Meeting, meeting, who's got a meeting?

My turn to post about meetings. We're getting into a busy time at work, when lots of foreign publishers schedule appointments to come to the office and hear about books we're representing -- which means more followup, and more mailings, and more everything, except time to get the rest of the stuff I need to do done. Got my writers' group tonight, and I haven't even looked at the three pieces I need to read, so I'm thinking my comments will be very off-the-top-of-my-head. And I'm sitting down with the two agents I've been talking to about "HtDaS" in a couple of hours, and will hopefully get a last round of comments before we can actually get this puppy out there!

I'd love to sell it before I have to go back and rewrite the whole thing, though the big Alliance shake-up of 2006 will have to play some part in it, certainly. If only to make things more interesting.

And isn't that a fun perspective to have on it?

In other news -- two weeks to my birthday! Yippie! Even got a present or two that I wasn't technically supposed to open early, but... well... I hate waiting.

Why can't every day be a weekend?

Monday again. Oof. The piles of manuscripts on my desk never get smaller, and the stuff that I should be doing gets hidden under other stuff that I'm thinking about. I have nothing important to say here.

Wish I were a better reader

So, I was supposed to be reading a manuscript this weekend that a colleague at work asked me to look at, which I've had on my desk for ages. (Since October, I think. I know, I'm awful.) The problem is, I knew right from the covering note that it wasn't going to be something I was interested in. I mean, what I do is about snap decisions, and while sometimes, sometimes, I will change my mind about a manuscript, most of the time I have to trust in my instincts and my first reaction to something. I don't have time to read every bit of everything I'm asked to look at, so I learn to trust in my own interests.

When I'm reading a novel, and I find my eye skipping down the page, looking for something more interesting to focus on, then I know it isn't for me. When the words are arranged artfully, but twenty pages in I still don't care a whit for any of the characters, I know it isn't for me. When you've hooked me with an interesting idea, then throw such a stupid curveball at me that I want to pitch the pages across the room, I know it isn't for me.

I've read some great stuff. Really great stuff, and if I hold submissions to the same standards of other fabulous books I've read, I figure that's my right as a reader. Unfortunately, in this case, it means I have to go and tell my colleague, who worked with the author on revisions, that while I can see the technical interest in the book, it didn't connect with me emotionally. Sometimes, I use phrases like that euphemistically, but as I writer myself, I know I'd rather that than "I hated it." Because it is a matter of personal opinion, and for every book I've thought was amazing, there's another one that may be an award winner, but leaves me cold. And that's why we have different specialities and interests as agents.

I might have been going somewhere else with this when I started it, but if so, I've lost track of it. Need to run out and get lunch, then I think I'll settle in with a DVD. Maybe get a little crafty.

Movie Update

Last night, I tried to get a move on my list of movies I want to see before the Oscars, and rented "Junebug", but the DVD was all fingerprinty and kept skipping, and it was such a quiet sort of film that I wasn't interested enough in it to work that hard to watch it. The one actress who's being singled out for award consideration, Amy Adams, was cute and adorable, but it's another one of those uncomfortable family dramas, and I couldn't see my way to watching the whole thing if it was going to make it difficult for me.

When I went to the video store today to return it, I got "The Upside of Anger" which I know from various people who've seen it, has a very deceptive trailer. Still, if I know going in that it's not strictly a "romantic comedy," I won't be disappointed, right?

And then tonight I was talking with a friend about seeing "Capote," which is another on my list, but we've changed our mind and decided to see "Tristram Shandy" instead. And I'm tempted to have one of those days where I just sneak from theatre to theatre seeing a bunch of movies (I think my record was four, but I could be exagerrating, it might have only been three), but I do have other stuff to do, and people to talk to.

This just might make everything better

Unless you're a Batman fan. Or an Indiana Jones fan. Or had a long standing respect for Mr. Rogers. But I'll let you decide for yourself.

Not about most of you.

But you should know, those of you that I am talking about, that I love you all, and if you continue to force me to choose sides, and make the hard decisions, I will chose not to do it, and won't see any of you. And I don't want that. Talk amongst yourselves. Please.

You know how you say something?

And suddenly, all you can think is that you've said it wrong? Or you don't know how the person you've said it to is going to take it? And if it's in person, you're frantically scanning their face to get an early clue to their reaction, and if it's by phone or email, the silence that can follow is suddenly filled with all the bad, awful, horrible things they might say in return?

It's something I have to do with some frequency in my day job -- breaking bad news to authors, telling editors their offer wasn't accepted, criticizing manuscripts. On the last point, I think I have some degree of empathy, due to being a writer myself, and knowing that any small bit of praise is what will matter in the long run. Hopefully.

...don't know where this was going. Was just in my colleague's office talking about a manuscript that I love, hoping he'll feel the same when he reads it. When I get it to him. But it's a weird little part of our business -- we're agents because we love books, and like writers, and surround ourselves with them, and become friends with our clients... but at the same time have to be careful about being TOO friendly with our clients, because it IS a business, and you don't want personal feelings getting in the way of the job. I guess it all ties in with the annoying author we tried to cut loose last week, and the colossal mess that turned into. I know, in that case, that I said things wrong, and didn't have long to wait at all to hear all the bad, horrible things she thought about what I said. I will be very happy if I don't have to go through anything like that any time soon.

And on that note -- think I'll go indulge in some shopping therapy at lunchtime.

For me?

I cannot begin to tell you about the little frisson of excitement that I get every time the receptionist calls and tells me there's a package for me. I love it. Even just for the few steps down the hall to her desk, when I wonder just what it could be, there's such an air of excitement.

It could be anything. Something boring, like contracts sent from our subagent in Korea, or depressing -- another book I love rejected by a publisher. Could be something I've ordered off the internet, since I have most packages sent to me at the office so I don't have to deal with the long lines and inconvenient opening times of the post office a block away from my apartment. Might be flowers, for no good reason whatsoever. Never has been, but hope springs eternal. Could be some other surprise -- I never know until I get there and scan the packages on her blonde wood desk, hoping to see my name on the most exciting one.

Today, there were TWO packages. Two! I skipped down the hall, mind racing through the possibilities... and walked away deflated. Signed agreements to go to our contracts department, not really for me after all, and a lovely rejection of a picture book I'm beginning to think I won't be able to sell after all.

Ah well. At least there's still the excitement of hitting "Check for new mail" on my personal email account. It's the little things that get me through my day.

Jealous of my roomie

Silly bugger gets to take at least one, possibly two, work-at-home days a month, and I don't. And the "work" that he does usually involves "World of Warcraft," or the new "Grand Theft Auto," watching tv, and sleeping in. Though I guess I should be grateful, since he's also going to grocery shopping for the apartment, and do a little sweeping up.

Personally, I have a bag of laundry that's about to take over my room, and after thinking I could just drop it off this morning to pick up tonight on my way home from work, I started sorting it and realized there's just too much I want to hang dry, or don't trust to the laundry folks, not to do it myself.

So that's going to be my evening tonight. Big bag o' laundry. Maybe a little CoH. Manuscript reading. Catching up on The Colbert Report, which featured one of our authors last night, but I didn't feel like staying up to watch any more television.

What does it say...

... that my coworker thought I'd appreciate this, and should share with my friends?

Anyways, I told her we were soooooooo much cooler than them. I mean, I know I am. Perhaps I delude myself.

HtDaS: statusapalooza

So, got feedback from the second agent here about HtDaS, who had some interesting suggestions, and I think I'm going to go over it with both her and the first agent tomorrow, see who wants to handle it more (and is it wrong of me to want to go with the one who doesn't think I have to make many more changes before she sends it out?). It's almost like I'm being fought over! Glee!

Not much else new to report. Meeting some friends for dinner tonight, and promised to get online later for a bit of CoH. Need to start thinking about the big birthday shindig to be planned. Next week is February already, and then next thing you know, it'll be March, and the month will have flown past. Though I want a few things in between now and then, not the least of which is a sale of my book.

Which, in terms of random things I have to think about for the future, will require me to find an accountant for my taxes next year. Maybe this year, if I sell it before tax day, and can find my receipt for my lappy and various plane tickets. Just some of the thoughts that run through my head...

HtDaS: yet another status report

So, after yesterday's adventures in files, I got the latest and greatest version of "How to Date a Superhero" printed up and gave it to the agent I've been talking with about it. Also gave it to another colleague for her feedback -- hopefully I'm not revealling way too much of myself in the workplace. Ahem.

And now, for your reading pleasure, my pretty much true but pseudonyminous (I love that word, fake as it may be) bio:

Katie Daniels works in publishing where she strives to be cool, trendy, and not reveal the depths of her geekiness to her colleagues. Before dating a series of superheroes and dastardly villains, she filled her free time away from reading manuscripts Irish dancing for beer at a famous New York pub, swinging a sword at a renaissance faire as a lady in waiting to the Queen, and answering phones at a London theatre. She is the youngest and arguably black sheepiest of her family, and likes kicky shoes. She has no plans for world domination.

That whole thing about having "no plans for world domination" may be a slight falsehood, but don't tell anyone, ok?

The next exciting steps are selling it for the big bucks, and then telling the people I'm writing about that I'm writing about them. I imagine a very entertaining OOC thread on the boards. Oh, and for my involved readers, start thinking about how you'd like to be referred to in the book. (Ain't I nice to allow you options?) I'm thinking real hero names but fake real names, or just first names, or something like that. It'll be easier for me to keep track of if all the details aren't different, but I can work around people's desires to be famous or not.

Phew (again).

Got it back. I think I deleted an earlier version, but I'm more than ok with that. The most recent is what I really needed to keep. Didn't end up losing anything, thankfully.

So how was YOUR day?

Trying not to panic

So I revised (again) my proposal for "How to Date a Superhero" and copied it to my swank (and swexy) Swiss Army memory stick, only to come into work this morning and find that the version I have on the stick is a much older one. Like, three revisions back. And I have to keep telling myself that I'm sure the newest version is still on my computer at home, and it's all I can do not to run home at lunchtime and doublecheck.

*pant, pant, pant*

Needless to say, I'm panicking. I hate panicking. And I was really happy with the latest revision, too!

Beer good

... foamy. (also: fire bad, tree pretty.)

Went to the Brooklyn Brewery on a completely empty stomach with a ticket for an open bar and a screening of Warren Miller's latest film, "Higher Ground." Lots of shots of skiers, with the audience reacting to every fall and landing. More so as the evening wore on and the alcohol poured more freely. Best part of the evening might have been when some guy asked my friends to settle a bet if they were lesbians or not by kissing -- which they did, even though they're not.

Then again, I might be able to think of a better part of the evening...

I love Saturdays

Almost four o'clock on a Saturday afternoon, and I'm still in my pajamas. Sometimes, you just can't beat a weekend.

Last night, we rented the Plato-unrelated movie "The Cave," which, unlike some awful films I could name, at least didn't violently hate us. It's a tricky business, finding bad movies to mock. Movies so bad you want to kill yourself have their place, but boring movies, shot poorly, are just useless for our purposes. Useless, I tell you.

Today, when I finally did get out of bed, I got caught up on some TV I'd taped (DVR'ed? Tivo'ed?) and put away the rest of our Christmas decorations. Left a few up that are winter-related (snowmen and the like), as opposed to Santa-fied. Did hope to get some writing done, but it's looking like that's much more likely for tomorrow than for today. Instead, I think I'll find out what happened at the Golden Globes earlier this week. The not-knowing's been driving me bonkers!!

Happy Friday!

It's been a nice short week, thanks to my vacation, which doesn't mean I won't be absolutely thrilled when it's over, and I can put annoying office hassles behind me and hang out with some friends.

Went out to Brooklyn last night, to my friend Heather's gorgeous apartment in the Heights (she can see part of the Brooklyn Bridge from her living room window) for our monthly "Reading Between the Wines" book group discussion. A nice group of people with a wide range of tastes in books, all sitting around, eating and drinking, gossiping, chatting, and oh yeah, exchanging books. It's kind of an afterthought. There's a couple of titles that are making the rounds with very mixed reviews -- "One Hundred Years of Solitude," "The Dante Club," and "Fear of Flying," which I hated. I mean, if I want to read a sexy novel, I'm going to pick up a Black Lace book, not a 30-year-old novel about a whiny Jewish housewife and her unattractive lovers. For my part, because there's so much I have to read for work, and that ever-growing pile of books I want to read for pleasure, I only left with one book, and that not even something I'm really thrilled about reading. I just figured I could get through it quickly and be done with it.

Anyway, after a couple of glasses of champagne in lieu of wine, and one very undignified fall on the floor, I went back home, changed into my favorite new tshirt, watched a little Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, my eyes closing as I did, then headed off to bed.

Hopefully today will be a much more relaxing and/or productive day of work.

Chaos and confusion

Work related craziness this morning. Let's just say I love being cursed at by authors. Because that's really the way to get us to do what you want.

Also, on another note, apparently my naiviety is reflected in my inability to accept the possibility that some people are just complete assholes. And I quote.

To which I replied that I'd rather be naive than jaded.

Grandma's Crumb Cake

Inspired by others who bake a lot more than I do, and because I promised to bring a dessert to my reading group thingie tomorrow, I made a favorite family recipe tonight. I've mostly got it memorized -- one of the only recipes I can say that about -- and I thought some of you might enjoy it. It's very simple.

Cake batter:

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Cream shortening with sugar, add egg; then add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk, mixing well after each addition. Lastly add vanilla and spread in a greased 10" round pan.

Crumb topping:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 6 tbsp butter or margarine

For topping, combine ingredients, mix by hand to form crumbs, spread on cake batter, and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!!

How do they KNOW?

Someone please tell the stars to stop being so right, will you? Silly astrology...

*goes off and mutters in the corner*

Kate's Daily Aquarius Forecast
Quickie: To feel more grounded, reconnect with the earth and start a new gardening project.
Overview: Just wanting something isn't enough. The real trick lies in motivating yourself to take the first step to get your heart's desire. Don't overwhelm yourself with grandiose plans. Start small and work up.
Daily extended (by Astrology.com): For the second day in a row, you just can't seem to stop yourself from going on at length -- big time. You're so darned chatty, in fact, that even people who know you well may end up exchanging glances. That's nothing new for you, of course. To be perfectly honest, you love to surprise, startle and amaze the masses. At the moment, though, there may be a reason for all this verbal energy. Are you nervous about something? Or is it that your antennae are twitching?

You know, except for that thing about gardening.

Remembered what it was...

...that I was going to say. Coming home last night, it felt weird not to see mountains in the distance. It felt weird not to see "distance," actually. I mean, nice to be home, certainly. Warm and cosy in my little apartment, everything familiar around me, chatting with the roomie as he played a computer game, catching up on my DVR'ed shows. But still...

Weird.

Movies to see

Last year, I kept the list of the top 25 possible Oscar contenders according to Entertainment Weekly in my calendar; this year, I'm throwing them up on here. All comments are welcome, of course, and I'll try to update as I make my way through the list. The Oscars are on March 5th, with nominations announced on January 31st. How many of these have you seen?

1. Brokeback Mountain
2. Good Night, and Good Luck
3. Crash
4. Capote
5. Munich
6. Walk the Line
7. Cinderella Man
8. Syriana
9. A History of Violence
10. The Constant Gardener
11. Transamerica
12. North Country
13. Memoirs of a Geisha
14. Pride & Prejudice
15. Match Point
16. Mrs. Henderson Presents
17. King Kong
18. Hustle & Flow
19. The Squid and the Whale
20. Junebug
21. The Upside of Anger
22. The 40-Year-Old Virgin
23. Cache (Hidden)
24. Shopgirl
25. The Chronicles of Narnia

So far, I've only seen 4: Cinderella Man, Pride & Prejudice, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, and The Chronicles of Narnia. Clearly, I need to get cracking.

New Yorker once more

Home again after a really fun trip out to Denver. And I had a brilliant idea of what I was going to write here as my "coming home post", but I've totally forgotten it. Sigh.

Doyce did a better job of recapping the whole vacation than I need to do, so I'll just settle for another picture or two. From snowy Colorado and new friends...
...to New York again.

More when I have unpacked and caught up on some tv.

Another fun day

A fun bit of wackiness yesterday -- headed up into the mountains to Winter Park (which seemed fitting), across the Continental Divide, for an afternoon's drive and bit of tubing. I laughed hysterically every single time we slid down the hill. Soooooooooo much fun. I will absolutely attach a picture, even though my camera bugged out on me and its batteries died before I'd gotten even half the shots I would have taken afterwards. Though, in retrospect, perhaps it's better I didn't try to get any action shots while we were going at full speed down the slippery slope.

Just packing everything away now, about to head to the airport in a bit, but I wanted to send off one more post. Really had such a fun time here, and if there was a bit of not-hoped-for drama regarding a certain game we like to play, well... it was interesting, at least, to be with you all when it happened. I gotta do what I can, right? What was it I was called? The one white spot in a sea of black, I think. It's a yin-yang thing.

Had a thought

So, despite my best efforts (depending on what you consider "best"), I didn't get a chance to finish writing my "Footsie and Fangs" contribution to the "She's Such a Geek" anthology that was due on the 15th. I got some really good work on it done on the flight out here, but my battery died before I finished, and what with everything fun going on here, I haven't really wanted to lock myself in a room alone to write.

But then I had a thought.

I'll finish it on the way home, or when I get back to NYC, and send it in anyway, with a sweet little apologetic covering note:

To Whom it May Concern:

Fully realizing that this is late, you're of course under no obligation to consider this for your anthology. I'm just hoping that, given my theme of roleplaying and trying to meet guys, you'll accept that my reason for being late is that I traveled halfway across the country to spend a long weekend with a group of geeks and gamers I only knew through on MMORPG.

And then I give my little book blurb. Hopefully it will work. Fingers crossed.

Of course, i still have to finish it.

Mad Blog Libs

MJ sent this to me, and I am sharing with you, for it is the funny. Her original email:

I was updating my blog, and accidentally advanced to a random blog, where I saw this. I knew at once that I had to send it to you.

(For the full experience, go here.)

In the meantime, you too can have an art career! Please read the original, then see below.

Karina Allrich is a Jungian artist and poet with an intuitive appetite favoring synthesis, a fusion of gesture and words, the unconscious map of the body, the evolution of a surface or a poem, the exquisitely transpersonal archetypal dig into the authentic.

A graduate of the Corcoran School of Art, Washington DC, Karina has exhibited in one-woman shows, invitationals and juried group exhibitions, authored cookbooks and creative non-fiction, published articles and essays. Blogging and writing poetry are currently her main artistic focus.

Now it's your turn! First . . . fill this in:

1. [YOUR NAME]
2. [NAME OF FAMOUS PERSON]
3. [NOUN]
4. [ADJECTIVE]
5. [NOUN]
6. [NOUN]
7. [MADE UP WORD, AS PRETENTIOUS AS POSSIBLE, PREFERABLY AN ADVERB]
8. [VERB]
9. [ADJECTIVE MISUSED AS A NOUN]
10. [FUNNY BUT REAL NAME]
11. [LOCATION]
12. [YOUR NAME]
13. [VERB ENDING IN -ED]
14. [MADE UP NOUN]
15. [PLURAL NOUN]
16. [TYPE OF BOOK, PLURAL FORM]
17. [ADJECTIVE]
18. [GERUND]
19. [FORM OF WRITING, AS ARCANE AS YOU CAN MAKE IT]

Okay! Now put it all together, and share your results with the other artists in the community!

[1] is a [2]ian artist and poet with an intuitive appetite favoring [3], a fusion of gesture and words, the [4] map of the [5], the evolution of a [6] or a poem, the exquisitely [7] archetypal [8] into the [9].

A graduate of the [10] School of Art, [11], [12] has [13] in one-woman shows, [14] and juried group [15], authored [16] and [17] non-fiction, published articles and essays. [18] and writing [19] are currently her main artistic focus.

Let's see what I get!

Kate is a Willa Catherian artist and poet with an intuitive appetite favoring scissors, a fusion of gesture and words, the justified map of the cradle, the evolution of a forecast or a poem, the exquisitely truthinessish archetypal hollered into the iridescent.

A graduate of the Kim Yong Ill School of Art, Persepolis, Kate has tranquilized in one-woman shows, swex and juried group kidneys, authored mystical tomes and jiggly non-fiction, published articles and essays. Running and writing sestinian poetry are currently her main artistic focus.

That was fun. Now you try it.

Photo Break

Before I start getting ready for the par-tay tonight, a couple of shots from yesterday and today's touristing.This was at Red Rocks -- a little irony in the morning.

And then this was today at the Stanley -- and I guess I should watch "The Shining" now, huh?

More later! Maybe even with people!!

Quick post...

We're all just about to head out to the Stanley Hotel for a ghostie tour, and, if I could find the link real quick, I will share what I think of now when I picture the hotel. Ok, here. Heh. Funny.

Anyway, yesterday, before we hit the Tattered Cover, we also went to the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, and I'll have to post a pic or two when I get the camera connected, because it was be-a-u-tiful. Calzones for lunch, and another fun stop at the mall, where, yes, I bought shoes. It seemed wrong not too.

And a final note -- watching "Coupling" right before bedtime makes one think about swex. I'm just saying.

For the few of my readers who AREN'T in Colorado

Made it here yesterday morning without any problems, got met at the airport by Stan, and then met the rest of the gang at brunch, finally laying eyes on Doyce, Jackie, and Aaron and getting along like a house on fire. After lunch, we headed back to the house and hung out, hung out some more, tried some delicious honey vanilla vodka, watched some "Coupling" and, after dinner, engaged in a fun, massive, CoH play session. Seven of us in two rooms, next to each other, everyone shouting out and commenting on the action as it happened, running through missions with a madcap grace. Doyce and Dave have already gone on about this in some detail on their blogs, and those folks that want more details on that were all here, so I won't bother with more exciting links.

Today I think we're heading into Denver to hit The Tattered Cover, but first I get to give everyone their presents, so I'm going to rush off and do that, and spend less time typing. Though, here, happily, that's still a fun, communal activity.

Landed safely...

...And even a little early.  Woot.  In case I forget to ask later, what's with all the circular fields you see as you're coming in to land? Did Colorado decide square or rectangular fields were too boring?

In a cab, on the way to another airport

I gotta say, at least I'm beginning to get this packing and traveling thing down. It's practically a science. Though I could do without getting up while it's still dark and fumbling around the apartment in the pitch black (*looks nervously around for Vin Diesel*), trying not to wake the roomies, who can still sleep for hours.

Anyway, I'm on my way.

Hmmm...

Is it a sign? Two references in one.

I should definately take more vacation days

I am getting so much work done today! Just plowing through all the annoying little things I don't want to have to deal with after a vacation. My inbox is almost empty, which is a rare, rare thing indeed. Still got those deal memos to do, and some magazines to look through and circulate (yes, that's part of my job), but otherwise, I'm in really good shape. Workwise, I mean, of course. The other definition is not currently under discussion.

Need to be quick...

I've got that "day before a vacation" fervour to my work today, so this must necessarily be brief. Plus a meeting this morning, that took me away from my desk for over an hour, and a manuscript that I need to get out to about a dozen people this afternoon, as well as send a note to an author on his manuscript. And deal memos to do, thoughts about other submissions to think through, and at the back of my mind, concerns about packing and weather and stuff, and the realization that I still haven't actually mentioned to my mother that I'm flying across the country tomorrow to stay with a bunch of people I've never actually met before. I wonder if she'll notice that I'm not in the office? The problem with having not told her already, is that now it feels like I tried to keep it a secret, which I didn't. Not exactly. I just... hmmm.

The good thing about cell phones is that I'm reachable everywhere. I guess.

Ok, back to work!

Blogshares?

What? I'm so money and I totally didn't even know it! Any of the rest of you know anything about this?

HtDaS: new status report

So I had a chat with the agent who was reading my "HtDaS" proposal this morning, and she had a very few comments on the proposal itself -- thought it was great with minor changes, yay! I need to add a conclusion -- or rather, a sort of "conclusion I'd like to come to," and she suggested a few more additions/changes to the chapter excerpt. But it all felt very positive! My plan is to hopefully have some time on my (mostly) cross-country flight to work on both "HtDaS" and the "She's Such a Geek" article, which is tentatively titled "Footsie and Fangs," about how I started roleplaying.

So I haven't sold it for a million dollars yet, but we're moving along. Yippie!

Astrology is neat!

Ok, I think I've said this before. I don't really follow astrology, but every once in a while, I am amused by my horoscope. Take today's, for instance:

If anyone loves the spontaneous side of life, it's you (what a shocker, hmm?), and that goes double for people who aren't afraid to act on impulse -- like yourself, for example. Well, you're due to meet up with quite a few of those types right now, and you won't find a single one of them boring. You may need to mediate a few disputes about who really did ask you to dinner first, but you'll have to excuse the rest of us if we're not all that sympathetic to this awful plight.

Hear that, Colorado folks? According to the stars and planets, you're not boring. Well done!

Hard work

A little bit of rambling here, going nowhere in particular. Just thinking about things, and hearing stuff from friends -- and if you think I'm talking about you, you may be right, but only partly. Only I've heard variations on the same tale a couple of times in recent days, weeks, months, ages, and I want to say something.

Love is hard. I get that. Or no, maybe love is easy. Falling in it, being swept away by it -- these all sound like things that happen in a rush, with a certain kind of momentum. But relationships -- relationships are hard. And you can't see that usually from the outside, and some of us, those ones who are maybe looking at you with a sense of awe that you've been able to find someone who fits in your life, we don't see that.

Until you tell us. Until you let us in. And that's hard -- talking about it, sharing what is after all the very personal details of your life with an outsider. And I don't want you to think -- any of you -- that I'm not grateful to be allowed that open access to your life, to know that you trust in our relationship, in our friendship, to invite me in. And despite hearing from a couple of people about problems in long term relationships...

I just want you to know that I still want that. What you have. Yes, you, specifically. Because the hard work, the thinking things through that requires two people -- that's still more than what I have alone. And I'm not lonely -- this isn't a pity party. This is just me recognizing, and hopefully being a bit of my optimistic self, and saying that two people working together on a relationship -- that, in itself, is a relationship. Does that make sense?

Those of you that may think I'm talking about you -- I want you to know that no matter what, I still look at you with that sense of awe, and a little envy. No, maybe a lot of envy.

Love is easy. Life is hard.

Fun!

Just got back in from a night out, and still coasting on a few beer fumes, and some really good music. Went to see "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" with my other roommate (not to be confused with The Roomie), and then headed down to The Baggot Inn on West 3rd Street in Greenwich Village to listen to my friend Judythe's boyfriend Brian's band play. And ok, I will freely admit that oftentimes I go to things like this because it's an obligation, but sometimes, as in the last time I went to see Brian perform, it was -- well, not a revelation, but still a lot of fun. Tonight, if you will forgive the non-grammatical (I told you I was drunkish), was even funner. Brian played with the bass player he had backing him the last time, with a new girl drummer (chicks with sticks = cool), and with a stand-in guitarist from another Irish rock band, who was Eddie van Halen-ish. (lots of -ishs tonight, but the rest of my adjectives seem to have deserted me).

Anyway, had a GREAT time -- the band was awesome, and the CD I have of Brian playing doesn't quite compare -- though I'd be happy to send any of you songs from it, and let you judge for yourselves, though he's even better now than when it was recorded. Afterwards, walking back to the subway and coming home from the bar, I had my iPod on loud, and had to keep myself from singing out loud. As it was, there was foots-a-poppin' all over the place. I guess I was just in the mood to hear good music played loud. In an empty subway car, with someone special, I might have even succumbed to the impulse and started dancing. As it was, I just filed a few notes away of songs that would be very very good to... ahem... dance to, at a later point.

And now I suppose I should try to get to sleep.

Feel like I should say something, but what?

I mean, there certainly weren't any exciting conclusions jumped to today, were there? Heck no! No way!

There was some fun reading of the rules for the couple of face-to-face RPGs we're going to play next week in Colorado. Though I feel I should warn you I have a very slow learning streak when it comes to new games, I'm still pretty excited about what I've seen so far.

And I bought silk long underwear! Whee! I shall be warm and toasty in my sweet new boots and various wintery layers while we gallivant around the mountains. I mean, there will be gallivanting, right? I was promised gallivanting!! I wants it!

What else? I have three manuscripts I need to read by Monday, and friends to see each night, so I don't know how much CoX time I'll have. And the roomie just finished a game on his computer that he said I should play, called... called... nope, I forgot it. But he said it was good.

So, with a half hour left before I should leave to meet MMJ to go see Miss Julie tonight doing a performance thing downtown, I'm going to try one of the three manuscripts again. Later!

Really?

Love with a mystery god? I hope it's Zeus. I hear he's hung like a bull.

Quick question for the techies

Feeling like I have a bunch of stuff to do before next week if I don't want to feel like I'm leaving stuff undone at the office while I'm on vacation (does that makes sense?), so a real quick blog related question for the tech gods out there before I buckle down.

For a while now, I've wanted some cute little chart or table or list or something somewhere on the blog where I can note all my recent reads, maybe throw up a picture or a link from Amazon. The short question is if this is something I have to just do through the blogger template, like the links on the side, or (long question alert!) is there a possibly more complicated thing to create which is easier to update, and doesn't require my changing the template every time I read a new book and want to move it to the top of the list? Ultratart and Dancing Brave over there on the sidebar have something similar to what I want, I think.

Thoughts?

Guys, look away

This here's a post for the girls.

*pauses, waits a moment*

Ok, are they gone? Good. I wanted to talk for a moment here about stockings, because this morning, in a rampant fit of "but I don't want to wear pantyhose!" I put on my garter belt and stockings. Now, the only stockings I have are actually seamed ones from Victoria's Secret, from when I used to go to a lot more swing clubs and out dancing, and wanted to look and feel authentic, but still, something about the fact that underneath my rather boring khaki skirt I'm wearing black seamed stockings, and can feel the strappy straps of my garter belt against my thighs...

Well, I just feel damn sexy. And I wanted to share.

Victoria's Secret is having their semi-annual sale right now, and I'm tempted to stock up on a few more pairs of stockings for more everyday use. That, and some long underwear for my mountain adventures to come -- not to be worn together.

And now back to your regularly scheduled blog.

Gah!!!

So damn frustrated. Gah! I feel like shouting, but it's a quarter to midnight, and even in New York City, there are probably people sleeping nearby. This author I've been speaking with, a client of my agency who'd written a screenplay, a sort of futuristic action-adventure thing, asked me to take a look at his novel based on the screenplay, which I finally got a chance to do tongiht, after ignoring it all holiday break. And in less than two pages -- hell, in the first paragraph -- I can see that all he did to transcribe it from screenplay to novel was take out the camera descriptions. Everything else -- stage directions, descriptions of action, dialogue -- is the same. Has this man never read a novel? Never flipped through one in a bookstore? Gah!!

What's a shame is that the story idea is pretty good, in a kind of Aeon Flux (not that I saw it) meets Dark Angel meets something way. But the execution... oh man, the execution.

I have to go cleanse my reading palate. The roomie mentioned something about a Joss Whedon article somewhere...

Yummmmmmmmmy

There should be more white chocolate. Really. In soft baked cookies. Delicious.

Now if only bakers would stop insisting on putting macadamia nuts in too, I'd be a very content Katie.

HtDaS: status report

Big news. Well, sort of. This morning I gave the latest, new and improved version of my "How to Date a Superhero" proposal to the agent I'd discussed it with previously, along with a chapter excerpt on my date with a certain Glow Boy (man, has it been ages since I've written those words here or what?), a story piece from our heroic lives, and a bio for my pseudonym.

Now, the waiting.

Actually, that's not entirely true. I want to do some tweaking and see if I can take the material and use it for the "Girl Geek" anthology Yi Shun mentioned to me, which I need to get out next week. And one of these days, I have to actually tell some of these people I'll be writing about that I'll be writing about them. And, hopefully, publishing it. I need to find out if there's waivers to be signed, or permissions to be had, and ask if it's ok to use real first names, along with real details about the game. But that's a bridge I'm going to wait to cross until the deal is signed. At which point I'll send out a few potentially entertaining emails:

Dear Glow Boy -
Remember all those emails you sent me, and all that prose we exchanged? Well, I saved it all, and I'm writing a book, and I'm going to print parts of it. Hope you don't mind!
Cheers,
Kate

Much fun to be had. I'm thinking I also want to contact Jack Emment (is that how he spells it?), Statesman himself, and see about an interview. Maybe he'll be at ComicCon in New York in February. I applied for professional registration, so I plan on being there.

And that's been a status report on "HtDaS"!

And I was wondering what to write about today

... And then I got tagged. Thanks Dave!

Four jobs you've had in your life: Lady-in-waiting at a renaissance faire, cocktail waitress at an Irish pub, movie theatre manager, bookseller.

Four movies you could watch over and over: The Princess Bride, Swingers, Serenity, White Christmas (let me know when these get surprising again...)

Four places you've lived: New York, NY; London, England; Newark, Delaware; and Westchester, NY.

Four TV shows you love to watch: That are on now? Gilmore Girls, Lost, My Name is Earl, and Arrested Development. And Veronica Mars. because 4 is such a small number

Four places you've been on vacation: the Aran Islands, Ireland; San Francisco, CA; Key West, FL; and Paris, France.

Four websites you visit daily: Go Fug Yourself, Television Without Pity, Strong Bad (I keep hoping for a new update!), and all my friends' blogs.

Four of your favorite foods: Chicken Parmesan, Maltesers, Penne a la Vodka, roast turkey (with mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, and crescent rolls).

Four places you'd rather be: Ireland. With friends. At the movies. On a beach.

Four albums you can't live without: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, "This Beautiful Life"; "Swingers" soundtrack; Green Day, "American Idiot"; and, um... the "Garden State" soundtrack.

Four magazines you read: Entertainment Weekly, Budget Living, Publisher's Weekly, and Sports Illustrated. *bursts out laughing* Ok, no, not the last one.

Four cars you've owned: none. But I learned to drive on a Vega, drove a Cavalier through high school, and now borrow my mom's Saturn. And sometimes, if she's in a very very very good mood, my sister lets me borrow her Porsche Boxster to run an errand for her.

Four colors you like (not necessarily together): Royal purple, bright pink, lime green, and black.

And to add one of my own (a la Dave),Four Hollywood stars you want to have a drink with: Ewan MacGregor, Drew Barrymore, Vince Vaughn, and Angelina Jolie.

Tag: Yi Shun, Alisha, Lela, and Ted.

And now I have to get back to revising "How to Date a Superhero."

You say you want a resolution

I'm not good with New year's Resolutions. They always end up being things like "lose weight" or "go to the gym more" or "pay off my credit card debt," and really, what kind of fun is that? No fun, I tell you. The kind of fun that is not. But in the spirit of the season I will try -- only it's not a list of resolutions, per se. Instead, I present unto you my New Year's Revolutions:

1. To overthrow the government using nanorobots introduced into our nation's dairy cows, which will spread, over the course of a year, into every form of milk, butter, cheese, etc. My plan is flawless!! Unless the government is lactose-intolerant, of course.

2. To rewrite the space-time continuum. It's a silly law, and no really understands it. It's just cited all the time as a feeble excuse for not doing neat stuff -- "Oh, you can't go back in time and kill Hitler, it will throw the space-time continuum out of whack." Hooey, I say. Do it!

3. To dance like no one is watching. All.the.time. 24 hours a day. For like a week.

4. To take over a major motion picture studio, fire all the development people, and only get ideas from actual talented people, not peons who have to curry favor from weaselly bosses in order to become weaselly bosses themselves, whereupon they force their peons to get them coffee and pick up their dry cleaning. Where was I going with this? Oh yeah, more good movies. Less "Cry_Wolf." More "Serenity." A sequel, perhaps.

5. To harness the power of the internet for true social change. Not just using a grassroots, high-tech medium to promote conversation about topics that are important to individuals, but, like, to start a worm that responds to every spam message sent with a highly contagious virus that wipes out the sender's hard drive, and that of 3 of his friends. Just in case THEY were thinking of asking me to help get their money out of Nigeria, too.

6. To gain one superpower through mutuation. Oh, no, sorry, wrong list. That's my list of New Year's "Evolutions."

Hmmmm, can't seem to find the rest of them. I'm sure they're here somewhere. Ah well, I'll let you know when I come across them. Or you can read it in the paper. I'm sure the major media will be covering my exploits this year with great interest.