[Umaeril]

Ok first let me apologize for running off and not coming back. Sometimes I can make affecting statements and then I avoid wanting to read them. So I have not read what I wrote again.

Sadrain you have really made me think. So I have thought about what you said about maybe old people want to see the emotion, I do not know the answer to that one except that I am sure it is cultural and differs by ethnicity and one's own inclination to cry or not cry. In our family we do not show much emotion so my mom would probably have said "stop crying", lol. And yeah, the distance is wide, but not so wide so that is a great comfort to me. Thanks for reading what I wrote and replying, I am very appreciative.

Lucid you and your mom are both so beautiful, I mean that, you just look so much alike and have those lovely smiles and curvy eyes that seem to laugh. I like those kind of eyes.

Choco you confuse me. Why would you equate the avatar image with the person? Is that what you were saying, maybe I misunderstood you though actually I read it twice, but I get confuzzled. =P

Asami I think many of us got over male avatar = male person at Gaia or way before Gaia. People like to be different things or to not have people make assumptions about them and so on. I assume nothing. Not truth, not lies, not law or dictum or anything. Not over the internet.

[littl3chocobo]

thankyou, i myself use my avi as my standard since my actual looks at a glance do not represent my gender or my inner physiognomy both of which are somewhat fluid XD

i mean, umaeril that we make our avis to represent our own thoughts feelings desires and wants whereas our actual bodies are simply a combination of genetics and culture that we use the best we can to reflect ourselves. an avatar flushes most of the parts of us that are the easiest to stereotype or judge and allow us to instead amplify the parts of ourselves we most feel are important such as physical attributes or personality quirks with the benefit of people looking at the avatar as just that, an avatar of our preferences

here is my example;

this is a picture of a female;
http://a.abcnews.com/images/US/ht_ka..._130522_wg.jpg
just looking at her picture we already tack on so many assumptions such as her race, her nationality, whether she uses dye or is natural, if she is popular, if she lives alone, how much money she makes, what her gender is, how old she is, whether she is likely a virgin, is she maybe someone who has a lot of friends, if she has a big family

this is the picture of an avatar;
http://a2.cdn.gaiaonline.com/dress-u...041207_6.00_11
your assumptions of this at a glance are a lot more limited such as boy/girl, boy/girl irl, adult/child rich or just an older member, and nice or not nice

granted not all are thought of by everyone and each have more but what we assume and how deeply we think about it is so very different because our brains and our culture dictates what we think we ought to know from a glance and adjusts our biases and expectations accordingly


it is also an issue that you will remember that person by their picture and not by their avis which over time leaves you with neither their face or their avis because of memory-related bias and atrophy XD i will always think of my grandmother the way i saw her two years ago until she looks so very different that my brain will make a new face for her because i only see her once a year or so

[littl3chocobo]

or more simply, i prefer to see the person as they would like to be seen instead of how they look because it is human nature to stereotype those we don't know intamatly and the internet allows me to break that very basic boundary XD

[Amakai]

I almost always use a male avi on avatar sites o3o I just like them better...most female avis to me are bulky or not pixeled well imo =u= but I'ma girl lol

[littl3chocobo]

haha, a lot of people would complain in the other direction XD

[Umaeril]

Well what is my avatar telling you about me if I may ask?

Hi Amakai, how are you doing? You look great in that color!

[Amakai]

@Uma - I tend to assume everyone is the gender of their avis unless their siggy states otherwise or I know them from somewhere else xD

And thank you~ I was very much pleased with the new Lion item xD I bought like 5 or 6 of them lol

[Espy]

Haaahahaha. A conversation that's I am very much interested in.

Amakai -- It's really obvious you're a girl behind your avatar. (Nothing bad about it -- I'm just saying.)

EDIT: But the way some people talk will give away their sex.

[littl3chocobo]

that you enjoy the aesthetic more than the practical and you are either educated in art or an artist and you might have ocd X''D the same thing i would learn from talking to you

poor amaki XD you can call me a 'he' but they don't make avatars to match my gender

[Amakai]

@Espy - haha not everyone thinks so xD I've been mistaken for a guy many times lol

@Chocobo - x3 sounds good to me

[Umaeril]

I love that lion item too Amakai!

Heya Espy! How's it hangin'?

Choco, I will not say you are dead wrong as that is impolite, yet I must say that my avatar has given you somewhat of the wrong impression. I am much more practical than I am an aesthete. I am in medicine, neurophysiology mainly. I like things orderly but I am not diagnostically a personage of OCD persuasion.

[littl3chocobo]

X''D if it is right though it is fine, though why arent your avatars ever practical or tidy if that is the case?

[Umaeril]

When presented with the lovely variety of items supplied by Trisphee I am incumbent to create the best avatar that I can (with respect to my personal taste). This differs from the practicality of my true nature. I am exceedingly grounded by nature. The task of making avatars is one that I linger over because I have few other artistic outlet since I am not talented at drawing like you are, or anything else really. However, if I spend enough time I can make a good avatar, one that pleases me. I don't like plain avatars for myself...there is no challenge for me in that. XD

I really like that hair that you have. That must be 2 hairs.

[Sadrain]

Yeah, but sometimes even if they say "bah, crybaby", it warms something in their hearts. Still, you know your mom and your family the best. It does vary from one person to another. Personally, I know my mom would be like that, too, since she never cries... But she knows I am a crybaby on certain level so accepts it.

As for pictures and avatars... My avatars are always a reflection of myself, my idea, mood... And I am not ashamed to admit it. If you can read it - alright, if not - also alright. It's not so much for showing others, as putting my own emotions out. Sometimes it's just artistic medium, but then it's still my idea/me I am putting out, isn't it? As I am perfectionist, I probably spend too much time with my avatars, even though they end up looking simple in most cases.

Real pictures... I don't really care how my internet friends look. It's alright with me either they show me their picture or not. In the end, even if I don't like them in the picture, I don't think about it a lot (because pictures can be so deceiving, people rarely seem like their true selves in photos) and soon, put it aside. In most cases, at least, exceptions being when this person starts/is showing some unpleasant traits I've seen in the photo.

And I totally agree with Espy - the way people talk/write gives a lot away. Their gender, even mood. It's a bit tricky with gender, though, as sometimes it's the gender they are more associated with/think more like, not physical gender that you can figure from way of writing.

EDIT: Actually, avatars give away personality traits in lot of cases, too. Especially together with threads/places they hang around/their goals. Not always, but if someone is always repeating certain things in avatars and then with some observations, you can make out general outline. Like, you can sometimes tell: this person wants to be popular and noticed and by practically any means.

EDIT 2: if we talk about items, I absolutely have to add the Solukino eyes as one of my favorites. And the Undine & Knox of Night. <33

[littl3chocobo]

ah, well maybe i am niave XD i am like saide

it's four actually XD would you like the build?

[Kilala Mikal]

Right now, things are going a little bit better. Apparently he's finally realizing that his unemployment isn't gonna last forever. He's put in a couple of applications, so I can't really complain at the moment.

And to barge right in on the avatar chatter, there are certain types of items that I tend to hoard for my avatars simply because I don't feel comfortable wearing them in real life. Due to my size, I really don't think that I'd look good, even in the outfits that don't show any skin.

I've never given much thought to people using their avatars to try and match their perceived gender, but that's just because I usually accept most things at face value. If a person's using a male avatar, I think of that person as a guy, and vice versa, unless of course I've seen them say otherwise. I must say I am curious as to how you identify, Cho. Although I know it is none of my business. Your avatar base is usually male, but from the items you use, you seem to have a flair for the feminine garb, and that's what makes me curious.

I've thought about using male bases before, but for the most part, I've never been able to find any items that I like.