LIT SOUP

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T18:04:00.004-04:00

This is not my baby--remember, my baby isn't set to arrive until July 25th! =)

But this is my cousin's son, Hunter, who arrived precisely on his due date of May 6th. Very punctual. =) Isn't he adorable???

Happy Mother's Day!

Jennifer Lawrence, really?

2011-03-17T15:36:00.004-04:00

What an auspicious topic for the 1000th post on LIT SOUP...

But really, Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in THE HUNGER GAMES movie? Are you kidding me? May I quote from the ever-convenient Wikipedia about Katniss' physical description?

Katniss is described as "having long, black hair, usually in a braid, gray eyes, and olive skin". While this doesn't necessarily make her a person of color, it makes a pretty strong case for it. Especially considering this is the RACIAL MAKEUP of the MAJORITY of the people who live in the Seam, where Katniss is from.

And then we have Jennifer Lawrence.

Sure, she can dye her hair and get contacts. But there's no way in hell that she will ever be mistaken for having olive skin.

Ms. Lawrence may be a fine actress, but she looks nothing like Katniss Everdeen.

I am so disappointed in this casting choice. Way to screw up a beloved book-to-movie adaption from the very beginning. Consider this an open protest against the blatantly wrong casting.

Things That I Am Grateful For

2011-03-14T02:36:00.003-04:00

That all of my friends in Japan that I've managed to get in contact with are safe. I should probably see if Shin is safe, but he lives in the central-central part of Tokyo, so I'm going to assume he is. (*Makes note to check*).
That the baby has grown so much that my stomach is now getting kicked by a small human. It is a very bizarre feeling. =)
That the baby furniture has arrived, been set up, and is almost intact; we're waiting on information about a replacement drawer support for a dresser--this is why I like to do major things early.
That I now own THE LITTLE HOUSE COOKBOOK.
That I have found a maternity bathing suit that is flattering, that fits, and doesn't seem to think that pregnant women should be wearing narrow little bikini bottoms.
That my mom is coming over tomorrow to help me do laundry, since I can't lift things out of the machine and bend to get them in and out of the dryer.

And on that note, six things make a post. =) お休みなさい！

Baby Blitzball

2011-03-09T02:13:00.001-05:00

This is totally what my insides feel like on a daily basis...

One baby.

One game.

No opponents.

RIP Mr. Buckles

2011-02-28T12:15:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, I find the passage of time stunning. I know that I've lived almost thirty years (21 days away from that milestone, I am), but it still baffles me sometimes.

Today, we commemorate the passing of Mr. Frank Buckles, the last American doughboy to serve in World War I. I read his obituary this morning while the baby is kicking away in my belly. And all I can think is that someday I'll have to explain to this little one that his or her great-grandpa served in World War II, and for them, THAT war will seem just as far as World War I does to me.

And this baby will certainly see the deaths of the last World War II veterans; given the longevity of the current American citizen, I'd lay good money that the baby will see the deaths of the last Vietnam War veterans, too.

But how do you make these deaths real to them? How do you make them understand, particularly with World War II, that these veterans made such an immense sacrifice for them? How do you explain that their great-grandpa was a naval radio operator on two different oceans--the Atlantic and the Pacific, as well as in the Mediterranean? How do you explain that their other great-grandpa flew bombing runs over Italy, and managed to miraculously survive a crash landing of his plane? How do you explain that their great-great-uncle was an army photographer who took all the photos of the men who left Maryland for the great beyond, some never to return? How do you explain that they had myriads of relatives who served in the American army, numerous more great-great uncles and cousins and other family members?

How do you tell them that it's because of these men and many more like them that Jews are still free today? That their grandparents and their mom grew up knowing that they had everything to be thankful for? That they were exceedingly lucky that their relatives had left Europe at the right time?

I can tell them the stories; I can tell them who these people were. They can talk to their grandparents and learn even more. But understanding the impact of their deaths... that's something I'm not sure how to do yet.

I suspect I'll figure all this out as I learn how to be a parent. But it's still some interesting food for thought.

Thank you, Mr. Buckles.

The death of an institution

2011-02-24T08:15:00.003-05:00

I am saddened to report the passing of our television sometime during the late afternoon or early evening of February 23, 2011. It was a faithful TV, passed on to us by my brother's future-in-laws, and it was well-loved for its ability to transmit the news, Glee, and American Idol, along with copious amounts of Good Eats. It now refuses to respond to the power button being pressed, and was pronounced dead at approximately 10pm on the same evening.

In lieu of flowers, recommendations for new HDTVs can be freely given.

SPD

2011-02-23T12:39:00.004-05:00

There are times when the loneliness of pregnancy is overwhelming, when I long to be in school this semester, when I long to be able to go to an office and chat with people... but then there are times like today.

My unstable pelvis, let me show you it.

I've been in a lot of pain recently; pain that I didn't think should be happening at 17-18 weeks of pregnancy; pain that involved certain unmentionable areas of me that didn't seem should be hurting quite yet. So I called my doctor, like any sensible pregnant lady confronted with the fact that their groin hurt like hell whenever they moved should do. The doctor, responded in kind, and said, sure, come on in for a checkup between your regular OB appointments.

So I went for the checkup yesterday, and as far as my doctor and I can tell, I have something called symphysis pubis dysfunction. It's not all as cheery as What to Expect makes it out to be, so here's the brief version:

When women are pregnant, there's lots of hormone action going on. One of the hormones is called relaxin, which does pretty much what it's name says--it relaxes all the parts of you that need to move to accommodate the baby in pregnancy and birth. But sometimes your body produces too much relaxin, at which point your symphysis, your pubic bone, decides that it would be a lot of fun to move away from the other bones in your pelvis. This leads to instability, a LOT of pain, and the fun sensation that something is totally, totally wrong. I should be clear that it's not the bone itself which is separating, but the cartilage on either side of the bone that is expanding and getting inflamed, thus causing lots of pain.

But it's not enough to get rid of the inflammation, since pregnant women can't actually take most drugs that stop inflammation in pregnancy; they're bad for the baby's circulatory system. And inflammation isn't the sole cause, because then the pregnant woman gets to deal with the fact that she now has an unstable pelvis, and will continue to have one until her body ceases to produce relaxin after giving birth.

Yeah, it sounds like a bundle of fun, doesn't it?

I was seriously bummed about it yesterday, but it doesn't seem quite as bad today. It poses some complications for giving birth, but it's mostly in what positions you can safely give birth in. And the pain during the pregnancy can be partially alleviated by lots of core/pelvic muscle physical therapy, which I will be embarking on as soon as I can get an ortho prescription for it.

But yeah, it's times like this when not having to get out of the house on a regular basis is actually beneficial, since I can't walk without pain and I'm supposed to stay off my feet as much as possible. I'm also supposed to find a comfy position to sit in, but so far, I'm only comfortable when hugging a body pillow between my legs while lying down. Being lonely sucks, but being able to stay home and rest when you need it is far better than the alternative.

See, I'm looking on the bright side, right? =)

Stroller vs. Travel System

2011-02-20T05:48:00.003-05:00

Dearest Internet, I need your help!

We won't go into cost for any of these items since Chris and I are fine with paying the money. But we are torn between buying a stroller that matches the Graco car seat we're thinking of getting, and buying a separate stroller that is just that much cooler and more awesome.

This is the car seat that we're most likely going to get for the baby:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3709770

We played with it in person, we've read reviews of it and Consumer Reports of it, and we like it a bunch. My parents also approve of it, which is an added bonus.

Now, we could get the semi-matching Graco stroller for it. Obviously the pattern of the stroller is different, but that doesn't actually bother me. The advantages of getting this stroller is that the car seat would snap into the stroller for easier use, frex, if I was going through an airport alone with a baby. This is the Graco stroller:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4274420

Finally, this is the stroller that I adore and love and was totally planning on getting after researching it extensively. The car seat doesn't snap onto it. I'm not sure I should worry about a car seat snapping onto it, honestly.

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3605828

Now, the stroller I love can have a car seat added into it, but we honestly like the Graco car seat better because it has such a nice, big canopy to cover the baby up during sunny drives. On the other hand, maybe it would be convenient to have a stroller and a car seat that snap together. I have no idea, honestly, which is why I'm asking you, internet.

Please comment! =)

A Snarky, Passionate Defense of Unions

2011-02-18T04:44:00.005-05:00

What's happening in Wisconsin right now makes me want to applaud the Democrats and kick the Republican governor. But despite that, I don't actually want to talk about unions from the basis of either party.

Look, I know unions are characterized in America as fat cats who are taking the taxpayers' hard-earned dollars and hurting all the "average" Americans. I call bullshit on that.

I also call bullshit on the fact that most Americans don't care about unions and have never benefited from unions in their lives.

I'm sorry, perhaps you'd like a little, fairly simplistic history lesson? A short one?

Welcome to America, average Americans, the land that is reputably built upon immigrants. None of us, with the exception of the Native Americans, were supposed to be here originally. All of us--no matter what part of the world we came from--got here by ship and plane and train. Our ancestors--those same immigrants--were mostly not wealthy people. If they were wealthy, chances are good that they would have stayed in their original country, as long as that country wasn't involved in a brutal war at home.

So these non-wealthy immigrants come to America, and they need a job. And who is willing to hire immigrants who don't speak English? Who is willing to give our poor ancestors a job? Why did I hear you give the answer just now? Could you possibly be thinking of what I'm thinking? Does it start with the letter "F"?

Yes, yes it is factories! Factories, those wonderful bastions of industrialization that didn't really care if you could communicate well in English, as long as you could get your job done. And those people who worked in the factories, who mostly didn't speak English, they had shitty wages. They couldn't complain about the terrible working conditions or working hours or the fact that they weren't earning enough to support their families.

But some of those workers had been there longer than others. Maybe they were here for five, ten, fifteen more years than the recent immigrants. So they formed unions. They could speak decent English. They had the immigrants join those unions. And together, with the power of numbers and determination and pure will, these unions got better working conditions, better wages, and better lives for our ancestors.

They made sure our ancestors could have our parents. Or our grandparents. That they could raise our families to aspire to better things. That they could put food on the table and make sure there were clothes on their backs. They could scrimp and save and pay for doctors when they needed them. They could even be buried with the help of the union, when they eventually passed away.

Without the unions that formed in this country, most of our ancestors would have been far, far worse off. They worked their asses off to ensure a better life for their families, and that, my dear average Americans, is why you have a middle-class lifestyle nowadays. Without the advantages that our ancestors had, our grandparents and our parents would have had radically different lives, and thus, we would have had radically different lives.

My great-grandfather spied upon the managers for the garment workers union in NYC almost 100 years ago. My grandfather helped found a chapter of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Brooklyn; he was an electrician and the union damn well made his life better. My father is a member of a union today, and even though it's a vastly different sort of union than my other relatives belonged to, the AFL-CIO gave me a scholarship to college that helped me pay my way.

Unions have been good to my family. And they've been good to yours. Try to remember this from time to time.

(This brief blog essay brought to you by snark and passion combined with a good helping of common sense thrown in.)

The strange case of choking

2011-01-27T00:21:00.001-05:00

I have no idea why I seem to randomly choke nowadays while eating or drinking, but I'm going to chalk it up to pregnancy. Either pregnancy or I'm sick.

But seriously, I tried to swallow water yesterday and ended up spitting it all over myself due to choking. Obviously, I've missed my former calling as a professional dolphin. =)

Flutter, flutter, kick, kick

2011-01-22T05:15:00.005-05:00

So, lately, I've been feeling flutters and kicks that are the baby.

You may think I'm insane because I'm only 13 weeks and 5 days, but I'll just politely smile at you and continue onwards. These flutters and kicks respond when poked. They do not like sitting next to my nebulizer when I use it. If you think my intestines are going to have a fun time kicking me after listening to my nebulizer vibrate, then I think you don't know a thing or two about intestines. =)

I could go on and explain why I think this is the baby, but let's leave it at the fact that my fibromyalgia makes me extra-sensitive to pain of any kind, both inside and outside my body.

And the baby, dear creature that it is, has definite preferences. This amazes me more than anything, honest to god. So, in the interest of posterity, and because I'm tired and have eaten too pasta, I shall list them for you. =)

What the baby Likes:

Lentil soup
Ice cream
Sweet things, but not all sweet things--ice cream appears to be a favorite lately, which I suspect is due to my blood sugar spiking (No, this doesn't explain the lentil soup--your guess is as good as mine.)

What the baby doesn't respond to:

Strangely, all other types of soup! =)
And pretty much, everything else I eat

What the baby does not like:

Nebulizers
Not so fond of poking
Kneading on my abdomen by Zoe, while she is nursing, which is how we first discovered that I could feel the baby; it kicked Zoe back! For the record, I was sleeping while I was being nursed on, so I got woken up by strange flutters and Zoe combined.

Don't Ever Do This!

2011-01-16T15:53:00.001-05:00

I try very hard not to be snarky, but there are times that I can't help it. This is one of them. =)

Seriously though, I just got this in my e-mail via LinkedIn. We won't even address how STUPID it is to even try to query through LinkedIn, but to query when I very obviously have not worked as an agent for over a year is bordering on ridicule. I know I should probably update my LinkedIn profile, but I can't be bothered; I don't really like the website, and anyway, who the heck doesn't google the agent that they're querying? This guy, obviously.

"I have a hot literary property straight out of today’s NY Times headlines. In 2003, I designed a Stuxnet-style attack on the U.S. and used it in the just-finished novel, Web Games. There is a window of opportunity here for an alert agent who can line up an agile publisher. More details at LiorSamson.com. Get in touch.

--Larry Constantine (Lior Samson)"

Mr. Constantine, you are truly not cut out for the publishing game.

My new project

2011-01-11T17:51:00.003-05:00

I am completely and totally thrilled to announce that I'm pregnant with my first child! =)

My husband and I will be expecting the baby on July 25, 2011--to understand the brilliance of this timing, you must understand that my brother is getting married on July 17, 2011, I am one of three bridesmaids, and we must all hope and pray that I do not go into labor at the wedding. That said, we are so over the moon about the baby that I wouldn't change a thing. =) =) =)

And without further ado, an ultrasound picture! In order to get this today, at 12 weeks and 1 day, it took a full forty minutes because my baby is apparently stubborn and totally wouldn't get in the right position that the technician needed. The tech had to keep poking on my stomach, and the baby was like, "I'd like to sleep now, please stop." But out of the whole roll of pictures she printed out for the doctor, this was the very best. =)

Gabrielle Giffords

2011-01-09T14:24:00.002-05:00

I agree wholeheartedly with absolutely everything in this speech, and regardless of your political affiliation or likes or dislikes... I think it's something that you must watch in the wake of the attempted assassination of Gabrielle Giffords.

Finishing up 2010 books

2011-01-02T18:46:00.005-05:00

I've been greatly remiss in keeping you all updated with what books I've read in 2010, so you'll have to forgive me for merely listing things--we are in 2011 already! I'm sure I've got one or two books lurking around that I simply haven't found yet; I'm currently excavating them off my night stand and bedroom floor. =) Once I have them all figured out, I'll put up a final list and summary.

47. MATCHED by Ally Condie

48. FIRE: TALES OF ELEMENTAL SPIRITS by Peter Dickinson and Robin McKinley

49. WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL JAPAN by Haruko Wakita

50. BRING DOWN THE SUN by Judith Tarr

51. HALF WORLD by Hiromi Goto

52. MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

53. MAYBE THIS TIME by Jennifer Crusie

54. ALL CLEAR by Connie Willis

55. PEGASUS by Robin McKinley

56. HOT GIMMICK, VOLUME 4 by Miki Aihara

57. THE TALE OF GENJI by Murasaki Shikibu

58. THE STANDARD BOOK OF QUILT MAKING AND COLLECTING by Marguerite Ickis

59. A GIRL’S GUIDE TO KISSING FROGS by Victoria Clayton

60. IF I STAY by Gayle Forman

61. ONCE A WITCH by Carolyn MacCullogh

62. A CHRISTMAS PROMISE by Mary Balogh

63. BIG GIRL KNITS by Jillian Moreno and Amy R. Singer

64. THE MAKING OF HAITI by Carolyn Fick

Ok, that finishes up the part of the list that was in Word document form and is thus strangely formatted. Continuing on...

65. KILLASHANDRA by Anne McCaffrey (reread)
66. CRYSTAL LINE by Anne McCaffrey (reread)
67. CRYSTAL SINGER by Anne McCaffrey (reread)
68. THE NEW MOON WITH THE OLD by Dodie Smith
69. A TALE OF TWO FAMILIES by Dodie Smith
70. THE TOWN IN BLOOM by Dodie Smith
71. THE FORBIDDEN ROSE by Joanna Bourne
72. TROLLS IN THE HAMPTONS by Celia Jerome

73. THE IRON DUKE by Meljean Brook

This book I want to talk about because I feel like it's ... travesty is not the right word, because I enjoyed it ... but it's not *right*. Ms. Brook is a fantastic worldbuilder, and more importantly, she can tell a damn fine science fiction story. Her characters are real, her world shines through the grime, and the plot worked, for the most part. I like her writing too, which I can't always say of all authors. Where the book fell totally flat for me was the romance. I can understand a romance being there; I'm cool with romance; see all the books above that are romances, which is a genre that I love.

But in emphasizing the romance over everything else, as well as the sex scenes (which bordered on gratuitous), Ms. Brook did her book a great injustice. I know that this is the story she wanted to tell, and that this is the book she wanted to write; I totally get that. I just think it's a crying shame that she declares on her website that she'll never write something that's not a romance--it's selling her talents and her abilities short to limit herself to one genre.

(More books to follow, but I'm being instructed to consume chicken soup now by my husband. =)

A holiday month of illness

2010-12-25T17:08:00.003-05:00

Well, look at that, I've regained the ability to type with both hands!

To catch you up... I have been sick. Dreadfully, terribly, not-getting-better sick for a month at this point. I do not often blog about being sick, but you'll just have to deal. =)

First, I had a cold for two weeks. Then, the cold turned into a sinus infection. On week 3, I went to the doctor and was given antibiotics for the sinus infection. On week 4, I went to the doctor again, complained that my antibiotics were not doing anything, and that I also suspected I had an asymptomatic urinary tract infection (I get them often; really, they suck because you don't know you have one until your kidneys hurt or you've lost all energy). The doctor gave me a different antibiotic for the sinus infection.

The sinus infection has gotten mostly better with the second antibiotic. Cue the doctor calling me on Thursday with the news that my UTI was a wonderfully rare type of bacteria... that required a THIRD antibiotic. So now I'm taking two different antibiotics, with the antibiotic for the UTI making me dreadfully nauseous every time I take it.

And then my husband got my sinus infection.

And then he got even sicker than I was with it, including a fever.

And then my sinus infection mutated from an infection to something that drips down my throat and causes me to cough so violently that it sets off an asthma attack that has me groping for a nebulizer and relief.

And then I threw out my back from coughing and temporarily couldn't do anything with my right hand without being in dreadful pain.

Which brings us to today and Christmas, and our utter inability to drive up to my husband's family to celebrate the holiday. But we both managed to get some sleep, and my dad has been coming over daily to bring us food and batteries (the Wii remotes eat them). And I have a warm, fluffy, wonderful Zoe cat who loves us dearly, and has been dreadfully worried whenever my husband blows his nose loudly.

So Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, and here's a scanned in picture of one of our holiday cards with Zoe on it. =)

awesome cat wrapping

2010-12-24T15:13:00.002-05:00

i have thrown my back out; typing with one hand. but seriously,merry Christmas. this is an awesome video.

Lunar eclipses as explained to the cat

2010-12-21T02:06:00.003-05:00

"Eclipses are very beautiful, and we like them because they remind us that there are things much bigger in the universe than cats or humans. Very neat things. And they don't eat you, even though they're bigger than you."

--Me, to a very worried Zoe

World War II Homefront Novel recommendations

2010-11-10T18:13:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I finished reading Connie Willis' BLACKOUT/ALL CLEAR novel, which I adored. So much, in fact, that if I can't have another Connie Willis novel now, I want novels about World War II. Most particularly, about the homefront during World War II, whether it's in the UK, Canada, or the US. They can be kid's books, although I prefer more young adult than middle grade. They can be something other than speculative fiction, as well. They can also just be about World War II in general, although I ask you to shy away from Holocaust-specific novels--I've read so many of those already.

So please, pass the word along, and help me find a new book to read! =) And if I get a really decent amount of suggestions, I'll compile it into an easily accessible list for people to find via Google. Thank you!

The Perils of Being a Commuter

2010-10-29T04:16:00.003-04:00

I'd like to sincerely declare that I'm sort of fed up with commuting so far to school everyday, for the following reasons:

The fastest we can ever get there is in 40 minutes, and that's if we take the NJ Turnpike, speed along it, and do it in the precise middle of the day when there is no traffic.
Usually, it takes an hour to get there.
In rush hour, coming home from my classes two days a week, it can take up to 80 minutes to get home.
I can't drive at night. I'm night-blind; I'd be a hazard on the road to myself and many other drivers. There's a good chance I'd end up dead. It's a no-go for me.
All of the good classes I want to take next semester are in the late afternoon/early evening.
My mom, who has been very patient driving me this semester, has declared that she has had enough. She refuses to drive me more than two days a week next semester.
The classes I want are four days a week.
I am deeply troubled.
I do not know how to solve this.
We cannot afford to move closer to school, and since I'm non-matriculated, that'd be rather foolish.
Before you ask, the closest bus to where I want to go is 25 minutes from my house.
Also, the closest train to where I want to go is 32 minutes.
Multiply those by 2 for whoever is ferrying me to said bus or train, as parking defeats the purpose of being driven at night--what the heck would I do to get home from said places, if I drove there in the day and came home when it's dark?
I have no idea what a car service costs, but I know I can't afford it.
I also can't afford to live in NYC with Chris and Zoe, even though that would be a straight shot commute, at least. It's an hour on the train, but it's a TRAIN and I wouldn't need to be driven anywhere.
I repeat, I'm deeply troubled by all of this, and rather pissed.
Chris points out that since Rutgers has a substantial proportion of its students commuting, it is structured to have more night and late afternoon classes. This is all well and good, but it doesn't help me with getting there.
I actually like classes at that time of day because I'm a natural night owl.
I can't help the fact that I was born congenitally myopic and night-blind.
I'll stop now because 20 points makes a post.

RIP Eva Ibbotson

2010-10-27T02:06:00.002-04:00

I'm very sad that Eva Ibbotson has passed away. She was a wonderful author of children's books, and I greatly enjoyed discovering her romance novels when they were reprinted. The first one I read was A COMPANY OF SWANS, but I do like them all.

The Grunt Recipe

2010-10-26T00:17:00.005-04:00

This is loosely based off of Alton Brown's Blackberry Grunt Recipe. We made some modifications, since we didn't have buttermilk in the house, and I truly dislike any and all berries. So it's my apple grunt recipe, instead. =)

Apple Grunt

Ingredients:
9.5 oz. all-purpose flour
2 oz. unsalted butter, chilled and chopped into small cubes
1 cup milk
2 and 1/4 tsp. baking power
1 tsp. kosher salt

4-6 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped in a rough dice
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1-2 tsp. ground cinnamon (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp. freshly-ground nutmeg
1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Blitz together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a food processor, until they're sifted together and slightly aerated. You can also do this step in a regular sifter, but I prefer my processor.
Dump the flour mixture into a bowl and add the cubes of butter. Using only your fingertips (your hands are scrupulously clean here, right?), rub the butter into the flour mixture. You're not trying to smash the butter in, nor are you trying to completely get it to disappear. Your goal is to use gentle regular motions to incorporate the butter in, until there are no obvious chunks of butter in the mixture.
Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour the milk into the well.
With a spatula, mix the milk gently into the flour mixture. Stop once all the flour is gone. DO NOT mix until there are no lumps. DO NOT mix until it looks smooth. This is a biscuit dough and it should look not-perfect!
Take the dough and stash the bowl in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes. You could try to work it into a pretty ball wrapped in paper, but I just threw the bowl in.
Take the spices, sugar, and water, and mix together into a slurry in a separate bowl. Add the apples and stir to coat.
Put the apple mixture (including any liquid!) into a cast-iron skillet, a large casserole, or some other oven proof vessel. Place on the stove and cook on medium heat until the liquid in the pan starts to simmer. Lower the heat a bit and simmer for ten minutes. You don't want the liquid to totally evaporate, but you want the apples to cook down and the mixture to get slightly syrupy.
In the meantime, make sure your oven is preheating to 400 degrees F.
Take the dough out of the refrigerator and arm yourself with a scooping device. The dough will be quite sticky; I used a 1.5 tbsp cookie disher, but you could use two spoons as well.
Once the apple mixture has simmered for ten minutes, start placing scoops of the dough directly on top of it. There's no need to take it off the heat; just be careful. Start at the outside of the pan and move inwards in a circle or spiral. The dough scoops don't need to be very close together as they will expand during cooking. Make sure to use every last bit of dough you can get out of your bowl.
Place the grunt in your preheated oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden-brown and puffy. My oven runs about 25 degrees cool, so it took it the full 20 minutes to achieve that state.
Eat, ravenously.

A birthday celebration

2010-10-24T21:08:00.004-04:00

I have had the worst writer's block with this blog, but then I read this great post by Ursula Le Guin, and I decided, screw it, I'll write about nothing.
--------
Yesterday, my husband, Chris, turned 31.

We were still up when his official birthday rolled around at 12:07 am, so we celebrated by eating an apple grunt. It's biscuits and fruit, cooked first on the stovetop, and then transferred to the oven. I spiced the apples with half a teaspoon of ground ginger, a generous grating of fresh nutmeg, and a huge amount of cinnamon. We're big cinnamon people around here; it's about the only spice in our cabinet that is absolutely guaranteed to be totally fresh, since we go through it so fast. But back to the grunt... the biscuits are soft and fluffy and biscuit-y, but the absolute best part is that they soak up the apple juice and every spoonful is apple with biscuit that's soaked with just a tad of sweet, spicy juice.

After we had consumed a decent portion of the grunt, we went upstairs to sleep. I grabbed Zoe out of her nest on the bed and danced her around singing Happy Birthday. She was so sleepy that she didn't even mind, which was the best part. =) No clawing for me!

Later that day, after we had both slept and rapidly cleaned part of the house, our families came over. First, my younger brother, who proceeded to claim the couch and watch a movie about Denzel Washington smuggling heroin from Vietnam in corpses. Then, Chris' parents and younger brother showed up, bringing a giant lasagna for dinner and my mother-in-law's trademark carrot cake. Finally, my parents rolled in, bearing two loaves of frozen garlic bread, soda, ice cream, chips, pretzels, and three kinds of dip.

My dad made a beeline for Chris' dad, where they instantly proceeded to bond over my dad's Reader's Digest Complete Home Repair Manual, and a tricky electric circuit problem my dad was having with their family room lights. Chris' brother watched TV with my brother, while the rest of us chowed down on the snacks that had been brought. I managed to make a bottle of ginger ale explode all over myself and the rest of the dining room table. The lasagna that my mother-in-law had made was so large that it took more than two hours to heat through... so I managed to coerce my entire family into watching ice skating that I had DVR-ed! This was a major coup, as I can barely get Chris to sit and watch with me, and we're just at the beginning of the Grand Prix Season.

And then we ate lasagna and carrot cake. We talked about random stuff, like the guy who invented the dividers for bathroom stalls and the bureaucratization of the samurai. Chris got presents: a new wallet from me, a check from my parents and brother, and the new Metroid game from his family. Zoe continued her work on braveness, managing to hang out on the stairs for most of the evening. She even ventured to her food dish once or twice, which takes real bravery, as it means getting off the stairs.
----------
And that was my day yesterday. To me, it was fun, but essentially, boring to blog about. I feel like all my days are boring lately; that I lack blogging stimulation, sometimes. That without publishing to talk about, I'm not really sure I have a ton to say on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. I go to school; I go to physical therapy; I read books and play with my cat. I play a lot of video games. I've clocked something like 120 hours on Recettear now, trying to get all the parts to fuse the final weapons and armor. I watch anime and ice skating and try to eke out the occasional post for Tor.com. I would retire the blog, but that feels wrong, because who knows when I'll want to really write next? I'm not witty nor funny nor truly able to make everyday fascinating and exciting; I write fiction to be able to do that.

So I guess this is my way of apologizing, yet again, for the lack of content. *sigh* One day, I'll figure out again why I have a blog.

iPhone

2010-10-21T22:45:00.002-04:00

Today, I lost my iPhone. I don't know where, I don't know how, although I suspect it might have fallen out of my pocket in a bathroom. Whatever the way, it's gone. I checked everywhere.

I called Apple and reported it stolen because it's not in my hands. I called AT&T and had them blacklist the IMEI, which they kindly did, even though I didn't have an account with them. It was a SIM-less iPhone at the moment, which just makes having it gone even worse.

I am so, so sad about this. =( I totally don't want to shell out the money to get a new one, and I was just waiting until January when I could get the hell off my family plan and Verizon. It had my Japanese dictionary and a bunch of other stuff on it. I am so sad. =(

pokes head up

2010-10-11T20:09:00.003-04:00

Bullet list time!

I love school. Seriously, love it. My brain is working again for the first time in ages. Say what you will about agenting, but it didn't use my brain the same way as learning Japanese and writing complex history papers does. =)
I have a bilateral ankle sprain, which is a fancy way of saying that both of my ankles are sprained.
I will be attending physical therapy for the rest of my life, at this rate.
Before I got my second ankle brace--a matching set!--Zoe was afraid of the scary crutch-monster, aka, as me.
I wrote a story that I REALLY love and it's been racking up great rejections, which gives me hope.
I'm working on another story that I love.
I have two midterms tomorrow.
I made jelly! Three kinds! Quince, apple, and mint! They are yummy!
I've been reading a lot of books.
To get said books to read, I've been visiting the library. How I've missed it. =)
Zoe finds it fascinating that old books have a different sort of smell than most of our books. She sniffs the library books endlessly.
And that's about it...

What have you all been up to?

Apex and Islam

2010-09-20T12:07:00.002-04:00

Just a short shoutout to say that I adore what Catherynne Valente is doing in response to Elizabeth Moon's post about Islam and America.

Read about it.

Dusty, 7/11/1997-9/2/2010

2010-09-18T01:22:00.010-04:00

His ashes are in a box now, but he isn't really there. And it's a very nice box, some sort of reddish wood, and it's cool to the touch. But it's not my dog, not really, despite the certificate we got from the crematorium with it.

You can see from the dates above that it's taken me more than two weeks to write this. Two weeks of dealing with the pain and the anger and the utter sadness of having to put our dog to sleep. I haven't talked about Dusty as much as I have about Zoe, for a number of reasons.

He was the family dog, and when my brother and I moved out of the house, he stayed with my parents. I had grand hopes when I got a house of my own; I told Dusty that I was going to get him a puppy who he could be friends with. Dusty and the puppy would have playdates, since I only live fifteen minutes away from where I grew up.

I got him a cat instead.

He tried to kill my cat, several times. We tried bringing them together at my house and at my parents' house, but Dusty was having none of it and Zoe was not pleased about the 85 lb Labrador Retriever barking death threats. She hissed; he attempted to murder. They did not have a good relationship.

It was territory-based, of course. I was pack and Chris, my husband, was pack, too. Dusty had spent the night at our house before we got Zoe, and so he simply decided that it was an extension of his territory. I despaired of them ever meeting in peace, as long as they both lived. I had failed my brother (and yes, he was my brother, as much the third child as anything else in our family)--I hadn't gotten him a puppy.

But then, Dusty got sick. He had been aging for most of the last year as he approached his thirteenth birthday. He slowed down, and the arthritis in his hind legs bothered him much more than he liked to admit. He had been feeling unwell for months, but the vet couldn't figure it out exactly, and the specialty vet couldn't make a sure diagnosis without a needle biopsy, which my parents didn't want to put him through.

And then, when I was in Japan in May, he needed to have his spleen out because it had gotten to the point where it would rupture. He got his spleen out. And he got worse, even though the tumor in the spleen appeared benign. Suddenly, he couldn't walk. He was anemic. He was confined to a large dog bed on my parents' family room floor, and they did everything they could to get him better. I wasn't there then; I was halfway around the world and I got frequent updates. I don't know exactly how they fixed him because my brain blurs at that part.

But they got him better. Not well, not by any stretch of the imagination. But better. He went on and off prednisone and some other drug and at least one chemo drug. He got tests done, and the vet narrowed it down to multiple myeloma. It was a rare cancer, lodged in his very bones.

He hung on.

He was there when I came home in July from Japan. We had a family birthday party for him, the day before he turned 13. He had cake and got dog treats as presents. He was happy beyond belief. He could walk, slowly, with help. We used his tail as a mechanism to get him in and out the front door. He was alert and happy and as healthy as the doctors could make him. He was loved beyond belief.

And then, towards the end of the month of August, one of the chemo drugs started working better, and Dusty could walk again. Down the driveway to the curb, even, to sniff his outside. He was so, so, so happy. We even had to put a leash back on him, since he was able to go so far on his own.

Chris and I dogsat him the last weekend in August, when my parents were gone all day at a wedding. He hung out with us, and we fed him pizza crust. We made cookies together, Dusty and I, like I had done so many times as a teenager. He got to eat cookie dough, and then sit by the oven waiting for the cookies to come out. Food was everything. He ate some cookies, too.

(This is so long now.... thank you for bearing with me, if you're still reading.)

But on September 1st, he was in a car accident. Not a very big accident, but my parents were taking him for a checkup at the vet, and my dad needed to swerve around a car that was coming straight at them. He slammed on the brakes, and Dusty slid off the backseat. They were only going 20mph. But Dusty's bones were so weakened and literally moth-eaten from the cancer... the calcium in them was being leeched out by the disease...that his left hind femur broke.

And that was it.

The vets couldn't fix him. There was nothing in the bone to hang onto, to repair the compound fracture. They discussed amputation, but they said it wouldn't work because even if it did heal (not likely), his right hind leg would likely snap under the additional weight. There was nothing to do, but put him to sleep. They wouldn't even let us bring him home, with good reason, because the break was so close to his femoral artery.

So the entire family gathered at the vet's, late at night, and said goodbye. We cuddled him and hugged him and told him what a wonderful dog he was. We stuffed him full of treats: cottage cheese and Snausages and chips and dog treats. We cried and kissed him and talked to an incredibly nice vet named Dr. Nancy Vale, who explained things to us all. He was so incredibly alert, even with the painkillers in him, and it hurt so much to say goodbye. It still hurts now. I intended this to be a happy post about what a wonderful dog he was, but you can see that didn't quite turn out that way.

My brother and his fiancee, and Chris and I left the room; we didn't want to be there at the very end. So we went home and took Benadryl to fall asleep and woke up the next morning to hear from my parents.

That he slept at the end. That he was peaceful and just lay down and slept. That when the vet came in the room to put the drugs in his IV, he just lay down on his side, as good as could be. My mom was there and my dad was there, and he truly was my brother. He was the first dog my family ever had, and we love him beyond what you can imagine for a pet.

He barked and he was loud and he was completely untrained. He pulled your arm off, whenever you went on walks. He begged for food compulsively; he was a stomach on legs. But he was so damn smart; he knew how to work zippers, for pete's sake. And he was loving and friendly and when you were sad you could just hug him and cry on him and he knew that you needed it. He had the world's softest ears, like velvet. When he was younger, his paws smelled like corn chips from the corn in his dog food. He drooled on you all the time, when he begged for food. He was silly, patient, incredibly intelligent, loyal, and loving.

I miss him so much.

Books and more books

2010-08-26T23:12:00.001-04:00

I have been woefully remiss in keeping track of what I've read this year, so I will try to download things out of my head in a meaningful manner. This is not the order I read things in; half of my books are still traveling from Japan to me, and may or may not ever get here. Thank you, customs in Osaka.

Anyway, here we go!

23. THE ACTOR AND THE HOUSEWIFE by Shannon Hale

I really liked this book; in general, Shannon Hale is an author that I always like. And I found this story amusing and heart-warming and sweet. But it was very, very Mormon to me; the main character had viewpoints and actions that I simply didn't comprehend. It was, at times, like watching an alien creature who acted like a modern woman... but didn't. I disagreed vehemently with many of the character's choices, which perhaps says more about my liberal East Coast upbringing than it does about Mormons themselves. I should clarify that one of my good friends is Mormon, and I know many, many other wonderful people who are that religion. I have nothing against them. I just really disliked the character of Becky in many ways, yet I couldn't stop from reading the book. And that's a mixed review, if there ever was one. =)

24. THE PRINCESS OF THE MIDNIGHT BALL by Jessica Day George

Jodi Meadows said this book was about knitting--it totally was! I really enjoyed it, and now I'm seeking out more of Ms. George's work.

25. MARRIED IN THE MORNING by Lisa Kleypas

It had a good premise, but it didn't feel like a well-realized book to me.

26. LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON by Lisa Kleypas

This was a much better book than the previous one, although not a blow-me-out-of-the-water romance by any means. I do want to try writing an epistolary novel or story now though...

27. TEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU by Julia Quinn

This romance novel, on the other hand, was a wonderful romance. Julia Quinn is back, people! I adored this one! Every detail was spot-on--bravo! I do think this has now earned itself a place as one of my favorite Julia Quinn romance novels. =)

28. A SECRET AFFAIR by Mary Balogh

I have a hard time articulating why I didn't fall head over heels in love with this book. The only thing I can think of was that I didn't fall head over heels in love with the characters. Yet, I liked Hannah, the main character, and I did read the book in one four hour sitting. It's a strange quandary--if anyone else has opinions on this one, please share.

29. A MATTER OF CLASS by Mary Balogh

In contrast to the other book, this one was a shining example of a romance novel (novella) done completely and totally right. I can't say much about it for fear of spoilers, but I will say that you should run, not walk, to read it.

30. THE SHADOW QUEEN by Anne Bishop
31. SHALADOR'S LADY by Anne Bishop

More on these later, in a different venue.

32. MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins

ADORED this.

33. SERVANTS OF THE UNDERWORLD by Aliette de Bodard

I liked this, but didn't love it with an undying passion.

34. WHEN THE KING COMES HOME by Caroline Stevermer

This was merely ok.

35. A KISS AT MIDNIGHT by Eloisa James

This was wonderful and witty and a true fairy tale. Highly recommended for anyone who likes romantic comedy.

36. LAST NIGHT'S SCANDAL by Loretta Chase

Also wonderful and witty. I love her books so much. I already want the next one!

37. IMADOKI, Volume 2 by Yuu Watase

Fluff manga, but I like it.

38. DRAGON SLIPPERS by Jessica Day George

This was good, but I preferred her YA book more than this juvenile one. I think I was too old for its charms, sadly.

39. MURDER IN ZANZIBAR by M. M. Kaye

If you've never read THE FAR PAVILLIONS by the same author, you're greatly missing out. This was a good, period-set, mystery. It was definitely interesting seeing how things have changed in forty years.

40. BLACK SHIPS by Jo Graham
41. HANDS OF ISIS by Jo Graham
42. STEALING FIRE by Jo Graham

I adored BLACK SHIPS, merely liked HANDS OF ISIS, and absolutely loved STEALING FIRE. I would definitely pick this series up, posthaste.

43. GROTESQUE by Natsuo Kirino

I did not like this one as much as OUT, sadly.

44. THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER by Leanne Renee Hieber
45. THE DARKLY LUMINOUS FIGHT FOR PERSEPHONE PARKER by Leanna Renee Hieber

The first volume is definitely worth picking up, but the second was significantly weaker in terms of story and writing. I was disappointed in it.

46. BITTER SEEDS by Ian Tregillis

This was a great book. Extremely male-centered, but that's ok. I enjoyed it thoroughly, and am awaiting the sequel. I'm cool with evil women. =)

I'm sure I've read other things this summer, but this is what I remember right now. I'll think some more and add some more.

Still going strong

2010-08-19T15:22:00.002-04:00

I'm so happy that I'm married to my husband, Chris! We've been together for almost nine years and married for three. Life is very, very good. =) Happy Wedding Anniversary to me!

Have a picture of him!

We speak up

2010-08-17T12:48:00.002-04:00

Keith Olbermann at his very best about what it means to be an American. It is sincerely worth watching all the way through.

(Look, I'm being political--fancy that!)

For lack of a voice

2010-08-16T00:57:00.002-04:00

I have tried to figure out why I haven't been blogging as much lately, and besides the obvious no-no of typing with tendinitis (shh, don't tell my doctor right now!).... I just haven't felt like babbling lately. I've come to the conclusion that I don't know what sort of voice I want this blog to have, which I think is holding me back. I'm not an agent--and although I am a writer--I don't need to speak about publishing and be all professional anymore. Not that I was very professional all the time, but I had STANDARDS. Now I don't need those standards, and I'm not sure where to go.

Do I be all personal and blabby about my feelings?

Do I tell you what's going on in my life?

Do I say nothing?

Do I only do publishing news?

Do I do something new?

I have been contemplating wanting to write an epistolary story; I wonder if that would be an interesting thing to post on the blog? Would people stick around through it all?

I go back to school in the fall, and I'm not sure you want to read about me attempting college for a second time. Well, I'd like to note that I'm not attempting it; I have a perfectly good BA from Carnegie Mellon University, so I like to think I managed to conquer college the first time around. But I am trying to learn more Japanese, which requires going where the Japanese teachers are, and short of moving to Japan full-time (I'm still lobbying the husband, albeit unsuccessfully)... that's college. See, and here I am, babbling, and typing far more than I'm sure my doctor would like me to be doing. Do they make soft, slightly squishier keyboards?

I should be dictating, but my husband is asleep with a cold, and I don't want to wake him. Plus, Dragon drives me up a wall, and I need more RAM. I did manage to finish revising a story by speaking slowly, which is good. And now, I must stop typing because I'm starting to twinge in pain. Leave a comment, do.

Game On

2010-07-28T17:28:00.002-04:00

Because you probably didn't know that I adore The Guild. Watch the music video! And then the trailer! But first, oh boy, the music video. =)

<br/><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/season-4-music-video-game-on/y0da39gh?fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="Season 4 - Music Video - "Game On"">Video: Season 4 - Music Video - "Game On"</a>

&amp;amp;lt;br/&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/the-guild-season-4-trailer/y08waqri?fg=sharenoembed" target="_new"title="'The Guild' Season 4 Trailer"&amp;amp;gt;Video: 'The Guild' Season 4 Trailer&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;

Still breathing

2010-07-18T21:10:00.001-04:00

Just a short note of apology to say that I've been feeling really run-down the last few weeks, and I'm still working on getting the right treatment (read: more powerful antibiotics) from the doctor.

Blogging will resume regularly, sooner rather than later. =)

Samwise

2010-07-13T03:51:00.001-04:00

I'm behind on everything, including posts of substance. Bear with me while I catch up on everything--much stuff to do around these parts.

But, in the meantime, I'd like to direct your attention to the fact that my friend Spencer has named his new son, Samwise. Yes, after that Samwise. I think it's wonderful, but then again, I'm still fighting to eventually name a son of mine Severus. The husband's current thought on that: "It will be just our luck that Rowling will write a prequel about Harry's parents and it will be huge, and then our kid will be in elementary school and mercilessly teased because his name is Severus."

Can I help it that I love Snape?

Real life friends

2010-07-07T04:24:00.003-04:00

I've always enjoyed reading Catherynne Valente's LJ, and recently she's been blogging every day about something relatively substantial in nature. I thought it was a neat experiment, and so I'm going to do it here too. Thirty days of having to write a decent blog post every day should be an interesting experience and discipline, at the very least.

So let's start, shall we? =)

One of the things that I haven't told you about my time in Japan has been the utter joy of having friends in real life. I had people that I could call up and say, "Want to go get dinner together?", and then, we would actually go get dinner together. I went sightseeing with my friends. I sang karaoke. I played with bunnies. I went out to lunch almost every day with my friend from my Japanese class. I had people who were near my own age, and who had similar interests as me, and I got to interact with them in real life, in realtime, not just seeing them every now and then and mostly being online.

And don't get me wrong, because I sincerely, sincerely love the friendships that I've made online, and then transitioned to real life. I wish I could see those friends more often. I am continually sad that I don't often get to have everyday experiences with them, and that I am limited to e-mails and ichat and infrequent visits at cons or at each others' houses. But for the last five years, my group of online-to-real life friends has been the highlight of my social experience, outside of my husband and my family. I know it sounds sad, but it isn't meant to be.

I live in suburban NJ, right around where I grew up. It's a great place to raise children. But it's not a great place to be an adult in your mid to late 20s, while you're trying to find people who aren't interested in drinking all the time on the weekends. You know, people you'd be happy discussing politics and books and silly anime with on a regular basis. It's also not a great place to live if you can't drive at night, which I can't, due to night-blindness.

The combination of all that resulted in precisely new two friends. One moved to Oregon, and the other one lives 45 minutes from me. I have a scattering of other friends who live in and around NYC, who I see infrequently due to the distance.

So I grew accustomed to not having people to do things with. I grew accustomed to hanging out with my mom. I lived for when my husband came home because I could get him to drive me somewhere and we could do something fun. I tried to plan my days around not being able to drive in the dark, which sometimes worked, and sometimes didn't. And the whole time this was happening, I was lonely in a quietly subtle way.

But I didn't realize how lonely I had been, until I got to Tokyo and started having real life friends again. I started being able to act like the natural extrovert I am, and I was so incredibly happy. I realized that you can have friendships of many different kinds, both online and in real life. And that while I have a rich and varied online life, I don't have that in real life. I am hoping that taking college classes this fall (more Japanese) might help me find more real life friends in NJ, but I'm not kidding myself. The school is over an hour from my home in traffic, and don't forget the whole unable-to-drive-at-night thing. I am temporarily resigned to being lonely again.

But I am no longer resigned to continuing to live like this forever. My husband and I are very, very slowly trying to figure out where we want to move for the next couple of years. I'm lobbying for Tokyo, but it's more likely we'll end up closer to New York City (hopefully, in it), or in California. Maybe we'll end up in Spain or London or Timbuktu. Maybe we'll find more friends together and have more real life adventures with people we care deeply about. Maybe I'll find lots of real life friends wherever I go; maybe I won't.

There's a lot of uncertainties in life, but the value of real life friends is something that never changes. Who knew that it would take going halfway around the world to make me realize that again?

From the depths of jetlag...

2010-07-06T19:09:00.001-04:00

... I'm emerging to tell you that my friend and former assistant, the fabulous Jodi Meadows, has sold a trilogy to Harper Collins. =) I am so proud of her that I can't put it in words.

Read hers, instead.

The long goodbye

2010-07-04T12:14:00.002-04:00

I should be asleep since I'm set to be on a plane out of Tokyo in approximately fifteen hours from now. But I can't sleep; can't even attempt to think about it at the moment, because I feel like I'm saying a long sad goodbye to Tokyo itself.

I will wholeheartedly admit that I have fallen head over heels for this city. Despite the rain, despite the humidity, despite the fact that I have so many damn bug bites--I will miss this place. I've tried over the last three months to articulate to my parents why I love it here so much, and I think I've failed every time. But just for me, once more, I will try again. Let's do a numbered list!

In no particular order:

Politeness is a whole different game here. Everyone is polite to you, even if they secretly hate you. It's damn refreshing.
Everything, and I mean everything, is clean. Usually sparkling clean. They dust and polish the escalator handrails several times a day in the train stations, for pete's sake. I can use a public restroom anywhere, and it will most likely be clean and decent-smelling.
The clothes are awesome, even though I only fit into some of them still. Fashion rocks, and I never realized I liked it so much. I knew there was a reason I was addicted to my Lucky magazine...
The trains come on time.
Space is utilized in a million different ways. I've spent the last three months living in a house that's on the top of a hill, and I've seen houses built into hills too. The architecture is diverse, and it tends to vary from neighborhood to neighborhood in the city.
Shinjuku, and most particularly, I like Kabukicho. This amazed my Japanese teachers, but it felt so much like Times Square and New York's 8th Avenue area, except, you know, with lots of visible yakuza. =)
I have an unfortunate addiction to towel-like handkerchiefs.
Melon pan.
Omuraisu.
Hello Kitty, I adore you!
Cute is a huge marketing factor and it appeals to me. =)
Being able to walk practically anywhere.
My language school, which I will miss dreadfully.
All of my friends here, who I'm already missing dreadfully.
Getting to hang my laundry out to dry, which I oddly like doing.
Takuan--pickled daikon radish, which I adore.
The food in general rocks my socks off.
The rice is superb.
The miso is superb.
They make French-inspired desserts; I swoon for mille crepe.
Street crepes in Harajuku.
Sunshine City.
Japanese movie theaters, which are interesting.
Book-Off, my dear, dear used bookstore love.
Kappabashi, which I could go wild in.
The scramble crossing in Shibuya, which I adore.
Daikanyama.
CHEAP HEALTH CARE even without insurance.
People love crafts here. Really, really love them.
Everything is Jenny-sized. I am the average size of a Japanese woman. None of my new pants are too long.
The fruits and vegetables are slightly pricey, but they're excellent quality to cook with and eat.
Shinkansen, baby!
Kichijoji
Tokyu Hands, which can be addictive.
Konbucha with shiso--it tastes like you're drinking the sea.
Mugicha, my new fave drink.
The way that everyone really takes their jobs seriously. Even at a convenience store, they really want to do a good job. It goes beyond work ethic, I think.
The arcades, oh, the arcades. I think they're more fun with a friend though.
The energy and the life and the purpose that everyone here has. I know people portray Japan as apathetic, but where some see apathy, I see masses of people living their lives side by. Individually, they may be apathetic, but collectively, they're hugely powerful. I love watching everyone just LIVE, side by side.
And finally, the three gong-strokes at the local temple, precisely every morning at 6 am.

I will come back here one day, I know it.

Another Ankle Sprain

2010-06-24T03:17:00.003-04:00

The title says it all, but I'll also quote what I said on Twitter earlier today:

I want a Bromstrom Repair on my damn right ankle, and after that, one on my damn left ankle Ten years of this spraining and hurting. Enough.

I am behind frustrated because I can't possibly see how I will get to Kyoto and Nara next week, if I'm still like this. Aaargh.

For the record, I did not fall into a ditch this time. I did not walk into a sign. I was walking on level pavement on the sidewalk. I stepped onto a sewer cap, which might have been a few millimeters lower than the the surrounding pavement. And my entire right foot just flopped sideways. I don't understand why my ankles keep doing this, I really don't.

The Clumsy

2010-06-14T10:14:00.004-04:00

I have a wonderful amount of blogging that I want to do about my trip to Hiroshima this weekend and finally getting to meet the wonderful Nadia Lee and her husband, Hero Material.

But I seem to have given myself a mild concussion, so please stand by.

In the meantime, I want to discuss something else! Why am I such a clumsy individual? Are other people out there? Is there some reason that I manage to injure almost anything that can ever be injured, in the stupidest ways possible? (Current injury cause: slamming my head into a taxi door by accident.)

Surely, I'm not the clumsiest person out there, am I?

My husband's theory is that even though my glasses and contacts correct my vision a huge amount, they're not perfect. Combined with my natural klutz tendencies, he thinks that I just simply don't see things. But if his theory is correct, then why don't we hear all these stories about the vision-impaired injuring themselves? What am I doing wrong??

(ETA: Anyone who suggests that I need a cane like a blind person, or that I should avoid going anywhere will be instantly deleted. I can safely drive a car. I am not legally blind. My glasses and contacts correct me to somewhere in the range of 20/30-20/40, although my ophthalmologist keeps telling me it's as close to 20/20 as he can get it.

Also, I went to Odyssey last year with someone who IS legally blind, and she got along just fine in everyday life. In fact, she has better knife skills than I do, which is really neat. =) So I don't easily accept the argument that my vision means that I should limit my activities.)

Glee Season Finale

2010-06-09T13:05:00.003-04:00

Yes, this is a spoiler-filled post.
.
.
.
It's the look that gets me at the end--the look that Finn gives to all the other Glee kids during "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" when Rachel has her head on his shoulder. It's the look that says he's the luckiest guy in the world, and don't you wish that you were him. It's the look of utter content and bliss and absolutely everything that being in love means when you're 16.

I cry every time.

And it's the look that Puck and Quinn give each other, and the fact that you can still see that they care deeply about each other and that they're terribly, terribly in love still, even if they don't know how to make it work. Or may never make it work. Or may have just had the baby and will move on with their lives. But I'm a romantic at heart, and part of me wants Quinn and Puck to grow up and to have more babies together, that they keep as parents and raise together. Part of me wants them to be so happy, since I think they both deserve it.

The music was great. I adore Journey. The birth scene intercut with Bohemian Rhapsody was simply stunning.

But it's the characters that make me keep coming back to Glee, over and over and over. I love the music and I actually like the quick-moving plots and wacky writing at times. But god, I love these kids and this Glee Club more than I think you're supposed to love television characters. They hit on exactly what it's like to be a teenager; they touch this chord in me that resonates and vibrates, even though I graduated from high school eleven years ago. It's enough to make me want to be the reason that Finn looks like that--because it's the look that gets me everytime.

Purely Hypothetical

2010-06-07T14:33:00.002-04:00

Let's assume that I have a large amount of money, which I'll tell you up front that I absolutely, without a doubt, do not have.

And then let's assume that I decided that I really wanted to do something fun with that money. Something not-boring. Something that I might actually enjoy.

And let's say, in this entirely hypothetical situation (because remember, I REALLY don't have the money this would require), that I wanted to start an online magazine. An online zine for short fiction.

What type of magazine and stories would you want to read?

"Catalog"

2010-05-30T09:27:00.002-04:00

Yoinked from Boing Boing, this is librarians doing Gaga. It needs to be seen!

In Defense of Walking

2010-05-25T11:38:00.003-04:00

I should be asleep because I have class in nine hours (it's 12:39 am on Wednesday morning here in Japan), but screw it, I'm writing this post.

Today, I marked an epic milestone in my three-month long trip to Japan: I bought new insoles for my New Balance walking shoes. For those of you who have never owned New Balances, they're tough shoes. I have the 845s, which are the successor to the long-loved 844s. I've worn the same model of shoe, or practically the same model of shoe, for the last five or six years. If there's any shoe I know, it's these shoes.

And so, when I tell you that I have never, ever, had to replace the insoles on these shoes, I hope you believe me. But here we are, six weeks into my trip in Japan, and I have walked enough that I must replace them or die first. The shoes were brand-new when I left the US on April 6, 2010; it's now May 26, 2010, and they're getting a replacement pair of insoles already. Besides the dirt from regular use, the outer parts of the shoes don't even show any wear-and-tear.

As an American, and particularly, an American who hasn't been physically active for many years, this amazes me. I have literally never walked this much in my life.

Tokyo is a city that is built for walking with residential areas radiating out from central stations that have adjoining commercial centers. Which isn't to say that there aren't stores far from stations or houses close to stations, but that's the basic principle of the place. There are stairs everywhere, and while there are elevators and escalators on some train platforms, the stairs are often more convenient. On top of that, because of the way the city is laid out in general, I have the ability to walk ten minutes from my house and get the majority of my daily shopping done, including groceries from the supermarket. If I want to go farther afield, I have a choice of taking the regular trains or the subway; I can go shopping at various other stores including in a covered shopping arcade; and I can choose from a wide variety of bars.

Once I hop on a train, I can walk practically anywhere from whatever station I end up at. For example, Shinjuku, a favorite of mine, has large-size women's clothing (Isetan, my dearest expensive department store friend), a Kinokinuya bookstore with English books, and all the arcades and karaoke you could want within a 15 minute walk from the station. But when I go out, I don't usually go out to one place, so I end up walking and walking, just looking and enjoying myself.

Take today, for instance.

I walked from my house to the local station, which is 900 m each way, a little more than a half mile. I took the train to Takadanobaba, where my school is, after transferring once within Ikebukuro station. I walked from Takadanobaba station to my school and went to class. Then, I went from the school, past the station, and walked a few blocks more to go to the cheap udon/soba place with my friend, Kim (last-name). We didn't go very fast, since Kim is almost six months pregnant, but we walked it all. We ate lunch at the udon/soba place, walked back the way we had come from school, and got on the train at the Takadanobaba station. We rode down to Shinjuku and then navigated the positively gigantic Shinjuku station, until we figured out the right exit to take for Tokyu Hands, a lifestyle/home goods/random stuff store we wanted to visit. Ten minutes from the Shinjuku station, we got to Tokyu Hands, which was delightfully in the same building as the Prada and Gucci stores; we gazed adoringly at the extremely expensive stuff we can't afford. An hour and change later, we had covered two floors of Tokyu Hands, both bought lots of stuff, and were ready to go home. Walking the entire time, mind you, as women do while shopping together.

God, this is long, so let's do a paragraph break! Feel free to visit the bathroom and replenish your beverage. =)

Ok, so then ten minutes back to Shinjuku station, onto the train again, and we set off on our separate ways, Kim for home, me to kill time. I rode the train to Ueno station, exited at the Park Gate, and spent a delightful hour and change in Ueno Park. I saw a Japanese bagpipe player, a pair of acrobats/jugglers/balloon animal creators, and had an ice cream cone. It was lovely and cool in the park, very leafy and green. It was considerably smaller than I thought, but it still took me fifteen minutes to get back to Ueno station to go home, once I decided to leave. Back home I went, and this time, instead of the standard 900 m, I ended up wandering around my neighborhood. About a 1.5km walk back instead, which isn't that bad. Maybe a little less than a mile.

And that was my day in Tokyo, ladies and gentlemen, which is a completely typical day for me. Sometimes I walk more and sometimes I walk less. I did all of this today in 86 degree heat because it was either walk or go nowhere at all. That's the beauty of Tokyo that you have to move, if you don't want to sit in your house.

Now, contrast that directly with the US, where we drive in most areas. I live in the middle of a suburban oasis--suburbia prime, as my friend Spencer calls it. Even if there were places within walking distance, I can't get there safely because of 40mph roads right outside my housing development. If I want to go anywhere, I must drive. I get no exercise like this at all. And the great thing is that it doesn't even really feel like exercise, although I do admit that my feet hurt most days.

I wish the US was more like Japan in this very aspect. I know that you can get a similar experience in urban areas, but it's very, very unlikely in the vast majority of the country. In Japan, pedestrians are respected and encouraged; in the US, pedestrians are often in imminent danger whenever they step onto the street. I wish the US was built for walking like this, and that more people took advantage of it. Want to stop childhood obesity and make all Americans healthier in general? Then make them walk everyday, even if it's just a mile. The results add up, trust me.

I am not on a diet. I eat something sweet everyday, usually a piece of cake or a confection. I do not count my calories while I'm here.

I've lost 10 lbs (11 lbs, when the scale is having a good day) in six weeks.

But it's more than just the 10 lbs that I've lost, since I'm fairly sure I've gained muscle, too. Because besides those 10 lbs, I've lost 2.5" off of my waistline, 1.5" off of my hips, and 3" off of my bust. And had to buy new insoles after just six weeks, even though I was fairly immobile for two to three weeks, due to two sprained ankles. I've dropped at least one clothing size, if not two.

All because of walking.

Top that, America.

Tell me something good

2010-05-13T01:41:00.002-04:00

....or tell me something happy... or tell me something that just makes your day brighter.

I am having one of those days that I won't blog about because it will drag the entire world down into an abyss of blah. =) So instead, I will tell you what makes me happy, and you can tell me what makes you happy. Sound good? Sounds good to me. (Notice how I'm doing both parts of the conversation here... =)

What Makes Me Happy: I have half a bottle of ice-cold milk tea and an air conditioner. This is tantamount to bliss right now.

What makes you happy? What's something good or day-brightening? Comments will be unmoderated periodically, although I may not reply to all--I'm still reading though.

UK elections

2010-05-07T12:50:00.002-04:00

Dearest UK readers who have opinions,

Can some of you please explain what the recent election means in terms of your country? I've been reading lots of news coverage, but I'm a little lost on how this impacts the regular people of the UK. Thanks much in advance!

With hugs and anticipatory knowledge and elucidation,
Jenny

The shopping

2010-05-07T12:46:00.002-04:00

There are so many reasons that I totally heart Tokyo, but today, I love it for the shopping. Most of the time I just window shop everywhere, but today I hit Tomato the fabric store and got a million and one fat quarters. After years of not being able to find quilt fabric that I loved--I found it. And my mom is going to dig up the sewing machine and give it to me when I get home, so finally, finally, finally, I will make my Flying Geese quilt. It's the silly, crafty things in life that make me so happy. =)

Tokyo is many things, but the segment of its shops that cater to crafty people + bored homemakers has to be among my favorites. I am frighteningly domestic sometimes.... for years, I was convinced that I wasn't a girly girl at all, but then I hit my twenties and realized that yes, I was. And now I can take wonderful delight in totally girly things in a city that has a ton of them! =)

(Yes, pictures to follow. I've been busy and I have a ton of homework to do this weekend.)

(Also, addendum #2: I've decided that most of you are all bored with me now, due to lack of comments. Obviously, my life is now deathly boring since I'm not an active agent. I shall just babble from now on, I suppose.)

Relieved

2010-05-04T11:12:00.002-04:00

My dearest, dearest family dog, Dusty, has made it through his spleen removal surgery with flying colors. He's home, groggy, and being babied by my mom. He lives with my parents, by the way, which is why you don't hear about him often. It's probable that he has lymphoma, but I'm just so thrilled that he made it through the surgery alright. At almost-13-years-old, that's no easy feat for a Labrador Retriever. =)

Visited So Far

2010-05-02T11:38:00.005-04:00

I can't seem to find a nice clicky map that makes different colors for prefectures in Japan, so I'll do this the old-fashioned way. =) Stealing from Wikipedia:

I've been to numbers 2, 3, 5, 11, 12, and 13. =)

Talented

2010-05-02T10:46:00.004-04:00

I have succeeded in simultaneously having two ankle sprains. Hey, it's not a break, at least! Let's be thankful for small things! =)

Today, I did the following:

Went to a second hospital in Japan; it was $100 this time, which makes my left ankle officially cheaper than my right ankle. =) Also, it illustrates that Tokyo is more expensive than northern Japan, where I am right now. And I can now explain my entire history of ankle sprains in coherent Japanese...
Got to ride the Denden mushi bus all around Morioka, which made me irrationally happy. It has snails and other happy bugs on it and it sings at you. I'm all for singing buses.
Discovered the casing of my Macbook has cracked, which makes me sad. Does anyone know if you can fix something that you bought two years ago, if it's under warranty? (presumably still)
Bought an adorable iron cat stand thing, which is ostensibly for letters, but is just cute. It's handmade, too. Also, gazed adoringly at $800 handmade iron teapots, which I didn't buy.
Walked all around Iwate Koen, which is the park in central Morioka. We visited a castle! We saw a million and one cherry blossoms and it was seriously gorgeous. We saw a monument to some poet I didn't know. It was one of the most lovely places I've ever been in my entire life, and it was a simple public park. =)
Rode the shinkansen from Morioka to Hachinohe.

Yesterday, also in brief, because I'm sleepy:

Rode the shinkansen from Morioka to Kakunodate.
Walked around Kakunodate in the rain and cold. It was beautiful and quaint. I took pictures at an old cemetery and we saw a river with cherry trees blooming in the cold.
Also, saw a Japanese dance thing as soon as we got off the station.
Went to the Kakunodate cherry blossom festival and ate festival food. Amazake is good, although strange-smelling. Chocolate bananas rock. And grilled squid are very attractive, although we didn't sample them.
Fell in ditch--see prior day's entry.
Visited the Aoyagi samurai house museum, which is a preserved samurai house from the Edo era. Got to see kick-ass swords of all types and neat armor. Also, an early fire engine which I neglected to photograph.
Had sakura udon for lunch.
Tried in vain to convince Chris that we should ride a rickshaw back to the station; he thought it was too weird, so we didn't.
Rode the shinkansen from Kakunodate to Tazawako. Normally, all the shinkansen riding would be prohibitively expensive, but we had the JR rail pass, which made everything extremely affordable.
Took a bus tour around Lake Tazawako, which is HUGE. Easily close to the size of Lake Champlain, I think. It's the largest caldera lake in Japan (possibly, world). Breathtakingly beautiful, and we've seen a lot of lovely scenery here so far. We were also the only ones on the bus, and the driver was nice enough to make an unscheduled stop to take pictures at a temple/red arch thing. The proper word for it escapes me but it's gorgeous. It's also sort of familiar, and I wonder if I've seen it in a drama?
Rode shinkansen from Tazawako back to Morioka.

The day before yesterday:

Rode shinkansen from Tokyo to Morioka.

Tomorrow:

Hopefully, Osorezan, if we get up in time. =)

Pictures, of which there are a lot, to follow when I return to Tokyo and can better collect thoughts.

The ditch

2010-05-01T08:58:00.003-04:00

Today, dearest blog readers, I went to a wonderful little town with preserved samurai houses and a cherry blossom festival and a neat cemetery. I had a lovely time, for most of it, despite the intermittent rain and freezing-cold wind and the husband who was in culture and language-shock the entire time.

And then, I fell in a ditch.

A deep ditch. A painful ditch. A ditch I totally didn't see at all because I define the word "oblivious".

And I managed to injure my other ankle.

I'm going to go to bed now and try to convince myself that it's really just another sprain, and so I should ignore the odd swelling on the top of my foot and eversion pain that originates from there... I'm going to bed and going to hope that it's not a talar fracture (thank you, Google) because I really don't want to brave another hospital with broken Japanese.

Four Vignettes

2010-04-23T10:20:00.003-04:00

This was going to be a list-like post, but maybe I'll just do random vignettes instead. Or random descriptions; feel free to call them what you want.

One of the things I truly love to do is people-watch. I do this often enough in the US, so I don't view it as odd that I'm doing this in Japan, too. And these are some of the people I see every day or almost every day:

There's a teenage boy who takes the train at my local station--a thin, sort of awkward guy who has something clearly wrong with his right foot. I don't know much about congenital foot disorders and/or regular injuries, but it's obvious that this is permanent. His right foot is turned in at an angle and he drags it behind him. He limps, quite noticeably. And just as noticeably, he absolutely, without a doubt, refuses to let anyone help him. It's not helping in the sense of let me carry you up the stairs; it's more like, oh, you seem to have something wrong with your foot, I'll let you go first on the train. Or I'll let you go up the stairs ahead of me. Or I won't push you quite as hard. He's proud and so very young and he won't let anything in the world stop him. Or so it seems to me. He holds his own in the train station every morning, when it's obvious that he's off-balance a great deal of the time. I admire him, honestly.
I also admire the mothers of Japan, who are generally youngish. I've seen some strollers here, which are charmingly referred to as a "baby car" in katakana, but the norm is to tote your child yourself. The trains are crowded, the city is busy, and you can get around faster without a stroller. So these young mothers, many of them younger than me at 29, stroll around with infants strapped to their backs, their chests, their sides, and sometimes under their coats in the rain. They shelter them in umbrellas and put them in baby seats on the back of their bicycles. They sometimes even make sure that they have an umbrella open over them, as they ride their bicycle. They take them grocery shopping and clothes shopping and everywhere you could think of this way. It takes strength and dedication to do that, to make your way through throngs of people and keep your child safe. They are very cool, and while I know it's a normal way of life to them, it's very different from how infants are lugged around in America.
While we're on the subject of bicycles, I'd just like to note that I am greatly amused by two separate classes of cyclists. The first is those that can ride their bicycle in the driving rain, steering with one hand, and keeping a fully open umbrella above them in the wind with their other hand. Talent, my friends. But the most talented ones of all are the cyclists who ride their bikes while smoking a cigarette and talking on their cell phones at the same time. I'm fairly sure that both activities aren't legal on a bike, but it's damn amusing to watch them whiz by that way.
Finally, I wanted to mention the old man. He's missing most of his teeth, but he grins wide anyway. Most of his hair is gone, too, and he's little and stooped. He's obviously up there in years, but that doesn't stop him from having an extremely dedicated job at the local supermarket, Ito Yokado. He's the basket cart man, and his sole job is to stand at the base of the escalators that lead into the basement supermarket and make sure that people return their shopping basket/cart combos (yes, really, that's what carts are in Japan). He's there day in and day out; he nods at those he remembers, including me, and if you greet him properly you're rewarded with a big almost-toothless grin and a greeting back. I'm not sure he's properly appreciated by the regular shoppers, but he does a wonderful job of keeping all the carts in line. it's not a very important job, you might say, but he does it well and that's all that matters. I like him very much, even though I have no idea who he is.

And that's your vignettes for the evening. I'm off for sleep and then catch-up paperwork tomorrow morning. =)

The Trains

2010-04-22T04:03:00.004-04:00

At last, a post about the Japanese trains! Just what you've been waiting for, I know. =)

(By the way, my ankle is slowly, slowly healing, but I'm fairly sure I completely overdid it with walking on Monday and Tuesday, so I've been home from school the last two days. Sort of bored, actually, as a lot of my time involves keeping my stupid foot elevated to get it to stop swelling. Anyway, back to trains!)

The trains in Tokyo are simply awesome 95% of the time. I am someone who has an extraordinarily poor opinion of American trains--Amtrak wins no bonus points in my heart. I have long rebelled against taking the train whenever I had to go down to DC from where I live in NJ, since it's so abominably slow most of the time. And although Amtrak has tried very hard to improve service in the past few years, it's simply too expensive for its value, in my opinion. I'd still rather fly, despite having to go through security. The NYC subways are decent, and so is the DC Metro, but I use neither on a regular basis except when I'm in either city.

Having said all that, I adore the Tokyo trains.

For starters, they're clean. Sparkling clean, in most cases, despite the massive amount of people who use them daily. They also come on time; when the schedule board says the train will be there, the train is THERE. This is a new and unique concept to me. =) On the more central Tokyo routes, they have announcements in both English and Japanese; on my commuter feeder line that I take first, they're Japanese only, but I view it as kanji listening and reading practice. =)

They have a million and one handholds. They also have extremely comfortable seats. They are, generally, at a decent temperature, although I suspect that I will soon be very, very warm once it heats up some more.

Aside from the trains themselves, the train stations are like mini-cities. Even the smaller stations have a couple of stores and kiosks; the bigger stations like Ikebukuro or Shinjuku are massive. You could spend the entire day in Ikebukuro station and its adjoining department stores and never go above ground at all. The train stations have bookstores galore, conbini galore (convenience stores, which are a class above the US variety), tons of little restaurants... clothing stores, fresh vegetable vendors, accessory shops, and fresh fish mongers. That's not even counting the things that are in department stores. And depending on whether you choose to go out the north, south, central, east, or west gate of any station, you'll encounter a completely different set of shops. As with the trains themselves, everything tends to be scrupulously clean. Japan is the only country in the world that has free plastic umbrella wrappers literally everywhere you go....

But lest you think it's all peaches and cream, we do need to talk about the other 5% of the time when I don't love the trains. Which is rush hour, or more precisely, morning rush hour.

I take two train lines to get to school every morning: the Saikyo and the Yamamote. The Yamamote is a central Tokyo line, which is crowded in the morning, but not unbearably so. The Saikyo, on the other hand, is like a living human death trap. I'd compare it to sardines, but it's even more than sardines. There are so many people crammed into one space that if you can't get one of the many handholds, it really doesn't matter, since you will be held upright by the sheer pressure of that many other people surrounding you. It gets a bit iffy when the weather is wet because then the train floor gets wet from people's shoes, and everyone starts to slip and slide. Except there's not much of anywhere to slip and slide, so we all end up cascading into each other.

I've developed a healthy respect for a competent train driver, since you can tell who is good and who isn't. The good ones know how to slow the train down slowly enough so that everyone doesn't ricochet off of each other when the train stops... and the bad ones don't know how to do that at all.

The sheer crowded nature of the trains in the morning is one of the reasons, besides major elevation of the ankle, that I've stayed home. Try balancing the majority of your weight on one foot, with a handhold if you're lucky, and staying in one spot for more than fifteen minutes before you can change trains at Ikebukuro. It's a miracle I didn't die on Monday and Tuesday. =) Tomorrow morning, I use the rest of my ankle tape, fashion another temporary brace, and hope that I can get a handhold for my commute. Thankfully, my ankle brace that my husband mailed from America arrives tomorrow afternoon, which will give me blessed stability. Go express mail! =) (Coincidentally, it was cheaper to mail the brace by international express mail than to buy a new one in Tokyo...)

I'll leave you with a video that shows how exactly they get all of us into the trains in the morning rush hour... this is seriously what my commute looks like every single morning.

Japanese Health Care

2010-04-18T08:22:00.002-04:00

I was going to write about the trains; in fact, I've been writing blog posts about the Tokyo trains in my head for a week, then getting home and being too tired to actually type them out. But instead, you're not getting the trains. Tonight, you get Jenny's visit to the hospital.

Last night, Saturday night, I went to see a movie in Ikebukuro, which is sorta south of me in Tokyo. It had lots of nice stores, and so after the movie I walked around, browsing. I was in a department store with books in the basement, and I had just happily purchased four volumes of manga that I wanted. I said thank you to the clerks in Japanese. I turned around...

... I walked directly into a paper sign. To be exact, it was two paper signposts that had a long ribbon of paper strung between them (imagine a finish line at a race track), and the clerks had placed it directly behind me while I stood at the register Obviously, it was there because I was the last customer being checked out at that register. Also, just as obviously, I completely didn't see the paper sign-thing.

I got entangled in the sign and the store staff had to free me, which was embarrassing enough. But by the time I had walked to the train platform to go home, I knew something was starting to be wrong with my right ankle. My ankles and I, as frequent readers will no doubt remember, have a fabled bad relationship with each other. They're weak and I'm clumsy, which is a terrible, terrible complication.

Yes, dear readers, it was another sprain.

I got myself ice and some food provisions. I took a cab home from the train station, even though that costs money and involves driving in circles for awhile as we try to find my house. I nursed and coddled the damn ankle for hours last night.

I woke up this morning and it was three times the size of my other foot. And it hurt terribly, so terribly. So I got on the US Embassy website for Tokyo, and went about figuring out which of the international hospitals I could get to on a Sunday. This is Japan--things close sometimes on Sundays, especially hospitals. And I desperately wanted an international hospital because my medical history is complicated and I needed to be able to get some talking in English done, easily.

I ended up setting on St. Luke's International Hospital, which is only 11 miles away from where I live, but a pain in the neck to get to. If I had been able to walk onto the trains easily, I would have happily done the 40 minute train ride + 15 minute walk to station. Instead, since I was still coddling the damn ankle, I paid an obscene amount of money to take a cab for a half hour. But the cab was honestly worth it, since I wasn't dying in utter pain by the time I got to the hospital.

The hospital itself was lovely--I've been in and out of hospitals visiting relatives for years, so I know my hospitals--clean, well-staffed, and very friendly. I got x-rays, medication, and a decently long consultation for a little under US $300. And that's all with absolutely no health insurance that the hospital would take in Japan. (I submit a claim later, which may or may not be reimbursed partially by my US insurance.) Comparatively, I've had the same services in the US, paid $100 as my co-pay, and then gotten an itemized bill of what the insurance company paid that often totaled over $2000.

In Japan, it was a relatively quick ER visit. Between my little bits of Japanese and the doctor's bits of English, we were able to understand each other well. We each had a dictionary and referred to it, and I was left satisfied that he knew what was wrong with me and how to help me. Communication is key, after all. What was even nicer and more unexpected was that the registration staff and the pharmacist were both able to do the same with me in English and Japanese combined. It's somewhat far away from where I'm living, but it was a nice hospital to visit. I do agree with the doctor that it appears to be a minor sprain, but if it gets worse, then yes, I do need to see an orthopedist. But that won't be an emergency, so I'll go somewhere closer, and not on a Sunday. =)

Questions or comments are welcome. I would have liked to have gotten a free brace, but I bought tape to help me walk the rest of the way home with the trains, and I'll get an ace bandage tomorrow. Plus, the painkillers worked wonders and the swelling thing they gave me is decidedly lovely. Overall, I'm satisfied.

I'm not entirely looking forward to having to hobble back and forth to school this week, but it can be done, slowly. And I reserve the right to not go tomorrow, if my leg is still swollen badly.

I'm here

2010-04-10T01:23:00.003-04:00

Well, as I've been twittering intermittantly, I'm in Japan! It's everything I expected it to be and more. There's so much to tell all of you that I'm not quite sure where to start.

It's currently 2:24 pm on Saturday, April 10th, Tokyo time. I'm going to be running around and washing the clothes I wore on the flight--wish me luck with a washing machine in Japanese--so I think I'll add to this post throughout the day and the night.

The flight was good, but very long. I left my house at 6:30 am EST on Tuesday morning. I got to the airport at 7:30 am EST, took a Newark to DC flight at 10:20 am EST, and then got to DC at 11:30 am. I high-tailed it through Dulles, stopping to buy fruit (it was the last day of Passover and that's all the airport food that's kosher for it), and got to my gate for my flight to Tokyo. I left DC at 12:43 pm EST on Tuesday morning and got to Japan at 3:30 pm JST (Japan time) on Wednesday afternoon. By the time I navigated Narita Airport, the baggage delivery service, customs and immigration, the lovely people at the Softbank cell phone kiosk, and managed to find the Keisei liner to Tokyo itself... I was very, very, very tired. My roommate, Deanna, met me at the Nippori station and helped me get back to our actual house in Akabane Nishi.

Yes, we have an actual house and it's really large. About 1100 square feet or so, which is insane for residential Tokyo. Deanna is friends with the landlord, so we're also paying really, really, really cheap rent. We could easily fit a family of five in here, the way it's set up.

By the time I got to the house though, I had been up for 36 hours straight and was officially brain-dead. I unpacked some and then Deanna dragged me out to eat. Then, I collapsed and slept on my futon, after she helped me figure out how to use it, etc.

On Thursday, I bummed around a bunch, tried to get over jet lag, went shopping for stuff (I bought a lot of stuff to cook with), and went to see where my language school is. I got terribly lost, which seems to be a recurring theme with me in this city. I discovered that yes, my Japanese really isn't that great, but I can sort of muddle my way through things pleasantly. Muddling is very good.

On Friday, I went to my school for a placement test, went shopping for more kitchen stuff/food/school supplies (Deanna doesn't cook AT ALL, so she has 2 forks, 2 butter knives, 2 spoons, a bunch of disposable chopsticks, 1 pot, 2 plates, and 3 glasses. I bought a lot of stuff, but its all really basic stuff, like a frying pan and a rice cooker and bowls and a spatula... and so on.) I was carrying so much stuff by the time I got done shopping that walking home was literally impossible. So I grabbed a taxi, tried to direct the taxi driver, and failed utterly. Happily, he stopped and asked directions when we were in the general vicinity of our house, and we found two guys who were my neighbors. They showed me that my house was only four houses away--again, I got lost really easily and it was also dark--walked me home and showed me where they live.

Which, according to Deanna, is really, really odd for Japan, that they were:

Nice to a stranger.
Knew where we live.
Carried my bags without being asked.
Told me where they live.

I have no idea why, but they did all of those things, and I don't mind anyway. I know there's a massive ton of prejudice against white people here, but if they want to talk about me behind my back, I don't mind. It's not like they're going to harass me for getting lost.

But the prejudice is strange because I get lots and lots of funny looks on the street. I am white AND I am massively fat for Japanese standards, although I'm actually on the small side of the fat scale in America. I look back and the people look away. But sometimes they look back at me again and again, on the train, and I particularly enjoy torturing those people because they know that I know that they're staring at me. Thus, they get visibly embarrassed, look away, and then stare again. I stare back.

Today, I made miso soup and rice for breakfast, will be shortly putting my laundry in, and tonight I'm going to meet one of Deanna's friends named Ai (she's Malaysian) for karaoke and shabu shabu. Mmm, beef. =)

Cat And Viola

2010-04-05T09:31:00.005-04:00

I can't seem to capture Zoe's tubby little hips, but here, have a picture of her with Chris' viola instead.

My Jello Mold from Passover

2010-04-05T09:15:00.003-04:00

Kojel doesn't gel quite as nicely as Jello, but it worked anyway.

Notes on life

2010-04-02T05:48:00.004-04:00

I'm busy preparing for my trip to Japan and sort of being excited and moderately nervous because oh god, I've never been that far away from home yet. But I will survive. I'm a big girl.
I'm also trying to wrap up agency business before I leave, somewhat unsuccessfully, as I can't get in touch with people I need to speak to. This is distressing, to say the least.
I hosted a Passover Seder for ten people on Tuesday night to grand success. I have successfully conquered brisket, chicken soup, and doctoring gefilte fish, plus a mostly-successful Jello mold. I told my mom that she's welcome to return to her home planet now, as I've mastered the food of my people. =)
I seem to have flipped to a Japanese time schedule already, which is good, but also bad, as I'd like to see my family before I leave.
I have a new blogging gig--have had it for a month or so--and I'm working on my first post still. It's almost done, thank god, as it also fell victim to the writer's block from hell. My new blogging gig is very patient and I am very thankful for that.
I wrote 603 words last week.

And finally, although I don't have a picture to prove it, it's my sad duty to report that Zoe has become rather pudgy. Definitively pudgy, in fact. She has cat hips. Tubby little cat hips. I thought she was pudgy; my dad thought she was pudgy; my mom thought she was pudgy. But alas, Chris, my husband, did not think she was pudgy. He went on and on about how I was spreading scandalous rumors about her. =)

We weighed her today and she now clocks in at 13 lbs, which is quite a lot for a little cat. The vet says she's only supposed to weigh 11 lbs at most, so she's going on a diet. But lucky for me, I'll be across the world, so Chris has to deal with the incessant meowing that she is hungry, hungry, hungry, why are you not giving me cat food...

Who says there's not some perks to travel? =)

Buy for a Good Cause!

2010-03-27T19:26:00.003-04:00

My friend, Aimee, is about to go in for a hysterectomy to remove a giant football-sized fibroid and associated girly bits. She's understandably worried about her bills for the months of April and May, as she recovers from the major operation. She's not asking for handouts or donations--she's not that type of gal--but if you happen to like anything in her Etsy shop, she'd love if you'd purchase it.

My personal favorite is this pink beaded necklace; I own a very similar one in blue, and I get nothing but compliments on it when I wear it. So if you're in the mood for jewelry, bath and body products (also divine), or runes, hop on over to Aimee's Etsy shop. She'll be updating it soon, too!

Aimee's Etsy shop

The next few days

2010-03-25T03:54:00.002-04:00

Lest you think it's all fun and games at La Casa Rappaport, I thought I'd happily review my semi-to-do list for the next few days. This is partially for my reference, but feel free to peruse. To make it understandable, you should know that I'm hosting the second Seder of Passover on Tuesday, March 30th, for eleven people.

Thursday:

Answer e-mail that has been ignored in favor of tax preparation
Call kosher butchers in Lakewood and Highland Park--must find kosher for Passover pupicks and chicken necks
Possibly drive to said kosher butchers or prepare to do so early Friday morning
Continue to prepare for Japan trip
Clean my house like mad

Friday:

Start the defrosting process for ten chicken thighs and nine pounds of brisket worth its weight in gold
Clean kitchen
Find pupicks still--hopefully, obtain pupicks
Continue to prepare for Japan trip

Saturday:

Clean the house some more, until it's presentable and sparkling
Change over kitchen for Passover, so that cooking can start on Sunday
Hard boil two dozen eggs
Make at least a half gallon of salt water
Find a third black tablecloth to match my existing two tablecloths--Hello, Target, my old friend!
Defrost frozen gefilte fish

Sunday:

Make chicken soup
Cook gefilte fish with stuffs

Monday:

Make brisket
Make to-be-determined dessert for Passover
Make Jello thing for Passover (lime with bananas and pineapple)
Buy salad
Figure out what vegetable will be the token vegetable among the starch and meat of the Seder; obtain vegetable to cook on Tuesday

Tuesday:

Cook like mad. Die somewhere along the way. Continue to cook as a zombie.

I have consumed literature

2010-03-22T20:02:00.004-04:00

I'm taking a break from putting together tax information to download extraneous information from my brain. Mostly, books I've read this year that I haven't written down yet.

14. THE RELUCTANT WIDOW by Georgette Heyer

I was so excited to see this book in the library--a Georgette Heyer novel I hadn't read! Unfortunately, it's a Georgette Heyer novel that I didn't really need to read. It's definitely a lesser Heyer work, and doesn't compare to such gems that I love like FREDERICA or COTILLION. I spent most of the book absolutely hating the heroine for being a complete and total idiot.

15. THE QUIET GENTLEMAN by Georgette Heyer

Similarly, I snagged this from the library, too. Also, disappointing, although it was better than THE RELUCTANT WIDOW, at least.

16. TOKYO BOYS AND GIRLS, Volume 1 by Miki Aihara

And look, more manga! Cute and fun, but not as good as HOT GIMMICK or even HONEY HUNT.

17. TOKYO BOYS AND GIRLS, Volume 2 by Miki Aihara

See above review.

18. THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

I loved the first two books in this series, and this one was a good addition to it. But I felt like she ended the book where the second act of the plot ended, and I DESPERATELY want to see what happens to them in the safe town. I'm not sure it's a cop-out on the part of the author, or if she deliberately wanted to leave the series with an ambiguous ending. I really do think it needs a fourth book, but I don't know if she'll ever write one though. Overall though, I really loved what she did with this trilogy.

19. THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins (reread)
20. CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins (reread)

It's been less than a year since I originally read both these books, but THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN whet my appetite for more dystopian fiction, and I went back and devoured them again. I love them, just as much, if not more. I'm eagerly waiting for MOCKINGJAY.

21. THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF LEON (I MEAN NOEL) by Ellen Raskin

Oh, this was cute and lovely! Not as good as THE WESTING GAME, but I'm glad I read it. =)

22. THE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINGDOMS by N. K. Jemisin

This was a great book. I'll say up front that I never would have offered it representation as an agent because it's simply not to my taste in writing. But once I bought it, I was forced to read through it, and I'm *really* glad that I persevered. It's not an easy book to read; it's difficult and doesn't explain as much as I wanted it to about the rest of the world. But it's beautifully written, and well done. My one major quibble is that it's marketed as the first in a trilogy, but I think it ended so perfectly that it could have served just as well as a stand-alone. I'm sure the author has more plans for the world, but I liked the glimpse and the picture we saw of it now. Almost like how Brandon Sanderson did with ELANTRIS; I don't need more. In fact, I'm really eager to see what Ms. Jemisin writes outside of this world, since I think she probably has a million more ideas for good books that I'd like to read.

My home for three months

2010-03-21T13:15:00.003-04:00

I'm set to leave for Tokyo on April 6th, for a three month stay, and I thought you guys would like to see where I'm staying. I'm staying with my friend Deanna, who is renting a house in the Akabane neighborhood of Tokyo.

And hence, I give you, the construction of Jenny's room.

For those wondering, the house has a full kitchen (a rarity in Tokyo), a big dining room, and a miscellaneous other room (that has no windows nor air conditioning, which is why I'm living upstairs) for its downstairs portion. There's laundry outside, a balcony to hang clothes on to dry, and some form of small garden outside in the back too. Plenty of space for both of us to hang out.

Happy Birthday To Me!

2010-03-20T10:37:00.002-04:00

I admit fully that I am a dork about my birthday, even at the advanced age of 29. =)

Here's to the last year of my third decade of life!

Paula Volsky

2010-03-10T09:45:00.003-05:00

I figure that I have a fairly decent number of science fiction and fantasy fans reading this blog, so I'm asking for any of you to boost this signal.

I'm trying to find out whether Paula Volsky is still writing or not. She's the author of several really good historical fantasies that I devoured in my teens. Her last book came out in 2001. Wikipedia says she's still alive, so I'm assuming that's true.

But she simply hasn't published in years and as an ardent fan, I'm really curious to figure out why. Now granted, it could be bad novel sales, etc, but authors usually try to stay active, even in short fiction.

Does anyone know what happened to Paula Volsky?

(Any and all signal boost is appreciated, only in the respect that I'm genuinely curious about this and I would love to read more from her.)

ETA: Wikipedia also tells me she has a story out in 2009 in a Gardner Dozois anthology from Subterranean.

A Hugo Nudge

2010-03-10T01:27:00.002-05:00

Just a note that I'm eligible for the Campbell Award this year and that a lot of other fine folk are too. You have until Friday to nominate for the Hugos and Campbell Award, so get to it. =)

I would, if I could

2010-03-07T15:25:00.002-05:00

Mr. Jay Lake, although we only see each other at conventions, I would shave my head too, if I could. I wish you lived closer.

You are brave and wonderful--rock on, my friend. =)

Why I say this

Words, I have Words

2010-03-06T03:44:00.001-05:00

They're not very good words, but they're the first words that I've written that have managed to break through my terrible writer's block, since my aunt's death. I remain hopeful. And infinitely joyous, which is why I wanted to share this with ALL OF YOU! =)

*hugs the world*

American Idol Season 9

2010-03-04T01:16:00.001-05:00

If it's possible to have a girl crush, I officially have one on Siobhan Magnus. Wow. I mean, don't get me wrong, I totally love Crystal Bowersox, but Siobhan was incredible tonight. Plus, seriously, how can you not love the mohawk story?

Book suggestion needed!

2010-03-01T15:36:00.003-05:00

Dearest blog readers, I need your help!

I have firmly sworn myself to bringing only two physical books with me to Japan, since my suitcase space will be at a premium, and things like special contact cleaning solution take precedence (it's impossibly hard to find even in the USA). I have decided, along with the space premium issues, that these books must be mass market releases.

I have one book picked out already, which is SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD by Aliette de Bodard, who I'm proud to be friends with through my writing group.

But now I need a second book to bring with me, and I have no clue what to go out and buy that will make my 14 hour plane ride go by quickly. I need your help! Here's my requirements--please post suggestions in the comments! =)

The book needs to be a mass-market. It can be a chunky mass-market, such as from Angry Robot (like Aliette's book), but it needs to be mass-market size.
It needs to take me awhile to read--this rules out romance novels, unfortunately, as I devour them. Similarly, YA is probably not the greatest choice, unless it's a really dense YA.
I want it to be something that's been released in the last two years or so. Nothing further back than that.

Thanks in advance for all your help!

Riverside

2010-02-25T09:46:00.003-05:00

I was enamored of Ellen Kushner's world of Riverside and the elegant swordsman Richard St. Viers as soon as I read SWORDSPOINT. It sucked me in, and I love her mannerpunk with a true passion. When I eventually got around to it, I read the other two novels set in the same world...

11. THE FALL OF THE KINGS by Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman

I should preface this mini-review by explaining that I like and know both Ellen and Delia through social SF occasions. I was looking forward to this book, and it didn't entirely disappoint my expectations. I thought it was rich and well-written, don't get me wrong. But it took me a really long time to get through it, which I'm chalking up to the pacing. There were places in the book where it seemed like the authors were so enamored of the history that they ignored the fact that the plot dictated they summarize instead of recapitulate all the events that happened. As a consequence, it moved a great deal slower than it needed to in certain parts.

Despite that, it's very much worth a read, if you're a Riverside completist like me (I'm still tracking down all the short stories). I would love to know what happens to Theron and Jessica and all the others, and I hope that Ellen and Delia (or one or the other) write a sequel to it one day. I was also sufficiently intrigued by Katherine that I went and found where THE PRIVILEGE OF THE SWORD was hiding in my to be read pile.

12. THE PRIVILEGE OF THE SWORD by Ellen Kushner

This Riverside novel I loved. I devoured it hungrily in the course of an entire night. Katherine was intriguing, the novel was sexy beyond belief, and we got to see Richard and Alec again. I loved everything about it, and I was very, very sad when it ended. That Richard was blind.... that hurt my heart, I think, but it was a book I don't regret reading at all. It's highly recommended.

13. IMADOKI, Volume 1 by Yuu Watase

I read this, very badly, in the original Japanese years ago. So when I realized that it was eventually available in English, I got it to read again. Boy, I missed a lot... It's short and sweet and pure fluff, but the main character has a pet fox (buy your own fox!), and I enjoyed it. I'll probably pick up more later.

I covet...

2010-02-24T23:50:00.001-05:00

...Kirsten Dunst's blue hair.

(Warning: The video is awesome, but I must warn you that it is NSFW, due to, as my husband said "Boobies".)

A Twitter TV Show!

2010-02-23T03:38:00.003-05:00

We'll get back to the ice skating shortly, but I'd like to point out that Ueno Juri, who is an excellent Japanese actress, and Eita, a good Japanese actor, will be starring in a primetime Japanese drama about Twitter this spring.

Sunao ni Narenakute [roughly: "I can't be honest or frank (with you)"] is written by Kitagawa Eriko, one of my favorite Japanese screenwriters, who's responsible for such awesome shows like Long Vacation and Sora Kara Furu Ichioku no Hoshi.

It revolves around five men and women who meet through Twitter and become friends through the service. The full story can be read at Tokyograph. I am unbelievably stoked that I'll be in Japan when this is airing!

Place Your Bets

2010-02-17T01:52:00.003-05:00

To say that I'm excited about the skating during the men's short program tonight is an understatement. Johnny Weir did well, although he wrong-edged his triple flip and lost lots of points. =( We also won't mention how utterly sad I am for Brian Joubert or Jeremy Abbott, both of who have really lovely programs.

I'd like to point out, to say again, that I really don't like Evan Lysacek. I don't know why, exactly, except that something about his skating rubs me the wrong way. It's the same way I never truly liked Timothy Goebel or Jeffrey Buttle, although I can admire that all three men are talented skaters.

But oh, the jumps on Plushenko! The utter, utter awesome of Daisuke Takahashi. The fact that Nobunari Oda did well too, as well as a whole host of other skaters. And when Daisuke's score posted, I started screaming and jumping around because suddenly the men's competition had turned into an entire horse race.

I am totally stoked for Thursday. If Daisuke doesn't implode in his long program, he's still in contention.

On another note entirely, I was also watching American Idol tonight. And seriously, how long can Ryan Seacrest and the producers draw out the suspense on the top 24? It's so cheezy that it's beyond belief. Just show us the people and get to the competition already.

My ice skating buddy, let me show you her

2010-02-16T00:32:00.003-05:00

One of the things I absolutely love about Twitter is that I get to talk to people all over the world on a daily basis. One of them is Nadia Lee.

Nadia is an author who I once offered representation to, many moons ago, before she eventually went with Diana Fox. We lost touch, as often happens with people who meet through business situations.

But I didn't forget Nadia and she didn't forget me. And when I eventually realized she was on Twitter, we started babbling, and discovered that we both love ice skating. Passionately, passionately love ice skating. We've spent the entire fall and winter talking about the current international skating season on Twitter, and tonight we got to tweet at each other during the Olympics Pairs Free Skate.

Me in NJ and Nadia in Japan, where she lives.

Life doesn't get much better than having an ice skating buddy who loves the sport as much as you, and who you can totally get all sports-fangirl with. =) Even if they live on the opposite side of the globe. *waves*

Oh, and Shen and Zhao won, which made my night. They completely and totally deserved it.

Olympics, Olympics!

2010-02-13T11:11:00.002-05:00

I love the Olympics with a passion, particularly the Winter Olympics. There's something about seeing all the athletes competing, knowing that I will never, ever be able to do any of that stuff.... it's hard to put into words, but it touches my heart and makes me smile and cheer and be really happy. =)

And that was a run-on sentence, wasn't it?

Anyway, if you aren't watching the Olympics on TV (or internet), then you should be!

The Opening Ceremonies yesterday were nice, although I have to say the ones in Beijing in 2008 were better. I enjoyed the singers, thought the dancing was nice, and I liked the Parade of Nations. Yes, I'm one of those strange people that actually like the Parade of Nations. I happily knitted away and listened to Bob Costas and Matt Lauer make commentary about each and every country. I have to say that I'm very sad that the Jamaican bobsled team failed to qualify this year.

And of course, it's terribly sad to hear about the death of the Georgian luger...

For me though the highlight of the Olympics will always be the figure skating. I have waited and waited for this Olympics with bated breath, particularly because every single discipline is so freaking deep with talent this year.

I mean, take ice dance. You have Belbin and Agosto going up against Davis and White going up against two good Russian teams, plus Virtue and Moir for Canada plus two decent teams from France. And any of those teams could have a stellar competition and win it hand's down. Not to mention that over half of them are skating to Requiem for a Dream, which will instantly put those who don't skate to it at an advantage, I think.

And then you have the men's competition, where Plushenko has come back from retirement. And is reportedly able to do a quad toe-quad toe, which is freaking unbelievable. But Plushenko isn't the only one there who's incredible. There's Brian Joubert from France; Stephan Lambiel from Switzerland; Jeremy Abbot, Johnny Weir (my perennial fave), and Evan Lysacek from the US; Patrick Chan from Canada; and Daisuke Takahashi and Nobunari Oda from Japan. It's a deep, deep field, and that's not even counting other skaters who are up-and-coming, like my personal new favorite, Florent Amodio from France. You have to love the French skaters, by the way, since they do jumps and artistry with such utter flair. Also, don't discount Denis Ten from Kazakhstan who will be utterly amazing in a few years, and is incredible right now.

The pair's competition is good too, although I just want Shen and Zhao to win gold. I'll be a happy girl then.

And the ladies competition is just as intense, with Kim Yu-Na poised to take gold, if her nerves don't get the better of her. But don't discount Mao Asada, Akiko Suzuki, and Miki Ando of Japan, as well as Joannie Rochette of Canada (not a fave of mine). The US ladies are Rachel Flatt (predictable and boring) and Mirai Nagasu (really could be great one day), and shouldn't be totally discounted either. Add in Carolina Kostner of Italy, and it's going to be a very, very good competition this year.

Expect the blog to be fairly ice skating heavy the next few weeks. =)

So, tell me, what are your favorite Olympic sports and why?

BLACKOUT by Connie Willis

2010-02-06T11:03:00.002-05:00

10. BLACKOUT by Connie Willis

Oh boy, I am SO glad that I waited eight years for this book. I'm trying to figure out how to explain exactly how good this novel is without giving away many spoilers, and I'm failing utterly. Let's see: it's the first of a duology, since ALL CLEAR won't be out until November 2009. Ms. Willis' intrepid Oxford historians are back and time traveling, this time to World War II and the Blitz. There are great historical tidbits scattered throughout the book, like how the ravens at the Tower of London were killed in a bombing, and the government secretly took the bodies away and replaced them with new ravens--since if there were ravens at the Tower of London, England wouldn't fall. =)

And mostly, it's a thrilling, thrilling story about three historians who become trapped, for unknown reasons, in World War II in England. It's well-researched, extremely well-written, and quite literally, page-turning. I am also officially in love with Sir Godfrey, and I very much want him to eventually tell Polly how he feels. I am awaiting the second half of it with bated breath.

Panda Neko

2010-02-02T06:14:00.003-05:00

In the midst of all the sadness in my life lately, I am everlastingly grateful for silly things that make smile. =) Seriously adorable video here. My favorite is Koume who is the little off-sync girl on the left who eventually turns into a star.

http://www.starchild.co.jp/special/hanamaru/taisou2.html

Amazon and Macmillian

2010-01-30T03:16:00.002-05:00

Cory Doctorow says it way better than I could articulate and I agree with every word. The uneasy relationship I have with my Kindle stems directly from the fact that I do not own the content on it. I can count on the fingers of one hand how many actual books I've paid money for on my Kindle, as opposed to downloading Project Gutenberg Kindle-friendly editions from Amazon.

As Cory says:

"There's no such thing as a proprietary book. There's no such thing as a license agreement necessary to read a book. Books are governed by a social contract that is older than publishing, older even than printing. The recent innovation of copyright in books recognizes the ancient compact between readers and writers, and protects your rights to own your books, to loan them, to give them away, to resell them, to read them in any nation, in any circumstance."

Please, please read the full blog post.

More books

2010-01-28T19:51:00.003-05:00

Because I'm going to forget, otherwise, just a list.

5. HONEY HUNT, Volume 2 by Miki Aihara
6. HOT GIMMICK, Volume 3--Volumes 7-9 in one book by Miki Aihara
7. THE TWISTED CITADEL by Sara Douglass
8. A COUNTESS BELOW STAIRS by Eva Ibottson
9. SHADES OF GREY by Jasper Fforde

Traveling Books

2010-01-28T19:15:00.003-05:00

I am understandably saddened by the fact that J. D. Salinger passed away, although my aunt's death is putting it all in perspective.

What Salinger's death did remind me of, however, is that I don't think I've ever talked about my traveling books....

When I went to college in the summer of 1999, my parents laid down the law. I could bring a ton (I literally went with a mini U-Haul trailer; I was optimistic about dorm rooms) of stuff, but I had to leave most of my books at home. I love books; I loved books then just as much, so leaving them at home was the real hardship. It didn't matter how many clothes I brought with me to school or how many melamine dishes accompanied me--it wasn't going to be home without books.

So my parents and I compromised. I could bring ten books, but no more than ten books. I had to essentially pick a set of traveling books, which would go back and forth with me every time I moved back home for the summer. It was hard, mind you, to pick the books, but these are the ones that I remember....

CATCHER IN THE RYE by J. D. Salinger
LORD OF THE FLIES by William Golding
ON THE BEACH by Nevil Shute
THE BLUE CASTLE by L. M. Montgomery
TIGER BURNING BRIGHT by Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton, and Mercedes Lackey

I'm obviously missing five books, but my brain isn't filling them in right now. =) I think it essentially means that these are the books that will always travel with me, which have stuck with me through thick and thin, since I still remember them.

RIP, J. D. Salinger.

Aunt Debbie

2010-01-27T15:01:00.002-05:00

My Aunt Debbie died today, at the end of a seven-month long battle with fast-moving peritoneal cancer. She was 58.

She did everything right--she got checked regularly, since her mother had had ovarian cancer. But despite that, despite the screenings every six months, she still developed peritoneal cancer. The doctors placed it as starting in March 2009, but it wasn't diagnosed until the summer months.

And it was so fast-moving that it ignored everything medical science could throw at it. Two disastrous surgeries did nothing. A course of chemo between the surgeries did nothing. You know it's bad, when the chemo doesn't even work in the slightest.

Peritoneal cancer, for those that don't know, is cancer of the peritoneum. Your peritoneum is the lining of your abdomen, so it literally touches every organ in your abdomen. And so at the end, my poor Aunt Debbie had cancer throughout her body that they could do nothing at all about.

It's a terrible way to die. A really terrible way to die.

But she hung on for almost a month after they moved her to a hospice. She hung on enough to spend time with her three children; two girls, Sara who's in college, Lauren who's in graduate school, and my cousin, Josh, who has Down's Syndrome and doesn't comprehend it all. She had so many visitors come to the hospice that they moved her to a larger room to hold them all. She had laughter and love and the Jets to watch in her last days.

And I know it was unavoidable, but I am still terribly sad. I want to rail against the universe for taking her away from her family and her friends. For taking this woman who has been my aunt as long as I can remember, since she married my uncle when I was two. I danced at her wedding. I remember all three of her children being born. It doesn't seem fair that I'm still alive, and she isn't, but that's how life works and it sucks.

She was beautiful, kind, and funny. She rode horses in her youth and loved science fiction. She read FEDERATIONS while she went through chemo, and loved the stories in it. She was the most dedicated Doctor Who fan I had ever met. And I will miss her terribly.

Enthrallment

2010-01-26T04:13:00.003-05:00

I have lately been experiencing one of those weeks where I am deeply and inexplicably enthralled by certain things. I like to think this is my brain trying to dig around in its collective leaf mold, and attempt to become unfrozen. Have I mentioned that my brain is frozen lately, that I try to write and nothing comes out?

Anyway, one of the things I've become fascinated with is a Japanese TV show called Magerarenai Onna, which translates to "Unbending Woman". Which is a really, really shitty translation, but that's the literal meaning. It's basically about a rigidly-OCD woman who refuses to go with the flow in Japanese society. She won't back down; she won't do things just because that's the way it needs to be done; and most importantly, she won't give up on her dream of being a lawyer, despite failing the bar exam nine times running. It's slice-of-life, realistic, and really, really well-acted. I'm adoring it.

The other thing, which is much more accessible to US readers, is NO PLACE SAFE by Kim Reid. I had never heard of the book. I had no idea who Kim Reid was. I would, to this very day, be completely unaware of the book--except for the fact that Kristin Nelson represents Ms. Reid and she posted about the book today. Kristin put up the first chapter of the book on her blog and I was hooked. I don't read memoirs; I'm not in the target audience for this book at all. But it's SO well-written and so compelling that I want to read more. I only wish I had read Kristin's blog post before I was in Barnes & Noble this evening, but hey, that's what Amazon is for. =) By all means, please go and read the excerpt on Kristin's blog; it's seriously excellent.

I'm a Trout!

2010-01-23T13:39:00.001-05:00

The ever-amusing Cat Valente has come up with a scale of science fiction famousness that starts at Trout and proceeds to Legend. For example, quoting from her post:

"Keeping in mind that two Scalzis make a half Gaiman, and at least two Gaimans are required to enter the next level, the Legend scale, which included canonical authors like Ursula LeGuin, Jane Yolen, and Ray Bradbury, this should allow us to pretty well pinpoint most authors."

It's really worth reading the entire thing. Click on the link, and then tell me what you think!

Meow

2010-01-21T09:27:00.002-05:00

I have been woefully, woefully amiss in posting cat pictures for like forever, which makes me sad. Zoe is well. She is a giant meowyhead, when she's not posing and looking cute. I love her dearly. Here, have a cat picture.

There will be more, as soon as I read how to get the pictures off my new digital SLR that I got for Hannukah. =)

I used to be able to do this in high school

2010-01-18T22:39:00.003-05:00

Today I started what will colloquially be known as "Jenny loses weight, exercises, and lives a longer life."

I went running, real, honest-to-god shuffling, for the first time in about seven years. My legs really, really hurt.

That is all.

Jenny, Book Reviewer?

2010-01-16T02:50:00.002-05:00

Recently, I was messaged on Facebook by a nice gentleman, who explained that he would like me to read and possibly review a young adult graphic novel for him. I explained that I couldn't guarantee a positive review, but that I'd be happy to look at it, if he wanted to send it.

And it occurred to me that although I'm not getting paid to review books nor to offer representation for any (since I'm no longer an agent)... that I don't mind reading books nor reviewing them.

So, if you do have a published (NOT self-published) book which you'd like me to review on LIT SOUP, you're welcome to mail a copy to the following address:

Jenny Rappaport
15-9 Interlaken Court
Freehold, NJ 07728

Legal stuff: I do not guarantee a review nor do I guarantee a positive review. I assess each book with the publishing and writing acumen that I've gained during my career as a literary agent and writer. If you send me a book, you consent to have it photographed and appear on the blog. Any books I receive become my property and all book reviews will have a statement at the bottom that I received the book gratis from the author. After reviewing your book, I am free to dispose of it as I want, including, but not limited to contests and giveaways on the blog.

The Missing

2010-01-15T06:54:00.003-05:00

I haven't blogged about the earthquake in Haiti yet, although I'm quite aware of what's happening. I'm not going to make an impassioned plea for you to donate, although I'm happy to tell you that I've sent off $25 to a charity that works in Haiti. I briefly considered sharing interesting news about the seismology of the Caribbean because this is what I do when faced with disasters that are too vast to comprehend easily... I look for facts.

But facts don't answer everything, as much as we'd like them to do so. Whether through cosmic fate or happenstance or divine vengeance, people are in the wrong place at the wrong time. They are visiting their family members; they are elderly residents who have lived in Haiti all their lives; they are children who have nowhere else to live. And now, they are the missing.

We become obsessed with the stories about the earthquake that we hear on TV: the missionary whose husband found her under rubble, the woman who runs an orphanage for 100 children, the thirteen year old redheaded boy from Virginia who was on a real estate trip/scuba vacation with his uncle. And while these news stories get repeated from channel to channel, they often drown out those whose stories are much quieter, but just as worthy of respect and hope and the urgent, pressing need to find them alive.

The New York Times has compiled a picture gallery of people missing in Haiti since the earthquake, along with descriptions and addresses from their friends and family. It reminds me eerily of what they did after 9/11, when they diligently posted mini-biographies of each and every victim, out of respect. And just like I had to read those biographies, for some reason I can't articulate, I need to read through this picture gallery.

You should too.

You owe it to the missing.

Movie trailers

2010-01-12T02:24:00.002-05:00

Because my brain is pretty fried right now with personal life stuff, so I'm giving you movie trailers to watch instead. They're in Japanese, but they're both from recognizable things.

First, Space Battleship Yamato! In live action! With KimuTaku! Even my husband is excited about this one. =)

And secondly, the Japanese movie version of MEMOIRS OF A TEENAGE AMNESIAC by Gabrielle Zevin. This trailer has English subtitles.

The Airport Pat-down

2010-01-08T02:09:00.004-05:00

I would seriously like to know what the point of airport security pat-downs is meant to be.

It's invasive. I've had pat-downs in the past, when I've been in a wheelchair for one leg injury or another, and the wheelchair was the easiest way to get through a long airport. The screeners were invariably nice, took me to a private area when I asked, and were efficient. It was still invasive. I didn't feel any safer.
It's leading to massive, massive lines at airports, which just about puts the final death knell into any hope the USA had of remaining an attractive international tourism destination.
The rigor of the pat-downs varies from airport to airport and country to country. The screeners are not trained in some places and are overwhelmed in others.
It's invasive. Lest I repeat that again, it bears reminding that due to the overwhelming need, passengers who have paid good money are being treated similar to criminals, and many are being forced to undergo pat-downs in public locations. I understand that there's a transition period with these new measures, but news media across the board (domestic and international) is reporting that this is happening.
And the bottom line is that it's not keeping anyone safer.

I'm all for civil liberties. I proudly support the ACLU. I understand that profiling is not a desirable option, don't get me wrong. But if I have to choose between profiling and being subjected to a pat-down, I'm going to choose the profiling. Even if I'm the one who one day is profiled, for some unknown reason.

2010 Books!

2010-01-08T00:14:00.002-05:00

And yes, I'm going to try to keep track of the books I've read this year, as I did last year. I'm never going to equal my beautiful gross of books from 2005, am I?

Anyway, a note on some particulars... some of these early books were started in 2009, but weren't finished for some reason or another. Some of them on the list will have been reread entirely from the beginning, some of them were literally in progress as the year turned, and some of them I read until I could pick up where I was. I'll try to remember to note where things are, but honestly, I've decided to cut myself some slack here. =)

1. EYES LIKE STARS by Lisa Mantchev
Lisa is one of my con buddies, an always vivacious person who rocks a corset. I bought this book of hers awhile ago, but I was so busy that I never got the chance to really read it. I started it just at the end of 2009 and devoured it. While I will admit that the beginning was the tiniest bit hard for me to get into, I'm really glad that I stuck with it. For the record: Team Ariel, all the way. =)

2. HOT GIMMICK, Volume 2--Volumes 4-6 in one book by Miki Aihara
Yes, I'm obsessed with this series, leave me alone. It's wrong and it's good and I like the art. It's one of those things where you pick it up and you just can't stop reading.

3. HONEY HUNT, Volume 1 by Miki Aihara
Based on my addiction to HOT GIMMICK, I decided that it would be worth it to pick up this manga too, since it's by the same author. It's a different sort of manga than HOT GIMMICK, but I'm liking it just as well. The subtle spoofs on Japanese entertainment culture are very amusing, such as Puma Puma being the variety show, instead of SMAPxSMAP. And she made the main character a Johnny's boy, which amuses me to no end. I'm being a very good girl and not buying the next volume until next month...

4. OOKU, Volume 2 by Fumi Yoshinga
If you pick up any manga series or graphic novel this entire year, OOKU should be it. It's rich and detailed with literally heart-breaking images. Yoshinga doesn't pull any punches in this volume; it's deadly serious and she doesn't care if you love a character--she kills her darlings, quite literally. It's seriously worthy of its Eisner Award, and I'm eagerly awaiting the next volume translated into English

(Note, unless I specify, all the manga I read is in English because my Japanese is too slow for me to bother reading things in it at any discernible speed.)

Top Ten E-books

2010-01-06T12:22:00.002-05:00

Since I plan on traveling light to Japan, at least in terms of books, I'm going to try to take as much as possible on my Kindle.

If you had to pick the top ten e-books I should buy, what would they be?

Keep in mind that I like science fiction and fantasy, young adult, and romance, plus a smattering of other genres. What I've been reading the last year should give you a good idea of what I like, mostly.

Any and all suggestions are very welcome. =)

Award Season

2010-01-06T01:33:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year again, so I'm going to do one post about what I'm eligible for, based on my 2009 publications...

I'm eligible for the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Science Fiction Writer, which is given with the Hugo Awards at this year's Worldcon.

I am eligible for the Hugo Award for Best Short Story, for my short story, "The Sock Thief" and also for "Fever".

If you can nominate for the Rhysling Awards, I had two poems published last year:

"The Warriors of the Dark" and "Lucifer Defiant"

And that's it for me, but I do encourage you to nominate some of my past clients, including David J. Williams for the Campbell Award and Ted Kosmatka for his fabulous short fiction.

Westward bound!

2010-01-06T01:21:00.002-05:00

Well, west of me, actually. =)

You know how I was querying the hivemind about going to Tokyo? It turns out that I am going to Tokyo this spring.... just for a lot longer than I anticipated in that post.

I'll be in Tokyo from April through the beginning of July, studying Japanese at a language school and running around the city and the country. To say that I'm happy that I have the funds saved up and the time to do this is an understatement... I am freaking thrilled!

I'll post lots of pictures when I'm there, as I'm taking my camera with me and will have internet.

Of course, I'll miss Zoe and my husband, Chris. But they're both good with me going for three months, and Zoe is going to leave me video cat postcards through Skype. Which will most likely consist of her being held up to the web cam and struggling to get down.

And I think that's about it. =)

Questions? Comments? I'm obviously planning on getting the rest of the agency work wrapped up before I go.

A letter to Cablevision

2010-01-01T14:19:00.006-05:00

Dear Cablevision.

This is an open letter to inform you that I am not pleased that you have failed in your negotiations with Scripps Networks. I no longer have HGTV or Food Network through my cable system, as of midnight on January 1, 2010. I would like to remind you that I pay you more than $140 a month, with internet and phone included. You may think this is a paltry thing, to lose two channels.

But lest you forget....

The super, two hour Iron Chef America with MICHELLE OBAMA AS THE SURPRISE GUEST JUDGE is set to air on January 3, 2010 at 8pm EST.

If you do not restore my Food Network by then, please be prepared to face dire consequences.

Sincerely,
Jenny Rappaport

2010

2010-01-01T00:11:00.001-05:00

Now that we're firmly in 2010, I'd just like to say that it's pretty cool living in a science fiction novel. =)

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!

Finishing up the 2009 books

2009-12-31T18:13:00.003-05:00

And now, we're back with the last few straggling books to count for 2009! In a short while, Chris and I will depart to watch The Princess and the Frog before coming home for a late dinner and champagne... but first, the books! =)

51. NINE PRINCES IN AMBER by Roger Zelazny
I had never read anything by Zelazny before this year... but my roommate at Odyssey, Lisa (waves!), wrote a short story that was partially based on the same conceit of the book...and the short story totally rocked. So I had to read the book too. =) And I'm happy to say that I like both.

52. ODD AND THE FROST GIANTS by Neil Gaiman
I liked it, even though it was short.

53. THE JOY OF PICKLING by Linda Ziedrich
We've made so many things from this book this year, and they're all good. My kosher sour pickles are seriously some of the best pickles ever. Mmmm... .pickles..... =)

54. THE JOY OF JAMS, JELLIES, AND OTHER SWEET PRESERVES by Linda Ziedrich
We've done apple jelly from this and quince jelly is next up.

55. FIGGS AND PHANTOMS by Ellen Raskin
This was good, but not as good as THE WESTING GAME.

56. HOT GIMMICK, Volume 1--3 Volumes in one edition by Miki Aihara
This was so twisted and just not right that it turned out to be a fun read.

57. DONBURI MANIA by Kentaro Kobayashi
This was not as great a cookbook as I wanted, but the Loco Moco dish is quite tasty.

58. HARUMI'S JAPANESE COOKING by Harumi Kurihara
We're quite fond of the ginger pork, which we make as ginger chicken, along with the garlic fried rice. =)

59. EVERYDAY HARUMI by Harumi Kurihara
This was another Harumi cookbook (hmm, you couldn't guess that?), although I don't like the formatting in this one as much.

60. A PRECIOUS JEWEL by Mary Balogh
An old one, but a good romance nonetheless.

And now, the grand list, for your edification purposes.

HARUMI'S JAPANESE HOME COOKING by Harumi Kumihara
THE TEN PERCENT SOLUTION by Ken Rand
MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY by Winifred Watson
CHILDREN OF THE DUST by Louise Lawrence
THE STEPSISTER SCHEME by Jim C. Hines
PUPPY LOVE by Nancy Krulik
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman
EMMY AND THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING RAT by Lynne Jonell
EMMY AND THE HOME FOR TROUBLED GIRLS by Lynne Jonell
HA'PENNY by Jo Walton
HALF A CROWN by Jo Walton
FIRST COMES MARRIAGE by Mary Balogh
SKINNED by Robin Wasserman
LIVING DEAD GIRL by Elizabeth Scott
THE NAME OF THE WIND by Patrick Rothfuss
WHAT WOULD EMMA DO? by Eileen Cook
THEN COMES SEDUCTION by Mary Balogh
MAGIC TO THE BONE by Devon Monk
MIDNIGHT NEVER COME by Marie Brennan
GRACELING by Kristin Cashore
AT LAST COMES LOVE by Mary Balogh
SEDUCING AN ANGEL by Mary Balogh
THIS DUCHESS OF MINE by Eloisa James
THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins
FIRE by Kristin Cashore
THE WINDUP GIRL by Paolo Bacigalupi
WHAT HAPPENS IN LONDON by Julia Quinn
A DUKE OF HER OWN by Eloisa James
FOREST BORN by Shannon Hale
WHO KILLED AMANDA PALMER by Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman
STIFF by Mary Roach
THE LITTLE ICE AGE by Brian M. Fagan
THE END OF OVEREATING: TAKING CONTROL OF THE INSATIABLE AMERICAN APPETITE by David Kessler
DEVLIN'S LUCK by Patricia Bray
THE BABY NAME WIZARD by Laura Wattenberg
BOOK CRUSH by Nancy Pearl
DEADLY COMPANIONS: HOW MICROBES SHAPED OUR HISTORY by Dorothy H. Crawford
WILDWOOD DANCING by Juliet Marillier
HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY by Justine Larbalestier
BOUND BY YOUR TOUCH by Meredith Duran
DON'T TEMPT ME by Loretta Chase
SLIGHTS by Kaaron Warren
NORSE CODE by Greg van Eekhout
SOULLESS by Gail Carriger
TEMPT ME AT TWILIGHT by Lisa Kleypas
CATCHING FIRE by Suzanne Collins
THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE by Jennifer Ashley
LOST by Jacqueline Davies
LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green
OOKU, VOLUME 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga
NINE PRINCES IN AMBER by Roger Zelazny
ODD AND THE FROST GIANTS by Neil Gaiman
THE JOY OF PICKLING by Linda Ziedrich
THE JOY OF JAMS, JELLIES, AND OTHER SWEET PRESERVES by Linda Ziedrich
FIGGS AND PHANTOMS by Ellen Raskin
HOT GIMMICK, Volume 1--3 Volumes in one edition by Miki Aihara
DONBURI MANIA by Kentaro Kobayashi
HARUMI'S JAPANESE COOKING by Harumi Kurihara
EVERYDAY HARUMI by Harumi Kurihara
A PRECIOUS JEWEL by Mary Balogh

My life, this decade

2009-12-30T19:18:00.002-05:00

I've been thinking lately how when you're really young, a decade can be a lifetime. And when you're a bit older, it's still a long time. And then, when you get to my age, which is 28--a decade starts to be full of milestones that are impressive when you look at them altogether.

In short, Jenny's life in 2000-2009, in rough chronological order:

I went to college.
I met my husband at college.
I discovered that I really, truly loved anime.
I injured my ankles a million and one times, ranging from a torn Achilles tendon to sprained ankles. I also chopped off the tip of one finger for good measure. =)
I went to Orson Scott Card's Literary Boot Camp.
I graduated from college!
I started working as a literary agency intern.
I started working as a literary agent.
I had non-fiction published for the first time.
I GOT MARRIED!
I started a business.
I had poetry published for the first time.
I went to the Odyssey Writing Workshop.
I had short fiction published for the first time.
I closed a business.
I decided to have lots more new adventures.... =)

It's a ton of milestones, all these things that I never thought I would do in my 20s. But I'm happy I've done them, and I'm hoping the next decade treats me just as well. I remember ringing in 1990 with my best friend and both of us thinking that it was the coolest thing ever because ohmigod, we had never seen a decade CHANGE.

And now, this is my third change of decades. Time flies, but every single moment is worth living. =)

Caving to the E-books

2009-12-28T15:00:00.007-05:00

I've owned a Kindle for easily the last year, but I've only read manuscripts and a couple of non-fiction books on it. But lately, I've been trying to save money and really trim my book purchases--including getting rid of books that I'm never going to read again, which is insanely painful for me. So when I had heard many, many good things about THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE by Jennifer Ashley, I figured that I'd read the preview on my Kindle.

The preview was good.

The price of $5.59 was good, compared to the $7.99 I would pay at Barnes & Noble.

The convenience was good--it was pouring rain on Christmas night and I wasn't going to be able to go out and get it any sooner.

Dear Reader, I bought that book on my Kindle. My very first published fiction e-book. And Dear Reader, it was a very good book.

I devoured it. I totally turned to the dark side of e-book reading. I'm going to end up bringing only the Kindle with me whenever I go on trips because the convenience of lugging it, instead of lugging lots of books is a huge benefit. Granted, I missed the *feel* of a real book, but for the price... I'm going to end up buying more e-books, I guarantee you.

That's something I thought that I would NEVER say, by the way. I am firmly in love with physical books, but the fact that I can get something that easily... it's seductive. =)

47. THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE by Jennifer Ashley
Was an incredible book, in the sense that it was one of the first romance novels where I was firmly, firmly on the hero's side. The heroine was good too, but this was firmly the hero's story, and for that, I loved it. I do think it's the first romance novel I've ever read with a high-functioning autistic hero, and I truly loved it for that.

48. LOST by Jacqueline Davies
I picked up this ARC at BEA, and I haven't looked it at since. It was good and I really liked reading it, especially because we're fairly certain my great-grandmother worked at Triangle Shirtwaist for a bit.

49. LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green
With this book, read when I was in California, I've now finished reading all of John Green's published novels. I now need MORE. Do you hear that, Mr. Green? I know you're getting ready to be a father, but I want a new book to read! =)

50. OOKU, VOLUME 1 by Fumi Yoshinaga
I've blogged before about how much I adored this manga. The second volume is out now, and I'm looking forward to getting it soon, in an actual paper copy, of course. =) And I'm totally delighted that they're making a movie out of the manga and that Shibasaki Kou will be the shogun and Ninomiya Kazunari will be Mizuno--they're both seriously great actors. The casting gods are totally happy with that! =)

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T10:26:00.002-05:00

Just a brief note to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! The husband and I are off to do the tradition of two Christmases, so we'll be back later! =)

Stay warm and gets lots of presents!

Wirework for the Win

2009-12-23T23:53:00.002-05:00

Because I adore awesome wirework. The song isn't to my taste, exactly, but damn, I love the wirework.

Public Accountability: Up, Over, and Through

2009-12-23T23:51:00.000-05:00

"Up, Over, and Through"

Starting Wordcount: 1802 words
Ending Wordcount: 1884 words
Words Written: 82 words

I'm trudging...