(Re)introduction

As it has been so abominably long since last I posted, my set of friends has changed so drastically (as have I) that I feel a new introduction of sorts is in order. Even among those whom I call my friends, very few people really know me (if anyone at all, frankly), due in part to my tendency to be somewhat of a loner.
I’ve always been socially awkward, and as a result (and likely contributing in large part to my awkwardness) I think most people’s first impressions of me are largely inaccurate and, well… weird. (^_^;) My interests and personal tendencies are all over the map, and I fear that those which are most readily apparent are neither particularly flattering nor properly indicative of me on the whole. My personality runs the gamut from very feminine to quite tomboyish, and my interests range from the very traditional to the very offbeat and unconventional. Unfortunately, the latter are what get noticed most readily. (-_-;)
For instance, many people would instantly recognize me as a huge geek, enamored with Japanese pop culture, gaming, Apple computers, and sci-fi/fantasy novels; a total nerd captivated by science (from marine biology to astronomy, ecology and quantum physics), theology and apologetics, even going so far as to attempt to learn Japanese on my own; and a bit of a dork, silly and (seemingly) random.
Others might see me as a rebel, with my purposeful rejection on conventionality, propensity to question authority, apparent inability to follow the rules, and ambitions to become a tattoo artist and open my own studio someday.
Still others may see me as a loose cannon, brashly shooting off my mouth on a fairly regular basis, always ranting about something or other, and often alienating people due to offenses taken or even simply due to the relative random or bizarre nature of the topics my rather impassioned speeches.
Now, while I won’t deny that all of these observations are to some degree based in fact, what most people either overlook or miss entirely are the other things that make me who I am, and which are far more significant aspects of my life. Of course (Murphy’s Law reigning supreme as usual), most of the good stuff falls into this category. Naturally. (-_-;)
My extreme zeal for life carries over into pretty much every area of interest for me, thus lending a somewhat “larger than life” effect to my discourses, and creating a somewhat skewed perception of me so that certain relatively minor quirks are greatly magnified, and vice versa. I have a very all-or-nothing mentality at times, so when I geek out (or nerd out) about something, I really geek/nerd out, because when I think something is cool, I think it’s about the most amazing thing in the world, ever. I’m mostly “on” or “off”. Add to this my and tendency for wildly fantastical dreaming, and my expressed dreams and goals for the future can wind up being blown out of proportion and be taken far more seriously than they often should be.
For example, I have mentioned to a few people that I am working on my art portfolio in hopes of procuring an apprenticeship to become a tattoo artist and eventually open a Christian-oriented tattoo studio in the future, which would also function as an outreach ministry (much like C28). I have always been very artistic (both visually and musically), and since I was in high school I have dreamed of running my own business, from a comic shop to a yarn shop (featuring my own line of custom hand-dyed yarns) to a tattoo studio. I discovered last year that I can actually draw, and my technique and art has improved dramatically over a relatively very short amount of time and small amount of practice. Over this last winter I discovered, and subsequently became fascinated with, the art of tattooing (and in February, that it really doesn’t hurt all that much, when I got my first bit of ink ^_^). All of these wheels turning in my head collided with my passion for the lost and the realization of what a dark industry it is to form the idea of planting a flag for Christ deep in enemy territory and also creating a place where Christians could come for their body art without being faced with profane, demonic, or pornographic images or vulgar language, etc., and also giving Christian artists a place to work with a Christian atmosphere.
Make no mistake, however: while I am putting forth an honestly rather small amount of effort in pursuit of this dream, it is only that: a dream. I honestly don’t expect to see it ever come to full fruition, and I remain completely open to, and actively seeking, the Lord’s plan for my life. I figure, even if His plan for me is different, I can always sell my designs as flash, or bless friends with custom art, be it for a tattoo or a wall hanging in their home. I think I definitely come across as sounding more certain than I am about my various “dreams” of this nature, however, which is why I bring this up.
Ultimately, my heart’s deepest desire remains, as ever, to marry a godly, ministry-oriented man who will lead me and our several children in serving the Lord and equipping them and others to effectively spread the gospel in this lost and dying world, able to defend their faith against any attack of the devil or the world, and to be an example of Christ’s relationship with the Church to the world. I am striving to attain all the skills and habits possessed by the “Proverbs 31 Woman”, down to spinning my own yarn (which I do in fact know how to do ^_^).
Ministry-wise, my greatest passions are worship, solid doctrine, and evangelism. I very much desire to visit Japan and do some missionary work there if I ever manage to learn the language properly, and after that, I would love to be able to tour the UK, spreading the gospel as I go. Having just switched churches, I am going to try to find out about serving on their worship team and use my gifts and talents for God’s glory however I can.
I have always been somewhat of an activist, I suppose, focusing on controversial topics such as abortion, evolution, apologetics, and ethics (you know, the proverbial “religion and politics”) since at least I was in junior high, and my zeal for the Word of God and seeing His Kingdom furthered on Earth has, needless to say, lost me a few friends and earned me a few enemies over the years. I don’t tend to make a fuss about differences of opinion or style, and I won’t even try to argue right living with nonbelievers, but when it comes to defending the truth, I am absolutely unyielding and uncompromising. 2+2=4, not 7. I’m sorry if my saying that hurts your feelings, but if you think 2+2=7, you are wrong. Period.
But I digress. My main point in writing all of this is to give you lovely, lovely readers some idea of who I am, and dispel some of the confusion I’m sure I tend to cause unintentionally. Expect to hear from me again tomorrow, this time on the topic of adoption and its implications for believers.
Cheers! ~ <3
P.S. I’d love to hear your thoughts on my posts here, so feel free to leave me comments or questions below! This way I’m not so much ranting to a vacuum as talking to friends. Isn’t free speech awesome? :D

Oh hey, look at this blog I found under my bed

I can't believe it's been over a year since I've updated this thing. This simply will not do. I am going to do my best to update this at least weekly from now on (pray for me heh). The first couple of posts may be drivel, frankly, but I need time to warm up and get back into my groove. It'll be good, I promise (how may times have I said this now?). Just you wait and see. Watch this space, geek at work.