Sara

[font=trebuchet ms]I was in Iceland for a few weeks this summer, and apparently the lead singer of Sigur Rós frequents my favorite coffeeshop there. I saw him once, and other people in my group saw him on other occasions. Even though I'm not very familiar with Sigur Rós, it was still pretty cool. Apparently Iceland doesn't have the same concept of "celebrity" that we do. The topic came up with some of my Icelandic acquaintances, and it's apparently no big deal to run into Jónsi or Björk in Reykjavík. I know that if either of them showed up at one of my regular coffeeshops in the states, they would be swarmed by fans and admirers... But it wasn't a big deal for them to sit around in a café in Reykjavík unmolested. One of the people I was with wanted to ask Jónsi for an autograph, but everyone around us seemed so unsurprised to see him, that it would have been awkward and rude to go up and disturb him. Which is funny, too, because that's how you would feel about interrupting a "normal" person at a coffeeshop. The American view of celebrities is that they, by virtue of their talent and fame (or just plain fame) have become public property—feel free to stare at them, interrupt them, or touch them! After all, they're here for [i]you[/i]! It's creepy if you think about it.[/font]

[quote name='Vicky'][SIZE=1]And, err, why does it actually matter whether I'm a teenager or not? [/SIZE][/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]It doesn't matter. And since it doesn't matter (but some people are easily swayed into believe it [i]should[/i]), it is a subtle way to discredit your opinion.[/font]

[quote name='James][font=franklin gothic medium']What a terrible message the defense forces are sending here. "We can't help that there are bigots among you, so we have to discharge the victims."t no matter what another person's views, they would be discouraged from acting on them because they know it's wrong and they know they will face punishment.[/font][/quote][font=trebuchet ms]I've noticed that victim-blaming is common in any situation where the perpetrator is a straight white male and the victim is not. Clearly, no matter what evidence points to the contrary, the victim was [i]asking for it[/i] in some way, so the straight white male isn't [i]actually[/i] at fault. It's a very common mentality that unfortunately rears its head even in the arena of court and law. It's strange for me to read this thread, especially SunfallE's replies. I grew up in a Christian school environment where the attititudes she's describing were not only common, but part of the curriculum. I had one teacher in particular whom I respected greatly in every aspect but this?and it was [i]hard[/i] to hold onto the idea that, despite all "evidence" and instruction to the contrary, legalised discrimination was wrong. When I went away to college, the realisation that other people [i]weren't all homophobic[/i] was fresh air to an almost suffocated belief. Two years ago, my state voted "yes" on an amendment that stated: [quote] "Marriage. Shall section 13 of article XIII of the constitution be created to provide that only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state and that a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state?"[/quote]This essentially means that [b]not only is gay marriage forbidden[/b] by the Wisconsin constitution, but also that [b]the fallback second choice of civil unions is not an option[/b]. I realise that this isn't immediately relevant to the discussion of the military, but it's an example of how widespread and deeply rooted homophobia is (in my home state, and probably many others). It blows my mind that equal rights for [i]living, breathing, tax-paying members of society[/i] have to be legislated... and that said legislation frequently fails?or stubbornly trudges backward, progress be damned.[/font]

[quote name='chibi-master']Okay, as much as I know that was ment to mock me a little (or a lot, it's up to you), that was pretty d*** funny!:animesmil[/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]No, I haven't got anything against you. The argument is a little questionable, though.[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms]I'm not familiar with this show, but most of Reality TV is based on the notion of Better Living Through the Humiliation of Others. [i]American Idol[/i], for example, tests my faith in humanity. Surely those people must have at least [i]one[/i] friend or family member who loves them? I mean, I'm all for snarky comments and the embarrassment of my loved ones, but we keep it personal. That's how they know I love them. Even [i]I[/i] draw the line at encouraging someone to humiliate themselves on national television.[/font]

[quote name='chibi-master']FINALLY! Someone who gets it! I mean, REALLY PEOPLE, it has to be [I]illegal[/I] for a [I]reason[/I]!!![/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]Exactly. I mean, God only knows how many people I could kill on the plane if they let me wear my sandals through the metal detector.[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms]Geeze [i]Louise[/i], there's no way I can keep up with these posts. I was going to give my reactions to songs as I listened to them, but there is no way for me to listen to everything that's been posted in a timely manner. I am thrilled about all of your recommendations! I also encourage anyone else interested to listen to and post their responses to the songs given in this thread. It's more fun if more people participate. [b]Darren[/b], there are a few artists on your "abridged" (descriptionless) list that I've just started listening to due to a recommendation (and a couple mix CDs) I got as a response to a very similar request. So I've heard a couple songs by [i]Neutral Milk Hotel[/i], [i]Spoon[/i], and [i]Radiohead[/i], but only recently. I do like them, though. I also like Rufus Wainwight... I don't know a lot of his stuff, but (like a lot of people, I think), I fell in love with his voice after hearing him sing [i]Hallelujah[/i] in [i]Shrek[/i] and hunted around for more songs by him. Haha. I'm listening to [i]Cassandra[/i] right now, and I enjoy it. It's sort of mellow and a bit haunting at the same time. Thanks for mentioning it. [b]Vicky[/b]: of your recommendations that I listened to, I think I like [i]Façade of Reality[/i] best. The contrast of the sort of operatic vocals to the rest of the song (and the angry growling!) is just neat. I really enjoyed [i]The Impression That I Get[/i], too. It's just plain fun. (I [i]did[/i] listen to the songs in the first half of your post, I swear... These couple toward the end just clicked with me better.) [/font]

[quote name='chibi-master']Anyway, I have this wonderful little 'gift' of mine. A magic memory! I'll be daydreaming in class while the teacher is talking and when the test comes, I simply remember what I was daydreaming about in class (this is quite easy for me to do) and it also brings back memories of what the teacher said. [/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]I do almost the same thing: I doodle in my notebooks while taking notes. When a question on a test comes up that I have trouble with, my brain fills in the blanks: "Okay! This information was on the page with the big orange dragon, right next to the flower-owl!" It helps me visualise/remember information that would otherwise fall into The Abyss of Forgotten Facts. Regarding self-esteem vs. academic success, I think the point raised by the article is this: [b]If higher self-esteem [i]doesn't raise the scores[/i], why focus on it in school?[/b] It becomes a question of what the purpose of school is, and whether or not American (or East Asian) schools are fulfilling that purpose (whatever it may be).[/font]

[quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Oh bah, it got me through high school somehow. Of course the irony is that one day when I realized my mother had suddenly stopped bugging me about studying I actually did better. *twilight zone music*[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]It got me through high school, too, haha. It's actually kind of funny: the point in college when I realised "I'd rather be happy than get straight A's" was exactly the point when my GPA started to falter. And the trade-off wasn't even that bad... I lost about a third of a point, and suddenly, I enjoyed life again! It was pretty sweet. [quote name='Raiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]I suppose my gripe about self esteem is when people use it as a way to coddle children into thinking they can just think well of themselves and be great people. I believe, like so few people these days, that true self esteem can come from real achievement. Like scoring high on an exam or getting a job because your resume was actually not comprised of lies.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE]The worst is when people think well of themselves and treat everyone else like crap. "MOMMY TOLD ME I'M SPECIAL, SO YOU HAVE TO CATER TO MY EVERY WHIM! I WILL THROW A TANTRUM IF YOU DON'T!" I guess I can't say that [i]all[/i] baseless entitlement stems from coddled "self-esteem," but I've got my suspicions. The thing is, I know genuinely intelligent, kind, funny people who have [i]zero[/i] self-confidence or self-esteem, and it drives me nuts. I sometimes want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them: "You are a great person! Why don't you believe meeeeeeeeee?" (Of course, that would only make things worse.) Conclusion: Some people are using up [i]more than their fair share[/i] of self-esteem, and stealing it from others. It's okay, though. They're special.[/font]

[quote name='Mykul']You shouldn't be searching the internet for a name, you should be searching your heart and soul for the saint that you believe holds a special place in your life. Nobody but you can decide who that is. And once you have realized who this special saint is, you [I]then[/I]take on his or her name as a symbol of the closeness you feel with that saint.[/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]I do think that the [i]idea[/i] of having a personally meaningful name is a great one. I wish my church had operated that way. My congregation churned out about twenty-five confirmands a year?it was a very regular and impersonal process. If you went to the school attached to the church (as most of us did), "Confirmation class" was a part of your required daily schedule, and you took it for a grade. In the spring, when Palm Sunday rolled around, you were required to show up to the second service, and you were shuffled through the ceremony one after another while everyone else in the congregation fanned themselves with the bulletins and wished they'd remembered that this was Confirmation Day, and that they should have gone to the shorter service earlier in the day. You also got a Confirmation Verse, but you weren't allowed to choose one that was important to you. It was just a random assignment, luck of the draw from the pile of certificates that they ordered from the Confirmation Clearinghouse. I'm not bitter.[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms]My default test MO for most of my life was: 1. Notice there is a test the next day. 2: Panic. 3. Study until my eyes bleed. 4. Take the test, utterly convinced that I've failed. 5. Get an A! Works like a charm. That being said, I'd say self-esteem is important for success in other areas of life (personal grooming, relationships, general interaction with other humans)... But it doesn't matter how good you feel about yourself in math class if you don't know the material. Granted, breaking down crying every night when you do your homework because you don't understand it is probably not the best way to operate, either.[/font]

[quote name='Korey'][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]Ah, Allamorph strikes again...your mastery of the biting sarcasm is too good for most humans to comprehend, fellow. May your days be filled with more witty observation and sly commentary that may or may not discourage your fellow conspirators.... Gah, why do I feel that Mitch posted this instead of me? [/FONT][/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]Oh, [i]ouch[/i]. By the way, the "I'd choose smart, but I'd be so smart that I'd INVENT A WAY FOR ME TO BE BEAUTIFUL HAHAHAHA" replies are total cop-outs. =p I would say that I definitely value intelligence over conventional beauty.[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms]I'm not familiar with the concept of a confirmation name. Does it have any significance beyond the ceremony? For the record, my favorite female Biblical character is [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jael]Jael (click)[/url]. She killed an enemy captain with a tent peg and won a war. Pretty impressive woman.[/font]

[font=trebuchet ms]Create a superhero (or villain)! I want to see something truly original, and truly awesome. Not just "he can create fire" or "she's a superpowered ninja assassin." (It's been [i]done[/i].) I want to see funny, odd, quirky heroes (or villains). Characters so unexpected or ridiculous that they can't make it on their own as a [b]Real Hero[/b] (or [b]Villain[/b]), but have been relegated, to their great disappointment, to the status of [b]Sidekick[/b] (or [b]Minion[/b]) ...or even [i]more[/i] tragically, [b]Wannabe Sidekick[/b] (or [b]Wannabe Minion[/b]). If there's interest, I was thinking about starting an RPG along these lines... but for now, let's just draw awkward supers. It's fun! [center][img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26642&stc=1&d=1216776925[/img][/center] [b]Name[/b]: Firebug [b]Alliance[/b]: Evil [b]Abilities[/b]: Flight, bioluminesence. She can glow in the dark, woo! [b]Weaknesses[/b]: Artificial light?it disorients and dizzies her. In extreme cases, she may even be prone to (gasp!) fainting spells. Passing out when someone shines a flashlight at you? [i]Not[/i] very intimidating. [b]Costume[/b]: Dark grey pants and tunic with glow-in-the-dark piping and zipper; Tinted glasses/goggles to minimise embarrassing fainting spells. Running shoes. Antennae and wings... (though she might lose the acorn hat. It was a spur-of-the-moment accessory when I decided I was making a firefly-based super, and it doesn't fit who she actually turned out to be). [center][img]http://www.otakuboards.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=26643&stc=1&d=1216862027[/img][/center] And I didn't have much else to do today, so here's a revised image. She's glowing! How cool is that? Let's see what we can come up with![/font]

[font=trebuchet ms]Thanks for the suggestions! I listened to [b]Darren[/b] and [b]Lunox[/b]'s recommended Damien Rice songs, and I enjoyed them. I especially enjoyed "The Blower's Daughter," so I'm happy that Lunox called Darren out on that one, haha. I like that "bare" sound... it seems very low-tech, and very honest, just guitar and voice. Right now I'm listening to "God Diva," and, [b]Lady Aura[/b], I'm impressed that you can keep track of the melody well enough to hum it! Your description of classical/techno-creepy fits it better than I expected. That's [i]exactly[/i] how I would describe it. Oh—and it just ended. I'm kind of disappointed that it didn't keep going on for longer.[/font]

I like music. Unfortunately, I'm not [i]familiar[/i] with a lot of music. I do, however, have access to YouTube and about sixty dollars worth of iTunes giftcards. This is where you come in. I want to know about songs you like. Not just the titles and artists, but your impressions of the songs?where you heard them, or when you discovered them, why you liked them, or why everyone should know and love this song. [b]Songs, mostly, that you're passionate about.[/b] Or just really, really like. Or even songs that get stuck in your head every time you're in the canned vegetables section at the grocery store, and you want to share the pain. They can be dramatic, lighthearted, parody, instrumental... any length, and any genre. Convince me that they're worth listening to. I really want to know. Some examples: [quote]Okkervil River ? Seas Too Far To Reach I really like Okkervil River. Some people don?t (presumably) because of the dude?s voice, but it works. Basically, it?s the most lovely and jolly rock and roll song about sex. I mean, obviously it?s far removed from ?I Wanna Be Your Dog,? but still. Just an enchanting song, and the ending where they break out into la?s while trumpets chime in? well, it?s wonderful. That?s actually the reason I put the song in. The ending. It makes me indescribably happy.[/quote] [quote]"Sadie Hawkins Dance" by Relient K. It's easy to smile when I hear this song.[/quote] [quote]"Heartbeats" by Jose Gonzales. So, uh, this song was featured on Scrubs. But that's not how I found it, I promise! I first heard it on the Bravia balls commercial. When I first saw the commercial, I watched it probably ten times in a row, entranced by the colors and the beauty of the video... and then I kept it playing in the background because I fell in love with the song.[/quote] [quote]The National ? Secret Meeting I mean? I love the song. It?s got a nice drum beat, ringing guitar interplay, and vocals that probably aren?t that great, but I love them anyway. I just don?t know why this song is here, on this mix that was intended to be the antithesis to the ?gloom & doom? mix I made. And The National are pretty much one of the gloomiest bands around. But whatever. I love the song, the band, the album.[/quote]

[quote name='Odin M Yggdrasi']3. Don't even think about getting government aid. They'd be all too willing to hand it out, and you would piss off everyry hard-working middle class person out there by getting handouts at their expense. [/QUOTE]I cannot think of a reply sarcastic enough to express how frustrated I am with your ignorance and self-importance.

[quote name='Shy'][indent][size=1]Yes I'm bringing this back. Deal with it. [b]RPG Title:[/b] 101 [PG-V] [b]Genre:[/b] Horror/Sci-Fi [b]Setting:[/b] A sleepy midwestern college town. [b]Basic Summary:[/b] Sara, an aspiring writer, enrolls in her community college's weekly 'creative writing' class. She soon finds herself jaded when she discovers that her fellow students only like to write tacky sci-fi stories and vampire fiction. As Sara considers dropping the class she stumbles across a crime scene eerily reminiscent of one of her peer's stories. It is then that she realizes her fellow students aren't just [i]writing[/i] tacky sci-fi stories and vampire fiction, they're [i]living it[/i]. Players would assume the role of Sara, her friends, and the eclectic students who fill her creative writing class. Excerpts from creative writing 'assignments' would be included in some posts, and often juxtaposed with action or comedy. The RPG would be a balance of action, soap opera, and cliche, all as the momentum builds towards an exciting confrontation during finals. -Shy[/size][/indent][/QUOTE] I love you. [quote name='Solo Tremaine'][COLOR=#503f86][B]Title:[/B] Font Wars - The Boldening [PG - LV][/COLOR] [COLOR=#503f86][B]Genre:[/B] War/Electronica[/COLOR] [COLOR=#503f86][B]Setting:[/B] Inside a computer[/COLOR] [COLOR=#503f86][B]Summary:[/B] The Times New Roman Empire has reigned for too long. Centuries, in fact. Its rule is despotic; although it claims to turn vast areas of blank space into a utopia, the people hampered by the uniforms pressed upon them have to uphold the rigid form of the Times New Roman law. But there is something even more sinister behind its leader, Arial, as important figures of society, known as Numbers and Letters, start disappearing...[/COLOR] [COLOR=#503f86]A brave band of underground fonts, called the TrueTypes, aim to infiltrate this cruel regieme and discover its secrets, hoping to topple its cruelty once and for all, before a terrible event deletes them and their world forever.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]I love you, too.

[quote name='Lunox'][font=trebuchet ms] In your hypothetical world, how smart are we talking about here? There are smart people, and then are geniuses. If you're a genius, does that mean you're insanely hideous? If you're just barely "smart", are you barely "ugly"? [/font][/QUOTE]Did you ever read [i]A Spell for Chameleon[/i]? It's part of the Xanth series (the first one, I think) by Piers Anthony. There's a character who over the course of a month transforms from hideous genius, to average nobody, to drop-dead gorgeous airhead.

I have always been interested in joining the Peace Corps, but at the same time, I've always been really intimidated. I'm graduating from university this year, though, and I think it's something I really want to do. I'm currently in a relationship, which makes the whole "Go live in another country for two years!" thing a lot more complicated, though.

[quote name='Nerdsy'][color=deeppink]You hear me, Sara? Be online more.[/color][/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]Whatevs. As for my dying... Trust me, you would all know if that happened. It is a little-known fact that I was one of the hackers who brought down v2 back in 2001. As a beloved and respected member of the community, no one ever suspected me--which made it even easier to gain access to the revamped v3 (and later) control code. I subtly modified it, masterfully weaving the php around a hidden internet doomsday device. It is constantly ticking down?at any given moment, this forum has less than twenty-four hours left of existance. Every night at midnight, I hack into the system and enter a secret code to reset the countdown and keep this board from going nuclear. So, yeah. If I ever die, you'll know.[/font]

[quote name='2008DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]For those who don't know, I'm a huge fan of teen pregnancy/girls with kids, no, please, do not ask me why, okay.[/COLOR][/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]That is creepy beyond my ability to express. I loved [i]Juno[/i]. I saw it a couple months ago, and was completely charmed. I really liked the soundtrack, too?I never notice soundtracks when I am watching movies, but I noticed this one. I loved every song on it... except for that "I am a Vampire" song during the credits, which is a horrible mutation of catchy and grating. I watched it again last night with some friends, and I liked it just as much this time. It's a sweet little love story?funny and awkward, realistic and unrealistic in all the right ways. I'd like to own it.[/font]

[quote name='Zombie_Nosh'][FONT="Courier New"][COLOR="SeaGreen"]I guess it's sort of like the guy who uses the [FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="4"][COLOR="Magenta"][B][I]size 4 font, Comic Sans, in day-glo pink[/I][/B][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]. His imput is as valid as the next mans, but why oh why must it be made that way?"[/COLOR][/FONT][/QUOTE][font=trebuchet ms]I get what you're trying to say, but I disagree on this point. Input made in Comic Sans in never valid.[/font]

I went as my superhero alter-ego. It was pretty rockin'. [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/cerasaragirl/1812198861][img]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2322/1812198861_1f00ed8617_m.jpg[/img][/url] [size=1](Click to view larger.)[/size]

[quote name='2007DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]I actually kind of enjoy the idea that I might be channeling Satan through my penis. Maybe I can shoot demons out of it and possess people. ...wait, isn't that kind of like getting a girl pregnant? XD zing...[/COLOR][/QUOTE][color=#b0000b][i]What the heck?[/i][/color]