Ask and Answer v2

[PotatoFur]

That's a difficult question to answer. I'm extremely interested in reading academic stuff (political theory, science books, etc) but struggle with actually doing it since I don't enjoy the process of reading (ADHD brain I think). That being said, I really enjoy playing video games but don't usually feel very good after playing them since I feel like I've wasted time (especially when I'm procrastinating). It's difficult for me to pick either reading or video games as such. 

Question: Favorite piece of computer software?

[ZaraRaEchidna]

STIKZAP!! I feel like it comes at a surprise to nobody that one of my favourite things is to mess with my robots. Well, this one is computer software that muddles with your CLIÉ (handheld PDA) to let you access hidden files on your AiBO (Artificial intelligent bot/also means 'friend'  ) models ERS-110, ERS-210, ERS-31x, or ERS-7 -- I have an ERS-210 and an ERS-311 model myself. Using this, you can back-up and otherwise upload software you have the license for to Memory Sticks for use in your AiBO robot - there have been some fun community-made software, as well 

Question Tax; What is your favourite robot? Fictional or IRL

[PotatoFur]

GLaDoS from the video game series Portal. She's so quirky and brutally honest lol. Some of her insults are pretty funny too! 

Question: How do you feel about people being sarcastic towards you?

[ZaraRaEchidna]

I'm British - it's practically all we do!  I was going to try to distinguish between 'joking' and 'mean-spirited', but I think sarcasm is just how we communicate. Isn't that nice?    Somebody had tried to sarcastically and dryly insult me yesterday, but honestly, it was so on the nose that I just burst out laughing. Damn!! They got me good! ["Wow, a Tezuka fan nicknamed Puppy, how original."] - You know how it is - There's a damn lot of furries who latched onto Tezuka's works, and a lot of us especially in 2015 started taking those cutesy nicknames like 'Puppy' or 'Pupz' or 'Puppi' - To which, a lot of my friends call me Puppy (rhymes with my partner's name!) - I couldn't even be mad, that's pretty funny  like, DAMN!!! You got me! AND you were sarcastic about it! A* delivery.

Question tax; What is your favourite snack from the supermarket?

[PotatoFur]

hhmmm... I guess if you count noodles in a coup as a snack. I'm a big fan of Tonkotsu Ramen in particular. 

Question: What's your least favorite food?

[ZaraRaEchidna]

Least favourite.. Hooo! That's easy - I have a war on konjac -- If you could even call it 'food'! It's mostly indigestible - no better than eating plastic. 0 fat, almost 0 calories - because there's nothing in it for ruddy human consumption! Okay, okay so it does have a few calories... But I hate it! For a while, I ate konjac noodles, because they were quick to prepare - sure, it was a 'weight loss' food, but I thought it would at least have some grit to it, but no! Because there's no nutritional value in the bloody stuff! I found myself getting dizzy come the late afternoon - because what I thought was a nutritious and hearty lunch, was basically like eating thick air! OOH, I HATE KONJAC!
Well... I suppose it's alright for sweeties and as thickeners - but I am so OVER this nothing-fodder being marketed as a 'healthy' alternative.. YEAH, AN ALTERNATIVE TO EATING ACTUAL FOOD! No better than having people take laxatives for their 'diet'. I think it's shocking what they'll sell, it's downright predatory. 'Weight loss' indeed.  I haaaate konjac.


Question tax; What's a one-sided low-stakes war you've waged on something? 

[PotatoFur]

My war against most types of fruit. I'm not allergic or anything, I just REALLY don't like them. Just smelling them makes me feel like I'm about to vomit for some reason!  I have made my family put fruits in separate parts of the fridge, not let them leave any out, and more all because "bad smeeeelll, ew!". 

Question: What's your favorite genre(s) of media?

[ZaraRaEchidna]

Media as a whole? Ooh! I'd have to say that I really enjoy Sci-Fi; specifically leaning towards robots. If you couldn't tell with all of the... Archie Sonic, Astro Boy, Mega Man, Casshern (one of these things is not like the other onesss) ... That sort of thing, I find it captures my attention  Anything robots, mecha, but especially I've found myself interested in the adult animation angle lately. I'm also a hu-u-uge fan of Majoshojou - which I feel like might be out-of-the-blue with my other pick - but I can't help it! I had finally watched Cardcaptor Sakura with my partner this year, and I can't believe I was missing out. L.O.L - that and I've been watching re-re-re-runs of Red Dwarf lately! 

Question tax; What genres of media do you not like?

[PotatoFur]

I don't dislike any genres per say, but I'm not super into crime stuff personally (with some exceptions, like Scooby-Doo).

Question: What's the worst book(s) you've ever read?

[ZaraRaEchidna]

Cor... I've got one on the go about theory on future and current relations with Robots, and I must say - it is bloody AWFUL! The author is completely barking up the wrong tree - and worse than that, I can trace all of their arguments back to popular Social Media posts.. I swear.. How many times she mentions various teachers of robotics at Manchester University - but only their Youtube Videos, not -- You know --- CALLING THEM UP AND TALKING TO THEM?! It's the worst researched thing I have ever seen in my LIFE! And to think, I was looking forwards to hearing a thoroughly researched and thought-out argument against AGI (something that we will never have in our lifetime - or probably EVER -- Which Author didn't seem to quite grasp... No, the author didn't know any of the words for anything they were talking about.. It was so disappointing. They did little to no research on the opposing arguments -- In fact, I reckon they mightn't have even done enough research to know that there WAS an opposing side!) -- It's just silliness all around. It's just awful, under-researched, biased slop that appears to be an extrapolation of a twitter argument. I can't for the life of me work out how this got published as an actual paperback book that I was able to pick up at Blackwell's; I don't think the author is versed at all in the real-world applications of the things they were discussing. Urgh -- it was bloody awful!

Question tax; What's the best book(s) you've ever read?

[PotatoFur]

I admittingly haven't finished that many books due to how long I take to read (ADHD I'm guessing), but I'm really enjoying Lord of the Rings so far. It takes time to read it and I may struggle with understanding the way it's written, sure, but it's both entertaining and is filled with lots of lore to speculate about. Plus, it's probably helping quite a bit with my reading comprehension skills since it takes me a fair bit of effort to read and understand. 

Question: What's something that you struggle with but still enjoy and want to do more of?

[ZaraRaEchidna]

Reading... For the same reasons 
I have such a hard time sitting down - I'm the kind of ADHD who needs everything to be constant - which ends up being that I'm always juggling 5 things at once - then I have very little time to sit down and read when my brain isn't going "GO! GO! GO!" -- though I've finally started reading to wind down in the evenings.. Though that's a problem sometimes, when the book is so good - sometimes, I suddenly realise it's daylight! 

Question Tax; What's a skill you're learning outside of standard education? (I.E sports, foreign languages, or even something like biking or woodwork)

[PotatoFur]

Music production! I love listening to a variety of music genres, and practicing digitally means I don't have to spend any additional money on it, so there's not really any barriers to me learning it. As for why I'm not learning anything about it in school, I guess I just prefer the freedom to just mess around in a DAW as oppose to having to learn how to play specific, already existing songs on the trombone or learn how to read sheet music.

Question: Have you ever played a musical instrument before? Why or why not?

[ZaraRaEchidna]

Oh lawd... Many! Guitar, Ukulele, drums, violin.. The ones I'm good at, though, are the keyboard, & the ocarina (yes, I'm one of those nerds  I've got a proper ceramic one.. It's a 12-hole C ocarina; but I'm looking into getting a different model, the 12-hole has the weakest sound) - I took lessons in learning how to play acoustic guitar, but my partner is much better than I am  oh, but we're looking into buying a nice electric guitar - my bear's into math rock and the stuff (I lean more nerd rock) and the music shop near us has got an electric guitar that supposedly is 'iconic' for math rock - so we're thinking about getting one like it  then we'll see how well I am at playing guitar.. I'd like to get back into it!

(Ooh, music production! I'm trying to learn that sort of thing... Well, mostly remixing VGM. I'm not .. VERY good at it - but I'm having fun, and that's what counts!)

Question tax; What's your favourite time of the day ?

[PotatoFur]

Hmm... Maybe 5:15PM or so? After all, that's when I'm able to log onto this forum and talk to everyone on here!  Also because that's when I eat a very late lunch...

Question: What's your favorite animal that isn't your pet?