I always feel terrible about making these...

[Graph]

They seem so one-sided to me. I wouldn't go up to a total stranger and rant for three minutes about my life. Why should you all endure it? I'm sure you're more accepting than the average person... I mean, we're all here for the same reason, right?

I guess I should at least try to be concise. I'm Graph. Graph Desino. The Writer Formerly Known as Graphic Description. Whatever you want to call me.

I signed up on Althanas for the first time about... oh, two years ago, give or take. I was a novice in the art and trade of writing, and massively overestimated my own skills. I was young, naive, and stupid as hell (evident when you read my old posts on here). Cockily, I thought, oh man, I'm going to conquer this website, be the best writer they've ever had, and do it before the week is out.

I entered one battle and lost...

No. Not lost. I was destroyed, beaten into bite-size chunks, eaten, excreted, and eaten again. Yeah, that's more fitting.

In disgrace, I left Althanas, acting ironically similar to my poorly-defined, semi-lit character. I was terrified to return, knowing I'd have to feel the agony of my own self-esteem bursting into flame. But I wrote, and practiced, and became progressively more self-deprecating. And, with ego somewhat more in check, I signed up again, two eternal years later.

So, here I am. Ready for another bashing.

Graph

[Rahegalhoff]

Welcome back. Egos are terrible burdens, yet graceful blessings. When it is as large as you claim yours once was, when it has girth to rival that of the sun itself, it is a terrible burden, and forces you to do foolish things for it's own sake. Yet when it is small, perhaps as small as a chihuahua, of the teacup variety, it is a blessing for it gives you that small boost of courage that says "yes I can."

Anyways, unasked for advice aside, here's hoping round 2 is better, and longer, than round 1.

*Presents you with the fabled cookie of Doom. A small red spirit of death escapes the cookie warning "Doooooooooooooooom!!!!!!!" in a low ghostly moan as it flies away.*

*proceeds to force feed you the cookie, cursing you to forever be chased by dark and vile things in deepest night.*

[Graph]

No! No! Oh, dear God! I'M ON A DIET! NOOOOOO~! -eats cookie-

...Ahh, cookies. The eighth deadly sin. -hands you some wholesome, revolting, entirely artificial Slim-Fast slime- Enjoy.

Thanks, in all honesty. You guys are pretty kind, if you're any representation.

[Rahegalhoff]

I'm the nicest of the bunch, I so proclaim myself. Go on, ask anyone, they'll tell you I'm the nicest guy on the forums. I mean, others actually give you free-will as to whether or not you partake in their culinary delights, AND they don't curse their cookies in horrible dark rituals to unknown gods that haven't seen the light in three or four thousand years. I take the time to both force you to eat one, AND risk my eternal soul to mind melting horrors only cthulhu could love, because I care. I'm just that nice.

[Yari Rafanas]

Losing 1 fight should get you down. Even the best of us had to start somewhere. To use myself as an example (because I am an arrogant bastard,) I used to turn out like 7 threads a week, averaging below 50 on all of them. It takes a long time to work up the ability to score in the 80s where your thread can earn the fabled rank of Judge's Choice... if they even still give those out for 80s. Personally, I couldn't imagine ever having a thread that earned that score again... it's rough.

What it really comes down to is just having fun. Granted, some people have more fun when they are winning and leveling up, but you know, it's all in how you play.

Welcome back to the site.

[Visla Eraclaire]

Wow, I never saw anyone who took battle losses seriously. Then again, depending on who I lost to, I'd probably be pretty upset.

That's the good thing about Althanas; even two years later, it's still here waiting once you've gotten over whatever made you leave.

[Azlen]

I'm the nicest of the bunch, I so proclaim myself. Go on, ask anyone, they'll tell you I'm the nicest guy on the forums.

Maybe you can go fu** yourself! I'm actually the nicest, and....I don't serve overrated cookies that don't have an obvious taste. *smiles mischievously* Brownie? Hey come on, it can't be that bad, if you were beat in character I think you should have not taken it so hard, now OOC is a different thing. Especially if you thought you were really good lol. Hope you enjoy.

[Graph]

-noms brownie contentedly-

I actually feel much more welcome here the second time around. Pity scmity - it's nice to be loved. (And fed.)

Thanks for the warm wishes.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

Grittings and welcome back, young padawan.

Unfortunately, I'm absolutely skint on cash right now, so I can't offer you baked sweets.

[Lord Anglekos]

Welcome back, and hope you stick around.