I'm a Travelin' Fiend!

Just booked another flight, this one to Denver for the Martin Luther King, Jr. long weekend. I made certain people promise they were not serial killers preying on random strangers they met via the internet, so I'm all good to go!

And yes, I'm an optimist. We do still exist.

Oh-so-feminine

Somedays, I'm just feeling especially girly. Take today:

• pink velvet blazer
• long black ruffley skirt
• shiny black boots
• long purple scarf
• pink lip gloss
• buying lead pipes and fittings at Home Depot

I tell you, it's good to be a girl.

Blogtrolling from Yi Shun...

... who got it from the Angelic Monkey files:

10 firsts:
...first boyfriend/girlfriend: Nick Bellafonte
...first best friend: Jennifer Ungar
...first screen name: k(lastname)@delaware.edu
...first kiss: Bobby Hay
...first piercings: ears
...first crush: Jeff Hudson
...first music: Styx or Bruce Springsteen or Meat Loaf or Billy Joel
...first car: silver Chevy Cavalier
...first stuffed animal: and last, and always: my bear Logan

9 lasts:
...last cigarette: in England, alone, in 1995
...last alchoholic beverage: a Budweiser on Thanksgiving at my brother's.
...last kiss: hmm. A Welsh clog-dancing guitarist in Nova Scotia, October 2004.
...last movie seen: Pride and Prejudice.
...last phone call: one to and one from my mom, yesterday afternoon.
...last cd played: All That You Can't Leave Behind by U2
...last bubble bath: August, down at the shore in an old claw-foot tub
...last time you cried: last night
...last date: Hmmm. I think March 25, 2005 counts, sadly.

8 have you evers:
...dated one of your best friends: yes, in college
...skinny dipped: mostly
...kissed somebody and regretted it: only afterwards
...fallen in love: yes, yes, yes... or maybe no
...lost someone you loved: yes
...been depressed: yes
...woken up and not known where you were: no

7 places you've been to:
...Ireland
...England
...France
...Germany
...Key West
...San Francisco
...Santa Fe

6 things you've done today:
...snoozed my alarm
...dropped a contact
...buzzed in the exterminator
...rode the subway
...rejected two manuscripts
...read some blogs

5 favorite things in NO order:
...sleep
...read
...be with friends
...laugh
...watch movies

4 people you can tell [almost] anything to:
...Maureen
...Elena
...Jenna
...Bevan

3 wishes
...love
...happiness
...a book deal

2 things you want to do before you die:
...live in Ireland
...get married

1 thing you regret:
...not spending more time with my dad

*sniff, sniff* Movie review

Just got back from seeing the latest version of Pride and Prejudice, and I'm still sniffling. I admit it, I'm an unabashed romantic, and movies like that, books, all of it -- just make me want all that for myself even more. Even as the cynical New Yorkers next to me sniggered through the final scene, the sentiment, the feelings behind the cheesy tacked-on Hollywood ending ring true for me with a hollow echo of "I Want."

And then the scene with her father -- it's moments like that, even cinematic, that drive home my loss. Someday, hopefully, I will get married, and my father won't be around to walk me down the aisle, or give me away, or be asked for permission. And now I'm crying again, because I'm a dreadful sap, and overly emotional, and I just love a good love story.

I'm off to go sop up my tears with some more turkey leftovers.

Mixing it up

Still sated after several days of turkey meals, yesterday I undertook a complete room overhaul. I get like this. Antsy. I've been in my apartment now for almost three years (I can't believe it's been that long already!) and we just renewed our lease for another year, so it's not like I can really change anything big. But just like last year I painted the bathroom, this year I got a bug in my bonnet to rearrange my room. Which, given the confines of the space and the several big pieces of furniture I own, isn't the easiest of propositions. Still, I got it all done, and sneezed my way through a pretty thorough cleaning as I went. Even managed to get rid of a piece of furniture that wasn't adding anything exciting to the room, and decided I don't REALLY need to keep all my old Entertainment Weeklys. I moved a shelf around, changed my "dressing area" and even freed up some of the electrical sockets which were completely hidden in the old arrangement. Ok, so some of them are still a stretch to get to, but at least I have some free now.

I also pulled out all the "projects" I need to get to work on for Christmas presents and the like, and the things I can do while I'm sitting watching television. And I found my big old box of audio mix tapes (ok, it wasn't really lost, just in a box underneath my bed), and I thought I might try to remake some of the arrangements on iTunes. I mean, most of the mixes were of my own CDs anyway, so it should be relatively easy. And then I can get rid of the tapes too, so how's that for efficient?

So today I just need to get some writing done, do my enormous bag of laundry that's threatening to take over my newly cleaned room, and read some manuscripts for work. And hopefully, get onto CoV for a bit today. And make some turkey soup. Yummy.

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Today, I'm thankful for friends near and far, a family that doesn't drive me crazy (most of the time), my favorite TV shows on DVD, shoe sales, finding a pair of jeans that's always comfortable and look good, clients that I like, a new hardcover on my bookshelf waiting to be read, hearing "gratz!" from my teammates when I level, the thrill of a really good turn of phrase in my writing, my little munchkins whom I adore, being able to find the right present for the right person, fancy new technology, a song that makes me want to close my eyes and listen to it with my whole body, turkey and mashed potatoes and stuffing and corn and crescent rolls and a dessert my mom made, and many many more.

I hope your holiday is filled with warmth and happiness, good food, fun conversation, love and luck.

Gobble, gobble!!!

A fun way to while away a half-day at work

So, I'm doing my usual morning troll of other folks' blogs (most of which I've got linked over there on the side for convenience), and I come across this doozy from Ultratart, Sex Fantasy Camp. And I love it lots. And what I love, I love to share, so now I'm throwing it out to you. And me, of course. Here's the rules:

You have seven days of dream-dates (all of which, of course, end in mind-blowing sex, hence the title of the game, if, of course, you're into that. You can also just cuddle with your date, if you'd rather). You are allowed to choose one celebrity date for each night of the week and one alternate for each night, in case your first choice dream date is, say, arrested or is away on location. The remainder of the rules are as follows:

1) The definition of "celebrity" varies according to the group with whom you're playing. Basically, everyone in the group needs to be able to pick your choices out of a police line-up.

2) No time-traveling. I'd like to date Paul Newman, circa Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, but that's against the rules. Everyone you date, you date right now.

3) It doesn't matter if you and your friends all have George Clooney as your Saturday night. This is bound to happen and it's fair within the rules of the game: having to cross check your schedule with your friends will add a level of difficulty to this game that you don't need. It's hard enough to decide whether So and So is a Tuesday or a Wednesday without having to make an Excel spreadsheet to make sure you're not stepping on your officemate's toes. You'll see.

4) You can't use, say, "the cast of Band of Brothers" as one night. One man or woman per night. Nice try, though.

Without further ado, my first try at a list (totally off the top of my head! Lookee me go!)

Monday -- A Monday night date's gotta be comfortable. You don't want to have a hellish day back at work after a weekend of play only to be on pins and needles about a Monday night date. Ergo, the funny and casual Denis Leary. I know, I'm a little surprised myself that his name popped up there. Alternate: Jason Lee. Not so adorable now with the crazy porn star mustache in My Name is Earl, but the boy's got charm, and a history of fun and casual. Check out any Kevin Smith movie if you doubt me. EDIT: Oh Captain Tightpants, how could I have forgotten you? Nathan Fillion, you are SO my Monday night date. No alternate needed. We can practice swordplay and see what happens.

Tuesday -- Ah Tuesday. In memory of Tuesdays past, I once more choose to spend my night with Spike. Ok, I'm fudging the rules here. James Marsters, but ONLY if he never uses his natural speaking voice. All cockney, all the time. Heh. Second choice, and not a bad runner-up for my affections, David Boreanaz. It's a theme night.

Wednesday -- I'm thinking Southern BBQ, maybe a couple of beers. I'm thinking Josh Lucas, so yummy in Sweet Home Alabama, so probably desperate for love after Stealth. Alternate, another good ole Southern boy (well, at least he plays one on TV): George Eads, from CSI.

Thursday -- Thursday nights are for cocktails. Somewhere with lights under the stairs, and everything in martini glasses. So give me a man who I think knows his way around a cocktail, Vince Vaughn. Alternate, another Vaughn: Michael Vartan. In my head, it works.

Friday -- Now we're getting somewhere. A Friday night date has presence. I want to see and be seen, so I'm spending it with a dark, broody Brit: Clive Owen. Oh, Clive. Yes, you can drive. Take the BMW. Alternate: Colin Farrel. I know he's bad news, and I just don't care.

Saturday -- How CAN anyone go wrong with George Clooney? You can't. That's how. So why mess with tradition? George Clooney, and if I can't have him (he is quite in demand, after all, saving people from muggers and defending women's honor and all that, or so I hear from Entertainment Tonight), then his dashing and debonair frequent costar Brad Pitt. Yes, Brad, you're an alternate. Deal with it.

Sunday -- A brunch date, yes, followed by the rest of the afternoon in bed. Actually, maybe we'll order bagels in. Or, spend the day biking around the park. Lance Armstrong, get out of my dreams and into my Sex Fantasy Camp. Alternate (if I chose to stay in bed and ignore the bike -- because, you know, It's Not About The Bike): the guy who plays Sawyer on Lost. Whatshisname. Josh Holloway. Yum. EDIT: How could I forget Ewan? Man! Thank god I didn't laminate these! Ewan, get up there. We can take out the motorcycle and still go for a ride.

Who do you have?

"It's a TripTik, not a fortune teller!"

A long time ago, a wise (and perhaps crazy) friend of mine used the above exclamation as a reponse to a roadtripping buddy's questions about food at an upcoming rest stop. Since then, it remains one of my favorite random things I've ever heard or said in the company of friends. Here's a couple of others:

"You know what would be a really useful skill to have?"
"Being a hard ass?"
"Also, lip reading."

"A friend is like a kicky scarf you can use as a bandage, but it's not a crutch."

"Kill me if I ever wear gauchos."

What are some of your favorites? Remember, you (or someone you know) has to have been the one to say them, or have overheard them. No tv or movie quotes!

New stuff!

Just a brief throw this up here while I'm thinking of it post. First of all, because I'm hugely thrilled, yesterday I ordered a swank new laptop, and soon, I will have it, and be able to play CoH/CoV on it. Huzzah! Not to mention it will actually have the battery power to allow me to be unconnected from a wall for more than 30 minutes at a time.

And, just now, I booked a flight to go visit my friend Jay in Cincinnati, where's he's performing in A Christmas Carol. And while I'm there, I think I just may be doing some necessary research for "How to Date a Superhero." More as that progresses.

Weekend Recap

Yes, I really meant to get a whole LOT more done this weekend, but if I tell you all that I did do, maybe it will seem like more, and I won't feel so bad. Ok? Ok!

Friday night after a day at work when my computer was Still acting fussy (I can't merge from Access to Word, which is only something that I do, like 700 times a day!), I went home, grabbed some dinner, and got onto the roomie's computer for a little CoH time. After weeks and weeks and weeks of being at level 49, I finally finally! hit the big 5-0, with a lot of help from my friends. I got this shot, but I think someone else got an even better one. I mean, I hope.

So that was exciting! I made it to the top of the game, and it only took me, oh, over a year to do it. (And yes, I know that you can click on any random passerby whose name begins with a certain letter to find out just how many hours you've played, but why oh why would I ever want to know THAT?!?!?) I headed off to bed happy.

In the morning, the roommate told me one of the funniest Famous People Sighting stories I've ever heard. If you're here in NYC, you have to get him to tell it to you, but otherwise, I will say this: Sarah Silverman. Jimmy Kimmel. and HUEY LEWIS. I know!!

The rest of the day Saturday I spent reading a manuscript for work (which I must respond to the author about) and lollygagging about, then went down to the Lower East Side in the evening to meet a friend from work whose boyfriend was playing at a bar called Pianos, where a client of mine was also performing, at the very same time, but in a downstairs venue as a backup singer. So I got to see (and hear) them both. Lucky timing, what with who was running late, and who was cut short. It worked out well. My friend emblaze met me down there, and after the set, she and I headed to the famous Katz's Deli (Send a Salami to your boy in the Army!) and shared a delicious corned beef sandwich. Which, as I commented to her, is just about the only food I can think of that is considered a cultural artefact of both Jewishness and Irishness, and thus, one of my favorites.

We then headed back uptown to meet my work friend and her boyfriend again at his brother's CD release party, found a wallet on the sidewalk on the way, enjoyed the music for a while before finally deciding to call it a night, but not before stopping at the police station in the Columbus Circle subway station to turn it said wallet. I'm such a good citizen! I hope it gets back to the girl who lost it.

Sunday, after sleeping in, I caught up on watching "Alias", played a little CoV and got my stalker up to level 10, and went to see "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" with the roomie, MJ, and a bunch of other fun peeps (whom I will have to give amusing nicknames to if they continue to feature in my blog. Guys, you've been warned!) Oh, Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry...

*sigh*

So good. Well done, Mike Newell. Well done, indeed.

After that excitement, I came home, read a screenplay for work, watched a little "Simpsons," and went to bed.

So, do I sound accomplished?

This is because I mocked your snow, isn't it?

Because I commented on how very very gentle New York was being to me since my return from Florida? Well, it's not so gentle now. The temperature dropped like 30 degrees from yesterday to today, most of it while I was trying to get home last night in a downpout without an umbrella, hat, or even a coat. And I forgot what a bother it is to wear glasses when it rains.

Sigh.

In happy news, I'm getting my new laptop soon. Yay! My office tech guy is ordering it for me today, and I may even get it as soon as next week. Wouldn't that be sweet?

Now -- gotta run for a meeting. For any New Yorkers out there, my friend MJ is signing at Books of Wonder tonight from 5 to 7pm. Her link's over there on the side somewhere...

Gives "The Core" a run for its money

Ok, so I meant to say this yesterday, but on Monday night, MJ, the roomie and I watched part two of CBS' howlingly bad disaster movie "Category 7: The End of the World." Man. Soooooo bad. Words cannot begin to express. I mean, we knew it was going to be -- that's why I generic-brand-Tivo'ed it. How can you miss with Gina Gershon as the head of FEMA? And Randy Quaid as a stormchaser. And Shannen Doherty as a Coyote Ugly-type bartender/metrological grad student? Shannen had one of the best lines ever, in my book, "You're not going to have a life if you don't crawl in a hole with me RIGHT NOW." Now imagine that said to Randy Quaid. Or don't -- not before breakfast, at least. Then there was the scene where the White House Press secretary, moments after admitting to a hobby collecting -- no, stealing -- garden gnomes, got blown up with the ex-Secretary of Homeland Security. In the White House. Which had been leveled by a hurricane. Oh, and the guy who just kept driving around. Driving, driving, driving.

Good times, I tell ya.

What else? Still working on a pile of stuff, but I'm incredibly proud of finding an extra couple of thousand bucks yesterday for a soon-to-be-client of mine, in looking over her payment schedule from her current (soon-to-be-previous) agent. Go me! And I'm thinking it's almost time to start compiling my Holiday Wish List. Hythian got me thinking about it yesterday. And I've got to get back to the keyboard with yee olde "HtDaS," and get it to the agent who agreed to read it. I want to do that for next week. So, call it a plan.

New York's being very gentle to me

So, back at my desk, plowing through the assorted stuff that's piled up since I've been gone, and I just have to say... New York's been very welcoming. I mean, it could have greeted me with typical November weather -- cold and miserable, so that I got sick to go from sandals and bathing suits to sweaters and boots. Instead, it's picture perfect fall weather, and I'm bare-legged with just a light jacket. So nice.

Even work's not a killer -- I had word from an editor on my voice mail that she may make an offer for one of my authors, and while I've got a lot of work to do, it doesn't feel overwhelming.

Or maybe it's not New York -- maybe it's the aftereffects of Florida, my relaxation trickling down (or up the coast) to all aspects of my life. Who knows? But I like it.

I'm back!!!

Oh, I missed you, all my lovely readers! And my computer -- oh sweet internet connection, how I missed you too!

Still, there were benefits. Lots and lots of benefits. Days spent sitting at the beach -- mostly at the club where my sister has a place in Key Largo, where I took the pic in the previous post, and where I spent long hours sleeping and reading in hammocks. Like so.

This was there, too, though we didn't go out on them. I just really liked the colors.

After six days (and as many books read), my sis and I drove down to Key West, and spent a few more days there, doing touristy things and enjoying the nightly show that is sunset at the Southernmost point in the U.S. Voila.

We also climbed a lighthouse, and went shopping, and toured Hemingway's House, and went snorkeling, and saw dolphins and lots of cats and roosters, drank a lot of beer and frosty beverages, and basically had a wonderful, relaxing time. I'm stuffed full of delicious seafood, and happy, and tanned. With only a few bug bites/possible jellyfish stings.

I took some arty pictures too.

Now, though, I'm home, and getting caught up on my writing, and my gameplay, and my reading, and tv-watching, and all that fun stuff. Oh, and I have to go to work tomorrow. Poo.

So, what have YOU been up to?

Now this is the life!

Feels like a reprise

Leaving on a jet plane again, but this time, it's all for fun. Posting will be less frequent, though I may throw up a few pics from my cell phone. Looking forward to catching up with everyone when I'm back.

Tallyho!

Thinking beachy thoughts

So, I'm a day away from vacation, the piles on my desk dwindling away to almost nothing as I check another thing off my "To Do" list. Actuallu, make that two things, or two lists, rather, as I have my work list and my "other stuff" list. Stiil, now that I look at it, the remaining list isn't tiny...

No worries! It will get done! And tonight, after my writers group, while I'm still feeling creative and juicey, I'll post my second round piece in our Storyball collective writing project. Unless I get slammed in writers group, told I'm a hack, and that I should never set pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) again. But how likely is that?

Um. Er. Eek. *swallows nervously*

Would love to have the time to play some CoH or CoV, but I don't think I'll get to that before I go. Which I regret, since it's always a blast playing with friends, and I'm enjoying trying out some new characters, in both games. Want to see how this whole base thing works, too. I heard there may be a future development that will let you build sort of personal bases as well -- like apartments for your heroes. That'd be fun, to finally see the apartment where Noelle lives and I've set a number of her stories.

Oh, and on a somewhat related note, I'm putting the NY ComicCon on my calendar for February. I think it might be something I can convince the Powers That Be here at work to send me to. Maybe. I am the sort of expert in the office on the subject -- which is an interesting place to be, given how little I feel I really know about comics. Still, in comparision, I'm a genius. Shazaaam!

Catching Up

Blogger seems to be haunted -- perhaps a holdover from Halloween festivities, like leftover candy and streaks of makeup in *ahem* unexpected places.

Not me, of course. I had a (mostly) PG-rated Halloween weekend, dressed as Alice in Wonderland with the roomie as the Mad Hatter. Had two parties on Saturday night, so trained it from Manhattan to Brooklyn, then up to Harlem, then back home. Sunday night we went to a "Kiss My Mask" party at Swing 46, then yesterday I spent out in suburbia with my little munchkin niece and nephew, running from school parade to school parade, then out enjoying some trick or treatery. Delicious.

Not that I get to scrounge for candy anymore -- I have to leave that for the kiddies. And when my sister told the little ones they should give dear Aunt Kate some of their candy, the little mercenary souls that they are handed over all the little pieces they didn't want -- gum and fruit thingies and odd pieces of hard candy and toffee and generic lollipops. Not a piece of chocolate in the bunch!! They are so my sister's children.

Otherwise, I'm feeling a wee bit frantic to get a bunch of stuff done before I leave on vacation on Thursday. Hey, you're saying, didn't you just get BACK from vacation? No, that was work. This is about sitting on a beach for a week or so, reading, and not thinking about the office. But before I go, I have to get through another pile of stuff from the fair, do a bunch of deal memos, trudge through some submissions, and, oh yeah, get some fun writing done for a neat new November project I'm working on with some friends. More on that soonish.

And with that -- enough procrastinating. Back to work!