General Questions Thread

[Kotohono]

Originally Posted by Sworn to Believe

...the ISML.

what is it?

ISML is the International Saimoe League, link to the official site there. It's the only english ran moe tournament, as opposed to japanse ran Anime Saimoe, and Korean ran Best Moe. Where people are able to nominate and then vote on which anime girl characters they feel are most moe. Addition unlike Best Moe or Anime Saimoe, ISML allows characters in regardless of how long the series has been going on, or when the series took place as long as the girl has enough support.

Also see our thread for it in general anime, here where how the tournament progresses is explained in the first post. But to be brief it has prelims, 7 smaller rounds to determine necklace winners[and who gets to finals], and a Final Double Elimination round to decide the final winner.

[Suomi]

Originally Posted by Konakaga

ISML is the International Saimoe League, link to the official site there. It's the only english ran moe tournament, as opposed to japanse ran Anime Saimoe, and Korean ran Best Moe. Where people are able to nominate and then vote on which anime girl characters they feel are most moe. Addition unlike Best Moe or Anime Saimoe, ISML allows characters in regardless of how long the series has been going on, or when the series took place as long as the girl has enough support.

Also see our thread for it in general anime, here where how the tournament progresses is explained in the first post. But to be brief it has prelims, 7 smaller rounds to determine necklace winners[and who gets to finals], and a Final Double Elimination round to decide the final winner.

Ahhhh. Understood. Thanks KK!

[synaesthetic]

Okay, silly question but I figured a forum of anime nerds would probably know whilst I get blank looks when I ask elsewhere.

I have a pair of black penny loafers that I bought at Fashion Bug years ago. They're very cute and look basically just like the penny loafers worn by many anime characters--the little detailing across the top of the foot, the squared-off toe, everything. Really adorable, dead common in pretty much any anime where the girls aren't wearing mary-janes.

Problem: they're a shade too small (they are 10, I am a 10.5) and they destroy any hosiery I try to wear with them, and also try to wear holes in my skin (probably as a result of being too small). So I can't wear them and need new ones.

Problem: they don't seem to exist here, though. So I can't replace them, at least I haven't found any replacements. I want a similar pair specifically--they look great with skirts and knee socks, tights or thigh-highs, but they tear them up, and they're uncomfy.

So I need a pair that fits. I don't remember the company that makes them (it rubbed off over time), but the style is called "Biscuit." Bought them at Fashion Bug (or maybe it was Rack Room Shoes?) years ago.

Also, does anyone know where I can get opaque, solid-color, thick thigh-highs that have a silicone band in the top so they don't fall down?

[Kudryavka]

Um, I'm not really sure what your question about the shoes is? What are you asking for, a place to buy? whether or not you should wear uncomfortable shoes?

About the thigh highs, hm, I've never seen cotton ones. I know of stockings you wear with business suits, but they're thin and tear easily. Maybe try looking in the girls' clothing section, I don't think most women would look to buy cotton thigh highs for themselves.

[SaintessHeart]

Wait. You want the hosiery OR the loafers?

[-KarumA-]

A photo or anything alike would shed more light on my thoughts because I have no idea what kind of shoes you are talking about.

If I google the name of the shoes you typed I get male shoes that a lot of older men like my father wear and surely that is not what you are looking for. Also saw pics of them with heels and such..

That is probably the bad thing about buying shoes at places online, finding the exact same product, knowing the exact size and having the ability to try them on to see if it actually fits well around your foot. :/ I'd just go to a shoe store...

[synaesthetic]

Actually I went and looked at the ones I have. They're Mudd (not xAppeal or whatever) and they're a discontinued line. However, it looks like there's a new version that's basically the same thing with a slight change to the heels.



Like that. That is exactly what I'm talking about. (I can't find these ones anywhere, either. They're a deactivated item at Amazon).

@Saintess: I am looking for both the stockings and the shoes.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

@Saintess: I am looking for both the stockings and the shoes.

Coincidentially, I am looking for stockings too. You might want to look through lingerie stores or those smaller clothing stores - they sell them cheap. It would be better to ask around from store to store for the best deal - those with silicone bands shouldn't be too hard to find, you can always buy elastic and band them at the top yourself or get socks glue.

[synaesthetic]

It's rather difficult to find knitted thigh highs in America. The best things I've discovered are opaque nylon thigh highs at 60 deneir thickness online, $17 a pair is pretty painful, though.

American Apparel over on Telegraph Ave. has thigh high socks (which are quite adorable), but they lack the silicone band required to keep them from constantly falling down!

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

It's rather difficult to find knitted thigh highs in America. The best things I've discovered are opaque nylon thigh highs at 60 deneir thickness online, $17 a pair is pretty painful, though.

American Apparel over on Telegraph Ave. has thigh high socks (which are quite adorable), but they lack the silicone band required to keep them from constantly falling down!

I think socks glue is your other option with normal stockings. I am not sure if they sell silicone bands separately so you can sew them into the stockings yourself.

[synaesthetic]

Socks glue... I wonder what its chemical composition is? The stuff is ludicrously expensive compared to glue for normal purposes.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by synaesthetic

Socks glue... I wonder what its chemical composition is? The stuff is ludicrously expensive compared to glue for normal purposes.

A small bottle is supposed to last for 1-2 months. You use it like eyedrops - not squirt the entire bottle at once!

Here it is. It costs $5 cheaper in value over there - the last time I saw it was a eyedrop sized bottle at $15. It contains Isopropyl Alcohol as a base.

Over at J-box they sell for $3. That will only last for 2-3 weeks.

[Ricky Controversy]

I want to start removing soda from my diet. It's not a matter of the calories or sugar: I do not get enough calories in a given day, and soda is one of my only significant sources of sugar since I tend to be quite sweet-averse. However, I already drink a fair amount of water on average--60 ounces a day, more if I'm exercising or if it's hot--and I don't find water to be the ideal drink to go with food.

So, ultimately, I'm thinking of substituting in tea as my flavored beverage. I dislike coffee, I do not drink alcoholic beverages, and I also dislike particularly sweet drinks like fruit juices. However, I have tried pre-fab tea and it is not at all to my liking. Either it is so watered down as to taste like questionable tap water, or it is so artificially sweetened that I feel my teeth cry out to me.

I don't like things that are ultra-bitter either, but I'd rather something be bitter than sweet. So, can anyone who knows anything about tea give me some suggestions? I know nothing about the stuff, but I'm more than willing to learn so I can make some good brews. Ideally, I'd like one that's good for drinking hot and one that's good for drinking cold.

[synaesthetic]

If you want tea that isn't face-warpingly bitter, and you don't want to add sugar to it... make sun-tea!

Get an old pickle jar or some other gallon-size glass vessel, fill it full of water and put 8-9 black tea bags in, screw the lid on and sit it outside to steep under the sunlight.

Sun tea is much more gently heated than tea brewed on the stove, so you get better flavor out of cheaper tea and it's far less bitter. Has a very good natural sweetness as well. I used to consume huge quantities of sun tea, but now I prefer iced coffee since it's slightly less annoying to make in a place that doesn't get a lot of sunlight.

I like making sun tea out of grocery-store English Breakfast tea bags, but I never use them for hot tea. Get some good quality loose Earl Gray or Darjeeling for hot tea. Darjeeling is good for sun tea also but the good stuff can be expensive.

British tea FTW! Screw that flowery Asian green stuff!

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy

I want to start removing soda from my diet. It's not a matter of the calories or sugar: I do not get enough calories in a given day, and soda is one of my only significant sources of sugar since I tend to be quite sweet-averse. However, I already drink a fair amount of water on average--60 ounces a day, more if I'm exercising or if it's hot--and I don't find water to be the ideal drink to go with food.

So, ultimately, I'm thinking of substituting in tea as my flavored beverage. I dislike coffee, I do not drink alcoholic beverages, and I also dislike particularly sweet drinks like fruit juices. However, I have tried pre-fab tea and it is not at all to my liking. Either it is so watered down as to taste like questionable tap water, or it is so artificially sweetened that I feel my teeth cry out to me.

I don't like things that are ultra-bitter either, but I'd rather something be bitter than sweet. So, can anyone who knows anything about tea give me some suggestions? I know nothing about the stuff, but I'm more than willing to learn so I can make some good brews. Ideally, I'd like one that's good for drinking hot and one that's good for drinking cold.

Have you ever tried jasmine green tea? If you get the pre-made type it tastes very nice, even without sugar it seems like it is sweetened. You can also buy the loose leaves and an infuser for a stronger taste. You may also find Yerba mate to your liking. When brewed like coffee it has a mellow, earthy flavor, and I've also seen it sold with different spices (I enjoy one with coconut and cocoa powder). Another one without any caffeine is Rooibos, which has a unique flavor, I think it is similar to cinnamon minus the kick. There's tons of variety if you're willing to brew the tea yourself, especially if you buy loose-leaf tea. Lots of them have plenty of flavor without anything added at all.

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Ricky Controversy

I want to start removing soda from my diet. It's not a matter of the calories or sugar: I do not get enough calories in a given day, and soda is one of my only significant sources of sugar since I tend to be quite sweet-averse. However, I already drink a fair amount of water on average--60 ounces a day, more if I'm exercising or if it's hot--and I don't find water to be the ideal drink to go with food.

So, ultimately, I'm thinking of substituting in tea as my flavored beverage. I dislike coffee, I do not drink alcoholic beverages, and I also dislike particularly sweet drinks like fruit juices. However, I have tried pre-fab tea and it is not at all to my liking. Either it is so watered down as to taste like questionable tap water, or it is so artificially sweetened that I feel my teeth cry out to me.

I don't like things that are ultra-bitter either, but I'd rather something be bitter than sweet. So, can anyone who knows anything about tea give me some suggestions? I know nothing about the stuff, but I'm more than willing to learn so I can make some good brews. Ideally, I'd like one that's good for drinking hot and one that's good for drinking cold.

Fruit tea or Chrysanthemum tea. The previous one is easy, just add fruit juice to black tea. Here is the formula for the latter :

1 cup of black tea leaves
5 Chrysanthemum flowers w/o the stem
700ml of water

Cooking : just boil everything together in a small saucepan. Add honey for health variation. DO NOT ADD MILK.

[Irkalla]

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

A small bottle is supposed to last for 1-2 months. You use it like eyedrops - not squirt the entire bottle at once!

Here it is. It costs $5 cheaper in value over there - the last time I saw it was a eyedrop sized bottle at $15. It contains Isopropyl Alcohol as a base.

Over at J-box they sell for $3. That will only last for 2-3 weeks.

Omg, are you serious, sock glue? Wow, I don't even..

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Zaseka

Omg, are you serious, sock glue? Wow, I don't even..

One of my cosplayer friends used it before. She said it works.

Question : My parents are driving me nuts. They want me to go out and work, which unfortunately, even after 3 weeks of job-hunting, I was unable to even find a part-time job.

I am currently schooling full-time at a cert-mill, in which every module requires a minimum IQ of 80 to sit in. I was bored out of my skull for every semester, yet I am still able to pass everything without having to study. Tutorials are no different from primary school work - only projects are a problem for me.

I can handle work and school at the same time, but the problem is the school is so asinine not to let me swap sessions from afternoon to morning so I can find a decent job. My mother is screaming over the 10k she gave to me for school and yet she hasn't seen a cert (due next year June).

I am throughly annoyed by the bad parenting they have shown for the past 9 years and treating me as a verbal punching bag. They never gave me encouragement, be it for whatever activities I do in school, and constantly set unrealistic expectations for me (I have yet to sue Mensa for misappropriating that fucking 146 to my IQ - it totally turned my life upside down and everyone who knows about it expects way too much from me). No matter what kind of astounding results I make, I always get that "you are just doing the bare minimum" or "why can't you do better?". With a complete lack of self-esteem, I just do the bare minimum knowing that I would pass, any more than that won't make a difference because not even my closet kin cares.

Should I just lodge a dispute to the family court on both of them? I am really tired of having my self-esteem buried six feet under a pile of insults and verbal discouragement.

P.S My father is an irresponsible womaniser who grubs family funds and refuses to contribute to me or my sister's school fees, which the local law refuses to let me disown. I have a good mind to bomb the subordinate courts with a bag of nitrate fertiliser soaked in diesel and petrol, but that won't change anything. Hopefully he gets cancer and die quickly.

[Vexx]

You are in Singapore, right? I imagine "family counseling" isn't quite the panacea it is in the US. Public embarrassment via the family court system might be interesting... but you should check with a counselor/lawyer who could help you frame it in an effective way.

Sounds like your parents are on the far dysfunctional end of the scale of "Asians never get a break from their parents". My wife never got a good word from her mother despite a lifetime of going way beyond the pale in her career or in taking care of her. It was never good enough.

Fortunately, her dad was far different - but sadly he died pretty young.

[Jinto]

@SaintessHeart,

so if I understand correctly you just have to bear with this situation for another 10 month or so. What is most important now, is that you find a hobby or sport where you can unleash all the hatered/bad mood that builds up over the day/week. It is extremely important for your mental health. I strongly recommend it - I really mean it! As far as I understand you cannot change much about the current situation, you are somewhat trapped in these circumstances.
Your connection to your father seems pretty much in shambles (beyond fixing), but your mother... I know next to nothing about her, but I want to ask you something:

Try to think about this as unbiased as possible.

She seems to project a part of her hatred and uneasyness onto you. She might not do it willingly, but this situation could be too much for her. It could be, that you are like an emotional pressure-relief valve for her. Provided I am not too far off here... that will make an interaction between both of you increasingly unpersonal. Both of you will increase the distance of social bonding until only material matters and rudimentary interest is a defining factor of your social interaction.
If (and only if) what I was saying is the actual reality. Then, as a result, you both lack to see the potentialy better personality in each other. You think as much that you cannot trust her and that she is useless as she thinks you are useless and just like your father (essentially "betraying" her).
In that case both of you will distance each other more and more if the vicious circle isn't broken. This would require a lot of devotion from either your or her side to break through. But that begs the question, are you even able to feel anything positive for your mother anymore (just playing nice won't help). Now, if you could imagine there is another side in her that you can reach, try to go for it. That won't work without communication though. And most important both sides need to understand what hurts them, what makes you and her feel uneasy about each other. Then there is a need to find understanding of each others fears and an understanding of mutual emotional and everyday life's support.
But be warned such a debate can be incredibly emotion-laden and might not bring the expected results.

Disclaimer, I know nothing about your mother. My second part of the advice is based on pure speculation. I try to help with my best intention, but that won't work when my understanding of your situation is wrong.