Current Events

Monday, July 19th, 2010

Father's house in North Carolina

Sister's room

.*just bought a mouse for my laptop, two fine-point sharpies and PMD: Explorers of Sky with birthday money* Oh yeah, I'm going have fun tonight~

"Team Hunters! We track down your criminals, scout out new places and hunt down lost and ancient treasure! We're always up for a good hunt!"
*heroic pose*

Ironically, I kept getting Vulpix for relaxed nature until I cheated and looked up how to get certain Pokemon (I tried doing different personalities and either got fire-types or normal-types. Ugh.). I was aiming for either water- or grass-types and settled on Turtwig (Terris), and my partner is Cyndaquil (Gideon) because they're so cute!

oQo

Quick Info

Name: Megan
Nickname: DL
Gender: Female, if that wasn't obvious.

Stories Currently Completed:

Animorphs:
"Once a Boy"

The Black Magician Trilogy:
"Guard Duty," "Stay"

Neopets:
"The Darigan Eyrie"

Pokemon:
"Go Look It Up!," "Stupidity," "Small Doses,"
"His Fear," "My Prince," "Ninjas, Psychos, and Juggling Iron Thorns,"
"Hope in Dreams," "Picking Seats," "Nobody Likes a Ball,"
"Responsibility," "I, the Original," "In a Perfectly Imperfect World,"
"It Sucks to be a Regi," "Through a Meowth's Eyes"

Sonic the Hedgehog:
"No Time Left," "The Modified Shadow the Hedgehog Game," "A Kind Heart, But an Evil Roommate"

Stories Currently in Progress:

Naruto:
"The Talk With a Stalker"

Pokemon:
"DL and Legendary Friends," "Legendaries Need Love, Too: Poetry Collection,"
"Life at the Legendary Muses Mansion," "When the World is Bored"

Rune Factory 2:
"Determination" (title changes with each update, currently "Intentions")

Sonic the Hedgehog:
"Just Your Regular Daily Chaos"

Stories Currently on Hold:

Neopets:
"Snake's Eyes"

Pokemon:
"Accepting What Isn't Originally Pokemon," "Legends Have No Contest,"
"Perfection of Thought," "Distortion"

Savage Skies:
"Brutal Skies"

Sonic the Hedgehog:
"The Perfect Harmony of Hearts," "A Lovely Chat,"
"The Chao Chronicles 1: The Supernovas," "The Fallen and the Broken,"
"A New Dawn," "The Chosen One, How I Can Relate," "The Desert Phoenix"

Super Smash Brothers:
"Mewtwo's Holiday from Hell"

Warriors:
"Dawn's Arrival"

Stories Currently Discontinued:

Crossover:
"DLive"

Inuyasha:
"Silent Tears"

Naruto:
"Sharingan High"

Pokemon:
"Amber Eyes"

oQo

Yes, I'm fixing up my profile. Again. Only moving a few things around, really.

oQo

Categories I currently love to write for:

Pokemon
Sonic (technically first fandom I wrote for)
Digimon
Super Smash Brothers/Melee/Brawl
Naruto
Inuyasha (although its hard for me)

Categories I currently love to read:

Inuyasha
Pokemon
Sonic
Naruto
Harry Potter

oQo

Awards I have been awarded by the Legendary Muses Forums:

"Most Insane", "LM's Spokesperson Medal", "Best Spokesperson", "Medal of Infectious Joy", "Medal of Hope"

oQo

Biography:

I am a brown-eyed brunette and was born in Bethesda, Maryland from my sweet mother and caring father. Oh, well. Then, me and my mother moved to Hawaii (my parents divorced when I was three), then Florida, then Nebraska, then Colorado, then New Mexico, and then...I'm not telling you! I haven't moved out-of-state since, although I have moved quite a lot in the state I am in and I won't tell you about it. (:

In fifth grade, I made a friend. He was weird. He was funny. So, in my book, he was cool. I talked to him during and after school, and we both discovered we loved Sonic, Pokemon, and multiple other things. It was weird, I tell ya...but cool at the same time! Then, he told me about these funny things (like bloopers) about Sonic, and I loved it, and we decided to make our own. Eventually, we went on full throttle and made our own characters. (Shadowpaw was born in 2004, July 20th while I was at a youth group thing in church, so technically she's only a couple of years old)

My love of writing grew in (put in state I live in and won't tell you here), and I decided to write a story about it. And then, I made an account here after another friend of mine recommended it. So, here I am, a couple of years later. Isn't that nice? :)

oQo

Shows I like/used to watch: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, Ah! My Goddess, Pokemon, Trigun, Digimon, Yugioh, Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, Inuyasha, Wolf's Rain, Cowboy Bebop, Family Guy, Futurama, Sailor Moon, Princess Tutu, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Dexter's Laboratory, Kids Next Door, Double Dare, Nickelodeon gameshows, All That, Amanda Show, Fairly Oddparents, Danny Phantom, Scooby Doo, Naruto, Ouran High School Host Club, etc.

Books on my/dad's bookshelf/I have read: Harry Potter books 1-6 by J. K. Rowling (haven't gotten around to DH yet), The Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan, The Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey, Nightseer by Laurell K. Hamilton, The Sorceror's Son and The Crystal Palace in The Book of Elementals series and The Tales of Alaric the Minstrel series by Phyllis Eisenstein, The Warriors/New Prophecy/first book of The Power of Three series by Erin Hunter, Bloomability by Sharon Creech, Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry & Ridley Pearson, Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, Pendragon book one by D. J. MacHale, The Hatchet and Brian's Winter and Brian's Return by Gary Paulsen, a bit of the Animorphs series and almost all of the Everworld series by K. A. Applegate, In the Shadow of an Eagle and Other Adventure Stories and No Pets Allowed which are collections of short stories, Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville, The Agony of Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Sabrina the Teenage Witch: Millennium Madness by several authors, James Herriot's Cat Stories by of course Jame Herriot, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, Gregor the Overlander and Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane of the Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins, Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke, etc.

Manga I've read (but probably never finished unless otherwise stated): Beast Master (finished), Trigun, Naruto, Alice 19th (finished), Inuyasha, Pokemon (The Electric Tales of Pikachu kind of manga, featuring Ash and them), Digimon, Peach Girl, Princess Tutu (finished), etc.

Movies I love: Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, Howl's Moving Castle, Bambi, Lion King, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, The Great Mouse Detective, The Land Before Time series, Pete's Dragon, The Princess and the Goblin, Homeward Bound 1 & 2, Mary Poppins, The Fox and the Hound, Pokemon movies, Digimon the Movie, Shrek, etc.

Games I love/used to play: Old Spyro games (Playstation), old Sonic games (multiple), I-Ninja (GC), Pokemon series (multiple), Digimon World series (PS/GC), Digimon: DATA Squad ()PS2), FFX (PS2), FF8 (PS), Okami (PS2), Musashi: Samurai Legend (PS2), Lair (PS3), Sonic the Hedgehog: 2006 (PS3), Shadow the Hedgehog (PS2), DrakenGard 2 (PS2), Animal Crossing series (multiple), Super Smash Brothers/Melee/Brawl (N64/GC/Wii), Drill Dozer (GBA), Sonic the Hedgehog series (multiple), Mario series (multiple), Yugioh something-about-roses-and-duelists (PS2), Pokemon/Digimon/Yugioh/etc. trading card games (cards, der), etc.

oQo

Pairings:

Of course, everybody groans. Calm down, I'll make it as short of a list as possible! I promise! These are just some I either like or can tolerate (I have yet to find a pairing I hate).

Current Obsessed Pairing(s):

ConflictingShipping - Blue (game) & Leaf

CurseOfLoveShipping - Gengar & Hero (MD)

Official List of Shippings (Pokemon): http://www.freewebs.com/incompletelove/listaz.htm (Careful, it's long!)

Pokemon: Ash/Misty, Ash/May, Gary/Misty, Gary/May, James/Jessie, Gary/Ash, Blue/Leaf, Palkia/Groudon, Dialga/Kygore, Dialga/Ho-Oh, Darkrai/Cresselia, Latios/Rayquaza, Articuno/Lugia, Zapdos/Ho-oh, Articuno/Moltres, Articuno/Zapdos, Giratina/Lugia, Darkrai/Uxie, Darkrai/Mesprit, Darkrai/Shadow Lugia, Latios/Lugia, Darkrai/Mewtwo, Mewtwo/Deoxys, Arceus/Mew, Hero/Partner (MD & MD2), Hero/Gengar (MD), Hero/Grovyle (MD2), Grovyle/Dusknoir, Grovyle/Shiny!Celebi (MD2), Lucario/Weavile, Grovyle/Lopunny, etc.

Sonic: Sonic/Amy, Shadow/Amy, Tails/Cream, Knuckles/Rouge, Silver/Blaze, Sonic/Blaze, Shadow/Blaze, Silver/Amy, Jet/Wave, Tails/Wave, Jet/Amy, Knuckles/Wave, Espio/Rouge, Vector/Rouge, Espio/Blaze, Silver/Rouge, etc.

Naruto: Sasuke/Sakura, Naruto/Sakura, Naruto/Sasuke, Shikamaru/Ino, Shikamaru/Sakura, Naruto/Hinata, Kiba/Hinata, Gaara/Sakura, etc.

Digimon: Wizardmon/Gatomon, Guilmon/Renamon, BlackGatomon/Renamon, Guilmon/Elecmon, Impmon/Gatomon, Flamedramon/Renamon, etc.

Harry Potter: Harry/Ginny, Harry/Pansy, Ron/Hermione, Draco/Hermione, etc.

Yugioh: Yugi/Tea, Yami/Tea, Seto/Tea, Tristan/Serenity, etc.

Inuyasha: Inuyasha/Kagome, Miroku/Sango, Shippou/Rin, Kohaku/Rin, Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Inuyasha/Kikyo, Inuyasha/Sango, Miroku/Kagome, Kouga/Kagome, etc.

The Black Magician trilogy: Sonea/Akkarin, Sonea/Regin, Sonea/Ceryni, etc.

oQo

Quotes to Live By

Celebrities:

“In an age where humans seem to be confusing Facebook relationships with real intimacy
and Internet anonymity has given us carte blanche at rudeness and a general lack of civility toward one another
it would behoove us all to pause a moment and realize that art is something that evokes emotion
and that art is also in the eye of the beholder.
Why waste energy hating or making real people feel bad about what moves them?”
~Patrick Nottingham

“There is no off position on the genius switch.”
~David Letterman

"The trouble with a kitten is that when it grows up, it's always a cat."
Ogden Nash

"Bring back dueling, I say. Drive-by sword fight."
~Tim Roth

"Today's forecast: 70% chance of science!"
~Adam Savage, Mythbusters

"We're popping popcorn with lasers!"
~Tori Balleci

"Smells like...science!"
~Adam Savage, "Mythbusters"

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch."
~Jack Nicholson

"Some people say that I must be a horrible person, but that's not true. I have the heart of a young boy -- in a jar on my desk."
~Stephen King

"Artists, by definition innocent, don't steal. But they do borrow without giving back."
~Ned Rorem

Myself:

"It's just in my nature (and upbringing) to be humble!"
~DragonLover1993's best line, according to SchwaWarrior

"I go to school because I have to, not because I wanna go snog a guy in the hallway. Geez."
~DragonLover1993

"Ouch. If there are any words to live by, "never punch a frozen turkey" are some of them."
~DragonLover1993

"Oh, I could tell you some things, but then I'd have to tell other things, and those other things are the things that I don't want to tell, let alone some things. So, I will tell you nothings."
~ShadowpawMFur (DeviantArt account)

"Dracula's my homeboy, b-tches. -crosses arms like gangsta-"
~DragonLover1993

"Yeah, my dreams make no sense. But sometimes, they’re freakin’ awesome."
~DragonLover1993

"If you try to prevent from doing wrong, you have to prevent yourself from doing right."
~DragonLover1993

"Some people don't realize that failure comes from the fear of failure, and success comes from the will to take a chance despite the possibility of failure."
~DragonLover1993

"You know, I bet Subtlety had a heart attack when he learned that Chivalry had died."
~DragonLover1993

Food is wonderful! ...That's what Ambertwo said in Pokemon: The First Movie, right?
~DragonLover1993

"You shouldn't have to wait until you sleep to have a good night!"
~DragonLover1993

"Even if I ate clouds, I wouldn't be experiencing more fluffiness than this."
~DragonLover1993

"I curse a lot when my mind has been blown."
~DragonLover1993

"OH MY- I'm so stupid. I went to reheat my tea by putting it in the fridge. -headdesks-"
~DragonLover1993

"BUTBUTBUT." "...That is a very convincing argument. However, I must decline your offer."
~Dalsson and Co. trying to convince me (DragonLover1993) to do something

"-finds note taped to head-
"Dear Megan,
I quit! I can't take it anymore! You can go watch these acid-trips on your own, but count me out!
Signed, Your Brain""
~DragonLover1993

" "Quantity" of friends is not the same as "quality" of friends, because you can have a hundred fake friends leave you on the streets and one real friend give you a place to stay the night."
~DragonLover1993

"So...good morning! Guten Morgen! -waves- Hope you have a good day (just pretend it's morning over there for a moment, the sentiment is nicer that way), and be happy!"
~DragonLover1993, PM to a friend in Singapore

"Umm...I think we corrupted him to the Dark Side by accident -_-;"
"Accident? No, my dear, that was entirely intentional. I'm evil, you know."
~DavidBrin and DragonLover1993

"A reminder is rarely a coincidence."
~DragonLover1993

"Team Hunters! We track down your criminals, scout out new places and hunt down lost and ancient treasure! We're always up for a good hunt!"
*heroic pose*
~DragonLover1993 after buying PMD: Explorers of Sky

~Common sense, Megan is looking for you in the deli section, please reunite with her there.~
~DragonLover1993

Friends and Family:

“You know, I don’t get you–some days, you’re dead and we can’t get you out of bed or away from the computer, and others, you’re up before me and busy cooking and cleaning. It makes you a hard person to figure out. You amaze me.”
~Mike (mother’s boyfriend) talking about DragonLover1993

They need to put more practical sayings on those candy hearts. Like "Take out the garbage" or "Please change the basement lightbulb". Or "I'm sorry for your loss" for all of your funeral-candy needs. -shot-
~Demonic669, talking about Valentines' candy

"When Dusk is called, Dusk... jumps out of a plane and DYNAMIC ENTRY! -guillotine'd-"
~Demonic669

"Because I hoard books like a dragon hoards gold."
~EeveeCelebi749

"What do you think was the best thing that happened to you in your life?
Mine was being born; if I wasn't born, then I wouldn't be here!"
~My silly little brother

That's because you're wise and wonderful.
Like a dragon.
~SchwaWarrior

"The way I write is like battling using a Keckleon."
~SchwaWarrior

"You are the very definition of a hero, I hope you know."
~SchwaWarrior

"Love what is, don't hate what isn't."
~SchwaWarrior

Why must you boil water to make iced tea? o.O
~Glory For Sleep

Don't be hatin' like Satan. D:
~Glory For Sleep

Anyway...welcome back, Will. Hopefully a new era amongst the LM forum has begun - where the past can be muffled into silence and make room for the future to explode with bright new lights and sounds.
FIRE THE MISSLES. 8D
~Glory For Sleep

Oh, don't be so modest DL. If SU is the brain of the forum, you're undoubtedly the heart.
~Sgt. Shank, on the Chat Topic of LM

why does everything i glomp leave me D:
~SnowSpirit6375, on the Chat thread of LM

-Dies again in a painful way- D:
...Y'know, dying this much can't be good for my health. -Would be mauled, but is already dead-
~LM Forums, TheSunIsShining

Now you're smack-talking each other about weight? You two act more like teenage girls than the actual teenage girls here! (no offense)
~DavidBrin

...I'm an idiot. I kept refreshing and refreshing and refreshing the last page until I finally noticed: we're on page two. *mauled*
~TheSunIsShining on the LM Forums

Characters in Media/Fanfiction:

"Mutated excuse for an eel! Your mother was a hagfish and your father was a worm!"
~Amaterasu, Ch.6 in "Paths in Sakura" by Niana Kuonji

"I was created from your dreams. If you believe in me, there is nothing I cannot do!"
~Entei from the third Pokemon movie

"If I wish hard enough, will you die?"
~Viral, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann

"If anybody's out there, you can come out. And if you're a monster or a ghost, you can stay where you are."
~Ash Ketchum, Pokemon

"Oh no. Staryu's in real pain."
"How can you tell? It doesn't even have a face."
"It's because I'm sensitive to others feelings."
"Oh yeah, like I'm not."
~Ash and Misty, Pokemon

"That boy on the poster looks just like you, James."
"He does? I think he looks pathetic."
"That's what she meant, James."
~Jessie, James and Meowth, Pokemon

"Oh, I left my motorcycle at the front desk."
~Officer Jenny, Pokemon

"What kind of idiot would forcibly steal someone else's Pokemon?"
"Well, how many kinds are there?"
~Bryce and James, Pokemon

"I can't see a foot in front of my face."
"If you don't shut up, you'll see a foot in front of your face!"
~James and Meowth, Pokemon

"My nose! What happened? The stink dissolved it off my face! (pauses) Hmm? Oh! Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. The cartoonist never gave me a nose."
~Team Rocket's Meowth, Pokemon

I'm not an actress, she thought, but not only am I onstage, I've completely forgotten my lines. No, I don't even know which play I'm in, and I walked onstage naked. I'm naked, I was prepared for a burlesque, and now I'm supposed to be performing kabuki and I have bronchitis. I'm naked, I have bronchitis, I'm supposed to sing opera and the yakuza are threatening to give my entire family concrete shoes if I don't bring in the crowds and give them the moneys.
~Kagome, Ch. 6 of "Tales from the House of the Moon" by Resmiranda on MediaMiner

Even at this age, Sesshoumaru is unapproachable. It's like his personality cancels out his cuteness.
~Kagome, Ch. 10 of "Unspoiled" by forthright

'I think you like her more than you did when you first met.'
'Of course I do,' Sesshoumaru admitted as Kagome rushed into the kitchen. 'I was on painkillers then.'
'You're a jerk.'
'I do try.'
~Sesshoumaru and Kikyo, "Second Chance", Chapter 13

"She's talking about flowers, isn't she?"
"Hnn. How very astute, as they are standing in a garden."
~Miroku and Sesshoumaru, "Matching Wits" by forthright

"Aha! The ionic defragulator!"
"Yay!"
"Do you even know what that does?"
"No!"
~Eggman, Big, Rouge and Big again, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

"Ah, Green Hill Zone. We've had some good times here, haven't we, Tails?"
"Good times? You mean like Eggman turning our friends into robots and pitting them against us?"
"Yep. Good times!"
~Sonic and Tails, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

“Sesshoumaru what is this?”
“That is a check Kagome. It is used to put money in a bank account.”
“I am surprised you have a sense of humor, but I am not finding it entertaining right now.”
~Sesshoumaru and Kagome, "Marriage of Convenience" Chapter 25

"Hey, you tripped me!"
"Or maybe you're just clumsy."
~Shadow and Rouge, Sonic Rivals 2

"Do I look like a ball to you?!"
~Eggman, Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity

"Oh, great. Mama always told me that one day I'd get trapped in an alien dimension without a change of clothes."
~Rouge the Bat, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood

"Oh, of all the lazy...Here I go to the trouble of waking that Dark Gaia thing up, and it causes me nothing but delays!"
"Dark Gaia had yet to reach maturity within the planet's core. Ergo, it was still incomplete at the time of its awakening. Ergo, it was unable to sustain its own weight upon its release. Ergo, it scattered around the world."
"I don't want to hear about its weight issues."
~Eggman and SA-55 in Sonic Unleashed

“I thought of you as so cold and remote when we first arrived. Now I find you easy to confide in.”
“Probably because you’re on drugs.”
~"Peace Treaty" Ch 17

“I knew you couldn’t resist me.”
“Keep it up, and my fist won’t be able to resist your face.”
~Luke and Leah in my "AAoL" story on FictionPress, Chapter 16 (will be uploaded someday)

"Your skill at self-aggrandizement is unparalleled."
~SA-55 (the little robot) in Sonic Unleashed

"I know little girls who are better with a hammer than you. Well, one...anyway."
~Sonic talking "to" Dark Guardian about Amy, Sonic Unleashed

"Whatever, you oversized letter opener."
~Sonic to Caliburn, Sonic and the Black Knight

“Ah,” Giratina commented, “the power of yesterday sits heavily on the mind.”
~Ch16 of "LNLT:PC:", Drabble Number 25 called "Yesterday"

“I give up,” he finally relented as he pressed his back against the wall and sighed. “I have no idea who made this, but I wish I could shake his hand...before I ripped his arm from its socket.”
~Sesshoumaru from Striking Falcon's "A Cross of Blades"

"You're clean. Considerate. Well-spoken. You look at my face when I'm speaking to you."
"What else would I look at?"
She laughed and he didn't know why. It was a legitimate question, wasn't it?
~Yoko and Viral, Ch. 4 of "Crush" by Jaswinder

"With Kagome, trying to kill her seems to be the surest way of making friends."
"Explain."
"It's actually kind of funny. I tried to kill Kagome the first time I met her. Miroku almost sucked her into his wind tunnel. Sango attacked us, too. Yup. It seems to be one of the best ways to get on her good side."
"The wolf tried to kill her?"
"Uh, no. He just kidnapped her."
~Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, Ch 20 of forthright's "Imperceptible"

Miscellaneous:

"Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind, the stronger the trees."
~Miss-Rogue's signature on DeviantArt

"These are my values. If you don't like them, I have some more."
~Unknown to me

"As an aside - I don't really have much personal experience with the gift-giving
rule for the Love Candidates. I apologize. I was side-tracked by saving the
world."
~Rune Factory 2: A Fantasy Harvest Moon: Courting/Marriage Guide by otakuAera

"Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning."
~Kai-ka's deviation "Just A Word" on DeviantArt

'Team Edward vs Team Jacob: With the score at 2-3, players from both soccer teams were jostling for the ball. The Slovakian goalie was as entangled in the net as a Twilight plot.'
~A newspaper sports article

oQo

Speeches and Essays

June 22nd, 2009

"For whatever reason, this party was started as a celebration of LM...somehow... ^w^;

But, maybe we don't need a reason! After all, this is LM, the place of randomness, craziness and fun.

We may have different lives in real life, where we seem different than the way we act here...

But we know that, when we sit down to that moniter screen, we have friendly faces waiting behind their own to listen to us.

And so, it is my honor (to be forced) to make this speech. *raises glass that appears out of nowhere* To LM!"
~For the Legendary Muses Forums first anniversary, made in the Legendary Muses' Chatango

August 12th, 2009

A leader is a person of great humility and respect, filled with knowledge they're willing to give without prejudice or a biased opinion. They cannot favor their friends or neglect their enemies - all relationships are broken before being mended in a limited fashion. Outside of their role, they may think and say whatever they wish, but once they don it again they have to become neutral to all they love or hate.

A leader must have the ability to swallow their pride in order to lay a calm and wise hand on important matters. They may hold their own beliefs, but they cannot force anyone to share them. They cannot disrespect others for not sharing them, either, for a leader must accept that their mind may not work the same way as others. If a problem arises from a misunderstanding or a lack of communication, the leader must listen to all sides if the dispute and choose the correct one to support, not they one that they agree with.

If a leader is offended by another leader or anyone that may have a differing opinion, they must not use their powers in anger. They must step back and purge themselves of all emotion so they may think rationally and logically. Setting their own feelings aside, they must confront the offender in a calm manner and never resort to violence of any sort (verbal abuse, attacking, etc.). If they're angry or jealous, it will only servce to tear them apart and ruin their imagine as an honorable leader. All thoughts must be shared or it will grow in the darkness of their heart.

A leader must follow the rules - in fact, more strictly than others. They cannot enforce them if they don't obey them themselves. Having power does not and should not excuse laziness, stubbornness or a lack of integrity. If a leader breaks a rule, even with good reasons, they must be punished harshly. They cannot be allowed to just do as they will; they must set the example for everyone around them.

A leader must be able to take responsibility and make sacrifices that the normal population can not and will not. All problems and mistakes weigh on their shoulders if they do not deal with them properly. They must cooperate with others to sustain harmony and peace, and at times they must place a firm and steady hand to keep it. A leader must be ready to lead as well as listen; to command as well as to assist; to be strict and yet flexible. Many things are expected of a leader; not just anyone can fill one's shoes.
~Leader Speech, written in Physics class

December 10th, 2009

Today, I have lost a little more faith in humanity.

My day went fairly well, at first; despite my terrible shooting this morning, I realized my back sights had gotten loose and was the cause of my bad shooting on my standing and kneeling position (prone was pretty good, so I assume I loosened the sights afterwards). I had crazy bread (breadsticks from Little Caesar’s), green beans and pumpkin pie for lunch, thanks to some wonderful donations from my friends, and we weren’t attacked by a single bee that day. Marvelous.

So, after thanking my friend profusely for letting me borrow her book about dragons (beautiful artwork, I tell you), I walked to my Physics class, hugging it closely to me in fear of it getting damaged or stolen. As usual, the others were loud and obnoxious, so I sat in my seat and read through the rest of the book. When I finished, we played Jeopardy to review the test.

Afterwards, the most ludicrous thing happened.

I had known that my fellow classmates didn’t like our teacher, but I still didn’t understand why–she was a beautiful young woman who, despite a slight accent and using different terms than we do, spoke with clarity and precision on the subject of Physics. They complained, however, simply because she came from Lebanon and how “they couldn’t understand a word she was saying,” despite the fact that I, a person with below average hearing, can understand everything she said perfectly. She was light and humorous, trying to make jokes that no one would laugh to, and I watched as they mocked her behind her back–and even in front of her, right where she could see them. She was either too honorable or too confused to reprimand them, and so the teasing continued. A particular group of kids behind me now spend every class trying to make her as furious and exasperated as possible.

Today, though, after we were done reviewing, they asked for the answers to the review. She refused to give them to us. I didn’t care, because unlike everyone else I read and understood the book and her notes, simply because I bothered to listen and attempt to understand. (You can only help those that help themselves, and so I gave up on trying to coax them to listen. They, however, blamed her for their lack of knowledge and patience, and they mocked her for everything she was and called her a terrorist. I was furious but could not say a word, because of my terrible, terrible cowardice and my fear that they would attack me, physically or verbally.) So, they started to cause a riot in the classroom, screaming and hollering because they wanted the answers. I could understand why they were so angry, but she provided a much better reason than they could ever think of for their side of the debate.

The review she had given us was, in fact, the exact same as the mid-term exam. If she gave us the answers, she afraid we would simply memorized (or write down) the letters and use them for the test. She said that if she did give us the answers, she would have to change the test, and that caused even more of a racket. They continued to hassle her for answers, until finally, one girl uttered the words that caused my heart to plummet into the icy depths of disgusted disbelief:

“I think that she needs to go back to her Muslim country.”

Other unflattering phrases, such as “f*cking b*tch” and, again, “terrorist” were flung around, and once again, they were said right in front of her. She did not react like she should have, or throw angry words back in their faces like I would have–instead, she simply looked back down to her computer screen and worked on clearing the Jeopardy game that was still there.

It was there that I figured that the students couldn’t really be this naïve, this dense; surely, it was only a slight misunderstanding, and if I explained things to them, they would figure it out and feel ashamed of their incredible actions and words. But, as I tried to explain to a friend beside me, I realized I was the only one who thought this was possible–for I was the only one who realized they were wrong. Even he believed that she wasn’t speaking clearly and that she didn’t know how to teach, and I was dumbfounded as I heard even more criticism flow around me like a hateful river of boiling blood.

When the afternoon announcements, always made five minutes before school was out (3:30 p.m.), began, I found that I had to leave the classroom–I had to get out of there before I screamed at their idiocy. Before I threw my desk at them and throttled them to try to make the oxygen rise to their brains. Before I turned around and punched the guy sitting behind me and tell him to take back what he called the teacher. I needed to leave. So, grabbing my backpack as the others started to get ready, I walked to the door and, after waiting a minute until they crowded around (blocking me from the teacher’s sight), I slipped out the door and started walking to the bus loop. As I did, the friend that sat beside me followed, and he told me, “You know it’s only three twenty-eight, right?”

“Your point?”

I didn’t care to listen to him. I didn’t care to hear him complain about problems that he had caused, the misunderstandings that he refused to correct, the faults that he rejected and labeled as hers. I didn’t want to see his face, because I was sure I would throw my fist at it if I did. I was so angry, so furious, that I walked right past the principal as I left for the buses a few minutes early. I don’t think he cared, because he didn’t stop me. Maybe he knew it was pointless.

When I sat on the bus and stared out the window, I found myself crying. Crying for my Physics teacher, the woman who came to America to learn and be inspired and to teach and inspire others, and all she received was a disrespectful spit in the face. As I walked home from the bus stop in the bitter cold, I realized that the cold I felt in my heart made it feel like it was summertime.

What gives them the right to criticize her? Those who do not bother to listen, to learn, and only give insolence and malice in return? Those who sit and talk and laugh, ignoring the teacher’s words and then saying she didn’t teach them that and how she couldn’t teach right? How could they be so dense, so oblivious to the fact that they were the cause of the problem, not the victim–the problem maker, not the problem solver? What compelled them to speak about their faults as if they were hers, not the cracks in their persona that they cherished so much and struggled to uphold?

What gives them the right?

(To be honest, I do think the world is getting too sensitive. I really do. But, there is a difference between "being too sensitive" and "being insulted." There is a difference between "freedom of speech" and "slander." There is a difference between "speaking your mind" and "cutting someone down." I will not stand for censorship, but I will not stand for cruelty of words.)
~Rant about students in Physics class, first semester

February 23rd, 2010

Peter Singer's plan to rid the world of poverty is a fool's dream. To simply tell a citizen what to do with his money is not the wisest thing to do; he worked hard to collect his bounty, and he isn't going to donate it with wild abandon. Who's to say the man wants to send it out of his country? The money may do good elsewhere that could have easily been done in his own nation. Singer's plan is a direct attack on the people's rights.

To be fair, it is clear where he is coming from; he was raised to help others and do whatever good deeds he felt needed doing. Such a dream is admirable, but it doesn't change the fact that the idea is still a dream. There are no such things as superheroes flying around the world to save everyone from every little thing, and there never will be. To hope for Superman to burst through your front door and hand you a suitcase filled with money is childish. What right do we have to feed these hopes? And when the plan breaks down, who will it hurt? The victims will feel bitter towards the suppliers of these "sugar-coated lies" and resent them for many years.

Infants need to learn to walk on their own, and so does every nation in danger. During the Great Depression, the United States didn't beg for assistance or plead for outside influences. American citizens instead voted a man into office who could dig them out of the Depression and back into business. It would be an insult to America's pride if we turn around and take another nation through its "baby steps." In the end, the nation would be unable to stand on its own and would crumble underneath the weight of the responsibilities it had neglected to take before. To simply give a nation money and expect it to be stable is ridiculous because if it was unstable in the first place, then it would need to fix more than its financial issues. It all returns to the nation being independent of others and having sovereignty.

The most important issue, however, is one all Americans have pondered at some time: "What about us?" If we send this money overseas, it obviously won't be in the States where we all live. America has its own problems to deal with, its own poverty, its own hunger, and its own people. To help others before we even help ourselves would defeat the purpose of sending money in the first place–to end any and all poverty in the world, to give people better lives. Doesn't America care about its citizens, too? We should fix all of our problems before jumping into other people's nations to fix theirs. Caring about the world is pointless if we don't take care of ourselves.

Peter Singer is a man with a big heart and little foresight. He created a plan without thinking over the repercussions, and its flaws are blaringly obvious when examined closely. Good intentions do not excuse poor judgment and whimsical dreams.
~Essay in Advanced Placement English Composition on Singer's article "The Singer Solution to World Poverty" in The New York Times Magazine

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

Well, I'll be completely honest and admit that this year sort of flew by; I was surprised when DB's PM came to remind me of LM's birthday, and when I looked at the date and realized it was only a few days away, I was like, "Holy crap, I haven't had any time to prepare!" I had wanted to write something special, like the chapter of my LM Mansion story celebrating our first birthday, but between faulty internet connections and family issues, I haven't had the time, energy or patience to do so. I'm just glad that I was able to get on today at all, let alone talk to you guys.

And you know what? That's okay. I love spending any bit of time I can get with you guys, and I'd do nearly anything to help any LMer here (and not here, for that matter). People like SU and Glory have written inspiring stories that brought us together, and newcomers like Misstress and Sunny once were help keep our bond alive. It's hard to describe how much I love and care for LM, even though I've written and uploaded over 600,000 words in stories and over 11,000 posts in this forums. It's like...a hug.

A hug is something so simple yet meaningful that it's difficult to explain, and although people describe the action they can never truly tell others the feeling and emotions behind it. It's an embrace that pulls two hearts closer to one another, brings warm smiles to people's faces and reminds us that we have someone who cares about our well-being. It can be given freely or sparingly, but it means just as much no matter how often it's given or who distributes and who receives them. I've often just glomped people here or in the real world without a second thought, but I mean every hug that I give and love every person I give it to.

So, here's to another year full of hugs, hellos and good-byes! *offers cup for a toast* To the Legendary Muses Forums, and all of Fanfiction! Let's enjoy every day and make the most of it, shall we?
~For the Legendary Muses Forums' second anniversary

oQo

Lots of dragon-y love (and cookies!),
~DL ('Dragon Lover')