Arcadia

[size=1]Asuka, it's not really against Mormons at all. It picks fun at them, just as it does with Jews, but it's not condemning any religion at all. It's more of an explanation of why there are so many, I guess. Heh, the Angels in the play are portrayed as powerful, but rather dull. They mainly react to something that God did, outside of the play, and their goal is to somehow fix that. It's... interesting. ^_^ I don't think it deals with them in the way you might be thinking, but I still think you'd get a kick out of it.[/size]

[size=1]I thought partial-birth abortion [i]was[/i] illegal now. Or was that just Florida? Hmm. [quote]What makes you believe so strongly that something that won't be able to function on its own for another good ten+ years is more valuable than the person's life who is making the decision to abort?[/quote] That's my entire stance, right there. It's not fair to tell a girl that she has to say no to abortion to save a life when it's only going to destroy her own. Especially when the life she's supposedly saving isn't technically [i]living.[/i][/size]

[size=1]HBO has a new two part movie thing coming out - [i]Angels In America[/i], showing the 7th and the 14th of December. It's a fantastic play by Tony Kushner and has been done so many times and has been banned so many more. It deals with a lot of controversial topics, all bundled up together in one nice package, so obviously not everybody's going to like it, let alone appreciate what it's trying to say. [i]Angels[/i] deals with religion (specifically Mormons and the Jewish faith, as well as some interesting ideas regarding Angels and God), history (in terms of it being just one big catastrophe after another), homosexuality, and the human condition itself. It's hard to give a basic summary of the plot because there's just so much going on, so many different story lines to pick up on. It's full of relationships - everybody is connected, somehow, and everybody struggles to come to some sort of spiritual/sexual understanding. Besides that, it's hysterical - I read the play for a theatre class of mine and I laughed nearly the entire time. It's got characters that you just love, and then some that you love to hate. I've been trying to look up who's playing who for the HBO versions, and I was pleasantly surprised to see a couple big names: [b]Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson, and Mary-Louise Parker,[/b] just to name a few. I really think it's going to be fantastic. I haven't heard much else about it, besides when it's going to air and the cast and all that, so I'm a little anxious. The play is absolutely brilliant and I hope the two movies (the play is actually in two parts, hence the two movies) capture that. Hopefully at least one person out there will want to watch it after reading this. ^_^ After all, if it ruffles a few feathers, it's got to be worth checking out, right?[/size]

[size=1]I haven't seen this yet, and I don't expect to. I just like the ride too much and him too little. I would hate to go back to Disney and get on the Haunted Mansion and sit there the entire time, thinking of Eddie Murphy. [i]That's[/i] scary.[/size]

[size=1]Loyal Heart was excited - he'd found another Care Bear Cousin! That meant that the others were bound to be around here somewhere, and that was a good thing, indeed. The dull gray of the place was troubling and the blue dog wanted to get to the bottom of all this sadness before it really got out of hand. He knew, however, that it would take all of them to figure out this puzzle. "It's such a good thing we're all great friends," he said to himself, and wagged his tail happily. The rocks weren't nearly as hard to climb as they'd been before and it only took a moment for the two Care Bear Cousins to reach each other on a nice, flat ledge. "Loyal Heart, I found you!" Brave Heart exclaimed loudly, his arms spread triumphantly. The blue Care Bear Cousin jumped up and down excitedly, clapping. "You did, you did! We've got to stick together now, and find our other cousins. It'll be much easier if we work together," Loyal Heart quipped amiably, in a much brighter mood now. The two Cousins didn't have to look hard at all, however - a yell from above caught there attention and the two looked up to see Bubbly waving fanatically down at them. "It's Bubbly Bear! Oh, and there's Love-a-Lot, and Funshine.. woof, how wonderful!" Loyal Heart yelped. Secret Bear peeked over the edge of the cliff then, and gestured for them to climb up. "Let's go, Loyal Heart!" Brave Heart said with a roar, and the two Care Bear Cousins started up the rocks.[/size]

[size=1]The best example I can think of would be the Trobriand Islanders, from Africa, I believe. Most of Africa, in fact, could probably qualify for this. Woman/woman marriages are sometimes preferred in some of these sub-Saharan societies because it actually gives them more freedom. Some Native Americans actually celebrate those with "two spirits". As for the thing about religion.. I think you kind of missed my point. Let me explain it better. The idea that marriage is a holy sanction between a man and a woman comes from religious ideology. To hold the nation's standard at that, then, when it's clearly stated in the constitution that there is a definite seperation between what happens in the church and what happens in the state, seems a little hypocritical to me. It ought to be focused on the union of two people who [i]love[/i] each other, and not on the union of two people of the opposite sex. I hope that helps to clear it up a little more.[/size]

[size=1]Somebody might argue for [i]The Hours[/i], for which she did win that Best Actress Oscar. But then again, I never saw [i]The Hours[/i] and the Oscars aren't exactly unbiased. She does have such a straight nose, though![/size]

[size=1]I don't think anybody's said this yet, and it's a valid point in my opinion, so here I go. I think most will agree that the idea that gay marriage is wrong is based in religious beliefs. For our government to make laws out of those beliefs is absolutely ridiculous - what happened to the seperation between church and state? And to say that it's "man's natural inclination" isn't true at all. Check out half the other countries in the world - granted, most of them are what we like to think of as "third world countries" and are thus "inferior" to us (note the sarcasm), but they do it. Are you to say that it's not natural then, when they're the closest to primitive we've been in quite some time? In fact, you could argue that man has only had sex in your "natural" way for these thousands of years because it was the only way they could reproduce and keep on living. In fact, in a lot of countries, marriage isn't about love at all - it's about financial/social/political stability. If you ask any anthropologist what marriage is, they'll tell you it's the right to have sexual relations with another person. When you look at it that way, it's pretty "natural".[/size]

[size=1]The Elephant Show, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Eureeka's Castle, Fraggle Rock... and I think I watched Kids Incorporated a lot, too. I always liked Blues Clues, though, even though I'm a bit old for that. The ones before this new guy, anyway. That, and Gulla Gulla Island. I have a lot of great memories about that show. Me and a friend took the theme song to that and made a quick, disturbing jingle out of it for our euthanasia debate, and I still crack up every time I hear it. Another fun thing about it is that the actor Vanessa Baden from the show actually lives in central Florida and attends FSU, so every time I see her I'm reminded of my childhood. ^_^[/size]

[size=1]The hardest thing I've ever done... was that damn AP Economics class. Heh. For those who might not be familiar with it, AP stands for "Advanced Placement", and it's a college level course for high school students. I took it senior year, and I stressed out about it so much - I don't think I've ever done that much studying before in my entire life. But I got a 4 on the test, thus the college credit I wanted, so it's all good. ^_^ On a more personal and [i]deeper[/i] note, one of the toughest things I've had to overcome was the guilt and bitterness I felt at my grandmother's funeral. That's been difficult - grudges are hard to get over, especially when you don't quite understand everything you should. And now that I finally [i]do[/i] understand everything, I have a lot of regrets. So that really sucks, but you learn to deal with it in your own way. You know what else amazes me? Will power. I can hardly motivate myself to get my homework done, and yet Ghandi can make himself live on water for god knows how long. We seriously underestimate our drives and our ability to endure, I guess. That was a bit random... >.>;;[/size]

[size=1]I never really got into the script style of writing, but even then, I have to agree - there have been drastic changes to the way I write over the years. At the end of middle school/beginning of high school, for instance, everything was basically one huge paragraph. And every sentence started with the same pronoun... [i]"She did this. She did that. She also did something else. Blah blah."[/i] I cringe just thinking about it. Thankfully, however, I've learned a little more about syntax and grammar and the like, and as somebody else said, my vocabulary has increased significantly. The computer's dictionary/thesaurus thing is my best friend now. My style has also changed in that before, what I wrote was purely actions; He said this, she did that, they walked over here. Now there's more thought and detail, and I try to focus more on the person's thought process. I like to show how or why a person "does this or that", instead of just writing it as it is. If that makes sense.. >.> Still, I've got plenty of room for improvement, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the things I write today in the coming years. Then I'll laugh at my "old" habits, just like I do now. ^_^ It's gonna be fun.[/size]

[size=1]Luthian sat back against the wooden fence that lined the docks, his eyes lazily searching the crowds for the two women he was supposed to meet. He was early, but he preferred it that way. And despite the fact that the two could easily take care of themselves, he didn't like the idea of one of them waiting alone while the rest of K'Urii bustled around them. He had procured them a passage on an older boat - the crew was experienced and smart when it came to water, and her captain had practically lived on the water all his life. Luth was surprised he managed to get such a skilled captain for such a cheap price, but after a short chat with the man, he came to understand why. [i]"People are fleeing Maurii,"[/i] the old man had said. [i]"Hundreds. And most are so afraid they'll pay anything to get out. But me, I'm not afraid. I know my history, boy, and I know the last thing either country needs now is a greedy stiff just looking to make a profit. We've got to atone.. we've[/i] got[i] to.."[/i] Now that he thought about it, Luthian wasn't quite sure what the old man - his name was Serrac - had meant at all. He was definitely a generous man, no doubt, and wise for all his years, but at the same time, sailors were known to be superstitious. Either way, he was quite thankful for the low price - he got the three of them on, no questions asked, for the same amount it would usually take one man. Which was nice, since his pockets weren't exactly lined with money. He chewed on a piece of straw absentmindedly, his arm resting on his knee. He had one small, simple bag with him, and he kept it close at all times. It was all he needed, and it wasn't much, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be upset if it got swiped off him. The previous night's epiphany had made him a little less trusting of the general public. That brought him to another thought - Maia and her dancer friend. They'd parted that night on the agreement that the two women should clean up whatever they needed to in order to leave unnoticed, and Luth would find them a boat to get them across to Maurii. And obviously he'd done quite well. He just hoped that the girls had too; he was pretty sure they'd be on time, but there [i]had[/i] been a lot of surprises lately. Anything could happen. Somebody kicked him in the butt then, and he just leaned back, looking up. "Nice to see you, too." Maia just smirked at him, tossing her thick red braid over her shoulder triumphantly. "Since you're just lounging about, I take it you got us a ship?" "Of course." He got up, brushing his pants off, his tail swinging back and forth leisurely. Leaning against the fence, his arms crossed over the top of it, he nodded towards a dock some 30 feet off. "That's her - the [i]Lyth' Leurnna[/i]." He blinked at it, before glancing back to the female next to him, arching an eyebrow as he hit her with his tail. "So did you have a nice nap last night?" She regarded him with veiled eyes, glancing briefly at his mischievous tail. "Yes, thank you," she swiped at his backside, though the darker-haired man expected it and had deftly moved to the side. He hadn't expected to bump into somebody else, however, and he cursed quietly before glancing to see who it was. Shrai'i only raised an eyebrow, looking smart in her soft attire. "Having fun, are we?" Luthian just grinned, before retrieving his little sack. "Since we're all here, shall I escort you ladies to the boat?" The two women just shared a glance, before walking ahead of him. The contrasting two were odd compliments to each other, and Luth could only shake his head. "Women." [color=gray]OOC: Whoever takes the next post (in this particular story line), do whatever you want, but please don't get them to Maurii just yet - I've got some little details that I want to get in before the ship makes landfall. ^_^ [b]EDIT: Added this little bit as of 12/3.[/b] I do hope everybody's all right - I haven't seen some of you on quite as much, if at all. If you're having problems because of exams and whatnot, though, believe me, I understand. x_X Please let me know if something does occur, though.[/color] Leile wasn't impressed, to say the least. Too much had happened and one more shock like that was bound to kill her. She fully expected to fall to the ground dead, any minute now. Aissa, on the other hand, was more wary than anything else. She could recognize the use of magic anywhere and it was blatant before them - how Anubis would choose to reappear, however, would be a whole different story. Patting the raven-haired girl's hand comfortingly where it gripped her own arm rather tightly, she kept her eyes on the now doused fire before them, occasionally glancing to the spot where Anubis had disappeared from, doing her best to remain patient and calm. "This is [i]so[/i] not funny," Leile muttered under her breath, relaxing a bit from the healer's gesture. Despite even that, however, she was definitely on edge - her long ears twitched anxiously, the silver covers glinting against the darkness, as they listened for any sort of movement at all. "That's too bad," A voice behind them suddenly remarked, and Leile jumped a good foot into the air. Anubis just chuckled, "I thought it was rather humorous."[/size]

[size=1]Well, if I've got a choice here, I'd want to look like somebody from Final Fantasy - maybe Dagger, to be specific. At least then I'd be beautiful, mysterious, and I'd have some really cool clothes. Otherwise.. I've been told I sort of resemble a number of anime characters (but whether or not that's based on just looks or personality.. well, that's another story): Amelia from Slayers, Faye from Cowboy Bebop.. yeah. Go figure. I'd much prefer the FF-esque thing. And the Queen would make a lovely Chii - you've just got to save up some mula so you can buy that lovely dress online! ^_^[/size]

[size=1]Hmmm. Let's ponder this. I have to agree with Karma - the flashback thing is a neat idea (and I personally love flashbacks ^_^), but combined with the biography it might get too cluttered and confusing. I don't think I'm a big fan of the biography thing either, though - I guess my main question there is: [i]Does she - the lady in question - warrant a biography?[/i] Is she a special person or something, did she do something fantastic? You don't have to answer, I just want to try and get this in perspective. Maybe you could do it in the form of articles? A collection of newspaper stories, or maybe a sort of scrapbook that consists of all sort of little bits of information.. Just trying to throw out some ideas. Either way, I've read some of your works before (from your site) and I think you're an excellent writer, so I'm sure that whatever you decide to do will be great. ^_^[/size]

[size=1]I personally think life is fabulous. That's not to say that it doesn't have it's negative moments, but honestly, they're only as bad as you make them. You always have a choice, no matter what anyone says. It's basically one big learning experience - everybody screws up. It happens. Deal with it, learn what you can from your mistakes, and move on. That's called [b]growth.[/b] And when you've been through the bad, it only makes the good moments that much more special and meaningful. If you can't find meaning.. well, maybe you're looking too hard. Take pleasure in the little things, and don't let opportunities pass you by. If you're going to regret something, make sure it's something you did, and not something you [i]didn't[/i] do. I say just enjoy each moment as it comes, roll with the punches and take time to stop and smell the roses. Like I said before, life is what you make it, so make it something you can be proud of and happy with. Word.[/size]

[size=1]"Oooh, pain... woof, my poor tail.." Loyal Heart Dog sat up slowly, blinking blearily at his surroundings before giving himself a good shake. Hair flew and his tail wagged violently back and forth before he let out a happy yelp. That felt much better! But now as he took a better look around him, he could tell that there was something very, very wrong. The colors were faded and dull, and the area was just so.. [i]sad.[/i] "Oh, this is no good," Loyal Heart Dog thought, staring up to the cloudy sky above him. The cliffs above him looked dark and jagged and the Care Bear Cousin began to wonder where his other companions ended up. "Something must have gone wrong with the Rainbow Rescue Beam... how awful!" He explored the little alcove he found himself on a bit more, before deciding that he should try to find a way off it so he could sniff out the other Care Bears and Care Bare Cousins. [i]I'm sure I'll find somebody,[/i] Loyal Heart thought optimistically, before starting up the rock. It was hard work, but Loyal Heart was determined. The sadness of the place was very disheartening, however, and it took a lot of will-power to keep his tail wagging happily. He made it about half way up before he thought he saw something peering down at him. Something gray-ish? "Hellooo up there!" Loyal Heart called out, but he only got a slight echo in response. "Woof, woof.. how strange.." His eyes quickly caught another shape on the rocks, and this one looked much more familiar. With a happy yelp and some vicious tail-wagging, Loyal Heart barked, "Brave Heart!! Woof, down here!!"[/size]

[size=1]Julia shut her phone quickly, irritated. Thankful that they'd soon be getting out of that horrible little bathroom, but irritated nonetheless. Valentine noticed it and raised her eyebrows, concerned. "Can't he come and help us?" "Oh yeah, he's coming," She muttered, running a hand over her head. "He just... Well, he probably was directly involved in that scream we heard, which is a bit unsettling, but hey." Shrugging then, she leaned against the far wall. "By the way, stay away from the door. He's going to be manly and break it down or something." Valentine shook her head. "As long as we get out.. let's just worry about the details later." She stretched, doing a few tricky things with her legs that Julia was sure would only result in pain if [i]she[/i] tried them, before sighing, "I think I'm going to take a long, hot bubble bath after this." Julia grinned, twisting her hair behind her shoulder. "That sounds like a fabulous idea." The door knob twisted then, as if somebody was trying to open, only to no avail. It was locked, after all. The girls took this as a good sign and retrieved their purses as a loud, sharp bang sounded and the door swung open violently. On the other side stood Gen, Kali stick in hand and a wide smirk playing across his face. "Having fun?" Julia rolled her eyes, dropping her cellphone back in her purse. "Absolutely." "Tons," Valentine agreed, placing a hand on her hip. Gen moved to the side, gesturing for them to make their exit. "No thanks are necessary," he murmured as Julia walked by, a tinge of sarcasm to his voice. She only cocked an eyebrow in his direction, pausing in her steps. "Karma, Gen. Let's pretend this good simaritan act makes up for other things." "Karma?" He repeated, sounding decidedly amused. "I don't pick fights, Julia. Trouble finds [i]me.[/i] You assume too much." She shrugged, glancing back towards Valentine, who was waiting near the exit. "Then I guess I'll just have to owe you," she winked at him before hurrying to join the blonde, leaving him to digest that last idea, in whatever way he would.[/size]

[size=1][color=red]Kendra didn't like being insulted, but she'd gotten fairly used to it. After all, they considered her a traitor - lower, even. She hunted her own kind, turned them in, even killed them. And she felt no grief or guilt about it. So she couldn't blame them for hating her. For insulting them, even. Though she still wasn't fond of it. [i]Then again,[/i] she mused to herself, tracing her lip with her finger lightly, [i]They think they know me and can judge me blindly as they do.. We'll see.[/i] "You are both very brave, I'll warrant you that," she said coolly, "But also very stupid. Unfortunately, since neither of you are Angels," she glanced at Lain as she said this, "We can't kill you." Turning, her hair whipping out around her shoulders, she nodded to Jenk. "They are your find, and so they are under your watch and command. Do what you like, just don't kill them." Jenk gave a mock salute, before stepping closer to Kendra. "What of the blonde?" She asked then, her voice low that so only the dark-haired woman would hear it. "Is he...?" "Possibly. Halfling or not, however, his strength is no match to yours. You should be able to handle them," she muttered, before glancing back to the two men on their knees. With a wave of her hand they were on their feet. Giving them one last look over, her eyes narrowing imperceptably, she began back up towards the main road, gesturing for the Fallen to follow her. They would take the two in and interrogate them, and from then on they were under Technoglobe - Kendra wouldn't mind taking a swing at the blonde one, at least, even if he wasn't worth the effort. [i]Maybe later,[/i] she told herself, brushing a stray lock back away from her hawk-like eyes. [i]Either way, we deserve a good break.[/i] She hoped that this recent capture would do it - perhaps they'd learn about more hiding spots. Either way, two more brats were off the streets and out of her hair, and that was always a good thing.[/color][/size]

[size=1]I wasn't ever into Digimon religiously or anything, but I watched it whenever it came on. Matt and T.K. were the [i]coolest.[/i] Even though half of them are missing. >.> Lovely story, though. It's been fun to read so far, though I would like to know more about this Tempestmon and who she was before psycho-scientist man grabbed her and started performing all those funky tests and stuff. And more about Aidan for that matter. So obviously, you're doing very well with the plot. ^_^ Seems as though everyone can't wait for the next chapter and will even resort to double-posting! Crazy!! Keep up the swellness, Solo. Kudos.[/size]

[size=1]Very good point right there. For those of us who watch anime, well, we know what it is, and we know what to expect; most have probably seen more than one series, hence more than one style of anime, and so we've got a wide range of "faces" to choose from. However, if you think about the person who's seen maybe one show, what are they most likely to think about when you say "anime?" That's the definining face right there. It may not be the most artisitc, or the best series to date, but it's what everybody - including those who [i]aren't[/i] fans - will recognize.[/size]

[size=1][i]Aren't you the bright one,[/i] Julia thought to herself as she began scanning the list of numbers in her phone. There was Mom, there was Dad, some friends from the theatre department, her dog's vet.. she raised her eyebrow at some of the numbers, wondering what could have convinced her to put them in, before grinning a bit. "You know, this is going to be really funny to us tomorrow." Valentine smiled, shaking her head slightly. "I'll laugh as soon as we get out of here," she agreed, "But I think for now I'll save my breath for that phone call." "Who was here that I know?" Julia thought out loud, staring at her phone absentmindedly as she kicked the toiletpaper she used on her hands into one big pile. "Oh, of course, Gen. Let's hope he's not still fighting or something." Valentine glanced nervously towards the window, wondering how the other girl could stay so calm. "He'll come get us," she murmured, though she didn't sound entirely sure. At this point, she just wanted out - that scream was still sending chills down her spine. The brunette gave her a smile before dialing the number, bringing the phone to her ear. For once, though, Valentine could see that she was a bit unsettled as well. "Of course he will. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." "...who is this...? ...Julia? Have you been scorned lately?" Came a voice from the other side. Startled, Julia swore, before covering her mouth. "Sorry! Um, Gen, will you come save us?"[/size]

[size=1]Leste smiled as she saw the birds on the horizon, returning to her. They came from the north - Noorden, then. There could be no doubt. She stood at the top of her temple, still surrounded by the canopy but in a spot that allowed fair visage through the leafy branches. It was her sky hole, her own little sun roof. Her warm eyes watched the flock as it drew closer, waiting patiently for the message they undoubtedly brought with them. A great wind reached her and swirled upwards, taking her hair with it as the birds dove into the little opening within the trees and circled around her anxiously. She whistled softly, a loving sound, and then crouched down. The birds landed and quickly surrounded her, all chirping excitedly. Leste laughed, delighted, before murmuring, "I can't hear you all at once!" There was some ruffling of feathers and a few more tiny chirrups before one of the larger birds hopped forward, puffing his chest out proudly. Leste smiled prettily and held her hand out so that he might jump upon it. Once he did, she brought him closer to her face and whistled beautifully. The bird responded in the same manner, his own song a much longer and sweeter melody. Nodding, she kissed the bird on his head softly before letting him fly away, joined by his brethen to return to their hammock homes. "So the North rides in," she mused, her eyes turning in that direction again as she crossed her arms gently. "But what of the South and West? Shall we wait and see what destiny has in store for us?" Her question was obviously directed at no one in particular, but the rustle of leafs seemed to answer her in their quiet wisdom of the ages, and she smiled, closing her eyes briefly. [i]My love..[/i] She paused there a moment before quickly turning and jumping into a near by tree, climbing the branches as effortlessly as any monkey. The Guardian of the North would be here soon, no doubt, and she had to see that all preparations were made accordingly. [i]Soon,[/i] she thought warmly, [i]Soon we shall see.[/i][/size]

OOC: I don't blame you, heh. ^_^ But that.. that is genius. I laugh as I write this. [size=1]Julia rubbed her temples, sighing loudly as she looked longingly back to the little window. "If only I was anorexic..." Valentine was pacing back and forth now, and had been for quite some time. It was the best way to still her nerves, which were quite raw now. "I almost wish you were too," she muttered, rubbing her arms anxiously. The brunette couldn't help the grin that crept onto her face. "Maybe we should sing or something," she suggested, pushing herself up off the wall so that she could stretch for a bit. "We already tried yelling. I'm beginning to think these walls are sound proof," as she said this, the blonde gave the bathroom a suspicious scan. Julia thought about that for a moment too long, before shaking her head and clearing her mind. "At any rate, the singing might help to keep us sane in here. Until we can find some way to break out, at least..." her voice trailed off as she glanced back towards the window. It in itself looked as though it hadn't been cleaned in thirty years.. "I wonder if this thing even [i]opens[/i]..." Valentine watched her with raised eyebrows as she pulled over a waiting chair and climbed up to inspect the midgit window. "If we could open it, we might be able to get somebody's attention that way," she murmured, looking hopeful. Julia jumped off the chair, coughing a bit. "It's so dusty and grimy... I need paper towels." The blonde looked towards the dispenser on the wall before snorting, "There aren't any." "Good grief." "Maybe some toilet paper?" Valentine made the sign of the cross on herself for protection before she ventured bravely into one of the stalls again, bringing a fair sized roll back out with her. "This might work." "Hmm," Julia eyed it before heading back to the window, Valentine following. "For our sakes, I hope you're right."[/size]

[size=1]While I do think it would be great fun to have these empath and psychic abilities some of you claim to have, I think I'm going to have to agree with Crimson here. You might be greatly underestimating your ability to perceive things through body language. There aren't that many people in the world who can completely control their emotions, despite what some may wish to believe, and so if you're looking for the right signs, you can make some fairly accurate assumptions about a person's mood. Facial expressions alone can let you know what a person is thinking or feeling. Whether or not one eyebrow or two is raised; the direction in which he/she points their eyes; his mouth - is he smiling, frowning, smirking? Is it real, or is it forced?; how a person holds his head; and so on. If you go ahead and combine this with other forms of body language (hand gestures, or how a person carries himself, what he does with his legs when he sits down, or even voice quality), then you'll find yourself with a varitable well of information about that person. I'm not saying everybody may be as perceptive as the next guy, but at least it's something to think about.[/size]

[size=1]I like it. It has [i]mad style.[/i] >.> Okay, seriously. I definitely like the colors - they all work very nicely together, and the contrast with the yellow and black is prettyful. The skulls are a little scary, but I think they fit in quite nicely with the "mad" theme, and the.. sketchiness/messiness of the pictures just looks really cool. Plus, it's got an eight ball in there, in all of it's 8-bally glory, so I can't deny you praise for [i]that[/i]. For some odd reason, though, the entire thing screams "Monster Truck" to me. I hate number ratings, but I tell you, it's upper crust, for sure. ^_^[/size]