SZbNAhL's Similarly Sibilant (if unpronouncable) Random Banter #223

I've been trying to get more open and friendly in the last few years. I give family members hugs now! And friends, sometimes!

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

I mean, I discovered recently upon visiting friends that, no, I don't mind receiving things like hair strokes and cuddles... the issue is just more (again, childhood*) the drilling into me of "no, you don't touch anyone, ever, without their permission." So, even now, like... I have issues so much as tapping someone on the shoulder to get their attention. So, my issues are specifically with giving the touchy-feely stuff. :smalltongue:

(I am just a very awkward person in general. But, yes, very awkward specifically when anything remotely intimate - emotional or physical (and, no, not specifically in that way) - has the possibility to come up.)

*I got the whole package of "no touching, no swearing, always be polite, hold the door open for people, no pushing, please and thank you, wait your turn for everything, no dating until you're at least 16, etc." that I'm sure all parents wanted. And, yeah, child me basically ingrained them on my soul. Which... has, yes, caused issues at times. In retrospect, that whole 'no dating' thing caused me to basically push away some people who could have became friends. So, whoops.

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I getcha. And you know, there's nothing wrong with how you are-it's unfortunate you lost people who could've been good friends, but not being a touchy-feely person isn't a bad thing, it's just a thing.

My parents REALLY ingrained the whole "Please and thank yous, hold doors, no pushing" general courtesy thing into me, but I honestly appreciate that they did that. It means I've grown into a polite person, and I'm happy about that!

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Originally Posted by Peelee

"seh-beh-nahl"

The Z is silent.

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I'm not even sure why English has a z (r an x.) Seebra is perfectly comprehensible, not just in writing but outloud.

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Originally Posted by HalfTangible

Obsession is a bad thing no matter the target, almost by definition. I assumed it was exaggerated here.

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See, that's another fault I have. Taking things too often at face value, and not reading textual tone. (It's why I tend to use far more emoji/smilies than I really should, compared to everyone else. Because I always fear being misunderstood as not joking/light of tone when that's my intention. ...of course, then my English courses kick in, and are all "don't you dare end two back-to-back lines with the same one!")

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Originally Posted by JNAProductions

Who even said "obsessed"?

*Looks at thread*

Oh. Me. :P

Yeah, perhaps a better way to phrase it would be "Absolutely LOVES boobs."

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Yes, that's fair enough. I lean towards that way myself, but... eh, I mean, I could live in a world without. :smalltongue:

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Originally Posted by HalfTangible

I've been trying to get more open and friendly in the last few years. I give family members hugs now! And friends, sometimes!

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I'll be honest, for a lot of the time for family hugs, especially now, it definitely ends up feeling more like because of obligation than anything else.
(...which comes down to another problem of mine. I am fairly certain that I've never directly said 'no' to my family, at least in any significant capacity - unless there was another obligation I'd already made that conflicted. Even now, as an adult.)

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Originally Posted by JNAProductions

I getcha. And you know, there's nothing wrong with how you are-it's unfortunate you lost people who could've been good friends, but not being a touchy-feely person isn't a bad thing, it's just a thing.

My parents REALLY ingrained the whole "Please and thank yous, hold doors, no pushing" general courtesy thing into me, but I honestly appreciate that they did that. It means I've grown into a polite person, and I'm happy about that!

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Eh, no real use dwelling on the past. I like, in general, where I am now - and who knows where changes back then would have put me today. I just figure regret it a bit, but just use that as a lesson for the future.

I mean, I certainly appreciate it - and, really, it doesn't take anything to be civil to someone - but... just it certainly has caused me some shock and stuff at times. My brother, who grew up similarly to me, he thinks nothing of foul language, or anything like that. Certainly grew up a much more normal person than I - as opposed to someone with childhood lessons engraved on their soul. :smalltongue:
(It is always... something to hear my parents use any strong language at times. To give you an idea of how strict things were as a child, anything equal to or above 'stupid' in severity was banned. While I've definitely relaxed a little on that sort of stuff... definitely don't tend to insult people.)

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Originally Posted by HalfTangible

I've been trying to get more open and friendly in the last few years. I give family members hugs now! And friends, sometimes!

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You can do it HT! Crush the antisocial ****heel that was Past HT underneath your boots!

One of the most important lessons I've learned growing up is that sometimes you need to kill the you you left behind. It's a simple, though quite complex, thing. The gist of it is that I'm pretty sure the younger version of me would mostly hate my current self for all the good, positive reasons you can be hated by someone.

Hey y'all, I still haven't found the badger yet. A couple of ferrets with marraccas in the cupboard, but that's about it.

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Originally Posted by LaZodiac

One of the most important lessons I've learned growing up is that sometimes you need to kill the you you left behind. It's a simple, though quite complex, thing. The gist of it is that I'm pretty sure the younger version of me would mostly hate my current self for all the good, positive reasons you can be hated by someone.

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...oh, good. Another thing that I'm bad at. I don't think I could kill past me, even though past me certainly wouldn't fight back. Or present me, for that matter. I'm not good at fighting. :smalltongue:

(Fun fact: I tried Karate when I was younger. I did well enough in it... until it came time to do exercises with/against other people. Even when they were, like, holding up giant padded stuff to punch/kick... I couldn't bring myself to properly do it. And that is why I never got past Yellow Belt.)

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

...oh, good. Another thing that I'm bad at. I don't think I could kill past me, even though past me certainly wouldn't fight back. Or present me, for that matter. I'm not good at fighting. :smalltongue:

(Fun fact: I tried Karate when I was younger. I did well enough in it... until it came time to do exercises with/against other people. Even when they were, like, holding up giant padded stuff to punch/kick... I couldn't bring myself to properly do it. And that is why I never got past Yellow Belt.)

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Just get a large number of alternate you's to help with the task, and win through sheer numbers.

Then double check that you are not in that one Jet Li film. If so, this could get messy.

Dang, this thread got to page two real fast.

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Originally Posted by HalfTangible

I've been trying to get more open and friendly in the last few years. I give family members hugs now! And friends, sometimes!

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I've always been a handshakes kind of guy with pretty much everybody outside of family or very close friends. I don't mind a hug, but my instinct is always to go for a handshake, which can result in some finagling when somebody I've only met a handful of times goes for a hug and I have to swiftly readjust to avoid making them feel awkward.

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Originally Posted by Mith

Just get a large number of alternate you's to help with the task, and win through sheer numbers.

Then double check that you are not in that one Jet Li film. If so, this could get messy.

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Won't help. Everyone knows Ninjas get less effective the more there are of them. :smallwink:

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Originally Posted by Comrade

I've always been a handshakes kind of guy with pretty much everybody outside of family or very close friends. I don't mind a hug, but my instinct is always to go for a handshake, which can result in some finagling when somebody I've only met a handful of times goes for a hug and I have to swiftly readjust to avoid making them feel awkward.

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Yeah, handshaking was the basics that I was taught for people, outside of family, at least. Haven't had too many try for the hug elsewhere, at least.

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

See, that's another fault I have. Taking things too often at face value, and not reading textual tone. (It's why I tend to use far more emoji/smilies than I really should, compared to everyone else. Because I always fear being misunderstood as not joking/light of tone when that's my intention. ...of course, then my English courses kick in, and are all "don't you dare end two back-to-back lines with the same one!")

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*shrug* Same. Some days are better than others for reasons I cannot discern.

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I'll be honest, for a lot of the time for family hugs, especially now, it definitely ends up feeling more like because of obligation than anything else.
(...which comes down to another problem of mine. I am fairly certain that I've never directly said 'no' to my family, at least in any significant capacity - unless there was another obligation I'd already made that conflicted. Even now, as an adult.)

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I feel the same way, honestly. I don't enjoy the hugs, but I do go through with them and sometimes even offer them myself. The hug isn't really the point; I just like these people and want to let them know that.

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Originally Posted by LaZodiac

You can do it HT! Crush the antisocial ****heel that was Past HT underneath your boots!

One of the most important lessons I've learned growing up is that sometimes you need to kill the you you left behind. It's a simple, though quite complex, thing. The gist of it is that I'm pretty sure the younger version of me would mostly hate my current self for all the good, positive reasons you can be hated by someone.

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Past me wasn't a ****heel. He just had no confidante, no confidence and cared too much what his Dad thought.

I don't think I ever really became my own person, even the HalfPerson that I feel like I am now, until the day it really sunk in that being afraid of Dad would accomplish nothing. He'd still be angry at everything I did, and there was no fixing our relationship. Things only really got better for us when I stopped caring what he wanted or what he thought as my father and started thinking of it in terms of a business transaction. He's a self-made man who knows what he's doing, and I can learn a lot from the guy. So long as I'm willing to be the butt monkey for a little while longer. And hey, he's barely home anymore anyway, so that's a plus.

I spent most of my high school years curled into a ball, crying and certain that I was going to die in a ditch somewhere, cold and alone, an abject failure that did nothing but drain and burden others. Still not sure that I won't end up there, honestly. But I'm hopeful that I won't, and I know I help people. That's a start.

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

*I got the whole package of "no touching, no swearing, always be polite, hold the door open for people, no pushing, please and thank you, wait your turn for everything, no dating until you're at least 16, etc." that I'm sure all parents wanted. And, yeah, child me basically ingrained them on my soul. Which... has, yes, caused issues at times. In retrospect, that whole 'no dating' thing caused me to basically push away some people who could have became friends. So, whoops.

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I'm personally of the opinion that parents wanting their children to not date before they cross some magical boundry of grownupness is one of those cultural prudishnesses we as a society would be better off without.

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

See, that's another fault I have. Taking things too often at face value, and not reading textual tone. (It's why I tend to use far more emoji/smilies than I really should, compared to everyone else. Because I always fear being misunderstood as not joking/light of tone when that's my intention. ...of course, then my English courses kick in, and are all "don't you dare end two back-to-back lines with the same one!")

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Wait, your English courses taught you emoji usage? http://i.imgur.com/kavzNLd.png

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Originally Posted by Comrade

Dang, this thread got to page two real fast.

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"Back in my day, no one thought the thread moved fast unless there was a third thread overnight!"
(Yeah, no, I wasn't actually around back when they went through a full thread in one day, but waking up to multiple new pages was a regular occurrence.)

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

Won't help. Everyone knows Ninjas get less effective the more there are of them. :smallwink:

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Then you should obviously bring in more past yous instead. The sheer dilution of ninjutsu would probably be enough to make them evaporate into thin air. It's be as if you never brought them here in the first place oh wait...

ION:
Speaking of ingrained childhood lessons, I can't eat salad served together with a main course before I finished the first portion of said main course.

To explain, I really like fresh vegetables, and child me could easily eat himself full on salad alone, which isn't really optimal for a growing child (and would make me hungry and sad well before the next meal). To deal with this, my parents forbade me to take any salad before I'd finished my first portion, and that stuck with me so hard that I still don't touch the salad until I've finished the rest of my plate.

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Originally Posted by Teddy

I'm personally of the opinion that parents wanting their children to not date before they cross some magical boundry of grownupness is one of those cultural prudishnesses we as a society would be better off without.

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Probably better to explain what it really means, at least, yes. And not "any friendly fraternization with the opposite gender while alone." :smalltongue:

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Wait, your English courses taught you emoji usage? http://i.imgur.com/kavzNLd.png

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Nah. I mean more the "Don't start multiple sentences in a row the same way, make sure to change up your phrasing, etc." stuff that they insist on. It's still something that I more-or-less follow. I wince if I notice that I used the same adjective or whatnot too much in back-to-back sentences.

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"Back in my day, no one thought the thread moved fast unless there was a third thread overnight!"
(Yeah, no, I wasn't actually around back when they went through a full thread in one day, but waking up to multiple new pages was a regular occurrence.)

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Well, unfortunately, days keep going by, and times change. :smallwink:

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Then you should obviously bring in more past yous instead. The sheer dilution of ninjutsu would probably be enough to make them evaporate into thin air. It's be as if you never brought them here in the first place oh wait...

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I feel like mucking about with time travel at all is a bad thing. Best case scenario is that nothing changes at all... and then why do you bother involving time travel? :smallamused:

(Getting more tangentially, the version of time travel that I tend to prefer is that of a "history repair system" - you can interfere with the past, but the further you get away from that point, the less affect your changes had. You might be able to, say, go back in time a day and stop a friend from sending an email you regret, changing that... but if you went back in time however many hundreds of years to stop some historical event... come back to present day, and things are basically the same overall. Maybe someone else signed the important agreement, there's a little bit of a difference in the year your town was founded, whatever, but you can't tell much difference.

Of course, I also tend to do things like that for tabletop groups, where you never know what the time travelers'll do. Bit different when you're in control of characters to set up stable time loops. :smalltongue:)

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

...oh, good. Another thing that I'm bad at. I don't think I could kill past me, even though past me certainly wouldn't fight back. Or present me, for that matter. I'm not good at fighting. :smalltongue:

(Fun fact: I tried Karate when I was younger. I did well enough in it... until it came time to do exercises with/against other people. Even when they were, like, holding up giant padded stuff to punch/kick... I couldn't bring myself to properly do it. And that is why I never got past Yellow Belt.)

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You don't actually have to kill yourself. Some people, and some pasts, can be accepted, or just moved away from.

I've found the best, and easiest, thing to do is hate my old self and try not to be like her. But then that's me, and I've got a boat load of issues I'm still sorting out. Everyone's got their battles, you can do yours!

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Originally Posted by Comrade

Dang, this thread got to page two real fast.

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The ninja train never stops never stopping.

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Originally Posted by HalfTangible

Past me wasn't a ****heel. He just had no confidante, no confidence and cared too much what his Dad thought.

I don't think I ever really became my own person, even the HalfPerson that I feel like I am now, until the day it really sunk in that being afraid of Dad would accomplish nothing. He'd still be angry at everything I did, and there was no fixing our relationship. Things only really got better for us when I stopped caring what he wanted or what he thought as my father and started thinking of it in terms of a business transaction. He's a self-made man who knows what he's doing, and I can learn a lot from the guy. So long as I'm willing to be the butt monkey for a little while longer. And hey, he's barely home anymore anyway, so that's a plus.

I spent most of my high school years curled into a ball, crying and certain that I was going to die in a ditch somewhere, cold and alone, an abject failure that did nothing but drain and burden others. Still not sure that I won't end up there, honestly. But I'm hopeful that I won't, and I know I help people. That's a start.

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That's fair, and truthfully most people are a better judge of themselves than outsiders anyway. For the most part.

I'm sorry you gotta deal with a ****ty Dad. I'm lucky to have one who's only problems is that he's a bit of a tease.

Same *sends polite head pats since you're not super big into hugs but sometimes are*

Also as an aside, you're a full person. Never feel like you're incomplete.

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Originally Posted by LaZodiac

You don't actually have to kill yourself. Some people, and some pasts, can be accepted, or just moved away from.

I've found the best, and easiest, thing to do is hate my old self and try not to be like her. But then that's me, and I've got a boat load of issues I'm still sorting out. Everyone's got their battles, you can do yours!

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Oh, good, you say that just as I figured out I'd just need to send a pirate to the past, and then 50/50 shot that gets rid of my problem. :smallwink:

But, no, I get it. I don't hate my 'past me's. They're just... mostly naïve. Excessively naïve, and with a lack of self-reflection to realize their problems. (Such as my recent realization that I am very, very bad at rocking the boat. Adaptable, generally... but bad at making that first push. But, acknowledging that fault has helped with it. And helped solve some of the problems it caused. The rest are future me's problems.)

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The ninja train never stops never stopping.

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Is that just a complicated way of saying eternally going? Because I think there're too many negatives in there. :smallconfused: :smalltongue:

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

Oh, good, you say that just as I figured out I'd just need to send a pirate to the past, and then 50/50 shot that gets rid of my problem. :smallwink:

But, no, I get it. I don't hate my 'past me's. They're just... mostly naïve. Excessively naïve, and with a lack of self-reflection to realize their problems. (Such as my recent realization that I am very, very bad at rocking the boat. Adaptable, generally... but bad at making that first push. But, acknowledging that fault has helped with it. And helped solve some of the problems it caused. The rest are future me's problems.)



Is that just a complicated way of saying eternally going? Because I think there're too many negatives in there. :smallconfused: :smalltongue:

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Never stop never stopping is a lot of things. It's predominantly a reference to NIER which is one of my favorite games.

Primarly it's just a really hard, deep way of saying "nothing ever stops". To overexplain it; stopping is a thing that things do. "never stopping" is how it feels like life goes sometimes. SAying "life never stops never stopping" is an admission that this feeling of "they will not let me off the ride" will never stop happening.

Nothing stops. Nothing ever stops.

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

back-to-back

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

back-to-back

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Tsk tsk. Couldn't have used "consecutive" the second time? :smalltongue:

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Originally Posted by LaZodiac

Never stop never stopping is a lot of things. It's predominantly a reference to NIER which is one of my favorite games.

Primarly it's just a really hard, deep way of saying "nothing ever stops". To overexplain it; stopping is a thing that things do. "never stopping" is how it feels like life goes sometimes. SAying "life never stops never stopping" is an admission that this feeling of "they will not let me off the ride" will never stop happening.

Nothing stops. Nothing ever stops.

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Ah, alright, gotcha. Makes sense. I've heard good things about that game (including from when you Tasted it and then proceeded to, like, beat the whole thing before upload, IIRC :smalltongue:), but never actually played it.

It still feels like it needs a comma in there, though. "Life never stops, never stopping."

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Originally Posted by Peelee

Tsk tsk. Couldn't have used "consecutive" the second time? :smalltongue:

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Those were two entirely separate posts! :smalltongue:
(Mostly because the first wasn't onscreen for me to compare wording to, and for me to catch the similarities as I scan over proofreading.)

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Originally Posted by Tvtyrant

I'm not even sure why English has a z (r an x.) Seebra is perfectly comprehensible, not just in writing but outloud.

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But...that's a completely different pronunciation to the actual word? Z and S are most definitely not pronounced the same, at least in the UK, and I'm struggling to think of another letter combination that would actually sound like Z does.

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Originally Posted by LaZodiac

Never stop never stopping is a lot of things. It's predominantly a reference to NIER which is one of my favorite games.

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I figured it was a reference to that Andy Samberg movie from a couple of years ago...

I got ‘‘zbnal’’ ; you guys need to learn to deal with consonant clusters.

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Originally Posted by DataNinja

(Fun fact: I tried Karate when I was younger. I did well enough in it... until it came time to do exercises with/against other people. Even when they were, like, holding up giant padded stuff to punch/kick... I couldn't bring myself to properly do it. And that is why I never got past Yellow Belt.)

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I have the same issue. My father - an army guy with background in karate - taught me how to defend myself and then conspired with my mother to program me to care about my opponents' wellbeing to such degree that I have to force to defend myself :smallbiggrin:

Even now, during HEMA practice, while clad in protective gear, I pull my punches in such way that my trainer just facepalms and asks why I avoid hitting the other guy.

It seems I have missed the interesting debate... but to relatively-current topic of "non-contact" people: I'm firm believer in handshakes and nods. Nods are for people I do not know and feel like I want it to continue that way. Handshakes are neutral ground. Hugs are for family, kisses for intimacy.

But there were times when I was a teen - and there was this general rule about cheek kisses when you are introduced/when you introduce yourself to the opposite sex. Interestingly, looking back it was very nice idea - broke the ice relatively fast and it told you about the chemistry very quick. It was considered very bad form to "force" the cheek kiss in any way - if the lady wanted to stay out of it, she either did the "air kiss" or just stayed out of reach. And for guys it was quite easy - you just stepped half the distance and offered the side of your face - if there was any contact, it usually meant you were not completely disliked :smallbiggrin:

I think it's still a custom, however, as we age up it's more for the singles now. But I am still surprised how fast I transitioned from "no contact at all" to this. Oh, and I love hugging, just not hugging anyone.

...and don't get me started on the neck-hair-standing-awkward backpats my boss used to give.

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Originally Posted by Peelee

People too snooty for the first three radios?

Picked a random adjective there, let's see how accurate it was.

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Closer to 'too in possession of zimmer frames'.

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Originally Posted by JNAProductions

Isn't it usually the dudes who are obsessed with the globes of chest-fat? Not that I'm one to talk-one of my good friends is a crazily chest-obsessed lesbian. :P

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To be fair, most of my friends are female and bisexual.


Also, I'm certain it's 'Zub-gnarl'. The s is clearly silent.


Annoyingly, the more likely I am to want to hug somebody the more likely they are to respect my boundaries and not. Being autistic doesn't automatically mean I don't have a need for physical affection!

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Originally Posted by Anonymouswizard

Also, I'm certain it's 'Zub-gnarl'. The s is clearly silent.

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I always pronounce it in my head, though--come out as something like "suzubnarl".

Just out curiosity, what does white text in the forum means exactly? I know that blue text means sarcasm. So I want to know what white text means exactly?

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Originally Posted by Fyraltari

you guys need to learn to deal with consonant clusters.

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That's like saying I need to learn underwater basket weaving. I could, but why?

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Originally Posted by Peelee

That's like saying I need to learn underwater basket weaving. I could, but why?

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May I also add that just like asking what's the difference between real news and fake news.

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Originally Posted by Anonymouswizard

Closer to 'too in possession of zimmer frames'.

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As opposed to the hip n' happening Radio 3, with its party dance mixes of ... baroque and classical music.

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Originally Posted by Bartmanhomer

May I also add that just like asking what's the difference between real news and fake news.

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No, there's a pretty clear distinction there. Real news is stuff that really happened (to take the least political example I could find on short notice, the University of Cardiff is no longer using plastic cups). Fake news is stuff that didn't really happen, so to take another non-political example, Canada has just declared the sale of artichokes illegal on Thursdays.

And on a completely unrelated note, all this discussion of my name's pronunciation has given me a great fey loophole idea: don't bother to hide your true name, just make it something almost impossible to pronounce.
Fairy King: I have you in my power now, Sozbnal!
Me: Nope.
FK: Z'bnal?
Me: Guess again.
FK: S.Z. Banal?
Me: Now that just sounds like a particularly bland Georgian poet.

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Originally Posted by SZbNAhL

And on a completely unrelated note, all this discussion of my name's pronunciation has given me a great fey loophole idea: don't bother to hide your true name, just make it something almost impossible to pronounce.

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Too outlandish, I tells ya!

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Originally Posted by SZbNAhL

As opposed to the hip n' happening Radio 3, with its party dance mixes of ... baroque and classical music.



No, there's a pretty clear distinction there. Real news is stuff that really happened (to take the least political example I could find on short notice, the University of Cardiff is no longer using plastic cups). Fake news is stuff that didn't really happen, so to take another non-political example, Canada has just declared the sale of artichokes illegal on Thursdays.

And on a completely unrelated note, all this discussion of my name's pronunciation has given me a great fey loophole idea: don't bother to hide your true name, just make it something almost impossible to pronounce.
Fairy King: I have you in my power now, Sozbnal!
Me: Nope.
FK: Z'bnal?
Me: Guess again.
FK: S.Z. Banal?
Me: Now that just sounds like a particularly bland Georgian poet.

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That was basically my whole entire point.