Hajimemas**te Minasan (Hi Everyone!)

[AnnaBella]

Greetings, you may call me Annabella.
I am a woman who grew up in a fundamentalist Penticostal Christian home. I had many siblings of whom half fall somewhere on the LGBT spectrum (genetic factors anyone?). As a result of the unavoidable tension between that living environment and our identities the non-normative portion of my family had been somewhat scattered to the wind and been at risk up to and including loss of life. Thankfully all of us made it "out" alive in the end and have been able to reconnect and help support one another.

To say that the overall direction of my life has been effected by religiously motivated bigotry would be an understatement.
That being said I take a pragmatic and polite approach to the discussion of religion and philosophy (at least as much so as I can) and honestly care about the feelings of everyone involved.

I am looking forward to discussing these topics with all of you.

If anyone is curious, a few facts about me:
- Listening to "Let it go" from Frozen makes me cry, even if I just listened to it.
- I love detective stories, video games, and Japanese fashion.
- I have an addiction to mochi ice cream, pocki, and shoujo-ai manga. (or all three at once)
- My favorite anime is Madoka Magicka.

[none]

Hi, hope you enjoy your stay.
Your background of somewhat different than what I've seen of late.
Not sure what pentecostal is,maybe those people belive in faith healing at church.

[SkunkButt]

Welcome Annabella   

[jetson]

Welcome to IGI. You don't have to wear a seat belt, but sometimes it helps - for your own safety, of course.

[Dexter]

Welcome

[Boots]

Greetings Annabella!  Three questions.  Two for this thead, one for some future one.
1) what is "mochi ice cream?"  (did you mean "mocha?")
2) what is "pocki?"

3) again, this is not for this thread...but I'm curious as to your current religious affiliation.  I'll be looking for that in some other threads you participate in.

enjoy your stay!

[AnnaBella]

Hi, hope you enjoy your stay.
Your background of somewhat different than what I've seen of late.
Not sure what pentecostal is,maybe those people belive in faith healing at church.

Hi and thank you.

Pentecostalism is a group of denominations in Christianity which focuses on the "day of pentecost" when the holy spirit was supposedly poured out upon the congregation. The easy way to identify pentecostal churches is that they are the ones you can expect to find people "speaking in tongues" (aka babbling incoherently) as a regular part of the service. Faith healing or "laying of hands" are also regularly encouraged. The focus of pentecostal churches tends to be on the individual being personally effected by supernatural spirits. Unsurprisingly this has a similar effect to people attending a seance being given the expectation they will see evidence of ghosts.

[AnnaBella]

Greetings Annabella!  Three questions.  Two for this thead, one for some future one.
1) what is "mochi ice cream?"  (did you mean "mocha?")

Mochi is a tapioca based gelatin usually used to make a gummy shell around candies. Think of it like the substance of gummy bears, but not made out of ground horse bone. Mochi Ice Cream is the unholy but oh so delicious union of this gelatin with ice cream, which results in what is essentially round scoops of ice cream you can eat with your fingers if you want, or with chopsticks.

2) what is "pocki?"

Pocky is .. hmm.. imagine short sections of dry spaghetti made out of graham cracker that has been dipped in chocolate. It is sold in packages similar to cigarette packs and is great for sharing with a group of friends. Pocky is also associated with the so called "Pocky Kiss" in which one person is eating a pocky, and someone who is interested in them starts eating the other end, each small bite inevitably bringing their lips closer.

3) again, this is not for this thread...but I'm curious as to your current religious affiliation.  I'll be looking for that in some other threads you participate in.

As for my religious affiliation, I do not currently have one.
Unless you count the church of the indelible circle.


If I were tasked to label myself I would say I am a trans humanist transhumanist.

enjoy your stay!

I will do my best :}

[Shawna]

- Listening to "Let it go" from Frozen makes me cry, even if I just listened to it.

I have been known to cry when I hear "Let it Go" as well.  My kids roll their eyes.  I don't care.  They don't understand yet.

Welcome to IGI, AnnaBella.  +1 for joining.

[Boots]

Pocky is also associated with the so called "Pocky Kiss" in which one person is eating a pocky, and someone who is interested in them starts eating the other end, each small bite inevitably bringing their lips closer.

HAWT!!

[AnnaBella]

Pocky is also associated with the so called "Pocky Kiss" in which one person is eating a pocky, and someone who is interested in them starts eating the other end, each small bite inevitably bringing their lips closer.

HAWT!!

Right!?

[AnnaBella]

I have been known to cry when I hear "Let it Go" as well.  My kids roll their eyes.  I don't care.  They don't understand yet.

Welcome to IGI, AnnaBella.  +1 for joining.

Hell, I don't quite understand it :]
Thanks Shawna!

[Shawna]

Lol!  It's all about learning to be who you are, and not worrying anymore about what other people will think of you, and finding the strength inside yourself to do that... worth a cry or two....   

[Gnu Ordure]

Greetings, you may call me Annabella.
I am a woman who grew up in a fundamentalist Penticostal Christian home. I had many siblings of whom half fall somewhere on the LGBT spectrum (genetic factors anyone?). As a result of the unavoidable tension between that living environment and our identities the non-normative portion of my family had been somewhat scattered to the wind and been at risk up to and including loss of life. Thankfully all of us made it "out" alive in the end and have been able to reconnect and help support one another.

To say that the overall direction of my life has been effected by religiously motivated bigotry would be an understatement.
That being said I take a pragmatic and polite approach to the discussion of religion and philosophy (at least as much so as I can) and honestly care about the feelings of everyone involved.

I am looking forward to discussing these topics with all of you.

If anyone is curious, a few facts about me:
- Listening to "Let it go" from Frozen makes me cry, even if I just listened to it.
- I love detective stories, video games, and Japanese fashion.
- I have an addiction to mochi ice cream, pocki, and shoujo-ai manga. (or all three at once)
- My favorite anime is Madoka Magicka.

Hi Annabella.

Are you Japanese, by any chance?

Welcome to the forum, regardless. 

[Jezzebelle]

Hey Annabelle :) +1

Welcome!  I know @TrisTennant enjoys some of the things you've posted about.  Maybe she'll stop by. 

How many siblings is "many"?

@Emily - didn't you have a similar background in the Pentecostal religion? 

[Meat]

Uh oh. I was raised in a Pentecostal church and I'm bonkers. I hope you are ok. Btw. Welcome. :D

[Emily]

Hiya Annabelle.

It's nice to see another Pentecostal survivor on the forum. I grew up in a very fundie Pentecostal household myself, believing in the baptism of the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues, preaching Acts 2:38, not cutting my hair and having to wear skirts all the time (not to mention I grew up in Nashville surrounded by other fundy religions). The Pentecostal denomination is very whacky and slightly more dangerous than the other denominations.

My father and grandfather were both pastors and with the exception of my youngest sister (she's on the LGBT spectrum) I don't talk to anyone in my family due to past tension from that denomination.

I can know much Pentecostalism sucks. Glade you got out. 

[AnnaBella]

Hi Annabella.

Are you Japanese, by any chance?

Welcome to the forum, regardless. 

Only in terms of my media and snacking tastes Gnu, I am a racial mutt, but Japanese is not a part of my particular mix.

[Gnu Ordure]

^^^ Ah, OK.

I lived in Tokyo for a couple of years in the early '80s. Had a great time there teaching English, and people were very friendly. Loved the the noodle bars, and the sake and the sashimi.

And go; did you ever play go? Serious mind-stretch...

@AnnaBella

[AnnaBella]

Sadly I live in California. A few of my Japenese friends introduced me to all the good places to eat, and then I moved, and now I have so much trouble finding good shabu shabu (I LOVE Shabu Shabu!!)

I have not played go, though I have seen how much of a brain twister it can be.

[urs]

You are proving to be a very valuable member!!!

[Augusto]

Agree! :)

[Gnu Ordure]

Sadly I live in California.

There are worse places to live!

I've spent time in Frisco, LA, and San Diego. 

As in Japan, the natives were friendly. 


But I'm an English wildebeest at heart...