Blink and You'll Miss It

Happy New Year!

Oh wait, that was five months ago.

Oh well. So, how is everybody doing? Good? Great? Less than stellar? Freakin' Fantastic?

Me, I'm doing well. Spring is coming (bouncebouncebounce) and I adore spring! I want to plant flowers and go for rambling walks through the forest (I'm in Tahoe, so I can do that) and I want to go swimming and have picnics in the mountains and just immerse myself in the weather.

(Yes, I am a fairy, why do you ask? Or a unicorn. It really depends on the day. And the magic.)

Some good things happened this month(s). I went to Barnes and Noble middle of March and spent hours there browsing, which I haven't done in ages. I found the last few seasons of a couple TV shows for a real cheap price and BOUGHT them. I got Ally Carter's book, SEE HOW THEY RUN. (Ally Carter, FYI, is fab. She writes so well and I adore her!) I got coffee and a croissant from the B&N coffee shop, because it was freaking B&N and I was going to ENJOY MYSELF! So there. (Yes, the coffee and croissant were delicious. I have no regrets.)

Then, about a week ago, I received Josh Groban's STAGES LIVE from two adorable sisters when they went to Barnes and Noble (without me, I might add. I had to work, which was RUDE! but the STAGES DVD was a nice consolation prize) and we had an enjoyable evening where we watched Il Volo's WE ARE LOVE concert, followed by Josh Groban's STAGES concert. (Guilty confession: I could watch videos of people singing all day. Unfortunately, I don't get paid to do that. Sigh.) Both Il Volo (consisting of the three adorable Italians, Piero, Gianluca, and Ignazio) and Josh Groban (consisting of himself) are TONS of fun to watch. They are funny, awesome singers, and they give a great show. (Next up, movie/musical binge night, featuring Il Volo in LIVE FROM POMPEII and Josh Groban in AWAKE LIVE.)

Also, I checked out books from the library and they didn't all suck! That was such a surprise for me. Usually I check out so many books, and I go skimskimskim, and then I return all those books to the library, feeling melancholy and sad that there wasn't a single book I liked. This time, out of the six or seven I checked out, I actually liked three or four of them! Surprising, yes? (Funny how most of my good things have to do with books, bookstores and libraries. Shhh, no one mention how many books I have in that closet... or under that bed... or in that house... or on those bookshelves.)

OH! Another good thing that happened - I discovered the remake TV series of Hawaii Five-0, which I LOVE! (and it got renewed for a season 7, which I'm SO EXCITED ABOUT!!!! So, my good stuff doesn't revolve ENTIRELY around books, I guess. I like TV shows, too.) It was a good time for me to find H50, 'cause all my other shows were burning and crashing and dying. So I decided, I don't care if Hawaii Five-0 sounds like a silly show, it's recommended for me on Netflix and I shall watch it. And I did. And I was like, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaang Daniel! (And Steve. Oh m' gosh, Steve! You are a sweet, sad puppy and I love you.) So, I was hooked and watched the five seasons streaming on Netflix in 3-1/2 weeks or less. I swear it was at least three weeks. Treskie seems to believe it was two. I don't think I watched them THAT quickly.

Then I did have some crappy things happen. Like, I didn't make it to confession last Sunday, which means it will be four weeks before I can actually go. To quote Captain Haddock, "You don't know what that means." You feel soured with life. You feel mean and small. Kind of like Gollum. Sort of thin. Stretched. Like butter scraped over too much bread.

Then, I have gotten a couple more agent rejections. I know it's just business, but still. You feel unhappy getting those rejections. Kind of small. Sad-like. (I believe in you, Dragon! One day, your story will be told, and not just to my sisters and my writing group. I promise!)

Last, and most depressing of all, the fourth book in a series I have adored since book one, and which I have been waiting to be released since I finished book three in April last year, ended up making two of the best main characters gay. Since one was a Catholic (and honestly, freakin' HAWT), I was pretty upset that happened, and I'm thankful I didn't end up reading book four. (My sister Treskie did that for me, and when she told me, I went into a grieving state which I'm still not quite over.) I think the thing about this book that makes me so depressed is that, from the beginning, there is this quintet consisting of four boys and one girl, and they are nothing BUT friends. There is a slight romance between the girl and one of the boys, which later transforms into a deeper romance between the same girl and a DIFFERENT boy, but the the boys themselves are like a foursome of brothers. There was nothing romantic in there at all. So to see the author (whom I have loved and adored for the past five years, and now feel utterly betrayed by) obeying the trend of the world and writing two of the boys as gay (when they are both honestly too manly and moral to do that) infuriated me. I was like, "What's wrong with just being friends? What's wrong with just being BROS?! Don't people like bros anymore!?" (Note to self: Write story about BROS. Emphasize the BRO-ness. Steve and Danny bro-style.)

So, that upset me. Depressed me. Made me cry. Utter lamentations. Rewrite the book in my head. Turn to Diana Wynne-Jones for comfort. (I can always count on her to make me feel better!)

Anyhoozle, that's what's been going on for me. Tonight, as it is May the Fourth, Treskie, Panda and I are going to watch The Force Awakens. Pandy has not seen it (Shhhhhhh, don't tell her about the really shocking thing that happens!) and as it was the one Star Wars movie I liked perhaps as much as A New Hope, I'm excited to rewatch it.

May the Fourth be With You!!

Cheers!

Le Cat

2015: A Summary

This was a tag from Bella back in the beginning of January, which I'm not finally getting to. (Congratulate me, friend! Two blog posts in March!) It was supposed to be a New Year's Tag, but since I'm so late, it's going to be a "2015: A Summary" tag. So whatever.


1. What was the single best thing that happened last year?

Um, let's see. Honestly, probably going to Carmel and visiting a couple of the missions. That was such a wonderful and epic trip. My older sister and I went for three days and it was just really lovely. Plus, the ocean was gorgeous! (I think I might love the ocean.)

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

I had a two-day jury summons, waiting while the judge and attorneys tried to decide on jurors.

3. What was the most memorable thing?

Christmas. Christmas was definitely the most memorable thing about last year.

4. What did you get really, really excited about?

'Kay, I was able to go to this thing called WordWave, where I got to meet an agent from Fuse Literary. That was really cool and exciting and SO helpful for my query and synopsis.

I was also excited to hear that Prison Break is getting a new season. YAY! :-)

5. What song/album will always remind you of 2015?
Josh Groban's STAGES CD. Especially "What I Did For Love" and "Dulcinea."

6. How did you spend your Christmas?
Epicly! (Epically?) We had Midnight Mass privately up near where we live, and we got some pretty awesome snow Christmas Eve, so we had these huge soft drifts everywhere, and there was a full moon that night, so I wished on it.
Christmas is always glorious in our house. We light the Christ Candle first thing and sing Joy to the World, and put Baby Jesus in the manger. My dad always gets a fire going and makes sausage rolls and puts down a pot of coffee, and we open stockings and eat food and drink mimosa and/or orange juice and coffee and pass out gifts and get really, really loud. We had a lot of people over that day, too. We have a friend who moved to Tahoe from Wyoming, and her brothers came for dinner, which was our traditional gnocchi and ham. We also had a snowball fight later that night, and it was pretty freakishly cold out there, which probably wasn't good for all of us with our wicked chest colds. We were all:

 7. What was a hardest thing you to face in 2015?

I don't even know. Maybe... That one time... Or perhaps... Nope, I got nuthin'.

8. What were the best movies you saw in 2015?

Antman, Age of Ultron, and The Scorch Trials, because Marvel, because AVENGERS, and obviously because Dylan O'Brien. 

9.What were the best books you read in 2015?
What Came From The Stars by Gary Schmidt; The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski.

10. Was there any awesome/fun TV show you discovered in 2015?

I was briefly hooked on Person Of Interest, then a female character was introduced who sort of usurped my boys, Reese and Finch, and I later discovered she was having a relationship with another female and I lost interest. I restarted 24, though. (Still adore Jack.)

11. Did you discover any new musicals?

Yes! Finding Neverland, and A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder.

12. Did you write any new books?
I am mostly revising books I've already written - namely, DragonFire and Fulcrum. I had been kicking around an idea concerning nightmares, and that one has really taken off this month. I've been actively writing it a few hours each night. I'm pretty excited about it. :-)

13. Did you make any new friends?

14. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

15. Is there some change you will have to go through in 2016?
Gosh, I hope not. Well, I'd like to move. But otherwise... Gosh, I hope not.

16. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

Pinterest.

17. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?
Life is hard, but trust in God. Worry gives you insomnia.

18. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"He will always hate me / No matter what I say / And there is no mistaking the love is gone."
(This is actually a man's song, so I had to change the "she" in the original lyrics to "he".)

19. What are five things you want to do in 2016?
a.) Land an agent. (That makes me sound like I'm hooking a fish. Sorry, agents!)
b.) Buy a piano and start composing music again.
c.) Go to one of the two SCBWI Annual Conferences in either LA or New York (though since I didn't get tax returns this year, that's probably not going to happen this year).
d.) Get a better job.
e.) Move.

20. Describe 2015 in your own words.

Truly, not the best year I've ever had. It had it's ups and downs, and I was mostly very worried and stressed during it. I concentrated on trying to be a bit more trusting and take it one day at a time. I sometimes felt like I was doing good with that, but then someone would say, "Are you okay? You seem sad," and I so I guess I wasn't being as brave as I'd thought I was being.

2015 did have some epic moments - Carmel and WordWave and Christmas were three incredible highlights to the year and I want to go back to check out more of the missions in the very near future. That's a definite To-Do. I also got myself submitting to agents, which is an A+ for me in regards to my courage. (Submitting to agents is scary!)

However, I seem to have grown more antisocial. The best thing in my life is going to my little home and being alone, with no people other than my sisters. And Netflix. (Seriously, guys. NETFLIX.)

So that was my last year.

And this was my relationship with last year

HERE'S TO A BETTER THIS YEAR!!! :-) 

God bless. 

The Cat

............Vroom.........Vrooooom..........

So, February happened...
 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it gave me whiplash as it hurricaned by. It was a *blink* "Whaaaaaa....?" kind of month. Literally, like, *blink*, Valentine's Day, DISNEYLAND, and WHAM. March.

 Valentine's Day was same-old, same-old. We had tons of orders and many last minute orders, and I. Hate. Phones. Me, I was the answering machine. Which kinda sucked. But my fab sister Teresa ALSO helped with the phones, so that made it less hard UGH and more hysterical HAHAHA. I just don't think Valentine's Day is my holiday. I'm rather meh about it.

But yeah, directly after Valentine's Day, we got ourselves packed off in a three-car caravan to Disneyland. *Insert whooping and hollering and eight dedicated hours of listening to Il Volo.*

 This fairy godmother was the best. The BEST, I tell you!

 

Chloe had the cutest unicorn painted on her face. I was impressed.

 Sammi had to close her eyes to show us her butterfly face painting. 

 

Look at us first-timers, grinning and rockin' the matching shirts! 

(Do you like my "We're here. Can you believe it?!" eyebrow look?)

(Or else it's the "Have fun or DIE!" look. I'm not sure which.)

Mein Mater

And I love YOU, random citizens in my picture!

You have been immortalized forever. You're welcome.

Random "MmmHMMM" Look. 

I wonder what she saw? *peers at the picture*

Oh Disneyland, you so funny!

I want to go back to Disneyland again. Maybe not any time in the near future, but say, like in five years or so. I'd want to for sure re-ride California Screaming, Tower of Terror, Hyperspace Mountain, Star Tours and the Indiana Jones ride, and I wouldn't mind getting back on the Matterhorn and Splash Mountain. I DO want to do Soaring Over California - we weren't able to make that one this year - but other than that, I'd want to explore more, visit more of the park and actually SEE everything instead of hurrying so much. I'd want to check out some of the shops a bit more than I did this time, especially Disneyania where they had two artists arting (that sounds like the 12 days of Christmas, doesn't it? "Two Artists Arting and a Shop full of Disneyland ART!) and The Mad Hatter, and visit Critter Corner and that kind of stuff. So next time, a little more walking and less riding, I think. It was crazy fun, though, and there were so many of us, it was a little terrifying - we were a mob of 17 and we were COOOOOL. IT was coooooool! :-) See? Look at us! Look at how COOL we are! (What a mob.)

In other news, during January I got officially addicted to Il Volo (Piero Barone is my fave), I watched all available seasons of Hawaii Five-0 (the 2010 remake) in perhaps three weeks or less, I sent out queries to 20 agents, and started drafting a new book. (Always gotta work on something new while I'm waiting for something old to hopefully get accepted.

Gianluca Ginoble, Ignazio Boschetto, and Piero Barone

My Broooooooos

In February... well, you know what happened in February.

Suddenly, March. So HAPPY MARCH, PEOPLE!  

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Happy St. Joseph's Day!

Last, but not least, HAPPY EASTER!