Caveman

Steph, based on what I read, you definately have a lot of poetic potential. Your utilization of imagery is fantastic, and you have a keen ability to construct some very elaborate metaphors. Keep with it!On a side note, you stated that you were a high school junior...any thoughts as to where you would like to go to school? I don't know if creative writing is your foremost passion or it is just something you like to do in your free time, but I think you ought to pursue it, either as a major or a minor. I was planning on doing a minor in it myself (I'm a high school senior, just a step ahead of you!) along with my prospective major in architecture...we'll see how that turns out, haha.

While San Andreas is certainly a great game...I don't think it beats Vice City. Vice City was really something else...it was like nothing I had ever played before. Granted, San Andreas is not much different, I feel like the storyline for Vice City was much more intriguing, the gameplay much more engaging. Maybe it's because I'm not exactly into the whole gangsta scene, but either way, I really do think Vice City dominates it on all levels. Looking forward to the next installation in the GTA series, nonetheless...

Abstinence education is pointless...teaching kids NOT to have sex only makes them more curious about it, and thus more liable to experiment with it later on. Face it, STDs are not an overwhelming obstacle in our adolescents' sexual prowess. Pregnancy is not a strong incentive for many young couples. Of course, when these things DO hit our youth, they are simply devastating, but until it actually happens, the prospect of its presence is simply NOT intimidating enough. A better approach to the situation would be to teach kids how to have SAFE sex, since not many will listen if you simply tell them NOT to. Contraception (or a lack thereof) can impact your future. So instead of listing all the reasons why pre-marital sex is a huge no-no, we might as well put our time and effort towards something more productive i.e. teaching a kid how to put a condom on properly or discussing the pros and cons of using "the pill." Abstinence education is a lost cause, it's about time people start realizing it...

Your pity can hardly match the magnitude of my envy...haha. Maybe I would start watching more TV if commercials were eradicated from popular culture. Of course, the economy would subsequently collapse, but what gives? DISTURBANCE-FREE VIEWING EXPERIENCE! WOO! I'd be able to watch my Viva La Bam in peace, a show that is, if I must say it, a crazy freakin' show. I highly advise everyone to watch at least one episode, even you MTV-haters! Rock on!

Crest Whitening Expressions is some excellent stuff. You can pick from a variety of flavors, including Cinnamon Rush, Vanilla Mint, Herbal Mint, and Citrus Breeze. My personal favorite is easily Cinnamon Rush . Haha, I highly recommend the Expressions collection, it will undoubtedly add an abundance of flavor to your day!Man, looking back on that, I sorta feel like a marketer of sorts for Crest. Heh, please disregard...or...no, pick up a tube of Cinnamon Rush. Really. It will change your life.

Hey, if you can keep yourself running from dusk to dawn, you'll be in good shape . Honestly, I don't pay any attention to what I take in, even though it would be a pretty good idea to start. Especially with the recent coming of Christmas...hehe...Chocolate and candy canes galore! I know that one day I will pay, but in the meantime, I think I'd just like to enjoy my junk food for what it is! WHERE'S MY KRISPY KREME?!

I'm too lazy to put up a picture, but I can give you guys the overall idea. Just think of this: Windows XP, default Autumn background, and a dozen or so folders organized in the neatest possible way (I like to keep things tidy!). Resolution is at a brisk 800 x 600 with a mere 4-icon toolbar. Default start button, clock that currently reads 10:16 PM, and a partridge in a pear tree. DONE! BOOYAH!Oops, I forgot to mention my two open applications: Two Internet Explorers that read ESPN.com and Free Web Hosting - >

Of course, their only intentions are to tick off the painstricken consumer, right? I don't watch too much TV, but I see where you're coming from. Super Bowl Sunday no longer has that commercial flair, that unusual tendency to draw several million Americans to the TV set for the sole sake of feasting on advertisements. And that's just one day of 365! Commercials are the devil, and sometimes I even feel that I get more advertisements than I do actual programming! *sigh* TiVo is so tempting...heh

It's okay, it happens . Haha, anyway, to answer your question, I use to use Gamefaqs a lot with my old Nintendo 64...that site was my partner in crime when trying to snag all 120 stars in Super Mario or spending countless hours hunting down Golden Skulltulas in Zelda. A lot of the stuff on their is amazingly comprehensive--a lot of posters put a lot of time and effort into their work. Nowadays, my video game days are dwindling, and I see a lot less of the site. But no doubt, it is still one of the best.

While I agree that proposition #3 is unnecessary, there is no question that drugs are becoming more and more prominent in our society. And not just the stereotypical stuff--all you have to do is take a look at the situation with MLB and the controversy surrounding their policy on performance-enhancing substances. Those drugs are just as illegal. And the sad fact of the matter is...Kids are easily influenced by it. Yeah, random testing/searching sucks. But to ignore the situation completely can only worsen it. A line has to be drawn somewhere.

George Orwell's 1984 was HUGE for me. Winston's story is an incredible one, and only the genius of Orwell could put something so mindblowing together in a single comprehensive novel. The biggest thing that book taught me was that you should never be afraid to question. We live in a scary world, there's not doubt about it, and the only way to make sense of it is to be inquisitive, and not swallow up what's thrown out at you. I read Animal Farm in 6th grade. Unfortunately, I was FAR too young to grasp any of the underlying concepts. Maybe I should pick it up again...hehe

My musical taste has evolved without bounds over the years. It wasn't much more than 5 years ago that I couldn't stand anything besides rap (yuck!). Now, the complete opposite is true. I love all kinds of music (although classic rock is my daddy) for what it sounds like and nothing more. I am discovering many obscure bands I had no idea existed, as well as maintaining a positive outlook on mainstream stuff.Music is life. The rest is just details.

In no particular order...PlatoonArtificial Intelligence Young FrankensteinA Christmas StoryRockyThis list will probably change in 10-15 minutes...haha. I did my best though!

It is impossible to pinpoint a single "best university." It is all relative to what you are looking for in the school, where it is located, what it offers, etc. Try looking for the university that is most SUITABLE for you, not how GOOD it is. After all, how exactly is "good" measured? By selectivity? By reputation? That kind of stuff does not characterize the QUALITY of your education. You get out of school what you put into it--it really doesn't matter where you go.

The Ocarina of Time isn't just a game...it's an experience. I remember Christmas Day 1998 when I cracked open the limited edition gold package, popped the cartridge into the trusty 64, and found myself dodging boulders in Kokiri Forest so I could snag that nifty sword. I always loved Zora's Domain, and found myself strangely depressed to find it frozen over as an adult Seriously, Zelda is a monster. There is nothing that will ever be able to accomplish what that game did. EVER!

Man, for Super Mario on the regular Nintendo 64, I had all 120 stars back in the day...Good times, good times...Chillin' with Yoshi on top of the Princess's castle...Oh yes, oh yes...Please excuse me while I go relive my childhood. *sigh* The nostalgia! Agh!I have yet to pick up Gamecube or the new Nintendo system. Unfortunately, I believe Nintendo died with the completion of the definitive masterpiece of its existence--The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. Nothing could or would ever compare to that game...not even Majora's Mask! I think I'm just gonna stick to my good ol' 64 and let everyone else get hyped up with the new stuff...hehe

Santa Claus brought me my digital camera, and that's all I really wanted . Aside from that, I got a center console for my Jeep Wrangler, a few DVDs (including Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival, which is EXCELLENT!), typical clothing and candy and the whatnot, and a whole lotta money/gift cards from my relatives. All in all, a very nice Christmas. Too bad it snowed here a day late...the White Christmas would have been ideal! Oh well, there's always next year...

Cross Country Running is my favorite...depending on the course, the scenery can be beautiful, the weather can be ideal, and the feeling you get during those mid-November 8-mile runs is unlike anything else (perhaps only rivaled by 2nd-grade recreational soccer!). I also love volleyball, haha. What an excellent sport! Swimming is very good for keeping you in shape, but is not particularly enjoyable when done competitively, at least in my opinion. Baseball was once my love and joy, but I have since grown out of it...It's still fun to watch those Yankees-Red Sox rivalries though, I guess

The 11,000 figure has doubled--there are now 22,000+ dead and they are still finding more and more...It's a tragedy of apocalyptic proportions. The most unfortunate part is that this huge number of deaths could have been gradually reduced. Evidently, several of the countries that suffered were uninformed of the brewing monster in the Indian Ocean, and thus, no precautionary actions could have been taken. In 1883, the eruption of the volcano Krakatoa in a nearby area unleashed a tsunami that left 36,000 dead. I sincerely hope that the current situation does not reach that plateau, but the toll is growing without bounds. Keep your thoughts and prayers with those who reside in the area, as the road to recovery is going to be a very difficult one.One final note: The event marked the one-year anniversary of the deadly earthquake in Iran, which left 31,000 dead. Just a testament to the unimaginable powers of Mother Nature. She shows no mercy.

A 1995 Jeep Wrangler, baby!What an awesome car, haha. When I got it, it only had 50K miles on it, not too shabby! It runs great, we got a sick sound system installed, you can kick down the top in the summer when you go cruisin'...The only problem is that the heat doesn't work! And in the dead of winter, there's no room to compromise on those terms...hehe, oh well. I'll live.

Hmmm...well...yes, I do hate a single person. This kid seriously thinks he's the king of the world. He's the valedictorian of our class, he's going to Harvard to study law, and somehow, he thinks it's okay to try and steal my girlfriend! He's made a number of unusually ballsy gestures towards her, i.e. giving her cards and flowers and even going as far as kissing her on the hand! I really don't know how to cope with this fiend, because the situation is only getting worse. I guess a well-placed fist in the face could straighten things out pretty quick, but I'm not that kind of person Oh well, life goes on...

Sad:1. Alice in Chains - Nutshell2. Ben Folds Five - Brick3. A Perfect Circle - The NooseEmotional:1. Guns N' Roses - November Rain2. Billy Joel - Miami 2017 (the live version on the Concert for NYC is particularly so)3. U2 - Where the Streets Have No NameA song that isn't of rock n' roll descent, but is hauntingly depressing, is Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. Those who have seen the movie Platoon will recognize it. Very dark piece of music.

Yikes, don't even get me started with this movie...The Ring? God almighty. Normally, I'm not particularly frightened by any movies, but this one really got to me, for two main reasons...1) The videotape. I don't know about you guys, but that footage is some of the most disturbing junk I have ever seen in my entire life. I seriously wanted to put my head through a window after seeing it.2) The infamous crawl-out-of-the-TV scene. I lost a week's worth of sleep because of this. Terrifying stuff.I'd like to mention that it's past midnight here in New Jersey, and now that I'm thinking about this lovely movie, I'll have a wonderful night's sleep.Thanks guys!

*sigh* It's great to know we've got some guitar players on this board! Haha, anyway...it's VERY hard to narrow my scopes down to a few guitarists, but here it goes!1. John Petrucci - This guy is a monster. If you've never heard of his band, Dream Theater, I suggest you check them out. Fantastic stuff across the board!2. Joe Satriani - If I've ever heard a guitar speak, it's come at the hands of this man. Amazingly fluid with an overall rockin' sound!3. Steve Vai - The epitome of a rock star. This guy is seriously wild, amazingly innovative!4. Eric Johnson - This guy plays a very interesting style of music. I'm inclined to call it jazz fusion. An excellent player, very much a perfectionist. Has singing abilities, too. His voice is almost angelic.5. Gary Hoey - This guy does everything, from Christmas music to surf rock. Very capable, very talented.Other noteworthies: Randy Rhoads, Eric Clapton, Jonny Lang, John Mayer, Zakk Wylde, Jimi Hendrix, Dimebag Darrell (R.I.P.), Jerry Cantrell, Ty Tabor, Al Di Meola, Billy Gibbons, Jimmy Page, Kirk Hammett, Slash, David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Michael Romeo, Robert Cray, Eddie Van Halen...I think that's enough for now . Check 'em all out!

My tendency is to go on CD-purchasing binges...I'll get 3, 4, 5...10, 11, 12 CDs within a very short period of time (say, a week or so) and then I'll encounter somewhat of a drought. They don't take too big of a hit on my budget, but then again, my CD collection isn't enormously comprehensive...We'll see if it catches up to me one day. CD prices appear to have frozen at the moment (the RIAA can stop screwing us!), so it doesn't look like it'll happen anytime soon. Then again, there is adulthood