elfpirate

[b]If you're strictly speaking about punk music, I'd have to say you're terribly wrong about punk being dead. There is a myriad of excellent punk bands out there-- they're just a little harder to find than the pop-punk crap (and yes, my opinion is that it's crap, as far as the "punk genre" is concerned-- some of it may be good music, but it ain't punkrock).[/b] [b]Okay--maybe it's a lot harder to find... but it's there.[/b] [b]As far as the punkrock lifestyle goes, what makes you a punk is how you live your life, what ideals you hold on to, etc...[/b] [b]I won't refer to myself as a punk... (though I am pretty damned punkrock as far as my attitudes about things go and the way I live my life).[/b] [b]I don't like being called a punk, though, because it dredges up images of thoughtless, criminal drones who rebel against everything (and therefore nothing) or those poser types: the I-don't-know-who-the-hell-I-am-but-punk-is-fashionable-so-I'll-be-that-for-a-month types of people. I don't want to be stuck in either one of those schemas.[/b] [b]Either way-- I'd say that punk isn't dead... and I'd even say it's [i]thriving[/i]. [/b] [b]You just have to find out where the true punks are in your community and you'll find both excellent punkrock music, excellent punkrock people, and everything else punkrock that your little heart desires.[/b] [b]You have to be willing to go underground to find something that's underground by nature.[/b]

[b]@Big Boss- i think you need to lay off both the drugs and the smilies...[/b] [b]Well... this question shouldn't be as tough as it is... but I'll try to answer it anyway.[/b] [b]My friends have usually been the ones who were there for me when things were insanely bad. They were the ones who offered comfort and solice when I truly needed it, and were willing to just listen. [/b] [b]But my friends either went off to live their own lives somewhere else and neglected to keep in touch, or they were killed somehow... so there are only a few left to go to... and only one that I'm truly comfortable opening up to (but now we live a couple hundred miles away from one another and his girlfriend is a b***h).[/b] [b]My family- *heh*- they are the reason I don't sleep, the reason I have nightmares when I do manage to coax along some sleep, and the reason for my psychological disorders and poor self-esteem. Not entirely, of course, but yeah--mostly.[/b] [b]All except my mom and my (nearly-twin) brother. They are both friends [i]and[/i] family.[/b] [b]I do, however, love my family with all my heart, regardless of the pain they inflict.[/b] [b]I can't honestly say which I would choose or which I prefer, because I get different things out of my relationships with my family than I do with my friends-- I guess I would say that they are equally important and necessary in my life. [/b] [b]Between the two of them, I am fulfilled, and I wouldn't be if either was missing from my life.[/b]

[b]I love so many different kinds of music...[/b] [b]But let's just go with the ones that are permanently installed in my sound system...[/b] [b][u]Mutiny-[/u] some wonderful pirate-style celtic punk from Sydney-- this band has the most astoundingly talented musicians and lyricists I've ever heard. They've got it all...[/b] [b][u]Dolomites-[/u] another great pirate/celtic/punk band-- Lobotomy Bay is one o' me fave's...[/b] [b][u]Flogging Molly-[/u] c'mon-- it's Irish, it's punk, it's oi, and [i]Matt Hensley[/i] is in the band. Freakin' Matt Hensley-- one of the coolest, most talented, down-to-earth and genuinely nice professional skateboarders to ever ride the earth...[/b] [b][/b] [b][u]Dropkick Murphys-[/u] nearly perfect Irish punk/oi ... gotta love the oi bands...[/b] [b][u]Filth[/u]- good West Coast crustcore[/b] [b][u]Blatz-[/u] same as above but even better cuz they've got two chicks in the band that make me laugh[/b] [b][u]Dirt-[/u] some great music to be pissed off to-- hardcore punk w/ both male and female vocalists[/b] [b][/b] [b][u]Garmonbozia[/u]- a wonderfully original sound mixing hardcore punk with violin and 'cello... plus they're my friends[/b] [b][u]Sofa Kingdom[/u]- amazing musical talent. They will soon be signed, I'm sure. If you like Blink 182, Sublime, or Operation Ivy, then you'd like these guys.[/b] [b]They are pretty close friends of mine... I've known them since they were like 13 or 14 or something...[/b] [b][u]Operation Ivy[/u]- some of the best punk rock that was ever made-- an oldie but a goodie[/b] [b][u]Against Me[/u]- very original sound- love 'em[/b] [b][u]Swingin' Utters-[/u] yeah, you guessed it- more punk-- and they execute their celtic punk songs quite nicely...[/b] [b][u]Taj Mahal-[/u] not only does he make some of the best blues around, but he's from my home-state of HI:animesmil [/b] [b][/b] [b][u]Keb Mo-[/u] excellent blues...[/b] [b][u]Stevie Ray Vaughn[/u]- he is (was:animecry: ) the master... for real...[/b] [b]There are way too many great bands out there to list them all...:( [/b]

[b]Ok- this thread is not to be confused with the self-esteem thread...[/b] [b]Since I began the other one, I've read and heard a lot of people mentioning their body image (including everyone in my family--males, too) and their general opinions about how they look... and [i]no one[/i] seems to like the way that they look. [/b] [b]Since the two topics are tied, but not necessarily dependent on one another, I thought the subject deserved its own thread. So here it is...[/b] [b]How do you feel about your appearance and what would you want to change about it? [/b] [b]And to what degree does your appearance effect your overall self-esteem?[/b] [b]Usually, I don't think a lot about the way that I look, but then again, I'm usually clothed in layers, so I'm not really aware of it most of the time.[/b] [b]When I [i]do[/i] give it some thought, however, I'd say that I typically despise the way that I look-- and it doesn't seem to matter whether other people find me attractive or not. In fact, I'm constantly being told that I'm cute, sexy, etc... but it doesn't make me feel any better because that's not what I see when I look in the mirror.[/b] [b]I guess if I were to change something about my body, I'd add about 10 or 15 pounds of pudge... because right now, I'm bony and scrawny and my ribs are visible when I wear a tight shirt--yuk!--and it hurts to lay on my side because it's all bones and muscle... no padding.:animeshy: [/b] [b](Think: scrawny like the chick from Fifth Element... but with slightly better muscle tone... eesh! Yeah, I definitely need a few more pounds on my carcass... *munches on a fistful of Little Debbies*)[/b] [b]I've also got a lot of scars on my arms and my shins (from skateboarding and other aggressive activities) that I can't wait to tattoo over. I'm not sure why those scars bother me so much, because I've got a scar across my brow/eye that I really like--it's one of my favorite features... but the ones on the rest of my body make me cringe.[/b] [b]Usually, my self esteem doesn't suffer too much from my (rather severe) hatred of my appearance, but on those rare occasions ([i]really rare[/i], mind you) when I want to appear cute or sexy-- I feel like I fail miserably at doing so and I end up feeling pretty crappy about myself.[/b]

[quote name='r3vival']Of course i'm not saying that idiots come in the form of a female. I am by no means sexist but one can only speak from experience and perhaps I haven't been talking to the right girls but really what can you do. I won't get too much into it because its a discussion not meant for this thread. But I am by no means attacking girls i was merely stating what it is that I look for in a girl generally. Its ironic that everything I look for is pretty much the opposite of the experiences I've had thus far.[/quote][b]I understood what you were trying to say... I wasn't trying to... um... nevermind...:animesigh [/b] [b]Anyhow, I don't think it's uncommon to find the opposite of what you're looking for everywhere you turn. [/b] [b]I'm sure you'll find someone that doesn't annoy the hell out of you soon enough... and I think it would be [i]much[/i] worse if it seemed that everyone around you[i] was[/i] the kind of person you were looking for.:animesmil [/b] [b]@SunfallE: Adventurous- I agree with you wholeheartedly on that one... [/b]

[b]Here's a li'l poem I wrote a long time ago. It's not very well written, but it seems to amuse people a bit... or at least, it makes them smile... so I figured--what the hell, I'll share it. Enjoy![/b] [b][i][size=1]your neck--resting gently against mine[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]your skin--polished and shined to a magnificent lustre[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]I draw my hand down your body and I begin[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]You moan loudly, your voluptuous curves trembling between my legs[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]Emotion pouring out in melody[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]You read into me and I project into you[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]I embrace you as though you are a part of me[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]You breathe my soul back onto my flesh[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]You are the only one I'm not afraid to touch- to caress-to love[/size][/i][/b] [i][size=1][b]You listen- reflect- without judgement-n[/b][b]ever questioning my intentions[/b][/size][/i] [b][i][size=1]Never pushing me away when I need to hold your body close to mine[/size][/i][/b] [b][i][size=1]My 'cello--[/size][/i][/b] [i][size=1][b]As sensuous as any lover--a[/b][b]s beautiful as the melodies of my soul[/b][/size][/i]

[quote name='Manic Webb']Then again, I'm guilty of some of the biggest stereotypes concerning black people. I love grape soda, although not as much as strawberry. I grew up drinking Kool-Aid. I eat a lot of chicken. I have a loud stereo system in my car. I also run on Colored Peoples Time?, the scientific anamoly that states that there is a 45 minute space-time gap between black people and all other peoples, causing for us to arrive late for everything. Ok, not really. I just felt the need to inject humor.[/quote] [b]Lol- I guess I'm one o' those white (lookin) people that think they're black, then, cuz that sounds a lot like[i] me[/i]... :animesmil [/b] [b]Around here (my family's home- not mine) the whole "Colored Peoples Time" has been mutated into "Indian Time"... for the same reason. I've been accused of running on both... :animeshy: (depending on whether I'm here on the rez or in the city...)[/b]

[quote name='Sol-Blade][color=darkred'] Nothing special, but honest to god, there was this one man who, after finding out I was Hawaiian, asked me how well I was at making huts and hunting pigs. Just, wow. Even worse, was how flabbergasted he was when he found out I...wait for it...wait for it...lived in a 2 story house. *gasp*[/color][/quote] [b]I'm not even Hawai'ian (as far as I know) and I get that kind of crap all the time just because I lived there. [/b] [b]"Didja eat a lot of coconuts?" Grrr...[/b]

[b]I don't let race get in the way of anything I do. I have, however, received plenty of crap from people about being the wrong race for a particular activity, etc...( always the extreme stereotype kind of activities, like listening to hip-hop although I'm not black).[/b] [b]I get asked why I have kanji tattooed on me, why I wear hakama, and why I wear a medicine bag-- since I don't look very Asian or Native... [/b] [b]But the truth is that I don't look entirely like any race. It's pretty easy to tell that I'm not entirely white, but it's an indistinct mix... so I don't have the trouble with being stuck with the behavioral schemas of a particular race.[/b]

[b]Entropy of tactful skills--[/b] [b]Zygote sentences aborted[/b] [b]in the chaos of my emotions,[/b] [b]leaving me silent and awkward in your presence--[/b] [b]struggling to hide my thoughts [/b] [b]as though you could hear them [/b] [b]pounding in my brain.[/b] [b]I want to seep into yours like the early morning mists[/b] [b]and taste the way your mind works--[/b] [b]embrace the world through your eyes.[/b] [b]Entertwined in you, I am ivy--[/b] [b]crawling, entranced, through your thoughts--[/b] [b]submerged in your secrets.[/b] [b]Your smile persuades the breath from my lips[/b] [b]And suddenly-[/b] [b]I realise that I've been gawking[/b] [b]like a bewildered child.[/b] [b]Quickly, I shift my eyes from your angelic face[/b] [b]to my trembling hands, [/b] [b]fidgeting nervously-- [/b] [b]as I attempt to sputter out a complete sentence[/b] [b]before you realise [/b] [b]that I was lost within your beauty.[/b]

[b]I enjoyed this quite a bit. The style is refreshing.;) [/b] [b]Keep it up![/b]

[QUOTE=James][color=#b0251e] Secondly, I actually enjoy ambiguity to some degree. This is because I am a person who loathes stereotyping of pretty much any kind -- I know that there are many parts of myself that are contradictory but are somehow co-existing. It's impossible to explain that to someone in one sentence. And because of that, there is sort of a natural ambiguity about me in certain ways. [/color][/QUOTE] [b]The "art of ambiguity" , as I call it, doesn't really strike me as a front in and of itself unless you are actually trying to seem ambiguous when you've really taken a clear stance on an issue.[/b] [b]If you're truly an enigma, then it wouldn't be a front at all to be ambiguous.[/b] [b]*heh*-- BTW-- I totally relate to the contradictory aspect...[/b]

[quote name='r3vival']- a HUGE plus is a girl that can have an intelligent conversation. ( I dont want to offend anybody of course but in my experience girls are either too stupid to carry on a deep conversation because they themselves are shallow or arent capable of making a point and supporting it. Othertimes girls act like they no it all and just come out to be close-minded . [/quote][b]Um... you apparently haven't been talking to the right girls. :animesmil [/b] [b]And I'm not offended, (oh, no- it takes [i]much[/i] more than that to offend the elfpirate) but I think that there are an equal number of shallow and/or moronic guys out there as there are females with those particular...flaws-- don't you?[/b] [b]I mean, let's not be sexist- idiots come in all forms...:animesigh [/b] [b](Did I just sound like a know-it-all? *smirk*)[/b]

[QUOTE=Corey][size=1]My advice would be to switch the last two stanzas. I think it would flow better that way.[/size][/QUOTE] [b]I'm not making a decision on the order of the stanzas till I get the rest of it written... so perhaps you're right...[/b] [b]Edit: [/b] [b]@Drix: Thanks so much, Jordan (for the post following this one) I'm really happy to have you aboard on this one, matey.:animesmil [/b] [b]As you can see, I have changed [i]one whole word[/i] on your revisions... [/b] [b]As I said to you earlier, feel free to post any new verses or stanzas that you come up with (if the mood takes ya).[/b] [b]I think it should have 2 or 3 more stanzas-- but I could be wrong. We could always put it to votes with our shipmates... after all, they'll be singin' it along with us on the 'Mary...[/b] [b]Anyhow, here's the revised version:Revised version in 3...2...1... [i]A fair wind is blowin' across the bay--[/i] [i]Hoist the sails an' heave away![/i] [i]Farewell to land and its sandy shore--[/i] [i]For the sea beckons to sail her once more.[/i] [i]We tow the line an' haul in the slack--[/i] [i]We labour an' toil--the sun cooks our backs...[/i] [i]The life o' a pirate's as rough as can be--[/i] [i]But we're happy to work and to be back at sea[/i] [i]So run up your whites - hoist it high in the breeze[/i] [i]An' prepare to be boarded as quick as can be...[/i] [i]You can die with a cutlass or die on your knees--[/i] [i]Though, it matters not to a pirate like me![/i] [i]For under the black flag we proudly sail--[/i] [i]From the depths of hell we all surely hail--[/i] [i]Make no mistake for death's hand we be--[/i] [i]The fiercest o' pirates upon the high seas![/i] [/b](Original poem: Jenea McClary) (revised with the help o' Jordan Fett)

[QUOTE=boxybrown305] [color=darkred]Ninjas are NOT Samurai. They each heve very different teqniques and styles. And a samurai worked under a lord, but ninjas did not. They often had someone who had hired them, wether for one job, or long term, but was never a "master" to the ninja.[/color][/QUOTE] [b]Lords often kept their own ninja (secretly) or they hired ninja-- in order to save face, because ninja were not considered honorable, and therefore, to employ them would be a dishonorable thing for a lord to do.[/b] [b]In the first case, they were usually both the lord's samurai and private assassins.[/b] [b]In the second, they were almost always ronin, and therefore samurai, as it was unlawful for eta to learn or to possess weaponry.[/b]

[QUOTE=Pumpkin][font=Georgia][size=1] . I would probably pick ninja even if they were poor because Samurai's had to suffer alot in the public eye, with seppuku and being controlled by their lord. I would not want to serve under anyone, and as far as I heard Ninja's were not controlled that much. But that is just how I see it. [/size][/font][/QUOTE] [b]The ninja, as far as I know [i]were[/i] samurai... they just took on secret missions on the side... and they were controlled by lords and whomever hired them.[/b] [b]They, too, were expected to commit seppuku if for some reason, their mission was not a success--even if it wasn't their fault.[/b] [b]Ninja did not receive adolation for their successes, either... simply a monetary reward or a favor.[/b]

I love the distinct sound of vinyl. It makes me happy...:animesmil Unfortunately, my ex bf got custody of the record player and almost all of my vinyl when we split. I still have a few, but nothing to listen to them on.:animecry:

[b]This is the first time I've posted any of my poetry... other than the little 4-line piece that's in my sig... but here's a partially-completed one that I'm working on.[/b] [b]I hope you all enjoy what I've got so far... and remember, it's a shanty... so imagine some good ol' fashioned pirate melodies as your reading it...[/b] [b][i]A fair wind is blowin' across the bay--[/i][/b] [b][i]Hoist the sails an' heave away![/i][/b] [b][i]Farewell to land and its sandy shore--[/i][/b] [b][i]The sea beckons us to sail her once more.[/i][/b] [b][i]We tow the line an' haul in the slack--[/i][/b] [b][i]We labour an' toil--the sun burns our backs...[/i][/b] [b][i]The life o' a pirate's as rough as can be--[/i][/b] [b][i]But we're happy to work and to be back at sea[/i][/b] [b][i]So run up your white flag- hoist it high in the breeze[/i][/b] [b][i]An' prepare to be boarded as quick as can be...[/i][/b] [b][i]You can die fighting or die on your knees--[/i][/b] [b][i]It matters not to a pirate like me![/i][/b] [b][i]For under the black flag we proudly sail--[/i][/b] [b][i]From the depths of hell we surely hail--[/i][/b] [b][i]Make no mistake for death's hand we be--[/i][/b] [b][i]The fiercest o' pirates upon the high seas![/i][/b] [b]That's all I've got ... and I'll probably change it around a bit as I add to it...[/b] [b]So--what do you think? Any suggestions?[/b]

[quote name='Doc][font=Century Gothic][size=1][color=darkslategray]Well, depending if you mean historically or stereotypicaly?[/color][/size'][/font][/quote] [b]Historically. The samurai were the guards and servants of the feudal lords... and the only peoples with the right to carry swords.[/b] [b]They basically policed the "eta" (the common people) and had permission to do whatever they wanted to, unless it somehow went against the mandate of their lord ( in which case, they were obligated to commit seppuku- that is, to off themselves with their short sword in the manner described above. If they did not, then they would flee and become ronin... a lordless samurai that wandered in disgrace and usually took up the life of a bandit). [/b] [b]The people finally rose up against the samurai (in bloody battles) for their ruthless ways and, after time, the emperor banned all samurai from carrying their swords--[/b] [b]The samurai, disgraced and defeated, lost their power over the people and became a part of history and legend.[/b] [b]As far as ninja= a student of ninjitsu, I'm not really clear on that. I have always heard that ninja=assassin. There's a definite possibility that I don't know what I'm talking about with that one...:animesmil [/b]

[b]I am a sucker for social psychology, and this topic intrigues me.[/b] [b]There are so many people that "front" (you know-- pretending to be something you're not)...[/b] [b]In another thread, there was complaint of people pretending to be gangsta thugs when they really aren't, and I see people "fronting" all the bloody time.[/b] [b]I guess I do it in rare situations... like when I'm in an important meeting that will determine some part of my life, I force myself to interact in a more socially acceptable way than I typically do (ie: I try not to drum on the desk with my pens or to offend the people around me, even when I think they deserve it). I do it in these situations because if I didn't, I'd screw up my meeting and be SOL with whatever I was trying to accomplish by being there.[/b] [b]Otherwise, it's almost always the case with me that what you see is what you get. [/b][b]I tend to be obnoxiously blatant about things and ridiculously honest... [/b] [b]Point being, that if you can't take it without a sugar-coating, don't ask for[i] my[/i] opinion... because I won't pretend to be socially tactful- the fact of the matter is that I'm horribly uncouth at times and wouldn't claim not to be.[/b] [b]For the most part (In most situations, that is) I don't see any reason to pretend to be something I'm not... and I'd like to understand what people get out of it, if anything.[/b] [b][b]Do you portray yourself as being different somehow than you actually are? (Even smiling happily when your world is crashing down around you counts as "fronting" on this thread...)[/b] [b]And if so, why do you do it and what do you get out of it, if anything?[/b] [/b]

[quote name='Sanada']Bald: Racist (this one is I think my area exclusive)[/quote] [b]You think wrongly-- that stereotype spans the globe...[/b]

[quote name='DeathBug'] Why would I want hot ink injected beneath the surface of my skin, that's only removable by surgical procedures? [/quote] [b]Er... um... FYI--the ink[i] isn't [/i] hot... it's room temp... and in a tattoo parlour,"room temperature" is kept pretty low... [/b] [b]I wouldn't want hot ink injected beneath the surface of my skin either- the design would bleed out:animesmil [/b]

[b]Wow... that's tough choice.[/b] [b]Samurai were warriors and protectors and were respectable for their loyalty and services, not to mention their skill in battle. A very honorable way of life...[/b] [b]Ninja, however, were typically hired assassins, relying on stealth, balance, and secrecy... with the ability to penetrate the defenses of the most well-guarded of strongholds.[/b] [b]Very friggin' cool...[/b] [b]I think I like them both equally... though, historically speaking, they were both ruthless and both were guilty of terrorizing the general population and extorting them.[/b]

[b]I've never done the cosplay thing. There are characters that I think are pretty damned nifty, but dressing up as someone else just isn't my style.[/b] [b]The closest I come to that is if there's some sort of attire that I think looks cool, I usually incorporate it into my own style. Sometimes, this makes me look like I'm in costume when I'm really just wearing my everyday clothes...:animeshy: [/b] [b]For example- my regular attire is rather similar to that of Ayame's from Tenchu, Wrath of Heaven... but it wasn't deliberately done... [/b] [b]As far as glomping-- I admit that I've done it to a few people when I wasn't as sober as I should be... but I really can't stand it when people glomp me, so I try not to be guilty of that one...[/b]

[b]Um... no offense, but an asexual is a being that can reproduce on its own.[/b] [b]I think you'd be considered "non-sexual"... unless you're REALLY talented...*tee hee*...[/b] [b]No one ever talks about being non-sexual because it's even more anomolous in the population of young people than homosexuality.[/b] [b]I definitely relate to this, however.[/b] [b]Not that I don't have affection-- I have [i]plenty[/i] of love and affection for people. It's the [i]receiving[/i] of love and affection that I have a hard time coping with.[/b] [b]I am seriously uninterested in having anyone harbor romantic feelings for me. I'd rather have friends than lovers any day.[/b] [b]It's weird, though... it isn't quite right to have crushes on people and to have romantic feelings for people and have no desire to hook up with them if the feeling is mutual... or to outright reject them, as I have a habit of doing.[/b] [b]Perhaps I'll have to discuss it with a therapist--if I ever bother to see one...:animesmil [/b]