RAOA Monthly December 2013 by RAoA Press

monthly

RAOA

Dec 2013 Issue 5

Gift Ideas FOR THE HOLIDAYS

12 Drinks

OF CHRISTMAS

FEATURE

TRUTH DARE OR

>>>Check out your RAOA Horoscope

ON THE COVER

PoetKing

Issue

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 4-5 8-9 10 12-14 15 16-19 20-23 24-25 26-27 28 29 30-31 32 33 34-35 36-37 38-40 41 42-43 44 45 46 47 48-49 50 51 52 53 54

RAOA Reacts Amazon Deals CA/UK Amazon Deals US Gift Ideas for Him RAOA Pets Want to be Featured? Crafts 18 for 18 Featured Thanks Ask the Snoos Gift Ideas for Her Reviews Winter Photos Holiday Fitness Team Amazon Christmas Tree Decor Birthdays & Events Holiday Fashion First Gaming Console Fact or Fiction Holiday Traditions Unique Holiday Ideas Readers Confess Writers of RAOA Hairy VS Shaved TT is Shutting Down TC & the New Plug.dj Memorable Thanks FredWampyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Contest Featured Discussions

55 56 57 58 59 60-61 62 63 64-65 66 67 68-69 70-71 72-73 74 76 76-77 78-81 82-84 85 86-87 88-89

Gift Ideas for Pets Loose Lips Gift Ideas for Mom RAOA Helpline Holiday Recipe 12 Drinks of Christmas Gift Ideas for Dad Real Fun Facts Naughty/Nice Fashion Christmas Trees Holiday Recipes Holiday Music & Films Meetups Holiday Charities Gift Ideas for Kids I Spy Truth or Dare Letters to Santa Game I Spy Answers Horoscopes Disclaimer

THE EDITORS OF RAOA MONTHLY thisisnotmyfault keepfighting captivatingbleu re_mix crimsonjella allergictoapples

fredwampy kittehmew sp3cia1k

“So the mouse scroll wheel doesn't scroll down the magazine page, it scrolls down the website page... to a bunch of other magazine covers, including one with a naked dude. I was not expecting to see that much genitalia.” - KnitAJesso

“is is lovely. Good work and design is getting better with each issue!” -joni1

All prices as of November 23, 2013

Tangled DVD   

Disney’s 50th full length animated film Prime eligible Makes a great Christmas present! Normal price: $35.99 on Sale for $20.00 http://tinyurl.com/pt853vv

Fujifilm Finepix HS50EXR   

16MP and 42x Wide Angle Manual Optical Zoom 1080i 60fps HD movie out, HDMI mini port 1 Lithium ion battery included Normal price: $549.99 on Sale for $409.00 http://tinyurl.com/nd9aejc

Fisher-Price 71050 Rock-A-Stack   

Baby can sort and stack the rings Then push the base to watch it rock back and forth Bright colours, shiny reflections and beads stimulate visual development Normal price: $15.99 on Sale for $7.97 http://tinyurl.com/ng4zlzx

All prices as of November 24, 2013

Sherlock Series 1 & 2 Box Set DVD   

Includes a making of video and all six episodes Delivered free in the UK Please note this is a region 2 DVD on Sale for £9.99 http://tinyurl.com/kdagk3z

Soda Stream Plastic Drinksmaker White   

Turn ordinary tap water into soda in seconds! Comes with 9 flavour starter pack and one gas cylinder that lasts up to 3 months Can save up to 1000 plastic bottles a year Normal price: £99.99 on Sale for £66.70 http://tinyurl.com/kwzfslu

My Little Pony Walking Talking Pinkie Pie   

She walks, talks, and sings! Ages 3 and up 2 AA batteries included Normal price: £19.99 on Sale for £13.33 http://tinyurl.com/mem7tas

cheeseburger_humper Nerdybirdie

Make it quick & easy Take away your stress Add a little magic Shop to impress!

dragonflyjen 7

AMAZON DEALS All prices are subject to change. Prices are current as of 11/26/13.

The Artful Parent: Simple Ways to Fill Your Family’s Life with Art and Creativity--Includes over 60 Art Projects for Children Ages 1 to 8 FEATURES

The Artful Parent $16.91 and Prime Eligible

The Artful Parent has all the tools and information you need to encourage your children’s creativity through art. You’ll learn how to set up an art space, how to talk to children about their artwork, how to choose the best art supplies, how to repurpose and organize the piles of art created, and even how to use kids’ art activities to soften everyday transitions. http://amzn.com/1590309642

Boston Warehouse Be Thankful Wine Charm, Set of 6 FEATURES Set of 6 wine charms Hand painted charms on metal rings Hand wash recommended 1/2-Inch long http://amzn.com/B005MIIEEE

Set of 6 Wine Charms $8.96 and Prime Eligible

Nerf N-Strike Elite: Strongarm Blaster FEATURES Fires darts up to 75â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Pump the Slam Fire slide repeatedly while you hold down the trigger for rapid firing Flip open the rotating barrel for easy loading Includes blaster, 6 Elite darts and instructions Nerf N-Strike Elite $9.74 and Prime Eligible

http://amzn.com/B009T45XDW

Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player FEATURES Stream online video, music to your TV using your smartphone, tablet, or laptop Supports Netflix, YouTube, HBO GO, Hulu Plus, Pandora, and Google Play Movies and Music mobile apps as well as select content through Chrome browser Windmill 3D Puzzle $15.99 and Prime Eligible

Easy setup: Plug into any HDTV and connect to your home WiFi network http://amzn.com/B00DR0PDNE 9

1 Grand Theft Auto V - Xbox 360 Gift his inner child by getting him one of the most talked about video games of the year! $53.39 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com

2 Calvin Klein Men's Field Jacket Keep your man warm and stylish by gifting him a cozy, fashionable coat! $86.19 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 3 300 Beers to Try Before You Die! Paperback by Roger Protz Appeal to his intellectual and manly side with this great book! If you want to go a step farther, grab him some of the beers from the book and add them to your gift! $18.93 + Prime Shipping amazon.ca

2 3

4 U.S. Polo Assn. Men's GunMetal Day-Date Dial Dress Watch Black USC80047 Every man deserves a great dress watch! This beautiful watch comes in a stunning gunmetal and gold design that is simply irresistable. CDN$ 22.75 & FREE Shipping on orders over CDN$ 25. amazon.ca 5 All-New Kindle Fire HDX 7" Tablet Keep your man up-to-date by gifting him the latest gadget! $229.00-$424.00 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com

5 10

FRIENDS

18 For 18 Esch issue 18 different users will be featured for 18 different reasons. Some users you may know and others you won’t. Let’s take the time to get to know some of the wonderful people in this community! Who knows you could be selected to be featured next! 1. Saroka (Ariele) - The Beauty and The Brains Ariele has been on RAoA for a whole year already! She says RAoA is an amazing community that helps her smile every day. She also says although so many people here started out as strangers on the internet she now considers many of them to be close friends in real life. She’s currently studying biomedical engineering with a mechanical engineering lean. She started modeling as a way for her to break the stereotype people have towards female engineers. She wanted to prove to people that not all female engineers are asocial and they can be awesome too! She has two options for her dream job. She either wants to run a medical device company while doing consulting work in biomedical engineering or she would love to be a traveling food blogger and photographer. She loves traveling and hopes to visit Italy and Asia some day. She’s also an avid RPG gamer and loves cooking and baking. When you have some free time next stop into TinyChat and see if Ariele is around!

2. cats_and_vibrators (Maggie) - RAoA’s Tap Dancer RAoA is a big part of Maggie’s life. She says it happened in a sort of accidental way. Suddenly she realized this is where all her real friends are and she wants to spend all her time here. Maggie has an online podcast with her best friend called “Getting Drunk with Shannon and Maggie” where they discuss just about anything! She’s also obsessed with drag queens and often wishes she was born a man so she could dress up as a fabulous woman and sleep with men. She’s a tap teacher and a tap dancer. If you’re friends with her on snapchat every Wednesday you’ll get a TapChat from her. She says she wouldn’t want to travel anywhere in time, she’d want to stay right here. She’s too much of a modern woman to be subordinate in the past and she thinks the future seems scary! Next time you see her be sure to say hello!

3. Supernovaeyes (Olly) - The Improv Performer Olly is currently an engineering student and tutors others in math and physics in his spare time. He loves reading (particularly sifi books), singing, playing the guitar, writing poetry and doing silly voices. He also likes to collect an assortment of strange talents such as juggling, origami, and slacklining. He loves to making others happy and enjoys RAoA because it provides another avenue for him to do so. Other unique facts about him? He recently spent some time learning to dance with a supermodel, he can count to 102 in binary on his hands, he’s fluent in Pig Latin, he’s a duel citizen of the UK and America and also lived in the US for the first year of his life. He can wiggle his ears, move his eyelids side to side, and he’s secretly an alien (but that’s debatable). In the future, he’d really like to take a road trip across America to meet some of the users of RAoA. If he could travel anywhere in space and time he’d love to witness the death of a large star. He says there’s something tragically beautiful about a supernova. Try and catch Olly on TinyChat for some impromptu music performances!

4. ALAN_BEFORE_TIME (Alan) - The One With The Luck Meet Alan, you may remember him from winning the 3rd Amazon Bomb a few weeks back. He says winning the bomb was amazing and when he entered he didn’t expect to win anything at all- he just wanted to be part of something great! He also wanted to thank nahcabmA for suggesting the Wii U because his family enjoys playing it ALL the time! Alan’s currently a courtesy associate at Wally World, but he one day hopes to travel the world to teach disadvantaged children! That’s a very respectable dream. He would also love to travel the world and taste all the different types of food the world has to offer. He plays the guitar and the ukulele and although he’s been diagnosed with depression he says RAoA helps out a lot with that. Alan is so grateful that RAoA is a place where he can be comfortable enough to talk about his life struggles and get so much support from the community. Be sure to give Alan a warm hello next time you see him.

18 For 18 CON’T 5. auburngirl79 (Amber) - The Future Woman’s Activist Amber accidently stumbled upon RAoA back in June and was an avid lurker for about a month until she finally decided to post an intro, she’s been with us ever since! Since then, RAoA has impacted her life in so many ways. Her confidence level has increased a significant amount since joining because she feels loved and important here. Amber is currently a social work clerk at the department of public health while she is also finishing up school! (She graduates this December, how exciting!) Her dream job is to open a center devoted to women who are homeless or have been victims of domestic abuse. She has a real game plan for this dream, she says she wants the center to cater to all the needs that the women might have. This would include, GED classes, group therapy, job training, clothes closets, and much more! In her spare time she loves read- and considers herself to be somewhat of an ebook hoarder, listening to music, watch tv, and watching Auburn Tiger football. Be sure to give Amber an internet wave next time you see her.

6. chronos42 (Daniel) - The Meetup Expert Daniel’s a traveling machine. He’s been to 7 official meetups and has also met several users that have come to visit. He’s even been to a meetup outside of his own country. He says he loves meeting the living, breathing humans behind the usernames and there’s something amazing about meeting people for the first time that you feel like you’ve known forever. He doesn’t only travel for meetups but also for his own personal interests. He’s traveled to 16 different countries and even worked in Ireland this past year as a barista. The place he most wants to visit currently is Norway and other parts of Scandinavia. He currently works in IT, but his dream job is to be a CIO, Chief Information Officer, at a big firm in a big city maybe even in a different country. Some other things Daniel really enjoys are mountain biking, drinking good beer, dabbling in graphic design and video editing, and also hanging out with his friends from all over the world. He has also played the piano for 10 years, was in a few different bands in high school and has never seen the Harry Potter movies. Maybe you’ll catch Daniel at an upcoming meetup soon!

7. androidchrist (Andrew) - The Future Famous Writer Andrew is one of the many users that is part of the moderation team. He’s been modding the sub for a few months now and he says modding is like babysitting a drunk child, he makes sure no one hurts themselves or others while secretly laughing at everything they do. All joking aside, he thinks modding has opened up another side of RAoA up to him. Before being modded he was as actively involved with users and now modding allows him to connect with others more. This has grown to be his favorite part of RAoA. He’s currently working at a local movie theater, but his dream job is to be a collaborative creative writing working in all fields of entertainment. He loves reading, writing, tv and video games. He’s related by blood to a Southern General and a U.S. President and he wrote his first full length screen play when he was 17 years old. He says if he could go anywhere in space and time he would go back to the day before Kurt Cobain met Courtney Love and prevent them from meeting and hopefully be a good influence on Kurt Cobain. Next time you have a question, be sure to take it up with Andrew!

8. IAmADudette (Emma) - The Artist Emma thinks that RAoA is like a giant hug to her face every time that she logs in. She’s coming into her year of being a member and says that she has grown so much because of the strength the community has given her. She has been battling some mental health problems and is glad to be concurring those. She is currently unemployed due to some other health issues, but is going in for surgery the middle of this month (we wish you luck with that!). She hopes to be a professional tattooist for a living and is on the road to accomplishing those goals with an apprenticeship starting in 2014. She loves drawing, food, cooking, dark comedies and sifi movies. If she could go anywhere she said she would love to go to the Galapagos Islands because she loves animals and nature and would love to see the difference between there and where she lives. Be sure to give her an internet wave next time you see her and wish her luck with her surgery!

18 For 18 CON’T 9. NJBilbo (Charlie) - RAoA’s Bookworm

Charlie is a full time school librarian who splits his time between the high school and kindergarten. He also works part time as a game day security supervisor for the Philadelphia Phillies. Aside from his time spent online, he loves reading, old films, geocaching, baseball and playing with his 3 year old son. He’s currently dreaming of the next time he gets to visit Walt Disney World. If he could he would also love to visit various other countries including, England, Germany and Australia. He’d also love to see the edge of the universe. He says RAoA is a family and he has enjoyed his time he’s spent here with everyone. His favorite part of RAoA is catching up with everyone in the daily thread. Be sure to swing by there and see how Charlie is doing!

10. i_draw_dinosaurs (Jessie) - The Creative Soul Jessie considers RAoA to be very important to her because in the past she’s harbored a lot of hateful opinions about people. She views gifting as her way of doing penance for her hateful opinions. Although, she also loves gifting because she loves make others feel good! She is currently a web developer, but she’d love to be able to create and sell her own art, or start a business teaching arts & crafts to grownups. She loves everything having to do with science fiction. In fact, if she could go anywhere in time she’d love to go far enough into the future that interstellar space travel a common thing and she’d love to become an adventurer! Look out for Jessie’s arts and craft contests!

11. mamallama (Jennie) - The Family Woman Jennie is a homemaker, she stays at home with her two sons Wes, who’s 5, and Link, who’s 3. She says in a way she’s living her dream job, her only wish is that they lived in a house with a big backyard instead of her apartment. Despite getting married young, she is still happily married. She loves painting, yoga, reading, baking, and music. She can touch the tip of her nose with her tongue. She’s almost 6 feet tall and has a super memory. She’s also extremely claustrophobic. She’d love to go anywhere and everywhere in the world, but she’s not sure about time travel. She doesn’t want to hop on that type of travel unless it’s been proven to be a valid. Jennie says that RAoA has become “her thing”. She finds it hard to talk to people and RAoA has helped her make some good friends on as well as off line. She loves making people’s day, not just by gifting but also just by being a part of the community.

12. sugarfish7 (Jessica) - The Instrument Jessica is fairly new to RAoA but she fits in with us all just the same! She thinks RAoA is an excellent community and a great place to meet new friends. She recently was given the job of Level II Technical Support Representative for a health care software company. Though her dream job would be to be a musician but she also would love to be a stay at home mom someday. She likes reading, music, tv, messing with some graphic design, football, and baseball. She is a former music education major where she basically learned every wind instrument and percussion instruments. She has four tattoos and would love to see Paris and London someday. Next time you see Jessica be sure to make her feel even more welcome!

13. MsMina (Marina) - The Music Guru Marina says that even though she’s only been here for a short time she loves it. She gets anxious spending just a day away from RAoA. She thinks RAoA is the definition of community and she absolutely loves the CAH games. She is currently a sales force administrator but her dream job would be a job that allows her to travel, maybe even a music supervisor for a popular television show! She loves to read book series and music is an obsession for her. Saving a baby otter is on her bucket list and she was born on Friday the 13th. She used to work at a tattoo shop. Rumor has it that she also makes the best Jell-O shots around. Marina really wants to travel the world, starting with the U.K. She also wants to see the Eiffel Tower, Australia, and Greece someday. Be sure to catch up with Marina in a game of CAH!

18 For 18 CON’T 14. klc88 (Kinzie) - The Good Nurse Currently Kinzie is working as a fitness coach and also a certified nurse’s assistant. She is also in school to become a nurse. When she graduates she either wants to work in pediatrics, maternity, trauma, or surgery. She can’t wait to get more into the medical field. She loves reading, singing, rock climbing, and being a weirdo. She is the baby of 5 siblings and also has 4 step brothers and sisters, so talk about a huge family! She has an Italian greyhound named Rico and he means the world to her. She has had three surgeries on her ankle, the last one being a cartilage transplant. She often makes pancakes and bacon at 3am and she can lick her elbow! If she could she’d love to travel back in time to the 1920s. She loves everything about that time period. Give her an internet wave next time you see Kinzie!

15. PotatoAssassin (Janessa) - Caps Lock Queen Janessa has been around a lot longer than her post history would suggest. She was originally with us under a different username. You may have noticed that she almost always comments on things in all caps. She uses caps lock as a way to show her excitement. She says that sometimes she feels it’s difficult to get feelings across online and she loves getting excited about things. RAoA is Janessa’s happy place. It’s a place where she can go and she knows all of her friends are there for her. Her favorite part is the love that everyone has for each other. She is currently working as an IT admin but her dream job would be to work in international relations or maybe even human rights. She loves video games, she plays them all the time. She also loves books especially sifi or fantasy and although she says movies don’t hold her interest for very long, she loves tv. Look out for Janessa’s all caps comments on the sub!

16. szor (Shelby) - Trivia and Puzzle Master Shelby is currently a production coordinator/graphic designer at a university but she’d love to be a baker someday. She loves games from Board Game Online to World of Warcraft. In real life, she plays trivia twice a week with her friends. She loves cross word puzzles and she’s a huge bookworm. She has a border collie named Sparky that she considers to be her best friend. She’s also been dating the same guy for 6 and a half years! She has always wore her socks inside out ever since she can remember. She would love to visit Japan someday. She loves going to the daily thread to catch up with everyone on RAoA and she loves Waldo Wednesdays. Look out for Shelby around the sub!

17. NeonGreenTiger (Brent) - The World Traveler Brent has been in the Coast Guard for 11 years and he loves it! He’s currently stationed in Buffalo, NY. He’d also love to someday open his own coffee shop/bakery. He has a 5 year old daughter and he’s been to 27 different countries. I think it’s safe to say that he loves traveling! He loves video games and is currently hooked on Star Wars: Old Republic. He also loves books. He’s been teaching himself HTML and CSS recently and has been modded on Subredditoftheday! He even featured RAoA on subredditoftheday. If he could go anywhere in the world he’d love to go back to Europe, specifically England and Switzerland. RAoA has become a hang out place for him. He has a blast participating in contests, discussions and some awesome CAH games! Be on the lookout for Brent in all the RAoA activities!

18. carissalf (Carissa) - The Environmentalist RAoA is Carissa’s happy place. Her favorite part of RAoA is that you can post just about anything in the daily thread and fellow members will offer up advice and support. She currently is working as an Engineer and in Data Entry. She has two future dream jobs though! One of them would be to own her own cafe or bakery and the other would be work somewhere where she could be outside all the time, preferably an Environmental Engineer. Her absolute favorite thing to do is go hiking, but she also loves reading, listening to music (especially Pearl Jam), watching tv, and she loves really good comedy films. She also loves baking wedding cakes for fun! She is one of five children and even helped raise her siblings. She currently lives with her husband, two days, five cats, and her beta fish named Fred. If she could travel anywhere in the world she’d love to see Iceland. She says Iceland for many reasons but the coolest reason would have to be so she could be in the water, reach out and touch two different tectonic plates. If you happen to cross paths with Carissa be sure to say hello!

FEATURED THANKS! THANKFUL FACES EDITION

6 4

1. dancemasterv 2. BuffHagen

3. sab4279 4. muddytodd

5. cultural_infidel 6. watsonedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cat

7. allergictoapples

K S A S O O SN THE

Dear Snoos, I have a problem with being able to tell someone no, especially in regards for a second date. All I can think to say is “I’d rather gargle with acid than go on a second date with you.” How can I let him down easy? Sincerely, Lizzieisrad Dear Lizzieisrad, Honesty is usually the best policy, but in your case, you might consider toning down your instinctual response to a more generally pleasant (and vague!) level. How about, “Although it’d be interesting to see you again, my propensity to swish dangerous liquids often requires sudden hospital visits which prevent me from making future time commitments.” Don’t die, Mrs. Snoo Dear Mr and Mrs Snoo, My family and I are traveling to Sweden and India over Christmas and I was wondering what international travel tips you might be able to offer. What is your advice on making this the most awesome trip possible? Sincerely, captivatingbleu Dear captivatingbleu, If you don’t know the native language in the country to which you’re traveling, it’s always handy to learn a few phrases you know you’ll use regularly. For example, in Sweden you can ask “Var finns närmaste Ikea?” (Where is the nearest Ikea?), and in India you can exclaim “पवित्र गाय!” (Holy cow!). Safe travels, Mr. Snoo

Mrs. Snoos, What do you think about how HHH and Stefanie McMahon are currently running the WWE? Do you feel the angle is a tired retread of the wildly successful Austin vs Vince story from the mid-90s? Do you believe the constant pro-authority promos cut by HHH on the current roster will cross the line from kayfabe to worked and actually hurt wrestlers, potentially losing more ratings than it gains, or will the inevitable face victory over the corrupt corporation turn out to grant exceptional PPV buys and thus validate the short term negativity from fans regarding this program? Sincerley, Baldy Dear Baldy, You’re kidding. HHH and Stephanie are running the WWE again? I watched during the Attitude era and thought that whole thing was lame. Stephanie is a beautiful young lady, but she’s a terrible actress. She needs to stick to the business aspect of things behind the scenes and not get into the ring. I don’t know whether HHH is a face or a heel right now, though I suspect the latter. He hasn’t been a face since...has he been one? Even back in his Hunter Hearst Helmsley days, he was a heel. It seems that any time he’s been cheered, it’s been short-lived. Kayfabe is as dead as the dodo, sadly. Ever since the move from “sports” to “sports entertainment”, there’s been a wall between real and fake, except for when Lita cheated on whichever sad husk of a Hardy brother she cheated on in real life. Have some selfrespect, Amy. In conclusion, please know that I haven’t watched wrestling in many years, but I know enough to say a lot while really saying nothing. Please do your best to enjoy the product put out by non-Vince Russo writers. Surely it’s better than when Mae West gave birth to a slimy hand. Anything was better than that. Have a nice day, Mrs. Snoo Dear Mr. & Mrs. Snoo, Merry December! What are the hottest toys this holiday season, and can you share with us your shopping tips? Recovering shopaholic, tragopanic Dear trago, It appears you want to make money buying up the hot toys and flipping them to suckers that can’t tell their children “No”. In order to do that, you have to follow these simple steps: • • •

Know what items are hot for this holiday season. Be QUICK! and purchase them before anyone else gets to them. An arbitrary third item that makes this a proper list.

Best of luck in your endeavors, Mr. Snoo

1 2 3

1 Wallace Dark Walnut Expandable Compartment Jewelry Box Crafted from dark walnut wood with satiny soft inner compartments, this jewelry box is beautiful and versatile. $57.78 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 2 Sterling Silver and Cubic Zirconia Infinity Necklace and Earrings Set This beautiful symbol will make a memorable gift this holiday season. $34.99+ Prime Shipping. amazon.com 3 Moonar Lace Handbags Retro Totes Women Shoulder Bags (Black) This stunning lace handbag is the perfect way to show her you care. CDN $29.40 + CDN $1.59 S&H amazon.ca 4 Irregular Choice Flick Flack Black White Tweed Womens Hi Heel Court Shoes Boots Every woman loves a beautiful pair of shoes! ÂŁ59.99 + Free UK delivery amazon.co.uk

5 Eternity by Calvin Klein for Women, Eau De Parfum This romantic scent makes the perfect stocking stuffer! $30.82 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com

6 28

6 All Seasons Micro Fleece Plush Solid F/Q Blanket Give her a reason to snuggle! $25.80+ Prime Shipping amazon.com

reviews “Rune Factory’s a new Who franchise Censored Roger Rabbit? to me, but it (Gary Wolf, 1981) may be the basis for the Disney enjoyable, film seems pretty “Who Framed Roger Rabbit”, so I’m probably but don’t expect a scene bylooking scene comparison. In fact, tobook getting to the forward only thing the lends to itstry namesake the most.” it outarethe characters of Roger and Jessica Rabbit, Eddie Valiant, and Baby Herman. What you’ll —Soahtree find in the book is a rather gritty noir-style detective story as PI Eddie Valiant, hired by Endless Knight [The Archana Roger Rabbit to investigate his employers’ reneging on a contract, soon finds Chronicles #2] himself by Kresley Cole. investigating the murder of the rabbit himself. /u/PotatoAssassin got me Set in a present day alternate reality where humans and toonsPoison co-existPrincess and haveaforwhile back millennia, this is a very gritty, adult oriented and I have O__O story. Don’t go in expecting whatbeen you see on waitscreen and you will be pleasantly ing for the surprised next. It looks by this hidden gem. Even better, it’s under $3 so—NJBilbo amazing, and I have in the Kindle store.

to know more about the

Arcana. The way Miss Cole writes is something to be admired!

Album of the Month: The —ReisaD Marshall Mathers LP-2. With his song ‘Survival’ just for read Divergent being the“Ithem newly released and C.O.DInsurgent :Ghosts, I and had my hopes set high for I cannot wait for Allethe rest of the album, but things are giant previous (the third book a bit flat compared to Eminems material, he seems to haveingone backward the trilogy) to come in his linguistic development or maybe out [this] month.” it’s the same stuff that’s no longer all that catching. Other than ‘Survival’ his track ‘The _Captain_ Monster’ seems to be the only other notable tune. —Miss-Omnibus

“Long flowing capes, heavy “The new live Megadeth album where action, hot men in tight clothing,

they play all of Countdown to Extinction Hiddleston’s beautiful face,

and slow gratuitous shots ofTheAND the release of the new Dream Hemsworth abs. If you like any

ater album!! orThese all of these thingys, you will LOVE Thor 2. In this thrilling are both going to be instalment it is down to Thor

awesome. I’m to super (and company) stop a new shadowy enemy from destroying Earth and nine other realms. pumped.”

But will they be able to overcome him and his creepy army in time? On top of this there are a justabaldguy few— unnecessary romance scenes, (assuming this is to appeal to females, but no, we just want abs). Overall I think this was a darn good film, definitely one to see with a SO, or group What is —Yohohoandabottle1 RAoA Buzzing of friends!

About this Month?

What is RAoA Buzzing

TELEVISION About this Month? Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The series finales of Breaking Bad TELEVISION and Dexter American Horror Story Sleepy Hollow Castle The Walking Dead returns

MOVIES MOVIES The Hunger Games: Catching Fire The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Anchorman 2 Thor: The Dark World Thor: Dark The World TheThe Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

BOOKS Allegiant Veronica Roth VIDEO by GAMES

PS4 and Xbox One

GAMES Pokemon X & Y (Still) Grand Theft Auto V The Legend of Zelda: A Link Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag

Between Worlds

PHOTO CREDITS: 1. CampBenCh 2. qqpugla 3. brenhines

2 3

PHOTO CREDITS: 1. Rubenick 2. Jenwith1N 3. Brenhines 4. Jenwith1N 5. Carrieisonfire

Fitness &The Holidays 4 Easy Do-At-Home Exercises 1

1 Upward Facing Dog Start by laying face down with your legs extended fully with your toes hips-width apart. Bend your elbows and place your palms flat to the ground, fingers spread with your finger tips alongside your chest. Press the palms down and gently lift your body off the floor. Align the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints. 2 Rear Raiser Start in a plank with forearms on ball (or couch), hands clasped. Slowly lift right leg as high as you can (as shown). Lower leg, then repeat on opposite side for 1 rep. Do 12 reps. 3 Hip Lifts Lie on your back with your arms at your sides with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for 1 count and then gently lower back down. Repeat for 60 seconds. 4 Speed Skater Exercise Stand with feet hip-width apart, arms by sides. Hop to right, landing on right foot while sweeping left foot diagonally behind riht leg and swinging left arm across body and right arm back. Jump to left, switching legs and arms to complete 1 rep. Do 20 reps. 32

/r/TeamAmazon

The RAoA Weightloss Support Group Geî&#x20AC;&#x201A;ing healthier together! This is a private subreddit where RAoA'ers can go to feel comfortable about discussing their struggles or accomplishments. We specialize in motivation and companionship. Join us today! PM /u/thisisnotmyfault, /u/njbiblo, /u/janehurtin, or /u/midgisms to become an approved submiî&#x20AC;&#x201A;er!

NO HOLIDAY PARTY IS COMPLETE WITHOUT CRANBERRY SAUCE!

Amazon.com Holiday Fashion 1

1 Star Vixen Women's Plus-Size Lace Yoke Rouched Dress $60.00 + Prime Eligible

2 Ever Pretty Empire Line Waist Cocktail Dress 03497. $45.99 + Prime Eligible 3 Jolt Womens Belted Lace Dress. $44.00 + Prime Eligible 4 Karen Kane Women's Plus-Size Wrap Top Pleated Dress $48.44 + Prime Eligible 5 Wow Shop Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Black Mesh Cut Out Lace Round Neck Mini Cocktail Dress $19.99 +Free Shipping

6 Kiyonna Women's Whimsy Wrap Dress $98.00 +Prime Eligible (Available in more colors) 38

Amazon.com RELEASE YOUR INNER GRINCH! Holiday 1 Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sexy Lace Neck Short Sleeve Tunic Gown + Belt by Wow shop, $20.99 + Free Shipping Fashion 2 Star Vixen Women's Plus-Size Sleeveless Knit Skater

Dress $16.40 - $20.31 +Prime Eligible

3 Sexy Off Shoulder Flowered Slim Pleated Cockatil Mini Dress by Zehui. $9.19 + Free Shipping. 4 Zicac Vintage Women Lace Sleeveless Slim Floral Evening Tunic Mini Dress $23.99-$27.99 + Prime Eligible

STEAL LOOKS, NOT TREES.

Amazon.ca Holiday Fashion

BABY ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S COLD OUTSIDE! 1 Pugster Christmas Crystal Snowflake Dangle EarringS CDN $14.51 + CDN $6.75 Shipping

2 Solid Color Sequins Yarn Knitting Winter Warm Scarf Red Color Infinity Scarf NL-2054A CDN $11.88 +Free Shipping 3 Women's Lapel Zipper Blazer Suit Jacket Coat, Trend All-Match (in White, Red, or Black) CDN $33.80 + Free Shipping 4 Moonar Lady's Sleeveless Black Mesh Evening Slim Designer Dresses Cocktail Dresses CDN $19.40 + CDN $1.59 Shipping 5 High Heel Boots, Sexy Warm Long Women Boot CDN $75.99 6 Womens Vintage Cape Cloak Single-Breasted Coat CDN $130.15 + Free Shipping 40

For Christmas dinner, we don’t have turkey. We have trout pecan (pan fried trout fillets garnished with meunière sauce, pecan butter, and roasted pecans). My mom made it for years and years, and now I do it too. ~maltballfalcon

My mom buys everyone new PJs every year and we open them on Christmas Eve and we have to wear them to bed that night and open presents in them the next morning.

Tamales, tamales everywhere. ~aphrodite-walking

my mom buys everyone new PJs every year and we open them on Tamales, tamales christmas eve and we everywhere.have to wear them to aprodite_walking bed that night and open presents in them the next morning.

My mom and I have baked Christmas cookies together every year I can remember. We make sugar cookies and decorate them, Crimsonjella and also my greatgrandmas’s no-bake cookies. ~smartache

~crimsonjella

Photo courtesy of ladybrowncoat

Inspired by our users 1. Gather 23 of your closest friend and family. 2. Buy 24 cases of different types of unique beer. 3. Rearrange the beer so that each case has one of each type of beer. 4. Print cute labels for days 1-24 to label your “Advent Calendars.” 5. Each person chips in to split the cost of the cases and you now have unique “Beer Advent Calendars” to share with your family and friends. 6. For a special twist, start a blog and have your friends and family review your daily beer selections. 45

Readers Confess: Bizarre & Funny Holiday Stories “My grandma loves to shop garage sales, and she always ﬁnds the coolest things. One Christmas, when we were exchanging presents, my Uncle unwraps his gift from my grandma and the second it is out of the paper he gets the most puzzled look on his face. He says, ”Do you know what this is?” And she says, “It’s a hummingbird feeder.” It was a glass bong!” ~ purebredginger "So last thanksgiving we let my Grandma give the toast and she said, "To many more Thanksgivings... but not for me." And then my little cousin burst into tears and everyone just sat there awkwardly and didn't clink glasses or anything. We all just stared at the turkey in silence for a good, long while." ~suckonmytitties “My crazy holiday story takes place when my brother was a baby. I was six or seven. He was a bald baby, a chunk with a huge bald head right on his shoulders with no neck. When we got the Christmas tree, he would army crawl over to the bottom of the tree, getting his bald head right under the needles. He would rub the back of his head on them and go ‘mmm’ like it felt super good with this super big smile on his face. Hours of free entertainment for us all. He was an awesome baby. ~ A_Blank_Space

WRITERS OF RAOA Poetry, short stories and other musings

Never Lasting Bliss Take me back to the time when I was young, Before the monsters started coming out of the dark, When not knowing the truth was okay and cake still tasted good; Before daddy screamed and mommy left, And that blood stain wasn’t on the side of the coffee table; When daddy never cried and paddlings didn’t hurt as bad, And the fridge had more food instead of his strong drinks; Before my sister stayed with that boy every night, When she didn’t come home with fire breath and puffy lips; Before she wore mascara that showed she had been crying, And being strong had become my job for a change; Before I had battle scars to hide at interviews And this tattoo of that one girl that I used to kiss a lot; Before being numb was all that could get me by, When those weekend rides on the carousel made days better; Before I had to wait for pills and stare at the ceiling fan, When goodnight kisses were all I needed to fall asleep and dream; I wish that I could forget that ignorance is bliss, And the clock would stop needing its batteries. - /u/mthooper

An open poem to RAoA. This is for each one of you magnificent bastards/ bastardesses.

Hey! Want to have

your work featured? Look out for the “Share your writing” discussion threads or PM /u/keepfighting

RAoA without you, is like a nerd without braces, a shoe without laces, clowns without faces, the olympics without races, pop music without disgraces, a crime seen without traces, blackjack without aces, the world without places, CDs without cases, asentencewithoutspaces. - /u/Recycle0rdie

[Thank]ful memorable posts

stillneverwrong with a thank you that

warmed the hearts of raoa.

stillneverwrong

I woke up from a dream about my dead mom this morning... and found a copy of her cookbook in my mailbox. We lost her unexpectedly five years ago, and lost her cookbook, a 1972 Betty Crocker, when our house got destroyed. I’ve been wanting to get a copy of it for ages, but never have the extra money. It’s been on my wishlist forever. And today it came to me. No note, nothing telling me where it came from. Just a dream of my mom and surprise, the cookbook in my hands. I just want to know who to thank. I can’t stop crying. Seriously, it’s ugly.

With the only clue as to where it came from being the name natalie, the hunt was on. It wasn't long before raoa member Natalietoday came forward to solve the mystery.

[RAOA reacts] touching comments from the community

That is crazy awesome. thisisnotmyfault

21 years old and a guy, I’m tearing up because of how sweet this was! I’m really sensitive. Omgcorgitracks

i’m just happy to be able to bring some joy to you for the holidays! <3 just promise me you’ll cook up tons of delicious food, alright? ;)

natalietoday That’s incredible! I’m sorry about your mom, but I’m so glad you have the cook book! Beautiful touching story. People here are the most amazing in the world.

Wow, goosebumps! What a lovely gifting!

EmilyTX

sugarfish7 52

{S E T L I S T} Download the mp3 located at http://is.gd/C2J9Ct. The solution you're looking for is a fictional character. To win, send a PM to FredWampy with the name of the character and a brief description of how you came to your conclusion. If you get stuck, PM FredWampy. He won't give a clue right away, but surely he'll entertain you with a witty reply or such. (Actually, your messages will help him come up with a decent clue to post later.) If no one has solved the puzzle within a day, /u/raoapress will post a hint in the Daily Thread on December 2 to help you out. Contest closes at 6 pm Eastern on December 3. If no one has solved the puzzle at that time, a new clue will be posted every day until someone has the correct answer. Good luck!

This contest is a puzzle.

ROCK ON!

FEATURED DISCUSSIONS “Have you ever had your life take an unplanned turn?” -pony_hawk

“What’s something that seems “common knowledge” that you feel like you’re missing?” -sugarfish7

“Yup, when I was diagnosed with cancer at 20. But I kicked it’s ass, finished my education, and went on with my life! Shit can’t stop me!” -Utinni

“If you could live a life in a book, which one would it be?” -Giraffes12345

“Any of the Sherlock Holmes stories. I’d spend all day solving mysteries with my friend and being terribly clever. Best life ever.” - BlessedBlogger

"Belle. She's hot, her princess dress is the best, and she loves to read. I wanted to be her so bad when I was a kid." -mjrohs

“How to put on makeup...you’d think having boobs is the only requirement to figuring this shit out but I just can’t do it! You ladies have some secret witchcraft voodoo that was definitely not passed down to me.” -youreillusive 54

“Who is your favorite Disney character?” -purebredginger

1 Multipet's Red 6-Inch Santa Loofa Plush Dog Toy This adorable Santa plush will keep your dog occupied for days. $9.08 & Prime Shipping. amazon.com

2 ZippyPaws Holiday Hedgehog The perfect Christmas toy for your furry friend! This adorable squeeky toy comes in three sizes. $6.99 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 3 Assorted 20 Piece Grab Bag of Cat Toys This grab bag of assorted cat toys is perfect for the active cat. $6.34 + Free Shipping. amazon.com

4 Grasslands Road Deck the Halls Pet Dish, 6-Inch These dishes are made with your Santa Paws in mind. $19.95 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com

5 6 55

5 Yellow Dog Design Standard Cat Collar Keep your cat off the naughty list this year by allowing them to rock this Christmas style. $12.83 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 6 ZippyPaws Holiday Reindeer Pen Burrow This adorable interactive puzzle toy will challenge your dog! Comes with 3 squeaky reindeer. $9.99 + Prime Shipping amazon.com

1 1 Kindle, Wi-Fi, 6" Display Give your mother the gift of reading! You’ll be at the top of her “nice” list this year! $69.99-$89.99 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 2 Eternal Love Teardrop Austrian Crystal Pendant Necklace - Ocean Blue Show your mother that she means the world to you with this brilliant pendant. $22.95 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 3 ISOTONER Women's Microterry Chukka Clog Slippers Your mother will thank you for pampering her with these soft, luxureous slippers. $9.59 - $22.00 amazon.com

2 3

4 Nutri Bullet NBR-12 12Piece Hi-Speed Blender/ Mixer System Give your mother the gift of ease and nutrition. This Nutri Bullet effortlessly pulverizes fruits, vegetables, superfoods and protein shakes. $105.90 + Prime Shipping amazon.com

Submitted by showurnuts Homemade Lemon Cupcakes with Buttercream Glaze and Starburst Gummies! Lemon batter:

1 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. baking soda Pinch salt 1/2 c. granulated sugar 1 tbsp t vegetable oil 2 egg whites 1/2 cup of lemonade

Butter-cream glaze:

1 tablespoon butter, melted 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 tablespoon+ cream (or milk) Pinch of sugar

Extra:

Red and green sprinkles, Starburst Gummies or other r ound candy.

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. If still dry, add a pinch o f lemonade until moist. Place in cupcake holders in a c upcake pan and bake in 350 F degree oven for about 1 8-20 mins. Check with a toothpick to make sure it is baked! Mix the buttercream ingredients together. Add a tiny bit of milk if it needs it to make it runny. Wait for the cupcakes to b e completely cool, then top with the glaze. Top with the s prinkles and candy!

1 DEWALT DC970K-2 18-Volt Drill/Driver Kit Expand the toolkit of the handyman in your life this holiday season. $89.00 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 2 Victorinox Swiss Army Classic SD Pocket Knife Give the gift of versitility and usefulness. $14.16 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com

3 Grassroots Par Three Putting Green (3x9 Feet) Gift the sport’s enthusiast in your life and give them the chance to hone their putting skills away from the green. $36.55 + Prime Shipping amazon.com

3 4 5 62

4 Coleman 9949-750 Road Trip Grill LXE Excite your father’s inner man by giving him a fantastic collapsible grill. $129.99 + Prime Shipping amazon.com 5 Men's Boy's Dunlop Suede Leather Moccasin Shoe Slippers Every man loves a pair of cozy slippers! £17.99 + Free Shipping in the UK amazon.co.uk

FredWampy’s

REAL F U N F A C T S $10. if have a standard bank roll of 40 of them, you have By itself a single US quarter won’t buy much, but re y him, but do the same with a roll of them and you’ Throwing a quarter at someone might only anno looking at an injury. on ,000,000? How about 8,000,000,000? That’s eight billi What if you had 1,000 of them? Or 1,000,000 or 1,000 quarters. You now have $2 billion in quarters. of A single quarter weighs 5.67 grams, has a diameter

24.26 mm, and a thickness of 1.75 mm.

60,000 kg). This is about 85%

hly 100,000,000 lbs (45,3 If you have 8 billion quarters, you end up with roug 2 of the mass of the Titanic.

3 pile single quarter has a volume of 808.9274 mm . Your a der, cylin a of me volu the for ula form the g Usin jugs or 2.6 Olympic swimming pools (this assumes of quarters would fill 1,709,568 gallon-sized milk perfect packing). game in the United States in 1978 through 1982, video So why 8 billion quarters? From its introduction 4 from the game Space Invaders. publisher Midway grossed $2 billion (in quarters)

_coin) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_(United_States *+8000000000 rams+ 2 http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=5.67+g %5E3+*+8000000000 74+mm 808.92 ut/?i= 3 http://www.wolframalpha.com/inp _legacy t_and Impac ders# _inva 4 Space /wiki/ http://en.wikipedia.org

Amazon.com Holiday ARE YOU NAUGHTY... Fashion 1 Roma Costume “Holiday Fantasy Costume” by Fenvy. $55.56 + Free Shipping 2 Dear-lover Women’s Holiday Buckles Mini Dress $17.41 + Free Shipping 3 Men’s Sexy Santa Holiday Lingerie Outfit by Wild Syde. $28.40 + $8.99 Shipping.

4 Funtasma Women’s 4 1/2 Inch Santa Boots (In Red or Black) $56.95 + $14.99 Shipping 5 Short Red Santa Gloves Costume Accessory By TotallyCostumes $5.99 + $5.05 Shipping 6 Sexy Mr. Santa by Costumes4Less $11.95 + Prime Eligible

4 2

1 My Michelle Juniors Sleeveless Collar Dress with Belt, $47,00 + Prime Eligible 2 Kiyonna Luna Lace Dress. $158.00 + Prime Eligible (Available in more colors)

Amazon.com Holiday Fashion

3 Ed Garments Men's Long Sleeve Shrink Resistant Pique Polo Shirt $50.00 + Prime Eligible (Available in more colors)

4 Ever Pretty Button Fashion V-neck Ruffles Sexy BNWT Short Club Dress 03323. $15.99-$23.99 + Shipping 5 Dear-lover Women's Entrancing Hollowout Back Peplum Dress $18.95 + Prime Eligible 6 Kiyonna Valentina Illusion Dress $118.00 + Prime Eligible (Available in more colors

1 4 3 2 5

OR ARE YOU NICE? 65

Potato La tkes Submitted by

Ingredients

magicgal86

Accompaniments

sour cream 1 pound potatoes 1/2 cup finely chopped onion applesauce 1 large egg, lightly beaten 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

ing to ees F. r r r g e f e s d n 0 a r 5 t 2 , o d nt by han e t a r g Preheat ove ly e hen stir s r T a . o s c n io d n n o a es pped o h c in d Peel potato d A grated. s a l w o b e a larg t over salt. le il d k n s a k g ic g t e s in the ch non rking in o in W 2 1 . g a in k in o il po t not sm u b t o h Heat 1/4 cu tke il t la n r u e t p a e e r h u t h ix hig otato m p s n o moderately o p s fork. ble a a t h 2 it w n o s o d p n s inch rou 3 batches, s are o e t id in s r g e in d d n a u e r il sp ok unt o c d until n k a into skillet, o e o t c a r d e n d a o t to m es over k t la n r u T . Reduce hea ransfer es t T u . e in r o m m 5 t s u e bo 5 minut t u o b browned, a a more , d d d e A n . w lt o a r s b h e r a son wit a e s d undersides n a in ls to dra e w o t r e p a to p ed. d e e n s a t le oil to skil 67

1 LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer Kids' Learning Tablet or Bundle Learning can be fun! $59.99 & Prime Shipping. amazon.com

1 2

2 Fisher-Price I Can Play Basketball Your little athlete will be eccstatic to find this gift under the tree. $52.49 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 3 IQ Baby Knock-Knock Blocks These blocks are the perfect gift for curious learners. $26.47 + Prime Shipping amazon.com

4 Neat-Oh! Barbie ZipBin Dream House Toybox & Playmat Any Barbie fan will love this adorable barbie dream house. $24.98 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com 5 Maisto Rock Crawler Extreme Remote Controlled Vehicle This is the perfect gift for the little extremist in your life. $29.99 + Prime Shipping. amazon.com

6 4

6 Dreams Come True Forever- Disney Princess Jumbo Coloring Book Little girls will squeal with delight to find this Disney coloring book wrapped in pretty paper! $4.49 + Prime Shipping amazon.com

5 74

I Spy With My Little Eye...

A Snowman,

Some Holly,

A Gingerbreadman,

A Jinglebell,

A Pickle Ornament,

A Stocking,

A Gingerbread House, And a Plate of Cookies... 75

RAoA’s Handwrien Leers to Santa /u/l337Chica

RAoA’s Handwrien Leers to Santa /u/lizzieisrad

RAoA’s Handwrien Leers to Santa /u/showurnuts

ANS W I Spy With My Little Eye...ERS

A Snowman,

Some Holly,

A Gingerbreadman,

A Jinglebell,

A Pickle Ornament,

A Stocking,

A Gingerbread House, And a Plate of Cookies... 85

raoa s tyle

horoscopes Sagittarius November 22 - December 21 Your time on RAoA may be a mystery to you right now, but that doesn’t mean you have to solve it. Don’t try to figure out why things are happening the way they are happening — there is no reason. You’re not being tested, you’re not being rewarded, and you’re not being punished! The roller coast ride you’re on is just another part of the journey here. If things get tough, rely on friends you have on the sub to keep you smiling. They’re awfully good at cheering you up and reminding you how special you are.

Capricorn December 22 - January 19 Your gift, this month, is the great ability to accept the things you cannot change in, which will come in handy. There is a lot going on around here that is beyond your control right now, and there is no point in getting frustrated about it. Your best bet is to keep busy with the few things you can control right now — your attitude, your activity, and your sense of control. This period will pass soon enough, but in the meantime you shouldn’t worry too much about it.

Aquarius January 20 - February 18 If you really want to achieve major things right now, focus on a friendship on the sub! Someone has been missing you, but they are too afraid to let you know. They respect where you put your priorities, but are a little sad that they haven’t scored a higher place on the list. Let them know they are important to you, too. Maybe summon them in the next activity that calls for that.

Pisces February 19 - March 20 After a short but serious period of emotional upheaval, your life is finally going to start calming down. There could be one lingering drama that just won’t die, but it will at least be small enough that you can ignore it for a while. This return to your normal routine is something quite welcome, and will make you appreciate RAoA so much more! You’ll enjoy just participating in some activities you haven’t had the time to, so try to get in as many as possible.

Aries March 21 - April 19 A user you admire and care a lot about will be under some heavy scrutiny this month, and they could use some encouraging words to keep them feeling positive. Get out there and give them a hand! Be their cheerleader and send them sweet PMs throughout the day letting them know you are thinking of them. It stinks that they are going through this, but resist getting involved more deeply than is appropriate. Use your energy toward taking care of them, not seeking revenge.

Taurus April 20 - May 20 IIf you are engaged in any kind of heated discussions this month, send them some telepathic intimidation! Then, make sure that all of your arguments are logical and based in fact — if you just try to bully someone you aren’t going to prevail for very long. Besides, you wouldn’t want to win an argument by resorting to such low blows anyway.

Gemini May 21 - June 20 Your latest health concern should be addressed quickly — that way you will know it’s nothing to worry about sooner! This should serve as a good wake up call toward taking better care of your physical self. Drastic measures aren’t required to be healthier — making small changes that you can live with is the only thing you need to do in order to make your next checkup more pleasant. You might want to take a peek at the cookbook challenge or the fitness club on RAoA for some tips and maybe even some friends with common goals.

Cancer June 21 - July 22 A few emotional conflicts will be distracting you a little bit this month, and they could keep you from focusing on what users are actually saying to you. If you host a contest you’ll have some tough choices to make, but you need to have faith in yourself that you can do it! Try to put your feelings aside long enough to get do it, and then get back to them after the end date of your contest.

Leo July 23 - August 22 Someone’s ego is going to get in your way, this month — they aren’t the type who likes to collaborate, because that means they will have to share the spotlight! But all of this bluster really just hides a deep insecurity they have. And once you figure out what that insecurity is, you’ll be all set! All you need to do is make them feel more confident about that insecurity and then they will be much more pleasant when you see them around. Your people skills and sense of intuition are going to be invaluable.

Virgo August 23 - September 22 You are currently running the risk of freezing up, under all the icy-cold-logic-thinking you’re doing. You can try to analyze the unseen, but you probably won’t ever succeed. Stop spending so much time thinking about ideas, and get back into the rules of RAoA. There are people who need you to get back in touch with them and get involved in what is going on. Your input is too valuable for them to do without. So this month, try to get out of your own head, for a change.

Libra September 23 - October 22 Nothing is wrong with trying to keep more of your money, but have you figured out what exactly you are keeping it for? Rainy days are one thing, but you should spend some time this month thinking about your next big thing — your next investment, big ticket purchase, or even maybe a gift for someone else. It’s never too early to start researching your options and figuring out the best approach. If you’re just saving for the sake of saving, you could become too stingy.

Scorpio October 23 - November 21 Clear energy will be shining down on you today, giving you a razor-sharp spiritual vision. Better than ever before, you will be able to easily understand the connection between people, which makes you an excellent matchmaker! Playing Cupid might not be what you’re looking for, but maybe when you see two users that you feel would be great friends, you won’t be able to resist formulating a plan to get the two of them to chat. This is going to be fun, and probably successful, too!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from

thisisnotmyfault, re_mix, crimsonjella, allergictoapples, fredwampy, keepfighting, captivatingbleu, kittehmew, sp3cia1k