Bah, might as well...

[hiddensquire]

Introduce myself, that is; looks like I might become a regular on this forum.  I have been using the encyclopedia for a long time, but have only relatively recently bothered with trying to connect with people here.  Pay attention, because you will not hear me talk about myself again unless it is on-topic or unless I am directly asked.

• I go by hiddensquire for most of my online identities.  If you see it somewhere, it is probably me.
• I am in my mid-twenties, have a fairly well-paying job, and live (happily) alone in an apartment-like structure.
• I am a gamer forever at heart and don't ever want to completely grow up.
• I enjoy the occasional philosophical, moral, religious, or scientific discussion.
• Computer-wise, I am a jack of all trades and a master of none.  I am particularly skilled in HTML & CSS, somewhat skilled at Javascript and graphics manipulation, and remedially skilled at Java and Object-Oriented Programming in general.
• I have my own domain name and a sub-par website, which I update extremely infrequently.  The mini-forum on it I used as a journal is currently hacked, but mostly intact.  I have not bothered to clean it up and don't intend to any time soon.
• I love webcomics.  I have about 30 that I read on a regular basis.  Do not ask me to read yours unless it is amazing.
• I participate in D&D at least once a month among a group of friends.  I also enjoy many of the roleplaying games created by the company White Wolf.  I used to roleplay (and play moderator) extremely frequently on a forum that is now dead.  The roleplaying section here is highly underdeveloped by comparison.  :-/
• I was a very zealous Christian up until around age 18-19 when my ongoing spiritual journey reached an extreme crisis of faith that soon lead to a near-total spiritual and mental breakdown (I wasn't institutionalized or anything, but my otherwise ample mental capacities were... significantly reduced for a time).  It took me two years to come out of depression and recover to the point where I felt like I could live a life again.  I can now be best described as a deist, which basically means I believe there was a god who created everything by one method or another, but cannot vouch for much beyond that.  I will not be offended by any earnest question you have to ask me, and will usually do my best to answer.  I remain sympathetic to Christianity, and will sometimes even argue on their side if it looks like they aren't getting enough support, but I do not call myself one of them.
• Truth is sometimes more important to me than happiness.
• I championed Chrono Trigger as the greatest game of all time until a little under a year ago, when I played Tales of Symphonia and was forced to admit that there were games with just as good of a story and gameplay, but better graphics.  However, I still highly advocate the CT series.  I happily paid $80 for a used SNES cartridge of it way back when, and had no problem shelling out 40 bucks for it again on the DS.  I have played and recommend Chrono Cross, but consider it a lesser work compared to its progenitor.

[teaflower]

Welcome, hiddensquire!

I, also, usually go as teaflower or teaflower565 almost everywhere I go. If you think our RP section is underdeveloped, come! Develop it with us! It all sort of died a while back and we're getting things going again.

I hope you enjoy yourself here. ... ha! I beat Darkman to the punch!

[Hammer]

That's probably the most complete introduction I've ever seen. I'm so jealous right now.

Welcome to the forums, you can call me Hammer. I joined yesterday!

[FaustWolf]

Welcome tot he Kwanzaa Party!

[Jutty]

I'm going to break down and do it. Welcome tot he party. I also agree that our role playing section is under developed. However, a good chunk of us are novice rpers. I expect over time everyone will gradually become better. It's just up to us veteran role players to set a good example, and not get lazy with our posts and offer insight when we can. Join up in one of the threads and help us out.

[Shadow D. Darkman]

I also had been using the Encyclopedia long before I joined.

• I go by hiddensquire for most of my online identities.  If you see it somewhere, it is probably me.
• I am a gamer forever at heart and don't ever want to completely grow up.
• I was a very zealous Christian up until around age 18-19 when my ongoing spiritual journey reached an extreme crisis of faith that soon lead to a near-total spiritual and mental breakdown (I wasn't institutionalized or anything, but my otherwise ample mental capacities were... significantly reduced for a time).  It took me two years to come out of depression and recover to the point where I felt like I could live a life again.  I can now be best described as a deist, which basically means I believe there was a god who created everything by one method or another, but cannot vouch for much beyond that.  I will not be offended by any earnest question you have to ask me, and will usually do my best to answer.  I remain sympathetic to Christianity, and will sometimes even argue on their side if it looks like they aren't getting enough support, but I do not call myself one of them.
• Truth is sometimes more important to me than happiness.
• I championed Chrono Trigger as the greatest game of all time until a little under a year ago, when I played Tales of Symphonia and was forced to admit that there were games with just as good of a story and gameplay, but better graphics.  However, I still highly advocate the CT series.  I happily paid $80 for a used SNES cartridge of it way back when, and had no problem shelling out 40 bucks for it again on the DS.  I have played and recommend Chrono Cross, but consider it a lesser work compared to its progenitor.

Most of these I agree with.

• I once went by "Wonder Of Darkness" for the longest time, adding tags like "Lamer Hunter" and once was an apprentice for a gamer known as "Karachi". Now I'm Shadow Darkman, master of the Darkness and all-around good guy.
• I, too, am a gamer forevermore. In fact, I'm hoping to find a job that pays me to play video games.
• I used to be quite zealous as a Christian myself, during that time I once told my brother he was going to Hell for smoking (ROFL How stupid I was!). Now, I'm quite tolerant. I know two people who are, in fact, former Wiccans. One I fell out with over some stupid business, and the other is described in the next bullet.
• I was only depressed once, and that wasn't very long and I came out of it on my own. It was caused by an ex-girlfriend (who is now simply a close friend) dumping me without any forewarning whatsoever.
• I like it when people are honest, plus sarcasm and jokes cannot be easily ID'd. In such case I will assume you're serious.
• CT was, and still is, the greatest game I ever played. Not even Twilight Princess could top it IMO.

• I love webcomics.  I have about 30 that I read on a regular basis.  Do not ask me to read yours unless it is amazing.

I read a few webcomics, all of which I recommend. If you wish, I will PM them to you.

... ha! I beat Darkman to the punch!

...wut? <(???)

[KebreI]

Yes I posted that as frank and simple as possible because for ALOT of people that is true. Regardless the process does induce abnormal and sometimes limits brain functions, and the user is no longer in a state to make decisions. Why them do you do this to make a choice as important as faith in this state? The choice is the flaw I see(well it is but that a whole other can of worms), its the method gone through to make it.



The compendium is actually one of the only places on the net when I've seen this kind of discussion work and be debated, argued, or thought over with out bickering, flame and mindless swearing. Not as much recently thought lost some of the main members(i.e. Lord J Esq, Daniel Krispin, Ms. Black) plus some unfortunate new members can't carry on a good discussion.( i.e. this is too obvious I not going to say just hint at blatantly).

[ZeaLitY]

The Compendium's first members were science majors and other rationalists, and religious debates happened early on. Now, we've got religious science majors, while GrayLensman, Lord J Esq, and the others have retired from the forums.

[chrono eric]

No kidding? Interesting. Almost as interesting that two members of the Compendium live in Denton friggin' Texas. I wonder if we've met each other on the UNT campus but didn't know it? Hilarious.

[KebreI]

Those old threads can be quite a read, its always interesting to see what others really think. Be warned the size of the posts may be disheartening to some.

[chrono eric]

I think I'll go dig them up from the DBT- "Darkness Beyond Threads" for an interesting read.

[Boo the Gentleman Caller]

Welcome to the Compendium, new guy!  I feel like a know you after that post...