How often have you stumbled across a website with that title (in CAPS) on one of its posts and thought, “Yeah, it’s not dead…yet?” Me too. But I promise, it isn’t—at least, not because I have abandoned it. Since my last post, I’ve been thinking of ways to revive it…while feverishly working on my other blog, Una di Noi.

I had a reason for my concept. I wanted to be random because people are random, completely unpredictable. We have some many different sides to us, like a dice has more than one faces. But I became discouraged when I found this article that talked about narrowing your focus to one topic:

…its very important that you stay on a specific topic on your blog. If you’re interested in more than one topic, then you need to start more than one blog…A blog with only one post a day that’s on one topic, is much more likely to attract a reader than a blog with 5 different posts about 5 different subjects.

I understand his point, but who really wants to manage five different blogs? I already have three!

I’m working on rethinking Prattler’s Paradise. I may ignore this man’s advice and make the site reflect more of myself. I don’t want to split myself up into domains, but I do want you, the reader, to enjoy this blog. If the randomness is hurting it, I may have no choice.

So, if you’ve stuck around all this time, thank you. There’s just a little trouble in paradise. Don’t worry—I’ll take care of it.

You can download the original program for free at www.blender.org. The program is currently at version 2.49. For more information on the 3DMagix scam, visit these sites:

Re-branding Blender (Blender)
3DMagix: re-branding and selling the free software Blender (Blender Nation)

Three years have passed since Taichi, Takeru and Hikari’s original adventure, but a new threat arrives in the peaceful DigiWorld – the Digimon Emperor intent on enslaving the Digimon for his own purposes. Two of the original DigiDestined, Hikari and Takeru, return joined by three newcomers: Daisuke, Miyako and lori. Together they go to the DigiWorld and with their Digimon partners Gatomon, Patamon, Veemon, Hawkmon and Armadillomon fight the new menace to save the DigiWorld they love.

Thankfully, someone changed it since I last visited the site on May 13^th. Then, it said:

Three years has past from Taichi’s adventure, but a new virus arrives in the peaceful DigiWorld. Due to the virus’ special power, Agumon and others can’t evolve. At the time, Veemon, one of the new type Digimon who is able to evolve into many types of Digimon using a Digi-Egg. Newcomer Hikari is partnered with Veemon, and along with her friends Takeru and Daisuke they venture into the DigiWorld.

Um…no. There’s no virus attacking the Digital World, Hikari (Kari) is a season one veteran, and Daisuke (Davis) is the newbie partnered with Veemon. The new summary is right, except that it blends the language versions. Gatomon, Veemon, and Armadillomon’s Japanese names are Tailmon, V-mon, and Armadimon, respectively, and the Digimon Emperor is called the Digimon Kaiser. Also, the original version uses the terms “chosen children” (選ばれし子供 erabareshi kodomo) and “Digital World” instead of “Digi-Destined” and “Digi-World” (the dubbers were obsessed with putting digi in front of everything).

Pickiness aside, I am thrilled that a company like FUNimation has an interest in Digimon. Maybe they have some other plans for the series…

I noticed a couple interesting things on the jacket. Fans have been talking about the product description on the publisher’s website (Well Go USA). The last sentence says, “Experience the final Digimon series like never before.” That line, along with the lack of news for a year or two, confirmed for most of us that Digimon is done. However, the boxset itself says, “Experience the newest Digimon series like never before.” (Here’s the proof—sorry about the quality.) Why the change? An error? A cover-up? A glimmer of hope for a season six, perhaps? The show’s still popular. (Why else would they be bringing Digimon RPG to North America and making a sequel?)

The other thing I saw gave me a nice laugh. The image on the back shows Marcus, Agumon, and GeoGreymon, but the picture is…incomplete. I know a Digimon and its partner are joined at the hip, but…

Anyway, I won’t be able to watch the DVDs until Wednesday or Thursday (at the earliest), so that’s when I’ll tell you about the menu, any extras, and things like that. Of course, you may have bought it yourself by then! If so, enjoy!

Most people have Facebook accounts and the Friends List included with them. (And even if you don’t have a Facebook, you’ve probably heard of this anyway.) If you’re out of this loop, here’s a lesson on becoming friends on Facebook:

• Find someone you know, someone who knows someone you know, someone who shares your interests, someone who looks interesting, etc.
• Click on their name, and in the next dialog box, click “Add as Friend” to send them a “friend request.”
• If they accept your request, you’ll get a notification saying, “John Smith has accepted your friend request.”
• Congratulations! You are now friends forever!

Don’t you wish relationships were this easy to start and maintain outside the Net?

That’s the superficiality of Facebook. Your “friends” could be the super fan who faints at your concerts, the girl in your school you’ve never met (but who requested you because you attend the same school), a random person in Brazil who thinks you have a cutest smile, or the man who’s trying to get into the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest Friends List. Do those connections really mean anything?

How many “friends” do you have? Ten? Fifty? Five hundred? Well, aren’t you a star? But how many of them talk to you more than once a month? What are your conversations about? How many of your “friends” know you, instead of knowing about you? Have you met them all in person? Most importantly, how many of them truly love you?

The list shrinks, doesn’t it? Maybe ten people out of a thousand. The other 990 rot on your Friends page; they’re nothing more than your entourage. You may even have forgotten each other.

So, tell me. Who are your real friends?

My top three dances of the season are shown here, and I’ve posted links to a few special mentions.

In first place is Li’l Kim and Derek’s “Jailhouse Rock” jive (week 6). It was also the best dance of that night. Derek, you’re under arrest for stealing my heart!

My second favorite is Shawn and Mark’s freestyle. Energetic and kissed with Mark’s quirkiness—wonderful! Some people say it’s the dance that won Team Shark the trophy.

Third place: Gilles and Cheryl’s quickstep to “Kryptonite” (week 2). Yes, everyone talks about their Argentine tango, but I never forgot this routine. Gilles, you really are Superman!

What are your top three?

Here are a couple other of my favorites:

“The Quintessential Latin Lover”: Gilles and Cheryl’s jaw-dropping Argentine tango (week 4)
You Ain’t Never Had a Friend Like Me: Shawn and Mark’s Aladdin quickstep (week 9)

And let’s not forget the most memorable samba of the season, provided by Steve and Karina. It takes a lot of work to earn a 10…total…

On that note, thanks to the entire Dancing cast for a great season, and congratulations once again to Shawn and Mark!

Monday night, Shawn and Mark (a.k.a. “Team Shark”) performed the only perfect-scoring freestyle number, a combination of all the dances learned this season plus some youthful tricks. Judge Bruno Tonioli enjoyed it so much that he pretended to give a score of eleven. Despite the acclaim, the Sharks finished in a tie at fifty-eight points with runners-up Gilles and Cheryl. Melissa and her partner Tony Dovolani claimed third place both that night and overall.

Shawn Johnson is the third Olympian to win the show, joining Apolo Anton Ohno (season four) and another of Mark Ballas’ partners, Kristi Yamaguchi (season six). Tonight, the now two-time winner Mark seemed shocked to hear host Tom Bergeron call his and Shawn’s names.

All six finalists will appear tomorrow on Good Morning America.

The results of the first-ever Pro Dancer Competition were also announced tonight. Anna Demidova defeated Mayo Alanen for the chance to dance with a celebrity next season.

Besides the English version of Digimon RPG, this might be some of the best Digimon news I’ve heard in a while. While Digimon Data Squad is not my favorite season, it still has its charms, and I am definitely going to buy these DVDs. Plus, it’s about time someone released a real Digimon boxset, instead of the bootlegs floating around. (Do these season one and season two covers look familiar?)

An Amazon user wrote a review of the boxset that ruffled me up a little, so I want to say a few words about the dub versus original “debate.” I’ll speak more about it later, but to summarize, fans should watch what they like. If you like the Japanese version more, fine, but don’t tell the rest of us what to watch. Not everyone thinks dubs are horrible. Personally, I prefer the Digimon dub. The original actually bores me. Does that mean I’m childish just because the dub is marketed towards children? No. It simply means the dub interests me in a way that the original does not. Bottom line. Whatever that appeal is, it isn’t necessarily the same as it is for a younger fan. There are shows I would rather watch the Japanese version of than the English version—Tokyo Mew Mew is an example—but it’s not a quality issue but a taste issue. Everyone have different tastes. That’s what being an individual is about.

That said, back to the point.

If you’re a fan of the show, please buy this boxset. If it’s popular enough, Disney might…might…decide to release not only the rest of this season but the other four as well. What a collection that would be!