P
Pirogeth
Guest
Original poster
[align=center]
Lead Editor: Pirogeth
Graphics Designer: Tuxedo Mask
Insanity Reporter: Miru
Newsletter 4.0[/align]
It looks like it is that time of month again and what do you know it is also a significant time during the year as well. For most of you in school it is finals and what is more distracting than a visit to Iwaku so here we will try to sum up events so you do not have to deter from you studies too long. This letter has everything, well, except for a missing Sakura's Lounge and is replaced with her own article on happiness.
Despite this letter lacking some meat on its bones we have a load of events to cover such as, the cbox it has come back better than ever, the new style and welcoming 4.0, and much more. So sit back relax and read on down because your our next contestant on the News is Right.
[align=center]Announcements[/align]
Return of The Show
Now before we get into the fantastic, green glowing goodness known as 4.0 there is a special announcement for all of you who enjoyed it before. It is the return of The Iwaku Show and this time we are getting our act together. Gone are the belated promise dates given by the INS and gone are the hundreds of voices in one chat. In this one it will be hosted by three members. So far the confirmed are Pirogeth and Diana and one unconfirmed. So if you think you can take that third host seat send a PM to Pirogeth and make sure you have Skype. Now onto the 4.0 talk.
Welcoming 4.0
Most of you may not know all the versions but bidding welcome to the fourth is like a brand new stepping stone. The Iwaku has changed a lot since its infantile form and it has just been getting better and better. Sure some people may not agree with the color at times but that is "forum puberty" for you. The evolution of Iwaku has brought us greater gifts than just a place to write but a community where we can come to escape the harsh world around us. Friends online we can trust with their own quirks browse the site day to day and the loyal Staff working to keep that experience as golden as it is.
During this latest upgrade the Iwaku has now stepped up to the bat to making the site more appealing to the individual member. Sure these new improvements benefit the community but it is always good to feel like you stand out. So here are the major new changes.
-The cbox has its own tab to cut down on loading lag
-The Forum has went through a makeover
-There is a new Blog system available
-We have an easily accessed front page, something unavailable to us before
-Awards and what of them
With these improvements the Iwaku has never looked healthier and we will be going through them one by one.
Return of the Cbox
The cbox has returned to us and we are all happy. Conversing in real time with other members has always been one of our many joys in the Iwaku and it is back better than ever. Yet, before we get back into the cbox pool there are some pool rules that need to be looked over first. Diana had this to say:
With the new rules set into place the cbox should be a "…newbie and member friendly…" zone. This will not only make our new arrivals happy and able to meld into the community but also keep potty mouthing to a minimum so we do not all look like jerks. Follow the rules and we will all have a successful cbox experience.
Now to discuss some features with the cbox that some of you may not know about. The very first thing you might notice is the notices. These will keep you up to date on RP posts so you do not miss one while in the cbox. The other tabs also include a place to speak the naughty speak, NSFW, a Counseling tab for issues you wish to vent, and even a Role play tab for general role play discussion. Also some changes to our options have been made.
Other than the normal changing font, font size, and font color, we have some chatting options to go along side it. First of all you will see next to the font drop down menu is a "px" dropdown menu. This menu allows you to adjust the size of the words in the box to suit you best.
Continuing further to the right you will see two more new buttons that can be extremely useful. The "Create New Chat" and "Invite To Chat" buttons. What this does is allow you to create your own new chat room and invite who you like to said chat room. It will keep them plotting conversations out of the general tab for both the public's and your convenience as well as keep the chats private so no stumbling on story planning will happen. The cbox has also been moved to its own personal tab located at the top of the page. So enjoy the new options with the cbox and the rest of the site.
Forum Makeover
The most notable change when jumping over to 4.0 was the striking green color that appeared. Some people are fine with it but others can be detested by it. However, do not fret as you do not have to quit Iwaku due to color dislike. Diana has planned ahead and made a separate skin for you all aptly named "Blue for Babies." This drop down option box can be found at the bottom of the site in the forum section. If you are unable to find it look at frame 1.1 to confirm its whereabouts.
F1.1
So if you do not like the green color be sure to switch.
The Blogging
The big new addition to our lovely site is the blogs. So far many have utilized this function but this article is less about telling you it is there and more about what options you have.
Blogging is a lot like a normal post to those of you new to it. You get to change your font color with hexcode/color names, you get to insert pictures with the IMG or IMGA tags, and you can pretty much say anything you want to say. Subjects so far have ranged from daily life to RP character bios to even the behind the scenes of this very letter. But this is just the basic knowledge. To get into the really cool options there is a friendly button near the tabs up top called "Blog Settings" supposedly to set up your blog.
Once you are on this page the first thing you'll notice is the basic Blog Title and Blog Description boxes. These are pretty self explanatory and are for your own Blog main page. But when you look to the left you will see all the pretty aqua words. These are as follows:
-Edit Title and Description
-Customize Blog Style
-Organize Sidebar
-Edit Custom Pages
-Permissions & Privacy
-Blog Statistics
-Manage Groups
-Manage Categories
-Manage Subscriptions
-Manage Entry Subscriptions
The ones we will not be going over is the first one and the last two as they kind of explain themselves. The others, though, will be gone over in more detail to help you utilize your blog to the fullest.
Customize Blog Style
You will notice that this page is directly reminiscent of the Customize Profile page back on 3.0. Well that is because it is and is there for you to customize the colors and other things for your blog page. You can experiment with colors to see what works and what does not. Now you can have the prettiest or most devilish looking blog out there once you mess with these settings.
Organize Sidebar
Your main blog page comes complete with a sidebar, but what if you like the calendar up top and not on the bottom. Well with the Organize Sidebar option you can adjust the positions of these boxes and give yourself an even further sense of uniqueness in your blog page.
Edit Custom Page
Now this one is a bit of a tricky one as even this reporter did not find out what it did right away. What this particular option will do is create, edit, or delete custom pages for your profile that can be clicked and viewed via the sidebar. It is just like a blog but it ends up being a more permanent version and you are allowed a total of 5. While on the main editing page you can click on the pencil and paper to edit the page itself and also create a display number to adjust the order in which the pages are located on the sidebar. To delete a page you need to click on the editing button and click a deletion check box as well as a deletion button.
Permissions & Privacy
In Permissions and Privacy you have the options of allowing certain groups to view or comment on your blog. A simple array of checkboxes decide the outcome of each group. These groups are contacts, ignores, regular members, and guests. The default is pretty well adjusted but if you have any problems with it you can always changes the options here.
Blog Statistics
The page does not seem to have much displayed on it but that is only for those who have not made a lot of entries. The page itself records the amount of Blog's produced and comments made in a daily, weekly, or monthly scope. Although there does not seem to be much on this page hopefully it will improve as time moves on.
Manage Groups
Just like the name states this is where you can manage groups. What this here will do will allow you to create blogging groups so all of you can create and edit blogs for everyone. Group blogs have that added touch of community effort to them so be sure to utilize it when you can.
Manage Categories
The final setting to be talked about is the Manage Categories section. In here you can create different categories for your blogs to be listed under. This will help organization when blogging and give the viewers an idea of what to expect from certain blogs. The category the blog is under will be displayed on the blog preview in the main blog page.
So that's just about it for the blogging. Sure there are other things you can experiment with but it will not happen if you do not go do it. Make use of the functions available and create wonderful and intricate blogs.
Front Page Iwaku
Iwaku now has a front page located under the Home tab at the top of the site. This is where important articles can be viewed and created. Even this letter has a home there so make sure to stop off to read of any important events going on.
Awards and What of Them
Finally we talk about the Awards now available to the Iwakuans. The list of awards can be viewed via the Award tab. From here you can also recommend or request awards. These will then be sent to the Staff for further consideration. Those that receive certain awards might be also mentioned in the next letter so make sure you use these to gain the honor of having one.
[align=center]Meet the Staff
Trance Kitsune
[/align]
This month we are covering our resident Kitsune in the Staff. Her job is to work with Sakura at moderating the General Section but she does much more than just that. In fact she is great in communicating with the members and is a well respected and recognized face. TK has her own cult in the social groups if you wish to check it out and all matter of odd things happen there.
Her secret administrative missions have also been well recognized by the Staff and they appreciate her continued determination. So to TK we give thanks for her community involvement and skills in making Iwaku a better place to come to every day.
[align=center]How Happy is Being Happy?[/align]
Heyuu Iwakuans!
Here's a face you haven't seen in a while! And yes, SCHOOL IS TO BLAME. And not so much in a bad way, because I really don't mind the rush and hush of the end of the year. I love school <3 so I tend to have these crazy opposing opinions to "SCHOOL IS A NIGHTMARE" ;)
The truth is, sure I'm a little frustrated, but it's not going to eat me alive. I'm going to die or never see a shooting star laying on the roof at night or the blue blue sky as far as the eye can see. Being frustrated, being pressured, being challenged~ these are all things that give flavour to our dull routine lives, they're all things we should be THANKFUL for, not wanting to do without...
I like to live every day like it's own year. Build my relationships with my friends and teachers, learn something new and find another way to look at the world through my own eyes. It's better this way. It's more exciting, more innovated, more capable to be looked forward to. The world is an enormous place, and the future is always uncertain, but if you have the confidence to be yourself, to love yourself and to live the life you want for yourself, then there's nothing stopping you.
"You can try but you can't stop my relentless advance" <3
Falling in love, struggling for grades, skipping through the hallways, ducking under lockers, twirling around with friends or mischievously making faces at people through the classroom windows-- no matter what it is, I do with my heart. I do with the complete and total passion and fervor with which I do everything else.
So this little trinket of thoughts is for my lovely Iwakuans. Think about it like this. Today, I had to wake up early and get to school at 6:45 instead of 7:30 because we were taking a practice Ap English Language & Composition Mock Test. Being a Thursday, my lunch period was replaced with Physics Lab, so I used my Physics period to chew down some bagel & cheese with a Capri Sun. Sometime towards two-o-clock, about three hours later I chowed down on the little Probiotic Yogurt while listening to my French teacher complain about having a bad day and then, even as I rushed out of the two-hour Arista installation rehearsal and to the home field to watch the last quarter of the guy's Lacrosse game, I gobbled up an onigiri stuffed with spicy pickled-mango. When it was finally time to go home, I whipped out my cellphone, complete with it's cute new case (black with vibrant red/yellow/white/pink flowers on it) and it's dangling pearls and butterflies charm and called up my dad. I got home at 6:50. So you tell me, how many hours did I spend in school exactly?
It's now 8:02. I had a little powernap, a tiny dinner and decided to relax for a few minutes before I realized how late it had gotten. Time passes so fast when you're busy, but hey, I'm here, still thinking of the AP Calculus homework I've got, those three free response questions that take ten minutes each, plus that US history essay, that rhetorical analysis paper for English, the corrections for the mock test for Calc, three exercises for French, and not to mention I need a good excuse not to meet my tutee tomorrow and instead, chillax with my friends at Lunch.
Life is hard. Time is fast, but we've got to keep moving. We've got to keep trying. Somewhere, somehow, to someone, our efforts will pay off. I'm taking the time out of my homework and studying and not to mention, sleep, to write this little piece for you Iwakuans. Why? Because I know it will make you happy. It will make Pironii & Mirunii proud. It will make Dananachan smile. It will make Asmupuu beam. Maybe it will even catch Feekun's philosophical eye.
Iwaku has always been there for me when I needed it. I hope that this message can be there for you when you're down in the dumps. Just get up and keep walking. Don't pretend you've never been hurt, just learn that it isn't going to make a difference. We don't walk around with our personality, our past, our likes and dislikes plastered to our foreheads, so we've got to make decisions that reflect who WE are.
I've learned a lot from Public School. I've learned that it's easy to make friends, but it takes patience, care and joy to build a friendship into a stronger bond. And every day can make a difference, every day you can grow that much closer. And by the end of the year, you've got friends worthy of trophies for all the happiness they have given you.
In health, my teacher insists that if there's only one thing you accomplish in your life. Be Happy. Because Happiness is the essence of health, of joy, of peace and of serenity. If you can get over the pain, the sorrow, the hurt and the downs of life and be happy, then you are truly strong. Sure, it's good to let the tears out once in a while, it's good to be frustrated, to push yourself harder, to demand answers from yourself, but always remember who you are, and what you stand for and the reason that you're alive. Live your life like you never have before. Live your life with your heart on your sleeve and your imagination at your fingertips. Get hurt, be sad, cry, scream and stomp your feet; cross your arms, glare at the wall, roll your eyes and snap at a teddy bear. And when you're done, when all the negativity drifts away and you're staring solemnly into the air, not knowing what to feel, smile. Just smile. Laugh out loud like it's the funniest thing you've ever seen or heard. Even if it sounds stupid, it's not. Because at that moment, when you're torn down and tattered, the one thing that can make all the difference is your effort.
Your effort towards happiness.
People all share different ideas of happiness. Personally, mine is the quirky, very straightforward, rather weird, childish, bubbly, loud, obnoxious, type-of-happiness. I stick to the same old inside jokes until I've murdered them, buried them, brought them back to life and stabbed them to death again, but they always work. People say I'm always smiling. I'm always cheerful. I'm always bubbly and ready to help, but it's the same for them too. When I see those people, they smile right back, they talk with cheerfulness and regard me with a charisma that makes me want to spin around in circles in crazy laughter.
Sure, I might be a happy person, but it's not just me. It's everyone around me that gives me a reason to be happy, Iwaku included.
It's 8:15. Time's passing rather slowly since I've started to regard it with caution. I'm thinking of that chubby black fly that was buzzing around in the living room earlier, I wonder if my brother was able to shoo it out the window like planned. I keep thinking of the lax game and how the guys were playing their utmost best because it was the last game of the season. It's hard to imagine everyone not being with us next year. All these crazy seniors I've met. I'm really going to miss them. Really Really Really.
ShiifuuMaster taught me how to use the bluetooth picture transfer function on my phone today. I was so excited because I had never known you could send pictures free to someone nearby if their bluetooth was enabled. It's crazy fun when you learn something so new that you just want to try it all day. Ninth period when I was free, I walked around the hallway, clicking "search for connections" and holding my phone close to all the Spanish classrooms looking for him. xD
Being childish means that the world hasn't lost it's color. It's still as fresh, as beautiful and as intriguing as it was when I was a kid. I still wonder at the sky and stare at the clouds and gaze at the grass like it's something I've never seen before. When I saw leaves on the trees yesterday, I stopped and realized that the blossoms of spring had completely disappeared. While a few days ago, they had been everywhere, now there wasn't even a trace of them on the ground. Strange, but intriguing.
When I open my window, it makes this creaky sort of noise and little squirrels come running to the ground, looking up with their little paws open in front of them. It's like they know, that whenever I open the window-door that far out it means I'm about to throw them some food. I think it's adorable because they're so smart and cute. Things like these can easily make me happy, watching little animals scurry about in a hurry to come to you when they know you're going to bring them food---bring them happiness...
If you're truly who you are, and if you're truly challenging yourself to be the very best you that you can be, then I have no doubt that you should be happy :)
Happiness is not the measure of joy or the opposite of sorrow. It's the strength of your heart. It's the authenticity of you.
<3
Until next time,
pray for my exam results to come out nicely,
Yours truly always with love,
S A K U R A
P.S: Snippet inspired by Pironii's words: "Heck even if you wanna just do a small article of how happy being happy is I'd take it XD..."
&& Feekun's kindhearted PM~ Ranted Brains on Joyful Hearts: "...A lot of people fail to tell the difference between being aware of evil and being oppressed by it. I think you're one of the lucky ones. You can feel sympathetic toward the others, but don't let them bring you down. When you can, bring them up instead. :)..."
[align=center]Insanity Report[/align]
We are experiencing laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag!
But I love you guys so much that I ran through the mutating mist of LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG to stalk scout out the Asylum!
Let's see our Top 5 of the month!!!
#5-Damn Rednecks
Okay, I approve of this thread for two reasons, so listen up!
Number 1: I believe a good majority of the males who looked at "Evony" could and would call it false advertising. @_@
And Number 2... George Bush should NEVER be allowed near video games. EVER. SERIOUSLY. I MEAN IT. Buck is Bush in my eyes. =P
Anyway, so yeah. The game is supposedly quite horrible. I, for one, don't plan on even trying it, especially if it uses such a dumb method of advertising. Anyway, this is getting just a TAD BIT too sane... BLARGAHARGLEAFRAGGLE.
#4!~-A Special Message To Those Who Fight The MURRR
Indeed.
Ooooookaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
Make your alliances KNOWN!
Indeed? The secret-It must not be known! >_>
<_<
And now we shall let the Murrrrrrrrrrr puns begin!
And the "stuffing"...
KEEP IT AWAY FROM MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
>_<
"Trance puts the MUR in MURDER!"
-Isabella, 4/28/2010
And now it's going to lead to an endorsement! Because a quote like that makes me think of food or something...
TK's Foxy Cookies! =P
Anyway, the warmonger himself steps into the thread, and apparently disapprove of TK's chainsaw. Use the diamond-encrusted one! It's better!!!! >:D
It's a lie- Throw things at Izzy!
#2!-HEY DARKY
Corrupt referees and soccer go hand in hand! >_>
SOMEBODY ELSE JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION- IT'S NO FUNSTALKINGWATCHINGFOLLOWING
STARING AT Darkness! >_<
#1! And perhaps the craziest piece of WTF I've ever seen in KoI/Asylum...
Mrow :|
Lead Editor: Pirogeth
Graphics Designer: Tuxedo Mask
Insanity Reporter: Miru
Newsletter 4.0[/align]
It looks like it is that time of month again and what do you know it is also a significant time during the year as well. For most of you in school it is finals and what is more distracting than a visit to Iwaku so here we will try to sum up events so you do not have to deter from you studies too long. This letter has everything, well, except for a missing Sakura's Lounge and is replaced with her own article on happiness.
Despite this letter lacking some meat on its bones we have a load of events to cover such as, the cbox it has come back better than ever, the new style and welcoming 4.0, and much more. So sit back relax and read on down because your our next contestant on the News is Right.
[align=center]Announcements[/align]
Return of The Show
Now before we get into the fantastic, green glowing goodness known as 4.0 there is a special announcement for all of you who enjoyed it before. It is the return of The Iwaku Show and this time we are getting our act together. Gone are the belated promise dates given by the INS and gone are the hundreds of voices in one chat. In this one it will be hosted by three members. So far the confirmed are Pirogeth and Diana and one unconfirmed. So if you think you can take that third host seat send a PM to Pirogeth and make sure you have Skype. Now onto the 4.0 talk.
Welcoming 4.0
Most of you may not know all the versions but bidding welcome to the fourth is like a brand new stepping stone. The Iwaku has changed a lot since its infantile form and it has just been getting better and better. Sure some people may not agree with the color at times but that is "forum puberty" for you. The evolution of Iwaku has brought us greater gifts than just a place to write but a community where we can come to escape the harsh world around us. Friends online we can trust with their own quirks browse the site day to day and the loyal Staff working to keep that experience as golden as it is.
During this latest upgrade the Iwaku has now stepped up to the bat to making the site more appealing to the individual member. Sure these new improvements benefit the community but it is always good to feel like you stand out. So here are the major new changes.
-The cbox has its own tab to cut down on loading lag
-The Forum has went through a makeover
-There is a new Blog system available
-We have an easily accessed front page, something unavailable to us before
-Awards and what of them
With these improvements the Iwaku has never looked healthier and we will be going through them one by one.
Return of the Cbox
The cbox has returned to us and we are all happy. Conversing in real time with other members has always been one of our many joys in the Iwaku and it is back better than ever. Yet, before we get back into the cbox pool there are some pool rules that need to be looked over first. Diana had this to say:
With the new rules set into place the cbox should be a "…newbie and member friendly…" zone. This will not only make our new arrivals happy and able to meld into the community but also keep potty mouthing to a minimum so we do not all look like jerks. Follow the rules and we will all have a successful cbox experience.
Now to discuss some features with the cbox that some of you may not know about. The very first thing you might notice is the notices. These will keep you up to date on RP posts so you do not miss one while in the cbox. The other tabs also include a place to speak the naughty speak, NSFW, a Counseling tab for issues you wish to vent, and even a Role play tab for general role play discussion. Also some changes to our options have been made.
Other than the normal changing font, font size, and font color, we have some chatting options to go along side it. First of all you will see next to the font drop down menu is a "px" dropdown menu. This menu allows you to adjust the size of the words in the box to suit you best.
Continuing further to the right you will see two more new buttons that can be extremely useful. The "Create New Chat" and "Invite To Chat" buttons. What this does is allow you to create your own new chat room and invite who you like to said chat room. It will keep them plotting conversations out of the general tab for both the public's and your convenience as well as keep the chats private so no stumbling on story planning will happen. The cbox has also been moved to its own personal tab located at the top of the page. So enjoy the new options with the cbox and the rest of the site.
Forum Makeover
The most notable change when jumping over to 4.0 was the striking green color that appeared. Some people are fine with it but others can be detested by it. However, do not fret as you do not have to quit Iwaku due to color dislike. Diana has planned ahead and made a separate skin for you all aptly named "Blue for Babies." This drop down option box can be found at the bottom of the site in the forum section. If you are unable to find it look at frame 1.1 to confirm its whereabouts.
F1.1
[align=center]
[/align]
So if you do not like the green color be sure to switch.
The Blogging
The big new addition to our lovely site is the blogs. So far many have utilized this function but this article is less about telling you it is there and more about what options you have.
Blogging is a lot like a normal post to those of you new to it. You get to change your font color with hexcode/color names, you get to insert pictures with the IMG or IMGA tags, and you can pretty much say anything you want to say. Subjects so far have ranged from daily life to RP character bios to even the behind the scenes of this very letter. But this is just the basic knowledge. To get into the really cool options there is a friendly button near the tabs up top called "Blog Settings" supposedly to set up your blog.
Once you are on this page the first thing you'll notice is the basic Blog Title and Blog Description boxes. These are pretty self explanatory and are for your own Blog main page. But when you look to the left you will see all the pretty aqua words. These are as follows:
-Edit Title and Description
-Customize Blog Style
-Organize Sidebar
-Edit Custom Pages
-Permissions & Privacy
-Blog Statistics
-Manage Groups
-Manage Categories
-Manage Subscriptions
-Manage Entry Subscriptions
The ones we will not be going over is the first one and the last two as they kind of explain themselves. The others, though, will be gone over in more detail to help you utilize your blog to the fullest.
Customize Blog Style
You will notice that this page is directly reminiscent of the Customize Profile page back on 3.0. Well that is because it is and is there for you to customize the colors and other things for your blog page. You can experiment with colors to see what works and what does not. Now you can have the prettiest or most devilish looking blog out there once you mess with these settings.
Organize Sidebar
Your main blog page comes complete with a sidebar, but what if you like the calendar up top and not on the bottom. Well with the Organize Sidebar option you can adjust the positions of these boxes and give yourself an even further sense of uniqueness in your blog page.
Edit Custom Page
Now this one is a bit of a tricky one as even this reporter did not find out what it did right away. What this particular option will do is create, edit, or delete custom pages for your profile that can be clicked and viewed via the sidebar. It is just like a blog but it ends up being a more permanent version and you are allowed a total of 5. While on the main editing page you can click on the pencil and paper to edit the page itself and also create a display number to adjust the order in which the pages are located on the sidebar. To delete a page you need to click on the editing button and click a deletion check box as well as a deletion button.
Permissions & Privacy
In Permissions and Privacy you have the options of allowing certain groups to view or comment on your blog. A simple array of checkboxes decide the outcome of each group. These groups are contacts, ignores, regular members, and guests. The default is pretty well adjusted but if you have any problems with it you can always changes the options here.
Blog Statistics
The page does not seem to have much displayed on it but that is only for those who have not made a lot of entries. The page itself records the amount of Blog's produced and comments made in a daily, weekly, or monthly scope. Although there does not seem to be much on this page hopefully it will improve as time moves on.
Manage Groups
Just like the name states this is where you can manage groups. What this here will do will allow you to create blogging groups so all of you can create and edit blogs for everyone. Group blogs have that added touch of community effort to them so be sure to utilize it when you can.
Manage Categories
The final setting to be talked about is the Manage Categories section. In here you can create different categories for your blogs to be listed under. This will help organization when blogging and give the viewers an idea of what to expect from certain blogs. The category the blog is under will be displayed on the blog preview in the main blog page.
So that's just about it for the blogging. Sure there are other things you can experiment with but it will not happen if you do not go do it. Make use of the functions available and create wonderful and intricate blogs.
Front Page Iwaku
Iwaku now has a front page located under the Home tab at the top of the site. This is where important articles can be viewed and created. Even this letter has a home there so make sure to stop off to read of any important events going on.
Awards and What of Them
Finally we talk about the Awards now available to the Iwakuans. The list of awards can be viewed via the Award tab. From here you can also recommend or request awards. These will then be sent to the Staff for further consideration. Those that receive certain awards might be also mentioned in the next letter so make sure you use these to gain the honor of having one.
[align=center]Meet the Staff
Trance Kitsune
This month we are covering our resident Kitsune in the Staff. Her job is to work with Sakura at moderating the General Section but she does much more than just that. In fact she is great in communicating with the members and is a well respected and recognized face. TK has her own cult in the social groups if you wish to check it out and all matter of odd things happen there.
Her secret administrative missions have also been well recognized by the Staff and they appreciate her continued determination. So to TK we give thanks for her community involvement and skills in making Iwaku a better place to come to every day.
[align=center]How Happy is Being Happy?[/align]
Heyuu Iwakuans!
Here's a face you haven't seen in a while! And yes, SCHOOL IS TO BLAME. And not so much in a bad way, because I really don't mind the rush and hush of the end of the year. I love school <3 so I tend to have these crazy opposing opinions to "SCHOOL IS A NIGHTMARE" ;)
The truth is, sure I'm a little frustrated, but it's not going to eat me alive. I'm going to die or never see a shooting star laying on the roof at night or the blue blue sky as far as the eye can see. Being frustrated, being pressured, being challenged~ these are all things that give flavour to our dull routine lives, they're all things we should be THANKFUL for, not wanting to do without...
I like to live every day like it's own year. Build my relationships with my friends and teachers, learn something new and find another way to look at the world through my own eyes. It's better this way. It's more exciting, more innovated, more capable to be looked forward to. The world is an enormous place, and the future is always uncertain, but if you have the confidence to be yourself, to love yourself and to live the life you want for yourself, then there's nothing stopping you.
"You can try but you can't stop my relentless advance" <3
Falling in love, struggling for grades, skipping through the hallways, ducking under lockers, twirling around with friends or mischievously making faces at people through the classroom windows-- no matter what it is, I do with my heart. I do with the complete and total passion and fervor with which I do everything else.
So this little trinket of thoughts is for my lovely Iwakuans. Think about it like this. Today, I had to wake up early and get to school at 6:45 instead of 7:30 because we were taking a practice Ap English Language & Composition Mock Test. Being a Thursday, my lunch period was replaced with Physics Lab, so I used my Physics period to chew down some bagel & cheese with a Capri Sun. Sometime towards two-o-clock, about three hours later I chowed down on the little Probiotic Yogurt while listening to my French teacher complain about having a bad day and then, even as I rushed out of the two-hour Arista installation rehearsal and to the home field to watch the last quarter of the guy's Lacrosse game, I gobbled up an onigiri stuffed with spicy pickled-mango. When it was finally time to go home, I whipped out my cellphone, complete with it's cute new case (black with vibrant red/yellow/white/pink flowers on it) and it's dangling pearls and butterflies charm and called up my dad. I got home at 6:50. So you tell me, how many hours did I spend in school exactly?
It's now 8:02. I had a little powernap, a tiny dinner and decided to relax for a few minutes before I realized how late it had gotten. Time passes so fast when you're busy, but hey, I'm here, still thinking of the AP Calculus homework I've got, those three free response questions that take ten minutes each, plus that US history essay, that rhetorical analysis paper for English, the corrections for the mock test for Calc, three exercises for French, and not to mention I need a good excuse not to meet my tutee tomorrow and instead, chillax with my friends at Lunch.
Life is hard. Time is fast, but we've got to keep moving. We've got to keep trying. Somewhere, somehow, to someone, our efforts will pay off. I'm taking the time out of my homework and studying and not to mention, sleep, to write this little piece for you Iwakuans. Why? Because I know it will make you happy. It will make Pironii & Mirunii proud. It will make Dananachan smile. It will make Asmupuu beam. Maybe it will even catch Feekun's philosophical eye.
Iwaku has always been there for me when I needed it. I hope that this message can be there for you when you're down in the dumps. Just get up and keep walking. Don't pretend you've never been hurt, just learn that it isn't going to make a difference. We don't walk around with our personality, our past, our likes and dislikes plastered to our foreheads, so we've got to make decisions that reflect who WE are.
I've learned a lot from Public School. I've learned that it's easy to make friends, but it takes patience, care and joy to build a friendship into a stronger bond. And every day can make a difference, every day you can grow that much closer. And by the end of the year, you've got friends worthy of trophies for all the happiness they have given you.
In health, my teacher insists that if there's only one thing you accomplish in your life. Be Happy. Because Happiness is the essence of health, of joy, of peace and of serenity. If you can get over the pain, the sorrow, the hurt and the downs of life and be happy, then you are truly strong. Sure, it's good to let the tears out once in a while, it's good to be frustrated, to push yourself harder, to demand answers from yourself, but always remember who you are, and what you stand for and the reason that you're alive. Live your life like you never have before. Live your life with your heart on your sleeve and your imagination at your fingertips. Get hurt, be sad, cry, scream and stomp your feet; cross your arms, glare at the wall, roll your eyes and snap at a teddy bear. And when you're done, when all the negativity drifts away and you're staring solemnly into the air, not knowing what to feel, smile. Just smile. Laugh out loud like it's the funniest thing you've ever seen or heard. Even if it sounds stupid, it's not. Because at that moment, when you're torn down and tattered, the one thing that can make all the difference is your effort.
Your effort towards happiness.
People all share different ideas of happiness. Personally, mine is the quirky, very straightforward, rather weird, childish, bubbly, loud, obnoxious, type-of-happiness. I stick to the same old inside jokes until I've murdered them, buried them, brought them back to life and stabbed them to death again, but they always work. People say I'm always smiling. I'm always cheerful. I'm always bubbly and ready to help, but it's the same for them too. When I see those people, they smile right back, they talk with cheerfulness and regard me with a charisma that makes me want to spin around in circles in crazy laughter.
Sure, I might be a happy person, but it's not just me. It's everyone around me that gives me a reason to be happy, Iwaku included.
It's 8:15. Time's passing rather slowly since I've started to regard it with caution. I'm thinking of that chubby black fly that was buzzing around in the living room earlier, I wonder if my brother was able to shoo it out the window like planned. I keep thinking of the lax game and how the guys were playing their utmost best because it was the last game of the season. It's hard to imagine everyone not being with us next year. All these crazy seniors I've met. I'm really going to miss them. Really Really Really.
ShiifuuMaster taught me how to use the bluetooth picture transfer function on my phone today. I was so excited because I had never known you could send pictures free to someone nearby if their bluetooth was enabled. It's crazy fun when you learn something so new that you just want to try it all day. Ninth period when I was free, I walked around the hallway, clicking "search for connections" and holding my phone close to all the Spanish classrooms looking for him. xD
Being childish means that the world hasn't lost it's color. It's still as fresh, as beautiful and as intriguing as it was when I was a kid. I still wonder at the sky and stare at the clouds and gaze at the grass like it's something I've never seen before. When I saw leaves on the trees yesterday, I stopped and realized that the blossoms of spring had completely disappeared. While a few days ago, they had been everywhere, now there wasn't even a trace of them on the ground. Strange, but intriguing.
When I open my window, it makes this creaky sort of noise and little squirrels come running to the ground, looking up with their little paws open in front of them. It's like they know, that whenever I open the window-door that far out it means I'm about to throw them some food. I think it's adorable because they're so smart and cute. Things like these can easily make me happy, watching little animals scurry about in a hurry to come to you when they know you're going to bring them food---bring them happiness...
If you're truly who you are, and if you're truly challenging yourself to be the very best you that you can be, then I have no doubt that you should be happy :)
Happiness is not the measure of joy or the opposite of sorrow. It's the strength of your heart. It's the authenticity of you.
<3
Until next time,
pray for my exam results to come out nicely,
Yours truly always with love,
S A K U R A
P.S: Snippet inspired by Pironii's words: "Heck even if you wanna just do a small article of how happy being happy is I'd take it XD..."
&& Feekun's kindhearted PM~ Ranted Brains on Joyful Hearts: "...A lot of people fail to tell the difference between being aware of evil and being oppressed by it. I think you're one of the lucky ones. You can feel sympathetic toward the others, but don't let them bring you down. When you can, bring them up instead. :)..."
[align=center]Insanity Report[/align]
We are experiencing laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag!
But I love you guys so much that I ran through the mutating mist of LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAG to
Let's see our Top 5 of the month!!!
#5-Damn Rednecks
Okay, I approve of this thread for two reasons, so listen up!
Number 1: I believe a good majority of the males who looked at "Evony" could and would call it false advertising. @_@
And Number 2... George Bush should NEVER be allowed near video games. EVER. SERIOUSLY. I MEAN IT. Buck is Bush in my eyes. =P
Anyway, so yeah. The game is supposedly quite horrible. I, for one, don't plan on even trying it, especially if it uses such a dumb method of advertising. Anyway, this is getting just a TAD BIT too sane... BLARGAHARGLEAFRAGGLE.
#4!~-A Special Message To Those Who Fight The MURRR
Ooooookaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
The secret to her youth! *Gasp!*
Make your alliances KNOWN!
Indeed? The secret-It must not be known! >_>
<_<
And now we shall let the Murrrrrrrrrrr puns begin!
And the "stuffing"...
KEEP IT AWAY FROM MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
>_<
#3!-Great pun for TK I've come up with...
"Trance puts the MUR in MURDER!"
-Isabella, 4/28/2010
And now it's going to lead to an endorsement! Because a quote like that makes me think of food or something...
TK's Foxy Cookies! =P
Anyway, the warmonger himself steps into the thread, and apparently disapprove of TK's chainsaw. Use the diamond-encrusted one! It's better!!!! >:D
It's a lie- Throw things at Izzy!
#2!-HEY DARKY
Corrupt referees and soccer go hand in hand! >_>
SOMEBODY ELSE JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION- IT'S NO FUN
STARING AT Darkness! >_<
#1! And perhaps the craziest piece of WTF I've ever seen in KoI/Asylum...
Mrow :|