I think one of the things that still makes me the most uncomfortable is physical contact. Or, more precisely, the potential for physical contact. I'm not particularly used to having people closer than arms reach to me. Thus, unless I know them well, I'm painfully aware of people who are closer than that and find it harder to relax. Which makes bus travel interesting, although it should be noted that the seat next to me is usually one of the last to be filled.

People forget things easily. One of the things they forget most often is that, in terms of our experiences, there are no blacks and whites. Things are never simply this, or that. There are no absolutes. Yet we repeatedly bind the vast breadth of our experience with simplistic terms denoting two extremes. Straight or homosexual. Black or white. The reality is that everything we see, hear, taste has subtle shadings, each differing depending upon the one experiencing them. A man who finds himself attracted to another, physically, mentally or emotionally isn't immediately homosexual. Race is a label entirely without meaning, a way of defining people in terms of social groups, based solely on where their antecendents dwelt. Even something which seems relatively simple and clearcut, such as gender. A penis may physically define you as a man, but this has no guarantee that your mental make up matches the social concept of a male. I wish people would stop defining the world so simply, and learn to blur the lines they've so carefully drawn.

Another webcomic that sums things up nicely

He stands at the window, a dim reflection in the glass. He gazed through the floor to ceiling panes, drinking in the bustling City below, Teralis, the capital of an expanding empire. Even at this unholy hour he could see a flood of people moving in the harsh neon glare of the many-hued lights.

An architectural mess, it would be deemed hideous by many of his people. Now, gazing over it, he realized its true appeal. Its life. Its vitality. By comparison his people seemed to dwell in gaudily decorated tombs.

He let out a deep Sigh, letting his head fall against the glass. Music swelled in the apartment behind him, the bass vibrating the windows, thrumming through his naked body. The yellow glow of the dimmed lamps raised a faint Shimmer from his golden hair, lending colour to his pale skin. A body stirred behind him on the bed, pulling itself free of the sheets. The woman so revealed swung her legs to the floor, pushing herself up. Caelris turned as she padded over to him. Her hands slid over his body, tracing the many scars that marred his flesh. Although tall for a human, she barely reached his chest and, looking down at her, he realised she loved him, or thought she did. Something Kyrel once said came back to him. "Women like bad boys and you, my friend, are a fucking bastard".  He kissed her lips, then bent and swept her into his arms.

He may not be able to give her love but he'd give her the rest of the night. 

I don't usually make this kind of post, but I'm curious and I want to see if anyone responds.
Why is America seemingly so afraid of a nationalised health service?
What is so terrible about everyone being able to receive treatment, regardless of how rich they are?

A while back, over a month ago, I grew tired of the many drawbacks of playing World of Warcraft on the American servers.
As a result I cancelled my subscription and started playing on the European servers.
If nothing else, it's entertaining to play WoW at the same time as other people, especially a couple of my friends who also have accounts.
In order to reach 80 sooner, I switched to god mode, otherwise known as the death knight class.
Thus, my main character, Ulaya;

Jak crouched on the deck, miserable, as wind and waves battered the ship. Sailors struggled about their duties, attempting to save the ship from the storm. He could hear the captains voice in faint snatches through the roar of the wind.

''Cursed... drown us all..."

The thud of booted feet sounded nearby and he glanced up to see Caelris, striding the length of the ship, a determined glare on his angular features. Sensing that the strange warrior had something in mind, he pulled himself to his feet, staggering along in the elf's wake.

Caelris made his way to the prow, his steps steady, seemingly impervious to the fury of the weather. Planting himself before the mast he thrust his sword into the deck, bracing himself against the hilt.

"Aleanas!" he roared, "Hear me  Goddess!"

The wind increased in fury as if seeking to blow him from the deck, his words carried away as they left his lips.

"you may sink this ship, Aleanas, and drown every soul on board but I am not so easily slain. I shall find my way to land and not one of your worshippers will escape my vengeance. Each one will die, their blood shed far from even the smallest of puddles!"

The storm seemed to hold its breath, sudden calm enveloping them. Strained ropes fell slack, airborne water cascading down. Before Caelris, a figure appeared, female in shape yet seemingly formed of water. Her hair swirled like breaking waves and her voice carried the soft sussuration of the surf.

"You dare?" she hissed.

Caelris returned her glare, his eyes blazing fury.

"Set yourself against me, goddess, and I will see you destroyed."

"I have no choice!" she cried, her voice the roar of thunder, wind whipping around her. Jak dropped to the deck, clinging desperately to the planks, the gale pulling at his body. Caelris pulled his sword free, the blade sweeping at the goddess' throat even as the wind sought to sweep him away. The blow was weak, skittering away from chain links. Aleanas flinched away, the wind dying as she sank to the deck. Caelris strode forward , his hand gripping the chain as he dragged her to her feet.

"You are chained, goddess?" his voice low.

"His followers have grown powerful," she whispered, "they dare much that would have been  unthinkable before."

With an expression  of disgust, he released  the chain, throwing  the goddess to the deck.

"This is why you oppose me?"

Aleanas' head dipped in a brief nod.

The great curved blade swept into the air, arcing down towards the prone goddess. The whistle  as it cleaved the air caused  her to flinch, cowering on the deck. A loud crack sounded as it struck, a release of power pressing  Jak against the boards to which he clung. When he raised his head, he saw the goddess standing once more, fury twisting her features.

"You cut me!" She screamed, her voice the howling fury of a gale.

Caelris nodded, a wry smile on his features.

"A small price to pay for freedom."

The goddess stared at him for a time before looking away.

"your sword earns another title,Deathless one. The breaker of chains. I will hinder you no more."

Aleanas disappeared, a fall of water splashing to the deck. After a few moments the skies began to clear, the wind falling to a gentle breeze. Caelris  turned on his heel, striding the length of the ship. Jak scrambled to catch up with him, a thousand questions crowding his mind.

"Deathless one?" he called, "what did she mean by that?"

"Nothing that matters to you," the elf answered sharply.

"But.."

His words trailed off as the elf turned to glare at him.

"your sword has titles?" he asked, trying a different tack.

"Four now."

"What are they?"

"In full? This blade is known as Kal-Taesha; slayer of innocents, reaper of souls, bane of daemons, breaker of chains."

he paused at the door leading below decks.

"Leave me." He said.

Then he was through, the door swinging closed behind him.

Were I to be brutally honest with myself, I'd have to admit that, could I afford it, some form of counselling would be necessary.
There are too many things I struggle with that I just can;t get past by myself.
Whilst none of these affect my day to day life, they do have a large impact on my social happiness.

I keep feeling lonely, yet, I'm terrified of actually approaching anyone I find sufficiently interesting. Very few of my friends live near by, so my social life is almost dead. People have told me I should go out and meet more people but even this engenders some sort of fear in me. It's not so much that I'm afraid of people as that I find it hard to believe people I don't know, or that even many of the ones I do would wish to spend time with me. Likewise I find it hard to believe anyone would be interested in me to the extent that I'd like them to.
In addition to this, I've been single for so long now that I have no idea what I'd do in a relationship and am probably equally scared of the chance of someone actually being interested.

I just don;t really know what to do. All the suggestions people make simple make me more afraid/neurotic.

For those of you who are unclear as to why the Death Knights no longer serve the Lich King;

"Basically, he sent them to the lights hope chapel on a suicide mission to force Tirion Fordring out of hiding/uncover the 'Light of Dawn'
After all that went down, Darion basically said, screw you mofo, I ain't your homie no more.

In what can only be described as a curious turn of events, the girl at work (one who is so beautiful that if she smiles I have to pause and remember what I was doing), got so frustrated that she asked if she could hit me.
I told her she probably wouldn't get much out of it, as I'd be unlikely to feel it.