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TuxedAaron — There's ALL Kinds of Creepy
Published: 2012-10-29 16:55:24 +0000 UTC; Views: 20321; Favourites: 238; Downloads: 41
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Well, here we are. With Halloween only days away, it would pretty irresponsible of me to not throw in a Halloween-themed pic for everyone's enjoyment. So here...we...go.This pic is based on my Danny Phantom fanfic, "Royal Occupation". Set against the backdrop of Halloween, where lots of Casper High students are gracing the school in costume, Sam decides to throw everyone for a loop by coming to school dressed as Danny, of all people. Naturally, this comes as a surprise to most, who were naturally expecting Sam to show up, decked out in an ultra-elaborate, uber-dark, mega-creepy costume. But Sam turns her initially plain outfit on its head by showing there's more than one way to be creepy, as she basically made her costume choice just so she can make out with Danny at school all day and freak everybody else out while she does it. Judging by Tucker and Valerie's reaction, it looks like the plan is coming together nicely.^_^
I have to be honest, I really wasn't sure if I was going to get this pic finished in time. Never mind all the work that had to go into this pic with all the characters on the page and the background (to say nothing of the fact that this was my first time drawing Armored Valerie and there was quite a bit of guess-and-test involved, getting certain details right). But what ended up happening was, I tore up my thumb at work last week (actually, I tore up BOTH my thumbs) and I wasn't sure if it was going to heal enough by the weekend to even TRY and get this pic done. Fortunately, it looks as though luck was on my side (well, that and A LOT of Polysporin), so I was able to sit down and bang this pic out. Definitely gonna want my next pic to be a simpler one, though, but I'm immensely pleased with how this one turned out. Hope everyone else feels the same way.^_^
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Comments: 417
TLC? See I stopped watching television regularly since... few years ago..
And I'm not much of a gamer either.. 
Born in a Snake year huh? 
It's amusing when someone complains straight up about ANY fandom, since it's fictional/not real (and especially when they don't provide constructive feedback as to why)
These same people can barely recall any historical events of merit or report them inaccurately. >___>; (Fantasy: Meant for those who can't live with reality--if not just the temporal escape from it 
Aw, no closure
Not a fan of that discontinuation thing... although I can see that I myself do take forever to update, but I don't give up on it really xP
Yeah, writer, don't do anything unless you're sure that you know the ending, at least xD
Well at least this Katana will have a better backstory with your ideas
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Oh. Well, TLC is SUPPOSED to stand for "The Learning Channel". Unfortunately, all they've done is cram it full of little people, conjoined twins, people with weird diseases, six-year-old beauty queens, etc. It's just a total freak show. About the only show there that I don't mind is "A Baby Story" which outlines parents giving birth to their new children. But that's only for the last five minutes of the episode, after the whole delivery, when you get to see the follow-up with the cute little babies living at home.
Well, I'm not sure how many gamers actually gave Astro Boy: The Omega Factor a real try. So it's kind of a buried treasure, really. While it's initially based on the anime version of AB that came out in early 2000, once you get into the actual gameplay, you discover that it's really a lot deeper than that (You actually have to play the game three times to get the "true" ending because that's how drawn out the story is).
You know, for anyone who's got a problem with fandom, this is what I've been saying to people of late. Anyone who calls you a nerd or a geek or any other such term and means it in a derogatory manner, you know what you do? You just turn around and you go "HEY! That is OUR word! YOU don't get to call us that!". And it's true, really. You ever see yourself at an anime or a sci-fi convention or comic convention or anything like that, you take a look around. There's a LOT more of US than there are of THEM now.^_^
Well, the thing with the Gargoyles comic mini-series is, there are reports about quite a few other things Weisman wanted to do with the series (allegedly, he had a whole timeline mapped out for how he wanted events to unfold). He just never got around to following through on any of it after the comic ended and there's really no indication that he even tried.
As for Katana, well, my take on her doesn't reveal quite as much as you might think. The comic reveals that Katana becomes Brooklyn's mate and my story does stick to that with several strong hints. But aside from that, I really don't reveal a huge amount about her, except that I portray her as having a very strong personality. She truly is a warrior, through and through.
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TLC: Home of the Freaks
"Baby Story" huh? Sounds cute.. if I ever do get to watch television it's Food Network or Boomerang xP
Oh I remember they aired that for a while on KidsWB
I'm sure that if my brother played it he'd get everything pretty quick x]
Actually when I'm "insulted" in any which way, I simply smile and come up with some sly remark.. or I envision myself bowing down low and playing peasant to the egotistical King/Queen, lol..
I take most insults as a compliment nowadays though (that doesn't mean that they haven't affected me though 
Yikes, anime conventions..... I feel like a parent in one of those events..
Aw sad face!
I'm really hoping that doesn't happen to my work
Strong personalities usually tend to take the spotlight; is she the focus of your Gargoyles fic?
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Well, I don't mean to call people like little people and conjoined twins freaks, per se (although the parents of six-year-old beauty queens ARE freaks, just for putting their own children through that kind of nonsense at that age). What just makes TLC a freak show is the fact that the channel basically exploits these people for its own gain. Baby Story is okay, though. But like I say, I only tune in for the last five minutes of the episode, when they do the follow up several weeks later and the baby's gotten really chubby and cute.^_^
Yeah, the early 2000 incarnation of Astro Boy was around for a while. The 80s version is by far, the better version, however, as it captures the essence of how Tezuka portrayed Astro Boy. In the end, it basically showed how Astro Boy couldn't save everyone. Which isn't to portray him as a flawed hero, to the extent that someone like Spider-Man is flawed. Basically, one of Tezuka's messages behind Astro Boy is that people are flawed, society is flawed, THE WORLD is flawed. And Astro Boy, for all his impressive abilities, simply doesn't have the power to change that. And it was the 80s series that really brought that out.
Well, considering all the friends I hang with these days, I don't really have to worry about those kinds of "insults" coming my way. Anime conventions are good, though. Our local one, I've been going to since I was in college and I have to say, it's a WHOLE lot bigger now than what it was.^_^
Well, I'm hoping my work doesn't fall by the wayside, either. Actually, I'm hoping to get back into my own fanfics...right after I get a couple more pics done.^_^
Well, Katana isn't really the main focus of my Gargoyles fic. Actually, one of the main focuses is a guy named Adam who's...well, I'd rather not spoil anything if you intend to read the story. But he's pretty fascinating.^_^
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(Forgive me; it's been a while and I've been all stressed out
I respect the people that are labled "freaks" 
Well, if TLC needs to make money.... 
I might have to see that Astro Boy, 80s version...
The world IS flawed... because we made it that way xP
I'm sure that's gotten fun, the anime convention I mean..
Yeah... I don't get out for vacation until Wednesday x'D
Adam, huh?
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No worries. Stressed out happens to all of us. Sometimes it takes me a little while to reply to messages, too.^_^
Well, I respect people who have been thrown those curve balls in life, too. What I don't like is seeing them exploited. It just can't be any good for them over the long term.
Well, if you're interested, I certainly hope you can find it. I bought the full series on DVD for dirt cheap (I think I only paid around 20 bucks for it at the time). Mind you, that was years ago. Whether you'd be able to find it now would depend mostly on where you looked, I guess. The only thing I don't care for about that DVD set (aside from the crappy dubbing, I always watch it subtitled) is the fact that the collection omits one particular episode, which was the very first appearance of Atlas. I have no idea why that particular episode was cut, but I can't seem to find it anywhere.
But yes, it's true, we have no one but ourselves to blame for making the world flawed. Something Tezuka knew all too well. After all, he was there when the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He saw first hand how easily science could be abused, which is what inspired him to write many of the stories he did. Actually, Japan's whole approach to technology in pop culture was colored largely by those bombings. If you look at a lot of manga and anime, it shows people working almost in a symbiotic relationship with technology, because they've seen how it can be misused and they fear that. Out here in the West, it's portrayed quite a bit differently. After all, in the mind's of Western writers, technology is something to be used, not feared. After all, Americans used the bomb to WIN.
Yeah, anime conventions are definitely interesting to go to. I have to admit, though, I attend mostly for the vendors (lets me find stuff I can't normally get my hands on) and for the ambiance of the event (cosplay and whatnot...and there is a whole TON of cosplay now than there was in years past).
Well, I hope you enjoy your vacation time when you get it. I, myself will be using it to clean my place, put up my Christmas tree, get all my Christmas shopping done and hopefully, get my next fanfic at least CLOSE to being finished.
Yes, Adam. As for your guess about him being human, well...you're half right. Let's just say that if he ISN'T the first of his kind...there REALLY haven't been all that many who've come before him.^_^
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Yeah... here I go again with being slow responding xDD
I've had a number of curveballs in my life; I'm not physically "defective" (I don't think
Producers are weird thinking they can cut out anything xP
I should find something on YouTube when I got time..
(If I'm going to buy a set of anything it's going to be Now and Then, Here and There, mind you 
Technology is a double-edged sword. It brings good and evil (this all depends on the intention of the individual or a group of individuals of course)
I remember reading something along the lines that the Japanese fear it... but when you look at their advancement.. transhumanism ain't that foreign to them anymore (e.g. sex robots and child robots for the elderly).
Oh, and CLAMP's Chobits; did not agree with their message about Love AT ALL. 
Ambiance? More like chaos
Then again I'd probably feel the same way at a comic (non-manga) convention too....
I know I'm a nerd but I'm not THAT crazy... or maybe I'm just a boring person
I have a Max Goof outfit actually.... I think I need some other pair of jeans xP
Yikes Christmas where art thou now but in shopping malls?
And how was Turkey Day??
Hooray for finishing fanfic!
Hm, interesting
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Sorry. Didn't mean to reply that way. I'm still trying to make sense of this whole "Emoticon" thing.
Anyway, don't worry about response times. I know it sometimes trakes me a while to get back to people.
Well, the thing is, sometimes people can't handle having a camera crew outside their door. It can actually be the ruin of some people, being thrust into a life that they just don't have ability to handle. Some people, however, are smart enough to walk away from it. Frankie Muniz was one such person. Once "Malcom in the Middle" ended, he got up and walked out of Hollywood, because he just didn't want it anymore. His thinking was, "Okay, I made some good money, I had some good laughs. But now it's time to get on with my life." Mike Teutul was another example when he left the show, "American Chopper". I don't know how much you know about that whole falling out the family had with each other, but he wanted to mend fences with his father, Paul Sr., and he didn't want to do that on camera, with the show scrutinizing his every move. So he quit.
As for the Astro Boy DVDs, I don't see any reason why the episode was cut. After all, they didn't cut anything else. The entire series was unedited.
Well, I won't get into sex robots or child robots. Haven't heard about those, but I'm not sure I'd want to. But as for Chobits, I kind of bailed out of that series early on, so I don't know what their ultimate message of love was. But I do know that CLAMP is no stranger when it comes to skirting romantic taboos. They've dabbled in homosexuality on various occasions (which even in the 90s, was still considered...well, a little off). They went the whole lolita route with Card Captor Sakura, where one of the worst-kept secrets in the series (at least, to the readers) was that 10-year-old Sakura's classmate, Rika was actually dating their teacher. Granted, CLAMP handled that as well as can be expected (it's not like they were having sex or anything), but I mean...come on, right? Basically, if it's romantic, but socially questionable (even unacceptable), it's a pretty safe bet that CLAMP has put it in at least one of their works at one time or another.
Well, at conventions, I kind of like the chaos. But that's just me. I don't know about feeling too old, though. I mean, hey, I'm 35, but I still go. There are guys older than me who enjoy video games and Yu-Gi-Oh. Hell, look at comics and cartoons in general. Those were all created by guys who are older than me, too. So who am I to say that someone's too old for something? To young for certain things, definitely. But never too old.
Well, I like to get my Christmas shopping done relatively early, so that's why I usually take my final week of vacation for the year at the beginning of December. And I usually know what I'm going to get everyone before I buy it, so I have a pretty good idea of where I'm going and what I'm looking for before I even walk out the door. As for "Turkey Day", well, I'm from Canada, so for us, that was like, a month and a half ago.
Well, I certainly think Adam is interesting. If you'd like to find out for yourself, feel free to check out the fic. It's called "The Path Unfolding" and it's posted on fanfiction.net, along with all my other stories (my Author Name there is Aaron12).
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It's okay
I admire celebrities that have the guts to walk out of Hollywood just like that
Because sooner or later they go into that downward spiral of dealing with personal life with the added stress of the damned paparazzi 
That's just weird... like how they got rid of Mewtwo's origin in Pokemon: The First Movie
I know that CLAMP has dabbled in homosexuality (and made it more apparent once "being gay" became popular) and age differences of that sort.. I don't consider their messages of total acceptance as constructive to failing society.
But I'm no halfway foot-in-the-door type. If homosexuality is enshrined eventually (which shouldn't be for various reasons apart from religious beliefs) then Hell I don't care if every other sexual deviance is allowed in also (although I notice that most LGBT activists somehow abhor pedophilia calling it "sick" and "deranged" when, clearly-- 
Forgive my rant; I have a deeply personal conviction on these sorts of things
All I can see is if this does happen eventually, public dissent will be labeled as "hate crime" (to disagree does NOT equal hate) and will send I don't know how many people to some sort of imprisonment...
(I knew eventually I was going to let my ranty instincts take over, so sorry about that.)
I get you; older people coming up with the things that nerds love.. although their ideas began usually in their teenage years.
35 huh?
Canadian Turkey Day! 
At least you plan ahead for all that shopping Drama xP
"The Path Unfolding"...
Gosh I wish I had time to read everything; somehow I was able to just answer this after how long.
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Hi.
Well, first of all, you don't need to be ashamed for taking a while to get back to me. Believe me when I say, some people take longer...A LOT longer. So chin up, okay?^_^
Well, just to KIND of fill in a few blanks for you (but not to give away too much since you might still find some time to read the fic if you want), Adam is from the future and he isn't completely human. He's actually half-human, half-gargoyle. And that's all I'm going to say about that.^_^
Anyway, yeah, it's always better when someone chooses to walk away from that life. Like one of the last interviews Frankie Muniz did, they asked if he would be at all interested if Fox decided to do a "Malcom in the Middle" reunion show one day.
"Only if it doesn't make me look desperate," he replied simply. He then went on to swear that one thing he would never be caught doing is making an appearance on one of those shows like "The Surreal Life", because that would just mean that he'd completely hit rock-bottom.
As for things like homosexuality, well, if that's not something you support, then so be it. I know my mother isn't really a big fan of it, either, so I know full well that just because it's been gathering a whirlwind of acceptance doesn't mean that everyone should be expected to jump on the bandwagon. Having said that, though, I would add that if you're not for it, it's probably best to leave it as one of those "agree to disagree" kind of things, you know?^_^
A decade younger, huh? Well, that's hardly a big deal for me. Lots of my friends are quite a few years younger than I am.^_^
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Fine, lol
He's the son of--?!?
It's good if he can get together with the folks of his career just to hang out... without producers breathing down his neck
And if you don't jump on the bandwagon you're considered "scum" and a "homophobe"
It's easy to love the same sex; it's called my mother, my cousins, my sister, my grandmother, my female friends
Confusing Love and Lust is detrimental to same-sex relationships as it is to opposite (I want to say "complementary") sex relationships; but my opinion counts for naught considering what the media has been teaching to our generation
I guess it's one of those "agree to disagree" things then; but in the classroom I'm dead set in having my voice heard, especially since my major happens to be psychology and I've found out so much about my complex on my own time that it's depressing knowing that most others are not given the chance to even question the majority rule..
More than a decade younger xP
That's okay; I'm used to having acquaintances being older than me
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As for Adam's parentage, well...I'm afraid you're gonna have to read the story to find out.
Well, as for homosexuality, again, I prefer to leave it as one of those "agree to disagree" moments. I mean, that's kind of how my mother looks at it. She doesn't condone it, per se, but she at least tried to come up with an opinion that was kind of like a compromise. While she didn't approve of homosexuals getting married, she thought it would be okay if they called it something else besides marriage. But while I commended her for at least trying to find some middle ground, I went on to caution her that that kind of approach most likely wouldn't solve the real problem. At worst, it would be looked at by people at large as a form of segregation.
Myself, personally, I don't really have a problem with it. I mean, as long as a guy doesn't try to hit on ME, we'll get along fine. I just kind of hold to the opinion that in the end, it's really none of my business.
Well, I know how it is. I'm used to having acquaintances younger than me, myself. In fact, I think the only friend I have who's actually older than I am is my ex-girlfriend.
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I'm just remotely guessing; I was never a big fan of the franchise just because I grew up without cable at the time
Civil unions can have just as much (actually) the same benefits of any marriage. We can give their union a label of "marriage" but it isn't one truly; society can pretend if it wants to.
Besides, the LGBT community won't be satisfied with even marriage until everyone accepts (not "tolerate") their behavior as "good" and "normal". Which, as far as biology goes, I can't see it as normal. (If animals do it it's to prove dominance over the other in some cases; this can be equivalent to human rape--if "love" is brought up transcending all biological and anatomical limitations then I wonder why pedophilia is still looked down upon
And for segregation... they go on to isolate themselves from society anyway (self-segregation?)
There really is no equality between the union of two people of the same sex and the union of two people of the opposite sex, as the second variation is capable of bringing life into the world in a natural way.
(Although now even that is being threatened with test tube babies and surrogate mothers, just ways to circumvent nature and a path to start treating children as mere property, when they used to be a financial burden?)
Oddly enough it is my business seeing as I "am" one of them 
And I don't think you should be afraid or uncomfortable if a guy shares those feelings with you; it sounds counterintuitive but if there's a chance you can be close to them without having to "give in" to their demands. Give them a model to look up to, maybe like a brother or a cousin (great now I'm losing myself in semi- psychoanalytical philosophical oddness; I don't know how to word all this as it requires "feeling".. I hope you catch my drift
I never understood a guy having an older girlfriend, really--well now ex-girlfriend like you said
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Huh. Now it's my turn to take a while getting back to you. Sorry about that. Even though I'm on vacation, it seems all my time has been taken up getting a bunch of other stuff done. Not only did I have a group of pics that I needed to get done (so I could open the door to start work on a pair of new fanfics), but I also had Christmas shopping to do. Not to mention that I still have to finish cleaning my house so I can get my Christmas tree put up. But I've got a few minutes now, so...
Well, I'm sorry you never got the chance to get into Gargoyles. Personally, I felt it tied for Kim Possible as the best animated series Disney ever produced. I generally don't like to put one over the other because Gargoyles was a drama while Kim Possible was primarily a comedy. So trying to compare the two shows on that basis was kind of an "apples and oranges" thing.
Well, you've got a point about Civil Unions or Common Law partnerships. The thing is that there are certain areas (and States in the US) where common law partnerships are not legally recognized, so if that solves any problems, it's a hollow one at best.
As for tolerance over acceptance, I suppose I would say that I tolerate it. I mean, I'm not homosexual, so I can't really understand it. But at the same time, like I said, as long as a guy doesn't try to hit on me, I honestly don't care.
As for your argument about pedophilia, however, actually, when you said that, it kind of reminded me of a class I took in college where we watched a recorded debate. Basically, it was a debate about whether or not women should be allowed in military combat situations like front line infantry and such. Well, one of the people who was on the "no" side made an argument that if you allow women into those positions, then why not the physically or mentally disabled? And I was very surprised that no one jumped on him immediately for that, because the obvious answer is that the physically and mentally disabled are clearly not fit for that kind of duty, whereas if a woman is proven to be fit, then why not allow her?
Your argument about pedophilia rings the same way. You say that if homosexuality is considered right, then how is pedophilia considered wrong? Well, the obvious answer to that is that is that a romantic relationship between two adults is one thing. But you can't consider a relationship between an adult and a child to be in any way equal. It's one thing when a person is old enough to decide who they want to share their body with. But when you're talking about a little kid, who still doesn't even know what sex is, how can you hold them capable of making that kind of a decision?
Now, one quick question. What exactly did you mean when you said you ARE "one of them"?
Well, as for me having an older girlfriend, well, she's only a few years older than me. It's not like there's a 20-year gap between us. And she was afraid to tell me at first because she thought it would drive me away. But while I admit it surprised me, it didn't drive me away. The only thing that broke us up were long-distance issues beyond our control. We still get along great.
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That's some crazy shopping
Don't worry about it~~
Kim Possible, really?
I guess as far as continuous action goes maybe.. You know Stephen Silver designed both the characters from DP and KP?
(At least that's what I saw on his page
At least the benefits are there in some states.
To understand it one must clear out prior "knowledge" and start from scratch, then later take the old information and see if it fits in to one's own research (not having to rely on groups of people on both sides of the argument to relay the information needed)
For me about anyone joining the military, I wouldn't care much about their state of mind or physical condition (or what age they were for that matter, depending what assignment they're given maybe). If they prove themselves to do the work efficiently enough I'd let them join whatever.
Who said it was romantically based?
Heterosexuals could be "romantically involved", but take away the veil and you notice that it's just a debased form of "love" that can be regarded as lust. Although due to our media that line has been blurred
Believe me, there are plenty more kids that know what sex is; I hate to say it but this "innocence" that we imagine these kids having is gone... (I had a pretty fair idea by the time I was 9 through the oddest dreams)
To my observation, two people of the same sex in union is fundamentally different and not equal to two people of complementary sex.
Besides, "love" can then exist between 3 consenting adults, and it's already accepted in other cultures, so why not here? (I'm surprised most don't give that idea any room
I should be part of the LGBT community; if anything I'm the near-public dissenter of "my own" group
For one, I don't want people like me caving into the slogans of activists that can't seem to debate with me (and bring up the emotion argument which I personally can't stand since that's just the "argument" that convinces people to support their cause..)
So maybe like 3-5 years apart then?
Long distance relationships, *sniff* .. I still think that it would be easier to keep in touch now, but then making new friends and other concerns...
I'm glad you two still get along ^_^
(Watch as I become emotionally constipated since I can't seem to translate ambiguity into words
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Again, sorry about being so late. Trying to get back on track with a work schedule seeing as how my vacation is done. Oh well, at least I accomplished everything I set out to do while I WAS on vacation.
Well, there was a linear progression to Kim Possible. Still, since it was primarily a comedy, that progression wasn't nearly as pronounced as it was in Gargoyles. I'm hoping to see some similar progression from Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, as well as I'm curious to see what develops in Tron: Uprising and Motor City.
As for the whole women in the military thing, that was basically my point. I mean, the guy was arguing that you might as well let the handicapped and mentally disabled join as well if you're going to allow women. But the clear argument to that (and again, I was shocked that no one immediately jumped on him for this) was that the handicapped and mentally disabled are clearly not fit for such service. If a woman proves that she IS mentally and physically fit for duty, why not let her do it?
Well, when it comes to relationships (at least, of the boyfriend/girlfriend/married variety), I believe that IDEALLY, they SHOULD be romantically-based. And I'm not saying that there aren't kids who don't know what sex is. But that doesn't mean they're ready to have it...OR to even make that decision.
As for my ex-girlfriend, yeah, that's about the difference in our age. As for keeping in touch, that was never the problem. It was simply the problem that we were too far away and there was every indication that we were never going to be able to find our way back to each other again (ie. actually be in the same room together). So we had to drop it, unfortunately. Still, we get along fine.^_^
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At least you got things out of the way
Those shows you just mentioned; I got lost
He worked on Gargoyles too??
I think people of that "handicapped" and "mentally disabled" type can do it
Of course a woman can join; it's her funeral like every man on the field...
Ideally they should, yes. Usually it's not that way anymore
I think kids would be able to make said decision (I could have LOL), I mean minors are allowed to do whatever as long as they got condoms but once a person hits 18, they get arrested; slightly ageist xP
They don't teach sex ed in 5th or 6th grade for nothing..!
If people are able to masturbate at a young age, and if they are sexual by their nature, then sex is already an option for them--
(I just gave you a United Nations-type of explanation for kicks
Oh okay; so uh pardon my curiosity but what's with the trend of couples moving in together all of a sudden?
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Well, it's true, things ARE out of the way now.^_^
Sorry to confuse you. No, to my knowledge, Steven Silver did no work on Gargoyles. It's true that he did work on KP and DP, though.
Well, there are a lot of sexual boundaries where age becomes a factor. I mean, one of the MAJOR double standards I've noticed revolves around how kids are allowed to LEGALLY have sex when they turn 16. In that instance, they're also allowed to take nude photos and make sex videos of themselves, as long as it's only shared between them and their partner, because that's just considered an element of their routine sex play. However, the second they allow any of those photos/videos to be seen by any other person, then they're arrested and charged with distribution of child pornography, because even though you can have sex at 16, you can't appear in any pornographic material until you turn 18. I've seen more than one example of this in the news.
Now, as young teens being taught about masturbation, well, I don't have a problem with that. Personally, I feel that if kids, as they enter their teens, are told that it's okay to masturbate, then maybe they won't see having sex as their one and only option for sexual release. It might also open their minds to the idea that you can actually "make love" without necessarily "having sex". To me, "having sex" is simply one component to "making love". But if you have other options at your disposal, it's not absolutely necessary when you and your partner can engage in another activity that achieves the same effect.
Now, as for you wondering about couples moving in together and that becoming the trend, I think it has something to do with this thought that even though two people love each other and want to be together, they're afraid of actually getting married because the concept seems so...final. They live in this dread that if they actually get married, then the whole landscape of their relationship will completely change because it won't be "me and you" anymore, it'll be "us". That means they'll be locked in and have to share every single bit of themselves with each other and that nothing will ever be the same again. Now personally, I don't think that mentality is necessarily true or accurate. I mean, you're still the same two people you were a week before you said your "I do"'s...a day before...an hour before...a MINUTE before. So really, what's changed? Are you really going to let yourself believe that your entire world has been turned upside down because of a piece of paper?
Nevertheless, it's what many people believe. It's also why divorce is so rampant these days, most of them being attributed to "irreconcilable differences", because they've just convinced themselves that everything is different now and that there's all this pressure on them to become a different kind of couple. And in the end, they can't take it (even though they completely fail to see that the only ones putting that pressure on them at all is themselves). So most people now simply choose to avoid that headache and opt to move in together as a sort of "compromise". They'll still be together and still see each other whenever they want, but they believe that they'll still have that independence...that I'll still be "me".
Crazy, huh?
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Yay~~!
Oh okay then; just wanted to make sure
I hear that the Star Trek cast did some voice acting for Gargoyles
Yeah.... not suprising.
I didn't even know there was an official age to have sex, ha ha ha.....
Because, again, as long as people have the ability to grind against each other then they're capable of having sex (not physically impossible for kids)
I'm not personally advocating for kids to have sex, but I wouldn't care if they were just as no one would care if people of the same sex were copulating. "Equality", remember?
The thing about masturbation (which I'm also personally against wow I'm "boring"!) is that it has the effect of turning the sexual act inward to one self instead of the other person. Sex is meant to be shared but only within unwritten boundaries.
What other options do you mean?? I'm not very fond of the idea of sex/sexual activity becoming recreational and still going under a label of "making love" to someone else =/
Well if they're afraid to make the final deal then why are they together at all?
It sounds to me as if they're stuck in a dating mentality typical of adolescent relationships. Dedication levels haven't hit their peak yet.
I mean, you have a different outlook because you have experience in that area. Sadly I have this very traditional stance on said close relationships and all that jazz.
And considering I don't have that "significant other"..
I can agree with all of that. I've heard that when people marry, their ugliest side tends to show under all the "stress" that accompanies marriage (because the couple lets it get to their head).
Also, this is an individualist culture. More divorce here is expected. Single parent families are expected.. *sighs* It isn't so much that people love one another so that they'll sacrifice their time and money to help support their spouse--what I'm seeing is that people just don't care about anyone else more than themselves xP
It's crazy... so glad that I'm more of a collectivist than an individualist x'D
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Well, here's hoping things are out of the way for you as well.
Well, it's true that Steven Silver didn't really do anything for Gargoyles, but as for Star Trek actors lending their voices, oh, don't get me started. Gargoyles is practically a "who's who" of Star Trek actors who lent their voices to various roles. You've got Nichelle Nichols from the original Star Trek series, who voiced Dianne Maza, Elisa's mother. Then you've got Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, Levar Burton and Micheal Dorn from Star Trek: TNG, who were all in it, some more than others (in fact, the only two TNG actors they DIDN'T get to do a voice for the show were Gates McFadden and Patrick Stewart). Avery Brooks from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was in one episode. So was Colm Meaney (who hails from both TNG and DS9). And then there was Kate Mulgrew, from Star Trek Voyager. She was in it, too. John Rhys-Davies, who did the voice of Macbeth, can also be considered a Star Trek Alum, as he appeared on several episodes of Star Trek Voyager as the holographic Leonardo da Vinci. So yeah, add it all up and there's no shortage of connections between the two franchises.
(Note: Levar Burton and Avery Brooks might be a little tough to place in the episodes they voiced, as in both cases, their voices were digitally altered).
I don't know. Aren't females the majority now? In any event, well, if it were YOUR kid, I think you'd care whether or not they were having sex. As for masturbation, well, you can be against it. I just feel it does serve a purpose overall. I know quite a few parents prefer to think "out of sight, out of mind" when it comes to their kids and sex, but it's not always true. In fact, it's practically NEVER true. I don't know, I just think that if it were my kid, I'd prefer they explored their sexuality that way than desperately engage in meaningless sex with someone they don't really know or care about. It's kind of like something Roger Ebert wrote in his review about this one stupid movie, "A Good Old-Fashioned Orgy"...
"To take off your clothing and engage randomly in sex with nine or 10 other people reveals an appalling lack of self-respect. Is that all sex means to you, rummaging about in strange genitals? Masturbation seems healthier. It is performed with someone you admire."
Speaking of healthier, I think masturbation opens the door to discovering sexual release with your partner in other ways, such as touching, rubbing, etc. I mean, even that seems a healthier alternative to me instead of just jumping headlong into the act without thinking. I also think that if your partner is someone you truly care for, then you'd be open to that possible option if they weren't ready to go to that extreme. Building up to it sounds like it would be an ideal approach, at least to me. It would also increase your chances of avoiding those pesky little side-effects like teenage pregnancy and such.
Well, I don't have a "significant other" myself (still looking around for that one). But looking around at some other people I know, such as my parents and my brother and his wife, it seems to me that they've maintained stable marriages by simply doing one thing...by not changing who they are...by not thinking they HAD to change who they are. I mean, if my father hadn't passed away, he and my mother would still be married right now. It's kind of the sad thing, unfortunately. It seems like people only do seem to care about themselves, but at the same time, we're living in a society that enables that kind of thinking. I mean, you see talk shows where people will cheat on their boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse with just about anyone who crosses their path. And how is that, in ANY way acceptable? But again, it's why a lot of people just opt to live together instead of getting married. Because if it doesn't work out, then it's not like they were ever "committed", right? They can just walk right out the door.
Kinda sad, isn't it?
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I'm okay xP Just finished with Finals yesterday
Almost all the connections with said voice actors flew over my head since I've actually never watched it
But Doug Walker AKA Nostalgia Critic sang a theme to Gargoyles and he mentions that at the end
But I do know Levar Burton (Reading Rainbow) and Patrick Stewart.. I think.
(voices digitally altered? Strange..)
Hm are they now? I'm no "feminist" but they still keep on complaining of equal rights so...
I think Nurse Ratched's reared her ugly personality and castrating scalpel and now all men cower before women; I admire the noble Randle McMurphy types that stand up to her, despite getting the "sexist" label slapped onto them x'D Compared to other countries, men and women here are already quite level (I don't mind making less money than men on the dollar lol)
We're born as sexual beings as we have genitals. Of course the curiosity combined with pleasure-filled stimulation will make way for an addictive habit.
I don't think that people should have meaningless sex either... but then again those couples that say that they're "so in love" and "can't wait" to do it are blinding themselves to the consequences...
Here's a test to see if a couple's truly in love: Let them have sex; if a child happens to emerge within the womb let's see what happens. If the man threatens to leave the woman, if the woman aborts the child with or without the consent or external pressure of her sexual partner or parents (or if she makes the sad excuse that "this thing will get in the way of my life") then obviously I can't see the love in that..
Also if one of them is psychologically presuring the other to have sex/sexual activity against better judgement.. not love .___.
I don't see what's healthy about touching or rubbing when we're supposed to love a person and respect their boundaries, not simply lust for their bodies
(I refuse to recieve the social psychology label of "asexual" because it conflicts with the biological definition of our genitals-- I just happen to be super protective when it comes to sensuality.. feelings blind our reasoning
At least they didn't change, your brother and his wife
Yeah... long marriages don't seem very prominent now huh?
Well yeah of course the U.S. and Europe holds an individualist culture; "I" matter more than "them"; that's a huge factor that goes into causing most of our problems.
I say fight the system, think differently from the mainstream x'D Overall I didn't have a problem with "not fitting in", mostly xP
Considering that they're not bound by the (supposed) commitment of marriage, it's expected really. (Men tend to be more sexually jealous and care more if a woman's having sex/sexual activity with another man. Woman are more emotionally jealous; they care less about whether or not their boyfriend is having sex and more about whether or not they are "in love" with another woman--I learned this in my social psych class
It's very sad.... it taps into my "inherent" cynicism
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Well, at least those are behind you. Here's hoping you did well.
As for the Star Trek actors who did voices on Gargoyles, well, if knowing their names won't help you, then telling you the characters they played probably won't make things any easier for you. As for the digital altering, though, well, Levar Burton and Avery Brooks had their voices digitally warped just for the characters they voiced. Burton's because he was providing the voice of an African Spider God. And Brooks', because he was doing the voice of an alien who was based on Easter Island.
Well, equal rights are all fine and dandy, dandy and fine...as long as you're willing for them to be TRULY equal.
Well, when it comes to love and sex, to me, the REAL test about whether or not you're truly in love with a person is NOT if you can't wait to have sex with them, but if you CAN. Because to me, if you truly love a person, you'll be just as happy holding them in your arms as you are, having sex. As I see it, sex is really just the icing on the cake. We live in a society were pop culture dictates that the quality of a relationship is determined by how good the sex is, when in fact, in a HEALTHY relationship, it should really be the complete opposite. If you love someone, then you trust them enough to share your body with them. But having said that, you should also care AT LEAST as much about how good the sex is for your partner as it is for you.
That's why I believe that touching and rubbing is a completely healthy form of sexual expression with a partner. Not only does it help the two of you understand what makes the other feel good, but if one (or both) of you find that you don't feel comfortable having sex yet, but want to have that intimacy, then it makes for a healthy compromise. I know that was the case with myself and another ex of mine. We very nearly rushed into sex one night, but backed off at the last minute because we knew that if we'd crossed that line, we would have regretted it. But we used those other ways to gain that physical intimacy.
As for humans as sexual beings, well, that's primarily for procreation, as it is for most any other species. But with the exception of dolphins, humans are the only beings on the planet for whom sex is actually pleasureful. No other species on the planet gets pleasure out of sex. It's strictly for breeding purposes. AS for "asexual", well, if that's taken on some kind of societal definition, then that's news to me. Basically, the scientific definition of being asexual is in reference to any species that can reproduce entirely on its own without need for a mate.
Well, you're most likely right about that double standard of males and females in relationships. But again, that's where love comes in. If you take at least a little time to show that love every day, then ideally, there's no need to be jealous or having sex with someone else or falling in love with someone else.
Well, Merry Christmas, since I probably won't get back to you again, beforehand. Hope you have fun.^_^
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ha Thanks
Aliens and spider gods? 
They were on Easter Island of all places??
Interesting interesting.
Ha ha. Everyone's truly equal from the start
Man (and Woman) creates the inequalities, the prejudice, the class and race warfare..
Society is to blame but hey we need to be categorized somehow
(although I do believe that biology simply cannot be ignored and that Nature should not be circumvented by psuedoscientific means in order to fufill the wishes of certain people >___>)
Hn.... Ever heard of the "schizoid" personality? Sex is nearly the ultimate violation of one's personal space.
I'm barely okay with being held.
Intimacy is a good thing, but once those wandering hands reach the chest and pelvic areas, any place real suggestive.. eh.
What other ways? Surely they must have been sexual by their nature (obviously penetration wasn't included here)
Just being held is fine. The most powerful sex organ is actually the mind, so one can be "turned on" and "feel good" simply by imagining it, even without the use of masturbation.
I still think that the human reproductive organs should be used for procreation (so that automatically rules out the union of people of the same sex). Sure it can be pleasurable, but I don't like the idea of pleasure taking away from the true purpose of sex, which is to have a child to raise, teach and love.
And since I don't like Nature being circumvented, I can't agree with contraceptives whose primary function is to prevent a new life from occuring, nor abortion--I even have trouble with the idea of "natural family planning" (by the calendar, deciding when to have sex as there is a cycle in which there is a point that the female is most fertile)
Animals also have sex as a means to show dominance over another (this can explain "homosexual behavior" among some species, partially)
On the asexual bit, that's exactly what I've told people; when people label others and/or themselves "asexual" I can't help but laugh a little on the inside.
What is love to you?
To me love in a nutshell is being able to care about someone and only wanting the best for them (not both of us considering "I" come into the picture)--altruism at its peak being empathetic to their concerns. I would really love someone if I wanted them to grow in virtue and not in vice for my own benefit.
I think the trick to not get jealous is to not be overly obsessive over them in the first place (e.g. calling over the phone 10 times a day, getting real concerned about what one or the other is wearing unless if it truly is inviting in a super-provacative way, letting each other have time to themselves..)
Merry Christmas to you too; I figure you're busy around this time and I wish you a happy New Year in advance
(Hope you don't drink too much
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Well, the whole thing with Aliens and Spider Gods, well, that was from a part of the Gargoyles series (a rather large part, in fact) that was lovingly referred to as the "Gargoyles World Tour". This was a part where a handful of the characters were bouncing back and forth from the magical island of Avalon, while trying to find their way back to New York. Because of the intuitive nature of the island's magic, it "doesn't send you where you want to go. Avalon sends you where you NEED to be." As a result, they ended up getting sent to all these different places for a specific purpose. The British Isles, France, Eastern Europe, Egypt, Australia and I could go on. In fact, it might be faster to name the places they DIDN'T get sent to.
Hmmm, are you telling me that you have a "schizoid" personality. I guess maybe that's why you take such an extremely altruistic approach to sexual activity. And truth be told, you actually wouldn't be the first person I've met who's like that. I actually have another friend who's kind of in that same boat because he has Asperger Syndrome, a mild form of Autism. He lives in constant fear that his condition gives him the wrong sexual urges, so he goes out of his way to try and avoid them.
As for love, Personally, I think it's about balance. An even match. If you love someone, I believe you need to care for them just as much as you care for yourself. Let that balance shift in either direction and that's when trouble starts. Care too much about yourself and you can end up neglecting that other person. Care too much about the other and you risk letting them walk all over you. It has to be equal parts give and take, or else it just doesn't work.
Anyway, that's all for now. Happy New Year. And don't worry about me drinking too much. That's a little hard to do when I don't drink AT ALL.^_^
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"World Tour" huh?
That sounds like an interesting story arc
Schizoid is not the same as "schizophrenic" or "schizotypal" to make it clear
Altruism isn't wrong is it?
I know a number of people with AS; my favorite music composer from Sweden has that.. I also did a report on that
Hm makes sense I guess.
Although I try not to focus on myself too much for the reason that I may end up neglecting the other; I prefer solitude since art takes up much of my time.
Happy New Year to you too ^_^
You don't drink at all?? Woah that's a first
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Yeah, that story arc was definitely interesting. And pretty involved as well since it took up about a third of the entire Gargoyles series. But there was definitely a reason for every place Avalon ended up sending them.
Oh, I know what schizoid means. And I don't think altruism is wrong. I just note that you've got something in common with my other friend in that you've adopted this outlook primarily because of your conditions and you'd prefer that over ending up hurting yourselves or someone else.
Yeah, from what I hear, AS isn't a debilitating form of Autism like some of the other varieties. But it still doesn't make functioning in life any easier. Although that kind of laser-like focus might prove to be beneficial to someone like a composer.
Well, when it comes to love and art, I actually heard this line on a TV show once that you might find in common with your outlook...
"They say that romance is a lost art. But art is only TRULY lost when it becomes hard work."
It's true, I don't drink. Or smoke or do drugs or any of that other nonsense. When it comes to drinking and drugs, I've always had a pretty iron-clad rule...there's only one thing that screws with my brain and that's ME. And for anyone who argues that I don't know what I'm missing, I simply answer that what I don't know won't hurt me.^_^
Anyway, Happy New Year to you. Here's hoping that glass of wine is good for you and that you make it home safely.^_^
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If I can recall correctly the main villain was a guy with a ponytail and beard?
Hooray for actual reasons and not fillers!
Oh okay then
.. Yeah, I don't like the idea of being hurt knowing that it's already happened. =/
Yep; he is real good at his craft; he does suffer from social anxiety attacks now and again but I'm told he's doing better--
He actually composed something for me a few years ago and he was gonna send me the CD and a painted jewel case with it but my mom was all, "NO."
No stranger mail for me x'D
I guess; external rewards can undermine internal motivation
Maybe that's why I have trouble with actually starting my small business xP
Hm, good that you don't fall under the influence of (illegal) drugs and the drink.. although I highly doubt that you escape the influence of everything else (people, media, politics, embedded culture, etc. etc. etc.)
As drugs go with me, I won't ever use them--but the descriptions of the visions I hear are very intriguing; gives me something to work with?
Oh I happen to have cannabis type incense laying around somewhere LOL. Opium type's the best though xDDD
Yay!
Hope you had a good New Year's~~!
I had a glass of wine and one of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider
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Well, pretty much everything in Gargoyles happened for a reason. It was really kind of amazing how so many things came back to bite people later on. As for the main villain, I think you're talking about David Xanatos (You just know the creators had a good laugh when they came up with his name, since the main Gargoyle character was named Goliath). Still, the interesting thing about him is that while some of the things he did were definitely worse than others, he was never a full-fledged villain, per se. He was actually more along the lines of...morally skewed. Although he became a lot more of a straight arrow after his son, Alexander, was born. Because on that day, something happened...something that neither Xanatos, nor his wife, Fox, planned to happen...or even INTENDED to happen...but it happened anyway. They fell in love with their child, which caused them both, for the first time, to care about someone else's well-being more than their own.
Yeah, when you already know what that pain is like, you're generally reluctant to risk letting it visit you again.
Well, I can kind of understand a mother wanting to be protective when it comes to strangers. Of course, what with the internet being what it is today and all, that recording could still find its way to you in one form or another.
Hmmm, small business? And what, exactly might that be?^_^
Well, there's influence in everything, that's true. But I truly like to believe that my thoughts are my own. All I know is that I've got too many things I want to accomplish to waste time drowning in a sea of addiction.
Well, sounds like I had fun on New Year's Eve. Me, I just spent most of the night relaxing and knowing that I didn't have to spend it at work.^_^
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Hooray! Good cause and effect plot!
David Xanatos.... hmmm darn he's married xDDD
(I find that analogy funny too lol)
Morally skewed huh?? *Thinks of Maximilian Goof*
Aw I'm glad it happened, caring for someone else more than themselves
Ha ha, oh yeah..
I understood that too, but he's awesome and already married so I saw little problem with it x'D
I did get it through email though; it's titled, "Lullaby For Isabel"
I got that with The Dead Hours' "Three Ways To Cull The Flame" and I'm sure there was another track on that CD...
Um, it's "Duality"; I kinda wanted to turn my art into a business; just doing regular commissions but I have a problem in trying to complete everything that's been assigned to me from before my "bright idea" started
A lot of people want to believe that their thoughts are their own, hence this individualist culture that we have.
I have relatively little problem with believing that my thoughts aren't exactly my own--the "deepest" thoughts I have consist of the lowest base desires that any human can have; apparently in some aspects I may have a problem
At least you understand that, wanting to stray away from a possibility of substance abuse..
They say that Mexicans born in the U.S. (me lol) have a higher chance of getting addicted to something (due to "cultural oppression", "identity crisis" what-have-you)--while I do have a low sense of ethnicity, I do "feel" more Mexican at heart and so far I haven't joined any gangs, been an honor student, and haven't gone into binge drinking xP
Personally I do have an issue getting along with most other Mexicans in this area.... I don't know I supposedly "broke the mold"..
It's good you had a chance to sit back and relax ^_^
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Hi.
Well, thing with Xanatos was, even before he found himself on the side of the angels, he was a pretty entertaining character. He actually had some pretty funny one-liners...
"It's my first real stab at cliched villainy. How am I doing?"
"Alex? Can you say 'harassment'?"
Well, it's nice that you managed to get those tracks he composed. If there are more, hopefully, you can find them, too.
Hmmm, as for turning your art into a business, well, that's certainly an option. I'd be lying if I said I haven't thought about it myself. But even if we ignore the fact that if you go that route, you would have to be 100% committed to the work and treat it like an actual job, that's not the only obstacle you'd have to face. The other main thing is, you'd only be making as much money as you'd have commissions to fill. Fewer commissions mean less income. And even if you have a bad month, you're still going to have bills to pay. Believe me, I've seen a fair share of artists out there who try to get by just on their artwork, only to be begging people for commissions at the end of the month when it becomes painfully obvious that they haven't brought in enough to make ends meet.
What I would recommend at first (especially if you're not 100% sure about it) is that maybe you only take on a few commissions a month and use it to SUPPLEMENT your regular income, rather than have it try to shoulder the entire load. After all, making a few extra bucks on the side could always be helpful at a time when you really need it. You just have to remember that any commissions you accept are basically a commitment...and you have to follow through on it...especially if it comes with a deadline.
Well, I prefer to be a little more hopeful in my thoughts being my own. I'm not saying they're not influenced by other people, but I prefer to think that it's my own opinion as to whether or not said person is making a good point.
Yeah, you know, I really can't stand stereotypes. Especially when people allow themselves to become slaves to it, like they had no other options. Bad enough that they ostracize their peers for not "falling in line" like them. But then, when their lives go to hell, they act like nothing they did was their fault. That society is to blame for pigeonholing them into the only life that was available to them...which, let's face it, is a complete load of crap. That's why I think people like you should be admired for choosing your own way instead of just being a sheep.
Well, I'm glad I had the chance to sit back and relax, too.^_^
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lol Nice! I enjoy it when villains recognize the stereotypes xDD
Xanatos reminds me of Vladimir Plasmius.. have I said that already?
Oh I've heard everything he's dished out on his archive website~~
You can download everything for free there; I'm in the process of uploading almost all of his tracks on YouTube, with his permission of course and obviously giving him credit
I like your insight; I would have to get a job at some art supply store at least apart from commission work
You're right; I'd have to take it real seriously... shame my major's Psychology now
"Fewer commissions mean less income" Gotcha.
Yep yep~~
I actually work better IF I'm given a deadline.
Once someone tells me "take your time" all sweet-like, I'm doomed
Thanks for your commentary on said art business idea ^_^
Oh okay; I believe in freedom of thought as well and once we internalize certain viewpoints it's hard to compromise them; although (with me at least) it comes off as being real bullheaded/stubborn.
I can't complain; I'm a Taurus xD
Ha ha ha I've come across many ostracizers... too many
Society does contribute to their downfall only if they let it.
That's the problem; many just give up and fall under the label "assigned" to them.
Does it matter that I was born in the Year of the Ram?
That's good
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Well, no, I don't believe you've stated that Xanatos is like Vlad. However, I'd be lying if I said you didn't have a point there. On the surface, Xanatos does possess several qualities that Vlad, himself, prizes. Generally, with every one of Xanatos' schemes, he tends to be unable to look past his own nose. Every plot he ever came up with, the only bottom line he ever thought about was how they would benefit him, not how they would hurt anyone else. The most damning evidence would be the episode, "Metamorphosis", where he hatched, arguably, his most insidious scheme in the series...mutating a group of ordinary people into Gargoyle-like creatures so he could have his own army after his initial plan to bring Goliath and the clan under his sway failed...one of those people being Elisa Maza'a younger brother, Derek.
Vlad is almost identical in this regard, really only caring about himself. However, unlike Vlad, Xanatos has, if only occasionally, taken responsibility for his actions...especially when things went wrong. Also, unlike Vlad, who really doesn't care if anyone lives or dies along the way, as long as he gets what HE wants, Xanatos has demonstrated on more than one occasion that he simply isn't heartless enough to be a murderer. And then, there was when Fox came into the picture. Even though Fox's mindset was practically identical to his, it wasn't until their relationship came to light in "Eye of the Beholder" that the word "love" actually came into play and they showed that they actually had the ability to care about someone else. Of course, Xanatos tried to brush it off initially...
XANATOS: "So now you know my weakness."
GOLIATH: "Only you would regard love as a weakness."
Of course, if things had stayed like that, Fox and Xanatos would have most likely spent the rest of their lives ensconced in their own little bubble of reality, scheming only towards their own ends. But then, like I said, their son Alexander came along. And something happened...something they didn't expect to happen, or even INTEND to happen, but it happened anyway. They fell in love with their son. And those feelings that were kept only to themselves for so long, were, for the first time, transferred outward towards another person. That's what finally put them on the straight-and-narrow...well, more or less (They're still willing to bend the occasional rule, here and there).
Vlad, on the other hand, despite all his claims to the contrary, actually DOESN'T love. He can't. He's FAR too self-absorbed for that kind of outward thinking. I actually covered this in my DP fanfic, "A Family Thing". The simple fact is, all Vlad ever does is WANT things. Oh, he'll desire, he'll crave...CONSTANT craving. But he doesn't have the capacity to actually love. In fact, I would go so far as to say that for Vlad, the thought of actually WANTING to care about someone else besides himself would, in fact, be personally offensive to him.
Well, good luck with those Youtube videos. I'm sure he'll appreciate it.^_^
AS for getting a job at an art supply store, well, it sounds like this is something you've got a real love for. Although I'm sure you like Psychology as well, or else you wouldn't be taking the course. Here's hoping you get the chance to return to your animation course at some point. As for deadlines, I kind of feel your pain. If I let a project go, just "like, whenever", it can sometimes take me forever to get on track with it. But with any luck, you can open yourself up to a few commissions and get a little extra cash flow. Every little bit helps.
Well, I try not to be stubborn in my thinking. In fact, I prefer an "agree to disagree" approach when it comes to a difference of opinion. I find it's the best way to get two people to actually LISTEN to each other, rather than become so entrenched in their own sides of the issue that they become closed-minded.
I'm a Libra, for the record.^_^
Yeah, people who surrender to their "labels" really bug me. I see people like that all the time and all I can think of is, "Are you KIDDING me?! You weren't BORN wanting to be this way. You're better than this...aren't you? Don't YOU think so?"
I'll tell you one guy in particular that really bugged me. He was a guy who used to come in where I worked for a while and he had this scorpion tattoo all the way down the left side of his face. And I thought that was the most ridiculous thing I'd ever seen in my life. I never said anything to him. But all I could think was, "Dude, come on. One of these days you're gonna want to get rid of that damn scorpion. What are you gonna do, have one of your friends STEP on it?" It wasn't until sometime later that the reality set in for me. He didn't plan on LIVING long enough to have to MAKE that choice. And to me, that was just pitiful.
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Oh okay 
Not being able to see past his own nose. The curse of most villains really...
Ah well at least Xanatos tends to care about others once in a while.
Vlad not caring, however, is actually more intimidating don't you think
As for love being a weakness...
Who said weakness was a "bad" thing?
I will have to say that a primary reason I haven't "been in love" or just infatuated lately is because the world's notion of love clouds the mind, I'm susceptible to fall into that.
And just for friends in general, I'm extremely selective on who I can really call a friend as opposed to just accquaintances. "Love" and "friendship" have become shallow labels for the real thing.. and Facebook
(more musing on my part sorry there)
Well a child does have an ability to warm cold hearts x]
(I bend rules all the time, usually if it's some federal/government thing xDDD I kid I kid *hides torrented material* I don't make money off of this, lol~~)
Vladimir can love, he just needs to stop tabooing it is all x'D
But I can see how his narcissistic nature can hinder said innate capacity--Hell even Hitler could love *giggles at controversial-ness*
Perhaps he looks at it too as the "ultimate weakness", even though Maddie's always there to "taunt him"? xP
"Love me Maddie, because I am wonderful!" xDDD
Thanks; I've uploaded three albums already... I think o3o
It's his birthday today I should draw something for his site.
I'm not going to return to art school; you don't need it to get into the field I found out too late..
I do have an interest in psychology, but there are a number of things about the way they teach it and what content they have in those books--it really annoys me and tries my patience. Art just seems to be a vent for frustration and boredom here and there (I have gotten decent grades; A's so far one more in community college, yay??
It takes me forever to get on track too... eh. I lack confidence to open up to commissions apparently; still trying to figure out PayPal for crying out loud 
Thanks anyway~~
Oh I listen to the other side, more than most....
But if it ever gets down to uneducated sensationalist rhetoric about how my side of the argument is so "bigoted, insensitive, uneducated (?)" a repeat of the same whatever, I end up scanning over it and at that point I have to tell them to "read more and come back with better knowledge of the subject" even providing some links if they so care to read...
They refuse to read, heh heh heh....
I'm afraid I have a sleeping yet vicious ego somewhere in me.
But the way we discuss things here? I like it, venting a bit but trying to be as neutral and understanding as possible
Libra huh?
I actually don't believe in the Zodiac sign thing, but supposedly we both live with the ruler Venus, ha ha.
... How you think I feel when someone says I'm "born gay" and that's all there is to it? And if I don't accept that I'm "immature" and "brainwashed" and "uneducated". =/
But yeah, in general people surrendering to their labels does bug me a lot..
I can barely get along with the general population because of that.
Well did he live in the slums, or..? Rocker/punk type character??
There is an ongoing trend with getting tattoos to "express one's individuality" when in reality a lot of people are doing the same thing.
SYNDROME (The Incredibles): "And when everybody's super, *laughs evilly* no one will be."
Shame that he wasn't planning to stay much longer... suicide or did someone kill him instead?
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Well, again, the physical similarities are another surface thing. But I wouldn't say Vlad's inability to care about others makes him more intimidating. It just makes him more annoying. Of the two, Xanatos is the FAR more likeable character. Vlad, I really don't care for.
Well, the whole point of that exchange wasn't about weaknesses. It's how ideally, calling on one's love for another can...and should...actually be a strength.
Well, Vlad can TELL himself that he loves. Who knows? He might even BELIEVE it. But in the end, it doesn't change the fact that he's always going to be more involved with someone else...himself.
Well, you mentioned Hitler there, just to be jokingly controversial. But it kind of reminded me of something. I remember when Roger Ebert was still doing movie reviews on TV and he and Richard Roeper were reviewing this movie that was about Hitler. And they happened to mention that the movie might be regarded as controversial because it makes Hitler too human. But then they went on to say that that's how movies SHOULD portray him. Because, hey...Hitler WAS human. If you try to make him look like some demented madman or some bloodthirsty demon, well then, that just gives him an excuse for the things he did. Like he couldn't help being the way he was. And there should BE no excuses for the things he did.
Well, it's true, you don't NEED art school to get into an art field. Some decent talent definitely helps, though. As long as you're enjoying this other course, though, that's always good.^_^
Well, yeah, if I ever did commissions, I'd need to understand Paypal a lot better than I do. I know how to use it to BUY things, just fine. But I know nothing with regards to RECEIVING funds.
Well, again, I prefer to agree to disagree in certain situations. I mean, I may not see eye to eye with everything you say, but I'm not going to waste time trying to change your mind. I simply tell you how I feel about it. And if, at the end of that, you still feel the way you do, then I say we accept each others' points of view and move on to something else. "What's next?", you know?
Your approach of dealing with closed-minded people is kind of interesting, though.
Well, I don't know if "born gay" is considered a label. I mean, how many people even KNOW that they're gay until they get into their teen years, the hormones start kicking in and they find out what kinds of things really get their motor running. I guess you've got an argument there when you're talking about those who feel they have to be the stereotypical homosexual. The flaming gay man, the butch lesbian. I mean, seriously, who told you that once you found out you were gay that those were the absolute ONLY options available to you?
Well, as for the guy with the scorpion tattoo, yeah, I actually think he was part of a gang. Don't know for sure. And I never found out what happened to him because he stopped coming around and hasn't been seen since (which could be for any number of reasons). As for tattoos in general, you put in that Syndrome quote, but personally, I always find myself coming back to that line from M*A*S*H...
"Why would ANYONE hang a picture on his body that he wouldn't be caught dead hanging on his WALL?"
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Oh darn I still find myself loving Vlad's design and character x'D
That relationship with Daniel/Little Badger only cements my convictions on that character further
Although I do agree that he'd be blind to true love due to narcissism--
Love is strength.. I can come to believe that although it has a tendency to make one that much more vulnerable.. =/
I do prefer that Hitler and any other controversial character (Anton LaVey, Charles Manson, Aleister Crowley even!) are portrayed in an accurate light--
More human to the point where we can understand their intentions.
I don't agree with what they did (and understanding/even sympathizing with them) doesn't justify their actions; same with us the masses..
Although say in Karl Marx's case there's a speculation that he wasn't as humane as his future followers paint him to be. But that's another story x'D
No you don't
Supposedly I'm on the right track; I just need to come up with some artist's statement and whatnot.. curse my inherent inability to boast about my "accompishments"
I've looked into it a couple times; I was finally able to set up my bank account to the PayPal site; all I have to do now is go public/online with my announcement for commissions (5 dollar pencil sketches! 
When it comes to certain topics, feeling something is simply not the same as thinking something (with actual readable/observational data).
To me emotional arguments don't help for much; they don't try to solve anything and leave every possible crucial element in dark ambiguity.. it leads to relativism >____>;
I just figure people don't know much about it or ponder over it to come up with an argument in the first place. The educational system needs a real overhaul to make us care about wanting to learn new things.
"Curiosity killed the cat" though; I've noticed that knowing more than one "should" has landed me into trouble xP
Stereotypical homosexuals are not my problem; I've seen plenty of "femme lesbians" and somewhat "macho gays".
This is not my theory, but it's been said that the homosexual complex is by its essence psychological and due to the environment (external influences e.g. society) instead of biological. Obviously there's a lot more to this but there's a lot to say that can be found if people care to check it out on their own time..
My personal opinion branching out of this is that the more stringent we are on what a man "should be" and what a woman "should be", the more chance we have of "feeling different" from the other same-sex peers once we break society's mold of gender roles... at least this can apply to the individualist United States I still can't figure other types of societies just yet.
... I'm not wasting my time am I? I'll drop the subject now if you wish <=]
Well I hope he found a moment's reflection on his life before something happened to him.. someone got shot on my street where I used to live and I hope that guy's okay too.
Oh okay, heh heh M*A*S*H haven't really got around to seeing that show..
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Uh...who's little Badger?
Well, it's true that love can make you more vulnerable. But that's where having someone to fight for can give you strength. It's also where that person you love can be there to support you, so you don't HAVE to go it alone. Sometimes two people, if they love each other, can be greater than the sum of their parts.
Well, it's true, these people who are so controversial, you have to remember that they are/were, in fact, human. Because otherwise you're giving them an excuse. It's like that dialogue from "Law & Order"...
"So it's just good or bad, no questions asked?"
"It's better than healthy or sick. Deny evil and you deny responsibility. Open up the jails...send everyone to a shrink."
Hmmmm, $5 pencil sketches. Sounds reasonable to me. I was thinking about maybe diversifying prices between B&W, color and color with backgrounds. If I ever work up the courage to start charging for Commissions, of course. Although I think my prices would be pretty reasonable as well. I wouldn't be like so many other people, who try to make a living at this, who end up charging an arm and a leg for their stuff.
Well, it's true that passions tend to overrule logic in debates sometimes. And that's not too smart. I think the key is to keep both elements separate, making sure that each is doing their own thing. Voice your arguments with your heart, but construct them with your mind.
"My personal opinion branching out of this is that the more stringent we are on what a man 'should be' and what a woman 'should be', the more chance we have of 'feeling different' from the other same-sex peers once we break society's mold of gender roles... at least this can apply to the individualist United States I still can't figure other types of societies just yet."
I'm really sorry, I've run through that paragraph in my head too many times to count and I'm not 100% clear on what you were trying to say there. Can you maybe elaborate for me a little bit?
Well, I never found out what happened to the guy. For all I know, he just up and moved out of the neighborhood.
As for M*A*S*H, well, that's actually a pretty good show. It's definitely worth watching, if you can find the chance.^_^
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"Little Badger" is the nickname that Vlad gives to his "dear" Daniel
It makes sense... (watch my lack of emotion here
I get you~~
Luckily I don't excuse the figures for all of their dirty work
Deny evil... I see a ton of that now -.-
I'm glad it sounds reasonable to you =]
I also set up prices between color and greyscale works, traditional and digital mediums
Arm and leg really? *takes it literally for fun*
Yes. This is true
They only hear what they want to hear so that they can be "happy" (Comfort is not the same as true happiness >___>)
I keep them as separate as possible (I'm a schizoid remember?
Usually in these kind of debates emotion wins out over the unbiased-as-possible research put into it; you know that some scientists are fired for publishing "politically incorrect" data? It's nuts.
Oh I'm sorry
Uh, okay so--
If the gender roles are more defined in a society (e.g. women do housework; men go to work, etc.), it's more likely that when someone steps out of the specified gender role, that individual will obviously meet considerable self-esteem issues growing up (falling under the label of "sissy" and "tomboy" constantly) and in turn is more likely to "feel different" from their same-sex peers by their adolescence, where the hormones kick in during puberty.
And if you may recall, more than once you'll hear someone claiming themselves as "gay", "lesbian", "bi" as feeling different from other people.
Other people meaning their same-sex peers. I too "felt different" from other girls because they were makeup/boy crazy while I was into video games and cartoons
At least he wasn't killed or anything, I don't think
My brother watched that show for a while; he says it's a good series
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Hmmm, don't quite remember that one. Any particular episode that was from, just so I can refresh my memory?
Well, another way of looking at love in that episode was a thought Goliath had earlier...
"If Xanatos speaks the truth...if someone like HIM can love...maybe there IS hope for this world."
Well, here's hoping you get some people asking for your work. Like I said, every little bit helps.^_^
Well, that's true. I can see where you'd have issue with that. Still, when people allow the passion to take over, it doesn't make for a well-constructed debate.
Okay, the elaboration helped.^_^ And you do make a fair point. I'd like to think that we've reached a point where those kinds of stereotypes no longer need be valid. But I guess we've still got some growing up to do as a species before that happens.
Nothing wrong with being into video games and cartoons, though. I've run into my fair share of girls who are. And one thing to bear in mind, just in case anyone should happen to argue that you're at an age when you shouldn't be into cartoons anymore. Just be sure to tell them that, hey...comics and cartoons are CREATED by adults. And I don't hear anyone putting THEM down. So if it's okay for them to write and draw the stuff, what's so bad about enjoying it?^_^
Well, here's hoping he wasn't killed.
Yeah, M*A*S*H is a very good series. It got gradually more serious as the seasons wore on, but it held onto its comedic roots as much as possible. Of course, there's nothing wrong with a drama series being comedic. The main reason I'm into shows like The West Wing and NCIS is because those shows are both five times funnier than they have any right to be.^_^
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It's like the first time you see Vlad I think
I need to rewatch the series myself from the beginning xP
Of course there's Hope, always been in this crazy mixed up world of ours
Yay thanks ^_^
I try my best to keep my passions under control; it doesn't help the debate much if it rises to the surface I know..
In some areas a lot of that is still going on. I will admit we've made some progress with the gender stereotypes, but apparently it's not enough since the youth is still questioning the gender that Nature chose for them.. I mean not all girls are cooperative or sensitive (me lol) nor are all boys aggressive and dominant.
It pains me to see women who have simply broken the mold declare themselves as "transexual", as if they've already bought into said stereotypes.. (I grew up wishing constantly that I was a guy instead of a girl but biology and anatomy speaks for itself, so I got past that
You're right, cartoons were also meant for adults in the first place!
I mean Betty Boop by Fleischer Studios? Not necessarily Saturday Morning material
I'll never grow out of them cartoons~~
It got more serious as a wartime drama should be?
*thinks of Now and Then, Here and There--an anime*
I've heard of NCIS.. I think; I'm outdated in any television series really, unless if I catch it on YouTube
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Yeah. Admittedly, I don't usually watch a lot of the episodes with Vlad because I really don't like him all that much. I suppose that's the hallmark of a good villain, but even so...
Yeah, I'm generally not big on stereotypes of any level. But in your case, a confused sexual identity AND schizophrenic? That's gotta make for rough days sometimes.
Yeah, I'll never grow out of cartoons, either. And yes, it's true that cartoons were made for grown-ups. Never saw Betty Boop, I have to say. But back in the day, you always had cartoons where guys were drinking and smoking. I even saw a cigarette commercial from the 60s featuring the Flintstones, once. Of course, it's illegal to do that now. But the thing is, cartoons became known as a thing for kids and it's mostly thanks to how they've evolved over time. I remember this one magazine article I read about how anime and Western animation took different paths in their evolution. See, in Japan, comics and cartoons are considered a communication medium, no different from novels, TV, movies...or even newspapers and magazines. Here in the west, animation started with drawings of funny looking animals, kiddy-like in its form. So it was only natural that people would grow to treat it as such.
Hmmmm...heard of "Now and then, Here and There"...never saw it. But I've always been a fan of humor, first and foremost. I guess that's why I find myself drawn to shows like The West Wing and NCIS, shows that have a fair bit of humor in them. I care for Elementary and Person of Interest a great deal as well.^_^
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I need to watch a series from beginning to end, despite things I might not like.. like fillers *shudders*
Not confused, just annoyed with the political activist side of things. I know I'm a sexual being (hence genitals for reproduction) and I would want to meet a guy who respects me and my boundaries.
Not schizophrenic, schizoid 
Yep! Winston cigarrettes!
I want to say that the advent of television killed cartoons for a while
Anime is way too cliche now, it bugs me severely; people assume I draw that style when I tell them "I'm an artist"
Kiddy like, but adult oriented to boot! Heh heh~~
You must see that particular anime it's great; my own dad likes it and he's not much of a fan of Japanese animation to begin with
At least humor's your favorite genre; some are really into blood and gore >___> hack-and-slash fests... pointless!
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Oh.MY.GOSH. XDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD the LOOK on Val's face! And----XDDDDDDD---The entire idea! Amazing! Amazing!
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Loving the enthusiastic response. So glad you like the pic so much. Hopefully, you come to enjoy the rest of my Gallery just as much.^_^
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lol cool and best halloween idea
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Glad you like it. You're not the first one to get a good laugh out of it. Although there are a couple who have admittedly cringed as well.^_^
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ur welcome and awesome to know
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Well, I'll admit, my intention for this scene (and, by extension Sam's intention as well) was for it to be freaky to the characters and not the audience. But if that effect has managed to bleed out of the fourth wall a little bit, I suppose I can take a small measure of pride in that as well.^_^
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