Author Topic: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things! Sakura Rurouni  (Read 100737 times)

Alfred F. Jones

  • Estamos orgullosos del Batall?n Lincoln
  • *
  • y de la lucha que hizo por Madrid
Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things! Sakura Rurouni
« on: July 14, 2011, 05:44:38 AM »
Here is where I force you to ask me things! But everyone who posts in this thread is going to be banned.

Sorry, felt like starting off with a catch-22. Let's begin the interviewing, eh?



Go ahead, ask me things for the next week and I'll do my best to answer 'em!

Edible

  • One part the F?hrer, one part the Pope
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  • It's the inevitable return, baby
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #1 on: July 14, 2011, 05:45:39 AM »
Why doesn't Card Captor Sakura have a ruro in it somewhere? >:(

Chaore

  • Kai Ni Recipient Many Years Late
  • *
  • You Finally Did It, Kadokawa.
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #2 on: July 14, 2011, 05:46:04 AM »
>What is your favorite piece of fiction of all time?
>Preferred method of reading a book?

MatsuriSakuragi

Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2011, 05:46:27 AM »
But everyone who posts in this thread is going to be banned.

I dare you to try.

No, really. I'm not sure what'd happen.




Might as well ask you some of the stuff you've been asking! If you could go back in time and change one historical event, what would it be?

If you could live in any place in any period of history, where would it be?

What's your favorite book(s)?

What's your favorite film(s)?

What's your favorite flower(s)?

What do you think the greatest invention/innovation is, throughout history?

If history forgotten is doomed to repeat itself, what is one thing you would want everyone to remember, no matter what?

Yoko Nakajima and Utena Tenjou get into a swordfight. Who wins?

I finally updated Satori Maiden's Christmas Wish. Can we say it's no longer neglected forever? :<

Why am I your favorite?

Why are you my favorite?

nintendonut888

  • So those that live now, pledge on your fists and souls
  • Leave a sign of your life, no matter how small...
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2011, 05:47:35 AM »
What kind of dance do the two lovers do?

What is your favorite era in history, and how does it contrast with your least favorite era in history. More importantly, how many swords does each have on average?

What is your favorite anime that you've never watched?

What is your opinion on repetitive motion rides?

If me and Matsy got into a lightsaber fight, who would win in your opinion?
« Last Edit: July 14, 2011, 05:49:18 AM by nintendonut888 »
nintendonut888: Hey Baity. I beat the high score for Sanae B hard on the score.dat you sent me. X3
Baity: For a moment, I thought you broke 1.1billion. Upon looking at my score.dat, I can assume that you destroyed the score that is my failed (first!) 1cc attempt on my first day of playing. Congratulations.

[19:42] <Sapz> I think that's the only time I've ever seen a suicide bullet shoot its own suicide bullet

Hello Purvis

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  • Hello Jerry
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2011, 05:50:49 AM »
How much you bench, bro?

Dead Princess Sakana

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Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #6 on: July 14, 2011, 05:55:37 AM »
As someone who writes and draws, would you say any of the two is harder? And if so, how?

Iced Fairy

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    • Daisukima Dan Blog
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #7 on: July 14, 2011, 05:59:11 AM »
What got you into fiction writing?

How do you pick people to mine for research ideas? :3c

What literary genre or styles do you like best?

Conqueror

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  • waiting to heed your instruction
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #8 on: July 14, 2011, 05:59:25 AM »
How do you choose to pass your free time?
When you want to write, how do you go about it?


On tue un homme, on est un assassin. On tue des millions d'hommes, on est un conqu?rant. On les tue tous, on est un dieu.
Every saint has a past and every sinner a future.

Zengar Zombolt

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  • Green-Red Divine Clock
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2011, 06:04:19 AM »
?En qu? has estado ocupada las ultimas... semanas? Casi un mes.
?Porqu? soy tu favorito?
?Donde estan las casas de nieve del a?o pasado?
?Porcentaje de masculinidad? 8)

E-Nazrin

  • .... what're you looking at?
  • fuwafuwa pachipachi
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2011, 06:06:59 AM »
Do you regret this?

How big is your harem now?

What've you been busy with lately?

Based on a question for Purvis, I got the impression you have an interest in the royalty/leadership of a nation, right? Why's that, and where's it originate from?

Have you forwarded any devious yaoi ideas to VIVI lately?

Why am I your favorite?
There was something here once. Wonder what...

Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #11 on: July 14, 2011, 06:20:12 AM »
Do did the line drawing?  It's good.

Alfred F. Jones

  • Estamos orgullosos del Batall?n Lincoln
  • *
  • y de la lucha que hizo por Madrid
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #12 on: July 14, 2011, 07:54:58 AM »
Why doesn't Card Captor Sakura have a ruro in it somewhere? >:(
Laconic: Not flexible enough.
Regular: I'm actually just as attached to the "Sakura" part of my handle as I am attached to "Rurouni". There's a place called Sakura Square here in Denver, and it feels surreal to walk past it and see the さくら on the sign, since I feel like it's 'my' name. It's kinda strange, but I've learned to live with it, since Sakura Square such is a lovely place.
And, well, I liked the pun of "Card Captor Sakura" a lot.

>What is your favorite piece of fiction of all time?
>Preferred method of reading a book?
Laconic:
>The Twelve Kingdoms.
>Around the clock.
Regular:
>The Twelve Kingdoms, by Fuyumi Ono, is probably my favourite book of the modern era, which I count as WWII on. It is everything I want in an epic work: high-flying battles, amazing character development, politics, regular life, history, and heroes and heroines to really look up to.
>However, I have a soft spot left for Leo Tolstoy's short stories, and if I had to pick one out of them to choose as a non-modern work... t'would be The Death of Ivan Ilyich, an amazing little story everyone should read. I read it at 17 years old, and it really drummed in a sense of my own mortality that has never gone away since.
>As far as ancient works go, that goes to The Odyssey. Big, sprawling epic with monsters and roguish, desperate hero Odysseus. Great stuff. And for the Medieval era, The Canterbury Tales takes the cake (in part because I hate Shakespeare), but only because I never did finish Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
>Fiction is not just written, though. Visual + animated would have to go to Kara no Kyoukai-- even though it's a novel series, yes, I watched the movies and they were spectacular. Ryougi is an amazing protagonist. Visual would also go to Curse of the Golden Flower, for being a feast for the eyes on every level.
>On the whole, though, it goes to The Twelve Kingdoms.
>I like to read every time, all the time. On the bus, walking down the street-- I think the only time I'm not reading is when I'm working or riding my bike. I'm very much an auditory learner, so I like to read aloud when I want to remember things. But I'm reading in some form pretty much all the time.

I dare you to try.
No, really. I'm not sure what'd happen.
Laconic: Nothing.
Regular: Administrator settings override even ban settings, iirc. So yeah, nothing would happen.

If you could go back in time and change one historical event, what would it be?
Laconic: Just one?
Regular: Hmm, I'm divided. I would love to sabotage the Reconquista and maintain Spain as a Caliphate, to make the religious wars of Europe ever so much more interesting. Or maybe make sure that Catalina of Aragon had had a living son after Mary, so that Henry VIII would have had no reason to try to divorce her and in so doing change England's religion from Catholicism-- that would have also changed the religious makeup of the world forever. I would also like to save Pyotr Stolypin from his assassination in 1911 so that Russia could have transitioned out of autocracy a little less bloodily, or make sure Rasputin had died in 1914 instead of going on to ruin everything. Or save Baghdad from that nasty Mongol invasion-- all that knowledge, gone! ;-; I would also like to see what would have happen if that horrible human being Hern?n Cort?s had died of some disease on the way to the Americas.

But if I had to pick one, I would go back in time with a tricked-out helicopter and fire on the Ni?a, Pinta, and Santa Mar?a as they left the Bay of Palos (so that they'd have a chance at swimming back to shore), and then yelling in Spanish at Fernando and Isabela, "THIS IS GOD'S PUNISHMENT FOR YOUR RELIGIOUS AND RACIAL INTOLERANCE! TO GO WEST IS NOT FOR YOU!" I know I'd then be butterflied out of existence, but it would be so awesome it wouldn't matter.

If you could live in any place in any period of history, where would it be?
Laconic: Earth.
Regular: Hmm, another good question. There's a part of me that wants to live in Tenochtitlan right before the Spanish conquest, though it means signing up for disease and rape and starvation and heartbreak and other unpleasant things. Or dying right before the conquest so I can avoid that. There is also Tudor England-- hardly the most wonderful time and place to live, but damn if the era isn't interesting! And the Repubblica di Venezia doesn't sound horrible, either.

Ultimately, though, it's a tie between Al-Andalus, Spain under the Caliphate, which had the most educated general population of the old world at the time (particularly after Baghdad had that run-in with the Mongols), as well as the most advanced medicine and society-- and the ancient Persian empire, under the Achaemenids. It was a brutal time, but we know so little about it that I would jump at the chance to go and experience it myself.

What's your favorite book(s)?
Laconic: All of them, except Twilight.
Regular: Though my answer to Chaore stands, you did allow nonfiction answers. My favourite nonfiction is probably Nicholas and Alexandra by the historian Robert K. Massie. It's fantastic personal history, ultimately a tragedy. So deliciously good. There is also A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide and The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11, which are both very important books and are engaging in their own right, if you're into political science and contemporary history.

What's your favorite film(s)?
Laconic: Indiana Jones and Fiddler on the Roof.
Regular: The Indiana Jones series, as well as a bunch of other movies. I don't like romantic comedies much, preferring action and adventure and epic tales. So Ben-Hur is on the list, for sure-- I love the structure of telling an arguably more important story in the background of our main character's story. And though it is also a musical, Fiddler on the Roof is a huge favourite.

A guilty pleasure is Ernst Marischka's trilogy of Sissi films-- not because they're particularly historically accurate, but because Romy Schneider at 17 was the sexiest woman in the universe. I watched it when I was 17 and quickly developed an enormous yuri crush on her.

What's your favorite flower(s)?
Laconic: The white rose.
Regular: The white rose, of course. But there is also the red rose and the star lotus and the cherry blossom. I also like poinsettias. But it's always the white rose for me.

What do you think the greatest invention/innovation is, throughout history?
Laconic: Writing.
Regular: Writing, and more broadly language in general. Being able to transmit information changed our world. All other forms of communication and innovation are silenced or muffled without it. Nothing else comes close.

If history forgotten is doomed to repeat itself, what is one thing you would want everyone to remember, no matter what?
Laconic: Treat others the way you would want them to treat you.
Regular: Same as above, and also that belief makes the impossible possible.

Yoko Nakajima and Utena Tenjou get into a swordfight. Who wins?
Laconic: I do.
Regular: Is Utena using the Sword of Dios or her own sword? Swords in Utena are the mark of being manipulated by another power, so the autonomous one here is Yoko-- therefore, Yoko would trounce her easily. Plus, she has that hinman thing going on. Utena has the power of Ikuhara cutscenes and stock footage.

I finally updated Satori Maiden's Christmas Wish. Can we say it's no longer neglected forever? :<
Laconic: No.
Regular: How about "neglected most of the time"?

Why am I your favorite?
Laconic: Because we bros.
Regular: Because we are partners in crime for everything that is awesome-- watching anime, planning MotK pranks, things like that. :3

Why are you my favorite?
Laconic: Because I am the greatest.
Regular: Because I am the greatest.

What kind of dance do the two lovers do?
Laconic: All of them!

What is your favorite era in history, and how does it contrast with your least favorite era in history. More importantly, how many swords does each have on average?
Regular: Favourite era... to study, or to live in? I'll pick the latter, so that's Al-Andalus. My least favourite era of history was actually at the exact same time-- the Dark Ages of Europe, a time of ignorance and general horribleness. Ironically, the Dark Ages might have had more swords (even if they were all off in Jerusalem), but quantity does not equal quality-- I'll take a scimitar over a European broadsword any day.

What is your favorite anime that you've never watched?
Laconic: Ghost in the Shell.
Regular: Bofh has gushed to me about how amazing its music is, and I agree. I've just never seen it. ;__;

What is your opinion on repetitive motion rides?
Laconic: My opinion is that I hate you.
Regular: And I'm never going to let you force me on one of those again.

If me and Matsy got into a lightsaber fight, who would win in your opinion?
Laconic: Matsy.
Regular: Matsy, because I would be sabotaging you in the background and stealing your kidneys.

How much you bench, bro?
Laconic: 75 lb, at last count.
Regular: 75 lb, dunno what it is in kilos. The last time I checked, I was 15 years old, so take that as you will.

As someone who writes and draws, would you say any of the two is harder? And if so, how?
Laconic: Both are difficult.
Regular: Both are difficult in different ways. Art is more about learning technique and then once you've learned it, breaking the rules in the ways you see fit. Writing is much the same way. Since I do more of the former than the latter, I tend to think writing is harder. But make no mistake, advanced practice of either one is incredibly difficult. It's a bit faster with art, though, depending on your medium.

What got you into fiction writing?
Laconic: Reading.
Regular: So much reading! Essentially, the stories I write are the kind of stories I wish I had been able to read as a child, the kind of stories I'd like to read to myself and to others. And learning about history through fiction, oh man! Fiction taught me that not everything has to be factual in order to tell a true story.

How do you pick people to mine for research ideas? :3c
Laconic: Areas of interest.
Regular: In the context of Touhou, for example, when I want to write Suwako, I go to Nobu to hear him talk about Suwako. When I want to write Satori, I consult Matsuri. And so forth. I don't always agree with their interpretations (Gpop's take on Koishi is vastly different from my own, for example), but I have noticed a pattern in the Touhou community that people are absolutely devoted to a handful of characters and learn every last bit of fanon and canon about them, and then just absorb the fanon for the rest due to lack of interest. So consulting by area of interest or expertise is a good idea.

What literary genre or styles do you like best?
Laconic: Epic adventures.
Regular: I love travel and grand battles and huge overarching plotlines, so I am drawn to most epic tales, which is why I've most recently gotten into Dune. I like action and drama juxtaposed, I like sharp contrasts and Chekhov's guns everywhere. That tends to fit into the epic genre, mostly. Style-wise, I'm not sure what you mean, but I do like fast-paced stories that understand how meaningful silence and calm can be.

How do you choose to pass your free time?
Regular: Reading, writing, doing jigsaw puzzles, drawing, biking, exploring, photography, and hanging out with friends.

When you want to write, how do you go about it?
Regular: I force myself to write every day, even if I eke out just a little or I go back later and delete it. The point is to keep going. Reading a lot tends to help the inspiration come, as well. More specifically, I work with dissonance, so when I want to write a tragic death scene I put on something absurd like Britney Spears and when I write a happy scene I put on some tragic violin solos. It's a matter of finding what works.

?En qu? has estado ocupada las ultimas... semanas? Casi un mes.
Regular: He estado en la universidad, tomando un curso de escritura. Tambi?n he estado leyendo y explorando como loca, absorbiendo toda la informaci?n que puedo contener.

?Porqu? soy tu favorito?
Regular: Eres mi favorito porque tu tambi?n puedes apreciar que tan fascinante son las espadas. 8)

?Donde estan las casas de nieve del a?o pasado?
Laconico: Las casas de nieve del a?o pasado est?n en mi refrigerador para protegerlos del verano.

?Porcentaje de masculinidad? 8)
Regular: ?Porcentaje de masculinidad? Hmm... no me recuerdo del numero exacto, ?pero no es algo as? como 90%?

Do you regret this?
Laconic: Not in a million years.
Regular: Actually, to tell the truth, for the first few days after that went up I couldn't bear to look at it. It felt like I was being scolded by the Yama directly, and I did my best to hide my embarrassment. With the distance of months and years, I can finally see it for the sheer comedy it is. Poor Shiki. :P

How big is your harem now?
Laconic: Big enough that I had to install another wing to the main building for them all.

What've you been busy with lately?
Regular: Like I said to Zengar, I'm also taking a summer college course so I can graduate this upcoming fall semester, and also taking CLEP exams for credit (next exam is on drugs and addiction). And obsessive, almost excessive research on international finance-- but not the boring kind those poor suckers/economics majors take. I study the exploitation of the developing nations of the world by the industrialized countries. And this summer, I have also switched my political leanings from mildly progressive liberalism to taking a flying leap off the cliffs of anarchism. In the span of days. My mind is in tumult!

Based on a question for Purvis, I got the impression you have an interest in the royalty/leadership of a nation, right? Why's that, and where's it originate from?
Laconic: That is true.
Regular: Hmm, good question. I have no idea if I heard of it before, but I remember my first encounter with royalty and leaders quite well: the Royal Diaries series, which I picked up after Dear America and found to be a hell of a lot more interesting. Just look at this, and tell me if you are truly surprised. That's where my main interest started, bent towards women in history from the start since they get ignored so very often. I take measures to avoid the whole 'great (wo)men'-focused history, but there is still no denying that some of these people (particularly Elizabeth I and the rest of the House of Tudor) had dynamic, compelling personalities that captivate me.

Have you forwarded any devious yaoi ideas to VIVI lately?
Laconic: HEY VIVI: MYOUREN x YOUKI.

Why am I your favorite?
Laconic: Because we bros.
Regular: For so long, too! You helped me out with my first fiction ideas and critiqued them extensively, even if I did end up scrapping them and recycling the most interesting parts into what is now White Rose. I've known you for too long to forget you now~

Do did the line drawing?  It's good.
Laconic: Nope.
Regular: As a bonus: [1] [2]. Aya is wonderful.

Iryan

  • Ph?nglui mglw?nafh
  • Cat R?lyeh wgah?nagl fhtagn.
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #13 on: July 14, 2011, 08:10:10 AM »
What do you consider the greatest achievement in your life so far?

Similarly, what do you consider your greatest failure?

What is, to you, the true essence of a Rurouni?

If you could punch anyone currently living on earth into the face, who would it be?

(on a side note, this thread makes me glad I had at least one year of Spanish lessons)
Old Danmakufu stuff can be found here!

"As the size of an explosion increases, the numbers of social situations it is incapable of solving approaches zero."

Tamashii Kanjou

  • If you didn't quite already know...
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  • I am the leader of TCF <3
    • TCF's Gaming Channel
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #14 on: July 14, 2011, 08:32:44 AM »
Since the topic was already asked, I'll go a bit further.

Why do you like Shikieiki so much? What started it all?

What's the best advice to give someone on writing stories?

Top 5 memorable moments on MotK that you either saw or took part in. ^^

You and Komachi have a fight. Who wins? Or, what happens in said fight?  :3

Rin Kagamine

  • 核融合炉にさ / 飛び込んでみたい と思う
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  • 真っ青な 光 包まれて奇麗
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #15 on: July 14, 2011, 08:47:43 AM »
How long do you plan on White Rose being?

Hello Purvis

  • *
  • Hello Jerry
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #16 on: July 14, 2011, 08:53:19 AM »
Pyromania?

Zengar Zombolt

  • Space-Time Tuning Circle - Wd/Fr
  • Green-Red Divine Clock
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #17 on: July 14, 2011, 09:39:11 AM »
?Porqu? espadas?
?Porqu? flores?
?Porqu? pasto?

Alfred F. Jones

  • Estamos orgullosos del Batall?n Lincoln
  • *
  • y de la lucha que hizo por Madrid
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #18 on: July 14, 2011, 09:49:23 AM »
What do you consider the greatest achievement in your life so far?
Laconic: IB.
Regular: Definitely, completing the International Baccalaureate programme. I started at age 11 and finished at 18, so that's seven years spent there. When I began MYP (IB for middle schoolers), I walked in as a shy, quiet sort who sat on the floor in a corner of her room reading history textbooks because she was bored out of her mind without any friends to play or talk to-- particularly since, here in Colorado, there were no relatives in the entire state, and it was just me and my parents. When I finished IB, I had met a network of the most fascinating, nerdy, loony people I've ever met in my life who had shared so many tears and shouts of joy for seven years, stuck in the same classrooms and cabins and situations together, and I was now the Editor-in-Chief of the school yearbook and head photographer, as well as cross-country runner and an all-around popular, smart young woman with a taste for the sciences and history and writing. The IB diploma that I got with my test scores just served as affirmation that yes, I could apply myself and finish a long-lasting race, and it was just icing on the cake of my extended IB family.

Similarly, what do you consider your greatest failure?
Laconic: Ow.
Regular: When I was younger, I heard from older people that the less regrets I had to look back on when I was older, the happier I'd be. I was wise enough at the time to recognize this as truth, and so I took measures to avoid such horrific disasters as best I could, always weighing my actions by the standard of "will I regret doing this or not doing this when I am older?", and it seems to have worked, because there is no enormous, terrible event I can look back upon with regret.

That said, there is one great failure in my life, and it is continuous, and I do it today and will continue to do it for the immediate future: it is my failure of courage to tell my parents that I am bisexual. I do not have the spine to tell my conservative, Protestant, country-born Mexican parents that their daughter is attracted to women as much as to men. I tell myself that I am waiting for a good time when I can tell them and they have a good chance of being more accepting and won't disown me as their daughter, and to that end I expose them to articles and studies about the subject, but it is really just me postponing the confrontation. I am ashamed of it, given how much worse some of my friends' situations are, and am cowed in the face of their strength of courage regardless of the circumstances.

What is, to you, the true essence of a Rurouni?
Regular: Heavy question.

The Rurouni is not a ronin-- a Rurouni neither wants nor needs a master to be commanded by. Rurouni, in my mind, is largely synonymous with the tragic hero archetype. A mysterious past that they can never be truly honest about, not because they don't want to but because it might be used against them, or some other circumstance prevents them. A Rurouni wanders, of course, not seeking a home but accepting the hospitality of others, and righting wrongs where they are found, though there is no real taste for violence. Much like the knight-errant of Europe or the youxia of China. Speaking of the youxia, this is a poem that I associate in my mind with my idea of a Rurouni:

    For ten years I have been polishing this sword;
    Its frosty edge has never been put to the test.
    Now I am holding it and showing it to you, sir:
    Is there anyone suffering from injustice?


Knowing that in the end, they might be doomed no matter what happens, the Rurouni presses on, accepting the role of tragic hero for the good and the bad. Anyone can be tragic, but not everyone can be a hero.

If you could punch anyone currently living on earth into the face, who would it be?
Laconic: James Dobson.
Regular: That hateful, hateful man. My family, believing Focus on the Family's publications to be a good thing at the time, subscribed me to a lot of his foundation's works, and it created such a self-loathing complex in me that has not left to this day. If he were still alive, though, it would be Milton Friedman, that horrible human being who is responsible for so much suffering in the developing world through his ideas. And if I could cross time and space more dramatically, I would punch John Calvin in the face with the greatest of joys.

Why do you like Shikieiki so much? What started it all?
Laconic: She's awesome.
Regular: Shikieiki really is an amazing character, even if she is no longer my absolute favourite (sharing that spot with Yumemi now). Her design, of course, was the first thing I saw of her, and I must say, she looks very good in that sharp uniform of hers. Learning about her in canon, I encountered not a shrewish angry loli who's jealous of everyone's breasts, but a hard worker who got to her position of power through her merits (as opposed to being born into the position like a lot of the other characters in charge in Gensokyo), and so selfless that she takes what little free time she has and spends it on other people, doing her level best to tell people to save themselves before she has to condemn them. And of course, she'll still have to do it, because not everyone will listen. How she keeps going in the face of such hopelessness and still has time to throw beautiful danmaku at you is a fascinating story.

What's the best advice to give someone on writing stories?
Laconic: Read a lot.
Regular: No, really. Read far, read wide, and find what you like. Then write stories like that. Write stories that you would want to read. This writing is for yourself and no one else, after all, so if it comes down to you being the only person who will ever read it (because it might), then you should do your best to make it enjoyable for you.

Top 5 memorable moments on MotK that you either saw or took part in. ^^
Laconic: Oh dear.
Regular: In no particular order except the first:

1. The organizing of Patchouli's Scarlet Library after the division from Creative Fanworks/Alice's Art Atelier. The summaries project was great fun, and, I hope, a great service to the entire western Touhou community.
2. MotK's first anniversary hijack. Matsy and I masterminded it, and it was the first and best opportunity to help heal the wounds we inadverdently caused with our April Fools' prank of three weeks prior. It went off smoothly and hilariously, which was everything I hoped for.
3. Ask Yuyuko. It was technically on the second build of the forums, so it would have been back in early 2008 or so, but it was the thread I finally worked up the motivation to join MotK for.
4. Participating in NaNoWriMo this past year with the other writers of PSL. It was tainted later on because of other things and events, but at the time it was a delightful competition.
5. Every release of a new game. The speculation, the excitement, oh man! And everyone in the community is sharing those feelings with you. It's a heady feeling! Love it.

You and Komachi have a fight. Who wins? Or, what happens in said fight?  :3
Laconic: Truce.
Regular: I don't actually like Komachi very much, but I suppose we could work out a truce-- she gets me photos of Shiki's legs, and I row the boat over the Sanzu while she chills on the riverbank.

How long do you plan on White Rose being?
Regular: The first part started in May 2009-- earlier, technically, since the posting date in the thread is not the actual date of first installment (the original version of White Rose went down with the old forums, though my general fiction thread archives of Poosh have the original posting date). It has taken me two years. There are at least five more planned, with the possibility of one or two more if I have so much story that I cannot cram it into the outline. However, the first part was by far the lengthiest because it needed to set up the entire premise, so... hm. About as long as it took me to get my IB diploma, I guess! ^^'

But that's not a worry. I did it once before, and tasks that require a lot of time and patience do not scare me.

Pyromania?
Laconic: Fire is interesting.
Regular: The worst I ever got to arson was setting old newspapers on fire behind the bus stop while waiting for the bus in middle school. But I do like fire, very much so. My family lives in a house that has a wooden stove, invaluable in Colorado winters. When we first got this house, we had no idea how to use it, and would stack firewood in horrible ways and burn through dozens of matches until the temperature came up enough that eventually part of it caught. Ten years later, I can set a good stack of firewood with a bit of kindling up in a structure conducive to ignition with ease, and have a blazing fire going on in seconds.

Fire has played an enormous role in my life in that sense-- not just every winter, either. When I was younger, we had something called the Hayman Fire here in Colorado, and it lit up the sky for a full month, though it felt much longer. A large swath of my state's lovely forests went up in flames-- I've been in the mountains where the fire happened, and the trees are still painfully charred, leafless, and hideous.

Fire as a destructive force and fire as a life-giving force have ended up being recurring themes in my work. I can't imagine why...

Zengar has ninja'd me, but I will pass on the question for tonight. Tomorrow I shall continue. With accents on the right letters this time, hopefully!

Esifex

  • Though the sun may set
  • *
  • It shall rise again
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #19 on: July 14, 2011, 09:53:34 AM »
?Porqu? espadas?
?Porqu? flores?
?Porqu? pasto?
?Por qu? Maria?

When can the Librarians go on break ;-;?

What is your thoughts/viewpoints on paranormal traits - telepathy, telekinesis, clairvoyance, precognition, and the like?

A close friend comes to you for advice. Do you give advice based on a gut feeling in response to their situation, do you analyze it from every different angle, or do you confer with others anonymously to get multiple viewpoints and solutions to their problem?

What's your zodiac? :3

Pick one: Super-strength, perfect proprioceptive senses, or unrivaled agility and dexterity.

Hanzo K.

  • White Tiger Shikigami
  • Whoa, this YF-29's awesome!
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #20 on: July 14, 2011, 12:03:26 PM »
If a Chicken with a Naginata fought a Sea Bass with a Halberd, which would win?
Essence RO
Eiji Komatsu L1xx/6x CritsinX | Ryoshima Nanbu L7x/4x Crafting Blacksmith

Arbitrary Gaming~!
Youkai Quest: Unknown Adventure

Hello Purvis

  • *
  • Hello Jerry
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #21 on: July 14, 2011, 12:44:46 PM »
How do you approach issues of moderation?
Why am I your favorite?
What is the region of the world you know the least about?
What do you think the biggest problem the forums ever had was?
Reals or Supers?
If you could change one rule here, what would it be?

Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #22 on: July 14, 2011, 02:31:18 PM »
It's sort of obvious you're a Doctor Who fan. Favorite Doctor/episode/whatever?

You've mentioned a few times you're a vegetarian. Is that for health reasons or ethical ones?

You have a strong interest in history, but what about the future? Are there any emerging technologies or trends you're interested in?

You seem to have a strong respect for the public library. Does me planning to work as a library professional affect your opinion of me any?

...actually, what's your opinion of me in general (I understand if you don't want to answer this one)?
« Last Edit: July 14, 2011, 04:24:20 PM by The Subconscious Colossal »

theshirn

  • THE LAWS OF THE FIESTA MEAN NOTHING
  • *
    • Wisdom is Not a Dump Stat
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #23 on: July 14, 2011, 02:31:45 PM »
Who's that Ruromon?

Did you ever get around to reading that paper?

:sword!: ?

[09:46] <theshim|work> there is nothing like working for a real estate company to make one contemplate arson

Tengukami

  • Breaking news. Any season.
  • *
  • I said, with a posed look.
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #24 on: July 14, 2011, 02:47:33 PM »
Matsy is a total question-hog who asked all the ones I wanted to, forcing me to come up with new ones.



You've discussed androphobia before - how do you deal with encounters with men, when they are unavoidable? And do you find the androphobia fading with time, getting stronger, or pretty much staying the same? If there has been any change, can you explain why that might be?

Who got you into photography? I remember showing you some old Mexican photos that you'd said you were familiar with. Do you have any photogs that inspire you in particular?

Cilantro: yes or no?

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

"Human history and growth are both linked closely to strife. Without conflict, humanity would have no impetus for growth. When humans are satisfied with their present condition, they may as well give up on life."

Aya Squawkermaru

  • "You furnish the pictures and I'll furnish the war." - William Hearst
  • Relevant quote is relevant.
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #25 on: July 14, 2011, 02:59:32 PM »
Aren't you glad you live in Denver instead of the Springs?

As opposed to your "favorite" piece of fiction, of all the fiction you've read, what piece do you think has the highest literary value?

Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #26 on: July 14, 2011, 04:16:50 PM »
If you could change one event in history, what would it be?

When was the last time you received a handwritten letter?

(Ryougi) Shiki is now the ruler of the world, and you're her right hand. She gives the first move to you. What do you do?

Texas weather and Colorado weather get into a fight. Who wins?

Why am I your favorite?

What is your favorite thing about legs?

Hello Purvis

  • *
  • Hello Jerry
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #27 on: July 14, 2011, 06:41:47 PM »
Favorite Quad City DJs mashup?

Solais

  • Developer fairy
  • is working for a game developer now.
Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #28 on: July 14, 2011, 09:11:06 PM »
Serious: Why is that, while you're surrounded by many many friends and loved ones, basically having the one thing I always lacked, yet you still yearn to be a lone wanderer and to be living alone? I can understand people like me, we have barely anything to lost, but not you.

Not-so-Serious: Are you really a Cherokee Warrior in secret?

Re: Ask a Staffer Catch-22: Ask me things!
« Reply #29 on: July 14, 2011, 09:19:39 PM »
Why do I feel the urge to change my nick/avatar to Tomoyo right now? (Except that damnit, Matsuri beat me to it.)