Every so often, we humans find ourselves being forced into a rather uncomfortable and unpleasant experience-the haircut. Every one of us needs a haircut every so often; they�re unavoidable. Yet almost everyone I speak to simply dreads them! Of course, most haircuts always go the same way.
     After being tied up in the onslaught of traffic outside, you rush quickly into the hairdresser�s, just slipping in before the cut-off time for haircuts. You walk up to the cash register to check in, and notice a young girl is in the middle of checking someone else out. �Sorry. I�m new here,� you hear the girl say. Wondering why, you look at the cash register. The woman�s hair cut supposedly cost $1400.00. �Must�ve pressed a wrong button somewhere,� the young girl says as she absently chews on the end of her pencil and stares dumbfounded at the receipt.
     �Here�s a twenty dollar bill. Keep the change,� the woman says and, exasperated, walks out of the store. The cashier shrugs and finishes ringing out the woman. �My luck,� you think �a new girl.� You could�ve gotten any one of the older, more experienced workers, but you come in right when the trainee finishes.
     �Maybe I should come back....� you think, right when the trainee blurts out at 100 words per minute, �Hi! How can I help you today?�
     �Um. Just a trim. Simple trim,� you say, trying to keep your apprehension at bay.
     �Oh. Sure thing! Right this way please!� And as she turns, a bright glint catches your eye on her shirt pocket. A name card, in big red letters, seems to laugh at you with the words �Trainee� on them. �What a day,� you think.
     You follow the trainee to the back of the store and to the sinks where she�ll wash your hair. You sit down in one of the chairs and lay your head back over the sink. Staring at the ceiling, you watch out of the corner of your eye as she picks up the hose, grabs the water nozzles, and turns the water on full-strength, causing some water to splash up and soak your glasses. �Sorry about that. I�m new here,� followed by an embarrassed little giggle.
     �No problem. Do you want my glasses now?� you ask, trying to help her along her way.
     �OK,� she says, and she places your glasses on the table. She then proceeds to turn the water on, very slowly, of course, and test it with her hand. Thinking it�s the perfect temperature, she grabs a handful of your hair and thrusts the little-too-hot water over it. �Could you lower the heat a little, please? Just a little. Thanks.� After hearing this, the trainee proceeds to turn off all the hot water, giving your hair a nice bath in freezing cold water. You decide to just bear the cold, let her off easy. Plus, she may turn all hot water on next time.
     As she continues to wash your hair, she tries to do so gently, but, she keeps on yanking and pulling. You grunt in silence and bear the pain. It�s not that bad, after all. Just because the person to your left is having a nice head massage by his hairdresser doesn�t give you a reason to complain. �OK. There you go,� Trainee says as she lifts up your head, neglecting to dry your soaking wet hair with a towel. A torrent of water gushes from your hair down your neck and into your shirt. �Sorry, I�m new here,� she says as she tries to pat the water dry. Finally, she just gives up and places a towel around your hair before taking you for you haircut.
     �Right this way, please.� She leads you past a row of chairs and sets you in one. �Well! This chair is way too high! I�ll have to lower it!� And instead of lowering you gently, she stomps her foot on the lever in the back, and out drops the chair from under you and you fall right onto your rump. �Ouch,� you think in your head. She places an apron around you, but forgets to make sure it�s tied tight around your neck. She begins to cut away at your overgrown hair, and you feel the clippings fall through the neck of the apron down your shirt. She continues cutting, and you notice that her friend is bringing a customer up to cut his hair. You watch as she leads him passed the deserted expanse of chairs to sit him right next to you, so she can talk to her friend, of course. Immediately, the two hairdressers begin chatting away. Soon, the other says something funny and your trainee begins to laugh hysterically, all the while holding huge, sharp scissors just inches from your head. �Shut up!� she gets through the giggles. �I nearly cut this kid�s ear off!� �Yipes,� you think, and you wish you could�ve just waited until tomorrow for a haircut. �Why couldn�t I have gotten the woman next to me?� you think. You notice how she cuts the man�s hair with care and carries friendly conversation with him. But, no, you have Trainee.
     Luckily, the rest of your cut goes smoothly. No severed appendages, no cut arteries, although the amount of hair on the floor makes you wonder about how much is left on your head. �Please don�t let her say �I�m new�, please!� you think. She doesn�t. Phew.
     �Do you blow dry your hair?� she asks.
     �Blow dry? No. Not at all.� You don�t even want to begin to imagine what she could do with a heat source near your head.
     �Hairspray!� she shouts, as if it is going to be the highlight of her day, like a little kid in a candy store. Apparently out of nowhere, she whips out a huge can of Aquanet, and commences to immerse your whole entire head, including, unfortunately, your face (good thing you kept your eyes closed) in the hairspray. �There we go,� she says. �Wonderful.� She hands you your glasses, and, slowly, while taking deep breaths, you place them on your head, and look.
     �Hmm, not that bad,� you think. �Not that bad.�      As you follow her to the cash register, you shake your shirt and try to get the hair out from under it, but the water that ran down it earlier is making it hard. Finally, you give up, and just scratch every now and then. As you reach the cash register, you reach into your pocket for your money, thankful that your haircut is over and nothing else can go wrong. You spoke to soon. �Sorry. I�m new here.� you hear her say sheepishly. You look up and, sure enough, your hair cut cost $1400.00. �Must�ve pressed a wrong key,� she says as you think it in your head.. You throw her a twenty, mumble something like keep the change, and rush out of the store before ANYTHING else could happen.
     Now, after this experience, who could say haircuts are fun? Not many people. And that�s because they aren�t. They�re uncomfortable, unpleasant, and, unfortunately, unavoidable. So, even though haircuts are bothersome, sometimes we just have to grin and bear it, and hope that our hairdresser doesn�t have to use the phrase �I�m new here.� too much.

     The topic of abortion as murder has been debated endlessly in today�s world. Is abortion murder? Is abortion legal? In the following few paragraphs, I hope to prove to you that the answer to both of these questions is in the affirmative.
     By definition, abortion is �the induced termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in, or accompanied by, the death of a fetus�. What does this tell us? Let�s analyze this definition in order to find out what abortion really is.
     The definition of fetus is �unborn young�. The definition of baby is �young child�. Therefore, our definition of abortion can now read �the induced termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in, or accompanied by, the death of a baby�.
     The definition of death is �the termination of life�. Life is �quality manifested in functions such as metabolism, growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli�. A fetus has a metabolism and does grow from the start of pregnancy. At twelve weeks of pregnancy, a baby�s gender can be determined, so it will be able to reproduce, and at nine weeks, the fetus can feel pain, so it can respond to stimuli. Therefore, we have proven that a fetus is living. Kill is �to deprive of life�. Deprive is �to take something away; to keep from enjoying�. Termination is �the ending�. Thereby, the definition of death can read �the ending of life�. By ending life, the fetus cannot enjoy living. Therefore, it is deprived of life-it is killed. Our definition now reads �the induced termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in, or accompanied by, the killing of a baby.�
     To murder is �to kill unlawfully�. Now, the definition of abortion reads �the induced termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in, or accompanied by, the murder of a baby.� So, we have proven by definition that yes, abortion is murder. But is murder illegal?
     Illegal is defined as �unlawful�. Above, murder was defined as �to kill unlawfully�. Therefore, we can define murder as �to kill illegally�. So, abortion is �the induced termination of pregnancy before birth, resulting in, or accompanied by, the illegal murder of a baby�.
     So, yes, we have proven by definition that abortion is both murder and illegal. Does this mean that the people who perform the abortions are murderers? An abortionist is �someone who performs an abortion�. We have already said that an abortion is murder. A murderer is �someone who performs murder�. Since murder and abortion are one in the same, we can say that an abortionist is �someone who performs murder�, which is the same definition as murderer. Again, we have proven by definition that an abortionist is a murderer.
     Through the use of definitions, we have now proven that the abortionist is a murderer, that abortion is illegal and is murder. Therefore, should we be allowed to perform abortions? That is left for you, the American public, to decide.

     Throughout Shakespeare�s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Hamlet is faced with many difficult situations that he must decide whether to act on or not. One of these situations occurs after he learns that the sword Laertes has just stabbed him with is poisoned and he will die. Instead of contemplating the situation and his impending death, Hamlet takes action immediately and accomplishes the task he had been meaning to do for days: kill Claudius.
     Throughout life, everyone is faced with these same exact situations, although usually not as to great an extent. I myself was faced with a situation like this once. A few months ago, two of my friends, Nick and Steph, were in the midst of an argument and not speaking to each other. Steph asked me to go to the mall one day. Unfortunately, Nick asked to go to the mall with me the same day, also. Since they were not speaking to each other, they wouldn�t go together. They had forced me to decide between them: who is my better and more important friend?
     It is a very hard thing to choose between your best friend and your cousin. In fact, I thought about just staying home that night and not going with either. Instead, though, I did something that led to Nick and Steph becoming friends again. I went with Steph, but I had Nick meet us there, so they were forced to walk together. This eventually led to the first words spoken between the two again, and the resolution of the conflict that caused the fight in the first place.
     Although my behavior was somewhat betraying towards Steph, in the end it turned out to be for the better: a friendship between two people was repaired. Instead of not doing anything and staying home that night, I did something. Unlike Hamlet, I confronted the situation immediately, and the outcome was for the better. Had I procrastinated and not done anything, Steph and Nick may not still be friends today. Since Hamlet procrastinated and did not do anything about his dilemma immediately, his entire family and himself were killed. So, like Hamlet�s situation, mine may have had a bad outcome had I been indecisive as to what to do.
     Because of how I handled the situation, I found that I try to be as just and caring as I can. I don�t like fighting, and I hate when my friends do fight. I will do anything to get them to stop, even if it consists of lying to one of them to face another. This seems bad at first and to the friend that I lied to, but in the end, like my situation, everything works out for the better.

     �2000 zero zero. Party�s over, oops! Out of time!� Although the lyrics to the artist formerly known as Prince�s 1999 probably are not meant to be prophetic, very soon they may be just that. Quickly approaching is the new millenium, chock full of the promises of greater technology, world peace, cures for diseases; and carrying with it the threat of Y2k. The Y2k bug, caused by the lack of foresight in computer programmers many years ago, came about because of the way the date, specifically the year, is stored in computers--just the last two digits. Therefore, 2000 will be read as �00; however, computers, instead of reading 2000, will read 1900. Like Prince�s song says, time is running out. But, are we out of time yet? No, we still have a few months left. Therefore, in order to make the best use of the little remaining time given to us, I will propose my solution to the Y2k problem that I think will be the most effective method in preparing for the impending disaster.
     It has been said that when the date rolls over from December 31, 1999 to January 1, 2000, computers and other electronic systems all over the world will fail because of the Y2k bug. Our power, water, sewer, and telecommunications systems will shut down. Complete havoc will rule on the Earth. Orderly trips to the supermarket will no longer exist. Therefore, the population must start stockpiling now. And not small quantities, either. It may be awhile before the problems are all reversed. Therefore, I suggest a minimum of the following things: at least 2 years worth of food per person, especially stalking up on comforting, stress-relieving foods like chocolate, cookies, candy, ice cream, and cheesecake; 1,000 rolls of toilet paper (double ply) per person; 10,000 gallons of water per person; 400 supersize bottles of Tylenol and Mylanta (extra strength) per person, packing extra for the hypochondriacs of the household; and 5 1000-watt lights per square foot of the Y2k living area.
     Living area is another thing to consider. Those people living in congested areas, especially cities, are at a far greater risk than those living in the rural areas of the country. Therefore, city dwellers ought to take their Y2k stores that they stockpiled and move to the country, preferably into a sturdy shelter, something like a cave. Once in the cave, the opening ought to be boarded up with rocks, so as to keep out any unwelcome animals or people who are begging for help after the Y2k bug hits.
     Another good precaution to take before Y2k hits is concerning monetary units. The banking system, which is run fully on computers, will ultimately crash in the year 2000. Therefore, all smart people ought to take out all of their money from the bank, and hide it, preferably in holes in the ground at least six feet deep. All valuables should also be placed in these underground hiding places to protect them from theft when the riots of the new millenium begin.
     Yes, the new millenium will be one full of riots and destruction; death and danger; pain and struggling, all because of two little nothings, two zeros. It has been said that the terrors that are predicted for the new millenium have been exaggerated to a grotesque point and that none of these horrific things will happen, but when the predictions come true, those prepared will survive, and those not will perish in the aftermath of Y2k.
     Of course, my solution has had much exposure through the media, especially television specials and magazine articles. Instead of downplaying the Y2k problem, they are portraying the apocalyptic possibilities of it that my solution remedies. Also, the media has avoided broadcasting the futile efforts of programmers and technicians as they search frantically for ways to prevent the Y2k bug from coming to fruition, as if that is possible. They haven�t been airing the developments in programs which advertise that they solve the problem of Y2k before it emerges. Besides, when there are millions and millions of computers and electronic systems in the world that are effected by the Y2k bug, what are a few programs going to do, anyway?
     With the impending dangers of the new millenium advancing on society at breakneck speeds, something needs to be done. The lack of a way to prevent the Y2k bug from happening brings forth the need to counter it once it does occur. That is what my proposal attempts to accomplish. Through stockpiling, relocating, and hiding valuables away, people will be prepared to make it through the trials and the tribulation of modern day�s most serious problem: the Y2k bug.

     Each day, The Beaver County Times places a small calendar at the top of the front cover, sporting how many days left until the year 2000. Stores have huge clocks which countdown the seconds till the new millenium. You can even buy smaller versions of these clocks in some stores.
     So, what�s the big deal with the new millenium? It�s just another year, isn�t it?
     Of course it is. Even so, this new year and the idea of a new millenium offer many opportunities and possibilities and hold many dreams for almost everyone today. Everyone looks to the new millenium as a time of great scientific and technologic advancements which will thrust our society into a Jetson-like lifestyle. Now, don�t expect to be living high above the earth or having cars which turn miraculously into suitcases any time soon, but, who knows? These features may not be too far off!
     What you can expect in the years to come are advancements in almost every field of science and technology. Not necessarily flying cars and such, but advancements which will greatly altar how we live to this day. For example, advancements in the fields of food processing and preservation will enhance our ability to make and store food, thereby raising our food stock. As we speak, studies are currently being done concerning the preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables through immediate anaerobic (without oxygen) treatment using gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen. Advances in the use of radiation in preserving food will also allow the preservation of foods without the use of chemicals. Today, irradiation is used minimally on fruits and vegetables, grain, and meats because of the public concern of the safety of irradiation. However, advancements in the safety of irradiation may allow us to begin using irradiation to its full potential.
     In 1995, the United States had to dispose of 177,500,000 metric tons of solid waste. The sad thing is 90% of this total was disposed of in landfills somewhere, scarring the beauty of our earth. In the new millenium, advancements in chemistry and other sciences may help reduce this problem. Not only will advancements in such fields as processing and packaging lessen the amount of waste given off in the first place, new discoveries in chemistry and environmental sciences will lead to the creation of new disposal methods that leave smaller remains, like a chemical which will �eat� away solid waste and still be environmentally safe.
     Another field which will bloom in the new millenium is that dealing with polymers. Polymers are substances, either synthetic or natural, which consist of large molecules made up of many small, repeating units called monomers, or mers. Protein, wood, chitin, and resins are all living matter comprised of polymers. Plastics, fibers, adhesives, glass, and porcelain are synthetic polymers. Polymers have many uses in today�s world and will have even more in the future. Advancements will create a stronger, more durable plastic which will lead to stronger buildings, cars, and other products. Synthetic polymers, most of which today are not environmentally degradable, will agree completely with the environment, leading to less waste.
     New advancements in fuel will bring about less pollution and better fuel usage. As much fuel will not be needed to go as far, thereby making our supply of fuel last longer. New types of fuels will be introduced and used more heavily than they are now. For instance, cars will have solar cells on them to supplement gas. Cars will use batteries instead of gas, which would create practically noiseless and pollution-free cars. Hydroelectricity will become more abundant. This will then create less pollution and not leave us so dependent on natural resources, creating a healthier earth.
     The coming years have been called the Age of Biology because of the advancements in this field. Genetics will completely revolutionize the medical field. Genetics disorders like cystic fibrosis, juvenile diabetes, and muscular dystrophy have possible cures in advancements in gene therapy, or the insertion of genes in a cell in order to provide new instructions to the cell. In fact, even AIDS has a hope of being cured through gene therapy. New genes will be inserted into cells to make them genetically resistant to HIV, curing AIDS.
     Also, new advancements will enable geneticists to tell the probable physical attributes, personality, attitude-and everything else-about unborn fetuses. Parents will know beforehand whether their child will grow up to have an inclination towards obesity, ugliness, addiction--even whether they may have to wear thick glasses. Further in the future, parents will be able to select their children�s genetic code from a database beforehand, actually creating their own child. Of course, these new sciences will bring about a rash of moral and ethical debates, but even this is good for society, as it helps us to clarify what we believe and feel.
     Transportation in the future will be completely revised and improved, especially automobiles. For example, already underway are experiments and studies concerning �smart highways�, which use satellite technology to drive cars along the highway, leaving the driver free to do other things. Night vision on cars is being experimented with, as are cars which use different fuels. Another advance concerning cars is the addition of smart navigational and communications technology. For example, phones inside the car will be able to connect you automatically to an operator 24 hours a day to assist you with directions, emergencies, and lockouts.
     Other miscellaneous developments that benefit humankind will arise from advancements in technologies and sciences. Solutions to many environmental problem, like the hole in the ozone and air pollution, will arise, helping to sustain the world which sustains us. Computer size will decrease, while their speed and abilities will increase. Robotics will bound ahead, and we will have robots to help us in everyday, menial tasks. Movies will be seen in virtual reality, making us not only witness the events, but make us take part in them. Interactive movies will let us truly live the action. The world will be a definitely better place to be in.
     So, as you can see, the clocks that countdown the seconds to 2000 and the calendars that count the days maybe aren�t over-doing it. In fact, maybe they�re meant to give us hope; each day leads us closer to the new millenium, when life will be better because of science and technology. Although odds are we won�t be having maids named Rosie and space dogs named Astro that can speak (somewhat) in the year 2000, who knows what will happen later? I mean, anything�s possible...in the future.

     Since 1791, Americans have held dear the fact that they can speak freely about whatever they choose; however, this 200 year old right is now in jeopardy. The First Amendment to the Constitution promises that �Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech�. Even though this right seems to be steadfast, Congress has been slowly chipping this right away from us, with the latest attack criticizing the Internet. Laws have been surfacing which attempt to censor the material people place on the Internet, thereby denying the right of free speech. The government should ban these laws which aim at censoring the Internet against indecent and obscene material because they lack the means to define obscenity and indecency, attempt to censor an entire world community, and violate the First Amendment.
     Laws like the Communications Decency Act ban indecent and obscene material from the Net; however, these laws cannot define exactly what they mean by indecent and obscene. The idea of what is obscene and indecent fluctuates between people, not between entire nations. A picture that one American may condemn as being evil may be just another perfectly acceptable photograph to a different American. Also, things like HIV education courses, sex education courses, and correct condom usage information have been placed online in order to benefit our society; however, people have attacked these educational sites, saying that they are indecent and should be banned from the Net.
     Another example is that of a woman who uploaded a picture of a statue of Ulysses. In this statue, Ulysses, a Roman hero, was naked. The woman could have been fined and arrested for uploading pictures of sculpture of ancient art. The idea of indecency and obscenity depends upon the person; the ideas of the few CDA writers on obscenity and indecency will in no way satisfy an entire country with over 200 million individuals with their own opinions on the material in question.
     US laws like the CDA attempt to censor an entire world community of which the US only contributes a small part. The Internet�s purpose is to be a freely flowing source of information and an ongoing discussion between the people of the world. Banning indecent and obscene material, which may include words and ideas, is like banning the working vocabulary of an entire nation. Not only that, anyone on the Net can access a site in any country of the world that is not censored by the same guidelines, thereby accessing the indecent material that was originally banned in that country. Nations all over the world contribute to the Internet, not just the United States. Until a world government exists which can agree on what to censor, national censorship for protection of the citizens is a futile attempt.
     US laws like the CDA violate the First Amendment to the Constitution, which promises free speech to everyone. This right allows Americans to speak about basically anything they want, except that which causes clear and present danger which cannot be counteracted. For example, screaming �Fire!� in a perfectly safe public building would not be protected under the First Amendment, whereas retelling a �dirty joke� in a public place would be protected. Indecent and obscene material on the Net is in no way whatsoever a clear and present danger. Also, many of the indecent terms found online can be heard in everyday adult conversation in public places. However, the government has not made any laws prohibiting the use of dirty words in conversation in public; therefore, the government cannot make any laws banning the use of indecent material in a public domain such as the Net. Further proving this point of unconstitutionality is the ruling decided by a panel of three federal judges in Philadelphia. This ruling declared the government�s attempt to regulate online content not only �profoundly repugnant� but also �unconstitutional on its face�.
     In a debate over Internet censorship which occurred in 1996, John Perry Barlow has said that �We cannot separate the air that chokes from the air upon which wings beat.� However, the United States government is trying to do this very thing by defining the opinion of every individual in the United States as the same, attempting to censor the entire world, and violating the First Amendment. These three ways become apparent in the passing of Internet censorship laws like the CDA. By impeding and restricting one freedom given to us as American citizens, the government may be making first strides toward restricting all of the rights given to us. This must be stopped not only for our generation, but for the generations of people to come after us, so that they may understand truly what it means to be an American citizen and free.

     �Moon Crystal Power!� These three words, when said in unison with the Silver Imperium Crystal, transform in a blur of rainbows and ribbons a seemingly normal teenage girl into the heroine who saves the world every Monday through Friday at 4:00 in the afternoon from the evil minions of the Negaverse. Of course, I�m talking about the cartoon Sailor Moon. Actually, Sailor Moon isn�t really a cartoon. It�s Japanese animation, or anime. There is a difference.
     But, back to Sailor Moon. This show has played a very important role in my life. One day last June, my phone rang at about five minutes to four one fateful Tuesday afternoon. My friend Allison called and ordered me to turn Cartoon Network on. I was to watch a show called Sailor Moon that Allison was completely obsessed with. I had never seen the show before, but I had heard about it. They advertised dolls on TV for the show, and I vaguely remembered making fun of those dolls at one point in time. However, it was a boring summer day with no apparent plans pressing my schedule, so I decided to watch the show. My viewing of Episode 21, �Jupiter Comes Thundering In� changed my opinion on the show forever. Now, less than a year after I made fun of those Sailor Moon dolls, I have many items of Sailor Moon merchandise, including notebooks, soundtracks, pins, pictures, all 82 American episodes, and keychains.
     That merchandise, especially the keychains, since they�re on my bookbag, have gotten me many weird looks and questions. For some reason, Americans today have this delusion that cartoons are made just for children under the age of 10 and that Sailor Moon is a cartoon. They�re wrong on both counts. Like I�ve said, Sailor Moon is anime, not a cartoon. Most of the fans in Sailor Moon�s originating country, Japan, are teenagers and adults, not children. People ask me �Why do you like a cartoon?� After telling them that Sailor Moon is not a cartoon, I tell them why I do like Sailor Moon.
     First off, there are five main characters in Sailor Moon, each with an intricate set of character traits and attitudes and personalities. And all of these personalities interact with each other in different ways with different moods, just like in real life. There are episodes where Sailor Mars and Sailor Moon, who usually are at each other�s throats since Sailor Mars, whose name is Raye, cannot stand Sailor Moon�s immaturity and constant whining, act like best friends and work together without bickering with one another once. Also, the characters remind me of people I know personally in real life.
     For example, the main character, Serena, who is also Sailor Moon reminds me of my friend Allison. Allison is also the girl who got me hooked onto Sailor Moon in the first place on that fateful June afternoon I mentioned above. Anyway, Serena, before transforming into Sailor Moon, is probably the clumsiest and ditziest fictional character ever. For example, in one episode she nearly drops her Crescent Wand, which is the weapon she uses to heal possessed humans, over a bridge, and her talking cat Luna had to catch the Wand. Allison is also incredibly clumsy. Allison is also constantly late, and nearly every episode of Sailor Moon begins with Serena running to school, praying that the bell hasn�t rung yet.
     Hitting even closer to home is the character of Amy or Sailor Mercury. Amy is the first Scout to come along besides Serena in the show, and she met Serena after transferring to Serena�s school, Crossroads Junior High. Amy is a very smart girl, even considered a genius. And she knows how to use a computer well and can type extremely fast. Before meeting Serena and the rest of the Scouts, Amy basically lacked a social life, had no friends, and didn�t know how to act around other people. After changing schools and being forced to join a group of friends, she learned how to act and socialize. I just described Amy; however, I also described myself. I�m good with computers and I�m smart. Also, before I transferred to St. John the Baptist in seventh grade, I had no friends and was very shy. However, I was forced to join a group of friends, and ever since then we have remained the best of friends and I�m starting to break out of my shell.
     Another excellent feature of Sailor Moon is the complex storyline and plot. When I tell people this, they ask how a cartoon can have a complex storyline. The problem with their thinking is they assume Sailor Moon is another Looney Tunes cartoon, in which in every cartoon something is dropped on someone�s head or someone falls over a cliff and miraculously lives. Sailor Moon, however, has a plotline that spans 200 episodes and three movies in Japan. Sadly, in America we have only have the first 89 episodes (7 of these 89 have also been eliminated, so in America there are only 82 Sailor Moon episodes) and no movies. This plotline spans over 3,000 years of time and all nine of our planets, plus the moon. So, like I�ve said, there are no anvils materializing out of thin air and dropping on our heroine�s head in this series.
     Sailor Moon is a wonderful show which has greatly influenced my life. Nowadays, my other Moonies (that�s what we Sailor Moon addicts call ourselves, Moonies) and I go to the mall scouting out stores for Sailor Moon merchandise. Our other non-Moonie friends get sick of our long conversations about Sailor Moon and our constant references to the show. Every aspect of the show from the voices of the characters, the actions, the facial expressions, and the dialogue all combine to create a show so great that people of all ages can enjoy watching the successes of the graceful, speech-making heroine Sailor Moon and the failures of her other self, the clumsy, air-headed ditz Serena.