Answers to your questions.

Listen, I just remembered that I won't be around for 3 weeks after April 4th. I wonder if I'll miss any of the stages? Although, if the second stage takes as long as the first, then I probably won't miss anything...:confused:

The second stage will start immediately after the first one ends; voting for the first stage will continue until the end of the second stage. So, you will have time to complete the assignments for the second and third stages of the contest.