Gaia Online Magazine - Issue 7 by Nicole Woodworth

y g o l o r e! t s A d mor

an a s i e a p o c G r Horos

ou y d n i F

Anime Boston

Convention Coverage

The Gaia Job Center What Gaians can do to help

Admiral Lord Cochrane Co-Captain/Lead Editor & Journalist

Aileeya Journalist/zOMG! and games specialist

Nymph of Spring Co-Captain/Lead Community & Feedback

Alkalune Journalist/Editor

Meia15 Co-Captain/Lead Human Resources/ Journalist/Editor/Artist/Archivist/ Forum Mod

Chaos Beaver Journalist

slothiiiey Vice Captain/Lead Digital Graphics/Community & Feedback/Human Resources

Escuro-sama* Digital Graphics

-Candii_SweetLead Financials/Human Resources/ Forum Mod

Fayrouza Journalist

Shinigami-ANBU Assistant/Artist

Gio Gio Star Editor

theMeji Digital Graphics

Jamie Ranai Artist

A Glass Passenger Journalist

Josephine the Harpist Journalist/Editor

Kanari Moon-sun* Financials

Nyx Avalon Journalist/Editor

Kethrynrose Editor

Robotic Nanners Journalist

KisKis Journalist

Sheva Das* Digital Graphics

Lewpy Von Cakes Journalist/Editor

Some Badass Name* ** Digital Graphics

lXl_Soka_lXl Advertiser

TheAnneh* Editor

Morwen Whiinch Digital Graphics

1XxRenxX1* Editor

Mrs Preinz Artist

Guest Writer(s) Twelve Is A Number From the Dream World Guild

neehole Advertiser/Community & Feedback/Forum Mod

Want to see your username up here? JOIN GOM!

Nintendo Freak 32 Journalist/Editor

New crew members are marked with one *, those that will be missed have two **.

Intro...................................................................................pg 2

Crew List.........................................................................pg 4

Table of Contents.....................................................pg 6

Gaiastrology...............................................................pg 8

The Tale of 5 Kittens...............................................pg 12

Featuring a Gaian Shop Artist.........................pg 16 The World of Gaia..................................................pg 18

Embezzlement............................................................pg 19

Saving the Gaia Job Center.............................pg 20

Inventory Navigation..............................................pg 22

Featured.........................................................................pg 26

....................................................pg 28 Real Life Desks...............................................pg 34 Touhou: A Review..........................................pg 36 Anime Boston..................................................pg 38 Dear Admiral..................................................pg 42 Crew Interview...............................................pg 45 Recipe...............................................................pg 46 The Next Story................................................pg 48 Old Man.........................................................pg 50 Events & Contests.........................................pg 52 Contributed

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GOM wishes a Happy Birthday to these GOM readers! May 6th - brewers6655 May 23rd - Star Re Sky May 7th - drangonfly91 May 24th - RandomRebel Girl May 15th - AmatsuSuzuran May 30th - Shinigami-ANBU and Xzero1X May 18th - Captain Soli May 20th - musasgal and Floyd The Hobo May 21st - Rice Map May 22nd - uvain

Tell us your birthday!

In 2006, Gaianastrology was first introduced to the Gaia Community Projects thread by fellow Gaians. However, the thread owners stopped updating the monthly horoscopes in this thread, so GOM has taken in the project to make sure the horoscopes are updated and to promote the spirit of Gaiastrology! Please support the original thread by following this link. There are 12 month in a year but only 10 Horoscopes. You see, with Gaia starsigns, months aren’t important. What matters most is the date that you joined Gaia Online! Because of this, a little math is invovled. First you have to know the exact day you joined Gaia Online. YOU CAN FIND YOUR JOIN DATE HERE! Next, we use the DAY// MONTH// YEAR format for this. For example: I, Nymph of Spring, joined on the 28th of April(04), 2004, so 28/4/2004. So, math-whiz’s.. What’s 28 + 4 + 2004? 2036 of course! But its only that bolded 6 we’re interested in. Look at the next page’s chart to find your corresponding sign based on YOUR number!

1 = Epistola Constellation = Letter 2 = Vulpus Constellation = Fox 3 = Penna Constellation = Wing 4 = Spurca Constellation = Spork 5 = Falcis Piscibus Constellation = Fishing Hook 6 = Arca Constellation = Trunk <- This is mine! 7 = Lepus Crudus Constellation = Grunny 8 = Donum Constellation = Giftbox 9 = Halos Constellation = Halo 0 = Cauda Diaboli Constellation = Devilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tail. Now that you know your constallation, you can... -Check out the next page to see your constallationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personality predictions -Go into Fishing to find your constalation symbol* -Check out this thread to read up on horoscopes, chat with others about your astrology sign and much more!

*Unforunately, Epistola and Cauda Diaboli Constallations are not visible from Fishing.

Gaianstrology (cont) Those gaiaborn under the Epistola constellation are often gifted with the ability to communicate openly and understandably, but can also (in certain situations) be cursed with the exact opposite, shutting the world out and keeping their thoughts to themselves, even when they want more than anything to open up. They tend to do things in their own time and mustn’t be hurried. They are often polite and well meaning, but can sometimes seem patronising or arrogant to others. They are generally peace loving and do their best to find constructive ways to resolve issues and arguments via communication. Those gaiaborn under the Vulpus constellation can be very shrewd customers. They tend to be Intelligent and sharp witted, but often cold and self serving. Vulpi find it easy to meet and get along with new people, but often find it difficult to make good friends they deem worth keeping. They can see most problems coming a mile away, which is usually a good thing, but can sometimes spend too long weighing the pros and cons of a situation that all opportunity to act passes them by. Generally they’re approachable people, but when pressured or pushed into a corner they can lash out and be quite unpredictable. Those gaiaborn under Penna, the wing constellation, are usually among the kindest people you’d ever hope to meet, but are often easily distracted and spacey. They tend to be quiet and self reflective in private, sensitive you might say, but open, pleasant and brimming with energy when they’re among friends. They are often extroverted people, and they tend to enjoy nice weather, parties and playing games outside, but due to their airheaddedness can often forget in the heat of the moment that there are limits and can often end up embarrassing themselves and causing a scene. In hostile situations, they can become very turbulent, either screaming and thrashing around, or curling up and weeping. Those gaiaborn under the Spurca constellation know how to enjoy life. What matters most to them is that they’re having fun in all that they do. They aren’t always the sharpest tools in the shed, but they have a good time in all that they do. Childlike in nature, it’s nearly impossible to hold their attention for long periods of time. Many would find this trait annoying, but equally as many find it endearing. They often speak their minds without thinking about other people’s feelings, but they’re also not the type to deliberately offend. They often bare grudges against people who’ve belittled them, and they never quit first in an argument. Those gaiaborn under Falcis Piscibus often lead lives of solitude. They prefer to be alone and are quite capable of running their own lives, but cope badly when forced to interact with strangers. They are often highly intellectual, though they don’t boast this or demonstrate it in public often. In conversations they tend to stay silent, unless however something catches their eye, in which case they reach in and accurately lock onto it, before going silent again. They can be very patient and forgiving, almost to the point of indolence, but if provoked they can usually come up the victor in any conflict.

Those gaiaborn under the sign of the trunk, the Arca constellation, are capable of staying cool under most pressures, or at least maintaining that illusion. As a friend, they can be incredibly supportive, but as a result of keeping up such a tough, reliable exterior for everyone else, they can often feel empty inside and in need of someone to return the favour. Often loyal and trustworthy, they rarely divulge secrets they’ve been given, and can keep them locked away inside for as long as necessary. Sadly, they can often be exploited because of their loyalties, which can lead to them feeling worthless, but when freed from the bad vibes they hop around like there’s no tomorrow! Those gaiaborn under the Lepus Crudus constellation can often be difficult to approach, but can really grow on you once you get to know them. They tend to hang around with others like themselves, and aren’t alien to the idea of hostility. Some would call them mean or cruel, but it isn’t personal. They just like to push the envelope a little. Their sense of humour can be infectious sometimes, and many would claim they’re a bad influence, but really they’re just living by their own rules and they can’t stand to be caged or forced into doing things they don’t want to do. Quick to bite and slow to forgive, you have to be on your toes around them, but get on their good side and you’ll probably have a great time. Those born under the Donum constellation tend to be incredibly generous. They give away their time and money even if they really need it themselves. This can often leave them in a bad spot, but as long as the person they helped is thankful and happy, they can deal with any problems they’re left with. They enjoy helping others and have a strong sense of what is right, but they aren’t always strong enough to uphold what they believe in. They can be fragile at times, and can sometimes break down and crash if exploited or mistreated too much, but their faith in humanity never seems to falter for long, and before you know it they’ll be patched up and soaring again. They can be rather naive and oblivious sometimes, but many would envy them for being so very far from cynicism, even in the worst of times. Those born under the Halos constellation are what you might call a goodie-two-shoes. They do their best at everything they do, always wear a smile and negativity never gets them down. They usually obey the rules, which is admirable, but sometimes when the rules ought to be bent or broken, they reveal themselves to be a stick in the mud. They can be incredibly friendly, generous, forgiving, helpful, likable and all-round saint-like, but they can also come across as smug, self satisfied and holier than thou, which won’t win them many favours. Lastly, those born under the Cauda Diaboli constellation, the devil’s tail, often have the meanest streak of all. Wicked and cruel by nature, they laugh at things they really shouldn’t laugh at, are known to start fights over trivial issues, and love to be the center of attention. Often intelligent and sharp witted, they usually use their smarts only for themselves and always have a nasty barb to spike any poor stray that steps into their domain. Besides all that, there is some good to them. They can (in rare times) offer sound (though harsh) advice, and they usually follow the rules in the loosest of ways, so even when they’re being bad it’s bad within acceptable limits. They can be very reliable friends, so long as you can stomach the punishment they dish out. They don’t take anything seriously, so you shouldn’t take what they say seriously either, or so they figure. You could argue that they’re playful rather than nasty, but you’d have to have some concrete evidence for anyone to believe you...

“Look! Up on the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane?! IT’S…Not Superman-if that’s what you were thinking.” No sir-y! Those things flying on the sky are the most cherished quintet of cuddly- wuddly and fluffy kittens. Kitten Star, Jet the Kitten Star, Aurora Kitten Star, Fantasy Kitten Star, and my absolute favorite North Kitten Star. Everybody loves those things. I myself am a fan of those things. (Unfortunately, I can’t get them due to procrastination) Anyway, this article is all about these fluffy things, and what they stand for. First, let’s turn our attention to the simple yet bright Kitten star. No rocket science applied here, just a bright yellow colored kitten. My take on this kitten, “It is a cute, plain and simple furry which looks very dull, and boring, with nothing so extravagant. All though, it is cheaper than the other kittens, that is for sure!” You could either wear it with your avatar as a pose on your sides or “BE” the kitten yourself. This goes for all the kittens. Like other animal items, they give you the power to actually be the animal or have them pose with you on the sides. What do the kittens have that stands above all? Well, for me; it is the cute-ness [Chibi] and the childish factor. Many of the Gaian animals show dignity, grace, strength, pure comedy or horror, but these three kitties make you look “kawaii” in a real sense; if you know what I mean. Switching over to the black wonder that is the Jet the Kitten Star, I get a totally different feel. I don’t know about the rest of you, but this kitten gives you (I, for that matter) an out-of-this-world feel. It’s black and blue color combination reminds me of a documentary I saw on the Discovery channel titled “The Universe” and my wish to visit space once in my lifetime. I know it’s stupid, but I get these kinds of vibes! This means that this kitten, unlike the simple Kitten Star, has a certain “wild imagination” factor to it. Think of this kitten and you lose yourself in a world of stars and vacuum. Your imagination runs wild. The sad thing about this kitten is that this it is too dark for my palate. Also, there is no unique-ness to the poses or the kitten itself. That makes it so expensive, a recent look at its price made me re-think my purchase of this kitten. Maybe that’s why we don’t see too many of these kitties out on Gaia Towns? Also, due to its color, it can only be worn with dark colored avatars. That limits its application. My ultimate take on this kitten is that it is a beautiful, blue- eyed creature with a dark sense of color but it is very heavy on the pocket. You know how color is made right? The light absorption, reflection, or emission spectra! Sounds complicated right? Anyways, the Aurora Kitten Star is like a spectrum of light, delightful pastel like colors. You could also just call it rainbow kitty, but where’s the curiosity in that? This kitten is a lot like the rest, pose wise. Due to the pure feeling in the pastel rainbow it would go great along with a pastel, or light colored outfit. This kitten also adds to a “kawaii” look, if that’s what you are going for. “Like a terrifying magical comet from outer space, crashing into your heart.” Gaia’s description of Fantasy Kitten Star, sounds luring right? When I first heard the name I thought it was going to be mined blowing, better than the Jet the Kitten Star but when I searched for it I was greatly disappointed. It’s plain honestly. Nothing new, “Did Gaia just make another re-color because they needed something for a sprite artist to do?” was my first initial thought. This kitten star is a tan like color, and has some sort of red thing hovering off its head. It also has purple wings. It then dawned on me that this [Chibi] animal design was based off of Final Fantasy’s Moogle character. Even so, what makes me really chuckle about this kitten is if you look at it from a far it looks like ice cream with a cherry on top! So, as an inside joke maybe we should re-name it Tasty Kitten Star.

My ultimate favorite, the “North Kitten star,” has a wonderful sense of color. Its pure-white color gives a wonderful feel to the eyes and looks “pretty darn cool”. For me, it’s a wonderful buy and every animal item (especially cat) lover must have this. The price is a hindrance but it’s worth it. Well, that’s all for me for this article! I’d like to end this kitty fest with some quotes from the GD forum and see what the Gaia community thinks about this cute-thing. “Talking animals are cool. But, flying animals are always cool.” -Trickard “I personally think they are really cute. Out of the three I like the North Kitten Star best because it’s white and fluffy and sort of make me think of marshmallows (though I’m hungry atm so everything looks like food right now XD).” - CactusJuicy “I find North Kitten Star to be the most appealing of the three. It’s simple, an easy item to match colors with, and is also the most realistic looking of the kittens.” -|Stratagem| “The Jet Kitten star to me is way to colorful. He has the most attitude no doubt, but it’s just so hard to match any items with, along with being the least realistic of the bunch. The regular old Kitten Star is neat, and also a classic. And I really like the color yellow, but for some reason I just prefer the North Kitten Star over it. It’s just more appealing to the eye, and I could see it in real situations rather than this one or the Jet star. Plus silver is cool. //flips table” -Anonomous User “Fantasy Kitten Star is my favorite. Though I was a Final Fantasy fan prior to it being created and I always loved Mogs, so that could have something to do with it. The Kitten Star counterpart is almost as adorable as its inspiration. Love the little red ball. I wish it came with that equippable.” -Athyr “I like them all pretty equally, and would love having any of them... but if I had to choose, I would probably pick North Kitten Star because it’s easier to match and goes with more of my items”. - Albino Sea Monkey “Ehh...I can’t decide. I want ALL of the kitten stars!” -Catkid_neo “The only thing Jet has that I want are his eyes. Nothing more. I have no need for a lump of kitty pixels next to my avatar.” -Winter Hue “He’s really cute, but I think I only favour him because of his extra poses. xD” -A Minor Crisis “Aurora kitten all the way... across the sky” -demonduck “I’m completely biased, but my favorite kitten star is probably Fantasy. Kupo!” -Troy the confuzed

Featuring A Gaia User Artist Q: Tell us a little about your art shop. What is its name, and how long has it been running for? A: I recently renamed it anacrusis, but before that it was `harmonia for a long time. As far as names and the theme go, I’ve always liked it to be related to music terminology.

Username: choushi

The shop has been running for 5 years now, but there are some years (like this last one) where I didn’t take commissions because of offline life or focusing on personal artwork. I can’t seem to get away from it, though! I think the people I encounter here at my shop are some of the most polite and patient users on the site, so I see no need to quit now.

Q: What are your inspirations, aspirations, and expectations of your work? A: Gaia’s items and avatars continue to inspire me. When I first started the shop, it was all about drawing avatars. It seems like original characters have really boomed within the past few years, and while there are some designs that really do interest me, I think I’ll always prefer drawing people’s avatars and making my own interpretations of Gaia’s millions of beautiful pixel items. I have to admit that when I can learn a lot about a person’s original character and get into their personality and mannerisms, I want to be able to draw that too. My main aspiration for this shop is to keep it up no matter what. I’ve always wondered if I could gain a reputation on Gaia out of sheer persistence, but I don’t think that my slow progress and frequent hiatuses have been helping much. My expectations of my work change a lot. I motivate myself by thinking that I want to do my very best work for commissions and think along the lines of “would I buy this?” or “would I be satisfied receiving this?” Other times I think that it’s pointless to stress myself out over art that’s not for any real monetary benefit and that I should just have fun and only take on commissions that interest me…

Q: What is your time-frame in creating a piece of art? A: Honestly, too long! I know that it’s rude to keep people waiting, but what I hate more than anything is forcing myself to work on something when I’m not in the mood. It’s times like those when my work comes out the worst. I’ve kept people waiting months for a commission, which is horrible, so I’m hoping that I can exercise some self-discipline and really get things done in the future at a reasonable pace.

Q: Describe your art style. What is your favorite commission you have done so far? A: I have always drawn anime-styled artwork for this shop (and for CGing in general). Even if anime is a broad term to use, I think artists develop their own “style” within that genre whether they know it or not. As for my favorite piece... I remember this Pirate-Themed piece being one that I really liked, even if it isn’t technically my best work. I remember being really inspired by the couple’s avatars, and if I could draw it again and fix all the errors I see now, I would!

Q: Do you see your artistic talents affecting your choices in real life? How so, and if it applies, how have they already? A: I’m pursuing a degree in Studio Art at the university I’m attending, but that doesn’t apply much to my shop here on Gaia. I don’t like to mix my anime influences into my school work. I’m not very confident at all when it comes to presenting my anime-styled artwork to people in real life because I don’t think it’s that high quality yet. In everyday life, I keep those drawings to myself. Just recently, though, I’ve decided to attend my first Artist Alley experience at Anime Expo this summer (at the urging of some fellow online artists). I’m nervous and REALLY want to do my best work if I’m selling it for real money, even if it is to break even.

Gaians can visit choushi and her artshop here!

Grab This is a Booty Grab thread with lots of great tanks and contests! Come join the fun!

The World of Gaia Alkalune Journalist/Editor The concept of the World page is an important one. Gaia isn’t just a game website – it’s a whole world of its own. Yet, the World is the least popular of all the pages. It used to be an important part of the site: navigating to different parts of Gaia through the world map by clicking on buildings for forums, arenas, shops, marketplace, and everywhere else. It felt like players were really traveling through Gaia to get to a page. Since the site added a nice drop-down navigation, however, the map and the World page have become a not-so-popular attraction.

Only a few things really happened with the World page relaunch:

- zOMG link was moved to the Games page; - a few unused items were removed (spotlight, Gaia blog); - virtual spaces were added as module links; - the page’s design now fits in nicely with the rest of the main pages; - and if you’re looking for the experimental Gaia Labs, they’re under the My Gaia navigation tab.

All in all, it looks good, but what are other users saying?

“It’s nice. Everything looks so nice and neat. The new drop-down menu on the header is pretty cool too.” – Kez Mani

“I like that they made the little ‘extras’ section more prominent. There are some really nice backgrounds there, and I like the little garlic paper craft.” – Hazelaar

“Earth Day area still exists?” – DrQuint

“It looks clean and organised. I like it!” – [Chocolate Apple]

Sure this is a new guild, but we have big ambitions as roleplayers!

Not open yet, but donate to the charity and get a HQ banner or bump like ours!

Embezzlement Chaos Beaver Journalist Embezzlement is a word that can draw a lot of ire in the business world and can even occur on a site like Gaia. Is it possible to commit embezzlement on Gaia? The answer is yes. For Gaia, embezzlement falls under the scamming classification. Recently, a large case of embezzlement has occurred. While I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say any names, I will explain things that can be classified as embezzlement. In order to be called on embezzlement, a few requirements must first be met. The first requirement is that you must be running a public organization; say like a charity, an advertisement guild, or a magazine. In this, you draw donations and money for advertisement that is meant to run the guild and the organization. Then, you have to use those funds for personal profit; like buying items for yourself, friends, and/or family. Doing so means you are using the gold for something it was not donated or paid for. This meets the basic requirements for scamming. Even if you plan to pay all the gold back, taking any of the gold is embezzling and scamming. The simplest way to avoid embezzlement, is to simply not take any gold you are not entitled to within a guild. Even if you are president of the organization and owner of the guild, the gold was donated to you for a purpose and using it for anything but that purpose is scamming. Is this something to strongly worry about when asking to work for an organization or donating to one? Well, it really varies on the organization and their standards. It can be extremely dangerous, but most Gaians are not like that and normally it is pretty safe. However, you should do research before performing any sort of action. Remember, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t play it too safe.

Sell them to me to make yourself rich!

Saving the Gaia Job Center A Glass Passenger Journalist Ever find yourself on Gaia, bored out of your wits, and dirt poor at the same time? Or maybe you are just looking for a roleplay, bump thread, or something fun to do. Did you know that there are people who will pay you to do what you want to do most on Gaia? Well there are, and most of them can be found at the Gaia Job Center. The Gaia Job Center was founded in 2007 by guild master Chellies, whom having prior experience in this sort of area, had run several thread beforehand dedicated towards the same purpose; to provide a place for shops and services to be held as a community, to hire workers, give jobs, and make the Gaian experience even more incredible than what it already is. With the help of her best friend, KatieLuvsRemusNSirius, the guild took off, and within a year, was featured on the Community Spotlight. Not only was the Guild was providing revenue to help reinforce Gaian economy, but it was also helping in accomplishing the chief goal of Gaiaonline; to help bring an online community together by building bridges and reinforcing them with friendships and businesses. Having a little over 30,000 members to this day, almost five years since its birth, the Gaia Job Center can be considered one of the most successful community and exchange guilds on the site. No one can even begin to calculate how much Gaia Gold has been exchanged because of it, but between the forum and the guild, the amount is surely staggering. But with every successful venue, it has run into a few bumps in the track along the way, and right now, it is poised at a very big one indeed.

The Gaia Job Center is in trouble! It may be surprising that such a success story can be running into trouble after such a rich history. Say it ain’t so, right? But alas, while the train keeps on rattling down the rails, a very key element is missing. The ‘conductors’ of the train are falling out of Gaian life, and as it happens to all of us, they have left a very big burden on those who remain. As a result, it is struggling to maintain itself. Although the remaining leadership is there, a lot of its member base has gotten off at various stops along the way, leaving its grand shops and recruitment centers bare and empty.

We have to do something! Shards right, we have to do something. Reader, it is up to you and me to spread the news, to make sure that this tragic fate doesn’t befall not only the once shining Gaia Job Center, but to any existing and emerging guild that are in existence. But what can we do? I sat down and asked that in an interview with one of the Gaia Job Center’s own, Some Badass Name, a forum moderator. “Support. A guild is only as strong and happy as its members. It’s with the support and ideas of guild members that get things done. If members want to see something, all they have to do is speak up. Once the Gaia Job Center has a voice, it can truly be alive.”

I go on to ask the user their inspiration and enjoyments at the Gaia Job Center.

“My first guild and role play took place at GJC, so over the course of four years, I’ve grown rather fond of the guild. I like knowing there is a legitimate place to go and look for work so that I can support my own guild. I really don’t know what I would do without GJC.” Some Badass Name goes on to say, “I really just like being there for the guild. I may not make any big decisions or direct anyone with any duties- but as long as I can keep the flow going, I’m happy right where I am.” On and ending note to the interview, Some Badass Name gives some words of encouragement, hopefully the light of the train emerging from the tunnel’s darkness. “I really hope everyone knows that the GJC is in good hands! I’ve seen what Chellies can do with this guild and her little finger, and I know we’re all bound to have a blast. Please come check out the guild if you haven’t visited in a while and chat with us. Or, if you aren’t already a member, then you need to check out what you’re missing. It’s awesome.” Well there you have it folks. The word is out, the information peanut butter on the bread of society. All it needs is some spreading around. As this tired typist draws this article to a close, he hopes that the reader will take heart and help not only yourselves, but the community as well, in finding a job at the Gaia Job Center and telling your friends. In closing words, courtesy of Some Badass Name, “It’s awesome.”

Inventory Navigation Twleve is a Number Guest Writer Hi, I’m Twelve Is A Number (You can call me Twelve, Twelvie, Allen... or anything you’d really like,) and today I’ll be giving to you tips on how to navigate Gaia. Now, you’re probably thinking, “Okay, so you just took the easy way out; everyone knows how to navigate Gaia!” That’s just the thing. Some people don’t. Today, we’ll be talking about navigation around the site, notifications, as well as other little tips that can help you have a better /easier experience with the site. This article will be focusing on avatar dress up, and your inventory. Okay, first of all, when I look at Gaia, I think, “Whoa! There’s so many places to be, so many things to do, and so many friends to make.” To many on the site, one of the most important things on the site would have to be their items, at least as I’ve noticed. When you’re just walking around in towns and someone comes up and compliments you, “Hey, love your avatar!” or, “Your avatar rocks,” or something like that, it’s a pretty pleasing feeling. One of the first things to take note of is (A) to edit your avatar, you click on the avatar. (B) To view all your items, you simply hit, “Full inventory”, at the bottom left corner of your equippable items. From there, you can view images of all your items, or you can go even further – the organize inventory option. This gives you to the ability to look at all your items by the name, and their worth in the stores. (Items not sellable to stores will just have two dashes; “ - - “ but without the space.) From there, you can put items into a ‘storage locker’, which holds them securely for you. (Note: These items may not be showed in your main inventory!) You can also put items in your house from this area. Along with getting through the kinks of organizing your inventory, there’s also dressing up your avatar. I know, I know, this sounds so easy, but still. For a lot of events on Gaia, people would like a certain dress code. Sometimes, heck, you even want your own dress code! One of the easiest ways to make that happen would be to stop randomly shopping around the marketplace. I know it’s fun (trust me – been there, done that), but it’s not the way to go about things. One good place to go is Account Worth. This feature on Tektek.org will help you calculate how much money you have in the first place, and how much money you can make by selling your items. (If that’s what you choose to do) With that info, you can get the avatar you want. Back at the Tektek.org homepage, click “Gaia Dream Avatar” to make a dream avatar, also called a Tektek. From there, you have the option to make a Tektek using items from your

inventory. Keep in mind that while all poses are given, you will need one item for each pose you use. If you use multiple poses from the same item and only have one of that item, you will have to buy the extra item! Back at the “Gaia Dream Avatar” page, you can click “Dream Avatar” for more options. This option will let you start from scratch, using any items, skin colors, eyes, and hair that available! Since it also lists the price of each item, it’s a good place to find cheaper versions of items when you want to make specific outfits. For example, if you see a pair of shoes you want, but they’re expensive, go to the items category (after selecting all your avatar information and such), and then go to “feet”, and select the color you want. It’s pretty useful when you’re on a tight budget! Then it’s all up to you to make the avatar of your dreams. From there, you can either start questing right away, or you can see what people think first. (Simply post the direct link to the completed avatar somewhere, such as the Chatterbox, or even a guild thread!) That’s really all there is to having a clean inventory and a good avatar.

PROFILES

AVATARS

FEATURED

Phoenix Goliathane

42rd

Laertes Ursus

Cat of Ice

Naramaru

iymcool

Old Man Vee

MsSpork

Kiiroto

oh amanda

Know of a guild, avatar, thread, etc. thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worthy of featuring? Let us know! Simply Angle 26

PETITIONS

GUILDS

THREADS/ARTSHOPS

CONTRIBUTED Bunny and Ona Artwork submitted by crew member neehole

Is it better? Comic submitted by IxITheDustKeeperIxI

Bunny and Zodiac Fishes Artworks submitted by crew member neehole

Photography submitted by GOM reader Ezra

Art and Photography submitted by crew member Lewpy Von Cakes

Art and Photography submitted by crew member Meia15

Real Life Desks Follow the Gaia Online Magazine and the hunt for pictures behind the screens. Here we’ve featured one Crew member’s desk, and one GOM reader’s desk. You too can have your desk featured in the upcomming magazine by clicking on this link!

A Glass Passenger’s Desk

Some noteworthy things: - Aprox. $3000 PC gaming setup - Xbox 360, ps2, 3DS, and a DS lite Still under construction though

C e r u l e a n’s Desks

When I first entered my apartment, these desks were already there. They look like studentdorm desk here so I’m guessing that they were there before my friend moved out, or they were here before her--who knows? Whatever the reason was, I’m thankful she left it for me. I really didn’t feel like spending a couple of hundred dollars on a new desk and move those two out (even though I call them my ‘makeshift’ desks XD). I use one desk for my laptop and work station. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do about the amount of wires on my desk (including the internet modem, external hardd drive, drawing tablet, and earphones). The other desk is my art station (which you can kind of see) is full of traditional art supplies (copic markers, sketch pencils, colored pencils, watercolor pencils, watercolor tubes, pallets, rulers of all kinds, sponges, etc) and a few other miscellaneous objects that needed a desk but didn’t have one (like lotion--I couldn’t find a place for my make-up products so they are on the floor by the huge mirror XD).

Touhou: A Review

Except, in this case, your ship is a shrine maiden or witch, the standard enemy ships are fairies, the bosses are powerful demon girls, and there are many bullets on screen. I don’t mean just a few bullets either.

Chaos Beaver Journalist

I want you to picture a situation where over half the screen is death. That is what it is like if you are on easy mode. Touhou is hard. . By hard, I mean easy mode will feel like playing most games on the hard difficulty. Often you are barely dodging two bullets on both sides of you,

Touhou… Oh Touhou. While normally, I do Anime reviews. Today, I will be doing a video game review. Not of one game but of a series of games. Touhou is a series of games that are like space shooters. In space shooters, you shoot at enemy’s ships flying at you as they shoot back at you. 36

with only a pixel or two between life and death.

pretty amazing. Even with all the remixes, the normal stagessongs often fit perfectly. Character themes are like hitting a nail with a hammer.

Yet, despite all this, it gives a rush of defying death. It is also extremely cute and comical in execution. It is a rewarding game to look into and play but be prepared to die a lot. It should be noted, however, that the fans are borderlineâ&#x20AC;Śactually, the fans are crazy and dedicated to it as if Touhou is a hard drug.

It is a game worth looking into if you have the patience to get good enough to get past even the stage 1 boss. As a final word of advice, if you get stuck on the 4th boss of any of the games, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel bad. We all get stuck thereâ&#x20AC;Ś

With tons of music remixes, fan drawings, and other creations I am not going to mention. With that, it should be said that the music is 37

above image from zerochan.net all rights go to the original owner

A Glass Passenger Journalist Zombies and the undead horde reigned over the con this year as the theme was our imminent and apocalyptic future. But that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop anyone from having an awesome time! Anime Boston was a blast this year and, although the office numbers have not been released yet, it appears have recordbreaking attendance for the tenth consecutive year! What does one do at Anime Boston? Besides getting the chance to cosplay and meet awesome people with similar interests, there are an extraordinary amount of activities that tide people over for the packed Easter weekend. Let me tell you my journey. Enjoy! The preregistration ticket collection was held Thursday, the day before the actual Con. Otaku from all over flocked to the friendly Prudential Center in Boston to line up and get their golden ticket into nerd heaven. I was far back in line, but the staff was so efficient that I was holding my weekend pass 45 minutes after the doors were open.

The fun had already started; Even then people were dressing up. There were monsters from Sesame Street, assorted PokĂŠmon, and even characters from the game Dynasty Warriors walking around with two six foot long pikes. I went to the Con alone, so the wait gave me a chance to talk to the people in line with me. I learned what their plans for the weekend were and agreed to meet up if we saw each other again. At noon on Friday, I ran home and gathered my costume. I planned to be Professor Frank N. Stein from the popular anime Soul Eater. I arrived at the convention and quickly changed, nervous because it was my first Con. The first person that saw me when I got out of the bathroom gave me a high five. He told me that he loved my costume, so that set the bar pretty high. It was all uphill from there.

Immediately I want into the Dealer’s Rooms, two gigantic rooms with merchandising booths set up to fulfill any Otaku needs. They had plushies, trading cards, anime, manga, video games, wigs, and outfits… If you could think of it, they had it! Right off the bat I had people asking for pictures with me, so I walked around and took snap shots with people who asked. Then I took a trip to the gaming room. The gaming room was awesome. In the middle was a dance hub, where a live DJ was playing music to a couple of outgoing dancers. Everyone else, on the other hand, was gaming. There were six islands, each with eight televisions. The first island had retro games, every system you could imagine. The second had Call of Duty for the xbox, the third had Halo 3, the fourth combined Super Smash Bros Brawl and Mario Kart, the fifth introduced Tekken X Street Fighter, and the sixth showing off Battlefield 3. The main stage had the new Twisted Metal, and the side stages held a dance off with the Kinect’s dancing game, and Left for Dead 2. Along a side wall were various arcade games, most notably Dance Dance Revolution. On Saturday, tournaments were held for most of these games, some for prize money, other for free. The gaming room held up its name, showing all comers a grand old time! Next, I headed up to the Artist’s Alley, where artists from around the country came to sell their goods. They sold prints, commissions, and hand crafted goodies for a pretty reasonable price. I myself bought a Persona 3 print and am not regretting it a bit. Popular themes included video game characters, My Little Pony, Adventure Time, and Pokemon. All of the artists were available to talk to and were extremely talented. My friend Chris came with me on Sunday, and he bought a Regular Show poster… that was drawn in 3D.

Anime Boston (cont) As I exited the Alley and debated what I would do next, I was asked to pose for a photo by two fellow cosplayers. We got to talking, and because I was going solo, they offered me the chance to join their party. I gratefully accepted, and made some awesome friends of experienced Con attendees. They showed me what there was to do, and pretty soon, I found myself standing in line for a big event, a dating game show for cosplayers, so as we waited for the show to start, a bunch of us got in front of the crowd and danced to the hot music that was playing. The dating show turned out great, and afterwards, we got out and headed towards the informal dance. For those of you who don’t know, informal dance is the equivalent of a rave. There were six or seven live DJ’s, one of them being my hero, Greg Ayres. While we were all dancing, screens were showing GIFs of dancing polar bears, anime, and of course, Doctor Who. The DJ’s were on their phones and computers, webcams centered on the crowd for chat roulette sessions, and we partied until 2am. Then it was time to go home, recuperate, and get ready for day 2 of Anime Boston. Saturday was by far the biggest attendance day for Anime Boston. The convention hall was jammed full of people, costumes, props, and pictures. My friend decided to come along, so while he waited in the two hour line to purchase a weekend ticket, I was off. I decided to go to a panel. It was about the history behind the term, ‘Otaku’, and how society views them. Other panels running included stuff from video games, hosted game shows like cosplay family feud, and even concerts from some Japanese performers from actual anime! At the same time, and all throughout the Con, there were seven dedicated theaters playing constant anime. It was especially nice for whenever I needed to rest a little, or wanted to get an idea on what a particular anime was about. I got the text from my friend that he got his ticket around noon, so we went to the mall’s food court for lunch. Although people stared at us, Con-goers and average people alike were polite, and even wanted pictures. After posing for the local Pinkberry Yogurt stand, we headed back, to meet up with the people I met the day before. Saturday’s big event was the Masquerade. There were skits, cosplay winners, and AMV awards. My favorite AMV was about a girl who sat in a room full of monitors that extend out to a bunch of different anime universes. She would use her computer to alter reality, making people happy. For example, she would push two friends back together, or send a text to a girl from her parents, or even enhance a character’s socks, making them super grippy so she wouldn’t fall. At the end of the video, the computer tells her she needs to sleep, so she does so, but with a smile on her face.

Sunday was the big closing day. There was a cosplay chess match, closing ceremonies, but the real deal was in the Dealer’s Room, which was full of sellers wanting to get rid of their stuff. Other than that, people were posing for pictures, and using the time to wind down from the whole event. It was pretty relaxing, and the calm atmosphere extended to the chapel outside the convention hall, reassuring the goers of the Easter Service there that we were indeed polite and respectful Otaku. After posing for a few photos, I said goodbye to new friends, and went home with good memories and awesome souvenirs. Well that’s my story! I hope you too get the chance to go to a Con someday, if you haven’t already. If you have, I hope this motivates you to get back to one! They are only as fun as you want them to be, so make sure you want to have a blast, and you will!

Dear Admiral, My best friend and I have been best friends for as long as I’ve known her. Lately, though, we’ve been fighting. A lot. And over stupid little things too. From me lying to her once, to me leaving her alone to fly our hot air balloon because I wanted to go on a field trip that same day. Oh, and especially over me hanging out with other people more than her. That one causes a lot of arguments and was also our biggest fight. It was almost the end of our friendship. Our latest one was over the fact that I reminded my teacher about the homework since I had actually done it that time. My friend hadn’t done it and I didn’t know until after I told the teacher to check the homework. Once he started going around to check it, she starts yelling at me about how it’s all my fault and that her grade was going to get worse. I then replied “If you need the points so badly, you should’ve done the homework.” Things continued to escalate and she was so mad at me, she even snapped at me for a comment I made about being quiet to stop things from getting worse than they actually were. She said that me saying that out loud was me instigating the fight further. We’ve fought over little things like this so much this year. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve considered removing myself from her life so I don’t make her angry at me anymore. The reason I haven’t though is because I honestly can’t see us not being friends anymore. We have so much in common and we have so many fun times with each other. This fighting has gotten us both to start to question our friendship. Is there anyway I can still be best friends with her without any more of this arguing? -Frazzled Friend

Let me start off by saying that usually, I begin each response by writing about a personal event that you could take inspiration and/or examples from, however I’ll not be doing so this time because I’d like to focus on the matter at hand. Your friend sounds as if she either can’t match your own maturity level or she is having a difficult time at home. Have you asked her about it? If not, perhaps you two are growing too far apart. There comes a time in everyone’s lives where you have to evaluate whether or not you still identify with your friends - specifically your best friend. Okay, I lied. I am going to break into personal examples: When I moved from the country and into a new home in a more suburban environment, I didn’t know anyone at all. Luckily for me, there was a playground behind my house that the local children came to play in, and it was there I met my best friend John. We got along really well, and after thirteen years, are still strong friends until this day. However, as we grow into adulthood, we slowly develop differing opinions, These, though we don’t notice, have driven us apart by small degrees. However, all relationships - be they friend, lover,

relation or business - all require a certain amount of work. It takes nourishing and tender loving care to maintain a relationship such as being best friends. My recommendation: Sit down and have a serious talk. The both of you need to list out your personal views and talk about the pro’s & con’s of your friendship. How you can work it out: Discuss anything & everything that comes to mind - oh, and one more thing... LISTEN. Anyone can talk, but a true friend will take the time to listen & comprehend your concerns. Any friend who isn’t willing to do this isn’t worth keeping as a companion.

Need Advice? Check out Dear Admiral for more information!

W E I V R E T N CREW I

Username: A Glass Passenger

Who are you? Tell us a little about yourself!

Although I usually change usernames every year, I am know as Moo, or Glass. I have been on Gaia on various accounts since 2004, but haven’t really dedicated myself here until 2010. I am a writer here at the magazine, and I also help out in other guilds, such as the Gaian Annual Ball and the Barton Town Police Department. I love to roleplay here on Gaia, its a great way to get involved and meet new people! Outside of Gaia, I live a busy life. I am a Food Service Specialist 3rd Class in the United States Coast Guard. I cook, and I sail the ocean blue! I am currently residing in the Boston area, and over the last year I have been too California, Florida, Canada, the Cayman Islands, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Honduras, San Andras, and Haiti. To date in my career, the crew I am with has interdicted over 500 illegal immigrants, 20 drug runners, and over $300 million of narcotics. We also responded to a search and rescue case, and have been on standby for two hurricane seasons. So, you can imagine, life can get awfully busy! Personally, I am a huge gamer. Name a system, I probably have it. Currently, my buds and I are pillaging in Star Wars: The Old Republic (Imperial Sniper, FTW!), but I also crush at Mass Effect 3 for the xbox 360. The Megaman Battle Network series for GBA is my favorite games of all time right now, and the last game I beat was Portal 2, last week. What made you join Gaia? To tell the truth, my older brother. When we were young, I watched him make an account, and it looked fun so I tried it as well. Back in the day, there really wasn’t much to do around here besides the community forums, and it was extremely difficult to earn gold. I think my cumulative total gold earned before I really dedicated myself here was 15k! So there really wasn’t a lot of incentive to stay. Then, for old times sake, I made an account in 2010, and I decided to apply myself. It started off with just looking for roleplays, meeting awesome people, and helping others out here. Now, I have a blast doing it. Sure, my immaturity and older brother brought me here, but its you folks that keep me coming back! What is your favorite thing to do on Gaiaonline? My favorite thing to do here on Gaia is to meet new people. I roleplay a lot, so I have met a ton of people that way, and its a great way to build a social network and to keep yourself involved. But besides that, I like to troll around the art shops; there are some really talented artists out there. I also have been known to submit an avatar into the arenas from time to time, and provided comic relief to the much overworked and dedicated staff of the Gaian Annual Ball.

*astronaut image courtesy of NASA

Amish Bread By A Glass Passenger Ladies, have you ever found yourself with too much time on your hands? Have you ever wanted to make something for you significant other that you can both enjoy? Men, have you ever done something terribly wrong and wanted to make amends for it before your significant other finds out? Well, grab your aprons and preheat your ovens, its baking time! This issue I will be giving you my own, personal recipe for Amish bread with honey butter. If it cheers up a hundred grumpy, tired sailors on the tall seas, maybe it will work for you too. This recipe involves patience, a lot of waiting, and an appetite, so don’t be afraid to take your time. For you first time bakers, don’t be afraid to ask your parents or a friend for help, especially if you have trouble following the recipe. First up is the Amish bread. This will give you two loaves of bread, so feel free to invite some friends to share it with. This recipe comes from America’s early settlers. In the old days, the process of making this bread took up to ten days, during which a living mixture had to be carefully stirred lest it would die. This mixture, if made properly, would be cut in half. Half would be used to make the dough. The other half would be given to a friend so that they too could make their own loaf. This practice is what gave it the name friendship bread.

Ingredients 2 cups of warm water (Around 110 deg rees for you perfectionists) 2/3 cup of sugar 1 ½ tablespoons of active dry yeast 1 ½ teaspoons of iodized salt ¼ cup of vegetable oil 6 cups of bread flour ½ cup of butter 1/3 cup of honey

Steps 1. Dissolve the sugar into the water and add the yeast to the mixture, sprinkling it over the top. Stir once. Make sure that the container holding it has another cup or so of room because the yeast will bubble up. Try not to agitate it once you have added the yeast in as it will work on its own. You should see foam, much like that of a root beer float, gather on top. It will take 10 – 15 minutes. 2. Add the salt and the oil to the mixture, stirring until everything is mixed together well. 3. Sprinkle a little flour on the surface. Add flour to your yeast mixture one cup at a time, stopping at the fifth cup. Then, add only enough flour to achieve the right texture. 4. Work the dough vigorously for ten minutes. Your wrists may hurt during this step. 5. Divide it in half and place into two 9 by 5 inch bread pans. Let the bread rise for 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover the dough in plastic wrap or a wet towel to keep it from drying out. Take your butter out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature. Then, after the wait, throw the bread in your nicely preheated oven for 30 minutes! 6. Prepare the honey butter by beating your softened butter into your honey. By the time that is done, your bread should be ready. Let it cool outside of its pan but be careful not to burn yourself getting it out. If you are not sure if it is ready, slice it in half. The bread should be bright and dry on the inside. Once it is cooled, slice, spread, and enjoy!

It was a cold, Monday morning. A snowstorm has passed the previous night, leaving a thick, white mantle of snow in the streets. The clouds, hovering over Shibuya district, were as white as the snow below. Over in the horizon, the sun was rising, hugging the nearby skyscrapers of downtown Tokyo. As the sun started melting the snow on the sidewalks, a dark shadowy figure could be seen standing at a lonely bus stop next to an apartment complex. It was a young man, wearing a black faded coat and black ragged pants, giving an appearance of the Grim Reaper. The young man took a seat on the bench next to the stop sign, cleaning his glasses with a black silk handkerchief. Fully clean, he then replaced them, where they covered his hazel eyes. He adjusted his light brown bangs from his black beanie, a single word printed on the front: “Passion”. This let people know what the young man had in mind. He seemed to be turning something over in his mind as he stared at the bus sign next to him. Then, round the corner, a young girl walked towards him. Her long, dark brown hair came down from her head to her shoulders. She was wearing a brown sweater and a pair of black cargo pants and white tennis shoes. She was smiling, her dimples standing out and her cheeks glowing a soft pink color in the frosty air. “Ohayou gozaimasu* Alex-kun*!” exclaimed the young lady as she skipped her way to the bench. “Why are you here so early today?” “I’m never early, it’s you that is late most of the time.” said Alex as he smiled at the girl. “I don’t know why you have to wake up early if you’re going to fall asleep again Kaori.” “Alex… Please call me sempai okay?” interrupted Kaori as she pinched his hand, an evil smile beginning to take shape on her once adorable face. “Ow! Can you try to act less scary, Kaori-chan? I really don’t understand why you like to be called and “adult” yet you behave like a small child.” said Alex as he gently rubbed his hand. Kaori’s head burrowed into his shoulder as her hair, lifted by cold breeze, whipped Alex’s face. “I wash my hair with a special shampoo I have, every single day.” said Kaori. “It makes it silky smooth, and it smells like citrus, don’t you think?” She smiled up at him, covering his face completely by the shiny brown hair. “Do you like it?”

“It’s annoying for sure.” Came the curt reply.

Kaori stood up, elbowing Alex in the process.

“Why do you have to ruin the moment Alex? You always do this!” She crossed her arms, turning her back to the black-clad figure. “Kaori, why do you have to be so sensitive? I just don’t like when your hair goes into my nostrils, that’s all.” Alex grabbed her shoulders, only to have Kaori push his hands away.

“You still love the editor don’t you Alex? I knew you still had something for her.” The air soon turned cold as the mood became grim. Alex took a seat back on the bench; his hands covered his face as he looked down on the ground.

“Honestly, Kaori? I still love her. I want to be with her.” He rubbed his hands uncomfortably.

“I’m sure you will find a way to have her notice your true feelings, Alex-kun. I know you will have her in your arms as soon as she sees the good in you.” Kaori grinned and held Alex’s hand, tightly. After looking for something in the inside pocket, he took out a small notebook, a black pen and an MP3 player with a pair of headphones.

“What are you up to now, Alex?” asked Kaori, her eyes full of curiosity.

“I am going to do what I do best, and that is write. Write so I can become better and so I can finally beat you Kaori-san. Besides, I can’t write a story or poem without my wonderful music can I?” A lone smile graced Alex, a smile that only someone who was happy with doing what they loved the most, their passion that was eternally theirs, for the sole purpose of enjoying it every time it came into a person’s mind. Alex was unique of course. He had always enjoyed writing his stories, poems and songs that he himself would read to his editor. The only person he knew that had the same passion as him. His ideal love that he wanted to have, the missing piece he needed to finish the puzzle in his heart. Accomplishment would give him an eternal satisfaction and endless creativity. He wanted to achieve his goal, no matter what the cost, even if it meant fighting Kaori or any other talented writer in Tokyo. Kaori, knowing his deep desire, could only nod and accept his challenge. She sat down next to Alex as he continued writing and listening to Daft Punk’s “One More Time”. They waited for the bus that would take them to work. “Is she on this bus?” mused Kaori as she moved her head to the rhythm of the song. “No… well not at the moment. She gets on two stops after this one. Do you think my feelings are obvious to her? Maybe she knows!” “Alex… they are, but not to her. She is so into her own world of writing and competition that love doesn’t cross her mind. I really want to know what you’re planning to do to have her attention.” She hesitated. “You already have my attention.” mumbled Kaori.

Alex put down his pen and slowly came to face Kaori.

“I know how you feel about me, Kaori. I love you, but all I can see for us is friendship. As for the editor… I will make her fall in love with me, with my drawings.” Kaori was soon blushing after Alex’s statement. Not because of the plan to get the illustrious editor to love him, but his feelings towards herself. Of course Kaori had yet again ignored the “friends” part and only thought about what mattered to her: that Alex loved her. She still had hope that he would see her differently and that he would accept her feelings for him…

“Oh look the bus is coming.” said Alex, nudging Kaori as he stood up to signal the bus.

do.”

He smiled as he gave Kaori his hand to follow him at the coming bus. “Come on, we’ve got some writing to

Old Man Chapter 1

Robotic Nanners Journalist

An old man is said to know what’s best. His experience guides himself and others in resolving situations that have a significant effect on a person’s life. He is of high value to those who depend on his advice and his knowledge. Do they ever wonder how the old man feels? They possibly ignore that asking for advice gives the old man the idea that his sole purpose in life now is to help the youth with their problems. He finds himself useless and paranoid, thinking he has no more purpose in life. His only exit from this ugly truth is to take his own life. He determines his destiny as he carefully prepares the rope that will grab his life and the chair that will hold him up until he decides that his time has come. He puts the rope around his neck, but as he is ready to push the chair a sudden thought crosses his head. “If I were to choose who would die between a young girl and me, an old man, I would always choose my life over hers. An old man dies, a young girl lives...” He is about to push the chair when he hears a gunshot outside. Carefully, he takes the rope off his neck and steps down from the chair. He cautiously walks to the front door, his face slowly moving toward the peep hole. As he takes a quick look, he sees a large crimson spot on the wall outside. His trembling hand moves toward the doorknob, locking the door and taking another look through the peep hole. A girl grasps the wall, making her way to the old man’s door. The moment of doubt surfaces. Should he help the girl; or leave her outside, where there could possibly be an armed man outside. He remembers what he thought before:

“I would always choose my life over hers’…a young girl lives…”

Without thinking twice, he unlocks the door and opens it. She glances up at the old man, slowly moving closer to the door.

“Get in here quickly”, he whispers. “Get in here now… hurry”

She looks at him, confused as if she doesn’t understand what he had said before. He knows she isn’t feeling right. The fear in her eyes and her heavy breathing are signs that her fear is still present. He takes her hand and pulls her inside. Her feet struggle as she walks inside the old man’s apartment. He sits on his sofa, and leaves her there as he looks for the telephone. He picks it up but stops. What should he do? The girl is traumatized and he still doesn’t know whose blood is all over the wall. He doesn’t want to get involved. For all he knows, he might become a suspect and go to jail. He doesn’t want to die in jail but now he has two choices. Die in jail or help this girl from the despair that will come in the future. She looks terrified, trembling as if a cold winter breeze has swept over her body.

He puts the phone back and goes to the kitchen to make some tea. Taking a blanket from his room, he returns to the sofa. He drapes the blanket over her shoulders and takes a seat on the other side of the sofa. “Are you okay?” He asks her as he gives her a cup of Tea. “Drink some. It should help you calm down.” She keeps looking down at the floor, motionless as she holds the cup of tea in her hand. Her long, black hair covers her face partially, as some of her smeared make up runs down to her chin mixed with her tears. Her eyes still full of fear haven’t blinked since her arrival. The old man begins to worry. She doesn’t seem to react to anything. The murder has left her in a severe catatonic state. Now the old man can only wonder…will she be alright?...

Events &

TekTek Contest

Lucky winner Sicanne walked away with not only her Tektek featured on the cover, but also with a nice gold prize! The tekteks below are the other contestants. Thank you everyone for participating! Hope to see you in GOMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s next TekTek Contest!

Naked Mile Event

GOM had our first get-together event, the Naked Mile Run. Partnered up with the 10th Annual Ball Guild, the event was a success! There were several themed avatar prizes, where the winners walked away with heafty gold prizes! GOM hopes to see more readers come out and join us for our future events!