I felt the need to update this, as I am no longer a freshman, but have joined the ranks of the wise fools. I got to go to the Kansas City Renaissance Festival with a choir. It was AMAZING, even though it meant all of us had to show up at school at five am, then change into costume at a truck stop where we got a lot of very weird looks. We split into smaller groups and walked around singing our songs so much that they are permanently ingrained in my skull. Afterwards, we were stuck going around in circles for THREE hours before we left the city. We were sharing the bus with another school's choir, and we sang our choir songs back and forth at each other until eleven--I think we scared the bus driver. We didn't get home until about four hours after we were supposed to, and we had to change out of costume one at a time in the tiny bathroom at the back of the bus. We also scared the other school when, on the road back to school, we all woke up at the same time and started to sing a choir original in four-part harmony. GO CHOIR NERDS!

I completely recommend it to everyone.

I'm an American and distinctly proud of it in some aspects, which do not include my knowledge of British slang. I rarely attempt to write accents correctly, but feel free to correct me whenever I do and make a mistake.

WELL WRITTEN FIC:

By well written, I don't mean it has perfect spelling and the writer pays attention to coma placement; I mean a story that is written with style. As awesome as some plotlines can be, if the way people talk doesn't vary at all, the story gets aggravating fast.

Over-explanations don't work either. I like stories written by an author who explains each and every detail. It is insulting to the intelligence of the reader if someone writes the story like an essay, topping each paragraph with a summarizing statement. (This paragraph is a decent example of that...)

I don't mind if there isn't action in every chapter, although I object to the description of very minute details if it isn't important.

There also shouldn't be major character changes unless there is a very good reason. Harry being moodier after Sirius' death is expected: Harry resorting to suicide or self-harm only because of that isn't. If Ron and Draco Malfoy are raised as brothers in a nurturing household, I'm fine with them being the very best of friends if Draco is almost completely different. If Draco turns from Voldemort and seeks refuge with the Weasleys, then does something drastic to prove his loyalty (saving Hermione, Harry or a Weasley's life), I'm fine with Ron and he becoming allies. If Malfoy insults Hermione one day then sits at the Gryffindor table the next day, Ron will not suddenly think of him as a brother.

8/31/07 update:Acceptance is a oneshot. The only way I would write more of it is if I either finish or get seriously blocked at Light of Hope.