Geez, it sure took me long enough, huh? Sorry 'bout that--life has been crazy.

So anyway, I HAD THE MOST AMAZING TIME OF MY LIFE AT ANIMEBANZAI! It seriously was the greatest thing I've done in a long time. And now I'm hooked. I had always wondered why people were so obsessed with it but now I know. Here are the people I went with who also happen to have a dA account:

as Aeris
as White Mage
as Gaara
as Edward Elric
KC as Kyoko from Skip Beat

So yeah! We had an awesome time. It was close enough that we could drive up each day, but I really want to stay at a hotel next year, especially since the con is moving to a bigger place about a half-hour away. I'm so excited for that! There was no room in the halls and there were these annoying people telling us to "MOVE ALONG! MOVE ALONG!" They were all old and cranky. I mean--I understand but it was still annoying. You couldn't help it if you ran into a totally awesome cosplay and wanted to take a picture!

Let's see--it was just so awesome! I don't know how else to describe it. People would get excited at seeing me, I would get excited at seeing other people, I got a lot of hugs (boys and girls alike), we had fun getting some interesting stares from all these strange "normal" people, I was so exhausted I kept falling asleep during a panel (sorry about that KC! ), and I'm dying for more!

Here is a totally awesome picture that has been spruced up. It's of me and the Sasuke cosplayer I befriended and it totally looks like I'm holding a Rasengan! Check it out! [link]

And then that same Sasuke took a picture with my book! She thought it was cool and I took a picture of her with it. She has the greatest facial expression. [link]

Also, now that me and my friends are completely pysched about cosplaying now, we've got a couple of ideas. We've decided to do group cosplaying from now on because that's just so much more fun. The groups (so far) include: FullMetal Alchemist, Ouran Host Club, Tsubasa Chronicles, and D.Gray-Man.

Who I will be are as follows: Alphonse Elric from FMA (yeah--this is going to be an extensive costume but I think it will be worth it), Mori-senpai from Ouran (he's my favorite!), Yuuko or Kurogane from Tsubasa (this one needs a little figuring out), and then Lenalee Lee from DGM. This is going to be so much fun! I want to start getting ready on the cosplay outfits right NOW!

And as you can see from above, I have been introduced to some new anime/manga. My "evil" new friends have roped me into watching all these new anime and I have become hooked! Our science fiction/fantasy club in college watched xxxHolic for a film forum one Wednesday, and I went crazy on watching the rest of the series and then reading the manga a few days after. If you have read TRC and haven't read xxxHolic yet--then do so! It's really cool to see how the two connect and it's a great story. It helps you understand TRC a little better. My favorite is Doumeki! Those who follow me on ff.nnet have probably noticed that I have started writing some xxxHolic fics.

And then my friends told me that I HAD to watch Ouran High School Host Club, but I'll admit I was a little wary. At the con they were showing some anime in viewing rooms and I walked in with my friends on a subbed version of episode 5--The Twin's Fight I believe. It looked quite funny but at the same time very strange. On Halloween ~Onlera and KC sat me down and we watched like seven episodes together. IT WAS AWESOME! So hilarious! And I found myself liking the English voices better, which is different for me because I totally like watching subbed anime. Mori-senpai is the best! And like everything else, I have three chapters already written for a Ouran fic. I just can't help it!

So yeah--I've been introduced to two more anime, and I can't believe it. I remember when I just knew about Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach. I told myself that I wouldn't follow any more anime because I didn't have the time for it. Then came Vampire Knight. Then Death Note, +Anima, D.Gray-Man, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, FullMetal Alchemist, xxxHolic, and finally Ouran! GYAAHHH! NO MORE!

Okay--now on to my announcement:

I will be taking a leave of absence from the internet world until after my finals are over.

Yeah, sucks, huh? But I need to do well in my classes, so that takes first priority. I'm not gonna do ANYTHING besides my studies until I come back from taking that last test. Maybe I'll catch up on manga during Thanksgiving. But Reidluver will be absent for the next two months.

(I do have to post the next chapter of NDH though, especially because I promised people that it would be up by the end of October. I feel so bad! It's just that I was busy with Halloween activities for 12 hours straight, and then collapsed into bed exhausted early Sunday morning)

Well . . . that's about it for now. I bid you all adieu!