18 posts tagged “voxers”
To make up for my absence during the December holidays, I decided that I wanted to make up for my lack of cards and gift-giving by sending out something for the next holiday: Heart Day!
I have to be honest. I'm not really one to celebrate something like Valentine's Day. Even Shawn and I don't go out of our way to get each other extravagent gifts. My feeling on the subject is that if you care about someone, you'll show him/her that type of love all year 'round. With that said, I have to be a hypocrite and change my beliefs around this year.
I feel like I missed out on a lot of the holiday fun. Everything seemed a bit dull this year because of all the work I was wrapped up in-- no fun! To spice up my life and the Vox atmosphere a bit, I'd like to offer a little Valentine to anyone that reads this post. ^__^ I've even stocked up on a ton of kawaii cards for my friends this year, which is something I haven't done in many years.
This invitation is open to everyone, whether you're in my Vox neighborhood or you aren't, whether we know each other or not. I think that Heart Day is a great time to get to know both old and new friends.
If you're interested in having a pretty Valentine sent to you within the next few weeks, you need to do two things:
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Leave me a comment in this post and let me know you're interested. (Depending on emails alone in the past has proven to be troublesome, so an extra note in a comment always helps!)
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Send me an email (milkeyes@gmail.com) and provide the following:
Your Vox Name:
Your Real Name (first and last):
Your Address:
Once I have this information, I can go ahead and send you a fun Valentine. (I'm still trying to think of a little gift I could send along with each letter. Hopefully, I can think something up before Heart Day gets here.)
If you're not interested in having a letter sent to you, it's no problem. ^^ Just know that I wish you a happy Heart Day 2008. Try to remember that Heart Day isn't about being in a relationship or being part of a couple; it's about loving yourself and those around you. Heart Day is about brilliant independence just as much as it's about sharing your time with a loved one. That's what I've learned throughout the years.
Anyway, I hope to hear from some of you Voxers. I'd love to spread a lot of love around this time of the year-- as much as possible! ^0^
Over 143 posts have been made, 488 photos have been uploaded, and 360 neighbors have been added to Kawaii in the past year. And in all the chaos of blogging, a lot of love has formed! Today (August 3rd) marks the one year anniversary of my Kawaii blog here at Vox, and to help celebrate the occasion, I've planned another fun event that any Voxer can join. ^___^ The event will take place from August 3rd to August 10th, so while the contest is running, I will not be making any new posts to my blog. In order to be eligible for this event, please read all of the rules provided below.
How to Enter
This is a raffle that I have put my whole heart into, so keep in mind that there is no cost or penalty to enter this event whatsoever. The only real "rules" for this event are that 1) you must be a Vox member, and 2) you must follow the steps below:
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Read the entire post over so you know exactly what's going on. ^^
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If you decide to participate, leave a comment in this post with your email address, and tell me that you're joining. (You can scramble your address if you want, since I know people worry about receiving spam mail.)
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Copy and paste this form and fill out the following information in an email to milkeyes@gmail.com
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Name (first and last):
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Vox URL:
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Are you in Kawaii's neighborhood?
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A raffle number (or numbers) will be sent to you, so keep track of what number(s) you have.
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Tell your friends about the raffle! (As more people enter the raffle, more prizes will be added to the first place winner's package.
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Watch for the results on August 10th.
I'll be keeping a list of those who enter with the comments that are left. (Please leave the requested comment. I want to make sure I get everyone's email and make sure none get sent into my junk box. I can keep a running tally this way.)
Every member of Vox may enter this raffle, whether he/she is in my neighborhood or not. Those of you who are in my neighborhood will have the special bonus of getting two raffle numbers entered just by following the directions. Even if you aren't interested in the prize itself, there's bound to be a relative or friend who would appreciate these gifts.
You will not be charged with any shipping. The only people who should be aware of putting money into this are those of you who are not within the United States. I am not responsible for any shipping taxes that outside countries give to those who receive packages. I will be shipping the prize out by Priority mail (if you're within the states) or EMS (if you're outside of the country). If you're not comfortable with accepting a gift that may hold you responsible for taxes, simply don't enter. ^_^
*Keep in mind that I will not ask for every person's personal address. I will only be asking for the winner's address and will contact him/her through email once the raffle is over. I am a respected and honorable member of the Vox community and I will in no way hand out your personal information to any other sources. I would never jeopardize my friendships with those here at Vox. Again, if you don't feel comfortable with the possibility of giving out your address, please do not enter. If you want some kawaii fun though, please read on!
What the Winners Will Receive
Unlike my past Kawaii at Vox events, this event has multiple winners. So, not only do you have a chance at winning free kawaii prizes with free entry, but you have an even better chance of winning because of the high number of winners there will be!
Every single winner will automatically win a <3 Vox hemp bracelet (handmade by Shawn himself ^_^). I will be asking the five winners their wrist sizes so I can tell Shawn exactly how big to make each bracelet. (The <3 Vox bracelets shown in the photos were made specifically for examples.)
The first place winner will not only receive every prize listed in the list below, but he/she also has the opportunity to get several other special prizes as more raffle participants submit entries into the event. For example, once I note that 75 people have entered, the first place winner will receive a very rare prize: a Tokidoki fan signed by the artist himself, Simone Legno. That's why it's important that you enter, but it's also key that you tell your friends about Kawaii's very first Vox anniversary-- the more, the merrier! ^^
Here's everything each winner will receive:
First Place:
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Blythe Petite Doll: Spring Chocolat
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Froggy photo album
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Short Cake + Cookie stationary set
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Happy!! Candy stationary book
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Mimippi bunny "checkbook" (notepad)
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Boo Boo Brothers piggy notepad
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Kawaii Boy sticker pack
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Blythe postcard
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Brown Sugar: Cute Girls tin case with goodies inside
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2 sheets of kawaii stickers
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Moo Stickers pack (NEW!)
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<3 Vox hemp bracelet
20 raffle entries made: 3 small photo prints of mine, all signed
50 raffle entries made: Unipo vinyl figure
75 raffle entries made: Signed Tokidoki fan
Second Place:
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Blythe Petite Doll: Perfect Bohemian Beat
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Hamster photo album
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Cute Animals multi-sticker pack
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Power Girls notepad
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Kawaii kitty notebook (with handles that make it look like a shopping bag!)
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Apple Town item
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<3 Vox hemp bracelet
Every winner will also receive a handwritten letter of congratulations (for winning) and thank you (for participating in) the event. ^__^
Third-Fifth Place:
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<3 Vox hemp bracelet
For a better look at all of the prizes, check out the special Kawaii Event collection I made. I will be turning off comments on the individual photo pages, so please leave all of your comments/questions in this post.
When the Raffle Ends
Once again, the raffle takes place from August 3rd to August 10th (which is one week). At midnight on August 10th, the last day to enter the raffle, I will be closing down the event. Any entries that come in after that time will not be counted.
At noon on August 11th, I will be announcing the winner of the Kawaii at Vox event in a new post at my blog. The five winners will each receive an email from me to notify him/her of her placement. They will be expected to reply within at least two days after receiving the notification email. If they choose not to respond, I will be drawing new winners. (No worries, no prize will be lost!)
Depending on how long it takes for me to wrap up all the packages and when I have the time to send everything out, the packages should be on their way to the winners within a week of the raffle's end.
Thankies to You!
I would like to thank everyone who has left me comments, written me messages, and let me have the chance to get to know them. I feel honored to know so many sweet and gifted Voxers. Seriously, you guys-- you rock!
Good luck, and have fun! *pumps fist in the air*
Update
For updates on what's going on with the Kawaii raffle, check out the comments I leave with "Updates!" at the beginning. For now, I'd just like to thank everyone that has already signed up for the event. You've helped promote the event so much that this post landed a spot on the Explore page. =D *dances*
Or are they? A very special anniversary is only days away, and I will be spending quite a bit of time preparing for a Vox event to commemorate the day. For those of you who have particpated in past Kawaii at Vox events, you know what's ahead! This event, however, is going to be a little different from the rest, so be expecting some surprises along the way. ^__~
I won't be updating Kawaii very much until the special day, but I'll be here at Vox, reading your posts and commenting like crazy. Just know that I'm still here, catching up with your lives and working on something fun for everyone in the process.
Let the countdown begin!
My first thank you is to Celena. I have known Celena now for probably about two years. As mentioned in previous entries, we met through Livejournal's Mark Ryden community and instantly clicked. From that point on, we were able to share our love for vinyl toys, Blythes and other little kawaii loves. We've encouraged each other's hobbies so much that we have both helped introduce new passions to the bunch. I don't think I would have most of my vinyl army if it weren't for Celena's crazy database of vinyl information! The material part of our friendship is only a small layer of what I've really taken away from knowing Celena though.
Inside the package from Celena was a plethora of cuteness: Sanrio washcloths with pictures of Little Twin Stars and Hello Kitty on them, My Melody stationary, a Pandapple notepad, tons of candy, stickers, the cutest pair of Hello Kitty underwear (which I love with all my heart), and more. It was an explosion of color, and I wanted to eat it all up-- even the presents that weren't candy. ^__^ On top of the package was the cutest letter, which I've posted in this entry above. I think the letter speaks for itself.
(More photos of Celena's presents can be seen in my photo library here at Vox.)
On a little side note, I thought it was funny that Celena and Brandy's packages not only arrived on the same day, but each contained the little Pandapple stationary pad. It was so meant to be.
My thank yous don't stop at Celena and Brandy though. They're part of the huge lump of greatness that has been forming over the past few weeks.
And of course, I also want to thank you for the private messages, comments, letters, messages on AIM and emails about my new job. I know that it's only a part-time job (which I forgot to mention in my entry), but it means a lot to me. Because of this position, I was able to gain perspective, yet again, for what I wanted to do with my life career-wise. I finally feel like I've accomplished something that means a lot to both me and everyone else here at Vox. So, thank you for all of your support and congrats. I love you! ^_____^
As a special thank you for helping me become confident in myself and making me so happy, I've been working on putting together a few banners for other Voxers to use. As some of you have already seen, I have posted them in several groups, including my Vox Banners group. Please feel free to use them for your own Voxes. Also, please don't hesitate to make requests. I'm always open to creating banners for friends (and people I don't know). Just give me an idea of what you're looking for and I'll try to make it happen. ^^ Listed below are some of the banners that I've made so far. More will follow over time.
It has been recently brought to my attention that entries that are not banner/design related are being submitted to the Vox Banners group. I know that Vox doesn't have a lot of control options for the moderators of groups (yet), so I would like everyone to know that I will be closely monitoring more of the posts that are being submitted. I know that most of the posts that are non-banner related are really harmless, but I'd like to make sure that Vox Banners allows Voxers to scroll through the site with easy navigation, rather than having to pick through posts that have nothing to do with what the group is about: banners.
If you're curious as to what kind of posts Vox Banners is looking for, here are some suggestions and light guidelines of what you should post in the future:
- Banners you create for other Voxers to use
- Requests for specific banners
- Tutorials for Photoshop or other illustration/photo programs
- Ideas for banners and future designers
- Important Vox or banner related news/updates
- Vox management or tutorials/help
If you have any other ideas of what should be posted to the Vox Banners group, don't hesitate to let me know! I'd love to hear your ideas. Just leave a comment in the post and I'll consider adding it to the list.
I know that Vox Banners has grown a lot over the past few months (348 members), and sometimes maintaining such a large group can get a little difficult. I have, however, already begun to remove some of the unrelated entries from the group. (This may take some time.) Please don't take the removals personally, for I just want to make the Vox Banners group's atmosphere pleasant for all users!
Many thanks from your moderator,
Lauren
I had originally made a video entry to post today, but unfortunately, there were some technical difficulties in the process of setting it up. I'm still planning on posting a video entry within the next week or so, but I think I'll have to wait until I get home so I can use my old camera. Until then, writing (er, typing) will suffice. ^__^
Hopefully, I'll be able to fall out of my little internet hiatus so I can catch up with you Voxers as soon as possible. (I felt bad for leaving you hanging.) I've been so swept up with random plans and going-ons this past week that I haven't even been online as much as I usually am. Kawaii will be back shortly.
For now, I thought I'd give you a sneak peak of what's to come: Laramie! I haven't taken many photos of her yet, but there will be a dedication post for her within the next few days (as well as a video post).
I wanted to try something new with Vox so I decided to propose a little game, or in this case, challenge. There won't be any strict rules or guidelines for this challenge. I will ask, however, that all ideas suggested should be within reason. In other words, no risqué suggestions! ^__^ This is open to all Voxers, so feel free to leave a comment with your suggestion even if you aren't in my neighborhood.
This challenge will be held from today (March 3rd) to Thursday (March 8th).I have extended the challenge deadline because of my midterm period with classes, so I'll still be accepting ideas until Wednesday, March 14th.
The Challenge
Think up an idea for a photo. It can be crazy, weird, silly, serious, pretty, funny, exotic, dangerous, and any other adjective that comes to mind. I'm making my photography skills available to you so it's up to you to decide what you would like to see in my next entry. (So basically, I'm challenging you to challenge me.) Please keep in mind that my outside sources are limited because of the colder weather conditions where I live at the moment. I will still be able to go outside, but I won't be able to frolick in green fields for a photoshoot. (Haha, sorry.) You can keep the following suggestions in mind when trying to think up a photo:
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Dolls (Blythes; Hue, my Pullip; Swiss, my BJD, etc.)
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Vinyl toys (Dunnys, Mad*Ls, Tokidoki figures, Pinky Street figures, etc.)
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Plushies
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Yukimo, my hamster
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Snow
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Food
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Me (Again, within reason please.)
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Light
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Nature/scenery
There are so many more ideas, too. Try to be as descriptive as possible in your comment while still leaving room for my own interpretation of what you're suggesting. The possibilities for this challenge are literally endless. Just tell me what your idea is!
What You Do
All you have to do is think up the idea and leave me a comment with your suggestion. There will be a limit of two ideas per person, but you can, of course, leave just one if you wish.
Any Prize?
I will be choosing three of the ideas from the bunch and will then make them a reality. I will pick the three according to what I think I'm capable of doing and the final results will also be based off of my interpretation of what your suggestions are. The three winners will be able to see the photos I take in a special entry dedicated to the results of this challenge.
There will be one ultimate winner of the three photos that are chosen. I will choose this winner from not only the creativity they put into his/her idea, but also the end result of that photo. Basically, whichever photo I feel has developed into the most creative piece of artwork will win the grand prize. The grand prize winner will then be mailed a hardcopy of that photo as a small print. (No shipping charges will be required.)
Keep in mind that I will edit the photo and may alter images as I see fit. I want to make sure each photo is perfect.
Privacy Policy
I will only ask for the address of the grand prize winner after he/she is chosen. If you win, you have the choice of accepting or rejecting the prize. If you do not feel comfortable giving your address away, don't worry about it. You're then welcome to print off the photo for yourself during your own time. ^___^
I really appreciate all the help from everyone that purchased an item (or items) from me at Kawaii's Flea Market. The market will remain open for as long as need be, so feel free to email me with orders for whatever items are still available. The Effy heart bracelets, especially the red, were very popular. They're perfect for birthday and anniversary presents! I'll mention another item for sale later on in this entry. ^____^
There are times in my life when I like to take breaks from the internet norm. I've become so dependent on journaling/blogging sites for entertainment and friendships that I tend to forget about my own reality. That's the main reason I take a small hiatus every once in a while. I think everyone needs a breather from the computer every now and then. I'm kind of in the middle of one right now, hence the fewer entries and leaving less comments in other Voxes. Once I get out of my hiatus period, I'll comment like crazy. Just you wait!
Several friends on Vox have written entries in their own Voxes about how guilty they feel for not writing enough in their online journals. I always try to tell them not to worry about being able to update very often. Here's my theory: what point is there to write in a journal (online or tangible paper) if you don't live life? The answer is that there is no point. Without experiencing daily life outside of the internet and communicating with others and touching pieces of your individual reality, there would be no real substance within entries. (Substance is a must.) It's important for people to take breaks and get out there and not spend every second online.
I once made a speech for a class (a Journalism course) about internet addictions. I talked about the games people become obsessed with and other random activities that people fall into the habit of depending on for all sources of fun and relaxation. As wonderful as they are, they can be addictions-- addictions that are, at many times, not taken seriously by others, yet harmful to those that experience them. For example, there is the case of the father who locked his little girl in a closet for days because he was too busy playing World of Warcraft to tend to her needs as a child (eating in particular). She died in the closet. There was also the case of the teenage boy who took his relationship with a gaming character on a role playing game to a crazy extent-- so far that when she "broke up" with his character, he committed suicide. Addictions can range from smoking to online gaming; most people don't realize how serious internet dependence has become.
During the speech, I briefly mentioned my own addiction to the internet a few years back. I've always been the quiet person in a group, the one who keeps to herself just because she's happier that way. I don't have the need to put myself out there to be happy. I just love sitting back in my own world, and my own world happened to consist of online journal sites like Open Diary and Livejournal. I would spend hours learning and memorizing HTML to create the perfect journal. I'd then pour myself into creating graphics for my site. After a while, I would shut myself away in my room while everyone else in my house actually experienced life. What happens as a result of addictions? My mood became gloomy and depressed; I gained more weight because of my time sitting rather than walking around; I lost interest in real life friends. I just wasn't a happy person. I fell out of that addiction though and I started treating myself, as well as others, a lot better. I'm now very content with my life because of the amount of control I have. It's amazing what a little wake-up call will do to a person.
My advice is this: get out there so you have something to write about, something new and meaningful to you. Why not? ^^; I'm trying to do the same thing right now. Even if it's going outside to take photos of something I find beautiful, I've found that just one photo can inspire an entire entry.
A little timeout: And now I'm going to stray from the topic of addiction to point out a very special auction I'm holding for my mom right now. She's in the process of selling some jewelry, and I'm helping her. Right now, on Ebay, is a beautiful kunzite and diamond ring that was originally retailed at $3,060.00 USD on Shop NBC. It is now for sale on Ebay with a starting price of $850.00, which is less than half of the original price. As mentioned in my Flea Market post, my mom has exquisite taste for jewelry and is only aquainted with the best of the best. If you're interested in it, here is the Ebay link to my auction. There is no reserve price!
I would like to apologize to my wonderful Vox friends for being patient with me. I'm sorry, but I haven't gotten around to checking up with your Voxes in the past few days because of my cold. I want to dedicate this entry to all of you, because you really are all my Valentines. I may not be a huge enthusiast towards this holiday in particular, but I do like showing a little spirit every now and then. So Voxers, here's a Valentine entry just for you. <3
Unfortunately, when bad things happen, they happen all at once. (-__-) I've had to take in a cold and more side effects from my birth control pills all at once, and it hasn't been very fun, especially around this time. The day before Heart Day, the 13th, is my little anniversary (four years, five months this month) with Shawn. We don't celebrate anything for the smaller dates, but we do like to see each other. Sadly, Shawn had an exam week during that time, so I didn't get to see him until the next day. It was nice combining the two "events" together though. ^_^
Like I said before, I'm not a big contributor to Heart Day. My days of working at Hallmark revolutionized the way I viewed a lot of the unnecessary holidays around the year, so I guess the whole day seems cheapened now for some reason. The funny thing is how unprepared I am for small gestures of adoration from Shawn though. I think the gifts I enjoyed the most (and this may sound silly) were the small icons on Facebook. Earlier in the week, I had complained, teasingly, that I hadn't received any from anyone. Sure enough, Heart Day came around, and Shawn left me five cute little virtual gifts on my Facebook page. I'm touched by the more insignificant gifts for some reason, tee hee.
Later on that day, after classes, Shawn came over and we exchanged some homemade gifts. (We're merely lowly college students with not exactly strong incomes at the moment, heh). I had made him a portfolio of some of my photography of subjects I knew he loved: Plum, Yukimo and a photo of Shawn and me together. I decorated the portfolio with "Shawn" written all over it. I wanted it to reflect the innocence of a high school romance. I figured that would only be fitting since that's when we first met and had our first Heart Day together. (I signed the back of the portfolio: Lauren, Plum & Yukimo.)
Shawn then gave Plum and me our presents. (He had already bought Yukimo a new wheel a few days prior to Heart Day.) He had carved two hearts out of wood and then sanded them to make them perfectly smooth. Mine contains a special message shared between Shawn and me, and Plum's is Blythe-size for her little hands. I'll make sure to take photos of our wooden hearts later on. Apparently, I'll be expecting small Heart Day gifts throughout the year, not just on the 14th. He already finished another present, and I'm excited to see what he's created. Having a creative boyfriend really is fun. I never know what to expect for presents...
I had taken a sick day that day so I was rested for Shawn's visit. Overall, it was a really nice and simple holiday, which seemed just right this year. We're very easygoing people, so we like to keep the day and the gift-giving as simple as possible. I hope that everyone else had a great Heart Day, even if you're like me and don't completely go all-out with celebrating it. There's something still nice about acknowledging that you have someone, even if he/she/it is not a significant other. Sometimes it's just a good day to recognize everything that you do have. The only thing I really missed having was my health! Tee hee. Happy belated Heart Day, Voxers. I'll try to catch up with everyone within the next few days once I'm better. ^____^
I was going to reply to each comment from my last entry individually, but I thought it would be easier to respond through another entry instead. Everyone who responded had such heartfelt comments to leave, and hearing personal experiences that involved religion, other illnesses and other thoughts about what I had to say... really made me think. I thought I would share a little bit more about what I left out. I didn't expect a lot of people to read the last entry because it was so lengthy, and I almost started tearing up when I saw that people responded the way they did. Thank you, all of you. ^__^
The disease. First of all, I'll explain the "illness" that I have. I felt a little selfish by leaving something, like what it actually is, out of the entry. I have a disease that only women can have called Endometriosis. It's not a horrible life-threatening disease, but it affects me in ways that I have no control over, and to know that I can't command everything throughout my body is scary. As people already know, women have monthly periods, and with these periods, experiences of cramping, bleeding and nausea sometimes take place-- not with every woman, but with some.
Ever since I was thirteen (when I first received my, uh, monthly gift), I've had horrible periods. In fact, I would get sick almost every month from throwing up and heavy amounts of bleeding to the point of extreme weakness, mentally and physically. I just figured that some women had it worse than others. None of my other friends seemed to experience such bouts of pain. Well, finally, at the age of 21 (about five months ago), I realized that what I was experiencing wasn't normal. As some of you know, I went on a trip to California. It was there, miles and miles away from home, that I realized that getting sick monthly was not something I could live with the rest of my life. (On my trip to L.A. to see Simone Legno, the artist, I spent a good amount of the time in the bathroom and on the floor of an underground parking lot on my back.) As soon as I got home, I made an appointment to see my doctor. My friend in California suggested that I start taking birth control, because that is said to ease the pain and flow a bit. My doctor agreed with what I suggested and put me on "The Pill." I'm on Seasonale, which should only give me a small period once every three months. The idea was heaven, but I still had to get over the dreaded hump of getting sick after taking them.
Everything went smoothly for about two months-- that is, until the hump arrived. Right when final exams hit in December, I started to experience huge amounts of pain and heavy amounts of bleeding for about three to four weeks. The physical pain wasn't the worst part of the sickness though; the mental struggle was the most difficult experience. With the pressure of three papers and an exam in the back of my mind, and the pain I had to deal with every day, I started to break down. Because of the newfound month-long period I was experiencing, I had decided to do more research on Endometriosis. I discovered that 30-40% of women that have the disease are infertile. My biggest fear in life is not to be able to have babies. Having three girls and a husband is my dream, and to know that there's a chance that I won't be able to have that dream really scares me.
The worst part was the response my family gave. No one, except maybe Kathleen, actually believed that I had the disease. In order to truly diagnose it, I would have had to undergo surgery so they could see if the tissue around my uterus had somehow multiplied (er, or something like that). Mom even told me a couple of times that I probably had "a very mild case of it, if even that." Hearing my own mom, a nurse, tell me that she didn't believe I was really sick was probably the worst thing someone could do to me at that point. I was crushed. Since I was the one that was actually experiencing the pain, I knew that what I had was Endometriosis. It wasn't a guess; it was a fact.
Thank goodness, Shawn was there for me, yet again. He seems to the prince I need him to be whenever I call him. So, Lilia, you were so right in staying that I'm lucky to have Shawn. I really, really am, especially since the state of my body (for when I'm ready) will somehow affect Shawn in the longrun, when having children is concerned.
The religion. Thank you to everyone that responded so truthfully about what religious beliefs you have. Knowing that you respect my decision, especially if you're Catholic yourself, really makes me happy. So many of you responded with personal experiences involving religious change and experience, and I've been taking what you said into consideration. I especially loved hearing about madtwinsis' combination of religions-- both Christianity and the teachings of the Celtic Druids. (I've always been fascinated with more pagan-type rituals and beliefs. I even considered Wicca as a religion at one point, but then decided that the religion wasn't for me. I did, however, take some of its beliefs with me.) I have nothing against individual Christian people, but instead, I have a large amount of bitterness towards the Church. To break it down better: organized religion is not for me. I do not respect what the Church condones, nor do I ever intend to spend my life practicing a belief system that I've felt threatened with in the past. I respect the individual beliefs of Christians though, which is one of my own Personal Commandments, to respect those around me and cause no harm, emotional or physical, to others.
To Jen, I completely understand that limbo you're in right now, and I think you're on your way to finding a belief system that suits you just right. You are extremely lucky to have the chance to explore any religion you want. My parents think that I'm wrong and that I'll eventually "come around." Unfortunately, I've come to realize that parents can be children sometimes, and their naive qualities blind them from really seeing what I truly believe is right. It's sad, but I still respect them (most of the time) for what they believe, as long as they don't enforce Catholicism on me too much.
The copying.
Speaking of nice Voxers, I really want to mention a special "thank you" to Bernadette for the awesome Blythe postcards she sent me. She was thoughtful enough to message me and tell me about the cards she picked up the other day at a used bookstore. Just knowing that she thought of me made me so happy, tee hee. Then, after opening the package, I hopped on Vox and read all of your comments. I do have to say... Everyone made my day.
If you read through this one, too, thank you. You have the patience of an angel. ^__^
