Let's Introduce Ourselves!

[Onionpie]

Hello, hello! Are you new to the Scarleteen boards? Well, we would LOVE to get to know a little bit about you! After you have answered the following highly important (just kidding!) questions, try to think up a question YOU would like to hear other people's answers to! Time to discover something awesome about each other!

So, RIDDLE ME THIS:

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
3. What is the best topping for pizza?
4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.

Answers must be written in pencil only, DEFINITELY no red pen! On your marks, get set, go!

[Keda]

I'm not a new user. But I never introduced myself before, so why not now?

I was OhImpecuniousOne on the old boards. I picked the name because it was late and I was tired and I just wanted to post, and told myself I'd change it to something better soon. Well, that never happened. But as much as I did enjoy watching you guys all try to come up with a shortened version of it that wasn't completely clunky, I guess it's time to pick something less infuriating.

I stole this name from a protagonist in a story I'm no longer writing. It originally meant weak, but hey, the character changed!

1. Back when you guys were running your donation drive, Scarleteen was all over my tumblr dash. I couldn't afford to give you any money, but since everyone was ranting about how awesome you all are, I figured I'd check you out anyway. And they were right!
2. A whole bunch of people talking about sex and bodies without giggling like a bunch of five yearolds. Yisss!
3. Pizza is a paradox. There are hundreds of amazing delicious toppings available, and yet the best pizzas have no more than four toppings per pizza. Seriously, the best pizza I ever had was just mozzarella, tomato and basil, in a little restaurant near Napoli. I had eaten my body weight in seafood for a starter (due to my Dad's dodgy menu translation), and I was seriously heartbroken when I just could not stuff another bite of that delicious, heavenly pizza in.
4. Can I say everywhere? I'm saying everywhere.
I used to say Russia, because the language is beautiful and the country is just so vast and alien. But I am less hot on ever, ever being in Russia these days. Alas.
5. Sad to say that at 23, the article on hymens was (in parts, at least) news to me.
6. My blinding modesty and expert ability to deflect questions. (But really, there are many awesome things about me, I am just incapable of deciding which one to talk about)
7. I'm gonna be boring and plump for my academic area of knowledge: law. Law is totally amazeballs. Don't anyone suggest otherwise.
8. I... dunno, really. I'm not expecting to need to ask for help here, though you never know what will happen. I just like learning and thinking and seeing other people's approaches - both the commendable ones and the less so - and, I guess, getting into other people's heads a bit. I'm always curious about how others see the world, and Scarleteen is one of the relatively few places where we're all talking about that stuff openly.
9. My friends are a pretty awesome bunch, I talk about sex and gender and politics with them a fair bit, I'm sure Scarleteen stuff has made its way in.
10. Onion is the best vegetable in the world, because it makes absolutely everything taste so much more exciting.[1] Aaaand my girlfriend can't eat it. I dunno how I'm ever gonna cook for her properly.

[1] Me et al, 'Objective bestness of all vegetables ever', 27 Journal of Totally Not Made Up Stuff Vol. 3, 2014.

[MoradM]

I am MoradM, a 21 year old Computer Scientist and video game developer, hoping to be able to support this magnificent place!

1. A pregnancy scare, as I was sex-ed-less at the age of 21.
2. The welcoming atmosphere, and the rich knowledge of the staff members and volunteers. Plus, it comforts me to know that people my age also get pregnancy scares, and have low sex-ed information. We are all here to enrich our knowledge.
3. Tomato with onions! The perfect mix for me!
4. London; it is my favorite city of all time, and has some rich Game Development companies
5. OF COURSE! Dry humping!
6. Loving science, and pursuing it within the frames of anything I do
7. Computer Science and Video Game Development!
8. Knowledge, and support!
9. Actually yes I have!
10. Lemon. Lemon juice is known to be a cure-all vegetable!

I'd add this question:
Why are you not smiling right now?!

[Infinitea]

Let's give this a try, I was originally skiesofgreen on the other boards (time to switch it up I suppose) and this is my introduction:

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
A google search on abusive relationship I believe, and I couldn't be more happy that this is where I ended up.

2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
The community, the knowledge and the opportunity to feel comfortable with my sexuality.

3. What is the best topping for pizza?
Pepperoni. And mushrooms. No questions asked.

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Istanbul and Tokyo are both at the top of my list, but at this very exact moment, I've got to say Disneyworld/Universal Studios. I've never been and, let's be real, Harry Potter World is now a thing.

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
Despite what I think was not totally terrible sex ed, Scarleteen still busted some myths about hymens and made me reconsider my opinions on virginity.

6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
I don't know about MOST awesome, but I appreciate my sincere appreciation for food.

7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
Canadian politics? Origami cats? Disney song lyrics? It's hard to pick really.

8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
Over the years I've come here for knowledge and support, but I think it's the community that has always brought me back.

9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
To more than one friend and more than once. Scarleteen has been great resource to share with friends, especially those new to sex and those in problematic relationships.

10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a person in possession of good taste must be in want of a cucumber (Austen 1).

[tealcoati]

Umm...hi. c:> This is my first time posting here and I just discovered this site today, so I'm feeling a little shy.

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
I've felt that I needed another safe space for a few months now. The only person I feel like I can talk to about anything with is my mom, so when she's at work or unavailable and I'm having a bad day I get lonely and start to feel really down. I've looked for a place like this before, but I couldn't find one and I was beginning to think it didn't exist.

2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
It really does feel safe. On a lot of websites, even the ones that are otherwise really supportive, there are always negative comments and they can just bring you down even if they aren't directed at you personally. Then there are the safe-spaces that, while I'm sure they help a lot of people and I'm glad they too, I haven't felt like I'd be welcome there. I feel like I'm included here and it's great.

3. What is the best topping for pizza? Olives, black and green, and tomatoes!
It's been a favorite of mine since my parents had to cut my slices up for me.

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Tashirojima, or Cat Island! You can't bring dogs there for obvious reasons, which is a bit of a bummer for me and my cat-adoring dog, but there are kitties everywhere. They actually outnumber the human population on the island!

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
Not exactly (but I haven't been here long either ), but one of the first articles I read was a huge comfort to me and made me feel less alone. It's an IYOW called Polyamorous? Does That Mean You Like Parrots? by TheTasteOfPurple. It really helped myself confirm that there's nothing wrong with me, and it's written by a then-seventeen-year-old, so they're only a couple years older than I am. I hadn't known of any other teenage poly people until then.

6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
I...don't really know how to answer this one, eheheh. I guess I'm really passionate about my interests and beliefs, and I work hard for them.

7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
Not sure if this is cool or mildly creepy, but if you want to know anything about one or more of the fifteen anime guys I'm crushing on, I can probably tell you. Also, I'm not quite an expert yet, but I am an upper belt in my Kung Fu class.

8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
No free candy?! D: What?! This is an outrage of the highest degree. But in all seriousness, the first three cover it pretty well. I'm hoping I can help spread it around, too.

9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
Not yet, but if any of my friends sound like they could use your help, I will definitely recommend this site. I've only been here a few hours and it's lifted a huge emotional weight from my shoulders.

10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.
Water chesnuts or broccoli. They both have really great textures and tastes!

[Eve]

Hi, newish user, I mainly just browse rather than post c:

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
A pregnancy scare a few months ago, this site helped me so much, it put things into perspective and helped me figure out my next steps!

2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
Everyone is so kind yet informative, it's just a lovely community !

3. What is the best topping for pizza?
Pepperoni... Of course ;P

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Aahhh, probably Italy, I like all the old streets and rustic feel

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
Not that I can think of off the top of my head, but I feel a lot more informed about certain topics

6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
Hard question... I guess maybe my love for psychology and my drive to one day have a career as a psychologist.. At least I think that's awesome

7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
All things makeup... Star wars too I guess? Ha ha.

8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
Support! The boards are such a great place to find support on very personal topics, I know I can always come here for help.

9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
I recently told my boyfriend about Scarleteen, he thought it sounded like a great website for me, not sure if he's checked it out yet though

10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.
Carrot! But only raw... Is it weird that I could spend all day eating raw carrot? )

[Keda]

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Tashirojima, or Cat Island! You can't bring dogs there for obvious reasons, which is a bit of a bummer for me and my cat-adoring dog, but there are kitties everywhere. They actually outnumber the human population on the island!

Have you ever been to Rome? If "Fiore" is actually Italian then the answer's probably yes, if not that may be an implausible suggestion, depending.

Rome is packed full of ruins - so many that they don't bother maintaining most of them - and one of them is Torre Argentina in the city centre, between the Castel Sant Angelo and the Colosseum. It's absolutely packed with cats. The cats were strays, that moved in because the ruins provided shelter and the locals fed them - and eventually the city just decided to save themselves the bother of trying to get rid of the strays, and allowed the ruins to be turned into a cat shelter. They have 250 cats living in a ruin the size of a town square, all cared for by volunteers. It's a truly incredible sight!

[xmetalgirl]

I love doing these!

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards? - I became sexually active recently. I never had any sex education or if it was taught it was not proper sex education at all! Reading stupid yahoo answers scared the craps outta me. Then I was like why am I reading this crap? I need to start searchibg for proper and correct sex education. I saw scarleteen on google and got hooked.
2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)? - definitely getting correct sex education! The volunteers are so nice, wonderful people. How fast you get answers. But also how awesome and accepted I feel here. This site honestly makes me feel better about everything!
3. What is the best topping for pizza? - cheese dude. Cut da cheeeeeeese!
4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? - Italy! Because my background is italian and its so beautiful there
5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they? Hell yeah. People on yahoo say condoms dont work! Blahblahblah! Before I thought the 2% in failure rate for proper condom use was just a mysterious way to get pregnant. Pssshhh! But scarleteen corrected and said it is about slippage and breakage! Definitely right. Dont read yahoo plzzz
6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you? Um Idk ! Id say I have pretty cool eyes. I got really long natural eyelashes that people think theyre extensions hehehe!
7. Do you have any cool area of expertise? - Umm I am an artist. Drawing, painting, sculpting, designing is my passion!
8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one) - all of the above (booooo on the no candy)
9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them? - Yup!
10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? I freaking love veggies! I cant pick between mushrooms, carrots or peas. The way my italian mom makes carrots and peas lilke thanksgiving with roasted chestnuts yummmm. And mushrooms I love in sushi or mushroom gravy on mashed potatos *drools

[CrestedCaracara]

This is my first post ever, so hello Scarleteen! I've been reading this amazing place for months, though, and want to get to know you all.
1. Either Google or Erika Moen, I forget. Erika Moen is amazing though.
2. ALL the information and Heather and her wonderful volunteers.
3. Pineapple!
4. Spain, for the art.
5. I guess the idea that sex just is painful for vagina-havers. I had pretty nice education before though, so it wasn't totally revelatory.
6. I always try to be patient and nice, and I'm the most rabid Cormac McCarthy fan around.
7. Not really expertise, but I know how to care of captive birds of prey.
8. More knowledge is always nice, but I also just like having a place where people talk about life and sex, etc. in a knowledgeable and chill manner.
9. I've definitely shared the wonders of birth control with friends and my entire biology and history classes, basically.
10. Potatoes. Because samosas and pierogies. End of discussion.

[tealcoati]

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Tashirojima, or Cat Island! You can't bring dogs there for obvious reasons, which is a bit of a bummer for me and my cat-adoring dog, but there are kitties everywhere. They actually outnumber the human population on the island!

Have you ever been to Rome? If "Fiore" is actually Italian then the answer's probably yes, if not that may be an implausible suggestion, depending.

Rome is packed full of ruins - so many that they don't bother maintaining most of them - and one of them is Torre Argentina in the city centre, between the Castel Sant Angelo and the Colosseum. It's absolutely packed with cats. The cats were strays, that moved in because the ruins provided shelter and the locals fed them - and eventually the city just decided to save themselves the bother of trying to get rid of the strays, and allowed the ruins to be turned into a cat shelter. They have 250 cats living in a ruin the size of a town square, all cared for by volunteers. It's a truly incredible sight!

Nah, I've only been to two states other than my own (I'm actually in the U.S.). XD Fiore is the country that the anime/manga Fairy Tail is set in and I was feeling nerdy.
But that's really interesting! c: I looked it up and checked out their website and it looks like kitty paradise; all the nooks and crannies and sunbathing spots a cat could dream of. Also, it's a no-kill sanctuary! ;w; I definitely want to support those, so if life takes me to Europe, I'll see if I can make a stop there.

[Peonies]

I'm not new but here's a bit about me:

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
I was looking up answers to a sexual health question. I found the website, read through it, and realized it was a sound place to get information.

2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
I really enjoy the people here. There is always something interesting to talk about. I also feel very secure and safe in posting here.

3. What is the best topping for pizza?
Banana peppers!

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
There are many places I would love to go, but I think Egypt is at the top of my list. I loved studying Egyptian art history, and I think it would be a fascinating place to visit.

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
Scarleteen has busted so many myths I can't name them all here. Seriously, so many myths. One being the article on hymens that other folks mentioned.

6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
I have been told I am a great listener and advice giver. I feel that I know how to truly listen to people rather than just hear them talking. I genuinely like people as a whole and care about them too.

7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
I can grow weird plants. I have a great track record with keeping plants alive and I can almost always save one. My favorite thing to do is to get ones from clearance shelves that are nearly dead, and rescue them. I am hoping to get my "master gardener" certification next spring!

8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
All of the above even though I know I can't get the free candy, haha.

9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
Yes! A friend of mine who was sexually assaulted found a lot of the articles here helpful. I have talked down several friends from pregnancy scares with information I found here as well.

10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY?
Green peppers. There are so many things you can do with them - sautee them, put them in a salad, stuff them, grill them, eat them raw, put them on pizza, in pastas....so. many. things.

I would love to know if anyone else has a spot in their home (or outside..or anywhere) that they go to for comfort. If you do, where do you go? I have this side of my house where most of my flowers and plants are. I go there to meditate and de-stress. I feel safe, secure, and happy there. I call it my "happy place".

[Kaizen]

Hi everyone. I'm Kaizen. I got the name from betterthanenglish.com, which defines it as "small incremental changes that add up to large improvements over time". I think that's pretty inspiring.

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
On another site that I go on a lot, a new user posted asking for advice. I don't remember exactly what her question/rant was, but it was very angry and capslocky and referred to certain other girls as sluts. Another user posted a supercalm post linking her here and saying she might learn something. Being curious, I followed the link myself. I eventually checked out the message boards because I love reading advice column sort of things, and I loved the advice given around here.

2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
The gentle but real advice, given with a dose of humor, and Heather's amazing metaphors. (As the English major writer girl, I appreciate seeing someone else whose default method of explanation is analogy.)

3. What is the best topping for pizza?
Generally, I go with pepperoni. However, my boyfriend and I had a delicious pizza with pancetta and mushrooms last weekend. Also, there's a place near my house which makes a pizza with buffalo chicken, ranch, hashbrowns and cheddar. While I don't consider that pizza, really, it's delicious too.

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Either Argentina, to visit my relatives' ranch, or Greece, because I love Greek food and I'd love to see the ruins and scenery in person.

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
Mainly, that my first time having intercourse would be painful and there was nothing I could do about it. This site has also really reaffirmed a lesson I've been learning over the past year about communication being really important, in all kinds of relationships.

6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
I love learning things. Any and all things. About anything. Or anyone. Last year the mechanical engineering major in my house at school was explaining his homework on capacitance to me, and was amazed that an English major was interested. My med student boyfriend once practiced a physical exam on me, and I kept interrupting him to ask what he was doing and why. I read textbooks; I read brochures; I read cereal boxes. Ever seen Sid the Science Kid? "Did you hear the one about the kid who wanted to know everything about everything?" That's me.

7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
Yes! I love reading about early American space missions-- Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, the first shuttle missions. I'm more into it for the story than the technology. I can tell you lots of cool stories about, say, the lunar selfie that didn't get taken, the near-death experience on the moon, or the "romance" of Gemini VII.

8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
All of the above? (Aw, no free candy?) Keda's answer sums it up pretty well for me, too.

9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
Yep. A friend recently went through a breakup, and I told her she should come here. She was saying a lot of things like, "I'm a horrible person", and "Don't you dare tell me it'll get better", and "I must have done something wrong, or been something wrong, or he'd still want to be with me", and I've seen people here help out people feeling like that.

10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.
Since a tomato is a fruit, the best vegetable in the word is corn. It's so versatile. You can dry it and grind it into flour, which makes delicious tortillas. Or you can make it into bread, which is tasty and moist and the perfect companion to a bowl of chili. You can make fresh corn into a salad with black beans and green and red onions and cilantro and cider vinegar, and I swear when you eat it you will taste summer. You can boil or grill corn on the cob and eat it with butter and salt, or flavored butter. (My family is trying to perfect a chili-lime butter.) Mostly importantly, to the best of my knowledge, there is no other vegetable that you can explode to make a movie night snack.

I don't know that I really have a happy place in any of the places I live now. (Home, house at school.) I do insist that my future house have a porch swing, so that will probably be my future writing happy place.

[Heather]

(Kaizen, you just made my whole day! I'm so touched and tickled someone enjoys my metaphors so much. )

[zeitvogel]

I'm not a new user either I was here around the turn of the year, then around april I drifted away a bit, and now I'm back. (Yay!)

1. What first brought me here was a link from another site to the "red flags" thread in the abuse & assault forum here. I read that whole thread and was impressed at the people here and in particular about how safe it felt here. This led me to open up about an issue I'd been carrying around for a long long time, and I finally got some healing for it.

2. My favorite part of being on here is that I can help people in return. When I write about my personal experience in reply to someone else's, or just say what their situation looks like to me, and they say OH YEAH THAT HELPS, it really makes me feel good and useful in a way that seems more meaningful than any of the 'productive' things I do the rest of the day.

3. The best topping for pizza is BBQ sauce! I love pizzas that have that instead of tomato sauce. But not every time, that would get boring.

4. If I could travel anywhere in the world... Japan. I've never been there, but it seems to be a magic land with magic people. I should probably not go, and keep it that way in my mind

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for me? Several about the hymen. Seriously go read the "Corona" article. http://www.scarleteen.com/article/bodie ... urround_it

6. The most AWESOME aspect about me? I polled some friends and it seems to be that I know a little bit about everything. "Every time I talk to you I learn something new", one said. I knew that compulsive reading habit was good for something.

7. Cool area of expertise? No... the only thing that's held my attention long enough to develop expertise is programming. And that's not cool anymore But still. Deep inside computers, where no one dares to look, I can do magic.

8. What I'm hoping to get at the boards here... mostly it's just enjoying this environment where people feel safe and can talk about real problems.

9. I've linked to Scarleteen when helping some people with relationship stuff. Especially the red flags thread that brought me here in the first place. Also the reciprocity article, and this article: http://www.scarleteen.com/article/bodie ... e_of_entry which gave me a whole new view of penetration.

10. The best vegetable! It would have to be ginger. Mmm, ginger. Because it's good in everything, and you can carve it in funny shapes.

Onionpie also asked us to think up a question, and here's mine:
- What is the best present you've ever had?

[Peonies]

zeitvogel, I love ginger too! It really is good in a variety of things. I like to put it in desserts and beverages

To answer your question, the best present I've ever had was a greenhouse that my boyfriend made me, completely handmade! It's on wheels so I can move it in or outside if I need to. It took him nearly 3 months to make and it was a surprise. It was very thoughtful since he knows I am running out of room for all my plants. Handmade presents are so thoughtful and I love getting them.

[Heather]

Best present (and no contest):

Years ago, I had an ex -- who is now one of my very best friends -- I was initially seeing long distance, and with a time zone difference, so late-night calls were a common occurrence. One night, my phone rang about midnight when I was mostly asleep (I'm a serious early-bird, not a night-owl), and I picked it up thinking it was going to be them, and instead it was....

...ROBYN HITCHCOCK! One of my favorite, favorite indie musicians since I was in high school in the 80s.

We had this marvelous little conversation (which was very difficult for me because I was trying not to squeal the entire time) before he handed the phone over to my ex/friend, who said they'd gone to a small local show and then somehow cornered Robyn with their cell phone coming out of the bathroom and made a quick call saying I was a very long-time fan living far away.

It was AMAZING.

Extra perk: when that phone died, my ex/friend gave it to me in a fancy box so I could always have the phone Robyn had talked to me with.

Extra, extra bonus: about two years later, I did get to meet Robyn in person at another small show, and got to be like, "So, we talked on the phone a couple years ago when you were in that hallway over there. You told me I sounded little." Heh. After I got through that conversation, I ran outside and did about four cartwheels in the parking lot.

[Sam W]

Hi everyone, Sam here.

1) I first turned up on the message boards after becoming a volunteer. I found the site via tumblr, under someone's recommended resources.
2) I love talking to people about sex and all the stuff that surrounds it, so I love interacting with people on the boards.
3)Pineapple. Always pineapple.
4) Olympic National Park. I'd really like the chance to explore it more. And somewhere rainforest-like sounds really good in this dry heat.
5)No myths busted, but I admit to not knowing as much about STI transmission then as I do now.
6)I bake a really mean cheesecake
7)Sex Ed, book suggestions, and raptor handling.
8)More time doing what I love!
9)Oh yes. Although, at this point, my friends seek me out asking for resources because they know I work here (which I'm always happy to provide).
10)Brussel sprouts, cooked in sesame oil and butter with a dusting of red pepper flakes. So good. So, so good.

As for my question.....I can't help it, what is your favorite book?

[ratperson]

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
I had a question about some symptoms I was having from the pill/my as-of-yet undiagnosed endometriosis, and after searching the boards, I found a few relevant posts. I decided to stick around in case I had any other questions, because everyone here is super supportive.
2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
Everyone is so supportive, and sometimes it's tough love, but everyone needs that sometimes.
3. What is the best topping for pizza?
I really like Hawaiian pizza, with ham and pineapples on it.
4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I really like the German language, so possibly to Germany, but honestly any fun cruise to a tropical place, with lots of sunscreen and mosquito repellent, would be fantastic!
5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
The hymen one was a huge myth for me; also, the fact that heavier periods are 'normal' and that sex changes you (the last two perpetuated by my mom)
6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
I'm relatively talented at drawing, mostly horses but I make up characters (I have about 15 different horse-characters modeled after friends so far, each with a biography and some with relatives as well!) and lately I've been into making up combinations of two different animals (squirrel+bunny was the most recent one).
7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
I know an obnoxious amount about horses, having been around them for about ten years (with a few short breaks due to injuries), and I'm the family expert on rats, since we have three!
8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
Knowledge is always a good one, but possibly support as well. Once I can post in other forums, I'll elaborate; I don't want to make this post heavier than it needs to be. ^^
9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
One of my friends was having difficulties with a fling and I linked her to several pages from Scarleteen, and I think they helped a lot!
10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.
I would have said corn if you'd asked me a few years ago, but I've since developed an intolerance to it. so now I'd have to say either broccoli or peas - I can eat tons of both and they're very tasty!

edit: extra question - the present one:
I think the best present I have ever gotten was a surprise concert (well, not really a surprise, I looked up the nearby concerts when I heard my parents discussing it) where we got to see Keith Urban. It was a Thursday night show (very unusual here, even over the summer), and lasted for nearly four hours. Great fun.

Here's my question: if you could own any animal in the world (assuming proper facilities and care for it - we don't want the alligator-in-the-bathtub thing going on!), what would it be and why?

[pikachu]

Hi I literally just joined so some of these might be a bit vague, I'm so excited to become a part of this!

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
I was looking for inspiration for an mini-essay I have to write about sexual violence and one popped up from this site - started reading other articles about different topics and wound up here!

2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
The articles are all so informative and such an easy and interesting read. From what I've seen in these forums, everyone seems so friendly and willing to help, such a comfortable atmosphere!

3. What is the best topping for pizza?
Any type of anything, except for pineapple and olives (ick). Om, pizza.

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Well I've already started tackling Europe, so more places there. I've also heard some really amazing things about Asia, places like Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. Oh and anywhere with a Disneyland!

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
Not particularly, but I found the articles a great read.

6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
Apart from being generally awesome? Ha, nah, I guess just being really ambitious and knowing what I want to do and where I want to go. I'm also the friend that everyone trusts and tells their secrets to, I love listening to people and giving advice (it makes me feel sage and wise at the ripe old age of 19).

7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
Does an extensive knowledge of Disney movies count? The art of procrastination? (I have three Uni tests tomorrow, and here I am NOT studying for them xD)

8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
Nothing, now that I know there's no free candy. Hehe, all of the above! What's awesome is that these forums are a place where all of them bar the last one are possible. Such a safe environment.

9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
From the hour and a bit I've been on here, I'm sad to say I have not.

10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.
Can I do mine in APA format? It's the only one I'm used to doing I actually have so many I love. Red onion, normal onion, garlic, corn, potatoes, brussel sprouts, asparagus, capsicum, mushrooms, I'm getting hungry just thinking about this.

I think this was one of the bonus questions? If I could have any pet, it'd be a pet tiger like Jasmine has in Aladdin It'd be like having a cat, but you could unleash it on people you didn't like

[hannah1007]

I've been on here a few times but never signed up until today so I'll go ahead and do this real quick.

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?
About a year ago when I was looking for more reasonable sex-ed information, and this site instantly became my favorite.

2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?
How people actually understand and don't just answer with "If you weren't having sex you wouldn't be worried about this". Also how everyone seems very friendly.

3. What is the best topping for pizza?
Banana pepper or pineapple :p

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Romania, to visit my ancestor Vlad Tepe's castle in Transylvania!

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?
Not necessarily myths, just information about different types of birth control that I didn't know before.

6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?
I would say... my ability to observe things extremely well and figure things out.

7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?
Definitely cats. I know a lot about them and I absolutely love everything about them. I'm definitely a legit crazy cat lady.

8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)
I hope to get some advice, support, and maybe gain a few new friends or some new knowledge about different things. I would also like to give some advice on things that I know as well.

9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?
Yes, with my boyfriend and my bestfriend.

10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.
I love love love potatoes. Cooked in any way. Mashed potatoes, french fries, potato salad, tater tots, hash browns, I could eat them all day. I just love potatoes.

And that's that

[ladyrevan21]

Um, hi, I'm LadyRevan21 and it's good to be here. Seriously.

1. What first brought you to Scarleteen/the message boards?

Reddit was kind enough to direct me here. Mostly thanks to my ignorance related to vaginal stuff.

2. What is your FAVOURITE part about being on here (so far)?

The articles. Very informative, very well-written and awesome. And the people I've met so far are very lovely.

3. What is the best topping for pizza?

Cheese. I can be a very vanilla kind of person, I guess. Also, pepperoni is a bonus. Olives too. (Not sure about pineapple but I am definitely

4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Maine. Mostly because a favorite author of mine, Stephen King, lives there. I'd also like to go to France.

5. Has Scarleteen busted any myths for you that you once thought were facts? What were they?

Haven't really read up on many of the myth-busting articles but I might have to sometime.

6. What is the most AWESOME aspect about you?

Creativity, determination, perceptiveness, and being kind to people.

7. Do you have any cool area of expertise?

I'm pretty good at writing. I've been writing stories since I was little; it's just something that seemed natural to me. Unfortunately going through a series of crises where I've kind of lost my passion for original fiction, though I have been writing a story extremely loosely based on an iTunes app I bought. (Yeah, I know. XD Then again, Stephen King once wrote a short story based on what-if-a-typewriter-could-alter-reality, so one can get their ideas from anywhere, really)

8. What are you hoping to get at the boards here? Knowledge? Friendship? Support? Free candy? (sorry, we don't really have any of that last one)

Knowledge, mostly. But friendship and support too.

9. Have you ever shared the knowledge you gained from Scarleteen with friends, or recommended us to them?

Not yet, but I think I might.

10. Finally, the most crucial question of the day. What is the best vegetable and WHY? Essays with MLA or Chicago style citations are accepted.

Corn with butter is definitely the most awesome vegetable, because it's a really fun and delicious vegetable to eat.