Artemis

I appreciate that this is mature conversation. I understand the rationalization when you guys have a monogamous (sp?) relationship. I just hope that you're 100% sure that your partner was virgin (for the STD issue.) What it'll get down to then is a moral issue. Like BabyGirl said, sex is turned into something ugly and dirty by the media. Sex isn't bad. It's beautiful in the proper setting. I'm glad that both of you have limits on your sexual activity. One thing that I might mention is that couples who've had pre-marital sex have a higher divorce rate, but that includes people who had sex before having it with their spouses. (This is assuming you guys are even considering marriage, which I'd like to think that you are.) :) And, Molleta, if you get married in a Catholic church, the priest may ask you guys to live apart/abstain for awhile. If your faith means anything to you, please concede to that. I wouldn't want to see you leave the church over this. :( Wrist Cutter, I'm proud of you. When I mentioned this to HellsFire, he didn't understand how I could go w/o sex. (like ppl die w/o it or something! :rolleyes: ) I completely understand that it's more difficult for guys. They have more of an urge towards it. Girls are looking more for emotional intimacy. Anyway, thanks again for being mature. ~art~

Does anyone else have little brothers that are complete lady-killers? example 1: Andrew is in 8th grade now. He's always been the boy the little girls liked. He's a sweet kid, not bad looking, and pretty suave. Years ago, we'd walk around, and little girls from he's class would wave and call out, "Hi, Andy!!":love: ...:rolleyes: example 2: Paul is in kindergarten. I baby-sit another boy in his class, and I've already figured out that Paul is pretty cool. (I'll bring him w/ me sometimes, and the boy and his brother practically worship Paul saying, "Paul! Teach us how to be funny!!") I recently found out that he goes to school daily w/ his shoes untied. The moment he walks through the door, he has two girls who tie his shoes for him!! :eek: :laugh: Whatch out, ladies...:rolleyes: I've got at least two other brothers who seem to be on the road to stud-dom (one has older girls who constantly flirt w/ him. He's in 4th grade...:rolleyes: ). So, has anyone else noticed any little kids (particularly boys) who are outrageous flirts? ~artemis~

Ok, I'm back again. (our Nazi librarian kicked me off the computer!) I'm a big fan of the scent of crisp autumn/winter air. It makes me think of Christmas or being out in the country at my uncle's house. I also like just about every mint smell. It's just so refreshing and often rejuvenating. The best thing about scents is the memories they bring up. The sense of smell is one of the best about invoking memories. *sighs* Okay, I think I'm done now! :D ~art~

[QUOTE]But yeha how goo of a singer are u?[/QUOTE] I feel sort of inferior at times b/c the girls on either side of me are prima donas. So...if I ever screw up, I look really stupid. (Plus, they're both younger than me, and one's my section leader. She frequently tries to correct me when I'm not doing anything wrong. Example: She was gone on the day our teacher told us to roll our r's in a Latin song. The next day, we sang the song, and the girl promptly told me, "Don't roll your r's!" I snapped back at her, "She just told us yesterday to roll them. And, by the way, you [I]always[/I] roll the r's in Latin!" That was the first time I'd ever really snapped at her. She tried to be my friend for a while...:rolleyes: She's probably the biggest pain in the rear in my choir...:butthead: ) However, despite the prima donas, I've had people tell me that I sing well. In fact, the teacher is having another soprano and me sing a descant against the rest of the choir in one of our Christmas songs. (I think it insulted Miss Prima Dona Section Leader!! :p :laugh: ) [QUOTE]As to tha allocation of unds, true arts don't get enough money, but nothing does right now. Seeing as all threse activities at the Jr. high/high school level are elective, mandatory things come first: books, science supplies, electricity bills... States are crunched right now, and there's no where for money to come from. [/QUOTE] Even before the economy took a turn for the worse, arts received less funding. My point was, that as an added activity (outside of the mandatories) the arts receive less funding than sports. I'm beginning to think that it's b/c the choir kids, if they stick w/ music, usually grow up to be poor, starving choir teachers. The sports kids (at my school, at least) end up w/ scholarships, stickin' w/ it through college, and making enough money to donate more funds to the sports. Additionally, at my school, our sports teams are already pretty good. I think the administration thinks they're awarding the jocks for their good work... :rolleyes: c'est la vie

Alright, I already sent a PM to James asking if I could talk about this. That was nearly a week ago. I've decided he doesn't plan on answering. So here it is... Hells Fire and I were having a private discussion on premarital (extramarital) sex. He doesn't see a problem with it. However, I see many: 1. Moral issues. It's just plain wrong. I know it sounds out-dated, but sex is for marriage only. It's not bad, just special. 2. Emotional side effects. They aren't as strong for guys, but intercourse creates an emotional bond between people. Girls (in general) feel very attached to guys after the act. Guys (again, in general) are less attached afterwards, so a conflict often arises. The girls often feel used or unimportant. Both may feel guilt. 3. Physical side effects. Let me tell you up front, there are a lot of STDs that the media doesn't broadcast very well, if at all. This is mostly because, for a great deal of them, abstinence is the only protection. Not everything is stopped by condoms. Many of the diseases can cause infertility or cancer. (Girls, by the way we're set up, we're more vulnerable to potentially dangerous diseases.) Here's a fun fact for you: What's the common STD among Americans today? HIV? Nope. It's HPV Human Papiloma (sp?) Virus. Men can carry it, but it doesn't affect them. By the way, high school physicals (sports physicals) will most likely not include a test for this disease. It's far too expensive to put on a general health exam. 4. Pregnancy. The condoms and birth control don't always work. Abortion (ignoring the fact that it kills babies) causes severe emotional problems for the mother. Raising a child as a single parent (particularly while still in school), is extremely difficult and deprives children of a loving 2 parent family. (Not to say that they can't become wonderful people in a single parent home, just that they're more likely to have psychological or emotional disorders.) Adoption, though the best choice, is the rarest chosen. It's difficult giving up a child despite the fact that it's for his/her good. All in all, I think the consquences are enough to convince anyone (even if they don't go for the moral argument) that abstinence is a better choice. It's like drinking and drugs: it hurts people, and it's not worth it. Anyway, let me know what you people think. Understand that I'm not trying to insult anyone for having extramarital sex. I just think people should know a bit more about what their gettin' into beforehand. ~Artemis~

I get lost in Bath and Body Works...:) I like, mostly, their fruitier scents: country apple, sun-ripened rasberry, cucumber melon. Plumeria is also really good. I dont' really like lavendar or vanilla. They're kinda over powering. *stumbles back stunned* ~art~

I'm constantly making an idiot out of myself. I say stupid things or act really weird, and people look at me funny. Somewhere b/t 7th grade and sophomore year, I learned to just let it all slide. Instead of being the timid, easily intimidated little girl I used to be, I'm now the obnoxious loud mouth that ppl just roll their eyes at. I learned not to care if I do something stupid...in most cases at least. The one place I do feel inferior is in choir. I have a lot of fun, but I have two prima donas that sit on either side of me. I always feel like I'm not singing well enough. That's pretty much the only time of the day my self-esteem gets lowered. *shrugs* It's not too bad. Just don't take yourself too seriously. Learn to laugh at yourself. You can always laugh harder, longer, and louder than the idiots tryin' to make fun of you. :) ~art~

Back in 8th grade, I went to a very small private school (practically home-schooling). I had to wear a long, straight skirt for my uniform. Anyway, we were outside at recess messing around, and we decided to take turns kicking a ball around. I took the ball and tried to kick it [I]really[/I] hard. Because my skirt was so straight, I wound up knocking myself off my feet and falling on the cement. My butt hurt like none other. :laugh: The next year, I was at my choir concert for my high school. I was in the lowest choir, and all of us were tryin' to prove ourselves. We got up to sing w/ our binders of music, and on the first page turn I dropped my binder, lost all my music, and had to ad lib for the rest of the song. Even worse...my friend was supposed to share w/ me, so I screwed her up too! :laugh: I've got plenty more. I'll add 'em as I think of them. (or as they happen! :laugh: ) ~artemis~

Does anyone else here sing? ...a lot? :D I'm in the second choir (auditions required) at our school, and I have a lot of fun w/ it. I feel like our music department doesn't get as much funding or attention as it deserves (not to mention other academic activities: debate, forensics, drama). :roll eyes: So...2 questions: :wigout: 1. Are you in a choir? If so, what part do you sing? :babble: 2. What are your thoughts on the distribution of funds at your school? (i.e. Do sports get more money? Is this fair/unfair?) :smirk: Let me know what ya think! :cross: ~artemis~

I'd probably put The Cranberries on there (they have an awesome sound) with random songs from musicals and techno stuff (Daft Punk mostly). I'd also have Bon Jovi, Pat Benatar, and other 80s classics. (you gotta love the 80s.) If I had extra room, I'd add in Evanesence or the Ataris, just to keep it interesting. Is that good enough, or do you need more reasons? ~artemis~

This was a deeply moving, yet depressingly chilling movie. I have to say, that it was one of Robin Williams' best performances. (then again, he is a wonderful actor. The only thing that kept Disney's "Flubber" from completely flopping was his acting.) I saw The Dead Poets' Society when I was pretty young, so the scene you guys have been talking about had a pretty dramatic effect on me. *shivers*

For the most part, I think that supersitions are mostly in our minds. We let ourselves get freaked out about things. I've tried Bloody Mary. I freaked out about it, but nothing happened. I've almost gotten "light as a feather, stiff as a board" to work, but I haven't done it in a while and don't plan on it. I do believe in ghosts however...and Murphy's Law. ~artemis~

I would like to control my life...but only for awhile. It would eventually get old and my imagination would run out. If I could just change bits and pieces (not be responsible for everything), I would make things less complicated. I'd also change my relationships w/ some ppl (turn the bad ones good) and probably add a little more action to my life. actually, if I could transport myself into Lord of the Rings or something like that, I'd be pretty happy! ~Goddess of the Hunt~

I had a pretty good childhood. My parents were loving but didn't spoil me. I never had sibling rivalry issues or separation issues. (I remember going to preschool and wondering why on earth the other kids were crying when their parents left.) Things were awesome until I hit junior high. (Junior high kids are very cruel...I find them less accepting than high schoolers...and that's sayin' something.) I guess I sort of grew up aspiring to be a teenager or older. I've had ppl tell me I was born grown up. Maybe I age backwards, b/c I have ppl tell me now that I'm immature. :laugh: I have to admit, I wish my life as of now were less complicated. It really depresses me when I think of the world we've inherited from the previous generation. It seems like there are so many problems we have to fix. It makes me wish I were back in kindergarten w/ finger paints and legos. ~Goddess of Wild Things~

Does anyone else love 80s music? I've gotten pretty hooked on it myself. I'm quite the Pat Benatar fan now. (not to mention good old Aerosmith and Bon Jovi) :love: Besides being great music, it's also a [I]great[/I] way to annoy ppl who have no appreciation for the wonderful 80s. (Think about it, most of us were [I]born[/I] in the 80s! Of [I]course[/I] it was a great decade!!) :D Anyway, if you love 80s music or movies, tell me your faves and your reasons (I guess. But come on, do [I]need[/I] a reason to love the 80s?!?!) over and out ~art~

I just got around to seein' the movie again last Friday. (I hadn't seen it in probably 5 or 6 years.) I'd forgotten how incredibly disturbing it was. It probably tramatized countless children. *sobs* Oh well. :naughty: Anyway, I was also reminded of how much fun all the music is. I'm gonna see if I can get the soundtrack or something. ~night goddess~

I was weird...I liked Lincoln Logs, legos, and any sort of building blocks. I played w/ barbies sometimes, but not much. Most of the time, I just made stuff up. I played a lot "Let's pretend like..." games w/ my sibs and friends. I think toys these days don't challenge kids' imaginations enough. It's really a pity.

Okay, I'll give info I feel comfortable with... [b]Name:[/b] I've been keepin' it secret for awhile, but it's common enough that it shouldn't matter: Katie [b]Nicknames:[/b] Shorty, Katie-Nanna (watch Mary Poppins), Psychopathic B*t*h (to ppl at school at least), and Doozleheimer (ask my uncle) [b]Age:[/b] 18 (wahoo!! Finally!) [b]Hair Color:[/b] Auburn [b]Hair Style:[/b] slightly layered, hits my upper to middle back [b]Eye Color:[/b] Green (a lot of people tell me I have creepy eyes) [b]Weight:[/b] 110-115 (I haven't checked in awhile.) [b]Height:[/b] 5' 1/2" (yeah...I'm short...) [b]Wardrobe:[/b] Right now? My lovely Catholic school uniform. Normally, I wear jeans and a dark shirt (red, dark green or blue, and a lot of black) [b]Personality:[/b] I tend to be a very passionate person. I get worked up about things pretty easily. I also tend to be rather loud. I like to joke around a lot and spend a great deal of time quoting random movies (which gets me a lot of funny looks...) [b]Hobbies:[/b] reading, writing (both stories and music), singing, piano, watchin' movies, listenin' to music, ice skating (when I have time/money) [b]Favorite Music Genre:[/b] Um...pretty much anything except for the majority of rap, country, and Britney-Justin Era pop (I'm specifying b/c I've had ppl call Evanesence "pop".) [b]Favorite Books:[/b] The Princess Bride, The Scarlet Pimpernel, LotR, Harry Potter, etc. (mostly fantasy) Maybe I'll add more later. (like anyone cares...) ~artemis~

I just turned 18 about a month ago. I didn't notice much of a difference. I haven't registered to vote yet. Maybe that'll help. What sucks is, our school still requires parental consent for everything (even though I'm a legal adult.) The best thing is that my mom gives me a lot more freedom now. Too bad most of my friends are 17. We're hittin' the clubs ASAP!! *goes off to play video games w/ duorocks17* ~art~

Okay...this one is sort of weird. Two years ago, a few my friends and I went to a Haunted House. While we were waiting in line, this kid (Tyler) started hitting on me w/ his friend (Javier). We kinda blew it off and joked about it later. The next February, one of those friends was taking a silversmithing class. She'd tell us stories about a weird guy in her class named Tyler. One week I went with her and met him...He was weird. The next week, they were talking, and he mentioned his friend..."javier". She asked them if they went to a Haunted House. It was the same guy.... GAG!!

Everyone tells me that I'm really responsible, but I'm actually very forgetful and disorganized. I'm always forgetting to take care of things. I think I'm getting ink poisoning in my left hand from all the notes I've written to myself on it. yeah...it's kinda sad... *sniff* ~art~

Every year on Good Friday, we spend the hours of noon to three in silence (try keepin' 10 kids quiet for 3 hours!!) It's incredible to have the house that silent for so long. We actually sort of look forward to it.

I'm sorry, Hells Fire. That must have been terrible. When I was younger, was really close to my two cousins....We spent a lot of time together and got along really well. When their parents divorced, I saw them less and less. I still see them now and we get along, but we're not nearly as close as we were. Additionally, their mother (not related to me) has been a terrible influence on both of them. They're really not the people they used to be or could have been. Instead, I've got a friend who's pretty much family that I'm pretty close to. (Her parents are my bro's god-parents, and we've known each other practically since birth.) Even though we got o different schools and only see each other at church events, we get along great. I can always go to her with a problem and know she'll listen.

I hope and pray that I'll never have to read The Illiad. I liked The Odyssey alright, but I think "Oh, Brother, Where Art Thou" made it so much better. (Okay, so it's a very loose parallel, but it's there!)

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Baron Samedi [/i] [B]So, you are perfectly happy to do nothing about it, and let your child, or your child's child, or even your child's child's child deal with it eh? You, as a wonderful blah de blah blah christian, would not worry about leaving a problem for your descendants? I find that appallling. As A wise man once said Anything we don't try to affect and help now, will just compound itself and be worse for our children. [/B][/QUOTE] No, I'm not happy with the world we'll be leaving for our children. But I think the social issues we're dealing with are more important than the evironmental ones. For one, I'd like to make sure there are children to pass the world down to. The decline of moral values in America (chiefly) is what really worries me. If we get into a mindset of who's important enough to have living space and who's not, we'll become a utilitarian nation. People will no longer have dignity for being human, only for what they can provide for us. (And, yes, humans are above animals. We have immortal souls.) Once we get these more important issues cleared up, we can work on overpopulation. By the way, PhoenixFlame, Catholics aren't nearly as closed-minded as you think. Liberals are actually more so. If you don't think w/in the sacred realm of Political Correctness, you're a bigot. :naughty: ~artemis~