LGBTAitP 26: No Time For Snappy Titles

[Absol197]

Yeah, that's a good way to look at it. The main difference being that we can't order food here.

Who says? People keep giving me cookies all the time! Granted, they never seem to be very fillling, no matter how many I eat, but...

I definitely feel the same way about this thread. It usually takes a while before I can consider someone a friend, but I think that a lot of the people here could definitely make it there

As for on topic stuff, not really much to support. I've started writing a journal to keep track of how I'm feeling. My goal is to write something every day, but we'll see how that turns out.

[Arachu]

Belated Hugs for Celtic D&Der. I heard that lucid dreaming (which is pretty awesome on it's own) helps reduce/prevent nightmares, so you might want to look into that.

I've tried lucid dreaming before, but for some reason I don't dream very often so I never got used to how it feels to be dreaming. Occasionally I'll realize I am and forget trying (and usually failing) to do dream stuff, or I'll even have what feels like an okay amount of control without actually realizing I'm asleep. Back when I was meditating on a nightly basis, I had at least one dream where realizing I was dreaming was part of the dream. @.@

... My subconscious is a jerk.

I ha a dream I was Deiving to Lix Lorn's for a sleep over, but it morphed into a zombie scenario o_O

@.@

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... One time I had a zombie scenario morph into a post-apocalyptic one. Well... Maybe it was just an apocalyptic one - the world was being eaten from the inside-out by giant shadowy tendril things, and the survivors were running farms on airships they bolted legs onto for some reason (apparently it saved power, somehow ). Before I woke up, I saw one that looked like a hybrid yacht/plantation house/galleon being attacked by pirates in a speedboat/shack/ramming trireme... It was so awesome~

There is actually some amount of evidence that bipedal structure causes the evolutionary chain which leads to sentience. Walking upright changes your nervous and muscular systems, leading to vascular changes to support a different brain anatomy, leadin to better mental output, leading to tools, etc. aliens with funny foreheads could occur of only because of all the possible permutations of the equation, only a few lea to sentience and those few all include bipedal structure.

That... Actually makes sense. It takes a lot of processing to keep up with hands, and those don't work very well if you have to stand on them.

It probably also needs a more efficient circulatory system just to combat gravity and strengthen the legs... That would give something more oxygen to work with. I should read up on this once I'm done studying the philosophy of artificial intelligence~

Ach, my spelling!

Yeah, it was strange. Turning it into a zombie dream was a defense mechanism. Some creepy dude in the backseat kept saying he was going to tell my girlfriend I was visiting Lix alone and "with intentions", even though said girlfriend was meeting me there, and my brain couldn't handle it.

Geeze, what does it say I'm better able to emotionally handle the walking dead than my girlfriend misunderstanding stuff? <_<;

To be fair, zombies usually go away after a while... And they're a lot easier to get rid of than misunderstandings. *Hugs!*

Grr...Want to date, but can't bring myself to talk to people socially when I'm at a GSA meeting...

*Hugs*

This place, this thread, is my saffehouse on the Net. I can even feel useful from time to time. I just wanted to say that.

*Hugs~* What SiuiS and Keveak said.

Try to find a date when you have a social phobia (which is getting worse) and extreme anxiety+depression.. It sucks D:

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Though it's odd.. I've been without a boyfriend for oh, about two months or so now, but for once in my life.. I've been okay with it. Before I've always -craved- love, because of my PTSD (not feeling loved by parents/family, only a boyfriend 'fills the hole' [no pun intended]). But I've been so absorbed in gaming, building a 'new life' (well, it feels like it) for myself in WoW (and now Guild Wars 2) that is so much better than my real life. I've got a good guild, with loads of nice caring people in it who also want what I want to happen in it, I've got a few max-level characters and well.. It makes me feel accomplished. It makes me feel like living is actually worth-while, strange as it sounds.. Some people say it's good, others say it's bad. I think it's personally good, because it's stopped my life-long goal of finding 'the one', and being so depressed all the time that I haven't. I'm just kind of wondering what other people think of it? :/

*So many hugs* If it makes you happy, it's worth doing (within reason, of course)~

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... I was a total wreck before I re-discovered GitP. Heck, I was about as far back as I remember (I've never been to a therapist, and my teachers and parents used to confuse what I think was PTSD for signs of lying >.>)... Just having someone to talk to can work wonders (it helps that these peeps are awesome )~

Thanks for everything (and yes, I'm 18yrs old, one of the only mature people I know shockingly enough.. And I can actually spell!)

SiuiS is pretty cool~

In regards to games and building a new life in them: I personally see no reason why online friends would be any less worth than meatspace friends. Building a life and purpose through games and the Internet have provided a way to be social for many who would otherwise be utterly alone, now finding friendship outside of the situations that seem overwhelming or crippling. Certainly have been much happier from it myself. :3

There is a certain risk of neglecting reality, health and safety, but building a community through gaming is not the cause of that. Depression itself is usually why some loses themselves, and has happened through many things other than games. As long as you never use it to escape the problems that are causing PTSD and growing phobias, then your goals and friendships online are a great thing.

These are good points. You make a lot of those~

@Celtic_D&Der: Oh dear, I had the same nightmare last month. ._. *hugs*

*Hugs* :<

Seconding that. During most of my adolescence, my only real friends were online. My best friend and I definitely contributed to help each other stay sane. Okay, insane. A healthier kind of insane than the one we started up with. Then Best Friend became BoyFriend and blahblahblah happy ending.

:3


~Bianca

[noparlpf]

Who says? People keep giving me cookies all the time! Granted, they never seem to be very fillling, no matter how many I eat, but...

My browser seems to like those cookies more than I do...

[Lycunadari]

Needs hugs today.

Not for anything horrible, just had REALLY bad dreams last night of my wife getting kidnapped and raped..........needless to say I didn't get much sleep last night.

Though my wife was wonderful enough to wake up at 1 in the morning, when she had to get up at 4:30 in the morning, to console and comfort me.

Hope everyone's days go better than my night did

*so many (belated) hugs*

We're all in this together. We may all be different (and online), but that doesn't mean we don't all care about each other any less, or any differently (maybe), than we do for for our loved ones IRL.

*lots of hugs for Celtic*

So, I just got back from that LGBT group thing. It was a bit smaller than I expected, but I got the sense that it was one of their slower nights. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that there was quite a large transgender/genderqueer demographic (about 1/3 of the people there, which was much more than I was expecting). Anyways, aside from the initial awkwardness of the first five minutes, it was nice. I think I may try to go on at least a semi-regular basis.

That sounds great! I wish I could go to a LGBT group sometimes, but there's just nothing around here (the nearest groups would be in Munich. That's 70km from here. ). Maybe when I move out next year I'll find something in my new home.

Try to find a date when you have a social phobia (which is getting worse) and extreme anxiety+depression.. It sucks D:

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Though it's odd.. I've been without a boyfriend for oh, about two months or so now, but for once in my life.. I've been okay with it. Before I've always -craved- love, because of my PTSD (not feeling loved by parents/family, only a boyfriend 'fills the hole' [no pun intended]). But I've been so absorbed in gaming, building a 'new life' (well, it feels like it) for myself in WoW (and now Guild Wars 2) that is so much better than my real life. I've got a good guild, with loads of nice caring people in it who also want what I want to happen in it, I've got a few max-level characters and well.. It makes me feel accomplished. It makes me feel like living is actually worth-while, strange as it sounds.. Some people say it's good, others say it's bad. I think it's personally good, because it's stopped my life-long goal of finding 'the one', and being so depressed all the time that I haven't. I'm just kind of wondering what other people think of it? :/

*hugs* Online friends can be great- I also have a really nice guild in WoW, we even have a real live meeting every year. And what SiuiS and Keveak wrote, as long as you don't lose yourself completly in a game, you're fine.

@Celtic_D&Der: Oh dear, I had the same nightmare last month. ._. *hugs*

Seconding that. During most of my adolescence, my only real friends were online. My best friend and I definitely contributed to help each other stay sane. Okay, insane. A healthier kind of insane than the one we started up with. Then Best Friend became BoyFriend and blahblahblah happy ending.

Stories with happy endings are always nice.

I consider this thread like a home on the internet. A home I get to share, unlike my gmail account which is a very private house. This thread is more like a favourite pub, where I know all the regulars and new people might stop by any time!

That's a nice metaphor. *gives out cookies and drinks*

[Randomguy]

There is actually some amount of evidence that bipedal structure causes the evolutionary chain which leads to sentience. Walking upright changes your nervous and muscular systems, leading to vascular changes to support a different brain anatomy, leadin to better mental output, leading to tools, etc. aliens with funny foreheads could occur of only because of all the possible permutations of the equation, only a few lea to sentience and those few all include bipedal structure.

Really? I read that bipedal shape was the most optimal shape for intelligent life (on earth, at least), because it was the best to support a big brain, but I've never heard this before. It does seem to make sense, though.

[golentan]

There is actually some amount of evidence that bipedal structure causes the evolutionary chain which leads to sentience. Walking upright changes your nervous and muscular systems, leading to vascular changes to support a different brain anatomy, leadin to better mental output, leading to tools, etc. aliens with funny foreheads could occur of only because of all the possible permutations of the equation, only a few lea to sentience and those few all include bipedal structure.

You've injured my soul. You realize this, yes?

[Asta Kask]

Bipedal posture frees up the hands, which is hugely important. Having a big brain is very costly, but if you can manipulate things with your hands then the deal changes. Suddenly you can make tools which can do all kinds of nifty stuff.

...

When did evolutionary theory become a focus for the LGBT community?

[Lentrax]

When did evolutionary theory become a focus for the LGBT community?

I don't know, however, the theory intrigues me. And makes sense.

Both of which are good.

[Asta Kask]

Which is good, but remember that humans are champion storytellers. Weaving a story to fit the facts is almost always easier than to put together the facts in the right way. Plausibility is not a good guide..

[Lix Lorn]

Yeah, it was strange. Turning it into a zombie dream was a defense mechanism. Some creepy dude in the backseat kept saying he was going to tell my girlfriend I was visiting Lix alone and "with intentions", even though said girlfriend was meeting me there, and my brain couldn't handle it.

Geeze, what does it say I'm better able to emotionally handle the walking dead than my girlfriend misunderstanding stuff? <_<;

...am I a bad person for noting that it's the 'alone' part that was stated to be untrue? :3

[Lentrax]

Which is good, but remember that humans are champion storytellers. Weaving a story to fit the facts is almost always easier than to put together the facts in the right way. Plausibility is not a good guide..

Maybe, if you can tell a story.

I really can't. Unless I have a really long time to figure out how to tell it.

Then I screw up the story about half way through, and have to make the rest up because I'm getting embarresed.

[golentan]

Bipedal posture frees up the hands, which is hugely important. Having a big brain is very costly, but if you can manipulate things with your hands then the deal changes. Suddenly you can make tools which can do all kinds of nifty stuff.

...

When did evolutionary theory become a focus for the LGBT community?

Having hands is tremendously important (or sufficiently dexterous tentacles sometimes works too) but I've seen more species with "more than 4 limbs" than bipeds.

[Lentrax]

Having hands is tremendously important (or sufficiently dexterous tentacles sometimes works too) but I've seen more species with "more than 4 limbs" than bipeds.

Which is why I now hope to never see spiders learn to walk upright.

[Asta Kask]

Spiders can't become much larger than they already are.

For instance, they move their limbs with hydrualics, which is good for small creatures but doesn't scale up. Also, the heart is located in the hind body. When spiders are walking, the heart isn't strong to pump against the pressure generated in the mid-body (to move the limbs). So when they are walking, they can't pump blood to the head. If you look at spiders walking, you'll notice they halt from time to time for no apparent reason. It is to let oxygenated blood reach their brain.

But they're still creepy.

[Mina Kobold]

I consider this thread like a home on the internet. A home I get to share, unlike my gmail account which is a very private house. This thread is more like a favourite pub, where I know all the regulars and new people might stop by any time!

I have never been to a pub, but that sounds like a very fun metaphor. Having a relaxed meeting ground where you end up friends with everybody is certainly an apt description of this thread, you are all amazing. ^_^

I am quite public with my hotmail, but I see how a mail might need to be private. Does that mean giving someone your mail is equivalent to inviting them over for cookies?

These are good points. You make a lot of those~

~Bianca

Yay! I am a Koboldy hedgehog! ^_^

Bipedal posture frees up the hands, which is hugely important. Having a big brain is very costly, but if you can manipulate things with your hands then the deal changes. Suddenly you can make tools which can do all kinds of nifty stuff.

...

When did evolutionary theory become a focus for the LGBT community?

When we remembered how fun it is? :3

Personally, I am just hugely fascinated with it. Particularly the far prehistoric aspects, due to the giant birds and adorable amphibians.

Having hands is tremendously important (or sufficiently dexterous tentacles sometimes works too) but I've seen more species with "more than 4 limbs" than bipeds.

I have too! But most of them are very bad at conversations. Some quadrupeds are quite talkative, but humans and other primates are the best at language and creative expression that I have met. I am quite possibly limited in my experience, though. ^_^'

[noparlpf]

Really? I read that bipedal shape was the most optimal shape for intelligent life (on earth, at least), because it was the best to support a big brain, but I've never heard this before. It does seem to make sense, though.

I've read some of the theories about that, but...

Which is good, but remember that humans are champion storytellers. Weaving a story to fit the facts is almost always easier than to put together the facts in the right way. Plausibility is not a good guide..

...this tends to happen.

Spiders can't become much larger than they already are.

For instance, they move their limbs with hydrualics, which is good for small creatures but doesn't scale up. Also, the heart is located in the hind body. When spiders are walking, the heart isn't strong to pump against the pressure generated in the mid-body (to move the limbs). So when they are walking, they can't pump blood to the head. If you look at spiders walking, you'll notice they halt from time to time for no apparent reason. It is to let oxygenated blood reach their brain.

But they're still creepy.

Which does ruin my plans for giant steel-skeletoned spiders invading Manhattan. (I was going to deal with the oxygen problem, but I guess the hydraulics problem and the circulatory problem need some work.)

[Mono Vertigo]

Which does ruin my plans for giant steel-skeletoned spiders invading Manhattan. (I was going to deal with the oxygen problem, but I guess the hydraulics problem and the circulatory problem need some work.)

Easy to solve.
Give them their own personal (anti)gravity generator. Arthropods can get a great deal bigger with lower gravity. Or no gravity at all.
My avatar... huh... look, she's a thing from another dimension, I don't know if they have gravity over there. Maybe she thinks it's some quirky local folklore. I don't think she's hydraulic, anyway.

[Arachu]

You've injured my soul. You realize this, yes?

Technically that just links it to brain size. The size implies more neurons, but what's actually important is how they're wired to each other. Plus, there could be a lot of different ways to build an organism - for all we know, DNA-based life might be inefficiently using more energy than something else has to.

Which is good, but remember that humans are champion storytellers. Weaving a story to fit the facts is almost always easier than to put together the facts in the right way. Plausibility is not a good guide..

Dolphins have names, octopi have impeccable recall and most dogs have pretty good social skills and empathy with humans,but we don't acknowledge anything that can't hold a conversation with us as intelligent... It's really chauvinistic, actually.

(Hopefully all of those linkies work and don't immediately lead to triggery things this time... On that note, I wouldn't advise reading the comments on that first dolphin thing. >.>)

(Also, these examples (trigger warning for the wording in the sea lion bit... :/ But it's a good list all the same).)

For instance, they move their limbs with hydrualics, which is good for small creatures but doesn't scale up. Also, the heart is located in the hind body. When spiders are walking, the heart isn't strong to pump against the pressure generated in the mid-body (to move the limbs). So when they are walking, they can't pump blood to the head. If you look at spiders walking, you'll notice they halt from time to time for no apparent reason. It is to let oxygenated blood reach their brain.

But they're still creepy.

That... Explains quite a bit, actually.

I think octopi and maybe similar creatures use hydraulics in some form or another, but that's probably more efficient when you're working with water you're immersed in.

Easy to solve.
Give them their own personal (anti)gravity generator. Arthropods can get a great deal bigger with lower gravity. Or no gravity at all.
My avatar... huh... look, she's a thing from another dimension, I don't know if they have gravity over there. Maybe she thinks it's some quirky local folklore. I don't think she's hydraulic, anyway.

*Wonders if it's conceivable to have a pneumatic organism...* @.@


~Bianca

[Mono Vertigo]

Octopodes are vastly underrated by the general public. That's a fact.
And most animals are smarter than many are lead to believe, just not in a anthropomorphic kind of way. Those who aren't, are much dumber. I'm looking at you, bunch of birds and horses and a few dogs and cats and human children oh and their parents too wait I'm digressing even though they're all technically animals. Funny how it works, huh?

[Randomguy]

Octopodes are vastly underrated by the general public. That's a fact.

Another fun fact about Octopi: They're honorary vertebrates.

[SiuiS]

Thanks for everything (and yes, I'm 18yrs old, one of the only mature people I know shockingly enough.. And I can actually spell!)

It's the phone I swear!
<_<
>_>

I mean, good! I'm glad. Ehheh heh...

@Celtic_D&Der: Oh dear, I had the same nightmare last month. ._. *hugs*

Seconding that. During most of my adolescence, my only real friends were online. My best friend and I definitely contributed to help each other stay sane. Okay, insane. A healthier kind of insane than the one we started up with. Then Best Friend became BoyFriend and blahblahblah happy ending.

Happy endings are always nice to hear about!
Unless you're an MT, then it's denigrating ._.

I consider this thread like a home on the internet. A home I get to share, unlike my gmail account which is a very private house. This thread is more like a favourite pub, where I know all the regulars and new people might stop by any time!

Early vote for next thread subtitle: Cheers!

My browser seems to like those cookies more than I do...

*snerk* Hahahahaha!

Really? I read that bipedal shape was the most optimal shape for intelligent life (on earth, at least), because it was the best to support a big brain, but I've never heard this before. It does seem to make sense, though.

To be fair, it was an article in defense of aliens being humans with funny foreheads. They did their research but I didn't check any citations.

You've injured my soul. You realize this, yes?

Oh, sweet Golly. Don't you see? Once you bring a soul into the mix, you've invalidated a biology only theory.

Besides, for you have a hive mind? That would be the next next step, wouldn't it? And I meant 'biped' more in the 'used to have all limbs on the ground, now has capacity to hug' sense.

...am I a bad person for noting that it's the 'alone' part that was stated to be untrue? :3

Myself, I'm wondering why a superhighway from America to Britain exists only in my dreams...
And slumber parties are the best!

[KenderWizard]

Yeah, that's a good way to look at it. The main difference being that we can't order food here.

Damn, yeah, that'd make it perfect!

Well, actually, "perfect" would be a immersive virtual reality that we could enter as replicas of our avatars and sit around and chat with one another ... and order food. And free refills.

As for on topic stuff, not really much to support. I've started writing a journal to keep track of how I'm feeling. My goal is to write something every day, but we'll see how that turns out.

When I was going through a really hard time emotionally/mentally I took some advice to start keeping a journal of at least three good things that happened every day, and that really helped. It was easy and a definite goal, and it made me focus on positive things that happened. So maybe some definite goal like that would help you focus?

I have never been to a pub, but that sounds like a very fun metaphor. Having a relaxed meeting ground where you end up friends with everybody is certainly an apt description of this thread, you are all amazing. ^_^

I am quite public with my hotmail, but I see how a mail might need to be private. Does that mean giving someone your mail is equivalent to inviting them over for cookies?

Giving someone my email is like giving someone my address, and they can post me letters. Inviting them to gchat is like inviting them over for cookies! I gchat with like maybe six people.

Myself, I'm wondering why a superhighway from America to Britain exists only in my dreams...

It does exist! Only it only transports information...

[Coidzor]

we don't acknowledge anything that can't hold a conversation with us as intelligent... It's really chauvinistic, actually.

Well, you know, if all you ever do is give somebody the cold shoulder, they're not gonna respect you, after all.

[Arachu]

It's the phone I swear!
<_<
>_>

I mean, good! I'm glad. Ehheh heh...

*Hugs*

Early vote for next thread subtitle: Cheers!

I second the motion~ X3

Besides, for you have a hive mind? That would be the next next step, wouldn't it? And I meant 'biped' more in the 'used to have all limbs on the ground, now has capacity to hug' sense.

*Wonders if a humanoid with tentacle limbs would be plausible... It seems like that wouldn't be any more demanding than the human setup, if somewhat unable to use human tools.*

Myself, I'm wondering why a superhighway from America to Britain exists only in my dreams...

Maybe it's a logistics thing? It would be *really* expensive to put all that highway out there, the fuel to move any goods that way would probably cost more and take more time than planes or boats, there wouldn't be many tourists because no-one wants to drive for that long... Then there's the gas stations/rest stops, getting power to the streetlights and guide lights, all the Atlantic storms and occasional drifter icebergs... The sheer planning and maintenance demands would be immense for very little return. @.@

[/gratuitousoverthinking] :3

And slumber parties are the best!

This is a good point - Kender, there's a way that the threadpub could be even better~

Well, you know, if all you ever do is give somebody the cold shoulder, they're not gonna respect you, after all.

~Bianca

[Mynxae]

It's the phone I swear!
<_<
>_>

Early vote for next thread subtitle: Cheers!

I second the motion~ X3

~Bianca

Heh, of course it is SiuiS

Thirded!

Well, you know, if all you ever do is give somebody the cold shoulder, they're not gonna respect you, after all.

Well of course.. Who would want to hug a person with a cold shoulder? *shudders* I'd rather a warm one anyday!

[Mina Kobold]

Dolphins have names, octopi have impeccable recall and most dogs have pretty good social skills and empathy with humans,but we don't acknowledge anything that can't hold a conversation with us as intelligent... It's really chauvinistic, actually.

(Hopefully all of those linkies work and don't immediately lead to triggery things this time... On that note, I wouldn't advise reading the comments on that first dolphin thing. >.>)

(Also, these examples (trigger warning for the wording in the sea lion bit... :/ But it's a good list all the same).)

~Bianca

Those are simply amazing, thank you for linking them.

That octopus is simply adorable, I hope it is having fun with the balls. :3

And on that note, cephalopods are amazing and fantastical creatures. I must draw more of them some day. ^_^

Damn, yeah, that'd make it perfect!

Well, actually, "perfect" would be a immersive virtual reality that we could enter as replicas of our avatars and sit around and chat with one another ... and order food. And free refills.

I really hope Augmented Reality Games will have this kind of possibilities in the future, it would be so fun to have a virtual town of GiantITP with a LGBTAitp pub. ^-^

Perhaps Google Glass would make it viable? It might make it a bit difficult if we do not figure out how to avoid walking into stuff in the non-virtual world, but it would be fun!

When I was going through a really hard time emotionally/mentally I took some advice to start keeping a journal of at least three good things that happened every day, and that really helped. It was easy and a definite goal, and it made me focus on positive things that happened. So maybe some definite goal like that would help you focus?

That sounds like an amazing idea, mind if I borrow it? I could use some positivity.

[Asta Kask]

Dolphins have names, octopi have impeccable recall and most dogs have pretty good social skills and empathy with humans,but we don't acknowledge anything that can't hold a conversation with us as intelligent... It's really chauvinistic, actually.

~Bianca

Not to rain on your parade, but Dolphin vocabulary according to the article is 200 words. That's a two-year old. Don't expect to talk philosophy with it anytime soon.

I also couldn't get information on whether dolphins combine their noises in a systematic way. Because language isn't just words, it's grammar - combining words to form sentences, sentences to form stories and conversations, etc.

And the octopus... did you look at the timeframe? Long-term recall was 24-hours later. I would hope that if I learned to distinguish a red ball from a white I would be able to do it the next day.

They're intelligent, very intelligent, but the gap between them and humans is still enormous.

[The Succubus]

I really hope Augmented Reality Games will have this kind of possibilities in the future, it would be so fun to have a virtual town of GiantITP with a LGBTAitp pub. ^-^

Just imagine the amount of trouble Lix would be in in an Virtual Reality Thread.

[Heliomance]

Eh... second guessing myself again. Have been male for the past couple of days, but I went out last night en femme, and the switch over was so easy that I started worrying that maybe I'm pushing myself into being more girly, that it's not real. After all, if I'm making a concious choice to be male or female, then is that really who I am?

[Asta Kask]

Does it matter? If you can decide who you are (to a certain extent), then that would seem to me to be a huge bonus. Perhaps it's something to be cherished rather than feared. I mean, isn't this part of the modern lifestyle - to make you who you are?