My name is Leoben, I am 21 years old, I am a published author, and I hail from the beautiful US Pacific Northwest, more beautiful than anywhere I've visited in the world, although Costa Rica and Sweden do come close but simply don't beat it. I've lived in every West Coast state and states in the Midwest and the South, which totals 7 states, but almost 20 individual moves altogether, keeping in mind I have only existed for 21 years. No, my family wasn't in the military, my stepfather just couldn't keep his pants zipped. I like to read literature, political theory (preferrably Cold War and prior), a little bit of science fiction, Lord of the Rings/Hobbit/Silmarillion/etc, history, culture, and of course, philosophy. My favorite philosophical subject is ethics and morality. I am an atheist and my philosophical inclinations go towards Confucianism. Politically I am acceptable of a lot of things which makes people describe me in the social sense as a social democrat (left of liberalism but right of socialism), however, I believe in Keynesian mixed market economics, making me an economic moderate. I hate American politics because it's corrupt, untrustworthy, and a waste of time. I don't vote and I don't plan on voting unless FDR rolls out of his grave and becomes our first zombie president. He knew his stuff. I like all sorts of music, from Strauss to Stone Temple Pilots. I have an ego almost as large as my manhood. Well, that's enough about me. I look forward to reading some quality works, and posting my own. ~Leoben
Welcome to the forums Your name amused me, I think you're our first cylon Any questions, feel free to ask, and have fun
Hello Leoben, Welcome to the Writing Forums. Posting your own work should not be the very first thing you do here. It is really worthwhile to see what other people have done to improve their writing, and see if some of it applies to your writing as well. That is part of why we require members to review other members' work before posting their own for review. On the other hand, there are no restrictions, other than content and copyright rules, on showcasing your work in your member blog. If you haven't explored the site yet, you should probably do so soon. Newcomers often gravitate to the Lounge, the Word Games, or the Review Room, but there is much more to be discovered if you poke in the corners. Remember to check out our FAQ as well, and be sure to read through the forum rules, too, to avoid any misunderstandings or hurt feelings. Respect for one another is our principal mandate. As for the Review Room, new joiners often wonder why we do things a bit differently on this site than on other writing sites. We emphasize reviewing as a critical writing skill. Training your eye by reviewing other people's work helps you improve your own writing even before you present it for others to see. Therefore, we ask members to review other people's writing before posting work of their own. The Review Room forums on this site, therefore, are true workshops, not just a bulletin board for displaying your work (and on that note, please only post each item for review in one Review Room forum). See this post, Why Write Reviews Before Posting My Work? for more information. Enjoy your stay here, and have fun!
Hey Leoben! Cool, I'm totally into Confucianism myself. I go towards Daoism--not the independence sect but the one-with-nature part--but many things about Confucianism fascinates me. Hope you enjoy your stay.
I'm not a Cylon, I'm a person. We're all fish in the stream, I see the love that binds us all together. I see the patterns that define every moment of our lives, and bind this universe together; I see them, and you don't. Thanks. What about Confucianism appeals to you? I like all facets of Confucianism, but particularly attractable concerning it is its focus on personal improvement and positive behavior. I am reading the Analects currently, and I have not read anything else by the old Confucian philosophers. I think Taoism/Daoism is a little too esoteric for my tastes. It just doesn't appeal to me. Thank you for the welcome, I'll definitely try to enjoy my stay here, or die in the attempt.
I like how Confucianism demands for you to realize that you're not alone and you are part of a bigger circle of life. The world needs you, but more importantly you need it. And I like how respect and the other pillars? (I forget; we learned this like.. five months ago) play important parts in people's lives. Don't die in the attempt.
Confucianism certainly does revolve around social harmony. I don't remember the pillars, I haven't read about them in actuality, but I have read what they are, but simply can't remember. Back in 1998 I visited Europe, and my first week was spent in Sweden. I stayed in Stockholm for the most part, and it was very beautiful. I visited the Nobel Peace Prize awards hall (I don't remember what the building is actually called), and the tombs of the kings and queens. Very elegant. I visited Uppsala and Malmo. Uppsala was pretty nice, with the Viking tombstones. It was very neat how the runes were written like dragon's tails, curving around like some kind of story about that warrior's life. Some of them were pretty huge. And of course, I saw the hill-tombs.
I love all three places! I've lived in Stockholm and Malmö, and was an intern in at a company in Uppsala for a couple of months. Now I live in a small town the north though. You should visit Sweden again and travel north, we have some beautiful nature up here!
