Obligatory introduction posted. Check.

[DragonFizban]

1. What do you do? (Hobbies, job)

I'm a student in Psychology at American University. I'm working on my masters. I am also an amateur dance choreographer.

2. Where are you from?

Southern Maryland in the USA.

3. Who is your favorite author?

It used to be anything Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman did together. (I'm a big geek) But now I duno been a while since I've gotten to read anything besides text books.

4. What are your favorite films?

I just saw Night Watch and enjoyed that very much.

5. What music do you want played at your wedding?

Oh geeze... I don't know that I'll have much choice in the matter. Weddings are really more for your family than for yourself. But I will insist on a few VNV Nation songs.

6. At your funeral?

I want a good traditional Irish wake with dancing and drunkenness. :-p And so therefore Irish drinking songs

7. This IS a gothic website, so... how do you want to die?

Hypothermia doesn't seem too bad. Definitely not poison, or fire. I think a slow bleeding wound would be kind of poetic. But eh honestly I think I'm not too concerned with how or when I die. I’m a Physical Determinist. So I don’t have any control of it anyway, so meh.

8. What kind of casket would you want?

I want to be cremated. No urn either I'd like to have a tree planted on my ashes, and a plaque with my name on it and a bench under the tree.

9. What's your FAVORITE outfit?

I have this great black sweater with a hood and it zips up the front. With my knee high doc martins, a band-T and some black pants tucked into my boots.

10. What's one thing you miss about being a little kid?

Homework was much easier.

11. What's your favorite band?

Covenant, Iris, VNV Nation and much much more

12. What kind of education do you have? What is/was/will be your major?

I'm working on my Maters in Psychology.

13. Why did you join?

So I could post stuff. :-p DUH! And so I could communicate with people with similar interests.

Oh and ps. I have dislexia. So my spelling or grammar is not exactly perfect. I will tmost likely spell check before posting, however spell check is not perfect and I try honest!

[Shi'ark]

Psychology, you’re a one of me. Welcome brother.

[DragonFizban]

Thanks :-D

What are you research interests?

Oh and I probably should have mentioned these basic demographics in the introduction. I'm a 23 year old white female.

[Shi'ark]

Originally Posted by DragonFizban

What are you research interests?

Oh and I probably should have mentioned these basic demographics in the introduction. I'm a 23 year old white female.

Great I’m a 23 guy from east London.

First got started wanting to go in to forensic psychology but I started working in mental health a few years ago. Not right doing that now though, there’s no work in London right now. But I’m probable going to start working to become a nurse in September. Spend 5 or so years doing that and then go get a degree. Right now working on a book, which a lot of people find strange as I can’t spell. I’m dyslexic, if in fact that exists. Lots of interesting research in the UK about that right now.

[Shi'ark]

Originally Posted by Xnguela

"If in fact that exists", Shi'ark? Isn't it something you struggle with daily? Why would you invalidate that?

Because as dyslexic is most often defined as ‘some worn with the brain’. Visual cortex can encode the information. (I can see the words) but information is lost in the short-term memory before going to long-term memory, (I cant remember it). There’s lot of other ways that people can have reading and writing problems that are to do with the brain but this is considered the most common. So they say.

The thing about psychology and neurology is that the more that gets worked out the more opinions change. Are people with these problems born with this, i.e. dyslexic or is this something that happens with some people because of the way their brain has developed.

It’s easy for me to think that my problem is some thing that I was born with and can’t do much a bout it other then just carry on. But with my psychology interest I would much more like to find out the real reason why people like me have this problem.

So the questions is doe’s dyslexia, how it is commonly thought of , exist….

[DragonFizban]

Originally Posted by Xnguela

You're a lesbian, then?

Actually, I'm bisexual. Really, I hate all the categorical shit but I've gotten a lot of crap for suposedly misrepresenting myself because I didn't tell someone straight up that I like both guys and girls.

Originally Posted by Shi'ark

Right now working on a book, which a lot of people find strange as I can’t spell. I’m dyslexic, if in fact that exists. Lots of interesting research in the UK about that right now.

What is your book about?

Dyslexia exists. The simple meaning of the term is a learning disability in reading. This is defined as being two standard deviations below the mean in reading performance (silly statistical criterion, in other words much much worse). There is some debate on whether the deviation from the mean has to be from a personal mean or from the mean of your peers. i.e. is the gifted child who kicks ass at everything and reads about averagely learning disabled, or is it required that he read poorly compared to his peers and not his own intelligence.

Now is this a meaningful definition. Maybe not, but I would say for those of us who do struggle with dyslexia, and other learning disabilities it's a meaningful distinction.

Things like dyslexia and ADD get a lot of bad press because yes there are those fuckers out there that use it as an excuse of why they can't be expected to do anything worth while. I personally feel that my dyslexia and ADD (I've got that too. :-p) make it harder for me. But I am just as capable. Hoorah for spell checker and caffeine. :-p

[DragonFizban]

Originally Posted by Shi'ark

So the questions is doe’s dyslexia, how it is commonly thought of , exist….

Exactly. Dislexia is a really loose term that has been given a more specific meaning through neurologcal research that doesn't apply to EVERYONE with reading problems.

I LOVE the brain it is so niffty and complicated. :-p

[DragonFizban]

Originally Posted by Xnguela

Technically I think I am bisexual, too, but I prefer to just say I love people, not genders.

Well said.

[Shi'ark]

The book stared off as an adaptation of a Zelda video game. Then before I stated to write it, it evolved it to my own fantasy advancer that has nothing to do with the ocarina of time story. After reading His Dark Materials by Philip Pulman (do you have that in USA?) it became what I call philosophic fantasy fiction. But as I write more is has became a very complex mythology that will take me many years to finish because of my over active imagination. I have at lest 7 books in the pipe line set in this mythology.

I also write short stories. The one I’m working on now is about vampires or people who think they’re vampires. Haven’t decided yet.

Originally Posted by DragonFizban

Exactly. Dislexia is a really loose term that has been given a more specific meaning through neurologcal research that doesn't apply to EVERYONE with reading problems.

I LOVE the brain it is so niffty and complicated. :-p

I see me and you will have lots to talk about.

[DragonFizban]

Originally Posted by Shi'ark

After reading His Dark Materials by Philip Pulman (do you have that in USA?)

I havn't read it but a quick internet search informs me that it was published here. Part one under a differnt title.

Your book sounds like it has a good concept. Although, SEVEN books. I would find that overwhelming to try to write. But then a ten page paper can send me into hysterics so. :-p

[Shi'ark]

What’s the other name? Over hear its Northern lights. They’re very popular over here voted by BBC voters as 3ed greatest novel written. Beaten by Lord of the Ring and Pride and prejudice.

[DragonFizban]

it's called The Golden Compass

If they are that popular I'll have to check it out. Maybe I can squeeze three books into my one week spring break. :-p

[DragonFizban]

:-D I am so pleased! This will be fun.

[Shi'ark]

I’ve already read them 2 times so I’ll let you 2 get on with it. Enjoy.

[Shi'ark]

I’m glad your happy that I gave it.