Hello, everyone!

Today is my birthday. Behold, I am one step closer to middle age! \o/

To celebrate my birthday, I'm going to order my favorite pineapple fried rice from the Thai joint across the street. :9

Going out to celebrate has to be put on hold. Work is heavy. While I've managed to finish everything but Voice vol 3, the book is due in a little over a week. It's been a mad scramble. I'm working 10 hours a day, and preferably longer. Thank the manga gods this vol is a little easier than vol 2 and vol 1. Though considering how nasty vol 1 was--with all the crazy shoujo romcom shenanigans to hook readers--being a little easier than that isn't saying much. Heh heh. *headdesk*

Spicer-kitty is doing well! Now it's turned a bit chilly again, his favorite fuzzy kitty basket is back on my desk, and he's currently curled up inside it. Kakashi is giving me the eye, hoping for more food. He's turned rather pudgy. My own weight is holding steady. The green juice once a day isn't taking any weight off at the moment, but with all the stress I'm under, I am happy to not be gaining. (I always gain weight when I'm under stress. Saying level is delightful to me in this situation.)

Not much going on besides work work work. I did make it to book club, but that's my only bit of fun in weeks. So it goes, when in work hell.

Yesterday I did 9 pages, including one pink and one orange. I'm so proud of myself! I want to do that much again! XD

Everyone, thanks for sticking with me for another year! *hugs for all*

Today I did a random google of my art school and discovered two things: 1. There's a class action lawsuit threatened against them, and 2. They're shutting down. No new students, and once the current ones are done, that's it. They also ended the animation program I went through several years ago.

I am shocked, to say the least. But not really. I've told everyone who asks me about my art school to NOT GO THERE. I tossed their "Come back for your Bachelor's!!!" propaganda letters in the recycle bin with glee. Even saying that, my education there has been useful in my manga lettering career, even the design classes before I switched to animation. But they all could have been so much better...

I do have very fond memories of working at the library, though. Very fond. ^^

Anyway, reading the testimonials of people who wanted to be included in the class action suit was eye-opening. I remember when my parents and I looked into student housing through the school, something seemed off, and we decided to get me an apartment privately. Now I'm very glad we did.

Perhaps it was because I was there over 10 years ago, but I never faced the loan harassment and tripling of tuition I read about. It's shocking.

The school wasn't a complete waste, I admit that. But it seems I am in the minority of that opinion. (But I still wouldn't advise anyone to attend, even if they weren't closing. Nope.)

Since very early Thursday morning, Spicer-kitty has been sick. It's his liver and heart. I'm having to force-feed and -water him so he can get the nutrition he needs to heal. He's getting daily antibiotic shots (vet, me, vet, me), Mylanta to keep him from vomiting, and a stinky brown liver medication.

The bottle-feeding is four times a day, and has to continue until he eats on his own. He already occasionally does, but it's not enough. The heat wave doesn't help. Kakashi is perfectly healthy and barely eating, either.

We have another appointment tomorrow at the vet.

I'm so glad I work at home, because IDK how I'd do this if I had a normal job and still lived alone. ><

You'll know more when I do. :/

Do you have a favorite fic you’ve written? What makes it your favorite?

This is like asking a parent to chose between their children. :P Let me see...

I am fond of all my fics, though I suppose I am partial to some more than others. The challenging ones, or the milestones, or the ones I really like. Hmmm.

My first fic, "Distracting and a Great Bother", would have to be the all-time favorite. Not only is it my baby, but it's still my longest fic, it brought me and my BFF stariceling together, and it IS a very personal fic. You know, since it started as a dream of mine. ^^; I'm so incredibly happy when someone reads all seven chapters at FF.net, or it receives a hit at AO3 or Skyehawke. I was on a cloud of joy a couple days ago, when I noticed someone at AO3 finally bookmarked it--AND the meta fic star-chan wrote for it. Heeee!!! <3 I'm particularly happy when the fic is simply read, now that I know everything that is going against it. 1. Female original character, 2. first person POV, 3. first person POV is the OFC, 4. no sexy tiems, 5. no crack humor. 6. begins with worn-out trope. Everything about the fic screams "BACK BUTTON NOW!!1!1" to jaded fic readers. Oh, dear...

My Bleach fic, "Not as Nice as Me", also has a fond place in my heart. It turned out really well, especially since I wrote it as a personal challenge, to see if I could pull of a villain's skewed POV. And it stars one of my fave animated men, Grimmjow. I admit, I also like Orihime, and I was able to write her well, too. Fandom reception has been good, and that always makes me happy. :3

I like my Ghost Hunt fic, "Something in the Silence", because it combines two things that I enjoy and know a lot about: horses and ghost hunting. (I have never done the latter, but I have read and studied for hours.) Using two favored subjects, and having it turn out pretty damn good, is a lovely bonus. :3 This fic was actually quite easy for me to write, not only for the familiar subject matter, but because it was simple for me to get into Lin's POV. He's silent, stoic, enjoys being alone, doesn't like young children, and is happy to be shut in his office all day. Sound familiar?? *laughs*

Welp, that's it, everyone! The meme is done! :D It's been an interesting experience. I've thought about my fics more than ever before, and even realized a thing or two about them and myself. Who knew that could come about thanks to a silly tumblr meme?

Thanks to everyone who has read my posts, and special thanks to those who commented. I'm glad you're listening! :D

26 – What is the oddest (or funnest) thing you’ve had to research for a fic?

Oddest would have to be hardness of wood. In my first Yuletide fic, "Doesn't Mean Anything", the poor main character is handcuffed to a heavy wooden sofa. It had to be strong enough to hold him for the length of the fic. The end result: teak. I found a pic of an antique teak sofa that fit the basic idea I wanted, and went with that.

Funniest: how a guy shaves his face, for my fic "It's All an Act, You Know". I asked my IRL male friend about it, and he answered my questions and directed me to a tutorial video (by Gillette) on Youtube.

Okay, I admit researching how a guy shaves his face isn't that funny, but my reaction to it was. X| For some reason, I find watching (or reading about) a guy shaving really hot. That tutorial video was...swoon worthy. (Ha!) And it didn't help that the actor was gorgeous. *headdesk* I kept having to pause and switch to something else for a break. The end result of the research and self-torment is my personal favorite UST-scene ever, so I'd say the embarrassment was worth it. Woot!

24 – Betaing – How many betas do you like to use to make sure there aren’t any major flaws in your fic? Do you have a Beta horror story or dream story?

I normally only use one beta, my fanfic sempai stariceling because she does an amazing job and is a fine writer herself. :3 Occasionally I'll ask some IRL friends to look over a fic, like the Ghost Hunt Yuletide fic, but mostly it's just stariceling. ^^ I suppose one good thing about not writing much fanfic is that my beta is spared a heavy workload. Heh!

I don't really have any beta horror stories. I've only asked a complete stranger to beta a fic once, and she did an okay job on the first chapter of the fic, but didn't come through by the agreed-upon deadline for the 2nd. I swung by her LJ and saw she was doing NaNo, so I pretty much gave up. Half-way through November, I PMed her and said not to worry, it had been long enough I could beta the fic myself, and I did. Never heard from her again!

But I've never had a story stolen or a beta flip out on me for some reason. I'm lucky to have star-sempai at my back! She really comes through for Yuletide in particular. Betaing a ~10k fic in two weeks can be tough, at least at the level we beta each other's stuff. (We check EVERYTHING. Spag, word choice, plot, characterization, second-guessing, what are you trying to say here, word repetition, that thing you're describing doesn't work like that, etc etc etc. Pretty much as in-depth as a beta can get!)

I'm so lucky!!! *hearts*

20 – Do you ever get bunnied from other people’s stories or art in the same fandom?

No, actually, I almost never do. It happened once, which is how "It's All an Act, You Know" began, but otherwise? Nope.

It seems I can enjoy other people's fanfic for itself. I have enough ideas from canon and on my own for bunnies! ^^