tasha

I'm trying to find something new to read and so far I'm not finding anything good. I read a shoujo manga thinking the female lead was going to be strong but later she becomes (to put it crassly) a weak, weeping, little whiny baby that starts to obsess about whether her Prince Charming love interest like her or not. I understand that shoujo (and manga in general) is a form of escapism but for Christ sakes there's got to be some kind of manga that's a little different from the typical shoujo.

So I would like some suggestion of manga with strong female leads. I don't care if they fall in love or whatever, I just don't want to read a manga where the girls love obsession is the main component of her as a character. I would like to see a female lead that's mentally strong and doesn't become 'squishy' later. The female lead being able to defend herself would be a bonus and so would a manga with multiple strong female characters.

Manga that I don't want suggested (ones that follow the typical shoujo pattern) are Vampire Knight, Diabolic Lovers, etc (manga/anime similar to those)

Back story: My mom married my step dad when I was in 5th grade (about 9 or 8 years ago). At first he was really nice and I thought he would be a better father figure than my biological dad. However after about a year or two things started to go south. He'd consistently criticize (not constructively) my brother and I. And he'd constantly send us upstairs whenever he was downstairs. When we'd ask questions that we thought were normal he'd get pissed off and expect us to know the answer. This sort of thing has only gotten worse when he and my mom had two kids together. Also, after the kids were born there were double standards. For example, my little sister could run around the house and be a general spoiled *** without him saying a single word but if my brother (who has the same father I do) does something as simple as tap his fingers on the table or lay on the couch he gets yelled at and send to his room. If I had any deep personal issues with my step father it's the way he treats my brother. My brother has autism but my step dad refuses to learn how to properly deal with it. He used to spank my brother so bad that you could hear my brother blood curdling screams through out the house (spanking is okay in moderation but my step dad didn't use moderation but he has gotten better), and he'd spank him over stupid **** like touching a dead bird or something. Most of my arguments with my step father were from me pointing out the bull **** that he always pulls (even though many would say it's not my place, but I'll be damned if I let myself or my brother be bullied, I don't care who you are). I tried to talk to him and be friendly, trying to find out what he likes so we could possibly do something together but all of these attempts failed. I also found out recently that he doesn't even really like us. He told my mother that he can't stand having conversations with us and would rather we stayed upstairs than downstairs (this is the short version of his comment).

The way I feel is that my step dad doesn't want me (or my brother) in the family. And in the past I wanted to have a relationship with him, do regular father daughter stuff like play baseball or just have simple conversation. I'm in college now and I'd like to have a relationship with him before I finish college and move on with my life but I don't know if that's possible. So I want to ask the internet community if there is a way I can possibly salvage some kind of relationship with my step dad out of this cluster **** of bullshit or is he not even worth it.?

I'm looking for some new period dramas but the ones I come across seem to have the same sort of plot. What I mean by the same sort of plot is the dramas usually have a 'mary sue' main character, she meets 'prince charming' and they get married, the end. I'm looking for a period drama (preferably based in the Victorian era) that don't run with the plot described above (unless they do it in an interesting and funny way). The kind of plots I really like would be about family relations (like dysfunctional family turmoil or exploring various relationship dynamics within a family), something dealing with homosexuality or gender, or something light hearted and funny.

PS. a strong female character (or characters) would be good, most period dramas I watched

sometimes had a female character who was strong and independent but she is tamed into a weak mary sue by the end (and it gets old really fast -_-)

Please don't mention Pride and Prejudice, Little House on the Prairie (I've already read it and watched it), Little Women (already watched it), The Secret Garden (already watched it), North and South, Downton Abbey, or the Importance of Being Earnest (already read it and watch it)

I'm looking for some new period dramas but the ones I come across seem to have the same sort of plot. What I mean by the same sort of plot is the dramas usually have a 'mary sue' main character, she meets 'prince charming' and they get married, the end. I'm looking for a period drama (preferably based in the Victorian era) that don't run with the plot described above (unless they do it in an interesting and funny way). The kind of plots I really like would be about family relations (like dysfunctional family turmoil or exploring various relationship dynamics within a family), something dealing with homosexuality or gender, or something light hearted and funny.

PS. a strong female character (or characters) would be good, most period dramas I watched

sometimes had a female character who was strong and independent but she is tamed into a weak mary sue by the end (and it gets old really fast -_-)

Please don't mention Pride and Prejudice, Little House on the Prairie (I've already read it and watched it), Little Women (already watched it), The Secret Garden (already watched it), North and South, Downton Abbey, or the Importance of Being Earnest (already read it and watch it)

I recently bought a halter top with a built in bra. It fits perfectly on my torso except in the breast area. The chest doesn't looks ridiculously out of proportion (because I have a broader rip cage and shoulder) but I feel uncomfortable because it's to big. So how can I adjust the chest area without making the shirt look ridiculous or shrinking the whole shirt?

P.S. the chest is currently either a C or a D and I need to shrink it to a B.

I used to drink whey protein shakes and noticed that my hair and nails grew. But I also drank it along with un healthy foods, didn't workout and gained weight like crazy. But if I drink only once a day along with vegetables and fruits only, and bike every other day will I still gain weight like crazy? The reason I want to start drinking whey protein shakes again is because I want to try to grow my hair out.

Thanks if you actually answer (instead of being a smart ***)

Within this half of a year I've recently went down 2 pant sizes (from P.E), but now that I don't have P.E I decided to jog for 30 min - 1 hr. Well now here's the actual point of my question....

Even though I'm now in the healthy weight range for a 17 yr female who is 5' 6", I still I a tiny bit of flab on my stomach (only noticeable if not wearing jeans or if in swim suit), so I was wondering if I jog for the time I said above, then will I lose that little flab before the start of swimsuit season.

P.S: I have a pretty balanced diet now and I do lots of physical activity while in school. Sorry for the mini rant.

Well I've been noticing my back has popping a lot lately. I mean it pops everyday at least five times. It generally pops in my lower back. It doesn't really hurt when it pops nor does it feel good. Could more physical activity and trying to correct my posture be a factor (used to slump in chair when sitting)?

She keeps saying 'Your just like your dad.'(he was a real douche bag) and she constantly bitches at me. It hurts my feelings a lot and she acts like I don't try to act decent. I try to talk to her about it but it always escalates into a screaming ***** fight. Is there some other way I should approach her, like a letter or something. Thanks if you actually give me a decent answer, not a smart *** answer.

I've had enough! I know this sounds like a rant, but I'm frustrated! I've tried a lot of things. Over the counter cremes, prescribed creams, different lotions, allergy pills and my ******* eczema is still there. However, I sometimes get my eczema to clear up really good for a few days, then it flares up horribly, again! I don't know whats causing it, my laundry detergent it all natural and I don't wear wool. My face is ugly. My hands look like old people hands, their tough and crack constantly so I'm practically bleeding all the time.

Please, please, please tell me how to treat it quickly and get rid of it long term!? (Sorry for the rant.) :(

And if you did, did you hallucinate (sometimes happens with sleep paralysis) and if you did hallucinate, what did you see.

I know one time when I had sleep paralysis I saw a freaky alien dude crouched in the middle of my room, then he jumped up and latched onto my ceiling fan. Another time I saw a zombie dude (that kinda looked like Rob Zombie) standing over me.

There is a weird piece of something (I think it's bone or cartlidge) that I can move around in my hand, on the side of my hand under the thumb. It wasn't there before I hit my hand in that area. But now after I hit it super hard on a table (by accident) the weird thing moves.I don't have anything moving around in my other hand. I thought it was broken but the pain isn't so unbearable that I pass out or cry (like what most people say when you break something). It feels funny when I move my thumb.

(I don't know I'm probably being a dork)

Sorry for the grammer/spelling errors or if the question sound a little weird.

I already asked this question but I didn't much answers so I thought I would rephrase it. Anyway...

Am I the only high schooler that dresses 'formal' (at least what my fellow highschoolers call formal.). You know, wear button up shirts, slacks, vest, nice jeans (not skinnies), maybe the occasional suit. I don't wear shirts with crude sayings on them or things like yo gabba gabba (why are teens even watch that anyway, it's ****** annoying.) and reptar (dinasour off of rugrats). I don't dress like a teeny bopper or a skank. And I don't dress like a wannabe emo or gangster. I also hate a lot of the new fashion trends, I'm repulsed by skirts, and generally I dress like a dude with a feminine side (i like my curves and pops of color (just not pink)), and not much of a t shirt fan (maybe for weekends.).

Point is I like to look like an 'semi mature' adult; not a 'typical' teenager, girly girl or skank.

Also if you saw someone in your school dress 'formal', would you think it was weird?(because in my school it's such a foreign concept).

Sorry for crappy grammer/spelling and ranting (why do I always rant on my description? Oh well..).

(BTW I'm asking this question because I'm curious, not because I'm a stereotypical teenage girl that can't survive being different. If someone doesn't like the way I dress then they can just **** off.)

Am I the only high schooler that dresses 'formal' (at least what my fellow highschoolers call formal.). You know, wear button up shirts, slacks, vest, nice jeans (not skinnies), maybe the occasional suit. I don't wear shirts with crude sayings on them or things like yo gabba gabba (why are teens even watch that anyway, it's fuckin annoying.) and reptar (dinasour off of rugrats). I don't dress like a teeny bopper or a skank. And I don't dress like a wannabe emo or gangster. I also hate a lot of the new fashion trends, I'm repulsed by skirts, and generally I dress like a dude with a feminine side (i like my curves and pops of color (just not pink)), and not much of a t shirt fan (maybe for weekends.).

Point is I like to look like an 'semi mature' adult; not a 'typical' teenager, girly girl or skank.

Also if you saw someone in your school dress 'formal', would you think it was weird?(because in my school it's such a foreign concept).

Sorry for crappy grammer/spelling and ranting (why do I always rant on my description? Oh well..).

(BTW I'm asking this question because I'm curious, not because I'm a stereotypical teenage girl that can't survive being different. If someone doesn't like the way I dress then they can just **** off.)

I'm basically doing a series of short stories surrounding 2 siblings (1 guy, 1 girl and their about 15 or 16). I'm having an extreme case of writers block. So i was wondering if anyone had any ideas for like a very short story (maximum 6 pages). It can be anything, comedy, drama, angst, etc. Just don't give me any creepy incest ideas. I tried random plot generators, but they aren't helping.

If you actually answer this, then thank you very much.

Ok. Doesn't it kinda suck when your a teen and you have younger siblings. I mean you can't cuss (not even a little), you can't do anything past the younger sibling bed time. And when their around you can't watch what you want and parents seemed pissed all the time because the little kids are acting up and they take it out on you.

I'm coping with this a maturally as I can and I really do love my sibling a bunch.

So I wanted to know whether you guys think it sucks to have younger siblings. If you don't have younger sibling or any siblings at all, what does it feel like to be an only child.

When I was younger I kinda had emotional problems. So I used to pick my skin until it bled (I know, gross.) instead of cutting my wrists. Now I have these stupid scars all over my skin. Their kinda light now, but I would like to clear them up a little more. So I was wondering if anyone had any good HOME remedies that work.

If you answer, thanks a bunch.

Okay I've gotten my self into a situation. Okay honest to god i did not know that I had fear of large dogs.I used to have a averaged size dog when I was little, but then I went six years with out any contact with average or large dogs. I've volunteered at a animal shelter. Basically all the dogs I have to walk are large. Tried to walk them, but it turns out I am so afraid of them I shake and I some times cry. It feels like I'm being thrown into a pit of cobras and posin tips spikes (I know its pathetc). How do I go about asking my boss if their are any smaller dogs I can take care of (until I muster the guts to take care of larger dogs) or if I could do record keeping?

DON'T say mean answers(like for ex: get a ******* life or go **** somebody). People also don't tell me to get over it, because its not that simple. Also don't tell me that I did this to my self, because when I signed up they said they carried cats, but when I started working they had to get rid of them due to budget issues.

I am very sorry for the long description, please don't flame me.

PLEASE!? Can anyone tell me any places where I can get a cosplay costume. It has to be under $50, which also includes shipping(i know that sounds impossible)(because I am as poor as dirt and my mother (I'm still a kid) won't provide any money for anything above $50). I don't need a wig or boots. I just need the costume. DON'T tell me to make my own, because I fail at sewing; find it in a 2nd hand store because wear I live they don't have any good cosplay material what so ever; and no ebay either because i've already looked and they don't have anything under $50(which includes shipping)

Thank you very much.

P.S. I have another question. How do all the other cosplayers get the money to buy or make cosplay?

Sorry for the long question and crappy grammer.

I'm doing a mad hatter costume for school spirit week. It's semi gothic,steampunk, or gothic lolita(with out the puffy skirt(trousers)),(not sure which category it belongs in). The theme colors are white, black, blue, maybe a little purple.

Please don't say pink anything, black lipstick(because it's a pain in the *** to apply), or lots of blush.