New York and other updates

Sorry, life has just been hectic. : ) We had a fence installed for the puppies and Joseph, the older of our two "boys," celebrated by racing around in the backyard and losing several toe nails. He's forever losing nails, has been ever since we got him seven years ago. But this time, his toe injuries have required much maintenance and looking after. Seriously, I'm beginning to think we should have stock in whatever company makes Neosporin.  

 

Also, we had a celebratory dinner with a few friends a couple of weekends ago and I have some very fun pictures I want to share, but that will have to wait until I've got a few more minutes. Just squeezing a quick post in here. : ) 

 

Later this week, we'll be heading out to New York City. It's the first time I've ever been there. I'm prepared to feel cowed and intimidated by the entire setting--big cities make me nervous initially--but I'm also hoping I can adapt relatively quickly. : ) Friends who live there say I should be fine. It's not that different from Chicago.

 

But you have to consider: a) I live in the 'burbs. And the far northern ones at that. I'm closer to Milwaukee (and more comfortable driving there) than I am Chicago, and b) my only experience with New York is what I see on television, either in movies or commercials for reruns of Sex and the City (someday I'll get around to watching that show, I swear).

 

I own nothing in my wardrobe that even vaguely resembles the stuff I've seen Carrie and the girls wearing. I'm almost strictly a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. I have high heels but will do just about anything, including letting too long pants drag the ground, in order to avoid wearing them. I was excited last week because I found a cute pair of jeans at Target on sale for seven bucks.

 

Oh! Total tangent, but when I was in high school, my mother refused to buy me expensive jeans that were already worn-looking or torn and rightly so. However, I was thrilled to discover that my bargain jeans from Target were not only cute but came with a manufactured rip. Ha! I love it!

 

I've asked my friend Stacey A. (not to be confused with Stacy G., who also often gives me very good advice) who lives in NY about what I should bring to wear. I think she was a bit baffled about why I was asking this question. So, I'm wondering, perhaps, if television has once more given me a slightly off-kilter view of things. But we shall see.  

 

I'm also nervous and excited because I'll be meeting my editor at Hyperion for the first time. Very cool!

 

Just finished reading The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Weird story, incredibly well-written, but strange...in a good way, though. Her insights about reading and writing and why people do both were dead on and downright fascinating.

 

Watched Christian Bale in Equilibrium, an older sci-fi movie. Very Farenheit 451-esque, but I liked it. Turned out differently than I thought it would.

 

More later...