Hello!

[Mu Shin Ron Sha]

If the name is too long, feel free to call me Mu.

I noticed that PatrickEklektos used an "ask a question, answer a question" format for his introduction. I like that, and would like to do that here as well. Ask me any question; i'll answer, and ask you one in return.

I currently live in the US. I worked overseas for two years before moving back here, and i am currently going to school part-time while working. It's been busy, but exciting. I enjoy baking, making photographs, and pretending i know how to play music. Occasionally when i get in an artistic mood i will draw, or paint miniatures. I used to do legerdemain with coins, but haven't practiced in quite some time. (Hm! Just typing and thinking about that has made me want to pick it up again.)

I look forward to your questions, and later to your answers.

[Midori]

Welcome to Christian Anime Alliance, Mu. I hope you'll have a good time here.

I noticed that your signature is quite a bold statement supporting Atheism. While people of all religions are allowed on our board, I want to make sure that this thread does not turn into a discussion about religions.

With that out of the way, I guess I have to ask a question.
Where were you when you were working overseas?

[Tsukuyomi]

Welcome to CAA ^__^ Enjoy your stay here and let us know if you need anything ^__^

[Mu Shin Ron Sha]

Midori, thank you. I've read the rules carefully and intend to respect them. I lived in Oita prefecture, Japan. It was an interesting place -- most of my life was spent in the US in a very (very!) tiny borough with a population of under 300. While i was in school i lived in Osaka prefecture in a city of 400,000, and finally in Oita i lived in a city of 200,000. All three were very different experiences, and i loved them all!

Return question: I see you're 21 years old. What do you hope to be doing a few years from now?

[TopazRaven]

Welcome to the fourms Mu. Always glad to see a new member. What are some of your favorite anime?

[goldenspines]

Hello and a very warm welcome to you Mu Shin Ron Sha. I hope you enjoy it here. ^_^

Ah, you mentioned you're going to school currently, what are you studying?

[Mu Shin Ron Sha]

Tsukuyomi, thank you. I'll be sure to do so.

TopazRaven, thank you. I really enjoyed Millennium Actress and the Rurouni Kenshin OVA. I haven't really watched many recent anime, but i have enjoyed a couple of manga series over the past several years. Return question: Which anime or manga do you feel has most influenced the way you interact with other people? (If that question is not applicable, which anime or manga has most influenced you in general?)

Goldenspines, thank you. I'm studying chemistry, tentatively planning to segue into either biochemistry or biotechnology. My plans tend to change as time goes on, though, so for now i'll just say "science". Return question: What do you see as the greatest challenge in learning another language? (It's you who organized the Skype study session, right? I can't confirm that because i can't view the appropriate forum, but i seem to recall that it was you.)

[Lilac#18]

[color="Plum"]Hi, Mu Shin Ron Sha.[/color]

[Furen]

Hey glad to see you join us! How do you do? *extends arms*
Welcome to the amazing CAA, I really hope you have a great time, if you have ANY questions, feel free to ask ^^.

Which branch of Christianity are you? Catholic, Baptist/AGC, protestant, non denominational, not even?

[Mu Shin Ron Sha]

Selenite, hello.

Furen, thank you. I'll probably spend far more time reading than posting, but i'm sure i'll pipe up from time to time. To answer your question, i'm none of them; i see no reason to believe in any gods. Return question: What is something that you didn't do in the past few days, but wish you had done?

[Midori]

Ah, neat. I've been to Japan, but only in Tokyo. I hope to visit other areas some day.

Return question: I see you're 21 years old. What do you hope to be doing a few years from now?

Hm. Well, I will probably be transferring to a university with a computer science program. After that, I'll be looking for a job in the same field.

Oh also, I'm sorry if I came across kind of roughly in my last post. I was a little suspicious, but I hope you can understand. :|

So, do you play video games much? If so, what are some of your favorites?

[uc pseudonym]

Elsewhere you indicated you were about to begin The Tangled Bank, what do you think of it? If you're reading it for fun that's commendable, but otherwise I'm impressed by your school's choice of textbooks.

Second question (reciprocate with two if you like): what are the manga series you mentioned enjoying recently?

[TopazRaven]

TopazRaven, thank you. I really enjoyed Millennium Actress and the Rurouni Kenshin OVA. I haven't really watched many recent anime, but i have enjoyed a couple of manga series over the past several years. Return question: Which anime or manga do you feel has most influenced the way you interact with other people? (If that question is not applicable, which anime or manga has most influenced you in general?)

As lame as this is going to sound, probably Pokemon and Fruit's Basket. As a child Pokemon taught me about the importance of friendship and doing what is right. Though at the time I hadn't even realized it was an anime. Several years later when I got into anime/manga as a teenager Fruit's Basket really spoke to me. I'm not sure if I can actually explain why in a way others can understand. The main character Tohru was just such a sweet, kind and forgiving person. No matter what bad thing someone might do to her, she was always caring and merciful. I'm generally a rather hot-tempered person and tend to snap at people, sometimes for no reason. That series did and still does make me re-think my behavior and make me want to be better. Fruit's Basket was, no doubt in my mind, a story of forgiveness and love.

[mysngoeshere56]

Hope you enjoy your time here, Mu! Most people around here call me Sno, so you can feel free to call me that too. ^_^

[goldenspines]

Goldenspines, thank you. I'm studying chemistry, tentatively planning to segue into either biochemistry or biotechnology. My plans tend to change as time goes on, though, so for now i'll just say "science". Return question: What do you see as the greatest challenge in learning another language? (It's you who organized the Skype study session, right? I can't confirm that because i can't view the appropriate forum, but i seem to recall that it was you.)

Interesting. That's quite a wide and challenging field. I wish you luck with it.

Hmm, the greatest challenge in learning another language is finding a way to practice effectively and enough. Unless one is an expert memorizer (which I am not), practice is the best way to learn something and get it set in the long term memory.
And yes, it was me who organized that. It's very much in the small and non-structured stages at the present moment, but I'm working on refining it.

[Sapphire225]

It is very nice to meet you. Welcome to the forum!

[Furen]

Return question: What is something that you didn't do in the past few days, but wish you had done?

Ummm, I'm not sure... maybe go to a social event I planned on, but didn't end up going to because of my bad memory.

[Mu Shin Ron Sha]

Midori, i understand your skepticism; judging by a perusal of this site's "banned users" list, it's a healthy and warranted skepticism. No harm done. What did you think of Tokyo? As for video games, lately i've been playing Mass Effect 2. What do you like to play?

Uc pseudonym, i've only read the first few chapters but it's interesting. It's an introductory-level text for a general audience, so at this point i think it suits me pretty well! I'm trying to get a better grip on the research behind (and current research at the forefront of) evolution. Zimmer does a good job of including information about recent research in the field, which is nice. As for your second question, i enjoyed PLUTO a lot. I hadn't read or seen any Tetsuwan Atom but was introduced to its "re-imagining" through a former professor of mine. I think my favorite series, though, is probably "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou"; it makes me yearn to live a simple life, though the very fact that i'm posting on this forum shows that the yearning isn't actually strong enough to translate into actions! Return questions: What thought-provoking nonfiction have you read lately? and: Do you play any pen & paper RPGs?

TopazRaven, it doesn't sound lame at all. Years ago i saw some of Pokemon (English version), and the main thing i remember about it is a single line from its opening theme: "You teach me and i'll teach you." I think that simple statement communicates one of the most powerful and positive aspects of our society, and not just between humans -- the things we have learned from other animals are staggering and incredible. As for Fruits Basket, i don't remember much of it, but i learned how to make onigiri by watching Kyo do so! At any rate, it's interesting how these stories can affect us. Thank you for sharing yours.

Sno, thank you, will do.

Goldenspines, sounds like we would agree on the language issue! I hope your sessions continue and fare well. I had planned to sit in yesterday, but apparently my account is restricted as i'm unable to view the forum and get the information to connect. (Maybe this is a good place to ask: How was i even able to see the two "Members Only" forums in the first place? A glitch? And when might i be able to view them again?)

Sapphire225, thank you.

Furen, sounds like you could use a planner!

[uc pseudonym]

Uc pseudonym, i've only read the first few chapters but it's interesting. It's an introductory-level text for a general audience, so at this point i think it suits me pretty well! I'm trying to get a better grip on the research behind (and current research at the forefront of) evolution. Zimmer does a good job of including information about recent research in the field, which is nice.

I only got the chance to look at the book a while, but I've heard nothing but good things about it. Especially the integration of modern research, since all too many textbooks are Darwinian basics + gene theory and nothing else. Physics is more my interest than biology, but there's still a lot of good research being done.

As for your second question, i enjoyed PLUTO a lot. I hadn't read or seen any Tetsuwan Atom but was introduced to its "re-imagining" through a former professor of mine. I think my favorite series, though, is probably "Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou"]
If you like Naoki Urasawa you'll get along well here. Most people here liked PLUTO but preferred 20th Century Boys; I am more of a Monster person.

Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou is one of the titles on my list to read, but I don't move through my manga list very quickly.

Return questions: What thought-provoking nonfiction have you read lately?

I'll stretch "lately" to include the past several months, since I've been reading my backlog of fiction recently:

Predictably Irrational by Dan Areily - Unquestionably the most fascinating psychology book I've read in several years.

African Languages in a Digital Age by Don Osborn - The technical parts are a little dry (ASCII vs Unicode and all of that) but it raises interesting questions about how the information age impacts African cultures in which information was traditionally tightly controlled and passed down orally.

The Sickness Unto Death by Søren Kierkegaard - I don't really agree with Kierkegaard and certainly not how he is used by many, but he definitely fits the "thought-provoking" category.

Those are the books that come to mind. I've also finally caught up with PZ Myers' blog, which is basically nonfiction.

Do you play any pen & paper RPGs?

In highschool my friends who were into these weren't organized enough to keep a game together, so I haven't done much (and circumstances now prevent it). But I've played a little BESM, D&D3.5, and GURPS.

[rocklobster]

So what kind of music do you like?
BTW, your avatar reminds me of the cover art for one of my favorite albums, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Ever listen to them?

[Okami]

Greetings from the Neighborhood Wolf! o.o/

I suppose since you've piqued my curiosity, what do you want to use your science degree for? You mentioned a few different pathways that you're looking into, so what would you be able to do in each of those areas?

[Mu Shin Ron Sha]

Uc pseudonym, are there any particular areas of physics that interest you? Last year i indulged myself in a handful of books on theoretical physics (probably the most notable being Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe), which were interesting and definitely increased my layman's understanding. I fear most of theoretical physics flies right over my head, especially things like the Scientific American article "A Geometric Theory of Everything" (full article requires a subscription). I hope that as i learn more, these things will start to make more sense! (Aside: This is a neat article a friend linked me to the other day.)

As for Urasawa, i've read all of 20th Century Boys up to, i think, the penultimate issue. At that point i had pretty much given up on the series having a satisfying conclusion, so i let it go. I've only read the first three or four volumes of Monster, which caught my interest but is rather difficult for me to process; i don't know much medical terminology in English, let alone Japanese. One day, perhaps :)

Thank you for sharing those books & their authors. I think i may need to get my hands on those first two! I flirted with linguistics as a uni student, and the psychology text sounds like it might offer some interesting insights. As for Kierkegaard, any critic of Hegel is okay in my book ;) Well, maybe not... Anyway, i also read Pharyngula fairly regularly, though i sometimes wonder if it isn't warping me into a cynic. I'm a generally positive person, but there're just so many stupid things going on and Pharyngula is where i tend to learn about them. If only i could keep tabs on myself!


Rocklobster, there aren't any particular genres that stand out but recently i've been rekindling my relationships with VNV Nation and es Posthumus. I've also been listening to some Vangelis. I used to think that i would never listen to rap or country music, but as i've listened to more music i've found examples of both that i can enjoy. I think a lot of people close themselves off from music they might enjoy just because of the genre, which is rather a shame. As for Pink Floyd, i have listened to them some -- enough to know that i like the sound of it, not enough to know much more than that! Return questions: What is a song that connects with you on a level deeper than most, and how did you first encounter that song?


Okami, i think that may be the single most difficult question ;) I've had a lot of trouble narrowing down the scope of my aim. If i do go into biochem/biotech, i'd like to become involved in the manipulation of bacteria to manufacture useful products in an otherwise hostile environment (e.g. to release oxygen gas after consuming oxidized metal). Assuming humans don't annihilate themselves, i am confident that humankind will spread beyond the tethering embrace of Earth, and i'd like to contribute to that.

Perhaps paradoxically, another area i find fascinating is behavioral ecology. It was originally with this field in mind that i went back to school, with the somewhat nebulous goal of doing basic research with frogs (since we seem to be killing them at an alarming rate, i figured now is as good a time as i'd ever get). Unfortunately for me, the jobs are few and the pay is significantly lower than that in other fields, so i think behavioral ecology is destined to remain nothing more than a personal interest for me.

Return question: Do you think there are any differences between the popular impression of wolves and your own?

[uc pseudonym]

This is the first time I have something to thank an adbot for: I managed to miss your response but returned to the thread thanks to its post.

Uc pseudonym, are there any particular areas of physics that interest you?

The fun ones, basically. I have reasonable layperson knowledge of quantum theory and some of the further out things like string theory. Astronomy and cosmology are also interests, in great part for the overwhelming sense of scale.

(Aside: This is a neat article a friend linked me to the other day.)

Yeah, the theory about "curled" dimensions and such is interesting. Thanks for the article, since this is an area where I'm not very well read.

As for Urasawa, i've read all of 20th Century Boys up to, i think, the penultimate issue. At that point i had pretty much given up on the series having a satisfying conclusion, so i let it go.

Hm, that depends on what you want out of the series. Read through 21st Century Boys (basically a coda that should be read with the rest) and most plot points will be resolved, including numerous character notes.

I flirted with linguistics as a uni student, and the psychology text sounds like it might offer some interesting insights.

I strongly recommend Predictably Irrational at least. It's very accessible but it covers a large number of experiments in some depth. There were a few times where I wished he gave his raw data, but the most interesting part is usually the conclusions that can be drawn about human behavior. I recall him making a TED Talk based on one of my favorite chapters, but now it seems he has multiple. If you want a sample, in any case, I think it's this one:
http://blog.ted.com/2009/03/17/why_we_think_it/

Anyway, i also read Pharyngula fairly regularly, though i sometimes wonder if it isn't warping me into a cynic. I'm a generally positive person, but there're just so many stupid things going on and Pharyngula is where i tend to learn about them. If only i could keep tabs on myself!

Heh, I guess Pharyngula wouldn't be good if you're trying to avoid cynicism. As someone far toward that end of the continuum, I enjoy his commentary. I feel like I should recommend a similar blog with an intensely positive outlook but none are coming to mind.

EDIT: The chance you haven't seen this is minimal, but for a dose of positivity I like looping this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgiXGELjbc

[shooraijin]

I flirted with linguistics as a uni student

How so? (BA in Linguistics, mostly syntax.)

[Okami]

[quote="Mu Shin Ron Sha (post: 1466933)"]Okami, i think that may be the single most difficult question ]

I figured as much, seeing as science majors of any kind have quite a broad spectrum that they can work with because of the many subfields. (My best friend is currently considered Pre-Biology as she works towards the general requirements toward medicine and veterinary work) I wish you the best, wherever your studies may take you, because that sounds like quite the bit of work! XD


As far as wolves go...Absolutely, I feel like there are differences. They've been my favorite animal for eight or nine years now. I used to like them for their beauty and majesty, and as I've gotten older, I've really taken interest in their personality - the pack mentality but also the ability to be alone. Typically wolves are spoken of in ill terms; thinking like, Little Red Riding Hood, Three Little Pigs type of wolves that are nothing but vicious and cruel. There are five times in the Bible where wolves are mentioned - three times it is mentioned as a predator figure: attacking, ravaging, devouring, and the other two times it is mentioned as eating and living with the lamb and being at peace with animals that one wouldn't think of as being "socially compatible" with.

That is much of how I see myself. I can get along with others, but as an introvert I like my space. I hang around those that I probably would have had extreme issues with just a few years ago. The wolf is loyal and gets right down to business and gets things done. This is who I strive to be, as I crave authentic, meaningful conversation.

One of the best ways I can think to describe it is in the way that Demon Hunter explains of their song, "Follow the Wolves" [quote]"The idea behind Follow The Wolves comes from a thought I had about being “wolves in sheep’s clothing,â€

[goldenspines]

Goldenspines, sounds like we would agree on the language issue! I hope your sessions continue and fare well. I had planned to sit in yesterday, but apparently my account is restricted as i'm unable to view the forum and get the information to connect. (Maybe this is a good place to ask: How was i even able to see the two "Members Only" forums in the first place? A glitch? And when might i be able to view them again?)

It was a bit of a technical issue, I believe. You should be able to see things fine now.
I'm currently still trying to get into a good rhythm and organization with the Japanese chats, but I hope to get them stable enough to be a valuable learning resource.

[Nanao]

Hi Mu, Welcome ^__^ Hope you enjoy it here! What languages have you studied?

[aliveinHim]

Welcome! What kind of stuff do you like to bake?

[ABlipinTime]

Cool, a fellow chem major.
Welcome!

[Nami]

Welcome to CAA! ^_^

We are so pleased to have you, I saw you on another part of CAA and thought; "This guy is new."

I also see you've been asked a lot of questions and that you are...apparently, very knowledgeable! So, I must do this because I mean crazy.

What do you do when you go outside?
What do you bake? Cakes? Cupcakes?
Do you bake sweets or regular food?
Anything Japanese?
What was your school experience like? Was it like a manga?

^_^ <-- *dork extraordinaire*