In most major religions, a common theme shared among them is that God has an infinite capacity for love. What meaning do these words have? How do we even begin to quantify an infinite capacity, unless we have something to directly compare it to? With all aspects of God, though, I begin to wonder what aspect of man were we trying to compensate for when we said this? This, I think, is pretty simple. Man simply wants to know they're loved unconditionally.

Of course, religion kind of fucks that up by adding conditions, but the core need still makes sense.

This is an interesting pratfall of atheism. We cast out a belief in God, but in doing so, make a declaration of being alone. The responsibility for our lives is on ourselves alone. Despite not really believing in a higher power, I admit to almost being tempted to, because the basic ideas almost conspire together to provide comfort when you need it, probably not unintentionally. They got it extremely right when they offered the chance for unconditional love, because it asks you to sacrifice nothing for an embrace.

That is to say, to be loved is to be happy, to love is something entirely different.

This may sound bitter on the outset, and perhaps it is, but it's nothing that anyone who's ever really been in love can argue with. You hear lots of metaphors for love - it is compromise, it is compassion, it is sacrifice. These are all true and individually false. Love is not any one thing and is not limited by a number of things you can name. The reason we're so fascinated by it is because it is utterly unlike anything we've ever seen before - it is the washed up mystery animal on our beaches, basically. No other feeling in the world so deviously mixes in happiness and pain and leaves us desiring more of it. To have an infinite capacity to love, I think, is the emotional equivalent of stopping a truck with your face an infinite number of times.

It provides an almost ironic opposite to the feeling of being loved. Which is a selfish thing to say now that I see it typed out there, but it's true. You can liken it to a similar process of giving money versus receiving money, if you like, the idea is basically the same. I don't need to go on about what's so great about this, but there is something I've noticed. Mankind, as unfathomable as it is, does in fact have an infinite capacity to be loved. But we also have the potential to lose the enjoyment of that. You might better recognize as, well, taking it for granted, to put it simply. It is an emptiness that can not be just be switched back on when you feel like it. It takes a profound realization to understand the how's and why's and it turns our greatest strength in to our greatest weakness.

Call it God, call it human nature, but love is a test, whether purposeful or not. To become bitter about both sides of it is so incredibly easy. Which is fine, a dose of realism in to romantic ideals can be a good thing. In excess, however, you begin doubting the very foundation of it all. People who don't think love exists or the opportunity for it has passed them by are as delusional as those who believe that it is the only thing you ever need. There's a certain degree of child-like wonder involved in the whole thing, but those that truly know they're in love are introspective about it and learn to behave like adults.

In other words, if you take nothing else from this, know this: if love is responsibility, and being loved is hedonism, then you balance out somewhere in the middle. You can't take love for granted and you can never lose that part of you that always seeks it, whether it be from someone new or the person you wake up next to every morning.

Shmultzy? Probably. But it was on my mind.

I might comment on a few of these myself.

Leave me an anonymous comment pouring your heart out. Say anything. Tell me your stories, your secrets, those things no one ever asks but you wish to tell. Tell me about your love, your hate, your indifference, your joy. Tell me about what's inside of you when you're reading through these entries on your friends list, and tell me why you continue to come back here. Tell me anything.

Post anonymously [by selecting the anonymous box]. Speak honestly, because there isn't any censure here. Post as many times as you like. One faceless wonder to another.

Also, before I forget, I promised to link my Persona 3 review for people still on the fence. Now to see if I can get Atlus to give me an advanced copy of Trauma Center 2. :3

-- Imran

Yes, I know, at this point it might just be excessive. Shut up. I enjoy showing off my no-miss runs.

This one is Glamorous Sky, which is my favorite favorite favorite level of the whole game. Again, couldn't fit the whole thing in there, so this is just the second section. The story of this level is so adorable and depressing. Basically, a little kid has a crush on a girl who's moving away and doesn't have the guts to tell her. So he and his friends get together to try it make her last few days there as memorable as possible so she doesn't forget him. In this part, they're cutting apart pieces of pink paper to try and simulate the Sakura Trees blooming for her.


I almost got full 300s on this except for three 100s. You see two of them there, but there's a third one at the end when the beat shifts over to the drums. You'll also notice I got really nervous during the spinner, like I usually do, and it actually went backwards at some points.

-- Imran

Twas the Night Before AWA
The Night Before AWA by: Vertigo Fox
________________________________________________________

_____________

'Twas the night before "The Weekend", and all through our city
All the creatures were stirring, the otakus quite busy.
The events were all planned out in the main room with care,
In hopes that some big names in Anime would be there

Everyone was tossing and turning their beds,
while visions of Macross danced in their heads.
And ma in her costume and I in mine,
we'd just sneaked early into the line

When up on the roof there arose such a clatter
I sprang out of line to see what was the matter
Over to the door I ran like Kanzaki,
Swung open the hinge and sipped on my sake.

(I was a bit smashed, but I swear I did see:)
Something so incredible came over me!
When, to my eyes did unveil,
A woman in devil-horns, (it never did fail).

This woman, all dressed up in tan,
I knew in a moment it must be Carol-Ann!
More rapid than bullets her staff members came,
and she screamed and she shouted as she called them by name:

"Now, stupid! now, silly! now, boring and lazy!
On, egghead! on worthless! on, loco and crazy!
To the ground of the parking deck to the top of the floors,
now work away, work away, open those doors!"

At that moment the hotel did open,
And anime fans from all over were copin',
The lines were all long, and the fountains all sappy,
but, for some reason, all were still happy!

And then I heard on the floor right above,
the trampling feet of those I do love.
I held my breath as I turned right around,
and down the elevator Dave came with a bound.

He was dressed like Hikaru from his head to his toes,
and he smiled like he had in his life no more woes.
A bundle of Anime he had flown on his knee
Of course their were subs, dubs, and the occasional DVD

His eyes, how they tired! But his face, how merry!
His cheeks were on fire, nose red like a berry.
His fatigued mouth was open and weary
And 5 o'clock shadow was growing more near-y.

His face was all scrunched up in the shape of a plum
And he smiled now and then, for there was much fun.
His dashing goatee finished his style,
And everyone knew he'd be here quite a while.

He was well built and tall, a right jolly old chap.
And everyone had an urge to sit on his lap.
With a snap of his fingers and a sip of his tea,
I knew right then he'd never hurt me.

He said quite the word, and set right to work.
We let everyone in, from nice guy to jerk.
And at the end of the weekend, he left in his car,
(From the look of it, obviously, he was quite abovepar.)

He said bye to all, gave a wave to Carol-Ann,
Nodded at Taco, and with a wave of his hand,
He rolled down the window as he finished the day,
"Happy Christmas to All, and to All a Good AWA!"


Have a nice weekend, all. I'll be at an anime con.

-- Imran

Leave me an anonymous comment pouring your heart out. Say anything. Tell me your stories, your secrets, those things no one ever asks but you wish to tell. Tell me about your love, your hate, your indifference, your joy. Tell me about what's inside of you when you're reading through these entries on your friends list, and tell me why you continue to come back here. Tell me anything.

Post anonymously [by selecting the anonymous box]. Speak honestly, because there isn't any censure here. Post as many times as you like. One faceless wonder to another.

You know how it works. Public entry, anonymous comments, etc.

-- Imran

Leave me an anonymous comment pouring your heart out. Say anything. Tell me your stories, your secrets, those things no one ever asks but you wish to tell. Tell me about your love, your hate, your indifference, your joy. Tell me about what's inside of you when you're reading through these entries on your friends list, and tell me why you continue to come back here. Tell me anything.

Post anonymously [by selecting the anonymous box]. Speak honestly, because there isn't any censure here. Post as many times as you like. One faceless wonder to another.

-- Imran

And a wallpaper that I know destradojo will like.

( Linked for huge. )

-- Imran

-- Imran

That's pretty creepy.

The Great LiveJournal Outage of 2005 During the outage I watched illegally downloaded anime. What did you do? Brought to you by geek-foo

-- Imran

Very bored.



And to balance out the ugliness with cuteness:



Funny if you've played Chrono Trigger and have seen Azumanga Daioh. I assume it's just plain weird without doing either of those.

-- Imran

-- Imran

-- Imran

In the year 2005 I resolve to: Sleep my way to the top. Get your resolution here

*loosens tie*

Alright, time to start!

-- Imran

Outpost.com (aka Fry's) has the Zelda: Minish Cap available for $20 with free shipping.

Now, you'll want to be aware that, when you check out, you have to manually choose ground shipping. By default, it's always on the $7 two-day shipping. Only ground shipping is free.

For a brand new game, this is a great deal. I'd recommend it because, from what I've played of the European version, it's the best attempt at a 2D Zelda since ALttP. Just another dungeon or two and it would be better. :P

-- Imran

I lose at making coffee.

That is all.

-- Imran

Which Naruto Character Are You?
Test by naruto - kun.com

As it should be.

P.S., new LJ layout. Check it out if you're a Disgaea fan.

-- Imran

Anyone feel up to hanging out? Give my cell a call. It'll help wake me up, anyhow.

-- Imran

Happy New Year! Who wants to get married? D:

-- Imran

Just finished watching the FMA movie teaser. I'm uber-pissed.

It looks to be a cash-in "insert in to continuity here" story! I wanted one that expanded on the ending, goddamnit. Of course, I don't know for sure that the movie isn't a Bebop-esque insert, but there are characters there that definitely should not be there. So, unless they completely revoke the ending or chose to only make the trailer some sort of weird flashback within the movie, it's irksome.

-- Imran

If you don't know what Ceciling is, take time to learn. :D

-- Imran