Updates: March 2002
March 30, 2002 at 8:25PM Eastern Standard Time
Go ahead and blame me now for any flying pigs
you might encounter in coming days (and I ask for the blame because flying pigs
do to your car what birds do to your car...only in a much greater quantity...).
Why do I mention the possiblity of flying pigs? Well, I have a content
update; Dragon War Version 4 is back online.
I haven't exactly been slacking off for the
past 13 days. I've been busy and spring break just started yesterday and
an ice storm really messed with things (including the power) on Monday and
Tuesday. Despite these things I've managed to not only restore Dragon War,
but make some modifications to the other pages that are up (yes, the whole
hoarde of them)(that was sarcasm)(my foot sends you greetings). Since
spring break is now under way I'll have some more stuff soon. Also, all
traces of the DBFCC have been temperarily removed from MSROCAI.
I just got a mental image of pig stuff
splattered all over a car...and a mental smell, too. Ooo, how joyous (-:
March 17, 2002 at 5:20PM Eastern Standard Time
It's been quite a while since I stuck to an
update schedule. However, this time I did. It may be scary, and
possibly the cause of irreperable damage to the universe, but it is also a major
step forward in the rennovation of MSROCAI. I'm taking it as a good sign
that I will be able to resume normal updates after a lapse of over a year (you
may recall that my first update of 2001 came at the end of January, and from
there things went downhill). I'm hoping that the imporvements that I made
to the site yesterday and today also bode well for it.
The most visible enhancement is the
modification of the layout. I so love being able to just slightly alter
some code in my JavaScript files and effect the whole site. The extensive
rebuild that occured this past summer is sure proving its worth to me.
Essentially the website hasn't changed since the relaunch early this fall; I've
only changed a few lines of script in the layout JavaScripts and Cascading Style
Sheets to completely alter the appearance and navigation of MSROCAI.
Anyhow, I narrowed the navigation bar to allow more room in the content window,
and subsequently had to remove the news boxes. I don't see that as any big
loss since they never got any use (though some updates on my part could have
changed that) and I am incorporating them in a much expanded form into the main
page. The other change made to the layout is the color scheme; the
background is now black again, which I think looks much better than the gray,
and the framework and scrollbars on the side of the browser now look dead
awesome! I think this is much more pleasing to the eyes than so much red
and gray contrasting against the black.
The layout modifications are quite minor,
though quite obvious. The actual important updates affect the various site
sections. Firstly, the links have been cleaned out for the first time in a
good while. GingaGiriGiri's move to a new server, the disappearance of
DaizanshuuEX, and the shut-down of Planet Namek greatly impacted the Dragonball
Links. The Fanfiction Links simply needed a few updates. I will be
adding many more links soon, but you may still ,as always, in case you forgot or
never knew, submit a link. Link submissions are always open, and I am more
than willing to add new links.
A new section debuts with this update:
Interact. In all honesty this section was on MSROCAI for a long time, so
by calling it new I am simply trying to hype it. Formerly known as Voting
Booth, Chat Room, and Message Board, Interact is designed to allow the visitors
to MSROCAI a way of communication with each other and me. Now, I took
these things down last year because no one ever used them. I'm putting
them back up in hopes that someone will show interest in this place. Also,
they're free and take up very little room, so why not? The rules for using
these features have changed a bit, but it is still basically just a matter of
using manners and being polite. I do want to make extra-special note of
the current pole, though. Please, go check it out (that means use it).
The information it provides will be of great value to me.
To Legal, Updates, and Site Map I've
re-worded a few things and re-arranged a few things. Not exactly the most
fantastic of modifications, but nonetheless these are important sections.
The largest portion of this update concerns
Information. I've greatly expanded it to discuss not only what MSROCAI is,
but its content, updates, construction, and many other things. I urge you
to go check it out.
Now it is time for me to begin the grueling
task of uploading all of the fanfics. I've been in the process of doing
this for over six months, so don't expect everything up tonight. In fact,
don't expect it up for a good while. I'm going to attempt to bring back
the fanfics and DBFCC at the same time, because both sections need a lot of
work. But, hey, I may be wrong. Those two sections are atop my
priority list for this site. While I doubt I will have any new content for
a while, I'm going to make a solid effort to update with something more often
than I've been doing. you guys can always urge me on by e-mailing me,
using the message board and chat room, and all of that other good stuff.
You can even sign the guestbook (no one has done that since June or July).
March 16, 2002 at 1:00PM Eastern Standard Time
Roughly nine months ago was the last
time I made an actual content update here--the last time I posted a new fanfic.
You know what? I'm not too happy about that. I've decided that the
only thing standing in the way between me and more updating is laziness. I
don't really think my other activities and interests, nor school, detract so
much time from my life that I must wait over a month between each update.
This is simply a problem with myself. I have a lot of downtime during the
day, time that should be, and will be, turned into productive time. This
website isn't suddenly jumping abovr school and such on my priority list, but it
is jumping above "doing nothing."
I came to this decision last night.
I've had a long week at school--lot's of work and activities. I barely got
everything done because I kept wandering off to crash for a bit. It made
me realize that when this website was running, I had a reason to get all of my
homework done every night. Believe it or not, without MSROCAI I actually
accomplish fewer things than when I am working on it. I'm quite positive
it has something to do with focus and commitment.
Yes, I am working harder than ever at school.
I want to be as smart as I can. Yes, I am working hard at karate. I
want to be the best martial artist I can. Yes, I am socializing with my
friends and doing many other things. I want to do this stuff. So, I
will. I also want to have a web prescence and express my ideas and all of
the things that MSROCAI serves as a medium for. So, I will. I need
to write more--my skills are faltering.
My reasoning may seem strange to you, but
trust me, I am confused too. I just...need this to fill uo my
downtime...act as a motivator to get my other stuff done...be an outlet for me
to write more...and, this might be the core reason, reignite my attitude of
never give up on a project, never settle for less than the best, and be as
productive as possible. That is my attitude, but it isn't always in use.
It needs to be. I need MSROCAI. I allotted a lot of room for it in
my life, and when I quit working on the site, slothfulness filled its spot.
MSROCAI is taking its spot back.