Maledicte

• I hope everyone had a good Turkey Day. I myself spent most of it with the Boyfriend and his mother, who made us a fantastic feast (and then sent most of the turkey home with us). I also got to play him at Mario Kart, where we discovered that I sort of suck at fake driving. I did improve slightly over the few races we played, though, so I suppose there's hope for me yet.

• I seem to have wrenched my neck in the night, and every time I think I've figured out where it's safe to hold my head so that I won't be in pain, the pain attacks. I would lay down and and hope that the pillow would work some sort of magic, but I actually have school work that I really need to get done before Monday. Still, ow.

• Since Turkey Day has passed, Holiday cards are now relevant. I'll be posting a call for addresses probably tomorrow. Keep an eye out, and give me your addresses so I can send you a card. :)

• I only have four more week of this semester. I am excite.

• I was very fail this NaNoWriMo and thus this year will still not be my year to win. Not entirely unexpected, but I did actually get a good novel idea out of this year, and most of the details for it. I am looking forward to writing more of it and hopefully finishing it. It's actually something that I could see being published. And with sequels! So that's sort of neat, too!

• (I ought to get a mood theme for my DW journal.)

• Oh jeez, it's been be a really long time since I wrote here. Mostly that's due to midterm papers. When I have pressing things to do for school, I tend to not let myself do things. (I mean, I still read fic online, but I don't write mine. And I don't get online to talk to people, but I do check email constantly.) I do still see/talk to friends who reach out to me, but I tend not to reach out because I'm technically "not supposed to." Or whatever. Anyway, I sort of became a hermit for a bit. (And I didn't manage to get one paper done, and my teacher told me not to turn it in anymore, since we're past the grading deadline. Which means that my grade for that class got dragged way the hell down, so I'm freaking out about how to pick it up again and maintaining my GPA for my scholarship and oh crap I made myself nauseated again.)

• Other than that last one, I got all A's in my midterm grades. Because I am awesome.

• Speaking of papers, I wrote a paper on Montaigne's essay "On the Cannibals" for my ethics class. I actually thought this one wasn't as good as the really-terribly-awful Machiavelli paper—certainly less organized, as I had less of an idea what I was talking about while I was writing it—but... I got another 25 out of 25 points on it. I should get my first paper for my Bible class (same teacher as Ethics) on Thursday, so we'll see what I get on that. Apparently this teacher really likes me.

• That last bit I actually know for a fact because, through a series of strange events, I ran into the Chair of the Creative Writing department at one of my other teachers' book launch, and she knew who I was because apparently my Ethics and Bible teacher was "raving" about me. Her word, not mine. I was assured that they were all good things, though.

• This encounter also led her to telling me that we should meet so that she could see about getting me out of taking some of the beginning writing classes. I gather she'd read my file, since I didn't actually tell her all that much about my writing experiences before she said that it sounded like I had sort of gone backwards. It would be nice if she could actually get me out of being stuck in the future with some of the people I'm stuck with now, but if not I will have at least cultivated a sort of relationship with her. I'm hoping she can also pull some strings to get me into her Poetry class next semester. (Apparently we have to take a Techniques class for the three main specializations, regardless of what we decide to specialize in.) She's not only smart, but really fun about being smart (if that makes sense) so fingers crossed for at least getting her as a teacher.

• I have a meeting with her and my academic advisor tomorrow.

• Moving right along from school things... The weekend of the 15th I was in a minor collision in my car. By which I mean, I had pulled in behind a guy in a truck at the gate for my dad's community, and instead of opening the gate he started backing up. I didn't realize he couldn't see me, so I thought, "Oh, I'll just get out of your way, dude," but he came straight back into me. I wasn't injured or anything, and only the passenger side rear door of my car was damaged. And, because it was clearly the guy's fault, his insurance is paying to replace my door. I'm taking it in tomorrow, they'll give me a rental for a few days, and then my car will have a door (and a window) that functions properly. Thank god, because we're supposed to get snow tomorrow night, and the window in that door no longer closes all the way, which makes my car awfully cold in the morning even without the possibility of snow.

• This does not solve the issue of my car's engine. But that will have to come a little later when I have the money.

• Speaking of, though, I worked a bunch this past weekend and make some money, all of which will likely be held in reserve for taking my car to the mechanic. I haven't done it yet because I don't want to take it and then not have the money to pay him when he's done. Hopefully I will be able to get this done in the next week or so. Fingers crossed.

• So, now that I'm actually in school for writing, I'm actually writing again. Not a whole lot, but some. I've actually started writing a story I've had notes for (and the first few sentences) since high school. It's a gender-swapped Peter Pan story, sort of. (All the credit for reminding me that I had it in my wip folder goes to olukemi and she knows why. :>) I'm really enjoying it so far, and I'm trying to finish it for when my turn to be workshopped rolls around in my Fiction class. (I can't remember when that is, now, but I have it written down somewhere.) I'd also like to finish it before NaNoWriMo, since I will be putting all my writing during the month of November towards that.

• So yeah, NaNoWriMo. I will be once again attempting to beat my odds. (Those odds being that I am 0 for 4 at this point.) I... don't yet know what I'm going to write. I'm thinking I might try this thing that girasola and I have been planning for years but never really get around to writing. Of all the things in my WIP folder, it has had the most plotting and planning done on it. On the other hand, as it's not entirely mine, I'm not sure I want to just go ahead and write it. Part of the fun of it would likely be writing it with her. My other options are entirely unplanned and unplotted as of yet, but I could change that. I don't know right now. But, in case anyone cares, you can follow my progress on my NaNoWriMo profile. (And until they fix the writing buddies option, that's all you can do.)

• I have been feeling lonely lately, even before I shut myself in my house and pretended to write papers for two weeks. I miss girasola and exrpan, who are not only my missing best friends, but have fabulous lives in NYC (no matter how much they complain). Not the least because I haven't been online in weeks. But also because I am just sort of feeling like I will never be able to get back to NYC, like I had my chance and I blew it. This is partially because looking at the prices for apartments in NYC is super depressing and also because there are things I am considering once I graduate (fingers crossed fingers crossed fingers crossed) that aren't in NYC. It makes my stomach go all noodly when I think about it. Ugh. Anyway, I miss you guys. ♥

• I am currently eating pasta with pesto that I not only made, but made with basil I grew. It's super delicious. (Even though it's throwing off my allowed meals for the day and not helping me lose the weight I gained while my Gram was here.)

• Oh yeah! My Gram came to visit. The same weekend that I got into the accident, actually. It was really nice. My dad and I cooked for her. Things that we got the recipes for from her years ago and used to make more often but haven't in years. Like the family spaghetti sauce. And blintzes. And baked macaroni and cheese. And frito pies with avocado. It was ridiculous how much amazing food we had, that was all cooked by me and my dad. Gram also took my dad and I out for a minorly expensive dinner at a fancy place that he and I like a lot. (It's where I took him for Father's Day this year.) Anyway, I swear I gained at least five pounds. Which means fitting in my jeans is getting problematic again. Whoops. Still, it was really nice to see Gram. We watched The Princess Bride one day, which she hadn't seen and I didn't know that my dad had. (He is a big squooshy softie, apparently. No, actually, it probably has more to do with Mandy Patinkin than anything else.) It was really nice.

• For those interested, the Big Session Festival is back. It went away for a little bit, but with the release of the Oysterband's new album with June Tabor (I suspect), it's back for this coming summer. I was looking at how much money I would need to save to be able to go, and holy crap. The tickets for the festival are actually reasonably priced, but airfares to England (as always) are frighteningly high. I think the chances of me being able to make it out there next summer are slim. Maybe I'll see if my mom will match whatever I can save... Chances are still slim, but at least she'll be proud that I'm making an effort, so it's not a terrible idea to ask, I suppose. Anyway, for those who are thinking about next summer's vacation and who happen to like the Oysterband (or celtic folk music in general) should definitely consider going.

• Wrote another X-Men: First Class fic last week. Or, I finished writing it last week. As it's been revealed, I'll likely post it here soon. Though, I want to change the ending a bit. So you can expect that soonish, I think. There may be some other fics coming before the end of the year, too. I'd like to actually finish some of the things I've started. Since I think I actually have a dozen fics in progress at the moment.

Oh jeez. This entry is really freaking long. I need to stop writing it now, regardless of whether I have more things to say. And I have to go write some poems for class tomorrow, so.

• Guess who's going to the orthodontist this month? This girl. My dentist suggested that some of my jaw problems might be fixed by orthodontia, and as long as no one suggests breaking my jaw and resetting it, I'm totally on board with having nice teeth. So, cavities fixed next Tuesday, orthodontist consultation sometime after that. Apparently my mom had braces when she was like... 35 or something. Not that I'm terribly worried about having braces at this age. (I kind of always wanted them when I was a kid. I thought they looked really neat.) So yeah.

• Hafta remind my dad that I need new contacts. Should probably find my prescription in order to do that.

• Apparently my new thing is collecting used travel books. I have two old ones from Ireland—both of them from before Ireland switched to Euros, they did switch right?—one for Cancun and the Yucutan Peninsula, and today at the library book sale I got one for Great Britain and one for Greece. All places I kind of desperately want to visit. Even more so for having these books. (Were I actually to go, I would get current books for the trip. Out of date travel books while traveling might be dangerous...)

• It's the beginning of my holiday season. What with my dad's birthday next week and my mom's in early November. I've gotten my dad's present—gave it to him early, it was a box of chocolate from See's—and my mom's too. (Not saying what it is here, she might read this. ;)) Now I am just onto friends and extended family. And I'm about... one quarter of the way through that list too. I feel pretty good about that. I'm giving myself one quarter of a gold star. :> I should definitely do something about cards, though...

• So, I'm playing Teddy Lupin in an all-eras Hogwarts RP in which all the generations are in school together, and you just make them cousins or something if they're like... father and son. In order to make him related to Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks and not make him Ted Tonks (thus leaving that character for someone else) I... made him Teddy Black. He's cousins with everyone ever. I find this incredibly amusing. And by incredibly amusing, I mean it randomly cracks me up all the time. I can't tell if other people—other than the ones I'm playing with—will find this as amusing as I do.

• OH. THE POINT OF ALL THAT WAS. I made some icons for Teddy, and I chose a couple PBs because a metamorphagus—that was so the best idea ever. I chose Gaspard Ulliel and Eddie Redmayne. And I am very much considering using some of those icons here, because I like them lots. Eddie Redmayne is so beautiful. What is it with me and redheads?

• I'm also playing Draco Malfoy in this RP. LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO APP LUCIUS MALFOY/DRACO'S OLDER BROTHER.

• Aaaaanyway. I want to finish my Covert Affairs fic. Ugh. I wish I had more than how they meet and that they have copious amounts of hot sex. D:

• Why are only episodes 2-5 of Hawaii Five-Oh on Hulu? I can't start something on the second episode! I need the first one! (...I am going to be at work tomorrow... Time to find a torrent!)

• I'm waffling on my NaNoWriMo plans. I might end up taking an RP that Mira and I did and plotted out and turn it into a novel. Because then I don't have to worry so much about ensuring that there's enough plot in my own plans. We'll see. I'll go through the ones that I thought would make good novels and see if I feel like writing any of them.

• Mkay, I need to shower, finish up a log between Remus and Teddy—I am laughing again, look at that—and do a little bit more Tacitus reading.

• ETA: AND THEN I DID UPLOAD SOME OF MY TEDDY PICS. AND I AM USING ONE NOW.

• The Secretariat trailer makes me tear up. As does watching any clips of his races on youtube. There is just something about that horse that makes me teary.

• I think I know what I want to write for NaNoWriMo. Now I just need to start constructing the plot a little more, and tweak the characters enough to give me some structure. I'm going to really try and get everything ready for me to write when November rolls around, so that I don't have to worry about the plot too much while I'm writing. Hopefully that will allow me to focus on getting the right number of words on the page. Here's hoping!

• That all being said, how do I reset my nanowrimo.org account? There's gotta be a better way than deleting all of last year's info, right?

• I've decided against doing any sort of holiday fic exchanges this year. I'm only interested in finishing the two fics that I started this summer, and not really looking to write anything other than original stuff for the next little while.

• Not that I really have time these days to do a whole lot of original writing. D:

• So not caught up on any of the TV shows I'm watching, and other shows are starting up again. How will I ever keep up? I did finish watching The Pillars of the Earth though. Which, while it was annoyingly inaccurate with the characters' ages/looks, was really amazing. And it had a song in the soundtrack that we sang during Freshman year music, and then later Euclid came up. I was like, "This is awesome. It's Freshman year come back to haunt me in my TV shows." Still, it was amusing and fun.

• I got an awesome pair of boots at Target last night. And discovered that Revlon is now making their lip stain again. In a different sort of applicator, but still. It's still called Just Bitten though, which amuses me to no end.

• A couple weeks ago I got free tickets to see Lúnasa here in Santa Fe. The show is next weekend, and I am super excited. I am taking my dad. :> Because no one but him could properly appreciate it with me. Here, have a video of my favorite song. I hope they play it.

• There are a bunch of things through the end of the year that are playing/showing/being performed at the local theater that I want to see. And they apparently have awesome student rates, so I might actually go see some of them. Including a "live in HD" showing of Das Rheingold, which is now playing at The Met in NYC. $15 student tickets are kind of way too good to pass up.

• My kitten was playing with a live bird in the living room this morning. I heard from the woman who's cleaning our house and apparently the bird died at some point. I am sorry, little birdy. I was running late, and you scare me, so I didn't rescue you. D:

November is National Novel Writing Month. (I know, you all knew this.) But, because I suck and don't want to write a novel am concentrating on writing short stories, I'll probably try to do something more along the lines of writing a short story a week. (Also, that would rock, as I would feel so flipping productive.)

So yeah. Look forward to such things, my minions!