Getting your act together

The process of getting one's act together is a very interesting one, from a socio-psychological point of view.

Peer pressure helps oodles, as does the phenomenon (with which I do not agree and in which I do not believe), called by some a "conscience". (however, if it does not exist, then what is it?). But perhaps the biggest catalyst is self-suggestion.

I swear that Mai-HiME did the trick. In a perverse, reverse-psychology type of way. It induced in me that state of peaceful normality that I only rarely get, which made me want to transcribe my courses, and start on my projects, and be nice and helpful *hums to ignore audience gasps and mocking laughter* to the people around me. And then there is the added bonus of the soundtrack being a /doll/! I mean, those songs prod buttock to such an extent that I can actually believe I would have liked them even had I not seen the anime. (meh, of course, I have now plunged myself deeper than I would have liked into the Mai-HiMe!Anime + Mai-Otome!Anime + Mai-Otome Zwei!OVAs + Mai-HiME!Manga + Mai-Otome!Manga fandom. And the prequel to Mai-Otome isn't even here yet *does Ed's nervous laughter from the "Life's gonna suck when you grow up" AMV*)

Irrespective of all of the above, or perhaps, in a way, somewhat tangentially to the above, I am starting to see the "history is a rubber band with a lead ball on it" theory applied to life around me (and my own, of course). Nothing gets out of line, nothing unexpected happens, and even when it does, normality bounces back with a vengeance, even. But this, in a way, is a positive aspect - it makes me feel safe about doing some minor dumb things, in the full knowledge that things /will/ bounce back, and it also makes me want to test the limits of how far things will bounce back from. Of course, there is always the possibility of the lead ball bouncing back directly on my head, but then, won't we laugh, and laugh, and laugh *heh*.

Saturday was a dream-day, it was the closest I've felt to balance in a while. No rush, no anxiety, just the feeling of bliss (I swear "Feeling good" was written for days like this). Dani was charming (don't let it go to your head, now, Miss!) and Hard Rock Cafe was an uber-blast.

Starting with the Bloody Mary at the bar (yeepee, real celery! *dork*), continuing with the ginormous portions of yummy foods (the Jumbo Combo thingummy was everything I'd hoped it to be. The Hickory-Dickory-Dock BBQ thingummy was less, but only by comparison.), going through the aspect of decorations, briefly stopping at the music *drools*, shamefully avoiding the subject of the sensor-equipped toilets *is ashamed for not having known how to turn on the water tap* and stopping at the large array of customers.

I swear, if that wasn't a slice-of-life portrait-meets-caricatura, then I don't know what could be. There were fufe and macho-dudes, "true men" dressed in pink *dork again*, charmingly young parents with adorable tykes, and.... and... I actually saw a rocker!!! Like, a whole rocker! With shoulder-length hair (meh, maybe he was only at the beginning of the Road) and a black anorak. And he was there with his parents and younger siblings (a whole gaggle of up-to-12-years-old wittle dudes with wannabe plete). That was the most endearing thing I've seen in a while now. *smiles contentedly*

And besides all that ambiance stuff, the talk with Dani rocked. I mean, that fictional world was shaping up as we spoke, and we could see things happening, or things that could happen, should the author so desire. And it felt so productive, and creative, and /kewl/. And I think it's obvious I'm beating around the bush, but it was so special to me that I can't talk about it. *is starry-eyed and in love*.

Next thing on the order of business will be Spain (11-21 April), but until then I have huge amounts of work to do. (as per usual. Please do not be fooled, I do not work that hard, it's just the same work-load all the time, but since it never gets done, of course it's always huge *innocent blink-blink*). How was Tusnad, I hear you asking... Well, of course, about that - in the next episode.