Semjaza

I don't know what the people at my school are called. I get along very well with the Dean of Students. She cuts a lot of corners and gets straight to the point about helping me with problems. Whenever I go to her, things go much faster than usual. There are people that get you set up at my school... That show you around, and are supposed to help you get used to the place. I honestly never saw mine again after the first day. I don't even know if she is there anymore. I am not very happy with her, as she told me my transfer credit was done... when in fact nothing was done about it. There are also schedule counsellors, one for each major. They basically take care of what classes you take when and such. They're average in helpfulness. Financial aid also refers to the workers there as counsellors. They are a mixed bag. There are a few that have been there a while that are very nice and helpful. I try to get them if possible. There are also ones that just are really idiotic. They try to blame you for their filing stuff wrong. Once they gave me a year old FAFSA instead of the current one, and somehow that was still [i]my[/i] fault. They promise to call you about important issues when they find out, but never ever do. I even had one guy get pissed at me for asking questions, saying he knows far more than I do about the subject. Apparently, he doesn't. As I've found much better financial aid on my own. That guy really screwed me over, because thanks to him I have a loan with a nearly 20% interest rate. He's gone, but I still hate him for that. We had some in highschool as well. At my first, she was a nun. She absolutely hated me. I can't even remember why anymore. The second school was some guy (I remember him only because his name was Barett like the guy in FF7). He was moderately helpful. I've never really found counsellors to be helpful. They are basically middlemen, as you are the one doing all the work and such as it is. I found doing those things myself to be much quicker. I've never had one that like helped with relations between students and stuff like that.

It isn't something reserved just for newbies. I double posted once, after being well past Newbie status and someone corrected me for it. It's done to anyone here, it's just that people that still are newbies are generally more likely to not think of it when they do it for the first time. I don't know that anyone is ever nasty about it (well sometimes they have been), if someone thinks so... I guess they are just overly sensitive lol. I personally don't think I treat anyone any different here than anyone else (well maybe the people I actually talk to outside of OB). Half the time I don't even pay attention to the names and stuff on the left, because while reading the posts I see people's sigs (and some people use certain fonts and colors which standout). Which basically means I don't notice the titles anyway. I don't know that this is really much of an issue at OB... at least in my eyes. If someone doesn't tell you that you're not supposed to do something, how would you know? You would if you read the rules, but like you said, most people don't. I never did when I joined :S.

The thread title is rather ironic. I used to love reading. I own well into hundreds of books, and there was a time where I seriously collected them. I own a 2nd editon Uncle Tom's Cabin, some original Longfellow poetry books, original Wizard of Oz books, the first Hardin Craig Stanford Shakespeare book and an original Mein Klampf (with a Nazi stamp on it even). Books were something that obviously [i]really[/i] interested me. Then I got to highschool. The first couple years were okay... Even if we did read a lot. Stuff like the Odyssey and the Aeneid. The only problem was that we were expected to read those entire books within about a week each. Normally, that's not horrible, but if anyone has ever read those, they aren't exactly written normally. They are hard to follow at times, and coupled with other schoolwork... Well it sucked. The farther we got on in high school the more we had to read. It just turned reading into a chore, instead of something I could honestly enjoy. I've barely read since then. I can't even remember finishing a book outside of a manga (or magazine) in recent memory. Only other things I read are online or in a videogame.

I don't really like either. The bigger one is better for certain games, like Halo... And the smaller is better for nearly everything else. They actually started selling the Japanese version of the S controller here in America (I guess because they had so much stock since the thing barely sells in Japan). It is slightly different, and I think the buttons are far better feeling.

I really don't think about the future in ways like this. People ask me things simliar to this and I can't really answer them heh. I've always really liked the name Colleen though. I think I'd pick that. I'd much rather have a daughter than a son personally.

I had something like that happen to me a year back. I was dating a girl who lived in southern Ohio (which is like 8 and half hours away from here). She did something like what you did with another guy, nothing really serious. It did really bother me though, mostly because I couldn't do one thing from so far away. I actually found out from someone else though, and that's what bothered me. Not so much that she did that, but that she basically planned on lying and acting like it never happened. Even after all that, I wouldn't consider what you did cheating. I suppose you were just upset and not thinking like you usually do. I've never really used the space argument on a girl personally. Sometimes I feel like a girl might be around me too much (especially when I'm annoyed with something else), but I never say anything about it. Even when I really do want space, it's generally a passing thing. It just sounds like whatever you two were arguing about was something he was mad about, and realized wasn't really a big deal. That's how most of that stuff turns out anyway once people are alone and able to think about it clearly. I don't think I've ever been in a argument with a girl I was going out with for more than a day. It usually gets resolved on someone's end pretty quick. So yeah, who knows if that helped anything.

I think the inclusion of small minigames would help... Not like Mario Party 4 stuff really, but more like in Street Fighter 2. If you remember, there were points in the game where you'd see who could break the most barrels or break a car first. I'd like stuff simliar to that to be in the next game.

Sure, there's violence against women in the game... There is almost an equal amount of violence against men as well, but of course that's never an issue. I also remember there being people with stereotypical gay lisps in the game as well, and no one brings that up. I just find it strange that it's only a much bigger deal than usual because of the whole women thing. Most other games only have you killing men as it is. And now that I just read all that, Asuka says the same heh :). At least the media is blaming current games for once. I never thought they'd get off of Doom and "The Resident of Evil Creek." I still don't understand how parents do not realize there is a rating system. My little brother is 7, and even he knows the basics of it. The image is prominent, and the back of the box details what is in it far more than movie ratings used to (they added to them with descriptors recently). Ignorant people like to blame everyone but themselves I suppose.

Going with what Mitch said, I don't really think working hard to make a good impression your first weeks at work is cheating. Work is generally about survival, you're either better than someone else or you're fired (unless something strange is going on). I figure that if you're making yourself be a great worker, then maybe you just are. I'm not one to smile unless I mean it though, so I know what you mean by superficial things heh. As for school stuff... Yeah, there have been times where I cheated because I forgot to do something on time or didn't study. Generally, I wind up getting lower grades than I normally would anyway though... So it hardly is a benefit. I haven't done that since early on in High School though. It's not really something that's possible in college, where all my assignments are kind of visual. I've not cheated on a girlfriend.

It varies from board to board. I don't know how well liked or accepted I am in general here, but I have made some good friends I'd say. I came here rather late compared to most of the regulars here though (and a good deal of the mods). When you go to an already established board that already has all it's cliques and stuff set up, it's really hard to just break in. People that have been here a while might not realize that, but like you said, when you go to another board it's a challenge I suppose. Sometimes it seems like the only way to get noticed at those places is to go severely against the grain. I only post on two boards anymore... Here and Gaming Age. OB is comparatively smaller (GA sometimes has 250 users on at once, plus a few hundred guests), and I'm sure that's what makes it easier to fall into and make yourself heard.

Titus is a French company that made such classics as Superman 64. I believe they acquired (or were trying to) Interplay a while back.

I'm positive I could write something explicitly detailing a muder or rape in a [i]very[/i] personal sense and style on here without being censored as well. Doesn't make that right, so that logic doesn't exactly work; even if I just took it to the extreme heh. I think it's pretty much agreed that sh-t is a worse word than damn in the media, and it has been like that for decades. I'd think that's why OB follows the same trend. The rest of the stuff in here, I'm just going to ignore :).

I read this the other day. It's one of the few game companies I couldn't care less about and will barely miss. Sure, it will likely affect the arcade industry (not as much as a few years ago, as Japan seems dominant in that again). All I'd care about are games like Rush anyway, and for all I know that could have been sold along with the Atari brand name to Infogrames I for one, wouldn't miss them if they disappeared. I will remember them for their older stuff, and their history... But currently they are an overall awful company. I hope Titus is next.

[url]http://www.otakuboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15322[/url] Few threads down buddy :). The game was in the works far before any mergers.

I'd rather KH was never replicated anyway... But that's me. Mario Kart was announced a while back like Scratn9 said. I remember at E3 that Miyamoto said that he had some stuff he could show, but it would give away their new ideas for the series. Who knows what that means. Anyway, if you like RPGs and have a GC... Skies of Arcadia Legends comes out on January 28th. If you don't have the DC version, I'd say it's a must buy RPG. A lot of people consider it one of the best. As for Donkey Kong, Nintendo said they'd be making another game themselves. I don't know what's become of that. There is a game called Donkey Kong Plus in development (or should be, hasn't been mentioned in a long time). It was a lot like the original DK and DK on the Gameboy though... Mario saving Pauline from DK and so on. You could make your own levels and share them between the two systems. Kirby's Air Ride also appeared on the GC lists from Nintendo. If anyone remembers, it was originally for N64. It was basically Kirby riding around levels on some sort of board. It looked interesting at the least... So who knows what will become of that. Most of the games I am interested in are games being made that I'm afraid won't come out here. Like there is a puzzle collection with Panel de Pon (Tetris Attack), Yoshi and another game coming out in Japan for four players... Kinnikuman MUSCLE wrestling looks good, Chibirobo (a tiny robot you like control) looks wonderful and One Piece Treasure Battle also looks good. Other than that... I second Pokemon Snap. I really thought that was a fun game.

Generally nothing really happens on my birthday. I get some presents and money, but I don't like having parties. I can't even remember what I got for my last one anymore, probably a few CDs and such... August feels like it was ten years ago lol.

There is a "friend" of mine that is obsessed with me. I hang out with him sometimes, and I'll admit most of it goes rather well. I do sort of feel like I owe him, as he has helped me financially a few times (I have paid him back though). He is gay, and I do think he probably likes me... Or I did, until I found out he treats ALL of his friends like this eventually, no matter what sex they are. So now, I just think he is severely unbalanced. Like I said, most of the time things go well... But sometimes they just don't. There was a period of time where he called be 8 times in one day. He always needs to know where I am. I can't cancel plans, even days in advance without him harassing me for days. He's even pretended to be other people online and asks bizarre questions about my friends and stuff. I've tried to put an end to all this several times, but it's hard to just disappear when someone knows where you live and all your numbers. The other day was awful. I was at his place (he had been normal for a long time prior to this), and two girls I knew (and he knows) called me and asked if they could come over. He agreed, and everything was fine.... Until I was about to leave with them. He had it in his head that I was staying over (who knows why). So basically he argued and yelled at me for who knows how long, pushed the girls around, tried to keep me in his house by force... We all finally got outside and he still kept doing it. The girls and I finally got away and went home. He called my cell maybe 15 times that night. Don't ask me why I'm still friends with him. He treats me like ****, but I like I said... I feel that I owe him, even though I don't. I'm too nice to him, and am working on ways to totally get out of this without him harassing me or my family. That's my main reason I stick it out, I don't want that to happen. So yes... obsession sucks. I don't know that I'm obsessed with anything. I love music, animals and games... But not to the point where they are all I talk about.

I don't know how old anyone was when this happened... But back when I was like in 4th or 3rd grade, people used to wear hats and clothes and leave the price tags on. It is still the dumbest fasion trend I can think of. Thank god that's over. I personally don't care to buy stuff at Gap, Abercrombie or whatever else... Mostly because most of their stuff has their name plastered all over it. I'd rather not pay to advertise for them. That and Gap has always bothered me. The child labor stuff a while back, the commercials and the way everything just looks the same. At this point, I just by whatever I think looks good. I own more dressier expensive stuff like Perry Ellis or Nautica, but I tend to just wear jeans, band shirts, nicer sweaters and Converse Allstars. Nothing special. I own New Rock boots as well, but they are hardly something "nice." They have flames and metal all over them lol. I've found that once you get out of highschool, a lot of the idiotic popularity stuff fades away dramatically. Sure it's still there, and some places more than others... But I've yet to have a problem or see anyone else have one. In highschool there were uniforms, but it was just to wear dress clothes. There was still plenty of room to wear things that fit what you wanted. Even if I did get any crap from someone, it was rarely from anyone who's opinion I valued. I'd have to say that's pretty much the same for anyone. There aren't many people I'd be willing to try and change for, especially over something like that.

I remember back when Mudvayne first came out... I saw some interview with them on TV, and they named Manson's older sound (namely Portrait of an American Family) as one of their biggest influences. I figured I'd like it in that case, but I was mostly getting into punk at the time, and straying from metal/whatever. I never bothered. I saw the limited edition set of this CD though - the one with the extra DVD. I don't know what I expected, but it certainly wasn't what I got. I can't even bring myself to get past the first couple tracks. I used to [i]love[/i] this type of stuff... and I still do like it if it's done really well. I just don't think this CD was anything special at all. I've not listened to it in a while now. Just my opinion of course.

I'm a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland (the book and the Disney movie). I also bought it because it was 10 bucks lol, and because of Wonderland in the title of course. I just really thought it was dumb... I like crazy things, I own anime that makes far less sense. This just didn't appeal to me, and I've not watched it again after the first time. I'm glad some of you got your money's worth though heh.

Happy New Year to everyone. I personally couldn't care less lol. Another year of school, work, doing my taxes and whatever else. At least I get to cash in all my bonds today :D.

I'd personally never consider Greenday, Blink 182, Sum 41, Offspring or whatever else to be what punk [i]has[/i] to sound like. I love punk, I listen to it everyday and I don't own one thing by any of those bands (well some Greenday I downloaded). Just like every other genre there are dozens of sounds to pick from. I'm sure everyone knows crap that's played on the radio doesn't really reflect what else there is available, and that goes for everything. Still, if people don't like it that's okay with me heh.

Sum 41 has been around a bit longer than many of the other bands that currently sound like them. The last CD is known to be rushed, and given that they were signed to a bigger label to make it... I think it's easier to understand [i]why[/i] they sounded like that on that CD. I do think the current one (while I don't think it's great or anything), is much better than the last. My friend (who has been into punk for years longer than I) has told me that their other previous stuff was quite different (much like people insist old Blink 182 is much better -- Although I don't like it either way). Whether or not this is true I don't know as I don't care to listen and find out lol. I just don't think they are right out trying to copy anyone, it's just that anything sounding like Blink 182, or other similiar bands, seems to get signed right away and forced into the same routine (if you keep track, they don't all want this to happen, and not all have always sounded like that). They wind up sounding really simliar. Poser isn't a word I'd use. I hate that word though, so I'm biased. You could say the same thing about the Hives, Vines, Strokes, whatever... They all kind of appeared at the same time though (although I heard of the Hivers years before these other ones). They all sound a bit alike, but I wouldn't say they are posers or copying anything. Just kind of the sound a bunch of record companies signed to compete with eachother. Hoping one would beat out the rest.

The GBA (even the Gameboy Color) already can handle cell phone technology. There is an addon for the system in Japan that lets users connect to it and go online. It's used in Mario Kart, for example, to trade times and ghosts with people. There'd be no reason to make a new one. And really, there's nothing special about those phones. The same games can be played on normal color phones, and I can tell you now... they're nothing special (outside of a few pretty good games, Sega ones mostly). This is just a phone orientated to be like a controller. I'm sure it will lead to more games being made, but I don't expect much.

Can someone do us a favor and close this...?