Hello and welcome to my home page.

A little about me:

I'm a Christian and I take my faith very seriously. I also happen to be an avid writer and reader, an obsessive world-builder and doodler, an aspiring costume designer and a great lover of fantasy. I play piano and violin and I like music, movies, and practially anything artsy.

I write my own original fiction quite often but I also like to write and read fanfiction for Teen Titans, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and a couple others.

Name: You can just call me Tari.

Age: 21!

Favorite Movies: Lord of the Rings, The Little Mermaid, Chronicles of Narnia, Star Wars, Dragonheart, Treasure Planet, Enchanted, Lady in the Water

Favorite Shows: Teen Titans, LOST, Sailor Moon, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Mermaid Melody, Numb3rs, Avatar: The Last Airbender, The Batman, Batman: The Brave and The Bold, Merlin

Favorite Books: Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, the Dragons in Our Midst series and the Oracles of Fire series by Bryan Davis, Frank Peretti's Veritas Project series, This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness, Donita K. Paul's Dragonkeeper Chronicles, the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, The Door Within, The Daughter of Prophecy, The Mermaid Summer, and Island of the Aunts, amoung many others.

Favorite Music: I like a little bit of all genres but I absolutely ADORE movie soundtracks. I have quite a collection of them in fact.

My DA account: http://tarelelenar.deviantart.com/

My YouTube accounts: http://www.youtube.com/user/TarelElenar (where I store my favorites and keep my AWESOME playlist of Rob/Star mvs) http://www.youtube.com/user/LadyElfTari (where I actually make and upload my own videos)

My LiveJournal: http://tari-silmarwen.livejournal.com/ (proliferous picspamming, fangirlish flailing, and rambling meta on things, likely also some other fic)

I'm quite a hopeless little romantic, so this section is going to be kind of long.

Pairings I ship: (As in I squee with delight whenever I see them together and write and draw and make videos for them frequently and obsessively.)

Robin/Starfire (Teen Titans)- My absolute favorite pairing above all others. They’re so CUTE! There’s just something so sweet about their relationship. I love how they're best friends and mutually care about each other and they're always fighting and tag-teaming together. I love how Robin’s always rescuing and protecting Starfire and willing to go to any lengths to make her feel happy and secure. He’s at his most selfless when he’s fighting for her. He always takes the time to explain Earth’s culture to her. And you have to admit, he’s absolutely adorable when he’s all nervous and stuttering around her. Starfire, in turn, is always uplifting and encouraging him and cheering him up when he’s down and beating up on himself. She’s his light, his star, his breath of hope when he needs it most. She worries constantly about him, more than any of the other Titans. And she never stops believing in him, never gives up on him, even when the others doubt him. They’re like light and dark, sweet and serious, balancing each other out. They’re a great couple and I love to write for them.

Beast Boy/Raven (Teen Titans)- I blame my this one on my sister’s influence. She’s a BB/Rae shipper and I guess it kinda rubbed off on me. Why these two? I dunno, there’s something about them that appeals to me. Their interaction is so interesting. They have real chemistry. He’s a light-hearted jokester and she’s a sarcastically witty goth. It’s the same balancing out factor I like about Robin and Starfire. Raven brings out the seriousness in Beast Boy and Beast Boy always tries to make Raven laugh. Though they have different personalities they’re actually very similar. They’ve both had traumatic childhoods. They both have inner demons that they need to control. They’ve both been betrayed and had their hearts broken. They’re a perfect match! BB/Terra was cute while it lasted but…it’s sort of over now.

Hot Spot/Argent (Teen Titans)- I know, I know, they’re not technically a couple. But they DO have the same comic book origin plus some history as friends and some cute moments in the comics so it's not outside the realm of possibility. Plus, it’d be interesting to see how they interact and play off each other. The jaded New Zealand goth and the hot shot human flame-thrower. What can I say? I have a weakness for those two.

Jericho/Kole (Teen Titans)- Eh, why not? They were a couple in the comics (and a darn cute one at that!). They look cute together. They make me squee with fangirlish joy. Again I say, why not?

Motoki/Makoto (Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon)- I LOVE this pairing! Motoki is so obviously and completely smitten with Makoto and it’s so cute how he keeps trying to get her attention, but like the clumsy, geeky guy he is he fails miserably and all the while Makoto is just like, “Eh.” coolly indifferent. But she falls for him eventually. I love the idea of the strong, tough, stoic girl falling for the shy and sweet kind of guy.

Masahiro/Rina (Mermaid Melody)- And again with the strong, tough girl falling for the sweet, sensitive boy. I love Rina to death and Masahiro is just the perfect guy to melt her icy indifferent heart. EEE!

Aang/Katara AKA Kataang (Avatar: The Last Airbender)- Aang is one of the sweetest, most likeable little protagonists I've ever seen. Katara is strong and proactive, yet tender and caring too. Their love is so pure and so strong. Aang's love literally sweeps her off her feet. Katara's love literally brings him back to life. They work and fight and blend together so harmoniously. How can I not like this pairing?

Zuko/Mai AKA Maiko or Maizu (Avatar: The Last Airbender)- SEASON THREE BABY! I like how Mai's calm, temperate passiveness quiets and reigns in Zuko's hot-headedness. And he, in turn, can get her to express herself and break free of her emotional restraint. Who would've ever figured the same balancing out factor I like about Robin and Starfire would turn up in Zuko and Mai... who are like... nothing like Robin and Starfire... at all... They're both serious and slightly angsty characters, but they make each other genuinely happy. And any girl who can get angsty emo-boy Zuko to smile, in my opinion, deserves to have him.

Pairings I Support: (Different from pairings I ship in that I'm not quite as enthusiastically obssessive about them but I still think they're a great couple.)

Cyborg/Sarasim (Teen Titans)- Too bad about that 3000 year time difference. Actually, my sister and I think the perfect girl for Cyborg would be his girlfriend from the comics, Sarah Simms. I hear they actually have her in the Titans Go! comics. Yay for Cyborg! Poor guy deserves a nice girl.

Kid Flash/Jinx (Teen Titans)- Two words: Playful banter! Seriously, do you not just love their chemistry and interaction? There’s so much opportunity for romantic tension there. Little lovers’ quarrels, flirtatious dialog, teasing and arguing, the possibilities are endless. And he converts her! That counts for something in my book. I think they could be a good couple.

Kaito/Luchia (Mermaid Melody)- Okay, I admit: This one grew on me. I wasn't that much into it when it was your typical 'magical-girl-anime-heroine-can't-confess-to-oblivious-human-boy' but later on in Season One when Kaito (finally!) started returning her affections and was so protective over her and sweet towards her and chose normal non-magical her over mysterious mermaid-form Luchia that he'd been pining after for so long... well... c'mon, you can't expect a hopeless romantic like me to not love something like that can you? (Makes it that much more frustrating when they hit the reset switch in Season Two and had to start all over again. Darn anime amnesia.)

Nagisa/Hanon (Mermaid Melody)- This one I fell for pretty much right off the bat once I saw it. Come on! How can you not love "If you want these music sheets, go out with me."? Poor adorable Nagisa. Such a persistant guy. I'm glad that stubborn love-sick Hanon finally fell for him.

Edward/Bella (Twilight)- This gets to be up here on the merit of it being an over-dramatic forbidden romance that I actually like. Plus, I am both smitten with Edward's decency (and hotness!) and very very attached to inarticulate clumsy Bella. For some insanely odd reason I can't explain.

Ben/Angela (Twilight)- Yes, I am well aware that they are both tertiary characters who spend most of their time in the background and are not actually important to the story. This is not in any way, shape, or form stopping me from wanting them to stay together as probably the only stable couple in the series.

Alex/Tina (Ghostwriter)- Does anyone remember this show? You know, with the kids who solved mysteries with the help of a word-savvy ghost? No? Ah well. My sister and I recently rediscovered this aspect of our childhood and I couldn’t help but feel all warm and fuzzy inside about Alex and Tina. It’s so cute how he can’t say how he feels about her, and I love it when guys are blithering idiots around the girls they like.

Charlie/Claire (LOST)- IT WAS HEARTBREAKING WHEN HE DIED! They were such a sweet couple! They could have been mother and father to Aaron! Peanut butter! ~Mourn~ (At least there’s still Jin and Sun and Bernard and Rose.) I've kinda stopped watching LOST though, so it doesn't bother me as much as it did. RIP Charlie/Claire.

Aragorn/Arwen (Lord of the Rings)- Because they have such a beautiful relationship. Aragorn’s willing to let her leave Middle-Earth to assure her safety. Arwen’s willing to stay and give up her immortality to be with him. Made me cry. (‘Course it doesn’t take much to make me cry, but that’s a different story.)

Faramir/Éowyn (Lord of the Rings)- Heck, after everything they’ve both been through don’t you think they deserve each other?

Sam/Rosie (Lord of the Rings)- Again with the guy being a blithering idiot around the girl he likes. Hey, did you know that in the last scene in Return of the King, the little girl that runs out is Sean Astin’s daughter and the baby Rosie’s holding is that actress’ daughter too? Absolutely adorable.

Robert/Giselle (Enchanted)- Come on, you knew this was coming. They are SUCH a cute pair. And she melted his cynicism with her naive purity of heart! Squee!

Charlie/Amita (Numb3rs)- Geek love. ‘nuff said.

Larry/Meagan (Numb3rs)- FBI chick falls for nerdy physics proffessor. What's not to love?

Don/Liz (Numb3rs)- Dude... I was so bummed when they broke up. I was like, "No! Stay together! Get married! Have children!" But they were great while they lasted. (And now that she's back on the show, an itty bitty part of me kinda still wants them to get back together. I'm a sad romantic.)

Don/Robin (Numb3rs)- Okay, I'll be honest: initially I hated this relationship. But eventually Robin (and by extension the Don/Robin ship) just kinda... grew on me. As soon as she began to show real concern and caring for Don, show a softer "Starfire" side to her character... I melted. Don/Liz will always be my favorite Don ship, but Inow freely admit that I can be perfectly content with Don/Robin. So... I sort of ship Don/Ladies now? Lol, such a heartbreaker that FBI agent hunk!

Zuko/Jin AKA Zujin or Jinko (Avatar: The Last Airbender)- Why not? They’re kinda cute. Okay, so it was probably just a one-time thing done for character developement that'll probably never happen again but you gotta love that knee-jerk reaction Zuko has when the waiter asks him if he and his ‘girlfriend’ want dessert. It’s like this, “Ack! I am NOT in love with anyone, you can’t prove it! Adamant denial!” kind of reaction. Reminds me a lot of the “She’s not my girlfriend!” Rob/Star Stranded moment.

Sokka/Suki AKA Sukka (Avatar: The Last Airbender)- Sorry Tokkaneers. Gonna hafta go with canon on this. I heart Suki way too much than is good for me, I'm a total dork for first loves, and their subtle but epic relationship dwelling as a constant undercurrent in each other's thoughts and remaining faithful and loyal to each other throughout all they went through is too beautiful.

Sinbad/Maeve (Adventures of Sinbad)- Most of you have probably never even heard of this show. That’s okay, I watched it when I was a kid so I barely remember it myself. This couple was probably the first one I ever supported and I remember being very ticked off when they got rid of Maeve in the second season and brought in that other girl.

Archer/Hoshi (Star Trek: Enterprise)- Yes, I actually watched this show. Yes, I actually kind of liked it. And yes, I actually shipped these two together. I have no idea why. I guess I just really liked their interaction. Trip/T'pol was cute too but this was the one I was really rooting for. (Thus my inexplicable utter glee at the strange hotness of Alternate Evil Universe MirrorArcher/MirrorHoshi sexytiems.)

Pairings I Detest: (Pretty self-explanatory. Bear with me, I tend to ramble.)

Robin/Raven (Teen Titans)- ~twitch!~ ~twitch!~ Ah yes, the “Angst, emo, disaster waiting to happen couple” as my sister calls it. (Of course keep in mind that she’s a rabid BB/Rae shipper so her opinions are slightly biased.) I’ll admit, sometimes I can kinda see what’s attractive about this pairing… but then I step back, shake my head and go, “Nah." (Alternately one of the Rob/Rae shippers, especially the canonists, will do something to tick me off.) It’d never work. They’re too similar. Robin and Raven are both dark and serious characters true enough, but that doesn’t mean they should be together. Whoever said their inner darkness was good for them anyway?! It's not good for them! It destroys them. They need to be brought out of the darkness, not dwell in it. They need to be brought out of their hard cold shells and into the light. Sorry, but Raven and Robin just can’t do that for each other. They’re both introverts. When they face their demons and their own personal darkness, their first instinct is to isolate themselves and push the other Titans away. If they’re both being angsty and brooding, locking themselves away and staying cooped up alone at the same time, how will they ever be the light for each other? How will they ever even interact? Their similarities drive them away from each other, not toward. The very thing that people like about them is the thing that prevents a relationship between them from working. And Robin and Raven don’t need anyone else’s problems compounding their own. It’s like my sister put it, “They’re both angsty serious characters and they both need somebody happy in their lives.” I see the relationship between Robin and Raven as a strictly Platonic brother and sister friendship. I like their relationship as a brother/sister friendship. Nothing more.

Slade/Robin (Teen Titans)- No. Just no. It is just so wrong on so many levels. And you cannot possibly convince me that there’s nothing wrong with a grown man sexually assaulting and raping a minor (even if it was consensual, which it wouldn’t ever be if you made even the smallest attempt to write Robin and Slade in character). What I have just described is called statutory rape, and it’s illegal in most countries. There is nothing beautiful or lovely about it. It is not sexy. It is not hot. It is wrong. And you shouldn’t be supporting it by writing stories or drawing pictures that glorify it.

Frodo/Sam (Lord of the Rings)- I keep hearing about the so-called subtext. Subtext this and subtext that. Blah blah. The book was written 60 years ago people! By a devoted Catholic! THERE IS NO FREAKING SUBTEXT!

Zuko/Katara AKA Zutara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)- ZUTARA DOES NOT EXIST! In fanon, whatever, do what you want. I still don't like it but I'm just a canon shipper and a sucker for Epic True Love romance. Canon Zutara squicks me and makes my brain hurt. And don't get me started on the shippers. The Zutarians remind me so much of Rob/Rae shippers it's not even funny, with their magnimonious butthurt and entitlement issues and with the way they read a romantic relationship into one that, in Zutara's case, is NON-EXISTANT and ignore the canon in favor and support of their own pairing. And the whole opposites attract thing is more than a little annoying. You know, sometimes it doesn't work. Sometimes opposites do not attract. Especially when the opposites are complete mortal enemies for the vast majority of their interaction. Oh, and by the way, Fire plus Water equals SMOKE, not steam. Fanon shippers and their poetic delusions...

Sinbad/Brynn (Adventures of Sinbad)- (grumbles) Bloody man-stealing Look-I-have-the-same-mysterious-bracelet-thing-which-will-never-be-explained-as-you-so-we-must-be-soulmates-now-let’s-make-out-and-forget-all-about-your-love-interest-in-season-one-‘cause-I’m-so-much-better-and-sexier-than-she-was Mary Sue…

Writer's Rants-My thoughts on:

Terra (Teen Titans)- I’m not a Terra hater but I’m not religiously devoted to her either. She was just kinda... there. I DO like her role in the Season Two story arc though. She was good for illustrating the power of choice, that no matter what you do, you can always choose to do the right thing. (Might have been more profound if she'd had more screen time as a Titan.) And this may just be the hopeless soundtrack nerd in me but I LOVE. HER. THEME. And those angry organs at the end of Aftershock Part 2 were just, gah... (Okay soundtrack nuttiness over now) After all she's been through, though, she deserves a normal non-super life.

Starfire (Teen Titans)- Is awesome. I don't care what you say Rob/Rae shippers and haters of cuteness. Starfire is awesome. She's not stupid, she's not a slut, and her grasp of English is actually quite good considering she's from a whole different planet and people from other countries have more trouble than she does. She's sweet, she's kind, she's intelligent, her curiousity and naive innocence are endearing, she's also amazingly kickass and can flatten a platoon of Sladebots faster than you can blink. Never underestimate her, or you may find yourself on the wrong end of a starbolt. Oh, and if you plan on forcibly taking Robin away from her you should probably know that you'll be ripped to shreds. That is all.

Robin (Teen Titans)- (grits teeth) Is not a brooding angsty emo baby. He is also not a stuck-up egotistical jerk... all the time that is. He is most certainly not a wimpy whiny pansy baby like in all those lovely slash fics you yaoi fangirls like to write. ~gags~ Actually Robin is a very together kid. He has his jerky obsessive dark moments (he's only human after all) but he also has his light moments (most noticably around Starfire). He does not constantly angst about his parents' death. He's a good leader and if he comes off as harsh it's only because he has to be to get the job done and keep everyone safe. He's a very private individual so he's probably not going to randomly spill his identity and the secrets of his past out to Raven or your OC or even Starfire right off the bat. He may not have powers but he's a highly capable fierce and determined fighter and his martial arts skills do not suck. (For your information, I like the bo staff and bird-a-rangs.) He takes things way too seriously for his own good and beats up on himself a lot but he also has those moments where he's just such a normal teenage boy that you can't help but want to give him a hug-like when he freezes up and stammers like a geek around Starfire for example. Ease up on the kid already. He's already got enough pressure on him. Robin is cool. End of story.

Beast Boy (Teen Titans)- Is not just a goofy immature kid and is not stupid and not an idiot and is completely and fully capable of taking things seriously when he needs to. See Aftershock, Homecoming, Titans Together and Things Change.

Raven (Teen Titans)- Is a very cool character. I love her anti-social Goth demeanor, her sarcastic sense of humor, and her hilarious deadpan snarkiness. She's also, however, one of the most abused characters in fandom. Note to would-be writers: Raven is not your woobie. No seriously. Stop woobifying her. You make her look pathetic. She's not Emo, she doesn't cut, she isn't weepy, she is highly unlikely to fall head over heels in love with Robin or Red X or your OC, she's not a vampire, she and Starfire are good friends not bitter jealous enemies, Beast Boy is indeed quite worthy of her, she does not invade other people's physical or mental privacy nor is she ever forthcoming with her own secrets and for heaven's sakes she is NOT THE ONLY CHARACTER ON THE SHOW! Jeez louise people...

Cyborg (Teen Titans)- Seriously needs more love around here. No seriously. Cy is awesome and it's a tragedy that's he's so underappreciated. Before you write that romance drabble or that Sixth OC Titan fic, give Cyborg some love.

Argent (Teen Titans)- Her character background is confusing. In the comics she's an Italian-descended American with a US senator for a father but in the show she speaks with a British accent and is hanging around New Zealand when we first meet her (no mention of parents and indeed, we never see them). So really, any explanation you can come up with for her origin to cover the discrepancies I'd consider fair game. Me, I usually write her as a New Zealander because it's simple and convenient, but I can understand others might write her differently. (Admittedly I kinda suck at writing her accent though.)

Usagi/Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon anime)- Yeah she's the main character. But why's everything gotta be about her? (And how come she always gets longer and more elaborate transformations? What, did they not make enough stock footage for the other Senshi or something?) It gets kinda old. That's why I prefer the live-action; it spends a good chunk of time on all the other Sailor Senshi. Plus Usagi's not a crybaby and doesn't have that whiny English dub voice that grates on my nerves.

Mai (Avatar: The Last Airbender)- Contrary to popular (usually Zutarian) belief, Mai is neither shallow nor boring nor is she an evil witch trying to steal poor dweebish Zuko away from Katara (whom he does not love by the way). She's hot, she's a ninja with badass knife-throwing skills and she's got a killer sense of sarcastic wit and humor. She's also hearted Zuko since they were wee and continued to do so throughout everything they've been through including banishment and apparent betrayal. Zuko would be the scum of the earth if he just forgot everything he had with her in order to mack on the Avatar's epic love interest. Speaking of which...

Aang (Avatar: The Last Airbender)- I don't get Aang hate. I just don't. It's just... HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY HATE AANG?! He's the sweetest character on the show! He's the HERO! He's the reason Avatar EXISTS! Without him there would BE no Avatar dangit! I'm sorry but there is NO excuse for treating the hero of the series like he's dirt and doesn't matter. (See my rant on Beast Boy.) ALSO, I firmly believe that no, he did not behave immaturely or wrongly with the way he defeated Ozai in any way, shape, or form. Actually killing the guy was the wrong way to do it. Wrong for ending the war peacefully, wrong for the message of the show, wrong for AANG because Aang does not kill ever and if he allowed his Avatar State to go through with it (and it was the Avatar State that was in control there) it would have broken his soul and he would've gone into another Heroic BSOD like in Serpent's Pass and not done his job to rebuild the world. To insist otherwise is to grossly misunderstand his character. (It's way more epic for Aang have defeated Ozai as AANG and not the cold impersonal Avatar anyway.)

Mikaru (Mermaid Melody)- I get the irritation at coming in between Kaito/Luchia just when the relationship was starting to have some real potential. I really do. But dudes... she's like sick and a worrywart and like dying or something. Ease up on the hate until she gives you a real reason to call her out as pure evil. Like when she has her clingy jealous girl freakouts. THOSE I can pardon you for hating.

Character Bashing- Despite what I have said above it is actually okay to dislike a character. Really it is. But that doesn't give you the license to say really mean and nasty things about that character and totally blast them in front of other fans. If you can't express yourself in a calm and civil manner, then you'll just turn level-headed people off and draw out other idiots to start a huge flame war.

Slash/Yaoi/Yuri- Your kink is not my kink. I don't like slash. And personally, speaking as a creator myself, I find it extremely disrespectful to take someone else’s perfectly straight characters and make them gay just because you get off on it. My thoughts are, if it isn’t explicitly stated or teased in canon, don’t do it! At the very least, make up your own characters and use them.

Mary Sues/Gary Stus- DIE EVIL ABOMINATION OF THE WRITTEN WORD! Lol, just kidding. I’m not bothered by Mary Sues as much as other people. (I wrote one myself once, however the story containing said Sue remains hidden in notebook and will never see the light of day again.) But I can spot one a mile away and I love to read Mary Sue bashing fics. They make me laugh so hard! Mary Sue bashing of any sort amuses me to no end.

Fanon vs. Canon- (deep breath) Fanon is not inherently superior to canon because it takes more creativity or whatever. (You're only saying that because you wrote it. Don't lie.) Fanon can be fun when it's handled properly-as a writing exercise. Used to experiment, explore what-ifs and possible scenarios, possible interactions and romances between characters. Done for fun in other words. Please do not make the mistake of becoming so attached to your fanon that you declare it to be actual canon, or the "true" canon or whatever nonsense like that. If your theories and speculations are Jossed, let them go. If a pairing dies, celebrate what was but don't insist that it will happen again. If your slash/yaoi/yuri/het ship isn't canon, PLEASE FOR THE SAKE OF ALL LIFE AND HAPPINESS DO NOT GO AROUND SAYING THAT IT'S CANON! It is okay that is it not canon! Really it is. You don't need to prove it by bending the plot to your will, destroying the actual canon, trampling all over characterization to make it work, competely disrespecting the work you claim to be a fan of, and bashing characters or ships in the way of it in the process. Also, never EVER insist that your fanon pairing is "better" than the canon one because you do not own the characters and thus you have no actual idea who would be a good match for them. YES I AM VERY IRATE ABOUT THIS POINT AND I WILL DRILL IT INTO YOUR HEADS UNTIL YOU WHIMPER PITIFULLY ON THE FLOOR AND CRY "UNCLE"! Seriously. Give the canon it's due respect. It's what you're a fan of isn't it?

Spelling/Grammar- I can pardon an occasional error here and there. But if a whole story is written like the author had no grasp on the English language my brain will hurt and I will quickly click the back button and vow never to read that story again. If said story is getting rave reviews in spite of said poor grammer and spelling I will be seriously tempted to shout "Lemmings!" and decry the abomination of texting and the decline of the written word. Try getting a beta. That might help.

Crack Pairings- Depending on the pairing it can be incredibly fun, squicky beyond belief, or just plain... weird. As long as there's no definite squick factor-such as age, rape, or slash/yaoi/yuri-and the story is written well I'll usually be pretty okay with it. Actually I ship a few crack pairings myself. (Hot Spot/Argent, anyone?) I'm completely fine with the weird crack pairings if they’re just done for a laugh (e.g. for a parody of shipping wars or something like that). But other then that, they should never be taken seriously. Ever. (Robin and Madame Rouge…shudder)

Soundtracks- Why is it that people automatically assume I'm talking about Broadway musicals or films based on musicals or films that just happen to have a lot of songs in them when I mention soundtracks? Songs do not automatically equal soundtracks. No you misguided souls I'm not talking about RENT or the popular songs that just happen to feature in the latest flick, I'm talking about the film's score. You know, about the music? In the background? Which does not actually have to have lyrics in order to be awesome? Think Star Wars. Think Lord of the Rings. Think John Williams and an orchestra. That's what I mean when I'm rambling about soundtracks.

Photomanipulations- Can be pretty fun to make and look at, when you're doing it creatively and with an original flair. However, it seems that most people only use photomanipulation to create and manufacture fantasy scenarios and pictures for their favorite (usually non-canon or crack) pairings, OR to erase a rival ship's canon moments/pictures by replacing one of the parties with another. This is a sad SAD practice that shows how little you actually care for the work you claim to be a fan of. Fanart is a much more respectful way to show your love for a ship and it is prettier to boot. And you should not need to erase the rival ship's canon. What you should do is go out and create more of your own, original fanon works, if you're just that desperate for cognitive dissonance. Quit copying off the creators. Please.

Horror Movies- Tari is not allowed to watch horror moives. Not even the last forty-five minutes of one. Especially not at night. Ever. Because Tari responds emotionally to the things she watches/reads/listens to. And while catharsis is generally a good thing, Tari would prefer not to purposely indulge the unpleasant emotion known as FEAR. Especially when it will be fear for myself, and not fear for a character that I have an attachment to. (Let's face it-horror movies aren't really made for making you care about the characters.) The Shelob's Lair sequence from Lord of the Rings and the Teen Titans episode "Birthmark" are quite enough for me thank you.

Random Facts:

I'm a very emotionally senstive person. I cry easily. And I'm a bit squeamish. So I tend to dislike extreme violence or gore or things that are just really REALLY depressing.

I write best when I'm in the same emotional vein as the scene I'm working on.

I have a sister who's also a great writer and an aspiring filmmaker and I frequently consult her for creative advice.

My favorite color is green.

I played in my school orchestra.

I like pizza and fettuccini alfredo.

Quotes:

"Where can I go from you O Lord? And whither can I flee Your Spirit? If I ascend to the heavens, You are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold! You are there. If I sprout the wings of an eagle and dwell in the uttermost depths of the sea, even there You will guide me and Your right hand will take hold of me."-Psalm 139: 7-10

"Chicas unite! AIIEE!"-my sister

"They met, they mated, she ate him!"-Frank Peretti, Hangman's Curse

"Aiya Earendil Elenion Ancalima!"-Frodo Baggins, LOTR

"Curses upon you and your family! (pause) Oh wait... I'm IN your family. Never mind."-my sister

"My big sissy moved from the deep heart of good ol' Texas to go college in LA LA LAND!"-my sister

"I've never bruised you before."-My friend Rachael, to my friend Rebekah, whom she actually has brusied. Several times.

"You know what they say about southern California-it's the world's greatest collection of assorted fruits and nuts." -my dad

"I am 90-pound female! FEAR ME!"-me and my sister, alternately

"Yvaine be shiny!"-me, about a character from the movie Stardust, who glows when she's happy

"One has to constantly remind oneself that while she spends a lot of time being cute and hugging people too strongly, she also spends an equal amount of time beating the crap out of things."-The truest assessment of Starfire's character ever, from FFnet Karkadinn's story Robin Has a Heart Attack.

"I wish... I could properly articulate... why it is... that I love that kid so much..."-me, about various incarnations of Robin

"Bella is not a snack."-survivial mantra for the Twilight series, said whenever Bella is in danger of being eaten.

"Ummmm guys, Jesus walked with tax collecters and prostitutes, I don't think he'll be mad cuz she's wearing a sparkly dress."-YouTube commentator defending Christian singer Krystal Meyers and her new music video "Make Some Noise".

"Robin, you are my best friend. I cannot be in a world where we must fight." -Starfire, Teen Titans.

"So, you are now prepared to explain why I am neither a girl, nor your friend?" "Uh-I-w-well-" "It appears that the grishnik has got your tongue." "Shoulda let that slug eat me when I had the chance." -Starfire and Robin, Teen Titans