azora_mysta

Um. So here it is. A default entry. Nothing much to it yet.

But eventually there might be something. Once I get all the stories in my head sorted out, I'll be right back to writing. I'm thinking something about the Bechdel test applied to various fandoms might be interesting!

Comments are open to any LJer. Have fun. I don't think this journal will be f-locked much, but ya never know.

I know it's been a super long time since I updated, but I finally have something worthy of sharing! You see, I love baking. But I don't really do it during the summer because the house gets too hot and people complain---well it's cool now again, and I can! I was messing around with an old cookie recipe and the dough I'd made last night, found my nutella jar, and decided to make something to see how it turned out. The end result was pretty special, so here's what I made!

( Pics and a recipe behind the cut!Collapse )
And that's all for now! I'll probably be updating with more experiments as the holidays get closer and I have to bake for relatives.

First, I want to write that I am feeling incredibly elated right now. I'd been anticipating this event since I'd first heard about it, but never did I ever think about how incredible it would actually be in person. I intentionally set my expectations low, and...wow. It soared way above those. It really, truly soared. I feel like floating on air right now, yo.

Everyone I met was incredible. To Danielle, Ian, Lisa J and her NPS boys, Red-hoodie, second_batgirl, rivulet027, pockythoughts, our Black who is probably another color (please tell me your name!), the kind people running things and of course David Yost, a clear exception to the old rule about never meeting your heroes, I want to say thank you. From the bottom of my heart. For everything, because I haven't been this happy in a long time.
( Cut 'cuz this story gets looooongCollapse )

Edit 11/16: I'm still working on the art requests, everyone! They WILL be filled, tomorrow if I can swing it! I just misread the due date and it's a lot earlier than I thought, so I had to scramble to finish that.
Hey everyone,

I know it's been a long time since I last posted or looked at anything, but I have a school assignment that I hope you can help me out with.

I have to write a survey for research about work and leisure and get at least ten responses. It's only five questions long, and if you help me out I'll give you a little something---the first ten responders will get one simple MSPaint art, like the ones we make in Paint memes. Just submit your request at the end of the survey.

Without further ado, here are the questions:
<b>What is your occupation?:</b> <small>(ex. student, clerk, CEO, deliveryperson, jobseeker, some combination)</small> <b>How many hours a week do you spend RPing, on average?</b> <b>On a scale from 1 to least important to 5 for moderately important and 10 for most important, how would you rate the importance of RP among your hobbies?</b> <small>(If it's your prime one and the most fun/serious, 10. If it's just putzing away time between reading books or knitting or cooking, 1 or 2.)</small> <b>Do you RP at work at all?</b> <small>(On a computer at a desk job, or on your phone, or in between projects when working from home)</small> <b>Would you say it's affected your job performance?</b> <small>(Getting distracted in a lecture, an emotional thread making you emotional, or maybe even enhanced it---if the writing increased your vocabulary or you learned something useful from threading with someone. This applies even if you don't RP at 'work'.)</small> <b>Link a picture and/or describe what you want for your Paint arts.</b>

Thanks in advance for your time!
-Zoki

So...if anyone's still reading this blog, you probably know that I'm a HUGE fan of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, and that my favorite character of the lot was Billy. Sweet, caring, wise, patient, and handsome Billy.

I sound like a schoolgirl with a crush, don't I?

But why am I posting about all this when I could have done it at any time? Because for the first time since leaving Power Rangers, David Yost, the actor who portrayed Billy all those years ago has finally addressed the PR fandom. About his life, experiences, projects, all those things that I've been longing to hear from him for so long. It's hard to be a fan of someone when you have no clue what they're up to, you know? So I was really excited for this interview. Here are the parts, if you're interested:

David Yost Interview Part 1||Part 2||Part 3

(Make sure you watch Part 1 to the very end. Adorable!)

Credit to the totally morphenomenal No Pink Spandex, your source for all the Power Rangers news and interviews you could ever want. Seriously, check out their archive of interviews---it's great stuff. But what I'm here to talk about are the issues that arise in Part 3 of the interview.
( Ominous yet? It gets worse.Collapse )
Sometimes I hate people.

Sometimes I remember that people like David exist and love people.

I'd like to fall on the side of love today, so I'll wrap up with that. Thank you, David, for everything. I mean it now more than ever.

People who know me will know that I sometimes make reference to a 'cult' meeting that my mom forces me to attend on Tuesdays. Today, I thought it was high time to explain what I actually mean by that statement. Sounds pretty scary, right? When people hear the word 'cult', it usually conjures up images of groups like Heavens Gate---compelling members to commit suicide so they could hitch a ride on a comet. Or like Scientology---compelling their members to isolate from outsiders and spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to learn to think a certain way and eventually discover the millenia-old secret of an intergalactic war.

The group I'm talking about doesn't portray all those characteristics. As far as I know, it hasn't driven its members to suicide. And as far as I know, though it asks for more and more money there is absolutely no requirement to give it to remain in the group. Members may dissociate with people outside the group on their ownm but it's not outright enforced the way it is in many other cults.

The cult I'm talking about, of course,is the twelve step program. If a self help group for people you've heard of is called _________ Anonymous, it is almost definitely one of these. They purport to cure different addictions such as alcohol, narcotics, gambling, overeating, sex, and more. In actuality, this 'cure' comes with a price that is not often advertised---a religious conversion to a very specific form of Christianity.

I'm sure some of you are gaping at me in shock. These groups, especially Alcoholics Anonymous (henceforth referred to as AA) have widespread acceptance and influence in American society. Some of you reading this may even be members of a twelve step group. If you are, please know that I am not judging you personally or asking you to leave. I could never do that. There is nothing wrong with going to a religion for comfort in hard times, and I am not advocating abolishing AA or forcing it to change. My only argument is that a religion should start advertising itself as exactly that, not as a 'cure'.
( All about the 12 step program, for the uninitiatedCollapse )

One last thing---I applied my knowledge of twelve step programs to this cult test and scored 26 points. A group getting 10 points or above is a cult, and mainstream religions usually get 5 to 10 points.
( The answers I chose on that testCollapse )
I think that about covers everything I wanted to explain. Any questions, comments, or debate, feel free to leave here.

Yay, I have a Dreamwidth! I still need to figure out the specific HTML, but it's pretty nice so far. At least I'll be covered should I decided to join the fanfic and roleplaying scene here. There's a few story ideas I'd like to flesh out.

If anyone's reading this from LJ and needs invites, well...I'll see if I can scrounge some up.

Off to make some friends and find some comms!

-Zoki, very happy with her new journal name.

DISCLAIMER: I'm always afraid to write political posts, because as you'll find out below my views are extremely unpopular and I piss off a great deal of people whenever I talk about the subject. Speaking as a middle of the road liberal in Diehard Conservative Land. I want to make it very clear in advance that I do not hate conservatives or conservative thought. I'm actually thinking about converting to your cause! My issue today is just with a specific, tiny subset of people who yell at me unprovoked for...well, you'll see.

( Political thoughts equivalent to treason within.Collapse )

Just...please forgive me, conservatives of America. I've never hated you, I'm sorry I caused you pain, and I want to be one of you. I want to fit in and not be hated anymore.

Hello, one point six people still reading my journal. It's been a while, and I have a lot to say.

( Will it ever be fun again? Edge-tottering for beginnersCollapse )
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( Is my back supposed to---*crack* (Mentions of nudity)Collapse )

And now the dog demands attention. Here's to hoping that I can right myself in this wobbly world eventually.