James

[color=#B0251E]Yeah, I still have the files on my PC. So it will be easy to fix. But I am really curious to know what happened with the data; had I actually built a site using my hosting, I'd have lost everything. So I really want to ensure that it doesn't happen again. Edit: Thankfully it's all sorted out. The files were not lost. They are just on the old server. So I'm in the process of moving everything over as we speak; hopefully very shortly the thread will look normal again.[/color]

[color=#B0251E]Okay...*rubs forehead* Let's go through this. 1) Please ensure that you read our rules page. All-caps is generally considered to be obnoxious. 2) It'd be really cool if you'd tell us what the problem is; nobody can help you unless you provide some detail. 3) English and coherency are both your friends. I hate to seem rude, but just by looking at OB, I'd think that these things were self-evident/obviously significant here. Anyway, yeah, please put some detail into your post -- what, exactly, is the problem?[/color]

[color=#B0251E]I don't think this thread really became a debate, as such. I think it became more of a funny joke. ~_^ Try not to take things too seriously. We'll see what we can do. I'm sure there will be some sort of option on OB 7.5.[/color]

[QUOTE=Pumpkin][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=1] As far as metrosexual goes, the reason why its so upsetting to most is the fact that most gay men, are what else, very femine. This is where teasing sets in, BUT i've known some metrosexuals who are into femine things and masculine things that are not teased so I don't think you can say that its not completely accepted. Alot of surfers guys are metrosexuals believe it or not. [/SIZE][/FONT][/QUOTE] [color=#B0251E]And that right there is another stereotype, related to the gender issue. Gay men are not feminine -- [i]some[/i] gay men are; arguably the most visible ones are anyway. The assumption that a gay man must be "less than a man" or "less than masculine" is just another example of old fashioned concepts and a lack of equality. It's also simply a lack of reality. The teasing is largely coming from people who are either confused about their own sexuality or who find the whole issue uncomfortable because they have grown up with very strong gender roles in their life (as most of us have). Avoiding stereotypes (the concept that femininity is weak or un-manly and vice versa) is probably the first step to achieving some kind of real advancement I think.[/color]

[color=#B0251E]A book I've never read (but will soon hopefully) is Germraine Grier's "The Female Eunuch". I've read the introduction which is, in itself, quite extraordinary. If you have any curiosity about gender roles in society, that book is a [i]must[/i]. I am male, but I know I'm not like my father. That is to say, my "maleness" is different from his. And I think it's definitely a sign of the times. He has all of the more traditional male values, so to speak. And sometimes those outmoded values can actually look quite ridiculous in a modern setting, lol; particularly his attitude toward women's role in society. I have to admit, growing up in an age where women have enjoyed much more equality, my viewpoint of gender is definitely different from my father's. Many of the things he brings up as issues are things that I've never even considered, simply because it's [i]always[/i] been logical that girls have been equal to boys. Equal but different, of course. During tertiary schooling, most of my friends were female. That was the direct reverse to high school, where most of my friends were male. But you know, I didn't notice a huge difference. The males were happier to let go of some traditional males roles and to "embrace their female side", so to speak (even though I think that's a pretty silly phrase). And vice versa; the female friends I've had haven't had the traditional hangups that older women may have. So I tend to feel that while men and women are different, they are starting to merge slightly in terms of behavior. The traditional male/female barriers and roles are changing and breaking down. So, we can still enjoy our differences as men and women -- we can still find pleasure in being either male or female. However, we can also enjoy being [b]human[/b] and having parts of ourselves overlap all the time. As I mentioned in that Suggestions & Feedback thread, I kind of like the increased androgyny of society today. I like that people's minds are more open when it comes to gender, athough there's still a massive way to go (attitudes toward transgender people, for example). Gender is still [i]so[/i] engrained in our society that it can be difficult, confusing and even embarassing to actually cross that gender divide and get over it. I mean, a lot of straight men feel uncomfortable having any closeness with other men, not because it's a natural part of their brain, but because our society sets up those very specific gender roles. This is why attitudes toward sexuality and gender can be quite different from country to country; depending on the environment and society you live in, you'll have different perceptions about the importance and the roles of each gender. To end my post, I will quote a Madonna, because I think this one quote puts the whole gender thing into some perspective: [i]"Girls can wear jeans; cut their hair short; wear shirts and boots, because it's okay to be a boy. But for a boy to look like a girl is degrading, because you think that being a girl is degrading. But secretly, you'd love to know what it's like, wouldn't you?"[/i] It's only when you're totally comfortable with your masculinity can you even begin to consider the other side of the coin. ~_^[/color]

[QUOTE=Zeta]I cannot agree more. This game made me squeal like a schoolgirl for the short amount of time that I played. I couldn't play the game for more than a half hour. The fact that I had no idea how to get past the holes in every road or what not is beyond the point, heh. I haven't touched any of the other Silent Hill games. Too scared, heh. [/QUOTE] [color=#B0251E]Yeah, the first Silent Hill remains very frightening throughout the entire experience. The only major problem with the game is that it contains a highly convoluted story; so much so that even Konami can't properly explain it. The only way to really know what it's about -- with any certainty -- is to read an in-depth plot analysis. There's a 20 page analysis somewhere (I think it was at Silent Hill Sanitarium's web site), which pretty much answers all the questions. Knowing the story tends to help, but in some ways I think the game is even scarier when you are disoriented and you don't quite know what's going on. I haven't yet come across a game that has scared me as effectively as Silent Hill; I love the fact that Silent Hill doesn't rely on Resident Evil's "jump out at you" scare factor. It gets under your skin and that's the kind of scare I really enjoy. Silent Hill 2 is also pretty frightening and thankfully it contains a significantly better plot (or at least, one that is a lot easier to grasp, yet is also pretty clever). So I recommend trying it (and playing through the first SH all the way). I played through the first SH with a friend and it was really enjoyable, though that game does get quite difficult at times. But still, it has plenty of awesome twists and turns along the way. I also found Doom 3 to be reasonably scary, but again, it was mostly the sudden moment type of scares. Unfortunately Doom 3's gameplay was so repetitive and boring that it ultimately suffered; had the gameplay been interesting and had it been combined with the scares, I think the game would have been significantly more enjoyable (as as scary experience and as a game in general).[/color]

[color=#DC4A1B]I think the scariest game I've ever played was the first Silent Hill. The story, characters and setting all really created a brilliant mood. The disorientation and sense of claustrophobia was fantastic. I've played Fatal Frame, Resident Evil and various others, but I've found none of them to be as frightening as Silent Hill. But of course, those games are definitely scary in their own ways; I think my fondest memories from RE are probably from the very first game in the series (the remake particularly).[/color]

[color=#DC4A1B]Unfortunately [i]all[/i] of my files went missing on our latest server move. I haven't yet discussed that with Justin or Adam, but I am assuming that everything is gone. I also lost all of my files over at Killing-Bill.com (where I'd been hosting animated banners and various media). So yeah. I'm sorry about that, but I'll see if I can find out what went wrong. Edit: Also, apparently the Kill Adam folder is gone...which means that all of my post backgrounds have disappeared. This is why the thread looks like an utter mess right now. I'm going to try to rectify this problem. If the folder still exists I'll try to sort things out that way, but if not, I'm going to have to form a new folder and re-upload the files. This will mean that everyone will have to edit their own posts in the thread and include the new image locations. Again, I'm sorry about that; unfortunately this can happen when our data is stored online. But I'll do my best to get it cleared up.[/color]

[color=#DC4A1B]Malkav said that he was going to have his post up last week or something, but I haven't heard from him. I'll send a PM and see what's up.[/color]

[color=#DC4A1B]I think this is a cool idea. You could do some fun things with the idea of the tribes challenging each other. Perhaps each challenge could be a seperate chapter or something. I actually do like the idea of people voting one another off. That way you simultaneously have an RPG, but you've also created a little competition. It could be pretty interesting to watch. Voting would be tough to do though -- perhaps you could use the Underground thread to announce results of who was voted off. Or since votes should be private, you could have people PM you and you could announce the result at the end of each chapter or something.[/color]

[color=#DC4A1B]I've updated my avatar/banner...I'm kind of hiding Mr. Wonka a little at this point. ~_^ But yeah, you can at least see my dodgy editing job on the glove. Haha. Look for something more authentic when the time finally comes. For those who posted in MH: B-Spec, I've just posted. But I've advised everyone to stick with size 2 text or above -- size 1 is just too difficult and annoying for me to read. I think that with every one of my upcoming RPGs, I will require at least size 2. Size 1 is readable but I tend to skim it a lot more -- it's easier to drop your place and stuff. No good. [b]Edit:[/b] I've updated the first post in this thread to clean it up somewhat. I've rearranged things a little bit and I've decided to only list the [i]next[/i] project rather than everything I'm planning. Should make things a bit clearer. [b]Edit 2:[/b] Here's a little promo image for my next RPG, which I've just knocked up. Yes, in Wonka Inc., Willy Wonka is going to be both a famous chocolateer and the front man for a rock band. It'll be a very unique spin, I assure you. ~_^ [center][img]http://img182.exs.cx/img182/609/wonka14ht.jpg[/img][/center] Still in development, as far as graphics goes. But this is an early first look for those interested. To respond to Dragon Warrior...I feel that anyone who knows Wonka (whether the novel or the original movie) will understand the point of this RPG. If you know Wonka, you know that it's a pretty logical step to twist him around a bit further and make him an even more scary/seductive character. When I heard that Marilyn Manson was originally going to play Wonka in the new film, I immediately felt frustrated. I love Johnny Depp, but as far as I'm concerned, Marilyn Manson [i]is[/i] Wonka -- Depp has even been studying Manson's mannerisms so that he can mimmick him for the film. So obviously Depp and Tim Burton agree with that to some extent. In addition to the obvious links between Manson and Wonka as characters, I think that this RPG will offer some brilliantly unique twists -- for example, the concept of including actual Manson poetry and music in the RPG (poetry and music that is Wonka-themed and relates to the RPG itself). Thankfully, Manson actually had a period where his music and image was quite Wonka-themed. So that will fit even more perfectly into this twisted little universe. And then you have all the things that can be done with the factory visitors (the children and their parents). That can be twisted beautifully, I'm sure. And don't even get me started on my leather-clad, high-heel-boot-wearing Oompa Loompas...[/color]

Could I request that y'all post in size 2 text? I find size 1 annoying to read, especially if there's significant bulk/length to the post. [font=georgia][size=3]Novus Concordia's skyline had changed over the years. The skyscrapers were taller than ever and factories had popped up all over the place. Due to the end of the major wars (particularly the Protogen war), the United Nations had felt free to spend more money on big infrastructure projects and on city beautification. The number of museums and libraries had remained mostly the same, but the number of shopping malls and commercial plazas had increased substantially. Zaeon and Dr. Inoue sat quietly aboard their UN transport. It was carrying only them and Dr. Inoue's personal assistant (Inoue had never hired a PA, but the UN apparently felt that the two needed monitoring; they were intensely interested in how the X-Hunter program was to be run). The presence of the PA made both Zaeon and Dr. Inoue quite uncomfortable and the two barely spoke during the entire journey. The bright lights of the city soon gave way to darkness. This was primarily how they knew that they'd approached Maverick Hunter Headquarters. Where once the building had been flooded with internal lighting, it now stood as a relic. In a sense, it had become an eyesore on the otherwise spotless Novus Concordia skyline. In the past there had been an acceptance -- perhaps even a fondness and proudness -- of the structure itself and everything that it represented. It stood between the citizen and the Maverick. But many years had passed since the last great war and as a result, the complex had lost much of its funding and had become a symbol of the past more than anything else. Of course, MHHQ was still home to the Maverick Hunters, who were fewer in number (and far less elaborately equipped) at the present. The X-Hunters had the luxury of finer equipment and vehicles, if only because they were at least partly privately funded and because they were not [i]entirely[/i] under UN jurisdiction. Zaeon thought it strange that the recruits had been asked to meet at the HQ. He cynically suspected that this was the result of the HQ's commander wanting to ensure that his organization still had some relevance; he had argued that the recruits could be better assessed at the HQ and that the UN would have the opportunity to see them in person. Zaeon felt that this was simply an excuse to give the Maverick Hunters something to do, considering that Mavericks no longer existed and thus, the organization no longer had any reason to exist. The UN transport slowed and descended between the blacked-out buildings that made up the bulk of the enormous Maverick Hunter HQ. Finally, a set of landing lights became visible on the ground. But almost every building, save a dozen or so, appared to have no lighting whatsoever. Several buildings also appeared to be severely damaged, having never been repaired since the war. It seemed to both Zaeon and Dr. Inoue that the entire facility was operating on perhaps only 25% of its original capacity. The doors opened and the two men stepped out on to the black tarmac. Cool, sharp wind bit at their faces and Dr. Inoue quickly pulled his collar up. A gruff-looking man in some kind of military uniform emerged from the darkness and shook their hands. He introduced himself as Commander Brooks, second in charge of the facility. The first order of business was to visit the High Commander and then to inspect the X-Hunter recruits. "They haven't all arrived yet," mentioned the Commander casually, as he led them toward the nearest building, which seemed only barely operational. "But you are both slightly ahead of schedule, so do not worry." [/font][/size]

[color=#334366]Well, I've added the next project to the first page. Right now it's just titled "Wonka". I will probably choose a different name when it comes around. You can also see that I'm promoting it in my avatar. ~_^ I will talk more about that very soon, but right now you can probably get some idea from the avatar itself. It'll be my next big RPG (after the Kill Adam series) and I really hope that people look forward to it. I've put Legends of Zelda aside for the moment, because I'm not entirely sure that I want it to be an RPG -- perhaps something else (see Return to Wonderland for some indication - agh, I also have to add that to my archive).[/color]

[color=#334366]Why is gender confusion embarassing? If you really need to, you can just correct someone in a thread. lol Or you can choose a more masculine/feminine name. ~_^ But yeah. Maybe we can add some kind of icon for gender, but I personally think that'd kind of suck. [/color]

[color=#334366]Okay, I've now added the anime smileys to our database. Enjoy. :catgirl: Actually, while I'm here I should ask a question. Would you guys support a totally new and more limited pool of higher quality smileys for OB7.5...or would you simply support me [i]adding[/i] to what we currently have? Right now we have six pages of different smileys, which is quite a large variety. But many of them don't get used. So I'm just wondering what you guys think about that. I personally am happy to just keep adding and adding, so that eventually we have a huge variety of smileys to suit everyone's taste. But a complete overhaul might not be out of the question.[/color]

[color=#334366]I agree that GoldenEye was by far Brosnan's best Bond film. The later films just became ridiculous. Bond became an even more campy superhero, with situations that were just...insanely ridiculous, even for a Bond movie. At least GoldenEye was ground in realistic concepts, with some over the top elements thrown in. The later movies (particularly the most recent one, Die Another Day) were pretty awful in my view. Die Another Day makes me cringe more than anything else...it's just a big mess. The story is terrible, the characters are highly cliche and it jumps back and forth, from ridiculous to the outright ludicrous. It just became too difficult to swallow. I think that Christmas Jones and Halle Berry's characters were really the final straw for me, lol.[/color]

[font=georgia][size=4][b]Following on from Baron...[/b] The pale man paused and glanced at the fish. Alice noticed that he had fallen asleep. "The fish in the story...is it [i]him[/i]?" she whispered. The pale man nodded. "Why, of course, my dear. This fish is much wiser than you know. But to be clear, none of us know if he [i]truly[/i] had this experience of if he merely related it to us. He is a complicated fish and some of his stories are true, but only when the mood strikes him." "Oh I see," muttered Alice absently. "You see?" queried the pale man, an eyebrow raised. "Yes," replied Alice, "at least, I think so." "You think so?" asked the pale man. Alice paused for a moment. "Well, I can't be [i]certain[/i], but nothing seems certain today, if you don't mind my saying so." The pale man waved a hand dismissively. "That sounds like a good moral for our fish; [i]nothing is certain[/i]. I'll be sure to tell him when he wakes up. But for now, would you like me to continue?" "Oh yes, please," said Alice excitedly, as she looked down at the book once more.[/font][/size]

[color=#334366]I just want to step in and make an obvious point. You probably know what I'm going to say. Justifying something bad by pointing out a million other bad things is not really going to get anyone anywhere. The subject is marijuana, not fast food or automobiles. Of [i]course[/i] there are many legal things that can hurt people -- I think the question is simply "do we take a harmful drug and make it legal?" Obviously there are many, many repercussions that need to be considered -- I can see arguments on both the positive and negative side, personally. But yeah. I don't think it's terribly constructive to point to other bad things when we aren't even discussing those things; if you keep following that logic it's a bit like saying "I'll just go and do everything harmful because one day I will eventually die anyway". You know? I think that the moment we get caught up in comparing the degrees of damage between different activities, we start to get into semantics that don't offer anything relevant to the topic. So, I consider it important to remain focused on the topic, particularly given that this thread has been about the effects of marijuana itself (which, athough being debated on both sides, are pretty clear if you read the evidence provided earlier), as well as the question of legalization (which is a very complicated issue, with many different points to it).[/color]

[font=georgia][size=4][b]Following on from Sara...[/b] The first page contained only a title and a short poem. [center][b]I AM ME[/b] Speak roughly to your little boy, And beat him when he sneezes: He only does it to annoy, Because he knows it teases. I speak severely to my boy, I beat him when he sneezes; For he can thoroughly enjoy The pepper when he pleases! [/center] Alice looked up at the pale man, who was eyeing her with great interest. "I believe I have heard these verses before," she said. The pale man ignored her. "This, my dear, is a story about a boy who became a pig." The fish smiled broadly, "and the moral of that is, [i]you are what you eat[/i]." Both Alice and the pale man turned to the fish. "Does that mean that you eat fish?" asked Alice. But apparently her question had deeply offended the fish, as he folded his fins over his chest and huffed. "Nevermind him," said the pale man quietly, "he is eager to find the moral in things, but he never follows his own advice. You know, do as I say and not as I do, that's what he is all about." Alice glanced down at the book once more. The pale man sighed, "So, this is the story of the pig. Or, to put a finer point on it, this is the story of what happens when one becomes a pig." Alice turned the page once more, but the second page contained a strange kind of text that she could not understand. [i]"It certainly isn't English,"[/i] thought Alice, [i]"and it can't be French or German. Perhaps it's Arabic."[/i] The pale man became frustrated. "My girl, don't tell me you can't read! Here, let me narrate for you."[/size][/font]

[color=#334366]I think that's kind of missing the point, somewhat. Nobody is saying that the marriage is "arranged" if two people willingly want to marry. We have kind of moved past that subject now. lol[/color]

[quote name='Chabichou][COLOR=#004a6f']Hey, I'm entitled to my beliefs, I'm not being childish. And what is the point I'm missing?[/color][/quote] [color=#334366]Yes, you're entitled to your beliefs. But religion is a deep conviction, not a contest.[/color] [quote name='Chabichou][color=#004a6f']Anyway, I think all of us agree here that no one should be forced into a marriage. Daughters are not to be "sold" to families who you want to have business relationships with. Marriage should be about the union of two people who want to start a loving relationship together, and to raise a family together (that is if they do want kids).[/quote][/color] [color=#334366]Absolutely, I can agree with that much.[/color] [quote=Chabichou][color=#004a6f] Everybody says "hey it's my life, I can do whatever I want with it". They're asking for complete freedom and choice. But really, can you? And should you? Why are drugs illegal? Why is prostitution illegal? Even if they don't affect others around you, They are harmful to you, that's why. The person whom you marry can greatly affect your life, and the lives of others, like your children. That's why your parents should have a say in the matter. The decision needs to be collective. Your parents are usually looking out for your best interests. If they are not, you can disobey them if they force you to do something against your will like marrying somebody.[/quote][/color] [color=#334366]Firstly, I wouldn't want to start comparing marriage to drugs or prostitution. I know you aren't drawing that direct link and I see what you're saying, but I disagree. We are all responsible for our own choices. If you would like your parents to have a say in who you marry, then I think that's fine. But for me...no. lol Basically, I will make a choice because that choice primarily impacts my life. If my spouse was actually hurting a member of my family or something, then obviously I'd have to consider what to do there. But it's my choice. If my parents perceive that the spouse is a bad choice for me (bad influence or whatever), that's just bad luck. They are hopefully mature enough to treat me with the respect that an adult deserves; the respect to make my own choice. As I said, if someone actually wants their parents involved...more power to them. lol[/color] [quote=Chabichou][color=#004a6f] If they disapprove a good, decent person, who shares the same moral values as you, for no good reason, then in Islam, you can seek the help of an Islamic judge. They might reject him if it's a fincanial issue, but it depends. You need only expect that the man be able to support his wife and children, if he can't then he is not ready for marriage. So If a girl really likes the guy, but he's too poor, maybe you can wait a bit until the situation is better.[/quote][/color] [color=#334366]I can't comment on that really, because it doesn't apply to me. If you wanted your marriage choice to be impacted by either your parents or a judge, that's your choice, again. I personally would never submit to such a thing, but that doesn't mean that it isn't appropriate for others - that is, if you choose that situation. It's all about choice. If you choose it, I really don't have a problem.[/color] [quote=Chabichou][color=#004a6f] It is important to realize what your parents have done for you. Your mother carried you for nine months in her belly, suffered the pains of childbirth, nurtured and fed you. You cannot even make up for the pain of a single contraction your mother went through. Do you not feel morally abligated to obey your mother, (and father of course), even after you become and adult? If you have kids, they are morally obligated to obey you.[/COLOR][/QUOTE] [color=#334366]I really, [i]really[/i] disagree with that. So does my mother. She told me that she'd never expect her children to obey her simply because she gave birth to us. lol So yeah. I'm totally the opposite. My mother and father chose to get pregnant, I had no say in the matter. I am not an object, I'm a human being. They don't own me, I don't own them. Obviously I'll pay them respect because they are my parents and I love them. But they don't have any claim on my life at all. I mean, when it comes down to it we would never agree on that because for you it's a matter of religion. If my mother ever said to me "Do this because I went through nine months of pain for you", I'd say that she was being absurd and that being a parent isn't about ownership of one's children. But yeah, that's just me. Not to say that your views are actually wrong, they're just...there. I don't think there's a wrong or right in this situation, it all comes down to how you've been raised and what your own morals are.[/color]

[color=#334366]Don't you think you've missed the point if you are talking about who is winning and losing? That sounds very childish, frankly. Anyway, yeah, let's keep this thread on topic, please. I don't want to have to open a can of whoop-*** in here. To return to the point specifically, I'm obviously against arranged marriages (I do, afterall, believe in personal responsibility and individual's choice). The funny thing is, nobody should be too surprised about arranged marriages. We often hear that marriage's "traditional" meaning is centered in religion. This is untrue. As a matter of fact, marriage (before religion came in and grabbed it), was [i]originally[/i] a financial/contractual arrangement between two families. In other words, it was primarily about selling a daughter to another family in order to unite the two and their assets. So [i]that[/i] is the "traditional/original" meaning of marriage. Obviously, arranged marriages came to the forefront when marriage finally became intertwined with religion - but it did take quite a while for that to happen. Marriage was around as a non-religious practice long before that time. So, you obviously have a situation where arranged marriage is considered normal and important in some cultures and geographic locations. In western culture, we've seen really rapid change, not just with marriage, but with many other aspects of society. Marriage itself has changed for many reasons, but primarily, I would say that it's changed due to women's liberation. When women began to gain more control over their own lives (legally and otherwise), marriage became a different affair. It was no longer as one-sided and it really did become a question of "marrying who you love" rather than "marrying due to family expectation or financial support". Obviously if women are more independent individuals, they simply don't require the financial support of a man -- or at least, there's much less of a requirement in general. We often hear about divoce rates rising and how that's hurting families and so on. But honestly, I think that totally misses the point. I think that increased divorce rates are mostly just a sign that the status quo (ie: staying in an unhappy marriage because it suits people other than the couple themselves) is dying, which is generally a good thing. It means that women in particular are more willing to take control and to make key decisions about their future. Of course, I'm not trying to suggest that divorce is good; it's always a messy and ugly business. But I tend to feel that we now live in an age where marriage isn't a matter of obligation, so much as a question of improving your life and surrounding yourself with a family that you love. Of course there was always an element of that to it, but I think now it's much more pronounced. And hopefully this also means that women are less likely to stay in abusive relationships or whatever -- they are more independent and require less support from their husbands, then that in turn gives them more power to escape abusive home environments. I would be surprised to hear about arranged marriages in western countries, but obviously these marriages to exist in various places in the world -- generally, places where women's rights are not nearly as advanced.[/color]

[color=#334366]I've never had an issue with this. I dated a person for a long time who was hispanic, with quite dark (beautifully dark, yum) skin and dark curly hair. Gorgeous. ~_^ But yeah, race isn't even an issue or a question for me. Quite often the "exoticness" can be an attractive quality anyway, so I wouldn't even begin to view it as a problem or an obstacle. Frankly, if someone else thinks it's wrong, they can bite me. ~_^[/color]

[color=#334366]And here I was, thinking that you were going to ask me which OB member I'd want to mother my children. ~_^ It's probably best that I wasn't asked that question, I wouldn't want to cause any unwanted blushing. Or something. Anyway, um...in terms of children, I'm really not thinking about it. If it happens one day, that would be nice, but I don't really have any particular ambitions for it. I come from a reasonably big family, with three younger siblings. And as a result of both parents (particularly my dad) being very busy people, I was often a kind of second father for them. So I have done plenty of diaper changing, had babies vomiting on me, bathing them, burping them, changing clothes, reading bed time stories, etc etc. In other words, I already have some experience in parenting. So I suppose that I'd want my partner to be someone who mostly agrees with my ideas about raising a child -- but having said that, I think that children tend to be influenced most by their parents anyway. So, if both parents are loving people who can set good examples through their own behavior (ie: by working hard, being kind and being responsible), I tend to feel that the children will often follow those traits. In terms of things like religion, I wouldn't want to intoctrinate my kids. I'd simply let them choose when they are old enough. I wouldn't mind putting them through religious education (ie: if they are studying various religions -- or even just one), because if nothing else, I think it's worth knowing about these things. But I'd always trust their ability to make the decision; I don't regard it as my responsibility to tell them what they should do in that sense. But yeah, I suppose it really depends. If I'm with someone who I care about and am in love with, chances are that we will already have generally similar philosophies on life in general -- so I wouldn't expect raising children to be a huge issue. But you never know. Sometimes people have very set beliefs on these matters and that can create tension in a relationship.[/color]

[font=georgia][size=4][b]Following on from Lady Katana...[/b] The water grew darker and darker. The fish was leading Alice further down, toward the black mass of seaweed. "Hold tightly to my fin, my dear," said the fish, "the seaweed doesn't take too kindly to strangers and it may seperate us if we aren't careful." Alice did what she was told and held the fish's fin tightly. For a moment, she was enveloped in darkness and could feel the seaweed thrashing violently against her. But within moments, the darkness faded and the water became clear again. There they were, at the edge of the seaweed forest, in a clearing. Golden light from the river's distant surface streamed down into it. And there, sitting in the center of that very clearing, was a rather large gingerbread house.[/font][/size]