I want to die as myself.

How I feel having to make these rules.


What will happen to you if you break them.
(GIF by renisanz)

I've never had rules to my journal before, and I don't like having them now. But due to some things that have happened this year, it's become necessary. So please read these before friending me - I mean them.

RULE #1 - There will be absolutely, positively, without a doubt NO hate speech permitted. This includes hate speech targeted at women, ethnic minorities, religious groups, the LGBT community, people of different political persuasions, and people of different sizes. Fat jokes, jokes against women, minorities, etc., will get you kicked off my FL without a warning. Don't do it. They're not funny and they make you look like an ass.

RULE #2 - With the exception of Rule #1, my journal is anything goes. I want you to feel free to express your opinions, and that includes disagreeing with what I may say in a post. I am a strong proponent of Habermas's Discourse Ethics, and I believe that what the world needs right now is to sit down and discuss the problems it has. Don't agree with what I say? Great! Give me your opinion. The only rules are that you keep it civil, don't violate Rule #1, and avoid ad hominem attacks.

RULE #3 - Don't like something somebody says in my journal? You have a couple of options. 1) Engage them in a civil debate. That's totally cool, and I totally approve. 2) Ignore them. 3) Post in your own journal that you disagree. Look, lots of options. Something that isn't an option? Message me to complain about how you don't like it. My journal is open to different opinions, people, and I would love it to become a place of open discourse. I'm not going to tell people to stop posting their opinions just because someone else disagrees with them. Or even because I disagree with them. So don't try it.

RULE #4 - I won't permit shipping wars on my journal. No, I don't ship Arthur/Eames, Meg/Cass, Dean/Castiel, Sam/Dean, or J2. I do ship Arthur/Ariadne, Dean/Lisa, Sam/Ruby, Sam/Jess and neytaritook is leading me in the direction of shipping Harry/Hermione. I know some of these are ships that are unpopular in fandom. I don't care. I'm perfectly willing to discuss them civilly with anyone. I have reasons for all of them, and I love discussing characters. But if you start getting wanky, or telling me I'm stupid for shipping the way I do, then yeah, you can leave.

RULE #5 - Wincest squicks me. So does Arthur/Eames. Please feel free to ask me why and I'll be glad to explain. Talk about it all you want on your journal, but don't bring it here, okay? Not in icons, not in gifs, not in any way. J2 is even worse to me, because these are real people who are happily married. Just...no. I know this is kind of in violation of my open discussion policy, but it really, really grosses me out and kind of triggers me, so I beg you not to bring it here.

RULE #6 - 2012 is a Presidential Election Year in the US. I welcome and look forward to discussion and debate as the day approaches. I will be posting things, I'm sure, and you're welcome to comment (in agreement or disagreement). Like everything else, though - no wank permitted. Be civil, don't hate, respect the opinions of others. If I see people flaming someone, or ganging up on someone, I will remove them from my FL. Just FYI, I am a far left socialist, but I am very tolerant to the opinions of others. I want to hear what you have to say, and I will respect your opinion as long as it is civilly and intelligently stated. I'm not egotistical enough to think that everything I believe and everything I think is right.

So, for now, I think that's the list.

Basically, love each other, be nice, and act like adults.

Peace,
~is_quixotic

Okay, I'm still tired, but I think I can get this written before I fall asleep again. Glad I'm off for the next two days, last week wiped me out. In a very good way.

March 24th - Caught the train to California, from Chicago Union Station. This required getting on the South Shore rail from South Bend Airport, taking that to Mellennium Station in Chicago, catching a bus from Mellennium station to Union Station, and then waiting four hours to catch the Southwest Chief from there.

I sat for a bit with some girls about my age, who seemed nice enough until one started going off on this racist tangent. And then tried to pick me up, I think. She gave me her number, anyway. Now although I'm straight, I don't mind at all being hit on by anyone - but racists are rather at the bottom of my list, thanks. Don't you find it interesting how you can almost always identify racists by their "Now I don't mean to sound racist, but..." introductions?

The station was crowded, and so was the train. Thankfully, since I was one of the first on, I got a window seat on the top level, so I was able to get some nice pictures (under cut). Much to my dismay, I did get seated with someone - a family. They were nice enough, but I really prefer people who don't try to talk to me. Too much of an introvert for that, I guess. I tried to be nice, but I hope I didn't come across as snobby or annoying or anything. I just don't like talking to people I don't know - it's why I didn't go to dinner once on the train, either - they sit you with random people, and I don't do that well.

Our trip that night was through the heartland, so here's a few pictures of my general part of the world (yay District 11).

( Pictures )

March 25 - Day on the train.
This day went alright, really. Slept okay, although it was really cold. I don't remember being this cold on a train before. A little girl slept in the seat next to me, so I had a decent amount of room, for a train, although I didn't want to bother her. Woke up crazy early - they start doing announcements at 6am. Slept. Rested. Read "The Hunger Games" again. Got an incredibly over-priced sandwich in the evening. Took pictures. Pretty much did nothing. Here are some pictures from Colorado and New Mexico, where we were during the day.

( Pictures from March 25th )

March 26th - It was raining when I woke up the next morning, in eastern California. I was a bit surprised since, you know, it never rains in Southern California, according to the song. ;) Nonetheless, I was very excited because my stop was coming up and I was finally going to get to meet neytaritook! I got to the station in Fullerton around...oh...7? And waited just a little while until Beth and her mother showed up to get me. I was all nasty and stinky, but I don't think I disgusted them too much. So we got the car and checked into the hotel, and took a little nap before heading to Huntington Beach. The traffic was pretty bad, partially because I hadn't turned Freeways off my GPS yet, and I almost got run off the 5, but it was worth it, because it was absolutely beautiful when I got there - lots of people surfing and walking around, and it was the perfect evening and the perfect temperature. We had dinner at Ruby's at the very end of the dock, looking out over the ocean. Beautiful first day in California!

( Pictures of Huntington Beach )

March 27th - Disney! We got up relatively early and drove to Disney. Traffic was decidedly not terrifying, and we got in, got parked (as far away as physically possible), and got the tram into the park. I didn't have any sort of pass or discount, but it was totally worth the $80. I'd never been there before, so I pretty much just let Beth guide me around to whatever she wanted to do. We went on a bunch of rides, had Mexican food, did Disney shopping, and just goofed around and had fun all day. I even got the girliest pair of Mickey Mouse ears imaginable. Seriously. That night, we went home and had dinner at Ruby Tuesdays before collapsing in bed - exhausting but wonderful day. :)

( Pictures from Disneyland )

I'm exhausted, so I'll do the other half later tonight, after a nap. :)

If you've found me through one of my RPs - these are the pups I play. :)

Most of these RPs are accepting new characters (all of them?) so if you're interested in joining, let me know and I can point you in the right direction.

At hearts_andminds

Ruby | Supernatural | imawesome_ruby
Michael | Supernatural | winged_michael
Henry VIII | The Tudors | 8henry
Lek Kerenko | Jurisdiction | lek_kerenko
Damien O'Donovan | The Wind that Shakes the Barley | for_ireland
Fantine | Les Miserables | seeherwheniwake
Arthur | Inception | dreamplanner
Tom Hansen | (500) Days of Summer | romantictom
Bliss Cavendar | Whip It | derbyisbliss
Jasper Hale | Twilight | empathicjasper
Finnick Odair | The Hunger Games | dist4_finnick

At carpe_ho_ras

Damien O'Donovan | The Wind that Shakes the Barley | for_ireland
Robert Fischer | Inception | see_or_seem
Arthur | Inception | dreamplanner

At bloodontherocks

Lucifer | Supernatural/The Bible | samael_falls
Kris Furillo | Wildfire | krisnwildfire
Arthur | Inception | dreamplanner

At games_of_panem

Peeta Mellark | The Hunger Games | die_as_myself

At A Demon in my View

Sam Winchester | Supernatural
Lucifer | Supernatural

At The Sun Will Rise

Peeta Mellark | The Hunger Games
Finnick Odair | The Hunger Games

At LCTV

Peeta Mellark | The Hunger Games
Finnick Odair | The Hunger Games

At Colligo

Peeta Mellark | The Hunger Games
Finnick Odair | The Hunger Games

At Singularity

Finnick Odair | The Hunger Games