood" pay-per view which is tenatively scheduled to be a RAW pay-per view show. After that, each brand will have 4 pay-per views per year, with both sides coming together to hold joint pay-per views at WrestleMania, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, and SummerSlam.[/quote] I figured that some of you would find that interesting.

I suggest you take a look at our rules, Chun-Li. First of all, we do not allow double posting. Secondly, your posts are spam. They have absouletly [i]nothing[/i] to do with the sign ups. You shouldn't be replying to this thread unless you are signing up to participate in the RPG or have a question regarding the game. If you want to speak directly to Kairi Cloud on the boards, do it through a private message. Lastly, try to refrain from using caps. It is considered yelling, and is against our rules. Thank you and welcome to Otakuboards. ;)

I believe in luck to some extent. There are some days when everything goes my way and other days that aren't [i]so[/i] great. If there luck does exist, I would like to think that I make it for myself. Usually when something doesn't go my way, it's either because of chance or my own carelessness. But, you know, everyone has a bad day. It's just important to have confidence and accept whatever comes your way. I find it funny when people obsess over luck and develop silly superstitions. It's usually those people that are the most unlucky.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Nerdsy [/i] [B][COLOR=deeppink][spoiler]Am I the only one that thinks this "Beach Lady" is Tifa? -.-[/spoiler][/color] [/B][/QUOTE] I'm almost certain that it is [spoiler]Kairi[/spoiler]--because the game is rumored to take place years after the first Kingdom Hearts. I've heard before that Haley Joel Osment hit puberty during the making of the first Kingdom Hearts and his voice began to change. So, a future scenario is likely. Also, the sequal will have a darker theme and I've heard talk that players will visit Squaresoft worlds. For instance, some are saying that the secret ending showed [spoiler]Riku fighting in Midgar[/spoiler]. Wouldn't it be cool if Sephiroth actually had some lines this time? lol I wouldn't mind revisiting some of my favorite Final Fantasy worlds. But, I know that Disney won't be removed from the game completely--it would just be a Final Fantasy game if they were. Moving on, it's already apparent that the characters will be edgier. The Heartless in the ending even looked more menacing than in the actual game, if I remember correctly. Anyway, I hope that the actual worlds are developed more this time around. There was too much backtracking in the first game--and a few camera issues, as well.

I love the soft look. For some reason it reminds me of pastels. And, the eyes are beautiful. I really get lost in that part of the picture, in particular. You might want to play with the pen tool. If you created paths, you could manipulate the creases in the clothing to your liking. Otherwise, I love the piece of cloth in the middle that's hanging down. The colors and lines on it rock. They're edgy. The hair is probably the weak point of the drawing. I like the color, but it could use more shading. Overall, it's wonderful for a first effort. The face, soft colors, and background are excellent.

That was [i]pretty[/i] good, Shineh. As I read it, you switch perspectives from third person to first person in the last stanza--which confuses me a bit. You should address that. On an unrelated note, how do would you feel about it ending like this: [i]?You are no Doctor!? I cried As it was ?He? Who would deliver, the final blow?[/i] I'm not suggesting that it would be better. But, what do you think? Also, the beginning of the fifth stanza was a bit awkward. Try a slight tweak like this: [i]He jump started to consciousness Was in a hospital bed Was purple and Blue[/i] I hope my comments help somewhat.

From what I've heard, Nash has pretty much recovered. But, he won't be completely healed until the Wrestlemania air date. Considering the fiasco that unfolded last time the booking team rushed his return, I'm thankful that the WWE is being cautious and withholding Nash from the card. His return to the ring should be gradual. And, Wrestlemania has [i]plenty[/i] of matches. There are nine (gasp) on the most recent card. Wrestlemania is usually about four hours long, and many of the upper card matches will most likely reach upwards of thirty minutes in length. Factor in Limp Bizkit, the Miller Lite girls, and possible last minute additions involving the Raw tag titles, Test, Steiner, and Jeff Hardy, and you have a packed card. Anyway, I don't mind joining the nWo group, but let's refrain from getting off topic. This really isn't the place to talk about sig cliques and banners. Much of this sidetracked discussion could be limited to private messages. ~_^

[b]1) What do I collect?[/b] Why, I collect video games, of course. [b]2) How many of 'em do I have?[/b] I probably have over thirty Playstation 2 games, about eight GameCube games, and fifteen Xbox games. It's been so easy for me to find cheap games lately. My collection of PS2 games has really exploded. But, I'm due to trade a bunch of them in since I don't play them too terribly often. I'm not sure exactly how many handheld games, 16 bit, or 8 bit games I still have left sitting around. [b]3) Which is my favorite?[/b] I have plenty of favorites. Guilty Gear X2, Dark Cloud 2, Vice City Suikoden III, and Splinter Cell are probably my favorites at the moment--soon to be overshadowed by the new Zelda. [b]4) How long have I been collecting them?[/b] I've been collecting games since I was anywhere from five to seven years old. It's hard to remember really. But, my first console predates the Atari 2600. I can't spell the name for the life of me.

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by BigCajones [/i] [B][color=indigo]I mean I could imagine this happening, like the only way Stephanie could sign Goldberg for Smackdown is putting him in the title shot at WM, but I agree there would be no build-up! I would like to see Goldberg and Lesnar face off, because in my mind they are both animals waiting to be unleashed out of there cage. [/color] [/B][/QUOTE] There will be no Goldberg match at Wrestlemania. His signing hasn't even been confirmed officially, yet. Besides, Kurt Angle has agreed to risk the match with Lesnar. Moving on, I wasn't a big fan of last night's RAW. The Dudley angle was nice, and sets up a potential match for RVD and Kane at 'mania, but any Raw featuring a Maven/Rico and Triple H/Goldust match, is poor in my book. The main event was also terribly predictible.

I don't know why everyone is coming down so harshly on this movie. lol The film was both chilling and entertaining. And, it is a remake of a 1971 movie. So, although it couldn't have derived any influence from the Turtles, I'm sure that [i]The Birds[/i] played an influential part in the film's creation. Which, is a very good thing. My main gripe with the film is a fatality involving a cat. It was very heartbreaking. Especially because of the song playing during the chase. The scene itself is incredibly well done and startling. It left me very thankful that there are no rats in my house to attack my kitty. Crispin Glover was a [i]perfect[/i] choice to play Willard, too. Everything from his unsettling look to his voice was great. He just screamed "insane loser." The line "[I]Tear 'em up[/i]" was very fun to repeat after the movie, for some reason too. Overall, you guys shouldn't smell a rat. It's a very enjoyable movie, unless you're absolutely petrified of rats. But, that could only make it more fun. ;)

There will always be misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding subcultures. And--I feel that they are dehumanizing. When we fail to see people as individuals and label them based on falsehoods, we're ignoring [i]who[/i] they are, in favor of [b]assuming[/b] [i]what[/i] they are, based solely on physical characteristics. Of course, this is prejudice behavior--there's no two ways around it. Because of this mindset, it may be impossible for one to define themselves, on an impersonal level, as a person in the eyes of others--their subculture does it for them. It's unfair to be sure, but there isn't much one can do about it, save for keeping an open mind and refusing to fall into the same trap. I can't say that I'm perfect on all levels and [i]always[/i] refrain from holding prejudice attitudes towards others. Behavior usually takes precedence over appearance and determines my attitude towards someone--even if it's just a passing glimpse at how they act. That can be just as unfair as judging someone on how they look, I guess. I'm also very critical of people with poor hygiene. If an individual smells badly or dresses in dirty clothes when they don't [i]have[/i] to, I make harsh judgements. I don't hold any preconceptions about people based on hair color and clothing, though. I'm very accustomed to seeing people with creative hairstyles and bright colors. I find nothing odd about it anymore. The same goes for clothing. I don't see it as rebellious or outstanding. I'm not surprised that the parents were cautious around you though. People have a natural tendency to be very protective with their children. Especially around groups of people who dress strangely. I wouldn't take it [i]too[/i] personally. As long as you enjoy your lifestyle, there's no reason to care what others (unless they are employing you) think.

Well, here is my banner. I hope you guys like it. :nervous: I had a devil of a time with naming it a jpeg for some reason. Heh [center][img]http://cwb.250free.com/Others/arena4.jpg[/img][/center]

This would be much more appropriate in your signature, since it is more of an advertisement to exchange ideas with you on a personal level than an attempt to actually discuss your work.

I saw this movie last Thursday, I think. I'm always a bit skeptical of films that use [i]Odd Couple[/i] style pairings to move the plot along because they either excel incredibly well, or fall flat of their face. I-Spy is a good example of the latter, where the gags are painfully tired and two funny actors come across as thoroughly boring. I saw the potential for [i]Bringing Down the House[/i] to end up in that same boat, but it didn't. I liked it a lot. Steve Martin is an awesome physical comedian. At first, I wasn't sure if he'd play well off Queen Latifah enough to keep the movie interesting for an hour and a half. Black stereotypes have been done to death in Hollywood, right? But, I think that Martin and Latifah had a nice chemistry. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a good laugh. It's not hilarious, but it's not boring by any means.

I didn't think it was very good at all. I just had a hard time being pulled into a world where a super model is supposed to be a doctor and just happens to be perfectly made up while running through the jungle. By the same token, the character development was, well, absent. The movie didn't give me a reason to care about any of the characters. We're given interesting people in an interesting scenario, but they came across relatively flat. The main villain barely even says a line in the entire film, for example. He has a very intimidating look about him, but...that's it. [i]Tears of the Sun[/i] did have its high points. The cinematography was amazing--delivering some gorgeous shots of the lush African jungle. In that area, the film excelled. It pulled me in when the script failed. And--the film did have its emotionally jarring moments, touching upon tragedies like ethnic cleansing with graphic scenes that I won't forget anytime soon. But, at the end of the day, [i]Black Hawk Down[/i] and [i]We Were Soliders[/i] do the same thing as this movie--only ten times better.

After reading the latest impressions of this game, I think I'll be better off sticking with Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. I wouldn't have had a problem looking past the thoroughly uninteresting character designs or exploitation of women if the game play had lived up to my expectations. Sadly, it seems that the developers fell into the common trap of reducing exciting new features into mere gimmicks. The interactive backgrounds sound interesting. But, what's the point when the feature is unreliable? I've heard that it's like taking a gamble when you attempt maneuvers like swinging on poles. The damageable limbs don't seem to impact the pace of a match very much either. Lastly, the combo system is said to be disappointing--which a huge deciding factor for me. Now that this and Kung Fu Chaos have let me down, I can only hope that the often delayed Raw 2 will deliver.

I'm a little disappointed with the buildup to Wrestlemania thus far. Some feuds (i.e., McMahon/Hogan and HBK/Y2J) have been building for [i]months[/i]. Those programs, for example, have used personal issues to propel them--and that's good. The matches will seem more intense, the heat between the wrestlers will seem more real, and I'll actually care who wins. But, with Wrestlemania closing in, talent like Rob Van Dam, Jeff Hardy and Kane are really hurting for respectable programs. Time is running out to build momentum for mid carders on the Raw brand. You can't sell a show on the same names forever. This will be the [i]third[/i] encounter between Steve Austin and The Rock at Wrestlemania. Who cares anymore? SmackDown has been consistent with most of its roster. Rhyno returned only two weeks ago, and he's on the card in the tag title bout along with fresh faces like Team Angle. However, I'm not very interested in seeing The Undertaker team up with Nathan Jones to work with Albert and Big Show. The latter names shouldn't be getting anywhere [i]near[/i] Wrestlemania. Hopefully that match will be quick and painless. But, at least it gets Jones on the card. On the whole, I hope that this week's upcoming shows balance out television time between the various programs efficiently. I don't want anymore fiasco's where stars are rushed into last minute programs with horrible buildup. The infamous shampoo angle between Booker T and Edge still gives me the shivers, lol.