MILES to GO || before I sleep

Did you know that 30kisses has been around for over FIVE years? I'm so proud. Anniversaries for things like that are the sort of thing I don't remember, so I don't make a big fuss about it. :P

For those of you that don't know, 30kisses is the fanfiction & fanart challenge community that I run on LiveJournal. It's also got counterparts on Dreamwidth and AO3. People pick a fandom, a pairing (couple of characters), and a Theme Set List with 30 themes, and then try to write to each of those themes, along with a central "core" theme. For example, 30 "kisses," where a "kiss" has to appear in each story/piece of art, along with 30 individual themes. Submissions can use more than one theme at a time, or have one theme spanning multiple chapters, be Alternate Universe/Reality/Timeline/What-have-you, whatever! So it's a great challenge and it's been very popular over the years. I created it in response to the absolute SLOWNESS of the original 30_kisses community, and I haven't looked back since. Apparently, people like it enough, because FIVE YEARS...!

It's amazing! And we've had some fantastically supportive, active members, one of whom has been churning out great fics for all sorts of fandoms, using various Theme Set Lists, including the most difficult one we've got, List Zeta/memory. As a thank-you and reward, we've given her a 1-Year Paid LJ Account and for completing the list, a 140 userpic Add-On over at LJ. It's not much, considering the community itself isn't paid and doesn't have a fancy layout, but I really wanted to thank people that seriously stick with the community, contribute to fandom, and of course, make my life easier by following all the rules... :D

I'd really like to bring 30kisses over to Dreamwidth, and I've already got the community token used, but I'd rather not have to create a dummy mod account just for the sake of managing the community. If a community can ACT like a regular user, posting entries and whatnot, that would be great. Or maybe you can already do that, and I don't know about it? Can anyone with some DW community experience share?

I'm working on overhauling the Hall of Fame for 30kisses; it's pretty plain looking, but at least the coding is valid, and it's easy to find everyone's entries. Still, I think most people read directly on LJ, because you know what order to read in, exactly what themes go to what number, and so on. I'm not sure if there's an easy way to do that for a Hall of Fame (on LJ or off), considering the SIZE of the HoF. I don't like the idea of breaking it up onto multiple LJ pages. :(

I also want to change up the way the banners look. Five years is enough time using the same narrow, vaguely-cutesy banner with a "kiss/lipstick" logo, right? If you've seen any awesome banners used for awards and the like online, let me know--I need ideas!

I'm very happy about this--among other things--right now. It's a good day, and I've accomplished many things, with the support and belief of others. Thank you, everyone! :)

Even with the makers of Bentō, Filemaker 2, being jerkwads for introducing Bentō 2 out of the blue the other day (and not offering an upgrade path for Bentō 1 users who helped troubleshoot all of Bentō's weaknesses-- and believe you me, there were a lot), I'm having a good day.

Why? It's the little things that build to a sense of accomplishment. But my accomplishment satisfaction level might not come close to your accomplishment satisfaction level. Things that please me might frustrate others, because they're not enough. But I'm me, and what's good enough for me makes me happy, and that's a great thing to know about yourself.

So:
* I got all my biology practice questions on genetics all right! (WHOO HOO!)

* I understand how to make Punnett squares and how to figure out the genotypical probability of a given individual (and for the really complicated squares, I found a Punnett square calculator online)

* I managed to take some pretty comprehensive notes for the lecture (which I think makes more sense than the book, even though the slides seem long and the book seems "shiny") using Circus Ponies' software NoteBook 3-- which is just like a notebook, duh! It has some weaknesses (moving around shapes and arrows is a pain in the ass, and they stay in place rather than link to text; new pages don't always have a cell within which to start typing in right away), but generally it's really easy to use! I'm glad I got the hang of it so soon. I think I know more keyboard shortcuts for that program than others that I've used for years-- like, oh, the one I'm using now, XJournal! :P

* I took the quiz for this chapter a few minutes ago, even though the quiz only became available a few hours ago. Normally I take my quizzes at the last minute, but I wanted to take this quiz while all the information was fresh in my mind and my notes were literally right next to my quiz on the screen. I feel pretty confident about it- I think I'll get an A on this quiz and bring my class average up!

* I did MATH for this chapter's practice questions and quiz, and Biology is (duh) overall a SCIENCE subject! My two worst subjects and not only did I have FUN learning and practicing, but I feel confident about my skills! Honestly, if I were a lightbulb, I'd be GLOWING right now! :) :) :)

* I caught up on the discussion strands for Geology. To be honest, I'm a bit mad at myself for missing some of my assignments in classes-- I think I missed one biology quiz, one outdoor recreation quiz (the quiz was to think of 3 people influenced by the American outdoors and explain about them-- since we'd had to explain about one person for our third quiz, I thought I was done, but-- oops, no! And when I tried to think of other people besides the one I'd already used, I got brain block), and my one gender and women's studies paper. :( But I can see the silver lining: motivation to not slack off or fail in the rest of the semester-- once I get a running start, keep at it! So I will. I just hope this motivation carries through to everything else I do.

* I finally got the necessary 1000 points for the Bunny Races in Star Ocean: Till The End of Time. Well, technically I got 1002, and it technically wasn't me who did any of the work, it was my new turbo controller. :P But I figured out how to work it! The manual wasn't really any good for that. I also had to finagle a way to keep the X button pressed down. Tape wasn't working for extended periods of time, so I wrangled a penny using two rubber bands. So even though the game totally knows I cheated (heh!), I got the Bunny Races Trophy, a new pair of Bunny Shoes, and a shiny new Scumbag Slayer! Watch out Lenneth, here I come!

* I've managed to move more of my emails from my Mac to my online accounts, so I can access them wherever I am. The only exception to that was recently, when it seemed my domain was inexplicably inaccessible from my mom's home network, and no amount of talking to Earthlink resolved it. Because I could access other domains, they thought it was my host's fault, but my hosting service proved that my site was accessible all around the world to everyone else-- but me. But it's been working just fine ever since the last time I talked to the tech guy, and I hope it stays that way-- I don't want to lose access to my primary email account again. That's the biggie-- I can do without FTP access or access to my sites that I check regularly (but should update regularly and don't-- bad Mer!) for a few hours, but not my email!

So after all that, I feel like I can relax a little bit before starting on any more lessons or discussions. I still have some of the special features of Iron Man to watch (seriously, Disc 2 of the Ultimate Edition is PACKED! PACKED, I SAY! I don't care what my dad says, that movie freaking ROCKS MY SOCKS), the Sleeping Beauty 50th Anniversary Edition, and my loverly new CSI: Crime Scene Investigation season 1 DVD boxed set (ooh, CSI special features...). And of course, in 49 minutes, CSI S9x2!

Thrills!

OMG.
YAY.
SQUEE!
WAHOO!
YIPPEE!
YOWZA!
HAHAHAHAH!

But somehow, none of them quite do the situation justice. I just got accepted into the Washington Internship Institute. This is different from just being invited to the ISLP Delegation on Journalism, different from being told "how great a candidate" I am for the Target Executive Intern program (and not hearing from them in several weeks), and so on and so forth.

As a bit of reference, I was running around getting the application all filled out and finished this whole week-- reference letters, transcripts, the works. I sent it out by Priority Mail yesterday so it would make it to Washington, DC by the deadline of today. They got it by noon EST, which means around 9 a.m. here. I had a phone call to make by 10:30, so I was up by 10 a.m., and sometime around 10:30, I got that email saying "Welcome to WII!"

I was so shocked at first, I really didn't believe it. Less than an hour and a half after they receive my application and I'm in!? Damn, I'm good (and I know there could be other possibilities, but let me stroke my ego for a few minutes here, okay?).

So now I've got a new Intern Profile form to fill out, which includes two essays. That along with a $350 deposit is due within 10 days... I just got paid, so buh-bye, paycheck! I hope I get a scholarship from this and, since I'll be taking other seminars while there (according to their brochure, anyway) that I hope can count for other academic credit (not sure what department or anything, though). I can also take other online courses-- the one that I already planned to take, plus a few others, depending on their pre-reqs and GE fulfillments.

I emailed Scott yesterday, and he mentioned he thought I would graduate sooner, but the Spring 2009 date has looked like my date for a while now. This might mess that up, but then again, how's it any different from my plans for taking Winter session being dashed by the fact that they're not offering anything I need? Why pay for classes that don't mean anything to my degree? Of course, like Scott said, we're "students of life," so a few other classes hardly matter. I'll be graduating with over 120 units either way.

It's funny how now, in my junior and senior years, I'm finding so much that I want to do, even though it might not necessarily apply to my academic degree (major or minor) in any way. And of course, there are things that do pertain, but they're expensive-- this WII isn't free, but I'm hoping tuition can cover it as a sort of "study abroad" and that I can get scholarships from the Institute while I'm at it. There are scholarships for those in honor societies, and I'm in two eligible ones: NSCS and Golden Key, so yay to that.

So if all this works out, I'll be spending spring 2008 in Washington, DC and... *pray pray pray* 2 weeks of summer in Australia. THAT would be a dream come true. And now... to fundraise, pester, and find funding!

Oh, and write those essays.

I've got about 10 minutes before Hana Yori Dango 2, episode 3, and not all that long ago, I got back from a fun day with my tutors, Kevin, and Kevin's tutors. At 2pm we met up in front of the Senbai dormitories, then we headed off to a bowling alley not all that far from here. We broke into two teams, one with me (Meririn), Hiroyasu (Tokotoko), Misato (Misa~), and Chisato (Chisachisa), and the other with Kevin, Noriko, and Hiromi. The other team did much better than us, but I had a great time anyway, bowling in my usual funny way and trying to think of Sailor Senshi attacks to go with each frame. ^^; My hand was killing me by the time I was done (even though I only used a 6 lb ball, I think), but I had a great time after 2 games. They were showing TV on the lanes with unused scoreboards, and I got to see a bit of Dr. Slump and some other strange shows.

After that, we headed to Aeon-Jusco first to take some purikura at You's Land Rainbow Dance (the game center), then to grab some dinner (we had buffet at the same Family Buffet that I went to with Holly, Erica, Daisuke (?) and Dr. Kerhoff). I wanted to see if Jusco had some chocolate chips for cookies that I want to make tomorrow, but they only had a really small, expensive bag. I'm hoping when I go to Akatsuka tomorrow for Access Moon (I *WILL* get my hair done, dammit!) I can swing by the huge Daiso (¥100 shop) and grab a bag there. I did end up getting my bubble-wrap/cushion envelopes from Miriya Shoten (the bookstore), though. They didn't have Yu-Gi-Oh! R vol. 4 yet, and I would have bought it despite my money situation if they had, just because buying manga retail in Japan is SOOOO much cheaper than importing it from any website, be it Amazon.co.jp, Kinokuniya, or Sagusa Books.

While there, I saw a bunch of manga and movie adaptation books with MatsuJun on the cover- advertising his new movie that's coming out soon, Boku wa Imouto ni Koi o Suru or "I'm In Love With My Little Sister." o_O Whoa. I'm not one of the types that finds honest familial incest hot or anything, but MatsuJun must be a pretty damn versatile actor to commit to all the roles I've seen him in. WOW. I really respect him. :D

All in all, I didn't spend a ton of money (bowling was cheap; ¥900 for 2 games and shoe rental), I had a great time, and I even got some presents (chocolate from Hiromi and a cute purse and card with a cat on it from Chisato). Today was good. :)

ETA: Oh. My. God. HYD2 Episode 3 was by far the best of them so far, but I expect Episode 4 to be EVEN better. Check out my post on hanayoridango when I make it a bit from now.

THANK YOU SO MUCH KYSRA!
^_^ I got the present from you today, and it kicks butt! I've named it "The Kysra" in your honor. Now I just need a strap or something so I can hang it on my neck or something.

And since I'm going to Comiket (YAAAAY) I will make it my personal mission to find you some smexy smut doujinshi for some fandom or another to send as a "You are teh r0xx0rz!" present, too. Hopefully I'll find some Seto x Anzu~~~

This makes me feel a lot better, even if I have to still go shopping for tomorrow (which will be crazy) and still have homework to do. YAY PRESENTS I LOVE PRESENTS~~

If you're in any kind of English class, one of the things you're bound to learn about it how some people are just evil. Classically so, in a Shakespearean sense- meaning, with no reason at all.

There are "those days" when everything goes wrong-- as Meredith Brooks and Murphy say, "and then it all goes down the drain--" all at once. I'd been desperately trying to improve my grades coming the onset of the finals-- and I had! By some miracle I had gotten the highest grade in my Japanese class on the final, and a pretty good score on my last test in ROTC. I was hoping these grades would bring my Bs up to As, so my GPA would at least be a 2.5.

I don't know about my GPA just yet, but my grades were notched up slightly because of my finals-- except in Math, which I am amazingly beginning to understand and do!

I go home, expecting to watch a movie, eat a nice fresh artichoke-- but there's no mayo! I go out to Safeway to get it and AUGH! in the mayo aisle I discover my wallet -complete with $23- is missing! I go home, praying that it fell out in the pantry or on the stairs, but with no luck. I remained in a rut for three straight days, and then when I finally called to report my ATM missing, I was told the card had already been blocked. Huh? Then, miraculously, I was told the next day that my wallet had been found! I went to the bank it was located at the next day, and I was ecstatic-- even my $23 was intact (even if my mom made me give it back to her). Earlier, I'd ordered a pizza and the people at Round Table discounted $5 from the total cost because they'd shortchanged me last time (damned delivery people who don't get English). This, of course, wasn't revealed to me until WAAAY later, and it turned out I was shortchanged (again) of $8 or so dollars-- so my next pizza is free. (Does happy dance)

My fanfictions are going great, I'm bursting with new article ideas, and I *might* (read: pray) be able to work on the March runoff elections to pay off my long-standing debt to Columbia House (jackass creditors are so deceiving!)

Ooh, and I've even come up with more fic (and song) ideas in the past three days-- a song called "Transparent Brain" (kooky, I know) and another called "Standing Here/Waitin'" and a fanfic based on what I'm learning in History known as "Sheared" for now.

I hope this semi-good-luck/mood streak continues-- I've been waiting for Friday all week long, and now that it's here, I hope everything goes well.

Things to do today: see "A Walk To Remember," or "The Majestic," preferably with Mom because she never goes anywhere or does anything with me anymore, prep for "Digital Horizon" tomorrow, and GET MONEY to pay off debt! Research colleges! Write articles! Eat healthy! Wai-wai!