Tuesday, May 25, 2010

What I've been doing lately

So what's been up around here lately? Oh, stuff.

-Non-stop rain, for one thing. What is this, the Pacific Northwest?

-I got my hair re-pinked yesterday, and was told afterward, while ordering plantain burritos, that I had "the most perfectly dyed hair" that the counter girl had ever seen. Why, thank you very much :-)

-I saw a movie on the weekend with one of my Portland writer friends, Bridget Zinn -- Letters From Juliet, which stays in your head for about as long as it takes gelato to melt on a hot day. Of the various romantic interests in the film, I thought the 70-year-old Italian, Franco Nero, was the hottest. Here he is at not-70:

-We've been chasing the "portable mess-maker" that is crawling Clementine. Wow! The world is made of things to grab. (Actually, right this MOMENT she is discovering the stairs for the first time. Yow! Don't worry - I'm not just sitting here watching her climb up stairs. Well, okay, I am, but Jim is with her!)
Doesn't she look totally fierce here? Like a little lion guarding her prey, ha ha!

-We had dinner last week with another Portland writer friend, Suzanne Young, at their totally cool new house, which is a geodesic dome in the woods.

-I've been reading Marie Rutkoski's The Celestial Globe, the sequel to The Cabinet of Wonders. Both are wonderful middle-grade adventures set in Bohemia, London, and other exotic locales. Reading is slow-going these days, since the reading-while-nursing days are over, sigh.

-I have collected a stack of library books on siege warfare, but haven't breached them yet. That's my *assignment* for the next little while. Wouldn't it be great to go back to college and take a bunch of awesome history classes? Well, you know: not for a grade. I wouldn't have to write the papers, I'd just sit in on the lectures, do the reading. Maybe some day I will. I didn't get to take enough history classes in college. I got churned out of there in four years -- that's just not enough time!

-I have eaten approximately 2-1/2 mango tango donuts from Voodoo :-), while sharing the other 1-1/2 with Jim, because that's the kind of wife I am. (Hm. I suppose a really good wife would have shared 50/50, wouldn't she? It's okay. Jim is a health nut. That's a lot of donut for him!)

-I got a wonderful fan letter yesterday from a 6th grader in Florida, who told me that as soon as she finished reading Blackbringer, she flipped to the beginning and began again. I LOVE that, because when I really love a book, I do the same thing. (*love*)

-Did I tell you? I found out [from the translator] that Lips Touch sold Indonesian rights. So cool! It will be my first Asian edition. Yippeeeee!

-I have been writing my new book, for which I am filled with love.

-And I have mostly been occupied with something else I will tell you about soon. Soon. (And no, I'm not pregnant -- funny how that's always the first thing people think! Speaking of, though, did you hear that Shannon Hale is going to have twins???)

Have a happy day!

8 comments:

Charlotte said...

Hi Laini!

Viz seige warfare--here's a post I wrote ages ago about two videos on the subject, that might be nice for you to watch. Especially the first one, where the team tries to build a working trebuchet.

http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/2007/04/2-non-fiction-videos-about-castles-and.html

And boy, I miss those nursing and reading days myself--one felt that one was doing Something Essential, and at the same time one was reading...sigh. Not worth having another child for, though--two is plenty! And yours continues to be adorable.

Unknown said...

Your blogs make me so happy! I am super jealous of your amazing pink hair, I grew mine/dyed it out because I was worried about finding jobs. Now I miss it, but I hated the up-keep, my hair really doesn't hold dye. It's so boring now =(

Anyway, I love to read about your life and ambitions. Not only do you have amazing hair, you have amazing books, a beautiful family, and such a positive outlook. Reading your entries makes me want to start making to-do lists and start writing again. In fact, as soon as I'm done cleaning my room (just moved home from college after graduating), I will make a to-do list to help around the house!

Myrna Foster said...

I did hear that Shannon's having twins - so exciting!

Plantain burritos? Do they have chocolate in them? I love bananas and chocolate together.

KT said...

When you said Clementine looked fierce, I thought of Tyra Banks instead of lions. But I supposed you might like pretending you're a lioness on a photo shoot.

Stephanie Perkins said...

I think that's my favorite picture of Clementine yet! I love how her eyes match her outfit. :)

, said...

Damn, I kinda wish you were pregnant, I want to see if your next baby is as cute as your first! She's almost edible <3

PS. I ordered Lips Touch and it's being shipped to Australia :D cannot wait to finally read it

tone almhjell said...

Totally fierce, and totally beautiful! Yay!

And Indonesia! How COOL!

jaecy bells said...

Congrats on the Indonesian rights--that's awesome! I used to have a penpal sort of friend from Jakarta, now that I think of it...I bet she will read Lips Touch.

My life is also currently drenched with rain. What is with that??

Also, I love the picture of Clementine! It was a great shot!