Lady Asphyxia

[size=1]Well, first off, I have to say that your poem could be sorted into stanzas. Partly because it introduces new ideas, partly because it makes it easier to read, especially on the net. You have some pretty profound lines in there, although some of the surrounding things could do with tidying up -- of course, everyone's work needs that from time to time. For instance, the line, "Everything matters when nothing does." Really thought provoking. *nods* I think the main problem with this poem is the lack of stanzas. I find it really hard to see where one thought ends and another begins. The poem doesn't have much rhythym or consistancy, which isn't necissarily a bad thing. There have been some very good poems like that. There's quite a bit of imagery there, but it's almost...unfocused. Perhaps if you focus on a subject, rather than an event? *shrug* However, there really [i]is[/i] some pretty powerful imagery there, and some profound lines. So all over, it isn't a bad poem. It could do with some revising, but then, [i]everything[/i] can.[/size]

[size=1]Well, it obviously isn't me daring you. I'd never give you such an easy challenge if I did, heh. Anyway, it was a light, frothy poem, but it was presented well. It was smooth and flowing, although, the 'be' in the first line doesn't really make sense. And while the poem was rather short -- especially for you, Mr-Don't-You-Ever-Write-Anything-Longer-Sara/Asphy ;) -- it had a meaning, and a story behind it. I guess I'm sort of mixed in this poem. I'm not sure whether or not I really like it, heh.[/size]

[size=1]Rae lurched in the helicopter, sending a withering glare at Liam's back. The ass. She saw the look he'd just given the group. What, he thought himself superior to them, did he? Sometimes, Liam could be an arrogant SOB. This entire mission, Liam had spent his time cosseting the group, looking after each one of them, never letting them use any initiative. Never letting them do what they were trained to do. He had no confidence in the group! How in hell would they ever get through without him if he spent his time acting like a mother? Rae completely agreed with Zharra's actions. Liam may not have liked it, but at least Zharra had thought for herself. Perhaps it was just Rae, but the SYF teens weren't trained so be good soldiers, they were trained to be [i]in charge[/i]. They went on to be officers, generals, and commanders. Not mindless gophers who took orders without question. She sighed. It was possible that she was over reacting, but Liam had taken the lead in this mission every time. And, much as Liam was a good friend and all, his head would get way too big if it continued. He'd already unfortunately acquired a hero complex, now all he needed to do was to believe he was invincible and personify the enemy as a race, and he'd be Hitler at nineteen! Rae checked her safety gear. Even though they were sitting down and were strapped in, she still wore her pack and her parachute. Grinning slightly, she tapped Eve and Bailey on the shoulder, then filled them in. They wouldn't let her go. She shrugged, then proceeded to explain the necessity of her 'vacation'. She'd been away from the places too long, she said. She'd probably lost half her contacts. She needed to get back in touch. They still wouldn't let her go, at least alone. In unison, they unbuckled their safety belts, and jumped freefall from the helicopter. Counted their numbers, pulled the release and landed softly on the ground. Rae radioed their safety to the team, grinning at Liam's furious comments, then grinned at the girls. "Welcome to the old Pizaro grounds. The mansion is this way, and you will find all the normal comforts. Tomorrow, I'll go out and start grouping contacts. My information in this region has decreased to a bare trickle lately, and I want to know why." Eve nodded, her face determined. "We'll get the information tomorrow, the day after at the latest. After all," she glanced around at the girls, all of them looking deadly. "We've got...us." [b]OOC: Hrm. Probably threw you all right off, sorry. *shrug* Go with it.[/b][/size]

[size=1]Oh, Sen, they're lovely. It's some of the best poetry I've seen. And you make it seem so effortless! I myself [i]cannot[/i] write poetry, and so I have a lot of respect for you and your genius. The metaphors are just gorgeous and, well, [i]right[/i]. And, well, the rhythm is great, the words don't interrupt the flow, and there are no phrases that jar the feel. So, I have no suggestions. Well done, Sen. It's gorgeous![/size]

[size=1]This idea has actually been suggested before now, but from what I can gather, James is of the opinion [correctly] that this is an entertainment site, rather than a resource for school and assignments. Besides which, it would be rather hard to regulate the information, and to deduct whether it is correct or false. It's jst too much work for a site that's supposed to be [i]fun[/i], you know?[/size]

[size=1]Mitch, I swear, you must have said the same thing about 3 times. Perhaps you don't like funerals, but you're driving the point home and it doesn't need to be. Australia, as far as I know, does not have open caskets. I don't see funerals as a waste of time. And I don't believe the point of a funeral is to over-romanticise. And I do believe that it brings closure. The thing is, I can see you've analysed it all logically. But there's a very important factor in there: emotion, and human fear. People go to funerals to respect the dead, and, more importantly, the dead's family. The death of loved ones [i]hurts[/i]. People might say that they don't care, or they won't show emotion, but it [i]really[/i] hurts. It takes a long time to get over it, and even then the stupidest things can make you upset again. A funeral is there to comfort those who lost. It's hard to let go, and making sure that your loved one is well taken care of is an emotional thing. It comes from taking care of them in life, and it carries on in life. I'm sorry, but I'd rather not think of my father rotting in the ground, carcass infested with worms. A personal choice, you understand. Even a cremation has a funeral, but instead of being buried, they're burnt. So the people come to the funeral, to mentally say goodbye and to remember the person they used to know. To see a coffin makes it all so much more [i]real[/i]. People have lived in denial because they didn't think it was real. And, too, death brings home ones own mortality. And who wants to be forgotten when they die? I don't know about you, but I do to a funeral to help the family of the person who died, to try to help them grieve. [By the way, 'debase' means humiliate, demean or degrade. The word you're looking for is 'digress': to get off the topic, to go off on a tangent.] Look, I'm sorry if this has come across as harsh or something. But you know those stupid things that make you upset that I mentioned? Well...this was of them.[/size]

[size=1]The way I get inspired is to not let the idea take over. I know that sounds odd, but when I get an idea for a story, I sit on it for a while and look at the angles and let the characters grow and evolve, before I get anywhere close to putting anything on paper. I prefer not to set down character attributes, because it makes me think of them as fake. A real character can't be defined that easily, so I don't do it when I write. As for looking for inspiration, I suppose I don't. Sometimes ideas just appear in my head, and I let them fester until I'm ready to write them. Other times they're because of two similar things happening at once. One song or one TV show can never inspire my by itself. I often work best at night, because that's when I'm most awake. Otherwise, I can make myself work, but it's hard.[/size]

[size=1]Rae sighed and adjusted her P-90, looking at in with disgust. It really was an ugly gun. It might be a [I]good[/I] gun, but who cared when it was as ugly as sin? And when did she turn into a teenybopper, hmm? She?d gotten Liam?s message, but still didn?t understand it much. Ryan was in the tunnels, that much was clear, and that was fine. But...wouldn?t he tell the Marines to call off? Wouldn?t that mean that the Marines didn?t accept orders? I mean, they were about to kill her...or try, rather. A face poked out from above. It was Bailey, with Eve. ?Hey,? Bailey whispered. ?We?ve come to help you out.? Rae nodded, but didn?t move. ?Look, guys, we?ve got people in the tunnel. What I want to do is give them a chance to lower their arms. I won?t be standing out in the open; that?s foolish, but I will give them a chance. If they proceed, we shoot. Non-lethal, because Liam?s being a bum, but enough to knock them out, or dispose of them for a while. Got it?? They nodded, both ready. Only Rae knew it?d be practically impossible to get away without a mini-fire fight. If they hadn?t given up then, they wouldn?t now. ?Right, then. Take cover.? Rae heard the stealthy footsteps in the tunnel. ?Halt!? She commanded. ?State your armed force.? She honestly couldn?t believe they actually answered. ?Marines.? ?We are friendly forces. Put down your weapons!? Not a clatter was heard. Rae turned to Bailey and Eve and motioned for them to shoot. ?But be nice,? she whispered. She herself took the leader, shooting him in the shoulder. Shoulders were the nicest. If they were shot in the leg, it was possible that the doctors could screw up and they?d never walk again. Anywhere else and it bled a lot. The other side fought back sloppily, shooting wildly in a way that would immediately give away their positions. Rae sighed. She didn?t want to hurt them when they may be needed for protection. An idea leaped into her mind, and she pulled a grenade from her belt. It was harmless, true, filled with a simple sleeping gas. A new invention, definitely a handy one, although she was hoping it didn?t spread very fast.. With it, she pulled the pin for the smoke grenade and threw both at them. ?Let?s go, it doesn?t last very long. Probably less than an hour. It?ll hopefully be enough.? she whispered at the two girls. As the smoke grenade puffed up, so did the sleeping gas. There were some shouts and then silence. The three girls looked up at the hole in the floor, then frowned. The tallest of them still couldn?t touch the top. Rae swore and braced herself, then made Bailey climb up her. She winced when Bailey hit her injured shoulder, but didn?t make a sound. Bailey reached the top just as the smoke drifted over to them. Rae braced herself and ordered Eve to climb up, too. As soon as Eve reached the top, Rae grabbed Bailey?s hand and held on tight. ?I need you to lift me up...? she grinned sheepishly. ?I didn?t think through the whole sleeping gas thing...it?s getting to me.? She fell asleep just as Bailey and Ever pulled her out of the hole.[/size]

[size=1] In answer to some of your questions: Yes, admins can delete accounts. However, there's a great number of accounts that can be deleted, and so Charles or James will go through every so often and delete a few. It would be my guess that deleting banned accounts would get rid of the ban [although I may be incorrect]. Besides which, would you really want to be running around with the name of a previously banned member? It could get rather sticky. As for profanity. Otakuboards has censors up to mask profanity. If it's considered an unacceptable word, it will be blanked out, like this: ****. If the word isn't censored, it isn't considered offensive to the general population, and therefore you can use it. If someone misuses the censor, for instance using special characters to bypass the censor, then report it to a mod, because it isn't allowed. There are special forums that the censors have been restricted, specifically the Poetry and Literature Forum and the Adventure Arena. [I believe that's all]. That's incase the swearing is for a creative reason -- if you have a character in a story whose every second word is a profanity, then it would start looking very bad. Anyway, I hope that answered some of your questions. If you need anymore help, just ask, or PM me and I'll be happy to reply. ^_^" .:Asphy:.[/size]

[size=1]I'm not bilingual. At home my family speaks English, although my mother is fluent in German and adept in French and I'm learning German and my brother French. My mother herself is learning Indonesian. But when I'm learning, the same thing will happen to me, although not as often -- so it probably isn't as annoying. My suggestion is, next time, just come up with a stupid phrase. Like, "My book fancies your squirrel", or something as ridiculous. It might amuse them enough not to ask again, or even freak them out a little bit. At least, that's my suggestion, heh.[/size]

[size=1]I'm actually looking for some help for this piece. What I [i]want[/i] to do is switch to a different scene with a different character, and this character is also answering the door. I'm just a bit worried that a) the reader will get confused, and b) that I'll never get back to the scene. Basically, I want this story to be with three different main characters. They don't know each other, but at the end the story will link them all together. And where one scene ends, the other begins, but with a different cast and set (if you want to put it like that)...does that make sense? Anyway, I'd really like your opinion on this piece, because I'm not at all confident that I've done the right thing here. EDIT: Heh. Thanks. I accidentally pasted it twice, and while I got the end part, I forgot to catch the beginning. And a good point about the birthday. I'd actually changed her age to 24, but I didn't change it in the story, hee. ^_^" [center]___________________[/center] [b]Do You Think She Knows? [Scene One][/b] ?Do you think she knows?? The five year old looked toward the woman in question, in this case their mother. She was hanging out the weekly washing and battling the wind at the same time. It was unseasonably windy for summer, and the hot breeze did nothing to alleviate the sweltering Australian temperatures. ?Nah,? replied his brother, Tom. ?I don?t reckon she has a clue.? He swiped their hair away from his face in an absent gesture, one typical of his personality. His hair was a nondescript brown, thick enough to stick in every direction. His face was sweat streaked and flushed. His eyes followed the figure of his mother. ?You reckon we should go out and help her?? Jake?s brown eyes left his mother for a minute to glance at Tom. He was nothing like his brother; as different as two brothers could be. His hair was a golden blonde and his skin was pale and prone to freckle where Tom?s would tan. For that reason, neither was allowed outside in the hottest time of day; the reason for their current confinement. Jake sighed and went to the bottom bed in the bunk beds, looking at the present wrapped in gaudy yellow, purple, orange and red wrapping paper. He didn?t worry about the paper, because after all, Tom had said that they were their mother?s favourite colours. The two-year difference between the boys had established a firm pecking order, in which Tom was always right, and Jake followed his older brother. ?Nope. If we do, she?ll think something?s up. And she?ll wonder why we?ve been watching her.? ?Can?t we just give her the present now?? ?No. Not until dinner. She wasn?t born until then. Grandma told me so.? ?When?? ?When you were little.? Tom?s superiority had been firmly re-established, and Jake just nodded and looked at the present again. They?d used some blue twine from the cupboard to ?make it pretty?, as Tom had put it. Tom had seen it used is a Christmas catalogue last year, and figured it would be easy to do. They?d tried to use glue, but it hadn?t worked very well, so they ended up snitching the sticky tape from their mother?s draw. The card had been from Tom?s birthday last year, but they?d crossed out the words, ?To My Beloved Son?, and written instead, ?To Mum.? Inside they?d signed their names. ?Come on, lets go see if it?s three o?clock yet.? Tom picked up a glass from the bedside table and walked into the kitchen, putting the glass with the rest of the dishes to be washed. He the smacked the screen door open and barged out to his mother. The object of their prior attention turned and grinned at the two of them, taking in their flushed expressions and sweat-streaked hair. She was in much the same condition, still not used to the hot weather, despite living in the same town for all of her 24 years. Her hair was a bedraggled mess of blonde and brown; a mix that never seemed to be able to choose its colour. She was hot and sweating, and her shorts and tank top did nothing to help the heat. She?d just finished washing and hanging the linen. Her arms were laden with the washing basket and the peg bag was hanging around her neck. She looked like a mess, she knew. But the wonderful thing about children was that they honestly didn?t seem to care. Perhaps in other families, but not her own. Appearances were nothing to her two boys. ?Mum,? Tom began in a singsong voice that could only mean he wanted something, ?Can we go outside and play yet?? Melinda checked her watch. It wasn?t time yet, but it was close enough that if they put sunscreen on, they?d be fine. She nodded at the boys, but added a proviso. ?Stay in the backyard, though. You can go out on the street tomorrow morning.? The boys looked around the small yard, their faces disappointed. Melinda shrugged and tried to ignore the kick-the-dust expressions they wore. They couldn?t go off too far, because their beloved uncle Jack ? the only uncle they had ? was coming to tea for her birthday. It was supposed to be a surprise, though, so she maintained her stance despite their pleading. It was only when she went inside that they accepted her decision. The kitchen window looked out onto the backyard, and Melinda ran the dishwater and watched the boys at the same time. The yard was too small to be able to ride bikes in, but they managed to amuse themselves with the swing set and the sandpit. She wiped her hair off her face with the back of her hand in a gesture remarkably like that of her son?s. She wasn?t sure what time Jack would arrive, although hopefully it would be soon, or her sons? doleful expressions would soon get to her. As if the thought had conjured him, the doorbell rang.[/size]

[size=1]Okay, well, first things first. Fiction of any sort on the net is a lot easier to read when there is a line of space between paragraphs. It just makes it less crunched up and more visually appealing. People get discouraged when it's hard to read -- when it's all crunched up. The problem with first person narrative is that it often becomes an 'I' story. [i] [color=red]I[/color] went to the park and then [color=red]I[/color] walked the dog. As [color=red]I[/color] left the house [color=red]I[/color] said goodbye to [color=red]my[/color] mum.[/i] See what I mean? When you're writing first person, be very careful not to fall into that trap. I do it all the time, and it's only through a lot of revision and a lot of help that I manage to get out of it. Okay, onto the story. [i]My name is Marina Caroline Jarien III. I am the ruler of Dula... or at least what is left of it. You see, my world was destroyed 17 years ago... and it was all my fault. I live in a castle high on a mountain, in the heart of Dula. I sit here every night waiting for him, who ever he might be, to come and to break the spell, so I may be human once more...[/i] The first sentence is fine. It leads into the story very well. It describes who the main character is, and from the name alone you can immediately tell that they're aristocracy. The next sentence should be, in my opinion, something like [i]I am the ruler of what is left of the once prosperous land of Dula.[/i] or something like that. I think in some places you could rearrange the way the sentences are organised, but all in all, it's a good start to a female version of Beauty and the Beast. Just a note; you should try to adapt the story to your own originality. You don't need to follow everything as it was originally. Cheers, .:Asphy:.[/size]

[size=1]Everyone questions such things at times. Everyone wants to know the answers. But we won't find out until we die, because then we'll be able to see in hindsight. Yes, he did like you, and [i]this[/i] is what you did with your life. Basically, everyone has the questions they want answered, and...the only way to answer them is to wait. Heh. No one should be offended by a simple delclaration of faith, although it's a sad fact that it happens at times. Cheers, Asphy.[/size]

[size=1]I thought it was great, Mimmi. I particularly liked the use of fonts and colours to emphasise the point. I thought it was like a short scrap of a story. An extract, if you like. A teaser. Something to whet our appetite and then leave us waiting. And it worked well. It was very effective. I think the best part of the story is the calm quality. There's nothing really in-your-face excitement, and I like that; it adds to the illusion of the early morning summer day. *nods* Good job, Mimmi.[/size]

[size=1]I live in Australia. At this point in time, I'm planning to go to go [url=http://www.uts.edu.au]The University of Technology, Sydney[/url] and do a [url=http://www.hss.uts.edu.au/careers/writing.html]Writing Course[/url] there. Possibly a [url=http://datasearch.iim.uts.edu.au/hss/courses/ug/action.lasso?-database=uts_course_courses&-layout=websearch&-response=detail.lasso&uts_code=C10099&-search]Bachelor of Arts in Communication[/url], which can lead me into Publishing and Editing as well as Writing. So, yes. Those are my plans at the moment.[/size]

[size=1]A lot of my friends are in Year 12 this year, and by next year they'll have graduated and chances are I won't see them again. A few I'll keep in touch with, but most I won't have contact with. And while it's sad that I'll be losing some good friends because of laziness and because of time constraint, it will also make me more independant. I'll be able to concentrate better for Year 12 -- a big plus -- and that's a good thing. I think in time you'll either adapt to new friends, or you'll realise that you've grown apart for one reason or another. Besides which, the best of friends often don't keep track in a big way. For instance, they might drop in when they're travelling and in town, and it can be just like you never parted. Just because you get older and drift apart doesn't mean that you never had anything together. And it's the fact that you were together; that you have been friends, and you have all these happy memories that counts, right? Things get more complicated as you get older, but at least you'll be able to look back with a smile. And nothing will stop you from giving them a call when you feel the need to reminisce.[/size]

[size=1]My New Year's Eve was great! I didn't think it would be. I had to go to an old-school friend's and I don't really like her much. But I hung around with the adults while she stayed with the kids, so that was fine. I ended up having Champagne with Raspberries in it [which, by the way, gives the drink a gorgeous colour! It turns it into this pretty pink!] and sitting there for most of the night. The adults were all really nice and they had some pretty good stories. I didn't really say much, but I didn't really mind. My only complaint was that we went home a lot later than I'd have liked. I'd probably have preferred to go home at 12:30-12:45, but we left around 2am, and by that time I was tired and frustrated and was about to cry because I just wanted to go to bed. The Sydney fireworks were absolutely fantastic this year. It was focussed more on a light display rather than fireworks, but it looked fantastic. They also had lights trained on some of the oldest buildings in the city, and I thought that they went out of their way to look good. I was very impressed and proud of Sydney this year. ^_^[/size]

[size=1]I'm going to go with the advice that Ryu gave: Tell your brother to check his e-mail again [and Junk Mail, if you have it -- that's where I found mine.]. If that doesn't work, try to remember the password and log in. If the account has removed itself, then try to register again. If that doesn't work, come back and we'll try to figure out what could be wrong.[/size]

[size=1]I'm a blonde too, but I don't find blonde jokes insulting. I mean, after a while, they really start to get on my nerves, but most of the time I just laugh, because I know I'm not a classic blonde. I'm not ditzy, I'm not stupid, and I'm not a prep [much...]. At times -- like when I'm really tired -- I act ditzy, but I'm not a ditz. I find it humerous that people like to put everyone into boxes, and that I don't fit into the mold. So don't let it bother you so much. We both know that we are what we are -- and we can't be labelled. ^.~[/size]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Crimson Spider [/i] [B]Santa Claus came from Saint Nick. Don't know the whole story myself. But people substitute Santa Claus for God. 1: is always watching you. 2: passes judgement on you. 3: has a league of helpers 4: gives you either presents, or coal as judgement. 5: is eternal. Way too many similarities IMO. Telling a child that Santa Claus exists, then telling that child that Santa Claus doesn't exist and it was all a lie is like telling a kid that there's a god, then later telling him that there isn't and that there is no magic, or superior power, or penalty for being "naughty". [/B][/QUOTE] [size=1]Adults don't often actually say to children, "there is no Santa Claus." Most children just stop believing when they get older. Or other children tell them so. And yes, the world has become greedy. But greed is a motivation that people would otherwise lack in these times. It's just a pity that it spills over into times that shouldn't be motivated by greed; like Christmas.[/size]

[size=1]Gosh, how hard. [Did I really just say gosh?] Ah well. If I forget anyone, it really isn't intentional.[/size] [b][u]General Awards[/b][/u] [b]Overall Member of the Year:[/b] Mei. She?s been a great person to have around this year. She?s a great conversationalist, and she makes great banners. [size=1]Honorable Mention: Semjaza Azazel. He?s always great, and he makes [I]thoughtful[/I] discussion. [/size] [b]Male Otaku of the Year:[/b] [strike]Crazy White Boy[/strike] [strike]Sharles[/strike] Charles. Lots of Fun, all the time. [With a capital ?f?] [size=1]Honorable Mention: Liamc2 [/size] [b]Female Otaku of the Year:[/b] Cera/Sara/Miss Sara/Sister of the Koosh Ball. You're always sweet and polite and wonderful. How could we not love you? [size=1]Honorable Mention: Baby Girl [/size] [b]Staff Member of the Year:[/b] Solo Tremaine [size=1]Honorable Mention: syk3 [/size] [b]Funniest Member:[/b] DeathKnight [size=1]Honorable Mention: Warlock! [/size] [b]Most Opinionated Otaku:[/b] Um..Cloricus [size=1]Honorable Mention: Poison Tongue? [/size] [b]Member most likely to be here in two years:[/b] James [size=1]Honorable Mention: Ken [/size] [b]Best Newbie:[/b] Terra [size=1]Honorable Mention: Arcadia [Or vice versa. I saw them both and was really impressed.] [/size] [b]Best Oldie:[/b] Shy [size=1]Honorable Mention: Queen Asuka [/size] [b]Most likely to become a Staff Member:[/b] *scratches her head* Erm?Dagger IX1? [size=1]Honorable Mention: AzureWolf? [/size] [b]Favorite Banned Member:[/b] Zeh [size=1]Honorable Mention: DayDay [/size] [b]Most improved Member of the Year:[/b] Vicky ? My god, I?m so proud of her! She used to be absolutely wretched, but she?s fantastic now! [size=1]Honorable Mention: Kitty [/size] [b]Thread of the Year:[/b] [url=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=30298&highlight=Piles+Paper]Piles of Paper[/url] [Pity it flopped.] [size=1]Honorable Mention: [url=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35614&perpage=15&pagenumber=1]this thread[/url] has to be up there. [/size] [b]Silliest Thread of the Year:[/b] See above. [size=1]Honorable Mention: [url=http://otakuboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32318] Charles-Can I be mod for? [/url] [/size] [b][u]Random Awards[/u][/b] [b]Avatar Award: (Best Avatars Overall)[/b] Charles! [size=1]Honorable Mention: Semjaza Azazel ? The Dancing Man is cool! [/size] [b]Signature Award: (Best Signatures Overall)[/b] Sara?s are always fun. [size=1]Honorable Mention: Charles [/size] [b]Best Location: (Best Specific Location)[/b] Sara. I agree with her completely. [size=1]Honorable Mention: Charles.[/size] [b]Best Otaku Couple:[/b] syk3 & Mei [size=1]Honorable Mention: Ashy & Mo.[/size] [b]Best looking Otaku:[/b] Um...James? [size=1]Honorable Mention: Semjaza Azazel[/size] [b]Otaku clique of the Year:[/b] R.E.S.C.U.E. ? A club I actually got into. [size=1]Honorable Mention: cAttitude[/size] [b]Best MyOtaku:[/b] Um...Baby Girl?s. I like all the pictures, and the backgrounds always spiffy. [size=1]Honorable Mention: Sara.[/size] [b][u]Otaku Writers[/u][/b] [b]Poet Laureate:[/b] Drix D?Zanth [size=1]Honorable Mention: A few of Mitch?s poems have been powerful lately. [/size] [b]Writer of the Year:[/b] Charles [size=1]Honorable Mention: Deedlit. [She was great competition in Otaku Idol ^_^] [/size] [b]Orginal Story of the Year:[/b] Enter The Net [by Solo] [size=1]Honorable Mention: I loved my Smoke and Oranges, but I also loved Charles? new one; Hold Me Now [/size] [b]Role-Player of the Year:[/b] Liamc2 [size=1]Honorable Mention: Babygirl & The Harlequin [/size]. [b]Brawler of the Year (sparring):[/b] Charles [size=1]Honorable Mention: Heaven?s Cloud. [/size] [b]Role-Playing Game of the Year[/b] SYF: Aguila Del Desierto! [size=1]Honorable Mention: Kill Adam. [/size] [b][u]Social Otakus[/u][/b] [b]Otaku Social member of the year:[/b] Ken [size=1]Honorable Mention: Liamc2[/size] [b]Entertainment Otaku of the Year: Charlie[/b] [size=1]Honorable Mention: The Harlequin.[/size] [b][u]Otaku Artists[/u][/b] [b]Best Graphic Designer (Banners, wallpapers, etc.):[/b] Kaisuke [size=1]Honorable Mention: Mei[/size] [b]Best "Traditional" Artist (Drawings, paintings, etc.):[/b] Sara [size=1]Honorable Mention: Queen Asuka[/size]

[size=1]I was going through my Piles of Paper [the real ones, not the one on OB] and I came across this short piece. It was a 'Character Study', [at least, that's what I've termed it.] a short piece focusing on the character and who they are and what they look like. This piece was probably the first piece that, in retrospect, I still think is quite good. I never ended up using her for a story, though, which disappointed me. Anyway, tell me what you think. I would have written this in Grade 8. [b]Character Study: Jolie[/b] Jolie's shoulder length blonde hair way cut that way for purely practical reasons. If it was too long, too much time was taken to put it up. Too short, and you couldn't put it up at all. Her often scowling face looked odd when combined with her eyes. They seemed to spark with as secret humor, as if she was laughing at them behind the baby blue irises. Jolie liked this. It put even perceptive people off their stride, not knowing if she was upset or just pretending. It gave her an edge in life. Her cynical nature and devout religious habits were aftereffects of her parent's bitter divorce, where each parent fought to have her, but neither actually wanted her; each just trying to top the other. Jolie accepted that the divorce had left bad marks, and she dealt with that accordingly, throwing herself into her beliefs and promising herself that her marriage, whenever that might happen, would be the forever kind.[/size]

[size=1]Nice work again, Charlie ol' chap. I love the dark sinister quality of the piece, especially the muted feel it gives off, as if there's a layer of polish to smooth all the bad things away. I love the way she died, and I love the man's...obsession?... with her. I like the fact the he was saving her from old age, that he wasn't just some random killer in the night. He had a purpose, a reason, which is the most important thing in this piece. It comes off almost tender and loving, but always present is that sinister quality. Very well done.[/size]

[size=1]To me Christmas isn't about the birth of Christ -- although it is to my sister, who is religious. It's about family, and about traditions we've followed our entire lives. I can remember back to when I was a little girl, and I did exactly the same thing I do now. Christmas has lost it's mystery, sure, but it's still something I love to do, because I can pretend that I am a little girl again, and since when is that a bad thing? When I was little, my mother made my stocking. I still use the stocking for all my Christmas presents, because it's attached to so many memories. We still use the same decorations, too. Something else that is a big part of Christmas to me is Santa. While I know he doesn't exist, he brings out the best of so many people. He makes the children believe in things when in this day and age, logic is prized. And he brings the adults together in a big loving conspiracy. One parent will encourage someone else's child to believe in Santa, and in turn, when the child grows up, they do the same thing. In my opinion, that sort of network is one of the greatest things that I've ever seen, and it's all been brought about by Christmas.[/size]

[size=1][b]OOC:[/b] Been busy trying to do stuff, heh. A little obscure, sure, but it's true. So don't pout, Liam buddy. [center]____________[/center] Rae struggled free of Malania's hold, flouncing off in another direction. They didn't come after her, and she didn't expect them to. Liam's comment had made her think. She, of all people, knew the pitfalls and uses of a mistaken identity. Still didn't make sense. Rae wandered for a few more minutes, then neatly found a tunnel by falling through it. She groaned and thanked her lucky stars she hadn't jarred her ankles. She wasn't bruised, although her head seemed to be a bit fuzzy for a few seconds. She started looking at her surroundings. Either it hadn't been used in years or someone had recently come through it. Luckily, it seemed to be the first. It was a poorly constructed tunnel; nothing like what Liam had described. It had been hidden by a floorboard -- which was rotting, thus the reason for her fall. The tunnel was little more than a hole in the ground. A safe haven, perhaps? If the enemy knew about these dugouts, they could simply climb in and wait until the team was't ready for an attack. Of course, that wouldn't happen, would it? The team was always read for an attack. Of course, just to be sure, she took a breath to mutter a report over the intercom. This was Liam's fault, really. If he hadn't gone gallivanting about, she wouldn't feel the need to fall into a great dirty pit. "Liam," she growled over the intercom, forgetting her wish to report back. "This is all your fault, I swear." She stretched and then directed her complaint to Kat and Malania, who were probably the closest to her position. "Can you come and get me? I want some help looking around."[/size]