Let's hear it for the beginning of the season of pretty trees.

Also, huzzah to the Drumsticks, who capped off their week 22 of 12 with a winning the post-season tournament! Three games, played a week after they were scheduled, thanks to Hurricane Ike's leftovers, one beaned ankle (mine, because I *still* can't field freakish direct-to-the-second baseman ground balls), and one fake-marble trophy later, you get this.

And happy birthday, Mike. Hope you enjoyed your cake. It is not a lie!

  Inara's Suite, Firefly sdtk
  Hell and Earth, Elizabeth Bear
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Thank you, Michael. You're sweet.

  Saving Josh, Trevor Morris, from Moonlight
  King Arthur's Britain: A Photographic Odyssey
file under: celebration , reallife Posted by Jen at 10:59 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Sometimes I forget how much I love it.

Take right now, for example: I have this idea for this year's NaNo that it will have a quasi-Victorian setting, maybe based on reality, maybe a little steampunk, so I looked up books on Victorian history. For those keeping score, that was when Queen Victoria ruled England, circa 1840-1870. I now own three books on Victorian history, because not only are the books full of information and juicy little tidbits that will pad out my daily word count nicely, but sometimes they're just hilarious. I'm sure that someday people will look back at our time and wonder what we were thinking, because that's what's happening when I read these. And I'm having fun. I like learning. History can be interesting!

But I'm not the sort of person to seek out nonfiction books normally. I have to have a good reason. And research for NaNo is a pretty darn good reason.

This is why I know I could be a professional writer. Because I don't mind the research. It's quite fun to absorb all the bits of information during the research phase then have them suddenly coalesce in a somewhat coherent whole during the draft phase.

Here's to research. May it never get boring.

And here's to me, who got a whole lot of books (and the 2nd season of Heroes), because it's that little thing known as my birthday. Huzzah.

  The Hound and the Falcon, Judith Tarr and Inside the Victorian House, Judith Flanders
file under: books , celebration , reallife , thoughts , writings Posted by Jen at 12:33 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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This is a big day.

Happy Anniversary to my parents. I'm so proud of you for staying together and staying in love. <3 <3 <3

Happy Birthday to Kate and Gordon! *party*

And this website turns six. Six years I've been doing this. Six years of very infrequent blogging and not so often with the layout changes...

I really should have gotten a new layout up. I've got one almost ready, but I've been a bit stymied by the changes MT4 made to their default code, so it's...not...quite...there yet. Soon.

Still writing, still reading, still dreaming. Have a great day, folks.

  New Moon, Stephenie Meyer (yes, again)
file under: celebration , reallife , webetcetera Posted by Jen at 10:04 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Happy St. Pat's.

Being that it's a Monday it's unlikely that I'll be able to do any actual partying, but I'll lift my virtual green beer just the same.

And for your Irish edification: An A to Z of Irish Culture, courtesy of author John Scalzi, who is a funny guy and you should read his stuff anyway.

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Enjoy your hearts and flowers, if it applies...and if it doesn't, know there is someone out there for you too.

*kiss*

  3x5, John Mayer

file under: celebration Posted by Jen at 11:35 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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So if you've been reading this blog for a while, you might know that the writer's group that I participate in has written an anthology of short stories based on landmarks of St. Louis. I'm in it, with a modern day faerie tale that takes place at the Muny (the Municipal Theater in Forest Park, the oldest and largest outdoor amphitheater in America, with trees growing out of the stage...)

And by golly, the book is out! You can check out the page at www.toastedraviolibook.com (though there's not much there at the moment) which has a link to buying the book online, do a book search on Amazon for Toasted Ravioli, or (the best way) ask me for a book in person. That way you get a discount and a signed copy and I (or the group) gets more money.

Or better yet, come to our first signing this Saturday (tomorrow, eek) the 26th of January at Legacy Books, 5249 Delmar (at Union) from 12 pm to 5 pm. All the authors will be there, so you can get a full complement of signatures on your new book, and the authors will read from their work. There should also be a Q&A session for the curious.

I hope to see you there!

  No Such Thing, John Mayer
  Hood, Stephen Lawhead
file under: books , celebration , reallife , writings Posted by Jen at 12:40 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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...to Orlando. Still the prettiest.

file under: celebration , orlando Posted by Jen at 3:17 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I got three hours of sleep last night thanks to this wonderful book. Carol Berg stays at the top of my favorite authors list with this one, because it kept me reading from 8 pm until 5 am. Yes, 5 am. Oh, there were interruptions of dinner and a chat with the roommate and Pirates 3 (it was quiet in the apartment, what can I say? I have to stare at Orlando), so I could have finished sooner, I suppose.

Not quite the less-than-six-hours marathon of finishing HP 7, but close. I never wanted to sleep. I begrudged the time it took to shower and get ready for bed. Valen is as real to me as anyone, and I could see him in my mind as he leapt and danced, which is not at all usual (a phrase often applied to Valen in the book). I have a hard time visualizing characters, but my hands are itching to take a shot at drawing what I see for him.

I felt like a bad fan. I knew this book was coming out and I was looking for it, but I didn't know the exact release date, so I was actually a little late getting it. It wasn't until Carol sent out her sweet little email yesterday that I knew it was even available, and you can be sure that the hours I had to wait until I could leave work and head off to Borders were pretty darn long. But I have it now, and I'll be riding the high from reading it for a while.

I had to finish. It was too wonderful to stop, and I honestly didn't want to. Well done, Carol. Words can't express how happy I was to be reading it. It makes me want to write that well, and I hope I come close. I love Valen so much right now. For once, my speculations were right, but the story never made it too obvious.

So nice to read the rest of the story I got a glimpse of during those private readings with Carol at Archon in August. What a fitting conclusion to Flesh & Spirit.

Sleep deprivation will hit me a little later, but it was worth it.

  John Mayer, "Say"
  on to "Iron Kissed," Patricia Briggs, after last night's B&B marathon
file under: books , celebration , fantasy , reviews Posted by Jen at 10:25 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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May 2008 bring you nothing but good things.

I had a thought today that writing is my own personal kind of magic. I can make anything I want to happen, whenever and however I want, exactly the way I see it in my head. I get to shape things to my desire, until the story takes on a life of its own and runs away to do its own thing.

If I can't have magic for real, at least I can do it by writing.

Bonne annee!

  Split Screen Sadness, John Mayer
  Dust, Elizabeth Bear
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moar funny pictures

Because I really want to get out of here. It's my last day at work before 2008. Weird, huh? Hope you are doing something fun this holiday!

  Tiny Dancer, Elton John
  The Subtle Knife, Phillip Pullman
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Today is a very good day. Pirates 3 comes out on dvd, Jim Butcher's latest Codex Alera book, Captain's Fury, comes out today, AND I had a 40% coupon for a dvd box set, so I am up to Season 5 of Buffy.

Jen is a happy girl. If only work wasn't in the way. I'll still probably finish Captain's Fury before the day is over, regardless.

And maybe Saturday, a Pirates marathon at Mike-of-NaNo's apartment. Whoo!

  Captain's Fury, Jim Butcher
file under: books , celebration , movies , orlando Posted by Jen at 10:06 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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It's snowing, a little, this Thanksgiving night. Not a lot, and it won't stick. It was in the 70s yesterday, after all. But that's St. Louis for you.

Thought I'd make a note of what I'm thankful for. Even though I'm still about a thousand words behind in NaNo and I don't know when they're gonna get writ. They will though. Oh yes, they will.

Most of all, I'm thankful for my family. I am so grateful that I have parents that love me and that I can wholeheartedly say that I love them back. We have our issues and who doesn't, but we get over them. I love my aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents, and thank God so much that we can get together on days like this.

I'm thankful for the friends I have. The number is small and I still get lonely, but I'm working on both those things. Here's to friends new and old.

I'm thankful that I can write. Sometimes awfully and sometimes not so awfully. I'm glad I have a dream, and I hope I never ose it. And I hope that my gift (I have to think of it that way, or NaNo would kill me) will lead to some small recognition.

I'm thankful that I'm healthy, for the most part, and still in possession of a relatively fast metabolism. Though i need a workout buddy.

I'm thankful that I have a job and a car, and (usually) enough money to pay for the things I need. And some that I just want.

I hope you had a good Thanksgiving. Stay warm and give someone a hug. They say you need 5 hugs a day to stay healthy. I got that today. Hope you did too.

  The Fall of the Kings, Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman
file under: celebration Posted by Jen at 10:12 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Check this out: I have written 11724 words of Forging the Forest (working title, anyway), and I needed to hit 11667 today. Go me! I'm on track and ahead by a few. I believe, in the four years that I've been doing NaNo, this is the earliest I've ever been ahead, if indeed I've ever been ahead before the month was almost over...let's see if I can't stay this way.

My cousin's wedding was wonderful, I got my dress sewn and was complimented numerous times on it (though they're all family, so dunno how much of that was just familial bias or awe at the fact that I actually, yanno, took the time to sew something versus an actual appreciation of the design of the dress), finished knitting the fingerless mitts (though they, and the HP scarf, need to be blocked), and my mom's show went well last weekend. She's got another one this weekend, so if you are in the Lou and need some christmas presents, stop on by...

and I finished Elemental Magic, a romance anthology which includes a short story by my favorite author Carol Berg. So sweet to realize the characters are (SPOILER) characters we (sort of) know. Hers was quite the best in the book. I could be biased, I realize.

I wrote 2400 words today. Not quite as good as yesterdays almost 3k, but pretty darned good. I almost don't know what to do with myself. Guess I'll get a little extra sleep.

What did you do today?

  Why Georgia, John Mayer
  Guess I should return Austenland to the library. Back to Leven Thumps 2.
file under: books , celebration , reviews , writings Posted by Jen at 12:12 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Have a great Pumpkin day!

file under: celebration Posted by Jen at 10:37 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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I turn 27 today, the 27th. Supposedly that's the 'royal' birthday, or magic birthday, or whatever you like to call it. Pretty cool, regardless. Happy birthday to me. *cheers* I'll have dinner with family tonight, and I spent the past weekend in Chicago with friends, so it's been a very nice yearly ritual. And there's a full moon tonight, whoo.

To my two cousins who share my birthday: enjoy it! Let's have a good day.

  "Problem Girl," Rob Thomas

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(doo da, doo da)

...but I can't tell you or Carol Berg will kill me, haha. This weekend at Archon I had the privilege of hearing some of the beginning of Carol's next book, Breath and Bone at a private reading. According to her, I'm one of about 7 people who know. Sweet! The book comes out in January, and I'm even more keen to read it now than I was after the end of the first book in the Lighthouse Duet, Flesh and Spirit when it came out in May. Excuse me while I squee.

Archon (the St. Louis sci-fi/fantasy/comics/pop-culture convention that's really in Collinsville IL) was very good. I debated about going for quite a while, because it was so expensive this year. Archon 31 was also NASFiC, since Worldcon was awarded to a non-North American site (Yokohama, Japan). It was, therefore, a national con and not a regional one, and theoretically worth more, I guess. I have very limited con experience, so I can't tell you if it really was bigger than normal (though some of my new con friends say it wasn't). I knew Carol Berg would be there, and I really wanted to see what she had to say. I took at look at the programming and decided that it would be worth it to pay that much, and indeed, it was. Thank goodness I have a car that could make the forty-mile round trip now.

There were quite a few writing panels, and I've got many notes which are going to live in my manuscript folder. It was pretty cool to interact with authors and agents, some of whom I've only encountered on blogs. And it's doubly cool to actually talk with the authors, most of whom are really nice and surprisingly approachable, especially for a shy girl like me (unless I'm talking about myself, sigh. then I seem to run on forever). It was wonderful to actually have a discussion with one of my favorite authors about writing (Carol sat down with me for an entire hour) and get some great advice. I was really intending to sit down this evening and write some on my novel, but the computer thwarted me with its one-two punch of slowness and browser-crashing in the middle of my entry, sigh.

It wasn't just writing. I went to panels on Harry Potter and Firefly, attended a workshop on Irish Ceili dancing and belly dancing, and saw the SFWA Musketeers demonstrate fencing techniques.Saw my cousin Brian, but didn't get to attend any of his panels. The writing panels really made it worth it, even if the days were looong.

I had a couple of mini-epiphanies about the novel while at panels, so that's good. I've just got to get the damn thing going. I can't believe how far I haven't gotten in the story, sigh. The workshops are going to be helpful, though, especially ones like Writing Realistic Violence and Plots that Work. And of course Carol's very good advice. I still can't believe I got to monopolize an author like that. She was very nice about it. I felt awfully stalkerish. Some people want to meet movie stars or sports celebs; I geek out over authors. She had some helpful hints for the anthology which I need to follow up on, and she had a dedicated cadre of fans that followed her around the whole weekend, so I made some new friends. Thank you, Carol, this weekend meant alot to me.

Maybe I'll fit in a little writing before it's time for bed...

(incidentally, this is entry 700 for this blog. Sheesh. I know not all of them are pithy and meaningful, but it seems a large number to me...)

file under: books , celebration , fantasy , writings Posted by Jen at 10:25 PM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Here there be monsters...

So here you go. After nearly a year, a new layout. Pirates, again. Sorry for the long wait. Things in RL decided to be more important. Besides, I really liked the old layout. This one isn't so fancy, but I had fun with it.

Tonight I get to see PotC 3 with Leah at 9:30. Yay for advance showings! Will let you know all about it tomorrow.

Boo for my poor little iBook which is currently (hoepfully) on its way to the Apple Depot to get a new logic board. Maybe. It has been acting really funny, but of course it acts fine for the people at the Apple Store. I actually stopped in twice, and neither time did the laptop go wonky. I made them take it anyway. It's still under warranty, after all. Here's hoping it doesn't get erased. At least I have my story file.

  "Singapore," from the At World's End soundtrack

file under: celebration , movies , orlando , webetcetera Posted by Jen at 11:15 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Five years ago this day I was down in Georgia, at Emory University, winning the 100m, the 200m, anchoring the gold-medal 4x100m team, and placing fifth in the 100m hurdles. The only time I ever openly celebrated the moment I crossed the line. Beating my "rival" Nyota Pieh, of Emory, who had won every year since in the three I won. Being part of an unbroken WU women's outdoor track conference championship streak. Getting gum on the hem of my dress on the plane ride back.

In a few hours I'll be on the road, once again on my way to Georgia, to cheer on this year's Bears. I'm missing the WU 5-year reunion and a few friends b-day parties, but this will be worth it. I was sorely tempted to try to pick up my golden spikes (no kidding. That was the only color they had, honest) as a rallying point, but that is pretty silly. I don't know where my medals are. I think I got them, unlike the ones from junior year outdoor UAAs...I'll just cheer...and try to be motivational. Life is a journey, time is a river, the door is ajar, that sort of thing...

Here's what I said the day after, all those years ago:
Well, here I am again. No more UAA competition for me.

Somebody up there really loves me.

Let's go Bears!

  something off the Blood Diamond soundtrack
  Karavans, Jennifer Roberson
file under: celebration , competition , getmoving Posted by Jen at 1:21 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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My mom is sending positive vibes my way. It's my half-birthday, you see. She hopes that this will be my year...it's about time.

There is a fine line between needing to study and needing to write. One is something I have to do, and should do, and the other is something I dearly want to do, and feel like I can be good at. Eh. Silly classes. And here I am entertaining the idea of pursuing a master's.

  Van Halen, Right Now

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laissez les bons temps roulez, and all that. Wear your green and gold and purple (which one do you think I chose to wear today?). Eat a king cake. See you on the flip side.

  All At Once, The Fray

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Happy Chinese New Year! 2007 is the Year of the Pig and also the end of the 12 year cycle of the Chinese Zodiac. I's supposed to be a prosperous year, though apparently Pigs and Monkeys don't get along so well...

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Happy Valentine's Day. I hope you have someone special to share it with. Here's hoping that next year, so will I.

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Happy New Year!

It might bode ill that I'm already too tired/lazy to make a graphic for this year, but you know I'm wishing you the best...

Good luck in 2007.

  singing Auld Lang Syne

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(pic from here)

  Amendment 2 debate on the am station

file under: celebration Posted by Jen at 10:39 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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The St. Louis Cardinals are the World Series Champions!

all together now:
We are the champions, my friends...

Party in the Lou!

  Cardinals World Series Postgame show

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The Cardinals are going to the World Series! Sweet! Funny parallel of two years ago...Game 7 was last night, and I had a biochem test. I remember in 2004, I had a similar night of testing for organic chem, and hoping that the Cards would have a better night than I had...let's just hope they don't get swept in the series! Go Cards!

[this is good]
etoiline.vox.com

Sign Up Now

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Happy Birthday to me

  , Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory
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Celebrate your independence! Or, for my friends and coworkers across the pond, enjoy your weird day off. May you have lots of fireworks, Gandalf, and barbeque to your heart's content.

*salutes* Land of the free, home of the brave!

file under: celebration Posted by Jen at 1:55 AM | Permalink MTIfCommentsActive>|

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Aside from the stuff I have to do at work, these things happen today, all of which are pretty damn cool.

30 years and still going very strong. Here's to many, many more. Thank you for staying in love. You have no idea what it means to me.

yes indeedy, four years ago I went a little crazy and ordered my very own website. Think it's any different? Seems like so long ago. In a sort of weird coincidence, I'll be going back to campus next weekend for WILD and get to feel all student-y again, four years and a few days after I finished my last final.

Last but certainly not least:

Enjoy it, babe.

Wish me luck on the last A&P test, which I haven't really studied for (hey, I claim the MCAT had bigger designs on my time).

  Cavanaugh Park, Something Corporate
  Furies of Calderon, Jim Butcher (again)
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Opening Day 2006: The Cards come home to a new stadium. It sure looks cool. I hope they win today, and I wish that I could head over to the rally before the game starts. As it is, I came in early so I could get a little more work done before I see a prospective apartment. Man, I really hate the idea of moving, but I suppose it's a necessity.

I have my red on, including a hat, so they better win.

PS: 12 days to the MCAT. Anyone know how I can force these stupid equations to stay in my head?

  Endless Night (the Lion King broadway show)

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Sláinte, mabuhay, gom bui! (You too can toast in many different languages!) Go have some Guinness, and don't forget to wear something green...else I'd have to pinch you for not wearing my favorite color.

  Riverdance (gotta have the Celtic spirit, now)
  The Malloreon, Vol I, David Eddings
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(get it? party until the cows come home?)

Hope you get to party. Me, I've got to get up early and then stay up for the writer's meetup later in the evening. Joy to all!

  How I Go, Yellowcard
  Blood Rites, Jim Butcher
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My dad turns 60 today. Happy Birthday, Daddy! I love you!

Here's hoping for many, many more.

  Josh Groban; Canto Alla Vita

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Gung hai fat choi, my friends. Happy Chinese New Year! Thus begins the year of the Dog.

People born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature. They have a deep sense of loyalty, are honest, and inspire other people's confidence because they know how to keep secrets. But Dog People are somewhat selfish, terribly stubborn, and eccentric. They care little for wealth, yet somehow always seem to have money. They can be cold emotionally and sometimes distant at parties. They can find fault with many things and are noted for their sharp tongues. Dog people make good leaders. They are compatible with those born in the Years of the Horse, Tiger, and Rabbit. (from Chinese Culture Center of SF)

And for those of you who *must* know, read on for my new look...

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May the coming year be good to you

  This Road (live): Jars of Clay (on a new iPod )