1. Real tree or Artificial Tree? -- A real one, this year.

2. Italian lights, LED lights, or Old fashioned bulbs on your tree? -- Old-fashioned ones, if and when we can get them untangled.

3. Do you prefer Tinsel or Garland? -- Both; Christmas is a time to be gaudy.

4. What kind of ornaments are on your tree? -- Ornaments collected over my lifetime.

5. Do you have a favorite? -- There's a Snoopy ornament that I've always been fond of.

6. Angel on the tree top or a star? -- A star.

7. When do you take the tree down? -- When we can no longer stand the smell of pine.

8. Do you have a Nativity Scene (Creche)? -- We used to, not anymore.

9. Where do you set the Nativity Scene up? -- When we had it up, on the coffee table.

10. Do you celebrate Advent before Christmas? -- No.

11. Do you celebrate the Feast of the Three Kings? -- No.

12. Do you celebrate other faith holidays during this season? -- No.

13. Is there a special thing you do (or have done) with your family at Christmastime? -- We go to the movies, since it usually isn't packed on Christmas Day.

14. Do you go to church on Christmas, watch it on TV, or nothing at all? -- Church hasn't been a focus of our lives for at least the last decade.

15. Have you ever put out cookies and drink for Santa? His reindeer? -- For Santa, yes...not for his reindeer.

16. Did you ever try to stay up and see Santa? -- A couple of times.

17. Do you still believe in Santa? If not, when did you stop? -- No; about age 12, I became disillusioned about a lot of things.

18. What is your funniest memory of Santa? -- A department store Santa losing it when a kid wet himself on his lap.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? -- "You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen...Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen..." and Rudolph, the most famous reindeer of all.

20. Who are "Hardrock, Cocoa, and Joe?" -- Not a clue.

21. Do you like it to snow at Christmas? -- Yes.

22. What is your favorite Animated Christmas movie on TV? -- My new favorite is the often-overlooked "A Wish for Wings That Work", a joint effort between Amblin and Berke Breathed.

23. What is your favorite Non-animated Christmas movie on TV? -- "It's a Wonderful Life".

24, Who is your favorite "A Christmas Carol" ghost? And why? -- The Ghost of Christmas Past; the past is where I spend most of my time.

25. What is your favorite Christmas song (religious)? -- "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

26. What is your favorite Christmas song (secular)? -- "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"

27. What is your favorite Santa Christmas song? -- The one from the Futurama episode "Xmas Story".

28. What is your favorite holiday drink (alcoholic or non)? -- EGGNOG!

29. What is your favorite holiday snack food? -- Cookies!

30. Do you prefer hot cocoa or Eggnog? -- Ooh...hot cocoa.

31. What is your favorite Christmas cookie? -- Gingerbread.

32. What do you love to eat at your Christmas dinner? -- Mashed potatoes.

33. What's your favorite Christmas dinner dessert? -- Pie.

34. Do you string up your Christmas Cards, Put them in a card bin, or set them up on a table? -- I don't get Christmas cards.

35. Do you (have you) ever go (gone) Christmas caroling? -- No and no.

36. Have you ever been kissed under the Mistletoe? -- No.

37. Have you ever dressed your pet up for Christmas? -- No.

38. What is your most favorite Christmas story? -- "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

39. What is your most favorite Christmas memory? -- Christmas in Disneyland, age 7.

40. If you were a "Christmas Character," who would you be? -- The Yeti from the Claymation "Rudolph"

41. Do you open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? -- In the morning.

42. Do you all take turns, or just "dive in" and scramble? -- We take turns; greed is no reason not to be civil.

43. Do you like to give or get presents? -- Both.

44. Best Christmas gift you ever received? -- A keyboard, when I was 8.

45. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? -- "Lester the Unlikely", when I was 9.

46. Were you gracious about receiving it? -- No.

47. Most Favorite gift received as a child? -- A shirt from my grandmother; Wile E. Coyote on one side, "Genius Wear" on the other.

48. Hardest person to buy for? -- My mom.

49. Easiest person to buy for? -- My sister.

50. Have you ever made a Christmas gift for someone? -- Yes.

51. Have you ever "re-gifted" a Christmas present? -- No.

52. What you hate most about shopping for Christmas gifts? -- "All the lines, lines, lines, lines!"

53. What is your favorite "scent" during the holidays? -- Peppermint.

54. Do you go to your company's Holiday Party? -- I did this year.

55. Most wonderful thing about this time of the year? -- The cold.

56. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? -- The frenzy.

57. Do you do something for a complete stranger at this time of year? -- Not in general, no.

58. Do you do something special for yourself at this time of year? -- Never.

59. What do you want for Christmas this year? -- To be happy.

60. If you had one wish to give to anyone this Christmas, what would it be? -- I wish I didn't feel so alone.

Taken from  infydrachen

1. Where did you begin 2008? -- In my bed, naked and alone, while it snowed outside.

2. What was your status by Valentines Day? -- Single and disenchanted.

3. Were you in school anytime this year? -- Yes.

4. Did you have to go to the hospital? -- No.

5. Did you have any encounters with the police? -- No.

6. Where did you go on vacation? -- What vacation?

7. What did you purchase that was over $100? -- A suit for a job interview with the State. I didn't get the job. -_-

8. Did you know anybody who got married? -- A friend of mine from high school.

9. Did you know anybody who passed away? -- Not personally, no.

10. Did you move anywhere? -- Yes.

11. What sporting events did you attend? -- None.

12. What concerts/shows did you go to? -- None.

13. Describe your birthday. -- Just another day on the calendar.

14. What is the ONE thing you thought you would not do, but did, in 2008? -- I haven't done anything I haven't thought I wouldn't do. How boring.

15. What have been your favourite moments? -- Anytime I've managed to laugh.

16. Any new additions to your family? -- No.

17. What was your best month? -- May; I got a new job.

18. Who has been your best drinking buddy? -- Don't have any.

19. Made new friends? -- Depends on how you define friend.

20. Favorite Night out? -- Haven't had any.

21. Other than home, where did you spend most of your time? -- Work or school.

22. Have you lost any friends this year? -- See question 19.

23. Change your hairstyle? -- I'm using more gel now.

24. Have any car accidents? -- I don't drive.

25. How old did you turn this year? -- Twenty-four.

26. Do you have a New Years resolution? -- To develop more willpower, but I don't know that I can.

27. Do anything embarrassing? -- Not a day goes by that I don't.

28. Buy anything from eBay?
Yes.

29. Get married or divorced? -- No.

30. Get hit on? -- Not that I've noticed.

31. Been snowboarding? -- Never.

32. Did you get sick this year? -- Once; 48-hour bug in the summer.

33. Are you happy to see 2008 go? -- Yes.

34. Been naughty or nice? -- The line is blurry for me.

35. What are you looking forward to most in 2009? -- Possibly, maybe, attending AnthroCon if I can find anyone willing to split the cost of the room with me.

Saw this going around, but thought it looked a little bare, so I expanded it. Also, only used music in my collection.

For each of the kinks in the list, come up with a song that you connect with it, either through the lyrics or title, literally or through innuendo.

1. Ageplay -- Carole Pope, "High School Confidential"
2. Blood -- Thomas Newman, "Bloodless Freak"
3. Bondage -- Emma Bunton, "Free Me (Dr. Octavio Seduction Remix)"
4. C&BT -- The Beatles, "Twist and Shout"
5. Castration -- Sheila Chandra, "Sacred Stones"
6. Crossdressing -- Sting, "Tomorrow We'll See"
7. Dominance -- Björk, "It's Not Up To You"
8. Exhibitionism -- Sarina Davis, "Look At Us Now"
9. Fat Bottom Girls -- Sisqo, "The Thong Song"
10. Feet/Footwear -- Black Sabbath, "Fairies Wear Boots"
11. Fisting -- Gina G, "(Just) A Little Bit More"
12. Growth -- Jean Knight, "Mr. Big Stuff"
13. Hairy -- R.E.M., "Furry Happy Monsters"
14. Herms -- Bee Gees, "More Than A Woman"
15. Hyper Parts -- Björk, "Hyper-Ballad"
16. Hypnosis -- Chumbawamba, "Amnesia"
17. Incest -- Black Sabbath, "Sins of the Father"
18. Inflation -- Another Soundscape, "Livin' Large!" [Cheetahmen II]
19. Lactation -- Kelis, "Milkshake"
20. Leather/Latex -- Jon Spencer And The Elegant Too, "Here Come The Fuzz"
21. Masochism -- Shamen, "Do What You Will"
22. Mind Control -- Kula Shaker, "108 Battles (Of The Mind)"
23. Musk/Body Odor -- Basement Jaxx, "Make Me Sweat"
24. Predator -- The Mamas & The Papas, "I Saw Her Again"
25. Prey -- The Beatles, "Help!"
26. Sadist -- Björk, "Violently Happy"
27. Scat -- Scatman John, "Scatman"
28. Sensory Deprivation -- The Who, "Who Are You"
29. Shapeshifting -- Black Sabbath, "Turn To Stone"
30. Snuff -- KMFDM, "Killing"
31. Tentacles -- Metallica, "Slither"
32. Unbirthing -- Gravity Kills, "Inside"
33. Vore -- Duran Duran, "Hungry Like the Wolf"
34. Voyeurism -- Rockwell, "Somebody's Watching Me"
35. Watersports -- JigginJonT, "The Flood Plain" [F-Zero]

blah blah blah banner blah blah blah whiny bitches blah blah blah

There, that's out of the way.

Thanksgiving was kept pretty simple this year, as we didn't go to California to be with the rest of our lunatic family, bless them. Mom did the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy and a sweet stuffing; I made a savory stuffing and a cranberry cake made with sour cream. It's better than it sounds, believe me.

To top the cake, rather than a creamy frosting, I made a reduction of pomegranate schnapps and black raspberry liqueur with some lemon juice and a touch of added sugar. A cup and a half of booze reduced to a potent half-cup of syrup, and damn is it good. The cranberries were supposed to be fresh but, unable to find any, I rehydrated some with peach schnapps and water; the unabsorbed liquid was added to the syrup to thin it out just a touch.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. Tomorrow or Saturday, I'm making turkey empanadas.

So, here's how it works:
1. Open your music library.
2. Put it on shuffle.
3. Press play.
4. For every question, type the song that's playing.
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button.
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool.

Songs:

Opening Credits: Gina G -- Just A Little Bit More [Motiv8 Radio Edit] (This is an auspicious start. -_-)

Waking Up: Asia -- Heat of the Moment (Not the music I would prefer to wake up to, but it'll do.)

First Day At School: Moody Blues -- The Actor (If they'd done a song called "The Nerd", this would fit.)

Falling In Love: Máire Brennan -- Harpsong (Nice...)

Fight Song: Ryu7x -- Journey To The Finish [Hang-On] (Sweet!)

Breaking Up: Mavericks -- Blue Moon ('Nuff said.)

Prom: Cassius -- The Sound Of Violence (I think that was my prom's theme.)

Life's OK: Die Sterne -- Ganz Normaler Tag (In English -- "Completely Normal Day", but it's a somewhat depressing song.)

Mental Breakdown: Björk -- Crying (I think I had a breakdown once, only it was to "If You Never Say Goodbye" by P.M. Dawn.)

Driving: Black Sabbath -- Fairies Wear Boots (I don't know what to say about this.)

Flashback: Jared Emerson-Johnson -- Moonscape (Sam & Max Soundtrack) ("Prismatology Retreat" would have worked better here, but this works.)

Getting Back Together: DiGi Charat -- Cutie (I, too, am ashamed.)

Wedding: Coco Briabal -- Les Yeux Noirs (Gypsies will perform at my wedding after all!)

Birth of Child: Jivemaster -- Snow [Sonic 3D] (...though I have no desire to procreate.)

Final Battle: Barry Harris & Chris Cox -- Fuck Me Harder (Thunderpuss Club Mix) (Yeah, it'll probably end that way...)

Death Scene: Sanjay Mishra -- For Julia (Thank you, Putumayo, for supplying the music that will cover my death.)

Funeral Song: Barrington Pheloung -- Theme from "Inspector Morse" (Yes, heavy on the violins.)

End Credits: BT -- Somnambulist (Not bad.)

When I first joined the fandom nearly a decade ago (gawd, I feel old), I have to admit that I was attracted first and foremost by the fact that I'd never really thought about it before. It was new, but not; Disney and advertising and cartoons have eased us all into it, but that it could extend beyond mere commercialism into a way of connecting with others who could be halfway around the world, but still share a common interest with you was captivating.

FurNation, at the time, was a big draw -- at the time, I didn't know about VCL, Yiffstar, or any other furry-type art sites. I myself haven't put much work into developing my drawing skills, but I'm handy with carving pumpkins. I digress. My medium was the written word, and the art I received was an indication to me that it wasn't all that bad. My work, originally, fell into a weird genre that blended sci-fi, magic, and romance, and admittedly, there was sex in it. To my recollection, nobody threw a shit fit about my having written a scene in which guys were fucking. Flash forward a few years, and I'm writing again; the original story has died, but the urge to write has not.

Two stories, as I've said, are in the works. One follows the form of the above, sort of, but set in the past rather than the future, with the sci-fi taken out. Wizard of Earthsea as brought to you by Winston Leyland, but restrained. The other is a detective story, and there is suggestive dialogue and prose along the way. There is a vast difference between the written word and the picture, I understand, but both can evoke feelings of arousal and there's no shame in creating either. The only shame comes from being told that how you feel is wrong.

True, who you watch and what you like influence what you see here. I myself have watched many because what they put out gets my juices flowing -- no point in denying it -- but style can triumph over substance. Maybe it's the latent Victorian in me coming out, but anyone can draw a big spurting cock that outweighs a full-grown elephant or two, and sure, some guys will jiggle their joysticks at some improbable fantasy revolving around it; it takes skill to draw a tasteful nude or even a fully clothed someone and achieve the same effect.

This is where the line between porn and erotica can become blurred for some people. The difference is mainly intent. Pornography is explicit in its intent to stimulate someone sexually; erotica is more subtle, relying on mystery, intrigue, and the vagaries of one's own imagination to fill in the blanks of what's really being shown. The term "erotica" is more aptly applied to literature or a Madonna album, but here's an example: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/1578803/

Compared to some other pictures in the Brian/Brain series by : mrk-9:, this could be classified as erotica rather than porn. Is he getting dressed or is he getting undressed? The look in his eyes: hesitance, expectation, or regret? Is he thinking "Do you really want this?" or "You really want this." Porn is far more obvious and that's why it has such appeal. No thought needs to be applied to enjoy it, leaving ample room for the fantasies and the frantic rubbing to climax.

There is, however, enough room on the internet for both to have their place. Can't we have some peace on this issue?

Ride-Along with the Freelance Police: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEGmlWqQX58

It's become increasingly obvious that the attempts at getting my stuff read here are futile. People are here to look at art and brief stories, if they're in a mood for reading at all. My story is hardly of interest to the average guy who comes for his art fix before heading off to fchan for his porn fix.

To anyone who is interested in helping me out, answer me this.

I have two stories, one fantasy (posted on FurNation before it went tits up) and the other my detective story (which has since undergone more revisions). I can revise and revise and revise, but I won't know if it's clicking with anyone unless I show it.

So, if you're reading this, tell me which of my stories you'd like to critique (one, the other, or both) and what format you'd like to receive them in (PDF, HTML, .doc, .txt, or OpenOffice).

These will be sent through e-mail, so if it's not posted on your page, just PM me with the info.

Adapted from  sn.

_________________________________________________________________________

1. Name a movie that you have seen more than 10 times -- Ooh..."Secret of NIMH" during sophomore year of high school.

2. Name a movie that you've seen multiple times in the theater -- "Hot Fuzz", three times. Once on my own, once with my aunt, once with my cousin.

3. Name an actor and actress who would make you more inclined to see a movie (not necessarily in the same one) -- Stephen Fry and Gillian Anderson. She is the ONLY reason I watched "House of Mirth".

4. Name an actor and actress who would make you less inclined to see a movie (not necessarily in the same one) -- Will Ferrell and Angelina Jolie.

5. Name a movie that you can and do quote from -- I haven't quoted movies in a long time, but I was once very fond of quoting from the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" movie where they riffed on "This Island Earth".

6. Name a movie musical that you know all of the lyrics to all of the songs -- You know, I'm going against type here, but I've never really been a fan of musicals. Oh, wait! "Cannibal: The Musical". I don't yet know all the words to the "Sweeney Todd" songs.

7. Name a movie that you have been known to sing along with -- Disney's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame". The Latin pulled me in.

8. Name a movie that you would recommend everyone see -- Like you all couldn't guess this: "Ratatouille".

9. Name a movie that you own -- "Kung Fu Hustle".

10. Name an actor that launched his/her entertainment career in another medium but who has surprised you with his/her acting chops (or lack thereof) -- Jennifer Lopez. I never thought she could be as bad as she is.

11. Have you ever seen a movie in a drive-in? If so, what? -- Plenty; there was a drive-in in my hometown. The last movies I saw there were "Austin Powers" and "The Fifth Element".

12. Ever made out during a movie? -- No.

13. Name a movie that you keep meaning to see but just haven't yet gotten around to it -- None spring to mind.

14. Ever walked out of a movie? -- No. The closest I came was during "Gothika", as I was the only one watching it that showing. I was compelled to stay and riff on it, since nobody else would be bothered.

15. Name a movie that made you cry in the theater -- I can't remember the last time a movie brought me to tears in the theater.

16. Popcorn? -- Only if desperate.

17. How often do you go to the movies (as opposed to renting them or watching them at home)? -- Not often. So much of what comes out now looks like absolute dreck.

18. What's the last movie you saw in the theater? -- "Sweeney Todd".

19. What's your favorite/preferred genre of movie? -- It doesn't matter to me as long as the movie is done well.

20. What's the first movie you remember seeing in the theater? -- The double feature of "The Prince and the Pauper" and "Rescuers Down Under"

21. What movie do you wish you had never seen? -- "Lawrence of Arabia".

22. What is the weirdest movie you enjoyed? -- "Brazil".

23. What is the scariest movie you've seen? -- A home movie from when I was eight or nine.

24. What is the funniest movie you've seen? -- "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy".

OK, the story is back up, and here's hoping it gets more hits. As an added incentive, anyone who can correctly guess why the detective has the name he does will be given a bit part in the story somewhere along the line.

Macros will be scaled down.

All right! I've finally posted something! And about damn time, too, eh?

I haven't shown this stuff to many people yet, and the one person I did never got back to me with a critique, so it's been reviewed, refined, and rewritten to a point where I feel comfortable showing it to all of you.

The first three chapters are up now, and chapter 4 is about halfway done. I also have a full chapter and a half of the end, so I know where it's going. It's just a matter of figuring out how many go in between.

Read. Enjoy. Criticize. Just give me some feedback. [EMAIL]russarulo@yahoo.com[/EMAIL]