Best products from r/casualiama

On behalf of Chuck Klosterman...

1. Let us assume you met a rudimentary magician. Let us assume he can do five simple tricks--he can pull a rabbit out of his hat, he can make a coin disappear, he can turn the ace of spades into the Joker card, and two others in a similar vein. These are his only tricks and he can't learn anymore; he can only do these five. HOWEVER, it turns out he's doing these five tricks with real magic. It's not an illusion; he can actually conjure the bunny out of the ether and he can move the coin through space. He's legitimately magical, but extremely limited in scope and influence. Would this person be more impressive than Albert Einstein?
   
   
2. Let us assume a fully grown, completely healthy Clydesdale horse has his hooves shackled to the ground while his head is held in place with thick rope. He is conscious and standing upright, but completely immobile. And let us assume that--for some reason--every political prisoner on earth (as cited by Amnesty International) will be released from captivity if you can kick this horse to death in less than twenty minutes. You are allowed to wear steel-toed boots. Would you attempt to do this?
   
   
3. Let us assume there are two boxes on a table. In one box, there is a relatively normal turtle; in the other, Adolf Hitler's skull. You have to select one of these items for your home. If you select the turtle, you can't give it away and you have to keep it alive for two years; if either of these parameters are not met, you will be fined $999 by the state. If you select Hitler's skull, you are required to display it in a semi-prominent location in your living room for the same amount of time, although you will be paid a stipend of $120 per month for doing so. Display of the skull must be apolitical. Which option do you select?
   
   
4. You meet your soul mate. However, there is a catch: Every three years, someone will break both of your soul mate's collarbones with a Crescent wrench, and there is only one way you can stop this from happening: You must swallow a pill that will make every song you hear--for the rest of your life--sound as if it's being performed by the band Alice in Chains. When you hear Credence Clearwater Revival on the radio, it will sound (to your ears) like it’s being played by Alice in Chains. If you see Radiohead live, every one of their tunes will sound like it’s being covered by Alice in Chains. When you hear a commercial jingle on TV, it will sound like Alice in Chains; if you sing to yourself in the shower, your voice will sound like deceased Alice vocalist Layne Staley performing a Capella (but it will only sound this way to you). Would you swallow the pill?
   
   
5. At long last, someone invents "the dream VCR." This machine allows you to tape an entire evening's worth of your own dreams, which you can then watch at your leisure. However, the inventor of the dream VCR will only allow you to use this device of you agree to a strange caveat: When you watch your dreams, you must do so with your family and your closest friends in the same room. They get to watch your dreams along with you. And if you don't agree to this, you can't use the dream VCR. Would you still do this?
   
   
6. Defying all expectation, a group of Scottish marine biologists capture a live Loch Ness Monster. In an almost unbelievable coincidence, a bear hunter in the Pacific Northwest shoots a Sasquatch in the thigh, thereby allowing zoologists to take the furry monster into captivity. These events happen on the same afternoon. That evening, the president announces he may have thyroid cancer and will undergo a biopsy later that week. You are the front page editor of The New York Times: What do you play as the biggest story?
   
   
7. You meet the perfect person. Romantically, this person is ideal: You find them physically attractive, intellectually stimulating, consistently funny, and deeply compassionate. However, they have one quirk: This individual is obsessed with Jim Henson's gothic puppet fantasy The Dark Crystal. Beyond watching it on DVD at least once a month, he/she peppers casual conversation with Dark Crystal references, uses Dark Crystal analogies to explain everyday events, and occasionally likes to talk intensely about the film's "deeper philosophy." Would this be enough to stop you from marrying this individual?
   
   
8. A novel titled Interior Mirror is released to mammoth commercial success (despite middling reviews). However, a curious social trend emerges: Though no one can prove a direct scientific link, it appears that almost 30 percent of the people who read this book immediately become homosexual. Many of these newfound homosexuals credit the book for helping them reach this conclusion about their orientation, despite the fact that Interior Mirror is ostensibly a crime novel with no homoerotic content (and was written by a straight man). Would this phenomenon increase (or decrease) the likelihood of you reading this book?
   
   
9. You are watching a movie in a crowded theater. Though the plot is mediocre, you find yourself dazzled by the special effects. But with twenty minutes left in the film, you are struck with an undeniable feeling of doom: You are suddenly certain your mother has just died. There is no logical reason for this to be true, but you are certain of it. You are overtaken with the irrational metaphysical sense that--somewhere--your mom has just perished. But this is only an intuitive, amorphous feeling; there is no evidence for this, and your mother has not been ill. Would you immediately exit the theater, or would you finish watching the movie?
   
   
10. You meet a wizard. The wizard tells you he can make you more attractive if you pay him money. When you ask how this process works, the wizard points to a random person on the street. You look at this random stranger. The wizard says, "I will now make them a dollar more attractive." He waves his magic wand. Ostensibly, this person does not change at all; as far as you can tell, nothing is different. But--somehow--this person is suddenly a little more appealing. The tangible difference is invisible to the naked eye, but you can't deny that this person is vaguely sexier. This wizard has a weird rule, though--you can only pay him once. You can't keep giving him money until you're satisfied. You can only pay him one lump sum up front. How much cash do you give the wizard?
    
    
11. For reasons that cannot be explained, cats can suddenly read at a twelfth-grade level. They can't talk and they can't write, but they can read silently and understand the text. Many cats love this new skill, because they now have something to do all day while they lay around the house; however, a few cats become depressed, because reading forces them to realize the limitations of their existence (not to mention the utter frustration of being unable to express themselves). This being the case, do you think the average cat would enjoy Garfield, or would cats find this cartoon to be an insulting caricature?
    
    
12. You have a brain tumor. Though there is no discomfort at the moment, this tumor would unquestionably kill you in six months. However, your life can (and will) be saved by an operation; the only downside is that there will be a brutal incision to your frontal lobe. After the surgery, you will be significantly less intelligent. You will still be a fully functioning adult, but you will be less logical, you will have a terrible memory, and you will have little ability to understand complex concepts or difficult ideas. The surgery is in two weeks. How do you spend the next fourteen days?
    
    
13. You have won a prize. The prize has two options, and you can choose either (but not both). The first option is a year in Europe with a monthly stipend of $2,000. The second option is ten minutes on the moon. Which option do you select?
    
    
14. Your best friend is taking a nap on the floor of your living room. Suddenly, you are faced with a bizarre existential problem: This friend is going to die unless you kick them (as hard as you can) in the rib cage. If you don’t kick them while they slumber, they will never wake up. However, you can never explain this to your friend; if you later inform them that you did this to save their life, they will also die from that. So you have to kick a sleeping friend in the ribs, and you can’t tell them why. Since you cannot tell your friend the truth, what excuse will you fabricate to explain this (seemingly inexplicable) attack?
    
    
15. For whatever the reason, two unauthorized movies are made about your life. The first is an independently released documentary, primarily comprised of interviews with people who know you and bootleg footage from your actual life. Critics are describing the documentary as “brutally honest and relentlessly fair.” Meanwhile, Columbia Tri-Star has produced a big-budget biopic of your life, casting major Hollywood stars as you and all your acquaintances; though the movie is based on actual events, screenwriters have taken some liberties with the facts. Critics are split on the artistic merits of this fictionalized account, but audiences love it. Which film would you be most interested in seeing?
    
    Edit: For those wondering, these questions are a subset of Chuck Klosterman's Hypertheticals. I'd have included more but Reddit only allows 10,000 characters per reply.

I'm going to go by category for the best selling items, because it is easier for me:

Clitoral Stimulator: This was actually a tie between two different seven speed bullets. The first (which is my personal favorite and one of my longest lasting toys) is the Burning Angel 7 Speed Bullet. It is waterproof and held up for years for me. It was a quick seller and one of the best sellers in the category, with decent pricing as well. The second is the Doc Johnson 7 Wonders. We couldn't keep them on the shelves! The only downside of this one, for me, was that it isn't waterproof. However, it is Phthalate-Free --- no weird toy smell that normal toys have, no risk of allergic reaction.

Dildo: Doc Johnson's Blush ULTRASKYN was our main best seller!

Dual-Stimulator: Our best-selling dual-stimulator was The Hummingbird. I had sooo many great reviews of it, especially compared to the normal Rabbit. It thrusts, has different speeds of vibration, pulsation, and thrusting. And it's waterproof!

Strap-On: Actually, our best seller in this category was a strapless one! The Gal Pal has a few different sizes. It takes some kegel-muscle strength to hold it in, but our customers loved it! Not only is it hands-free, but it also comes with a bullet that sends vibrations through each end!

Anal: Our best selling anal toy was a 3 speed anal bead set that, unfortunately, I cannot find a link to at this point! If I find it again, I will update this post. It was flexible and waterproof --- and I remember that it was made by California Exotics. This the closest to it in that particular brand that I can find now. Others that match it are this, this, and this.

Lube: This is divided into two categories. For vaginal and toy use, it's best to use a water-based lubricant. A lot of toys are made from materials that will start breaking down if used with a silicone-based lube. Our best seller in water-based lube was Liquid Silk. It's actually one that I still highly recommend to my friends or anyone that asks! If things start getting a bit dry while using it, all you have to do is add a few drops of water to it and it's back to being nice and slick! For silicone-based lube, Wet Platinum was our best seller. Wet Platinum is one of the best types of silicone-based lubricants to use for the more risque types of play.

Realistic-feeling Male Masturbator: The Sasha Grey Ultra Skyn Vibrating Pussy and Ass was our best seller in this list! It is ribbed inside to make it feel more realistic than the normal toys. It is also made of a material called UR3 that, to touch, feels like actual skin. The only downside I found from working with it is that you have to make sure to clean it regularly and use a specific type of powder after cleaning it, else it will start deteriorating.

Novelty (Joke): The sheep blow-up doll and the Filthy Fireman blow-up doll were our best sellers in this category. I have a couple of funny stories to go with these.

Oh, interesting. Yeah, A few years ago I was really convinced that I have social anxiety, but my parents don't take me to doctors so I've never really gotten the chance to ask about it, so I dropped the idea. One of the things I'm looking forward to about being independent in college is that hopefully I'll get to go to doctors on my own terms, so maybe then I'll be able to find out.

Cool, I've never heard of that program but it sounds great! The drawing tablet I have is sort of similar to yours only it's pretty ancient. Maybe if I get really good at digital art eventually in the distant future I could get one of those drawing pads that's like a touchscreen, I still can't get over how cool these things are. I'm hoping that over the summer I'll have more time to really devote myself to learning how to do digital art well. So far I'm pretty good with just pens and pencils but I'd like to add color without spending a fortune on paints or good markers. I was worried that I'd have to pay for good software but I'm glad that that isn't the case.

Thanks! Yeah, what is onion skin mode? Also, how long did it take to make that animation?

• I play to relax pretty often. WoW doesn't have much to do with my personal research. It has so much to do with so many other people's projects though that it's helpful to play in order to understand what they are writing about.
  
• The guild raided a lot when Cata first came out, but then I was a lowly little level 80 or so and I didn't get to go much. Sucked. We'll be back to it with Pandaria.
  
• Everyone studies different stuff. I like taking the stuff we learn from studying games and applying it to other online communication. Two of my friends are doing a study of trade chat on Moonguard. There's actually a WoW theory reader out (available on Amazon) http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Culture-Play-Identity-Warcraft%C2%AE/dp/0262516691/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1343344356&sr=8-3&keywords=World+of+warcraft+reader that would give you a pretty decent idea of what sort of work is being done. People are pretty interested in studying the way groups are formed, how communication works, how people treat each other--MMORPGs provide a microcosm through which to study larger society. Other folks study gender and race representations in games (Samantha Blackmon does GREAT work there) and yet other people research avatars and the connection people feel (or don't) with the image on the screen.
  
• I got hooked on Skylanders, I'm following the development of indie Brony games closely, and I just got done with Lollipop Chainsaw. I <3 Katamari, Locoroco, LittleBigPlanet, and Patapon. I also still have an Atari 2600, 7200, original Nintendo, SNES, N64, GameGear, every Gameboy made in the 80s, 90s, and early 00s, and hundreds of games for them.
  *Gaming has always been a part of my life but I didn't realize it could be more than fun until I started reading some of these other folks' work and thinking about how to bring it into writing classrooms (early work on games and learning connected them to science and math more than writing). My parents sat me in front of the Atari when I was about 1.5, maybe 2, and had me beat their drunk friends at Centipede. :)
  
• I can always play something for fun, or for study, or for both. If I'm going to write something for publication I have to keep notes while I play, but if I'm going to make a presentation or use it in class (yay Portal Puzzle Creator!) I won't do anything so formal. Because popular culture (including gaming) is a big part of the way I teach and research, I'm always looking for connections I might make and keep a Word file full of ideas. They come from the strangest places.
  
  As for a major--try astrophysics! Try what interests you! You can change majors (I did), just don't do it so often that you hurt your federal financial aid eligibility.

Sorry? I think you are mistaken sir. The only official secrets we have are our modes of recognition. Everything else more than fair to be shared. It makes me wonder if you are in fact a mason, and if you are, if you bothered to open up the copy of the constitution they handed you as soon as you finished your first degree.

Have you never wondered why lodges have entire WEBSITES set up explaining the things I am? How authors like these are still members:

http://www.amazon.ca/Freemasons-For-Dummies-Christopher-Hodapp/dp/1118412087

You should apologize to me for that comment. Or even better, how about we place a wager? We both put $1000.00 In an escrow account. When I get home tonight, Ill post my certificate(s) as well as the relevant passages in our constitution. If I check out your $1000.00 goes to a charity of my choice. If I don't, my money will go to you or your charity?


But before you take my bet I would advise you to take a look around:

http://www.askafreemason.org/topten/

Here is right from the grand lodge of Albertas website:

http://www.freemasons.ab.ca/primary/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=31&Itemid=290


Why is Freemasonry so “secretive”?

It really isn’t “secretive,” although it sometimes has that reputation. Freemasons certainly don’t make a secret of the fact that they are members of the fraternity. We wear rings, lapel pins and tie tacks with Masonic emblems like the Square and Compasses, the best known of Masonic signs which, logically, recalls the fraternity’s roots in stonemasonry. Masonic buildings are clearly marked, and are usually listed in the phone book. Lodge activities are not secret picnics and other events are even listed in the newspapers, especially in smaller towns. Many lodges have answering machines which give the upcoming lodge activities. But there are some Masonic secrets, and they fall into two categories.

The first are the ways in which a man can identify himself as a Mason — grips and passwords. We keep those private for obvious reasons. It is not at all unknown for unscrupulous people to try to pass themselves off as Masons in order to get assistance under false pretenses.

The second group is harder to describe, but they are the ones Masons usually mean if we talk about “Masonic secrets.” They are secrets because they literally can’t be talked about, can’t be put into words. They are the changes that happen to a man when he really accepts responsibility for his own life and, at the same time, truly decides that his real happiness is in helping others.

It’s a wonderful feeling, but it’s something you simply can’t explain to another person. That’s why we sometimes say that Masonic secrets cannot ( rather than “may not”) be told. Try telling someone exactly what you feel when you see a beautiful sunset, or when you hear music, like the national anthem, which suddenly stirs old memories, and you’ll understand what we mean.

“Secret societies” became very popular in North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. There were literally hundreds of them, and most people belonged to two or three. Many of them were modeled on Masonry, and made a great point of having many “secrets.” And Freemasonry got ranked with them. But if Freemasonry is a secret society, it’s the worst-kept secret in town.

It is literally word for word what I said in my AMAA, ONLY OUR MODES OF RECOGNITION. You should be careful pretending to know about something you clearly dont. Every once and a while someone might show up and make you look foolish.

Well now you see what happens when you just assume I'll be conversational... In all seriousness, I really had nothing else to argue or bring up about the education thing... Also what do you mean by teh tecknawlahgees (the technologies)? Do you mean advancement? Or just the ability to learn stuff using the internet? Speaking of technology, not sure if you've seen After Earth yet, if you haven't then I won't spoil it don't worry. But the technology they use in the film is all like Bio-Tech, like a seamless fusion of tech and humanity. It's pretty cool, and where I think technology should be heading towards.

Well first-off the African Wars have nothing to do with Northern/Mid Africa. Well not in this context anyway. Sorry I didn't make it clearer, but the African Wars I was refering to was the Anglo-Boer War, which I assume you know something about? If you don't it was when the Afrikaaners and the British got into a little bit of an argument, and by argument I mean war. Which the British lost. The reason I call if the African Wars is that there was a third party involved and those were the Native peoples in South Africa, they too played a part in the War. And so that part of history has been renamed the African Wars. Much like the American War of Independence, had Patriots, British and the Native Americans all fighting one another. Or have I got that wrong? Please enlighten.

As for the rest of Africa affecting us, they most certainly do. Firstly we have an open door policy when it comes to refugees and so we take on a lot of refugees. Not a bad thing because they have really good work ethics and often start working immediately. I suppose it is a bad thing for South Africans seeking similar employment (factory worker, farm labour and domestic workers) who can't find work because they are considered lazy in comparison (have to agree). Side note, North African doctors, aren't welcome here if they are refugees because they are needed more in the country they come from. But literally any other skilled worker is a God send because they will do the same job for less.

But African instability affects us in other ways too, like South Africa is constantly trying to push for an AU but keeps getting either shot down by dictators, or the whole system is abused by dictators. Hosni Mubarak, Kony, Muammar Gaddafi and so on had huge pull in the African Political Circle, and used the old African Union as their personal power houses, causing the whole thing to lack meaning and come apart. Now though, the idea of reinstalling an African Union is on the cards again with South Africa at the helm. Former President Thabo Mbeki (who is blamed for never doing anything and was actually impeached [unjustly] to allow the cards to fall in just the right way to get our current President Jacob Zuma his seat in power), is heading up the whole operation, and has been for the last 7 years.

I kinda want to be frozen till 2700, to see how the world will be like. But also to hear the final notes of Longplayer ring out. I think it would be cool to go to one of the sites and just listen as the last ring is played and the whole room just drops into silence. Do you think people will just clap endlessly as that happens? Would be cool.

>if anything about you posting that upsets me it's that you screwed up the formatting.

Well for YOUR information it wasn't me that screwed up the formatting, but rather RES/Reddit editing that did it. I posted it as He wrote it, but RES had different ideas and 'corrected' it to the format you saw it in. I tried to correct it but to was to no avail. So please do be kind as to fuck off (read sarcastically), because it's not my fault. As for finding a poem that might annoy you, I have taken on that challenge. With an entire styl (on purpose) it's called [MNMLST poetry] (http://www.thing.net/~grist/l&d/grumman/egrumn.htm) and is possibly one of my favorites! (as you've guessed). On that link you'll find the thing I was actually after which is the i with a thumbprint as the dot. Love that poem [(which it is)] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poem). On the topic of things which are short (unlike this reply), here is the world shortest [novel] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_sale:_baby_shoes,_never_worn) comprised by Ernest Hemingway. Thought you might like something just a little different.

And from the topic of literature we dive straight into book recommendations--getting the hang of segueing--though maybe not this whole business of extra information in between dashes.-- Where was I? Oh right! Well I just picked up on of Pratchett's new books; [Dodger] (http://www.amazon.com/Dodger-Terry-Pratchett/dp/0062009494). There is another cover other than the one in the link. Very much enjoying the Steampunk/Victorian setting. Something I do suggest you maybe pick up for a fun read would be [Poison an Illistrated History] (http://www.amazon.com/Poison-Illustrated-History-Joel-Levy/dp/0762770562/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1372521410&sr=1-2&keywords=history+of+poison), an interesting read if you're interested I guess. Plus wow your friends when you can recite all the people killed by poison! Moving on to the book I most highly reccomend, it sits in with my favorite literary technique of narrative. And is all about, and written by, the famous writer [Fernando Pessoa] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Pessoa). It's called [The Book of Disquiet] (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Disquiet-Penguin-Modern-Classics/dp/0141183047). I put the Amazon pages for all the book recommendations as to not tempt you into reading spoilers from their respective Wiki pages. You're welcome to if you so wish, but I don't want to be held responsible for that. However [here] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Disquiet) is the Wiki page for The Book of Disquiet; it hasn't got any spoilers, but rather valuable information you need to know before reading the book so check that out if you want.

Also [Cloud Atlas] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_Atlas_(novel)). Because it's pretty good and you should probably give it a read.
As for things to recommend back, please do! Sure my taste might be expansive (if you say so) but that means I am just more willing to take on whatever you suggest. Oh and do like Sci-Fi, but only certain authors and certain sci-fi. Please I'm not some neckbeard.

As for other things you should do, this Collegehumor [video] (http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6898570/kim-jong-un-launches-a-nuke) is pretty funny, and the rest of the series.

Don't really have much music to suggest, so we'll skip that this time round, plus this message is getting pretty long...

Okay so my favorite tea... it's a three way tie between Rooibos (Uniquely South African thing as far as I'm aware?), the Vanilla Chai tea from [Woolworths] (http://livingincheapluxury.wordpress.com/tag/woolworths-vanilla-chai-tea/) (their official site is down for maintainence). And this special Chai tea that I have no idea the name, only that I buy it from this guy who makes it himself and sells it for R100 for a 1kg burlap bag, which is a huge bargain! There is also a really nice tea cafe near to where I live that I really enjoy going to called [O'ways] (http://www.oways.co.za/), run by an asain couple who know be name now.

Right I think thats it for answering all your questions... That just leaves me with a question to ask back to you (without tradition what do we have?) <--- Not the question but feel free to elaborate. No what I want to know from you is; have you ever made a terrible decision, but stubbornly stuck with it to prove a point? If yes what was it and what was the outcome? (had to add the second part, because I foresaw you being a dick and just answering with a yes and leaving it [and if you just say no and leave it then I'll be upset, and will throw a massive tantrum]).

Dit het dankie vir die vraag! Ook beteken dit totsiens in Afrikaans.

Thanks so much. He is really struggling emotionally as well as logistically but he says it’s all worth it. He’s been phenomenal through everything. We are soulmates and although we only got a few months together as a couple, we’ve made it count with many great memories. I’m amazed to think that my final months have been my happiest. Only he could have made that happen. He’s an exceptional person.

Thank you for thinking of us tomorrow :) the ceremony will be at noon pacific time or 3 your time. We will be exchanging vows and rings (like this: rings ) in fancy dress, feeding the local ducks, performing a sand ceremony wherein we and our guests pour different colors of sand into a container like this: sand vase , drinking sparkling cider and eating cheese plates and red velvet cake, and finally giving away each rose from my bouquet at the grocery store across the street. About once a month I buy a dozen roses and give them away to strangers. I really get a kick out of it :) It’s going to be a beautiful day no matter what happens, though, because it will be with my soulmate. :)

1. The easiest way to to actually call your insurance provider and see if they can provide you with a list of clinicians whose services they pay for in your area. I'm biased, I guess, in telling people to look for a PhD-level licensed clinical psychologist if they can, but don't let that limit you if not available. I also recommend people use ABCT's therapist finder. There are a lot of dumb clinicians out there who don't follow our science. That's actually, I'm sorry to say this, most of them. ABCT is an organization of people committed to scientific practice, and generally the only one I'm ever able to really recommend.
   
   
2. Almost every college or university will have a counseling office, student mental health center, where a fair amount of sessions (sometimes but usually not completely unlimited) are available for free. Go there!
   
   
3. Most rural areas are much harder places to find treatment. Think of us as a specialty medical service: people around there probably have to drive more than a few minutes to find a cardiac electrophysiologist too, if they need one, right? Whichever way the biggest city is, the psychologists are going to be thataway.
   
   
4. Glad you don't feel out of control. If I can dole out some "advice," if not therapy, first, read my favorite book about thinking rationally, if you're interested. And second: do stuff! Out best treatments for depression often revolve around having people schedule activities. Basic explanation of the intervention here, middle-complexity self-help guide here, technical treatment manual here for the extremely curious. Put yourself on a schedule, make a checklist, experience the untold joy of checking things off of it! Extra points for physical activity, extra points for some fresh air and sunshine, extra points for anything social.
   
   This sounds trite, but I always tell people that, if people ate decent diets of relatively unprocessed food, went outside and ran a couple of times a week, and made efforts to stay connected with their social circle, we could obliterate 75% of all of our mental illness in a month. I hope the therapist-finding stuff helps, but as far as I-can't-give-you-therapy-but-I-can-mention-general-advice stuff over the internet, this is the best stuff I've got.
   
   Good luck!

The hardest part is getting some form of coverage for the book. The local paper were great for doing an article about it. The guy that wrote the article actually knew my grandad. He was well known locally so the book sold well here.

We have sent out a lot of copies and I have contacted a lot of people trying to get something written about the book but on a national level.

A lot of people never bother even replying to an e-mail which I find is a little rude as its really easy to reply and it costs nothing.

Some of the people that we have sent books to never bothered to respond in any way. I would just be happy with a thanks but no thanks.

People seem to really look down at self published books.

But we have been getting great reviews on Amazon so just hoping that the message will get out there.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/B00LD8207E/

Very good comment, and one the OP should consider. /r/seduction is filled with a lot of crap, but also has some really good content. Through that subreddit I found this book: http://www.amazon.com/Models-Attract-Women-Through-Honesty/dp/1463750358/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372109077&sr=8-1&keywords=models


It's got a lot of great advice with the overarching goal of creating real, meaningful relationships.

Aww schucks! Thanks!

Bodie is also pretty rad, but very commercialized. You have to pay to get in and they do guided tours, and whatnot. I like to just wander around the ruins and explore them for myself.

Tell him to head to Barnes & Noble. Down stairs, in between the escalators, the have a section of books about Nevada. Quite a few of them are maps to ghost towns or neat places across the state. This one in particular is one of my favorites. Then you two will have all kinds of fun things to explore when you get here :D

> Have you ever commissioned illustrations for any of your pieces?

Yes, I commissioned the cover art for both of my books: [Prompt Me], and Rex Electi.

But I do wish that I got more fan art from people.

> In a similar vein, are you a visual-type of person, say, imagining what the characters actually look like when you write about them?

Yes, very much. I picture everything happening in my mind, and its often a question of how much I want to go into detail; I can't go off onto a tangent that isn't relevant to the story.

> How do you feel about the fact the hijab is a cultural thing rather than a religious requirement?

Hijab is not a cultural thing. It is a religious requirement. That is a common misconception. Hijab is something that is required by our faith, which is why you see it everywhere. Other types of clothing some Muslims wear is cultural, such as a thobe, which is worn by Khaleeji (Gulf) men and is a symbol of their culture. That thobe and ghutra (what they're wearing on their head) is not required by Islam. It's a cultural tradition. Now, don't get me wrong, hijab could probably fit in the category of cultural tradition in some cases. Especially different styles and materials of hijab, such as the shayla, which is worn in the Khaleeji (Gulf) area of the Middle East. See here. However, women from all over the world wear shayla, and other styles of hijab.

> Also, why Islam and not Christianity?

Simply, Islam makes logical sense and Christianity does not. I don't want to turn this into a theological debate, so that is all I will say. If you want to know more, I would strongly recommend reading a book entitled MisGod'ed: A Roadmap of Guidance and Misguidance in the Abrahamic Religions written by Dr. Laurence B. Brown. See here for the Amazon page. Thanks for your questions.

I got married before this started but I would've warn SPF 100 sunscreen. Luckily my wedding day was overcast so it probably wouldn't have caused a reaction.

Basically it's a drapy cardigan that has coated fibers to provide extra UV protection

Edit: Here's the wrap I use. Have it in turqouise, black and light heather gray. http://www.amazon.com/Coolibar-Womens-Protective-Wrap-White/dp/B003M54OJI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452977007&sr=8-1&keywords=coolibar+wrap

Brah, do yourself a favor and pickup these two books: [The Manual: What Women Want and How to Give It to Them] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Manual-What-Women-Want/dp/1456494554) and [Models: Attract Women Through Honesty] (http://www.amazon.com/Models-Attract-Women-Through-Honesty/dp/1463750358/ref=pd_sim_b_6/178-2533780-7142310?ie=UTF8&refRID=0RVQ2Y2G5WNRT10XD60K).

Seriously, these books changed the way I see getting girls and the whole female-male dichotomy. It teaches how to make things happen with a girls, and why it doesn't just happen and so much more. Trust me dude, these will change your life, but the key is to put what you learn into practice.

Good question, I'd go to [etsy] (http://www.etsy.com/) and buy a few things from there. But since I'm from a country that not a lot of people on the internet are from (South Africa) I'd also put a lot of typically South African things in too, but nothing cliché and gimmicky. I'd also put in my favourite book, [The Book of Disquiet] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Book-Disquiet-Penguin-Classics/dp/0141183047).