Prompt
If you had to choose between the most loved person in your family or your best friend, who would you choose? Why?
Choosing 'family' or 'friend' is a very complicated question for me, because the answer depends upon the definition of friend and the definition of family. To me, my closest friends are as much 'family' as my blood relatives, if not more so.
So, I'll delve into the definition of family. Family by a dictionary definition means a blood relative. Nowadays though, with 'families' often torn and broken by physical abuse, sexual abuse, mental and emotional abuse, drug abuse, alcoholism, etc.. etc.. etc.. ; there's often no real loving bond between blood relatives other than perhaps a vague sense of responsibility on the part of some and a vague sense of gratitude or debt on the part of others.
I envy those with blood relatives they can point to and say, "That's my family and I love them and I'm proud of them." It's definitely something that I never have felt. I have a few blood relatives I genuinely have affection for, but the rest are mostly people who, if it weren't for the annoying blood-ties, I'd rather have nothing to do with them.
Why: My father was a drug addict and a thief. My step-father was quick to yell and quick to pull out the belt or the whip. My mother, though she tried, was the one who brought these people into my life and kept them there, and I was the one who had to convince her that they needed to go. My uncles ranged from ***** to physically abusive to sexually abusive of their wives, and my aunts mostly kept choosing more of the same. (Add in any other sort of abuse you care to think of, chances are at least one of my uncles... or ex-uncles... qualifies.)
My own personal definition of family deviates somewhat from the dictionary definition. To me, family is the people who know you... the real you and not just the you that you present to the world. They know the good, the bad, they've seen you at your best and at your worst and through it all they offer encouragement, support, and occasionally a helping hand.
Family accepts you, because you are family, because you are you, and doesn't turn their back on you unless you first turn your back on them. They don't always approve of everything you do, nor vice-versa, but they'll continue to be there for you as much as they can.
Family is who you love, and loves you back, and you know that those ties won't be broken regardless of where life might take either of you. The bond is basic, simple, and strong enough to endure. You argue, but you know that the arguing doesn't end anything, it's just a temporary disagreement.
MY family... is made up in equal parts of those I have blood-ties to and those I don't. I would unreservedly choose any of them over anyone only considered a friend OR anyone to whom I had mere blood-ties.
So who would I choose? Choosing between most-loved family and best friend is no choice. My best friend IS family.
Clothing Challenge Update
Oye. xD; I'm so sorry this took me so long to get out! So we'll have 3 things in this update!
#1 A list of all the pirate avatars! <3 There's some really cool ones!
#2 Someone challenged Kava to do an all-red outfit. xD; That'll be here too!
#3 The next challenge. This may be the last 'easy' one. They may get more difficult after this!
First.... Pirates. x3
13 of Spades Just your basic plank mending pirate?
Ambeekat Space Pirate!
Breyer Space Pirate!
Seiji Solitaire Obviously.... this pirate is captain! =O
Trisk Daemon O_O Wow.
Volvo Kitten SO cute!! Yet still piratey! There's something evil about a pirate that cute... 4laugh
Kava - 1 Uh.. xD; Well, tis' a pirate anyways?
Kava - 2 And another!
Kava - 3 Pumpkin Pirate?! @_@;
The pirate outfits are so cool! xD; And I think pretty much everyone else came up with better pirate outfits than me!
I gave myself the greater challenge though. I made myself make pirate outfits with 1 or 0 pirate items, and NO pirate patch! xD;;
I'm giving out two letters this time... Partly because it's been a couple of weeks since I updated and partly because I just want to? xD; One goes to Trisk, who managed to create a truly awesome pirate outfit without using a single stitch of actual pirate clothing. The second I had a hard time deciding between Volvo and Seiji... but I finally decided to send it to Seiji. I have other plans for Volvo. xD;;; *cackles* I'll be sending out various prizes today as I have time!
Second! The RED outfit... x3
RED! Hopefully a bit of white is okay. xD; I couldn't manage an entirely red outfit with no white.. @@;;;
Third! The NEXT Challenge! x3
This week's challenge is mages! I'd like to see some originality here though! No full outfits of wizard gear please. xD;
A tip for those who'd like to try: Pick a theme and run with it. Your theme can be anything from trying to look like a certain mage you know of from anime/video games/etc.. to simply a particular color or style. The idea is to come up with a cool looking outfit that looks 'magey' AND fits your theme! And most of all, HAVE FUN! Be sure to tell me what your theme was when you show me your mage outfit, or I'll end up guessing! xD;
#1 A list of all the pirate avatars! <3 There's some really cool ones!
#2 Someone challenged Kava to do an all-red outfit. xD; That'll be here too!
#3 The next challenge. This may be the last 'easy' one. They may get more difficult after this!
First.... Pirates. x3
13 of Spades Just your basic plank mending pirate?
Ambeekat Space Pirate!
Breyer Space Pirate!
Seiji Solitaire Obviously.... this pirate is captain! =O
Trisk Daemon O_O Wow.
Volvo Kitten SO cute!! Yet still piratey! There's something evil about a pirate that cute... 4laugh
Kava - 1 Uh.. xD; Well, tis' a pirate anyways?
Kava - 2 And another!
Kava - 3 Pumpkin Pirate?! @_@;
The pirate outfits are so cool! xD; And I think pretty much everyone else came up with better pirate outfits than me!
I gave myself the greater challenge though. I made myself make pirate outfits with 1 or 0 pirate items, and NO pirate patch! xD;;I'm giving out two letters this time... Partly because it's been a couple of weeks since I updated and partly because I just want to? xD; One goes to Trisk, who managed to create a truly awesome pirate outfit without using a single stitch of actual pirate clothing. The second I had a hard time deciding between Volvo and Seiji... but I finally decided to send it to Seiji. I have other plans for Volvo. xD;;; *cackles* I'll be sending out various prizes today as I have time!
Second! The RED outfit... x3
RED! Hopefully a bit of white is okay. xD; I couldn't manage an entirely red outfit with no white.. @@;;;
Third! The NEXT Challenge! x3
This week's challenge is mages! I'd like to see some originality here though! No full outfits of wizard gear please. xD;
A tip for those who'd like to try: Pick a theme and run with it. Your theme can be anything from trying to look like a certain mage you know of from anime/video games/etc.. to simply a particular color or style. The idea is to come up with a cool looking outfit that looks 'magey' AND fits your theme! And most of all, HAVE FUN! Be sure to tell me what your theme was when you show me your mage outfit, or I'll end up guessing! xD;
Community Member
Of all the elements, Fire is the most dangerous, but paradoxically, the most necessary. Fire is that vital tool which separates humanity and dragons from beasts, and those who wield it are simultaneously the most hated and the most respected.
Like dragons, Pyromancers are known to have all the patience of a well-banked fire, but can flare up unexpectedly in cold burns of rage. They are the survivors, the few of their breed who did not succumb to the rash impulses of youth, who learned control against all odds, and whose powers are honed regularly. Most adult Pyromancers are rarely seen without some part of them set aflame, a form of mental exercise to them, but a frightening display to those unfamiliar with their kind.