Back to the Goblin Mines
So I printed out the whole book of Hobgoblin and started reading it through today, outline by my side, pen in hand…I’ve gotten about a third of the way through it, making notes, enjoying the story, and seeing big gaping holes and things that need addressing…I decided it would be a good idea to get the whole story back in my head before trying to make any more smaller changes on it.
Even though I haven’t really exactly completely entirely decided that this is what I want to work on.
But it does feel good to get back into it. There’s a pretty good story in there somewhere, I think; and lots of good parts and pieces. I just have to figure out if I can put them together in a way that you-all will want to read. 
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In other news, Mark actually did leave today. 
Well, we’d both agreed that he needed to get home and work on his novel (though he did write a chapter here today before he left), and I had to get back to my “ordinary” life too. We’d had a very nice time together, with good family holiday visiting in California, and then some quieter days here. Though we also had our share of intense, interesting, productive conversations…it’s fascinating, the stuff we get to talking about. Layers upon layers upon layers.
It’s awfully quiet here now.
Normalizing
We took the Christmas tree down today…I guess the holiday season is officially over.
It was exhausting! That was a lot of ornaments. As, well, everyone pointed out.
Mark was feeling a bit better and was actually going to go home today…then taking down the tree took forever; then packing took another long while; then it was time to eat something; then his brother called; then he couldn’t find his keys….so, yes, another night. I’m not complaining. Not me.
Tired, though, yes I am.
New Year’s Day
It was a nice New Year’s Day. Mark is still in town, and we hosted a small gathering of folks and fed them blackeyed peas and greens and cornbread for good luck. And, if I do say so myself, it was all Very Yummy.
Unfortunately, Mark appears to be falling victim to a cold…the silver lining is that this means he’ll probably stick around another day or two, rather than driving back to Seattle tomorrow. And yes, I’d rather he were healthy and happy (and writing), but I must admit I won’t hate having him around a little longer.
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My cousin sent around some old family photos she’s been scanning.
In the back, left to right, are my mom, my dad, and my stepmom. The middle row is my great-grandma, my grandma, and Very Stylish Me (you can’t see it in the photo, but those aren’t just embroidered jeans: they are embroidered culottes!). Front row is my brother, obviously having a bad day.
At least my hair is better here…though I am still quite fond of my puka shells. Next to me is my great-grandpa (not the husband of great-grandma in the previous picture; other side of the family). Also, two cousins, and my brother (having a better time of it). We’re all standing on the balcony of grandma’s penthouse apartment in Venice Beach, California.
It was always fun to visit grandma.
Books Read, 2011
My annual list. I read 73 books last year–ten more than the previous year. But 2010 was crazy; 2011 provided a lot more solitary time, which (in my world anyway) leads to reading.
And yet my to-be-read piles never seem to diminish!
De Bodard, Aliette: Servant of the Underworld
Kowal, Mary Robinette: Shades of Milk and Honey
Grant, Mira: Feed
Lo, Malinda: Ash
Priest, Cherie: Dreadnought
Kress, Nancy: Beggars in Spain
Emshwiller, Carol: Carmen Dog
Owen, James: Here, There Be Dragons
Owen, James: The Search for the Red Dragon
Owen, James: The Indigo King
Hines, Jim C.: Red Hood’s Revenge
Beckett, Galen: The Magicians and Mrs. Quent
Alexa, Camille: Push of the Sky
King, Stephen: Under the Dome
Abercrombie, Joe: The Blade Itself
Martel, Yann: Beatrice and Virgil
Beckett, Galen: The House on Durrow Street
Priest, Cherie: Bloodshot
Abercrombie, Joe: Before They Are Hanged
Ferrari, Mark J.: The Book of Joby (reread)
Fox, Daniel: Hidden Cities
Sedia, Ekaterina: The Secret History of Moscow
Hendee, Barb & JC: Dhampir
Bacigalupi, Paolo: The Windup Girl (reread)
Hendee, Barb & JC: Thief of Lives
Mieville, China: Embassytown
Hirshberg, Glen: The Janus Tree and Other Stories
Hendee, Barb & JC: Sister of the Dead
Waters, Sarah: The Little Stranger
Hendee, Barb & JC: Traitor to the Blood
Hendee, Barb & JC: Rebel Fay
Hendee, Barb & JC: Child of a Dead God
Stephenson, Neal: Cryptonomicon (reread)
McGuire, Seanan: An Artificial Night
Straub, Peter: The Hellfire Club
McGuire, Seanan: Late Eclipses
Hobson, M.K.: The Hidden Goddess
Macallan, Ben: Desdaemona
Bacigalupi, Paolo: Pump Six and Other Stories
Stross, Charles: The Atrocity Archives
Abercrombie, Joe: Last Argument of Kings
Valente, Catherynne: The Habitation of the Blessed
Blaylock, James P.: Zeuglodon
McIntosh, Will: Soft Apocalypse
Goodwin, Jason: The Janissary Tree
Tate, Benjamin: Well of Sorrows
Crowley, John: Little, Big
Williams, Walter Jon: The Boolean Gate
Crowley, John: The Solitudes
Williams, Tad: A Stark and Wormy Knight
Crowley, John: Love & Sleep
Martin, George R. R.: Dying of the Light
Priest, Cherie: Hellbent
Crowley, John: Daemonomania
Kiernan, Caitlin: Confessions of a Five-Chambered Heart
Crowley, John: Endless Things
Bear, Elizabeth: Book of Iron
Hendee, Barb & JC: In Shade and Shadow
Bear, Elizabeth: Bone and Jewel Creatures
Hendee, Barb & JC: Through Stone and Sea
Martin, George R. R.: A Game of Thrones
Abercrombie, Joe: The Heroes
Leicht, Stina: Of Blood and Honey
Simmons, Dan: Hyperion (reread)
Grant, Mira: Deadline
Scalzi, John: The God Engines
McCammon, Robert: Bethany’s Sin
Butcher, Jim: Side Jobs
Martin, George R. R.: A Clash of Kings
Goodwin, Jason: The Snake Stone
Smiley, Jane: Private Life
Abraham, Daniel: Leviathan Wept and Other Stories
Kress, Nancy: Beggars and Choosers
Kress, Nancy: Steal Across the Sky
Happy New Year!
2011 was an interesting year. It was filled with a ton of growth and change for me…change that is nowhere near done, I think. But which I am very pleased with so far.
I began the year having just ended a relationship that was different from anything I had experienced before. It was poly, for one thing; and that was a fascinating experience for me. Even if it ultimately did not work out.
But the breakup led to a (rare, for me) time of being single, and reflecting, and just taking stock of who I was and what I wanted. And, after several months, it led to my reuniting with the man who had been my strong secondary in the poly-complex, before we had broken up so that I could concentrate on the primary relationship. And we decided just to be the two of us, with no other partners.
This relationship has been marvelous. Is marvelous, every day. It keeps opening, deepening, becoming richer and stronger and more delightful. I look forward to that continuing.
But it wasn’t just an interesting year romantically…this year also saw me complete my real estate training and move into beginning a new career there. At the same time, I expanded my freelance work quite a bit. I learned a lot about my garden–and grew the most delicious cherry tomatoes in the whole wide world. I got an aquarium, and learned how to keep fish alive (at least so far!). I took up swimming.
And I traveled–went to Italy to visit my auntie, went to a number of cons near and far, visited friends and family. Went to Seattle a lot.
As for my writing…I’m not sure how to characterize it. It was a year of experimentation and false starts, of finishing one novel, not-quite editing it, starting another and faltering on that, writing and selling a few short stories (several of them collaborative), but mostly feeling like I don’t really know where I’m going with all this. At the moment, I’m back to thinking I want to work on Hobgoblin again. Tomorrow that may be different…I guess I have to wait and see what happens.
All in all, a good year. An important year. May 2012 be even better, for one and all!
New Pets
Today Mark gave me his last Christmas present: a school of cardinal tetras.
They are so pretty! Also, they are confused and frightened, and don’t appear to understand what food is. We’re pretty confident they will figure this out in time.
Otherwise, it was a day of chores and re-entry–watering the orchids, unpacking and cleaning things, all that. Didn’t get to the gym, but darn it, I will tomorrow. I will!
And On The 19th Day Of Christmas…
My, they have strange Christmas customs here at the House of Ferrari.
But don’t worry. There’s also plenty of good things to eat here. I am not suffering. None of my clothes fit any more…but I am not suffering.
Caloric Express, Part 2
We had Christmas celebration at Mom’s yesterday, with all the gang, and all the food–delicious! Then most of us went out to see the Tintin movie, which was so much fun. Today, Mark and I are off to spend a few days with his parents…internet is more elusive up there, so, well, we’ll see about any blogging.
I’m certain there will be plenty of food, though.
Here’s my brother, out at Dad’s, after opening a present:
And here’s the dog, attempting to become indistinguishable from the rug:
It’s been a fun trip so far, and nice and warm during the daytime, but it’s actually been colder at night than Portland. Brr! So much for California!
And that’s the news from here. Oh look–it’s time to eat again!
Holiday Trip, Phase 1
We made it to Dad & Stepmom’s last night–actually, to the restaurant where we were all meeting for dinner for Dad’s birthday. I’m proud of us, Mark and me: we made a ten-plus hour drive and timed it so perfectly, we got to the restaurant five minutes early.
And there was much eating.
Then we got to the house here, and…there was much eating. (Hot fudge sundaes with homemade fudge!)
This morning, breakfast? Yep: much eating.
The internet is slim here, so though I have a cute picture of the dog sleeping by the fire, I’ll save it for when I have better bandwidth.
Tonight, Phase 2 starts, as we head in to Mom & Stepdad’s house. And eating.