It's kind of annoying...

Hm, you know there's always one debate or another going around about fandoms... and one in Yu-Gi-Oh that seems perpetual is the whole "Was it 3000 or 5000 years ago?" It's my personal belief that 5000 makes more sense. Think about this:

Yu-Gi-Oh finished airing in 2004. The manga series finished just a bit before the last episode aired.
2004 - 3000 = 1004 B.C.
In 1004 B.C., there were several dynasties: the 21st to the 25th, to be precise. It's called the "Third Intermediate Period," and lasted until 656 B.C. It wasn't too long after that that the Romans invaded, occupied, and ruled Egypt. I hardly think the Pharaoh we've come to know is:
a) a mixed Egyptian/Roman ruler OR
b) a figurehead Pharaoh, with no real ruling power

Meanwhile, 2004-5000 = 2996 BC (I think). That would place the storyline of the Pharaoh back when Egypt was young, during the 1st-3rd Dynasties-- predating Tutkanhamun himself. Personally I think this makes more sense, and would "explain" the reason why history forgot Atemu as Pharaoh, and why Duel Monsters/the Dark Games were never "covered" in history- because they were archaic, old, and "lost to the ages!"

...Hm, time to go to Borders. I'll make another post about the freaky people and my freaky adventures later.

Of note:
(1) mklutz, not this entry, the one before this!
(2) I posted another 30 kisses! I really oughta get working on my pairing, ne? And posting them, too...

Kizu kanai fuji wo shite...

Okay, so I'm finally going to spill about some things that have been on my mind lately. I just got back from a shopping excursion at the mall-- always nice just after payday (and probably a bad idea, too-- I spent about $250 in two days... oi!) and great for a day off. No juices, smoothies, wet shirts, or annoying customers/co-workers.

The other night (about two nights back, I think), I was working as reg at Jamba. It was pretty busy, but since I was getting off at 8:30 or 9, I was in a cheery mood. I was fed, content, and getting along with everyone-- even Terry wasn't spraying me with water and whatnot. When I went on my 30 minute break, Terry asked me to go to Panda Express and get him some dinner, since he didn't have the chance. Since I wasn't hungry, I said fine-- but to my surprise, a guy who I'd helped at the register earlier (maybe in his 20s, wearing a dark suit, nose ring, messy hair) ran up to me and started walking with me to the restaurant. We started talking, which I didn't mind-- and he was polite enough to offer to carry the food as I left the restaurant (I declined his offer; by then, I was already uncomfortable). But when we got near Western Bagel, only a few feet away from Jamba, he asked me for my number. Of course, I had my name tag on, so he knew my name-- but aside from some brief facts (he was a college dropout) that I gleaned while we talked, I knew NOTHING about him! Admittedly, it's always flattering when people are interested in me... but somehow, the creepy, "icky" factor outweighed any flattery I might have felt. I couldn't even just say "I have a boyfriend," I just jumped to the first instinctual response I could give: "I don't give out my phone number." And it's true. I learned my lesson that time I actually gave out my number to that creeptacular guy from the movie theater way back when. I much prefer face-to-face contact ("Let's meet at Y Place at X Time, okay?") or email. Phones just... eh, they squick me.

He was okay with it, and did the whole "see you around" thing... but still, I'm just weirded out, and sort of mad at myself for not just saying I had a boyfriend. Even Grandpa said I should have just said it. I mean shit, I'm only LIVING with Scott, for Pete's sake! But then, I reasoned that the guy might have just found me interesting and wanted to be FRIENDS. Then again, that might be the optimist's way of looking at things. ^^; So I don't really know what to think.

On top of that, there is a cute guy at my work who I can't tell if he's flirting with me or just being playful. He reminds me of a cross between Mike (AAUGH!) and Jonathan Potter... but then, I don't think I know him too well. I know his name, and that he just graduated, but that's about it. Every time we work together, he makes it a point to tap/hit my hat. And the second time we had a shift together, he squeezed my shoulders when I got him his employee receipt! Not the smoothie, not a free bread, I just told him to sign a receipt! *weirded out, but...* So I don't know what to make of this predicament. I like him-- he's friendly, nice, and as I said, cute, but I feel like I'm being stupid and treasonous almost when I think this way. I do want to make friends-- and in San Francisco, most of my friends are guys anyway! Who's to say this guy wouldn't be a FRIEND, too, if I gave him the chance? But the other day, he just left-- with barely a goodbye. So... @_o I'm just kind of confused here, and not sure what to do, if anything.

Scott and I are still on GREAT terms-- we're comfortable, playful, not complaining-- and we both still get the right amount of space and time away from each other, when necessary. As per our last agreement, we haven't "done" anything lately-- and that suits me just fine, because the more I think about it, the less ideas I come up with (which brings up the point-- Eva, just tell me what your ideas were!). I keep thinking if he does want to "do" anything, I'll be too uncomfortable to say "yes" or just go along with it, like I usually do. And the occasion's rare when I actually say "no." Most of the time (and it doesn't happen that often) he'll just realize I'm too sleepy or whatnot, and the moment ends. Today that actually happened... but I was genuinely tired and... well, I just didn't have the heart to tell him I didn't want to start something HE wasn't going to finish. I'm not some fountain of sexual ideas, here. I haven't read the Kama Sutra, and frankly, I don't make reading sex books a favorite or frequent past time of mine. So... I think he might have been hurt by my not going along with it or even saying anything, but I'm not sure whether (or how) to broach the topic about WHY I didn't say/do anything.

No, still haven't found a  sailor moon fanfiction challenge community, by the way. I have an idea, though-- could we possibly turn the smrff into one? We'd need to bend the rules as we know the smrff though-- welcome other pairings, non-romantic works... I don't know, does that go against the "spirit" of the SMRFF, or do we even have one anymore? I'm just wondering what everyone else thinks.

I finally heard from DAVE, of PSX-TECH fame. The DMS3 chip people still haven't sent HIM his shipment of chips, so he hasn't tested them and thus can't ship one out to me. It's been several months, at this point, and even Scott thinks I should get a refund. But dammit, I want that chip! I have NOT heard from Chris, maker of InkTank. I like InkTank so much more than eFiction, but I can't figure out how to change database user permissions in cPanel... anyone with a domain/cPanel have an idea? Or should I just pester the people at the Help Desk? There's also the matter of some line being wrong in the mysql.sql, but short of finding another site powered by InkTank and asking the webmaster what they did, I don't know what to do on that front. I'm ashamed to say I've let Dragonfayth go downhill...

I have also NOT heard from Viz. This will prompt an entry at playthedamncard, and wherever else I see fit. The nutshell summary: again with the names. I don't know why they can't get them right-- the least they could do is a) email me back, or b) publish my letter to let them know not everyone who reads their stuff is a 10 year old duelist with next-to-no English skills. I mean, can't they take constructive criticism? They have changed over the years... and all in the name of pleasing their customers and getting more people into anime and manga. I just don't get why they don't even TRY to address the issues I bring up. I'm not some end-all, be-all of answers, but they've made glaring mistakes with NO research to back them. And I hate to think that people will start to think Viz's stuff is canon, even though it's really just a matter of bad translation.

Speaking of bad translation, I found out another group, #Yugioh! has subtitled the first series of Yu-Gi-Oh (the title 'Season Zero' is a bunch of idiocy, and complete fanon. People should STOP calling it that. It's obvious by just looking at the animation that two different studios did the first series and Duel Monsters, the one that we see on the WB/YTV). And... well, it's decent, but it's bad compared to TV-Nihon. The timing of the subs is off compared to the wording, they forget to translate whole lines, and they try to correct grammar that isn't there (TV-Nihon did this too with the first few acts of PGSM; they tried to get the whole "Try Get A Chance" to make English sense, but let's just face it-- it DOESN'T). Overall, I'd rather wait for TVN to release eps 5-11 (the latter being where #Yugioh! is now) than waste my time downloading more stuff I know I won't enjoy 100%. It's even worse that they decided to use negative numbers to number their episodes-- as if Yu-Gi-Oh! (the first series) is supposed to be some afterthought prequel (Episode I, anyone?) -- it's NOT! Argh!

What I bought today: The Creative Writer's Kit - $19.95. A cool set of cards and a book filled with prompts and practice exercises, and space to write in. I figure I can start on some of the prompts this summer, work on a fiction (NOT fanfiction) portfolio of sorts... and then maybe if I run out of ideas for any of the comms. I'm in, use those.

Hana Yori Dango: Boys Over Flowers #12 - $9.99. I was trying to figure out where I left off with this series, since I remember reading ones I didn't own, but not buying them, and then buying ones but not knowing which ones they were. Turns out (now, after I get home, I figure this out) I need Volumes 8, 9, and 11, the latter of which wasn't in-store. Still, no matter how old this series is, I love it for its true-to-life quality. While Domoyouji x Tsukushi will always have a special place in my heart, at times I do root for the underdog-- guys like Seinosuke Amakusa, among others. *grin* Maybe I should start reading more HYD fics?

If you tried to join betasquad and you haven't been approved yet, reply to this entry and tell me a bit about yourself and what you want to do/expect from the community. If you don't respond, I will NOT approve your membership request!

By the way, I've finally gotten a chance to look at some Sera Myu pictures. WHAT. THE. HELL!? Maybe it's only the one musical, but Usagi looks decidedly AMERICAN (or just plain "White") and her hair is such a sickly color of butter yellow that it makes me want to ralph. Yes, yes, I know anime!Usagi is a butter-yellow blonde, but think realistically, here... wouldn't a more natural shade of blonde be just as pretty and visible? And egads, her OUTFITS! *cry* The only redeeming factor are the glittery senshi uniforms and the sometimes-cool songs (La Soldier and Sailor Wars, for one).

I just posted my first 30kisses fic (#20: the road home - I Walk Alone) at FFnet. I'll get around to posting it at MMorg as well (I'm on the fanfiction review board there... I should get back to work on that!) -- along with my other entries. I'm actually in a fic mood, but not in an "old fic" mood (that is, working on any of my chaptered, unfinished works) but in a "new fic" mood. So maybe I'll do a few more 30kisses tonight. But they won't be chapters of one fic; they're all going to be standalone oneshots. Too many people get confused by those things. Hell, people get confused by my oneshots. -_-;

Oh, and I have a massive PGSM update entry coming soon. I left off on the angsteriffic part where we see Hina and Mamoru together for the first time, and I was very nearly bitten by the fic bug-- you know, the one that has Usagi running to Motoki and... I don't know, something happening from there. Motoki makes a good matchmaker, but I felt so bad for his PGSM counterpart, because he seemed to really genuinely LIKE Usagi (a far cry from the dolt of the anime or the goofball of the manga-- either of them have "Reika") until a while back. And I can't be the only one who thinks evil!Usagi would have kicked serious ass!?