Meaning behind your "Screen Name"

[PrimaGaga 1025]

10th is my favorite Doctor.

[Jo-Bengt 0]

JO-BENGT IS WATCHING. JO-BENGT IS WATCHING.

[Cheez 55]

I'm just a great, big cheese.

[Ammonsa 308]

HOLY SHIT I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ARE BACK.

[Arachne 25]

I first used this name to make short comments on cboxes. Since "Another Random Fan" seemed slightly long, I shortened it up a bit. And eliminated the capital letters.

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is a seven-volume manga series by Hayao Miyazaki. He eventually turned it into a movie, though much of the original material was cut out. Anyways, I'd highly recommend it.

Hmm, I thought Miyazaki and his team had the idea for the film, but that they wouldn't be funded for the film unless they made the manga first to test the public. That's why there are way more anime shows that start out as manga: it's cheaper to produce so it's less of a risk if it doesn't sell. Also it's good promotion for an upcoming TV series/movie.

Anyways, back on topic, here's the origin of my username (which I didn't intend to have sound like Arcane's, but oh well). When I was little I was fascinated by insects and arachnids, and I was usually the one who would end up getting bees, spiders, etc. out of the house/classroom. I used to watch the ants and spiders in the backyard for hours when I was little, sometimes feeding them.

I also used to have an old cassette with retellings of Greek Myths which, though the non-kid-friendly stuff was partly censored were still interesting. Anyways, I loved the story of Arachne, this woman who was a great weaver, but proud. 

People would praise her for her beautiful work, bu talways say that there was none finer -- except that of Athena (or Minerva), goddess of crafts. Arachne grew boastful, and started to claim that she could weave even more beautiful cloth than Athena. Soon word reached Athena's ears, and she didn't like this, so she visited Athena in the guise of an old woman. She also praised Arachne's work, but warned her not to anger the Gods. Arachne challenged her to a weaving contest, and Athena, removing her disguise, accepted.

Okay, here's where the versions diverge. In the version I heard as a kid they both wove beautiful tapestries, but Athena's was the more beautiful of the two, and Arachne admitted it, and swore in her shame never to weave again. Athena thought it would be a terrible waste and changed her into a spider.

In the other version (more like the original) both tapestries were fine, but depicted different subjects. Athena's was about the hubristic mortals being punished, whereas Arachne depicted the foolishness of the Gods. Athena, both envious at the skilful competition and at the subject, tore Arachne's tapestry and broke her loom, and stuck Arachne on the head. But Arachne wouldn't bow to a God, and hanged herself.

Whether Athena pities Arachne or was still angry depends on the version, but she transformed Arachne into a spider, and the rope became her thread, so she would always hang and weave.

Yeah, I liked the story, and I like spiders, so there you have it. I think the story also raises a lot of interesting topics, but I think this post has been long enough.

[Chrno 0]

I decided "Hey, I'll see what new hilarity Britain has come up with"