If any of you have been wondering why I’ve been gone for the last few weeks, it’s due to the increased workload at school, and the increased pressure that comes as college acceptance (and rejection) letters roll by. But now that Christmas vacation is upon us, I can sit down and write, and talk, etc etc…

I applied early decision to Lehigh University’s Integrated Business and Engineering Honors Program. Today, I am happy to announce that I have been accepted into this program. Throughout this five-year experience, I will earn both a degree in business and in mechanical engineering.

As far as I know, only 50 students are accepted into this program. I’m so happy that I could faint! I’ve already done a ton of stuff in regards to Lehigh – even beyond joining the Facebook groups etc and meeting a ton of my future classmates. I’ve gotten my Lehigh account and e-mail (j.rappaport [at] lehigh.edu) which redirect to my blog [at] tje.net email anyway, but I also get to view the Lehigh calendars and such, which is great because they can sync with iCal.

Now that college business is sorted out and I no longer need to apply anywhere else, I can focus on the more fun things in life. So, here we go It’s Christmas break! Furthermore, it’s Christmas break and I’m entirely free of work because I’m already in college! My God, what a blessig. Truly, truly avacation I can and will enjoy… I’m going to Florida (Del Rey, specifically, which I just found ou but should have known all along) to visit my grandmother, also the biggest fan of my novels ;). I know I’ll have a great time – last year was a blast and brought home some really amazing photos. I can only expect that this year will be the same, especially since I have my kickass Nikon D80 to get the job done this time

I’m saving up for a good macro lens before I go to college. That and two Macs – an iMac and a Macbook Pro, ending up at about $6500, possibly less with the Lehigh student discount, which I’ll check out soon now that I have my account set up.

Have a wonderful Christmas, everyone! (And if you’re Jewish, well, I’m sorry your holiday is over. It’s over for me, too :P)

I’m 18 now! That means that I’m “legally responsible” for myself. So, with that said, let’s look at The Wonderful List of Eighteenitude:

- I am an adult now. Legally!
- I can now be sued by my mom. And everyone else.
- I can enlist in the army.
- I can buy and sell a drug that causes a slow, decaying death.
- I can get a credit card.
- I can accumulate credit card debt.
- I can borrow money to pay off that debt, putting me into greater debt.
- I can play the lottery. And win. And spend all that cash.
- I can file for bankruptcy after spending all that cash.
- I can get my unrestricted driver’s license.
- I can *legally* own Zelda Universe and related websites under Linkorporated.
- I can’t actually get my mom to let me have Zelda Universe and related websites under Linkorporated.

So thee you have it – the perks of being an adult. Let’s all grow up! Happy 18th birthday to me. :D

Now even you lowly peasants can buy my book – or download it for free.

Every year I independently publish copies of my book through Lulu.com for novel purposes, mostly to show them off,but also because having a bound book is much neater than printing out 10,000 double-spaced pages for editing. Usually, I’m not proud enough of my novel to say that I’m willing to distribute it this way to the masses. But I decided that, this time, I might as well make it privately available – meaning it cannot be found through a Lulu.com search, but through the following link only. Since you can already read the novel here on my blog, there’s no point in hiding a much cleaner version.

The Lulu.com version is pocket-size, 4.25 x 6.825 inches. It is free to download (PDF) and$13.13 to buy. When you buy it, a little bit of that price goes to me – think of it as fuel for me to write more novels in the future. ;)

Naturally, this is a completely unedited manuscript. It’s not great. It’s got typos, and passive voice, and all sorts of icky yuckiness. But, if you want it, it’s there. I’ll be showing off my copies to my peers, because I can.

If you want it: http://www.lulu.com/content/1571550

Oh, and please appreciate the wonderful cover + back cover, and the amazing fake NYT Book Review quotes.