Nearly all Packed

I put this pic in because it's just too cute. Isn't she adorable? *gushes* Even though she likes to scratch at my face, bite, and not take naps, she's still cute. :-)

Packing... hmm... Well, I didn't do much throughout the day because the Queen didn't take a nap and kept wanting me to hold her. When Jim came home, she was happier and let me put her on the floor as long as we played music and danced.

This morning, Elizabeth and I met up with two writing mamas from my critique group. They're both writing fantastic novels and have progressed far beyond me at this point (but their kids are a bit older and they're not moving - that's a reasonable excuse, right?). Cindy is writing a great fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore, and Kirsten is writing a very smart, dark-humored psychological tale. See? I have smart friends - and smart friends make me feel smarter!

I called my best friend Kelly, who lives in England, and told her all about the SCBWI conference. I was talking about the time when I will send my manuscript out, and trying to sound confident (to psyche myself up), I said, "I think Scholastic will like my book because it will be great - as long as I keep working on it until it's great." After I said it I realized it sounded a little arrogant, but what I meant was that as long as I give it my best effort, and really work at it so the pages are well-crafted and the story itself is better than anyone else could make of it, it will be great.

I have to remind myself this at times like these... when the only time I get to write is at midnight, blogging.

Yes, I know, I could be writing instead. Well, I will - when my copyediting and grammar lab homework is done and the house is packed up. You see, I can dip in and out of blogging much easier than I can my story; it's mindless most of the time. Besides, when the only time I get to write is at midnight, my mind is a little too sore from a day's work to do any justice to Rohana.

SCBWI, Denver, Disneyland, and Packing-up

Yes, quite a long list, so I'll list out the highlights of each event:

SCBWI LA Conference:

I got there too late on Friday to partake, but I did have a blast Saturday and Sunday... The best part of going to the conference was that I got motivated and encouraged to finish my book. (I will do a great job, as long as I don't give up!) I got to see Walter Dean Myers and Kirby Larson - I'm a fan of both writers. I met up with Laini Taylor and Jim Di Bartolo again, which was great because they're funny, friendly, and (here's that word again) encouraging. :-) I also met some new people that I'm planning on keeping in touch with... Having Jim and Elizabeth there in the hotel made it stress-free for me, and they had a great time at the pool (even though Jim forgot he had his cell in his pocket).

As for networking and learning things, Laini and her husband Jim introduced me to some very nice people at the By the Light of the Silvery Moon party. At one time, I got to speak some (very weak) Russian, and when I asked if the gal was a writer, she replied, "No, I'm an editor." So... editors are real people, too! I enjoyed talking with everyone that night, and then the next day, I got to sit in on a workshop with Arthur A. Levine and Rachel Griffiths (the Russian-speaking editor). Listening to them talk about their imprint (well, Arthur Levine's imprint) inspired me. I think, just maybe, they would like my book. (When it's ready.)

I had to leave early, unfortunately, so I missed a lot of activities on Sunday night and Monday, but I felt like it was all worth the money, the time, and the temporary feelings of ineptitude.

Then on Monday, Elizabeth, Jiji, and I drove to Denver. Only, we only made it to Utah on Monday. We didn't get to Denver until Tuesday night. The main reason we went out there was to deliver the cat and the car to my parents so they can both be watched while we (Jim, Elizabeth, and I) go circling the globe the next few months. Elizabeth and I flew back Friday, and then yesterday, we went to Disneyland.

It was Elizabeth's 1st birthday, so we had to do something grand. (Besides, we hadn't been in ages.) The first hour we were there, she cried, but then calmed down after I realized her toe had been mangled in her shoe (my fault). After that high-intensity period was over, she had fun in the It's a Bug's Life area, splashing in the water. We met up with a friend from college, did the birthday-day cupcake thing, and spent the rest of the day walking around. It was a completely different Disney experience for me, since we weren't trying to ride all the rides (I think we rode three). The best parts for Elizabeth were the little shows with live animals and princesses. I was surprised that she paid attention - she was enraptured, especially when Belle was telling a story. We stayed until the fireworks... and by then, she was zonked in her stroller.

Today, which is our 2nd anniversary, we are moving stuff into storage boxes. We'd be done by now, but the company that dropped them off yesterday only dropped off one (we ordered two), and they aren't the advertised size. I was (just a tad) annoyed, especially since we couldn't get ahold of them today to fix the situation. So I called a different company which is going to deliver two (bigger) boxes this afternoon. Anytime now... In fact, now would be good, since Elizabeth is napping...

I apologize if this whirlwind of events wasn't told in all that of an interesting manner, but I'm tired. Really.

I plan on emailing the writers I met at the conference, as soon as I can. My computer is getting boxed up today, but I'll have Jim's to use, and then we'll be off to Hawaii for our next job-adventure on Sunday, so I'll be out of commission until I figure internet, etc. at the hotel.

Ciao! Or rather, aloha.

A Feline Fan

As you can see, my cat Jiji has found a use for the new Harry Potter book. Unfortunately, he's the only one who's spent any time with it yet. This past week has been spent packing, doing homework, and guiding Elizabeth as she pattered around on two feet (!!!).

The last two or three hours have been spent going over my manuscript. I wanted to make sure it was as clean as could be before printing it off. I've got to bring at least one copy with me to the conference - all 13,986 words! (Thus far.) It's not finished, obviously, but at least I will have something to show anyone should they be interested. Should I be so lucky.

Now, off to bed before she wakes for her midnight feeding... tomorrow night, I'll be in LA!

Bleh!

I apologize for not having anything interesting to say. Usually, that means I don't post anything, but I'm up late after doing some critiques and poring over Craigslist. (We've been trying to sell all of our furniture and find cheap boxes.)

In addition to this:
1. Editing work
2. Two classes
3. Writing
4. Packing up the house
5. Practically turning the house into a store
6. Setting things up for my six-week stint as a Reservist in Hawaii (i.e., going back to work temporarily)
7. Setting up our trip to New Zealand
8. And, oh yeah, being the primary caregiver to our just-walking daughter,

I have a nasty sinus infection.

So yes, bleh.

Two great things:
1. I met Laini and Jim on Thursday while they visited San Diego for the ComiCon.
2. Jim and I got away baby-free and saw the new Harry Potter movie. (My Jim, not Laini's Jim, of course!)

Meeting my new friends was awesome, and I'll get to see them next weekend at the conference in LA.

The new Harry Potter movie was fantastic. As my mother said, "it didn't have everything in the book, but how could they make a movie that long?" They did a great job transferring the words into film, and I think the acting was great. I especially like seeing Emma Thompson. I hadn't noticed her in the movies before...

Cheers, and here's to Vitamin C.

Me, Excited

This is me super excited because... *drum roll, please* I'm going to SCBWI's LA Conference in August! Yay! Just a week and a half away!

I know I will feel like I'm in over my head. So many published writers, so many agents and editors, so many talented artists - where do I fit in with them? I must convince myself that my writing is just as good, but "undiscovered." :-) I'm nervous in the sort of First-Day-of-School-in-a-New-Town sort of way. (I moved around about every two years as a kid, so I know that feeling well.) You know: will I be too boring? Too weird? Will I fit in? Will I find any kindred spirits?

Then I smack myself on the side of the head - of course I will find kindred spirits! Lots of them! They're all writers/illustrators/publishing-world people who want to make good art for kids (and teens)!!! My kind of people. Hurrah!

Jim and Elizabeth will be there too, but mostly in the pool or driving about LA. Although they're BOTH interested in Kid Lit (Elizabeth says it's rather tasty), they're not going to bother my co-artists.

By the by, see that rug hanging on the wall behind me? I bought that in Baghdad from a Turkish man who bought it in Iran (what a circuit). It's from Qom, and is pure silk. The best part: it was woven the same year I was born - 1980. I was 25 when I bought it, and I thought it rather nifty that the rug and I spent the same quarter-century on this Earth together. It's a hunting scene, and very pretty. Unfortunately, my wicked cat Jiji has tried a few times to use it as a scratching post.

Wicked

Since my last Sunday Scribblings was dedicated to my dogs, here is an ode to my black cat (in haiku form):

twitching his long tail
Jiji lifts a furred eyelid
and bites in a flash

and in Japanese (not exact b/c the syllables wouldn't be 5-7-5):

nagai-no happo
Jiji-ga heya miru
shoshaku suru

Thinking back, the last haiku I wrote in Japanese was about dogs... and that was in 1992.

Hair, of Canines

These were my dogs. I say "were" because over the last six months, we have given them both away. The collie is Silver. She is 8 years old. The beagle is Chewbacca. He is five years old. Chewbacca went to a new home with a doggie door, a younger beagle brother, and a yard last December. Silver flew to Virginia today.

I was never going to be one of those people who get rid of their dogs when they have a baby. How could a baby replace any member of the family, whether human or not? I still believe that had we lived in a real house, with real grass (or maybe just nearby a park), we would still have these dogs. But I caved. After a year and a half of Chewbacca peeing on the floor because he couldn't hold it, I had to find him somewhere else to live. (This was after I made a pallet of grass on our patio, which he peed in once and then returned to the floor/door.) At his new home, he has yet to have an accident. Silver, on the other hand, is a model citizen. She is truly a perfect house dog - if you don't mind vacuuming every other day. Yes, fur. Everywhere. She moved to my sister-in-law's house because we are moving next month and will be in transit for a year (to who-knows-where).

When we got home today from the airport I set to vacuuming the whole house. We had taken her to the beach yesterday, so sand had scattered itself all over and mingled with the silver fur that was stuck to the Elizabeth-spilled sticky places. I was relieved to know I wouldn't have to vacuum again so soon, but with each swipe of the whirring machine (the Dyson Animal, bought specifically for our animals!), a ball of guilt tumbled about inside me. Had I given Silver away merely for a decrease in vacuuming frequency? Had I shipped her off to her favorite Auntie only so I could have more freedom? What was I doing trying to erase her imprint as soon as was possible?

Half-way through I emptied the vacuum container and watched the doughnut-shaped clump of gray fur braided with dust and sand as it fell into the bag with a satisfying plop. Then I reaffixed the container and continued on with the rest of the house. I mopped, too. There, I sighed, a clean floor. Maybe it would last a week!

The guilt rose higher in my throat. Silver had no idea she would never see this home again, just like she had no idea where Chewbacca went. Our cat, Jiji, was very sad when Chewie was gone. I don't know how he'll act these next few days as he realizes Silver is gone now, too.

The price of a life En Route has turned out to be greater than I had anticipated. The weight with which we handed over our dogs is still with me. As I learned with giving Chewbacca away, Silver's contributions and presence are irreplaceable. A clean house is not a good trade, no matter how many fewer times I now have to toss out clumps of silver hair.

Halloween, 2005

This has been a Sunday Scribblings about HAIR. (Good timing.)