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YA fantasy. I bought it because it was on sale for $3.99 at Border's and looked decent, and Eoin Colfer is quoted on the cover. I did not love it as much as Eoin Colfer did. It was okay. The plot was a little light, which is fine for younger readers, but it was surprisingly gory if that's the target audience. I also didn't like Sebastian's character--none of the characters seem to have much, well, character really, Pip and Tim are just empty any-child figures and they're the protagonists. It was a short book, only 173 pages, and could easily have been half again as long or even twice as long and it would have been more compelling without losing anything. Also, I prefer my secret passages to exist all the time, not just some of the time. I don't care if I read the sequel.
Jan. 6th, 2009
2009 resolutions
Jan. 6th, 2009 02:53 pmI don't usually make resolutions, but I've been pondering this for a while, since my small group meeting last month. This year, it makes sense for me to make some resolutions.
I will strive to practice yoga three times per week. My goal is 130 yoga sessions in 2009--an average of 2.5 sessions per week.
I will increase my charitable donations and will give at least $20 per month.
I will sweep the floor weekly.
I will spend more time outdoors.
Even with everything that will be happening in the next few months, these are achievable goals, and appropriate ones. They are the sorts of goals that, if I can keep to them, will result in serious improvements to my emotional wellbeing.
I will strive to practice yoga three times per week. My goal is 130 yoga sessions in 2009--an average of 2.5 sessions per week.
I will increase my charitable donations and will give at least $20 per month.
I will sweep the floor weekly.
I will spend more time outdoors.
Even with everything that will be happening in the next few months, these are achievable goals, and appropriate ones. They are the sorts of goals that, if I can keep to them, will result in serious improvements to my emotional wellbeing.
The What I Did This Year Meme, Year 5
Jan. 6th, 2009 03:14 pmYear 1: 2004
Year 2: 2005
Year 3: 2006
Year 4: 2007
This year: 2008
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
- laid in a hammock and read a book
- spent a week in Key West
- attended the So You Think You Can Dance concert
- made my financial planner proud
- completed a chapbook manuscript and submitted it to contests
- joined a church group
- celebrated Bastille Day
- drank a grape crush martini
- got engaged
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No resolutions last year. This year, I have some, and I'm excited about them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Um, did anybody? I don't think so. All the nearby children are over a year old, I think.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just the US.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
All I really want is to wake up with F beside me every single day. And that's going to happen, starting 25.5 days from now.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January: Key West!
March: the beach at night in Sarasota.
May: Race for the Cure. Visiting F in Cali.
October: The two weddings that never happened.
December: F got the job offer.
December 24. Yeah.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This was a pretty quiet year for achievements, I think. I wrote a little, I got some acceptances. I started working more seriously on my nonfiction. I rocked in Key West. I got called a rock star by my boss, which was pretty cool. And I survived all the traveling and wishing and hoping and finger-crossing.
9. What was your biggest failure?
No major failures this year. I would have liked to have written more often.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had that nasty flu last spring that settled in my sinuses so bad my teeth hurt, and I had that spot of food poisoning on my birthday. Nothing really serious, though.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets continue to be worthwhile purchases. I also got F a cool Christmas present that I'm happy about.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
F, of course. Who else?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mostly the authors I work with. Nothing too atrocious, though.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Keeping last year's answer of "Apartment, car payment, travel".
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
December 24. :)
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I can never think of one. Sigh.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Even happier. I'm amazed by my capacity for joy.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, for the third year in a row. Losing the gym membership has not been a good thing for me.
c) richer or poorer? My financial planner was proud, so we'll go with "richer".
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Yoga, writing. Just like last year!
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Taking some (but not all) answers from previous years: "Bitching, worrying, playing stupid internet games, complaining, getting upset, stressing out, hating my thighs, hating my body, being hard on myself, worrying about money"
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas Eve being incredibly joyful. Other than the obvious (which story I WILL type out for you), I baked cookies with F and had a nice dinner with F and my parents, and we went to my church and sang and admired my ring in the candlelight. Christmas day was mostly at my parents' house. We spent Christmas night and the 26th with F's family. Saw Sarah B and Laur, Rose, and Missi, and then went to the Chancellor holiday party on the 27th. It was an excellent Christmas.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I stayed in love!
22. How many one-night stands?
None.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Heroes, Dexter. Deserving Design. So You Think You Can Dance.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
25. What was the best book you read?
Still considering. 2008 book post to follow.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Honestly can't think of one.
27. What did you want and get?
A fiance! And more local friends.
28. What did you want and not get?
A live-in fiance. But that's well in progress, and I'm happy.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn't see that many movies this year, so I'm just going to go with Twilight. I did totally love it.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 29. I ate something wrong and felt sick all day, but still managed to spend nice time with my dear friend Lisa and we went to see Tilly & The Wall, one of my favorite bands.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I'm keeping last year's answer: sleeping next to F every single night.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I fell in love with chunky funky necklaces.
33. What kept you sane?
F, yoga, my parents, my boss, and my friends. My church group--I love them.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Peter Petrelli, I guess. I don't think there was anyone else significant that I drooled over.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
OBAMA. I cried that night. I have never felt so proud to be an American.
36. Who did you miss?
F. And Amy, Dann, Heather. Lots of other people too.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Matt, Michelle, Dave, and Julius. Go church group. I also met a bunch of other really terrific people through my church, but they're the core of it.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Hang on, spidermonkey.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Can never think of one for this question, either. I'll accept nominations.
Year 2: 2005
Year 3: 2006
Year 4: 2007
This year: 2008
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
- laid in a hammock and read a book
- spent a week in Key West
- attended the So You Think You Can Dance concert
- made my financial planner proud
- completed a chapbook manuscript and submitted it to contests
- joined a church group
- celebrated Bastille Day
- drank a grape crush martini
- got engaged
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No resolutions last year. This year, I have some, and I'm excited about them.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Um, did anybody? I don't think so. All the nearby children are over a year old, I think.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, thankfully.
5. What countries did you visit?
Just the US.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
All I really want is to wake up with F beside me every single day. And that's going to happen, starting 25.5 days from now.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
January: Key West!
March: the beach at night in Sarasota.
May: Race for the Cure. Visiting F in Cali.
October: The two weddings that never happened.
December: F got the job offer.
December 24. Yeah.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
This was a pretty quiet year for achievements, I think. I wrote a little, I got some acceptances. I started working more seriously on my nonfiction. I rocked in Key West. I got called a rock star by my boss, which was pretty cool. And I survived all the traveling and wishing and hoping and finger-crossing.
9. What was your biggest failure?
No major failures this year. I would have liked to have written more often.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had that nasty flu last spring that settled in my sinuses so bad my teeth hurt, and I had that spot of food poisoning on my birthday. Nothing really serious, though.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets continue to be worthwhile purchases. I also got F a cool Christmas present that I'm happy about.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
F, of course. Who else?
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Mostly the authors I work with. Nothing too atrocious, though.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Keeping last year's answer of "Apartment, car payment, travel".
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
December 24. :)
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I can never think of one. Sigh.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Even happier. I'm amazed by my capacity for joy.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter, for the third year in a row. Losing the gym membership has not been a good thing for me.
c) richer or poorer? My financial planner was proud, so we'll go with "richer".
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Yoga, writing. Just like last year!
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Taking some (but not all) answers from previous years: "Bitching, worrying, playing stupid internet games, complaining, getting upset, stressing out, hating my thighs, hating my body, being hard on myself, worrying about money"
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
I spent Christmas Eve being incredibly joyful. Other than the obvious (which story I WILL type out for you), I baked cookies with F and had a nice dinner with F and my parents, and we went to my church and sang and admired my ring in the candlelight. Christmas day was mostly at my parents' house. We spent Christmas night and the 26th with F's family. Saw Sarah B and Laur, Rose, and Missi, and then went to the Chancellor holiday party on the 27th. It was an excellent Christmas.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I stayed in love!
22. How many one-night stands?
None.
23. What was your favorite TV program?
Heroes, Dexter. Deserving Design. So You Think You Can Dance.
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
25. What was the best book you read?
Still considering. 2008 book post to follow.
26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Honestly can't think of one.
27. What did you want and get?
A fiance! And more local friends.
28. What did you want and not get?
A live-in fiance. But that's well in progress, and I'm happy.
29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I didn't see that many movies this year, so I'm just going to go with Twilight. I did totally love it.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I was 29. I ate something wrong and felt sick all day, but still managed to spend nice time with my dear friend Lisa and we went to see Tilly & The Wall, one of my favorite bands.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I'm keeping last year's answer: sleeping next to F every single night.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
I fell in love with chunky funky necklaces.
33. What kept you sane?
F, yoga, my parents, my boss, and my friends. My church group--I love them.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Peter Petrelli, I guess. I don't think there was anyone else significant that I drooled over.
35. What political issue stirred you the most?
OBAMA. I cried that night. I have never felt so proud to be an American.
36. Who did you miss?
F. And Amy, Dann, Heather. Lots of other people too.
37. Who was the best new person you met?
Matt, Michelle, Dave, and Julius. Go church group. I also met a bunch of other really terrific people through my church, but they're the core of it.
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
Hang on, spidermonkey.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Can never think of one for this question, either. I'll accept nominations.
Thursday January 1. F and I were out and about all day long, in the car for probably around six hours. When we got back, both of us were crabby, and I at least felt cramped and gross. I did some yoga and my body felt better, and the energy in the house noticeably lightened as well. I showed F some of my cool moves and he was duly impressed. Couldn't do as much as I'd have liked, since I was barefoot on the hard wood floor and got a little slippy, but overall, probably 45 minutes or so altogether. A good start to the new year.
Only about 30-35 minutes, but it was a good practice. (Short because I chatted on the phone with my parents for an hour when I got home from work, and now I need to make some dinner.) My thighs and hips are really appreciating tonight's practice.
Listened to Anoushka Shankar, and I'm not really loving it. There are only seven songs on the album; of those, two of them are good upbeat yoga songs, and one is very pretty and slow, nice for savasana. That leaves four songs that are pretty much boring and forgettable. I need more yoga music. Suggestions?
Listened to Anoushka Shankar, and I'm not really loving it. There are only seven songs on the album; of those, two of them are good upbeat yoga songs, and one is very pretty and slow, nice for savasana. That leaves four songs that are pretty much boring and forgettable. I need more yoga music. Suggestions?
The Proposal
Jan. 6th, 2009 10:08 pmThe Proposal:
F's flight arrived in Philly around 4:30 PM on Tuesday 12/23. I met him at the airport, brought him home on the train, and we spent the evening relaxing. At one point, F claims that he needs to go out to my car--he says he hid something there the last time he was in town, which at first I completely don't believe, but he explains that he saw this perfect gift last time he was here and thought I'd find it for sure if he hid it in the house, so he found a secret spot in my car. I am gullible. He goes out to the car, where he secretly calls my parents and asks for their blessing. My mom is totally awesome, and doesn't let on a thing when I talk to her maybe an hour later. Instead, she tells me about how my dad spent like two hours at Home Depot buying this thing for the lawn that he's now assembling. Go Mom.
On Wednesday 12/24, I took the day off, we slept in a little bit, and then did fun holiday things. F had a lot of gifts to wrap, and I went to the grocery store and then baked yet another batch of cookies. In the early afternoon, F mentioned that he had one or two more gifts to pick up in my neighborhood (full of cute little stores and bakeries, FYI) and went for a walk. When he got back, I was finishing up the cookies. F took over in the kitchen for a bit and I tidied up the living room and put away the wrapping things; we had the holiday music on, and F popped into the room for a minute, said "This one broke!" and gave me half a cookie. I was so happy in that moment, just having F there and doing stupid domestic holiday things, that I burst into tears right there in the living room. F was very sweet about it.
A little while later, F told me that there was a poem he really wanted to read to me on Christmas Day, but he needed to check the book out of the library, which he couldn't do without me and my library card, so could we walk up to the library? I thought, You couldn't check out the book from your library before you left California?! But the cookies were done, and we had time before my parents were coming over for dinner, so I said sure. It's only maybe a ten-minute walk to the library in my neighborhood. We get to the library, and F says he doesn't want me to see the book he's getting, so I need to look at something else for a minute. Okay. He comes to get me, holding one hand behind his back, and says there's another book he wants me to look at. I turn to the shelf and I see...( Read more... )
F's flight arrived in Philly around 4:30 PM on Tuesday 12/23. I met him at the airport, brought him home on the train, and we spent the evening relaxing. At one point, F claims that he needs to go out to my car--he says he hid something there the last time he was in town, which at first I completely don't believe, but he explains that he saw this perfect gift last time he was here and thought I'd find it for sure if he hid it in the house, so he found a secret spot in my car. I am gullible. He goes out to the car, where he secretly calls my parents and asks for their blessing. My mom is totally awesome, and doesn't let on a thing when I talk to her maybe an hour later. Instead, she tells me about how my dad spent like two hours at Home Depot buying this thing for the lawn that he's now assembling. Go Mom.
On Wednesday 12/24, I took the day off, we slept in a little bit, and then did fun holiday things. F had a lot of gifts to wrap, and I went to the grocery store and then baked yet another batch of cookies. In the early afternoon, F mentioned that he had one or two more gifts to pick up in my neighborhood (full of cute little stores and bakeries, FYI) and went for a walk. When he got back, I was finishing up the cookies. F took over in the kitchen for a bit and I tidied up the living room and put away the wrapping things; we had the holiday music on, and F popped into the room for a minute, said "This one broke!" and gave me half a cookie. I was so happy in that moment, just having F there and doing stupid domestic holiday things, that I burst into tears right there in the living room. F was very sweet about it.
A little while later, F told me that there was a poem he really wanted to read to me on Christmas Day, but he needed to check the book out of the library, which he couldn't do without me and my library card, so could we walk up to the library? I thought, You couldn't check out the book from your library before you left California?! But the cookies were done, and we had time before my parents were coming over for dinner, so I said sure. It's only maybe a ten-minute walk to the library in my neighborhood. We get to the library, and F says he doesn't want me to see the book he's getting, so I need to look at something else for a minute. Okay. He comes to get me, holding one hand behind his back, and says there's another book he wants me to look at. I turn to the shelf and I see...( Read more... )