Less Than Three Update & Stuff & Ponies

Your entries to my little makeshift writing contest were an absolute delight, guys. I pulled up your comments and blogs on my phone and rewarded myself for staying awake in class by reading them under the desk. We'll have to do this again sometime, yes? It feels silly to pick a winner, since that wasn't really the point, but I'm gonna have to go with EJ on this one. Just beautiful and affecting and good. Cheers and confetti and pinatas for everybody!

I've been in Crazy Work Mode for the last few days. It's all video filming and Less Than Three editing and homework and throwing things in fits of frustration. Still, I can't help but feel lucky or blessed or what-have-you that I get the opportunity to do what I love, and that I have the health and financial situation and support that I need in order for these kinds of projects be possible. I'm stressed, but it's the kind of stress I'm really grateful to have, you know? I'm trying to make more of an effort to spread my work out evenly and spend time enjoying it. As we speak, I'm writing this on my sunshiney balcony with a bottle of sun tea slowly changing color beside me, listening to the new Jason Mraz album, stretching my neck. Right on cue, Jason just sang the perfect summary of what I'm going for: "I'm letting go of the thoughts that do not make me strong." Me too, bud.

Oh hey, while we're (sort of) on the topic of The Book-- I've had a few people ask for an update about the project, probably because we've had a hard time coming up with some sort of central place for news about it, between mine and Kristina's million youtube channels and blogs and twitters and et cetera. At this point, we've been in contact with-- and received confirmation from-- all of the finalists. If you submitted a story and haven't heard from us personally about it, your story hasn't made it on to the next round to be considered for the official book. It is 100% yours again, so feel free to put it on your own blog or submit it to another publication, or even save it for if Kristina and I ever host a similar contest. Narrowing down the near thousand submissions was one of the most challenging hunks of work I've ever finished. Frankly, I was amazed by the talent and heart in each and every entry. If you participated, thank you so much for putting yourself out there, taking risks, and allowing us to read your work. This community is pretty much a constant ass-kicking awesome-fest. Thank you, guys.

On that note, my video files just finished rendering, so I'm about to jump into ferocious editing mode. If you missed it, I posted a new HGH video on Thursday (in which I wear a bikini and obscene amounts of eyeliner) and a new Answerly video yesterday, complete with tips for surviving final exams! I hope you all have a lovely morning/afternoon/evening/middle-of-the-night-when-you-should-be-sleeping-but-let's-face-it-you-probably-won't-because-tumblr-and-youtube-exist. I'll see you soon!


P.S. THERE WERE NO PONIES. FALSE ADVERTISEMENT. I AM A SNEAKY BASTARD.